Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Bratwurst in Beer and Tomatoes

Super easy weeknight meal.  Add a salad to balance the heaviness in the dish.

 
12 oz. Beer
1 ½ Tbsp.  Soy sauce
1/8 tsp. Red pepper flakes
1 large onion, thickly sliced
3 Tbsp. Brown sugar
1 Tbsp. Vinegar
1 lb. Stadium bratwurst
Cherry tomatoes, quartered
Brown rice, cooked

Slice bratwurst into rounds, rinse over hot water.  Heat non-stick skillet over medium heat.  Add bratwurst and onion.  Cook until some slight caramelization appears.  Add remaining ingredients except tomatoes.  Cook covered on a low simmer for 20 to 30 minutes.  Add tomatoes.  Cook uncovered for an additional 15 minutes.  Serve over the rice.

Friday, October 12, 2012

Pork Zuppa

This is a very nice hearty winter soup.  This is a recipe that I found from diabetic living and tweaked.  Don't be afraid of changing up some of the ingredients e.g. substituting chopped kale for the spinach or adding minced jalapenos for a little extra heat.  The base of this soup is delicious.  


 
1 Pound ground pork
1 Large onion, minced
2 Garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp. Oregano
¼ tsp. Salt
¼ tsp. Crushed red pepper
4 c. Chicken broth
4 Small potatoes, peeled and cut ½” cubes
12 oz. Evaporated milk
6 oz. Frozen spinach
2 C. Frozen corn
2 Carrots, peeled and grated

In large pot, cook pork, onion and garlic until pork is cooked through.  Break up pork into small crumbles.   Add salt, oregano and red pepper.  Cook an additional 5 minutes.  Add remaining ingredients.  Simmer on med-low heat until potatoes are tender and soup has thickened slightly.  Serve with crusty bread or over cooked brown rice

Wednesday, October 3, 2012

halloween recipes

More halloween recipes from years past. 

Human Pate


4 cups of cooked diced ham
3/4 cup mayo
2 -3 Tbsp. sweet relish
1 tsp. Celery seed
Black pepper
Various plastic, food safe body parts
In a food processor, finely grind the ham.  Transfer to a bowl.  Add remaining ingredients.  Stir until well blended.  (*All ingredients are approximate; adjust to suit your taste.)  Arrange body parts on top.  Serve with cracker or mini croissants.

Dragon Eye Punch


2 liters ginger ale
1 lg. container frozen lemonade
1 lg. can pineapple juice (chilled)
1 qt. lime sherbet
 Green grapes, peeled
Dried cranberries

Make a horizontal slit in the side of the grape.  Insert the cranberry and set aside.  Stir together all ingredients except the grapes until the sherbet is melted and punch is milky green.  Float the grapes on top. 

Moldy Cheetos


2 cups brown sugar
1 cup margarine
1/2 cup white corn syrup
1/2 tsp. baking soda
14-1/2 ounce package Cheetos
Green food coloring

Bring sugar, margarine and syrup to a boil for 5 minutes. Remove from fire. Add baking soda and green food coloring. Stir. Pour over Cheetos in large bowl. Quickly toss and spread on 10x15 pan, sprayed with PAM. Bake at 250 degrees F. for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes. Pour out on waxed paper and quickly separate Cheetos pieces.

Monday, October 1, 2012

Halloween recipes

Halloween is my favorite time of the year.  Every year my husband, son and I cook a meal for friends.  The following is my husband's all time favorites.  (More to follow)

Witches Fingers


1 cup butter, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. almond extract
1 tsp. vanilla
2 2/3 cups flour
1 tsp. salt
3/4 cup almonds, whole
1 tube red decorator gel

Beat together butter, sugar, egg, almond extract and vanilla. Beat in flour and salt. Cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes. Working with one quarter of the dough at a time and keeping remainder refrigerated, roll heaping teaspoonful of dough into finger shape for each cookie. Squeeze twice along finger length to create knuckle shapes. Press almond firmly into one end for nail. After arranging on the lightly greased baking sheets, make slashes with a paring knife across in several places to form knuckles.
Bake in 325 F oven for 20-25 minutes or until pale golden. Let cool for 3 minutes. Lift up almond; squeeze red decorator gel onto nail bed and press almond back in place, so gel oozes out from underneath. You can also make slashes in the finger and fill them with "blood."
Let cool on racks before storing. Repeat with remaining dough.

Alien Secretion

Mountain Dew
Grenadine
Bailey’s
Straws

Have all ingredients chilled.  Pour Mountain Dew into a glass.  Dip a straw into the bottle of grenadine.  When the straw is submerged, place your finger over the top to trap the liquid inside.  Place the straw in the bottom of the glass with the soda.  Slowly lift your finger so the grenadine settles on the bottom of the glass.  Repeat the procedure with a clean straw with the Baileys.  Drizzle this on top of the soda.  Serve immediately.

Ghostly Potatoes

3 pounds potatoes
2 tbsp. Butter
Salt
White pepper
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
Canned Black beans, rinsed

Rinse and cut potatoes into 1 inch cubes.  Boil in lightly salted water.  Drain and rinse in cold water.  With an electric mixer, beat potatoes with butter and cream cheese.  Season with salt and pepper.  Cool slightly.  Spoon into a gallon baggie and seal the top.  Snip a corner off the bottom edge.  Pipe into a lightly greased baking sheet to form the ghost.  Place the beans for eyes.  Bake in a 325 F oven for 15 – 20 minutes until heated through.

Mummy Dogs

1/4 cup cheddar spread
2 Tbsp. Honey mustard
11 ounce breadstick dough
I pack hot dogs, halved
1 egg, lightly beaten
Black peppercorns

Preheat oven to 350 F.  With a sharp knife CAREFULLY cut the peppercorns in half.  Combine cheese and mustard.   Spread on each separated breadstick dough strip.  Wind each strip around one hotdog, leaving a small opening near the top.  Brush with egg.  Arrange peppercorns for eyes.  Bake about 13 minutes or until golden brown.

real food for real people

I love to cook for my family and friends.  However, with some recipes you really have to wonder 'Has anyone ever really tried this'?  The ingredients just don't seem to come together.  Here are some recipes that I love.  So grab a glass of wine, relax and start cooking!