What's Your Best Recipe

[beth]

You know, that recipe everybody asks for. The one you use when guests are coming or the family is celebrating and there are never left-overs. Not to be served too often, though - just when it's very special.

Here's mine:


Harvest Roasted Vegetables

Bake in any 9x13 pan, but a glass casserole is best because the colors give great visual impact.


Ingredients:

PAM, any flavor, I use olive oil

Olive Oil, abt. 3 tbsp

4 new potatoes, scrubbed and quartered

2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into thick slices

1 acorn squash, rinsed and cut into pieces

2 large yellow onions, cut into large pieces

2 red bell peppers, quartered (seeds and core removed)

2 green bell peppers, ditto

2 yellow bell peppers, likewise

salt, pepper, basil, oregano, garlic powder, veg. zest

==================================

Spray the pan/oven dish with pam

Put in vegetables, arranged to distribute colors and flavors

Apply seasonings moderately to your own taste

Drizzle the olive oil over all and toss

Cover with foil and roast in 350 oven 1 hour or until tender.

* remember, the veggies will shrink while roasting so don't skimp too much on the size of the pieces.

[drewsmom595]

I love roasted root vegetables and have a similar recipe that I make for Christmas dinner practically every year. I can vouch for your recipe...it truly is delicious! The only difference is I roast my vegetables at 400 degrees though so they carmelize a bit. And I only use potatoes, brussel sprouts, turnips, onions and carrots. I'll try adding some red and yellow peppers next time for more visual impact. Thanks, Beth!!

[drewsmom595]

This is my new favorite recipe, courtesy of Sandra Lee from the Food Network.

Chicken with Peanut Curry Sauce

Ingredients

* 2 tablespoons canola oil
* 1 1/2 pounds chicken breast, cut in 1-inch pieces
* Salt and pepper
* 8 ounces frozen cut green beans, thawed
* 8 ounces frozen pepper strips, thawed

For sauce:

* 1 1/2 cups light coconut milk
* 1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth,
* 1 tablespoon red curry paste
* 1/3 cup chunky peanut butter
* 2 tablespoons brown sugar
* 2 tablespoons lime juice, plus wedges for garnishing
* Coconut Rice, recipe follows
* Cilantro sprigs for garnishing

Directions

Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add cut up chicken, season and saute until cooked through stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Add green beans and pepper strips and continue cooking for 3 minutes.

While chicken cooks, start the peanut curry sauce. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together all ingredients for the sauce. Pour sauce into a frying pan over the chicken and vegetables, stir to combine. Turn heat up to high and bring to boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat and simmer until sauce thickens slightly, about 6 to 8 minutes. Serve over Coconut Rice or plain steamed rice.

Coconut Rice:

3/4 cup light coconut milk (recommended: A Taste of Thai)

1 cup low-sodium chicken broth

1/2 lime, juiced

2 cups instant rice

1/4 cup shredded sweetened coconut, toasted

In a medium saucepan, combine coconut milk, chicken broth, lime juice, and instant rice. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Remove from heat and cover for 7 to 9 minutes. Fluff rice with fork and stir in toasted coconut. Serve.

Note: To toast coconut, place in dry frying pan over medium-low heat stirring occasionally until golden brown.

[beth]

Another reason I like the roasted veggie recipe is that it allows me to prepare new potatoes for those who like them while leaving them off my own plate .

The chicken dish sounds very good. I'll try it soon and let you know the response.

[drewsmom595]

Just a warning about the red curry paste...it's HOT. I personally really like it, but you may want to add it a teaspoon at a time, just in case.

[DAS (formerly BushAdmirer)]

Royal Danish Pot Roast

This is a very special pot roast that can be served to your most particular guests. It appeals equally to the finicky gourmet and to the meat and potatoes crowd. The aroma while cooking is amazing. If you don't agree that this is the best pot roast recipe ever then I'll be very surprised.

It makes a really flavorful gravy. Serve with mashed potatoes and chilled whole cranberry sauce.

2 Tablespoons butter or margarine
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
4 pound boneless beef Rump Roast, Chuck Roast, or other nice boneless beef roast.
(note: You might want to double the following ingredients because the gravy is so wonderful)
1 chopped onion
3 Tablespoons flour
1 Tablespoon Molasses
2 Tablespoons white vinegar
2 Cups beef broth (canned or fresh - also can use beef bouillon)
1 Large Bay Leaf
6 Anchovy filets canned (these add great flavor and aren’t recognizable in the sauce when finished - do not omit them - you might hate anchovies by themselves but you will love them in this recipe - they are the flavor booster and secret ingredient)
1 Teaspoon whole black peppercorns crushed and tied in cheesecloth

Preheat the oven to 350°. Melt the butter in a heavy casserole with a tight fitting lid. Add the meat and brown on all sides over moderately high heat. This will take about 10 or 15 minutes and the meat should be very well browned. Remove the meat and set aside. Add the onions to the pan and brown them but don’t burn. Off heat, add the flour, syrup, vinegar, broth, bay leaf, anchovies, and peppercorns. Stir until blended then return the meat to the pot. Bring to a boil on top of the stove. Then cover and place in the lower 1/3rd of the preheated oven. Roast for about 3 hours until very tender. Regulate heat so that liquid barely simmers.
When tender transfer the meat to a heated platter and cover with foil to keep warm. Skim any fat from the surface of the sauce. You should have a very flavorful gravy. If too thin and lacking flavor boil it down to concentrate.

[drewsmom595]

Das, this pot roast recipe sounds really good!!! I've never seen a recipe like this one, so I will try to make it this weekend. I happen to really love anchovies (but my family doesn't) so I'll have to sneak them in when no one's looking. Thanks so much for posting this!!

[beth]

Apr 17, 2009 0:18:09 GMT drewsmom595 said:

Das, this pot roast recipe sounds really good!!! I've never seen a recipe like this one, so I will try to make it this weekend. I happen to really love anchovies (but my family doesn't) so I'll have to sneak them in when no one's looking. Thanks so much for posting this!!

I was thinking about doing that, Karen. lol Sneaking them in and, then, straining them out so no one would run into one and freak.

[DAS (formerly BushAdmirer)]

Beth and Drew's Mom - the anchovies will disintegrate so there is nothing to strain out. They are just a flavor booster. This makes the best gravy I've ever tasted. Please do try the recipe and let me know how it was received by your family. I think the aroma from the oven will draw them into the kitchen and get their taste buds primed for this pot roast.

Danish Pot Roast is our favorite family recipe and we get requests for it when relatives visit who've had it previously.

We usually serve Sonny Look's Avocado Salad as a first course followed by the pot roast. Makes a a very nice combination. Sonny was a Houston restauranteur in the late 1950's and early 1960's. This salad was his signature dish along with his Prime Ribs. He got so many requests for the recipe that he had it printed on a post card that advertised his restaurants on one side and had the recipe on the other side.

Sonny Look's Avocado Salad
This is very good served with a traditional dinner such as Royal Danish Pot Roast.

Buy one medium head of the freshest Romaine lettuce you can find for each two to three guests. Remove the outer leaves and cut off both ends squarely with a knife. Wash under cold water and pat the leaves dry with paper towels. Place in a plastic bag with a few paper towels to chill from four to twenty four hours before serving. The lettuce must be Romaine and it must be very fresh, very clean, very dry, and very cold. Also chill large salad plates (or dinner plates) in the freezer while the lettuce is chilling.

Make the dressing at the same time you are preparing the lettuce so that the flavors can mingle.
• 1 Egg
• 1/2 Cup Canola or best quality salad oil (smell to be sure it's fresh)
• 2 Avocados (Must be fresh - yield to thumb pressure)
• 2 Cloves fresh garlic (no substitutes)
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon dry Mustard
• 1 teaspoon Worcester Sauce
• Juice of 2 large lemons (must be fresh squeezed) and zest
• 1/2 medium Onion chopped
• 1 oz. Anchovy Filets (they add a good flavor but can't tell they're anchovies when recipe is finished)
• 1/2 teaspoon Saffron (if available)
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• 1 teaspoon White Pepper (fresh ground is best)

Dribble oil into the egg in food processor. Then add other ingredients except the Tomatoes in food processor or blender and process until combined. Chill for several hours.
• Large vine ripened Tomatoes (1/2 tomato for each guest)
• Bacon bits (fry bacon until just crisp, drain and crumble

Cut Romaine into one inch pieces. Arrange a generous serving of lettuce on each salad plate and place two or three slices of fresh tomato atop each salad.
Serve the avocado dressing separately and let each guest serve themselves. Pass crumbled bacon bits as a topping for the salads.

(note: Everyone in our family loves this salad. It is the traditional first course when we are having Danish Pot Roast. There is an ongoing debate as to whether it is best to serve the dressing on the side or to toss the lettuce with the dressing before serving. I’m one who prefers it on the side).

[beth]

Thank you, das. I've saved the recipes to my cooking directory and, also, sent them to my son-in-law who is an amazing cook. Soon, we'll try them and check back with you.

They sound excellent.

[drewsmom595]

I can vouch for the Royal Danish pot roast recipe, posted by BushAdmirer. It's really, really good!!!!! I've made it twice now. And no one knew there were anchovies in there...lol!!!

[DAS (formerly BushAdmirer)]

Jul 9, 2009 23:17:58 GMT drewsmom595 said:

I can vouch for the Royal Danish pot roast recipe, posted by BushAdmirer. It's really, really good!!!!! I've made it twice now. And no one knew there were anchovies in there...lol!!!

Glad you tried the recipe and that your family enjoyed it. The gravy is the best. Makes me hungry just thinking about it.

[Big Lin]

Here's my contribution:

Basque scrambled eggs
(I've got Basque as well as Romani and Irish in me)

Simple but delicious!

3 oz bacon fat
4 medium onions, thinly sliced
4 chopped tomatoes
3/4 teaspoonn thyme or marjoram
3 large peppers, sliced
salt
pepper
6-8 eggs, beaten

Melt bacon fat in heavy frying pan. Cook onion over low flame for 5 to 10 minutes till very soft but don't brown.

Add tomtoes, peppers, salt, pepper and thyme or marjoram. Cover and cook over very low heat for 15 minutes till vegetables are almost pureed. Stir often. Pour beaten eggs into vegetables and scramble gently with a fork till eggs are lightly set.

Must be quite soft.

Serve hot.

Chicken Pilaff a la Roma

2 oz butter
2 tablespoons finely minced onion
3/4 lb chicken, cut into strips
salt and pepper
1/4 teaspoon thyme
1 lb rice
1 1/2 pints heated chicken stock
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
1 1/2 oz walnuts, chopped

Melt butter in saucepan. Cook onion over low heat, 3 minutes. Add chicken, cook 3 minutes. Add salt, pepper and thyme. Add rice and cook on medium heat 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Pour in chicken stock, add tomatoes and walnuts. Cover and cook over low heat for 20 minutes. Serve with side dish of yoghurt.

Egg Pudding

3/4lb sugar
8 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon cinammon
2 tablespoons port
1/4 teaspoon cumin
9 eggs

Boil sugar and water in saucepan till thick. Then beat in eggs, one at a time. Stir in the spices and the port.

Butter a 3-pint mould and fill up with the batter.

Cover with sheet of brown paper (buttered) for 10 minutes.

Set mould in pan with simmering water; cook till set.

Chill and serve with slices of fresh orange soaked in port.

Here's another:

Sultana Compote

Ingredients:

10oz sultanas
5fl oz water
10oz honey
1 lemon rind, grated
2 oz almonds

Soak sultanas in water for 1 hour, just covering, then drain. Boil the water and honey in a pan for 3 minuite. Add the sultanas and lemon rind and simmer for 10 minutes over low hear. Skim with a slotted spoon, add almonds.

Chill thoroughly before serving.

And here's another:

Plum Dumpling

Ingredients:

1/2lb flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg
6 potatoes
Plums, stones removed
Butter
Sugar
Breadcrumbs

Boil potatoes in their jackets. Then peel and sieve (it won't work as well if you cheat and liquidise!) on to a pastry board. Add the salted flour, mix together lightly.

Make a well in the dough and break an egg into it.

Form the ingredients into a soft dough.

Roll out the dough 1/4 inch thick, cut into 3-inch squares. Put a plum in the centre of each square and fold the dough over it till it is completely covered. Then smooth into a round.

Cook the dumplings in simmering water for 15 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and keep hot.

Then fry butter and breadcrumbs in a frying pan till golden. Saute the dumplings in the mixture for 2 minutes.

Sprinkle with sugar and serve.

[beth]

Thanks, Lin!

The chicken pilaf, especially, sounds like something I'll try.

[DAS (formerly BushAdmirer)]

Lin - I have a question about your recipe.

What are Sultanas? I've not heard that term here in Texas.

[DAS (formerly BushAdmirer)]

We had a great family gathering this past weekend for Mother's Day. Our meal was to serve 7 people and everyone loved it.

This was a pork shoulder roast weighing about 10 pounds and on sale at our local market for just 99 cents per pound. That was $10 for enough meat to feed the seven of us with leftovers for two families. What a great bargain.

A pork shoulder roast has a lot of interior fat. We rubbed the raw roast with some spices like ground fennel seeds and a little salt. Then we roasted it in a very slow 225 degrees F oven (about 104 degrees Celsius) for a very long time -- about 10 to 12 hours. The roast was more than well done. You could pull it apart easily with a fork. Extremely tender.

The pan juices made fabulous gravy when strained, boiled down, and thickened with a bit of Arrowroot or corn starch.

We served the roast with mashed potatoes and English peas. Really excellent and a true bargain.

[beth]

Das, that sounds wonderful!

Tell me the spices you used in the rub and I'll give it a try.

[sadie1263]

This is a really easy recipe that can be made quick....fills you up and my kids love it.

Burrito Casserole

Ingredients:
1 lb. Hamburger Meat
1 pkg. Taco Seasoning
1 lg can Refried Beans
1 family size can Cream of Chicken
Milk
Flour Tortillas
Chopped Green Chile
Shredded Cheese

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350. Brown hamburger meat, drain fat, add taco seasoning (follow directions on pkg). Add refried beans to meat and cook til warm. In separate bowl, mix cream of chicken and same amount of milk with wisk (I usually fill the can about 3/4 with milk so it's not too soupy). Spoon meat and beans into flour tortillas (a good spoonful), fold over sides like a burrito and flip upside down into casserole dish. Fill casserole dish with layer of upside-down burritos. Pour the soup mix over the top of the burritos. Top with green chile and lots of cheese. Put in the oven for approx. 20 minutes or until cheese is bubbly.

[DAS (formerly BushAdmirer)]

May 12, 2010 2:49:05 GMT beth said:

Das, that sounds wonderful!

Tell me the spices you used in the rub and I'll give it a try.

Beth - Here is the rub recipe
www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/michael-chiarello/fennel-spice-rub-recipe/index.html

[beth]

Thank you sweetly.

I'll try it this coming weekend and report back.

[DAS (formerly BushAdmirer)]

Great Beth. I'll be interested in your feedback. Be careful not to salt too heavily or the gravy will be too salty.

We had three wonderful meals out of our pork shoulder roast.

First was the freshly baked roast with mashed potatoes and gravy. A great traditional meal that everyone loved.

Next we had Mexican Carnitas with the leftovers. Pull apart chunks of the leftover roast and brown in a 350 F oven until the chunks are crispy. Serve like fajitas with warmed flour tortillas, guacamole, chopped tomatoes, chopped onion, sour cream, and coarsley grated extra sharp cheddar cheese. Yummy.

For lunch the next day we had warmed pita bread stuffed with warmed left over pork chunks, thinly sliced red onion and tomatoes, hummus and garlic infused mayonaisse. Really good too.

[beth]

Hi Das

I made the pork roast yesterday (Sunday) ... sort of. They didn't have a shoulder roast set out that I liked the looks of and I was in a hurry. So, I compromised with a 5.15 lb.pork loin roast @ $1.25/pound. I did use your rub and followed your instructions pretty closely. We had 2 guests for dinner (Sunday supper) and that made 5 hungry mouths to feed. I baked it at 300 degrees for 5 hours.

It was very tasty, very tender and we ate it all. Well, I kept out enough for a sandwich to take to work today . . . otherwise - all gone. That's the best compliment.

Thank you very much for the idea and the recipe.

[DAS (formerly BushAdmirer)]

I'm glad it worked out so well Beth. it is a good recipe.

The Pork Butt (shoulder) has a lot more internal fat than the loin. This prevents it from drying out with the low temperature long time cooking.

[beth]

I'm sure that's true. Next time, I'll allow myself more time to find a decent shoulder roast, or call ahead. One very nice thing this adventure in cooking did for me was remind me how much I like port roast. Thanks again.

[DAS (formerly BushAdmirer)]

Beth - One of our local markets has pork roasts on sale again this past weekend for only 99 cent a pound. I couldn't resist and bought another one.

This time I tried to approximate a wonderful recipe from a world class Mexican restaurant in Long Beach, Calif. that people stand in line to get into. It worked out great and everyone loved it. Here is the variation.

Pork Roast:
You'll want to buy a large pork shoulder roast (also called a pork butt) for this recipe.
First make a rub following this food channel recipe is.gd/ci34b
Bring the pork to room temperature and apply the rub to all but the fat covered side of the roast.
Place in a 210 degree F (very slow) oven atop a stainless steel rack that sits in a jelly roll or roasting pan to catch the drippings. You want it fat side up. Start it early in the morning and let it cook all day. It will probably take about 10 or 12 hours. Turn the roast over after about 6 or 8 hours. It's done when the pork reaches an internal temperature of 185 degrees F or when it will shred easily with a fork (very tender).

While the roast is cooking make the sauce.
3 pounds fresh Tomatillos (remove the paper like outer skin). If your markets don't have fresh Tomatillos you can order canned Tomatillos online (do a Google search). You'll need two large cans.
1 Pablano or Anaheim mild chile
1 medium size onion cut into 4 pieces.
Cover with water and boil the vegetables until very tender. Transfer to a blender or food processor and process into a sauce. Add some water if needed to make a gravy like consistency.

When the pork roast is almost done remove from the oven and carefully pour the liquids from the pan into a grease separator or tall vessel. You want to remove the grease from the liquids and then add the remaining liquid to the Tomatillo sauce. Boil to thicken slightly to gravy consistency.

Serve with boiled red skin potatoes, and the Tomatillo sauce

Spectacular

Now for the best part. Leftovers made into Carnitas ( a Mexican festival food).

Cut the refrigerated leftover pork butt into slices 1/2 inch thick
Spread out on a cookie sheet covered with aluminum foil to catch any grease.
Cook in a 350 degree F oven for about 20 to 30 minutes until the fats are rendered out of the meat and it has a crispy well browned exterior.

Buy corn tortillas and spray them with PAM or another vegetable oil spray (both sides). Place them on your oven racks and cook at 350 degrees F until about halfway crisp. You want them to be a little pliable and little chewy but starting to get hard and crisp.

Serve the crispy pork with the tortillas and a selection of condiments such as: sour cream, chopped tomatoes, chopped sweet onion, shredded lettuce, grated cheese (cheddar works well), and salsal. Let each participant assemble their own Carnitas tacos at the table. Yummmy