Recipes from the resident force of Evil, Food, glorious food!

[Haruspex]

So um, I love to cook, and though I am the force of evil 'round these parts, I thought I would share the recipes of deliciousness with all. Know my cooking force and tremble! Ahem, anywho, onto the recipes.

B

Bacon Wrapped Peppers

Here’s another one of those flexible appetizers that can be easy to prepare, or extremely tedious. A lot has to do with what you’re stuffing them with and how much preparation is required prior to the actual stuffing process. But if you are willing to put up with a little extra work, the results are well worth the trouble


I started with some mini bell peppers, bacon, Canadian bacon, mushrooms, and parmesan cheese.

Stage 1
The Canadian bacon and mushrooms were chopped fine and mixed with the parmesan cheese and then sprinkled with some Mesquite seasoning.

Stage 2
The peppers were split open with a knife using a “T’ incision that opened them up, but left the top of the pepper attached by a small section.

Stage 3
The innards were removed, and the peppers then stuffed with the Canadian bacon, mushroom, and cheese mixture.

Stage 4
A slice of bacon was then wrapped around each pepper and secured with toothpicks.

On the Hibachi!
They were then left to smoke until the bacon was done to a desired level of crunchiness. Cooking times will vary depending on how crunchy you like your bacon, and hungry your guests are while they wait for the main course.

Bacon Rolls

At the risk of sounding like a big geek, these are buns that would make a Hobbit proud. They’re fragrant with garlic and dotted with crispy chunks of bacon. They’re marvelous slathered with a slab of cold butter, or toasted with thin slices of your favorite cheese. They’re a great companion to a steaming bowl of soup.

Ingredients
1 Tbls. yeast
1 tsp. sugar
3 cups lukewarm water
5 1/2 cups flour
6 rashers of thick-cut bacon
1 Tbls. garlic powder
1 Tbls. dried parsley flakes
1 egg
1 Tbls. cold water

Make the dough and get it rising
1 Put the yeast in a large bowl.
2 Add the sugar and the lukewarm water. Whisk it up to combine and set it aside on the counter for 5 to 10 minutes. The lukewarm water wakes the yeast up, and the sugar gives it a little something to eat.
3 After about 5 minutes, your yeast should start to “bloom” and look like this. Wait for this step, because it’s what lets you know that your yeast is alive and kicking. If your yeast is dead (which means your dough won’t rise), you want to know now, before you toss in all your ingredients.

You’ll know it’s blooming because you’ll see a creamy head rising to the surface. If you’re ridiculously patient, you can park yourself over the bowl and watch it happen. It’s kind of cool to see once. (OK, maybe twice. Or three times.)
4 Add the flour. Stir with a wooden spoon to combine well.
5 Your goal is to make the dough fairly uniform (i.e. no huge lumps of flour or big puddles of water). When it’s ready for its first rise, the dough will be fairly raggy and wet.
6 Soak three or four paper towels with hot water, wring them out slightly, and cover up your bowl. The heat from the towels will give the dough a little boost as it starts rising. You can also use a clean dishtowel, etc. The goal is to keep the dough covered, moist, and just the tiniest bit warm.
7 Set the dough aside for about an hour, or until it at least doubles in size.

Fry the bacon
1 Start with 6 rashers of thick-cut bacon. You can use regular bacon instead, if that’s what you have. I like the thick-cut because bacon shrinks as it cooks, and with the thick cut, you still wind up with pretty meaty chunks.
2 Dice up the bacon into medium-smallish pieces.
3 Put the diced bacon in a large, ungreased nonstick pan over medium-high heat.
4 Fry it, stirring occasionally.
5 You want the bacon to crisp, but not blacken or burn.
6 When it’s done, all the solid fat that’s left should be crispy. (You don’t want pieces of gummy fat in your finished buns.)
7 When the bacon’s crispy, take it off the heat. Add the garlic powder and dried parsley.
8 Stir it around with a wooden spoon to mix well. Set it aside on the counter until your dough has finished rising. As it sits, the flavors of the garlic and parsley will infuse into the warm bacon fat.

Bacon Meets Dough and Dough Rises 2nd Time!
1 The dough should be dappled throughout with tiny air bubbles.
2 Punch the dough down with your spoon and stir it to knead it a little. I do this with my spoon and wait to get my hands gooey once I add the bacon.
3 Give the bacon in your frying pan a stir. Drain off any fat you don’t want (if you don’t want to include any, fish out the bacon pieces with a slotted spoon and pat them down with a few paper towels). Like I said, I use all the rendered fat. (Hey, these are a treat.)
4 Add the bacon to the bread dough.
5 Knead the dough with your hands to evenly distribute the bacon fat and the crispy bits.
6 Cover it up again with a warm, wet cloth. Set aside for another hour, until it about doubles in size.

Form your rolls and let them rise
1 After about an hour, your bacon-laced dough should have at least doubled in size. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set them aside.
2 Put about 1 cup of flour in a pile in the corner of a board. Grab a handful and sprinkle it across the board
3 With your spoon, punch the dough down, and fold it over a few times to get the air out of i
4 Grab a blob of dough out of the bowl that’s about the size of a small lemon. Drop it onto your board and sprinkle a little flour on it
5 Knead it, folding it over on itself and pressing it down with the heel of your hand.
6 Sprinkle the dough ball lightly with flour as you work it. It will become less sticky and much more elastic.
7 Gradually work the dough into a ball. Dust off any excess flour and put it on your prepared pan. Do this with the rest of the dough until both your pans are full. You should wind up with 28-30 rolls.
8 Let the shaped rolls rise, uncovered, for another hour, until they’ve about doubled in size. About 15 minutes or so before your hour is up, turn your oven on and preheat it to 400 degrees.

Make them Rolls Shiny!
1 In a smallish bowl, whisk together an egg with a tablespoon of cold water.
2 Very gently (as in, super duper gently), brush the egg wash onto the tops of your rolls. Use your fingertips or a pastry brush. You don’t want to deflate the rolls by pressing too hard on them
3 Bake at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes. They’re done when they’re golden brown on top and they make a hollow noise when you pick one up and tap on its bottom.
4 Cool them completely on a wire rack.

Enjoy!

Bacon & Potato Leek Soup

For this version, I used a combination of butter AND cream, instead of one or the other. I garnished the soup with crispy bacon cooked with fresh thyme. I deglazed the bacon with a little cognac—then drizzled a little extra into the serving bowls for good measure.

This soup is thick, creamy, and slightly smokey. You can do without the cognac, but a little splash before serving gives the soup an extra punch of warmth, flavor, and downright decadence.

4 cups white potatoes, peeled and cut into small dice
3 cups leeks, cleaned and finely sliced (1-2 leeks, depending on their size)
7 cups water
1 Tbls. kosher salt
3 Tbls. butter
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 tsp. ground white pepper
2-3 slices of bacon, diced
1 tsp. fresh thyme, minced
2 Tbls. cognac + more for garnish
fresh parsley, minced, for garnish

Serves 6-8

How to clean leeks
Don’t skip this step. It doesn’t take long, and if your leeks are really dirty it can totally spoil your soup.
Leeks are like onions, and have layers that trap and hold grit easily.

1. Nip off the root ends.
2. Whack off a few inches at the green end.
3. Then slice each leek lengthwise down the center
4. You’ll see all those layers, and depending on how dirty your leeks are, you may see why you need to clean them.
5. Rinse each half under cold running water.
6. Spread the layers apart a little with your fingers, so the water can run between them.
7. Pat them dry with paper towels, then slice them into thin half moons.
8. Repeat with the rest of your leeks until you have about 3 cups. (This is one of those recipes that’s forgiving and kind of imprecise. Don’t make yourself nuts if you have a little over or under.)

Peel and dice the potatoes
As a general rule, I’m not much for measurements like “a quarter inch dice,” because I’m not sure I’d ever bust out a ruler in the kitchen to double check my work. (Though, admittedly, there are times when precision matters.)

For this recipe, cut your potatoes about the size of a piece of Bubble Yum. Basically, you just want them small enough that they cook evenly and relatively quickly.

Soup Prep
1. Put the leeks and potatoes in a large, heavy-bottomed pot. Add the water.
2. Toss in the salt.
3. Give it a stir to combine. Then bring it up to a boil over high heat. Once it boils, drop the heat to medium and cover the pot, leaving the lid cracked (so the soup reduces as it cooks). You want the heat high enough so that you maintain a simmer.
4. Simmer for about 45 minutes.

Quick note on pureeing hot soup
(This soup is pureed. You can accomplish that a number of ways.

With a blender (which can be messy, what with transferring the hot soup to and from the blender).

With a couple of forks or a potato masher (for a rougher textured, more rustic soup).

Or with an immersion blender (for an easy, practically mess-free, smooth puree).

Now, normally, I’m not one to go in for a lot of specialized kitchen gadgets. But, hands down, my immersion blender is one of my favorite tools in the kitchen.)

Puree and finish the soup
1. After about 45 minutes, the liquid should have reduced some and the veggies should be fork tender. It will be fairly watery and sad looking, though your kitchen should smell heavenly.
2. Take the soup off the heat.
3. Add the butter, cream, and white pepper. Stir until well combined. Cover it up while you make the bacon garnish.

Garnish the soup, serve, and enjoy!
1. Dice the bacon up and put it in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Stir in the minced thyme. Stir to combine. Fry the bacon until it’s crisp.
2. Deglaze the pan with 2 tablespoons of cognac. (Be careful, there will be a poof of steam.) Scrape at the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to loosen all those flavorful brown bits.
3. Cook for another minute over medium-high heat, stirring until most of the liquid evaporates. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside.
4. To serve, drizzle a little cognac in the bottom of each soup bowl. Use a tablespoon or two per bowl, depending on your taste. (If you’re unsure on this part, start with less.)

Enjoy!

Banana Nut Bread sent from Heaven

Here is my recipe for some killer banana nut bread :) It's fairly easy and is actually better to use on bananas that have gone too brown to want to eat normally, however you can use fresh bananas, just means more work for you. This will make a standard loaf or 12 muffins :)

Cooking time: 40-50 minutes
Prep Time: 10-15 minutes

First, the ingredient list. For this recipe you will need:

1 1/2 cup of flour
1 cup of sour cream
1 egg
1 stick of melted butter
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda
1/2 teaspoon of baking powder
1/2 cup of sugar
1 tablespoon of vanilla
2 mashed bananas
1/2 cup of crushed nuts (optional, but I really love my nuts )

Preheat oven to 375 F degrees

1. First mix your dry ingredients into a medium/large sized mixing bowl. You want to get a good consistency so when you later combine your wet ingredients it doesn't clump. However, the less stirring the better.

2. Next combine your wet ingredients into a separate smaller bowl. Make sure you you mix well, but don't get over zealous and foam it. Your goal is to mix until the sour cream has dissipated. At this time also mash the bananas in a another separate bowl.

3. Now comes to time where you combine your wet and dry ingredients. To do this, make a hole in your dry ingredient bowl almost like an inverted volcano. Once you have done this pour your wet ingredients in. You should have a sort of small lake. Begin mixing the two and try to make sure no clumping occurs .

4. Next we will move on to the bananas. Your bananas should already be mashed and ready to go. Now when you add them to your mix do it a bit at a time and make sure you are folding them in and not mixing them. This is important as it will determine the strength of your bread. (optional) If you went the extra mile and got nuts take this time to also fold them into the mix.

5. Grease your bread pan or muffin sheet so that your bread does not stick, and then place it in the oven. It will typically take 45 minutes, but everyone's oven is different. Be a good baker and check your creation occasionally. A finished loaf will be golden brown on the outside. Another way to test whether or not it is finished is to stick it with a chopstick and see if any batter attaches itself to it.

6. EAT THE **** OUTTA THAT ****!!!!!!

Buttermilk Cluster rolls


These rolls are crusty on the outside, soft and moist on the inside—and dotted with bits of bacon and toasted pecans.

Ingredients:
1 Tbls. active dry yeast
1/4 cup lukewarm water
1 ⁄ 2 tsp. sugar
1 3 ⁄ 4 cups buttermilk
3 tbsp. maple syrup or honey
5 cups flour
1 1⁄2 tsp. kosher salt
4-5 strips of bacon, chopped
1 cup pecans, chopped and toasted

Oil or butter to grease the pan
1 egg, beaten w/1 Tbls. water

Makes 12 rolls in a 9-inch springform pan

Poofing the yeast
1. Toss the yeast and sugar in the bowl of your mixer.
2. Add the lukewarm water. (Be sure it’s not hot. Hot water can kill the yeast.)
3. Whisk the water, sugar, and yeast together. Let this sit on the counter for about 10 minutes.

Making the Dough
1. Add the maple syrup or honey to the bowl. (I used maple syrup.)
2. Add the buttermilk.
3. Whisk the whole business together until it’s uniform. (You want to dissolve the syrup/honey.)
4. Toss in the flour and the salt. I used 5 cups of flour. You might need a little more or less depending on where you are (see note in the intro).
5. Knead the dough by hand or with the dough hook on a stand mixer for about 5 minutes.
6. You want the dough to come together in a smooth, not-too-sticky ball

Letting the Dough Rise
1. Cover the bowl with a piece of plastic wrap or a damp tea towel. Set it aside to rise in a warm place for about 2 hours, or until it’s doubled in size.
2. When the dough has just about doubled in size, you’re ready to deal with the bacon and pecans.

Prepping the Bacon and Pecans
1. Dice up the bacon.
2. Put it on the stove in a nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Stir occasionally. You want to cook it until it’s crisp.
3. While the bacon’s in the pan, chop up the pecans.
4. I chopped mine up roughly, because I wanted a rustic bread. If you want to go nuts (har, har), by all means, chop them more evenly.
5. When the bacon is crisp, remove it from the pan with a slotted spoon. Set it aside in a bowl. (Try not to gobble down too much.)
6. When it’s cool enough to handle, chop the bacon up into smaller pieces. (I do this now, as opposed to when the bacon is raw, because it’s kind of a pain to cut the slippery raw stuff into really small pieces.)
7. Pour out most of the bacon fat from the frying pan and discard (or save it for something else). Toss the chopped pecans into the pan. Saute the pecans in the little bit of bacon fat that’s left in the pan over medium heat. Keep an eye on them and stir frequently, because they can scorch.
8. When the pecans are lightly brown and very fragrant, transfer them to the bowl with the chopped bacon. Set that aside for a minute while you deal with the dough.

Knead the bacon and pecans into the dough
1. Punch down the dough to smoosh the air out of it.
2. Toss the bacon and pecans into the bowl.
3. Fold the dough over a few times to start to work the bacon and pecans through the dough.
4. Then start to knead in earnest, until the ingredients are fairly uniformly incorporated through the dough.

Forming the rolls.
1. Round the dough up into a ball and set it on your counter (it shouldn’t really stick, but if it does, toss a little flour under it).
2. With a bencher (that’s one of these things, one of my favorite kitchen tools) or a big knife, whack the dough into 12 pieces, just like cutting a pizza. Don’t worry if they’re not all 100% the same size. They’ll be close enough.
3. Grab one of the wedges of dough. Roll it into a ball between your palms.
4. Spray your springform pan down lightly with a little oil. Set the dough ball in the pan. Repeat with the rest of the dough.
5. I like to make a circle of dough balls on the outside rim, then fill in the center for an even design. Arrange them however you like.

Letting the Rolls Rise Like the Undead!
1. Cover the pan with a lightly oiled piece of plastic wrap (so when the rolls rise, they won’t stick to the plastic). Set them in a warm place to rise for about 1 hour, or until doubled in size.

When they’re just about there, preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

Brushing Rolls with Egg
1. To make the egg wash, beat an egg together with a tablespoon of water.
2. Gently brush the beaten egg over the tops of the rolls with a pastry brush (or your fingertips, in a pinch). This makes the top of the bread shiny after it bakes. Don’t press too hard, or else you can deflate the little guys. Don’t make yourself nuts getting every nook and cranny on the top.

Baking Time!
1. Pop the pan into your pre-heated 400-degree oven. Bake for 30 – 35 minutes, until the rolls are shiny and warm brown on top.
2. A nice brown crust and a good hollow sound when thumped (another sign that bread is baked through) are usually good enough for me.

If you’re so inclined, however, you’re aiming for about 190 degrees F on an instant read thermometer. (Stick the thermometer in the dead center of the loaf, not touching the edges or bottom of the pan.)

When they come out of the oven, let the rolls cool for about 15 minutes in the pan.
3. Then, slip off the outer ring of the springform pan and let them cool on a rack.
4. When you’re ready to serve, rip the rolls apart. Keeps well wrapped on the counter for about 3 days.

Enjoy!

C

Cajun Cod Bites


If you can’t find Cod that looks good, you can substitute haddock (or any other firm-fleshed white fish).
A lot of fried fish recipes call for a cornmeal crust. Which is delicious, but not what I usually do for some reason. I tend to use panko, probably because I almost always have buckets of the stuff in my pantry.

Now, I know panko breadcrumbs are everywhere these days, but there’s a reason for it: The stuff is just so damned good. They stay crisp like no other breadcrumbs.

Ingredients
1 lb. cod fillets (about 2 large pieces), skinned and boned (they should come that way out of the fish case)
1 Tbls. granulated garlic
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. ground chipotle
1 tsp. smoked paprika
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp. cayenne
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 cup flour
3 eggs
2 1/2 cups panko bread crumbs
olive oil

Serves about 4 as an appetizer, or 2 as a main course

Assemble your breading station
1 Mix together the granulated garlic, onion powder, chipotle, smoked paprika, cumin, black pepper, cayenne (or skip it, for a milder version), oregano, and kosher salt.
2 Put the flour on a plate or in a wide, shallow bowl. Toss in the spice mixture and stir gently with a whisk (or fork) to combine.
3 Stir until the mixture is uniform, without any big lumps of spice. Set aside for a minute.
4 Crack three eggs into a medium-sized bowl.
5 Whisk until well scrambled.
6 Dump the panko breadcrumbs onto a second plate or wide, shallow bowl.
7 And, voila! Your breading station is complete. Your fish will go first into the seasoned flour, then into the egg, then into the panko.

Cut and bread the fish
1 Grab your fish fillets.
2 Cut them up into chunks. If you like, you could also do long, thin strips.
3 Working in batches, toss the chunks of fish into your seasoned flour.
4 Pick them up and shake off any excess flour, so they’re just lightly coated.
5 Drop the floured fish into your beaten egg. Roll the chunks around until they’re totally coated with egg. (Resign yourself: Your hands are going to get really gooey.)
6 Finally, drop the egg-covered catfish into the panko. Roll it around, until it has a thick coating of breadcrumbs.

Fry the Fish!
1 I shallow fry these little guys in maybe a half inch (not even) of olive oil. It doesn’t use as much oil as deep frying, and the result is just as good. Doesn’t work for everything, but the fish chunks are small enough that it’s fine in this case.
2 Pour about a half-an-inch of olive oil in a large, deep skillet. (I like to use cast iron, because it holds heat so well.)
3 Set the heat on high and let the oil get nice and hot. While you’re waiting, line a plate with a few paper towels and set it aside for when the fish is done. (It cooks really fast, so do this now.)
4 Because the oil is so shallow, I don’t use a deep-frying thermometer. The surface of the oil will start to shimmer when it’s hot. Test the temperature by carefully dipping the corner of a piece of fish into the oil. If bubbles start to immediately form around it, it’s hot enough to fry. (If not, let the oil heat for another minute, then test again.)
5 Carefully add the rest of your fish to the pan. Depending on the size of your pan, you may have to fry in batches.
6 The fish will cook very fast. After about a minute, it should have a nice golden crust on the bottom.
7 When you see the golden crust, flip all the pieces of fish over.
8 Let them cook on that side for another minute or so, until it has a matching golden crust on the bottom.
9 When your fish is golden brown all around, remove it from the oil with a slotted spoon and set it to drain on a paper-towel-lined plate.
10 Sprinkle with kosher salt, to taste. Enjoy!

Chili Garlic Beef Ribs


Beef back ribs
Chili garlic sauce
Green onions, cut into rings, for garnish

This is really more method than actual recipe. It works just as well for one rack of ribs as it does for four. If you make more than one rack, just be sure to space them out on your pans so they’re not touching.

Line a sheet pan with foil. Preheat your oven to 275 degrees.

Put a few large spoonfuls of chili garlic sauce on your ribs. (Actual amounts will vary depending on the size of your ribs.)

Slather the sauce all over the ribs with your hands, covering the top and bottom evenly.

Pop the pan into your preheated 275-degree oven. Bake uncovered for 3 to 3 1/2 hours, until the meat is nicely browned and falls off the bone.

Test the meat by tugging on an edge with a fork. If it’s still a little tough, pop your ribs back into the oven for 15 minutes or so, then test again. Your final cooking time will depend on how thick your ribs are.

Slice into individual ribs. Heap on a platter and sprinkle with chopped green onions.

Cranberry Bacon Chutney


This stuff is so good, it’s evil.

It’s smokey and sweet. It’s dotted with bits of bacon and rosemary. It’s bursting with unexpected orange flavor that’s followed by a refreshing tartness from the cranberries.

I could eat bowls of this. No lie.

This is the kind of dish that folks either love or hate, depending on how you feel about bacon and fruit cooked together.

What to do with it?
+Slather it on leftover roasted turkey or chicken sandwiches
+Top Belgian waffles with it
+Spread it on your morning toast
+Whisk it together with a little good olive oil for a quick dressing for baby spinach salad
+Toss chunks of chicken breast with it for chicken salad
+Use it as a garnish for pan-fried pork chops
+Serve as part of a cheese course
+Use it as a marinade for oven-roasted spare ribs

Or, you know, you could just eat it with a spoon.

Ingredients
6 slices of bacon
1/2 cup brown sugar, lightly packed
1 Tbls. fresh rosemary, chopped coarsely
pinch of kosher salt
pinch of freshly cracked pepper
1/2 cup orange juice
12 oz. fresh cranberries
1 Tbls. tawny port

Cutting of the Pig!
1Cut the bacon up into a fairly small pieces.
2 Add the bacon to a medium-size saucepan. Set on the stove over medium-high heat.
3 Cook for a few minutes, stirring occasionally. If it starts to burn or smoke, turn your heat down.
4 Your goal is to brown and crisp the bacon
5 When your bacon is crisp, turn the heat off. Now, you’ll rarely hear me say this, but drain off most of the rendered bacon fat, leaving just a teaspoon or two in the pan with the bacon. Too much fat can gum up your chutney when it gets cold.
6 Put your pan back on the stove over low heat.
7 Add the brown sugar to the bacon and fat in the pan.
8 Toss in the rosemary, kosher salt, and freshly cracked black pepper.
9 Stir your pot to combine the ingredients well. Break up any lumps of brown sugar against the side of the pot with the back of your spoon. Don’t fret if anything is sticking to the bottom of your pot. Your heat is on low, so it shouldn’t burn.

Deglaze
1 Pour in the orange juice. Watch your face and hands, as the pot may give off a big poof of steam, depending on how hot it is.
2 Stir well, scraping at the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon to loosen any browned bits.
3 Raise the heat to medium-high so your mixture can start to come up to a simmer.
4 Add the cranberries to the pot. Cranberries freeze really well and can go straight from freezer to pot for this recipe.
5 Give the pot a good stir to combine everything.

Adding Port
1 Add the port. Stir to combine.
2 Cook over medium-high heat until the mixture comes up to a simmer. When it does, turn the heat down a little and cover the pot tightly.
3 Simmer covered for about 5 minutes. Keep an eye on your pot. If it starts to bubble over (it shouldn’t
there’s not a ton of juice in there), turn the heat down a little.
4 After 5 minutes, uncover the pot. It should look about like this (some of the cranberries will have popped, most will still be whole):

Crannberries!
1 Stir the mixture. As you stir, smoosh the cranberries against the side of the pot to pop them
2 Keep the heat on medium as you do this. It will cook as you stir, evaporating some of the liquid and thickening your chutney.
3 It should be really thick at this point.
4 If you have any liquid left in the pot, cook over medium heat for a minute or two more, stirring constantly to evaporate it.
5 It’s ready when you can draw a spoon across the bottom of the pot like this (and not have a lot of liquid leak into the cleared area)
6Turn the heat off and transfer the chutney to a bowl to cool. When it’s totally cool, cover and stick it in the fridge.

The chutney will keep in the fridge for about 3 days. Enjoy!

Crunchy Spring Rolls with Tofu & Shiitake Mushrooms


While the venerable pig is one of my favorite beasts to cook, I followed the recipe I had, and made these spring rolls with tofu. And I have to admit: They were damned good.

5 cups napa cabbage, sliced (1 small napa cabbage should be more than enough)
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
5 dried shiitake mushrooms
14 oz. extra-firm tofu
4 cups water
2 tsp. roasted peanut oil (I used toasted sesame instead)
1/2 cup chopped scallions
1/2 pound fresh mushrooms, brown, white, or shiitake, chopped (I used crimini)
1 Tbls. minced garlic
2 heaping Tbls. minced ginger
2 tsp. rice wine vinegar
1/2 tsp. ground Szechuan peppercorns
1 Tbls. soy sauce
1/4 cup chopped cilantro, plus cilantro sprigs for garnish
15 egg roll wrappers
2 cups peanut oil, for frying (I used canola)

Makes about 15 spring rolls

D

Deep-Fried Candy Bar


I used Mars Bars for this, but you can use Snickers, Butterfingers, etc.

To make deep-fried candy bars, you will need:

* Up to 8 full-size candy bars
* 2 quarts of vegetable oil
* 1.5 cups flour
* 1 tsp baking soda
* 1/2 tsp salt
* 1 cup milk
* 2 tbsp white vinegar
* You will also need a candy/deep fry thermometer

Step 1: Freeze Candy Bars
Before you fry the candy bars you want them really cold, so unwrap them and place them on a baking sheet and freeze them for at least 3 hours.

Step 2: Prepare the Oil for Frying
When you're ready to fry, get the oil ready. Pour it into a heavy-duty pot over medium-high heat and insert your candy thermometer. You want the oil to come to 375, which takes a while. Keep one eye on the oil while you get the rest of the ingredients ready.

Step 3: Mix Ingredients for Batter
Place œ cup of the flour on a plate or in a pie tin, and set it aside. Place the remaining cup of flour in a medium bowl, and stir in the baking soda and salt.

Step 4: Combining
Combine the milk, vinegar, and 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil and mix it together. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and whisk them until it's really smooth and there aren't any lumps.

Step 5: Dip Candy Bars
Once the oil is at 375, it's time to start dipping. If you have a huge pan you can probably do several at once, but it's easiest to just fry one at a time.

Step 6: Frying the Candy Bars
Roll a candy bar in the flour then dip it in the batter, making sure that it’s completely covered. Carefully lower it into the hot oil--you don't want to get too close and burn your fingers, but be carefully not to throw it in and cause oil to splatter. Use a slotted spoon to push down on the candy bar and keep it submerged in the oil so it cooks evenly.

Once it's a beautiful, golden brown color, remove the candy bar from the oil and place it on a plate covered with paper towel to soak up the excess grease. Repeat the battering and frying process with the remaining candy bars.

Step 7: Serving Deep-Fried Candy Bars
After your candy bars are fried, let them cool slightly, then dust them lightly with powdered sugar and serve while still slightly warm. The outside is crisp but the insides liquefy and become this awesome gooey, chocolatey, caramel heaven.

Deep-Fried Chicken Fingers with Crispy Cheez-It Crust!

It takes awhile to make, but it is so yummy!

So here it is for all you hungry people out there!

To get a good crust on your chicken fingers, follow this classic deep-frying method:

+Marinate chicken in buttermilk
+Dip chicken in flour, then in egg
+Coat with breading (in this case, Cheez-It crumbs)
+Drop into 350 degree F oil for a few minutes
+If your chicken fingers are really thick, finish in a 400 degree oven for 5-7 minutes

G

Grilled Pineapple

Here is another easy dessert that is sure to impress your friends. All you have to do is convince the teetotalers that the alcohol from the rum evaporates in the heat and you are good to go


Ingredients:
* 1 pineapple, peeled, cored and cut into 1/2″ to 1″ slices
* 1/2 cup brown sugar
* 2 tbs melted butter
* 2 tbs rum
* 1 tsp cinnamon

Stage 1
Combine the brown sugar, butter, rum, and cinnamon and mix thoroughly.

Stage 2
Brush the mix over the pineapple slices.

Stage 3
Place on the grill directly over the coals and grill at a high heat for about 1-2 minutes per side or until lightly browned.

Stage 4
Remove from grill and enjoy. For those looking for an extra treat, place a scoop of vanilla ice cream over the top of each pineapple slice.


M

Mini Meat Loaves

This is a pretty much indepth explanation how to make mini meat loaves. It's awesome and can be used for party's and or in general eating settings.

Step 1 Ingredients

1 Tbls. olive oil
3 cups sweet onions, chopped (from 2-3 large onions)
2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme leaves
2 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. freshly cracked black pepper
3 Tbls. mushroom soy sauce
1/3 cup chicken stock
1 Tbls. tomato paste
1 lb. ground chuck (81% lean)
1 lb. ground pork
1/2 lb. ground veal
1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
2 extra-large eggs, beaten
1/2 cup ketchup
fresh parsley, minced, for garnish

Yields about 6 mini meat loaves

Preheat your oven to 350.

Step 2:

Caramelize the onions:
Grab your onions.
Remove the peels and chop them up.
Put the olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pan on the stove over medium heat. Measure out 3 cups of onions. Toss them in the pan.

Add the thyme, black pepper, and a little kosher salt. (Go easy on the salt because you’re going to add mushroom soy, which is plenty salty, later on.) Stir to combine.

Cook over medium heat for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until translucent and brown. (Keep an eye on your heat and turn it down if need be. You want them to brown, but not stick to the pan and burn.)

Add the mushroom soy sauce, tomato paste, and chicken stock to the pan with the onions.

Stir to combine. Set the pan aside for a minute or two while you deal with the meat.

Meat Step 3:
Grab your meat. Toss it all in a large bowl.
Add the panko bread crumbs.
Quickly beat the eggs and then Pour the beaten eggs into the bowl.
Add the onion mixture.

Now, here’s the trick to making meatloaf that’s light and fluffy (i.e. not dense, thick, and heavy). Are you ready?

*dramatic music*

Don’t overmix it.

In fact, handle the mixture as little as possible—only enough to combine the ingredients together. Kind of the same way you make biscuits. That’s what you want to do here.

So, with your hands (or a fork, if you’d rather not get your paws all gooey), gently mix the ingredients together until just combined.

Line a baking sheet with foil, then set a piece of parchment paper on top (if they stick, they’ll be much easier to get off the paper than the foil).

Forming the loaves Step 4:
Measure out 1 1/4 cups of meatloaf mixture. Plop it on your pan.

Shape the mixture gently, so that it resembles half a football. Again, you want to go easy here. Don’t mash the mixture together, which can make it tough and dense.

Repeat with the rest of your mixture, until you have 6 mini loaves.

Grab your ketchup. Plunk a generous tablespoon on top of each loaf.
With your finger (or the back of a spoon), spread the ketchup around so that it covers the top.

Bake the meat loaves, Step 5

Pop them into your preheated 350-degree oven. If you’re baking them in ramekins, set the dishes on a pan to catch any drips (mine bubbled over a little).

Bake 40-45 minutes, until they reach an internal temperature of 155-160 degrees. Start checking them after about 30 minutes, as your final cooking time will depend on how thick your particular loaves are. When they’re done, yank them out of the oven.

Now, depending on how fatty your meat is, your meat loaves are going to let out a little—or a lot—of juice. Don’t be alarmed if yours look like this. It’s kind of gross, I know. But it’s just fine.

Just scoop them off the pan with 2 spatulas.

Transfer them to a serving platter, and
presto! Little, picture-perfect rustic meat loaves. Sprinkle with minced parsley.

This post has been edited by Haruspex on Nov 3 2010, 06:27 PM

[Tagmatium Rules]

I'm so going to have to attempt these when I'm back in Reading.

Although I may have to corral some of my housemates in order to get the kitchen cleaned up. Which, in our defence, has only gone to hell in the last month, and primarily from one of my housemates deciding that he doesn't, in fact, have to keep an eye when things boil and that it, similarly, isn't up to him to clean up the hob. No, the next night, he just moves onto a different hob. And makes that one brown.

I'm firmly of the belief that everyone can cook, just that most people aren't prepared to.

I did mention that beef stew, but I come to realise I entirely work by eye and I have no idea about the rations or weights of any of the ingredients used.

And I've got a question.

What is "kosher" salt? I've assumed that salt is... well, salt. I mean, in the main. I realise one can get salts with things mixed in, but usually it's just sodium chloride.

[Haruspex]

O
Easy Sunday Hash Brown Omelette

Omelettes have always been one of my favorite weekend foods. You can get up late, fill one with whatever you have on hand, and it will keep you going for most of the day.

When I moved to Boston, my favorite omelettes came from Deli Haus, a diner in Kenmore Square which sadly isn’t there anymore. It was always filling and you were almost guaranteed to run into someone you knew. You could get an omelette there at 2 in the afternoon?or 2 in the morning.

Since then, my taste has lightened up a little (gone also are the days when I could regularly eat a three-pound omelette stuffed with half a dozen ingredients). There’s only one egg in this recipe, which keeps the finished omelette nice and thin.

A note on ingredients
Made with “one” of pretty much every ingredient, you almost don’t need a recipe. The potatoes are cut into a small dice, so they cook quickly.

Ingredients
1 medium red potato, peeled
1 clove garlic, minced
1 Tbls. butter
1 jumbo egg
1 Tbls. heavy cream
1 tsp. rosemary
grated Parmesan cheese
white pepper
salt

Step 1
Cut your potato into thin slices, then into a small dices.

Step 2
Melt the butter in a non-stick pan. Add the diced potatoes, garlic, and a pinch of salt. Stir to coat with butter.

Step 3
Fry on medium-high heat until they start to brown nicely. You’re looking for them to develop a nice, golden crust, but not start burning and sticking to the pan.

Step 4
While the potatoes are frying, crack the egg into a bowl and add the cream.

Step 5
Whisk together with a fork. Add the rosemary and salt and white pepper to taste. Whisk to combine.

Step 6
When your potatoes are nicely brown and cooked through (taste a piece!), turn the heat down to low and pour in your eggs.

Step 7
Immediately remove the pan from the heat. Tilt it back and forth to evenly distribute the egg. Do this right away, since the egg will start to set up almost instantly.

Step 8
When the egg is spread out, set the pan back on the stove.

Step 9
Sprinkle the whole omelette with grated Parmesan cheese. I don’t measure the cheese. You’re aiming for a thin layer that will melt quickly.

Step 10
Almost immediately, fold one side into the center with a spatula.

Step 11
Do the same thing with the other side.

Step 12
Slide the omelette off onto a plate and serve immediately!

This post has been edited by Haruspex on Dec 21 2010, 05:38 PM

[Tagmatium Rules]

Hmm. I supposed that "kosher", in this context, might refer to making it OK for Jewish people to eat. But that's a bit moronic, especially since the creation of salt on its own probably never broke any biblical laws...

I really might have to try out the banana bread when I get back to Reading. One of my housemates tried to make something similar, and it went fairly well. It would please me to be able to beat her at this.

Shouldn't be too hard, although I imagine I'll make something of a hash of it, as it will be my first attempt.

I've been meaning to make a meal for the house, and I'm going to steal some of your brain-thoughts, MH.

EDIT: Also, damn you Americans and your "cup" measurement.

This post has been edited by Tagmatium Rules on Jun 2 2010, 10:44 PM

[Haruspex]

I can make it metric if you like, it's rather insidious isnt it? It crept up on me and I was using it before I knew it. I blame the extended staying in the US.

[Tagmatium Rules]

Nah, I wouldn't worry about it. It's not like I've got anything other than spare time for a few weeks, so it'll give me something to do.

Plus, I'm certain a websearch of all of several seconds would furnish me with an answer. It'll probably give me a converter, thereby decreasing the amount of effort even further.

[Haruspex]

New Recipes!
Bacon Rolls
Cajun Cod Bites
Cranberry Bacon Chutney

[Haruspex]

New Add Ons!
Bacon Wrapped Peppers
Grilled Pineapple
Vegetarian Style BBQ Beans

This post has been edited by Haruspex on Jun 30 2010, 01:15 AM

[Haruspex]

Deep Fried Candy Bar!
That's right. It's there!

[Haruspex]

New recipe up!

[Haruspex]

Alright Kiddos, prepare for the awesomeness of this dish..

Ready?

Just checking.

Here we go...

Prime Rib: It’s not just for Christmas dinner.



I’ll make this whenever I can get my paws on one at a good price (or the rare super sale). It’s a great excuse to have a party. In fact, if you’re sick of ham on Easter, consider giving Roast Beast it’s day in the (springtime) sun.

This is a restaurant technique that’s practically guaranteed to produce a moist, juicy, evenly cooked roast beast. And it couldn’t be simpler.

Seriously.

Prime rib is expensive, so you want to be sure you get the best meat for your dollar. You’ll find it sold two ways: bone in, or boneless. I prefer the bone-in roasts. I think they taste better. They also make a slightly more impressive table presentation. Boneless roasts cook a little faster, so keep that in mind as it’s roasting.

Look for a roast with a layer of creamy white fat on the top. You’re going to roast your beast fat-side up, so the fat bastes the meat as it melts. The roast should be tied (though you can do this yourself at home) to keep its nice, plump shape as it cooks.

The flesh should be bright red and the fat should be firm and white.

Look for good marbling, if you can find it. Marbling = those skinny little strips of white fat shot through the meat. Most of it will melt as the meat roasts, contributing rich, beefy flavor.

Many butchers will have some pre-cut and wrapped in the case, especially around the holidays. If you don’t like the look of the ones they have out, ask your butcher to cut a fresh one for you. Depending on your market, you might need to special order one.

I’ve said it before: Find a butcher and make friends with him. You can thank me later.

What size roast do you need?

When you order prime rib at a restaurant, normally you’ll get one whole rib, so you wind up with a brontosaurus-sized steak.

You can certainly cut one rib per person, but that can be a lot of meat for one, especially if you’re serving other stuff. Plus, that can get pricey fast.

I prefer to carve the ribs off, then cut the boneless roast into thinner slices. You’ll be able to feed a lot more people that way. If you go that route:

Count on (raw weight):
4 lbs. for 3-4 people
5 lbs. for 4-5 people
6 lbs. for 5-6 people
7 lbs. for 6-7 people
10 lbs. for 8-10 people
14 lbs. for 10-12 people

The short version of the recipe goes like this

Sear the meat quickly on all sides on top of the stove to develop flavor and color. Then roast it slowly in a 250-degree oven for a few hours. It seems too low, but trust me, it’ll cook.

Most prime rib recipes will give you a roast that looks kind of like a bulls-eye: Brown on the outside, pink in the center. This method of cooking (at a low temperature for a long time) gives you a roast that’s evenly cooked through and through, so every bit of every slice is just the way you like it.

This is a basic recipe that lets the rich, beefy flavor of the meat shine through. If you like, rub the roast with a little garlic, rosemary, and powdered bay leaf after you sear it (so you don’t burn the spices). You get the picture.

1 (5-7 lb.) prime rib
kosher salt
freshly cracked black pepper
olive oil

Serves 4-7

Directions

Step 1: Grab your roast. Give him a quick rinse under cold water and pat him dry with paper towels. Get him very, very, very dry. If you don’t, he won’t sear well (water inhibits browning
the meat will kind of steam instead of brown)


Step 2: Next, smear him with olive oil. I use pure olive oil, not extra virgin, because it has a higher smoke point. (Plus, virgin and extra virgin olive oil are best saved for finishing and drizzling, not cooking, so their grassy flavor can shine through. Heat basically destroys that.)

Step 3: Sprinkle him generously on all sides with kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Be sure to get all sides, including both ends.


Step 4: Sear the Beast. Throw open a window and grab a fan, because there’s gonna be smoke. Preheat your oven to 250 degrees.

Step 5: Next, put a little olive oil in a large, heavy bottomed skillet. Roll the pan around so that the bottom is coated. Set it on the stove over high heat. When the oil starts to shimmer, it’s hot enough for your meat.

Step 6: Put the meat in the pan. It doesn’t really matter which side you start with because you’re going to do all sides.

Step 7: When he’s brown on one side, flip him over. Keep flipping him until he’s brown on all sides. Don’t forget to get the ends.

Step 8: Roast the Beast. When your beast is brown on all sides, remove him from the pan. Place a rack in a roasting pan. Set the meat on the rack, fat-side up. This is important. You want the fat-side up, so that the fat melts as the meat roasts and bastes it.

Step 9: Pop him into your pre-heated 250-degree oven.

Step 10: Roast for 3 – 3/12 hours until he registers at least 120 degrees on a meat thermometer.

When is it done?

Most roasts will increase in temperature dramatically once they come out of the oven. Usually, the hotter the oven, the more your temperature will rise.

This “carry-over” cooking means you have to be very mindful of when you yank the beast out of the oven. It also means that the doneness is hard to get right. (Raise your hand if you’ve ever blown the timing on a roast. I know I have.)

Not so with this method. Because the meat is roasted at such a low temperature, it should only increase a few degrees.

It’s a more reliable way to roast a prime rib, and makes timing your meal a lot easier.

Temperature chart
121°-125° F = rare
130°-135° F = medium-rare
140° F = medium
150° F = medium-well
160° F = well done

Step 11: Be sure to get the meat thermometer into the center of the roast, not touching any bones (that will skew your reading).

Step 12: Tent your roast under aluminum foil for 15-20 minutes. (Tent means loosely drape and tuck a little, don’t wrap it airtight.) This will let the juices settle back into the roast.

Step 13: Slice, serve, inhale! After your roast has rested, transfer it to a serving platter. Carve it up however you like. Thick slices. Paper thin slices. Whole ribs, if you got a bone-in beast.

[Haruspex]

Since I am dedicated to the eventually killing of Voc or Taggie by way of food, here you go.

Roasted Scallops Wrapped in Prosciutto

I’m pretty sure I’d be tempted to eat almost anything if you wrapped it in bacon or prosciutto.

This is my take on the classic appetizer, bacon-wrapped scallops. My issue with bacon-wrapped scallops is that, depending on the thickness, the bacon doesn’t always get crisp by the time the scallops are cooked through.

This recipe swaps in prosciutto, bacon’s paper thin, salty cousin, which practically guarantees that your scallops will always come out of the oven wearing a crisp little coat.

This is more method than recipe. Make as many or as few as you need.

A tip for buying prosciutto
I love prosciutto, but it’s one of the pricier things you can find at the deli counter. However, most delis carry two kinds: imported and domestic.

When I’m going to use it in cooking, I always go for domestic prosciutto, which is a lot cheaper (~$5/lb. at my local deli) than imported (~$17/lb.). Save the imported stuff for simple but lux apps like prosciutto wrapped melon or an antipasto platter.

How to buy scallops
Much like shrimp, scallops are often sold by the “count,” a number which tells you how many scallops there are per pound. The lower the “count” number, the bigger the scallops.

And just like with shrimp, if you don’t have a good seafood shop nearby, you’ll be just fine (if not better off) with frozen scallops.

For example, the scallops I got were “U/10″ count, which means that there are under 10 scallops per pound. Which means, they were huge.

Alrighty to the Kitchen...!
Extra large scallops
Prosciutto
Kosher salt
Freshly cracked black pepper
Olive oil

Plan on 2-3 scallops per person for an appetizer, or 5-8 for a main course, depending on their size.

Step 1
Thaw your scallops. If you’re using fresh scallops, skip ahead to the next step.

If your scallops are frozen, thaw them out by letting them sit in a bowl of icy cold water for an hour or so. You can do this on the counter (just make sure the water doesn’t get remotely warm
warm, raw seafood = poisoning waiting to happen), or keep the bowl in the fridge (which will take a little longer).

Step 2
Once your scallops are thawed, remove them from the water. Drain them well, then pat them dry with paper towels.

Step 3
Drizzle the scallops with olive oil, then sprinkle with kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Toss to coat.

Step 4
Grab one slice of prosciutto. Fold it in half lengthwise, and wrap it around a scallop. You can prep these little guys a few hours ahead of time, so they’re set to pop into the oven when your guests arrive. If you do that, put your scallops on a plate or dish, snuggled up next to each other so the prosciutto stays firmly in place.

If you’re roasting them right away, put them on a parchment lined pan, well spaced out, so the prosciutto can get crispy.

Step 5
When you’re ready to cook them, line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Space the scallops out well, so they’re not touching. (If they’re too close, the prosciutto will wind up steaming, instead of crisping.)

Step 6
Pop the pan into your preheated 350-degree oven for about 15 minutes. Keep a close eye on them. Your final cooking time will vary based on how large your scallops are.

Step 7
Your scallops are done when the prosciutto is crisp and the scallops are firm to the touch and opaque throughout. (When in doubt, cut into one to check. If it’s opaque on the edges, but jiggly and translucent in the middle, it needs a little more time in the oven.)

Step 8
Enjoy!

[Haruspex]

Crispy Fried Goat Cheese



Be still my heart. I think I would eat these every day if I could.

It’s definitely my new favorite munchy type thing.

These h’ors d’oeuvres are really easy to throw together on the fly. Basically, you take slices of goat cheese, dip them in beaten egg, then coat them in seasoned panko breadcrumbs, then fry in a little olive oil until crispy.

The outside crust is unbelievably crunchy and flavorful. The inside cheese is warm, creamy, and really smooth.

The best part? Because goat cheese is more of a dry, crumbly cheese, it won’t melt and ooze all over as it cooks. (Granted, it’s in and out of the pan in a flash
)

You could also serve it as more of a main dish (say, for brunch), over a salad with some good garlic bread and a glass of red wine.

Tips for slicing goat cheese

To make the cheese a little easier to slice, pop it in the freezer for about 15 minutes before cutting to firm it up.
Use a sharp, non-serrated knife and wipe it down with a paper towel and warm water in between slices.
Try cutting it cheese-shop style, with a piece of clean stainless steel wire—or unflavored dental floss.

Ingredients
16 oz. goat cheese log
1 cup panko bread crumbs
2 tsp. dried parsley
1 tsp. dried thyme
1/2 tsp. granulated garlic
1/2 tsp. ground white pepper
pinch of kosher salt
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup of flour
olive oil

Yields about 8 pieces of fried goat cheese, depending on how thick you cut the cheese

Step 1 Chill your cheese. Pop it in the freezer for about 15 minutes to firm it up so it’s easier to slice.

Step 2 While your cheese is chilling, put together the stuff you need to bread the cheese. Grab your panko bread crumbs.

Step 3 Put the panko in a medium-sized bowl. Add the parsley, thyme, granulated garlic, ground white pepper, and kosher salt.

Step 4 Stir to combine well.

Step 5 Crack the eggs in a bowl. Beat to scramble them.

Step 6 Line a sheet pan or plate with wax or parchment paper

Step 7 Put the flour on a plate or in a shallow bowl.

Step 8 Grab your cheese out of the freezer. Slice it into 1/4 – 1/2-inch pieces. Use a sharp knife. Wipe the knife off with a warm, wet paper towel in between cuts.

Step 9 Put the cheese in the flour. Flip it gently to coat on both sides.

Step 10 Drop the floured cheese into the beaten egg. Flip it gently to coat with egg on both sides.

Step 11 Lastly, put it into the seasoned panko breadcrumbs. Flip it to coat on both sides.

Step 12 Your finished cheese should look like it’s wearing a crunchy little sweater by the time you’re done.

Step 13 Put it on your lined pan or plate. Repeat with the rest of the cheese. You could do this maybe an hour ahead of time and keep them in the fridge.

Step 14 Put a little olive oil in a nonstick pan. Use just enough to coat the bottom of the pan. Set it on the stove over high heat. When the oil shimmers, you’re ready to fry.

Step 15 Set the cheese down gently in the hot oil. It should start to bubble around the edges immediately. Repeat with the rest of the cheese. Depending on the size of your pan and how many pieces you’re frying, you might need to fry in batches so you don’t crowd the pan. (A crowded pan means your food will almost steam, instead of fry, and you’ll wind up with soggy cheese
.and nobody needs that.)

Step 16 Keep an eye on your cheese
it cooks fast. When the cheese is brown on the bottom (this will happen very quickly), flip it over carefully with a spatula.

Step 17 When it’s brown on the second side, remove the cheese from the pan, and transfer to a paper towel or paper bag lined plate. If you’re fying a lot of these little guys, you could try keeping them warm in a super low (like 150 degrees) oven, so the cheese doesn’t melt.

Step 18 Transfer the fried goat cheese to a serving platter. Serve and enjoy!

[Haruspex]

Oreo-Irish Creme Shake of Amazing


Ingredients
Vanilla ice cream
Milk
1 shot of Irish cream liqueur
1 shot chocolate liqueur
3 Oreo cookies + 1 more for garnish

Makes a milkshake that fills a pint glass

Start with your favorite vanilla ice cream.

Step 1 Pack a pint glass loosely with ice cream. (I mentioned that this isn’t diet food, right?)

Step 2 Fill the glass almost to the top with milk.

Step 3 Pour the contents of your glass (ice cream + milk) into your blender. Toss in the Irish cream liqueur, chocolate liqueur, and Oreo cookies.

Step 4 Cap your blender and turn it on. Blend until the cookies are smashed to bits and the milkshake is smooth.

Step 5 Pour back into your pint glass.

The cookie garish

Step 1 Take one of your Oreos and unscrew it.

Step 2 With the back of a spoon or a knife, scrape the creme over to one side.

Step 3 Stick the cookie back together on the rim of the glass, with the blob of creme holding the two cookie halves together at the top.

Enjoy!

[Suverina]

I like that we have a recipe thread, however it would be nice if there were metric measurements as well.