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.

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.

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.

Classic Wing Sauce

3/4 cup Franks hot sauce

1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 

8 tablespoons butter 

 

Additions to taste

Black Pepper

Garlic Powder

Cayenne Pepper

Combine, Franks Hot Sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and your choice of additions in a saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Pull the sauce from the heat* and add cold sliced butter about a tablespoon at a time, stirring to incoorperate. 

For spicier, add cayenne pepper. 

*Note, you pull the sauce from the heat before adding the butter so the sauce doesn't separate.

Kentucky Fried Chicken at Home, Close as you will ever get.

In 1964, Colonel Sanders sold his chicken franchise to John Y. Brown, Jr, Jack C. Massey, Pete Harmon, and investors Lee Cummings and Harlan Adams, who in turn sold it to Pepsico, who in turn spun it off into Yum brands. I am not going to go into the entire history of the changing of the guard that brings us to today's KFC, you can read about it here: WikiPedia, HistoryofKFC. My only concern is a 1984 lawsuit between KFC Corp and Marion Kay Co,. Inc. You see Harlan Sanders was still operating restaurants up in Canada and felt the seasonings had been watered down, so to speak. He turned to an Indiana company, Marion Kay to reverse mix his seasoning blend. He was not able to tell Marion Kay what was in the blend for contractual and trademark reasons but to my taste buds, they hit the nail on the head in their recreation of the secret blend. You can read the lawsuit that later ensued here: KFC CORP. v. MARION-KAY CO., INC.

So what is the spice blend that Marion Kay created for Harlan Sanders? That I do not fully know, however you can purchase a container of it here: Marion Kay https://marionkay.com/?s=flake+salt&post_type=product recommends 2 tablespoons of the spice blend be mixed with 4 cups of flour, I actually bumped it up a bit and did 3 heaping tablespoons of the spice mix with 1 tablespoon of flake salt. I used a deep fryer and some of the Colonel's breading techniques based on the way he did it in a YouTube video, which can be seen here: Colonel Sanders making chicken at the Clinton KFC

Sanders also used soft wheat flour, I recommend cake flour such as Swans Down Cake Flour. https://www.swansdown.com/about/

4 Cups Cake Flour

3 Tbsp 99X Chicken Seasoning

1 Tbsp fine flake salt

1 brined chicken, patted dry. (see note*)

1 egg 

1 cup milk

Raised Cookie rack, set it over a large pan or cutting board.

Using a large mixing bowl, combine flour and seasonings using a whisk, set aside. In a pie pan whip egg and milk together. Coat chicken using a four-step process. Toss the chicken pieces through the flour mixture one at a time, setting each on the raised rack after it is coated. 2. Working with one piece at a time, dip the floured chicken into the egg wash allowing excess to drip off. 3. Toss the egg washed chicken through the flour, return the chicken to the raised rack. Allow the chicken to rest on the rack for 25 minutes until the flour has absorbed into the egg wash and the chicken looks gummy. Toss each piece through the seasoned flour again before frying. 

I move the pan and rack to an oven at this point and set the oven on its lowest setting. Move chicken to rack after frying and keep it warm till all chicken is fried. 

A word on gravy, I like to use the crackling grease (2 to 3 tbsp) from the bottom of the pot, then I use the seasoned flour, chicken stock, and milk to create a gravy.

Brine 

1 quart
1 Tbsp + 2 1/4 tsp sugar

1/3 cup kosher salt

1 heaping tablespoon chicken seasoning.

Brine for at least 3-5 hours
Here are some tips and tricks for turning out a crispy crunchy and juicy fried chicken.

1. Never fry refrigerator cold chicken, your oil temperature will drop the second you add the chicken to the oil. This will throw off the entire dish in more ways than one. Allow the temperature to return to 350 before adding the next batch. 

2. Never crowd the chicken in the fryer or the pot. That crust needs to have unfettered contact with that hot oil to crisp up and room to let the steam bubbles escape.   Cook only a few pieces at a time. It is worth the extra time and effort. 

3. Flour, use a softer lower protein flour. Cake flour is a great secret for fried chicken. All Purpose flour turns out a hard thick bready crust, rather than that delicate shattering crispy crust, I don't like it. 

4. Brining, definitely brine your chicken. Frying causes moisture loss, those bubbles in the frying oil, that is moisture escaping. I do a salt/sugar brine and water. drain the chicken well after brining and pat with a paper towel. Also, throw a tablespoon of the seasoning into that brine. 

5. Building a crust that sticks, it is a four-step process. 1. Toss chicken in seasoned flour in an oversized tall bowl. 2. Dip chicken in an egg-milk wash, let excess drain drip back into the bowl.3. Toss chicken through the seasoned flour. 4. Allow chicken to rest on the raised rack for 25 minutes and then one last toss through the seasoned flour. 

6. Use a raised cookie rack to set you chicken on after it is breaded, allow it to sit for 25 minutes till it starts to look a little gooey, toss it back through the flour for a double coating.

7. For a lighter coating only run it through the breading process once. Pure preference for single or double breading. 

8. Use popcorn or flake salt and fine ground seasonings.  Flake salt is usually a special order item, however, popcorn salt is easy to find. Why? Popcorn and flake salts are very light and float in the flour rather than sinking to the bottom. Your seasoning should all be finely ground so they float in your flour and cling to it.

9. Deep fryers are great to use, you can regulate the temperature easily and see if it drops. I now favor a cast iron deep fryer pot and a thermometer. Cast iron retains heat and prevents the temperature of the oil from dropping too much. 350 is the temperature you want. One other good option is a wok, the thing I find the most important is that the chicken floats, I don't like contact with the bottom like you get in a pan. 

10. Seasoning your flour, rule of thumb is 1 tablespoons seasoning to 2 cups of flour. I sometimes do a little more... again preference. 

11. Fry dark and light meat separately, breast meat cooks faster. 

12. Watch those bubbles, like popping popcorn when you hear the kernels almost stop popping you know it is done. When the bubbles slow down, the moisture level in the chicken has dropped. Having said that, see below for timing. *

13. Break the big thigh bone before cooking, this is a restaurant trick that allows faster cooking as thighs take the longest to cook. 

14. You can keep your chicken warm in the oven at 200, however, make sure it is sitting on a raised rack. Never set chicken onto paper towels or directly in a pan, the heat will steam your crust soggy.

15. Use an oversized tall bowl for tossing the chicken, toss the using your hands at least 7 times in the flour.

If you would like to make Kentucky Fried Chicken Cole Slaw, I have posted a recipe on this site here:KFC Coleslaw, not a copykat... the formula is more simple than you think..

If you are not going to buy the seasoning then below are some suggestions:

White Pepper

Black Pepper
Ground Sage
Ground Coriander
Ground Savory
Ground Rosemary
Ground Thyme
Ground Marjoram
Ground celery seed
Paprika (sweet)
Fine Plain Popcorn Salt
The two types of pepper and the flaked salt are very important. Table salt will fall to the bottom of your bowl rather than float in the salt. 

.

Pancit Canton beef

1/4-1/2 Pound tenderized sliced beef (use kiwi)
1 Pound Canton Noodles or spaghetti if preferred
1 Onion Sliced into slivers
8 Cloves Garlic peeled, smashed and minced.
4 Ribs Celery washed and sliced
3 Carrots peeled and julienned
2 Cups Chopped Cabbage
1 tbsp Oyster Sauce
2 tsp Fish Sauce
2 tbspToymansi
3 Cups Beef Broth
Pepper to taste

Optional, sliced portabella mushrooms


Green Onions to Garnish

Saute garlic and onion until it just tender, add beef, cook until browned, add vegetables, Toymansi, fish sauce, pepper and beef broth. Bring to a boil, add noodles toss noodles until separate and cooking, lower to a simmer.  Stir dish until liquid is absorbed. Garnish with chopped green onions

Potato Pancake

1 Jumbo Potato, baked and scooped out and cooled
knob of butter
2 Jumbo Eggs
1/2 Tspn onion powder
1 Tbsp sugar
A generous sprinkle of Salt
Nice Hint of pepper
Healthy pinch of salt-free blackening seasoning
4 Tbsp sweet corn
2 thinly sliced green onions (green part only)
4 Tbsp minced onion
1 Cup buttermilk pancake mix (instant, add water only type)
Water, a little less than directed


Scoop out baked potato into a bowl, using a fork work the butter and salt through the potato mashing as you go. Add eggs and incorporate, add all seasonings, onions, and corn. Add Pancake mix and water and stir. Use a gravy ladle to make dollar sized pancakes. Pan fry in avocado oil until crispy and dark golden.

Famous Barr's French Onion Soup, Susan's Version

2.5 lb. Sweet Onions Vidalia, Walla Walla or the like
2.5 lb Yellow Onions
2 Tbsp Olive or Avocado Oil

3/4 stick Unsalted Butter 

4 whole bay leaves
1 1/2 Tbsp Paprika (buy fresh, don't use cheap, Hungarian sweet)

4  Healthy Taps ground cloves

2 Tsp fresh Cracked Pepper

4 Tbsp A/P flour or 6 Tbsp Wondra flour

1/2 Cup Burgundy or Chardonnay, I use Burgundy

3 Quarts beef stock, au jus, or strong beef broth
1 or 2 Tbsp Kitchen Bouquet, add a little at a time till you get the right color

French Baguette Crouton  
1 1/2 Pounds Swiss Cheese, grated or sliced

Slice onions 1/8 inch thick, Saute’ the onions until golden brown and caramelized but not burnt. Sprinkle a little salt and a pinch of sugar on onions while sauteeing.  When onions are golden brown, add paprika first and incorporate well, add cloves, salt, pepper, and glutamate if using. Sprinkle flour over onions and cook for a minute or two. Add Burgundy or Chardonnay and deglaze the bottom of the pan. Quickly stir in 3 quarts of clear beef stock, au jus or strong beef broth in about three additions stirring completely each time to work the flour through the broth.  Add bay leaves cover and simmer for about 30 minutes. If soup appears too thin, add  Makes 3 quarts.

 To serve: Ladle soup into earthenware cup or bowl. Place 2 slices French baguette (cut about ¼ inch thick to cover surface) on top of the ladled soup. Bread should cover the surface of the soup (you are building a life raft for the cheese).  Top with generous portion of grated Swiss Cheese.  Place in a 350-degree oven and bake until cheese has browned and formed a crust, about 10 Minutes.

Note (You really don't want to just broil this. It might brown and melt it, however, it will not form a crust and become sort of nutty in flavor). When baked, the cheese will puff up, form a crust and brown. Broiling simply melts it into the soup.

To prepare the baguette, place a whole loaf in a 350-400 degrees (depends on your oven) oven for 10 minutes The crust should be browned and crisp. Tip: Slice it on its side with a decent bread knife and it won't compress as much.

Remove and serve immediately. Serves 12. 

Notes.

Make the soup the day before and refrigerate overnight, the flavor is much better. Heat soup through and assemble the Gratin the next day.

I don't use the monosodium glutamate

Use fresh cracked pepper

Use Ground Cloves

Use "fresh" Sweet Hungarian Paprika (do not use old paprika or cheap, you will regret it).

In Search of the Famous Barr Soup of my memories

Which is the real Famous Barr French Onion Soup Recipe and who developed it? I think the answer is probably both Chef's Dahl & Zettl's recipe are correct and original depending on what years you ate there. Onion Soup Au Gratin' can be found on the Famous-Barr Tea Room Menu as early as 1942.

Erich Dahl was hired as the Food and Beverage Manager in 1948, Dahl speaks of researching the soup in Paris and specifically mentions the restaurant Pied De Cochon. Dahl said Chef Jan Verdonkshot took his suggestions and developed the French Onion Soup Recipe. Verdonkshot's daughter Renee claimed her father did not create the soup.

This brings us to Manfred Zettl. Zettl was the Executive Chef for Famous Barr during the years I walked to the Clayton, MO store to eat the soup. Zettl's recipe calls for paprika (probably Sweet Hungarian) Kitchen Bouquet Browning Sauce and Kraft Swiss cheese grated. Dahl's recipe calls for a hint of clove, no paprika, and Gruyere Cheese.

I could never bring myself to use canned beef broth and I think Famous Barr may have been taking some of their au jus drippings from the french dip roasts to strengthen the beef stock. I personally save juices from a roast in the freezer and make my own beef stocks. I know that many restaurants use Minor's Beef Base and or Au Jus Concentrate. This can be ordered over the internet or a restaurant store. There is also Better than Bullion Beef Base at most grocery stores. Famous likely used Minor's or a similar product.




Which Cheese to use? I have tried both Gruyere and Kraft Swiss and the latter had the right consistency. I recommend using both the paprika and a few taps of ground clove (just a little) along with the Kitchen Bouquet.

Which Onions to use, sweet Bermuda or regular yellow onions (you can't buy Bermuda anymore but they were sweet) I use half Vidalia and half Yellow.

Lastly, the cooking time on the onions varies greatly. Dahl doesn't specify a cooking time but states until golden brown. Zettle says about 15-20 Minutes and the internet recipe say's to cook the onions for an hour and a half. I think the most important thing is not to burn the onions as they turn bitter. I have always found an hour and a half excessive but have done it on the lowest setting stirring occasionally. I would do what Zettle says.

Compare all three recipes below:


CHEF MANFRED ZETTL'S FRENCH ONION SOUP

Executive chef Famous-Barr Company, St. Louis, 1964-1974

Ingredients

8 cups onions, peeled and sliced

1/8th-inch thick

2 ounces olive oil

2 ounces butter

2 tablespoons paprika

2 tablespoons coarse ground black pepper (or 1 tablespoon of fine-ground black pepper). You may wish to grind your own pepper. Be sure to choose a coarse setting.

2 bay leaves

1 tablespoon salt, or to taste

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 quarts beef stock

1 cup, optional, red or white wine

2 tablespoons Kitchen Bouquet liquid

seasoning

16 slices, 1/4 inch apiece, French bread

2 cups grated Swiss cheese

Loaf of French bread as accompaniment

Preparation

Peel onions, cut in half, then in half again, then in 1/8th-inch slices. In a large sauce pot, heat olive oil, and butter. Add and sauté onions over medium heat, until translucent. Approximately 15 to 20 minutes.

Add all seasonings except Kitchen Bouquet. Blend well. Add flour, stirring constantly. Immediately add beef stock. Add wine, optional.

Bring to a boil, check for taste. Add kitchen bouquet for a bit of color. Simmer slowly for 20 minutes, when the soup is ready to serve.

Use oven-proof bowls or the traditional brown crock. Bowls should hold at least 8 ounces. Place 6 ounces of soup in the bowl, top with two slices of French bread and 1/4 cup grated Swiss cheese. Place in 450-degree oven, top shelf, for 10 minutes, until cheese starts to brown and soup bubbles. Be very careful when serving. Will be very hot.

French bread, as typically sold here, is white on the inside and "way underbaked." Put a loaf of store-bought French bread on a rack in the 350-degree oven, about 10 minutes. Bread should have "a beautiful crust," brown enough that "you can hear when you slice it." 

Recipe and article at the following link:

http://www.westendword.com/Articles-Features-c-2012-04-11-179903.114137-SOUPS-ON.html#123

 French Onion Soup

‘FAMOUS-BARR’ FRENCH ONION SOUP AU GRATIN

Chef and Famous Barr Food and Beverage Director Erich Dahl beginning in 1948

• l lb. Bermuda onions
• ¼ lb. butter
• 4 whole bay leaves
• 5 whole cloves
• 1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. glutamate (opt.)
• 1 tsp. flour
• 1/3 c. Burgundy wine (opt.)
• 2 qt. beef stock, au jus, or strong beef broth
• French bread croutons
• 1 lb. grated French Gruyere or Swiss Gruyere

Slice Bermuda onions paper thin.  Saute’ the onions until golden brown in approximately ¼ pound of dairy fresh sweet butter.  (A copper-lined saute’ pan will give the best results.)  When onions are golden brown, add bay leaves, cloves, salt, glutamate, Burgundy wine (optional) and freshly crushed black peppercorns.  Add 2 quarts of clear beef stock, au jus or strong beef broth (bouillon cubes may be used as a substitute).  Simmer slowly for another thirty to thirty-five minutes.  If soup appears too thin, add Beurre Manie which consists of 2 tablespoons of melted butter and 1 heaping teaspoon of all-purpose flour.  Makes 2 quarts.

To serve:  Ladle soup into earthenware cup or bowl.  Place French bread croutons (cut about ¼ inch thick to cover surface).  Top with generous portion of grated French or Swiss Gruyere cheese.  Place under broiler approximately 5 minutes or until cheese melts.  Remove and serve immediately.  Serves 8.

Recipe and article at the following link:

http://archive.is/B509X



French Onion Soup recipe with purchase of McCoy Soup Crocks at Famous Barr

The above recipe can be found on multiple internet sites

This is one of my beef stock recipes.

(This is a double batch, I put half in my freezer for the next time)

6 Quarts Water
4 Tbsp Beef Better than Bullion or Minor's Beef Base
2-3 Meaty Beef Shanks
1 Cup Burgundy
10 Peppercorns
3 Bay leaves

Sear Shanks in a dutch oven with just a little butter and pepper. Add Water, bullion, bay leaves, clove, peppercorn, and burgundy. Cover and place in oven at 400 degrees for 30 minutes, turn heat down to 325 degrees and let the ingredients braise for 2 1/2 Hours or until it is reduced by almost half. Remove from oven, allow to cool, *remove shanks and reserve for another use (think dogs). Pour liquid from Dutch oven, through a fine mesh strainer, into a soup pot.

Beef Shanks

The purpose of doing this in the oven instead of the stovetop is it reduces better in the oven.

Susan's Version

2.5 lb. Sweet Onions Vidalia, Walla Walla or the like
2.5 lb Yellow Onions
2 Tbsp Olive or Avocado Oil

3/4 stick Unsalted Butter 

3 whole bay leaves
1 1/2 Tbsp Paprika (buy fresh, don't use cheap, Hungarian sweet)

4-6  Healthy Taps ground cloves

2 Tsp fresh Cracked Pepper

1 tsp. salt 1 tsp. glutamate (opt.) I don't use this.

4 Tbsp A/P flour or 6 Tbsp Wondra flour

1/2 Cup Burgundy or Chardonnay I use Burgundy

3 Quarts beef stock, au jus, or strong beef broth
1 or 2 Tbsp Kitchen Bouquet, add a little at a time till you get the right color

French Baguette Crouton  

1 lb. grated Swiss 

Slice onions 1/8 inch thick, Saute’ the onions until golden brown and caramelized but not burnt. Sprinkle a little salt and a pinch of sugar on onions while sauteeing.  When onions are golden brown, add paprika first and incorporate well, add cloves, salt, pepper, and glutamate if using. Sprinkle flour over onions and cook for a minute or two. Add Burgundy or Chardonnay and deglaze the bottom of the pan. Quickly stir in 3 quarts of clear beef stock, au jus or strong beef broth in about three additions stirring completely each time to work the flour through the broth.  Add bay leaves cover and simmer for about 30 minutes. If soup appears too thin, add  Makes 3 quarts.

 To serve: Ladle soup into earthenware cup or bowl. Place 2 slices French baguette (cut about ¼ inch thick to cover surface) on top of the ladled soup. Bread should cover the surface of the soup (you are building a life raft for the cheese).  Top with generous portion of grated Swiss Cheese.  Place in a 350-degree oven and bake until cheese has browned and formed a crust, about 10 Minutes.

Note (You really don't want to just broil this. It might brown and melt it, however, it will not form a crust and become sort of nutty in flavor). When baked, the cheese will puff up, form a crust and brown. Broiling simply melts it into the soup.

To prepare the baguette, place a whole loaf in a 350-400 degrees (depends on your oven) oven for 10 minutes The crust should be browned and crisp. Tip: Slice it on its side with a decent bread knife and it won't compress as much.

Remove and serve immediately. Serves 8. 

Notes.

Make the soup the day before and refrigerate overnight, the flavor is much better. Heat soup through and assemble the Gratin the next day.

I don't use the monosodium glutamate

Use fresh cracked pepper

Use Ground Cloves

Use "fresh" Sweet Hungarian Paprika (do not use old paprika or cheap, you will regret it).

Chicken Empanadas

Not yet Tested

3 Chicken Leg Quarters
2 Cups Chicken Stock
1 Small Onion, cut in half
4 Garlic Cloves Peeled and Smashed
2 Tbsp Oil
Sautee then stew ingredients, add stock, cover, simmer for about 40 minutes. Remove chicken and cool. Strain and retain any broth left in the pan, discard garlic and onions. Skin, debone and shred chicken. 

2 Tbsp Tomato Paste
2 Tbsp Sweet Paprika
2 Tbsp Mexican Dried Oregano
1 Tbsp Culantro (not Cilantro), fresh minced, omit if you hate Cilantro. Use a teaspoon of dried coriander instead. 
1/4 Tsp Cayenne Pepper
2-3 Tbsp Sofrito *
2 Tbsp fine Softassilk Cake Flour
1/4 Cup Strained Chicken Broth
1/2 Cup Spanish Green Onions, sliced
1-2 Cloves Garlic Minced
1/4 Cup diced Onions
1/4 Cup Diced ajitos 

Saute Garlic, Onions and Ajitos in oil, add Cayenne Pepper, Oregano, Paprika and Black Pepper, continue to saute for another minute, add Sofrito, stir, add flour, cook for an additional minute or two, add chicken stock, stir to incorporate, add tomato paste, stir, add chicken and olives, simmer for 15-20 Minutes.

Basic Sofrito:
2 big Spanish onions
1 head of garlic
2 small tomatoes
1 red pepper
15 leaves of recao
1 tablespoon oregano
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon sea salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
Rough chop in food processor
Put in glass jar and refrigerate

Susan's Fried Chicken

Here is my home seasoning. Make sure you use both white and black pepper.

1/2 tsp White Pepper

1/2 tsp Black Pepper
2 tsp Ground Sage
1 tsp Ground Coriander
1 tsp Ground Savory
1 1/2 Ground Thyme
1 tsp Ground Marjoram

1/2 tsp Ground Rosemary
1/2 tsp Ground Nutmeg (trust me)
1 tbsp Paprika (sweet)

Fine Plain Popcorn Salt or Flake Salt

For an extra kick add cayenne pepper and onion powder or even a salt free blackening seasoning.

Combine all ingredients (except salt) in a mini Tupperware or other airtight lidded container. Use about 3 tablespoons of seasoning to 4 cups flour, and a tablespoon popcorn salt to the flour, whisk ingredients together. Dip your finger in the flour... can you taste the salt and seasoning, because you need to be able to taste it in the flour, add a little more to both if needed. Divide the flour in half and store half in a ziplock for future use or additional flour as needed.

* Timing

Breast 12  minutes

Wing 7-8 minutes

Drumstick 12-15

Thighs 12-15 minutes

You want at least 165-degree center. Use a pen thermometer to check for doneness.

Brine 

2 quarts water

1/3 cup sugar

2/3 cup kosher salt

1 heaping tablespoon chicken seasoning.

Brine for at least 5 hours

Here are some tips and tricks for turning out a crispy crunchy and juicy fried chicken. 

1. Never fry refrigerator cold chicken, your oil temperature will drop the second you add the chicken to the oil. This will throw off the entire dish in more ways than one. Allow the temperature to return to 350 before adding the next batch. 

2. Never crowd the chicken in the fryer or the pot. That crust needs to have unfettered contact with that hot oil to crisp up and room to let the steam bubbles escape.   Cook only a few pieces at a time. It is worth the extra time and effort. 

3. Flour, use a softer lower protein flour. Cake flour is a great secret for fried chicken. Also good is self-rising flour. All Purpose flour turns out a hard thick bready crust, rather than that delicate shattering crispy crust, I don't like it. 

4. Brining, definitely brine your chicken. Frying causes moisture loss, those bubbles in the frying oil, that is moisture escaping. I do a salt/sugar brine and water. drain the chicken well after brining and pat with a paper towel. Also, throw a tablespoons of the seasoning into that brine. 

5. Building a crust that sticks, it is a three-step process. A. Toss chicken in seasoned flour in an oversized tall bowl. B. Dip chicken in an egg-milk wash, let excess drain drip back into the bowl. C. Toss chicken just (no more than two at a time) through the seasoned flour. 

6. Use a raised cookie rack to set you chicken on after it is breaded, allow it to sit for 15 minutes till it starts to look a little gooey, toss it back through the flour for a double coating.

7. For a lighter coating only run it through the breading process once. Pure preference for single or double breading. 

8. Use popcorn or flake salt and fine ground seasonings.  Flake salt is usually a special order item, however, popcorn salt is easy to find. Why? Popcorn and flake salts are very light and float in the flour rather than sinking to the bottom. Your seasoning should all be finely ground so they float in your flour and cling to it.

9. Deep fryers are great to use when you are a novice (that is how I started), you can regulate the temperature easily and see if it drops. I now favor a cast iron deep fryer pot and a thermometer. Cast iron retains heat and prevents the temperature of the oil from dropping too much. 350 is the temperature you want. One other good option is a wok, the thing I find the most important is that the chicken floats, I don't like contact with the bottom like you get in a pan. 

10. Seasoning your flour, rule of thumb is 1 tablespoons seasoning to 2 cups of flour. I sometimes do a little more... again preference. 

11. Fry dark and light meat separately, breast meat cooks faster. 

12. Watch those bubbles, like popping popcorn when you hear the kernels almost stop popping you know it is done. When the bubbles slow down, the moisture level in the chicken has dropped. Having said that, see below for timing. *

13. Break the big thigh bone before cooking, this is a restaurant trick that allows faster cooking as thighs take the longest to cook. 

14. You can keep your chicken warm in the oven at 200, however, make sure it is sitting on a raised rack. Never set chicken onto paper towels or directly in a pan, the heat will steam your crust soggy.

15. Use an oversized tall bowl for tossing the chicken, toss the using your hands at least 7 times in the flour.

A word on gravy, I like to use the crackling grease (2 to 3 tbsp) from the bottom of the pot, then I use the seasoned flour, chicken stock and milk to create a cream gravy.

Finally, if you want a foolproof fried chicken seasoning I recommend: You will never need another chicken seasoning recipe.

The Marion-Kay Spice Store
1351 West Hwy 50, Brownstown, Indiana 47220
Mondays – Thursdays, 8:00 am – 4:30 pm. (Eastern Time Zone)
(1-800-627-7423) or locally (812) 358-3000

https://marionkay.com/product-category/blends/

Chicken Seasoning 99 X This is 25 oz seasoning without the salt, they do sell flake salt.
$ 30.00 

or

Chicken Seasoning Plus A 9 1/2 oz. bottle with the salt already added. 

$ 7.00

Bread Pudding with Pecans, and Whiskey

I did not use a recipe for this, I simply flew by my pants, from memory here is the approximate ingredients.

6-7 Large Cinnamon Rolls (I make this when I have leftover stale rolls)
4 Hamburger buns, Hawaiian rolls or brioche bread
6-7 Whole eggs
2 Cups whole milk or half and half
1/2 cup or so of Pecan Pieces
2 handfuls of Coconut (optional)
1 cup Raisins (optional)
4 tbsp of Whiskey (or more)
1 tbsp of Vanilla
3/4 Cup of white sugar
1/2 Cup of brown sugar
1 1/2  tsp Cinnamon or to taste.
1 tsp nutmeg


Break up rolls and bread into bite-sized piece into a buttered or non-stick medium casserole dish. Mix all other ingredients in a separate bowl adding the Pecans, coconut and or raisins last. Pour Mixture over the bread items and hand toss to distribute evenly. Pat down the mixture so all liquids soak in. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes or until a knife comes out clean, do not over baker.

You can make a drizzle glaze from brown sugar, butter, and whiskey with a little vanilla. You can also serve this with just a little cream.


This is a dish made from leftover breakfast sweets and bread. Although you can use any bread item, I prefer to make this dish when I have a significant number of stale cinnamon rolls. Softer bread such as hot dog buns, hamburger buns mixed with the cinnamon rolls is a winner. Other types of bread such as brioche or Hawaiian sweet rolls would be perfect as well.

Smoked Pulled Pork Enchiladas (leftovers)

So this is a dish made from leftovers, I always sneak a bag of pulled pork or chicken away into the freezer for this very purpose. I am not trying to remake the wheel here so I am using canned enchilada sauce, if you make and freeze your own then you are a superstar.

4 Cups Pulled Pork (leftover)
1 Onion diced
1 Bulb Garlic, peeled and minced
1/2 Poblano pepper, charred, peeled and diced
1/2 Cup Chicken Stock
*1-1 1/2 Tsp Seasoning Mix
Corn Tortillas
Red Enchilada Sauce
Green Enchilada Sauce
Shredded Cheese blend or Oaxacan cheese and Cheddar shredded and blended.

Place the thawed pulled pork in a crockpot with diced onion, minced garlic, dice Poblano peppers, seasoning, and chicken stock. Heat on high for about 2 hours. Warm the enchilada sauce, dip each tortilla into the sauce, fill with pork and roll placing each enchilada seam side down in a casserole dish. I do one side of red sauce enchiladas and one side of the green sauce. Pour remaining enchilada sauce over the enchiladas. Top with the cheese halfway through cooking.  Bake at 3:50 for 30 Minutes.

Seasoning Mix:
1/4 Tsp Cayenne
1/4 Tsp Coriander
1/4 Tsp Oregano (Mexican)
1/4 Tsp Cumin
1 Tsp Garlic Powder
1 Tsp Onion Powder
1 Tsp Chili Powder
1 Tsp Paprika
Save the rest for something else

Slap Yourself Smothered Pork Chops

6 Bone in Pork Chops
1 Bulb Fresh Garlic, minced
5 Ribs of Celery chopped
2 Medium Onions, slivered
1 Medium Green Bell Pepper, slivered
1 Pound of Sliced Mushrooms
1/2 Cup Flour
4 Cups Chicken or Turkey Stock (I Use Better than Bullion Brand) Salt source
Cracked Black Pepper enough to season chops while searing
1 Envelope Lipton Onion Soup Mix (salt source)
1 Tbsp Smother Seasoning
1/4 Cup Chopped Parsley or Celery Leaves
4 Tablespoons Butter
2 Tablespoon Oil

Smother Seasoning
This is a basic blackening seasoning. I use Sensational Seasoning salt-free Cajun Blackening.
1 Tsp Black Pepper
1 Tsp White Pepper
1 Tsp Cayenne Pepper
1 Tbsp Garlic Powder
1 Tbsp Onion Powder
1 Tbsp Paprika
1/2 Tsp Ground Oregano

This along with black/white pepper, onion/garlic powder is a basic chicken seasoning. I have a salt free mix by Marion Kay spice 99x chicken seasoning with these ingredients.
1/2 Tsp Ground Sage
1/4 Tsp Ground Coriander
1/2 Tsp Ground Savory
1/2 Tsp Ground Thyme
1/2 Tsp Ground Marjoram
1/2 Tsp Ground Bay Leaves
(Do not add Salt)

Mix both spice list together, do not add salt. Now you have a good smother seasoning that works great on smothered turkey wings or baked chicken. Use a heaping tablespoon in the smothered pork chops and store the rest. 

Plug in a Large Crockpot on high. Heat Oil and butter in a skillet and sear off pork chops, season generously with black pepper. Transfer chops to crock pot.

Add flour to skillet and cook flour while whisking, add stock and whisk scraping up any bits from the bottom of the pan. Add Smother Seasoning and Lipton Onion Soup Mix. Bring to a bubbling simmer, pour the sauce over the chops (scrape the pan with a spatula and get all of that good sauce).

Clean pan and add 2 tablespoons butter and oil and sear mushrooms on medium high heat, turn down the heat, add celery, onion and bell pepper, saute another minute.

Transfer everything into the crock pot. Lastly add in the garlic, raw along with the parsley/celery leaves.

Note:  Salt in the recipe comes from two sources, the chicken stock, and the Lipton Onion Soup Mix. Don't add any additional salt.

Cook on High for 5 hours. Walk away at this point, come back hours later with a pan of fluffy rice and enjoy... it is okay to cry when you taste it.

Tip: If the gravy is not thick enough, make a cornstarch slurry, stir into the gravy about 30 minutes before plating.

My Old School Lipton Onion Meatloaf

This recipe is the very first meatloaf recipe I ever created, I was about 17 when I first made this. It follows a lot of the ideas from the Lipton Onion Soup box recipe with my own twist thrown into it.

3 Pounds Ground Beef (lean)
3/4 cup finely chopped celery
3/4 cup finely chopped onion
3/4 cup finely chopped bell pepper
1/4 cup finely chopped parsley/or chop the leaves from the celery
3 Cloves of garlic smashed and minced
1 Tsp black pepper
1  1/2 Envelopes Lipton Onion Soup Mix
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
3/4 cup ketchup
5 slices of white bread cut into little cubes, you can dry these out first if you like
2 Eggs

Wash and finely chop your celery, bell pepper, and onions. Peel and mince the garlic. Cut bread into cubes (it is easiest to do in a stacked grid pattern). Crumble the ground beef into a large mixing bowl 

Add all ingredients to the bowl, using two large forks toss everything together distributing evenly. Use one fork to make sure it is well mixed in a raking and tossing pattern (do not mash the mix, mashing makes meat tough and it can end up dry).

Scoop half of the meat blend into a loaf pan. You have enough to freeze the remainder for a second loaf or make a large meatloaf for a crowd. I press the meatloaf firmly to the sides so the glazed doesn't fall off.

I freeze the other half of the meatloaf for a second loaf. (my personal time hack)

Glaze
1 Cup Ketchup
2 Tbsp Brown Sugar
3 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce

This is a super easy topping for this meatloaf. I cook the meatloaf halfway, then pour and spread this glaze on top.

German Potato Salad

10 Slices of Bacon fried crisp, crumbled and reserved to the side
2-3 tablespoons bacon grease reserved
3 cups waxy potatoes like red bliss or new potatoes, slice into thin moons or small cubes
3 Tbsp finely minced flat leaf parsley
3 Tbsp sugar
1/4 cup cane sugar (Philippine) or white wine vinegar
1/2 Tsp salt
1/4 Tsp white pepper
1/4 Tsp black pepper
1 Tsp salt for potato boiling
3 Tbsp Water

Fry bacon crisp, drain and cool, crumble and set aside. Slice a small onion into half moon slivers, set aside. Pull celery leaves off of a celery bunch or use flat leaf parsley, rinse, shake dry and finely mince, set aside. Peel and rinse and cube or slice potatoes, cover with water, 1 Tsp salt and cook until fork tender. Slice potatoes drain and rinse in cold water, allow cooling.

Add sliced onions to reserved bacon grease, saute until tender and clear.  Add water, sugar, salt, peppers, and vinegar to the pan, deglaze the pan scraping the bottom as you go. After about a minute add celery leaves, toss together well. Add potatoes and bacon, toss till coated and serve immediately while hot.