Stoner Cooking

Comfort Food Classics http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/food/comfort-food-classics-2595303/
Southern Living, on Mon Oct 24, 2011

Handed down from generation to generation on stained recipe cards and in tattered notebooks, comfort foods are staples for anyone wanting a hearty meal and a little taste of home. Try one of these comforting classics tonight.

Easy Brunswick Stew
Ingredients

3 lb. boneless pork shoulder roast (Boston Butt)
3 medium-size new potatoes, peeled and chopped
1 large onion, chopped
1 (28-oz.) can crushed tomatoes
1 (18-oz.) bottle barbecue sauce
1 (14-oz.) can chicken broth
1 (9-oz.) package frozen baby lima beans, thawed
1 (9-oz.) package frozen corn, thawed
6 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 tsp. salt

Preparation

Trim roast and cut into 2-inch pieces. Stir together all ingredients in a 6-quart slow cooker.

Cover and cook on low 10 to 12 hours or until potatoes are fork tender. Remove pork with slotted spoon, and shred. Return shredded pork to slow cooker, and stir well. Ladle stew into bowls.


Chicken Pot Pie
Ingredients

1/2 cup butter
2 medium leeks, sliced
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 (14.5-oz.) can chicken broth
3 cups chopped cooked chicken
1 1/2 cups frozen cubed hash browns with onions and peppers
1 cup matchstick carrots
1/3 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper
1 (17.3-oz.) package frozen puff pastry sheets, thawed
1 large egg

Preparation

Preheat oven to 375°. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat; add leeks, and sauté 3 minutes. Sprinkle with flour, cook, stirring constantly, 3 minutes. Whisk in chicken broth; bring to a boil, whisking constantly. Remove from heat; stir in chicken and next 5 ingredients.

Roll each pastry sheet into a 12- x 10-inch rectangle on a lightly floured surface. Fit 1 sheet into a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate; spoon chicken mixture into pastry. Place remaining pastry sheet over filling in opposite direction of bottom sheet; fold edges under, and press with tines of a fork, sealing to bottom crust. Whisk together egg and 1 Tbsp. water, and brush over top of pie.

Bake at 375° on lower oven rack 55 to 60 minutes or until browned. Let stand 15 minutes.


Classic Lasagna
Ingredients

2 medium onions, chopped
2 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 lb. lean ground beef
1 (14.5-oz.) can basil, garlic, and oregano diced tomatoes
2 (6-oz.) cans tomato paste
1 (8-oz.) can basil, garlic, and oregano tomato sauce
1 bay leaf
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
1 1/4 tsp. salt, divided
3/4 tsp. pepper, divided
12 lasagna noodles, uncooked
8 cups boiling water
1 (16-oz.) container ricotta cheese
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 (6-oz.) packages part-skin mozzarella cheese slices

Garnish: chopped fresh parsley

Preparation

Sauté onion in 1 Tbsp. hot oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat 5 minutes or until tender.
Add garlic, and sauté 1 minute. Add beef, and cook, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes or until beef crumbles and is no longer pink. Drain beef mixture, and return to skillet. Stir in diced tomatoes, next 4 ingredients, 1 tsp. salt, and 1/2 tsp. pepper; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer, stirring occasionally, 30 minutes. Remove and discard bay leaf; set meat sauce aside.

Place lasagna noodles in a 13- x 9-inch pan.
Carefully pour 8 cups boiling water and remaining 1 Tbsp. olive oil over noodles. Let stand 15 minutes.

Stir together ricotta cheese, eggs, and Parmesan cheese, remaining 1/4 tsp. salt, and remaining 1/4 tsp. pepper until blended.

Spoon half of the meat sauce mixture in a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch baking dish. Shake excess water from noodles, and arrange 6 noodles over meat sauce; top with half of ricotta mixture and 1 package mozzarella cheese slices. Repeat layers once.

Bake, covered, at 350° for 55 minutes. Uncover and bake 10 to 15 more minutes or until bubbly. Let lasagna stand 10 minutes before serving. Garnish, if desired.


Fried Pork Chops with Gravy
Ingredients

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp. Cajun seasoning
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. pepper
8 (4-oz.) boneless center-cut pork chops
1 cup nonfat buttermilk
Vegetable cooking spray
3 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 cup fat-free milk
1/4 tsp. salt

Preparation

Reserve 2 Tbsp. flour, and set aside. Place remaining flour in a shallow fish.
Combine Cajun seasoning, garlic powder, and pepper. Rub pork chops evenly on both sides with seasoning mixture.

Dip pork in buttermilk; dredge in flour. Lightly coat both sides of pork with cooking spray.
Cook pork, in batches, in hot oil in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat 5 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels.

Add reserved 2 Tbsp. flour to pan drippings in skillet; stir in milk and salt, and cook, stirring constantly, until thickened and bubbly. Serve immediately with pork.


Old-Fashioned Meatloaf
Ingredients

1 Tbsp. butter 3 celery ribs, finely chopped
1/2 large onion, finely chopped
2 lb. lean ground beef
2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce, divided
1/2 cup Italian-seasoned breadcrumbs
1/3 cup ketchup
2 tsp. Creole seasoning
1 tsp. Greek seasoning
1 tsp. garlic powder
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 (8-oz.) can tomato sauce
3 Tbsp. tomato paste
1 Tbsp. ketchup

Garnish: chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Preparation

Melt butter in a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat; add celery and onion, and sauté 7 minutes or just until tender.

Stir together celery mixture, ground beef, 1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce, breadcrumbs, and next 5 ingredients in a large bowl. Shape into a 10i x 5-inch loaf; place on a lightly greased broiler rack. Place rack in an aluminum foil-lined broiler pan.

Bake at 350° for 45 minutes. Stir together remaining 1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce, tomato sauce, tomato paste, and 1 Tbsp. ketchup until blended; pour evenly over meatloaf, and bake 10 to 15 minutes or until no longer pink in center. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

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Texas-Style Chili
http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/food/recipes/texas-style-chili-538511
Better Homes and Gardens, on Mon Nov 2, 2009

cook time: 1 hr 15 mins
servings: 6

They say that Texans like their chili hot and spicy, and this Texas-Style Chili recipe aims to please! Extra-hot, the jalapeno peppers are optional for an even spicier presentation. The surprise ingredient here is beer, which adds a depth of flavor. The alcohol cooks off in the process, so this dish is fair game to serve even to those who are choosing not to imbibe.

20 small dried hot chili peppers or 2 tablespoons crushed red pepper
2 dried ancho peppers or 2 tablespoons chili powder
3/4 pound beef round steak, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 tablespoons cooking oil
3/4 pound boneless pork, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 cup chopped onion
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 14-1/2-ounce can beef broth
1 12-ounce can beer
3 cups hot cooked pinto beans and/or hot cooked rice
Sliced jalapeno peppers (optional)

Crush hot chili peppers, if using. Remove stems and seeds from ancho peppers, if using; cut into 1-inch pieces. Put hot peppers and ancho peppers into a blender container or food processor bowl. Cover and blend or process until ground. Let pepper dust settle before opening blender or food processor. (If using crushed red pepper and chili powder, stir them together.) Set aside.

In a large saucepan or Dutch oven cook half of the meat in hot oil until brown. Remove meat and set aside. Add remaining meat, onion, garlic, cumin, paprika, ground black pepper, and ground chili pepper mixture (or the crushed red pepper and chili powder mixture, if using). Cook until meat is brown. Return all meat to saucepan. Stir in beef broth and beer. Bring to boiling. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 45 minutes. Uncover and simmer about 30 minutes more or until meat is tender and sauce is desired consistency, stirring occasionally. Serve with hot cooked pinto beans or rice. Garnish with sliced jalapeno peppers, if desired. Makes 6 servings.

Make-Ahead Tip: Prepare chili; cool slightly. Transfer to 1- to 4-serving size freezer containers. Seal, label, and freeze up to 1 month. To reheat, transfer frozen chili to saucepan. Cook over medium heat until heated through, stirring occasionally to break apart.

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Lemon-Basil Pasta
http://www.bhg.com/recipe/pasta/lemon-basil-pasta

Makes: 4 servings
Start to Finish: 25 mins

10 ounces dried linguine or desired pasta
1 19 ounce canwhite kidney (cannellini) beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 of a lemon
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup packed fresh basil leaves

Directions

1. Cook pasta according to package directions, adding beans for the last 2 minutes of cooking time. Remove 1/2 cup of the cooking liquids; set aside. Drain pasta and beans; cover to keep warm.

2. Meanwhile, finely shred peel from the lemon half (about 2 teaspoons). In a small skillet heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium heat. Add lemon peel; cook and stir 1 minute, or until lightly golden.

3. In a food processor combine cooked lemon peel, basil, the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, the juice from the lemon half, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cover and process until smooth. Add reserved cooking liquid, 1 tablespoon at a time, until desired consistency, processing mixture after every addition.

4. To serve, toss hot cooked pasta mixture with lemon-basil mixture. Makes 4 servings.

Nutrition Facts (Lemon-Basil Pasta)

Servings Per Recipe 4 Calories 452, Protein (gm) 18, Carbohydrate (gm) 75, Fat, total (gm) 10, Saturated fat (gm) 1, Monosaturated fat (gm) 7, Polyunsaturated fat (gm) 1, Dietary Fiber, total (gm) 9, Sugar, total (gm) 4, Vitamin A (IU) 534, Vitamin C (mg) 12, Thiamin (mg) 1, Riboflavin (mg) 0, Niacin (mg) 5, Pyridoxine (Vit. B6) (mg) 0, Folate (µg) 177, Sodium (mg) 648, Potassium (mg) 211, Calcium (DV %)101, Iron (DV %) 5

Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet

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Grilled Pesto Potato Salad
http://www.bhg.com/recipes/recipedetail.jsp?recipeId=R173185

Makes: 8 servings
Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 15 mins

3 pounds medium-size red potatoes
Olive oil cooking spray
1/3 cup white or golden balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
3 clovesgarlic, minced
Freshly ground pepper to taste
1/3 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup finely minced fresh basil
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts (optional)

Directions

1. Place potatoes in a large microwave-safe bowl; cover with lid or plastic wrap.

2. Microwave on high for 10 to 12 minutes or until potatoes are tender (cooking time may vary depending on microwave). Use oven mitts to carefully remove from microwave. When cool enough to handle, cut potatoes in half or quarters and spray liberally with olive oil spray.

3. Grill over high heat for 5 to 7 minutes, turning occasionally, until grill lines are apparent.

4. Remove from grill and let cool.

5. Cut into bite-size pieces and place in a large bowl. Whisk together vinegar, oil, salt and garlic; pour over potatoes and toss lightly to coat.

6. Season with pepper, then cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

7. Just before serving, toss with Parmesan cheese and basil, then sprinkle with pine nuts.

Servings Per Recipe 8 Calories 210, Protein (gm) 5, Carbohydrate (gm) 29, Fat, total (gm) 8, Cholesterol (mg) 5, Vitamin C (mg) 35,Sodium (mg) 230, Potassium (mg) 784

Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet

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Loaded au Gratin Potatoes
http://www.bhg.com/recipes/recipedetail.jsp?recipeId=R175154

Makes: 8 servings
Prep: 15 minutes
Start to Finish: 58 minutes

1 box (4.7 oz) Betty Crocker® au gratin potatoes
2 cups boiling water
1 cup half-and-half
2 tablespoons margarine or butter
6 slices bacon, cooked, crumbled
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese (4 oz)
1/4 cup sliced green onions (4 medium)
1/4 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper

Topping:
1/2 cup Progresso® plain bread crumbs
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

Heat oven to 400 degrees F.

In 2-quart casserole, mix Potatoes, Sauce Mix, boiling water, half-and-half and butter. Stir in remaining potato ingredients. Bake uncovered 35 minutes.

In small bowl, mix bread crumbs and butter; sprinkle over top. Bake 8 minutes longer or until topping is golden. Sprinkle with parsley. Let stand 5 minutes before serving (sauce will thicken as it stands).

nutrition facts

Servings Per Recipe 8 servings Calories 270 Total Fat (g) 16 Saturated Fat (g) 8, Cholesterol (mg) 40, Sodium (mg) 690, Carbohydrate (g) 21, Total Sugar (g) 2, Fiber (g) 1, Protein (g) 9, Vitamin A (DV%) 10, Vitamin C (DV%) 2, Calcium (DV%) 15, Iron (DV%) 4

Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet

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Pebbles Boulders Cereal
http://www.pebblesplay.com/post-pebbles-cereal/pebbles-boulders-cereal-recipe

•6 cups popped light butter microwave popcorn (un-popped kernels removed.)
•2 cups Pebbles Boulders Stone Age Caramel Apple Cereal
•1 cup almonds or other nuts
•1/2 cup dried cherries or other dried fruit
•2 cups small marshmallows
•2 tablespoons butter
•1/2 cup milk chocolate chips, melted

Prepare 2 17"x12"x1" sheet pans with cooking spray, set aside. Combine popcorn, cereal, almonds, and cherries; set aside. In the microwave, melt marshmallows and butter, 30 to 60 seconds, stirring half way through. Marshmallows and butter should be melted and smooth. Pour over popcorn mixture, stir to coat all pieces. Then pour onto baking sheet. Melt chocolate in microwave for 30 to 45 seconds, stirring half way through. Drizzle over popcorn mixture and let chocolate set. Serve after chocolate has set.

16 servings

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Fudgy Chocolate-Walnut Cookies
http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/fudgy-chocolate-walnut-cookies

François Payard
ACTIVE: 25 MIN
TOTAL TIME: 45 MIN
SERVINGS: makes twelve 4-inch cookies

2 3/4 cups walnut halves (9 ounces)
3 cups confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 large egg whites, at room temperature
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

1.Preheat the oven to 350°. Position 2 racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven. Line 2 large rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.

2.Spread the walnut halves on a large rimmed baking sheet and toast in the oven for about 9 minutes, until they are golden and fragrant. Let cool slightly, then transfer the walnut halves to a work surface and finely chop them.

3.In a large bowl, whisk the confectioners' sugar with the cocoa powder and salt. Whisk in the chopped walnuts. Add the egg whites and vanilla extract and beat just until the batter is moistened (be careful not to overbeat or it will stiffen). Spoon the batter onto the baking sheets in 12 evenly spaced mounds.

4.Bake the cookies for about 20 minutes, until the tops of the cookies are glossy and lightly cracked and feel firm to the touch; shift the pans from front to back and top to bottom halfway through.

5.Slide the parchment paper (with the cookies) onto 2 wire racks to cool completely before serving.

Make Ahead: The cookies can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days.