Hash Brown Casserole

Many years ago I was Trout fishing the Chattahoochee River with a friend who suggested we should stop for breakfast on our way home. The waters we fished just below the Buford Dam are around 30°F so after sitting in it for a few hours I was ready to put away the float tube and eat. We stopped at Cracker Barrel for a big breakfast of Chicken Fried Steak, Biscuits & Gravy, and a side of Hash brown casserole. This is still my favorite breakfast after a morning of fishing, and the hash brown casserole is famous. I’ve shared my breakfast spot with many friend and family members over the years, but I don’t think I’ve shared the recipe for the hash brown casserole. These potatoes are not just great for breakfast, but should be tried with a Blackened Pork Tenderloin, or  even some grilled Chicken breast.

 

 

Ingredients:

2 pounds shredded hash brown potatoes

1 (10 3/4 oz) can condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted

1/4 cup milk

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/4 cup finely chopped Vidalia onion

2 cups shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese

Salt and pepper to taste

2 additional cups of extra sharp cheddar are recommended to sprinkle on the
casserole prior to baking, but this is optional.

Steps:

Preheat oven to 350°F

1. Sauté onions in butter until just soft. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
2. Mix potatoes, chicken soup, milk and cooked onions in a big bowl until well blended.
3. Add cheese and mix well. Pour contents into a 9 x 13 baking dish.
4. Bake about 45 minutes or until casserole is heated through and cheese is melted.

Ranch Style Beans

Ranch Style Beans

Many of our blog posts mention Southern Style Barbecue, and the fact that our very first blend was Tybee Island Southern
Barbecue Rub we like to feature it’s uses, however we thought today  would be a good idea to mention our friends out West also have a love of Barbecue.  While the deep South is focused on Pork, our friends out West would go nuts if we didn’t mention Brisket, Mesquite, and just
as important to Great Texas Style Barbecue….Ranch Style Beans! These beauties are difficult to find in most other parts of the country so we thought we would share a recipe to provide them all with a little taste of home. They also work great with a couple of thick cut Ribeye steaks  so break out  your Santa Cruz Island Steak Seasoning, and have a great Weekend!

 
 
Ingredients:

1 pound dried pinto beans

6 Ancho chiles, stems and seeds removed

6 cloves of garlic, minced

1 onion, diced

1 15 oz. can of tomatoes (or 2 medium-sized tomatoes, peeled)

1 teaspoon brown sugar

1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon oregano

1 cup of water

6 cups of beef broth

3 each jalapenos, chopped * optional*

Salt and black pepper to taste

Steps:

Soak the beans covered in water—either overnight or the quick soak method in
which you place the beans in a pot, cover with water, bring to a boil, cover
and remove from heat and let sit for one hour.

Drain the soaked beans.

In a large pot, or skillet over medium high heat, cook the ancho chilies on
each side for a couple of minutes (or until they start to pop), turn off the
heat and fill the skillet with warm water. Let them sit until soft and
rehydrated, which should happen after half an hour or so.

In the pot you’ll be cooking your beans, heat up a teaspoon of canola oil and
cook the onions until golden. Add the garlic and cook for another minute.

 

Place the cooked onions and garlic in a blender and add the
tomatoes, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, paprika, cumin, oregano, water and
hydrated ancho chiles. Puree until smooth.

Add the pinto beans and beef broth to the pot and stir in the chile puree. On
high, bring the pot to a boil and then cover; turn the heat down to low and simmer
for two and a half hours, stirring occasionally.

After the beans have cooked for 2-2.5 hours
check for tenderness (The cooking time can be as short as two and a half hours
and as long as four hours). When you’re satisfied that the beans are done, you
can add chopped Jalapenos to increase heat, or just finish with salt and pepper
to taste.

Chicken & Cheese Enchiladas

Ingredients:

1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1/2 cup diced onion

1 clove garlic, minced

3 jalapeno peppers, minced

2 quarts chicken broth

1/2 cup masa harina

1 cup heavy cream

2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese

1 cup crumbled Queso Fresco

1 cup Anejo Enchilando cheese ( can substitute Cotija cheese)

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 Tablespoon chili powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon paprika

1 dozen flour tortillas

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Steps:

1. In a large pot over medium heat, cook chicken breasts in oil until well browned on all sides.
   Remove and set aside.
2. Cook onion and garlic in remaining oil until onions are translucent. Add jalapeno peppers, paprika, salt, chili powder and cumin.  Pour in
   chicken broth, making sure to reserve 2 cups, and bring to a boil.
3.  Add chicken breast to the sauce, and cook, covered,  until tender. Remove chicken breast.
4. In a bowl, whisk together masa harina and 2 cups chicken broth until well blended. Pour into pot with enchilada sauce, add heavy cream. Bring to a boil, stirring
   frequently until it starts to thicken.
5. Reduce heat and simmer 15 to 20 minutes, until thickened. Remove from heat.
6. When sauce has thickened remove from heat and add  1 tablespoon chopped cilantro,1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese, 1/2 cup enchilando cheese, and 1/2 cup crumbled queso fresco.
7. Puree, or blend the sauce until smooth, and reserve.
8. Shred cooked chicken and add it to a large bowl to cool. Season chicken with salt & pepper. Add 1/2 of remaining cheese to chicken, and mix well.
9. Heat oven to 350°F with oven rack in bottom position.
10. Wrap tortillas in aluminum foil, and bake in oven for 10 minutes.
11. Coat the bottom of a 9 x 13 ovenproof baking dish with a 1/4″ layer of enchilada sauce.
12. Place 3 tablespoons shredded chicken mixture in the center of each tortilla forming a line, and roll into a cylinder shape. Repeat until all tortillas have been used.
13. When all tortillas have been rolled, and the dish is full coat tortillas with additional layer of sauce making sure no flour tortilla is visible.
14. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top of enchiladas, and bake at 350°F for 30 minutes.
15. Remove from oven, and garnish with remaining chopped cilantro prior to serving.

Chile Rellenos De Queso

Many of you have consumed a snack form of this dish known as ” Jalapeno Poppers” without ever knowing where they came from. If you should want to make them you can simply follow the steps in the note wrtten at the bottom of this recipe.  It may be a good idea to throw the stuffed chilies in the freezer for a few minutes so they can firm up before adding the breading. 

Ingredients:

6 each poblano or Anaheim chiles

2 teaspoons distilled white vinegar

3 large ripe tomatoes

1/4 small yellow onion

1 clove garlic

1 tablespoon canola oil

2 bay leaves

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

3 cups grated Queso Chihuahua (Monterey Jack or medium
sharp cheddar cheese can be substituted)

three eggs, separated

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup Panko (Japanese bread crumbs)

oil for frying

Steps:

1. Roast, and peel the chiles. Make a lengthwise in each one, being careful not to break it, and remove the seeds and membranes. Soak the chiles in water to cover with 1 tablespoon salt and vinegar for 20 minutes. rinse, drain and set aside.
2. In a blender, purée the tomatoes, onion and garlic, then strain. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a skillet, add the tomato purée and bring to a boil. Lower the heat, add 1 teaspoon salt, bay leaves and the pepper and cook, covered, for 10 minutes. If the sauce becomes too thick, thin with up to 3/4 cup of water. Set aside.
3. Fill each chile with up to 1/2 cup of the grated cheese and set aside.
4. Beat the egg whites until they form stiff peaks, then stir in the yolks one at a time. Spread the flour on the plate, turn each chile in the flour to coat lightly, and dip into the beaten egg, so that the chile is completely coated. Toss the chiles in the breadcrumbs, and reserve.
5. Heat your deepfryer to 350°, or heat oil into a thick bottomed saucepan to use in place of a deep fryer.
6.  When hot, add the chiles, one or two at a time, and fry until lightly browned. Drain on absorbent paper.
7. Before serving, heat the tomato sauce and arrange the chiles carefully so that each is almost covered with sauce. Cover and simmer five minutes.

Note*  To make Jalapeno Poppers: Exchange 2 dozen fresh jalapeno peppers for the chilies used in this recipe, reduce the shredded cheese to 1 1/2 cups and add 8 oz  cream cheese to the cheese mixture. Some even like to add 1/4 cup chopped, cooked bacon to the mixture and just follow the steps as written.

Authentic San Francisco Sourdough Bread

Sourdough Starter

Did you know the term “Hooch” came from the California Gold Rush days? Prospectors in need of adult beverage would sip the liquid that formed on the starter used to make their Sourdough Bread. This may sound gross, but it still tastes just like Red Stripe from a can!

Ingredients:

2 cups warm water

6 -8 cups bread flour (this depends on your proximity to sea
level and how thick your sourdough starter is)

1 cup sourdough starter (cold)

2 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons granulated sugar

1/2 cup cold water

1/2 teaspoon cornstarch

Steps:

1. In a large bowl,
   combine the water, sourdough starter and 4 cups of flour.
2. Mix
   well and cover with plastic wrap in a warm place 8-12 hours (I do it over
   night).
3. The
   next day stir in the salt and sugar and add flour 1/2 to 1 cup at a time
   to make a very stiff dough .
4. Knead
   till smooth.
5. Cover
   and let rise 2 to 2-1/2 hours.
6. Punch
   down and divide in half.
7. Knead
   till smooth and form into rounds. Place on a greased, or cornmeal dusted
   baking sheet. Cover lightly and let rise till double and puffy (1 to 1-2
   hrs).
8. While
   this is rising mix the 1/2 cup water and 1/2 tsp cornstarch in a small pot
   and heat until boiling, remove from heat and let cool.
9. Heat
   oven to 400°F.
10. Carefully
    place a small pan of hot water on the bottom rack of the oven.
11. Cut
    two slashes across each other on top of each loaf.
12. Bake
    for 10 minutes.
13. Pull
    out the rack and baste each loaf well with the cornstarch mixture.
14. Close
    the oven and allow to bake another 20-25 minutes. Loaves should be a light
    golden color and sound hollow when tapped on the bottom.

Bronzed Salmon

Bronzed Salmon

Ingredients:

4 Salmon fillets (4 to 6 oz. each), fresh

1 Tablespoon Coconut, Olive, or Canola Oil

1 Tablespoon Kodiak Island Salmon Seasoning

1/4 Cup White Wine, Please use a good quality Chardonnay

2 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter, or Cocoa Butter(Food Grade Only)

chopped parsley, and fried leeks as garnish

Steps:

1. Rinse Salmon under cold water; pat dry with paper
   towel.
2. Heat a heavy nonstick skillet over medium-high
   heat. Brush both sides of salmon with oil, and season generously with Kodiak
   Island Seasoning.
3. Place Salmon filets in heated skillet and cook,
   uncovered, about 3 to 4 minutes, until golden brown. Shake pan occasionally to
   keep fish from sticking.
4. Turn Salmon over and cook, uncovered, 3-4 minutes
   or until golden brown. Cover pan tightly and reduce heat to medium. Cook for 1-2
   minutes; add the wine to pan.
5. Continue to cook, uncovered, an additional 1 to 2
   minutes, or just until fish is opaque throughout if you like your fish well
   done.
6. Remove from heat, add butter to your sauce, and
   swirl pan to incorporate .
7. Drizzle sauce over Salmon when serving.

Rosemary Roasted Potatoes

yield: 6 Servings

Ingredients:

1 1/4 pounds red bliss potatoes

1 fluid ounce olive oil

1 teaspoon garlic, minced

1 tablespoon rosemary leaves, minced

1 teaspoon sea salt, to taste

1/2 teaspoon white pepper, to taste

 

Steps:

1. Using a potato brush, scrub the potatoes and dry them
thoroughly. Cut the potatoes into quarters.

2. Simmer the potatoes and hot water until just soft. Drain and
reserve.

3. Combine oil, garlic, rosemary, salt and pepper in a bowl. Toss
the potatoes in this mixture until they are evenly coated.

4. Bake the potatoes in a 375° oven until they are tender, and can
easily be pierced with a fork. Serve while hot.

Macaroni and Cheese Gratin

It’s ok to be proud of serving Macaroni & Cheese with dinner
again!!! Try this version with those Ribeye Steaks, or Grilled Chicken fresh
from the grill.

Ingredients:

3 quarts whole milk

4 garlic cloves, lightly crushed

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

3/4 cup heavy cream

3/4 pound dried macaroni pasta

1/2 cup grated Gruyere cheese

1/2 cup extra sharp cheddar cheese

2 tablespoons chives, minced

1 pound ice cubes (two trays)

fine sea salt, as needed

freshly ground white pepper, to taste

grated nutmeg, to taste

Steps:

1. In a large saucepan, heat the milk and garlic over high heat until
   small bubbles appear around the edges. Remove from heat, cover, and let steep
   for 10 minutes. Remove and discard the garlic.
2. Measure out 1 cup milk and reserve; set aside the remaining milk
   until you’re ready to cook the pot.
3. In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in
   the flour and cook, stirring constantly without browning, for one minute.
   Remove from the heat and gradually whisk in the reserve 1 cup milk, stirring
   constantly, until the sauce is completely smooth.
4. Season sauce with a large pinch of salt and generous amounts of
   white pepper and nutmeg. Return the pan to low heat and cook the sauce,
   whisking constantly, until thick, about five minutes.
5. Remove from the heat, let cool slightly, and stir in the heavy
   cream. Season with salt.
6. Preheat the oven to 450°. Butter a 9 x 13″ baking or gratin
   dish.
7. Add 1/4 cup salt to the remaining milk and bring to a simmer. Add
   the pasta and cook, stirring, over medium-high heat, so the milk is just
   simmering for about 10 minutes, or until the pasta is cooked al dente (slightly
   firm).
8. Remove from the heat and add ice cubes to stop the cooking. When
   all the ice cubes melted, draining apostate colander and transfer to a large
   bowl.
9. Add the sauce to the pasta and toss until it is coated evenly.
   Transfer the pasta mixture to the baking dish. Sprinkle the cheese over the top
   and bake for about 10 minutes, or until bubbling around the edges.

10. Turn on the
boiler and broil, rotating the dish, until the cheese is golden brown, 2 to 3
minutes.

11. Let the pasta
stand for five minutes, and season generously with white pepper, and garnish
with the chives. Serve hot.

Shrimp and Grits

This wonderful dish is served in the households of many Southerners, and comes from the shrimp fishing communities that stretch from Brownsville, Texas up through the Carolinas. As always we recommend you use wild caught American shrimp in making this recipe.

Serves: 4

 

Ingredients:

1 cup stone ground grits

1/4 cup unsalted butter

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, extra sharp

1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined,16/20 Size works the best

4 ounces apple wood smoked bacon, chopped

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

1 cup scallions, chopped

one clove garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon Delacroix Island Creole Seasoning

sea salt and freshly milled black pepper to taste

Steps:

1. In a medium saucepan, bring 4 cups of water to a boil. Add the grits and salt and pepper to taste. Stir well with a whisk. Reduce the heat to lowest possible setting and cook the grits until all the water is absorbed, about 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the butter and cheese. Keep covered until ready to serve.

 

1. Rinse the shrimp and pat dry. Fry the bacon in a large skillet until browned and crisp, and train on a paper towel. Add the shrimp to the bacon grease in the skillet and sauté over medium heat until they just turn pink, about three minutes. Do not overcook! Immediately  add the Delacroix Island Creole Seasoning, lemon juice, parsley, green onions, and garlic. Stir, and remove from heat.

 

1. Pour the grits into small serving bowls. Pour the shrimp mixture over the grits. Garnish with chopped bacon, and shredded cheese. Serve immediately.

Pumpkin Seed Candy- Jamoncillo de pepita

Jamoncillo is used to describe many different candies in Mexico, but most have a firm consistency on the outside with a soft center. This candy is often used, much like marzipan, to form figurines. Here’s how to make it!

Ingredients:

1 pound unsalted pumpkin seeds, shelled

3 1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 cup water

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground cinnamon

food coloring, optional

sifted confectioners’ sugar, for dusting

Steps:

1. grind the pumpkin seeds in a food processor, adding water if necessary, until a fine paste is formed( Do not exceed 1/2 cup of water).
2. Combine the sugar and water in a heavy bottomed saucepan and cook over medium heat until it reaches the thread stage (approximately 225°F).
3. Add the pumpkin seed paste and continue to cook over medium heat, stirring continuously with a wooden spoon or heatproof spatula, until thickened. Remove from the heat and stir in the cinnamon.
4. Line your 8 X 8 inch baking pan with parchment paper. Divide the mixture into three batches and tint one with enough food coloring to make it a dark pink, green, red or other fun color. Lightly dust flat surface with a little confectioners’ sugar and roll out the two uncolored batches, until they are about 1 inch thick.
5. Roll out the tinted batched the same way. ROLL OUT THE COLORED BATCH LAST SO YOU DON”T TRANSFER THE PIGMENT TO THE OTHER SHEETS.
6. Place the tinted sheet between the white sheets so they stick together( you can brush the sheets lightly with water if they do not stick on their own).
7. Put the candy sheets on the prepared baking pan and allow to dry for a few hours, until the surface is no longer feel sticky. Unmold the candy, remove the parchment paper, then slice it as desired and enjoy.