2 lbs ground beef
5 medium onions, finely chopped
4 tsp paprika
1 (8 oz) can tomato paste
5 cups water
1/2 tsp cumin
6 tbs chili powder
combine & simmer 3-4 hours. skim the fat if you want…or not. use as a sauce for cooked burgers and/or hot dogs.
1 cup water
1/2 cup dried great northern, navy OR kidney beans
4 cups water
4 tsp instant chicken bouillon
1/2 cup uncooked macaroni
1 tbs snipped parsley
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/8 tsp pepper
1 bay leaf
2 medium carrots, sliced (about 1 cup)
1 stalk celery, sliced (about 1/2 cup)
1 med onion, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
1 (16 oz) can chopped tomatoes
1 clove garlic, chopped
4 oz green beans, cut into 1″ pieces (about 3/4 cup)
grated parmesan cheese
heat 1 cup water & dried beans to boiling in a dutch oven; boil 2 minutes. remove from heat. cover & let stand 1 hour. add enough water to cover beans if necessary. cover & simmer until tender, 1-1 1/2 hours (do not boil or beans will burst). add remaining ingredients except green beans & cheese to bean mixture. heat to boiling; reduce heat. cover & simmer 15 minutes. add green beans. heat to boiling. reduce heat. cover & simmer until macaroni & veggies are tender, 10-15 minutes. remove bay leaf. serve with cheese.
China’s Beijing Duck Restaurant can seat 9000 people at one time.
The most expensive spice in the world is saffron.
BLANCHING VEGETABLES – Blanching vegetables means to boil them for 5-6 minutes prior to using them in a recipe. This is particularly helpful for harder vegetables such as carrots, broccoli & cauliflower that take longer to cook. Otherwise, you end up with vegetables that are too crunchy.
CAKE:
3 lg egg whites, room temperature
1 cup champagne
1 1/2 cups cake flour
3/4 cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
preheat oven to 350°.
in a small bowl, mix egg whites & champagne. set aside.
in a medium bowl, whisk together cake flour, sugar, baking powder & salt.
mix butter into dry ingredients until it resembles moist crumbs.
mix wet ingredients into dry ingredients until fully combined.
divide evenly between 12 cupcake liners. bake for 20 minutes or until cupcakes bounce back when lightly touched.
FILLING & FROSTING:
1 (15 oz) can sliced peaches
1/2 cup + 2 tbs unsalted butter, room temperature
3 cups powdered sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp salt
white sanding sugar, for topping
melt 2 tbs butter in a medium skillet on medium heat.
drain & discard liquid from peaches.
use a paper towel to pat dry peaches, removing excess moisture.
place the peaches in a single layer in the hot skillet. cook for about 3 minutes or until the bottom side is browned, then flip. repeat until all sides of the peaches are browned.
remove peaches from skillet to cool.
use a food processor or immersion blender to puree the peaches.
using a small paring knife or cupcake corer, remove a piece of cake from the center of each cooled cupcake.
fill each hole with approximately two tsp of peach puree.
in the bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter on HIGH speed for 5 minutes.
slowly mix in powdered sugar & beat for another five minutes.
mix in vanilla extract, salt & 1/4 cup peach puree & beat for 2 minutes.
frost (or pipe) frosting onto cupcakes.
sprinkle cupcakes with sanding sugar.
makes 12 cupcakes
2 lg russet potatoes, baked
4 tbs butter, melted
salt & pepper
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
6 slices bacon, cooked & crumbled
1 cup sour cream
2 tbs prepared horseradish
3 tbs sliced green onions
1/2 cup chopped tomatoes
chopped chives, for garnish
cut potatoes in half.
preheat grill to medium heat.
scoop out pulp, leaving a 1/4″ thick shell for the toppings. cut the potato skins into quarter wedges. brush all over with butter & season with salt & pepper.
place on grill & cook until crisp, about 10 minutes. during the last few minutes of grilling, remove potato skins & place on a cookie sheet. top the potato skins with cheese & bacon & place back on the grill.
while potato skins are grilling, combine the sour cream & horseradish in a small bowl & mix well.
place potatoes on serving plates & top with the green onions, chopped tomatoes & the sour cream horseradish sauce. sprinkle with chopped chives, for garnish.
serves 2-4 makes 8 potato skins
2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups flour
2/3 cup dutch process cocoa
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 lb semisweet chocolate chips
2 cups light brown sugar, firmly packed
4 lg eggs
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 1/3 cup white chocolate chips
2/3 cup milk chocolate chips (OR more semisweet)
preheat oven to 350°.
in a double-boiler, melt the pound of semisweet chocolate. set aside to cool, stirring occasionally.
in your mixer, using the paddle attachment, cream together the butter & brown sugar. add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. add the vanilla extract. add the cooled chocolate to the mixture & blend. be sure to scrape down the sides & bottom of the bowl to ensure the mixture is uniform.
add half of the flour & combine on low speed. then add remaining flour & mix until the batter comes together.
add the chocolate morsels.
line a baking sheet with parchment or a silpat, & drop spoonfuls of the cookie batter onto the sheet.
bake the cookies for approximately 7-9 minutes until puffy. be careful not to overbake these. (think of baking them like a brownie. if they don’t seem done when you initially take them out of the oven, give them time to set. this is how they should look. they will be moist & delicious). allow the cookies to cool & firm upon the baking sheet for a few minutes before attempting to move them to a wire rack.
STOCK – A clear, thin (that is, unthickened) liquid flavored by soluble substances extracted from meat, poultry, & fish, & their bones, & from vegetables & seasonings
BROTH – A flavorful liquid obtained from the simmering of meats and/or vegetables
MIREPOIX – A mixture of rough-cut or diced vegetables, herbs, & spices used for flavoring
SACHET – A mixture of herbs & spices tied in a cheesecloth bag
BOUQUET GARNI – A combination of fresh herbs tied together, used for flavoring
VENTING – To allow circulation or escape of liquid or gas, such as by setting a pot of hot stock on blocks in a cold water bath so that the cold water can circulate all around the pot
REDUCTION – (1) A liquid that has been concentrated by cooking it to evaporate part of the water. (2) The process of making such a liquid.
GLACE DE VIANDE – Meat glaze; a reduction of brown stock
SAUCE – A flavorful liquid, usually thickened, that is used to season, flavor, & enhance other foods
SLURRY – A mixture of raw starch & cold liquid, used for thickening
ROUX – A cooked mixture of equal parts flour & fat
WHITE ROUX – Is cooked for just a few minutes, just enough to cook out the raw taste. Cooking is stopped as soon as the roux has a frothy, chalky, slightly gritty appearance, before it has begun to color. White roux is used for Bechamel & other white sauces based on milk
BLOND ROUX – (Also known as pale roux) is cooked a little longer, just until the roux begins to change to a slightly darker color. Cooking must then be stopped. Blond roux is used for veloutes, sauces based on white stocks. The sauces have a pale ivory color.
BROWN ROUX -Is cooked until it takes on a light brown color & nutty aroma. Cooking must take place over low heat so that the roux browns evenly without scorching. For a deeper brown roux, the flour may be browned in an oven before adding to the fat. A heavily browned roux has only about 1/3 the thickening power of white roux, but contributes flavor & color to brown sauces.
BEURRE MANIE – A mixture of equal parts raw butter & flour mixed together into a smooth paste
WHITEWASH – A thin mixture or slurry of flour & cold water
DEMIGLAZE – A rich brown sauce that has been reduced by half
LIAISON – A binding agent, usually made of cream & egg tRyolks, used to thicken sauces & soups
AU SEC – Until dry
MONTER AU BEURRE – To finish a sauce or soup by swirling in raw butter until it is melted
LEADING SAUCE – A basic sauce used in the production of other sauces. The five leading hot sauces are Bechamel, Veloute, Espagnole, Tomato, & Hollandaise. Mayonnaise & Vinaigrette are often considered leading cold sauces.
SMALL SAUCE – A sauce made by adding one or more ingredients to a leading sauce
BECHAMEL – A sauce made by thickening milk with a roux
VELOUTE – A sauce made by thickening white stock with a roux
ESPAGNOLE – A sauce made of brown stock & flavoring ingredients & thickened with a brown roux
FOND LIE – A sauce made by thickening brown stock with cornstarch or similar starch
CLARIFIED BUTTER – Purified butterfat, with water & milk solids removed
BEURRE NOISETTE – (brown butter) – Whole butter heated until it is light brown
COMPOUND BUTTER – A mixture of raw butter & various flavoring ingredients
EMULSION – A uniform mixture of two unmixable liquids
PAN GRAVY – A type of sauce made with the pan drippings of the meat or poultry it is served with
JUS – Unthickened juices from a roast
AU JUS – Served with its natural juices. Usually unthickened pan drippings.
Queen Elizabeth I loved vanilla so much that she eventually refused all foods prepared without it.
