Italian Wedding Soup

Meatball Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 lb ground beef
  
• 3/4 lb hot Italian sausage
  
• 2 tablespoons grated parmesan
  
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
  
• 1 teaspoon ground oregano
  
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  

Soup Ingredients:

• 5 quarts chicken broth
  
• 2 cups orzo pasta
  
• 26 ounces spinach
  
• 2 small diced yellow onions
  
• 4 sliced carrots
  
• 3 stalks chopped celery
  
• 2 cloves minced garlic
  
• 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  
• 1 cup white wine
  
• 1 teaspoon dried dill weed
  
• 1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
  
• 2 teaspoons salt
  

Method:

Combine all meatball ingredients, mix well, and let the mixture sit in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.  Roll it into tiny balls (3/4” to 1”) and fry them up. This may have to do this in 2-3 batches.

In your stock pot, combine the onions, carrots and celery with the salt and olive oil, and cook until they are slightly soft.  Add the garlic, and cook for another minute or two. While that’s going on, use some of the chicken broth to deglaze the meatball pan, and dump that yummy goodness into the stock pot.

Add the rest of the chicken broth, wine, black pepper, and dill weed. Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat, and let simmer for 30 minutes.

Add the pasta, and continue simmering until it’s almost al dente. Add the spinach and meatballs, and cook for a few more minutes. Just long enough to re-heat the meatballs, which probably need it by now.

Serve with fresh grated parmesan.

PDF version of this recipe, suitable for printing.

RSS: Subscribe to this feed.

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Habanero Papaya Salsa

Ingredients:

• 7 roma tomatoes
• 1 large white onion
• 1/2 bunch cilantro
• 1/2 cup diced papaya
• 1 habanero chilie
• 1 clove minced garlic
• 4 ounces pineapple juice
• Juice from 1 fresh lime
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

Method:

Finely dice all vegetables. Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Stir, and let sit for an hour or two. Serve with tortilla chips.

PDF version of this recipe, suitable for printing.

RSS: Subscribe to this feed.

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Southwest Heart Attack

Ingredients:

• 1 lb bacon
• 12 medium-sized shrimp
• 2 medium-to-large white mushrooms
• 1 clove garlic
• 2 tablespoons roasted/diced green chilies
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1/3 lb shredded colby-jack cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Method:

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.

Weave your bacon into a bacon quilt. Place the bacon quilt on a cooling rack, and place the cooling rack on a cookie sheet.

Bake your bacon until it’s just about done, but not crisp.


If your chilie isn’t already prepped, now would be the time to do that. Roast them over an open flame (I use an element on my gas stove). Once they’re blackened everywhere, place them under a bowl for about 10 minutes to sweat. Then rinse under running water while wiping the skin away. Pat dry and dice.


While the bacon is in the oven, sauté the mushrooms in the butter and kosher salt. When they’re almost done, Add the shrimp and the garlic. Continue cooking until the shrimp is done.


When your bacon is almost done, spread the sautéed mixture over it. Dump the cheese on, roll it up, then bake for an additional 7-10 minutes. Just long enough to melt the cheese.


When done, let it cool for a few minutes, then slice and serve.

PDF version of this recipe, suitable for printing.

RSS: Subscribe to this feed.

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Chipotle Snappers

Here is a delicious twist on the ol' jalapeno poppers. Choose your chilies wisely, as these can really kick your butt if you get hot ones.

Ingredients:

• 6 chipotle chilies
• 9 medium shrimp
• 1 cup cheddar/jack cheese blend
• 1/4 cup bacon crumbles
• 1/2 tablespoon butter
• Kosher salt

Procedure:

Pre-heat the oven to 350°.

Quickly fry the shrimp in the butter. Be very careful not to over-cook, as they will end up in the oven for a bit later.

Cut the chipotles in half, from end-to-end. Remove the seeds and scrape the white stuff off the walls. Then lay them out on a baking sheet.

Season the chipotle shells with salt, then top with bacon crumbles, chopped shrimp and cheese.

Bake until cheese is melted (7-8 minutes).

PDF version of this recipe, suitable for printing.

RSS: Subscribe to this feed.

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Moke Chicken

Ingredients:

• 5 lbs of boneless/skinless chicken thighs
• 2 cups soy sauce
• 1 1/3 cups sugar
• 1 cup red wine
• 2 tsp sesame oil
• 2 teaspoons Sriracha hot sauce
• 2 tsp garlic powder

Method:

Combine everything but the chicken and mix well enough to dissolve the sugar and garlic powder. A sealed container you can shake works best.

Set aside at least one cup of marinade, and use the rest to cover the chicken in a plastic zipper bag, and refrigerate overnight.

Strain the marinade and grill the chick. While the chicken is cooking, reduce the marinade over low heat by about 1/2

When the chicken is done, foil it for 5-10 minutes, slice it up, then pour marinade over the top. Mix it all up, and serve on a bed of white rice.

PDF version of this recipe, suitable for printing.

RSS: Subscribe to this feed.

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Shepherd's Pie

Ingredients:

• 3 lbs ground beef
• 16 oz mixed veggies
• 4 cups beef gravy
• 5 lbs potatoes
• 1 stick butter (room temp)
• 16 oz sour cream
• 1 lb grated sharp cheddar cheese
• 2 bulbs roasted garlic
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt

Method:

Scrub and peel (if desired) your potatoes. Cut them into 1/2” slices and add to water to boil until soft enough to mash.

While the potatoes are cooking, roast the garlic, and brown/drain the ground beef.

Stir the ground beef and mixed vegetables together in an enormous baking pan. I like the big aluminum ones. Mix the gravy in with the meat/veggie blend.

When your potatoes are done, drain the water, then put them back in the pot for mashing. Add the butter and garlic, and mash by hand.

Add the cheese, sour cream and salt, and mix well with an electric mixer, until smooth.

Spread the cheesy mashed potatoes evenly over the meat/veggie/gravy mix. Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 350 for 45 minutes.

PDF version of this recipe, suitable for printing.

RSS: Subscribe to this feed.

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Chipotle Shrimp Etouffee

A very simple Etouffee for those of us that are land-locked and have poor access to crawfish. Shrimp will do in a pinch.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 lbs uncooked shimp
• 32 ounces clam juice
• 8 ounces chicken broth
• 2 sticks butter
• 1 cup flour
• 1 cup diced bell pepper
• 1 cup diced celery
• 2 cups diced yellow onion
• 4 cloves minced garlic
• 1 minced chipotle in adobo sauce
  
• 1/2 to 1 teaspoon Tony Chechere's creole seasoning
• 1 tablespoon minced parsley
  

Method:

Melt the butter. Add flour gradually, wisking all the way. Make a roux that matches the color of peanut butter.

Add onions, celery and bell peppers. Cook about 5 minutes.

Add garlic and chipotles and garlic. Cook 1 minute.

Gradually add clam juice, then chicken broth, stirring as you go.

Add creole seasoning and parsley. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 20 minutes. Add shrimp and simmer for another 5 minutes, until shrimp is cooked.

Serve on a bed of white rice.

PDF version of this recipe, suitable for printing.

RSS: Subscribe to this feed.

• 
• 
• 
• 
•