Author: Robert Andrews

Smoothie Recipes

HINT: Frequently the blender blade will fit into a ball jar, which can then be screwed into place. Use this for your smoothie and everything is self-contained.

Kale Breakfast Smoothie

6-8 Kale leaves
1/2 C water
1 C frozen banana slices
10-12 seedless grapes
1 VERY ripe pear (peel is OK, but small pieces)
1/2 C orange juice
1 tsp grated ginger
Blend well and serve on ice.

Banana Breakfast Smoothie

1 C frozen banana slices
1 C milk
1/2 C strong coffee (cold) – espresso is even better
1 TBL coconut oil
1 TBL peanut butter
1 TBL honey
1/2 tsp vanilla

A few other smoothies:

Strawberry Banana Smoothie
The Ultimate Smoothie
A Google Listing

Grandpa’s Arghhhh Powder

This is something that I like to use for pizza toppings and to add an extra bit of heat to hot wings. It has the heat of crushed red pepper, but doesn’t get stuck in your teeth and gums. Just a bit of salt enhances the flavor too.  This is also good for meat seasoning.

INGREDIENTS

  • 1/2 C ground cayenne pepper
  • 1/2 C ground red pepper
  • 1/4 C sumac
  • 1/2 C salt (fine or course)
  • 2 TBL celery salt
  • 2 TBL garlic powder
  • 2 TBL onion powder
  • 2 TBL garlic powder
  • 1 TBL black pepper
  • 1 TBL cumin

Mix all of the above together well and store in a sprinkle jar.

 

Make your own Stevia

From the FoodBabe.com –

Stevia is a sweetener made from a plant, so theoretically it should not be bad for you, but keep in mind that arsenic is made from apple seeds. Also, I would not want to eat poison ivy or hemlock, which are also plants, but alas I digress. The FDA has deemed stevia (after my lobbying) an acceptable artificial sweetener. That being said, I’ve decided to use it for myself. I eat much of my own food, and the result is I am starting to swell up like a tick. Yech! I need to lose weight. I bought some from Amazon.com to give it a try. After that is gone, perhaps I will try this method. Meanwhile, if you want to read more about stevia, you can read all about it on Wikipedia.

2015-11-20 08.41.01

Chicken Pillows

Heat EVOO and sautee minced garlic for about 60 seconds
Add 1 TBL tomato paste
Add 1 can crushed tomatoes
Continue to simmer

Butterfly and pallard chicken breast

Mix together 1/4 C ricotta, 1/2 C frozen (thawed) spinach, 1 egg and scant nutmeg
Spread mixture across top of flattened chicken
Roll chicken and secure with toothpicks
Sear in EVOO using hot skillet

Add spinach, basil and parsley to tomato mixture.
Add Worcestershire, white wine and salt and pepper to taste
Move chicken roll to tomatoes, cover and cook about 20 minutes

Serve with garlic mashed potatoes

Mosterdsoep – Dutch mustard soup

So a friend at church gave me this recipe, and I thought I would Google the text, rather than retyping the entire thing. What I found were a dozen sites having the same recipe. (same typo, and all!) I am not sure which was the original source, but here are several of the sites PLUS a few from the Netherlands which do not vary much from the recipe recounted below. I have added a few of my own enhancements at this site (such as the slivered onion and option for tilapia) which I think improve the basic recipe. I inferred some of the improvements by using Google translate and the Dutch recipe sites.

Around the World in 80 Dishes :: AllerHande :: Smulweb :: Okoko Recepten

Eet Smakelijk!

Mustard Soup – “Mosterdsoep” – sounds pretty ludicrous. I had my doubts when I was told about it. I mean, mustard is for hot dogs. After making it, I am convinced that there are no rules when it comes to cooking.

Mosterdsoep is a creamy soup with a mild taste… not sharp as you might expect. The recipe is simple, easy, and inexpensive.

The soup is made with a traditional dutch mustard called “zaanse mosterd” but any grainy mustard will work. I used Dijon and it worked out just fine. Once site suggested a stone ground mustard; or mixing a spoon of wholegrain with a spoon of Dijon mustard.

Mosterdsoep
4 tablespoons butter – melted and clarified
1 onion finely chopped
1/2 C dry white wine
6 1/2 tablespoons all purpose flour
4 cups (1 liter) stock (chicken or vegetable)
4 tablespoons of dijon mustard
1 tsp sugar
1/2 cup Cream
1 Leek – sliced very thinly – place into water and set aside
( leeks frequently are dirty so make sure they are well rinsed )
1 or 2 tilapia fillets sliced in small chunks

  1. Start by sauteeing your onions in EVOO over a medium heat.
  2. Add in your clarified butter and flour and stir until the flour barely starts to brown.  The EVOO will keep the butter from burning.
  3. Whisk in a few splashes of the stock. The flour will start to break apart.  Just keep whisking until it has completely dissolved.
  4. Keep on adding and stirring this until you’ve added all the stock.
  5. Add in your white wine.
  6. Whisk in the mustard. Keep whisking until dissolved.
  7. Add your pieces of leek
  8. Add the cream and bring to not quite a boil.  Steam should be coming off the surface of the liquid.
  9. Serve your soup, garnishing with a few chives, some bits of bacon and perhaps a dollop of sour cream.

Growing and Making Pickles

CLICK HERE for an index of all Grandpa’s Pickle Recipes.

Lacto-fermentation

Simply put, lacto-fermentation is a microbial process using beneficial bacteria including Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium spp. and other lactic acid bacteria (LAB) (commonly known as probiotics), which thrive in an anaerobic fermenting environment.  Beyond preservation advantages, lacto–fermentation also increases or preserves the vitamin and enzyme levels, as well as digestibility, of the fermented food.

Balance is crucial.  Too salty and fermentation does not take place.  Not salty enough, and they rot.  It is not a fine line, but one that needs to be considered.

Planting your own Pickles

  • Plant specifically pickling cucumbers.
  • They are a bit smaller than regular ones.
  • The take about 4-5 weeks to harvest, so plan your time accordingly.
  • The first part of August is a good time to plant.

Pickling ingredients

  • Enough for a one quart canning jars
  • Different vinegars contain different acid levels, which affect the taste of your pickled ingredients.
    – LOW ACID: Apple cider vinegar
    – MEDIUM ACID: White wine vinegar
    – HIGH ACID: Red wine vinegar – increase sugar
  • Main pickling ingredients:
    – 1/2 C sugar (dissolved in heated vinegar)
    – 1/2 C salt (dissolved in heated vinegar)
    – 2 C heated white vinegar – heated in microwave 1 minute
    – 1 C water – also heated
  • Flavor ingredients:
    – 2 large (or 3 small) cloves garlic – whole, but squashed
    – 1 dried arbol chili – dried, but flexible – not brittle
    – 1 lemon – zest and juice
    – 1 bay leaf
    – 1 rosemary sprig
    – 1 tsp black peppercorns
    – 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
    – 1/2 tsp tarragon
    – 1/2 tsp thyme
    – 1/2 tsp vanilla

Basic Steps… Really Easy

  • Stuff jar full of whatever you are pickling
  • Pour in hot salty brine – About 1 sugar, 1 salt, 2 water, 4 vinegar
  • Process with hot water bath for 10 minutes

If you are going to eat them within a month or so, you can skip the canning process, but you still want to use jars and lids that have been sterilized.  If you do this, they will stay good for up to four months.

  • Pickles should always set for at least 36 hours before you eat them.  A week is even better.  In the case of olives or peppers, a few weeks is in order.

Items that are good pickled

  • Hard boiled eggs – whole
  • Red  or sweet white onion – cut into slices
  • Cucumber medallions with sweet onion slivers
  • Radishes – small ones whole, big ones halved
  • Jalapeño peppers
  • Small pickling cucumbers
  • Cauliflower
  • Broccoli
  • Asparagus
  • Zucchini
  • Red or brown olives fresh from the tree (2 week cure time) – Black is too ripe
  • Shredded cabbage (sauerkraut)
  • Green beans

Most seasonal vegetables can be pickled as long as they have some structure to them. Forget leaf vegetables, apples, pears, etc.

Grandpa’s Refrigerator Pickles

PREPARE YOUR BRINE

  • 2 C water – About 1 sugar, 1 salt, 2 water, 4 vinegar
  • 2 C apple cider vinegar
  • 3 TBL kosher salt
  • 3 TBL sugar
  • Several sprigs fresh dill – whole
  • 1 tsp celery seed
  • 1 tsp coriander seed
  • 1 tsp mustard seed
  • 1/2 tsp black peppercorns
  • 10 cloves peeled garlic – whole

PREPARE YOUR CUCUMBERS

  • 6 Kirby or Pickling Cucumbers – Quartered lengthwise
  • English Cucumbers and Persian Cucumbers are also good choices.

    OTHER VEGETABLES YOU CAN USE

  • Carrots
  • Onions
  • Peppers
  • Green beans
  • Cauliflower

COMBINE IT ALL

  • Bring your brine up to boiling
  • Simmer 5 minutes
  • Place 1 clove of garlic and some of the peppercorns into your jars
  • Pack with vegetables as full as you can get it.
  • Pour the boiling brine into the jars
  • Put lids on them
  • Process in hot water bath if keeping for more than 4 months, otherwise just put the lid on and you are good to go.
  • Always best after a few days.

Grandpa’s Bread and Butter Pickle Chips

INGREDIENTS

  • 15 Small Cucumbers
  • 3 onions – thinly sliced
  • 1 green bell pepper – thinly sliced
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1/4 C salt
  • 2 C apple cider vinegar
  • 1 C white sugar
  • 1 TBL mustard seed
  • 1 tsp celery seed
  • 8 whole cloves
  • 1 tsp ground turmeric

STEP BY STEP

  1. In a large bowl, toss together cucumbers, onions, green bell peppers, garlic and salt. Allow to stand approximately 3 hours.
  2. In a large saucepan, mix the cider vinegar, white sugar, mustard seed, celery seed, whole cloves and turmeric.
  3. Drain liquid from the cucumber mixture. …
  4. Transfer to sterile containers.
  5. Store in the refrigerator for up to three months

Gluten Free Lasagna

Brown diced onions, minced garlic, celery and red bell pepper – set aside
Prepare your butternut squash – slice, bake at 350º for 20 minutes – set aside
You can optionally substitute eggplant or zucchini for the butternut squash.

Brown 1 lb ground pork shoulder and 1/2 lb ground 80/20 hamburger
When browned, add in 1 sm can tomato paste, 1 C white wine and 1 can crushed tomatoes
Add cinnamon stick and bay leaves ( to be removed later )
Add onions and garlic mixture back in
Let simmer and add water as necessary and reduce for about 90 minutes
Your final result should be like spaghetti sauce – not too thick, not too thin

In a glass baking dish layer
1/4 C sauce
Thinly sliced butternut squash ( use a mandolin )
Ricotta cheese and parsley
1/4 C sauce
Frozen ( defrosted of course ) spinach
Sauteed ( or canned ) mushrooms
1/4 C sauce
Provolone cheese
– REPEAT ABOVE LAYERS

Top with sauce and then provolone cheese and shredded Parmesan

Cover with foil and bake 357º for 45 minutes
Remove foil, then bake another 10 minutes
Cool for an hour. This is great when it is cut, then warmed again in the microwave.

Party Potatoes

Heat up 2 C cream and 1 C half and half just to the point where it starts to steam
Add peeled and grated fresh horseradish, and one thinly sliced Valida onion
Add two cloves thinly sliced garlic, just a bit of grated nutmeg
Add salt and pepper to taste
Continue to simmer for about ten minutes while you slice potatoes
Slice Yukon Gold Potatoes thinly
Layer cream, potatoes and cheese until you are out of potatoes or cream
Add in whatever you have left, then top with Panko bread crumbs
Bake at 375º for about 90 minutes
Top with thyme, chives and finely diced red bell pepper or sumac
Let cool at least 10 minutes before serving

Twice Baked Potato

This recipe is not much more difficult than making a baked potato, but is a lot fancier and always very well received.

Bake two large potatoes just as you normally would:
( Poke them full of holes, bake at 450º and then let cool to the touch )

Cut the potato in half, and scoop out the white part making sure you don’t tear the skin
Crush and mix the white with 4 TBL butter, garlic powder and onion powder
Add in 1 TBL sour cream, 1/4 C cheddar cheese
Mix in 1/4 C chives, salt and pepper to taste and 1/2 tsp oregano

Pack all of this back into the shell of the potato skin, top with cheese and bake at 400º for 20 minutes.

Grandpa’s Dry Rub

This is a good coating for when you are planning to bake chicken, pork loin, rib roast or beef roast.  In a pinch, add a teaspoon of it to an entire container of sour cream for a quick party dip.  It is easy and can store for up to six months, so make more than you need.

INGREDIENTS

  • 1/4 Cup each :: Granulated white sugar, brown sugar
  • 2 TBL each :: Salt, peppercorns, ground sumac, dried oregano, dried cilantro, corn starch
  • 1 TBL each :: Red pepper flakes, cumin, cayenne pepper powder, dried oregano, sweet paprika, smoked paprika, ground onion powder, granulated garlic, dried mustard
  • 1 tsp each :: Baking powder

PULVERIZE ALL in food processor

NOTE:  This has a lot of ingredients, and has a lot of flavor, but not a lot of heat.  If you don’t have any one (or even two) of these ingredients, don’t worry – it will still be wonderful.  This is about nuances of flavor, not a specific recipe.

Breakfast Enchilada

  1. Scramble an egg in a skillet and then dump onto a plate and set egg aside
  2. In the empty (but not yet cleaned) skillet add 1 TBL butter and 1 TBL flour
  3. Cook until the flour starts to brown
  4. Add 1 tsp paprika
  5. Add 2 TBL chicken broth and stir to incorporate
  6. Add 2 TBL more broth, stir
  7. Add 2 more TBL broth and then stir until it is smooth
  8. Put a corn tortilla on a heat resistant plate or bowl
  9. Top with your egg
  10. Pour sauce on top of the egg
  11. Add shredded cheese
  12. Bake under broiler for 2-3 minutes or until cheese starts to brown
  13. Serve with strong hot coffee

 

Caramel Apple Hand Pie


1 C sugar
1/2 C Karo Syrup
Simmer on medium high (About 20 minutes)
Heat to 280-290º (Should become golden brown)
Brush sides occasionally with water to prevent crystals
Add 1/2 C room temperature heavy cream
1 TBL cold butter (Stir to melt)
Let cool about 1/2 hour

Make flat sheet of pie crust – or make your own (See recipe here)
Cut circles (or squares)
Grate 3 granny smith or 2 honey crisp apples
Mix with 1 tsp cinnamon and 1/4 C of your caramel sauce

Brush edges of pie crust with egg, place 1 TBL of apple mixture in the center, fold over and press with fork to seal.
Poke 2 or 3 small cuts on the top for steam to escape
Dust with Turbinado sugar
Bake 350º for 20-25 minutes or until golden

Serve with caramel dipping sauce

 

 

Butternut Bars

Preheat oven to 375º
Cut together

  • 1 C flour
  • 1 C brown sugar
  • 1/3 C cold butter
  • 1/2 tsp salt

Press mixture into bottom of glass baking dish
Bake for 10 minutes
—–
In double boiler melt:

  • 1 C butterscotch morsels
  • 1/2 C light corn syrup
  • 1 TBL butter
  • salt
  • 1 TBL water

Mix in 1 C chopped walnuts
Spread evenly over cooking base
Cook 10 more minutes
Let cool 45 minutes
Cut, separate and wrap in waxed paper

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