Steak and fries

Charlie brought these big and thick steaks home from the grocery store yesterday so it was dinner today.  The oven fries were made using the convection for the first time.  Charlie also brought home cookies, chips and dip.  We had cookies for dessert and plan some kind of sandwich with the leftover steak. Maybe a beef Bahn Mi.

Crispy BBQ Potato Wedges 

These Crispy BBQ Potato Wedges are the perfect summer side dish - crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, with deliciously smoky BBQ flavor! 

Prep Time 10 minutesCook Time 22 minutesTotal Time 32 minutes

Servings 6 servingsAuthor Chrissie (thebusybaker.ca)

Ingredients

• 1-2 tablespoons vegetable oil (for greasing the pan)

• 8-10 medium golden potatoes, cut into wedges

• 1 tablespoon seasoning salt

• 1 tablespoon smoked paprika

• 1 teaspoon garlic powder

• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

• a pinch of cayenne pepper

• 1/3 cup vegetable oil

Instructions

1 Preheat your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit and prepare a large baking sheet, greasing it with 1-2 tablespoons vegetable oil.

2 Slice the potatoes into wedges and add them to a large bowl.

3 Add the seasoning salt, paprika, garlic powder, pepper, and cayenne to the bowl, along with the 1/3 cup of vegetable oil.

4 Toss the potatoes, spices, and oil together until the potatoes are well coated.

5 Pour the potato wedges onto the prepared baking sheet and spread them out in a single layer.

6 Bake the wedges at 425 degrees Fahrenheit for about 22-25 minutes, or until the wedges are golden brown.

7 Remove them from the oven and enjoy immediately with ketchup for dipping, or your favourite dipping sauce!

Tips for crispy potato wedges:

• Make sure your oven temperature is hot - use an oven thermometer to ensure your oven temperature is 425 degrees Fahrenheit.

• Use the convection setting on your oven to avoid having to flip the potato wedges halfway through baking. • If your oven doesn't have a convection setting, flip the potato wedges halfway through baking to ensure even browning.

Turkey Pot Pie (leftovers)

BASIC BISCUITS 

2 C. self rising White Lily  flour

2 t.sugar

1/4 C. butter

Enough buttermilk to make dough (about 3/4 C.)

Cut butter into dry ingr. Add enough buttermilk to make soft dough. Pat or roll out into oblong about 1/2-inch thick, cut into 1-inch squares, roll briefly into balls, dipping each one in melted butter and put over top of pot pie.

Bake 25 minutes.

(Leftover) Turkey Pot Pie 

3 tablespoons butter, divided 

3 carrots, washed & chopped into 1/4″ pieces

2 stalks celery, washed & chopped into 1/4″ pieces

1 leek, trimmed, washed and chopped

1/2 C. frozen peas

1 tablespoon fresh thyme

1/2 teaspoon salt

Freshly ground black pepper

2 1/2 cups cooked turkey or chicken meat

3.5 oz mushrooms, washed and chopped (I like using chanterelles)

Leftover turkey gravy... enough to moisten filling plus a couple dollops of cream to thin and enrich the gravy.

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large skillet set over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons butter. Add carrots, celery, leek, thyme, salt and pepper; sauté until vegetables are just tender, about 8 minutes. Add turkey or chicken, mushrooms and chicken stock. Continue cooking until the liquid cooks off. Transfer meat and veggies to a plate..

2. Return pan to medium heat and melt remaining tablespoon of butter. Add 1 cup  leftover turkey gravy and cream. Cook for one minute to bring the sauce together, then remove from heat. Pour sauce over meat and veggies, add lemon zest and stir to combine well.

Use biscuit dough (above) and bake 25 to 30 minutes.

Cranberry Chutney was made about a week before Thanksgiving.  It keeps for a long time and there is enough for several leftover servings.

Cranberry Chutney 

Ingredients

4 cups fresh cranberries

1 cup water

2 cups sugar                             

2 cinnamon sticks

6 whole cloves

1 teaspoon salt

2 tart apples, peeled, cored and diced (i use granny smith apples)

2 pears, peeled, cored, and diced

1 small yellow onion

1 cup raisins

1/2 cup crystallized ginger, diced or 1 teaspoon of dried ground ginger

Directions Step-By-Step

In a deep 6 quart saucepan, bring cranberries, water, sugar, cinnamon sticks, cloves and salt to a boil over medium heat.

Stir frequently for about 10 minutes, until cranberries start to make a popping sound.

Once cranberries begin to pop, reduce heat to simmer. Add diced apples, pears, onion and raisins, and continue stirring frequently until mixture begins to thicken. (10 to 15 minutes.)

Remove from heat. Stir in ginger. Cool to room temperature. Remove cinnamon sticks and cloves before serving.

Recipe makes about 3 quarts. I heated my jars and poured in the hot cranberries, sealed the jars with canning lids and turned them upside down until cool. This seals the jars slightly, enough to store them in the refrigerator for a couple of months. Plenty long enough to get you through the holidays.

Sticky Asian Chicken Wings

Sticky Asian Chicken Wings Recipe    From Shelby

Servings: 4-6Prep Time:5 minutesCook Time:30 minutes

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon rice vinegar (substitute with red or cider vinegar)

4 tablespoons hoisin sauce

3 tablespoons honey

2 tablespoons fresh ginger, peeled and minced

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 stalk green onions, chopped

1 tablespoon hot chili sauce

2 tablespoons sesame seeds

2 1/2 pounds chicken wings, with tips

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375F.

In a large bowl, whisk together all the ingredients except for the chicken wings. Set aside half of the sauce mixture to use later.

Toss the chicken wings in with the marinade in the large bowl to coat. Line a baking sheet with foil and spread the chicken wings in a single layer. Bake for 30 minutes or until the wings are cooked through.

When the wings are done, toss with the reserved sauce mixture.

Garnished with sesame seeds and orange zest.

With it we had it we had egg rolls, rice and kimchi. 

After Thanksgiving "Leftovers"

In the years when someone else has the T-day hosting duties, and in order to have "leftovers" in the next day or so, I do the smallest turkey I can find and make a mini dinner for just us.  This year I took an extra easy way out and got some sides from Hen House grocery deli.  They were green beans, gravy and corn.  We didn't care all that much for the corn or green beans so I won't do that again.

Here is the turkey recipe, which made the turkey skin blotchy and didn't add much if any flavor.  I am recording it here so I'll be reminded not to make it again.

Dressing was Pepperidge Farm cornbread stuffing and mashed potato was made with salt, pepper, butter, at tad of Ranch dressing and milk.

Cornbread was a Marie Calendar mix with 1 cup water and 1/2 cup chicken broth.  It seemed too thin a batter but came out OK after it cooled. It was extremely crumbly while still hot.  Bread was my go-to sourdough bread recipe which I made this year instead of a richer eggy bread.  I guess I took the too easy way out this year.

Not pictured is the cranberry chutney that is always a hit with everyone.

Clementine-and-Garlic Roast Turkey

Active Time 1 HR  Total Time  4 HR 30 MIN  Yield  Serves : 10

Justin Chapple November 2017

 To make the tastiest, quicket, easiest jus for turkey, Food & Wine’s Justin Chapple includes juicy clementines and garlic in the roasting pan, adding excellent flavor.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened

•  6 clementines, zested
(1 1/2 tablespoons) and halved crosswise 

•  4 large garlic cloves, finely grated, plus 6 whole garlic heads, halved crosswise 2 teaspoons finely chopped thyme, plus 10 sprigs

•  One 12- to 14-pound turkey, rinsed and patted dry

•  Kosher salt Pepper

•  2 cups chicken stock or low-sodium broth

Step 1    

In a medium bowl, blend the butter with the clementine zest, grated garlic and chopped thyme. Run your fingers under the turkey breast and thigh skin to loosen it, then spread the butter mixture under and over the skin of the breast and thighs. Season the turkey inside and out with salt and pepper. Transfer to a rack set in a roasting pan and let come to room temperature, about 1 hour.

Step 2    

Preheat the oven to 400°. Roast the turkey for about
30 minutes, until lightly browned. Add the chicken stock to the roasting pan and roast for 30 minutes. Scatter the clementine halves, garlic heads and thyme sprigs in the pan. Roast for about 1 hour longer, rotating the pan a few times, until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the inner thigh registers 165°. Transfer the turkey to a cutting board; let rest for 30 minutes. Transfer the clementines, garlic heads and thyme to a plate, tent with foil and keep warm.

Step 3    

Meanwhile, skim the fat off the pan juices and transfer the juices to a medium saucepan. Squeeze the roasted garlic from 1 head and whisk into the pan juices. Bring to a boil over moderately high heat and cook, whisking frequently, until slightly reduced, about 5 minutes. Season the roasted garlic jus with salt and pepper. Carve the turkey and transfer to a platter. Arrange the roasted clementines, garlic heads and thyme around the carved turkey and serve with the jus.

Make Ahead

The seasoned uncooked turkey can be refrigerated overnight. Bring to room temperature before roasting.

Cranberry Chutney

Ingredients

4 cups fresh cranberries

1 cup water

2 cups sugar                             

2 cinnamon sticks

6 whole cloves

1 teaspoon salt

2 tart apples, peeled, cored and diced (i use granny smith apples)

2 pears, peeled, cored, and diced

1 small yellow onion

1 cup raisins

1/2 cup crystallized ginger, diced or 1 teaspoon of dried ground ginger

Directions

In a deep 6 quart saucepan, bring cranberries, water, sugar, cinnamon sticks, cloves and salt to a boil over medium heat.

Stir frequently for about 10 minutes, until cranberries start to make a popping sound.

Once cranberries begin to pop, reduce heat to simmer. Add diced apples, pears, onion and raisins, and continue stirring frequently until mixture begins to thicken. (10 to 15 minutes.)

Remove from heat. Stir in ginger. Cool to room temperature. Remove cinnamon sticks and cloves before serving.

Recipe makes about 3 quarts. I heated my jars and poured in the hot cranberries, sealed the jars with canning lids and turned them upside down until cool. This seals the jars slightly, enough to store them in the refrigerator for a couple of months. Plenty long enough to get you through the holidays.

Taco de Carnitas

Originally posted 3/15/14 and somehow did not get posted before.

TACOS de CARNITAS

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 2 hours, 15 minutes

Yield: 12 servings

Packaged tortillas are fine, but even better are freshly made corn tortillas found in some supermarkets or Latino markets.

4 1/2 pounds pork butt

6 cups water

1 1/2 onions, diced

7 strips orange zest

6 cloves garlic, minced

2 bay leaves

1 1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes

1 1/2 cinnamon sticks

1 1/2 teaspoons oregano leaves, crushed

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt plus more to taste

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

24 small corn tortillas, warmed

Finely chopped green onions, chopped cilantro, salsa or hot sauce

1. Chop thick fat from the outside of the pork butt. Cut meat into 1-inch cubes. Discard any cubes that are pure fat. Combine pork with the 6 cups water, onions, orange zest, garlic, bay leaves, red pepper flakes, cinnamon, oregano, 1 1/2 teaspoons of the salt and cloves in a large pot. Heat to a boil; reduce heat to a simmer. Skim any scum that forms on the surface. Simmer until meat is very soft and falling apart, adding more water if necessary to keep the meat submerged, about 1 1/2 hours.

2. Season with salt. Heat to a gentle boil; cook until the water has evaporated, about 30 minutes. Cook a little longer to fry the meat slightly, watching carefully to prevent burning. Remove bay leaves and cinnamon sticks. Place meat in a fine strainer; push gently with a wooden spoon to remove any excess fat. Discard the fat; pull meat apart with forks, if necessary. Fold a few tablespoons of carnitas inside each tortilla; top each with cilantro, onion and salsa.

add sliced radish

Cod Poached in Wine and Coconut Milk

Originally made 5/12/ 16 and did not get posted earlier

and with shallots and mushrooms plus cornbread, hash browns and peas.

POACHED COD IN COCONUT MILK 

Inspired by Range and Saveur’s Salmon a la Nage

Serves 2

2 8-ounce cod fillets (can substitute any firm white fish or salmon)

12 ounces dry white wine

2 tablespoons butter

1/4 cup minced shallot

8 ounces coconut milk

8 ounces water

1 tablespoon fresh tarragon, minced + more for garnish

1 tablespoon flat leaf parsley, minced

2 ounces brown beech mushrooms (can substitute any light, delicately-flavored mushroom)

handful fresh sorrel (can substitute other spring greens)

salt + pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 200 degrees.

In a large skillet, melt one tablespoon butter over medium heat. Add the shallots and saute, stirring, for about 2-3 minutes to soften. Salt and pepper both sides of the cod fillets and place in pan. Add the wine and water and poach cod until cooked, about 7 minutes. Using a large spatula, remove cod from broth and place in wide, shallow soup bowls. Place bowls with cod in oven to keep warm.

Raise the heat on broth and bring to a boil to reduce by about one cup. Reduce heat to medium low and add coconut milk, remaining butter, tarragon and parsley, and stir. Add mushrooms and cook for about five minutes, until mushrooms are tender. Turn off heat. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Remove bowls from oven. Divide fresh sorrel between the bowls. Ladle broth over the fish and sorrel. Garnish with fresh tarragon leaves. Serve immediately.

Cornbread made with recipe on Quaker Corn Meal box using brown sugar instead of white and whole milk instead of skim.

Sesame Chicken

Originally made 5/21/16 and somehow did not get posted.

SLOW COOKER SESAME CHICKEN

INGREDIENTS:

2 garlic cloves minced

1/2 cup sweet onion

1/4 cup ketchup

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup honey

2 tablespoons mirin (optional)

2 tablespoons sesame seed oil

2 large boneless skinless chicken breast

1/4 cup chives (for garnish)

DIRECTIONS:

In a large zip-lock bag combine garlic, onion, ketchup, soy, honey, Mirin, and oil. Smoosh the bag (yes that is a technical term) to combine all the ingredients. Add the chicken breasts and place in the freezer for up to 3 months.

When ready to cook remove from freezer and allow to thaw in the refrigerator. Place in slow cooker and cook on low for 4 hours. Serve with white rice or noodles.