Aggie's Kitchen » Entertaining

Sliders!

Aggies Kitchen — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 15:52:36 +0000

I know a lot of you will be entertaining over the upcoming July 4th weekend holiday so I really wanted to share this great recipe with you. I originally came across it sometime last year here and then recently saw it again where it was originally created on Big Red Kitchen. Robin Sue shows a great step by step that I always love to see on recipe sites (and secretly wish I could provide you all…but my kiddos and dogs just are not for it!)…

So here’s the deal with these sliders…they are awesome. And part of the awesomeness is that they are super easy to prepare. They are a little tedious in the plating department but if you set yourself up a little assembly line (pre-sliced rolls, plate of pickles and serving plate is all you really need) you will breeze through it. The recipe makes 24 little sandwiches, so alongside some grilled hot dogs and some summery side salads then you are set to feed your family and friends without too much trouble!

Enjoy!

White Castle-like Sliders

Recipe from Big Red Kitchen

(printable recipe)

1/2 cup dried onion flakes
2 pounds ground chuck- 80/20 ground beef
1/2 t. seasoned salt (I used Montreal Steak seasoning)
6 slices cheddar cheese
24 small party rolls- (recommended: Martin’s Potato Bread Party Rolls)
24 dill pickle slices

Evenly spread the onions on the bottom of a 9×13 inch baking dish. Gently press the ground beef on top of the onion flakes. Press evenly making one giant pattie. Sprinkle with seasoned salt. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 20 minutes. Using a paper towel, pat the excess grease from the top of the pattie. Top with cheddar cheese, return to oven for 2 more minutes. Remove from oven, let set 5 minutes then cut into 24 patties. Slice open and separate each party roll. Place bottom of rolls on a large platter. Using a spatula lift patty with onion layer onto each bun bottom. Top each slider with a pickle slice then the bun lid. Serve immediately. Makes 24 Sliders.

Note- Store these upside-down in an airtight container in the refrigerator. This will prevent the bottom bun from getting soggy from the onion layer. To reheat, place a few on a microwave safe plate and heat in the mircowave for 20 seconds then 5 second increments after that until warm through.

Team Bean! … and a really, really good Hot Layered Black Bean Dip.

Aggies Kitchen — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 10:37:33 +0000

A big thanks to Aggie for inviting me to share a recipe with you here in her kitchen. I met Aggie back in February during an unforgettable trip to Napa with Bush’s Beans where we cooked at The Culinary Institute of America. Since then, Bush’s invited Tina Butler from Mommy’s Kitchen, Sandy Coughlin at Reluctant Entertainer, Aggie and myself to join what I like to call “Team Bean.”

This week, “Team Bean” travels to Evo ’10 – The Evolution of Women in Social Media Conference in Park City, Utah. While there, we’ll learn more about social media and meet some fantastic women in the world of blogging. It’s gonna be a great time.

In Utah, I’ll be sharing this Layered Black Bean Dip recipe. It’s yum, yum, yummy, and not too bad on the nutrition end of the scale. So grab you some beans and get cookin’!

It’s no secret that I’m partial to beans, especially a good bean dip. Those layered bean dips that pop up at pot luck get-togethers are the best.

A few weeks ago we ordered a black bean dip at a local restaurant mainly because I had to see how they made it. I’ve got a basic black bean dip that’s always a good last-minute back up plan, but this one sounded more interesting – mo’ bettah. It was a hot layered black bean dip, chock full with jalapenos and topped with cheese. Good stuff.

This past weekend I decided to create my own version. It was easy, with simple ingredients. And not only did we eat it as a dip but topped our chicken burritos with it – yum!

You’ll need black beans, ancho chili powder, cumin, salt, pepper, cilantro, poblanos, olive oil, tomato, corn and cheese. Of course, add or subtract any ingredients as you like.

Begin by roasting the peppers. I used poblanos, but if you like it hot, add a jalapeno. The roasting of the peppers isn’t totally necessary but it does bring out the flavor of the peppers. You’ll find a mini-explanation on how I roast peppers in this Cilantro, Roasted Peppers & Pistachio Pesto recipe.

After you get the peppers going move on to the beans. Drain the beans, reserving the bean juice for later if needed. This handy dandy bean strainer/drainer from Bush’s Beans has been a little darling in the kitchen. While I drain one can, I can be opening the next and so on.

After you’ve drained the beans heat them in a saucepan over medium heat, add the ancho chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper. Ancho chili powder is a nice change from the regular chili powder but whatever you have on hand will work just fine.

Aleppo chili powder would be nice too. I’ve been on a hunt for some but can’t find it anywhere locally but again, just use what you have on hand.

When the beans and seasonings have warmed, mash the heck out of them with a potato masher, immersion blender, or your preferred mashing technique.

Add 1/4 cup (or more to your liking) of the shredded cheese and mix well. I used yummy queso this time but again, use what cheese you like. Monterey Jack would be nice, as well as a cheddar. If needed, add some of the bean juice for a smooth consistency.

Once the peppers are roasted and prepped (again, see this post for one way to roast peppers), place the cilantro, peppers and 1 tablespoon of olive in a food processor and process until smooth.

Now it’s time to begin the layering process. Begin by spreading the bean mixture on the bottom of an oven safe dish. Next goes the cilantro/pepper combo over the black bean mixture. Top the cilantro/pepper mixture with tomato and corn, then the remainder of cheese.

Bake in a 400° F oven until the cheese melts & begins to brown, about 10-15 minutes.

Serve with chips, bruschetta, in a burrito or whatever tickles your fancy. Delicious!

Hot Layered Black Bean Dip

Recipe courtesy of She Wears Many Hats

(printable recipe)

(serves 6-8)

Ingredients:

2 15 0z. cans black beans, drained
1/4 teaspoon ancho chile powder (or preferred chili powder)
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 poblano peppers, roasted (see here for roasting technique – if not roasting peppers, seed peppers before using unless you want it spicy)
1/3 cup cilantro leaves, packed
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/3 cup corn, drained
1/3 cup diced tomato
4 oz. (divided) queso or Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

Directions:

- Heat the beans in a saucepan over medium heat.

- Add the ancho chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper and combine well.

- When beans have warmed, mash the heck out of them with a potato masher or your preferred mashing technique.

- Add 1/4 cup (or more to your liking) of the shredded cheese and mix well. If needed add some of the bean juice for a smooth consistency.

- In a food processor place the cilantro, peppers and 1 tablespoon of olive and process until smooth.

- Spread the bean mixture in the bottom of a oven safe dish.

- Spread cilantro/pepper mixture over the black bean mixture.

- Add the tomato and corn, then the remainder of cheese.

- Bake in a 400° F oven until the cheese melts & begins to brown, about 10-15 minutes.

- Serve with chips, bruschetta, in a burrito or whatever tickles your fancy.

Enjoy!

(I considered myself an Ambassador of the Bean long before formally meeting Bush’s, but I do want to mention that I have a broader partnership in place at this time. Bush’s Beans will be paying for all my expenses while at Evo ’10, but I’d eat their beans even if they weren’t – they’re just good beans.)

Three-Bean and Vidalia Onion Salad

Aggies Kitchen — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 17:23:52 +0000

This has to be one of my favorite salads to make when we are barbecuing over the summer. It’s a classic salad that you probably have seen more than once on a salad bar…but homemade is so much better! My niece was over this weekend and complimented how fresh it tasted, the green beans had that slight crunch and the dressing was tangy and sweet. I like to add Vidalia onions for a little extra crunch, especially when they are in season.

I originally started making this recipe when I first started blogging a couple of summers ago after discovering it on Mixed Salad Annie. I tweaked it a bit by using apple cider vinegar and adding a good amount of sliced Vidalias. Leftovers are awesome because you can continue to use the dressing along with the beans by adding it to a nice green salad. And bonus, this salad is super portable so go ahead and take it to your next summer get together. Your friends will love it!

Three-Bean and Vidalia Onion Salad

Recipe inspired by Mixed Salad Annie

(printable recipe)

1 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup canola oil
2 medium cloves garlic, pressed through a garlic press (or minced)
1 teaspoon salt
Ground black pepper
1 1/2 lbs fresh green beans, cut into 1-inch-long pieces
1 can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
1 can red kidney beans , rinsed and drained
1 large Vidalia onion, thinly sliced

Heat vinegar, sugar, oil, garlic, salt, and pepper to taste in small saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until sugar dissolves, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl and cool to room temperature.

Steam green beans in water with 1 tablespoon salt added to it; cook until crisp-tender, about 5-7 minutes. Meanwhile, fill medium bowl with ice water. When beans are done, immediately plunge into ice water to stop cooking process; let sit until chilled, about 2 minutes. Drain well.

Add green beans, garbanzo beans, kidney beans and onions to vinegar mixture; toss well to coat. Cover and refrigerate overnight (or for a few hours) to let flavors meld. Let stand at room temperature 30 minutes before serving. (Salad can be covered and refrigerated up to 4 days.)

(Disclosure: I’m excited that I’ve entered into a paid, formal partnership with Bush’s Beans but the post above isn’t a part of that agreement. I just love the recipe. )

And though I just got back from a nice long vacation in Marco Island, FL with the fam…I’ll be soon off again on another adventure. I’ll be attending The Women in Social Media Conference (aka EVO ’10) in Park City, Utah later this week with the great people at Bush’s Beans and other bloggers. Bush’s Beans is sponsoring the event’s closing dinner and ceremonies and guess who’s recipe will be sampled at the western-themed dinner? That’s right…yours truly! (will be sharing that recipe with you when I get back!) I’m really excited and can’t wait to meet face to face with other bloggers…not to mention connect with other social media junkies like myself! I’ve got a few friends lined up to drop in while I’m at the event…keep up with me and follow my experience “real time” on Facebook and Twitter!

Caribbean Chicken Wings

Aggies Kitchen — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 17:59:30 +0000

I stumbled onto this wing recipe on A New York Foodie right before Super Bowl Sunday. Wings were on the menu, but I hadn’t decided how I wanted to cook them yet. I loved the flavorful list of ingredients that went into the marinade. Don’t be intimidated by the length of the list…what’s great about marinades is you do most of the work ahead of time, then the marinade does rest of the work while you go on with your day. I let the wings sit in the marinade in the fridge for about 8 hours. They baked up nicely and we enjoyed them alongside some crunchy veggies for dinner.

Caribbean Chicken Wings
Recipe from Sunny Anderson, Food Network

1 habanero, seeded and chopped
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons fennel seed
2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons allspice
2 teaspoons dried thyme
1 teaspoon ground ginger
4 garlic cloves, chopped
4 green onions, chopped
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup lime juice
1/4 cup orange juice
7 pounds chicken wings

In a food processor, blend together all the ingredients but the chicken until smooth. Reserve 1 cup of marinade. Place chicken wings into a large resealable plastic bag and pour remaining marinade over them. Seal and marinate in the refrigerator 4 to 6 hours.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 sheet trays with parchment. Remove chicken from bag and place on the baking sheets. Bake 20 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan bring reserved marinade to a boil. Reduce by 1/3 until it thickens slightly, about 10 minutes. After 20 minutes, remove chicken from oven. Brush chicken with the glaze. Raise the heat to 400 degrees F and cook chicken until cooked through, another 20 minutes.

Turkey Day 2009…

Aggies Kitchen — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 16:23:08 +0000

Is everyone enjoying their long holiday weekend? We’ve really enjoyed ours so far…lots of family time at the house with the kids… playing games, enjoying the nice weather and watching lots of football and basketball. Not kidding when I say LOTS of football and basketball…the Magic have played 3 times already since Wednesday and then of course yesterday our Gators had their BIG game in the Swamp!

Now, let’s talk about Thanksgiving…this year I hosted the big meal at our house. I’ve hosted one time before, but the difference this time was that this time I did pretty much all of the cooking…and loved every minute of it!! I started my prep early in the week and planned things out so that I wouldn’t be overwhelmed Thanksgiving morning. I’m happy to report it was all a success…the food turned out great, we had lots of yummy leftovers and I was able to totally relax and enjoy the day with my family!

(Showing off the spread… )

I tried something new at the last minute that I’m excited to share with you…brining. This may not be new to some of you, but I’ll tell ya, it was new and a bit intimidating to me and I’m so glad I tried it, with the help of my food blogging friend Ninette from Big, Bold, Beautiful Food. Ninette has taught me so many things in the short time that I’ve “known” her…we keep in touch on Facebook so I’m very often in the know of what she’s cooking for her family and friends. This woman can cook. I saw her post something on FB about brining her turkey so I asked her how she did it and here’s what she told me to do:

In two gallons of water dissolve 3/4 – 1 cup salt and 1/2-1/3 cup sugar. To this I added several crushed cloves of garlic, a quartered onion, sprigs of thyme and rosemary, a few celery stalks and a small handful of whole peppercorns. I put my turkey in a Ziplock turkey bag (the big one!) and poured the brine solution in it. We have an extra refrigerator in the garage so that is where I stored the bagged turkey in a roasting pan placed in a baking sheet for extra stability. If you have no room in your fridge to store the turkey, then place your bagged turkey in a cooler full of ice. I brined my turkey overnight, for about 14 hours. I read online somewhere that a good rule of thumb for how long to brine is 1 hour per pound….and not to “overbrine”. My turkey was a 16lber so 14 hours was plenty. When ready, rinse turkey very well and discard brine. Prepare your turkey and cook as desired.

The purpose of brining, I’ve been told, is to keep the meat juicy and flavorful. And that is exactly what it did. I could see the juices running when my grandfather was carving the turkey…it was awesome. Bye bye dry turkey…

Now, I’ve also been told that brining is good for everyday cooking of chicken and pork chops…I’ll be experimenting with that soon.

(My brother in law, Nonno and hubby getting ready for some turkey…)

(The kid table…)

Here’s a little sampling of the rest of our Thanksgiving eats…I’ll be sharing recipes with you throughout the week so check back in!

(Cranberry Orange Quick Bread)

(Roasted Green Beans with Shallots and Almonds)

(Whipped Sweet Potatoes with Pecan Streusel)

(Nonna’s Stuffing)