Author: Robert Andrews

Greek Salad

Ingredients:

  • Romaine lettuce
  • 1 pt cherry tomatoes/halve
    or 4 Roma tomatoes cut into eight pieces
  • 8 oz Sheep Feta cheese
  • ½ red onion-sliced into very thin strips
  • Large cucumber (skinned, remove seeds)
  • Lots of Kalmata olives
  • Red wine vinegar to drizzle
  • olive oil to drizzle
  • garlic powder lightly
  • oregano (dried and crushed)

Instructions:

  1. Put torn pieces of romain as a base for your salad
  2. Sprinkle with (in order) tomatoes, cucumbers, then bell peppers
  3. Drizzle with EVOO and Red wine vinegar
  4. Sprinkle with Maldon Salt
  5. Broadcast Onion slices
  6. Top with cheese and sprinkle with oregano
  7. Drizzle with more EVOO and vinegar
  8. Finally top with Kalamata olives (with pit)
  9. Serve with slices of Italian Bread or a Baguette

Special Steps: Dressing

  • Red wine vinegar
  • Olive oil – High quality
  • Garlic
  • Oregano, shake in jar to emulsify.,

Porterhouse for Two

  • Tenderloin & sirloin
  • Butter
  • Thyme
  • Garlic

Step by Step

1. Leave bone on for more flavor, less shrinkage and more tender.
2. In heavy cast pan @ med high, cook slow on stove top.
3. Season meat with clarified butter in pan, low gentle sizzle, 5 min., flip and baste w/ butter thyme & garlic.
4. Let meat rest for a few minutes, cut off bone. Slice into ½” pieces and fit back into bone.

Special Steps

  • Serve w/ baby vegetables.
  • Saute pearl onions and other vegetables and lemon

Veal Breast Cannelloni

Ingredients:
Veal Breast
Madera wine
Shallots
Pasta sheet
Oil
Heavy cream
Parmesan cheese
Mushrooms
Breadcrumbs
Chives

Instructions:
Marinate breast in Madera wine, braise w/shallots & more Madera and veal stock. Cut to 4” squares, 2 tbl meat. Roll, use sushi sheets, cover w’/wrap. Sprinkle liberally w/heavy cream, top w/parmesan. Roll pasta sheet flatter and blanche & oil.

Sauté mushrooms, add braising liquid, cream starts to brown, top cannelloni w/crushed toasted bread crumbs, add chives @ end of mushrooms. Put in broiler

Plate mushrooms in wreath, add cannelloni to center, and drizzle w/cream and Madera.

Taquitos and Flautas

TaquitosThe difference between taquitos and flautas are; the first is flour tortilla, and the second is made from corn tortillas.

Ingredients:
Beef, chicken, chorizo or pork – Cooked
OR
1/4 C Onion, 1 potato and 6 oz chorizo

Olive oil
Carrots
Cabbage
Garlic
Basil
Cumin
Coriander or cilantro
Parsley
Lime

  1. Sear meat pieces and set aside
  2. To hot skillet, add carrots, cabbage, garlic, basil, cumin, coriander, parsley.
  3. Don’t need to cook completely.
  4. Add 1 tbl lime juice and cilantro.
  5. Heat tortilla in a hot cast iron skillet for about 15 seconds per side
  6. Roll in tortillas (or empanada wrappers) and hold in place w/ 2 toothpicks.
  7. Spray w/ oil & broil till golden brown or fry in shallow pan of hot oil until browned.
  8. You can also deep fry, and then let drain on rack over a paper towel
  9. Remove toothpicks
  10. Plate and serve with cooked veggies, guacamole, mango, cantaloupe and side salad.
  11. Top with chipotle & sour cream or Mexican crema

Oil or oven should be preheated to 350º

From Cindy’s Recipe Cards:

Title of Recipe: Taquitos

Ingredients:
Beef, chicken or pork
Meat
Olive oil
Carrots
Cabbage
Garlic
Basil
cumin
coriander/cilantro
parsley
lime

Instruction:
Sear meat pieces in hot olive oil tossed in corn starch. Add carrots, cabbage, garlic, basil, cumin, coriander, parsley. Don’t need to cook completely. Add 1 tbl lime juice and cilantro. Roll into flour tortillas (sushi roll) hold in place w/toothpick. Spray w/oil & broil till golden brown. Cut @ angle and plate.

Special Steps:
Top with chipotle & sour cream. Serve with mango, cantaloupe and side salad.

Baked Bananas-Jamaican

Ingredients:
Bananas
1 tbl allspice
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp cornstarch
¼ cu rum
1 tsp butter
1 tsp curry
1 tsp nutmeg
3 tbl brown sugar
1 tbl toasted peanuts

Instructions:
Put bananas in pan, cover w/above ingredients. Bake at 350° for 20-30 min. Top w/juice from pan.

Baked Bananas-Jamaican

Bananas
1 tbl allspice
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp cornstarch
¼ cu rum
1 tsp butter
1 tsp curry
1 tsp nutmeg
3 tbl brown sugar
1 tbl toasted peanuts

1. Put bananas in pan, cover w/all ingredients.
2. Bake at 350° for 20-30 min.
3. Top w/ juice from pan.

 

Eggplant (Fagotini/Mantzani) Massimo Orman/Milianzani

Ingredients:
Lg eggplant
Salt
Pepper
Mozzarella (hard)
Basic (diced)
Parmesan cheese
Tomato sauce
Celery
Carrots onions tomato

Instructions:
Slice thin lengthwise, 5 slilces. Cook in skillet a touch of oil, fllip & pull out. Salt & pepper, put strip of mozzarella on top. Sprinkle w/diced basil, sprinkle with parmesan cheese, roll slices w/cheese in center. Place sauce 1/8 “ of sauce in pan. Place eggplants into pan top w/more sauce and sprinkle w/greated parmesan cheese. Bake at 450° for 5-7 minutes.

Special Steps:
Sauce; Blend 1/8” tomato sauce in cook pan w/celery, carrots, onions, tomato and blend.

Eggplant: Basic Preparation

Ingredients
1 medium sized eggplant
Lots of salt

Instructions
1. Slice eggplant in about 1/4 inch pieces
2. Lay on rack, over sink, to drain
3. Cover liberally with salt and let drain 15 minutes
4. Flip and repeat
5. Continue for a total of 2 hours
6. Rinse throughly in running water, followed by rinse in bowl of water
7. Squeeze excess liquid out and press onto paper towl or tea cloth
8. This removes the absorbidity of the eggplant.
Now, you can use it in Eggplant Lasagna or BBQ Eggplant

ANOTHER WAY TO REDUCE THE LIQUID
Cut the eggplant into 1/4 inch pieces
Coat a baking sheet with a light bit of oil
Spread the eggplant out
Spray lightly with oil and lightly salt
Cook 400 degrees for 30-45 minutes

Notes Handwritten notes to this recipe are scanned in PDF document at http://www.xml3.com/family/Recipes/Eggplant.pdf

1. A good eggplant should have no wrinkles and the flesh should give when pressed with the finger, but should completely spring back.
2. Smaller is better. The seeds are more developed and more bitter in older eggplants.
3. Female eggplant has more seeds. Femal will have OVAL navel, and male will have a ROUND navel.
4. Top should be bright green

Eggplant Relish

Ingredients
2 eggplants
3 cloves garlic (chopped)
1 medium sweet onion (chopped)
1/8 CU fresh dill (chopped)
1/4 bunch parsley (chopped)
1 1/2 CU olive oil
lemon
1 bunch chives (chopped)
3 pitas
pepper and salt to taste

Instructions
1. Bake eggplant 1 hour @ 400 degrees
2. Cut tip off and remove skin
3. Cut in half and remove seeds
4. Chill in fridge for 30 minutes
5. Dice eggplant into half inch cubes and place in large mixing bowl
6. Add onion, dill, parsley, garlic, pepper, salt, chives and olive oil
7. Toss gently, completely coating eggplant
8. Cut pita in half and heat on a grill.
9. Fill with relish and serve

Eggplant Lasagna with Meat Sauce

1 eggplant (prepared – Eggplant: Basic Preparation)
maranara sauce
sausage, hamburger or pepperoni
variety of cheeses: here, ricotta, mozerella, parmesan

Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees
2. Slices of prepared eggplant
3. Bake on rack for 20 minutes
4. Two or three layer (from bottom to top)
L1: meat sauce or maranara with basil chiffonade (on bottom)
L2: eggplant
L3: grated parmesan, chili, garlic
L4: mozzerella and ricotta cheeses
5. Last top layer should be mozzerella
6. Top with bread crumbs
7. Bake for 40 minutes
8. Let cool 20 minutes before cutting

Because of the water content, DO NOT fill to the top of your baking dish.
Leave at least 1/2 inch for boiling liquids.

Eggplant (Fagotini/Mantzani)

Ingredients
Lg eggplant
Salt
Pepper
Mozzarella (hard)
Basic (diced)
Parmesan cheese
Tomato sauce
Celery
Carrots onions tomato

Instructions
1. Slice eggplant thin lengthwise, 5 slilces.
2. Cook in skillet a touch of oil, flip & pull out.
3. Salt & pepper, put strip of mozzarella on top. Sprinkle w/diced basil, sprinkle with Parmesean cheese, roll
slices w/cheese in center.
4. Place sauce 1/8 “ of sauce in pan. Place eggplants into pan top w/more sauce and sprinkle w/ grated Parmesean cheese.
5. Bake at 450° for 5-7 minutes.

Sauce
1. Blend 1/8” tomato sauce in cook pan w/celery, carrots, onions, tomato and blend.

Cut off top of eggplant, slice thin lengthwise into 5 slices.

Egg Salad Sandwich

INGREDIENTS

  • 6 eggs (chopped)
  • 1/4 CU Miracle Whip (or mayonnaise)
  • 1 tsp fresh dill (chopped)
  • 1 tsp onion (minced and rinsed) or chive
  • 1 TBL Dijon whole grain mustard
  • 1 dash of Tabasco
  • 1 piece chopped bacon
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp pepper
  • 1/2 tsp white vinegar

STEP BY STEP

  1. Stir together all ingredients
  2. Chill for 1 hour to allow flavors to mix
  3. Serve on bread, toast or a toasted croissant
  4. Top with avocado, lettuce and tomato
  5. Salt and serve

Try this with a thin slice of smoked salmon and serve on a Brioche bun.

Eggs should be at least 1 week old.  Put into pan and cover with cold water.  Add 1/2 C salt and bring to a boil.  Agitate a few times gently as they cook (to center the yolk).  When the water comes to a full boil, cover and remove from burner and let rest (covered) for 10 minutes.  Remove eggs to an ice bath.  Peel under slowly running water.

Egg Nog from Scratch

Egg Nog with Raw Eggs

INGREDIENTS

  • 4 eggs (PASTEURIZED and separated)
  • 3 oz Jim Beam Kentucky Bourbon Whiskey
  • 1 CU heavy cream
  • 1 PT whole milk (not skim)
  • 1 tsp grated nutmeg
  • 1/3 CU sugar
  • 1 TBL sugar additional

STEP BY STEP

  1. Separate white from the yolks. Set whites aside.
  2. Beat egg yolks well
  3. Add sugar very slowly to combine – set aside
  4. In small pan, add nutmeg, cream and milk
  5. Mix to combine, and bring mixture slowly to a boil
  6. Remove mixture from heat
  7. TEMPER half of your heated mixture into your egg yolk mixture
  8. Slowly whisk egg yolk mixture back into the pot
  9. Add whiskey and combine, then chill for at least an hour
  10. During this time, leave egg whites on counter to come up to room temperature
  11. Beat egg whites to firm peaks
  12. Add 1 TBL sugar and combine
  13. Add cold mixture to egg whites and gently combine or fold together
  14.  Serve with a sprinkle of nutmeg on top

EXTRA STUFF YOU NEED TO KNOW

  • Since you are using raw eggs, be sure that you get fresh eggs.
  • Don’t serve this to anyone that is pregnant because of the raw eggs.
  • Use a slotted spoon or your fingers to separate the egg yolk from the whites. Use a pinch pot to isolage each separated yolk and white before putting them into a larger container.  Don’t use the egg white if ANY yolk has broken into it. Use them for scrambled eggs tomorrow morning!
  • TEMPERING EGGS, means to mix three tablespoons of the heated mixture into the beaten egg yolks, one tablespoon at a time, whisking constantly, raising the temperature slightly and thinning the yolks. Add a second tablespoon, then a third, then you can add the eggs back into the heated pan, whisking constantly, without worrying about them cooking and becoming lumpy

Here is a video from Your Life A to Z about how to make “Tom’s Egg Nog”

 

Mollie’s Egg Nog for Two

  • Separate two eggs – set yolks aside
  • Whisk whites into soft peaks
  • Put into fridge to stay cold
  • Put yolks into mixer
  • Add  ¼ C  sugar
  • Mix to combine until thick and lighter in color
  • Add 2 C cream and 2 C  whole milk
  • Whisk on low to combine
  • Fold beaten whites into the mixture
  • Add ¼ C  brandy
  • Chill for one hour before serving
  • Pour into glass and garnish with nutmeg

Mollie’s Egg Nog for Six

  • Separate six eggs – set yolks aside
  • Whisk whites into soft peaks
  • Put into fridge to stay cold
  • Put yolks into mixer
  • Add ¾ C sugar
  • Mix to combine until thick and lighter in color
  • Add 6 C cream and 6 C whole milk
  • Whisk on low to combine
  • Fold beaten whites into the mixture
  • Add ½ C brandy
  • Chill for one hour before serving
  • Pour into glass and garnish with nutmeg

SINGLE SERVING Recipe for KTVK

  • 1 egg  (PASTEURIZED and separated)
  • 1 oz Jim Beam Kentucky Bourbon Whiskey
  • 1/4 CU heavy cream
  • 1/2 C whole milk (not skim)
  • 1/4 tsp grated nutmeg
  • 2 TBL sugar

Step by Step

  1. Separate white from the yolks. Set whites aside.
  2. Beat egg yolks well
  3. Add sugar very slowly to combine – set aside
  4. In small glass bowl, add nutmeg, cream and milk
  5. Mix to combine
  6. Microwave for 60 seconds
  7. TEMPER half of your heated mixture into your egg yolk mixture
  8. Slowly whisk egg yolk mixture back into the pot
  9. Add whiskey and combine, then chill for at least an hour
  10. During this time, leave egg whites on counter to come up to room temperature
  11. Beat egg whites to firm peaks
  12. Add 1 TBL sugar and combine
  13. Add cold mixture to egg whites and gently combine or fold together
  14.  Serve with a sprinkle of nutmeg on top

Economy Ice Cream

Ingredients
2 eggs
6 tbsp sugar
4 tbsp white corn syrup
1 cup top milk
1 cup light cream
1 tsp. Vanilla

Instructions
1. Beat egg yolks, sugar and corn syrup until thick and lemon colored.
2. Add milk, cream, flavoring.
3. Pour into refrigerator tray.
4. Freeze until firm.
5. Remove to chilled bowl.
6. Add unbeaten egg whites and beat until fluffy.
7. Return to freezing compartment for 20-25 minutes or until frozen.

OR

1 C cream
2 TBL sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla

Put into a small zip lock bag
Fill a large zip lock bag 1/2 way with ice
Add 1/2 C salt to the ice
Put small bag into the larger one
Shake it around for about ten minutes

Special Steps

Variations Peanut Brittle Ice Cream – substitute 1 cup crushed peanut brittle for sugar.
Add 1 tsp vanilla.

Strawberry Ice Cream – Substitute 1 cup finely sieved strawberries for 1 cup milk. Add ¼ cup sugar.

Coffee Ice Cream – dissolve 1 tbsp instant coffee in 1 tsp boiling water. Add to milk in basic recipe.

Easy Yogurt Ice Cream

Ingredients
2 CU yogurt
1/2 CU fresh fruit (diced)
2 eggs (separated)
2 TBL sugar
1 tsp. Vanilla

Instructions
1. Separate egg yolks and whites. Set whites aside.
2. Beat egg yolks, sugar and sugar until thick and lemon colored.
2. Add yogurt and mix well
3. Pour into large plastic bowl
4. Freeze 30 minutes
5. Stir every 10-15 minutes for 1 more hour
6. Beat egg whites and beat until fluffy.
7. Mix egg whites into frozen yogurt
8. Stir every 10-15 minutes for another 1/2 hour
9. Fold in fresh fruit.
10. Continue stiring every 10-15 minutes until firm
11. Serve in chilled bowl.

Easy Strawberry Jam

Ingredients
2 CU strawberries (chopped small)
2 CU sugar
1 TBL lemon juice
1 tsp butter
1 tsp pectin

Instructions
1. Crush/chop strawberries
2. Put in sauce pan with sugar
3. Stir until sugar is dissolved
4. Add 1 tsp butter
5. Increase heat to 220-222 degrees (rolling boil)
6. Skim off foam with metal spoon
7. Stir constantly for 5 minutes
8. Pour into canning jar

Easy Red Beans and Rice

Ingredients
1 pound smoked sausage, thinly sliced
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium-size green bell pepper, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
3 (15-ounce) cans red beans, rinsed and drained
1 (16-ounce) can tomato paste
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can stewed tomatoes, undrained and chopped
1 1/2 cups water
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon hot sauce
1 bay leaf
Hot cooked rice

Instructions
Sauté first 4 ingredients in hot oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat 8 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Add beans and next 7 ingredients.

Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes. Discard bay leaf. Serve over rice. To reheat, microwave at MEDIUM (50% power) 3 to 5 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Yield: 8 servings.

Apricot Oven Butter

This is the recipe we created in 2013. CLICK HERE for our recipe that we created in 2012.

apricot-butterINGREDIENTS

  • 4 C pitted and halved apricots – chop in food processor (or peeled apples)
  • 1 C distilled or RO water
  • 1/2 C apple cider vinegar
  • 1.5 C brown sugar
  • 1/2 C honey
  • 1 tsp pectin
  • 1 TBL cinnamon
    At the last minute, you will add
  • 1 TBL vanilla
  • Juice and zest from one lemon

STEP BY STEP

Apricot Butter usually is done on the stove top, but that takes a lot of standing up. We do it in the oven, so we can sit down and put our feet up.

Mix all of the above ingredients (diced) together in a pan and heat on stove top to 180-190º.
Let simmer for 2 hours
You can double or triple this recipe easily without any special modifications.

  1. Press hot mixture through colander or food mill to remove large pieces of pulp.
    Pulse the pulp in a food processor and set aside.
  2. Take 1/2 of the strained mixture and put into glass casserole dish, crock pot basin, or some other NON-METALIC and oven-safe cooking container.
    This will create our smooth apple butter.
  3. Take the other half of the strained mixture, and put into a second container
  4. Mix the pulp back into this second container.
    NOTE:  This will create a smooth apricot butter for Grandpa, and a rustic apricot preserve butter for Grandma.
  5. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees
  6. Put the two containers (smooth and rustic) into the oven and note the time on paper.
  7. Write down a timeline every half hour for the next three hours.
    (EG)  2:00 – 2:30 – 3:00 – 3:30 – 4:00 – 4:30 – 5:00
  8. Put a checkmark next to the first one, case that task has been done.
  9. At each 1/2 hour point, remove the pot and use a silicon spatula or wooden spoon to stir the mixture
  10. Put the pots back in the oven and put a checkmark next to the time showing that you have completed that step.
  11. Somewhere halfway through your cooking time, start your canning water starting to boil.  When it boils, turn it to low.
  12. Put your empty jars into the canning water.  This will sterilize your jars.  Water should cover an upright jar by about an inch.
  13. At the three hour mark, remove the pots and put near your canning area.  The Oven Butter should be nicely darkened by this point.
  14. Stir 1/2 TBL vanilla and lemon into your cooked mixture

canning-jar-topCANNING YOUR APRICOT BUTTER / APPLE BUTTER

  1. Sterilize your jars, canning funnel and ladle in the hot water
  2. Remove a jar and place near the pots.  Drop a lid into the water.
  3. Ladle your jars full just to where it touches the bottom of your canning funnel – about 1/2 inch from the top
  4. Wipe the rim clean.
  5. Remove the lid from the hot water bath and cover the jar of butter.  Tighten very firmly, but do not bear down.
  6. Repeat until all jars are filled.
  7. Place jars in hot water bath, completely covering the top of the jar.
  8. Bring the temperature of water to over 190°. Simmer at 190° or higher for 20 minutes.  DO NOT bring up to a full boil.
  9. Remove and wait for the happy little PING.
  10. Butter can be stored in a cool dark place for about a year.

Just for pretty, after the cans cool you can remove the ring, put a piece of nice fabric over the top and put the ring back on.

 

Grandma’s Vegetable Dip

INGREDIENTS

  • Slice zucchini medallions
  • Slice red bell iinto rings
  • Mash 5 cloves of garlic
  • 8 oz cream cheese
    –
  • Paprika to taste

STEP BY STEP

  1. Preheat oven to 400º
  2. Toss sliced veggies in EVOO
  3. Sprinkle with salt
  4. Bake 45 minutes – Stir halfway
  5. Pulse in food processor
  6. Add 8 oz cream cheese
  7. Pulse just to chop
  8. Spread on soft bread or pita chips

* Any kind of greens will work for this. Spinach will be more traditional. I used Collar Greens this particular time.

This is listed under Appetizers, but I added three hot wings (heated in the microwave) and this became dinner.

Babaghanouj

Eggplant is better if it is heavy for it’s size.
Also you want one that is shiny and still firm to the touch, not spongy.

Preheat your oven to 500°
Bake your whole eggplant until it starts to char. 15 to 20 minutes
Put in a large bowl and cover with saran wrap
Leave in refrigerator until the next morning
Remove peel and scoop out the meat
Food process meat of eggplants.
Add 3 TBL tahini or peanut butter.
Add 2 TBL Greek yogurt.
Add a little bit of parsley and mint.
Add juice from 1 lemon and 1 clove of minced garlic.
Add 1 TBL olive oil.
Add one can chickpeas.
Blend well

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