Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Collard Greens
Recipe Name: Collard Greens
Story: I'm not sure where I started from, but I've been working on this recipe for years. A few years ago I finally landed on a version that I love. I have had more compliments on these collards than nearly anything else I've made. If I were to ever open up a restaurant, this would for sure be on the menu (keep it private!).
Years you've been making it: Since 2008
Author / Creator: Dustin
Submitted by: Dustin
Ingredients:
bacon 2 to 4 strips
olive oil 1 tbls
onion .5 to 1 med yellow
garlic 4 cloves, minced
apple cider vinegar 0.25 cup
dixie beer (budweiser, not guiness) 0.5 bottle
white wine 0.5 cup
sugar 2 tbls
ground black pepper 1 tsp
red pepper flakes 1 tsp
salt 0.5 tsp
horseradish 0.5 tbls (optional)
molasses 1 tbls
ham base 1.5 tsp (optional)
chicken stock 3 cups
butter 4 tbls
turnip greens 1+ lbs
collard greens 1+ lbs
Directions:
Saute bacon to crispy. Remove the bacon to reserve and add later. Keep bacon grease to saute aromatics.
Add onion to saute until translucent (salt and pepper the onion to help it sweat), add the olive oil. Then saute garlic for a couple mins.
Add the vinegar, beer, and white wine. Simmer for 5 mins or so to cook off alcohol and to scrape off the bits on the bottom of the pot.
Add all remaining ingredients.
Cooked in pressure cooker on high for 30 mins, allowed to naturally cool (not pressure release).
If no pressure cooker, simmer for approx 3 hrs until desired tenderness.
If no pressure cooker, may need to add more chicken stock if it evaporates too much during simmer.
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Pecan Pie
Recipe Name: Pecan Pie
Story:
I searched for many years to find a recipe that actually tasted like Pecan Pie and not just sugar with a few pecans. This one is loaded with Pecans and a hint of sugar. A couple of years ago I also started buying pecans from a special store, Priester’s Pecans on my way home from Alabama. They are very fresh and I can buy them in the 3 sizes needed for this recipe which makes it less labor intensive.
Years you've been making it: 10+
Author / Creator: allrecipes .com Irresistible Pecan Pie
Submitted by: Suzy
Ingredients:
1.5 all –purpose flour
2TBS dark corn syrup
½ tsp salt
¾ c light brown sugar
2 TBS white sugar
3 TBS. butter melted
½ C butter
pinch of salt
4 TBS ice water
½ C pecans fine
3 eggs beaten
1 C pecans Qtr
¾ C light corn syrup
1 C pecan Halfs
Directions:
Preheat Oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C)
To Make Crust: In a medium bowl, combine flour, salt and white sugar.
Cut butter into flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs.
Gradually sprinkle the water over the dry mixture, stirring until dough comes together enough to form a ball .
On a floured surface flatten dough ball with rolling pin. Roll out into a circle that is one inch larger than pie dish. Place pie shell into dish and refrigerate until pie filling is complete.
To Make Pie Filling: In a medium bowl, mix together eggs, light and dark corn syrups, brown sugar, butter, salt and finely crushed pecans.
Spread quartered pecans over bottom of refrigerated crust. Pour syrup mixture over to of pecans. Then arrange pecan halves on top of pie.
Bake in a preheated 350 degrees F (175 degree C) oven for one hour or until firm. Let cool one hour before serving.
Notes:
It is important to cover the crust for the first half of cooking time this can be done with tin foil but if you are lucky enough they make some crust covers out of silicone which are adjustable. I struggled for years with the tin foil but a few years ago I was given the silicone ones for a Christmas gift. That was a true blessing
I have to admit I usually buy store bought crust but this recipe includes how to make the crust.
This is a recipe for one pie but you can easily double it at one time.
Sunday, December 23, 2007
Italian Tomato Sauce
Recipe Name: Italian Tomato Sauce
Story: This is a recipe from an ex-girlfriend of mine who's family was Italian. I love Italian food, and this is a fantastic simple tomato sauce.
Years you've been making it: Since 2007
Author / Creator: Jessica Nackel
Submitted by: Dustin
Ingredients:
2 - 28 oz can whole tomatoes
4-8 Sausages (mild or spicy)
2-4 Tablespoons tomato paste
5 Bay leaves
Basil (2-4 tablespoons chopped)
1 Finely chopped onion
Garlic (3-6 cloves)
1-2 Carrots, peeled
Salt/Pepper
Directions:
1) First prepare the tomatoes, this can get messy! On each tomato, pull the hard stem base out on the top of the tomato and clean out the seeds. After they are cleaned, in a large bowl, squeeze all the tomatoes until they are in small pieces. Put tomatoes aside.
2) Brown sausages. They do not need to be cooked through, just until they browned on the outside. Take them out of the pan and put aside.
3) In the same pan cook onion on med. heat for a couple minutes, turn heat down to low and add garlic for another minute.
4) In large non-stick pot add prepared tomatoes, sausages, bay leaves and garlic and onion. Cut carrots in half and add in pot.
5) Bring to a boil and reduce heat to very low. Cook for 6-10 hours, stirring every 10-20 minutes. The
longer you can cook it the better! (we did try this in the crock pot and stirred it every hour or so, but the crock pot retains most of the liquid, so you may want to boil it for 30 mins or so at the end to thicken the sauce up, or remove the top of the crock pot for the last hour or so)
6) Add the tomato paste half-way through. Add the basil with 30 minutes left. Add salt and pepper at the end.
7) Remove carrots and bay leaves before eating.
8) Enjoy!!
Notes:
Story: This is a recipe from an ex-girlfriend of mine who's family was Italian. I love Italian food, and this is a fantastic simple tomato sauce.
Years you've been making it: Since 2007
Author / Creator: Jessica Nackel
Submitted by: Dustin
Ingredients:
2 - 28 oz can whole tomatoes
4-8 Sausages (mild or spicy)
2-4 Tablespoons tomato paste
5 Bay leaves
Basil (2-4 tablespoons chopped)
1 Finely chopped onion
Garlic (3-6 cloves)
1-2 Carrots, peeled
Salt/Pepper
Directions:
1) First prepare the tomatoes, this can get messy! On each tomato, pull the hard stem base out on the top of the tomato and clean out the seeds. After they are cleaned, in a large bowl, squeeze all the tomatoes until they are in small pieces. Put tomatoes aside.
2) Brown sausages. They do not need to be cooked through, just until they browned on the outside. Take them out of the pan and put aside.
3) In the same pan cook onion on med. heat for a couple minutes, turn heat down to low and add garlic for another minute.
4) In large non-stick pot add prepared tomatoes, sausages, bay leaves and garlic and onion. Cut carrots in half and add in pot.
5) Bring to a boil and reduce heat to very low. Cook for 6-10 hours, stirring every 10-20 minutes. The
longer you can cook it the better! (we did try this in the crock pot and stirred it every hour or so, but the crock pot retains most of the liquid, so you may want to boil it for 30 mins or so at the end to thicken the sauce up, or remove the top of the crock pot for the last hour or so)
6) Add the tomato paste half-way through. Add the basil with 30 minutes left. Add salt and pepper at the end.
7) Remove carrots and bay leaves before eating.
8) Enjoy!!
Notes:
This is one of those dishes that gets better the longer it is on the stove, that's why it calls for very low heat for 6-10 hours. This is because it reduces over time and really concentrates the tomato sugars and flavors. As mentioned above, we tried in the crock pot and it really didn't work well. Also, note that the carrots are added whole and then removed at the end, this is to extract the sugars from the carrots, but not actually add carrots to the sauce.
Friday, December 23, 2005
Baby Back Ribs
Recipe Name: Baby Back Ribs
Story: This is the same recipe I have been making since I had my own place after college. It is taken from a 1994 cooks illustrated magazine. I think the homemade sauce is the best part and has gotten rave reviews everywhere from Louisiana to Hawaii.
Years you've been making it: 2005+
Author / Creator: Cooks Illustrated
Submitted by: Bradley
Ingredients:
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:
We wanted a baby back ribs recipe that would produce juicy, tender, and fully seasoned meat, with an intense smokiness; in short, ribs that would be well worth the time, money, and effort. For ribs that were so flavorful they wouldn’t even need barbecue sauce, we first brined them in a salt, sugar, and water solution, then rubbed them with a spice and sugar mix before barbecuing. A "low and slow" cooking method ensured that our baby back ribs would be moist.
SERVES 4
For a potent spice flavor, brine and dry the ribs as directed, then coat them with the spice rub, wrap tightly in plastic, and refrigerate overnight before grilling. You will need two wood chunks, each about the size of a lemon, for this recipe.
Brine
1/2 cup table salt or 1 cup kosher salt
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 racks baby back ribs (about 2 pounds each), or loin back ribs
Spice rub
1 tablespoon sweet paprika, plus additional 1/2 teaspoon
1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
1 3/4 teaspoons ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons dark brown sugar
3/4 teaspoon table salt or 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon dried oregano
3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon ground white pepper
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Directions:
1. To brine the ribs: Dissolve salt and sugar in 4 quarts cold water in stockpot or large plastic container. Submerge ribs in brine and refrigerate 1 hour until fully seasoned. Remove ribs from brine and thoroughly pat dry with paper towels.
2. While ribs are brining, cover two 3-inch wood chunks with water in medium bowl; soak wood chunks for 1 hour, then drain and set aside. Combine spice rub ingredients in small bowl. When ribs are out of brine and dried, rub each side of racks with 1 tablespoon spice rub; refrigerate racks 30 minutes.
3. To barbecue the ribs: Open bottom vents on grill. Ignite about 4 1/2 quarts charcoal briquettes (3/4 large chimney-full, or about 65 briquettes) and burn until covered with thin coating of light gray ash, about 20 minutes. Empty coals onto one half of grill bottom, piling them 2 to 3 briquettes high; place soaked wood chunks on top of coals. Position cooking grate over coals, cover grill, open lid vents two-thirds of the way; heat grate 5 minutes, then scrape clean with wire brush.
4. Arrange ribs on cool side of grill parallel to fire; cover, positioning lid so that vents are opposite wood chunks to draw smoke through grill (grill temperature should register about 350 degrees on grill thermometer, but will soon start dropping). Cook for 2 hours, until grill temperature drops to about 250 degrees, flipping rib racks, switching their position so that rack that was nearest fire is on outside, and turning racks 180 degrees every 30 minutes; add 10 fresh briquettes to pile of coals.
Continue to cook (grill temperature should register 275 to 300 degrees on grill thermometer), flipping, switching, and rotating ribs every 30 minutes, until meat easily pulls away from bone, 1 1/2 to 2 hours longer. Transfer ribs to cutting board, then cut between bones to separate ribs; serve.
Story: This is the same recipe I have been making since I had my own place after college. It is taken from a 1994 cooks illustrated magazine. I think the homemade sauce is the best part and has gotten rave reviews everywhere from Louisiana to Hawaii.
Years you've been making it: 2005+
Author / Creator: Cooks Illustrated
Submitted by: Bradley
Ingredients:
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:
We wanted a baby back ribs recipe that would produce juicy, tender, and fully seasoned meat, with an intense smokiness; in short, ribs that would be well worth the time, money, and effort. For ribs that were so flavorful they wouldn’t even need barbecue sauce, we first brined them in a salt, sugar, and water solution, then rubbed them with a spice and sugar mix before barbecuing. A "low and slow" cooking method ensured that our baby back ribs would be moist.
SERVES 4
For a potent spice flavor, brine and dry the ribs as directed, then coat them with the spice rub, wrap tightly in plastic, and refrigerate overnight before grilling. You will need two wood chunks, each about the size of a lemon, for this recipe.
Brine
1/2 cup table salt or 1 cup kosher salt
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 racks baby back ribs (about 2 pounds each), or loin back ribs
Spice rub
1 tablespoon sweet paprika, plus additional 1/2 teaspoon
1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
1 3/4 teaspoons ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons dark brown sugar
3/4 teaspoon table salt or 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon dried oregano
3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon ground white pepper
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Directions:
1. To brine the ribs: Dissolve salt and sugar in 4 quarts cold water in stockpot or large plastic container. Submerge ribs in brine and refrigerate 1 hour until fully seasoned. Remove ribs from brine and thoroughly pat dry with paper towels.
2. While ribs are brining, cover two 3-inch wood chunks with water in medium bowl; soak wood chunks for 1 hour, then drain and set aside. Combine spice rub ingredients in small bowl. When ribs are out of brine and dried, rub each side of racks with 1 tablespoon spice rub; refrigerate racks 30 minutes.
3. To barbecue the ribs: Open bottom vents on grill. Ignite about 4 1/2 quarts charcoal briquettes (3/4 large chimney-full, or about 65 briquettes) and burn until covered with thin coating of light gray ash, about 20 minutes. Empty coals onto one half of grill bottom, piling them 2 to 3 briquettes high; place soaked wood chunks on top of coals. Position cooking grate over coals, cover grill, open lid vents two-thirds of the way; heat grate 5 minutes, then scrape clean with wire brush.
4. Arrange ribs on cool side of grill parallel to fire; cover, positioning lid so that vents are opposite wood chunks to draw smoke through grill (grill temperature should register about 350 degrees on grill thermometer, but will soon start dropping). Cook for 2 hours, until grill temperature drops to about 250 degrees, flipping rib racks, switching their position so that rack that was nearest fire is on outside, and turning racks 180 degrees every 30 minutes; add 10 fresh briquettes to pile of coals.
Continue to cook (grill temperature should register 275 to 300 degrees on grill thermometer), flipping, switching, and rotating ribs every 30 minutes, until meat easily pulls away from bone, 1 1/2 to 2 hours longer. Transfer ribs to cutting board, then cut between bones to separate ribs; serve.
BBQ Sauce
Recipe Name: BBQ Sauce
Story:
This is the same recipe I have been making since I had my own place after college. It is taken from a 1994 cooks illustrated magazine. I think the homemade sauce is the best part and has gotten rave reviews everywhere from Louisiana to Hawaii.
Years you've been making it: 2005+
Author / Creator: Cooks Illustrated
Submitted by: Bradley
Ingredients:
2tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4cup minced onion
1medium clove garlic, minced or pressed through garlic press (about 1 teaspoon)
1 1/2teaspoons chili powder
2cups tomato juice
3/4cup distilled white vinegar
2tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1/2teaspoon powdered mustard mixed with 1 tablespoon water
1teaspoon minced chipotle chile in adobo
2tablespoons mild molasses or dark molasses (not blackstrap)
1 1/2teaspoons table salt
1/4teaspoon ground black pepper
Directions:
To make the Barbecue Sauce: Heat butter in small nonreactive saucepan over medium heat until foaming; add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Add garlic and chili powder; cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 20 seconds. Add tomato juice, 1/2 cup vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, chipotle, molasses, and salt; increase heat to high and bring to simmer, then reduce heat to medium and continue to simmer, stirring occasionally, until sauce is slightly thickened and reduced to 1 1/2 cups, 30 to 40 minutes. Off heat, stir in pepper and remaining 1/4 cup vinegar. Cool to room temperature before serving. (Can be refrigerated in airtight container for up to 4 days; bring to room temperature before serving.)
Story:
This is the same recipe I have been making since I had my own place after college. It is taken from a 1994 cooks illustrated magazine. I think the homemade sauce is the best part and has gotten rave reviews everywhere from Louisiana to Hawaii.
Years you've been making it: 2005+
Author / Creator: Cooks Illustrated
Submitted by: Bradley
Ingredients:
2tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4cup minced onion
1medium clove garlic, minced or pressed through garlic press (about 1 teaspoon)
1 1/2teaspoons chili powder
2cups tomato juice
3/4cup distilled white vinegar
2tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1/2teaspoon powdered mustard mixed with 1 tablespoon water
1teaspoon minced chipotle chile in adobo
2tablespoons mild molasses or dark molasses (not blackstrap)
1 1/2teaspoons table salt
1/4teaspoon ground black pepper
Directions:
To make the Barbecue Sauce: Heat butter in small nonreactive saucepan over medium heat until foaming; add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Add garlic and chili powder; cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 20 seconds. Add tomato juice, 1/2 cup vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, chipotle, molasses, and salt; increase heat to high and bring to simmer, then reduce heat to medium and continue to simmer, stirring occasionally, until sauce is slightly thickened and reduced to 1 1/2 cups, 30 to 40 minutes. Off heat, stir in pepper and remaining 1/4 cup vinegar. Cool to room temperature before serving. (Can be refrigerated in airtight container for up to 4 days; bring to room temperature before serving.)
Tuesday, December 23, 2003
Best Carrot Sheet Cake
Recipe Name: “Best Carrot Sheet Cake”
Story:
Some say a mother is the last to know at times. I think Dustin was in college when I learned his favorite cake was carrot cake. After trying several recipes I settled on this one. It is from Southern Living, 2003. I think the Buttermilk glaze makes it extra moist.
Years you've been making it: Since 2003
Author / Creator: Souther Living
Submitted by: Suzy
Ingredients:
2C all-purpose flour
2tsp. baking soda
½ tsp salt
3 large eggs
2 C sugar
¾ C vegetable oil
¾ C buttermilk
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 C grated carrots (about 3 large carrots)
8oz can crushed pineapple, drained
3 ½ ounce can sweetened flaked coconut
1C chopped pecans or walnuts
Directions:
Stir together first 4 ingredients
Beat eggs and next 4 ingredients at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Add flour mixture, beating at low speed until blended. Fold in carrots and next 3 ingredients. Pour batter into a greased and floured 13x9 inch pan. (Through the years I have found putting a piece of parchment paper on the bottom of the pan works well.)
Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes: cover pan loosely with aluminum foil to prevent excessive browning, and bake 13 more minutes or until wood pick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Drizzle Buttermilk Glaze evenly over cake, cool completely in pan.
Spread Cream Cheese Frosting evenly over cake.
Buttermilk Glaze
1C sugar
1.5tsp. baking soda
1/2C butter
½ C buttermilk
1TBS light corn syrup
1tsp vanilla extract
Bring sugar, baking soda, butter, buttermilk and corn syrup to a light boil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. (this can also be done in a sauce pan over boiling water) Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract.
Cream Cheese Frosting
½ C butter softened
8 oz. package cream cheese softened
3 Oz. package cream cheese softened
16 oz. package powdered sugar
1.5 tsp vanilla
Beat butter and cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy
Add powdered sugar and vanilla extract: beat at high speed for 10 seconds or until smooth
Story:
Some say a mother is the last to know at times. I think Dustin was in college when I learned his favorite cake was carrot cake. After trying several recipes I settled on this one. It is from Southern Living, 2003. I think the Buttermilk glaze makes it extra moist.
Years you've been making it: Since 2003
Author / Creator: Souther Living
Submitted by: Suzy
Ingredients:
2C all-purpose flour
2tsp. baking soda
½ tsp salt
3 large eggs
2 C sugar
¾ C vegetable oil
¾ C buttermilk
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 C grated carrots (about 3 large carrots)
8oz can crushed pineapple, drained
3 ½ ounce can sweetened flaked coconut
1C chopped pecans or walnuts
Directions:
Stir together first 4 ingredients
Beat eggs and next 4 ingredients at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Add flour mixture, beating at low speed until blended. Fold in carrots and next 3 ingredients. Pour batter into a greased and floured 13x9 inch pan. (Through the years I have found putting a piece of parchment paper on the bottom of the pan works well.)
Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes: cover pan loosely with aluminum foil to prevent excessive browning, and bake 13 more minutes or until wood pick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Drizzle Buttermilk Glaze evenly over cake, cool completely in pan.
Spread Cream Cheese Frosting evenly over cake.
Buttermilk Glaze
1C sugar
1.5tsp. baking soda
1/2C butter
½ C buttermilk
1TBS light corn syrup
1tsp vanilla extract
Bring sugar, baking soda, butter, buttermilk and corn syrup to a light boil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. (this can also be done in a sauce pan over boiling water) Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract.
Cream Cheese Frosting
½ C butter softened
8 oz. package cream cheese softened
3 Oz. package cream cheese softened
16 oz. package powdered sugar
1.5 tsp vanilla
Beat butter and cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy
Add powdered sugar and vanilla extract: beat at high speed for 10 seconds or until smooth
Sunday, December 24, 2000
Sausage Egg Casserole
Recipe Name: Sausage Egg Casserole
Story: It would not be Thanksgiving or Christmas without our traditional Sausage Egg Casserole.
Every year it seems a little different, depending on the bread and amount of cheese. At first I made it with whole wheat bread with the crust on. Young and adamant on being healthy, later as the years progress the crust has gone, I use either French Bread or Italian Bread and whole milk! It comes out light and fluffy, and oh so good.
Years you've been making it: Since 2000 or so
Author / Creator: Suzy
Submitted by: Suzy
Ingredients:
Slices of bread to cover 11x8 casserole dish
1lb ground sausage (Jimmy dean original)
6 eggs
2 cups of mlik
1/4 to 1/2 shredded cheddar cheese
1 tsp ground mustard
pinch of salt and pepper
Directions:
Spray the bottom of the dish with vegetable oil (last year I used parchment paper and it worked great)
Trim the bread and place in the dish.
Brown sausage and drain, place on bread and allow to cool.
Beat together the eggs, milk, mustard, salt and pepper. Pour on top of the sausage and bread.
Top with the shredded cheese.
Bake at 350 degrees, 45-50 mins or until an inserted knife comes out clean.
Notes:
Can be made the night before to then just place immediately into oven.
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