Thursday, April 26, 2018

Fluffy Buttermilk Waffles

Been Thinking a lot about Waffles lately.....And though I would never eat this many....(I'm good for one Belgium Waffle myself) here is a recipe for Fluffy Buttermilk Waffles..

INGREDIENTS:   

  • 2 cups cake flour
  • 3 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon table salt
  • 4 large eggs, separated
  • 2 cups buttermilk
  • 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
  • 4 tablespoons butter, melted
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Syrup
DIRECTIONS:

Whisk together first 4 ingredients in a large bowl. Whisk together egg yolks and buttermilk in a small bowl. Beat egg whites and cream of tartar at high speed with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Using a fork, stir yolk mixture into flour mixture just until dry ingredients are moistened. Stir in butter and vanilla. (Batter will be lumpy.) Fold in egg white mixture just until incorporated. (Do not overmix.) Pour about 1/2 cup batter for each waffle into a preheated, oiled Belgian-style waffle iron; cook according to manufacturer's instructions until waffles are golden brown and crisp. Keep warm in a single layer on a baking sheet in a 200° oven up to 30 minutes. Serve with syrup.

Chef's Notes

Batter will also make 24 pancakes.


Wash this down with cold milk....

 ENJOY!   Eat well my friends!

Tuesday, April 24, 2018

Paparika Chicken and Rice

Here is a new and interesting dish you should be preparing tonight...


INGREDIENTS:

4 bone in, skin on chicken thighs
2 tsp. paprika, divided
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp. olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 c. rice
1 1/2 c. chicken broth
1/2 c. heavy cream
2 c. baby spinach 
 
DIRECTIONS:
  1. Season chicken with salt, pepper, and 1 tsp paprika. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil. Sear chicken skin-side down until golden, about 6 to 8 minutes. Flip and cook 3 minutes more, then transfer to a plate skin-side up; set aside.
  2. Return pan to heat and heat remaining oil. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, 1 minute. Add peppers and cook until slightly tender, 4 to 6 minutes. Season with salt, pepper, and remaining paprika.  Add rice, chicken broth and heavy cream and bring to a simmer. Return chicken to skillet and cover. Simmer until rice is tender and chicken is cooked through, about 20 minutes.
  3. Fold in spinach until wilted and serve.
 There it is...

Enjoy!  Eat Well My Friends!

Tuesday, April 17, 2018

Blackened Chicken Alfredo Pasta

Hey folks check this out...With a five-minute prep time, you can almost pretend someone else made you blackened chicken alfredo pasta this afternoon after you get home from work...

Do you want a new spin on chicken in the kitchen? This New Orleans restaurant favorite can be whipped up in 30 minutes.

INGREDIENTS:
(Note: I use a lot of Zatarain Products, I really do...Forgive me for these shameless product plugs)

  • 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast halves
  • 2 teaspoons ZATARAIN'S® Big & Zesty Blackened Creole Seasoning
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 1/2 cups milk
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 package ZATARAIN'S® Alfredo Pasta Dinner Mix
DIRECTIONS:
  • Coat chicken on both sides with Blackened Creole Seasoning. Heat large heavy skillet on high heat 5 minutes or until very hot. Reduce heat to medium-high. Melt butter in skillet. Add chicken; cook 5 minutes per side or until cooked through. Remove from skillet; keep warm. Carefully clean skillet
  • Mix milk, water and Pasta Dinner Mix in skillet. Bring to boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 15 minutes or until pasta is tender, stirring occasionally
  • Remove from heat. Let stand 5 minutes. Cut chicken into strips. Serve with pasta.
A Nice Red Wine will go well with this.
 Enjoy!  Eat Well My friends!

Monday, April 16, 2018

Shrimp Boil

Straight from Louisiana , comes this tasty recipe....I'm going to get right to it...

INGREDIENTS:
  • 5 quarts water
  • 1 to 2 packages (4 ounces each) ZATARAIN'S® Crawfish, Shrimp and Crab Boil - Complete(SHAMELSS PRODUCT PLUG)
  • 1 pound smoked sausage, cut into 1- to 2-inch pieces
  • 8 to 12 new potatoes 
  • 6 ribs celery, cut into 2- to 3-inch pieces
  • 3 medium yellow onions, peeled and halved
  • 2 heads garlic, halved crosswise
  • 4 to 6 lemons, halved
  • 2 pounds large (21 to 30 count) shrimp with shells
  • 6 ears frozen mini corn-on-the-cob
DIRECTIONS:
  • Mix water and Crab Boil in large (10 to 12 quart) stockpot. Bring to boil on high heat. Stir in sausage, potatoes, celery, onions and garlic. Return to boil; cover. Boil 15 minutes.
  • Squeeze juice from lemons into the water and add lemons into the pot. Stir in shrimp. Return to boil; cover. Boil 1 minute.
  • Turn off heat. Stir in corn. Let stand 5 minutes. Drain well and serve.
And there it is...Enjoy! Eat Well My friends!

Friday, April 13, 2018

West Texas Chilli

They say everything is bigger in Texas.....Is it? This recipe is a big enough for you ! I guaruntee it!

INGREDIENTS:

2Jones Dairy Farm Dry-Aged Bacon strips (diced)
1 poundvenison (or ground beef)
2 teaspoonschili powder
1 ½ teaspoonssalt
¼ teaspoongarlic salt
¼ teaspoondried oregano
⅛ teaspooncayenne pepper
5 dropshot pepper sauce
14 ½ ouncestomatoes (diced, undrained)
1 cup eachcelery (finely chopped, onion and carrots)
½ cupgreen pepper (finely chopped)
16 ounceschili beans (undrained)
DIRECTIONS:
 In a large saucepan over medium heat, brown bacon and the beef or venison; drain. 

Add the seasonings; cook and stir for 5 minutes. 

Stir in tomatoes, celery, onion, carrots and green pepper; bring to a boil. 

Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 40 minutes. 

Stir in beans; cook 30 minutes longer. 

Yield: 6 servings.

Enjoy!   Eat well my friends...
Oh Yeah...Chase this down with some cold water!

Tuesday, April 10, 2018

Jam Cake

Said to be a Favorite of the man in black, Country Music legend Johnny Cash...Here is June Carter Cash's recipe-

INGREDIENTS:
  • 1 cup raisins
  • 1 can (8 ounces) crushed pineapple, undrained
  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 jar (12 ounces) blackberry jam or 1 cup homemade blackberry jam
  • 2/3 cup buttermilk
  • 2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/3 cup baking cocoa
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1 cup chopped pecans
  • CARAMEL ICING:
  • 1 cup butter, cubed
  • 2 cups packed brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 3-1/2 to 4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
DIRECTIONS:

Soak raisins in pineapple and juice several hours or overnight. 
 
In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. 
 
Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add jam and buttermilk; beat until well blended. Sift together dry ingredients; add to batter. Beat on low just until combined. Stir in the raisins, pineapple and pecans. 
 
Pour into two greased and floured 9-in. round baking pans. Bake at 350° for 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. 
 
Cool in pans for 10 minutes before removing to wire racks.
 
For icing, melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat.
 
 Stir in brown sugar and milk; bring to a boil. 
 
Remove from the heat. 
 
Cool just until warm; beat in enough confectioners' sugar until icing achieves spreading consistency. 
 
Add more sugar for thicker icing; more milk to thin it.
 
 Frost cooled cake. 
 
Yield: 12-16 servings. 
 
There it is....Enjoy!  Eat well My Friends!

Monday, April 2, 2018

How To Make Your Pancakes Taste Incredible



Ever feel something in your pancakes was missing??

Making Home made Pancakes can be a bit tricky...

When they’re fluffy and light, there’s nothing better for breakfast. But when they’re bland, lumpy and stick to the pan, ew. If your short stack is a little blah, you’ve probably been overlooking a simple ingredient that will take your pancakes from good to incredible.
That secret ingredient is bacon grease.

Here's how to do it: Heat your skillet, but instead of using oil or butter to coat the pan, add a dab of bacon grease. Then cook your pancakes as you normally would, flipping them when the batter begins to bubble.

If you’re cooking bacon first (which we strongly suggest), just remove the bacon from the pan, dispose of any excess grease and keep a dollop in the skillet. Then spoon your pancake batter right on the greased pan.

The result: Pancakes that are doughy on the inside, crispy around the edges and taste amazing. Pile 'em high, drizzle with maple syrup and enjoy. And while you’re at it, scramble some eggs.

Enjoy.....Eat Well My friends!

Food Safety Tips
Protect yourself against food-borne illnesses.


1. Use a "refrigerator thermometer" to keep your food stored at a safe temperature (below 40 degrees fahrenheit).

Cold temperatures slow the growth of bacteria. Ensuring that your refrigerator temperature stays at 40 degrees Fahrenheit or colder is one of the most effective ways to reduce your risk of food-borne illness. You can buy a refrigerator/freezer thermometer at appliance stories, home centers (i.e. Home Depot), and kitchen stores including online ones, such as Cooking.com.

2. Defrost food in the refrigerator, the microwave, or in cold water... never on the counter!

Perishable foods should never be thawed on the counter for longer than two hours because, while the center of the food may remain frozen, the outer surface may enter the Danger Zone, the range of temperatures between 40 and 140 degrees fahrenheit, in which bacteria multiply rapidly. If you’re short on time, use the microwave or you can thaw meat and poultry in airtight packaging in cold water. Change the water every half-hour so it stays cold and use the thawed food immediately.

3. Always use separate cutting boards for raw meat/poultry/fish and cooked foods/fresh produce.

Bacteria from uncooked meat, poultry, and fish can contaminate cooked foods and fresh produce. An important way to reduce this risk is to use separate cutting boards for raw meat/poultry/ fish, and cooked foods/fresh produce.

4. Always cook meat to proper temperatures, using a calibrated instant-read thermometer to make sure.

One effective way to prevent illness is to use a food thermometer to check the internal temperature of meat, poultry, and egg dishes. The USDA Recommended Safe Minimum Internal Temperatures are as follows:

* Beef, veal, and lamb (steaks and roasts), fish - 145 degrees fahrenheit

* Pork and ground beef - 160 degrees fahrenheit

* Poultry - 165 degrees fahrenheit.

Cook meats like roasts and steaks to lower temperatures, closer to medium-rare, so that they retain their moisture. It is recommended that those who are at high risk for developing food-borne illness (i.e. pregnant women and their unborn babies, newborns, young children, older adults, people with weakened immune systems, or certain chronic illnesses) should follow the USDA guidelines.

5. Avoid unpasteurized/raw milk and cheeses made from unpasteurized milk that are aged less than 60 days.

Raw milk is milk from cows, sheep, or goats that has not been pasteurized (heated to a very high temperature for a specific length of time) to kill harmful bacteria that may be present. These bacteria, which include salmonella, E. coli and listeria, can cause serious illness and sometimes even death. The bacteria in raw milk can be especially dangerous to pregnant women, children, the elderly, and people with weakened immune systems or chronic illnesses. Raw milk cheeses aged 60 days or longer are okay, since the salt and acidity of the cheese-making process make for a hostile environment to pathogens.

6. Never eat "runny" eggs or foods, such as cookie dough, that contain raw eggs.

Even eggs that have clean, intact shells may be contaminated with salmonella, so it’s important to cook eggs thoroughly until both the yolk and the white are firm. Casseroles and other dishes containing eggs should be cooked to 160 degrees fahrenheit and you can use an instant-read food thermometer to check. Eggs should always be cooked fully and those who are at high risk for developing foodborne illness (pregnant women and their unborn babies, newborns, young children, older adults, and people with weakened immune systems or certain chronic illnesses should follow the USDA guidelines. If you can’t resist runny eggs or sampling cookie batter, use pasteurized eggs. They’re found near other eggs in large supermarkets.

7. Always wash your hands in warm soapy water for at least 20 seconds before handling food and after touching raw meat, poultry, or eggs.

You can pick up a lot of bacteria out in the world, so it’s important to always wash your hands before you eat or prepare food. You should also wash your hands after touching any uncooked meat, poultry, fish, or eggs, as the bacteria from these foods can contaminate cooked foods and fresh produce. Use soap and warm water and wash thoroughly for at least 20 seconds.

8. Always heat leftover foods to 165 degrees fahrenheit.

The USDA recommends heating all cooked leftovers to 165 degrees fahrenheit in order to kill all potentially dangerous bacteria.

9. Never eat meat, poultry, eggs, or sliced fresh fruits and vegetables that have been left out for more than two hours or more than one hour in temperatures hotter than 90 degrees Fahrenheit.

If you leave perishable foods out of the refrigerator or freezer for more than two hours they may enter the Danger Zone—the unsafe temperatures between 40 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit, in which bacteria multiply rapidly.

10. Whenever there’s a food recall, check products stored at home to make sure they are safe.

You should discard any food that’s been recalled because it’s associated with the outbreak of a food-borne illness. But, according to a survey conducted by Rutgers University during the fall of 2008, only about 60% of Americans search their homes for foods that have been recalled because of contamination. For more information on food recalls, visit the website Recalls.gov






Cavier & Vodka
Courtesy of The Lady (Bug) of the Household