Saturday, July 30, 2016

How to have a Happy 93rd Birthday

One of our card players, Val, is celebrating her 93^rd birthday! So we threw together some finger foods for a party. Now Val may have problems reading the cards, don't feel sorry for her, she vicious! She beat me twice last night. Even though we have to watch her, no one has been able to catch her cheating yet ! Happy Birthday you blonde bombshell!

Here are a couple of finger foods to put together for any party. They are easy to do, and not expensive. Just slightly more elegant than what you find at most get togethers

Yummy Sausage Cups

Ingredients

½ lbs maple-flavored ground pork sausage

1 8-oz. pkg. shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

1 8-oz. container sour cream

¼ cup ranch salad dressing

frozen phyllo cups

Preparation

Pre heat oven to 350 degrees for first sheet tray.
Brown sausage in a skillet over medium heat; drain well on paper towels.

In a large bowl Stir in cheese, sour cream and dressing. If you wish a bit of pepper can be added now. If your group likes hotter flavors, try some roasted red pepper flakes.

Fill each phyllo cup with a scoop of sausage mixture. Arrange cups on ungreased baking sheets. (slave used parchment paper because there were many things for the oven and only have 2 baking trays. Load up the paper and slide them on as needed)
Bake for 15 minutes, or until heated through and cups are golden.

====================

Caramelized Onion-Apple Bites

Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter

½ red onion cut into wedges

1 Granny Smith or other cooking tart apple

slices of Harvarti cheese

1 tube of croissant rolls

1 egg beaten for egg wash

Raise oven to 375°.

Preparation

Melt butter in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions start to caramelize about 30 minutes. Set aside on paper towels to drain & cool, about 10 minutes.

Peel the apple, cut down the center and with a mellon-baller, scoop out the core. Lay the half's cut side down and slice. (Note slave should have made thinner slices for this.) Cover with a damp pappertowel so the apples don't start to turn brown. Cut the cheese into strips the size of the apple slices.

Lay down wax paper on the counter for a work space. Open the croissants and unroll. With a table knife run down the perforations to separate them.

Starting at the wide end: lay a slice of apple, a little of the onions and a slice of cheese. Wrap this up by rolling to the point. Arrange on a parchment paper for the oven.

Whip up the egg and brush on each before placing in oven. Bake for about 15 – 18 minutes. Watch these so they don't turn too dark.
Serve hot.
===================

Chicken Sausage Rolls

Ingredients

1 tube croissant rolls

2 fully cooked chicken-apple sausages – cut in half then cut down the center.

¼ cup shredded colby-jack cheese

Directions:

Oven stays at 375.
Lay out wax paper work place.
Unroll tube of croissant rolls, cut perforations with a table knife.

On the wide end, place a teaspoon of the shredded cheese and place the sausage on top, cut side down.
Roll up toward the point. Arrange on parchment paper and brush with eggwash.
Bake for about 15 minutes or until golden brown.
--This can be served with a dipping sauce made of:
2 tablespoons Dijon or favorite mustard
½ cup sour cream
==========

Sausage Balls

Ingredients

1 ½ cups all-purpose baking mix (like Bisquick)

½ lbs ground pork sausage

8oz sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded

Raise oven temperature to 400 degrees

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl, pressing mixture together with hands. Almost kneading, it so the dry baking mix absorbs the moisture. Let it sit covered for 10 – 15 minutes to completely combine so the mix is not powdery.
Shape into ¾-inch balls, and place on parchment paper.

Bake at 400º for 15 to 18 minutes or until lightly browned.
NOTE: For a great dipping sauce, fix a standard white sauce with a bit extra black pepper.
Heat 2 tbs butter in medium sauce pan over medium heat.
Stir in 1 tbs cake flour. Continue to stir and cook for about 2 minutes.
Add 1 cup of heated whole milk as you stir until the mixture thickens. Taste and adjust with pepper accordingly.

By preparation on the parchments and managing the temps in the oven, the cooking goes fairly quickly and you can serve these while still warm.

We had a great time together even if Val did refuse her birthday spanking!

Try any of these for your next get together and serve with happiness and lots of smiles.
Since the party goers spaned several years in age, for our music:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQBmsGJZIX8

So happy to be serving my Master Indy anyway I can.

socialslave

To satisfy and restore.

To nourish, support and maintain.

To gratify, spoil, comfort and please,

to nurture, assist, and sustain

…..I cook!

Please buy slave's cookbook:

The Little Black Book of Indiscreet Recipes

Dan White http://www.amazon.com

/dp/B00F315Y4I

/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_vAT4sb0934RTM via

@amazon

Friday, July 29, 2016

Eggs-Tra-Special Breakfast

There are mornings that you want to do something special! Maybe because it was a fantastic night, maybe because He has a tough day ahead. However on workdays time is limited for both. So here is an idea. It is a way to make a workday morning more like a Sunday brunch. No extra time is required, just that touch of love you want to convey.

This can be made even better by cutting 2 pieces of bacon into thirds and frying them up first, but not necessary. In the length of time it takes to fry eggs you can make a special presentation that says: ...well what ever you want it to say. Wink.

Ingredients:

2 slices bacon (optional)

2 eggs

2 slices honey wheat bread (or regular if you prefer)

2 slices cheese

2 tbs butter or margarine

Directions:

Grab a juice glass and the bread. Cut out holes.

If using bacon, fry that up and remove to paper towels but leave grease in skillet. If no bacon, melt the butter into the skillet.

Place in the bread and twist it around a bit to soak up the fat. Add the two centers to the side.

Break an egg into each hole and season as you wish. Cover and set timer to 3 minutes.

When time is up carefully flip the pieces in the skillet. Place the cheese on each piece and re-cover. Leave on for no more than 15 – 20 seconds. You only want the cheese melted. The idea is to leave the yolks soft.

If using bacon, place the meat on before each slice of cheese.

Now in the same amount of time to fry an egg you have a beautiful presentation like a Sunday brunch with two delicate “disks” for jam or jelly if He prefers.

HINT: try this on a weekend morning just to make sure He likes it before springing it on Him during the week.

Serve with a good morning kiss, His coffee, and some juice! You will be surprised at how well the day will go!

For some music:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9MO226ANaog

So happy to be finding new ways to serve my Master Indy

socialslave

To satisfy and restore.

To nourish, support and maintain.

To gratify, spoil, comfort and please,

to nurture, assist, and sustain

…..I cook!

Please buy slave's cookbook:

The Little Black Book of Indiscreet Recipes

Dan White http://www.amazon.com

/dp/B00F315Y4I

/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_vAT4sb0934RTM via

@amazon

Thursday, July 28, 2016

Pig in the Pot

Last week slave noticed that pork steak was on sale for $.98 a lbs! So a couple of packages were purchased. Turned out that one package was cut into 2 inch strips – odd but I guess that is why it was on sale. Never let things like this trip you up. These pieces were perfect for the crock pot.

This is a variation of a favorite recipe, but instead of using Worcester sauce, this features soy sauce & ginger for just a hint of something different. It still makes the most wonderful gravy, so homemade mashed potatoes and a simple green vegetable rounds out this filling meal.

Ingredients:

2 lbs pork steaks (sliced pork butt)

1 can condensed cream of chicken soup

1 can condensed cream of celery soup

2 yellow onions

4 tbs soy sauce

½ tsp ground ginger

½ tsp ground garlic

Directions:

I always suggest you do the cutting the night before when fixing a meal for the crock pot. This meal will take 7 hours so just count back from when you plan dinner.

Any time you use a mandolin slicer PLEASE use the food holder! It cuts far too quickly and easily.

The morning of the meal:

Lift out the slow cooker, wipe it out well and spray it with cooking spray. I always set it on low with the lid on the empty pot to let it warm while the meal is prepared. (that way silly slave does not forget to turn it on!)

Sprinkle half of the onion to form a light bed for the meat.

Heat some oil in a large skillet and brown the edges of the pork. This will only take about 4 – 5 minutes per side. This is to just start caramelizing the exterior proteins on the meat for optimum flavor as well as making it look more appetizing.

While that browns, mix the soups, sauce and seasonings in a large bowl with a whisk to combine.

Note: if the bowl is too full: twirl the whisk between your fingers to mix it up. That way you wont slouch it all over the place.

Arrange the meat on the bed of onions and cover with remaining slices and rings.

Smooth the soup mixture over the top with a spatula to cover well.

Let this cook on LOW for 7 hours.

Much more than that and the meat will start to fall apart!

Use this time do fix your mashed potatoes and side vegetable.

Carefully remove the meat to a platter. Dip out 2 cups of the cooking liquid and place in a medium saucepan. Over medium heat mix in a slurry (made of 1 tablespoon of cake flour and ½ cup of half & half.) Stir this for 2 minutes as it cooks to thicken and get rid of the starchy flavor.

A wonderful feast made from less than $2.00 worth of meat!

For our music, how about: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LlLsbL2LJKw

Feels so good to have the honor of serving my Master Indy

socialslave

To satisfy and restore.

To nourish, support and maintain.

To gratify, spoil, comfort and please,

to nurture, assist, and sustain

…..I cook!

Please buy slave's cookbook:

The Little Black Book of Indiscreet Recipes

Dan White http://www.amazon.com

/dp/B00F315Y4I

/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_vAT4sb0934RTM via

@amazon

Wednesday, July 27, 2016

A Canadian Turkey Ragout

Well thanks to the weather doubling my electric bill, there is much more month left over after the budget! When I mentioned this to a friend, he offered half of cooked turkey breast! Now this can be some fine eating, especially when its free.

When, not if, but when this happens to you. Go to the pantry. Make a mental list of what is there and what can go together. If anything else is needed, borrow from a neighbor. Then and most importantly, come up with a fancy name for the meal.

For this, instead of “left over turkey” pot pie: it is called “A Canadian Turkey Ragout” (RAH- goo). The term comes from French “ragoûter”, meaning "to revive the taste." Sounds delicious and it will be.

Ingredients:

2 cups cooked turkey (approx.)

1 cup left-over vegetables

1 can cream of chicken soup

½ chopped red onion

5 oz non fat Greek style yogurt

½ tsp black pepper

4 oz whole milk

½ box pasta (slave mixed two near empty boxes)

Directions

Cut up cooked turkey and chop the onion.

Cook pasta according to package:

Heat oil in skillet: add onions and let cook until transparent, mix in the turkey to heat up. Stir in the vegetables.

When hot add the soup with ½ can of milk. Stir in the pepper.

Lower the heat and stir until well blended. Let that simmer while pasta finishes.

Just before serving, spoon in the yogurt and mix well after it is off of the heat.

Slave also did some brown and serve french bread out of a tube.

Serve over the hot pasta.

This excellent meal does not look like a broken budget at all, but rather a culinary exercise designed to please. Preparation should be done with all of the love you can muster! Hold your head up, focus on the goal of providing comfort and great tasting food. Your focus will make all the difference in the world. I don't care if you are fixing this over a broken stove in a run down apartment, believe it is your temple of nourishment and love. The magical place where love becomes a tangible thing. The wonderful aromas will drift into the other room where he is relaxing from his hard work. This is your gift factory, your heart. From that will spring fantastic things you never dreamt of.

For our music, one of the most beautiful romantic recordings ever made:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lVXY5eLUtJY

Serving my Master Indy with all of the resources possible.

socialslave

To satisfy and restore.

To nourish, support and maintain.

To gratify, spoil, comfort and please,

to nurture, assist, and sustain

…..I cook!

Please buy slave's cookbook:

The Little Black Book of Indiscreet Recipes

Dan White http://www.amazon.com

/dp/B00F315Y4I

/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_vAT4sb0934RTM via

@amazon

Friday, July 22, 2016

Henny Penny's Left-Over Pie

When faced with a dwindling food budget and a refrigerator of left-overs, get creative! Like this derived from the English “Shepard's Pie”. Here using chicken, hence the name: “Henny Penny”!