Grilled Lamb Chops...

Lamb is a staple for me and this is one of the best ways to prepare it.  A real crowd pleaser and wonderful for cookouts!      




Ingredients:
  • 2 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
  • 2 teaspoon olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
  • 2 garlic clove, minced
  • 4 (6 to 8 oz/) lamb loin chops, trimmed
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Combine rosemary, oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and garlic; rub mixture evenly over both sides of lamb.
Cover and marinate in refrigerator for at least 2 hours or overnight.

Sprinkle both sides of lamb with remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper.
Place lamb on a grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 3 minutes on each side.

Note:  I'd never ruin any meat by cooking it past med/rare (145 degrees). but cook to your desired degree of doneness.  Taste almost as good cooked with broiler, but can't beat the grill for flavor.

     From a hostess' standpoint, there's another reason I like this recipe: men can't resist "TAKING CHARGE" of the Grilling; I prep the chops and let the guys knock themselve out. 
I use this FACT all Season long!

Lemon Meringue Pie...

If it's Summer, it's time for a for a zesty addition to finish up the meal or to enjoy on the patio with Friends & Family.  For either, this pie will fit the bill. 



2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoons salt
3/4 cups cold butter, cut into pieces
3 tablespoons cold butter
1/4 cups vegetable shortening, cold

Make the crust:
  • Combine the flour, 2 tablespoons sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Cut 3/4 cup butter and the shortening into the flour mixture using a pastry blender, 2 knives, or your fingers, until a coarse meal forms.
  • Stir in 4 to 6 tablespoons of iced water until dough is just combined and holds together when pressed.
  • Transfer to a clean surface and gather the dough into a ball and flatten to a disc. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour or up to overnight. (Chilled dough may be frozen for up to 3 months.)
Good Morning!(?) Now, we're ready to make the pie.  Heat oven to 425 degrees.
  •  Roll out the dough to 1/8-inch thick and fit into a 9-inch pie plate. Trim away the excess dough, leaving a 1/2-inch overhang. Fold the edges under and crimp along the rim.
  • Prick the bottom of the dough several times with a fork, line with parchment paper, and fill with beans or pie weights.
  • Bake for 15 minutes. Remove the paper and weights and bake for 15 more minutes. Cool on wire rack.
For Filling:

1 1/4 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups
5 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 cups lemon juice

1 tablespoon(s) finely grated lemon zest
3 large eggs, separated

Whisk the cornstarch, 1 1/4 cups sugar, and 1 1/2 cups water together in a medium saucepan. Add the lemon juice, zest, and yolks and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture begins to bubble and thicken -- about 10 minutes. Remove from heat, whisk in the remaining 3 tablespoons butter, and strain into the prepared crust.

Make the meringue: (Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F.)
  •  Beat the egg whites to soft peaks.
  • Add 5 tablespoons sugar in a slow, steady stream and continue to beat until the whites have increased to about six times the volume and are glossy and firm. (The whites will make pointy peaks when pulled up with the beaters or whisk.)
  • Spread the meringue over the filling, to touch the crust edge.

Bake until the meringue is golden brown -- 10 to 15 minutes. Cool on wire rack.

Note: Always, always, always be sure meringue pies are completely cooled before refrigeration.  This will ensure the topping and filling won't separate from the crust.

Pineapple Meringue Pie...

"My Crew" seems to prefer this over my Lemon Meringue.  It is a fresh addition to Summer Dining.  The caveate is that if both of them are available for my guests; it becomes a toss-up!

2 cups pecan shortbread cookie crumbs
1 1/3 cups sweetened flaked coconut, divided
1/4 cup butter, melted
2 cups milk
1/4 cup cornstarch
3 large eggs, separated
1 cup sugar, divided
1 (20-oz.) can crushed pineapple, drained
1 tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

 Preheat oven to 350°.

  • Stir together cookie crumbs, 1 cup coconut, and 1/4 cup melted butter; firmly press on bottom, up sides, and onto lip of a lightly greased 9-inch pieplate.
  • Bake at 350° for 10 to 12 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove to a wire rack, and let cool 1 hour or until completely cool.
  • Whisk together milk and cornstarch in a heavy saucepan, whisking until cornstarch is dissolved. Whisk in egg yolks and 3/4 cup sugar, whisking until blended. Cook over medium-low heat, whisking constantly, 8 to 10 minutes or until a chilled pudding-like thickness. (Mixture will just begin to bubble and will be thick enough to hold soft peaks when whisk is lifted.) Remove from heat; stir in pineapple, 1 Tbsp. butter, and vanilla. Spoon immediately into cooled piecrust.
  • Beat egg whites at high speed with an electric mixer until foamy. Add remaining 1/4 cup sugar, 1 Tbsp. at a time, beating until stiff peaks form and sugar is dissolved. Spread meringue over hot filling, sealing edges. Sprinkle remaining 1/3 cup coconut over meringue.
  • Bake at 350° for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven to wire rack, and let cool 1 hour or until completely cool. Chill 4 hours
Note:  Pineapple, like lemon juice, is acidic and will prevent the cornstarch from thickening properly if added before the custard is cooked.
Chilling the pie after it cools at room temperature further sets the filling and makes for perfect slices.

BEST Blueberry Muffins...

I keep searching for the PERFECT Bluberry Muffin Recipe. 
This is My Current Favorite and are Great for Gifting.
 

 
Ingredients:
  • 2 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1 1/8 c. + 1/3 c. + 3 tsp.  sugar
  • 1 c. buttermilk
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/4 cup melted unsalted butter
  • 4 tblsp. veg oil
  • 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
  • 1 c. + 5 oz. fresh blueberries, rinsed
  • 1 tsp. lemon zest
Topping:  Combine 1/3 c. sugar and lemon zest
"Filling":  Combine 5 oz. blueberries and 3 tsp. sugar in saucepan. Cook and reduce over medum heat, making to jam constitancy. Transfer to bowl and let cool.

 
Muffin:
Combine flour and salt; set aside.  In mixing bowl, whisk eggs and 1 1/8 c. Sugar together until blended. Whisk in buttermilk, oil and vanilla until blended (not whipped!). 
Fold in dry ingredients and 1 c. blueberries, until blended (batter should have "rough" consistance of a quickbread).
Spoon mixture into sprayed muffin pan. 
Put 1 tsp. of your newly-made filling into the middle of each; swirl this around to minx in (I do this with a chopstick).
Sprinkle topping over muffins.

 
Bake at 425° for 18 min., rotating pan at halfway mark.  [test doneness by tapping muffin top to be sure they're set]
Set on Rack to cool.
Remove muffins and enjoy!

Blueberry Cobbler...

When my crop comes in, a cobbler is the first recipe I make.  Here is an easy, tasty recipe you can whip up in minutes. 
  • 2/3 cup sugar
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 3/4 cup water
  • 3 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
  • 1 teaspoon melted butter
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 cup sifted all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/3 cup milk
  • 3 tablespoons melted butter
In a saucepan, combine sugar and cornstarch, stir in water. Bring to a boil; stirring constantly, boil for 1 minute. Add blueberries. Pour blueberry mixture into a lightly buttered 1 1/2-quart baking dish or 9-inch pie plate. Sprinkle with cinnamon and drizzle with 1 teaspoon melted butter.
Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Pour milk and 3 tablespoons melted butter into a measuring cup; add to flour mixture all at once. Stir just until mixture is moistened and forms a ball. Drop spoonfuls onto the blueberries. Bake at 425° for 25 to 30 minutes, or until lightly browned.
Serves 6

Served with vanilla ice-cream, Wonderful!

Classic Roast Beef...

I've had several recipes for Raost Beef over the years, but this one is simple and works well for me.






1 4-pound top sirloin roast , fat trimmed to 1/4 inch thick
Salt and pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
8 ounces white mushrooms , chopped
2 onions , chopped fine
1 carrot , peeled and chopped
1 celery rib , chopped
1 tablespoon tomato paste
4 garlic cloves , minced
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup red wine
4 cups low-sodium beef broth
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Pat roast dry with paper towels. Rub 2 teaspoons salt evenly over surface of meat. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours.

Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 275 degrees. Pat roast dry with paper towels and rub with 1 teaspoon pepper. Heat oil in large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until just smoking. Brown roast all over, 8 to 12 minutes, then transfer to V-rack set inside roasting pan (do not wipe out Dutch oven). Transfer to oven and cook until meat registers 125 degrees (for medium-rare), 1½ to 2 hours.

Meanwhile, add mushrooms to fat in Dutch oven and cook until golden, about 5 minutes. Stir in onions, carrot, and celery and cook until browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in tomato paste, garlic, and flour and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Stir in wine and broth, scraping up any browned bits with wooden spoon. Bring to boil, then reduce heat to medium and simmer until thickened, about 10 minutes. Strain gravy, then stir in Worcestershire and season with salt and pepper; cover and keep warm.

Transfer roast to cutting board, tent with foil, and let rest 20 minutes. Slice roast crosswise against grain into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Serve with gravy.

Strawberry Jell-O Sheet Cake

     This is one of my Summer Staples for Cookouts with The Family.  It's practically expected that I bring it to Summertime Family Get-Togethers.  No false praise, here, as I bring back a clean pan.

For Cake:
  • 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter , softened, plus extra for preparing pan
  • 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour , plus extra for preparing pan
  • 4 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 6 large egg whites
  • 1 3/4 cups sugar
Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 9 by 13-inch baking pan. Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in bowl. Whisk milk, vanilla, and egg whites in large measuring cup.

With electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat butter and sugar until fluffy, about 3 minutes, scraping down bowl as necessary. Add flour mixture and milk mixture alternately, in two batches, beating after each addition until combined, about 30 seconds each time. Using rubber spatula, give batter final stir. Scrape into prepared pan and bake until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Cool cake completely in pan, at least 1 hour. Once cool, cake can be wrapped in plastic and kept at room temperature for up to 2 days.

 For  Syrup and Topping*:
  • 4   cups frozen strawberries
  • 6   tablespoons sugar
  • 2   tablespoons orange juice
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 2    tablespoons strawberry-flavored gelatin
  • 2    cups heavy cream
Heat 3 cups strawberries, 2 tablespoons sugar, juice, and water in medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Cover and cook until liquid is deep red and strawberries are softened, about 10 minutes. Strain liquid into bowl, reserving solids, then whisk gelatin into liquid. Let cool to room temperature, at least 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, poke about 50 holes in top of cooled cake (see photos). Slowly pour cooled liquid evenly over top of cake. Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate until gelatin is set, at least 3 hours or up to 2 days.

 Pulse reserved strained strawberries, 2 tablespoons sugar, and remaining strawberries in food processor until mixture resembles strawberry jam. Spread strawberry mixture evenly over cake. With electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat cream with remaining sugar to soft peaks. Spread cream over strawberries. Cut cake into squares and serve.



 *I substitute a white frosting for the cream topping if the cake is not to be eaten immediately or travelling to pot lucks.

A Few Recipe Sites on the Web...

Ask.com: Food & Drink
Betty Crocker
Cooking.com
Eagle Brand Condensed Milk
The Food Network's Chef's Recipes
La Belle Cuisine: Recipes of Craig Claiborne
Land-O-Lakes
Paula Deen Recipes
RecipeZaar




(Some sites will want you to sign up for newsletters; I find these informative and unobtrusive; BUT BE AWARE OF SPAM!)

A Clean Kitchen is a Happy Place...

     Even while I'm preparing a meal, I can't abide a messy kitchen.  It's so easy to Rinse and Clean (or to put rinsed dishes in the washer).  And Heaven Help the person who leaves an unrinsed Bowl or Utinsil in my sink!  Okay, okay, I let it go when I've Guest Cooks (I rinse them myself, with a smile on my face).

Publications and Good Reads...

I can sit down and read a Cookbook as if it were a novel.  I love searching for new techniques and interesting spice/flavor combinations.

Gifts...

Creminelli Fine Meats
Carnegie Deli
Fiji Water - Anybody can bring wine.Take your party
                     hostess a case of Fiji, and she'll be
                     sending you a Thank You Note.
Harry and David Fruits 
Luigi's Italian Deli
Naturally Fresh Dressings - Another unorthodox
                     gift which is especially appreciated
                     around the Holidays.
Tupelo Honey Cafe - If you can find a better Pecan
                     Pie, BUY IT!

Shopping...

Fresh Market
Harris Teeter
Ingles Markets
Lowes Food

Larder/Pantry...

Betty Crocker
Lawry's Seasonings
Nestle Products
Naturally Fresh Dressings
New River Winery
Scharffen Berger Chocolate
Nilla Wafers

Utensils and Cutlery...

Cutlery and More. Good Prices/Free Shipping
J. A. Henkels Int'l USA
OXO Products
Wüsthof

Countertop Appliances...

Cooking.com
Dillard's
Hammacher Schlemmer
KitchenAide
Macy's
Williams-Sonoma

Large Appliances...

Dacor
Home Depot
KitchenAide
LG Kithen
Lowes Home Improvement
NexTag - Comparison Shopping Site
Range Hoods
Viking
Wolf/Sub-Zero