Red Beans and Rice (crockpot)

Red Beans and Rice (crockpot)

I made Red Beans and Rice for supper tonight in the slowcooker. I didn't follow a recipe, so I don't know if its authentic, but here it is. Its enough for a crowd, or for a family with two teenaged boys:

1-1/2 lbs dried red beans (I used these small red beans that Goya sells, but you could substitute kidneys)
1 large can chicken broth (48 oz can), plus a half can of water
1 small can tomato paste
2 smoked turkey thighs
4 good sized onions, chopped
3 large carrots, or thereabouts, chopped
several ribs of celery, with some leaves, chopped
some garlic -- at least half a head
1-1/2 lbs spicy smoked sausage, such as andouille or spicy kielbasa, cut into rings
about 4 red peppers or a mix of red and green, diced
one jalapeno pepper, chopped
1-1/2 tbsp fresh thyme (the fresh thyme makes ALL the difference, between ordinary and sublime)
several glugs Worcestershire sauce, to taste
several glugs Tabasco, or Emeril's hot red pepper sauce (the latter is really good)
salt and pepper to taste.

The night before bring beans to a boil in a large pot of water. Boil for about 1/2 hour, then cover and set aside off the heat.

The next am, drain beans. Put in slow cooker with broth, water, tomato paste (stir it around), turkey thighs, onions, celery, carrot, peppers, jalapeno, and all herb/spices. Sauté garlic in a small amount of olive oil and stir in (I do not like to slow cook garlic raw, it gets a weird aftertaste). Let cook all day.

When you come home from work, sauté the spicy sausage enough to render out fat, drain on paper towels and throw in the soup. Sausage such as this takes on an odd texture if left in the crock all day.

Make a few cups of brown rice, and add extra hot sauce at the table.

This is really good.
Carolyn D.
(1/31/02)

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Beef and Barley Soup

Beef and Barley Soup

Okay, the following is the way I made it. We're trying to cut back on meat, use whatever amount you want. Add more or less of whatever you like more or less. This way is wonderfully suited to our tastes. It's not the quickest soup, but this recipe doesn't simmer as long as a traditional recipe calls for, which is great if you want to eat before 8 p.m. on a work day. You can always simmer longer.

3/4 lb stew meat
1 lg onion
3 lg cloves garlic
4 stalks celery
15 little pre-washed carrots or to taste
1 lg can diced tomatoes
3 cans beef broth
1 cup barley
1/2 can tomato juice
1 tbsp salt (or omit) (we use the Jacque-Peppin-pinch measure)
1 bay leaf
1 tsp oregano
olive oil

Dice the meat, celery, carrots, onions and garlic in whatever dice suits your tastes. I dice the meat into no bigger than 1/2" cubes and don't mince the garlic but slice it.

Warm a soup pan, then just cover the bottom with olive oil. When oil is shimmery, add and brown the meat. When meat is browned, add the celery, carrots, onions and garlic and toss to distribute. Add beef broth, salt, bay leaf and oregano and bring to a simmer. Go feed and water rabbits (a half hour with head rubs each).

Add barley and simmer. Load washer, sweep kitchen, clear kitchen table. (A half-hour.) Remove bay leaf. Add diced tomatoes, tomato juice, water if you like juicy soup (I do), and a glug of olive oil (especially if your beef was very lean).

Simmer as long as your willpower will let you or at least 15 more minutes until the barley is done.

Jola Gayle
(1/31/02)

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Marge's Tuna Casserole

Marge's Tuna Casserole

Mix up the soup ( I actually use celery soup) in a pot and add about 3/4 milk or half and half if you have it.

Throw in a handful of herbs de provence, dried or another fresh herb if you have it.

Fresh parsley, a handful chopped.
minced onion about 1/4 cup, or dried is good too. I use dried in tuna salad.
Swiss cheese, I use about 3 of the big slices from the deli
pepper
kosher salt, pinch
fresh mushrooms chopped
frozen peas, a good handful

Heat till the cheese melts- should be a bit thick but not glue-like.

Add this to the under-cooked noodles and tuna in a casserole dish, mix in the liquid part and add a little milk till its a little wet. Cover with smashed potato chip crumbs and heat through for about 30 minutes. You can adjust amount to suit bigger batches. The herbs and the cheese make it really nice.

Marge
(1/26/02)

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Sauerkraut Salad

Sauerkraut Salad

Sauerkraut Salad is really good, and surprises the daylights out of people! They don't know what it is!

Drain it and rinse well to freshen it, and also get rid of a lot of the acid taste. Then do the oil and vinegar dressing thing, with sugar in it, and celery seed ----that's what gives it it's characteristic flavor.

The original uses hot bacon grease and vinegar, and of course the bacon pieces you fried.

The "rich" version, you cut across the ends of the pkg. of bacon so they're little strips, and while they're frying add chopped onion, celery, green pepper and cook it all together. Then add about as much vinegar as you have grease, maybe less, sugar, and celery seed. Toss the whole mess with the sauerkraut and let it sit in the fridge for awhile.

Letting it marinate softens up the celery seed so it doesn't stick in your teeth, and spreads the flavor.

If you use bacon grease, you'll have to heat it up to serve or it will be disgusting. If you use olive oil, you can serve it cold. Actually, room temperature or slightly warm is more traditional.

Don't tell them what it is until after they try it! They wouldn't touch it if they knew, and then they discover it's really good.

Why not make sauerkraut cake while you're at it? You'll fool them with that too. It's a dead ringer for coconut, only it actually tastes better (and doesn't have the cholesterol of coconut either).

Diane S.
(1/25/02)

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Muerial's Soured-Milk Chocolate Chips Cookies

Muerial's Soured-Milk Chocolate Chips Cookies

Just raisin up from the pond to share....went to make a batch of cookies and didn't realize till some things were mixed that I was out of eggs.

I've never seen this anywhere so I think I created it but who really knows ;)

1 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 tsp vanilla
1 stick butter
Mix them with the mixer.

In a separate bowl mix:

1 cup of milk
1 tsp cider vinegar

Let it sit just a few minutes to sour the milk then add the soured milk to the sugar mixture.

Mix with mixer or by hand. Then set the mixer aside and add:

3 cups of flour.
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder

Mix well. (usually I mix in the flour with a spoon)

Add 2 cups chocolate chips. Bake as usual...maybe a couple of minutes longer.

Enjoy!
Muerial
(1/23/02)
(Inputer's Note: Buttermilk may be a substitute for the soured milk? Just a thought...)

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Beef Stir Fry

Beef Stir Fry

Here's an easy recipe:

Marinade the sliced meat in 1/2 tsp. sugar, 1 tbsp. soy sauce, 1 tbsp. dry sherry and 1 tbsp. cornstarch.

Marinade as long as possible. Stir now and then.

Stir fry some pea pods in 1 tbsp. oil; then remove them from the wok.

Add another tbsp. of oil. Brown 2 cloves of garlic. Add the beef and stir fry. Return the pea pods for about 30 sec.

Barbara, who used to teach Chinese cooking
(1/18/02)

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Homemade Bailey' s (from Maryanne)

Homemade Bailey' s (from Maryanne)
This version appeared in our local newspaper recipe supplement. I can't vouch for it personally, since the sugar content is high, and I'm also not supposed to mix alcohol with some of my medications. Maybe if someone tries it, they can give a report.
Maryanne

1-1/2 cups whiskey
1-1/2 cups half & half
3 eggs
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1-1/2 tbsp coconut extract
4 tbsp chocolate syrup, or to taste

Blend in blender. Best if refrigerated overnight.

Also great in coffee. Store in the refrigerator.

Carrie Thurin
Fort Atkinson
(1/17/02)

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Pasta With Anchovy Sauce

Pasta With Anchovy Sauce

Adapted from "How to Eat" by Nigella Lawson (John Wiley & Sons, 2000)
Time: 40 minutes

6 anchovy fillets in olive oil
4 tbsp milk, more if needed
2 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, sliced very finely
2 tbsp Marsala
2 heaping tbsp chopped parsley
4 oz farro or whole-wheat spaghetti or other long, thin pasta

1. Wipe anchovies with a paper towel, put them in a small dish, and cover with 2 tablespoons milk. In a heavy-bottom frying pan, heat 1 tablespoon oil, then add onion. Cook uncovered over low heat about 5 minutes, add Marsala, and cook until you have a soft, golden mush, about 30 minutes.
Add a little water, if needed, to keep onions from drying or sticking to pan. Turn up heat, and cook uncovered 1 to 2 minutes, stirring to prevent sticking. Meanwhile, bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil.

2. Remove anchovies from milk, reserving milk, and chop them finely. Add them to onion mixture, stir well, pour in reserved milk, and keep stirring. When anchovies have been incorporated, add remaining milk, remaining oil and about half the parsley. Stir well. Remove from heat. Taste to see if you'd like more milk. It will soften the flavor and
loosen the texture.

3. Add pasta to boiling water, and cook until al dente. Drain, then quickly turn it in warm anchovy sauce. Transfer to a bowl or plate, and sprinkle with remaining parsley.

Yield: 1 serving (can double or quadruple).

http://www.nytimes.com/2002/01/09/dining/093NREX.html?ex=1011860166&ei=1&en=f456401f293efb1a
Copyright 2001 The New York Times Company

posted by Lani
(1/12/02)

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Corny Macaroni Cheese Bake

Corny Macaroni Cheese Bake
(this made a lot so you might want to cut it in half)

So I had to indulge myself with some comfort food and I came up with this recipe. I had previously seen something similar made with a bunch of non-fat
ingredients that I hate the taste of and decided that it would taste awful. So I created this one today.

4 cups pre-cooked Ziti pasta (or elbows or corkscrews)
2 cups milk
1 cup eggs, whisked
1 cup grated cheddar (reserve 1/4 cup for topping)
1 cup grated mozzarella (reserve 1/4 cup for topping)
1 cup cottage cheese (or ricotta)
1 (8oz+) can of whole kernel corn, drained (or frozen)
Seasoned bread crumbs (reserve for topping)
Salt and pepper to taste

Opt:
1 can drained tuna
or-
1/2 chopped smoked ham
1 can drained black olive slices
1/4 cup minced sun dried tomatoes

Combine all the ingredients in a large bowel except the bread crumbs and topping cheese.

Stir well to distribute ingredients thoroughly.

Divide and pour into 2 bread baking pans.

Bake at 350°F for 30 minutes.

Mix reserved cheese and bread crumbs together.

Remove pans from oven and distribute mix evenly over tops of both.

Return to oven and bake for another 30 minutes or until tops are golden brown.

Remove from oven and let stand for about 15 minutes.

Enjoy.
I have eaten so much I'm surely going to bust.

Sheri
(1/10/02)

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JED Brownies

JED Brownies

1 cup flour
1 cup sugar
3 tbsp cocoa
1/2 cup melted butter or margarine (I guess you could use cooking oil, too)
2 eggs, beaten well
1 tsp vanilla

Mix dry ingredients in bowl. Add butter, eggs and vanilla and stir well. Pour into greased 8"-square pan. Bake in 350°F oven for 15-20 minutes (test with a toothpick or broomstraw or whatever).

Makes 12-16 depending on how piggy you get when you cut them. If you're really piggy, you might even get only 9 from the pan. *vbg*

SockEmpress
(1/5/02)

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Carolyn's Amazingly Delicious Pot Roast Recipe

Carolyn's Amazingly Delicious Pot Roast Recipe

Thought I'd post this for all of you with crockpots. I made this the other night and it was really, really good.

• One beef roast (I buy whatever is on sale, though I don't like the chuck roasts, because they are too fatty) about 4 - 5 lbs.
• Lots of garlic
• 3 tbsp chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (you want a mixture of the peppers and the sauce) -find these in the spanish section of the grocery store
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1 tsp salt (I prefer coarse kosher salt)
• 1 tsp cumin (its best to toast whole cumin and grind it fresh, but I realize that not everyone is as obsessive as me)
• some good size grindings of black pepper
• a couple of onions, quartered

Put quartered onions in your crockpot. Arrange roast on a rack in the crock, atop the onions. Sauté garlic in a bit of olive oil, then add remaining ingredients -- mash up the chipotles to form a kind of paste. Smear this all over the roast. Put lid on, and turn crock on low.

Leave it all day. When done, drain fat from juices, and serve over slices of the potroast. There will be a silence descended upon the members of your household as they greedily eat this delicious dish.

The leftovers can be shredded, mixed with some diced tomato and green chile, and used for burritos. We never have leftovers. I like to serve this with roasted potatoes.

Though the chipotles are quite spicy, the gravy is much less so, and the meat is delicious. Try it!

Carolyn
(1/5/02)

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Spaetzle in Brown Butter

Spaetzle in Brown Butter
Makes 6 servings

I got the spaetzle recipe from Bon Appetit. I tried various slotted implements including a ricer with wide holes to force the batter through, the best was a very shallow, wide slotted spoon thingy. The batter is not runny but definitely a batter as opposed to a dough.

Chef Ian Algerøøen of Skadi restaurant serves this side dish with duck. It's also terrific with roast pork or Cornish game hens.

3/4 cup cold whole milk
3 large eggs
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter

Combine milk, eggs, salt and nutmeg in processor; blend until smooth, about 30 seconds. Add flour and blend until batter is just smooth, about 30 seconds (batter will be very thick and sticky).

Bring large pot of salted water to boil. Working in batches, pour batter through slotted spoon held above boiling water, pressing with spatula to form strands. Stir gently to prevent sticking. Simmer until spaetzle float to surface, then continue cooking 1 minute longer. Using slotted spoon, transfer spaetzle to large buttered baking dish. (Can be made 2 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.)

Cook 1/2 cup butter in heavy large skillet over medium heat until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Add spaetzle and toss until heated through. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Divide among plates.

from: Bon Appétit, March 2000
Ian Algerøøen, Skadi, Mammoth, CA
Epicurious Food © 2000 CondéNet Inc. All rights reserved.

Enjoy!
Katie
(1/5/02)

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Soaking Wheat Berries for Bread

Soaking Wheat Berries for Bread

Ann, I usually just use my usual recipe and soak the wheat berries overnight first.  You can sprout them slightly, just where they are starting to send out a tiny explorer, to make them more tender and shift the flavor.

If you don't soak them first, they will break your teeth!  In Laurel's Bread Book, she recommends soaking red wheat berries two or three days.  "Knead them,
about half a cupful per loaf, into any bouncy plain bread dough."

Ranked second (in her opinion and mine) are unsprouted whole berries, boiled until chewy and kneaded into the dough.

From her recipe for Vollkornbrot:

Rinse (1 pound) wheat berries in warm water.

Bring 2 3/4 cups water to a boil. Turn off the heat, add the wheat berries, and let them sit overnight.

By morning the berries should have burst open; if they don't, bring them to a boil again and cook until they burst.  Let them cool to a warm room temperature.

I usually just rinse them and sprout them as I would alfalfa seeds, but with a bit more patience and just enough for the grains to open, not for them to send out a full sprout.
from Sylvia beadlizard
(1/3/02)

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Mashed Potato Bread

Mashed Potato Bread

The mashed potato bread I made last night was sublime. I had some leftover mashed red potatoes, and I put them in a saucepan and covered them with milk and simmered for a bit. Let it cool, added yeast and salt and butter and an egg, proofed, then did the flour thing. Lovely bread...

("philip is asking "how much mashed potatoes?")

My typical recipe for two loaves of bread, and when I used to fuss with such things the loaves weighed 1.25 pounds each when placed in the pans to rise:

2 cups liquid (in this case, scalded milk)
2 tsp. yeast (in this case, scant 2 tsp yeast plus a glob of starter)
1 tbsp. sugar (or honey)
1 egg
2 tbsp. olive oil (3 tbsp butter this time)
scant 2 tsp. salt
flour (in this case, sub about 1 - 2 cups mashed potatoes for part of the flour)

My mashed potatoes were just that, plain boiled red potatoes (with skins), mashed. Simmering them first in the milk hydrated them thoroughly and made a truly luxurious bread.

Sylvia beadlizard
(1/1/02)

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