Kansas City Sue's Chicken

Ingredients

• 4-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 2 tablespoons butter or olive oil
• 1/4 cup ketchup
• 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1 cup low-sodium beef broth

Directions

1. In a large skillet, heat the butter/olive oil. Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper and cook them for 1-2 minutes on each side, until nicely browned but not cooked all the way through. Remove the chicken to the slow cooker. In a large bowl, combine all the other ingredients. Whisk well. Pour the sauce over the chicken.
2. Cover the crockpot and cook on low for 6 hours. Serve with rice or noodles.

 

*Courtesy of:  http://www.melskitchencafe.com/2010/09/kansas-city-sues-chicken-slow-cooker.html

Impossibly Easy Coconut Pie

INGREDIENTS1 stick unsalted butter, melted, plus more for greasing
1 3/4 cups sugar
4 large eggs
1/2 cup self-rising flour
2 cups sweetened shredded coconut
2 cups milk

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat the oven to 350° and butter two 9-inch glass pie plates.
2. In a large bowl, whisk the melted butter with the sugar. Add the eggs and beat until smooth. Stir in the flour, coconut and milk. Divide the mixture between the pie plates and bake in the lower third of the oven for about 1 hour, until the pies are firm to the touch and golden. Transfer the pies to a rack and cool completely before serving.

Make Ahead The pies can be refrigerated overnight. Return them to room temperature before serving.

*Courtesy of:  http://shine.yahoo.com/shine-food/impossibly-easy-coconut-pie-143800186.html

Vanilla Bean Lemonade

ingredients

• 1 cup fresh lemon juice
• 3/4 cup Simple Syrup, recipe follows
• 2 tablespoons vanilla bean paste
• 8 cups (2 quarts) cold sparkling water

• Crushed ice
• Fresh basil or mint leaves, for garnish
• Lemon slices, for garnish

SIMPLE SYRUP:

• 3/4 cup sugar

• 3/4 cup water

 

 

Directions

Whisk together the lemon juice, Simple Syrup and vanilla bean paste in a large pitcher. If not serving immediately, refrigerate the pitcher.

To serve, add the sparkling water to the pitcher and stir to combine. Pour the lemonade into individual glasses of crushed ice. Garnish with a sprig of fresh basil or mint and a lemon slice.

In a small saucepan bring the sugar and water to a boil over medium heat, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Remove from the heat and cool.

 

*Courtesy of:  http://www.cookingchanneltv.com/recipes/kelsey-nixon/vanilla-bean-lemonade.html

Carne en su Jugo (Meat in its own Juices)

Ingredients:

1 can of black beans                                                                                               

1 medium onion                                                 

1 fat bunch of cilantro                                                                                               

4 cloves of garlic                                                                                               

8 medium tomatillos                                             

5 slices of bacon (fat removed)                                                                                              

2 lbs of top round beef steak (I used 2 sirloin steaks)                                                                                              

water                                                                                               

salt and pepper

Avocado and hot sauce (optional)

Directions:

Finely chop onion and garlic, set aside.

Finely chop cilantro including stems and set aside. Leave some for garnish.

Slice beef in small and thin slices, the thinner the better - this is very important so beef is tender.

Chop bacon into very small pieces and cook in a skillet on medium high until almost crunchy.

Add beef, half of the onions, half of the cilantro, half of the garlic and salt and pepper to taste and brown for about 3 more minutes and move to a large sauce pan or dutch oven.

In a blender add tomatillos, the rest of the onion, garlic and salt and enough water to just cover mix until liquid.

Add the blender mix to the beef and 4 spoonfuls of the beans.  Salt and pepper to taste.

Bring to a boil on  medium high then simmer on  medium for 30 minutes.

To serve add 2 spoons of the remaining beans on top of each plate.  Garnish with cilantro, avocado and hot sauce, if desired.

*Courtesy of:  http://www.grouprecipes.com/50867/carne-en-su-jugo-meet-in-its-own-juice.html#

Beet Salad with Crispy Goat Cheese

ingredients

FOR THE BEET SALAD:

• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1 teaspoon honey or agave
• 1/3 cup high-quality extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon
• 2 pounds roasted baby beets, quartered
• 1/2 cup toasted almonds, coarsely chopped
• Kosher salt and ground black pepper

FOR THE CRISPY GOAT CHEESE:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup panko bread crumbs
• 1 (10-ounce) log goat cheese, sliced into 1/2-inch discs, chilled
• Canola oil, as needed
• Kosher salt and ground black pepper

 

 

Directions

For the beet salad: In a medium bowl whisk together the mustard, lemon juice, honey and olive oil until emulsified. Stir in the tarragon, beets and almonds and season as needed with salt and pepper. Let the salad marinate at room temperature for 10 minutes.For the crispy goat cheese: Set up three shallow bowls on a work surface: one with the flour; one with the eggs, beaten lightly with 1 tablespoon of flour added; one with the bread crumbs. Dredge the chilled goat cheese rounds first in the flour, then in the egg paste, and finally in the bread crumbs. Set aside.Place a large skillet over medium-high heat with just enough oil to cover the bottom by about 1/8 inch. Once the oil is hot, fry off the goat cheese rounds until deep golden brown, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes per side. Transfer the crispy rounds to a paper-towel-lined plate, sprinkle them with salt and pepper and allow them to drain briefly.Serve the beet salad topped with the warm crispy goat cheese rounds.

*Courtesy of:  http://www.cookingchanneltv.com/recipes/dinner-rush-beet-salad-with-crispy-goat-cheese.html

Apple Bread Pudding with Caramel Dessert Sauce

ingredients

• Nonstick cooking spray or butter, for greasing
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 2 cups whole milk
• 3/4 cup light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract9 large egg yolks
• 3 1/2 cups Granny Smith apples, peeled and chopped
• 3/4 cup pecans, chopped and toasted
• 1 medium loaf challah bread (preferably stale), cut or torn into 1-inch pieces (about 10 cups)
• Caramel Dessert Sauce, recipe follows
• Vanilla ice cream, for serving

CARAMEL DESSERT SAUCE:

• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1 tablespoon light corn syrup

• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Pinch salt

 

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9 by 13-inch baking dish with cooking spray or butter.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the heavy cream, whole milk, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, vanilla and egg yolks and set aside.

Add the cubed apples, pecans and cubed bread to the prepared baking dish and toss to combine. Pour the custard over the bread and apple pieces. Carefully toss to coat, making sure that the cubed bread is submerged in the custard, and let stand to allow the bread to soak up the custard, 10 to 15 minutes.

Bake until the center has set, about 45 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes. Drizzle Caramel Dessert Sauce over the bread pudding. Serve with extra sauce and vanilla ice cream.

In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the sugar, butter, buttermilk and corn syrup. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and slowly add the baking soda (it will foam up), followed by the vanilla and cinnamon. The sauce will thicken as it cools. Serve warm.

 

Marcella Hazan's Tomato Sauce with Onion and Butter

Ingredients:

1 large can San Marzano tomatoes
5 TBSP butter
1 medium onion, peeled and cut in half
Salt to taste
1/2 pound egg noodles (or pasta of your choice)
Freshly grated parmesan or parmiagano reggiano cheese

Simmer tomatoes, butter, onion and salt on low for 45.  Use the back of a spoon to break tomatoes down.  Serve over noodles with freshly grated parmesan or parmiagano reggiano cheese.