12/31/10
Pantry
You need to have a full pantry at the beginning of the New Year. I guess, that in the old days you would be going into the hard of winter. You need to be stocked up, and prepared. What is prepared (now)? As long as I have clean water, I can find something tocook.
What does your pantry "have to have"? What do you need, and why? I need flour, cornmeal, cornstarch, sugar, my spices, Bisquick, oatmeal, coffee, rice, Rotel, beans, Ramen noodles, and some canned veggies. Some of these items have way to many uses to not have them.
1)Bisquick-a quick batter for anything fried, pancakes, biscuits, garlic-cheese biscuits, chorizo biscuits, pizza crust, and much more.
2)Rotel-cheese dip, of course, chili, any soup/stew, ect.
3)John Spice-recipe to follow or
4)Sprinkle spice- Tony Chachaurrie's, Slap Yo Mama, Accent, Lawery's
5)Oatmeal- I use Quaker oats. Use as a batter, in place of breadcrumbs, chop in blender for special flour, or a hearty breakfast.
JOHN SPICE
2 Tbl sea salt-it cost a little more, but its cheaper than the pill that you have to take for high blood pressure
black pepper
cayenne pepper
cumin
garlic powder (not garlic salt)
ground bay leaf (powder)
Mix and store in an used spice container. You will need some seasalt to prevent caking.
12/30/10
My Hoppin' John
New Year's Eve has a special menu. There are several superstitions about NYE.
1) Kiss the one you love at midnight to insure that love will last through the year.
2) Eat greens on new year's day for monitary wealth all year (cabbage, collards, ect.).
3) Eat twelve grapes on NY day for prosperity (one for each month).
4) Eat pork, because they are always moving forward when they eat.
5) Don't eat poultry on new year's - they are always scratching for their food.
6) Make sure the pantry is stocked
7) Make sure to have a dollar in your pocket at midnight - to help you keep your money throughout the year.
7a) If you're sleeping at midnight, you might need pajamas with a pocket.
8) Don't wear red underwear - I know why, but ok.
9) Don't take anything out of the house until something new comes in. So, don't take out the trash, ect.
10) Don't sweep or cry.
11) Kiss a new year's baby for good luck.
It is not all complicated. Just eat 12 grapes, don't wear red underwear, be lazy, and eat MY Hoppin John.
If you cooked extra collard greens last time, you'll need to adjust the recipe.
2 cups dried black eyed peas
4 cups of H2O
2 cups chicken stock (homemade if you got it)
1 1/2 onion, chopped
1 smoked ham shank
1tsp dried thyme
cup of rice ( long grain works best)
1 bell pepper
1 bunch of collard greens, cleaned, chopped in one inch squares
3 pieces of garlic
salt
pepper
cayenne
hot sauce (optional)
pepper vinegar (optional)
Soak peas overnight (6 hours minimum). In a large pot sautee onions and peppers, add garlic when onions go clear. Add ham shank, then collards. Let this sizzle for 2 minutes, then add chicken stock,H2O, and peas.
Bring to a boil, and add thyme, pepper, and cayenne. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer this for one hour. Check greens for softness.
If greens are done, simmer another 20 minutes, covered. If you are cooking the rice in this pot, add it now.
I cook my rice separate. Directions are on the bag 2 cup H2O,1 cup rice, boil,cover,simmer 20 minutes timed.
Add pepper vinegar (a couple of dashes). Taste for salt. Depending on the ham shank and the chicken stock, you may not need any more.
Hot sauce can be served on the side.
Cornbread goes well with this.
Collards can now be bought in a bag. They are cleaned, cut up, and ready to use. If you buy whole, make sure to scrub them really good!
You can use canned black eyed peas. Just drain and rinse, add them at the very end.
You don't have to be superstitious to enjoy this. It's a great healthy meal anytime of the year.
I'm off to find a New Year's baby to kiss (maybe an Irish one, under a rainbow)
HAPPY NEW YEAR'S TO EVERYONE !!
1) Kiss the one you love at midnight to insure that love will last through the year.
2) Eat greens on new year's day for monitary wealth all year (cabbage, collards, ect.).
3) Eat twelve grapes on NY day for prosperity (one for each month).
4) Eat pork, because they are always moving forward when they eat.
5) Don't eat poultry on new year's - they are always scratching for their food.
6) Make sure the pantry is stocked
7) Make sure to have a dollar in your pocket at midnight - to help you keep your money throughout the year.
7a) If you're sleeping at midnight, you might need pajamas with a pocket.
8) Don't wear red underwear - I know why, but ok.
9) Don't take anything out of the house until something new comes in. So, don't take out the trash, ect.
10) Don't sweep or cry.
11) Kiss a new year's baby for good luck.
It is not all complicated. Just eat 12 grapes, don't wear red underwear, be lazy, and eat MY Hoppin John.
If you cooked extra collard greens last time, you'll need to adjust the recipe.
2 cups dried black eyed peas
4 cups of H2O
2 cups chicken stock (homemade if you got it)
1 1/2 onion, chopped
1 smoked ham shank
1tsp dried thyme
cup of rice ( long grain works best)
1 bell pepper
1 bunch of collard greens, cleaned, chopped in one inch squares
3 pieces of garlic
salt
pepper
cayenne
hot sauce (optional)
pepper vinegar (optional)
Soak peas overnight (6 hours minimum). In a large pot sautee onions and peppers, add garlic when onions go clear. Add ham shank, then collards. Let this sizzle for 2 minutes, then add chicken stock,H2O, and peas.
Bring to a boil, and add thyme, pepper, and cayenne. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer this for one hour. Check greens for softness.
If greens are done, simmer another 20 minutes, covered. If you are cooking the rice in this pot, add it now.
I cook my rice separate. Directions are on the bag 2 cup H2O,1 cup rice, boil,cover,simmer 20 minutes timed.
Add pepper vinegar (a couple of dashes). Taste for salt. Depending on the ham shank and the chicken stock, you may not need any more.
Hot sauce can be served on the side.
Cornbread goes well with this.
Collards can now be bought in a bag. They are cleaned, cut up, and ready to use. If you buy whole, make sure to scrub them really good!
You can use canned black eyed peas. Just drain and rinse, add them at the very end.
You don't have to be superstitious to enjoy this. It's a great healthy meal anytime of the year.
I'm off to find a New Year's baby to kiss (maybe an Irish one, under a rainbow)
HAPPY NEW YEAR'S TO EVERYONE !!
PICTURES ARE HERE !
Wow! I now have pictures.
This is the Stuffed French Toast. It taste much better than
it looks.
This is the Stuffed French Toast. It taste much better thanit looks.
12/29/10
12/27/10
Stuffed Savory French Toast
Brunch can be a great reason to have a cheat day if you are dieting. Stuffed Pain Perdu (french toast) really cheats on any diet. I'm still trying to figure out how to post my pictures to this blog. Here's the recipe:
1/2 pound sausage
1/4 pound bacon
1/2 cup thin sliced onion
1 stick buttter
1 cup veg oil
4 oz cream cheese (or goat cheese), softened
8 slices Texas toast ( or one french bread loaf, slice 1/2" thick)
1 cup flour
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1 tsp baking powder
paprika
salt and pepper
Crumble and Brown sausage, bacon, and onions. Drain well. Mix with cream cheese.
Spread 2 Tbl of mixture on a slice of bread, top with another slice. Set aside.
Mix flour, eggs, baking powder, salt, pepper, and milk into a thin batter.
Heat 2 Tbl of butter with 2 Tbl of oil in a frying pan.
Dip one sandwich in batter and fry each side until golden brown. Remove from pan, and place on a cookie sheet in 350 degree oven. Repeat process for all the sandwiches. Bake for a minimum of 5 minutes (or hold at 200 degrees for up to 20 minutes).
Sprinkle with paprika and serve.
This recipe can be adapted to include any leftovers for stuffing. Scallions also make a great garnish.
1/2 pound sausage
1/4 pound bacon
1/2 cup thin sliced onion
1 stick buttter
1 cup veg oil
4 oz cream cheese (or goat cheese), softened
8 slices Texas toast ( or one french bread loaf, slice 1/2" thick)
1 cup flour
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1 tsp baking powder
paprika
salt and pepper
Crumble and Brown sausage, bacon, and onions. Drain well. Mix with cream cheese.
Spread 2 Tbl of mixture on a slice of bread, top with another slice. Set aside.
Mix flour, eggs, baking powder, salt, pepper, and milk into a thin batter.
Heat 2 Tbl of butter with 2 Tbl of oil in a frying pan.
Dip one sandwich in batter and fry each side until golden brown. Remove from pan, and place on a cookie sheet in 350 degree oven. Repeat process for all the sandwiches. Bake for a minimum of 5 minutes (or hold at 200 degrees for up to 20 minutes).
Sprinkle with paprika and serve.
This recipe can be adapted to include any leftovers for stuffing. Scallions also make a great garnish.
12/26/10
Cream of garlic soup
This is one of my favorite recipes. It comes from "Crescent City Cooking: Unforgettable Recipes from Susan Spicer's New Orleans." Chef Spicer has an amazing restuarant here in NOLA called Bayona. This is one of her signature dishes. When she first started making this, the dishwasher had to peel ten pounds of garlic a day by hand.
2 Tbl butter
2 Tbl olive oil
6 cups sliced onions (about 2 pounds)
2 cups peeled garlic cloves
1 Tbl chopped fresh thymne, or 1 tsp dried
7 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade
1 bouquet garni, made with parsley stems, thyme sprigs, and a bay leaf
3 cups stale French bread, torn into 1/2" pieces
1 cup half and half
Heat butter and oil in a heavy-bottomed 2 quart saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the garlic, then the onions and cook, stirring frequently, until they turn a deep golden brown, about 30 to 40 minutes. Add the thyme, 6 cups of chicken stock and the bouquet garni and bring to a boil. Stir in the bread cubes and simmer 10 minutes, until the bread is soft. Remove from heat and let cool 10 minutes.
Remove the bouquet garni, and puree the soup in a blender ( or use an emulsion blender), until completely smooth. Return the soup to the pot and heat to desired temperature. Whisk in more chicken stock if mixture is too thick. Add half and half until it is the consistancy of a classic cream soup. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Makes 8 servings
I enjoy leaving the soup a little milly, you can make it as smooth as you like. If the garlic turns too black, start over. Black garlic will be bitter.
ENJOY!
2 Tbl butter
2 Tbl olive oil
6 cups sliced onions (about 2 pounds)
2 cups peeled garlic cloves
1 Tbl chopped fresh thymne, or 1 tsp dried
7 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade
1 bouquet garni, made with parsley stems, thyme sprigs, and a bay leaf
3 cups stale French bread, torn into 1/2" pieces
1 cup half and half
Heat butter and oil in a heavy-bottomed 2 quart saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the garlic, then the onions and cook, stirring frequently, until they turn a deep golden brown, about 30 to 40 minutes. Add the thyme, 6 cups of chicken stock and the bouquet garni and bring to a boil. Stir in the bread cubes and simmer 10 minutes, until the bread is soft. Remove from heat and let cool 10 minutes.
Remove the bouquet garni, and puree the soup in a blender ( or use an emulsion blender), until completely smooth. Return the soup to the pot and heat to desired temperature. Whisk in more chicken stock if mixture is too thick. Add half and half until it is the consistancy of a classic cream soup. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Makes 8 servings
I enjoy leaving the soup a little milly, you can make it as smooth as you like. If the garlic turns too black, start over. Black garlic will be bitter.
ENJOY!
12/25/10
Day one
This week I will learn how to do this. Starting 2011 I plan to post all of the good meals I cook with recipes and pictures when available. I new to this blogging thing, so feel free to make suggestions.
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