The Cookbook

Shepherd's Pie (Quick and Easy)

This is a variation of traditional shepherd's pie that is sure to please any
meat and potatoes fan. The ground beef has a natural rich mushroom gravy and the potatoes are loaded with cheese.

INGREDIENTS:
1 pound ground chuck beef
8 ounces mushrooms, chopped
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 large cloves garlic, pressed or finely minced
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper to taste
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 Tablespoon flour
1/2 cup beef broth
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup frozen peas, unthawed
2 cups shredded hash brown potatoes (frozen or deli-packed), packed
1/8 cup chopped chives (or finely sliced green onions with tops)
2 cups finely-shredded cheddar cheese or cheese blend, divided use
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup mayonnaise
Sweet Hungarian paprika

PREPARATION:
Preheat oven to 375 F.

Place ground beef, mushrooms, onion, garlic, salt, and pepper in a large
heavy skillet.

Sauté, breaking up ground beef, until the juices have almost evaporated.

Stir in Worcestershire, then flour. Cook 1 minute, stirring often. Add beef
broth, stirring to combine, then heavy cream. Simmer until gravy thickens.
Pour into glass baking dish. Let cool slightly, then sprinkle green peas
evenly on top of beef.

In a mixing bowl, combine hash brown potatoes, chives, 1 cup of the cheddar cheese, salt, and mayonnaise. Spread evenly on top of beef layer. Spread remaining cup of cheddar cheese on top and sprinkle lightly with paprika.

Bake about 45 minutes until cheese has melted and is slightly browned. Let rest 15 minutes before serving.

4 to 6 servings.

Ric

Deep Fried Asparagus

Ingredients:
1/2 cup cornstarch
3/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1/2 teaspoon celery salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 egg whites
2/3 cup cold flat beer
3 pounds (2 cups) raw, whole asparagus, cleaned and cut above white end

Instructions:
Mix all ingredients except asparagus in a bowl with a wire whisk until well blended. Dip asparagus individually in the batter and deep fry them in at least 2-inches of peanut oil for 2 minutes or until golden brown.

Yield: About 4 servings

Ric

Cabbage Rolls

8 large cabbage leaves
1 can tomato soup
1 pound ground beef
1 cup cooked rice
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper


Cook cabbage leaves in boiling water for about 10 minutes to soften. Drain. Mix 2 tablespoons of the soup and rest of ingredients. Divide the mixture among cabbage leaves. Fold the sides in, roll up, and secure with toothpicks.

In large skillet, place rolls, seam side down. Add rest of soup to pan, cover, and simmer for 40 minutes, stirring often to avoid sticking. Spoon soup over cabbage rolls often while stirring.

Ric

Crawfish or Shrimp Etouffe

As in most Louisiana recipes, First you make a roux. The simplest way to do this is below. If you are forced to go to the grocery and are tempted by the bottled roux.. you are taking a big chance. Making a roux takes time, but it is the one single item (well except maybe the brandy) heh... that can make or break your dish...

Carry on......

INGREDIENTS:
8 ounces butter, divided
1/2 C flour
1/2 C chopped onion
1/2 C chopped green pepper
1/2 C chopped celery
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 t salt
1 t cayenne pepper
1/2 t black pepper
1/4 teaspoon thyme
2 C fish stock
2 pounds crawfish tails, peeled
1 C chopped green onions, with tops
6 to 8 T sherry or good brandy, optional, I prefer brandy

PREPARATION:
Make a roux with 4 ounces of butter and flour, cooking over low heat until flour is dark brown; stirring constantly, 20 to 30 minutes. Keep heat low and stir constantly to prevent scorching.

Add the chopped vegetables and seasonings; cook until vegetables are softened. Gradually stir in stock and let simmer 15 minutes or until thickened.

Add crawfish, green onions, remaining butter, and sherry; bring to a simmer. Simmer 4 to 5 minutes, cover, remove from heat, and let sit 15 minutes. Serve hot around a mound of rice.

Serves 4.

Ric

Ric’s Cucumber and Onion Salad

Cucumbers
Onions
(and/or) Tomatos
1/3 C sugar
1 1/3 C vinegar
1 t sea salt
1/3 t pepper
2 C water

Marinate overnight.

Toast sesame seeds to desired taste (crunch) to sprinkle over the salad mixture when ready to dine.

Ric

Seafood Scampi Stuffed Peppers

Take a bag in the box rice packet (preferably the kind with holes scattered,
and boil it with a tablespoon of crab boil and/or other seasonings to taste.

While it is boiling, cut the tops off of several red or green peppers and
remove the seeds. Wrap the peppers in individual sheets of tinfoil, leaving
the top open to stuff them.

Take the now cooked rice and add a tablespoon of minced garlic, 1/2 bag of
shredded cheese (I use cheddar/jack) and 1 package of imitation crab or
lobster meat. Take a package of cooked shrimp,(from 6oz to 16oz, depending on how much shrimp you want in the mixture, and boil it for a few minutes in the seasoned water that you boiled your rice in. Remove from the water and add to your stuffing mixture. (Depending on the size of the shrimp, I slice them into small, bite-sized pieces.

Add a teaspoon of salt and a teaspoon of black pepper and a teaspoon of
paprika. Mix thoroughly. Stuff your peppers with this mixture, and put a pat
of butter or margarine on the top of each, and sprinkle some paprika on top
of each for a bit of color. Stand your peppers up in a bread pan, and put
them in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for an hour.

You can thank me later....

Ric