Roasted Garlic Potatoes and Green Beans

Roasted Herb Potatoes and Garlic Green Beans

 

Potatoes and fresh from the garden green beans go very well together. Season them with garlic, and herbs for a great tasting side dish.

Ingredients

2 1/4 lbs. potatoes
1 1/4 Tbs. olive oil
1/2 to 3/4  Tbs. garlic powder or granulated
3/4 Tbs. Italian seasoning
3/4 Tbs. paprika
3/4 tsp. salt 
1/3 tsp. pepper
1 1/2 lbs. green beans, yellow beans, purple beans, trimmed
3/4 Tbs. olive oil
6 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°.

Wash the potatoes. You can peel the potatoes, but it is not necessary. Cut them into bite size cubes and place them in a large mixing bowl. 

Add olive oil.  Stir so that each potato cubes haves a coating of olive oil. 

Sprinkle oregano, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper over the potatoes. Mix thoroughly, so each potato has some spices on it. 

Place the potatoes on a baking sheet. Spread them out evenly.

Bake for 15 minutes, stirring them occasionally, so they do not burn.

Snap or cut the tips  off from the green beans. Cut or snap them in half or in pieces about 2 inches (ca. 5 cm) long.  Place them in the same bowl you mixed the potatoes in.

Add olive oil. Stir so the beans have a coating of olive oil. 

Stir in garlic, salt, and pepper. 

Add the beans on top of the potatoes. Mix the two together carefully because the baking sheet will be hot. 

Bake for 20 to 30 minutes or until the beans and potatoes are tender.  It is a good idea to stir them at least once or twice during the baking, so they do not stick to the baking sheet.  Season  with more salt and pepper if desired.

Fiesta Lime Chicken with Spanish Rice

Chicken breasts that are tender, juicy, and full of flavor.  You can easily make this on the grill, in the oven or on the stove top.  Served over Spanish rice and a salad on the side, and you have a complete meal.

 Ingredients

1/4 c. water
2 to 3 Tbs. lime juice
2 Tbs. soy sauce
1 Tbs. liquid smoke
1 Tbs Worcestershire
2 tsp. cumin
2 tsp. garlic powder
2 tsp. chili powder
4 chicken breasts, skin removed
2 c. cheddar cheese, shredded
1/4 c. mayonnaise
1/4 c. sour cream
2 Tbs. salsa
1 Tbs. milk
1 Tbs. cajun seasoning
1/4 tsp. parsley
1/4 tsp hot sauce
2 c.  Spanish Rice

Directions

In a glass bowl, or a large sealable bag, combine water, lime juice, soy sauce, liquid smoke, Worcestershire, cumin, garlic, and chili powder.

Add chicken breasts. Place the bowl or bag in the refrigerator.  Marinate the chicken for 60 minutes or more before cooking. Be sure to turn the chicken over at least once when close to the halfway point before cooking.

In a bowl, combine mayonnaise, sour cream, salsa, milk, cajun spice, parsley and hot sauce. Mix until smooth and creamy.  Cover with a lid or a sheet of plastic and place in the refrigerator. 

Heat the g to medium heat. Grill until the chicken is cooked through. You can also bake or pan fry the chicken if you don't want to grill. To bake the chicken, pour about 2 tablespoon cooking oil into the pan or or cast iron skillet. Add the chicken breasts. Bake the chicken at 350° for about 30 minutes.  Turn the chicken over after 15 minutes.  To fry the chicken breasts, pour 2 tablespoons cooking oil in a large skillet and heat over medium high heat. Place the chicken breasts into the skillet and cook 6 to 8 minutes until golden brown. Turn the chicken over and cook another 6 to 8 minutes or until a meat thermometer registers 165° with a when it is inserted into the thickest part of the breast. 

Drain excess grease from the baking sheet or cast iron skillet.

Spoon the mayonnaise sour cream sauce over the top of each piece of chicken. Sprinkle cheese over the top. Broil or grill until the  chee4se is melted. 

Serve over Spanish rice.

Italian Seasoning

Italian Seasoning Blend

Making your own Italian seasoning is so easy, and it uses ingredients you already have in the pantry.  By making your own, you control the ingredients and the texture of them. If you want chunks of spices in your Italian blend or if you prefer a finer consistency. 

Ingredients

1/2 to 1 Tbs. bay leaf, broken into small pieces
1 Tbs marjoram
1 Tbs. rosemary 
1 Tbs. sage
1 Tbs. thyme
1 Tbs. savory
1 Tbs.oregano
1 Tbs. basil
1 Tbs. parsley
1 Tbs. chives
1/2 Tbs. garlic powder
1/2 Tbs onion powder
1/2 to 2 tsp. red chili flakes

Directions

Place the broken bay leaves, rosemary, and thyme in a mortar and pestle.  Hold the mortar in place with one hand, while your other hand uses the pestle to push down on the ingredients and roll it against the mortar while applying firm pressure.  You can also use a blender or a spice grinder to do this task as well.  Grind or process the herbs until you have the consistency you want for your spice blend. If you want your spice mix to be fine and powdery in texture, adding all the dry spices into your food processor or spice grinder.  Simply blend them until you have the consistency you desire.

Add the bay leaves, rosemary, and thyme into a small jar that has a tight-fitting lid.  Add in the sage, savory, oregano, basil, parsley, chives, red chili flakes, garlic powder and onion powder. 

Note

If any of the spices are already powder form, you do not need to use the mortar and pestle.  

The spice blend is yours. As an example, we really don't like to eat whole pieces of rosemary because they are like little pine tree needles. So we do use a spice grinder for some of our spices.

Cool Rise Maple Pecan Ring

This maple pecan ring is a delicious treat served warm from the oven. Mix it up the day before and cook in the morning for breakfast. This is a cool rise way to do yeast rolls.  You simply mix everything up early in the day or the night before and let it rise in the refrigerator instead of a warm location. 

You can add more brown sugar and pecans to the filling if desired. I usually don't measure the ingredients on this. Instead, just sprinkle brown sugar over the surface, making sure it is covered. I also do that with the pecans. Use more or less to suit your tastes.

Ingredients

1 1/2 Tbs yeast or  2 pkg. yeast
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. hot tap water (110° to 115°)
1 c. warm milk
5 1/2 to 6 1/2 c. flour
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 c. butter or margarine
1 1/2 c. hot tap water (110° to 115°)
2 eggs
3/4 c. chopped pecans
1/3 c. brown sugar
1 tsp. maple flavoring
softened butter

Glaze

2 1/2 c. powdered sugar
1/2 tsp. maple flavoring
3 to 4 Tbs. milk

Directions

Grease 2 baking sheets.

In a large bowl, combine yeast, sugar and hot water. Place in a warm location for about 10 minutes, so the yeast can bloom and become active.

Add the warm milk, 2 cups flour, salt, and softened butter or margarine. Beat with an electric mixer for 2 minutes, scraping the bowl occasionally.

Add eggs and a 1/2 cup flour.  Beat at high speed for 2 minutes.  

Stir in additional flour to make a soft dough. Use a wooden spoon or a mixer with the dough hook attachment. If using the mixer, continue to knead the dough for 8 minutes or according to the manufacture's directions. If doing this by hand, turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface when it becomes too hard to stir it with a wooden spoon.  Knead the dough, adding more flour as necessary, until the dough is smooth and elastic. This takes between 8 and 10 minutes. 

Cover the dough with a sheet of plastic and let rest for 20 minutes.

In a small bowl, combine pecans, brown sugar and maple flavoring. Set aside.

Punch dough down and divide into 2 equal pieces.  On a lightly floured board, roll the dough out into a 16 x 8-inch rectangle. Brush the surface with softened butter. Sprinkle half of the pecan brown sugar mixture over the dough.  Starting with the long side, roll up the dough into a jellyroll. Pinch seam to seal.

Place the dough rope onto the prepared baking sheet and form into a circle. Seal edges together firmly, so it does not come apart.  With a knife or scissors, cut 2/3 of the way into the ring at one inch intervals. Do not cut the dough on the inside of the ring. Leave that intact.  Turn each section on its side. 

Repeat with the other half of the dough. Brush the rings with butter or cooking oil. Cover loosely with a sheet of plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 2 to 24 hours.

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 375°. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and carefully remove the plastic wrap. Let the dough stand at room temperature for 20 minutes. 

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until done.  Remove from the baking sheets and place on wire wracks to cool.  

In a bowl, combine powdered sugar, and maple flavoring together.  Slowly add the milk, stirring as you pour, until the glaze is the desired consistency. Pour over the maple pecan rings.   Serve and enjoy!

Marinated Garlic Steak

 

Nothing is better than a tender steak, grilled or pan fried to perfection. Steak is high prices right now, but you can still take a tough cut of meat and make it tender. 

You can add some mushrooms over the tops of the steaks and have a baked potato on the side for a complete meal.

Ingredients

1/3 c. olive oil
1/3 c. soy sauce
1/4 c. Worcestershire sauce
2 Tbs. vinegar  or red wine vinegar or lemon juice
3 Tbs. dried basil
2 Tbs. honey or brown sugar
1 1/2 Tbs. garlic powder
1 1/2 Tbs parsley flakes
1 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. dried minced garlic
2 1/2 lbs. steak meat

Directions

In a sealable bag or a glass bowl with a lid, combine olive oil, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, basil, honey, garlic powder, parsley flakes, black pepper, and minced garlic. Mix the ingredients thoroughly.

Add the steak. Turn the steak, so it is completely covered in the marinade.  Place in the refrigerator for 2 hours or overnight.  Remove the steaks at least one hour before grilling.

Start the grill.  Preheat the grill to high heat with the lid down. The temperature should be around 400°.  If you don't have a grill, you can use your stove top. Heat a heavy cast iron skillet over high heat. 

Remove the steaks from the marinade and shake off some excess marinade.  Sprinkle some salt and pepper over the steaks to taste, if desired.  

Place the steaks on the grill or in the skillet.  If you want medium-rare steaks, and your steak is 3/4 of an inch thick, grill for 4 or 5 minutes on one side.  Turn the steaks over and grill for an additional 3 to 5 minutes on the other side. If your steaks are thinner or thicker, then you would need to adjust the cooking time. See notes below.

Remove the steaks from the grill or skillet and place them on a serving platter. Cover them loosely with foil or a bowl.  Let them rest for 5 to 8 minutes before serving.

Notes. 

For medium-rare steaks, the internal temperature should be 135°. 

If you want a medium steak, grill or cook for 5 to 7 minutes, or until the internal temperature is 140°.

For a medium-well done steak, grill or cook 8 to 10 minutes, or until the internal temperature is 150°.

Coconut Cream Pie with Meringue

Homemade Coconut Cream Pie with Meringue. This is an old-fashioned treat that never goes out of style. This pie is rich and creamy. It is a recipe from my grandmother's recipe box. She used farm fresh eggs and milk they got from their cow.

Ingredients

1 (9-inch) pie crust, baked
3/4 to 1 c. sugar
5 Tbs. flour
2 1/2 c. milk (you can use whole milk, canned milk, coconut milk, half-and-half)
4 egg yolks
1 tsp. vanilla extract or coconut extract
2 Tbs. butter
1 to 1 1/2 c. sweetened shredded coconut, toasted

Meringue 

4 egg whites
1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
1/4 c. sugar
1/2 c. sweetened shredded coconut, toasted

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°.

Toast the coconut for a better flavor.  This step is optional, but worth the effort. 

Spread the coconut on a baking sheet. Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake.  Do not leave the oven unattended or the coconut will burn.  Stir it occasionally, until golden brown. This takes about 5 minutes. Set aside while you prepare the filling. 

In a heavy saucepan, combine sugar and flour together.  

Gradually stir in milk.  Cook and stir over medium-low heat until the mixture comes to a boil. Boil and stir 1 minute. Reduce heat to low.

Whisking constantly, slowly pour some hot milk mixture into the beaten egg yolks. Do not add the milk mixture all at once, or you will cook the eggs. 

Slowly pour the tempered egg yolks  back into the milk mixture, whisking constantly. Turn the heat back up to medium low and bring the mixture back up to bubbling.  Cook and stir for about 1 minute, or until the mixture becomes thick and creamy. 

Add vanilla, butter, and coconut. Stir until the butter melts and is thoroughly mixed in.  

Pour the filling into pie crust.  Set aside while you make the meringue topping.

In a large mixing bowl, beat egg whites and cream of tartar on medium speed until soft peaks form. 

Slowly beat in sugar, one tablespoon at a time. Beat on high speed until stiff peaks form and the sugar has completely dissolved. 

Spread the meringue over the top of the coconut filling. Make sure to spread the meringue completely over the top of the pie, sealing the edges to the crust. 

Sprinkle the flaked coconut over the top of the meringue. This will keep the meringue from shrinking while it bakes.

Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the meringue is golden brown.  Cool for 60 minutes.  

Refrigerate for 3 hours before serving. Or at least try to wait that long before serving.

Tomato Spicy Pork Chops

Pork chops simmered in a spicy tomato sauce and served over a bed of rice.  This is a quick and easy meal. It goes together fast. You can make it as spicy as you and your family wants them to be.

Ingredients

1 Tbs. cooking oil
4 boneless pork chops
Creole or Cajun seasoning
garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste
1 sweet pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion, chopped
1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce
1/4 c. water
2 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes, more or less to taste
olives (optional)
cooked rice

Directions

Season both sides of the pork chops with Creole or Cajun seasoning, garlic powder, salt and pepper.  In a large cast iron skillet, heat oil.  Fry the pork chops on both sides. Remove from the skillet and keep warm.

Add the sweet pepper, garlic, and onion.  Cook and stir until vegetables are tender.

Stir in tomato sauce, water, chili powder, oregano, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, red pepper flakes and olives.  Mix until well combined.

Return the pork chops to the skillet.  Bring the sauce to a boil. Cover the skillet with a lid. Turn the heat to a low simmer.  Cook for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the pork chops are tender. 

Let stand for 5 minutes. Serve pork chops on a bed of rice and pour the sauce over the top.