BLACK BEANS AND RICE WITH SMOKED SAUSAGE

 BLACK BEANS AND RICE WITH SMOKED SAUSAGE

INGREDIENTS

·        2 cups uncooked rice, mix of brown and white (use rice measuring cup)

·        1 tablespoon olive oil

·        1 yellow onion, diced

·        1 smoked sausage, sliced in half moons

·        2 cloves minced garlic

·        1 tablespoon cumin

·        1/2 teaspoon oregano

·        2 cans Chili Beans with sauce

·        1 can Black Beans, rinsed and drained

·        1 can diced tomatoes with green chilies

·        salt and pepper, to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

1.   Prepare rice in rice cooker.

2.   Heat the oil over medium heat in a large stove top skillet or cast iron pot.

3.   Add the onion and sausage and saute for 5 minutes, until tender and fragrant. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.

4.   Then stir in the cumin and oregano. Saute for an additional minute.

5.   Add the chili beans with sauce, drained black beans, and diced tomatoes with green chilies. Stir to combine.

6.   Season to taste with salt and pepper and stir well. Simmer for 20 minutes on low, stirring periodically.

7.   Stir rice into bean and sausage mixture and serve or serve rice on the side and scoop black bean mixture on top in each bowl or plate.

 

https://www.goodlifeeats.com/easy-black-beans-and-rice-with-smoked-sausage/#mv-creation-301-jtr

Butter Pecan Cookies

 Butter Pecan Cookies

 

Ingredients

Dough

• 1 cup (142g) pecan halves
• 2/3 cup (142g) light brown sugar, packed
• 2/3 cup (131g) granulated sugar
• 8 tablespoons (113g) unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup (92g) vegetable shortening
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3/4 teaspoon butterscotch flavor
• 1 teaspoon cider vinegar
• 1 large egg
• 2 cups (240g)  All-Purpose Flour

Topping

• 1/3 cup (67g) granulated sugar
• 1/4 teaspoons salt, to taste

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease (or line with parchment) two baking sheets.
2. Place the pecans in a single layer in a pan, and toast until they've darkened a bit and smell toasty, about 8 to 9 minutes. Set them aside to cool, then chop coarsely.
3. In a large bowl, combine the sugars, butter, shortening, salt, espresso powder, baking soda, vanilla, flavor, and vinegar, beating until smooth and creamy.
4. Beat in the egg, again beating until smooth. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl with a spatula to make sure everything is thoroughly combined.
5. Mix in the flour, then the chips and toasted nuts.
6. Chill for about 4 to 5 hours; or overnight.
7. Mix the 1/3 cup (67g) sugar and salt for the coating, and put it in a bowl. Use a spoon (or a tablespoon cookie scoop) to scoop 1 1/2" balls of dough into the sugar/salt mixture, rolling to coat. Then transfer to the prepared baking sheets, leaving 2" between them on all sides.
8. Bake the cookies for 7-10 minutes. Do not overbake.

King Arthur

Lemon Poppyseed Muffins

 These are the best lemon poppyseed muffins I've made - really moist and flavorful.

Lemon Poppyseed Muffins

Yield: 24 muffins

Ingredients

• ½ cup Oil
• 8 Tablespoons Butter (melted)
• 2 cups Sugar
• 4 large Eggs
• 2/3 cup Buttermilk or Milk
• 1 ½ cups Sour Cream or vanilla greek yogurt
• 2 Tablespoon Fresh Lemon Juice
• 4 Tablespoons Lemon Zest (from about 4 lemons)
• 4 cups Flour
• 3 teaspoons Baking Powder
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• 4 teaspoons Poppyseeds

Lemon Glaze:

• 1 ½ cups Powdered Sugar
• 3 to 4 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
• Sparkling Sugar

Instructions

1.                 Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray two 12 cup muffin tins or muffin tin liners with non-stick cooking spray. I suggest using liners if you are making jumbo muffins.

2.       In a large bowl, mix together oil, butter, and sugar for 2 minutes until smooth and creamy. Add in eggs, buttermilk, sour cream, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Stir until completely combined.

3.       Fold in flour, baking powder, salt, and poppyseeds. Scoop into muffin tin liners, filling almost to the top (over ¾ full). Sprinkle with sparkling sugar.

4.       Bake for 17-21 minutes.

Lemon Glaze:

1.                 In a small bowl, mix together powdered sugar and lemon juice. Start with 3 Tablespoons of lemon juice and add more for a thinner glaze and more pronounced lemon flavor.

2.       Once the muffins are done baking, let cool for about 10-15 minutes. Place glaze in a piping bag or place in a sandwich-size Ziploc bag and snip one edge of the bag. Run the glaze along the muffin in a zig-zag pattern.

https://www.modernhoney.com/lemon-poppyseed-muffins/#recipe

Fresh Lemon Sweet Rolls

 Fresh Lemon Sweet Rolls

Author abountifulkitchen

Ingredients

·        2 cups warm water

·        1 cup non fat dry milk powder

·        2 tablespoons dry yeast

·        1 teaspoon sugar

·        1 egg plus one egg yolk

·        1/3 cup sugar

·        1/3 cup butter melted

·        1 teaspoon vanilla

·        2 teaspoons salt

·        5 -6 cups all-purpose flour or bread flour or a mixture see notes

filling:

·        1/2 cup butter room temperature (microwave for 20-30 seconds until about half of it is melted)

·        1/2 cup granulated sugar

·        rind of one lemon grated

·        ½ teaspoon lemon extract or lemon emulsion

·        ½ teaspoon almond extract

glaze:

·        3 tablespoons butter melted

·        3/4 cup powdered sugar

·        juice of one to one and one half lemon also rind grated* see notes

·        milk or cream to thin if needed

Instructions

1.       In large bowl of electric mixer, combine water and milk powder, yeast and 1 teaspoon of sugar. Stir.

2.       Let sit until yeast bubbles. Add egg and egg yolk, additional 1/3 cup of sugar, melted butter, vanilla and salt.

3.       Mix on low speed until ingredients are incorporated.

4.       Add 3 cups of the flour. Mix well on low speed for about 2-3 minutes.

5.       Increase speed of mixer for 2 minutes at medium speed. Add about 1/4 cup flour at a time until dough loses its shiny appearance and is no longer sticky.

6.       Cover with dish towel and allow to rise in warm place until double in size, about one hour.

7.       After dough has risen, sprinkle cutting board or counter with flour and place dough on floured surface.

8.       Roll out dough into a large rectangle, about 25 long x 8-10 inches wide.

9.       Mix the filing in a small bowl with a fork or spoon until smooth (this should be almost like a light frosting consistency). Spread filing evenly onto rolled out dough.

10.     Roll the dough up as you would for cinnamon rolls. Use a sharp knife to cut off one inch pieces of the dough.

11.     Place the buns on a parchment lined or well greased cookie sheet or jelly roll pan. If you want the buns to have soft sides, place close together (about 1 inch apart). If you would like the buns to have a pronounced edge, without touching another roll, place no more than three to a row, with about 2-3 inches in between buns, you will need two baking sheets for this.

12.     Let rise in warm place until rolls are double in size (about 1 hour).

13.    Bake at 350 for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden on center rack of oven. Or if baking using a convection setting 350 for about 10 minutes.

14.     Make the glaze by whisking the ingredients in a small bowl.

15.  Remove buns when done, let cool for at least 15 minutes and drizzle glaze onto buns with a spoon. You may also spoon glaze into a small ziplock bag, squeeze glaze to bottom of bag. Snip off a small end of the bag and force glaze out of small opening onto buns.

****Best eaten fresh

https://abountifulkitchen.com/fresh-lemon-buns/

Garlicky Shrimp, Tomato and White Bean Stew

 Garlicky Shrimp, Tomato and White Bean Stew

1 lb. large shell-on shrimp, peeled, deveined and tails removed, shells reserved ¼ C. extra-virgin olive oil 1 onion, chopped fine 4 garlic cloves, peeled, halved lengthwise, and sliced thin 2 anchovy fillets, rinsed, patted dry, and minced ¼ tsp. Red pepper flakes Salt and pepper 2 (15 oz.) cans cannellini beans (1 can drained/rinsed, 1 can left undrained) 1 (14.5 oz.) can diced tomatoes, undrained ¼ C. shredded fresh basil ½ tsp grated lemon zest  1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in 12-inch skillet over medium heat until shimmering.  Add shrimp shells and cook, stirring frequently, until they begin to turn spotty brown and skillet starts to brown, 5 to 6 minutes.  Remove skillet from heat and carefully add 1 cup water.  When bubbling subsides, return skillet to medium heat and simmer gently, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.  Strain mixture through colander set over large bowl.  Discard shells and reserve liquid (you should have about ¼ cup.)  Wipe skillet clean with paper towels.  Heat 2 tablespoons oil, onion, garlic, anchovies, pepper flakes, ¼ tsp salt and ⅛ tsp pepper in skillet over medium-low heat.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened, about 5 minutes.  Add 1 can drained beans, 1 can beans with their liquid, tomatoes and shrimp stock and bring to simmer.  Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes. 
Reduce heat to low, add shrimp, cover, and cook, stirring once during cooking, util shrimp are just opaque, 5 to 7 minutes.  Remove skillet from heat and stir in basil, lemon zest and lemon juice.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Drizzle with remaining 1 tablespoon oil, and serve. Serves 4 to 6

Recipe altered slightly from America’s Test Kitchen