Marinade for Pork Tenderloin

Marinade for Pork Tenderloin

1 ½ Tbsp. Hoisin sauce
1 Tbsp. each soy sauce and wine
2 tsp. sugar
1 ½ tsp. minced garlic
1 tsp. each ketchup and salt

Marinate at least one hour.

Double Chocolate Cheesecake

Southern Living Magazine, February, 2006

Makes 8 – 10 servings

1 ½ c. Oreos (about 18 cookies)
1 (12 oz.) package semisweet chocolate morsels
3 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese, softened
1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
2 tsp. vanilla extract
4 large eggs
Ganache Topping

Press cookie crumbs into bottom and halfway up sides of a 9-inch springform pan; set aside.

Microwave chocolate morsels in a microwave-safe bowl at HIGH 1 ½ minutes or until melted, stirring at 30 second intervals.

Beat cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer 2 minutes or until smooth. Add sweetened condensed milk and vanilla, beating at low speed just until combined. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating at low speed just until combined after each addition. Add melted chocolate, beating just until combined. Pour cheesecake batter into prepared crust.

Bake at 300° for 1 hour 5 minutes or just until center is set. Turn oven off. Let cheesecake stand in oven 30 minutes with oven door closed. Remove cheesecake from oven; run a knife along outer edge of cheesecake, and cool in pan on a wire rack until room temperature. Cover and chill 8 hours.

Remove sides of springform pan, and place cake on a serving plate. Slowly pour and spread warm Ganache Topping over top of cheesecake, letting it run down sides of cheesecake. Chill 1 hour before serving.

Ganache Topping

¾ c. whipping cream
1 (6 oz.) package semisweet chocolate morsels (1 c.)
1 (6 oz.) package milk chocolate morsels (1 c.)

Bring cream to a boil in a saucepan over medium heat; quickly remove from heat, and stir in semisweet and milk chocolate morsels until melted and smooth. Let mixture cool (about 30 minutes) until slightly warm before pouring and spreading over cheesecake.

Streusel Bars

Ingredients:
1 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 cup sugar
2 cups flour
1 egg
3/4 cup pecans, coarsely chopped
11 oz Fruit Preserves, and flavor

Preheat oven to 350°. Combine butter and sugar in large mixing bowl. Beat at low speed, scraping bowl often, until well blended.

Add flour and egg. Beat until mixture is crumbly, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in pecans. Reserve 1 cup of crumb mixture. Press remaining mixture into bottom of greased 9-inch square baking dish. Spread preserves to within 1/2" of edge of crust.

Crumble reserved crumb mixture over preserves. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool completely and cut into bars.

Mississippi Mud Cake

Mississippi Mud Cake
From Southern Living

The women of Huffman United Methodist Church in Birmingham used this recipe for the church's 125th anniversary celebration. Of the 100 cakes made, there wasn't any left over.

1 cup butter, melted
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa (if you can get it, Valrhona cocoa is THE best)
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped pecans, toasted
1 (10.5-ounce) bag miniature marshmallows
Chocolate Frosting

Whisk together melted butter and next 5 ingredients in a large bowl. Stir in flour and chopped pecans. Pour batter into a greased and floured 15- x 10-inch jellyroll pan.

Bake at 350° for 20 to 25 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from oven; top warm cake evenly with marshmallows. Return to oven, and bake 5 minutes. Drizzle Chocolate Frosting over warm cake. Cool completely.

Note: 2 (19.5-ounce) packages brownie mix, prepared according to package directions, may be substituted for first 7 ingredients. Stir in chopped pecans. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes. Proceed with marshmallows and frosting as directed.

Posted by wompuss at 06:56 PM

Chicken & Sausage Jambalaya

This is Chef John Folse's recipe...easy to prepare...scrumptious!

PREP TIME: 1 Hour
SERVES: 10

COMMENT:
Jambalaya has become the best known rice dish in America. The origin of this dish cannot be disputed. When the early Spanish settlers came to New Orleans, in the early 1700's, they brought with them the recipe for their famous paella. Since the ingredients for paella were not to be found in South Louisiana, their recipe was quickly adapted to the products at hand. Oysters and crawfish replaced clams and mussels in the recipe. Andouille took the place of ham and the new dish emerged from the paella pans of the Spanish. Since the main ingredient in the dish was rice, the dish was named "Jambon a la yaya." Yaya is the African word for rice and there is no argument that the "black hand in the pot" had a tremendous influence on our jambalaya. Today, the dish is made with many variations and with whatever is available. The most popular combination, however, is pork, chicken and andouille.

INGREDIENTS:

* 3 pounds cubed chicken
* 2 pounds sliced smoked sausage
* 1/4 cup Crisco or bacon drippings
* 2 cups chopped onions
* 2 cups chopped celery
* 1 cup chopped bell pepper
* ½ cup diced garlic
* 8 cups beef or chicken stock
* 2 cups sliced mushrooms
* 1 cup sliced green onions
* ½ cup chopped parsley
* salt and cayenne pepper
* Louisiana Gold Pepper Sauce
* 5 cups Uncle Ben's Long Grain Rice, uncooked

METHOD:
In a seven quart cast iron dutch oven, heat Crisco or bacon drippings over medium-high heat. Sauté cubed chicken until dark brown on all sides and some pieces are sticking to the bottom of the pot, approximately thirty minutes. This is very important as the brown color of jambalaya is derived from the color of the meat. Add smoked sausage and stir fry an additional ten to fifteen minutes. Tilt the pot to one side and ladle out all oil, except for one large cooking spoon. Add onions, celery, bell pepper and garlic. Continue cooking until all vegetables are well caramelized, however, be very careful as vegetables will tend to scorch since the pot is so hot. Add stock, bring to a rolling boil and reduce heat to simmer. Cook all ingredients in stock approximately fifteen minutes for flavors to develop. Add mushrooms, green onions and parsley. Season to taste using salt, pepper and Louisiana Gold. I suggest that you slightly over-season since the rice tends to require a little extra seasoning. Add rice, reduce heat to very low, cover and cook thirty to forty-five minutes, stirring at fifteen minute intervals. Do not uncover except to stir.

Lasagne, Julia Child Style

This is our traditional Christmas fare. This dish is served simply with a dry red wine , a green salad, and crusty garlic bread.

Linda Durand’s Lasagne á la française

Yield: 32 servings

For the tomato sauce:

1 qt. minced onions (after cooking, ½ are for the second sauce)
½ c. olive oil
8 large tomatoes, peeled, seeded, juiced, and chopped
8 c. Italian plum tomatoes, canned
2 tsp. Italian seasoning (or 1 tsp. thyme and 2 bay leaves)
8 large cloves garlic, puréed
4 pinches saffron threads
1 tsp. dried orange peel
Salt and pepper to taste

The lasagna:

40 to 48 lasagne
A large kettle containing 8-10 quarts of boiling water
1 ½ tsp. salt per quart of water
2 Tbsp. olive oil

For the white-wine onion sauce (béchamel ou velouté aux oignons):

½ the cooked onions from the tomato sauce
1 ½ c. butter
2 c. AP flour
3 to 3 ½ qt. hot liquid (milk plus chicken stock and/or mushroom juices)
1 1/3 c. dry white wine or dry white French Vermouth
Salt and pepper to taste

For assembling the lasagna:

An oiled baking dish, 2 inches deep
The cooked lasagna
The white-wine onion sauce
About 2 qt. well-seasoned cooked green vegetables (broccoli and spinach)
About 1 qt. grated cheese (a mixture of Parmesan, Swiss, and Provolone)
2 to 3 qt. cooked diced chicken
2 qt. diced mushrooms, fresh, sautéed in butter and seasoned
1 qt. ricotta cheese
The tomato sauce

The tomato sauce. Cook the onions and oil in a covered saucepan, stirring occasionally, until tender but not browned – 6-8 minutes. (Remove half the onions and reserve for later.) Stir in the fresh tomatoes, cover, and cook slowly several minutes. Drain the canned tomatoes and sieve about 1 qt. of the pulp into the fresh tomatoes. Stir in the herbs, garlic, saffron, orange peel, and salt and pepper to taste. Simmer slowly, partially covered, for 30 minutes at least, adding a little juice from the canned tomatoes if the sauce becomes too thick. While sauce is simmering, prepare the rest of the ingredients.

The white-wine onion sauce. Blend the onions with the butter in a saucepan over moderate heat. When butter is bubbling, blend in the flour and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes without browning the flour at all. Remove from heat. When mixture has stopped bubbling, pour in two thirds of the hot liquid all at once, blending vigorously with a wire whip. Blend in more, leaving about 2 cups for later. Beat in the wine, and set over moderately high heat, stirring, until sauce comes to the boil. Thin out, if necessary, with the remaining liquid; sauce should be thick enough to coat a spoon fairly heavily. Boil, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon, for 4 to 5 minutes; beat in salt and pepper to taste. (If not used immediately, keep over a pan of simmering water, stirring occasionally. If done in advance, clean sauce off sides of pan and float a film of milk over the surface to keep a skin from forming; beat over heat to liquefy before using, and thin out with droplets of milk if sauce seems too thick.)

Boiling the lasagna. Drop lasagna into boiling water, add salt and olive oil, and boil slowly, uncovered, until lasagna is just tender but still has a slight texture, chewiness or al dente, when you cut off a sliver and bite into it.

Assembling the lasagna. Line bottom of oiled baking dish with a layer of lasagna. Spread white-wine onion sauce over the lasagna. Spread with half the green vegetables, sprinkle with grated cheese, half the meat, and half the mushrooms. Spread over this a few spoonfuls of the white sauce. Cover with another layer of lasagna, and spread over it the rest of the green vegetables, more cheese, the remaining meat, and mushrooms. Spread on a final layer of white sauce, cover this with ricotta cheese, and finish with a covering of lasagna. Trim or tuck down protruding ends of lasagna. Mask top of lasagna with remaining white sauce, covering as much as you can. Spoon the tomato sauce unevenly over the surface, leaving no lasagne exposed. Sprinkle grated cheese over all, using 2 cups.

Baking and serving. Bake at 400° F. until dish is bubbling hot and top of cheese has browned nicely. Serve as soon as possible, to preserve the fresh green of the vegetables and the texture of the meat. Cut into serving portions before freezing.

Chef Rocco Dispirito's Mama's Meatballs

Makes 3 dozen

Seasoned stock mix:
- ½ cup chicken stock
- ½ large sweet onion
- 4 cloves garlic, peeled
- ½ bunch parsley, stemmed and coarsely chopped
Meatballs:
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 pound ground pork
- 1 pound ground veal
- ½ cup plain bread crumbs
- 2 to 3 large eggs
- ½ cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, grated
- 2 to 3 pinches red pepper flakes
- 2 to 3 pinches salt
- Olive oil for frying
- 4 cups favorite marinara sauce
1. For the seasoned stock: Place chicken stock, onion, garlic and parsley in blender or food processor and purée until smooth.
2. To prepare meatballs: In a large bowl, combine the beef, pork, veal, bread crumbs, eggs, cheese, red pepper and salt with the stock. Mix until the mixture is uniform. Add another egg if the mixture doesn't seem to hold together well. Do not overmix. With lightly oiled hands, form the mixture into balls a little larger than golf balls.
3. Pour about ½ inch of extra virgin olive oil into a straight-sided, wide sauté pan and heat over medium-high heat. In a separate large saucepan, heat the marinara sauce.
4. Working in batches, add the meatballs to the oil and brown, turning once. Using a slotted spoon, remove the meatballs from the oil and place them into the saucepan of marinara. They should be submerged. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes or until the meatballs are cooked through and tender.
5. Serve alone or over spaghetti. (If serving over spaghetti, increase the amount of marinara to 6 cups.)
From Rocco DiSpirito & Mama (his mother) and The Seattle Times

Erica's Chicken Pita Sandwich

3/4 c. fresh lemon juice
1 tsp. seasoned salt
1/2 tsp. ground allspice
1 1/2 tsp. olive oil
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. ground cardamon
1/8 tsp. pepper
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 lb. skinned, boneless chicken breasts

1 3/4 c. thinly sliced onion separated into rings
1 Tbsp. minced fresh mint
8 (6-inch) whole white bread pita rounds, cut in half
1 c. chopped tomato
2 c. shredded cheese

Combine the first 9 ingredients in a large ziplock plastic bag.

Seal and shake well to coat.

Marinate in the refrigerator for 8 hours, turning bag occasionally.

Combine onions, mint and cheeses in a bowl. Stir well. Cover and chill.

Prepare grill. Remove chicken from bag, reserving marinade. Place chicken on grill rack coated with cooking spray.

Grill 10 minutes on each side or until done, basting occasionally with reserved marinade. Cut chicken diagonnally across grain into 1/4 inch slices. Set aside.

Divide chicken evenly between pita halves. Top with 1 Tbsp. lettuce, 1 Tbsp. tomato, and the onion mixture.

See Erica's completed chicken pita sandwiches here.

Zucchini Frittata

Enjoy this "crustless quiche" anytime of the year, especially during those hot summer months when you want something light that doesn't heat up your kitchen to prepare...

4 c. diced zucchini
1 small onion, chopped
4 large eggs
1 c. shredded cheddar cheese
1 c. fully cooked ham, cubed
3/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper (I use red pepper)

In a 9-inch microwave-safe pie pan, combine the zucchini and onion. Cover and microwave on high for 5-15 minutes or until tender; drain.

In a bowl, combine the eggs, cheese, ham, salt and pepper. Carefully pour over the zucchini mixture.

Microwave at 70% power (I use the "defrost" setting) for 12 minutes or so or until eggs are set.

This frittata is delicious with a green salad and a crusty French bread.

Velvet Frosting

This makes for a chocolate lover's dream when used on THE Best Chocolate Cake...

1 package semi-sweet chocolate pieces (I prefer Hershey's brand)
1/4 c. butter
1/2 c. sour cream
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. salt
2 1/2 to 2 3/4 c. sifted confectioner's sugar

Melt chocolate pieces and butter over hot (not boiling) water; remove from heat and blend in sour cream, vanilla and salt.
Gradually beat in enough confectioner's sugar to make a frosting of spreading consistency.

THE Best Chocolate Cake

This cake is so very moist and delicious....

4 c. sugar
4 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 c. cocoa

1/2 lb. (2 sticks) butter
2 c. water
1 c. oil

4 eggs
1 c. buttermilk
1 Tbsp. baking soda
2 tsp. vanilla

Combine sugar, flour, and cocoa in a larg mixing bowl. Melt butter, water, and oil in a saucepan; bring to a boil. Pour over dry ingredients and mix well. Add eggs and buttermilk, baking soda and vanilla extract. Blend thoroughly. Pour into 3 greased and floured cake pans. Bake at 350 degrees F. until done.

Makes: 3 layers

Frost with Velvet Frosting.

A chocolate lover's dream!