Beef Empanadas

Feel free to use the frozen pastry dough in lieu of making the pastry yourself. It will save some time, and make it easier to prepare.


Beef Empanadas
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YIELD: 12 Empanadas

Ingredients
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1 Pound Ground Beef
2 Tablespoons Butter
1/2 Cup Onion, Chopped
3 Cloves Garlic, Minced
1 Cup Beef stock, or Beef Broth
2 Large Ripe Tomatoes, Chopped
1 Teaspoon Salt
1 Can Green Chilies (3 oz can), drained and chopped
1 Each Bay leaf
2 Tablespoons Black Olives, Chopped

1 1/2 Cups Unsifted flour
3/4 Teaspoon Salt
1/2 Cup Shortening
4 Teaspoons Cold Water
1 Each Egg Yolk

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1. For Filling, brown the ground beef in large skillet over medium high heat, drain and set aside. In now empty skillet, melt butter over medium heat, add onions and saute until tender. Add garlic and saute until fragrent, about 30 more seconds. Return beef to pan and mix with onions and garlic.

2. Add beef stock (or broth), tomatoes, green chiles, 1 teaspoon of salt, and bay leaf. Simmer, stirring occasionally abuot 20 minutes or until all liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat, discard bay leaf, and stir in the olives.

3. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

4. For the Pasty, in medium bowl, combine flour, salt, shortening, and water. Blend until mixture holds together like bread dough.

5. Divide pastry into 12 pieces on lightly floured surface, roll each piece into a six inch round. What I do is roll the dough flat to abuot 1/4 inch thick, then I will use a number 10 can as a "cookie cutter". Place about 3 tablespoons of filling in one half of each round, and fold over the other half of the pastry.

6. Press edges together with fingers, to seal flute edges with a fork. Cut slits on top of each empanada. Beat egg yolk with 1 tablespoon of water, and brush over top of empanadas.

7. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until golden Brown

Shepherd's Pie

Shephard's Pie is traditionally made with ground lamb. If you like lamb, feel free to use lamb in place of the beef and sausage. I am not a big lamb fan, so I use what I like, as should you.

Shephard's Pie was originally made by Shephards who needed an easy, quick, and balanced meal they could make while out tending the flocks. It consisted of ground lamb topped by potatoes. In these more modern times, we have revamped Shephard's Pie by adding vegetables and herbs. Some people will call this recipe a "Cottage Pie" because it does not have lamb.

Shepherd's Pie
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Ingredients
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1 Pound Ground Beef
1 Pound Ground Sausage
1/2 Cup Burgandy
5 Each Bacon Slices, Chopped
1 Each Yellow Onion, Diced
2 Stalks Celery, Diced
2 Each Carrots, Diced
4 Tablespoons Butter
2 Cloves Garlic, Minced
2 Cups Mushrooms, sliced
2 Teaspoons Fresh Thyme
1 Teaspoon Fresh Oregano
1 Tablespoon Fresh Parsley
1 Teaspoon Chili Powder
1/2 Teaspoon Ground Cumin
1 Teaspoon Fresh Ground Pepper
2 Teaspoons Salt
1 Pound Corn Kernels, Fresh or Frozen
1/2 Cup Beef Stock
6 Large Potatoes, peeled and diced
1 Stick Butter
1/2 Cup Cream
1 Cup Cheddar cheese, Shredded
1 Teaspoon Salt
1 Teaspoon Fresh Ground pepper
2 Teaspoons Fresh Parsley
2 tablespoons Butter, Melted

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1. Brown the ground beef and sausage over medium high heat, drain, set aside. Deglaze the pan with the burgandy, pour over meat mixture.

2. Saute the bacon pieces in pan over medium heat until crisp, remove bacon pieces with slotted spoon, leaving the bacon fat in the pan.

3. Saute the onions, celery, and carrots in the bacon fat over medium heat until onions become translucent. Add to beef and sausage mixture.

4. Add the 4 tablespoons (half stick) of butter to skillet on medium heat, add garlic and saute until fragrent, about 30 seconds, then add the mushrooms to pan, and saute until the mushrooms have absorbed most if not all the butter. Add this mushroom and garlic mix to the beef/vegetalbe mix.

5. Remove all stems from the Thyme, Oregano, and Pasley, and chop the leaves and add to beef/vegetable mix. Add the chili powder, cumin, 1 teaspoon pepper the 2 teaspoons of salt, the corn, and the beef stock. Mix together until evenly distributed. If you haven't done so already, put this mix into a deep dish casserole dish or roasting pan, 13x9 dish works well with deep sides.

6. Cook the potatoes in salted boiling water until fork tender, about 15 minutes. Drain completely and place in mixing bowl. Add the butter, cream, cheese, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon pepper, and 2 teaspoons fresh parsly, and whip together until smooth.

7. Spread evenly over the beef and vegetable mix with spatula, or you can use a piping bag if you like. Brush top of potatoes with melted butter. Bake, uncovered in 400 degree oven for 45 to 60 minutes, until top of potatoes are browned.

8. Take the bacon pieced you cooked earlier and sprinkle over top. Let stand at least 15 minutes before serviing.

All About Brining

What is Brining?

Brining, or soaking in salt water, is an easy way to make moister chicken or pork (it does not work on beef). Typically a ratio of 16 parts water to 1 part salt is used (e.g. 1 quart water to 1/4 cup salt). Note that brining does not add salt to the meat; it makes the meat moist through osmosis which draws water out of cells.
Brining increases the temperature (from 140 to 160 degrees) at which meat dries out (i.e. the cells burst and lose their water) due to cooking.

Brining was originally used to preserve food (strong salt solution); now it is used to flavor meat (medium salt solution).

How does Brining Work?

The meat's cells have a concentration of salt in them. Brine has a higher concentration of salt than the meat. The osmosis process will balance the concentration of salt between the cell and the brine so in order to increase the concentration of salt (note salt is not adding to the meat) in the cells, the water in the cell moves from the cell (passes through the cell's wall) to the space surrounding the cell.

The temperature that causes the cell to burst (and dry out the meat) has been raised from 140 deg to 160 degrees (due to higher concentration of salt in the cell).

Maximum Brine Time

If meat is kept past the maximum brine time, it will taste salty and perhaps turn mushy. Start out at the low end of the range.

Meat	Brine Time
Whole chicken (4 pounds)	4-8 hours
Chicken parts	1 1/2 hours
Chicken breasts	1 hour
Whole turkey	12-24 hours
Pork chops	2-8 hours
Whole pork loins	1-3 days
Pork Tenderloin	2-12 hours
Shrimp	1/2 hour
Cornish game hens	1-2 hours

Salt Choice

Table salt, sea salt, and kosher salt provide the same saltiness if they weigh the same. It is not true for volume. A cup of table salt weighs about 10 oz while kosher salt weighs 5-8 oz per cup, depending on the brand.

Professional cooks use kosher salt since it is pure. Sea salt is too expensive to use on a regular basis and table salt contains additives such as anti-caking agents (prevents caking in humid weather) and iodine (prevents thyroid disease).

Do not use lite salt since it contains other substances besides salt (sodium chloride). Pure salt must be used for brining.

Meat	Volume	Weight
Table salt	1 cup	10 oz
Morton kosher salt	1 1/2 cups	7.7 oz
Diamond Crystal kosher salt	2 cups	5 oz

What Container to Use

Since brine is very salty a nonreactive container must be used:

• plastic buckets
• coolers
• Ziploc bags
• stainless steel or anodized pots
• glass bowls
• ceramic bowls
• stainless steel bowls

Use a heavy ceramic bowl or plate to weigh down the meat so it is completely submerged in brine.

Basic Brine Recipes

Brine solutions work best when they are 40 degrees which is the expected temperature of a refrigerator. Salt dissolves quickest in hot water but be sure the brine solution is cooled before placing meat in it. After brining, thoroughly rinse the meat.

Basic Brine

• 1 cup water
• 1 TBL table salt (or 2 TBL DC kosher salt)

Basic Chicken or Pork Brine

• 1 quart hot water
• 1/4 cup (5 oz) Diamond Crystal kosher salt (2 TBL cup table salt)
• 1/4 cup sugar (brown or white. Optional)

Dissolve salt and sugar in hot water then chill in refrigerator (40 deg). Immerse chicken breasts and keep immersed in refrigerator or in an ice chest for 1 to 4 hours. Remove chicken breasts and rinse thoroughly.

High Temperature Chicken or Pork Brine

For grilling, broiling, and roasting chicken or pork.

• 1 quart hot water
• 1/4 cup (5 oz) Diamond Crystal kosher salt (or 2 TBL cup table salt)
• 2 TBL sugar (brown or white.)

Dissolve salt and sugar in hot water then chill in refrigerator. Immerse chicken breasts and keep immersed in refrigerator or in an ice chest for 1 to 4 hours. Remove chicken breasts and rinse thoroughly.

Basic Turkey Brine

• 2 gallons water
• 2 cups Diamond Crystal kosher salt

Brine turkey 8 to 12 hours at 40 degrees.

Brine Tips

Use these helpful tips to maximize your brining experience.

• Make sure you refrigerate your brine and meat.
• Do not use acidic liquids such as orange juice or beer on poultry. It will make it mushy.
• Rinse meat after brining.
• Use kosher salt. It does not contain additives, like table salt.
• Make sure the meat is *completely* covered by the brine solution.
• Do not reuse brine.
• Pat meat dry with paper towels after rinsing.
• For full benefits of brining do not cut back on salt.

"Burn Your Recipes!"

Do not literally burn your recipes, but don't be a prisoner to them! Use them more of an outline. There are many variances to take into account, and besides, cooking is an art, have fun with it! To make my point, Watch Chef Todd in this video, he has a unique way of getting the point across!

(This only refers to cooking, NOT baking (pies, cakes, pastries, breads, etc).

Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

If you've only had soup from a can, then you have no idea just how wonderful, comforting, and delicious a homemade soup really is. It is a taste explosion in your mouth! Make this soup one time, and you can never go back to canned soup again!


Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup --------------------------------------

Yield: About 2 quarts

Ingredients:
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1 whole chicken
*(you can use 5 chicken thighs or 3 chicken breasts (or mix) in lieu of whole bird)
2 tablespoons kosher salt
5 slices bacon
1 large yellow onion, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
2-3 carrots, sliced
1 green bell pepper, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 1/2 to 3 quarts chicken stock
1/2 pound linguine, broke into 2 inch pieces
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
Salt to taste

Sachet:
2 bay leaves
4 sprigs fresh thyme (or 1 teaspoon dry)
6 parsley stems
2 sprigs oregano (or 1 teaspoon dry)
8 peppercorns
(To make Sachet, place ingredients in cheesecloth, and tie with kitchen twine. The purpose of the sachet is to add all the flavor of the herbs, without having them floating around in the soup).

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1. Rinse chicken, place in pot. Cover chicken with COLD water, add the kosher salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer chicken until done, about an hour for whole bird, 45 minutes for parts. When chicken is done, remove from pot and place on plate or platter to cool. If you need the stock water, strain through a mesh strainer into bowl (see number 2), otherwise you can discard it. Separate chicken from bone, discard skin and bones.

2. If you do not have any chicken stock made, reserve the stock that you just cooked the chicken in. It will not be a strong stock, and you may need to add chicken bouillon to it. If you do it this way, reduce the kosher salt to 1 teaspoon. You will need about 2 1/2 to 3 quarts.

3. While chicken is cooking, cut the bacon into small pieces and fry in skillet until crisp. Using slotted spoon, remove bacon from skillet onto paper towel, leaving the bacon fat in the skillet. You will not need the bacon again, so you can save it for use in a salad if you like.

4. In same skillet, add diced onions, celery, carrots, and bell pepper. Saute in bacon fat until onion is translucent. Add minced garlic, and saute for about 30 more seconds until fragrant. Transfer to pot.

5. Add chicken stock, chicken, and sachet, simmer for 20 minutes. Add linguine and continue to cook for another 10 minutes or until pasta is done.

6. Remove sachet, discard. Add fresh parsley. Salt (if needed) to taste.

Heart Healthy Baked Chicken

*(Photo is suggested serving idea)


My Nephew Eric is trying to lose a few pounds, and asked for a chicken recipe he could eat, full of flavor. Just throwing chicken in the oven and baking it plain leaves it tasteless, and if you're trying to eat healthy, it does no good adding salt or eating the skin.

This recipe is for a baked chicken, using fresh herbs as flavor. The chicken is cooked with the skin on, to help with flavor and moister, but removed at the end.

This is real basic, and not too visually stunning. Something you would make for yourself, not as a main course to feed your company. Mainly strictly for people seriously watching what they eat.


Heart Healthy Baked Chicken
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YIELD: 4 Servings

Ingredients:
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4 pieces Chicken Breast, bone and skin on.
(Alternate: use chicken thighs, or even a whole bird)
4 sprigs fresh Rosemary herbs
4 sprigs fresh Thyme herbs

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1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Rinse the chicken and pat dry with paper towels.

2. Using your finger, run your finger underneath the skin of the chicken, separating it from the meat, making a pocket inside.

3. Slide one sprig of fresh Rosemary and one sprig fresh Thyme in between the skin and the meat of each piece of chicken.

4. Place chicken on baking sheet, skin side up. Bake in oven on middle rack for about an hour, or until internal temperature reads 160 degrees (using an instant read thermometer).

5. Remove chicken from oven, let rest for about 5 minutes. Remove skin and herbs, discard. If you wish, you can sear the breasts in a skillet on high heat to give it some color at this time.

6. Serve, with steamed broccoli, or whatever vegetable you like.

Chicken Enchiladas

Theses enchiladas turn out fantastic. Follow the recipe and you will have a winner. I have yet to have an enchilada I like more.

If you love the Latin Flavors, then do yourself a favor, make yourself some of these outstanding enchiladas!


Chicken Enchiladas
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YIELD: About 10 enchiladas

Ingredients:
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Sauce and Filling
1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 medium onion, chopped fine
3 medium garlic clove, minced
3 tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons ground coriander
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons sugar
12 ounces boneless chicken thighs, cut 1/4 inch wide strips
2 cans tomato sauce, 8 ounces each can
1/2 cup coarsely chopped cilantro leaves
4 ounces pickled jalapenos, drained and chopped
8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, grated

Tortillas and Toppings
10 each corn tortillas, 6 inches
vegetable cooking spray
3 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, grated
3/4 cup sour cream
1 each avocado, diced medium
5 each romaine lettuce leaves, washed, dried, and shredded
2 each limes, quartered

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1. FOR THE SAUCE AND FILLING:

Heat oil in medium saucepan over medium-high heat until hot and shimmering but not smoking, about 2 minutes; add onion and cook, stirring occasionally until softened and beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, chili powder, coriander, cumin, salt, and sugar; cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add chicken and cook, stirring constantly, until coated with spices, about 30 seconds. Add tomato sauce and 3/4 cup water; stir to separate chicken pieces. Bring to simmer, then reduce heat to medium-low; simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, until chicken is cooked through and flavors have melded, about 8 minutes. Pour mixture through medium mesh strainer into medium bowl, pressing on chicken and onions to extract as much sauce as possible; set sauce aside. Transfer chicken mixture to large plate; freeze for 10 minutes to cool, then combine cilantro, jalapenos, and cheese in medium bowl and set aside

2. Adjust oven racks to upper- and lower-middle positions and heat oven to 300 degrees.

3. TO ASSEMBLE:

Smear bottom of 13 by 9 inch baking dish with 3/4 cup of the sauce. Place tortillas on two baking sheets (5 on each sheet), spray both sides with cooking spray, and cook in oven until soft and pliable, about 4 minutes. Place warm tortillas on counter top. Increase oven temperature to 400 degrees. Place 1/3 cup of the filling down the center of each tortilla. Roll up each tortilla tightly by hand (don't fold in the ends), and place in the baking dish, seam side down. Pour remaining chili sauce over top of enchiladas. Use a spoon to spread sauce so it coats top of each tortilla. Sprinkle 3/4 cups grated cheese down center of enchiladas. Cover baking dish with foil. Bake enchiladas on lower-middle rack until heated through and cheese is melted, 20 to 25 minutes. Uncover and serve immediately, passing sour cream, avocado, lettuCE, and lime separately.

Fish Stock

Use lean fish bones for this recipe, such as bass, scrod, cod, or flounder.

This is the quickest of the stocks to make. You can usually get the bones from your butcher.

Fish Stock
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YIELD: 1 Quart

Ingredients:
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2 tablespoons butter
1 medium onion, sliced
1 medium carrot, sliced
2 medium celery ribs, chopped
salt
2 cups dry white wine
3 cups water
2 teaspoons lemon juice
2 pounds fish bones, washed, include tails and heads
celery leaves
8 sprigs parsley
1 teaspoon dried chervil
1 each bay leaf
3 each cloves
6 each peppercorns

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Heat butter in a large skillet, add the onion, carrot, and chopped celery, and saute over moderate heat for 2 minutes. Add salt to taste. Add the wine, water, and all other ingredients, bring liquid to the boil, reduce heat immediately, and simmer gently for no more than 30 minutes. Skim off scum and strain through a double thickness of cheese cloth.

Beef Stock

This will make a wonderful, rich beef stock, full of flavor that you can never get from a can.

This stock can be used the same day it is made, it is only recommended to let it chill overnight in order for the fat to float to the top and harden, making it easy to remove.

You can also substitute a veal knuckle in place of the pig's foot.


Beef Stock
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YIELD: 2 Quarts

Ingredients:
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4 pounds beef bones, cut into 3-inch pieces
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 each carrots, sliced
3 medium onions, sliced
1 each pig's feet
2 each leeks, cleaned and chopped
3 each garlic cloves, chopped
2 each celery ribs, chopped
1 each turnip, chopped
1 teaspoon dried thyme
8 sprigs parsley
1 each bay leaf
4 each cloves
8 each peppercorns
4 quarts cold water
1 tablespoon salt

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1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

2. Place the beef bones and half the carrots and onions in a roasting pan, sprinkle with the flour, and brown in the oven for 30 minutes.

3. Transfer bones and vegetables to a 8 to 10 quart stockpot. Drain fat from roasting pan, deglaze pan with a little water, and pour juices into the stockpot. Add the pig's foot, the remaining carrots and onions, and all other ingrediants except the salt to the stockpot. If necessary, add more water to cover by 3 inches and bring mixture to the boil. reuce heat to simmer, skim off scum, cover partly, and simmer for 2 hours. Add the salt and simmer for 3 hours longer, adding more water if necessary.

4. Strain broth into a large bowl, cool, chill thoroughly (preferably over-night), and remove fat from the top.

Chicken Stock

This is the basic recipe for Chicken Stock. There are a lot of store bought broths and stocks you can get to make things faster and easier, but the taste difference is too great for me to settle. I make a large amount of Chicken Stock at a time, and freeze what I do not use. Do your taste buds a favor, not to mention your wallet, and make your own stock.


Good chicken stock, which is indispensable to all forms of fine cookery, requires a flavorful old fowl that is simmered for at least 3 hours with the right vegetables and seasonings. Since so many dishes call for a strong stock, I simmer mine till the liquid is reduced by half and simply dilute it when a recipe calls for a lighter base. If you have room to freeze plenty of this stock, double or triple the recipe.


Chicken Stock
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YIELD: 2 Quarts

Ingredients:
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5 pounds chickens, whole, neck and giblets included
4 quarts cold water
2 medium onions, cut in half
2 each celery ribs, broken in half
2 each carrots, cut in half
2 each leeks, cleaned and chopped
2 teaspoons salt

Herb Bouquet (see note)
1 each garlic clove
4 each cloves
8 each peppercorns
1 each bay leaf
6 each parsley sprigs

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1. Place chicken(s), neck, and giblets in an 8 to 10 quart stockpot or large kettle and add the water. Bring liquid to the boil, reduce heat, simmer for 30 minutes, and skim off any scum.

2. Add the onions, carrots, celery, leeks, salt, and herb bouquet, and continue simmering stock for 3 to 3 1/2 hours, adding more water if necessary to keep contents barely covered.

3. Strain stock through cheesecloth into large bowl, let cool, chill (preferable overnight), and remove all fat from the top.


NOTE: A Herb Bouquet, or Bouquet Garni, is made by placing the herbs into a piece of cheesecloth, and tied with twine to prevent the herbs from spilling into the stock.

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