Your best recipe?!
Answers: The one that never fails, that gets you compliments every time?
This is something that everyone I know wants the recipe, and or tries to duplicate (they don't always do so well!!). It's not a main dish but it is fabulous for pot lucks!!(Side dish) If I take this to a pot luck I usually double it, and use a 13" x 9" glass pan, and cook for about 1hour and 15 min.
Scalloped Corn:
1 can Del Monte whole kernel corn (Do Not Drain)
1 can Del Monte cream corn
1 stick butter or margarine (Melted)
8 oz sour cream
1 box Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix (Do Not follow instructions on box!)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Use a 7" x 11" glass pan
Mix everything together in pan (mix very well)
Bake for 45 min or until golden brown.
This is a very easy recipe and it tastes even better as leftovers!!!
Now.. if I told you that, where would the mystery to my fantastic cooking be? *wink*
Stuffed pork chops (with stuffing and chopped apples) with mac and cheese (Kraft or homemade, prefer shells to elbow macaroni) and a garden salad.
My 7 layer dip-I know it's not really cooking, but I get compliments on it every time I make it.
1 can refried beans
1 can black beans
16 oz sour cream
2-3 ripe avocados
1 pkg “Great Guacamole” seasoning
? cup shredded cheddar/monterey jack cheese
? container cherry tomatoes or about 3 Roma tomatoes seeded and diced
Make guacamole first-mash 2 avocado’s in bowl and add seasoning-chill in refrigerator using plastic wrap directly onto mix to avoid it turning brown at least half an hour-overnight is best.
Next, spread refried beans in bottom of 9 x 13 pan. Then spread can of drained black beans. Next, spread guacamole mix. Then the sour cream.Top with cheese and tomatoes.
**You can also include sliced black olives and/or chopped green onions. Jalapeno’s sliced on the side for your guests who like it hot!!
I like to garnish it with green onions on each side and a half avocado sliced and fanned out just for color.
Beef Bourguignon
INGREDIENTS
3 cups Burgundy wine
2 tablespoons brandy
2 onions, thinly sliced
2 carrots, chopped
1 sprig fresh parsley
1 bay leaf
1 clove garlic, crushed
10 whole black peppercorns
1 teaspoon salt
2 pounds cubed beef chuck roast
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1/4 pound bacon, cubed
2 onions, chopped
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon tomato paste
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1 (10.5 ounce) can beef broth
salt and pepper to taste
4 tablespoons butter
1 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced
DIRECTIONS
For marinade: In a large bowl, combine the wine, cognac, onions, carrots, parsley, bay leaf, garlic, peppercorns and salt. Mix well and add the cubed beef. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for 2 days.
Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C).
For Bourguignon: Strain the meat from the vegetables and marinade; reserve marinade. Dry meat with paper towels. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the meat and saute for 10 minutes, or until browned on all sides. Transfer meat to a separate medium bowl with a slotted spoon and set aside.
In the same skillet, add the bacon and saute until lightly browned. Transfer the bacon to the bowl with the meat. Drain the skillet and return it to the heat. Pour a cup of marinade into the skillet to deglaze the skillet, scraping the bottom to loosen up all the little bits. Return this liquid to the reserved marinade.
Heat the remaining oil in the skillet. Add the onion and carrot from the marinade, along with the additional onion that you've chopped, and saute for 5 minutes, or until tender. Transfer this mixture to the bowl with the meat and bacon, again using a slotted spoon, and return skillet to the heat. Add the flour to the skillet, combining with the oil and stir until well mixed and brown, about 2 minutes.
Now add the tomato paste, garlic, beef broth, reserved marinade and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil and whisk to remove any flour lumps. Add this to the meat and vegetable mixture. Place entire mixture into a 9x13 baking dish.
Bake at 300 degrees F (150 degrees C) for 3 hours, stirring occasionally and adding water as needed. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
About 15 minutes before meat is done baking, melt butter in the skillet over medium high heat. Add the mushrooms and saute for 5 to 10 minutes, or until lightly browned. When meat is done, add the mushrooms to the meat mixture, stir well and let sit for about 15 minutes.
Clams Creole
INGREDIENTS
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup chopped green onions, white part only
1/2 cup finely chopped green bell pepper
1/2 cup finely chopped celery
4 teaspoons minced garlic
1/4 cup white wine
1 (10 ounce) can diced tomatoes with green chile peppers
2 pounds fresh cherrystone or littleneck clams, scrubbed
DIRECTIONS
Heat oil in a pot large enough to hold your clams, over medium heat. Add the onions, green pepper, celery and garlic; and cook, stirring until tender, about 5 minutes.
Stir in the can of tomatoes with green chilies, wine and clams. Turn the heat up to medium-high, cover the pot, and cook for 5 to 8 minutes, or just until all of the clams have opened. Remove from heat immediately.
Seafood Medley---Handed down to me. Very good!!!!!
INGREDIENTS
20 baby squid (tubes and tentacles), cleaned
3 cups milk
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
8 cloves garlic, minced
2 small onions, chopped
2 large carrots, chopped
2 tomatoes, chopped
1 small fennel bulb, diced
1/2 cup tomato paste
1 cup dry white wine
3 cups chicken stock
1/2 bunch fresh parsley
1/2 bunch fresh tarragon
1/2 bunch fresh thyme
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
1 tablespoon loosely packed saffron threads
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
8 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and cut into strips
6 baby fennel bulbs, halved
1/2 bunch fresh thyme, chopped
10 fresh oysters in shells, well scrubbed
20 littleneck clams
20 fresh mussels
6 (6 ounce) fillets fresh sea bass
salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
6 sprigs parsley, for garnish
DIRECTIONS
Soak squid in milk for 1 to 5 hours; the longer the better. When the squid has finished soaking, strain, and discard the milk.
Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Stir in the garlic, onions, carrots, tomatoes, and diced fennel. Cook and stir until the vegetables soften, about 10 minutes. Stir in tomato paste, and cook an additional 10 minutes. Pour in wine, and increase heat to high. Once the mixture comes to a boil, add the chicken stock, parsley, tarragon, thyme, bay leaves, peppercorns, and saffron. Return to a boil, then reduce heat to medium, and simmer until the liquid has reduced to 1 1/2 cups, about 15 minutes. Strain out the liquid, and discard the solids.
Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Stir in garlic, and cook until fragrant, about 45 seconds. Add sun-dried tomatoes and fennel; cook for 2 minutes. Pour in the strained saffron broth and chopped thyme; increase heat to medium-high and bring to a boil. Place oysters on top of the fennel, cover, and cook for 1 minute. Set the clams and mussels into the pot, cover, and cook until the shellfish begin to open, about 4 minutes. Stir in the drained squid, recover, and cook for 1 minute, just until the squid firms.
While the shellfish are cooking, season the sea bass fillets with salt and pepper. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Place fish into skillet, skin-side down. Cover, and cook until the skin is crispy and the flesh of the fish has firmed and is no longer translucent.
Pour the fennel-seafood mixture onto a serving platter and place the sea bass fillets on top. Garnish with parsley sprigs and serve.
Black Forest Cake---Awsome!!!!
INGREDIENTS
2 1/8 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups white sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
3 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 (20 ounce) cans pitted sour cherries
1 cup white sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups heavy whipping cream
1/3 cup confectioners' sugar
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour two 9 inch, round, cake pans; cover bottoms with waxed paper.
In a large bowl, combine flour, 2 cups sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add eggs, milk, oil, and 1 tablespoon vanilla; beat until well blended. Pour batter into prepared pans.
Bake for 35 minutes, or until wooden toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool layers in pans on wire racks 10 minutes. Loosen edges, and remove to racks to cool completely.
Drain cherries, reserving 1/2 cup juice. Combine reserved juice, cherries, 1 cup sugar and cornstarch in a 2 quart saucepan. Cook over low heat until thickened, stirring constantly. Stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla. Cool before using.
Combine whipping cream and confectioner's sugar in a chilled medium bowl. Beat with an electric mixer at high speed until stiff peaks form.
With long serrated knife, split each cake layer horizontally in half. Tear one split layer into crumbs; set aside. Reserve 1 1/2 cups Frosting for decorating cake; set aside. Gently brush loose crumbs off top and side of each cake layer with pasty brush or hands. To assemble, place one cake layer on cake plate. Spread with 1 cup frosting; top with 3/4 cup cherry topping. Top with second cake layer; repeat layers of frosting and cherry topping. Top with third cake layer. Frost side of cake. Pat reserved crumbs onto frosting on side of cake. Spoon reserved frosting into pastry bag fitted with star decorator tip. Pipe around top and bottom edges of cake. Spoon remaining cherry topping onto top of cake.
Blueberry Pudding with Lemon Sauce
INGREDIENTS
LEMON CREAM SAUCE:
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/2 cup sugar
2/3 cup water
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 cup heavy cream
PUDDING:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2/3 cup butter or margarine
2 eggs
3/4 cup milk
2 cups fresh blueberries, rinsed and dried
DIRECTIONS
In a small saucepan, combine the cornstarch and sugar. Stir in water; cook and stir until thickened and clear. Remove from the heat; stir in lemon juice. Cool. In a mixing bowl, whip the cream; fold cooled mixture into cream. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use. For pudding, combine dry ingredients in another mixing bowl. Cut in butter with a pastry blender until particles are the size of small peas. Add eggs and milk and beat on low until thoroughly combine. Spread into a greased 9-in. square baking pan. Sprinkle berries over batter. Bake at 350 degrees F for 50-55 minutes or until cake tests done. Serve warm or cold with Lemon Cream Sauce.