Mitch's BBQ Shake & Bake glaze

Well, I wouldn't want to get my hand slapped for a copy write infringement.  So I played a bit with the name.

Tonya will be my test subject to see if this chicken turned out alright.  

Ingredients

2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion powder 
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon Mrs Dash
3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Stuff you will need

Mixing bowl
Measuring spoons
Cookie sheet
Parchment paper
Or, tin foil coated with Pam cooking spray

Directions

Pre-heat your oven to 350 F.

Mix it up all the ingredients in a mixing bowl.  

Coat your chicken, or pork.

If your doing wings, they should be cooked in about 30 minutes.

Chicken bone in, about 40 to 45 minutes.

Chicken breasts and pork chops, between 30 to 35 minutes.

Cook times are approximate.  Make sure that the meat is fully cooked.

Comments and suggestions are ALWAYS welcome.

Dad's Old Fashioned Hamburger Soup - with the secret ingredient

Tonya was looking at stuff on Facebook and she ran across this recipe.  

Since it is cold out and I'm looking for some "comfort food", this looks like this will fit the bill.  Time to start cooking...

Ingredients

2 lbs ground beef
1 white onion, peeled and diced
3 to 4 stalks of celery, sliced
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon dry oregano
1/2 teaspoon dry basil
1/4 teaspoon seasoning salt
1 envelope onion soup mix
6 cups water, more to desired consistency
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 (15 ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 (15 ounce) can corn, drained
2 or 3 carrots, sliced
2 or 3 potatoes, cut into small cubes
2 or 3 cups of macaroni
garlic salt, to taste
shredded parmesan cheese, to serve
sour cream, to serve

Stuff you will need

Porcelain Dutch Oven
Pam cooking spray
Cutting board
Sharp knife
Wooden spoon
Vegetable peeler
Mandolin (for slicing the carrots thinly)
Steamer (to cook the veggies, see pro tip)
2 quart pot & colander (to cook the macaroni, see pro tip)
Ladle
Love (secret ingredient)

Directions

In the cold dutch oven, spray the inside with Pam cooking spray.  You will thank me when it comes time to clean up.

Brown ground beef, along with the celery and onion in a large pot.

Add spices and onion soup mix.

Stir in water, add corn, diced tomato, tomato sauce and soy sauce. Bring to a boil; then reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes.

Add the rest of the ingredients up to the potatoes bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer uncovered until potatoes and carrots are tender about 30 minutes. (Add more water if needed).  

Pro tip:  I have a steamer that I should have steamed the potatoes and carrots.  Then they would have been fully cooked and cut down on the requirement to boil them in the soup.  I will remember that for next time.

Pro tip #2: Tonya said to boil the macaroni separately.  Once it is done, add it to the soup.  Again, cuts down on the wait time so that you can have this soup.

Season to taste with garlic salt.  Although I used Garlic Plus, something that I was able to get at Superstore.  Not quite as salty (Obviously)

Serve with shredded parmesan cheese and sour cream.

Comments and suggestions are always welcome!

Mum's Old Fashioned Sugar Cookies

Who doesn't love sugar cookies.  Seems to be a holiday favorite around my house.  Gotta break out the Christmas Cookie Cutters.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups (250 mL) white sugar
1 cup (250 mL) butter
1 tsp (5 mL) vanilla
1 egg
2 3/4 cups (625 mL) all-purpose flour
2 tsp (10 mL) baking powder
1/2 tsp (2.5 mL) salt

Stuff you will need

Electric mixer
Rolling pin
Cookie cutter

Directions

With electric mixture, beat sugar, butter and vanilla until mixture is creamy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down sides of bowl.  Add eggs beating after each egg; beat thoroughly. 

In a separate bowl combine flour, baking powder and salt. Beat the dry ingredients into the creamed mixture.

Roll out cookie dough to 1/4" (0.6 cm) onto a lightly floured board. For best results, do not roll cookie dough too thin. Use cookie cutters of your choice for a variety of different shapes and sizes. Place cookies on parchment lined cookie sheets.

Bake at 350°F (180°C) for 10 minutes or until the underside of cookies turn golden brown.

Comments and suggestions are ALWAYS welcome!

Blueberry Cheesecake Cookies

My daughter-in-law asked my wife if "someone" could make these for her.

Tonya went to the store and came home with the ingredients.  Now it's on me to get creative and get cracking!

Ingredients

2 x 7 oz boxes Blueberry Muffin mix
4 oz. cream cheese
1/2 cup of butter
1/2 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups white chocolate chips

Stuff you will need

Mixer with batter paddle
Cookie sheets
Parchment paper
Fridge
Love and Patience

Directions

Cream together butter, cream cheese, and brown sugar. 

Add eggs one at a time until blended. 

Combine muffin mix with the butter mixture and mix well. 

Fold in white chocolate chips. 

Chill for at least one hour. 

Drop by tablespoonfuls onto greased cookie sheet, 2 inches apart. 

Bake for 14-15 minutes at 350 F, or until just turning brown around the edges. 

Cool on cookie sheet for 1-2 minutes. 

Transfer to wire rack until completely cooled.

***Pro Tip***

Bake a small batch at first… if they come out flat, try to chill the batter for a while longer. 

Comments and suggestions are ALWAYS welcome!

Pizza Cake

I was at work and I got this email about a Pizza Cake.  WELL...  looks like something that I'm going to HAVE to try to make.

When I do make this, I will be cleaning up this blog and seeing if I need to add or modify to this.

Ingredients

2 cans Pillsbury™ refrigerated classic pizza crust
1 1/2 cups pizza sauce (from 15-oz can)
3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (12 oz)
1 cup sliced pepperoni
1 tablespoon butter, if desired

Stuff You Will Need

Spring Pan (small)
Parchment Paper

Directions

Heat oven to 400°F. Lightly spray large cookie sheet with cooking spray or drizzle with olive oil.

Measure diameter of tall-sided ovenproof pan. (Pan used was 6-inch in diameter with 4-inch high side.) Unroll 1 can of dough onto work surface; press out into thin layer. Cut out 3 (6-inch) rounds; place on cookie sheet. Bake 8 minutes. Remove from cookie sheet to cooling rack; cool.

Unroll remaining can of dough; cut 2 additional (6-inch) rounds from long edge of dough, leaving opposite side untouched. Place rounds on cooled cookie sheet. Bake 8 minutes. Remove from cookie sheet; cool.

Meanwhile, line pan with cooking parchment paper so that ends of paper stick up and out of pan. Cut long strip of dough at least 1/2 inch wider than height of pan. Carefully drape long strip of dough around inside edge of pan to line, leaving 1/2 inch hanging over outside edge of pan and bottom of pan open. Pinch seam to seal.

Carefully place 1 partially baked crust round in bottom of pan. Spread pizza sauce over crust; top with pepperoni slices and sprinkle with mozzarella cheese (when cheese melts, crust above will stick to it). Repeat to make 3 more layers. For top layer, place last crust over cheese; sprinkle with remaining cheese and arrange remaining pepperoni on top.

Fold overhanging dough over top layer of pizza cake to make a raised crust edge.

Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until dough around pizza cake is fully cooked. (To test, carefully pull up parchment paper to raise pizza cake out of pan.) Once completely baked, cool in pan 5 minutes. Remove pizza cake from pan; brush crust with butter. Use sharp knife to cut slices like you would a cake.

Original website: 
https://www.pillsbury.com/recipes/pepperoni-pizza-cake/a39070fb-2d1a-462c-a557-5876909c247c?utm_source=quora&utm_medium=referral

Comments and suggestions are ALWAYS welcome!

AWESOME Pecan Pie Bars

AWESOME Pecan Pie Bars for a 9 x 13 inch pan

I seen this recipe of Facebook and knew that I needed to try to make it.  I can feel my arse getting wider by the minute.

Ingredients

SHORTBREAD CRUST
2 1/4 cups flour
6 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 1/4 cups butter
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract


PECAN PIE TOPPING
1 cup butter
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1 1/2 cups light brown sugar, packed
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1 pound pecans

Stuff you will need

Kitchen-aid Mixer w/paddle mixer or a very strong arm
13 x 9 inch pyrex shallow baking dish
Heavy bottomed sauce pan
Wooden spoon - as it will not melt

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

For the crust, beat the butter, eggs, vanilla and granulated sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, until light, approximately 3 minutes.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix the dry ingredients into the batter with the mixer on low speed until just combined. 

Press the dough evenly into an ungreased 13 x 9 baking dish, making an edge around the edge like you would a pie crust . 

Pro Tip: The crust will be very sticky; sprinkle the dough and your hands lightly with flour. Bake for 15 minutes, until the crust is set but not browned. Allow to cool.

For the topping, combine the butter, corn syrup, and brown sugar in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan.

Cook over low heat until the butter is melted, using a wooden spoon to stir. Raise the heat and boil for 3 minutes. Remove from the heat. Stir in the heavy cream and pecans.

Pour over the crust, trying not to get the filling between the crust and the pan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the filling is set.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until cold. Cut into bars and serve.

Comments and suggestions are ALWAYS welcome!

Buttery Cinnamon Rolls

Who wants to drop by for a sticky bun and a coffee?

I do!  I do!

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup sour cream
2 tsp Vanilla Extract

Filling

6 tablespoons butter, melted
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 tsp ground Cinnamon

Glaze

1 cup powdered sugar
1/4 pkg cream cheese, softened
2 tsp Vanilla Extract
1 tsp milk

Preheat oven to 350°F . 

For the Cinnamon Rolls, mix flour and baking powder in large bowl. Add milk, the melted butter, sour cream and vanilla Mix to form a dough. 

Roll out dough on lightly floured work surface to a 15 x 11 -inch rectangle.

Mix brown sugar and cinnamon in small bowl. Brush dough with melted butter. Sprinkle with brown sugar mixture. 

Roll up rectangle from the long end into a log.

Cut log into 12 rolls. Place cut-side down in 9-inch round baking pan.

Bake 25 minutes or until golden brown. Meanwhile, for the Glaze, mix all ingredients in medium bowl until smooth. Drizzle over warm cinnamon rolls.

Comments and suggestions are ALWAYS welcome!

Focaccia - flat oven-baked Italian bread

I was watching Netflix the other day.  There is this cooking program that I put on for my grandson Colby.  It was called "Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat".  Those are the four things that goes into cooking.  The host was in Italy and they were talking about olive oil.  Then they made this WONDERFUL bread.  I had to try and make it.

Ingredients

Dough:
• 1 cup plus 1 tbsp (255 ml) warm water
• 2 teaspoons (5 g) active dry or instant yeast
• 1 ¼ teaspoons (8 g) fine salt
• 2 tablespoons (25 g) olive oil
• 3 cups (400 g) all purpose flour
Topping:
• 2 tablespoons olive oil plus more for greasing bowl and pan
• 1/4 cup parmesan
  1 tsp garlic salt
  1 tsp oregano

Instructions

Add warm water to a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle yeast on top and wait until dissolved (30 seconds for instant yeast, a few minutes for active dry yeast). Add oil and salt.

Add roughly half of the flour and vigorously stir with a cooking spoon for about 1 minute. Add the remaining flour and work it in with the spoon. When the ingredients come together, knead by hand for about 8 minutes, either directly in the bowl or on a lightly floured surface. The dough is rather sticky but if possible do not add additional flour, which makes the focaccia less fluffy.

Generously oil a clean bowl with olive oil. Put the dough in and turn it around until coated in oil. Cover the bowl tightly (with a lid or cling wrap) and let it rise until doubled, for about 30 minutes at warm room temperature (in summer). It will take a little longer when colder.

Line a 9x13 inch (33x23cm) pan with parchment paper and additionally grease with oil. Carefully transfer the risen dough to the pan and try to gently stretch it evenly without deflating the dough until it fills the baking pan.

Drizzle the dough with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and evenly distribute it on the surface with your fingers. Sprinkle dried thyme over the dough, then dimple it with your fingers.
Let the dough rise a second time for 20-30 minutes until notably puffed. No need to cover during rising since the dough is oiled and won’t dry out. 

Bake focaccia in the preheated oven at 400°F (200°C) until golden brown, about 15 to 20 minutes. Cool baked focaccia bread for at least 10 minutes before slicing, better a little longer.

Enjoy!

You can try different toppings.  Since I love the Subway Italian Parmesan bread, I thought that I would stay with that theme.

After all that effort, my grandson didn't enjoy this bread at all.  Oh well, more for me.

Comments and suggestions are ALWAYS welcome!

Onion Wine - Cooking Wine

There was a question on this website that I frequent.  The website is Quora and the question was: Why isn't onion wine more popular?

OK, so now you have my attention.  First off, what is "onion wine"?  Long and short of it all, it's a cooking wine.

To see the original post, click this link:

 https://www.quora.com/Why-isnt-onion-wine-more-popular

Justin Lloyd was nice enough to share his recipe.

This is the recipe I used. I also used the sweetest onions I could find.

1/2 lb onions
1/2 lb potatoes
1/2 pint white grape concentrate
7 pints water
2 1/2 lbs sugar
2 tsp acid blend
2 tsp yeast nutrient
1 package wine yeast

Peel and chop up onions and potatoes
Put in nylon straining bag and boil until tender
Strain and press off pulp into bag (discard pulp)
Pour into fermentor and include all other ingredients except yeast
Add a camden tablet and let sit 24 hours
Add yeast
When gravity reaches 1.040, rack into secondary
When gravity reaches 1.000 rack off sediment

Rack monthly until clear

Have fun!

Mitch's Rib Rub

 I needed a rib rub for my smoked ribs.  There are so many out there to choose from.  This one looks like it is going to work about the best and I have all these ingredients in my cupboard.

Ingredients

1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 teaspoon ground mustard
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon celery salt
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Stuff you will need

Measuring spoons and cups
Mixing bowl
Whisk
Mason Jar with lid

Directions

Whisk everything together.  Store in a mason jar if you have any left over.  Myself, I just make this to "order".

Turns out, the pack had 3 sets of ribs.  I broke them down by cutting them apart.  For those perfectionists, I did NOT remove the white skin.

I had a large shallow bowl and I doubled the rib rub recipe.

After I rubbed the rib rub across all the ribs, this is what was left over from the double batch.

I got 4 layers of ribs that will be going into the smoker.

See this link for my 3, 2, 1, ribs.  Yes, it was done in the oven, but just extrapolate the info for your grill or smoker.  Enjoy!

3, 2, 1 RIBS!

Comments and suggestions are ALWAYS welcome.

Billion Dollar Tea Biscuits

Mum ran across this recipe on Facebook and shared it.  

So, like any curious person that sees something in the recipe that he's never seen before, he wanted t make it.  So I did.  At 5 in the morning, before Tonya will EVER be awake, I'm in the kitchen, putting the coffee on and making biscuits.

Ingredients

3 cups all-purpose flour
2 tbsp sugar
1 1/2 tbsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cream of tartar
3/4 cup Crisco Golden Lard
1 egg, beaten
1 cup milk

Stuff you will need

2 x Mixing bowls
Pastry cutter
Cookie sheet
Parchment paper
Biscuit cutter - I used a drink glass dipped in flour

Directions

Preheat an oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, cream of tartar and salt in a mixing bowl. 

Cut in the lard with a knife or pastry cutter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. 

Stir milk +egg into the flour mixture until moistened. 

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and pat or roll the dough out into a 3/4 to 1-inch thick round. 

Cut dough with a biscuit cutter and place onto the prepared baking sheet.

Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, about 15 minutes.

Comments and suggestions are ALWAYS welcome!

*Crisco Golden Lard can be replaced with butter 1:1
** Margarine will not give you the same results

Chicken Fricassee, way better than your mom's recipe

A few weeks ago, I was watching TV with Tonya.  There is this chef that is on one of her stories.  She was encouraged to make something and that it would be posted on social media.  Well, the lady said that she was going to make 

Chicken Fricassee.

The chef was saying how easy it is to make.  So me being me, I had to find the recipe.

Ingredients

2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp butter
2 lb. skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs
Black pepper
1/2 cup white flour
1 large onion, chopped 
1 large carrot, chopped or shredded
1 celery stalk, chopped
8 oz mushrooms
1/2 cup white wine
2 cup chicken broth
1 cup heavy cream
2 tbsp parsley 
2 tsp thyme leaves

Stuff you will need

Cast Iron Skillet, or Cast Iron Dutch Oven
Shallow bowl
Plate
Cutting board
Sharp knife

Directions

In a large cast iron skillet over medium heat, heat oil and butter. Season chicken on both sides with flour and pepper then add to skillet and cook until golden, 5 minutes per side.

Remove from skillet and set aside on a plate.

In the same skillet add add onion, carrot, celery, and mushrooms and cook until soft, 9 to 10 minutes. 

Add any remaining flour/pepper and cook 1 minute. 

Pour in wine and scrape up any bits on the bottom of pan and reduce wine by half, 8 to 10 minutes.

Add broth and cream and season with parsley, thyme. Add chicken back to pan and simmer until chicken is cooked through and sauce is thickened, 15 minutes.

Serve over rice.

Prepare for the accolades.

Comments and suggestions are ALWAYS welcome.

Frozen Creamsicle Margarita, the taste of Summer

I hope that Summer has arrived where you live.  This year, 2019, it would seem to be that I'm living in the land that was forgotten by Summer.  It just isn't getting hot.  But where it is not getting hot, there is placed that is getting too hot.

For those of you where it is very hot, I'm thinking this drink will cool you off.

Ingredients

1 (12-oz.) container frozen concentrated orange juice
8 oz tequila
4 oz triple sec
4 oz heavy cream
Juice of 1 lime
2 tbsp. honey
Lime wedges, for rimming and garnish
Granulated sugar, for rimming 
Orange slices, for garnish

Stuff you will need

Blender
Glasses
Knife
Cutting board
Citrus juicer

Directions

In your blender, add frozen orange juice, tequila, triple sec, heavy cream, lime juice, and honey. Blend until combined.

Rim glasses with a lime wedge. Place sugar on a small plate and dip rim in sugar to coat. 

Pour margarita into glasses and garnish with an orange and lime slice. 

Serve immediately.

Your comments and suggestions are ALWAYS welcome!