Malfumpkis

Suzan McAllister

"Fused and Abused" is the label that gets attached to this recipe.  I love Galumpki (aka Golubki) and I have recently acquired an instant love for Kafta.  Also, when I bought brussel sprout and broccoli plants for my garden this year, I discovered a few weeks later that they were actually mislabeled cabbage.

So, that is how things happen in my kitchen.  What am I going to do with all that cabbage?  We love coleslaw, but there are only two of us.  I've tried Malfouf before, but found that without a Middle Eastern cook to lean on, my efforts were less than satisfactory.  On the other hand, I have a great recipe for Galumpki that is generations old and passed on to me by a friend, and a great source of Kafta.  Kafta is lamb mixed with middle eastern deliciousness.  You may be familiar with this mixture if you've had a Lamb-Kebob.  Kafta is the meat portion of this dish.

So here we are.  Kafta in cabbage with Galumpki sauce.  I call them "Malfumpkis", the result of my love of Malfouf and Galumpki.
Two perfectly good recipes from cultures with delicious foods, unceremoniously Fused and Abused.
Ready? GO!

What you'll need
Some excellent Kafta.  I found a Halal butcher shop in Detroit's Eastern Market called Adam's Meat that makes some very very good Kafta. I hope and pray you someday will find some as good as this, or make your own, here's a recipe, I have no idea how close it is to the Kafta I buy.

1 lb Kafta
1-1 1/2 heads cabbage
1 c rice
2 c tomato sauce
2 cans chopped/diced tomatoes
1/2 c celery
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp granulated garlic
1/2 c beef stock
2 tsp sugar

Thin but firm silicone spatula
Large tongs

That Difficult Cabbage

First things first.  Somehow we've got to get the cabbage off the head and roll-able without breaking the leaves.  This is accomplished by cleaning the head of cabbage and coring it, then putting it in a pot of boiling water large enough to submerse it.
Our goal is to get the leaves off, NOT cook the cabbage.  Some cooking will occur, but be as conservative on the cooking time as possible.  While there exists a time-honored tradition of burning off your fingerprints while accomplishing this task, I found today that I could avoid that with modern cooking tools.  Get yourself a heat-proof silicone spatula with a thin edge, and some great big tongs.
Once the water starts boiling, turn the burner down to just below boiling.
Keep trying to peel off the top of the top leaf until it reaches the stage where it will slide off without much effort.  You'll be steadying the head of cabbage with the tongs while you gently try to prise the outer leaf off by sliding the thin edge of the silicone spatula under it gently.
Put your prized leaf aside to drain while you continue to work on the head.  As you work your way down, you will eventually get to a leaf that's stubborn, then you'll have to let it sit again so the next layer of leaves can soften up.  Keep going as long as you keep getting leaves that actually look like leaves.  You may need to start on another head if the inner part of your cabbage is mostly core.

OK.  Now we have a big pile of cabbage leaves.
Grab your Kafta, here's mine

Mix in 1 c of uncooked rice.  Use your hands to make sure it gets evenly distributed

Prepare your first cabbage leaf.  Take out a leaf and place it on your cutting board.  Most cabbage leaves have a pronounced spine that will make it impossible to make a nice roll.  

Cut down each side of the spine and cut it out of the leaf

Your leaf should look like this

The Rolls

Roll up a small amount of the meat-rice mixture, about a third of a cup

Place this roll on the cut-out of the leaf, where the spine used to be, then roll it up to where you can tuck the two edges where the spine used to be under the roll

Now tuck the ends in and roll a little bit more to make sure they're secure

Finish rolling and place the roll seam-side down

Place on a sheet pan, preferably lined with parchment or waxed paper

The Sauce

While you're leafing and waiting and rolling, you can start the sauce.  

To a medium to large saucepan, add the beef stock, worcestershire, garlic and celery. Boil it down to reduce most of the liquid

Add the tomato sauce , sugar and chopped tomatoes and continue to simmer while you complete the rest of the rolls (10-20 minutes)

You can use the sauce as-is.  I threw it into a food processor and ran it around until there were no more celery or tomato lumps.

My project finished up with 24 cabbage rolls.  

I split them up into 3 packages, wrapped the rolls in parchment paper, split the sauce into 3 vacuum sealed packages, and made 3 frozen dinners for later.

The cooking directions are pretty simple.

Pour a little of the sauce in a deep baking dish (sides should come up as far as a cake pan)

Choose your dish so your rolls fit as snugly in the dish as you can.

Place the rolls on top of the sauce, then pour in the rest of the sauce over the top of the rolls.  The sauce does not need to submerge the rolls.

For extra fun, cover the rolls in raw bacon.

Cover tightly with tin foil and cook in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes.

Add cooking time (maybe 10 minutes) if the rolls are refrigerator-cold when you start

If you used bacon, you may want to throw it under the broiler, uncovered, for 3-5 minutes at the end to crisp up the bacon.

Voila! Malfumpkis.

(completed picture to be added soon)

Gramma Jennie's Galumpki Soup

Jennie Pabis via Ann Evans

 My childhood friend, Ann Evans passed this on to me recently, and I'm very excited about it.  Keep in mind this is a granddaughter's transcription of a recipe that was taught in a kitchen over generations.  Also keep in mind that she's my oldest friend, which qualifies her as being as crazy as me.  There is also a Galumpki recipe, which I posted in a separate thread.  

I'm putting it as the soup I make first as the rolled recipe is dangerous.

1/2 lb hamburger
1/2 lb mild pork sausage
2 c water
1 TBSP bouillon
2 c tomato juice
1 c crushed tomatoes
1 c raw rice
3/4 c chopped onion
1 head cabbage

Brown burger & pork sausage in a large pot.  Drain.
Add 2 cups H20  & 1 TBS. beef boilion (some broth if you have it) + 2 cups tomatoe juice.    Add 1 cup crushed tomatoes, 1 cup raw rice, 3/4 c chopped onion.  Simmer until cabbage tender. Reduce if taste to watery.
Garnish with chopped crispy bacon.
I HIGHLY recommend the soup version thou! Same taste w/o the pain!

Gramma Jennie's Galumpki

Jennie Pabis via Ann Evans

These are not MY grandma's galumpki.  These are the first galumpki I ever had, and I still compare all others to them.  Nothing has won out, so far.  My childhood friend, Ann Evans passed this on to me recently, and I'm very excited about it.  Keep in mind this is a granddaughter's transcription of a recipe that was taught in a kitchen over generations.  Also keep in mind that she's my oldest friend, which qualifies her as being as crazy as me.  There is also a Galumpki Soup recipe, which I posted in a separate thread.  Following is the "Rolled Recipe"

The rolled recipe is dangerous.

Large head of cabbage
1/2 lb hamburger
1/2 lb mild pork sausage
2 c water
1 TBSP beef bouillon
2 c tomato juice
1 c crushed tomatoes
1 c cooked rice
3/4 c chopped onion
A LOT of raw bacon

The dangerous way:
Cook a large head of cabbage in a HUGE pot, simmer & pull off the outside leaves as each gets tender.
If you have not had to call 911 yet put cooked rice, browned burger,pork & onion, salt & pepper mixture in cabbage leaves & then put some tomato stuff in your pan. The roll is  tuck/roll tuck/roll until you run out of leaf so not quite like a burrito.
If this doesn't send you to the ER with severe burns place in a baking pan (not a shallow cookie sheet) pour a bunch of your fresh canned tomatoes &/or tomato juice over top, not quite to cover .
Layer ALOT of raw bacon over top. Bake at 350 for 1 hour or until the bacon looks amazing.(not crispy critters thou).
I remember she covered tightly with tinfoil as I woke up today seeing it peel back from dish & all the yummy smelling steam wafting up.
I always add some garlic or garlic powder to everything, I bet gramma held this back as I always do the same thing with my recipes.

Hope I got this right!

I bet they have destructions online how to get the leaves w/o a hospital trip. My gramma & all my Aunties scalded their fingerprints off!

Chicken Fingers

Suzan McAllister

1 lb chicken tenderlions or boneless skinless chicken breast
1 c. Bisquick baking mix
1/2 c. Italian Bread Crumbs
1/2 c. Grated Parmesan
1 TBSP Emeril's essence or other favorite dry spice blend
2 eggs
Peanut Oil


Heat oil to medium to high heat in a medium size skillet
While the oil is heating, if using chicken breasts, slice into 1 inch wide slices
Whisk the eggs in a wide shallow bowl
Mix Bisquick and dry spice blend in another wide shallow bowl
Coat the chicken strips in the Bisquick mix and set aside.
Mix the bread crumbs and parmesan into the Bisquick mix
Coat the chicken strips in egg, then in the Bisquick/bread crumbs/parmesan mixture and place in the heated oil.

Fry the chicken strips 3-4 minutes on each side, until golden brown and cooked through.

Tomato Florentine Fettucine

Suzi McAllister

1/4 lb fettucine
10 or so ounces tomato sauce
1 TBSP fresh basil
1/2 TBSP Italian Seasoning
1 tsp sugar (if necessary, to taste)
1 tsp granulated garlic
EVOO
1/2 pkg frozen chopped spinach

Cook Fettucine per package directions.
In another pan, heat up all ingredients except the EVOO

When done, drain the fettucine, add the sauce, throw in about 2 TBSP EVOO
Toss and serve.  Great side dish for Ground Turkey Parmesan

Ground Turkey Parmesan

Suzi McAllister

1 lb. Ground Turkey
1/2 c grated parmesan, plus some for topping
1/2 c Italian Bread Crumbs
1 TBSP fresh basil
1/2 c shredded mozzarella
1/2 c tomato basil sauce
EVOO

Mix Ground Turkey, 1/4 c each of bread crumbs and parmesan, and basil.  Make 2-4 patties.
Heat your pan to medium heat with 2 turns of EVOO in it.
Put the rest of the bread crumbs and cheese on a plate and mix.
Dredge the patties in the bread and cheese mixture and fry gently until done.  Cooking time will vary depending on how large you made the patties.
Preheat your broiler while the patties are cooking.

When done, remove from heat and put on an oven proof plate or broiler pan.
Top each patty with an appropriate portion of tomato sauce, then divide up the mozzerella to top the tomato sauce.  Sprinkle generously with parmesan cheese.

Place the patties on the ovenproof plate or broiler pan, and put under the broiler for 2-3 minutes, until cheese is bubbly and golden brown.

Great with Tomato Florentine Fettucine

Southwestern Chicken Salad in Avocado Bowls

Recipe courtesy George Stella’s “Real Food Real Easy” Cookbook
Prep Time 15 mins / Serves 4

Shopping List
2 cups cooked chicken, shredded
2⁄3 cup sour cream
3 tablespoons chunky salsa
1 tablespoon fresh chopped cilantro
1 teaspoon lime juice
2 avocados

1. Fold chicken, sour cream, salsa, cilantro, and lime juice together in a large bowl, shredding chicken with a fork until your desired consistency is reached.

2. Cover and refrigerate chicken salad for 30 minutes for the ingredients and flavors to mingle, or skip to the next step to serve immediately.

3. When you are ready to serve, slice the avocados in half lengthwise and remove the pit. Use each half as a serving bowl for 1 person, stuffing chicken salad into the empty pit cavity and then mounding heaping spoonfuls over top of the entire surface of the avocado half. Serve garnished with fresh cilantro.

George’s Tips | When shopping, look for a chunky salsa without any added sugar or corn syrup in the ingredients list. I've found that Pace’s Chunky Salsa does not add sugar and they should be readily available in any grocery store.

Variation | Give the salad more texture by adding 2 tablespoons of diced green bell pepper or a few teaspoons of diced jalapeño pepper, if you like spice. You can also serve topped with shredded Cheddar jack cheese and chopped bacon for even more great flavors!

calories:395 | fat: 15g |protein: 55g| fiber:3g |net carbs:3g

Rib Roast (Prime Rib, Rib Eye, Standing Rib)

Prep

At a minimum, take the roast out of the fridge and let it come to room temperature before starting.
For more magnificence in your roast, consider dry-aging the beef before you start.  Dry aging advice from Alton Brown shown below.

Preheat your oven to 200 degrees F
Locate a roasting pan with a rack and a skillet large enough to fit your roast.

Searing

You'll want to sear the roast before you begin roasting it.  Your butcher, and most recipes, will advise you to "Oven Sear" the meat, a procedure that asks you to start the roast in a 450-500 degree oven, then reduce the oven temp for the rest of the roasting period.  We're not going to do that.  We're going to pan sear it and slow roast it.  Oven searing results in a 1/2" to 1" band at the outside of the roast that is overdone.  This method results in a roast that is perfectly uniform from center to edge, and much more tender.

Dump about 3 TBSP of garlic powder and 3 TBSP cracked black pepper in a bowl.  You can add rosemary, or other herbs and spices as you wish, but use dried herbs if you go that route, otherwise you're just going to burn the crap out of them and make them bitter.
Pack the mixture as thickly as possible all over the outside of the roast.

Get your skillet hot on the stovetop, and put in 2-3 TBSP Olive oil or other cooking oil.
Sear the roast for 2-4 minutes on each side. Your goal is to make a delicious crust on the outside of the roast, so just watch it and turn it when it looks good to you.  You want to really get some carmelization on the outside - mine comes out with a couple of very dark spots by the time I get it where I want it.

Roasting

Once the crust is completed, place the roast on the rack in your roaster.  Do not cover it.
Insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the roast.
Place in the preheated oven and let it go.
You'll need to roast it about 30-40 minutes per pound up to 5 lbs, then add 10 mins per pound for add'l pounds.  For smaller roasts, cheat towards 30 mins.
I cooked a 9 lb roast this way and checked it after 4 hours - it was a little overdone.

Roast until your thermometer hits 125 degrees.
Remove from oven, and cover loosely with foil.
Allow it to rest for 20 minutes.

Slice and serve.  Yum.

Alton Brown's dry aging instructions:

Remove any plastic wrapping or butcher's paper from the roast. Place the standing rib roast upright onto a half sheet pan fitted with a rack. The rack is essential for drainage. Place dry towels loosely on top of the roast. This will help to draw moisture away from the meat. Place into a refrigerator at approximately 50 to 60 percent humidity and between 34 and 38 degrees F. You can measure both with a refrigerator thermometer. Change the towels daily for 3 days.

Alton Brown's Good Eats Clip for dry aging a roast

Pierogi

Tony Boland

Dough

2 1/2 cups flour

1/2 tsp salt

1 egg

1/2 c sour cream

1/4 c melted butter

1/2 to 1 tsp baking powder (optional, makes a lighter, fluffier dough)

Sift together flour and salt on a work surface: form a mound with the flour and make a well in the center.

Stir together melted butter and sour cream and pour into the center.  Work the flour into the liquids slowly, until dough has formed a uniform ball.

Process through pasta machine twice, cut into rectangles, put filling (recipe below) on one side, fold over, crimp edges.

Boil in salted water until they float
Brown in butter and serve with dipping sauce (recipe below).

Potato Filling

1 1/2 lbs mashed potatoes, cooled

2 onions, finely minced and browned in butter

1 egg

2 TBSP bread crumbs
2 TBSP chopped chives, leeks, scallions or green onions
Cheddar cheese
Jalapeno
(This section is not complete, so you must guess.  This is the recipe Tony based the filling on, but the original recipe had no cheese or jalapeno, so you're on your own)

Dipping Sauce

16 oz sour cream
Juice of 1/2 lime
1/2 c minced onion
2 frozen jalapenos, grated

Homemade Ranch Dressing

via Ali Ebright @ Gimme Some Oven

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
Yield: About 1 cup
Ingredients

1/3 cup dry buttermilk (**see note below**)
2 Tbsp. dried parsley
1 1/2 tsp. dried dill weed
2 tsp. garlic powder
2 tsp. onion powder
2 tsp. dried onion flakes
1 tsp. ground black pepper
1 tsp. dried chives
1 tsp. salt
Method

Whisk all ingredients together until blended. If you want a more finely-ground seasoning mix, you can pulse the mixture in a food processor until it reaches your desired consistency.

Store in an airtight container for up to 3 months.

**To Make Ranch Dressing: Combine 1 Tbsp. seasoning mix with 1/3 cup mayo and 1/3 cup milk, and whisk to combine. You can also substitute Greek yogurt for the mayo.

**You can omit the buttermilk powder if you would like to use fresh buttermilk, or if you would just like the straight spices for the seasoning mix.**
(c) 2013 Gimme Some Oven. All rights reserved.

Michelle's Lasagna

Michelle Engle

The sauce:
1 big can of Italian chopped tomatoes
1 small can tomato paste
Pound of ground sirloin
Chopped fresh basil and oregano
Ground fennel
Crushed red pepper
1 big sweet onion
Big lump chopped garlic ( I use the already chopped garlic in the jar, because I use it in about everything so I find it easier)
1/4 to 1/2 cup sugar
Grated Parmesan cheese

I have a mortar and pestle so I use fennel seeds and crush that and the red pepper in it til it's fine.

Cheese mix
2 eggs
1 softened package cream cheese
1 package of mozzarella
1 pack of shredded Parmesan
1 tub of ricotta or small curd cottage 4% (drained)
1 package of shredded Italian blend cheese
Fresh chopped parsley

I have a kitchen aid mixer so it makes this next process easier

First beat the eggs and then add cream cheese, and blend on high speed until it starts to get fluffy, like your making a cheesecake.
Then add the cottage or ricotta cheese, blend well.
Mix in the rest of the cheeses but save a little bit from each package to put on top

I'm a big fan of cheese, so sometimes if I have feta, I'll throw that in too, it's also good on the top .

Emmy Lou's Sugar Cookies

As recorded by Michelle Engle

1/3 c. shortening
1/3 c. sugar
1 egg
2/3 c. honey
1 tsp vanilla
2 3/4 c. flour
1tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt

You need to refrigerate the dough before you roll them out, I remember them being really sticky.

French Silk Pie

1 c sugar
3/4 c softened butter
8 tbsp loosely packed cocoa
1 tbsp vanilla
3 eggs
1 Oreo cookie crust
1 8 oz carton whipped cream

Mix sugar and butter together for 4 minutes, until a little frothy
Add the cocoa and vanilla and mix about 1 minute
Add eggs one at a time, mixing at least 2 minutes between each egg

Spread mixture into crust
Top with Whipped Cream

Refrigerate at least one hour, best if left overnight

Freezes well

1 pie

Blackies

1/2 c butter
1 c sugar
2 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
1/2 c all purpose flour
1/3 c dark cocoa
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt

Frosting ingredients
3 tbsp butter
3 tbsp cocoa
1 tbsp light corn syrup
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 c powdered sugar
1-2 tbsp milk, if needed

Mix dry ingredients
Cream wet ingredients
Add together

Grease 9X9 pan, add batter

Bake @ 350º for 20-25 minutes

1 dozen

Classic Green Bean Casserole

1 can Cream of Mushroom Soup
1/2 c milk
1 tsp soy sauce
Dash ground black pepper
4 c cooked cut green beans
1 c shredded cheddar
1 1/3 c French's French fried onion

Stir all ingredients together, reserving 2/3 c of onions

Bake at 350º 25 minutes, until hot and bubbling

Stir

Sprinkle with remaining onions

Bake 5 more minutes to brown the onions

Serve

6 Servings

Ruby Glazed Chicken Breasts

1/3 c apple juice
3 tbsp currant jelly
1 tsp cornstarch
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp dried marjoram, crushed
6 chicken breasts (about 2 1/4 lbs, total)

Sauce:
In a small saucepan, combine apple juice, jelly, cornstarch and salt.

Cook until mixture boils, then cook and stir 2 more minutes. Stir in marjoram

Skin chicken. Grill chicken, bone side up on an uncovered grill directly over medium coals for 15 minutes. Turn Chicken and brush with sauce. Grill for 20 to 30 minutes more or until chicken is tender and no longer pink.

Brush with additional sauce before serving

6 Servings

My teenagers whipped this up for us one night. It was scrumptious.

Pork Smothered in Onion Cream

1/2 stick butter
1/4 c flour
1 1/2 c milk
1 pkg onion soup mix

6-8 pork chops

Melt butter in sauce pan on low heat
Add flour
Whisk gently over low heat for 5 minutes
Slowly add milk, whisking the whole time
Add onion soup mix and let sit

Salt and pepper pork chops
Brown over high heat to sear

Place in casserole dish or dutch oven
Cover with sauce

Bake at 350º for 1 hour

4-8 Servings

Breaded Port Tenderloin

2 Pork Tenderloin steaks
1/2 c flour
1/2 c Italian Bread Crumbs
1 egg, beaten

Pound the pork with a tenderizer to about 1/4 inch depth.
Preheat a large skillet with a little olive oil in it.
Press the pork into flour to cover both sides. Dip into egg to cover both sides. Press into bread crumbs to cover both sides.
Place in preheated pan, cook about 4 minutes on first side on med-low, then 2-3 minutes on second side.

2 Servings

Tomato Basil Cream Sauce

5 tomatoes
1 clove garlic
2-3 large basil leaves
1/1/2 c half and half
1 tbsp flour
1/2 tsp oregano
salt and pepper
2 TBSP dry white wine
1/2 c parmesan cheese
1/2 a summer squash

Dice tomatoes
Chop or julienne summer squash
Preheat a little olive oil in a small saucepan
Smash and chop the garlic and gently simmer it in the oil for 1-2 minutes.
Throw in tomatoes
Salt and Pepper
Add oregano
Let reduce for 30 minutes on low
(Note - I did this because it was time to pick tomatoes from my garden. You could just use drained diced tomatoes - the reduction time will be shorter - just reduce until you don't see any standing water)
Add wine and boil for 3 minutes

Add flour
Whisk in the half and half
Chop up half the basil and throw it in
Add the summer squash
Bring to a boil and let thicken on med-low, stirring frequently, 3-5 minutes
Remove from heat and immediately add remaining basil and the parmesan
Stir and let sit 5 minutes.

Serve over pasta and breaded pork (recipe in this cookbook)

2 Servings

Quick Sun Dried Tomato Pasta Salad

1 lb Tri Color Rotini
1/2 c sliced black olives
2 oz chopped marinated artichoke hearts
1 diced roma tomato
1/3 c Kraft Sun Dried Tomato Vinaigrette Dressing

Cook pasta according to package directions.
Drain, rinse and chill.
Toss all ingredients together and mix.

4 Servings.

Garden Marinara

Ingredients:
2 easter egg baskets of homegrown heirloom beefsteak tomatoes
2 small freshly picked mildly hot peppers
2 medium freshly picked green bell peppers
1 large yellow onion
the rest of the yellow onion from last week, less the rubbery parts
3 large cloves garlic
1 generous squirt of basil from a tube
1 generous squirt of oregano from a tube
1 Bay leaf
Granulated garlic
Emeril's Bayou Blast
Salt
Pepper
Italian Red Wine Vinegar
EVOO
Ice
Water

Tools:
Vacuum sealer
Food processor
Knife
Stock pot
Heat proof spatula
Bowl
Tongs
baby spoon

Prepping the Tomatoes:
1 day to 1 week prior:
Peel and seed the tomatoes, vacuum seal and freeze them
Cut off the stems and any blemishes
Bring 2-3 inches of water to boil in a stock pot
Fill a bowl with ice and water
Submerge tomatoes in water for 10-30 seconds, then place them in the ice water
Peel off the skin
cut in half, across the rib pattern (like you would for a sandwich slice)
using the baby spoon, remove the gelatinous glop and the seeds
Place upside down on a drain to let any residual glop drain out
Place in vacuum seal bag, vacuum seal, and freeze
This allows you to keep picking the tomatoes until you have enough for the marinara.

Cooking day:

Thaw out your tomatoes

Sweating the vegetables
While you're heating up your pan:
Clean the peppers, removing the ribs and top.
Cut the onion and green pepper into chunks and put them in the blender, peppers at the bottom
Pulse until you have a nice dice, not too small
Put a covering of EVOO in your pan
Pick any larger pieces out of the processor and cut them with a knife
Place in stock pot
Salt and pepper
Let them sweat for 5 minutes while you chop up the garlic
Add the garlic and turn up the heat a smidge, to medium high, for another 5- 10 minutes, until all the onion juice is reduced
Turn up the heat to high for about 30 seconds, and pull back some of the mixture to expose the bottom of the pan
Dump about a tablespoon or two of Red Wine vinegar onto the exposed areas
Mix well, let it cook off for about 20-30 seconds

Making the Sauce
Cut a small hole in the top of the vacuum seal bag(s) and drain out the water
Put about 1/3 of your tomatoes straight into the pot
Put the rest in the food processor and puree them
Add them to the pot
Squeeze in some basil and oregano
Add some granulated garlic
Add some Bayou blast
Throw in a Bay leaf
Bring it up to a simmer, then reduce heat and let it reduce until it's the consistency you want.
Taste along the way and add herbs/spices/salt/pepper as needed.

3 dinner size portions

Easy Fresh Fruit Salad

6 peaches, peeled and chipped
1 lb strawberries
1/2 lb seedless green grapes
1/2 lb seedless red grapes
3 sliced bananas
1/2 cup sugar

Dressing:
juice of one lime
1/2 c pineapple juice
1 tsp ground ginger

Combine prepared fruit in a large serving bowl, toss gently

Sprinkle with sugar

Combing remaining ingredients in a small bowl, stir well

Pour dressing over fruit and toss gently

Cover and chill well before serving

10 Servings.

Bleu Cheese Dressing

4 oz good Roquefort cheese, chopped
1 c mayonnaise
1 c heavy cream
2 tbsp tarragon vinegar (or 1 tbsp white vinegar)
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Place all ingredients in food processor and process until smooth

3-Bean Salad

1/4 cup cider vinegar
1/3 cup olive oil
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 can (15 ounces) Black Beans
1 package (9 ounces) frozen cut green beans, thawed
1 can (15 ounces) garbanzo beans (chick peas)

In a medium bowl, whisk together vinegar, and oil; season generously with salt and pepper. Add all beans; toss to combine.
Let marinate at room temperature or in the refrigerator, tossing occasionally, at least 30 minutes and up to a day.

4 Servings.

This is a very fresh, light salad, the dressing is very light. This was my first attempt at 3 bean salad and we both loved it.

Cinnamon Rolls

1 cup milk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp active dry yeast
2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp (scant) baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 stick butter (melted)
1/2 cup sugar
Cinnamon


1/2 block cream cheese
1/4 cup milk
1 tbsp honey

For the dough, heat the milk, vegetable oil, and sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat to just below a boil. Set aside and cool to warm. Sprinkle the yeast on top and let it sit on the milk for 1 minute.

Add 2 cups of the flour. Stir until just combined, then cover with a clean kitchen towel, and set aside in a relatively warm place for 1 hour.

After 1 hour, remove the towel and add the baking powder, baking soda, salt, and the remaining 1/4 cup flour. Stir thoroughly to combine. Use the dough right away, or place in a mixing bowl and refrigerate for up to 3 days, punching down the dough if it rises to the top of the bowl. (Note: dough is easier to work with if it’s been chilled for at least an hour or so beforehand.)

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

To assemble the rolls, remove the dough from the pan/bowl. On a floured baking surface, roll the dough into a large rectangle, about 10 inches wide. The dough should be rolled very thin, less than a quarter inch.

To make the filling, pour melted butter over the surface of the dough. Cover the dough and use your fingers to spread the butter evenly. You'll probably have enough butter left over to put in the bottom of the pan.

Generously sprinkle half of the ground cinnamon and 1/4 cup of the sugar over the butter. Don’t be afraid to drizzle on more butter or more sugar! Gooey is the goal.

Now, beginning at the end farthest from you, roll the rectangle tightly towards you. Use both hands and work slowly, being careful to keep the roll tight. Don’t worry if the filling oozes as you work; that just means the rolls are going to be divine. When you reach the end, pinch the seam together and flip the roll so that the seam is face down. When you’re finished, you’ll wind up with one long buttery, cinnamony, sugary, gooey log.

Slip a cutting board underneath the roll and with a sharp knife, make 1/2-inch slices. Pour a couple of teaspoons of melted butter into disposable foil cake pan, regular cake pan or pie plate. and swirl to coat. Place the sliced rolls in the pan, being careful not to overcrowd.

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Cover the pan with a kitchen towel and set aside to rise on the countertop for at least 20 minutes before baking.

Remove the towel and bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until golden brown. Don’t allow the rolls to become overly brown.

While the rolls are baking, make the cream cheese icing: In a mixer or food processor, place cream cheese, milk and honey. Whisk until very smooth.

Remove pans from the oven. Immediately spread icing over the top. Be sure to get it all around the edges and over the top. As they sit, the rolls will absorb some of the icing’s moisture and flavor

Makes 7 rolls.

This recipe was originally "Cinnamon Rolls 101" from The Pioneer Woman. I modified it by cutting it by 4 (her recipe made 7 small pans of rolls) and swapping out her maple glaze for my cream cheese icing.