Author: Robert Andrews

Pizza Bread

This is essentially a monkey bread.

Prepare your pizza dough as you would normally for pizza.
Tear off golfball sized pieces
Dip them in pizza sauce and put them into a casserole baking pan
Sprinkle each layer with mozzarella cheese
Repeat until your pan is filled
Top with more mozzarella
Put in the occasional pepperoni or sausage or bell pepper
Bake at 350º for 35 minutes
Serve with hot pizza sauce

 

 

Somalian Whole Fish

Pescado Frito

So, before I started cooking, I was a webmaster.  After I retired, I did free web sites for marginal businesses.  One of my customers was from Somalia, and he was so appreciative that he and his wife brought us a fish cooked in the traditional way from his village.  Here is the best I was able to recreate his recipe.

One whole fish, such as Cod, Shad, Trout, Bass, Snapper or Breem

TIPS FOR BUYING A WHOLE FISH

Several stalks of lemongrass
One lemon
1 cup chopped fresh coriander leaves and roots
2 TBL sweet chilli sauce
1 TBL AP flour
2 TBL lime juice
1/4 cup red curry paste

  1. Gut the fish
  2. Rinse the fish and cavity, pat dry with paper towel.
  3. Score the fish deeply 5-6 times through the thickest part of the flesh on both sides – but just barely – don’t go too deeply.
  4. Line baking tray with parchment paper
  5. Place a layer of lemongrass on the bottom of your baking dish
  6. Place the fish on next
  7. Stuff the fish with lemongrass
  8. Place lemon slices, rosemary and thyme on the fish
  9. Pour everything else into your food processor and puree.
  10. Pour over fish and massage in well.
  11. Let marinate overnight
  12. Preheat oven to 350º
  13. Place fish onto tray and cook for 20-25 min or until fish flakes easily with a fork.
  14. Remove, cover with foil, rest for 5 min.
  15. Alternately, grill for a total of 12 minutes (6 minutes per side)
  16. Garnish with sliced spring/green onions and chilli slices.
  17. Serve with steamed rice or salad.

Here is a recipe for Huachinago.

 

Tips: Freezing Things

  • Citrus can be frozen whole and intact. Defrost overnight and you are good to go.
  • Avocado can be depitted, then scooped from its skin.  You can (but it is not necessary) toss it in lime juice, and then freeze.  Store frozen pieces in a freezer bag.
  • Buttermilk can be frozen.  Since you usually don’t need too much of it at any one time, freeze it in ice cube trays so that you have a small portion ready for use.
  • If you need browned ground hamburger, pork, etc… buy a larger portion and cook it all.  The ground meat will freeze well.  A vacuum seal storage bag works best.
  • Coffee and tea can be frozen for making iced coffee or for cooling down a hot cup of coffee without watering it down.
  • Shredded cheese freezes well.  A seal a meal bag is best, but it can be used for anything where the cheese is melted, such as pizza, etc.
  • Extra smoothie can be frozen in ice cube trays for using for future smoothies.
  • You can freeze herbs from your garden when they are packed in oil.
  • Juiced lemon or lime can be frozen in an ice cube tray for cooking or for drinks
  • Ginger freezes well whole.  If you want though, you can shred it and freeze it in cubes of water.
  • Broth can be frozen easily.  Leave about 1/2 inch at the top.  After it is frozen, add 1/4 inch water and refreeze it.  The water will act as freezer burn protection.  When ready to use, melt the freezer burn off with water, dump it, then you are ready to go.
  • For making jam out of season, juice a Seville orange and keep the guts and seeds because they are as high in pectin as many of the commercial products.
  • Spaghetti sauce with meat is difficult to can.  Instead, you can freeze it, and it will last for about a year.
  •  

Quik Kung Pao Chicken

kung paoMake your Kung Pao sauce ahead of time
1/2 C veggie broth
2 TBL black rice vinegar or a dark balsamic vinegar
1 TBL white sugar
1 TBL soy sauce
1 TBL Hoisin sauce
1 TBL corn starch
2 tsp tomato paste
1 tsp Sriracha
Heat in sauce pan till simmering
Remove from heat and add chunks of red bell pepper and green bell pepper

Boneless and skinless breasts or thighs, cut into bite sized pieces.
Mix in a paper bag
– 1 TBL cornstarch
– 1 TBL AP flour
– 1 tsp salt
– 1 tsp white pepper
Put in chicken pieces and shake to cover all pieces

Heat wok or other heavy pan to a very high heat
Put in 1 TBL sesame oil
Add 2-8 red whole Sichuan or Thai chilies
Add chicken and toss until browned
Add 1 TBL rice wine vinegar to deglaze
Add your Kung Pao sauce and stir until thickened
Plate and top with scallions and cashews

Pasta Shells Stuffed with Eggplant

2 medium sized eggplants
2 large sweet onions
1 can mushroom soup
1/2 C butter
1 bag herbed seasoned stuffing crumbs
1 TBL Worcestershire
salt and pepper to taste
EVOO

Wash eggplant
Cut off the top third of the eggplant
Cut around the inside of the shell, leaving a 1/2 inch thick skin
Scoop out the pulp, being careful not to pierce the skin
Peel the top you removed and cut all pulp into small pieces discarding any large masses of seeds
Put the shells into ovenproof baking dishes and set aside
Simmer the pulp in a small amount of water until soften, then drain well
Mix pulp with soup, seasoning and about two-thirds of the crumbs
Mixture should be slightly soft
Saute the chopped onions in 1/4 C butter until yellow.
Remove, drain and add to mixture.
Season to taste.  Mixture should not be bland.
Add remaining butter to pan and add rest of crumbs for topping.
Fill eggplant shells, heaping up the mixture.
Top with the buttered crumbs
This recipe can be done up to 6 hours in advance.
Bake at 350º for 40 minutes.

 

Norwegian Meatballs

meatballs1 LB ground beef
1 LB ground pork
1 LB ground veal
2 medium eggs – well beaten
1/3 C milk
2 medium potatoes – peeled and coarsely grated
1 onion – grated
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp ground clove
salt and pepper to taste

Gently mix meat with other ingredients – DO NOT OVER MIX

Shape into 1 inch balls
Fry in skillet with EVOO until browned on all sides
In cast iron skillet mix 1 can broth
1 C sour cream
1/4 tsp dill
Add meatballs and simmer until liquid is absorbed
Serve with mashed potatoes on the side

 

Next Week’s Spaghetti Sauce

1 16 OZ can tomato pieces
1 6 OZ can tomato paste
1 LB ground beef
1/2 LB ground pork
1 large onion
5 cloves garlic
1 TBL oregano
1 TBL olive oil
1/2 tsp sugar
salt and pepper to taste

Dice onion and saute
Mince garlic and put into pan when onion has become transluscent
In large pot heat tomato paste
Add diced tomatoes
Add onions and garlic
In separate skillet brown the ground meats and drain grease
Mix everything so far into the larger skillet
Add oregano, sugar, salt and pepper
Reduce heat and simmer 3 hours stirring occasionally

Add sliced mushrooms, olives or green bell peppers for variety.

Keep in the fridge for up to a week, or the freezer for up to six months.

Hot Seafood Canape

Use a fresh loaf of French bread for these appetizers.
Cut into 1/4 inch medallions, and lightly toast.

2/3 C crabmeat or clams
1 tsp lemon juice
1/4 C cream cheese – softened
2 tsp white wine
1 TBL minced onion
salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients and spread onto your bread medallions.
For plating, top each with a leaf of cilantro.

Kolaches for Four

Photo by Elizabeth Graham
Egg, chorizo and cheese, and smoked turkey and provolone kolaches baked by Autumn Stanford of Bed-Stuy.[/caption]A traditional treat from the Czech Republic. Originally these were filled with cheese and/or fruit. As the recipe came to the United States we started to fill them with shredded meat, or ground meat with cheese, or something else to create some of the original fast food. The Kolache at this point became more of a wrap or a roll.

kolacheThis recipe is a dessert, and goes back to the roots.

1/4 C warmed whole milk
3 TBL melted butter
1 small egg
– whisk together above ingredients
– mix together dry ingredients in a separate bowl
1 C AP flour
1 TBL sugar
1 tsp yeast
pinch of salt
Mix everything in a food processor and mix just until the dough comes together
Add a bit of flour or milk until you get a well formed dough ball
Turn up the speed and mix for 8 minutes
Place into lightly oiled GLASS bowl and put in warm place to rise for about an hour

While this rises, make your filling
2 OZ of cream cheese
1 TBL sugar
2 tsp AP flour
zest and juice from one lemon
Mix until it all comes together
Add 2 OZ ricotta cheese
Mix again until incorporated
Set aside

Kolaches4For a nice finish, make some streusel for the edges
1 TBL AP flour
1 TBL sugar
1 tsp butter
Set aside

After an hour, dump the dough onto a floured surface
Flatten it just a bit, then cut into 4 pieces
Create four rounds
Spray very lightly with cooking spray to keep them from drying out
Set them on a baking sheet and let them rise for another 90 minutes
Flatten the center of each ball with the greased bottom of a coffee cup or large glass
Brush the top of each kolache with egg white and a TBL of water
Put filling into the center
Sprinkle with streusel
Bake at 350º for about 15 minutes
Rotate pan, and bake another 10-15 minutes or until browned
Serve warm if possible

Kolache photos from www.slovakcooking.com and Brooklyn Paper.

Liver Paté

1/2 LB Braunschweiger liver sausage
3 OZ Cream Cheese
1/4 C butter
1 TBL EVOO
– Cream above together until smooth

Then add

1 small finely chopped onion
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp thyme
1/4 tsp Tabasco
2 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
1/3 C white wine

Mix well and chill at least 4 hours.  Serve with cracker.

 

Whipped Cream Topping

Ingredients

  • 1/2 C Heavy Whipping cream
  • 2 TBL corn syrup, simple syrup or Karo
  • 1/2 tsp Vanilla
  • 1 1/2 tsp sour cream
  1. Beat whipping cream with electric beater, mixer or Kitchen Aid with a whisk attachment for about 2-3 minutes
  2. Add vanilla, sour cream and corn syrup
  3. Cool while you prepare your dish upon which it will be used
    Suggestions:  Crepes, pancakes, strawberries
  • You want firm peaks.
  • Too soft, and the peaks slump over.  Beat 10-20 seconds more.
  • Just right and the peaks stay upright.  Fluffy, but firm.
  • Too long and you get sweet butter.  Great on biscuits, but not as whipped cream.

Cranberry Crunch Bars

cranberry-crunchINGREDIENTS – FIBER

  • 3 C uncooked rolled oats
  • 1/2 C shredded coconut
  • 1/2 C blanched almonds – sliced
  • 1/4 C pistachios
  • 1/4 C hazelnuts
  • 1/4 C whole wheat flour
  • 1 tsp cinnamon

1.  Toss above together, put on baking tray, and bake at 350º for 12-15 minutes

INGREDIENTS – BINDER

  • 6 TBL butter
  • 1/4 C brown sugar
  • 1/4 C granulated sugar
  • 1/4 TBL honey
  • 1/4 TBL Karo syrup
  • 2 tsp vanilla

2.  Combine binder in a saucepan and bring to a boil.  Completely dissolve sugar and remove from heat.

INGREDIENTS – FLAVOR FILLING

  • 1 TBL cocoa powder
  • 1/2 C wheat germ
  • 1/2 C dried cranberries – chopped
  • 1/2 C dried cherries – chopped
  • 1/2 C dates – chopped
  • 1/2 C dried apricots – chopped
  • 1/2 C dried blueberries – chopped
  • 1/4 C golden raisins – chopped
  1. Mix flavor filling in with the oat mixture and the syrup
  2. Lay parchment paper in a large glass baking casserole
  3. Spray lightly with cooking spray
  4. Press mixture onto the casserole
  5. Put into oven at 350º for 35 minutes
  6. Set on counter to cool.
  7. While it is cooling (don’t do this while it is cooking)  mix below topping ingredients
  8. Start with hot butter.  Add a bit of butter at a time until the mixture is like peanut butter
  9. Spread on top of crunch bar mixture
  10. Sprinkle with Turbinado sugar and salt mixture
  11. Put back into the oven for 10 more minutes to caramelize the top coating
  12. Set out to cool for 30 minutes
  13. Leaving in the tray, cut bars into half, half, half and half making 16 bars
    Be careful not to damage your casserole.
  14. Refrigerate overnight
  15. The next morning, remove from pan and re-cut the bars if necessary
  16. Wrap each bar in parchment or waxed paper, then in plastic wrap.
    Add a label under the plastic wrap if you wish.

INGREDIENTS – TOPPING

  • 2 tsp melted butter
  • 2 TBL sugar
  • 3 TBL cocoa powder
  • 1 tsp non-fat dry milk
  • 1 tsp cornstarch
    –
  • 1 tsp coarse sea salt
  • 1 tsp Turbinado sugar

 

 

Christmas Cake

raisin cake1-1/2 C water
1-1/2 C sugar
1-1/2 C raisins
1/2 C butter
1/4 C chocolate chips or cocoa
1 TBL Grandpa’s CinnaSugar®
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground clove
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

Bring above to a boil, then cook 5 more minutes
Set aside to cool so that it is warm to the touch, but not hot.
Add 1 tsp vanilla

Sift together 2 C flour and 1 tsp soda
Mix all above and pour into greased bread loaf pan
Bake at 350° for one hour

Velez-Malaga Sangria

sangriaThis is about as easy as it gets.

Rioja is a traditional table wine used across Spain.  Use that if you are able.

Options:

White . Crisp White, Refreshing White, Chardonnay
Red . Zinfandel, Merlot, Cabernet, Malbec, Shiraz

Ingredients to feed 4 people

  • 1 liter white wine
  • 1 liter Sauternes or a sweet red wine
  • 1-10 oz pkg frozen mixed fruits
  • A lemon or lime sliced into medallions
  • 1 cold sliced banana

Step by Step

  1. Refrigerate your pitcher.
  2. Place your frozen ingredients in the cold pitcher.
  3. Serve with mint, basil and ice cubes
This is a recipe that has been created or modified by Robert (Grandpa) Andrews.
CLICK HERE for a free sample copies of Grandpa's Cookbooks. © 2016, 2017, 2018.

Egg Basket Breakfast

For each person, One egg – plus…
3/4 inch slices of French bread
1/4 inch slice of Gruyere or Swiss cheese
1/4 C shaved ham
1/4 C beef or chicken broth
1/4 C white wine

For each serving use an oven-proof ramekin
Cover bottom with TOASTED French bread
Cover with shredded ham
Top with cheese
Pour broth and wine over top
Bake at 425° for 15-20 minutes until liquid is absorbed
With back of soup spoon create an impression
Break an egg into it
Bake another 10 minutes or until egg is cooked

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