Kentucky Beer Cheese!!

1 pound extra-sharp cheddar, cut into 1-inch cubes
3/4 cup dark beer
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
 Salt
 Toasted baguette slices from 2 baguettes
 Sliced tomatoes

 In a food processor, combine the cheddar with the beer, garlic, mustard and cayenne and blend until smooth. Season the beer cheese with salt.
 Preheat the broiler. Spread the toasts with the beer cheese and arrange them on a rimmed baking sheet. Broil the toasts 6 inches from the heat for about 2 minutes, rotating the pan, until the cheese is bubbling and browned around the edges. Top with tomato slices and serve.

New England Indian Pudding

3 cups whole milk
1 cup heavy (whipping) cream
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
1/2 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
1/2 cup molasses
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
4 large eggs
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces

 

Preheat oven to 275 degrees F. Lightly grease a 6- or 8-cup soufflé or baking dish with butter (you can use margarine, but DON’T use non-stick sprays).

In a medium-sized saucepan over medium-low heat, scald the milk.

While the milk is heating, pour the cream into a medium to large bowl, add the cornmeal, sugar, molasses, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger. Add this cream/corn meal/spice mixture to the scalded milk. Cook, whisking constantly, over medium-low heat until the pudding has thickened to the consistency of syrup (about 5 minutes). Remove from heat.

In a bowl, beat eggs with a whisk. Temper the eggs by adding 1/2 cup of the hot cornmeal mixture to the eggs while whisking rapidly. Vigorously whisk the egg mixture into the remaining cornmeal mixture. Add butter, one piece at a time, stirring until melted.

Pour mixture into the prepared soufflé dish, and place dish on a shallow baking pan on the center oven rack.  Pour enough HOT water into the shallow baking dish to come 2/3 of the way up the outsides of the soufflé or baking dish.

Bake until pudding is set, a tester inserted close to (but not in) the center comes out clean, usually about 2 to 2 1/2 hours. Remove from oven and remove from the water bath and let cool slightly.

Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream or heavy cream.

Spring Pasta with Pancetta, Peas and Olive Oil

1 clove of garlic smashed
3/4 cup of chopped onion
3/4 cup of chopped pancetta
2 cup of green peas (you can use frozen)
3/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil
1 cup of chicken broth
1 pound of pasta

In a large saute pan, add your olive oil and garlic. Let the garlic brown and add your onions in. Let this cook for 2 minutes and then add your pancetta in. Let this cook another 2-3 minutes or until the pancetta is golden. Add your peas and salt and pepper to taste. Let this cook for about 2 minutes. Add in the chicken broth and cook another 2 minutes. This is a quick sauce. Toss with pasta and add extra olive oil and Romano and Parmesan Cheese. Enjoy!

* If you want to serve as a side dish, simply omit the pasta!

Chicken Meatball Soup

1 whole roasting chicken
6 carrots peeled, cut in half
3 stalks of celery (cleaned, cut in half and with the leaves)
1 onion cut in half
Chicken bouillon to taste (I use 1 tbs of chicken base)
Pastina, Orzo or any other tiny pasta (cook and keep on the side)
salt and pepper to taste


Meatballs (you will want to make these first and keep on the side)
1/2 lb of ground turkey, chicken or pork (mix with 2 tbs of breadcrumbs, 1 egg, 2 tbs Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper). Roll into 1/2 inch balls, keep on the side.

Step 1
In a large stock pot add all of the above and enough water to cover the chicken. Let this boil for two hours.

Step 2
Skim the top of all fat and remove the chicken and vegetables. Now, you need to strain the broth, so that you get a nice clear broth. Once you do this, slice the carrots and add back to the broth. Add back to the heat and once the broth boils, add your meatballs and cook for about 5 minutes or until they are done.

Step 3
Clean the chicken and add back any meat to the soup. I use the remainder of the meat to make chicken salad.

Step 4
Add the cooked pasta to the soup and serve with grated Parmesan cheese.

Chandler Casserole

 

2 T. of butter

1 lb. ground beef

1 clove minced garlic

1 t. salt
 
1 t. pepper

1 t. sugar

2   8 oz. cans of tomato sauce

1   3 oz. pkg. cream cheese

1 cup of sour cream

1 medium minced onion

1 cup grated cheddar cheese

1 pkg. green noodles


Melt butter and brown meat.  Add garlic, salt, pepper , sugar and tomato sauce.  cover and cook slowly for 20 minutes.  Cook noodles and drain.  Soften cream cheese and add sour cream and onion to it. Cover bottom of casserole with noodles.  Spread cheese mix over it and then meat sauce.  Repeat layers twice and sprinkle top with cheddar cheese for 20 minutes. at 350 degrees.

Capriccio-Style Short Ribs

Capriccio-Style Short Ribs
6 bay leaves
10 black peppercorns
6 juniper berries
10 sprigs savory
10 sprigs thyme
Cheesecloth (10 square inches) (see note)
Cooking twine
10 short ribs (see note)
1/2 tablespoons salt
1/2 tablespoon freshly ground pepper
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 cup canola oil, divided use
3 carrots, coarsely chopped (3 cups)
3 celery stalks, coarsely chopped (3 cups)
1 Spanish onion, coarsely chopped (1 cup)
2 shallots, coarsely chopped (1/2 cup)
16 cups Chianti
12 cups demi glace (see note)
1 cup Worcestershire sauce
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
Assemble bay leaves, peppercorns, juniper berries, savory and thyme on cheesecloth and tie with cooking twine, to form sachet. Place aside.
Dredge short ribs in a mix of salt and pepper, brown sugar and flour.
Heat 3/4 cup oil in large sauté pan. Add short ribs (as many as will fit without touching), brown on all sides and remove.
Pour off and discard residual fat and brown bits from pan. Add remaining oil, along with carrots, celery, onion and shallots. Caramelize.
Add Chianti and bring to a boil. Continue to boil until liquid is reduced by half.
Combine Chianti/vegetable reduction, demi glace, sachet and browned short ribs in a hotel pan or 10 quart Dutch oven. Bring to a boil. Add salt/pepper to taste. Immediately remove from heat.
Cover with tin foil and braise in oven for 21/2 hours.
Gently remove short ribs from oven and strain remaining liquid. Place on medium heat and reduce, until preferred consistency for sauce is reached. Skim well while reducing.
Notes: Capriccio uses prime aged Niman Ranch for the meat.
If you don't have demi glace, substitute 12 cups beef stock, reduced and thickened with flour and water.
Coffee filter may be used in place of cheesecloth.

Superbowl Snacks! Calzones!

Sausage, Egg and Pepperoni Calzone

1 lb of fresh dough (you can get this at your local bakery or pizza shop)
6 Italian sausage links (take sausage out of the casing)
3 eggs
Pepperoni
American Cheese
Mozzerella

Spread out your dough on a oiled cookie sheet until the dough covers the cookie sheet.

In a hot pan, add your sausage and saute. When the sausage is half cooked, add your eggs and mix the entire mixture for another 5 minutes. Cool this mixture.
In the meantime, place one layer of American cheese on the dough, followed by a layer of pepperoni. Once you do this, add your sausage and egg mixture then your mozzerella.
You are now going to fold the calzone in thirds. Meaning, take one half of the dough fold it to the middle, then do the same with the other side. Make sure you seal the dough well. Brush with an egg wash (1 egg beaten with 1 tsp of water) and bake at 400 for 25 minutes or until golden.

Ham, Hot Pepper and Cheese Calzone

1 lb of fresh dough
1/4 of ham
Mozzarella
American Cheese
1/2 cup of Hot Banana Peppers finely chopped

Spread the dough on an oiled cookie sheet until the dough covers the cookie sheet. Start by adding your American Cheese, followed by a layer of ham, then your chopped peppers followed by your mozzarella. Again, take one half of the dough and fold to the middle and then do the same with the other side of the dough. Make sure you seal the dough well at the seams. Brush with egg wash and bake at 400 for 25 minutes or until golden.

Let these calzones cool down and then slice into 1/4 slices. Serve on platters or wooden boards. Enjoy!