Cooking with KP: June 2019

Lemon Butter Sauce for Chicken or Seafood

This is a great sauce to serve on top or on the side of chicken

or seafood.

1 Tablespoon olive oil

2 Tablespoons butter

1 Tablespoon finely mince garlic

3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 cups low-sodium/fat free chicken broth

1 Lemon, zest and juice

1 teaspoon Italian Herb Seasoning Mix (I use McCormick)

salt and back Pepper, to taste

Put olive oil and butter in a medium saucepan. Melt butter and add the garlic. Saute for 1 minute, then whisk in the flour forming a roux.

Gradually add in the chicken broth, whisking as you are pouring so as not to form lumps.

Next, add in the lemon zest and juice and Italian seasoning blend. Bring to a boil then allow to simmer for 5 minutes until slightly thickened. Season with salt and pepper.

Pour over baked or grilled chicken or seafood. Top with thin lemon slices.

Microwave Pralines

Because I don't have the hand agility I once had to truly stir a long time or to beat food with my hands, I was so delighted to find this recipe online at SpicySouthernKitchen. com. It is so quick and so tasty. I am sure you will like it.

1 (16-ounce)-box light brown sugar

1 cup heavy cream

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, cut into pieces so it will melt faster

2 cups pecan pieces

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

pinch of salt

Line a large baking sheet with wax paper or parchment paper.

Combine the brown sugar and heavy cream in a large microwave-safe bowl and stir well.

Microwave on HIGH for 7 minutes.

Add butter and stir it in to melt it.

Microwave on HIGH for another 5 minutes. Stir in pecans, vanilla, and salt.

Very quickly drop by spoonfuls onto prepared baking sheet. I recommend two people working together to drop the candy.

Amazing Southern Pralines

Making pralines is an art form to me. Many people don’t make candies well; others amaze me. This is the praline recipe that my 8^th grade Home Economics teacher taught us. I love it!

1 ½ cups white sugar

1 ½ cups packed light brown sugar

pinch of salt

3 Tablespoons dark corn syrup

1 cup evaporated milk (not sweetened condensed milk)

2 Tablespoons butter

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 ½ cup pecan halves (I like to use 1 cup halves and 1/2 cup chopped)

½ Tablespoon butter to coat pan

Cover a large baking pan with waxed paper.

Butter the sides of a heavy 2-quart saucepan. Put the sugars, salt, corn syrup, milk, and butter in saucepan. Over medium heat, stir mixture constantly with a wooden spoon until sugars have completely dissolved and mixture comes to a boil. Continue to cook to a soft ball stage, approximately 236 degrees F on a candy thermometer. YOU REALLY NEED A CANDY THERMOMETER INSTEAD OF THE DROP SOME IN WATER TEST BUT IF YOU ARE USING THAT WAY TO TEST, just drizzle a drop of the hot can in glass of cold water. The ball of candy should flatten between your finders when you take it out the water. Remove from heat and allow it to cool for 8-10 minutes.

Add the vanilla and nuts. Beat with a spoon by hand for approximately 2 minutes or until candy is slightly thick and begins to lose its gloss. Quickly drop heaping tablespoons onto waxed paper. If the candy becomes stiff, add a few drops of hot water.

Kay's Pecan Sandies

The first time I recall having a pecan sandy was at my sister's bridal shower. I was 7 years old, and I was allowed to have a cup of hot tea and same plate of pineapple and cream cheese sandwiches, chicken salad on crackers, butter mints, and a few pecan sandies. I thought I had arrived! I was a lady! Pecan sandies are great cookies for cookie exchanges, showers, wedding, and just because you want some! Here is my mother's recipe, slightly changed. Enjoy!

2 cups butter, softened

1 cup confectioners' sugar

2 tablespoons water

4 teaspoons vanilla extract

4 cups all-purpose flour

2 cups toasted chopped pecans (toasting directions below)

Additional confectioners' sugar if you want to dust them after baking--I usually don't.

To toast pecans, a simple guideline is to use 1 Tablespoon melted butter per 1 cup of cup of nut halves. I highly recommend only toasting halves, not pre-chopped nuts. They just turn out better. You can toast a large sheet of nuts and put them in freezer bags to have available when you need them. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place nut halves in a large bowl. Melt butter and pour on top of nuts and toss to fully coat. Spread nuts in a single layer on parchment and bake for 8-10 minutes until fragrant. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 25-30 minutes. Use or freeze until needed.

For cookies:

Preheat oven to 300°. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add water and vanilla; mix well. Gradually add flour; fold in pecans.

Roll dough into 1-in. balls. Place on ungreased baking sheets and flatten with fingers OR to get the more uniform cookies like purchased in the store,

roll dough into 1-in. balls on ungreased cookie sheets. Place a small square of parchment paper on top of the cookie and pressed down with the bottom of a glass; no sticking and they look more like packaged cookies.

Bake 20-25 minutes or until bottom edges are golden brown. Cool on a wire rack. When cool, dust with confectioners' sugar.

Brown Sugar Pork Chops

If you are looking for a quick and delicious method for cooking pork chops, here it is. I wish I could
say this was my original recipe, but it isn't. I found the recipe online at Dinner at the Zoo.com. I made a few adjustments and must say this is a great go-to dinner for us. I serve the chops on a bed of seasoned rice, mashed potatoes, or cheesy grits. Add a veggie and/or salad and you have dinner!

4 bone in pork chops or 6 thick boneless pork chops

2 teaspoons olive oil

Salt, pepper and garlic powder

4 tablespoons butter

3 teaspoons minced garlic

4 Tablespoons brown sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning

1 Tablespoon chopped parsley

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Heat the olive oil in a large pan oven-proof pan over medium high heat.

Season the pork chops on both sides with salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste.

Add the pork chops to the pan in a single layer. Cook for 5-6 minutes on each side or until browned.

Remove the pork from the pan and place on a plate. Cover with foil to keep warm.

Add the butter to the pan and melt. Add the garlic, brown sugar and Italian seasoning and cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly.

Place the pork chops back in the pan and spoon the sauce over the top.

Place the pan in the oven and bake for 10-15 minutes or until pork is cooked to desired level of doneness.

Spoon the sauce from the bottom of the pan over the pork chops and sprinkle with parsley.

Summer Squash Cornbread with Chicken or Shrimp

Summer is a great time. There are so many fresh vegetables coming in season. I especially enjoy Here is a recipe that a friend of mine shared with me. This is a delightful dish for family dinners. It is great way to use leftover chicken and cornbread. Please note, you don’t have to add the chicken if you want a meatless side dish. Or, you can use 2 cups of peeled boiled shrimp instead of chicken.
This is going to make a large pan. You can easily half the recipe.

½ cup unsalted butter

1 medium onion, diced

1 medium bell pepper, diced

1 rib of celery, diced

1 tablespoon minced garlic

4 ½ cups thinly chopped yellow summer squash (4 large squash)

1-2 cups cooked chicken, shredded or chunked--use the amount of chicken you like in your dressing (or 2 cups of peeled boiled shrimp)

2 (10-3/4 ounces) can original condensed cream of chicken soup, preferably with herbs Use cream of celery soup if substituting shrimp instead of chicken.

8 cups cooked and crumbled cornbread ( I use Jiffy cornbread-2 boxes)

1 teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
1 teaspoon Creole or Cajun seasoning

1 teaspoon garlic powder

2 teaspoons Italian seasonings (I use McCormick)

2 large eggs, beaten
1/2 cup chicken/vegetable broth (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Wash and cut squash into thin rounds. Cut each round into four pieces. Place in a large pot and voer with water (about an 1 above squash). Boil for 6 minutes. Drain. Allow to drain while working on the other elements of recipe.
In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion, celery and green pepper; saute until tender, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add garlic and cook another minute.

In a large mixing bowl, add chicken or cooked shrimp, cornbread crumbs and seasonings. Pour in soup and vegetables mixture and mix well. Mash squash just a bit to remove excessive but not all water. Mix into cornbread mixture. Stir in eggs. If dressing seems dry, add 1/2 chicken or vegetable stock or warm water. You want a moist dressing. Transfer to a greased baking dish. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees F for about 40 to 50 minutes, or until lightly browned on top.

Fried Tomatoes

This is my version of a recipe I found on the Wolfe Pit several years ago. It is for red tomatoes, but you could also use it with green tomatoes or those lovely yellow heirloom tomatoes.

4 large red not yet ripe tomatoes-make sure they are very firm and not juicy. Juice tomatoes will fall apart on you in the skillet.

2 cups yellow cornmeal

2 cups all-purpose flour

3 large eggs

¼ cup milk

2 teaspoon salt

3 teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 quart - canola oil

Directions

Slice tomatoes into quarter - half inch slices. You should get 4 slices from each tomato.

In a small bowl, mix salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Divide seasoning mixture into 3 parts.

Lightly season both sides of tomatoes slices with a third of the seasoning mixture.

In a small plate, mix a third of the seasoning with flour.

In another small plate, mix a third of the seasoning, sugar and cornmeal.

In a small bowl (with room for dipping tomatoes), beat eggs and milk.

Make a dredging station in this order: sliced tomatoes, flour mixture, egg wash, corn meal mixture and clean plate.

Dredge each tomato slice in flour until well coated.

Dip tomatoes into egg mixture and then into the cornmeal until well coated.

Place breaded tomatoes on a plate, loosely cover with a paper towel, and place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes for best results before frying.

Remove tomatoes from refrigerator and let set while oil is heating in skillet.

Carefully drop tomato slices into 350 degree oil (very important to get oil to this temperature) and fry for 3-4 minutes, flipping at the half way point.

Drain tomatoes on plate with paper towels.

Creamy Cucumbers

This is my version of a recipe called “Dad’s Creamy Cucumber Salad,” which I found on allrecipes.com. My family doesn’t like dill, so I added other ingredients and this is a great dish for dinner, picnics, and pot lucks.

3-4 large cucumbers, washed, peeled and sliced thinly

1 cup mayonnaise

¼ cup sour cream

1 Tablespoon sugar

1 Tablespoon white vinegar

juice of half a large lemon

2-3 teaspoons minced garlic (I used the pre-minced garlic from the store)

1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes

pepper to taste

In a large bowl, mix all ingredients except cucumber. Use a whisk to make sure the mixture is very creamy. Toss in cucumbers and coat them well. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.

Note: You can add one medium sliced onion for a different but excellent tasty salad. Also, if you like dill, add in a bit.

Italian Dinner Potatoes

This recipe is a great side dish for dinner. It is easy to make and delicious.

8-10 new red potatoes with skins, washed and sliced in rounds (I usually get four slices per potato)
1.5 Tablespoons Italian blend seasoning (I use McCormick)
1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
1/2 Tablespoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon pepper
4 Tablespoons butter, melted
1 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup shredded fresh Parmesan cheese (not the green shaker kind)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place sliced potatoes in a large pot, cover with water and a 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Bring to boil. Boil 7-8 minutes or until barely fork tender. Drain in colander. Make sure all water is off potatoes. Spray an oblong baking dish with cooking spray. Pour potatoes in dish. Sprinkle the potatoes with garlic powder, pepper, Italian seasoning, and parsley. Melt butter in microwave or on stove top. Pour melted butter over potatoes and lightly toss them to coat each slice with seasonings and butter. Sprinkle on cheeses and bake for 20 minutes until cheeses are lightly browned and bubbly.

Baked Ham Steaks with Barbecue Sauce

I discovered this recipe at Spruce Eats, and I made a couple simple changes. It is a great way to fix ham steaks. Also if you have leftover ham chunks/pieces, you can pour the sauce over the chunks. You can even use this sauce on thin pork breakfast chops. Brown the chops for about 2 minutes on each side and then put on baking pan.

¼ cup chopped onion

1 Tablespoon butter

¾ cup tomato ketchup

¼ cup water

2 Tablespoons brown sugar

2 Tablespoons cider vinegar

1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 large (16 ounce or more ) fully cooked ham slice, about 1-inch thick OR

2 (8 ounces) ham steaks

If you like a sauce with a bit of kick—add ¼ teaspoon of hot sauce

Preheat the oven to 350 F.

Line a rimmed baking pan with foil. Spray lightly with nonstick cooking spray. Place the ham in the prepared baking pan.

In a saucepan over medium-low heat, melt the butter; add the chopped onion. Saute the onion until translucent. Add the ketchup, water, brown sugar, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, and pepper. Stir to blend and cook for about 1 to 2 minutes, or until hot.

Pour the sauce over the ham.

Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes.

Cheaper Cuts of Beef Don't Have To Be Tough

Most people avoid the cheaper cuts of beef because they tend to be tough. With 8 children and three adults in our home, my mother had to find ways to tenderize the cheaper cuts of beef. One way to cook "down", as my mother used to say, a tough cut of beef steak is to season both sides of the steak with garlic powder, seasoned salt and pepper. Lightly brown the steak in a large skillet and on top add a diced green bell pepper, medium onion, a bay leaf, parsley flakes, a few dashes of Worchestershire sauce, and a can of diced tomatoes. Cover with lid. Let the steak simmer for 30-50 minutes. Remove lid and thicken juices by cooking 5-10 more minutes. You can also do the same with a cheap beef roast in a crock pot. Add all the ingredients in crock pot and cook on low for 6-8 hours. The flavor is simple, amazing and great with mashed potatoes.

Fall Vegetables for a Healthy You

As the fall approaches, we will all start to stay indoors more hours. This will lessen our vitamins, such as vitamin A, D, and K, which are enhanced by sunlight. Below are a few vegetables you might want to increase in your diet as the fall and later winter days approach. Besides, they are very tasty. In fact, in the next few weeks, I will be posting recipes that incorporate many of these delicious veggies.

Sweet potatoes and yams are very rich in carotenoids, vitamins A, B6, C, potassium, iron and fiber and are delicious when baked and eaten plain (without butter) or used in soups, casseroles or stir-fries.

Bell peppers are great sources of potassium, manganese, fiber and vitamins A, B, C and K. These sweet peppers are flavorful additions to salads and healthy stir-fries. You can choose from a rainbow of colors, including: green peppers,yellow peppers, orange peppers,and red peppers.

Summer and winter squash are rich in carotenoids, vitamins A and C, potassium, magnesium and fiber and can be served alone or added to many dishes.

Just a few tips for you...

Spray your Tupperware with nonstick cooking spray before pouring in tomato- based sauces. No more stains!

Use lifesavers candy to hold candles in place on your next birthday cake! Kids love them.

Stuff a miniature marshmallow in the bottom of a sugarcone to prevent ice cream drips!

Zap garlic cloves in the microwave for 15 seconds and the skins slip right off!

If your celery begins to wilt in the fridge, fill a large cup half full of water and place celery in the cup. Put back in the fridge for two hours--it will be crisp. (Learned this from my mother).

Cooking Myth Busted

A Potato Can Save a Salty Soup or Stew. True or False? False. "This is an attractive idea, but it doesn't work because potatoes are not particularly absorbent," says Wolke, who conducted his own soup-and-potato experiment for his Cooking Myth Busters book. "There is no reason they would attract salt." If you remove the raw potato from the soup, the potato will taste salty, but so would a sponge — it has simply soaked up some of the salty liquid. Still, there is hope for salty stews: Adding a bit of vinegar or sugar can "cancel out" the saltiness by giving your taste buds competing flavors.

Super Moist Turkey

If you are looking for a way to get a moist turkey, you might try one of these family hints:

1--bake the turkey upside down--breast down for the first half of the cooking time. It will help the darker meat cook more thoroughly and the fatty juices of the darker meat will drip down to the breast and add moistness. Use a deep roasting pan for this.

2--bake the turkey with the breast up, but rub it with butter, garlic powder and pepper only. Do not salt the skin. Instead, mix salt in a cup of warm water and pour that cup of salted warm-not hot-water inside the cavity of the turkey. The salt water will steam up into the turkey, making it very moist.

3. bake the turkey with the breast up and slice two lemons and one orange in halves. Place the halves inside the seasoned turkey and the juices will steam into the meat, adding moisture and flavor.

Hint of the Week

Here is something I learned from my wonderful Mother, the greatest cook I have ever known. When you have just a small serving of cooked vegetables leftover from dinner, don't throw them away. Keep a large plastic container in the freezer and put the vegetables in the container. Mix them--carrots, corn, green beans, broccoli, etc. When the container is full make a pot of soup or stew. Also, if a recipe calls for 1/2 a chopped onion, chop the whole onion and add the half to the freezer container. My mother made the best vegetable soups from this idea.

Hint for the Week

With Fourth of July quickly approaching, you might be thinking of making Deviled Eggs. If you want perfectly boiled eggs, place eggs in a large pot and completely cover with cold water. Do not layer eggs on top of one another. Bring water to a rapid boil for 2 minutes, reduce to simmer and let eggs simmer 8 minutes, return to boil for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and empty hot water and fill pot with cold water. Let sit for 5 minutes. To peel easily, slightly crush shell in your fist and roll on counter with a firm grip. Of course, you don't want to push through the egg, but by making the shell crack in many small pieces, it is easier to peel. My father saw this on a cooking show years ago and taught me this. It truly works.