Grandma's Shrimp Cocktail Sauce

Rating: 5 of 5

Note: I grew up eating shrimp by the pound and I would never have it without this cocktail sauce. Thanks grandma for sharing it with me.


Ingredients:

1 bottle (12 oz.) Chili Sauce

1 bottle (14 oz.) Ketchup

1 bottle (8z.) Prepared Horseradish

2 TBSP. Worcestershire sauce

4 TBSP. Lemon Juice

3 drops Tobasco Sauce, (optional)

Directions:

Mix together & let rest in refrigerator at least 12 hours before use.

Pineapple-Brown Sugar Glazed Chicken Breasts

Rating: 5 of 5

Notes: As much as I hate using corn syrup in my main dinner meal, Ash and I went as directed. Next time I will probably try a combination of honey and water or maybe teriyaki sauce.

Ingredients:
     1 1/2 cups pineapple juice plus an additional 2 tablespoons
     1/3 cup light corn syrup
     2 tablespoons brown sugar
     1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
     1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar
     1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
     Table salt and ground black pepper
     1/2 cup all-purpose flour
     4 bone-in, skin-on chicken breast halves (about 12 ounces each), ribs removed, trimmed of excess fat and skin chicken legs
     2 teaspoons vegetable oil
     1 medium shallot , minced (about 3 tablespoons)

Directions:
      1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Whisk 1 1/2 cups pineapple juice, corn syrup, brown sugar, mustard, vinegar, pepper flakes, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper together in medium bowl. Place flour in pie plate, then season chicken on both sides with salt and pepper. Working with one chicken breast at a time, coat chicken with flour, patting off excess.
      2. Heat oil in ovenproof 12-inch skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add chicken breasts skin-side down; cook until well browned and most of fat has rendered from skin, 8 to 14 minutes. (If after 3 minutes you don't hear definite sizzling, increase heat to medium-high. If after 6 minutes chicken is darker than lightly browned, reduce heat slightly.) Turn chicken and lightly brown other side, about 5 minutes longer. Transfer chicken to plate.
      3. Pour off all but 1 teaspoon fat from pan. Add shallot and cook until softened, 1 to 2 minutes. Increase heat to high and add orange juice mixture. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until syrupy and reduced to 1 cup (heatproof spatula should leave slight trail when dragged through glaze), 6 to 10 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and tilt to one side so glaze pools in corner of pan. Using tongs, roll each chicken breast in pooled glaze to coat evenly and place skin-side down in skillet.
      4. Transfer skillet to oven and bake chicken until thickest part of breasts registers 160 degrees on instant-read thermometer, 25 to 30 minutes, turning chicken skin-side up halfway through cooking. Transfer chicken to platter and let rest 5 minutes. Return skillet to high heat (be careful-handle will be very hot) and cook glaze, stirring constantly, until thick and syrupy (heatproof spatula should leave wide trail when dragged through glaze), about 1 minute. Remove pan from heat and whisk in remaining 2 tablespoons pineapple juice. Spoon 1 teaspoon glaze over each breast and serve, passing remaining glaze at table.

Irish Soda Bread

Rating: 4 of 5


Notes: I did as suggested and baked in a cast iron pot.


Ingredients:
     3 cups bleached all-purpose flour , plus more for work surface
     1 cup cake flour
     2 tablespoons granulated sugar
     1 1/2teaspoons baking soda
     1 1/2teaspoons cream of tartar
     1 1/2 teaspoons table salt
     3 tablespoons unsalted butter (2 tablespoons softened + 1 tablespoon melted)
     1 1/2 cups buttermilk

Directions:
      1. Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Whisk flours, sugar, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt in large bowl. Work softened butter into dry ingredients with fork or fingertips until texture resembles coarse crumbs.
      2. Add buttermilk and stir with a fork just until dough begins to come together. Turn out onto flour-coated work surface; knead until dough just becomes cohesive and bumpy, 12 to 14 turns. (Do not knead until dough is smooth, or bread will be tough.)
      3. Pat dough into a round about 6 inches in diameter and 2 inches high; place on greased or parchment-lined baking sheet or in cast-iron pot, if using. Place the loaf on a cookie sheet and cut a cross shape into the top.
      4. Bake until golden brown and a skewer inserted into center of loaf comes out clean or internal temperature reaches 180 degrees, 40 to 45 minutes. Remove from oven and brush with melted butter; cool to room temperature, 30 to 40 minutes.

Banana-Caramel Coconut Cream Pie with Dark Rum

Rating: 4 of 5

Note: Ash and I noobed out and completely forgot to top the pie with the whipped cream/garnish; still tasty though.


Ingredients:
     Crust
     6 ounces animal crackers
     2 tablespoons unsweetened shredded coconut
     1 tablespoon granulated sugar
     4 tablespoons unsalted butter melted and cooled
     Banana-Caramel
     1/2 cup granulated sugar
     3 tablespoons water
     3 tablespoons heavy cream
     pinch table salt
     2 tablespoons unsalted butter
     2 medium bananas , slightly under-ripe (5 to 6 ounces each)
     Filling
     1 can coconut milk (14 ounces)
     1 cup whole milk
     1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
     1/2 cup granulated sugar
     1 tablespoon granulated sugar
     3/8 teaspoon table salt
     5 large egg yolks
     1/4 cup cornstarch
     2 tablespoons unsalted butter , cut into 2 pieces
     1 teaspoon vanilla extract
     2 teaspoons dark rum
     Whipped Cream and Garnish
     1 1/2 cups heavy cream (cold)
     2 tablespoons granulated sugar
     1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
     1 tablespoon unsweetened shredded coconut , toasted in a small dry skillet until golden brown

Directions:
      1. For the crust: Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. In food processor, pulse animal crackers, coconut, and sugar to fine crumbs, eighteen to twenty 1-second pulses; then process until powdery, about 5 seconds. Transfer crumbs to medium bowl and add butter; stir to combine until crumbs are evenly moistened. Empty crumbs into 9-inch glass pie plate; using bottom of ramekin or 1/2 cup dry measuring cup, press crumbs evenly into bottom and up sides of pie plate. Bake until fragrant and medium brown, about 15 minutes, rotating pie shell halfway through baking time. Set on wire rack and cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes.
      2. While crust cools, bring sugar and water to boil over high heat in small heavy-bottomed saucepan. Cook until dark amber, 5 to 8 minutes, occasionally swirling pan once sugar begins to color. Off heat, add heavy cream (caramel will bubble vigorously) and pinch salt; whisk to combine. Whisk in unsalted butter. Pour caramel into pie shell, tilting pie plate to coat evenly; set aside to cool.
      3. When caramel is cool, peel bananas; slice each crosswise into 3/8-inch-thick rounds. Arrange slices in single layer on top of caramel; set aside.
      4. For the filling: Bring coconut milk, whole milk, shredded coconut, 1/2 cup sugar, and salt to simmer over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally to ensure that sugar dissolves. Following illustrations 1 through 6, whisk yolks, cornstarch, and remaining 1 tablespoon sugar in medium bowl until thoroughly combined. Whisking constantly, gradually ladle about 1 cup hot milk mixture over yolk mixture; whisk well to combine. Whisking constantly, gradually add remaining milk mixture to yolk mixture in 3 or 4 additions; whisk well to combine. Return mixture to saucepan and cook until thickened and mixture reaches boil, whisking constantly, about 1 minute; filling must boil in order to fully thicken. (To determine whether filling has reached boil, stop whisking; large bubbles should quickly burst on surface.) Off heat, whisk in butter, vanilla, and rum until butter is fully incorporated. Pour hot filling into cooled pie shell and smooth surface with rubber spatula; press plastic wrap directly against surface of filling and refrigerate until firm, at least 3 hours and up to 12 hours.
      5. For the whipped cream: Just before serving, beat cream, sugar, and vanilla with electric mixer until soft peaks form, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Top pie with whipped cream and then sprinkle with coconut. Cut pie into wedges and serve.

Apple Pi

In honor of pi day, I decided to make 2pi or a pie depending on how you swing. Or tau for that matter (See Link).

Rating:  5 of 5

Note:

Tart apples:Granny Smiths, Empires, or Cortlands

Sweet: Golden Delicious, Jonagolds, or Braeburns.

Wrap leftovers tightly in plastic wrap and store at room temperature for up to 24 hours. To reheat, remove the wrap and warm the pie in a 350-degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes.

Ingredients:

All-Butter Pie Pastry

2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (12 1/2 ounces), plus additional flour for work surface

1 teaspoon table salt

1  tablespoon sugar

16 tablespoons unsalted butter (2 sticks), cold, cut into 1/2-inch cubes and frozen for 10 minutes

3 tablespoons sour cream

1/3 cup ice water , or more if needed

Apple Filling

1/2 cup granulated sugar (3 1/2 ounces), plus 1 teaspoon

1/4 cup packed light brown sugar (1 3/4 ounces)

1/4 teaspoon table salt

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest

1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 1/2 pounds tart apples (firm), about 5 medium, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices (Granny Smith)

2 1/2 pounds sweet apples (firm), about 5 medium, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices (Braeburn)

1 egg white , beaten lightly

Directions:

      1. For Pastry: Process flour, salt, and sugar together in food processor until combined, about 3 seconds. Add butter and pulse until butter is size of large peas, about ten 1-second pulses.

      2. Using fork, mix sour cream and 1/3 cup ice water in small bowl until combined. Add half of sour cream mixture to flour mixture; pulse for three 1-second pulses. Repeat with remaining sour cream mixture. Pinch dough with fingers; if dough is floury, dry, and does not hold together, add 1 to 2 tablespoons ice water and process until dough forms large clumps and no dry flour remains, three to five 1-second pulses.

      3. Turn dough out onto work surface. Divide dough into 2 balls and flatten each into 4-inch disk; wrap each disk in plastic and refrigerate until firm but not hard, 1 to 2 hours, before rolling. (Dough can be refrigerated for up to 24 hours. Let thoroughly chilled dough stand at room temperature for 15 minutes before rolling.)

      4. For Pie: Mix 1/2 cup granulated sugar, brown sugar, salt, zest, and cinnamon in large bowl; add apples and toss to combine. Transfer apples to Dutch oven (do not wash bowl) and cook, covered, over medium heat, stirring frequently, until apples are tender when poked with fork but still hold their shape, 15 to 20 minutes. (Apples and juices should gently simmer during cooking.) Transfer apples and juices to rimmed baking sheet and cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes. While apples cool, adjust oven rack to lowest position, place empty rimmed baking sheet on rack, and heat oven to 425 degrees.

      5. Remove 1 disk of dough from refrigerator and roll out between 2 large sheets of parchment paper or plastic wrap to 12-inch circle, about 1/8 inch thick. (If dough becomes soft and/or sticky, return to refrigerator until firm.) Remove parchment from one side of dough and flip onto 9-inch pie plate; peel off second layer of parchment. Working around circumference, ease dough into plate by gently lifting edge of dough with one hand while pressing into plate bottom with other hand. Leave dough that overhangs plate in place; refrigerate until dough is firm, about 30 minutes.

      6. Meanwhile, roll second disk of dough between 2 large sheets of parchment paper or plastic wrap to 12-inch circle, about 1/8 inch thick. Refrigerate, leaving dough between parchment sheets, until firm, about 30 minutes.

      7. Set large colander over now-empty bowl; transfer cooled apples to colander. Shake colander to drain off as much juice as possible (cooked apples should measure about 8 cups); discard juice. Transfer apples to dough-lined pie plate; sprinkle with lemon juice.

      8. Remove parchment from one side of remaining dough and flip dough onto apples; peel off second piece of parchment. Pinch edges of top and bottom dough rounds firmly together. Following illustrations 1 through 4, trim and seal edges of dough, then cut four 2-inch slits in top of dough. Brush surface with beaten egg white and sprinkle evenly with remaining teaspoon sugar.

      9. Set pie on preheated baking sheet; bake until crust is dark golden brown, 45 to 55 minutes. Transfer pie to wire rack and cool at least 1 1/2 hours. Cut into wedges and serve.