Author: Robert Andrews

Puff Pastry Appetizers

Pinwheel Appetizers

  • 1/2 sheet puff pastry
  • 1 layer of Proscuitto
  • 1 layer of Gruyere cheese
  • Basil
  • Egg wash on bare leading edge and roll into a log, then press to seal
  • Wrap firmly in Saran Wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes
  • Slice into 3/4 inch disks and lay on a baking sheet
  • Bake 400º for 15 minutes

Jalapeño Snake Bite Appetizers

  • Cut puff pastry into rounds using a small biscuit cutter or cut them into 1-2 inch squares – DO NOT TWIST or it will seal the edges.  Just press down.
  • Add manchego cheese
  • A slice of jalapeño
  • Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese
  • Bake at 400º for 10 minutes

Cheese Straws

  • Thaw a sheet of puff pastry
  • Roll just to flatten and shape
  • Brush entire top with melted butter
  • Sprinkle with shredded cheese – cheddar and Parmesan
  • Merest sprinkle of cayenne pepper or ground red pepper
  • Use rolling pin to press lightly into puff pastry
  • Cut into 12 strips (same direction as the seam)
  • Twist 5 times and place on a baking sheet
  • Put into freezer for 10-15 minutes
  • Spot-brush with egg wash plain sides
  • Sprinkle with a bit of extra parm cheese
  • Bake 400º for 12 minutes

Personal Pizza Bites

  1. Thaw a sheet of puff pastry.
  2. Use a biscuit cutter to cut circles.
    NOTE:  Press, but do not twist the cutter.  Twisting it will seal the puff pastry and it will not rise as well.
  3. Top mini-pizzas with a bit of goat cheese and a halved cherry tomato.
  4. Bake at 375º for 20 minutes
  5. Add a fresh basil leaf chiffonade and drizzle on a bit of EVOO.

Grandpa’s Notes # 17

Meals

[tv-note]

Quiche

  1. Cut bacon into pieces and crisp it in a hot pan.  Discard the grease.
  2. Cool the bacon and mix with (to taste) fresh chives, hand-shredded Gruyere, cooked chopped and drained spinach.  Mix well.
  3. Mix in 1.5 C Half and Half and 6 beaten eggs
  4. Optionally add cooked ham, sauteed mushrooms, sauteed onion, chopped tomatoes, chives.
  5. Pour into pie crust or bare ramekins and bake 20-30 minutes at 300º
  6. Let cool 5 minutes before cutting

Pie Dough

  • Mix together butter, flour, freezing cold water, sugar and salt
  • Wrap and put back into fridge for 60 minutes before rolling flat
  • Dock the crust, then blind bake it for 10 minutes before using

Chuck – Flat Steak

  • This is a good flavorful cut of meat, but is cheap and tends to be tough
  • Pound it with your hammer.
  • Optionally marinate it overnight
  • Slow cook it to tenderize it or just sear it.

Pork Belly

  • Salt and sugar dry brine, then the fridge for 3 days
  • Smoker for 6 hours
  • Alt: oven at 250º with a pan full of wood chips in the bottom of the oven

Krab Roll

  • Krab, celery, salt, pepper, mayo, chives
  • Press into muffin ring
  • Chill before serving
  • Serve with Bahn Mi Pickles

Bahn Mi Pickles

  • Use a julienne stripper with UNPEELED carrot, zucchini, bell or jalapeño peppers, Daikon radish,  – whatever you want on your sandwich
  • Add 1/2 – 1 inch pieces of chive
  • Toss everything in about 1 TBL salt
  • Let rest for an hour, then mix with apple cider vinegar that is about 205º
  • Let cool in your counter for at least 4 hours
  • Ideally, let age in your refrigerator about a week

Cast Iron Skillet Pizza

  • Use my recipe for pizza dough or just buy a ball of dough from your local pizza place
  • Flatten with your hands into a cast iron pan
  • First, add grated cheese on the bottom
  • Next add your sauce in spots
  • Add whatever other toppings you want
  • Start pizza on stove top till browned
  • Move to a 500º oven and bake for another 5-10 minutes

Another Pizza Recipe

  • Use a thin metal pie pan / cookie pan
  • Obtain your dough
  • Flatten into bottom of pan
  • Cover and let rise 2-3 hours
  • Add shred mozz cheese, brick cheese or Monterey Jack on top of dough
  • Add sauce in stripes
  • Bake 500º for 15 minutes
  • Wait 5 minutes before cutting

Lasagna

  • Bread and milk is called a Panade.
  • Make your own meat sauce with meat, onion, cloves and canned tomatoes
  • After cooking, let cool 10 minutes before you cut it

Tortillas

  • 2 C flour
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 5 TBL lard
  • 2/3 C ice water
  1. Mix first three ingredients
  2. Drizzle in very cold water
  3. Finish kneading on the counter
  4. Cut into 12 pieces and roll into balls
  5. Cover with plastic and refrigerate 30 minutes
  6. Press balls flat, then roll them even flatter
  7. Put two disks together, spraying the inside lightly
  8. Roll even flatter
  9. Put onto parchment paper to keep from sticking
  10. Heat in not non-stick pan about 60 seconds per side

Tamales

  • 1 C dried chiles toasted in oil, diced onion, garlic, cumin, oregano, salt
    3 C chicken broth – simmer 10 minutes – blend until smooth
  • Pour back into pan and add chicken thighs – cover and simmer 25 minutes
  • Cool and shred
  • Add 1 TBL cider vinegar into sauce, salt, pepper, sugar
  • Add 1 C into chicken – reserve the rest for serving with the tamales
  • Soak corn husks in boiling water for 30 minutes
  • Coarse masa makes better tamales.
  • No coarse masa?  Use 1 C masa harina and 2 TBL cornmeal or grits
  • Pour 1.5 C boiling water over cornmeal and whisk – soak 10 minutes
  • Add masa, then cover and let rest 20 minutes
  • Put through food processor with 1 C fresh corn, 6 TBL lard, 6 TBL butter, 2 TBL baking powder and 1 tsp salt
  • Spread 1/4 C onto husks, add 2 TBL filling, wrap and steam 1 hour

Leftover Turkey Options

  • Quiche: Onion, spinach, eggs, cheese, cream, seasonings, turkey
  • Sandwiches: Bread, turkey, lettuce, tomato, mayo, mustard
  • Chowder:  Potatoes, cream, corn, onion, carrot, turkey
  • Casserole:  Turkey, veggies, cheese
  • Pot Pie: Peas, carrot, celery, mushrooms, onion, half/half
  • Enchilada: Green chiles, cheese, enchilada sauce, onion,
  • Tamale:  Masa, cheese, sauce

Pescado Frito

  • One very fresh fish

Individual Serving of Gravy

Gravy packets are usually stuffed into the body cavity of your frozen turkey.

Ever wonder what to do with that gravy packet that comes with your frozen turkey when nobody at your dinner really eats gravy – but you do.

Here is an answer:

  1. Mix the gravy packet with 2 C of pan drippings
  2. Add whatever gravy seasonings you like.  I added 1 TBL Thunder Powder.
    Grandpa's Thunder Powder or Arghhh Powder
  3. Ladle into cupcake silicon liners.  Don’t use paper, it will essentially dissolve.  You can use it, but be careful when thawing.
  4. Freeze overnight
  5. Put into a bag with a link to these instructions.

www . grandpacooks . com / recipes / gravy

When you are ready to make your gravy, do this:

  1. Put one or two gravy cupcakes into a pan.
  2. Let melt for about an hour on the counter.  No longer.
  3. If you are ready to cook now, microwave 15 seconds at a time breaking apart with a spoon until thawed.  It doesn’t need to be completely thawed, just mostly.
  4. Start to heat the gravy on the stovetop.
  5. Mix 1 tsp cornstarch with 1 TBL water PER CUPCAKE.
    That is, if you are making two, use 2 tsp and 2 TBL.
  6. As soon as you see the first sign of steam, TEMPER the hot liquid into your cornstarch, 1 TBL at a time.
  7. After 4 TBL into your cornstarch, slowly drizzle the cornstarch into your gravy whisking continually.
  8. Stir until it thickens.  That’s it !

ALTERNATE PREPARATION

  1. Starting with your melted gravy, heat in microwave 30 seconds.
  2. Remove and stir in 1 tsp cornstarch with 1 TBL water PER CUPCAKE.
    That is, if you are making two, use 2 tsp and 2 TBL.
  3. Heat another 30 seconds
  4. Remove and stir.
  5. Repeat “remove and stir” at 10 second intervals at this point.  If you try to increase time to, let’s say 20 seconds, you will find that your gravy has developed clumps.
  6. When it has thickened enough for you, it is done.

Candied Lemon Peel

INGREDIENTS

  • 4 lemons
  • 2 cups cold filtered water PLUS lot of tap water
  • 2 cups white sugar

STEP BY STEP

  1. Cut lemons into quarters.
  2. Remove the fruit pulp, leaving the yellow peel and the white pith.
  3. Cut the quarters into 1/4 inch crescent strips.
  4. Put strips in a small pan, and cover with tap water.
  5. Bring water and lemon peel strips up to a boil in a small pan.
  6. Simmer 2 minutes.
  7. Drain as much of the water, as you can.
  8. Fill the pan with more water
  9. Bring water up to a boil and simmer 2 minutes
  10. Drain most of the water.
  11. Fill the pan up with cold water
  12. Rinse for a few minutes, and dump water.
  13. Fill up the pan again, rinse for a few minutes, then dump water.
  14. This time, use a colander so that you get as much of the water off the lemons as possible.
  15. Combine 2 cups of cold filtered water with 2 cups sugar.
  16. Bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar.
  17. Reduce heat to low simmer and stir in citrus peels
  18. Simmer for 20 minutes.
  19. Strain lemon strips, dumping water, but DO NOT RINSE THE PEELS.
  20. Set peels on clean printer paper to dry slightly.  About 15 minutes.
  21. Toss the candied peels in 1/2 C Turbinado sugar, granulated sugar, or powdered sugar (different textures) and let dry for another 6-8 hours.
  22. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a month.

White Bread – COLLECTION

VERY IMPORTANT NOTE: Never let internal temperature get over 200º or the moisture escapes from the loaf leaving you a dry (not very texture-friendly) loaf of bread.  Ideally, I try to get mine to just hit 190º

Ingredients of Plain White Bread

  • Oven temp: 400 F – 200 C
  • 1 tsp (5 gm) sugar
  • Lukewarm water to knead dough (too hot will kill yeast)
  • 1 tsp dry yeast or 10 gm compressed (Frozen) yeast
  • 2 cups (240 gm) flour (maida)
  • Salt to taste
  • 1 tsp oil
  • Greased loaf tin (about 20cm /8
  • 1 egg, slightly beaten with 1 Tbsp (15 g) milk and 1/4 tsp salt
  • Note: In case you do not want to use egg, use 1/4 cup milk and salt mixture.

How to Make Plain White Bread

  • 1.Dissolve sugar in 1/2 cup lukewarm water (should be body temperature, i.e. when put on the wrist, should not feel warm or cold).
  • 2.Sprinkle dry yeast over it or blend the frozen yeast into the water. Leave this solution in a draught-free place to froth. Should take about 10 minutes. In case it does not, it means that your yeast is ineffective, hence change your packet.
  • 3.Sieve the flour, add salt and rub in the oil. Make a well in the centre of the flour; pour the yeast mixture and some of the water into it. Start mixing the flour and liquid together, adding liquid little by little till smooth and soft.
  • 4.Knead the dough on a floured surface for at least 10 minutes–fold dough towards yourself, then push down and away with the heels of the palms. Continue till the dough feels firm and elastic and no longer sticky.
  • 5.Place dough in a deep vessel, well dusted with flour, and cover vessel with cling film or a thick damp cloth. Keep in a draught-free place to rise.
  • 6.When dough rises (about an hour in warm weather and 2-3 hours in cooler climate and about 45 minutes if using the warm water technique), punch it and knead a little before leaving it to rise again. The second rise will take a much shorter time. To test the dough, press lightly into the dough with a finger, and if the impression fills up soon, it is done.
  • 7.After the second rising, roll dough out flat, about 1/4 cm (1/8″) thick, and then roll it like a scroll. Fold the two ends of the roll towards each other, making them meet in the centre. Place the dough in the tin, folded side down. The dough should not fill more than half the tin.
  • 8.Brush with egg mixture and leave to rise once again. When the dough doubles (about 15 minutes), bake in a pre-heated oven, placing a bowl of hot water at the bottom (to humidify the baking atmosphere). Bake for about 30-40 minutes, or until brown and the loaf leaves the sides of the tin. Remove from the oven and place inverted on a wire rack to cool. If you want a soft top, place on a thick cloth like a folded towel instead of the rack.

Grandpa’s Breakfast Bread

INGREDIENTS

  • 1/2 C AP flour – sifted
  • 1/2 C tapioca, almond flour, teff, etc
  • 1/2 tsp Salt
  • 1 tsp Clarified Butter
  • 1/2 Cup Water
    –
  • 1/4 C canola oil – in hot skillet

Optional:  Substitute wheat flour, but pulverize it in a food processor

STEP BY STEP

  1. Combine flour and salt
  2. Mix butter into flour
  3. Drizzle water only until large crumbles begin to form
    Add water 1 tsp at a time until a ball STARTS to form
    If you add too much water, the dough will be sticky
  4. Ball should NOT be sticky.  If it is, add more flour.
  5. Cut the dough ball into eight pieces and roll into balls
  6. Flatten balls with hands
  7. Using a small lightly oiled tortilla press, or parchment paper circles
  8. Squeeze till flatter
  9. Heat 1/4 C canola oil to about 360º – 400º
  10. Carefully slide disks into oil and cook until browned
  11. Set aside on newspaper topped with a paper towel, blotting top with paper towel
  12. Serve hot as a side, with an egg on top, or make a breakfast sandwich

ALTERNATE PREPARATION STARTING WITH STEP 8

  1. Squeeze in tortilla press, then spray lightly with canola and put TWO disks together, the press again.
  2. You will NOT be frying these, but rather heating them in a dry pan.
  3. Carefully put the combined disks on a hot dry skillet and cook each face 20-30 seconds
  4. Flip and carefully remove one disk from the other
  5. Cook the “insides” that are now free from each other
  6. These are more like mini tortillas

BREAD – INFO PAGE

Grandpa’s Notes

  • Internal temp of finished bread should be 195-205º
    • Below 190º and the gluten structure will break down, and your bread will fall
    • Above 210º and the water will quickly evaporate and bread will become dry
  • Bread flour has higher protein content
  • Tap water should be let to air out at least 2 hours in order for chlorine to evaporate

How to Make White Bread Soft, Spongy & Moist


10 Best Bread Recipes​

Choosing the Right Kind of Flour

It’s the most crucial element and can make or break your loaf. In India, the two most common types of flour are atta that is used to make chappatis and the all-purpose flour or maida which is mostly used in baking or seen in store-brought breads, cakes etc. I tried the recipes which asked me to use whole wheat flour but it didn’t work for a number of reasons which I’ll come back to later.

 

And so, I decided to go in for a basic white bread.

 

When it comes to picking the right flour, Chef Vinesh Johny, baker and owner of Lavonne, Bangalore says, “You need to find the kind that’s got gluten content of about 14%. Anything less than that and your bread won’t bake well or hold structure.” I checked most of the maida packets but couldn’t find the quantity of gluten, but from initial research I figure it’s somewhere around 10% and so I also brought a packet of gluten from Modern Bazaar.

Don’t get confused with trying to find bread flour because all-purpose flour will do the trick and I say this because I cruised through both Modern Bazaar and Le Marche trying to find it myself. I didn’t want to try a recipe and buy ingredients that I wouldn’t want to buy again and so I decided to stick with all-purpose flour.

(The Best Breads from Across the Country)

Other Ingredients You’ll Need

Yeast: This is an investment you’ll have to make. Modern Bazaar has a few options, they’re all imported but some of them are reasonable priced. I bought a Tesco box which has around 20 sachets of dry yeast and costs around Rs.300.

Things you want to set aside: Warm water, honey, salt, baking soda, sugar, eggs, olive oil and butter, salter and unsalted.

Methodology

I picked three recipes based on ease, expertise and popularity. The first recipe was the one which is most popular on YouTube and shows up every time you type in ‘how to make bread’. The second, was a classic French bread recipe for which I didn’t need special ingredients and the last one was Vinesh’s recipe who’s an exceptional baker.

Recipe #1 BakeLikeAPro

‘Bake Like a Pro’ is a YouTube channel with over a lakh subscribers and it’s all for good reasons. From cakes to biscuits to pasta dough, the channel has catalogued over 150 recipe videos and each one explains how to make a recipe, step-by-step. Bake Like a Pro has an excellent recipe for white bread for which you need a few basic ingredients like flour, butter, salt, sugar, milk and water.

You can watch the video here:

 

What works, what doesn’t:I had to try this recipe thrice to get it right but that was more my fault than the recipe’s. I couldn’t grasp how far the dough would rise and so I stuffed the baking tray with too much dough. But the one thing which was consistent every time I baked the bread was its taste. I’m not sure if it was the combination of milk and butter, but the loaf of bread had an extremely smooth and creamy taste.

After this recipe, I tried a number of other recipes and each and every one of them turned out to be a disaster which meant I needed to bring in an expert. I called up Chef Vinesh Johny (genius alert!) and here’s what he had to say: “Flour, yeast and water are the three basic ingredients you need to make bread. The rest of them are only for texture or flavour. Eggs and milk make it soft and creamy and sugar gives it a slightly sweet taste.”

Recipe #2 Classic French Bread

Classic French bread recipes call for honey and are a tad sweet which is what makes this white bread different from the others. The ingredients you need for this recipe are water, honey, dry yeast, butter, maida and milk powder though I used milk instead.

What works, what doesn’t: I used two teaspoons of milk instead of milk powder but I should have used the same quantity. The bread tasted delicious but it was crumbly which I think had more to do with the quality of flour I used. So for the next attempt, I plan on adding a pinch of gluten to this recipe. The bread also took much longer to rise, because of the humidity maybe, so I had to leave it for almost 2 hours.

It did taste different than all the other batch of breads I tried and I’d bake it again but it’s not something I’d use for a ham sandwich. It’s the kind you eat with jam or plain butter.

Recipe #3 White Bread Rolls

You need a few basic ingredients for this recipe but the technique is what really stands out. So before you start, be careful to read it thoroughly. You need the basics: flour, yeast, salt, sugar, eggs and water.

What works, what doesn’t: The one thing I seriously struggled with here was converting grams to tablespoons. I’m an amateur cook, at best, and so 9 grams sugar is not something I’ve come face to face with before. But this gorgeous convertor I found online came to my rescue (click here). And I’m guessing it’s fairly accurate, because my recipe turned out beautifully.

The other thing I altered in the recipe was the shape. I just separated the dough into three separate rounds to get smaller buns. Since I’ve never baked bread before, the one thing I was confused most about was how much time should the dough rest but Vinesh advised me to let it rest till it doubles in size and not worry too much about the number of hours mentioned in the recipe.

The Verdict

I loved all the three recipes I picked but if I had to pick one, and this is purely based on ease of execution, then it would be the first one by BakeLikeAPro. It’s ridiculously easy and needs no more than a few hours. Plus, the bread lasts for good three days so you don’t need to run to the store before breakfast. It also tastes really good with a bit of butter and jam, it’s got this undertone of sweet and salt which is great too. And just so you can try it at home, I’ve penned down the recipe:

(Bread and Beyond: 10 Best Sandwich Recipes)

Ingredients

5-6 cups flour
1/2 cup milk
3 Tbsp sugar
2 tsp salt
3Tbsp butter
2 packets of yeast (dry)
1 1/2 cups water

The only thing I added here is a pinch of gluten which you can if you like your bread a bit sturdy.

Method:

1. Heat the milk and add sugar, salt and butter. You can also you margarine if you want. Make sure the butter melts. If it hasn’t then microwave it a bit or over hot boiling water. You don’t want it boiling but it should be completely melt. Allow this mix to cool.

2. Heat up the water to about luke warm and add the yeast. Add a cup of flour and start stirring/mixing.

3. Add a second cup of flour and the butter mix you made in step 1. Stir again for a 9-10 minutes.

4. Add another cup of flour (3rd cup) and stir.

5. Add the next cup of flour and stir/knead for around 5-6 minutes. Add the 5th cup of flour and knead again. Keep kneading till it’s soft and doesn’t break but behaves more like clay. Add a bit more flour if required.

6. Pour some flour on your kitchen slab and start to knead the dough.

7. Oil a big pot. pan for the dough to go into. Cover with a towel and let it rise for around 35-40 minutes. Longer if it hasn’t risen.

8. Punch it down in the pot, take it out and knead it a little bit. Split it into two equal loaves.

9. Take two baking trays, oil them and put the dough in. The recipe asks for oil to be sprayed on top of the dough but i brushed some butter over them.

10. Cover them and let the dough rise for around an hour.

11. Preheat the oven to 220 degrees and bake till golden brown.

(Nigel Slater’s Bread Recipes)

 

Bird’s Custard Powder – Pudding

INSTRUCTIONS

Grandpa’s Custard for Two

A microwave oven actually does a better job of preparing this than a stovetop.  Microwave instructions are in bold italic letters.

  • 2 rounded (or 3 level) TBL Birds Custard Powder
  • 1 TBL Granulated Sugar
  • 1 C  (8 oz) milk
  • 1/4 tsp vanilla
  • optional:  1 egg yolk
  • optional:  1/2 C cooked white rice
  • optional:  raisins
  • optional:  flavoring syrup
  1. Mix custard powder with sugar
  2. Mix 1-2 TBL cold milk and vanilla into custard powder
  3. OPT:  Add egg yolk to the mixture
  4. Heat larger portion of milk to a simmer (about 90 seconds in microwave)
  5. Temper hot milk into the custard mixture
    – Pour hot milk into the colder slurry, stirring continually – then return the tempered mixture into the remaining hot milk
  6. Add rice if making rice pudding or prickly pear syrup for a SW flavor
  7. Return to pan and cook, stirring until thickened, or put into microwave for 11 second intervals.  Start with 4 cycles.  5 might be necessary, especially if preparing with rice.
  8. Whisk in your raisins or 1/2 tsp flavoring syrup
  9. Pour into serving bowl and let cool 5 minutes.

Step by Step Instructions from the label on the Box/Can

BIRD’S CUSTARD POWDER

  • 1/4 Birds Custard Powder
  • 1-2 TBL Granulated Sugar
  • 1 pt (16 oz) milk
  1. Mix custard powder with sugar
  2. Mix 2 TBL cold milk into custard powder
  3. Heat larger portion of milk to a simmer
  4. Temper hot milk into the custard mixture
  5. Return to pan and cook, stirring until thickened

Vanilla Cream Sauce

    1. Mix 2 TBL water, 2 tsp corn starch, 2 level TBL Bird’s Custard
    2. Micro 1/2 C milk for 60 seconds
    3. If not foaming (scalded) micro 15 more seconds
    4. Add 2 TBL butter to milk
    5. Temper hot milk into BIrd’s concentrate and then return to the hot liquid
    6. Micro at 10 second intervals until thickened
    7. Add a few drops of vanilla, then stir

Homemade Custard Powder

GRANDPA’S CUSTARD POWDER

  • 4 oz (1/2 C) Confectioner sugar
  • 1/4 C dried milk powder
  • 1/4 C corn starch
  • 1/4 maple sugar (fine is preferred)
  • 1 teaspoon of salt
  • 1 tsp almond powder or instant pudding of your choice
  • OPTIONAL:  3 oz Dutch cocoa plus 1/4 additional confectioner sugar
  • OPTIONAL:  Quarter teaspoon of Carmencita Colorante

RECIPE:

  1. To 1 C mix, add 1 C milk and 1/2 C heavy cream
  2. Whisk together, then bring to boil over medium heat
  3. Simmer on low for about 4 minutes or until thickened
  4. Stir in 1/2 tsp vanilla and sieve into cups
  5. Refrigerate at least an hour

What does Temper mean?

TEMPER BRINGS HOT AND COLD TOGETHER

Tempering is a way to mix hot and cold liquids and keep them from forming lumps.  The most common thing where lumps can be prevented is gravy.  We’ve all had lumpy gravy, but if the flour had been TEMPERED into the liquid, lumps would not have formed.

As far as eggs, that is another very common thing needing tempering.  When you add a hot liquid to your eggs, or add your eggs to a hot liquid, you will generally end up with scrambled eggs.  The goal is to combine the ingredients of two different temperatures.

Tempering is quite easy.  It just takes you an extra minute of cooking time, but the results are worth it.   In the case of Birds Custard Powder, if you just put the powder into the hot liquid lumps will form.  If you dump the mixture into the hot liquid all at once lumps will form.

To temper the two together, pour the hot liquid into the colder liquid VERY VERY SLOWLY while whisking continually.  You can speed up a little bit as you continue to pour, but never EVER stop whisking.

Once the liquids are combined, continue to cook until thickened.  Not too quickly again because haste makes waste… and lumps will form.

 

Pacific Veggie Pizza

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 Roasted Red Peppers
  • 1 Fresh Tomatoes
  • 1/2 Fresh Onions
  • 1/4 C Black Olives
  • 1/4 C Fresh Spinach
  • 1/4 C Mozzarella Cheese (grated)
  • 1/4 C Feta Cheese (grated)
  • 1/4 C Provalone Cheese (grated)
  • 1 tsp Garlic Herb Seasoning
  • Cheesy Parmesan Crust (or 1/4 C grated)

STEP BY STEP

  1. Preheat oven to 450º
  2. Chop up your bell pepper, onion, tomato and toss in 2 TBL EVOO
  3. Put onto a baking tray and put into the oven while you prepare the rest of the ingredients
  4. Make your own dough (RECIPE HERE) or purchase a ball of dough at your favorite pizza place (about $5)
  5. Flatten with your hands if you like the traditional bubbles that form, or a rolling pin if you prefer fewer bubbles.
  6. Add spinach and then the baked toppings.
  7. Finish with your cheeses.
  8. Bake about 10 minutes
  9. Let cool 3 minutes before cutting

 

Other Dominoes Recipes

Philly Cheese Steak Pizza

Slices of steak, onions, green peppers, mushrooms with provolone and american cheeses on a provolone crust.

Honolulu Hawaiian

Sliced ham, bacon, pineapple and roasted red peppers with provolone cheese on a parmesan crust.

Fiery Hawaiian

Spice it up with hot sauce and jalapenos.

Cali Chicken Bacon Ranch

Chicken breast, white sauce, smoked bacon and tomatoes on a provolone crust

Buffalo Chicken

Tender chicken breast, hot sauce, and onions with provolone and American cheeses on a cheddar crust.

Memphis BBQ Chicken

Chicken breast, BBQ sauce and onions with provolone and cheddar cheeses on a cheddar crust.

 

 

Claim Jumper Chicken Pot Pie

Copy Cat Recipe

I ate at Claim Jumper, here in Phoenix near I-17 and Loop 101, over 20 years ago.  I remember their portions were HUGE.  This time I ordered the Chicken Pot Pie.  Yep… it was huge.  And very tasty.  I had left-overs, so I researched this recipe so that I could get the crust right.

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 cup half and half
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 3 tablespoon all-purpose flour
  • 2 cup shredded, roasted, skinless chicken breast
    VEGETABLES
  • 1 onion – chopped
  • 1 C cremini mushrooms
  • 1/4 C frozen peas
  • 1 carrot – julienne strips
  • 2 stalks celery – strings removed, then sliced
  • 2 cloves garlic – chopped
    OR
  • 2 cup mixed frozen vegetables, thawed
    PLUS
  • 2 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
  • 2 tablespoon chopped chives
  • 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
  • 1 tsp chopped tarragon
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 (half of a 14.1 oz. pkg.) ready-to-use refrigerated pie crust

STEP BY STEP

  1. Heat oven to 425 degrees.
  2. In a medium saucepan, whisk together half-and-half, broth, and flour.
  3. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, stirring frequently until mixture is thick – about four minutes.
  4. Stir in chicken, vegetables, parsley, chives, thyme, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt, and pepper.
  5. Let simmer for 30 minutes
  6. Cover and keep warm.

    PASTRY CRUST
  • 1 1/2 C AP flour
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1  egg yolk
  • 4 TBL cream cheese – cold pieces
  • 8 TBL cold butter – cold pieces
  • 1/4 C ice water
  1. Put in everything except the water and pulse until crumbs form
  2. Drizzle in water until it STARTS to come together
  3. Cut evenly into four parts
  4. Create a ball of each and refrigerate 30 minutes
  5. Roll out pie crust into large circles
    NOTE:  If you want a bottom crust as well as a top crust, double this recipe.  I use only a top crust.ASSEMBLY
  1. If you have a bottom crust, press that into the bottom of the ramekin and “blind bake” it for 10 minutes.
  2. Divide pie filling among four 10-ounce ramekins.
  3. Drape crusts over tops and fold edges down over rims.
  4. Cut an X into center of each pie to vent.
  5. Bake 25 minutes, until pastry is browned and filling is bubbly.
  6. Cool 5 minutes before serving.

Grandpa’s Salmon Cakes

Grandpa’s Spinach Salmon Cakes

Grandpa’s Special Crab Cakes

  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp grain mustard
  • 1 TBL mayonnaise or Miracle Whip
  • 1/2 tsp Old Bay Seasoning
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp Worchestershire
  • 1 tsp fresh parsley – chopped
  • scant black pepper
    • Mix above together well
  • Add and gently mix
    • 3/4 C Panko bread crumbs
    • 1/2 C long leg crab
    • 1/2 C lump crab
    • 1/2 C jumbo crab
  • Form into patties and refrigerate for one hour (This will help them hold together)
  • Cook using real butter on a cast iron skillet

Buns / Bread / Muffins

This recipe was adapted from one posted at Genius Kitchen.

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 level tablespoon active dry yeast
  • 1 cup warm water (100-105º F or 37-40º C)
  • 3 TBL sugar
    – PROOF ABOVE MIXTURE FOR 5 MINUTES
  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil
  • 2 TBL softened butter
  • 1 egg
  • 3  cups bread flour – plus more 1 TBL at a time
  • 2 tsp xanthan gum (keeps it from drying out)
  • 1 teaspoon salt

    If using whole wheat or AP flour, add 1 tsp gluten

STEP BY STEP

  1. In a large (preferably glass) mixing bowl, dissolve yeast and sugar in water
  2. Let proof for 5 minutes – If it does not proof, do not use it.
  3. Put into Kitchen Aid
  4. Add oil, the egg and 2 C of the flour
  5. Stir enough to create a loose dough
  6. Add the xanthan gum
  7. Add salt and 1 C flour
  8. Add more flour 1 TBL at a time until your dough ball is fairly soft.
  9. Beat the dough with your Kitchen Aid for 5-10 minutes scraping from sides occasionally
  10. Keeping a fairly soft dough, knead for 5 minutes more on a floured surface
  11. DO NOT LET RISE
  12. Divide into 12 pieces for slider buns, or 8 pieces for 1/4 pounder buns
  13. Shape each piece into a ball
  14. Coat your hands lightly with olive oil and rub each ball with olive oil
  15. Place 3″ apart on a baking tray lined with parchment paper.
  16. Preheat oven to 425º
  17. Let buns rise on stovetop (on top of a cookie cooling rack) for 25 minutes
  18. Bake at 425º for 6 minutes
  19. Rotate tray
  20. Bake another 6 minutes and check to see if they have browned
  21. If necessary, bake another 3 minutes
  22. Remove from pans to wire rack to cool.

This recipe will make eight buns for 1/3-1/2 pound burgers, or twelve buns for smaller burgers and shredded BBQ sandwiches.

A few things that I will be trying with it:

  • SOUR DOUGH BREAD:  Substitute in 1 C sour dough starter for  1 C flour at Step 4.  The sour dough will inhibit the formation of mold, and I am hoping this will increase shelf-life.
  • ONE LOAF OF BREAD:  Next, I will try making this into a small sandwich loaf. One medium loaf pan and two hamburger buns.  For bread, start with the step after DO NOT LET RISE.  For hamburger buns, continue with above recipe.
      1. Roll in 1/4 C flour until you can get some of the cracks and folds out of the loaf.  Smack it on the table occasionally, trying to force out any air bubbles.
      2. Coat your hands lightly with oil, and wipe them on the outside of the dough ball.
      3. Let dough rise in a greased loaf pan for 45 minutes
      4. Cover with lightly oiled foil
      5. Bake at 400º for 20 minutes
      6. Remove foil, rotate and bake for another 10 minutes
      7. Test internal temperature.  If not yet (TARGET) 190º cover loaf and cook an additional few minutes
      8. Remove and set on rack to cool
  • ENGLISH MUFFINS:  Last, I am going to try to make a looser dough and create English Muffins. – with the following modified recipe:
    • Add 2 T non-fat powdered milk at Step 6
    • Replace Steps, beginning with 7,  with these steps
      1. Do not add the last cup of flour.  You want an EXTREMELY wet dough.
      2. Let rise in a GLASS bowl for 45 minutes
      3. Put 1/2 C dough into each WELL-GREASED ring.  No muffin rings?  Use canning jar lids without the cap
      4. Let dough rise for a full hour – more time = more bubbles
      5. Gently lift muffin rings using a spatula, and slide onto preheated HOT skillet and cook for 7 minutes.
      6. Remove ring, flip and cook for 7 more minutes.
      7. Remove from pans to wire rack to cool.

Another Indian Omelet

  1. Start with two hard boiled eggs
  2. Halve them and grate THREE of the egg white halves
  3. Fry in butter
  4. Add spices, onion, peppers, green onion, salt, chili powder, cumin, coriander, black pepper, garam masala, etc.
  5. Mix together
  6. Remove from heat and put in basil slices
  7. Beat two eggs with whatever spices, diced onion, green onion
  8. Put onto hot griddle and spread around
  9. As soon as center begins to congeal put toppings in center
  10. PLATE:  Fold into omelet
  11. Yolks, bell pepper, diced onion – mash together with butter
  12. Season with similar spices to above
  13. Add tomato paste – mix in and reduce
  14. PLATE: side by side
  15. Top with grated cheese
  16. Mop up grill with Hawaiian King Rolls or burger/hotdog buns

See also THIS OMELET

Yaday Special Butter Omelet

From Yummily

In large skillet

  • 4 TBL butter
  • ginger paste
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • chili powder
  • Garam masala
  • ground cumin
  • ground coriander
  • salt
  • pepper
  • turmeric
  • Kashmiri Mirch
  1. Melt butter and add spices over medium high heat
  2. Simmer, adding splashes of water to keep it runny
  3. After simmering several minutes add diced tomato, green onions, 2 hard-cooked egg yolks and 2 more TBL butter
  4. Crush together and continue to mix, adding water occasionally
  5. Add two beaten eggs and mix until eggs are cooked
  6. PLATE – This becomes your base
  7. Wipe off grill with Hawaiian King Rolls (opened)
  8. Chop egg whites (left over from 2 egg yolks) and put onto skillet
  9. Add 1 TBL more butter
  10. Fry whites until they start to brown on the edges
  11. PLATE – Put on top of first plated mixture
  12. Add 1 TBL butter to hot pan
  13. Add one well-beaten egg and spread it out
  14. Cook until it begins to barely congeal in the center
  15. PLATE – Invert on top of the other ingredients
  16. Clean your grill with the rolls, add 2 more TBL of butter to the pan and wipe with rolls to coat them a bit more
  17. PLATE – grate cheese on top, add diced tomato
  18. Drizzle with mixture of 1 TBL each yogurt, mayo, sour cream and ranch dressing
  19. Serve with the rolls and a side of slivered onion, diced tomato, green onion and basil

See also THIS OMELET

Egg Citing Ideas

Egg in a Hole

  • Start with a nice fat piece of garlic bread, brioche, etc.
  • Use a 2 1/2 in biscuit cutter to cut a hole into the egg
  • Butter the bread – both the hole and the bread – on both sides
  • Cook one side over medium heat
    • – Sprinkle with garlic, onion or GTP
    • Optional:  add sauteed onion or chorizo
  • Flip, add an egg into the hole
  • Top with shredded cheese
  • Cook another 2 minutes

Poached Eggs

  • Break egg into a strainer – discard water
  • Transfer to bowl – yolk intact
  • Add 2 TBL vinegar
  • Bring up to boil, then reduce to a simmer
  • Swirl hot water to create vortex
  • Put egg into water
    • 2 min soft – 3 min hard
  • Remove and tap strainer on paper towel
  • HINT:  If many of them, put into ice water
    • 30 seconds to warm it up

Poached Egg Brunch

  • In skillet add 1 TBL EVOO and a few cloves of garlic
  • Add asparagus and cook 3-5 minutes
  • Plate proscuitto
  • Top with asparagus
  • Add poached egg
  • Spritz with lemon
  • Add some shaved Parmesan

Hard Boiled Eggs

  • Use old eggs
  • Bring water up to boiling, then reduce to simmer
  • Slide eggs into water
    • 6, 8 or 10 minutes depending on how well cooked you like them
  • Transfer to ice bath, and peel – dipping frequently

Egg Florentine

  • Slice of fresh tomato on plate
  • Bring water to boil
  • Blanche spinach for about 60 seconds
    • Place on tomato
  • Poach egg 2 minutes – place on spinach
  • Top with grated Parmesan cheese

Egg on Toast

  • Prepare and butter your toast
  • Prepare your egg – poached or fried
  • Serve on the toast

Steamed Egg

  • Put egg into small oiled glass bowl
  • Put into shallow water bath – nearly boiling
  • Cover
  • Let steam for 3-6 minutes

Egg Nests aka Cloud Eggs

  • Separate 2 eggs – yolk from whites
  • Beat whites to stiff peaks w/ dash of cream of tartar
  • Form into nests on parchment paper
  • Option:  Put mushroom cap into nest
  • Bake 450º for 8-10 minutes
  • Put yolk into nest (or mushroom cap)
  • Bake another 3 minutes
  • Serve on ekmek

Seared Scrambled Eggs

  • Cook sliced Portobello (or brown crimini ) mushrooms in butter
  • Add diced tomatoes
  • Meanwhile, toast a slice of French bread
  • Scramble 3 eggs in 1-2 TBL COLD butter
  • Whisk/mix in hot skillet
  • Take off the heat just when it starts to congeal
  • Add 1/2 tsp cream or creme fresh
  • Season with salt and pepper at the last minute
  • Top with chives and drizzle with EVOO

Hash Browns with Egg

  • Grate or dice finely one russet potato
  • Fry in 1 TBL butter and 1 TBL EVOO in very hot skillet
  • Optional:  Add pieces of corned beef or cut up pieces of bacon
  • Add diced onion when potato starts to brown
  • Add diced tomato when onion becomes translucent
  • Optional:  Add 1 tsp tomato paste when most liquid is gone
  • Create one or two nests in the potatoes
  • Add egg(s)
  • Optional:  Sprinkle lightly with shredded cheese
  • Cover skillet
  • Turn off heat and let egg cook on residual heat 1 minute
    2 minutes if you don’t like runny yolks

Hamburger Eggs and Cheese

  • Oil a cupcake pan
  • Press hamburger into the cups
  • Bake at 400º for 15 minutes
  • Remove and add grated cheese
  • Bake another 5 minutes
  • Put egg into the cup and put back into oven
  • Close door and turn off the oven
  • Egg is finished in 10-15 minutes

Egg Basket

  • Cut puff pastry into slices
  • Weave a pattern and place over top of a small bowl
  • Bake 375º for 25 minutes
  • Remove and take from bowl
  • Invert and add chopped ham, cheese and a whole egg
  • Bake another 10 minutes

Hollandaise Wanna-be

  • Separate 4 eggs (set whites aside for another day)
  • In double boiler, add 4 tabs of COLD butter and yolks
  • Add 1/2 tsp vinegar, lemon zest, a bit of black pepper
  • Stir until egg starts to thicken, but not congeal
  • Pour over English muffin topped with ham or spinach
    and then topped with a poached egg

Stroopwafel

A stroopwafel (or StroopWaffle) is a waffle made from two thin layers of baked dough with a caramel syrup filling in the middle. Stroopwafels are popular in the Netherlands, and were first made in the city of Gouda.

The stiff dough for the waffles is made from flour, butter, brown sugar, yeast, milk, and eggs. Medium-sized dough balls are put into a heated waffle iron and pressed into the required uniformly thin, round shape. After the waffle has been baked, and while it is still warm, it is split into thin layered halves. The warm filling, made from syrup, brown sugar, butter, and cinnamon, is spread between the waffle halves, gluing them together.

WAFFLE

  • 4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1  1/8 cups butter, melted
  • 3/4 cup white sugar
  • 2 (.25 ounce) envelopes active dry yeast
  • 1/4 cup warm milk
  • 1 egg

CARAMEL FILLING

  • 1 1/2 cups molasses
    1 1/3 cups packed brown sugar
    1/3 cup butter
    1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  1. In a large bowl, mix together the flour, melted butter, sugar, yeast, milk and egg.
  2. When the dough becomes to stiff to stir, turn out onto a floured surface and knead by hand for a few minutes.
  3. Set aside to rise for 45 minutes.
  4. To make the filling, heat the molasses, brown sugar, remaining butter and cinnamon in a saucepan over medium heat.
  5. Stir to blend, and set aside.
  6. Preheat a pizzelle iron (waffle iron)
  7. Knead the dough briefly, and divide the dough into 2 inch balls, or a size compatible with your pizzelle iron pattern.
  8. Press the balls in the preheated iron, and cook until the iron stops releasing steam, or until the waffles are golden brown.
  9. Carefully remove with a knife or spatula, and split in half horizontally (like pocket bread) while they are still warm.
  10. Don’t wait too long, otherwise they will break.
  11. Spread filling on the insides, and put the halves back together, pressing gently.

CinnaSugar ®

This is a powder that I mix up and keep on hand.  It is good for many things, but mainly French Toast.  It used to be called French Toast Powder, so you may see it call that in other recipes.

  • 1/4 C sugar
  • 1/4 C ground cinnamon
  • 1 TBL nutmeg
  • 1 tsp salt

For French Toast, add

  • 1 TBL seasoning
  • 1/2 tsp corn starch
  • 1 TBL granulated sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 TBL milk (not skim)
  • 1 TBL emulsified butter or canola oil

Instant Pot – Grandpa’s Notes

This is a collection of information for use with my InstantPot Duo.

See ALL INSTANT POT Recipes

  • Needs at least 2 C water
  • RIBS – Dry rub – bottom rack – Add carrots, onions, potatoes – 25 minutes on Meat/Stew – High Pressure – Slow release 15 minutes then vent – Finish in oven 5-10 minutes at 400º then broil 1-2 minutes
  • RICE – 4 parts rice, 5 parts water – At least 2 C water – Pressure cook 4 minutes – Slow release 10 minutes
  • BEANS – Soak beans overnight – Alt to soaking beans overnight: 4 C water, 1 C rinsed beans – Pressure cook 4 minutes – Slow release 10 minutes – Discard water, rinse, and proceed as if soaked overnight
  • BEANS – 2 C water, 2 C kidney beans, 1 onion, 1 TBL butter, 1 tsp cumin, 1 bunch cilantro – Pressure cook 10 minutes – Slow release for 20 minutes
  • POTATOES – Mashed – 2 C water and 5-8 whole potatoes (washed) – Pressure cook 20 minutes – Quick release – Remove potato skins, season and mash
  • CHICKEN – Brown pieced chicken on Saute – Deglaze with ½ C white wine – Pressure cook 12 minutes – Quick release
  • BEEF ROAST – Saute with EVOO – Deglaze with chicken stock – Pressure cook 50 minutes – Quick release
  • PORK SHOULDER – Sear large pieces of the pork (approx 4-6 inches) – Deglaze with chicken stock – Add liquid smoke – Pressure cook 70-90 minutes – Natural release

Quick Release – Press cancel and turn lever to release pressure

Natural Release – Press cancel and wait 10 minutes, then flip to release pressure.

Slow release – Press cancel and wait 20 minutes for pressure to reduce, then flip to release pressure.

Homemade Butter Spread

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 stick Tillamook or Fleishman’s (high quality) butter
  • 2 TBL whole milk – DO NOT use skim or low-fat

STEP BY STEP

  1. Let butter come up to room temperature
  2. Put into mixing bowl (not a food processor – too fast)
  3. Add warm milk
  4. Whip with a mixer at low speed for 1-2 minutes
  5. Increase speed to high for 2-4 minutes until light and creamy
  6. Store in the refrigerator when not in use.

NOTES

  • The first mixing at low speed is to mix the ingredients well.  The higher speed will incorporate some air bubbles into the butter spread
  • Ten seconds in the microwave is an additional step the I take
  • Cover tightly in the fridge.  Tupperware works very well.
  • Butter will keep for a couple of weeks, but will tend to get harder (due to evaporation) the longer it sets.
  • If you are serving this with French bread, mix 1 TBL powdered garlic into the spread right at the very beginning.
  • If you are looking for a dessert spread, mix 1 TBL cinnamon and 2 TBL sugar in right at the beginning.
  • A citrus butter is good with muffins, waffles or pancakes.  Mix in the zest and juice from one orange – skip the milk

 

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