Smoked Ribs - Chef Jim at Valencia Country Club

Rub Mix (premix and keep in sealed container for future use)
Equal parts 
Dry Oregano
Garlic Powder
Sugar
Fresh Ground Pepper
Cayenne
Paprika
Cumin
Salt to taste

 

Ribs
Barbecue Sauce (see recipe)


Peel skin off the bone side of the rack.  Rub ribs one day in advance with mix.

Smoke ribs until tender (2-3 hours).  Transfer the ribs to the BBQ grill over medium-low heat and slowly glaze.  After about 30 minutes start brushing on your favorite barbecue sauce in thin coast, until shiny.  Be careful not to allow the ribs to burn after applying the sauce.  Finish with as much barbecue sauce as you like.

Mom's Family Favorite

Mom's Pot Roast

                 5 lb.     Beef Rump Roast

                  1 lg.     Onion, quartered
            12 small     Red Skin or Yellow Rose Potatoes
              2 large     Carrots, cut into 2” chuncks
          1 package     Pot Roast Seasoning
                 2 Tb     Demi-Glace Base (Stacey’s recommendation)
                   1-2     Cloves of Garlic, optional
                             Salt & Pepper, to taste

 Place all ingredients in crock pot and add water to just cover ingredients.  Turn crock pot on, cover, and forget about it for 4 hours or more.

 

 

 

Mom's Meatloaf

 

         1½-2 lb.      Ground Beef

                ½ lg.     Onion, diced

                  1 lg.     Green Peppers, diced

              1 clove     Garlic, minced

           1 sm can     Tomato Paste

                       1     Egg

            handful     Saltine Cracker crumbs (optional)

                             Salt & Pepper, to taste

Mix ingredients, pack tightly into loaf, place in  pan, bake at 375° for 45 minutes to an hour.

 

 

 

Mom's Corned Beef & Cabbage

 

1 Seasoned Corned Beef Brisket

1 Onion, cut into eighths

1 Head Cabbage, cut into eighths

Salt & Pepper to taste

Place all ingredients into a crockpot, cover ingredeitns with water.  Turn the crockpot on and forget about it for 4-5 hours.

 

 

 

Jim's Trout Provencal

                       ½ lb     trout filet
                             1     tomato, diced
                           ¼     onion, sliced
                                   parsley, chopped
                             1     lemon, sliced
                        1 Tb     capers
                   ½ stick     butter
                    ½ cup     white wine
                                   salt & pepper to taste

Mix tomato, onions, parsley, lemon, and capers.
 
Cut a large pieced of aluminum foil, line bottom of baking pan, and rub butter all over.  Place ½ of tomato mixture on foil, then the fish, and cover with remaining tomato mixture.  Pour wine over the top with salt & pepper.  Bring up edges of foil and seal contents in a pouch.
 
Bake in a preheated oven at 375° for about 7 minutes or until fish is done.
 
Unwrap and serve with juice from foil.

Macaroni & Cheese

Who doesn't like Mac & Cheese?  In fact, as I am typing this I am warming myself with left-over smoked gouda and macaroni from the Club.  My grandmother would throw cooked macaroni, butter, milk, grated cheese, salt & pepper in a casserole dish and bake - no recipe, just stir periodically, then let get golden brown on top.  It was always yummy.  Next time I cook it, I will try to remember and write down quantities and add a recipe.  In the meantime, the following recipes I took from Gourmet Magazine and Bon Appetit.  Enjoy!

 

Creamy Macaroni with Sage - Gourmet, January 1999

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

1/2 pound elbow macaroni
1/2 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 tablespoons fine dry bread crumbs
1 1/2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh sage leaves
1/2 cup mascarpone cheese
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan (about 1 1/2 ounces)

Fill a 4-quart kettle three fourths full with salted water and bring to a boil for macaroni. Cook macaroni in boiling water until al dente and drain in a colander.

While macaroni is cooking, in non-stick skillet heat butter over moderate heat until foam subsides and add bread crumbs, sage, and salt and pepper to taste. Cook bread crumb mixture, stirring, until golden brown, about 3 minutes. In a large bowl stir together mascarpone and Parmesan. Add macaroni and salt and pepper to taste, tossing to combine.

Divide macaroni between 2 bowls and sprinkle with seasoned bread crumbs.

Serves 2.

 

 

 

Macaroni & Cheese with Prosciutto - Bon Appétit, March 2001

 

8 ounces small elbow macaroni (2 cups)

1½ cups (packed) grated Gruyère cheese (about 6 oz)
1 cup whipping cream
1 cup whole milk
3 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto, coarsely chopped
3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

 

Position rack in bottom third of oven; preheat to 400°F. Butter 11x7-inch glass baking dish. Cook macaroni in large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to bite. Drain well.

 

Whisk 1/2 cup Gruyère, cream, milk, prosciutto, Parmesan and nutmeg in large bowl to blend. Add macaroni and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to prepared baking dish. Sprinkle remaining 1 cup Gruyère over. Bake until cheese melts and macaroni and cheese sets, about 20 minutes. Serve warm.                  

 

Serves 6.

 

 

Woody's Smorgasburger French Fries

Woody’s deep fryer was filled with decadent peanut oil, and everyone loved Woody’s French Fries!  The secret was not only in the oil… it was also the salt.     

 

4-6  Potatoes, scrubbed
3+ cups     Peanut Oil
Lawry’s Seasoned Salt

 

Scrub potatoes with water and a vegetable brush, until skin is pale brown.  Pat dry with a towel.  Cut potatoes lengthwise into sticks.

Meanwhile in a deep fryer or heavy pot /iron skillet, heat peanut oil.  The oil must be hot, so that the fries do not come out soggy.  (Note: if oil begins to smoke, remove pot carefully from heat and allow to cool until the smoking stops.  Do not leave heating oil unattended.)

 

Test heat by placing a fry into the oil.  It should start to bubble immediately.  When the oil is hot, place just enough potato sticks in to float in the oil (do not try to cook all your fries at once).  When golden (you may want to remove one, allow it to cool, and taste to insure it is done) remove from oil and allow to drain on a paper towel.  Start the next batch.  Lightly sprinkle the seasoned salt over the fries.

 

I usually calculate one small potato per person, but if you have a hungry group, you may want to fix more!

 

 

 

 

Chicken, Ortega Chili & Tortilla ‘Cacciatore’

                 1    Whole Chicken, 3-4 pounds

               ½    large Onion, chopped
          1 can    Ortega Diced Green chiles, 4 oz
          1 can    Cream of Mushroom Soup
          1 can    Cream of Chicken Soup
                      Milk
          1 bag    Corn Tortillas
         3 cups    Cheddar Cheese, grated
                      Salt & Pepper to taste

Stacey’s twist to the recipe:

      1 bunch    Cilantro, minced (optional)
           1 tsp    Cayenne Pepper (optional)
      2 cloves    Garlic, minced (optional           

Boil chicken in a large pot of salted water.  (Broth can be reserved and stored for a later use).  When chicken has cooled, remove and discard the bones and skin.  Shred meat and set  aside.

Preheat oven to 375°.

In a large bowl combine onions, chiles, and soups.  Add optional recipe items at this point.  Add a small amount of milk if mixture is too thick

Grease a large casserole dish.  Alternate layers in the dish of torn tortillas, shredded chicken, soup mixture, and cheese. 

Bake until casserole startles to boil around the edges and cheese is melted.  About 30 minutes.

 

Tips

§  A great recipe to use for left over turkey or chicken.

§  For lower calories use fat free soups and less cheese.

§  Can be made ahead and cooked when ready to eat.

 

White Beans with Garlic, Lemon & Parmesan

Fine Cooking Magazine

For the Beans:
          1 cup      Dried White Beans (yields about
                        3 cups cooked) or 1 -29oz. can
                        white beans
        1½ tsp      kosher salt
               ¼      small onion
                 1      3” sprig rosemary
 

For the Dressing:

        ¼ cup      extra virgin olive oil
      3 cloves      garlic, peeled and smashed
                3      anchovy fillets, rinsed and roughly chopped
                        (optional, but great)
        ¼ cup      finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano
         ¾ tsp      kosher salt
         ¼ tsp      freshly ground black pepper
          1 tsp      finely grated lemon zest
        ¼ cup      fresh lemon juice

To Assemble:

          1 pint      cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
        ½ cup      coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

 

Cook dried beans.  Transfer hem to a large bowl and keep them warm.  (If using canned beans, rinse and drain them well.)

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan or skillet, combine the olive oil, garlic and rosemary.  Heat gent;ly until the rosemary starts to sizzle lightly, remove the pan from heat, and leave to steep for about 20 minutes.  Discard the rosemary.

 

Take the garlic clove from the oil (reserve the oil) and put them in a food processor, along with anchovies, cheese, salt, pepper, zest, and lemon juice.  Process to a fairly smooth mixture.  Taste for seasoning; the dressing should be highly seasoned.

Toss the dressing with the warm beans, using a rubber spatula to gently fold so the beans get well coated but not smashed.  Let the beans sit for a few minutes abd tgeb toss a few more times.  It may seem like too much liquid at first, but the beans will gradually absorb it all.  Fold in the reserved infused oil, the tomatoes, and parsley.  Taste for seasoning serve.  Serves 4 to 6.

 

 

Tip:  You can make this salad up to a day ahead , but let it come fully to room temperature before serving.  Freshen the flavor of the salad by adding more fresh herbs and a squeeze of citrus right before serving

 

Grandma's Fried Chicken & Country Gravy

Fried Chicken

                       1    Whole Chicken, cut in serving pieces
                1 cup    Flower
                            Seasoned Salt & Pepper to taste
                            Vegetable OIl

 Country Gravy

            1/8 cup    Flour
             3+ cups    Milk
                            Salt & Pepper to taste

Place flour in a shallow dish (or zip-lock bag) and liberally mix with seasoned salt & pepper.  Meanwhile pour ½” of vegetable oil into a cast iron skillet and heat over medium-high heat.  Coat chicken with the seasoned flour and place in hot oil.  Brown chicken on both sides, until chicken is cooked (about 15-20 minutes).  Remove chicken from oil and allow to drain on paper towel.

For the gravy, remove all but 1/8 cup pf the vegetable oil from the skillet.  Heat over medium-high heat and add 1/8 cup of flour (left-over from chicken coating is fine).  Stir constantly until roux is brown and thick.  Reduce heat.  Stirring constantly, slowly add milk.  Allow gravy to thicken.  Season to taste.

 

Citrus Ginger Cured Atlantic Salmon

                       1 side     Atlantic Salmon with skin, pin bones removed

                    6 each     Oranges, sliced

                    6 each     Lemons, sliced

                    6 each     Limes, sliced

                      3 lbs.     Fresh Ginger, crushed

               8 bunches     Fresh Dill, roughly chopped

               8 bunches     Fresh Cilantro, roughly chopped

                    2 cups     Salt

                    2 cups     Sugar

                      1 cup     Red Chili Flakes, crushed

 

Mix salt and sugar together and massage it into the flesh, and skin sides gently but thoroughly.  Mix all other ingredients together.  Put 1/2 in a pan large enough to hold the salmon and spread it onto the bottom.  Place the salmon, skin side down, atop the mixture.  Place the rest on top of the salmon.  Wrap tightly and check after five days. 

Oven-Roasted Tomatoes

These are great by themselves or on top of a salad.  They make a special treat in sandwich.  Make them in big batches and store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.

 

Roma (or other small) Tomatoes, halved
Garlic Powder
Basil, dried
Oregano, dried
Black Pepper (or Cayenne)
Salt
Sugar

 

Place a wire rack on top of a cookie sheets covered with foil or baking parchment.  Place tomatoes (cut end up) in a single layer on rack.  Sprinkle with sugar and salt, then liberally with garlic powder, basil, oregano, and pepper.  Place in an 275° oven and allow to slowly roast until tomatoes are dried (resemble a dried apricot), this can take anywhere from 1 to 5 hours or more depending on tomato thickness.

Marinated Tomatoes

Ripe Tomatoes, sliced thinly

Balsamic Vinegar

Olive Oil

Fresh Basil (or favorite herb)

Seasoned Pepper

Garlic Salt

Lay tomato slices in single layer or fanned slightly.  Sprinkle fresh herbs, seasoned pepper, and garlic salt over the tomatoes.  Drizzle balsamic and olive oil liberally over the top.  Cover and let sit for at least 1 hour.  If you refrigerate, allow the tomatoes to come to room temperature before serving.

Add slices of Buffalo Mozzarella for a Caprese Salad