Aces High 2nd Annual Recipe Swap

[ROX]

Nwbie:  that pretzel dip looks great.  I'm going to the store this afternoon so I can make it tonight. 

I like your quick & easy meatloaf.

Also...excellent reminder about hand washing.  It's SO crucial with fresh meats (beef, pork, poultry) about being carefull with your cutting board, counter tops, etc.  ABC did a special about it a few years ago and it was shocking how much bacteria (ecoli, etc) there was in the average kitchen! 


There are SO many ways to do meatloaf, including the classic...


Mom’s Meatloaf
 
 
   
1/2  cup        fresh bread crumbs -- (about 2 slices)
1/4  cup        milk
2T                olive oil
1/2  cup        onions, -- finely diced
1                  garlic        clove, -- minced
1 LB              ground beef chuck OR ground round
1/2 LB           ground pork butt or sweet sausage
2                  large eggs, -- lightly beaten
1/3  cup        grated Romano or Parmesan
¼ T              fennel seeds (hard to find, you can order them on the internet)
1/4 T            dried oregano
1/4 cup         chopped parsley
1/3 cup         chopped green pepper (optional)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
 
 
Soak the bread crumbs in milk. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Lightly  grease a loaf pan.
 
Heat the olive oil. When hot add the onions and saute for about 8 minutes  or until golden and beginning to brown. Add the garlic and saute for a few  seconds. Remove the skillet from the heat and transfer the contents to a  mixing bowl.
 
Add the soaked bread crumbs, ground chuck and ground pork butt and mix with  1 egg. Add grated cheese, fennel, oregano, and parsley. Season to taste  with salt and pepper. (Saute some of the mixture before tasting and  adjusting for seasoning.)
 
Transfer the mix to a loaf pan and bake at high heat for 15 minutes. Lower  the heat to 350 degrees and bake for 1 hour or until the internal
temperature reaches 165 degrees.

Carefully drain any fat and let rest at LEAST 15 minutes before cutting, or it falls apart.
 
Yield: 6 servings




ROX

[ROX]

Oh....I I can't forget the meatloaf I have been making lately...

You will figure out why.



The Doctor Has Been Griping About My Weight & Cholesterol Meatloaf
 
   
1/2  cup       fresh bread crumbs -- (about 2 slices)
1/4  cup       skim milk
2 T              olive oil
1/4  cup       onions, -- finely diced
¼    cup       green onions, finely diced
1                 garlic clove, -- minced
1 1/2 LB       ground turkey BREAST
1                 large egg, -- lightly beaten (or Eggbeaters)
1 T              Basil
1 T              dried oregano
1 T              worchestershire sauce
½ T             hickory liquid
4 T              catsup or barbecue sauce

freshly ground black pepper to taste
 
 
Soak the bread crumbs in milk. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Lightly "grease" a loaf pan with non-calorie, non-stick spray.
 
Heat the olive oil. When hot add the onions and saute for about 8 minutes  or until golden and beginning to brown. Add the garlic and saute for a few  seconds. Remove the skillet from the heat and transfer the contents to a large mixing bowl.
 
Add the soaked bread crumbs, ground turkey breast and mix with 1 egg. Add grated cheese, fennel, oregano, and parsley. Season to taste  with salt and pepper. (Means season to your own "tastes"--don't eat raw meat).
 
Transfer the mix to a loaf pan and bake at high heat for 15 minutes. Lower the heat to 350 degrees and bake for 1 hour. 15 minutes prior to taking it out of the oven, top with catsup or barbecue sause of your choice.  (You CAN use a meat thermometer--175 and it's done)

Carefully drain any fat and let rest at LEAST 15 minutes before cutting.
 
Yield: 6 servings

[ZetaNine]

Meatloaf........the definitive comfort food.

[ROX]

The meatloaf I WISH I could make...


Forget The Diet Meatloaf


1/2 cup       plain dried bread crumbs
1/4 cup       chopped parsley
2                large eggs, lightly beaten
2 T             whole milk
1/2 cup       grated Romano cheese
1/4 cup       chopped sun-dried tomatoes
¼   cup       spanish stuffed olives
½ T            salt
3/4 T          freshly ground black pepper
1  ½ LB       ground chuck or ground round
10 oz          sliced ham, about 10 slices
1 T             worchestershire sauce
2 T             REAL Bacon bits
3                slices of THICK bacon


Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

In a large bowl, stir together the bread crumbs, parsley, eggs, milk, cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, salt, and pepper. Add the beef, bacon bits and gently stir to combine, being careful not to overwork the meat.

On a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, lay out the ham, overlapping the slices, into a large rectangle shape. In the middle of the rectangle, place the beef  mixture, shaping into a loaf. Using the parchment paper, wrap the ham up and around the beef loaf to cover completely. Place the three slices of bacon on the top and squeeze the parchment-covered loaf with your hands to secure the ham and solidify the shape of the loaf.

While still covered in parchment, bake the loaf until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer (about 60 minutes). Remove from the oven and let cool, pouring off any fat.

(The parchment idea is from a Giadia De Laurentis show...it keeps everthing together without making a mess...that...and she is one HOT little mynx!!!)

Also makes excellent sandwiches.

Also clogs your arteries, but it tastes REALLY good.




ROX

[Jappa52]

MA!!!! MEATLOAF!!! *@%@#   


Great thread and good looking recipes I will definitely try.  I have a great bruschetta  recipe I will post (when I get home) that goes great with any Italian dinner.

[Nwbie]

"Also...excellent reminder about hand washing.  It's SO crucial with fresh meats (beef, pork, poultry) about being carefull with your cutting board, counter tops, etc.  ABC did a special about it a few years ago and it was shocking how much bacteria (ecoli, etc) there was in the average kitchen! "

Rox

The only reason I got in the habit was because of a trip we made up north... We stay at a small resort our friends own outside of Rhinelander WI, 8 cabins on a lake -they have a bar-nice beach- kids are safe- no need to drive sloshed anywhere - real fun place for all.. anyway a friend and I were sitting drinking beers and watching a guy who was renting a cabin at the resort, he was cooking chicken on a grill... he put the chicken on the grill with his hands...took a few chips out of a bowl on the table and ate them.. and moved some of the chicken around on the grill with his hands.. as his little ones reached into the bowl for chips and licked their fingers... my buddy Don sayz... gonna be interesting in that cabin for the next couple of days.. I -clueless-- ignored the statement and just kept drinking and talking...
That whole family was in the hospital the next night with the flu symptons... their week was ruined.. I asked Don how he knew and he talked about the chicken and the chips... boy was I clueless.. ever since I am washing my hands and countertops constantly as i cook..

EASY POTATO SIDE FOR GRILLING

Tin Foil
Potato(s) 1- for each adult – I usually figure ½ per child under 10
Butter (or I can’t believe it aint stuff)
Sliced Onions, break into small rings
Chopped Green Peppers – (usually only for the adults portions)
Salt, Pepper, Paprika

Slice potatoes 1/8 to ¼ inch thickness
Spread in center of about 11 inch long piece tin foil, spread onion rings and some green peppers over potatoes, a few shakes of salt and pepper and a shake of paprika over top
Place about a teaspoon of butter or substitute on top and fold tin foil into a nice tight package – sometimes I wrap with a second piece to keep larger pack sealed.
Cook for 30 minutes on the grill turning every ten minutes. Easy and tasty side dish – with very little cleanup required.

NwBie

[AWMac]

http://www.globe-guardian.com/archives/twisted/tl0004.htm

Road Kill Recipes

 

[ROX]

The only reason I got in the habit was because of a trip we made up north... We stay at a small resort our friends own outside of Rhinelander WI, 8 cabins on a lake -they have a bar-nice beach- kids are safe- no need to drive sloshed anywhere - real fun place for all.. anyway a friend and I were sitting drinking beers and watching a guy who was renting a cabin at the resort, he was cooking chicken on a grill... he put the chicken on the grill with his hands...took a few chips out of a bowl on the table and ate them.. and moved some of the chicken around on the grill with his hands.. as his little ones reached into the bowl for chips and licked their fingers... my buddy Don sayz... gonna be interesting in that cabin for the next couple of days.. I -clueless-- ignored the statement and just kept drinking and talking...
That whole family was in the hospital the next night with the flu symptons... their week was ruined.. I asked Don how he knew and he talked about the chicken and the chips... boy was I clueless.. ever since I am washing my hands and countertops constantly as i cook..

[public service announcement]


Nwbie  

I think you just saved some AH O'Clubbers a trip to the emergency room

Emeril refers to them as "Those bird rules".  It's not a good Thanksgiving (or in their case vacation) when folks are hurling their innards up and going to the ER.  

Hand washing...not touching raw (or even cooking) meat with your hands--touching other food items or plates/utensils---NEVER putting a cooked meat item in the same bowl/platter that you took it over to the grill/oven in raw to later serve after it's cooked--proper tempretures, warm up to the number 170 degrees.

We talked about food thermometers last year, but it's been a year.  If you cook MEAT, get a meat thermometer.  Why?  Most people overcook, turkey especially.  Remeber the scene in National Lampoon's "Christmas Vacation"  when Clark cuts the turkey and explodes in a cloud of dust?  Sure, it's a joke, but most people end up eating dry, overcooked turkey on Thanksgiving because someone trusted that little red pop-out indicater instead of using a meat thermometer.  

We get a meat injector (looks like a giant hyperdermic needle) and inject a mix of melted butter & hickory liquid smoke into all the meat areas the night before, then again as well as baste.  Stuffed, we cook until it's exactly 170 degrees F in all major meat areas (breast and thighs).  It's the juciest turkey ever.

Some people undercook their poultry.  Get ready to pray to the porcelin god and get out the major medical card 'cuz your going to the emergency room.  Undercooked poultry can look "pinkish" (except for smoked poultry).  I had a boss once who did some chicken on the grill and undercooked it.  The next day he was in a motel in Colorado so sick he could barely stand.  The reason?  He had undercooked the chicken.

A meat thermometer can run from $7 to over $40.  Get the metal $10 one that either comes with a pocket holder or the larger one.  It will have a round analog dial that includes beef rare, beef medium, beef well, fish, pork and poultry settings.  You could get fancy-schmancy digital ones with all the bells & whistles, but it's overkill.  Ever see the chefs at the casinos?  Look at their pocket!  You will see a analog meat thermometer a bit bigger than a pen. Poultry is done at exactly 170 F.  For $10 bucks you not only save a trip to the hospital, but when the food comes to the table you look like a genuis!

I smoked a turkey on the grill for Thanksgiving (Yes...I did the ANTI-Turkey again) and my mother-in-law marveled at how juicy it was.  (They took all the leftovers of that turkey home with them).  There was no secret other than a meat thermometer.

Great story nwbie!

[/public service announcement]


(BTW:  Where do you live, Nwbie?  I'm from Waukegan, IL)



ROX

[ROX]

I was over rookland today, and couldn't HELP but to think of this one.


“Bananas For The Alt-Monkeys”


4              bananas
1/2 cup     heavy cream
1 cup        semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup     chopped roasted peanuts 
3 T           powdered sugar


Peel the bananas and cut them in half crosswise so that you now have 2 short pieces.  Insert an ice-cream stick or half of a bamboo skewer into each piece so that it has a handle.  Wrap each banana half in a piece of aluminum foil and place in the freezer until frozen solid, 4 to 6 hours or overnight.

Place the cream in a small saucepan and bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Remove from the heat.

Place the chocolate chips in a medium mixing bowl, then carefully pour the hot cream over the chips. Let the chocolate and cream sit undisturbed for a minute or two, then stir with a small spoon or rubber spatula until the mixture is blended and smooth and the chocolate is completely melted, about 2 minutes.

Place the nuts in a small mixing bowl chop into small pieces.

Remove the bananas from the freezer and unwrap.

Cover a small baking sheet with waxed paper or aluminum foil.

Holding the stick or skewer, dip one banana half in the melted chocolate and cream until completely coated.

Sprinkle the coated banana with about 1 tablespoon of the chopped peanuts.

While still warm, sprinkle each covered banana with powdered sugar.

Set the banana on the covered baking sheet and repeat with the remaining bananas and coatings.

Serve immediately or cover tightly and return the bananas to the freezer until ready to serve.

Kids LOVE these!

This is also very popular with the 4:20 crowd.

Yield: 8 servings



See ya at 40,000'   




ROX

[Nwbie]

"(BTW:  Where do you live, Nwbie?  I'm from Waukegan, IL)

ROX "

I'm in Oak Lawn IL - S west near burb of Chicago - all the Chicago cops & Firemen live just east of me in the Mount Greenwood section of Chicago... lived all over the area - grew up in the west side of the city - Austin District, lived in Lake Forest during college days - frequented some of the Waukegan and Highwood -uuummm dancing establishments during the late 70's
Bensenville, Itasca, Crestwood, now Oak Lawn - I have pretty much got the city perimeters memorized 

Sloppy Joes for the kitchen inept

1 lb Ground Beef
1 medium Onion
3 T White Vinegar
2 T Sugar
1 T Worcester
1 cup Ketchup ( I like to go with adding 1/4 cup BBQ sauce - wife objects, I ignore)
1/2 cup Water

Mix water,Vinegar,sugar,Worcester,Ketchup in a small saucepan - bring to a boil - reduce and simmer for 10 minutes

Brown ground beef & Chopped onion, add cooked sauce and simmer for 5 or so minutes - serve on hamburger buns
My girls love it - and they are picky eaters - I luv the simple quick recipes.

NwBie

[wrongwayric]

Fast Pretzel Dip

1 package Philadelphia Cream Cheese- softened
1 jar Pimento Cheese Spread
Garlic Powder
Worcester sauce

Mix cheese together, I use a hand blender
Garlic powder to taste – I give it good 2 or 3 shakes- less if Wife wants some
Teaspoon or so of Worcester – blend in

Grab a bag of pretzels, can of beer, sit down and watch a game balancing dip and can of beer on stomach shelf that the kids laff at 


My Meatloaf

1 lb lean ground beef
1 lb ground pork
½ green pepper
1 onion
1 egg
1 handful of oatmeal flakes
Garlic powder
1 small can of tomato paste

Wash hands while letting meat come to room temperature
Wash hands again
Chop onions and green pepper into fine pieces
Mix pork and beef with hands in a large bowl, add chopped peppers and onions
Add 1 raw egg, handful of oatmeal, and a few shakes of garlic powder, mix well.
Pre-heat oven to 325, place mixture in a breadloaf pan- I always line it with tin foil- cleanup is way easier, put on center rack and cook for 30 minutes, pull out and spread tomato paste on top and place back in oven for 10 to 15 minutes – my kids love it.

NwBie

Cool i'll try that meatloaf recipe. Can i leave out the pork if i want? Not sure if my mom ever tossed pork in there or not. Oh well i can try it both ways i guess.

[Nwbie]

"Cool i'll try that meatloaf recipe. Can i leave out the pork if i want? Not sure if my mom ever tossed pork in there or not. Oh well i can try it both ways i guess. "{

wrongway - I would be surprised if your mom didnt put pork in there - it is standard operating procedure for meat loaf - also i think it would end up too dry with just ground beef

NwBie

[wrongwayric]

  Well i'll do it with the pork first then try it without. Hey neighbors dog has to eat sometime right?

It sounds almost like i remember my mom making but i never saw her put pork in it, but then again i was a youngster,  i might not have seen it going in.

Now what to eat with it? Mashed taters, gravy, corn.......sorry drooling here 

[Rollins]

ROX, NwBie- old midwest brethren, who knew.  Born and raised in Hazel Crest and Chicago Heights.

Try these potatoes with that batch of NwBie meatloaf  (and I second the need for the ground pork, it really makes it)

Saw this on Food Network and tried it, some of the best things I've ever had.

McAllister Potatoes
Recipe courtesy Guy Fieri

1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup peppadew peppers, chopped   *see below
1/4 cup white wine
3 pounds baby Yukon potatoes
2 tablespoons kosher salt, plus more for seasoning
3/4 pound bacon, diced
2 yellow onions, diced
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 tablespoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons Parmesan

In small mixing bowl combine sour cream, peppadew peppers*, and white wine. Mix thoroughly and refrigerate for 1 hour.

In large stock pot add potatoes, cover with water and add salt. Set heat on high and boil until fork tender.

In a large saute pan over medium heat cook bacon and saute onions until caramelized. Remove bacon and onions from pan on to a paper towel to absorb grease, keep warm on platter, and leave remaining fat in pan.

When potatoes are fork tender, drain, and with a clean kitchen towel, palm smash the hot potatoes to approximately 1/3-inch thick. ** see below

Reheat fat in saute pan and add 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Heat to oil medium heat and place potatoes in oil. Season with salt and pepper and brown on both sides, then transfer to onion and bacon platter. Repeat until all potatoes are cooked crispy.

Top potatoes with Parmesan and then with sour cream mixture.

*peppadew peppers are sometime hard to find-you can sub in diced tomato, red pepper, or my preference, diced pimiento.

**let the taters cool a bit and use a good kitchen towel and use a light touch to just flatten them so they have a good contact surface.


These are killer spuds.  One thing to remember is patience.  Let the potatoes get good and crispy in that pan at the end.  Bacon Bonus Points! 

Enjoy that until I post the best wings you'll ever have. 

[AWMac]

Pull the trap into the kitchen close to the oven.
Place a bunch of coal on the bottom of the oven, with lighter fluid.
Mestic wood chips stuff on top of the charcoal. Take a shot of whiskey,
Lit the charcoal....turn off all the smoke alarms, remove batteries.
Had the women folk have to tenderize the meat.
After the screamion, we go we to defe