Prime Rib Roast

Another excellent recipe with no pictures.  I actually marinated just several hours before on the morning of with salt, pepper and minced garlic rubbed on the outside.  I then left it out for about 2 hours to let it come to room temperature.

I followed the formula of cooking if for 15 mins at 450, then turning it down to 325 and cooking it approx 15 mins per pound.  I had a 7.21 lbs roast but cooked it as though it were 8 lbs since mom likes it a little more on the well done side.  I let it rest for about 40 mins.  I then cut it but realized the other dishes weren't done so I kept it warm in the oven for approx and hour, turning on the oven to warm then off intermittently.  I was afraid that it would be dry and tough but it remained tender.  This could be my go to recipe for now.

I didn't use a rack, but used mom's turkey roasting pan because it has high sides and won't splatter.

http://www.today.com/food/easiest-prime-rib-roast-recipe-3-tips-mastering-holiday-classic-1D80385772

The world's easiest prime rib roast: Master a holiday classic

Casey BarberTODAY contributor

Dec. 22, 2014 at 1:40 PM ET

• Facebook
• Twitter
• Pinterest
• Email

From Bob Cratchit's Christmas roast to the Whos of Whoville's roast beast, a roast is a wonderful centerpiece for a traditional holiday meal. But cooking a prime rib roast — especially for company — can be intimidating. Impress without the stress with this no-fail guide to putting a perfect prime rib roast on the table. With three simple tips, you're on your way to serving the best roast of your life.

And when you've got prime rib that looks and tastes fantastic, you don't need to overdo the rest of the meal. Serve it with classic holiday sides like creamed spinach or green bean casserole, your favorite mashed or scalloped potatoes and a basket of hot dinner rolls for soaking up the jus. 

Step 1: Befriend your butcher
While prime rib can be sold bone-in or boneless, a bone-in roast is the best bet for guaranteed juicy succulence. Estimate that your guests will eat about 1/2 pound per person when the roast is part of a holiday buffet, or 3/4 pound per person if it's the main course to a smaller holiday dinner. 

Have your butcher order a roast in the weight range you need. If you ask for your roast trimmed and tied, your butcher will also be happy to prep the roast so you won't have to: He or she will cut the bones away from the roast, french them (i.e., trim off the meat around the edges to make that classic "handle" shape) and remove excess fat before tying the bones back to the roast. There will still be about one inch of fat on the roast after it's been trimmed and tied.

Step 2: Get your rub on
Whether you want to go classic with salt and pepper or bring extra flavors to the party, rubbing the meat with salt, spices and herbs is the key to giving your roast that traditional crackling, seared and delicious crust. 

Either the night before or at least 2 hours prior to cooking your prime rib, rub the roast all over with olive oil, and generously sprinkle it with one of the following seasoning blends:

• 1/4 cup black pepper and 1/4 cup kosher salt (Grab a canister of Morton's or Diamond kosher salt; the larger salt crystal size will make for a better crust on the meat than you’d get from regular table salt.)
• 2 tablespoons black pepper, 2 tablespoons kosher salt, 2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar, 1 tablespoon dried oregano and 1 teaspoon smoked or sweet paprika
• 2 tablespoons black pepper, 2 tablespoons kosher salt, 2 tablespoons herbes de Provence and 2 large minced garlic cloves
• 2 tablespoons black pepper, 2 tablespoons kosher salt, 1 tablespoon dried thyme or 2 teaspoons fresh thyme, 1 tablespoon dry mustard and the zest of 2 lemons
• 2 tablespoons black pepper, 2 tablespoons kosher salt, 2 tablespoons minced fresh rosemary and 2 large minced garlic cloves

If you're seasoning it in advance, place the roast uncovered in the refrigerator overnight, then let it come to room temperature for two hours before you put it in the oven.

Step 3: Take the roast’s temperatureWhen it comes time to cook the roast, don't just follow your nose or rely on time alone to judge when the meat is cooked properly. For a perfectly cooked prime rib, buy a digital meat thermometer. Whether it's a probe version that stays inside the meat as it roasts, or a removable stick version, it provides complete accuracy and prevents overcooking.

To cook: Preheat your oven to 450˚F for at least 30 minutes while the prime rib comes to room temperature.

Place the roast in a high-sided roasting pan bone-side down. The bones create a natural roasting rack for the meat, so don't worry if you don't have one.

Cook the roast for 15 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees F. Continue to cook the roast until your meat thermometer reads 110 degrees F. Estimate about 15 minutes of cooking time per pound of prime rib.

Once the thermometer hits its target temperature, remove the roast from the oven and let it rest for 20 minutes. The roast will continue to cook as the juices inside settle, raising the internal temperature to 130 degrees for a perfect medium-rare prime rib.

Snip the tied bones off the roast, slice and serve to appreciative friends and family!

Mock Garlic Mashed Potatoes - FAIL

The one failure we had over Christmas was the Mock Garlic Mashed Potatoes.  It's consistency was grainy and it looked like cottage cheese.  We tried to fix it by adding more cheese to make it creamier but for us, the recipe just didn't work

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/mock-garlic-mashed-potatoes-recipe.html#sni-reviews

"Mock" Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients
1 medium head cauliflower
1 tablespoon cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1/8 teaspoon straight chicken base or bullion (may substitute 1/2 teaspoon salt)
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh or dry chives, for garnish
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
Directions
Set a stockpot of water to boil over high heat.

Clean and cut cauliflower into small pieces. Cook in boiling water for about 6 minutes, or until well done. Drain well; do not let cool and pat cooked cauliflower very dry between several layers of paper towels.

In a bowl with an immersion blender, or in a food processor, puree the hot cauliflower with the cream cheese, Parmesan, garlic, chicken base, and pepper until almost smooth.

Garnish with chives, and serve hot with pats of butter.

Hint: Try roasting the garlic and adding a little fresh

rosemary for a whole new taste.

Chef: George Stella

Recipe courtesy George Stella

Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/mock-garlic-mashed-potatoes-recipe.html#sni-reviews?oc=linkback

Another recipe I made for pre christmas meals is the slow roasted garlic pork shoulder.  It has become a tried and true recipe for me.  As I said, no pictures this time but yummy none the less

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Garlic-Roasted-Pork-Shoulder-239994

Garlic-Roasted Pork Shoulder

Gourmet  | September 2007

Maggie Ruggiero

photo by Roland Bello

yield
Makes 8 servings

active time
30 min

total time
1 day

We love it whenever an inexpensive cut of meat is coaxed into a glorious showstopper, and this pork masterpiece is perhaps the best example we can think of. Even the sight of it is delightful, as it glazes over with a sheen in shades of rose and amber. The garlicky adobo—that's the marinade, not the commercial powder—is pushed into slits in the meat to penetrate to the deepest layers; the outer layer, rubbed on the roast, forms a sticky crust of irresistible caramelization; and the skin becomes a rich, crunchy chicharrón, the last pieces of which everyone will surely fight over.

ingredients

• 1 head garlic, cloves peeled
• 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
• 1 1/2 tablespoons dried oregano
• 2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 (7- to 7 1/2-pound) bone-in pork shoulder with skin

• Accompaniment: lime wedges

preparation

Mash garlic to a paste with 2 tablespoons kosher salt using a mortar and pestle or side of a large heavy knife, then stir in oregano, vinegar, lemon juice, and 1 tablespoon pepper.

Pat pork dry. Using a small sharp knife, cut a wide pocket at large end of roast to separate skin from fat, leaving skin attached at sides and stopping before roast narrows to bone.

Make 1-inch-deep slits in pork under skin and on all meaty sides, twisting knife slightly to widen openings, then push some of garlic mixture into slits with your fingers. Rub any remaining garlic mixture over roast (not skin). Wipe skin clean, then rub with remaining teaspoon kosher salt (to help it crisp). Transfer pork to a glass or ceramic shallow dish and marinate, covered and chilled, at least 8 hours.

Put pork, skin side up, in a flameproof roasting pan, discarding marinade, and bring to room temperature, about 1 hour.

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle.

Cover pork with parchment paper and then tightly with foil and roast 2 1/2 hours. Discard foil and parchment, then add 1/2 cup water to pan and roast, uncovered, adding more water when liquid in pan evaporates (check about every half hour), until skin is browned and crisp and meat is fork-tender, 2 to 2 1/2 hours more. Transfer to a cutting board or platter, reserving juices in pan, and let stand 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, pour pan juices through a sieve into a fat separator or bowl and discard fat. Add 3/4 cup water to roasting pan and deglaze by boiling over medium-high heat (straddle 2 burners if necessary), scraping up brown bits, 1 minute, then add to pan juices along with enough water to bring total to 1 1/2 cups.

Cut skin off roast pork. (If skin is not crisp, roast in a shallow baking pan in a 475°F oven until crisp, about 10 minutes.) Cut skin into serving pieces. Pull meat from roast in pieces using a fork. Serve meat with pan juices and pork skin.

Braised Chinese Mushrooms and Baby Bok Choy

I tried a few new recipes for Christmas and Pre-Christmas meal with the family.  While I didn't get any pictures, I still wanted to document it.

Recipes I tried which were successes were braised chinese mushrooms and baby bok choy.  It was delicious and I would make it again.  I didn't make it vegan since I used oyster sauce, but it was yummy

http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1013457-vegan-braised-chinese-mushrooms-and-baby-bok-choy

Vegan Braised Chinese Mushrooms and Baby Bok Choy

ELAINE LOUIE

 

• Time45 minutes
 
• Yield2 servings

INGREDIENTS

• 1 teaspoon vegetarian oyster sauce or stir-fry sauce, like Lee Kum Kee brand (sold at Asian markets or on Amazon.com)
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 ½ teaspoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• ½ cup vegetable broth or water
• 1 teaspoon rice wine or dry sherry
• 14 Chinese dried mushrooms, soaked in warm water until softened, stemmed and squeezed dry, or fresh shiitake mushrooms, stemmed
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 14 baby bok choy
• 2 scallions, white part only, minced

PREPARATION

1. In a small bowl, combine oyster or stir-fry sauce, soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil, vegetable broth and rice wine or sherry. Mix well, and reserve.
2. Fill a large pot about three-quarters full of water, and place over high heat to bring to a boil. Meanwhile, in a skillet large enough to hold all the mushrooms in one snug layer, heat the vegetable oil over medium heat until shimmering. Add mushrooms, and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Add reserved sauce, and reduce heat to low. Cover, and simmer for 20 minutes, turning mushrooms over once or twice. If the pan becomes dry, add 1 to 2 tablespoons water.
3. In a small bowl, combine cornstarch with 2 teaspoons water, and mix well. Add to the mushrooms. Stir gently for 30 seconds, until mushrooms are glossy. Cover, and turn off heat. Add the baby bok choy to the boiling water, and blanch until crisp-tender, about 1 1/2 minutes. Drain well and arrange on a platter with the leaves pointed toward the center. Place the mushrooms in the center, and garnish with chopped scallions. If desired, serve with rice.

Mushroom and Tofu dish

Inspired by http://www.myeasycook.com/2012/12/mushroom-and-tofu-in-clay-pot.html

Inspired by the dish below.

This is the second time I made this dish and mom said she really liked it the first time so I made another attempt.

This second time...

I used a

• bag of Bean Curd Sticks
• bag of bean curd puffs
• fresh shiitake mushrooms (approx 25) I sliced mine
• Oyster sauce to taste (2 Tbsp?)
• Soy Sauce to taste (1 Tbsp)
• 2 cloves of garlic
• water (enough to cover)
• 1 thumb size of ginger
• cooking oil
• garlic powder (optional)
• chicken bouillon cube
• pack of enoki mushrooms

Directions"

• 1 and 2 (same)
• (Did not add bok choy because first time I added it, it got too mushy, but you can add later if you like)
• 4 and 5 (same) but also add chicken bouillon cube
• Simmer until bean curd sticks are tender
• Adjust broth to taste (I added garlic powder, but you can use whatever spices you think will taste good)
• Once dish is almost done, add enoki mushrooms and simmer a few more minutes.
• Done

Mushroom and Tofu in Clay Pot

Mushroom and Tofu in Clay Pot

This recipe dish is so good, you won't believe your mouth when you have a taste.  It's easy and fast to make and it's an enjoyment for the whole family to feast, it's um um good.

My own original recipe.
Prep Time: 15minutes / Cook Time 20 minutes

Mushroom and Tofu in Clay Pot

Ingredients:

• 2 bean curd sticks
• 10 bean curd puffs
• 6 dried shiitake mushroom
• 6 bok choy
• 2 tbsp oyster sauce or hoisin sauce if you are a vegetarian
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 cup water
• 1 thumb size of ginger
• 3/4 tbsp cornstarch + 1 tbsp water
• 1 tbsp cooking oil or olive oil

Cooking Directions:

1. Soak the bean curd sticks and the dried shiitake mushrooms until soft. 
2. Then cut the bean curd and remove the stems off the shiitake mushrooms. 
3. Remove the leaves off the bok choy and cut them in halves. Soak the bok choy stems into salted water for a few minutes then rinse.
4. Peel the garlic and the ginger and crack them using the back of the knife. 
5. Fry them in one tbsp of cooking oil, then add the mushroom, the bean curd puffs and the water. When it boils, stir it in the oyster sauce and soy sauce then add the bean curd sticks.
6. Move and arrange them in a clay pot and continue cooking for another 15 minutes over low heat. 
7. Add the vegetable and gently mix them and cook for another 5 minutes. 
8. Check the water.  If it's too little, you can add a little more and taste it if they're too sweet from the oyster sauce or from the hoisin sauce. If so, you can add some more soy sauce.
9. In a small bowl, mix a tbsp of water and the cornstarch and pour it into the clay pot, allow them to cook until the juice thickens, then turn off the heat. 
10. Serve and enjoy this delightful dish.

How to make delicious shiitake mushroom and tofu in clay pot

Soy Sauce Chicken

Soy Sauce Chicken

http://www.smokywok.com/2011/12/hong-kong-style-soy-sauce-chicken.html?m=1

Pretty good.  I would make it again

from the above website (but I modified it).

Ingredients:

10 chicken drumsticks, rinsed and patted dry, lightly rubbed with 1 teaspoon of salt and 1 
4 cloves garlic, smashed
8 slices of fresh ginger (old)
6 stalks green onions/ scallions
1 star anise (more if you like)
1 dried orange peel

For braising liquid:

3/4 cup light soy sauce (I used Yuen Chun's) + more, to taste
1/4 cup dark soy sauce + more, to taste
3 cups water

2 tablespoons (about 35g) worth of brown sugar, or to taste

Dash of white pepper (optional)

Method:

Firstly, heat up your claypot or braising pot until hot.  Add about 3 tablespoons of cooking oil.  Turn heat to low.  Add the ginger, garlic and green onions.  Stir-fry until aromatic.

Add the light and dark soy sauce.  Add the water.  Bring to a boil.  Add the rock sugar, star anise and dried orange peel.  Do a taste test and add more soy or rock sugar if desired. You can also add a dash of pepper if you wish. Turn heat to low and keep liquid at a gentle simmer.  Place the chicken drumsticks into the liquid. After 10 minutes, turn the drumsticks to make sure they get cooked evenly. Cook for another 15-20 minutes.  The chicken drumsticks should be fully cooked by now.  Remove from braising liquid and either chop to serve or serve whole.

You can use chicken wings for this recipe as well but remember to adjust the cooking times accordingly.

Black Bean Chili

Black Bean Chili inspired by
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/fantastic-black-bean-chili/

modifications made:

Used dried black beans that I soaked and boiled.

Also added carrots and mushrooms.  Cut down on chili powder (only used 1 tablespoon instead of 1.5).  Also added dashes of other spices such as cumin, garlic powder, chili powder, red chilli flakes.

Yes I would make it again

Fantastic Black Bean Chili

Rated: Submitted By: Rebecca Slone Photo By: A Turtle in the Kitchen Prep Time: 20 Minutes Cook Time: 1 Hour 15 Minutes Ready In: 1 Hour 35 Minutes Servings: 6

"This hearty black bean chili has ground turkey, is flavored with chili powder, oregano and basil, and perked up with a spoonful of red wine vinegar."

INGREDIENTS:

1 tablespoon vegetable oil 1 onion, diced 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 pound ground turkey 3 (15 ounce) cans black beans, undrained

1 (14.5 ounce) can crushed tomatoes 1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder 1 tablespoon dried oregano 1 tablespoon dried basil leaves 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

DIRECTIONS:

1.

Heat the oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat; cook onion and garlic until onions are translucent. Add turkey and cook, stirring, until meat is brown. Stir in beans, tomatoes, chili powder, oregano, basil and vinegar. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 60 minutes or more, until flavors are well blended.

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © 2014 Allrecipes.com

Printed from Allrecipes.com 12/10/2014

Tea Egg

only soaked for 6 hours.  Also added a tablespoon for sugar. Taste ok, will soak longer next time.


http://allrecipes.com/recipe/chinese-tea-leaf-eggs/

Chinese Tea Leaf Eggs

Rated: Submitted By: SOYGIRL2 Photo By: Caroline C Prep Time: 20 Minutes Cook Time: 3 Hours Ready In: 11 Hours 20 Minutes Servings: 8

"One of my favorite dishes when I head back home; it combines hard-boiled eggs with the subtle flavor of anise and the deep brown hues of black tea and soy. The cracked patterns from the broken shells make these quite attractive! I eat these sliced in quarters and chilled as a side dish, appetizer, or snack. Recipe courtesy of Mom."

INGREDIENTS:

8 eggs 1 teaspoon salt   3 cups water 1 tablespoon soy sauce 1 tablespoon black soy sauce

1/4 teaspoon salt 2 tablespoons black tea leaves 2 pods star anise 1 (2 inch) piece cinnamon stick 1 tablespoon tangerine zest

DIRECTIONS:

1.	In a large saucepan, combine eggs and 1 teaspoon salt; cover with cold water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove from heat, drain, and cool. When cool, tap eggs with the back of a spoon to crack shells (do not remove shells).
2.	In a large saucepan, combine 3 cups water, soy sauce, black soy sauce, salt, tea leaves, star anise, cinnamon stick, and tangerine zest. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 3 hours. Remove from heat, add eggs, and let steep for at least 8 hours.