Frozen make ahead egg sandwiches

egg_muffinMix 12 eggs with 1/2 tsp salt
Pepper to taste
1/4 cup cream
Create egg mixture with above ingredients

Grease sheet pan
Pour egg mixture onto pan
Optionally top with one can of green chilies
Bake at 425° for 12 minutes
Lay a slice of grated cheddar, Swiss or (gasp) American cheese
Bake three more minutes

Use a biscuit cutter to cut round pieces
Cut like cue balls are racked for maximum efficiency.
– Set aside leftovers for a breakfast scramble

While the eggs cook, fry up 12 patties, and toast your English muffins
Assemble your muffins, and wrap in plastic.
Freeze for up to a month.

Baked eggs

baked_eggINGREDIENTS

  • 1/4 C Salami
  • 4-6 Kalamata olives (pitted)
  • 1/2 Minced onion
  • 1/4 C Frozen spinach (squeezed)
  • 1 can diced tomato
  • 4 Eggs – broken into cups so that yolk does not break
  • Mozzarella to taste
  • Basil
  • Parm/Reg or Romano cheese to taste
  • Garlic bread

STEP BY STEP

  1. Preheat oven to 350º
  2. Dice salami
  3. Fry lightly in EVOO
  4. Toss in diced Kalamata olives
  5. Add some minced onions
  6. Optionally toss in some frozen spinach (squeezed)
  7. One can diced tomato (drained) or tomato pieces
  8. Simmer 5-10 minutes
  9. Disburse into ramekins
  10. Make a little pocket for the eggs
  11. Top with mozzarella pieces season with salt and pepper
  12. Top with basil
  13. Cook at 350° for 15 minutes
  14. Top with grated Parmesan or Romano
  15. Let set for no more than two minutes or the egg will over cook
  16. Serve with grilled garlic bread

Garlic Knots

knotsRecipe from Steve, owner of Grande Pizza

  • 1 Ball prepared Pizza dough
  • 2 TBL Melted butter
  • 2 TBL Rosemary
  • 1 TBL Garlic powder
  • 1 TBL Parmesan cheese

Marinara dipping sauce

  • Dried oregano to sprinkle

Ranch dipping sauce

  • 4 cloves Garlic
  • 4 Minced chives
  • 1/2 tsp Salt
  • 1 handful flat leaf parsley
  • 1 tsp dill
  • 1 C sour cream
  • 1/2 C Buttermilk
  • 1/2 C Mayo
  • 2 TBL White wine vinegar
  • 2 TBL Franks red hot sauce
    1. Pulse in food processor until chopped and mixed

 

To twist the knots, wrap the strip around your finger, then just tuck it through.

  1. Use any standard pizza dough and divide into 8 pieces for large knots, or 12 pieces for smaller knots
  2. Mix together chopped rosemary, 2 cloves of minced garlic and 2 TBL melted butter
  3. Toss balls in butter mixture
  4. Sprinkle garlic powder lightly onto a cutting board
  5. Roll balls into ropes about 6-8 inches in length over top of sprinkled garlic powder
  6. Tie into loose knots and toss with grated Parmesan
  7. Let rise for one hour in a warm place
  8. Bake 400º for about 20 minutes
  9. Serve on a plate with a cup of warm marinara dipping sauce or cool ranch dressing in the center
  10. Sprinkle with oregano

 

Carrot Soup

4 C chicken broth
2 carrots (peeled and grated)
1 stalk of celery (diced)
2 cloves garlic (minced)
1 TBL butter
1 TBL sugar
1 TBL flour
1 onion (diced)
3 TBL fresh cilantro
1 tsp corriander
salt and pepper to taste
zest from 1 lemon with juice

  1. Brown onions in melted butter
  2. Add carrots, flour and sugar
  3. Add chicken broth
  4. Add garlic and cilantro
  5. Add coriander, salt and pepper
  6. Cook for 25 minutes
  7. Puree with immersion blender
  8. Add garlic and lemon
  9. Top with cream and a sprig of cilantro

Lemon Soufflé

Here is the recipe for Créme Anglaise that you will use to finish this recipe.

Separate 4 eggs

Coat six ramekins with butter
Pour castor sugar into the ramekins and tip/rotate to cover sides and bottom
Put into refrigerator for later use

Create your soufflé base. This can be done the day before, but the soufflés themselves cannot be prepared in advance.

Soufflé Base
Heat 3 TBL butter in skillet then add
3 TBL flour
1/2 C milk
3/4 C sugar
zest and juice from 4 lemons
Let cool, then whisk in 4 egg yolks
This can be refrigerated for up to two days

  • When you are ready to bake your soufflé, pour the base into a large glass bowl and let slowly come up to room temperature.
  • Meanwhile, beat your room temperature egg whites along with 1 tsp salt until they come to stiff peaks. Stiff peaks are when you remove your beater, peaks hang down. Hold the peaks horizontally and see if they stay out. If they do, that is stiff peaks.
  • Blend in about 1 cup of egg whites into your soufflé base to lighten it, then gently fold in 1/3 of your egg whites, and repeat until all is combined.
  • Pour this batter to fill your ramekins about 2/3 of the way full.
  • Run a buttered finger around the top of the ramekins wiping off the excess sugar
  • Bake at 400º for about 15 minutes
  • Remove and poke an X in the top with a soup spoon
  • Pour Créme Anglaise into the hole and serve hot

 

Blueberry Hand Pie – THREE RECIPES

Easy Method

    • FILLING
  • Cook 1 C blueberries in 1/2 C sugar
  • 2 TBL cornstarch slurry in 1/4 C water
  • 1 tsp lemon zest and juice
  • splash of vanilla
  • Simmer till thickened, then set aside to cool
    • ASSEMBLY
  • Use storebought puff pastry or pie crust – let thaw and then “push” into one big square, then cut in 4 squares or use 4-5 inch biscuit cutter
  • Put 1/4 of the filling in the center
  • Egg wash the edges of the puff pastry
  • Fold over to create a triangle
  • Crimp the edges very lightly with the tines of a fork
  • Put finished pies on parchment paper on a baking sheet
  • Brush the tops with remaining egg wash
    • BAKE at 400º for 20 minutes
  • Sprinkle with powdered sugar or icing made with 1/2 C confectioner sugar and dash of vanilla – use the merest splash of water if needed for consistency
  • Cool 5 minutes before removing or serving

Better Method

After assembly, these can be frozen (unbaked) for 1 month, and then put into the oven for 25 minutes at 350º F.

Dough

  • 2 C AP flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 C confectioner sugar
  • 3/4 tsp salt
  • Pulse above ingredients in  food processor
  • Add 8 TBL melted butter
    Pulse until mixed
  • Add 1/2 C whole milk or 3/4 buttermilk
    Mix 8-10 seconds
  • Knead on a floured surface until it comes together.
  • Cut dough into eight pieces, roll into balls, and flatten them slightly.
  • Put onto a baking tray, cover with plastic and refrigerate for 20-30 minutes.

Filling

  • 3 C frozen peaches, apples, blueberries or strawberries.
  • 1 C granulated sugar
  • 2 TBL AP flour
  • 1 large beaten egg
  • 1 TBL lemon juice
  • 1/8 tsp salt
    Cook in skillet over low heat for 15-18 minutes.
  • Mash coarsely, then simmer to reduce.
  • Add 2 tsp lemon juice and chill filling for two hours.

Egg Wash

  • 2 egg whites and 2 tsp water

Assembling the Pies

  1. Roll a dough disk to about 6-8 inches in diameter.
  2. Put 3 TBL of filling in the center.
    You can make smaller pies with smaller circles and less filling.
  3. Brush the edge with egg wash.
  4. Fold and seal – removing as much air from the body as possible.
  5. Trim the edges, then secure by crimping with a fork.
  6. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
    At this point, they can be frozen or prepared.
  7. If preparing frozen pies, let them come up to room temperature for 30 minutes before cooking.
  8. Heat 1 QT of safflower oil to 375º or bake at 400º for 18-20 minutes.
  9. If frying, fry about 90-120 seconds on each side.
  10. While still very hot, brush lightly with melted butter and sprinkle with Turbinado sugar.
  11. Cool on a rack for at least 10 minutes before serving.

ONE MORE RECIPE

Blueberry Hand Pies
Rita Heikenfeld, Special to the Cincinnati Enquirer (USA Today Network), from azcentral.com, Sept. 2, 2026

The author makes these with southwest Ohio’s summer blueberries. The crust takes some time, but rolling, folding and chilling it gives you a flaky, tender, faux puff pastry. You can make the filling ahead and bring it to room temperature before using it.

For the crust

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour (whisk it first, spoon it into the cup, then level it off)
  • ¾ teaspoon salt (½ teaspoon if using salted butter)
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • 16 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled
  • ½ cup regular (not low-fat) sour cream

For the filling

  • 2 cups blueberries, fresh or frozen
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch for fresh berries, 2½ tablespoons for frozen
  • ⅓ cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
  • A couple of dashes of salt
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon, or more
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice, or more

For the egg wash and sugar coating

  • 1 egg, beaten with a tiny bit of water
  • Sugar, regular or sparkling

To make the crust

  1. Whisk the flour, salt and baking powder together.
  2. Cut the butter into ¼-inch slices, then cut each slice into 4 pieces. Work the butter into the flour until the mixture is coarse and crumbly, leaving most of the butter in pea-sized pieces.
  3. Stir in the sour cream until the mixture comes together in chunks. Turn it out onto a floured surface and knead a few times to bring it together.
  4. Pat the dough into a rough 8-inch log, roll it into an 8-by-10-inch rectangle, and dust both sides with flour.
  5. Starting from a short end, fold the dough in thirds like a business letter. Flip it, turn it 90 degrees, and roll it again into an 8-by-10-inch rectangle. Fold it in thirds again.
  6. Wrap the dough and chill it for 30 minutes or up to a day.

Note: If you don’t have time to make the pastry, use refrigerated pie crust.

To make the filling
Put all the filling ingredients in a saucepan. Cook on low, stirring frequently, until the mixture is thick and glossy, about 5 to 10 minutes. Let it cool.

To make the hand pies

  1. Preheat the oven to 425°F with a rack in the middle. Line a baking pan with parchment and spray the parchment.
  2. Roll the dough into a 14-by-14-inch square. If it’s too hard to roll, let it sit a few minutes first.
  3. Cut out 16 squares, about 3½ inches each.
  4. Put a heaping tablespoon of filling on each of 8 squares. Brush the edges with egg wash to help them seal.
  5. Cut a cross-shaped vent in each of the other 8 squares. Place a vented square on top of each filled square and seal the edges with a fork.
  6. Brush the tops and edges with egg wash, avoiding the open center, and sprinkle with sugar. Place the pies on the pan.
  7. Bake 18 to 20 minutes, until golden to golden brown. Cool for 20 minutes.

Store covered at room temperature for a few days, or freeze. If you like, dust them with powdered sugar before serving.

Makes 8 hand pies.


Hot Dog Toppings

For an interesting twist on standard hot dogs, wrap the dog in a piece of thin bacon. Grill as always.

Serve on a bocadillo, boillito, or telero with the edges cut and then grilled.

2015-12-31 17.13.26

Other topping combinations:

  • Refried Beans
  • Mayo, salt, pepper, lime, choloula
  • Red onion
  • Avocado, cilantro, jalapeño

Hot dog measuring: 7 to 1 is 7 hot dogs her pound. 10 to 1 is ten dogs to a pound. 2 to 1 dogs are HUGE half-pound hot dogs.


Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes

  1.  Wash large, nicely symmetrical, yams
  2. Poke a zillion holes in each with a fork
  3. Bake at 400 degrees for 1 hour
  4. Cut in half and set aside to cool
  5. Let cool until they can be handled without being burnt
  6. Scoop out meat of potato, leaving skin boat intact
  7. Mash and mix with 1 TBL butter and 1 TBL cream per half of potato
  8. Spoon back into skin boats
  9. Sprinkle with cheese, salt and paprika
  10. If desired, whip up just a bit of meringue and put on top (See recipe below)
  11. Bake another 15 minutes at 350º

Meringue – Totally optional… I usually don’t do this step.

  1. Separate 2 eggs – keep yolks for other uses
  2. Beat whites until they start to come to peaks
  3. Add 1/4 tsp cream of tartar
  4. Add 1/4 C sugar
  5. Keep beating until they form stiff peaks

Shepherd’s Pie

Shepherd’s Pie

shep-pie1/2 pound ground lean beef
1/2 pound ground pork or lamb
1 sweet onion (large dices)
1 carrot (large dices)
1 TBL tomato paste
1 can crushed tomatoes
1 can whole peas
1/2 C kernel corn
1/2 cup finely chopped parsley, thyme and/or rosemary
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 tsp garlic powder or four cloves minced garlic
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 large egg
About 1/2 teaspoon salt
About 1/4 teaspoon pepper
About 1/2 cup fat-skimmed beef broth
1/2 C white wine
1 C beef broth
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup shredded Swiss or Parmesan cheese (about 2 1/2 oz.)

3 large potatoes
3 TBL butter
1/2 cup cream cheese, at room temperature

  1. Cut 3 large potatoes into one inch pieces and start heating in salted boiling water
  2. Brown beef/pork mixture in hot skillet
  3. Add onion and carrot – cook until it starts to become translucent
  4. Add flour, parsley, mustard and egg
  5. Add salt, pepper and broth
  6. Add tomato paste
  7. Deglaze pan with white wine
  8. Add 2 TBL butter, canned peas and crushed tomatoes
  9. Add beef broth
  10. When butter has melted, remove from heat and add cheeses
  11. When potatoes have finished mash them with 3 TBL butter and cream cheese – mix until smooth
  12. Salt and pepper potatoes to taste
  13. Butter a shallow 3 1/2- to 4-quart casserole.
  14. Spread two-thirds of the potato mixture evenly over bottom and up sides.
  15. Spoon meat mixture into the center.
  16. Spoon remaining potato mixture decoratively around edge of meat mixture
  17. ALT: Boil potato medallions and place (overlapping) around the edge
  18. ALT: Boil potato medallions and place them over the top of the meat mixture – sprinkle with cheese
  19. ALT:  Pipe mashed potatoes using a pastry bag with a 1-inch star or round tip and pipe around the edge
  20. Bake pie in a 400F oven until potatoes are browned, 30 to 35 minutes

NOTES:

  • If this were to be made with ground beef only, it would be called a Cottage Pie, rather than a Shepherd’s Pie
  • If you do make this the day before serving, don’t bake it until just before planning to eat it.
  • It should take 35 to 40 minutes to heat through after it’s been stored in the refrigerator.

Chile Verde

image3 LB Pork Shoulder
– trim some (but not all) fat
2 LB Anaheim or Hatch chilies
3 Jalapeños

1 can diced tomato
1 can navy or pinto beans
1 can kidney beans
1 can whole corn
1 onion
1 head of garlic
1/4 C clour
4 C chicken broth
1 TBL cumin

Preheat oven to 500°
Coat pork in Grandpa's Thunder Powder or Arghhh Powder
Bake at 500° for 20 minutes
Heat 1/2 C water and 1 tsp salt
Reduce heat, add pork, cover, and simmer 20 minutes

Meanwhile blacken chilies, sweat 5 minutes in plastic covered glass bowl, and remove skin. DO NOT RINSE.

Drain pork, cut in 8 pieces, and brown newly exposed sides.

Chop your chilies, add 1 can diced tomato, 1 onion, 8 cloves smashed garlic, 1 TBL cumin, 1/4 C flour and 4 C chicken broth.

Cover and simmer 90 minutes at 280° in the oven.
Add 1 can each kidney beans, navy or pinto beans, whole kernel corn.
Let rest covered for 30 more minutes.
Cool until you can shred the meat.
Deseed jalapeños, mince and add to chile
Mix in 1 TBL lime juice.
Serve topped with sour cream (crema) and/or cilantro

Jambalaya

Basically you can just say that Jambalaya is kind of like a casserole.  It’s a concept, rather than a dish.  Here is an easy step by step, but if you want to go with tradition, click on the images to the right:

  • Raw meat (chicken, sausage, shrimp, pork, beef, fish, etc)
  • Lots of minced garlic (to taste)
  • One green bell pepper – diced
  • One onion – sliced thin
  • One celery – chopped
  • One can crushed tomatoes
  • 1-2 C chicken stock
  1. Brown the meat in EVOO
  2. Cook the above together for about an hour
  3. Stir occasionally
  4. Spill some of your beer and Tabasco sauce in there occasionally
  5. Put some rice and beans in during the last half hour

Browse the recipe to the right for a few other ideas and ingredients.

 

Potato Skins

Before we begin…

  • When you grate potatoes for hashed browns, or cut them up for potato salad, don’t lose those wonderful potato skins.
  • Cut off nice thick pieces for potato skins.
  • Store them for up to a week in salt water

Ingredients to feed 4 people

potato skins
– cut thick enough to enjoy
  • 1 C hot water
  • 1 tsp salt

Step by Step

  1. Stuff a canning jar with the potato skins
    – use the whites of the potato for whatever recipe you have going
  2. Fill a measuring cup with two cups of hot water
  3. Add a tablespoon of salt to the water and stir to dissolve
  4. Pour over the potatoes in the jar
  5. Put the lid on the jar
  6. Let them cool on the counter for half an hour
  7. Put them into the refrigerator and store for up to a week

fried eggWhen you are ready to eat your potato skins…

  1. Dump the salted water
  2. Fill the jar with fresh water
  3. Dump this rinse water, but only rinse them once.
  4. Pat them dry with a towel and spray with vegetable spray or wipe lightly with EVOO
  5. Bake in the oven at 400º for 45 minutes to an hour
  6. Serve with sour cream mixed with your favorite dried spices.

Serve with your favorite dipping sauce or ketchup, and serve with eggs.


This is a recipe that has been created or modified by Robert (Grandpa) Andrews.
CLICK HERE for a free sample copies of Grandpa's Cookbooks. © 2016, 2017, 2018.

Smoothie Recipes

HINT: Frequently the blender blade will fit into a ball jar, which can then be screwed into place. Use this for your smoothie and everything is self-contained.

Kale Breakfast Smoothie

6-8 Kale leaves
1/2 C water
1 C frozen banana slices
10-12 seedless grapes
1 VERY ripe pear (peel is OK, but small pieces)
1/2 C orange juice
1 tsp grated ginger
Blend well and serve on ice.

Banana Breakfast Smoothie

1 C frozen banana slices
1 C milk
1/2 C strong coffee (cold) – espresso is even better
1 TBL coconut oil
1 TBL peanut butter
1 TBL honey
1/2 tsp vanilla

A few other smoothies:

Strawberry Banana Smoothie
The Ultimate Smoothie
A Google Listing

Growing and Making Pickles

CLICK HERE for an index of all Grandpa’s Pickle Recipes.


Lacto-fermentation

Simply put, lacto-fermentation is a microbial process using beneficial bacteria including Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium spp. and other lactic acid bacteria (LAB) (commonly known as probiotics), which thrive in an anaerobic fermenting environment.  Beyond preservation advantages, lacto–fermentation also increases or preserves the vitamin and enzyme levels, as well as digestibility, of the fermented food.

Balance is crucial.  Too salty and fermentation does not take place.  Not salty enough, and they rot.  It is not a fine line, but one that needs to be considered.

Planting your own Pickles

  • Plant specifically pickling cucumbers.
  • They are a bit smaller than regular ones.
  • The take about 4-5 weeks to harvest, so plan your time accordingly.
  • The first part of August is a good time to plant.

Pickling ingredients

  • Enough for a one quart canning jars
  • Different vinegars contain different acid levels, which affect the taste of your pickled ingredients.
    – LOW ACID: Apple cider vinegar
    – MEDIUM ACID: White wine vinegar
    – HIGH ACID: Red wine vinegar – increase sugar
  • Main pickling ingredients:
    – 1/2 C sugar (dissolved in heated vinegar)
    – 1/2 C salt (dissolved in heated vinegar)
    – 2 C heated white vinegar – heated in microwave 1 minute
    – 1 C water – also heated
  • Flavor ingredients:
    – 2 large (or 3 small) cloves garlic – whole, but squashed
    – 1 dried arbol chili – dried, but flexible – not brittle
    – 1 lemon – zest and juice
    – 1 bay leaf
    – 1 rosemary sprig
    – 1 tsp black peppercorns
    – 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
    – 1/2 tsp tarragon
    – 1/2 tsp thyme
    – 1/2 tsp vanilla

Basic Steps… Really Easy

  • Stuff jar full of whatever you are pickling
  • Pour in hot salty brine – About 1 sugar, 1 salt, 2 water, 4 vinegar
  • Process with hot water bath for 10 minutes

If you are going to eat them within a month or so, you can skip the canning process, but you still want to use jars and lids that have been sterilized.  If you do this, they will stay good for up to four months.

  • Pickles should always set for at least 36 hours before you eat them.  A week is even better.  In the case of olives or peppers, a few weeks is in order.

Items that are good pickled

  • Hard boiled eggs – whole
  • Red  or sweet white onion – cut into slices
  • Cucumber medallions with sweet onion slivers
  • Radishes – small ones whole, big ones halved
  • Jalapeño peppers
  • Small pickling cucumbers
  • Cauliflower
  • Broccoli
  • Asparagus
  • Zucchini
  • Red or brown olives fresh from the tree (2 week cure time) – Black is too ripe
  • Shredded cabbage (sauerkraut)
  • Green beans

Most seasonal vegetables can be pickled as long as they have some structure to them. Forget leaf vegetables, apples, pears, etc.

Grandpa’s Refrigerator Pickles

PREPARE YOUR BRINE

  • 2 C water – About 1 sugar, 1 salt, 2 water, 4 vinegar
  • 2 C apple cider vinegar
  • 3 TBL kosher salt
  • 3 TBL sugar
  • Several sprigs fresh dill – whole
  • 1 tsp celery seed
  • 1 tsp coriander seed
  • 1 tsp mustard seed
  • 1/2 tsp black peppercorns
  • 10 cloves peeled garlic – whole

PREPARE YOUR CUCUMBERS

  • 6 Kirby or Pickling Cucumbers – Quartered lengthwise
  • English Cucumbers and Persian Cucumbers are also good choices.

    OTHER VEGETABLES YOU CAN USE

  • Carrots
  • Onions
  • Peppers
  • Green beans
  • Cauliflower

COMBINE IT ALL

  • Bring your brine up to boiling
  • Simmer 5 minutes
  • Place 1 clove of garlic and some of the peppercorns into your jars
  • Pack with vegetables as full as you can get it.
  • Pour the boiling brine into the jars
  • Put lids on them
  • Process in hot water bath if keeping for more than 4 months, otherwise just put the lid on and you are good to go.
  • Always best after a few days.

Grandpa’s Bread and Butter Pickle Chips

INGREDIENTS

  • 15 Small Cucumbers
  • 3 onions – thinly sliced
  • 1 green bell pepper – thinly sliced
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1/4 C salt
  • 2 C apple cider vinegar
  • 1 C white sugar
  • 1 TBL mustard seed
  • 1 tsp celery seed
  • 8 whole cloves
  • 1 tsp ground turmeric

STEP BY STEP

  1. In a large bowl, toss together cucumbers, onions, green bell peppers, garlic and salt. Allow to stand approximately 3 hours.
  2. In a large saucepan, mix the cider vinegar, white sugar, mustard seed, celery seed, whole cloves and turmeric.
  3. Drain liquid from the cucumber mixture. …
  4. Transfer to sterile containers.
  5. Store in the refrigerator for up to three months

Party Potatoes

Heat up 2 C cream and 1 C half and half just to the point where it starts to steam
Add peeled and grated fresh horseradish, and one thinly sliced Valida onion
Add two cloves thinly sliced garlic, just a bit of grated nutmeg
Add salt and pepper to taste
Continue to simmer for about ten minutes while you slice potatoes
Slice Yukon Gold Potatoes thinly
Layer cream, potatoes and cheese until you are out of potatoes or cream
Add in whatever you have left, then top with Panko bread crumbs
Bake at 375º for about 90 minutes
Top with thyme, chives and finely diced red bell pepper or sumac
Let cool at least 10 minutes before serving

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