Thursday, September 29, 2011

Southwestern Cod Soup


Cod is a mild fish that pairs well with the intense Southwestern flavors.  This soup would be great any time of year, but with the first little bit of Fall teasing us, this was great tonight.  About 30 minutes is all you need for this one, so it's a great week night go to recipe. 

16 oz. low salt chicken broth
6 small red potatoes, cubed into 3/4 inch cubes
1 medium carrot, cubed
1 14 oz. diced tomatoes
1 10 oz. can Rotel tomatoes
1 t. ground cumin
1 t. chili powder
2 medium garlic cloves, minced
1/4 t. salt
8 oz. cod filets
2 T. chipped cilantro
1 t. grated lime zest
1 t. fresh lime juice

In a medium soup pot, stir together the broth, tomatoes, potatoes, carrot, cumin, chili powder, garlic and salt.  Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally.  Reduce the heat to simmer, covered, for 15 mintues, or until the vegetables are tender.

Meanwhile rinse the fish and pat dry with paper towels.  Cut the fish into 3/4 inch cubes.  Stir the fish and the remaining ingredients into the broth mixture.  Simmer, covered, for 5 minutes, or until the fish flakes easily when tested with a fork.

Ladle into bowls and top with additional lime zest if desired.

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Shredded Pork Tacos


Think outside the box and instead of going the same old, same old ground beef tacos, go with shredded pork.  Leftover from the Boston Butt smoking of the weekend, now shredded and heated with a little water, cumin, chili powder and granulated garlic.  Add your favorite taco toppings and voila! you have a brand new meal.

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Creole Mustard Slaw


Another recipe from TyFlo which I changed up a little.  I'm very picky about my slaw.  I prefer the shredded version as opposed to the minced up cabbage version.  I used a bag of ready made slaw with cabbage to shorten prep time. Next time I'd up the mustard a tad more, because as you know, blog readers, I adore mustard!

Here's my version:

1 bag slaw mix with carrots
1 red onion, thinly sliced
2 green onions, chopped
1 jalapeno, minced
11/2 cups mayonnaise
1/4 cup Creole Mustard
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1 lemon, juiced
Pinch sugar
1/2 teaspoon celery salt
Several dashes hot sauce
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

Combine the slaw mix, red onion, green onions and jalapeno in a large bowl.

In another bowl, mix the mayo, mustard, vinegar, lemon juice and sugar.  Stir well.  Pour the dressing over the slaw mixture and toss gently to mix.  Season the slaw with celery salt, hot sauce, salt and pepper.  Chill for two hours.

 

Catfish Po'boy

I started with a recipe from Tyler Florence and added/changed/deleted some ingredients and here is the result.


2 T. unsalted butter
1 large garlic clove, smashed
2 long soft-crusted French bread baguettes
6 (6-ounce) catfish fillets
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Creole Seasoning (to taste)
1 cup milk
1 cup white corn meal

Sliced pickles
Shredded lettuce
Thinly sliced tomatoes
Mayo
Creole Mustard

Pour about 3 inches of oil in a deep fryer or large, heavy cast iron skillet and heat to 375 degrees F.  Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F.

Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat.  Add the smashed garlic and swirl the pot around to infuse the garlic flavor into the butter.  Slice the French bread in 1/2 lengthwise and brush the top and insides with the garlic butter.   Stick the bread in the oven for 5 minutes to warm it through.

Lightly season both sides of the catfish fillets with a salt and pepper and the Creole/Cajun seasoning.  In a wide bowl, pour the milk.  Whisk together the cornmeal, salt and pepper and seasoning in a pie dish.  Dip the catfish in the wet batter, then dredge in the dry; being sure to cover the fillets completely.  Gently drop the fish in the hot oil in batches so the pan is not overcrowded.  Fry the fillets for 3 minutes and then drain on a platter lined with paper towels; sprinkle with salt while they are still hot.

To assemble the sandwich, put the pickles, lettuce and tomatoes across the bottom 1/2 of the bread, lay the fried catfish on top.  Add mayo/mustard if desired and close up the sandwich with the top 1/2 of the bread. Cut into portions and serve immediately with hot sauce and lemon on the side.

It's all about the houndstooth

Here's a picture of the table and menu for last Saturday's Alabama v. Arkansas game.  A quick trip to Hobby Lobby for a piece of houndstooth material quickly became a great tablecloth.  (Only $10!)  Numerous trips to the Fiestaware vault brought out some great red and white place settings with black plate chargers from Hobby Lobby as well.  They were only $1.99 each. 




Fried Green Tomatoes




To me, FGTs come very close to being the perfect food.  Some people like a little pink to be showing on their tomatoes, but I like the green apple green ones.  Wash and slice the tomatoes about 1/4 inch thick. 

Dip in a bowl of milk and then coat with a mixture of corn meal, salt and pepper (or Cajun/Creole seasoning).  Heat oil to about 375 degrees and then fry until golden brown on both sides.  Drain on paper towels and serve hot!

Makes a perfect side dish or a nice appetizer. 

Sunday, September 25, 2011

St. Louis Style Ribs

 
I mixed up a rub of various herbs and spices to use on some St. Louis style ribs this weekend.  This was a taste and add, taste and add technique.  If there's any of these flavors you particularly like more than the others, go a little heavier with them.  Any you don't like, omit or change to another you like better.  That's the fun thing about grilling and smoking meat.  You decide your flavors.

These will be listed in order of the amount used.  For example, paprika was the predominant ingredient, then as I added, I used less and less of each one.  Just taste as you go.  The amount of rub you need will be based on how much meat you are planning to cook.  For a small rack of ribs you're going to need much less than if you're cooking a 12 pound Boston Butt.  So adjust the amounts accordingly.

Paprika
Dark Brown Sugar
Kosher Salt
Black Pepper
Granulated Garlic
Onion Powder
Chili Powder
Dried Thyme
Ground Coriander
Ground Ginger
Cumin
Cayenne






Cake Waffles with Ice Cream

A few weeks ago while visiting the Gulf Coast during Tropical Storm Lee, we decided to surprise the grown kids with cake waffles.  I had brought the waffle iron with me and purchased a chocolate cake mix and a Funfetti cake mix.  We bought ice cream and all sorts of toppings and let them build their own creations.    Just prepare the cake mix as directed on the package and add about a 1/4 cup additional water to thin the batter out a bit.  Then just continue to make them as if you were making regular waffles.









Hand Cut Fries with cheese and bacon

We had a great time yesterday watching the Alabama/Arkansas football game.  Along with pulled pork sandwiches and ribs, my daughter requested homemade fries.  I added a few things to make them a little more game day-like.  You could also top with diced tomatoes, chopped jalapenos or green onions.

8 large russet potatoes, washed, peeled and sliced to the thickness you want
Vegetable oil
Sea salt
Shredded mild cheddar and colby cheese
Dried thyme
Crumbled cooked bacon

Heat oil in a large Dutch oven or deep fryer to 370 degrees. Add about a fourth of the potatoes and gently stir to separate them. Fry until golden brown and drain on paper towels. Repeat with remaining potatoes. Begin to layer the fries on a serving platter adding salt, cheese, thyme and bacon to each layer.

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Orange Glazed Salmon with Pan Fried Potatoes


Another winner from Cuisine at Home.  The rub for the salmon is a mixture of spicy Cajun seasoning and the sweetness of brown sugar.  To finish, a glaze with a touch of citrus takes this one over the top.  The recipe states use fresh fillets, but I used thawed frozen salmon.  Pat dry before you apply the rub.  I adjusted the rub ingredients slightly to add more sweetness.

I started the potatoes a few minutes before the salmon and they finished at the same time.  Less than 30 minutes from start to finish. 

3 T. Cajun or creole seasoning (salt free)
2 T. brown sugar
1/4 t. kosher salt
4 boneless/skinless salmon fillets (6 oz. each)
2 T. vegetable oil
1/4 cup orange marmalade
1 T. lime juice
lime wedges

Combine Cajun seasoning, sugar and salt in a small bowl.  Rub over all surfaces of fillets.

Saute fillets in oil over medium high heat for 3 - 4 minutes. Turn and saute an additional 2 - 3 minutes.

Blend marmalade and lime juice; swirl in skillet until melted.  Carefully turn fish to glaze on all sides.  The salmon is done when it begins to flake when tested with a fork.

Serve with lime wedges.

For potatoes:

3 - 4 Russet potatoes, washed, peeled and cubed into 1/2 inch pieces
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 t. dried thyme
salt and black pepper to taste

Heat oil in medium skillet over medium-high heat.  Cook 3 - 4 minutes until cubes begin to brown.  Stir carefully until cubes are uniformly brown.  Remove from skillet and drain on a paper towel lined plate.  Season with salt, pepper and thyme.

Sunday, September 18, 2011

Bananas Foster French Toast



8 slices cinnamon bread, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 8 cups)
8 eggs
1 cup milk
2 1/2 cups real maple syrup
1 teaspoon rum extract
6 ripe bananas, cut into 1/2-inch slices
1 cup chopped pecans

Spray bottom of 13 x 9-inch (3-quart) baking dish with cooking spray.

Arrange bread cubes in baking dish.


In large bowl, beat eggs, milk and 1/2 cup of the maple syrup with wire whisk. 


Pour over bread in baking dish.  Cover and refrigerate 8 hours or overnight.



Here's what it will look like the next morning before baking.


Heat oven to 350°F. Uncover; bake 35 to 40 minutes or until golden brown along edges. Let stand 7 to 10 minutes before serving.

Meanwhile, in medium microwavable bowl, microwave remaining 2 cups maple syrup uncovered on High 1 to 2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds, until warm.  Stir in rum extract.

Sprinkle banana slices and pecans evenly over bread; drizzle with warmed syrup mixture.  Serve immediately.



Saturday, September 17, 2011

Macaroni & Cheese Soup



This was another recipe from the free trial issue of Cuisine at Home.  Another winner.  Not soupy in the traditional sense, but not a true Mac and Cheese either.  The recipe calls for blue cheese topping. I'm not a real fan of blue cheese even though Sweet Harold is.  He said no problem with leaving it off as far as he was concerned.  I topped with Sweet Paprika and the chopped chives. 

1 1/2 cups dry elbow macaroni
1/2 cup minced onion
1/4 cup minced celery
2 T. unsalted butter
1/3 cup all-purpose four
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 tsp. dry mustard
1/8 t. ground nutmeg
1/8 t. cayenne pepper
2 cups whole milk
4 cups shredded sharp cheddar
1 T. fresh lemon juice
Salt to taste
1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese
2 T. minced fresh chives

Cook macaroni in a pot of salted water according to package directions; drain and set aside.

Sweat onion and celery in butter in a medium Dutch oven over medium heat until soft, about 5 minutes.



Stir in flour to coat and cook 1 minute.



Deglaze with wine and simmer until nearly evaporated.


Stir in broth, mustard, nutmeg, and cayenne.  Simmer until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. 


Then whisk in milk and warm through.   Do not let boil or base may become grainy.



Add cheddar, 1 cup at a time, allowing it to melt completely before adding the next cup.





Stir in macaroni, lemon juice, and salt; remove from heat.


Garnish as desired.

I have to admit...I just LOVE those action shots that Sweet Harold captures for me (us)!

Buffalo Chicken "Fries"



Received a free preview issue of Cuisine at Home.  This recipe caught my eye because I love hot wings, hot wings sauce, hot sauce, you get the idea.  Sweet Harold is not a fan of Buffalo anything because, to him, the sauce is "twangy."  Oooooook.  To each his or her own.  He agreed to try this one because instead of using a traditional wing sauce, this is simply your favorite hot sauce (which for him is Louisana Hot Sauce) http://www.louisianapepper.com/, butter and honey. 

1/3 cup hot sauce
1/2 stick unsalted butter, melted
1 T. honey
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
  sliced length-wise into 1/2 inch wide strips, seasoned with salt and pepper
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup vegetable oil, divided

Preparation

Whisk together hot sauce, butter, and honey in a large bowl.


Cut chicken tenders into 1/2 inch strips.  Salt and pepper them.



Toss chicken strips with flour in a large, resealable plastic bag until coated; shake off excess flour.



Heat 2 T. oil in a large saute' pan over medium-high; add half the chicken strips, saute' until browned, about 2 minutes per side



Transfer to hot sauce mixture and toss to coat.  Repeat with remaining oil and chicken strips.  Place in a pretty serving dish and serve with celery sticks.



Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Fried Cornbread



There are few comfort foods I like better than hot cornbread with butter.  But sometimes there's not time to cook a large skillet of cornbread or you just simply don't need that much.  Here's a quick alternative thanks to Sweet Harold!  His very  first Fleur de Lolly recipe.  Congrats Sweet Harold!

2 cups self-rising cornmeal mix
1 1/4  cup buttermilk
1 T. melted bacon grease

Mix these ingredients well.  With a large skillet, over medium heat, spray a little non-stick spray.  Ladle out batter just like you were making pancakes.  When browned on one side, gently turn with a spatula.  Brown on other side and remove from skillet.  Top with butter and continue cooking batches until batter is all used up! 





Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Chicken Vegetable Soup


Remember we used the white meat of the chicken for our chicken pot pie. Now it's time to put the dark meat to good use. A nice pot of chicken vegetable soup. I used a mixture of veggies from our garden which had been put in the freezer along with some fresh veggies and added some prepacked store bought frozen veggies. Feel free to use all fresh, all frozen or a mixture as well.

2 T. olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 large green bell pepper, chopped
3 medium carrots, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 qt. tomatoes with juice
5 cups chicken stock/broth
1 cup frozen green peas
1 cup frozen corn
1 cup frozen green peas
1 cup frozen green beans
5 potatoes, chopped
salt
pepper
1 T. dried thyme

First step:  Remove the dark meat of the chicken from the bone. Shred and set aside. Put the chicken bones in about 6 cups of water and bring to a boil. Reduce to simmer for about 30-45 minutes and then strain. 



Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium high heat. Saute onion, bell pepper, carrots and celery until softened, about 5 minutes. 


In a large Dutch oven heat tomatoes over medium heat, breaking them up with wooden spoon.



Add sauteed vegetables. 



Add remaining chicken broth, vegetables, chicken, salt and pepper to taste and thyme. 


Let simmer until potatoes are tender.  Serve with hot cornbread.