Colcannon

2 pounds red potatoes, cut into chunks

3/4 cups whole milk

1 teaspoon salt

6 tablespoons Kerrygold butter, plus additional melted butter if desired

1 cup chopped onion

6 cups finely shredded green cabbage

1 cup shredded Dubliner cheese or any other white Cheddar cheese

fresh ground pepper to taste

Place potatoes in a large saucepan, cover with water and cook until tender; drain well and mash adding milk and salt. While potatoes are cooking, melt butter in a skillet. Add onion; cook 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until soft. Add cabbage; cook and stir for 5 minutes more or until soft. Stir cabbage mixture and cheese into hot potatoes and season with pepper. Mound colcannon onto serving plates (or a large bowl) and make a well in the center of each – fill with melted butter, if desired. Makes 8 servings.

 

 

Pecan Pralines

Recipe courtesy of Suzanne Corbett
1 1/2 cups dark brown sugar

1 1/2 cups white sugar

3 tablespoons honey

1 cup whole milk

1 teaspoon rum

1 1/2 cups pecans

Combine brown and white sugar, then honey and milk.

Cook over a medium heat until mixture comes to a boil.

Reduce heat and cook to a soft stage (225 degrees).

Remove candy from the heat and let stand 10 minutes.

Stir in pecans and rum.

Drop by tablespoonfuls onto wax paper.

Let pralines dry until firm. Then peel away from paper.

Makes about 3 1/2 dozen.

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Midway Corn Dogs

Recipe courtesy of Suzanne Corbett

1 quart oil for deep frying

2/3 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup yellow cornmeal

2 tablespoons white sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 egg, beaten

1 cup buttermilk

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1-pound package hot dogs (ten dogs)

And, of course, wooden sticks

Heat oil in a deep fryer to 375 degrees.

In a large bowl, stir together the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder and salt. Make a well in the center of flour mixture and pour in the egg, buttermilk, and baking soda. Mix until everything is smooth and well blended.

Pat the hot dogs dry with paper towels. Insert wooden sticks into the ends. Dip the hot dogs in the batter one at a time, shaking off the excess. Deep-fry a few at a time in the hot oil until they are as brown as you like them. Drain on paper towels. Serve with a yellow salad mustard. Makes 10 corn dogs.

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Patriotic Jello Poke Cake recipe

(Courtesy of Suzanne Corbett)
1 white cake mix

1 3-ounce package cherry or strawberry Jell-o

1 3-ounce package blueberry Jell-O

1 cup boiling water

1-cup cold water

Whipped topping

Strawberries or blueberries for garnish

Bake cake according to package directions in a 9 x 13-inch pan. Remove from oven and cool 5 minutes. Poke top of cake with a large meat fork (not a dinner fork).

Open Jell-O and pour separately into two bowls. Mix 1/2 cup boiling water with Jell-o mix in each bowl and stir until mix dissolves.  Stir a 1/2-cup of the cold water into each.   Pour each over top of cake, allowing Jell-O to run into the holes poked into the cake top.

Refrigerate for at least 3 hours. Spread top with whipped topping and decorate, if you wish with fresh strawberries and blueberries.  Serves 12.

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Kentucky Derby Food and Drink recipes are courtesy of Suzanne Corbett

Derby Day Mint Julep – The Quintessential Southern Drink.

Nothing is more refreshing than sipping on a mint julep while watching the Kentucky Derby on the first Saturday in May.

The prefect julep is traditionally served in an ice-cold sterling silver cup with  a spring of mint.

“The julep has its roots, surprisingly, in the Arab world,” said Chris Morris, Master Distiller for Woodford Reserve Bourbon and American spirits historian.

“Centuries ago, there was an Arabic drink called julab, made with water and rose petals,” said Morris. “The beverage had a delicate and refreshing scent that people thought would instantly enhance the quality of their lives.”

When the julep was introduced to the Mediterranean region, the native population replaced the rose petals with mint. The mint julep, as it was now called, grew in popularity throughout Europe. Traditionally the mint used for a Mint t Julep at the Derby  is Kentucky mint, a softer tasting mint than what most folks grow in their backyard herb gardens.

“The biggest change for the julep was the addition of American whiskey to the recipe,” said Morris. “The flavorful American whiskey perfectly complemented the mint julep. The julep was quickly transformed into a mixture of water, sugar, mint leaves, and good American whiskey.”

The juleps popularity came to rest in the agricultural regions of the east and southeast, where farmers awakened at dawn. Juleps were originally a morning drink. It was the spirited equivalent of coffee in today’s society.  Like the farmers, the horse trainers were up early and would prepare the julep first thing in the morning. Through the years, the drink started showing up at regional horse races, where the mint julep made the transition from a morning drink to a “sipping” cocktail.

Certainly, no Kentucky Derby would be complete without this venerable cocktail. Woodford Reserve Bourbon is the “Official Bourbon” of the Derby.  Mix up a batch of mint juleps and serve with a platter of Kentucky Country Ham Toasts. It will prove a winning double to serve your quests on Derby Day.

The Official Kentucky Derby Mint Julep

3-5 mint leaves

1 teaspoon Powdered Sugar

2 teaspoons Water

2 oz. Woodford Reserve Bourbon

Crushed Ice

Muddle (stir/gentle crush) four mint springs and sugar in the bottom of a julep glass. Add water, continuing to muddle contents to a paste. Add Woodford Reserve Bourbon. Pack the julep glass with crushed ice. Garnish with a mint spring for and don’t forget the sipping straw.

If a metal julep cup is used, be sure to use a wooden muddler (bottom of a wooden spoon) instead of metal spoon to eliminate the possibility of scratching your julep cup.

Country Ham Toasts

Sliced Baguettes

Country ham slices same size as baguettes (can substitute any thick cut ham slices)

Bourbon mustard

Red pepper, thinly sliced

Place ham on toast and dollop with mustard.  Garnish with red pepper slice.

Bourbon Mustard

3/4-cup stone-ground mustard

2 tablespoons honey

2 tablespoons bourbon
Combine all ingredients in a small mixing bowl and mix well.

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One of our family’s favorite resorts is the Hemlock Inn in Bryson City, NC. Here is the Hemlock Inn’s delicious Peanut Butter Pie from their book “Recipes From Our Front Porch.” (This recipe makes two pies. Which is good, because I think you’ll want a second one immediately!)

Mil’s Peanut Butter Pie

2 cups milk                                                    1/8 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup brown sugar                                      3/4 cup peanut butter

1 cup white sugar                                          1 teaspoon vanilla

5 tablespoons corn starch                               3 egg whites

1/2 cup evaporated milk                                 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

3 egg yolks                                                     2 baked pie shells

Mix milk, brown and white sugar together and bring to a boil in heavy boiler. Mix corn starch, evaporated milk and egg yolks together. Add to milk mixture and stir constantly until thick. Add salt and remove from stove.

Beat in peanut butter and vanilla until blended. Beat egg whites and cream of tartar until stiff and fold in. Pour into baked pie shells. Cool and cover with whipped topping. Yield: 2 pies.

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Lemon Curd

5 egg yolks

1 cup sugar

4 lemons, zested and juiced

1 stick butter, cut into pats and chilled

• Add enough water to a medium saucepan to come about 1-inch up the side. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat.
• Meanwhile, combine egg yolks and sugar in a medium size metal bowl and whisk until smooth, about 1 minute.
• Measure citrus juice and if needed, add enough cold water to reach 1/3 cup. Add juice and zest to egg mixture and whisk smooth.
• Once water reaches a simmer, reduce heat to low and place bowl on top of saucepan. Whisk until thickened, approximately 8 minutes, or until mixture is light yellow and coats the back of a spoon.
• Remove promptly from heat and stir in butter a piece at a time, allowing each addition to melt before adding the next.
• Remove to a clean container and cover by laying a layer of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the curd. Refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.

Courtesy of Cassy Vires of Home Wine Kitchen in Maplewood.

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Bacon Caramel and Goat Cheese filled Fillo Appetizers

Pre-heat oven to 350 F
Take mini fillo shells (in the frozen food section) and thaw.
Fill the fillo shells about 1/2 full of your favorite goat cheese.
Place about ½ of a Bacon Caramel from The Caramel House on top of the goat cheese.
Bake for about 3 minutes in the oven or until the caramel has melted.
Serve warm or at room temperature.
They are so good they will disappear faster than you can make them!

Courtesy of Janet Shulman of The Caramel House.

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Click on the link for the recipe for the 2012 Pillsbury Bake-Off winner, Pumpkin Ravioli with Salted Caramel Whipped Cream.

Suzanne Corbett was in Orlando this week for the Bake-Off. She’ll be on Food Talk STL this Saturday to talk about the experience.

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Two Nice Recipes for Springtime from Ginger Gall of Dierberg’s School of Cooking!

Mixed Greens with Oranges, Strawberries, Sweet & Spicy Pecans & Strawberry Vinaigrette

1 box (5 ounces) spring mix

1 can (11 ounces) mandarin oranges, drained

1½ cups sliced strawberries

Sweet & Spicy Pecans (recipe follows)

Feta, blue cheese, or goat cheese crumbles (optional)

Strawberry Vinaigrette (recipe follows)

Place greens on individual salad plates or large platter. Top with oranges, strawberries, pecans, and choice of cheese, if using. Drizzle vinaigrette over salad. Serve immediately.

Makes 6 servings

Sweet & Spicy Pecans

1/3 cup honey

¼ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper

1 cup pecan halves

In small bowl, combine honey and pepper. In medium skillet, combine nuts with honey mixture; cook over medium heat stirring constantly until nuts begin to brown and most liquid from honey has evaporated and coats nuts nicely. Transfer nuts from skillet onto parchment paper. Cool for 10 minutes. Refrigerate any leftover nuts.

Makes 1 cup

Strawberry Vinaigrette

½ cup canola oil

1/3 cup strawberry preserves

¼ cup champagne vinegar

¼ cup orange juice

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

½ teaspoon salt

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Combine all vinaigrette ingredients in work bowl of food processor fitted with steel knife blade; process until smooth, about 30 seconds.

Makes about 1 cup

Springfield-Style Cashew Chicken

1 to 1¼ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

½ cup flour

2 teaspoons paprika

2 teaspoons salt

¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

1 cup 40% heavy whipping cream

2 cups panko (Japanese bread crumbs)

Peanut oil for frying

¼ cup water

3 tablespoons cornstarch

2 cups chicken stock

2 to 3 tablespoons oyster sauce

3 cups hot cooked white rice

¾ cup cashews

½ cup sliced green onions

Cut chicken breasts into about 1-inch chunks; set aside. In shallow dish, combine flour, paprika, salt, and pepper; mix well. Place cream in second shallow dish and panko in third shallow dish. Dip chicken in cream, dredge in flour mixture, dip in cream a second time, and then coat with panko.

In electric or large skillet, heat about 2 inches of peanut oil to 370˚F. (Oil should be hot enough for flour to sizzle when sprinkled into oil.) Working in batches, carefully place chicken in hot oil being careful not to overcrowd skillet. Cook turning once until golden brown on both sides and internal temperature is 165˚F.  Drain well on paper towel-lined jellyroll pan and keep warm while finishing chicken. (If internal temperature of chicken has not reached 165˚F. after frying, it will be necessary to finish cooking chicken in 400˚F. oven for about 10 minutes.)

In 1-cup measure, stir cornstarch into water until dissolved. In medium saucepan over medium-high heat, bring chicken stock to a boil. Slowly stir in cornstarch mixture and cook for 1 minute or until sauce has thickened. Add oyster sauce and stir to combine.

To serve, spread cooked rice on platter. Arrange chicken evenly over rice, ladle sauce over chicken, and garnish with cashews and green onions.

Makes 4 servings

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I want this: Cornbread Bruschetta with Black Beans and Feta. Linked from the Bush’s Beans website.

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Want to prepare something Irish for St. Patrick’s Day? Click here for a Shepherd’s Pie recipe from Delish.com!

Kentucky Butter Cake (GLUTEN FREE!)

(Courtesy of Andrea’s Gluten Free in Chesterfield.)

Ingredients:

2 sticks butter, softened

2 cups sugar

4 eggs

3 cups Andrea’s Gluten Free Flour Blend

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking soda

2 tsp vanilla

1 cup buttermilk

Cream softened butter and sugar.  Add eggs and blend well.
Combine dry ingredients. Alternate adding dry ingredients and buttermilk to egg mixture.
Add Vanilla.  Pour batter into 9×13 greased pan. Bake at 325 degrees for 50-55 minutes.
While cake is baking, make butter sauce:

1/3 cup butter

3/4 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla

3 tbsp water

Combine ingredients in saucepan, and heat on stove. DO NOT allow to boil.

After cake comes out of the oven, poke cake all over with a fork, and pour butter sauce all over top of cake.  Cool.  Serve with fresh fruit and whipped cream.

(Ummm—delicious!)

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Suzanne’s Fish Fry Jacks

(from Suzanne Corbett’s cookbook Pushcarts & Stalls: The Soulard Market History Cookbook.)

4 whole, skinless jack salmons (whiting)

1 cup whole milk

one lemon, thinly sliced

1 cup white cornmeal

1/2 cup flour

salt and red pepper to taste

1 egg

1/4 cup milk

oil for frying

3/4 cup bottled (mild favored) barbecue sauce

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

Place jack salmon in a shallow dish.  Pour milk over fish, add lemon slices; cover and chill for an hour.

Mix together the cornmeal and flour and place in a shallow dish. Remove fish from milk, season with salt and red pepper; set aside.

Beat together the egg and 1/4 cup milk; dip fish in egg mixture, then roll into cornmeal mixture.

Using a deep fryer or skillet, set at 375 degrees or medium high, deep fry fish in hot oil until golden brown. This takes about 5-8 minutes.

Remove from oil, drain on paper towels. Heat together barbecue and worcestershire sauces. Serve warm red sauce with fish.

Makes 2 – 4 servings, depending on the size of the jacks.

Tips: If the oil begins to smoke it’s too hot and a sign that the oil is breaking down and will affect the flavor of the food fried. Optimum cooking temperature for fish is about 375 – 380 degrees. Small batches are easier to control while large batches can lower oil temperatures, preventing perfect frying.

Also, have on hand the right tools to place fish in and out of oil. Such as log handled tongs, slotted spoons or a fry basket. When using these tools dip them in the hot oil first before using, which will prevent food from sticking to them.

Keep fish warm by placing in a single layer on a rack placed on a baking sheet in a 275-degree oven.

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Gluten Free Monkey Bread

Click here to get the recipe for Monkey Bread made with Andrea’s Gluten Free Biscuit Dough! This is one of the most popular of the many gluten free recipes listed at AndreasGlutenFree.com.

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For your Mardi Gras celebration:

Cajun Gumbo recipe, courtesy of Suzanne Corbett

Ingredients:

One (4 – 5 pound) chicken, cut up and trimmed of excess fat

4 teaspoons mixed Creole or Cajun seasonings, divided

1/2 cup oil

one pound smoked sausage, cut into 1/2-inch slices

1/2 cup flour

2 cups chopped white onion

1 cup chopped red bell pepper

1 cup chopped green bell pepper

3 large cloves garlic, minced

8 cups water

1/2 teaspoon red pepper

1 (7-ounce box) rice, long grain or aromatic wild pecan rice

1/4 cup chopped green onion

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Directions:

Wash chicken and pat dry with paper towels.

Sprinkle with half the Creole seasoning.

Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over a medium high heat.

Add chicken and cook until browned on all sides; remove chicken and set aside.

Reduce heat to medium and add sausage to Dutch oven; cook until browned on all sides. Remove sausage and set aside.

Reduce heat to medium, then whisk in flour into pan drippings.

Cook for 5 – 10 minutes, stirring constantly, or until mixture turns dark brown.

Stir in onions and cook for 5 minutes, stirring often. Add in peppers and garlic and continue to cook for 3 – 5 minutes, or until peppers are tender.

Stir in water, red pepper and remaining Creole seasoning; mix well and bring to a boil. Add chicken and sausage and return to a boil.

Reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes. Meanwhile, cook rice according to package directions.

When Gumbo is done, season to taste with addition pepper or hot sauce. Garnish with green onion and parsley.

Stir over rice. Makes 8 servings

Cioppino

Ingredients:

3/4 cup butter

2 medium onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 bunch fresh parsley leaves, minced

2 (14.5-ounce) cans plum tomatoes undrained and chopped

2 (8-ounce) bottles clam juice

2 bay leaves

1 tablespoon dried basil leaves

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano leaves

1 1/2 cups dry white wine

12 small hard-shell clams in shell

12 mussels in shell

1 1/2 pounds raw extra-large shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 1/2 pounds bay scallops

1 1/2 pounds white fish fillets, cut into bite-size chunks

1 1/2 cups flaked Dungeness crab meat

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Directions:

In a large soup pot or cast-iron Dutch oven over medium-low heat, melt butter; add onions, garlic, and parsley. Cook slowly, stirring occasionally, until onions are softened. Add tomatoes, clam juice, bay leaves, basil, thyme, oregano, and red or white wine; bring just to a boil, then reduce heat to low; cover, and simmer approximately 45 minutes to 1 hour. If sauce becomes too thick, thin with additional wine or water.

Scrub clams and mussels with a small stiff brush under cold running water; remove beards from mussels. Discard any open clams or mussels. Cover with cold salted water; let stand 5 minutes and then pour off the salted water.

Gently stir in the clams, mussels, shrimp, scallops, fish fillets, and crab meat to the prepared stock. Cover and simmer 5 to 7 minutes until clams pop open and shrimp are opaque when cut. NOTE: Do not overcook the seafood (the seafood continues to cook after it is removed from the pan). Remove bay leaves; season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat and ladle broth and seafood into large soup bowls and serve.

Makes 8 to 10 servings. Recipe can be cut in half.

New England Clam Chowder

4 cups diced potatoes (Yukon gold or white baking potatoes)

1 1/2 cups diced onions

1 bay leaf

2 cups water

salt and pepper to taste

1/4 pound thick-sliced smoked flavored bacon, chopped

1/4 cup butter

1/4 cup flour

3  cans clams

2 cups cream

1 cup whole milk

Tabasco to taste

chopped chives for garnish

Directions:

Place potatoes, onions, bay leaf and water into a large saucepan. Drain canned clams juice from clams into potato mixture. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and cook until potatoes are tender. Season with salt and pepper. Remove bay leaf and process mixture until smooth. . Return to stockpot, set aside. Fry bacon until crisp. Remove and add to potato mixture. Add butter to bacon drippings and whisk in flour Stir into potato mixture. Add clams and cream and milk. Cook over a medium heat until thicken. Season with salt, pepper,Tabasco to taste and reserved bacon. Sprinkle with chopped chives to garnish.

Makes 6 – 8 servings