Thursday, June 2, 2016

Kitchen Hint of the Day!

Grilling Vegetables.....

Quick and easy way to grill large vegetables such as potatoes and ears of corn: coat heavily in light butter, sprinkle on some seasoned salt, wrap securely in aluminum foil, and throw it on the grill.

Wednesday, June 1, 2016

Shrimp and Smoked Turkey Sausage Gumbo

Dinner Tonight:Shrimp and Smoked Turkey Sausage Gumbo w/ Baked Italian Loaf Bread




To start my day I made one our favorites, Skillet Potatoes and Ham for Breakfast. I used 1 package of Simply Potatoes Steakhouse Seasoned Diced Potatoes and a package of Meijer Diced Ham to prepare
it. Just cook the Potatoes according to the package instructions and with about 5 minutes of cooking time left add the Diced Ham. After Breakfast headed over to pick my car up from the repair shop and back home. Then on the way home, the same problem occurred. The air conditioner blower went out again. So I made a u-turn and took it back in to be repaired. This time it's something else that kicked it out, they told me not to worry about it that they would take care of everything at no cost! Very good people there. Good day to stay in the a/c today, hot and humid. For Dinner tonight its Shrimp and Smoked Turkey Sausage Gumbo.





What is not to like with this meal of; Gumbo, Shrimp, and Smoked Turkey Sausage! To make it I
used a box of Zatarain’s Gumbo Pasta Dinner Mix for the Gumbo base, 1 1/2 Butterball Hardwood Smoked Turkey Sausages (sliced into bite size slices), a bag of Kroger Brand Jumbo Shrimp (that I precooked before adding to the Gumbo), and Frank’s Red Hot Sauce.









The Zatarain’s Gumbo Pasta Dinner Mix uses Pasta instead of Rice. Very easy to prepare, takes about 25-30 minutes. I just boil the stock that’s in the packet, add the sliced the Turkey Sausage to the stock along with a few shakes of Frank’s Red Hot Sauce and continued to cook for 10-15 minutes. Then I added the Shrimp and simmered another 2-3 minutes. And the Gumbo is ready to serve and It turns out fantastic! Nice flavor, incredible tasting stock, meaty Shrimp and Sausage, and plenty of Pasta, makes one easily prepared hearty and delicious dish. Plus enough leftovers for a couple of lunches too! I also baked a loaf of Pillsbury Italian Loaf Bread. For dessert later a Healthy Choice Dark Fudge Swirl Frozen Greek Yogurt.











Zatarain’s New Orleans Style Gumbo Pasta Dinner Mix

Zatarain’s Gumbo Pasta Dinner Mix is an easy-to-prepare mix that has just the right blend of
ingredients for a great-tasting, authentic New Orleans style meal. With Zatarain’s New Orleans style pasta dinners, you can enjoy the fun of pasta and the authentic flavor of New Orleans! Just add ground beef to complete this easy-to-prepare dinner your whole family will love.

Zatarain’s Gumbo Pasta Dinner Mix:
* A New Orleans tradition since 1889
* Add meat to make a complete meal

Ingredients
Enriched Pasta Product (Semolina (Wheat), Niacin, Iron, Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid), Onion, Enriched Wheat Flour (Wheat Flour, Niacin, Iron, Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid), Salt, Modified Corn Starch, Red & Green Bell Pepper, Spices (Including Red Pepper And Parsley), Sprouted Wheat Flour, Yeast Extract, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Garlic, Caramel Color, Thiamine Hydrochloride, And Sulfiting Agents.
Usage Tips
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Makes 5 (1-cup) servings.

YOU WILL NEED:
1 package Zatarain’s® Gumbo Pasta Dinner Mix
1 tablespoon oil
1 pound andouille or other cooked sausage, cut into 1/2-inch slices
2 3/4 cups water

DIRECTIONS:
1. HEAT oil in large skillet (12-inch) on medium-high heat. Add sausage; cook and stir 5 minutes or until lightly browned.
2. STIR in water and Pasta Dinner Mix. Bring to boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 15 minutes or until pasta is tender, stirring occasionally.
3. REMOVE from heat. Let stand 5 minutes. Sauce will thicken upon standing. Stir before serving.

VARIATIONS
Chicken Gumbo: Prepare as directed, using 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch cubes, in place of the sausage. Cook and stir 5 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink.

Shrimp Gumbo: Prepare as directed in Step 1, using 1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined, in place of the sausage. Cook and stir 3 minutes or just until shrimp turn pink. Remove shrimp from skillet. Continue as directed, stirring shrimp back into skillet after pasta is tender.
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 32 G
Servings Per Container 5
Amount Per Serving
Calories 110 Calories from Fat 0
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0 G 0
Saturated Fat 0 G
Trans Fat 0 G
Cholesterol 0 Mg 0
Sodium 570 Mg 24
Total Carbohydrate 23 G 8%
Dietary Fiber 2 G 8%
Sugars 1 G
Protein 4 G

https://www.mccormick.com/Zatarains/Products/Dinner-and-Side-Mixes/Pasta-Mixes/Jambalaya-Pasta-Dinner-Mix

Wild Idea Buffalo Recipe of the Week - Steak Au Poivre

This week's Wild Idea Buffalo Recipe of the Week is Steak Au Poivre. This week's recipe uses the Wild Idea 5 oz. Top Sirloin Steaks. You can find this recipe along with all the other delicious and healthy recipes at the Wild Idea Buffalo website, and you can purchase any of the Wild Idea Buffalo cuts of meat. http://wildideabuffalo.com/

 Steak Au Poivre

This classic is timeless in taste and in elegance, and perhaps one of the all time greatest preparations that ever happened to a steak. Any fine cut steak will work, but my cooking time in this recipe is based on Wild Idea Buffalo’s 5 oz. Top Sirloin. Adjust your cooking time based on the size of your steak. I also use more cognac than broth as I prefer the richness and the aromas of the cognac, this too can be adjusted to your liking.

Ingredients:
2 - 5 oz. Top Sirloin Steaks (or other fine cut steaks)
2 - tablespoons peppercorns, crushed
2 - tablespoons unsalted butter
½ - cup cognac
1/3 - cup buffalo broth or organic beef broth
3 - tablespoons cream
salt

Preparation:
1) Rinse steaks and pat dry.
2) Place peppercorns on a small plate and press the steaks into the peppercorns on both sides. Cover and set aside for one hour at room temperature.
3) Preheat the oven to 220°.
4) In a heavy saucepan or skillet over medium high heat, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter. Add the steaks immediately and sear each side for two minutes.
5) Using a tong, before removing the steaks from the pan, pick the steaks up one at a time and carefully sear the sides of the steak, while holding the steak with the tongs. About one minute per steak.
6) Remove the pan from the heat and transfer the seared steaks onto an ovenproof plate and cover with foil. Place the steaks in the preheated oven and shut the oven off.
7) Return the pan to medium high heat and melt the remaining tablespoon of butter and any remaining peppercorns from the plate. Do not let the butter brown.
8) Add the cognac in two batches to keep flame reasonable. The pan will ignite impressively, but then will quickly subside. Keep the pan lid close at hand to subdue should you need, or remove the pan from the heat and add the cognac to eliminate any flare-ups. Allow the cognac to reduce down to about half, stirring occasionally to scrape up the brown bits from the bottom of the pan.
9) Stir in the broth and continue to cook, reducing down to ¼ cup, or until sauce starts to thicken.
10) Whisk in the cream and a pinch of salt and allow the cream to slightly caramelize to a rich cognac color, whisking occasionally. This will take about 3 minutes. Remove sauce from heat.
11) To serve, place the steaks on plates and sprinkle with salt. Spoon the sauce over the steaks. Accompany with any kind of potatoes and vegetable of your liking.

http://wildideabuffalo.com/blogs/recipes/120741761-steak-au-poivre

Italian Sausage-Stuffed Peppers with Provolone

Wanted to pass this recipe along to everyone, Italian Sausage-Stuffed Peppers with Provolone. It's from the CooksRecipes website which has an incredible selection of recipes to satisfy any taste or cuisine, enjoy!     http://www.cooksrecipes.com/index.html

Italian Sausage-Stuffed Peppers with Provolone

One bite and you'll instantly know these are not your typical, run-of-the-mill stuffed peppers. They are so good, you can count on being asked to make them again.

Recipe Ingredients:

4 cups water
1 tablespoon salt
1 cup orzo pasta*
12 ounces fresh Italian sausage, either hot or mild
1 cup roasted red peppers, drained and chopped
2 cups shredded Wisconsin Provolone Cheese
8 large fresh whole red peppers, tops sliced off and seeded
1/4 cup fresh bread crumbs
2 tablespoons homemade or purchased basil pesto

Cooking Directions:

1 - Preheat oven to 400°F (205°C).
2 - Bring water to a boil in a large, deep pot. Add salt and orzo. Boil for 9 minutes. Drain in wire sieve and rinse with cold water. Drain again. Set aside.
3 - Removed sausage from casings, if necessary, and break into small pieces. Sauté over medium high heat until browned and barely cooked through. Add chopped red peppers. Remove from heat and stir in orzo and cheese until cheese melts. Cool.
4 - Coat a 13x9x2-inch baking pan with cooking spray.
5 - Stuff sausage-orzo mixture into prepared whole peppers and place peppers upright in the pan.
6 - Mix bread crumbs and pesto together and spread evenly over top of the stuffed peppers.
7 - Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 15 minutes or until the surface is lightly browned.
8 - Serve immediately.
Makes 8 servings.

http://www.cooksrecipes.com/gmeat/italian_sausage-stuffed_peppers_with_provolone_recipe.html


Ohio Festivals June 3-5, 2016

June 3-4, 2016  Gold Wings and Ribs Fest - Pomeroy, Ohio
Motorcycles, Entertainment and Food lead the way to the beautiful Ohio River. Entertainment, motorcycle tours, motorcycle light parades, bike dealers, Art in the Park, cookie stacking, hotdog eating & BBQ Hog Callin contests and power boat racing.

http://goldwingsandribs.com/


June 3-5, 2016  Newark Strawberry Festival - Newark, Ohio
The annual festival, 'Strawberries on the Square.'  will include entertainment throughout the weekend, Miss Strawberry Pageant, midway rides, food and craft vendors of all types, and of course our "world famous" Kiwanis Strawberry Shortcake.

http://www.newarkstrawberryfestival.com/


June 4-5, 2016
Troy Strawberry Festival
Troy, Ohio
Troy celebrates its place as the center of Ohio's strawberry production the first weekend of June. Featured are the strawberries, of course, and they come in all sorts of taste-tempting treats from shortcake to donuts to strawberry pie. Also to be enjoyed are the many arts and crafts booths, the athletic competitions, and the entertainment. One of the largest and best-attended festivals in the Midwest.  Attendance: 150,000.

http://gostrawberries.com/

Kitchen Hint of the Day!

When cooking Sausages.........

All sausages should be turned with a tongs or a turner, not with a fork, because puncturing the casing allows the flavorful juices to escape.

Tuesday, May 31, 2016

Cajun Rainbow Trout w/ Hash Browns and Green Beans

Dinner Tonight: Cajun Rainbow Trout w/ Hash Browns and Green Beans




Just had a cup of Bigelow Decaf Green Tea for Breakfast. I had to take my car to the shop early this morning. You might know the weather heats up and my air conditioner doesn't work. The air
conditioner actually works fine but for some reason I get no air out of the dash vents. Just another bill! So I was without a car today so I just puttered around the house. I would have like to get the cart out but the sun was just too hot today to be out a lot, especially with my history of Melanoma. So I got some things done around the house all day. For dinner tonight I'm having a Cajun Rainbow Trout w/ Hash Browns and Green Beans.





While at Meijer last week they had some beautiful Rainbow Trout Fillets, and I just couldn’t pass it up! I purchased a couple of fillets and had them in the freezer. So I grabbed one of the fillets from the
freezer and let it thaw overnight in the fridge. I had prepared Cajun Trout the last time I prepared Trout and it was delicious, so why not again tonight! To prepare it all I’ll need is; 1 Rainbow Trout Fillet, 1 teaspoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil, 1 Teaspoon Zatarain’s Creole Seasoning, and 1 Teaspoon chopped Parsley Flakes. To prepare it I preheated the broiler. Patted the fillets dry and lightly brush both sides with oil. Sprinkled both sides evenly with Cajun seasoning. Placed skin side down on broiler rack and broil 4-6 inches from heat for 4-5 minutes or until the Trout flakes easily when I tested it with a fork. You can add a Lemon Wedge with it if you like. Excellent recipe, you have the fresh taste of the Trout along with all the flavor from the Cajun Seasoning!







Then for one side I prepared some Simply Potatoes Hash Browns. Fried in Extra Virgin Olive Oil and seasoned them with Sea Salt, Ground Pepper, and Parsley. I love Hash Browns, they make the perfect side for any Fish Dish. I also reheated some Del Monte Cut Green Beans I had leftover from last night. For dessert later a Healthy Choice Dark Fudge Swirl Frozen Greek Yogurt.







Simply Potatoes Shredded Hash Browns

Simply Potatoes Shredded Hash Browns fry up perfectly to a crisp, golden brown because they’re made from quality potatoes. They’re always fresh, never frozen so you’ll never have to worry about freezer burn. Fresh, delicious potatoes mean you never have to sacrifice great homemade taste.

Ingredients:
Potatoes, Dextrose, Disodium Dihydrogen Pyrophosphate (Added to Maintain Color), Potassium Sorbate And Sodium Bisulfite (Added to Maintain Freshness).

Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 78 G
Servings Per Container 7
Amount Per Serving
Calories 70
Calories From Fat 0
% Daily Value
Total Fat 0 G 0
Saturated Fat 0 G 0
Trans Fat 0 G
Cholesterol 0 Mg 0
Sodium 55 Mg 2
Total Carboydrate 16 G 5
Dietary Fiber <2 8="" g="" p="">Sugars 0 G
Protein 1 G
http://www.simplypotatoes.com/products/productview.cfm?prid=34