Sausage Stuffing Made Easy

August 31, 2011 by

This stuffing recipe may become a weeknight ritual. It’s so much better than the pre-packaged stuff and it’s oh so delicious!

1 lb. ground sausage (buy the links and split if you can’t buy it loose)
1 tsp. extra virgin olive oil + 1/4 cup
Black pepper & Kosher salt to taste

2 loaves of bread – try to get something like focaccia, etc.
1 cup Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese
1 small-medium diced green pepper
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil – drained & chopped
1 small (4 oz.) can drained, chopped black olives
2 minced garlic cloves – or more to taste
4-5 large leaves torn basil
2 eggs
1-1/2 cups water
1/4 cup (4 Tbsp) butter cut into little cubes/chunks

Preheat your oven to 350 and get out a large rimmed cookie sheet (jelly roll pan) then grease the pan and set it aside.

Place the 1 tsp. oil into a skillet and when it’s hot crumble and cook the sausage until it’s no longer pink – this takes about 15 minutes – then set aside. Sprinkle with the salt and pepper then transfer to the baking sheet. Bake it for 10 minutes then place the pan on a wire rack to cool a bit.

Meanwhile, cut the flavored bread you bought into cubes, then place in a really large bowl. Add the sausage, cheese, green pepper, tomatoes, olives, basil and garlic. Break the eggs into a bowl or large Pyrex-type measuring cup, add water and whisk; pour this over the bread mixture and mix/toss it to coat.

Now butter a 13 x 9 baking dish and scrape the contents of the bowl into it. Dot with the butter and bake uncovered for about 30 minutes.

Filed Under: Frontpage, Holidays & Special Occasions, Pork

Lemon Cake Bread

August 23, 2011 by

picture-007.jpgIf the icing is just too much for you, by all means don’t ice it – even plain, it’s still elegant. I must however note the importance of real, unsalted, butter, not margarine for this, and fresh lemon juice makes a world of difference; the plastic yellow stuff from your grocer is really substandard. This recipe yields 2 loaves of delicious, aromatic bread.

Batter:
2 sticks softened butter
2 cups sugar
4 extra large eggs
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
3/4 cup butter milk or soured milk
1 tsp. pure vanilla (not imitation, please)

Icing Glaze – if you wish:
2 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar
3 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 Tbsp. milk
Whisk/blend all these together; add more milk if too thick; sugar if too thin

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and grease 2 loaf pans. In a large bowl, cream the butter & sugar until fluffy – this takes about 5 minutes with a mixer. Scrape down the bowl a few times during mixing. Add eggs, one at a time and mix well after each.

In a separate large bowl, whisk/sift the flour, powder, soda and salt. In another smaller bowl, mix together the lemon juice, buttermilk and vanilla. Add the dry ingredients and the wet ingredients alternately to the butter and sugar batter, mixing well between and scraping down the bowl a few times.

Divide the batter between the 2 pans and bake for about 1 hour – maybe only 45 minutes – or until a toothpick comes out clean. Place on racks to cool for 10 minutes, then invert back onto rack. Cool completely then glaze or just dust with powdered sugar.

Filed Under: Breads - Quick, Frontpage

Eggplant Salad

August 7, 2011 by

eggplant.jpgQuite an unusual salad but will be a delicious hit at a party or your dinner table. Adjust your time, as this needs a room temperature sit for a few hours – but oh so worth the wait! I served this alongside egg noodles, with a good, fresh loaf of Italian or French bread.

2 Eggplants – medium sized, peeled & cut into small chunks
Kosher salt or coarse (sea) salt
2 celery stalks – diced
Olive oil, extra virgin is best
2 onions – peeled & sliced
4 oz. tomato paste
1/2 cup good quality marinated black olives, drained & chopped
1/4 cup capers, drained & chopped
1/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup seasoned rice vinegar

Place prepared eggplants in a colander in the sink, sprinkle kosher or sea salt on and let sit for 1 hour to weep. Lightly rinse and pat dry; set aside.

Meanwhile, add 3/4 cup water to a small pot, bring to a boil then add the chopped celery and boil for 5 minutes; drain and save both the celery and the water. Set aside.

Heat about 1/2 cup olive oil in large pan and in 2 batches fry the eggplant chunks for 15 minutes each batch; drain on cookie sheets lined with brown paper or paper towels. Add the onions to the olive oil and cook for 10 minutes; add the paste, celery water, olives, capers, sugar and vinegar then simmer for 5 minutes. Add the eggplant and the celery and simmer for 10 minutes.

Empty ingredients onto a large platter or a large shallow-type dish and leave at room temp for at few hours. You can cover this as best you can with a big pot lid or something comparable.

Serve over/alongside egg noodles.

Filed Under: Frontpage, Something Different, Vegetables

Celery Cream Cheese Stix

August 3, 2011 by

Okay, I know this sounds really weird, but growing up we had these on Thanksgiving and any time to entertain. All my friends loved them, too!

1 bunch celery
1-2 packages cream cheese, softened
Walnut, pecan or pistachio halves/pieces

Cut tops off celery and either discard or save for other use. Wash and dry the stalks, trim bottoms off and cut the stalks into thirds. For larger pieces, cut into halves.Stir the cream cheese and spread about a tablespoon along the inside of each celery stick. Place 2 nuts on each. Or sprinkle with peanuts, or leave plain.

Filed Under: Appetizers / Snacks, Frontpage

Buffalo-Style Wings

July 22, 2011 by

I think you’ll like my rendition of Buffalo wings. These are perfect for any time. Please note: this recipe has been updated from my previous post – oven baking time works much, much better now)

Chicken wings – prepared, tips removed, etc.

Double this if needed:
4 Tbsp. margarine – (no butter for this, please)
2 tsp. white vinegar
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. cayenne pepper (more or less to taste)
1/2 cup Frank’s (or other brand) Hot Sauce

Whichever method you use to prepare your wings, use the margarine & spice sauce mixture for each batch of about 15-20 wings.

Deep fry method:  follow directions on your deep fryer or place ample amount of vegetable (canola) oil in a large fryer pot and heat; fry wings for about 12-14 minutes per batch of about 14 wings, or until done.

Oven method:  Preheat your oven to 425 degrees. Lightly grease or foil a large rimmed baking sheet, place wings on and cook for 1 hour. If using 2 sheet pans, alternate between oven racks after 30 minutes.

For both:  empty cooked wings into large, clean baking pan or bowl, pour spice sauce mixture over, mix well and serve.

Filed Under: Chicken, Frontpage Tagged With: , , , ,

Prosciutto Bread

July 19, 2011 by

Being a homemade bread, this will keep fresh for about 3 days and makes one big round loaf.  If you won’t be eating it all right away then freeze leftovers.

2 pkgs. yeast (or 4 1/2 tsp.)
1/2 cup warmed milk
4 large eggs
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 stick butter, melted then cooled
3 1/2 – 4 cups flour
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. black pepper
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
4 slices Swiss cheese cut into dice
5 slices prosciutto, cut into dice

Place the milk into a large mixing bowl and whisk in the yeast; let sit for 10 minutes to get foamy. Beat in the eggs, oil and butter until they’re blended well. Add the flour, salt and pepper and stir with a wooden spoon until it forms a dough. Now work in the cheeses and prosciutto – dump the contents of the bowl onto a floured counter top and knead the dough working everything in. This will take about 4 minutes, adding more flour as needed. Shape dough into a large round and place onto a baking sheet that you lined with parchment paper or you have greased. Let it rise for 2 full hours.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and bake the loaf for 45 minutes. Cool completely then slice and eat.

Filed Under: Breads - Yeasted, Frontpage Tagged With: , , ,

Honey-Ginger Lemonade

July 7, 2011 by

This spiced homemade lemonade is great with a dessert, family, and friends.

3 cups cold water
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup white sugar
1/4 cup minced, peeled, fresh ginger
1-1/4 cups fresh squeezed lemon juice

Place 1 cup of the water, honey, sugar, and ginger in a saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Boil this for 5 minutes. Cool. Then strain this syrup into a pitcher. Mix in the lemon juice and the remaining 2 cups of water. Add ice to the pitcher and let stand for a full 5 minutes. Serve.

Filed Under: Beverages, Frontpage

Banana Bread

June 27, 2011 by

If I can take a baking shortcut, I will – hence the jar of banana baby food. May sound odd, but it works. My sister’s family awaits her annual baking of this each holiday season, but don’t wait for a holiday – enjoy anytime.

1/3 cup white Crisco
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 cup mashed ripe banana OR 1 cup banana baby food
1-3/4 cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans – (optional)

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Spray a loaf pan with cooking spray and set aside. Cream together the Crisco, sugar, eggs and baby food.

In a separate bowl, whisk/sift together the dry ingredients. Empty this into the banana mixture; mix until just combined. Pour into prepared pan; bake for 45-50 minutes, until nicely browned and split down the center.

Cool in pan for 10 minutes, then invert onto rack. Let cool completely before cutting. Tastes best if wrapped well overnight and sliced the next day.

Filed Under: Breads - Quick, Frontpage

Perfect Pie Crust

June 24, 2011 by

The name of this recipe is a tall order to fill, but I’ve worked with many a pie dough and had trouble with more than I care to admit. So, in my search for the “Perfect Pie Crust” this is what happened. You can make it super fast in a food processor or it can be done by hand.

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 Tbsp. confectioners’ sugar
Salt – just a pinch
4 Tbsp. butter, cold, cut in pieces
1 Tbsp. Crisco, chilled
1 egg yolk
1/4 cup ice water

In the processor:
Put the flour, sugar, and salt in process to blend. Add the butter and Crisco and process for the count of 10 seconds. Stop. While the motor runs, add the yolk and water and process just until the dough comes together.

Without a processor:
Use a whisk or fork to mix together the flour, sugar and salt. Add the butter pieces and shortening and either use only your fingertips to rub the butter/shortening in or a pastry cutter, just until it resemble coarse meal. Using a fork, gradually mix in the yolk and water just until it comes together.

Both Methods:
Scrape/dump dough out onto a lightly floured counter top and gently pat/press it together to form a disc shape. Put into a zip lock bag and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Take dough out of fridge, place on counter, and let sit for at least 15 minutes. Then lightly dust the counter top with flour. Using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll the dough from the center out in only 1 direction. Turn disc and keep doing it: middle press, outward roll. Keep shifting and turning disc, even turning it over. Try to work briskly and gently. As soon as it’s large enough for the pie plate you’re using, gently fold the dough in half and lay in pan, or roll over the rolling pin and roll out onto/into pan. Gently press into pan and trim the edges.

Filed Under: Frontpage, Pies

Fudge by Mrs. Claus

June 21, 2011 by

If Santa’s wife made homemade fudge, I imagine hers would be like this.

4 cups sugar
13 oz. can evaporated milk -(if need be, you can substitute half-n-half)
1 cup unsalted butter (NO substitutions!)
12 oz. package semisweet chocolate chips
7 oz. OR 9 oz. jar marshmallow fluff
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract (NOT imitation)

Grease or butter a 13 x 9 x 2 baking pan (or those aluminum foil pans from your grocer).

In a heavy duty saucepan that holds at least three quarts, mix well and heat the sugar, evaporated milk and butter until it reaches the soft-ball stage (236 degrees) on a candy thermometer, stirring frequently. Remove from the heat and stir in the chips, marshmallow fluff, nuts if using, and vanilla; stir until blended. Pour into the greased pan and cool. Cut into whatever sized chunks you wish!

Please note:  You can sprinkle the chopped nuts on top instead of mixing in.

Filed Under: Frontpage, Holidays & Special Occasions Tagged With: , , ,
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