Zuppa Faux Toscana

Faux Zuppa Toscana

Soup in the style of Tuscany this is not...but it's a close resemblance of the chain restaurant soup you can purchase.

Tall Cool ☺ne is not much for milk based chowder or soup, so I did have to alter it a little bit.  I like it. Hope you like it too! 

4 potatoes, peeled and coarsely chopped

1 onion, chopped

1 lb. hot Italian sausage, scrambled and drained

1 tsp. garlic salt

1 tsp. fresh ground pepper

1 Tbsp. Herbs de Provence

1 can beef broth

1 can chicken broth

1 can cream of mushroom soup

2 cups chopped fresh kale

Combine first 8 ingredients in crock pot and stir. Cover and cook on low 6-7 hours.  Add soup and kale, stir, cover cook two more hours on low. 

© Crackerberries 2016

Bagels

New York Style Bagels

From Maine to South Carolina I’ve found the perfect New York Style Bagel recipe.  I’ve altered a few things to make it my own, but if you want a great chewy on the inside and crunchy on the outside, this is the recipe for you.

1¼ cup ice water

1 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. molasses

2¾ cup bread flour

4 tsp. vital wheat gluten

2 tsp. instant yeast

2 tsp. salt

Cornmeal

Sugar

Baking soda

Combine ice water and molasses together and stir until molasses dissolves. Place flour, yeast and gluten in food processor and process for 5 seconds; while processing, slowly pour in ice water and process until dough is combined. Let dough rest for 10 minutes.

Add salt and process until dough clears the side of the bowl. (It may not be one mass.) 1-1½ minutes of processing. Transfer to counter top and knead with hands until smooth.  Divide into 8 portions and cover with plastic wrap.  Working one portion at a time form into small balls. (Cupping your hands around the dough on unfloored counter and move your hands in circular motions. The tackiness of the dough against the unfloored counter will work the dough into a smooth ball.) Dip fingers in flour if it becomes too sticky.  Let balls rest for 15 minutes.

Lightly dust a baking pan with cornmeal. Using one dough ball at a time, dip in flour and with rolling pin roll balls into 5-inch rounds. Roll into tight cylinder and pull into 9-inch ropes. Twist in opposite directions to form a spiral. Wrap over the top of your hand and under your palm to create a ring. Gently roll and press the seam together under your palm. Transfer rings to dusted baking pan keeping an inch between each one. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest a room temperature for one hour.  Then cover tightly and place in refrigerator overnight.

One hour before baking remove from fridge and let dough stand at room temperature.  Preheat oven to 450º placing rack in middle and set a pizza stone on rack to preheat.

Boil 4 quarts of water with 1 Tbsp. baking soda and ¼ cup granulated sugar.  Set wire rack in rimmed baking sheet and spray with cooking oil. Boiling 2 bagels at a time, transfer to boiling water and cook 20 seconds, then using a slotted spatula, flip and cook 20 seconds longer.  Place cornmeal side down on wire rack.

Place sheet of bagels on pizza stone in preheated oven.  Pour enough boiling water on bottom of cooking sheet.  Bake 15 minutes and then flip the bagels and bake an additional 12-14 minutes.  Carefully remove from oven and let cool 15 minutes before slicing, toasting and adding your favorite toppings.

***Not GLUTEN FREE

 

For toppings: Combine 2 TBSP. each poppy seeds, sesame seeds, chives, and 1 tbsp. coarse sea salt. Press tops of just-boiled bagels (not the cornmeal side) and return to wire rack for baking.

© Crackerberries 2016

Apple Pan Cake

Riverhouse Café’s Johnny Apple Cake

Mom sends me the Hannaford FRESH magazine every time she has accumulated a stack of them. I just received the new batch last week and found a great recipe I tried the other day.  Had to share.  If you live in New England, check out the diner. I bet everything on the menu is awesome!

http://theriverhousecafe.com/breakfast-menu.html

1 cup all-purpose flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. ground cinnamon (I used allspice)

¼ tsp. salt

1 cup milk

1 large egg

4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted (I used salted)

¼ tsp. vanilla extract

1 apple cored, cut into ¼ pieces (I used a granny Smith and red delicious)

2 Tbsp. packed light brown sugar

Place a rack in the upper-middle of the oven and pre-heat to 400º.

Whisk flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in one bowl, and whisk milk, egg, sugar, 2 tbsp. butter and vanilla in another bowl. Combine wet ingredients and chopped apple to dry ingredients and mix just until combined.

Heat remaining butter in cast iron or oven proof skillet, stirring pan to coat.  When butter is hot and melted, sprinkle brown sugar evenly over the skillet and pour in batter.  Smooth over top and bake in oven until golden brown. About 20 minutes. 

Let cake cool in pan for 10 minutes and then invert it onto a serving platter.  Sprinkle with confectioner’s sugar and serve with whipped cream and syrup (optional) if desired.

Author’s note:  Not just for breakfast.  I think this will be a great dessert during holidays topped with strawberries, blueberries, and even chocolate syrup!

© Crackerberries 2016

Cheesy Potato Skins

Cheesy Potato Skins

4 large potatoes

2 Tbsp. Butter, melted

1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

1 tbsp. bacon bits

2 Tbsp. Parmesan cheese

½ cup sour cream

½ cup creamy buffalo ranch dressing

1 tbsp. chives

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Pierce potatoes to allow steam to escape.

Bake 1 hour and 15 minutes or until tender. Let stand until cool enough to handle. Cut potatoes lengthwise into fourths; carefully scoop out pulp, leaving ¼-inch shells. Save potato pulp for another use.

Set oven control to broil. Place potato shells, skin sides down, on cookie sheet or broiler rack. Brush with melted butter.

Broil with tops 4 to 5 inches from heat about 5-7 minutes or until crisp and brown. Sprinkle with cheddar cheese, parmesan and bacon bits. Broil about 30 seconds or until cheese is melted. Serve hot with sour cream and buffalo ranch dressing.

© Crackerberries 2016

Roast Goose

Roasted Goose

1 -11.23 lb. goose

Kosher salt

Toothpicks

Pepper

Cut wing tips off at second joint. Remove giblets and neck from cavity of bird and rinse with cold water.  Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Stuff if desired.

Prick outside of goose all over with (like piercing a crust for baking) the tip of a very sharp knife or an ice pick. Be careful not to pierce the meat.

Tie up the legs and wings tightly.  Pull the long flap of skin over the back of the bird and secure with toothpicks. Salt and pepper the whole bird and place on rack in oven roaster or other large pan.

Preheat oven to 425º.

Add ½ cup water to bottom of pan so the goose grease doesn’t scorch.  Cover and bake 30 minutes. Remove from oven and reduce heat to 350º.  Remove most of the goose oil/grease from the roasting pan. (Don’t worry, there will be plenty more for basting.

Baste and cover and return to oven. Baste every 30 minutes for the next 3 hours. Cover with aluminum foil if the breast starts to get too brown. Test the internal temperature.  180º is done.  Remove cover and crisp another 15 minutes.

Remove from oven and let stand 20 minutes before pulling apart.  Do not try to carve like a turkey.

Serve with your favorite sides.

© Crackerberries 2016

Potato Soup

Fast Potato Soup

½ lb. Applewood smoked bacon

1 onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

5 medium potatoes, peeled and chopped

1 pkg. onion soup mix

4 cups water

1 can cream of chicken soup

Cook bacon in Dutch oven.  Remove bacon, leaving drippings in pan. Sauté onions in bacon drippings, scrapping bits off bottom of pan five minutes or until onions are translucent.  Add garlic and cook 1-2 more minutes.  Add potatoes and toss to coat, cooking another couple minutes.  Combine onion soup mix with water and stir into potato mixture.  Cover and simmer medium low for 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender.  Stir in cream of chicken soup.  Pureé half of the mixture and add back into the kettle.  Season with tarragon leaves, celery salt, salt and pepper.  Sprinkle with crumbled bacon and serve with your favorite panini sandwich.

© Crackerberries 2016

Cheater General T'so Chicken

Cheater Chicken Tso

Working and cooking delicious nutritious meals is not as easy as you might think.  Not that nuggets are very nutritious, but we had some leftover from the holidays and I wanted to use them up.  I call this Cheater General T’so’s Chicken.

15-20 breaded chicken nuggets

2 tbsp. dark soy sauce

2 tbsp. dry sherry

¼ cup chicken broth

2-3 tsp. cornstarch

1 tbsp. rice vinegar

1 tbsp. sugar

1 tbsp. minced fresh ginger

2 tbsp. minced garlic

EXTRAS

½ cup chopped red onions

1½ cup fresh broccoli florets

5-10 red hot dried chili peppers

Oil for frying

Cook nuggets in oven at 400º for 25 minutes or until slightly crunchy.

Combine sauce ingredients in a bowl, stir well to dissolve the sugar; set aside.

Add 2 tbsp. oil to electric fry pan; once it is hot, add broccoli and stir fry 1-2 minutes; add red onions and  hot chili peppers and stir fry until aromatic (2-3 minutes).  Add chicken and mix everything well.  Push chicken and veggies up sides of wok creating a well in the center.   Pour in sauce and stir constantly until thickened.  Mix in chicken and veggies and serve immediately with rice.                                

© Crackerberries 2015

Cast Iron Fajihta

Cast Iron Fajita

1 cup cooked chicken

¼ cup shredded cheese

2 tbsp. prepared salsa

2 small fajita size flour tortillas

Using the trusty cast iron skillet on the ever popular Coleman propane cooks stove, place one tortilla in bottom of hot pan. Cook until lightly browned on bottom, remove from pan and repeat with second tortilla. Sprinkle bottom tortilla with shredded cheese and chicken and spoon on salsa. Place top tortilla over mixture. Let stand a few minutes, quarter and serve with more salsa and sour cream if desired.

© Crackerberries 2015 

Scandinavian Salmon Pie

Scandinavian Salmon Pie

4 eggs

¼ cup milk

3 tbsp. chopped cilantro

2 tbsp. melted butter

4 fresh onion greens, finely chopped

1 tbsp. plus 1 tsp. lemon juice

1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp. dry mustard

1½ cup shredded Swiss cheese

1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

14.75 oz. can salmon, drained, deboned, and flaked

9 inch pie shell, cooked and cooled

1 cup plain Greek yogurt

4 dill pickle spears, finely chopped

1 tbsp. fresh dill

Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 425º. Beat eggs in large bowl, add milk, 2 tbsp. parsley, butter, green onion, 1 tbsp. lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, and dry mustard. Mix well. Fold in cheeses and salmon. Pour into cooled pie crust. Bake 35-40 minutes until set and crust is golden brown. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Combine yogurt, dill pickle, cilantro, fresh dill, remaining lemon juice and salt and pepper; mix well. Dollop each serving with mixture.

© Crackerberries 2015

Sausage Potato Bake

Sausage Potato Bake

4 Roger Wood Lumber Jack spicy sausage links, casings removed

5 medium potatoes, peeled and coarsely chopped

1 large onion, chopped

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 can diced tomatoes and green chilies

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tbsp. Italian seasoning

Cut sausage in one inch size pieces. Cook in cast iron skillet 5-10 minutes until lightly browned. Remove from pan, leaving drippings in pan. Add potatoes and Italian seasoning to hot drippings and cook, tossing often about 10 minutes. Remove from pan and add onions and garlic. Cook while mixing other ingredients together. Add onions to mixture, stir to combine. Pour into baking dish and cover with aluminum foil. Bake 350º 45 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 15 minutes. Cool slightly.

© Crackerberries 2015

Easter Dinner - Crock Pot Lamb Shank

1.64 lb. Lamb Shank

1 sprig rosemary

1 clove garlic

½ lemon, zest and juiced

2 tbsp. cooking sherry

½ tbsp. olive oil

1 tsp. kosher salt

Fresh ground black pepper

Combine above ingredients in large zip lock bag and marinade for 24 hours.

Remove from bag, discard marinade. Brown lamb shank on all sides and place in crock pot on top of sliced onions.

½ onion, slice and place in bottom of crock pot

5 cloves garlic, halved, chopped, crushed

½ cup Summer Shady beer

1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

1 pkt. Beef flavored Raman noodle seasoning

10 oz. diced tomatoes with Chile peppers

1 tbsp. basil

1 bay leaf, crushed

Stir remaining ingredients together and pour over brown lamb shank. Cook on low for 8 hours. Remove and serve with veggies and broth if desired.

© Crackerberries 2015

http://www.a-to-zchallenge.com/

Avocado Dip

2 Avocados
1 lime
1 medium red onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium tomato, chopped
¼ tsp. ground cumin
½ tsp. dried cilantro
1 tsp. hot sauce

To determine the freshness of an avocado, gently squeeze in the palm of your hand. Ripe fruit will yield to the pressure of your hand. Using a knife, cut around the fruit, then twist and pull apart; pierce pit with edge of knife and slip it out. Scoop out flesh into bowl and mash with a fork leaving chunks.

Cut lime in half and squeeze 2 tbsp. juice over avocado. Stir in onion, garlic and tomato. Sprinkle with spices and add hot sauce to your liking.

© Crackerberries 2015

* Even though I didn't enter this blog into the A-Z Blog Challenge I thought it might be fun to try and see if I could come up a recipe to match the days. Hence today being Day 1.  Hope you follow with and check out some of the other bloggers too. 

http://www.a-to-zchallenge.com/

Salisbury Steak

Salisbury Steaks

1 lb. ground beef

1 egg                                                                            

¼ cup Italian style bread crumbs

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 pkt. Onion soup mix

1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

½ medium red pepper, sliced

1 onion, sliced

Mix beef, egg, bread crumbs, 1 tbsp. of onion soup mixture, and Worcestershire sauce in large mixing bowl. Shape into 6 oval patties.  Place in lightly greased shallow baking dish.

In large measuring cup or bowl, combine remaining onion soup mix and cream of mushroom soup. Stir until soup mix is blended in well with cream of mushroom. Layer onions and green peppers over patties and pour mixture over top.  Cover with aluminum foil and bake 350º for one hour.

© Crackerberries 2015