Grasshopper Pie
A special treat from the kitchen of Karen Butzer.
Ingredients
Chocolate Cookie Crust
- 1½ cup chocolate wafer cookie crumbs
- ¼ cup butter melted
Filling
- 32 large or 3 cups small marshmallows
- ½ cup milk
- ¼ cup crème de menthe
- 3 TBSP white crème de cocoa
- 1½ cups chilled whipped cream
- A few drops green food coloring if desired
Instructions
Crust
- Preheat oven to 350º. Reserve 2 to 3 TBSP crumbs to sprinkle over top of pie, if desired. Combine remaining crumbs and butter; press onto the bottom and sides of a 9” pie pan. Bake for 10 minutes.
Filling
- In saucepan heat marshmallows and milk over medium heat, stirring constantly, just until marshmallows melt. Chill until thickened; blend in liqueurs. In chilled bowl beat cream until stiff. Fold whipped cream into marshmallow mixture; fold in food coloring. Pour into crust. If desired, sprinkle grated chocolate over top. Chill several hours until set.
Tortilla de Patata
A classic appetizer from Spain — always a crowd pleaser.
Ingredients
- 1 yellow onion chopped (optional)
- 6 cups potatoes (4-5 whole) peeled, washed, and thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 tsp salt
- 6 eggs
- 2 tbsp olive oil
Instructions
- Place onion, potatoes, ¼ cup olive oil, and salt in two layers in a microwave-safe casserole that has a lid. Stir ingredients, cover, then microwave for 20 to 30 minutes on medium-high or until potatoes are very soft. You must stop the microwave about every 5 minutes to stir the potatoes so that the edges don’t get brown and crusty.
- Meanwhile, beat the eggs in a bowl large enough to also accommodate the potatoes. Once the potatoes are done, pre-heat a 10’ non-stick skillet with 2 tbsp olive oil over medium heat.
- Have ready a heat proof spatula or wooden spoon and a large plate. When the potatoes are cooked, add them to the eggs and gently stir. Then, pur the mixture into the skillet. The eggs will bubble up around the sides; so immediately push down the sides with a heat proof spatula. Then continue to gently shake the pan during cooking.
- Cook on the first side for 3 to 4 minutes, or until it looks like the bottom is slightly browned. Use the large platter to invert the entire tortilla, and slide it back into the skillet to cook the other side. Continue cooking and shaking the pan for another 3 to 4 minutes. Finally, slide the cooked tortilla onto a serving plate and let it sit for at least 10 minutes before serving.
- The tortillas can be served hot, at room temperature (more typical), or cold. Cut into wedges for large tapas or squares for a buffet.
Chunky Two-Bean and Beef Chili
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp canola oil divided
- cooking spray
- 1 1/2 lbs beef stew meat
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 cups onion chopped
- 1/2 cups green bell pepper chopped
- 1 tbsp fresh garlic minced
- 2 tsp jalapeño pepper finely chopped
- 1/3 cup Cabernet Sauvignon or dry red wine
- 1 1/2 tbsp brown sugar
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 1/2 tsp ground ancho chile pepper
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp ground red pepper
- 1/2 tsp chili powder
- 1/4 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 2 (15 oz) cans whole tomatoes undrained and chopped
- 1 (15 oz) can dark red kidney beans rinsed and drained
- 1 (15 oz) can hot chili beans
Instructions
- Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large Dutch oven coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Sprinkle beef with salt. Place half of beef in pan, sauté 8 minutes or until browned. Remove from pan. Repeat procedure with remaining beef, remove from pan.
- Add 2 teaspoons oil, onion, and bell pepper to pan, and sauté for 3 minutes. Add garlic and jalapeño, sauté for 1 minute. Add wine, scraping pan to loosen brown bits. Return beef to pan.
- Stir in remaining ingredients, bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 1 ½ hours or until beef is tender, stirring occasionally.
Notes
Notes
Chicken Scampi
A Rory and Tim classic.
Ingredients
- ½ cup butter
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup chopped green onions
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- 1 lemon juiced
- 2 lbs chicken breasts boned, skinned, and cut into ½ inch pieces
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp pepper
- ½ cup minced fresh parsley
- 1 tomato chopped
- cooked rice
Instructions
- In skillet, heat together butter and olive oil and sauté green onions and garlic. Add lemon juice, chicken, salt, pepper, and parsley. Continue cooking, stirring constantly for 3 to 5 minutes or until chicken is done. Add tomatoes and heat through. Serve over rice.
Simple Crusty Bread
Ingredients
- 3 cups lukewarm water
- 1 1/2 tbsp yeast (2 packets dry yeast)
- 1 1/2 tbsp kosher salt
- 6 1/2 cups flour
Instructions
For Dough
- Mix water, yeast, and salt, and let sit to become foamy as you measure your flour. Add yeast mixture into flour and stir well with a large spatula. Cover in saran wrap or a damp towel and let rise in a warm place for 2-5 hours. Bake at this point or refrigerate, covered, for up to two weeks.
To Bake
- Cut off a one pound piece of dough with kitchen scissors or a bench scraper (use a large knife in a pinch). Turn dough in hands to create a stretched surface. Place dough on a parchment lined baking sheet and allow to rise for 40 minutes (add one hour of rise time if refrigerated)
- Preheat oven to 450 with a broiler pan on bottom rack and cast iron or pizza stone on middle rack. Cut ¼ inch deep slashes in top of loaf with a serrated knife or razor and place dough ball on preheated pizza stone using the parchment paper. Pour a cup of water in broiler pan to create steam and bake for 20-25 minutes, pulling off parchment paper for final 5 minutes.
For Pizza
- Dough makes 3-4 large pizzas. Form smaller dough balls before second rise for easier rolling. Roll out on well floured surface, top with your favorite toppings, and bake.
Turkey Chipotle Chili
Ingredients
- 2 canned chipotle chiles in adobo or 2 dried chipotle chiles, stemmed and seeded
- 1 cup water (boiling if using dried chiles)
- 2 pounds fresh tomatillos, husked and rinsed well or 3 (18-ounce) cans whole tomatillos
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 large onions, chopped
- 4 tablespoons minced garlic, divided
- 2 tablespoons ground cumin
- 4 pounds ground turkey (not lean)
- 2 cups chicken stock or store-bought low-sodium broth
- 1 Turkish bay leaf or ½ California bay leaf
- 1½ teaspoons dried oregano, crumbled
- 2 teaspoons salt, or to taste
- 1 green bell pepper, cored, seeded, and chopped
- 2 (4-ounce) cans mild green chiles, drained and chopped
- 1 tablespoon cornmeal
- 1 (19-ounce) can white beans, rinsed and drained
- ½ cup chopped cilantro, added just before serving
Instructions
- If using canned chipotle chiles, purée them with 1 cup water in a blender and transfer to a bowl. If using dried chiles, soak in boiling water in a small bowl for 20 minutes, then purée with water in blender and transfer to a bowl.
- If using fresh tomatillos, blanch them in a large saucepan of boiling water for 5 minutes; drain. Purée fresh or canned tomatillow in blender.
- Heat oil in an 8- to 10-quart heavy pot over moderate heat. Add onions and 2 tablespoons garlic and cook, stirring, until onions are softened, about 10 minutes. Add cumin and cook, stirring for 30 seconds. Add turkey and cook, stirring and breaking up lumps until no longer pink, about 8 minutes.
- Add chipotle purée, tomatillo purée, stock, bay leaf, oregano, and salt and simmer, uncovered, adding more water if necessary to keep turkey barely covered, for 1 hour.
- Add bell pepper, green chiles, and cornmeal and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes.
- Stir in white beans, remaining 2 tablespoons garlic, and salt to taste and simmer until beans are heated through, 3 to 5 minutes. Discard bay leaf and stir in cilantro.
- Garnish chili with cilantro and serve with sour cream.
Notes
Th chili, without the cilantro, can be made up to 3 days ahead. Cool, uncovered, then refrigerate, covered. Reheat, and stir in cilantro just before serving.