Homemade Pizza (Pepperoni & Sausage)

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 this recipe for a sourdough crust. By using bread flour, it made a nice, thin crust that was crisp and crunchy. All purpose flour would made a softer crust. 

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.

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!

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!

Emerson Microwave Grill - Chicken Breast

I 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.

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.

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.

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.

Result: Juicy, tasty chicken breast!


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Redneck Turtleburgers

Yes, 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:

CALLING ALL COOKS;

A NEW RECIPE FROM MISSOURI

Red-Neck Turtle Burgers

WOW!!! Only in MISSOURI!

Here's a new twist on how to serve burgers and if you don't cook,
give this handy little guide to someone that does and request them.






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.

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?


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Turkey with Orange, Cloves, & Sage

Pete and I made this for the last holiday dinner that I got to spend with my mother, Martha. It was a special holiday, and he really went all out for her. She enjoyed spending the evening with us instead of at the nursing home and we all ate well!

Ingredients:
For the herb rub:

•  1 tablespoon rubbed sage
  
•  1 tablespoon kosher salt
  
•  2 tablespoons dried orange peel
  
•  1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
  

For the turkey:

•  1 12-pound oven-ready turkey
  
•  2 small oranges
  
•  12 whole cloves
  
•  6 cloves garlic
  
•  1 bunch fresh sage, tied with butcher s string
  

Prep:
To make the herb rub, mix together all rub ingredients; set aside.

Rinse turkey and pat dry. Insert 6 whole cloves into each orange. Pierce each orange several times with a knife. Put oranges, garlic, and fresh sage bunch into turkey cavity. Turn wings back to hold neck skin in place. Return legs to tucked position. Rub entire outside surface of turkey with herb mixture, pressing it into the skin surface.

Grilling directions: Set your grill up for slow cooking (coals on the sides and a drip pan in the center). Place turkey, breast side up, in a roast holder set inside a large heavy-gauge foil pan. Place in center of cooking grate.

Oven directions: Preheat oven to 325∞. Place turkey on a rack, breast side up, in a roasting pan. Place in center of oven.

Cook 11 to 13 minutes per pound to an internal temperature of 180 F in the thigh and 170 F in the breast (about 2-1/4 hours for a 12-pound turkey). Cover wings and/or drumsticks with heavy-duty aluminum foil if they brown too quickly. Remove turkey from grill/oven and let stand 15 minutes before carving.

Makes 12 to 14 servings.

Val's Chili

Ingredients

•  1 lb. ground beef or ground turkey
  
•  1 large clove minced garlic
  
•  1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
  
•  1 medium green pepper, finely chopped
  
•  1 can (16 OZ.) diced tomatoes
  
•  1 can (16 OZ.) Dark red kidney beans-liquid drained
  
•  1 can (16 OZ.) black beans-liquid drained
  

Spices

•  4 TBS. chili powder
  
•  1 TBS cider vinegar
  
•  1/4 TSP allspice
  
•  1/4 TSP coriander
  
•  1 TSP cumin
  
•  1/2 TSP salt & pepper
  
•  dash tobasco (to taste)
  

Cook ground meat, garlic, onion, green pepper over medium-high heat. Cook until meat has lost color and onion is soft. Add spices to meat and blend. Add drained beans. Add tomatoes with liquid. Mix well. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and cover. Simmer on low 45 minutes, stirring frequently.

Variations: VEGETARIAN: Substitute One (16 OZ.) CAN of PINTO or LIGHT KIDNEY BEANS for meat.

PINTO or LIGHT KIDNEY or GARBANZO BEANS can be substituted for BLACK or DARK KIDNEY BEANS. Add TOMATOES with Jalapeños for a hotter chili.

Pete's Steak Marinade

Ingredients:

•  1 tsp. garlic powder
  
•  1 tsp. onion powder
  
•  1 Tbs. meat tenderizer
  
•  1 tsp. pepper
  
•  2 Tbs. Sam Seltzer's Steak Seasoning*
  

Marinade:

•  1 tsp. Liquid Smoke
  
•  2 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce
  
•  1 tsp. scotch
  

Prep:
Allow steak to become room temp. Mix dry stuff (except Seltzer's) and sprinkle equal amounts on each side, one side at a time. After sprinkle, take fork and stab vigorously. Allow to sit about 20 minutes.

Mix wet stuff and pour equal amounts on each side.

Sprinkle Seltzer's equal on both sides, one side at a time. After Seltzer's take fork and pat onto surface of steak. Flip over and repeat.

Put steak on plate and cover tightly with plastic wrap and allow to sit at room temp until the coals are ready.  Grill to your own taste, we like medium rare, about 4 minutes on each side.

*If you don't live in Tampa, FL and can't find the Seltzer's steak seasoning, McCormick's "Montreal Steak" will work, it's very close.

Pork Oriental Stir-Fry

Ingredients

•  2-3 lbs pork, cut in small chunks (pork steaks are cheapest)
  
•  1 Cup chopped cabbage
  
•  3 radishes, sliced fairly thin
  
•  1/2 Cup julianned carrots (julianne: cut lengthwise into small strips)
  

Marinate veggies for 30 min or more in:

•  1/4 Cup soy sauce
  
•  2 Tb vinegar or lemon juice
  
•  1/4 tsp salt
  
•  1/4 tsp ginger
  
•  dash or two of hot mustard powder (prepared mustard will do, but use it sparingly unless you like hot food!)
  

Marinate meat for 30 min or more in:

•  1/4 soy sauce
  
•  1/4 tsp ginger
  
•  1/2 tsp onion salt
  
•  1/2 tsp barbeque spice (or 1 tsp BBQ sauce)
  
•  2 Tb brown sugar (regular will do, brown's better)
  
•  dash or two of paprika
  
•  dash or two of hot mustard powder
  

Prep:
Put a Tbl of oil in the pan or wok and coat the inside. Heat the pan and add meat, draining excess marinade. Stir-fry meat until brown on the outside. Push meat to sides of pan (or wok) and dump in the veggies with the veggie marinade. Cover and turn down heat to a low simmer. Stir the veggies once or twice during cooking. Simmer for about 5 minutes or until veggies are tender but not soggy. Mix the meat into the veggies. Serve over a plate of white or long grain rice.
Serve over rice or chow mein noodles. Serves about 4.

NOTE: Lots of other veggies will work. Try a pkg. of frozen veggies that you like: Broccoli/Cauliflower mixture or greenbeans or carrots and diced green pepper. Be creative and make changes! Try to use fresh or frozen - canned veggies tend to be soggy.

Kevin's Spicy Meatloaf

Ingredients:

•  2 eggs
  
•  1 1/2 stacks of saltine crackers, finely crushed
  
•  1 tsp salt
  
•  1/2 tsp sage
  
•  1/4 to 1/2 cup onion, finely chopped
  
•  1/4/ to 1/2 cup green pepper, finely chopped
  
•  1 Tbl Worcestershire sauce
  
•  1 to 2 dashes hot seasoning (paprika, chili powder, Bam!, etc.)
  

Meats:

•  1 lb lean hamburger (or ground turkey works well) 
  
•  1/2 lb ground pork sausage (medium or hot, mild isn't strong enough)
  

topping:

•  1/2 cup catsup
  
•  1 Tbl hot mustard (oriental or horseradish)
  
•  1 Tbl Worcestershire sauce
  
•  1 Tbl brown sugar
  

Prep:
Mix the first 7 ingredients (everything but the meats) well, then drizzle enough milk to make it the consistency of hamburger. It should not be dry or too mushy.

Knead and mix by hand until the loaf looks like ingredients are evenly distributed. Divide in 2 balls and make oblong loaves about 1 1/2 inch high. Place in a 13 x 9 pan (with baking potatoes, if you are making them) and bake for 1 hour @ 350 degrees.

About 15 mins before the meatloaf is done, coat the with the topping and put it back in the oven to finish.

Fennel Pork Roast

Ingredients:

•  3 to 4 lb pork roast
  
•  1/2 tsp fennel seed
  
•  2 tbl sugar
  
•  1 tsp salt
  
•  1 tsp ground sage
  
•  1 tsp dried marjoram
  
•  1/4 tsp celery seed
  
•  1/4 tsp dry mustard
  
•  1 tbl snipped parsley
  

Prep:
Insert the tip of a knife into meat and push 4 or 5 fennel seeds into the pocket. Repeat this all around the roast until seeds are used up. Combine sugar, salt, sage, marjoram, celery seed, dry mustard, and 1/8 tsp pepper and rub the roast with this mixture. Cover roast and let marinate 4 hrs or overnight in refrigerator.

Place roast on a wire rack in shallow baking pan and insert a meat thermometer. Roast uncovered for 2 1/4 to 2 3/4 hrs at 325 (or until thermometer reads 170). Place on platter and sprinkle with parsley.
Goes well with stuffing or mashed potatoes.

Catie's Pork Steak Bake

Ingredients:

•  1 can sauerkraut
  
•  1 can applesauce
  
•  1 pkg. Liptons onion soup
  
•  4 pork steaks
  

Prep:
Mix sauerkraut, applesauce, soup mix. Put in
baking dish, steaks on top. Bake at 350 for 1 hour, turn once.

BBQ Beef Brisket

Ingredients:
BBQ Beef Brisket, point end

•  3-4 lb point end brisket, nicely marbled w/ fat left on one side.
  
• Marinade
  
•  1 tsp cayenne
  
•  1 TB paprika
  
•  3-4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
  
•  3 tsp brown sugar (lite)
  
•  1 TB parsley
  
•  1 TB oregano
  
•  1 tsp red pepper seeds
  
•  1 tsp meat tenderizer
  
•  1 tsp garlic/pepper blend steak seasoning
  
•  1 TB salt
  
•  1 tsp pepper
  
•  1 TB vinegar
  
•  1/2 cup pureed grape or cherry tomatoes
  
•  1 TB worcestershire
  

Prep:
Line a bowl large enough to hold the meat with enough plastic wrap to completely wrap the meat.

Mix dry ingredients and rub directly onto meat. Mix wet ingredients together and spoon over and under the meat. Wrap the meat tightly in the plastic wrap and put in the refrigerator.Marinate for at least an hour (up to overnight).
Soak wood chips (hickory or mesquite) in water for at least 30 minutes before cooking. Spray brisket with non-stick cooking spray to help seal in the juices.
If you are cooking on a charcoal grill, you will need to add coals about once an hour. For a 22" grill, start with 25 coals on each side of the grill and a drip pan below the meat. Add 8 coals to each side every hour to prolong the cooking time. Add a handfull of wood chips every 30 minutes and to give the fire a chance to "perk up."

Mop the brisket with your favorite mopping sauce. Mopping sauce should have a vinegar/acidic base to break down the connective tissue, but no sugar which will burn. For this, I used:

Mopping Sauce Ingredients:

•  1/4 cup vinegar
  
•  1 tsp worcestershire
  
•  1 tsp habanero salsa
  
•  several drops of Tabasco sauce
  
•  1 cup coffee (no cream or sugar!)
  

Smoke for 1 to 1 1/4 hour per pound.