Cooking (Photo credit: omarbercor)

Breakfast Biscuits

Ingredients

• 1/3 pound bulk pork sausage
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper, divided
• 3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon 2% milk, divided
• 1/2 cup frozen cubed hash brown potatoes, thawed
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 2 eggs
• 1/8 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1 can (16.3 ounces) large refrigerated flaky biscuits
• 1/2 cup shredded Colby-Monterey Jack cheese

Directions

• In a large skillet, cook sausage over medium heat until no longer
• pink; drain. Stir in the flour, salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper until
• blended; gradually add 3/4 cup milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir
• for 2 minutes or until thickened. Remove from the heat and set
• aside.
• 
  
• In another large skillet over medium heat, cook potatoes in butter
• until tender. Whisk the eggs, garlic salt and remaining milk and
• pepper; add to skillet. Cook and stir until almost set.
• 
  
• Press each biscuit onto the bottom and up the sides of eight
• ungreased muffin cups. Spoon the egg mixture, half of the cheese and
• sausage into cups; sprinkle with remaining cheese.
• 
  
• Bake at 375° for 18-22 minutes or until golden brown. Cool for 5
• minutes before removing from pan. Serve immediately or allow to cool
• completely. Tightly wrap individual biscuit cups in foil; freeze for
• up to 3 months.
• 
  
• To use one frozen biscuit cup: Unwrap; microwave on high for 50-60
• seconds or until heated through. Yield: 8 servings. 

Enjoy
The Old Guy

Thanks Mom.


10,000 Views!!!!

My blog just passed the 10,000 view mark!

My sincere thanks to all who took the time to look at my blog.  I hope you have prepared and enjoyed eating some of the recipes I have posted.

It has been my pleasure sharing with you.  Thanks Mom for passing on to me your joy of cooking and for the love you put into all the meals you prepared for our family. 

A very humble...
Old Guy

 . (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

How To Brine A Turkey

  Today I would like to talk about brining your turkey and how to roast it.  I started brining my turkeys about 5 years ago.  It was the best tasting and moist turkey I ever cooked. You can use the same method on a turkey breast and on chickens as well.
Do not brine a kosher or self-basting turkey because it will come out too salty.

Brining is the secret to a juicy, flavorful turkey.

Why Brine?

Brining makes it moist. Why are brined turkeys so juicy? Salt causes the meat tissues to absorb water and flavorings. It also breaks down the proteins, resulting in a tender-seeming turkey. This means that--despite the moisture loss during roasting and the long cooking time--you end up with a juicy bird.

How to Brine a Turkey

The real trick with brining is finding a container that's large enough to submerge the turkey, yet small enough to fit in your refrigerator. Try a stock pot, a bucket, or a roasting pan; if you use a shallow roasting pan, you will need to turn the bird periodically so that each side rests in the brine. Place the container on the lowest shelf of the refrigerator (so spills won't reach foods below).
The basic ratio for turkey brine is two cups of kosher salt to two gallons of water. Some recipes include sweeteners or acidic ingredients to balance the saltiness.

• Dissolve salt (and sugar, if using) in two cups of hot water. Stir in remaining gallon plus 3 ½ quarts of cold water.
• Remove giblets and neck from turkey.
• Immerse turkey in brine and refrigerate for at least eight hours but no longer than 24 hours.
  

How to Roast Your Turkey

To prepare the turkey for roasting, first remove the giblets (and save for gravy or stuffing). Next, rinse the bird inside and out and pat dry with paper towels.

• If you are stuffing the bird, stuff it loosely, allowing about ½ to ¾ cup stuffing per pound of turkey.
• Brush the skin with melted butter or oil. Tie drumsticks together with string (for stuffed birds only).
• Insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh. The thermometer should point towards the body, and should not touch the bone.
• Place the bird on a rack in a roasting pan, and into a preheated 350 degree F (175 degrees C) oven. Use the following chart to estimate the time required for baking.
• Bake until the skin is a light golden color, and then cover loosely with a foil tent. During the last 45 minutes of baking, remove the foil tent to brown the skin. Basting is not necessary, but helps promote even browning.

Weight of Bird	Roasting Time (Unstuffed)	Roasting Time (Stuffed)
10-18 lbs	3-3.5 hours	3.75-4.5 hours
18-22 lbs	3.5-4 hours	4.5-5 hours
22-24 lbs	4-4.5 hours	5-5.5 hours
24-29 lbs	4.5-5 hours	5.5-6.25 hours

• The turkey is done when the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F (75 degrees C) at the thigh.

Happy Thanksgiving and Happy Eating.

Enjoy
The Old Guy

a slow cooker Oval Crock Pot (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

A Tale Of 3 Chilli's


"If you don't like Michigan weather, just wait a minute.  It will change".
My favorite season is fall.  I love the cooler weather, the smell of the newly fallen leaves, and the wonderful fall colors of the trees.  I also love the foods of fall.  The following Chili recipes will protect your tummy from the chilly weather.

 Kid Friendly Chili

1 pound lean ground beef
1 large onion, chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 (1 pound cans) crushed tomatoes
1 pound can dark red kidney beans
1 pound can pork and beans

Cook ground beef and onions together until meat is no longer pink; drain.  Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil.  Cover and reduce heat to a very slow simmer.  Let cook 45 minutes to blend flavors, stirring occasionally.
You can make this dish Vegetarian by omitting the ground beef and substitute 1-1/2 cups finely chopped carrots and 1-1/2 cups finely chopped celery.  Cook with the onions until onions are beginning to look translucent.  Then proceed as directed for the rest of the recipe. 

This slow cooker recipe is a great way to serve a crowd without last minute preparation

Texican Chili

8 bacon strips, diced
2-1/2 pounds beef stew meat, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
2 cans (one 28 ounces, one 14-1/2 ounces) stewed tomatoes, undrained
2 cans (8 ounces each) tomato sauce
1 can (16 ounces) kidney beans, rinsed and drained
2 cups sliced carrots
1 cup chopped celery
3/4 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon pepper

In a large skillet, cook bacon until crisp.  Remove to paper towels to drain.  Brown beef in the drippings over medium heat; drain.  Transfer to a 5 quart slow cooker; add bacon and remaining ingredients.  Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours or until meat is tender, stirring occasionally.
Yield is 16-18 servings.

White Bean Chicken Chili

3/4 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cubed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 medium onion, chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped (use rubber gloves)
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground cumin
 tablespoons olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 cans (15 ounces each) white kidney beans or cannellini beans, rinsed and drained, divided
1-1/2 cups (6 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese
Sour cream and minced fresh cilantro or garnish if desired

Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper.  In large skillet over medium heat, cook chicken, onion, jalapeno, oregano and cumin in oil for 3-4 minutes or until chicken is browned and vegetables are crisp-tender.  Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer.
Transfer to a 3 quart slow cooker.  In a small bowl, mash 1 cup of beans, add 1/2 cup broth and stir until blended.  Add to the slow cooker with remaining beans and broth.  Cover and cook on low for 3-3-1/2 hours or until heated through.  Stir before serving and garnish with sour cream and chopped cilantro if desired.

Enjoy

The Old Guy

Cold Weather Warm Ups!

As the leaves begin to change, and you hear about "frost warnings" on the weather report, I start to think about making some soup.  Stuffed Pepper soup in one of my favorites.  The Cheddar Chowder is a great dinner soup and very filling.  Both of these soups will be sure to warm your bones.

Stuffed Pepper Soup

2 pounds ground beef
2 quarts water
1 can (28 ounces) tomato sauce
1 can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
2 cups cooked long grain rice
2 cups chopped green peppers
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons beef bouillon granules
1 teaspoon pepper

In a Dutch oven (or large soup pot) cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain.  Stir in remaining ingredients; bring to a boil.  Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 30-40 minutes or until peppers are tender.
This recipes yields 2-1/2 quarts or 10 servings.
Serve with a hunk of French bread and a salad for a complete meal.  The soups tastes even better the next day.

Cheddar Chowder

2 cups diced potatoes
1/2 cup diced carrots
1/2 cup diced celery
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
4 cups water
Place all ingredients in a large soup pot and bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 10-12 minutes or until vegetables are tender..
While the vegetables are cooking, make the cheese sauce:
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup flour
2 cups milk
2 cups grated cheddar cheese
1 cup cubed ham
Melt the butter in a saucepan and add flour to maker a paste.  Add the milk and stir, constantly over low heat until the mixture thickens.  Remove from the heat and add the cheddar cheese.  Stir until cheese is melted.  Add this cheese sauce to the cooked vegetables. (do not drain water from vegetables).  Add the ham and heat through.
A French Baguette and a salad will complete this meal.

Enjoy
The Old Guy