Sourdough French Toast

Ingredients

• 5 Farm Fresh eggs
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 1/2 t vanilla extract
• 1t ground cinnamon
• 1 cup heavy cream
• thick sliced, sourdough bread
• non-stick pan spray

Preparation

• Combine all ingredients in mixing bowl.
• Heat cast iron skillet or saute pan to medium.
• Spray cooking pan with pan spray.
• Dip slice of bread into batter, allow excess to drip off back into bowl.
• Lay dipped bread into heated pan and cook for approximately 2 minutes on each side or until golden brown then remove from heat.
• Continue with the remaining bread, serve immediately with choice of toppings.

Comments

• Any type of bread may be used, but I like to use thick cut so it can soak up the batter.
• After slicing bread, leave it out to "dry out" for an hour or so before cooking. Really fresh bread can lead to soggy French toast.
• Additions to consider adding to batter: ground ginger or other spices, citrus zest and juice, or even a splash of your favorite after dinner spirit.
• Toppings that we use include whipped cream, berry compotes or jams, spiced apples, and of course maple syrup.
• This batter recipe will make enough French toast to feed about 4-6 adults.

For many more recipes and video tutorials, CLICK HERE!

Blood Orange, Raspberry Preserve (with video)

Ingredients

• 5 blood oranges
• 2 cups frozen or fresh raspberries
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 oz fresh ginger, peeled, sliced
• dash of crushed red pepper flakes
• dash of salt
• dash of fresh cracked black pepper

Preparation

• Zest one of the blood oranges into small sauce pan.
• Peel oranges, cut segments into pan and squeeze in juice once segments are cut.
• Add remaining ingredients.
• Bring to a slow simmer over low heat.
• Continue cooking on low heat for approximately 1 hour or longer if thicker preserve is desired, stirring occasionally.
• Cool, then refrigerate. Enjoy!

Comments

• Once cooking is finished, it may be canned at that point, but will keep under refrigeration for a good while. We have not had any hang around long enough to go bad!
• May leave out the spices for a more traditional breakfast preserve, but I really like the kick in the morning.
• I like slicing the ginger so that it is easy to remove, but it may be chopped up if you plan on leaving it in there.
• We use this warm, as a sauce for our braised duck, as well as a breakfast preserve with biscuits.
• Make approximately 1 1/2 cups
• May substitute other oranges or berries to create your own, have fun!

Video Tutorial

For many more recipes and video tutorials, CLICK HERE!

Muscadine Sorbet

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 cups water
• 1 cup Stonehaus Muscadine wine
• 2 lemons, juiced

Preparation

• Bring water & sugar to boil over high heat, boiling until sugar is dissolved, 1-2 minutes.
• Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature.
• Add muscadine wine and lemon juice.
• Place in freezer and allow to freeze overnight, stirring occasionally if possible.
• Remove from freezer.
• As it thaws slightly, scoop chunks into a food processor and puree until smooth.
• Return to freezer and allow to freeze overnight.
• Scoop into desired dish and enjoy.

Comments

• Freezing process may be done in ice cream machine if available.
• Stirring while freezing helps to have a more consistent texture and will be easier to scoop into food processor.
• Do not add wine to the sugar mixture while hot; this will compromise the taste of the wine, thus the sorbet.
• We serve this at special dinners between the salad and entree as a sorbet course.
• Can be served as a dessert with a few toasted almonds, fresh berries, fresh mint, or lemon zest.
• Makes approximately 4 cups sorbet.

For many more recipes and video tutorials, CLICK HERE!

Baklava

Ingredients

Pastry

• 1/2 lb unsalted butter, melted
• 1 lb phyllo dough, thawed
• 12 oz almonds, finely chopped
• 8 oz walnuts, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1t ground cinnamon
• 1/2t ground cloves

Syrup

• 1 1/2 cups honey
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1t orange zest, finely chopped
• 1t vanilla extract
• 1/2t ground cinnamon

Preparation

• Combine all syrup ingredients in sauce pan, bring to full boil, set aside to cool.
• Combine nuts, sugar, and cinnamon from pastry recipe, mix well.
• Preheat oven to 300F.
• Brush melted butter on bottom and sides of desired baking dish, dough may be cut to fit pan and some over lapping is fine.
• Begin layering sheets of dough in pan one at a time, buttering between each sheet.
• Continue until dough is four sheets thick.
• Sprinkle enough of nut mixture over top layer of dough to lightly cover.
• Return to layering the dough with butter as before, four sheets thick, then nut mixture again.
• Continue this process until dough and nut mixture are used up, or pan is full.
• The top should be at least 4 sheets of dough, buttered generously, no nuts on top or they will burn.
• Cook in 300F oven until golden brown, about one hour.
• Remove from oven, pour cooled syrup over pastry a little at a time.
• Allow to soak for a minimum of 4 hours or over night.
• Cut into desired shape and serve.

Comments

• This is one of my all time favorite sweets. My first experience with baklava was while traveling in Greece with my now wife. We must have eaten our weight in it over a couple of weeks. While not quite the same as going to Greece, this recipe is quite good and does the trick for a food that holds so many wonderful memories for me.
• Phyllo dough is tricky to work with as it is so thin, but try to work quickly as it will dry out and become brittle in no time.
• Refrigeration is not necessary, though freezing is ok, but allow to return to room temperature before serving.
• While there are many types of baklava, this is a basic one. Once you master this one, there are other good ones that use chocolate too! Yummy!
• Usually a slice of orange and a little mint are nice garnishes.
• The size pan can vary depending on how thick you like your baklava, but something around 9X13 works well.
• You only "need" a small piece, so this should serve at least 12-15, or more if cut into bite size pieces.

For many more recipes and video tutorials, CLICK HERE!

Tennessee "Oriental" Meatballs

Ingredients

• 2 pounds ground beef, 80/20 ratio (we use Gourmet Pasture Beef)
• 4 whole eggs
• 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
• 1/4 cup sesame oil
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1t ground ginger
• 2T chopped garlic
• 1/4t crushed red pepper flakes
• 2 T Dijon mustard
• black pepper to taste
• 1 cup breadcrumbs
• 1 cup whole oats (we use Tennessee Oats)

Preparation

• Combine all ingredients in mixing bowl, using hands with gloves is the easiest way.
• Chill for one hour as they are easier to shape when they are cold.
• Shape into meatballs with hands or ice cream scoop to desired size.
• Place on baking pan with sides to catch excess grease.
• Bake in 400F oven for 15-20 minutes or until firm.

Comments

• Number of meatballs will depend on size, but for 1 ounce meatballs, you will get 30-40.
• Meatballs maybe frozen prior to cooking for latter use.
• Serve with any sauce you desire, stir fried vegetables or roasted winter squash.
• Enjoy!

For many more recipes and video tutorials, CLICK HERE!

Maple Walnut Pie

Ingredients

• 1 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup maple syrup
• 2 1/2 T butter, melted
• 10 eggs
• 2 1/2 cups light corn syrup
• 1T vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• Approximately 3 cups of walnuts, halves or pieces
• 3, 9" pie crusts, unbaked
• 325F Oven

Preparation

• Combine sugar, maple syrup, butter, eggs, corn syrup, vanilla and cream; mix well.
• Divide mixture between three 9" pie crusts.
• Add enough walnuts to cover top of pie, approximately one cup per pie.
• Bake in 325F oven for 20 minutes.
• Reduce heat to 300F and continue baking for 30 minutes or until pie is just set
• Allow to cool and enjoy!

Comments

• Makes 3 pies.
• May use other nuts if desired.
• Prep time: about 10 minutes.
• Cooking time, almost 1 hour.
• Goes great with a little chocolate sauce, caramel, or whipped cream...or all three!

For many more recipes and video tutorials, CLICK HERE!

Bread & Butter Pickles (with video)

Ingredients

• 9 lb cucumbers, thinly sliced
• 3 medium onions, halved, thinly sliced
• 2 red bell peppers, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1/2 cup salt
• 3 cups apple cider vinegar
• 5 cups sugar
• 2T mustard seed
• 1 1/2 t celery seed
• 1/2 t whole cloves
• 1T ground turmeric
• 1/2 t crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/2 t fresh cracked black pepper

Preparation

• Combine cucumbers, onion, peppers, garlic and salt in large container and allow to set for three hours.
• After cucumbers have set, they will begin to release some of their moisture. Drain the cucumber mixture well.
• Combine vinegar, sugar, and remaining spices in large stock pot and bring to a rolling boil.
• Add drained cucumber mixture to boiling vinegar mixture.
• Stirring occasionally, on high heat, bring cucumbers back to almost the boiling point, then remove from the heat.
• Pickles are now ready for canning in jars if you like, or should be refrigerated otherwise.
• They are ready to eat, but will improve in flavor if allowed to set for a few days.

Comments

• Try finding cucumbers with fewer seeds if possible, smaller the better usually.
• I have started mixing in some banana peppers in place of some of the bell peppers, you can get creative here and use any kind of peppers.
• Amount of pickles produced will vary some, but you should end up with 4-6 quarts

Video Tutorial

For many more recipes and video tutorials, CLICK HERE!