Want a good meal 30 minutes after you get home without calling Papa John?  This is it.  Almost everything can be done ahead of time. Remember, your crock pot is your friend, and you don’t have to tip your crock pot.

serves 4

Ingredients:

1 2 – 4 lb. boneless  beef chuck roast, shoulder roast, blade roast, anything that is on sale

1 can beef broth

16 little Red New Potatoes, scrubbed (leave the peel on)

4 carrots, peeled and cut in thirds

2 ribs celery, cut in two inch pieces

1 medium onion, peeled

salt and pepper

red wine (cooking wine will do just fine)

olive oil

corn starch, dissolved in cold water

soy sauce

Worcestershire sauce

Method:

IN THE MORNING:

Heat a heavy fry pan. Add a small amount of olive oil and brown the roast well on all sides.  Remove roast from pan, pour off any fat and return to heat.  Add enough red wine to deglaze any tasty pan drippings. Place the roast, beef broth, pan dripping, and onion in the crock pot. Don’t worry if it looks like you  don’t have enough liquid.  Cover and put on low heat setting.  Prepare the carrots, potatoes and celery. Cover and put in the fridge till you get home. Now get out there and do something productive!!

IN THE EVENING:

Carefully remove the roast from the crock pot and wrap in aluminum foil.  Place in a warm oven till you are ready to eat.  Strain the liquid from the roast into a sauce pan.  Discard the onion, or chop it up and add it to the liquid if you like onions. Add the remaining vegetables, cover, and simmer over low heat until tender ( about 1/2 hour).  Add soy, Worcestershire, salt and pepper according to your taste. While simmering, slowly add cornstarch to thicken to your liking. Remove from heat.  Slice the roast in  thick slices and put on serving plate.  Arrange the vegetables around the meat and drizzle the gravy over the top.

Many Southerners would consider it sacrilegious to fix catfish any other way than rolling in cornmeal and deep-frying. The whole purpose to this website is to preserve the traditions of family cooking, which sometimes evolves from multi-cultural backgrounds.

serves 4

Ingredients:

2 8 oz. boneless catfish filets, cut in half

Italian seasoned bread crumbs from the store (UGGH!) or make your own

milk

flour

olive oil

fresh lemon slices

herb butter (optional)

Method:

Rinse filets and pat dry.  Dredge in flour, dip in milk, and roll in bread crumbs. Preheat oven to 350o.  Heat a fry pan that is oven proof (cast iron is my favorite).  Add enough olive oil to cover bottom of pan.  Place the filets in the hot oil and cook on one side till browned.  Carefully turn filets over and place pan in oven to cook remaining side (about 10 minutes). Remove from oven and transfer to serving dish.  Drizzle with fresh lemon juice and herb butter (optional).

Almost every country has a variation of this dessert.  Although it looks intimidating to make, it is surprisingly easy. You can use almost anything as a mold, as long as it is oven-proof. Custard cups or coffee cups are the easiest, but I have made it in a bunt pan before, which looks quite dramatic when you turn it out. Read this recipe all the way through before you start.

This recipe yields 10 servings

Ingredients:

CUSTARD:

1 qt. milk

8 eggs

1/4 tsp. salt

7 oz. sugar

2 tsp. vanilla extract

Optional: rum or rum flavoring, bourbon, amaretto (be creative)

CARAMEL SAUCE:

7 oz. sugar

1/4 c water

Method:

1) Heat the milk to the boiling  point

2) Beat the eggs. Add sugar and salt and mix thoroughly

3) Add the hot milk, stirring constantly

4) Add vanilla, and optional flavoring

5) Coat the inside of the cups or mold with caramelized sugar (SEE NOTE BELOW)

6) Pour the custard into the custard cups or molds.

7) Place the cups or molds in a pan of hot water.  The water should cover  the cups about halfway. Poach in a 325o oven for about 30 minutes (add about 30 minutes if it is a large mold)

To test for doneness, insert the tip of a knife into the custard near the edge.  If the knife comes out clean, remove the custard from the oven.  There will be enough heat left to set the custard.

9) Cool

10) Invert the custard onto a platter or individual dishes. The liquid caramel will flow down the sides.  If the custard has been thoroughly chilled, dip the cups/molds briefly in hot water, then turn out.

NOTE:

To caramelize sugar, heat 7 ounces of sugar over low heat in a heavy pan. Stir constantly with a wooden spoon until melted.   Remove from heat and SLOWLY add 1/4 cup water ( adding it too fast could cause an explosive reaction) stirring constantly. Return to the heat and cook until mixture is golden brown.

Credits:

I used this recipe for my “mystery box” test for my chef’s certification (like the Iron Chef competition, only with a lot less staff).  It was a hit then, and has been ever since.

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This is one of the quickest and easiest soups to make.  It is perfect if you are just starting to try Oriental cooking.

serves 4

Ingredients:

2 cans chicken broth or 1 qt. Chinese chicken stock

3 eggs

3 TBS. corn starch dissolved in small amount of cold water

2 TBS. soy sauce

few drops yellow food coloring

2 green onions (scallions) sliced thin diagonally

sesame oil ( the dark amber kind found in the Oriental section of the grocery store, NOT the  stuff from the health food store)

salt and white pepper  to taste

Method:

Beat eggs slightly, just enough to break the yolks. Set aside.

Bring the chicken stock to a simmer.  Add the soy sauce, food color and salt and pepper. Taste and adjust seasonings.  Add the corn starch slowly while stirring.  Use more or less, according to how thick you like your soup.  Remove pan from heat and slowly add the eggs to the soup using a gentle swirling motion with a large spoon.  The eggs will set and cook in the hot liquid.  Serve in soup bowls and garnish with  green onions and a few drops of sesame oil.