Shepherd's Pie

With the weather getting cooler, it was the perfect time to make Shepherd's Pie. I used the recipe below from Cooks Country. It turned out great, but I must admit that I used pre-made mashed potatoes (shhhh, don't tell).

Cook's Country Shepherd's Pie

Filling
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 large onion, chopped fine
2 medium carrots , peeled and chopped fine
2 pounds 85 percent lean ground beef
Table salt and ground black pepper
5 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 3/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
3/4 cup beer
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme leaves
1 cup frozen peas

Topping
2 1/2 pounds russet potatoes. peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
Salt

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/3 cup heavy cream, warmed
Ground black pepper
1 large egg, beaten

1. For the filling: Heat butter in large skillet over medium-high heat until foaming. Add onion and carrots and cook until soft, about 8 minutes. Add meat, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and cook, breaking up meat into small pieces with wooden spoon, until browned, about 12 minutes. Add flour and tomato paste and cook until paste begins to darken, about 1 minute.

2. Add cream and cook until it spatters, about 1 minute. Add broth, beer, soy sauce, and thyme and simmer over medium heat, stirring frequently, until mixture is thick but still saucy, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in peas, adjust seasonings, and transfer to broilersafe 2-quart casserole dish.

3. For the topping: Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Bring potatoes, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and water to cover to boil in large saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain potatoes, return to saucepan, and mash potatoes with butter and cream until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.

4. Spread potatoes over filling, using spatula to smooth top (see photo at left). Brush with egg and drag fork across top to make ridges. Bake until filling is bubbling, about 15 minutes. Turn on broiler and cook until top is golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from oven and cool 10 minutes. Serve.

Just Like Chinese Takeout

The other night we had takeout Thai food and it did not turn out to be a good experience. The soup we got tasted weird and they put chicken in my Pad See Iew instead of beef. That goes to show that you should always check your bags when getting takeout. I found this recipe on Epicurious.com for Spicy Sichuan-Style Shrimp. Enjoy!



Spicy Sichuan-Style Shrimp
Preparation time: 25 minutes Cooking time: 5 minutes
Servings: Makes 4 servings.

1 1/2 tablespoons peanut oil
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh ginger
1 tablespoon coarsely chopped garlic
2 tablespoon finely chopped scallions
1 lb raw shrimp, shelled and deveined

For the sauce:
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 teaspoons chili bean sauce
2 teaspoons Chinese black vinegar or cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons sesame oil
Cilantro sprigs, to garnish (optional)

1. Heat a wok over high heat. Add the oil, and when it is very hot and slightly smoking, add the ginger, garlic, and scallions.

2. Stir-fry for 20 seconds, then add the shrimp. Stir-fry the shrimp for about 1 minutes.

3. Add the sauce ingredients and continue to stir-fry for another 3 minutes over a high heat. Serve at once.

Banana Chocolate Chip Cake

I have been wanting to make dessert for awhile, but decided to make something that wasn't too sweet and was semi-healthy. They even had ripe bananas in a special bag labeled for baking at the grocery store. So I decided to make Banana Coffee Cake with Chocolate Chip Streusel from Bon Apetit magazine. I have used this recipe in the past and it was very tasty.

Banana Coffee Cake with Chocolate Chip Streusel

1 1/4 cups semisweet chocolate chips (about 8 ounces)
2/3 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 large egg
1 1/3 cups mashed very ripe bananas (about 3 large)
3 tablespoons buttermilk

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour 8x8x2-inch metal baking pan. Stir chocolate chips, brown sugar, walnuts, and cinnamon in small bowl until well blended; set streusel aside. Sift all purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat sugar, room temperature butter, and egg in large bowl until fluffy. Beat in mashed bananas and buttermilk. Add dry ingredients and blend well.

Spread half of batter (about 2 cups) in prepared baking pan. Sprinkle with half of streusel. Repeat with remaining batter and streusel. Bake coffee cake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Cool coffee cake in pan on rack.

I can never spell Cincinnati (Chili)

For some reason, I can never seem to spell Cincinnati. I always put 1 "n" and 2 "t"s, instead of the other way around. I tried the Cincinnati Chili recipe from And a Cookie For Dessert because it sounded really good. It had a unique combination of spices and flavors. It did not disappoint! I served it with a mound of cheese and over spaghetti. Surprisingly, the spaghetti works - it melds with the chili to create a pasta-like dish.

Cincinnati Chili
from Brooke's Blog
2.5 lbs ground beef
1 tsp olive oil
4 cups water
12 oz tomato paste
1 ¾ tsp onion powder
1 ½ tsp salt
1 tsp mild paprika
½ tsp hot or Hungarian paprika
1 tsp chili powder
1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground cumin
1tsp all spice
¾ tsp celery seed
½ tsp black pepper
½ tsp ground nutmeg
½ tsp garlic powder
¼ tsp oregano
½ tsp crushed red pepper
½ tsp ground clove
1 oz unsweetened chocolate

Directions:
Brown ground beef in olive oil, then add water, spices and tomato paste. Simmer for 2 hours, stirring occasionally and replacing water as needed. Add chocolate and continue simmering for 1 hour, stirring occasionally and replacing water as needed. Serve over pasta or rice.

Oktoberfest

It's October and that means it's time for our annual Oktoberfest party to celebrate my husband's birthday. The party is heavy on German beer and meats. I also tried out some new ones this year and was happy they were good. The menu consisted of: Spinach & Cheese Puff Pastry Pockets, Buffalo Chicken Dip (aka Crack Dip), Hot Pretzels and Warm Mustard Cheese Dip, Grilled Brats and Sauerkraut, Potato Salad, Shrimp Salad (for the vegetarians), Macaroni & Cheese (for the kids), Birthday Cake, and Cookies. Unfortunately I didn't get shots of all of the food. But here are some pictures & recipes.
Cheese and Spinach Puff Pastry Pockets
12 frozen puff pastry shells, unthawed
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup whole milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 (16-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 1/4 cups grated Fontina cheese
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
3 to 5 green onions, finely chopped

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Line a heavy large baking sheet with parchment paper. Arrange the frozen pastry shells on the baking sheet and bake until they puff and become golden brown, about 20 minutes. Using a small knife, cut out the center of the pastry shells.

Meanwhile, stir the cream, milk, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl. Stir in the spinach, Fontina cheese, Parmesan, and green onions. Spoon the spinach mixture into the baked pastry shells. Bake until the pastries are golden brown and the filling is hot, about 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer the pastries to a platter and serve.

Brats & SauerkrautPacker Brats
4 pounds bratwurst
12 (12-ounce) cans light beer
1 onion, sliced
2 tablespoons chopped garlic
8 round hard rolls or 16 bratwurst or hoagie buns, split
Butter Kraut, recipe follows
Ketchup, for serving
Brown mustard, for serving
Chopped onion, for serving Pierce the brat casing multiple times with a fork prior to boiling.

In a large pasta pot, add beer. Add onion and garlic. Bring to a boil. Add brats. Allow beer to come back to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat an outdoor grill to medium heat.

Remove brats from beer, pat dry and grill, turning frequently, until brats are browned all over, about 8 to 10 minutes.

To serve brats "Classic Style", serve 2 brats each on round, hard rolls with Buttered Kraut and brown mustard.

To serve brats "Stadium Style", serve 1 brat on a brat or hoagie pun with ketchup, mustard, onion and Buttered Kraut.

Buttered Kraut
1 (16-ounce) package sauerkraut, drained
1/2 (12-ounce) bottle beer
8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter

Place sauerkraut in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat (this can also be done in a saucepan on the grill while grilling the brats). Add beer and cook until liquid is almost completely reduced. Add butter, cook, stirring frequently, until butter is melted and absorbs into the kraut, about 5 to 10 minutes.

Potato Salad & Shrimp Salad Platter Creamy Potato Salad
recipe from Katie of Good Things Catered
3 lb. red potatoes, unpeeled
1/3 cup plain yogurt
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup sour cream
1 Tbs. Dijon mustard
3 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
8 green onions, white and light green portions, thinly sliced
2 celery stalks, finely chopped
3 Tbs. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, plus parsley sprigs for garnish
3 Tbs. chopped fresh mint, plus mint sprigs for garnish
3 Tbs. chopped fresh basil, plus basil sprigs for garnish
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Bring a large pot three-fourths full of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the potatoes and boil until tender when pierced with a fork, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain and let cool completely in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.

Cut the potatoes into 3/4-inch dice. In a large bowl, stir together the yogurt, mayonnaise, sour cream, mustard, lemon juice, green onions, celery, and the chopped parsley, mint and basil. Add the potatoes. Season with salt and pepper and toss gently to mix. To serve, transfer the salad to a large serving bowl and garnish with parsley, mint and basil sprigs. Serves 6.

Shrimp Salad

1 lb small Shrimp, cooked, shelled, deveined

2 Tbsp minced Shallots or Yellow Onion

1/2 cup finely diced Celery

1/2 cup Mayonnaise

2 Tbsp Sour Cream

2 Tbsp Lemon juice

1 Tbsp Dijon Mustard

1/8 tsp freshly ground Black Pepper

Old Bay, to taste

Place the shrimp, celery, cucumber, dill and shallots in a large mixing bowl. Whisk together the rest of the ingredients except the salt, and pour the dressing over the shrimp. Toss well. Taste the salad and add salt, if needed. Toss well again. If the salad seems dry, add an extra tablespoon or 2 of sour cream. Cover the bowl and chill it for several hours. Mound the salad on crisp lettuce leaves or spoon it into hollowed-out tomatoes. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Buffalo Chicken Dip - aka Crack Dip
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
1/2 cup blue cheese salad dressing
1/2 cup Cayenne Pepper Sauce or Buffalo Wing Sauce
1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese
2 cups shredded cooked chicken
1/2 cup diced celery

Heat oven to 350°F. Place cream cheese into 9-inch pie plate. Microwave 1 minute to soften.
Whisk in salad dressing, Cayenne Pepper Sauce/Buffalo Wing Sauce, and cheese until smooth.
Stir in chicken and celery.

Bake 20 minutes or until mixture is heated through. If desired, garnish with celery leaves.


Cheese & Mustard Dipping Sauce for the Hot Pretzels
1/4 cup dark beer, such as stout or porter
1/4 cup Dijon mustard 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/8 teaspoons cayenne pepper
3 1/2 ounce Cheddar cheese, grated (1 1/2 cups)

Combine the beer, mustard, butter, and cayenne in a small saucepan over medium heat. Gradually whisk in the cheese. Continue cooking until smooth and all the cheese is melted -- about 5 minutes. Serve warm.

If You Love Garlic, You'll Love this Chicken

This recipe comes from Guy Fieri on the Food Network. He's the guy from Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. What I did not realize, until recently, is that he has his own cooking show and he won the contest last year to be a food network chef. This was a hearty meal with tons of garlic! I served it with mashed potatoes. Yum!


Oak Town Garlic Vinegar Chicken
6 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 medium yellow onions, julienned
2 Anaheim chiles, cleaned and julienned
6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
3/4 cup minced garlic, divided
8 ounces beer
8 ounces chicken stock
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
3 tablespoons green onions, sliced

In large saute pan over medium heat add 2 tablespoons oil, onions, chiles and saute for 3 minutes until translucent. Add chicken thighs and lightly brown. Add 1/4 cup garlic and saute. Deglaze with beer and chicken stock. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes, until chicken is 3/4 of the way cooked. Remove chicken from saute pan, and let cool, reserve pan and braising broth.

In medium saute pan heat another 2 tablespoons olive oil and lightly caramelize remaining 1/2 cup garlic. When done, remove from heat, and let cool.

In medium mixing bowl, combine, flour, salt and pepper, oregano, paprika, and chili powder. Combine thoroughly, add cooked garlic and mix into a paste.

Take cooled, cooked chicken and press paste on to the chicken. Heat remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil in garlic pan, and gently place chicken in the pan. Lightly brown chicken on both sides.

Simmer reserved braising broth and add red wine vinegar. When chicken is cooked on both sides, pour vinegar broth over chicken and let simmer for 3 to 5 minutes.

Garnish with green onions.

Chili & Cornbread - take 2

It was a cold and rainy night, so what better food to make than turkey chili and cornbread. I decided to try a recipe from the Shady Brook Farms website for "Farm Hands" Fat Free Chili. I cut back on the spices a bit because it sounded like it would be too hot. I also used Spaten beer.

For the cornbread, I found a recipe from Allrecipes.com that is to die for. It's a sweet cornbread and was very moist. I also thought the name was cute - Grandmother's Buttermilk Cornbread.
"Farm Hands" Fat-Free Chili
2 packages ground turkey
¼ cup sesame oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon fresh ginger root, grated
1 tablespoon red peppers, crushed
2 medium green bell peppers, sliced
1 can (14-½ ounce) kidney beans
1 can (12 ounce) tomato paste
1 can (14-½ ounce) tomatoes, crushed
1 large yellow onion, chopped
1 tablespoon dried basil
3 tablespoons cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons coarse ground black pepper
¼ cup Worscestershire sauce
¼ cup hot sauce
2 tablespoons paprika
2 cups water
1 can beer (for the cook, or the chili) (optional)
2 cups grated sharp Cheddar cheese (optional)
2 cups oyster crackers (optional)

In a skillet heat oil and sauté garlic, red pepper and ginger for 2 minutes at high heat. Add turkey and brown until turkey is no longer pink (3 to 5 minutes). Do not cover.

In a 6-quart stockpot, add browned turkey, tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, all remaining spices, sliced green pepper, chopped onion and beans. Add 2 cups of water; bring to boil, stirring frequently.

Simmer covered for 1 hour over low heat (add beer now or drink it). Serve with grated sharp Cheddar cheese and oyster crackers.

Grandmother's Buttermilk Cornbread
1/4 pound butter
2/3 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease an 8 inch square pan.

Melt butter in large skillet. Remove from heat and stir in sugar. Quickly add eggs and beat until well blended. Combine buttermilk with baking soda and stir into mixture in pan. Stir in cornmeal, flour, and salt until well blended and few lumps remain. Pour batter into the prepared pan.

Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.