Barbecue Bacon Cheeseburgers & Ranch Fries

Barbecue Bacon Cheeseburgers and Crispy Ranch Fries
Cooking with Paula Deen July/August 2009

I cut the recipe in half and got 3 burgers.  These are the best.  If you like barbecue this is the recipe to try.  The burgers, were juicy, sweet and we used 3 napkins apiece!  Dick says "nothing wrong with these"!  This will be my new go to recipe for barbecue burgers.  I served them with homemade coleslaw, and the fries.  I used Jack Daniels Hickory Brown Sugar Barbecue Sauce and Hoffman's super sharp cheddar cheese. 
 

1 (1 lb) package of bacon, cooked until crisp,
2 pounds of ground chuck
3 tbsp hickory-flavored barbecue sauce
1 tbsp liquid smoke
1/2 tsp salt
12 slices of sharp cheddar cheese
1 large sweet onion
6 hamburg buns


Cook the bacon until crisp.
In a bowl add the ground chuck, 10 pieces of crumbled bacon, barbecue sauce, liquid smoke and salt and mix. Shape into 12 thin burgers, about 4 inches. On top of 6 of these burgers add small slices of the cheddar cheese, then top each burger with the remaining patties and seal the burger to keep the cheese hidden inside. Cook these outside on the grill or inside on the electric griddle. Toast the hamburg buns, top each burger with lettuce, sliced tomato, another slice of the cheddar cheese, a slice of bacon and serve with the following sauce or additional barbecue sauce.

Crispy Ranch Fries

1 (26 ounce) bag of frozen extra crispy fries
1 (1 ounce) package dry ranch dressing mix, divided
1/2 cup ketchup
1/2 cup mayonnaise

On a large baking pan, spread the fries in a single layer and sprinkle with 1 tbsp of the dry ranch salad dressing mix. Bake according to package directions.

Sauce:
In a small bowl, mix the mayo, ketchup and the remaining dry ranch dressing mix. Combine together. Serve this as a spread for the burgers and also as a dip for the fries.

Creamy Coleslaw
MAINEiacs in the Kitchen "refueling"
First printing- December 2004

1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup sour cream
2 tbsp cider vinegar
1 1/2 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 (1lb) bag of coleslaw mix

In a large bowl add the coleslaw mix. In another small bowl combine the ingredients and mix together. Pour this over the slaw, mix until all is blended. Allow to sit on counter for 30 minutes stirring occasionally. Serve either room temperature or chill in refrigerator. This can be made the day before covered and chilled.

Other suggestions:
Add a can of crushed pineapple well drained and adding a bit of the pineapple juice to the slaw.
or:
At the last minute before serving add an apple that has been cut in small pieces.

OLD FASHION GINGERBREAD

And who doesn't enjoy warm, moist gingerbread with fresh whipped cream.  Very pleasing to the senses, the kitchen smells delicious. This recipe indicated in the cookbook it is 100 years old.  And still enjoyed today as much as it was when grandma made it all those years ago.  So thank you grandma for this delicious cake.  The finished cake was 2 1/4 inch high.  This recipe makes about 9 servings.




Old Fashioned Gingerbread
The Maine Collection
A Cookbook by the Portland Museum of Art
copyright 1993


1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg, beaten
2 1/2 cups flour, sifted
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup molasses
1 cup hot tap water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9x9 inch baking pan.
In a large bowl, mix the softened butter with the sugar and mix. Add the beaten egg and mix again. Alternately add the sifted flour and all the spices with the molasses and hot tap water. Mix after each addition. Pour batter into the 9x9 inch baking dish and bake at 350 degrees for about 40-45 minutes. Check after 35 minutes. I used a stoneware baking dish from Pampered chef and the gingerbread was done at about 40 minutes.

Cherry Muffins

I didn't want to wait for 1 hour to bake the bread, so decided to try this as a muffin.  Works fine, just adjust your baking time.  Then I topped each off with a dollop of cream cheese icing and a cherry.  Kinda looks like a cupcake. But its not.  Its sweet with the icing so serve as is, no need for butter or cream cheese.


Cherry Muffins
Marjorie Standish
Keep Cooking - The Maine Way
Copyright 1973


2 tbsp softened butter
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups sifted flour
2 tsp baking powder
one 8 ounce bottle of maraschino cherries, chopped
buttermilk or milk added to the drained cherries enough to make one cup liquid in all


Bake at 350 degrees. This recipe called this Cherry Bread. I made Cherry Muffins. I bake them in papers for about 22 minutes but check them after 15 minutes. I got 12 muffins but they were more then 3/4 way full. If making bread turn into a well-greased loaf pan. Bake for 1 hour or until it tests done.

In your mixing bowl, combine the butter and sugar and mix this well. Add the salt and egg and continue to mix. Alternately add the dry ingredients along with the cherry milk mixture. Stir in the chopped cherries and if you want to add nuts go ahead. This recipe freezes well.

Chocolate Mayo Cake with Meringue Buttercream

Chocolate Mayo Cake
Yankee Magazine

2 cups flour
1/2 c unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup sugar
1 cup mayo (not salad dressing)
1 cup water
1 tsp vanilla

Bake at 350 degrees in a greased and floured 9x13 inch pan. 
Mix all the above ingredients and pour into the prepared pan.  Bake for 35-40 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. You could also make cupcakes I got 16 so adjust your cooking time.


Meringue Buttercream Icing
Ladies' Home Journal
October 2010

5 egg whites
1 1/4 cup of sugar
1 tsp vanilla
4 sticks of semi-softened unsalted butter

Using the bowl of your Kitchen aid mixer whisk together 5 egg whites and 1 1/4 cups of sugar. Use a pot that the kitchen aid bowl will fit into and fill your saucepan with water. Heat the water to simmering then put the bowl of egg whites into your saucepan. Over simmering water continue to whisk the egg white mixture until you cannot feel any sugar crystals between your fingers. This will take about 5 minutes. Then remove from the water and put the bowl on the stand of the mixer and lock it. Using the whisk attachment of the mixer, mix this at high speed for about 10 minutes. The mixture should be cooled down, and stiff peaks form when pulling up the whisk attachment of mixer. Add 1 tsp of vanilla flavoring and a little at a time the unsalted butter that has been softened and continue to beat with the whisk attachment at medium speed. It may start to look like the icing is curdled but don't worry keep beating and it will all come together. Makes about 5 cups.
Use within a few hours or it can be stored in the refrigerator for up to one week. You will need to bring it to room temperature and beat the icing for a few minutes on low speed.

Harvest Cinnamon Rolls

Harvest Cinnamon Rolls

whatscookingamerica

Making Cinnamon rolls was my first attempt to make anything with yeast.  And I did it.  They came out fat, moist, lots of cinnamon, and sweet frosting on top.  This recipe is a keeper, visit the web site they offer suggestions on baking and freezing, and other important information like using vital wheat gluten which will help the sweet bread rise better, be more elastic and easier to roll. 

Bread dough: step 1
1 cup of milk (heat in microwave about 1 minute)
1/4 cup of warm water (110 degrees)
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup butter, room temp
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup sugar
5 cups bread flour
3 tsp instant active dry yeast

Cinnamon Filling: step 2
1/2 cup butter (room temp)
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar mixed with
4 to 5 tbsp of cinnamon   (see comment this may be too much cinnamon for you)  adjust according

This is my rolled out dough to be roughly 15x24 inches





Icing: step 3
2 ounces of cream cheese (room Temp)
1/4 cup butter (room Temp)
1 cup 10x sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla

Using your kitchen aid stand mixer combine the ingredients in the order given. Only those from step 1. I use a kitchen thermometer and tested the temp of the water and milk to 110 degrees. Add the remaining ingredients and use the bread hook for the mixer and blend all ingredients. Turn the dough out on your kitchen counter which you have sprayed down with pam spray and kneed this dough for about 10 minutes. Then put the dough back in the bowl and cover with plastic wrap and let rest for about 10 minutes
Butter your 9x13 inch cake pan. Using a smaller bowl mix the light brown sugar and the cinnamon together.
Heat up the oven, just a bit. Which you can use to help the dough rise. The oven walls should be comfortable for you to put your hands on. If not let it cool down before putting your cinnamon rolls in the oven. But turn of the oven after you heated it a bit. The rolls will need 45 to 60 minutes to rise and double in size. If the kitchen is warm you can eliminate the warm oven to assist in the rising of the dough. Just place your cake pan in a warm place on the counter and allow to set for 45-60 minutes. They will rise to double the original size.
Using a large surface roll and stretch this dough to 15x24 inch rectangle.
Brush the dough totally with the room temperature butter, then sprinkle the dough with the sugar mixture. Roll up starting at the long end, not tight but loosely and pinch the ends, and along where the roll comes together. Then using your best judgement cut off the ends, cut the roll in 1 1/2 inch sections. I use my ruler, my eye ball is not good. Place the cut dough in the buttered 9x13 inch pan. Do not let the rolls touch the side of the dish, or each other for the rising. That will happen as they rise, they will fill the 9x13 inch pan before you will bake them. 12 rolls in this pan and the other 3 will go in another buttered small pan. Cover the rolls with a dish towel and let rise.
To bake the cinnamon rolls. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and bake for about 20-25 minutes until they are light brown. Allow to cool on counter then make the icing and frost.

This is after they have risen but have not been baked yet.  You can see they are filled in, touching the sides of each other, and the pan.

This is after they came out of the oven. 

Enjoy and happy baking   

MY MOTHERS CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE

My Mother's Chocolate Chip Cookie

This is my mother's cookie recipe,  I found this from a newspaper that she had submitted to the Kennebec Journal, dated  October 28, 1986. Tina was a good cook, and we always had cookies in the cookie jar.  Maybe that is why I love cookies, keep the dough cold while you are baking off a batch of cookies.  I think this helps the cookies to keep a more uniform shape when baking and not to spread out on the sheet.  What do I know, but that is what I do.     

2/3 cup of shortening
2/3 cup of butter (softened )
1 cup sugar
1 cup light brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
3 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 cup chopped nuts (optional)
12 ounce package of semi-sweet chocolate bits


In a large bowl, combine the butter, shortening and sugars and mix. Add the vanilla and eggs and mix. Then add the flour, soda, and salt. Mix all together. By hand mix in the nuts and chocolate chips. Bake in preheated 350 degree oven. Using parchment paper on your baking sheets. After using the small ice cream scoop put the dough back in the refrigerator to keep it cool. Bake the cookies for about 8-10 minutes or until crispy brown on the edges and the middle is set.

Meatballs with Spaghetti Sauce

williams-sonoma

 1/4 cup of fresh course breadcrumbs
1/4 cup of milk
1/2 pound of sausage
3/4 pounds of ground beef
1 egg
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
1 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese
1 large shallot
pinch of nutmeg and cloves
sprinkle of marjoram leaves
3 cloves of garlic
1 tsp parsley
salt and pepper

Using a medium size mixing bowl place the bread crumbs in the bowl and add the milk. Allow to set for a few minutes then add the remaining ingredients and mix. Prepare your rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper (easier cleanup) and with a small ice cream scoop, scoop out the meatball mixture which I then use my hands and roll in a ball, place the balls on the parchment paper and bake at 350 degrees till done. Timing will depend on how big you make your meatballs.

I doubled the sauce recipe and with the meatballs left over I was able to make meatball sandwiches the next day.  Sprinkle the sandwich with mozzarella cheese, and broil.   
Not being a wine drinker I purchase Sutter Home Red in a four pack and one bottle is enough for this recipe with a bit left over.   Enjoy
 
Spaghetti Sauce

Ina Garten Food Network
foodnetwork

1 tbsp olive oil
1 cup chopped yellow onion
1 1/2 tsp minced garlic
1/2 cup good red wine, such as chianti 
1 (28) ounce can crushed tomatoes, or plum tomatoes in puree
1 tbsp fresh chopped parsley    (I use dried 3/4 tbsp)
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tbsp of Italian Seasoning optional

Heat the olive oil in your skillet, add the onions, garlic and saute for about 5-10 minutes. Add the garlic and saute for additional minute. Then stir in the wine over high heat and scrape the bottom of the skillet to get up all the pieces of onion, garlic etc. Continue cooking this until almost all the liquid has evaporated. About 3 minutes. Then reduce the heat and add the remaining ingredients. Allow to simmer at low heat for about one half hour.

SOUR CREAM BANANA BREAD

Sour Cream Banana Bread
Farmer's Almanac Everyday Cookbook
Copyright 2008

When I look at cookbooks I always look for something a little different, and this is another one I found. So had to try it, had a couple of dark colored banana's that needed to be used and what better way then to make banana bread.   Made with sour cream and bread flour.  The bread came out in 55 mintes at 350 degrees and appears to be a little higher then the last bread I made.  Its moist and its banana bread.  I added chopped pecans to the batter. 

1 stick of butter (1/2 cup) softened
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup sour cream
2 ripe bananas, mashed
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups bread flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts


Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Using a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar till fluffy, add the eggs, sour cream, bananas, and vanilla and mix. In separate bowl combine the flour, baking soda and baking powder and mix then add the flour to the cream mixture and blend well. Stir in by hand the pecans or walnuts. Pour the batter into a 9x5 inch greased bread pan and bake for 55-60 minutes.

Gobbler Cobbler Pie

Gobbler Cobbler Pie
Paula Deen
pauladeen

This casserole is fast and easy to put together. A good recipe to make the night before and reheat in the microwave or in the oven.  I followed directions, but next time I will cut the recipe in half and mix all the cheese in, I didn't like the looks of the orange top. I would prefer to see a creamy, bubbled over on parts of the crust.  This made a good size casserole,  so this means Dickie will be eating this for a few days. Well, that is ok, he takes a hot lunch everyday.  He likes leftovers.  I would make this again, I enjoyed it.  The casserole is creamy with the mayo and sour cream and the texture was good.  

3 cups cut up turkey or chicken
1 package of Long Grain Wild Rice (recommended Uncle Ben's)
1 preformed pie crust and brushed with egg wash
1 cup mayo
1 cup sour cream
1 (8 ounce) package of sliced mushrooms
1 green pepper, diced
1 yellow pepper, diced
1 onion, diced
1 small can french style green beans, drained
1 small can water chestnuts, drained & chopped
2 cups grated cheddar cheese
1 tbsp oil
1 tsp poultry seasoning
Dice the chicken or turkey and set aside. Prepare the rice as per the directions on the box. Set aside.
Saute the onions, peppers and mushrooms in the 1 tbsp of oil.
In a good size bowl combine the mayo, sour cream, chicken, cooked rice, chestnuts, green beans, 1 cup of the cheddar cheese, and the poultry seasoning. Then add the saute' mixture. Stir well. Grease a good size casserole dish and pour the mixture into the casserole dish. Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of cheddar cheese over the top. Unroll the prepared pie crust and either using a knife or a pastry cutter wheel cut the pie crust in 1/2 inch strips. Make a lattice pattern over the top of the casserole dish. Brush with the egg wash. Bake for about 30 minutes at 350 degrees or until the crust is golden brown.

Breakfast Burrito Wrap

Breakfast Burrito Wrap
Better Homes & Garden Special Interest Publication
Anyone can cook

4 eggs
1/4 cup milk
1/4 tsp salt
dash of pepper
1 Tbsp butter
4 strips of bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled ( I used more bacon)
1/4 cup diced green onion
4 (8-inch) Flour tortillas
1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack Cheese or Monterey with jalapeno peppers
Salsa

In a small skillet, melt the butter, having mixed up the egg, salt and pepper in a bowl add this to the skillet and cook over medium heat. Using a spatula lift all around the edge of the egg allowing the liquid to go under the cooked egg until done. Kinda like pushing the cooked egg to the middle of the frypan, allowing the uncooked egg to go under the cooked part. When this is almost set sprinkle the crumbled bacon and the diced onion on top of the egg. Remove the pan from the stove top. Heat each tortillas on a plate in the microwave to just warm them. Arrange the egg mixture in the center of each tortillas, sprinkle with the graded cheese and fold up the bottom edge a little and then pull the sides of tortillas to make a wrap. Your burrito can be eaten out of hand, serve with salsa on the side.

Orange Cookies with Orange Icing

Orange Cookies with Orange Icing
Recipe compliments of my friend Winnie Woodbury, Maine & Arizona

These cookies are a keeper, my friend Winnie gave me this recipe.  They are a soft, moist cookie topped with a thin sweet icing on top.  Hope she gives me more recipes, gives me good reason to stay in the kitchen and bake.   





2/3 cup butter or shortening
1 egg
3/4 cup sugar
2 Tbsp orange rind or use dried valencia orange peel
1/2 cup orange juice
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
If you are using fresh oranges you will need 3 good size oranges for the rind. Then use your juicer and squeeze the juice. Add bottle juice if you don't have enough.

Icing:
1 1/2 cup 10X sugar
2 Tbsp softened butter
2 tsp orange rind
2-3 Tbsp of Orange juice (maybe more)

Using your mixing bowl, add the butter and mix with the sugar. Add the egg and mix. Add the remaining ingredients and combine. Using your 1 3/4 inch cookie scoop, scoop batter onto parchment paper lined baking sheets. No need is press the dough down, they will spread as they bake. Preheat your oven to 375 degress and bake for about 8-10 minutes. Cookies will not brown on top only on the bottoms. So watch closely so as not to burn them. After they have cooled you can frost with the icing. I got 2 dozen plus 4 cookies from this batter.

shared with Something Swanky

http://www.janedeereblog.com/

BUTTERMILK BISCUITS

Light, airy biscuit. Great big taste with very little effort.  Serve these warm and spread with butter and homemade raspberry jam.   

Buttermilk Biscuits by Marjorie Standish 

3 cups flour
4 1/2 tsp baking powder
2 tbsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 tsp cream of tartar
3/4 cup of softened butter
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 cup buttermilk

In a large bowl combine the flour, baking powder, sugar, salt and cream of tartar. Cut into this the softened butter, mixing with a spoon. Add the slightly beaten egg and the buttermilk. On a lightly floured board knead the dough for a few minutes, or I have also cut a large piece of freezer paper and put some flour and roll or pat with your hand to 1 inch thick and cut with a 2 1/2 inch biscuit cutter. When I use the freezer paper the clean up is much easier.  Place the biscuits in a 9x13 inch buttered baking pan. I used my Pampered Chef round baking dish. I got 9 biscuits.  But it will depend on the size of your biscuit cutter. Adjust baking time. Bake for about 10-15 minutes at 450 degrees until golden brown.

          yankee magazine best-brownies    

our love of brownies continues and these brownies were a big hit.

Happy Baking 

Italian Sausage Grinders

I made these the other night, very tasty but I suppose I could cut back on a few calories and use turkey sausage, or another one I will try next time is a sweet italian style chicken sausage by Alfresco all natural with fresh red and green peppers, gluten free and 70% less fat.  I have cooked with this product before and enjoyed. 

Italian Sausage Grinders
Better Homes and Gardens Special Interest
Winter 2011

1 pound of hot or sweet Italian sausage
28 ounce can of crushed Italian tomatoes
1 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
2 cloves garlic
1 small onion, diced
1 small green pepper, sliced in strips
olive oil
4 hoagie rolls
provolone cheese

In a saucepan crumble the sausage and cook until no longer pink, drain. Add the Italian tomatoes, and spices. Bring to a boil then reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes or until most of the liquid has evaporated.

In a small fry pan add the oil along with the onions, garlic and sliced green pepper. Cook until almost tender.
Arrange your hoagie rolls on a baking sheet and spoon the meat mixture on top of one half of the roll, divide up the green pepper & onion mixture on top of the meat mixture and lay slices of provolone cheese on top. Broil this until the cheese is melted. Watch closely as to not burn.

Barbecued Spareribs

Barbecued Spareribs
The Carolina collection
Jr. League of Fayetteville, Inc.
Copyright 1978

This recipe could be used for chicken also.  I purchased a rack of ribs that only weighted about 2 pounds and made the sauce and placed in a large rimmed baking sheet making a bowl out of the foil so the ribs layed in the sauce to cook.   After they were done I brushed them with Jack Daniels Hickory Brown Sugar BBQ Sauce and served.  Yummy

5-7 lbs of spareribs
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
2 tbsp sugar
2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1/2 cup vinegar
1 1/2 cups water
1 tsp prepared mustard
1 tsp worcestershire sauce
1 tsp tabasco sauce
2 tbsp chili sauce
1/2 lemon (juice and rind)
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup butter
2 tbsp catsup
1 tsp liquid smoke
Jack Daniels Hickory Brown Sugar BBQ sauce or your favorite

Combine all ingredients except the ribs and liquids smoke in a small saucepan and simmer for about 30 minutes. After removing from the stove top add the liquid smoke. Line a baking sheet with heavy duty foil for easier clean up. Pour the sauce over the ribs and bring the foil up around the ribs to make a pouch for them to bake in. Watch them and baste frequently with the sauce. These ribs can be cooked on the outside grill or in the oven at 250-300 degrees for about 1 hour. Then turn your oven to its lowest temp and let them slowly cook for about 1 hour. Watch them so they don't burn.

Swedish Oatmeal Pancakes

Yummy and even good for ya!  I cut the recipe in half with no prolbems.  Just remember the oatmeal and buttermilk need to set on the counter for 30 minutes. Added about 1 tablespoon more of buttermilk.  I got 9 (4) inch pancakes.  I think this recipe could be made using any sliced fresh fruit,  peaches, kiwi, even sliced banana.   

Swedish Oatmeal Pancakes
First prize winner in the "Farmers Almanac in 2005"




2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
2 cups buttermilk
1/2 cup flour
2 tbsp sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
2 large eggs, slightly beaten
1/2 stick of butter, melted
1 large pear, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
1/4 cup lightly toasted sliced almonds

In a mixing bowl, add the oats and milk and allow to set on the counter for 30 minutes. Then add the dry ingredients and then the egg and melted butter. The batter will be thick so only add more buttermilk if too thick to pour.  Lightly grease your griddle pan or skillet with spray or vegetable oil. Pour out the batter and cook laying the sliced pear on top of the batter. Then flip the pancakes and continue to cook for a couple of minutes. Serve with butter and syrup.