Chorizo and Cornbread Dressing (Stuffing)

 

Chorizo and Cornbread Dressing (Stuffing)

Recipe by Ramona from Kitchen Simmer

Ingredients:

Cornbread:

3 boxes Jiffy corn muffins prepared according to package instructions.  Make the cornbread the day before so you have plenty of time to get the cornbread dried out and firm enough for the dressing the next day. 

Chorizo and Herb Mixture:

1lb Mexican style Chorizo sausage

2 cups diced celery

2 cups diced onions

1 cup diced red bell pepper

2-3 jalapeno peppers finely diced

1 tsp granulated garlic

1 tsp poultry seasoning

salt and black pepper to taste

red chili flakes - to taste

1 Tbs finely minced fresh sage

2 tsp finely minced fresh rosemary

2 tsp finely minced fresh thyme

1 tsp chicken bullion powder (I used Knorr brand chicken bullion powder)

1 cup chicken stock (or more as needed)

 Directions:

Step 1:  Make cornbread per package instructions. Bake on a parchment lined baking pan at 400 degrees for 20-30 minutes or until done.  Turn oven off.  Then cut cornbread into small cubes. Tip: I used a pizza cutter to cut it directly on the baking pan.  Break apart and put it back into the warm oven (that is off) overnight to dry out and become hard.  

Step 2:  Heat a large pot on medium high heat and brown chorizo sausage.  Then add the onion, celery, bell pepper and jalapeno peppers.  Cook for several minutes until vegetables become soft.  

Step 3:  Lower to medium heat and add fresh herbs, red chili flakes, garlic powder, poultry seasoning, chicken bouillon powder and black pepper.  Then add chicken stock.  Cook for 5 minutes.   Finally add the day old cubed cornbread and toss with chorizo/veggie mixture.  If you need, add a little more chicken stock to get the desired texture. You can serve it directly from the stove at this point. Otherwise, place into a buttered baking dish and bake in a 350 degree oven for 20-30 minutes.  Serve hot. Enjoy.

 


Copyright: All recipes, content, and images (unless otherwise stated) are the sole property of Kitchen Simmer formerly known as Curry and Comfort. Please do not use without prior written consent. Unauthorized reproduction is strictly prohibited.

Lollipop Corn Dogs

Ingredients:
1 cup of Bisquick Mix
2/3 cup Corn Meal
1 and 1/3 cup butter milk
1 egg
1 tsp Lawry's seasoning salt
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 package of hot dogs (contains 8)
flour (for dusting)
oil for deep frying

Note: if you do not have Bisquick, any pre-made pancake batter will do or you can make your own pancake batter.

Directions: 
Cut your hot dogs into thirds (this will give you 24 lollipops).  Mix together the Bisquick, corn meal, and seasoning.    Then add your egg and buttermilk. Mix well. The consistency should be like a thick pancake batter.

Next coat your cut hot dog with flour.  this helps the batter stick to the hot dog.   Then poke a wooden skewer through the hot dog like a lollipop

 
Dip in the batter and coat well.
Place the corn dog into the hot oil (around 350 degrees).  Fry until golden brown.  Then place on a paper towel to dry.  Eat with mustard or favorite condiment.  Enjoy.

 

 

Copyright: All recipes, content, and images (unless otherwise stated) are the sole property of Kitchen Simmer formerly known as Curry and Comfort. Please do not use without prior written consent. Unauthorized reproduction is strictly prohibited.

Masala Chicken Skewers

 I have a confession.. I don't enjoy cutting meat .  If I can buy meat that is cut and prepped beforehand, I always do.   When I find chicken tenders on sale, I stock up because they are already portioned out perfectly for chicken skewers.  I marinated these chicken tenders in my Masala Chicken Yogurt Marinade and quickly baked them off in the oven for a fuss free dinner that everyone enjoyed.  I also skewered some grape tomatoes and roasted them in the oven for a few minutes on each side for a fun side dish then served it all with yellow rice and a cucumber raita. 
   

Ingredients: 
Around 15-20 chicken tenders or boneless breast/thigh cut into thick strips

Lemon/Chili Rub:
2 Tbs of lemon juice
salt to taste (about 1Tbs)
1/2 tsp of turmeric
1 tsp of red chili powder (or to taste)

Yogurt Marinate:

1 cup of yogurt
1tsp of garam masala
1 Tbs of paprika
1Tbs of cumin
4-5 cloves of garlic grated
2Tbs of grated ginger
1tsp onion powder or some pulverized onion
black pepper

Directions: 
First rub lemon/chili ingredients on chicken.  Then marinate boneless chicken yogurt marinade 4-6 hours (or over night)

Thread chicken on skewers. Then place on a foil lined baking sheet (sprayed with cooking sprayed or lightly greased).  Bake in a 375 degree oven for 20-30 minutes (flipping them over once) until cooked through.  ** Cooking time depends on the size and thickness of chicken.  Cook until fully cooked, but not dry.

 Serve with rice, naan, raita or any curry meal.  Enjoy.

 
Copyright: All recipes, content, and images (unless otherwise stated) are the sole property of Kitchen Simmer formerly known as Curry and Comfort. Please do not use without prior written consent. Unauthorized reproduction is strictly prohibited.

My Favorite Blueberry Muffins

 

 

Ingredients:

Dry Ingredients:
2 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

Wet ingredients:
1 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup yogurt (whole fat, plain)
1/2 cup milk whole milk
1 stick butter (8 Tbs or 1/4 cup) melted and cooled
1 tsp vanilla
 2 cups whole fresh blueberries

Optional glaze
3Tbs powdered sugar
1/2 Tbs water or up to 1 Tbs

 Directions:

Sift dry ingredients into  bowl.  Whisk wet ingredients together  except blueberries.  Add dry ingredients and fully incorporate without over mixing.  Add blueberries.

Fill into a well greased or sprayed muffin tin (I did not use liners) Bake at 375 degrees for 17-22 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.  Serve hot or at room temperature. Keep in airtight container.  Enjoy.

Note: You can make the optional sugar glaze  by mixing the powdered sugar and water then top the muffins when they have cooled down.

 

 

Copyright: All recipes, content, and images (unless otherwise stated) are the sole property of Kitchen Simmer formerly known as Curry and Comfort. Please do not use without prior written consent. Unauthorized reproduction is strictly prohibited.

Sri Lankan Miris (red chili) Kokis

 

Ingredients:
2 up to 2 1/2 cups rice flour (available in Indian Stores)
1 cup coconut milk
1 cup water
1 egg
1-2 Tbs red chili powder (or to taste)
salt to taste

Directions:

Mix Batter until smooth and it forms
a thick "pancake" like batter.  Heat oil (only halfway up a deep fryer) until about 350 degrees. Allow mold to sit in only for 30-45 seconds to get nice and oily.

Dip mold into batter carefully.  You don't want the batter to get onto the top of the mold or the kokis will not release from the mold in the oil.

Dip battered mold into the oil and hold for a few seconds.  Then gently jiggle the mold until the kokis releases from the mold.

Fry until golden brown. Drain on a paper towel and repeat the process. This will make about 25-30 kokis. Enjoy. 

 

Upma (South Indian Breakfast Dish)

This is a very special dish for me because it takes me back to my childhood. My mother would make Upma every now and then and I was always first in line to get seconds because it's one of my absolute favorite dishes.  

It's such a simple dish and for those of you that are not sure what it is, it's like a very fine grain cous-cous pilaf.  Upma is actually made with semolina (called rava or sooji in India).  This dish can be eaten all by itself or with any meat or vegetable curry. I like it both ways and always make a big pan of it so I have it for a breakfast for a week (if it lasts that long).

My mother and I had a cooking day recently and she helped me make this because I wanted her recipe to be posted. I consider her version of Upma the best out there and everyone that has eaten her version agrees.



 Ingredients:
2 cups dry semolina or sooji (available in Indian stores)
1 medium onion sliced or chopped
2-3 green chilies sliced
handful of curry leaves
1 cinnamon stick
1tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp mustard seeds
red chili flakes to taste
dried whole chilies (broken) to taste
salt to taste
1 Tbs of canola oil
3-4 cups boiling water (boil water in a kettle and have ready)

Directions:

The first step is to take the dry semolina/sooji and roast it in a pan.  Set the heat at medium-high and gently stir it until the light cream colored grains turns more tan.  This will take several minutes.  Be careful not to burn the grains.   This is an important and necessary step for a light fluffy dish.  Not doing this step will cause the grains to stick together.  Once the sooji is roasted set aside.  Boil your water at this time and have it ready as well.
Note: there are packages of pre-roasted sooji, but we recommend roasting it yourself because it gives the best result.

In a large pan heat canola oil and add onions, green chilies, curry leaves, cinnamon stick, salt and red chili pieces. Fry for 3-4 minutes until onions become soft.  Then add the cumin seeds, mustard seeds and red chile pieces. Fry for another 2-3 minutes.

Next add the roasted sooji to the frying pan and mix with all the fried ingredients. Salt as needed (since this is a grain you may need more salt than you think).  Slowly add the boiling water and mix with the upma. Add 2 cups first and then the final cup. The grains will "steam" and become lighter. Taste the grains, if the grains are not soft and fluffy add a little more water.  Stir with a wooden spoon well.  My mother actually recommends taking the wooden spoon and stirring with the thinner handle part in circles around the pan to make sure the grains separate well and become fluffy. Once the grains are almost to the right texture, turn off the stove and cover with a lid for 10 minutes to steam a little more. Stir, taste for seasoning and serve.  Enjoy.
 
Note:  I recommend you use a pan you can stir aggressively with a wooden spoon.  A stainless steel based pan is best since a non-stick could get scratched.

Copyright: All recipes, content, and images (unless otherwise stated) are the sole property of Curry and Comfort. Please do not use without prior written consent. Unauthorized reproduction is strictly prohibited.

Spicy Beef Stroganoff

 
Spicy Beef Stroganoff
Recipe by Ramona from Kitchen Simmer

Ingredients:
2 1/2 pounds of boneless beef chuck cut into large bite-size pieces
salt and black pepper (to season beef)
1/2 cup A/P flour
8oz sliced white button mushrooms
1 large onion
2 carrots sliced 
2-3 jalapeno peppers sliced
red chili flakes to taste
1 tsp granulated garlic
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp onion powder
2 Tbs Worcestershire sauce
2- 2 1/2 cups chicken or beef broth
1 cup frozen peas
1/2 cup sour cream
salt and black pepper  

Hot Butter Noodles:
1 package of egg noodles (or any pasta you choose)
2 heaping Tbs of butter or margarine
salt and black pepper to taste
1 tsp minced fresh or dried parsley


Directions:

Cut beef and season well with salt and black pepper.  Then dust with a/p flour.  Shake off excess flour.  In a large pot with 3 Tbs of canola oil on high heat, add coated beef cubes and brown well. 

Once beef is browned well, add the sliced mushrooms. Brown mushrooms with beef for 2 minutes.  Then add onion to the pot and cook with a little salt and black pepper for 2 minutes.

Next add the carrots, jalapeno, garlic powder, onion powder, dried thyme and red chili flakes.  Saute all ingredients well.  Then add the Worcestershire sauce and  2-3 cups of stock (beef or chicken).  Once liquid is added, scrape the bottom of the pot well.   Lower heat to medium low and place a lid on the pot.  Cook for 60 minutes.  Check beef every 20 minutes and stir to make sure nothing is sticking to the bottom of the pot.  Note:  I started with 2 cups of stock and the last 20 minutes add the other 1/2 cup of stock because I needed more liquid.

Add frozen peas 2 minutes before you turn off stove.  Stir well and heat the peas through.  Then turn off the stove and add the sour cream.  Stir well

Taste for seasoning and serve with buttered noodles. To make buttered noodles, cook noodles in salted water as directed, then drain and add 2 heaping Tbs of butter/margarine, some minced parsley (fresh or dried), a little salt and black pepper.  Serve together.  Enjoy.

 

 

 

Copyright: All recipes, content, and images (unless otherwise stated) are the sole property of Kitchen Simmer formerly known as Curry and Comfort. Please do not use without prior written consent. Unauthorized reproduction is strictly prohibited.