Take Five Monkey Bread - 2/24/2011

Prep Time: 25 minutes Start to finish: 1 hour and 30 minutes

3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
4 cans (7.5oz each) Pillsbury refrigerated biscuits
½ cup butter or margarine, melted
¾ cup packed brown sugar

1. Grease or spray 12-cup bundt cake pan
2. Mix granulated sugar and cinnamon in 1 gallon bag. Cut biscuits into quarters.
3. Shake quarters in the bag to coat; place in pan
4. Mix butter and brown sugar; pour over biscuit pieces
5. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 to 45 minutes or until golden brown. Cool five minutes. Turn upside down
6. Serve Warm

Makes 12 servings

Feel free to add raisins or your favorite nuts in step 3 if you like.

Caramel Sauce - Recipe

½ cup butter - melted
1 cup brown sugar
½ cup heavy whipping cream
2 tsp. vanilla (if desired not necessary)

1. Melt butter on low heat
2. Add ½ brown sugar and as that dissolves add the 2nd ½ of brown sugar
3. Stir constantly until sugar starts to caramelize
4. Remove from heat and CAREFULLY add in heavy whipping cream (it will steam) It is best to place on a hot pad and then add whipping cream
5. Add vanilla extract if desired - stir until smooth, pour over monkey bread and enjoy!

Easy Beer Batter Recipe
St. James 26th Annual Fish Fry

Easy Beer Batter Recipe - Your family and friends will be amazed. It is restaurant quality good.

1 12 oz can light Beer
1 1/2 cups Flour
1/2 tsp Salt
1 tsp Paprika
1 cup Flour

Pour the beer into a large bowl. Sift the flour, salt, and paprika into the beer, whisking until the batter is light and frothy. (The batter may be used immediately or stored in the refrigerator for up to 1 week, but be sure to whisk it occasionally). Heat at least 2 inches of oil in a frying kettle or electric fryer. Just before it reaches 375F, quickly dredge the fish with flour, shaking of excess then dip in the beer batter, coating well, and drop them into the hot fat (do this in 2 batches). When they are brown on one side - less than 1 minute - turn and brown them on the other side. Drain on a wire rack or paper towels. Serve hot with lemon wedges.
Saint James annual fish fry starts February 19th. It is has a 26 year tradition and I am proud to be a part of it.
St. James is one of the largest fish fries in town. Boasting an average of 1,000 people every Friday last year between the hours of 4pm-7pm. That is a lot of fish. 1,200-1,400 lbs a week.
Featured menu: Beer Battered Whitefish, Lemon Pepper Whitefish, Parsley buttered redskin potatoes, home-made mac & cheese, French fries, apple sauce, coleslaw, & garlic bread. EASY Beer batter recipe that taste great!






Saurkraut Soup

It is a Hungarian tradition to have sauerkraut soup on New Years Day.

Food
3 slices bacon
1 small onion chopped
1 teaspoon paprika
4 cups water
1 green pepper seeded, deribbed, and sliced
16 ounces sauerkraut
1 tablespoon flour
1 cup sour cream, plus sour cream for accompaniment
1/2 pound spicy smoked sausage thinly sliced
In a heavy sauce pan over medium-high heat, brown bacon and onion saute until translucent (about 5 minutes). Add paprika, the water, and green pepper.

Drain sauerkraut and turn into a colander. Briefly under cold water and drain again. sauerkraut to Dutch oven and simmer 20 minutes; do not overcook.

In a small bowl stir together flour and the 1 cup sour cream. Add to soup mixture along with sausage. Reheat to serving temperature, stirring; do not boil.

To serve, ladle into soup bowls and serve immediately. Pass a bowl of sour cream.






Holiday Breakfast Hash

One way to simplify meals is to cook some extra food for dinner that incorporated into breakfast the following day. Let's say you are having Grilled Steak and baked potatoes - throw an extra steak on the grill and a couple of sweet potatoes in the oven with your baked potatoes.

Here is what you need for the hash - Time - 20 minutes - feeds four

3 tbsp vegetable oil - more if needed

1 small onion - coarsely chopped

1/2 red pepper - seeded and coarsely chopped

1 cooked sweet potato - cut in 1/2 inch dice

1 lb rib eye, or NY Strip - your choice, cooked rare and cut into 1/2 inch dice when cool

1 tsp sweet paprika

4 tbsp coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste

In a large heavy skillet, heat 3 tbsp vegetable oil over medium heat.

Add onion, red pepper, and sweet potatoes - cook 10 minutes - stirring occasionally

Add beef, paprika, 3 tbsp parsley, and salt & pepper

Increase heat to high to cook hash, turning occasionally until browned - 5 minutes

Serve on platter or warm plates - garnish with remaining parsley

Serve with eggs - anyway you like them!