Mushroom Stroganoff

Mushroom Stroganoff

4 portabella mushrooms
8oz onion, minced
1 tsp tomato paste (substitute with ketchup if necessary)
8 oz egg noodles
3 Tbsp butter, unsalted
2 Tbsp oil
appx 187ml dry red wine (use one whole single serving bottle)
1/2 Tbsp brown sugar
1 Tbsp flour
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup broth
1/2 tsp thyme
2 tsp salt
dash of liquid smoke
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

Bring 4 quart of water to a boil. Add noodles and cook al dente (about 5 minutes, but the package usually has instructions on boiling time)
Drain noodles and place back in pot off the heat. Stir in 2 Tbsp of the butter and cover.

Slice mushrooms
Heat 1 Tbsp of oil on medium-hi in a large skillet or dutch oven pot.
Saute mushrooms and thyme for about 5 minutes until lightly brown.
Remove mushrooms from pan.
Melt the remaining 1 Tbsp of butter in skillet and saute onions, brown sugar, tomato paste, and salt until the onion is starting to brown. Add flour, cooking about a minute, then stir in wine and broth. Simmer a few minutes to thicken.
Slowly spoon in the sour cream and stir till smooth. Return the mushrooms to the pan. and allow the sauce to re-heat them.
Serve over the noodles.

Granola

This is a delicious and hearty breakfast that I like better
than store bought cereal. If you like different flavors you
can use flavored instant oatmeal mix instead of plain.

4 oz Brown Sugar
2 fl oz Water
3 fl oz Canola Oil
9 oz Rolled Oats
2 oz Wheat Germ
2 ½ oz Shredded Coconut (unsweetened)
1/2 tsp Salt
1 1/3 oz Whole Wheat Flour
1 1/3 oz Unbleached All Purpose Flour
1 1/3 oz Corn Meal
2 oz Chopped Pecans

In a microwave safe measuring cup, heat water, brown sugar and salt for about 1 minute on hi power. Add Oil and stir thoroughly.

Stir all dry ingredients in a large bowl.
Add liquid mixture and combine until there are no dry spots in the mix.

Spread mix in a thin layer on a sheet pan.

Bake at 200F for 90 minutes. During baking, toss with a spatula every 30 minutes to prevent oversized chunks from forming.

Cool and store at room temperature in an airtight container.

Cold Shrimp Pasta Salad

Cold Shrimp Pasta Salad
1 lb raw shrimp and 1 bag of shrimp/crab boil
***OR***
¾ lb precooked shrimp (shelled) and 1/8 tsp filé powder
(the shrimp can be medium to large size, but they should be big enough
not to get stuck inside the shell pasta)

12 oz small shell macaroni (uncooked)
½ cup green onions, chopped (green parts only)
½ cup celery, chopped
½ cup pimento stuffed green olives (pre-sliced)
¼ cup green olive juice
½ cup dill pickles, chopped
¼ cup dill pickle juice
1 cup mayonnaise
1/8 tsp garlic powder
Salt and pepper to taste
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If using raw shrimp, peel devein, and place in boiling water with the shrimp/crab boil bag already in it. Boil for 3 min, remove and drain.

Boil pasta al dente, then drain and rinse in colander with cold water.
Combine all ingredients and let chill overnight.

Crawfish Etoufee

Serves 4

1 batch Brown Roux(10 oz)*
8 oz Onion, chopped
4 oz Celery, chopped
4 oz Green Bell Pepper, chopped
1/2 Tbsp minced Garlic
16 fl oz Clam Juice**
1 Tbsp Lemon Juice
2 oz Butter
1 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Black Pepper
1/2 tsp Cayenne Pepper
1/2 tsp Dried Thyme
1 Bay leaf
1 Tbsp Hot Sauce
12oz Crawfish Tails*** (frozen- don't thaw them)
2 Green Onions, chopped

Melt butter in a dutch oven on medium-low.
Saute Garlic, Onion, Bell Pepper, and Celery for about 10 minutes or until they soften.
Gradually spoon in the Brown Roux into the pot and stir until vegetables are evenly coated. Slowly add the clam juice, stirring as you go.
Bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer and add lemon juice, salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, bay leaf, and thyme. Simmer about 15 minutes more to thicken it.
Add Crawfish and Hot Sauce. Simmer another 10 minutes.
Add green onions and serve over rice or quinoa.



*Make with 8oz cake flour and 4 fl oz canola oil. Click here for instructions.

**Clam Juice can be found in bottles at the store near canned tuna.

***Crawfish tails frozen in a 1 inch thick block will work fine. Its helpful to cut it into a few pieces before putting it in the pot. Make sure to get "tail only", not whole crawfish in the shell.

Vegetarian Sloppy Joe

Here's another use for the "TVP taco meat".
I wouldn't call this "real cooking" but its quick, easy and tasty.

Serves 1

1 hamburger bun
1/2 cup prepared TVP taco meat
1 Tbsp Barbecue sauce

Mix TVP and sauce. Microwave it for about 1 minute.
Spread mixture on the bun and serve.

Chile con Queso

Serves 2

8 oz Velveeta, cut in 1/2in cubes
1/4 cup Milk
2 Tbsp Salsa
2 Tbsp TVP Taco Meat
1 Green Onion, Minced

Put all ingredients in a large, unheated skillet. Place skillet on the stove and set heat for medium. Stir occasionally. When all the cheese is melted, it's ready. Serve with chips.

German Apple Pancake

This has become a new favorite of ours.

German Apple Pancake
serves 2

1/4 cup All Purpose Flour
1/2 Tbsp Sugar
1/4 tsp Salt
1 large Egg
1/3 cup Half and Half
1/2 tsp Vanilla extract
1 Tbsp unsalted butter
2 Granny Smith Apples (Large), peeled and sliced 1/4" thick
2 Tbsp Brown Sugar (packed tight)
1/8 tsp Cinnamon
1/2 tsp Lemon Juice
Powdered Sugar for garnish

Preheat oven to 500
Stir together Flour, Sugar, and Salt. In a mixing bowl, beat the egg and stir in Half & Half and Vanilla. Add dry mixture to the liquid.
Melt butter on medium-hi heat in a 8 inch, oven safe skillet.
Stir in Brown Sugar and Cinnamon. Add Apples, and cook about 10 minutes until the apples are soft and starting to brown.
Take off heat and stir in the Lemon Juice.
Pour Apples into the batter waiting in the mixing bowl. Stir them so the Apples are completely covered in the batter. Pour Apples and batter back into the skillet. Press down apples if they are sticking up. Push them in the pan for an even distribution. Put pan into the oven. Right away- reduce oven heat to 425. Bake about 18 minutes. Turn pancake over onto a plate and serve with powdered sugar.

Smoky Mac & Cheese

Smoky Mac & Cheese

This is my best attempt at imitating a dish at Jasper’s Restaurant in Plano,TX.
They add ham. I leave it out.

8 oz Bowtie Pasta
4 oz Smoked Gouda Cheese, grated
2 tbsp Olive Oil
2 oz Shallot (1 large), cut in small slices a ¼ inch wide and approximately ½ inch long.
2 tsp Garlic, minced
2 tsp Parsley, finely chopped
2 cups Vegetable Broth
3 oz Milk
½ tsp Salt

Preheat 1 tbsp of Olive Oil in a 10-in or larger skillet at med-hi (about 70% heat). If the oil smokes, it’s too hot.
Toast the Bowtie Pasta in the pan for 5 minutes, stirring constantly.
Add Vegetable Broth and raise heat till it’s boiling.
Reduce heat to simmer (about 20% heat). Cover and cook 20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes. When finished there should be a thin sheet of Broth remaining under the Pasta.

While Pasta is cooking, preheat 1 tbsp of Olive Oil in a small saucepan to med-hi (about 70% heat).
Add Garlic and Shallot. Sauté 2 minutes (or less). The Shallot should be softened but not completely limp.
Reduce heat to med-lo (20% heat). Add Milk, Cheese, and Salt. Stir frequently until Cheese has completely melted into a smooth sauce. Slightly higher heat may be used if the Cheese isn’t melting fast enough.
After the Pasta is finished cooking remove from heat, but leave it in the pan.
Stir the Parsley into the melted Cheese, then stir the Cheese into the Pasta.
Serve immediately.

Serves 4 as a side dish/appetizer
Serves 2 to 3 as a main dish.

TVP Taco Meat

TVP Taco Meat
yields about 22oz or 5 cups

2 cups dry TVP (Textured Vegetable Protein)
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 can Rotel (chopped tomatoes and chilies)
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp liquid smoke
1 TBSP chili powder
2 TBSP soy sauce
2 TBSP olive oil
1 cup dry red wine
1 TBSP vegetable broth powder
½ tsp salt

Preheat oil and liquid smoke in a Dutch oven on medium heat.
Fry the garlic and bell pepper for about 2 minutes, only until garlic lightly browned but aromatic.
Drain the Rotel, reserving the juice.
Combine Rotel juice, wine, salt, broth powder, soy sauce, and chili powder. Add water to the liquid mix until it measures 2 cups.
Pour liquid mix and Rotel into the pot, still containing the garlic and bell pepper.
Raise heat to high until liquid is boiling.
Add dry TVP, reduce heat to medium and stir constantly for about 5 minutes or until it reaches a consistency similar to cooked ground beef.

Serve on tacos, taco salad, nachos, etc…

Pico Tuna Salad

Basically, a combination of Pico de Gallo and Tuna Salad.
This is now the standard tuna salad at our house.
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15oz Albacore Tuna (drained, rinsed and chopped)
7 Tbsp Mayonnaise
1 Tbsp Dill Pickle Relish
1/4 Cup Tomato finely chopped
1/4 Cup Onion finely chopped
2 Tbsp Jalapeño finely chopped
1/4 Cup Cilantro finely chopped
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Mix it all up and chill.
Serve on sandwiches or wraps with Swiss cheese and spinach or lettuce.