Category Archives: recipes

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.

Cheddar Beer Fondue

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Ingredients

  • 6 oz Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
  • 4 oz Gruyere cheese, shredded
  • 4 oz sharp processed Cheddar cheese, grated
  • 1 1/2 tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup lager beer, at room temperature
  • 1 tsp dry mustard

Directions

In a bowl combine Monterey Jack, Gruyere, sharp Cheddar and flour;  mix well to coat cheese with flour. Set aside. In a large saucepan, bring beer to a simmer over medium heat. Reduce heat to medium low. Add cheese-flour mixture by handfuls to saucepan, stirring constantly after each addition with a wooden spoon in a figure-eight motion until cheese is melted. When cheese is nearly all melted, stir in dry mustard, mixing well. Transfer to fondue pot and serve immediately.

Blackened Cajun Chicken Tenders

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Ingredients

  • 2 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves cleaned and cut into 1/2″ strips
  • 3 tablespoons vegetable
  • 1/2 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground white pepper
  • 1/8 teaspoon onion powder
  • Orange marmalade for garnish

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a baking sheet. Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat for 5-10 minutes until it is smoking hot.

Combine paprika, salt, cayenne, cumin, thyme, white pepper, and onion powder. Oil the chicken breasts sides, then coat the chicken breasts evenly with the spice mixture.

Place the chicken in the hot pan, and cook for 1 minute. Turn, and cook 1 minute on other side. Place the breasts on the prepared baking sheet.

Bake in the preheated oven until no longer pink in the center and the juices run clear, about 5 minutes.

Serve with orange marmalade on the side for dipping.

ALTERNATIVE PORTIONS

* 6 chicken breast halves -> 2 chicken breast halves
* 1 c. butter -> 1/3 cup butter
* 1 1/2 tbsp. paprika -> 1 1/2 tsp paprika
* 1 tsp. salt -> 1/3 tsp salt
* 1 1/2 tsp. onion powder -> 1/2 tsp onion powder
* 1 1/2 tsp. garlic powder -> 1/2 tsp garlic powder
* 1 1/2 tsp. cayenne -> 1/8 tsp cayenne
* 1/2 tsp. white pepper -> 1/8 tsp white pepper
* 1/2 tsp. black pepper -> 1/8 tsp black pepper
* 1/2 tsp. thyme leaves -> 1/8 tsp thyme
* 1/2 tsp. oregano -> 1/8 tsp oregano

Rosemary & Olive skillet bread

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Ingredients

  • 1 package active dry yeast (2¼ tsp if measuring from bulk yeast)
  • 2 cups lukewarm water
  • ½ TBSP kosher salt
  • 4⅓ cups all-purpose flour
  • olive oil
  • rosemary

Instructions

Combine yeast and warm water in a large bowl or pitcher. Using a  wooden spoon add in 1 cup of the flour and then the salt and mix  until combined. Stir in the rest of the flour, one cup at a time, until  completely incorporated.

Cover with plastic wrap or a lid that is not shut completely. Allow to rise for 1 hour.

Do not punch down the dough. Lightly oil the bottom of a cast iron  skillet (a 10″ or 12″ skillet works well). Sprinkle a good amount of   flour on top of the dough and then cover hands with flour. Take all of  the dough and shape into a disk. (it will be sticky)

Place in the skillet, cover loosely with a towel, and allow to rise for  another 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 400ºF.

Drizzle a little more oil over the top of the bread, and slash the dough with a knife creating an X. Sprinkle with coarse salt and rosemary leaves.

Bake for 35-40 minutes until the top is a deep brown color.

Credit: Baker Bettie

Spätzl (Spatzle)

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Spätzle in cast iron

Serves 2-4.

  • 1 cup flour
  • 1 tsp salt, or to taste
  • ¾ tsp ground ginger
  • ½ tsp ground black pepper
  • ½ tsp grated nutmeg
  • 1 pinch white pepper
  • ¼ cup whole milk, plus extra as needed
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • 1 gallon water
  • 1 tbsp salt
  • 1 tbsp bacon fat, lard or oil
  • 1 tbsp butter
  • ¼ sprig of fresh, chopped or 1 tbsp dried parsley

Raise 1 gallon of water to boil with 1 tbsp salt

Combine dry ingredients in a mixing bowl and whisk to distribute. Alternate additions of egg and milk while stirring. Stir until runny. Add extra milk in teaspoons to achieve a batter-like consistency

Press batter through a spätzle press, coarse sieve or coarse box shredder (or otherwise drizzle) into boiling water in batches. Stir occasionally into break up lumps. Pasta is done when it floats. Remove with slotted spoon.

Melt bacon fat, lard or oil in hot skillet until shimmering. Saute pasta in fat until slightly browned. Top with butter, parsley, salt & pepper to taste.

Raising Cane’s Chicken copycat

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Marinade

  • 2 Cups Buttermilk
  • 1 tbsp Garlic Powder
  • 1 tsp black pepper

Chicken breading

  • 2 Cups Flour
  • 1 Cup Seasoned Bread Crumbs
  • 2 tsp Salt
  • 2 tsp Baking Powder
  • 2 Egg

Canes Sauce

  • 1 Cup Mayonnaise
  • ⅔ Cup Ketchup
  • 1 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
  • 1 tsp Garlic Powder
  • 2 tsp Freshly Ground Black Pepper
  • 1 tsp Fresh Lemon Juice

Combine marinade ingredients and chicken in a resealable gallon bag, and rest in refrigerator 4 hours to overnight.

Preheat fry oil to 375°F.

Combine breading dry ingredients in a bowl. Whisk eggs in a separate bowl. Wash chicken pieces in egg mixture, and then coat in breading. Gently place coated chicken pieces in oil and fry til golden brown, about 5 minutes.

Ice cream

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Makes 2 pints.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups Horizon Organic half & half
  • 2 cups Horizon Organic whole milk
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • Pinch salt

Optional add ins

  • 1 cup mini chocolate chips, or
  • 1 Tbsp. instant espresso powder dissolved in 1/4 cup warm milk, or
  • 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips, melted , or
  • 2 cups sliced strawberries, or
  • 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice and 1 Tbsp. lemon zest, or
  • 3 ripe bananas, pureed, or
  • OMIT vanilla and ADD 1 tsp. peppermint extract and 1 cup mini chocolate chips

Directions

Whisk together all ingredients until well blended and sugar has dissolved. Rest batter in freezer and chill to.bear freezing, about 15 to 20 minutes. Pour into ice cream maker and process according to manufacturer’s instructions. Once it is soft frozen, transfer to the freezer and freeze for a minimum of 6-8 hours.

Flatbread pizza dough

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  • 1 cup bread flour, plus more for rolling out the dough
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/3 cup warm water, plus more if necessary
  • 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • (1/2 teaspoon baking powder)

Combine dry ingredients in stand mixer. Pour water and oil over dry ingredients, mix on low 2-3 minutes.

Turn out into floured work surface and knead 2-3 minutes until elastic. Divide and rest 30 minutes.

Roll into ⅛” thick rounds. Top and bake on a stone or steel at 450-500.

Southern Buttermilk Biscuits

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Cook’s notes: For a flaky, buttery biscuit, keep the ingredients cold and do not overwork the dough. Liquid measures are approximate, use more or less to achieve a barely moist dough that holds together, but is not wet or elastic.

Ingredients

Makes six 3½” biscuits.

  • 2 cups (250 grams) all-purpose flour, spooned & leveled
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 teaspoons sugar
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 6 tablespoons (85 grams) cold unsalted butter, cubed
  • 1 cup (180 ml) cold buttermilk, plus more for the tops of the biscuits

Instructions

Preheat oven to 450°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, and salt until well combined. Add the in the cubed cold butter and cut into the dry ingredients using a pastry cutter (you may also use a food processor for this step) until you have small pea sized pieces of butter. Pour the cold buttermilk into the mixture and gently work it together until the dough starts to come together.

Alternative method: add dry ingredients to food processor and pulse several times to combine. Add cold, cubed butter to food processor and pulse briefly several times, until butter is pea sized. Add buttermilk and pulse until just combined. Do not overwork the dough.

Scoop the dough onto a lightly floured surface and gently work it together with your hands. Pat the dough into a rectangle and fold it in thirds. Turn the dough, gather any crumbs, and flatten back into a rectangle. Do not use a roller. Repeat this process two to four more times.

After the final turn, pat the dough into a 1/2-inch thick rectangle (make sure to measure!). Using a floured 3.5-inch biscuit cutter, cut out the biscuits. Continue to gather any scrap pieces of dough, patting it back down to 1/2-inch thickness.
Arrange the biscuits on the baking sheet touching each other. Brush the top of each biscuit with a little bit of buttermilk or melted butter.

Bake at 450°F for about 15-17 minutes or until lightly golden brown. Remove from the oven and brush with melted butter if desired. Allow to cool for a few minutes, serve.

Credit: Southern Buttermilk Biscuits, Genius Kitchen