Cooking with KP

West Point Broccoli Salad

There are lots of broccoli salad recipes around, including one that is sold at Walmart. However, the original broccoli salad recipe was created by an US Army chef at West Point. Here is his recipe, which I got from a military wives recipe swap. It is amazingly good. I hope you enjoy it.

2 eight ounce packages of fresh broccoli florets (I put them in the food processor for a spin or two to make smaller at times)
8 slices of bacon crisply fried, drained and broken into small pieces
1 medium red onion, finely diced
1/2 cup of raisins, especially good with golden raisins
1/4 cup of sliced almonds, try smoked ones for a different test
1/4 cup roasted sunflower seeds
(I have added 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese to mine at times.)
Mix all ingredients in large bowl.
Mix in small bowl:
1 cup Miracle Whip (or mayonnaise with 1 Tablespoon of olive oil)
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup vinegar
Pour dressing on top of salad ingredients. Toss well. Refrigerate for 2 hours prior to serving.

Easter Saturday Popovers

Here is my recipe for Easter popovers. I adapted it from one I found in Taste of Home magazine. Let me know if you like it.
1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 Tablespoon parsley flakes
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder or one teaspoon finely minced garlic
4 slices bacon, fried, drained and crumbled
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 1/4 cup milk
2 eggs
1 Tablespoon canola oil

In small bowl lightly milk, eggs and oil. Set aside. In large bowl, mix all other ingredients. Pour in milk and egg mixture. Stir just until all dry ingredients are wet. Pour batter into 12 cup muffin tins that have been lightly floured. Bake at 450 degree for 15 minutes. Do not open oven. Reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake 20 minutes or until golden brown. You can poke each popover with a toothpick to deflate if desired.

Ham and Eggs Casserole

Easter is next week. If you are like me, you will probably have some leftover ham and lots of boiled eggs. Here is a recipe that I adapted from one I found on line. It is amazing. Great for breakfast, brunch, or dinner. Try it. Let me know if you like it.
1/4 cup melted butter
1/4 cup flour
2 cups milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 cups seasoned croutons
6 hard-boiled eggs, quartered
2 cups cubed cooked ham
8 ounces sliced mushrooms
1 small onion diced
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 cup grated cheddar cheese

Place croutons, ham, and eggs in large casserole dish that has been lightly sprayed with cooking spray. Saute onions and mushrooms in olive oil. Pour on top of crouton,ham and egg mixture. Carefully toss ingredients as to not break eggs. Melt 1/4 cup butterr in sauce pan. Add flour and lightly cook for 2 minutes over medium heat. Add milk to make a sauce.Stir while cooking to light boil. Add salt, pepper, dry mustard and Parmesan cheese. Mix thoroughly. Pour sauce on top of crouton mixture. Bake for 45 minutes at 350 degrees. Remove from oven top with grated cheddar cheese. Bake for 5 additional minutes.

Summertime on a Plate

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup pineapple juice
pepper and garlic powder to taste

Mix brown sugar, pineapple juice, pepper and garlic powder. Brush on chicken breasts. Grill or bake until done (about 25 minutes) While grilling continue to brush on marinade.

One large bag of Dole's hearts of romaine lettuce
One small can mandarin oranges, drained or fresh if available.
One small can pineapple tidbits, drained or fresh if available.
1/4 cup shredded coconut
One package Ramen noodles--throw the seasoning away--too much salt and break noodles into small pieces
2 Tbs. butter, unsalted
1/4 cup chopped pecans, walnuts or almonds

In a small pan, melt butter, saute noodles and nuts until light brown. Drain on to paper towels and let cool.

In large salad bowl, add lettuce, oranges, tidbits, and coconut. Add cooled noodles and nuts. Toss lightly.

Dressing:
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup light canola oil
1/4 cup pineapple juice
2 Tbs. brown sugar

Toss 3/4 of the dressing on salad. Slice chicken breasts and serve on top of a serving of salad. Pour rest of salad dressing on top of chicken breast. Enjoy.

BBQ Pulled Pork Two Ways

I am going to share two very different but equally amazing ways to prepare pork in a slow cooker for delicious pulled pork sandwiches.

BBQ Pork Sandwiches in Crock Pot (a reciped I got from Allrecipes.com)

1- 2 or 3 pound Boston Butt Pork Roast
1 can Barq's Root beer (yep, it is really good and helps tenderize the meat. DO NOT USE DIET. )
1 minced onion
2 buds of garlic, finely minced
2 T brown sugar
1 bottle of your favorite bbq sauce (My favorite is Sweet Baby Ray's)

Allow slow cooker to warm on low setting while browning pork.
Placed boston butt in a heated skillet with 2 T of olive oil. Brown on all sides.
Place browned roast, onion, garlic, and root beer in slow cooker.
Cook on low for 4-6 hours until meat can be shredded/pulled apart with fork.
Shred/pull meat. Return to crock pot and add brown sugar and bbq sauce. Heat for 1 hour.

Kay's BBQ Pulled Pork
1- 2 or 3 lb. pork roast or 12 thin-cut boneless pork chops (breakfast chops)
1 medium onion, diced
1 green bell pepper diced
3 T parsley flakes
2 T. Worcheshire sauce
2 T minced garlic
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 bay leaf
2 T. dark brown sugar

2 T. yellow mustard
2 T honey
1 T garlic powder (not salt)
1 bottle bbq sauce (Sweet Baby Ray's)

Place first 8 ingredients in crock pot. Cook on low for 4-6 hours until meat can be pulled apart with a fork. Take meat out of crock pot and shred or chop into fine pieces. Return to crock pot. Add brown sugar, honey, yellow mustard, garlic powder and bbq sauce. Cook for one hour.

Pineapple Casserole

I think you will enjoy this along side of a ham or pork roast. It is a casserole not a dessert, although it is yummy enough to be one.

1 (20 ounce) can crushed pineapple
1 (20 ounce) can chunk pineapple
5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 cup white sugar
1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
1 1/2 cups Ritz cracker crumbs
1/2 cup butter, plus
1 teaspoon butter
Directions:
1 Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2 Grease a 2-quart casserole dish with 1 T. butter.
3 Drain pineapple very well. Use the juice to glaze your ham or pork roast.
4 Mix together the flour, pineapple, sugar and cheese.
5 Pour into casserole dish.
6 Cover with Ritz cracker crumbs.
7 Melt butter and pour over the top of cracker crumbs.
9 Bake for 30 minutes in preheated oven.
10 ENJOY!

Pot of Gold

If you don't feel like cooking the traditional corned beef brisket or huge pot of Irish stew this St. Patrick's Day, here is an excellent substitute. It has great flavor and requires little work on your part.

5 medium potatoes, peeled and sliced into chunks.
6 carrots, peeled and halved lengthwise, then crosswise or 15 baby carrots.
1 medium cabbage, cut into 8 wedges
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 T. minced garlic
2-2.5 lbs smoked ham, cut into 2" pieces
1/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
2 T. prepared yellow mustard
2 T. prepared horseradish

Put vegetables, garlic, and pepper into a crock pot cooker.
Blend brown sugar, mustard, and horseradish in a large bowl. Toss in ham chunks and cover with mixture.
Add meat to cooker.
Cover and cook on low 6 to 8 hours.
Great served with cornbread.

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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.