Chocolate Covered Truffles

Chocolate Covered Truffles

Ingredients:
1/4 C butter
1 1/2 lbs. real semisweet chocolate
3/4 C non-dairy coffee creamer, any flavor
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 pounds real milk chocolate for dipping
1 cup finely chopped chocolate, milk or semisweet for decoration

Makes about 3 dozen truffles

Steps:
1. Melt semisweet chocolate in double boiler over hot water.
2. Heat butter, creamer and vanilla in another saucepan to 125° F on a candy thermometer.
3. Add to semisweet chocolate all at once, beating until smooth and creamy.
4. Chill in refrigerator until nearly set but still pliable. Beat with mixer until light and fluffy. Spread in 9 inch buttered pan until set enough to roll into small balls.
5. Melt milk chocolate over double boiler. Dip truffles in melted chocolate, then sprinkle generously, or roll in, chopped chocolate.

Enjoy!

Chicken wings in sweet and sour sauce

CHICKEN WINGS IN SWEET AND SOUR SAUCE

* 16 Chicken wings
* 4 tablespoons Wine or balsamic vinegar
* 1 cup Apricot preserves
* 2 tablespoons Peanut butter (optional)
* 1 cup Ketchup
* 4 tablespoons Horseradish
* 1 cup Sweet onion, finely chopped
* 1 teaspoon Hot sauce (optional)

Pat the chicken wings dry and place then in the slow cooker/Crock Pot. In a bowl, mix together remaining ingredients.

Taste-check for a good balance of sweet and sour. Pour the sauce over the wings. Cover the slow cooker/Crock Pot and cook on low until the chicken is tender, about 4 hours.

Enjoy!

Shrimp Remoulade

Boiled Shrimp
2 gallons water
1/2 cup kosher salt
1/4 cup sweet paprika
2 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons black peppercorns
1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon crushed fennel seed
1 teaspoon whole cloves
1 teaspoon coriander
1 teaspoon allspice
2 lemons, halved
4 bay leaves
1 small onion, coarsely chopped
2 celery stalks, coarsely chopped
48 shrimp, shells cut down the back and veins removed

Remoulade Sauce (makes 1 quart)
1 cup yellow onion, diced
3/4 cup celery, diced
3/4 cup green onions, chopped
1/2 cup Italian parsley, picked
1/2 cup ketchup
1/2 cup tomato puree
1/2 cup Creole mustard, preferably Zatarain's
2 tablespoon spicy prepared horseradish
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons spicy smoked paprika
1/2 cup vegetable oil

For the boiled shrimp:

In a large pot, combine all of the ingredients except the shrimp and bring to a boil.
Cover and simmer the water over medium heat for 5 minutes.
Uncover, add shrimp and bring back to a simmer.
Cover, remove the pot from the heat and let stand until the shrimp are just cooked through, about 10 minutes.
With a slotted spoon, transfer the cooked shrimp to a large rimmed baking sheet and let cool to room temperature. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate the shrimp until chilled.

For the remoulade sauce:

Add all of the vegetables to a food processor and puree making sure to scrape down the sides a few times.
Add the ketchup, tomato puree, Creole mustard, horseradish, vinegar and paprika. Puree until the vegetables are smooth and fully incorporated.
With the food processor running slowly drizzle in the oil until emulsified.
Check seasoning and refrigerate.
Peel the shrimp and toss in the remoulade sauce an hour or so before serving.

Chilis Southwest Chicken Soup

1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 cup chopped white onion
1/2 cup chopped celery
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 quart chicken stock
1 teaspoon chipotle peppers in adobo sauce add more if you like spicy food
1 cup white hominy
4 ounces green chilies, diced
1 cup diced tomatoes
1 teaspoon lime juice
fried corn tortilla strips
grated cheese for garnish

Place 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a large pot.
Season chicken breast with salt.
Fully cook the chicken breast over medium heat for about 6 to 7 minutes on each side.
Remove chicken from the pot, and when cool to the touch, shred the chicken.
Place one tablespoon of vegetable oil to the same pot where the chicken was cooked.
Saute garlic and onion until the onion is translucent.
Add celery and cook for 2 to 3 minutes more.
Add tomato paste, and stir well.
Saute for about 1 minute stirring constantly, add chicken stock.
Add chipotle peppers, hominy, green chilis, diced tomatoes, and shredded chicken.
Cook until the soup has heated through.
Add a squeeze of lime juice, and about 1 tablespoon of chopped cilantro.
If desired you can use corn chips, or slice a few corn tortillas thin, and fry them in vegetable oil until very crisp.
Garnish soup with fried corn tortilla strips, chopped cilantro, and shredded cheese if desired.

Crudités

1 lime
2 tablespoons flaky sea salt
1/2 teaspoon ancho chile powder
2 oranges, sliced into 1/4-inch rounds, rounds halved
5 mini seedless cucumbers, cut into 1/2-inch spears
1 bunch of radishes (preferably breakfast), halved
1 large jicama, peeled, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices, half of slices cut into half moons, half moons cut into triangles

Finely grate lime zest into a small bowl. Stir in salt and chile powder. Cut lime into wedges.
Arrange crudités on a platter. Squeeze lime juice over, then sprinkle with some spiced salt mixture. Serve remaining spiced salt mixture alongside.

Wafer Rum Balls

Wafer Rum Balls

Ingredients:
1 3/4 cups vanilla wafer cookie crumbs
1 cup ground pecans
1 cup confectioners sugar
1/4 cup cocoa
3 tablespoons light corn syrup
1/4 cup light rum (your preference)
1/3 cup confectioners' sugar (for dipping)

Directions:
1. Mix all ingredients, except for 1/3 cup confectioners sugar.
2. Roll into one inch balls.
3. Roll balls in remaining confectioners sugar to coat.

Makes About 2 1/2 Dozen

Enjoy!

Old School BEEF STEW

Old School BEEF STEW

Ingredients:
1/4 c. ginger ale
1 tbsp. red wine vinegar
1 can consomme soup
Salt and pepper
1/4 c. flour
1 lb. lean stew beef meat
1/4 lb. sliced mushrooms
2 med. potatoes, cut up
2 sliced carrots
1 sliced onion

Directions:
Brown stew meat first in oil and sautee with onions and mushrooms. Add all ingredients into pot and cook on medium to low heat until meat and vegetables are tender.

Enjoy!