Dried Beef Cheese Ball
8 ounces cream cheese
3 ounces dried beef
3 good size garlic cloves, chopped fine
1/4 teaspoon onion salt
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
In a medium bowl, combine cream cheese, dried beef, and chopped garlic.
Mix well, then season with onion salt and Worcestershire sauce.
Form into a ball, and refrigerate.
Cocktail Cheese Ball
8 oz Neufchatel cheese, softened
1/4 c Plain nonfat yogurt
4 oz Shredded cheddar cheese
4 oz shredded swiss cheese
2 tsp Grated onion
2 tsp Prepared horseradish
1 tsp Country-style Dijon Mustard
1/4 c Chopped fresh parsley
Combine Neufchatel cheese and yogurt in large bowl. Beat at med speed until smooth. Add cheddar cheese and next 4 ingredients; stir well.
Cover, chill at least 1 hour. Shape cheese mix in ball. Sprinkle with parsley.
Wrap cheese ball in plastic wrap, chill. Serve with assorted unsalted crackers.
Yield: 2 cups
Chicken Cheeseball
2 large cans chicken, well drained, flaked
4 packages cream cheese, softened (8 ounce size)
1 envelope Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing Mix dry
Parsley
Chopped pecans
Mix chicken, cheese and dressing mix together. Press into a saran wrap lined mold and chill overnight.
Before serving, place cheese ball on serving tray, garnish with parsley and chopped pecans.
Serve with crackers.
Smoked Salmon Cheeseball
8 oz Cream cheese at room temperature
1/4 c Grated cheddar cheese
1/2 ts Horseradish
1 Quick shake worcestershire
1 t Lemon juice
6 1/2 oz Canned smoked salmon
1/2 c Ground pecans
Mix all ingredients together and roll into a ball.
Roll in either chopped nuts or chives.
Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use.
Serves 4 to 6 people as an hors d'oeuvre.
(If smoked salmon is unavailable use canned salmon and 1/8 teaspoon of liquid smoke. Use more liquid smoke if you like a stronger flavor.)
Party Cheese Ball
2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 tablespoon chopped pimento
1 tablespoon chopped onion
1 tablespoon chopped green pepper
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 to 2 cups finely chopped pecans or walnuts*
Combine all ingredients together and mix well. Shape into 1 large ball or 2 small balls. Roll in the finely chopped nuts.
Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and chill for 2 to 3 hours, removing from refrigerator 1/2 hour before serving.
Serve with a variety of crackers.
*As a variation try using toasted sesame seeds instead.
Dried Beef Cheese Ball
8 ounces cream cheese
3 ounces dried beef
3 good size garlic cloves, chopped fine
1/4 teaspoon onion salt
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
In a medium bowl, combine cream cheese, dried beef, and chopped garlic.
Mix well, then season with onion salt and Worcestershire sauce.
Form into a ball, and refrigerate.
Easy Ranch Cheese Ball
16 ounces Cream Cheese -- softened
1 package Ranch salad dressing mix
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Bacon Bits
Combine salad dressing,cheese and cream cheese. Form into a ball.
Roll in bacon bits. Refrigerate until 10 minutes before serving.
Serve with crackers.
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Sep 21, 2009
Homemade Hamburger Buns
Ingredients
2 cup Whole milk
1/2 cup Water warm (105 -115 degrees F)
5 teaspoon Yeast active, dry
1/2 teaspoon Sugar
1/4 cup Sugar
2 ounce Butter cut into small pieces and softened
2 large Egg lightly beaten
1 tablespoon Salt
6 cup All purpose flour to 6 1/2 cups
Preparation.
Bring milk to a bare simmer in a small saucepan over moderate heat. Remove from heat and let cool to 105? - 115?F.
2. Stir together warm water, yeast and ? tsp. sugar in bowl until yeast is dissolved. Let stand until foamy, approx. 5 minutes.
3. Add butter and ? cup sugar to yeast mixture and mix with paddle attachment at low speed until combined (it is okay if the butter does not entirely mix and is clumped slightly together).
4. Add warm milk and let sit for a minute. Mix until butter is melted.
5. Add eggs and mix until well combined.
6. Add salt and 4 cups of flour and mix, scraping down sides of bowl as necessary.
7. Switch to dough hook and beat in two cups of flour at medium speed, scraping down the sides once or twice. If needed, add more flour in tbsp. increments to make dough pull away from the sides. Beat for 5 minutes more. Dough will be sticky.
8. Transfer to a large oiled bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in bulk, approx. 2-? hours.
9. Butter two large baking sheets. Punch dough down and turn onto lightly floured surface. Roll out to about a ? " thickness and cut into desired shapes - 3" rounds if available, otherwise 3" squares are fine.
10. Place on cookie sheets and cover loosely with plastic wrap. Let rise until a finger pressed into the dough leaves an imprint, approx. 1-? to 2 hours.
11. Preheat oven to 375?F.
12. Place buns in oven and bake until golden brown and sound hollow when tapped, approx. 14 - 20 minutes per batch. Cool completely before serving.
No Bake Oatmeal Fudge Peanut Butter Cookies
Ingredients
2 cup Sugar
1/2 cup Cocoa
1 cup Margarine
1/2 cup Milk
1 pinch Baking soda
1/2 cup Peanut butter
1 tablespoon Karo Syrup
1 teaspoon Vanilla
3 cups Quick Oats
Preparation
In a medium saucepan, combine sugar, cocoa, margarine and milk.
Bring to a boil Stirring constantly and cook for an additional 2 minutes.
Remove from heat.
Add pinch of baking soda beat in peanut butter, karo syrup and vanilla until peanut butter is completely melted into choclate mixture.
Beat in oatmeal.
Drop by tablespoonfuls onto waxed paper.
Let cool about 45 minutes
Broccoli Ham Ring
Ingredients
1/4 pound Ham chopped
6 ounces Swiss Cheese shredded
1/4 pound Broccoli fresh
2 Tbsp. Dijon Mustard
1 small onion chopped
1 tsp. Lemon Juice
1/4 cup fresh parsley
2 can (16 oz) Crescent Rolls
Preparation
Preheat oven to 350.
Coarsely shop ham, broccoli, onion, and parsley. Coarsely grate cheese (1 1/2 cups). Mix all ingredients except crescent rolls and set aside. Arrange crescent triangles in a circle on a pan with bases overlapping in center and points to the outside. There should be a 3-inch diameter circle in center. Evenly spoon filling over base. Fold points of triangles over filling and tuck under base at center. Filling will not be completely covered. Bake 20-25 minutes or until golden brown
Basic Fried Rice
Ingredients
3 md eggs
1 med. Onion diced
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
4 cups Cooked rice
4 oz. mixed peas and carrots
Soy Sauce to taste
Preparation
Lightly beat the eggs with a pinch of the salt. Heat oil in a preheated wok or skillet, and lightly scramble the eggs. Add the rice and stir. Add the remaining salt, onions, and peas. Blend well and serve.
Note: Get creative by adding diced pork or chicken and turning this side dish into a complete entree
Stove Top Stuffing Meatloaf
Ingredients
1 1/2 lb 85 % lean ground beef
1 package Stove Top Chicken flavored stuffing mix 6 oz
2 large eggs
1 cup Heinz Ketchup
Preparation
Just mix altogether and pat it down into a 8 x 8 glass bakeware dish/or a loaf pan. Then bake about 45 min in 350 degree oven
Real Philly Cheesesteak
Ingredients
1 pound Rib Eye frozen, then cut very thin
1 Onion
1 Green and Red Pepper, cut into strips
Provolone Cheese or Cheese Whiz
4 Hoagie Rolls
Preparation**Meat**
Make friends with your butcher. You need him to partially freeze a hunk of Rib Eye, and then slice it very thin. You want it sliced thin even though common sense tells us that thick is better. You can buy the hunk of rib eye and freeze and slice it yourself, but the butcher generally does a better job than I do. I can only get it about 1/8" thick and he does less.
**Bread**
This is the hard part. If you aren't in the Tristate area, and can't get AMOROSOS rolls (the only thing that is REALLY good on a cheesesteak) then you have to find a substitute. Squishy sub rolls will NOT do. They do not hold together under pressure. Refrain from buying those "hero" rolls too. A good hoagie roll is almost rubbery in texture, but quite soft. The best substitute I have found is a loaf of French bread. Not as good as the real thing, but hey, beggars can't be choosers.
**Toppings**
All of this is personal choice. I like fried onions and peppers myself. Cheeses used vary - I hate to admit it but I think cheese whiz tastes the best. Provolone is awesome too and that's what I would use if I was afraid of the plastic orange stuff called whiz. Cooking the steak: In a cast iron frying pan, or a grill pan heat some oil. Saute toppings until pliable - make them however you like them. Remove them from pan and set aside. Pour some more oil in the pan (I use olive oil, but if you have access to the stuff they use in restaurants on grills it would taste even better) on medium high heat. Place 1/4 to 1/3 of a pound of meat in the pan, lying the pieces flat and overlapping to form a shape that will fit nicely in a bun. When the meat turns gray with doneness, flip it over and begin to shred the steak in the pan. You want bite-sized pieces that are easy to eat. If you are using cheese slices now is the time to lie them on top of the meat. Add the other toppings back into the pan next to the meat and allow to reheat. Cover the pan to allow the cheese to melt. This should take 1-2 minutes. If the meat looks overcooked, that's OK - it should be GRAY.
This is the time to toast the bread if you so wish. I don't like mine toasted at all. Warmed is OK. If you are using cheese whiz, warm it in the microwave. Pick up meat and melted cheese with a spatula and deposit on the roll. IF using cheese whiz, use a butter knife or chopstick to smear whiz next to the meat.
Push the meat on one side of the roll and deposit the toppings next to it. This is important because if you put the toppings ON the meat, they will not be in the bottom of the sandwich, which really sux. You should get meat, toppings and cheese in every bite.
3 md eggs
1 med. Onion diced
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
4 cups Cooked rice
4 oz. mixed peas and carrots
Soy Sauce to taste
Preparation
Lightly beat the eggs with a pinch of the salt. Heat oil in a preheated wok or skillet, and lightly scramble the eggs. Add the rice and stir. Add the remaining salt, onions, and peas. Blend well and serve.
Note: Get creative by adding diced pork or chicken and turning this side dish into a complete entree
Stove Top Stuffing Meatloaf
Ingredients
1 1/2 lb 85 % lean ground beef
1 package Stove Top Chicken flavored stuffing mix 6 oz
2 large eggs
1 cup Heinz Ketchup
Preparation
Just mix altogether and pat it down into a 8 x 8 glass bakeware dish/or a loaf pan. Then bake about 45 min in 350 degree oven
Real Philly Cheesesteak
Ingredients
1 pound Rib Eye frozen, then cut very thin
1 Onion
1 Green and Red Pepper, cut into strips
Provolone Cheese or Cheese Whiz
4 Hoagie Rolls
Preparation**Meat**
Make friends with your butcher. You need him to partially freeze a hunk of Rib Eye, and then slice it very thin. You want it sliced thin even though common sense tells us that thick is better. You can buy the hunk of rib eye and freeze and slice it yourself, but the butcher generally does a better job than I do. I can only get it about 1/8" thick and he does less.
**Bread**
This is the hard part. If you aren't in the Tristate area, and can't get AMOROSOS rolls (the only thing that is REALLY good on a cheesesteak) then you have to find a substitute. Squishy sub rolls will NOT do. They do not hold together under pressure. Refrain from buying those "hero" rolls too. A good hoagie roll is almost rubbery in texture, but quite soft. The best substitute I have found is a loaf of French bread. Not as good as the real thing, but hey, beggars can't be choosers.
**Toppings**
All of this is personal choice. I like fried onions and peppers myself. Cheeses used vary - I hate to admit it but I think cheese whiz tastes the best. Provolone is awesome too and that's what I would use if I was afraid of the plastic orange stuff called whiz. Cooking the steak: In a cast iron frying pan, or a grill pan heat some oil. Saute toppings until pliable - make them however you like them. Remove them from pan and set aside. Pour some more oil in the pan (I use olive oil, but if you have access to the stuff they use in restaurants on grills it would taste even better) on medium high heat. Place 1/4 to 1/3 of a pound of meat in the pan, lying the pieces flat and overlapping to form a shape that will fit nicely in a bun. When the meat turns gray with doneness, flip it over and begin to shred the steak in the pan. You want bite-sized pieces that are easy to eat. If you are using cheese slices now is the time to lie them on top of the meat. Add the other toppings back into the pan next to the meat and allow to reheat. Cover the pan to allow the cheese to melt. This should take 1-2 minutes. If the meat looks overcooked, that's OK - it should be GRAY.
This is the time to toast the bread if you so wish. I don't like mine toasted at all. Warmed is OK. If you are using cheese whiz, warm it in the microwave. Pick up meat and melted cheese with a spatula and deposit on the roll. IF using cheese whiz, use a butter knife or chopstick to smear whiz next to the meat.
Push the meat on one side of the roll and deposit the toppings next to it. This is important because if you put the toppings ON the meat, they will not be in the bottom of the sandwich, which really sux. You should get meat, toppings and cheese in every bite.
SAUSAGE GRAVY
Ingredients
1 lb Pork Sausage ground
1 can (12 oz) Evaporated milk or 1 c milk
1 c all-purpose flour
1 tb Freshly ground pepper ground black pepper
1 ts Salt, to taste
hot sauce
Preparation
Selecting the right sausage
Part of the secret of good sausage gravy is the FAT. Sorry folks, but the lean “good for you” kind of pork sausage just won’t make good sausage gravy. If you are worried about the fat and cholesterol . . . eat something else!! Select a good brand, just the same. My favorite for making gravy is “Aberdeen” brand, but any brand with a good balance of meat and fat will do. If you have a good meat market in your area where they grind their own sausage, tell the butcher to grind you some with plenty of fat left in.
Pre-measure your milk and flour and have it ready next to the stove, as well as about a liter of water. Heat a deep skillet to medium high heat. Fry up the sausage with about half a teaspoon of hot sauce, until it is well browned and has rendered all of the fat. Break up the sausage into small bit as it fries, so that it is the size of small peas. Lower the heat just a bit, then add the flour to the pan. Mix into the sausage until the flour is totally coated with the rendered grease. You should not be able to see any more bright white flour. If there is not enough grease to coat all of the flour, add vegetable oil or lard until there is. You should now have little brownish sausage/flour nodules. Add salt, to taste, and the black pepper. Add the milk and about a cup of water. Stir with a wooden spoon, breaking up the nodules that have formed. Keep stirring and breaking up the nodules until it begins to smooth out. It will get very thick; add water until you get a nice, smooth, creamy consistency. The only lumps in the gravy should be the sausage! If the flour was well coated with grease, it will not be lumpy. Keep heating and stirring until it stops getting thicker and you have the consistency you want.
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Broccoli Cheese Soup
Ingredients
4 cups chicken broth
1 cup water
1 cup half & half - fat free
4 ounces cheddar cheese
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon onion
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
4 cups broccoli florets - bite-size
Preparation
Combine chicken broth, water, half & half, cheese, flour, onion and pepper in a large saucepan. Whisk to break up any lumps of flour; turn heat to medium/high. Bring soup to a boil; reduce heat to low.
Add broccoli and simmer for 15-20 minutes until broccoli is tender, but not soft.
For each serving spoon one cup of soup into a bowl and garnish with a Tbsp. of shredded cheese and a pinch of parsley.
Note: Garnish with 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese and 2 tsp. minced fresh parsley if desired.
1 lb Pork Sausage ground
1 can (12 oz) Evaporated milk or 1 c milk
1 c all-purpose flour
1 tb Freshly ground pepper ground black pepper
1 ts Salt, to taste
hot sauce
Preparation
Selecting the right sausage
Part of the secret of good sausage gravy is the FAT. Sorry folks, but the lean “good for you” kind of pork sausage just won’t make good sausage gravy. If you are worried about the fat and cholesterol . . . eat something else!! Select a good brand, just the same. My favorite for making gravy is “Aberdeen” brand, but any brand with a good balance of meat and fat will do. If you have a good meat market in your area where they grind their own sausage, tell the butcher to grind you some with plenty of fat left in.
Pre-measure your milk and flour and have it ready next to the stove, as well as about a liter of water. Heat a deep skillet to medium high heat. Fry up the sausage with about half a teaspoon of hot sauce, until it is well browned and has rendered all of the fat. Break up the sausage into small bit as it fries, so that it is the size of small peas. Lower the heat just a bit, then add the flour to the pan. Mix into the sausage until the flour is totally coated with the rendered grease. You should not be able to see any more bright white flour. If there is not enough grease to coat all of the flour, add vegetable oil or lard until there is. You should now have little brownish sausage/flour nodules. Add salt, to taste, and the black pepper. Add the milk and about a cup of water. Stir with a wooden spoon, breaking up the nodules that have formed. Keep stirring and breaking up the nodules until it begins to smooth out. It will get very thick; add water until you get a nice, smooth, creamy consistency. The only lumps in the gravy should be the sausage! If the flour was well coated with grease, it will not be lumpy. Keep heating and stirring until it stops getting thicker and you have the consistency you want.
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Broccoli Cheese Soup
Ingredients
4 cups chicken broth
1 cup water
1 cup half & half - fat free
4 ounces cheddar cheese
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon onion
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
4 cups broccoli florets - bite-size
Preparation
Combine chicken broth, water, half & half, cheese, flour, onion and pepper in a large saucepan. Whisk to break up any lumps of flour; turn heat to medium/high. Bring soup to a boil; reduce heat to low.
Add broccoli and simmer for 15-20 minutes until broccoli is tender, but not soft.
For each serving spoon one cup of soup into a bowl and garnish with a Tbsp. of shredded cheese and a pinch of parsley.
Note: Garnish with 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese and 2 tsp. minced fresh parsley if desired.
COUNTRY BAKED POTATO SOUP
Ingredients
4 large Russett Baking Potato's
2/3 cup Butter
1/2 cup All-Purpose Flour
2 teaspoons Salt
1 tablespoon White Pepper
8 cups Milk
1 cup Sour Cream
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions
1/2 pound Bacon cooked and crumbled
1 cup shredded cheese for topping
Preparation
Bake potato's at 350 degrees for 65-75 minutes or until tender; cool completely. Peel and cube potato's into 1" cubes. You want it to be chunky, but some will break up. In a large Dutch Oven, melt butter; stir in flour, salt and pepper until smooth. Gradually add milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. If you want it thicker, mash a few potato's against the side of the pot and stir, and it will thicken right up. Remove from heat; whisk in sour cream. Add potato's and green onions. Place back on stove and heat to serving temperature over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Ladle into bowl and garnish with bacon and cheese.
Sunday Pot Roast
Ingredients
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 4-pound rump roast, boned
3 medium onions, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons Hungarian sweet paprika
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried thyme
4 cloves garlic, crushed
2 cup red wine (or if you prefer, 1 cup wine and 1 cup water)
2 cups beef broth
2 pounds new potatoes, scrubbed
8 carrots, cut into 1-1/2-inch-thick pieces
Coarse salt to taste
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
PreparationHeat oven to 300 degrees F. Liberally season roast with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil over medium-high heat in a 6-quart Dutch oven or other heavy bottomed oven-proof pan. Sear roast until well-browned on all sides. Remove roast from pan and reduce heat to medium. Add onion and cook for 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Add paprika, bay leaf, rosemary, oregano, thyme, and garlic, cook 1 minute. Add wine and 1 1/2 cups of the broth, bring to a boil. Add potatoes and carrots, return roast to pan, season with salt and pepper. If the liquid doesn't cover the roast and vegetables, add more stock until it just does. Continue to heat until it simmers. Place a large piece of foil over the pan and cover tightly with a lid; transfer the pan to the oven and cook for 2 1/2 hours. Uncover, turn the roast over, cover and cook for another 1 1/2 hours or until beef is fully tender and a meat fork or sharp knife easily slips in and out of the meat (fork-tender).
Transfer roast to a carving board; tent with foil to keep warm. Transfer vegetables to a deep serving platter; loosely cover to keep warm. Allow liquid in the pot to settle about 5 minutes, then use a wide spoon to skim the fat off the surface; discard bay leaves. Boil over high heat until reduced to desired consistency. Check and adjust seasoning. Slice the roast (or pull apart with fork) and arrange on the deep serving platter with the vegetables. drizzle with some of the sauce, and serve the extra sauce on the side.
4 large Russett Baking Potato's
2/3 cup Butter
1/2 cup All-Purpose Flour
2 teaspoons Salt
1 tablespoon White Pepper
8 cups Milk
1 cup Sour Cream
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions
1/2 pound Bacon cooked and crumbled
1 cup shredded cheese for topping
Preparation
Bake potato's at 350 degrees for 65-75 minutes or until tender; cool completely. Peel and cube potato's into 1" cubes. You want it to be chunky, but some will break up. In a large Dutch Oven, melt butter; stir in flour, salt and pepper until smooth. Gradually add milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. If you want it thicker, mash a few potato's against the side of the pot and stir, and it will thicken right up. Remove from heat; whisk in sour cream. Add potato's and green onions. Place back on stove and heat to serving temperature over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Ladle into bowl and garnish with bacon and cheese.
Sunday Pot Roast
Ingredients
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 4-pound rump roast, boned
3 medium onions, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons Hungarian sweet paprika
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried thyme
4 cloves garlic, crushed
2 cup red wine (or if you prefer, 1 cup wine and 1 cup water)
2 cups beef broth
2 pounds new potatoes, scrubbed
8 carrots, cut into 1-1/2-inch-thick pieces
Coarse salt to taste
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
PreparationHeat oven to 300 degrees F. Liberally season roast with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil over medium-high heat in a 6-quart Dutch oven or other heavy bottomed oven-proof pan. Sear roast until well-browned on all sides. Remove roast from pan and reduce heat to medium. Add onion and cook for 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Add paprika, bay leaf, rosemary, oregano, thyme, and garlic, cook 1 minute. Add wine and 1 1/2 cups of the broth, bring to a boil. Add potatoes and carrots, return roast to pan, season with salt and pepper. If the liquid doesn't cover the roast and vegetables, add more stock until it just does. Continue to heat until it simmers. Place a large piece of foil over the pan and cover tightly with a lid; transfer the pan to the oven and cook for 2 1/2 hours. Uncover, turn the roast over, cover and cook for another 1 1/2 hours or until beef is fully tender and a meat fork or sharp knife easily slips in and out of the meat (fork-tender).
Transfer roast to a carving board; tent with foil to keep warm. Transfer vegetables to a deep serving platter; loosely cover to keep warm. Allow liquid in the pot to settle about 5 minutes, then use a wide spoon to skim the fat off the surface; discard bay leaves. Boil over high heat until reduced to desired consistency. Check and adjust seasoning. Slice the roast (or pull apart with fork) and arrange on the deep serving platter with the vegetables. drizzle with some of the sauce, and serve the extra sauce on the side.
Rotisserie Chicken (Grill)
Ingredients
1 whole chicken fryer cleaned and innards removed
4 tablespoons course salt
3 cloves garlic minced
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary finely diced
0.5 lemon quartered
2 teaspoons fresh thyme finely diced
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 Ground Pepper to taste
1 medium onion quartered
Preparation
Wash and dry the chicken. Place a basting pan underneath the rotisserie on your grill. Light the rotisserie burner.
Meanwhile, skewer the chicken with your rotisserie skewer. Attach cages tightly. Stuff the chicken with quartered lemon, 1 sprig of rosemary, and onion. Baste the chicken lightly with olive oil.
Next, make the salt rub. Combine course salt, freshly ground pepper, herbs and garlic to make a rub. Rub the entire chicken generously. Tie off chicken legs and thighs securely -- you''ll be surprised just how much force the slow turning of the rotisserie generates as it cooks.
Roast until meat thermometer reads 160, about 2 hours, depending upon the size of the bird. Turn off heat, close lid and let it continue to turn, until the thermometer reads 170. Remove from grill, cover with foil, and let rest another 15 minutes.
1 whole chicken fryer cleaned and innards removed
4 tablespoons course salt
3 cloves garlic minced
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary finely diced
0.5 lemon quartered
2 teaspoons fresh thyme finely diced
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 Ground Pepper to taste
1 medium onion quartered
Preparation
Wash and dry the chicken. Place a basting pan underneath the rotisserie on your grill. Light the rotisserie burner.
Meanwhile, skewer the chicken with your rotisserie skewer. Attach cages tightly. Stuff the chicken with quartered lemon, 1 sprig of rosemary, and onion. Baste the chicken lightly with olive oil.
Next, make the salt rub. Combine course salt, freshly ground pepper, herbs and garlic to make a rub. Rub the entire chicken generously. Tie off chicken legs and thighs securely -- you''ll be surprised just how much force the slow turning of the rotisserie generates as it cooks.
Roast until meat thermometer reads 160, about 2 hours, depending upon the size of the bird. Turn off heat, close lid and let it continue to turn, until the thermometer reads 170. Remove from grill, cover with foil, and let rest another 15 minutes.
Homemade Baked Macaroni and Cheese
Ingredients
2 cups elbow macaroni, uncooked
1/2 cup butter (1-stick)
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste (optional)
1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
2 cups milk
2 cups sharp cheddar cheese (8-ounces), grated
Preparation
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large pot of boiling, salted water cook the pasta to al dente.
While macaroni is cooking, melt butter in a heavy-bottomed 3-quart saucepan over low heat. Whisk in flour, salt, pepper, mustard, cayenne and Worcestershire sauce. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is smooth and bubbly; remove from heat. Stir in milk. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly; remove from heat. Stir in cheese and cook, stirring occasionally, until cheese is melted.
Drain macaroni and gently stir into cheese sauce. Pour into ungreased 2-quart casserole. Bake uncovered until bubbly, about 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from oven and rest for five minutes before serving.
Makes 6 to 8 servings.
Feta and Vegetable Rotini Salad
Ingredients
3 cups Tricolor Rotini pasta cooked, drained, and cooled
1 cup Crumbled Feta cheese
1 cup Cherry tomatoes halved
1 cup Chopped cucumber unpeeled
1/2 cup Sliced black olives
1/2 cup Kraft Zesty Italian Dressing
1/4 cup Red onion finely chopped
Preparation
Toss all ingredients in a large bowl and cover. Refigerate for at least one hour to blend flavors.
Greek Honey Puffs
Ingredients-- Batter --
1 packet (2 1/4 oz) active dry yeast
1 tablespoon sugar
2 cups warm water (105-115 degrees F), divided
1 large egg, at room temperature
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg, freshly ground
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Vegetable oil (preferably safflower), for frying (or, other high temperature oil)
-- Honey-Lemon Syrup --
1 cup honey
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice, freshly squeezed
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
-- Garnish --
1 or 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, to taste
1/4 cup walnuts, finely chopped
Preparation
In a large bowl, mix yeast and sugar into 1/2 cup of the warm water. When mixture turns foamy, about 5 minutes, stir in remaining 1-1/2 cups warm water along with the egg, flour, salt, nutmeg and vanilla. Mix until batter is thick but smooth. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until almost doubled in size, about 1 to 1-1/2 hours. (The dough should be very soft and bubbly.)
In a deep fryer, large heavy pot or Dutch oven, heat 3- to 4-inches of oil to 375 degrees F. Make sure there is at least 2-inches between the oil surface and the top of the pot.
While oil is heating, prepare honey-lemon syrup. Add honey, sugar, and water to a small saucepan, mix to combine and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until sugar is completely dissolved. Stir in lemon juice, lemon zest, and simmer until lightly thickened. Remove from heat and keep warm.
Working in batches, slide dollops of the batter (about the size of a heaping tablespoonful each) into the hot oil, making sure not to crowd the pan. Dollops will puff up and float to the surface. Fry, turning occasionally, until pastry is a crisp, golden brown on all sides, about 3 to 4 minutes. Remove carefully with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Repeat as many times as is needed. Place drained puffs on warm platter and keep warm.
To serve, place 4 or 5 fried puffs into the warm honey-lemon syrup. Allow puffs to soak for about 10 to 15 seconds, remove to a small plate, dust generously with cinnamon, and sprinkle with walnuts, to taste. Or, (no dunk method) place 4 or 5 puffs onto a small plate, drizzle with warm honey-lemon syrup, dust generously with cinnamon, and sprinkle with walnuts, to taste.
Loukoumades are best if eaten warm, the same day they are made.
Makes about 36 to 40 puffs, or 8 to 10 servings.
SANDWICHES
Ingredients
1 hard-boiled* egg (large), peeled and chopped
1-2 Tbsp mayonnaise (to taste)
2 Tbsp chopped celery
1 Tbsp chopped green onion
Curry powder (to taste)
Salt and pepper (to taste)
1 leaf of lettuce
2 slices dark rye bread, toasted
1 Mash up the chopped egg a bit with a fork. Mix together the chopped hard-boiled egg, mayonnaise, celery and onion. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and curry powder to taste. Mix with a spoon.
2 Toast your bread slices. Put a layer of lettuce on one slice of toasted bread, spread the egg mixture on top of the lettuce, put another slice of toasted bread on top.
Makes one sandwich.
Famous Hamburger Recipe
Ingredients
1 lb hamburger meat
2 heaping tablespoons of chopped fresh rosemary leaves (not the stem)
2 Tbsp A1 sauce
Salt and pepper to taste (perhaps half a teaspoon of each)
Buns
Lettuce
Tomatoes, sliced
Onions, sliced
Avocado, peeled, pitted and sliced
Mayonaise, ketchup, mustard
Mix the rosemary and A1 sauce into the hamburger meat, distributing evenly. Add salt and fresh ground pepper. Form out the hamburger patties. If the meat is low-fat, you may want to add some grapeseed oil or olive oil to the mixture, or after the patties are made (but before cooked), rub some oil over them. Place on a hot grill or grill pan. If you are indoors with a grill pan, be sure to use your stove fan. If on grill pan, lower the heat to medium high. Grill on one side until you can see the juice begin to run at the surface. Flip over and grill on the other side, again until you can see some juice coming through. If you wish, grill the buns on remaining grill surface. Onions can be either served fresh with the hamburger or sautéed a little in olive oil.
Serve burgers with lettuce, tomatoes, onions, avocado, mayo, ketchup, and or mustard. (For the low-carb version skip the bun.)
Serves 3 to 4.
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