Boston Baked Beans

Ingredients:

• 1 pound dried navy bean
• 8 ounces thick-cut bacon slices (about 6 slices), small dice
• 1 medium yellow onion, small dice
• 2 1/2 cups water, plus more for soaking the beans
• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 1/4 cup molasses
• 1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar or raw sugar
• 1 tablespoon cider vinegar (optional, will add a bit of sour to the sweet)
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt, plus more as needed
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more as needed
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

Directions:

1. Place the beans in a large bowl and pick through them, discarding any broken beans or stones. Cover the beans with at least 3 inches of cold water. Allow to soak uncovered at room temperature for at least 8 hours or overnight. Drain in a colander and reserve the bowl (no need to wash); set the bowl aside. Place the beans, bacon, and onion in a slow cooker.
2. Whisk the remaining measured ingredients in the reserved bowl until combined. Pour into the slow cooker and stir until thoroughly combined. Cover and cook on either high or low heat until the beans are tender and the liquid thickens slightly (it will thicken more as it cools), about 6 hours. Add water if needed. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed.

Fresh Fruit Ice Cream

Ingredients:
2 pints (4 cups) fresh blueberries (or other fresh fruit)
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups half-and-half
1 cup sugar
5 large egg yolks
1 1/2 cups heavy cream

Directions:

1. Add blueberries to a medium saucepan with 1/4 cup sugar and lemon juice. 
2. Cook over low heat, covered, for 20 to 25 minutes. 
3. Drain using a fine mesh strainer, pressing berries to extract as much juice/puree as possible. Set aside.
4. Heat half-and-half and 1 cup sugar in a separate saucepan over low heat. Turn off heat when mixture is totally heated.
5. Add heavy cream to a separate bowl.
6. Beat egg yolks by hand or with an electric mixer until yolks are pale yellow and slightly thick.
7. Temper the egg yolks by slowly drizzling in a half cup of hot half-and-half mixture, whisking constantly. After that, pour the egg yolk/half-and-half mixture into the pan containing the rest of the half-and-half mixture. 
8. Cook over low to medium-low heat (depending on how hot your stove gets) until quite thick, stirring constantly. 
9. Drain custard using a fine mesh strainer, then pour into the bowl with the cream. Stir to combine.
10. Add blueberry juice/puree to the cream/custard mixture and stir. 
11. Chill mixture completely, then freeze in an ice cream maker until thick. 
12. Place container in freezer to harden for an additional two hours.

Pesto

Ingredients:

• 1 cup basil, packed
• 1/8 cup pine nuts
• 1 close garlic
• 1/8 cup finely grated Parmesan or other hard cheese
• 1/8-1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• dash of salt
• A bit of lemon juice (optional)

Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a mortar & pestle and mash up until made into a wet yummy paste.

Black Beans

Ingredients:

 
• 16 cups water, divided
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon safflower or canola oil, divided
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 4-6 large cloves garlic, minced, divided
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, divided
• 4 teaspoons mild chili powder
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
 

Directions:

1. Soak beans overnight in 8 cups water. (Alternatively, place beans in a large pot, cover with water and bring to a boil. Boil for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and let stand for 1 hour.) Drain.
2. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large, nonstick, heavy-bottomed saucepan, bean pot or Dutch oven, and sauté onions and 4 cloves garlic over medium heat until tender, about 8 to 10 minutes. Add the soaked beans and 8 cups fresh water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, and simmer 1 hour, uncovered. Add more garlic, if you wish, cilantro and 1 teaspoon salt, and continue to simmer, adding water as needed, until the beans are soft and the liquid is thick and aromatic and barely covers the beans, about 45 minutes longer. Remove from the heat.
3. Allow the beans to cool. Mash them coarsely in batches in a food processor or blender or with a potato masher. Make sure not to puree until smooth; you want texture.

Shephard's Pie

Ingredients

• 2 pounds potatoes, such as russet, peeled and cubed
• 2 tablespoons sour cream or softened cream cheese
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1/2 cup cream, for a lighter version substitute vegetable or chicken broth
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, 1 turn of the pan
• 1 3/4 pounds ground beef or ground lamb
• 1 carrot, peeled and chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 cup beef stock or broth
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire, eyeball it
• 1/2 cup frozen peas, a couple
• of handfuls
• 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves

Directions:

Boil potatoes in salted water until tender, about 12 minutes. Drain potatoes and pour them into a bowl. Combine sour cream, egg yolk and cream. Add the cream mixture into potatoes and mash until potatoes are almost smooth.

While potatoes boil, preheat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add oil to hot pan with beef or lamb. Season meat with salt and pepper. Brown and crumble meat for 3 or 4 minutes. If you are using lamb and the pan is fatty, spoon away some of the drippings. Add chopped carrot and onion to the meat. Cook veggies with meat 5 minutes, stirring frequently. In a second small skillet over medium heat cook butter and flour together 2 minutes. Whisk in broth and Worcestershire sauce. Thicken gravy 1 minute. Add gravy to meat and vegetables. Stir in peas.

Preheat broiler to high. Fill a small rectangular casserole with meat and vegetable mixture. Spoon potatoes over meat evenly. Top potatoes with paprika and broil 6 to 8 inches from the heat until potatoes are evenly browned. Top casserole dish with chopped parsley and serve.

Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/rachael-ray/30-minute-shepherds-pie-recipe.html?oc=linkback

Western North Carolina BBQ Sauce (ketchup and vinegar)

Ingredients:
1 cup cider vinegar
1 cup ketchup
3 Tbsp dark brown sugar
1 Tbsp molasses
1 Tbsp yellow mustard
1 tsp salt
1 Tbsp crushed red pepper

Directions:
Combine well and let chill for a few hours before serving. 

Eastern North Carolina BBQ Sauce (vinegar)

Ingredients:

• 2 cups apple cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons crushed red pepper
• 1/2 tablespoon chopped fresh garlic
• 1/2 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

1. In a medium saucepan, combine the vinegar, red pepper, garlic, and salt over high heat. 
2. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to medium-high. 
3. Boil for 10 to 15 minutes and then remove from the heat. 
4. Let cool then add the black pepper.

Everyday Chili

Ingredients:1/2 a bag of black and pinto beans, soaked over night
1 can Rotelle-chili mix
4 roma tomatoes, diced
chicken broth
1/2 tsp. Ancho, chipotle and chili powder
1 cup chopped cilantro
1/4 lb hamburger
12 oz. Denver griller steak
2 small onions, diced
2 mild peppers (ancho and pablo), diced
3 tsp salt
1 Tbsp cumin
3 cloves garlic
juice from 1/2 lime
1 cinnamon stick (remove before eating)
1/2 tsp Italian seasoning

Directions:

1. Soak beans overnight. 
2. Let steak come to room temperature. Season with salt and pepper. Sear 1 minute on each side in a hot pan. Let sit 10 minutes then dice up and add to pot. 
3. Combine all ingredients except lime juice. 
4. Let simmer on low for 4-8 hours. 
5. Adjust salt as needed. 
6. Add lime juice last hour. 
7. Remove cinnamon stick.

Flank Steak Marinade

Ingredients:

• Juice of one lemon
• 1/2 C soy sauce
• 1/2 C red wine
• 3 T veg oil
• 2 T Worcestershire sauce
• 1 or 2 cloves garlic, mashed or pressed
• 1 to 1 1/2 pound flank steak

Directions:

1. Mix everything but the steak in a pan large enough to hold the meat. 
2. Put the steak in the marinate and marinate 2 to 12 hours in the fridge. 
3. Pull it out about an hour before you want to cook the meat so it comes up to room temp. 
4. Broil or grill over hot coals or under the broiler for 5 to 7 minutes per side, or til desired doneness.

Schnitzel and Spaetzles

 Schnitzel
Ingredients:

• 4 boneless chicken breasts
• 1/4 tsp salt and black pepper
• 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
• 2 Tsp dijon mustard
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup dry bread crums
• Parmesan
• 2 tsp pasley
• 2 tsp chives, chopped
• 1 clove garlic
• olive oil

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350
2. Pound chicken until 1/2 inch thick, sprinkle with salt and pepper
3. Place in 3 shallow dishes: flour- eggs, mustard- breadcrumbs, parmesan, parsley, chives and garlic
4. Dredge chicken through flour then egg then breadcrumbs
5. Heat oil over medium high heat.  Add chicken and cook until brown on bottom.
6. Flip chicken over and place skillet in oven.
7. Bake for 10 minutes.

 

Spaetzle

Ingredients:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 eggs, slightly beaten
• 1 cup milk

Instructions:

1. Bring salted water to a boil.
2. Sift together flour and salt.
3. Add eggs and milk and beat well.
4. Pour batter into colander over boiling water.
5. Cook and stir for 5 minutes. Drain.

Season with butter and salt/pepper.

Penne Pasta with Vodka Cream Sauce

Ingredients:

• 1 Tbsp Olive oil
• 1 Tbsp Butter
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 pearl onions, minced
• 3/4 cup vodka
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 32 oz. can crushed tomatoes
• 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
• 16 oz. penne pasta
• 20 basil leaves, shredded

Instructions:

1. Saute onion and garlic in butter and oil.
2. Add vodka and reduce to half, about 3 minutes.
3. Add chicken stock and tomatoes.  Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer.
4. Put penne on to cook, when done drain.
5. Stir cream into tomato mixture.  When it bubbles, remove from heat and add basil.