Holiday pie

Make 3-2-1 pie dough from scratch
three parts flour, two parts butter, one part salted water … And a little bit of sugar

Start dried cherries and/ or raisins cooking in sauté pan in Brandy, molasses and Karo syrup.
Let simmer for 10 minutes until brandy evaporates

Mixed together pie dough being careful not to overmix
Wrapped in plastic and set aside for 30 minutes
Roll out to 1/8 inch thick.

Asian pears . Or other pair specifically selected for low moisture content and ability to withstand heat from baking
Toss in honey . Then in cinnamon, ground cloves, scant salt

This is the recipe from Sonoran living
Place pears in center of pie dough
Poor brandied cherries over-the-top allowing to spill over the inch

This is my adaptation
Mixed pears and brandied cherries very lightly
Pour mixture into center of pie dough

Fold edges up leaving some of the fruit showing through the top

Sprinkle top with crumbled cookies
Bake at about 350° for 30 minutes or until dough has finished browning

Cookie crumbles

Robert@RobertAndrews.NET

Urban farm mashed sweet potatoes

Grab as many sweet potatoes as you can
Peel them . using peel your compost
Cut peeled sweet potatoes into 1 inch or smaller cubes
Rinse and steam them for 30 minutes
mix with one stick of melted butter, and sour cream and horseradish to taste
squish initially with a potato masher
put squished potatoes into kitchen aid with
beater attachment
turn on mixer and add buttermilk until creamy
season to taste with grated Parmesan cheese, salt and white pepper

Robert@RobertAndrews.NET

Swiss Chard Shakshuka

Shakshuka with Swiss Chard

TOTAL TIME: 1 HR
SERVINGS: 8

Cooks throughout the Middle East poach eggs in tomato sauce. Here, I’ve added some Italian flavors, like basil and Parmesan, to the classic recipe.

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

4 ounces meaty bacon, minced
1 medium onion, minced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 large bunch of YOUNG Swiss chard, stems minced and leaves reserved
32 ounces (4 cups) prepared tomato sauce
1 teaspoon dried basil
Pinch of crushed red pepper
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
8 large eggs
4 tablespoons freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1/4 cup thinly sliced basil leaves

For the entire recipe – – – Preheat the oven to 350°.
In a large ovenproof skillet, heat the olive oil.
Add the bacon, onion, garlic and (uncut) chard stems and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, adding just a bit of salt. Cook for about 5 minutes.
Remove the chard stems
Roughly chop the chard leaves. Rinse and add to the pot.
Stir until softened – another 5 minutes.
- AT THIS POINT, you can use this as a nice side for nearly any entree
- however, to continue with this recipe . . .
Add the tomato sauce, dried basil and crushed red pepper and simmer until the sauce is thickened, about 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Add the mixture into ramekins
Crack the eggs into the center of each ramekin. Transfer the pan to the oven and bake the eggs for 10 to 13 minutes, until the egg whites are just set and the yolks are still runny.
If necessary, cook another two minutes
Sprinkle the cheese on top. Let stand for 5 minutes.
Garnish the shakshuka with the sliced basil and serve immediately.

Serve With Crusty bread.

Suggested Pairing

Lively, light-bodied red wine.

Tips from America’s Test Kitchen

Save rind from Parmesan cheese, store in freezer, and add to soup for extra flavor.
For a quick cooking meats such as fish, sprinkle a bit of sugar over the top so that it will instantly caramelize when it hits the hot pan.
For a bit of a meaty mystery taste, add a little soy sauce or anchovy. Something with umami .
Season things to be served cold more aggressively. Use vinegar, salt, pepper, sugar, lemon juice, etc. just before serving.
Don’t over cook things with a chocolate base. As soon you start to smell them consider taking them out of the oven, or turning the oven off.
Sautéed meat when it has been dried. If there is liquid, that will turn to steam and cook the meat, but will not brown it. This is called the Pallard reaction.
Herbs fall into two categories. Those added early, and those added late. Herbs that are added early are things such as rosemary, Thyme… Full flavored herbs. Herbs that are added near the end are things such as basil, parsley, cilantro, and chives.
If you are cooking something that uses butter or oil and other spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg, etc., melt your butter and put the spices into the hot butter to more fully develop the flavor of the spices.
When sautéing chicken, heat your skillet up to about 450° before putting the meat into it.
When sautéing onions, use 1/2 tsp of baking soda to speed up the process.

English muffin loaf

5 cups bread flour
4.5 teaspoons instant yeast
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon baking soda

3 cups whole milk . heat to 110°

dough will be very wet

Spray plastic wrap with Pam and cover bowl with plastic wrap

Let rise in warm place for about 30 minutes

Stir gently to release any large bubbles.
Spray bread loaf pan, and sprinkle cornmeal in to coat bottom and sides.
Fill each loaf pan about halfway.
Spray plastic wrap and cover.
Let them rise for 30 to 60 minutes until they double in size.

Bake and oven at 375° for 30 minutes. Rotate pans halfway through.

Pull out if internal temperature exceeds 200°.

Robert@RobertAndrews.NET

Shawna’s Enchilada Casserole

The information below this section is from a third party. It is part of Grandpa's Personal Recipe box. Feel free to browse, but know that this information is from someone else.

This is a third-party recipe, but I got it from Shawna… hence the title. This is what she brings to most potlucks, and there are never any left-overs. Click the image below to view the Pampered Chef recipe.

Here is another recipe:

Prepare the sauce in a large pot
- 3 C tomato sauce
- 2 C chicken broth
- 2 chipotle peppers
- 4 cloves of garlic
- 1 TBL Thunder Powder
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp salt
Bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer
In a hot skillet, add
- 1 TBL vegetable or canola oil
- 1 LB chicken thighs
- Saute for about 7 minutes
Set chicken aside, then add
- 1.5 C diced onion
- 2 TBL butter
- Cook 5 minutes over medium heat
- then add 2 tsp minced garlic
- 1 tsp dried oregano
Put chicken back into the skillet
Add 1/4 C of your sauce into the skillet and toss to coatIN A SQUARE or RECTANGULAR GLASS BAKING CASSEROLE DISH
Put in 1/2 C of your sauce
Cut 6 corn tortillas in half and dip each one into the sauce and place the flat edge of the cut tortilla against the side of the square baking dish, covering the bottom of the pan
Add half of your chicken mixture
Sprinkle with 1 C queso fresco or queso blanco cheese
Add another layer of tortillas, then chicken, then cheese
Add the last layer of tortillas and cover with the remaining sauce and a mixture of 1/2 C queso fresco and mozzarella cheese
Cover and bake at 350º for 30 minutes
Uncover and bake for another 10 minutes
Let rest 10 minutes before cutting into servings

Whole Chicken . Notes from Bobby Flay

Whole chicken
Controls quality
Use bones for stick
Use Greek yogurt by itself or buttermilk to marinate
Fry in canola
1 marinated chicken . Shake off excess liquid
2 dip in seasoned flour . Salt, pepper, paprika, etc
3 straight into one inch deep hot oil at 350 degrees

Robert@RobertAndrews.NET

Basic Pot Roast

Meats: beef brisket, bottom or top round, or chuck eye roast

Tie meat together
Dry and sear large roast in hot pan with EVOO
Poke holes in meat
Stick in garlic
Season/coat with Grandpa's Thunder Powder or Arghhh Powder depending on how spicy you want your coating.
Meat in bottom of Braising pan to sear
. Set aside
Cook veggies over meat fond
. Onion, carrot, celery, bell peppers, garlic
. Thyme, bat, peppercorns
. Add 1 TBL flour till browner
. Add 1 1/4 C water ot white wine or stock
. Add a splash of vinegar
Add meat back into pan
Turn every 30-40 minutes
Cook on low for 4-6 hours
Remove meat carefully
. Strain remaining juice from pan
. Add sauce back into pan, toss solids into trash
. Add vegetable to eat . Carrots, turnips, potatoes
Put meat back on top . Cook 45 minutes more
Plate and top with sauce

Sauce
Brandy
Worchestershire
Beef stock
Dijon
Lemon juice

Robert@RobertAndrews.NET

Focaccia – COLLECTION INDEX

Cooks County Focaccia

Caramelized Onion Focaccia

Nevin McGuire’s Focaccia

Olive Focaccia ala Martha Stewart

Basic Focaccia

1/2 C water
1 tsp yeast
1 TBL dried milk
1 tsp sugar
MIX and let proof
Add 1 C flour, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1 TBL EVOO

Mix with a dough hook for 8 minutes
Form a ball and let rest 90 minutes @ room temperature
Grease baking tray and flatten into shape using oiled hands – mostly your fingers – DO NOT ROLL COMPLETELY FLAT
Cover and let rise another 90 minutes
Drizzle with EVOO and spread on your choice of pancetta, grapes, brown sugar, caramelized onions, kalamata olives, sun-dried tomatoes, etc.
Bake @ 450º for about 10-12 minutes or 425º for 25 minutes

Potatoes au Gratin

Sauté sliced mushrooms in a cast iron skillet and cook for five minutes
Add onions and cook for five move minutes.
Add 2 TBL flour and 2 TBL butter and cook for three more minutes.
Add garlic and cook for one minute.
Add 1/4 C milk and whisk all until combined.
Put onion mixture into a bowl and set aside.
Slice potatoes about thickness of a fat potato chip
Grease bottom of pan and layer two layers potatoes
Scatter half of your onion mixture over top
Layer ham slices
Layer half of your shredded cheese
Add one more layer of thin potatoes, the rest of your onion mixture and the rest of your shredded cheese.
Cook for five minutes on medium high heat
Cover with 1 C stock
Reduce to lowest setting possible (barely a simmer)
Cover and cook for two hours.
Alternately, place in the oven at 275° two hours
Add 1/2 C cream over top, and then top with shredded Parmesan cheese
Sprinkle with salt and black pepper to taste
Cook another 30 minutes
Top with shredded parsley or chives and serve

Variations

At Step 10 you can substitute thinly sliced chicken thighs
At Step 12 you can add shredded cooked, and squeezed dry, spinach

Google Images

Cannelloni 2

Filling
Ground pork and HB mix . Browned
Move aside and add onions to carmelize
Add rosemary
Add tomato paste in hot spot
mix together
Deglaze with white wine
Reduce liquids
Add Minced carrots and celery
Season
Add 2 C stock
Cook till reduced
Wring out cooled spinach and mix in
No running liquid in pan
Set aside to cool
Mix in chopped ham, parsley, cheese and lemon zest

Béchamel Sauce
1 stick butter . Melted
1/4 c Flour . Stir till browned
Slowly add warm milk . Whisk
Bay leaves
White pepper
Nutmeg
Blue cheese
Simmer 10-15 minutes stirring frequently

Pasta
3 cups flour
Three eggs
3 Tbl EVOO
Salt
Mix until grainy
Add water until it comes together

Cannelloni Shells
Cut to golf ball size
Roll into long sheet
. Lots or passes, lots of flour
Cut into four inch segments
Put between dry kitchen towels
Boil 30 seconds . Till it comes up
Plunge into ice water
Put cooked pasta between damp towels

Cooking
Line base of baking dish with maranara
. Add just a bit of you béchamel
Roll cannelloni as you would an enchilada
Line baking dish with cannellonis
Top with red sauce and béchamel
Top with grated cheese
Cover with foil and bake at 375° for 30 minutes
Uncover and cook another 20 minutes

This recipe is transcribed and adapted from Lidia’s Italy

Robert@RobertAndrews.NET

Chicago deep dish pizza

Yeast, Warm water, sugar
Allow time to proof

To kitchen aid with dough hook, add corn flour, bread flour, Salt, lots of EVOO

Add just enough water for dough to come together
Take go out of the basket and finish kneading on floured surface by hand

Cover with plastic and allow to rise in refrigerator overnight

Plop out and press into greased cast iron skillet or deep stoneware dish forming a bit of a raised ridge around the perimeter

Add a bit of sauce all around the bottom
Add in provolone and mozzarella and cheddar cheeses
Spread sauce over top of cheese
Add dry oregano and other dry ingredients
Add pepperoni
Top with more cheese
Cook at 425° covered with foil for 20 minutes
Uncover and cook for five more minutes

SKILLET PIZZA
Brown your sausage before your start using a cast iron skillet
Add mushrooms and onions, if you wish, when sausage has browned
Continue to saute until onions have softened
Remove and set aside
Add a bit of EVOO
Flatten your pizza crust dough to fit into your pan
Lay down a layer of mozzarella
Put back in your toppings and spread around
Add sauce onto toppings
Add optional ingredients: pepperoni, black olives, artichokes, etc
Add more mozzarella
Bake at 425º for 25-30 minutes

Robert@RobertAndrews.NET

Modify Sous Vide

Modify Sous Vide
Add to grandpa Cook’s

Cook chicken leg at 165 for 6 hours
cook chicken breast at140 for

Brown in skillet on high till browned

Create glaze with juices
Garlic, sage, rosemary, maple syrup, butter
Brush over browned meat

Robert@RobertAndrews.NET

St. Louis Shortbread pizza

St. Louis shortbread pizza

4 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 tablespoons oil
Water – enough to bind
Mix in kitchen aid on fast speed

Finish working by hand on floured surface

Wrap in plastic wrap and let relax in refrigerator for 30 minutes

Sauce
Crush canned whole tomatoes and drain liquid
Add four clothes garlic
Basil
Salt
Olive oil

Cheese
Provolone, cheddar, mozzarella, Swiss, parmesan
Blend/chop until pulverized

Roll out the dough

Bake at 450° on preheated baking stone

Add sauce, cheese, and toppings
Bake for about six minutes

This recipe is decanted from Lidia’s Italy

Robert@RobertAndrews.NET

Pasta – COLLECTION INDEX

Different Types of Pasta by Size and Shape

Pasta notes
Flour, salt, eggs – and then EVOO
Approx 100 gm 00 flour per egg
Approx 2 C flour for 3 eggs
Add 2 TBL EVOO
Make nest of flour and salt mixture
Beat egg in well/nest
Bench knife until it starts to come together
Add another egg yolk if necessary
Drizzle water if necessary, but it will probably be OK
If too sticky, add a bit more flour
Knead on floured surface until it becomes springy
Roll into a thick rope, and wrap in plastic for 30 minutes – This is a must

Cut into equal sized pieces, depending on how you will use the pasta
Golf ball sized pieces is a good size if you are going to cut strips manually,
Tennis ball sized if you will put them through a roller
Roll, fold, repeat about 8 times
Cut and flour
Let dry for about an hour
Cook in large pot of boiling water
Fresh pasta only needs to cook 3-5 minutes

Angel Hair

1/32 inch wide

Annuletti / Annolini

Cappilachi

Capoletti / Cappiletti

Cavatelli

Use fork to shape thick 1×1 pieces into ears

Farfalle

Cut into 1.5 inch squares
. One side is wavy . Pinch into bow tie

Fazzoletti

Roll to thin sheets – Cut into 1.5 inch squares
Using single chop stick, Roll into tube (on the bias) on textured surface

Fettucchini

Fettuccini ¼ inch wide

Garganelli

Lasagna Noodles

Lasagna Noodles About 2 inches wide. There is American and Italian lasagna noodles. Semolina wheat flour. American has thick. Italian noodles are thinner and have less chew… which is good.

Linguini

Linguini 1/8 inch wide

Papperadelli

About 1 inch wide

Ravioli

Cut in 4 inch squares, or 3 inch rounds
Put small amt of filling – Ricotta, meat, cheese, etc.
Seal edge with egg white – Boil till they float to the top

Spaghetti

Spaghetti 1/16 inch wide

Tagliatelli

Tagliatelli ½ inch wide

Tellulini

Tortelli

2 inch squares – Ricotta in center
Fold to make triangle, then bow tie around finger
Lay flat to dry

Toyatelli

Trofie

Roll thin strips of pasta into curls

Different Ways to Prepare Pasta – Pasta Dishes

Uova da Ravioli

Spinach and Ricotta Lasagna

Cannelloni

Béchamel Sauce
1 stick butter . Melted
1/4 c Flour . Stir till browned
Slowly add warm milk . Whisk
Bay leaves
White pepper
Nutmeg
Blue cheese
Simmer 10-15 minutes stirring frequently

This recipe is transcribed and adapted from Lidia’s Italy

Robert@RobertAndrews.NET

Puff Pastry Pizzas

Little Pizza Squares

Cut puff pastry into four inch squares
Add cheese and desired toppings
Bake at 425º until done – about 15 minutes

Pizza Rolls

Use pizza dough or puff pastry
Roll till flattened
Drizzle with EVOO
Add desired toppings
Sprinkle with additional mozzerella
Roll it up into a log
Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 15-30 minutes
Cut into 3/4 inch medallions and lay on cookie sheet
Bake at 450º about 12 minutes

Personal Pizzas

Thaw a sheet of puff pastry.
Roll just to flatten and shape
Use a biscuit cutter to cut along the “fold” making three small sheets
Top mini-pizzas with desired toppings
1. Sauteed mushroom and garlic
2. Tomato and black olive
3. Pepperoni and sausage
4. Artichoke and Swiss cheese
5. Ham and pineapple
Top with a bit of additional mozzarella
Bake at 425º for 15 minutes

Enchilada Notes

SELECT YOUR FAVORITE ENCHILADA SAUCE then proceed with recipe.

Preferred for this recipe is the Tomatillo Sauce

Beans
Stock pot
Onions and lots of onions
Simmer 2 hours
Drain and add lots of evoo
Roughly blend
When you are ready to serve heat up in a pan.
. They will darken.

Enchilada
Dip corn tortilla in sauce
Pan fry about 30 seconds
Put on cookie sheet
Top with cheeses
Roll up and put in baking dish
Top with more sauce and cheese
Bake at 400 for 5 minutes

Side Salad
Chopped tomato
Onion
Avocado
Lettuce
Radish
Cilantro
Sour cream
Lime juice
Salt-and-pepper

Robert@RobertAndrews.NET

Steel Cut Oatmeal

THREE KINGS OF OATMEAL

Steel cut: Raw oats, cut with steel blades
Rolled: Steamed and softened, then rolled flat
Instant: rolled oats pre-cooked, then dried . Add boiling water

INGREDIENTS

Step One
• 1 TBL butter
• 1/2 C steel cut oats
• 1-1/2 C boiling water

Step Two
• 1/4 C whole milk
• 1/4 C low fat buttermilk
• 1/4 C cottage cheese

Finishing Touches
• 1 tsp brown sugar
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon

In a large saucepan, melt the butter and add the oats
Stir for 2-3 minutes to toast
Add the boiling water and reduce heat to simmer
Cook uncovered at a barely perceptible simmer for 25 minutes
Stir gently, every 5 minutes or so, scraping the bottom of the pan
Longer cooking makes thicker and softer oatmeal
Add buttermilk and cottage cheese
Stir gently to combine
Cook for an additional 5 minutes
Spoon into a serving bowl
Top with remaining ingredients.

Crepe notes from chef cullen campbell

Crepe notes from chef cullen campbell of crudo restaurant

Ingredients
Crepes
1 ½ cups flour
4 eggs
2 cups milk
½ tsp. salt

Steps
1. Pour flour into mixing bowl. Crack eggs into flour then add salt & milk. Whisk until smooth.
2. Using a crepe pan or a non-stick pan turn burner on to medium heat. Add a little canola oil to pan. Once hot ladle the crepe batter into the pan just enough to cover the bottom. Brown one side, and then turn crepe over to make sure it has been cooked through.

Ingredients
Bechamel
2 tbsp. butter
2 tbsp. flour
2 cups milk
1 bay leaf
Pinch of nutmeg

Steps
1. Make a roux with butter & flour on medium high heat until golden brown.
2. Heat milk & bay leaf almost to a boil then add milk to the roux pan while whisking constantly. Season with salt, pepper & a pinch of nutmeg.

Ingredients
Filling
2 cups ricotta
2 eggs
1 oz. basil, chopped
1 oz. parsley, chopped
½ oz. thyme, chopped
1 small roasted butternut squash

Steps
1. Put all ingredients in mixing bowl and whisk together.

Cheese Layers
1 cup grated parmesan
1 cup grated fontina

Assemble
Oil a springform pan or pizza pan and lay one crepe down. Scoop a generous amount of filling on the crepe, spread evenly over from side to side, top that with a layer of bechamel & sprinkle with a little cheese mixture. Repeat the same process again, top with one more crepe, spread bechamel on top crepe & sprinkle cheese mixture on top. Place in a 350 degree oven for 35 minute until the top is golden brown. Pull out of the oven, let cool for 30 minutes & slice just like a pie.

Robert@RobertAndrews.NET