December 2022

 Back in the day, there used to be a small Hot Dog drive-in called George’s that was just around the corner from the Elementary School I used to go to.  It was a small place with tables outside.  The buns were warm, the hot dogs were crispy and they had the best chili sauce!  Walking home from school we would pass buy and smell the hot dogs and chili in the air.  What a treat it was to go to George’s!  I remember the chili had no meat.  It was more like a spicy sauce – but I do remember the taste.  George’s is long gone and I’ve been trying a few different recipes from the web to try and duplicate it and this one has finally hit the spot.  This does contain meat but the spices make it taste just like George’s.  Happiness!!!

Ingredients:

1 lb. lean ground beef

1 medium onion chopped

2 tsp. garlic powder

1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar

2 Tbsp. chili powder

1/4 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes

1/2 tsp. cumin

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. allspice

2 dashes Worcestershire sauce

6 oz. tomato paste

3 cups water

Brown the ground beef and drain.  Run it through a food processor for a finer texture.  Mince the onions in the food processor as well.  In a medium heavy pot, combine all ingredients and simmer until thickened, 45 minutes to l hour.

Some don’t like the taste of the cinnamon in this, so simple omit it.  It’s the taste that I remember.

Place hot dog on a warm toasted bun.  Spread about a heaping Tablespoon of sauce.  Add yellow mustard and chopped onion. 

The original name of this recipe was “Magic in the Middles”.  But I called it as I see it; or rather taste it.  Chocolate and peanut butter have a truly symbiotic relationship; each brings out the best in each other. These take a little time to make, and the recipe makes 26 cookies.   I only got 20.  For you chocolate peanut butter fans – this is worth the time and effort.  Just make sure you have enough milk! Chocolate Dough:

• 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder, natural or Dutch-process cocoa
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar (plus extra for dredging)
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
• 1/4 cup smooth peanut butter
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 large egg

 Peanut Butter Filling:

• 3/4 cup peanut butter, crunchy or smooth, your choice
• 3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Lightly grease two baking sheets.

To make the dough:  In a medium-size bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt.

In another bowl, beat together the sugars, butter and peanut butter until light and fluffy.  Add the vanilla and the egg, beating to combine, then stir in the dry ingredients, blending well.

To make the filling:  In a small bowl, stir together the peanut butter and confectioners’ sugar until smooth.  I had a problem with this mixture.  It was very crumbly, but it did stick together and I was able to make clumps instead of balls as the recipe called for.  Update!!!! I contacted King Arthur Flour and it was their suggestion to add butter or more peanut butter…. I think I would add the butter.

With a teaspoon scoop, roll the filling into 26 one-inch balls.

To shape the cookies:  Scoop 1 Tablespoon of the dough, make an indentation in the center and place one of the peanut butter balls into the indentation.  Bring the cookies dough up over the filling, pressing the edges together to cover the center.  Roll the cookie in the palms of your hand to smooth it out.  

Roll each rounded cookie in granulated sugar, and place on the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches between cookies.

Grease the bottom of a drinking glass, and use it to flatten each cookie to about 1/2 inch thickness.  

Bake the cookie for 7-9 minutes, or until they are set.  Remove from the oven, let cool 5 minutes and then transfer to a cooling rack – As if they’ll last that long…… ~Adapted from King Arthur Flour

Sharing with Sweet Indulgences Sunday – A Well Seasoned Life

Sweet as Sugar Cookies – Sweets for a Saturday

Definition:  Comfort Food – Noun:    “Food that is simply prepared and associated with a sense of home or contentment”. Psychological Studies:  Comfort foods may be consumed to positively pique emotions, to relieve negative psychological affects or to increase positive feelings.

Is it really the food?  Maybe it’s the person that cooked it for you with love….or maybe it could be the smells from the kitchen when you walk in the door, whatever it is, it warms your soul.  A good Comfort Food is plain and simple.  It soothes and makes you feel  All Warm and Fuzzy Inside.

I’m going to be doing a series of Comfort Food Classics – after all I am Comfy Cuisine! I hope you’ll join me and link up your favorite comfort food!  If you don’t have a post and choose to leave a comment, please include your favorite comfort food – no matter what it is!  Someone told me they like tomato and peanut butter sandwiches!  I’d like to feature some of  your recipes!   This recipe for Tuna Noodle Casserole is a lighter version – no Cream of Mushroom soup and no Potato Chips – UGH! I will never go back to that old version.  This is a keeper for a quick weeknight dinner.
Ingredients:

• 8 ounces uncooked wide egg noodles
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1/2 cup chopped carrot
• 2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
• 2-3/4 cups 1% milk
• 1/2 cup (4 ounces) cream cheese (1/3 less fat cream can be used)
• 2 Tbsp. country Dijon mustard
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup frozen peas and carrots, thawed
• 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, divided
• 2 (5-ounce) cans albacore tuna in water, drained and flaked
• Cooking spray

Cook noodles according to package directions.  Drain.  Heat a large skillet over medium heat.  Add oil to pan.  Add onion and carrot; cook 6 minutes or until carrot is almost tender, stirring occasionally.  Sprinkle with flour; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly.  Gradually stir in milk and whisk until slightly thickened, about  minutes.  Stir in cream cheese, mustard, salt and pepper and cook 2 minutes more. Remove pan from heat and stir in noodles, peas and carrots 1/4 cup Parmigano cheese, and tuna.  Spoon mixture into a broiler-safe 2 quart baking dish coated with cooking spray.  Top with remaining 1/4 cup cheese.  Broil 2-3 minutes until golden and bubbly. ~Adapted from Cooking Light

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Sharing with The Sweet Details – Savory Sunday
Everyday Mom’s Meals – Church Supper
Gooseberry Patch – Your Best Comfort Foods
Iron Chef Mom – Cream Cheese Battle

My homemade version of the San Francisco Treat with less sodium and simple ingredients.

Ingredients

1 oz. vermicelli or angel hair pasta

2 Tbsp. unsalted butter

1/2 small onion, chopped

1 cup long grain rice

2 cups low sodium broth (chicken, beef or vegetable)

Parsley for garnish

Directions

Take a small amount of pasta and break in 1-inch pieces.

In a medium saucepan, heat 2 Tbsp. butter over medium-high heat.  Add onion, pasta and rice and cook stirring frequently until pasta is browned, 3 to 5 minutes.

Add broth and bring to a boil.  Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer until liquid is absorbed, about 15 minutes.

Remove from heat, and let stand 5 minutes.  Add parsley and fluff pilaf with a fork.

Adapted from Martha Stewart

I am very fortunate to have some great neighbors on my block!  All different cultures that come together!  My kids grew up with theirs, and now that they are grown we don’t get together like we used to.  We always helped each other in time of need and stop and chat we we see each other. I had this dish from a Portuguese neighbor that has long since moved, but I’ll never forget it.  It’s one of the most traditional and popular pork dishes of Portuguese cuisine. I bought 5 dozen clams for the Cuban Pig Roast.  I had one dozen left.  Lightbulb goes off!!! Pork and Clams.  I searched through quite a few recipes, chose the one that appealed to me the most and printed it.  I just happened to see Rosa’s husband taking a walk by my house and I thought I would go visit her just to see if the ingredients in this recipe were similar to how she makes it.  Boy – what a shock!  In her broken English, she tried to explain to me how she made the dish.  We went down the list of ingredients.  White wine? – no I use Red.  Tomato Paste? – No.  She couldn’t give me any measurements and had to open her spice cabinet to show me what to use if she didn’t know the word in English.  She gave me some bay leaves from Portugal and told me to fold the bay leaf in half and peel down the stem – and to remove it .  “It’s no good for you”.  Her family spends four months – the entire summer back in Portugal.  They are leaving next week so I’m thrilled I got to see her so I could make this delicious dish!  It’s a very simple dish – with great flavors.

Pork and Clams

Carne de Porco a Alentejana

• 2-1/2 lbs. boneless pork loin, cut into 1 inch cubes
• 6 to 8 potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes
• 2 cups dry red wine
• 1 large bay leaf
• 1 Tbsp. sweet paprika
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. black pepper
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 15-20 clams in the shell, scrubbed 
• Pickled Pepperoncini Peppers or Olives for garnish

Marinate the pork cubes with the wine, bay leaf, paprika, salt and pepper and garlic.

Cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes or even overnight if possible.

Bake potatoes in one layer with a good drizzle of olive oil and salt and pepper at 425 degrees F for about 30 minutes or until lightly brown and toasty.

 Potatoes can also be deep fried; your choice.

In a large sauce pan, heat 2 Tbsp. Canola oil until just beginning to smoke.  Remove pork from marinade and reserve.

Brown pork on all sides over medium-high heat until all water is released from the pork and the cubes begin to caramelize.  About 10-15 minutes.

Add reserved marinade and bring to a boil.  Let cook about 5 minutes.

Add the clams on top of the pork; cover and cook until clams open up.  About 10 minutes.

If a clam does not open, remove and discard.

Arrange the baked potatoes on a serving platter and pour the pork and clam mixture on top.

Garnish with fresh parsley and pepperoncini peppers or olives.

~Rose Canha

I fell in love with porcini mushrooms when I first made Giada’s Mushroom Risotto with Peas .  They add such a beefy richness to any dish.  This meat loaf includes a delicious surprise.  Cubes of mozzarella cheese are blended into the meat mixture and shredded cheese is combined with bread crumbs and herbs to create a scrumptious topping.

Ingredients:

4 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

2 Tbsp. unsalted butter

2 carrots, chopped

2 celery sticks, chopped

1 onion, finely chopped

1/2 oz. dried porcini mushrooms, soaked in 1 cup hot water

2 cloves garlic, minced

2-1/4 cup fresh bread crumbs

1 Tbsp. plus 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley

2 oz. mozzarella shredded plus

6 oz. cut into 1/2″ cubes

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

2 lbs. ground beef (85% lean)

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1/2 tsp. minced fresh thyme

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Coat bottom of roasting pan with 1 Tbsp. oil

Chop carrots and celery in food processor.

In a saute pan over medium-high heat, add 2 Tbsp. olive oil.

Add the carrots, celery and onion and saute until tender.  Add the mushrooms and garlic and saute for 1 minute.  Let cool.

In a bowl, combine 1-1/2 cups of bread crumbs and the mushroom soaking liquid (be careful pouring in the liquid as there will be some sand at the bottom)

In another bowl, combine the remaining 3/4 cup bread crumbs, 1 Tbsp. parsley, 1 Tbsp. olive oil, shredded cheese and salt and pepper.

In a large bowl, gently mix together the ground beef, soaked bread crumbs, vegetable mixture, eggs, 1/4 cup parsley, thyme and cubed cheese, salt and pepper.  Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan and shape into a 10-by-5 inch loaf.  Cover the top and sides of the meat loaf with the cheese-bread mixture.

Bake about 1 hour and 15 minutes.  Let rest for 5 minutes before slicing.  

Serve with classic mashed potatoes.

Sharing with Melt in Your Mouth Monday!

~Adapted from Williams-Sonoma

Sometimes I want to make something in the slow cooker – when I finally decide, it’s a little too late for the 6 hour wait.  So I turn to my trusty pressure cooker.  You can make this recipe two ways.  If you plan ahead, use the slow cooker – if you decide at the last minute you are craving something smoky and spicy, the pressure cooker comes to the rescue.  Use chipotle peppers to suit the heat level you like. 

Ingredients:

• 1 3 lb. boneless pork shoulder roast
• 1 10-oz. can diced tomatoes and green chilies (Ro-tel)
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 Tbsp. finely chopped canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (original recipe called for 2 Tbsp.)
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp. cumin seed
• 1/2 tsp. ground coriander
• 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
• 1 cup refried beans
• Corn tostada shells or tortillas
• Mixed salad greens
• 1 cup chopped tomato
• 1 avocado, thinly sliced
• 1 cup queso fresco cheese (optional)
• 1/2 cup sour cream

Trim fat from pork; cut into chunks.  Heat 1 tsp. olive oil in pressure cooker and add pork.  Brown on all sides.  Add garlic and saute for 2 minutes.  Add tomatoes with chilies, chipotle peppers, garlic, salt, cumin and cumin seeds, coriander and black pepper.  Cover and cook at 15 lbs. pressure for 35 minutes.
Slow Cooker: – Place pork in slow cooker, add remaining ingredients as above, reducing chicken stock to 1/2 cup, cover and cook on low-heat for 10-12 hours or on high-heat for 5 to 6 hours.
Remove pork from cooker and shred with two forks.  Spread refried beans over tostada shells.  If using corn tortillas, char on both sides on open gas flame.  Top evenly with pork mixture and your toppings of choice. Cook’s Note:  I could not find a boneless 3 lbs roast.  I had a 6 lb. bone-in, cubed the pork and added the bone to the pressure cooker for extra flavor. ~Adapted from BHG Ultimate Slow Cooker

Sharing with Everyday Sisters – Sharing Sundays

Melt in your Mouth Mondays  

The word hash comes from the French (but of course) hacher, meaning “to slice or chop up”.  A breakfast tradition, especially with a freshly poached egg on top.  Take away the eggs, add a green salad, and dinner is served.  By adding chopped cooked beets to the mixture, you get Red Flannel Hash, a Yankee classic.

4 Tbsp. unsalted butter

1 large onion, chopped

1 cup red bell pepper chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

2 cups cooked cubed potatoes (or frozen hash browns)

2 cups chopped, lean cooked corned beef

1/2 tsp. oregano

Coarsely ground fresh black pepper

1/4 cup heavy cream

2-4 fresh eggs

Parsley for garnish

Melt the butter in a 12-inch cast-iron skillet over medium heat.  Add the onion, red bell pepper, garlic and potatoes and cook until beginning to brown, about 5 minutes.  Add the corned beef, oregano and black pepper and mash down lightly.  Cover and cook 10-12 minutes until browned.  Stir up the hash, add the cream and mash down again.  Make 2 wells and crack in your eggs.  Reduce heat to low, cover and cook until eggs are to desired doneness.  Season with salt and pepper.  Sprinkle with parsley.

I have been patiently waiting for some beautiful pickling cucumbers that I could easily turn into perfectly easy refrigerator pickles.  At a new Farmer’s Market that just opened up, I saw these in their crisp, green, glory and snatched em up quick! There are so many quick pickle recipes out there.  This one is super easy because you don’t have to boil the brine.  The sugar and salt dissolve easily without boiling. A little bit of chopping and a few minutes later I have the prettiest jars of homemade pickles. I always save my pickle jars from store bought pickles since I usually make small batches at a time.  Plus they are the perfect size!  Canning jars leave alot of space at the top.  The lip of these jars holds the pickles in well.

To make the brine, mix together in a 1 quart measuring cup.

1-1/2 cups white vinegar

1-1/2 cups water

4 tsp. salt

2 Tbsp. sugar

Stir until dissolved and set aside

To each jar add:

2 whole cloves garlic, peeled and sliced in half

1/2 tsp. whole black peppercorns

1/2 tsp. mustard seeds

1/4 tsp. coriander seeds

Fresh Dill

10-12 Kirby Cucumbers

Pack in your cukes like sardines.  We like them halved, but I cut a few in spears to fit them in.  I fit about 6 in each jar.  Top with more fresh dill.

Pour the brine into each jar leaving a 1/4 inch headspace, make sure cukes are submerged.  Screw on lids and refrigerate.  Let them cure in the refrigerator for at least 4 days.

Enjoy!  Share if you want – you can find the cute pickle labels Here to decorate and give to friends.

Sharing with:  Recipe for my Boys- Thursdays Treasures