Category Archives: recipes

Banana Rum Bread

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Ingredients

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground clove
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
  • 1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 1/2 cups mashed banana, about 5 medium
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, browned
  • 3 oz dark, spiced rum

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9 X 5-inch bread pan with butter or cooking spray.

Prepare the browned butter. In a medium skillet over medium heat, melt the butter and maintain heat until amber in color, swirling frequently, 6 to 7 minutes. Remove from heat and add the rum to the pan to halt the cooking. Allow to cool.

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt and nutmeg.

In a medium bowl, lightly beat the eggs. Mix in the banana and sugar. Add butter / rum mixture to banana mixture and thoroughly incorporate.

Add banana mixture all at once to dry ingredients and stir until just mixed. Do not over mix.

Transfer batter to greased loaf pan. Bake for 55 – 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Note: Cover loaf with some tin foil in the last 15 minutes of baking should it begin to darken too much.

Remove from oven and place pan on wire rack to cool for 15 minutes.

The bread slices best after being left in plastic wrap overnight

Source: https://www.365daysofbakingandmore.com/brown-butter-rum-banana-bread/

Empanada dough

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Makes 1 dozen 4″ disks, or 2 dozen 3″ disks.

Ingredients

  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 12 tablespoons cold, unsalted butter
  • 2 large eggs, divided
  • About ⅓ cup cold milk or ½ cup cold buttermilk, divided

Directions

Preheat oven to 425°F.

Combine flour, salt and butter in the bowl of a food processor, pulsing several seconds until butter forms pea-sized clumps. Add one egg and one half of the milk or buttermilk. Pulse until combined. Slowly add remaining milk until dough just clumps.

Turn out onto a floured work surface and press flat with fingers. Fold into thirds and press flat several times, sweeping in loose bits of dough. Do not knead or use a rolling pin. Repeat folding and pressing flat several times until dough is combined. Split into 2 large balls and rest refrigerated 10 minutes, or up to 2 days.

With a rolling pin, roll a ball out into a thin sheet about ⅜” thick. Cut rounds with a biscuit cutter.

Prepare the remaining egg in a small bowl, beaten.

Fill 4″ rounds with 3 tablespoons of filling, or 3″ rounds with 2 tablespoons. Do not overfill. Dampen edges of the round with water. Fold rounds over, sealing the edge by pressing with a fork or gently pinching and twisting.

Place finished pastries on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, spaced 1″ apart. Brush the pastries with the beaten egg. Bake at 425°F for 15-18 minutes, until well browned.

Shepherd’s Pie #1

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Ingredients

  • 1½ lbs ground beef (80-20 recommended)
  • ½ large white onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
  • 1 tablespoon granulated garlic or 2 tablespoons minced garlic
  • 4 teaspoon flour
  • 1½ cups beef broth
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon ground thyme
  • ½ teaspoon ground parsley
  • ½ teaspoon ground sage
  • 8 cups mashed potato (about 8 servings)
  • 2 cups mixed vegetables (corn, carrot, peas, lima beans)

Directions

Prepare 8 cups (about 8 servings) of mashed potato.

Preheat oven to 350°F.

In a 12″ skillet, brown the beef adding salt and pepper when meat is mostly browned. When meat is browned, remove with slotted spoon, reserving fat in pan. Heat fat over medium-high heat, and dust flour over the fat, whisking until smooth to incorporate into a roux. Whisk roux until flour is cooked, and becomes fragrant. Slowly add beef broth, whisking into a thin gravy. Combine thyme, ginger and sage adjustong seasonand simmer, stirring occasionally, adjusting to taste, until reduced by a third, about 15 minutes.

Combine gravy, beef and vegetables in skillet. Spoon or pipe potatoes over the beef and spread into an even layer. Embellish with a fork.

Bake 20-30 minutes at 350°F over a foil drip pan until potatoes start to brown.

Maple Sage turkey brine

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Tangy maple and sage brine for turkey, up to 14 lb.

  • 4 quarts water, divided
  • 1-1/2 cups packed brown sugar
  • 1 cup sea salt
  • 1 cup maple syrup
  • 1 cup cider vinegar
  • 24 fresh sage leaves
  • 6 bay leaves
  • 2 tablespoons mustard powder
  • 2 tablespoons coarsely ground pepper
  • 1 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 4 quarts ice water

Raise 2 cups of water to a boil and add salt.  Simmer 3 minutes until salt is dissolved.  Cool brine to room temperature. Whisk mustard powder into vinegar and set aside.  Prepare a bouquet garni of sage and bay leaves. 

Combine ingredients in a non-reactive vessel and top up with ice water.

Clean and truss turkey, and add to brine ensuring the turkey is completely covered.  Refrigerate covered up to 24 hours.  After 24 hours, rinse turkey and pat dry.  Refrigerate uncovered overnight allowing skin to dry, allowing for a crispier finish.

Maple Cider turkey brine

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Apple and maple with herbs and aromatics.  For up to 12 lb birds.

  • 2 quarts apple cider
  • 1/2 cup kosher salt
  • 1/2 cup maple syrup
  • 1 teaspoon whole allspice berries
  • 3/4 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
  • 1/2 teaspoon whole cloves
  • 6 (2-inch) strips orange rind
  • 2 rosemary sprigs
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 gallon cold water, divided

Raise 2 cups of water to a boil and add salt.  Simmer 3 minutes until salt is dissolved.  Cool brine to room temperature, and combine remaining ingredients in a non-reactive vessel.

Clean and truss turkey, and add to brine ensuring the turkey is completely covered.  Refrigerate covered up to 24 hours.  After 24 hours, rinse turkey and pat dry.  Refrigerate uncovered overnight allowing skin to dry, allowing for a crispier finish.

Apple Maple turkey brine

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Apple and maple with fall spices and aromatics.  For up to 12 lb birds.

  • 14 cups water (divided)
  • 1 cup kosher salt
  • 3 litres unsweetened apple juice
  • 1/2 cup maple syrup
  • 4 large garlic cloves, thickly sliced
  • 2 Tbsp. whole black peppercorn
  • 2 lemons, quartered
  • 2 oranges, quartered
  • 4 cinnamon sticks, broken into three pieces
  • 6 whole cloves
  • 1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh sage

Raise 2 cups of water to a boil and add salt.  Simmer 3 minutes until salt is dissolved.  Cool brine to room temperature, and combine remaining ingredients in a non-reactive vessel.

Clean and truss turkey, and add to brine ensuring the turkey is completely covered.  Refrigerate covered up to 24 hours.  After 24 hours, rinse turkey and pat dry.  Refrigerate uncovered overnight allowing skin to dry, allowing for a crispier finish.

Tod Kratiem Prik Thai

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Thai marinated beef with garlic & black pepper, this is a potent dish requiring high heat to caramelize sugars and toast the garlic. Difficult to execute on a home cook top, but is possible with hot cast iron or carbon steel over a turkey fryer burner.

Normally served aside rice, over shredded cabbage and garnished with Julienne carrot and toasted, minced garlic.

This marinade works well for chicken, pork or shrimp.

Requires:

  • Cast iron wok, or
  • Carbon steel wok
  • 10kBTU burner (cast iron) or hotter

If the wok isn’t hot enough this dish will steam/sauté which, while still potent has a different character

Ingredients

  • 1 lb thin sliced chuck, cut into bite-sized pieces
  • 4 tbsp oyster sauce
  • 3 tbsp fish sauce
  • 1 tbsp light soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp mirin
  • 1 tbsp dried cilantro (optional)
  • 1 tbsp granulated onion (optional)
  • 8 oz or ½ cup minced garlic
  • 1 tbsp black peppercorn, smashed
  • ½ tsp crushed red pepper
  • ¼ tsp white pepper
  • 2 tbsp high temperature oil for frying, such as vegetable or peanut

Prepare beef raw, slicing ¼” thick across the grain and then ½” into wide strips across the narrow dimension. Combine ingredients in a non-reactive bowl and toss to coat meat. Cover and rest 30 minutes to 1 hour in a refrigerator.

Prepare wok (“hot wok, cold oil”) over high heat. Add beef and marinade, stir fry until beef is browned and cooked tender and the marinade liquid has reduced. Remove from heat as the marinade thickens, the garlic toasts, and/or the sugars caramelize. Do not scorch.

Serve on a bed of shredded cabbage, and garnish with carrot and toasted garlic, accompanied with rice.

Stuffed Mushrooms

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Tender mushroom caps stuffed with cheese and topped with breadcrumbs.  Yields 4 servings.

Cheese Filling

* 1/3 cup whipped cream cheese
* 1/4 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
* 1/2 teaspoon dry Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing Mix

Mushrooms

* 6 large button mushrooms, cleaned and de-stemmed
* 1 cup bleached flour
* 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
* 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
* 1/2 cup buttermilk
* Vegetable oil for frying

Instructions

Combine ingredients for cheese filling and set aside 10-15 minutes.

Clean mushrooms and remove stems. When cheese has rested, use a teaspoon to fill mushroom caps to level or slightly domed.

Combine flour, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and cayenne pepper in a small bowl.  Prepare a second small bowl with buttermilk Wash mushrooms in buttermilk, then dredge in flour, repeating once for each mushroom.  Arrange coated mushrooms on a cookie sheet and freeze at least three hours.

Heat vegetable oil in a skillet to 350°F, using enough oil to cover mushrooms completely.  Fry mushrooms 8-10 minutes, until golden.  Remove and drain mushrooms on a paper towel, allowing several minutes to cool before serving.

 

Basic Chili

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Makes 5 quarts, serves up to 8

Ingredients

  • 1 lb. ground beef
  • 3 poblano peppers, washed, de-stemmed, seeded and diced
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 12oz can tomato paste
  • 3 28 oz cans diced tomato
  • 1 15 oz can black beans
  • 1 15 oz can red beans
  • 1 15 oz can white beans
  • 1 tbsp olive oil or vegetable oil

Spice Blend

  • 1 tbsp salt
  • 1/2 tbsp cumin
  • 1/2 tbsp paprika
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 1/2 tsp curry
  • 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1/2 tsp celery salt
  • 1/4 tsp white pepper

Combine spices in a small bowl and set aside.   Preheat oven to 225°F.

Heat large dutch oven or stock pot over medium heat, and brown ground beef beef.  Remove beef to a bowl, leaving two tablespoons of fat. Sautee peppers, onion and minced garlic in reserved fat until tender, 5-7 minutes.

Combine remaining ingredients in pot and cover. Place in 225°F oven for 4 hours.

For crock pot, combine ingredients in crock pot and heat on HIGH for 2-3 hours, or LOW for 4-6. Remove cover as little as possible.

For stove top, medium heat until simmering; reduce heat. Allow to simmer 1 hour, or until done. Stir occasionally.