Baked Eggplant with Cheese
serves 4
2 medium eggplants, about 1 lb each (I recommend shorter, rounder eggplants, so they are easier to stuff)
Cooking spray
1 (1-ounce) slice white bread (I used 4 Tb breadcrumbs instead)
1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 cups finely chopped onion
1 1/4 cups finely chopped red bell pepper
1 cup finely chopped seeded plum tomato (2-3 plum tomatoes)
1 tsp chopped fresh oregano or ¼ tsp dried oregano
2 garlic cloves, minced
3/4 cup (3 oz) crumbled feta cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Remove stems and cut each eggplant in half. Score cut-sides of each eggplant-half by making 4 diagonal cuts. Place the eggplant-halves, cut sides down, on a foil-lined baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 400 degrees for 25 minutes or until tender. Remove from oven; cool on pan 10 minutes. Carefully remove pulp, leaving a 1/3" thick shell; reserve eggplant shells. Chop pulp and set aside. (To shorten the cooking time, you can microwave the eggplant cut side down for 5 minutes, instead of bakig for 25.) Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees. Place bread in a food processor; pulse 10 times or until coarse crumbs measure 1/2 cup. Drizzle the breadcrumbs with olive oil, and pulse to combine. (Or, if you use breadcrumbs, just combine with oil in small bowl. No food processor needed) Chop onion, tomatoes, and red bell pepper. Heat a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add onion; sauté 3 minutes. Stir in the chopped eggplant, bell pepper, tomato, oregano, and garlic; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Uncover and cook 5 minutes or until liquid evaporates, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; stir in feta cheese, parsley, salt, and black pepper. Stuff each eggplant shell with about ½ cup onion mixture; sprinkle with breadcrumb mixture. Discard used foil from baking sheet and place eggplant-halves back on baking sheet with clean foil. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until thoroughly heated and lightly browned.
2 Mai Tai Recipes
1 ounce light rum
1 ounce gold rum
1/2 ounce orange curaçao
1/2 ounce Orgeat (Almond Syrup)
1/2 ounce fresh lime juice
1 ounce dark rum (optional)
Shake all but the dark rum with ice. Strain into old fashioned glass. Top with the dark rum. Garnish with a sprig of mint.
1 ounce aged Jamaican rum
1 ounce Martinique rum
1/2 ounce Curaçao
1 1/2 ounces fresh lime juice
1/4 ounce orgeat syrup
1/4 ounce rock candy syrup
Shake well and serve in a double old-fashioned glass filled with crushed ice. Garnish with spent lime shell and mint sprig.
Pumpkin Ice Cream
4 cups half and half
2 cups heavy whipping cream
2 vanilla beans
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
7 1/2 oz canned pumpkin
1 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
Combine all dairy into a saucepan along with the sugar. Split and scrape the vanilla beans into the dairy and sugar mixture. Bring to 170 degrees F. to dissolve sugar then let cool at room temperature. Chill in the refrigerator overnight. While dairy is heating, grate nutmeg into pumpkin and add the other spices. Mix in a bowl to combine and chill overnight in the refrigerator. The next day, take pumpkin and dairy mixture out. Filter dairy mixture to remove large vanilla bean pieces. Add some of the dairy mixture to the pumpkin and mix well to loosen it up. Then mix both the dairy and pumpkin together. Freeze in your ice cream freezer according to the manufacturer's instructions. Let the ice cream harden for at least two hours unless serving all immediately.
LifeScan One Touch Blood Glucose Test Strips -- Counterfeit Alert
LifeScan and FDA notified healthcare professionals and the public of counterfeit blood glucose test strips being sold in the United States for use with various models of the One Touch Brand Blood Glucose Monitors used by people with diabetes to measure their blood glucose. The counterfeit test strips potentially could give incorrect blood glucose values--either too high or too low--which might result in a patient taking either too much or too little insulin and lead to serious injury or death.
The following characteristics may help to identify the counterfeit test strips:
Counterfeit One Touch Basic/Profile Test Strips, lot numbers 272894A, 2619932, and 2606340
The lot number 272894A, 2619932, or 2606340 appears on the outer carton and on the inner container (vial).
The outer carton is written in multiple languages including English, Greek and Portuguese.
The outer carton is labeled as 50-Count One Touch (Basic/Profile) Test Strip packages
The bottom of the outer carton does not include an NDC number.
Counterfeit One Touch Basic/Profile Test Strips, lot number 2615211
The lot number 2615211 appears on the outer carton and on the inner container (vial).
The outer carton is written in English.
The outer carton is labeled as 50-Count One Touch (Basic/Profile) Test Strip packages.
A picture of a hand appears on the test strip displayed on the outer carton.
The inner container is labeled as “plasma-calibrated”.
Counterfeit One Touch Ultra Test Strips, lot numbers 2691191 and 2691261
The lot number 2691191 or 2691261 appears on the outer carton and on the inner container (vial).
The outer carton and the inside container (vial) are written in both English and French.
The outer carton is labeled as 50-Count One Touch Ultra Test Strip packages.
The bottom of the outer carton does not include an NDC number.
Any adverse reactions experienced with the use of this product, and/or quality problems should also be reported to the FDA's MedWatch Program by phone at 1-800-FDA-1088, by fax at 1-800-FDA-0178, by mail at MedWatch, HF-2, FDA, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD, 20852-9787.
Banana French Toast
1 egg
1 yolk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon rum
1/4 cup sugar
1 cup half-and-half
4 slices good white bread, preferably sourdough
4 tablespoons butter
4 bananas, each peeled and cut into 3/4-inch rounds
2 tablespoons brown sugar
Mix together the egg, yolk, vanilla, rum, sugar, and half-and-half. Place half the butter in a large, no-stick skillet and turn the heat to medium-high. Dip each slice of the bread in the batter and, when the butter foam subsides, cook the bread until nicely browned on both sides, in batches if necessary. Meanwhile, heat the remaining butter in another no-stick skillet over medium heat. When the foam subsides, cook the banana pieces until lightly browned, turning frequently and sprinkling them with the brown sugar as they cook, 5 to 10 minutes. Cover each piece of bread with a portion of the bananas and sprinkle the top with confectioner's sugar. Serve hot.
Boudin
2 lb. Pork meat, 30 % fat or so
1 1/2 lb. Pork liver
2 tsp. Salt
2 tsp. Black pepper
1 Large Onion, cut up
3 Bunch Green onions, chopped
12 cups Cooked rice
1 tbs. Chopped parsley
1 Lot sausage casing
Cook meat, liver, salt and pepper in water to cover until meat falls apart. Remove meat and reserve some of broth. While still warm, grind meat, onion, green onions, and parsley, saving about 1/2 cup of green onions and parsley mixture. Mix the ground meat mixture with the 1/2 cup of green onions and parsley, rice and enough broth to make a moist dressing. Stuff the dressing into sausage casing using a sausage stuffer. May be refrigerated, may be frozen. Prepare for eating by steaming.
Garlic Green Beans
Serves 4
4 teaspoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon dry sherry, or water
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
1 1/2 tablespoons salad oil
3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1 tablespoon minced ginger
1 pound green beans, diagonally into 2-inch lengths
Stir together soy, sugar and sherry; set aside. In a wok or wide frying pan, toast sesame seeds over medium heat until golden (about 3 minutes), stirring often. Remove from pan and set aside. Increase heat to medium-high and pour oil into pan. When oil is hot, stir in garlic, ginger and beans; cook, stirring, for 1-1/2 minutes. Stir in soy mixture; reduce heat to medium, cover, and cook until beans are tender-crisp to bite (about 7 more minutes). Uncover, increase heat to high, and boil, stirring, until almost all liquid has evaporated (1 to 3 minutes). Pour onto a warmed platter and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
Steak Cobb Salad
Serves 4
1 shallot, minced
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
1 cup olive oil
Salt and pepper
1 1/3 cups peeled and diced red and yellow tomatoes
8 cups mesclun mix
8 slices proscuitto, juilienned
8 ounces beef tenderloin, grilled, cooled, and sliced
1 1/3 cups diced avocado
1 1/3 cups crumbled blue cheese
12 grilled scallions, chilled and chopped
4 tablespoons 1-inch pieces chives
To prepare the vinaigrette: Place the shallot and lemon juice in a small bowl. Slowly whisk in the olive oil, fold in the chopped chives, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Arrange some of the mesclun greens to create a bed in the center of each plate. Arrange some of the proscuitto in a vertical line along the far left side of the greens. Next to the proscuitto, arrange the avocado, tomatoes, beef tenderloin, blue cheese, and scallions to completely cover the mesclun mix. Top with freshly ground black pepper and sprinkle with the chive pieces. Drizzle the remaining vinaigrette over the salad.
Mashed Potatoes
Serves 6
2 pounds small red potatoes, quartered, skins on
½ cup heavy cream
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Place the potatoes in a saucepan, adding enough water to cover them by 1 inch. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer until the potatoes are soft, about 15 minutes. Drain the potatoes in a colander and return them to the saucepan. Over very low heat, coarsely mash the potatoes with an old-fashioned masher or 2 large forks, gradually adding the heavy cream and butter. Stir in the salt, up to 1 teaspoon, or just enough to suit your taste. Serve piping hot.
Pecan Fudge
1/2 ounce praline liqueur
1 cup pecans, chopped
1/4 pound butter
3 cups sugar
5 ounces evaporated milk
1 (12-ounce) package Hershey's semi-sweet chocolate morsels
1 tbsp vanilla
1 (7-ounce) jar marshmallow creme
Line a 9-inch Pyrex dish in aluminum foil and set aside. In a two quart heavy bottom pot, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add sugar and evaporated milk and blend well into butter. Bring to a rolling boil, reduce heat to simmer and cook approximately five minutes stirring constantly. Be careful not to scorch butter as mixture will caramelize. Remove from heat and using a large cooking spoon, stir in morsels, vanilla, marshmallow creme, praline liqueur and pecans, whipping constantly. Stir until mixture becomes creamy and slightly thickened. Pour into the Pyrex pan and allow to cool. Cut fudge into 1-inch squares and serve.
Hot Chocolate with Mint
Serves 4-6
1/4 cup chilled heavy cream
4 Tbs. sugar
3 Tbs. Dutch process cocoa powder
4 cups milk
4 oz. semisweet chocolate, chopped, plus 1/2 oz., shaved
1/2 tsp. peppermint extract
In a bowl, beat the cream and 1 Tbs. of the sugar until soft peaks form. Cover the whipped cream and refrigerate until ready to serve. In a small, heavy saucepan, combine the remaining 3 Tbs. sugar and the cocoa. Gradually whisk in the milk. Place over medium heat and bring to a simmer, whisking frequently. Add the chopped chocolate and whisk until melted and smooth. Stir in the peppermint extract. Divide the hot chocolate among warmed mugs. Top each with a dollop of the whipped cream. Sprinkle with the shaved chocolate and serve immediately.
Irish Coffee
Serves 4
8 tsp. sugar, or to taste
1/2 cup whiskey
2 cups hot brewed coffee, or as needed
1/2 cup heavy cream, lightly beaten to form soft peaks
Place 2 tsp. sugar in each of 4 mugs. Add 2 Tbs. whiskey to each mug, then fill with coffee. Hold a spoon, rounded side up, over each mug and slowly pour the cream over the spoon, floating it on top of the coffee.
Onion Dip for a Party
Serves 8
Dip
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 cups chopped sweet onions about 2 medium
1 1/2 teaspoons garam masala (dried red chili peppers, dried garlic, ginger powder, sesame, mustard seeds, turmeric, coriander, bay leaves, cumin, and fennel).
1 8-ounce sour cream (1 cup)
Pita crisps
1/2 bunch fresh cilantro
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, crushed
6 pita breads
Chopped fresh chives
For dip:
Heat oil in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and sauté until slightly softened, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook until onions are deep brown and begin to crisp slightly, stirring often, about 40 minutes. Add garam masala; stir 1 minute. Transfer to small bowl and cool completely. Mix in crème fraîche. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours. Do ahead Can be made 2 days ahead. Keep refrigerated.
For pita crisps:
Finely chop enough cilantro leaves to measure 2 tablespoons. Chop enough cilantro stems to measure 3 tablespoons. Combine oil and garlic in heavy small saucepan; cook over medium heat until oil begins to bubble around garlic, about 5 minutes. Add chopped cilantro stems. Remove from heat and let steep 10 minutes. Strain oil into small bowl; discard solids in strainer.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Cut each pita bread round horizontally in half. Cut each round into 6 wedges. Place pita wedges on 2 rimmed baking sheets; drizzle with cilantro-garlic oil and toss gently to coat. Arrange pita wedges in single layer; bake 5 minutes. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro leaves and bake until pita wedges are crisp and golden, about 5 minutes longer. Cool. Do ahead Can be made 1 day ahead. Store airtight at room temperature. Sprinkle dip with chives; place on platter. Surround with pita crisps.
Beef Tenderloin for 6
serves 6
6 (7- to 8-ounce) beef tenderloin steaks (each about 1 1/2 inches thick)
Coarse kosher salt
Cracked black pepper
3 tablespoons canola oil
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) chilled unsalted butter, divided
4 garlic cloves, peeled, smashed
2 fresh thyme sprigs
2 fresh rosemary sprigs
1 cup finely chopped shallots
1/2 cup Cognac or brandy
2 tablespoons tawny Port
3 cups low-salt chicken broth
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
Preheat oven to 250°F. Sprinkle steaks on all sides with salt and pepper. Heat oil in heavy large skillet over high heat. Add steaks and sear until brown, about 2 minutes per side. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add 3 tablespoons butter, garlic, thyme, and rosemary to skillet. Cook steaks to desired doneness, turning occasionally and basting with pan juices, about 12 minutes for medium-rare. Transfer steaks to small rimmed baking sheet and keep warm in oven. Pour contents of skillet into small bowl. Return 3 tablespoons drippings from bowl to same skillet and place over high heat. Add shallots and sauté 2 minutes. Add Cognac and Port and stir 1 minute, scraping up any browned bits. Add broth and boil until sauce is reduced to 1 cup, about 12 minutes. Whisk in Dijon mustard, then remaining 3 tablespoons cold butter, 1 tablespoon at a time. Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside. Arrange steaks on plates; whisk any accumulated juices from baking sheet into sauce. Spoon sauce over steaks and serve.
Monkfish
serves 4
1/4 cup butter, melted
3/4 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
4 (6 ounce) filets monkfish
4 tablespoons bread crumbs
Preheat oven to 350F. In a small bowl, combine the melted butter, paprika,
salt and pepper.
Place the fish fillets on a non−stick or parchment lined baking sheet. Brush the fillets evenly with the butter mixture and sprinkle the bread crumbs over the tops of each fillet. Bake in the preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until the fish flakes easily with a fork.
Moderate Drinking Reduces Men's Heart Attack Risk
Medical Studies/Trials
Published: Monday, 23-Oct-2006
A new study led by researchers at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) and the Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) helps answer this question. Reported in the October 23, 2006 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine, the findings show for the first time that among men with healthy lifestyles, those who consumed moderate amounts of alcohol - defined as between one-half and two drinks daily - had a 40 to 60 percent reduced risk of heart attack compared with healthy men who didn't drink at all. "This latest research speaks to how robust the link is between moderate drinking and heart attack risk," explains lead author Kenneth Mukamal, MD, MPH, an internist at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) and Associate Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School. "The fact that we found the association [between alcohol consumption and heart attack] to be just as strong in this tightly controlled group of men as we've found it to be in more general studies suggests that physicians should not avoid alcohol consumption as a topic for discussion when talking with patients about ways to reduce their risk of myocardial infarction." Using data from the Health Professionals Follow-up Study (a large HSPH-based cohort of more than 50,000 male health professionals between the ages of 40 and 75 who have been answering health-based questionnaires at regular intervals over the past 20 years), Mukamal and HSPH researchers Eric Rimm, ScD, and Stephanie Chiuve, ScD, identified 8,867 men. Members of this group reported four healthy lifestyle behaviors: body mass index (BMI) of less than 25; moderate to vigorous physical activity for at least 30 minutes per day; abstention from smoking; and a diet consistently high in intake of fruits, vegetables, cereal fiber, fish, chicken, nuts, soy and polyunsaturated fat, and low in trans fats, processed meats and red meats, along with regular use of a multi-vitamin supplement. Over a follow-up period of 16 years, the authors assessed the participants' daily alcohol intake (beer, white wine, red wine, or spirits) using a standardized and validated questionnaire. Between 1986 and 2002, 106 men had heart attacks. This included eight of the 1,282 who drank between 15 and 29.9 grams of alcohol per day (the equivalent of two drinks), nine of the 714 who drank 30 grams or more per day (more than two drinks), 34 of the 2,252 who drank .1 to 4.9 grams per day and 28 of the 1,889 who did not drink at all. Their final analysis showed that among the subjects who were able to maintain all four healthy behaviors for at least a portion of the follow-up time (the authors updated data over the course of the study to account for changes in lifestyle habits, such as weight gain), those who consumed alcohol in moderation had a 40 to 60 percent lower risk of heart attack than either the non-drinkers or the very light drinkers (less than 5 grams of alcohol per day). "Based on these numbers, we estimate that approximately 25 percent of the heart attacks that occurred among these healthy individuals might be attributed to abstention [or extremely light drinking]," explains Mukamal.Because there are other safe ways to lower heart attack risk, such as exercising, staying trim, and eating properly, moderate alcohol consumption is not typically discussed with patients as another healthy lifestyle option, the authors note. "There's no question that all of these other behaviors are important, and can help prevent other chronic diseases besides heart disease," says Mukamal. "But there's no reason to consider the recommendations as mutually exclusive." These latest results, he says, suggest that moderate drinking could be viewed as a complement to these other lifestyle interventions in reducing a man's risk of heart attack. "The medical community has often dismissed moderate drinking out of hand without really considering the evidence on its merits alone," he adds. "One of the goals [of this research] was to focus conversation on the actual risks and benefits of moderate drinking itself. We hope this is one step in initiating that discussion."
Chicken Kiev
serves 4-6
4 Chicken breasts; 1 lb each-skin-bone and split
1/2 c Fine dry bread crumbs
1/2 c Grated parmesan cheese
1 1/2 ts Oregano
1/2 ts Garlic salt
1/4 ts Pepper
1/4 c Unsalted butter; softened
1 tb Chopped parsely
4 oz Monterey jack cheese, (8 strips)
6 tb Melted unsalted butter
Rinse chicken and pat dry. Place one piece at a time, skinned side down, between two sheets of pastic wrap and pound with a flat surface mallet until each breast is about 1/8 inch thick. In a shallow bowl, combine bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, garlic salt and pepper and 1 tsp of the oregano and set aside. In a small bowl, stir together the 1/4 cup butter, remaining oregano and parsley. Arrange the pounded chicken breasts skinned side down. Spread about 1/2 tablespoon of the butter mixture across each piece about an inch from one of the long sides and place a strip of the Jack cheese over the butter. Fold the short ends over the filling and then fold in the long sides and roll to enclose the filling. Dip each bundle into the 6 tbsp of melted butter, drain and roll in the bread crumb mixture until coated evenly and well. Place bundles, seam side down and slightly separated into a 10x15 inch rimmed baking pan. Drizzle with the remaining butter. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours over overnight. Bake uncovered in a 425 F oven until chicken is no longer pink when slightly slashed (Don't cut the filling!!), about 20 minutes. Serve at once!! MEXICAN STYLE KIEV: Follow the directions above, but omit the oregano. Instead use a mixture of 1 tsp chili powder and 1/2 tsp ground cumin. Using a can of whole green chiles, discard the ptih and any seeds. Cut the chilies into 1 inch stirps and divide into eight equal portions. When filling the chicken breasts, place one portion of the chile, atop each strip of cheese. serve the chicken with the following tomatoe sauce. Stir together 1-15oz can of tomatoe sauce with 1/2 tsp each ground cumin and sugar and 1/4 cup sliced green onion (including tops.) Cook over medium heat, stirring, until hot. Season to taste with salt, pepper and hot pepper sauce.
Conchitas a la Parmesana
Serves 6
12 large scallops in shell if available
1 cup of freshly grated parmesan cheese
2lbs of butter
Olive oil
Freshly milled pepper
Preheat oven to 400F. Clean and rinse the shells, shuck open leaving the scallop attached to one half. Lightly season the scallop with ground pepper and sprinkle grated parmesan over the top. Add a small sliver of butter ontop of each scallop and a couple of drops of olive oil. Bake or grill for 5 to 8 minutes at a high temperature until the cheese turns a golden brown color.
Peanut Butter Cookies
Makes 2 dozen cookies
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 egg
1 1/4 cup flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
Cream the butter for 2 minutes. Add the sugars, cream for 2 more minutes. Mix in the peanut butter and egg. Mix together the dry ingredients - flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Stir into the sugar butter mixture. Wrap dough in plastic and refrigerate at least 3 hours. Preheat oven to 375°F. Shape dough into 1 1/4 inch balls. Place about 3 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Flatten in crisscross pattern with a fork. Bake until light brown, 9 to 10 minutes. Cool on baking sheets for a minute; transfer to rack to cool completely. For chewier cookies, bake at 300°F for 15 minutes.
Ballard's Farm Sausage, Inc. Recalls Egg Salad Because of Possible Health Risk
Ballard's Farm Sausage has officially recalled three kinds of egg salads. The company said tests showed mixed results for Listeria Monocytogenes. The bacterium can cause serious or fatal infections in young children or elderly people. It can also cause miscarriages and stillbirths in pregnant women. The contamination was noted after routine testing by the North Carolina Department of Agriculture. This test revealed the presence of Listeria monocytogenes in egg product. The Ballard's 12 oz. egg salad, Food City 12 oz. egg salad and Valu Time 11 oz. egg salad are the types being recalled. They are sold in clear plastic cups and have a "best if used by" date of November 7, 2006. The product is sold in several states. The states involved in the recall are Alabama, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, New York, New Jersey, North and South Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and West Virginia. Consumers are urged to return the egg salad items with the identification of "Best if used by 11/7/06" to their location of purchase for a full refund. Consumers with any questions may contact the company at 800-346-7675.
Panzanella
serves 4
3 cups diced tomatoes
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tbsps chopped fresh basil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 tsp chopped fresh thyme
1 red onion sliced
1 cucumber quartered lengthwise, and finely sliced
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
25 French bread croutons, toasted tear into chunks
Salt and black pepper
In a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients except whole basil leaves and croutons. Blend well, cover and refrigerate 1-2 hours. When ready to serve, drop the crouton chunks into the bottom of a salad bowl, top with remaining ingredients. Place one whole basil leaf on top and serve.
What are the USDA Meat and Poultry Recommendations for Making Homemade Jerky?
Safe handling and preparation methods must always be used, including: Always wash hands thoroughly with soap and water before and after working with meat products. Use clean equipment and utensils. Keep meat and poultry refrigerated at 40 °F or slightly below; use or freeze ground beef and poultry within 2 days; whole red meats, within 3 to 5 days. Defrost frozen meat in the refrigerator, not on the kitchen counter. Marinate meat in the refrigerator. Don't save marinade to re-use. Marinades are used to tenderize and flavor the jerky before dehydrating it. Steam or roast meat to 160 °F and poultry to 165 °F as measured with a food thermometer before dehydrating it. Dry meats in a food dehydrator that has an adjustable temperature dial and will maintain a temperature of at least 130 to 140 °F throughout the drying process.
Are There Special Considerations for Wild Game Jerky? Yes, there are other special considerations when making homemade jerky from venison or other wild game. According to Keene and his co-authors, "Venison can be heavily contaminated with fecal bacteria — the degree varying with the hunter's skill, wound location, and other factors. While fresh beef is usually rapidly chilled, deer carcasses are typically held at ambient temperatures, potentially allowing bacteria multiplication."
2 lbs lean meat, sliced thin (against grain)
1/2 cup liquid smoke
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup Worcestershire Sauce
1/4 cup hot sauce
2 tbsps Steen's Cane Syrup
1 1/2 tsp meat tenderizer
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsps brown sugar
1/4 cup Teriyaki Sauce
2 tbsps Zatarain's Creole Seasonings
2 tbsps granulated garlic
Combine all ingredients except meat and whisk well. Place meat in mixture and marinate for 24 hrs in refrigerator. Then place in dehydrator for 9 hours.
Artichoke and Spinach Dip
1 pint mayonnaise
1 cup artichoke hearts (if using canned, purchase hearts packed in water, not oil)
½ cup breadcrumbs
½ cup + 2 tablespoons fresh Parmesan, shredded
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 cup fresh spinach, chopped
Combine the first six ingredients and place in an ovenproof baking dish. Bake at 350F degrees for 15 minutes. Remove, sprinkle with the one-half cup of grated Parmesan cheese, and return to the oven to bake until the top is browned. Serve piping hot with chips, crackers, bread, or your favorite sliced raw vegetables.
Chops in Beer
4 pork chops 6oz each
3 cups sliced onions
½ cup flour
2 tbsps vegetable oil
½ cup diced celery
¼ cup diced green bell peppers
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 cup room temperature German beer (i.e., Beck's Dark)
1½ cups hot beef broth
salt and black pepper to taste
Season pork chops with salt and pepper. Dredge chops in flour, shaking off any excess. Reserve 2 tbsps of flour. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Fry pork chops 3 minutes on each side. Remove chops from skillet and set aside. Sauté onions, celery, bell pepper and garlic for 5 minutes. Add reserved flour and stir into vegetable mixture. Pour in beer and beef stock. Return chops to the skillet, reduce heat to medium, cover and simmer for 1 hour or until chops are tender. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with your favorite German side dishes such as potato salad, boiled potatoes, cabbage or Brussels sprouts.
Mongolian Beef
serves 4
Sauce
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon minced ginger
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup water
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
1 pound flank steak
1/4 cup cornstarch
2 large green onions
chili peppers
Make the sauce by heating 2 teaspoons of vegetable in a medium saucepan over med/low heat. Don't get the oil too hot or you'll get a major spatter when adding the other liquids. Add ginger and garlic to the pan and quickly add the soy sauce and water before the garlic scorches. Dissolve the brown sugar in the sauce, then raise the heat to about medium and boil the sauce for 2 to 3 minutes or until the sauce thickens. Remove it from the heat. Slice the flank steak against the grain into 1/4-inch thick bite-size slices. Tilt the blade of your knife at about a forty five degree angle to the top of the steak so that you get wider cuts. Dip the steak pieces into the cornstarch to apply a very thin dusting to both sides of each piece of beef. Let the beef sit for about 10 minutes so that the cornstarch sticks. As the beef sits, heat up one cup of oil in a wok (you may also use a skillet for this step as long as the beef will be mostly covered with oil). Heat the oil over medium heat until it's nice and hot, but not smoking. Add the beef to the oil and sauté for just two minutes, or until the beef just begins to darken on the edges. You don't need a thorough cooking here since the beef is going to go back on the heat later. Stir the meat around a little so that it cooks evenly. After a couple minutes, use a large slotted spoon or a spider to take the meat out and onto paper towels, then pour the oil out of the wok or skillet. Put the pan back over the heat, dump the meat back into it and simmer for one minute. Add the sauce, cook for one minute while stirring, then add all the green onions and chili peppers. Cook for one more minute, then remove the beef, chili peppers and onions with tongs or a slotted spoon to a serving plate. Leave the excess sauce behind in the pan.
Shrimp Chili
serves 4-6
1 green bell pepper, peeled, seeded, and chopped
1 red bell pepper, peeled, seeded, and chopped
1 large onion, chopped
1 cup shredded peeled carrots
1 tablespoon finely chopped jalapeno pepper
½ teaspoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 ½ teaspoons dried cumin
1 (16-ounce) can no-salt-added whole tomatoes, chopped, with their juices
1 (16-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
½ cup water
1 pound medium shrimp, peeled
In a large pot coated with nonstick cooking spray, saute the green and red peppers, onion, carrots, jalapenos, and garlic until tender, about 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in the chili powder, cumin, tomatoes, black beans, water, and shrimp and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the shrimp are pink.
Quick Caesar Dressing
3/4 cup any bottled Italian dressing
1 tablespoon Parmesan, grated
1 tablespoon sugar
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon anchovy paste or soy sauce.
Combine all ingredients. Refrigerate overnight before using.
Orange Peel Chicken
serves4
Sauce:
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 tablespoons minced garlic
4 green onions, sliced
1 cup tomato sauce
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons chili garlic sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/2 cup vegetable oil
4 chicken breast fillets
1 egg, beaten
1 cup milk
1 cup flour
peel from 1/4 orange, julienned (into 1/8-inch thick strips)
Prepare sauce by heating 1 tablespoon of oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add minced garlic and sliced green onions. Add tomato sauce and water quickly before the garlic burns. Add sugar, chili garlic sauce and soy sauce and bring to a boil. Simmer 5 to 6 minutes or until sauce thickens, then turn off the heat. Prepare the chicken by heating 1/2 cup oil in a wok over medium heat. Slice chicken breast fillets into bite-size pieces. Combine beaten egg with milk in a medium bowl. Pour the flour into another medium bowl. Coat chicken pieces by dropping them into the flour a few at a time, then into the egg/milk mixture and back into the flour. Arrange coated chicken on a plate until all chicken is coated. When oil in the wok is hot, add about half of the chicken to the oil and cook for a couple minutes or until brown on one side, then flip the chicken over. When chicken is golden brown, remove the pieces to a rack or paper towels to drain. Repeat with the remaining chicken. When all of the chicken is cooked rinse the oil out of the wok with water and place it back on the stove to heat up. When wok is hot again add julienned orange peel and chicken. Heat for 20 to 30 seconds or so, stirring gently. Add sauce to the pan and cook for about 2 minutes. Stir dish a couple times but do it gently so you don't knock the coating off the chicken. Cook until the sauce thickens then serve up the dish with white or brown rice on the side.
Tempura
2 egg whites
1.5 cups cake flour
1.5 cups club soda, very, very cold
Canola oil, for frying
Vegetables, seafood, etc. for breading
Beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Fold in 1/2 cup of flour, followed by 1/2 cup club soda. Mixing ONLY until just combined. Repeat process two more times until the flour and soda have all been incorporated. Pour canola oil into a heavy medium sized pot to a depth of 2 inches. Heat over med-high heat until temperature reaches 375° F. Keep and eye on the temperature and adjust heat as needed to maintain temperature.
Salmon Stuffed Potatoes
Serves 4
1 12-15oz can red or pink salmon
4 large baking potatoes
1/2 oz butter
4 oz mozzarella cheese
3 oz Cheddar cheese, grated
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives, plus a few extra for garnish
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Drain the salmon. Remove skin and bones, if desired and break into large chunks. Set aside Preheat the oven to 400°F, Gas Mark 6. Prick the potatoes with a fork, then bake for about 1 hour, or until tender. Cool for a few minutes Halve the potatoes and scoop the flesh into a bowl, leaving the skins intact. Mash the potato flesh, then mix in the butter. Tear up the mozzarella cheese and add to the potato mixture with the chives, the salmon and most of the Cheddar cheese. Season with salt and pepper, then mix together Pile the mixture back into the potato skins. Place on a baking sheet, sprinkle with the reserved Cheddar, then return to the oven to heat through for about 15 - 20 minutes. Serve the potatoes whilst piping hot, garnished with a few more chopped chives.
Orange Roughy (Ugly Fish)
serves 4
8-12 Orange roughy fillets depending on size
2 tsp Garlic powder
8 tbl Cooking oil
1 lg bag crushed thin Potato chips
Sprinkle fillets with garlic powder; set aside. Place cooking oil in one bowl & crushed chips in another. Dip each fillet in oil then coat with chips & place on greased broiler pan. Bake in 425 oven for 15 minutes.
Grilled Pork Burgers
4 servings
2 pounds coarsely ground pork
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 teaspoon ground fennel
1 red bell pepper
4 hamburger buns
4 slices fontina cheese
1 bunch arugula or soft lettuce
Grill the bell pepper over Direct Medium heat until evenly charred on all sides, 10 to 12 minutes, turning every 3 to 5 minutes. Remove the pepper from the grill and place in a paper bag: close tightly. Let stand 10 to 15 minutes to steam off the skin. Remove the pepper from the bag and peel away the charred skin. Cut off the top and remove the seeds. Cut the pepper into strips. Set aside. Serve the burgers hot on the toasted buns and top with cheese, grilled peppers, and lettuce.
225 Pound Crabcake To Break Guinness Record
The crab processing company handy international plans to cook up the world's largest crab cake, all 225 pounds of it.
They'll be picking crabs for a while to make it happen. The group needs 600 crabs to get the 160 pounds of crabmeat needed. It will be cooked in a custom made rotisserie style baking pan.
"The pan itself weighs about 200 pounds and the crab mixture about 225 pounds." added Cupp. When the process is over the crab cake will serve about 800 people at Dover Downs and set a new Guinness world record. Handy International is a 103-year-old crab processing company in Crisfield, MD. The company employs about 100 people and ships its seafood products all over the world. WJZ'S Ron Matz
Gilligan's Island
1oz Pineapple Juice
1oz Cranberry Juice
1oz creme de banana
1oz Coconut Rum
Shake with crushed ice and pour into glass.
Prime Rib
30 large garlic cloves, unpeeled
1/4 cup olive oil
1/3 cup horseradish sauce
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
6 pounds prime rib
Preheat oven to 350 F. Toss garlic cloves and olive oil in small baking dish; cover. Bake until garlic begins to brown, about 35 minutes. Drain olive oil into processor or blender. Cool 15 minutes. Peel garlic; place in processor. Add prepared horseradish and coarse salt. Puree until almost smooth. Place rack on large rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle beef with salt and pepper. Spread thin layer of garlic mixture on underside of beef. Place beef, garlic mixture side down, onto rack. Spread beef with remaining garlic mixture. Cover and refrigerate at least 3 hours or up to 1 day. Position rack in bottom third of oven; preheat to 350 F. Uncover beef. Roast until thermometer inserted into top center registers 125 F for rare, about 1 hour 45 minutes (or until of desired doneness). Transfer beef to platter; let stand 30 minutes. Scrape pan juices into small saucepan. Serve.
Peanut Dipping Sauce
3 ounces unsalted roasted peanuts
1 large clove garlic, peeled, minced
1 Thai chili, seeded, minced
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 cup chicken stock
1/3 cup unsweetened coconut milk
1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 tablespoon sugar
Chop 1 tablespoon of the peanuts, and grind the rest.
Stir-fry garlic and chilies in oil over medium heat, 5 minutes. Add ground peanuts and stir until they release some of their oil, about 5 minutes. Add remaining ingredients; bring just to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat and simmer until oil begins to surface, about 15 minutes.
Frog Legs
Serves 4
Garlic Purée
1 head garlic, broken into unpeeled cloves
2 tablespoons milk
Parsley Purée
1 large bunch parsley
Frogs Legs
24 pairs frogs legs
all-purpose flour for dusting
1/2 cup clarified butter
1/2 cup unsalted butter
To prepare the garlic purée: Place the unpeeled garlic in cold water to cover and bring to a boil. Drain. Peel the garlic (this is easier now that the garlic has been brought to a boil). Place the peeled garlic in cold water to cover and bring to a boil. Drain. Repeat three more times. The garlic will be cooked, but all the flavor is still inside. Pulse the garlic in a food processor with the milk until a rough purée forms. Keep warm. To prepare the parsley purée: Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil and add the parsley. Boil for 7 minutes. Drain and place in ice water to cool. Drain again. Purée in a blender with a little water until smooth; add water as necessary to create a smooth, thick purée. To prepare the frogs legs: "French" each frog leg by removing the foot and taking off the upper muscle connecting two legs to divide them. Press the meat up toward the thigh portion to bare the lower leg bone, like a lamb chop; these are called "jambonettes" because they resemble tiny hams. Toss the legs in the flour, shaking off the excess. Heat the butters in a deep saucepan large enough to hold all the legs over medium-high heat until flour sizzles when sprinkled on the butter. Add the frogs legs and let cook until browned all over, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove with tongs and drain on paper towels, patting dry. To serve: Cover the bottoms of four serving plates with parsley sauce. Place a large spoonful of garlic purée in the center of each plate. Place 6 of the frogs legs around each plate, with the meat portion in the parsley sauce and serve.
Stuffed Crabs
1 doz. fresh crabs
4 stalks celery, chopped
Wesson oil
Pepperidge Farm Dressing
1 onion parsley
1/2 bell pepper
red pepper and salt to taste
4 cloves garlic
1 tsp. Kitchen Bouquet
1/2 tsp. black pepper
Boil crabs in black pepper seasoned water around 30 minutes.
Cool. Pry crabs open with a knife. Remove all white meat and
a little crab fat. Set aside. Scrub shells in clean water. Drop in boiling water with a pinch of soda for about 20 minutes. Cool shells before adding stuffing. Saute chopped onion, green pepper, garlic and celery in Wesson oil for about 5 minutes. Add crabmeat and brown. Add a little butter, crab fat and water to moisten. Then add red pepper, salt, Kitchen Bouquet (this will turn it slightly brown). Cover and simmer 30 minutes (or until water is absorbed). Mix with dry dressing and stuff the shells. Bake 20-25 minutes in 350 degree oven.
Crab Rangoons
1 8 ounce package soft cream cheese
1 garlic clove, minced
¼ cup white onion, diced
1 6 ounce can crabmeat, cartilage removed
1 tablespoon soy sauce
canola oil
In a large bowl, combine crabmeat, cheese, soy sauce, and onion and garlic mixture. Place ½ to ¾ teaspoon of mixture on center of each won ton. Fold over into triangles. Seal won tons with cold water and by pressing edges for a tight seal. Fry in wok with 3 inches of canola oil until golden brown. Serve immediately.
Chili Quick and Easy
makes 2 quarts
2 ½ pounds Lean ground chuck
1 pound Lean ground pork
1 cup Finely chopped onion
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped.
1 can Budweiser beer (12 ounce.)
8 ounces Hunt's tomato sauce
1 cup Water
3 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons Ground cumin
2 tablespoons Wyler's beef-flavor instant, bouillon (or 6
cubes
2 teaspoons Oregano leaves
2 teaspoons Paprika
2 teaspoons Sugar
1 teaspoon Unsweetened cocoa
½ teaspoon Ground coriander
½ teaspoon Louisiana hot sauce, to taste
1 teaspoon Flour
1 teaspoon Cornmeal
1 tablespoon Warm water
In large saucepan or Dutch oven, brown half the meat; pour off fat. Remove meat. Brown remaining meat; pour off all fat except 2 Tbsps. Add onion, garlic; cook and stir until tender. Add meat and remaining ingredients except flour, cornmeal and warm water. Mix well. Bring to boil; reduce heat and simmer covered 2 hours. Stir together flour and cornmeal; add warm water. Mix well. Stir into chili mixture. Cook covered 20 minutes longer. Serve hot.
Creole Gumbo
4 hard-shell crabs
1/2 pound chicken necks
1/2 pound smoked sausage
1/2 tablespoon paprika
1/2 pound chicken gizzard
1/2 cup vegetable oil
4 tablespoons flour
6 chicken wings
1/2 pound Creole hot sausage
3 cloves garlic, chopped fine
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1 teaspoon ground thyme
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 pound boneless veal stew meat
1 pound shrimp
1 cup chopped onion
24 oysters in their liquid
4 quarts water
1 1/2 pounds smoked ham
1 tablespoon file powder
Place crabs, sausage cut into bite-sized pieces, stew meat and gizzards in a 6-quart pot over medium heat. Cover and let cook in own fat and juices for 30 minutes. Heat oil in skillet and add flour to make roux. Stir constantly until very brown. Lower heat, add onions and cook over low heat until onions wilt. Pour onion mixture over meat in pot. Slowly add water, stirring constantly. Bring to a boil. Add chicken wings cut in half, necks skinned and cut, ham cubed, shrimp peeled and deveined, paprika, salt, garlic, parsley and thyme. Let simmer for 30 minutes. Add oysters and liquid and cook for 10 more minutes. Remove from heat. Add file powder and stir well. Serve over rice.
Brennan's Oyster Rockefeller Soup
2 cups (about 48) shucked oysters
2 quarts cold water
¾ cup (1½ sticks) butter
¾ cup chopped celery
½ cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup Pernod or Herbsaint (optional)
8 ounces fresh spinach leaves, washed, stemmed and coarsely chopped
¼ cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
salt and white pepper, to taste
2 cups heavy cream
Place the oysters in a large saucepan and cover with 2 quarts cold water. Cook over medium heat just until the oysters begin to curl, about 5 minutes. Strain the oysters, reserving the stock. Set oysters aside. Melt the butter in a large pot and sauté the celery until tender. Stir in the flour, then add the oysters and oyster stock. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes until thickened. Add the Pernod, spinach and parsley; season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour in the cream and simmer several minutes until the soup is hot, then serve.
Don't Drink the Water...Ever! Ship, Vessel Crash on Mississippi River
A small boat inspects a hole in the side of the 737-foot Panamanian-flagged Torm Anholt where it was damaged in a collision with the 712-foot Greek-flagged Zagora on the Mississippi River near New Orleans, La. Monday, Oct. 16, 2006. No injuries were reported. (AP Photo/Bill Haber)
Orange Sorbet
1 medium orange, blood orange, tangerine, or tangelo
1 cup water
2/3 cup sugar
1 1/2 cup orange juice, blood orange juice, tangerine juice, or tangelo juice
2 tablespoon lemon juice
Use a vegetable peeler to remove only the colored part of the orange peel from the whole orange. For syrup, combine the orange peel, water, and sugar in a medium saucepan. Bring to boiling, stirring until sugar dissolves. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 5 minutes. Strain, discarding peel; cool syrup. Add orange juice and lemon juice. Pour juice mixture into 9x9x2-inch pan. Cover; freeze 3 to 4 hours until firm. Break frozen mixture into small chunks. Transfer to a chilled mixing bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy but not melted. Transfer to a 4- to 6-cup freezer container; cover and freeze until firm or up to 2 weeks. To serve, let stand at room temperature 5 minutes before scooping. Makes 6 (1/2-cup) servings.
Cajun Potato Salad
3 pounds Potatoes; peeled, diced, cooked
2 Dashes Tabasco
4 Eggs; hard-boil, diced
Salt and pepper
1 small White onion; diced
2 Ribs celery; dice2 Ribs celery; diced
4 tablespoons Creole mustard
1 pound Smoked turkey sausage; slice thin, saute 5 mins, drain
1 cup mayo
1/4 cups Parsley; chopped
Mix all ingredients and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Sprinkle top with paprika and serve.
Crawfish Soup
1 lb peeled crawfish
1/4 cup dry wine or sherry
1/8 lb margarine
Salt, cayenne and hot pepper to taste
2 med onions, chopped
2 pods garlic, minced
1/2 bell pepper, chopped
1 stalk celery finely chopped
1 can cream of shrimp soup
1/2 cup water
In a heavy black iron pot, melt the margarine and saute vegetables until well wilted. Add the crawfish tails and cook about 10 minutes. Add the soup, wine and water, stir and simmer for about 1/2 hour. Add the seasonings to taste and cook another ten minutes. Serve.
