Category: Third Party Material

Glazed Chicken Wings

original recipe

Sweet Chili and Orange Marmalade Glazed Chicken Wings

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds chicken wing pieces, drumettes and flats
  • ½ cup orange marmalade
  • ¼ cup sweet chili sauce

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).

  2. Set a wire rack inside a large foil-lined rimmed baking sheet; arrange chicken wings on top.

  3. Bake in the preheated oven until wings are no longer pink at the bone and the skin is crispy, 45 to 50 minutes.

  4. Mix orange marmalade and chili sauce in a large bowl until thoroughly combined. Add cooked wings to marmalade-chili sauce and toss until well coated. Plate wings and pour extra sauce on top.

Butterscotch Pudding Blondies

ORIGINAL RECIPE FROM FOOD NETWORK

  • 2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for the baking dish
  • 1 1/2 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
  • 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • One 3.4-ounce package butterscotch instant pudding mix
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 2 large eggs, at room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 3/4 cup roasted salted cashews, coarsely chopped
  • 3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
  • Flaky salt

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a 9-by-13-inch glass baking dish with aluminum foil, leaving a 2-inch overhang. Grease the foil with butter.
  2. Put the brown sugar in a large bowl. Melt the butter in a small skillet or in the microwave in a glass measuring cup. Stir the butter into the sugar until smooth. Cool to room temperature.
  3. Meanwhile, in another medium bowl, whisk the flour, pudding mix, baking soda and kosher salt together.
  4. Beat the eggs and vanilla into the sugar mixture. Stir in the flour mixture a bit at a time and mix until a smooth, thick batter forms. Fold in the cashews and chocolate chips.
  5. Spoon the batter into the prepared dish and spread evenly. Bake until the blondies are light brown around the edges and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 20 to 25 minutes.
  6. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with flaky salt. Let cool in pan slightly, about 15 minutes. Using the overhanging aluminum foil, lift the blondies out of the pan and transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely. Remove the foil and cut into 18 blondies.

Easy Pickled Okra

Source Recipe:   Eat Simple Food
 
You may have heard that when you cook okra, it turns slimy.  Well, that’s true.  Here are two recipes though, that make okra pretty easy to prepare and tasty.
 
      • Trim okra stem to 1/4 inch
      • ¾ lb okra
      • 2 fresno red chili peppers, sliced – use red peppers if you can’t find them or skip
      • 2 small garlic cloves, peeled
      • 4 dill sprigs or 1 ½ tsp dried dill
      • 1 ½ tsp mustard seeds
      • ½ tsp crushed red pepper (for heat)
      • 1 cup apple cider vinegar
      • 1 cup water
      • 2 Tbsp salt
      • 1 quart size jar – equipment

Instructions

    1. Add garlic, dill, mustard seeds, and crushed red pepper to two pint sized jars.
    2. Small okra is better.  Not more than three inches, anyway.
      Plump – no wrinkles
    3. Trim okra stems to ¼”. Add cleaned whole okra to jar vertically, alternating stem ends up and down.
    4. Pack okra in tightly, packing dill along the sides
    5. Bring a small pot with vinegar, water, and salt to a rolling boil and stir.
    6. Pour mixture into clean canning jar(s) (careful it’s hot!), leaving ~ ¼″ air at top.  
    7. Cover with cleaned canning jar lid.
    8. Let sit at room temperature ~ 1 hour to cool down, and then place in refrigerator.  
    9. Wait at least a couple days before eating, but probably will need about a week to soak up all the pickling liquid.  Good for ~3 weeks in the refrigerator.  Happy eating!  Beckie

 

 

 

Beyond the Grave Chicken Salad

by Mary Kay Andrews

Did y’all hear about the Coca-Cola heiress who got kicked out of the Junior League for making chicken salad with dark meat? It’s an urban legend in Atlanta, but every Southern woman worth her salt has a tried and true recipe for chicken salad. My personal favorite used to be served in the dearly departed tea room at Maas Bros. Department Store in St. Petersburg, Florida. I’ve tasted some great versions over the years, but none greater than the one I sampled at the wake of a friend’s father in Dalton, Georgia. It inspired the recipe for Beyond the Grave Chicken Salad in Little Bitty Lies.

Beyond the Grave Chicken Salad Recipe

5 lbs. chicken breasts
2 quarts water
parsley sprigs
1 large onion, quartered
1 tsp seasoned salt
2 chicken bullion cubes

In large pot, bring water and seasoning to boil, add chicken, lower heat and simmer 40 min. Remove from heat, cool. Shred chicken and refrigerate.

Dressing:

1/2 C bottled Italian salad dressing
1 C Duke’s mayonnaise
1 TBL white vinegar
1-1/2 tsp celery seed
2 TBL sugar
1/8 tsp. salt
dash paprika

Blend well together.

For salad:

Toss shredded chicken with one cup of dressing and let stand at least one hour to marinate.

Combine remaining dressing with:
1/2 C sour cream
1 TBL honey

Add to chicken and mix well. May add canned water chestnuts, blanched almonds or chopped pecans.

Soft Sourdough Pretzel

Find it online: https://www.theperfectloaf.com/seriously-soft-sourdough-pretzel/

  • Author: Maurizio Leo
  • Prep Time: 18 hours
  • Cook Time: 25 minutes
  • Total Time: 18 hours 25 minutes
  • Yield: 12 pretzels
  • Category: Sourdough, Pretzel
  • Cuisine: German

Description

Chewy and soft, these sourdough pretzels are the real deal. Equally delicious with mustard, cheese, and beer, they have that unmistakable pretzel flavor and deep color.

Ingredients

 

Levain

  • 10g ripe sourdough starter, 100% hydration
  • 51g all-purpose flour
  • 51g whole wheat flour
  • 102g water

Main dough

  • 635g high-protein flour (“bread” flour)
  • 120g all-purpose flour
  • 369g water
  • 17g fine sea salt
  • 60g unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
  • 3g diastatic malt powder

Lye bath

  • 940g cool water
  • 38g food-grade lye

Topping

  • coarse pretzel salt

Instructions

  1. Levain (9:00 p.m.)
    In a small bowl or jar, mix the Levain ingredients. Cover the jar and keep it at a warm temperature for 12 hours.
  2. Mix (9:00 a.m., next day)
    Add the flour, water, salt, softened butter, diastatic malt powder, and levain to the bowl of a mixer fitted with a dough hook. Mix on speed 1 for 2 to 3 minutes until all of the ingredients are incorporated. Let the dough rest for 5 minutes. Continue to mix on speed 2 for 4-6 additional minutes until the dough becomes smooth and cohesive—an improved mix.
  3. Bulk fermentation (9:15 a.m. to 12:45 p.m.)
    Give the dough one set of stretch and folds after the first hour of bulk fermentation. Return the dough to the bulk container and let rest until time to divide.
  4. Divide and preshape (12:45 p.m.)
    Because the dough is low hydration, keep it covered at all times. Divide the dough into twelve 115 gram rectangular pieces. Preshape each rectangle into a tapered cigar shape. Let the pieces rest 15 minutes covered with plastic.
  5. Shape (1:00 p.m.)
    Line two half-sheet pans with parchment paper. Starting with the piece preshaped first, place the cigar in front of you so the tips are at your sides. Begin with your hands slightly overlapping in the middle, press down and roll the dough back and forth away from and then toward your body. As you are rolling, start to move your hands outward to encourage the tube to spread out and become increasingly thin as you move from the center out to the tips. You want to keep an exaggerated bulge in the very center of this rope, this will be the part you later score to open in the oven. Grab the two tips and arrange the dough so it loops away from you. Take one tip and fold it over the other side . Switch your hands so your right hand is holding the new right tip and your left is holding the new left tip. Fold the same side over the other as previously. Grab the two tips and fold them up over the knot in the middle and place each tip on its corresponding side inside the loop. It looks nice to have a little overlap with each tip — gently press it down into the side to seal.
  6. Proof (1:15 p.m. to 1:45 p.m.)
    Let the dough proof on the counter at room temperature for 30 minutes, uncovered. Then, transfer the uncovered baking sheets holding your pretzels to the fridge for 45 minutes to 1 hour.
  7. Lye bath (2:45 p.m.)
    Place two racks in your oven, one at the bottom and one in the top third. Preheat your oven to 450°F (230°C) convection (475°F (245°C) without convection). While wearing long latex or rubber gloves, add 940g cool water  to a stainless steel bowl. To the water, add 38g food-grade lye while mixing with a stainless steel whisk or large spoon. The mixture will initially be cloudy, keep stirring until all the powder/pellets are dissolved. With gloves, pick up one shaped pretzel and transfer it to the lye bath and let sit for 15-20 seconds. Transfer to the cooling rack on top of the parchment paper inside a baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough pieces. Once all the pretzel have been dipped, carefully flush the remaining lye solution down the toilet.
  8. Bake (3:00 p.m.)
    Score each pretzel with the razor blade and sprinkle on pretzel salt. Bake at 450°F (230°C) for 10 minutes. Rotate the pans back to front and top to bottom, turn the oven down to 425°C (220°C) and bake for 8-12 minutes longer until a deep brown color. Remove from the oven and let cool. Enjoy warm from the oven.

Notes

  • For the lye bath, you will need a stainless steel bowl, stainless steel cooling rack, and pair of rubber gloves.

 

Jalapeño Popper Pinwheels

Jalapeño Popper Pinwheels are bite sized, creamy, delicious snacks or appetizers that are filled with cheese, bacon and jalapeños and rolled up in a tortilla!
 
 
Author Brandie @ The Country Cook
 

Ingredients

  • 8 ounce block cream cheese, softened to room temperature
  • 1/3 cup sour cream
  • 1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
  • 6 slices bacon, cooked crispy and crumbled
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped jalapeno, seeds and membrane removed
  • 2 green onions, thinly sliced (green part only)
  • 5 (8-inch) flour tortillas
  • ranch dressing, for dipping (optional)

Instructions

  • In a big bowl, use an electric mixer to blend the cream cheese and sour cream until it’s smooth.
  • Add in the cheese, bacon, jalapenos, and green onions to the bowl. Stir everything together until it’s well mixed.
  • Place a tortilla on a clean surface. Take about one-fifth of the mixture and spread it evenly on the tortilla, leaving a half-inch border around the edges.
  • Roll up the tortilla tightly, making a long log shape. Repeat this with the rest of the tortillas and filling.
  • Wrap each log tightly in plastic wrap, folding the ends of the plastic under. Put them in the fridge for at least 4 hours, but overnight is even better.
  • Take the logs out of the plastic wrap. Slice them into half-inch pieces and serve. Enjoy!

Triple Citrus Tart

You can use the below recipe from Johanne Killeen & George Germon, owners of Al Forno, in Providence, Rhode Island, or you can use my recipe for Pastry Dough.  Here is another recipe.   If you want REALLY easy, just use Puff Pastry.

    • 1 tsp orange zest – minced
    • 1 TBL orange juice – cold
    • 1 TBL ice water
      • It is better to have your dough too moist, rather than too dry
        You can always add a bit more flour, but not liquid
    • Approx 1 C AP flour
    • 2 TBL confectioner sugar
    • 1/4 tsp salt
    • 1 sticks cold butter in pieces
      • Pulse in food processor about six times
    • With motor running, add liquid all at once
    • Stop only to scrape down sides
      • You want dough to just hold together
      • Pour onto aluminum foil
      • Press together into a disk
      • Refrigerate immediately for about 2 hours
    • Keeping your hands and your dough floured start rolling it out
    • Flatten it to just under 1/8 inch
    • Replenish floured surface as necessary
    • Transfer onto a baking sheet
      • Add first layer to the tart
    • If using lemons, blanch them about 10 seconds in boiling water, then rinse them and dry them to remove the waxy coat and any pesticides
    • Slice on mandolin as thinly as you can possibly slice them
    • Layer over entire tart surface, slightly overlapping
    • Sprinkle with super-fine sugar – You can also create your own with your food processory
    • Fold over the crust sides
    • Refrigerate for about 90 minutes
      • Preheat oven to 450 before putting into the oven
      • Bake 15 minutes

Prepare your lime curd

    • Two whole eggs plus two egg yolks
    • 1/2 C sugar
    • 3/4 C fresh lime juice
    • 1/2 C heavy cream
    • Heat over a double boiler until it thickens – Keep no hotter than 190º

Whip your egg whites

    • 4 egg whites
      • Start to whip to froth on high
    • 1/2 C super-fine sugar – 1 spoonful at a time
    • Scrape down sides, then continue to soft peaks

Combine

    • After your tart has cooled, add a layer of curd
    • Put on your meringue over top of curd
      • Use a fork to pull out the peaks
    • Put into preheated oven until meringue darkens
    • Let cool just a bit, and then plate
    • Sprinkle with confectioner sugar

 

No-Bake Cheesecake

You know, when you get a bagel, you sometimes have a left-over cream cheese.  This is a way you can put them to really good use.

Here is a baked cheesecake recipe using mostly the same ingredients.  It’s easy, but has to set overnight in the fridge, so allow extra time for that.

NOTE:  We are going to use a graham cracker crust for this cheesecake.  Here is a video of the same process making a larger cheesecake.  SallysBakingAddiction.com

Graham Cracker Crust

(larger recipe is shown in {{ brackets }}

  • 4 Graham Crackers   {{ 2.5 C graham crackers }}
  • 1 TBL butter (melted)  {{ 1/2 C butter }}
  • 3 TBL Brown Sugar (packed)  {{ 1 C }}
  1. Pulse grahams and brown sugar in a food processor
  2. Drizzle in melted butter while running
  3. Pack (bottom and sides) into lightly greased baking ramekin or miniature bread pan    {{ springform pan}}
  4. Put into freezer for at least an hour, or even overnight.
  5. Alternately, buy small frozen graham crackers crusts.

Ingredients for pie

  • 6 oz (6 mini tubs) full fat Cream Cheese.  DO NOT use Cream Cheese Spread – room temperature  
    {{ 1 block Philadelphia Cream Cheese }}
  • 2 TBL butter – softened  {{ 1 stick }}
  • 1/2 C powdered sugar  {{ 2 C }}
  • 1 tsp each sour cream, lemon juice
  • Splash vanilla
  • 1 tsp brown sugar   {{ 1/4 C }}
  • 1/4 C crushed pineapple  {{ 20 oz can }} drained
    COOL WHIP MIXTURE
  • 1/4 C Cool Whip  {{ 10 oz }} or start from heavy cream
  • Some of your crushed pineapple from above
  1. Beat COLD heavy cream into heavy peaks.  Do not skimp on this step.   •   Add confectioner sugar as you near completion
  2. In a separate bowl, combine softened cream cheese  (DO NOT use Cream Cheese Spread) with sour cream, lemon juice, vanilla and brown sugar
  3. Gently fold cream and sugar mixture in a large bowl.
  4. Combine and pour into pie crusts
  5. Use an offset spatula or back of a teaspoon to smooth the cake
  6. App pineapple if desired
  7. Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 6-8 hours, but overnight is better.
  8. This WILL NOT freeze well. 

    OPTIONAL:  Before serving decorate with whipped cream, lemon curd, strawberry sauce, raspberry sauce, blueberry sauce, fresh berries or salted caramel.

 

Cheesecake

  • 1 and 1/4 cups (300ml) heavy cream or heavy whipping cream
  • three 8-ounce blocks (680g) full-fat cream cheese, softened to room temperature
  • 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
  • 2 Tablespoons (15g) confectioners’ sugar
  • 1/4 cup (60g) sour cream, at room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

 

Egg Noodle Chicken

Adapted from Food Networks  “The Kitchen”

  • 1-2 pounds chicken breast pieces into heavy bottom roast pan
  • Add 1 can golden mushroom soup
  • 8 oz cream cheese
  • 1 pkg Italian dressing
  • Toss to mix
  • Cover and cook on lowest setting on your stovetop (alt use Slow Cooker) for 4 hours
      • –
  • Cook 1 C egg noodles and set aside
      • –
  • 1 pound mixed mushrooms in pan with 2 TBL butter and 2 TBL EVOO
  • 1 clove garlic
  • Deglaze with 1 C chicken broth
  • Put mushrooms in with chicken 1 hour before serving
  • Add cooked egg noodles when ready to serve and mix in
  • Top with Grated Parm and Parsley

 

Gravy – From FoodNetwork.com

Foolproof Gravy

  • 1 TBL gelatin
  • 2.25 C broth
  • shallot
  • garlic
  • fond
  • butter
  • corriander
  • 2 tsp cornstarch
  • 2 TBL water

From FoodNetwork.com

Ingredients

For the broth:

For the gravy:

 

Directions

  1. When your turkey goes into the oven, start the broth: Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the onion and turkey neck and giblets; cook, stirring, until the giblets are browned, about 15 minutes. Add the chicken broth, herb sprigs and bay leaf; cover and simmer while the turkey roasts, about 2 hours. Strain the broth and keep warm; reserve the neck and giblets, if desired.
  2. When your turkey is done, transfer it to a cutting board and pour all the pan drippings into a degreasing cup. Add 1/2 cup of the prepared broth to the roasting pan and scrape up the browned bits with a wooden spoon. (If the bits are stuck, put the pan over a low burner to loosen them.) Add the bits and liquid to the degreasing cup.
  3. Let the fat rise to the top of the degreasing cup, then spoon off 1/2 cup fat and transfer to a large saucepan over medium heat. Make a roux: Sprinkle the flour into the pan and cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the flour browns slightly, about 4 minutes.
  4. Gradually add the hot broth to the roux, whisking constantly to prevent lumps. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium low. Pour the dark roasting juices from the degreasing cup into the gravy, discarding any remaining fat. If desired, chop the giblets and shred the neck meat; add to the gravy. Simmer, whisking occasionally, until the gravy thickens, about 10 minutes. Add the Worcestershire sauce and season with salt and pepper. Stir in the flavored butter, if desired.

Make Your Own Butter:

  1. Start with cold heavy cream and mix on high speed.
  2. After about 3 minutes, you’ll have whipped cream; continue mixing.
  3. After about 6 more minutes, the butter will clump and separate from the liquid. Strain and wrap the butter in cheesecloth, then squeeze out the liquid.
  4. Tip: To make perfect rounds, shape flavored butter into a log using parchment paper; wrap and chill, then slice.
  5. Pumpkin
  6. Mash 1/4 cup canned pure pumpkin, 1 stick softened butter, 1/4 teaspoon orange zest, 1/2 teaspoon each sugar and pumpkin pie spice, and a pinch of salt.
  7. Spiced Cranberry
  8. Simmer 1/2 cup cranberries with 1 tablespoon water, 1/4 cup sugar, 1 strip lemon zest, 1 cinnamon stick and 1 clove, 6 to 8 minutes. Discard the zest, cinnamon and clove; let cool. Pulse in a food processor with 1 stick softened butter and a pinch of salt.
  9. Bourbon-Raisin
  10. Microwave 1/2 cup raisins with 1 tablespoon bourbon, covered, 45 seconds; let cool. Pulse in a food processor with 1 stick softened butter, 1 tablespoon chopped chives and a pinch of salt.
  11. Sage Brown Butter
  12. Melt 1 stick butter over medium heat and cook until browned. Add 1/4 cup sage and fry 30 seconds; drain on paper towels, then chop. Let the brown butter cool; mash with 1 stick softened butter, the sage and a pinch of salt.

Cook’s Note

The Golden Formula: (for 8 cups of gravy) 1/2 cup fat Use the oil that separates from your turkey drippings. If you don’t have enough, add butter. 1/2 cup flour Cook the flour with the fat to make a roux for thickening the gravy. For a darker gravy, cook the roux longer. (Note: Darker roux has less thickening power.) 8 cups broth Upgrade store-bought broth by simmering it with a sliced onion, a bay leaf, a few sprigs of thyme, parsley and/or sage, and the turkey giblets for about 2 hours. Quick Fixes: Too Thick? Add a splash of water, broth, brandy or bourbon. Too Thin? Mix equal parts flour and soft butter; whisk into boiling gravy. Too Lumpy? Strain the gravy through a fine-mesh sieve.

Gourmet Charcuterie Board

This is a compilation of an AARP video session, and several other sources

Equipment

  • Cheeseboard (Marble or Wood) any clean transportable flat surface
    • Really cool to have a four foot six inch board
  • Heart Shaped or square or round Cookie Cutter
  • Paring & Bread Knives
  • Pastry Brush

Charcuterie & Fromage

Portion Size

  • Plan on 3 ounces of each cheese and charcuterie per person when served as an appetizer.

Accoutrements

    • Vegetables
  • Strawberries
  • Clusters Green Grapes
  • Tear Drop Tomatoes
  • Purple Grapes
  • Cucumber Medallions or Spears
  • Mushrooms
  • Green or Black Olives
  • Approx. 20 Cherries
  • Baby Carrots
  • Sweet Gerkins
  • Red Onions – sliced thin
  • Pomegranate Arils
    • Fruit
  • Cherries
  • Blueberries
  • Raspberries
  • Blackberries
  • Grapes
  • Strawberries
    • Nuts
  • 1 Cup Candied Pecans
  • 1 Cup Marcona Almonds
    • Cheese
  • 16 Mini Mozzarella Balls
  • Brie
  • Gruyere
  • 1.5” Wheel of Brie
  • Ounces Manchego
  • Cream Cheese
  • Gouda
  • Slices of Parmesan
  • Cream Cheese
  • Gorzonzola
  • Three Baby Bellas
  • Cheddar
    • Meat
  • Soppressata
  • Prosciutto
  • Capiocola
  • Sliced Deli Ham
  • Devilled Eggs
  • Meatballs
  • Bacon
  • Smoked Salmon
  • Sardines
  • Shrimp
  • Vienna Sausages
    • Cracker, etc.
  • Triskets
  • Batels
  • 1/4 French Baguette
  • 1/2 Baguette
  • Bruschetta
  • Pretzels
  • Popcorn
  • Pita Wedges
    • Sweets
  • Assorted Valentines Candy
  • 1 Cup Dark Chocolate Chips
    • For most of them
  • 4 Ounces Olive Oil
    • Dips
  • Ranch Dressing (with spices)
  • Hummus
  • Sour Cream (with spices)

Dealing with Fruit Flies

I personally think that these might MARGINALLY work for controlling fruit flies, but you be the judge.

Method 1

  • 1/2 C Vinegar in a ramekin
  • 2 drops dish soap
  • plastic wrap over the top
  • secure with a rubber band
  • poke hole

Method 2

  • 4-6 drops Lemongrass Spray
  • 2 C hot water into a bottle
  • 10 drops lemongrass essential oil
  • Spray on an adjacent surface

Method 3

  • 1 C red wine in a ramekin
  • plastic wrap
  • rubber band
  • poke hole

Go for it !

From Better Homes and Garden

 

Cannibas 420 Cookies

Recipe shared by Parisa Mansouri-Rad
President of Fourtwenty Skincare and Medibles

Given to her by Preston Mulholland, head chef at the Fourtwenty Medibles Kitchen.
Slight modifications made to recipe

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 1/2 C sifted AP flour
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 3/4 C granulated sugar
  • 1/2 C cannabutter or cannabis coconut oil
  • 2 medium eggs (beaten)
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 C cold chocolate chips

STEP BY STEP

  1. Combine flour, salt, and baking soda.  Set aside.
  2. Soften, but don’t completely melt, your butter
  3. Warm your distillate syringe in a warm water bath
  4. Once the distillate is warm and loose, add the desired amount to the warmed butter.
    CLICK HERE for a dosage calculator
  5. Mix the butter to completely combine
  6. Add your sugar and mix that to completely incorporate – 2-3 minutes
  7. Preheat oven to 375º
  8. Add the eggs and vanilla to the sugar mixture
  9. Mix in half your flour mixture in with the sugar mixture
  10. Mix in the other half of the flour
  11. Fold in the chocolate chips
  12. Create dough balls and spread them out evenly
  13. Bake for ten minutes
  14. Cool 1-2 minutes before removing from tray

 

Rib Eye Cap Steak

A note from Grandpa:

This is an expensive cut, so it is worth the extra effort to make it truly special.  It is practically Wagyu quality.  You can butterfly it, and then spread a bit of butter of the surface and roll it up (roulade) and tie it into a tube.  Cut this into disks of 1 1/2 to 2 inches, and cook in the oven at 550º until internal temperature is 125º (about 7-10 minutes)  Remove to a plate and tent with foil for 5-10 minutes.  Drizzle with melted butter infused with garlic, shallot, rosemary, and thyme.

From Snake River Farms

  • Grade: USDA Choice or higher
  • Weight: approx. 18 oz.
  • English cross origin
  • Wet-aged 21+ days for improved flavor and texture
  • Hand cut by a master butcher
  • Individually wrapped
  • Product ships frozen and will arrive frozen or partially thawed
  • Cost: approx $85 each

This rare cut is considered to be the single most delectable and flavorful steak available. Also known as the ribeye cap, deckle steak, calotte or spinalis dorsi, it is highly prized by top chefs, beef aficionados, and butchers alike. Surprisingly, a cut this spectacular is not universally known by its name, however anyone who has cut that small morsel of cap from a ribeye has realized there’s something special going on. If you look at a ribeye steak, you’ll see the large eye of meat that’s the center of the cut. Surrounding this center is the spinalis dorsi, or cap of ribeye. We carefully remove this from the entire ribeye roll to produce a beautiful cut that has the tenderness of a filet mignon, the rich marbling of a rib steak, and a mouthwatering flavor and texture all its own. The cap of ribeye is hard to find and is only available in limited quantities. Each steak is approximately 18 oz. and serves about 4 people.

“…Hands down, Double R Ranch is the best beef in the country.” ~ Eric Helner, Executive Chef, The Metropolitan Grill, Seattle, WA

Steak Temperature Guide

Here are the magic numbers you’ll need to determine when your steak is cooked to the degree of doneness you most prefer. The internal temp is when the steak should be removed from the heat. The steak will continue to cook so the temperature will rise during the rest period.

Preference Description Internal Temp
Rare Red center, very cool 110°F
Medium Rare Red, warm center 120°F
Medium Pink throughout 130°F
Medium Well Pink center 140°F
Well No pink Not recommended

*Consuming raw or undercooked meats may increase your risk of foodborne illness. The USDA recommends an internal temp of 145°F and resting for at least 3 minutes.

FEEDBACK

Best Cut Around

I received a rib cap from SRF as a gift. I seasoned with SPG, cut it in 4″ strips, rolled and tied each strip. I cooked over an open flame on my fire pit, using lump charcoal and oak. After an hour of cooking, I pulled the meat off with an IT of 125 degrees F. It was the most tender and flavorful steak I have ever had. Definitely buying this again.

SUPERB FLAVOR AND TEXTURE

The ribeye cap is my favorite cut of steak for special occasions. This is the fourth time I have ordered this piece. The flavor is superb, it has a very deep “beefy” flavor, and, if prepared correctly, exhibits melt-in-your-mouth tenderness. I cut this huge hunk of meat into two pieces, and cook them separately, one takes less time, as the cut tapers from very thick at one end to thin at the other. I reverse sear this cut, and I believe that is the only way to properly grill this hunk of meat. It ends up moist and tender on the inside, and beautifully charred on the outside.

 

Parnassienne au Chocolate

Christopher Gross’ Parnassienne au Chocolate Chocolate Tower

From Phoenix New Times:  October 21, 2010

Chocolate Tower

What’s better than chocolate? Three kinds of chocolate, of course.

Chef Christopher Gross of Christopher’s Restaurant and Crush Lounge created his often-imitated  Parnassienne au Chocolate Chocolate Tower: Nearly half a foot of a dark chocolate lattice over a white chocolate tube that envelops a chocolate mousse center.

Today he shares the recipe for his signature tower — the same one he shared with Julia Child on her PBS master chef series — so you can try your hand at chocolatiering at home.

Click through for the three-part recipe: Mousse, lattice, and espresso sauce.

Chocolate Mousse

(Serves 8)
What you’ll need:
5-½ oz. semi-sweet chocolate, broken into pieces
3 Tbsp unsalted butter, sliced
¼ cup heavy cream
1-¼ cups egg whites (10 large)
4 Tbsp superfine sugar

What you’ll do:
1. Pour two inches of water into a saucepan and bring to a slow simmer. Set a stainless steel bowl on top of the pan, and add the chocolate and the butter. Stir occasionally as the chocolate melts; when smooth and lump-free, in about five minutes, remove and let the chocolate cool to room temperature.
2. Pour the cream into the stainless steel bowl set over ice and water. Beat by hand or with a portable beater, whipping in as much air as possible, until stiff peaks form.
3. Beat the egg whites to the soft peak stage; whip in two tablespoons of sugar; continue beating to stiff peaks form gradually adding the reminder of the sugar.
4. Whisk a quarter of the egg whites into the cool, melted chocolate, and then gradually add the rest. Fold in the cream quickly, deflating as little as possible.
5. Cut a piece of parchment paper into a rectangle 3-½ inches wide by 5 inches long. Form into a cylinder approximately 5 inches tall and 1-½ inches in diameter. Close the side with a piece of sticky tape and make sure that it stands up straight. Repeat to form 8 cylinders.
6. Fill a pastry bag with the mousse and pipe into the tubes, leaving a -½-inch space at the top. Drape the tops of the cylinders with a sheet of plastic and place in the freezer until frozen solid (approximately 1 hour).

Lattice

What you’ll need:
3 oz. semi-sweet chocolate, cut into pieces
6 oz. white chocolate, cut into pieces

What you’ll do:
1. For decorating the towers, cut eight 5-inch squares out of parchment paper.
2. Melt the semi-sweet chocolate over low heat.
3. Fill a decorating cone with some of the dark chocolate, and drizzle free form diagonal lines no more than 1/4 inch apart in a lattice pattern across each of the parchment squares. As each square is done, lay flat on one of the baking sheets.
4. When all squares are finished put the sheets in the freezer until the chocolate is set, or about 5 minutes. Reserve the remaining melted chocolate.
5. Melt the white chocolate over low heat.
6. Remove one dark chocolate lattice square from the freezer. And with the offset spatula, spread 2 to 3 tablespoons of the white chocolate in a very thin layer on top of the lattice, leaving a 1-inch strip uncoated at one side. Scrape off any excess chocolate.
7. Unwrap one frozen mousse tower and lay it on top of the white chocolate, parallel to and opposite the uncoated strip. Quickly wrap the parchment around the mousse, handling as little as possible and being careful to leave the uncoated flap overlapping.
8. Return each finished tower to the freezer, immediately after wrapping in parchment. Repeating steps 6 to 8 until you’ve latticed all the mousse towers.
9. The papers may be peeled off after five minutes in the freezer, and the chocolate lattice will remain in place around the mousse.
10. Then let the mousse defrost in the refrigerator for about an hour.

Espresso Sauce

What you’ll need:
1-½ cups half and half (light cream)
½ fragrant vanilla bean (or 1 tsp vanilla extract)
6 egg yolks
⅔ cup sugar
1 cup ILLY espresso coffee beans (2 oz.)

What you’ll do:
1. Heat the half and half with the vanilla bean, when almost at a simmer remove from the heat and cover the pan.
2. Meanwhile, start beating the egg yolks with the hand held mixer in the pan until thick and lemon-colored.
3. Gradually beat in the sugar, and then slowly blend in the ¼ cup of hot cream to warm the yolks. Blend slowly to minimize air bubbles.
4. Remove the vanilla bean from the remaining cream and blend the cream into the yolk mixture.
5. Pour in the espresso beans and set over low heat, stirring slowly and constantly until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of the spoon.
6. Strain through the fine meshed sieve into a bowl and let cool. Serve warm, tepid or chilled.

Plate the chocolate tower plain or with fruit of your choosing. Then drizzle the espresso sauce over the components as desired.

This is one to bust out for dinner with the in-laws, your boss, a significant other, or anyone else you might be trying to impress. Can’t quite nail the presentation? Head over to Christopher’s instead.

(This is part three of our Chef Chat with Gross. Check out parts one and two for more about how he made the transition from picky eater to worldly chef and his foie gras battles.)

Moringa Tree Information

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Wiki Information

How to Grow Your Own Moringa Tree

INFORMATIVE LINK

Moringa, the famous “miracle tree,” has many nutritional and medicinal properties and is one of the most efficient and influential plants out there. Even though it grows best in tropical and sub-tropical regions, people in many other climates can also enjoy the benefits of growing moringa in their own home with a few simple tricks.

Moringa trees can be grown from either moringa seeds or branch cuttings from a moringa tree. So unless you have a nearby friend with a healthy, well-established moringa tree who wouldn’t be opposed to lending you a branch, then seeds are the way to go. Moringa oleifera is a common variety of moringa and is a great choice for growing and consuming.

In the U.S., the only places moringa can grow outside year-round are southern areas of Florida, Arizona, California, and Texas. Depending on where you live, you may decide to grow moringa trees outside in the ground, in a pot to be kept indoors during the winter months and then to be moved outside during the summer, or in a pot permanently. Growing moringa trees in greenhouses is also an option, and is especially recommended for climates that regularly get below freezing temperatures. The optimal temperature range for moringa trees is 77-95 ˚F, but it can also survive in extreme temperatures up to 118 ˚F in the shade and down to a light frost. Altitudes lower than 1,970 ft above sea level are best, but moringa trees have been able to grow in the tropics up to 3940 ft above sea level. No matter where you decide to grow your tree, try to place it in a sunny location and give it plenty of water.

To plant moringa seeds in the ground, follow these instructions:

There is no dormancy period for moringa seeds, so you can plant mature seeds at any time.

– Find a spot with soil that is light and sandy, not waterlogged or clay-like.

– Dig a few 1 ft. x 1 ft. holes 1 ft. deep, and “back-fill” each hole a bit with soil.

– If you must plant in heavy soil, dig a hole up to three times as big as described in Step 2 and use a 1/3-sand, 2/3-soil mixture to back fill.

– Plant 3-5 seeds in each 1 ft. hole, spaced 2 inches apart.

– Be careful not to plant seeds more than ½ an inch deep.

To plant moringa seeds in a pot, follow these instructions:

Moringa trees can grow up to 50 feet tall, which is less than ideal for an indoor environment. These instructions will teach you how to grow a “dwarf” moringa tree, which is still the same plant that has just been pruned to grow less.

– Fill a pot that is 12-18 inches in diameter with loose soil.

– One pot can usually hold about five dwarf moringa trees, but it is a good idea to initially plant 7 or 8 in case a few seeds don’t sprout.

– Space out ¾- to 1-inch deep holes in the soil.

– Put a seed in each hole and lightly cover them with some soil.

– Once the plants have at least two layers of branches, it is time to start pruning. Cut back the tops of the seedlings and cut the branches back to half their length. When the tree is young, check the tree for new leaves at least once a week – new leaves usually appear on the tops and in a sort of “junction” or fork in branches – and cut these back as well.

– Pruning the tree will keep it small, and will also produce a LOT of leaves, which is all the better for you to use in your food!

If you do have the option to start your own tree from a branch cutting, follow these instructions:

– Use hard wood instead of green wood for cuttings, which should be at least one inch in diameter and at least six feet long. The best branches for cuttings are the ones that need to be cut off anyway after the tree has finished producing fruit for the year and needs to be pruned to promote new growth.

– Dig a 3 ft x 3 ft hole that is 3 ft deep and plant the cutting inside.

– Fill the hole with a sand and soil mixture. Pack soil firmly around the base of the plant.

Here are some general tips for cultivating moringa:

– Even though moringa can grow in a variety of conditions and in poor soil, using compost or manure mixed into your soil will help the tree grow.

– Be generous with watering, but don’t water too much. The soil should not be dry and cracked, but the seeds should not be drowning either. Seedlings also are a bit fragile when they have recently sprouted, so water lightly during this period. When watering a new plant that was started from a branch cutting, try to avoid watering the stem of the plant. Moringa can survive in very dry climates with little water, but regular watering during the first two months of planting seeds helps them develop properly. After the first two months, you can cut water back significantly and only water the tree when it looks like it needs water.

– All moringa trees need regular pruning to promote leaf growth, curb branching, and prevent the tree from being taller than you want it to be. If a moringa tree is left alone to grow, it will become tall with many branches and few leaves, and will only flower near the top, which is very unhelpful. A good height to aim for is 8-12 feet, and if you continue to prune the tree will keep growing lots of leaves and growing branches from the trunk instead of out the top of the tree. To prune, simply cut branches back to half their length and trim the top of the tree.

– The branch parts that you’ve removed can be chopped up into 4- to 10-inch bits and scattered underneath the moringa tree to serve as a natural mulch.

– Most moringa seeds sprout within two weeks of being planted.

– Moringa trees do not usually need fertilizer of any kind, but if yours needs a little bit of extra help, phosphorus will aid root development and nitrogen will help with leaf growth. Ammonium sulfate can also help your tree grow.

– Moringa resists a lot of pests, but termites still might give you trouble. If this is the case, use mulch with castor oil plant leaves, mahogany chips, tephrosia leaves, or Persian lilac leaves.

– If you live in a very wet climate and are growing your tree outside, Diplodia root rot can occur. To avoid this, try planting your tree on top of a small mound so that excess water can run off away from the plant.

– To harvest the pods for eating, pick them when they are about ½ an inch in diameter and come off easily.

– Older leaves are better for making moringa powder.

 

Resources:

 

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