French Dip Sandwiches

French Dip Sandwiches

1 2.5-3 lb. beef roast (I used tri-tip)
2 Tbsp. olive oil
salt and pepper
2 1-ounce packages dry onion soup mix
2 c. water
2 cans beef broth
6-8 large buns
Swiss, provolone, or mozzarella cheese, shredded or sliced.


Place meat in crockpot and sprinkle with onion soup mixes. Pour water and beef broth over roast.

Cook 8-10 hours on low or cook 4-5 hours on high and another 3-4 hours on low. It's hard to screw this part up; basically, the longer it cooks, the more tender it will be. But you know it's done when you pop a fork in it and the meat just falls apart. When meat is ready, shred with a fork.

Place meat in crusty rolls. Top with cheese and broil open-faced in the oven or toaster oven for a few minutes, until bread is golden and cheese is melty.

Ladle juices into small cups for dipping and enjoy!

Yummo!

Better Banana Bread

16 ounces, all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ tablespoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
8 ounces unsalted butter or shortening at room temperature (I use butter flavored Crisco)
20 ounces brown sugar
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup buttermilk
20 ounces ripe bananas, mashed

Preheat oven to 350°. Grease three loaf pans.
Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
Using paddle cream the butter and brown sugar on medium speed until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes.
Mix in eggs, one at a time, waiting for each to incorporate completely before adding the next. Mix in the vanilla and continue mixing for 2 to 3 minutes until mixture is light and fluffy.
Mix in 1/3 of the flour mixture, then 1/3 of the buttermilk, then 1/3 of the bananas, repeating until all the ingredients have been added. Mix until the flour is just absorbed and the batter is smooth.
Pour batter into pans, filling no more than two-thirds.
Bake for 45 minutes then reduce oven to 325° and bake an additional 15 minutes. Internal temperature should be between 180° and 185°. Skewer poked in center should come out clean.
Let loaf cool in the pan for 10 to 15 minutes then turn out onto a rack to cool for at least 1 hour before slicing.

Basic Banana Bread

3 Ripe Bananas, well mashed
2 Eggs, well beaten
2 cups flour
¾ cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda

Preheat oven to 350. Grease loaf pan. Mix bananas and eggs together in a large bowl. Stir in the flour, sugar, salt and soda. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan and bake for one hour. Remove from pan to a cooling rack.

Buttercream Frosting

7 3/4 oz. sugar
2 1/8 oz water
4 5/8 oz egg yolks
17 3/8 oz butter
In a saucepan heat sugar and water. Whip egg yolks in a separate bowl. When sugar reaches soft ball, slowly pour sugar into whipped yolks, continue to whip until cool. Add softened butter and mix enough to make a good emulsion.

Piped Icing

From Daddy...

5 Egg whites
1 cup plus 2 2 Tb. Sugar
Pinch of Salt
1 lb. butter, room temperature
1 1/2 Tsp. Vanilla

Combine egg whites, sugar and salt in kitchenaid bowl. Place over a simmering pan of water. Whisk constantly until warm to the touch and sugar has disolved.

Attach to mixer, whisk starting at low speed and progressing to med-high speed until stiff peaks form.Add butter a few tbls at a time, add vanilla. Switch to paddle and beat on low until air bubbles are gone- about 2 minutes.

Restaurant Style Salsa

Yes, shocking I know, I am actually posting a recipe on here but I have to share my favorite salsa recipe. (I only say favorite because I don't have mom's recipe and she isn't here to make it for me. My ordering would obviously change if I had Mom around to make me an endless supply. lol!) Here you go...

Prep Time: 10 Minutes Difficulty: Easy  Servings: 12

Ingredients


1 can (28 Ounce) Whole Tomatoes With Juice
2 cans (10 Ounce) Rotel (diced Tomatoes And Green Chilies)
¼ cups Chopped Onion
1 clove Garlic, Minced
1 whole Jalapeno, Quartered And Sliced Thin
¼ teaspoons Sugar
¼ teaspoons Salt
¼ teaspoons Ground Cumin
½ cups Cilantro (more To Taste!)
½ whole Lime Juice

Preparation Instructions

Combine whole tomatoes, Rotel, onion, jalapeno, garlic, sugar, salt, cumin, lime juice, and cilantro in a blender or food processor. Pulse until you get the salsa to the consistency you’d like—I do about 10 to 15 pulses. Test seasonings with a tortilla chip and adjust as needed.

Refrigerate salsa for at least an hour. Serve with tortilla chips or cheese nachos.

Depending on how hot you like your salsa you can mix and match your rotel. I typically do a mild and hot and that has a very nice kick to it.
 
Enjoy!!

Tamis' Teriyaki Sauce

1/2 Cup Soy Sauce
1/3 Cup Pineapple Juice or water
1/3 Cup firmly packed Brown Sugar
1/4 Cup Vinegar
2 TBL Vegetable Oil
1/2 tea Ginger
1 clove Garlic

(We usually at least double this basic recipe

Caramel Popcorn!!!!

Caramel Popcorn

Ingredients
1 cup Butter
2 cups Brown sugar
1/2 cup Corn syrup
1 teaspoon Salt
1/2 teaspoon Baking soda
1 teaspoon Vanilla extract

5 quarts Popped popcorn
Preparation
1 Preheat oven to 250 degrees F (95 degrees C). Place popcorn in a very large bowl.

2 In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Stir in brown sugar, corn syrup and salt. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil without stirring 4 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in soda and vanilla. Pour in a thin stream over popcorn, stirring to coat.

3 Place in two large shallow baking dishes and bake in preheated oven, stirring every 15 minutes, for 1 hour. Remove from oven and let cool completely before breaking into pieces.

*****Tip I have never gone for the full hour. I have only done forty five minutes tops. I sometimes only do it to thirty minutes.

Requests...

I have a few requests for recipes...

Miqui's kickin' recipe caramel popcorn recipe
Mom's artichoke dip
Dad's meat stuffed with the other stuff (ya know the one you made on Mother's day)
Mom's Little King Salad
Pineapple Slush
Yannette's rootbeer pork
Erica's... Erica? Hm... dare I ask for the Spam Sushi? (I was going to ask for your meatloaf recipe but thought that would be cruel).
Dad's chicken stuffed with stuffing (you made it probably 3 years ago- Mom had to work late) and you served it with gravy from a can...
Grammy's green jello with stuff in it (You made it 3 thanksgiving ago..)
40 clove chicken
Scallop Potatoes

The list goes on but we will start here. Okay everyone... on your mark, get set, blog!

Chili Verde

Ingredients

* 1 1/2 pounds tomatillos
* 5 garlic cloves, not peeled
* 2 jalapenos, seeds and ribs removed, chopped
* 2 Anaheim or Poblano chiles (optional)
* 1 bunch cilantro leaves, cleaned and chopped

* 3 1/2 to 4 pounds pork shoulder (also called pork butt)[I used chicken because I didn't have any pork], trimmed of excess fat and cut into 1 to 2-inch cubes
* Salt
* Freshly ground black pepper
* Olive oil
* 2 yellow onions
* 3 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
* 2 Tbsp of chopped fresh oregano or 1 Tbsp of dried oregano
* 2 1/2 cups chicken stock
* Pinch of ground cloves

Method

1 Remove papery husks from tomatillos and rinse well. Cut in half and place cut side down, along with 5 unpeeled garlic cloves, on a foil-lined baking sheet. Place under a broiler for about 5-7 minutes to lightly blacken the skin. Remove from oven, let cool enough to handle.

If you want the additional flavor of chiles other than jalapenos, you can add a couple Anaheim or poblano chiles. Either use canned green chiles or roast fresh chilies over a gas flame or under the broiler until blackened all around. Let cool in a bag, remove the skin, seeds, and stem.


2 Place tomatillos, skins included, into blender. Remove the now roasted garlic cloves from their skins, add them to the blender. Add chopped Jalapeño peppers, other chilies (if you are using them), and cilantro to the blender. Pulse until all ingredients are finely chopped and mixed.

3 Season the pork cubes generously with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed skillet over medium high heat and brown pork chunks well on all sides. Work in batches so that the pork is not crowded in the pan and has a better chance to brown well. Using a slotted spoon or tongs, lift pork out of pan and place in bowl, set aside.

4 Pour off excess fat, anything beyond a tablespoon, and place the onions and garlic in the same skillet and cook, stirring occasionally until limp, about 5 minutes. If your skillet is large enough to cook the entire batch of chile verde, with the sauce and meat, then add the pork back to the pan. If not, get a large soup pot and add the onion mixture and the pork to it. Add the oregano to the pan. Add the tomatillo chile verde sauce to the pork and onions. Add the chicken stock (enough to cover the meat). Add a pinch of ground cloves. Add a little salt and pepper. (Not too much as the chile verde will continue to cook down and concentrate a bit.)


5 Bring to a boil and reduce to a slight simmer. Cook for 2-3 hours uncovered or until the pork is fork tender.

Adjust the seasoning to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with Spanish rice and warmed flour tortillas or freshly made corn tortillas.

Serves 8.

Potato Cheese Soup

On medium low heat in a 3 quart sauce pan sauté:
4 TB Butter
½ C Finely Diced Yellow Onion
½ C Finely Diced Celery

Add:
2 Cans Chicken Broth (14.5 oz)
1/4 C.Water
4 C Finely Sliced and Diced Potatoes (peeled)
Place on medium low heat and cook until potatoes are very soft and tender.

When potatoes are done add:
4 Chicken Bouillon Cubes
Cook until cubes have been dissolved.
Mash the potatoes slightly, leaving most of them in chunks.

Reduce heat and add:
2 + 1/4 C. Half and Half *
4 TB cornstarch (more if still runny)*

Stir mixture, and add:
8 oz Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese**
Stir until cheese is completely melted and dissolved into mixture.

Sprinkle:
1/2 tsp. Sugar*** 1/4 tsp. White Pepper

I don't use the sugar.

Let soup simmer very slowly for 20 - 30 minutes taking care not to let soup scorch. When ready to serve, garnish with shredded cheese and maybe a little parsley.

Can be doubled and frozen.

Make-ahead French Toast

Ingredients:

1 loaf of bread
2 cups of Milk
6 eggs
1 t vanilla
1/4 t salt
1t cinnamon
1/8 t nutmeg

Coat 13x9 with cooking spray. Cut bread into cubes place in dish. Mix rest of ingredients and pour over. Put in the refrigerator over night or 2 to 3 hours. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes. Pour topping over before you bake.

Topping:
1 cup brown sugar
2 T corn syrup
1/2 C butter
1 C chopped walnuts

Bring to boil. Simmer until it thickens.

Amish-style Pretzels

Yields: About Five pretzels
Preheat oven to 500 degrees

Water-10.5 oz
Yeast, fresh- 0.33 oz or active Dry yeast-.165 oz
Bread flour- 12 oz.
pastry flour- 4 oz.
salt- .1 oz
sugar- .3 oz
____________________________________________
Soda Wash
warm water- 8oz.
Baking soda- 1 oz.
Pretzel salt- your preference on how much
____________________________________________

Mixing:
Straight dough method...mixing it all together with your hands. No mixer...gotta love that:)

Fermentation:
Allow the dough to bench rest for about 30 minutes covered

Makeup:
Measure dough into 5 oz. pieces
Roll dough into a uniform strips 30 inches long
Bend and twist the strip into a pretzel shape.
Dip into the baking soda wash or you can put them on the pan and then brush them with the soda wash.
Place on a pan with parchment paper.
Sprinkle with salt
Bake immediately (without proofing) at 500 degrees oven for 5-10 minutes based on oven and whether or not you are using a convection oven


****Tip make sure you put the tails of the pretzels on the bottom because during baking they like to pull up if you don't. Doing this will help keep the shape.

***Also if you use active Dry yeast allow it to sit in the water for a few minutes to hydrate it.

If I can make this then anyone can.

100% Whole Wheat Bread

Yields two 1 1/2 pound loaves

• Grind 25 ounces wheat. Spring wheat is preferred but Hard Red Winter works as well. (50% Spelt or Kumet can be substituted for the wheat but hydration will need to be adjusted). Yield approximately 24.5 ounces of flour.
• Add 1.2 ounces of Vital Wheat Gluten.

Mix together:

· 16 ounces flour mixture.

· 2 teaspoons Yeast.

· 16 ounces Water.

· Cover and ferment for 4 hours.

Make Raisin Juice and Brown Rice.

• 75 grams Brown Rice cooked with 150 grams water yield 6 ounces
• ½ cup raisin soaked in ½ cup water for 1 hour. Place in blender and blend into a pulpy liquid.

Combine:

• All of the sponge from above.
• 8 ounces flour mixture.
• 1 ½ teaspoon Salt.
• 1 teaspoon Yeast.
• 2 ounces Honey.
• 2 ounces Raisin Juice.
• 6 ounces cooked Brown Rice.
• Mix and knead with dough hook for 12 minutes.

Place in greased container and allow to proof for 90 minutes or until doubled.

Divide and shape. Place into greased loaf pans and proof for 60 to 90 minutes until doubled and crests pan; domed but not expanded past pans.

Bake at 350° for 20 minutes. Rotated pans and continue baking for an additional 20 minutes. Internal temperature should be 185°.

Remove from pans and cool on wire racks for 90 minutes.

Kent's Sandwich Bread

Make Biga on the afternoon before baking.

16 Ounces bread flour
10 Ounces cool water (65º to 70ºF)
1 Teaspoon instant yeast

Combine all ingredients in mixing bowl. Stir with wooden or metal spoon until dough forms a ball.

Transfer to a lightly floured surface and knead for 5 minutes until flour is fully incorporated and the dough is smooth and tacky but not sticky. Adjust as needed with flour or water as needed.

Place in a clean bowl large enough to allow doubling. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise at room temperature for 3 to 5 hours until the dough increases at least 1 ½ times.

Use immediately or punch down and refrigerate, well covered, overnight.


16 Ounces Biga
16 Ounces Bread Flour
2 Teaspoons Salt (0.5 oz)
3 Tablespoons Sugar (1.5 oz)
1 1/4 Teaspoon instant yeast (0.15 oz)
6 Ounces Whole Milk, at room temperature
4 Ounces Unsalted Butter, softened

Cut Biga into small pieces.

Combine all ingredients in mixing bowl with dough hook.

Mix for 1 minute on low speed and then 10 to 12 minutes on medium speed. Dough temperature should be between 77º and 80ºF and pass window pane test.

Round dough and place in greased container and allow to rise at room temperature for about 1 hour. Dough should be 1 ½ times original size.

Remove dough and knead by hand for 5 minutes. Round again and return to container. Rise for an additional hour until increased 1 ½ times again.

Divide into 2 equal pieces and shape.

Place into greased 5x9 loaf pans. Cover and rise at room temperature for 60 to 90 minutes until nearly doubled.

Bake at 350ºF for 45 minutes, rotating after 20 minutes.
Internal temperature will be 190º F.

Turn out onto racks and cool for at least 2 hours before slicing.

Kent's Bread

Kent’s Rustic Pain Ordinarie

8 Ounces Bread Flour
12 Ounces Water
½ Teaspoon Dry Active Yeast

Whisk to combine. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to ferment 8 to 12 hours.

8 Ounces Bread Flour
1 ½ Teaspoon Salt
1 ½ Teaspoon Dry Active Yeast
1 Pinch Ascorbic Acid


Combine with pre-ferment and stir vigorously until dough comes together and becomes smooth and elastic or place in mixer with paddle and mix on low speed. The dough will be quite slack.

Place in a greased container and allow to proof for 1 hour.

Fold gently from outside in and recover. Allow to proof for 1 hour.

Grease a 9” cake pan.

Dust board liberally with flour.

Pour dough out into board and dust and give dough a letter fold and turn.

Place in prepared cake pan and cover with dome. Allow to rise for 2 hours.

Bake at 425º for 1 hour with steam for the first 2 minutes. Remove cake pan for the last 20 minutes.

Internal temperature 210º

Eggnog Bundt Cake

Based on the smell coming from my kitchen I think this recipe may become one of my new favorites...

Cake:
4 Tbs. Butter or Margarine
1 Package Yellow Cake Mix
1 1/2 c. Eggnog
2 Eggs
1 tsp. vanilla (original recipe called for Rum extract)
1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg


Glaze:
2 c. Powdered Sugar
2 Tbs. Melted Butter
3 Tbs. Eggnog
1 tsp. vanilla


In a large mixing bowl, beat the cake mix, eggnog, eggs, vanilla, nutmeg and melted butter on low speed for 30 seconds or just until moistened. Beat on medium for 2 minutes or until smooth. Pour into greased bundt pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for 40-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Meanwhile, combine the glaze ingredients in a bowl, whisk well. Add more eggnog if needed for a consistency that will drizzle from a spoon.

Brush with half of the eggnog glaze.

Cool for 15 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack. Drizzle with remaining glaze.

Yummy!!!

Butterscotch Oatmeal Cookies

*Found in a Penzey's catalog. Using their spices makes all the difference. YUMMO!

2 sticks butter, softened
1 Cup firmly packed brown sugar
½ Cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp. Double Strength Vanilla
1 ½ Cups all purpose flour
1 tsp. Baking soda
½ tsp. salt
1 tsp. Cinnamon
½ tsp. Ground Allspice
¼ tsp. Ground Cloves
3 Cups uncooked quick oats
6 oz. raisins
1 bag butterscotch chips
1 Cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)

Preheat Oven to 350°.
Beat together butter and sugars until creamy.
In a separate bowl, sift together flour, soda, salt and spices.
Add dry ingredients to creamed mixture; mix well.
Stir in oats.
Add raisins, butterscotch and nuts; mix well.
Drop by tablespoon onto greased or parchment lined cookie sheets.
Bake at 350° for 12 minutes or until golden brown.
Cool for one minute on cookie sheet; remove to wire rack.

Serving size: 2 cookies
Calories 310
Calories from fat 140
Total fat 16g
Cholesterol 40mg
Sodium 180mg
Carbohydrate 40g
Dietary fiber 2g

English Toffee

Not really a family tradition but I know if I don't write it down I won't remember it when I go to make it next year...

Best-Ever Almond Toffee

3/4 cups sliced almonds, divided use
1 stick unsalted butter (4 ounces), cut up
1/4 cup warm water
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
4-6 ounces good quality dark or milk chocolate, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spread 1/4 cup of the almonds on a non-stick cookie sheet and bake for 6-8 minutes or until toasted and aromatic. Set aside.

Line a 13×9 inch pan or other ridged pan with parchment paper and set next to stove.

Place butter, water and salt in a heavy bottomed, 2 quart saucepan and melt over medium heat. When butter is completely melted, add sugar. Set a deep fry thermometer in pan, being careful that bulb is not touching bottom of pan. Cook mixture over medium heat, stirring once or twice until it reaches 240 degrees F.

At 240 degrees, add the remaining 1/2 cup sliced almonds to sugar mixture. After adding almonds, stir constantly, keeping heat at medium, until mixture reaches 290 degrees F. If temperature is not rising at a slow and steady rate, raise heat a tiny bit until mercury starts rising. (going from 240 to 290 should not take any longer than 13 minutes). When mixture reaches 290 degrees F, immediately remove from heat and stir in baking soda. It will bubble a bit and the candy will develop air bubbles. Pour into parchment lined pan. The mixture should be kind of a bubbly blob at this point and if you are on track, the pan will be relatively clean when you dump the blob of candy onto the parchment. Mixture will begin to firm immediately, and butter may pool and separate, Do not pour off any excess butter if this happens. Do not panic, because if you cooked the toffee to 290, your candy should set. Sometimes it just takes longer.

Scatter chopped chocolate across top of hot almond mixture and let chocolate melt into and over the candy as candy firms. Using back of a spoon, spread melted chocolate evenly over candy.

Crush your toasted almonds and sprinkle over melted chocolate. Let candy cool for 1/2 hour at room temperature. Transfer to refrigerator and chill for about 1 hour to firm chocolate.

When chocolate is set is set, lift candy from pan by grasping parchment. Break candy into large chunks.

Yay! Another blog and... Gramp's White Bread Recipe

Hi Folks,
This blog was started as a way to share all of our family' favorite recipes. Feel free to add your old favorites or new ones that you stubble across. I expect to see a lot of potato recipes from Miqui...

As I get recipes from Dad (and maybe convince him to add some as well), the collection will grow.That's the hope anyways...

To start us off...

Gramp's White Bread (Fleishmann Recipe)

27 1/2 ozs Flour
3 Tablespoons Sugar
2 Teaspoons Salt
2 1/4 Teaspoons Active Dry Yeast
1 1/2 Cups Water
1/2 Cup Milk
3 Tablespoons Margarine

Mix 10 ozs flour, sugar, salt and yeast.
Add heated water, milk and margarine and beat for two (2) minutes.
Add 3 1/2 oz flour and beat on high speed for two (2) minutes.
Add 14 oz flour for a soft dough and knead for five minutes.
Cover and let rise until double in bulk about one hour.
Punch down and let rest for ten minutes.
Divide in half and let rest ten minutes and shape.
Cover and let rise until double in bulk, about one hour.
Bake in a hot over (400 degrees) 30-45 minutes or until done.