Drip Pan Cleaner (Electric Ranges)

This works great!

Add 1/4 cup of baking soda to boiling water and boil your drip pans for about 15 minutes. What doesn't boil off is pretty easy to scrub off with a no-scratch pad. Of course, if your drip pans are ultra-disgusting, this isn't going to work. However, if you do this periodically, it will keep your new(er) drip pans looking great.

Aunt Margaret's Rolickys

If you are making up the dough balls ahead of time, get them out of the fridge at least two hours before you plan on filling, rolling, & baking. 

Single Batch 

To make the dough, combine the following:

2 8 ounce blocks cream cheese, softened
2 sticks of butter
4 cups flour

To make the walnut filling combine:

1 pound ground walnuts
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup evaporated milk.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Roll dough into walnut-sized balls, then roll out in powdered sugar. Spread with a slightly heaping 1/2 TBSP of nut mixture. Roll up, pinch ends, place on a cookie sheet, and then bend into a crescent shape.

Bake for 20 minutes. Sift more powdered sugar on top.

Makes about 4 dozen.

Batch-and-a-Half:

When making the dough, make one batch, remove it from the stand mixer bowl, and then make the half batch. Doing it all at once creates a huge mess.

To make the dough, combine the following:

3 8 ounce blocks cream cheese, softened
3 sticks of butter
6 cups flour

To make the walnut filling combine:

1.5 pound ground walnuts
1.5 cup sugar
1/2 cup evaporated milk.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Roll dough into walnut-sized balls, then roll out in powdered sugar. Spread with a slightly heaping 1/2 TBSP of nut mixture. Roll up, pinch ends, place on a cookie sheet, and then bend into a crescent shape.

Bake for 20 minutes. Sift more powdered sugar on top.

Black Bean Soup

I fashioned this after Dave Lieberman's recipe. It makes just the right amount for Sam and I.

Ingredients
5 slices bacon, finely chopped
about 1 cup chopped onion
about 1/2 red bell pepper
6 garlic cloves, minced
1.5 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 1/2 cups canned chopped tomatoes
2 tablespoons ketchup
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 cup DRY black beans, soaked overnight, cooked and then drained
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Optional:
Thinly sliced scallions, for garnish
Sour cream, for garnish
Grated cheddar, for garnish

Directions

Put the bacon into a large heavy pot and place it over medium heat. Cook until it starts to give up its fat, about 4 minutes. Stir in the onions and cook, stirring, until they start to turn translucent, about 4 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook until you can smell it, about 1 minute. Add the broth, tomatoes, ketchup, Worcestershire, and chili powder. Stir in the beans, turn the heat to high and bring to a boil. Adjust the heat so the soup is bubbling gently and cook 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. At this point, I like to hit it with my immersion blender, because I prefer a creamy texture with this soup.

Vanilla Extract

750 ml bottle of vodka (that's a fifth :D)

16 Bourbon Vanilla Beans

Wash your beans and then split them down the middle, leaving the tops and the bottoms closed.

Toss beans into the vodka bottle.

Stick the bottle in a paper bag and store it in a dark place.

Shake the bottle every few days.

The vanilla extract will be ready to use in eight weeks, at the earliest. The longer it sets, the better the flavor.

It's a beautiful thing.

Shower Spray

1/2 cup hydrogen peroxide
1/2 cup rubbing alcohol
six drops Dawn
2 tsp. Jet Dry
24 oz. distilled water

Glass Cleaner

1 cup rubbing alcohol
1 cup distilled water
1 tablespoon white vinegar

You can probably double this, as I would imagine you would be able to fit a double batch into a 32 oz. spray bottle.

No Bake Cookies

This is my mom's no-bake recipe that she's used all of my life.

2 cups sugar
1 stick butter
1/2 cup milk
4 TBSP cocoa powder

Set aside in a bowl:
-3 cups oatmeal (300 grams, 450 grams for batch-and-a-half, 600 grams for double batch)
-1/2 cup peanut butter (128 grams, 192 grams for batch-and-a-half, 256 grams for a double batch)

1 tsp. vanilla

1. Combine sugar, butter, milk and cocoa in a saucepan.
2. Cook until mixture reaches a boil, stirring frequently. Let the mixture boil hard for one minute (don't stir during this time)
3. Remove from heat and add oatmeal, peanut butter and vanilla.
4. Once the mixture is well-blended, drop by spoonfuls onto wax paper.

Coleslaw

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/4 cup buttermilk
• 1/4 cup white distilled vinegar
• prepared Silver Springs horseradish to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 8 cups finely chopped cabbage (about 1 head)*
• 1/4 cup shredded carrot (1 medium carrot)*
• 2 tablespoons minced shallot (1 large shallot does the trick)

         *(You can just buy a bag of coleslaw mix instead of grating your own cabbage and carrots)

Directions:

1. Be sure cabbage and carrots are chopped up into very fine pieces (about the size of rice). I do this with a food processor. Better yet, buy bagged coleslaw mix
2. Combine the mayonnaise, sugar, milk, buttermilk, lemon juice, vinegar, minced shallot, salt, and pepper in a large bowl and beat until smooth.
3. Add the cabbage and carrots, mix well.
4. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving. This definitely tastes better the longer it sets. Try making it a day ahead, if possible.

Serves 10 to 12.

Tzatziki Sauce

2 5.3-ounce containers of plain Fage 5%, strained overnight (optional)

1 TBSP + 1 tsp (20 grams) olive oil

1 TBSP + 1 tsp chopped dill

1 TBSP + 1 tsp chopped mint (optional)

1 TBSP fresh lemon juice 

1 tsp red wine vinegar 

1 large garlic clove, minced

1/2 heaping tsp. salt

Let the minced garlic set in the acids for at least an hour beforehand.

Falafel

I love it with this tzatziki recipe from "Joy of Cooking."

(adapted from a recipe in Joan Nathan's "Foods Of Israel Today")

Ingredients:

1 cup dried chickpeas
1/2 large onion, roughly chopped (about 1 cup)
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley (optional)
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dried hot red pepper
4 cloves of garlic
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon coriander
1 teaspoon baking powder
4-6 tablespoons flour
vegetable oil for frying

Directions:

1. Put the chickpeas in a large bowl and add enough cold water to cover them by at least 2 inches. Let soak overnight, then drain.
2. Place the drained, uncooked chickpeas and the onions in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Add the salt, hot pepper, garlic, coriander and cumin. Process until blended but not pureed.
3. Sprinkle in the baking powder and 4 tablespoons of the flour, and pulse. You want to add enough bulgur or flour so that the dough forms a small ball and no longer sticks to your hands. Also, if you want to add parsley, now is the time. Adding it earlier can cause your falafel to turn green. Turn into a bowl and refrigerate, covered, for several hours.
4. Form the chickpea mixture into balls about the size of walnuts, or use a falafel scoop, available in Middle-Eastern markets.
5. Heat oil to 375 degrees in a deep pot or wok and fry 1 ball to test. If it falls apart, add a little flour. Then fry about 6 balls at once for a few minutes on each side, or until golden brown. Drain on baking rack. Keep warm in 200 degree oven.

Cinnamon Rolls

Ingredients:

1 cup warm milk (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
2 1/2 teaspoons yeast
2 eggs, room temperature
1/3 cup butter, melted
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup white sugar
4 1/2 cups AP flour

1 cup brown sugar, packed
2 1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
1/3 cup butter, softened

1 (3 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt

Directions:

1. In the bowl of a Kitchen Aid mixer, combine milk and yeast. Let the mixture rest for about 5 minutes to proof.
2. Mix in the sugar, butter, salt, and eggs. Add flour and mix well.
3. With the kneading attachment, knead dough mixture about 10 minutes.
4. Put kneaded dough into a greased bowl. Let rise in warm place for about 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
5. On a well-floured surface, roll dough into a 16x21 inch (I didn't roll a rectangle this large. But I did forget how big my rectangle was! I'll need to edit this when I make this recipe again!) rectangle. Spread dough with 1/3 cup butter and sprinkle evenly with sugar/cinnamon mixture. Roll up dough and cut into 12 rolls. Place rolls in a lightly greased 9x13 inch baking pan. Cover and let rise until nearly doubled, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees.
6. Bake rolls in preheated oven until golden brown, about 15 minutes. While rolls are baking, beat together cream cheese, 1/4 cup butter, confectioners' sugar, vanilla extract and salt. Spread frosting on warm rolls before serving.

Blueberry Muffins

Makes 12 muffins

Ingredients:

2 1/4 cups AP flour (270 g)
1 heaping cup granulated sugar
3/4 tsp salt
1 TBSP baking powder

zest of 1 lemon

1/2 cup oil (half neutral, half coconut),112 g total
1 egg
3/4 cup buttermilk

vanilla

1 pint or 1 1/2 cups blueberries

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Grease muffin tin or line with paper liners.
2. Combine flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and lemon zest. Add oil, eggs, milk, and vanilla to flour mixture. Stir just to incorporate ingredients and then fold in blueberries. Do NOT overmix!
3. Fill muffin cups right to the top (heaping scoop if using largest ice cream scooper)
4. If using frozen blueberries, bake for 20 minutes then rotate pan; bake another 5-10 minutes until they are nice and brown on top. 

Steak & Guinness Pie

I usually serve it with mashed potatoes and green peas.

This is adapted from Jamie Oliver's recipe.

Ingredients:

1/4 lb. bacon
1 lb. stew meat
1 onion, medium dice
1-2 carrots, medium dice
1-2 stalks celery, sliced
8 ounces sliced mushrooms (I use baby bellas)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 TBSP fresh thyme or 1 tsp. dried
1 TBSP fresh rosemary or 1 tsp. dried
1-2 bay leaves
1 bottle Guinness (extra stout variety)
1 cup beef stock
3 prunes (significantly cuts down on the bitterness from the Guinness)
1 sheet puff pastry
small handful of brown sugar, if desired

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Cook the bacon and set aside leaving the grease in the pan.
3. Add the beef (in batches) and season with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Brown on all sides (about 4 minutes) and set aside.
4. Add the onions, carrots, celery and mushrooms and cook until the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes. Add butter if pan starts drying out.
5. Add the garlic and cook for another minute.
6. Add the guinness and deglaze the pan.
7. Add the stock, bacon, beef, thyme, rosemary, bay leaf and prunes.
8. Bake in oven for 1-1 1/2 hours*, uncovered. Check meat every 3o minutes. Add more beer or stock if necessary to keep pan from drying up. You may taste-test now and decide if you'd like to add a tad of brown sugar for an additional touch of sweetness.
9. Remove from oven and place puff pastry sheet over the top of the beef mixture. (At this point, I usually transfer the mixture to a 2 qt. casserole dish) You can add slits to the pastry and/or an egg wash, if desired.
10. Bake in oven according to directions on puff pastry.

*Since the pie will need to be baked an additional 40+ minutes because of the puff pastry, I recommend baking for only about an hour.

Chicken Pot Pies

I've only tried this recipe once and so I made need to tweak it when I make it again.

I also want to mention that I originally added diced potato to this but for some reason, I omitted it when I wrote the recipe down. The next time I make this, I will experiment with the amount of potato and then edit this blog entry accordingly.

Ingredients:

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed
1 cup sliced carrots
1/2 cup celery, chopped
1/3 cup chopped onion
1/3 cup butter
1/3 cup AP flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/4 celery seed
1 3/4 cup chicken broth
2/3 cup milk
1 cup frozen green peas
1 sheet puff pastry

Directions:

1. Preheat oven according to directions on puff pastry packaging.
2. In a saucepan, saute chicken, carrots, celery and onions, along with seasonings, in a small amount of fat. Remove from pan and set aside.
3. In the saucepan, over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the flour and whisk to combine, cooking for a minute or two.
4. Slowly stir in milk and chicken broth. Simmer over medium-low heat until thick.
5. Combine gravy mixture with the chicken/vegetable mixture. Add frozen green peas.
6. Divide chicken mixture between 3-4 ramekins, placed on a baking sheet.
7. Top each ramekin with a piece of puff pastry cut to fit. Add eggwash, if desired.
8. Bake according to directions on the puff pastry package.

Baked Beans

Ingredients:
1 cup (8 oz) dried navy beans (the ones @ Horrocks)
4-6 ounces bacon, cut into large chunks
1 onion, roughly chopped
6 TBSP molasses (90 g)
2.5 tsp. salt
Scant 1/2 tsp. pepper
2 tsp. mustard (10 g)
1 cup ketchup (272 g)
3/4 cup brown sugar (160 g)
6 TBSP white distilled vinegar (and then adjust to taste)

Directions:

1. Soak beans  in salt water brine (1 1/2 tablespoons of kosher salt dissolved in 2 quarts of water) overnight. They can brine for up to 24 hours. 
2. Drain. Rinse beans under cold water & place in Instant Pot. Cover beans with 2 inches of cold water. Add some onion, garlic cloves, a bay leaf, & 1/2 tsp kosher salt. Pressure cook  for 13 minutes  (it takes ~35 minutes to build up pressure and cook), turn off “keep warm” setting and let Instant Pot naturally release for 25 minutes. 
3. Drain beans, reserving their liquid.
4. Arrange the beans in a bean pot or casserole by placing a portion of the beans in the bottom of the dish and layering them with bacon and onion.
5. In a saucepan, combine molasses, salt, pepper, mustard, vinegar and brown sugar. Bring mixture to a boil and then pour over the beans. Pour in just a tad of the reserved liquid, ~1/2 cup.
6. Bake uncovered at 300 for 2.5 - 3 hours, until the top starts getting the carmelized skin.

Note: You can prepare these beans through step 5 and bake them the next day.

Bulk Taco Seasoning

1 1/4 cup chili powder

3 TBSP + 1 tsp. garlic powder

3 TBSP + 1 tsp. smoked paprika

1 TBSP + 2 tsp. onion powder

1 TBSP + 2 tsp. oregano

1 cup + 2 TBSP cumin

6 TBSP salt (I used regular iodized salt)

3 TBSP pepper

1/2 cup + 2 TBSP AP flour

Put all ingredients into the taco seasoning container & shake well until combined.