Homemade French Fries

Homemade French Fries

When I was a very little, my Dad cooked for a restaurant, that made it's own fries, and later became a large, renown, fast food chain. This is how he taught me to make restaurant-style crispy fries.

potatoes-peeled, sliced into fries
1tsp. salt
1tsp. sugar
cold water

Peel and cut the potatoes. Cover them with cold water, and let stand 30-minutes. This removes a lot of starch, which will make them more crispy. Since I'm using these for Poutine, I cut them larger.

Dump the potatoes in a colander, and rinse well. Add 1tsp. salt and 1tsp. sugar, to a bowl, add the rinsed potatoes, and cover with cold water. Give it a stir, and refrigerate. A few hours would probably be enough, but I'm soaking them overnight. I'm not sure what the purpose of the salt and sugar are, but I'm guessing it has something to do with browning. Dad made great fries, I remember his saying, the longer they soak, the better they are.

Drain them and pat dry. I let them stand about 30-minutes, then dried them again, before frying in corn oil, on a medium flame.

Soft Pretzels

Kids love making homemade pretzels

 This makes anywhere from 12-24 pretzels, depending on how large you like them. The kids like them as-is, but you could dip them in mustard or sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar, instead of salt.

Ingredients:
1-1/2cups warm water
1Tbl. oil
1packet dry yeast
1/4cup brown sugar
1-1/2tsp. salt
4cups flour

For the baking soda solution:
2cups warm water
2Tbl. baking soda

You'll also need:
melted butter
coarse salt

Preparation:
Whisk together the water, oil, yeast, sugar, and salt, until dissolved.
Add 2-cups of the flour, and beat into a batter, add the remaining flour, and stir/knead until you have a smooth dough.
Spray a bowl with cooking spray, toss the dough in it, cover and let rise 30-45 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 450*F.  Spray a cookie sheet with cooking spray.
Stir together the baking soda and water, until dissolved. Set aside.
Pinch off a walnut size piece of the dough, and shape it into a 1/2-inch thick coil. Fold into a pretzel, dip it in the baking soda solution, and set it on the cookie sheet. Continue the same, for the remaining dough.
Let them rise 30-minutes.
Bake for 8-10 minutes, or to desired color.
Brush with meted butter, then sprinkle with coarse salt. (such as sea salt)

French Crusty Bread

                                              French Crusty Bread
I really like Land O' Lakes version of this bread. Allowing the yeast to proof for 45-minutes, gives the interior of the loaf a really soft, chewy texture. The milk and egg, make the crusts nice and crispy. This is such a simple recipe, with perfect results, every time.

Ingredients:
2-1/4cups warm water
1 packet of yeast
1Tbl. sugar
2tsp. salt
5-1/2cups flour
1egg
1Tbl. milk

preparation:
In a large bowl, whisk together the water, yeast, salt, and sugar. Set aside for 45 minutes.
Add 2-cups of the flour, and beat into a batter.
Add 2 more cups flour, and mix it in, with a spoon.
Knead in the remaining flour, until smooth.
Turn onto a lightly floured surface, and knead, until you have a smooth dough, that's not sticky.
Place the dough, in an oiled bowl, flip it, cover and let rise, about 1-1/2 hours.
Split the dough into 2 pieces for two large loaves, or 3 pieces for baguettes, and shape them into your preferred loaf style, on a lightly floured surface.
If you want professional looking bread, here is a really good tutorial for the three styles of  Shaping French bread
Cut deep slices in the loaves.Combine the egg and milk, and brush it on the top and sides of the loaves.
Or brush on an herb butter. Let rise, 30 minutes.
Bake at 400*F until browned.

Parmesan Garlic Butter:
2Tbl. butter-softened
1Tbl. Parmesan cheese
1tsp. garlic powder
1tsp. dried parsley
1/4tsp. basil.

Brush with the egg and milk mixture,

Or an herbed butter.

Raisin Bread

The only times, my grandmother and great-grandmother cooked together, were when they made raisin bread. They would bake from 5:00 in the morning, until dinner that evening. I always loved, waking up to that smell.
They never used a recipe, just pouring the ingredients from bags, and every loaf was amazing. I have a lot of respect for anyone who has that knack. This recipe, on the other hand, took several years of tweaking, to get it the way I like it, lots of raisins, not too sweet, and just the right amount of cinnamon.

Ingredients:
3/4cup milk
2tbl. butter
1 packet dry yeast
1/4cup water
1 /4cup brown sugar
1/2tsp. salt
2tsp.cinnamon
1/2tsp.vanilla
1-1/2cups raisins
2-1/2cups flour- plus extra for kneading

Preparation:
Scald milk in a sauce pan. turn off heat and add butter.
In a large bowl combine the yeast, water, and sugar. Allow to rest 15 minutes.
Add 1-1/2cups flour, salt, vanilla, cinnamon and cooled milk to the bowl and beat for 2 minutes until smooth.
Stir in the raisins.
Gradually add the remaining flour, mixing by hand, until the dough forms a ball.
Flour a surface and knead for a few minutes, until you have a soft, smooth dough, that isn't sticky.
Spray a bowl with cooking spray, add dough and cover.
Let it rise about an 1-1/2-hours or until doubled.
Spray a loaf pan with cooking spray.
Punch down the dough, and press it into the loaf pan. Let rise until double, about 1 hour.
Bake at 350*F, until lightly browned.

Garlic Mushrooms

Garlic Mushrooms with Pauls fire in hole beans and Gambas al Ajillo

A traditional Spanish Tapas. These are so good.

Ingredients:
1Tbl. olive oil
1Tbl. minced garlic
1 minced red jalapeno
1Tbl. chopped parsley
salt and pepper

Preparation:
Heat the oil in a skillet.
Add the garlic and jalapeno, saute 10 seconds.
Add the mushrooms, saute until they begin to darken in color. The garlic can burn very easily, once the juices from the mushrooms evaporate.
Remove from the heat, stir in the parsley, salt, and pepper to taste. Serve.

Mmm...Crescent Rolls- Easier Than Croissants

Above any other food, I love fresh baked bread. Biscuits, dinner rolls, croissants, naan , popovers.
I would pass up the most decadent dessert, the juiciest steak, for any of these. This is one of my favorite recipes, they're lightly sweet, and very tender. You can double this, without any problems. Makes one dozen.

Ingredients:
1 packet of yeast
1/2cup warm water
1/2tsp. salt
1/4cup sugar
1/4cup shortening
1egg
2cups plus 2Tbl. flour
2Tbl. melted butter

Preparation:
In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast in the warm water.
Add the salt, sugar, shortening, egg and 1cup of the flour. Beat into a batter, with an electric mixer.
Stir / knead in, as much of the remaining flour, as you can, to form a soft dough, that isn't sticky.
Toss it in a bowl, that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Cover and let rise until double. (about 2 hours)
Punch down, and roll into a 12inch circle, on a very lightly floured surface.
Cut (like a pizza) into 12 triangles.
Brush the melted butter, over the entire cut, circle.
Roll each triangle, like the photo below.
Place on a greased cookie sheet, and let rise, 30-60 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 350*
Bake until lightly browned.

Roll the dough into an 1/8-inch thick circle, (about 12 inches) cut into 12 triangles with a pizza cutter, then brush with the melted butter.

I don't move the triangles, so they won't stretch. Roll from the large end, towards the point.

Once rolled, shape into a crescent, (moon) and transfer to a greased cookie sheet.

Fried Potatoes and Onions

(L-R)-stove top baked beans, Fried Potatoes, creamed peas   stewed tomatoes and bread

I rarely make fried potatoes, but Polish sausage and sauerkraut would not be the same without it. In combination with the other sides in the photo, this is a great comfort meal. A perfect combination.

Ingredients:
Shortening
4 sliced potatoes-peeled or unpeeled
1onion-sliced
Salt and pepper to taste

Heat 1/8 inch of shortening, in a skillet. When it's hot, add 4 sliced potatoes.

                    Add a layer of sliced onion. Salt and pepper to taste.

         Wait until they brown a bit, before flipping them with a metal spatula.

                   Keep browning and flipping, until the potatoes are soft.

Creamed Peas- Grandma's way

stove top baked beans,  fried potatoes and onions, creamed peas, stewed tomatoes and bread, Polish sausage and sauerkraut.
This is the way my family makes creamed peas. There is no cornstarch or flour. And we use canned sweet peas. I think they go perfectly with the meal in the photo.

Ingredients:
2cans of sweet peas
1Tbl. butter
1/4tsp. salt
1/4tsp. pepper
1 sweet pea can, full of water

Add everything to a sauce or saute pan, including the can of water. Bring to a boil, on medium heat. Continue to cook, until most of the water has evaporated. about 30 minutes.

The peas become very soft. With the back of a spoon, crush about 1/3 of the peas.

                              Stir vigorously, to crush more peas. Serve.

Stove-top Baked Beans

Stove-top Baked Beans, fried potatoes and onions, creamed peas  stewed tomatoes and bread,
These are really close to the baked kind, but faster. Great with Polish sausage and sauerkraut.

Ingredients:
1slice of bacon-chopped
2cans of pork and beans
3Tbl. ketchup
1tsp. prepared mustard
1tsp. minced dehydrated onion
1Tbl brown sugar

Fry the bacon, in a 2quart pan, until almost crispy. Add all other ingredients, mix and cook, over a medium flame, stirring often, for about 15 minutes, or until, it thickens.

White Sourdough Rye Bread

My rating: really like it

                                      White Sourdough Rye Bread

I love rye bread, but I was looking for a way, to make a softer rye loaf. I started by making a loaf, from a rye sourdough starter. But that was still not soft enough, Then I decided, to use my Soft sourdough bread recipe, as a base. That was what I was looking for. So here's the result. A nice mild rye flavor, ground caraway seeds, and a soft, dense loaf.

1cup sourdough starter
3/4cup sour cream or buttermilk
2Tbl. butter-melted
1pkg. dry yeast
1tsp. sugar
1/2tsp. salt
1Tbl. caraway seeds-ground in a spice grinder
1-1/2cups rye flour
1-1/2cups all purpose flour

 Preparation:
In a large bowl, mix together everything except the flours.
Stir in the rye flour with a spoon, beat into a batter.
Add the all purpose flour, kneading in enough so it's not sticky. Knead 3-5 minutes more, into a smooth dough.
Turn into an oiled bowl, flipping twice, cover and let rise until doubled. About 2-3 hours.
Punch down, and place it in a greased loaf pan. Cut a few slits in the loaf, if you prefer.
Let rise until double again. About 1 hour.
Bake at 375* until lightly browned. About 30 minutes. I like to butter the top of the loaf, right after it come out of the oven.

Because of the rye flour, this dough is very slow to rise, I usually let it rise 2-3 hours.

After it rises, punch it down, and place it in a greased loaf pan. Let rise 1 hour.

                        Bake until lightly browned, about 30 minutes.

Sue's Potato Soup

My Rating: really liked it.

                                              Sue's Potato Soup
A co-worker brought a pot of this soup, for everyone's lunch, several years ago. It is the best potato soup I have ever had!

Ingredients:
1lb. bacon-chopped
1cup diced celery
1cup grated carrots
1cup diced onion
6cups water
8cupd diced potatoes- peeled, or un-peeled
1/2tsp. salt
1/4tsp. pepper
1Tbl. parsley
1 can evaporated milk
1cup cubed processed cheddar-like Velveeta, but I prefer generic

Preparation:
In a 4quart pot, fry the bacon until, almost crispy.
Add the onion, celery and carrot, and cook, stirring until the onion has softened a little.
Add the water, potatoes, salt, pepper, and parsley.
Bring to a boil, and cook until the potatoes are almost soft.
Add the milk and cheese, continue to cook, until the potatoes are fork tender.
Turn the burner off, and allow it to cool a bit, before serving. It's great with crackers.

Salmon Souffle

My Rating: really like it.

                                               Salmon Souffle

This is a great way to use canned salmon, it is so light, it practically melts in your mouth. I found the recipe at Food.com, a while back. Adding just a hint of dill, tarragon, and Parmesan,  My husband went nuts over it.
It's really easy to make.

Ingredients:
3Tbl. butter
3Tbl. flour
1cup evaporated milk
1/2cup water
1cup crushed crackers
5eggs- separated
1small onion-minced
1/2tsp. lemon juice
1/4tsp. pepper
1/4tsp.salt
1tsp. parsley
2tsp. grated Parmesan cheese
1/8tsp. dill
1/8tsp. tarragon
14oz. can of salmon-drained,skin and bones removed, and crumbled

Preparation:
Preheat the oven to 350*
Spray a 2quart casserole or souffle dish with cooking spray.
Melt the butter in a saucepan, over a low flame.
Whisk in, the flour, milk and water.
Continue to cook, whisking constantly, until it thickens, slightly.
Allow to cool a bit. Whisk in the egg yolks. Set aside.
In a bowl combine, everything except the egg whites, stir in the milk mixture, from the sauce pan, set aside.
Beat the egg whites, until stiff peaks form. Gently, fold them into the salmon mixture. Spoon into the souffle pan.
Add 1inch of water to a roasting pan. set the souffle pan inside the roasting pan.
Baking time has varied a bit, every time I make this, anywhere from 1hour to 1hour 15minutes. Bake until the center is set. (Not jiggly) Serve Immediately.

Cook the butter, flour, milk and water, until thickened. Cool about 5 minutes. Whisk in the egg yolks. Set aside.

Combine everything except the egg whites, including the sauce from the pan. Set aside.

Beat the egg whites, until stiff peaks form. Gently fold them into the salmon mixture. Spoon it into the souffle dish.

Put about 1inch of water, in a roasting pan. Set the souffle dish inside, and bake until the center is no longer jiggly. I begin checking after about 50 minutes, in the oven.



 

Indian Fry Bread

My rating: Really like it.

         Fry bread with powdered sugar, cinnamon and sugar, and honey.

 Indian Fry Bread making, has it's roots in an American tragedy. The Trail of tears. Being nomadic, hunter gatherers, they had no farming skills, and were completely dependent on government commodities.  Fry bread became a staple, for survival. Today it is a beloved tradition, still in practice.
When I would take my kids to a Powwow, the first scent I detected was burning sage. ( A spiritual offering ) Then the wonderful aroma of fry bread. It can be eaten as is, or with powdered sugar, cinnamon and sugar, or honey. This tradition has evolved into another popular powwow staple...Indian tacos with bison

Ingredients: Makes 4
2cups flour
2tsp. baking powder
1/2tsp. salt
1/4cup powdered milk
1cup water
oil for frying- I love the taste of these fried in corn oil

Preparation
In a bowl, combine the first four ingredients.
Add the water, and work it into the dough, with your hands, adding a bit more flour as necessary to form a soft dough that isn't sticky.
In a skillet, begin heating about 1 inch of oil, on medium heat. Meanwhile...
Split the dough into 4 pieces, and pat one into a circle, with your hands.
Keep patting and gently stretching the dough until it is very thin.
Here's a video, that shows how the dough is worked Cooking fry bread in Monument Valley.
I can never get my dough to look like this video, it must take, lots of practice.
I poke a tiny hole in the center of the bread before adding it to the oil. it allows it to cook more evenly.
Fry the bread, have a fork handy to poke holes into any large air bubbles that form.
Brown lightly on both sides. Fry bread cooks very quickly. Drain on paper towels. Serve warm.

Pork, Shrimp and Vegetable Egg Rolls

                              Pork, Shrimp and Vegetable Egg Rolls

The thing these people put me through. This recipe will make close to 40 egg rolls, and I'll be lucky if I find one, for a midnight snack
When I first started making my own egg rolls, about a million years ago, I served them as a side, for Asian dishes, like normal people. But my kids, loved them so much, they talked me into making them, as the main course, or more aptly, the only course. I still serve them that way, to this day. These aren't like the ones you get at the restaurant, there's not a lot of cabbage, but a really good combination of meats and vegetables.
I have to make so many of these, that I need help rolling them. So I have an assembly line, They roll, I fry. If you're cooking alone, Its best if you roll about a dozen or so, fry them, then roll more etc... otherwise the wrappers will get soggy, before you get a chance to fry them. You could also, roll them in wonton wrappers, for miniature egg rolls, they make perfect little appetizers, for a get-together, served with Chunky sweet and sour sauce  That has been pureed.
Here's the recipe Aaron.

Ingredients
1Tbl.-plus-1Tbl. oil
1lb. ground pork
1/4tsp. black pepper
1lb. raw shrimp-peeled, de-veined, and chopped
1Tbl. minced garlic
3 ribs of celery -finely chopped
1 red bell pepper-finely chopped
1small onion-finely diced
8oz. fresh mushrooms-chopped
2/3 of a large head of Napa cabbage (also known as celery cabbage or Chinese cabbage) -finely shredded
1Tbl. cornstarch
2 packages egg roll wrappers
2 eggs beaten
oil for frying -peanut oil tastes best, corn oil is my second choice.

Preparation:
Heat 1Tbl. oil in a wok or large pan. Add the garlic, black pepper, and pork, fry and chop very fine, until cooked through.
Add the shrimp and stir-fry until the shrimp turns pink.
Put a colander over a bowl, dump the meat into the colander, set aside. Reserve broth.
Heat another Tbl. of oil in the wok, add the celery, onion, and bell pepper.
Stir fry until the celery is crisp tender. Add the Mushrooms and fry 1 minute more.
Remove 1/4cup of the reserved broth, add 1Tbl. cornstarch, mix to dissolve. set aside.
Add the cabbage, and the rest of the meat broth from the bowl.(Don't worry, it looks like a lot of cabbage, but it cooks down, very quickly.)
Cook, tossing until the cabbage has wilted. About 3-4 minutes.
Add the pork mixture and the cornstarch mixture. Cook until heated through, and the cornstarch thickens a bit.
Dump everything into a colander over a bowl, and cool completely before rolling.
Here's a cute tutorial-How to roll an egg roll.
Add about 3Tbl, of the filling to an egg roll skin. Moisten the edges with the beaten egg, so it will stick together. Roll,  then fry until golden brown. I fry mine in a 1quart pan, two at a time.
Serve hot with your favorite sauce. They reheat nicely in the microwave, but lose their crispness.

I shred about 2/3 of the cabbage, I stop, once I see more stem, than leaf. I save the bottom 1/3 to chop up in a stir-fry for another meal. The stem is really tender, and adds a nice flavor.

Fry the pork, garlic, black pepper, and shrimp. dump it in a colander, over a bowl, and set aside.

Fry the celery, bell pepper, and onion, until the celery is crisp tender. Add the mushrooms and cook 1 minute more.

Add the cabbage and remaining reserved broth. It looks like a lot, but it wilts, down to almost nothing.

                             Cook, tossing until the cabbage wilts.

Add the pork mixture and the cornstarch mixture, to the pan and cook until heated through, and the cornstarch thickens a bit.

Dump everything into a colander, over a bowl. Cool completely before rolling. Once it has cooled, I press it, to release a bit more moisture, so the wrapper doesn't get soggy.

Brush egg-wash on the edges of the wrapper, add about 3Tbl. of filling, and roll. Actually I put the filling in the middle, it should be a bit closer to the bottom.

                                         Fry until golden brown.