Pancakes

Pancakes are another one of those wonderful foods that have sadly been confined to....THE MIX. You know, those dime-a-dozen instant mixes that you find in every grocery store. The irony of this is that homemade pancakes are just as simple to make from scratch, and even more inexpensive. You can whip out a batch of pancake batter in a little more than 5 minutes. Once you've had real homemade pancakes, extra fluffy and steaming hot, you'll never go back to the pancake-in-a-box.

Ingredients (makes enough to serve 2-4 people, depending on how much they love pancakes):
3/4 c. milk
2 tblsp. vinegar
1 egg
1/2 tsp. vanilla
2 tbslp. melted butter or oil
1 c. flour
2 tbslp. sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
Cooking spray, oil, or butter for greasing the pan.

In a good-sized mixing bowl, combine the milk with the vinegar and let it sit for about 3-5 minutes to sour/curdle. Don't worry, it won't make the pancakes sour! Whisk in the egg, melted butter and the vanilla, then add the all the dry ingredients. Stir until the lumps are gone. You may see the batter foam or get bubbly. That's a good thing; the extra foam gives the pancakes fluff.

Put a skillet over medium heat. Grease the skillet with the cooking spray, or brush lightly with oil or melted butter. Pour 1/4 c. of batter into the pan. When the edges of the pancake are firming and the top is bubbly, flip it over and cook the other side. Pancakes don't take very long to cook, maybe 30 seconds to 1 minute on each side. If your pancakes are turning very dark brown, your heat is too high. Turn it down.

Serve the pancakes hot. You can slather them with butter and syrup, strawberries, or whatever else strikes your fancy. I love them plain, served with fried eggs on top.

Chili Dog Mac

So, you made a delicious pot of chili. You know, the one I posted earlier. Now, what can you do with the leftovers?

Chili Mac is always popular. Chili, cheese, easy to make, what's not to like? This recipe is basically chili mac with an extra ingredient. I add some jalapeno smoked sausage to add some extra kick and meatiness. Hence, chili dog mac.

Ingredients:

1 lb. dry macaroni.
4 c. cooked chili, heated.
1 lb. smoked sausage or hot dogs, diced.
2 c. milk.
2 c. shredded cheese. I don't use anything specific. I use it as an opportunity to get rid of the last bits of cheese left in the fridge. You know, that last little piece of cheddar or the final bit of shredded Monterrey Jack left in the bag. Throw 'em all in, it's all good.
3 tblsp. flour.
3 tblsp. oil (optional)
salt and pepper to taste.

Cook the macaroni according to the package instructions, drain it and set it aside. In a large pot, heat the sausage or hot dog bits over medium high heat until they're hot and nicely browned, then remove them from the pot and set aside. If you've cooked sausage, it's probably left a nice bit of drippings behind. If you're using lean sausage or hot dogs, you'll need to add some oil to the pan.

Turn the heat down to medium and add the flour to the oil. Stir until the flour is very lightly browned. It shouldn't take more than a minute or two. Add the milk and stir to dissolve the browned flour. Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens nicely and starts to bubble. Turn the heat down to very low and add the cheese, one handful at a time. Stir after each addition to melt it completely before adding more. Add the chili and the sausage pieces, and a bit of salt and pepper. Finally, add the macaroni and stir well to combine.

Don't serve this right away. Put a cover over the pot and take it off the heat. Let it set for about 10 minutes before serving. This lets the macaroni soak up some of the sauce. Enjoy!

Chili

It's January. It's cold. Therefore, this is perfect to make. After all, isn't winter always chili? *rimshot* Okay, bad puns aside, chili is one of those great flexible foods. Eat it with crackers, cheese, onions, jalapenos, baked potatoes, chips, French fries, rice, bread, tacos, burgers, hot dogs....the possibilities are endless.

One of the favorite things my friends and I do is have a chili gathering. I make a huge pot of chili, and everyone brings something that goes with chili. Everyone mixes and matches as they see fit. We've have some interesting concoctions in the past...I believe the most creative was a jumble of tater tots, French bread chunks, Fritos and sliced hot dogs smothered in chili, and covered with cheese, onions and jalapenos. Lovely with a side of beer.

For the record, this recipe makes a pretty good-sized pot of chili. I don't see the need for making a small batch...in my house, it disappears quickly. Also, leftover chili freezes beautifully.

Ingredients:

4 lbs ground meat. Chili is a hodgepodge...use whatever you want, any combination you want. Pork, lamb, ground turkey, etc. Beef is not required. The most popular chili at my house is made of a 50/50 mixture of venison and pork.
2 tblsp. oil.
1 large onion, diced.
1 stalk celery, minced.
6 cloves of garlic, minced.
1 medium-sized jar of salsa. I believe they're 16 ounces? It doesn't matter if the salsa is medium, hot or mild, just go according to your personal taste and heat tolerance. If you like your chili with a bigger tomato flavor, feel free to add more salsa.
1 can tomato sauce.
Juice of 1 lime.
1-2 bottles of beer. Nothing fancy or extra stout, just plain old beer.
1 shot of tequila (optional).
5 tblsp. chili powder.
salt and pepper, to taste.
1/2 tsp. cumin seed.
2 bay leaves.
1 tsp. thyme.
1/2 c. cilantro, chopped.
1 can chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, finely chopped/pureed. (optional) You can use one of those small food processors or a blender.
1/4 c. water
1/3 c. masa harina, for thickener. You can substitute corn starch or flour, but masa is what really gives chili its signature flavor. You can find masa in the grocery store, usually next to the the flour and cornmeal.

Put the oil in a large 6-8 quart pot and put it on medium-high heat. Add the onions, celery and garlic and saute until the onions are translucent. Add your ground meat and a bit of salt and pepper, and cook until the meat is well-browned. It doesn't have to be completely cooked through, just browned on the outside. Drain in a colander to get rid of the excess grease.

For the next part, you can either return your chili mixture to the pot or put it in a crock pot. Put the meat back into your desired cooking vessel. Add the salsa, tomato sauce, lime juice, tequila,
bay leaves, thyme, cumin, chili powder and some more salt and pepper (if desired). Next is the beer. The amount of beer you put in is up to you. I use two because I like a sauce-y chili, but if you prefer your chili drier, you could use only one.

If you're using the stove, simmer the mixture for about 1 1/2-2 hours over low heat. I find it takes about 3 hours in a crock pot on high, 5 hours on low. But if you're using a crock pot, don't panic about the time too much. Chili is very forgiving, and it won't suffer if you leave it for an extra hour or so.

At this point, taste the chili for seasoning. You may like it just the way it is. I, however, prefer my chili spicy. This is where the chipotle peppers come in. Aside from adding heat, they will also give a nice smokiness to the chili. Don't add the entire can right off the back! Chipotle peppers are pretty spicy. Instead, add a spoonful of the mixture at a time, stir, taste, and decide if you need to add more. If you don't have chipotle peppers, you can also use cayenne pepper.

Mix the masa with the water until it is completely blended. Add the masa mixture to the chili and stir well. If you're using a crock pot, you want to simmer it for another 30 minutes. On a stovetop, it will take maybe another 5-10 minutes. Add the chopped cilantro and stir well. Serve the chili while its nice and hot.

Barbecue Pork Ribs

There are so many ways to cook pork ribs. I've seen recipes that have them boiled, grilled, cooked in the crock pot and baked in the oven. Slow-barbecued ribs, lovingly tended for hours on end and glazed with sauce, are absolutely without par. Flavorful, juicy, fall-off-the-bone tender, with a soft and moist inside and a light crispiness out the outside. It's divine. Any other style of rib-cooking pales in comparison. True, it's a lot more work than just throwing them in the oven. But, oh, the results....my mouth waters to think about it.

Ingredients:
1 rack of pork ribs. They're usually sold in vacuum-sealed bags, and are easy to find.
2 tblsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. pepper
2 tsp. garlic powder
2 tsp. onion powder
1 tblsp. chili powder
2 tsp. basil
1 tsp. thyme
2 tsp. paprika

For the mop:
1 bottle or can of beer. Nothing extra stout, just plain old beer
1 tblsp. salt
1 tblsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. pepper

When you first take your ribs out of the bag, you need to do a little prep work. On the back side of the ribs, where the bone is very prominent, there is a thin membrane on the surface of the meat. You need to peel that off. By removing this, it insures maximum smoke penetration and tenderness. It should be easy to peel off with only your fingers. It doesn't have to be perfect, just try to get off as much as you can.

Pork ribs are often sold with a piece the brisket attached. This is a long, fleshy and bony section attached to the top of the ribs and often runs the whole length. Don't know for sure if you have it? Look at edges of the ribs. You should be able to see the round ends of each individual rib bone, on both top and bottom. If you can only see the ends on one side, there's a brisket attached. You can also tell by feel. Squeeze the top of the ribs. If you can feel a bone running horizontally, at a 90 degree angle to the rest of the ribs, that's the brisket.

You need to cut this section off. Feel for that large horizontal bone in the brisket, and slide a knife between this bone and the rest of the ribs. By following the joints, it should cut off easily. You should end up with a long, thin piece of bone and meat. Don't throw this out! Put it on the smoker along with the ribs. It's just as good to eat.

Once your ribs are prepped, mix all the spices together in a bowl. Rub this all over the ribs (and the brisket, if you have one). Be sure to get both sides. Let the ribs sit in the rub for at least 2 hours, or even overnight.

One hour before cooking, bring out your ribs. Let them sit on the counter to come up to room temperature. In the meantime, start your smoker or barbecue pit so it has time to come up to a steady temperature. You want the temperature of your rack surface to be at 275 to 300 degrees. I like to use hickory or pecan wood for ribs. For detailed instructions and pictures on how to use a smoker, check out my December 2009 entry on Chipotle Chicken.

Put the ribs and brisket on the smoker rack, with the thick fatty side uppermost. Close the lid and let the smoke do its magic. Mix all the mop ingredients together in a bowl. Every hour, you want to liberally soak the ribs with the mop liquid. Let the ribs smoke for about 4 hours, give or take. You know the ribs are ready when both ends of the bones are protruding from the meat, and the meat easily pulls from the bone. You can also test for doneness with a meat thermometer. Your meat should have a nice pink tint from the smoke.

Next, it's time to sauce! You can use store-bought sauce or make your own. I don't think it's possible to have too much sauce on ribs. To do this, you need to grill the ribs over relatively hight heat. The best way to do this is on a gas grill, if you have one. If you don't have one, just build up the fire in your barbecue pit and put a grate over it.

Put your ribs on the grill, and liberally slather it with barbecue sauce. Flip it over, and do the same to the other side. Wait about 30 seconds to a minute, flip and do it again. Your goal isn't to cook the ribs; they're already done. You want to bake the sauce on the ribs. Just baked on, not burnt. A few grill marks are all right, but crusty burning is not. Keep flipping and slathering the sauce. I like to put at least 3-4 layers on each side.

When your ribs are nice and coated, remove them from the heat. You can't imagine how good they will smell. Let them sit for about 10 minutes before serving, if possible. I say "if possible", because everyone will hover around them and pull off pieces whenever they get a chance. And if you did it right, the meat should peel right off the bone with no effort. To cut the ribs apart, do NOT use a serrated knife. When the meat it this tender, a serrated knife will only saw it apart into shreds. The best way to cut ribs is to lay it flat on a cutting board, then cut straight down between each rib with a clever or large chef's knife. Serve while still warm.

Habichuelas (Puerto Rican Bean Stew)

A Puerto Rican acquaintance mentioned his mother making this dish, and it piqued my interest. Beans with squash? I just had to try it. Some Internet searching gave me several different recipes, each one very different. Apparently, this dish is kind of like potato salad. Very common, but everybody makes it their own way.

So, I decided to do what every other habichuelas-maker does, and made my own version based off the various recipes I found. It's great. Like most hot bean dishes, it's very warming and filling inside. While this version uses some meat, it could easily be turned into a vegetarian dish. It works great as a side dish or as a main course, served over white rice.

Ingredients:

1 lb dried pink beans or pinto beans
1 large onion, diced.
1 bell pepper, diced.
4 cloves of garlic, minced.
2-3 ounces of ham. Just a small bit, chopped into bits.
3 slices of bacon, also cut into small bits.
1 tblsp. olive oil.
Jalapenos, seeded and diced. How much you add depends on how spicy you want it. I like a very slight kick with this particular recipe, so I only use one.
Roughly 4-6 cups of chicken broth.
1 tsp. oregano
1 can diced tomatoes or 3-4 fresh, diced.
1-2 lbs of yellow-fleshed winter squash, such as butternut, acorn or pumpkin. I think one good-sized butternut squash is perfect. Cut it into 1-inch pieces.
3 medium-sized potatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces
A handful of chopped cilantro.
Salt and pepper to taste.

Soak the beans, either overnight or by the quick soak method (you can find it on my black-eyed-pea gumbo recipe). Rinse and drain them, then set aside.

Put a large pot on medium-high heat and add the olive oil. Saute the bell pepper, onion, garlic, jalapenos, ham and bacon until the onions are translucent and the peppers are tender. Put the beans in the pot and add enough chicken broth to cover them with 1 inch of liquid. Season with the oregano and salt and pepper, and turn the heat down to low or medium-low. Simmer until the beans are as tender as you like them, maybe 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours. I like my beans very soft and creamy, so I simmer for at least two hours. Add more chicken broth or water as needed, if you see the liquid getting too low.

When the beans are tender, turn the heat up to medium. Add the squash, tomatoes, potatoes and cilantro, and simmer until they're tender. It should take maybe 15-20 minutes. Taste and adjust your seasonings as necessary, then serve.

Oatmeal Bread

Yes, this is a bread that has oatmeal in it. But don't let that turn you off! In this recipe, the oatmeal is soaked in milk before using it, and it simply disappears into the flour. If you don't tell people it has oatmeal, they'd never know. Molasses gives this bread a lovely light golden-brown color on the inside, but what really sets it apart is the moisture. Thanks to the oatmeal, this bread is as moist inside as a piece of cake. It's so good, and great for sandwiches or toast.

Ingredients:
2 c. oatmeal. Quick cook, regular, whatever.
1 1/2 c. milk
1 package dry yeast
1/4 c. warm water, slightly warmer than body temp.
1 egg
2 tblsp. oil or melted butter
3 tblsp. molasses. You can substitute brown sugar, but you won't get the same golden-brown color on the inside of the bread.
2 tsp. salt
2 1/2 c. flour, approximately

At least two hours before making the bread, mix the milk and oatmeal together. Cover the bowl with a lid or plastic wrap, and put it in the fridge to soak. You can do this overnight, if you like.

Bring the oatmeal/milk mixture out of the fridge at least 20-30 minutes before breadmaking, so the mixture can come up to room temp. It may be tempting to pop the mixture in the microwave for a moment to warm it up. Don't do it! Adding heat will start cooking the oatmeal, which affects the final flavor of the bread.

Mix the yeast with the warm water and let it sit for a moment to foam, maybe 2-5 minutes. Add the yeast mixture, egg, oil, salt and molasses to the oatmeal and mix well. Stir in the flour, 1/2 cup at a time, until the mixture comes together in a thick, shaggy dough.

Turn the dough out on a lightly floured surface and knead until it feels springy and elastic, about 8-10 minutes. Put the dough face-down in a greased bowl, then flip it over. This greases both sides of the dough. Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel or plastic wrap, and let the dough rise until it's doubled in size.

With your fist, gently punch out the air in the dough. Turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and gently press the air bubbles out. Shape the dough into a loaf, then put it into a greased 9x5 bread pan. Cover the pan and let the dough rise again until doubled in size.

Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 35-40 minutes, or until the crust is browned and the loaf sounds hollow. To find out, turn the pan upside-down. The loaf of bread should come right out. Thump it on the bottom with your finger. If it sounds hollow, the bread is done. If not, slide the bread back in the pan and cook it for a little longer.

When it's done, let it cool completely before cutting into it. If you want crunchy crust, leave the bread as is. If you want soft crust, rub the top of the bread with a stick of butter while its still hot. Either way, it's great.

Black-Eyed Pea Gumbo

Happy New Year! In many parts of the country, eating black-eyed peas on New Year's Day brings good luck for the rest of the year.

I'm all for that tradition. I love black-eyed peas and eat them throughout the year. They're small, sweet, and oh-so-delicious. Traditionally, they're simmered with ham or smoked ham hock and served with corn bread or greens. I think it's wonderful that way, but sometimes you want something that's not "usual".

This black-eyed pea gumbo is a perfect comfort food, I think. It's simmered with sausage, peppers, onions and more, with that wonderful spicy gumbo kick to it. Unlike other types of gumbo, this one does not use roux. The peas make their own creamy, thick broth as they cook. It's great to serve on a cold day.

Ingredients:
1 lb dried black-eyed peas.
1/2 to 1 lb diced smoked sausage, depending on how meaty you prefer it. Andouille is traditional for gumbo, but I use a local brand of jalapeno sausage. It works perfectly.
1 large onion, diced.
1 green bell pepper, diced.
2 stalks celery, diced.
4 cloves garlic, minced.
1 lb whole okra. I use frozen, but fresh is great.
1 tblsp. oil. I don't recommend olive oil. I personally don't like the taste it gives to gumbo.
1 can diced tomatoes or 4 medium-sized fresh tomatoes, diced.
Chicken broth, to cover to the beans. Canned or homemade, either works well.
1 tsp. oregano
2 tsp. paprika, preferably spicy Hungarian paprika. You can often find it next to the Cajun spices in the spice isle of the grocery store.
1 bay leaf
salt and pepper, to taste
Cayenne pepper, to taste. I like it spicy and use about 1/2 tsp.

Start by soaking the peas. You can soak it overnight in the traditional method, but I prefer to quick soak them. To quick soak, rinse the dry beans, put them in a pot and add enough water to cover them by at least 2 inches. Put the pot on the stove and bring it to a rolling boil. Once the water is boiling, turn off the heat and cover the pot. Let the beans sit for 1 hour, then drain and rinse them.

Heat a large pot or dutch oven on medium-high heat. Add the oil, celery, bell pepper, onion, garlic and sausage, and cook until the peppers are tender and the onion is translucent. Put in the beans and add enough chicken broth to cover the beans with about one inch of liquid. Add the oregano, paprika, salt and pepper and bay leaf, and bring it to a boil. Cover the pot and turn the heat to medium-low.

How long you cook the gumbo depends on how tender you like your black-eyed peas. Some like them to have a bit of firmness, others like them cooked mushy-soft and creamy. I like mine soft, so I simmer them for about 50 minutes. If you like them firmer, 30 to 40 minutes may be fine.

When the black-eyed peas are just about tender, add the tomatoes and okra. I don't even bother to defrost my frozen okra, I just throw them in frozen. Simmer for another 5 minutes. Add the cayenne pepper at the very end. As with all gumbo, serve hot over white rice.