Texas Style Brisket Chili

 Ingredients

4 slices thick-cut bacon

3-4 lb. beef brisket, trimmed of large pieces of fat.

Kosher salt, pepper, onion powder – for liberally sprinkling on the meat while browning.

2 cups white onion, diced 

2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and diced

1 red  pepper, seeded and diced

2 chipotles peppers  in adobo sauce

4 garlic cloves, pressed through a garlic press

1 tablespoon paprika

1 tablespoon cumin 

3 tablespoons chili powder

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon chipotle chile powder

1 teaspoon ground coriander

¼ teaspoon cayenne

½  teaspoon salt

1-quart beef broth

½ cup strong black coffee- use instant espresso powder to make ½ cup

28 oz. can chopped  tomatoes

Garnish: Sharp cheddar cheese, freshly grated. White onion, hoy sauce, and jalapenos.

Directions

For the brisket, clean and trim the brisket. You will only need 3-4 lbs. Cube the brisket into small ¼” cubes. 

In a large stockpot, cook 4 pieces of bacon until crispy. Remove from pan and set aside until later.

Increase the heat to medium-high. In the bacon fat, brown the brisket cubes in 3 batches making sure not to crowd the pan. You want to develop as much browning on the cubes as possible and browning in 3 batches will ensure that moisture coming from the meat won’t crowd the pan and prohibit the browning process.

Season liberally with salt, pepper, and onion powder while browning to season the meat.

Remove the browned meat to a bowl before starting the next batch. You can add additional cooking oil if you need to. Cook all 3 batches and reserve.

In the same pot, add the diced white onion, and peppers, and stir in a pinch of salt. Cook down, scraping the bottom of the pan to release the brown bits and brown the onion. Reduce the heat if necessary to cook the vegetables until tender..

Add in all of the spices and stir into the onions. Cook for 2 minutes.

Add the pressed garlic and stir. Cook for 1 minute.

Add the seared meat back into the pan. Add the coffee, tomatoes, and beef broth. Stir well.

Stir well and crumble in the bacon. Place the lid back on the pot, ajar, and cook over low-medium (simmer gently) for 3 hours if you like the chili sauce or 5 hours if you like it thick. 

Serve topped with freshly shredded sharp cheddar cheese and Frito chips.

Creamy Spinach Pizza

 

Ingredients

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 small garlic clove, grated 

2 teaspoons Greek seasoning 

1/8 teaspoon table salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

15 oz package of spinach, defrosted and drained 

1 pound prepared pizza dough, at room temperature

1/2 cup prepared Alfredo sauce 

16  ounces low-moisture mozzarella cheese, sliced

4 ounces of crumbled feta cheese

Pinch red pepper flake

Directions

Preheat oven to 450°F

Stir spinach, Alfredo sauce, greek seasoning, salt, and pepper together in a mixing bowl.

Oil a 14-inch pizza pan and spread the pizza dough to the edges of the pan. 

Arrange the mozzarella slices on top of the dough.

Spread the spinach mixture over the mozzarella cheese,

Sprinkle the feta and chili flakes over the spinach.

Bake the pizza for 15-20 minutes. 

Cool for 5 minutes before cutting into serving pieces.

Hearty Talian Cabbage Rolls

 

My recipe makes about 18 rolls. The remaining cabbage can be used for other cooked cabbage recipes.

I like to bake the rolls at 325 F because low heat for 21/2 hours for very tender cabbage.

However, you can use any of the cooking methods below if you have time for longer cooking.

Ingredients:

1 large head of cabbage (about 3 lbs.) 

1 Tablespoon olive oil

1 cup diced onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 large carrot, diced

1 pound lean ground beef

1 egg, beaten

2 cups leftover mashed potatoes 

1 tablespoon dried Italian seasoning 

2 cups tomato sauce

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

pepper to taste

Directions 

Prepare the cabbage :

Easy Method

A week before you plan to make the cabbage rolls, place the cabbage in a large ziplock freezer bag and freeze (about 3 days)x

Defrost in the refrigerator-2-3 days. Leanes will be soft and come right off. Place on kitchen towels and remove the core.

Traditional Mergod

Bring a large pot of water to boil. Cut the center core out of the cabbage and place, the core side down, in boiling water. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes.

While cabbage simmers, heat oil in a pan over med-high heat and sauté onion and garlic for 3-5 minutes until browned. Add carrots and cook another 5! minutes. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl. Add ground beef and cook until no longer pink. Add to vegetables.

Remove cabbage to a rimmed baking sheet, keeping water in the pot. Gently remove leaves from the cabbage, cutting away from the core with a small knife. Set aside the best 16-18 leaves and cut off the thick spine in the center for easier rolling.

Preheat the oven to 350° F.

Oil a 13x9-inch baking

To cooled beef mixture, add ½ cup of the tomato sauce, mashed potatoes Italian seasoning, salt & pepper. Combine well.

Place about 1/4 cup of filling in each leaf, roll, and place seam side down in prepared pan. Pour the remaining tomato sauce over the rolls. 

Cover pan tightly with foil, and bake for 1 ½ hours. (Place pan on a cookie sheet in case it drips)

Remove from oven and let rest 30 minutes or better still, let cool and refrigerate overnight. (They freeze well.)

To Cook on Stove Top - Use a heavy Dutch oven or your heaviest pan. Use the same recipe, cover the pan, and bring to a boil. Then reduce heat and simmer for about an hour. It takes less time because you bring it to a low boil much faster on the stovetop. Uncover occasionally to make sure they are cooking. If not, carefully stir the rolls and move them around until tender.

Baked Trout with Lemon, Garlic Butter Sauce For Dinner

Rainbow Trout

 Ingredients

2 whole rainbow trout about 8 oz each after head and center bones are removed 

1/4 cup melted butter

1 lemon, zested and juiced

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon Greek seasoning

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

¼?teaspoon  red chili flakes

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 green onion, trimmed and finely chopped

Kosher salt

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Pat the trout dry with paper towels.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the melted butter, lemon zest, half the lemon juice, cumin, paprika, Greek seasoning, chili flakes, and a big pinch of salt.

Spray a baking dish with cooking spray. Place the trout in the dish in a single layer.

Brush the sauce over both sides of the trout. Arrange the fish skin side down. Set it aside for a few minutes while the oven is heating.

Bake in the pueheated oven for 12 to 15 minutes or until the fish turns opaque and flakes easily at the touch of your fork. Take it out of the oven when it’s internal temperature taken at the thickest part is at about 140°F.

Sprinkle the fish's remaining lemon juice. Serve immediately!

Rice Cooker Brown Rice

If you don’t have a rice cooker follow the directions on the rice package. The advantage of a rice cooker is that the rice comes out perfect every time.

Ingredients 

1 cup brown rice 

2 cups chicken bone broth

¼ cup chopped sweet onion

1 tablespoon butter

 

Directions 

Wash the rice and let it drain, place in the rice cooker pan with the broth and onion.

Set the cooker for brown rice. Rice cookers usually take about 60-90 to cook rice depending on the type of rice you are cooking. Add butter and serve.

Cucumber Salad

Ingredients 

Half an English cucumber, sliced thin

2 green onions, chopped 

¼ cup sour cream 

1 tablespoon bottled Italian vinaigrette 

½ teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon honey

1 teaspoon dried dill

Directions 

Mix together all the ingredients in a serving bowl and refrigerate for several hours before serving.

Chinese Ground Pork Stir-Fry with Noodles (Lo Mein)

 Ingredients

Sauce 

 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce

2 tablespoons oyster sauce

2 tablespoons hoisin sauce 

1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil

1/2 cup low-sodium beef broth

1 tablespoon Asian chile-garlic sauce

1 tablespoon cornstarch

2 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 2 teaspoons)

2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger

4 tablespoons Chinese rice wine (Shao-Xing) or dry sherry (s

Lo Mein

6 ounces Chinese stir-fry noodles 

1 tablespoon sesame oil

1 pound lean ground pork

1 tablespoon peanut oil

Vegetables 

15 oz cans of bean sprouts, drained 

8 ox can of sliced water chestnuts, drained

8 ox can sliced bamboo shoots, drained 

4 scallions, chopped 

¼ of a red bell pepper, cut into thin sliced thin

1 thin carrot sliced on the diagonal

1 celery stalk cut on the bias

Directions

Combine the sauce ingredients in a small bowl. Set aside

In a large deep skillet cook the stir-fry noodles until al-dente, drain, and toss in a bowl with 1 tablespoon of sesame oil.  Set aside.

In the same skillet heat 1 tablespoon of peanut oil. Add the ground pork and cook until completely brown and crispy, about 10-12 minutes.

Add the vegetables and stir-fry until tender, about 10 minutes. Add the sauce and stir-over low heat until incorporated, and then add the cooked noodles. Stir well and serve.

Braised Steak For Dinner

 

Braised Steak For Dinner

serves 4 

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 tablespoons butter

8 ounces fresh sliced mushrooms

1 onion, sliced thin

1 garlic clove, minced

1/2 cup flour

1 pound boneless round steak, sliced into ½-inch thick pieces

2 cups beef broth

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

In a large heavy skillet over medium heat, heat the olive oil and butter. 

Cut round steak into serving-size portions. Pound the steak until 1/2 inch thick with a meat mallet. Flour the steak pieces; transfer to the skillet. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper; brown round steak thoroughly, turning to brown on the other side, Remove to a plate. Save the remaining flour.

Saute the onions and sliced mushrooms for about 5 minutes, until the onions are tender. Stir in the remaining flour and cook for a minute or two.

Add the beef broth, stirring well. Return the browned meat to the pan, cover, and simmer on low heat for 1 ½ hours or until the meat is very tender. Taste and add salt and pepper if needed. Serve with mashed potatoes and peas.

Italian Codfish Cakes For Dinner

 

Italian Codfish Cakes

Makes 6 cakes. I often double the recipe for another dinner. You can also use leftover cooked cod.

Ingredients

1 l of cod fillets

1 teaspoon salt

1 lb potatoes

1 egg, beaten

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1/4 cup minced onion

1/2 teaspoon pepper

Breading

1 cup of flour

1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon of water

1 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs

Olive oil, for frying

Directions

Cooking the fish

Place the cod in a skillet and cover with water. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes. Drain and cool. Flake the fish with a fork and place it in a mixing bowl.

Boil and mash the potatoes and add to the bowl with the fish.  Add 1 beaten egg, garlic, onion, salt, pepper, and parsley. Mix well. Form into six 4-inch patties. Place on a piece of waxed paper-covered tray.

Prepare the breading

Place the flour in a shallow bowl, the egg and water in a second dish, and the bread crumbs in a third.

Dredge each cake in flour, egg, and breadcrumbs. Return to the tray. If time allows, place the cakes in the refrigerator for several hours before cooking.

When ready to cook.

Heat enough oil in a large skillet to cover the bottom of the pan. Fry the fish cakes until brown on the bottom,3-4 minutes, and turn the cakes over and fry 3=4 minutes more.

Serve with lemon wedges.

Oven cooked

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Cover a baking sheet with foil and coat with olive oil.

Place codfish cakes on the prepared Pan and bake for 30 minutes, turning the cakes over after 15 minutes.

Spaghetti with Zucchini and Fresh Tomato  Sauce

Ingredients

8 oz spaghetti, cooked and drained

Salt

⅓ cup olive oil 

4 garlic cloves, chopped 

1 small zucchini, diced 

12 cherry or grape tomatoes, sliced

¼ teaspoon dried oregano

½ teaspoon red chili flakes

Fresh basil 

Parmesan cheese 

Directions 

Hear the oil in the empty pasta pot and add the garlic, zucchini, and tomatoes.

Sauté for a few months until the vegetables are hot. Add the seasonings and then the cooked spaghetti. Stir over low heat until blended.

Serve with cheese and the codfish cakes.

Easy Strawberry Cheese Pie

 Ingredients

Crust

2 cups finely ground nuts, hazelnuts, almonds, pecans or walnuts 

1/4 cup confectioners' sugar

¼ cup) melted butter

1/8 teaspoon salt

Filling

8 oz package of cream cheese, at room temperature

14 oz can of sweetened condensed milk

¼ cup fresh lemon juice 

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Topping 

3 cups chopped fresh strawberries 

1 to 3 tablespoons sugar, to taste

Directions

Select a pie pan whose inside top dimension is at least 9", and whose height is at least 1 1/4".

Butter the pie pan

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Make the crust by stirring together all of the crust ingredients, mixing until thoroughly combined.

Press the crumbs into the bottom and up the sides of the pie pan, making a thicker layer on the bottom than on the sides.

Bske the nut crust for about 15 minutes until lightly brown.

Cool.

Make the filling by mixing together the filling ingredients until smooth. To avoid beating too much air into the batter, use a mixer set at low-medium speed. To avoid lumps, make sure the cream cheese is softened, and/or at room temperature.

Pour the filling into the prepared and cooled pie pan. Place in the refrigerator for several hours or overnight.

Make the strawberry topping by heating the strawberries and sugar until the berries are soft and jelly-like. Refrigerate for several hours.

Spread topping over pie filling and serve.

Dinner For Two

 

Pan Seared Oven Roasted Filet Mignon

Serves 2

This is my favorite way to cook beef tenderloin steaks. Comes out perfectly every time.

Ingredients

2 Filet Mignon steaks  about 1 1/2 inch thick and about 6 oz

1 tablespoon oil or butter

Steal seasoning, salt, and pepper to taste 

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F 

Remove any silver skin.

Bring steaks to room temperature, about 30 minutes before cooking. Season all sides of the steaks to taste with salt, pepper, and steak seasoning. 

In a medium oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat melt 1 tablespoon of butter. When hot, sear both sides of the filets for 2 minutes each. 

Transfer to your preheated oven. Cook to about your desired temperature.  Remove from oven a few degrees early. Medium-rare is always about 8-10 minutes. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Pan-Fried Potatoes

Ingredients

2 large Yukon Fold potatoes

Salt to taste

2 garlic cloves, grated

1/4 cup chopped fresh chives

Olive oil

Directions

Peel and cut the potatoes into eighths. Cook in boiling salted water for 10 minutes, Drain.

In a medium skillet, pour enough olive oil to cover the bottom of the skillet. Heat and add the potatoes quarters. Cook over medium until brown on all sides. Add garlic, stir, and pour into a serving bowl. Add chives and serve with the steak

Salad With Blue Cheese Dressing

Ingredients

Dressing

Makes about 1 1/2 cups

3/4 cup of blue cheese, crumbled

3/4 cup mayonnaise 

6 tablespoons sour cream 

1 1/2 tablespoons cider vinegar 

1/4 teaspoon pepper 

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder 

Directions

Combine the indie nts in a medium bowl and refrigerate un til serving.

Make your favorite salad with lettuce and salad vegetables. Serve with the dressing.

Grouper Poached in Italian Vodka Sauce

 

4 servings

Ingredients 

4-6 oz grouper, halibut, or haddock fish filets

1 tablespoon olive oil

1lb short pasta; such as penne or rigatoni 

2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

Sauce

4 cups Marinade sauce

1cup vodka 

¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes 

⅔ cup heavy cream at room temperature 

½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

For the fish

Pat fish fillets dry. Sprinkle generously with salt and fresh ground pepper. Place in a hot skillet and don't to move the fish. Let sear for 3-4 minutes until they release easily from the pan and have formed a nice crust. Turn and sear the other side.

Remove fish to a plate and keep warm.

Make sauce in the skillet. 

Combine the sauce ingredients and heat over low until hot.

Cook pasta according to package instructions. Drain.

Return the fish to the sauce. Poach until tender about 3-4 minutes. Place fish in serving bowls and sprinkle with the basil.

Add drained pasta to the sauce. Stir well and add cheese stir and spoon portions next to the fish.