Easy Peasy Cobbler

This recipe is a go-to recipe of my mom’s!  Thanks Mom!  

A great recipe that could have as many variations as your imagination can drum up.  We will list a couple at the end of the post.   I would love to hear what variations you come up with, so please stop back to the comments and let me know what you come up with. 

Ingredients:
       1 stick of butter
       1 large can (28oz to 32oz) of fruit with syrup or 2 med. cans 15oz each

(I used Doles Tropical Fruit with Passion Fruit syrup)

       ¾ c. milk

       2 tsp. vanilla extract - optional (I added this, mom’s recipe doesn’t include it)

       1 c. sugar

       1 c. A/P flour

       1 ½ tsp. baking powder

       3 Tbs. sugar

       1 tsp. cinnamon

       ½ tsp. nutmeg – optional (again my touch)

Directions:

Place your pan in the oven with the stick of butter in it…use the preheat time to melt the butter.  Ideally the oval Corelle baking dish that has the 3” high sides is what my mom always uses.  I do not own one, so I used a 7 ½” by 10 ½” stone ware baking dish, it is in the oven now….we’ll see how it goes.  I have foil under it just in case.  

(no over flow, so it worked! YEA!!!)

Mix the milk, vanilla, sugar, flour and baking powder in a bowl. 

Pour the batter over the melted butter….DO NOT MIX, just pour it evenly all over the butter.

Then lay the fruit all over the batter evenly, once again….DO NOT MIX.  

Then pour all but 1” of the syrup/juice over the fruit. 

Then sprinkle the sugar, nutmeg & cinnamon all over the top.

Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour to 1 hour & 15 minutes. Bake until the bottom rises up over the top and turns nice and brown.   

 Delish!!!!

Variantions:

·        Peaches, with sugar and cinnamon (my mom’s original recipe which is excellent & her favorite fruit to use)

·        Cherries, with sugar and cinnamon (my mom makes this one also, it's very good)

·        Blueberries, with sugar, cardamom and lemon zest (I also add the juice of the lemon to the batter)

I can’t wait to try some more interesting flavor combinations!  How about you?

Roast with green beans, parsnips and carrots

With a chill in the air and chuck roast on a 50% off sale, it seemed like a perfect weekend to prepare a roast. It’s definitely a great home cooked meal that gives the house that great smell that says “comfort food”.

Ingredients:
       3 ½ pounds of chuck roast (any roast you like, chuck was 50% OFF…YEA!!)
       3 Tbs. Olive Oil

       4 small onions – peeled and quartered

       4 parsnips – peeled & halved length wise

       4 carrots – peeled & halved

       2 – 17.6 oz College Inn Bold Stock (I had these on the shelf, any stock is fine)

       4 Tbs. red wine vinegar (use any vinegar that you have)

       2 Tbs. dark brown sugar (light brown, fine, use what you have)

       1 bag frozen green beans
       salt and pepper

Ingredients: (for the paste rub)

       1/3 c. Pepperhouse Gourmaise (I’ll be dissecting this & posting a recipe soon)

       1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

       4 large cloves garlic minced finely

       2 Tbs. prepared horseradish

Directions:

Cut off the fat and skin that might be on the roast.

Salt and pepper very heavily so it browns nicely and get a crust.

I brown on all sides in a heavy roasting pan over medium high heat on the stove top.  I use my Le Creuset, I just love mine!

Remove the roast and let it rest.

Deglaze the pan with 1 – 17.6 oz College Inn Bold Stock and the 4 onions, make sure you get all the brown bits off the bottom of the pan….it’s all flavor.

Place the carrots and parsnips across all the onion to create a rack for the roast.

Combine the Pepperhouse Gourmaise, Worcestershire, minced garlic and horseradish, stirring it all into a paste in a small bowl. 

Slather ½ the paste all over the top and partial sides of the roast.  Place the roast on to the parsnip & carrot rack with the paste rub side down, then use the rest of the paste rub to cover all the exposed areas on the roast…more is better on the roast that is above the liquid.

Add the last College Inn Stock, the vinegar and the brown sugar together in a bowl, mix and add to the pot around the roast.  Try not to get it on the roast or you’ll wash off that tasty paste.  Bring up the liquid level to 1/3 to ½ of the way up the sides of the roast. 

Place the roast in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for 1 ½ hours.  Check to make sure your liquid levels are still good, add water or wine if you need more liquid.  Reduce the heat to 250 degrees and cover the roast for the next hour.   

Then add the green beans around the roast and cook another 15 minutes at 350 degrees covered.

Serve with the juices.   

An option is to remove all vegetables & meat and keep warm.  You can then make tasty gravy from the drippings.  I know my family and home is split on the ‘gravy vs. juices’ debate…so you decide for your house.

I hope your family enjoys this as much as we did.

Stuffed Apple Dumplings

I made these up last weekend for Valentine’s Day.  The same weekend I was making the Smelts…I was really missing my parents and home.   My mom use to make apple dumplings with me when I was young and I just love them.  I had not taken the time to bake them in awhile, so it was way over do…I was craving them.  But in my usual flair, I just cannot just follow a recipe, I have to put my spin on it and make it my own. (another thing I learned from my mom!)  Great memories are attached all around cooking and the kitchen when I think of my mom, she inspired me so much over the years that I have her to thank for my passion & love of food.   This blog is a way I can reach out to her over the miles to keep her connected to my kitchen & me.

I use my own pie crust recipe that is very tender, but you could use Pillsbury ready made roll out pie crusts and save some time.   Also you do not need to stuff the apples, that may be a little more costly than some would like, but I took these up a notch for Valentine’s Day. If you leave out the stuffing will not impact this delicious treat, but I do recommend a nice fire and a sweet white wine to compliment the evening.

Enough of my babble…let’s get started…the end result.

Ingredients: (for the stuffing)
       1/8 c. Cranraisin
       ½ c. dark rum (macerate the Cranraisin in the rum over night)

       1 Tbs. ground Cardamom

       1 Tbs. orange jest

       The juice of ½ the orange

       ½ lb. brie cheese (softened)

       

Ingredients: (for the pastry dough)

       2 c. A/P Flour
       1 c. Butter Flavored Crisco

       1 tsp. salt

       ½ c. of Ice Water

Ingredients: (for the apples)

       6 Apples (I used Gala apples…they were on sale)
       ¾ c. brown sugar (aprox. 2 Tbs. per apple dumpling)

       1 Tbs. ground Cardamom (1/6 per apple dumpling)

       6 pats of Butter (for the finishing during baking)

Ingredients: (for the sauce)

       1 c. Sprite

       1 c. sugar

       1/8 tsp. nutmeg ground

       1/8 tsp. cardamom ground

       ½ tsp. vanilla extract (when it comes to vanilla, I do not believe in flavorings)

       6 the juice from ½ an orange (let’s tie the sauce together with the filling)

       1 Tbs. orange zest (tie the sauce to the stuffing)

Directions:

If making the stuffing:

macerate the Cranraisin in the rum over night

get all ingredients out and allow the brie to soften.

Place water, cubed Crisco and metal mixing bowl in the freezer to chill.

Get these all really chilled.

Peel the apples and place them in a pot of water with the juice of 1 lemon.

Place the pot on the stove to simmer, until the apples are partially cooked but still firm.  

Mix all the stuffing ingredients together and set aside.

Drain and dry the apples.  Cut the filling into 6 equal parts, roll the filling into a log to fill the apples.  Make sure to pack the apple.

Place the brown sugar and ground cardamom together in a pie plate, so when we are ready we can coat the apple by rolling them in the sugar and assemble.

 

For the pastry dough:

Place flour, salt and chilled Crisco into the chilled metal bowl and cut them together.  I use 2 butter knives and some elbow grease, but there are gadgets like pastry blenders…it’s your choice, but I do not recommend using your hands because the heat from them will soften the Crisco to much and effect your dough.

When the Crisco is cut in like crumbled topping, then add the ice water and stir just till it mixes.   

Roll out the dough to approximately ¼ to ½ inch thick but make sure the pastry is at least 12” by 18”, because you will be cutting out six - 6” by 6” squares for the apples. 

Once the dough is all cut and ready, roll the stuffed apples in the brown sugar & cardamom then wrap each apple and place in a 9” x 13” pan.  Spray the top of the apple dumplings with butter flavored Pam.   

Then sprinkle the top of the dumplings with cinnamon and sugar.  Bake at 350 degrees for 20 mins. then top each dumpling with a pat of butter.   

Place back in the oven for another 5 to 10 mins. or until golden brown.

While the apple dumplings are in the oven, make the sauce.

Combine the sprite and sugar over medium to medium high heat until dissolved.  Then add the nutmeg, cardamom, vanilla, orange zest & orange juice.  Bring to a boil and reduce to a syrup.

When the dumplings are done drizzle with the syrup.  

 To serve add ice cream and enjoy.

Smelts

This has been a favorite of my family, with great memories attached around our traditions & heritage. It’s simple yet incredibly delicious. It’s definitely a great heart healthy snack and easy to prepare.  Try these, you will be pleasantly surprised.

In our family I remember my mom helping my Grandfather cook the smelts for the family gathering. (the smelts were the only thing the men in the family ever cooked.)  My dad has taken over the tradition and I have helped him for years now.  These little things are what I remember when I start to get home sick.  I dash to the kitchen and cook something that reminds me of home.

I must admit I am glad we went to cleaned smelts…my mom use to buy the smelts and I had to clean them.  We learned.

Ingredients:
       2-3 pounds of smelt (get head off and cleaned)
       ¾ c. Olive Oil

       1 to 1 1/2 c. Flour

       A lot of Salt & Pepper to flavor the Flour

       1 small Red pepper sliced in half
       3-4 cloves of garlic minced

       6-8 Fresh Basil leaves minced

Directions:

Wash headless smelt and pat dry

Place a cup of flour and a lot salt and pepper in a pie plate

Take cast iron skillet and add olive oil and heat & the red pepper halves, pepper gets crispy.

Place smelt in flour to coat the fish

Add some fish and cook until brown on both sides

After the fish is cooked, approximately 3 to 4 minute, place fish on paper towel to absorb oil.  Move to a serving plate and sprinkle generously with salt & pepper and the garlic & basil.

Layer the next couple onto the plate the same way, seasoning every layer. You can cover with foil and keep warm or just dig in and EAT.   I eat as I go…I just cannot wait! 

They are totally edible...hold onto the tail and go ahead take a bite, all you'll be left with on your plate is some tails.

It’s always so special when I make them, a touch of home…thanks to the memories!I love them with a nice glass of sweet red wine and a hunk of fresh home made bread with a drizzle of olive oil. (the bread will be another post)

TL's Trifecta Chili

This morning I started a batch of chili, while cooking I thought I would share and post my latest recipe for chili.  I have been cooking chili for years, I just love it!  

I call this recipe “TL’s Trifecta Chili”.  The name is due to my choice to use three types of meat, giving it a depth of flavor.  I have used ground meat but I pinch the ground meat into small hunks, they are not quite balls, but something similar.  Adding a great mouth full of a meat types, that will change with each bite, giving great variety.

TL’s Trifecta Chili

Ingredients:

1 lb. ground beef, browned off

1 lb. ground venison, browned off

1 lb. ground sweet Italian sausage, browned off

1 yellow onion, chopped

1 tricolor pack or peppers, seeded and chopped

3 cubenella peppers, seeded and chopped

2 jalapenos, seeded and chopped (unless you want added heat, then leave seeds in)

2 Tbs tomato paste

2 cloves garlic minced

1 tsp chili powder

1 tsp smoked paprika

1 tsp dried cilantro

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp black pepper

½ tsp dried oregano

½ tsp ground coriander

2 Tbs cocoa powder (I prefer special dark from Hersey)

1 cup strong coffee

2   14.5 oz cans fire roasted diced tomato, juice and all

1   15.5 oz can light red kidney beans, drained

1   15.5 oz can dark red kidney beans, drained

1   15.5 oz can pinto beans, drained

1   4oz can diced green chili, juice and all

1   28oz can mild red enchilada sauce

¼ cup blue agave or ½ cup honey

¼ tsp liquid smoke (I use a hickory or pecan, but it’s your choice.)

Directions:

Saute the pinched balls of meat in batches to get them very brown and delicious.  

Remove them to a large bowl and then continue with the onion and peppers, just until softened. 

They will pick up some of the fond from the pot bottom, but do not overcook.  They will continue to cook in the chili.

In the bottom of the pan place paste, garlic and the spices, stirring let the heat and paste to bring out the oils & the fragrances.  Then add the cocoa powder and coffee. Cook until a brown thick sauce is slightly bubbling.

Add back in the meat, onion and peppers coating well in the spices and cook for 10 to 15 minutes stirring frequently, watch do not scorch.

Add the diced tomato, drained beans, diced chili, enchilada sauce, agave and liquid smoke.   

Stir well to combine. Over medium heat continue to cook for 1 hour then reduce to low for 3 hour or more.

Serve with a dollop of sour cream and garnish with chopped chives or chopped cilantro…and don’t forget the corn bread. Enjoy!!!!