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The absolute best bean dip I have ever had or made! Half-portion works well too, and I put that in for 50 minutes in the oven. I also use shredded Mexican cheese.

REFRIED BEAN DIP

1 31-oz. can refried beans
1 pint sour cream
¾ - 1 lb. Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
¼ cup lemon juice
chili powder to taste (I use lots!)
Mix beans, ½ of sour cream, ½ of cheese, lemon juice, chili powder in bowl.
Put mixture in a 9” round pie pan. Bake at 350 degrees for one hour. Spoon
in remainder of sour cream and sprinkle
remainder of cheese on top. Heat in
oven just until the cheese melts.
 
Outside of the herbed cream cheese, none of this is good for my low carb diet. Must resist.
 
Real Pancakes (mixes are just barely easier than scratch, and simply are not as good)

2 Tbsp butter
1 egg
2 Tbsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1 c. milk
1 tsp vanilla or other flavoring (opt)
.

Uncanny! This is exactly how I've been making pancakes for years. :)
Plus real maple syrup, not the fructose imitation crap.
 
40 years ago SWMBO turned up her nose at my Aunt Jemima mix pancakes, and made these. I've not had mix pancakes since

Does this work with whole wheat flour?

I havent found a substitute for the aunt jemima whole wheat pancake mix. I find it much more flavorful and satisfying than the white panckakes of normality
 
Outside of the herbed cream cheese, none of this is good for my low carb diet. Must resist.

Ask and you shall receive:

Keto friendly Nashville Hot -smoked- Chicken


About 3 years in the making, this is a keto friendly and kitchen friendly dish inspired by one of my favorite regional dishes, Hot Fried Chicken. This isn't for the faint, but can be tamed down if you so desire.

The base recipe is borrowed from Amazing Ribs Cornell Chicken. For the marinade:

1 Egg
1 Cup Oil
2 Cups Apple Cider Vinegar
2 Tablespoons coarse kosher salt

1. Mix the egg and oil with a stand mixer until it is well mixed and bright yellow. This should take about 2-3 minutes
2. Add the vinegar and salt. Mix until combined.
3. Using a sharp knife, pierce the skin in several places all over each piece of chicken
4. Add chicken parts to a gallon ziplock bag and pour the marinade in. Remove all the air, seal well. Stick it in your fridge for 4 hours.

For the Hot Chicken Seasoning
3 tablespoons Cayenne pepper powder
2 tablespoons brown sugar (I used Swerve Brown Sugar Replacement)
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon hot smoked paprika
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon Ghost Pepper Powder
1/4 - 1/2 cup hot vegetable oil

1. Mix everything together. Reserve 1 tsp of the dry spices for the rub.
2. Heat oil in a small saucepan over low. When it is shimmering, remove from heat and mix in the spice mixture. Stir and be careful it doesn't burn. Set aside.

For the Rub: (for 4 thighs, scale up if needed)
1 Tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon black pepper
1/2 tablespoon garlic powder
1/2 tablespoon onion powder
1 teaspoon Hot chicken seasoning

Once the chicken has marinated, remove the parts and reserve the marinade in a small bowl.

Sprinkle the rub evenly over both sides of the chicken.

Now for the cook:

1. Prepare your grill for indirect cooking or your smoker. I used charcoal and cherry wood. Keep the heat 225-250 degrees F.

2. Arrange the chicken away from the heat. Baste with the marinade every 10 minutes. Dab the marinade on with a brush rather than painting it to prevent the rub from falling off. Rearrange the parts if they aren't cooking evenly.

3. Continue smoking and basting the chicken until it reaches 150 degrees F. This should take 60-90 minutes. IMPORTANT: DO NOT BASTE THE CHICKEN ONCE IT HITS 150 DEGREES!!!!! Throw out the marinade and wash the brush. The egg is uncooked and raw chicken was in it. You don't want salmonella.

4. Get the hot side of your grill hot. I used my gas grill since I had the smoker on. Grill the chicken over high heat on both sides. This serves to sterilize the chicken from the marinade and to crisp up the skin. Watch for flames, keep adjust the heat and move the chicken around to keep it from flaming up and catching on fire.

5. Meanwhile, heat the spice oil mixture back up. I just placed the saucepan on the top rack of my grill. Stir it good.

6. When the chicken is done, brush the spice oil mixture over the top using a different brush and serve.

Shown plated with broccoli and red peppers which were roasted on the grill in a disposable pan while the chicken was cooking.

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Or real sorghum, especially on buckwheat or oatmeal pancakes! :):)

I have to respectfully disagree. If my Granny Lucy taught me anything (other than how to cuss a blue streak) it is that buckwheat pancakes or oatmeal cakes (more accurately, fried oatmeal in the case of my mountain youth) have to be eaten with King Syrup exclusively...man I could eat some oatmeal cakes.
 
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Ask and you shall receive:

Keto friendly Nashville Hot -smoked- Chicken

That sounds amazing, but as I read that my mouth started watering, and my stomach started churning. I’m not sure I have a GI system up to that chicken.
 
I’ll have to sit down and put my shrimp creole recipe to print.
It is a long one and I just normally wing it till it tastes right to me.
I like it considerably hotter than most folks are able to take, so make it mellow and add my “hot seasonings” for my own servings.
If I get a chance I post it this weekend.
I’ve made this one for up to 40 people. Work crew pitched in to pay for ingredients. When I made it and took it to work in large crock pot and a turkey roaster filled to the top. Once I started heating it up I placed a fan on it to blow the scent over the shop. By lunch time it was so funny to see people walking in the door and watching the reaction. It smells so good, just typing this makes me want to throw some together this weekend!
That may be what I have to do to put the recipe to print.
 
I was slow at work and found I had sent it to one of my coworkers so I had printed already, I just added a few notes and added the creole seasoning to make if you don't have it on hand or available. Self made is much better any how!
Here you Go!
To make a simple, quickie shrimp stock, reserve the shells and heads from the peeled shrimp, add to 2 quarts cold water, bring to boil, lower heat and simmer for 30 minutes.
Strain thoroughly.
Since I can’t often find whole shrimp where I am, I also make my stock by using the shells and adding all the misc. remains from the diced vegies and adding to the water then straining.

Make a double or triple amount of the Creole Seasoning, you’ll want it for more than just the shrimp!
(You won’t use all of one recipe for the creole, so one recipe is adequate if you don’t want to keep more on hand)

Creole Seasoning:

6 Tbsp. paprika
4 Tbsp. garlic powder
2 Tbsp. onion powder
2 Tbsp. cayenne pepper (or more if you want it spicier)
2 Tbsp. black pepper
2 Tbsp. white pepper
2 Tbsp. dried oregano
2 Tbsp. dried basil
2 Tbsp. dried thyme

Mix thoroughly.
It’s not needed but I process it through a coffee grinder for a finer mixture.

The recipe uses Roasted Garlic, so I usually halve an entire bulb, roast it and use the whole bulb.
SHRIMP CREOLE

2 Tablespoons Butter, Melted
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
Small dice the following:
2 Brown Onions, Medium
2 Red Onions, Medium
1 EA Red, Green, Yellow Bell Pepper
2 Poblano Chilies
6 Ribs Celery
6 Cloves Garlic, minced
2 Quarts Shrimp Stock
6 Cups Crushed Tomatoes
3 6oz cans Tomato Paste
½ Teaspoon White Pepper
½ Teaspoon Fresh Ground Black Pepper
2 Tablespoons Creole Seasoning
3 Tablespoons Tiger Sauce (or more to spice it up!)
Roasted Garlic
½ Teaspoon White Sugar
½ Teaspoon Brown Sugar
½ Teaspoon Corn Syrup
½ Teaspoon Dark Molasses
1 Teaspoon Tobasco Sauce (or more to spice it up!)
2 Tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce ( try to remember how to spell that!)
1 Teaspoon Salt
4 Teaspoon Fresh Thyme (1 1/2 Teaspoon Dried)
2 or More Bay Leaf
¼ Cup Lemon Juice
3 or MORE LBS Shrimp. (I usually mix it up on the sizes to make sure I have lots!)

Sweat the onion, celery, bell peppers and garlic in the butter/oil in a LARGE covered pot (I use my canning pot) until tender, about 15 minutes.
Add all of the remaining ingredients except the shrimp. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer for 30 minutes
Add shrimp, simmer additional 15 minutes or till shrimp is done.
To serve heap about 1 cup of rice in the center of the plate and ladle generous amount of the sauce around it.

ENJOY!!!
edited to make it more readable from the cut and paste email!
 
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Does this work with whole wheat flour?

I havent found a substitute for the aunt jemima whole wheat pancake mix. I find it much more flavorful and satisfying than the white panckakes of normality
I've never tried whole-wheat but I suspect that it would make for thinner pancakes. The wheat bran tends to cut through the gluten structure.

I'd try half WW and half AP flour,** see how that works for you.

Best -- Terry
**AP flour does not mean finely divided NH4ClO4... ;)
 
I mentioned ham n beans on another thread and someone said I should put the recipe here. Real simple but tasty. Normally served with corn bread or over rice. Bought a butt portion ham and deboned it leaving probably a pound of ham with the bone.

Pre-soak one bag of beans, I usually do the quick method. My favorite for things like this is Mayocoba beans common in Latin America. Ivory colored, creamy and cook faster than most varieties.

Slow simmer the ham bone barely covered in water until the collagen cooks out. Remove the bone and chop the ham into whatever size chunks you like. Put the ham in the pot.
Add the beans and bring to a simmer.
Add:
2 teaspoons Savory
1/2 teaspoon Cumin
1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground Black Pepper
If you want salt, don't put it in until the beans are done.
When the beans are half done add:
1 celery rib chopped small
1 large carrot chopped small
1 small onion chopped small
3 garlic cloves minced
I cook covered or uncovered depending on the amount of broth in the pot. I aim to have just enough to almost cover the beans when done. It's not soup.
Add 1 teaspoon Slap Yo Momma when the beans are done and cook briefly to incorporate it. If you don't like spicy heat don't add it. :) I also like Smoked Paprika in this but I don't think it's common in most folks spice cabinet.
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Beef Stroganoff.

This is an easy one, less than an hour start to table. Serve with egg noodles and steamed vegetables. Sometimes I add an extra Tbs of oil when the mushrooms go in to keep everything from sticking. You can tell by all the stains that this one has been made many times.

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They need some kind of "Print Post" option on this thread as the export doesn't capture the pictures and I'd also like to pick and choose the recipes I want.
 
Pizza is one weakness of mine, specifically a deep dish pie from Lou Malnati's. Chicago is a 3 hour trip each way, which is a bit much for pizza but I've done it before.

Fortunately, it isn't too hard to make but it does take time. You can make a pizza in a few hours and get great results, but if you let the dough rise in the fridge for a day or two and make the sausage a day ahead the results will be even better.

For the dough, crust, and method turn to RealDeepDish.com

The sausage comes from Serious Eats. Make the sausage hot, but leave the fennel out.

Use a mixture of sliced mozzarella and provolone for the cheese. Sausage next, other toppings and the sauce last.

A favorite topping combination of mine is hot italian sausage, drops of ricotta, and red pepper strips.

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If you have to watch your carbs, try Fathead dough or other low carb options. It isn't the same, but still pretty good.

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Pizza is one weakness of mine, specifically a deep dish pie from Lou Malnati's. Chicago is a 3 hour trip each way, which is a bit much for pizza but I've done it before.

Fortunately, it isn't too hard to make but it does take time. You can make a pizza in a few hours and get great results, but if you let the dough rise in the fridge for a day or two and make the sausage a day ahead the results will be even better.

For the dough, crust, and method turn to RealDeepDish.com

The sausage comes from Serious Eats. Make the sausage hot, but leave the fennel out.

Use a mixture of sliced mozzarella and provolone for the cheese. Sausage next, other toppings and the sauce last.

A favorite topping combination of mine is hot italian sausage, drops of ricotta, and red pepper strips.

View attachment 412828

If you have to watch your carbs, try Fathead dough or other low carb options. It isn't the same, but still pretty good.

View attachment 412829

Holy Food Porn! I’m full from dinner and my mouth is still watering.

I’m gonna have to break out the big guns to hang with this stuff. Fortunately, tomorrow is carnitas night.
 
Let's have some fun with this. What's cooking for tomorrow?

View attachment 412846

That looks a lot like the start of Veggie Masala, but that would be pretty surprising. Always make that the day before also, so the flavors have time to meld.

I'll hedge my bet and say something Indian.
 
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Not any type of Masala tonight, strictly American dish or at least one from immigrants but created in America. Yes, the flavors have to meld.

Indian food sounds good though, maybe next week.
 
If you were wondering what I started cooking last night, it was Coney sauce. We can argue the city of origin and the best regional style, but this treat came to us from Greek immigrants. Locally, we have Fort Wayne's Famous Coney Island which has been in business downtown over 100 years. This isn't a clone of their sauce. My recipe is somewhere in between a chili dog and true coney dog. I don't use beef heart and I add some tomatoes. If this sounds good, double or triple up the recipe and bring a crock pot full to the next launch.

Ingredients:

1 lb of 85/15 ground beef
1 Small yellow onion, diced fine
1 red bell pepper, diced fine
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tablespoons Chili Powder (Spice Island brand is the best available, or make your own.)
1 Tablespoon Oregano
2 teaspoon Cumin
1/2 Teaspoon Cinnamon
Salt, Black Pepper, Ground Cayenne to taste.
1 tablespoon flour
1 15oz can diced tomatoes
1 6oz can of tomato paste
Olive oil

1. Chop then dice the onion and pepper, these can be mixed together. Mince or run the garlic cloves through a garlic press. Set aside by itself. Stir the spices together. You will really want to prep this before you start cooking. Timing for the next step can go quick from done to burnt.

2. Heat a little olive oil in a sauce pan over medium low heat. Add the dry spice mixture to the oil and stir with a rubber spatula. When the smell of the spices hits your nose, add the onions and peppers. This blooms the spices, but you don't want to burn them.

3. Cook the onions and the peppers together until they are soft. They don't need to be done yet. Add the garlic. Again, stir quickly and when the smell of the garlic hits your nose, add the meat.

4. Stir the meat into the vegetable / spice mixture and break it all up with a rubber spatula. Keep stirring and mashing the meat to get a fine texture. Alternatively, you can add several cups of water, cook the meat and stir while the water boils off to get the right fine texture. I think the first way is easier.

5. When the meat is cooked, you will see a small amount of grease cooked down. Move the meat to one side of the pan and try to keep the grease on the other side. Add the tablespoon of flour to the grease and make a roux. Let it turn amber and then stir it into the cooked and seasoned meat. This just helps it thicken up a little. If this sounds complicated, just leave this step out. You can pour of the grease or not. If you used leaner meat it won't be bad.

6. Add the tomato paste and canned diced tomatoes. Bring to a simmer for at least one hour. If it gets too thick, add some water or tomato juice. This is where I stopped last night. In my opinion, the best chili is cooked twice and this is similar to how I make chili too. I put it in the fridge overnight.

7. Now I got the crock pot out and let it cook about 6 hours on low. I really wanted the flavors to meld. Take 1/3 of the sauce out and put it in a blender. **It is hot, so if you have a blender with a locking lid or an immersion blender, use it. If you have a blender with a friction fit lid, it will probably send the lid off the top like a rocket nosecone, making a mess of your kitchen and burning whoever is nearby. You've been warned.** Turn the small amount you removed from the pot into a paste, then stir it back with the rest. Now the sauce is done. You can eat it, keep it warm on a crock pot for a party, or freeze some for later.

Toppings are mustard and diced yellow onions. Shredded cheese is acceptable. Ketchup is not. Being true to my city, soft Aunt Millies buns are topped with yellow mustard, the hot dogs, sauce, and diced onion.

Enjoy.


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I really need to stop cooking comfort food or else I could be over weight for work. Good thing we weighed in for this half of the year already. Healthy recipes to come later.
 
Wow, that is a tough act to follow. This recipe is done exactly as the instructions say as I can’t think of a way to improve it. This is a double batch, as we ate half tonight, and I’ll freeze the rest before the broil step, so later I’ll just thaw, broil and serve.

Carnitas

Link: https://damndelicious.net/2014/10/10/slow-cooker-pork-carnitas/

Lime, fresh jalapeño slices, and pico on a white corn tortilla is my preferred method. My one son likes on flour tortilla with bbq sauce (blasphemy). Like all tacos whatever works. Just make sure to shred the meat, and not chop it...screws up the consistency.


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