Sophie Schaffer's Fresh Yeast Rolls & Cinnamon Rolls

My great friend, Gayle Schaffer, makes the best yeast rolls ever.  She's been visiting me from Virginia, and we decided to make these yeast rolls.  

She told me she wanted to make them with me so that I could really get the feel for the process.  And I'm so glad she was here, because it really is a process.

In the future, I will make this recipe a day ahead and reheat the rolls for my family holiday gatherings.

We started about 1:00 pm. and finished about 7:00 pm. 
A six hour process. 

You know it's going to be special when you deliberately spend
that long making it.  

I also had to purchase a stand alone mixer,
which I've been wanting to buy for a long time. 
Notice the hook connected to the mixer. 

NOTE - First Gayle said, the kitchen needs to be very warm. 
You don't want any drafts.  

Ingredients

1 stick butter
2 cups whole milk
2 Packages Platinum Yeast by Red Star (the best) optional use Red Star Rapid Rise.
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 beaten eggs
King Arthur's Bread Flour

Directions

Melt Milk and butter over medium heat until just warm.

Test temp with your finger.  Too much heat will kill the yeast when added. If it's too warm, set it to the side for a bit.

Combine about 1/3 cup warm water (not hot) with the 2 yeast packets.  Stir to dissolve.  
Add yeast to warm milk and butter and set aside.  No heat.  It will look lumpy.  Let the yeast foam up, about 20 minutes.  With experience you can tell just by looking at it, when it's ready.

In a medium size bowl, combine 1/2 cup sugar,
1 teaspoon salt, and 2 beaten eggs.

Add Warm butter, milk, and yeast to this mixture.

(In this picture, the red measuring cup is the yeast before adding warm water)

Using a stand alone mixer, with the bread hook, on a slow "2" speed, begin by adding 2 cups bread flour.  Occasionally scrape the sides of the bowl. Increase mixer speed to a "3" speed. Continue adding flour 1 cup at a time. Approximately 5-7 cups total flour.  We ran the mixer about 1 minute before adding additional flour.

Spread 1 cup flour on the counter and pour dough mixture out onto the flour, scraping the edges.
Do not wash this bowl.  Butter all around the bowl, clear to the top.  We'll use this bowl to let the dough rise.

Knead the dough adding a bit more flour, 1/2 to 1 cup, until the dough is smooth and elastic.

Kneading hints - After pouring out on the counter, pull in a little flour when it gets sticky.  Using the palm of your hand, knead this approximately 100 times. About 10 minutes. You'll feel it drawing up and becoming more elastic.  Knead another 30 times.  Dough should be very elastic by then.  We did not use all the dough on the counter.  Do not clean up the flour on the counter.  We will continue to use it later.

Put dough in the buttered bowl.  Roll it around the bowl a little to butter the dough, and cover with a tea towel.  Set aside to rise, in your warm kitchen.  Depending on the conditions inside, and even outside your house, will determine how long the dough takes to rise.  It will take approximately 1 1/2 to 2 hrs. to have the dough double in size.  It took us every bit of 2 hours.  

After the dough has doubled, it just fell out of the buttered bowl.  Work the dough minimally again.
We divided the dough in half because we are going to make 2 kinds of rolls

Do not use anything on the baking pans.  Not spray PAM or oil of any kind.

A Parkerhouse Roll - Using a rolling pin, roll out dough to desired thickness.  Using a biscuit cutter or a thin rimmed glass, cut our a circle.  Then stretch the dough just a little, fold it over once, and place on a light colored cookie sheet.  We pinched the two sides together with a little flour, so they won't come apart while rising a second time.  Now we will cover the rolls with a tea towel and set in a non-drafty area of the kitchen to let the rolls rise again.  It will take another 1 or a little longer to double in size again.  

Hot Rolls - We added the leftover dough from the cut out rolls to the second half of the dough, and kneaded gently again.  We handled the dough delicately.  Do not over work the dough.  We are going to make balls with this dough, about a 2-inch round size.  Don't press the dough together.  

Using a light colored 9x13 pan, we placed the balls 3 across and 4 long.  Cover with another tea towel, and allow to rise, doubled in size, about 1 hour.  The same as the Parkerhouse rolls.

After the rolls have doubled again, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. 
Do NOT use the Convection setting on your oven.  Use the traditional oven setting.   
Bake rolls approximately 12 minutes.

First picture here is before they rose.  Second picture is out of the oven.

Gayle said to me a dozen times, "Do not open the oven door", as I watched them bake.

It smells SO GOOD in my kitchen!

ENJOY 

Cinnamon Rolls

Roll out dough into a rectangle.  Melt 1/2 to 3/4 of a stick of butter, and brush the inside of your dough.  Mix Brown Sugar and Cinnamon in equal parts and sprinkle over melted butter.

Then Roll it up like a jelly roll, and pinch the dough together.  Slice about 3/4 to 1 inch thick and place in a light colored 9x13 pan.  Sprinkle left over cinnamon & sugar mixture evenly over top of rolls.

Cover with a tea towel and allow to rise until doubled in size.

Bake cinnamon rolls about 25 minutes at 350 degrees.

EASY Prime Rib

 

Harter House Supermarkets will cut the Bone from your Rib Roast 
and tie it back on, making for easy slicing.

Harter House will also season you roast for FREE 
with Pappy's or Santa Maria Seasoning.

Seasoning

Cracked Black Pepper,

Kosher Salt

Garlic.

(or your seasonings of choice)

Instructions

Bake in a 350 degree oven -  approximately 2 1/2 to 3 hours - depending on size.

The important part is to use a meat thermometer.

Remove the prime rib from the oven when your meat thermometer says 120 - 125 degrees.

Allow the meat to rest at least 15 minutes before slicing.

 

NOTE

If your slices look too rare, let the slices sit in the Au Jus Gravy for just a bit.

It will brown right up and be very tender.

And Don't forget the Horseradish sauce. YUM.

Roasted Potatoes & Spicy Chorizo

A simple skillet meal and it’s so easy to add extra stuff to it.

Some extra veggies you want to use up.

Add some scrambled eggs and you’ve got a wake-up-your-taste-buds egg, potato and chorizo breakfast.

Or add some spinach leaves … toss those in during the final stir so they just wilt a little bit before serving to get some extra greens on your plate.

Or how about sliced zucchini or squash … sauté those a little bit along with the onions and bell peppers and follow the recipe as written.

Baby carrots would be a great addition … roast those alongside the potatoes before adding to the skillet.

Ingredients

• 1 pound baby new potatoes, quartered (substitute with chopped sweet potatoes )
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• Salt & pepper to taste
• 8 ounces uncooked Harter House pork chorizo
• 1/2 cup chopped white onion
• 1 cup diced bell peppers
• 1 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

Instructions

1. Preheat oven 425º F
2. In a medium bowl, add potatoes with olive oil, oregano, and garlic powder. Mix well and season with salt and pepper to taste.
3. Spread out potatoes on a baking sheet. Place in center oven and roast about 20 minutes, or until potatoes are golden and tender.
4. While potatoes are roasting, cook chorizo in a stovetop skillet over medium-high heat until browned and cooked through. Remove meat from skillet and temporarily set aside.
5. Next add onions and peppers to the hot skillet with a little more olive oil if needed. Season with a little salt and pepper if desired. Sauté until tender, about 4-5 minutes.
6. Finally, return cooked chorizo to the hot skillet. Add in the roasted potatoes. Stir everything together until warmed through. Garnish with fresh parsley and enjoy.

From:

http://www.paleonewbie.com/roasted-potatoes-spicy-chorizo-skillet-meal/

Sour Meat and Dumplings

This is a family recipe. It was served in our home often, when I was growing up.
My sister-in-law, Lisa, was making it last weekend, so of course that made me hungry for it and I made it yesterday.

It was published in our  first edition Harter House cookbook.
A recipe by Barbara Bettlach. (my mom)

This is a German / Bohemian recipe.

Sour Meat and Dumplings

Any Beef Roast  (I used a 1.5 lb. chuck roast)
White Onion, diced
4 slices bacon, uncooked and diced
2 cups white vinegar (off brand, like Best Choice)
2 cups water
10-14 whole cloves
10-14 Whole Allspice
4 Tablespoons flour
1 1/2 cups whole milk

Rinse and salt beef roast.  Dice onion and bacon.  Put on top of roast.  Put water and vinegar in pan around the roast.  Sprinkle whole Allspice and whole Cloves in the vinegar water. Cover and cook.  I  left the roast in a 350 degree oven for almost 4 hours.  It was probably done at 3 hours.  When Roast is done,  take out of liquid.  To make gravy: in a small container, whisk flour and milk together so that it doesn't clump up.  Pour mixture into hot (not boiling) vinegar and water.

Drop Dumplings 
(I cut this down by a third, because I was only making it for about 4 servings)

Original recipe calls for
4 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
3 eggs
1 3/4 cup water

In a large bowl, mix together flour, salt, baking powder and eggs. Add water slowly.  Mixture should be sticky and not smooth.  Spoon into a large pot of boiling water.  Boil 10 - 12 minutes.  Stir when all are put in water to help from sticking to the bottom.

Combine meat and dumplings in the gravy and enjoy

Note: if there is to much water mixed into the drop dumplings they will not hold together well.

. 

The chuck roast just shredded with my fork.
And my meat and dumplings really soaked up the gravy.
Very delicious!

Chipotle-Marinated Pork Tenderloin with Black Bean Salsa

The benefits of pork tenderloin go on and on: It's low in fat and calories, easy to prepare, quick to cook, affordable, and absorbs seasoning and other flavors easily.

And I always enjoy a Black Bean Salsa. 

Here, pork tenderloin is marinated in a Southwestern chipotle blend, seared in a grill pan, and served with a fiber-rich bean and tomato salsa.

Ingredients

1 can(s) chipotle chile, in adobo sauce, (for pork)
3 clove(s) garlic
1/2 cup(s) coarsely chopped white onion, (for pork)
2 tablespoon(s) fresh lime juice, (for pork)
1 teaspoon(s) sherry vinegar
1 teaspoon(s) dried Mexican oregano OR Italian Seasoning
1 pound(s) pork tenderloin, trimmed of fat
1 can(s) (19 ounces) black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup(s) grape tomatoes, quartered
1/4 cup(s) finely chopped white onion, (for salsa)
1/4 cup(s) finely chopped fresh cilantro
3 tablespoon(s) fresh lime juice, (for salsa)
2 teaspoon(s) minced canned chipotle chile, in adobo sauce, (for salsa)
1/2 teaspoon(s) ground cumin

________________________________________

Directions

1. Make the pork marinade: Process chile, garlic, onion, lime juice, vinegar, and oregano in a blender until smooth. Rub marinade all over the pork. Transfer pork to a dish, and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight.

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat a grill pan over high heat. Grill pork until seared on all sides, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer pan to the oven; cook until an instant-read thermometer inserted into center of meat registers 145 degrees, 20 to 25 minutes. Let pork stand at room temperature 5 to 10 minutes before slicing.

3. Meanwhile, Make the Salsa: Stir together the black beans, tomatoes, onion, cilantro, lime juice, chile, and cumin in a small bowl. Serve with the pork.

Pork tenderloin is one of the leanest cuts of meat.

You will find everything you need at Harter House and Harter House World Flavors.

Garlic-Herb Crusted Boneless Pork Sirloin Roast

We love to make pork roast for a company meal because it adapts beautifully to a wide variety of seasonings and sauces, and it always yields great results. This recipe features a simple, flavorful rub made with an ample quantity of garlic and an assortment of fresh herbs. It's fabulous on this boneless cut of pork.

Ingredients:

2-1/2 to 3-pound boneless pork roast (pork sirloin or Pork Loin)

For the rub:

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 to 3 teaspoons fresh garlic, finely chopped

1-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1-1/2 teaspoons fresh sage, chopped

1-1/2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, chopped

2 teaspoons fresh thyme, chopped

2 teaspoons finely grated orange zest

Boneless Pork Roast Preparation:

Bring the roast to room temperature by removing it from the refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking.

Make the rub by combining the olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper, sage, rosemary, thyme and orange zest in a small bowl.

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Using your hands, coat the roast completely with the prepared rub. Place on a rack in a roasting pan and pour 1/2-inch of water into the bottom of the pan.

Roast the pork until a thermometer inserted into the center of the roast registers 145°F, 50 to 60 minutes.

Remove from the oven, tent loosely with foil and allow the roast to rest for 15 minutes before carving.

Slice and serve on a platter garnished with sprigs of fresh herbs.

Makes 6 servings

Boneless pork sirloin roasts generally weigh between 2-1/2 and 3 pounds, enough for about 6 servings. If you're having a larger group, simply cook two roasts side by side. This cut cooks fairly quickly, is easy to carve, and, when done to the proper internal temperature, turns out tender, juicy and full of flavor.

It's a great choice for smaller gatherings, or if you're short on time or oven space and you won't be sacrificing quality or flavor.

Peaches in Peach Schnapps with Basil

Looking for a hot weather recipe to cool you off? Here's a great one by four-time James Beard Award Winner, renowned chef, author, and international food and restaurant consultant Rozanne Gold. This "diva of simplicity" has set the Gold Standard for inspiring professional chefs and home cooks alike to "keep it simple."

PEACHES IN PEACH SCHNAPPS WITH BASIL

4 large ripe peaches

1/2 cup peach schnapps, chilled

2 tablespoons wildflower honey

1/4 cup julienned basil

Wash peaches. cut into thin wedges and put in a bowl. Stir together schnapps, honey, and 1/4 cup water. Pour over peaches and stir. Let sit 5 minutes. transfer to wine glasses and top with basil.

Serves 4

This fun recipe brought to YOU by Harter House and World Flavors

and MF&L Staff at Maine Food & Lifestyle magazine

Fresh Peach Crisp

 

This time of year, peaches are abundant and SO delicious.

I think it's time for a Peachy dessert.

This Peach Crisp is easy and my family loves anything with fresh peaches right now.

Harter House peaches this week (June 9 - 15, 2021) are $1.29 lb. and they have been very sweet.

REAL SIMPLE PEACH CRISP

5 pounds peaches (about 12), each cut into 8 wedges

1/3 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

1 1/4 cups light brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small pieces

2 cups rolled oats

1 cup almonds, roughly chopped

Directions

Heat oven to 350° F. In a large bowl, toss the peaches, granulated sugar, and 1 tablespoon of the flour. Transfer to a shallow 3-quart baking dish.

In a separate bowl, combine the brown sugar, salt, and the remaining 3/4 cup of flour. Using your fingers, incorporate the butter until coarse crumbs form. Mix in the oats and almonds.

Squeeze the topping into marble-size clumps and sprinkle on the peaches. Bake until the top is golden and the fruit is tender, 45 to 55 minutes.

Shrimp Scampi with Linguini

 

Do you ever think of recipes as a guideline?

I wanted Shrimp Scampi. 
I had the shrimp but was missing some other ingredients.
I used spaghetti instead of linguini.
I used chicken broth instead of white wine.  Imagine me not having wine.  But, I guess it happens.
I did not have shallots so I used diced onion.
I did not have garlic on hand. Another unbelievable occurrence. So I used garlic powder.
And I did not have a lemon, but I did have a squeeze lemon juice.
And I did not have parsley on hand.

All this to say that it was still wonderful.

INGREDIENTS

1 lb. Linguini or spaghetti
4 Tablespoons Butter
4 Tablespoons Extra-Virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
2 shallots, finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
pinch red pepper flakes, optional
1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup dry white wine or broth
Juice of one lemon
1/4 cup finely chopped parsley leaves

DIRECTIONS

Cook Pasta al dente, as directed on the package

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, melt 2 tablespoons butter in 2 tablespoons olive over medium-high heat.  Saute shallots, garlic red pepper flakes, until the shallots are translucent, 3-4 minutes.  Season the shrimp with salt and pepper, add them to the pan until they turn pink, about 2-3 minutes.  Remove the shrimp from the pan and keep warm.  Add wine and lemon juice and bring to a boil.  Add 2 tablespoons butter and 2 tablespoons olive oil.  When butter is melted, return the shrimp to the pan with the parsley and cooked pasta.  Stir well and season with salt and pepper.  Drizzle over a bit more olive oil and serve immediately. 

Strawberry & Chocolate Icebox Cake

 

1 (14.4-ounce) box chocolate graham crackers
1 (16-ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
1 cup seedless strawberry preserves or jam, slightly melted
1 quart fresh strawberries, sliced thin, with 6 to 8 whole strawberries reserved for garnish
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips, melted

 
DIRECTIONS

Line the bottom of an un-greased 9 x 13-inch baking dish with 1/3 of graham crackers.

In a large bowl, combine Whipped topping and strawberry preserves until well mixed.

Spread 1/3 of Strawberry cream mixture over graham crackers.  Place 1/2 of the strawberry slices on top.  Repeat layers 2 more times, ending with strawberry cream.  Drizzle with chocolate and garnish with whole strawberries.  Refrigerate until chilled.

Fourth of July BBQ Menu

The All American Steak

Nothing is more all-American than steak sizzling on the grill. Our All American Steak recipe takes grilled steak to new heights. Check out our flavorful homemade seasoning recipe and awesome creamy Blue Cheese Topping that finishes it off perfectly.

Serves: 4

Cooking time: 20 min

Ingredients

BLUE CHEESE TOPPING

• 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1/3 cup crumbled blue cheese
• 1 tablespoon milk
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper

STEAK SEASONING

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 4 (8- to 10-ounce) Harter House Ribeye Steaks or other favorite

Instructions

1. In a medium bowl, combine Topping ingredients; mix well. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
   
2. Preheat the grill.
   
3. In a shallow dish, combine Steak Seasoning ingredients; mix well. Evenly coat each steak in seasoning mixture.
   
4. Grill steaks 10 to 12 minutes, or to desired doneness, turning over halfway through grilling. Top with Blue Cheese Topping and serve immediately.

********************************************************

Grilled Summer Veggies

Got a grill basket for your barbecue grill? Use it or pick one up and get your gang to eat their veggies with this recipe for Grilled Summer Veggies. The unbeatable smoky cookout flavors will turn those finicky eaters into veggie lovers.

Serves: 4

Cooking Time:5 min

Ingredients

• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1-inch strips
• 1 green bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1-inch strips
• 2 yellow squash, cut into sticks
• 1 zucchini, cut into sticks
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

1. Preheat grill to high heat.
   
2. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients; mix well and place in a grill basket.
   You can also use heavy duty aluminum foil.
3. Grill vegetables 5 to 6 minutes, or until lightly browned but still crisp.

*********************************************************

American Berry Trifle

Four simple ingredients are all you'll need for this show-stopping patriotic dessert. Perfect for the 4th of July, our American Berry Trifle is so easy to make and it's big enough to feed a crowd!

Serves: 10

 

 

Ingredients

• 1 (16-ounce) pound cake, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 quart strawberries, sliced, with 1 cup reserved
• 1 pint blueberries, with 1/2 cup reserved
• 1 (16-ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed

Instructions

1. In a trifle bowl or large glass serving bowl, layer half the pound cake, strawberries, blueberries, and whipped topping. Repeat layers once more then garnish with reserved berries in a flag pattern, as shown.
   
2. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve.

Thanks to MrFood.com

Cilantro Lime Chicken & Rice Bowl

 

This week, I ordered a Rice Bowl with tiny bites of added pork belly from the Team Taco Carryout restaurant on Cherry Street, near Pickwick.  It was SO tasty, I am still thinking about it.  I wrote down all the ingredients in my bowl, but when I got home, I googled it also to be sure I was getting any seasonings.  This was my favorite recipe that I saw.  I found it at Delish.com.

The nice thing about a rice bowl is that you can basically put anything in it.

Serve this with some crispy tortilla chips, and add a dollop of sour cream, and guacamole.

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE RICE
1 1/2 c. basmati rice
Kosher salt
1/2 c. roughly chopped fresh cilantro leaves
2 Tbsp fresh lime juice
1 Tsp. olive oil

FOR THE CILANTRO-LIME AIOLI
1/4 c. real Mayonnaise
2 Tbsp. roughly chopped fresh cilantro leaves, plus more for serving
1 Tbsp minced jalapeno
1 1/2 Tsp Fresh Lime juice
1/8 Tsp garlic powder
Kosher Salt and Fresh Ground Pepper

FOR THE BOWL
2 Tbsp olive oil
3 c. cooked chicken or you might try Tyson's Grilled and Ready Chicken Breast Strips
2 c. frozen or fresh corn kernels
1 1/2 Tsp taco seasoning
1 (15 oz.) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 avocado, sliced
1 1/2 c. cherry tomatoes, quartered.

DIRECTIONS
Make rice:  In a sauce pan, combine the rice with 1 3/4 c. water and 1/2 Tsp salt. 
Bring to a boil.  Cover and reduce heat to medium low.  Simmer until the rice is tender
and water is absorbed, about 17 minutes.

Remove rice from the heat and let cool slightly.  Fluff the rice with a fork and stir in the cilantro, lime juice, and olive oil.

Meanwhile, make aioli:  In a medium bowl, whisk mayonnaise with cilantro, jalapeno, lime juice, garlic powder and 2 Tsp water.  Season with salt and pepper.

In a medium non-stick skillet, heat 1 Tbsp olive oil over medium heat, Add cooked chicken, tossing occasionally, until warm.  Remove to a plate.

Return the skillet to medium and add corn.  Cook corn, tossing occasionally, until warmed through, about 2 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper.  Scrape onto a plate.

Add remaining Tbsp of olive oil to skillet and taco seasoning.  Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until spices are toasted and fragrant, about 30 seconds.  Add the black beans and season with salt and pepper.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until beans are warm, about 2 minutes.  Remove from the heat.

Fill 4 shallow bowls with rice.  Top with corn, black beans, tomatoes, avocado, and chicken.

Drizzle each bowl with aioli and garnish with cilantro.

**********************************

VEGETARIAN CHIPOTLE INSPIRED BURRITO BOWL
(Makes 4 bowls)
FROM:  Hip2Save.com

INGREDIENTS FOR CILANTRO LIME RICE

1 Tsp vegetable oil or 1 Tsp butter
2 Tsp fresh cilantro
2/3 c. white basmati rice
1 c. water
juice from 1 lime
1/2 Tsp salt

In a 2 quart heavy sauce pan, heat oil or butter over low heat, stirring occasionally until melted.

Ad rice and lime juice, stir for 1 minute.  Add water and salt and bring to a full rolling boil. 
At boiling, cover and turn down to simmer over low heat until rice is tender and the water is absorbed, about 25 minutes. 

Add in the cilantro and fluff rice with a fork.  Set aside.

INGREDIENTS FOR RICE BOWL
2 c. Cilantro Lime Rice
1 c. Monterey Jack cheese
1 cup black beans
1/2 Onion, sliced thin
2 bell peppers sliced thin
1 c. fresh or frozen corn kernels
1/2 head lettuce, chopped
1 Tsp taco seasoning

Optional Toppings
sour cream
avocado or guacamole
salsa
Diced tomatoes

DIRECTIONS
Saute onion and bell peppers with a small amount of butter and season with taco seasoning.
Start with the lettuce.and layer rice, beans, onions, and corn.  Add any additional toppings desired. 

Fresh Blueberry Hand Pies

Ingredients

• 4 cups or 2 pints fresh blueberries, washed and drained
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, and grated zest from lemon
• 1 teaspoon almond extract (optional)
• 3 tablespoons Tapioca, dry
• sugar for sprinkling on top (granulated or raw)
• one egg, beaten (optional)
• Pie Crust- recipe below

Instructions

1. Place 1 cup of fresh berries in a medium saucepan. Bring heat to medium high, add sugar. Smash the blueberries with the back of a large spoon, or a potato masher to break berries. Mix the berries with the sugar, fresh lemon juice, and lemon zest. Cook until all of the berries burst or are smashed and the mixture bubbles a bit, about 5 minutes. Continue to stir during cooking so berries and sugar do not burn. Turn off heat. Add almond extract, dry tapioca and remaining berries to cooked mixture in pan. Mix well. Let sit in pan for about 5-10 minutes while making crust. It is fine to let this sit in pan the entire time you are preparing the pie crust.
2. Meanwhile, prepare crust. Follow directions for pie crust recipe.
3. Lightly grease two jelly roll or baking sheets.
4. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
5. Generously flour clean counter top or surface. Using a round lid ( I used a 6 inch diameter lid) roll out half of the dough to about ⅛ inch thick. Press the lid into the dough to make 3-4 circles.
6. Spoon about ¼ cup of filling into the center of each circle. Fold over the circle to meet the opposite edge and crimp edges firmly to seal. Gently place on baking sheet. Brush with beaten egg wash if desired, cut small slits for steam to escape and sprinkle with sugar. I bake about 4-5 hand pies per baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough and filling. Bake hand pies for about 15-18 minutes or until golden brown.
7. Remove from oven. If some of the sugars from the filling have seeped out, use a spatula and carefully remove the pie from the baking sheet to another surface to cool immediately after finished baking. This will prevent the hand pie from sticking to the surface of the baking sheet as it cools.
8. After the pies are cooled, sprinkle with additional sugar.
9. Yield: about 8- 6 inch hand pies

Notes / Tips:

-You may use frozen blueberries, if using frozen do not thaw before using.

-Depending on the juiciness of the berries, you may end up with (up to) ½ cup of liquid in the pan after cooking the berries. If so, make sure to mix all of the ingredients well in the pan before spooning onto the crust. The sugar will dissolve and the tapioca pearls will settle to the bottom of the mixture, so make sure to get to the bottom of the mixture each time you spoon fruit onto the round of pastry. If you end up having a bit of liquid leftover in the pan, no worries. I used a slotted spoon to remove the fruit from the pan, which worked well because my berries were quite juicy.

-The tapioca will not dissolve completely before baking. You will still be able to see the little specs of tapioca as you spoon out the fruit onto the dough. They will dissolve as they are baked.

-I have dry food storage and used a large white lid from one of my cans for the template to cut out my hand pie crust. You could also overturn a bowl and run a knife edge around the edge of the bowl for a template.

-The best way to store any leftovers is on a plate uncovered in a dry climate. If you are in a humid climate, cover with foil or Saran Wrap. Best eaten the day they are made!

-For tips on making pie crust, read original post on Best Flaky Pie Crust.

Best Basic Flaky Pie Crust

 

Ingredients

• 2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup shortening
• ½ cup very cold water

Instructions

1. Mix flour and salt. Cut in shortening with pastry blender or knives. Add water. Stir with fork until flour is absorbed and dough comes together.

Author: Si Foster

thisgrandmaisfun.com

Crispy Skin Slow Roasted Pork Shoulder

I will put this roast in the oven and enjoy the aroma ALL DAY LONG!

I grew up on this roast.  My family is German and Bohemian, and we always put Caraway Seed on it, and served it with sauerkraut, potato dumplings, and a brown gravy made from the roast drippings.  If you're interested, the recipe, Pork, Sauerkraut & Dumplings, is in our first Harter House Cookbook.

I bet, it’ll feed your entire family for a few days! 

It makes the best Pulled Pork and it's just plain delicious. 

There are 2 parts of the pork shoulder – the Picnic Roast (what we’re using) and Boston Butt (which comes from the upper part of the shoulder).

The Picnic roast will have meaty chunks of pork that we can literally pull apart with our fingers. It does take a little extra cooking time, and a little more patience  - and a really great value.

When you purchase a fresh picnic at Harter House, it is usually frozen. (Fresh meaning not cured, as in a ham) I have learned that if I put the roast in the oven frozen, at 350 degrees for 7-8 hours, it turns our perfect and the skin is ALWAYS crispy.

The following recipe comes from ruled.me  blog.

"This recipe cooks the roast from a thawed state, at a lower temperature, for a longer period of time.

Since I am a huge fan of the crispy skin, I have always cooked the roast from the frozen state to ensure the crispy skin."  ~Shelly

8 lbs. Pork Shoulder (bone-in, skin-on)
3 1/2 tbsp. Salt
2 tsp. Oregano
1 tsp. Black Pepper
1 tsp. Garlic Powder
1 tsp. Onion Powder

1. Completely wash and pat dry the pork. Leave on the counter-top for 2-3 hours to come to room temperature.

2. Once the pork has been dried and is coming to room temperature (after a few hours), preheat your oven to 250F. Mix together all of the spices in a bowl.

3. Starting skin side down, pat the salt rub all over the pork to completely cover it. Once the bottom is done, flip and place on a wire rack that’s sitting over a baking sheet covered in foil. Spread the rub on all sides and top of the pork.

4. Once your oven is preheated and pork rubbed, place into the oven and bake for anywhere between 8-10 hours. I did 10 hours for my 8 lb. roast, but if you have smaller sizes or bigger sizes, you will have to adjust accordingly. You essentially want the internal temperature to be about 190F.

5. Remove the pork from the oven and cover with foil. Allow the pork to rest for 15 total minutes. Preheat oven to 500F.

6. Once pork is rested and oven heated to  500 F, remove the foil tent from the pork and place into the oven. We will rotate the pork every 5 minutes to allow for even cooking of the skin (YAY CRACKLINS’). There may be smoke that comes out of your oven during this process due to the fat that dripped off during the roasting time. You can either open the window or remove this fat previous to putting into the oven.

7. Take the pork out of the oven and let rest for 15-20 minutes before slicing/digging in.

8. Serve up for family and friends alike – the pork should be completely tender, easily separating from the roast by pulling the meat off with your fingers.

This makes a total of 20 (6 oz.) servings of Crispy Skin Pork Shoulder. 

ENJOY!