Wednesday, November 15, 2006

Charleston's Baked Potato Soup

This is very close to the restaurant recipe. I (Lori) made it for Julie's baby shower since it is her favorite soup. It was great!

Ingredients:
1 1/2 Cans Chicken Broth (~ 2 1/2 cups)
1/2 Cup Water
5 Tablespoons Butter, melted
5 Tablespoons Flour
1 Tablespoon Minced Onion (dried)
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
2 Cups Half and Half (I used Fat Free)
1/8 Teaspoon Oregano
4 Cups Cubed Potatoes with/without skins (about 2 large or 3 small potatoes. I left skins on)
1/2 Teaspoon Pepper
1/8 Teaspoon Parsley (dried)

Garnishments:
Sliced Green Onions (or chives)
Cheddar Cheese
Crisp Cooked Bacon Bits

Procedure:
In large pan, mix chicken broth, water, minced onions, oregano, and parsley. Bring to a boil, then simmer 5 minutes then add melted butter. Stir in flour slowly. Add salt and pepper. Add half and half. (Flour will still be lumpy despite lots of stirring. It evens out once it boils again). Cook until bubbly. Add potatoes. Cook until done over low to medium heat, stirring occasionally. If cooked too fast, the soup will burn before potatoes cook thoroughly. (I simmered on Low for about 1.5 - 2 hours. Stir occasionally to keep potatoes from sticking to bottom of pan.)

Garnish each bowl with the chopped onion, crisp cooked bacon, and grated cheese.

http://groups.msn.com/SecretRestaurantRecipes/restaurantrecipes.msnw?action=view_list&row=61&viewtype=2&sortstring=

Monday, November 13, 2006

Herbed Turkey and Dressing

Basting Sauce:
2 1/4 c. chicken broth
1/2 c. butter
1/2 t. salt
1 t. dried thyme
1/4 t. EACH dried marjoram, rosemary and rubbed sage
1/4 c. chopped fresh parsley
2 T. dried chives (optional since they are expensive)

Dressing:
1 loaf (1 lb.) sliced white bread
1 lb. bulk pork sausage
1/2 c. butter
4 c. thinly sliced celery
3 c. thinly sliced carrots
1/2 lb. fresh mushrooms, chopped
1/2 lb. cubed fully cooked ham
2 c. sliced green onions
2 c. chopped pecans
1 large tart apple
1 c. chopped dried apricots
1 T. rubbed sage
2. t. dried marjoram
1 t. dried rosemary
1 t. salt
1/8 t. g. nutmeg
4 eggs, lightly beaten
1 turkey (16-18 lbs.)
1 c. chicken broth

In pan, bring broth, butter and salt to a boil. Add herbs; set aside. Toast bread; cut into 1/2 inch cubes. Place in a bowl. In a skillet, brown sausage; remove with slotted spoon and add to bread. Add butter to drippings; saute celery, carrots, mushrooms, ham and onions for 15 imnutes. Add to bread mixture; stir in next eight ingredietns. Add eggs and 3/4 c. basting sauce: mix lightly. Stuff turkey with about 8 cups of dressing. Skewer openings; tie drumsticks together. Place on a rack in roasting pan. Baste with some of the remaining basting sauce. Bake, uncovered, at 325 degrees for 5-5 1/2 hours or until thermometer reads 185., basting every 30 minutes. When turkey begins to brown, cover lightly with foil. Add broth to remaining dressing; mix lightly. Place in a agreased 2-1/2 qt. baking dish;chill. Cover and bake at 325 for 1 hour; uncover and bake 10 minutes.

Apple Crumb Pie


2/3 c. granulated sugar
2 T. flour
1 t. cinnamon
1/4 t. EACH: cloves, salt, and nutmeg
6 c. coarsely diced, peeled tart apples
1 Unbaked 10-inch Pie Shell
3/4 c. flour
1/2 c. firmly-packed brown sugar
6 T. butter
1/3 c. chopped nuts (like roasted pecans)

Combine: 2/3 c. sugar, 2 T. flour, the spices and salt. Toss together with diced apples until well-mixed. Spoon into pie shell. Bake in preheated 400 oven for 25 mintues.

Meanwhile, blend 3/4 c. flour with the brown sugar until well blended. Cut in butter until mixture looks like coarse meal. Stir in nuts. Take Pie from oven and sprinkle with butter-sugar mixture. Return to oven and continue baking 30-35 minutes, or until browned and apples are tender.

** I don't always like pie crust, so sometimes I just spray a baking dish and put the apples in to bake that way and make a crisp.

Strip Steaks with a Side of Blue Cheese Spaghetti

Strip Steaks with a Side of Blue Cheese Spaghetti
Recipe courtesy Rachael Ray

Ingredients
4 slices bacon, chopped into 1-inch pieces
Salt
1 pound spaghetti
4 (8-ounce) NY strip steaks
Ground black pepper
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan
5 tablespoons butter, divided
4 cloves garlic, minced, divided
2 shallots, finely chopped
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup chicken stock
1/4 to 1/3 cup cream or half-and-half, eyeball it
8 ounces blue cheese crumbles
2 to 3 tablespoons chopped sage leaves
2 tablespoons chives, chopped, a palm full
2 cups arugula, a small bunch, cleaned, trimmed and shredded

Put a large pot of water on the stove to bring to a boil for pasta. Preheat broiler to high with rack on top shelf. Preheat medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add chopped bacon and cook until crisp.
Salt water for pasta and add spaghetti to the pot. Cook to al dente, with a bite to it. Season the steaks with salt and pepper on both sides and arrange on slotted broiler pan. Remove bacon to paper towel lined plate with a slotted spoon and drain off most of the fat, return pan to heat and reduce heat to medium. Add extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan and 1 tablespoon butter. When butter melts into extra-virgin olive oil, add in 2 cloves garlic and the shallots, saute for 3 minutes. Arrange steaks on the broiler pan. Place under broiler - leave door to oven cracked ajar to limit flare ups and smoke. Cook 4 minutes on each side for medium rare, up to 5 to 6 minutes on each side for medium well doneness.
To the garlic and shallots, add in flour and cook a minute more. Whisk in stock, bring to a bubble, about 30 seconds then stir in the cream. When cream comes to a bubble, add in blue cheese and sage and a few grinds of black pepper. Stir until cheese melts. Reduce heat to lowest setting. Soften 4 tablespoons butter in microwave on high for 15 seconds. Mix in chives and 2 cloves minced garlic and reserve. Remove steaks from oven and let rest 5 minutes. Place 1/4 of the chive and garlic butter mixture on each steak to melt down over the meat as they rest. Drain pasta and toss with sauce to coat and combine evenly. Taste to adjust seasoning.

Serve steaks with pasta alongside. Scatter the arugula and bacon bits across the top of the pasta.
Copyright 2006 Television Food Network, G.P., All Rights Reserved

Tomato, Mozzerella and Pesto Pannini

What you need:

Ciabatta bread (or some substantial artisan bread)
Tomatoes - sliced about 1/4-1/2 inch thickness
Fresh Mozzerella - sliced 1/4 - 1/2 inch. thick
Pesto
Fresh Basil leaves
Butter

Cut bread in half (as much as you and everyone else will eat)
Slather bread with pesto on both sides.
On one side of the bread, layer tomatoes and fresh mozzerella.
Cover with other side of bread.
Brush both outsides of bread with butter.
Place bread on med-high heated grill pan and place something heavy on top (my copper pots are perfect for this).
Grill 3 minutes - then flip - grill another 2-3 minutes until cheese is melted and gooey.
Open sandwich and place fresh basil leaves. Close and enjoy.

Can also add shredded chicken to sandwich.

YUM!

Calico Squash Casserole

Calico Squash Casserole (Taste of Home Aug/Sept. 1997)


2 c. sliced yellow summer squash (1/4inch. thick)
1 c. sliced zucchini (1/4 inch thick)
1 med. onion, chopped
1/4 c. green onions, sliced
1 c. water
1 t. salt, divided
2 c. crushed butter-flavored crackers
1/2 c. butter, melted
1 can (10-3/4 ounces.) cond. cream of chicken soup, undiluted
1 can (8 ounces.) water chestnuts, drained (optional)
1 large carrot, shredded
1/2 c. mayo
1 jar (2 ounces) diced pimientos, drained
1 t. rubbed sage
1/2 t. white pepper
1 c. shredded sharp cheddar cheese

In a saucepan, combine the first five ingredients; add 1/2 t. salt. Cover and cook until squash is tender, about 6 minutes. Drain well; set aside. Combine crumbs and butter; spoon half into a greased shallow 1-1/2-qt. baking dish. Combine soup, water chestnuts, carrot, mayo, pimientos, sage, pepper and remaining salt; fold into squash misture. Spoon over crumbs. Sprinkle with cheese, add the remaining crumb mixture. Bake, uncovered, at 350 for 30 minutes or until lightly browned. Yield 8 servings.

Pick 'Em

Pick 'Em (from the kitchen of Jan Keyes)

Melt together 1 stick salted butter & 1 c. water in microwave until butter has melted.
Crack 1 egg in bottom of bread machine pan and whip it up a little.
Pour butter/water mixutre into bread machine pan
Add 4c. flour to b.m. pan
Add 1/2c sugar, 1t. salt on top of flour.
Add 1 pkg. yeast (or 2 1/4t.) on top of all b.m. pan ingredients.
Run bread macine on dough cycle.
After cycle finished, Form dough ball into lots of mini-balls on floured board.
Spray baking pan (I like to use a bundt pan) w/non-stick stuff.
Roll mini-dough balls into melted butter, then into a cinnamon sugar mixture.
Place mini-balls in bundt pan.
Let rise in warm place 1 hour
Bake @ 350 for about 30 mins.

YUM!

Friday, November 03, 2006

Oatmeal Chip Cookies

Ok guys - I think these are actually better than Aunt Linda's oatmeal cookies. The molasses keeps them a little softer. Sharon - you can substitute raisins or peanut butter chips (I think I actually made some that way for you last time you were here...) (Taste of Home 2006)

INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
1/2 - 1 tablespoon molasses
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup quick-cooking oats
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS
In a large mixing bowl, cream shortening and sugar. Beat in the molasses, egg and vanilla. Combine the flour, oats, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture. Stir in chocolate chips. Roll into 1-1/2-in. balls. Place 2 in. apart on greased baking sheets. Bake at 350° for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks. Yield: about 1-1/2 dozen.

* I doubled this recipe and used the medium Pampered Chef scoop (LOVE that thing!) and it made 4 dozen cookies. Yummy!

Purpose of the Blog

We Nye Sistas have grown up with a passion for cooking, baking and all things epicurious. This blog will allow us to share recipes with each other, and maybe some other odds and ends as we feel fit. Enjoy and bon appetit!