Category: Favorite Recipes

Posted in Favorite Recipes

Banana Chocolate Chip Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Posted on by Tony

I know. You’re probably thinking, “if this guy is so worried about his diet and health, why is he collecting such recipes?” Well, just because I want to change my habits doesn’t mean I will cease to be a cook or baker. I love baking and cooking and trying new recipes, and I always will, PERIOD!

If you liked the Chocolate Banana Cupcakes w/Cream Cheese Icing, you’re gonna love these. The frosting on this one is pretty much the same, but the chocolate chip cupcake underneath is fabulous. Let me know what you think. I found this one on Allrecipes.com (one of my all time favorite sites). If you are not a member there you should check it out. Enjoy!

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 pinch salt
1/2 cup white sugar
6 tablespoons lightly packed brown sugar
1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 egg
2 ripe bananas, mashed
1/3 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup chocolate chips, or to taste (optional)
Frosting:
1 (3 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
3 tablespoons butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups confectioners’ sugar, or more to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a muffin tin with paper liners.

Whisk flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together in a bowl.

Combine white sugar, brown sugar, and 1/4 cup butter in another bowl; beat with an electric mixer until creamy. Beat in egg. Mix in mashed bananas. Add flour mixture in 3 batches, alternating with buttermilk, stirring after each addition. Fold chocolate chips into the batter.

Spoon batter into the prepared muffin tin.

Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Cool cupcakes on a wire rack, about 30 minutes.

Beat cream cheese and 3 tablespoons butter in a bowl until smooth. Add vanilla extract. Beat in confectioners’ sugar, 1 cup at a time, until frosting is smooth.

Spread frosting over cupcakes.

☚Back To Recipes

Advertisements
Posted in Favorite Recipes

Sausage and Kale Soup

Posted on by Tony

I will be making this tonight. It is one of my favorites. I think you will like it too.

Sausage and Kale Soup:

1 lb. ground sweet Italian sausage
1 Tbsp. butter
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 medium carrot, peeled and diced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tbsp. red wine vinegar
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. dried rubbed sage
¼ to ½ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup heavy cream
½ medium head cauliflower, cut into small florets
3 cups kale, chopped
½ to 1 tsp. sea salt, or to taste
½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Heat a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add ground sausage, breaking up the meat. Cook, stirring occasionally until browned and cooked through about 5 minutes.

Using a slotted spoon, remove cooked sausage and allow to drain on a plate covered with paper towels. Discard drippings, but do not wash pan.

Melt butter over medium heat. When bubbling subsides, add onion and carrot. Cook until onion begins to brown on the edges and becomes somewhat translucent.

Stir garlic into onion and carrot mixture. Cook one minute. Add red wine vinegar and cook until syrupy, scraping up browned bits-about 1 minute.

Stir in oregano, basil, sage and red pepper flakes. Pour in stock and heavy cream. Increase heat to medium-high.

When soup reaches a simmer, add cauliflower and turn heat down to medium-low. Simmer uncovered until cauliflower is fork-tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in kale and cooked sausage. Cook 1 to 2 minutes longer, or until kale wilts and the sausage is reheated.

Season to taste with salt and pepper. The amount of salt needed may vary due to variation in brands of broth.

Posted in Favorite Recipes

Curry Chicken

Posted on by Tony

Curry chicken is a nice recipe for busy weeknights, with chicken breasts, onion, potatoes, and carrots all cooked together in one dish. Feel free to use chicken thighs instead of breasts, and to replace the curry paste with 1 1/2 – 2 tablespoons curry powder if needed.

Serves 2 – 4
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 3/4 – 1 pound chicken breasts, boneless, skinless, cut into chunks about 1 1/2 inches
  • 2 potatoes, peeled, chopped into chunks
  • 1 red onion, peeled and chopped
  • 10 baby carrots, washed, drained, cut in half
  • 2 tablespoons oil for stir-frying
  • 2 tablespoons curry paste (traditional Indian yellow curry paste is best)
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
  • Freshly ground black or white pepper, to taste
  • Ground coriander, optional

Preparation:

Heat a wok or deep-sided frying pan over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons oil to the heated wok. When the oil is hot, add the onion. Stir-fry until the onion is softened and translucent. Add the curry paste and stir-fry until fragrant. (If using curry powder instead, add a small amount of water to form a paste).

Add the chicken and stir-fry for about 5 minutes so that the chicken is browned and coated with the curry paste.

Add the carrots and potatoes. Stir for a minute and add the chicken broth, sugar, salt, and pepper. Cover and simmer over low heat for about 15 – 20 minutes, making sure the chicken is cooked.

☚Back to Recipes

Posted in Favorite Recipes

Carolina Red Rice

Posted on by Tony

I just realized I have not been posting recipes!!!

I’m still eating, right? So, I had never heard of Carolina red rice until I moved to South Carolina and began taking culinary classes. We made this one in class. I don’t know what I expected to taste, but I did not think I would like it. To my surprise this is a very tasty dish. It is considered a comfort food here in South Carolina. If you like southern cooking you should give this one a try.

Makes one hotel pan (25 Portions)

3 T. Oil (I used canola)
1 C. Medium Diced Bacon
3 C. White Converted Rice
2 C. Diced Onion
3 T. Chopped Garlic
1 C. Chopped Green Peppers
3 C Tomato Paste
1.5 Qts Chicken stock
1 T Salt
1 t Fresh Ground Black Pepper
2 C Small Diced Smoked Ham
2 C Sliced Smoked Sausage

Rondeau

In a rondo sauté (a round saucepan) the bacon in the oil until the fat is rendered.

Sauté the rice for about 5 minutes, add the onions, green peppers and garlic.

Sauté for 5 more minutes on low heat.

Add the tomato paste and half the water and mix together well.

Add the last of the water, the salt and the black pepper.

Hotel Pan

Transfer to a hotel pan and bake at 325° F for about 30 minutes, checking every 10 minutes and stirring gently whenever necessary. Gently stir in the smoked ham and sausage during the last 10 minutes of baking time.

☚Back to Recipes

Posted in Favorite Recipes

Peaches & Cream Pie

Posted on by Tony

In case you haven’t noticed from the recipes I have posted so far, I love desserts. And there is nothing I like better that peaches and cream in whatever form it may occur. Have you ever bought those Quaker Oats Variety packs of instant oatmeal. When ever I bought those for my kids I would take out the peaches and cream flavors for my self. I don’t even think they knew those flavors existed until they were teenagers.

So when I saw this recipe on AllRecipes.com I knew I had to try it. But I never did. I just hadn’t gotten around to it. Not yet anyway. I am determined to stay true to my diet this year. So, I won’t be making any desserts anytime soon. But I think you should. So here’s the recipe. You can come back and let me know how it is. Maybe I can live vicariously through your experience.

Ingredients:

3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 (3 ounce) package non-instant vanilla pudding mix
3 tablespoons butter, softened
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
1 (29 ounce) can sliced peaches, drained and syrup reserved
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon white sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease sides and bottom of a 10 inch deep-dish pie pan.

In a medium mixing bowl, mix together flour, salt, baking powder and pudding mix. Mix in butter, egg and milk. Beat for 2 minutes. Pour mixture into pie pan. Arrange the peach slices on top of the pudding mixture.

In a small mixing bowl, beat cream cheese until fluffy. Add 1/2 cup sugar and 3 tablespoons reserved peach syrup. Beat for 2 minutes. Spoon mixture over peaches to within 1 inch of pan edge. Mix together 1 tablespoon sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and sprinkle over top.

Bake in preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes, until golden brown. Chill before serving.

☚Back to Recipes

Posted in Favorite Recipes

Simple Holiday Turkey

Posted on by Tony

Where would the holidays be without the turkey? I don’t know, but, I like a turkey during the holidays. Until a couple of years ago though, I had never oven roasted a turkey. I had deep fried a few, smoked a couple, but never oven roasted. So, here is a very simple, but delicious oven roasted turkey from FoodWishes.com with Chef John. I have used this one a couple of times and it is very easy and the turkey comes out perfect every time.

Ingredients:

12-24 pound turkey
seasoning salt: salt, black pepper, and cayenne
3 tbsp butter
4 sprigs of rosemary
1/2 bunch sage leaves
1 onion, sliced
1 carrot, sliced
1 celery rib, sliced

Watch video for directions

☚Back to Recipes

Posted in Favorite Recipes, food

Ginger Snap Pumpkin Cheesecake

Posted on by Tony

We had a great Thanksgiving this year and lots of great food. The menu included two fried turkeys, a honey spiral ham, macaroni & cheese, sausage stuffing, corn, green bean casserole, and of course, desserts, which included this Ginger-Snap Pumpkin Cheesecake. I am told it was quite delicious. Of course, I tasted it my self, but, it is always good to hear feedback on a dessert you made yourself. My daughter contributed an Apple Pie, and Michele, another of our clan made the traditional Pumpkin Pie.

We had a great celebration. It’s always great to be with family on the holidays. I hope you enjoy this recipe. It’s sure to be a big hit at your next special occasion.

Ginger Snap Pumpkin Cheesecake

Ingredients:
12 ounces gingersnaps
1/2 cup pecans, finely chopped
6 tablespoons salted butter, melted
2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
Dash of kosher salt
Three 8-ounce packages cream cheese softened
One 15-ounce can pumpkin puree
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1/4 cup sour cream, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Salted Caramel Sauce:
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup heavy cream
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) salted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Whipped cream, for serving (I used canned whipped cream)
Chopped pecans, for serving

Directions:

For the pumpkin gingersnap cheesecake: In a food processor or blender, grind the gingersnaps until fine. Pour into a bowl and stir in the pecans, melted butter, brown sugar, and salt. Press into the bottom and sides of a 10-inch springform pan and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

To make the filling, beat the cream cheese in a stand mixer until soft, scraping the sides once. Mix in the pumpkin, scraping the sides once or twice. Add the eggs 1 at a time, allowing them to mix in, then add the sour cream and mix. With the mixer on low, add the granulated sugar, cinnamon, vanilla and nutmeg. Thoroughly scrape the bowl and mix to ensure everything is smooth and mixed in.

Pour the filling into the pan, smoothing the top. Set the pan on a baking sheet and bake until the filling is no longer soupy but still slightly jiggly, about 50 minutes. Turn off the oven, open the door just a hair and let the cheesecake sit in the oven for 15 more minutes. Remove from the oven and allow it to cool for 30 minutes, then cover it with plastic wrap and put it in the fridge to chill for at least 4 hours or overnight.

For the salted caramel sauce: Mix the brown sugar, heavy cream, butter, vanilla and salt in a medium saucepan over medium-low to medium heat. Cook, while whisking gently, until thickened, 5 to 7 minutes. Let cool, then refrigerate until needed. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Slice the cheesecake and top with the salted caramel sauce, whipped cream, and chopped pecans.

☚Back to Recipes

Posted in Favorite Recipes, food

Fresh Apple Cinnamon Scones

Posted on by Tony

First, the picture above is not mine. The link leads to the source of this recipe. Scones are considered a quick bread, like a biscuit. In fact, they are made same way. Before I began my Culinary studies I didn’t know what a scone was. And since I changed my diet I can’t eat them anymore, but, that doesn’t mean you can’t! These are great for breakfast with a nice cup of coffee. They’re easy to make. So let me know how you liked them.

SCONES

11-1/2 ounces King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
2-3/8 ounces granulated sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon Apple Pie Spice or ground cinnamon
4 ounces cold unsalted butter
2-3/4 ounces chopped fresh apple, in 1/2″ pieces (about half a medium apple); leave the skin on, if you like
4 ounces cinnamon chips
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 ounces applesauce, unsweetened preferred
TOPPING
3 tablespoons coarse white sparkling sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions:

  1. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and spice.
  2. Work in the butter just until the mixture is unevenly crumbly; it’s OK for some larger chunks of butter to remain unincorporated.
  3. Stir in the chopped apple and cinnamon chips.
  4. In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, vanilla, and applesauce.
  5. Add the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until all is moistened and holds together.
  6. Line a baking sheet with parchment; if you don’t have parchment, just use it without greasing it. Sprinkle a bit of flour atop the parchment or pan.
  7. Scrape the dough onto the floured parchment or pan, and divide it in half. Gently pat and round each half into a 5″ to 5 1/2″ circle about 3/4″ thick.
  8. To make the topping: Stir together the coarse sugar and cinnamon. Brush each circle with milk, and sprinkle with the topping.
  9. Using a knife or bench knife that you’ve run under cold water, slice each circle into 6 wedges.
  10. Carefully pull the wedges away from the center to separate them just a bit; there should be about 1/2 inch space between them, at their outer edges.

*For best texture and highest rise, place the pan of scones in the freezer for 30 minutes, uncovered. While the scones are chilling, preheat the oven to 425°F.

  • Bake the scones for 18 to 22 minutes, or until they’re golden brown. When you pull one away from the others, it should look baked all the way through; the edge shouldn’t look wet or unbaked.
  • Remove the scones from the oven, and cool briefly on the pan. Serve warm. When they’re completely cool, wrap in plastic and store at room temperature for up to several days.

☚Back to Recipes

Posted in Favorite Recipes, soups

Avgolemono Soup

Posted on by Tony

I realize that hot soups are not usually a summertime dish. However, summer is almost over. The nice cool fall weather is coming. And I love soup. And this one is quite tasty. This is from FoodWishes.blogspot.com, a Chef John recipe. It is pretty easy to make, and as I’ve said, pretty tasty. I hope you like it as much as I do. This is not part of the keto-diet. But when I cheat, I cheat well. Here are the ingredients below:

Ingredients:

Makes 6 Servings Avgolemono Soup:
1 whole chicken, about 3 pounds
3 quarts cold water
2 tsp salt at least, plus more to taste
1 onion, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
2 ribs celery, chopped
2 bay leaves
1/4 Tsp dried oregano leaves
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 cups finely diced onion
2/3 to 3/4 cup Arborio rice, depending on how thick you like it
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
2 large eggs
1/2 Tsp freshly ground pepper
pinch of cayenne

Directions:

1. Add Chicken, celery, 1 carrot, bay leaves, 1 onion large chop, dried oregano, and water to the pot.
2. Bring to a boil then lower heat and let simmer until the desired doneness. Remove unwanted foam from surface.
3. Sauté the 2 cups fine diced onions with olive oil until soft, sweet, and golden. Reserve until needed.
4. When the chicken is done, remove it and the vegetables from the chicken stock. Chop chicken into pieces (as big or as small as you like). Also, if you don’t want chicken pieces in the soup, cook until it falls apart in the in the stock
5. Set heat at medium-low, and add the sautéed onions to the stock.
6. Add the Arborio Rice. Let cook 30-45 minute until the rice is very, very soft.
7. Add salt to taste.
8. In the meantime squeeze 1/2 cup of lemon juice.
9. Beat the eggs and lemon juice and black pepper.
10. Once the rice is done, temper the beaten egg mixture with some of the soup liquid (2 cups). Once the egg mixture is tempered, add it back to the soup.
11. Add chicken back to the soup and cook another five minutes.
12. Serve.

☚Back to Recipes

Posted in Favorite Recipes

Double Crust Apple or Peach Pie

Posted on by Tony

Who doesn’t like Apple pie with vanilla ice cream? Even better, Peach Cobbler (pie)? I learned to make both of these at The Culinary Institute of Charleston. This is a great recipe. I couldn’t believe how well it turned out the very first time we made it in class. I know you will be pleased as well.

Ingredients:

Pie dough 2 twelve oz discs, chilled
5 oz granulated sugar
0.5 oz Tapioca starch
1 oz cornstarch
2 grams salt
1 gram ground nutmeg
1 gram ground cinnamon
.5 oz fresh lemon juice
1 oz butter, melted
24 oz Apples or peaches, peeled, cored, sliced 1/8 thick

Egg wash (1 egg, tbs water, slightly beaten) as needed.

Directions:

1) Roll both discs of dough into 1/8” thick circles. Line the bottom of a pie pan with one crust. Chill both crusts.

2) Combine the sugar, tapioca starch, cornstarch, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon, lemon juice, and melted butter and toss with the sliced fruit.

3) Fill the chilled, unbaked pie shell with the fruit mixture.

4) Egg wash the edge of pie shell. Top with a second rolled piece of pie dough(or lattice).

5) Crimp the edge to seal. Vent if not making a lattice top.

6) Egg wash the top crust or lattice.

7) Bake pie on a paper lined sheet pan at 375°F (non-convection) until the filling is bubbly and the crust is golden approximately 45 minutes.

8) Serve warm or cool to room temperature.

☚Back to Recipes