Jalapeno Jam Chicken Wings

I was happy with how these turned out-- sweet and spicy, and the wings were perfectly cooked through with crispy skin. Heat level was low-medium (I really like spicy though).

The sauce and broiled wings can be prepared ahead of time (we did the night before), and then grilled later. Sauce will need to be reheated, since the butter will harden over night.  

           

Ingredients:

• 30 chicken wings or about 3 lbs
• 3 Tbs butter
• 1/4 cup of jalapeno or pepper jam 
• 2 Tbs honey or agave nectar
• 2 jalapenos (diced)
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp cayenne
• salt and pepper to taste

1. Turn oven broiler on high, line baking sheet with aluminum foil 

2. Melt butter in small sauce pan. Add jalapeno jam, honey, diced jalapenos, and spices until warmed

through.

3. Rinse wings, pat try with paper towel, season w/ salt and pepper, place on prepared baking sheet

4. Stick wings in oven for 10-15 minutes, turning once (may need to do a few batches)

5. Grill on medium-high heat for 5 minutes until both sides are browned. 

6. Toss in sauce and eat up!

German Potato Salad 1974

I'm not sure who Rhoda was; I think maybe a neighbor when my parents lived in Ann Arbor.

6 medium potatoes, boiled in jackets (I used Yukon Gold.  Boil until *just* done.)
6 slices bacon
3/4 cup chopped onion
2 tablespoons flour
1 - 2 tablespoons sugar (I used 1)
1 1/2 teaspoon salt (I used 1)
1/2 teaspoon celery seeds
Dash of pepper
3/4 cup water
1/3 cup vinegar (the plain white stuff)

"Peel potatoes and slice thin.  Fry bacon slowly in skillet, then drain on paper.  Sauté onion in bacon fat until golden brown.  Blend in flour, sugar, salt, celery seeds, and pepper.  Cook over low heat, stirring until smooth and bubbly*.  Remove from heat.  Stir in water and vinegar.  Heat to boil, stirring constantly.  Boil 1 minute.  Stir in carefully the potatoes and the crumbled bacon bits.  Remove from heat, cover, and let stand until ready to serve."

* I don't like greasy texture so I drained all the bacon fat, then reheated about a tablespoon to cook the onions.  When I stirred in the flour, etc., I got onions coated in dry flour and spices, not anything that could bubble, but when I added the water and vinegar, the sauce turned out just fine.  So you don't need to use a ton of bacon grease in this.

I peeled the potatoes because I was serving this to guests but if I were making it for myself, I wouldn't bother, especially with Yukon Golds that have tender skins.  I thought this was plenty sweet with 1 tablespoon of sugar so I would highly recommend you start low and add to taste (you can't make this not-sweet, though, since you need to balance the vinegar).

I overcooked the potatoes.  They should have sliced better and not broken up so much when I folded them into the dressing.  Oops.  Tasted fine, though.

Jake's Stir Fry

There is no picture of this hearty, filling comfort food.

There are reasons for that.

But please be assured that it tastes much better than it looks.

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10 oz sliced mushrooms
1 green pepper cut in small (1 cm) pieces
1 clove garlic (or to taste), pressed or chopped fine
1 lb hamburger

Pinch smoked paprika
Pinch cayenne
Salt & black pepper to taste (fresh ground black pepper recommended if available)
Dash A1
Dash Worcestershire sauce

2 Tbsp cream cheese (about a 1/4" thick slice off a typical block)
¾ cup sour cream

1 tsp “Better than Bouillon”, Marmite, or similar to bring back the umami. (Do not add Vegemite. Vegemite is an abomination.)

---

Brown mushrooms over med-high heat to bring out flavor. Flip infrequently to allow browning.

Add green pepper. Stir occasionally.

When the pepper starts to turn brighter green, add the hamburger and garlic. Salt immediately; when the salt is added affects the texture.

Brown the hamburger. Add the spices and sauces, stirring them in.

Stir in the cream cheese and sour cream. Stir in your chosen umami enhancer to taste.

Serve over mashed potatoes.

Banana bread

This has a bit less oil than some banana bread recipes.

Preheat oven to 350.  Butter a loaf pan.  Will bake 55 minutes.

4 overripe bananas
1 1/2 cups flour (I usually use 1 cup all-purpose and 1/2 cup whole-wheat)
1/2 cup sugar, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1 egg
big pinch of allspice

Cream butter and sugar.  Toss dry ingredients together (no need to actually sift).  Add egg and mashed bananas to the butter mixture and combine thoroughly.  Fold dry into wet.  Spread into loaf pan and bake 55 minutes.  Remove from pan and cool on a rack.

Vanilla (or banana or coconut) pudding

You can combine this with coconut, or with bananas and vanilla wafers, if you wish.

2/3 - 1 cup sugar, as you prefer
3 eggs, beaten
dash salt
3 tablespoons cornstarch

2-3 tablespoons flour
2 cups (1 pint) whole milk
1 teaspoon vanilla or almond flavoring

Optional:

Shredded coconut

Slivered, toasted, almonds

Egg whites for meringue topping
3 - 4 ripe bananas, sliced about 1/4-inch thick
1 box of vanilla wafers

This is important: Have everything measured out and ready to go before you start.  The custard will thicken pretty fast once it gets going and you don't want to risk burning it.  I guess you could do this over a double boiler but I never have.

 

Mix sugar, flour, and cornstarch together.  Add the salt and beaten eggs.  Add milk and bring to a boil briefly over medium-high heat, stirring constantly and thoroughly (scrape the bottom of the pan all over).  Cook until thickened.  Remove from heat; add vanilla and mix well. Allow to cool to room temperature and then chill thoroughly.

 

Optional: 

Whip egg whites to stiff peaks, spread over top, and brown in the oven.

 

Top with coconut or almonds if you wish.  

 

For banana pudding:

Line the bottom and sides of a heat-proof casserole dish with some of the vanilla wafers.  Spread a layer of pudding over the wafers.  Dot pudding with banana slices (and wafers, if you have enough).  Repeat pudding and bananas until both are used up.  End with a pudding layer and dot top with the rest of the wafers.  Don't put banana slices on top or they will turn brown with exposure to air.  Top with meringue if you wish, or serve with whipped cream.

 

Picadillo

Latin American seasoned ground beef.  You can use this to fill tacos or serve it over rice, or . . . whatever, really.  It's sort of an exotic sloppy joe.

2 pounds ground beef, mostly-browned and drained well
2 potatoes, diced and browned slightly
1 can diced tomatoes, or about 2 cups fresh
1 onion, diced
1 bell pepper, diced
4 cloves garlic, or more
1/3 cup raisins, rehydrated slightly (pour hot water over them, or microwave with water)
1/4 cup green olives, quartered
2 teaspoons cumin
1/2 teaspoon or more chili powder (this does not need to be spicy)
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon or allspice
1/2-ish teaspoon salt

Optional:
Grated carrot, kernel corn, celery, whatever needs to be used up.

Cook the onion and pepper (carrot, celery, corn, etc.) in a small amount of oil or reserved meat drippings until the onions are clear.  Put the meat and par-cooked potatoes back in the pan.  Add the tomatoes, raisins, olives, and seasonings.  Simmer gently, covered, until the potatoes are cooked through.  Better the second day, as stewed things generally are.

Texas Caviar

The story is that Texas caviar was invented in 1940 by Helen Corbitt, who was from New York and didn't even like black-eyed peas.  There are almost endless recipes for this, and you can add other vegetables as you see fit (a lot of people add kernel corn), but if you want to call it Texas caviar, the bean component has to be black-eyed peas; otherwise, it's just bean salad.  Texas used to be a leading grower of peas.

4 cups black-eyed peas (3 cans, rinsed and drained)
2 large or 4 Roma tomatoes, seeded and chopped
     OR 1 red bell pepper
4 ribs celery, quartered lengthwise and chopped
1 jalapeño, seeded and diced, or to taste
1 tablespoon olive oil
juice and zest of 2 limes
2 tablespoons dry cilantro, or equivalent fresh
1/4 onion, chopped.
Salt to taste

Mix everything and allow to marinate, stirring occasionally, for a few hours or overnight in the refrigerator.

Serve as a salad or with scoop-style corn chips.