Monday, March 26, 2007
Make some breakfast sausage
No hard and fast rules exist for what classifies meat as breakfast sausage. If you enjoy kielbasa or smoked sausage for breakfast, then it’s breakfast sausage to you. But traditional breakfast sausage has two things in common. First, the ingredients begin with ground meat and sage. And second, if you want patties then it’s easy to make your own breakfast sausage.
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Turkey Breakfast Sausage
1 pound lean ground turkey
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon rubbed sage
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
Crumble turkey into a large bowl. Add the salt, sage, pepper, and ginger. Form into patties. In a nonstick skillet coated with nonstick cooking spray, cook patties over medium heat until no longer pink, about 6 to 8 minutes on each side. For best results, cook until a meat thermometer reads 165 degrees. Makes 8 servings.
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Breakfast Sausage
2 teaspoons dried sage
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon dried marjoram
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 pounds ground pork
Place the pork in a large bowl; add sage, salt, black pepper, marjoram, brown sugar, and red pepper. Mix well; form into patties. Sauté the patties in a large skillet over medium heat until no longer pink, about 6 to 8 minutes on each side. For best results, cook until a meat thermometer reads 160 degrees. Makes 6 servings.
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Venison Breakfast Sausage
1 pound ground venison
8 ounces bacon, minced
1 teaspoon ground sage
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon pepper
3/4 teaspoon onion salt
In a bowl, combine all ingredients; mix well. Form into patties. Sauté the patties in a large skillet over medium heat until no longer pink, about 6 to 8 minutes on each side. For best results, cook until a meat thermometer reads 165 degrees. Makes 12 servings.
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Pork Patties
1 pound lean ground pork
2 tablespoons water
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon dried sage
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
In a bowl, combine all ingredients; mix well. Shape into patties. Sauté the patties in a large skillet over medium heat until no longer pink, about 6 to 8 minutes on each side. For best results, cook until a meat thermometer reads 160 degrees. Makes 6 servings.
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Pantry Pointers
If you want to make sausage gravy, don’t form the meat into patties. Instead, brown the ground meat mixture in a skillet and then use in your favorite recipe.
The Practical Pantry ©2007 Tammy P. Olson
http://www.practicalpantry.com
Monday, March 19, 2007
Flavor dishes with marjoram
While dried marjoram may look like oregano and appear in similar recipes, it actually has a flavor that is a little sweeter and more delicate than oregano. Marjoram is a great herb to use in tomato sauces, soups, and stews as well as on vegetables and meat and poultry.
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Marjoram Green Beans
1-1/2 pounds fresh green beans, cut into 1-inch pieces
3/4 cup water
3 tablespoons butter or margarine
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon dried marjoram
Place the beans and water in a large saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until crisp-tender. Drain. Add the butter, salt, pepper, and marjoram; stir until butter is melted. Makes 6 to 8 servings.
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Savory Herb Rice
2 cups water
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
1 teaspoon chicken bouillon granules
1 cup uncooked long grain rice
2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 teaspoon dried minced onion
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon dried marjoram
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
In a large saucepan, combine the water, butter and bouillon. Bring to a boil. Add rice, soy sauce, minced onion, onion powder, basil, marjoram, and thyme. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for about 15 minutes or until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender. Makes 4 to 6 servings.
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Pork Chops with Gravy
6 pork chops
1 tablespoon dried marjoram
1 10.75-ounce can condensed cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
3/4 cup water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 onion, chopped
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat a small amount of oil in a large skillet, add chops and brown on both sides. When chops are almost done, sprinkle marjoram on both sides. In a bowl, stir together half the can of soup with the water, salt, and pepper. Pour into a foil-lined 9x13-inch baking pan.
Put the onions and then the browned chops on top of the soup mixture. Spoon the remaining soup over the top of chops so they are covered. Cover with foil and bake for 40 minutes. Take off foil and bake another 20 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving. Makes 6 servings.
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Pantry Pointers
Purchase dried herbs in small quantities as they lose their flavor over time. Store hers in a cool, dry place. Most herbs lose their aroma as they lose their flavor, so give your dried herbs a good sniff before using them.
The Practical Pantry ©2007 Tammy P. Olson
http://www.practicalpantry.com
Monday, March 12, 2007
Bake some Irish soda bread
The number of different recipes for Irish soda bread shows the versatility of this traditional treat. Recipes can be plain or sweet, full of raisins or caraway seeds, and baked in loaf pans or on baking sheets. But all the variations have two things in common—the bread is simple to make, and it’s best served warm from the over with butter, jam, and tea.
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Irish Soda Bread
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 eggs
1 pint (2 cups) sour cream
1 cup raisins
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease two 8x4-inch loaf pans. Mix the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add the eggs, sour cream, and raisins; mix until just combined. Divide batter evenly between the two pans. Bake loaves until golden brown, about 1 hour. Makes 2 loaves (20 servings).
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Irish Brown Soda Bread
4 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup bread flour
1/3 cup rolled oats
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2-1/2 cups buttermilk
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Lightly grease two baking sheets. In a large bowl, stir together whole wheat flour, white flour, rolled oats, baking soda, and salt. Gently mix in the buttermilk until a soft dough is formed. Knead very lightly. Divide dough into 4 pieces; form into rounded flat loaves. Mark each loaf with an ‘X’ and place on prepared baking sheets. Bake in preheated oven until golden brown, about 30 to 45 minutes. Makes 12 servings.
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This recipe is designed for bread machines that make 1-1/2 to 2 pound loaves.
Bread Machine Irish Soda Bread
1-1/2 cups buttermilk
3 tablespoons butter or margarine
2-1/2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon caraway seeds
3-1/2 cups bread flour
2-1/2 teaspoons yeast
1/2 cup raisins
Place buttermilk, butter, sugar, salt, baking soda, caraway seeds, flour, and yeast in the bread machine in the order specified by the manufacturer. Set on the sweet or basic cycle. Add raisins either at the beep or after the first kneading cycle, depending on your bread machine. Makes 1 loaf.
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Pantry Pointers
To test the effectiveness of baking soda, pour a small amount of vinegar or lemon juice into a cup and add a spoonful of baking soda. If a fizzing action occurs, the baking soda is still “active” and good for use in baking.
The Practical Pantry ©2007 Tammy P. Olson
http://www.practicalpantry.com
Monday, March 05, 2007
Oven-fry your thighs
Because chicken thighs are moist and tender to begin with, they don’t require a lot of preparation for a tasty meal. For a meal that’s lower in fat, remove the skin from the thighs before baking.
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Ranch-Style Thighs
1/2 cup dry bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons yellow cornmeal
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
6 chicken thighs
1/2 cup Ranch-style salad dressing
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a shallow bowl, combine bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, cornmeal, and Italian seasoning. Put salad dressing in a separate bowl. Dip chicken in salad dressing, then coat with crumb mixture. Place in a greased 13x9-inch baking dish. Bake, uncovered, until juices run clear, about 45 minutes. For best results, verify doneness with a meat thermometer. Makes 3 to 4 servings.
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Oven-Fried Chicken
12 chicken thighs
3 large eggs
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup Italian-seasoned bread crumbs
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon paprika
2 tablespoons vegetable oil or olive oil
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place flour in a shallow bowl and mix in salt and pepper. Put the bread crumbs in another shallow bowl and beat the eggs in a third bowl. Dredge the chicken piece by piece in the flour, then the egg, then the bread crumbs, until all pieces are coated.
Spread oil in a 9x13-inch baking dish that has been coated with nonstick cooking spray. Add the chicken to the dish and sprinkle with paprika. Bake 30 minutes, then turn pieces over and bake until juices run clear, about an additional 30 to 40 minutes. For best results, verify doneness with a meat thermometer. Remove from oven and drain on paper towels. Makes 6 to 8 servings.
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Oven-Fried Chicken Thighs
4 chicken thighs
1/3 cup dry bread crumbs
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Mix the salt, pepper, and oil in a small bowl. Blend thoroughly. Place chicken in a baking dish that has been coated with nonstick cooking spray. Sprinkle the tops of the chicken with the crumb mixture. Bake until juices run clear, about an additional 30 to 40 minutes. For best results, verify doneness with a meat thermometer. Makes 4 servings.
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Pantry Pointers
If you buy chicken thighs with the skin on but decide to remove it before cooking, grasp the skin with a paper towel and pull the skin off. The paper towel prevents the skin from easily slipping out of your hands, and can be discarded after use.
The Practical Pantry ©2007 Tammy P. Olson
http://www.practicalpantry.com