Friday, October 26, 2012

Vanilla Meringue Drops

Serving: 50 meringues

Ingredients
1. 4 egg whites
2. Pinch of salt 
3. 1 1/4 cup suar 
4. 2 teaspoons of vanilla 

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees 
2. Using an electric mixer, beat the egg whites & salt until soft peaks form (about 3 minutes)  
3. Continue to mix while slowly adding in the sugar
4. Once mixture is a light foam, add in the vanilla
5. Add about 1 tablespoon of the mixture onto a pan with parchment paper, leaving room between each meringue 
6. Bake for 2 1/2 hours 
7. Let cool for 45 minutes
8. Put meringues in a sealed container until serving 

Tuesday, October 23, 2012

Roasted Brisket

Serving: 6-8
Ingredients
1. 2 large Second cut briskets (approximately 3 lbs each)
2. Paprika 
3. Garlic Powder
4. 4 10.5 oz cans of tomato soup
5. 4 cups of chopped onions
6. 1/3 cup of olive oil
7. 26 oz jar of 'tomato onion garlic' spaghetti sauce (or as close to that combination of sauce as possible)

Directions
1. Pre heat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a frying pan pour in 1/4 cup of olive oil, and chopped onions.
3. Stir occasionally until onions become golden brown.  If olive oil evaporates, add the extra olive oil if needed.  
3. Once onions are golden brown set aside in a bowl.  
4. In a roasting pan, place briskets.  
5. Season with a light coat of garlic powder, and then paprika.  
6.  Place in the oven for 12 minutes uncovered.  Take out, flip over.  Place in the oven for an additional 12 minutes.
7. Take out and set aside.
8.  Take the bowl with the onions and add the 4 cans of tomato soup.  Mix and pour half of mixture on top of brisket.  Flip over, and pour the remaining mixture over the brisket.  
9.  Place in the oven for 2 hours covered.  If you do not have a lid, you can cover it tightly with tin foil.  
10.  Take out of the oven.  Remove meat from the pan and place on a carving board.  Slice against the grain 1/4 of an inch.  
11. Before placing brisket back in the roasting pan, add the spaghetti sauce to the roasting and mix.  Place the sliced brisket back in the roasting pan and make sure the sauce covers the brisket.  
12. Place back in the oven for 30-45 minutes, covered.  

Friday, October 19, 2012

Apricot Crumble Bars

Serving: 15

Ingredients
1. 1 cup brown sugar
2. 2/3 cup white sugar
3. 1 teaspoon baking powder
4. 2 cups flour
5. 2 sticks margarine
6. 1 egg 
6. 15 oz. of apricot jam
7. 1 tablespoon of vanilla

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees 
2. Combine the brown sugar, white sugar, baking powder, & flour 
3. Melt 1 1/2 sticks of margarine slightly (so it is just about warm) & add the margarine & egg to the flour mixture 
4. Lay down 3/4 of the mixture onto a pan
5. Spread the jam over the mixture & sprinkle the remaining crumbs over the jam
6. Bake for 45 minutes or until golden
7. Let cool for 25 minutes before serving

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Guacamole


Serving: 3
Ingredients:
1. 2 medium avocados
2. 1 tablespoon salsa of your choice (mild, spicy)
3. 1 tablespoon lemon juice
4. 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
5. 1 teaspoon crushed garlic
Salt & Pepper to taste

Directions:
1. Mash avocados, salsa, lemon juice, onion powder, and crushed garlic until your preferred texture.
2. Add salt and pepper to taste
...
*Tip: If preparing ahead of time, leave pits in the guacamole in order to keep it fresh.



Friday, October 12, 2012

Chocolate Almond Joy Ice Cream


Serving: 10 

Ingredients:
1. 1/2 cup of whole milk
2. 1 1/2 tablespoons of vanilla extract
3. 14 oz can of sweetened condensed milk
4. 1 pint of heavy cream
5. 1 package of chocolate flavored pudding 
6. 10 mini crushed (into pieces) Almond Joy bars
7. 1 cup of crushed almonds 

Directions:
1. Mix milk, vanilla, & sweetened condensed milk in a bowl
2. In a separate bowl using an electric mixer, whisk the heavy cream until thick and creamy
3. Add the chocolate flavored pudding (powder) to the heavy cream and mix 
4. Combine the mixture into the heavy cream and add in the crushed Almond Joy bar pieces & crushed almonds
5. Pour mixture into a covered container and leave in freezer for 4 hours before serving, mixing it every 45 minutes 

Tuesday, October 9, 2012

Chicken Stuffed Spinach

Serving: 4
Ingredients
1. 2 lb or 4 boneless chicken breast cutlets
2. 12 oz  package of spinach
3. 1/4 cup of regular breadcrumbs
4. 2 large eggs
5. 2/3 cup of garlic herb marinade 
6. 4 cloves of garlic
7. 1 medium onion

Directions
1. Pre heat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a baking dish place chicken cutlets.  Pour half of the garlic and herb sauce on one side. Flip cutlets over and pour the rest of marinade sauce onto cutlets. Let marinade for 30 minutes, or until ready to place in oven.
3. Dice in small pieces the onion and garlic. 
4. In a small bowl whisk the 2 eggs.  Set aside.
5. Spray frying pan with cooking spray.  
6. Pour the chopped onion and garlic, and package of spinach into the frying pan.  If the whole package of spinach won't fit, you can continuously pour it in as it will shrink once you start to fry it.
7. For about 5 minutes on medium-high, fry the spinach mixture until onions turn slightly brown, and spinach has shrunk.
8. Pour the whisked eggs, and breadcrumbs in the frying pan. Stir until mixed through.  
9. Once thoroughly mixed, place about 2-3 spoonfuls of spinach mixture in the middle of the chicken cutlet.  Roll the cutlet from south to north making sure that mixture stays inside of the cutlet.  If needed, you can put a skewer in order that cutlet doesn't fall apart when cooking.
10. Once cutlets are rolled, place in the oven for 15 minutes. 
11. Take out, and flip cutlets over.  Place in the oven for an additional 15 minutes.
*Note: Not all ovens cook food evenly, so once you take the chicken out after the second 15 minutes, cut into a piece to see if it's cooked.  If not, put in for an additional 2 minutes.  Check again.  If not cooked, repeat this 2 minute process until cooked.  It's important to not leave it in for more than 2 minutes in order that the white meat does not dry out.

Once taken out and ready to serve, use the additional sauce in the baking dish to pour over the chicken for extra flavoring.  



Friday, October 5, 2012

Ferrero Rocher Cupcakes

Serving: 50 (mini) 20 (regular)
Ingredients
1. 2 1/2 cups of flour
2. 2 sticks of margarine
3. 2 1/4 cups of sugar
4. 4 eggs
5. 1 cup of 2% milk
6. 1 1/2 tablespoons of vanilla
7. 20 individual pieces of Ferrero Rocher

Directions
1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees
2. Cream 2 sticks of margarine and mix in 2 1/4 cups of sugar until fluffy.  
3. One at a time, add 4 eggs while beating the batter in between.  
4. Add 1 cup of milk
5. Add the flour to the mixture
6. After evenly spreading the batter into cupcake holder, place a Ferrero Rocher in the center of each cupcake.  
7. Bake for 30 minutes.
8. Let cool for 25 minutes before serving.




Tuesday, October 2, 2012

Chuck Steak

Serving: 4
Ingredients
1. 4 lb of chuck steak
2. 2 cups of hot and spicy barbecue sauce

Directions
1. Place steaks in a mixing bowl.
2. Pour sauce over the steaks, making steaks are completely covered and rubbed in. Let marinate over night.
3. Once marinated, spray your grill with cooking spray
4. Heat the grill to 300 degrees
5. Place steaks on the grill for 8-10 minutes
6.  After each minute flip the steaks over, adding a coat of barbecue sauce as needed.
7.  For medium-rare, take off the grill after about 7 minutes and cut inside to see if it's pink.  If too pink for your liking, place back on the grill for an additional minute.
*Note: This recipe is cook to taste: Each grill operates differently so use this recipe for approximate times.  Gas grills are different than charcoal and electric grills.