How to seed a Jalapeno Pepper

Jalapeno Peppers are hot and it’s the seeds inside them that give them their “heat”!!   Removing their seeds make them more enjoyable to eat or cook with as seen by my video.  REMEMBER….GLOVES!! Click on link below to see video!!

How to Seed a Jalapeno Pepper

Buffalo Jalapeno Poppers

Buffalo Jalapeno Poppers

Makes 40 (you can freeze them too!)

INGREDIENTS:

• 20 Jalapeno peppers
• 8 oz lite cream cheese, room temperature
• 4 TBS Blue or Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled
• 2 c Mexican 4 cheese shredded blend OR your own favorite cheese, shredded
• 1 cup finely diced  cooked chicken
• ½ cup Ranch dressing from the bottle
• 4 pieces of cooked bacon, chopped
• ¼ cup or more, depending on your “heat” tolerance!  I used Frank’s Buffalo Sauce

**** Now go and find some gloves and if possible, a grapefruit spoon with the ridges on the side, you will need both….especially the gloves!!!!!!*****

DIRECTIONS:  Pre HEAT Oven to 325 Degrees

1. Split the peppers in half, even the stems if possible.  Remove ribs & seeds using both gloves AND the grapefruit  spoon to take out the ribs & seeds and discard.
2. 2.      Mix the softened cream cheese AND the blue cheese crumbles until blended.  Once blended, ADD the rest of the ingredients and blend well.  Be sure to taste to make sure it’s not too hot, or if it is not hot enough!!!

Now, “lightly” grease a 10 x 15 baking pan.

With a spoon, fill pepper halves and place on pan.  Bake at 325 degrees for 30 minutes

TO FREEZE:

• Place on a cookie sheet & cover with foil then put in freezer until hard.  Once frozen,  package in single layers in a plastic freezer container.

TO EAT:

• Place on a cookie sheet & bake @ 325 for 20-25 mins or until hot all the way through, golden brown & crisp!! Then enjoy again!!!

Fun Way to Peel Garlic

All you need is a head of garlic, counter space, a strong hand and some “shakin” going on!!!!

Thank you “Saveur” for the tip!!!!

Pork Tenderloin Marinade

Pork Tenderloin Marinade
1/4 C. olive oil
3 T. soy sauce
1 T. Worcestershire sauce
1 t. ginger (I’ve used both fresh and powdered)
3-4 cloves crushed garlic
1/4 C. brown sugar
3 T. Dijon mustard
1/4 C. Jack Daniels

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix well.  Then pour into a ziplock bag or a tupperware or whatever, and marinate over night or at least 8 hours for the “full” flavor.  Then grill on a medium/high heat for about 35-40 mins….turning frequently to avoid burning.  Let rest for 5 mins before slicing and then, VOILA….it will melt in your mouth!!!!

Ginger Glazed Mahi-Mahi

Ixtapa Senior Citizen Commune

Ginger Glazed Mahi-Mahi

Serves 4

Ingredients

3 tablespoons honey

3 tablespoons soy sauce

3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger root

1 clove garlic, crushed or to taste

4 (6 ounce) mahi mahi fillets

salt and pepper to taste

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Directions

In a shallow glass dish, stir together the honey, soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, ginger, garlic and olive oil. Season fish fillets with salt and pepper, and place them into the dish. If the fillets have skin on them, place them skin side down. Cover, and refrigerate for 20 minutes to marinate.

Preheat oven to 350

Take marinated filets and put on middle rung.  Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 15-20 minutes or until flaky.  Make sure not to over cook

Serve with rice…or potatoes…or whatever your little heart desires…

 

*****Thank you All Recipes for the idea & recipe!!!****

Hearty Beef Stew

What better way to enjoy "comfort food"!!

Hearty Beef Stew

Serves 6

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 lbs stew meat

• ¼ c cooking oil

• 1 ½ cups chopped onions (1 large or 1 ½ med onion)

• 1- 16oz can diced tomatoes with liquid

• 2- 10 ½ can of beef broth

• ¼ c dry sherry or dry red wine

• 1 TBS minced garlic

• ¼ c chopped parsley

• 2 TBS dill (dry is fine)

• S & P to taste

• 1 med size Yam, peeled and cut into bite size pieces

• 3 carrots peeled, and sliced

• 3 stalks of celery, chopped

• 1 parsnip peeled and cut into bite size pieces

DIRECTIONS:

Brown beef in oil in large dutch oven or soup pot. Add all ingredients. Bring Mixture to a boil, then cover with tight fitting lid over med heat for 2-2 ½ hours until meat and vegetables are tender, stirring occassionally to avoid burning.

Serve with warm Artesan bread, a nice robust red wine…or a Negra Modelo!! The choices are endless!!!

Sherry Wine/Mushroom Sauce with Ravioli

Sweet Sherry Wine Reduction w/Portobello Mushrooms

Serves 5-6 people

• INGREDIENTS
• 1-2 lbs Ravoli of choice

• 1 TBS butter/1 TBS EVOO

• 1 lg Shallot, minced

• 1 TBS minced garlic (from jar is fine)

• 1 cup Red Pepper, julienned

• 1 lb Portobello Mushrooms or Baby Portobello Mushrooms, sliced

• 1 cup Dry Sherry Wine

• 1 cup Half & Half

• 1 TBS chopped Basil

• ¼ cup Parmesan cheese

• S & P to taste

• Candies Slivered Almonds

• **make a roux with equal amt of butter & flour, and put aside.**

DIRECTIONS:

START WATER TO BOIL FOR RAVOLI THEN TIME ACCORDINGLY!!!

1. Melt Butter & EV olive oil in saute pan. Then add shallots and garlic and cook about 2” until shallots are softened. Next, add the red peppers and cook another 2-3 minutes until soft.

2. Add mushrooms and continue cooking, and season with S & P for about 2-3 mins.

3. Now add wine and turn up the heat. Stir & scrape the bottom of the pan and stir until liquid reduces to half.

4. Now add ½ & ½ and turn heat down, and stir until that liquid reduces. If mixture is too watery, add some of the roux to thicken.

5. Add the Parmesan cheese, basil and take off heat. Place Ravioli’s on plate and cover with sauce, add parsley and top with candied almonds!!!!!!

Beef Stroganoff

Beef Stroganoff

Serves 8

Total Time: just about an hour…GET ORGANIZED!!!!

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 lb beef tenderloin or flat iron steak or sirloin steak
• Marinade of ¼ c red wine, 3 TBS Worcestershire, 1 TBS minced garlic
• 6 TBS butter
• 1 ½ cup finely chopped onion (about 1 large onion)
• 2- 8oz pkgs of mushrooms. Button or Bella or Cremini or whatever you want, SLICED
• 2 cans of 14.5 oz beef broth
• 2 TBS of Cognac or Brandy or red wine or Worcestershire
• 2 TBS (or more if you like) Paprika
• 1 TBS Nutmeg
• ¼ to ½ cup of Fresh or Dry DILL. THIS IS THE BEST PART OF IT!!
• 1 pint (16 0z) sour cream *** at room temperature***
• 2-3 TBS Dijon mustard (depending on your taste)
• 2-3 tsp sugar
• ¼ cup fresh parsley or dry if you don’t have fresh
• Cornstarch on hand, to thicken when needed
• 1 – 1 ½ packages of 16 oz wide egg noodles

NOW go get ALL ingredients and put on counter. Then chop, slice, mix, measure, take sour cream and leave on counter and have everything ready to go….THEN READ THE RECIPE SLOWLY!!!! Then start!!

DIRECTIONS:

1. Put large pot of water on to cook the egg noodles & follow directions to cook noodles
2. Slice the BEEF in 2” strips (I prefer thin slices)
3. Mix the marinade and put sliced beef into marinade and refrigerate for 15 mins to an hour

• Melt 3 TBS of butter in large skillet over med heat. Make sure not to burn the butter. Add marinated slices of BEEF into the pan, single layer. Do not crowd. You will do this in batches. Cook until browned (lightly) on both sides and then put in bowl and repeat process until done.
• In the same pan add the ONIONS and cook for a few minutes until soft and add to the bowl with the meat.
• In the same pan, add another 3 TBS of butter , increase the heat, and add the SLICED MUSHROOMS. Stirring occasionally, cook for 6-8 mins then add the NUTMEG & PAPRIKA, then the MUSTARD & SUGAR and continue stirring.
• Now add the BEEF BROTH, COGNAC or BRANDY whatever alcohol substitute you have on hand, stir and bring to a boil.
• Now add the room temperature SOUR CREAM and stir to mix

Spicy Shrimp/Corn & Potato Soup

Enjoy the final days of fresh summer corn in this recipe

Spicy Shrimp/Corn & Potato Soup
• 5 slices bacon saving the grease OR use 1 TBS of oil
• 2 TBS butter
• 1 c chopped green onion
• ½ c chopped celery
• 1 red pepper, chopped
• 1 lg potato peeled and diced
• 1- 7oz can of mild green chilies
• 2 cups milk (I used skim milk & ½ & ½ because that’s what I had)
• 3 TBS flour
• 3 cups of chicken broth
• 2 cups of fresh corn kernels (I used 4 ears of white corn)
• 1 lb of thawed peeled and deveined “small” shrimp
• 1 tsp of cumin
• 1 tsp of Mexican seasoning
• ½ tsp of cayenne pepper
• ¼ c of fresh cilantro
• Salt & pepper to taste
DIRECTIONS:
1. GO GET ALL YOUR INGREDIENTS…and now open, measure, chop, and get everything all done and ready to go…
2. Now, in a large dutch oven or soup pot, take the slices of bacon and cook them. Once cooked remove the bacon, and chop and put aside…but keep the bacon grease in the pot! Now add 2 TBS of butter to the bacon grease (yes, you can leave the whole bacon process out if you wish) and sauté the onions, celery, red pepper for 2-3 minutes until tender.
3. Now add the canned green chilies and cook another minute.
4. Take the milk and put in a bowl & add the 3 TBS of flour and whisk the flour together with the milk and pour on top of the veggies.
5. Then add the Chicken broth, corn, potatoes and seasoning and bring to a boil.
6. Continue cooking for another 20 mins on medium heat, stirring intermittently.
7. As potatoes get soft, add the shrimp and continue to cook another 10 minutes.
8. Add Cilantro and then serve
9. Add cheese Quesadillas to make it a great meal!!! Enjoy!!!
***** thanks to Cooking Light for the recipes***

Black Truffle Vinaigrette

A wonderful "sauce" good on all types of beef!!!

Black Truffle Vinaigrette
Bon Appetit January 2005

Vinaigrette:
* 2 ounces fresh or jarred black truffles
* 1/2 cup Tuscan-style extra-virgin olive oil, divided
* 1/4 cup minced shallots
* 1 cup Cabernet Sauvignon or other dry red wine
* 2 tablespoons Banyuls vinegar**( I used balsamic)
* 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
* Coarse kosher salt

For vinaigrette:

Thinly slice truffles, then dice finely. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in small skillet over medium heat. Add shallots; sauté 2 minutes. Add truffles and sauté until aromatic, about 1 minute. Place shallot mixture in small bowl.
Boil wine in heavy small saucepan until reduced to 2 tablespoons, about 10 minutes. Add to shallot mixture. Whisk in vinegar and thyme. Gradually whisk in remaining 7 tablespoons oil. Season vinaigrette to taste with coarse salt. (Can be made 2 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.)

Read More http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Black-Pepper-Crusted-Wagyu-New-York-Steaks-with-Black-Truffle-Vinaigrette-231430#ixzz1Vv5pfXpc