Author: camooney

Old Bay Seasoning


Here is a knock off of Old Bay Seasoning for those times when you need a lot – Seafood Boils….

  • 2 tablespoons paprika
  • 1 tablespoon celery salt
  • 1 teaspoon celery seed
  • 1 teaspoon dry mustard
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
  • ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 pinch cayenne

Store for 6 months to 1 year in a cool dry place.

Curried Butternut Squash Soup


Courtesy of MarthaStewart.com

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1 cup diced shallots
  • 1/4 cup minced fresh ginger
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 4 bay leaves
  • 1/2 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 2 1/2 pounds Butternut Squash, peeled, seeded and cut into chunks
  • 1 1/3 teaspoons coarse salt
  • 1 teaspoon curry powder
  • 2 cups homemade or canned chicken stock (heated)
  • 1 one inch chunk (1.5 tablespoons) palm sugar
  • 1 fifteen ounce can of low fat coconut milk

Instructions

  1. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add shallots and cook stirring, about 2 minutes.
  2. Add garlic and continue to stir, add ginger. Continue cooking until shallots are soft and translucent (about 3 minutes).
  3. Add bay leaves and red pepper, continue cooking for 1 minute more.
  4. Stir in squash, salt, and curry powder, cook for 10 minutes
  5. Raise heat to medium-high and add chicken stock, cover and bring to a boil.
  6. Lower heat and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring and mashing every 5 minutes
  7. Add palm sugar and cook 5 minutes
  8. Add coconut milk and continue cooking for 10 minutes
  9. Re3move bay leaves.
  10. Using and immersion blender, purée until smooth

Nuts & Bolts (Bits and Bites)


Three Cheese Bits, 4 Spice Rings and 2 Pretzels. Next handful: Whole new ball game!

INGREDIENTS

  • Box of Cheerios (Plain)
  • Box of Shreddies
  • Box if Crispix
  • Bag of salted pretzels
  • Peanuts or Mixed Nuts (optional)

    COATING
  • 1 & 1/2 to 2 cups of vegetable oil (of choice)
  • 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 2 teaspoons celery salt
  • 1 teaspoon curry powder
  • 1 teaspoon garlic salt
  • 1 teaspoon onion salt
  • 7-8 drops Tabasco salt

    Optional
  • 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
  • 1/4 teaspoon cumin

INSTRUCTIONS

  • Mix all coating ingredients together until well distributed with the oil
  • Mix cereal and pretzels in a large roasting pan with a cover.
  • Pour oil mixture slowly over dry ingredients
  • Mix well to insure whole roaster of ingredients is well coated
  • Bake (covered) in a 250 degree oven for 1 & 1/2 to 2 hours, stirring every 20 minutes

Chicken Gyozas


Ingredients

GYOZAS

  • 1 lb ground chicken
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
  • 2 tablespoons soya sauce
  • 2 tablespoons sesame oil
  • 1 teaspoon pepper
  • 1/3 cup green onions

GYOZA SAUCE

  • 1 tablespoon soya sauce
  • 1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • Chilli flakes to taste
    Optional
  • Sugar to taste
  • Garlic
  • Ginger
  • Hot Chilli Oil

Instructions

  1. In a large bowl, mix the ground chicken, green onions, garlic, soy sauce, ginger, black pepper, and sesame oil until thoroughly combined.
  2. Line a baking sheet large enough to fit into your freezer with parchment paper and fill a small cup with water. 
  3. Working in batches, begin to assemble each gyoza, making sure to cover the unused gyoza wrappers with a damp paper towel as you go to prevent them from drying out.
  4. Place 1½ teaspoons of the ground chicken mixture in the center of the wrapper. Dip your finger in the water and gently trace the circumference of the wrapper to wet the edges. Without pinching, gently fold the wrapper in half. Start at one corner of the dumpling and pinch together the two ends to seal. With the dumpling facing away from you, gently fold one side of the wrapper toward the corner you’ve already sealed to form a pleat about 1 centimeter long. Continue to pleat the gyoza in the same direction until completely sealed. 
  5. Place each assembled gyoza on the prepared baking sheet and cover with a damp paper towel. Spread the gyoza out to prevent them from sticking to one another.
  6. Wrap the baking sheet with plastic wrap and place in the freezer for 30 to 45 minutes.
  7. In a large skillet over medium to medium-high heat, heat the vegetable oil. Working in small batches (about 10 pieces at a time), gently cook the gyoza in the oil, flat side down, for 3 to 4 minutes, until golden brown and crispy.
  8. Once browned, add ¼ cup of water, cover, and steam the gyoza for about 4 to 5 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center registers 165°F. Note: When working in batches, make sure not to overcrowd the pan to prevent the gyoza from sticking to one another.

Bacardi Rum Cake


Courtesy of my sweet Auntie Peg

Ingredients

RUM CAKE INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup BACARDÍ Dark Rum (80 proof)
1 pkg yellow pre-made cake mix
1pkg (3 3/4oz) vanilla instant pudding mix
4 eggs
1/2 cup cold water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup of chopped pecans or walnuts

RUM BUTTER GLAZE INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup BACARDÍ dark rum
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup of water
1 cup granulated sugar

CHOCOLATE GLAZE INGREDIENTS:
4 OZ semi-sweet chocolate
1 tsp butter

Instructions

CAKE

  • Preheat oven to 325 degrees
  • Grease and flour a 10 inch bunt cake pan
  • Mix cake mix, pudding, eggs, water, rum and oil until smooth
  • Pour into prepared pan and bake for 1 hour. Cool in pan for 25 minutes
  • Invert onto serving plate.
  • Prick top with toothpick
    • Spoon and brush RUM GLAZE evenly over cake allowing the cake to absorb the glaze
    • When cake is cooled, drizzle with CHOCOLATE GLAZE TOPPING
    • (Optional) Sprinkle with nuts

RUM GLAZE

  • Melt butter in saucepan.
  • Stir in water and sugar. Boil 5 minutes.
  • Remove from heat; stir in Rum

CHOCOLATE GLAZE TOPPING

  • Melt Chocolate and butter over very low heat in heavy sauce pan

Baked Creamy Parmesan Chicken


This creamy parmesan chicken contains no tomato sauce. It is a lovely comfort food type of casserole that was a family favorite

INGREDIENTS

  • 1/2 cup fine dry bread crumbs
  • 6 tbsp grated parmesan divided in 1/2
  • 1/4 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 3 lbs chicken pieces
  • cooking spray
  • 10.5 oz can of cream of mushroom soup
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • paprika
  • Pasta of choice
  • Minced Fresh Parsley for garnish (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees
  2. In a large resealable bag or container, combine bread crumbs, 4 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, garlic powder, salt, pepper and Italian seasoning
  3. Add the chicken pieces and shake until well coated with the bread crumb mixture
  4. Place chicken pieces in a single layer in a baking dish that has been well coated with cooking spray
  5. Bake 20 minutes. Turn check and and bake for another 20 minutes
  6. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the soup and milk. Spoon evenly over the top of the chicken
  7. Sprinkle lightly with paprika and remaining parmesan cheese
  8. Return to oven and bake for an additional 20 minutes or until chicken is tender
  9. Meanwhile cook pasta according to directions and drain and set aside
  10. Remove chicken from oven. Remove the pieces from the pan to a plate leaving most of the sauce in the pan. Skim off excess fat if needed
  11. Add drained pasta to the sauce in the baking pan and toss to coat
  12. Serve the chicken over the pasta and garnish with fresh minced parsley

Alternatives to Pasta

You can serve over pan baked broccoli, cauliflower, spaghettis sauce, zoodles

Lemon Pepper Shrimp Linguine


Ingredients

  • 1 (8 ounce) package linguine pasta
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 6 cloves garlic, minced
  • ½ cup chicken broth
  • ¼ cup white wine
  • 1 lemon, juiced
  • ½ teaspoon lemon zest
  • salt to taste
  • 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 pound fresh shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • ¼ cup butter
  • 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil

Directions

Instructions Checklist

  • Step 1 – Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add linguine, and cook for 9 to 13 minutes or until al dente; drain.
  • Step 2 – Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat, and saute garlic about 1 minute. Mix in chicken broth, wine, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt, and pepper. Reduce heat, and simmer until liquid is reduced by about 1/2.
  • Step 3 – Mix shrimp, butter, parsley, and basil into the saucepan. Cook 2 to 3 minutes, until shrimp is opaque. Stir in the cooked linguine, and continue cooking 2 minutes, until well coated.

Instant Pot Mongolian Beef


INGREDIENTS

  • 2 lb flank steak cut into thin strips
  • 1/2 cup cornstarch
  • 2 tbsp rice vinegar
  • 1 cup soy sauce low sodium
  • 2/3 cup water
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 tsp ginger minced
  • 1 cup brown sugarpacked
  • 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 3 tbsp sesame oil
  • 2 green onions chopped
  • 2 tbsp sesame seeds

US CUSTOMARY – METRIC

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Prepare the beef: In a large bowl toss the flank steak strips with the cornstarch together and let them sit for 5 minutes. This will ensure the cornstarch penetrates the beef.
  2. Make the sauce: In a medium size bowl add the rice vinegar, soy sauce, water, garlic, ginger, brown sugar, red pepper flakes and whisk well. Set aside.
  3. Turn your Instant Pot to the saute setting. (See your manufacturer’s guide for detailed instructions on how to use your instant pot.)
  4. Sear the beef:Add half of the sesame oil to the pot. When the oil is hot add half of the flank steak and cook 2 to 3 minutes until it starts to brown. Remove from the pot and repeat with remaining sesame oil and beef. Return all the beef to the pot and press the cancel button on your Instant Pot.
  5. Pour the sauce over the beef and stir well.
  6. Cook:Close the lid (follow the manufacturer’s guide for instructions on how to close the instant pot lid). Set the Instant Pot to the Manual (high pressure) setting and set the timer to 10 minutes.
  7. When cooking is complete, use a quick release to depressurize.
  8. Stir in the green onions and garnish with sesame seeds. Serve over rice.

Courtesty of: https://www.jocooks.com/recipes/instant-pot-mongolian-beef/

 

Garlic Parmesan Baked Green Beans


INGREDIENTS

  • 1 pound (500 g) green beans, washed and pat dry
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil or canola oil
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic (6 cloves garlic)
  • 2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley
  • 1/4 cup parmesan cheese

INSTRUCTIONS

  • Preheat the oven to 220°C (425°F). Lightly spray a baking sheet or tray with cooking oil spray.
  • Arrange the green beans in one layer on baking sheet. Drizzle with oil and season with salt, pepper, garlic and parmesan. Toss beans to evenly coat.
  • Roast in the oven for 20-25 minutes, tossing halfway through cooking time, until fork tender. 
  • Remove from oven, season with extra salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle over with parsley and serve.

Alfredo Sauce


Ingredients

Thank you recipecritic.com for this one

  • ½ cup butter
  • 1 pint heavy whipping cream 2 cups
  • 4 ounces cream cheese
  • ½ teaspoon minced garlic
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon italian seasoning
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon pepper
  • 1 cup grated parmesan cheese

Instructions

  1. In a medium saucepan add butter, heavy whipping cream, and cream cheese. Cook over medium heat and whisk until melted.  

  2. Add the minced garlic, garlic powder, italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Continue to whisk until smooth. Add the grated parmesan cheese.

  3. Bring to a simmer and continue to cook for about 3-5 minutes or until it starts to thicken. Toss it with your pasta or zoodles