Food & Wine Chickie Insider

Berry Cobbler

This is one easy and delicious dessert that anyone can make at the last minute using frozen mixed berries.  Obviously, don’t skip the vanilla bean ice cream.

Filling Ingredients:

• 1 pint (2 1/2 cups) mixed berries (blackberries, blueberries and raspberries are ideal)
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 tbs lemon juice
• 1 tbs cornstarch

Crust Ingredients:

• 1 cup flour
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3 tbs cold butter, cut into small pieces
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375F.  Coat 1-quart baking dish with cooking spray or softened butter.
2. Combine berries, 1/3 cup sugar, lemon juice and cornstarch in a small bowl.  Spoon into the prepared dish.
3. Stir together the flour, 2 tbs sugar, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl.  Cut in the butter with a pastry cutter, or two knives, until mixture resembles coarse meal.
4. Whisk together milk and egg.  Stir egg mixture into the flour mixture until just blended – do not overmix.
5. Drop batter by tablespoonfuls over the berry mixture.
6. Mix cinnamon and remaining 2 tbs sugar in a small bowl.  Sprinkle sugar mixture over the batter.
7. Bake for 40 minutes.

Makes 6 servings.

Meatloaf 101

I’ve used this meatloaf recipe by Martha Stewart for many years and always have great results.  Don’t omit the carrots!

Ingredients

• 4 slices white bread, torn into pieces
• 1 3/4 pounds ground beef
• 3/4 pound ground pork
• 1 medium yellow onion, peeled and cut into eighths
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 stalks celery, cut into 2-inch pieces
• 2 carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
• 1/2 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1 large egg
• 3/4 cup ketchup
• 4 teaspoons dry mustard
• 1 tablespoon coarse salt
• 2 teaspoons freshly ground pepper
• 2 tablespoons packed light-brown sugar

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In the bowl of a food processor, pulse bread until fine crumbs form. Transfer to a medium bowl; add ground beef and ground pork.
2. Place onion, garlic, celery, carrots, and parsley in food processor; pulse until finely chopped. Add to beef mixture; combine using your hands. Add egg, 1/2 cup ketchup, 2 teaspoons dry mustard, salt, and pepper; combine thoroughly, using your hands. Place in an 8 1/2-by-4 1/2-by-2 1/2-inch loaf pan.
3. In a small bowl, combine the remaining 1/4 cup ketchup and 2 teaspoons dry mustard, and the brown sugar; stir until smooth.
4. Brush mixture over top of the meatloaf. Place the pan on a baking sheet to catch drippings, and transfer to oven. Bake until a meat thermometer inserted in the center reaches 160 degrees, about 1 1/2 hours. (If the top of the meatloaf gets too dark, cover with foil and continue baking.) Let meatloaf stand 15 minutes before slicing.

Serves 8 to 10

From The Martha Stewart Show, July/August 2000

Smashed Potatoes - Final Product

These pan-fried new potatoes are so quick and easy to make that you can served them any night of the week.  This recipe works well with leftover potatoes that have been refrigerated.

Ingredients:

• 8 small red-skinned new potatoes, boiled until just tender – about 10 minutes
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 tsp fresh parsley, chopped

Directions:

1. Placed a cooled potato on a piece of paper towel.
   

   Smashed Potatoes - Step 1

2. Fold a second piece of paper towel over the potato.  Press down on the potato with the palm of your hand, causing the potato to flattened slightly.
   

   Smashed Potatoes - Step 2A

   

   Smashed Potatoes - Step 2B

3. Add oil and butter to a large, non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat.  Place smashed potatoes in the pan in a single layer and pan-fry for 4 minutes on each side.
   

   Smashed Potatoes - Step 4

4. Add parsley and serve.

2 Servings.

• 1-2 lb. beef chuck underblade roast
• 1 pkg. Lipton onion soup mix ( dry )
• 3 carrots halved and cut into 3 sections
• 6 potatoes cut into chunks
• 1 jar pearl onions not marinated
• 2 stalks celery cut into 3 sections
• salt & pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 275 F.  Place roast in a 9”x13”x2” pan.  Sprinkle onion soup mix over the roast, rubbing the mix into the meat.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Cover pan with aluminum foil and bake for 4 hours.  After the 4 hours, uncover roast and add all vegetables.  Recover with foil and bake another 2 hours.

3-4 Servings.

• 8 pieces bone-in chicken
• salt and pepper to taste
• ¼ cup oil
• 12 ounces andouille sausage cut into ½-inch-thick slices
• 1 ½ cups chopped onions
• 1 tsp. plus 1 tbs. paprika
• ¾ celery
• ¾ cup chopped green bell peppers
• ½ tbs. chopped garlic
• 1-11.5 ounce can tomato juice (1 ½ cups)
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 tsp. all-purpose table seasonings
• 1 ½ cups rice
• ½ cups scallions

Season chicken with salt & pepper.  Heat oil in a large skillet over high heat.  Add chicken and brown on all sides.  Add sausage and cook until browned. Remove chicken and sausage from pot; set aside.

Reduce heat to medium-high, add 1 tsp. paprika, onions, celery, peppers, and garlic; sauté 3-5 minutes.  Return chicken and sausage to pot.  Add tomato juice, chicken broth, 1 tbs. paprika and seasoning blend.  Bring mixture to a boil.  Add rice and stir as  best you can to distribute evenly.  Return to boil, cover, reduce heat to simmer 10 minutes.  Remove cover and stir so that you turn rice from top to bottom.  Cover and continue simmering 15 minutes.  Add scallions and serve.

8 Servings.

Beef Chili for a Crowd

This simple and delicious chili recipe makes enough to feed an army…or at least 15 of your friends at your next party.

• 5 lb. ground beef
• 1 large onion diced
• 2 Tbs. chopped garlic
• 4 – 28 ounce cans whole tomatoes, hand-crushed
• small can kidney beans
• 2 packages Shelby’s Chili Mix, spice packets only
• 1/3 cup chili powder
• 2 ounces Worcestershire sauce

Sauté onion, and garlic on high heat for 5 minutes.  Add beef and cook until cooked through and no longer pink, about 8 minutes.  Add Worcestershire sauce.  Sauté until completely gray in color.  Add spices and blend well.  Add beans and tomatoes.  Cook on low heat for 1-2 hours.

15 Servings.

• 2 packages Knorr tomato basil soup
• 3 cups flour
• salt
• 2 packages Goodseason Italian dressing
• 1 Tbs. Paprika
• 3 Lbs. Chicken pieces

Put all ingredients in a plastic bag and shake well.  Immerse chicken in mixture and bake in a 350 F. oven for 40 minutes.

4 Servings.

• 1-  6-ounce can fancy lump crabmeat
• 1 cup (4 ounces) Muenster cheese
• 4 Tbs. green onion, chopped
• 2 Tbs. mayonnaise
• 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 2 English muffins, split

Combine crabmeat, 1/2 cup cheese, 3 Tbs. green onions, mayonnaise, and Worcestershire sauce in medium bowl; blend.  Season with pepper.  Preheat broiler.  Arrange muffins split side up on baking sheet.  Broil until starting to color, about 1 minute.  Mount 1/4 of the crabmeat mixture on each muffin half.  Top with remaining cheese and green onions.  Broil until filling is heated and cheese melts, about 2 minutes.

4 Servings.

• 1 beef chuck roast (3 pounds), trimmed
• 2 cups water
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1 tsp. rosemary
• 1 tsp. thyme
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 bay leaf
• 4 whole peppercorn
• 8 French rolls, split

Place roast in slow cooker.  Add water, soy sauce and seasonings.  Cover and cook on high for 5-6 hours or until beef is tender.  Remove meat from broth; shred with fork and keep warm.  Strain broth; skim off fat.  Pour broth into small cups for dipping.  Serve beef on rolls.

Serves 8.

• 1 pound dried navy or kidney beans
• 3 pounds brisket of beef
• 1 onion, sliced
• 1 tbs. prepared mustard
• 1 tbs. salt
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• ¼ cup molasses

Wash beans and pick over, discarding stones.  Place in bowl and cover with cold water.  Let soak overnight.

Next morning, drain beans and place in saucepan.  Cover with fresh water.  Heat slowly and cook just below boiling point until skins burst, about 30 minutes.

When done, drain beans and place them in large 6-quart casserole with lid.  Add brisket of beef and onions.

Mix mustard, salt, brown sugar, molasses, and 2 cups boiling water and pour over beans and brisket.  Cover and bake at 225 degrees for 8 hours, uncovering casserole last hour to brown.

6-8 Servings.