INGREDIENTS:1 pound smoked sausage, cut into 1/4-inch slices1 pound chicken (about 2 average-sized boneless skinless chicken breasts or the equivalent of another kind of cut, like thighs), cut into bite-size pieces2 tablespoons flour2 tablespoons butter1 large yellow onion, chopped2 cloves garlic, finely minced3 ribs celery, chopped1 medium bell pepper (red or green), chopped1 teaspoon dried basil1/4 teaspoon Creole or Cajun seasoning (use a light hand with this if you don’t want it overly spicy)1 can (10-ounces) Rotel tomatoes1/2 teaspoon sugar1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth2 cups hot, steamed rice
DIRECTIONS:Just a tip: start cooking the rice while you prepare the rest of the jambalaya so it is ready to add in during the last step.
In a 4-6 quart pot, cook sausage and poultry over medium heat. Drain the grease (you may only need to do this if you aren’t using a lean sausage), scrape the meat onto a plate and set aside. Melt the butter in the same pot. Stir in the flour and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, for one minute. Add the vegetables, basil and Creole (or Cajun) seasoning, and the Rotel tomatoes and sugar. Stir well. Simmer the mixture over low or medium-low heat for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are mostly tender (they’ll continue to cook a few minutes longer in the next step). Add the sausage and chicken back to the pot, and cook 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the chicken broth and simmer 5 minutes longer. Stir in the hot, steamed rice until you achieve your desired consistency.Y Chef Griz
Saturday, January 7, 2012
Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya
Cripsy Potato Roast
Ingredients:3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil4 pounds russet potatoes, peeled4 shallots, thickly sliced lengthwiseCoarse salt1/2 to 1 teaspoon red-pepper flakes (optional)8 sprigs thyme
Directions:1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a small bowl, combine butter and oil. Brush bottom of a round 9-inch baking dish with some butter mixture. With a sharp knife or mandoline, slice potatoes very thinly crosswise.
2. Arrange potato slices vertically in dish. Wedge shallots throughout. Sprinkle with salt and red-pepper flakes (if using); brush with remaining butter mixture. Bake 1 1/4 hours. Add thyme and bake until potatoes are cooked through with a crisp top, about 35 minutes more.
*Please note that the recipe is the photo is doubled.
Goulash
Goulash can be made into either a soup or stew, and the latter can be spooned over egg noodles, potatoes or even gnocchi–how awesome does that sound? Also: This tastes so much better the next day, it is almost a shame to eat it the day you make it. Trust me.
Makes about 16 cups, serving 12
5 slices bacon, chopped3 pounds boneless chuck, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch cubes2 tablespoons vegetable oil4 medium onions (about 1 1/2 pounds), chopped fine3 garlic cloves, minced3 tablespoons paprika (preferably Hungarian sweet*)1 1/2 teaspoons caraway seeds1/3 cup all-purpose flour1/4 cup red-wine vinegar1/4 cup tomato paste5 cups beef broth1 to 5 cups water or beer (use the former to make a stew, the latter to make a soup)1 teaspoon salt2 red bell peppers, chopped fine
In an 8-quart heavy kettle cook bacon over moderate heat, stirring, until crisp and transfer with a slotted spoon to a large bowl. In fat remaining in kettle brown chuck in small batches over high heat, transferring it as browned with slotted spoon to bowl.
Reduce heat to moderate and add oil. Add onions and garlic and cook, stirring, until golden. Stir in paprika, caraway seeds, and flour and cook, stirring, 2 minutes. Whisk in vinegar and tomato paste and cook, whisking, 1 minute. (Mixture will be very thick.) Stir in broth, water, salt, bell peppers, bacon, and chuck and bring to a boil, stirring. Simmer soup, covered, stirring occasionally, 60 to 75 minutes.
Season soup with salt and pepper. Soup may be made 3 days ahead and cooled, uncovered, before chilling, covered. Reheat soup, thinning with water if desired.
After trying and trying...FINALLY! A Chai Recipe!!! Im in Love
Chai Tea Concentrate
You Need
14 oz can of sweetened condensed milk
1 tsp sugar
3/4 tsp ground cardamom
3/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp nutmeg
Directions: Mix everything together in a glass jar. Cap it & you're done.
Directions for use: Add 2 heaping tsp (or more to taste) to a stong cup of coffe, hot cocoa, warm milk or a black tea, like Assam. Stir well & enjoy. Store in the fridge for up to 6 months.Y Chef Griz
Honey glazed baby carrots
You Need: 2 lbs of baby carrots1 1/2 tsp salt4 tblsp of butter4 tlsp of honey3 tblsp packed brown sugarjuice of 1/2 lemonground pepper & parsley (garnish)Directions: Toss the carrots in a sauce pan, top with cold water & salt. Bring to a boil & cook for 15 minutes (or until tender). Drain & set aside.Using the same saucepan (sans the carrots) melt the butter over medium heat & then stir inthe sugar & honey. Cook & stir untilt he sugar dissolves, then add the lemon juice & gently stir in the carrots. Continue to heat & gently stir the carrots until they're hot & glazed.Serve with black pepper & parsley (if you want. i just used pepper)
Parmasan Ranch Chicken
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts1/2 cup Ranch dressing1 cup panko bread crumbs1/3 cup parmesan cheese, grated1 tsp garlic powder1 tsp seasoned salt1/4 tsp peppercooking sprayPreheat oven to 425. Pound chicken breasts to an even thickness. Combine bread crumbs, parmesan, garlic powder, seasoned salt and pepper on plate. Dip chicken in ranch (or marinate over night) and then coat in bread crumbs. Place on baking sheet. Sprinkle with additional parmesan cheese (if desired) and spray with cooking spray. Bake for 20-25 minutes
Taco Pasta
Ingredients:1 lb. ground beef {I used 80/20]1 taco seasoning packet1 1/2 cups southwest salsa1/2 cup water1/2 lb. pasta {I used rotini}2 cups grated cheddar cheese1/4 cup creamsalt & pepper, to taste
Directions:
Bring water to boil to cook the pasta. Salt it and cook pasta until al dente.
While the pasta is cooking, in a large skillet, cook ground beef, breaking apart as you go. Once thoroughly cooked, drain meat and run under hot water to remove any fat. Wipe out pan with paper towel and place back on heat. Pour cooked beef into hot pan with taco seasoning, salsa and water. Simmer until pasta is finished cooking.
Once pasta is cooked, drain well and pour into skillet. Top with cheese, cream, salt and pepper. Stir until cheese melts and noodles are coated in sauce. Serve immediately
Classic Italian Lasagna
*Makes one 9X13-inch pan of lasagna (and requires the use of several pots and skillets…but don’t worry, you can wash those up in a snap while the lasagna is baking)
INGREDIENTS:
Red Sauce:
2 tablespoons olive oil1 tablespoon butter4 cloves fresh garlic, finely minced 1/2 large onion, diced (about 1/2 cup)8 ounces mushrooms, chopped2 (8-ounce) cans tomato sauce1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained2 teaspoons Italian seasoning (or a mix of dried oregano and basil)1/2 teaspoon salt1/2 teaspoon pepper
White Sauce
:3 cups milk (not skim, I used 1%)5 tablespoons flour4 tablespoons butter1/2 teaspoon salt1/2 teaspoon pepper
9 lasagna noodles, boiled for half the time on the box (or use 12 of the no-boil noodles, of which I far prefer the Barilla brand)1 pound ground turkey1 pound mozzarella cheese, shredded8 ounces Parmesan cheese, shredded
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9X13-inch baking pan with cooking spray or with a napkin dipped lightly in olive oil and set aside.
In a large skillet, brown the ground turkey over medium-high heat, breaking the meat apart into pieces with a wooden spoon. When turkey is cooked through, drain the grease and set aside.
In a medium-size saucepan over medium-high heat, add 2 tablespoons olive oil and one tablespoon butter. Add a pinch of salt and pepper. When oil/butter is hot, add the garlic, stirring constantly. When the garlic is lightly browned, but NOT burned, add the onion and mushrooms. Continue cooking on medium-high heat until the vegetables are soft and browned and the fluid has mostly cooked out. Remove from heat and either using a handheld immersion blender or transferring the vegetables to a blender, blend the vegetables to a paste-like mixture. Return the pot to the heat (pour the pureed vegetables back in, if using a stand-alone blender) and add the tomato sauce and tomato paste. Stir to combine. Then add the diced tomatoes, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Stir. Cover and let the sauce sauce simmer for 30 minutes over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. Right before using the red sauce in the lasagna, stir in the reserved ground turkey.
While the red sauce simmers, if using lasagna noodles that need to be boiled, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and boil the noodles for half the time suggested on the box. Once the noodles are cooked, drain, but do not rinse. Add a dab of olive oil to keep them from sticking together. If you are using no-boil noodles, you can skip this step.
Also while the red sauce is cooking, melt the four tablespoons butter and when melted, add the flour, stirring constantly to combine and letting the mixture cook, while stirring, for a minute or two. Gradually add in the milk, whisking constantly. Add the salt and pepper. Slowly whisk the white sauce, ensuring it doesn’t burn on the bottom of the pan, while cooking it over medium heat. Continue slowly stirring or whisking while the white sauce cooks and thickens quite a bit, about 5-7 minutes. Add a pinch of mozzarella for good luck, if you wish!
To begin layering the lasagna, keep in mind that you’ll have three layers of noodles as well as three layers of the sauces and cheese – so plan on splitting all the sauce and cheese piles into thirds so you don’t run out at the end! On the bottom of your lightly greased baking pan, layer three pre-boiled noodles or four no-boil noodles, slightly overlapping the no-boil noodles. Layer the red sauce, white sauce, Parmesan and mozzarella cheeses, spreading all to the edges and top with another layer of noodles. Again, layer the red sauce, white sauce, Parmesan and mozzarella cheeses and top with the final layer of noodles. Layer the sauces and cheeses again.
Cover the lasagna with a greased layer of aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and let the lasagna sit for 15 minutes before cutting and serving.
Stuffed Bell Peppers
Ingredients
1 cup tomatoes, diced 1/2 cup sour cream 1/2 cup Old El Paso cheese and salsa 1 cup cooked rice 2 teaspoon Paula Deen’s House Seasoning2 teaspoon beef bouillon granules 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 medium onion, chopped 1/2 lb ground pork 3/4 lb ground chuck4 large red bell peppers 1/2 cup green onion tops, chopped 1 tablespoon soy sauce 1 cup hot water
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Start by cutting the peppers in half lengthwise, leaving the stems intact, and halving them also. Remove the seeds and ribs inside the peppers.
Using a hot skillet, saute the ground beef, pork, onion, garlic, 1 teaspoon of bouillon granules, and House Seasoning together. Saute well until onions become translucent. Drain the fat off. Add the rice, cheese, sour cream, tomatoes, green onion tops, and soy sauce. Mix well and stuff the mixture into the peppers. In a small bowl, mix the hot water and the remaining bouillon granules. Pour this mixture into a shallow casserole large enough to hold all of the peppers. Place the stuffed peppers in the dish, cover with foil and bake for 25 to 35 minutes. Remove the foil and spoon the juice from bottom of the casserole over the top of the peppers. Bake for an additional 10 to 15 minutes.
Hot Chocolate Recipes! And Whipped Cream!
Marshmallow Whipped Cream
1 cup of whipping cream
1-2 Tbsp powdered sugar (I like it sweet so I use 2 Tbsp)
dash of vanilla
1-2 cups mini marshmallows (I use 1 1/2 cups)
In a bowl, whip cream until firm.
Blend in sugar and vanilla.
Fold in marshmallows. Use immediately to top cups of hot coca if desired. Or place in the fridge for a few hours and the marshmallows will puff up and soften. This is the way I like to use it.
Homemade Restaurant Style Salsa
Yield: About 6 cups (a.k.a. a ginormous batch)
Prep Time: 15 minutes
28-ounce can whole tomatoes (peeled) with juice2 10-ounce cans Rotel (diced tomatoes with green chilies)¼ cup chopped onion1 clove garlic, chopped1 jalepeño, quartered and sliced thin½ cup cilantroJuice from ½ a fresh lime¼ teaspoon salt¼ teaspoon granulated sugar¼ teaspoon ground cumin
Add all ingredients to a food processor. Pulse until you get desired consistency (was about 10 pulses for me). Refrigerate for at least one hour, and then serve with your favorite tortilla chips.
*Note 1: This makes a large quantity so use at least an 11-cup food processor, or work in batches.
*Note 2: If you prefer a milder salsa, remove the seeds and membrane from the jalapeno before adding it to the food processor.
Never Fail Pie Crust
(makes 4 single crusts)
4 cups flour1 Tbl sugar1 Tbl salt1 3/4 cup vegetable shortening (non trans fat, such as Crisco or other). You can substitute butter or a mixture of both. Shortening makes the crust a bit more flaky and is easier to work with.
1 Tbl vinegar
1 egg
1/2 cup water
Mix flour, sugar, and salt. Cut-in the shortening with a fork or cutting tool (or you could give it a whirl in your food processor for a bit).In a separate bowl mix vinegar, egg, and water. Add it to the flour mixture, stirring with a fork until moistened. Use your hands to mold into 4 equal balls. The dough may be frozen and thawed for future use
.When ready to bake a pie, flour your surface and roll the crust starting from the middle and moving out, till it's about 2 inches larger than the size of your pie dish. Remember when working with pastries to handle it as little as possible so the gluten doesn't become overworked and tough.
Gently roll your dough into a loose log or around your rolling pin (this is the easiest way I've found to transfer it into the pie pan). Lay it in the pan, unroll the crust, and gently fit it in-place--don't pull or tug on the crust. Use a knife to trim the uneven edges, leaving about a 1-inch overhang. Tuck the overhang under on the edge of your pan. Then use your fingers to pinch the edges for a decorative finish
LIBBY'S® Pumpkin Roll
Prep: 45 mins
Cooking: 13 mins
Level: Intermediate
Cooling: 60 mins
Yields: 10
Ingredients CAKE
1/4 cup powdered sugar (to sprinkle on towel)
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup LIBBY'S® 100% Pure Pumpkin
1 cup walnuts, chopped (optional)
FILLING
1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, at room temperature
1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
6 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Powdered sugar (optional for decoration)
Directions FOR CAKE:
PREHEAT oven to 375° F. Grease 15 x 10-inch jelly-roll pan; line with wax paper. Grease and flour paper. Sprinkle a thin, cotton kitchen towel with powdered sugar.
COMBINE flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves and salt in small bowl. Beat eggs and granulated sugar in large mixer bowl until thick. Beat in pumpkin. Stir in flour mixture. Spread evenly into prepared pan. Sprinkle with nuts.
BAKE for 13 to 15 minutes or until top of cake springs back when touched. (If using a dark-colored pan, begin checking for doneness at 11 minutes.) Immediately loosen and turn cake onto prepared towel. Carefully peel off paper. Roll up cake and towel together, starting with narrow end. Cool on wire rack.
FOR FILLING:
BEAT cream cheese, 1 cup powdered sugar, butter and vanilla extract in small mixer bowl until smooth. Carefully unroll cake. Spread cream cheese mixture over cake. Reroll cake. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least one hour. Sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving, if desired.
COOKING TIP:
Be sure to put enough powdered sugar on the towel when rolling up the cake so it will not stick.
