Sliced Baked Potatoes

4 Medium Baking sized potatoes washed
1 Tea. Kosher Salt
3 Tab. melted Butter
3 Tab. freshly chopped Herbs (Thyme, chives or sage at this time of year I'd chose the sage)
1 Tab. Dried Thyme
2 Tab. Dried Sage (if your fresh herb is sage otherwise use the same as the fresh herb)
4 Tab. grated Cheddar cheese
1 and 1/2 Tab. Parmesan cheese

Cut into the potato making very thin slices but not cutting all the way though the potato
Place the potatoes into a baking dish fanning the slices slightly
Sprinkle with the salt and drizzle with the melted butter.
Then sprinkle all the herbs over the potatoes
Bake at 425 degrees F for about 50 minutes
Remove from the oven and sprinkle the cheese over the top
Bake for another 10 to 15 minutes until they are lightly browned and the cheese id completely melted. The potatoes should be soft inside which you can check to see if they are done by using a fork.

Mashed Potatoes and Carrots

This is a rustic dish and you will find it is lumpy. They are supposed to be that way. However if your family likes them super smooth and creamy then just whip them more and they will turn a pretty orange color. This recipe serves eight.

This makes a nice presentation ad combines two Thanksgiving favorites.

3 lbs. of boiling potatoes roughly 8
1/2 lb. Carrots roughly 4
6 Tab. Butter
Kosher Salt and Freshly Cracked Black Pepper to taste
6 Tab. Milk

Peel the potatoes and carrots cutting them into about one inch sized chuncks.
Place them into salted water bringing it to a boil.
Cook until they are fork tender about 25 minutes
Drain then return the potatoes and carrots to the warm pot.
Add the butter, salt and pepper
Mash the potatoes and carrots with a potato masher leaving them fairly chunky
Beat in the milk with a wooden spoon
check the seasoning and add salt and pepper to taste if needed

Enjoy!

Thanksgiving Yams with a Twist

1 ea.can 31 oz candied Yams (Drain yams reserving the liquid)
3/4 cup chopped pecans
1 ea. can 11 oz Mandarin Oranges drained
1/4 cup of Butter

Arrange the yams,pecans and orange slices in a casserole or baking dish
Dot randomly with pieces of butter
Pour the reserved liquid over the top of everything
Bake uncovered for thirty minutes at 350 degrees F

Serve hot and bubbling
Enjoy!

Classic Green Bean Bake

This is another simple non time consuming recipe and it can easily be doubled of tripled depending on the size of the group you are hosting.

1 10 & 1/2 oz can of Cream of Mushroom soup
1/2 cup of Milk
1 Tea. Soy Sauce
Pepper to taste
2 pkg. 9 oz frozen fancy cut green beans cooked and drained per package directions
1 2.8 oz can french fried onions

In a 1 and 1/2 quart casserole dish soup milk,soy sauce and pepper.
Add the green beans ad half of the can of french fried onions
Bake at 350 degrees F. for 25 minutes or until hot and bubbling stirring half way through the heating
Top with the remaining french fried onions then microwave for one minute then serve.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Sweet and Sour Onions

I am not usually a fan of dishes cooked in the microwave but this one is really delicious and it is so fast and easy to put together and it will make a nice presentation on any holiday table.

1 16 oz pkg. frozen small while onions
1/3 cup golden raisins
1/3 cup water
1/4 cup tarragon wine vinegar
1 Tab. sugar
1/4 Tea. kosher Salt
1/4 Tea. freshly cracked black Pepper
2 Tab. Tomato Paste
2 Tea. Olive Oil
1 Bay Leaf

Place the onions in a 11/2 Quart casserole dish then cover with wax paper
Microwave on high for eight minutes, stirring after four minutes then drain.
Return onions to the casserole dish and add all the remaining ingredients.
Cover again with wax paper then microwave on high for 3 to 4 minutes or until boiling.
Stir well, discard the bay leaf.
This will serve about five people.

Enjoy!

Peach-Cranberry Yam Bake

We are headed into Thanksgiving Holiday so I thought I would give you a few holiday dishes this month that you might enjoy trying. This particular dish is very quick and simple to make.

2 18oz. cans of Candied Yams (not the plain type)
Reserve 2 Tab. of the syrup from the can and set it aside
2 16 oz cans Peaches drained
1 16 oz can Whole Berry Cranberry Sauce
2/3 cup of Pecans coarsely chopped
2 Rosemary sprigs for decoration

In a large bowl combine Yams and the Peaches mixing well.
In a smaller bowl combine the reserved liquid with the whole cranberry sauce.
Pour the yams and peaches into a buttered 9 X 13 inch baking dish
Drizzle the cranberry sauce mixture over the yams and peaches.
Sprinkle the nuts over the top of all the ingredients
Bake uncovered for 25 to 30 minutes at 350 degrees F.
Garnish with the 2 Rosemary sprigs and serve.

Enjoy!

Potato Casserole

This is a simple and easy side dish that can be used to make any meal more fulfilling all year round. You will need a 2 and 1/2 quart baking dish preferable glass.

1 bag of Frozen Hash Brown Potatoes thaw for 10 minutes submerse in boiling water for four minutes then drain. Lay the hash browns onto a paper towel covered baking sheet letting them dry completely.
8 slices of beacon, fried crispy and crumbled
1/4 Cup of Butter
1 Can of Cream of Chicken Soup
1 Pint of Sour Cream
1/3 Cup of Spring Onions finely chopped (chop the entire onion)
2 Cups shredded Cheddar Cheese
2 Tab. Butter melted
2 Cups Corn Flakes
2 Tab. Freshly chopped Italian Parsley, finely chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter your baking dish bottom and the sides
In a large saucepan heat the 1/4 cup of butter and the chicken soup until it's heated through. Take it off the heat and blend in the sour cream,onions,cheese and the beacon crumbles.
Add the potatoes and mix well
Spoon into the buttered casserole dish.
Mix the corn flakes with the melted butter
Sprinkle the corn flake mixture over the top of the casserole.
Bake for forty-five minutes
Sprinkle the parsley over the top and severe.

Enjoy!

Parmesan Potato Croquette

Parmesan Potato Croquette's

This can be served as a side dish using left over mashed potatoes from the night before or as a main course served with salad or a soup or whatever you like.

You will need:
4 Cups of Garlic mashed potato's (6 to 8 potato's and 2 large cloves of garlic should yield a minimum of 4 cups of mashed potato's.
2 Egg yokes in a bowl
2 Tab. Flour
3 Tab. Milk
Kosher Salt to taste
1/2 Tea. Black Pepper
1/2 Cup Parmesan cheese shredded (not the stuff in the green can, real cheese)
1/4 cup chives finely chopped

You will also need:
Parchment paper, 2 baking sheets, an ice cream scoop and a frying pan
1 egg plus the 2 remaining egg whites in a bowel mined well
1 Box Panko bread crumbs (Japanese bread crumbs make for a crunchier bite)
Vegetable Oil 1 to 1 & 1/2 Cups

Mix the mashed potatoes, milk, salt, pepper, egg yokes, flour, Parmesan and the chives together. Mix well so the ingredients are well combined.
Line the baking sheets with the parchment paper
Using the ice cream scoop make scoop size balls line them up on the baking sheet. Then press down slightly to flatten them like a little cake.
Place the baking sheet in the fridge for twenty minutes to let the croquettes chill and firm up.

Whip the egg whites and egg together
Pour the Panko bread crumbs into a shallow bowl
Remove the baking sheet from the fridge
Dip the croquette into the egg wash then place it into the bread crumbs and dust it all over with the bread crumbs

Place the frying pan onto the stove top using a high heat. Add the vegetable oil. You want a 1/4 inch of oil. Let the oil get hot. Cook the croquettes in small batches about four at a time. Rest them on a paper towel to drain the excess oil then place them on a second baking sheet also lined with parchment paper. Heat the oven to 200 degrees enough to keep them warm before serving.

These are simple yet delicious and can even be made smaller as an appetizer served with a dipping sauce.
Enjoy!


Place the croquette into the hot oil until one side is golden brown then turn it over. Place the cooked croquette onto the paper towel then onto the clean parchment and repeat with each batch.

End of Summer Roasted Corn Salad

This is a great way to say good-bye to summer and hello to the fall season.

1 Ear of corn per person shucked, salt & peppered, laid on a hot grill turning as the corn begins to roast. Once roasted let the corn cool. Then remove from the cob using a sharp knife into a large mixing bowl.

1/3 Cup finely chopped Red Onion
1/3 Cup Mayonnaise
2 Tab. Fresh Lime Juice
2 Tab. Freshly chopped Basil
1 Medium sized Tomato chopped

Combine all the ingredients in the bowl with the roasted corn then mix well
Season with Kosher Salt and Freshly Cracked Pepper to taste.
Chill for minimum of one hour then serve.
Enjoy!

Corn Cassrole

You will need a well buttered 9X13" baking dish. This is so simple and easy to make it was a hit from the very first time I made it!Heat oven to 350 degrees.

1 15.5 Can of Corn (drained)
1 14 3/4 Oz. Can of creamed Corn
1 8oz. Box of Jiffy Cornbread Mix
1 Cup of Sour Cream
1/2 Cup of Melted Butter
1 1/2 Cups of shredded Cheddar Cheese

Stir ingredients together mix well except for the cheddar cheese. Pour into buttered baking dish. Bake for forty-five minutes. If your oven runs hot start checking it at thirty-five minutes. Remove from oven top with the cheddar cheese. Return to the oven for 5 to 7 minutes.

One variation I tried recently was to add a half a can of diced green chillies to the mix. it was great added a nice little kick my guests really enjoyed.
Bon Appetite!

Stuffed & Grilled Red Peppers

This can be served as an appetizer or as a side dish. Sometimes this and a glass of wine equal dinner for me. It will serve six.

1/2 lb. of good Italian Bread unsliced
1/4 Cup Olive Oil
3 Medium Red Peppers
1 Cup fresh mozzarella cut into 1/2" cubes (Not the shredded stuff)
1/4 to 1/2 Cup Fresh Basil
1 Cup Chopped Italian Parsley
1/2 Cup Toasted Pine Nuts
To roast the nuts place them in a hot dry skillet stirring constantly so not to let them burn. It only takes about two minutes to release the natural oils from the nuts. Then let them cool)
1 to 2 Clove of Garlic minced
Kosher Salt and Freshly cracked Black Pepper to taste

Preheat Grill looking for a medium heat.

Thinly slice the bread. Removing the crusts. Then cut into enough 1/2 inch cubes equaling 2 Cups.

Warm 2 Tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet. Add the garlic and the croutons. Season with salt and pepper. Saute until the bread is golden brown. Drain on paper towels.

Cut the tops off the peppers about one inch from the top, reserve the tops. Scoop out the seeds and the membranes and discard.

In a bowl combine croutons, mozzarella, basil, parsley, pine nuts and the remaining olive oil. Mix well adding salt and pepper to taste.

Stuff the peppers with the mixture. Replace the tops and secure with toothpicks.

Place the peppers onto the grill. Grill them until peppers are soft but still retain their shape about 12 to 15 minutes

To serve remove the toothpicks and the tops. Slice the peppers in half lengthwise then plate.

Enjoy!

Grilled Corn Salad

This is simple and really tasty. It makes a nice presentation on any table. Perfect for that end of summer party. This recipe is based on four people add one ear of corn per person and increase the remaining ingredients as needed.

4 Ears of corn shucked and soaked in water for at least one hour. Then grill on barbecue until the corn begin to have the perfect grill marks.This can be down ahead of time.

Let the corn cool enough that you can hold it. Using a large bowl stand corn in the center. Slide a sharp knife down the ear of corn removing all the corn from the cob. Then cool the corn completely.
Once it has cooled
1 Medium Tomato chopped
1/3 Cup mayonnaise
1/3 Cup finely chopped Red Onion
2 Tab. Fresh Lime juice
2 Tab. Fresh finely chopped Basil
Salt and Pepper to taste
Season to taste with Kosher Salt and freshly cracked black Pepper
Combine everything in a bowl. Chill for thirty minutes then serve.

Enjoy!

French Fries

You will need:
Frying Pan
Large Pot for boiling
Large Bowl
Ice
Slotted Spoon
Towel and Paper Towels
Potato's (Figure one large potato per person)(Peeled or skin on your choice)
1/2 Cup Sugar
Vegetable Oil
Kosher Salt

Fill Frying pan with oil about 1/2 inch
Slice your potatoes into thin slices until they look like french fries
Soak sliced potato's in cold water until you are ready to fry them
Place the fries into the large pot
Add the sugar and fill with water until the potatoes are covered
Mix well let them soak for one hour
Then place pot on stove and bring to a boil
Dump the hot water
Place potatoes into the large bowl fill with ice and water to stop the cooking process add additional ice if necessary to get they cool quickly
Once they are completely cool
Remove from ice bath onto a dry towel Pat the french fries dry
Heat the oil (Place your hand over the top of pan when you can feel the heat place one french fry into oil as a test fry. Time how long it takes for the fry to turn golden brown.
Fry the potatoes in batches as not to over crowd the pan.
Remove with a slotted spoon or spider web onto paper towels
Sprinkle with Kosher salt to taste
You will find they are soft on the inside and nice and crunchy on the outside. The golden arches will have nothing on you. Enjoy!

Roasted Vegetables

If your looking for a delicious easy side dish then this is it. You can virtually utilize any fresh vegetable that you want depending on the season. Combination's of squashes and or potatoes are great. Look for colors that go well together for a appealing presentation. My suggestion is buy whatever is in season now it will taste even better. Try to cut everything into one uniform size so it all cooks about the same. This dish is great because you can make this the day before then refrigerate and re-heat the next day. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

1 Large Sweet Onion cut into 1/2 inch chunks
6 Red Potato's skin on cut into 1/2 inch chunks
3 Carrots cut into 1/2 inch chunks
2 Zucchini leave the skin on cut into 1/2 inch chunks
1 Yellow bell Pepper seeded and cut into 1/2 inch chunks
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Tab.Kosher Salt to taste
1 Tab. Freshly cracked Pepper to taste
1 Tab Herbs de Provence (with lavender) to taste

Place everything into a large mixing bowl
Mix well coat with Extra virgin olive oil
Sprinkle with salt, pepper and herbs
Mix together using your hands works best.
Make certain everything is well coated with spices and olive oil add more if necessary.
Lay the veggies in a single layer on a baking sheet drizzled with olive oil so they don't stick.
Bake for forty-five minutes or until the veggies are a nice golden brown color.
Bon Appetite!

Eggplant Parmesan

Use a 2" deep baking dish (roughly 9"X11")
You will need:
3 Large Eggplants
Approximately 2 Cups of spaghetti sauce with meat (homemade is the best)
1/2 Cup Parmesan Cheese (I do not mean that stuff that comes in the green can either, use real cheese that you must grate!)
1 bag of shredded Mozzarella Cheese (whole milk only)
Olive Oil (you won't need extra virgin this, the oil is for frying the eggplant do not use vegetable oil)
Salt and Pepper to Taste
3 Oz. Lemon Juice fresh or bottled
A large plate with layers of paper towels for draining the oil from the fried eggplant.

Pour about two cups of Olive Oil into a large non-stick frying pan
Add s touch of salt and pepper
Cut off the ends of the eggplants then Peel the eggplants with a peeler removing all the skin.
Sprinkle lemon juice over the eggplant to stop the oxidisation.
Slice into thin slices as thin as you can.
Give the slices a little salt and pepper
Turn on the heat letting the oil become hot
Begin peeling the next eggplant
Once the oil is hot place only as many slices in the pot as will fit
Fry them on both sides until they become browned
Remove from the oil lay the slices in a single row on the paper towel to drain. Then cover with another layer of paper towel adding layer after layer as you fry more and more eggplant.
Once you have peeled, salt & peppered and fried each slice of eggplant and the slices have cooled you can move on to assembling the dish.

Cover the bottom and the sides of the baking dish with your sauce. Paint it on in a thin layer.
Then lay the eggplant slices into the dish covering the bottom while edging up the sides a bit.
Salt and Pepper each layer to taste
Dust with a generous layer of Parmesan Cheese
Drop dollops of the meat sauce onto some of the slices of Parmesan. (Remember we are not trying to make too much liquid so about six tablespoon size dollops per lawyer)
Cover with a generous layer of Mozzarella Cheese
Repeat making three layers. If your baking dish is larger you may only get two layers which is fine.
With the final layer in place put the dish into a pre-heated oven at 350 degrees F and bake for about thirty minutes. The cheese should be completely melted and the ingredients bubbling.
You can also heat and serve extra sauce on the side.
This can be served as a main course or as a side dish.

Glazed Carrots

Carrots are underrated side dish these days. This is an old recipe but a good one.

Peel and cut carrots on the diagonal
Boil until tender or the texture you prefer
Drain carrots reserving 1/4 cup of the liquid

1/4 Stick Butter
1 Cup of Brown Sugar
1/2 Cup Raisins (Any type will do nicely)

Melt butter in saucepan
Add the Brown Sugar until it is completely melted
Add the reserved Liquid to thin the mixture as needed
Add the Raisins coat well
Add the carrots coat them well
Transfer to a serving dish

It's always a hit with the kids and anyone not fond of their veggies

Champagne Grilled Leeks

6 medium sized Leeks
2 Tab. Olive Oil
1 Cup Fresh Thyme roughly chopped
2 Cups of Champagne
1 Cup Chicken Stock
1 Cup Crumbled Feta Cheese
Salt & Pepper to taste

Trim the tops and bottoms of the Leeks, leaving 2 to 3 inches of green above the white part of the Leek. Then cut lengthwise into four long slices (you can leave them whole and slice them this way after they are grilled also)
Rinse the leeks thoroughly (leeks can be really sandy)

In a large saute pan heat the olive oil over medium heat. When the oil is hot add the Thyme and stir for one minute.
Add the Leeks and saute for three minutes until lightly golden on all sides.
Add the champagne and the chicken stock and simmer the leeks until tender roughly eight minutes.
Remove the leeks from pan and set them aside.

Continue to simmer the sauce remaining in the pan until it is reduced by one half. Meanwhile grill the leeks over medium hot charcoal fire for eight to ten minutes, turning several times.
Remove the leeks from the grill
Arrange them on a high sided platter
Cover with the remaining sauce and sprinkle with the Feta cheese.
Sprinkle Salt and pepper and serve immediately.

Enjoy!

Easy Run Food

My buddy Tom, made this one year camped down the road from The Love Ride, in California. It's simple, easy and delicious; it can be cooked right in the campfire or down in with the charcoal briquettes.

Tom's Delicious Baked Onions

Sweet Onions cut off both ends and peel the skin off
Sprinkle Kosher Salt& Cracked Pepper to taste
Drizzle with olive oil 1/2 teaspoon each
1 Table spoon of Butter

Wrap in no less than three layers of foil. Place in the fire for 20 to 25 minutes
Open the top and sprinkle Blue Cheese Crumbles all over.

Damn it's making my mouth water. We sometimes serve this as a side dish or as an appetizer. They are really great, give it a try.