Hot Dogs for a Crowd

Hot Dogs for a Crowd 

Haven't made this yet, but the site said that they taste like the hot dogs that are cooked on the rolling thingie at convenience stores, which sounds promising.  I don't do hot dogs but this seems like a great thing to know about, so I wanted to make sure I had it for reference.  Here is the original link.

Unwrap all the hot dogs, up to 60 (!!!) in one 6 quart slow cooker.  Stand them up like below if you're cooking 60, otherwise just drop them in.  Don't add any water, because they will release moisture on their own and so they don't split while they're cooking.  Cover and cook on low for 4 hours, or high for 2 hours.  Make sure the hot dogs in the middle are hot before serving.

Your dogs can stay on the "warm" setting for an awfully long time. If your pot has a hot spot (mine does), the dogs on the edge will get kind of crispy and blackened, which will COMPLETELY fool your 10-year-old into thinking you learned how to barbecue.

Greek Feast

It was my birthday a couple of weeks ago, and I decided that I would celebrate with a Greek Feast.  And a Greek Feast, we had!  Here was the line up:

Greek Feast

Chicken Souvlaki with Tzaziki Sauce
Roasted Lemon Potatoes
Lemon and Garlic Rice Pilaf
Grilled Asparagus
Greek Salad
Hummus Quartet and Pita Bread
Pomegranite Seeds
 Devils Food Cake with Dark Chocolate frosting, Fresh Strawberries and French Vanilla Ice Cream

We used 8 lemons and an entire CLOVE of garlic in the cooking, and easily spent over $100 in groceries, but we fed a crowd, had plenty of leftovers and most importantly, I had a great time cooking and eating. 

Chicken Souvlaki with Tzaziki Sauce

16 bamboo skewers

3 lemons

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh oregano leaves

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

4 cloves garlic, minced

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

16 chicken tenders, about 1 1/2 pounds

2 cups Greek style yogurt

1/2 seedless cucumber, peeled and grated

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

Soak skewers in water for about 30 minutes.  Preheat grill to medium-high heat.  Combine the zest and juice of 2 lemons, oregano, red pepper flakes and olive oil in a dish. Paste the garlic by mashing it with coarse salt then add 3/4 of it to the marinade, reserving some for dipping sauce. Add chicken tenders to the marinade and season with salt and pepper, turn in marinade to coat, let stand 10 minutes. Thread tenders on damp skewers and cook 7 to 8 minutes, turning once, until firm and juices run clear.

While skewers cook, combine yogurt with juice of remaining lemon, remaining clove of garlic, grated cucumber, cumin and salt, to taste. Divide the dip among 4 ramekins.

Serve 5 skewers per person with dipping sauce alongside.

Roasted Lemon Potatoes

3 pounds baking potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes

1/2 cup olive oil

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano, crumbled

1 teaspoon salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup chicken stock (I used water and it worked fine…)

1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

2-3 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano

Preheat oven to 400°F.  Place the potatoes in a single layer in a 13-x-9-inch baking dish and pour the oil over them. Add the garlic, dried oregano, salt and pepper to taste and toss well to coat with the oil.  Bake the potatoes for 15 minutes. Add the stock, toss and bake for 10 minutes more. Add the lemon juice, toss and bake for 10 to 15 minutes more, or until the potatoes are cooked through. If you like, preheat the broiler and broil the potatoes for 2 to 3 minutes, or until golden brown.  Sprinkle with the fresh oregano and serve at once.

Greek Lemon Rice Pilaf

3-4 T. butter
2 cups uncooked brown rice (you could use white but I like brown better)
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
5 cups hot chicken broth
salt & freshly ground black pepper


Heat butter in a heavy skillet. When it's hot, add the rice and, stirring constantly, saute on medium heat until transparent but not brown.  Add the lemon juice, chicken broth, and salt.  
Cover and simmer for 20 minutes.  
Remove the pan from the heat and let pilaf stand uncovered for 5 minutes before serving.

Greek Salad

3 vine ripe tomatoes, cut into chunks

1 red onion, thinly sliced

1/2 European seedless cucumber, cut into bite-size chunks (I used seedless but think regular cucumber would work just as well…)

1 small red bell pepper, seeded and chunked

1 small green bell pepper, seeded and chunked

1 cubanelle pepper, seeded and chunked (have no idea what this is and didn’t use it)

1 cup Kalamata black olives (I’m not an olive fan so I skipped these)

Several sprigs fresh flat-leaf parsley, about 1/2 cup

2 (1/4 pound) slices imported Greek feta

Greek Salad dressing (you can make this with EVOO and Red Wine Vinegar but I wanted a sure thing)
1 teaspoon dried oregano, crushed in palm of your hand

Coarse salt and black pepper

Chop up the veggies and toss together. I had my guests add the dressing of their choice, shake to coat, and then sprinkle feta on top.  

Ice Cream Cake

I made an ice cream cake for Christopher’s 6^th birthday and it turned out really good.  It was easy but you have to plan ahead- this isn’t one that you can throw together the day of.

Ice Cream Cake

3 bags of Oreo’s*
¼ C. of butter, melted
2 ½ gallons of ice cream*
3 jars of hot fudge sauce
Spray whipped cream, optional

Crumble your Oreo’s, I like the freezer bag and roller pin method but there are all sorts of ways to do this.  Mix about 2-3 C of crumbled Oreo’s with the melted butter, and press into the bottom of a (cooking sprayed) 9x13 pan.  I used my lasagna pan for this cake and it made a ton.  Pour some hot fudge sauce over the Oreo/butter mixture, and place the whole pan in the freezer for an hour or so.

Get the ice cream out of the freezer and let it warm up a little.  I put my two half gallons in my really big mixing bowl and stirred it up pretty well, so that it was easy to shape but still definitely frozen.  After the first hot fudge layer has hardened, smooth out a thick layer of ice cream on top.  I used all of my ice cream for this the first time I made it, but next time, I might just use half, then freeze that again until it gets firm, and then do another Oreo/hot fudge layer, freeze it until hard, and then dump out the rest of my ice cream.  Again, freeze the ice cream, and then dump the rest of the Oreo’s on top.  I cant remember if I froze the Oreo’s in place before I added the final layer of hot fudge, but it seems like a good idea.  Finally, apply a generous layer of hot fudge over the top of your frozen Oreo’s.  Let that freeze, preferably overnight.  Decorate the top as desired the next day, and dig in!  Serve with some whipped cream, if you like. 

This was SO good, much better than the ice cream cakes that you can buy, in my (not so) humble opinion.  Especially for the price! 

*For Christopher, we used Mint Cookie/Oreo/Hot Fudge.  I thought I’d be able to avoid most of it by choosing mint ice cream, since I am not such a big fan.  But it turns out that I really like Mint Cookie!  Not so big on Mint Chip.  There are any number of combinations that would be amazing.  The Oreo’s are a natural, but you could also do something peanut butter-y with Nutter Butter’s, maybe make your own Cold Stone Creamery peanut butter cup perfection with chopped almonds, Reese’s PB cups, peanut butter folded in, etc… 

Honey Hot Grilled Chicken

Just made this last night off of the Pioneer Woman website and it was so good!  I served it over white rice (always prefer brown, though) and grilled fresh pineapple to go with it, and it went together really well.  I would suggest grilling a vegetable to go with it next time.  The Pioneer Woman suggests serving it with beans, but I think the rice and grilled fruit and veggies combo fits it much better.  


This sort of reminds me of Native New Yorker's Honey Hot chicken sauce, and I am considering toying with this recipe and trying to make a grilled chicken hot wing sauce, maybe using some butter and hot wing sauce to toss the chicken in after it's grilled.  Jason and I had cold leftovers last night and they were delicious!  


Honey Hot Grilled Chicken


6 whole Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
Marinade:
1/2 cup Balsamic Vinegar
1 cup Olive Oil
3 Tablespoons Brown Sugar
2 Tablespoons Steak Seasoning (I Used Montreal)


Sauce:
1 cup Honey
8 pieces Thick Cut Bacon, Diced
3 Tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce
1 Tablespoon Hot Sauce



Preparation Instructions

Slice the chicken breasts into thick strips diagonally. Combine marinade ingredients in a plastic zipper bag. Throw in chicken, seal bag, and marinate in fridge for at least 3 hours or overnight.

Make the sauce: Fry the diced bacon in a heavy skillet until slightly crisp. Remove bacon and drain on paper towels. Pour off and discard grease but do not clean skillet. Set the skillet over medium-low heat and add honey, Worcestershire, and hot sauce. Stir to combine and allow to bubble slightly. Stir in bacon, then remove from heat and set aside.

Remove chicken from marinade and discard marinade. Grill chicken on both sides until completely done.

Place into a big heatproof bowl, then pour the sauce over the chicken. Toss to coat.

Baja Fresh Style Grilled Chicken

Just made this tonight and it was SO good!  We chopped up the chicken into cubes and served it on flour and corn tortillas.  I also made some tilapia in a second bag, and it turned out really well too.  I think that tomorrow, the leftovers will end up on top of black beans and brown rice in homemade burrito bowls.  You can use whatever type of meat or fish you like, really.  I hear that Chipotle uses thighs but I'm a breast gal, myself.  Very easy and effortless, with a lot of flavor.

Side Note: This was originally titled "Chipotle Grilled Chicken" but Jason and I decided it didn't have quite enough kick to be worthy of that title.  So we scaled it down to Baja Fresh style.  Still very good, absolutely worth making, but the search continues for a Chipotle copycat recipe.

Baja Fresh Style Grilled Chicken
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 T. olive oil
2 t. chili powder
1 t. garlic powder
1 t. onion powder
1 t. cumin
1/2 t. oregano
1/2 t. black pepper
3/4 t. kosher or sea salt
fresh cilantro, optional
lime wedges, optional.

Put the meat in a gallon size Ziploc bag, add the oil, and then toss/turn to coat all of the meat.  Combine the spices, and then add them to the bag, seal it and toss and rub the meat until it is well coated.  Refrigerate for 4 hours or up to 24 hours.  Cook over direct heat for 5-6 minutes per side, until there is no pink in the middle.  Let it rest for a few minutes before chopping it up.  If you have some fresh cilantro to garnish with, and maybe some lime wedges (after squeezing the juice on top, yum!) then that would be pretty.  Enjoy!

Firehouse Hot Sauce

Jason came home raving about this sauce and with the recipe, so I'm taking the hint. I haven't had or made this yet, but I trust that it's good. Personally, I am more of a chunky, fresh, pico de gallo kind of gal most of the time but Jason prefers the smoother sauces.

Firehouse Hot Sauce

4 small cans of PLAIN tomato sauce
1 heaping T. garlic powder
1 T. mexican oregano
1 T. salt
1 T. chili flakes (I assume this means crushed red pepper flakes?)
1 T. olive oil
1 T. white vinegar
1 T. cumin

Combine in saucepan over low heat, mix with spoon.  Simmer for 15-20 minutes, let cool.

Cincinnati Chili

I spent much of my childhood in Cincinnati, and I remember my mom taking us to get Cincinnati Chili (or Skyline Chili, I think the other place was called) and it was SO good!!!  On top of a hot dog, on top of pasta, and lots of finely shredded cheddar cheese.  I found this recipe in a magazine a month ago and while I haven't made it yet, I am really excited to give it a try.  I'll update after I make it.

Cincinnati Chili

• 2 cups low-sodium beef broth
• 1 8 ounce can tomato sauce
• 1/4 cup tomato paste
• 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 3 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 large yellow onion, diced
• 2 pounds ground beef
• 1 pound spaghetti, cooked
• Finely shredded cheddar cheese and diced white onions (optional)

1. Whisk together broth, tomato sauce, tomato paste, vinegar, chili powder, cocoa powder, cumin, cinnamon, cloves, allspice, salt and pepper in the base of a slow cooker. Add garlic and yellow onion, and crumble in beef; mix. Cover and cook on HIGH for 6 hours or LOW for 8 hours.

2. Ladle chili over cooked spaghetti. Garnish with finely shredded cheddar cheese and diced white onions, if desired.

nutrition facts

• Servings Per Recipe 8
• Calories(kcal)325
• Protein(gm)28
• Carbohydrate(gm)24
• Fat, total(gm)12
• Cholesterol(mg)74
• Saturated fat(gm)5
• Dietary Fiber, total(gm)3
• Sodium(mg)654
• Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Smashed Potatoes

This is a Rachel Ray recipe that I love, it is my go to for mashed potatoes.  I am a fan of skins-ON potatoes so I never peel them.

Smashed Potatoes

3 pounds small red potatoes, quartered
2 T butter
1/4 C. sour cream
1/2 C. milk
salt and pepper
optional - cheddar cheese, scallions

Cover the potatoes in cool water in a medium saucepan.  Bring them to a boil and cook for 10 minutes, or until fork tender.  Drain the potatoes, return them to the hot pan and stir over low hear to dry them out.  Add the butter, sour cream and milk and smash to your desired consistency.  Season with salt and pepper, then add in some cheddar cheese (optional) and some chopped scallions.  If you add the scallions, they are supposed to taste like sour cream and onion chips!  As Rachel says, "yummo!"

Black Beans in the Slow Cooker

So if you know you are going to use a bunch of black beans and you have the foresight to buy a bag of dried beans, and then soak them the night before, then you can save yourself some dollars and some sodium by making them in the slow cooker.  I got this from Stephanie O'Dea's website but I'll paraphrase it here.

Pour the bag of beans in the slow cooker, throw out any that look yucky, and then add water and cover the slow cooker.  Do NOT turn it on yet.  Let it sit for 8 hours or overnight.  In the morning, dump out the water (it will be bean colored) and then add fresh water, enough to cover them with 2-3 inches of water.  Cover and cook on low for 8 hours.  They are done when they are bite tender.

1 2/3 C. is equal to one 15 oz. can, and a 16 ounce bag yields about 3 cans worth.  The only thing is that they are lacking in salt, and you can tell.  But aside from that, they're great.  They'll keep in your fridge for 3-4 days (maybe more but I get weirded out after that) or you can freeze them for later use.  I usually make them this way when I know I am going to be using a ton, like for the Healthy Turkey and Black Bean Chili.

If you're going to do this with red or kidney beans, make sure you boil them for 10 minutes plus first, so you kill off any weird diseases.  You don't have to do this with black beans.

Chocolate Crackle Cookie

So Jason and I stayed home together on Friday (God bless personal day's) and we went to Paradise Bakery for lunch.  I saw this cookie, it was a "mint chocolate crackle" or something to that effect, but fancier sounding.  So I took a picture with my phone and decided to make them last night.  God bless the internet and the availability of SO much information at your fingertips, ALL the time!

Anyway, I made them according to the directions and they came out really well.  This recipe isn't minty but I am sure you could sub in mint extract or essential oil and they would be really good.  Next time, I think I'll divide it into two batches instead of four, or I will just let the whole thing chill in one big saran wrap package and cut into apx. 1" squares, roll in powdered sugar and bake.

Chocolate Crackle Cookies

• 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted and cooled (I used semi-sweet, and 8 oz. is about 1 1/3 C.)
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup Dutch cocoa powder
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 1/3 cups light-brown sugar, firmly packed
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1 cup confectioners' sugar, plus more for rolling
• 
  
• Chop bittersweet chocolate into small bits, and melt over medium heat in a heat-proof bowl or the top of a double boiler set over a pan of simmering water. Set aside to cool. Sift together flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt.  In the bowl of a heavy-duty electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and light-brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla, and beat until well combined. Add melted chocolate. With mixer on low speed, alternate adding dry ingredients and milk until just combined. Divide the dough into quarters, wrap with plastic wrap, and chill in the refrigerator until firm, about 2 hours.
• 
  
• On a clean countertop, roll each portion of dough into a log approximately 16 inches long and 1 inch in diameter, using confectioners’ sugar to prevent sticking. Wrap logs in plastic wrap, and transfer to a baking sheet. Chill for 30 minutes. Cut each log into 1-inch pieces, and toss in confectioners’ sugar, a few at a time. Using your hands, roll the pieces into a ball shape. If any of the cocoa-colored dough is visible, roll dough in confectioners’ sugar again to coat completely. Place the cookies 2 inches apart on a Silpat-lined baking sheet. Bake until cookies have flattened and the sugar splits, 12 to15 minutes.  Transfer from oven to a wire rack to let cool completely. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
• 
  

Yield 4 dozen cookies

Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken

This was ridiculously easy and a huge hit today.  Pretty spicy, but a touch of Ranch dressing toned it down.


Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken
3 lbs of chicken (can be frozen or fresh)
One packet of Ranch dip powder (this stuff is amazing)
One jar of Frank's Red Hot Wing Buffalo Sauce (don't get the Hot Buffalo unless you can really take the heat)
Rolls, Ranch and Pepper Jack Cheese for serving

Put the chicken in the slow cooker.  Frozen is OK, if that is what you have- you will never know the difference later!  I promise!  Sprinkle the ranch mix on top, and then dump the jar of sauce on top of that.  Cook on low for 6 hours, or high for 3-4ish.  When it is ready, shred it with two forks and put it back in the slow cooker to meld some more.  I think this helps it thicken some.

Serve on top of toasted rolls (I like the sesame seed rolls if you can find them) and offer pepper jack cheese to melt down on top of it.  This chicken is also a really nice dip for tortilla chips.

Enjoy!

Oops, I just re-read the original recipe and it says that you are supposed to cook the chicken with the ranch powder on top, and then let it be until shredding, then add a couple Tablespoons of butter, let it go for an hour, and then stir in the sauce.  Oops!  Maybe I'll try it like that next time.  I didn't use any butter and I put the sauce in up front today, and it was still fabulous.

Chocolates

Jason’s Great Grandma Squires came over this weekend and taught my mom, my sister and I how to dip chocolate and make old fashioned cooked fudge.  It was fantastic, and we all have the expanding waistlines to prove it!  We used most of a 10 pound bar of chocolate and made gifts for everyone on our “nice” list.  And then we started a new family tradition of decorating cookies!  What a fun weekend. 

Easy Mints
¼ C. butter or margarine
2 T. water
¼ t salt
½ t. peppermint oil (3-4 shakes of oil preferred, or lots more of extract)
3 ½ - 3 ¾ C. Powdered Sugar
Heat over low heat butter and water, add salt and extract, gradually add sugar until smooth.  Yields one pound of mints.

Fondant Cherries
Marischino cherries and juice (1 large jar or 3-4 small jars)
6 T. butter
¼ C. evaporated milk
¼ C. reserved cherry juice
2 t. vanilla
½ t. salt
Powdered Sugar until it’s the right consistency, about a 16 oz bag, maybe a touch more

Dry cherries on paper towel, reserve the 1/4 C. of the juice. Warm the butter, milk, cherry juice, vanilla and salt over low heat.  Remove from heat and add powdered sugar until it’s the right consistency, sort of like play dough.  Get some powdered sugar in your hands, flatten the fondant, wrap around cherries and then chill well in the freezer.  Then dip in chocolate.

Peanut Butter Eggs (from Aunt Kat) 
Mix together
4 C. powdered sugar
1 1/2 C. creamy peanut butter
1/4 C. butter or margarine, melted
2-3 T. milk
Mix together, adding milk last.  Shape into eggs, or perhaps next time I will make these into ball-shaped buckeyes and leave the top showing peanut butter so you can tell them from the cherries.  Freeze and then dip into chocolate.

Almond Joys
2 pounds powdered sugar
1 – 1 ½ pounds shredded coconut (large package)
1 can sweetened condensed milk (maybe a little more)
2 T. butter, melted
Almonds
Mix all ingredients.  Shape into ovals, put an almond (or two!) in the center. Chill well, and dip! 

Chocolate Covered Almonds or Peanuts
Stir whichever kind of nuts you like in the leftover chocolate, and dollop by spoonful onto wax paper to dry.