Getting started....

Ok, let's see how well this goes. I told myself I would never get into blogging or tweeting!



Since graduating college I have started to enjoy cooking A LOT! I love finding new recipes to try. So as I find and try new recipes I will post on here for you guys to try and let you know which ones I would not recommend! Most of my recipes come from online websites with a little tweaking of my own.



**NEW FEATURE** At the bottom of each recipe there is a place where you can rate the recipe! Let me know if you just liked it, loved it or thought it was just ok. No hard feelings! Promise :-)





Enjoy!



Sunday, August 28, 2011

Honey Garlic Pork Spare Ribs

Ingredients
  • 4 pounds pork spareribs
  • 1/2 cup honey
  • 1/4 cup soy sauce
  • 1/4 cup distilled white vinegar
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
Directions
  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
  2. Slice the ribs into individual pieces. In a large bowl, combine the honey, soy sauce, vinegar, garlic and brown sugar. Stir until honey and sugar are completely dissolved, then stir in the baking soda. The mixture will begin to foam. Transfer ribs to the bowl, and turn to coat.
  3. Spray a glass baking dish with oil, and arrange the ribs meat side up in the dish. Pour excess sauce over all and cover with foil.               
  4. Bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes.

Monday, August 22, 2011

Maple Iced Cinnamon Rolls

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 quart Whole Milk
  • 1 cup Vegetable Oil
  • 1 cup Sugar
  • 2 packages Active Dry Yeast, 0.25 Ounce Packets
  • 8 cups (Plus 1 Cup Extra, Separated) All-purpose Flour
  • 1 teaspoon (heaping) Baking Powder
  • 1 teaspoon (scant) Baking Soda
  • 1 Tablespoon (heaping) Salt
  • Plenty Of Melted Butter
  • 2 cups Sugar
  • Generous Sprinkling Of Cinnamon

MAPLE FROSTING:
  • 1 bag Powdered Sugar
  • 2 teaspoons Maple Flavoring
  • 1/2 cup Milk
  • 1/4 cup Melted Butter
  • 1/4 cup Brewed Coffee
  • 1/8 teaspoon Salt

Preparation Instructions

Mix the milk, vegetable oil and sugar in a pan. Scald the mixture (heat until just before the boiling point). Turn off heat and leave to cool 45 minutes to 1 hour. When the mixture is lukewarm to warm, but NOT hot, sprinkle in both packages of Active Dry Yeast. Let this sit for a minute. Then add 8 cups of all-purpose flour. Stir mixture together. Cover and let rise for at least an hour.
After rising for at least an hour, add 1 more cup of flour, the baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir mixture together. (At this point, you could cover the dough and put it in the fridge until you need it - overnight or even a day or two, if necessary. Just keep your eye on it and if it starts to overflow out of the pan, just punch it down).
When ready to prepare rolls: Sprinkle rolling surface generously with flour. Take half the dough and form a rough rectangle. Then roll the dough thin, maintaining a general rectangular shape. Drizzle 1/2 to 1 cup melted butter over the dough. Now sprinkle 1 cup of sugar over the butter followed by a generous sprinkling of cinnamon.
Now, starting at the opposite end, begin rolling the dough in a neat line toward you. Keep the roll relatively tight as you go. Next, pinch the seam of the roll to seal it.
Spread 1 tablespoon of melted butter in a seven inch round foil cake or pie pan. Then begin cutting the rolls approximately ¾ to 1 inch thick and laying them in the buttered pans.
Repeat this process with the other half of the dough. Let the rolls rise for 20 to 30 minutes, then bake at 400 degrees (see note below) until light golden brown, about 15 to 18 minutes.
For the frosting, mix together all ingredients listed and stir well until smooth. It should be thick but pourable. Taste and adjust as needed. Generously drizzle over the warm rolls. Go crazy and don't skimp on the frosting.

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Pork Wellington

Ingredients

  • 1 whole egg
  • 1 tablespoon water
  • 1-ounce dried apple rings
  • 1 whole pork tenderloin, approximately 1 pound
  • 4 1/2 ounces thinly slice prosciutto ham
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
  • 1 teaspoon all-purpose flour
  • 1 sheet puff pastry, thawed completely
  • 1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard

Directions

Place a rack in the upper third of the oven and heat to 400 degrees F.
Whisk the egg and water in a small bowl and set aside. Place the apple rings into the bowl of a mini food processor and process for 30 to 45 seconds or until they are the size of a medium dice. Set aside.
Trim the pork tenderloin of any excess fat and silver skin. Slice the tenderloin down the middle lengthwise, creating 2 separate pieces. Lay the tenderloin pieces next to each other head to tail, so when laid back together they are the same size at the ends.
Lay out a 12 by 16-inch piece of parchment paper on the counter and arrange the pieces of prosciutto in the center, overlapping them enough to create solid layer that is as long as the tenderloin. Top with a second piece of parchment, and using a rolling pin, roll over the prosciutto to help adhere the pieces to each other. Remove the parchment paper and sprinkle the prosciutto with the salt, pepper, and thyme. Set the tenderloin down the middle of the prosciutto. Spread the dried apples in between the 2 pieces of tenderloin and push back together so the apples are held between them. Using the parchment paper to assist, wrap the prosciutto around the tenderloin to completely enclose in a package.
Sprinkle the counter with flour and roll out the pastry to 12 by 14 inches. Spread the mustard thinly in the center of pastry and lay the prosciutto wrapped tenderloin in the center of the pastry on the mustard. Fold the puff pastry up and over the top of the tenderloin, then roll to completely enclose, brushing the edges of the pastry with the egg wash in order to seal. Turn the tenderloin over so the side of the tenderloin with the double thickness of pastry is underneath. Pinch the ends of the pastry to seal.
Brush the entire pastry with the egg wash. Place the tenderloin on a parchment lined half sheet pan and bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until the pork reaches an internal temperature of at least 140 degrees F.
Remove the tenderloin from the oven, transfer to a cooling rack and let rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

Tuesday, August 2, 2011

Glazed Honey Mustard Pretzels

Ingredients:

  • 12 cups miniature pretzel twists

  • tablespoons margarine

  • tablespoons yellow mustard or dijon mustard

  • 1/4 cup honey 

  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder 


  • Directions:

  • Preheat oven to 250 degrees.

  • Spray a large roasting pan with non-stick cooking spray.

  • Combine margarine, mustard, honey, garlic salt and onion powder.

  • Microwave or heat on stove until hot.

  • Mix pretzels and glaze in ziplock to coat pretzels.

  • Pour onto pan and bake for one hour, stirring every 15 minutes.

  • Pour out onto waxed paper and quickly separate into a single layer.

  • Cool completely.

  • Store in sealed bag or container.