Caramelized Bourbon Cabbage

Caramelized Cabbage

Caramelized Cabbage is wonderful on top of steaks, pork chops, chicken or even a brat sandwich. Adding the Bourbon sauce brings a great BBQ flavor to this dish.

Ingredients:    yields 4 servings

• half a green cabbage, thinly sliced
• 2 TB Olive Oil
• 2TB salted butter
• salt
• cracked black pepper
• 1/3 cup Bourbon Sauce (see my recipe)
• 1/4 cup honey

In medium skillet over medium heat melt the butter into the olive oil. Add the sliced cabbage, season well with salt and pepper, saute until it starts to brown. Whisk together the Bourbon Sauce and honey, pour over the cabbage. Increase the heat to medium high and stir until the cabbage is completely wilted and the sauce has not only thicken but has adhered completely to the cabbage.

 

Baked Oatmeal

What a delight this is. Please forgive me as I can’t remember who originally posted this recipe. I loved it so much I had to re-post it. So….if you’re out there and see it please let me know so I can give them credit for adding such a delight to my breakfast.

Ingredients:  yields 4 servings

• 2 apples, chopped (In these photos I used Honey Crisp but Granny Smiths are also a wonderful treat in this recipe)
• 2 cups old fashion oatmeal
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 cup dark brown sugar, packed
• 1/4 cup salted sunflower kernels
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1 couple of tablespoons of salted butter
• Honey or Maple Syrup (optional)

Preheat your oven to 375. Butter ramekins or baking cups

Stir together the apples, oatmeal, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, brown sugar and sunflower kernels.

In a separate bowl whisk together the eggs, milk, olive oil and vanilla. Fold this into the apple oatmeal mixture. Spoon into the buttered baking dishes and dot with butter.

Bake for 25-30 minutes until firm. Drizzle with honey or maple syrup and serve.

 

Peppered Breakfast Bacon

While visiting Louisville Kentucky this summer I was served bacon with so much deep flavor. Come to find out the difference between my bacon and theirs was that they peppered their bacon while frying. What an easy way to enhance the wonderful flavor of good breakfast bacon.

 

Bourbon Sauce, Glaze & Marinade

After meeting Chef Edward Lee, trying his food and reading his book I found myself inspired and eager to try some recipes that would be enhanced by bourbon. I have never been that found of the taste, but realized I could tone it down a bit by the ingredients I combined it with. Here’s my try on a multi-use Bourbon sauce that can be used just as well as a glaze and marinade.

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup Kentucky Bourbon
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 1/4 cup true apple cider, the real stuff with, you know all cloudy with yumminess
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1 TB Balsamic Vinegar

Whisk together all ingredients, making sure the sugar has completely dissolved and you have a well combined sauce. Try brushing this on chicken, pork or beef before baking. Thicken by simmering over medium heat to use as a glaze for meats & vegetables. Marinade your pork overnight in this sauce before cooking in the crockpot or dutch oven.

Let me know how you decide to use this versatile Bourbon sauce. I’d love to try your recipes.

 

Kathie’s Pumpkin Spice Cookies

Pumpkin Spice Cookies

Oh my gosh! Fabulous! This recipe comes from my friend Kathie, and it will not disappoint. Everyone, every single person who had one, told me it was the best pumpkin cookie they had ever had. I loved it. This recipe is simple yet oh so yummy. It’s definitely going into my holiday recipe must.

Cookie Ingredients:  Yields about 3 1/2 dozen

• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup salted butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla

Frosting Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup salted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup Cream Cheese, softened
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 2 to 3 cups powdered sugar

Preheat your oven to 350 and line a couple of cookie sheets with parchment paper.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar. Beat in the pumpkin puree, egg and vanilla until creamy. Add the flour mixture, about 1/2 cup at a time and continue to beat until all ingredients are combined fully. Drop by the tablespoon on your cookie sheets, baked for 15-20 minutes. Cool cookies completely before icing.

In a small bowl cream together the butter and cream cheese. Stir in the vanilla and cinnamon. Slowly add the powdered sugar until it is thick and creamy. I added the powdered sugar half a cup at a time until I reached the consistency I wanted. You may not need the full 3 cups. Once iced, if you’re not serving them immediately, then cover them and refrigerate.  Add a nice hot cup of coffee and your set for a wonderful dessert.

 

Oven steamed Cabbage & Squash

Oven Steamed Cabbage
& Summer Squash

Fall is upon us so the window for grilling outdoors is narrowing. I find myself wanting the flavors I find in my grilled foods but with the ease of cooking them indoors. That’s exactly how I found myself cooking cabbage and summer squash in the oven.

Ingredients:

• 1 small green cabbage, cut into four wedges
• 1 summer squash, peeled and cubed
• 1/2 red onion, sliced
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• a couple tablespoon of herb butter (see my recipes)
• salt
• ground black pepper
• foil

Preheat your oven to 350. Lay out about double an arms length of foil.

Using a bowl, toss together the squash, onion and garlic. Season with salt and black pepper. Using your fingers press some of the herb butter into the sides of the cabbage wedges and season with the salt and pepper. Lay the vegetables in the middle of the foil and fold up to resemble a packet. Once sealed up, wrap with another layer of foil. Bake for 45 minutes, let rest 5 minutes before unwrapping. Careful when removing the foil as there will be hot steam escaping.

 

Purple Basil Pesto Beer Bread

Purple Basil Pesto
Beer Bread

Ingredients:

• 4 TB Purple Basil Pesto Sauce, divided use, 3 TB use in a frozen state. (see my recipe within this blog)
• 2 cups flour
• 1 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 TB plus 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/3 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 1 TB sugar
• 1 bottle of beer
• 2 TB Salted Butter, melted

Preheat your oven to 350 and butter a bread loaf pan.

In a large bowl sift together the flours, baking powder and salt. Stir in the sugars. Slice the 3 tablespoons of frozen pesto sauce into small slivers and stir this ingredient also into the flour mixture. Add the beer and stir until blended. Spread the mixture into your bread pan. Stir your remaining tablespoon of the purple basil pesto sauce into the melted butter and brush over the top of the bread dough. Bake for 60 minutes. The bread is done when a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.

 

Chef Edward Lee ….. that’s right I ate his food and met the man.

What an unbelievable surprise. I, flyfishbrat, recipes from my kitchen, was given a meal prepared by Chef Edward Lee ….. and it was fantastic!

I was given an opportunity to tag along with my best friend on just a day of work for her. The both of us were in for an unexpected surprise. The Louisville Tourism Bureau had arranged for an exclusive luncheon. We show up on the door step of 610 Magnolia in Louisville and are treated to a spectacular lunch prepared by none other than the restaurant’s owner and chef, Mr. Edward Lee.

Out of this world good.  Hats off to you Chef, hats off to you. (Hey, he even gave us an autograph copy of his book, it’s wonderful.)

Now that’s not the only special surprise they had for us. We also were treated to a private tour of Churchill Downs. I was brought to tears with our exclusive concert of “My Ole Kentucky Home” being played just for us.

My BFF &
Chef Edward Lee

Chef Edward Lee

My Ole Kentucky Home