Potato Soup

Idaho Potatoes
New Red Skinned potatoes
Peel and cube or slice thickly and put into a stock pot. Add salt and pepper. I treat potatoes like pasta and season them as I cook them.
Add enough COLD water to barely cover and cook on a slow simmer until potatoes are fork tender, or just under fork tender.
Thinly dice a medium onion and a rib of celery, and add this to potatoes about halfway through cooking
Add a cube of Chicken Bullion to pot. Add some dried Parsley, some minced garlic to taste, and stir gently.

In a bowl, mix 1 1/2 cups milk or cream with 2T flour until smooth and SLOWLY stir into potato mixture. Simmer on low for about five minutes and if soup is too thin, take some of the broth and put it in a bowl, mix with cornstarch and stir it back in. DO NOT make this too thick, because you are going to be adding cheese, which will also thicken it.If it is too thick, add some chicken broth or some water, but add warm or hot water, not cold... it will cause your cheese to congeal.

Simmer gently, taste and add salt and pepper to your taste.
Now, cube 1 to 1 1/2 cups American Cheese ( I mix Cheddar with the American) American melts smoothly, but Cheddar adds that flavor we all love, so I use about half American, Half Cheddar.

Simmer until potatoes are cooked, taste, and serve. I put chives, real bacon pieces, and shredded Cheddar on top for garnish... YUMMY!

Thanksgiving Ideas

We spend so much time trying to make things fancy for th1e Holidays. I do, too. Here are some really simple tips to take care of the everyday things, so that you can add that fancy new dessert or try that new stuffing recipe... these are easy things to do and will make the day go more smoothly, but not doing them can change your whole day for the worse..

Looking for a pretty dish to just add some umph to your table? My Nanny (Grandmother, for those of you who are more formal) , opened peach or pear halves, filled the area where the seed were with whipped topping, and put a pecan half on top... it was beautiful and looked fancy to me. If you have a diabetic or calorie conscious person, this is a simple sweet taste without a lot of added sugar. Use sugar free or reduced sugar whipped topping. Voila'..
Most of us have family and friends for Thanksgiving. Make the traditional things your family loves. I spent 15 years trying to "out do" last year's dishes. My daughter told me one day... "Mom, stop changing everything. Thanksgiving is a meal where I look forward to knowing what will be on the table. The flavors are the memories I look forward to." So, now I try to keep it steady on Thanksgiving, and do only one or two new dishes each time..
Order in the desserts, or if stuffing isn't your best dish, order that. Make what you can, put your love into that old family favorite and order a smoked, roasted or fried turkey from your market or local restaurant and focus on what you know. A holiday meal ISN"T the day you want to serve thirty dishes you've never cooked before. If your potato salad is to die for, and you bake amazing yeast rolls, but you can't make mashed potatoes, skip them, or buy them, or have those who offer to bring a dish do so.It isn't the end of the world if everything isn't cooked from scratch in YOUR kitchen! What is important is that you shared the time, made some really good food, and shared the meal! It took me years to realize that I may love creme' brulee... I can't make it on Thanksgiving and enjoy my time with my family... we have cheesecake I made on Tuesday. My daughters and my nephew won't touch a table that doesn't have devilled eggs on it... my grandson adores green beans. It doesn't have to be gourmet... it has to be what they want and what you know... get it? We've made this a stressful day. It should be a day of happiness, sharing a good meal with loved ones... there ya go!
Now, let's make dinner...
1. Check your oven ... okay, I got some of these ideas from Rachael Ray...set your oven at any temperature, when the indicator light says it is at that temp, put an oven thermometer in and if it is off, increase or decrease your temp from then on by the number of degrees off... for example, if your oven is set at 400 but the thermometer says 350, then set the oven 50 degrees higher next time.
2 Check your thermometer. Water boils at 212... boil some water, put the thermometer in. If it isn't right, buy a new one next time you shop.
3. Defrost your turkey in the fridge for at least 3-4 days. Nothing will ruin Thanksgiving faster than a frozen turkey on Thanksgiving morning. It is EXTREMELY UNSAFE to try and thaw the turkey in WARM water. If you must use water, use cold water that covers the turkey, change it every thirty minutes until thawed completely.
4. Check your roasting pan against the size of your turkey. If you go larger, you may have a big surprise on the big day..
5. If you are serving sliced turkey, and yours is a little dry... go to the cupboard, find some turkey or chicken broth, heat it to a low temp, and bathe the slices in the broth just before serving. No more dry turkey!
6. This one is ALL Rachael. Take the turkey out of the oven, cover it with wide heavy duty aluminum foil, and put the heaviest towel you have across it. This simple little tip will keep your turkey HOT for hours, according to Rachael..
7. Double duty... making stuffing and potato salad, etc? Go ahead and dice your onions for ALL the recipes, peel ALL the potatoes for the salad, the mashed, etc... chop the celery, peel carrots, etc. the day before and store them in ziploc bags in the veggie section of your fridge. On cooking day, all you have to do is measure, if you are anal or the recipe is specific, mix and pop in the oven...
8. Set the table the day before. Save yourself all the steps you can on that busy afternoon. Or better yet, let the kids do it...
9. Shop for non perishables a week or two early. I start my Thanksgiving and Christmas meal shopping in late Sept. I get stocked up on stock, buy the cranberry sauce (yes, I can make my own, but I like the jellied kind on a turkey sandwich and I dont want to be jonesin' for it and not have it in the cabinet), get the frozen or canned veggies (if I didn't have a garden that year), and the paper napkins, paper plates if you use them at all, etc. Move some crap outta that spare cabinet and use it for this. You can always put the crap back in after the Holidays.
10. Candles, if you use them at the table, won't drip if you store them in the fridge overnight or for about four hours before lighting them.
11. There are these great little crockery discs you can buy and put in the bottom of your bread basket, to keep your rolls warm. Inexpensive, too. Just pop them in the oven while you are cooking, take them out and wrap in a towel, put in the bottom of the bread basket and they will keep the bread warm throughout the meal. Most of them are made out of clay, like your terra cotta planters...
12. Lower the lights, light the candles and have the silver and glassware sparkling, and your table will look amazing, even with mismatched plates...
13. Buy LOTS of ziploc type bags, a few foil pans with lids or some foil, and wrap the leftovers for sharing with your guests, or for sharing a plate with a neighbor or shut in. It is so much easier to reheat dinner after shopping all day on Black Friday if you have everything that needs to be reheated in foil.. just pop in the oven, covered, heat while you wrap those bargains you just bought, and serve on paper plates... toss all the empties into the trash or recycling bin, and you have a great, quick meal with little or no clean up! If you have made a meal for a shut in, they have no clean up, either and have the added luxury of not having to worry with returning your prized casserole dish, etc. Trust me, when you have shared a meal with a neighbor, they won't mind if it isn't on your best china... they will be thrilled that you thought of them!

More tips and tricks

When you use vegetables for dishes, keep the ends, pieces, even the peelings. Use them to add to chicken or beef broth, to create your own stock. bring to a boil, simmer for about thirty minutes with the meat of choice, or just use the veggies.Strain and toss away the veggies and peelings, or feed to the dogs for a healthy treat..Keep these odds and ends in a baggie or bowl in the freezer.When you have made the stock and used all you need, but have more... pour into ice cube trays and freeze, then put into baggies... drop in when you need them for a stew, etc...

Put blocks of cheese in the freezer for about ten minutes before grating, and it will go much more smoothly.

Leftover mashed potatoes? Stir some into vegetables, to thicken the broth. Works well in soups, stocks, etc. and doesn't change the taste, unless you have made garlic mashed potatoes, or cheese potatoes...

Hands smell like onions? Rub them over your stainless steel sink... works like a charm

To remove grease from soups, put a lettuce or cabbage leaf on the top. Soaks it right up. remove the leaf and serve the soup.

All canned doughs are the same, basically... if you need crescent rolls, but only have canned biscuits, roll them out and reshape them.. viola, crescent rolls...

Make double recipes of meatloaves, meatballs, etc. and put one in the freezer. Saves energy, and time. Next time unexpected guests drop by, bring out that meatloaf and serve them a "down home" dinner, or make a quick marinara and drop in those homemade meatballs for a quick hors douvre.or even quicker, heat up some barbecue sauce to them.This really works well for casseroles, and on those nights when you just dont have time to chop and peel, it's already done for you... just pop into the oven and reheat...

Speaking of unexpected guests, keep cream cheese on hand.. any time you have an impromptu game night, you can add canned pineapple for a sweet dip, canned salad shrimp and shrimp cocktail sauce over a wedge is great tasting, and if you take the time to shape it into a ring, your guests will think you are Martha Stewart... serve with butter crackers, like captain's wafers, ritz, etc. If you have guests who like spicy things, drain a jar of whole jalapenos, and stuff with tuna, mixed a little dry with mayo and salt and pepper... really tasty...my sister-in-law reminded me I have neglected to include one of her favorites... mix 2 parts Pace Picante Sauce, NOT salsa, Medium Flavor, to one part softened cream cheese, mix and serve with tortilla chips... makes a wonderful dip...

When using flour or cornstarch, ALWAYS mix the dry ingredient with COLD liquids, then add to warm or hot liquids, to avoid lumps.

If a recipe calls for flour for thickening, but you have none, use cornstarch. Use 1/2 the amount of cornstarch. If the recipe calls for 1/2 cup flour, use 1/4 cup cornstarch. Alternatively, if the recipe calls for cornstarch, double it when using flour in its place.
* Remember, flour finishes white, cornstarch clear... if you are making a brown gravy, and use flour, it won't be as dark. If you are making a clear item, such as Lemon curd, it will look more like mousse... so, keep this in mind when exchanging one item for another.

Oh, So Good Chocolate Pudding

First of all, do NOT think that if you make something from scratch, it has to take much longer than the pre-packaged foods. This recipe is one of thoe recipes that takes one to two minutes longer than opening the package, and HONESTLY, that is ALL!If you like chocolate pie, pudding, creme' brulee', I strongly urge you to try this recipe as your Go-To Recipe... Adjust the amount of cocoa, or even try one of the new Dark Cocoas for a more intense, "grown-up" flavor.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup white sugar

4 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder*

1/4 cup cornstarch

1/8 teaspoon salt

2 3/4 cups milk

2 tablespoons margarine or butter

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

With a fork or whisk, beat all the dry ingredients together.

Put Dry ingredients into a saucepan, and pour cold milk on top. Whisk over medium heat, until the mixture boils or thickens, whichever comes first. If you put in a metal spoon, and the mixture coats the back of the spoon, it is done.

Remove from heat, stir in Margarine, and vanilla.

Pour into six 1/2 cup pudding cups or divide into bowls for pudding. Pour over a pre-baked crust and top with whipped cream (of course, I feel homemade is better), or meringue for pie.

If you put plastic wrap on top of pudding, touching the top, you wont get the "skin" on the top. To me, the "skin" says homemade, so I omit this step. Cool, and serve...

Note: For sweeter pudding, increase sugar to a total of 3/4 cup, or in between... play with the sweetness. If you get it too sweet, sprinkle tiny bits of salt on top, whisk well, taste again, until it tastes like you want...

* I use 4 Tablespoons Cocoa to make it richer, or 3 Tablespoons of Dark Cocoa to make Dark Chocolate Pudding.

Syrups for Freezing Fruits

50% Syrup is just what you'd think... 50% water, 50% sugar, boiled together and cooled
60% is 60% Sugar, 40% water. Ex. If you use 2 Cups Water, Use 3 Cups sugar.
If you like very light syrup, do a 25%... 1 cup sugar to 4 Cups Water
Very Heavy Syrup, which even I find way too sweet is 3.5 Cups sugar to 1/5 Cups Water...
Always bring water to a boil, either with sugar, or add sugar as it boils. Boil together one minute and take off heat. Cool, and pour cool syrup over the fruit. Hot Syrup will cook the fruit, so be patient, or better yet, make the syrup, THEN prepare the fruit, so the temptation is gone...

Stolen Recipe Chili (No Beans)

Okay, I stole the recipe... technically, all I did was write down the instructions when watching Diners, Drive Ins and Dives... this Chile was a Two Time Oklahoma State Champ Recipe. I, of course made my own modifications and will note those with an * . Enjoy. This is particularly good for Chili Dogs, Chili Cheese Fries, or over Burritos and Tamales.

3-5lbs Ground Chuck (80/20)
2 large onions, diced
2T Crushed Garlic, (or pureed)
2 Cans Crushed Tomatoes
1/2 small container Dark Chili Powder ( I buy mine at Walmart for a dollar or less, in a 3 ounce container)
1/2 that amount Cayenne Powder
1/2 that amount Cumin ( i use more, but it's an acquired taste in the South, apparently)
Ground Pepper Flakes to taste
Salt and Pepper to taste.
1 to 1 1/2 T Sugar
Tiger Seasoning*
Garlic Powder*

Mix All of this and stir until the ground beef is broken down, and beginning to brown. Cover, turn to low and simmer for at least an hour, but up to 3. This chili can be toned down by adding more tomatoes or tomato sauce, or amped up by adding more pepper flakes.

Top this with grated cheese, onions and jalapenos, and I sometimes put this over tortilla chips.

This is an alternative to my regular bean filled chili, that I use as a winter staple, and quite frankly, I hate beans, so it works well for me.

Preserving and Freezing Fruits and Vegetables

Okay, I admit it. I hate canning! HATE IT! You do it in the hottest part of the summer, when you'd much rather be in the pool, on the lake, or sitting in front of an A/C vent... ME, TOO!
So, I freeze most of my veggies and fruits.It's so easy, so NOT time consuming, and as an added benefit, the food very often retains more of it's fresh flavor than putting it away in a jar of boiled water. It's just simpler!
With that in mind, know that grainier items, like apples, tomatoes, are gonna lose a little of the fresh texture, but they do that with Canning, as well. In my opinion, if you soak something in water long enough, it's just gonna get limp and tasteless, so I'd rather freeze it, lose a little bit of it and that be it...

If you use plastic freezer containers, leave 1/2" head room at the top, to allow for natural expansion that occurs during freezing.
If you use bags, squeeze out excess air, but do NOT overcrowd the bags, if there is syrup or any liquid. Allow for expansion, just as you would with a container.

So, here we go!

Tips:

 Always use the highest quality foods when preserving. Too underripe, and you get no flavor, too overripe and you get food that goes rancid... Get it at it's peak of ripeness, toss anything with a bad spot, blemish, etc... or use it immediately and freeze the rest!
Wash any food, other than strawberries, which we'll deal with later. Put salt in the rinse water on vegetables, to bring out any insects, silks from corn, etc.
Drain it, completely! If you freeze food with water on it, you lose quality!
Yes, you CAN freeze green tomatoes and have them for dinner on Thanksgiving... a little flavor is lost, but not all of it, and it is a treat! Slice them thicker than you would to cook them fresh, however.
No, you do NOT cook vegetables thoroughly, just a blanche and cold water bath...

Fruits

Blackberries Rinse under very gently running cold water and lay out on a layer of paper towels to dry. When dried, lay a single layer on cookie sheet and freeze... then, store them in a freezer bag or freezer container.
If you will be making pie with them, you can roll them in sugar first, but I just thaw them and add sugar when I make them. They will taste just picked!

Strawberries lose their firm texture, so only freeze berries you will use in pies, muffins, or as a topping... they simply do not retain their texture, whether canned or frozen.
Cap the berries, after gently wiping them with a DRY paper towel. Water causes the acid in strawberries to turn...
Freeze whole berries, just as you would blackberries, and transfer to FREEZER BAGS or CONTAINERS and save for up to six months.
If you like sliced berries over ice cream, pancakes, etc., slice them into a 50% syrup (directions later) and freeze. These can go into a bag, or containers, either works fine!

Peaches: I peel mine without blanching, but some types of peaches have skin that is difficult to peel. If you want to try to peel without heating them, take a sharp knife from top to bottom and back around, pull seed out and peel each half, starting the peel with the tip of the knife.... Slice or leave halves intact and drop into 60% syrup (instructions later). Freeze in bags or containers... these make a wonderful topping for ice cream or a fantastic cobbler, with a MUCH BETTER TASTE THAN CANNED PEACHES! If you have ever tried canned peaches from the store, and tried a fresh peach, I can honestly tell you that is the same difference you will experience when you compare home canned to frozen. The taste is night and day! Peaches can be a little grainy, so never use overripe peaches. If you use slightly underripe, it's okay with these, since the syrup is so heavy!

Apples slice and freeze in a 50/50 syrup or slice and freeze individually, like with blackberries and strawberries, and use in pies or cobblers. Granny Smith Apples or a similarly textured apple work best, since a grainy or wetter apple will break down. These slices can be as thin or thick as you like, just slice them as you would for pie, and quarter them, if you intend to fry them.

VEGETABLES

Beans  Use fresh, blemish-free Green Beans. I like Blue Lakes, since they are stringless, and HUGE, and can be just broken and prepared. White Half Runners are more plentiful and better loved in the South, however. Green Beans offer a better quality later  when you prepare them by dropping them into boiling water for about a minute, then lift them into a sink of ice water, drain them WELL and put them in freezer bags...
Make sure you have washed Beans thoruoghly and string them well. Once you have blanched and rinsed them in ice water, you must lay them out on a towel, covered with a towel, to dry. If you don't, you may grab a bag or container of rancid beans in the dead of winter...

Corn Shuck it, get all the Silks (strings) you can see and dip into a sinkful of salty water. This will remove any silkworms or other insects that have hidden and will get any dirt out of the corn.
Drop into rapidly boiling water for about 3 minutes, either half ears or whole, transfer to ice water bath in sink, drain and freeze... it is that simple.
If you want to freeze corn with no cob, there is a wonderful tool available at Walmartdont have to dig kernels out of the water... fill bags or containers and freeze. Corn will keep indefinitely. Fresh corn prepared in this way is SO much better than the ears you buy at the store, since the kernels are still crisp, not soggy messes like the ones you find in the store!

Okra can be frozen breaded or unbreaded, but I have NEVER had luck freezing okra that has been breaded without at least partially frying it. This makes for really hard breading later. I just wipe down my okra, since water tends to make it really soggy, and it loses quality in the freezer.
Use SMALL, TENDER pods. Okra is NOT a BIGGER IS BETTER item.
Cut into 1/2" rounds, freeze individually, and bag! Bread it after you thaw it for a fresher taste and texture.
NEVER WASH OKRA AFTER CUTTING IT! This will result in gooey, nasty centers.

Tomatoes Ripe tomatoes don't freeze well in my experience and this is one of the exceptions to the frozen is better feelings I have.  Canned whole, crushed, sliced, diced, tomatoes just work better!
HOWEVER, Green Tomatoes are excellent frozen, since they don't have as much acid, or as much of a water base as ripe ones.
I peel them, but some don't... slice them and freeze individually on cookie sheets, bag them and thaw in bag in a cold water bath when you want to make  them. If you like Green Tomato Chutney or Salsa, freeze them in very thick slices or whole and dice them just before you use them in a recipe.
If you are using green tomatoes in a stew or hot recipe, you don't even have to thaw them... just drop them in!

Squash, such as yellow or zucchini freeze really well. Peeled or not, sliced or whole.. in a bag... wash them, dry them, freeze them... it's really that simple!

Cucumbers don't freeze as well as other squash, but I have had some success. Not great for eating them raw, but really good results for recipes...

Bell Peppers and Onions, for stews, meatloaves, fajitas, work well, but I only freeze them if I grow them, since they are inexpensive and available year round...

Carrots are always good when frozen, either raw, or blanched, cooked completely, or halfway... just drain them well, peel them if you like, run them through a mandolin, julienne them, slice or quarter them and freeze. I haven't found them to lose texture or taste when frozen.

These are some of the things I freeze. I intend to try Pears and Pumpkin, along with some other things this year, and will update as I have successes or failures...
Happy Freezing!



Green Beans:

Grilling Side Dishes

Have you ever had grilled veggies? Oh, if not, I beg you to try it!
No big preparation is needed, and, as luck would have it, I happen to have some basic recipes for you to try.
You WILL need something to top your grill surface if you have the traditional slat grill rack... they are inexpensive, and if you have aluminum foil, not necessary. I will caution you to use Heavy Duty Aluminum Foil, so that you don't cook your veggies to perfection and drop them on the ground when you take them off the grill!
I just put a sheet on the grill after having rolled each side to form lips, so the juices don't escape...
Here are a few recipes for you to try

Asparagus
Use a basting brush or your hands to rub (very lightly) some olive oil and garlic (either granulated, minced or powdered) over you asparagus. Lay it one layer deep on the grill during the last 3-5 minutes of cooking your main dish... if you use foil, you wont' have grill marks, if you use the toppers you can buy, it makes a nicer presentation, with the lightly colored marks...

Potatoes
I toss my new red potatoes (my personal fave... use whatever you have) in a tiny bit of olive oil, OR I lay them on a cookie sheet and spray with cooking spray (butter flavor is excellent for this) and sprinkle the potatoes with a mixture that is 1 part garlic powder to 2 parts salt, and 1 part Black pepper. slice the potatoes about 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick slices and sprinkle this mixture onto the potatoes... the only purpose for the spray or oil is to hold the spices to the vegetable, so go easy on them... we aren't frying here, just adding flavor... grill the potatoes about 3 minutes on each side on a medium hot grill, just until they get tender and begin to brown. ( I Don't let them brown, but go with your tastes on it. Just make sure they are cooked through. Color is subjective)

Medley

Cut a zucchini, a yellow squash, a bell pepper (whatever color you like) and an onion. Cut the squash into thick slices, the pepper into thick strips and cut the onion into quarters and separate the quarters into petals as they cook, NOT before, or they will burn.
You can marinate these in Italian Dressing, using the Light version if you are watching calories and fat. Or you can spray them like the potatoes and put herbs on them. These cook better in foil pouches with fork holes punched into them, to allow the grill flavor to get to them. (I use charcoal, or wood chips on a gas grill to add flavor to my dishes)
These were inspired by a trip to Howard's in Gatlinburg, Tn. with my husband in 1997. They grill their veggies over hickory and they were wonderful... if you use a gas grill with no wood chips, you'll get steamed veggies... either way, an easy way to have sides without cooking inside AND out..

Onions...
Halve an onion and brush the raw edges with Olive oil and salt. Grill on medium heat until tender, and just before serving, a tiny pat of butter placed on it to melt is a wonderful finish!

Tomatoes are excellent on the grill. You just need to halve them, and salt them to draw out some of the moisture. Choose a firm Roma or something similar in texture... or try whole grape tomatoes sprayed or brushed... are you sensing a theme, here? As long as they are lightly sprayed or greased to allow them not to stick, most any veggie will grill!

Corn
Pull the husks back and remove the silks on sweet corn, but DO NOT remove the husks... soak the ears for about twenty minutes and grill while you cook your proteins... so tasty..
OR, wrap shucked ears in aluminum foil, after putting a pat of butter in with them, poke a few holes in the foil away from the butter, and put it on the cooler section of your grill... very tasty!


BREAD!
Oh, my, if you haven't had grilled toast, you are truly deprived of a taste sensation.
I use a Texas Toast (you can get this anywhere you buy bread) or a loaf of Italian Bread from the bakery section of the store...
Slice it about two inches thick, melt butter and add garlic and if you like, Parsley,(burns easily, so I add it after cooking but before it cools) Place on the grill, turn as it gets grill marks, and toast it... I pair this with steak and get those juices off my plate, folks... I am NOT a dieter, especially when it comes to Grilled Bread


Fruit
Grilled Pineapple is an amazing treat. I used canned slices and fresh spears. Pairs well with grilled chicken marinated in teriyaki baste and seasoning (not teriyaki sauce). Just be careful with the slices. The idea is to heat it, get the grill marks on it, and serve, NOT to caramelize the pineapple or to dry it out...
Sugary fruit will stick to the grill, so be sure you spray your grill rack before you heat it...

I like grilled banana, although it is easy to overdo them... slice them like you are making a banana split and lightly brush with unsalted melted butter, REALLY LIGHTLY brushed! Grill about a minute, flipping constantly... serve with a caramel sauce over ice cream.... can you taste that right now? OH, my!

Experiment and come up with your own grilled sides.
I do  everything from green bean bundles to corn...

Seasoning Tips for Grilled Steaks, Chops, etc

When I grill a steak, I don't do those itty bitty girlie steaks. You know the kind- so small, you have to move the potato and roll to find it.
I am NOT suggesting you eat a steak the size of your head, although I have seen times I could have!
But if you get a large steak and cook it correctly, you can serve two to four people and each can have a steak cooked to their liking.
I like to get my steaks where they actually have a Butcher... have them recommend a good cut and tell them how thick you want it, etc. Those pre-packaged steaks at some stores have been travelling in a truck, post packaging, for a week, and the taste is truly different from those delivered locally. I never freeze a steak, unless I buy a side of beef. They need more seasoning when they have been frozen, in my opinion.
So, how do you know whether a steak is done to your liking, without piercing it with a thermometer, and losing those wonderful juices? Well, use your hands...
if you press your thumb against the steak  and it feels similar to the padding on your thumb when you lightly close your fist (not clenched), it's rare...open only your thumb only, and press it, you have medium..open all the way, and that is what a well done steak feels like... without being as dry as shoe leather...easy, huh?
Now, for seasoning...
Salt toughens meat, so use it LAST... just before serving, but AFTER cooking... it also dries out the juices, so you wont lose them if you do this..
I know, some of you are anti MSG, so if you are, don't use this, but I love it... Tiger Seasoning, formerly known as Praise Allah, is similar to Accent, but with a little different flavor, and when you use 1 part Tiger  to 2 parts Garlic Powder and 1/2 as much Black pepper as Tiger, you get a really simple seasoning that tastes heavenly on a steak, chop or burger...
I dress my steaks on occasion with Unsalted Real Butter, heated with some Minced Garlic. Pour this over your steak, just a touch of it, just before serving, and be amazed at how that plain steak suddenly doesn't need sauce...
There are some excellent rubs pre-mixed out there, and one Gary and I have fallen in love with is Webber Steak and Chop Seasoning... cook the meat to your liking and pour it on just as you turn it the last time... yummy1
Fresh herbs are a pretty and easy way to make Chicken on the Grill become something you look forward to, rather than something you settle for..
Garlic and Rosemary pair well and are equally tasty on Chicken and Pork, particularly on a Pork Loin or Tenderloin.
There is a sauce I buy on occasion to marinade pork chops and chicken, and it is truly unique...everyone who watched the Brady Bunch remembers Peter asking Alice about dinner and doing his best spy impersonation as he reported they were having "pork chops and applesauce" ... well, this sauce is made of spices and applesauce and I get it at a Grilling Store in Sevierville in Magnolia something Shopping Center, on the right, just past Popeye's on 441... you can get it at Simonton's Cheese House in Crossville, Tn. It is called Tennessee Gourmet Apple & Spice Sneaky Hot. This sauce is available online, as well, and sometimes the Gourmet's Market on Kingston Pike or the Cook's Department at Smokey Mtn. Knife Works carries it...
There are degrees of heat available in the sauce, and you add things to it to make the marinade I use... the recipe is right there on the bottle... it is really good, and sweet at first, then you get a bite at the finish... we really love this sauce.
These are some simple but proven ways to add flavor to everyday dishes... with today's quick heating infrared grills, gas cookers, etc, you can grill out on weeknights... try some of these tips and if you come up with something new, post it on here and help make the blog more interesting for all of us!

Tequila Lime Chicken (Copy cat of Applebee's)

4 chicken breast fillets
1 C. shredded cheddar/Monterrey jack cheese blend
2 C. crumbled corn chips or fried tortilla strips

Marinade:
1 C. water
1/3 C. teriyaki sauce
2 T. lime juice
2 t. minced garlic
1 t. mesquite liquid smoke
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. ground ginger
1/4 t. tequila]

Mexi Ranch Dressing
Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing
Pace Thick & Chunky Salsa

Mix and pour marinade over chicken and refrigerate at least four hours. Cook in oven, on stove top or on gill until chicken is done.
Put chicken on heated Cast iron fajita pan or on Hot plate,with corn tortilla chips or strips under chicken.Out mexi ranch dressing over this and sprinkle cheese on top. If cheese doesn't melt, put it under the broiler for a minute or two... tastes just like Applebees's Fiesta Chicken (formerly called tequila lime chicken)

Easy Pineapple (or Banana) Pudding

2 Large Boxes Vanilla Cook and Serve Pudding, prepared as directed on box
6 cups Milk (for making Pudding)
1 can Pineapple Chunks, Drained
1 Box Vanilla Wafers
3-5 Egg Whites
Sugar to taste for meringue

Make pudding using milk, according to package instructions. Layer vanilla wafers and pineapple in bowl and pour pudding over this. Mix, if you like... I like to have the pudding go where it will and get a bite of this, then that...
Beat Egg whites, till stiff, and pour in sugar to mix for meringue. Pile on Top of pudding and bake in oven till browned. Chill and serve! This is a good alternative to Banana Pudding, or if you like, you can slice bananas into the bowl and use them instead of Pineapples, to make an inexpensive Banana Pudding...

Chocolate Lava Cakes

OK, this is more a tip than a recipe, but it's just so easy...
Mix your favorite chocolate cupcake recipe, and fill the cups. I sometimes use extra large muffin tins w/o the paper cups, and these do well in them.
Push one or two chocolate kisses into the center, being careful not to put them all the way to the bottom.
Bake your cupcakes, let them cool slightly and serve warm, with Hot fudge or warm chocolate sauce, and sprinkle powdered sugar on top...when you slice into it, the kisses will be melted, creating the lava! Enjoy them on a plate with raspberry sauce, or powdered sugar and chocolate sauce for garnish.

Pizza Casserole

1 Box Penne Pasta
1 lb Mild Italian Sausage (I buy the package at WalMart marketed by GreatValue, with 5 links in it)(not the smoked kind)
1 package Pepperoni Slices
2 jars Pizza Sauce
1/2 Onion,optional, thinly diced
1 teaspoon Season Salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
2 Tablespoons Parmesan Cheese
Crushed Chili Peppers, optional (I would put these on after cooking, and to individual taste)
At least 2 cups Mozzarella Cheese.
Make this your own by adding mushrooms, peppers, olives, bacon, whatever you would put on a pizza, put it in this casserole.
I will have to use more pizza sauce next time, maybe half of another jar, since it felt a little dry to Gary, who has had radiation to his throat, but I thought it was fine. Remember, this is not a lasagna or spaghetti, it is a pizza, and sauce on pizza isn't plentiful, just there in the background to add flavor. The pasta takes the place of the crust, so use all the box, or use half a box,if you like. You can't mess this up.If you add wet ingredients or those that sweat, don't use extra sauce. If you add cooked meat or more cheese, increase your sauce.. it's all about ratio, and making it taste like a pizza. 
This recipe fed 3 adults who are BIG eaters, and a  year old, with leftovers for 2...


1)Cook pasta, according to package directions.
2)Remove casing from sausage and cook it in a saute pan, using a wooden spoon to break it up. Make the pieces as small or as big as you like.Stir in finely diced onions, and cook till they are translucent, but don't brown, removing the meat to a paper towel to drain. Takes less than 5 minutes.
3)Drain pasta, then put back into pan you cooked it in.
3) Pour both jars of pizza sauce over the pasta and stir it, the sausage, the pepperoni and the seasonings into it.
4) Add meat, using 1/4-1/2 of the pepperoni. Add onions and stir. Sprinkle some additional Parmesan cheese over this, top with some additional pepperoni and bake till bubbly.
5) Add cheese, return to oven and cook approximately 20-30 minutes @ 375 degrees, until cheese is bubbling and melted.

Pizza Casserole

1 Box Penne Pasta, (don't cook it until last!)
1 lb. crumbled, cooked Italian Sausage (or Ground beef)
1 package sliced pepperoni
Any toppings you'd put on a pizza... peppers,onion,mushroom, etc
2 Bottles Cheap Pizza Sauce
2 Cups Shredded Mozzarella Cheese


1) In a saute pan, use cooking spray or a tiny bit of olive oil and saute any veggies, so they don't have to bake so long to get done.
2)If your sausage needs to be cooked, cut it down the middle (if links) and crumble into a saucepan and cook
3) Boil Pasta, drain and put back into hot pot to dry for a minute or two.
4) Pour Pizza sauce over noodles, add all other ingredients, except cheese, and stir until mixed well
This looks like it wont fit into a 9 x 13 pan, but it will. Fill pan, add some Parmesan cheese, put mozzarella cheese on top, and bake at 375 until bubbly and cheese JUST begins to brown a tiny bit!
Serves 6-8

Caramel Pie (Similar to O'Charley's)

I like to make my own graham cracker crust, but sometimes you just want to buy it pre-made.. this is one of the pies I make using pre-made items as much as I can

1 pre -made Graham Cracker or Chocolate Crust
2 Cans Eagle Brand or store brand Sweetened Condensed Milk (NOT EVAPORATED MILK)
1 Container of Cool Whip
Chocolate Chips
Pecans, chopped

Peel the labels off the cans and put in a pan on their sides, into gently boiling water. Boil gently, turning every 30 minutes or so, for 3-3 1/2 hours. DO NOT LET THE WATER FALL BELOW ANY PORTION OF THE CANS>>> This is dangerous, and can result in the cans exploding!

COOL milk in cans for 1 hour, at least!
Pour into graham cracker crust, cover with whipped cream, sprinkle with chocolate chips and pecans.
Chill 4-6 hours (overnight is Better)

Flavored Chicken Wings

There is much debate over whether you should bread/batter your wings or fry them naked, aside from whether to fry or bake.
I am not your dietitian, nurse or mother. I am your chubby friend who loves anything that even LOOKS fried, so there should never be a doubt about where I stand on the second issue.
The first, though, I understand. There are good points to the breaded or battered, and there are good points to the "naked" ones. I will include my breading and battering info, and let YOU decide whether they are better clothed or naked..

To bread them, (like at Hooters), you will need to toss the wing pieces in the mixture below, lift them out and shake them, then put them in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. Longer is better for this part, as far as I'm concerned.

You may have to increase the recipe, but this one will nicely coat 35-50 pieces, probably more.

2 cups self rising flour
2T Tiger seasoning (formerly known as Praise Allah)
1t salt
2t garlic powder
1t cayenne pepper
1t white pepper

Just toss them, put them in a bowl and let them sit in the fridge. The chicken's natural juices will cause this dry breading to make a natural batter.
Deep fry them 12-15 minutes until golden brown.

Now, for the flavorings... there are TONS of things you can add. Most any herb/spice mixture that you like will work. Just mix them with melted butter or margarine, toss the cooked wings in the seasoning, and serve them, after lifting out of the butter... they stay crisp better this way...

Varieties:

Ranch/Garlic Wings... toss cooked wings in a mixture of 4parts melted butter to 1 part ranch dressing and one half that amount of garlic powder. Pour off butter and serve... yummy!

Honey BBQ... 2 parts BBQ sauce to 1 part honey

Ginger/Pepper... mix dried ginger and fresh cracked pepper to butter in the same proportions as with Ranch/Garlic

Buffalo... 1 Bottle Louisiana Hot Sauce... I LOVE Great Value Brand,and get more compliments when this is the brand I use. 1-11/2 stick melted REAL BUTTER... NOT margarine... melt butter, add hot sauce, using 1/2 bottle to start, bring to a slow boil and taste... if not hot enough, add 1/3 of what is left, taste and add more, up to the whole bottle, until you reach the heat you like... no one has ever turned these down at my house. They work really well when served with Ranch Dressing, Homemade of course, at my house!

Garlic/Parmesan Wings... melt 1 stick of Butter, (unsalted works best for these) add 2T Parmesan Cheese, 1T Garlic powder, toss and drain...

Honey Teriyaki Wings... 1/2 cup honey to Teriyaki Sauce... start with 1/2 cup and add until it gets to the ratio you like... toss and drain... if you want, you can melt 1/2 stick butter, to add an interesting under flavor to these.

Lemon Pepper Wings... 1/2 stick butter, melted. Add 2T Lemon Pepper seasoning and toss and drain. If you want really fresh taste, grate the rind of a lemon, (being careful NOT to get the white pith into the bowl), and freshly grind black peppercorns to taste. I like to use a peppercorn medley when I do this variation, to add flavor and color to the wings...

Vampire Killers... 1/2 stick melted butter, 3T minced garlic, salt to taste... not something to try if your date isn't eating them, too...

Try these, and other variations, using the ratios in the ranch recipe and you will be the go-to person for wings in your crowd.
These are great for a buffet style party, a quick dinner at home, appetizers of course, and are just an all round easy, great tasting food! Hope you enjoy them, and Please share your variations on here!

Fried Chocolate Wontons

These are so simple, I wonder why I didn't come up with them myself, but as long as I finally found them, all is well!

Wonton wrappers, 1-2 per person is the usual serving size
Hershey's kisses
Oil
Powdered Sugar

See where we're going with this? Wrap one or two kisses in a wonton and twist the wonton at the top. Drop into hot oil and fry quickly, just until it starts to crisp. Drain and dust with powdered sugar.
The trick is to make sure that you don't get too much chocolate in the wonton... 1 kiss usually does it...

Make sure you let this one sit for a few minutes to avoid a burn, but not enough that the chocolate gets back to room temp...

A neat variation on this is the Chocolate Fried Burrito, similar to a dessert served at Alamo Steakhouse


One Hershey bar and one large flour tortilla for every two people... (this is a sharing dessert, good for Valentines day!)
Oil
Powdered Sugar

Wrap tortilla around the chocolate bar, using a tiny bit of an egg wash or a couple of toothpicks to ensure the tortilla stays closed.
Fry in the oil, drain and dust with powdered sugar.
For extra umph, drizzle chocolate syrup over it or on plate and cut diagonally in half...as with wontons, you want it to cool a bit.

Arroz con Pollo (Like I get at El Sazon)

Okay, to be fair, I used a lot of cheating help on this one, but oh, my, how good it was when I made it for dinner.
Rather than write this one out as a recipe, I am going to make it more like a story, with the exception of the ingredients list.

1-11/2 lbs. chicken tenderloins or chicken breasts, sliced into fajitas pieces.
1 box Knorr Mexican Fiesta Rice with seasoning, cook according to instructions on box.
1 cup white rice, cooked with 1 tablespoon butter and 2 cups water, as per instructions
Mix rices together and keep warm.
1 bell pepper, thinly julienned
1 onion, thinly sliced for fajitas
1 package Mexican melting cheese, like the white cheese dip in a Mexican Restaurant, cooked according to package directions.
Olive oil
1 Package Fajita seasoning marinade.
Marinate chicken while you make the rice and the cheese sauce, then use a little olive oil to saute the chicken pieces, peppers and onion. The package of fajita mix advised to discard marinade, but I kept about half of it and put it in with the chicken to season the veggies.
When veggies and chicken are cooked, place a serving of rice in the middle of a warm plate (or all of it in a deep casserole if you like) and put veggies and chicken on top. Pour half of cheese sauce over this... voila! It is delicious!