Potato Salad - Summertime Favorite!

Hi folks! Its been awhile again since I last posted. Looks like spring weather has turned into summer weather overnight and with summer comes barbeques. Ribs and baked beans cant stand alone..you gotta have some potato salad on that plate to make it complete. The potato salad  presented here is the same one I grew up eating. I learned to make it years ago while living at home, but with most things passed down like that, you never measure anything. I finally took out a pad and pen along with the measuring cups and measured each and every ingredient that I usually just threw in there. The potato salad is best served cold so make it early enough to allow it to chill before serving. I like to make mine the day before and refrigerate it overnight so the flavors mellow out and get to know each other. Enjoy...Just Harv.

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Potato Salad

3-4lbs potatoes (peeled, washed, and cubed)

1-1/2 cup yellow onion (1 medium), finely diced

2/3 cup dill pickles - finely diced

1/2 cup pickle juice

2-1/2 tbsp. cider vinegar

1/2 tbsp. salt

1 cup mayo

2/3 cup yellow mustard

6 eggs (boiled, cooled, and peeled)

Paprika - for garnish

In a large stock pot, cover the cubed potatoes with water to about 1 inch above them. Bring to a boil. Boil for 12-15 minutes or until the potatoes break easily with a fork. Drain carefully. To speed up the process of waiting for the potatoes to cool, I put the cooked potatoes in a strainer, refill the pot with COLD water and add lots of ice cubes, and then set the strainer of potatoes back into the water to chill quickly. Using hot potatoes or eggs in a recipe that includes mayo is a sure fire way to "cook" the mayo and ruin the dish. Chilled is best.

While I am waiting on the potatoes to cool, I cut up my onions, pickles, and 5 of the 6 boiled egss. Once the potatoes are cooled, I dump them into a large mixing bowl (or sometimes I just use the same pot that I boiled them in). Using a hand potato masher, I mash some, about a third of the potatoes. This will make the salad a little smoother while still providing a nice balanced amount of cubed potatoes. Add in the mayo and mustard, mix well by hand. A nice large wooden spoon works best for me. Add in the remaining ingredients and mix well. Once blended well, spoon the completed salad into a large bowl. Using an egg slicer, I make thin slices of the remaining boiled egg. Top the completed salad with these and lightly sprinkle with paprika for garnish. Allow to chill for two hours (overnight is best).....Serve and enjoy!!! Thanks again and I hope you enjoy the potato salad. I know I sure do.....I had some over the weekend with some BBQ ribs!

Honey Glazed Salmon with Dill

Honey Glazed Salmon with Dill

Hi folks! Good to be back again. The day job has been really working me hard lately so I haven't had the chance to blog very much. I've tried a few more things since I got back home and this is one of them Its a super delicious salmon dish! I had a dish similar to this in a fancy schmancy place in downtown Boise and found it worth trying to prepare here at home. It took about three tries to get it right, and have been told that my version exceeds the restuarants version!! I hope you like it....remember to write back and tell me your thoughts. Harv
The ingredients are very basic for this dish, but the taste will get your attention quickly.
The ingredients below will glaze 4 or so 6oz. salmon fillets.
~~~~ Honey Glazed Salmon with Dill ~~~~

4 - Fresh Salmon Fillets - app. 6oz. each (skin on is OK)
1/3 cup Sourwood or other DARK honey
2 cloves garlic (milked - see instructions below)
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp fresh dillweed (finely minced)
1-1/2 tbsp. Dijon mustard (the coarse "Country" style works great)
1/4 tsp. salt
2 tbsp olive oil (not used in the glaze, but to drizzle on the grill to get some nice flames)
(the pic shows some cooking wine, disregard this..I find it better without it)

Rinse and pat dry the salmon fillets. In a medium mixing bowl or glass measuring cup blend the ingredients listed above. The garlic is listed as "milked". By doing this to the garlic, you get all the garlic flavor but without the chance of having garlic chunks or bits on the fish that can overpower the flavor we're shooting for. Heres how ya' do that. Since we are using some salt in the glaze, we will use the salt as a grinding agent to help make our minced garlic "creamy". Basically chop or crush the garlic first, then sprinkle the salt over the garlic. Using the back of a flat knife work the salt into the garlic. As it spreads out, draw it back together into a mound and repeat the grinding action. Dont add any more salt, just keep working the existing salt into the garlic. In just a minute or two you will have a nice creamy garlic layer on your cutting board. Thats what we'll use whenever we need "milked or creamed garlic".

Preheat the grill to a medium-hi heat. Using a non-stick oil such a PAM for the GRILL, spray the rack well. The fear of fish sticking to a grill rack seems to keep alot of folks from grilling fish, but if you keep the rack nice and clean/smooth and oiled down it can be done just as easy as any other favorite you have for outdoor cooking. Just a note of caution - make sure you use a spray rated for a grill. Some can flame up very fast while spraying. If you experience this, turn the flame off for sec and then spray. BE CAREFUL, PLEASE.

Ok, back to cooking! With the salmon rinsed and patted dry, use a BBQ brush and glaze both side of the salmon fillets. Be generous here, brush that glaze on heavy. With the grill preheated and well oiled up, place the salmon skin side down on the rack. After about 15 seconds or so, I move the fish slightly just to insure it isnt sticking. Allow the fillet to cook for 6 minutes, then flip them over. As I flip the fish, I select a new spot on the grill so I get alot of heat into the fish at once. This gives you those beautiful grill marks on the salmon. Cook the fish another 6 minutes on this side. After about three of the six minutes, I rotate the fish half way around so I get some new grill marks perpendicular to the first ones. Before I forget to mention it, the olive oil listed in the ingredients is used to lightly drizzle over the burner shrouds. This will cause the oil to ignite and flame up, once again giving you some nice singed edges on the fish and enhancing the grill marks on the fish.
Now that the fish has cooked 6 minutes on each side, flip the fillets back over to skin side down. Using the BBQ brush, mop the remaining glaze on the fish. Be very generous here. Allow the fish to cook another minute or so....remove and serve hot. I served the fish on a bed of rice pilaf or saffron rice. A side of grilled asparagus works great also with this dish. Garnish with a thinly sliced lemon twist or a sprig of dill weed. I hope you enjoy dinner!!! I found it great and worth sharing.... Have a great day/night.....and dont forget to write. Let me know someone out there is actually reading this....8-)   Harv.

SPICEY BBQ Rib Sauce

Hi folks! Its good to be back. The day job has been quite busy lately and lots of travel. Fortunately, while I was traveling I was in Baton Rouge, LA for a week. I had several opportunities to enjoy the local tastes. Lots of spices down there for sure! So I thought I would take some of that local fire and turn it into a BBQ sauce for ribs! I think it turned out great! Not too hot, not too sweet....Give it a try and let me know what you think. Hope to hear from you soon! Just Harv.

**** SPICEY BBQ Rib Sauce ****
1 - cup light brown sugar
1 - 15oz. can tomato sauce
1 - medium yellow onion (small diced)
3 - cloves garlic (crushed)
3/4 cup peach preserves
1/4 cup cider vinegar
2 tsp. chili powder
2 tsp. smoked paprika
1 tsp. dry mustard
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
3 tbsp. Worcestishire sauce
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tbsp. veg. oil

4 lbs ribs (I used beef ribs when developing this)
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In a medium saucepot, heat the 2 tbsp. vegetable oil to medium high. Add the diced onion and crushed garlic. Saute until the onion begins to look translucent.
Once sauteed, add the tomato sauce and peach preserves. Stir the preserves well to disolve them into the sauce. While constantly stirring, add the remaining ingredients one at a time with the vinegar being the last to add.

Allow the mixture to come to a slight boil and reduce the heat to LOW. Allow to simmer for 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionaly. Take care and be safe around the sauce when it is this hot! The sugar components will make it STICK to your skin if it splashes out of the sauce pot. After simmering for 20-30 minutes, remove from heat and allow to cool.
While the sauce is cooking down and thickening, lightly flour the bottom of a deep edged baking sheet. Arrange the ribs in a single layer. Cover tightly with foil.
Bake in a preheated oven for 60-70 minutes. Remove and SLOWLY peel the foil away allowing the steam to escape. Drain away any excess juices from the pan. Brush each rib section with a generous amount of the sauce. I prefer to pour some of the sauce into a large bowl and dip each rib section to insure good coverage.
Return each marinated rib to the pan. Allow the pan of ribs to rest and marinade at room temperature for at least 30 minutes.

Once marinated, you need to "face" up the ribs. I prefer to use a preheated gas grill for this but you can also do it under the oven broiler. If you use the broiler, place the sheet pan about 4" from the heat. Broil for 4-5 minutes or until browned. If you use the grill, place the ribs on the rack and grill each side for 3-4 minutes.
Thats all there is to it. Baked beans, mac and cheese, cole slaw, or potato salad are traditional sides but if you have other suggestions, write in and let me know. Always interested in good ideas and family favorites. Eat well!!! Hope to see ya soon!! Just Harv.

Potato Soup - A Real Winter Chill Breaker

When in Idaho...make potato soup!!

Hi all! I'm out in Idaho this week, so what better to fix for dinner than some nice hearty thick potato soup!! I added some pan fried corn bread fritters to go along with this; it really knocked out that northwest chill.
The ingredients for this soup are "super simple"! (pun intended) You probably have most all the ingredients in the pantry tonight. Give it a try and let me know what you think....Just Harv.

Super Simple Ingredients!

***** Potato Soup *****
4-lbs potatoes (peeled and cubed)
1 - medium yellow onion (diced)
2 - large celery stalks (diced)
2 - medium carrots (peeled and sliced)
5 - tbsp. butter or margarine
3/4 cup all purpose flour
2 - cups whole milk*
1 - tsp. Salt
1/2 - tsp. black pepper
Optional - (shredded cheddar cheese to top before serving)

* - Pre-Cooking the Potatoes - (Save that stock!)

In a 4 quart soup pot, bring about 2 -1/2 quarts of water to a boil. Slowly (and carefully) add the potatoes. Potatoes absorb salt so fast, so theres no need to salt these just yet. Bring the potatoes to a boil, lower heat to medium and cook for 15 minutes. We dont want to overcook them. A little al dente' is ok. Once cooked, remove and drain. We want to keep the water that the potatoes were cooked in and use that in the final soup.

* - Saute' the Veggies

In a 4 quart stock pot saute the onions, celery, and carrots in 3 tbsp. of butter or margarine. Add the salt and pepper. Saute around 5-7 minutes or until the onions begin to appear slightly translucent. Add the remaining 2 tbsp. of butter and the 3/4 cup of flour. Stir well and allow to simmer an additional 1-2 minutes. We dont want to brown the base, just consolidate it.

* - Assemble the Soup

Now we have the potatoes pre-cooked and drained. The stock from boiling the potatoes was saved. We also have the veggies saute'd and have the flour added to create our soup base.  Now we want to pour three cups of the potato stock back into the soup base. Add the 2 cups of whole milk also. Add back in the pre-cooked potatoes. Slowly bring this mix back up to a boil, then lower the heat and allow to simmer 30 minutes until thickened. If you are using a lower fat milk like 2% or less, you may have trouble getting the soup to thicken. If this happens, simply disolve some more all purpose flour in water. Try 1/2 cup of flour and add some of the potato stock water (or tap water). Always add the water to the flour; never the reverese. It will just float or ball up and not disolve.... Slowly pour the flour /water mix into the soup. I added some more salt near the end. Potatoes absorb salt so quickly adding it near the end insures that the flavor enhancing property of salt doesn't disappear.
Serve hot and top with some shredded cheddar cheese or even some thinly sliced leeks. I've did this same soup with leeks in lieu of onions. It is terrific!! A pan fried corn fritter or baked corn bread works great with the soup also. (Just dont try to buying self-rising corn meal in Idaho....they've never heard of such a thing!)

So give it a try and dont forget to write and let me know what you think!!! Encourage your friends or family that like real food for real people to sign up for the blog. Its FREE...... Thanks for stopping by. Hope to hear from ya' soon....Just Harv.

BBQ Beef Ribs



BBQ Beef Ribs! Some serious eat'n....:-)

 Hi again! Nothing helps shake off the winters grip like some grilling! I had this rack of beef ribs in the freezer and decided that it was a good time to continue work on my BBQ sauce. I changed to a SMOKED paprika this time, but you can still use regular paprika. So anyway....heres goes! Write in and let me know what you think....

***** BBQ Beef Ribs *****
3lbs. beef ribs.
1-cup tomato sauce
1/3 cup light brown sugar
1-1/2 tsps. smoked paprika (can use regular paprika also)
1-tsp. chili powder
2-cloves garlic (crushed)
3-tbsp. Worcesteshire Sauce
2-tbsp, white vinegar
5-6 black peppercorns (crushed)
1/2 tsp.-salt

In a large pot boil enough water to cover the ribs. You may want to cut the racks of ribs into portion sizes before you insert them into the boiling water. It will make them so much easier (and safer) to handlle. Boil the ribs for 5 minutes. (We boil the ribs slightly to open up the meat and make it more receptive to the marinade.) Remove the ribs and drain well. Set aside to cool slightly.

In a non-mettalic bowl, mix the marinade/glaze ingredients. Using a non-mettalic bowl is suggested since we are mixing several acidic ingredients. Those type of ingredients can react to the metal and cause a small chemical reaction actually changing the flavor of your food.

Once the marinade is well mixed, coat the ribs sections with a generous amount. Stacking the rib sections as you go, pour the remaining sauce across the ribs. Allow to marinate for at least two hours at room temp or overnight in the fridge. When time is short, marinating at room temp for a shorter amount of time always works, but make sure the food is kept covered and dont go longer than two hours. I use a large 1 gallon size freezer back to marinate. I can keep turning the food over and over to insure all parts get well covered.

Once marinated, cook the ribs over high heat for about 20 minutes or until cooked well through. Brush the ribs with the left over marinade as you cook them. Turn them often. I use an outdoor meat smoke at a very low heat for about an hour before I actually finish them up on the grill. The low temp will allow the smoke flavor to permeate the meat without drying it out. You can smoke them longer, til near done, and just face them up a little over a hotter grill also. Just make sure you reach an internal temp of 165degrees. 

Some grilled pinapple would pair up great with the ribs. The traditional sides would be baked beans, potato salad, and baked macaroni and cheese....... Let me know what you think of the ribs!!! Write in or email me...mitchellhw@comcast.com. See me on Facebook also..... See ya then and ENJOY the grub!! Just Harv.

Potato Croquettes

Crocche de Patate (Potato Croquettes)

Hi again! I decided that some good hearty potatoes would be good tonight so it was a good chance to try out a recipe that Addie found while at a seminar in Boise. The booklet was published by the Washington State Potato Commission. The recipe was from Chef K. Stolte. I varied it by using Italian sausage in lieu of Salame Napoli. For those that dont want a meat in the dish, this recipe will work just fine without it. After I had made this tonight, I decided that it seemed more logical to pair a meat with the croquettes rather than in them. I also added a Dijon hollendaise sauce atop the croquettes. Anyway, here it goes. I hope you enjoy them. I sure did!

***** Potato Croquettes *****

2 lbs. white or Yukon Gold potatoes
6 - tbsp. butter, softened
1/4 cup grated parmeson cheese
1 clove garlic, minced
1-1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 tbsp. flour
2 egg yolks
1 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese
2 tbsp. chopped parsley
1/2 cup cooked, chopped Italian sausage or Salame Napoli (Optional)
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Coating
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup flour
1 cup fine bread crumbs

Wash and peel the potatoes. Slice into chunks. In a large saucepan, cover the potatoes with water. Bring them to boiling and reduce heat to simmer. Cover and cook until tender (about 10-15 minutes). Drain well. Allow to cool slightly. In a large mixing bowl mash the potatoes with a hand held masher. Add in the butter, Parmeson, garlic, salt and pepper. Mix well. Add in the 1 tbsp of flour. Stir in the egg yolks. Cover and allow to chill for two hours in the refrigerator.

Assembly time....

Using a 1/3 cup measure portion out the croquettes. In the center of each portion put about 1 tbsp of Mozzarella, a pinch of parsley, and 1 tsp of the Italian sausage. Fold the potato mixture over the filling forming balls or cone shapes.

Heat the deep fryer to 350 degrees

In three shallow bowls stage the 2 beaten eggs, the 1 cup of flour, and the 1 cup of bread crumbs. Coat the croquettes first in the flour, then the egg, then roll in the bread crumbs. Deep fry for 5 minutes or until golden brown. Drain well on paper towels and serve hot.

I made up a basic hollendaise sauce and added 2 tsp of country style Dijon mustard to create the sauce. If anyone wants to know how to make a Hollendaise sauce, let me know and I will post a section on sauces. You can also cheat a little by using a packet Hollendaise sauce and add the Dijon. Not exactly the same, but works in a pinch and is quicker.

Let me know how you did with this!

Just Harv

mitchellhw@comcast.net

Cajun Broiled Tilapia w/ Four Cheese Alfredo Sauce



Tilapia with Alfredo Sauce

 Cajun Seasoned Tilapia with Shrimp and 4 Cheese Alfredo Sauce

HI again! I know the name above is kinda long winded, but this really is extremely easy to prepare. It only looks like it took forever. The smooth taste of the Alfredo sauce mellows out the Cajun seasoning. Pair that with the rice pilaf and the pan cooked shrimp and you've got a dinner fit for company. The restuarant Ruby Tuesdays has been selling a dish like this for quite awhile, but as you'll see it isnt at all expensive to prepare (sure is on their menu though).

The ingredients are straight forward. You may have your own choice of Cajun seasoning, or even create your own from discrete spices. For convenience I am gonna use an off the shelf seasoning and a boxed rice pilaf. Take caution with the rice pilaf. Some of the boxed pilafs do not require you to pre-brown the pasta in butter/margerine before you add the rice and water. Those aren't as good as the ones which
you brown first. I bought the Rice-a-roni brand this time (it was on sale).

********Ingredients********
4-6 tilapia fillets (thawed if previously frozen)
16-20 medium size raw shrimp, peeled and deveined. (27-30 size) OPTIONAL
Cajun Seasoning of your choice - I use Weber Grill Creations N'Orleans Cajun
Butter or margerine
Rice Pilaf - 7 oz. box or make your own.
3 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
Alfredo sauce - 15oz. jar (Use the Classic or 4-Cheese)
1 - Lemon & Parsley to garnish.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Start with the rice pilaf. Each item here will take about 15-20 minutes to prepare, so overlapping their start times will help insure that everything will be ready when it is needed.

While the rice is cooking, grease a large glass baking dish or a lipped baking sheet pan. I use an ample amount of real butter or margerine for this. Lay out the tilapia fillets in the prepared baking dish. If any of your fillets have really thin flesh areas, especially towards the tail edge, fold these under the fillet slightly so they wont cook too fast or become overdone. Sprinkle a small amount of the crushed garlic on each fillet. Sprinkle a fair amount of your choice of Cajun seasoning on each fillet. For presentation, I dont go from edge to edge with the seasoning, but leave a small area at the end of each fillet with little to no seasoning. It just looks better I think. Bake uncovered for 15-20 minutes. The fish should flake easily with a fork when done.
Overcookng tilapia will make it tough, so check the fillets often after the 12 minute mark.

Ok we've got the rice cooking and the fillets in the oven. Lets pan fry some shrimp with garlic and butter.

In a large skillet over medium/high heat melt 3 tbsp. of butter or margerine. (Real butter works best) Add in the crushed garlic. Allow the garlic to sear alone in the butter for about a minute or two. A very light tan color is desirable. When your garlic has gotten to this point, add in the peeled shrimp. Cooking over medium/high heat, keep the shrimp moving in the pan. Constantly moving the top shrimp to the bottom, turning the food over and over will insure a nice coating of buttery garlic and help make sure all the shrimp is equally cooked. Once the shrimp is done, about 5 minutes, remove from the heat but leave in the pan.

Somewhere in the middle of all of that, open the Alfredo sauce into a medium sauce pot. Heat the Alfredo sauce slowly. It will scorch very easily. I will use a Pyrex bowl and the microwave often to heat a cheese based sauce in a hurry. Dont use plastic bowls if you use the microwave for this. The cheeses in the sauce will overheat around the exposed edge and melt most bowls.

So the fillets should be done by now. The rice pilaf is done and waiting, and now we have some shrimp and Alfredo sauce.

Time to assemble and serve. I start with a nice bed of the rice pilaf, about 2/3 cup. Place the tilapia fillet in the bed of rice. Drizzle or ladle a zig zag layer of the Alfredo across the fillet. Arrange 4-5 shrimp atop the fish/sauce combo... Garnish with sliced lemon and parsley and serve.

Steamed vegetables like brocilli pair up with this well. Oven roasted potatos work just as well. A good coarse bread helps balance the meal. Enjoy!!
Thanks for stopping by....Just Harv.

Point In Time



http://appalachianhomeless.org/

 Hi folks! I'll be in Bristol tonight, so no cooking this evening...
The Appalachian Regional Coalition On Homelessness is performing their annual Point In Time count tonight. The count will start at the local United Way located on 8th St in Bristol (two down from State St). From there we will hit all the typical locations, YMCA and such, but then as the evening matures we will be hitting the streets for an all nighter. All the places where the less fortunate have sought refuge; under bridges, bypasses, alley ways, wooded areas, etc will need to be scoured also to get a true count of just how bad the homelessness situaton really is. By getting a realistic count and individual interviews with those agreeable to do so could result in more donations from both private and public entities. This is my first Point In Time count and hope the night goes well. It's probably gonna be colder than heck, but at least when I'm no longer needed, I can go back to my own home and enjoy heat, hot water, warm bed, etc....

Here's a link to their website for anyone that would like to know more....
http://appalachianhomeless.org/index.php

Have a great evening! Just Harv.

Lil' Humor :-)

Hi folks! I had so many turnovers left from dinner yesterday that I didnt need to cook today.....I didnt want to leave you with nothing at all, so I thought I'd plug in a little kitchen humor! I found some seriously funny stuff across the web, but not all of them were descent enough to post....but a few are. This little list came from a site called e-cookbooks. Check 'em out when you can.

The Top Ten Signs You're Being Stalked by Martha Stewart:
   10. Mysterious late-night phone calls: "I can't stop thinking
       about you... and that's a good thing!"
    9. Contents of your curbside recycling tub are stolen,
       reorganized, and replaced.
    8. On her show she makes a gingerbread house that looks exactly
       like your split-level, right down to the fallen-over licorice
       downspout and the stuck half-open graham cracker garage door.
    7. You get a threatening note made up of letters cut out of a
       magazine with pinking shears, and they're all the same size,
       the same font, and precisely lined up in razor-sharp rows.
    6. You find your pet bunny on the stove in an exquisite tarragon,
       rose petal & saffron demi-glace with pecan-crusted hearts of
       palm and a delicate mint-fennel sauce.
    5. The unmistakable aroma of potpourri follows you everywhere -
       even after you leave the bathroom.
    4. You discover that every napkin in the whole house has been
       folded into a swan.
    3. That telltale lemon slice in the dog's water bowl.
    2. You wake up in the hospital with a concussion and endive
       stuffing in every orifice.
      ... and the Number 1 Sign You're Being Stalked by Martha Stewart:
    1. You awaken one morning with a glue gun pointed squarely
       at your temple.

LOL.... I hope you liked it. Thanks for stopping in. - Just Harv   :-)

Red Potatos with Parsley and Chives (SUPER SIMPLE)

Red Potatos with Parsley and Chives

Tonight when I decided that the hamburger turnovers would be a good idea for dinner, I knew that I wanted something to go with them but wanted it to be so simple that it almost prepared itself. So the only thing that I could think of short of just ordering out for delivery was the red skinned potatos with parsley and chives. They are very quick and easy with just a couple of steps in the whole recipe.

5-6 -medium red potatos
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup finely chopped chives
4 tbsp butter or margarine.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Wash and coarsely cube the red potatos. In a large skillet, melt the butter and begin to bring the temp up to a near high setting. Once the skillet is hot, add the red potatos. By doing this on the stove top in a skillet, we are sealing the potato to preserve the moisture and also to lightly brown the potato. I use real butter for this since it will brown your food much quicker than margarine. Once the potatos have begun to brown slightly, add the chopped chives and parsley. Mix well. Add salt to taste.

Pour the seasoned potatos and buttery mix into a 9"x9" baking dish. Bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes.
Serve alongside any of your dishes that need a side that brings both taste and presentation to the table. Enjoy! Thanks again for visiting the blog. Please encourage your friends to subscribe to the blog also. It is free to you and them both..... Thx - Just Harv.

Hamburger Turnovers



Hamburger Turnovers

 A friend asked me this morning, "what can I do with some hamburger that does NOT taste like Hamburger Helper?" It didn't take but a second for the answer to come to me; hamburger turnovers! The hamburger turnovers presented here were a favorite of mine when I was a kid and continue to be even today. They are so easy to prepare that I wonder why I dont eat them more often. Their great in so many ways. They are easy to prepare, they make a meal all on their own, they appeal to both adults and kids. So here we go....

***** Hamburger Turnovers *****
1 lb. ground beef (85% mix)
1/2 - green bell pepper (diced)
1 - small yellow onion (diced)
1- celery stalk (diced)
1 - can large biscuits 8 ct. (not the flakey ones)
2/3 - cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 - egg white, lightly beat.
salt & pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Grease a large sheet pan.

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, saute the onion, bell pepper, and celery in about 2 tbsp vegetable oil. When near done, remove from the skillet and set aside.
In the same skillet brown the ground beef. When the beef is near done, add back in the onion, pepper, and celery mix. Stir well and continue cooking until browned. Drain well and allow to cool enough slightly.

While the beef is cooking, flour a bread board. Using a rolling pin or dough roller flatten the canned biscuits to the thickness of 1/16 - 1/8 inch (about the thickness of a dime). Sprinkle a small amount of flour over each biscuit dough disc. Set aside.

When the hamburger and vegetable mix has drained and cooled slightly lightly flour the bread board and place a single biscuit dough disc on the surface. Spoon about 3-4 heaping tablespoons of the meat mix onto the disc. Sprinkle the mix with the cheddar cheese. Lightly brush the edge of the disc with the egg white. Fold the biscuit dough over the meat mix. Using a fork or pastry roller seal the edges of the turnover.

Once all the turnovers have been filled and sealed, place them on the sheet pan and bake at 375 for 15 minutes. Once they are golden brown remove and brush each with a light coat of melted butter or margerine.

Serve piping hot and ENJOY. My mom made these alot and I still like them. I hope you do also. Thanks again for visiting the blog. Just Harv

Mini-Quiches



Mini-Quiche (Curried Apple, Smoked Salmon)

 The mini-quiches that I made over the previous holiday season were a success. Those that tried them seemed to really enjoy them. There isn't too much to making a quiche, eggs and milk (or cream) are the basic ingredient. Its just what you throw in there to flavor it that makes one quiche different from the other.
The mini-quiches are made atop pastry dough. I used the sheets of redi-made pastry dough from the grocery store. You can use the redi-made rolled pie shells also. They are pretty much the same. Make sure you let them warm up some before you attempt to unroll them. They will tear if too cold. Usually 15 minutes out of the fridge is enough to make them workable. The cooking tin that you are "supposed" to use is a patty tin. I dont have one, so I simply use the muffin pan. It doesnt emboss that wavey piecrust-like edge like a patty tin does, but I already have it in the cabinet. (If anyone feels the strong desire to send me a patty tin I wont mind a bit).
OK, lets make some mini-quiches. The basic setup for the bottom shell is the same for each flavor variation presented here. The three quiche that I will show are the "Curried Apple & Onion", "Smoked Coho Salmon", and "Crab & Lime".
Preheat the oven to 415 degrees. Grease your patty tin (or muffin pan) with either butter or margarine. (I use REAL butter - We dont need to tell my doctor that though)
Unroll your pastry dough sheets onto a lightly floured cutting board. Cut 3" discs using a biscuit or cookie cutter. Press one pastry disc into each of the 12 holes in your baking tin. Set aside and prepare the quiche mix.

***** CURRIED APPLE & ONION *****
1 - small yellow onion (or half a medium one).  - finely sliced and diced. (near minced)
1 - green apple - peeled and grated (Use the medium hole size, too fine and the apple breaks up)
1/2 tsp curry powder

1/2 cup milk (at least 2% or better)
2 - large eggs
2 - tbsp cream (evaporated milk or whipping cream)

1/2 cup finely shredded cheddar cheese
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Start with about 2 tbsp of vegetable oil in a medium skillet. Lightly brown the onion. Once browned, add the peeled and grated green apple to the skillet. Stir gently for just a few seconds. Add in the 1/4tsp of curry powder to the skillet. While stirring, continue to cook for 1 minute. Remove the mix from the heat and allow to gently cool.
Using your blender, combine the two eggs, milk, and cream. Blend well and set aside.
Spoon a heaping tsp of the curried onion and apple mix into each pastry shell. Gently pour in enough of the milk and egg mix to cover the onion/apple and the rim of the pastry disc. Sprinkle in some finely shredded cheddar cheese on top of each quiche.
Bake at 415 degrees for 15-20. The quiche will rise during baking, but deflate a little as they cool. Ovens can vary, so the "clean toothpick" test may prove necessary until you know how your oven will perform for making quiches.  Allow to cool slightly before attempting to remove from the baking tin.  Serve warm...... :-)





***** Smoked Coho Salmon *****

The start of the salmon quiche is the same as the others; the oven temp, pastry discs, greased tin, etc....

6 oz smoked coho salmon, crumbled

3-1/2 oz cream cheese

1/4 cup cream (evaporated milk or whipping cream)

2 - large eggs

1 tsp. fresh dill weed (finely chopped) (I havent tried the dried dill weed but would like to know if anyone does.)

In a blender, mix the cream cheese, cream, eggs, and dill. If the mix is too thick to pour easily, add a little more cream or milk.
Crumble about a tsp of the smoked salmon into the pastry shell. Pour in enough of the egg/milk mix to top the shell and cover the salmon.
Bake at 415 degrees for 15-20. Do not overbake. Use the dry toothpick test if in doubt. The quiche will puff up when near done but deflate slightly as it cools. Allow to cool slightly before removing from the tin. Serve warm.
By the way, I added a small sprig of the fresh dill weed on top of each quiche before baking, but you can also use a small sprig to garnish with as well. A thinly sliced lemon, cut and twisted makes a nice garnishment as well.   Enjoy - Drop me a line if you like these!

***** Crab and Lime *****
This variation has a more tropical twist than the others. The lime and the coconut cream may have you booking a flight to somewhere warm before you know it! Dont forget to send me a ticket also.....

Again, the base of these is the same as before. Redi-made pastry sheets or pie crust dough. Unrolled and cut into 3" discs and placed into the greased wells of a 12 hole patty tin (or muffin pan). Preheat the oven to 415 degrees.

2- large eggs
3/4 cup coconut cream
finely grated rind of 1 lime
2 tsp lime juice
6 oz can of crab meat, drained
1 tbsp chopped chives
salt & white pepper to taste

The crab meat can be delicate so you dont want to use the blender for this one. Lightly beat the eggs in a mixing bowl. Add in the remaining ingredients and mix well. Add the salt and white pepper to taste.

Spoon enough of the mixture into each pastry shell; just enough to come close to the rim of the pastry disc.
Bake at 415 degrees for 15-20 minutes. The quiche will rise during baking, but settle slightly as they cool. Serve warm.
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Well folks, thats all the quiche flavors that I made over the holidays. There arent many things out there that you cant throw into a quiche base and have a quick but fancy looking lunch or dinner. If you want to see some more variations, drop me a line and I will be glad to put a few more together. If you have a favorite of your own and want to see it listed, send it to me and I will put in on the blog (with proper credit to you).

Enjoy..... Just Harv.



Seafood or Shrimp Bisque

Seafood Bisque

SHRIMP/or SEAFOOD BISQUE

1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
4 tbsp. all purpose flour

1 small yellow onion (minced)
2 cloves garlic (minced)
2 stalks celery (minced)

1 can tomato paste
1 can chopped & peeled tomatoes (I used petite diced)
1-1/3 cups dry sherry

1 tsp. hot pepper sauce (I used Tabasco)
1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp pepper (or to taste)

1 qt. seafood stock (see below)
1 qt. heavy whipping cream (ok to use part half-n-half mixed with heavy cream)

15 or so medium size shrimp (peeled and de-veined) The small bags of 26-30 size work well.

Optional: (Fresh Dill or Parsley for garnish.)

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Seafood stock - I use a couple or three tilapia fillets and 4-5 medium shrimp in the shell to make stock with, but any mild tasting white fish will do. I brought 2-qts of water to boil and tossed in the fillets with about 1/2 tsp. of Old Bay seafood seasoning & 1/2tsp. of salt. Bring it to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and allow to simmer for two hours. Remove fillets and shrimp. They are pretty well not worth much now, they will most likely fall apart so I dont use them in the final bisque. The cat doesnt mind that at all since she gets the leftovers.
Strain the stock through a collendar and fine screen. I strain mine two or more times until I feel the stock has been clarified enough. This produces enough stock to be able to freeze some for another day when I dont have as much time.
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In the same large pot that I am going to use for the bisque, cook the onion, garlic, celery and salt/pepper until transparent. Stir in the flour when they reach that point.

Add the quart of seafood stock. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low. Stir in heavy cream. Then add the tomato paste, pepper sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and diced/peeled tomatos. Stir well to break up tomato paste.

Add the dry sherry and raw shrimp (Note: After peeling and de-veining the shrimp, I cut them into thirds. They work better smaller in a bisque.
Cook for 35-40 minutes on medium to medium low heat. I dont cover it and I stir often. The cream mix will boil over quickly if not careful.

I served topped with some fresh cut dill, but parsley could work also. A couple of peices of a good coarse white bread for dipping and your done!

btw-this was not my original recipe, I just modified it to balance it out some. Some suggest to use canned chicken broth/stock, but it is NOT the same.

Cooking With Harv.....First Post

Hi there. This is my first venture into blogging. My daughter, Cassaundra, suggested that I create a blog to capture some of the recipes for the food that I prepare.

I am by no means a professional cook or chef. By day I am a Facility Design and Construction Manager for a state government corrections agency. A kinda "Bob the Builder" for prison facilities. Kinda odd job, huh? So my woodworking and cooking are my "escapes". I've cooked all of my adult life and many years back into my early teens.

Please note that not all recipes were created by me, but all of them have been tried to insure that they work. I do take ample liberties in adjusting some of the ingredients to help balance out flavors and such. I welcome your comments and suggestions here so please feel free to let me know what you think.

I am also involved in a major kitchen over-haul and created a small blog for that project as well. The link is listed here.
http://harvskitchenproject.blogspot.com/  So anyhow, I will start plugging in the recipes that many of you have seen me prepare and post to Facebook. If there is something that you would like to see prepared or tested, drop me a line and I'll see what we can do. Dont forget to visit one or two of the sponsors ads on the Blogger pages. It pays for the site and allows these blogs to be FREE for us all..... Thanks and Enjoy!!! Just Harv....