Cooking Weblog

Here is a great chile recipe for you to try. Full of bold flavors that will remind you of the south west. This is one of those recipes that is good any time of the year. It’s a winner! Cheese and onion were added for this picture.

Ingredients: Beans

1 cup dry pinto beans

1 cup dry kidney beans

8 cups ( 2qts. ) water

1tbsp. salt

Method: beans

Slow method ( recommended )

Check beans for little rocks ( this is recommended by most producers ) and then combine all ingredients into a 5 quart stock pot or sauce pan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer for 4 hours covered stirring about once every hour. Stirring to much will mash your beans and you will end up with the texture of refried beans so go easy. It is usually recommended that you soak the beans overnight in cold water but I’ve found that this is not necessary for this recipe. Soaking the beans helps to release some of the gas but this recipe will cook for 7 hours releasing most of the gas during cooking.

Quick method:

Buy 1 24 ounce can each of cooked pinto and cooked kidney beans. Follow steps below.

Ingredients: Sauce

2lbs. hamburger 15%

2 big stalks celery ( thick sliced )

1 onion bite size pieces ( 1 inch dice )

1 green pepper bite size pieces ( 1 inch dice )

1 tbsp. salt

1 tbsp. pepper

2 tbsp. chili powder

1 teas. cumin powder

1 teas. oregano ( mexican if you can find it )

8 oz. water

28 oz. can diced tomatoes

15 oz. can tomato sauce

6 oz. can tomato paste

Method: Sauce/Chile

Add hamburger, salt, pepper, chili powder, cumin and oregano to a 8 to 10 quart stock pot and cook on medium high heat for 10 to 15 minutes ( until meat has browned ). Add diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste and water. Cook for another 5 minutes stirring often. Add celery, onion and green pepper and stir to mix well. Reduce heat to medium low and cook for 30 minutes covered stirring occasionally. Add beans ( do not drain ) and stir to mix well. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 3 hours covered, stirring about once an hour. You should notice a change in the sauce after about 2 1/2 hours. It will loosen slightly which is the sign it is ready. Makes about 8 quarts of chili and can be frozen for at least 4 months.

Note: Since there is little need to stir while cooking this recipe, when you do stir make sure your are scraping the bottom of your pot to ensure that nothing is sticking. Nonstick cookware works best.

TRY THIS WITH YOUR CHILE!

Serve it in an edible bowl! All you have to do is slice off the top of a roll and hollow it out ( I’m using a cheddar cheese covered roll ). Fill it with warm chile and bake on a cookie sheet at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes and sprinkle with cheese. Be careful when hollowing out your rolls you don’t want any holes or they will leak. Just use your fingers and gently pull out little pieces of bread at a time until you have a bowl about 1/4 to 1/3 inch thick. If you do make a hole, press a piece of bread into it, that should fix the problem. What to do with the leftover bread? Wrap it in a piece of foil and leave it on the counter for a few days until it dries out, crumble it up and you have instant breadcrumbs for another recipe.

If you have any questions about this or any other recipe let me know, I’d be happy to hear from you.

If you have any questions about cooking in general I’d be happy to help you

Need kitchen supplies? Check out www.onestopcook.com

Here is a cool and refreshing chicken salad recipe for you. Great for sandwiches, on a garden salad, or just by itself. Crunchy and creamy at the same time. I know you’ll love it.

Ingredients:

1 1/2lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast

1/3 green pepper ( thin slice )

1/3 red pepper ( thin slice )

2 stalks celery ( thin slice )

1/3 onion ( thin slice )

1 carrot ( shredded )

2/3 cup mayonnaise

2 tbsp. mustard

1/4 head lettuce ( leafed )

1 tomato ( thin slice )

dill pickle chips

4 french rolls ( sliced in half )

olive oil

Method:

Wash and dry the chicken thoroughly and coat with olive oil. Grill on medium heat for 20 minutes ( about 10 minutes a side ) and remove to a plate to cool. You can also bake in the oven at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes. You are looking for an internal temperature of at least 165 degrees ( or when juices run clear ). After cooling slice into 1 inch long, 1/4 inch thick slices.

In a large bowl add chicken, green pepper, red pepper, celery, onion, carrot, mayonnaise and mustard and mix well. You can use it at this point but I recommend refrigerating for 30 minutes to let the flavors incorporate.

Bake the sliced french rolls in a 350 degree oven or toaster oven just long enough for a light toast ( 3 to 5 minutes ) You want it to be slightly crispy on the outside and soft in the middle. Let cool for 1 minute.

Assembly:

Put 3 to 4 heaping tablespoons of the chicken salad on bottom half of roll. Spread top half with mayonnaise and mustard, add lettuce leaves, sliced tomatoes and pickles and close. Serve with your favorite chips or bowl of soup.

Makes 4 big or 6 smaller sandwiches.

Refrigerate any unused portion in a sealed container. Lasts for about a week.

I hope you will enjoy this recipe and HAPPY COOKING!!

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Summer time is here! It’s time to light up the bbq. Here is a great burger idea for you to try. There is something about a great burger off the bbq that hits the spot on a warm summer afternoon. Juicy and delicious!

Ingredients:

2lbs. hamburger ( 22% fat )

8 slices swiss cheese ( thick sliced )

2 tomatoes ( sliced )

1/2 head romaine lettuce ( leafed )

1 onion ( sliced )

1lb. thick cut bacon

8 kaiser rolls

margarine

salt

pepper

garlic powder

1000 island dressing

Method: Prep

Shape hamburger into 1/4 pound patties. They should be thin enough to overlap the bun by about 1/4 inch. Some shrinkage will occur while cooking and the extra 1/4 inch will disappear leaving you with a perfect fit for your bun. Lightly season both sides with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Set aside covered ( you can refrigerate them but you want them at room temperature before cooking, frozen patties will cook faster on the outside leaving the middle undercooked ).

Tip: 22% to 25% fat content is ideal for burgers because the fat content keeps the burger juicy. Anything leaner than that has a tendency to dry out which doesn’t make for a good burger.

Cut bacon strips in half and cook in a skillet on medium heat. Only put enough bacon in the pan at a time to cover pan in one layer not overlapping. You don’t want the bacon to curl on you, You’re looking for flat strips. Repeat until done placing the bacon on a plate covered with 2 paper towels to absorb excess grease. Set aside covered.

Empty all but about 2 tablespoons of the bacon grease out of your skillet and saute onions in the same pan. Place onions in a bowl and set aside.

Note: Cooking your onions in either bacon grease or hamburger grease will give your onions much more flavor than cooking them in oil. Once you try this method you will probably never want your grilled onions any other way.

Arrange your lettuce and tomato on a plate for easy assembly.

Butter the kaiser rolls with a thin layer of margarine ( like buttering a piece of toast ).

Arrange your lettuce/tomato plate, grilled onions, bacon and 1000 island dressing all together for easy assembly.

Cooking the burgers:

On a medium high heat place the burgers on your grill ( don’t touch them once they’re on ) and cook until you see the juices forming on the top, this is a sign that they are ready to flip ( about 3 to 5 minutes ). Flip, add swiss cheese and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes until done and cheese is melted. Remove to a cookie sheet and cover with foil being careful not to touch the cheese.

Cooking the buns:

Place buns buttered side down on a 350 degree griddle and cook until buttered side is golden brown ( about 3 to 5 minutes ). Doing your buns this way makes a huge difference in the final product. Please don’t leave this step out

Assembly:

Top bun:

Add about a tablespoon of 1000 island dressing and spread on top bun. Add your lettuce and tomato.

Bottom bun:

Place patty with cheese on bun, add 3 to 4 slices of bacon and about a tablespoon of grilled onions.

Place top bun on bottom bun and enjoy

Makes 8 delicious burgers.

Need kitchen supplies? Check out www.onestopcook.com

Here is a very simple recipe that anyone can make. Just like the ones you get in a restaurant without the price. Great for an appetizer or a main course. Dip these in your favorite sauce or just eat them by themselves. You’ll love em!

Ingredients:

2-3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 eggs
1 cup milk
3/4 teas. salt
1/3 teas. pepper ( I use fresh cracked )
3/4 teas. onion powder
1/2 teas. garlic powder
1/2 teas. paprika
1/2 teas. oregano
1 1/2-2 cups Italian style bread crumbs
About 4 cups vegetable oil

Method:

Wash chicken thoroughly and pat it dry with a paper towel. Slice into 1/2 thick strips about 2 1/2 to 3 inches long.

Add eggs, milk and seasoning to a medium size bowl and mix well. Add about 1/2 cup of bread crumbs to a large shallow bowl. You have just made a quick breading station… pretty simple.

Next, put 2 to 3 of the chicken strips into the egg wash and coat. Transfer them 1 or 2 at a time to the bread crumbs and coat thoroughly. Lay them out onto a piece of foil ( about 2 feet long ) and continue until you’re done. Repeat this process one more time and whallah.. you have double dipped chicken strips! So far so good.

Note: Use one hand to dip into the egg wash and transfer to the bread crumbs and the other to place onto the foil. This will help you avoid something called “club hand”.

Now all you have to do is fry them.

Note: To avoid any spillage, don’t fill pan more than 1/2 way with oil.

Add the oil to a 3 to 5 quart sauce pan or deep fryer, about 2 inches of oil will do. Heat to 350 degrees and start frying, 3 to 4 at a time. This takes about a minute when thawed ( basically, when they look done, they are done ). Transfer them to a plate covered with 1 or 2 paper towels to drain. There you go, you have just made yourself some awesome chicken strips…just like the restaurant. How easy was that!

I got about 20 chicken strips from 2 breasts… not bad!

Great tip! These freeze very well so you can save some for later. Just freeze any uncooked chicken strips in a freezer bag ( or foil )keeping them separated until they are frozen. Keeping them separated will keep them from sticking together ( well, thats kind of a no brainer eh. )

Bonus Recipe!

You can make some tasty mozzarella sticks using basically the same recipe! Here’s how.

Substitute mozzarella cheese for chicken, cutting it to the same size. Delete the seasoning from the egg wash to make it just eggs and milk. Follow the same method. They will cook a little faster than the chicken strips so keep an eye on them or they will ooze everywhere. You can also freeze them the same way.

Another recipe from your resident chef and cookware specialist… I hope you will try them

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A nice Greek recipe I got from my sister ( she lived in Greece for a while ). Here in the U.S. we call it Gyros (yeeros). It’s traditionally made with lamb but she says you can use any kind of meat. I like beef so that’s what I used.

Ingredients: tzatziki sauce

3 cups Greek yogurt or plain yogurt
1 lemon ( just the juice )
1 clove garlic
2 cucumbers, peeled, seeded and diced
1 teas. salt ( for cucumbers )
1 teas. fresh dill ( fine chop )
salt and pepper to taste

Method:

If you’re using plain yogurt, pour it into a strainer lined with cheesecloth or two clean coffee filters, place over a bowl and let it drain for about two hours. If you’re using Greek yogurt skip this step.
Add salt to the cucumbers and put into a colander over a bowl and let sit for about 1/2 hour to draw out the moisture from the cucumbers then pat dry with a paper towel.
Add cucumbers, garlic, dill, lemon juice and a little bit of cracked pepper ( a few grinds ) to a food processor and process until blended.
Mix yogurt and cucumber mixture together, taste and add salt if needed. Place in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours ( important ) to let flavors blend.

Ingredients: Meat

2lbs. beef tri tip (you can substitute lamb, pork, boneless/skinless chicken breast etc.)
6 skewers ( soaked in water for about 20 minutes to prevent burning )
1 lemon ( juiced )
2 tbsp. olive oil
salt, pepper and paprika ( to taste )

Method: meat

Cut meat into about 3/4 to 1in. cubes and arrange on the skewers( for chicken, delete the skewers and leave whole ) and set them on a large plate or platter. Season with salt, pepper, paprika and lemon juice, drizzel with olive oil. Marinate for 1/2 hour. Grill on medium high to high heat for about 15 to 20 minutes or until done, turning occasionally for even cooking.
Note: For chicken, cut into bite size pieces after cooking.

Ingredients: Souvlakia with Tzatziki Sauce

Meat
Tzatziki Sauce
1 pack pita bread (6)
1/2 red onion sliced very thin
2 medium size tomatoes, diced

Note: Pita Bread
Wrap pita bread in foil and place in a 300 degree oven to warm through (about 10 minutes)
Or place them on a flat griddle flipping a few times until warm ( like a tortilla )

Assembly: Souvlakia with Tzatziki Sauce

Place pita bread in one hand and a skewer in the other. Put skewer in the middle of the pita bread. Fold the pita bread like a taco and gently pull the skewer out leaving the meat inside. For chicken, place the pieces in a line down the middle of the pita bread.
Add your onions and tomatoes and spoon the Tzatziki over the top.

Makes 6 sandwiches

I really like the sauce so I spoon it over the meat, add my veggies and then more sauce.

Tip:

This sauce is great as a salad dressing or dip as well. Happy Cooking

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Ingredients:

2 lbs. hamburger ( 15% )

2 tbsp. salt

2 tbsp. pepper

3 tbsp. sugar

2 1/2 tbsp. garlic (granulated)

3 tbsp. dry oregano

1 1/2 tbsp. marjoram

3-4 bay leaves (dried)

1 onion (small dice)

1/4 green pepper (small dice)

1/4 red pepper (small dice)

28oz. can crushed tomato

28oz. can whole tomato

6oz. can tomato paste

3 large eggs

16oz. ball mozzarella cheese

15oz. ricotta cheese

5oz. Parmesan cheese

8oz. cooked spinach (chopped fine)

1 1/2 cups water

1 1/4lbs. dry lasagna noodles

Method: ( meat/sauce )

In a 5 qt. pot add hamburger, 2 tbsp. salt, 1 tbsp. pepper, 1 tbsp. oregano, 1 tbsp. marjoram, 1 tbsp. garlic and cook until hamburger is browned, breaking up hamburger into very small pieces. Add 1/4 chopped green pepper, 1/4 chopped red pepper and chopped onion. Cook just long enough to sweat vegetables. Remove most of the mixture (about 2/3’s) and reserve for later. Add to remaining meat the crushed tomatoes and whole tomatoes (squeeze whole tomatoes in your hands to break them down into smaller pieces). Add tomato paste, water, 1 tbsp. oregano, 1 teas. marjoram, 1 tbsp. garlic, 1 teas. pepper, sugar and 3 to 4 dry bay leaves. Simmer for 1 hour stirring occasionally.

Method cheese )

Mix well in a large bowl, 8oz. mozzarella cheese, 15oz. ricotta cheese, 2 oz shredded Parmesan cheese, 8 oz. spinach ( small chopped ), 3 eggs, 1 tbsp. oregano, 1 teas. garlic and 1/2 teas. pepper.

Assembly:

In a medium size baking dish (9×11) add about a 1/8in. layer of the sauce (about a cup) to cover the bottom. Add one layer of dry lasagna noodles. Add 1/4 of the cheese mix spreading to cover. Add 1/4 of the reserved meat mix spreading to cover. Repeat process starting with the sauce, then noodles, then cheese then meat. You should get 3 layers ending with the noodles on top. Add just enough sauce on top of the last layer of noodles to cover. Sprinkle 4oz. shredded mozzarella and 1/2oz. shredded Parmesan cheese. Makes two lasagnas.

Bake for one hour at 350 degrees of until cheese starts to brown.

Here’s a tip, about half way through baking, turn lasagnas around to ensure even cooking. I hope you like this as much as I do. For great deals on cookware please visit http://www.onestopcook.com