Stovetop Hot Chocolate

Start by making a chocolate syrup, made from a cup and a half of white sugar, a cup and a half of water, a cup of cocoa powder, a dash of salt, and dash of vanilla.  Let all ingredients come to a simmer and then turn it down on low.  Once the chocolate syrup is done, add as much milk as you want for the chocolate flavor you want, strong or light.  Heat the chocolate milk until hot enough to drink.

Peach Pork and Mashed Red Potatoes

My favorite cut of pork is the tenderloin and it goes great with a fruit sauce.  First I start by heating a skillet on medium high, once it's hot, I place the pork tenderloin on the hot skillet and sear it on all four sides, about a minute per side, you know it's seared when it releases easily from the pan.  Once all four sides are seared, place the pork in an oven safe casserole dish and put it in the oven at 350 deg.  I like to cook my pork to 155 deg, I use a thermometer on the inside of the pork.  I take it out at 155 deg internal temperature and let it rest and the temperature will rise to 160 deg, once it's at 160 deg, I slice and serve the pork.  While the pork is in the oven, I make the sauce in the skillet that I seared the pork in.  Once I remove the pork, I add a whole diced onion and cook it until it's translucent.  Once the onion is cooked, I add a whole clove of diced garlic.  Then I add some kind of beer or wine.  This one I used a peach Belgium beer to deglaze the pan, about a cup full.  Once the pan has been deglazed, I add a pint of water and one chicken bouillon cube, but you could also use 16 ounces of chicken stock.  I just let the sauce simmer and reduce while the pork is cooking.  Once the consistency is good, I reduce the heat to low and just keep adding the beer or wine or water to keep it the right consistency until the pork is ready.  I like to drink the wine or beer I cooked the pork with.

For an easy side dish, I peeled and rough chopped 2 pounds of red potatoes, added them to cold water, brought the pot to a boil and cooked them until done.  I drained them and then mashed them and added some milk, butter, salt, pepper, and garlic, just enough for the right flavor and consistency.

Chex Mix

For Chex Mix, I used half a small box of wheat chex cereal, half a big box of rice chex cereal, 1 cup of mustard flavored pretzels, 1 cup of crushed bagel chips, and 1 cup of mixed nuts.  I put all the ingredients in a large microwavable casserole dish.  In a small microwavable bowl, I added one stick of butter, 2 tablespoons of Worcestershire, 1 teaspoon of garlic powder, and 1 teaspoon of Lawry's salt.  I put the small bowl in the microwave for about a minute until the butter was melted, then I poured the melted butter mixture over the large casserole dish with the chex cereal mixture.  I put the large casserole dish with all ingredients in the microwave for 5 minutes, stirring every minute.  Once it was done in the microwave, I spread the mixture out on a cookie sheet to cool, then put in an airtight container.

Irish Coffee from Buena Vista in San Francisco

On a recent trip to San Francisco, I saw this Irish Coffee being made, and it's amazing.  It consists of one shot of Whiskey, two sugar cubes, fill with coffee, and stir.  Then top with fresh whip cream.

Stuffed Bell Peppers

First I cut the tops off the bell peppers, I like to use red since they are sweeter than the green bell peppers.  Put the open bell peppers into boiling water so they are completely covered.  I leave them in the boiling water while I make the filling.  I usually use the 90 minute ready rice and there are lots of different kinds.  I saute one onion with the top part of the bell pepper that I cut off in some olive oil until done.  Then I add a pound of ground beef and cook until done.  Then I add a jar of tomato sauce and let cook until hot.  Then I add some diced Roma tomatoes and the cooked rice.  Then dry the bell peppers and fill with the mixture.  Put them in a cake pan with high edges so they don't fall over and place in the oven at 350 for about 10 minutes.  Top with Parmesan for the last minute in the oven.

Pulled Pork

I bought a 4 pound pork shoulder to make pulled pork sandwiches.  I made a rub for the pork with thyme, cayenne pepper, salt, pepper, and garlic powder.  I put the pork shoulder in my crock pot on low and poured in it a cup of Dr Pepper.  I let this cook on low for 8 hours.  Once it was done, I pulled off the bone and the fat layer on top and put the meat in a bowl and it was very easy to shred with a fork.

Caramel Sauce

Easy recipe for caramel.  Buy a can of sweetened condensed milk, put it in a slow cooker (unopened), fill slow cooker with water until the can is covered, turn slow cooker on low, and let the can cook for 8 hours.  After the 8 hours, carefully remove the can (it's hot) and place in the fridge.  I let mine cool overnight, and in the morning it was caramel sauce.

Cranberry Sauce

Homemade Cranberry sauce for Thanksgiving, much better than that canned stuff and so easy.  This recipe is 1/2 cup of brown sugar, 1/2 cup of white sugar, 1 cup of orange juice, 1 12 ounce bag of cranberries, and one apple diced.  Add all ingredients to a pot and let boil and reduce.  The cranberries will start to pop loudly and the mixture will resemble a thick sauce.  Once it cools it will thicken even more.  I left mine on the stove top for about 30 minutes and it was the perfect consistency.

Banana Sour Cream Bread

This was a popular Internet recipe that I wanted to try.  Made with 3/4 cups of butter, 3 cups of sugar, 3 eggs, 16 ounces of sour cream, 2 tsp vanilla, 2 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp salt, 3 tsp baking soda, and 4 1/2 cups of flour.  I mixed all the ingredients in my mixer until blended and put them in 4 7x3 inch baking pans that I lined the bottom and sides with 4 equal divided parts of 1/4 cup of sugar, 1 tsp cinnamon, 6 bananas, and walnuts.  I poured the mixing bowl contents into the lined bowls and baked for about an hour at 300 degrees.

Sourdough Bread from Starter

This loaf of sourdough bread was made by a friend with a sourdough started from Germany that is 200 years old.  This is the best bread I have ever had.  I've tried many starters and never had them last more than a month.  She claims you can't kill this starter and she will bring me some over Christmas, we shall see if I can keep it alive and make the most amazing bread ever.

7 Layer Dip

So easy but so good.  One layer of bean dip, then guacamole, sour cream, salsa, shredded cheese, tomatoes, and olives.  I have also seen it done with ground beef and / or queso.

Potato Salad

This potato salad is awesome and not too difficult.  I washed 2 1/2 lbs of potatoes and cut them into bite size pieces.  I put them into water on the stove and cooked them until tender on medium heat.  While the potatoes were cooking, I put 4 eggs into a pot, covered them with water, and then put them on medium heat.  As soon as the eggs started to boil, I turned off the heat and let them sit for 10 minutes.  After 10 minutes, I poured out the water and added ice water, once they were cool, I peeled and chopped them.  While the potatoes and the eggs were cooking, I put half a pound of bacon on a baking sheet and baked them in the oven at 350 degrees until they were really crispy, then I crumbled the pieces.  While the potatoes, eggs, and bacon were cooking, I chopped some celery and green onions very fine, which I added to 1 cup of mayo and 1/2 cup of mustard.  When the potatoes, bacon, and eggs were done cooking, I let them cool in the fridge for an hour.  Then I mixed everything together and put the potato salad into the fridge.

Apple Pie

This is a great and easy apple pie recipe.  I used store bought pie crusts (you need 2, one for the bottom, one for the lattice top), 1 stick of butter, 3 Tablespoons of flour, 1 Cup of sugar (half white sugar, half brown sugar), and 6 granny smith apples.  Lay one of the pie crusts in a glass pie plate and cut the other pie crust into lattice strips.  Peel, core, and cut the apples and layer them in the pie crust.  Cook the butter and flour on the stove top until it forms a paste, then add all the other ingredients until just boiling, then simmer for 20 min.  Once the filling is ready, pour the filling onto the apples and cover with the lattice strips.  Bake in the oven at 350 for 45 min, cover the top with aluminum foil to keep it from burning.

Stuffed Flouder

Amazing stuffed flounder from fresh fish caught that day.  First cut the head off and gut the flounder, then descale the fish, and lastly, cut the flounder open down the middle (head to tail) of one side to make two flaps.  Cook some stove top stuff halfway until done and add the stuffing to the open flounder, we also added some shrimp.  Cut some lemon slices and place on top and close the flaps on the flounder.  Then bake the flounder until the fish inside is cooked.

Baked Tilapia and Butternut Squash Pasta

I had Tilapia fillets that I dredged in Bread Crumbs and baked in the oven for 20 minutes.  For the butternut squash pasta, I diced butternut squash and boiled in chicken stock that just covered the squash, once the squash was tender, I pureed the squash and then put the puree back in the pot and added seasoning.  The I cooked the pasta and added the pureed butternut squash on top of the cooked pasta.

Pizza Roll

I made a large pizza roll using store bought dough that comes in sheets.  I rolled out the dough onto a cookie sheet and stuffed it full of mozzarella cheese, prosciutto, and mushrooms, but you could stuff it with anything you wanted, fresh spinach also works really well.  Once all the ingredients were added, I rolled the dough into a log shape and closed up the ends.  I brushed the log with olive oil and sprinkled some salt on top.  I baked it in the oven until the outside was golden brown, about 30 minutes.  The outside was crunchy and the inside was gooey.  I used a store bought marinara sauce for dipping, if you put marinara sauce inside the roll, the roll gets really messy.  Once out of the oven, I slice the roll.

Paella

I didn't make this paella the traditional way since I left out peas, bell peppers, and chorizo, but I made it with all the things I love.  I started with the rice, I used Jasmine, which I love, and added saffron to the boiling water.  Then I sauteed an onion in olive oil, once it was done, I added tomatoes and cooked them for a couple minutes.  Then I added the rice and a little bit of chicken stock.  I then added the raw shrimp on top of the rice and put the lid on the pot and let them steam.  It was great.  Traditionally, you add the bell peppers with the onion, and add the chorizo before the shrimp, and add the peas last right before it's done.  You can also add mussels or squid with the shrimp.

Bruschetta

This is such an easy recipe and so so good.  I toasted sliced sourdough bread at 350 degrees while I mixed together the topping.  The topping was diced Roma tomatoes that were seeded, a tablespoon of balsamic, a teaspoon of olive oil, some grated Parmesan, and fresh basil.  I topped the toasted bread with the topping and then put it back in the oven to get warm or you could eat it without warming it.

Breakfast Taco

Breakfast Tacos are great for large or small groups because you cook all the ingredients and everyone can pick out what they want, and they can also be easily vegetarian too.  Some of my favorite ingredients are sausage, bacon, eggs or egg whites, potatoes (amazing in breakfast tacos, my favorite), tomatoes, salsa (for dipping or topping), and cheese (shredded or sliced).  This one was made with egg whites left over from my amazing tiramisu and I added cheese and salsa, it's so easy.  The other one was made with avocado, bacon, cheese, and eggs.  I love making them with flour tortillas, the corn tortillas seem to fall apart on me, even when I use two.

Stuffed Zucchini

Amazing vegetarian main dish or side dish.  In a saute pan, I added some olive oil and butter until hot, then added a finely chopped onion and let it saute until clear, then I added small chopped button mushrooms and let them saute until the juice came out, then I added some seeded, small chopped Roma tomatoes.  I let this mixture saute until tender.  While the mixture was sauteing, I halved and seeded 4 zucchinis.  I baked them while the mixture was sauteing until they were almost tender.  I added the mixture to the top of the zucchinis and topped with some Parmesan cheese and put them back in the oven for about 20 min at 350 deg.  These were amazing.  This could be stuffed with anything.

Three Layer Tiramisu

Using my same Tiramisu recipe, I made three layers, instead of the usual two, but since it didn't fit in the pan very well, I may not do it this way again or get a bigger pan.  I started with the layer of soaked lady fingers (soaked in equal parts coffee and rum), then a layer of the custard (eggs, sugar, and milk) and marscapone that I whipped together, and then a layer of whip cream (cream whipped with vanilla and powdered sugar) and cocoa powder.  My favorite dessert!

Apple Sherry Pork, Marinara Spaghetti Squash, and Balsamic Brushetta

I was trying out some new ways to make pork and spaghetti squash.  Normally I sear my pork, transfer it to the oven, and make a pan sauce with a peach beer in the searing pan and normally I bake the spaghetti squash, scrape it out of the skin, and saute it in olive oil to finish.  This time I seared the pork, transferred it to the oven, and made a pan sauce with sherry cooking wine and chopped up apples.  I seared two sides of the pork, removed the pork, and added about a cup of sherry, two cups of chicken stock, and 2 fine chopped apples.  I let this sauce thicken and reduce while the pork baked in the oven.  For the spaghetti squash, I baked it in the oven like normal, cut open, face down on parchment on a baking sheet until soft.  Once it was baked, about 30 min, I scraped out the inside and topped with a marinara sauce that I heated on the stove.  I also made a balsamic brushetta appetizer.  In a bowl, I mixed 4 seeded Roma tomatoes, a tablespoon of balsamic vinaigrette, a teaspoon of olive oil, about a half cup of Parmesan cheese, and a fresh package of basil chopped fine.  I topped some toasted, sliced pieces of french bread in the oven with the mixture to make the balsamic brushetta.

Pan Seared Chicken

Heat a skillet to hot.  Add oil, I used olive oil, and let it get hot.  Once the oil is hot, add the chicken breasts.  I halved my chicken breasts, longways, to make chicken strips.  I cooked the chicken strip on each side until it was golden brown.  This chicken can be added to any sauce and noodle or rice dish.  I will be cooking this chicken in a Tiki Masala sauce and putting it over rice.

Pork Tenderloin with sauce, Butternut Squash Risotto, and Roasted Butternut Squash

For the pork tenderloin, I heated a skillet and got it hot to sear the four sides of the pork tenderloin.  About a minute a side, then I put it in a baking dish and in the oven at 400 degF and let it cook for about 45 minutes.  With the skillet, I added half a large sweet yellow onion, chopped small, and sauteed until clear.  Once the onion was cooked I added chicken stock and left the skillet on medium to reduce into a sauce for the pork tenderloin.  For the butternut squash risotto, I sauteed half a large sweet yellow onion, chopped small, in some olive oil until clear, then added a cup of arborio rice to coat the outside of the rice in the oil.  Once coated, I added chicken stock and the small cubes of butternut squash and continued to cook like a risotto, slowly adding stock until tender and creamy.  For the roasted butternut squash, I cubed half a butternut squash into one inch by one inch pieces.  I coated the pieces in olive oil, melted butter, and melted brown sugar and tossed.  This went into the oven for about 20 minutes at 350 degF.

Salmon and Asparagus

My mom's favorite dinner.  I made two different salmon fillets, one with brown sugar and one with sauteed onions.  I laid both salmon fillets in a pan and brushed them with melted butter.  One salmon I covered with brown sugar and the other I covered with sauteed onions and garlic.  Then I baked the fillets for 20 minutes at 350 degrees.  I also made some steamed asparagus to go with the salmon and some sourdough garlic bread.

Tiramisu

My favorite dessert to eat and make!  The first step is to make the custard.  This is made with 6 egg yolks, 3/4 C of sugar, and 2/3 C of whole milk.  I cook this in a double boiler and once it is thick, I put this custard in the refrigerator to cool.  Once it is cool, I add one pound of mascarpone cheese to it.  Then you build the tiramisu just like a lasagna.  In a square pan, layer lady fingers covering the bottom of the pan that have been dipped in equal parts rum and coffee.  The next layer is the custard, spread smooth, and then add a layer of whip cream and sprinkle with cocoa powder.  Then repeat everything for one more layer.

Potato and Pear Soup

I had a bunch of potatoes that I needed to cook and I really felt like making a potato soup.  I cubed about 2 pounds of potatoes and then cubed 2 pears.  I added them to a stock pot and put enough chicken stock in to just cover the potatoes.  I let this cook until the potatoes were tender.  Then I added some cream and some thyme.  It was really amazing.