Bread Heaven

I love bread almost as much as I love my family.  I have been known run, hit and shove to get to hot rolls out of the oven.  Unfortunately it shows...

Last year I went to an auction where they had the most amazing rolls.  I was with two girlfriends who dared encouraged me to ask how they were made.  Not only were they AMAZING to taste they were the coolest rolls I had ever seen.  (Obviously, I am in love with bread.  Who else could talk about it this long??)

I timidly approached the man who had been introduced as the chef for the evening.  I graciously asked him if he would share with me how he shaped his rolls.  I offered him several credentials including, "I just love to cook." After he shared with me his technique I triumphantly sauntered back to the table to announce my victory.

As the congratulations died down my "friends" challenged me to go back and ask for the recipe.

Really?

I don't know if you have ever asked a chef for a recipe but it is a tiny bit intimidating.  I cook meatloaf and chicken enchiladas not prime rib and lobster.

To my surprise he was still in the room, so I had to take the challenge.  Here is the recipe from the chef to you.  I was shocked and acted very cool.

Here is the catch...double the yeast and butter.  

It comes with one yeast packet so buy another unless you buy yeast in bulk like me.  Shocking.  You can shape them anyway you like.  I have not made cinnamon rolls with them only dinner rolls and garlic knots. Yummy.

Garlic Knots

1 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. dried parsley
1 tsp. dried minced garlic
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. black pepper
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. dried rosemary
1/8 tsp. red pepper

1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup butter melted

Mix all dry ingredients and store.

When ready to use, add dry ingredients to oil and butter.  May use as dipping sauce or pour over baked bread once finished.  Use dry ingredients to taste.

Ribs and Dancing

We just flew back in from our family vacation.  We went to St. Martin!  Beautiful island with beautiful people.   One of the areas we went to is known for ribs. Soooo guess who came home and had to make ribs?  Me!

I walked through Sam's and found a beautiful rack!  I came home, pulled out my baby back rib recipe and called up the neighbor with a smoker.  He always wants to smoke so we had a impromptu rib dinner...sort of.  Apparently it takes a long time to smoke meat.  I made the sauce, spread it on the ribs, let it soak in then 8 hours later we feasted.  It works in the oven too (in less time) but if you have a smoker (or a neighbor with a smoker) turn it on and throw them in.  I made oven potatoes too.  YUMMY!

Super fun day.  While the ribs and beans were in the smoker we went swimming.  They made grilled corn and indoor smores.  After stuffing ourselves we played Just Dance!  My side still hurts from eating too much, laughing too hard and dancing too soon.

Ribs


1 1/2 cup water
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup tomato paste
1 tb. yellow mustard
1 tsp. liquid smoke (optional if smoking)
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. paprika

3 - 4 baby back ribs

Combine all ingredients except ribs in a medium sauce pan.  Bring to a boil and reduce and simmer until thickened.  When ready brush sauce on ribs and let sit for 30 minutes wrapped tight in foil.  When ready to cook ribs, preheat oven to 275 or place in smoker.  If baking, bake in foil 2 to 2 1/2 hours or until the meat on the ribs has pulled back from the cut ends of the bones by about 1/2 inch.  When ribs are about finished, preheat barbecue grill to medium heat.  Remove ribs from foil carefully and grill 4 to 8 minutes per side to char.  Use leftover sauce to baste but not too soon or it will burn because of the sugar in the sauce.

I love Party Food!!!

Appetizers make me so happy.  It doesn't matter if you call them appetizers, hors d'oeuvres, small plates or party food.  I think the idea of just a little bit of food to keep you happy while you wait for the real deal is so appealing.  Crab cakes, shrimp cocktail, stuffed mushrooms, fried cheese, chips and salsa, sliders, texas fries, etc...  The list is endless.

I had never served appetizers at home until my sweet friend Lori.  Oh Lori!  If there is anyone I could be when I grow up I want to be her.  She is an amazing cook and host.  She makes party food like no one else.  I often wondered why dinner flows so well at her house.  The reasons are numerous and I have yet to figure it out completely except - she has the gift of hospitality - and she always has an appetizer or two.  You get to start stuffing your face the moment you walk in the door!

This one trick of making people at ease in my home is so simple - make them eat from the moment they arrive until they leave.  I always have something, it doesn't have to be home made.  Chips and salsa are always welcomed (around here anyway).

This recipe is one of my favorites!  It is so simple and what I call a dump recipe.  Just dump it all together and serve.

Oklahoma Caviar

2 (15oz) cans black eyed peas, drained

1 (15oz) can of whole kernel corn, drained

1 (10 oz) can of Rotel

1 cup chopped red bell pepper

½ cup chopped fresh jalapeno peppers

½ c. chopped onion (I used minced dried)

2 cloves minced garlic (I use refrigerated)

1 (8oz) bottle Italian dressing

1 (4oz) jar chopped pimentos, drained

fresh cilantro

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl.  Refrigerate overnight.  Stir before serving.

Tavern Meatloaf

Some interesting information about me...

I love to cook and I like to watch other people cook.  Hum..not a shocker I am sure.  Foodnetwork is my friend.  We spend a lot of time together.  It's like a forever friend.  If I don't have time to watch, she is still there when I do have time.  

Unlike when I was young, you can watch TV 24/7.  I remember when cable first came to the boonies where we lived.  We no longer had to go to bed when the "regular channels" played the National Anthem with a waving flag on the screen.  Now, you can watch any time of day and if something is on when you don't have time...

DVR

Are you kidding?  How did I live without it?  Bonus, you can fast forward through parts you don't care for like, salmon patties and commercials.

One thing I do not DVR is "The Best Thing I Ever Ate" on Foodnetwork.  Mainly because I would fast forward through most of it.  Real Chefs like real weird stuff...usually.  However, one night Sweet D happen to be watching TV with me and this show was on.  I believe it was on comfort foods.  One person I do DVR is Ina Garten aka The Barefoot Contessa.  I love her food.  Yum.  She came on and started talking about meatloaf.  She took us (in the virtual world) to a restaurant where she has had the BEST meatloaf ever!  Of course it is in the Hamptons.  I don't know anyone who goes to the Hamptons, let alone to eat meatloaf.  After her segment is over Sweet D says, "That looked good!"  Really?  He doesn't eat meatloaf.  Then he says, "I don't eat meatloaf because I don't like vegetables in it."  I NEVER have put vegetables in meatloaf.  So the hunt began for the recipe because Mama loves meatloaf.

After an extensive search on the internet and about a week later...I find it on facebook of all places!

I have adjusted it to suit me.  Remember I tweak and make it easier (and cheaper) if I can.  The original calls for all kinds of organic items and specific expensive ingredients.  Now I haven't tasted the original but this meatloaf is good.  And guess what?  It does not contain tomato sauce or ketchup which I have concluded is what Sweet D was so opposed to.  On the meat, if you don't want to get pork fine just use beef.  The pork gives it a good texture.  Bread crumbs, I used garlic and butter croutons finely ground in the food processor because it is what I had and we liked it so I have continued to use them.

Last tip.  If you don't have a digital kitchen thermometer - buy one.  It is worth it's weight in gold.  I have even used it for science experiments:)

Tavern Meatloaf

2 lb. ground beef

1 lb. ground pork

1 stalk celery, finely diced

½ onion, finely chopped

½ tb. Dried Italian parsley

½ tb. Dried thyme leaves

½ tb. Dried chives

3 large eggs

1 1/3 c. breadcrumbs

2/3 c. milk

1 tb. Kosher salt

1 tb. Black pepper

Pre heat oven to 350.  Sauté onions and celery in olive oil over med-high heat until transparent.  (Let your pan heat then add oil, let it heat then add onions and celery)  Set aside and let cool.   Add to remaining ingredients in a large bowl.  Mix with your hands.  Line a baking pan (it should have sides) with parchment paper.  Make the meatloaf into a free form rectangular cylinder shape.  Pat it and punch it down and reform into a cylinder (this will remove air pockets).  Bake at 350 for 40-50 minutes or until a thermometer indicates an internal temperature of 155-160 degrees.  Remove from oven and let rest 10 minutes.  To serve slice and heat in sauce.

Sauce

1 c. chicken stock

1 c. beef stock

2 tb. Minced refrigerated garlic

3 tb. Butter

Combine all ingredients and cook over med-high heat until slightly reduced.  Place meatloaf slices in sauce to coat.  About 2 mins per side.

Rice Fabuloso

I am a cookbook junkie.  I love cookbooks just to read.

Recently some girls asked me to teach them to cook.  How do you teach someone to do what you love?  My mom cooked but didn't love it.  She made dinner so my brother and I would be quiet and stop gnawing on her leg.  She would never have made a recipe over and over just to get it right, which is what I have done with this recipe. This is in honor of my friend Karen who made the first recipe request for the blog.  Karen is a sweetheart.  She jumped in and fed 20 people for me one week when I was in a tight place.  She was nervous since she is used to preparing fabulous meals for her family of four not 20!  When I told her I had a super yummy recipe that was super easy, she made everything else and left the rice to me.  You're the best Karen. (I'll be calling you again)

Like almost all my recipes I tweak and make it easier for me if possible.  The first time I made this I was super nervous because they only good rice I made came out of a box. I sometimes add the carrots sometimes not.  As with most recipes if you like more garlic, cumin, etc... put it in.  I know there are a lot of favorite rices out there but my go to now is par-boiled.  I don't know if it is good for you.  I love brown rice but it never turns out.  Jasmine is yummy but it is always sticky (for me).  I'll experiment with healthier rice but for now here is my Mexican rice recipe.

Rice Fabuloso


2 cups chicken broth
1 can rotel
1 to 2 garlic cloves minced
2 tbs. vegetable oil
1/2 onion, chopped
1 cup raw par-boiled rice
1/2 cup minced carrots
pinch of ground cumin
pinch of black pepper
salt


Place the rotel in a food processor.  Puree and set aside. 3 or 4 pulses.  Heat oil in pan, add onions and saute until soft.  Add the rice and saute until it turns opaque without browning.  Add broth, puree, garlic, carrots, cumin, pepper and salt to taste. Stir. Bring rice to a boil and reduce the heat.  Cover tightly and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes.  Do not remove lid while cooking.  Turn off heat and allow to sit 5 minutes before stirring.  If there is liquid left put the lid back on and allow to sit 5 more minutes.

Enjoy!