Pork with Cider

This is a gorgeous, stick-to-your-ribs dish with so much flavor and so little fuss.  The long cook time is perfect for those afternoons when you want to get the house clean before dinner or just to sit and read a book in peace.  We served it up with a loaf of  Dill Onion Bread and some mashed potatoes. The recipe is from The Encyclopedia of Creative Cookery.

Pork with Cider
2 lbs. boneless pork, cubed
1/3 c. flour
1/3 c. vegetable oil
1 1/2 c. apple cider or juice
5 large carrots, peeled, cut into chunks
1 medium onion, sliced
1/2 tsp. dried rosemary
1 bay leaf
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper

Dredge pork cubes in flour.  Heat oil in a skillet and brown pork. Remove pork to a casserole dish.  Drain oil from pan.  Add cider to hot pan, heat and stir to loosen any browned bits from bottom of pan.  Add carrots, onion, seasonings and hot cider to casserole dish.  Cover.  Bake at 325 for 2 hours until meat is tender. Remove bay leaf before serving.

Notes: I think you could put this in a crock pot on high for 3-5 hours too.

Jenny

Pasta Frittata

A frittata is an Italian omelette.  The first recipe I encountered for one contained pasta, so I always make it that way. Anytime I have leftover spaghetti noodles, I cover them with plastic wrap in the fridge for a day or two (so we are in the mood for pasta again), and make them into this yummy stuff.  It is an easy week night meal or breakfast.

Pasta Frittata 
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 Tbsp. butter or margarine
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. dried minced onion
3-4 c. cooked spaghetti noodles
1-2 c. cubed ham (or other meat)
salt and pepper
1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning
12 eggs
1/4 c. water
3/4 c. cheese

In a large skillet, heat the oil and butter.  Add garlic and onions and cook for a minute, then add pasta and toss in oil to season.  Add ham, salt and pepper and Italian seasoning. Warm through.  In a bowl, whisk eggs and water together until it is all yellow.  Pour eggs over noodles and meat.  Tilt skillet so egg coats all ingredients.  Reduce heat to simmer and cover.  Cook for about 10-15 min, or until eggs are set.  Sprinkle with cheese, cover again until cheese melts.  Cut into wedges and serve with salsa or chili sauce if desired.

Notes:  You can also finish this in the oven under a broiler. Just when the eggs are set on the bottom, but not on the top, add the cheese and place the skillet under a hot broiler until eggs are set and cheese is bubbly.  You can use any thing in this, diced veggies, bacon, green pepper, cut up sausage--it is an omelette, add what you like, but I like the garlic-y noodles, so I always do that part.

Jenny

Fried Apples

I have been reading Laura Ingalls Wilder's book, Farmer Boy with my daughter.  We just read that Almonzo's favorite food was fried apples 'n onions so we decided to try frying some apples.  I think I would like the onions too, but wasn't supported by the kids in the kitchen at the time.  My son Ethan is in cub scouts and he needed to help with a meal as part of a requirement for scouts, so he made this side dish, basically by himself.  We served them as a side to French Toast. I think they would be a nice side for pork chops too.

Fried Apples
3 Tbsp. butter or margarine
6 apples, cored and thickly sliced (we used an apple slicer-the kind you push down over the apple)
dash of salt
cinnamon sugar

Melt the butter in a skillet, when it is hot, stir in the apples.  Turn them and let them cook until they begin to nicely brown.  Sprinkle with a bit of salt and more liberally with cinnamon sugar.  Stir to coat and serve warm.

Jenny

Mandarin Sauce

I tried this recipe two years ago, while facing a huge crop of tomatoes that I had bottled until I was out of ideas--then my aunt posted this recipe on our family web site.  I have found it a handy thing to have on the shelf.  See notes after the recipe for ideas on using this.

Mandarin Sauce
9 c. tomatoes, peeled, chopped and drained
4 c. onion chunks
4 c. green pepper, chopped
2 (20 oz.) cans chunk pineapple and juice
6 c. sugar
8 Tbsp. soy sauce
3 c. vinegar
1 c. water
1 1/4 c. cornstarch

Peel tomatoes, squeeze them to remove some of the juice and seeds, coarsely chop.  Cut onions and green peppers into chunks.  Mix sugar with cornstarch in a bowl and stir together. Combine tomatoes, pineapple and juice, onions, and peppers in a large pot.  Add soy sauce, vinegar, water and bring to a boil, stirring constantly.  Slowly add sugar/cornstarch mix while stirring and boil until thickened.  Put in pint jars, leaving 1/2 inch head space and process immediately in a boiling water bath for 35 min.  Makes 12 pints.
To serve: Brown boneless, skinless chicken breasts, pour sauce over and bake in 350 oven for about 45 min.  or put this in a crock pot.  Serve over rice.

Notes:  This is a bit of an old-fashioned recipe for canning, as it calls for cornstarch.  Most new publications will not publish recipes with cornstarch because the resulting food product deteriorates in appearance over time.  It is perfectly safe to use, it will just separate, causing a clear liquid to gather on top of the food in the jar.  This may not happen for a year or more, but if it does, don't be alarmed, just use as is.  Alternately, you could make this without the cornstarch and thicken it before you use it each time.

I use the food processor to coarsely chop my vegetables.  To peel tomatoes, cut a small x in the bottom of the tomato. Put tomatoes into boiling water for 30 seconds then plunge into cold water.  The skins will begin to curl and you can pull them off easily with your hands.

My favorite way to use this sauce is over a pork roast in the crock pot.  When the meat is tender, I shred it back into the sauce and serve over rice.  This is also yummy over meatballs.

Jenny

What Grandma Knew: Bacon Drippings

About a year ago, my mother gave me a cookbook that once belonged to my great grandmother,  The Good Housekeeping Cookbook from 1942.  I love reading old cookbooks, and this one has been particularly handy.  At the time it was published, depression economy and war rationing was a real part of the minds of the cooks of the day.  There are sections of the book dedicated to stretching this and substituting that in the kitchen to make everything as pleasant as possible. One thing that caught my eye was a section dedicated to saving on butter that included the following:

"Use bacon, ham or sausage drippings in seasoning such vegetables as string beans, lima beans, rice, macaroni, vegetable sauces etc."

"Use bacon, ham or sausage drippings for sauteing white or sweet potatoes, eggplant, tomatoes, onions, apple rings, cabbage, etc." (pg. 27)

Since reading this, I have saved my bacon drippings in the fridge and found that potatoes fried in bacon fat are super and green beans seasoned with a teaspoon of bacon fat instead of butter are a new hit.  Last night I used a tablespoon of drippings to saute chard from my garden with mushrooms and lemon basil--grandma was sure smart!  I'm grateful in this day of expensive food and tight budgets to be getting more mileage out of any food stuff, but to have the shortcut taste nice as well is a bonus.  Here are the rest of the instructions on the use of pan drippings:

"If they are bacon, sausage, ham or roast drippings, strain each kind into a separate covered container and keep stored in the refrigerator.  Then use for sauteing vegetables, chicken, eggs, French Toast, fish, rabbit, etc.  The ham, bacon, or sausage drippings are good too as seasonings for vegetables and as the fat in buttered bread crumbs, stuffings, casserole dishes, soups vegetables and meat sauces, etc.  Plan to use up your pan-drippings as quickly as possible for they don't keep too well." (pg.28)

One thing I would add: remember that bacon and sausage and ham are all salty.  Taste before you salt when using the fat from any of these meats to avoid over-seasoning your food.  Also, I have yet to strain my bacon drippings, finding that I don't mind a bit of bacon in anything I might want to add drippings to.

I remember a can that held drippings at my grandma's house, but I hadn't put it all together until seeing this hint. Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without! Thanks, grandma.
Jenny

Red Beans and Rice

I've tried several recipes for red beans and rice, but this one is my very favorite!  Makes my mouth water to type it out.  In the photo I have used a bulk sausage that has bacon in it.

Red Beans and Rice
1 1/2 c. bacon, chopped
1 lg. onion, diced
2 celery stalks, sliced
1 green pepper, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 bay leaf
dash hot pepper sauce
2 Tbsp. tomato paste
1 tsp. dried parsley flakes
1 (15 oz.) can kidney beans, (do not drain)
salt and pepper
cooked rice to serve

Place bacon in a saucepan and cook until fat starts to run.  Add onion, celery, green pepper and garlic. Cover and cook gently for 15 min. until softened.  Add bay leaf, hot pepper sauce, tomato paste, parsley and kidney beans.  Cover and simmer 30 min., stirring occasionally.  Salt and pepper to taste, remove bay leaf and serve over hot cooked rice.

Notes:  I've posted the original recipe, and this is what I like to do different: cook bacon (you can also use some bulk sausage) and drain most of the fat before adding the onion, pepper and garlic.  Because of the reduced fat, when you add the beans, you may want to add water to adjust the sauce consistency. Continue as directed.
Jenny

Lettuce Wraps

We tried these recently and my family loved them!  I'm adding them here as we will definitely be making them again.  The kids called them Chinese burritos.

Lettuce Wraps
Sauce: (to pour over wraps)
1/4 c. sugar
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
1/2 c. warm water
2 Tbsp. ketchup
1/8 tsp. sesame oil
1/8 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. cornstarch

Combine ingredients in a small saucepan, or microwave safe dish and heat until thickened.  Keep warm.

Stir fry:
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 Tbsp. sesame oil
1 lb. ground pork or chicken  breast (you can grind the raw meat in your food processor)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 can (8 oz.) water chestnuts, drained
1/2 c. mushrooms
3 green onions
1 can (8 oz.) bamboo shoots, drained

Stir fry sauce:
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
1/2 tsp. rice wine vinegar (or white vinegar)
2 Tbsp. brown sugar

Make both sauces and set aside.  In the bowl of a food processor, combine water chestnuts, mushrooms, onions and bamboo shoots and chop fine.  In a skillet or wok, heat oils, add pork and garlic and cook through.  (If there is a lot of grease at this point, spoon off, leaving only about 2 Tbsp.)  Add chopped vegetables and stir fry a couple of minutes.  Add the stir fry sauce and stir to coat.  To serve, wrap stir fry in iceberg lettuce leaves and spoon serving sauce over the top.

Notes:  This sounds a bit intense, but if you measure out and set aside the sauces first, the stir fry takes only a matter of minutes.  We used pork that I ground in my food processor.  It was delicious!  I used the left over dipping sauce as a stir fry sauce with lo mein noodles.  You can skip the dipping sauce and serve them with Plum Sauce if you like.

Another Note:  I wanted lettuce wraps this week, but didn't have bamboo shoots or water chestnuts or even mushrooms on hand.  So I substituted carrots, potato and zucchini and they turned out wonderful.  Just play with what you have on hand!

Jenny

Ham and Potatoes Au Gratin

This is a recipe I've made for many years.  It is comfort food to me.

Ham and Potatoes Au Gratin
1/2 c. chopped onion
1/2 c. chopped green pepper
4 Tbsp. butter or margarine, divided
5-6 c. diced, peeled potatoes, cooked
2 c. ham, cubed
1/2 c. mayonnaise
3 Tbsp. flour
1 1/2 c. milk
1 c. shredded cheddar cheese
1/8 tsp. garlic powder
salt and pepper

In a skillet, saute onions and green pepper in 1 Tbsp. butter until tender. Combine onions and pepper with potatoes, ham and mayonnaise; pour into a 9x13 baking dish.  In a saucepan, melt remaining butter, stir in flour, and garlic powder until smooth, gradually add milk.  Bring to a boil, cook and stir for 1 min.  Stir in cheese just until melted and add salt and pepper to taste.  Pour over potato mixture.  Cover and bake at 350 for 45 min. or until bubbly. 

Notes: I have used a bag of cubed hash brown potatoes in this with decent results.

Jenny

Sausage Stromboli

This turned out gorgeous and so tasty!  I want to play with the concept and stuff it with other pizza favorites too! Recipe from Taste of Home 2003, my notes follow.

Sausage Stromboli
1 pkg. active dry yeast
1 tsp. sugar
1 c. warm water
1/4 c. olive or vegetable oil
1/4 tsp. salt, divided
2 1/2 - 3 c. flour
3/4 lb. bulk pork sausage
1 med. onion, chopped
1 can (8 oz.) tomato sauce
1/2 c. chopped green pepper
1 garlic clove, minced
1 1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning
Dash of pepper
1 c. sour cream
3 Tbsp. whipped chive and onion cream cheese
1 c. shredded cheddar cheese
1 c. shredded mozzarella cheese
1 egg white, slightly beaten
Fennel Seed

In a mixing bowl, dissolve yeast and sugar in water; let stand 5 min. Add the oil, 1/8 tsp. salt and 2 c. flour; beat until smooth.  Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough.  Turn onto a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 min.  Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top.  Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.

Meanwhile in a skillet, cook sausage and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain.  Add the tomato sauce, green pepper, garlic, Italian seasoning remaining salt and pepper.  Set aside.  Punch dough down.  On a large baking sheet, roll dough in an 18x12 inch oval.  Spread sausage mixture lengthwise down the center. 

Combine sour cream and cream cheese, spread over sausage mixture.  Sprinkle with shredded cheeses.  Fold one long side of dough over filling.  Fold other long side of dough over the top.  Pinch seam and ends to seal. With a sharp knife, cut slits in top of dough.  Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 min. Brush top with egg white; sprinkle with fennel seed.  Bake at 400 degrees for 25-30 min. or until lightly browned.  Let stand 10 min. before slicing.  Yield: 12 servings.

Notes: I used rapid rise yeast, combining the dry ingredients then adding hot water, this cut down on the rising time considerably.  Read more about this technique here.  I used a pound of sausage and softened plain cream cheese to which I added some dried minced onion. I only used the mozzarella cheese and I only folded the sandwich in half, pinching the edges. I substituted some Italian seasoning for the fennel seed.

Jenny

'Stretched' Sausages

This recipe is from one of my favorite kitchen mentors, Alison Holst.  I brought one of her cookbooks home from New Zealand with me as a gift from my host mother there to my mom back home.  While I was in college, my mom gave the cookbook to me.  Eventually, I was able to find one other book by her, and it is fabulous!  She is such a real-kitchen cook and I love her voice as she talks about food and friends and family. 

I've been making this recipe for many years now, and usually I am given grief about fruits, vegetables and meat touching.  You know your children are growing up when they eat it all.  This is the first time I have made this in a while, and my new note in the margin says "double this".  I love the flavors, especially nice in the fall and winter.  I serve it over rice, it isn't really saucy, but I like it on the rice bed all the same.  You can do as you like.  I am altering the recipe a tiny bit to reflect ingredients available here.

'Stretched' Sausages
3 fairly large onions
1 lb. bulk ground sausage (whatever flavor you like)
3 Granny Smith apples (or other baking apple)
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
2 Tbsp. wine vinegar
salt
3-4 Tbsp. chili sauce

Cut the peeled onions into wedges and cook in a non-stick pan in the smallest amount of butter or oil they need to stop them sticking.  For maximum color and flavor you should not hurry this step.  Once the onions are cooking, roll the sausage into small balls and cook in another frying pan, turning to brown them evenly.  Pour off any fat that accumulates as the sausages cook.

Once the sausages are cooking, quarter and remove cores from the apples. Peel them or not according to your preference.  Cut each quarter into 3 or 4 wedges and add these to the pan with the partly cooked onions.  When the onions are evenly browned and the apples slightly browned, add to them the brown sugar and vinegar, then add a little salt at a time until the flavor suits you. 

Stir the browned, cooked sausage balls into the onion and apple mixture.  If you would like the mixture to be more 'saucy', add about 1/2 c. of water or chicken stock, then thicken the mixture with a little cornstarch and adjust seasonings again.  (You can leave the mixture at this stage, either in a serving dish in a low oven or in a large frying pan, ready to reheat when needed.)

A few minutes before serving, stir in half the chili sauce then drizzle the rest over the mixture for extra color.  Sprinkle with chopped parsley for serving.

Notes: I use my own bottled chili sauce. I usually make it 'saucy' as she directs.

Jenny

Mexican Casserole

Use leftover Chile Verde to make this! 

Mexican Casserole
3 c. cooked rice
1 can kidney beans, rinsed, drained
1/2 tsp cumin
sprinkling of garlic powder and onion powder
1 big can chile verde with pork (or 2 1/2 -3 c. homemade chile verde)
1 c. grated mozzarella (or other favorite cheese)

chopped tomato, bell pepper, and onion for garnish
sour cream

In a 2 qt. casserole dish, combine rice, beans and seasonings and stir together.  Spread chile verde over the top and cover with cheese.  Microwave on high for 9 minutes.  Serve with diced vegetables and sour cream.

Note: You can substitute any pepper you like for more heat.  I like to combine my diced tomatoes, onions and peppers in a bowl and serve like salsa over the top of each serving.  (Photo is topped with cheddar, instead of mozzarella.)

Jenny

Chile Verde

Have you missed me?   You know I haven't stopped cooking, because the crew here never stops eating!  Back to school has been a bit nuts, but today I'll catch up on some recipes.  This one was given to me by a friend and reader.  I was so excited when I finished it and realized this is the stuff I've been buying in a can to go on my favorite Mexican Casserole.  So, try this the next time pork roasts go on sale.  It makes quite a large batch, so I have some sitting smugly in my freezer waiting to be consumed. I love cooking once and eating twice or more.  Thanks for this, Karma!

Chile Verde
1 pork roast (about 4 lbs.)
Place in a crock pot, season with garlic and salt and cook on low 8 hours or on high 3-5 hours.  The roast should be very tender and falling apart.  Take this and let it cool in the fridge.  The next day (or whenever, but it works best starting cold). In a large saucepan:

Saute 1/2 c. onion
2 tsp. olive oil
1 tsp. minced garlic

add cubed roast

add 6 c. chicken broth
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cumin
4 oz green chilies
1 finely chopped green tomato

Bring to a boil and thicken with cornstarch.  (To do this, add about 2 heaping Tbsp. cornstarch to a little cold water and stir until starch is incorporated, then add this to the hot pot and stir.  Cook until boiling again.  Repeat if thicker consistency is desired.)

Serve in tortillas with mozzarella cheese, rice, refried beans, lettuce and tomatoes.

Notes:  You can substitute a 16 oz. jar of salsa verde for the chilies and the tomato. This is pictured with Maria Elena's Tortillas

Jenny

Pork and Red Chili

Do you have those weeks where it is Tuesday and then it's Friday?  This has been one for me!  I am also distressed to post this wonderful dish without a photograph, because I made this just last night, but I do have seven children, and it is summer.  Long story short, at the critical time, I could not find the camera to take the pictures. I was told a long and entertaining story about where everyone had seen the camera last and who had been taking pictures of what....oh, well.  This is super yummy!  You will not be disappointed, even though you won't be able to see what it looks like until either you or I make it again. :) This is seasoned nicely, not too hot. The recipe comes from a cookbook called Cowboy Cookbook.

Pork and Red Chili
3 lbs. lean, boneless pork
2 Tbsp. oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/4 c. water
1 1/2 tsp. salt
2 onions, chopped
2 Tbsp. chili powder
1 tsp. cumin
1 1/2 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. sugar
3 Tbsp. tomato paste
1/2 c. whipping cream

Trim fat and cut meat into one inch cubes.  Brown in oil, remove from pan.  Add onion, garlic, chili powder, cumin and oregano; cook until onion is limp.  Stir in water, sugar, salt and tomato paste.  Return pork and simmer covered about 1 hour.  Skim off fat, add cream, bring to a boil, stirring constantly.  Serve in warm flour tortillas, garnish with avocado, tomato and sour cream.  Serves 6 (a few more if the appetites do not all belong to adults)

Notes: I served this with Jill's Tomatillo Dressing instead of sour cream.  It was a great combination! I also think this could be made up to the point where it is supposed to simmer, and then be transferred to a crock pot to cook all day on low.  I keep meaning to try this out, but so far, I have only ever made this on the stove.  If you try it, let me know how it works.

Another Note: I made this recently by putting the pork roast in the crock pot and cooking it on high until I could shred it (about 5 hours). Then I sauteed the onions and garlic in oil and made the sauce from there, adding the shredded pork, simmering to heat through and adding the cream.  Worked like a charm! Same great taste, a lot less fuss!
Jenny

Pork Barbacoa

Pork Barbacoa pictured with Black Beans

This recipe is from Jill McKenzie's book.  It has become a standard at my house.  I use a big roast and freeze the leftovers to have at another time. This is the original recipe with my notes at the end.

Pork Barbacoa

1 2 lb. pork roast
3 (12 oz) cans Coca Cola or Sprite
1 (14 oz.) can chicken broth
1 c. brown sugar, packed
2 Tbsp. butter
1 (20 oz.) can pineapple chunks, undrained
1 Tbsp. ground cumin

2 tsp. seasoned salt

1 c. ketchup

2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar

Place roast in a large, nonreactive bowl.  Pour soda over the top, cover with plastic wrap and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours or overnight.  In a 4 quart slow cooker, combine chicken broth, brown sugar, butter, pineapple chunks (including juice), cumin, seasoned salt, ketchup and vinegar.  Discard soda marinade and place pork roast in the slow cooker.  Simmer on low for at least 8 hours.  Shred pork with 2 forks and serve in  sweetened natural juices over rice or as part of another dish.  Serves 10-12

Notes:  I have made this without the marinade step and it is still very good.  We like the meat rolled in tortillas with beans or rice and sour cream. I prefer to use crushed pineapple instead of chunks as it all shreds into a more uniform-looking mixture.

Jenny

Little Pigs and Potatoes

A simple and filling casserole. This one is comfort food to me.

Little Pigs and Potatoes

6 medium potatoes, peeled and sliced 1/4 in. thick

3/4 lb. sausage

1/4 lb. cheddar cheese

Bread crumbs

White Sauce:

1/4 c. margarine

1/4 c. flour

1 tsp. salt

pepper

2 c. milk

Cook sliced potatoes in salted water until just tender, (not mushy).  Brown sausage.

Make white sauce by melting margarine in a saucepan, blend in flour, salt, and pepper.  Add milk slowly, stirring until sauce bubbles and thickens.  Drain potatoes; put a layer of 1/2 potatoes in a casserole dish.  Add a layer of sausage and half the white sauce and cheese.  Repeat layers and sprinkle bread crumbs over all.  Bake in a 400 degree oven until the crumbs are browned, 15 min.

Notes:  If I have them, I often use cubed hash browns in place of the potatoes which makes it faster to put together, but you have to bake it longer. My favorite sausage to use in this are little cocktail smokies that I slice into a few rounds.  In the photo, I have used huge Idaho potatoes and doubled the white sauce, and instead of layers, I stirred the cheese into the white sauce and poured that over the potato cubes and sausage in the pan, stir a little then add bread crumbs.
Jenny

Barbecue Pasta and Sausage

I'm not even sure where to look for this recipe anymore.  It has been such a staple at our house, that I just make it from memory.  I use the sausages that look like an over-sized hot dog.  Bar-S Smoked Sausage is my favorite.

Barbecue Pasta and Sausage
12 oz. pasta, like bow tie or rotini
1 (8oz.) can tomato sauce
1/2 c. barbecue sauce, your favorite flavor
1 Tbsp. dried, minced onion
8 oz. sausage, sliced
1/2 c. grated cheese

Cook pasta according to package directions and drain. In a microwave safe bowl, combine sauces, onion and sliced sausage, microwave on high for one minute and stir together.  Stir pasta into sauce, top with cheese, microwave for 5-6 minutes until cheese melts.

(Note: the photo is taken before microwaving.)

Jenny

Breaded Pork Chops

This is not a very fancy recipe, but it sure tastes good! Serve them with some mashed potatoes and gravy.

Breaded Pork Chops
pork chops
1 or 2 beaten eggs (depends on the # of chops)
Italian style bread crumbs
salt and pepper
oil for frying

Use a meat tenderizer on the chops to make sure they won't be tough, and this helps them absorb a bit more egg.  Dip in egg, then roll in bread crumbs and fry in oil. Salt and pepper to taste. If you are using plain bread crumbs, you will need to add seasonings.
Jenny

Egg Foo Yong

This Chinese omelet is easy to make at home.  Use the sauce recipe provided, or serve with chicken or beef gravy.

Egg Foo Yong
4 eggs
1 can bean sprouts, rinsed and drained
1/2 c. chopped meat (we like pork, chicken or ham)
2 Tbsp. chopped onions
1 Tbsp. soy sauce

Beat eggs and stir in remaining ingredients.  Heat a little oil in a skillet. Pour 1/4 cup mixture at a time into hot oil.  Push cooked egg up over meat to form a patty. When patties are set, turn and brown other side.  Makes 2 large servings

Sauce for Egg Foo Yong
1 Tbsp. + 1 tsp. cornstarch
2 tsp. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. vinegar
3 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 c. water
Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan.  Cook over medium heat until thick.

Notes: I usually make smaller patties to serve as a side dish, it will make quite a few of these.

Jenny

Mountain Man Breakfast

You can make this in a Dutch oven over the coals, or in your own oven inside.

Mountain Man Breakfast
Place 2 pkg. hashbrowns in a dutch oven at 425 degrees for 15 min.
Brown 1 lb. sausage or bacon.
Add meat and drippings to oven
Cook for 15 min.
Add 10 eggs, slightly beaten.
Cook 15 min. more or until eggs are set.
Top with cheese if you like!

Feeds a lot of hungry mountain men!

Jenny

Chicken Sausage Gumbo

This is from a neighbor who grew up in New Orleans.  This is a family favorite!

Chicken Sausage Gumbo

¼ c. chopped parsley
3 cloves garlic, minced
¼ c. chopped green bell pepper
¼ c. chopped celery
1 lb. smoked sausage
1 ½ lbs. chicken
½ c. minced onion
¼ c. oil
3 Tbsp. flour
Salt and pepper

Boil the chicken, and de-bone. Measure the broth and add enough water to it to make 10 cups. Cut sausage in thin slices. Combine oil and flour in pot. Stir over low heat until brown and thick. Add vegetables, sausage and 1 c. liquid. Bring to boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 3 min. Add remaining liquid and chicken. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 2 hours. Serve over rice.

Options: May thicken with more flour and oil mixture. Bouillon cubes, garlic salt, seasoning salt, or Cajun spices may be added for a different flavor. Serves 10

Notes:  I can put this on in an hour if I use turkey wings and drums from my freezer (see here for details) and boil them with all the other ingredients for about 45 min. then take all the meat off the bones and add it back to the soup.  I usually add about 3 bouillon cubes as well.

Jenny