KENTUCKY HOT BROWNS

KENTUCKY HOT BROWNS
4 thick slices french bread (1 per person)
1/2 pound sliced turkey
4 thick slices bacon, cooked crisp and halved
1 cup shredded white cheddar cheese
2 large vine ripe tomatoes, sliced
MORNAY SAUCE
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
1/3 cup AP flour
3 1/2 cups whole milk
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

• Whisk together the butter and flour until smooth.
• Add milk gradually. Bring to a boil and cook until thickened, stirring constantly.
• Whisk in Parmesan cheese.
• Salt and pepper to taste.
• Toast bread and place on a cookie sheet or in individual baking dishes.
• Top with turkey slices.
• Pour Mornay sauce over top.
• Place tomatoes evenly on top.
• Sprinkle with cheddar cheese.
• Broil 3-4 minutes until lightly browned and bubbly.
• Top with bacon pieces and serve immediately.

This recipe can also be turned into a casserole easily!
KENTUCKY HOT BROWN TART
1 package Pillsbury pie crusts
1 1/2 cups chopped turkey (rotisserie chicken works well too)
2 cups shredded white cheddar cheese
6 slices bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled
1 1/2 cups half and half
4 large eggs
salt and pepper to taste
2 large vine ripe tomatoes, sliced thin
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
• Unroll pie crusts and stack on top one another on a lightly greased surface. Roll together into a 12 inch single crust.
• Fit crust into a 10 inch tart pan pressing to flute edges, trim excess.
• Line pie crust with tin foil and weigh down with beans.
• Bake 12 minutes.
• Remove weights and tin foil.
• Bake 8 more minutes.
• Cool completely, about 15 minutes.
• Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees.
• Layer shell with turkey, cheddar cheese and crumbled bacon.
• Whisk together the half and half, eggs, salt and pepper.
• Pour over turkey, cheese and bacon.
• Bake 30-40 minutes or until center is set.
• Arrange tomato slices on top of tart.
• Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
• Bake 10-15 minutes until cheese is melted.
• Cool 15 minutes on a wire rack before serving.

Whole Wheat and Honey Sandwich loaf

This was not the bread I was going to write up, praise and post about today. But kitchen life has moments that one does not have control over, and when that happens, redirect, focus, use your resources and move forward……

I love bread. Love it! I have so many cookbooks about bread, I could write nothing but a bread themed blog. Years ago I baked all of our bread. We were a farm style white bread family at that time. And still I make that type of loaf today, especially at the holidays. You cannot beat cinnamon toast on rich egg bread, not to mention french toast or a bread pudding when the end of the loaf is in sight.

Always through the years I had a strong desire to use whole grains as the primary flour in bread making. But whole wheat flour in a bag, on the shelf, in the grocery store tasted bitter to me. This alone was a big factor in not baking from whole grains. But I never gave up on the desire to use whole grains, and I am so glad I did not.

The flour grinder was worth the investment. Also through the years I have purchased and played with just about every piece of kitchen equipment and gadget. But until now, never a grain mill. Why did I wait so long? Yes price was an issue, a good mill can cost hundreds of dollars, and my concern in the early years was that the investment would not pan out……..

I am so happy I was wrong. Bread baking is a joint effort in this home. We enjoy the entire process and partner in the kitchen to get it done. Good times and great food. And now let me present this easy Whole Wheat and Honey Sandwich loaf, and next time I will use a longer loaf pan. These sandwiches would not fit in a standard sandwich bag…..

Whole Wheat and Honey Sandwich loaf
adapted from:  Noble Pig
makes 2 loaves

61/2 – 7 c whole wheat flour – divided (we use spelt flour)
2 1/2 c lukewarm water
2 T or 2 packages yeast

1/3 c oil
1/3 c honey
1 T salt
juice of 1/2 medium sized lemon

In a large mixer bowl, add 4 c of the flour, water and yeast. Mix until smooth.

Add oil, honey, salt and lemon juice.

Add 2 1/2 c more flour and mix until smooth, adding the final 1/2 c flour if dough seems too wet. Knead for 10 minutes.

Prepare 2 large loaf pans, divide dough (it is sticky) equally. Let rise 30-45 minutes or until doubled.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, bake 30 minutes or until done in your oven.

Loaves should should sound hollow when tapped with a knuckle.

Enjoy!

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For more great recipes, come visit us at Our Sunday Cafe!

5 Minute Brownies, revisit an old favorite!

I have been making these brownies for ages! They originally came from the side of the Hershey’s can, I think, but no matter they are delicious, easy, economical and we made them again last night. They aren’t much more difficult than a box mix, so, make some already!

I have them titled in my aging recipe binder as 5 Minute Brownies, which leads me to believe they were part of a recipe series. Not too long ago I shared a delicious 5 Minute Chocolate Cake. And they really don’t take much more time than that. All mixing is done by hand.

Brownies
adapted from Hershey’s (I think)
makes 1 9X13 pan
350 degree oven

3/4 c cocoa
1/2 t soda
2/3 c oil – divided
1/2 boiling water
2 c sugar
2 eggs
2 t vanilla
1 1/2 c flour
1/2 t baking powder
1/4 t salt

1 c broken walnuts – if desire

In a large bowl, combine cocoa, soda and 1/3 c of the oil.

Add boiling water. Mixture will foam up.

Add the remaining 1/3 c oil, and sugar beating well. Add eggs and vanilla, beat again.  Add flour, baking powder and salt. Mix in until mixture is smooth and no dry pockets remain.

Turn into a prepared 9X13 pan, sprinkle with nuts.

Bake 35 – 40 minutes or until done in your oven. Let cool, cut into bars.

Enjoy!

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For more great recipes, come and visit us at Our Sunday Cafe!

Lemon Cheesecake with Lemon Curd and Blueberry Sauce

For the longest time I did not think I liked cheesecake. I understand that from a calorie point of view, not liking cheesecake might be good thing. But my dear husband Terry is a serious cheesecake fan, having boasted a time or two that he ate 13 (yep thirteen!) pieces of cheesecake at a single sitting.

Bless his heart, just for the record, it is always the skinny ones……..

But the truth is, I love cream cheese. It is creamy and tangy and rich. It seems I also love cheesecake, but not the traditional spring form pan and that particular presentation. It can also be a challenge to serve. Enter the standard 9X13 pan, coupled with the same wonderful cheesecake flavor, and an easy to serve bonus.

Lemon Cheesecake with Lemon Curd and Blueberry Sauce
Cafe Created
Makes up to 30 servings

Crust:
2 c crushed graham crackers
1/4 c sugar
1/2 c melted butter

Cheesecake:
3 8oz packages cream cheese
3/4 c sugar
dash salt
1 T flour
4 eggs
juice of 1 lemon

1 1/2 c lemon curd, homemade or purchased

Blueberry Sauce:
4 c blueberries – fresh or frozen (no need to thaw)
2/3 c sugar
dash of salt
1 c water – divided
1/2 t cinnamon
2 T cornstarch

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

To make the crust, combine all ingredients, press gently into the bottom of a prepared 9X13 pan. Set aside.

Beat cream cheese until smooth, beat in sugar, salt and flour. Add eggs one at a time, mix in completely. Add lemon juice, mix well, scrape bottom and side of bowl, mix again if needed.

Gently pour cream cheese mixture over crust. Bake 45-60 minutes or until done in your oven. Set aside to cool. When warm to the touch, spread with the lemon curd. Let cool completely.

To make the Blueberry Sauce, combine the berries, sugar, salt, cinnamon and 3/4 c water. Bring to a boil, simmer 5 minutes. Stir cornstarch into the remaining water, until smooth. Add to the blueberry mixture, cook until thickened and transparent.

Serve squares of cheesecake with blueberry sauce.

Enjoy!

As always, thanks for taking a moment to stop and say hello. We appreciate your time and your wonderful comments!

For more great recipes, come and visit us at Our Sunday Cafe!

Oatmeal Cookie Dough for the freezer

Recipe rewind, because in the beginning there is a blogger who has no readers. She still posts great food in hopes that the readers will come……….you can also view it here in the archives, Sunday, January 17, 2010.

 

Even though I have been cooking for over 40 years, I am still learning to be better prepared in the kitchen. Being prepared can have a different meaning to each cook; or for that matter any special needs for your own family. But being prepared is a skill worth having and developing to the maximum potential.

Also I like to play. Everyone needs to play, it keeps us happy and young in spirit. Playing in the kitchen is fun for me. Sometimes it even results in a tasty surprise or improved technique. I like to think about and employ ways to be better prepared in the kitchen and through the house. These usually revolve around the kitchen, but not all the time. This morning however, the kitchen is once again my playground.

We have a cookie problem in this house. You see, we love cookies! But We are only two people. And yes we could eat the whole batch of cookies, while they are still fresh and moist. We have been tempted to just eat cookies until they are gone. It would be fairly easy. You come home tired, hungry and just want to eat, now.

“I know lets have cookies and milk for dinner!”
“OK!”

But we usually act all grown up and so, cookies and milk for dinner is not usually the menu selection of the evening. But we still want cookies! Fresh cookies. Delicious cookies. Homemade cookies. So I got to thinking………

Slice and bake cookies, with a twist. Some cookie recipes lend themselves to the traditional log shape. These are sugar cookies, gingersnaps or any cookie dough that does not have chunky ingredients. Other cookie recipes will lend themselves to a “slab” shape that is cut into squares before baking, allowing for the chunky ingredients. Like chocolate chips, broken nut meats, raisins and other dried fruits. Any drop cookie recipe will work in the “slab” shape.

Here is the best part, for each dozen cookies the recipe states, you make a separate molded portion of dough for freezing. When you want a fresh batch of cookies, you simply pull a portion of dough  from the freezer, let it thaw for a few minutes, cut into 12 pieces and bake.And this goes without saying, with 2 or 3 different kinds of cookie dough in the freezer, drop in guests or that needed cookie plate are not such a problem.

I have noticed that most cookies bake at the same temperature for about the same time, 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes. If your cookie dough needs a different temperature and or baking time, simply put a little note on the wrapper. You can use any family favorite recipe, I personally love the oatmeal cookie recipe on the side of the oat barrel. It is sooooo very delicious, adaptable and dependable. I did notice one little thing about freezing dough for cookies, you need to add the tiniest bit of water. I have adapted that wonderful cookie recipe to be freezer friendly.

Oatmeal Cookie Dough for the freezer
adapted from: the Quaker barrel
makes 4 dozen

1 1/4 c butter ( 2 1/2 sticks) – cut into thick slices, this helps keep the mixture from hanging up on the beaters
3/4 c brown sugar
1/2 c sugar
1/2 t salt
1 t vanilla
1 egg
1 t water – don’t leave this out

Cut butter into thick slices, add sugars and salt. Beat until creamy. Add vanilla and egg, beat until fluffy, beat in water.

Combine and whisk together:

1 1/2 flour

1 t soda

1 t cinnamon

1/4 t nutmeg

3 c oats

1 1/2 c raisins

Beat flour mixture into the butter sugar mixture. When smooth, reduce beater speed and add the oats and raisins. Mixing gently until oats and raisins are mixed in evenly.

Scrape the beater clean, smooth the dough into the bottom of the workbowl. Divide into 4 sections. Pack dough into your mold.

Place a square of waxed paper over your mold, add 1/4

portion of the dough. Using another piece of wax paper, cover

over the top of the dough, pressing firmly to make a compact

evenly shaped “slab”. Remove top piece of waxed paper, fold

the extended portion over dough, turn out. Repeat.

Tidy and packaged for the freezer.

To bake, remove one portion from freezer, let thaw a few minutes (or remove the day before and place in refrigerator), cut into 12 pieces and bake. Yum!

Now lets talk chocolate!
To make chocolate chip cookies, eliminate the spice and raisins, add 2 c chocolate chips. Proceed as shown above.

How about Maple Walnut?
To make Maple walnut, substitute maple flavoring for the vanilla, and walnuts for the chocolate chips.

Life is good, especially with a warm cookie from the oven!

As always, thanks for taking a minute to stop by. We appreciate your time and your wonderful comments!

Apple Beet Salad

The wonderful thing about beets is the glorious color, the problem with beets IS all that color. Everything, repeat everything will be beet color. But please, don’t let that stop you from eating and enjoying beets. This apple beet salad is a fine example of the glorious color and the problem with all that color. But the taste is wonderful!
 

Apple Beet Salad
adapted from: a magazine article – source not remembered, but thanked.
serves 4-6

1 large beet, roasted and peeled and diced OR 1 16 oz can of diced beets, well drained 
1 large apples, washed (do not peel) and diced
2 green onions sliced thin OR 1 thin slice of onion minced
1/4 c diced dill pickle

1/4 c mayonnaise
1 T vinegar ( I use rice wine vinegar)
1 t honey
1/4 t salt
fresh ground pepper

Gorgonzola crumbles

Prepare all salad ingredients, set aside.

Prepare dressing, stir in the beets, apples, pickle and onion.

Serve garnished with the Gorgonzola cheese.

Enjoy! This really is a delicious salad. Plus you can make it year round.

As always, thanks for taking a minute to stop and say hello. We appreciate your time and your wonderful comments!

For more great recipes and possibly a funny story, visit us at Our Sunday Cafe!

BAKED TACOS

Oven Tacos     
2 lbs ground beef
1 small onion diced
1 small can diced green chilies
1 recipe for Homemade taco seasoning (below)
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 (16 ounce) can refried beans
2 cups shredded Colby-jack cheese
18-20 hard taco shells

Condiments
Lettuce (shredded)
Tomato (diced)
Salsa
Guacamole
Sour Cream

• Preheat the oven to 400 ˚. 
• In a large skillet brown ground beef and onion over medium-high heat. 
• Drain off any excess fat. 
• Return meat to the pan. Add chilies, refried beans, tomato sauce, and taco seasoning. 
• Mix well and cook for a several minutes until consistency thickens.
• Spoon the taco meat mixture into the taco shells and place into a 9 x 13 inch baking dish, standing up. 
• Sprinkle cheese over the top of the taco meat in each shell. 
• Place into the oven and bake for 10-12 minutes.
• Remove from the oven and serve immediately.

Taco Seasoning
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon white pepper

BAKED MEATBALLS w/ ONION GRAVY

MEATBALLS

1 pound hamburger

1 pound ground pork
2 bunches green onions, chopped
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 cup Panko crumbs or crushed saltines
2 eggs

1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon oregano

1 teaspoon bail
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon white pepper

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Using your hands blend all the ingredients together.
• Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
• Roll meatballs into golf ball size meatballs.
• Bake for 30-45.
• Bake how ever many you need today and freeze the others for future meals. Thaw in refrigerator before baking.

ONION GRAVY
3 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
2 tablespoons self-rising flour
1 tablespoons cream sherry
2 cups hot water
1 tablespoon better than bouillon beef base
1 teaspoon Kitchen Bouquet
salt and pepper to taste

• In a large skillet melt the butter for the gravy. Saute the onions until browned.
• Add the bouillon base, cream sherry and hot water. Bring to a boil.
• Reduce heat, add flour and continue cooking to desired consistency.

5 Minute Chocolate Cake, revisit an old favorite!

There are millions of recipes out there, so many new ones to try. But sometimes you want to eat something that you have already made and know you love, enter this easy delicious cake.

5 Minute Cocoa Cake
adapted from: true source unknown, but I believe it is Hershey’s.
350 degree oven

1 3/4 c flour
2 c sugar
3/4 c cocoa
1 1/2 t baking powder
1 1/2 t soda
1 t salt

2 eggs
1/2 c oil
2 t vanilla
1 c milk – divided

1 c boiling water OR strong hot coffee

Combine all dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Add eggs, oil, vanilla and half of the milk. Beat at medium speed 2 minutes. Add remaining milk, mix on low until smooth. Add hot water/coffee, mix on low until smooth, stopping once to scrape down sides of the bowl. Batter will be thin.

Pour into prepared pan(s), bake 8 or 9 inch layer cakes 30-35 minutes. Bake a 9X13 pan 35-40  minutes. Let cool, 10 minutes, turn layers out to cool completely.

Chocolate Butter Cream

1/3 c butter, softened
dash salt
2 t vanilla
1/2 – 3/4 c cocoa – use the larger amount for a deep chocolate flavor
1 pound powdered sugar

3-5 T milk – divided

Place all ingredients into a large mixer bowl,  add 3 T milk, beat until smooth. If frosting is too stiff or dry, slowly add remaining milk beating well.

When cake is completely cool, frost, top with toasted walnut pieces.

Serves 16-20 happy people!

As always, thanks for taking a moment to stop and say hello. We appreciate your time and your wonderful comments!

For more great recipes and possibly a funny story, come visit us at Our Sunday Cafe!

LEMON CHEESECAKE BARS ~ LEMON LIME CHEESECAKE BARS ~ BLOOD ORANGE CHEESECAKE BARS

I found this recipe in an issue of Fine Cooking, just can’t remember which one LOL. I tweaked it very little and it is one of our new favorites!

I’ve also made it using Limes, Lemons & Limes and Bloody Oranges.  We liked them all, but by far, the Lemon Lime combo was our favorite.

You’ll notice in the picture with the pan that there is a very strange looking apparatus in the curd.  That is an AS SEEN ON TV automatic stirrer that I picked up at Big Lots.  I really thought it was going to be like so many other gadgets and go by the wayside, but I was wrong!  This is the best gadget I ever indulged in.  It’s battery operated and is like a second pair of hands in the kitchen.  All those recipes that call for “stirring constantly”are now handled by this gadget and turn out beautifully!

LEMON CHEESECAKE SQUARES

8×8 straight edge pan
2 pieces of parchment paper 8 inches wide

• Alternately overlap the parchment pieces so that they cross each other and fold over all 4 sides.
• Push the parchment into the edges and the corners making a straight crease.

CRUST
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Graham cracker crumbs

• Using a fork add graham cracker crumbs until mixture resembles wet sand.
• Press into the bottom of prepared pan.

CHEESECAKE
1 pound cream cheese, softened at room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 LARGE eggs

• Combine the cream cheese, sugar and lemon juice until well blended.
• Add eggs, one at a time, blending well after each addition until completely smooth.
• Pour into prepared pan.

CURD
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice, strained twice
1/2 cup sugar
 2 LARGE eggs
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed

• Whisk together the sugar, eggs and lemon juice until sugar is completely dissolved.
• In a small non-reactive sauce pan cook mixture over medium heat, stirring constantly, until steaming, but not boiling. The mixture will have thickened.
• Remove from heat and add butter, stirring until butter is melted.
• Pour through a sieve to remove any lumps.

ASSEMBLY

• Preheat oven to 325˚.
• Prepare crust.
• Prepare cheesecake portion.
• Bake 40 minutes or until sides are slightly puffed, cake is not too jiggly and center is dry to the touch.
• While baking, prepare the curd.
• Remove cheesecake from oven.
•  Pour hot curd on top of cheesecake and lightly spread to even out.
• Cool 20 minutes on rack.
• Move to the refrigerator and chill 5-6 hours or overnight before serving.