tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-54917377265999837972024-02-19T07:08:12.146-06:00Pete & Kevin's KitchenA selection of our favorite recipes. Most are simple, some are moderately hard, but all of them taste great!Kevin Bradleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00921534252560174176noreply@blogger.comBlogger70125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5491737726599983797.post-4300967438453638522020-09-06T13:52:00.005-05:002020-09-06T14:04:31.214-05:00Potato bread (single loaf)<p>I adapted this from a Better Homes & Gardens recipe from my old BHG cookbook. The original was for two loaves, but we don't eat bread that fast. It's easier to make a single loaf when I need it. Here's the halved recipe. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkmn3APR_lM1-pD97J9HblJ28FcS_cCEhZf9VLT9g4taiA75SMI4IrUw604tyHTwqPYJALodMaA0nUMKh6kYTfQUUZI8ScsqONY3I_lLr0ZETusnXPN_5BX3A31hWueH1LOb73tNTI-bs/s2048/798A6ABB-5888-41AB-A888-05EB176193D9.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkmn3APR_lM1-pD97J9HblJ28FcS_cCEhZf9VLT9g4taiA75SMI4IrUw604tyHTwqPYJALodMaA0nUMKh6kYTfQUUZI8ScsqONY3I_lLr0ZETusnXPN_5BX3A31hWueH1LOb73tNTI-bs/s320/798A6ABB-5888-41AB-A888-05EB176193D9.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBclVREO3m6f5lrf10vx74IssbSwnNAyTXieEj4XPIrlw6kOhm_T_fraf3arCiREiFJmxlkrbT-n-eFnfvj5pkzIITz0FzLwwu7-gZZ65h5cOYOCiGRhTjhB8dRSQh6UoG5NI4h_x7xe0/s2048/EEB98CD6-B61D-411D-BAEC-0E6DE0BB567E.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBclVREO3m6f5lrf10vx74IssbSwnNAyTXieEj4XPIrlw6kOhm_T_fraf3arCiREiFJmxlkrbT-n-eFnfvj5pkzIITz0FzLwwu7-gZZ65h5cOYOCiGRhTjhB8dRSQh6UoG5NI4h_x7xe0/s320/EEB98CD6-B61D-411D-BAEC-0E6DE0BB567E.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>
<b>INGREDIENTS</b>
</p><ul>
<li>1 small potato, peeled and cubed</li>
<li>1 cups water </li>
<li>1 package active dry yeast </li><li>3-31/2 cups all-purpose flour </li><li>1 1/2 tablespoons sugar </li><li> 1 tablespoon shortening </li><li>1/2 tablespoon salt </li>
<li>All-purpose flour or cornmeal (optional)</li></ul>
<b>PROCEDURE</b> <div>Oven 375 </div><div><br /></div><div>In a medium saucepan cook potato in the water about 10 minutes or til tender; do not drain. Cool cubed potato mixture to 110° to 115°. Set aside 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid. Mash potato in the remaining liquid; add enough warm water to make 1 cup mashed potato mixture. </div><div><br /></div><div>In a large mixer bowl soften yeast in the reserved 1/4 cup potato liquid. Add mashed potato mixture, 1 cup of the flour, the sugar, shortening, and salt. Beat at low speed of electric mixer for 1/2 minute, scraping sides of bowl constantly. Beat 3 minutes at high speed. With a stand mixer I use a paddle attachment and run at medium high speed for 2 minutes. </div><div><br /></div><div>Stir in as much of the remaining flour as you can mix in with a spoon or your dough hooks attachment. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead in enough of the remaining flour to make a moderately stiff dough that is smooth and elastic (6 to 8 minutes total). Shape into a ball. Place in a lightly greased bowl; turn once to grease surface. Cover; let rise in a warm place till double (about 1 hour). </div><div><br /></div><div>Punch down; turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Cover; let rest 10 minutes. Shape into a loaf. Place in greased 8x4x2-inch loaf pan. Cover; let rise till nearly double (about 35 minutes). </div><div><br /></div><div>If desired, brush top with a little water and dust lightly with additional flour (traditional) or cornmeal. I prefer to brush the top of the loaf with butter after baking.
Bake in a 375° oven for 40 to 45 minutes or till bread tests done, covering with foil the last
15 minutes of baking to prevent over browning. Remove from pans; cool on a wire rack.<p></p></div>Kevin Bradleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00921534252560174176noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5491737726599983797.post-29523780545203044542020-07-26T15:29:00.000-05:002020-07-26T15:29:29.921-05:00Sourdough Sandwich Loaf<div>When the COVID-19 lockdown started and people started panic buying food and household items, I ran pretty quickly into an empty bread aisle. “No problem,” I thought. “I can bake bread.” Then I found the baking aisle was devoid of any yeast to make bread with. YIKES.</div>
<div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMTx0dnCdIwPfqOXdaf6f16kMcIT0qx9t0_mgC4vB-7ryXSKnoiYdM4xz0WvBvKJxvsRRxyOEhyphenhyphenJsdyHtNoqKPj25yDBj9Zqv3g4BIq_OoozkJLCjCbhTkD1SO29289e3O_OyoL7TTwJ4/s320/D4240BDC-B688-48BC-85FE-4B7CE9791BBE.jpeg" style="padding: 0px 20px 20px 0px;" /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYjvnc18xdA8YZfdpe4c-BxKsp6z8vlro3a1F0pftsh-J83U_2EkvQU1sH3b0rRFbEqKQJWqKzLcV2iBxB_bJWBRb5Y7Yk_HOSkx6uUWzoXckf4P76yt5Hx3U4mOlHVgnF8pJp1b75STI/s320/89B62385-547C-434D-9A5C-F7E1425942D1.jpeg" style="padding: 0px 20px 20px 0px;" /></div>
<div>Now, my mom used to keep sourdough starter in her kitchen, so I knew it was possible to draw down yeast from the air and create a yeast colony. And. I found lots of info on the ‘net about how to get a starter going. So I started working on my own starter.</div>
<div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirmENLfPe5DyyXJMNzFMoto2DozLK-5VIvNUVQQT9mfEWwBT0aJOhonK2V8FkSrMafjE6a6oSqerPM6UMeu6XWV_so6o0BkUULJd8-xITjpbNIe6YGEQHuUcvDgDDJXlB7WjRcxRvjqMM/s320/EE5A1A6F-AB97-4A6E-989F-8D7A6044643D.jpeg" style="padding: 0px 20px 20px 0px;" width="320" /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOYuYoQeRPm0_xvlNVZmGelL5NB0FJJYgEPk9GjCSctkhTb5yYt9zH94CwKeXQznJcRykwdO_9OJcN2p0fcaYqzyNRwBSjWs3QbHNCPewkeqZ0SmrNGiFg_EbHcjS5CYBLE738ze_nwp4/s320/5E97E33E-CBE8-4225-AC8B-2AD22E551686.jpeg" style="padding: 0px 20px 20px 0px;" width="320" /></div>
<div>Well, after several attempts my bread was still coming out like bricks. I tried several different recipes but the truth seems to be that my starter just wasn’t robust enough.</div>
<div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSRzZuVWAkZA68bp1cA5h8YE9VfEq5KKaw8dVowi2SF5RsYONtJiLnGZpBwQUIbTQM-3z71bCfefiT_8yZGcEOs_KSwgx0upeo8BHeCsg-DtIn_2rDHYvhom4DUs24aU1dpDILyOjj9iY/s320/31E2F743-E2D5-4903-A703-C7EB53192109.jpeg" style="padding: 0px 20px 20px 0px;" width="320" /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEpPbcBR3AlmQ55cgfrb8wYQ7Ey6KZclajAIb-YvVsyYEcZ1eUWUvxTHeYdx_UdKOLde5rZUiJgBnMxS13VaYwKCTaY7a8KnfuHIw23hb7UHdSbMxoTp0n_6OJXtvy6rBatU4Q4YrpAIo/s320/F350FC2F-26A8-4D06-AFB4-9889039D21CA.jpeg" style="padding: 0px 20px 20px 0px;" width="320" /></div>
<div>While I wasn’t able to produce bread I was happy with, I did find other things I could make with the starter that I was happy with. One was a <a href="https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/recipes/sourdough-crackers-recipe ">recipe for crackers made with leftover starter</a>. (Here's <a href="https://pandkkitchen.blogspot.com/2020/04/sourdough-crackers.html">my variation that includes parmesan cheese</a>). And more recently, I found you could make a <a href="https://www.thespruceeats.com/recipes-using-sourdough-starter-1446644 ">nice coffee cake with starter</a>.</div>
<div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAxykdgHRLkZHJrP722PpXAOH9COCjjAsDA1FRW1ch5cnfffMe39QTU0BCmYVT1IvQ_hjVz9YdS_h0QbXYyhyxyG3O6rIPNEM0zdWiWAnp9GAeVYp5YvC6efzx1exzHqoKIi8v7DZMZ4Q/s320/FBE6E98C-F54E-496B-9106-7D32B501EB7C.jpeg" style="padding: 0px 20px 20px 0px;" width="320" /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7lSqQOTyQkmSZBUvEdx6glXUbQxAowlgOEuXELQ-Sfo1HVsKJg70oQVFqhDvEm-9Y9vX-_3OxXGYOGxY5w3vhYAlN2BPzl5XnYNzubpYYJ49l9rQzf5ArzWomv7uhPsoI7W1KZYI4Sj4/s320/A91CDAF4-651E-446B-8E37-2FB2FCB00C42.jpeg" style="padding: 0px 20px 20px 0px;" width="320" /></div>
<div>But after several weeks of mistreatment (missed feedings, long periods in the fridge, etc.) I seem to have finally gotten a colony that is consistently producing nice loaves of bread. It’s my belief that the “mistreatment” caused natural selection to let only the strongest yeast survive, thus strengthening the starter.</div>
<div>The current recipe I’m using is this one: <a href="https://www.food.com/recipe/basic-sourdough-bread-34753">Basic Sourdough Bread</a> on <a href="http://food.com">Food.com</a>. I have been able to use both all-purpose flour and bread flour with this recipe, though the bread flour has produced a much finer texture and lighter bread.</div>
<div>If you try any of these, let me know how they turn out and any changes you make.</div>Kevin Bradleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00921534252560174176noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5491737726599983797.post-636472329834307112020-07-26T12:56:00.003-05:002020-07-26T14:14:38.534-05:00Homemade Pizza (Pepperoni & Sausage)<div><img alt="Pizza is ready for baking" border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8M1eiqA2znsg9BIUoaGxBS6rvWCchq9884aXb2V088OAgMNd0kaAQwh0MMmNrvxP66oF1p9md0nD2-ghaVJhN6lMFAz-kqzhSt0USu9c2GjCen0VONX1D0nA-dOa9P7yMVxTqVP0NAUc/w400-h300/4FF7CA8F-5FC2-4B8D-B88F-10FA9C36D1BA.jpeg" style="float: left; padding: 0px 20px 20px 0px;" title="Ready for the oven!" width="400" />I got a hankering for pizza last week and rather than spend money at Domino’s, Pizza Hut, Papa Murphy’s or Marco’s, I decided to make my own. Since I’ve been working with sourdough starter, I found <a href="https://alexandracooks.com/2020/05/01/simple-sourdough-pizza-a-step-by-step-guide/">this recipe for a sourdough crust</a>. By using bread flour, it made a nice, thin crust that was crisp and crunchy. All purpose flour would made a softer crust. </div><div><br /></div><div>Next, I opened a can of tomato paste and an 8 oz can of sauce. I seasoned with some frozen onions buzzed fine in the food processor and added fresh oregano, basil, and parsley from my garden along with some dried thyme and a pinch of cayenne. I added some water to the sauce to thin it a bit and spread half on the crust, freezing the rest for next time.</div><div><br /></div><div><img alt="Pizza sliced after baking" border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2HxhNMrKIIXTYKedV_rPmtWoUcFTn0rpjTLNQEblbWcjJLRJFAc7_5iNXhnVD0rAoI0jmJUEzTDxNK1LS-MCodrnbYm1EDp82lwwXEmDQ66_GX84nuyK1ShmuEDDIwyCee9WYKESU2iY/s320/9A030582-5BD9-43A8-9A8F-B58BCBB74A3C.jpeg" style="float: right; padding: 0px 20px 20px 0px;" title="Pizza sliced after baking" width="300" />Ordinarily, I use an Italian shredded cheese blend but since I already had some Colby Jack on hand, I used that, putting down a layer of cheese, then some green pepper and onions, then a second layer of cheese. Lastly, I added the pepperoni and some fried Italian sausage. It made for a heavy pie!</div><div><br /></div><div>But boy, was it good! And since so many of the ingredients were already in the kitchen, it cost a fraction of a delivery pizza!</div>Kevin Bradleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00921534252560174176noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5491737726599983797.post-2963481569572925812020-04-22T11:10:00.001-05:002020-04-22T11:30:35.772-05:00Sourdough CrackersI’ve been working with sourdough starter since the COVID-19 quarantine has left me with extra time on my hands. One of the things I’ve hated is tossing out part of the starter when I feed it. I just recently found out that there are even recipes that use the discarded starter! I’ve made these twice and they disappear quickly.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUdm36szOQDWFJysWiVSTLI663dtM1XyleHF3uWHCloAz5dZE93CUiOcm9IyM9hsnCePzAzk2bd8XjBICBvyt7WUFFvK9VzzRjoletzlBJcAc4ayHo5gCAPUESG9ga-d2wUATGm08NRl8/s1600/9A361F48-BA17-4598-97D6-576CAC02BB4B.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUdm36szOQDWFJysWiVSTLI663dtM1XyleHF3uWHCloAz5dZE93CUiOcm9IyM9hsnCePzAzk2bd8XjBICBvyt7WUFFvK9VzzRjoletzlBJcAc4ayHo5gCAPUESG9ga-d2wUATGm08NRl8/s320/9A361F48-BA17-4598-97D6-576CAC02BB4B.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
The basic recipe I’m using is from <a href="https://www.kingarthurflour.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">King Arthur Flour’s site</a> and this is my modification of the <a href="https://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/sourdough-crackers-recipe" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">original recipe</a>, since they leave the choice of seasoning to you.<br />
<br />
<b>Ingredients</b>
<br />
<ul>
<li>1 cup (113g) King Arthur White Whole Wheat Flour</li>
<li>1/2 teaspoon sea salt </li>
<li>1 cup (248g) sourdough starter, unfed/discard </li>
<li>4 tablespoons (57g) unsalted butter, room temperature </li>
<li>2 tablespoons dried herbs of your choice (see my herb mixture below)</li>
<li>oil, for brushing </li>
<li>coarse salt (such as kosher or sea salt) for sprinkling on top
</li>
</ul>
<br />
<b>Herb Mixture</b>
<br />
<ul>
<li>1/4 tsp onion powder</li>
<li>1/4 tsp garlic powder</li>
<li>1 tsp oregano</li>
<li>1 tsp parsley</li>
<li>1 tsp basil</li>
<li>2 Tbl Parmesan cheese</li>
</ul>
<br />
<b>Instructions</b>
<br />
Mix together the flour, salt, sourdough starter, butter, and optional herbs to make a smooth (not sticky), cohesive dough.<br />
Divide the dough in half, and shape each half into a small rectangular slab. Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes, or up to a couple of hours, until the dough is firm.<br />
Preheat the oven to 350°F.<br />
Very lightly flour a piece of parchment, your rolling pin, and the top of the dough.<br />
Working with one piece at a time, roll the dough to about 1/16" thick. The dough will have ragged, uneven edges; that's OK. Just try to make it as even as possible.
<br />
Transfer the dough and parchment together onto a baking sheet. Lightly brush with oil and then sprinkle the salt over the top of the crackers. <br />
Cut the dough into 1 1/4" squares; a rolling pizza wheel works well here. <br />
Prick each square with the tines of a fork. <br />
Bake the crackers for 20 to 25 minutes, until the squares are starting to brown around the edges. Midway through, reverse the baking sheets: both top to bottom, and front to back; this will help the crackers brown evenly. <br />
When fully browned, remove the crackers from the oven, and transfer them to a cooling rack. Store airtight at room temperature for up to a week; freeze for longer storage.<br />
<i>NOTE: If the center crackers are not dry enough, leave them out to dry for an hour or two.</i>
Kevin Bradleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00921534252560174176noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5491737726599983797.post-67817465946632586732017-08-02T16:59:00.002-05:002017-08-02T21:42:41.364-05:00Crab Mac & Cheese with Spinach<i>After a long absence, I'm going to try and start posting again.</i><br />
<br />
This week, we went to Red Lobster (Crab Fest is on!) and each got an order of Snow Crab legs. My roommate had a hard time cracking and eating them, but I went through one set of legs and still had one left. We took them home, along with some of the great cheese biscuits Red Lobster serves. I had to find a way to use this delicious and expensive food!<br />
<br />
There were 3 "knots" of legs that we brought home. I stored them overnight in the fridge, then removed the meat from the legs and shredded it. I thought about things I could do: Crab salad, crab Alfredo, crab cakes, etc. Finally I came up with this recipe.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN5cFAU0YXek5nLEF50ZODufdKJVBW0l8A_9eL33yUkQbGV1VJJt-xbnGJWBE52cbdev95L0llyQzXvu3s9r8JuSkuKEG_OEhRtAHxAqs6PI065cNaP1Tqutc672sUbKG1wBYpeDjAXLk/s1600/IMG_0544.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN5cFAU0YXek5nLEF50ZODufdKJVBW0l8A_9eL33yUkQbGV1VJJt-xbnGJWBE52cbdev95L0llyQzXvu3s9r8JuSkuKEG_OEhRtAHxAqs6PI065cNaP1Tqutc672sUbKG1wBYpeDjAXLk/s320/IMG_0544.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Crab Mac & Cheese with Spinach</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<h3>
Ingredients</h3>
<ul>
<li>1 1/2 cups elbow macaroni</li>
<li>4-6 oz shredded cheddar cheese (I used mild)</li>
<li>2 T butter</li>
<li>2 T minced onion</li>
<li>1 clove garlic, minced</li>
<li>2 T flour</li>
<li>1 1/2 cups milk</li>
<li>4-8 oz shredded crab meat</li>
<li>1/3 cup frozen chopped spinach</li>
</ul>
<div>
<h3>
Procedure</h3>
<br />
Start a pan of salted water on high heat until it reaches boiling. You'll add the macaroni, reduce the heat to medium-high and let it cook per the package directions, usually 8-10 minutes. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
While the pasta boils, sauté the onion in the butter using a sauce pan at medium-high heat. We'll be making a roux as a base for the casserole, so once the onion is translucent and just beginning to brown, reduce the heat to medium low and add the minced garlic (don't let it burn, it makes it bitter) and the flour, along with salt and pepper to taste. Use the flour to soak up the butter, then add the milk and turn the heat back up to medium high. Use a whisk as the roux begins to thicken so that you don't get lumps of flour. Once it thickens it should be about the consistency of cream gravy. Whisk in the shredded cheese, reserving a small amount for the topping.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Put the frozen spinach in a small bowl with a teaspoon of water and microwave on medium for about 2 minutes. Not enough to really cook the spinach, just enough to get it thawed and easy to work with. When the pasta is done, drain and put in a 2 qt casserole dish. Add the spinach and try to distribute it evenly through the pasta. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Add the crab meat to the cheese sauce and mix it in well. Add the cheese sauce & crab meat to the macaroni and fold it in until it looks like all the pasta has been coated with the sauce and it looks well-mixed. Top with the reserved cheese. Bake in 350° oven for 25-30 minutes. Edges of the casserole should be bubbling when you take it out. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Optional - I had some of Red Lobster's great cheese biscuits, so I crumbled them up on top of the cheese to make a crunchy topping. It was a good way to use the biscuits and adds a nice contrast to the pasta and sauce.</div>
Kevin Bradleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00921534252560174176noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5491737726599983797.post-51030913873064038852012-10-21T01:40:00.001-05:002017-08-02T21:44:30.929-05:00Pork Chili<br />
<a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/103290034010877260242/PeteKevinSKitchen?authkey=Gv1sRgCMCsseGjjuCuIA#5801648907996898098"><img align="left" border="0" height="303" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNKPR-OeaaKDUaARN_rJ7xJ2PYQyqagC3vZrSsAmAv0Z4gkXBcY_Unm0nWaZDmbUTctserw3fKy_SORpwBsQnz7VqJEFo-olktwXvd4WTXj5g7uD8N25lCHigc1hYDpDXnJnb6NWbVaZk/s288/0.jpg" style="margin: 5px;" width="300" /></a><br />
Here's a <a href="http://www.hy-vee.com/meal-solutions/recipes/Pork-Chili-R7935.aspx#.UH8liSXQhH0.mailto" target="_blank">recipe for crockpot pork chili</a> that includes Ro-tel and black beans. Very spicy, but very tasty. The recipe came from the website of a local grocery store chain, <i>Hy-Vee</i>. The original post includes nutritional information. <br />
<b>Ingredients: </b><br />
2 tbsp Grand Selections olive oil, divided<br />
1 pound pork loin chops, cut into 1-inch cubes<br />
1 large onion, chopped<br />
2 tbsp minced garlic<br />
1 tbsp ground cumin<br />
1 tbsp Hy-Vee dried oregano<br />
2 (10 ounces each) cans Hy-Vee diced tomatoes with mild green chilies<br />
1 (4 ounce) can Hy-Vee diced green chilies<br />
1 (15 ounce) can Hy-Vee black beans, rinsed and drained<br />
1 c. water<br />
<b>Preparation:</b><br />
In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat. Add cubed pork and cook until browned, about 5 to 8 minutes. Remove from skillet and transfer to 3-1/2-quart slow cooker.<br />
Heat remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in same skillet and sauté chopped onions until tender, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add garlic, cumin and oregano and sauté 1 minute more. Add diced tomatoes with mild green chilies, diced green chilies, black beans and water. Transfer to pork mixture in slow-cooker. Cook on LOW for 4 to 6 hours.<br />
Daily nutritional values:<br />
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad<br />
<br />Kevin Bradleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00921534252560174176noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5491737726599983797.post-33532689795785386472012-10-03T22:57:00.001-05:002017-08-02T21:47:41.888-05:00Emerson Microwave Grill - Chicken BreastI recently got a new microwave oven with a grill unit. Emerson, who made the unit, had info about microwaving various types of food, but no help at all on using the grill/microwave combo. <br />
<br />
So tonight I decided to experiment with a couple of chicken breasts. I soaked them in salted water for several hours and added some McCormick Montreal Chicken seasoning. Lemon pepper would work too. <br />
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I tried to warm the grill as some sources suggested, but it didn't work. When ready to cook, I took the chicken out of the water, dried it off, and salted and seasoned (again Montreal Chicken) both sides, and sprayed each side with olive oil cooking spray. I put them on the grill and set the oven on combo cooking (combination 2 which is 64% grill, 35% microwave) for 7 minutes. <br />
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After the timer rang, I turned the chicken and used combination 1 (55% grill/45% microwave) for another 3 minutes. As soon as I took the chicken out, I wrapped them in foil for 5 minutes. <br />
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Result: Juicy, tasty chicken breast!<br />
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- Posted using BlogPress from my iPadKevin Bradleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00921534252560174176noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5491737726599983797.post-18040447978490535292012-08-05T23:50:00.001-05:002017-08-02T21:48:51.747-05:00Expiration DatesToday I found a jar of "salad dressing," the generic name for Miracle Whip, in the cupboard as I was starting to put the new jar away. Looking at the expiration date revealed it was expired. <br />
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<center>
<a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/konkrypton/PeteKevinSKitchen?authkey=Gv1sRgCMCsseGjjuCuIA#5773417955157233922"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0-XG9Ui7GJhi409_JId7eWaiLCcbID2LHnc62_UsBAGa1LAH9sVIgTYA7L2NN67sVCFqslQOcraXE9ka-xx9Jur4_8F9VyrhzmvpBA1xsrjh8Esz543YpOCovYs5MaQ8UMmFCpPxQ0R4/s288/0.jpg" style="margin: 5px;" width="320" /></a></center>
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"But it's unopened," I thought. "Is it still edible, or do I have to throw it out?"<br />
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After some quick googling, I found the <a href="http://www.stilltasty.com/searchitems/search_page" target="_blank">Keep It or Toss It database</a>, over at <a href="http://stilltasty.com/" target="_blank">StillTasty.com</a>. Next time you have a similar question, give it a try. <br />
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- Posted using BlogPress from my iPadKevin Bradleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00921534252560174176noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5491737726599983797.post-18076287650578359602012-04-22T01:50:00.000-05:002012-04-22T01:57:51.734-05:00Tilapia with Bacon and Green BeansI was looking for something different the other day and had some tilapia filets to work with. I also had a can of green beans and some bacon, and went looking for a recipe that might incorporate all three. What I found was lots of green bean and bacon recipes and one tilapia and bacon recipe that used some brown sugar. In a moment, I'd combined the two and here's what came of it:
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<br />
<b>Ingredients</b><br />
<ul>
<li>2-4 tilapia filets </li>
<li>3-6 strips of bacon, cut into pieces of varying size </li>
<li>1/3 cup chopped onion </li>
<li>2 tsp's of lite brown sugar for each filet </li>
</ul>
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<br />
<b>Preparation</b><br />
<br />
In a non-stick skillet, brown the bacon pieces over medium heat until they're as brown as you like. Sauté the onions until soft. Add 1 Tbl butter or margarine if you don't have sufficient bacon fat to sauté the onions.<br />
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Salt and pepper the first side of the tilapia, and use one tsp of the brown sugar for each filet, spreading over the filet evenly. Turn heat to medium-high and lay filets on top of the bacon and onions, sugar side down.<br />
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Salt and pepper the opposite sides of the filets and spread with more brown sugar. After 3-5 minutes (edges of fish begin to turn white), slide a nylon spatula under each filet and the bacon and onions, and turn the filet. Repeat for each filet.<br />
<br />
Add drained green beans to pan and salt and pepper to taste. Turn heat to medium-low and cover. Simmer for 10 minutes. Finish with a squeeze of lime juice over each filet.<br />
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Serve with rice or pasta.Kevin Bradleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00921534252560174176noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5491737726599983797.post-48791273629644237852011-06-18T11:51:00.001-05:002017-08-02T21:50:01.169-05:00Redneck TurtleburgersYes, you read that title right. I have not tried to make these, but got this in my email and just had to share it. This is a real recipe, as far as I know. Not sure who invented this, but they deserve all the credit. What follows is the text of the email:<br />
<br />
CALLING ALL COOKS;<br />
<br />
<i>A NEW RECIPE FROM MISSOURI</i> <br />
<br />
<b>Red-Neck Turtle Burgers</b><br />
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WOW!!! Only in MISSOURI!<br />
<br />
Here's a new twist on how to serve burgers and if you don't cook, <br />
give this handy little guide to someone that does and request them.<br />
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<br />
<center>
<a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/konkrypton/PeteKevinSKitchen?authkey=Gv1sRgCMCsseGjjuCuIA#5619603537303528018"><img border="0" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnYuQ_T7bemjVcoNIFvwN8BVT7hD17ZidmauYxwhOzTlmoZ7M_mNJzYSxxHMvgSi0-Xkbgi_SWKuQHa2wKDVBMDVy83bCDO7XQjtV3ULbfAwYN73iTOwaEMfT8P8TDAkoTSIbdvb65Mhk/s288/0.jpg" style="margin: 5px;" width="233" /></a></center>
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<br />
<br />
Handmade ground beef patties, topped with sharp cheddar cheese, wrapped in a bacon weave, then the next step, add hotdogs as the heads, legs with slits for toes and tail. <br />
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Next step. Place on an oven rack, covered loosely with foil and baked for 20-30 minutes at 400 degrees. A little crispy, not too crunchy...just how a turtle should be, no?<br />
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- Posted using BlogPress from my iPadKevin Bradleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00921534252560174176noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5491737726599983797.post-76265151912089129912011-05-16T20:56:00.003-05:002011-05-16T23:17:27.803-05:00Sweet and Sour ChickenMy local grocer had pineapple on sale this week, so I bought one. While I love pineapple, with only 2 people in the house it can be challenging to use it all.<br /><br />I incorporated the fruit tonight using <a target="_blank" href="http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/sweet-and-sour-chicken-i/Detail.aspx">this recipe. </a> while the recipe suggests green pepper, I had none on hand. Most Chinese restaurants serve with onion pieces, carrot, and green pepper, so I used the first two. See the result below.<br /><br /><br /><center><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/konkrypton/PeteKevinSKitchen?authkey=Gv1sRgCMCsseGjjuCuIA#5607498128403428146"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZGj59sSRy4AcCL091lzcPf8LDyBbsBhxdDMYQimqeoDkZt5Lki0gQZq6FBN15b3Y8X9OEd8A9dBfjjdFr7eeu3zN14zMzmlIiHU9cilQcz1i1j3bpw3inardaQTjklFgIBmN8GoRU1l4/s288/0.jpg" border="0" width="210" height="281" style="margin:5px" /></a></center><br />YUM!<br /><br />- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhoneKevin Bradleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00921534252560174176noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5491737726599983797.post-85490554522440967212011-02-15T00:09:00.002-06:002011-02-15T00:10:05.262-06:00Strawberry Shortcake (Diabetic-safe!)I've probably mentioned in the past that I'm a type II diabetic, so I have to watch the amount of carbs I'm eating. But I love desserts of all kinds, which makes it a bit challenging to find desserts that are "diabetic-safe." Here's a real simple one.<div><br /></div><div><b>Ingredients</b></div><div><ul><li>1 pint fresh strawberries (the redder the better!)</li><li>1/3 - 1/2 cup Splenda Granulated sweetenter (if you like sweeter berries, use the 1/2 cup)</li><li>4 Hostess shortcakes</li><li>1 tub Sugar Free Cool Whip</li></ul></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Preparation</b></div><div>Wash and core the strawberries, cutting them in half after. When all berries are cut, sprinkle Splenda over the berries and mix the berries with the sweetener. Mash strawberries with potato masher until about 1/2 the berries are pulpy and the other have mostly whole. Put berries in refrigerator overnight or for at least 4 hours to macerate.</div><div><br /></div><div>When ready to serve, put one shortcake in each bowl. Add 1/2 cup of the strawberries on top, and drizzle some of the syrup in each bowl also. Top with a generous amount of Cool Whip and enjoy!</div><div><br /></div><div><b>The Damage</b></div><div>Surprisingly, this recipe works out to about <i>26g of carbohydrate </i>per serving! The dessert cups are 21g and 1/2 cup of strawberries are only 5g of carbs! And you're getting fresh fruit, which is better for you than some other desserts!</div>Kevin Bradleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00921534252560174176noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5491737726599983797.post-11357156896068870712011-02-14T23:40:00.004-06:002011-02-14T23:45:54.942-06:00Sonnie's Sweet Potato CasseroleI was able to visit with some old friends in Tampa recently, and my pal Valerie served this sweet potato casserole that I found really good. Turns out it was her mom's recipe, and Val wrote it out for me.<div><br /></div><div><b>Ingredients</b></div><div><ul><li>8 sweet potatoes (or 5-6 very large)</li><li>1 small can crusted pineapple</li><li>3 Tbl of stick margarine (not the tub kind)</li><li>1/3 cup brown sugar</li></ul></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Preparation</b></div><div>Boil potatoes until tender, then mash with margarine. Add pineapple w/ juice and mix well. Bake 1 hour at 375°. Add marshmallows on top for the last few minutes.</div>Kevin Bradleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00921534252560174176noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5491737726599983797.post-15936380774596983282010-10-09T15:13:00.008-05:002010-10-09T15:30:09.383-05:00Brazilian Chicken Curry<div>My friend in Florida, Val, writes:</div><i>I know you are always looking for interesting things to do with chicken. Here's one I tried once and it's spicy but not hot. It calls for the crockpot - don't know if you cook with one. I assume you could simmer on the stovetop for an hour or two and get the same results. BTW: The sauce was a bit thin, so I'm still working on this one... also, curry scent is tricky to get off of hands - try lemon juice rinse, then soap & water. </i><div><i>- V.<br /></i><br />Original source: Women's Day 2010<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Ingredients</span><br /><ul><li>3/4 Cup Coconut Milk (found in Asian food aisle. If you like a sweeter taste, I used "Crema de Coconut")</li><li>2 TBS Tomato Paste</li><li>1 TBS Minced Garlic (I use fresh)</li><li>1 TBS Minced Ginger (I use pre-packaged jar) </li><li>1/2 tsp Salt</li><li>1/4 tsp Fresh ground Pepper</li><li>1 Medium Vidalia [or sweet] Onion; thinly sliced<br />(Can't say this enough - get a <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oPphy3Kn7nA">mandolin</a> for chores like this!)</li><li>2 Medium Green Peppers; cut into 1 inch strips & halved crosswise</li><li>3/4 Cup Yukon Gold [or yellow] Potatoes; cut into 1 inch pieces<br />(I upped these to a full cup)</li><li>1/4 tsp Curry Powder<br />(more, if you like more spice)</li><li>8 (2+ Lbs) Chicken drumsticks [or 4 leg quarters]; skin removed<br />(I used a whole, cutup fryer, minus the wings and back pieces.)</li></ul><br /><div><b>Preparation</b><br />Mix coconut milk, tomato paste, garlic, ginger, salt & pepper in a slow cooker. Add onions, green peppers, and potatoes. Mix well until veggies are evenly coated.<br /><br /></div><div>Rub curry powder all over chicken. Place chicken on top of veggies in the slow cooker. (I found that simply sprinkling the small amount of curry over the chicken parts was sufficient.<br /><br /></div><div>Cover and cook on high 4- 5 hours/ low 6 - 8 hours, until chicken is cooked through and veggies are tender. </div></div><div><br /></div><div>PS - As I mentioned above, try and get a mandolin if you are serious about your cooking. My knife skills aren't perfect, and I have a lovely chunk off of my left forefinger to show for it. Ginsu knives are great, but they are hella sharp!!!</div>Kevin Bradleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00921534252560174176noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5491737726599983797.post-7329540485750534422010-06-11T21:01:00.001-05:002010-06-11T21:03:16.996-05:00Smothered Chicken For Two, Pressure Cooker-StyleMom first introduced me to pressure cooker cooking when I was just a kid starting to help in the kitchen. She made the best pot roast I have ever had.<br /><br />It wasn't until years later that I realized that some people fear pressure cookers. Both of my partners were uncomfortable about my using one, but both bought me one once I explained that it would help make great food in less time. <br /><br />Modern pressure cookers are very safe and include a safety plug that will blow out so the pressure doesn't get to a dangerous level. When used properly, they make meat more tender in short cooking times. <br /><br />Here, I have taken a crock pot favorite and cut it in half so it serves two, then used the pressure cooker to drastically cut the cooking time. From start to finish this recipe took less than one hour to fix. <br /><br />Ingredients:<br />2 chicken leg quarters<br />2 cups egg noodles<br />1 can cream of chicken soup<br />2 slices of med. Onion, chopped<br />1large clove garlic, minced<br />2 med. carrots, julienned <br />1tbl dried parsley<br />1/4 tsp celery seed<br />Dash of ground thyme <br />Dash of ground sage<br />Emeril Lagasse's essence<br /><br />Preparation:<br />Cut leg quarters into leg and thigh pieces. Sprinkle with essence and salt on both sides. Roll pieces in flour. Pour enough oil into pressure cooker pot to cover the bottom and heat until a smell amount of flour dropped into the oil creates a quick foam. Drop thigh pieces in first, skin side down. Brown first side and drop legs in just before turning the thighs.<br /><br />When chicken is browned, remove from pot and sit aside. Sauteè onion until soft. Pour oil out, saving the onion in pot. Add minced garlic, carrots, parsley, thyme, sage, celery seed, and 2 cups of water. Mix, then put metal rack on this mixture, placing the chicken on the rack. Close lid and bring to pressure, then cook 8 minutes. <br /><br />Remove lid after cooling under cold water until pressure seal drops. Remove chicken to large serving platter and cover with foil. Remove metal rack. <br /><br />Return pot to burner, adding 1 cup water. Bring to boil and add egg noodles. Boil 10 minutes or until desired tenderness. Add cream soup and stir until mixed thoroughly. Check taste and add salt and pepper to taste <br /><br />Remove foil, then dish noodle mixture over chicken pieces. Serve. <br /><br />- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone<br /><br />Kevin Bradleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00921534252560174176noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5491737726599983797.post-10890140183607934332010-05-11T16:27:00.002-05:002010-05-11T16:29:45.985-05:00Cherry Crisp Recipe<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-size: medium; "><div>Walter made this recipe this week. Not exactly on my diet, but I can make an exception once in a while for something this good!</div><div><br /></div>This is just the recipe off of the cherry pie filling, but it makes a great fruit crisp! Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream while the cherries are still warm...YUM!<br />Ingredients:<br /><ul><li>1<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre; "> </span>30oz can Wilderness Original Cherry Pie Filling or</li><li><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre; "> </span>Topping</li><li>1/4<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre; "> </span>cup all purpose flour</li><li>1/4<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre; "> </span>cup quick-cook oatmeal</li><li>1/4<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre; "> </span>cup brown sugar</li><li>3/4<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre; "> </span>teaspoon cinnamon</li><li>1/4 <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre; "> </span>cup chopped walnuts</li><li>2<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>tablespoons butter</li><li>Vanilla ice cream</li></ul><br />Pour cherry filling into an 8 x 8-inch baking pan.<br />In a large bowl, mix flour, oatmeal, brown sugar,<br />cinnamon and walnuts. Cut in butter until mixture<br />is crumbly. Sprinkle over cherry filling. Bake in a<br />preheated 400°F oven for 25 minutes or until<br />golden brown. Serve warm with scoop of ice<br />cream. Makes 6 servings.<br /></span>Kevin Bradleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00921534252560174176noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5491737726599983797.post-52193672766975449572010-04-20T00:36:00.004-05:002010-04-20T00:40:10.140-05:00Gooseberry Pie<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">Walt made a shared favorite of ours today, gooseberry pie. If you've never tried gooseberries, they're very tart, almost lemony. This is just the recipe off the can of Oregon gooseberries, but it's a good one!</span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><br /></span></div><div><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Century Gothic'"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">Ingredients:</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Century Gothic'"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">1 cup sugar</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Century Gothic'"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">3 Tbl cornstarch</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Century Gothic'"><span style="font: 12.0px 'Lucida Grande'"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">⅛</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"> tsp salt</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Century Gothic'"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">2 cans gooseberries, drained w/ 1 cup syrup reserved</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Century Gothic'"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">1 Tbl butter</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Century Gothic'; min-height: 15.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Century Gothic'"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">Pastry for 9-inch double crust</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Century Gothic'; min-height: 15.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Century Gothic'"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">In a saucepan, stir together the reserved gooseberry syrup, cornstarch, salt and half of the sugar. Cook over medium heat, stirring, until thickened. Remove from heat. Gently stir in the remaining sugar, butter and the drained gooseberries. Pour into pastry lined pie plate.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Century Gothic'; min-height: 15.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Century Gothic'"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">Add top crust or lattice top, then seal edges securely</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Century Gothic'; min-height: 15.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Century Gothic'"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">Bake 15 minutes at 425°; finish backing at 350 for 20 to 30 minutes or until golden brown.</span></p><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">Because I'm a mild diabetic, Walt cut the sugar in half and used half artificial sweetner for me, to keep the sugar down. Even so, I usually cut a small piece.</span></span></span></div></div>Kevin Bradleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00921534252560174176noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5491737726599983797.post-16167175398952394482010-04-06T11:51:00.003-05:002010-04-06T11:58:02.271-05:00Non-Alcoholic Drink - Shirley Temple/Roy Rogers<div>I can't drink alcohol any more, so I've been looking for good recipes for cocktails sans alcohol. The "Shirley Temple" is a well-known drink that is sometimes portrayed as a drink for women (I guess because of the name of the female star). But what I didn't know is that there is also a "Roy Rogers" which replaces the ginger ale with cola! Here's the recipe:</div><div><br /></div><div>Ingredients:</div><div>6 ounces ginger ale</div><div>1 1/2 tsp. grenadine</div><div>Garnish: orange slice and/or maraschino cherry</div><div><br /></div><div>Pour the ginger ale (or cola for a "Roy Rogers") over crushed ice in a highball glass. Top with grenadine and then add orange slice on the side or drop in a maraschino cherry.</div><div><br /></div><div>If you are also diabetic, of course use diet soda instead.</div>Kevin Bradleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00921534252560174176noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5491737726599983797.post-40793884301818315762010-03-14T05:33:00.004-05:002010-03-14T05:45:31.325-05:00Val's Banana Bread<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBGc5RJk8NSXjhn4p4ZlIFV15zFci-mrcujBDqwCzqdTWQuUy6u0P2cDGdSAYzL11ekWfns4mG7ZFX2FzjaB-kzH2QG-C5NfL_Oy-Kf3mkxfcykdk9A7rGVCXsaWTFFVOsC20e7rP0OW4/s1600-h/IMG_0030.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBGc5RJk8NSXjhn4p4ZlIFV15zFci-mrcujBDqwCzqdTWQuUy6u0P2cDGdSAYzL11ekWfns4mG7ZFX2FzjaB-kzH2QG-C5NfL_Oy-Kf3mkxfcykdk9A7rGVCXsaWTFFVOsC20e7rP0OW4/s200/IMG_0030.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5448438822268259394" /></a><br />I love banana bread, but am not wild about bananas themselves. Don't ask me why, I couldn't tell you. So usually if I buy bananas they wind up getting black and I make banana bread out of them. On a recent visit with my friend Val, she made some bread that was really tasty and I asked for her recipe. I took a shot with my iPhone to preserve the data until I got home. <div><br /></div><div> For those that can't read Val's handwriting, here's the info:<div><br /></div><div>Ingredients</div><div>1/4 cup butter or margarine</div><div>3/4 cup sugar</div><div>2 eggs</div><div>2 cups baking mix (Bisquick or equivalent)</div><div>1 cup mashed ultra-ripe banana</div><div>1/3 cup mini-chocolate chips</div><div><br /></div><div>Cream the butter and sugar together, then add the rest of ingredients and mix well. Bake at 350° in a greased loaf pan for 55 minutes.</div></div>Kevin Bradleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00921534252560174176noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5491737726599983797.post-952260437286187192009-12-13T15:12:00.005-06:002010-02-06T22:49:38.735-06:00Italian-style Meatloaf (made with Angus beef)<p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">Some recipes you create, some you find, and some just happen. This recipe is one of the latter. It started when I found ground Angus beef on sale at the butcher shop in my local grocery store. I bought a couple pounds and decided to make a meatloaf. I had originally asked the butcher for some breakfast sausage (a pound), but he misunderstood me and reached for the Italian sausage. Rather than stop him, I thought that the combination might work.</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">Ingredients</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"></p><ul><li>2 pounds of Angus ground beef</li><li>1 pound of Italian sausage</li><li>2 tubes (half a box) of saltine crackers</li><li>2 eggs</li><li>1/2 medium onion</li><li>1/2 green pepper</li><li>1 1/2 teaspoon oregano</li><li>3 cloves of garlic</li><li>3 sprigs of parsley, chopped</li><li>fresh pepper to taste</li></ul><p></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">Preparation</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">Pulse the onion and green pepper in a food processor until they're moderately chopped. You don't want big chunks in your meatloaf, but you don't want them so finely chopped that they're invisible. Empty the food processor into a large bowl.</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">Crush the tubes of crackers with your hands, just enough so that they will fit in the food processor. Pulse the crackers in the food processor until they are smaller than half inch chunks. Mix the crackers with the onion and pepper along with two eggs and 1/2 cup milk.</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">The resulting mixture should be about the consistency of your hamburger. Too dry and meatloaf fall apart, too wet and the meatloaf will be squishy. Add the oregano, garlic, and parsley. I used a garlic press for the garlic, but you could also pulse it in the food processor with the onions and peppers. Break up the Angus and sausage and begin mixing with your hands. I find it easiest to use a folding motion, moving my hand under the bottom of the mass and folding it over on itself. I find 15-20 times is sufficient to mix the ingredients.</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">Divide the mixture in half, creating 2 roughly equal loaves. Bake in pyrex pan large enough to let the grease drain away from the loaves. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. If you like, 10 minutes before they are done drizzle the tops with ketchup. Remove from pan as soon as they are done so they don't sit in the grease. Each loaf serves four, so freeze one if you like and have it later for an easy-cooking night!</p>Kevin Bradleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00921534252560174176noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5491737726599983797.post-3850673874060645952009-11-22T02:53:00.007-06:002010-06-20T10:08:28.357-05:00Fresh Frozen Green BeansI haven't put up a new recipe lately, and that's my bad. But tonight I thought I'd share something I worked on. We found some fresh green beans at the grocery this week, and in order to keep them I thought I'd freeze them. Like most vegetables, green beans need to be blanched before they're frozen. Blanching is simply the process of "half-cooking" raw vegetables before you freeze or can them.<br /><br />In order to blanche veggies, you need a big stock pot full of boiling water, about 1 gallon for each pound of green beans (this will work with wax beans also). You should wash the beans first and trim them, remove any strings and cut them into the size you want, usually between 2 and 4 inches. I like mine a little shorter, about 1 1/2 inches.<br /><br />Once the water's boiling and the beans are ready, just dump them in and let them cook for 3 minutes. You should prepare a bowl with icy water, too. When the 3 minutes are up, scoop out the beans and dump them into the ice water bath. This is called "shocking" the beans. Leave them in the bath for 3 minutes also.<br /><br />After the beans are drained, lay them out on some kitchen towels or paper towels to help soak up most of the excess water. Then put the beans in a container (I use a freezer bag), pack them closely without mashing them, leave some small amount of head space (breathing room) and put them in the freezer! They'll be good for 8 to 10 months this way.<br /><br />To cook, take some beans out, put them in a pan with a little salted water and cook for 5-6 minutes. Here's a video I found over at YouTube that is only 2 minutes long that illustrates the process:<br /><div align="center"><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/9_EaTtMiGJg&hl=en_US&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/9_EaTtMiGJg&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br /></div><div><br><br />Blanching vegetables when they are in season (and less expensive) is a good way to eat fresher food at a lower cost than buying prepared vegetables. Bon Apetit!</div><div><br /></div>Kevin Bradleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00921534252560174176noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5491737726599983797.post-85806912445830285012009-06-16T22:37:00.003-05:002009-06-16T22:49:33.535-05:00Simple Baked Whitefish (Cod, Pollack, Whiting)I'm a fan of fish, fixed just about any way. I like fried fish with tarter sauce, grilled salmon fillets, orange roughy, tilapia, etc. But this week I found a sale at my supermarket of simple pollack fillets and decided to go for a light, baked fish.<div><br /></div><div>Ingredients:</div><div><ul><li>1/2 lb whitefish fillets (one fillet/ person)</li><li>lemon pepper</li><li>parsley</li><li>1 tbl butter or margarine</li><li>1/2 lemon</li><li>salt</li><li>pepper</li></ul></div><div><br /></div><div>(Preheat oven to 325°) Begin with spraying a glass baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Lay thawed fillets in the baking dish after checking for stray pin bones. Either melt the butter and drizzle on or take small bits of cold butter and arrange on top to get good coverage when it melts. Lightly salt and pepper the fillets, then sprinkle some lemon pepper lightly over fish, then use some chopped parsley (fresh is nice) across them. Finish with a squeeze of the lemon down the length of both fillets.</div><div><br /></div><div>Bake uncovered in oven for 20-25 minutes. Fish is done when it the thickest part of the fillet will flake easily with a fork. Be careful removing fish from pan to plate, it will be fragile. But oh so light and flakey!</div><div><br /></div><div>Serve with lemon wedge. Serves 2</div>Kevin Bradleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00921534252560174176noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5491737726599983797.post-33488423387930400222009-04-30T02:21:00.003-05:002009-04-30T02:32:46.335-05:00Kevin's Oven-BBQ RibsI love ribs and being unable to smoke them during the winter doesn't stop me from making them in the oven. I rub them down with a rub that is based on one by Emeril Lagasse, but mine is a little milder - his were HOT. These were a particular favorite of Pete's.<div><br /></div><div>Here's the rub:<div><br /></div><div>Ingredients</div><div><ul><li>1 Tbl salt<br /></li><li>1 Tbl cumin<br /></li><li>1 Tbl paprika<br /></li><li>2Tbl <a href="http://pandkkitchen.blogspot.com/2008/08/emerils-bayou-blast-aka-essence-or-bam.html">Emeril's Essence</a><br /></li><li>3 Tbl brown sugar<br /></li><li>1 tsp black pepper<br /></li><li>1 tsp cayenne<br /></li></ul></div><div><br /></div><div>I usually rub the ribs down the night before and let them sit in the fridge overnight. If you have a lime, squeeze the juice of 1/2 a lime over the ribs for some tanginess and to help break down the connective tissue. Otherwise, I use a little wine vinegar, just a few splashes.</div><div><br /></div><div>I cover them with foil and bake them at 300° for 2 1/2 hours, or until they begin to fall off the bone. Then I take the foil off and brush with barbecue sauce, turn on the broiler and leave the ribs under the broiler until they begin to brown (usually 5 -10 minutes).</div></div>Kevin Bradleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00921534252560174176noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5491737726599983797.post-88730160857053039492008-10-18T16:36:00.003-05:002008-10-18T16:41:42.225-05:00Sourdough Bread (And Buns!)<div>Mom always made sourdough bread. We weren't rich folks, and that was a way that she could keep us in bread without having to buy yeast. I still remember the hot loaves coming out of the oven, gently sliced and then loaded with real butter. WOW!</div><div><br /></div><div>This is my recipe, a combination of methods I've cobbled together from other bakers and several cookbooks. It works well for me, I hope you like it.</div><div><br /></div><div>I won't cover making your original starter, there are so many ways to start that it really doesn't matter. Just start with a cup of starter and go from there!</div><div><br /></div>Ingredients:<br /><ul><li>1 cup of starter<br /></li><li>2 cups warm water<br /></li><li>2 cups flour<br /></li></ul><br />Mix all three and let proof for 8-10 hours (overnight).<br /><br />Ingredients:<br /><ul><li>4 cups flour<br /></li><li>3 tbl sugar<br /></li><li>3 tbl oil or melted shortening<br /></li><li>1 tsp salt<br /></li><li>1/4 tsp baking soda<br /></li></ul><br />Mix in most of the flour and the other ingredients until you can't beat with a spoon any more. Then dump onto floured work surface and knead in the rest of the flour. It may take more or less flour depending on how wet your dough is. Work about 10 minutes or until it quits sticking to your hand right away.<br /><br />Put in greased bowl, cover, and put in out-of-the-way area (dark is best, with no drafts) for 1 1/2 hours (or until it doubles in size).<br /><br />Punch down, divide in half an let rest for 10 mins. Then shape each loaf into a ball (for loaves) or 6-8 balls (for buns). Put into loaf pan or on greased (or non-stick) sheet and slice 3 quarter-inch grooves in the top to allow better rising. Let rise for 45 minutes or until double again.<br /><br />Bake loaves @ 375° for 40-50 minutes. Spray with water before baking and then every 10 minutes. Cover during last 10 minutes with foil to keep crust from over-browning.<br /><br />Bake rolls/buns @ 400° for 15-20 minutes. Spray before baking and at least 1 time during.<br /><br />(Replenish starter with 3/4 cup milk and 1/2 to 1 cup flour, allow to work for 12 hours before refrigerating.)Kevin Bradleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00921534252560174176noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5491737726599983797.post-4169183326101760022008-09-07T16:12:00.002-05:002008-09-07T16:16:12.680-05:00Kevin's Oven-fried ChickenPete usually deep-fried his chicken so I came up with this recipe so that I wouldn't be trying to imitate his. It turned out that he loved this recipe and often requested it when he wanted chicken but didn't feel like making it!<br /><br /><div>Ingredients:<br /><ul><li>3-4 lbs of chicken, cut up (legs, breasts, or whole chicken)<br /></li><li>2 C flour<br /></li><li>3 Tbs BAM<br /></li><li>Oil for frying (Olive oil or other cooking oil mixed with some bacon grease tastes best! Don't use shortening because it has a low smoke-point.)<br /></li></ul><br />Soak chicken for at least an hour (overnight if possible) in 1/3 cup of seasoned salt and cold water, enough to cover all pieces. Drain. Finish trimming pieces (cut off excess skin, etc.) and flour each piece in the flour and BAM mixture.<br /><br />Heat the oil in a large skillet (about 1/4 inch of oil in the bottom) until it froths when you toss in a smidgen of flour. Add chicken pieces, dark meat first (thighs, then legs, then the white pieces about 5 minutes after). Brown each piece, turning to get the entire piece brown.<br /><br />Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Now you have 2 options for finishing the bird:<br /><br />Option 1(original method):Toss the entire frypan in the oven on the center rack. This only will work if the pan is not non-stick and the handle isn't plastic! A cast-iron skillet works best.<br /><br />Option 2(low fat method): Put chicken pieces on a wire rack over large cookie sheet. Cover sheet in foil, if desired. Place the sheet w/racks and chicken in the oven.<br /><br />Bake for 40-50 minutes, until a thigh or breast cut open at the bone is no longer red. <br /><br />If desired, make chicken gravy in the used fry pan. Drain all but a couple tablespoons of the grease and mix with 1/4 cup flour (use the flour & BAM mixture if you like it spicy). Heat on high, adding milk (about 2 cups) and stirring constantly until boiling.</div>Kevin Bradleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00921534252560174176noreply@blogger.com0