Chef Penny Moline shows you how anyone can cook with passion! Keep it simple, Keep it fresh, Keep it safe. And share it with someone you love!

12 ounces butter
2 lb onion chopped
1 lb celery chopped
1 lb carrot chopped
12 ounces flour
5 med potatoes
3 each butternut squash cubed
chicken stock 2 gallons
salt and pepper to taste
2 qts tempered heavy cream

Sweat vegetables in butter
add flour for roux
add stock
add potatoes and squash
cook until tender
Puree
add heavy cream
adjust seasoning

Add acid such as sherry, lemon juice, franks red hot

1 pint mayonnaise
2/3 cup dill pickle relish
2 T white onion minced
1 ounce lemon juice
pickle juice to thin out

3 T vegetable oil
1 T flour
1/4 cup chili powder
2 cups chicken stock
10 ounces tomato paste
1 t dried oregano
1 t ground cumin
1/2 t salt

heat oil and add flour cook roux
add chili powder
add stock
add tomato paste
add oregano and cumin
bring to a bowl and reduce to low cook for 15 mintues
sauce will thicken and smooth out.

large:

1 pint vegetable oil
3/4 cup flour
2 1/2 cup chili powder
5 qts chicken stock
6.4 lbs tomato paste
3/4 cup oregano
3/4 cup cumin
1/2 cup salt

vegetable oil as needed
1 cup diced onion
2 cloves garlic minced
1/2 cup corn flour /masa harina
3 cups chicken stock
2 cups cooked shredded chicken
1 1/4 cup red enchilada sauce
1  (14 ounce) can black beans rinsed and drained
1 (14 ounce) diced tomatoes with juices
1 4 ounce can diced green chilies
1/2 t ground cumin
8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese freshly grated
salt and pepper to taste

Sweat vegetables
Add cumin
add chicken stock
add chicken
add enchilada sauce
add tomatoes, black beans, chilies
Add cheddar cheese
Add salt and pepper to taste

add acid such as lime juice

top with tortilla chips, avocado, grated cheese, sour cream, fresh cilantro, and or pico de gallo

1 pound onion chopped
1 1/2 pound carrots chopped
2 pounds potatoes cubed
4 gloves garlic mincesd
1 1/2 gal chicken stock or vegetable stock
4 T curry powder
6 cups chickpeas
6 cans coconut milk
salt and pepper to taste

Sweat vegetable
add curry powder
add stock
add potatoes
add chickpeas, coconut milk,
if bitter add sugar
season with salt and pepper

add an acid such as:  lemon juice, franks red hot, lime juice

garlic 1 tsp
celery 3 oz
onion 3 oz
leek 3 oz
butter as needed
sweet potato 1/5 pound
chicken stock 1 qt
cream 12 ounces
nutmeg pinch
cinnamon pinch
salt and pepper to taste

sweat vegetables in butter
add sweet potatoes and combine]
add stock and simmer 30 to 45 minutes until potatoes are tender
puree soup
return to simmer
season
add tempered cream
adjust seasonings

add acid: Sherry or  lemon juice, franks red hot to taste

garnish with 1/4 cup heavy cream whipped to stiff peaks
add dried currents and toasted almonds

1 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped celery
2 gloves garlic minced
1 pound cooked chicken shredded
1 T ginger grated
3/4 cup leeks
1/2 lemon juiced
1 T lemon grass
fresh parsley chopped to taste

5 cups chicken stock
1 cup pearl cous cous
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 teaspoon turmeric ground

Sweat vegetables in butter
add chicken stock
Add cous cous cook until tender
Add chicken

Season to taste with salt and pepper

1/2 pound bacon chopped small
1 cup cilantro chopped
6 cups corn, frozen is fine
2 gloves garlic minced
1 jalapeno chopped and more left in rounds for garnish
4 cups chicken stock
1 tsp chili powder
3 T flour
1 T sugar
2 t cumin  or more to taste
4 T butter
1/2 cup cotija cheese
1 1/2 cup heavy cream

Cook bacon and render fat, reserve bacon
Add butter
Add garlic and onion cook until tender
add chili powder
add cumin
add jalapeno
Add flour and cook roux
add stock
add corn
Add heavy cream

season with salt and pepper
Adjust seasoning if needed add sugar
garnish with cilantro, cotija cheese and bacon

1/4 stick butter
1 medium onion chopped
1 head cauliflower cut into chunks
1/4 cup flour
2 cups milk
1 can chicken broth (14.5 ounces)
1 t Dijon mustard
1 package 8 ounce shredded sharp cheddar cheese about 2 cups

sweat vegetables in butter
add flour and cook roux
add chicken broth
add milk
add Dijon mustard
add cheese

cook until thick
Puree soup
adjust seasoning use franks red hot, lemon juice

adjust salt and pepper

Olive oil as needed
4 ounces chopped oinion
1 inch fresh ginger grated
2 cloves garlic minced
2 sweet potatoes cubed
1 T yellow curry powder
1/2 T cayenne pepper or to taste
4 cups vegetable broth or chicken broth
3/4 cup dried lentils
salt and pepper to taste
2 can 14 ounce coconut milk
2 cups baby spinach
2 cups cooked basmati rice
1/3 cup fresh cilantro chopped plus more for garnish
Fresh naan for serving

Sweat vegetables in olive oil.  Add broth
Add lentils and cook until tender
Add coconut milk
At service add spinach and rice
garnish with cilantro
Serve with fresh naan. 

One of my favorites
6 tablespoons butter, plus more for the pan
1 1/2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips or 8 ounces of chocolate chopped
6 large egg yolks
6 large egg whites
1/2 cup granulated sugar

Preheat oven to 275
Butter a 9 inch cake pan ( a spring form works well)
Melt butter and chocolate cool slightly and whisk in egg yolks
Beat egg whites until soft peaks then gradually add sugar. Beat until stiff and glossy.
Whisk 1/4 of the egg whites into chocolate mixture. Gently fold mixture into remaining whites
Pour into prepared pan and smooth top. Bake until cake pulls away from the sides of the pan.
Approx. time 45 to 50 minutes
Cool and dust with confectioners sugar

Butter 8 ounces
Rice Krispies 1 pound
Marshmallows 3 pounds 4 ounces

Melt butter, add marshmallow and cook until melted and smooth. Add rice krispies, stir until coated. Spread on a buttered cookie sheet, cool and enjoy

Filling
3 1/3 quarts of canned peaches ( can use fresh too)
1 1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons cornstarch

Topping
3 1/3 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/4 cup milk, just enough to get the dough moist

Filling:  Add cornstarch in water to dissolve
add cornstarch mix to peaches with juices in a large pot.  Stir well add sugar and simmer to thicken

Topping:  Mix flour, sugar baking powder add milk until you can form a ball.  Let cover.  Cut into a lattice and place crises- cross atop the peach mixture.  Bake until golden

Heat water to 115 degrees in a sous vide machine
Chop Chocolate and seal in a zip lock plastic bag
Add to water ( make sure the bag is sealed)
take chocolate out and make sure it is melted, move around inside the bag.  Place back into hot water
Reduce the temperature setting to 81 degrees.  Add ice until you reach the cooler temperature.   Be careful not to add to much ice.
When water reached 81 degrees increase the setting to 90 degrees.  Water will come up to temperature pretty quick.
Let chocolate stay at this temperature for 5 minutes.  Taking out every minute and gently squishing it around.
 
After 5 minutes remove the bag from the water and dry the bag completely,

Great tip is to use the bags like a pastry bag and snip off the end to pipe. 

Flour 2 cups
Baking powder 1 T
Salt 1/2 t
Sugar 1/2 t
water warm 1 cup
Shortening melted 2 T

Sift together dry ingredients
Combine warm water with melted shortening
add liquid ingredients to dry ingredients and mix to a soft dough
Rest the dough
Roll out into 1/2 thickness
cut out to desired size
Dock
Fry and serve with your favorite toppings such as chili, hamburger, lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, olives, onions, etc

Kristie, my counter part at work made these amazing bar cookie.  I am sure you will love them as much as I do. They are extremely rich and oh so delish!  Try them and let me know what you think of them.

Chocolate Top and Bottom layer
1 package semi sweet chocolate chips divided
1 package butterscotch chips divided
1 cup peanut butter divided
3 cups cocoa pebbles divided  

Nougat layer
1/4 cup butter
1 cup sugar
7 ounce container of marshmallow cream
1/4 cup peanut butter
1 1/2 cups roasted and lightly salted peanuts coarsely chopped
1 tsp vanilla extract

Caramel layer
1 package caramels or caramel bits
1/4 cup evaporated milk

Spray a 9x13 baking dish, and line with parchment paper.  Set aside
Combine half of the chocolate chips, butterscotch chips and peanut butter and melt. You can use a microwave but watch it closely.
Stir in the Cocoa Pebbles until fully coated pour into the baking dish and refrigerate until firm

In a sauce pan combine butter, sugar and evaporated milk over medium heat, until melted and sugar is dissolved, bring to a boil and cook for additional 5 minutes stirring often
Remove from heat stir in the marshmallow cream until combined.  Add peanut butter and vanilla then fold in the peanuts
Pour over the chilled bottom layer and refrigerate until firm.

Add caramels and evaporated milk together and heat until caramels are completely melted.  Spread over the chilled marshmallow layer

Combine remaining half of chocolate chips, butterscotch chips and peanut butter heat until melted.  Add the cocoa pebbles and fully coat.  Pour over the caramel layer.  Refrigerate until firm.

Keep chilled until ready to eat. 

Ingredients:

Butter, softened 2 pounds
Granulated sugar 8 cups
eggs 8 each
vanilla 2 Tablespoons
Milk 1/2 cup
All Purpose Flour 7 cups
Cocoa powder 3 cups
Baking soda 1 Tablespoon
Salt 2 tsp
White chocolate chips 5 cups
Nuts optional 1 1/2 cup

Cream together butter, sugar
Add eggs and vanilla and cream
Sift together flour, baking soda and salt
Fold dry ingredients into creamed mixture and combine
Fold in chips and nuts if desired

Bake for 8-10 minutes at 350 or until desired doneness

Makes 10 doz cookies using a red scoop

I would love for you to follow me on my instagram page for more pictures and recipes.  My Instagram is @Highcountryfoodfashionbeauty    

Thank you you all, and let me know if there is something you would like to learn about cooking and if I don’t know it, we can learn about it together!  

Here is a simple and different appetizer to make.  It’s one of my favorites for the holiday’s.
you can make it with as much or as little blue cheese as you like.

washed and dried green grapes 
softened cream cheese 8 ounces
blue cheese crumbles to taste
finely chopped pistachios 

coat at the grape with the cream cheese and blue cheese mixture 
then coat with the pistachios.  Chill and serve.

if I am using salted pistachios I do not add additional seasonings
its a sweet and salty delight!  Enjoy!

It’s that time of year when tomatoes are fresh off the vine!  I love to roast a few tomatoes with a drizzle of olive oil, salt and pepper.  They are wonderful on pizza or in a pasta dish!  

The easy way to have delicious salmon is season it with salt and pepper, marinate with a little tequila, lime juice and olive oil.
add some butter and slices of limes bake or grill until internal temperature of 145 and enjoy!!

tip of the day,

When grilling, pan frying, protein such as chicken, steak etc, always put the presentation side down first on the grill or fry pan.  Make sure your grill or pan is HOT first.  Never try to grill or sear meat with cold grill or pan.   
The presentation is the side that will show on the plate when you eat it.  It’s called the presentation side for a reason.  Sometimes Chef‘s will only grill mark one side to not over cook the protein.

Don’t fiddle with it until it will pull up without tearing either.  Very important tip!! 

To get the cross marks on the protein put it first at 10:00 and then move it to 2:00.  You can do this on one or both sides.

guess this ended up being three tips!  Have a great day

1 cup flour
1 t salt
1 t soda
1 t baking powder
1 T sugar
sift together

1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup half and half
1 egg
1 T oil

best hot cakes in town

1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup butter softened
2 eggs
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
pinch salt
1/2 t vanilla
2 cups oats
2 cups rice krispys
1 cup coconut 
1 cup chocolate chips
preheat oven to 350

cream sugars and butter
add eggs
add flour mix
add remaining ingredients 
 Always do a test cookie to make sure of the spread so you don’t ruin the whole batch