Hoppin John

It's New Years Eve...You have just got to prepare some Hoppin John with Goya Yellow Rice to bring in the New Year....It's Good Luck and Good Eatin....


INGREDIENTS:

1 1/2 cups dry black-eyed peas

1 pound ham hocks

1 onion, chopped

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

salt and pepper to taste

4 cups water

1 1/2 cups of Goya Yellow rice

1 cup shredded smoked Cheddar cheese


DIRECTIONS-

1.In a large pan place the peas, ham hock, onion, red pepper, salt and pepper. Cover with water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook for 1 1/2 hours.

2.Remove ham hock and cut meat into pieces. Return meat to pot. Stir in the rice, cover and cook until rice is tender, about 20 to 25 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Sprinkle shredded cheese over top, if desired. Serve with- Collard Greens!

Enjoy!- Happy New Years!

Sweet Potato Pie

Desert Time Everybody !!!!!!!  Here is a recipe for something I love and admit that I have never actually prepared myself...A Sweet Potato pie...A Favorite anytime of the year!


INGREDIENTS:

* 3 frozen unbaked 8 or 9 inch single crust pie shells

* 4 pounds uncooked and un-peeled sweet potatoes

* 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter

* 1/2 cup pure finely granulated sugar

* 1/2 cup light brown sugar (packed)

* 3 large eggs

* 2 cups whole milk

* 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

* 1/2 teaspoon salt

* 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Cookware and Utensils:

1 - Measuring cup

1 – Mixing bowl

1 – Cooking Bender

1 – Stirring spoon

DIRECTIONS:

As always the key to great cooking is to be prepared and use quality ingredients.

Recipe Instructions:

1. First, hand wash your sweet potatoes. After a complete washing, boil the sweet potatoes until they are tender. Once potatoes are tender drain and allow them to cool before peeling and mashing. Blend your sweet potatoes in mixing bowl with a blender to remove strings.

2. While you are cooking the sweet potatoes go ahead and place your butter on the kitchen countertop and allow to soften.

3. After the potatoes are ready, go ahead and preheat your oven to 350.

4. Next cream the softened butter with both sugars. Mix in the blended sweet potatoes and continue to mix while adding the eggs one at a time. Finally, add your milk, vanilla extract, nutmeg and salt and mix thoroughly.

5. Finally, pour mixture evenly into your three frozen unbaked pie shells. Bake for 1 hour and 30 minutes at 350 degrees on your center oven rack.

Preparation Time = approx 1 hour and 40 minutes
Cooking Time = 1 hour and 30 minutes

Enjoy!

Pork & Bok Choy with Black Bean Sauce

As I promised two of my readers...Here is another Asian or Pacific dish that breaks up the monotony of the week after Christmas....  And...It's healthy eating too.


INGREDIENTS:

3/4 pound(s) pork tenderloin, cut into 3 strips (1/4-inch thick)

1 1/2 teaspoon(s) cornstarch

1 1/2 teaspoon(s) reduced-sodium soy sauce

1/4 cup(s) black bean sauce with garlic

1 tablespoon(s) rice wine vinegar

1 tablespoon(s) water

1 1/2 tablespoon(s) canola oil

3/4 pound(s) baby bok choy, cut in half lengthwise

1 large yellow bell pepper, cut into 2-inch chunks

4 ounce(s) medium-size shiitake mushrooms, stemmed, caps halved

1 teaspoon(s) grated peeled fresh ginger

Freshly ground pepper, to taste

Accompaniment:

Brown rice (optional)

DIRECTIONS:


In a medium bowl, toss pork with cornstarch and soy sauce. In a small cup, stir together black bean sauce, vinegar, and water; set aside.                                                                                             

Heat 2 teaspoons of the oil in a large, deep nonstick skillet over high heat. Add pork; cook, stirring, until it browns and loses most of its raw appearance, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

Reduce heat to medium-high and add another 2 teaspoons of the oil to skillet. Add bok choy, cut side down, and cook until cut surface is lightly browned, about 2 to 3 minutes. Continue to cook, turning pieces, until bok choy stems start to soften, 2 minutes longer. Transfer to plate with pork.

Add the remaining 1 teaspoon oil to skillet with bell pepper, mushrooms, and ginger. Cook, stirring, 3 minutes. Stir in black bean mixture, pork, and bok choy; cook, tossing until sauce evenly coats everything and bok choy is tender, about 2 minutes.


If you can , have some Sake with this!

Enjoy!~

Sweet & Sour Pork

It's two or three days after Christmas and if you're like me, you're tired of Christmas leftovers...I mean how much Ham, Turkey, Cornbread Stuffing,Mac & Cheese, Cranbery sauce, Collard Greens and Candied yams can you eat?

Ready for a change?? Why not go Chinese with this Sweet and sour Pork Recipe?


INGREDIENTS:

1 pound pork butt, cut into 1 inch cubes
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon white sugar
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 egg white
2 green onions, chopped
1 quart vegetable oil for frying
1/2 cup cornstarch

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
3 stalks celery, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 medium green bell pepper, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 medium onion, cut into wedges
white sugar to taste
salt to taste

1 cup water
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup white sugar
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup ketchup
1/2 teaspoon soy sauce
1 (8 ounce) can pineapple chunks, undrained
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 cup water


DIRECTIONS:

1.Place cubed pork in a medium bowl, and season with 1 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon sugar, and 1 teaspoon soy sauce. Mix in the egg white and green onions. Cover, and place in the refrigerator at least 1 hour.

2.Heat 1 quart oil to 365 degrees F (185 degrees C) in a large, heavy saucepan or deep fryer.

3.Coat the pork with 1/2 cup cornstarch, and fry in the heated oil about 10 minutes, until evenly browned. Drain on paper towels.

4.Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a wok over medium heat. Stir in the celery, green bell pepper, and onion, and cook until tender. Season with salt and sugar. Remove from heat, and set aside.

5.In a large saucepan, mix 1 cup water, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 3/4 cup sugar, apple cider vinegar, ketchup, and 1/2 teaspoon soy sauce. Bring to a boil, and stir in the cooked pork, celery mixture, and the pineapple chunks with juice. Return to boil, and mix in 2 tablespoons cornstarch and 1/4 cup water to thicken. Cook until well blended.

Serve with Hot tea and lemon....Enjoy!

My Christmas Menu

No Recipe today....Today ,Mrs. Martin and I plan to do some cooking.. A lot of cooking...See ,we are having people over the house tomorrow....My Daughter and son and Law...Our Grandchildren and my mother in law....So we will be fixing a traditional Christmas meal.

I'm going to start off with a Turkey, Though I doubt it will be as large as the turkey in the illustration-LOL

The Second Meat will be a Ham...Adorned with Pineapple rings and cherry!

At our Christmas Dinner, We have always served collard greens-

and Macaroni and Cheese-

And of course you've got to have some cranberry sauce-

To finish that off..or rather to add to it....I plan to make some cornbread stuffing-

Okay, I lied...I do have a recipe for this-

Cornbread Stuffing recipe :

Ingredients:

Cornbread, recipe follows

7 slices oven-dried white bread

1 sleeve saltine crackers

8 tablespoons butter

2 cups celery, chopped

1 large onion, chopped

7 cups chicken stock

1 teaspoon salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon sage (optional)

1 tablespoon poultry seasoning (optional)

5 eggs, beaten

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large bowl, combine crumbled cornbread, dried white bread slices, and saltines; set aside.
Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the celery and onion and cook until transparent, approximately 5 to 10 minutes.

Pour the vegetable mixture over cornbread mixture. Add the stock, mix well, taste, and add salt, pepper to taste, sage, and poultry seasoning.

Add beaten eggs and mix well. Reserve 2 heaping tablespoons of this mixture for the giblet gravy. Pour mixture into a greased pan and bake until dressing is cooked through, about 45 minutes. Serve with turkey as a side dish...but you knew that!

For Dessert-  Deep Dish Apple Pie-

And of course a red and white wine as a beverage-

Good Food, Good Wine, Family, Friends, Good Conversation, lots of laughter....That's what Christmas means to me!  Hope you and your family have a Merry one  and most importantly...Keep Christ first and foremost in Christmas...

Belgian Waffles

It's Early Sunday Morning and I'm Hungry...I've got a taste..a strong craving for some Belgian Waffles.....what to do?...what to do? Well...if you've got a well stocked kitchen..here is what you can do?


INGREDIENTS:

1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast

1/4 cup warm milk (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)

3 egg yolks

2 3/4 cups warm milk (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)

3/4 cup butter, melted and cooled to lukewarm

1/2 cup white sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

4 cups all-purpose flour

3 egg whites

DIRECTIONS:

1.In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in 1/4 cup warm milk. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.

2.In a large bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, 1/4 cup of the warm milk and the melted butter. Stir in the yeast mixture, sugar, salt and vanilla. Stir in the remaining 2 1/2 cups milk alternately with the flour, ending with the flour. Beat the egg whites until they form soft peaks; fold into the batter. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.

3.Preheat the waffle iron. Brush with oil and spoon about 1/2 cup (or as recommended by manufacturer) onto center of iron. Close the lid and bake until it stops steaming and the waffle is golden brown. Serve immediately or keep warm in 200 degree oven.

You know the deal..Waffles and Sausage...and of course  a glass of milk-

Enjoy!