Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Terry's Texas Pinto Beans

Terry's Texas Pinto Beans

1 pound dry pinto beans
1 (29 ounce) can reduced sodium chicken broth
1 large onion, chopped
1 Tbsp diced jalapeno pepper
1 tsp roasted garlic
1/2 cup green salsa
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
Water
Salt to taste

Place the pinto beans in a slow cooker, and pour in the chicken broth. Stir in onion, jalapeno, garlic, salsa, cumin, and pepper. Add enough water to cover the beans by about 1 inch. Cook on low for 10-12 hours or until beans are tender. Add salt to taste.

Adapted from allrecipes.com recipe by the same name. These are really delicious! Next time I'll add a smoked turkey wing and I'll bet they'll be even better!

Thursday, November 25, 2010

Sausage, Apple, Bacon and Cornbread Stuffing

Sausage, Apple, Bacon and Cornbread Stuffing

1 (9x9 inch) pan cornbread, cut into small cubes
1 (12 ounce) package dry bread stuffing mix
8 ounces pork sausage links, finely chopped
1 pound bulk pork sausage
1/2 pound bacon slices, chopped
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup parsley
1 large Fuji apple - peeled, cored and chopped
1 pinch salt and ground black pepper to taste
1 tablespoon dried sage leaves, or amount to taste
32 oz carton chicken broth, or as needed

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease 9x13 inch baking dish.
Place the cubed cornbread and bread stuffing mix into a large bowl. Set aside.

Place the chopped sausage links and ground sausage in a skillet; cook and stir over medium-high heat until evenly browned. Drain, and place sausage into a bowl. Using the same skillet, cook the bacon over medium heat until evenly browned. Drain bacon on paper towels. Drain excess bacon fat from the skillet. Stir the cooked sausage and bacon into the cornbread mixture.

Using the same skillet, cook the celery and onion over medium heat until transparent and tender, about 5 minutes. Stir into the cornbread mixture.

Stir the parsley and apples into the cornbread mixture. Season with salt, pepper, and sage. Pour enough chicken broth over the cornbread mixture to moisten thoroughly, and toss to distribute evenly. Spoon the mixture into the prepared baking dish.

Bake in preheated oven until top is toasted and the center is firm, about 45 minutes.

This makes more than will fit into a 9x13" pan! It was quite good, but (sorry!) not as good as mine. I added extra sage and some poultry seasoning, but I'll stick with my good, old traditional recipe from now on. Adapted from allrecipes.com

Roast Turkey Breast 2010

Roast Turkey Breast 2010

6lb turkey breast, thawed
1 cup sea salt
1/2 cup brown sugar
3 cups Welch's White Grape Cherry Juice
1 Tbsp onion powder
1 Tbsp sliced dehydrated garlic
1 tsp celery seeds
1 tsp Poultry seasoning
1 heaping Tbsp dried parsley
Iced Water
2 stalks celery, cut into 3 inch chunks
1 large onion, cut into large chunks
4 Tbsp softened butter
1 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp dried rosemary
1 cup white wine

Wash the turkey breast. In a large pot combine the salt, sugar, Juice, onion powder, garlic, celery seeds, poultry seasoning and parsley and stir until salt is dissolved. Place the turkey into the pot and add iced water to completely cover the breast. Keep chilled and let stand for about 6 hours. Remove turkey from brine and pat dry.

Place a small rack in a roasting pan (at least 2 inches deep) and place the turkey breast, skin side up on the rack. Place the celery and onion around the turkey. Combine the butter with the thyme and rosemary and rub under and over the skin of the turkey. Pour wine into pan. Cover tightly with foil making sure the foil is tented over the turkey and bake for 1 hour. Remove the foil and continue roasting for 1 - 1.5 hours or until turkey is completely cooked and browned.

Use the pan drippings to make gravy! This was truly a perfectly cooked turkey breast. It was very tender and extremely juicy and I'll definitely be cooking turkey like this again! Excellent flavor. No recipe, John and I both threw things into the brine and we're very happy with the results.

Green Beans with Ham and Baby Potatoes

Green Beans with Ham and Baby Potatoes

1-1.5 lb bag fresh green beans, cleaned and cut into pieces
1 lb baby potatoes, washed and cut in half
8 oz smoked ham cubes
1 stick butter
1 sweet onion, chopped
Salt & pepper
32 oz carton chicken broth

Place all ingredients in a crockpot. Cover and cook on high 4-6 hours or until done. Excellent!

Adapted from a Southern Living recipe.

Brandied Cranberries 2010

Brandied Cranberries 2010

2 bags cranberries, washed
1 large Fuji apple, peeled and diced
1 heaping tsp crystallized ginger
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
2 cups sugar
1/4 cup Blackberry Brandy

Preheat the oven to 300^ F. Place the berries and the apple into a 9x13" baking dish. Sprinkle with ginger, cinnamon and cloves and stir in the sugar. Bake for 1 hour 15 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes. Remove from oven and stir in the Blackberry Brandy. Cool and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Delicious!!!

Not My Usual Sweet Potato Pie

Not My Usual Sweet Potato Pie

2 lbs sweet potatoes, baked until tender and peeled (about 6-2.5"x5" potatoes)
3/4 cup softened butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
1 tbsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup half & half
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 pie shells, thawed

Preheat the oven to 424^F. Combine the potatoes, butter, sugars, spices and salt in a large mixing bowl and beat until well combined. Add half and half, eggs and vanilla and beat well. Pour into pie shells and bake at 425^ for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350^ and bake about 45 minutes or until pie is set in the middle.

This Sweet Potato Pie is BETTER than mine! John very tactfully said "it's as good as yours" but I know...it's definitely better. This is the best Sweet Potato Pie I've ever eaten!!!

Adapted from allrecipe.com's "Sweet Potato Pie I".

Friday, November 12, 2010

Greek Roasted Chicken

Greek Roasted Chicken

1 chicken, cut up (or bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts)
Olive Oil
Garlic Salt & Pepper
1 Lemon
1 tsp crushed, dried rosemary
1/2 tsp dried oregano

Preheat the oven to 375^F. Place the rinsed chicken in a baking dish. Drizzle with oil, season with garlic salt and pepper. Cut the lemon in half and squeeze the juice over the chicken. Add rosemary and oregano and bake until chicken is browned and cooked thoroughly.

Yum!

Sunday, November 7, 2010

My Favorite Chili

1 1/2 lbs lean ground chuck
1/2 lb hot Italian sausage
1 large onion, diced
1/3 cup diced frozen red & green bell peppers
1 heaping tsp roasted garlic
Gralic Salt & Pepper
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 pkg Carrol Shelby chili mix
32 oz carton beef broth
6 oz can tomato paste
3 cans dark red kidney beans, 2 cans drained & 1 not
1 tbsp diced pickled jalapenos, or to taste

Brown the ground chuck and sausage in a large Dutch oven stirring often to crumble. Add onions, peppers, garlic, garlic salt, pepper and Worcestershire. Cook until onions are translucent. Add the chili mix and stir well. Add remaining ingredients and simmer 1 to 2 hours.

Serve hot with sour cream, shredded cheddar and/or tortilla chips.