January 2015 Newsletter

FOOD FOR THOUGHT:

Friends...

You happen upon them when least expected...
friends from days gone by, sometime since you've seen them...
Yet that bond of friendship is rekindled in a moment...
Cherished memories recalled...some happy times, others trying
times that you have been through together.
Old friends and new friends are necessary in life...
They are the family we choose.

Paula 2011

RECIPES:
House-Autry Pork Chops

Ingredients

    Hush Puppy with Onion Mix (House Autry or other)
    Thawed pork chops (can be thin or thick cut)
    Vegetable oil for frying

Instructions

    Pour oil into a skillet to a depth of about 1/4 of an inch. Place on medium high heat while you prepare the chops.
    Pour about a cup of hush puppy mix in a bowl. Press each side of each pork chop down into the mix. Turn heat down to medium and carefully place chops in hot oil. Cook until browned on bottom and then turn, continuing to cook until browned on the top and no longer pink in the center.
    Remove to place on a paper towel lined plate before serving.

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Monte Cristo Skillet
winner of the Lodge Cornbread Festival
Ingredients

    1 (6 oz.) package Martha White® Cotton CountryTM Cornbread Mix
    Crisco® Original No-Stick Cooking Spray
    1-1/2 cups chopped cooked turkey
    1/2 cup chopped cooked ham
    1-1/2 cups shredded Swiss cheese
    4 large eggs
    1 cup milk
    2 tablespoons mayonnaise
    2 tablespoons honey mustard, divided
    1-1/2 teaspoons salt
    1/2 teaspoon pepper
    1/2 cup Smucker's® Currant Jelly
    Powdered sugar

Instructions

    PREPARE cornbread mix according to package directions, except bake in a 10 1/2-inch cast iron skillet (cornbread will be thin). Remove cornbread from skillet; cool and cut into cubes. Wipe out skillet with paper towels; spray generously with no-stick cooking spray.
    HEAT oven to 350°F. Place cornbread cubes in skillet. Top with turkey, ham and cheese. In medium bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, mayonnaise, 1 tablespoon mustard, salt and pepper until well blended. Pour evenly over ingredients in skillet. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until set and lightly browned.
    MELT currant jelly by warming slightly. Add 1 tablespoon honey mustard; whisk to blend.
    REMOVE skillet from oven. Cut in wedges, sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve with currant jelly and mustard sauce.

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Chicken Lombardy

Recipe courtesy: The Ultimate Southern Living Cookbook


2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
2 T butter, melted
3-6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
1/2 cup flour (season w/salt & pepper)
1/3 cup butter, melted
3/4 cup Marsala
3/4 cup chicken broth
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1/2 cup (2 oz.) mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 green onions, chopped

Cut each chicken breast in half lengthwise. Place in Ziploc bag and flatten to 1/8 inch thickness using meat mallet.

Cook mushrooms in two Tablespoons butter, in large skillet, until tender. Remove from pan and set aside.

Place flour in shallow dish. Season w/salt & pepper. OR, season each one individually, which I do because I feel they are seasoned better. Dredge chicken pieces in flour. Place 5 or 6 pieces of chicken in 1 to 2 T. butter in large skillet; cook over medium heat 3 to 4 minutes on each side or until golden. Place chicken in lightly greased 13 x 9 baking dish, overlapping edges. Repeat procedure with remaining chicken and butter. Reserve pan drippings in skillet. Sprinkle reserved mushrooms over chicken.

Add wine and broth to skillet to deglaze. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer uncovered, ten minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in salt and pepper (taste first before adding salt & pepper.) Pour sauce over chicken. Combine cheeses and green onions; sprinkle over chicken.

Bake uncovered at 450 degrees for 12 to 14 minutes. Broil 5 1/2 inches from heat 1 to 2 minutes or until browned.

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Hasselback Garlic Potatoes w/ Bacon & Cheese Recipe!


For many people, Hasselback style potatoes are nothing new.
Make some slices in a potato, bake, and it magically fans out into an impressive looking potato with LOTS of character indeed, making for a brilliant addition to any meal!

Ingredients
16 ounces potatoes
3 to 5 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
4 tablespoons butter, melted
2 tablespoons olive oil
salt and fresh black pepper
Fresh chives (diced)
Bacon (cut into large chunks)
Shredded Cheese of your choice- 1-cup
Sour Cream, recipe follows**

Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Using a wooden spoon as a cradle, place each potato in the spoon and make several parallel slits into each potato top making sure not to slice completely through.

Place 3 garlic slices between slits at the crown of each potato. Toss in a medium bowl with butter and olive oil.

Place on a baking sheet lined with tin foil and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper.

When the potatoes begin to “fan out” it’s time to make the magic happen.Carefully slip a hunk of bacon into each slit of the potato like so and continue to cook

Once the potatoes and bacon are fully cooked (use a knife poke test), coat the potatoes with heaping helping of shredded cheese. .

Bake until tops are crispy and potatoes are cooked through, about 1 hour. Transfer to a platter and top with Herbed Sour Cream and chives.

Herbed Sour Cream:
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley leaves
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Combine ingredients in a small bowl. Season, to taste, and refrigerate until use.

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Chocolate Blackout Cake
Serves 10 to 12


Be sure to give the pudding and the cake enough time to cool or you'll end up with runny pudding and gummy cake.



Pudding

1 1/4 cups  granulated sugar
1/4 cup  cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon  table salt
2 cups  half-and-half
1 cup  whole milk
6 ounces  unsweetened chocolate , chopped
2 teaspoons  vanilla extract

Cake

8 tablespoons  unsalted butter (1 stick), plus extra for greasing pans
1 1/2 cups  all-purpose flour , plus extra for dusting pans
2 teaspoons  baking powder
1/2 teaspoon  baking soda
1/2 teaspoon  salt
3/4 cup  Dutch-processed cocoa powder
1 cup  brewed coffee
1 cup  buttermilk
1 cup  packed light brown sugar
1 cup  granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon  vanilla extract


1. For the pudding: Whisk sugar, cornstarch, salt, half-and-half, and milk in large saucepan. Set pan over medium heat. Add chocolate and whisk constantly until chocolate melts and mixture begins to bubble, 2 to 4 minutes. Stir in vanilla and transfer pudding to large bowl. Place plastic wrap directly on surface of pudding and refrigerate until cold, at least 4 hours or up to 1 day.



2. For the cake layers: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Butter and flour two 8-inch cake pans. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in bowl.



3. Melt butter in large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in cocoa and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Off heat, whisk in coffee, buttermilk, and sugars until dissolved. Whisk in eggs and vanilla, then slowly whisk in flour mixture.



4. Divide batter evenly between prepared pans and bake until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Cool layers in pans 15 minutes, then invert onto wire rack. Cool to room temperature, at least 1 hour.



5. To assemble the cake: Cut each cake in half horizontally. Crumble one cake layer into medium crumbs and set aside. Place one cake layer on serving platter or cardboard round. Spread 1 cup pudding over cake layer and top with another layer. Repeat with 1 cup pudding and last cake layer. Spread remaining pudding evenly over top and sides of cake. Sprinkle cake crumbs evenly over top and sides of cake, pressing lightly to adhere crumbs. Serve. (Cake can be refrigerated for up to 2 days.)