All the Fixings

Orange Salsa recipe

2008-05-17T17:57:00.001-07:00

Orange Salsa ingredients list:

2 large oranges, peeled and cubed.
1 tomato, seeded and cubed.
½ jalapeno chili, minced.
½ cup of red onion, minced.
1 tablespoon of fresh cilantro.
1 teaspoon orange peel, grated.
1 teaspoon ginger root, minced.
1 teaspoon garlic, minced.
Pinch of salt.
Instructions for Orange Salsa:

Combine all of the ingredients, except the cilantro, in a suitably sized bowl.

Place in a refrigerator for about 30 minutes, until chilled.

Stir in the cilantro and serve as desired.

Honey Citrus Glaze & Sauce

2008-05-17T17:56:00.001-07:00

* 12 Oz. Can Frozen Orange or Tangerine Juice
* 2/3 Cup Honey
* 1/2 Cup Frank's® Original RedHot
* 2 Tablespoons Ground Ginger
* 1/2 Teaspoon Celery Seed

Combine all ingredients in small saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cook 15 minutes or until thickened and reduced, stirring occasionally. Use sauce to glaze ham, ribs or chicken during last 30 minutes of cooking.

Great Texas Whiting Fillets and Tartar Sauce

2008-04-19T14:38:00.000-07:00

GREAT TEXAS WHITING FILLETS:

- 2 Lb. whiting fillets
- 2 Tbs Lemon juice
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup butter
- 3 Tbs mayonnaise
- 3 Tbs chopped green onions
- 1/4 tsp salt
- Dash liquid hot pepper sauce

Place fillets in a single layer on a well-greased baking platter.
Brush with lemon juice.
Combine remaining ingredients & set aside.
Broil fish for 6 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork.
Remove from heat and spread with cheese mixture.
Broil 2 more minutes until lightly brown.

------------------------------------------------

GREAT WHITING TARTAR SAUCE:

- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 2 Tbs chopped dill pickles
- 2 Tbs finely chopped onions
- 1 tsp lemon juce
- Dash of pepper

Mix well & chill

Sweet Potato Muffins

2008-03-29T07:22:00.000-07:00

Yield 12 muffins

Time 45 minutes

Tools:

muffin tins
large bowl
whisk
medium bowl

Ingredients

2 eggs
1 c + 2 T brown sugar
½ c corn oil
1 t vanilla
2 c white flour
2 t baking powder
1 t cinnamon
1 t grated nutmeg
½ t allspice
½ t salt
4 c peeled and grated sweet potato (about 2 large sweet potatoes)
½ c raisins
1 c chopped walnuts

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350° and butter the muffin tins.
Whisk the eggs, brown sugar, oil, and vanilla in the large bowl.

Mix the flour, baking powder, spices, salt, and potatoes in the medium bowl.

Gradually add to the egg mixture, incorporating well.

Stir in the raisins and walnuts.

Pour the batter into muffin tins.

Bake for 25-30 minutes until toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean.

Serve immediately.

Carlenes Wild Halibut Tacos

2008-03-24T15:01:00.000-07:00

1 lb. Alaska halibut fillet
2 fresh limes, cut in wedges
1/2 cup mayonnaise (reduced calorie is fine)
1/2 teaspoon tabasco sauce (more or less)
1/2 head of green cabbage, shredded
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or other spicy blend
2 bunches of fresh cilantro
1 bunch of fresh green onions, chopped
2 fresh tomatoes (diced)
Shredded cheddar cheese (optional)
Diced Avocados(optional)
Flour or corn tortillas

Take halibut and thaw in refer overnight. Rinse and cube the halibut into 2 inch sections, season with salt and saute with butter or olive oil over low heat. Halibut will flake when done, about 5 minutes.

Make Houli Sauce!!

Place Mayo in bowl and add the tabasco, cayenne, 1/2 of the cilantro and mix together.

Take warm tortillas (easy way to warm tortillas is to place 2 tortillas at a time in a damp hand towel and plac e in the microwave for 1 minute.) Take a tablespoon of the Houli Sauce & spread on the tortilla. Add sauteed halibut chunks, cabbage, cilantro, green onions, tomatoes, cheese & avocado, then squeeze a lime wedge over the top...you may want to add a splash of tabasco. Enjoy!!

This is the real thing...no farmed fish here...there is nothing in the world healthier for you than Wild Alaska Seafood.

Spanish Style Gazpacho

2008-03-12T18:03:00.000-07:00

This soup is served cold and can only be made in late summer to fall when the tomatoes are naturally ripe.

Ingredients:

8-12 tomatoes, fresh as you can get 'em
whole cucumber, preferably organic so you can leave the skin on
pepper, not too sweet, not too hot
couple cloves of garlic, pressed
bread, can be dry, doesn't have to be
olive oil
vinegar, red wine or apple cider
water
salt
your choice of garnishes: onion (green, red, white...), pepper (orange, red, green...),
croutons (a must), halved cherry tomatoes, cilantro, chunks of Spanish ham...
around an hour (to allow time for the soup to sit -- 20 minutes actual work time)

Serves 4

Cut up the tomatoes, cuke, pepper, & bread into chunks your blender can handle.
Put them in with the garlic, a generous glug of olive oil, a smaller dose of vinegar
& almost a teaspoon of salt (or as you like). I add water right away (I use around a
half cup) but usually blend in the bread last after the veggies are good & mixed up.
I don't use a lot of bread because in Spain it was such a mild ingredient we never
guessed it. I'm sure some of them didn't have any. Taste it & adjust seasonings,
thickness, etc.

Put it in the fridge & let it sit. It's best to let it sit for a whole day.

Serve with an offering of garnishes: diced onion of any color, pepper (of any color -
green for a nice accent), croutons (a must), halved cherry tomatoes or any fresh
tomatoes, whatever looks good. Bring those to the table in their own dishes, then
sprinkle them on the soup at your guests' pleasure.

Cream of Mushroom Soup

2008-03-12T17:55:00.000-07:00

Ingredients

5 cups sliced mushrooms
3 cups chicken broth
1/2 chopped onion
a few sprigs of fresh thyme (or 1/8 tsp dry)
3 tbsp butter
3 tbsp flour
1 cup half & half
2 tbsp sherry
salt & pepper to taste
about half an hour

Instructions

Sauté mushrooms in broth with onion & thyme until tender (about 15 minutes).

Pureé the mixture (carefully!), leaving chunks as you wish.

In a heavy pan, melt butter & whisk in flour until smooth (in other words, make roux).

Add half & half to roux & add that to the other pot full, along with pepper &/or salt as you wish. Stirring constantly, bring the mixture to a low boil until it thickens up.

Adjust seasonings, add sherry & serve it up with bread & a salad.

Serves 4.

Pork loin with red wine sauce

2008-02-18T12:16:00.000-08:00

3-4 lbs. pork loin, boned and tied securely
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. ground rosemary

GLAZE:

2 garlic cloves
1/2 tsp. salt
3 tbsp. molasses
1 tsp. freshly ground pepper

SAUCE:

1 c. apple cider vinegar
1 c. red wine (I use a Shiraz, but you could experiment here)
1/2 c. worcestershire sauce
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/4 lb. shallots, finely chopped
1 tbsp. allspice
3 tbsp. butter
2 tbsp. mustard powder
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Rub meat thoroughly with salt, pepper, and rosemary. Place pork on rack in roasting pan and sprinkle with garlic salt. Roast 20 minutes per pound or until internal temperature is 165 degrees, brushing twice with glaze. Let stand 5 minutes (internal temperature will increase to 170 degrees). Serve with sauce.

GLAZE: Finely chop garlic with salt. Mash with mortar and pestle to form a paste. Blend in molasses and pepper. (Can be made ahead. Cover and store at room temperature up to 8 hours.)

SAUCE: In heavy saucepan combine cider with wine and shallots and allspice over medium-low heat. Cook until liquid is reduced by half. Remove pork from roasting pan. Scrape pan of juice and browned bits. Pour into a 2 cup glass measure; discard fat. Add to cider mixture. Bring to a boil. Whisk in remaining ingredients and simmer about 2 minutes. Whisk in butter. Season with salt and pepper.

Banana nut bread

2008-02-18T10:40:00.000-08:00

INGREDIENTS:

* 1/3 cup shortening (may substitute 1/2 cup butter softened)
* 1/2 cup sugar
* 2 eggs
* 1 3/4 cups flour
* 1 tsp baking powder
* 1/2 tsp salt
* 1/2 tsp baking soda
* 1 cup mashed bananas
* 1/2 cup raisins or chopped dates
* 1/2 cup chopped pecans, optional

PREPARATION:
In a bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.

In a mixing bowl, combine mashed bananas and raisins, dates.

In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar together.

Beat in eggs; mix well. Mix in banana mixture. Stir in flour mixture and chopped pecans or walnuts. Spread batter in a greased and floured 9x5x3-inch loaf pan. Bake at 350° for about 55 to 60 minutes, or until a wooden pick or cake tester inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes; remove to rack to cool completely.

Candied Yams

2007-12-01T16:54:00.000-08:00

2 large sweet potatoes w/ the ends cut off and chopped into preferred chunks
2 tb butter
1 1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tp nutmeg
1 tp vanilla
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
salt to taste

Combine all ingredients except potatoes in large sauce pan over low heat. When liquefied, add potatoes and cover. Cook covered on low-medium flame until tender. Remove top and cook on low heat until mixture boils down. Add salt if too sweet.

Macaroni & Cheese

2007-12-01T16:45:00.000-08:00

2 tb butter
1/2 tp flour
1 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
cheese (cheddar & velveeta)
salt
onion powder
garlic powder
cumin
olive oil
bread crumbs
crumbled bacon

Prepare macaroni al dente, usually about 1/2 cooking time.

In sauce pan melt on low heat butter, stir in flour, add whipping cream and seasoning, finally add cheese.

In an oiled dish place drained macaroni. Pour sauce over macaroni. Stir in small chunks of cheddar and velveeta cheese. Top with crumbled bacon and bread crumbs. Cover and bake @ 375° F for 15-20 minutes.

Tangy Eye Round Steak

2007-12-01T16:44:00.001-08:00

2 (8 oz.) beef eye round steaks, cut 1 inch thick
Juice of 1 lime
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. ground coriander
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper

Combine lime juice, garlic, coriander, cumin, and pepper. Trim all visible fat and place beef eye round steaks in plastic bag. Pour marinade over steaks; turning to coat. Tie the bag. Refrigerate 30 minutes, turning once. Remove steaks from marinade. Heat medium size heavy frying pan over medium heat. Add steaks and pan broil, 4-5 minutes each side.

AlmondAsparagus

2007-12-01T16:43:00.000-08:00

2 1/2 lb. fresh asparagus spears
1/4 c. plus 1 tbsp. butter
1 1/2 c. slivered almonds, toasted
2 tbsp. plus 1 1/2 tsp. lemon juice
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper

Snap off tough ends of asparagus. Remove scales from stalks with a knife or vegetable peeler, if desired. Melt butter in a large skillet, add asparagus and saute 3-4 minutes. Cover skillet and simmer an additional 2 minutes or until asparagus is tender-crisp. Add remaining ingredients; toss gently.

Ginger Beer

2007-09-09T18:01:00.000-07:00

Jamaican Ginger Beer

* 1 pound whole fresh ginger
* 8 tablespoons of brown sugar
* 2 1/2 quarts water
* Crushed ice

Peel and chop ginger. Combine with water and puree in a blender. Let mixture sit (covered) at room temperature for 24 hours. Strain out solids and pulp, and stir in sugar until dissolved. Serve over crushed ice.

Lemon Ginger Beer

* 3/4 cup whole fresh ginger
* 3/4 cup honey
* 3/4 cup sugar
* 1/3 cup lemon juice
* 2 cups hot water
* 2 tbs lemon zest
* 4 cups sparkling water

Peel and chop ginger. In a blender or food processor, puree the ginger along with the hot water, honey, sugar and lemon juice. Let cool to room temperature, then refrigerate (covered) for at least 24 hours (or up to 5 days if you want it stronger). Strain, and serve mixed with sparkling water over ice.

Bruschetta

2007-09-02T20:46:00.000-07:00

Ingredients

6 or 7 ripe plum tomatoes (about 1 1/2 lbs)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
6-8 fresh basil leaves, chopped.
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 baguette French bread or similar Italian bread
1/4 cup olive oil

1. Prepare the tomatoes first. Parboil the tomatoes for one minute in boiling water that has just been removed from the burner. Drain. Using a sharp small knife, remove the skins of the tomatoes. (If the tomatoes are too hot, you can protect your finger tips by rubbing them with an ice cube between tomatoes.) Once the tomatoes are peeled, cut them in halves or quarters and remove the seeds and juice from their centers. Also cut out and discard the stem area. Why use plum tomatoes instead of regular tomatoes? The skins are much thicker and there are fewer seeds and less juice.

2. Make sure there is a top rack in place in your oven. Turn on the oven to 450°F to preheat.

3. While the oven is heating, chop up the tomatoes finely. Put tomatoes, garlic, 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil, vinegar in a bowl and mix. Add the chopped basil. Add salt and pepper to taste.

4. Slice the baguette on a diagonal about 1/2 inch thick slices. Coat one side of each slice with olive oil using a pastry brush. Place on a cooking sheet, olive oil side down. You will want to toast them in the top rack in your oven, so you may need to do these in batches depending on the size of your oven. Once the oven has reached 450°F, place a tray of bread slices in the oven on the top rack. Toast for 5-6 minutes, until the bread just begins to turn golden brown.

Alternatively, you can toast the bread without coating it in olive oil first. Toast on a griddle for 1 minute on each side. Take a sharp knife and score each slice 3 times. Rub some garlic in the slices and drizzle half a teaspoon of olive oil on each slice. This is the more traditional method of making bruschetta.

5. Align the bread on a serving platter, olive oil side up. Either place the tomato topping in a bowl separately with a spoon for people to serve themselves over the bread, or place some topping on each slice of bread and serve. If you top each slice with the tomatoes, do it right before serving or the bread may get soggy.

Makes 24 small slices. Serves 6-10 as an appetizer. Or 3-4 for lunch (delicious served with cottage cheese on the side.)

Cocktail Sauce

2007-09-02T20:44:00.001-07:00

Ingredients

* 1 c of ketchup
* 1 pich of pepper
* 1-2 tbspn of horseradish
* 1 tbspn of lemon juice
* 1/2 tspn of worcestershire sauce

Directions

1. Using a resealable container mix all your ingredients and chill.
2. When shrimp is ready take out and start dipping.

Curried Alaskan Salmon

2007-06-15T10:36:00.001-07:00

25 Minute Meal

1 can (14.5 oz.) diced tomatoes
1 small can (5.75 oz.) low-fat or fat-free evaporated milk
1 to 1-1/2 Tablespoons curry powder
1/4 teaspoon each ground ginger, salt, coriander, and sugar
Dash ground cinnamon
1 cup frozen vegetables (such as peas, peas and carrots, potato dices, etc.)
1 can (14.75 oz.) or 2 cans (7.5 oz. each) traditional pack Alaska salmon OR 2 cans or pouches (6 to 7.1 oz. each) skinless, boneless salmon, drained and chunked
3 cups cooked rice, kept warm

In saucepan, blend tomatoes, evaporated milk, curry powder, ginger, salt, coriander, sugar, and cinnamon. Cook over medium heat just until sauce begins to bubble. Stir in frozen vegetables and continue cooking 5 minutes. Stir in salmon and heat thoroughly. Serve curried salmon over rice.

Makes 2 to 4 servings.

Nutrients per serving: 562 calories, 9g total fat, 2g saturated fat, 15% calories from fat, 79mg cholesterol, 41g protein, 76g carbohydrate, 5g fiber, 1,288mg sodium, 550mg calcium and 2.4g omega-3 fatty acids.

Tangy Sweet and Sour Pork Shoulder Steak Bake

2007-06-07T20:37:00.000-07:00

Time to make 2 hours 30 min prep

4 lbs pork shoulder steaks (about 1-inch thick)
seasoning salt
black pepper
vegetable oil, as needed
2 medium onions, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh minced garlic (or to taste)
1/2 pkg. button mushrooms rinsed and sliced
1 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes, to taste add in if you like heat
1 cup jerk marinade
1/4 cup ketchup
2/3 cup honey or syrup
1/2 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup worcestershire sauce, plus
2 tablespoons worcestershire sauce
2 fresh lemons, juice of
2 tablespoons mustard powder (can use a little more)
2-3 teaspoons bottled horseradish sauce

1. Set oven to 350 degrees.
2. Grease a 13 x 9-inch baking dish.
3. Season the steaks with seasoning salt or white salt and pepper.
4. Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat then brown the pork steaks on both sides (about 5-6 minutes per side, make certain to brown well on each side!).
5. Transfer the steaks to the prepared baking dish (cut them if needed to fit in the dish).
6. Top the steaks with green bell pepper slices.
7. In a medium saucepan add in about 4 tablespoons oil (or more) and saute the onions, garlic and dryed pepper flakes for about 4 minutes or until soft.
8. Add in the jerk marinade, ketchup, honey, cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, juice from 2 lemons, dry mustard powder and horseradish; mix to combine and simmer for 25-30 minutes, adjusting ingredients to taste and seasoning with black pepper (do not add in salt as the steaks already have salt on them, add in salt if needed when cooking in the oven).
9. Pour the sauce over the browned pork steaks in the baking dish.
10. Cover tightly with heavy foil.
11. Bake for 1 hour.
12. Uncover and season sauce with salt if desired and turn the steaks over with long tongs.
13. Place back in the over uncovered until tender about 20-30 minutes longer or until the pork is tender.
14. Skim off any fat from the top of the sauce.

Baked Pollock

2007-06-04T09:06:00.000-07:00

1 1/2 lbs. pollock
3/4 c. sour cream
1/2 c. Parmesan cheese
1/4 c. melted butter
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper

Place 1 1/2 pollock fillets in greased baking dish. Spread on fillets the mixture of sour cream, Parmesan cheese, melted butter, salt and pepper. Bake uncovered 30 minutes at 350 degrees.

Winter Spinach Potato Casserole

2006-10-24T15:24:00.000-07:00

Current research suggests that the lutein in spinach actually helps prevent cataracts and can both prevent and even improve macular degeneration.

INGREDIENTS

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 onions, cut into wedges
1 pound potatoes, sliced very thinly
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme or parsley
2 cups fresh spinach, tough stems removed
4 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup mozzarella or cheddar cheese, shredded
salt and freshly-grated black pepper, to taste

1. Preheat oven to 400F. Heat oil in a stovetop-to-ovenproof casserole dish. Add onions, potatoes, garlic, and herbs and saute for 5 minutes, stirring until the vegetables are well coated with oil and the potatoes are beginning to turn golden.

2. Place casserole in preheated oven and bake for 25 minutes, then remove, stirring in the spinach and eggs. Sprinkle the top with cheese and return the dish to the oven. Bake 10 minutes, or until the eggs are set. Serve hot.

Serves 4.

Blackened Whitefish

2006-10-02T09:41:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:

1 package of whitefish (about 6 filets)
cajun seasoning
garlic salt
1/3 cup butter
1/4 cup olive oil

Thaw fish and rinse. Rub in cajun seasoning and garlic salt. Let sit for ten minutes.
Add olive oil and butter to skillet, flame on high. Fry each filet for 3 minutes on each side. Serve.

Caribbean Rice

2006-10-02T09:38:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:

1 cup basmati rice
1/2 cup shredded coconut
1/2 cup raisins
1 cup shredded carrots
2 1/2 tbs butter
salt to taste

Prepare rice according to package directions. Turn off heat just before rice is done. Add remaining ingredients. Let steam for five minutes and serve.

Chicken and mango

2006-07-04T14:24:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:

3 chicken breasts, cut into strips
1 mango, peeled and chopped
olive oil
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp ground cloves
2 Tbs ground ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
soy sauce
sea salt

Combine oil and garlic in frying pan and simmer for 10 minutes. Add chicken strips and simmer until cooked all the way through. In separate bowl, combine mango, brown sugar, ginger and cloves. Add mixture to chicken, covering meat. Simmer for 12 minutes. Add 2 splashes of soy sauce and salt to taste. Serve over rice. Enjoy!

Black beans with banana and brown rice

2006-07-04T14:19:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:

1 can black beans
1 Tbs red wine vinegar
1/2 banana
1 tsp crushed red pepper
salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients and simmer over low heat for 15 minutes. Serve over brown rice. Enjoy!

Tilapia with tomato & red pepper

2006-07-04T14:04:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:

5 tilapia filets
1/2 medium tomato, diced
1/4 medium red bell pepper, diced
1 Tbs basil
Sea salt
Garlic salt
1/3 cup wheat cracker crumbs
1/4 cup fresh mozarella
Olive oil

In shallow baking dish, pour enough olive oil to coat the bottom. Lay tilapia filets in single layer. Season fish lightly with garlic salt and sea salt. Mix red bell pepper and tomatoes. Layer the mixture over the tilapia. Sprinkle basil and wheat cracker crumbs over the fish. Sprinkle mozarella over the fish. Set in oven at 400 degrees fahrenheit. Bake for 12 minutes. Enjoy!

Chicken & Spinach

2006-06-11T16:46:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:

4 chicken breasts, skinned and deboned
1 bag fresh spinach, well washed and picked of stems,chopped
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 medium onion, chopped
1 Tbs. minced garlic, chopped
1 Tbs. curry powder
1/4 tsp. Cayenne
Salt to taste
1/2 pint whipping cream

1. Poach the chicken until cooked through--about 30 minutes. Remove the chicken and dice into large chunks.
2. In the same boiling water, poach the spinach for two minutes and strain out. Drain the spinach well, then chop fine. (A food processor works well, but stop before it purees the spinach!)
3. Heat the butter in a large saucepan and in it saute the onion and garlic until they're translucent. Add the spinach, curry powder, cayenne, and salt and saute for about two minutes. Add the whipping cream and cook, stirring, until it's well blended to form a sauce.
4. Add the chicken to the sauce. Serve with basmati rice on the side.

Jerk Chicken

2006-06-06T06:44:00.000-07:00

The marinade:

1 C vegetable oil
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
2 green onions (scallions), chopped
2 Scotch Bonnet (habanero)peppers, stemmed, seeded and minced (or jalapeno peppers)
2 T fresh ginger, grated
2 T chopped fresh thyme
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 C red wine vinegar
2 T brown sugar
1 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/8 tsp. ground cloves
2 tsp. allspice
2 T fresh lime juice
4 tb Soy sauce
4 tb Dark rum

Mix all ingredients. Marinade meat for 2 hours before grilling.

Jerk Sauce:

Play with everything but the oil to your taste.

Orange Chicken

2006-02-25T19:52:00.000-08:00

* 3 to 4 chicken breasts, cubed
* sea salt and black pepper
* 1/4 cup olive oil
* 1 orange, juiced and finely chopped
* 1/4 cup honey
* 2 tablespoons soy sauce
* 2 tablespoons firmly packed brown sugar
* 2 teaspoons ground ginger
* 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
* dash hot pepper sauce
* 1/2 teaspoon red pepper
* 1/2 cup scallions
* 1/4 cup dijon mustard
* 1 tablespoon crushed garlic
* 1/4 teaspoon rosemary

Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a wok. Add garlic and 1 teaspoon ginger. Simmer until aromatic. Add chicken and stir fry until done. Add 1/2 orange, finely chopped. Simmer for 5-10 minutes. Drain off excess oil.

Combine remaining ingredients except for rosemary. Pour over the chicken. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Add rosemary and simmer, uncovered, 10 to 15 minutes longer or until chicken is tender. Serve with rice and a green vegetable.
Serves 4.

German Chocolate Cake

2006-02-11T10:30:00.000-08:00

Decadently rich!

Apple Cobbler

2006-02-11T10:29:00.000-08:00

With French Vanilla Ice Cream - oh my goodness!

Oxtail Stew

2006-02-11T10:28:00.000-08:00

A childhood favorite!

The Shawnee Marina Reuben Sandwich

2006-02-11T10:27:00.001-08:00

Delicious!

2 slices wide-cut deli rye bread
3 slices deli pastrami (thinly sliced, roughly chopped)
3 slices deli corned beef (thinly sliced, roughly chopped)
1 slice alpine lace swiss cheese (medium thickness)
1 1/2 slices jalapeno jack cheese (thinly sliced)
2/3 cup vlassic sauerkraut, drained
1/8 teaspoon celery salt
1 ounce thousand island dressing
1/2 ounce horseradish sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons butter, melted
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 sweet gherkins (garnish)
2 orange slices (unpeeled and thinly sliced for garnish)

1 servings 1 sandwich

35 minutes 15 mins prep

1. Brush the melted butter on all four sides of the bread. In a large pan or skillet, brown two sides of the bread over medium heat and set aside.
2. Add 1/2 of the celery salt to the thousand island dressing and taste. If you like more, add the rest. Set aside.
3. In the same pan over medium heat, add the olive oil and sautee the pastrami, the corned beef and, the sauerkraut without mixing them with each other. At the end of 3 minutes, put the meat and kraut on a plate and set aside.
4. Over low heat, put an unbrowned (buttered) bread side down in the pan. Layer on the corned beef, pastrami, kraut, Alpine Lace cheese (Alpine Lace is a very mild, wide Swiss Cheese -- substitute Baby Swiss if you can't find it at the grocery), and jalapeno cheese. (Since the jalapeno cheese usually comes in small square slices, that's why you need 1 1/2 slices. The Alpine Lace should be roughly the same width of the bread).
5. On the remaining slice of bread, on the browned side, spread the horseradish sauce. Drizzle the thousand island dressing directly on the sandwich and place the horseradish side of the bread DOWN as to mix with the dressing.
6. As soon as the bottom of the sandwich browns, carefully flip it over and brown the final side.
7. When the bottom of the sandwich is browned, plate it up and cut it in half, on the diagonal. Garnish the plate with the gherkins and the orange slices.

Corn Bread

2006-02-11T10:27:00.000-08:00

I must warn you - I peed in it!

Lasagna

2006-02-11T10:26:00.000-08:00

Not that blaise stuff - this is a rich recipe guaranteed to load on the calories!

Gumbo with Okra

2006-02-11T10:25:00.000-08:00

This is a crockpot recipe but can be done in a regular pot as well. This ain't no famous Louisiana Gumbo, but an amalgamation of tastes imported from New Orleans, Athens and Colombus, Georgia, the Gullah Islands and Chicago. You've got to play with the amounts to figure out how many you're cooking for.

FOR THE STOCK:

You've got a couple of options. Remember though, you can be creative.

1) When I'm pressed for time, I use a 32oz. box of chicken stock.
2) Another shortcut is to use bullion cubes (1 cube per cup of water).
3) Yet another option is to use this recipe found at
(http://www.gumbopages.com/food/gumbo.html):

* 8 quarts cold water
* 8-10 pounds chicken parts (backs, necks, etc.) and bones, or a whole chicken, cut up and skillet-browned
* Shrimp shells and heads, reserved from the 4 pounds of shrimp that have been peeled for the final step of the gumbo (the heads are very important!)
* 8 ounces onions, chopped
* 4 ounces celery with tops, chopped
* 4 ounces carrots, chopped
* 2 heads garlic, cut in half horizontally
* Sachet d'épices: In a small cheesecloth bag or tea ball, place:
o 1 teaspoon or so black peppercorns, cracked
o A few parsley stems
o 1 bayleaf
o 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
o 1/2 teaspoon dried tarragon leaves
o 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
o 1/2 teaspoon dried basil leaves

(If at all possible, please try to get shrimp with the heads on. Shrimp heads impart a wonderful flavor to the stock, and it just ain't the same as a real New Orleans gumbo without them. Do whatever you have to do. In many cities you'll have better luck at Asian seafood markets.)

Remove the skin from the chicken and chop into 3-4 inch pieces, making sure to cut through and expose the bones. Brown the chicken parts and bones in a skillit with oil, or in a 350°F oven for about 20 minutes.

Put the chicken in the stockpot with the water and bring slowly to a simmer. Periodically skim off any scum that forms, and if you wish use a skimmer to skim off the fat. (This stock simmering process makes your house smell REALLY good!) Let this simmer for at least three, and preferably four hours. It is this long simmering process that extracts the maximum flavor from the chicken meat and bones, as well as the natural gelatin from the bones. When refrigerated, a good chicken stock will be clear and gelatinous (and in fact will set like Jello when refrigerated, if you've done it properly).

Add the onion, garlic, carrots and celery. Place the peppercorns, parsley sprigs and dried herbs into a 4-inch square piece of cheesecloth or large tea ball (making what's called a sachet d'epices) and tie it into a little sack; add the sack to the stock (you can tie the sack closed with some twine and tie the long end of the twine to the handle of the pot; this makes the bag easier to retrieve.) Simmer for one more hour, then add the shrimp shells and heads. Simmer an additional 30 minutes.

Remember that during the simmering process, it's best not to stir the stock. The end result will be much clearer if it is not agitated while simmering.

Strain thoroughly; the best way to do this is to ladle the stock out and pour it through a strainer which has been lined with a couple of layers of damp cheesecloth. If you're using the stock immediately, skim off as much fat as you can with a fat skimmer or a piece of paper towel, otherwise cool the stock right away by placing the container into an ice-water-filled sink, stirring to bring the hot liquid from the center to the sides of the container. Don't just put hot stock in the refrigerator; it won't cool enough to prevent possible multiplication of harmful bacteria. (A neat trick I learned recently -- fill Ziploc freezer bags with water and freeze them, then place the bags of ice into the stock; this will cool the stock without diluting it!) To defat the stock easily, refrigerate so that the fat solidifies on the surface, then skim off.

Makes about 5 quarts of stock.

(Except for the shrimp shells, this is an excellent general-purpose chicken stock. The shells and heads are added at the last minute for the additional seafood flavor for that I like especially for this dish; for general use, though, it's best to make separate chicken or fish stocks. The stock will keep for a few days in the refrigerator or 6 months in the freezer.)

FOR THE ROUX:

* 1 cup flour
* 1/2 cup oil

Blend thoroughly in a thick skillet and cook over medium-high to high heat, stirring CONSTANTLY. BE VERY CAREFUL NOT TO BURN IT!! If you see black specks in the roux, you've screwed it up. Dump it out and start over. Keep cooking and stirring until the roux gets darker and darker. It's best to use a very heavy bot or skillet for roux-making, especially cast iron. With a good cast iron Dutch oven or skillet, you can get a beautiful dark roux in only about 20 minutes.

New Orleans people tend to like a blond or peanut butter colored roux. Cajuns tend to like it dark, if you feel comfortable that you won't burn the roux, cook it until it's a dark, reddish-brown, almost but not quite as dark as milk chocolate. The roux, when finished, almost smells like roasted coffee ... yum!

If you prefer a blond or medium roux, cut down on the amount of roux you use; dark roux does not have as much thickening effect since the starch is so thoroughy cooked.

You should turn the fire down or off as the roux nears the right color, because the heat from the pan will continue cooking it. You can also add your onions, bell peppers and celery to the roux as it's near the end of cooking to arrest the cooking process and to soften the vegetables (this is the way I like to do it). KEEP STIRRING until the roux is relatively cool. Add the roux to the stock.

They don't call roux "Cajun napalm" for nothing. Don't let any splatter on you, or you'll get a nasty burn. Stir carefully.

If you don't have a heavy enough pan, or if you're nervous about cooking roux at high heat, remember that a dark Cajun-style roux will take about an hour of constant stirring at low heat, so if you're pressed for time, a nice blond Creole-style roux will still do nicely, and will take about half the time. Also remember that the roux can be prepared in advance, and refrigerated or frozen. With a little practice, you'll get good at it.

FOR THE REST:

* 2 chicken breasts, chopped
* 1 to 1-1/2 pounds andouillesausage, sliced about 1/4" thick on the bias (you may substitute hot or mild smoked sausage if good andouille isn't available) and/or fresh Creole hot sausage, browned
* 2 pounds shrimp, peeled and deveined
* 1-1/2 pounds lump white crabmeat, picked over for shells and cartilage
* 1 pound okra, sliced
* 2 onions, chopped
* 3 sprigs of green onions with tops, chopped
* 1 bell pepper, chopped
* 3 ribs celery, chopped
* 1-2 tablespoons garlic, minced
* 2 bay leaves
* fresh parsley, chopped
* Creole seasoning to taste, OR
o black, white and cayenne peppers, to taste
* Sea salt to taste
* Few dashes Tabasco, or to taste.
* 1 cup of hot salsa or 3 diced roma tomatoes
* 1 teaspoon worcestershire sauce
* Steaming hot Louisiana long-grain rice

Sprinkle the chicken pieces with Creole seasoning and brown in skillet. Slice the sausage and brown, pouring off all the fat (especially if you're using fresh Creole hot sausage).

Sauté the onions, green onions, bell pepper and celery if you haven't already added them to the roux, and add to the stock. Add the chicken and sausage(s). Add the bay leaves and Creole seasoning (or ground peppers) to taste and stir. Set crockpot on high. Let cook for 35 minutes. Keep tasting and adjusting seasonings as needed.

Add the okra and cook another 30 minutes or so. Make sure that the "ropiness" or "stringiness" from the okra is gone, add the parsley. Cook for another 15 minutes, then add the salsa, the shrimp and the lump crabmeat. Give it another 6-8 minutes or so, until the shrimp are just done, turning pink. Be very careful not to overcook the shrimp; adding the shrimp should be the very last step.

If there is any fat on the surface of the gumbo, try to skim off as much of it as possible.

Serve generous amounts in bowls over about 1/2 cup of hot rice. Remember that the rice goes in the bowl first, and it is not an optional step, despite the trend among some New Orleans restaurants to serve a riceless gumbo.

You may, if you like, sprinkle a small amount of gumbo filé in your individual serving for a little more flavor; just remember that if you're making a filé gumbo, it should be added to the pot off the fire for its proper thickening action.

Liver & Onions

2006-02-11T10:24:00.000-08:00

With sauteed mushrooms. Great wth Mashed potatoes and your choice of vegetable.