Pepperoni Pizza Puffs

3/4 cup flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
3/4 cup whole milk
1 egg, lightly beaten
4 oz mozzarella cheese, shredded (about 1 cup)
1/2-3/4 cup pepperoni, chopped
1/2 cup pizza sauce

Preheat the oven to 375°. Grease a 24-cup mini-muffin pan. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, garlic powder and baking powder; whisk in the milk and egg. Stir in the mozzarella and pepperoni; let stand for 10 minutes. Stir the batter and divide among the mini-muffin cups. Bake until puffed and golden, 20 to 25 minutes. Meanwhile, microwave the pizza sauce until warmed through. Serve the puffs with the pizza sauce for dipping.

 

Recipe and Photo Source: http://www.plainchicken.com/2011/02/sausage-pepperoni-pizza-puffs.html#more

Chicken Fried Steak with Gravy

Food Network - Ree Drummond

1 1/2 cups whole milk
2 large eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons seasoned salt
Freshly ground black pepper
3/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3 pounds cube steak (tenderized round steak that's been extra tenderized)
Kosher salt
1/2 cup canola or vegetable oil
1 tablespoon butter


Begin with setting up an assembly line of dishes. Mix the milk with the eggs in one; the flour mixed with the seasoned salt, 1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper, paprika and cayenne in another; and the meat in a third. Then have one clean plate at the end to receive the breaded meat. Work with one piece of meat at a time. Sprinkle both sides with kosher salt and black pepper, then place it in the flour mixture. Turn to coat. Place the meat into the milk/egg mixture, turning to coat. Finally, place it back in the flour and turn to coat (dry mixture/wet mixture/dry mixture). Place the breaded meat on the clean plate, then repeat with the remaining meat. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the butter. Drop in a few sprinkles of flour to make sure it's sufficiently hot. When the butter sizzles immediately, you know it's ready. (It should not brown right away, if it does, the fire is too hot.) Cook the meat, 3 pieces at a time, until the edges start to look golden brown, about 2 minutes each side. Remove the meat to a paper towel-lined plate and keep them warm by covering lightly with another plate or a sheet of foil. Repeat until all the meat is cooked. After all the meat is fried, pour off the grease into a heatproof bowl. Without cleaning the skillet, return it to the stove over medium-low heat. Add 1/4 cup of the grease back to the skillet and allow it to heat up.


Gravy:
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
3 to 4 cups whole milk
1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt
Freshly ground black pepper

When the grease is hot, sprinkle the flour evenly over the grease. Using a whisk, mix the flour with the grease, creating a golden-brown paste. Add more flour if it looks overly greasy; add a little more grease if it becomes too pasty/clumpy. Keep cooking until the roux reaches a deep golden brown color. Pour in the milk, whisking constantly. Add the seasoned salt and black pepper to taste and cook, whisking, until the gravy is smooth and thick, 5 to 10 minutes. Be prepared to add more milk if it becomes overly thick. Be sure to taste to make sure gravy is sufficiently seasoned.

Serve the meat next to a big side of mashed potatoes. Pour gravy over the whole shebang!


Source: Food Network - The Pioneer Woman

Salmon Burgers

Salmon Burgers

Food Network - Paula Deen

1/2 cup red bell pepper, diced

1/2 cup yellow bell pepper, diced

3/4 cup panko

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 pounds salmon fillets, skinned and finely chopped

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon salt

Cooking spray

Sesame Mayonnaise, recipe follows

8 buttered and toasted sandwich buns

8 lettuce leaves

8 slices tomato

In a medium bowl, combine peppers, panko, garlic, and salmon. In a small bowl, combine egg, soy sauce, lemon juice, and salt; add to pepper mixture, tossing gently to combine. Form mixture into 8 patties. Lightly coat a grill pan or skillet with cooking spray. Heat over medium-high heat until hot. Grill or cook patties, 5 minutes per side, or until desired degree of doneness. Spread Sesame Mayonnaise evenly over toasted buns. Top each with a lettuce leaf, tomato slice, and salmon patty. Cover with tops of buns.

Sesame Mayonnaise:

1 cup mayonnaise

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon soy sauce

1/2 teaspoon sesame oil

In a small bowl, combine all ingredients. Cover and chill.

Yields: 1 cup 

Source: www.foodnetwork.com

My White Bean Burgers

My White Bean Burgers

1 can white beans

1 can great northern beans

2-3 eggs

3-4 tbs BBQ sauce

2-3 cloves of garlic minced

about 2 cups of panko bread crumbs

Mix together in a food processor. Form into patties, Coat patties in cornmeal. Freeze or fry them in about an inch of oil over medium heat for 5-8 minutes per side. Serve on a bun with lettuce, tomato and basil mayo.

Basil Mayo

1 bunch fresh basil

1-2 cups mayo

Mix in a food processor until smooth.

My Favorite Salmon

My Favorite Salmon

1 lb salmon

1/3 molasses

1-3 tbsp siracha

Mix the molasses and the siracha. Brush onto the salmon. Bake at 425 for 10-12.

Flaming Shrimp and Grits

 Flaming Shrimp and Grits

Food Network - Alton Brown

Serves: 4

For the grits:

2 cups whole milk

2 cups water

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 cup coarse ground cornmeal

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

4 ounces sharp Cheddar, grated

Bring the milk, water, and salt to a boil in a 4-quart saucepan, set over medium-high heat.

While continually whisking, gradually add the grits. Turn the heat to low and cover. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes or until thick and creamy, removing the lid and whisking every 3 to 4 minutes to prevent the grits from sticking or forming lumps.

Remove from the heat, add the pepper and butter, and whisk to combine. Once the butter is melted, gradually stir in the cheese. Cover and set aside until the shrimp is ready.

For the shrimp:

1 pound (31/35 count) shrimp, peeled and de-veined

2 ounces butter

1/4 teaspoon hot sauce, optional

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Place a 10-inch non-stick sauté pan over medium heat for 2 minutes. Add the shrimp to the pan and toss once or twice. Remove the pan from the heat. Gently pour the butter into the pan and return to the heat. Sauté until the shrimp are cooked through, 2 to 4 minutes more. Season with hot sauce and salt and pepper if desired. Serve over warm grits.

Source: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/flaming-shrimp-and-grits-recipe/index.html

Mac and Cheese Cupcakes

Mac and Cheese Cupcakes

Food Network - Giada De Laurentis

Vegetable cooking spray

2 cups Panko bread crumbs, divided

Olive oil for drizzling

8 ounces elbow pasta

2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese

1 cup shredded Mozzarella

1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

1 cup cooked green peas

1 cup chopped carrots, cooked

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Spray 2 (12-cup) muffin or cupcake pans with vegetable cooking spray. Using 1 cup of the bread crumbs, coat the inside of each muffin cup with bread crumbs, shaking off any excess. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Drain and add to a large bowl. Stir in the vegetables, ¾ cup bread crumbs and the cheeses. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Spoon the prepared pasta mixture into the cupcake molds. Top with a thin layer of the remaining bread crumbs and drizzle with olive oil. Bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes. Let cool for a few minutes and carefully unmold with a spoon onto a serving platter.

Source:  http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/baked-macaroni-and-cheese-cupcakes-recipe/index.html

Macaroni and Cheese

Macaroni and Cheese
Ree Drummond

4 cups Dried Macaroni
1 whole Egg Beaten
1/4 cup (1/2 Stick Or 4 Tablespoons) Butter
1/4 cup All-purpose Flour
2-1/2 cups Whole Milk
2 teaspoons (heaping) Dry Mustard, More If Desired
1 pound Cheese, Grated
1/2 teaspoon Salt, More To Taste
1/2 teaspoon Seasoned Salt, More To Taste
1/2 teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
Optional Spices: Cayenne Pepper, Paprika, Thyme

Cook macaroni until very firm. Macaroni should be too firm to eat right out of the pot. Drain. In a small bowl, beat egg. In a large pot, melt butter and sprinkle in flour. Whisk together over medium-low heat. Cook mixture for five minutes, whisking constantly. Don’t let it burn. Pour in milk, add mustard, and whisk until smooth. Cook for five minutes until very thick. Reduce heat to low. Take 1/4 cup of the sauce and slowly pour it into beaten egg, whisking constantly to avoid cooking eggs. Whisk together till smooth. Pour egg mixture into sauce, whisking constantly. Stir until smooth. Add in cheese and stir to melt. Add salt and pepper. Taste sauce and add more salt and seasoned salt as needed! DO NOT UNDERSALT. Pour in drained, cooked macaroni and stir to combine.Serve immediately (very creamy) or pour into a buttered baking dish, top with extra cheese, and bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until bubbly and golden on top.






Source: http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2009/04/macaroni-cheese/http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2009/04/macaroni-cheese/

The Pioneer Woman's Sliders

The Pioneer Woman's Sliders

Food Network - Ree Drummond

2 pounds ground beef
4 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
6 dashes Worcestershire sauce (less if you prefer)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
8 whole dinner (or slider) rolls, split

Preheat the grill to medium heat. Mix the ground beef, heavy cream, Worcestershire and the salt and some pepper in a bowl. Use your hands to thoroughly mix the ingredients. Form 1/4 cup of the meat mixture into patties, making 16 patties total. Make an indentation with your thumb to keep the patties from plumping too much when they cook. Grill the sliders until just cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Remove from the grill and pile on a platter. Toast the halved buns on the grill. Place the sliders between the buns and serve immediately.



Topping Ideas:

1 pound thick-cut peppered bacon
Fry the bacon in a skillet over medium-high heat until slightly crisp, about 8 minutes. Remove from the pan and cut into bite-size pieces.

3 yellow onions, halved and sliced
3 tablespoons butter
In a separate pan, cook the onions in the butter over a low heat until caramelized, 20 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

8 ounces gorgonzola
Use a fork to crumble the gorgonzola.

Put the bacon, caramelized onions and crumbled gorgonzola into separate bowls. Serve as delicious toppings for both sliders and macaroni cheese.


Source: Food Network - The Pioneer Woman

Salmon Cakes

Salmon Cakes

Food Network - Ina Garten

1/2 pound fresh salmon

Good olive oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

3/4 cup small-diced red onion (1 small onion)

1 1/2 cups small-diced celery (4 stalks)

1/2 cup small-diced red bell pepper (1 small pepper)

1/2 cup small-diced yellow bell pepper (1 small pepper)

1/4 cup minced fresh flat-leaf parsley

1 tablespoon capers, drained

1/4 teaspoon hot sauce (recommended: Tabasco)

1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1 1/2 teaspoons crab boil seasoning (recommended: Old Bay)

3 slices stale bread, crusts removed

1/2 cup good mayonnaise

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

2 extra-large eggs, lightly beaten

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place the salmon on a sheet pan, skin side down. Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast for 15 to 20 minutes, until just cooked. Remove from the oven and cover tightly with aluminum foil. Allow to rest for 10 minutes and refrigerate until cold. Meanwhile, place 2 tablespoons of the butter, 2 tablespoons olive oil, the onion, celery, red and yellow bell peppers, parsley, capers, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, crab boil seasoning, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a large saute pan over medium-low heat and cook until the vegetables are soft, approximately 15 to 20 minutes. Cool to room temperature. Break the bread slices in pieces and process the bread in a food processor fitted with a steel blade. You should have about 1 cup of bread crumbs. Place the bread crumbs on a sheet pan and toast in the oven for 5 minutes until lightly browned, tossing occasionally. Flake the chilled salmon into a large bowl. Add the bread crumbs, mayonnaise, mustard, and eggs. Add the vegetable mixture and mix well. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Shape into 10 (2 1/2 to 3-ounce) cakes. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. In batches, add the salmon cakes and fry for 3 to 4 minutes on each side, until browned. Drain on paper towels; keep them warm in a preheated 250 degree F oven and serve hot. 

 Source: Food Network