Monday, January 23, 2012

BBQ Baked Beans



Ingredients:
2 cans navy beans - rinsed and drained
3/4 cup BBQ sauce
1/4 cup dark molasses
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 TBSP cider vinegar
1 TBSP spicy brown mustard
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp cumin
5-7 strips thick sliced bacon - chopped

Heat oven to 350.

Cook bacon slices 3-4 minutes, draining off fat.
Stir together beans, molasses, mustard, BBQ sauce, vinegar, pepper, cumin and salt. Transfer to dutch oven or a 8-9 inch casserole dish. Top with bacon pieces.

Bake 30 minutes or until bacon is crispy.


Bacon & Muenster Duck Breast


This yummy starter lasted about 2 minutes in my kitchen!
Makes 16-20

Ingredients:
4 duck breasts
5-6 thick sliced bacon - cut in half then long ways so each piece becomes 4 thin strips
pickled jalapeno slices
16-20 thick square slices of Muenster cheese
chicken or pork rub spice
toothpicks

Start by slicing duck breasts longways into thin strips. Then lightly tenderize with a meat mallet. Some of the wider slices can be cut again to make 2 strips. Marinate overnight in a bowl with sprite and brown sugar.
After removing duck from marinade, coat one side of each strip with pork or chicken rub, lay on top of a bacon slice, place a jalapeno at one end and roll into duck and bacon - securing with a toothpick. Place on a foil lined baking pan. (Make sure your pan has sides to keep in drippings).
Broil 6-7 minutes or until edges of duck meat are browned lightly. Top with a cheese square and broil 30 seconds. Serve hot!

Sunday, January 22, 2012

Cheesy Topped Peppers


Ingredients:
4 peppers - tops cut off, seeded and hollowed out
olive oil
1 onion - chopped
2 cloves garlic - finely chopped
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 lb ground meat
1 8 oz can tomato sauce
2 TBSP Worcestershire sauce
black pepper
2 TBSP ketchup
1/2 - 1 tsp horseradish
1 1/2 cups cooked white rice
shredded cheese
chopped parsley or cilantro

Heat oven to 350

Simmer peppers in water for 8 minutes or cook hollow side down on a baking sheet 20-30 minutes or until slightly soft.

Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; saute 5 minutes or until onion is softened. Stir in cumin and cook 2 minutes. Add ground meat - cook  and crumble 5 minutes. Add tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, pepper, ketchup and horseradish. Cook 6 minutes. Remove from heat. Add rice and cheese.

Spoon mixture into peppers, top with parsley and place in a casserole or baking dish. Bake for 35-40 minutes.

**Allergy-free alternative
I filled my pepper with a little meat, rice, tomato sauce and sauteed veggies! Watch out for Worcestershire sauce, it has wheat and garlic in it!

Shepherd's Pie


Ingredients:
4-5 large russet potatoes - peeled and cubed
3 TBSP butter
1/2 cup cream or unsweetened dairy free milk of choice
*1 egg yolk (optional)
salt, pepper
2 TBSP olive oil
1 1/2 - 2 LBS ground beef or venison
1 carrot - peeled and chopped
1 small onion - finely chopped
2 garlic cloves - minced
2 TBSP all purpose flour or gluten-free flour
1 cup beef stock
2-3 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 cup frozen peas and/or corn
2 tsp freshly chopped rosemary
1 tsp thyme

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and grease a 11 x 7-inch glass casserole dish.

Boil potatoes in salted water until tender. Drain and combine with milk/cream, *egg yolk and butter. Season with a little salt and pepper and mash until smooth.

While potatoes boil - heat oil in a large pan or skillet over med-high heat. Add carrot and onion and saute 3-4 minutes. Add the garlic and stir to combine. Add beef or venison and season with salt and pepper. Brown and crumble meat 3-4 minutes. Sprinkle with flour and toss to coat, continue cooking for another minute. Stir in broth, Worcestershire, rosemary and thyme. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 10-12 minutes or until the sauce is thickened slightly.

Stir in peas/corn and spread into prepared casserole dish. Top with mashed potatoes, starting at the edges to create a seal to prevent meat mixture from bubbling over. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Cool at least 15 minutes before serving.

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Potato Soup


A quick & simple recipe for a hearty potato soup.

Ingredients:
3 leeks - cleaned & chopped, white part only
1 medium onion - chopped
2 TBSP butter
4 medium russet potatoes - peeled & cubed
18 oz chicken broth
1 1/2 cups milk or cream
3-5 drops liquid smoke
salt and pepper to taste
* 1 cup diced black forest ham (optional)

Melt butter in a large pot over medium-low heat and saute leeks and onions until transparent.
Add potatoes and broth (and additional water if needed), cover and simmer 15 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Now you can either leave as is, transfer in halves to a food processor until smooth or use a submersion blender to desired consistency. Return to pot and add milk and *ham. Season with salt and pepper.
Serve garnished with chopped green onions, shredded cheese and bacon bits!

**Allergy-free substitutions:
Butter - bacon fat or coconut oil
Milk - unsweetened coconut milk (for a thicker, creamier consistency, use the hard top part of a refrigerated can of coconut milk)

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Roasted Jalapeno Jelly

I made this spicy condiment and put it on our elk burgers with swiss cheese and sauteed mushrooms!!

Ingredients:
6 jalapeno chilies
2 cups water
2 cups sugar
1 TBSP minced garlic
1 tsp cumin
juice and zest of 3 limes
3/4 TBSP sea salt
2 TBSP cornstarch
1 oz vodka

Char the chilies over an open flame until blistered. Place them in a paper bag and let set 10 minutes, then peel off skins. Cut chilies in half and remove seeds and stems. Finely chop. Heat water and sugar to a boil. Add garlic, cumin, lime juice and chilies. Simmer about 15 minutes - watching to keep from boiling over (it will happen). In a cup mix cornstarch and water until smooth, add to chili syrup and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and add lime zest - adjusting the taste with salt. If you want a real kick to your jelly - leave in some of the Jalapeno seeds.
Will keep in the refrigerator for several weeks! Add to anything for a hint or spicy sweetness!!

Allergy-Free Chipotle Brownies

Spicy, gooey and delicious!!
You will need a double boiler or a metal bowl that fits into a saucepan without tipping over.

Ingredients:
1/4 cup all purpose gluten free flour
2 TBSP unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp chipotle powder (i didn't have chipotle powder so I used 2 tsp chili powder, a few dashes cayenne and 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup butter-cut into small pieces
2 oz unsweetened chocolate - chopped
3 oz semisweet chocolate - chopped
Ener-G egg replacer equal to 3 eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/3 cup coconut or almond milk
4 oz chocolate chunks

Heat oven to 325 and grease and flour an 8x8 casserole pan. Combine flour, cocoa, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and chipotle (or cayenne/chili powder); set aside.
In double boiler heat water to a simmer. Add butter, unsweetened and semisweet chocolate chunks to top pan. Let melt - about 4 to 6 minutes. Remove from heat and stir until smooth.
In a large bowl combine egg replacer, vanilla and sugar - whisk with an electric mixer on high 1 - 2 minutes until slightly thickened. Add melted chocolate to sugar mixture and whisk 30 seconds until combined. Add flour mixture and whisk another 30 seconds. Stir in milk and remaining 4 oz chocolate chunks. Transfer to floured pan and cook 40-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

With no raw eggs to worry about, I leave it a bit gooey for a more souffle texture!

Chicken Fried Steak and Hamburger Gravy


Ingredients:
1/3 cup cooking oil
3-4 beef medallion steaks
1 egg
tabasco
1/2 cup milk or buttermilk
2 cups flour
salt
pepper
garlic powder

FOR THE GRAVY
3 TBSP butter or bacon grease
3-4 TBSP flour
1 lb cooked ground hamburger
1 cup milk
1 cup chicken broth
salt
pepper
onion powder
chili powder

Start by tenderizing the beef with a meat mallet to 1/4 inch thick. In a shallow dish whisk together the egg, milk, tabasco, salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large fry pan over medium heat, coat meat in flour, egg wash and flour again. Cook in hot oil about 3-4 minutes on each side.
For the gravy: melt butter/bacon grease in a pan over medium-high heat. Whisk in flour and heat till bubbly. Whisk in milk and chicken broth, season with salt, pepper, onion powder and a little chili powder. Let simmer until thick, add cooked sausage and heat through.
Serve over steaks and Easy Biscuits!

Friday, January 6, 2012

Zucchini Everything Bread

Makes 2 loaves

Ingredients:
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 TBSP cinnamon
3 eggs
3 tsp vanilla
1 cup sugar - or 1/2 cup honey
zest and juice from 1 orange
1 cup butter - softened
1 cup shredded zucchini
1 cup mixed nuts & fruit - i used pecans, pumpkin seeds, raisins and coconut. you could also use walnuts, peanuts, craisins, dried blueberries, chocolate chips or chopped dried apricots!
1/2 cup rolled oats

Preheat oven to 350 and grease 2 loaf pans.

Mix together the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon. Set aside.
In a large bowl beat together eggs, butter, sugar, vanilla, orange zest and juice - then stir in zucchini, rolled oats and nuts/fruit. Combine with dry ingredients and divide into loaf pans.
Bake for about 50-60 minutes or until a tooth pick inserted in the center comes out clean.

**Allergy-free substitutions:
Flour - all purpose gluten free flour or GF baking flour
Eggs - EnerG egg replacer equal to 3 eggs or 3 TBSP ground chia seeds or flax seeds mixed with 1/3 cup water