Corny Chocolate Crunch

(Makes 5 quarts)

3 quarts popped popcorn (12 cups)

3 cups corn chex

3 cups broken corn chips (Fritos)

1 pkg butterscotch chips

¾ pound dark chocolate coating (I use chocolate chips)

Combine popcorn, cereal and corn chips; set aside.  In a saucepan over med-low heat, melt butterscotch chips and chocolate; stir until smooth.  Pour over popcorn mixture and toss to coat.  Spread into 2 greased 15 x 10 in baking sheets.  When cool enough to handle break into pieces.

Tomato and Bacon Spaghetti (Pasta All'Amatriciana)

from America's Test Kitchen

serves 8-10

Ingredients:
1/2 pound sliced bacon (or salt pork), cut into ~1/2 inch pieces
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/4 cup red wine
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
28 ounces canned diced tomatoes
16 ounces spaghetti
1/4 pound Pecorino Romano, shredded

Cook bacon on medium high heat with about 1/4 cup water in a skillet. The water will evaporate over time, but keep the pork moist. Keep cooking until bacon is crisp and most of the fat is rendered (about 5 minutes). Pull out pork with slotted spoon and set fat aside to cool.

Add tomato paste, wine, and red pepper flakes back to the skillet and cook for a minute or two. Add the tomatoes with juice. Simmer for 12-16 minutes.

Bring water for pasta to boil. Season with 1 tablespoon salt. Cook pasta until al dente (follow package instructions, but about 10 minutes). Reserve about 1/2 cup pasta water. Drain.

In a small mixing bowl, drizzle 2 tablespoons of reserved bacon fat over the shredded cheese and toss (this will help prevent clumping).

Combine spaghetti, crisp bacon, sauce, cheese, and about 1/3 cup pasta water (depends on how tight the sauce is). Top with a little more Pecorino Romano.

Teriyaki Steak

2 to 4 1/2 pounds top round steak, cut 1/8 inch thick
paprika
ginger
nutmeg
brown sugar
20-ounce bottle Teriyaki sauce
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup water
onion powder

Cover the bottom of a 9x13 pan with paprika.  Sprinkle 1/2 to 2/3 as much ginger and nutmeg.  Lay steak evenly across the spices.  Cover with lots of brown sugar.  Pour Teriyaki sauce over meat.  Mix soy sauce, water and onion powder and pour over Teriyaki sauce.  Marinate overnight.


Grill on medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes. 


[This is a secret recipe from Uncle Rick.  Don't ask him for more accurate measurements because Mom was not supposed to pass it on.]

Kalua Pork

6 pound pork shoulder (also called pork butt)
1 tablespoon liquid smoke
1 1/2 tablespoon kosher salt (or 1 tablespoon table salt)

If your pork shoulder is significantly smaller or larger than 6 pounds, adjust the amounts of liquid smoke and salt accordingly.


Rub the liquid smoke and salt into the pork and cook on low in a crock pot for 16-18 hours. I start it the night before and it's ready for a midday to evening meal. An hour or so before serving, take out any bones and shred the pork and put it back in its juices. The meat will soak in most of its juice. You could also do it in the oven on a low temperature - maybe 225-250 degrees for the same amount of time. If it cooks too long, it will still taste good, but will be a little 'mushier'.


One note of caution: The first time that I did this was for Riley's 1st birthday and we woke up in the middle of the night because the smell was so strong, and rather unpleasant. When we found out it was the pork, the smell didn't seem as bad, but I now I cook it in the garage. 


Serve in tacos, on buns with barbecue sauce, etc. Leftovers freeze and reheat well.

Crusty Overnight Bread

3 cups unbleached all purpose flour

1 3/4 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon yeast

1 1/2 cups water

The night before:

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, salt and yeast. Add water and mix until all the flour is mixed in. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and set aside (not in the fridge) for 12-18 hours. 

The next day:

Heat oven to 450 degrees. When the oven has reached 450 degrees, place a cast iron pot with a lid in the oven* and heat the pot for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, pour dough onto a heavily floured surface and shape (roughly) into a ball. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest while the pot is heating. Remove hot pot from the oven and drop in the dough. (I spray my hands with cooking spray first.) Cover and return to oven for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes remove the lid and bake an additional 10-15 minutes, depending on how dark you like your crust. Remove bread from oven and place on a cooling rack to cool.

*You don't have to have a cast iron pot for this. Anything that can take the heat, will hold at least 2.5 quarts, and has a tight-fitting lid will work. I use my Calphalon dutch oven or a round Corningware casserole dish. I've also heard of people successfully using clay pots with lids, a pizza stone with a bowl to cover the bread, the insert of a crock pot (as long as the lid's handle isn't plastic), or an old cast iron dutch oven. You could probably also use a baking dish covered with aluminum foil.

Clone of Red Lobster's Cheddar Bay Biscuits

2-1/2 cups Bisquick
4 tablespoons cold butter
1 heaping cup grated Cheddar cheese
3/4 cup cold whole milk
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Brush on Top
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
pinch salt

Preheat oven to 400.

Combine Bisquick with cold butter in a medium bowl using a pastry cutter or a large fork. You don't want to mix too thoroughly. There should be small chunks of butter in there that are about the size of peas. Add Cheddar cheese, milk, and 1/4 teaspoon garlic. Mix by hand until combined, but don't over mix.

Drop approximately 1/4-cup portions of the dough onto an ungreased cookie sheet using an ice cream scoop. Bake for 15 to 17 minutes or until the tops  of the biscuits begin to turn light brown.

When you take the biscuits out of the oven, melt 2 tablespoons butter in a small bowl in the microwave. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder. and the dried parsley flakes. Use a brush to spread this garlic butter over the tops of the biscuits. Use up all the butter.

Makes a dozen biscuits.

Perfect Honey Wheat Bread

This recipe was shared with me by a woman at church. I think she found it in a RS cookbook. I love that it only has one rise. Choose the size recipe that fits your family.

10-12 cups whole wheat flour (or 8 cups whole wheat flour + 2 to 4 cups white flour)
2 rounded tablespoons dry yeast
500 mg vitamin C, optional
4 cups very warm water (125°)
⅓ cup vegetable oil
⅓ cup honey or sugar
1 tablespoon salt

In mixer bowl equipped with kneading arm, combine 6 cups flour, dry yeast, and vitamin C (crush tablet or empty a capsule). Add water, oil, and honey or sugar; mix well. Cover and let batter sponge for 15 minutes; this produces a lighter bread. Add salt and remaining flour, 1 cup at a time (½ cup at a time for smaller batches), until dough forms a ball and cleans the sides of the bowl; the amount of the flour needed may vary. Knead 5 to 7 minutes by machine or about 10 minutes by hand, until dough is smooth and elastic. Divide dough into equal portions. Shape into loaves. Place in greased 4" x 8½" loaf pans*. Cover with light cloth and let ruse until almost double. Bake in a preheated 350° oven for 30 to 35 minutes. Remove from pans and let cool on wire racks. Rub a stick of butter on the tops, if desired, for a softer crust.

Yield: 4 to 5 loaves.

6 Loaves: Follow directions above.
12-16 cups whole wheat flour (or 12 cups whole wheat flour + 2 to 4 cups white flour)
3 tablespoons dry yeast
500 mg vitamin C, optional
6 cups very warm water (125°)
½ cup vegetable oil
½ cup honey or sugar
1½ tablespoon salt

2 Loaves: Follow directions above.
6-7 cups whole wheat flour (or 5 cups whole wheat flour + 1 to 2 cups white flour)
1 rounded tablespoons dry yeast
500 mg vitamin C, optional
2 cups very warm water (125°)
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 tablespoons honey or sugar
2 scant teaspoons salt

*The recipe also includes the following note about pan size: "Using the right size pan is very important. Too much or too little dough results in a poor loaf of bread, particularly when using whole wheat. Whole wheat dough is heavier than white dough and cannot support itself in a wide pan. For best results, bake whole-grain bread in a 4 x 8½-inch or small bread pan."

Autumn Chopped Salad

also known as The Salad Becca Makes That Denise Loves.
from Espresso & Cream.

6 to 8 cups chopped romaine lettuce
2 medium pears, chopped
1 cup dried cranberries
1 cup chopped pecans (or candied pecans)
8 slices thick-cut bacon, crisp-cooked and crumbled
4 to 6 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
Poppy seed salad dressing (I like Brianna's)
Balsamic vinaigrette (I like Ken's Lite Raspberry Walnut Vinaigrette)

On a large platter, combine the lettuce, pears, cranberries, pecans, bacon and feta cheese. Drizzle generously with poppy seed dressing, followed by some vinaigrette. (I use about 60 percent poppy seed and 40 percent vinaigrette.) Feel free to experiment with the combination.