Friday, September 20, 2019

Philly Roast Pork Sandwich meets St.Louis


1 Boneless Pork Butt Roast
2 cups of Chicken Broth
1 cup White wine
Rosemary
Bay Leaves
Thyme
Oregano
Fennel seeds
Red Pepper Flakes
Peppercinis
Garlic Cloves
Black Pepper
Garlic Salt
Toasted Garlic Cheese Hoagie Rolls

Mustard Greens, Broccoli Raabe or Spinach
Garlic
Salt
Red Pepper Flakes

Provel cheese or Munchie cheese

Roast at 275 degrees to 180 degrees, about 35-40 minutes per pound internally. Chill overnight, slice very thin. Also, chill broth overnight. Skim fat the reheat pork in au jus broth.

Bring salted water to a boil, drop in trimmed and stem split broccoli raab, cook till the thickest stalk is tender then drain. Add olive oil to a skillet, garlic, red pepper flakes, saute, add broccoli raab, cook about 10 minutes then add salt, continue cooking until very tender up to 20 minutes, remove from heat.

Serve on toasted garlic hoagie rolls with broccoli rabe, pepperoncini's, and Provel or munchie cheese, preferably Provel (or pickles, pepperoncini, and slivered red onions if no sauteed veggies are on hand) You can just make cheese garlic bread with butter, a light dusting of garlic salt and Provel cheese.

Wednesday, September 11, 2019

Kentucky Legend Ham baked with a brown sugar coffee glaze

Kentucky Legend double-smoked hickory hams are consistently delicious, juicy and easy to prepare. This one is served with ham gravy to top your meat, rice of for sopping up with rolls or biscuits. The gravy is salty, sweet, bitter, sour and umami with the addition of smokey profile, this is perfectly balanced for each and every taste bud.



1 whole Kentucky Legend double-smoked hickory ham (about 7-8 pounds)
1 6 oz can dole pineapple juice (the mini can)
1 cup loose dark brown sugar
1-2 tablespoons honey mustard dipping sauce
16 whole cloves
3/4 - 1 cup freshly brewed coffee (depending on your taste)



Place unwrapped ham in a small oven roasting pan, score the ham along the thin guidelines in a criss-cross pattern. Rub the exterior of ham with honey mustard, stud with cloves, pack brown sugar on the top and sides of ham, pour pineapple juice into the bottom of the roasting pan. Cover and cook at 325 degrees, basting occasionally until the ham reaches between 135-140 degrees. Use a recently calibrated meat thermometer. Allow ham to rest for about 15-20 minutes. Meanwhile, remove accumulated juices to a saucepan, add coffee to taste, then thicken using a corn starch slurry brought to a boil while whisking. Slice ham and serve. 

https://kentuckylegend.com/where-to-buy/state/

Thursday, August 8, 2019

Family Size Easy Peach Cobbler


2 29 oz cans cling peaches in heavy syrup
1 stick butter
1/2 cup sugar
2 tbsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp almond extract
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups yellow cake mix (half the package)
1 cup cold milk


In a rectangle pan melt butter in a 350 oven.

Mix cake mix and milk to form a batter.
Remove pan from oven and pour batter over butter evenly (you can use a rubber spatula to push the batter around but do NOT mix together)

Place peaches with syrup into a saucepan, add sugar and heat till it bubbles. Add the cinnamon, nutmeg, almond, and vanilla extracts, stir to incorporate.


Spoon hot peaches over batter, gently pour syrup over peaches evenly (again do not mix).

Place in a 350 oven for 30 minutes, turn heat up to 400 for an additional 15. Cool and serve with vanilla ice cream.

Wednesday, August 7, 2019

Homemade Beef Stock: Oven Roasted and Instapot Brewed



2 1/2 to 4 pounds beef bones such as shank, or for a richer broth add an oxtail. 
3 large carrots peeled and chopped rough
4 stalks celery, washed and chopped rough
1 medium onion, peeled and chopped rough
1 tablespoon tomato paste or 1 tomato deseeded and chopped
1 handful fresh parsley 
3 sprigs fresh thyme or 1/2 tsp
5 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
5 cloves of clove or 1/8 tsp ground
1/2 teaspoon peppercorns or 1/8 tsp ground
1/2 teaspoon whole allspice or 1/8 tsp ground
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp sea salt

Place beef shanks in non-stick pan single layer and add chopped carrots and celery. Place pan in 450 oven turning occasionally and stirring veggies. Once bones are a deep mahogany and vegetable caramelization is well underway, add chopped onion, stir and cook another 10 minutes. Do not add onion before this point or it will become bitter.

Turn meat and stir vegetables occasionally.

Once the bones, meat, and veggies are deep mahogany your roasting is done.

Add pan ingredients and seasonings to your Instapot and pour in fresh water to 2/3 fill.
Deglaze the pan with a splash of white wine and or water, scraping up browned bits as you go, pour into Instapot with other ingredients.
Bring everything to a boil using the saute setting with the lid off. Skim any scummy foam that floats to the top. 
Seal Instapot and set for one hour of pressure cooking. 
Place a fine-mesh strainer over a soup pot, line with cheesecloth and pour Istapot contents through the setup.
Remove any bones or meat to a separate bowl. Use the back of a large serving spoon to squish all of the flavors out of the veggies. 

Refrigerate the pot of liquid overnight and in the morning skim off the fat and discard. You can now divide up the stock and freeze, or use right away for French Onion Soup or other purposes. 

Note*
Discard bones and find another purpose for meat scraps.

Tuesday, August 6, 2019

Chicken Piccata


2-3 large skinless, boneless chicken breasts, sliced in half lengthwise, pounded thin between plastic wrap.
Sea Salt
Black Pepper
½ cup all-purpose flour
3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
4 garlic cloves, peeled, smashed and minced
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup chicken stock
1 Tbsp. drained, rinsed, coarsely chopped capers
4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into pieces
2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
2 Tbsp Chopped flat-leaf parsley
1/8 cup starchy pasta water reserved

Serve over 
Angel hair or spaghetti pasta tossed with butter and a little parmesan and lemon wedges 

Slice chicken breasts in half lengthwise, pound each piece between films of plastic wrap about a half-inch thick. Season with sea salt and pepper. Using a shallow pie pan add flour and dredge each cutlet shaking off excess.

Heat 2 Tbsp. oil over medium-high in a large skillet. Add a pat of butter once hot then add and brown cutlets, about 2 minutes the first side and about 1 minute on the other side in batches, then remove to a platter, cover loosely to keep warm.

Add garlic 1 Tbsp. oil and 1 tbsp butter to the skillet and cook, stirring often and reducing heat if needed to keep the garlic from burning until golden brown, about 2 minutes add parsley and stir.

Add wine,, and capers and cook, scraping up browned bits attached to the bottom of skillet until liquid is reduced almost completely 3-4 minutes.

Add ½ cup chicken stock,  and lemon juice followed by starch water, bring to a simmer then add butter. Whisk the sauce gently until butter dissolves about a minute or so.

Return chicken to the pan and simmer until chicken it is cooked through and the sauce has thickened about 2-3 minutes. Place chicken cutlets alongside a pile of angel hair or spaghetti pasta dressed with butter and parmesan. Pour sauce over both.  Serve with lemon wedges.

Saturday, August 3, 2019

Oven Roasted Rack of Lamb with Garlic Herbs and Sauce


1 Tbsp Rosemary, minced
2 Tbsp Garlic, minced
1 Tbsp Parsley, chopped fine
Cracked black pepper
Montreal Steak Seasoning
Olive Oil
3-4 Tbsp Demi-Glace or rich brown gravy 
1 shallot minced and reserved for sauce
1/4 cup dry white vermouth

Mix all other spices, herbs, and oil together forming a paste, then coat with lamb and bake at 425 for 12 minutes,  drizzle demi-glace over lamb and garlic herbs then broil for 8 additional minutes on the second shelf. Check frequently, do not burn your garlic and or herbs. Remove from oven and allow to rest for 10 minutes, slice chops apart and arrange on a platter. 

Add minced shallots to pan, saute 1minute then deglaze with a little dry white vermouth and reduce. Pour over chops you arranged on the platter and serve. 

Monday, July 29, 2019

Crock Pot Chili 3 meat




1/2 pound Chorizo Sausage
1 1/2 pounds 80% lean Ground Pork
2 pound 80% lean Ground Beef
1 Large size Williams Original Salt-Free Chili Seasoning for 4 pounds meat
1/2 tsp Slap ya mamma seasoning
3 tbsp of sugar
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 Green Pepper diced
1 Large Onion diced
6 cloves garlic smashed, peeled and minced
2 cans Hunts seasoned diced tomatoes in sauce for medium chili
3 4oz cans Hatch diced green chilis mild
1 Tallboy can of light-colored beer.



Brown all meat in the same pot, strain reserving grease on the side. Dump meat in 8-quart crockpot. Dice green pepper and onions, add to saute pot with 3 tablespoons reserved meat grease. When soft add minced garlic and cook for a few more minutes season lightly with salt and pepper and transfer to crockpot. Stir in all seasonings and mix well. Add canned tomatoes, and diced green chilis, stir to distribute, pour in beer and stir well. Cover and cook on high for?

For Beans
Add-in for the last hour, 1 can of rinsed and drained dark red kidney beans with 1 can rinsed and drained black beans and 1 undrained canned chili beans in sauce. Or heat beans and serve under the chili in a bowl.

For a hotter chili add diced jalapeno into the sauteed veggies.

Serving suggestion - with hot dogs, corn chips, shredded cheddar, diced onions, and slaw.



Friday, July 19, 2019

Pork Roast Crockpot Version


3-pound pork roast
5 whole cloves garlic
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 small bit of fresh rosemary (be conservative)
2 bay leaves
fresh cracked black pepper
2 cups beef stock
1 small onion
1/8 cup dry Marsala wine or 1/4 cup other dry good red drinking wine.
3 tablespoons quick-dissolving flour, set aside for thickening
or 1 package Better than Gravy beef gravy packet.

Sear roast on all side in skillet treated with a small amount of butter/oil combo. Salt and pepper on all sides, transfer to crockpot.
Cut the hard top of garlic clove off, lay clove on cutting board, place the flat side of the kitchen knife on top of the clove and smack knife with the palm of your hand smashing the clove, peel of the skin and toss all cloves into the hot pan to saute. slice the onion in half and saute on one side. transfer garlic and cloves to crock.



Deglaze hot pan with wine and cook one minute, add beef stock and kitchen bouquet, heat to a low bubble.








Pour over roast in crock add herbs, cover and cook on low for 5.25 hours.







Remove one-third cup of broth two a glass measuring cup, allow to cool slightly, stir in quick dissolving flour using a whisk, or, 1 packet Better Than Gravy mix.
 or

Pour back into crock while stirring gently (do not break the roast) incorporate with the rest of the broth, cover and continue cooking for 45 minutes.

Tips:
8 oz fresh sliced mushrooms (optional) or 1 can
Add room temperature chopped celery carrots and potatoes to the crock if desired halfway through cooking time
Serve with rice, mashed potatoes or dressing.

Crock Pot Chicken and Dressing

4-6 Chicken Thighs
1 Can cream of Chicken and Mushroom Soup
2 Cups Chicken Broth
1-2 Bay Leaves
1/2 Teaspoon Poultry Seasoning
1/4 Teaspoon Black Pepper
1/4 Teaspoon Garlic Powder
1 Teaspoon Onion Powder
1/4 Teaspoon Lawrey's Seasoning (do not over salt/the soup and broth has salt)
Sliced Mushrooms.



Sear thawed chicken thighs in butter/oil-treated pan, just till browned on each side but not cooked. Add Chicken to crockpot, whisk together broth and soup in the hot chicken pan add seasoning and heat to a bubble, pour over chicken. Return pan to the stove and add remainder of butter, celery, onion, and mushrooms, cook till clear, add herbs and cook for another minute and soft, transfer to crockpot. Cover and let cook on low for 4 1/2 hours. Remove two ladles of sauce, add two tablespoons quick-dissolving flour
and whisk till smooth, return this sauce to crockpot and stir to incorporate with all broth. Cover and allow to cook another 30 minutes.

For a true dump version, skip the searing, use canned mushrooms and all dried herbs and spices. Just place everybody in the pool (crock) and turn onto low.

Serve over Dressing

Place in large bowl
4-6 cups prepared cornbread crumbled or dried pieces of bread of your choice
1/2 Jimmy Deans fresh sausage, Sage if possible or mild, crumbled and browned

Sautee together:
Diced Onion
Diced Celery

When soft add
Minced Fresh Parsley, Sage, a pinch of Rosemary and Thyme, saute 1 minute.

Season with:
Onion Powder
Garlic Powder
Black Pepper
Dry Poultry seasoning

Whip together:
2 Eggs
1/2-3/4 cup chicken broth

Toss all ingredients together in mixing bowl, pour broth egg mixture over dry ingredients, mix, then transfer to a buttered baking dish. Bake at 350 for 40-45 minutes or till golden on top.

Tip, you can make the dressing the night before, just do not add the egg and broth until right before baking. You can also make and freeze dressing kits. Or use a boxed stuffing if you are feeling blasphemous.





Saturday, July 6, 2019

Poached Eggs


Poached eggs are not at all complicated and much easier than most people realize. 

Bring a pan of water to a gentle boil then knock it down to a gentle simmer.

Remove two eggs from the refrigerator and crack into a small bowl.

Stir simmering water in a circular motion to create a whirlpool, pour eggs into the center of the whirlpool. 

You will see the whites wrap around themselves and form a nice egg. Don't worry about how to separate the eggs as they remain separate naturally. 

Cook for 2 minutes, remove with a slotted spoon. 

Tips:
Leave the eggs in the refrigerator until right before you add them to the whirlpool, a cold egg holds it's structure better.
Do not boil the eggs, cook on a very gentle simmer.

Sunday, February 10, 2019

Spicy Italian Meatballs


1 lb Hot, Medium, or Mild Italian Sausage, your preference
2 lbs 8/20 Ground Beef
1 lb Ground Pork
1 Bunch Italian Flat Leaf Parsley, Very Finely Minced
2 Tbsp Dried Basil or Very Finely Minced Fresh
2 Tsp Dried Oregano
5 LG Cloves Garlic Very Finely Minced (about 3-4 tablespoons)
1/3 Onion, Very Finely Minced
2-3 Tablespoons Fennel Seeds
1 Tbsp Onion Powder
1/2 Tbsp Garlic Powder
1 tsp Himalayan Pink Salt
10 turns of Fresh Cracked Pepper
3/4 Cup Fine and Snowy Parmigiano Reggiano
1/2 Cup Corn Flake Crumbs
3 Eggs, beaten

Optional items
1/2 Tablespoon Red Pepper Flakes (Depending on your choice of sausage); I use hot sausage and red pepper flakes. Spicy!

In a large mixing bowl, break up ground beef and sausage with fingers very gently; add ground pork, parsley, garlic, onion, fennel, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper, Parmigiano Reggiano, and cornflakes. Using a large salad fork *rake and toss (hold the fork upright, not flat/ do not mash mixture) ingredients together, being careful not to mash. After the ingredients are well incorporated, add eggs and repeat the gentle raking and tossing until all of the egg is absorbed.

Gently roll into balls using a large melon scoop to measure for uniform size; for giant meatballs, use a small ice cream scoop. Bake at 400 for 15 minutes for smaller meatballs and 350 for 20-25 for extra large meatballs. Cool and freeze or add to sauce or dishes.

*Rake and Toss the ground meat instead of aggressively mashing with your hands; this keeps the meatballs tender. If you mash ground meats, you make them tough and unpleasant. There is both technique and ingredients to a good meatball.