Tuesday, December 23, 2014

BBQ CHICKEN

1 cup ketchup
½ cup cider vinegar
3 tablespoons molasses 
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon dried mustard
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 cup water
Kosher salt and pepper to taste 
Chicken to grill


Simmer first seven ingredients until thickened, about 30 minutes. Preheat a grill to medium-high on one side. Season 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken breast halves (or thighs or drumsticks)with salt and pepper. Grill over direct heat until golden and crisp on both sides, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and toss with 1 cup of the sauce. Place on the cooler side of the grill; cover and cook, basting once, until the meat is glazed and reaches 165°, 25 to 30 minutes.

PIONEER WOMAN’S PERFECT POT ROAST

1 whole (4 To 5 Pounds) Chuck Roast
2 tablespoons Olive Oil
2 whole Onions
6 whole Carrots (Up To 8 Carrots)
Salt To Taste
Pepper To Taste
1 cup Red Wine (optional, You Can Use Beef Broth Instead)
2 cups To 3 Cups Beef Stock
3 sprigs Fresh Thyme, or more to taste
3 sprigs Fresh Rosemary, or more to taste

Generously salt and pepper your chuck roast.  Heat a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Then add 2 to 3 tablespoons of olive oil (or you can do a butter/olive oil split).  Cut two onions in half and cut 6 to 8 carrots into 2-inch slices (you can peel them, but you don’t have to). When the oil in the pot is very hot (but not smoking), add in the halved onions, browning them on one side and then the other. Remove the onions to a plate.  Throw the carrots into the same very hot pan and toss them around a bit until slightly browned, about a minute or so.  If needed, add a bit more olive oil to the very hot pan. Place the meat in the pan and sear it for about a minute on all sides until it is nice and brown all over. Remove the roast to a plate.

With the burner still on high, use either red wine or beef broth (about 1 cup) to deglaze the pan, scraping the bottom with a whisk to get all of that wonderful flavor up.  When the bottom of the pan is sufficiently deglazed, place the roast back into the pan and add enough beef stock to cover the meat halfway (about 2 to 3 cups). Add in the onion and the carrots, as well as 3 or 4 sprigs of fresh rosemary and about 3 sprigs of fresh thyme.

Put the lid on, then roast in a 275°F oven for 3 hours (for a 3-pound roast). For a 4 to 5-pound roast, plan on 4 hours.

JUMBALIA

1 whole chicken
¼ cup oil 
1 ½ lbs kielbasa sausage, sliced
2 tablespoons brown sugar
4 cups chopped onions
4 cups chopped celery 
2 cups chopped green peppers 
2 chopped garlic cloves
6 cups reserved chicken broth
3 cups rice 
2 teaspoons salt
Cayenne pepper 


Place chicken in a large pot, cover with water, add salt and boil until tender. De-bone and save broth.  Heat oil in large pot.  Sauté onions, peppers, celery and garlic. Add brown sugar to caramelize.  Add chicken and sausage (brown sausage).  Add liquid and seasonings. Bring to a boil. Add rice and cook until rice is tender.

SWEET POTATO, SAUSAGE & GREEN PEPPER HASH

2 small sweet potatoes, peeled, halved lengthwise, and cut into ½-inch slices
12 oz bulk pork sausage
1 fresh Anaheim or green pepper, seeded and chopped
4 cups spinach
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ medium orange
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 eggs
Crushed red pepper


In a very large skillet heat 2 tablespoons water over medium head.  Add sweet potatoes.  Cover; cook 12 minutes.  Uncover skillet; add sausage and pepper.  Cook over medium-high heat until sausage is brown and sweet potatoes are tender, stirring occasionally to break up sausage.  Drain fat if necessary.  Stir in spinach and cumin; squeeze orange half over spinach.  Cook and stir 1 to 2 minutes or until wilted.  Transfer to a serving dish; cover to keep warm.  

Add oil to skillet.  Heat over medium heat.  Crack eggs into skillet; sprinkle with crushed red pepper and salt.  Cover; cook 2 to 3 minutes or until desired done-ness.  Serve over hash.   


FLAKY BUTTERMILK BISCUITS

4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons baking powder
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking soda

Mix all above ingredients and then add:

1 cup chilled butter

Cut butter into dry ingredients using a pastry cutter and then add:

1 1/3 cup buttermilk

Mix with a fork, then knead dough a couple of times on a lightly floured counter top.
Roll dough out to about ½ inch thick. Use a circle cookie cutter, place on ungreased cookie sheet and bake at 450° for about 10 to 12 minutes. Makes about 30 biscuits.

BISCUITS & SAUSAGE GRAVY

1 lb. pork sausage
2 tablespoons flour
1 pint half & half
1 tablespoons butter
Pepper, to taste 


Brown sausage in a large saucepan.  Add flour, butter, and half & half.  Cook on medium-low until thickened (5-10 minutes). Season with crushed black pepper. Add a little more flour if you want to make it thicker, or a little milk if you want to make it thinner.

Monday, December 15, 2014

SWEET POTATO, SAUSAGE & GREEN PEPPER HASH

2 small sweet potatoes, peeled, halved lengthwise, and cut into ½-inch slices
12 oz bulk pork sausage
1 fresh Anaheim or green pepper, seeded and chopped
4 cups spinach
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ medium orange
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 eggs
Crushed red pepper


In a very large skillet heat 2 tablespoons water over medium head.  Add sweet potatoes.  Cover; cook 12 minutes.  Uncover skillet; add sausage and pepper.  Cook over medium-high heat until sausage is brown and sweet potatoes are tender, stirring occasionally to break up sausage.  Drain fat if necessary.  Stir in spinach and cumin; squeeze orange half over spinach.  Cook and stir 1 to 2 minutes or until wilted.  Transfer to a serving dish; cover to keep warm.  

Add oil to skillet.  Heat over medium heat.  Crack eggs into skillet; sprinkle with crushed red pepper and salt.  Cover; cook 2 to 3 minutes or until desired done-ness.  Serve over hash.   









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