Recipes I have used in the some restaurants & at home.

Sweedish Meat Balls

1/2 lb Ground Beef
1/2 lb Ground Pork
2 Slices Stale Bread
2 C Beef Stock
1 C 1/2 and 1/2
1 Egg
1 Small Onion Minced
1 T Ground Nutmeg
1 T Allspice
2 t Garlic Powder
Flour
S/P to taste

Soak bread in 1/2 C of 1/2 and 1/2. Add onion, seasonings, egg, and meat. mix well. Refrigerate for one hour. Form meat in to 1 inch balls.
Bake meatballs in cast iron skillet at 350 for 40 minutes. Remove meat from skillet and set aside. Add enough flour to skillet for a basic roux. Whisk over low heat for 2 minutes. Add stock and remaining 1/2 and 1/2. Adjust seasonings, return the meat to skillet and cook over low heat to desired consistency.

Recipes I have used in the some restaurants & at home.

Fish Tacos with Smoked Corn Salsa

Corn Salsa:
4 Ears smoked corn on the cob
2 Jalapenos minced
2 Cloves minced garlic
1 large green bell pepper seeded and diced
1 Chipotle pepper minced
1 Red onion, diced
1 Roma tomato seeded and diced.
1/4 C Fresh lime juice
1 T Cumino
Mix all ingredients and store in plastic container over night.

6 Talapia, Catfish (or 3 oz. portions of cod filets)
1 C whole milk
1/2 C canola oil
1 T Cayenne
Corn meal for dredge
12 Corn tortillas
Salt and pepper to taste

Soak fish in milk for 2o minutes, drain. Season fillets with cayenne. Dredge in corn meal. Saute fish in small batches keeping cooked fish warm (I use a paper towel covered plate and put them in the microwave). Warm tortillas in remaining canola, and drain. It should take less than a second to warm each tortilla.

Serve two tortillas stacked with each fillet, top with salsa.

Recipes I have used in the some restaurants & at home.

Butter Beans with Ham

1 lb Lima beans
3 C Water (plus addl as needed during cooking*)
1 Bottle Shiner Bock
1/4 lb diced ham
1/2 Yellow onion diced
2 Jalpenos seeded and diced
3 T Chili powder
1 T Cumino
1 T EVOO
S/P to taste

Soak beans in water over night. In large heavy bottom pot, cook beans over low heat until almost tender. In a large heavy skillet, brown ham in olive oil, add onions and jalpeno and cook until onions are translucent. Deglaze skillet with Shiner, and add all to the beans. Add seasonings and continue to simmer until beans are tender. Adjust seasoning.

Freezes very well.

* additional water my be needed during the cooking process unless the beans are cooked in a lidded crock pot then only 1 additional cup of water is needed.

Recipes I have used in the some restaurants & at home.

Braised Round Steak

2 lbs Round Steak
3 Carrots Rough Chop
3 Stalks Celery Rough Chop
1 Small Red Onion Rough Chop
1 8oz Can Stewed Tomato
1/4 C Bacon Drippings or Canola Oil
2 Cloves Garlic Rough Chop
2 T Smoked Paprika
1 T Dried Oregano
1 T Golden Raisins
1 Sprig Fresh Rosemary
1 Jalapeno Rough Chop
S/P to taste
Flour for dusting.

Cut edges of steak to prevent curling. Dust with flour. In dutch oven, brown steak in bacon fat over medium heat. Add veg and seasonings, cover and simmer for at least 2 hours. Remove meat to a warm sheet tray. Strain veg and return liquid to dutch oven on medium heat. Reduce sauce by 1/2. Serve sauce over meat and mashed potatoes.

Recipes I have used in the some restaurants & at home.

Cajun Seasoning Blend

1 C Chili Powder*
1 C Paprika Powder*
1 C Garlic Powder*
1 C Onion Powder
1/4 C Cayenne Pepper
1/4 C Ground Pepper
3 T Dry Mustard
3 T Kosher Salt
1/4 t sugar

Blend together and store in air tight container.
* Read the label and skip buying the ones that list salt OR, omit the 3 T of Kosher salt.

Recipes I have used in the some restaurants & at home.

Braised Spareribs

2 Lbs Spareribs
1 Granny Smith Rough Chop
1 Small Red Onion Rough Chop
1 Clove Garlic Minced
1 C Chicken Stock
1/2 C Port Wine
1/4 C Golden Raisins
3 T Dijon Mustard
3 T Canola Oil
Salt and Pepper to taste

In large dutch oven, parboil spareribs for 5 minutes. Remove from dutch oven and discard water. Gently saute onion, apples, and garlic over low heat. Deglaze with port wine off the heat. Return dutch oven to low heat, add spareribs, raisins, and dijon mustard. Braise for 1 hour or until tender. Remove ribs to baking pan. Using a stick blender, puree liquid to desired consistency and pour over ribs. Put ribs under broiler for 3 minutes to “set” the sauce.

Recipes I have used in the some restaurants & at home.

Muffaletta Olive Spread

1 C Pitted Black Olives
1 C Pitted Green Olives
1/4 C Pitted Kalamata Olives
1/2 C Pimento
1/4 C Capers
1 Stalk Celery Rough Chop
1 Clove Garlic
1 Lemon Juiced
3 T Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper to taste

In food processor, pulse all ingredients to desired consistency and adjust seasonings. Refrigerate overnight for best flavor.
Enough for two Muffaletta Sandwiches.

Recipes I have used in the some restaurants & at home.

Roast Turkey Breast

Brine
In large stock pot:
1 gallon water
1/4 C Brown sugar
1/4 C Kosher Salt
1/4 C Krystal Hot Sauce
2 Cloves garlic peeled and cut in half
1 T Better Than Bullion or Knorr Brand Chicken Stock
1 jalapeno sliced in half
4 Sage STEMS (use the leaves later)
1 T onion powder
Bring to boil and allow to cool to room temp.

Add the turkey breast, cover with lid and into the fridge for 2 days

Remove breast and pat dry.

Rub:
2 T ea, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, paprika, cumino, dry mustard.

Apply rub to the turkey. Roast in a pan with the rack at 350 for 1 1/2 hrs or until internal temp reaches 160 degrees. Time will vary depending on size of the turkey breast.
Remove turkey to cutting board and allow to rest. Using the roasting pan over medium heat on the stove, add enough flour to the drippings to make a roux. Add the sage leaves, S/P to taste, and deglaze with either white wine or chicken stock. Bring sauce to boil and reduce to simmer. Remove sage leaves and serve.

Recipes I have used in the some restaurants & at home.

24 Karat Cake

NOTE: unless otherwise indicated, all measurements are by weight (yep, buy a kitchen scale)

5 oz eggs
7.5 oz veg oil
17.5 oz sugar
1/2 t salt
11.25 oz bread flour
1 2/3 T cinnamon
1 t baking soda
1/2 t baking powder
20 oz grated carrots
Combine eggs, sugar and carrots set aside, sift dry and add oil, add 1/2 carrot mixture, mix well, add remaining carrot mixture and continue mixing until well combined.
Spray 10 inch spring form pan with veg oil.
Bake in convection oven @350 for 1 hour and 10 minutes or until cake springs back when touched. Allow to cool, remove from pan, wrap w/plastic and into the fridge over night before frosting

Recipes I have used in the some restaurants & at home.

Legalized Marinara (fat free)

2 14.5 cans tomato sauce
2 14.5 cans whole tomatoes
1 small white onion, quartered
4 cloves garlic
1/4 C fresh basil leaves
3 T light brown sugar
3 T fresh rosemary
3 T fresh thyme
1 T crushed red pepper flakes
1 t salt

In food processor, blend basil, rosemary, thyme, and garlic until smooth.
In large pot over low heat, add the blended ingredients and stir for 2 minutes. Add remaining ingredients and simmer over low heat for at least 1 hour or when the whole tomatoes begin to break apart.
For a smoother sauce, substitute diced tomatoes for whole tomatoes