Sweet and Sour Green Beans (with bacon and onion)

1 16oz. bag frozen cut green beans, thawed
4 slices bacon cut into 1" pieces (reserve drippings)
4 green onions, chopped
4 T. bacon fat
2 T. sugar
3 T. cider vinegar
salt and freshly ground pepper

In a medium skillet, add diced bacon and fry until crisp.  Remove from pan and drain on a plate with paper towel (to absorb some grease).  Reserve drippings.

Bring 2qt. water to a boil and place green beans in pan and cook until beans are fork tender.  Remove from water and allow to drain.

Slice green onions and add to bacon drippings.  Sauté for 3-4 minutes.  Add vinegar and sugar and stir until sugar is dissolved.

Add drained beans to skillet and stir to coat and warm through.  Add crisp bacon before serving.  Taste before adding salt, as some bacon can be salty.

Makes six servings.  Recipe can be doubled, tripled, etc. 

Fresh beans can be substitutes for frozen or canned.  Also try a mixture of green and yellow wax.

Randy's Prime Rib White Pizza

1 lb. frozen pizza dough thawed or your favorite pizza dough

Fresh basil leaves
Roasted red peppers drained and seeded
3 cloves fresh garlic, peeled and crushed
Thinly sliced red onion
3 Tbsp. butter
3 Tbsp. flour
½-3/4 c. milk
1/8 tsp. fresh ground nutmeg
1 c. grated parmesan cheese
5 oz. package of crumbled gorgonzola cheese
1 c. shredded mozzarella cheese
1 c. white cheddar cheese
12-14 thinly sliced pieces of prime rib (left over)
 

 

Thaw out frozen dough and allow to rise to double its size or prepare your own favorite pizza dough. Place on a 15” greased pizza pan. In medium sauce pan melt the 3 tbsp. butter. Add 3 tbsp. flour and stir until butter is absorbed. Slowly add milk to the butter and flour mixture until the mixture (white sauce) begins to thicken. If you prefer a thinner white sauce add more milk. Add fresh ground nutmeg. Peel 3 whole cloves of garlic and crush with the blade of a knife.  Add the garlic to the white sauce, and allow to steep for several minutes.  Remove garlic from sauce.  Add 1/2 -1 cup of grated parmesan cheese depending on your taste. Continue to simmer until all of the cheese is melted. Allow to cool slightly.

 

Place the white sauce over the pizza dough evenly, almost to the edge of the crust. Drain roasted red pepper slices on a paper towel and cut into strips and place on top of the pizza. Add whole slices of fresh basil on top of the red peppers and some thinly sliced red onion. Top with a scant layer of gorgonzola or omit if you don’t like gorgonzola. Sprinkle remainder cheeses on top of pizza and place in a preheated 425 degree oven for 18-20 mins.

 

Remove from oven and top with thin slices of prime rib and return to the oven for an additional 5 minutes or until cheeses are lightly browned and bubbly. Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly. This could be used as a main course but is also good to cut into small sized pieces and serve as an appetizer.

Lemonade Layer Cake



If you're looking for a moist and easy cake to make that has a bright lemon flavor, thy this... it's wonderful!

Preheat oven to 350º

Beat the following with mixer at medium speed until well-blended (about five minutes):

-        1 1/3 c. granulated sugar
-        6 T. butter, softened
-        1 T. grated lemon rind
-        3 T. thawed lemonade concentrate
-        2 t. vanilla extract

Add the following one at a time (beating well after each addition):

-        2 large eggs
-        2 large egg whites

Combine the following in a separate bowl:

-        2 c. all-purpose flour
-        1 t. baking powder
-        ½ t. salt
-        ½ t. baking soda

Alternately add flour mixture and 1¼ c. buttermilk to sugar mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture.  Beat well.

Pour batter into two 9-inch round cake pans coated with cooking spray.  Sharply tap pans on counter to remove air bubbles.  Bake at 350º for 20 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool pans 10 minutes on a wire rack.  Remove from pans, and cool completely on wire rack.

On first layer of cake, frost with raspberry, cherry, or strawberry jam.  Place other cake on top.  Frost sides and top of cake with frosting (recipe below).

FROSTING:  Beat with a mixer at high speed until fluffy

-        2 t. butter, softened
-        2 t. grated lemon rind
-        2 t. lemonade concentrate
-        ½ t. vanilla extract
-        8 oz. cream cheese (chilled)

Add and beat at low speed until blended.  Add 2 c. powdered sugar.  Chill for one hour, before spreading on cake.

Glazed Strawberry Pie

CRUST:

2 c. flour
1 t. salt
2/3 c. shortening
5-7 T. cold water

Measure flour into bowl.  Add salt and shortening.  Cut into flour with pastry blender until you have pea-sized pieces.  Add cold water to bring dough together into a ball.  Wrap in plastic wrap.  Place in refrigerator for 15-20 minutes.

 

Place dough on waxed paper, with plastic wrap on top.  This will keep the dough tender without adding additional flour.  Roll dough to slightly larger than pie pan.  Plastic wrap will help you to place the dough into the dish.  Trim excess dough to about one inch from sides of plate.  Roll out side edge toward the inside of the dish, evenly.  Crimp with fingers.  Pick with fork and place in the refrigerator to chill for 15-30 minutes.  Remove crust from refrigerator.  Using a piece of foil, spray back with non-stick spray.  Add beans or pie weights to prevent crust from shrinking.  Preheat oven to 375º and bake for 25-30 minutes.  Remove crust from oven.  Remove foil and beans, and bake for an additional 12 minutes.  Remove from oven and allow to cool.

 

FILLING:

Wash 2 quarts of strawberries, and remove hulls.  Place one cup of berries into a saucepan and crush with a potato masher.  Add one cup of water; bring to a boil.  Simmer for three minutes and strain mixture into a measuring cup.  Add enough water to make one cup.  In a clean saucepan, add one cup of sugar, ¼ t. salt, and 3 T. corn starch.  Mix with whisk and slowly add juice from strawberries.  Place over medium heat, stirring constantly.  Cook until sauce thickens and becomes clear.  Set aside to cool.

Arrange berries in cooled crust (to the top).  Spoon glaze over top of berries.  If the sauce has thickened too much, you can place the mixture in the microwave oven for 10 seconds at a time until it is a thinner consistency.

Chill pie.  Serve with whipped cream.

Swedish Chef's Father's Day Special (Break out the Grill): Open-Faced Steak Sandwich and Panzanella Salad

PANZANELLA SALAD

Panzanella is a bread salad that combines vine-ripened tomatoes, onions, cheese, and basil with olive oil and vinegar.  This is a great way to transform day-old bread into a delicious salad.  For best results, use chewy, coarse-textured bread.

 

Tomatoes, diced
Parmigiano Reggiano, slivered
1 c. fresh basil leaves, torn into small pieces
½ c. extra-virgin olive oil (can add more as needed)
3 T. balsamic or red wine vinegar (can add more as needed)
salt and pepper, to taste
1 T. sugar
6-8 thick slices of country-style white bread, torn into bite-sized pieces (or croutons)

In a bowl, combine the tomatoes, onion, and basil.  Drizzle with the ½ cup of olive oil and the 3T. vinegar, and season with the salt and pepper; toss well.

Place half of the bread in a wide, shallow bowl.  Spoon half of the tomato mixture over the bread.  Layer the remaining bread on top, then add the remaining tomato mixture.  Cover and refrigerate for one hour.

Just before serving, toss the salad and adjust the seasonings with salt and pepper (if needed).  If the bread seems dry, add a little oil or vinegar.  Serve immediately.  Serves 4-6 people.

OPEN-FACED STEAK SANDWICH

4 small ribeye steaks (4oz./½ inch thick)
Garlic powder, black pepper, salt, to taste
1 c. sliced mushrooms
½ c. sliced vidalia onions
Chewy, coarse-textured bread (approx. 8" long)
Mozzarella cheese, shredded
Olive oil and butter

 

Lightly dust both sides of steaks with garlic powder, salt, and pepper.  Sauté mushrooms and onions in 2T. olive oil and 2T. butter, until onions are carmelized.  Cut bread in half, and lightly butter the top and bottom of slices.

Grill steaks over charcoal fire until medium rare.  When done, place on plate and cover with foil.  Place bread on grill and toast.

Place toasted bread on a cookie sheet.  Top bread with steak and mushroom/onion combination, and a layer of mozzarella cheese.  Place in a 350º oven until cheese is melted.