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!

Artichoke Dip

Look for several Dip recipes this week in anticipation for the Superbowl weekend!

Artichoke Dip

1 can (14 ounces) water-packed artichoke hearts, rinsed and drained
1 cup mayonnaise (Duke's is my favorite!)
1/3 to 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese (buy the good stuff!)
1 garlic clove, minced
Dash hot pepper sauce (optional)
Hungarian Hot Paprika (My Favorite)
Toasted & Buttered Bread slices

Instructions:

1. In a large bowl, combine the artichoke hearts, mayonnaise, Parmesan cheese, garlic and hot pepper sauce. Place in a 1 quart greased baking dish. If desired, sprinkle with paprika.
2. In an uncovered baking dish, bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until top is lightly brown. Serve warm toasted and buttered bread slices. (I use a hoagie roll and slice thin round slices after the bread has been toasted!) Also, you can add spinach to make a great Spinach-Artichoke dip that is also very yummy! ENJOY!

Brown Brothers' Sausage Potato Soup

Like the Olive Garden Toscana Soup

Every year Brown Brothers' Plumbing Co. gives 10 lbs of fresh sausage to our office for Christmas. There is a mad dash to get it. One year I tried to copy the Olive Garden Sausage Potato Soup.

• 1 lb. Favorite Sausage (out of casing)
• 1 Large onion sliced
• 2 Medium potatoes cubed
• 1 Large clove of garlic, minced
• 2 cups of Kale sliced
• Chicken Broth
• 3 T. Butter
• Water
• Salt
• Pepper
• 1 cup of skim milk

Brown sausage, onion, potatoes, garlic. Add chicken broth, water, butter, salt, pepper. Simmer. Before serving add kale, and milk.

For a thicker soup add a can of potato soup or instant potato flakes.

Serve with crusty bread.

Quick Vegetable Soup

Mom's Quick Vegetable Soup

• 1/2 lb ground beef
• 2 large carrots sliced/chopped
• 1 large onion chopped
• 2 medium potatoes chopped
• (washed/I never peel potatoes)
• 2 stalks celery chopped
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• 1 packet of Splenda
• 3/4 cup frozen green peas
• 1 cup frozen corn (white shoe peg good)
• 1 can creamed corn (frozen creamed corn
• is best when you can find it. Comes in a tube
• like sausage. Use about half a tube)
• 2 cups vegetable or chicken broth
  1 cup of water
• Salt
• Pepper
• Garlic powder1 T. Basil

Brown ground beef, add carrots, onions, celery and potatoes. Add broth, tomatoes, Splenda, creamed corn and water. Stir in peas and corn after soup has simmered a while.

Great with Grandmothers Jalapeno cornbread, crusty bread or saltines.

Grandmother's Jalapeno Cornbread

Grandmother's Jalapeno Cornbread

1 box Jiffy Cornbread Mix

1 can creamed corn

1 small can jalapeno peppers drained

(or Green Chiles)

1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

1 egg

Mix together, top with more cheese.

Bake at 350 a little longer than box directions, until cheese on top has browned a little. Let set. Cut in squares.

Split Pea Soup

Split Pea Soup

Best time to make this is after having a Spiral Ham!
But can be done using smoked turkey parts that can be found in most grocery stores these days. Wings and legs best.

1 pkg. green split peas
1 large onion sliced/chopped
2 celery stalks chopped
1 clove of garlic chopped
1 ham bone (or smoked turkey part)
1 T kosher salt
1 T ground pepper

Wash and drain peas, put in a large stockpot with the vegetables, ham bone and 2 1/2 quarts of water. Bring to a simmer. Cover and simmer stirring occasionally. Cook about 2 1/2 hours.

Remove bones, chop any large ham pieces into smaller bite size, stir, puree or use a potato masher for consistency you want. Can use a food processor, but not really necessary if you cook long enough.

Great with croutons or the fresh baguette slices.

Great for a cool winter day.

Ladle into bowls.

Lena's Spaghetti

Lena's Spaghetti - This is my Mom's VERY FIRST SPAGHETTI RECIPE EVER!!
Thank You Lena!

1 lb. ground beef

1 onion chopped

2 cups of mushrooms

1/2 green pepper chopped

1 can tomato soup

1 can mushroom soup

1 can tomato paste

1 soup can of water

salt, pepper to taste

3 T. Oregano

3 T. garlic powder

1 tsp. Tabasco Sauce

Brown ground beef, onions, green peppers, then add mushrooms. Add seasoning, soup, tomato paste and water. Simmer.

Today's spaghetti sauce everything is pretty much the same without the soup, but I do use Classico Tomato and Basil Sauce. I also use a lot of fresh basil when I have it and garlic cloves (usually about 3-4 chopped when browning the meat). Most of the time I add some red or white wine (about 3/4 cup), whatever is available. When cooking with any kind of tomato sauce, etc. I always add at least one packet of Splenda. Not sure where I learned this tip, but it works in all tomato dishes. Another good way to fix this is using turkey Italian sausage either the hot or sweet. When using the hot, you can leave out the Tabasco.

Serve over noodles. When cooking noodles, I always add about a teaspoon of olive oil to the water.

I have started using the multi-grain pasta. When you use this, it takes a little longer to cook.

Spinach Lentil Stew

Lentil-Spinach Stew
There is no way you can eat just one bowl of this soup! The first time we had this we decided if we ever had a restaurant we would charge a $1.00 for the first bowl, $2.00 for the second, $3.00 for the third and so on!

Simple and Delicious!

• 1 medium onion
• 3-5 cloves garlic
• (6oz, 1 cup) split red lentils
• 1 (14oz) can chopped tomatoes (with juice)
• 4 cups Vegetable Stock (more or less depending on the consistency soup you like)
  
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce, or dark soy sauce
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt & fresh ground pepper
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp ground fennel seed (this is what makes you keep coming back for more!)
  
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 medium carrots
• (9oz) fresh or frozen chopped spinach
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar or red wine vinegar (add with each serving)

1. Chop the onion.
Sauté in olive oil until soft but not browned.

2. Meanwhile, chop the garlic and rinse the lentils.

When the onion is soft, add the garlic, lentils, tomatoes, vegetable stock, Worcestershire / soy sauce, salt, thyme, fennel and bay leaf to the pan, along with (2-4 cups) stock.

3. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover pan, and simmer for about 20 minutes, until the lentils have started to break up. Stir occasionally.

4. Meanwhile, peel the carrots and chop into 1cm (1/4 inch) cubes.
If using fresh spinach, wash, remove large stalks and chop roughly.

5. Add the carrots and spinach to the pan.
Stir until mixed, and until frozen spinach has defrosted.
Cover and simmer a further 15 minutes, or until lentils and vegetables are cooked.
Remove bay leaf.

Using frozen chopped spinach gives a more homogeneous texture - fresh spinach will be in larger pieces
I sometimes like a mixture of the two.

As always, adjust to your liking! We never really "measure" or follow a recipe exact! That is the major joy of preparing and cooking food, especially SOUPS!... ENJOY!!

Mom's best pizza EVER!

New York Style Pizza dough
Fresh Mozzarella from Deli
(or regular shredded Mozzarella cheese)
Roma Tomatoes sliced thin
ground beef
1/4 thinly sliced onion (we used red)
1/8 thinly sliced green pepper
8 mushrooms thinly sliced
4 to 6 sliced proscuitto from Deli
3 T. Garlic Powder
3 T. Oregano
Salt and Pepper

First off the PIZZA dough:

We found a great frozen dough in Harris Teeter called REAL NEW YORK PIZZA DOUGH out of Brooklyn, NY. Follow Thawing directions and press into a standard baking sheet pan, shape of your choice, we like oblong. Rub dough lighty with olive oil.

Slice fresh (or grated) mozzarella cheese as first layer of pizza
Add thinly sliced Roma tomato slices
Crumble hamburger over tomato layer (not too thick)
Add thinly sliced onion, green peppers, mushrooms
Put on thin slices Proscuitto Ham
Sprinkle with Garlic powder, oregano, salt and pepper.
Then cover entire pizza with mozzarella cheese.
Cook according to dough package instructions.
Then top with grated fresh parmesan, and red pepper flakes if desired (always on the table at the Open Kitchen!).
425 for about 20 minutes, monitor for your preference.

My mom grew up with pizza at the Open Kitchen in Charlotte, NC.
We both agreed that this is the closest we have ever come to capturing their great flavors. Since my brother and I also enjoyed the Open Kitchen, this has become a generational thing. Nice to have it at home, now that we are out of the Open Kitchen range.

Adjust toppings to your preference! and ENJOY!
and Thanks to the Open Kitchen for inspiring and pleasing generations of Pizza Lovers!

Quick Corned Beef & Cabbage

Mom's quick throw Together Corned Beef and Cabbage

From Paula Deen

1 can corned beef

4 slices bacon

1 small head of cabbage chopped

salt & pepper to taste

2 T butter

Fry bacon, take out of pan. Cook cabbage in bacon drippings until tender. Salt, pepper and add a little butter. (Paula added a lot, but really just a little taste will do). Stir in crumbled corned beef and heat through. Add crumbled bacon to top.

Can't beat it for a quick and very inexpensive dinner. For two people a half can of corned beef is enough and half the cabbage.

Mom's Microwave Shrimp Scampi

Mom's Microwave Shrimp Scampi

1 lb. shrimp (peeled)

1 lb fresh mushroom sliced

3 T. butter

3 cloves garlic chopped

Juice of one lemon

2 T. cornstarch

1/4 cup white wine

1 tsp. kosher salt

1/2 tsp ground pepper

3/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Melt butter in microwave. Add mushrooms and garlic, cook on high for 3 minutes. Add shrimp trying to keep larger ends to the outside of the dish. Cook 3 more minutes. Add wine and cornstarch. Cook until shrimp are all pink about 3 more minutes. Add parsley, salt, pepper. Stir. Serve over noodles or rice. Cooking times will vary by microwaves, but do not overcook. Test one of the shrimp when they turn pink to make sure they are firm, but overcooking will make them rubbery.

I use the Uncle Ben's 90 second pouches. This is good over the brown/wild rice mix. Noodles work too but we prefer brown rice!

Mom's Meatloaf

Mom's Meatloaf:

• 1 lb ground beef/chuck
• 1/2 large or 1 small onion chopped
• 1/3 cup green pepper chopped
  
• 1/2 sleeve saltines crushed
• ( I use fat free, about a cup)
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 tsp. kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• 2 T. melted butter
• 1 can tomato paste
• 1/4 cup mustard
• 1/4 cup brown sugar (I use Splenda)
• 1/4 cup vinegar

In a large bowl, mix meat, onions, green peppers, crackers, egg, butter and milk. Salt, pepper, garlic powder, 1/2 can tomato paste, 1/2 mustard. Form loaf and put in pan. With the handle of a wooden spoon make several holes in the loaf.

In a small saucepan combine rest of tomato paste, mustard, brown sugar, 1/4 cup vinegar heat and mix thoroughly. Pour over loaf, coating sides.

Bake at 350 for one hour and 15 minutes.

*NOTE* This recipe is also good to "use what you have". No tomato paste? Use catsup, then use less brown sugar. No onions? use shallots! no green pepper? try a red or yellow pepper! or spice it up with a jalapeño! The joy about my Mom's cooking is there really are no "recipes" just guidelines to follow. All measurements are done with the eyes!