Wednesday, January 18, 2023

Mozarella Cheese

  • 1 GALLON Milk
  • 1 1/2 TSP Citric Acid
  • 1/2 TSP Cheese Salt
  • 1/2 TABLET Rennet

Step 1

Measure out 1 CUP of water into a small bowl. Add the citric acid and stir until dissolved. Measure out 1/4 CUP of water and dissolve a 1/2 TABLET.

Step 2

Pour the citric acid solution, followed bgy a gallon of milk into a pot. Set the pot over medium high heat and warm to 90 degrees farenheit, stirring gfen tly. Keep a very close wath on the temperature and make sure not to heat the milk to far above 90 degrees.

Step 3

Remove the pot from the heat, pour in trhe rennet solution and stir for 30 seconds. Cover the pot and leave undisturbed for 10 minutes.

Step 4

The milk should have set and feel like soft tofu. If not, you can cover and wait until the curd forms (another 20-30 minutes). Gently cut the milk, now known as curd, into uniform pieces creating a grid pattern.

Step 5

Warm the pot over medium heat to no more than 106 degrees farenheit. Watch the temperature carefully. Stir the curds slowly as they warm but don't break them up too much. The curds will eventually clump together.

Step 6

Remove the pan from the heat and continue stirring gently for another 5 minutes. Ladle the curds into a microwave-safe bowl with a slotted spoon.

Step 7

Microwave the curds for 1 miute. Drain off the whey. Put on rubber gloves and fold the curd over on itself a few times.

Step 8

Microwave the curds for another 30 seconds and check their internal temperature. If the temperature has reached 135 degrees farenheit, continue with stretching the curds. If not, microwave the curds in 30 secon intervals until they reach 135 degrees farenheit.

Step 9

Sprinkle the cheese salt over the cheese and squish it with your fingers to mix it in. Stretch and fold the curds repeatedly. The curds will begin to tighten and to take on a glossy sheen. Now you can shape the mozarella into large or small balls.

Storage

To store the mozarella cheese, place it in a small container. Mix a teaspoon of salt with a cup of whey and pour over the mozarella. Cover and refrigerate. It will last up to a week.

Monday, June 20, 2022

Shrimp on the Barbie


Start with some larger shrimp. Peel them and stick them on a skewer.


In a small sauce pan, mix all of this tastiness until it is a liquid:

  • 1/4 CUP Butter
  • 1 TBSP Old Bay
  • 1 TBSP Brown Sugar
  • 1/2 TSP Garlic Powder
  • 1/2 TSP Onion Powder
  • 1/2 TSP Cumin
  • 1/4 TSP Cayenne Pepper
  • 1 TBSP Garlic, minced
Baste the shrimp with above sauce. Place on hot grill. Cook 2.5 minutes on each side.

Sunday, June 19, 2022

Perfect Chili

Perfect Chili:

  • 1 POUND Ground Beef
  • 1 LARGE Yellow Onion, Diced (More is better!)
  • 4 Jalapeno Peppers, 2 Serrano Peppers, de-seed and Dice finely
  • 2 TBSP Garlic, Minced
  • 2 TBSP Chili Powder
  • 1 TBSP Ground Cumin
  • 1 TBSP Paprika
  • .5 TSP Cayenne Pepper
  • Kosher Salt and Black Pepper
  • 3 TSP Tomato Paste
  • 1.5 CUP Beef Broth (Low-Sodium if possible)
  • One 28oz CAN Whole Peeled Tomatoes, Crushed
  • Two 15.5oz CANs Kidney Beans, Undrained
  • Sour Cream, Shredded Cheese and Sliced Scallions for serving
  • Cooking Oil

Meat:

Add 2 TSP cooking oil to a pan over medium-high heat
Brown the Group Beef, breaking into small bits as you go
Remove beef, transfer to a plate, leaving as much juice in the pan as possible

Onions:

Reduce to medium
Add onions and cook until glassy, stirring occasionally (about 10 minutes). Add oil if needed.

Chilis and Garlic:


Add chilis, stir and cook until softened (about 8 minutes)
Add garlic and stir continuously for 2 minutes

Spices:

Add Chili Powder, Cumin, Paprika, Cayenne, 1/4 TSP Salt and Tomato Paste
Stir continuously for 2 minutes until onions are coated and fragrant

Wet Stuff:

Stir in the Beef Broth and the Crushed Tomatoes
Bring to a Boil
Stir in the Cooked Ground Beef (and any accumulated liquid)
Reduce to Medium-Low, Simmer (partially covered) for 30 minutes

Beans:

Stir in the Kidney Beans and their Liquid
Simmer, uncovered until the chili is thickened, about 30 minutes
Add Salt and Pepper to taste (I use virtually no salt)

Serve!

Top with Sour Cream, Finely Diced Green Scallions, TBSP of Shredded Cheese all stirred up into the Chili

Broccoli Salad

This is the (Reverse Engineered) Soup Plantation Broccoli Salad

Broccoli Salad:

  • 2 POUNDS Fresh Broccoli florets, cut into 1/2 chunks
  • 1/4 CUP (Finely) Diced Red Onion
  • 1 CUP Raisins (I like to throw in a handful of cranberries as well)
  • 16 OZ Cashews (buy the broken bits-type; it's cheaper)
  • 1 CUP Bacon Bits (if you're making your own, this might mean an entire pound of crispy-fried bacon)

Toss all of the above in a large bowl

Broccoli Salad Dressing:

  • 1 CUP Greek Yogurt (can substitute with other no-flavor yogurt. NON-Fat is not adviseable. Try to get at least 2% fat)
  • 3 TBSP Apple Cider Vinegar
  • 3 TBSP Vegetable Oil
  • 1/4 CUP Sugar

Add dressing to dry salad mixture, toss well. Let rest in refrigerator for 2 hours.

Friday, May 6, 2022

Spoon Bread Tamale Bake

  • 1.5 LB Hambuger
  • .25 CUP Olive Oil

Brown above. In separate pan, add:

  • 1 CUP Onion, chopped
  • .5 CUP Green Bell Pepper, Chopped
  • .5 Cup Celery, Chopped

  • This is the "Holy Trinity"
  • 1 TBSP Garlic, minced

Cook. Stirring until Onions are golden brown. Stir In:

  • 12oz Can Corn or other Whole Kernel Corn
  • 2.5 CUPS (1 LB 4 OZ) Canned Diced Tomatoes
  • 1 TSP Salt
  • 1.5 TBSP Chili Powder
  • .5 TSP Pepper

Simmer 5 minutes. In a separate container Mix up:

  • .5 CUP Corn Meal
  • 1 CUP Water

Stir into main mixture. Simmer Uncovered for 10 minutes. (OPTIONAL) Add 1 CUP Olives.
Stir into 3 quart casserole dish

Heat, in Saucepan:

  • 1.5 CUPS Milk
  • 1 TSP Salt
  • 1 TSP Butter

Stir until thickened. Remove from heat. Add:

  • 1 CUP Grated Extra Sharp Cheddar
  • 2 Eggs, Slightly Beaten

Pour over mixture. Bake, uncovered, for 40 minutes at 375

Makes 6 to 8 servings

Sweet Potato Pie

  • 1 1/2 Cups Mashed Sweet Potatoes
  • 2/3 CUP Brown Sugar
  • 1 TBSP Melted Butter
  • 1 Egg Slightly Beaten
  • 1 CUP Milk
  • 1 TSP Cinammon
  • 1/4 TSP Ginger
  • 1/3 TSP Allspice
  • 1/8 TSP Salt
  • 450 for 15 minutes then 350 until toothpick pulls clean

Sunday, January 30, 2022

Jewish Rye Bread

  • 2 cups unbleached bread flour (such as King Arthur®)
  • 1 cup dark rye flour
  • 3 tablespoons dry potato flakes
  • 2 tablespoons caraway seeds
  • 1 ½ tablespoons demerara sugar
  • 2 ½ teaspoons instant yeast
  • 1 ½ teaspoons sea salt
  • 1 cup warm water
  • ¼ cup canola oil
  • ¼ cup sour pickle juice
Place bread flour, rye flour, potato flakes, caraway seeds, demarara sugar, yeast, and sea salt in the bowl of a large stand mixer. Turn mixer to low and thoroughly mix dry ingredients. Beat warm water, canola oil, and pickle juice into dry ingredients. Fit dough hook onto mixer and beat until dough is rough and shaggy-looking.
Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let rest for exactly 30 minutes. Remove plastic wrap and knead dough in stand mixer with dough hook until smooth, firm, and only slightly sticky, 6 to 8 minutes. Turn dough onto a floured work surface and knead until smooth, 1 to 2 more minutes.
Form dough into a ball, place dough into an oiled bowl, and turn dough around several times in bowl to coat with oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, set into a warm place, and let rise until nearly double, about 1 hour.
Grease a 5x9-inch loaf pan. Turn dough onto a lightly oiled surface, shape into a log, and place into prepared loaf pan. Cover with a cloth kitchen towel and let rise until top of dough has risen slightly over top of pan, 60 to 90 minutes.
Place rack in middle of oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Bake loaf until golden brown and cooked through, about 35 minutes. The internal temperature of the bread should be 190 degrees F (90 degrees C). If loaf browns too quickly, cover loosely with a tent of aluminum foil with shiny side out. Remove from pan and cool on wire rack.

Saturday, January 22, 2022

Thai Peanut Dressing with a *TWIST*

 

  • 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
  • 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 2 tablespoons lime juice (from 1 lime)
  • 1 tablespoon fresh ginger minced
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1/4 teaspoon red chili flakes
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
The *TWIST* is to add 1lb Plain Yoghurt

This makes a delicious salad dressing

Friday, January 21, 2022

Asian Sesame Dressing

  • 1/4 cup soy sauce
  • 2 tbsp toasted sesame oil
  • 1/4 cup white vinegar (adjust to taste for sharpness)
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1 tbsp sugar

Tuesday, January 18, 2022

Stir Fry Sauce

  • 1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce
  • 1/2 cup chicken stock
  • 2 tablespoons fresh chopped ginger
  • 2 cloves of garlic grated or finely minced
  • 1 tablespoon corn starch
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1 teaspoon sesame seed oil
  • 1 teaspoon rice vinegar

Friday, April 23, 2021

Wednesday, April 21, 2021

Grouper

  • 1 TSP Diced Garlic
  • 1/2 TSP Black Pepper
  • 2 TBSP Olive Oil
  • 2 TBSP Teriyaki Sauce (or mix it up once and use Balsamic)
  • 2 TSP Green Onion or Shallots or Onion
  • 1 TSP Lemon
  • 4 TBSP Butter
Combine all ingredients except butter and shallots into a separate bowl. Cut the fish until it's about 1" thick. Coat the fish with the Shallots. Into a hot pan coated with Olive Oil place the fish shallots down and try to sear it as much as possible. After a few minutes, flip and add the 4 TBSP butter. After the butter melts, add the ingredient mixture. Cover and simmer until tender. You can turn the fish but it will tend to break up.


Thursday, April 15, 2021

Pizza Dough

  • 2-2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour OR bread flour (250-295g)
  • 1 packet instant yeast (2 ¼ teaspoon)
  • 1.5 TSP Sugar
  • 1/2 TSP Salt
  • 1/4 TSP Garlic Powder
  • 1/4 TSP Onion Powder
  • 1/4 TSP Basil Leaves
  • 2 TBSP Olive oil
  • 3/4 CUP Warm Water
Mix up, let sit for 30 minutes to rise. Put into bowl with olive oil coating to round into balls.

Saturday, April 10, 2021

Sausage - Andouille

  • 3 1/2 LBS meat
  • 1 CUP Diced Onion (Caramelized and cooled)
  • 2 TBSP Kosher Salt
  • 1 TSP (Heaping) Instacure
  • 1/2 CUP Dry Milk
  • 3 TBSP Minced (or Dried) Garlic
  • 2 TSP Cayenne
  • 2 TBSP Sweet Paprika
  • 1/2 TSP Clove
  • 1/4 TSP Allspace
  • 2 TSP Thyme
  • 1 TSP Mustard Powder
  • 1/2 CUP Red Wine

Friday, April 9, 2021

Sausage - Classic Sage

  • 3 LBS meat
  • 1/2 CUP Dried Sage
  • 2 TBSP Minced and TOASTED Garlic
  • 1 TBSP Black Pepper
  • 1.5 TBSP Salt (I use less. maybe only a TSP)
  •  
  • For next-level tastiness, add 1/4 CUP Maple Syrup

Sausage - Italian Sausage

  • 2 LBS (1 KILO) meat
  • 2 TSP Dried Parsley
  • 2 TSP Italian Seasoning
  • 1.5 TSP Black Pepper
  • 1/2 TSP Fennel Seed (Ground)
  • 1 TSP Paprika
  • 1 TSP Red Pepper Flakes
  • 1 TSP Salt
  • 1 TBSP Minced Garlic
  • 1 TBSP Onion (I have used dried and fresh. If Fresh, sautee first)

Monday, February 8, 2021

Shrimp Tacos

The Sauce

  • 1/2 CUP sour cream
  • 1/3 CUP Mayo
  • 2 TBSP lime juice
  • 1 TSP garlic powder
  • 1 TSP Sriracha

The Shrimp

  • 1.5 TSP Cumin
  • 2 TSP Chili Powder
  • 1/2 TSP Onion Powder
  • 1/2 TSP Garlic Powder
  • 1/4 TSP Cayenne Pepper
  • 1/2 TSP Coarse (Sea) Salt

  • Mix dry ingredients onto shrimp in a bowl. Fry with not-too-much oil in a pan. 3-4 minutes per side.

Sunday, January 31, 2021

Buttermilk Biscuits

Basically, start off with frying up a 1/2lb of bacon. You will use the grease to coat both top and bottom of each biscuit. I like to use what's left of the grease to make gravy.

Buttermilk Biscuits

  • 2 Cups Self-Rising Flour

OR

  • 2 Cups Flour
  • 2 TSP Baking Powder
  • 3/4 TSP Salt

PLUS

  • 1/4 TSP Baking Soda
  • 1/4 TSP Salt
  • 1/4 CUP Shortening
  • 1 CUP Buttermilk

You may need a little more buttermik and. little less shortening, depending on climate. Try it and see if they are moist enough. If they are too crumbly, use less shortening.

Cook @ 400 degrees for 15-17 minutes, then 2 minutes on BROIL to brown tops


After two minutes on broil, pull out and do a quick egg wash. Put back in on broil for 1-2 minutes (basically keep an eye on them to brown)

MAKES 9.5 BISCUITS

NOTE if you don't have Buttermilk you can make your own by adding a TBSP of lemon juice to 1 CUP of sweet milk and let that sit for 10 minutes. You may need to add a bit more flour as this faux buttermilk seems to absorb less.

Friday, January 29, 2021

Whipped Cream

  • 1 cup (240ml) cold heavy cream or heavy whipping cream
  • 2 Tablespoons confectioners’ sugar or granulated sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Chop Suey

Ingredients

  • ¼ cup shortening
  • 1 ½ cups diced pork loin
  • 1 cup diced onion
  • 1 cup diced celery
  • 1 cup hot water
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 (14.5 ounce) can bean sprouts, drained and rinsed
  • 1 can Water Chestnuts
  • 1 can Baby Corn
  • 1 can Bamboo Shoots
  • ⅓ cup cold water
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 2 teaspoons soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon white sugar

Directions

Step 1

Heat shortening in a large, deep skillet. Sear pork until it turns white, then add onion and saute for 5 minutes. Add celery, hot water, salt and pepper. Cover skillet and simmer for 5 minutes. Add sprouts, bamboo shoots and water chestnuts and heat to boiling.

Step 2

In a small bowl combine the cold water, cornstarch, soy sauce and sugar. Mix together and add to skillet mixture. Cook for 5 minutes, or until thickened to taste.