|
Here! Eat This |
|
WRLR 98.3 FM |
|
Previous Recipes |
|
Agenda 081811 – I’m Soooooo Stuffed
Getting Tipsy – Stuffing Cooking Tips & Hints
Expand your horizons and think beyond simply bread as a stuffing. Rice, barley, fruit, nuts, bulgur, couscous, vegetables, and seafood make excellent candidates as a stuffing base. Here are some cooking tips and hints for making stuffing’s and dressings: For stuffing’s using bread, do not use fresh bread. Cut bread into cubes and dry in the oven at a low temperature (275 degrees F.) until dry, about 15 minutes. The same advice goes for making your own cornbread stuffing.
Bread end pieces are great to save for making stuffing, and don't limit yourself to plain white bread. All types of bread are suitable, restricted only by your own particular tastes.
If you are using old bread without drying it out, reduce the liquid in the stuffing recipe or you'll end up with mush.
Any variety of rice also makes an excellent stuffing, but the rice needs to be cooked first. Vegetables such as onion, garlic, celery, and mushrooms can be lightly sautéed before adding to the mixture.
Stuffing should be prepared just before using, not in advance.
Toss stuffing mix gently so that it doesn't compact. Spoon the mix in lightly; never push it down. Stuffing will expand during cooking, which could rupture the bird, fish or roast being stuffed.
Never use raw pork in a stuffing recipe. Be sure to sauté pork first until no pink remains, cool slightly, and then add to your mix.
Excess stuffing can be placed in a greased baking dish and put into the oven about an hour before the rest of the meal is done. In fact, many prefer stuffing cooked separately from poultry.
For a very moist poultry breast, push stuffing between the skin and breast meat and roast as usual. An herb butter stuffing can be used.
History – Stuffing
Stuffing, also called dressing, is a seasoned mix of vegetables and starches and sometimes eggs that are cooked within the body cavity of an animal that is then served alongside the animal usually as an ancillary course. Some stuffing’s utilize other meats such as sausage (especially popular in Italian dishes) or oysters in their mix and vegetarian stuffing’s usually contain tofu (and are not cooked within an animal,) but on the whole most dressings are based on bread or potatoes. Various kinds of stuffing go as far back as the Roman Empire there are long traditions and other historical references that corroborate the wide use of stuffing in Ancient Italy. The French have made perhaps the most prolific or visible use of stuffing throughout the ages, but the dish is positively global. There are so many recipes and variations on recipes it would be impossible to estimate a number.
Stuffing in America is not uncommon but not regularly utilized in most households. Rather, it is traditionally served during the Thanksgiving holiday. Of course, the most widely used stuffing is that of the turkey variety, and while many buy prepackaged stuffing such as Stove Top, there are yet many varying family recipes that have endured over the years. Stove Top introduced boxed stuffing in 1972. It was home economist Ruth Siems who discovered how to manipulate bread crumbs in such a way that made reconstitution practical, and Stove Top, now owned by Kraft Foods, sells almost 60 million boxes of stuffing every Thanksgiving.
Many types of vegetables are also suitable for stuffing after their seeds or marrow has been removed. Tomatoes, capsicums (sweet or hot peppers), and vegetable marrows (zucchini) may be prepared in this way. Cabbages and similar vegetables can also be stuffed or wrapped around a filling. They are usually blanched first, in order to make their leaves more pliable. Then, the interior may be replaced by stuffing, or small amounts of stuffing may be inserted between the individual leaves
Appetizer – Stuffed Jalapeno’s
Ingredients: 12 ounces cream cheese, softened 1 (8 ounce) package shredded Cheddar cheese 1 tablespoon bacon bits 12 ounces jalapeno peppers, seeded and halved 1 cup milk 1 cup all-purpose flour 1 cup dry bread crumbs 2 quarts oil for frying
Directions: In a medium bowl, mix the cream cheese, Cheddar cheese and bacon bits. Spoon this mixture into the jalapeno pepper halves.
Put the milk and flour into two separate small bowls. Dip the stuffed jalapenos first into the milk then into the flour, making sure they are well coated with each. Allow the coated jalapenos to dry for about 10 minutes.
Dip the jalapenos in milk again and roll them through the breadcrumbs. Allow them to dry, and repeat to ensure the entire surface of the jalapeno is coated.
In a medium skillet, heat the oil to 365 degrees F ( 180 degrees C). Deep fry the coated jalapenos 2 to 3 minutes each, until golden brown. Remove and let drain on a paper towel.
Salad – Tuscan Stuffed Tomato’s
Ingredients: 12 medium-sized ripe tomatoes
Directions: 1. Cut off the tomato tops with a small, sharp knife. With a small spoon, gently scoop put the insides of each tomato without puncturing the skins. Lay the shells upside down to drain them thoroughly, about 10 minutes. Discard the insides, or save them to use in a sauce.
2. In a large bowl, mix together the yogurt and mayonnaise. Add the cucumber, lemon juice, onion, parsley, chives, and dill; season with pepper and blend together well. Carefully fill the tomato shells with the yogurt-vegetable mixture.
3. Place 2 or 3 lettuce leaves on each salad plate. Drizzle a few drops of olive oil on top of them. Place 2 stuffed tomatoes atop the lettuce on each plate and serve. Serves 6 or 12.
2 Pounds Raw Jumbo shrimp (4 per serving)
Directions: Heat oven to 425 degrees. Rinse shrimp. Remove shell; leave tail. Cut shrimp partway through and remove vein. Mix all ingredients before stuffing. If too dry, add a little crab water. Lay shrimp spread open; stuff on baking sheet (about 1 tsp. per shrimp). Drizzle with melted butter and bake 20 minutes.
Main Course – Cherry & Mushroom Stuffed Pork Chops
Ingredients: 2 tbsp. canola oil, divided 1/4 tsp. dried thyme
Directions: In large skillet, heat 1 tbsp. oil over medium-high heat. Add celery, onions, and mushrooms. Cook while stirring for 4 minutes. Stir in cherries, thyme, salt and pepper. Remove from heat.
Cut deep pocket in side of each pork chop. Fill with 1/4 of cherry mix. Skewer pockets closed with toothpicks. Reduce heat to medium. Add remaining 1 tbsp. oil. Add pork chops, brown over medium heat for 8 minutes per side or until no longer pink.
Remove chops from skillet. Pour off fat. Add flour to skillet, cook, stirring for 30 seconds. Stir in chicken broth and juice. Scrape brown bits from skillet and cook 1-2 minutes to thicken sauce slightly.
Return chops to skillet. Turn to coat evenly. Spoon remaining sauce over chops before serving or place in gravy boat.
Dessert – Baked Apples Stuffed With Candy Bars The Skor/Heath bar consists of a thin slab of butter toffee covered in a milk chocolate coating.
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon sugar 3/4 cup apple cider 1/4 cup finely chopped Snickers candy bar 1/4 cup finely chopped Skor/Heath candy bar 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 1/4 cup coarsely chopped Snickers candy bar 1/4 cup coarsely chopped Skor/Heath candy bar 4 medium apples (7 to 8 ounces each)
Directions: Position rack in center of oven and preheat the oven to 350º degrees.
Place the apples on a cutting board. With a sharp knife, carefully cut the top 1/2-inch from each apple. Using an apple corer or a small melon baler, scoop out the stem, core, and seeds from each apple, leaving the bottom intact.
Stand the apples in a 9-inch square baking dish, cut side up. Divide the coarsely chopped candy bars among the apples, about 2 tablespoons of candy per apple. Place 1 1/2 teaspoons of the butter inside each apple, on top of the candy bar pieces.
Divide the finely chopped candy bars among the apples, about 2 tablespoons of candy per apple. In a small bowl, whisk together the cider and sugar and pour the cider mixture over and around the apples and place baking dish in the oven and bake the apples uncovered until tender, about 1 hour and 20 minutes. Carefully remove the apples from the oven and let sit for 5 minutes.
Serve hot or warm, spooning the pan juices over the apples, and add vanilla ice cream if desired. Yield = 4 servings
Lighten UP!!! Stuffed Chicken Breasts Dietitian's tip: To see if the chicken is cooked through to its center, cut into the thickest part. Any juices should run clear, and the meat should show no signs of uncooked or pink flesh. Using a food thermometer, check to make sure it registers 165 F. Serves 4
Ingredients: 3 tablespoons seedless raisins 1/2 cup chopped onion 1/2 cup chopped celery 1/4 teaspoon minced garlic 1 bay leaf 1 cup chopped and peeled apple 2 tablespoons chopped water chestnuts 4 large boneless chicken breast halves, about 6 ounces 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 cup fat-free milk 1 teaspoon curry powder 2 tablespoons all-purpose (plain) flour 1 lemon, cut into 4 wedges
Directions: Preheat the oven to 425 F. Lightly coat a baking dish with cooking spray. In a small bowl, add the raisins and cover with warm water.
Set aside and allow the raisins to swell.
Spray a large skillet with cooking spray. Add the onions, celery, garlic and bay leaf. Sauté until the onions are translucent, about 5 minutes. Remove the bay leaf and add the apples. Cook for another 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Drain the raisins and pat with paper towels to remove the excess water. Add the raisins to the apple mixture. Stir in the water chestnuts and remove from heat. Let cool.
Loosen the skin on the chicken breasts. Place the apple-raisin mixture between the skin and breast. In another skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chicken breasts and cook until browned, about 5 minutes on each side.
Transfer the chicken breasts to the prepared baking dish. Cover and bake until a meat thermometer registers 165 F, or about 15 minutes.
While the chicken is baking, heat the milk, curry powder and flour over low heat in a saucepan. Stir until the mixture thickens, about 5 minutes. Pour the mixture over the chicken breasts. Cover and return the chicken to the oven and bake another 10 minutes.
Transfer the chicken breasts to warmed individual plates. Spoon the sauce from the pan over the chicken and garnish with lemon wedges.
Nutritional Analysis - (per serving)
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Contact us at: here.eatthis@yahoo.com |
|
Click here to listen to the episode |
