New Takes on Old Favorites

By SHERRY MUCHMORE The Neighborhood Chef

Patti Carmack, Lifestyles Editor at The News sent me this recipe for Crockpot Roast. Patti says "Once I fix a recipe and we enjoy it, I continue to cook it the same way. This is the case with roast fixed in the crockpot."

She continues ".....traditionally, I fix roast (rump, chuck, bottom round) in the crockpot with salt and pepper and a bay leaf, adding potatoes and other vegetables along the way, making gravy from the broth. I do this before I come to work, so dinner is almost ready when I get home.

Sharon Cooper, business office manager at The News, gave me this recipe from her daughter-in-law, Julie Cooper. If Julie created it and Sharon thought it was great, that was all the recommendation I needed — fixed it and it was delicious. The broth is great as is or you can thicken it with a little cornstarch if you want. Served it with mashed potatoes and green beans, rather than adding vegetables to the pot."

Now when these ladies say something is good, I've gotta try it and they weren't exaggerating, it really was delicious — We all loved it — too easy, too good not to use again and again.

Crockpot Roast Beef
Julie Cooper,
Wichita Falls, TX

2 cups Water

1 packet Brown Gravy

Mix

1 packet Italian

Seasoning Dressing

Mix

1 packet Ranch

Dressing Mix

1 Roast (any size and

cut, according to your

preference) I used

a boneless Chuck

Roast

In your crockpot, whisk together water and the 3-seasoning packets.

Place roast in crockpot, turning to coat with mixture; cook several hours depending on your crockpot size and instructions.

If you like, add veggies when you add the roast or prepare them separately. I added a package of baby carrots in the beginning and boiled some potatoes about an hour before we were to eat......drained them and tossed them into the roast, tossing to coat with gravy drippings.

*****

I saw some recipes recently on the Today Show where Tom Valenti, popular chef and owner of Quest restaurant, NYC, was demonstrating wrapping various meats with thin slices of Serrano ham, Prosciutto or bacon, to enhance flavors through contrasting tastes.

Unlike some recipes from upper scale restaurants, these recipes looked easy to prepare with little effort. No one was disappointed with the outcome.....what flavor — the cod was fantastic and I didn't salt or pepper it before wrapping. The spinach was some of the best I've eaten and the buttery lemon caper sauce was wonderful. Each of these recipes would be good on its own (and, will do just that) but when combined — excellent.

Cod Wrapped
in Serrano Ham

4 5 to 6-ounce pieces

Fresh* Cod (about

1-inch thick)

Kosher Salt

freshly ground Black

Pepper

4 very thin slices of

Bacon, Prosciutto or

Serrano Ham**

2 tablespoons Olive Oil

Season cod filets with salt and pepper on both sides. Wrap each filet with one thin piece of Serrano ham, Prosciutto or bacon (I used bacon).

Add olive oil to a large skillet and heat over medium heat. Place filets seam side down in the pan to seal the ham or bacon. (If using bacon, I would suggest you lightly fry it first before wrapping the fish.)

Sear filets for 3 to 4 minutes on each side, until ham is golden and crispy.

Transfer pan to a 350 degree oven and cook for 3 to 4 minutes longer until fish is opaque and firm to the touch. (Or, transfer filets to a lightly greased heated pan if using the fish skillet to wilt the spinach as I did.)

Note: Fresh fish works better than frozen for this recipe since there is more liquid in frozen. Substitutions for Cod can be Halibut, Mahi-Mahi, Haddock.

Note: Serrano Ham (Spanish) is an uncooked dry cured variety - first covered in salt to draw out moisture, then hung to air-dry in a dry, cool place to cure....usually sliced very thin....

Prosciutto (Italian and Italian word for ham) is also an uncooked dry cured variety prepared similar to Serrano - sometimes wind-dried....Both processes can take up to two years to cure. And, both can be substituted for the other.....Very popular due to their rich and complex flavors and both usually served without cooking although both can be lightly cooked when incorporated in salads, pasta dishes and sauces or as flavoring for vegetables.

While fish is searing and baking, prepare sauce.

Lemon and Caper
Butter Sauce

1/4 cup Dry White Wine

1/2 cup unsalted Butter,

cut into 1/2-inch cubes

3 tablespoons Fresh

Lemon Juice (or more,

to taste)

4 Green Onions, finely

sliced

1 tablespoon Capers,

drained and rinsed

1 tablespoon Fresh

chopped Parsley

Sea Salt and freshly

ground Black Pepper,

to taste

In a saute pan, reduce wine by half to about 2-tablespoons over medium high heat.

Whisk in butter cubes until evenly mixed and melted - a nice creamy look. Off heat.

Quickly add lemon juice, onions, capers and parsley; salt and pepper to taste.

The spinach can be prepared last — it takes so little time.

Sauteed Spinach

1 pound Fresh Spinach,

washed, stemmed and

dried

3 tablespoons Olive Oil

2 small cloves Garlic,

thinly sliced or minced

Sea Salt

freshly ground Black

Pepper

Warm the oil in a sauté pan over medium-high heat and add garlic. (Since I used the same skillet used to sear the fish filets, I didn't add any extra oil - used the seasoned left in the skillet.)

When the garlic begins to sizzle, add the spinach to pan and cook, tossing and stirring continuously, until it wilts. Once it has wilted, about 1 minute, season with sea salt and pepper.

To Assemble: Place a bed of wilted spinach on a plate. Place a wrapped filet on top of spinach and ladle a spoonful of the lemon sauce over all. Serve at once. (Served with Saffron Rice and Corn Muffins.)

*****

Now here's a flavorful and cheesy side dish that'll save a bunch of chopping by using veggies that have already been diced and ready to cook.

Baked Vegetable
Casserole
Phyllis Manley, PC, OK

1 16-20 ounce bag

frozen Mixed

Vegetables, any

variety or combination

1 can Cream of

Mushroom Soup,

undiluted

8 ounces Velveeta

Cheese, cubed

3 cups soft Bread

Crumbs

1/2 cup Butter or

Margarine, melted

In a large bowl, combine vegetables, soup and cheese; pour into a shallow buttered casserole or cake pan.

Scatter bread crumbs over vegetables; sprinkle melted butter over bread crumbs.

Bake at 350 degrees for 45 to 60 minutes.

*****

Light and melt in your mouth delicious — these airy pancakes will brighten your family's morning.

Buttermilk Pancakes

2 Eggs

1-1/2 cups Buttermilk

1 tablespoon Butter,

melted

1 cup All-Purpose Flour

1-1/2 teaspoons Granulated

Sugar

1 teaspoon Baking

Powder

1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda

dash of Salt

In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, buttermilk and melted butter.

In a large bowl, whisk together dry ingredients — flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients.

Pour buttermilk mixture into the well and whisk till just combined — do not over beat.

Pour about 1/4-cup batter onto a lightly greased medium-hot griddle. Cook for about 2 minutes per side or till golden brown, turning to the second side when bubbly surface begins to dry. Serve warm with butter and syrup.....makes 10 to 12 pancakes.

*****

I've been asked for more recipes that are gluten-free. So, when I saw this recipe for Gluten-Free Buttermilk Pancakes, thought I'd try making them and see how they tasted — actually, pretty good. These are not your usual fluffy hot pancakes, however, using corn meal mixed with Tapioca Flour* resulted in a pleasant flavored thin pancake — similar in look and texture to a thick crepe. Couldn't help but think of a variety of tasty ways to showcase these little hot cakes........besides the usual syrup, honey or powdered sugar.

Serve with fresh fruit, heat some orange marmalade and drizzle over all.....prepare as you would for a crepe and mix up a sweetened cream cheese or use the soft-flavored varieties in the dairy case....add some of your favorite berries and roll.

Gluten-Free Buttermilk Pancakes
Donna Klein's Cookbook
"The Gluten-Free
Vegetarian Kitchen"

3/4 cup Buttermilk

1 Egg

1 tablespoon Canola Oil

1/2 cup Tapioca Flour

1/4 cup Cornmeal

1 teaspoon Baking

Powder

1/8 teaspoon Salt

Preheat a griddle or heavy pan over medium heat that has been lightly oiled or sprayed.

In a medium bowl, whisk together buttermilk, egg and oil until smooth.

Sift dry ingredients or whisk together — tapioca flour, cornmeal, baking powder and salt; whisk into buttermilk mixture, just until ingredients are moistened — batter will be a bit lumpy.

Pour about 1/4-cup batter per pancake onto hot grill and cook 2 to 3 minutes per side until a light golden brown.

Note: According to Wikipedia, Tapioca flour is essentially a flavorless starchy ingredient from the cassava (manioc) root that has been treated and dried into a refined white flour; broadly used as a thickener for sauces, soups and stews and can also be used in baking. Tapioca starch is gluten-free and looks similar to cornstarch and is often used as a substitute for arrowroot starch and cornstarch in regular baking and often added to gluten-free baking as a thickener and binder to make up for the lack of gluten in the recipes.

*****

Now here's another recipe I've gleaned from one of The Today Show's NYC chefs, Terrance Brennan. I've tweaked a few of the ingredients but basically the same as his recipe. Being a big fan of macaroni and cheese, I'm always trying new recipes — especially those using different cheeses. This recipe was easy to make, was creamy and smooth and tasted great.

If you like Fettuccine Alfredo, you'll love this macaroni and cheese version. Mascarpone is a mild flavored soft cheese, similar in texture to cream cheese and Gruyere is a hard cheese similar in texture and flavor to Parmesan although with a somewhat less bold flavor; and, when combined with your white sauce, you have a silky-smooth rich sauce for your mundane macaroni. Great flavor and good side dish for ham and pork cuts, as well as chicken.

Macaroni and Cheese

8 cups Water

1 tablespoon Salt

1-1/2 to 2 cups Dry Elbow

Macaroni

5-1/2 tablespoons Butter,

divided

3/4 cup Bread Crumbs

(or Panko)

1/4 cup Parmesan Cheese

1/4 cup plus 2

tablespoons

All-purpose Flour

3 cups Whole Milk

(I used half whipping

cream and half 2

percent milk or you

could substitute with

all Half and Half)

2-1/2 teaspoons Kosher Salt

or 1-1/4 teaspoons

Table Salt

Freshly ground Black

Pepper

2-1/2 cups Gruyere or

Comte, grated (from 5-1/2 ounces)

1/2 cup Mascarpone

(4-ounces or half an

8-ounce container)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Pour water into a 3-quart pot and bring to a boil over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon salt and macaroni to the boiling water and cook until al dente, approximately 8 minutes. Drain macaroni and using a wooden spoon, combine with cheese sauce in an 8 x 8-inch baking dish sprayed with cooking spray.

Sprinkle bread-crumb mixture evenly over top of macaroni and cheese. Bake until golden brown and bubbly, approximately 35 to 40 minutes. Serve hot. Serves 4 as a side dish.

To make buttered bread crumbs: After putting water on to boil, make buttered crumbs in a small sauce pan - melt 2-1/2 tablespoons butter over low heat. Off heat and add bread crumbs (or panko) and Parmesan, toss well, and set aside.

To make cheese sauce: Put the remaining 3 tablespoons butter in a 2-quart, heavy-bottomed saucepan and melt over low heat. Whisk in flour and cook for 3 minutes, whisking constantly, but not letting the flour brown. Pour in milk and cook for 5 minutes, whisking or stirring with a wooden spoon to thicken.

Add 2-1/2 teaspoons Kosher salt, 4 grinds of pepper, the Gruy re and mascarpone, and continue to whisk until the cheese is melted and well incorporated. Remove the pot from the heat and pour the cheese sauce into a large bowl.

Note: For a main-course pasta dish, double the recipe and add proscuitto or ham and/or peas.

Note: Kosher Salt - remember when using Kosher salt compared to Table Salt is 2 to1.....for every teaspoon of Kosher, use 1/2 teaspoon table salt.

*****

Forget the calories, don't even think about em, need something your kids or that chocolate fanatic in the family will love, try this cake for the best sugar shock around. It is so good, it should be against the law. We were lucky to have two of our granddaughters, Alex and Gabby, visiting from Iowa over Spring break — which happened to fall on husband Tom's birthday. The girls said they had just the thing for Tom's chocolate cravings and what a hit — they said this cake is a favorite back home when they and their friends get together.

Chocolate Better
Than Sex Cake
Alex Borlabi,
W. Des Moines, IA

1 package German

Chocolate Cake

1 can Sweetened

Condensed Milk

1 jar Caramel,

Butterscotch or Fudge

Ice Cream Topping

1 8-ounce container

Cool Whip

1 1.4 ounce Heath

Candy Bar, grated

or crunched

Prepare and bake cake as directed on package in a prepared 9 x13 x 2-inch pan; let cool.

With a wooden spoon handle, punch holes about one inch apart over entire cake.

Pour whole can of sweet milk into holes. Pour entire jar of topping over cake.

Evenly spread Cool Whip over all. Evenly sprinkle Heath candy over all. Keep refrigerated.

*****

Several weeks ago, Sue Kistler brought some rather interesting looking treats to a friend's home consisting of Reese's Peanut Butter Cups surrounded by peanut butter cookies. Sue says they don't last long and are always something she is asked to make by her granddaughter and friends.

So, when my granddaughters were visiting, we decided to make some and these easy to make treats were an instant hit and gone in a flash.

Peanut Butter Cup Cookies
Sue Kistler, PC, OK

1 roll Pillsbury Peanut

Cookie Dough

1 bag Reese's

Mini-Peanut Butter

Cups (about

38 pieces)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place a balls of cookie dough in greased mini-muffin pans. Bake according to package directions. When puffed and done, remove from oven and press one mini-peanut butter cup into each hot cookie muffin. Slightly cool and remove to wire rack. We got 36 treats from a roll of dough.

Note: I was thinking I might try these sometime using a chocolate chip cookie dough, although can't imagine it being any better than the peanut cookie dough.

*****

Today's Sweet Potato recipe was featured by Mary Anne Potter on her Monday, March 17 WBBZ Never Enough Thyme broadcast.

What a wonderful addition served alongside a succulent ham, juicy pork tenderloin, anything pork — chicken goes nicely as well.

Baked Sweet Potatoes With A Twist!
Mary Anne Potter,
PC, OK

4 large Sweet

Potatoes

3 cups Water

1-1/2 cups packed

Brown Sugar

4 tablespoons

Butter

1 3 to 4-inch

Cinnamon Stick

1/4 teaspoon freshly

grated Nutmeg

1/3 cup Bourbon

(recommended:

No. 7 Jack

Daniels)

1 long strip

Orange Peel

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Wash and dry sweet potatoes and bake for 1 hour or until potatoes are soft to the touch. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly before removing skins. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees.

While potatoes are baking, combine remaining ingredients in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 30 to 45 minutes until sauce is slightly thickened. Slice potatoes 1/2-inch thick into a medium casserole dish. Pour syrup over them and return to the oven and bake for approximately 30 minutes.

*****

Senior Center's March

Chef of the Month —

Ruby Johnson

March Chef, Ruby Johnson, grew up in northeast Arkansas then moved to Ponca City in 1985 where she worked at the Kettle Restaurant where Perkins is now. She moved away after a while but eventually returned to Ponca City a few years ago to be closer to her granddaughter.

Ruby has worked at Supportive Community Lifestyles, Native Lights, Burnett Security and is currently employed with Wheatheart Nutrition.

Ruby says "I have three children, two sons and a daughter, two grandchildren and one great- granddaughter. When not working or being with family, I love to read and garden."

Ruby's philosophy on life is "be as happy everyday as possible and dance while you can."

And, talk about something to bring a smile to your face, Ruby's Punch Bowl Cake is a medley of flavors.

Punch Bowl Cake
Ruby Johnson
March Senior Chef
of the Month

1 box Yellow Cake Mix

2 cans Cherry Pie

Filling

1 20-ounce can

Crushed Pineapple

(drained)

4 Bananas (sliced)

2 3-ounce boxes

Vanilla Pudding

4 cups Milk

1 large Cool Whip

Make cake according to direction on box and bake — cool — cut into 1 inch squares.

Place half the cake pieces into a punch bowl; top with 1 can pie filling, half the pineapple, 2 of the sliced bananas.

Mix pudding with milk and pour half the pudding over bananas — top with half the Cool Whip. Repeat layers ending with Cool Whip.