Beer Battered Shrimp

Servings: 4

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time; 10 minutes 

Ingredients:

Oil for frying

3 cups Flour

1 Tsp of Garlic Powder

1 Tsp Black Pepper

1 Tsp Paprika

6 to 8 oz Beer

2lbs of 12 - 15 Count Shrimps, peeled and deveined, leaving tips

Lemon Wedges

Cocktail Sauce

Easy Cocktail Sauce - At Home Gourmet

For Shrimp:

1. Preheat oil in a large skillet or deep fryer to 350°.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk flour, garlic, black pepper, paprika and beer.Make sure that you do not see any flour. Batter should coat a spoon, and not clumpy. If the mixture is dry, whisk in additional beer, one ounce at a time.
3. Sit shrimp in batter, tips up, ensuring that batter sticks to every part. 
4. When oil is ready, add shrimp to skillet one at a time, laying them on their side. Do not overcrowd skillet. Cook in 2 batches.
5. If oil does not cover shrimp completely, flip them after frying for 2 minutes. 
6. When batter is golden and shrimp float, remove them from oil, using a large slotted spoon.
7. Drain shrimp on towel lined plate.
8. Serve with Cocktail Sauce and lemon wedges. See the link above for my Easy Cocktail Sauce.

ENJOY! 

Easy Cocktail Sauce

Prep Time: 2 minutes

Ingredients:

1 cup Ketchup

1 Tbsp Horseradish, prepared

Juice of a quarter of a lemon

In a small bowl, whisk together all ingredients.

Store in an airtight container for up to a month.
*Add a teaspoon of cayenne pepper for a spicy variation.

Serve with seafood and Enjoy!

Jerk Chicken Soup

Servings: 4

Prep Time: 4 hours

Cook Time: 1 hour

Equipment Needed:

8 Quart Stock Pot

Ingredients:

1 cup Jerk Marinade

4 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts 

1 Tbsp Butter

 Tbsp Olive Oil

1 Small Onion 

1 Medium Bell Pepper

2 Medium Carrots, sliced 

2 Celery Stalks, sliced

2 cups Stewed Tomatoes 

2 Tbsp Minced Garlic

4 Sprigs Fresh Parsley

64 oz Chicken Broth

Salt & Pepper to taste

1. Marinate chicken in jerk marinade for at least 4 hours.
2. In stock pot, over medium heat olive oil.
3. Discard marinade. Saute' chicken for about 4 minutes on each side or until cooked through.
4. Remove chicken from pot and set aside.
5. Add butter to pot and saute' onion, bell pepper & celery for about 2 minutes.
6. Add garlic & tomatoes to mixture and stir for 1 minute.
7. Gradually stir in broth, add carrots and bring to a boil.
8. Reduce heat to low and cover pot. Simmer for 20 minutes
9. Meanwhile, cut chicken into 1 inch pieces and add to broth mixture with parsley.
10. Cook for another 10 minutes.
11. Add salt and pepper to taste.
12. Remove from heat and serve.

ENJOY!

 

Big Beef Burger

Big beefy burgers are a treat that I don't get to have all the time. Usually when I want a burger I visit 1 of 2 places and spend $15 to $20. While their burgers are worth the price, we all know that when we go to a restaurant we spend so much more on beverages and sides, etc. This recipe is my successful attempt at making a Big Beefy Burger at home.

Yields 4, 1/2 lb burgers, 6, 1/3 lb burgers, 8, 1/2 burger or 16 mini burgers.

Prep Time: 45 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes for Medium

Equipment Needed:
Meat grinder with the coarse grinder plate OR
Food Processor with a pulse button
Large
Cast Iron Skillet or griddle

Ingredients:
1/2 lb Beef Tenderloin, cut into 2" pieces
1 lb Boneless Beef Short Ribs, cut into to 2" pieces
1/2 lb Ground Beef Chuck, 80/20
1/2 stick butter, melted
1 shallot, small, cut into 3 pieces
1 Large Egg, beaten
Olive Oil Spray
Himalayan Sea Salt
Freshly Ground Black Pepper
4 Buns
4 pieces of Butter Lettuce
4 Tomato Slices

Set up meat grinder according to manufacturer's instructions.
Feed Beef Tenderloin and 1/3 of shallot through grinder and set aside.
Feed short ribs and remaining 2/3 of shallot through grinder.
Feed short ribs through grinder a second time and set aside.
In a large bowl mix tenderloin,  short ribs and ground chuck thoroughly.
Mix in egg.
Quickly stir in melted butter.
Cover bowl and refrigerate for a half hour.
Remove from refrigerator a d form into patties.
Heat skillet over medium heat.
Spray pan with Olive Oil.
Cook burgers for 4 to 5 minutes on each side for medium.
Remove burgers and place on a platter.
Sprinkle each burger with sea salt and pepper.
Place each bun, cut side down, in pan and cook for about 1 minute or until slightly toasted.
Layer each bun with lettuce, tomato and burger.

Optional Toppings:
Aged Cheddar, Swiss, Provolone, Mozzarella
Bacon, Prosciutto, Fried Egg
Carmelized Onion, Grilled Onion, Onion Rings
Pickles, Peppers, Slaw
Your favorite mayonnaise

To use a food processor to chop meat:
Set up processor according to manufacturer's institutions.
Place tenderloin and 1/3 shallot in bowl.
Pulse about 4 times.
Place tenderloin in large bowl
Place short ribs and remaining shallot in processor.
Pulse about 12 times.
Add short rib and ground chuck to bowl.

Pizza Puffs

Servings: 8

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Equipment Used:

Deep dryer

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp Olive Oil

1 lb Turkey Italian Sausage or Turkey Hot Links

Peanut Oil for deep fryer

1 20x20 inch piece of waxed paper

8 sheets (about 1lb) Fillo Dough, 14x18, thawed

14 oz Pizza Sauce

1 Tbsp Fennel Seed

2 cups Mozzarella, shredded

1 Egg, beaten

1. Preheat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
2. Remove casings from sausage and sauté for about 5 minutes,using the edge of a spatula to crumble. (You can also pulse sausage in a food processor a few times to crumble sausage after draining of the oil.) 
3. Drain oil from sausage and stir into pizza sauce.
4. Add fennel to mixture and stir.
5. Prepare deep fryer for use, according to manufacturer's instructions. 
6. Place waxed paper on counter top or cutting board.
7. Carefully fold 1 sheet of dough in half, creating a 9x7 inch rectangle, and place on cutting board. 
8. Place 1/4 cup mozzarella in the middle of dough, creating a square.
9. Gently spread1/3 cup sausage mixture atop cheese.
10. Fold the 9 inch sides of dough.
11. Fold the 1 of the 7 inch sides of dough.
12. Baste with egg.
13. Close "pouch" by folding the remaining side.
14. Baste closure with more egg. 
15. Repeat steps 7 through 14
16. Deep fry pizza puffs at 350° for 3 minutes on each side.
17. Drain on paper towels and serve immediately 

ENJOY!

Gourmet Beef Burger

Big beefy burgers are a treat that I don't get to have all the time. Usually when I want a burger I visit 1 of 2 places and spend $15 to $20. While their burgers are worth the price, we all know that when we go to a restaurant we spend so much more on beverages and sides, etc. This recipe is my successful attempt at making a Big Beefy Burger at home.

Yields 4, 1/2 lb burgers, 6, 1/3 lb burgers, 8, 1/2 burger or 16 mini burgers.

Prep Time: 45 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes for Medium

Equipment Needed:
Meat grinder with the coarse grinder plate OR
Food Processor with a pulse button
Large
Cast Iron Skillet or griddle

Ingredients:
1/2 lb Beef Tenderloin, cut into 2" pieces
1 lb Boneless Beef Short Ribs, cut into to 2" pieces
1/2 lb Ground Beef Chuck, 80/20
1/2 stick butter, melted
1 shallot, small, cut into 3 pieces
1 Large Egg, beaten
Olive Oil Spray
Himalayan Sea Salt
Freshly Ground Black Pepper
4 Buns
4 pieces of Butter Lettuce
4 Tomato Slices

Set up meat grinder according to manufacturer's instructions.
Feed Beef Tenderloin and 1/3 of shallot through grinder and set aside.
Feed short ribs and remaining 2/3 of shallot through grinder.
Feed short ribs through grinder a second time and set aside.
In a large bowl mix tenderloin,  short ribs and ground chuck thoroughly.
Mix in egg.
Quickly stir in melted butter.
Cover bowl and refrigerate for a half hour.
Remove from refrigerator and form into patties.
Heat skillet over medium heat.
Spray pan with Olive Oil.
Cook burgers for 4 to 5 minutes on each side for medium.
Remove burgers and place on a platter.
Sprinkle each burger with sea salt and pepper.
Place each bun, cut side down, in pan and cook for about 1 minute or until slightly toasted.
Layer each bun with lettuce, tomato and burger.

Optional Toppings:
Aged Cheddar, Swiss, Provolone, Mozzarella
Bacon, Prosciutto, Fried Egg
Carmelized Onion, Grilled Onion, Onion Rings
Pickles, Peppers, Slaw
Your favorite mayonnaise

To use a food processor to chop meat:
Set up processor according to manufacturer's institutions.
Place tenderloin and 1/3 shallot in bowl.
Pulse about 4 times.
Place tenderloin in large bowl
Place short ribs and remaining shallot in processor.
Pulse about 12 times.
Add short rib and ground chuck to bowl.

Red Velvet Cake

Prior to trying Red Velvet Cake with the flour based frosting,  I truly did not understand the craze. The frosting truly makes a huge difference!

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Rest Time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 30 - 35 minutes

Equipment Needed:
Two, 9 inch cake pans
Parchment Paper, cut into two, 9 inch circles
Bakers Joy

Ingredients:
1 1/4 cup Flour
1 1/4 cup Cake Flour
1 1/2 cup Sugar
1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
1 1/2 teaspoon Baking Powder
1 teaspoon Salt
3 tablespoons Cocoa

1 cup Vegetable Oil
1 1/2 cup Buttermilk
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons Vanilla
2 tsp Red Food Coloring
1 1/2 teaspoon White Vinegar

Place one parchment paper circle in each cake pan.
Spray pan and parchment paper with Baker's Joy.
Preheat conventional oven to 325°.
Whisk dry ingredients together.
Sift all dry ingredients and set aside.
Blend all wet ingredients.
Mix in dry ingredients.
As soon as lumps are gone, pour into prepared pans.
Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until a cake tester comes out clean.
Let cakes cool in pan for 10 minutes.
Place on wire rack to finish cooling.

Frosting:
5 tablespoons flour
1 cup Milk
1 cup Unsalted Butter, softened
1 cup Granulated Sugar
1 teaspoon Vanilla

Whisk milk and flour in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
Whisk constantly until mixture thickens, 3 to 5 minutes.
Whisk in vanilla.
Let flour mixture cool to room temperature
Beat butter and sugar until fluffy.
Mix in flour mixture and beat on high until frosting resembles whipped cream.