1 Onion, diced
1 Med Tomato, seeded, cored and diced
OR
3-4 Roma Tomatoes, diced
1 jalapeno, diced (leave seeds in for more heat, omit them for milder flavor)
Cilantro, chopped to taste
1 Small can Pineapple Tidbits, drained, but Juice reserved
Mix all this together and pour 1/3 to 1/2 over mixture, stir, and chill... GREAT over grilled chicken, especially good on Key West Chicken (recipe on blog) or Grilled Chicken with Teriyaki, etc...
Thursday, May 9, 2013
Sunday, March 10, 2013
Pancake Batter
2 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil
1 Egg
1 Cup Milk, (or 1/2 milk, 1/2 buttermilk)
1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
Mix these ingredients well, and pour in
1 Cup Self Rising Flour, Sifted or stirred with a fork:
If batter is VERY thin, add a little flour, until it reaches the consistency you are wanting. If really thin batter is desired, add some milk... if you make it really thin, this batter makes a fantastic crepe..
At this point, if you want chocolate chip or blueberry pancakes,add them to the batter
Mix and pour 1/4 cup of batter at a time onto hot griddle pan or into a heated skillet. When bubbles cover about 3/4 of the pancake, flip it. When cooking more than a few pancakes, as they get done, transfer them onto a cookie sheet in an oven preheated to 200 degrees, in order to keep warm until all of them are finished.
Suggested Toppings:
Strawberries and cream cheese w/Whipped Cream
Peaches, Berries, cooked apples, any sweetened fruit works well
Cream cheese and pecans with cinnamon
Maple or Table syrup
Any ice cream sundae topping works well, too. Warm the jar in hot water and spoon the warmed topping onto the pancakes.
If you want to make tropical, slice bananas, sprinkle some coconut, toasted or not, pecans and a little pineapple ice cream topping onto the pancakes and add a spoonful of whipped cream... a great dessert idea.
Mix pancake syrup and peanut butter. Spread or mix thinner and pour over pancakes, top with some Peanuts, or a mixture of peanut butter chips and chocolate chips. A dollop of whipped cream and a drizzle of chocolate syrup makes a great pick me up and a beautiful breakfast or dessert plate
Make any flavors you like. I love bananas with walnut topping, strawberries and whipped cream, or just maple syrup and butter. You can have bacon strips and sliced apples with maple syrup drizzled over it for a really sweet/savory combination... the possibilities are endless...
1 Egg
1 Cup Milk, (or 1/2 milk, 1/2 buttermilk)
1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
Mix these ingredients well, and pour in
1 Cup Self Rising Flour, Sifted or stirred with a fork:
If batter is VERY thin, add a little flour, until it reaches the consistency you are wanting. If really thin batter is desired, add some milk... if you make it really thin, this batter makes a fantastic crepe..
At this point, if you want chocolate chip or blueberry pancakes,add them to the batter
Mix and pour 1/4 cup of batter at a time onto hot griddle pan or into a heated skillet. When bubbles cover about 3/4 of the pancake, flip it. When cooking more than a few pancakes, as they get done, transfer them onto a cookie sheet in an oven preheated to 200 degrees, in order to keep warm until all of them are finished.
Suggested Toppings:
Strawberries and cream cheese w/Whipped Cream
Peaches, Berries, cooked apples, any sweetened fruit works well
Cream cheese and pecans with cinnamon
Maple or Table syrup
Any ice cream sundae topping works well, too. Warm the jar in hot water and spoon the warmed topping onto the pancakes.
If you want to make tropical, slice bananas, sprinkle some coconut, toasted or not, pecans and a little pineapple ice cream topping onto the pancakes and add a spoonful of whipped cream... a great dessert idea.
Mix pancake syrup and peanut butter. Spread or mix thinner and pour over pancakes, top with some Peanuts, or a mixture of peanut butter chips and chocolate chips. A dollop of whipped cream and a drizzle of chocolate syrup makes a great pick me up and a beautiful breakfast or dessert plate
Make any flavors you like. I love bananas with walnut topping, strawberries and whipped cream, or just maple syrup and butter. You can have bacon strips and sliced apples with maple syrup drizzled over it for a really sweet/savory combination... the possibilities are endless...
Thursday, March 7, 2013
Eye of Round Roast with Gravy
1 Can Cream of Mushroom Soup
1 Pkg Dry Onion Soup Mix
1 Can Low Sodium Beef Broth
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
1 Tablespoon Minced Garlic
Pepper
Garlic Powder
Mix above ingredients and pour half of this into a crock pot or slow cooker.
Dredge an eye of Round Roast in flour mixed with Pepper. The soup mix and the Worcestershire sauce have a lot of salt in them, so you don't need extra salt in the gravy or on the roast.
Heat enough oil in the bottom of a skillet or dutch oven to brown the roast, and brown all sides, evenly.
Remove roast from oil and put into the crock pot on top of the mixture you poured in earlier.
Pour the remainder of the liquid mixture over the roast, set slow cooker or crock pot to low and cook for about 6 to 8 hours. The liquid will decrease by half. Taste the gravy at the minimum cook time and if it is too thick or too salty, add water, a little at a time, until desired consistency is reached. The onion soup mix has a tendency to stick to the bottom of a crock pot, so use either a rubber spatula or wooden spoon to get the bits off the bottom before you stop adding water. Remove roast and let it sit for a few minutes to redistribute the juices. While this is sitting, stir the gravy and check consistency again. This is NOT a smooth gravy. It has onions and garlic in it, but it is very good when spooned over mashed potatoes or over the meat.
Slice the meat and if desired, spoon some of the gravy over the slices for a beautiful presentation and to hold in moisture. Eye of round is a dryer cut of meat, so don't slice all of it if the roast is large. Better to cut some more later than to dry it out.
This dish reheats well, and is great for leftovers or open faced roast beef sandwiches with gravy, so it is a great double duty dish!
1 Pkg Dry Onion Soup Mix
1 Can Low Sodium Beef Broth
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
1 Tablespoon Minced Garlic
Pepper
Garlic Powder
Mix above ingredients and pour half of this into a crock pot or slow cooker.
Dredge an eye of Round Roast in flour mixed with Pepper. The soup mix and the Worcestershire sauce have a lot of salt in them, so you don't need extra salt in the gravy or on the roast.
Heat enough oil in the bottom of a skillet or dutch oven to brown the roast, and brown all sides, evenly.
Remove roast from oil and put into the crock pot on top of the mixture you poured in earlier.
Pour the remainder of the liquid mixture over the roast, set slow cooker or crock pot to low and cook for about 6 to 8 hours. The liquid will decrease by half. Taste the gravy at the minimum cook time and if it is too thick or too salty, add water, a little at a time, until desired consistency is reached. The onion soup mix has a tendency to stick to the bottom of a crock pot, so use either a rubber spatula or wooden spoon to get the bits off the bottom before you stop adding water. Remove roast and let it sit for a few minutes to redistribute the juices. While this is sitting, stir the gravy and check consistency again. This is NOT a smooth gravy. It has onions and garlic in it, but it is very good when spooned over mashed potatoes or over the meat.
Slice the meat and if desired, spoon some of the gravy over the slices for a beautiful presentation and to hold in moisture. Eye of round is a dryer cut of meat, so don't slice all of it if the roast is large. Better to cut some more later than to dry it out.
This dish reheats well, and is great for leftovers or open faced roast beef sandwiches with gravy, so it is a great double duty dish!
Sunday, January 6, 2013
Eye of Round Roast (aka Poor Man's Prime Rib)
2-3 lb. Eye of Round Roast
Minced Garlic
Kosher Salt
Coarse Grind Black Pepper
Make a paste of the minced garlic, salt and pepper. Rub it on the Eye of Round Roast, after washing the roast and drying it. Let this mixture sit on the Roast about 30 minutes. This allows the roast to slowly come to room temperature and allows the spices to permeate the meat.
While the roast is sitting out, preheat the oven to 500 degrees. Line a roasting pan with foil and place the roast, fat side UP, in the pan. Cook for 7 minutes per pound.(a 3 lb roast will cook for 21 minutes) and turn the oven to the lowest setting possible, and DO NOT OPEN DOOR FOR 2 1/2 hours.
If you like, you can put root vegetables in the pan with the roast and they will cook, too.
After 2 1/2 hours, check the temp on the roast, and it should be between 130 and 150 in the center. Let it sit for ten minutes for the juices to redistribute, and carve into 1/2" slices. Serve with au jus (recipe at bottom) or with horseradish or horseradish sauce. Great with baked potatoes or with mashed potatoes and gravy, along with a salad or asparagus, etc.
This roast should be med rare, and will taste like Prime Rib. YUMMY and so inexpensive. Great way to cook this piece of meat, which is usually very dry and tough. I tried this recipe and it was PERFECT. I had new potatoes, carrots and pearl onions in the pan with it and they were perfectly cooked!
Au Jus... put a half can of beef broth in with the roast. Since this meat has so very little fat, it won't render a lot of natural juices. You have to help it along,so beef broth will mingle with the few juices the meat will put out. When the roast is cooked, drain the broth into a pan and put 1Teaspoon flour into half the cooled juices, whisk the flour mixture into the rest of the broth and heat, just below boiling. Strain and serve with Roast.
Great, but not thick like a gravy...
Minced Garlic
Kosher Salt
Coarse Grind Black Pepper
Make a paste of the minced garlic, salt and pepper. Rub it on the Eye of Round Roast, after washing the roast and drying it. Let this mixture sit on the Roast about 30 minutes. This allows the roast to slowly come to room temperature and allows the spices to permeate the meat.
While the roast is sitting out, preheat the oven to 500 degrees. Line a roasting pan with foil and place the roast, fat side UP, in the pan. Cook for 7 minutes per pound.(a 3 lb roast will cook for 21 minutes) and turn the oven to the lowest setting possible, and DO NOT OPEN DOOR FOR 2 1/2 hours.
If you like, you can put root vegetables in the pan with the roast and they will cook, too.
After 2 1/2 hours, check the temp on the roast, and it should be between 130 and 150 in the center. Let it sit for ten minutes for the juices to redistribute, and carve into 1/2" slices. Serve with au jus (recipe at bottom) or with horseradish or horseradish sauce. Great with baked potatoes or with mashed potatoes and gravy, along with a salad or asparagus, etc.
This roast should be med rare, and will taste like Prime Rib. YUMMY and so inexpensive. Great way to cook this piece of meat, which is usually very dry and tough. I tried this recipe and it was PERFECT. I had new potatoes, carrots and pearl onions in the pan with it and they were perfectly cooked!
Au Jus... put a half can of beef broth in with the roast. Since this meat has so very little fat, it won't render a lot of natural juices. You have to help it along,so beef broth will mingle with the few juices the meat will put out. When the roast is cooked, drain the broth into a pan and put 1Teaspoon flour into half the cooled juices, whisk the flour mixture into the rest of the broth and heat, just below boiling. Strain and serve with Roast.
Great, but not thick like a gravy...
Thursday, January 3, 2013
Chicken Pot Pie
2 9" Pie Crusts, left out for 15 to 20 minutes to soften
Four large Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breats, cooked and shredded or diced
1 Bag Peas and Carrots
1 Can Diced Potatoes, or 2 cups Diced Cooked Potatoes
1 cup American Cheese, cut up
1 large (28 oz) Can Cream of Chicken Soup
1/2 of the Soup can filled with water or Chicken Broth
1Tsp Celery Seed
Mix the soup and water or broth, stir in veggies, chicken and celery seed. Now Stir in Cheese.
Roll out bottom crust, bake Halfway to done at 450, approximately 12 to 15 minutes, and fill.
Roll top crust and cut slits in it, to allow for steam to escape. Bake at 375 for about 30 minutes to 45 minutes, until bubbling, and top crust is done. Remove from oven and allow to sit for about 10 minutes. Serve.
Variation: Dont use the bottom crust, but put into a ceramic bowl and cook at 350 until bubbly and cheese is melted. Take out of the oven and top with a can of homemade biscuits. Sprinkle with celery seed, return to oven and bake until they are done... easy for a winter weeknight supper.
Four large Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breats, cooked and shredded or diced
1 Bag Peas and Carrots
1 Can Diced Potatoes, or 2 cups Diced Cooked Potatoes
1 cup American Cheese, cut up
1 large (28 oz) Can Cream of Chicken Soup
1/2 of the Soup can filled with water or Chicken Broth
1Tsp Celery Seed
Mix the soup and water or broth, stir in veggies, chicken and celery seed. Now Stir in Cheese.
Roll out bottom crust, bake Halfway to done at 450, approximately 12 to 15 minutes, and fill.
Roll top crust and cut slits in it, to allow for steam to escape. Bake at 375 for about 30 minutes to 45 minutes, until bubbling, and top crust is done. Remove from oven and allow to sit for about 10 minutes. Serve.
Variation: Dont use the bottom crust, but put into a ceramic bowl and cook at 350 until bubbly and cheese is melted. Take out of the oven and top with a can of homemade biscuits. Sprinkle with celery seed, return to oven and bake until they are done... easy for a winter weeknight supper.
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
Our Family's Low Country Boil
A few years ago, my friend Judy made what she called "Dump Dinner"... I was in HEAVEN! I had NEVER (can you believe it?) had this wonderful concoction. Of course, when I made it, I twisted it and tweaked it,and made it my own. I truly like this better than any of the ones I had in S. Carolina. Make it yours. If you want something left out, do it. If you like to add other things, do... we make it with the same seasonings every time and we mix up the food... nothing better. Thanks, Judy, for introducing me to what is now my favorite meal!
The thing with this recipe is that YOU determine the amount of the ingredients. I will give you my approximate measurements, but know that the appetite determines the expense of this meal.
1 Boil In Bag, by Old Bay
Old Bay Seasoning, about 1/4 cup
3 Lemons, cut in half
Whole New Red Potatoes (two to three per person)
Corn ( we use Milk and Honey= 1 ear per person)
Andouille or Cajun Flavored Smoked Sausage, cut into 3" to 4" pieces (we prefer a Cajun flavored smoked sausage we can only find at Food City.. the name escapes me at the moment, but it is packaged like Polish Sausage, in one whole length)
Shrimp, unpeeled (about a half pound per person, the larger the better)
Crawfish (I usually buy a pound, but if you like them a lot, adjust the amount)This is the New Orleans Version. If you don't like them, leave them out. I don't like them but my husband does. It doesn't affect the taste of the other foods if you use them.
Crab Legs ( I allot 1 cluster per person, since they are usually expensive)
I use my Turkey Fryer and cook this outdoors, but I have used a huge stockpot (NOT a Dutch Oven-TOO small) on the stove. Half fill with water, add the boiling bag and squeeze the lemons, then add the pieces. Bring to a boil, then add the Old Bay. The more food I am cooking, the more Old Bay I use.
Step 1 Cook the potatoes about ten minutes.
Step 2. Add the sausage and corn, bring back to a boil and boil for about five minutes, less if the corn was bought in the freezer section of the grocery store. I put my corn up in the summer time, blanched, so that it stays "crunchier"... I don't like the mushy frozen half ears from the store, but lots of people use them and swear by them. Go with YOUR taste buds, but don't overcook the corn.
Step 3. Add the crab, bring back to a boil, then add the shrimp and the crawfish, cooking only until the shrimp is done and the crawfish are warm
Now, the reason Judy called this Dump Dinner is this... If you eat it in S. Carolina, it comes on big round server trays, and is served at tables with holes in the center and trash cans under those holes.
Judy must have found out about them from someone who ate this in Louisiana. In New Orleans and that area, once this is cooked and ready to serve, there are clean trash bags or newspapers spread down the center of a big table and once the liquid is drained, the food is literally DUMPED onto the bags or newspaper and people sit on either side, serving themselves with their hands.
I like to do this on my deck, by my pool, and each person gets a ramekin of butter, one of Old Bay, and for those die hards who think you HAVE to use salt on everything, I put salt and pepper out.
I use the butter to dip my potatoes in, then I barely dip them in the Old Bay and oh, my... how tasty!
Clean up is so easy... you just roll up the newspapers and put shells, etc in the paper, throw it all away and wipe up the table...
This dinner usually takes only 10 to 15 minutes to cook on a turkey fryer. I like to buy shrimp and crab, etc on sale and put it in the freezer. Then, when a Saturday just feels perfect and I have a hankerin' for a party, I call up some friends or family and take out the stuff I've had in the freezer, crank up the Propane and in less than a half hour, it's a beachy night around the pool!
Key Lime Pie or Watermelon make the perfect ending to this meal!
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The thing with this recipe is that YOU determine the amount of the ingredients. I will give you my approximate measurements, but know that the appetite determines the expense of this meal.
1 Boil In Bag, by Old Bay
Old Bay Seasoning, about 1/4 cup
3 Lemons, cut in half
Whole New Red Potatoes (two to three per person)
Corn ( we use Milk and Honey= 1 ear per person)
Andouille or Cajun Flavored Smoked Sausage, cut into 3" to 4" pieces (we prefer a Cajun flavored smoked sausage we can only find at Food City.. the name escapes me at the moment, but it is packaged like Polish Sausage, in one whole length)
Shrimp, unpeeled (about a half pound per person, the larger the better)
Crawfish (I usually buy a pound, but if you like them a lot, adjust the amount)This is the New Orleans Version. If you don't like them, leave them out. I don't like them but my husband does. It doesn't affect the taste of the other foods if you use them.
Crab Legs ( I allot 1 cluster per person, since they are usually expensive)
I use my Turkey Fryer and cook this outdoors, but I have used a huge stockpot (NOT a Dutch Oven-TOO small) on the stove. Half fill with water, add the boiling bag and squeeze the lemons, then add the pieces. Bring to a boil, then add the Old Bay. The more food I am cooking, the more Old Bay I use.
Step 1 Cook the potatoes about ten minutes.
Step 2. Add the sausage and corn, bring back to a boil and boil for about five minutes, less if the corn was bought in the freezer section of the grocery store. I put my corn up in the summer time, blanched, so that it stays "crunchier"... I don't like the mushy frozen half ears from the store, but lots of people use them and swear by them. Go with YOUR taste buds, but don't overcook the corn.
Step 3. Add the crab, bring back to a boil, then add the shrimp and the crawfish, cooking only until the shrimp is done and the crawfish are warm
Now, the reason Judy called this Dump Dinner is this... If you eat it in S. Carolina, it comes on big round server trays, and is served at tables with holes in the center and trash cans under those holes.
Judy must have found out about them from someone who ate this in Louisiana. In New Orleans and that area, once this is cooked and ready to serve, there are clean trash bags or newspapers spread down the center of a big table and once the liquid is drained, the food is literally DUMPED onto the bags or newspaper and people sit on either side, serving themselves with their hands.
I like to do this on my deck, by my pool, and each person gets a ramekin of butter, one of Old Bay, and for those die hards who think you HAVE to use salt on everything, I put salt and pepper out.
I use the butter to dip my potatoes in, then I barely dip them in the Old Bay and oh, my... how tasty!
Clean up is so easy... you just roll up the newspapers and put shells, etc in the paper, throw it all away and wipe up the table...
This dinner usually takes only 10 to 15 minutes to cook on a turkey fryer. I like to buy shrimp and crab, etc on sale and put it in the freezer. Then, when a Saturday just feels perfect and I have a hankerin' for a party, I call up some friends or family and take out the stuff I've had in the freezer, crank up the Propane and in less than a half hour, it's a beachy night around the pool!
Key Lime Pie or Watermelon make the perfect ending to this meal!
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Saturday, July 21, 2012
Abby's Steak Marinade
My youngest daughter likes to cook, like her mom. I usually give her pointers, but this past Mother's Day, she presented me with the very best meal I have EVER, EVER had... BAR NONE! I had some of the best New Potatoes, Grilled Corn on the Cob (In the Shucks, something I hadn't done!), and Grilled Orange Slices (HEAVENLY!), but oh, my the very best thing of all was this beautiful Sirloin Steak, cooked to Medium Rare, just the way I love it, not to rare, not to well, just absolutely perfect, and I mean... oh, so tasty! I am not a person who likes a marinade, but Abby totally changed my mind, I kid you not. This is her recipe. She got some pointers off the internet and took it and did just what her Momma always told her to do.. she gave it her own twist, but she won't tell me what she did. So, I give you her recipe. One or more of the ingredients is her own addition. I now refuse to eat anything that isn't marinated...proof that you never are too old to learn and to change!
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons minced garlic
salt and pepper to taste
Mix and pour over steaks. Abby and I use gallon sized bags to marinade our steaks. No reason to dirty up a dish. I may get all misty eyed, but this gal makes a Momma proud. I mean, I am NOT a dish washer and I just adore that she thought of putting it into a baggie!
Marinade for at least 30 minutes. I have left the steaks in this marinade for as long as 4 hours and they were good, too!
For your steaks, cook them over hot coals or on a gas grill with wood chips. I think it is sinful to cook with just propane, since you might as well cook it in a skillet for all the flavor that adds, lol.
If you don't know how to check for doneness, here's a good guide...
Rare---open your hand, but just naturally.. not stretched taut... now, feel the flesh on that thick pad between your thumb and wrist? That is what it feels like to touch a rare steak...
Medium--- close your fist and tuck your thumb under your index finger... touch the pad... voila! Medium.
(for med. rare, just go in between these two. I usually do 7 minutes on one side, rotating halfway through to create hash marks. Then, flip them and do 5 minutes, rotating halfway through. I do this on steaks from 1-1/2" to 1-/4")
Well done... untuck that thumb! Now, feel the webbing between the thumb and forefinger?
WELL DONE...
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