Broccoli and Pork Salad

Seems like every one has a broccoli salad. Well here's mine. It is a Broccoli Pork Salad.

Seasoned Pork cooked and cut into strips

2 bunches of broccoli 

2 Roma tomatoes chopped 

1/2 cup celery

1/2 cup craisins or grapes

Bell pepper cut in small strips

3 tbl chopped onion

1/4 shredded mozzarella 

1/2 chopped nuts

Favorite dressing

Chop broccoli into small florets. Place in a large bowl with the strips of pork. 

 Add chopped tomato, onion, celery and peppers. Toss well. 

Sprinkle on the cheese and nuts. 

Top with a favorite dressing.

Hamburger Whoopy

When I was nine or ten I wrote down my first recipe in Gram's cookbook. I called it Hamburger Whoopy. It was very simple. I browned hamburger, added cream of mushroom soup, a little milk, mixed it together, and served it over mashed potatoes.

My other Granny used to make Beef Stroganoff, and pour it over potatoes and noodles. So this was my young version.

Today it's a little more sophisticated, adding onion and garlic, steak. Sauce and Worcestershire sauce.
1 Lb ground beef
1/2 med onion
1 4 oz can of sliced mushrooms
1 Tbl garlic powder
1 Tbl steak sauce
1 Tbl Worcestershire
1 Tbl vinegar
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup light sour cream

Brown the ground beef. Add salt and pepper, garlic powder, steak sauce, soup, mushrooms - including the juice, and Worcestershire. Let simmer while the noodles boil.

Fill a 2 quart sauce pan about 2/3 full of water, and bring to a boil. Add salt and 3 cups of noodles. I like rotini or egg noodles. Cook 8 minutes.

When the noodles are cooked, drain the water. Add the sour cream to the meat and mushrooms. Fold in well.
Serve over the hot noodles. Enjoy.

Trips

Gyros and Family

Lunch with a cousin. It's called That Lebanese Place. It is in Springfield, Missouri in the historic district.
We lunched there last Saturday with cousin Jean. She is a kick.
So she took us, yours truly and the curmgeon, on a culinary journey to the middle east. Kabobs and hummus. Tabbouleh and baba ghanoush. Yum. And I'm the one who doesn't like eggplant.
This was a feast for the sences. Everything was so good. The ingredients tasted fresh and lovingly prepared.
If I am back that way. It will definitely be a stop over.
Oh, don't forget the baklava!

Quick Hummus
1 Can chick peas or white beans
1/3 Cup tahini (sesame paste)
3 cloves garlic
Lemon juice
Olive oil
Paprika

Drain the beans, but reserve the liquid. Add the garlic. Mash or blend well. I use a stick blender. Fold in the tahini, lemon juice and olive oil. If it is too think add some of reserve liquid. Salt to taste.
Before serving drizzle a little more olive oil and paprika.

The Adam's Family Cookbook

The Adams Family Cookbook is a work in progress. I'm putting together recipes, stories and photos of my my Grandmother and my Great Aunts. I think some folks in our family will really enjoy it. Also it can be something to share with the next generation.

I am still in the gathering stage.  The cousins have been wonderful pulling up all sorts of things from Chicken Spaghetti to Pink Stuff, and my Granny's Oatmeal Bread. Every time I get a new envelope in the mail it's like Christmas. hee hee.

Of course being a southern family, no cookbook would be complete without a Praline recipe. or Mom's Jambalaya. So I'll keep going here.

By the time our Reunion comes around in September, i should have a rough draft. Or, that's the goal anyway. Wish me luck. I have another cousin to ask.

Best Ever Meatballs

Easy yummy meatballs.

1 pound lean ground beef
1 egg
1/3 cup bread crumbs
2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
1/4 cup Italian cheese
Salt
2 tablespoons onion minced
2 cloves garlic minced

Makes 18 meatballs

Put all the ingredients in one bowl. Mix well. Pinch small amounts of the meat mixture form into a ball and add to a greased baking dish. Bake at 275 for 25 minutes until browned and cook through.

These are now ready for your favorite sauce. Enjoy

Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

1 cup butter
3/4 cups brown sugar
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
2 1/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
12 oz Reese's peanut butter cups chopped fine
1 cup chopped pecans

Preheat the oven to 375.
Cream sugar and butter together until smooth with an eclectic mixer. Then add the vanilla and the eggs one at a time. blend 3 to 5 minutes. The batter should be smooth. Next and the salt, soda and 1/2 cup of the flour. Start the the mixer on low. Add the rest of the flour a little at a time--about 1/2 a cup. Mix for 3 to 5 minutes. Make sure the batter is smooth and soft. Stir in the peanut butter cups and the nuts. Mix with a rubber spatula until well mixed.

Spray the cookie sheets with cooking spray, then scoop out a teaspoon of the mixture, drop onto the cookie sheet. On a large cookie sheet put no more than 12. Space them about 1 1/2 to 2 inches apart.

Cook each pan for 10 minutes. let the pan cool for a few minutes then transfer to a cooling rack. Continue baking.

Enjoy with a nice cold glass of milk.

 

Apple Pecan Cake

This comes under the title what to do with a bag of apples, when you know you can't eat them all. I started by coring the apples and dicing them up. Then put them in a large stock pot with 1/4 cup sugar and a tablespoon on cinnamon, added just a little water and simmered them for 2 hours. 

I put them in a container and refrigerated overnight. Cooked apples can be used in many ways, but this is about cake. 

 

Cake:

1 box yellow cake mix

Eggs, oil water 

1/2 can cream cheese frosting

1 1/2 cups cooked apples.

1 tablespoons cinnamon

1 cup chopped pecans

Frosting:

3 cups powdered sugar

1/2 cup butter

1/4 cup milk

3 tablespoons sour cream

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Cake directions

Make the cake batter following the instructions on the back of the box. Add the cinnamon, apples, and pecans. Pour the batter into two greases 9 inch cakes pans. Bake according to package direction. Use the higher end of the time range. 

A toothpick should test cleanly when they are done, and should be a nice golden brown. Let them cool before turning out on a cake plate. Use the 1/2 can of cream cheese frosting for the first layer. Make sure in is spread evenly, then carefully put the other layer on top. Pour the frosting over the cake, spread until smooth. Let the frosting set up before cutting and serving. 

Frosting directions:

Bring the butter to room temperature. Add the sugar, milk and vanilla, and sour cream all at once. Beat until smooth.

Baked Chicken Alfredo

You know how you get a certain taste for something, and no one makes it? Oh sure some restaurants get close, some recipes get close, but when it comes down to it, you just have to make it yourself. Thus this weekend's delight.It's a combination of chicken, noodles,  mushrooms,  onions, garlic and cheese. sprinkled with a few bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese.. I'm cheating by using a jarred Alfredo, but it will still be wonderful.

Start  by marinating 4 chicken skinless chicken breasts with 2 cups of chicken broth, 1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar, 1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce, 2 chopped cloves of garlic, 6 oz sliced mushrooms,   and 4 tablespoons Italian salad dressing. Let marinate for at least an hour. 

Take the chicken and place in a baking dish. Sprinkle with salt, Italian seasoning and pepper. Bake for 45 minutes. Let them cool and rest, then slice into bite sized pieces.

While the chicken is resting, boil 1/2 pound egg noodles. drain and layer the noodles in the bottom of a 9 x 13 baking dish add the diced chicjen 1/2 an onion diced, 2 jats of alfredo sauce. top with bread crumbs and cheese.

bake until sauce is bubbly and bread crumbs have browned. -- abour an hour

Snowzilla

Snow pix

Po' Boys

Mardi Gras...  Which is actually tomorrow, but they have been partying for a week.

If it is February in New Orleans it is time for Mardi Gras. The last big party before Lent. 
There are parades in the french quarter and hurricanes on Bourbon st, -- the drink, not the storm, and then there is the food, the music. Gumbo, Jambalaya, fried alligator, crayfish, king cakes, and zydeco ... and po'boys.

My Mom once told someone from Scotland, jambalaya was to New Orleans as Haggis is to Scotland. The lady had a strange look on her face, then tasted my mom's jambalaya, and looked pleasantly pleased. She then declared it was much better than haggis. Yyes oatmeal stuffed sheep's stomach would take some getting used to.

if you don't know what a po'boy is, it is a sub sandwich, but sometimes with some different ingredients instead of turkey and cheese, how about a oyster or a fried potato bo'boy?

We're gonna make a fried potato po'boy. This one is from Emril.

Ingredients


4 large Russet or Kennebec potatoes (3 to 4 pounds), peeled and cut into fries 1/2-inch wide and 1/2-inch thick
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 cup finely minced onion
2 tablespoons minced garlic
3 1/2 cups beef stock or low-sodium beef broth
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup chopped leftover roast beef, preferably homemade
Salt, to taste
Peanut oil, for frying
4 po’boy bread or Italian or French bread, cut into 6-inch pieces
Mayonnaise, homemade or store-bought
6 ounces sliced Swiss cheese
Hot sauce, for serving (optional)

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Preparation

Rinse the fries well under cool running water until the water runs clear. Then place them in a large bowl and cover with ice water. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 2 days.

Meanwhile, make the roast beef gravy: Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat and whisk in the flour. Cook, stirring continuously, until a milk chocolate-colored roux is formed, 4-6 minutes. Add the onion and garlic, and cook until soft, 2-4 minutes. Whisk in the beef stock, little by little, and bring the sauce to a boil. Stir in the pepper, reduce the heat to a simmer, and cook until the sauce has reduced to a gravy consistency, 15-20 minutes. Stir in the roast beef and season with salt. Cover and set it aside until you are ready to serve the po’boys. The gravy can be made ahead and stored up to 1 week, refrigerated,

Fill a deep 5-quart pot or Dutch oven fitted with a candy or deep-frying thermometer, or an electric deep-fryer, with peanut oil to a depth of 4 inches. (Make sure that you have at least 3 inches of space between the top of the oil and the top of the pot, as the fries will bubble up when they are added.) Heat the oil over medium-low heat until the thermometer registers 325ºF.

Drain potatoes and wrap them in a clean dishcloth; thoroughly pat them dry. Fry the potatoes in small batches in the hot oil, stirring them occasionally, until they are soft and limp and are beginning to turn blond, 6-8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon or a skimmer, carefully transfer the potatoes to paper towels to drain. Let them rest for at least 10 minutes and up to 2 hours. Turn off the heat.

When you are ready to serve the po’boys, set the oven to broil and reheat the frying oil to 350ºF. (Reheat the gravy if necessary.) Working in batches, return the potatoes to the hot oil and fry again, stirring frequently, until they are golden brown, puffed, and crisp, 2-3 minutes. Transfer the fries to a paper-towel-lined platter and season them with salt.

Halve the bread pieces lengthwise and spread both sides generously with mayonnaise. Place the bottom halves of the bread on a baking sheet and divide the fries evenly among them. Spoon some of the gravy over the fries, and then top with the Swiss cheese. Place the baking sheet in the oven and broil until the cheese is melted, 1-2 minutes. Remove from the oven and top with the remaining bread. Serve immediately, with additional gravy for sopping and with hot sauce if desired

Boiling the Bones

The other thing that happened at the end of last year, was i moved to a new apartment. This one has a little bit bigger kitchen. That means I can experiment a little more. the increase in counter space means I think I can make pizza..

I want the focus to still be on good old fashioned comfort food, with a a direction in cooking for two. That will be my challenge. I always cook for a crowd. When there really is just two of us.

More on soup stuff:


one of the things i learn working in the restaurant, was that if you roast the bones, you get a richer flavor to your broth. The trick is not to let them burn, but to give them a nice brown color.

In the stock pot, put in plenty of water and salt. also add veggies, like onion, celery, carrots.

let it simmer all day. i sometimes use my crock when making stock.

When I'm satisfied with it. I strain it toll the bones, and the veggies. Toss the bones. skim the fat off then freeze it.

Did you know that it easier to remove that fat from frozen broth? Reason because the fat doesn't freeze as hard as the broth.

Kimmie's Corn Chowder

I am ready rename the Midwest the Freezer. yes, it is winter, and winter is cold, and I did move here for the change in seasons, but I'm done. I am ready for spring.

On that note, the being cold part, I have been thinking about my favorite soups and stews. Tonight we will be having corn chowder, and as I  am always trying to loose weight, again, I will be making a light version. It will still be thick and yummy, but here is the regular version first.



Ingredients
1 12 to 16 oz bag of frozen corn
2 cans whole kernel corn, drained
1 can creamed corn
1/2 onion copped
1/4 green bell pepper, chopped
4 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
4 oz lean ham diced.
1 quart cream of celery soup
2 chicken bullion cubes
1/2 cup milk
2 tablespoons butter
salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon sugar

Garnish
sour cream
chives
crumbled bacon

Start by putting the corn in the bottom of the crock pot. next add the onion, bell pepper, an the potatoes.

 Stir together. Add the celery soup. Turn the crock pot on high, and bring to a simmer.

After it has simmered together for 2 hours, add sugar, salt and pepper. mix well.  Take about a quarter of the soup and put in a blender; blend until smooth. Add back to the pot. Turn down to low for two more hours. 

Serve with sour cream, bacon and chives.

To lighten this up, substitute cream of celery soup for low fat chicken broth, use low fat milk and light sour cream,  and turkey bacon. 

To get the same flavor, you'll need to add 1/3 cup finely diced celery and 1 teaspoon celery seeds. Add these at the beginning when mixing the corn onion and potato.