August 27, 2013
A friend of mine ( Pam) gave me a big sack of peaches from her yard yesterday... this is what I did with some of them. The heat from the pork chop is cooled by the peaches. It's a really good combination!
Marinade
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 chipotle chili in adobo sauce minced
1 tablespoon adobo sauce from the can of chipotle in adobo
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon dried oregano
salt and pepper to taste
whisk together the marinade ingredients
2 thick cut pork chops ( you can use chicken if you like)
salsa
2 1/2 cups peaches peeled and diced
2 plum tomatoes finely diced
2 green onions thinly sliced
1 jalapeno stemmed, seeded and diced fine
2 tablespoons cilantro diced
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
salt and pepper to taste
Combine all salsa ingredients, and refridgerate until ready to serve.
brush the marinade on the pork chops, and refrigerate 4 hours to overnight
allow the pork chops to stand at room tempature before grilling for 20 to 30 minutes
Grill pork chops
serve with the peach salsa.
The heat, and the cool will be outstanding
Posted by Penny Moline. Posted In : pork chops
August 27, 2013
1 bone in ham, 12 to 14 pounds
2 tablespoons crushed black peppercorns
2 tablespoons crushed mustard seeds
Allow the ham to sit at room tempature for about 30 minutes before grilling
Place in a heavy duty foil baking pan ( or I use my cast iron pan)
score the ham in a diagonal pattern with diamond cuts about 1 inch apart
rub the spices into the ham.
If you don't have mustard seeds use a brown mustard and brown sugar blend
Grill the ham over low heat until the internal tempature of the ham is over 140
it will take 3 to 4 hours so make sure you have enought gas for your grill or coals to keep it warm.
baste with the following the last hour in 15 to 20 minute intervals of cooking time
sauce
1 cup Whiskey ( Jack Daniel's or your favorite Whiskey)
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 /4 cup dijon mustard
1 cup corn syrup.
Posted by Penny Moline. Posted In : Pork
August 27, 2013
1 package brownie mix
3 1/2 cup shredded coconut, toasted
2 packages of 14 ounce caramels unwrapped
1/2 tsp salt
4 Tablespoons milk
3 ounces chocolate, semi sweet
prepare brownie mix according to directions on box
Preheat oven to 375
place coconut on a baking pan and cokk until toasted, watch closely so you don't burn them
In a pot add caramels, salt and milk and cook until carmel has melted.
You can do this in your microwave as well, just stir often
Add coconut and mix together
spread over cooled brownies
refrigerate overnight or at least 6 hours
remove from fridge at least 1 hour before cutting
cut into bars
drizzle with melted chocolate
let chocolate set and enjoy!
Posted by Penny Moline. Posted In : Desserts
August 27, 2013
8 ounces cheddar cheese, or pepper jack, or mixture
1 loaf of round soft bread
8 ounces bacon, diced and cooked crisp
1/2 cup melted butter
1 tablespoon ranch dressing dry mix from packet
Cut bread in 3/4 inch intervals, being careful not to cut all the way through it, then cut again cross ways
not cutting all the way through
Place cheese in between all the cuts, sprinkle with bacon
blend melted butter and ranch mix and drizzle over bread
wrap in foil
bake at 350 for 15 minutes
uncover and bake 10 more minutes until cheese is melted and bread is hot
serve hot
You can do the same thing with different flavors
mozzarella cheese and pepperoni
mexican blend cheese with cooked hamburger
Posted by Penny Moline. Posted In : Appetizer
August 27, 2013
Carmel ... my favorite for carmel popcorn!
you can cut this recipe down. It's large, makes enough carmel for you to make gifts of the carmel popcorn.
brown sugar 5 pounds 8 ounces
sweet condensed milk 4 cans
corn syrup 3 pounds 12 ounces
butter 1 pound
Caramel sauce
1 cup sugar
2 Tablespoons light corn syrup
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
here is the method for both;
in sauce pan, combine ingredients
cook over medium heat until sugar is dissolved
simmer until medium amber in color
remove from heat
stir in butter
stir in vanilla if used
You can cover the pot with foil and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes, you can also wash down the sides of the pan with a pastry brush.
Third caramel sauce
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup heavy cream
4 tablespoons butter
pinch salt
1 Tablespoon vanilla
melt butter in a pot, mix in the brown sugar, cream and salt
cook over medium heat
for 7 to 10 minutes, until amber in color
remove pot from heat
add vanilla
cool
Posted by Penny Moline. Posted In : Frostings, Icings, and dessert sauces
August 22, 2013
one package top ramen per burger
1 egg per ramen bun
oil to fry
1 beef patty 75 percent lean works the best .. ( hey we aren't watching calories on this one)
soy sauce to taste
sesame oil to taste
salt and pepper to taste
1 green onion chopped on a bias per sandwich
Arugula ( as desired)
cheddar cheese as desired
Fried egg optional
Wax paper
First cook your ramen noodles with out seasoning packet as directed on the package
Strain
Beat one egg then add your ramen noodles to coat.
Divide into two amounts
place in two ramekins or other round dishes about the size of a regular bun
Cover with plastic wrap
Place a smaller and heaver bowl over the ramen noodle in the ramekins
Or use a can if you don't have a bowl, anything weighted to form the molded ramen noodles
Refrigerate for at least 20 minutes
add oil to coat the bottom of your fry pan
heat until hot ( a drop of water will sizzle)
carefully unmold the ramen noodles
and place in the hot oil
Don't mess with it too much or it will fall apart
Flip when golden and fry the other side until golden brown
Set aside for your burger
Fry your burger as you like it,
splash with soy sauce and seame oil to taste
season with salt and pepper to taste
Place your cooked burger on top of your ramen noodle
add cheese and a fried egg
I like to add ketcup with rooster sauce to taste (or any other hot sauce)
a dash of hot mustard would be good too :)
Top with arugula, green onion
wrap in waxed paper to hold it together while you eat it
Enjoy!
Posted by Penny Moline. Posted In : Beef
August 22, 2013
2 pounds red potatoes scrubbed clean
2 tablespoons oil
kosher salt as needed
8 ounces ( half a pound) of bacon, diced and cooked until crisp divided in two
1 cup sour cream
4 green onions, thinkly sliced
2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
pepper to taste
preheat oven to 350 degrees
toss potatoes in oil add kosher salt to taste
place on sheet pan and bake until the potatoes are tender
it will depend on the size of the potatoes how long it will take to bake
When potatoes are baked and cool enought to handle, cut them into quarters or large chunks and place in mixing bowl
Add bacon reserving 1/2
Add sour cream and green onions
Add shredded cheese
season with salt and pepper
Mix together
Best served warm
Posted by Penny Moline. Posted In : Salads
August 21, 2013
One package Puff Pastry
4 chicken breast, cut and trim any fat away
1 bag of fresh baby spinach or 1 small carton of frozen spinach ( best value)
1 shallot or small onion diced small
1 cup of mushrooms diced small
1 8 ounce package of cream cheese
egg wash ( equal parts milk and water)
Season chicken with salt and pepper, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, what ever floats your boat
Grill mark the chicken, but do not fully cook... this is an extra step that I like to do
set aside
In a saute pan with olive oil and butter mixture cook diced shallots until almost translucent, add mushrooms, then add spinach, squeese out as much of the liquid as you can
add cream cheese to mixture.. use more or less depending on your taste and season with salt and pepper
Cut puff pastry into squares that will fold over the chicken... usually about 4 per sheet.
To assemble:
Place about a 1/4 cup of spinach/cream cheese mixture on square of puff pastry.
Add grilled chicken breast
Fold puff pastry completely around chicken. Don't worry how the seams look as they are going to go down on the sheet pan.
Flip over the puff pasty bundle onto a lined ( parchment paper) or sprayed sheet pan
brush with egg wash
I like to make designs with any remaining puff pasty and put it on the top after the egg wash.
Bake in a preheated oven at 400 degrees until chicken reaches an internal temp of 160
let rest for 10 min. before serving
Serve with a supreme sauce.
FANCY.... but very easy! You can get creative with the filling... use roasted red peppers, articokes, what ever you like...
Posted by Penny Moline. Posted In : Chicken, poultry and such
August 21, 2013
1 package chicken tenders, or chicken breast cut into strips, or a half chicken breast
Soak overnight in buttermilk (or milk with a dash of lemon juice) to cover chicken ( if you don't soak over night soak at least 20 to 30 minutes)
Seasoning mix
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon season all (Season All is made by Morton's, it also come in spicy and can be purchased at most grocery stores)
3/4 teaspoons black pepper
1 cup flour
2 teaspoons paprika
preheat oven to 400 degrees
melt 1/2 stick of butter and spread in the bottom of a 9 x 13 pan
dredge the chicken into the seasoning and place in the 9 x 13 pan
cook 20 minute, turn each piece of chicken and cook until internal tempature of 165
( if pieces are small they are not going to take as long so cook to tempature)
Enjoy...
Posted by Penny Moline. Posted In : Chicken, poultry and such
August 12, 2013
4 acorn squash
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup apple cidar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg if desired
1/2 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
Preheat oven to 350.
bake the acorn squash until softened
cut into rings
cool
Heat sugar in a nonstick skillet
over medium heat add sugar and butter
add the acorn squash
bake to finish in oven
Posted by Penny Moline. Posted In : Vegetables
A little about myself to get started..I got my first job cooking at the age of 14..at the snack bar across the street from my high school.. I am a graduate of an ACF (American Culinary Federation) Culinary Arts program...I have a degree with honors in Culinary Arts.... I have been teaching at a local college since 2002.( Oh and I was lucky enough to get to go to Paris and take a pastry and danish class too). During the 2002 winter Olympics I was the Executive. Pastry chef at the only fine dining restaurant in the media center. That was so exciting. I have worked in fine dining restaurants, and worked for a manufacturing rep company.. I was the product specialist for Kitchenaid and Weber grills...and got to do the training on my two wonderful products. Tough job...but someone got be be lucky enough to do it! Everything I have done... I have loved! Teaching has been the greatest.
What a dream job. I have students that want to learn all they can about cooking.
Our school is a production based program, which allows the students to get a lot of hands on training. We run a restaurant that serves fresh bread of the day, soup, salad, (and salad bar), an ever changing entree and dessert daily. So the students not only makes bread from scratch once or twice like some schools they make it more than a dozen times before their rotation is changed.
I know we are doing a great job as the local police eat there almost daily. Plus...my program is full and we now have a waiting list to get in. Not too shabby I would say.
Several of our students have won national and local cooking and baking awards... what can I say? I love to cook.... I really love my job...and I would like to feed the world with one recipe at a time! I
It is really rewarding to love what you do...and to have passion for it. You don't have to make pretentious food to make good food. You just need to use fresh ingredients...and use what is in season. Most importantly...you need to love to eat...and then the passion for cooking is there...Don't let cooking intimidate . you...YOU CAN COOK...and remember this KISS (keep it simple silly)..
Let me know what you think!
My email is chefpennymoline@gmail.com
