Christmas Dinner 2011

Yesterday morning I did not have any plans for Christmas dinner but Cassie wanted roast chicken and Charlie wanted Cornish Game Hens with a honey ginger, soy sauce glaze so I made both along with mashed potatoes, the green bean casserole ( well they asked for it) dressing, a couple of gravies and pearl onions with peas.   Also there was the tray of raw vegetables and a dip.   They also invited some friends over.

Stuffed Pork Loin

Dinner tonight was a stuffed pork loin. I looked at some recipes then used some of the ingredients in a couple different recipes to make the stuffing. Son liked the stuffing, Cassie was so-so about it. I used baby bella mushrooms, sweet onion and an unripe pair. I may add bread crumbs next time. And maybe some vermouth. Also on the menu was mashed potatoes, half russet, half gold, with cream and butter, carrots roasted with the pork and spinach. The spinach was kind of bitter even though they were all small and young leaves. Gravy was flour, butter, evaporated milk and chicken broth with a little nutmeg, salt and pepper.

Pork was roasted at 350º and went in at 8:30.  I expected it to be done by 9:30 but it was only up to about 140º so I heated the oven to 500º for the 15 more minutes

grilled sandwiches

Yesterdays bread made todays sandwiches.

Rib roast with salad

and the aforementioned bread


Roast at room temperature, salted and peppered and roasted 15 min. @ 500º then oven lowered and roasted at 325º until done to 135º, then covered and allowed to rest.  Salad dressing is olive oil, sherry vinegar, salt, pepper and malt powder.  White sauce for meat is heavy cream, lemon juice and horseradish. Bread is from previous picture.

Bread

A very good friend sent me some Pumpernickel and some rye flours from King Arthur. I made a loaf from each and kneaded them together thinking I'd get a swirl bread.  I must have kneaded them too much because it all came out the same color.  The recipes I used are on the King Arthur bags.

Surf n Turf

Company is coming tomorrow.  This will be the menu with French Bread. Pictures coming after it is all made.

Louisiana Killer Shrimp

Recipe from: Sherrybeth 

Servings: 4 to 6 

2 tablespoons rosemary

2 teaspoons dried thyme

1 teaspoon black pepper

5 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped

1 teaspoon celery seeds

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

2 quarts chicken broth

3 ounces tomato paste

½ cup butter

1 ½ pounds shrimp, peeled, tails on

1 loaf French bread, toasted

Crunch up the rosemary and thyme using fingers. Place all ingredients, except shrimp and french bread, in a large pot. Simmer this mixture for 2 ½ hours.

Five minutes before serving add shrimp and cook about 3 to 4 minutes or until shrimp is done. Serve shrimp with broth and toasted French bread for sopping the broth.

Cuban Style Beef Chuck Eye Steak

4 lbs chuck eye steak, 1-inch thick, beef 

2 tablespoons garlic-flavored olive oil ( or mix some olive oil with garlic powder or fresh minced garlic) 

1 tablespoon cajun seasoning 

2 tablespoons adobo seasoning ( with or without pepper) 

1 teaspoon salt 

1/2 teaspoon black pepper 

Preheat broiler (or grill). 

Place in oven safe baking dish (I have a special glass one). Pour garlic oil over top of steak, coating the top. Sprinkle on the spices, any order. 

Broil about 20-25 minutes, depending on the thickness of your steak. about 25 minutes.

Chimichurri Sauce           yield: Makes about 1 cup

This garlicky sauce from Argentina is great spooned over beef or chicken.

1 cup (packed) fresh Italian parsley

1/2 cup olive oil

1/3 cup red wine vinegar

1/4 cup (packed) fresh cilantro

2 garlic cloves, peeled

3/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon salt

Puree all ingredients in processor. Transfer to bowl. (Can be made 2 hours ahead. Cover and let stand at room temperature.)

Salad dressing

1/4 C. fresh squeezed orange juice

1/4C. fresh squeezed lime juice

1/3 C. olive oil

1/4 C. red wine vinegar

1 tsp minced garlic

2 tsp. sugar

1/3 C finely chopped fresh oregano

Salt and pepper to taste

Salad

2 ears corn, or equal frozen, thawed

2 avocados peeled, pitted and dice large

8 or 9 cherry tomatoes

1 red onion, large dice

1 C. cooked, drained red beans and a handful of mixed herbs greens

soak onions in ice water with a little lime juice or vinegar. It takes out the harshness and adds a pleasant zing back in. __________________

Fried Sweet Potatoes.  Preheat oven to 300º 

2 Large sweet potatoes

1/4 C. vegetable oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Before the steak goes in the oven, place the sweet potatoes on baking sheet until they are easily pierced with a fork but still offer some resistance, about 45 minutes.  Remove from oven and allow them to cool.  Just before steak is ready, cut lengthwise into quarters and heat oil in large fry pan until oil is very hot but not smoking. Fry until they are brown and crisp, about 3 minutes, remove to paper towels and salt and pepper.

Stuffed Mushrooms  Pre heat oven to 375 degrees

16 mushrooms

1/4 lb. butter or more

1/2 C. dry bread crumbs(freshly made, please)

1 T. chopped parsley

1 Tblsp. chipped chives or onion

1/4 tsp Tabasco

1 tsp salt

1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1/2 C. grated Parmesan cheese

small amount of broth

Clean mushrooms, remove stems and chop fine. Melt 4 T. butter and cook bread crumbs, onions, parsley and seasonings. Brush mushrooms with melted butter, Cool stuffing; stir in eggs and stuff mushrooms.  Sprinkle with parmesan cheese, arrange

on parchment lined baking pan and bake about 15 minutes or until browned and tender. You may baste with additional butter if you like.

Note I added about a T. or two of chopped real bacon bits. 

Note serve with toothpicks

I also made Parmesan chips: Take left over grated Parmesan and place a pinch at a time on parchment paper lined baking sheet and place in heated oven for two or three minutes, until melted.  Let cool.  They will be crisp like chips.

Left over ham and egg salad

Ham n Egg Salad

Ingredients

2 c. Left over baked ham, diced very small
4 hard boiled eggs, chopped
1 c. mayonnaise
1/2 c. chopped romaine ribs
1/4 c. chopped sweet onion
1/4 c chopped dried apples
Salt and Pepper to taste Omit salt if using a country cured ham... it is salty enough

Instructions

Combine diced ham, eggs, romaine ribs, onion, and dried apple. Add mayonnaise and mix. Salt and pepper to taste. If possible, allow to sit in refrigerator for 1 hour. Serve alone or on bread.

Country Cured Ham

Country cured ham, about 15.6 lbs


Opened package, ham need scrubbing with stiff brush under running water


Ham is then soaked in cold water at room temperature 12 hours-overnight


Then water is changed and ham simmered 5 hours at 250 degrees


When finished cooking, covered and left to cool in the liquid- next day still hot.


When just cool enough to handle, skin and fat were removed.  Could be glazed and baked at this point but not necessary.


Sliced for ham steaks with enough for 3 more bags for sandwiches, ham salad, etc.