Chicken Satay With Peanut Sauce

Ingredients

1 Cup plain yogurt, Greek style

1 Teaspoon fresh ginger root, grated

1 Teaspoon garlic, finely minced

1 Tablespoon curry powder

1-2 Pounds chicken breast, skinless/boneless

15-20 skewers

Canola or vegetable oil

Peanut sauce recipe follows



Directions

In a medium size mixing bowl, combine the first 4 ingredients and mix well. Slice chicken into 1 inch wide strips. Add chicken to yogurt mixture, coat each piece and place bowl in refrigerator to marinate for up to 2 hours.

If using wooden skewers, soak in cold water for approximately ½ hour, to avoid burning. Thread the chicken on to the skewers in an in and out motion. Heat a grill pan on medium-high heat brush with oil, cook chicken for 5-6 minutes per side, or until chicken is thoroughly cooked and has nice grill marks. Place on a plate and serve with peanut sauce (recipe follows). Enjoy!!


Peanut Sauce


Ingredients

1 Cup smooth peanut butter

¼ Cup low sodium soy sauce

½ – 1 Teaspoon Thai red curry paste, or sambal (chili paste)*

2 Tablespoons sesame oil

2-4 Tablespoons dark brown sugar, more if desired

1-2 Limes, juiced (to taste)

½ Cup coconut milk (more if needed)

¼ Cup chopped peanuts, garnish

Directions

In a small sauce pan over low heat, combine all ingredients, and bring to a simmer. You can adjust the amount of sugar, lime and curry paste to taste. You can also add more coconut milk if you like a thinner sauce. This sauce freezes well for 1-2 months in an air tight container.

* I've substituted Tabasco sauce for the red curry paste. Also the curry paste can be frozen for future use.

Southern Smothered Pork Chops

Ingredients

1 ½ Cups all purpose flour

1 ½ Tablespoons onion powder

1 ½ Tablespoons garlic powder

1 Teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 Teaspoon kosher salt

½ Teaspoon black pepper

5 ¾ inch thick Pork chops, bone in

2 Cups buttermilk

½ Large Vidalia onion, thinly sliced

1 Tablespoon fresh chives, finely chopped (optional)

2 14oz Cans chicken broth

Salt and pepper to taste

¼ Cup of oil, use your favorite oil

3 Tablespoons unsalted butter, more if needed

3 Tablespoons bacon fat (Optional)

Directions

I usually brine my pork chops for 3-24 hours prior to cooking. Brining makes meat moister, directions follow.

In a medium size bowl, combine the flour, onion/garlic powders, cayenne, black pepper, and salt and mix well. In a separate bowl coat pork chops with 1 ½ cups of buttermilk and allow to sit for 15- 20 minutes.

Heat oil in a large saute or cast iron pan over medium heat. Remove the pork chops from the buttermilk and dredge in the flour mixture, shake off extra flour and place in the heated pan. Fry the chops until golden brown, approximately for 3-5 minutes, remove from pan and set aside.

Drain off the oil into a heat proof container, leaving the brown bits that formed in the bottom of the pan. With the pan back on medium heat, add the butter and bacon fat (if not using bacon fat substitute additional butter), once melted add and saute onions and garlic until translucent. You may need to add additional butter.

Sprinkle 2-3 tablespoons of the seasoned flour over the onions and mix until flour is “dissolved”, and add chicken broth and remaining buttermilk. Reduce heat and and allow the sauce to thicken slightly before returning pork chops to the pan and coating them with sauce, add chives. Taste sauce and season with salt and pepper if needed. Cover the pan and allow to simmer for approximately 15-20 minutes, or until pork chops are cooked thoroughly. Serve with smashed potatoes or rice. Enjoy!!


Basic Brine:

¼ Cup Kosher salt
¼ Cup granulated sugar
1 Quart water + 1 additional cup
1 Pound meat
1 Tray ice

Above is the basic ratio of ingredients. Allow meat to sit in brine for a minimum of 30 minutes per pound of meat. This brine will work for any meat (no fish).

Heat the cup of water over medium heat, add salt and sugar and bring to a boil. Take pot off of heat and allow to cool. In a large container, or zip top bag add the salted water, remaining water and ice cubes. Water must be cool as not to start to cook the meat. Add meat and place in the refrigerator. Remove from refrigerator 20 minutes before cooking. Remove meat from the brine and rinse with cold water. Pat dry and now your meat is ready to be cooked.

Linzer Tart Cookies

Ingredients

1 Cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

½ Cup confectioners sugar

½ Teaspoon salt

2 Cups all purpose flour

½ cup almonds, finely ground

1 Teaspoon of either vanilla or almond extract

1 Jar raspberry jam, seedless

Confectioners sugar, for dusting

Directions
In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the butter and gradually add the sugar, beat until butter has turned a pale yellow and all the sugar has been incorporated. While mixer is still running, add the extract, and ground almonds. Next add the salt and flour mix just until all the flour has been merged with the butter mixture. 

Scoop the dough out of the bowl, flatten into a disk and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour. 

Preheat oven to 350° F
 Remove dough from refrigerator and allow to stand for 10-15 minutes on the counter and cut in half. On a lightly floured work surface roll out the first portion of dough to a ¼ inch thickness. Cut into rounds using a 3 to 4 inch cookie cutter. Place cookies on a parchment lined cookie sheet and set aside. Roll out the second portion of dough, just as you have the first. Cut rounds, but this time using a 1 to 2 inch cookie cutter, cut a circle in the center of the cookies. Place on a parchment lined cookie sheet, and place both cookie sheets into the oven and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until bottom of cookies are golden brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool on the baking sheets.

Turn the cookies (without the holes) so that the bottom (flat side) is facing upward, spread with ½ to 1 tablespoon of raspberry jam and top with the other cookie (with the hole) flat side down. Dust all the cookies with confectioners sugar. Cookies will keep in an airtight container for about 1 week or they can be frozen. Enjoy!! 

Asian Sweet & Sour Pork

Marinade

1 Pound pork tenderloin (or Chicken breast)

3 Tablespoons soy sauce

1 Tablespoon rice wine or dry sherry

1 Tablespoon corn starch

Sauce

1/3 Cup granulated sugar

¼ Cup ketchup

2 Tablespoons soy sauce

¼ Teaspoon salt

½ Cup reserved pineapple juice

1 Tablespoon rice wine vinegar

¼ Cup red wine vinegar

1 8oz Can pineapple chunks, in juice

1 Carrot, cut into ¼ inch rounds

½ Green bell pepper, cut into 1 inch pieces

½ Cup Bread and butter pickles, chips

½ Medium onion, thick slices

1 Tablespoon corn starch, dissolved in ¼ cup water

Batter

1/3 Cup all purpose flour

1/3 Cup corn starch

½ Teaspoon baking powder

1 Egg white

1 Tablespoon vegetable oil

¼ - ½ Cup warm water, as needed

3 Cups canola oil, for deep frying

Directions

Cut pork (or chicken) into 1 inch cubes. In a medium sized bowl, mix the marinade ingredients, add the meat and toss to coat. Set aside for 20 minutes.

Prepare the sauce, in a small sauce pan combine the sugar, ketchup, soy sauce, salt, pineapple juice and vinegars and place on low heat and bring to a simmer. Once the sugar has completely dissolved add the pineapple chunks, carrots, peppers, pickles and onion, and allow to simmer for approximately 15-20 minutes or until the carrots are slightly softened. Turn heat off and allow sauce to cool.

Heat up a wok or a thick bottomed sauce pan and add the oil for deep frying. Bring the oil to 350 – 375° F.

Using a strainer or colander drain the excess marinade from the meat, and in the bowl used for the marinade combine the flour, corn starch, baking soda, egg white, oil and enough water to form a batter will coat the back of a spoon. Add the meat to the batter mixture and make sure each piece is well coated. Begin adding the meat to the heated oil, be careful not to over crowd the pan/wok, and fry until golden brown. Using a slotted spoon, remove the meat from the oil and place on a dish that has been lined with paper towel.

Place the sauce pan containing the sauce on medium heat, meanwhile prepare the slurry (Mix the corn starch and water). Slowly add the slurry to the sauce, until the sauce reaches the desired thickness.

I usually ladle the sauce/ vegetables over the meat before serving, but you can combine the sauce/vegetables with the meat and mix to coat. Serve with steamed rice. Enjoy!!

Coconut Pineapple Pie

  

Ingredients:

1 Cup granulated sugar

3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 Cup light corn syrup

1 Cup Flaked coconut (plus ¼ cup for topping)

1 8oz Can crushed pineapple, with juice

3 Large eggs, beaten

1 Teaspoon vanilla extract

1 Frozen 9 inch pie shell, blind baked

1/4 Cup unsalted butter, melted

Directions:

Blind Baking or Pre-Baking your pie crust, this will keep the bottom from puffing and the sides from falling, you should line the crust with parchment paper or a large coffee filter, and fill it with beans or rice. Preheat oven to 425°F for 20-25 minutes. Once slightly cooled carefully remove the parchment paper with the beans/rice still in it and set it aside. Reduce the heat to 350°F. You can store the beans in a container for future use. Allow the pie shell to cool off and now you can start on the filling.

In a bowl, combine sugar, corn syrup, coconut, pineapple (with the juice), eggs and vanilla; mix well. Pour in pie shell. Sprinkle the ¼ of coconut flakes on the top of the pie, and then drizzle with melted butter. If the rim of the pie shell is a dark golden brown from the blind baking then cut 3 thin pieces of foil and wrap it around the edge of the pie shell to stop it from browning even further.

Bake at 350°F for 50-52 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean.

Cool on a wire rack. Chill before cutting. ENJOY!!!!

Bistec Encebollao (Puerto Rican Steak & Onions)

Ingredients

3 Beef steaks, use your favorite cut

½ cup olive oil

2-3 Cloves garlic, finely chopped

½ Teaspoon dried oregano

2 Large onions, thinly sliced

¼ Cup white vinegar

1½ cups water

1 Teaspoon kosher salt

¼ Teaspoon black pepper

½ Teaspoon cumin, optional

Directions
Mix all ingredients except the beef and onions in a small mixing bowl, and pour into a zip top plastic bag. Add the beef and onions, and refrigerate at least 4 hours to over night. Remove the bag from the refrigerator 1 hour prior to cooking, this will bring the meat to room temperature.

In a heavy skillet (I use a cast iron skillet) over medium-high heat add the contents of the bag and bring to a slight boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cover the skillet. Allow the meat to cook for 30-40 minutes, but remove the cover for the final 10-15 minutes of cooking. The meat will be tender and tasty, and the onions will be soft but not fully carmelized. This steak is traditionally served with white rice and tostones. ENJOY!!

Potato Gnocchi

Ingredients

1 ½ Pounds baking potatoes

1 Cup all purpose flour, additional flour if needed

1 Large egg, lightly beaten

¾ Teaspoon kosher salt

¼ Cup olive oil

Directions
Leaving the potato skins on, wash them. When making gnocchi, the potatoes should be steamed not boiled. This will ensure less moisture. Place the potatoes in a metal colander, set the colander on a stock pot, fill the pot with water to just below the colander. Cover the potatoes and allow the potatoes to cook for 35-45 minutes, or until fork tender.

While the potatoes are still hot, peel them carefully and pass them through a potato ricer onto a floured work surface. Sprinkle the potatoes with the salt and flour, and mix gently. Don't worry if it's not mixed thoroughly. Make a well in the center of the potato mixture and add the egg and oil, mix the dough together and form a ball. (if dough is soft and sticky add the additional flour, slowly until dough does not stick to your fingers easily. Knead the dough for 4-5 minutes, making sure not to over knead (this will make the gnocchi stiff and heavy)

Brake off tennis ball sized portions of dough and roll into a rope shape that is as thick as a finger. Cut the gnocchi into 1 inch pieces and set aside until you have cut 25-30 gnocchi. Now it's time to shape the gnocchi and give them their ridges and dimple (which helps hold whatever sauce you decide to use with them). Gently press the gnocchi against the inside curve of a dinner fork, you will get ridges on top of the gnocchi and a dimple in the bottom where your finger flicks the gnocchi down the fork. This technique takes some practice, but I assure you it's not difficult and is essential to the process. Place the gnocchi on a floured baking sheet.

If you are not going to cook the gnocchi right away, they can be placed in a freezer on the baking sheet until they are frozen, transfer them into a zip top freezer bag and keep frozen until you need them. Generally they will last 2-4 months in the freezer. Enjoy!!

Focaccia di Bari

Ingredients

4-1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 cup olive oil, plus extra oil for coating the pans

2 tsp. salt

3/4 cup water, approximately 110° F

2 baking potatoes, boiled with skin on

1 pack dry active yeast

2-3 Plum tomatoes, sliced thin

Dried oregano

Black pepper

Directions
Boil the potatoes until fork tender. Drain and peel the potatoes and pass them through a potato ricer or mash them with a potato masher or fork in a large mixing bowl. Add the flour, yeast, and salt to the mashed potatoes. Drizzle the water and then the oil a bit at a time until they are absorbed into the dough. When all the water and oil are incorporated into the dough, remove the dough to a floured work surface and knead the dough for 10-15 minutes. Add additional flour if the dough appears to be sticky. Divide the dough into three parts and form three disks. Coat three 8-9” round cake pans with oil and press a disk of dough into each. Cover with a tea towel and allow to rise for approximately 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 400° F.
Garnish the tops of the focaccia with the tomatoes, oregano and pepper, and using your finger tips make dimples into the tops (these dimples will catch the oil). Drizzle the tops with a little oil. Bake for approximately 40-45 minutes, spraying the focaccia with water, using a spray bottle. Bake until golden brown. Serve warm or use cold to make sandwiches.

*You may also garnish the focaccia with green and black olives, or rosemary, or caramelized onions etc the toppings are infinite. But the tomatoes and oregano are traditional toppings for Barese Focaccia.

Picadillo (Basic Puerto Rican Ground Beef)

Ingredients

1 LB. Ground beef

1 Medium onion, finely chopped

3 Cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 Large red bell pepper, finely chopped

½ Cup alcaparrado (Latin olive salad), roughly chopped

¼ Cup alcaparrado brine

¼ White vinegar

1 8oz Can tomato sauce

2 Envelopes sazon (with culantro & achiote)

2 Tablespoons sofrito

2 Teaspoons ground cumin

1 ½ Teaspoons kosher salt

½ Teaspoon black pepper

1-2 Teaspoons dried oregano

¼ Cup golden raisins, optional

4 Tablespoons Olive oil, divided

Directions
Coat the bottom of a heavy skillet with 2 tablespoons of oil and brown the ground beef over medium-high heat. Remove beef with a slotted spoon and set aside, leaving the drippings in the pan. Reduce heat to medium-low, and cook off some of the water that the beef left behind (1-2 minutes), add remainder of the oil, onions and saute until translucent. Add peppers, alcaparrado, garlic, olives sofrito, sazon, oregano, salt, cumin, raisins (if using) and black pepper. Once the peppers have softened (approximately 3 minutes), add the beef, tomato sauce, vinegar and olive brine, reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes covered.

Remove beef from the pan and set aside to cool, draining of any excess grease. Beef can be made 24 hours in advance and refrigerated.

* Alcaparrado can be found in the latin section of your supermarket (I use Goya's alcaparrado).  I make my own Sofrito, but I also use Goya's sofrito when I'm in a rush.

Traditional Hummus

Ingredients

1 16 oz Can of chickpeas (garbanzo beans)

1/4 Cup liquid from can of chickpeas

4 Tablespoons lemon juice

2 Tablespoons tahini

2 Cloves garlic, crushed

½ Teaspoon salt

½ - 1 Teaspoon cumin (depending on taste)

4 Tablespoons olive oil (divided)

Directions

Traditionally, hummus should be made from dried beans, chickpeas, lentils, fave beans etc, but the process is a bit longer and canned chickpeas work just fine.
Drain chickpeas and set aside liquid from can. Combine remaining ingredients in blender or food processor except for the oil. Add 1/4 cup of liquid from chickpeas. Blend for 3-5 minutes until thoroughly mixed and smooth. While food processor is still running, drizzle in 2 tablespoons of oil.  Place in serving bowl, and create a slight well in the center of the hummus, and add the remainder of olive oil in the well. Garnish with paprika (optional).  Serve immediately with fresh, warm or toasted pita bread, or cover and refrigerate. Enjoy!

4 Spice Turkey Burgers

Ingredients

3 Pound package of ground turkey

1 Medium sweet onion, finely chopped

2 Medium carrots, finely shredded

1 Green bell pepper, finely chopped

2 Tablespoons Italian parsley, finely chopped

3 Large cloves of garlic, grinded into a paste

1 Tablespoon paprika

1 Teaspoon kosher salt

¼ Teaspoon ground ginger

¼ Teaspoon cayenne pepper

½ Teaspoon curry powder

¼ Teaspoon ground black pepper, optional

½ Teaspoon Mesquite seasoning, optional

1 Large egg, well beaten

Directions

Prepare all your vegetables, and set them aside. Place ground turkey in a large mixing bowl, and add the vegetables, spices and egg. Mix well but be certain not to over mix, since this will yield a tough and dry burger. With a ¼ - ½ measure scoop up some of the ground turkey mixture and form into a ball, squeeze gently. Now flatten the ball into a patty form and place on a piece of waxed paper, continue the process with the remainder of the turkey mixture. This recipe will yield 6-8 rather large burgers, or 10-12 medium sized burgers. You can place the burgers in the freezer for up to 2-3 months and use as needed.
A Great recipe if you’re having a BBQ, and want to serve something other than the standard beef burger. Enjoy!!

*Note:  If you are going to melt cheese on the burgers, you want to do this when the internal temp is between 135-140 degrees F.  Ground turkey is well done at a temp of 160 degrees F.  Remember carry over cooking, so removing the burger from the heat when it's 145-150 degrees F will ensure a proper cooked burger, that is still moist and Yumm'tastic! 

Basic Homemade Pasta

Ingredients

3 Cups all-purpose flour

1 Teaspoon kosher salt

1 Cup warm water

1 Tablespoon olive oil

Directions

In the bowl of a food processor place flour and salt, run the food processor to aerate the flour for approximately 10 minutes. Through the feeding tube begin to drizzle in the water and olive oil while the processor is still running. Only add enough water to make the dough form a ball. Continue to process for another 10 minutes. You may need to add additional water or flour to get to the right consistence (a smooth non tacky dough). Remove pasta dough from the food processor form into a disk and cover with plastic wrap, and set aside for approximately 20-30 minutes. Divide the disk into 8 pieces. Taking 1/8 of the dough at a time, and roll it out or roll it through a pasta machine until it's a fraction thicker than a sheet of paper (if using a pasta machine roll dough out to a #7 thickness) even the sheet of pasta out (in a rectangular shape) cut it in ½ and stack both halves on top of each other sprinkling flour between sheets. Then cut in ½ once again, follow same process. Once you have a stack of pasta dough measuring approximately 3” x 6” using a pizza cutter, cut the pasta into 1 ½ – 2 inch wide stripes. Separate the pasta so they won't stick together. Shake off excess flour from pasta and add to a pot of salted boiling water. Pasta is ready once it begins to float to the top. Add to the skillet with the beans and cook over low heat. This process will help thicken the sauce. Remove from heat and add the cheese and toss the pasta. Serve immediately. Enjoy.

Pasta Casalinga Con Fagioli ed Prosciutto Affumicato

Pasta Casalinga Con Fagioli ed Prosciutto Affumicato

(Homemade Pasta With Beans & Smoked Ham)

Ingredients

½ Cup Smoked Ham, diced

6 Cloves Garlic, sliced razor thin

1 Tablespoon Basil, finely chopped

1 Tablespoon Parsley, finely chopped

1 19oz Can cannellini beans, drained

3 Tablespoons tomato paste

1 14.5oz Can chicken broth

Salt & Black pepper to taste

Olive oil

Pinch granulated sugar, optional

¼ - ½ Cup Romano cheese, grated

Directions

In a heavy skillet saute the ham in approximately 3 tablespoons of olive oil until crisp, add the garlic. Once the garlic has softened add the tomato paste and continue to saute over low heat, until tomato paste is well incorporated. Add the beans and chicken broth and simmer for approximately 15 minutes, taste and add sugar, salt and pepper as needed (keep in mind that u will be adding grated cheese which is salty). Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and continue to simmer for an additional 20 minutes. Homemade pasta should be used if possible, the recipe follows.

Mozzarella In Carrozza

Ingredients

8 Slices bread

1 Pound mozzarella, sliced into ¼ inch slices

4 Extra large eggs, beaten

1 Cup seasoned bread crumbs

Salt and black pepper to taste

3-4 Basil leaves

Canola oil for frying

2 Tablespoons olive oil

Directions

Heat canola oil and olive oil in a skillet over medium heat, add the basil and allow to crisp up. The basil will flavor the oil slightly, but this step maybe omitted.

Sandwich a slice of mozzarella between two slices of bread and dip both sides into the beaten eggs. Dredge in the bread crumbs, and fry until golden brown on both sides. Cut in half and serve while hot. Can also be served with a little marinara sauce on the side for dipping. Enjoy!!

Falafel

Ingredients

1 16oz Can chickpeas

1 Large lemon, juiced

1 Large onion, roughly chopped

4 Cloves garlic, roughly chopped

¼ Cup parsley, roughly chopped

7 Tablespoons all purpose flour

1 Teaspoon baking powder, heaping

½ – 1 Teaspoon kosher salt, to taste

¼ Teaspoon red pepper flakes

4 Tablespoons tahini paste

½ Teaspoon cumin seeds, toasted

½ Teaspoon coriander seeds, toasted

3 Tablespoons sesame seeds (optional)
2 Teaspoons granulated sugar (optional)

Canola oil for frying

Directions


Toast the cumin and coriander seeds in a small dry skillet over medium heat for approximately 10 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool before grinding. I use a coffee bean grinder to grind all of my spices. I only use this grinder for spices and have it clearly marked.


In the bowl of a food processor add all ingredients, and pulse until Falafel mixture is ground but not completely, mixture should be “chunky” with some lumps. Before removing mixture from the food processor bowl, fold in the sesame seeds. Transfer falafel mixture to an airtight container, and place into the refrigerator for a minimum of 1 hour, this will allow the flour to do it's job and absorb some of the moisture and thicken the mixture.


Heat 1 inch of oil in a cast iron skillet or another heavy frying pan to 350° F, over medium heat. With 2 teaspoons (not measuring teaspoons, but flatware teaspoons) spoon falafel mixture with one spoon and use the other spoon to slide it off into the oil. Continue spooning the mixture into the skillet, be sure to not over crowd the pan. Cook for 5-7 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oil and drain on paper towels. Serve hot with Pita bread, yogurt sauce and salad. ENJOY!!

Greek Gyros

Ingredients

1 Large onion, shredded

2 Pounds lamb, ground

2 Tablespoons garlic, finely chopped

1 Tablespoon dried marjoram

1 Tablespoon dried rosemary

2 Teaspoons kosher salt

2-3 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice

2 Tablespoons vegetable shortening

½ Teaspoon black pepper

Tzatziki Sauce, recipe follows

Greek Salad, recipe follows

Directions


Preheat oven 325° F


Shred onion with a box grater or food processor. Place onion into a tea towel and squeeze almost all of the liquid out of the onion, discard the onion juice. In the bowl of a food processor place the onion, herbs, garlic, shortening, lemon juice and the lamb. Process mixture for 3-5 minutes, or until well mixed and meat is slightly “paste” like. Remove from food processor and form into a loaf (as if you were making meatloaf). Place into a loaf pan which has been sprayed with cooking spray. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until the internal temperature reaches 160-170° F. Remove from loaf pan (save the juices from the pan) and place on a cutting board, let stand for 15 minutes at room temperature to cool down slightly. Slice into thin slices and serve with Tzatziki sauce, Greek salad and traditional Greek pita bread that has been heated up in a skillet with a little butter. 


I generally make the gyros meat 1 day ahead of time.   I put the pan juices into the refrigerator so the fats can solidify.  I put some of the fat into a skillet on medium heat and add the strips of gyros meat, and slightly brown them.  This gives the gyros a more authentic texture and taste.  Enjoy!!

Tzatziki Sauce & Greek Salad

 

Ingredients

18 Ounces Greek yogurt

3 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 Tablespoons olive oil

1 Large cucumber, peeled and seeded

1 Tablespoon kosher salt

2 Tablespoons fresh dill, finely chopped

3 Teaspoons red wine vinegar

Black pepper, to taste

Greek Salad, recipe follows

Directions

Cut cucumber in half length wise and with a small spoon scoop out the seeds.  Dice the cucumber and place in a strainer over a bowl, sprinkle with 1 tablespoon kosher salt, this will draw out excess water so your sauce won't be too liquidy.  
In the bowl of a food processor add all ingredients and process for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed. Refrigerate until ready to use.  Also before serving I usually mix in 1 tablespoon of crumbled feta cheese to give the sauce extra flavor.
Enjoy!

Greek Salad

Ingredients

8 Cups of lettuce, hand torn

1 Large ripe tomato, roughly chopped

1 Large cucumber, peeled seeded roughly chopped

1 Small red or sweet onion

8 Ounces feta cheese

1 Cup kalamata olives

½ Green pepper

Greek dressing, recipe follows

Directions


In a large salad bowl mix all the above ingredients, toss with Greek dressing 20 minutes before serving. Enjoy!!

Greek Dressing

Ingredients

¼ Cup red wine vinegar

1-2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice

6 Tablespoons olive oil

2 Garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 Teaspoon dried oregano

Directions


Place all ingredients into a plastic container with tight fitting lid and shake until slightly thickened.

Spotted Dog Soda Bread

(Spotted Dog because of the Raisins)

Ingredients

3 ½ Cups all-purpose flour

4 Tablespoons vegetable shortening, cold

4 Tablespoons granulated sugar

1 ½ Teaspoons baking powder

¾ Teaspoon baking soda

½ Teaspoon salt

1 Cup + 1 table spoon buttermilk

¾ Cup raisins

2 Tablespoons caraway seeds, optional

Directions


In a large mixing bowl mix all the dry ingredients. Add the vegetable shortening and rub into the flour mixture with your hands or a fork, until it resembles sand. Add buttermilk slowly and mix well until it forms a dough, it is better if the dough is a bit wet/sticky since you will be kneading it and adding some flour. Turn the dough out on to a well floured surface and knead dough until it’s smooth and no longer sticky. Form dough into a ball and flatten just a little bit (don’t worry it will rise in the oven). With a serrated knife cut a large X into the top of the loaf, about ½ inch deep. Let loaf sit on counter top for about 10-15 minutes before transferring it into the oven. Bake for approximately 30-45 minutes, or when tapping on the bottom of the bread produces a hallow sound. Enjoy!!

Corned Beef & Cabbage

This process takes roughly 3-4 hours, so if you’re looking for a quick meal this might not be for you… but I assure you it’s well worth the cooking time!

Ingredients

4 ½ - 6 Pound corned beef brisket

1 Teaspoon black pepper corns

1 Teaspoon mustard seeds

3 Dried bay leaves

2 Teaspoons mustard powder

1 Medium head white cabbage, thickly chopped

1 Pound carrots, peeled and cut into ½ inch thick slices

1 Large sweet onion, thickly sliced

3-4 Sprigs fresh thyme

3-4 Sprigs fresh parsley

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Remove brisket from packaging, do not rinse.  Place in a large stockpot or Dutch oven.  Add enough water to cover the brisket plus and additional inch.  Add pepper corns, bay leaves, mustard seed and powder.  Tie the thyme and parsley into a bunch with butcher’s twine and add to the pot.  Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to low and simmer for approximately 2- 2 ½ hours.  Be sure to continuously skim off any residue that floats to the top of the pot.  At this point the meat should be easily pulled apart with a fork.  To the pot add the vegetables, and cook for an additional ½ - 1 hour.  Remember to cut the vegetables into large pieces since you will be cooking them for a considerable amount of time, and they will dissolve. 

Remove the meat from the pot and allow to cool slightly on a cutting board before slicing it.  You should always cut beef, lamb, and pork against the grain, which will give the meat a tenderer cut.    Remove the bay leaves and the herb bundle.  With a slotted spoon remove the vegetables from the pot and add to the serving dish that you have place the corned beef in.  Pour some of the pan juices over the meat and vegetables and serve.  Some people like to eat corned beef with a lot of pan juice like a soup, so don’t throw the left over juice just in case. 

Banana’ mite Cake

Ingredients

¾ Cup unsalted butter, room temperature

1 Cup granulated sugar

1 Cup + 2 Tablespoons light brown sugar, packed

2 Teaspoons fresh lemon juice

3 Large eggs

½ Teaspoon salt

2 Cups over ripe bananas, smashed

1 Tablespoon vanilla extract

2 Teaspoons banana extract, optional

1 Cup of buttermilk

3 Cups all-purpose flour, shifted

2 Teaspoons baking soda

1 Batch Banana Cream Cheese Icing, recipe follows

Directions

Preheat oven 350°F

Grease and flour 2 eight or nine inch cake pans, set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, beat butter until creamy. 

Add sugars, and continue to mix. 

Add Lemon juice, eggs, salt and extracts, mix well.

Add bananas and buttermilk. 

Once the banana mixture is well mixed begin to add the dry ingredients slowly.

Be sure not to over mix or your cake will come out tough.

Divide the batter evenly into the 2 cake pans, and bake for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.  Allow cakes to cool in the cake pans and once cool to the touch remove from pans and place on a wire rack until completely cooled.  I usually allow the cakes to cool down over night before applying the icing, as to avoid any melting.  I usually make the icing while waiting for cakes to cool and place in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Banana Cream Cheese Icing

Ingredients

¼ Cup unsalted butter, room temperature

1 8oz package of cream cheese, room temperature

1 Teaspoon vanilla extract

2 Teaspoons banana extract

3 ½ - 4 Cups confectioners sugar

¼ Cup walnuts, finely chopped

Beat butter in a medium mixing bowl, add cream cheese and extracts.  Once mixture is creamy add the sugar and mix until well incorporated.  Place in refrigerator until ready to use.  I usually trim off the excess on the cake layers to even them out before I begin to ice them.  I take the  pieces of cake I trimmed off and place them onto a cookie sheet and place in the over at 250°F for approximately 20-30 minutes, or until crispy.  Once cooled, place in the bowl of a food processor with the walnuts and pulse a few times until mixture is crumb like (this is what you will use on the sides and top of the finished cake).

Enjoy!!

Vegetable Dumplings

 

Ingredients

Dough

2 Cups All purpose flour

4oz Frozen chopped spinach

¼ cup fresh Italian parsley

Water

1 Teaspoon kosher salt

Filling

2 Carrots, shredded

½ Cup cabbage, shredded

¼ Red bell pepper, finely diced

3 Scallions, finely diced

1 Cup button mushrooms, finely chopped

2 Celery stalks, finely chopped

3 Garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 Tablespoon fresh ginger root, finely chopped

2 Tablespoons hoisin sauce

2 Tablespoons lite soy sauce

2 Tablespoons sesame oil

2 Tablespoons Mirin (rice wine)

1 Tablespoon granulated sugar

1 Large egg, well beaten

Salt

Directions

In a small sauce pan cook the spinach in enough water to cover it. Simmer for 20 minutes, remove spinach and reserve the water(keep hot).

In the bowl of a food processor, combine flour, salt, spinach and parsley. Run the food processor and slowly add approximately 1 cup of the reserved spinach water.

Dough should pull away from the sides of the food processor bowl.

On a lightly floured surface begin to knead the dough, it will be sticky, so be sure to continuously add flour. Dough should be soft but not sticky.

Cover with a damp towel for 10 minutes, allowing dough to rest.

Cut dough into 3 equal parts, and form 3 balls. Return 2 of the 3 balls to the damp towel, and begin to roll out the 3rd ball into a long rope like form. The dough should be approximately 1 inch in diameter. Slice the dough into ½ - ¾ inch pieces. Roll dough into small balls and place under the damp towel. Only remove 3-4 dough balls at a time to avoid the dough from drying out.

On a floured surface flatten the dough balls into disks. Take the disk into your hands and crimp the edge of the dough with your fingers as you turn it. This takes some practice so don’t worry if the first few don’t work out. Now with a rolling pin, flatten the disk, be sure not to apply too much pressure and to continuously turn the dough so that you get a full circle. Flour the disks and stack the one on top of the other, cover with a damp towel.

Time to work on the filling… Place all the vegetables into a strainer and add 1 tablespoon of salt, mix it throughout all the vegetables and allow to sit for 20 minutes. This will extract the extra moisture from the vegetables so you won’t have soggy dumplings.

Heat a non-stick skillet on medium heat and add the sesame oil. Add the vegetable mixture, garlic, ginger, hoisin sauce, mirin, soy sauce and sugar. Cook for 15-20 minutes. Remove from heat, place in a mixing bowl and let cool for approximately 30 minutes. Once mixture has cooled, add the egg and mix well.

With your finger dampen the edge of the dough (with water), place disk in the palm of your hand and spoon 1 heaping teaspoon of the filling into the center of the dumpling. Fold the disk into a ½ moon shape and begin to crimp the edges with your finger tips. You and make the dumpling as simple or as fancy looking as you like. Once you get the hang of making dumplings you can try pleating the dumpling like in my photo.

Always remember to cover the dumpling or the dough with a damp towel when not working with them. If you place the finished dumplings on a parchment lined baking sheet you can place the baking sheet into the freezer until the dumplings are frozen then transfer them into a zip top bag and store in freezer for future use.

Cooking the dumpling… Heat 1-2 tablespoons to a non-stick skillet on medium-low heat. Arrange your dumpling, making sure they do not touch (they tend to stick together and are next to impossible to take apart). Add ½ cup of water and place a lid on the skillet. Once all the water has evaporated, remove the lid so the dumplings will brown on the bottom. Once browned, remove and place on a plate. Serve with a simple dipping sauce (recipe follows)

Dipping sauce

6 Tablespoons lite soy sauce

1 ½ Tablespoon rice vinegar

2 ¼ Teaspoon fresh ginger root, grated fine

1 Large garlic clove, grated fine

1 ½ Teaspoons granulated sugar

1 ½ Teaspoons sesame oil

Dash of black pepper

Mix all ingredients and serve with dumplings.

**TIP**  You can buy either wonton or gyoza skins from your local supermarket, but more often then not they will not be spinach skins.  Buy the wrappers would make the dumpling process a lot faster, since making the wrappers is the most difficult part.