AwesomeBites

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  • Coleslaw with Red Cabbage and Peanuts

    Coleslaw with Red Cabbage and Peanuts

    I didn’t eat much coleslaw as a kid, just didn’t.  But upon getting married, my mother-in-law Jacque loved coleslaw. 

    Her coleslaw was the creamy style without the red cabbage, but right before serving, she would add peanuts, toss and serve. 

    Jacque's Coleslaw with Peanuts

    Good!  That was a little over 20 years ago, and now I am a full addict.  I will not recover in my lifetime.  I do love coleslaw so much I can eat it straight up on a piece of bread for lunch.  I know, I know, be gentle…you are talking to an addict.  My favorite slaw is without the mayo and more on the vinegar side, but if you are going to have a baked potato the creamy stuff is great.  Tacos, Sandwiches all benefit from coleslaw. Hold the lettuce and go for the ‘slaw!

    1 large head green cabbage, shredded

    1/8 head of red cabbage (optional)

     2 carrots shredded

    1/4 cup green onions, chopped

    1/2 cup white wine vinegar

    3 T sugar

    1 1/2 cup unsalted raw peanuts (optional – but Jacque loved her coleslaw this way!)

    1 tsp salt

    1 T Dijon mustard

    2/3 cup olive oil

    Combine cabbage and carrots in a large glass bowl. Toss.

    In a small bowl, mix the remaining ingredients. Whisk together. Pour dressing over cabbage and toss to mix. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for 2-3 hours.

    If you like creamy dressing, use the same amounts of vinegar, sugar and salt. Substitute cream for oil. Eliminate the mustard.

    Awesome Slaw!
    BBQ Beef and Coleslaw Sandwich

      

    Variations: 
    Jalapeno Lime Coleslaw

    1/2 cup Lime Juice
    1 basket of tiny cherry tomatoes, washed and quartered
    1 jalapeno chile, seeded and diced
    3/4 cup cilantro, chopped

    Instead of Vinegar in above recipe use 1/2 cup lime juice. 

    In a skillet or oven (350F) roast the peanuts for 5 to 10 minutes, shaking the pan once or twice along the way, until golden and toasted.

    Just before serving fold in the peanuts (add them too early and they lose some of their crunch). Taste and adjust the flavor with more salt if needed.

    Lime and Peanut Coleslaw
  • Salsa Cruda and Spaghetti

    Salsa Cruda and Spaghetti

     The combination of hot pasta and fresh, cool, ripe tomatoes, basil and garlic is fabulous.  Do not serve cheese with this sauce.

    Awesome Salsa Cruda

    3-4 large, ripe eating tomatoes

    1/2 cup shredded basil leaves

    1 clove garlic, minced

    1/2 cup good olive oil

    salt and freshly ground black pepper

    1 pound spaghetti

    Dice tomatoes and mix ingredients together. Chill for 1 hour. Cook pasta  “al dente”. Drain and pout into pasta bowl. Pour Salsa Cruda over, toss and serve immediately. You can also do pineapple salsa the same way with a slight replacement of ingredients.   Marvelous summer meal.  Serves 4

    Spaghetti and Salsa Cruda
    Linguini with Shrimp and Salsa Cruda
    Grilled Salmon, Black Beans and Salsa Fresca
  • Pico de Gallo – Chunky Red Salsa

    Pico de Gallo – Chunky Red Salsa

    1 small onion

    2-3 medium tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped ()

    1-3 jalapeno peppers

    1-2 T chopped cilantro

    1-2 T olive oil

    Salt to taste

    Fresh ingedients make this an awesome bite!

    Combine all the ingredients.  This is best used fresh.  Serve with grilled fish or as a dip for tortilla chips.

    Pico de Gallo on Baja Fish Tacos

    Variations – Add any or all of the following:

    diced avocados

    1 tbsp lime juice

    1 habanera

    1/2 cans whole kernel corn

    1/2 can black beans

    Pico de Gallo
  • Guacamole

    Guacamole

    Fresh Avocado

    2 medium avocados, peelled and pitted

    juice of 1/2 lime

    1 medium tomato, peeled, seeded and chopped

    1 small onion, chopped

    1 garlic clove, minced

    1-2 T cilantro

    1-2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and chopped finely

    1/4 tsp ground cumin

    Salt to taste

    Mash avocados with a fork, Add the lime juice. Stir in remaining ingredients. Jalapenos add a bit at a time – 2 will be fairly hot – so add until spicy enough for your taste. 

    Chunky Guacamole Dip

    If you have made Pico de Gallo, you can just add a some to the mashed avocados with lime and save a few steps.

    Cover with plastic wrap, so avocados will not discolor.

    Serve with chips and tacos.

    Awesome Guacamole
  • Fettuccine alla Panna – Fettuccine with Cream Sauce

    Fettuccine alla Panna – Fettuccine with Cream Sauce

    Fettuccine in Cream Sauce

    1/2 pound of fettuccine

    1/2 cup butter

    1/2 cup cream

    3/4 – 1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

    freshly ground nutmeg

    Salt and freshly ground black pepper

    Boil fettucine in salted water. In a large heavy pan, melt butter over low heat. When fettuccine is “al dente” drain it and pour it into the melted butter.  toss to coat the fettuccine. Simmer over medium heatand add the cream and cook until sauce is creamy – about 2 minutes.  Add salt and pepper.  Serve immediately, pass more parmesan cheese.  Serves 3

  • Gravy

    Gravy

    My mom made gravy.  Gravy with fried chicken especially. 

    Biscuits and Gravy

    Once the chicken was done, mom would add 1/4 cup flour to the oil in the frying pan.  Stir the flour in the grease until it is brown.  It will brown nicely, stir constantly so it will not burn.  Once the flour has browned to the color you like, add 1 cup water all at once and stir constantly.  (If you add the water bit by bit, your gravy will get lumpy.)  As the gravy thickens, add 1 cup milk, stirring constantly.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Ahhhh – this stuff is good.

    If you want to make sausage gravy, just start browning sausage and then make gravy from the drippings.  Serve with Baking Powder biscuits, fried potatoes and scrambled eggs for a hearty breakfast buffet. 

    Fried Potatoes, Biscuits and Sausage Gravy
  • Fisherman Jimmy’s Fried Fish

    Fisherman Jimmy’s Fried Fish

    When my husband and I first got together, a fisherman Jimmy lived in the apartment below.  He would be gone for days at a time, and then would announce his arrival home by leaving fresh fish or lobster in our sink.  Wonderful to come home to.  Often, Jimmy would join us for dinner and volunteer to cook.

    Perfectly Crusted Fried Fish

    I still love his recipe for fried fish. 

    Eggs beaten with a little water

    Crumbled up saltine crackers, no bigger than 1/4 of an inch.

    Take fish filets and pat them dry, dredge in the egg and then the cracker mixture.  Cook in a medium hot pan of oil.  The crust that develops is excellent.  Be sure to only turn once.  Sprinkle with a dash of salt while still hot.  Your filets should take no more than about 4 minutes per side.  If you are cooking a few, you can put them in the oven to keep them warm.  Serve with a healthy salad.

    For your tarter sauce: combine Best Foods mayonnaise and hot dog relish. Equal portions of each and stir.

    Tarter Sauce and Cocktail Sauce

    For cocktail sauce:  1/4 cup Ketsup and 1-2 tablespoons of horseradish.

    Fried Pacific Rockfish
    Fried Pacific Rockfish
  • Chewy Cranberry Pecan Oatmeal Cookies

    Chewy Cranberry Pecan Oatmeal Cookies

    If you haven’t figured it out by now, oatmeal cookies are may favorite.
    1 1/2 c all-purpose flour
    1 teaspoon baking soda
    1/2 teaspoon salt
    1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
    2 1/2 cups old fashioned oats
    8 ounces unsalted butter, slightly softened
    1 cup packed light brown sugar
    1/2 cup granulated sugar
    2 large eggs, beaten lightly
    1 tablespoon honey
    2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
    6 ounces dried cranberries (1 1/3 c.)
    5 ounces chopped pecans (about 1 c.)

    1/2 cup white chocolate chips or chunks (optional)

    Directions
    1 Oven to 350 degrees F.
    2 (if baking right away).
    3 Line sheet pans with parchment.
    4 Mix the dry ingredients together, then stir in the oats.
    5 Set aside.
    6 Beat the butter and both sugars together until light and fluffy.
    7 Add the eggs, then scrape down the bowl; add the honey and vanilla and beat until blended.
    8 Add the flour mixture in two additions, beating each until well combined.
    9 Stir in the cranberries and pecans.
    10 At this point, you can either bake, or freeze.
    11 To freeze, just scrape the dough onto plastic wrap, roll into a log, wrap tightly, and freeze until ready to bake.
    12 Then just take them out of the freezer, let sit for about 15 minutes, then slice into 3/16″ thick slices and bake as directed.
    13 To bake immediately: drop by tablespoonfuls about 2 inches apart on parchment lined sheet pans.
    14 Bake until the centers of the cookies are soft and no longer look wet; about 9-11 minutes.
    15 Let cool on the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool.
  • Eggs, Onions and Hot Links

    Eggs, Onions and Hot Links

    Beat eggs

    Slice onions

    Slice hot links

    Grated Cheddar Cheese

    In a frying pan, saute the onions and hot links slices, add beaten eggs, cover with lid and reduce heat to low for 3-4 minutes or until eggs are set.  Salt and Pepper, sprinkle with cheese of your liking.

    Eggs, Onions and Hot Links
  • Roast Chicken with Rosemary and Orange Marmalade

    Roast Chicken with Rosemary and Orange Marmalade

    Ingredients
    •2 whole 2-pound chickens
    •¼ teaspoon salt
    •¼ teaspoon pepper
    •3 tablespoons olive oil
    •2 tablespoons fresh rosemary leaves
    •6 tablespoons Grand Marnier (or Wild Turkey with 1 T marmalade)
    •3 tablespoons fresh orange juice
    •2 tablespoons brandy
    •2 tablespoons butter
    •4 tablespoons Chicken Stock
    1/4 cup Orange marmalade
    Directions
    Split the chickens into halves. Cut out the backbones and remove the breastbones and ribs with your fingers and a paring knife. Blend the salt and pepper, and season the chickens inside and out.

    Preheat the oven to 500° F.

    Place the chickens skin-side down in a hot, dry 14” ovenproof skillet and brown 5 minutes. Turn the chickens and brown 5 minutes longer, then add the olive oil. Transfer the skillet to the preheated oven and roast the chickens 30 minutes, turning them occasionally. Remove from the oven, drain off all fat, and add the remaining ingredients to the pan. Place over high flame and cook 2 minutes, frequently basting and occasionally turning the chickens. Transfer the birds to serving plates and spoon the pan sauce over them. Glaze the chicken with the marmalade about 10 minutes before removing from oven.

    You can use just about any jam as a glaze/marinade on savory items.

    I like plum, apricot, orange and cherry best for chicken. A sweet/tart marmalade is nice on salmon.

    Give it a try.
    If you want to just do dinner for two try the following:

    2 Chicken Breasts
    Jam/Jelly spread over the meat. Bake at 400 degrees about 35 minutes until done.

    Use leftovers on salad the next day for lunch.