Aunt Mabel’s Cheese Ball?

Aunt Mabel’s
Cheese Ball

Thanksgiving is fast approaching. Family favorites are always on the menu. Mark was looking for his Aunt Mabel’s cheese ball recipe… Well he found a recipe in his mother’s card file, not sure if it hers, but he made it hoping for the best. One taste and he was smiling….still not sure if it’s his Aunt Mabel’s or his mothers…..but it made him smile and that’s what really counts.

Ingredients:  makes 2 at about 5-inches in diameter

• 6 ounces blue cheese, crumbled
• 10 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
• 16 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1 TB onion, minced
• 1 TB Worcestershire Sauce
• 1/4 cup parsley, chopped
• chopped pecans

Mix all the ingredients except the pecans. Make sure it’s thoroughly blended. Shape into balls and roll in the chopped pecans. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours. I’m leaving it in the refrigerator for about 40 hours before serving.

 

Southern Indiana Style Coleslaw

Coleslaw

This is the perfect addition to a pulled pork sandwich…..or in my case… a shredded chicken taco.

Ingredients:

• 1 red onion, thinly sliced
• 3/4 cup Apple Cider Vinegar
• 5 TB sugar
• 1 TB Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1/2 tsp Kosher Salt
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 head of green cabbage, cored and shredded
• 2 to 3 cucumbers, peeled and diced
• 2 large tomatoes, cored and diced
• 1 yellow squash, peeled and thinly sliced

Soak the sliced red onion in salted water for about 30 minutes. Rinse and drain them well. In a large bowl combine the vinegar, sugar, Olive Oil, Salt and pepper, mix until the sugar has fully dissolved. Add the remaining ingredients and toss well. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.

 

Green Apple Vinegar Salad Dressing

Green Apple Vinegar
Salad Dressing

This weekend I was wonderfully surprised with a visit from my Son and Daughter-in-Law. They have recently moved from the west coast to the mid west which puts them within driving distance for weekend visits. Without my knowledge Mark and my son had planned this wonderful surprise for a couple of weeks. So at 1 am I was awakened by Mark telling me we had visitors. Imagine my surprise and joy when I walked into the entryway to see both my Son and Daughter-in-law standing there. Needless to say I had a glorious weekend of visiting with them both. There was only one setback. I went to make the “Loveless Cafe’s” tomato, onion and cucumber salad and found that we were all out of apple cider vinegar….what to do, oh what to do? Then I started thinking, I had 2 green apples and distilled vinegar. So I made the dressing for the salad with what I had. Below is the recipe that I will be using from now on.

Ingredients:

• 2 green apples, peeled and sliced
• 3/4 cup distilled vinegar
• 6 TB sugar
• 1 TB Olive Oil

Combine the above ingredients and process in your food processor until completely blended and smooth. Toss with about 4 cubed tomatoes, 2 sliced cucumbers, 1 sliced summer squash and half of an onion cubed. Season with kosher salt and black pepper. Chill for a while before serving.

 

Fried Mozzarella Cheese Sandwiches

Fried Mozzarella
Cheese Sandwich

This is a FRIED sandwich not to be mistaken as a grilled sandwich. But oh how good it is! I was inspired watching “Lydia’s Italy” on PBS. She made her “Fried Mozzarella Sandwiches” but I thought it would taste awesome using my “Jalapeno Beer Bread” So here it is, give it try, it’s really yummy.

Ingredients:  makes 6 sandwiches

• 12 slices of my Jalapeno Beer Bread, about 1/2-inch thick, an entire loaf
• 1/4-inch thick Mozzarella Cheese slices, big enough to fill the bread but not hang over the sides.
• vegetable oil, enough to measure 1 1/2-inch deep in a medium skillet.
• 4 eggs
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1 cup flour

Heat the vegetable oil in a medium skillet over med-high heat until hot, it’s got to be hot. Whisk together the eggs, salt and black pepper, then pour into a shallow dish. I use a pie pan. Add the flour into another shallow dish. Assemble the cheese slices between 2 pieces of bread then gently dredge through the flour. You want the bread lightly floured on all sides. Now quickly, but gently place in the egg mixture and coat all sides of the bread. You’ll need to work quickly so that the bread will not fall apart. Place the sandwich in the skillet and fry until golden brown all over. Remove from the oil and drain on a paper towel lined baking sheet. Work in batches. You can keep the sandwiches warm by placing the baking sheet in a 200 degree warm oven.

 

Ham Salad? or Spread?

Ham Salad

For years Mark has been asking me to make him Ham salad from our leftover ham. I make it and every time he says it’s not what he was thinking of. I only know Ham salad as being chunky, like tuna salad and egg salad. But Mark wants his finely minced, like a spread. I finally broke down and tried very hard to make it the way his Uncle Fred does. Here is what I did it.

Ingredients: This makes enough for many sandwiches

• 3 cups ham, chopped
• 1/2 cup shredded carrots
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 10 Sweet Gherkins Pickles
• 3 tsp Whole Grain Mustard
• 1/2 to 3/4 cup of Mayonnaise

You’ll need to use your food processor for this recipe. Knife skills just don’t seem to do the job well enough. Pulse the chopped ham in the food processor until it is finely minced. You’ll know you are there when it is light, fluffy and feathery. Set the ham aside in a large bowl. Now add the carrots, celery, onion and pickle to the processor and pulse until they also are finely minced. Add these to the bowl of ham. Add the mustard and mayonnaise and stir until completely combined. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.

Suggestions: Serve as a sandwich spread or Mark’s favorite way, on crackers as a snack.

 

A Cuban Sandwich (Leftover Delight)

Cuban Sandwich

Many years ago I stumbled upon a cuban deli and enjoyed their lovely sandwiches many times a week. I had long forgotten them until lately. With all this leftover ham on hand I needed to find ways to re-purpose it. I was trying to explain to Mark the simplicity of a cuban sandwich and the flavors it packed. Then I thought, shoot it’s just easier to make them for us. And that’s exactly what I did. Well actually Mark made them, I just gathered all the ingredients and supervised.

Ingredients:

• thinly sliced cooked ham (leftovers)
• dill pickles, we used stackables
• stone ground mustard
• sliced Swiss cheese
• freshly baked hard rolls, (ours were from Wal-Mart’s bakery)
• Olive Oil

Heat up your Panini press on sear. Apply a good amount of mustard on the insides of the hard rolls. Assemble the sandwich with slices of ham, pickles and cheese. Once the sandwich is assembled brush the outside of the bread with Olive Oil, place in the Panini press and sear until lightly browned.

 

Cranberry Salad

Cranberry Salad

I just had to post this recipe before Christmas. Jane again shared her family recipe for this delicious Cranberry Salad. I now understand why everyone who taste this, loves it.

Ingredients:

• 3/4 of a 12 oz bag of fresh cranberries
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 2 cups water
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 large box of strawberry jello
• 1 1/2 cups miniature marshmallows
• 1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
• 1 cup diced celery
• 1 cup shredded carrots
• 1 cup diced apples

Ina medium sauce pan bring the cranberries, water and salt to a boil. Once it starts to boil add the baking soda and continue to boil for about 10 minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat and add the sugar and jello, stirring until completely dissolved. Stir in the marshmallows while the mixture is still hot so they will also dissolve. Let the mixture cool a bit then add the nuts, celery, carrots and apples. Pour into a 7 x 9 baking dish and refrigerate overnight to set.

 

Easy Beef and Peppers Sandwich

Beef & Peppers Sandwich

During the holiday season it’s hard to muster the willpower to cook a meal while I’m hard at work baking goodies. This recipe is perfect for feeding the family and your hunger.

Ingredients: Serve 4 people

• 2 cups red wine
• 2 onion, thinly sliced, divided use
• 4 cloves garlic, crushed
• thyme, fresh or dried
• oregano, fresh or dried
• kosher salt
• black pepper
• 2 1/2 pound Rump Roast
• Olive Oil
• 1 green bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
• sliced Provolone Cheese (optional)
• 1 loaf, hard crusted, Italian Herb Bread

In a gallon zip lock baggy add the red wine, 1 sliced onion and the garlic. Rub the roast generously with the thyme, oregano, kosher salt and black pepper. Add the roast to the baggy and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight to marinate. Heat your oven to 375, place the marinated rump roast in a dutch oven, or high sided roasting pot. Empty the marinade from baggy also into the pot. Drizzle the top of the roast with Olive Oil. Roast for 60 to 75 minutes. Let the meat rest for 15 minutes before thinly slicing.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add a couple tablespoons of Olive Oil and toss in the remaining sliced onion and the sliced bell peppers. Sprinkle with kosher salt and saute until they start to soften. Add the sliced beef and saute until well heated together.

Slice your bread in half, place cheese slices on the bottom of the bread. Top with the meat and pepper mixture. Apply the top of the loaf, slice and serve.

 

Pulled Pork Sandwich from the Crock Pot

Pulled Pork Sandwich on Rye Bread

A pulled pork sandwich made with Rye bread is one of Mark’s most favorite meals. Usually we slow smoke our pork butt or shoulder, but during the winter months I had to find a better way, a warmer way for the both of us. So, we make it in the crock pot.

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 to 3 pound pork butt or shoulder
• all meat seasoning
• brown sugar
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 onion, sliced
• barbecue sauce of your choice
• Rye bread

Generously season the pork with the all meat seasoning, then rub brown sugar over the entire pork butt or shoulder. Place in a gallon size bag or tightly wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate over night. Place in the crock pot, throw in the crushed garlic cloves and cook all day on the low setting. Between 8 and 10 hours. Once the pork is done cooking, cut the meat in slivers and toss with the barbecue sauce. Serve over Rye bread with slices of onion and drizzle of more BBQ sauce. I love freezing the leftovers or future use.

Suggestions: Only toss the amount you will eat for your current meal with BBQ sauce. This way you have slow roasted shredded pork to be used in many recipes just sitting in the freezer waiting for you.

 

Chili & Beans Wet Burritos (Leftover Delight)

Wet Burritos

I am asked so often if I cook every single night. The answer is always yes I cook at least 2 meals most days of the week. When you love to cook it’s not a problem. But if you learn to cook and experiment with left overs it makes cooking a meal no longer a chore. With the economics of today I am able to cut our living expenses by cooking our meals rather than eating out or buying processed and prepared meals from the market. I freeze almost anything that is left over as there’s always something I can do with it.

Here’s another Leftover Delight recipe using leftover Texas Chili.

Ingredients:   yields 4 burritos

• about 2 cups of Texas Chili, (leftovers)
• about 2 cups re-fried beans or 1 small can
• 4 flour tortillas
• shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat your oven to 200.

In a skillet reheat the Texas Chili, making sure you have broken up all of the meat cubes. Heat the re-fried beans in a small saucepan and warm the flour tortillas to soften them in a dry skillet over medium heat. Spread a layer of re-fried beans in the middle of the tortillas and sprinkle with shredded cheddar cheese. On top of that spread a layer of the chili. Tuck 2 opposite ends of the tortilla inward and roll the tortilla from one end to the other to form a burrito. Spoon a little more of the chili over the rolled burrito and sprinkle with more cheese. Place the burritos on an oven-safe plate and put the plate in the oven to warm until the cheese starts to melt.