Gingered Apple Spritzer

This drink was wonderful. Thought I would post the ingredients. Not sure on propery measurements yet. Guess we will have to experiement. =)

Stoli Citrus
Sour Apple Pucker
Stewart’s Ginger Brew
Bitters
Serve over ice with a cherry.

April 24th, 2006

Chicken Adobo Recipe

Here is the recipe for Chicken Adobo (it changes a lot though):

1 Panful Chicken Thighs (my 15″ Allclad holds 14 thighs)
oil
1 TB diced garlic
1 TB White sugar
1 tsp salt (or to taste)
1 tsp fresh ground black pepper
4 bay leaves
1.5 c white vinegar
1.5 c hot water
2/3 c soy sauce

Skin chicken and trim fat off. In a hot pan with hot oil brown the thighs well. As they finish cooking add the garlic. You only want to saute the garlic for 30 seconds or a minute - don’t let it burn. Add the salt, pepper, sugar, bay, vinegar and water. Cook at a simmer for 40 minutes turning chicken every now and again. Add the soy and cook for 20 minutes more - turning. You may need to turn the heat up for the last few minutes to thicken the “sauce” - make sure it does not boil away though.

November 28th, 2005

Basil Shrimp with Feta and Orzo

I keep losing this recipe - so I’m putting it here for posterity.

1 regular-size foil oven bag
Cooking spray
1/2 cup uncooked orzo
2 teaspoons olive oil, divided
1 cup diced tomato
3/4 cup sliced green onions
1/2 cup (2 ounces) crumbled feta cheese
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon peel
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
3/4 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

1. Preheat oven to 450º.

2. Coat inside of oven bag with cooking spray. Place the bag on a large shallow baking pan.

3. Cook the pasta in boiling water 5 minutes, omitting salt and fat; drain. Place the pasta in a large bowl. Stir in 1 teaspoon oil and next 7 ingredients (1 teaspoon oil through pepper). Place the orzo mixture in prepared oven bag. Combine shrimp and basil. Arrange shrimp mixture on orzo mixture. Fold edge of bag over to seal. Bake at 450º for 25 minutes or until shrimp are done. Cut open bag with sharp knife, and peel back the foil. Drizzle with 1 teaspoon oil.

September 29th, 2005

Chicken & Sausage Gumbo

Here is a work in progress on our favorite gumbo recipe.

Chicken Stock:

Mirepoix: 4 stalks of celery with root and leaves, 3-4 large carrots (a handful of small ones), 2-3 onions washed with skin on — all roughed chopped and sweated in olive oil until slightly carmelizied.

Some garlic (whole cloves or whatever) is appropriate for the chicken stock.

Also spice packets for chicken stock — bay leaves, marjoram , parsely, etc. (aromatics). Bouquet Garni is commonly used.

Chicken was roughly seasoned before roasting: salt, pepper, Joe’s, Tony’s.

Bring to boil — reduce to a nice simmer. After 1 hour remove chicken and let cool. Remove skin, reserve meat — put bones back into pot. Simmer for at least 5 more hours. Cool, strain.

Shrimp stock:

4Lb (?) Shrimp heads and shells.

Mirepoix as well — same as above.

Boil over night? (I did not see the prep on this)

No spices — although some crab boil would be good I bet.

Strain and cool.

Gumbo Base:

Roux:

4 cups Lard (2 lbs)
5 Cups flour
Trinity (1 part peppers, 1 part celery, 2 parts onions):
Dozen bell peppers
Two packages Celery
Two bags onions
5lb (?) Andouillie Sausage - sauteed in oil until nicely crispy brown - in batches
7lbs chopped frozen okra - sauteed over medium heat in oil about 15 minutes per batch
reserved chicken meat (from stock)
Tony C’s spices
Joe’s hot stuff
Tabasco

Make roux (dark red to blackened).

Add trinity and cook 10 minutes over medium heat

Add 4 cups shrimp stock

Added chicken stock until full bring to boil - reduce heat to a nice simmer

Add spices (salt should be added at the end) boil 6-12 hours adding other ingredients as the space allows.

Add the Andouille sausage first when space permits followed by the sauteed okra.

At the very end add the reserved chopped chicken meat - bring back to a simmer and turn off.

Season to taste.

5 comments November 10th, 2003

Nummy Croutons

This is the recipe from 128 Cafe for the lovely croutons they put on their Caesar Salad.

Croutons

Crusty Baggette, cubed
Olive Oil
Minced Rosemary
Minced Garlic
Salt and Pepper

Toss bread cubes with rest of ingredients. Put on a jelly roll pan and spread into a single layer. Bake for 10 - 15 minutes at 350 degrees convection.

August 7th, 2003

Basil Shrimp with Feta and Orzo

This is a wonderful summer food. I found it in Cooking Light.

1 regular-size foil oven bag
Cooking spray
1/2 cup uncooked orzo (rice-shaped pasta)
2 teaspoons olive oil, divided
1 cup diced tomato
1/4 cup sliced green onions
1/2 cup (2 oz) crumbled feta cheese
1 tablespoon grated lemon rind
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

2. Coat inside of oven bag with cooking spray. Place the bag on a large shallow baking pan.

3. Cook the pasta in boiling water for 5 minutes, omitting salt and fat, drain. Place the pasta in a large bowl. Stir in 1 teaspoon oil and next 7 ingreatients (1 teaspoon oil through pepper). Place the orzo mixture in prepared oven bag. Combine shrimp mixtrue on orzo mixture. Fold edge of bag over to seal. Bake at 450 degrees for 25 minutes or until the shrimp are done. Cut open the bag with a sharp knife, and peel back the foil. Drizzle with 1 teaspoon oil.

Note: I usually double this recipe since it makes a tasty leftover.

May 18th, 2003

Pork Tenderloin the easy way….

Here is our favorite pork tenderloin recipe. We make it for the first night of every cabin trip. Hope you like it.

1 (1-lb) pork tenderloin
4 cups water
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
1 teaspoon whole allspice
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
4 teaspoons olive oil, divided

1. Trim fat from pork (including silverskin). Combine pork and next 6 ingredients (pork through bay leaf) in a large zip lock plastic bag. Seal and marinate in refrigerate 2 1/2 hours. (We usually let it marinate for 24 hours)

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

3. Remove pork from bag; discard marinade. Pat pork dry with a paper towel. combine rosemary and 1 teaspoon oil; rub over pork.

4. Heat remaining 3 teaspoons oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add pork; cook 5 minutes, browning on all sides. Place pork on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray. Insert meat thermometer into thickest portion of pork. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes or until thermometer registers 160 degrees (slightly pink). Wrap in foil; chill 3 hours or overnight.

5. Cut pork diagonally across grain into 24 slices.

Serve with biscuits and chutney.

1 comment May 18th, 2003

Drumsticks Are Not Drummies…..

Important recipe tip. *smile*

Our favorite honey wings used to come from Nikki’s. But since they have closed, we now have to make our own. After much tasting and experimentation, Steve and Scott have come up with a wonderful recipe. They are not too spicy….in fact they are very tasty.

These are a great with the Captain Lambchops below.

Also, this same recipe becomes standard buffalo wings if you remove the honey. See also 2 comments February 10th, 2003

Oh Captain…My Captain

Our current favorite drink……Captain Lambchop. Here is the recipe:

Equal parts Sweet & Sour and Vodka. Juice of 1/2 orange. Prepare like you would your favorite martini (we shake ours). Twist of orange makes a nice garnish.

Edit: The boys realized at some point that they had no turned the page in the book to see the entire recipe. Here is the original from the book:

2 oz Vodka
1 oz Sweet & Sour
.5 oz Chambord
Dash Cointreau
Dash Grand Marnier
Dash Roses Lime

Garnish with Lime

2 comments February 10th, 2003

Tobecker 2002 Thanksgiving Turkey

Here is the instructions on the turkey we served at Brenda’s for Thanksgiving Day. This recipe was based on a Food and Wine recipe for 1996 with a few additions and changes.

Spice Rub

2 tablespoons fennel seed
1 tablespoon whole allspice
1 tablespoon whole black pepper
1 or more dried red chili peppers (to taste)

1. Roast all ingredients in an unoiled non-stick skillet over moderate heat for several minutes, until toasted and aromatic. Cool and grind in a spice grinder until fine.

Brown Butter Sage

2 sticks unsalted butter
20 fresh sage leaves

1. Cook butter of medium-medium/low heat for several minutes, until brown. Keep stirring to move brown bits off the bottom.

2. Remove from heat. Add sage leaves. Stir. Cover and let steep for 20 minutes.

3. Remove sage leaves and store in fridge.

Turkey

1 14-16 lb turkey, thawed & cleaned, with wishbone removed
2 gallons water
2 cups kosher salt
1 cup sugar
4 stalks of celery (rough chopped)
1 cup carrots (rought chopped)
3 onions (quartered)

1. 24 hours in advance, brine turkey in 2 gallons water, 2 cups kosher salt, 1 cup sugar. Seal in pot or bag and keep in fridge.

2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

3. Remove turkey from brine and rinse under cold water.

4. Starting at neck end of turkey, work hands between the skin and meat to separate. Apply the brown butter sage between the skin and meat.

5. Stuff bird with carrots, celery and onion, reserving a handful. Truss bird. See Joy of Cooking for details on trussing.

6. Rub the entire bird with the dry spice rub.

7. Place bird breast side down in v-rack in shallow roasting pan. Place reserved carrott, onions and celery, plus 1 cup broth in bottom of pan.

8. Roast for 45 minutes.

9. Remove from oven and turn turkey on its side. Roast for 15 minutes.

10. Remove from oven and turn turkey onto its other side. Roast for 15 minutes.

11. Remove from oven and turn turkey breast side up. Roast for 45 - 60 minutes or until temp 165 degrees.

12. Remove from oven and cover with foil. Let sit for 20 minutes.

13. Carve and serve.

Gravy

Drippings from turky pan
Turkey or chicken stock
1 stick butter
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup white wine

1. Drain drippings from turkey pan. Remove fat. Add stock to make a total of 6 cups of liquid.

2. Make a roux with the flour and butter. Cook over moderate heat, stirring constantly until chocolate malt brown.

3. Add white wine and stir until most of the liquid has been absorbed. Note: This will look lumpy and odd. Don’t worry.

4. Add the stock in 1/2 cup increments allowing liquid to be absorbed between amounts.

5. Salt and pepper to taste.

Add comment December 7th, 2002