Author: Robert Andrews

Juevos Rancheros – COLLECTION

2016-02-24 08.51.092016-02-24 08.50.57
HIS AND HERS

Grandpa’s Huevos Rancheros

Top with avocado (blue plate) or mushrooms (green plate)

  1. Slice mushrooms and cook in butter, then set aside
  2. Sautee slivered onions, the set aside
  3. Add 1 C enchilada sauce to the pan and bring to simmer
  4. Dip corn tortillas in sauce and put on a small square of aluminum foil placed on a baking tray
  5. Mix refried beans in with remaining sauce and heat
  6. Place on tortillas
  7. Add sliced onion
  8. Create a recess in the center and add a whole egg
  9. Top with avocado (blue plate) or mushrooms (green plate)
  10. Sprinkle with grated cheese
  11. Bake at 350º for 13 minutes
  12. Use foil to move to plates (remove foil or just keep it there) The tortillas will be soft and may fall apart

See also: CAZUELA DE HUEVOS RANCHEROS for a casserole recipe, if you are cooking for more than two people.

When I make Huevos Ranchers it is never the same. Of course, it is served on a corn tortilla, and then spread with refried beans, but sometimes has a fried egg on top, sometimes ham, sometimes green chilis… and then topped with cheese. The concept is a corn tortilla with tasty goodness. Here are several recipes if you want some guidance your first time through.

Juevos rancheros

QUICK AND SIMPLE
PHOTO SHOWN AT RIGHT

Corn tortilla heated and browned on both sides
Smear with refried beans
Sprinkle with diced peppers
Top with scrambled egg disc
Top with shredded beef and salsa mixed together
Top with poached egg
Sprinkle with cheese
Broil about five minutes

Grandma’s Huevos Rancheros

2 fried or poached eggs
½ tsp vegetable oil
1/8 small onion
1/8 sliced bell pepper
¼ clove garlic, chopped
¼ CU Salsa
1 TBL diced green chiles
2 corn tortillas
2 TBS shredded cheese

1. Heat vegetable oil in large skillet
2. Saute onion, bell pepper and garlic
3. Add salsa and chiles – bring to boil, remove from heat
4. Top corn tortilla with 1/3 CU sauce and one egg
5. Sprinkle with cheese

Huevos Rancheros Casserole with Ranchero Sauce

  • Place the canned and fresh tomatoes, the onion, jalapeño, garlic, water, chilies powder, salt, cumin, oregano, sugar and vinegar in a 2-quart saucepan. Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes.
  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
  • While the sauce is simmering, prepare the tortillas and the eggs.
  • Heat the oil in a skillet.
  • Place a tortilla in the hot oil and fry just until softened.
  • As each tortilla is done, place it on a plate.
  • Repeat this procedure until all the tortillas are cooked.
  • Oil a long baking dish (about 9 x 13 inches).
  • Spoon half of the sauce over the bottom, then arrange the tortillas over the sauce.
  • Top the tortillas with more sauce.
  • Sprinkle with half of the grated cheddar cheese.
  • Crack the eggs onto the cheese layer at intervals so that there will be a few inches between each egg.
  • Spoon the remaining sauce over the length of the eggs and sprinkle with the remaining cheddar cheese.
  • Bake for about 13 minutes at 350º
  • Pierce one of the eggs with a sharp paring knife to check that the eggs are done as you like.
  • After 20 minutes of baking, the eggs are hard- cooked.
  • When the eggs are cooked to your liking, remove the pan from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes.
  • To serve, cut the casserole into squares. Sprinkle with freshly grated cotija or feta cheese.

Serves 6 to 8.

Note: Cotija cheese is sold in small rounds, and is available in the dairy case of many supermarkets. It is easily crumbled. You can substitute feta cheese.

Black Olive Huevos

Options
Add Black olives
Use a tomatillo rather than tomatoes
Add Artichokes
Top with cilantro
Include diced green chilies
Use tortilla chips or corn chips rather than corn tortilla
Use poached egg rather than Fried Egg

Special Steps Break your egg into separate bowls. This will assure that you have an unbroken yolk. If you break the yolk, save this for scrambled eggs the following morning.

Huevos Rancheros – SAUCE

The Ranchero Sauce
— 1 large can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes with juice
— 2 fresh tomatoes, diced
— 1 cup diced onion
— 1 jalapeno chile, seeded and minced
— 2 minced cloves garlic
— 1 cup water
— 2 tablespoons red chile powder
— 1/2 teaspoon salt
— 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
— 1 teaspoon oregano
— 1 teaspoon sugar
— 1 tablespoon vinegar
Adapted from Jacqueline Higuera McMahan, who grew up on a Bay Area rancho, and is the author of “California Rancho Cooking,” “The Salsa Book” and “The Chipotle Chile Cook Book.”

America’s Test Kitchen

  • 1 Can diced tomatoes – strained – reserve liquid
  • 1 C strained reserved tomato juice
  • 2 tsp brown sugar
  • 1 tsp  lime
  • 1/2 Onion – diced
  • 4 tsp Chili powder
  • 1/2 C canned green chilies
  • 2 garlic cloves – sliced thin
  • 2 TBL EVOO
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1/4 C pepper jack cheese
  • 4 eggs

STEP BY STEP

  1. Strain diced tomatoes, reserving liquid
  2. Add brown sugar and lime to strained tomato juice
  3. To tomatoes, add onion. green chilies, garlic, EVOO, chili powder and salt/pepper to taste
  4. Stir to combine
  5. Transfer to baking sheet lined with parchment paper or waxed paper
  6. Spread into an even layer
    Alternately you can use a comal or a large cast iron skillet
  7. Bake at 500º for about 40 minutes
  8. Turn oven down to 400º
  9. Put cooked mixture into a glass baking dish, and add the strained/reserved juice back into it, and stir to combine
  10. Sprinkle with pepper jack
  11. Nestle 1 egg at a time into an impression you will make in the sauce
  12. Season with salt and pepper
  13. Bake at 400º for 15 minutes
  14. Tent with aluminum for about 5 minutes
  15. Top with avocado, scallions and cilantro

GZ’s Huevos Rancheros

Geofry Zakarian cooked with his two daughters Anna and Madeline

  • 1 can of Refried beans or chili beans
  • Pico de gallo – Chop, dice and mix:  red chili pepper, roma tomato, lime juice, red onion – add a little bit of chopped cilantro
    Optionally, use a jar of store-bought salsa
  • Crisp corn tortilla taco or tostada
    Optionally, you can use a bag of corn chips
  • Two sunny side up eggs
  1. Heat beans in a skillet
  2. Cook two eggs sunny side up
  3. Put heated beans in the bottom of a bowl
  4. Put corn chips on top of beans
  5. Top with an egg
  6. Garnish with cilantro, avocado, tomato, lime, chili, onion, salt, pepper
  7. Top with fresh salt and pepper

Leprechaun Gold

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 cup molasses
1 large egg
Granulated sugar (for coating cookies)

1. In a large mixing bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and salt. In a separate large bowl, use a wooden spoon to cream the butter and brown sugar until smooth.

2. Stir in the molasses and egg and mix until well blended. Gradually stir in the flour mixture until combined.

3. Cover the dough and refrigerate it for at least 1 to 2 hours or until firm enough to roll into balls. Heat the oven to 375.

4. Use a tiny spoon (we used one from a child’s tea set) to scoop the dough out of the bowl, then roll it with your fingertips into balls that are about 1/2 inch in diameter. Roll the balls in a shallow bowl of granulated sugar.

5. Place the balls on an ungreased baking sheet, leaving 2 inches between the cookies. Bake for 7 to 9 minutes or until the cookies are crinkled and set.

6. Cool the cookies on the baking sheets for about 5 minutes. Using a metal spatula, transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat until all the dough is used.

7. The cookies can be stored in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 1 month and at room temperature for up to 1 week. Makes about 10 dozen Lucky Pennies.

8. KIDS’ STEPS: Kids can mix up the dough, shape it into balls, and roll the balls in sugar.

Original recipe from DisneyFamily.com

Lentil Soup – Three Recipes

RECIPE ONE

1 cu lentils
onions
celery
carrots
1 tbl garlic
½ tsp salt
½ cu broth
½ tsp ginger

1. Boil lentils in 6 cu water for ½ hour.
2. Add diced onions, celery, carrots. “Drain and cook another ½ hour blend with 1 tbl garlic, ½ tsp salt, ½ cu broth and ½ tsp ginger.

RECIPE TWO

3 strips bacon (rendered) or olive oil
onion (chopped
3 carrots (slilvers)
1 ½ cu lentils (rinsed)
3 cloves garlic (minced)
2 tbl tom paste
½ tsp thyme
2 cu Chicken stock
1 tbl balsamic vinegar

1. Saute in bacon rendering or/olive oil, onion, add carrots, stir into pan – cook 5 min.
2. Add garlic, tom paste, thyme and lentils, stir & cook.
3. Add 2 cup chicken stock, 2 cu water, bring to boil.
4. Cover and cook 45 minutes, simmer. Add water if thickens too much.
5. Add 1 tsp salt , ¼ tsp pepper and 1 tbl salsamic vinegar, blend.

RECIPE THREE
1 CU fresh uncooked lentils
1/2 onion (diced)
1/2 CU broth
1 TBL garlic
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ginger
1/2 stalk celery (chopped)
1/2 carrot (sliced)

1. Rinse lentils, and let soak for 1 hour
2. Bring 6 CU water to full boil
3. Boil lentils for 1/2 hour – add water as required to keep them covered
4. Add onions and carrots and cook for another 1/2 hour
5. Drain
6. Put in blender with other ingredients
7. Leave blender cap vented for hot air to escape, or all Hell will break loose
8. Blend until fairly smooth
9. Serve topped with something of a contrasting color… If green lentils, use shredded carrot, if orange lentils use parsley

Grandpa’s Old Fashioned Lemonade

This creates a lemonade CONCENTRATE that will store efficiently and is really easy to mix when you are ready.

INGREDIENTS

  • 16 lemons – or enough juice to fill an empty water bottle
  • TWO empty water bottles
  • 1 CU sugar
  • 8 mint leaves
  • water

STEP BY STEP

  1. Fill one water bottle with water and empty into sauce pan
  2. Add sugar to water in the sauce pan and heat until sugar dissolves
  3. Meanwhile, cut lemons in half, and squeeze juice from lemons into measuring cup.  Discard the seeds.
  4. Pour sugar water into the measuring cup with the lemon juice
  5. Make sure that mixture is only warm to the touch, NOT HOT.
  6. Pour lemon/sugar mixture equally into two empty water bottles
  7. Top bottles off with a bit more water and refrigerate
  8. Will keep in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
    WHEN YOU ARE READY TO SERVE…
  9. Fill glass with ice cubes
  10. Add water only to half-way
  11. Top glass off with lemon concentrate from your bottles

 

Lemon Party Punch

3 cans lemon juice (frozen or canned)
2 cups sugar
2 quarts strong tea
2 quarts water
4 cups orange juice
1 ½ quarts cranberry or grape juice
1 quart gingerale

1. Dissolve sugar in canned or frozen lemon juice.
2. Add tea, water and other juices and chill.
3. Just before serving add gingerale and pour over ice cubes in punch bowl.
4. Garnish with slices of banana, strawberries or other fresh fruit.

Makes about 2 gallons punch.

Lemon Glazed Cake (Pat’s recipe)

Lemon Cake mix
3/4 cup oil
1 cup water
1 3oz pkg lemon jello
4 eggs
2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup lemon concentrated juice

1. Mix together, cake mix w/oil, water, jello and eggs.
2. Bake at 350 till done. Done when toothpick comes out clean.
3. While cake is still warm, prick holes to bottom of pan about half inch apart (all over top of cake).
4. Mix 2 cups powdered sugar with 1/2 cup lemon juice, disolve sugar to make glaze.
5. Pour glaze over top of cake, spreading evenly.
6. Let cake cool before serving

Lamb Burger

1 ½ lb ground lamb
½ onion (minced med fine)
¼ cu parsley (chopped)
2 tsp oregano
salt & pepper
tomato slices
pita bread
lettuce

1. Mix lamb, onion, parsely, oregano and salt and pepper.
2. Use lg ice cream scoop for size grill 3 min/ea. side.
3. Heat pita bread on grill.
4. In pocket place tomato slices, lettuce and 2 mini burgers.

sauce, Tzatztiki sauce

Krab Salad

INGREDIENTS

  • 1/2 LB Krab or lobster
  • 1/2 C Miracle Whip
  • 1/2 pkg cream cheese
  • 1 C Baby spinach – stems removed
  • 2 TBL Dried cranberries
  • 2 TBL Blueberries
  • 2 TBL Walnuts
  • 4 leaves Romaine lettuce (alt – Radiccio)
  • 1/4 Sweet red onion – very thinly sliced
  • Juice and zest from one lemon ( for garnish )

STEP BY STEP

  1. Shred Krab into large pieces – set aside
  2. Mix Miracle Whip and cream cheese
  3. Chiffonade spinach leaves
  4. Roughly chop cranberries, blueberries and walnuts
  5. Mix all of the above together without over-mixing or breaking the Krab apart
  6. Place Romaine lettuce leaves in a bowl creating a lettuce border
  7. Put mixture onto the lettuce leaves
  8. Top with onion slices
  9. Top with lemon juice and zest
  10. Serve with nice rustic crackers

 

 

Korean BBQ Skewers

Flank Steak or Skirt Steak (cut thin)
Carrots
Spinach
Sesame seeds
Paprika
2 tbl Ginger
2 Garlic cloves
2 Scallions
2- tbl brown sugar
¼ cu canola oil
¼ cu sesame oil
¼ cu soy
pinch red chili flakes

1. Marinate steak for at least 4 hours.
2. Sear or grill (skewer for appearance).
3. Top with spinach, carrots, garnish w/ paprika & sesame seeds
4. Cucumber-carrot salad; julienne equal amounts, chile flakes, rice wine, rice wine vinegar, sugar.
5. Spinach Garnish; ½ cu cooked spinach, 1 tbl rice wine,
1 tbl soy, 1 tbl sesame oil, 1 tbl garlic, 1 tbl brown sugar, 1 tbl sesame seeds, mix well and plate.

Marinade; 2 tbl ginger, ¼ cu sesame oil, 2 garlic cloves, pinch red chili flakes, 2 scallions, 2 tbl brown sugar, ¼ cu soy, ¼ cu canola oil – Note- increase to ½ cu sesame oil if grilling.

Kasha – Jewish Rosh Hashana meal

Ingredients
1/3 CU Kasha grain
1 CU stock
1/3 Farfale pasta (al dente) or long grain rice
1/2 CU water (if using rice rather than pasta)
1 medium onion (sauteed)
Mushrooms (sauteed)
3 TBL butter
1 egg (beaten well)
basil and parsley to taste

Instructions
1. Toast kasha to a nutty smell
2. Add beaten egg
3. Add 4 CU stock
4. Season with salt and pepper
5. Bring to boil, the reduce to simmer
6. Let simmer 10 minutes
– Meanwhile sautee mushrooms and onions in butter
7. Mix in other items: mushrooms, onions, butter, pasta
8. Place in casserole at 350 degrees for 30 minutes

Notes As a Jewish example of “soul food”, kasha is often served with onions and
brown gravy and bow tie pasta, known as Kasha varnishkas. It is also a popular
filling for knishes and is sometimes included in matzo ball soup.

Sometimes served with apples and honey.

Grandpa’s Mashed Potatoes

These are not your traditional potato skins, but instead gives you a yummy use for the left-over skins.

INGREDIENTS

  • 4 “regular” russett potatoes – Use starchy, not waxy
  • 1 carrot – julienne strips
  • 1-2 C raw cauliflower – cut into one inch pieces
  • 1/2 onion – slivers
  • 3 TBL olive oil OR 6 TBL butter
  • 2 TBL “chives” or cut green onion tops
  • 1 tsp oregano
  • 1/4 CU half and half (at the very end) or low-fat buttermilk
    Use whole milk if you must, but not low fat regular milk

STEP BY STEPpotato

  1. Cut the skins off the potatoes into nice large flat hunks. This can be stored in a bowl of salted water and used later for potato skins.
    When ready, bake peels at 400º for 20 minutes.
  2. Rinse remaining potatoes and cut into one inch (or less) sized pieces.
  3. Cut 1/2 onion into slices into mixing bowl
  4. Using a potato peeler, peel the carrot into the mixing bowl.
  5. Toss potatoes, onion and carrot in the mixing bowl
  6. Put the pieces into a steamer basket with one inch of water in the bottom of the pan.
    Alternately you can use a pot of water, but this rinses a lot of the sugars and starches away.
  7. Cook or steam potatoes for about 20 minutes
  8. Drain water from pan and put veggies back into the empty pan.
  9. Add 6 TBL of butter
  10. Using a potato masher, crush the pieces into a mush. If you like “lumpy” potatoes, don’t pot-skinscrush them too much.
  11. Add splashes of milk product, stirring continually, ONLY to the point of giving them a creamy texture
  12. Add chives and oregano and mix with a fork.
  13. Optional:  At this point, you can add a bit of shredded cheddar cheese
  14. For really fancy potatoes, pipe them into mounds using a fluted piping tip, then broil them for about three minutes.  Otherwise, just plate and serve with a side of gravy.
  • Special Steps A “quick release” ice-cream scoop can give you those pretty restaurant mounds of potatoes.
  • Variations For less starch in the potatoes, and less stringent onions, run tap water gently through them after  Step 3.

Healthy Alternative

Use half russet potato and half cauliflower.  Add a bit of extra salt and butter.

Making your own Sour Cream – Several methods

Method 1

I N G R E D I E N T S
1 cup cream
1 tablespoon cultured buttermilk
Recipe can be increased at the ratio of 1 tablespoon buttermilk to 1 cup of cream.

I N S T R U C T I O N S
In a double boiler bring the fresh cream up to 180 degrees. Cool to room temp in a cold water bath. Add the buttermilk, cover, and let sit at room temp. for 24-48 hours. Stir and refrigerate. The batch will keep approximately 3-4 weeks, refrigerated

————

Method 2

I N G R E D I E N T S
1 cup cream
1 1/2 cups pasteurized whole milk
1/2 cup buttermilk

I N S T R U C T I O N S
Mix all the ingredients in a bowl over warm water. Raise the temperature of the mixture to (68 degrees to 70 degrees F) and let it stand for 12 to 24 hours or until it is sufficiently sour and thick enough to cling firmly to a spoon. Keep in the refrigerator until you want to use it. For a richer heavier sour cream combine 2 cups of pasteurized heavy cream with 5 tablespoons of cultured buttermilk and incubate as before. For better texture refrigerate for 24 hours before serving.

Method 3

SHORTCUT RECIPE

I N G R E D I E N T S
* 1 cup heavy cream if you prefer a thick, creamy sour cream, or light cream for a smoother, lighter consistency
* 1 rounded tbsp. sour cream
* Bowl
* A sterilized pint jar

I N S T R U C T I O N S
Step 1:  Put the sour cream in the bowl and gradually add the cream, whisking as you add it. Make sure the two are thoroughly mixed.
Step 2:  Pour the mixture into the jar. Cover with waxed paper and a lid. Let the jar stand at room temperature for 24 to 48 hours, or until it has a firm consistency (when the jar is tilted, the cream should retain its shape).
Step 3:  Refrigerate the cream in the covered jar for 12 hours before using it.

Method 4

I N G R E D I E N T S
1 CU heavy cream
1/4 CU sour cream or buttermilk

I N S T R U C T I O N S
1. Mix heavy cream and sour cream or buttermilk in a screw-top jar
2. Cover, and let stand at room temperature about 24 hours until very thick.

SOUR CREAM NOTES, TIPS, HINTS, AND INFO

Sour cream is commonly used for dips, dressings, and sauces or simply “plain” as a condiment.

Never boil sour cream because it will curdle immediately. To add sour creme to a hot liquid, remove the liquid from the heat source (or turn the heat to very low) and add the cream while stirring gently.

Avoid using sour cream in dishes with a lot of salt, as the salt may cause curdling. Also dishes made with sour cream do not freeze well

Baking With Sour Cream
Cakes using acidic ingredients such as sour cream may development a metallic flavor if baked and stored in an aluminum pan. To prevent this reaction from taking place, line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper before adding the batter to the pan.

History and Use
Sour milk products including yogurt, kefir, kumiss, and sour cream have been used for centuries by eastern cultures including the Arabs and the Bulgars. Throughout history popularity spread to Germany, as well as Eastern and Central Europe and to the Americas as well.

Sour Cream Substitutions and Equivalents

Equivalents for 1 CU Sour Cream:

> For baking: 7/8 CU buttermilk or sour milk plus 3 TBL butter.
> For baking: 1 CU yogurt plus 1 tsp baking soda.
> For baking: 3/4 CU sour milk plus 1/3 CU butter.
> For baking: 3/4 CU buttermilk plus 1/3 CU butter.
> Cooked sauces: 1 CU yogurt plus 1 TBL flour plus 2 tsp water.
> Cooked sauces: 1 CU evaporated milk plus 1 TBL vinegar or lemon juice.
> Dips: 1 CU yogurt (drain through a cheesecloth-lined sieve for 30 minutes in the refrigerator for a thicker texture).
> Dips: 1 CU cottage cheese plus 1/4 CU yogurt or buttermilk, briefly whirled in a blender.
> Dips: 6 OZ cream cheese plus 3 TBL milk, briefly whirled in a blender.
> Lower fat: 1 CU low-fat cottage cheese plus 1 TBL lemon juice plus 2 TBL skim milk, whipped until smooth in a blender.
> Lower fat: 1 can chilled evaporated milk whipped with 1 tsp lemon juice.

Let stand 5 minutes to thicken.

Notes

This cannot be made and used in the same day. If you do not have time to make your own sour cream, use the Substitutions and Equivalents suggestions.

Plan ahead to give the sour cream 24 hours to thicken up and chill. Time is required for the chemical reaction to produce your sour cream.

There are many substitutes for sour cream, depending on the recipe and your specific needs. Yogurt is an excellent substitute for sour cream in most recipes, but keep in mind it is thinner in texture. Thicken yogurt by draining through a cheesecloth-lined sieve over a bowl in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.

 

Simple Macaroni & Cheese

Grated Cheddar Cheese
2 cup macaroni
2 tbl butter
1 tbl flour
¾ tsp salt
onion salt
2 cup milk

1. Melt 2 tbl butter
2. Add 1 tbl flour, ¾ tsp salt, speck pepper, dash onion salt.
3. Stir in 2 cups milk, add some cheese.
4. Stir into cooked macaroni, pour into greased pan top w/cheese.
5. Bake at 350 until cheese starts to brown

Moro Red Beans & Rice

Red beans
Green olives
Salt pepper
1 tbl brine
olive oil
bay leaves
½ cu sofrito
rice

Instructions

1. Prepare beans, soak w/ bay leaves, simmer 2 hours.
2. Cover bottom of pan w/ olive oil, add ½ cu sofrito to hot oil and cook water out of sofreto.
3. Add 12 green olives w/ 2 tbl brine salt (quite a bit) black pepper.
4. Put beans into hot pan, add uncooked rice, add bean liquid, add “caldo” broth. 2 fingers of liquid over rice,
5. Cook until rice is seen, lower heat, mix & cover for 20 min or longer.

Momma Reiner’s Marshmallow Cream

These are from Martha Stewart Web Site

Ingredients

* 3 large egg whites
* 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
* 2/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
* 3/4 cup light corn syrup
* 2/3 cup granulated sugar
* 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Instructions 1. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat egg whites and cream of tartar together until light and frothy. With the mixer running, slowly pour in 2 tablespoons sugar; beat until soft peaks form. Set aside.

2. In a small saucepan, combine 1/3 cup water, corn syrup, and remaining 2/3 cup sugar. Place over medium heat and cook until boiling. Cook, stirring, until mixture reaches the firm-ball stage, about 242 to 248 degrees on a candy thermometer, about 6 minutes. Immediately remove from heat.

3. With the mixer on low, slowly add hot syrup to egg-white mixture. Increase mixer speed to high and continue beating for 5 minutes. Add vanilla and continue to beat until mixture looks like marshmallow cream, about 1 minute more.

Makes about 5 cups

Hot Dog Buns / Hamburger Buns

This was originally a recipe for bread sticks. If that is what you want, just roll them a little skinnier and shorten the cooking time by 2-3 minutes.  For hamburger buns, roll them into small baseballs and press them flat to about 1/2 inch thickness – they will rise and thicken.  I frequently roll them into a sheet about 3/4 inch thick, and use a 3 inch biscuit cutter to make the buns.  They end up being about 3.5 inches in diameter.

bunsINGREDIENTS

  • 1 package (or 1 TBL) active dry yeast
  • 2 TBL sugar (split in half for use at two different times)
  • 1/4 C warm water – very warm to the touch, but not hot
  • Three-quarter C milk
  • 1/4 C dried (instant) milk powder
  • 1 tsp Xanthan gum
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 C soft shortening or lard (bacon grease)
  • 3 C sifted all-purpose flour
  • 1 C spelt or whole wheat flour
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • (optional) 1/4 C sour dough starter

STEP BY STEP

  1. ACTIVATE YOUR YEAST
    Mix your yeast, water, and half your sugar in a small glass bowl
    Stir to mix
    Set aside
  2. SCALD YOUR MILK
    Put into microwave for a minute
    Set aside to let it cool
    Put your lard, salt and the rest of your sugar into the milk
  3. PREPARE HALF OF YOUR FLOUR
    In a large mixing bowl…
    Add your sourdough starter if you are using it
    Add the milk mixture and 1/2 cup flour.
    Add the yeast mixture, dried milk, xanthan gum and everything else
    Mix in bread maker at medium speed until smooth, scraping the bowl occasionally. 100 strokes if by hand.
  4. FINISH YOUR DOUGH
    Add more flour, a little at a time, until dough leaves the sides of the bowl, and surface of dough springs back when pressed.  Dough should not be sticky.
    You may not use all of your flour (or you may need more)
    Turn dough onto lightly floured board.
    Knead until smooth and elastic: 4-8 minutes.
    Place in lightly oiled bowl.
    Turn dough over to oil the top also.
    Cover and refrigerate overnight for a more complex flavor
    When ready to make the buns, cover and let rise in warm place for about 30 minutes.
  5. SHAPE YOUR BUNS
    Form your buns on a greased baking sheet, keeping in mind that they will increase in size by about 125%
    Let them rise for about an hour in the (not turned on) oven
  6. BAKE YOUR BUNS
    Pull the trays of buns out of the cold oven and turn oven to 350º
    Brush the tops of your buns with melted butter
    Sprinkle with sesame seeds or lightly with coarse sea salt if you wish
    Bake at 350º for about 10-12 minutes or until browned
    Let cool 10 minutes before removing from tray

Tips: Around the Kitchen

Kitchen Tools and Gadgets

  • A thermometer helps you repeat success and avoid repeating failures. I have two from Thermoworks:
    >   An immersible/insertable thermometer: Good to take the core temperature of meats
    >   An infrared thermometer: Great for everything from preheating your griddle to acting as a candy thermometer.
  • Use tongs to help squeeze limes or lemons.  Gives you leverage.

Cooking tips

  • When cooking pasta, reserve a cup of pasta water for thinning your pasta sauce. Put at least a ladel back into the sauce to make it stick to your pasta better.  Also, you can use the water with a bit of cheese to make a nice creamy sauce.  Also, don’t rinse your pasta after cooking.
  • Use screaming high heat for searing meat, preferably in a cast iron pan.
  • Select the pan which is best suited for your recipe.  (eg) Don’t use an aluminum pan with anything cooked with acidic ingredients.  Cook pancakes in a non-stick pan, but don’t use metal utinsels.
  • Blanche and shock fresh vegetables (boiling water, then ice water) to make them greener and set the flavor.  If doing two, start with the lighter vegetable and work onto the darker vegetables.
  • Let your oven completely preheat before putting your food in.  You will get uneven heating, and even incomplete chemical reactions.

Kitchen Design

  • When replacing your counter consider ceramic tile or porcelain stone tile. Lay with a thin grout line.

Keeping it Clean

  • Stain Removal: Voted best overall was Oxi-Clean. Very inexpensive, very effective. Soak for about an hour. Removed blueberry, mustard, chili, chocolate, red wine, beets and coffee.
  • CAMEO was voted best Aluminum and Stainless Steel cleaner
  • Never ever put cast iron in the dishwasher, or clean it with soap.
  • Barkeepers friend is good for cleaning steel pans
  • The five second rule is bogus unless the item is totally hard and dry.  If it is the least bit moist, you are probably putting feces into your food or mouth.  Yech.

Preserving Food

  • To freeze fresh berries spread out on cookie sheet and freeze 4 hours. Put into freezer zip locks.
  • Store vegetable oils and most seed oils in a cool dark place to minimize spoilage

Safe Kitchen Tips

  • When cutting cherry tomatoes put them between two cottage cheese lids and slice a bunch of them in half at the same time.
  • Use water bottle with a sports top as your barbecue sauce dispenser
  • Don’t pour bacon grease down the sink.  Instead, pour into a can and let it solidify, then just throw it away.

Entertaining

  • When you are preparing a menu for an important event, always test the recipe before the day of your event. Never use your guests as guinea pigs.

 

Mexican Dinner Salads – Two Recipes

Mexican Chicken Salad

Chicken
onion
avocado
salsa
cheese
cilantro
scallions
oregano
bell pepper
radish
sour cream
cabbage

Instructions
1. Cook bowls 350 degree for 10 minutes.
2. Roll chicken in 1 egg, 1/4 cu milk and flour. Cook in olive oil.
3. Saute onions in olive oil
4. Layer plate with cabbage
5. Base, oregano, bell pepper, onions, radish, sour cream
6. Topping, chicken, avocado, cilantro, scallions, salsa, cheese.

Mexican Carne Molida Salad
1 lb hamburger
1 onion (diced)
1 can stewed tomatoes
2 small cans tomato sauce
1 can chili w/out beans
1 can mushrooms
2 tsp worchestershire sauce
½ tsp garlic salt

Instructions
1. Brown hamburger with onion.
2. Add all ingredients to cooked hamburger.
3. Cook and simmer 1 hour.
4. Serve over tossed salad topped with Fritos and grated cheese.

Mediterranian Salad

1/4 CU tomato
1/4 CU kalamata olives
1/4 CU red onions (diced)
1/8 CU roasted peppers
1/8 CU mint leaves
1/4 CU yellow tomatoes
1/8 CU feta cheese
1 cucumber
some fresh basil leaves

Instructions
1. Tear romaine lettuce and arrange on plate
2. Arrange other ingredients on top topping with sliced cucumber and feta
3. Drizzle top with lemon juice and olive oil
4. Top with thinly cut basil leaves

Rub pita bread with olive oil and grill (see recipe for Pita Chips)

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Variations Handwritten notes to this recipe are scanned in PDF document at
http://www.xml3.com/family/Recipes/03.pdf
Several other Greek recipes are in this document as well.

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