Bananas Foster

Bananas Foster

Bananas Foster is a traditional New Orleans dessert. Created by Paul Blangé at Brennan’s Restaurant in 1951, it is still served in many fine restaurants around the world. Some recipes call for rum, but there is no “Rum Street” in New Orleans to my knowledge, so use bourbon.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup butter
• 3-4 bananas, peeled and cut into coins
• 3 teaspoons fresh ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• 1/2 cup bourbon (Makers Mark recommended)
• 1/4 cup banana liqueur (Banana 99 recommended)
• 1/2 gallon Butter Pecan ice cream

Directions

Bananas Foster being flambéd

In small pan, mix bourbon and banana liqueur and gently warm it. Melt butter and and then add sugar  sugar in a medium pan. Add bananas and pecans. Saute until bananas become tender (2-3 minutes). Sprinkle with the cinnamon. Pour the bourbon/liqueur over the bananas and flambé. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon cinnamon in to flame. Serve with the ice cream and sprinkle with remaining  cinnamon.

Popularity: 9% [?]

(1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)

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Stacy’s Guacamole

Guacamole isn’t my favorite dish, but people ask me to make them a batch from time to time and it is always a hit. It has a bit of a kick to it. Try it out and let me know what you think.

Ingredients:

• 4 large Haas avocados
• 1/2 large red onion, chopped (a white onion works well too)
• 1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
• 4 cloves of garlic, chopped
• 3 Roma tomatoes, deseeded and diced
• 4 Serrano chili peppers, chopped
• 2 Jalapeno chili peppers, chopped
• 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
• 3 teaspoons salt
• 2 teaspoons ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoons Cayenne pepper
• 8 drops Tabasco sauce
• zest and juice of 2 limes
• 2 shots tequila
• 1 lime wedge

Directions:

Stacy's Gaucamole

Ah, the easy part. Add peppers, bell peppers, onion, garlic in food processor. Mix until well blended. Add rest of ingredients reserving 1 shot of tequila, lime wedge and 1 teaspoon of salt. Lick the skin between your thumb and forefinger, then sprinkle salt onto the area. Using the same hand that contains the salt, hold the lime with thumb and index finger. Lick the salt, down the tequila, and bite the lime. Swish it around in your mouth for a couple of seconds and then swallow. Now mix rest of ingredients in the food processor until well blended and creamy. Serve with tortilla chips.

If there are more than one person in the kitchen, this recipe may require more tequila, salt and lime wedges.

Popularity: 3% [?]

(1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)

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Green Eggs and Ham Quiche

Green Eggs and Ham, by Dr. Seuss

This dish was inspired by a request from a Fackbook fan and my recent article on eggs (I made a reference to Dr. Seuss’s “Green Eggs and Ham“). These are great traditional quiches and a great treat for the kids.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups fresh spinach, chopped
• 1 small white onion, chopped
• 3 eggs
• 1 cups milk
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tablespoon shortening
• 1 cup chopped or diced ham
• 2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
• 1 Roma tomato, thickly sliced

Directions:

Prepare 4, 4 inch x 1 inch crust as described in Cheesy Quiche Crust.

Just out of the oven

Prepare the custard by mixing spinach and onion in a food processor. Add eggs, milk, flour and shortening and mix thoroughly.

Green Eggs and Ham Quiche

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Place all 4 crusts on a baking sheet for ease in handling. Bake crust for 5-10 minutes. Remove from oven and fill with custard. Bake custard for 15 minutes, then remove from oven. Top each quiche with a thin to moderate amount of cheese. Finish topping with chopped or diced ham. Return to the oven and cook for an additional 5 minutes.

Plate with slice of Romano tomato.

Popularity: 4% [?]

(1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)

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Cheezy Quiche Crust

I like a little flavor in my crust, so the first idea I had to spice up my quiche crust was adding cheese to a basic recipe. The results were pleasing and pair very well to traditional quiche recipes.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup cold butter, cut into small pieces
• 3 tablespoons shredded Cheddar cheese
• 1 – 1/2 tablespoons cold water as needed

Directions:

In a large bowl, add flour and sprinkle in the chopped butter. Rub butter into the flour until it looks like bread crumbs. Add the grated cheese and mix thoroughly. Add water over mixture, about a teaspoon at a time, stirring lightly with a fork. Add enough water to allow the dough form a ball and easily leave the side of the bowl. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap, or place in air tight container and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Preheat an oven to 375 degrees F. Roll out dough, and place in baking pan. I usually do this with small 4 inch by 1 inch quiche/tart pans (yields about 5 thin crust, 4 medium crust), though a 9 1/2″ pie/quiche/tart pan could be used. Prick holes over the bottom of the pastry with a fork. Crust can be frozen over night.

Bake crust in oven for 5-10 minutes before filling with quiche custard of your choice.

Popularity: 2% [?]

(1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)

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Slow Cooked Apple and Onion Stuffed Chicken

Apple and Onion Stuffed Chicken with Bacon and Garlic Mashed Potatoes

When I first conceived this recipe, I was going to fry the chicken in butter for about 4-5 minutes a side. However, I had purchased a new slow cooker and was looking for an interesting way to use it. It was suggested that I do a stuffed chicken recipe. Serendipity at its best. I already had all of the ingredients.  So below you will find the altered recipe. The slow cooker gave me plenty of time to relax and fix a side dish of bacon and garlic mashed potatoes, and Bananas Foster for dessert.

Ingredients:

• 8 boneless skinless chicken thighs
• 2 tablespoons Olive Oil
• 1 Green Apple, diced (Granny Smith recommended)
• 1 Small Red Onion, diced
• 2 teaspoons Oregano
• 2 Pieces of bread, toasted, (you can substitute 3/4 cup store bought bread crumbs)
• 8-10 ounces diced Tomato
• Salt
• Pepper
• 1 cup Chicken Broth
• 3 cloves of garlic, crushed or quartered
• 1 tablespoon dried Oregano

Directions:

Pounding Chicken Thighs

Between two pieces of plastic wrap, unroll and pound flat chicken thighs.

Heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and apple and cook 6-8 minutes until onion is translucent and apples are slightly softened. Cut toasted bread in to small chunks and add to onions and apples. Add 1-2 teaspoons of salt an pepper. Stir until well mixed then add diced tomatoes. Continue stirring, then remove from heat and cool for a few minutes.

Stuffed Chicken in Slow Cooker

Place a spoon full or more of the onion/apple mixture on each thigh and secure with toothpicks. Place each rolled thigh in a slow cooker. Pour remaining mixture over thighs and add chicken broth and garlic. Sprinkle in salt and pepper to taste (1-2 teaspoons). Start cooker and cook on high for 2 1/2 hours. In the last 15 minutes of cooking add oregano.

Finished Product Ready to Slow Cook

Serve by plating Stuffed Chicken first then topping with remaining mix. The left over cooking juice can be used as a gravy or additional sauce for the chicken.

Popularity: 6% [?]

(1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)

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