Louisiana Red Beans and Rice

I can’t think or hear the words “Red beans and Rice “ without thinking of that Sir-Mix-A-Lot hit song from the 90’s [I Like Big Butts], and how, “red beans and rice did miss her”.
Now the song is in your head isn’t it?
You are welcome.
*I made this 3 or 4 times with varying results and decided to go with the method and the sausage that gave me the tastiest results, the most like the red beans and rice we had and enjoyed so much when visiting NOLA last Fall and again this Spring, for this recipe.*

*Cooks note*: I used ham hocks a couple of times, but they mostly just made everything REALLY greasy, so if you want the ham flavor, but not the fat, just add a bit of deli ham [maybe 1/4 lb sliced whatever thickness speaks to you] - the most recent time that tasted the most like the num-num-nummy stuff we had in NOLA, was made without a ham hock at all.

INGREDIENTS:
4-6 servings

3 cans kidney or red beans, drained
2 or 3 cups water [start with 2 and add more if 2 hours into cook time, things are thickening up too much]
1/3 pound cajun sausage, sliced into rounds- or big 3 inch links depending how you like your sausage- I tried Andouille the first time I made this, but preferred just basic "Cajun" sausage I found at Public's [ and Walmart-*GASP!*]-- it tasted more like what I actually had in New Orleans]
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1TBSP Cajun seasoning [ http://tierneytavern.blogspot.com/2021/08/homemade-cajun-spice-seasoning-mix.html?m=1 ]
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp ground sage
3 cups cooked rice
2 or 3 green onions for garnish, if desired*

DIRECTIONS:

1. Place the beans and water into a large pot with lid for stovetop cooking. I added all of the ingredients into the pot at one time and cooked them together for 3 hours [the first hour on medium heat, the next 2 on medium low heat, stirring every 30 minutes or so to be sure nothing sticks to the bottom of the pot.
If the bean mixture seems too watery,  set heat to medium HIGH to cook until they reach a creamy texture.

3. Garnish with thinly sliced green onions, served over hot rice and with some crusty French bread

Country Ham and Cheese Cornbread Casserole

1 8.5-ounce box corn-muffin mix (Jiffy)
1 16-ounce can corn, drained (or 1-1/2 cups frozen corn, thawed)
3/4 cup milk
2 cups Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese
4 TBSP melted butter
1 tsp onion powder , or 2 TB dried onion flakes [1 small onion , diced , but if using fresh onion, saute until soft, before adding]
1.5 cups ham, diced small
1 cup sour cream [I used reduced fat]- **Nonfat Greek Yogurt works great too!**
3 eggs, beaten

Heat oven to 350 degrees.
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and pour into a 9 x 11 inch baking dish that has been sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Bake for 45-50 minutes, until lightly browned and knife inserted in center comes out with no color on it [** it will likely look wet because this dish is quite moist and wonderful, as long as that wet is CLEAR then the eggs are done cooking] .

***Please keep in mind differing baking dish sizes will cause the bake time to differ. Start checking for doneness at 40 minutes and adjust accordingly.***

Chinese Lion's Head Meatball Soup

Servings: 4-6

INGREDIENTS:
Meatballs:
1 pound ground pork or ground turkey
1 egg
1/2 cup bread crumbs [or Panko]
1 TBSP sesame oil
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger root [1 tsp ground ginger powder]
2 green onions, chopped

1 tsp garlic powder
1 TBSP low sodium soy sauce

1/8 tsp black pepper

Soup:
1 head napa cabbage, cored and cut into chunks
5 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons sesame oil
2 clove garlic, crushed
1 green onion, chopped
Optional add-ins I highly recommend: 2 sliced or grated carrots, and 1.5 cups broccoli florets

DIRECTIONS:
1.
Mix the ground pork, egg, bread crumbs, 2 teaspoons of sesame oil, ginger, 1 TB soy sauce, salt, and half of the chopped green onions together in a bowl. Use your hands to mix until the ingredients are evenly distributed. Set aside.
2.
Put chicken broth and soy sauce in large pot, bring to a boil, then lower the heat to medium.
3.
Use a spoon to form the meat mixture into 1 inch balls. Drop them into the boiling soup. When the last ball has been added, cover with a lid and simmer for 10 minutes.
4. Add bok choy or cabbage, additional 1 or 2 thinly sliced green onions, crushed garlic, [carrots and broccoli] and a bit more soy sauce — DON'T SKIP THE SESAME OIL, this is key to the flavor. Simmer for 10 more minutes.

The meat filling and broth would also be good for wonton soup!

**Serve over rice, or with noodles** [or not, up to you!]

Asian Meatballs with Bok Choy

serves 6-8

*This makes a gumbo type stew.*

My sister in law, Cele, introduced my husband and I to this dish recently, and IT. IS. AWESOME!

For Stir fry:

1 bunch bok choy, well rinsed and patted dry, then sliced in 1 inch pieces

2 carrots medium size, cut thin on the diagonal

1/2 head of savoy cabbage, sliced into strips

2 cloves garlic, mashed 

1 tsp fresh minced, or 1/2 tsp ground— ginger 

1/4 cup soy sauce

1 medium onion, diced or sliced thin

celery 2 stalks, cut on the diagonal

 Broccoli—1 fresh crown, or 2 cups frozen florets

green onions and sesame seeds for garnish

optional veggies: mushrooms, water chestnut, bamboo shoots, green beans...the possibilities are endless. 

for the sauce: 

1.5 cups chicken stock [or 1.5 cups water and 1.5 tsp chicken bouillon granules]

2 TB corn starch

1/4 cup Soy sauce

1 tsp rice wine vinegar 

1 tsp dry sherry [or any dry wine will work fine]

1TBSP toasted Sesame oil 

1 tsp white sugar

1/2 tsp powdered ginger 

1 tsp garlic powder

*optional*: 2 tsp sirachi or asian chili sauce [or 1/4-1/2 tsp red pepper flakes]

mix all ingredients well with a whisk-- adding the corn starch last while whisking. 

for the meatballs: 

in large mixing bowl mix: 

1 pound ground turkey, or grass fed beef, or pork

1/2 cup regular fine bread crumbs

1 egg

1 TB soy sauce

1/4 cup finely chopped green onions

2 cloves garlic, minced [1 tsp powdered]

1/2 tsp ground black pepper

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1 TBSP. sesame oil

**I also add 1 cup —finely chopped— cole slaw— or just cabbage)

mix well and form into meatballs about 1.5-2" in diameter 

**Cooking the meatballs:

1. in a hurry?—Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil over high heat in a wok or large skillet. Add meatballs and cook, turning, until lightly browned and just cooked through, about 8 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon or spatula and set aside.

~ OR~

2. have a few more minutes? BAKE them: line large baking pan with parchment paper [or aluminum foil sprayed with cooking spray]

Bake at 400 degree-- for 20-25 minutes.

(These will also go into the pot with the sauce and veggies to simmer, so any residual cooking can be completed then) 

Now onto more veggies!

In a large deep dish skillet or wok, heat 2 TB. of veg oil. add add onions. Season with pinches of salt, pepper and sugar. Cook until just barely translucent. Add garlic, carrots, broccoli, and celery; cook about 1 minute. Add bok choy and stir-fry about 2 minutes [ until bright green]. 

Add the sauce and meatballs and simmer for about 5 minutes on low heat. 

* OPTIONS! OPTIONS!* Serve over quinoa, jasmine rice, brown rice, or egg noodles [cooked according to package directions] 

Garnish with chopped green onion and sesame seeds 

Succulent Baked Ham with Brown Sugar Glaze

My Aunt Christina always makes the most SUCCULENT hams I have ever, EVER tasted. This Thanksgiving she gave me her recipe. Now I am sharing it with you. You're welcome in advance, because, trust me, once you've tried this—you WILL thank me.

1 (10-pound) cured ham, not pre-sliced
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/2 tsp ground mustard
1/4 cup white vinegar

Directions:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees
In a roasting pan, place ham cut side down onto a sheet of aluminum foil. Score the skin fat making a diamond pattern and bake, covered tightly with foil, for 10 minutes per pound.

In a small bowl combine brown sugar, ground mustard and white vinegar.
**15 minutes before end of bake time spread glaze evenly over ham and bake uncovered for remaining 15 minutes.Transfer ham to a platter and let stand 15 minutes before carving.

**Optional:
Pin orange or pineapple slices to outer surface with toothpicks.

Ham Salad

Sadly, I am the only person in my family who will eat this. Silly young souls don't know what they are missing since they won't even TRY it. I don't get that at all, as I have adored ham salad sandwiches since I was their age. But I digress...
Just means more for me, which is awesome because I LOVE this stuff on sandwiches! I'm talking 2+ inch thick sandwiches full of this goodness horked down in seconds kind of love them! Honestly, I have to just stand in the kitchen and eat mine rather than bring it to the table because the wolfish, fiendish way in which I devour them would quite possibly alarm and/or traumatize my impressionable wee ones.
It's not pretty, but, dude, They. Are. Good.
This is one of those things that I will NEVER eat from a deli or a store. It REALLY has to be fresh from my own [or my mother's] kitchen for me to trust it. I mean, have you seen that disgusting pink mush they slap between two slices of bread and call ham salad? *shudder*, *shudder*

Ham Salad for Sandwiches

Ground or finely chopped cooked ham- 3 cups [I sometimes use thin sliced deli ham and just chop it super fine]
Celery- 1 cup chopped - [I go with about 4 ribs because I like it super crunchy]
Prepared yellow mustard- 1-2 TB [depending how much you like your mustard. Start with 1 and add to personal taste]
Reduced fat Mayonnaise- 1/2- 3/4 cup
Sweet relish- 3 TB or more [Adjust amount according to saltiness of the ham, really helps to tone that down]
1 teaspoon grated onion, or 1/8 tsp onion powder--**optional**

Directions

Mix all the ingredients until well blended.
Spread on sliced bread of choice to make a sandwich, or serve with crackers.

Pork Chops in Onion Gravy

These are so tender they practically melt in your mouth.

You can simmer these bad boys for upwards of two hours on low, they just get more tender the longer the cook.

• 4 boneless or regular bone-in pork chops ( about 1/2-1  inch thick)

• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

• 1/2 teaspoon chicken bouillon granules

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 1 small onion, sliced and separated into rings

• 2 heaping TB flour

• water enough to *just* cover pork chops

Directions

• In medium saucepan, or a large skillet with lid, lay pork chops around  as flat as they will all comfortably fit. Cover with just enough water to submerge. Add salt, pepper, bouillon and sliced onion. Simmer covered for 30 minutes to 1 hour [if your pork chops were frozen like mine were, definitely plan on 1 hour] .

• about 10 minutes to serve time, in small separate dish put 1/2 cup of water and 2 heaping tablespoons of flour. Whisk until smooth.

• Remove pork to plate. Turn up heat to medium and then add flour mixture slowly to pan with onion gravy, stirring constantly as you do until desired thickness. 

• Add pork chops back into gravy. Cook an additional 10 minutes covered. Serve. 

My family LOVES these with macaroni and cheese and a side of broccoli. Also great with a side of mashed potatoes with a dollop of the gravy on top! Or, over rice, but I don’t really do much rice outside of jambalaya.

Yield: 4 servings

**If I’m in a hurry, I use a generous Tablespoon of dried onion flakes or 2 tsp onion powder instead of fresh onion.**

Baked Asian Pot Stickers [a.k.a. Dumplings]

**Make sure you have PLENTY of time to make these puppies [allow at least an hour before they even START to cook!]— they aren't for a night when you are pressed for time that's for certain!**

*Makes about 40 Dumplings*
2 cups [half head] napa cabbage, sliced finely

1 lb browned ground meat: chicken, turkey, pork or beef [ I went with half turkey/ half beef] 

3 green onions, diced

1 clove of garlic, minced

1 cup shredded carrot

1 TB soy sauce
1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp sesame oil

Pot sticker [wonton] wraps

Vegetable  or canola oil (for cooking)

• Cook meat, drain grease and add: cabbage, green onions, garlic, carrots, soy sauce, sesame oil. Stir until thoroughly combined and cook on Medium for about 5-8 minutes [until cabbage and carrot is soft and wilty], stirring occasionally.
• Spread out the pot sticker wraps and scoop a heaping teaspoon of filling onto the center of each wrap. 
• Wet the entire outer edge of each pot sticker wrap with finger tips
• To fold the pot sticker: Bring corners up together and press seams together.
• Really make sure they are sealed, so the filling doesn't fall out.

**I've tried recipes that pan fry the steam and one that suggested boiling. Both met with less than stellar results. I liked the baking or steaming with an asian bamboo steaming basket methods best. 
*Next time I will mist dumplings with a spray bottle before baking to give them more of the traditional soft texture.

1.  Line baking pan with foil and spray with non-stick cooking spray [or use parchment paper.] Bake the pot stickers at 425 degrees for 8 minutes. Come out perfectly crispy outside with the piping hot filling juicy on the inside. * I fit about 20 pot stickers on a baking sheet*

**P.F. Chang's Mongolian Dipping Sauce**

1 tsp Extra light olive oil

½ tspn ginger powder

1 TB minced garlic 

½ cup soy sauce 

½ cup water 

1/4 cup dark brown sugar

2 large green onions 

Make the sauce by heating everything together to a boil, then reduce to simmer for 3-5 minutes. Remove from the heat. 

Bamboo Steamer directions: 

Lay a single layer of lettuce leaves along the bottom, leaving a bit of space in between, set dumplings on  lettuce. Perfect! Steam for about 12-15 minutes.

Favorite Meatloaf I grew up on

Favorite Meatloaf I grew up on

1 lb ground beef or bison

 8 oz. tomato sauce

1 tsp salt

1 tsp spicy mustard

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp black pepper

3/4 cup oatmeal

1/4 cup milk

1/2 cup finely chopped onion [or 1 tablespoon dried minced, or 1 tsp onion powder]

1 egg

2 tsp Worcestershire 

Mix everything together in a medium bowl. Smoosh it all together with your hands. Go ahead, put them in there and squish, squish, squish some more!  You know you want to!! Then dump it into the greased pan and  pat-a-cake a nice little loaf lump out of it about 2 inches thick.

Bake in greased 9 inch pan, 400 degrees for 1 hr

My mom used to make a tasty gravy from the drippings by mixing together about 2 TB flour with about 1/2-1 cup water--depending on the amount of drippings and amount of gravy desired— and adding it slowly to the drippings while using whisk. Let simmer a few minutes until thickened. Salt and pepper to taste,  or add a bit of beef bouillon to fill out the flavor a bit if there are limited drippings.

 I never really have any drippings in the pan, so maybe it depends on the meat I use— [which is usually ground turkey in lieu of pork, and 96% lean ground chuck.] 
I really miss the gravy, maybe I need to stick with the original recipe next time I make it...

Hearty Ham and Bean Soup

This was my first time making this, and I mixed and matched parts of about 5 different recipes to come up with this one. My husband is no fan of ham so I went with lean, boneless pork loin chops and only a bit of ham for flavor. Turned out really tender, and very, very tasty!  We had our first snow yesterday and it is currently 20 degrees and falling outside. No better time for a thick, hearty soup like this as far as I'm concerned.  INGREDIENTS: 2 cans Great Northern beans, drained,   rinsed,  1 can red beans or black eyed peas, drained, rinsed 5 cups water 3 tsp chicken bouillon granules 1 stalk celery, chopped 1 tsp baking soda 1 medium potato, with peel, cubed 1 large chopped onion 1 tsp garlic powder 1 teaspoon ground mustard powder 2 bay leaves 1 lb boneless pork loin chops [cooked in soup for 60 minutes, then removed.  Trim off all fat and cube or shred. Then toss back in for remaining cook time] 1/2 cup ham, chopped small 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper Cover and simmer all together on low for 60 minutes

Maple Cinnamon Pork Roast

Serves 4 "A dish that invokes Sunday dinner in late fall, this roast uses apple jelly as part of the glaze and sauce. Serve with buttered glazed carrots.” INGREDIENTS: 2 pound boneless pork roast 1/2 cup apple jelly 1/4 cup Pure maple syrup 1 TB brown sugar 1/8 teaspoon yellow mustard 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger 1/2 tsp cinnamon 1/8 teaspoon salt 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper 1/3- 1/2 cup chopped, or crushed pecans DIRECTIONS: Heat oven to 350 degrees F.  Stir together all toppings Place pork in shallow roasting pan.  Pour nut glaze mixture evenly over entire surface of pork.  Cook covered with foil for half of cook time, uncovered for last half. Estimate total cook time to be 25 minutes per lb.  Spoon glaze from pan over pork slices before serving.

Skillet Sweet and Sour Pork

• 1 pound pork loin, cut into 1 inch cubes
• 1 medium green bell pepper, cut into 1 inch pieces, 
• *optional*1 medium tomato, diced
• 1 medium onion, cut into wedges
• 1 large or 2 small carrots sliced thin on the diagonal
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 TB soy sauce
• ** optional** 1/3 cup Orange marmalade [yummy!]
• 3/4 cup pineapple juice
• 2 TB white sugar
• 2 TBSP apple cider vinegar
• 1 or 2 TB ketchup
• 1 (8 ounce) can pineapple chunks, [use this juice for the 3/4 cup mentioned above- add water to equal 3/4 cup if not enough juice]
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch

*Optional** Serve over bed of rice.

Directions

**I don’t fry the pork.**

1. Once chopped and diced, put all together [*save cornstarch until last 2 or 3 minutes of cook time*] in large skillet and sauté, simmer together for about 15-20 minutes until pork is done and veggies are tender.

I find any leftover Holiday Spice Pork works WONDERFULLY with this dish!

Crunchy Baked Parmesan Italiano Chicken

Crunchy Baked Parmesan Italiano Chicken 

Ingredients
2 or 3  chicken fillets [ I plan to try this with pork chops too] 
1 1/2 cup Japanese Panko bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese from can [ or 1/2 cup freshly hand grated-YUM!]
1 tsp salt
good dash of black pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp oregano
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried thyme
1 egg, beaten
1/4 cup flour

Place each chicken fillet in a large storage bag. Using something flat and bashable then mash them a little (not too hard) until they are about 1/4-1/2 inch thick.

Preheat the oven to 475˚ F.  In a shallow bowl or pie plate, whisk together the flour, garlic powder,  salt and pepper.  In a second bowl, lightly beat the egg.  

Place the panko, and remaining spices together in a third shallow bowl or pie plate.  Place a wire rack over a baking sheet and spray lightly with nonstick cooking spray.  

Lightly season both sides of the chicken pieces with salt and pepper.  Using tongs and working with one piece of chicken at a time, dredge the chicken in the flour mixture to coat both sides.  Shake lightly to remove any excess.  Then dip into the eggs and shake gently to remove any excess.  Finally place in the Panko mixture, turning to coat well.  Transfer to the prepared wire rack.  

Repeat with the remaining chicken pieces.  Once all the chicken pieces are in place, spray thoroughly with cooking spray.  

Bake for 20-23 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the bread crumbs are golden.

Meatloaf, beatloaf. I...well, I LIKE meatloaf.

Meatloaf, beatloaf. I...well, I LIKE meatloaf:

1 tsp onion powder--1 heaping TBSP dried minced, or 1 large onion chopped fine

1 tsp garlic powder--**or 1 minced clove of garlic

2/3 cup oatmeal

1/3 cup milk (not skim)

1 pound 96% lean ground beef, **or any combination of ground turkey, pork, bison and beef

1 large egg

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce [if making without beef go with 1 tsp]

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 cup tomato sauce or ketchup

2 TBSP parsely flakes

Squish it all together and lay it in a greased 9X9 or 9X5 pan. I use a glass bread baking dish to hold all of the juices inside of the loaf.

350 Degrees  1 hour