Baked Feta Cheese

baking a block of feta cheese seems counterintuitive, since feta is usually served cold, but this recipe got very good reviews and is really easy to make.

 
this can be prepared and stored in the fridge up to a day in advance.



 - you can use any size block of feta, depending on how many people you are serving.




 - place unwrapped feta on a piece of foil

- drizzle with olive oil

- sprinkle basil and oregano

- top with capers








- fold foil over to cover and crimp edges to seal


- bake at 350 for 35 minutes





- open foil and drain off liquid.  (the liquid is the brine that is used in the making of the cheese; without it the cheese becomes mild and creamy)

 

 - serve with crackers and sundried tomatoes. (if using the sundried tomatoes that are packed in oil you could use that on top of the feta instead of the olive oil and spices before baking)

Top Secret! Sugar & Spice Walnuts

Here it is - the recipe everyone asks for!

They are very simple to make, and are very addicting to eat.



1. in large bowl, beat 1 egg white with 1 tbsp water.

2. toss 1# walnut halves to coat.

3. in small bowl combine
1c. white sugar,
1 tsp cinnamon,
1/4 tsp nutmeg.

4.  stir well, then toss with walnuts.

5. spread on greased cookie sheet.

6. bake @ 325 for 25 minutes.

7. spread on waxed paper to cool.

Important: do step 7 right away - if the nuts cool on the cookie sheet they will become welded to it and it is difficult to scrape them off.

I will need to find a recipe that uses all those leftover egg yolks...

Savory Burger & Blue Cheese Roll!

Yet another use for Pillsbury dough! They should be paying me or something... :)


1. Cook 1# of ground beef, or moose, or whatever you have 150 lbs of in your freezer.



2. Unroll pizza crust dough on greased cookie sheet, spread with barbecue sauce, then spread layer of cooked meat.  Don't spread all the way to the far end - you want a little flap for closing the roll.


3. Top with crumbled blue cheese and shredded mozzarella.


4. Roll from near short end like a big jelly roll with closing flap last; this keeps it from unrolling while it cooks.  It will look like some kind of big white larvae from a sci-fi movie, but trust me that it will look better when it is cooked!

5.  Bake according to dough package directions.  Sprinkle with shredded mozzarella for last 5 minutes.



6. Slice to serve with bbq sauce.

Turkey Dinner Pie!

This recipe came about as part of my quest to find out what else I can put into a pie.  It is really very easy, and got excellent reviews from my test group :)


You could use leftovers from a turkey dinner,
or just cook about 1 1/2 lbs of turkey meat.  I think the flavor is better with roasted turkey meat, but if you don't have that just simmer the meat in chicken broth with some spices for about an hour.

Press shredded turkey meat into bottom crust.

Top with gravy.

Spread stuffing in even layer.  For best flavor I like to make the stuffing according to package directions but replacing part of the water with one can of chicken broth.  Reduce the remaining quantity of water by 1/2 cup to make stuffing a little more crumbly - it will absorb moisture from the other ingredients during cooking and if it starts out too wet it can overly soften the top crust.


Place top crust and crimp edges together.

Cut several slits in crust to let excess moisture escape.

Bake @ 350 for 50 minutes, covering crust edge with foil after 20 minutes.

Serve with cranberry sauce.  (I don't normally like cranberry sauce very much, but it really adds a lot to this combo of flavors.  Just use a can of jellied cranberry sauce and stir it a bit until smooth)

chicken-proscuitto-pear-gouda panini

This one is fairly self explanatory.

I used chicken breast cutlets and then pounded them mercilessly with my spiky kitchen hammer thing.  (you don't necessarily have to do that too, but it's fun!)

Serve with a sweet mustard.

Use olive oil on the bread instead of butter if you want it to get crisp.

mozzarella rice balls

In honor of the upcoming holiday feasting, I wanted to share a family favorite recipe.  No, we don't eat this for Thanksgiving, but it has been contributing to our collective weight gain for many years.



1. Cook 2 c white rice. Cool slightly.

2. Fold in 4 beaten egg yolks and 1/2 c. grated parmesan cheese.  Mix thoroughly.

3. cut one 8oz package of mozzarella cheese into about two dozen cubes.

4. shape about 1/4 cup rice into a ball around each cheese cube.  Squeeze balls to make sure rice completely covers cheese.

5.  beat egg whites in shallow dish.  gently roll each ball in egg white and then in italian breadcrumbs.

6. place on baking sheet so they are not touching.

7. Refrigerate one hour.  Firmness matters!

8.  bake at 350 for 30 minutes.  Watch for blowouts! If cheese leaks out, they are done.

9. White Sauce:  Melt 1/4 c. butter or margarine over low heat in medium saucepan.

10. Stir in 1/4 c. flour, 1 tsp salt, 1/8 tsp pepper.

11. Cook on medium high, stirring constantly, until it bubbles.  Lumps will disappear when at the right temperature.

12. Remove from heat. Stir in 1/2 c. parmesan cheese. 

13. serve while hot.

14. don't blame me for the number you will see on your scale

Crockpot Pulled Pork!

I absolutely LOVE pulled pork sandwiches.

LOVE them.

New England winters are too cold to grill meat at the right temperature, but I can't possibly go 6 months without pulled pork...

What to do?


Trusty crock pot to the rescue!!

 For a better finished texture, use a pork butt roast instead of a loin cut.

Throw entire roast into crockpot.

Add one large bottle of your favorite bbq sauce and one can of cola.

Cook on low at least 6 hours.  I start it when I leave for work and it is ready to shred when I get home.

Remove roast from liquid.  Discard liquid - it will have blobs and floaty things and isn't good to use.

Shred meat, removing bones and stretchy bits.

Stir in enough fresh bbq sauce to make the meat sticky enough for sandwiches.

Serve with hamburger rolls and cheese.

The 'What Can I Put Into A Pie' Series: Shepherds Pie in a Pie

The origin of the pie series began with the discovery of pre-made refrigerated pie crusts.  (thank you Pillsbury dough boy!)

Once I realized how easy they are to work with and how much better they taste than the frozen ones, the light of inspiration dawned.  "What else can go in here", I wondered.

It turns out that you can put lots of things into pie crust!  These trials of Shepherd's Pie In A Pie were very well received by the testing group, and there will be more winning recipes to come.


These proportions are suitable for a 9" pie plate.

Cook and drain 1 lb. ground beef.

Spices are optional, but the addition of garlic powder and black pepper was popular.

Press one crust into pie plate, fill with cooked beef.

Top with one 10oz package of frozen corn with butter sauce, prepared according to package directions.


As you can see from the photos, I tried two different approaches to the potatoes: 

The first one has one large potato, diced and microwaved with a tablespoon of water for 5 minutes.  You can also use a drained can of diced potatoes.

The second pie has a top layer of prepared instant mashed potato.  This version was preferred by the testing group.


Either way, once the potato has been added, you are ready to place the top crust.  Pinch along edges to seal, and cut a vent hole in the center.

Bake 20 minutes at 350.  Cover edges with foil, bake 15 more minutes.  Serve while hot.

Happle Birthday Crisp!

I made this for a friend's birthday.

He didn't appreciate my title, but he and the rest of the testing group did enjoy the dessert :)


It is very simple to make, and can easily be made as a gluten free version.



1. Grease 13x9 pan.


2. Peel and chop (6) apples and (2) pears.


3. Spread in pan with dried cranberries and chopped walnuts.



4. Mix topping ingredients:

    1 c. packed brown sugar
    1/2 c. flour (or GF baking mix)
    3/4 c. oats
    1/2 c. softened butter
    1 tsp cinnamon
    1/2 tsp nutmeg


5. Sprinkle over fruit.


6. Bake 350 for 50 minutes.


7. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

Restaurant-Quality Steak Subs!

I absolutely love steak and cheese subs, and try them at every sub shop, but had to find a way to make them at home so I can have them any time I want.   This is how I do it:

Marinate steak tips in soy sauce with black pepper for at least an hour, shaking the container a couple of times to distribute marinade.

You can also marinade with marsala cooking wine, or a rich brown ale, if you like that sort of thing.


Coat with flour.  Gluten Free baking mix works well also; make sure the soy sauce is GF too.

Heat a tablespoon of olive oil over med-hi heat.  Saute steak tips 4 minutes each side.



Cover pan loosely and cook until edges are crispy, about 10 minutes.

Serve with sub rolls, mayo, and cheese.


Variations:

- barbecue sauce or steak sauce
- sauteed mushrooms
- onions & peppers.
- toast sub rolls open-faced under broiler 2 minutes

Easy 4-Step Baked Stuffed Shrimp!

 Step 1:
 Remove tails from 2 pounds defrosted shrimp.

 Step 2: 
Spread shrimp in greased baking dish.

Step 3:
Prepare Stuffing - 

 1/4 c. white wine
  1 tsp lemon juice
  4 tbsp melted butter
  1 c. breadcrumbs
  1/2 tsp parsley
  1/4 c. parmesan cheese

Mix all ingredients, sprinkle over shrimp.

Step 4:
Bake 30 minutes at 350, until bubbling and golden.


Serves 4.


This recipe is great when I have last-minute dinner guests because I can easily double the amounts with a bigger baking dish.



Variation: try adding mushrooms or chunks of celery with the shrimp.  

sausage and egg burrito

Everybody loves breakfast foods at any time of day, but when pancakes just aren't enough, sausage and eggs will fill you up!

Cook 1 lb pork sausage in skillet.  Drain oil.

Whisk 4 eggs with 2 tbsp milk, salt, pepper.  Pour into cooked sausage; stir until egg is completely cooked.

Add diced ham and chopped peppers before the eggs for a western version.

Serve with hash browns, cheese, burrito wraps, sour cream, taco sauce for wrap sandwiches, or place folded-side-down on a baking sheet, top with cheese, and bake at 325 for 15 minutes for burritos.




 


It doesn't look like much in the photos but is very tasty and is an easy recipe to adjust to accommodate particular preferences, food sensitivities and picky eaters.  And sensitive particular picky food preference eaters. And every other combo you can think of! 

It's Game Time: Turky Bacon Apple Swiss Panini!

It turns out that turkys have TWO breasts.  Since the first one went into a pie, this one is going in paninis!

Underneath all that bacon is a big slab of wild turky.  Wild game meats are often dry, so the bacon is meant to keep it moist.  If you use commercially available turky meat, the bacon just makes it extra yummy :)

In any case, lay the bacon across the meat and roast at 325 for two hours, covered loosely with foil.  Thats it -  just put in the oven and leave it.

When the meat is ready, slice both bacon and turky into thin slices.


Panini can be made in a sandwich press or in a nonstick frying pan.  I have a waffle iron that can have flat grilling plates.

Thick cut "texas toast" style bread works really well - it can tolerate the heat long enough for the whole sandwich to get cooked.

Brush the bread with olive oil, and layer from the bottom up- turky and bacon first, then thin slices of apple, then swiss cheese, and another piece of bread brushed with olive oil.  Putting the apple in the middle prevents it from becoming overcooked before the cheese is melted.

The biggest challenge was holding off the testing group long enough to take a photo!  This combination was highly approved.