Sunny Skillet Breakfast

Ingredients

• 3 (8-oz.) baking potatoes, peeled and shredded (about 3 cups firmly packed)*
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 small red bell pepper, diced
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 garlic clove, pressed
• 3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
• 6 large eggs
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Place shredded potatoes in a large bowl; add cold water to cover. Let stand 5 minutes; drain and pat dry.

2. Melt butter with oil in a 10-inch cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Add bell pepper and onion, and sauté 3 to 5 minutes or until tender. Add garlic; sauté 1 minute. Stir in shredded potatoes and 1/2 tsp. salt; cook, stirring often, 10 minutes or until potatoes are golden and tender.

3. Remove from heat. Make 6 indentations in potato mixture, using back of a spoon. Break 1 egg into each indentation. Sprinkle eggs with pepper and remaining 1/4 tsp. salt.

4. Bake at 350° for 12 to 14 minutes or until eggs are set. Serve immediately.

*3 cups firmly packed frozen shredded potatoes may be substituted, omitting Step 1.

Veggie Confetti Frittata: Prepare recipe as directed through Step 2, sautéing 1/2 (8-oz.) package sliced fresh mushrooms with bell peppers and onion. Remove from heat, and stir in 1/4 cup sliced ripe black olives, drained, and 1/4 cup thinly sliced sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained. Whisk together eggs, pepper, and remaining 1/4 tsp. salt; whisk in 1/2 cup (2 oz.) shredded Swiss cheese. Pour egg mixture over potato mixture in skillet. Bake at 350° for 9 to 10 minutes or until set. Cut into wedges, and serve immediately. Makes 6 servings. Prep: 20 min., Stand: 5 min., Cook: 16 min., Bake: 10 min.

Fig Preserves

Old fashioned recipe for fig preserves.

Ingredients:

• 6 pounds figs, peeled or unpeeled
• 6 pounds sugar
• 3 lemons, very thinly sliced, seeds removed

Preparation:

Wash, drain and stem figs. Pour sugar over figs and let sit overnight. Cook over medium heat until sugar is completely dissolved; reduce to low heat, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. Add lemon slices. Cover and cook until figs are transparent and the syrup is thick, 2-3 hours. Remove from heat, pack in hot, sterilized jars and seal according to manufacturers directions.
Makes 5 to 6 pints

Corned Beef and Cabbage

Corned Beef and Cabbage

CORNED BEEF & CABBAGE

Ingredients: Large beef brisket, corned Dozen or more small onions, peeled 2 pounds of potatoes, at least One head of cabbage, cut into large wedges Some water

Condiments: Hot mustard Horseradish

“Cover half the onions and the brisket with water in a large pot with a steady lid; put the pot on the back of the stove and simmer slowly for several hours. When the meat is penetrable by a dull fork in the hand of a weak small child, then your work is nearly done. Put the brisket on a warm platter and boil the cabbage wedges in the pot liquid 15 minutes. At the same time, boil the potatoes and the rest of the onions in a separate pot of water, 10 minutes or so. Add the onions and potatoes to the platter, and serve all with a glasheen of stout or whiskey. You’ll have a noisy party soon enough.

"“Corned beef and cabbage is a dish with roots in New England, rather than in Ireland. Imagine if you can the amazement of the American cousins when they visit the ould sod and discover that no one there has much opinion of corned beef on St. Patrick’s Day. Still, it is a grand dish if eaten once a year on the Seventeenth of March, particularly if stout and whiskey are served." ~ Martin Finnucane

Easy Blackberry Cobbler

EASY BLACKBERRY COBBLER

3 c. blackberries 3/4 c. sugar
1 c. flour
1 c. sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 c. milk
1/4 lb. butter

Melt butter in 8 x 8 pan.

Mix blackberries and 3/4 cup sugar.

Mix flour, 1 cup sugar, baking powder, and milk.

Pour mixture into melted butter; spread evenly.

Pour berry mixture on top.

Cake should cover the berries and be golden brown when done.
Bake at 350 degrees for about 25-30 minutes.

Serve warm with milk on top or ice cream.

Payday Extravaganza aka Splurging

Standing Rib Roast
with YORKSHIRE PUDDING
compliments of Jake Horowitz, Thanks Jake!
If the English can do this, you can, too.
Important. Read the label to determine the weight of the roast. Multiply the weight by 17 minutes for rare, 19 minutes for medium rare, 21 minutes for medium, and so forth. 28 minutes for well done. (Some very agreeable people overcook their roast beef . Just fancy.) Weight x Minutes = Total Time in Oven. Pre-heat the oven to 550 F. Wipe the roast with a damp cloth, and dust with salt and handmilled pepper. Set roast, bone side down, in a roasting pan. Put the roast in the hot oven and start the clock. After fifteen minutes, turn down the thermostat to 300 F. Do not open the oven door to have a little peek. There’s not much to see, and you’ll spoil the effect of the oven gradually cooling to 300 – it should not happen all at once. For the last ten minutes, raise oven temp to 450 F. At the end of allotted time, take the temperature of the thickest part of the roast: 140 for rare, 150 for medium rare, 160m for medium, 170 for medium. Or don’t take the temperature (living on the edge). You’re not done yet. Remove roast to a warm platter, cover with foil tent for 25 minutes before carving. Do not touch it with a knife for twenty-five minutes.

While you wait, your 450 F. oven is ready to bake Yorkshire Pudding: make a batter of 1 cup flour, 1 cup milk, 2 eggs, pinch salt. Put 1/2 cup pan drippings from the roast in a baking pan; or use the roasting pan if it’s not too big. Pour the batter over the drippings and bake 25 minutes at 450 F. It will become big and brown, and will oddly resemble a mammoth pop-over. Cut the Yorkshire pudding into large pieces and serve with the roast; horse radish, roasted Brussells sprouts and potatoes and shallots, and a pint of bitter are recommended. Have a good time.

SPAM & Pineapple Love

1 can SPAM

1 small can pineapple slices

(better in syrup, but own juice healthier)

Whole cloves

Slice Spam loaf into serving slices, not cutting all the way through. On each slice put in whole cloves across the top. Place a pineapple slice between each slice. Pour pineapple juice over loaf and bake. 350 for about 20 minutes.

Remove cloves and serve.

RECESSION MENU ALERT!

In these hard times of high living costs the recipes being featured will hopefully help you get creative in the kitchen with cheap grocery items that you may have never experienced! ENJOY!

Recession Menu Salmon Cakes

1 can salmon, drained

1 small onion grated

1 small potato grated

1/2 cup red pepper chopped

2 eggs

1/4 cup Panko crumbs

salt pepper garlic powder to taste

2 T. Old Bay Seasoning
fresh squeezed lemon or lime juice

Mix all ingredients and chill in refrigerator for an hour or better over night to reduce liquid. When ready to prepare, form a ball and squeeze out any liquid then form into patty and dredge in Panko crumbs. Place in skillet with olive oil over medium high heat. Let brown completely on one side. Turn one time. Serve with cocktail sauce: 1/2 cup catsup, lemon/lime juice and horseradish to desired "heat".

Good served with quick slaw.

2 cups cabbage shredded

(red works well too for a change)

1/2 onion grated

salt

pepper

Packet of Splenda

1/4 cup vinegar

1/4 cup mayonnaise

Mix and chill. Can also add celery seed.

Recession Menu Tuna Casserole

Everyone remembers the old Tuna noodle casserole that saved all our budgets as young wives. A can of tuna, a can of soup, some peas, some noodles and leftover potato chips for the topping! For some reason it all worked. We get those old cravings some times, but thankfully we've been able to up the ante a little bit and make it a little more healthy and a little more interesting.

REVISED Glen Lennox Tuna Casserole

1 Cup Noodles of choice (New whole grain make it a little

healthier)

2 T Butter (Smart Balance)

3 T Flour

1/2-3/4 cup skim milk

1 large can chunk white tuna in water (2 "packets")

1 cup green peas

1 cup Gruyere cheese grated

Topping of choice

Cook noodles according to directions, place in colander. In pot met butter and stir in flour to make "paste" and just enough to cook flour to remove "raw" taste. Add milk and bring to thickened consistency. Add tuna, noodles, peas that are just run under some hot water in colander. When mixed thoroughly, add cheese until it melts. You can actually serve this like this or you can put in casserole dish, top with some crushed cracker crumbs, or French onion rings, and a little more cheese. Bake in 350 degree oven just to melt and brown the cheese on top.

Serve with arugula salad and viola! dinner!

Leftovers are even great chilled!

Stuffed Chicken Breast and Couscous

4 split chicken breasts with skin
1 small pkg. goat cheese "log"
8-10 fresh basil leaves, or rosemary or cilantro or a combination of your choice!
Salt, pepper, garlic powder

Slide fingers under skin of chicken to loosen.
Season breasts with salt, pepper, garlic powder.
Slice goat cheese into little rounds
Put two under skin of chicken (depending on size of split breasts. If smaller, just put one "round")
On top of the cheese spread fresh herb leaves over cheese.

Bake at 350 for about 45-55 mins until brown.

Couscous

1 1/4 cup water
1 cup Couscous
2-3 Bay leaves
1/2 tsp. Cinnamon
salt pepper

Bring water, bay leaves, salt, pepper, cinnamon to boil.
Stir in Couscous, cover and remove from heat.
Can also use broth instead of water for more flavor.

Not mom but farmer's daughter

Blood Orange Cake - THE RECIPE

1 lb. organic blood oranges (3–4 oranges) (You’re eating the skin and all here, so it’s important to use oranges that haven’t been sprayed if at all possible. To remove any wax, wash oranges in warm, soapy water and rinse well.)
6 large eggs
1 cup and 3 tablespoons white sugar
2 1/3 cups almond flour (or finely ground and sifted whole raw almonds)
1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder

1. Butter and flour 8-inch springform pan and line it with parchment paper cut exactly to fit bottom of pan. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2. Place oranges in saucepan and cover with cold water. Weight oranges down with plate, and simmer for 2 hours until tender. (Alternately, cook in pressure cooker for 15 minutes.)

3. Remove oranges from water and allow to cool. When cool enough to handle, split oranges open and remove seeds.

4. Place whole oranges, eggs, and sugar in food processor, and pulse on and off until oranges are pureed and everything is well mixed.

5. Add almond flour and baking powder, then pulse to combine. Pour mixture into pans and bake for one hour or until toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean.

6. After 45 minutes of baking, check to see if cake is browning on top and cover lightly with piece of greased foil for 15 minutes if necessary.

7. Let cake cool completely in pan. Top with powdered sugar and serve.

Place whole oranges, eggs, and sugar in food processor, and pulse on and off until oranges are pureed and everything is well mixed

I like this cake plain, or with whipped cream, but my favorite way is with buttermilk ice cream and sautéed pineapple

Flank Steak with Mojo Relish

Ingredients

1/4 cup fresh orange juice
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon ground cumin
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 (1 1/2-pound) flank steak, trimmed
2 cups diced, peeled orange (about 2 oranges)
3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce (such as Tabasco)
6 pimiento-stuffed olives, minced
Cooking spray

Preparation

Combine orange juice, lime juice, and garlic in a small bowl. Reserve 2 tablespoons juice mixture in a medium bowl; set aside. Add cumin, salt, and pepper to remaining juice mixture. Place steak in a shallow dish; brush evenly with spice mixture. Cover and chill 20 minutes.

Preheat broiler.

Combine reserved 2 tablespoons juice mixture, orange, mint, hot pepper sauce, and olives in a bowl; toss gently.

Place steak on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray; brush remaining marinade over steak. Broil 6 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. Let stand 5 minutes. Cut into thin slices. Serve with orange mixture. A side of black beans goes well with this meal!

Squash Casserole

3-4 medium yellow squash(thinly sliced)
1 onion (sweet or Vidalia) (thinly sliced)
1/2 stick butter
1 cup Extra Sharp Cheddar Cheese (grated)
1 egg
1/4 cup - 1/2 cup Milk
1/2 sleeve Saltine crackers (crushed)
salt and pepper

In a casserole layer sliced squash, sliced onion, salt, pepper, butter pads, cheese, then second layer. Top with crushed crackers, butter. Beat together egg and milk. pour over casserole. (May need a little more milk, depending on how deep the casserole. Press down on the casserole.) Bake at 350 for 45-min. to an hour or until top is browned. I've also used zucchini with the yellow squash and patty pan squash. What's fun about cooking is you can adjust recipes to your liking!

Black Bean & Pesto Lasagna

Black Bean and Pesto Lasagna

Inspired from the Red Onion Cafe days in Boone, NC

Black Bean Sauce:
2 cans Black Beans, drained
1 can diced tomatoes and chiles
2-3 tablespoons Fajita Marinade mix (ie: cumin, chili powder, red pepper, garlic powder, etc)
even with dry spices I still like to add some chopped garlic cloves and a nice hot pepper
Couple splashes of some cold beer
3-4 green onions, chopped
bring to boil and then simmer for a few minutes

Whip some ricotta cheese with two eggs, grated parmesan, salt and pepper to taste

Basil Pesto - You can find good pesto everywhere, but hopefully it’s a time of year you can make your own. I use about a cup for this recipe.

Assembly begins with a little bit of black bean sauce and dallop of pesto in a lightly-greased lasagna dish.

Next, a layer of lasagna noodles. I have really been satisfied with the NO Boil lasagna noodles but I have been curious about making my own ever since Justin’s Ravioli Party post.

Then some black bean sauce, pesto, and ricotta mixture, be liberal (order doesn’t really matter)

Sprinkle with some mozzarella, romano and /or parmesan.

And then a layer of pasta and repeat this process until you have reached the top of the dish. (note: save some of the black bean sauce for serving time)
I like to finish the top layer with a checkerboard pattern of Orange and White Cheese’s
Mozzerella and American, or Monterry Jack and Chedder, I just like calling them by color!
Cover with foil, I use two sheets, wrapping each side of dish and forming the two sheets together in the middle, looking kind of like a tent with a little vent hole.

Bake at 350 for about 45 minutes, let cool down before serving.

I actually like this better the next day, and it’s easier to serve. Put serving in a nice lasagna bowl and pour some of the black bean sauce over the lasagna, cover with a slice of orange and white cheese and microwave until heated and melted. (I like to cut each slice of cheese into 4 squares and make a really cool checkerboard pattern on each serving)

As always, adjust to your liking, that is the fun part about cooking, If you see something you don't like just change it!

Mom's Chicken Pie

Mom’s Chicken Pot Pie

2 cups cooked chicken cubes (Can use turkey, too)
2 small potatoes diced
¾ cup green peas
½ cup pearl onions
1 can cream soup (cream of chicken, celery) Low Sodium/Healthy Request
½ cup milk
1 pie crust (Pillsbury or store brand)

Place all ingredients except pie crust in large bowl. Mix together.
Pour into casserole dish. Top with pie crust. Put slits in the pie crust.
You can brush pie crust with egg wash for golden browning.

Bake at 350 for about an hour or until pie crust is browned.

Mama's Good Short Ribs

Mama’s Good Short Ribs

2-4 lbs. short ribs with or without bones
2-3 carrots sliced in big chunks
1 large onion in large chunks
1 cup of celery sliced with leaves
Flour for dredging
Salt
Pepper
Garlic Powder
1 cup red wine

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 cups beef stock
¼ cup Olive oil
2 T. butter softened
3 T. flour

Season ribs with salt, pepper, garlic powder. Dredge in flour. Put olive oil in large pot, heat. Put in ribs and brown on all sides. After browning add carrots, onions, celery, wine, and beef stock. Cook on medium low heat for 4-6 hours. Can start one night, let cook, turn off and then reheat and cook a little longer the next day if you can’t cook for 6 hours at a time. Mix 2 T. softened butter with 3 T. flour to make a roux in small dish. When thoroughly mixed add to sauce to thicken. Bring to a boil to thicken. Makes a great “gravy” or sauce.

Serve with Horseradish Mashed Potatoes
4 small potatoes cut in uniform chunks
Salt and Pepper to taste
Butter
½ cup milk
3 T. Prepared Horseradish

Place potatoes in pot, add salt and pepper. Cover with water and cook on medium until potatoes are fork tender. Drain water. Place back on burner (still on) to let water left in them cook off. Use a manual potato masher to mash the potatoes. Add butter, horseradish, milk and more salt and pepper if needed (to taste). Use a large spoon to whip to desired consistency. Sometimes we like “smashed potatoes” and sometimes we like “mashed, whipped potatoes”

Darn quick chili

Quick Chili
1 lb. ground beef
salt, pepper to taste
3 gloves garlic chopped
2 T. Chili powder
2 tsp. Tabasco (to taste)
1 onion chopped
1/2 green pepper chopped
1 can tomato paste
1 can kidney beans
1 can black beans
1 lg. can diced tomatoes
2 c. beef broth
1 dark beer
1 finely chopped hot pepper of your choice, try a habanero!

Brown meat, onion, green pepper, season. Add beans, tomatoes, broth and beer. Bring to light boil and simmer for a while.

Bortsch Soup inspired from Halinas - Chapel Hill, NC

inspired from Halinas restaurant in the old Chapel Hill, NC!

A variation on the traditional Russian, peasant soup, can be served hot or cold.

1 lb beets
2 medium potatoes (about 4 oz. when mashed)
1 medium onion, chopped
2 tablespoons lemon juice
salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
2 cups vegetable stock or water
3/4 cup sour cream

for the garnish:
4 tablespoons freshly chopped chives or parsley
sour cream (optional)

Cook the beets until tender, then peel and slice. Boil the potatoes and mash them.
Put the cooled beets, mashed potato, chopped onion an dlemon juice in a blender or food processor and puree. Add salt and pepper, vegetable stock and sour cream and puree for a further 1 minute.
Place the soup in the fridge and chill for 1 hour, then pour into individual serving dishes and sprinkle a little chopped chives or parsley on top to garnish, follow with a dollop of sour cream if desired

Tripodis Deli (Patty Tripodi) Eggplant Parmesan

My mom made this for my birthday one year! The Tripodis use to have a deli near University Mall and have had a very successful catering business for many many years!

1 medium Eggplant
Peel, Slice, Eggplant (you can salt and leave on paper towels to remove some of the bitterness)
2 eggs/2T water/beat together
flour
"Progresso" Italian Bread Crumbs (or Panko)
Dip dry Eggplant in flour, pat in, dip in egg mixture
Press (coat) in breadcrumbs
Brown in olive oil, drain on paper towels
Place Eggplant in "greased" casserole with grated fresh parmesan, romano, mozzarella cheese

Bring your favorite spaghetti sauce to a boil, this recipe specifically calls for Ragu chunky mushroom sauce, and adding 2T oregano, 2T Basil, 1tsp garlic powder. But you could also let your imagination run wild here with unlimited saucy options!
Pour sauce over Eggplant & Cheese and top with Bread Crumbs and extra Parmesan!

Bake 30 minutes @350 degrees
Taste even better the next day!

Swooze and Mom's Vidalia Onion Dip

Vidalia Onion Dip or any available Sweet Onion, like Walla Walla, Maui, Oso Sweets!

1 Vidalia Onion chopped
1 8 oz pkg. Cream cheese (can be fat-free/low fat)
1/2 c. mayonaise
1/2 c. Grated Parmesan cheese
2 T. paprika (Hungarian Hot Paprika is my favorite!)
dash of tabasco

Chop onion, mix with softened cream cheese and mayonaise. Put into casserole. Top with Parmesan and paprika. Bake at 350 until warm, bubbly and cheese slightly browned on top. About 20-30 minutes. Best served with Large Scooper Fritos or try toasted bread, bagel wafers, vegetables, or your favorite crackers!