SHE-CRAB SOUP DELUXE

YIELD: 4 – 8 OZ. SERVINGS

INGREDIENTS:

3 TBSP      Butter

3 TBSP      Flour

2 C            Half & half 

1 C            Heavy cream

2 TBSP      Butter

1 lb.          Crab meat (check for cartridge)

1/4 tsp.      Cayenne pepper

1/2 tsp.      Old Bay

1 TBSP      Butter

1/3 C         Onion, very finely chopped

1/3 C         Celery, very thinly sliced

3/4 tsp.      Worcestershire sauce

                Salt to taste

                White pepper to taste

1/2 tsp.      Lemon zest

3              Hardboiled egg YOLKS (Substitute for Roe) – crumbled

3 TBSP      Dry sherry

1 TBSP      Fresh parsley – chopped for garnish

DIRECTIONS:

Boil three eggs to hardboiled – about 10 minutes.  Peel and remove yolks and set them aside.  Discard whites.  Chop parsley and set aside for garnish.  Heat oven to 200° - turn off heat and place serving bowl in oven to warm them.

In a large, heavy pot over low heat, melt 3 TBSP butter; add flour and blend until smooth. Slowly add cream and half & half cream, stirring constantly with a whisk; cook until thickened.  DO NOT BOIL!

In a medium skillet, melt 2 TBSP butter.  Add crab meat, cayenne and Old bay.  Stir gently and cook over medium heat for about a minute – add to cream mixture and stir slowly to blend.

In same skillet, melt 1 TBSP butter – add onions and celery and cook until soft – about 2-3 minutes.  Add to crab/cream mixture and stir

Add Worcestershire sauce, salt, white pepper, and lemon zest to cream mixture.  Bring just to a simmer, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to low, and simmer, uncovered, for 3-5 minutes (if the soup appears about to boil, remove the pan from the heat for a minute or so, then return). Check for salt and pepper and adjust as desired.

Remove from heat and add sherry, stirring to mix. Let sit for 3 to 4 minutes before serving. 

To serve, sprinkle crumbled egg yolks in the bottom of the warm serving bowls.  Pour the soup slowly over the yolks, dividing the crabmeat and roe equally into each bowl. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

[Just so you know - in many coastal areas it is illegal to catch female crabs that are in the 'berry stage,' i.e., carrying eggs (roe) externally in the abdominal flap.  So check local laws if you are catching your own crabs]

CHICKEN WINGS GALORE

I love chicken wings!  And I love dipping them in a sauce and getting messy fingers eating them.  Here's three of my favorite wing sauces..... all can be prepared ahead and then re-heated before serving.  Serve them on the side if using more than one, or put wings in a bowl and toss with the sauce of your choice.

A large pack of winge (4-5 pounds) will serve 2-3 people as a meal or 6-8 as an appetizer.  Remove the short tip and discard.  You can cut the remaining parts in half or leave them jointed - your preference.

The wings need to be fully cooked, of course.  They can be fried, battered and fried, baked in the oven or grilled.  My preference is grilling - far less greasy.  I wash them thoroughly under running water and spread them out on paper towels and pat dry.  Then I place them in a large metal bowl and lightly sprinkle them with Stubb's Rub for Chicken, but any poultry seasoning will work.... or NO seasoning other than salt and pepper will also work.  If you season them, tumble them around in the bowl to spread the seasoning evenly.  Cover and refrigerate until ready to cook.

Allow an hour to cook the wings, no matter the method you choose.  Keep the wings warm in a low (200°) oven until ready to serve. Note:  Try NOT to have to keep the wings in the oven for too long.  All of this is best right after it's cooked.

I always serve wings with celery sticks, and with Ranch and/or Blue Cheese dressing as a dip on the side.  For a meal, I always serve rice and cole slaw.

BUFFALO WINGS

INGREDIENTS: 

1-  12 oz.      bottle Frank’s Original Hot Sauce

2-3 TBSP     Old Bay Seasoning (more=hotter)

1 stk            Margarine (not butter)

2 TBSP         Rice wine vinegar

2 TBSP         Fresh lemon juice

Combine first four ingredients in a saucepan.  Bring to a boil over medium heat; reduce to a simmer for 1-2 minutes.  Remove from heat and add lemon juice; stir to blend and serve.  Toss with wings and serve.

SWEET AND SOUR WINGS

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 TBSP    Oil

1 TBSP      Butter

1 TBSP      Fresh ginger, minced

1 TBSP      Garlic, minced

3/4 C         Rice wine vinegar

1/4 C         Soy Sauce

3/4 C         Brown sugar

1/2 C         Pineapple juice

1/2 C         Catsup

Heat oil and butter in a wok.  Add ginger and garlic and cook about 30 seconds.  Add remaining ingredients and simmer for 5 minutes.  Toss with wings and serve.

TERIYAKI WINGS

INGREDIENTS:

4 TBSP      Teriyaki sauce

6 oz.         Honey

2 TBSP      Rice wine vinegar

1/4 tsp.      Ground ginger (or 1 tsp. grated FRESH ginger)

       

Mix ingredients and STIR until totally mixed and honey is dissolved.  Heat by microwaving in 10 SECOND bursts. Toss with wings and serve.

CHICKEN SOUP

SERVES: 6-8

INGREDIENTS:

1                 Fryer, 3-4 pounds ***

                  Water to cover chicken

1-2 sprigs   Fresh thyme

4 stalks      Celery, leaves too – cut into 2” lengths

6 cloves      Fresh garlic, peeled and mashed
2 TBSP       Whole peppercorns

1                Bay leaf 

4-5            Carrots – peeled and sliced chunky

2 tsp.          Cayenne pepper flakes or 2-3 shakes of ground cayenne

1                 Onion – chopped

12                Mushrooms, wiped clean and sliced

3 stalks      Celery, sliced on the diagonal

2 TBSP        Butter

1 C            Baby June peas - frozen (optional)

8 oz. bag    WIDE Egg noodles

                 Salt

                 Fresh ground pepper   

DIRECTIONS:

Cut chicken into quarters; combine chicken and cover with water.  Add next 5 ingredients in a large pot and add water to cover chicken by about an inch.  Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer about 60 minutes.  Remove the chicken to a plate to cool; remove and discard skin; remove meat from bones and pull/cut into chunks.

Strain stock to remove all the veggies; discard veggies.  Add water [or purchased chicken stock] to the chicken broth to make 10 cups of liquid.  Add back into the pot.  Add chicken and cayenne pepper flakes. Bring to a boil; reduce to a simmer and cover.  Meanwhile.....

In a separate pan or wok, melt butter and sauté mushrooms, onion and celery 4-5 minutes.  Add these to pot.  Bring contents of the pot back to a boil and reduce heat.  Simmer 15-30 minutes.

Cut carrots into inch lengths and then split the large end one in half down the middle.  Add carrots to the pot and return to simmer.  After 7-8 minutes, add noodles to the pot.  Cook for about 7-8 minutes.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Remove from heat and let soup rest about 15-20 minutes before serving. (This gives the noodles time to soak up the yummy broth.) Check to see if carrots and noodles are done.  If not, bring back to a boil and cook 2-4 minutes.  Check for salt, pepper and cayenne and add more of these to taste.

Note:  Chicken can be cooked a day ahead and refrigerated.  Stock should be refrigerated until ready to use.  Skim solid fat from stock. 

Add the remaining chicken carcass to a pot with the drippings, celery leaves, salt and pepper.  Add water to cover and simmer for about an hour until the meat is falling off the bone. No need to add thyme or garlic, as that’s already in the stock from the baked chicken.

Remove from heat and fish out the chicken/bones and spread on a platter.  Strain the pot liquid and toss the celery leaves and other herb.  Return the liquid to the pot.  Pick the chicken from the bones and add to the pot.

***ALTERNATES:

First – bake a chicken with my recipe below and enjoy a meal for two.  Then follow the direction at this link for the best chicken stock you'll ever use!

http://firebird-cooks.blogspot.com/2011/02/baked-chicken.html

***MORE ALTERNATES:

Replace noodles with 1 C rice (18 minutes-to-cook kind) – after 5 minutes, add carrots and continue as directed above.

or

Replace noodles with 3-4 russet potatoes, cut into large cubes – add carrots and cook for 5 minutes, then add potatoes and cook about 10 minutes; continue as directed above.  Do NOT overcook the potatoes.

or

Replace noodles with Anne’s Frozen dumplings.  Work backwards for cooking times to determine when to add veggies.

Approximate cooking times for veggies:

       

        Noodles – 7-8 minutes

        Carrots – 8-14 minutes

        Peas – 5 minutes

Potatoes – 8-10 minutes

        Rice – 18 minutes

        

GUMMY BEAR ALERT!

AMAZON sells sugarfree Gummy Bears in a 5 lb. bag for about $25.  There is a TINY disclaimer on the bag that says

“Consumption of some sugar-free candies may cause stomach discomfort and/or a laxative effect.  Individual tolerance may vary.  If this is the first time you’ve tried those candies, we recommend beginning with one-fourth of a serving size or less.”  [NOTE:  A serving is 17 pieces]

Apparently this should be written in big, red letters!

Here is one (critical) review of this product – there are many others in the same vein.  I have never laughed so hard at ANYTHING since I can remember…… I love that Amazon has these reviews!  And there are more just like this one!

Oh man...words cannot express what happened to me after eating these. The Gummi Bear "Cleanse". If you are someone that can tolerate the sugar substitute, enjoy. If you are like the dozens of people that tried my order, RUN!

First of all, for taste I would rate these a 5. So good. Soft, true-to-taste fruit flavors like the sugar variety...I was a happy camper.

BUT (or should I say BUTT), not long after eating about 20 of these all hell broke loose. I had a gastrointestinal experience like nothing I've ever imagined. Cramps, sweating, bloating beyond my worst nightmare. I've had food poisoning from some bad shellfish and that was almost like a skip in the park compared to what was going on inside me.

Then came the, uh, flatulence. Heavens to Murgatroyd, the sounds, like trumpets calling the demons back to Hell...the stench, like 1,000 rotten corpses vomited. I couldn't stand to stay in one room for fear of succumbing to my own odors.

But wait; there's more. What came out of me felt like someone tried to funnel Niagara Falls through a coffee straw. I swear my sphincters were screaming. It felt like my delicate starfish was a gaping maw projectile vomiting a torrential flood of toxic waste. 100% liquid. Flammable liquid. NAPALM. It was actually a bit humorous (for a nanosecond)as it was just beyond anything I could imagine possible.

AND IT WENT ON FOR HOURS.

I felt violated when it was over, which I think might have been sometime in the early morning of the next day. There was stuff coming out of me that I ate at my wedding in 2005.

I had FIVE POUNDS of these innocent-looking delicious-tasting HELLBEARS so I told a friend about what happened to me, thinking it HAD to be some type of sensitivity I had to the sugar substitute, and in spite of my warnings and graphic descriptions, she decided to take her chances and take them off my hands.

Silly woman. All of the same for her, and a phone call from her while on the toilet (because you kinda end up living in the bathroom for a spell) telling me she really wished she would have listened. I think she was crying.

Her sister was skeptical and suspected that we were exaggerating. She took them to work, since there was still 99% of a 5 pound bag left. She works for a construction company, where there are builders, roofers, house painters, landscapers, etc. Lots of people who generally have limited access to toilets on a given day. I can't imagine where all of those poor men (and women) pooped that day. I keep envisioning men on roofs, crossing their legs and trying to decide if they can make it down the ladder, or if they should just jump.

If you order these, best of luck to you. And please, don't post a video review during the aftershocks.

http://www.amazon.com/Haribo-Gummy-Candy-Sugarless-5-Pound/product-reviews/B000EVQWKC/ref=dp_top_cm_cr_acr_txt?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1

Right side – ‘critical reviews’……… ENJOY

KITCHEN TIPS (AND MORE) FROM A REDNECK WOMAN [UPDATED 2/1/2018]]

This is a revision of a revision of a revision of a post I did in 2011.... have added many more things that I've found helpful and time-saving in the past seven years.... enjoy!

AROUND THE KITCHEN AND THE REST OF THE HOUSE.....

A shake or two of salt on top of your coffee maker (on the grounds) will keep the coffee from becoming bitter if it’s not drunk right away – ESPECIALLY effective if you are using a 30 cup coffee maker

Always store spice SEEDS (caraway, sesame, celery) in the refrigerator to prevent them from becoming rancid

NEVER let mayonnaise stay out of the refrigerator more than 15 minutes – whether in the jar or in a recipe… the eggs in it are very quick to spoil and can cause severe food poisoning

Before slicing meat for fajitas or stir fry, freeze it for 30 minutes – it slices much easier

Turn your oven on for 3-4 minutes – then turn it off and put your plates in it – warm plates are a really nice touch, especially for a winter breakfast.

NEVER cook a shrimp more than 4 minutes!

The best coffee you will ever brew at home is Dunkin’ Donuts Whole Bean… grind your own…

Rinse your fresh fruit – especially berries – in a 10:1 water:vinegar wash.  You won’t taste the vinegar and it will kill mold spores that cause fruit to grow gray fuzz and rot, so you can store them a few extra days

To quickly scale a fish – add vinegar to a large bowl of water and slosh the fish in it – the scales will wipe right off

When making deviled eggs, add a packet of Equal or Sweet ‘n Low to the filling – it’s delicious!

Try adding chopped green olives to your chicken salad for a tangy surprise

Every kitchen needs 5 GOOD KNIVES – a 7” HOLLOW EDGE Santoku for chopping EVERYTHING; a serrated bread knife, that doubles as a slicing knife; a paring knife for peeling, etc.; a 6-7” utility knife for slicing cheese, small meats, etc.; an 8” chef’s knife for everything else, including protection, and an electric carving knife to use at Thanksgiving and Christmas to carve the ham or turkey – BUY GERMAN (Wusthof or Henckels) KNIVES – THEY ARE THE BEST ON THE MARKET and they will last forever!  Throw out every other knife you own!  (Six knives if you want to add a pizza wheel !!!)  BTW – the new ceramic knives are sharp as a razor – got a free one in the mail, sliced into my finger and FINGERNAIL first time I used it.

One other item I find unique AND necessary is a pair of STAINLESS STEEL needle-nose pliers.  (About $16 on Amazon)

They are perfect for removing seals from jars and containers that have a tiny tab you can't possibly pull with your fingers (e.g. a spice bottle of ground cinnamon).  They are also perfect for getting those last few bones out of your salmon fillets - or any other fish.  And another fantastic use I just discovered:  I only use whole nutmeg and grating it is a chore and often you get skin or fingernails in what you are grating..... well - hold the nut with the needle-nose pliers and grate away!!  Just don't squeeze it too tightly or the nut will break. (p.s.  Hand wash and DRY before putting away)

A vinaigrette bottle ($3 at Bed, Bath and Beyond) makes an attractive bottle by the sink for dishwashing liquid – dilute the liquid half/half with water – makes the soap  go further and looks soooo much better than a bottle of Palmolive Liquid sitting there!

Spray PAM your baking sheet when making homemade ‘frozen’ biscuits so they won’t stick (even tho the directions say ‘ungreased’ cooking sheet)

A stick of cinnamon in boiling water will really make the kitchen smell wonderful - and this is a great tip if your home is on the 'for sale' list - gives it that welcome, homey smell (just test first to see if you like it - would hate for you to lose a sale!)

Cloth napkins are wayyyyyy cheaper in the long run than paper ones

Freeze ginger root in an AIRTIGHT bag – then when a recipe calls for it, grate it FROZEN – you don’t even have to peel it – and it keeps for ages

Speaking of freezers.... an upright is convenient and it's really easy to find your stuff - but BECAUSE it's frost-free, it will burn the krap out of anything that's left in there for very long.  If you have space and patience, consider a chest freezer.  They are superior for NOT causing freezer-burn, but the down side is digging out your stuff (unless you're organized enough to use cheapo plastic containers you can stack.) One other thing.... chest freezers grow their own ice all around the inside and it's a chore to defrost (I do this every three years whether it needs it or not) BUT.... if you live in an area that's prone to power outages (like North Carolina's hurricane alley), your food will keep perfectly fine for 4-5 DAYS, IF YOU LEAVE THE LID CLOSED!

Always toss your citrus scraps garbage in the disposal – it freshens the disposal and the kitchen

You can easily make ‘utility’ ice by filling 3-4 clean gallon plastic milk cartons (or half-gallon ones orange juice comes in) to within an inch of the top and putting them in the freezer overnight – next day – bust ‘em with a hammer over a cooler and voila!  Free Ice!

When grilling with bamboo skewers, use in pairs – it makes the food easier to turn

A shot of sugar-free whipped cream (Land o’ Lakes) and a squirt of Smucker’s Caramel Sundae Sauce on top of a cup of coffee……… to DIE for...

Tomatoes have much more flavor served at room temperature. Take them out of the refrigerator 2 hours before serving.

Strawberries are the only fruit that won’t ripen after it's picked - so avoid ones that still have lime-green tips (and they are the only fruit with seeds on the outside – now you know)

3-4 sprigs of fresh rosemary tied with a string or a piece of dental floss makes a great basting brush for grilling pork or chicken (not so much for beef).  Imparts a little extra flavor… and easy to clean – just toss in the trash.

You know how burgers get done first around the edges and the centers get all thick?  Well, when you make the patties, ‘thin’ the centers by pressing your thumbs in the middle to form an indentation.  Also, add a tablespoon of water to each pound of ground beef when making burgers – it will add back moisture that seeps out while the meat’s sitting in the grocery store case.  And one other burger tip – never smush a burger as it cooks – that presses out all the yummy stuff.  Let it drain on a rack or on paper towels for a couple of minutes and then enjoy.  [For a REALLY awesome burger, skip the water and hide a cold pat of BUTTER in the center of your burgers, and then cook!  Saw this one on Paula Deene]

When planning a party menu, be sure to have hot AND cold food – that way you can refresh the cold things while the hot things cook up nice and fresh

Pita pockets, pulled apart and torn into bite-size pieces and baked 10-12 minutes on 350* make great cracker substitutes or co-crackers!

To prevent fresh cut fruit from turning brown, dip it in pineapple juice – tastes much better than lemon juice or salt water – soaking not required

Cracking eggs?  See a tiny bit of shell in ‘em?  Use a larger piece of shell to dip it out – works way better than your fingers.  If you want to avoid pieces of shell altogether, crack your eggs on the countertop rather than on the sharp edge of a bowl or cup.

This is a great find!  It’s a GLASS bacon press – Cooks Essentials – from QVC of all places.  It’s about 9” square, made of safety glass with a nice insulated handle.  It is fantastic for reducing spattering, it makes food cook more evenly, because more of it is in contact with the cooking surface.  Why is this better than an iron bacon press, you ask?  Because you can SEE thru it to gauge how your bacon is coming along!  Also works wonderfully for sausage and hamburger patties.  [UPDATE:  I have been looking for another one of these for a gift and it's been out of stock FOREVER..... ugh!]

Chilled cucumber slices placed on your CLOSED eyes can refresh them. Teabags are also good because the caffeine in tea bags acts as a remedy for dark circles by diminishing puffiness.  Squeeze out a pair of USED teabags (and caffeine free won’t work) and put them in the freezer until thoroughly chilled.  Flatten them a bit and press one on each eye and leave for about 10 minutes.  Be very careful NOT to get tea in your eyes.

A SOFT toothbrush is great for cleaning mushrooms.  So is a slightly damp paper towel.  Never wash ‘shrooms in running water!

Want just a splash of lemon juice without the seeds or pulp?  Wrap half a lemon in Saran, poke 2-3 slits in it and squeeze away.  No fancy gadgets to wash and store – just throw the remains in the trash (or put the lemon in the garbage disposal to freshen it!)

Making a mess chopping nuts?  Put them in a deep bowl and use a metal dough blender to gently chop them – and they don’t go flying everywhere!

Add fresh sliced strawberries to a green garden salad for a tangy sweet surprise. 

Speaking of strawberries, try serving them at your next summer party beside a little bowl of COLD Blue Cheese salad dressing as a dip!  Trust me on this - it's amazing!

Wearing golf shoes in the winter when your sidewalks and driveway are iced over makes it a LITTLE easier to move around – still be cautious!

Can’t get those candles to stay straight in the candlesticks?  Wrap a small rubber band around the base of the candle 2-3 times.  Problem solved.

COLGATE SIMPLY WHITE is a thick peroxide that you brush on your teeth to brighten them and remove stains.  It is also fantastic antibiotic to put on tick bites to squelch the itching and to prevent infection – just the tiniest touch is all that’s needed on a bite or that place where you removed a splinter.  AND it is fantastic to lighten your fingernails.  Brush the top and the undersides of your fingernail tips and let it sit about 10 minutes – then use a nail brush and soap to clean your hands.  The skin might oxidize a bit but that will soon go away and your nails will look like you had a sorta-French manicure.  Works great to lighten nicotine stains.  [Update:  blah – they have stopped making this!  Just dayum!]  UPDATE:  There IS a product out now called PLUSWHITE 5 MINUTE that does about the same thing...but it's a thinner product and messier.

All the home stores (Walmart, Home Depot, Lowe’s) are carrying solar landscape lights these days and some are quite cheap.  I have some little ones with spikes that you just push in the ground.  I have 4-5 of them outside, and in the event of an extended power failure (like from a hurricane) , pluck’ em up just at dark, put them in a large vase with some gravel in the bottom, and you almost have enough light to read by.  Or spread them around the house for nightlights.  Just put them back out during the day to recharge! 

Stinky cooler?  Scour it out with baking soda and then wipe it dry with paper towels.  Put a dryer sheet (Bounce) in it before storing it.

Keep a bottle of Visine GETS THE RED OUT in your kitchen, on your desk at work, and in your medicine cabinet…… it is fantastic for stopping bleeding from a cut, scrape or paper cut and there’s NO STING, so it’s wonderful for rinsing a skinned knee.  It contains a vasoconstrictor (which constricts the capillaries in the eye to reduce blood flow, hence it gets the red out) and it will constrict the capillaries in the wall of a cut, too!

A plastic gallon vinegar bottle should never be thrown away.  Cut it in two right where the top BEGINS to taper…. The result is a large round open container that’s great for freezing a big block of ice, which can later be cracked with a hammer and used to ice down drinks or make homemade ice cream; the top section is a fantastic funnel, complete with a handle – and totally disposable if you use it for something yukky.

Replace your dishwasher rinse agent (JetDry) with WHITE vinegar – it’s a gazillion times cheaper and the acidity will help with soap scum.

And while I’m on vinegar, don’t let anyone ever tell you that apple cider vinegar with a few drops of dishwasher liquid will take care of a fruit fly problem!  It will definitely kill them BUT, it will attract three times more flies than you started with – trust me on this one!

For fast and easy dusting,  buy a pair of fuzzy acrylic socks, spritz them with a very light mist of water (or Endust if you must) and slip them over your hands.  Candlesticks or chair legs – a snap.  Picture frames – not a problem!  Keep rotating them on your hands, and if necessary turn ‘em inside out and keep going.  Then toss them in the dryer!  (I bought an orange pair – a color I knew I could NEVER confuse with the socks I wear!)

Brushes – you can’t have too many GOOD brushes.  I have several of these  large blue and white ones that are called a ‘car cleaning’ brush – has long SOFT bristles.  It is FANTASTIC for getting the dust off of lamp shades.  Simply take the shade outside and gently brush it and watch the dust take flight!  Really beats vacuuming the shade and then watching the dust cycle thru the vacuum back into the air.  It’s also super for cleaning dirty window and door screens. 

This one’s also fantastic for cleaning bathroom fixtures – the bristles are soft and you can get in corners – and when you press down a bit, the bristles spread out and cover lots of territory – also great for scouring a toilet, and it rinses out clean

Don’t know how it works on a car, but my husband has one.

I also have 2-3 grout brushes that I will never part with.  In addition to cleaning grout (duh) and removing icky build-up around the base of faucets, try cleaning your stovetop with it.  I have a sealed unit gas range and the grout brush and some diluted Soft Scrub will clean it right up, particularly around the flame thing (I’m a really messy cook) and it won’t scratch the enamel like a soap pad might. 

A grout brush is also great for LIGHTLY brushing fresh corn to get the silks off.  Be gentle so you don’t puncture the kernels.

Another brush that works GREAT for silking corn is a fingernail brush - $1.99 on Amazon for a 6-pack - also available at Walmart

The following tips came in an email – they are fantastic!

Use frozen grapes to keep your wine chilled without watering it down. (I've done this one - it's awesome!)

Place a wooden spoon across a boiling pot to keep it from bubling over.  This works, too!

Bologna sandwiches that fit square bread - and how many bologna sandwiches have you eaten???  A picture is worth a thousand words:

Turn on your automobile seat warmer to keep pizza warm on the way home.

Recipe holder?  Another picture….

Use a muffin tin for serving condiments at your next cookout!  I don't know why I never thought of this one!

A loaf of fresh bread is much easier to slice if it’s upside down - be sure to use a serrated knife!

SPRAYWAY brand foaming glass cleaner cleans the HELL outta windows and mirrors!  Streaks far less than Windex (ok – that’s not a kitchen tip but I had to throw it in cause it works!)    Most car parts stores carry this (Pep Boys, Autozone, etc) Note:  Don’t clean windows when the sun is shining on them.

Here's my grilling blog... if you're interested

http://firebird-cooks.blogspot.com/2011/05/grilling-tips-from-redneck-woman.html

UPDATE 12/17/2013:

If your washing machine has a pre-soak/pre-wash cycle, try putting all your dishcloths and kitchen towels in and add about 1/2 C of AMMONIA to the pre-wash dispenser.... it cuts the grease build-up and they come out smelling sooooo much cleaner.

And while I'm talking laundry - don't add fabric softener to ANY towels - it makes them water repellent.

At Christmastime, if you have an artificial tree, stick 6-8 limbs of a rosemary plant - about 10" long - among the branches - will give your tree that 'real' smell.

And Merry Christmas from my house to yours!

MORE KITCHEN UPDATES:  7/5/2015

I know most of you have seen the cooks on Food Network smash garlic cloves with the side of a santoku knife with their fist...... let me tell you - this is KRAP, especially if you have several to smash.  Cover your pile of garlic cloves with a sorta-damp paper towel and grab  your handy OXO meat tenderizer and smack away with the flat side!  About $17 and worth every cent.

Another OXO product THAT I LOVE.... is the poultry shears. They will run you about $20-$25 (use a BB&B 20% off coupon) .... but again, these are fantastic.  You can cut apart a chicken or chicken wings in MINUTES.... I've even said you could cut up a dead body with them.  AND the blades separate into two pieces for thorough cleaning in the dishwasher... and they clip shut for safety in your kitchen drawer.

THIS is a Black & Decker Handy Chopper.... and I couldn't live without it - it's one of three electric appliances that sits on my kitchen counter all the time.  It's small -  will sit in a saucer - dishwasher safe, and can chop a handful of garlic cloves in 3 seconds.  Fantastic when you need ONE onion chopped, or a cup of parsley whizzed....  $14.00 at WalMart.  You can thank me later for this one!

Another thing I never knew but just found out..... NEVER CUT A FRUIT PIE UNTIL IT IS COMPLETELY COOLED!  If you cut a warm pie, you get to watch the insides ooze sideways to fill the missing 'wedge'.  UGH  If you want it warm, reheat a slice.

THE BLONDE NEWLYWED DAILY COOKBOOK

Monday

It’s going to be fun to cook for my husband.  Today I made angel food cake.  The recipe said beat 12 eggs separately.  The neighbors were nice enough to loan me the extra bowls.

Tuesday

He wanted fruit salad with dinner.  The recipe said serve without dressing.  So I didn't dress.  Imagine my surprise when he brought a friend home for supper.

Wednesday

A good day for rice.  He loves rice.  The recipe said wash thoroughly before steaming the rice.  It seemed kind of silly but I took a bath anyway.  I can't say it improved the rice though.

Thursday

Today he asked for salad again so I tried a new recipe.  It said prepare ingredients; lay on a bed of lettuce one hour before serving.  He asked me why I was rolling around in the garden.

Friday

I found an easy recipe for cookies.  It said put the ingredients in a bowl and beat it.   There must have been something wrong with this recipe.  When I got back, everything was the same as when I left.

Saturday

He did the shopping today and brought home a chicken.  He asked me to dress it for Sunday.  I don't have any clothes that fit it, and for some reason he keeps counting to ten.

Sunday

I wanted to serve roast but all I had was hamburger.  Suddenly I had a flash of genius.  I put the hamburger in the oven and set the controls for roast. It still came out hamburger, much to my disappointment.

GOOD NIGHT DEAR DIARY. This has been a very exciting week!  I am eager for tomorrow to come so I can try out a new recipe.  If I can talk him into buying a bigger oven, I would like to surprise him with a chocolate moose.

(from an email.... too funny not to share!)

OKRA - QUICK AND DELICIOUS

I love okra!  I especially love it in soups, stews and gumbos (see my recipes here for those winter treats.)  And okra is like squash - if it's not as big as you want it to be, come back in 15 minutes!  If you skip a day harvesting it, you will have lethal weapons the next day.  The very best okra is cooked the day it's picked - hard to find and well worth growing your own!

Now.... okra ain't purdy, and I'm not sure people outside the South eat it.... but this is the best way to cook it I've found.  Take 5 minutes start to finish.

INGREDIENTS:

8-10     2"-3" pods per person
            Kosher salt
            cayenne pepper
            butter
             oil

DIRECTIONS:

Cut pods early in the morning, when they are 2-3" long... yep - tiny and tender.  I cook 8-10 pods per person (and more for me)

Wash and wrap in a damp paper towel until time to cook. I find refrigerating it makes it soft.

For 2-3 servings, grab a non-stick frying pan and add a TBSP of butter and a TBSP of oil.  Add a shake or two of kosher salt and a couple of shakes of cayenne pepper.

Place pan on medium high heat.  While this is heating up (and do NOT let the butter brown) pat okra completely dry and cut off the stem end just below the cap.  When the oil is hot and the butter has melted, plop the pods in.  As they start to cook, roll 'em around with a spatula.  The plan is to just let them begin to brown, so keep 'em moving for 2-3 minutes.  Don't 'fry' them - this is a quick saute` and the pods are already tender.  And if you cook them too long they get mushy.

Dump them out on 2-3 layers of paper towels to remove the oil  - blot gently.

Serve and...

ENJOY!

P.S.  Okra has  high levels of vitamin A, B vitamins (B1, B2, B6), and vitamin C, and traces of zinc and calcium

POKE SALLET

The Malcolm Blue Farm Museum and Farmhouse is an historical farm in the Sandhills of North Carolina, built in 1825.  Today, the farm holds authentic events year round, the largest being the Annual Farmskills Festival & School Children’s Day, and the Christmas Open House.  The farm’s historical society has published a cookbook with authentic recipes from the early 1800’s.  Here is another choice recipe from the Blue’s Farm Cookery cookbook.

Poke Sallet is the common pokeweed, poke root, poke salad (or poke sallet), poke berry, poke, Virginia poke, inkberry, cancer root, American nightshade, pigeon berry.  I’ve seen articles saying the purple berries and purple stems are poisonous.  However, an article at this cancer.org link says pokeweed may have medicinal properties – so proceed with caution.  You may want to consider a nice Caesar salad instead. [Speaking of healthy.... this is probably the most artery-clogging salad recipe I've ever seen!]

http://www.cancer.org/treatment/treatmentsandsideeffects/complementaryandalternativemedicine/herbsvitaminsandminerals/pokeweed

INGREDIENTS:

3 qts.          Tender pokeweed leaves

1/4 tsp.       Baking soda

12 slices      Bacon

                  

DIRECTIONS:

Clean leaves and cover with 1 quart of water and bring to a boil.  Gently cook for about 10 minutes, and add baking soda.  Stir and drain thoroughly.

In a large skillet, cook bacon until crisp.  Remove bacon to a paper towel.  Add pokeweed to the bacon fat and sauté until liquid has almost evaporated.

Crumble bacon over poke sallet and serve.

NOTE:  Pick poke greens or shoots in the spring when they are no taller than 6"-8".  The new leaves at the branching top of young plants before the blossoms appear are good and safe to eat, but the root of poke weed is poisonous.  The purplish-black berries that form on the plant in autumn are also said to be poisonous, as is the purple rind of the mature stalk.

Poke Sallet was often enjoyed with stuffed possum (recipe at the link below)

http://firebird-cooks.blogspot.com/2013/05/stuffed-possum-seriously.html

Enjoy a little Johnny Cash and Tony Joe White as you cook!

SAUTÉED FRESH CRAB

SERVES: 2-3

INGREDIENTS:

1 lb.           Fresh, raw** crabmeat (check for cartilage)

1 tsp.         Oil    

2 TBSP      unsalted butter

1 tsp.         Old Bay Seasoning

1/4 tsp.      Cayenne pepper

                Fettuccine          

DIRECTIONS:

Cook fettuccine (or other pasta) in salted water for about a minute longer than package directions.  Drain completely.  Add a large dollop of sour cream and 2 TBSP of butter.  Cover and set aside.

Heat oil to shimmering over medium high heat and then add 2 TBSP butter.  Blot crabmeat as dry as possible and add to pan.  Reduce heat to medium and stir crabmeat gently.  Add Old Bay and cayenne and continue cooking and stirring until meat is white – about 2-3 minutes

Remove from heat and serve over pasta

Excellent with a fresh tomato-cucumber-cabbage slaw and crusty bread.

** For pasteurized crabmeat, add Old Bay and cayenne and cook until just heated – about a minute.  (Not for canned crabmeat – that makes great crabcakes!)

SHRIMP WITH SNOW PEAS

This is quick and easy and is wonderful with those fresh snow peas or sugar snaps from your spring garden!

SERVES: 2-3

INGREDIENTS:

2 tsp.        Corn starch       

2 TBSP      Chinese cooking wine or dry sherry

1/2 tsp.      Sea salt

1 lb.          shrimp, peeled and deveined (16-21 or 21-25 count)

2 TBSP      Oil

1 TBSP      Butter

2 shakes    Cayenne pepper

2 TBSP      minced ginger

3 cloves     garlic, sliced thinly

1/2 lb.       snow peas, strings removed (or sugar snaps)

2 tsp.        soy sauce

1/4 C         shrimp stock (plus a little extra if you have it)

3-4            green onions, white and light green parts, sliced

2 tsp.        sesame oil

DIRECTIONS:

Start cooking the rice, preferably using shrimp stock (or chicken stock).  Use rice that cooks in about 18 minutes.  When it’s done, leave it covered off the heat until serving time.  See link for shrimp stock recipe.

http://firebird-cooks.blogspot.com/2011/02/shrimp-stock.html

Combine first three ingredients and stir until cornstarch is smooth.  Add the shrimp and toss to coat. Set aside for 15 - 20 minutes, stirring a few times to coat. 

Heat a wok or large sauté pan over high heat for 1 minute. Add the butter, oil and cayenne; heat until butter begins to bubble BUT NOT BROWN.  Add the ginger and garlic and toss to combine.  Stir-fry for about 10 seconds.

Add the shrimp and all the marinade to the pan, along with the green onions.  Cook about a minute. 

Add the snow peas, soy sauce and shrimp stock; cook about 2 minutes or until the shrimp turns pink and opaque. (Add additional stock if mixture begins to get gooey.)  Remove from the heat and add the sesame oil.  Stir to coat. 

Serve over steamed rice.  Great with Cole slaw.

STUFFED POSSUM.... SERIOUSLY

The Malcolm Blue Farm Museum and Farmhouse is an historical farm in the Sandhills of North Carolina, built in 1825.  Today, the farm holds authentic events year round, the largest being the Annual Farmskills Festival & School Children’s Day, and the Christmas Open House.  The farm’s historical society has published a cookbook with authentic recipes from the early 1800’s. 

A dear friend gave me her copy, and I’ve spent the last 24 hours reading it.  There are some interesting (to say the least) recipes I will be sharing here.  I hope you will enjoy them as much as I have.

Here we go.....

STUFFED POSSUM  (sorry, no picture available, thank God)

INGREDIENTS:

1               Dressed possum

1 C            Salt

1 TBSP       Butter

1 large      Onion

1 C           Bread crumbs

1              Diced red pepper

DIRECTIONS:

DRESS THE POSSUM:  ( I know this is the proper verbiage but it just cracks me up!)  Remove the entrails, head, and tail - save the liver.  Wash thoroughly inside and out.  Cover with cold salt (1C) water.  Let stand overnight.  Drain the salty water and rinse well with boiling water.

STUFFING AND COOKING:

Melt butter and add chopped onion.  When onion begins to brown, add chopped liver.  (I swear, this is verbatim.)  Cook until liver is well done.  Add bread crumbs and red pepper.  Mix in boiled egg, salt and add water to moisten.  Stuff possum with mix and sew end closed.  

Roast possum until tender.  (In a wood stove, I'm sure, so cooking temperature will vary).  Baste with fat from roasting pan.

(From Google images:  Obviously THIS cook did not follow the directions on how to dress this creature.  And that piece of red pepper has GOT to go!)

COMING SOON!!!!
Poke Salet

GRANDMA'S ROAST

I remember this from my childhood....

SERVES: 6 +/-

PREP TIME:  30-40 MINUTES

COOKING TIME:  2-1/2 – 3 HOURS

INGREDIENTS:

1                Chuck roast:  4-5 pounds, even thickness, 

                 fat NOT removed

2 large      Yellow onions

                HEAVY 6-8 quart Dutch oven with lid

                Fresh ground pepper

  Cornstarch

                Water

               

                Salt

               

DIRECTIONS:

There are two really difficult things about making this roast – having patience in the beginning, and having patience waiting to eat it.

So – here we go.  Place the Dutch oven on a burner on high heat.  When the pot is fiery hot, a piece of what paper will begin to scorch.  At this point, carefully place the roast in the center of the pot. And MAKE SURE YOU TAKE THAT GROCERY STORE ‘DIAPER’ OFF THE BOTTOM OF THE MEAT!  That’s the voice of experience speaking!

The roast will begin to sizzle like mad.  Here’s your first lesson in patience.  Leave it alone.  After 3-4 minutes, see if you can EASILY loosen it from the bottom of the pan.  If it’s properly seared, it will come loose without force.  When it’s loose, flip it over and do the same thing – be patient!  When the other side is darkly seared, do the same with the perimeter of the roast.  We are trying to sear in all the juices.  This entire process may take 20-25 minutes.

When the roast is nice and brown, reduce the heat as low as possible and cover the pot.  Now – more patience.  Check the pot after five minutes – you want to hear a tiny sizzle, and see a little of the juices in the bottom of the pan – but you do not want those juices to char/evaporate.  Cover the pot but keep checking every five minutes until the heat is just right.  (I have a gas range and I move my pot from the biggest, hottest flame to a burner with a tiny simmer eye… and the flame works best just a tiny bit higher than ‘off’.

After the temp is just right, peel the onions and cut them into 8 wedges and toss them in the pot.  Put the lid on and enjoy the divine aroma as the roast cooks.  Peek in occasionally to make sure the juices are not scorching.

After the first hour, add a generous amount of fresh ground black pepper all over the meat and onions.  Return the lid and relax.

Cooking time will vary:  4 pounds will take about 2 hours, 5 pounds closer to 3 hours.

When the roast is tender, remove it CAREFULLY (because it will probably fall apart) to a platter, and cover it with foil.  Leave the onions in the pot.

GRAVY (au jus):  Place the pan over medium heat and bring the juices to a gentle simmer.  Dissolve 2 TBSP of cornstarch in a cup of cold water.  Slowly stir into the juice/onion mixture.  If the juice is too thick, gradually add more water.  Not thick enough – dissolve 2 more TBSP of cornstarch in 1/2 C of cold water and gradually add.  When you like the consistency, gradually add salt to taste.

SLICE the roast and add it, and any juices back to the pan with the gravy for 10-15 minutes on very low heat.  Sometimes I return the whole roast, and any juices that have seeped out, back to the pan but I find slicing better, as the meat can be rather dry by itself.

In any case, this is an impressive main course with a mid-price cut of meat.

Note:  You can add carrots and/or potatoes in the last 30 minutes, but I don’t recommend it.  This roast, left ‘unmolested’ by veggies, is like high-dollar beef cooked in au jus.  Try it once without adding anything.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

As an aside:  I recently found the 7-quart SIMPLY CAPHALON Dutch oven shown here at Bed, Bath & Beyond. It's a lighter gauge than their high-dollar line and was priced at $49.95.  At the register, they took off a 10% promotion fee AND I had a 20% off coupon - so this pot was CHEAP!  And it's non-stick and it has a glass cover that I love.  I've since gone back and bought three of their frying pans!

CORN BREAD

SERVES: 6-8

INGREDIENTS:

1 C             Sifted all-purpose flour

1/4 C          Sugar

4 tsp.        Baking powder

3/4 tsp.      Salt

1 C            Coarse yellow corn meal

2              Eggs – room temperature

1 C            Milk – room temperature

4 TBSP      Butter (very soft)

               

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 425°

Grease a 9” round, heavy pan or cast iron frying pan (preheat cast iron pan in hot oven for 15-20 minutes)

Combine first four ingredients.  Stir in cornmeal.

Add remaining ingredients and beat with rotary mixer on LOW until just blended – about a minute.

Bake 20-25 minutes.  Serve hot.

BEEF AND VEGETABLE SOUP [EDITED 3/7/2017]

VEGETABLE BEEF SOUP

SERVES: 8

INGREDIENTS:

1 lb.                  Ground chuck

2 lb.                  Stew beef chunks PATTED DRY

2 C                    Beef stock, beef broth, or water **

1 – 28 oz. can     Tomato sauce

2 – 28 oz. cans   Petite diced tomatoes – undrained

1 tsp.                 Cayenne pepper flakes (more later for more kick)

1 tsp.                Parsley flakes

                        Salt to taste

                        Fresh ground black pepper

3 TBSP              Oil

2 TBSP              Butter

12-16                 White mushrooms – wiped clean and sliced

2 medium          Onions, chopped

6-8 stalks           Celery, sliced on diagonal

6-9 cloves          Garlic – sliced

5-6                    Carrots – peeled and sliced in 1/2” lengths (large ends quartered)       

2-3 large            Russet potatoes – peeled and cut large dice***

1/4 head            Cabbage – chopped in bite-size pieces

       

Other vegetables you may choose:  10 oz. pkg frozen baby green peas, green beans, 1 C fresh or frozen corn kernels, baby lima beans, pearl onions, okra – select 2 max.

**   McCormick makes a powdered 'au jus' gravy mix sold in envelopes that is great in lieu of water (use 1 pkg with 2 cups of water) and if you add it without liquid, it acts as a thickener for the soup!

**Knorr makes a good beef stock concentrate but it’s VERY salty

*** Optional starch:  Noodles or other pasta

DIRECTIONS:

In a large (5-6 quart) Dutch oven – cook ground chuck and stew beef until grey – drain fat, leaving about 2 TBSP in pot.  Add 2 cups of beef stock and bring to a boil.   

Add canned tomatoes, puree, cayenne flakes, and parsley to pot.    Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes. 

In a large skillet or wok, heat oil and butter to sizzling.  Add mushrooms, onions, and celery and sauté 5-8 minutes until just tender; add garlic and sauté another minute.  Add mixture to pot and simmer 15-20 minutes.

Soup can be removed from the heat and refrigerated at this point if necessary until about 45 minutes before serving time.  Otherwise, drive on!

~ ~ ~

About 30 minutes before serving; bring mixture to a boil and add carrots and cabbage - simmer 5 minutes; add potatoes (or pasta); return to a boil and cook until potatoes are getting tender/pasta al dente – about 7-8 minutes. 

Add any other veggies from the list above and cook another 4-7 minutes.

Check all veggies for doneness and cook a little longer if necessary.

Check for salt and pepper and add to taste. 

Soup can sit covered for another 5-10 minutes as necessary – it only gets better!

Note:  Add additional stock (or water) as necessary to keep soup liquid, but not watery.

SHRIMP COCKTAIL AND SAUCE - REVISED!!!!

This is probably the easiest and most impressive appetizer you can make.  Same if you want to use boiled shrimp as an hors d’oeuvre on your party buffet.  And is a ‘make in the morning’ dish so all you do at serving time is do the presentation.

If you aren’t familiar with shrimp terminology, I suggest you read my primer at this link:  

http://firebird-cooks.blogspot.com/2011/02/shrimp-primer.html

For the more advanced shrimp cook, check out this post on shrimp stock – I promise you will NOT be sorry! 

http://firebird-cooks.blogspot.com/2011/02/shrimp-stock.html

OOOOOOK….. SHRIMP COCKTAIL AND SAUCE…

INGREDIENTS - SHRIMP

Shrimp  16-20 count (that’s about how many shrimp make a pound) – IN SHELLS

         

Plan 5-6 shrimp per person for an appetizer, and 10-12 per person for a party platter.  Peel and DEVEIN BOTH SIDES OF EACH SHRIMP (see first link above for handling).  Keep the shrimp cold until ready to cook them!  Make them 2-4 hours before you plan to serve them so they can chill in the refrigerator.

1/2 can         Beer

2 TBSP        Old Bay  (more for more kick)

1 tsp.            Sea Salt

2 qts.            Water

DIRECTIONS FOR THE SHRIMP

Combine water, beer, Old Bay and salt in a large saucepan.  Bring to a rolling boil.  Add 15-18 shrimp at the time and cook 3 minutes – water may or may not return to a boil but the shrimp will be done…. Remove shrimp from the pot with a slotted spoon and spread on a large chilled plate.  Repeat for a second pound shrimp.  Let cool about 15 minutes and then cover with Saran Wrap and refrigerate until serving time.

INGREDIENTS - COCKTAIL SAUCE

(adequate for 2-3 pounds of shrimp – can easily be doubled, tripled, etc.)  And make in the morning so the flavors can meld.

1 C               Heinz Ketchup

3 TBSP        Prepared Horseradish (in the dairy department) - more for more zing!

2 tsp.           Worcestershire Sauce

1 tsp.           Lemon juice (optional)

DIRECTIONS FOR SAUCE

Combine ingredients.  Refrigerate.  Couldn’t be easier and this is MUCH tastier (and CHEAPER) than those bottled sauces in the supermarket.

SERVING SHRIMP COCKTAILS:
Use your imagination for the presentation (or go to Google images and search SHRIMP COCKTAIL)… a THIN bed of greens, like romaine, on a salad plate, with a shot glass of sauce nestled in, surrounded by the shrimp and a lemon slice; or try a sherbet or martini glass with a SMALL piece of romaine topped with sauce in the bottom and the shrimp arrayed around the rim…. Many chefs will put a layer of ice chips in the serving piece but that truly isn’t necessary because your guests will wolf this down long before the shrimp have time to warm up!

As a party platter – place a bed of greens on a COLD platter with the bowl of sauce in the center.  Surround with shrimp and a few scattered thin lemon slices.  A shot glass or two with colorful toothpicks keeps it sanitary, and keeps them from being inhaled in 10 minutes!

Boiled shrimp MUST be served with Ritz crackers!

Note:  In the summertime, place shrimp in a bowl and then place THAT bowl in a larger bowl filled with crushed ice.

NOTE:
Boil shrimp ONE POUND at the time.  You can re-use the cooking water ONE TIME AFTER IT HAS RETURNED TO A ROLLING BOIL.  After the first two batches are cooked and drained, begin anew with a fresh pot of the 'cooking recipe'.  And remember - when you dump a pound of shrimp in the pot - START THE TIMER IMMEDIATELY and stir gently - remove the shrimp when 3 minutes has passed!

Remember - there ain't much worse than an overcooked rubbery shrimp!