Author Archives: Mike

Instant Pot Black Beans and Rice

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Instant Pot Black Beans and Rice
 
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Author:
Recipe type: Main Dish
Ingredients
  • 1 cup diced onion
  • 4 cloves of garlic, crushed and minced
  • 2 cups brown rice
  • 2 cups dry black beans
  • 9 cups water
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1-2 limes (optional)
  • Avocado (optional)
Instructions
  1. Dump diced onion and garlic into the Instant Pot liner.
  2. Add the brown rice and black beans.
  3. Pour the water into the pot liner and add the salt.
  4. Secure the lid with the vent sealed.
  5. Select Manual, using the arrows decrease time to 28 minutes.
  6. Once the time is up you can press cancel or unplug the Instant Pot. Allow the pressure to naturally release. (I let it set for 20 minutes before opening the lid.)
  7. Scoop into bowls and squeeze a lime wedge over bowl and stir. Then add a few slices of avocado for garnish.

 

Cheddar Pecan Wafers

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These tiny cheddar biscuits are a delicious snack for cocktail parties. Beware – once you start, it’s difficult to stop.

Cheddar Pecan Wafers
 
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Author:
Recipe type: Appetizer
Cuisine: American
Serves: 100
Ingredients
  • 1 lb butter, softened
  • 1 lb sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
  • 1 cup chopped pecans, toasted
  • 1 tsp Cayenne Pepper
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • 4½ cups Flour
Instructions
  1. In a large bowl, mix together the butter, Cheddar cheese, pecans, cayenne pepper and salt until well blended. Gradually mix in flour, using your hands to work in the last bit. The result will be a stiff dough much like shortbread. Form the dough into logs about 1 inch thick, and 10 inches long. Wrap each log in waxed paper, and refrigerate until firm, at least 3 hours.
  2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Unwrap the chilled logs of dough, and slice into ¼ inch thick rounds using a sharp knife. Place slices about 1 inch apart onto cookie sheets lined with parchment paper.
  3. Bake for exactly 12 minutes in the preheated oven, until firm and slightly browned at the edges. Allow wafers to cool for 1 minute before removing from the pan.
Notes
The logs of dough freeze really well so you can keep some in the freezer to make as needed.
Nutrition Information
Serving size: 1 Calories: 74

 

Shrimp Sushi

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I’m not usually much of a sushi eater but one of my G+ friends posted this and it looked pretty good. Being made with cooked shrimp means I’m much more likely to try it than most of the other types of sushi.

Note: the sriracha is said to be pretty spicy so you may want to adjust the amounts to taste.

 

Shrimp Sushi
 
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Author:
Recipe type: Main Course
Cuisine: Asian
Ingredients
Rolls
  • Sushi Nori (Roasted Seaweed)
  • Rice (I use special sushi rice found in the Asian isle)
  • Rice Vinegar
  • Shrimp
  • Cream Cheese
  • Cucumber
  • Garlic
  • Sriracha
  • Sesame Oil
  • Flour or Panko
Spicy Sauce
  • Sriracha
  • Mayo
  • Sesame Oil
Instructions
Cooking
  1. Steam the Shrimp
  2. Cook the rice (read the pack for directions)
  3. Take steamed shrimp and place in frying pan. -Add a 2 tablespoons of sesame oil.
  4. Add Garlic
  5. Add Flour or Panko (If flour just a small handful to "lightly coat" shrimp) (If panko you may do it by taste)
  6. Squeeze in Sriracha also by taste depending on how spicy you want your shrimp.
  7. Cut Cucumber in thin strips.
Rolling
  1. Place down sheet of Nori
  2. Use prepared rice to make a layer over top of the nori. Depending on how much rice you like in your rolls you can do a thin layer or a thick layer.
  3. Place your cream cheese, shrimp, and cucumber in 3 separate rows parallel to the direction you will be rolling.
  4. When rolling make sure to get a tight grip in it and make sure you tuck in the food as you roll it so it doesn't slip out. (If that makes sense)
  5. Once rolled use a little warm water to seal the roll.
  6. Cut roll to your liking in slices.
Sauce:
  1. /2 cup mayo
  2. tablespoons sriracha
  3. Splash of sesame oil

Chewy Ginger Molasses Cookies Recipe

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Chewy Ginger Molasses Cookies Recipe
 
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Recipe type: Dessert
Ingredients
  • 1½ cups butter (cold but smooshy)
  • 2 cups sugar – 1 cup white, 1 cup dark brown
  • ½ cup molasses
  • 2 eggs
  • 4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 4 tsp. baking soda
  • 1 tablespoon Vietnamese cinnamon
  • 1 tsp. cloves
  • 1 tsp. allspice
  • 2 tsp. ginger
  • 2 tsp galangal
  • 1 tsp. salt
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, soda, spices and salt. Set aside.
  3. With an electric mixer, beat together butter and sugar until combined.
  4. Add in the eggs and molasses, and beat until combined.
  5. Slowly add in the dry ingredient mixture until combined.
  6. Roll the dough into small balls (about 1″ in diameter).
  7. Place on cookie sheet, and bake for about 8-10 minutes.
  8. Once they are done, remove from the oven and let cool for a minute or two then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

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These chocolate crinkle cookies are delicious!

 

Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
 
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Recipe type: Dessert
Serves: 4 dozen
Ingredients
  • ½ cup butter
  • 1¼ cups granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons milk
  • ½ cup chopped pecans or other nuts, optional
  • confectioners' sugar
Instructions
  1. In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light; add vanilla then beat in eggs and melted chocolate.
  2. Stir in dry ingredients alternately with milk.
  3. Stir in chopped pecans.
  4. Shape dough into 1-inch balls (stir if necessary to make the dough firmer).
  5. Roll balls in confectioners' sugar and place on lightly greased baking sheets about 2 inches apart  (this is what makes them crinkle).
  6. Bake at 350° for 14 to 16 minutes, or until cookies are firm in the center.
  7. Remove from baking sheets and cool on racks.

Butter Cookies (Gribee)

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Traditional Middle Eastern Butter cookie.

Butter Cookies (Gribee)
 
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Taken from "Food from Biblical Lands"
Author:
Recipe type: Dessert
Serves: 25 Cookies
Ingredients
  • 1 cup clarified butter (Ghee), chilled
  • 1 cup super-fine (powdered) sugar
  • 1 tablespoon rose-water
  • 2 cups flour
Instructions
  1. In food processor with steel blade, cream butter, adding sugar and rose-water and process until fluffy.
  2. Add flour and pulse (turning motor off and on) until flour disappears and mixture is soft.
  3. Place dough in bowl.
  4. Pinch off dough the size of golf balls and shape as desired. (Traditionally about 2-1/4" in circumference indented in center with your finger).
  5. Place on ungreased baking tray and bake in 300° oven for 15-20 minutes until bottoms are very light brown. Tops will remain white.
  6. Let cool several hours before removing from pan.

White Chocolate Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies

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We usually prefer the Dark Chocolate variation.

White Chocolate Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies
 
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Recipe type: Dessert
Serves: 75
Ingredients
  • 2⅔ cups rolled oats (use old-fashioned, not quick or instant).
  • 1½ cups all-purpose flour.
  • 1 tsp baking soda.
  • ½ tsp salt.
  • 1 cup dried cranberries
  • 6 ounces white chocolate, broken into pieces.
  • ½ cup walnut halves, finely chopped.
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter.
  • 1⅓ cubs firmly packed light brown sugar.
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon.
  • 2 large eggs.
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract.
Instructions
  1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees and line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper
  2. Whisk oats, flour, baking soda and salt together in a medium bowl; stir in dried cranberries, white chocolate and nuts.
  3. In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Continue to simmer over medium-low heat until the milk solids turn golden brown, about 4 minutes.; take care not to burn.
  4. Pour browned butter into a large bowl and whisk in brown sugar until combined. Whisk in cinnamon, then whisk in eggs and vanilla, beating well after each. Add dry mixture to wet ingredients and stir just until combined. Mixture will be thick. Drop by generously rounded tablespoon 2 inches apart onto cookie sheets.
  5. Bake until light golden brown and just dry to the touch, but still a little soft inside, about 10 minutes. (For chewier oatmeal cookies, bake 30 seconds to 1 minute less. For very crispy cookies bake 30 seconds to 1 minute more.) Slide parchment onto racks to cool cookies completely.

 

Variations:

  • Dark chocolate cherry oatmeal cookies: Substitute dark chocolate for the white, and dried cherries for cranberries.
  • Browned butter oatmeal cookies with milk chocolate and candied orange: Substitue milk chocolate for the white, and diced candied orange for the cranberries.

Aunt Joan’s Sea Breeze Scallops

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Aunt Joan's Sea Breeze Scallops
 
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Amounts can vary as needed.
Author:
Recipe type: Main
Cuisine: Seafood
Serves: 4 to 6 servings
Ingredients
  • Large Scallops. (1½ lbs. we used frozen from Costco)
  • 4 Tbs butter.
  • 1 tsp or more chopped garlic.
  • ⅓ to ½ cup sherry.
  • Juice of 1 large lemon.
  • Topping of 3 parts Panko bread crumbs to 1 part parmesan cheese.
Instructions
  1. Set oven to broil.
  2. Melt butter.
  3. Add garlic, sherry and lemon juice to butter and mix well.
  4. Place a single layer of scallops in baking pan.
  5. Pour butter mixture over scallops.
  6. Broil for 5 minutes.
  7. Remove from oven, turn scallops and broil for 4 minutes more.
  8. Remove and turn again. Top with bread crumb and cheese mixture and return to broiler for 1½ to 2 minutes. Watch carefully so it doesn't burn.

Crustless Quiche Lorraine

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Start to Finish: 60 Minutes Makes: 2 9 inch pies

Ingredients:

  • 4 eggs
  • 3 cups sour cream (24 oz.)
  • 1/4 tsp. Allspice
  • pinch ginger
  • 1 1/2 cups of assorted cheeses (we us feta, jarlsberg and mozzarella)

Add any fresh veggies you like. We’ve used spinach lightly wilted and steamed asparagus.

Directions:

  1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Wilt spinach or steam veggies and set aside.
  3. Whisk eggs in large mixing bowl.
  4. Add sour cream and whisk until smooth.
  5. Add allspice, ginger and pepper then mix in throughly.
  6. Stir in cheeses and veggies.
  7. Pour half of mixture into each 9 inch pie plate that has been lightly coated with cooking spray.

Cook in 350 degree oven for 40 minutes or until top is golden brown.
Allow to cool before cutting.

Down-Home Chicken and Greens

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Start to Finish: 40 Minutes     Makes: 4 Servings

Ingredients:

  • 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (1 to 1 1/4 lbs. total)
  • 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/8 tsp. kosher salt
  • Nonstick olive oil cooking spray
  • 2/3 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
  • 6 to 8 cloves garlic, minced (3 to 4 tsp. minced)
  • 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper
  • 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 lb. fresh greens (such as mustard, Swiss chard, chicory, beet, kohlrabi, kale, collard, and/or turnip greens), torn
  • Balsamic vinegar
  • Red bell pepper slices (optional)

Directions:

  1. Season chicken with 1/4 tsp. black pepper and the kosher salt. coat and unheated very large skillet with nonstick cooking spray. Preheat over medium heat. Add chicken; cook until browned, turning to brown evenly. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and cook for 10 to 12 minutes or until chicken is tender and no longer pink (170° F). Remove chicken from skillet. Cover to keep warm.
  2. Add, broth, garlic, crushed red pepper and 1/4 tsp. black pepper to the same skillet. Bring to boiling. Stir in greens; reduce heat. Cook for 4 to 6 minutes or just until greens are tender, stirring occasionally.
  3. Sppon greens and their juices onto four dinner plates. If desired slice chicken. Place chicken on top of greens. Drizzle lightly with balsamic vinegar. If desired, garnish with bell pepper slices.

Nutrition facts per serving: 161 cal., 2 g total fat (0 g sat. fat), 66 mg chol., 351 mg sodium, 7 g carbo., 3 g fiber, 30 g pro.

Exchanges: 1 1/2 Vegetable, 4 Very Lean Meat

For Wave 1, serve with cooked quinoa. For waves 2 and 3, serve with cooked quinoa and fresh apple slices.

Wine Paring: Pinot Grigio