Caribbean Oxtail Stew

Caribbean Oxtail Stew
Can Be Created Spicy Or Not!
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 8 hours, 30 minutes

Ingredients
3 tbsp. canola oil
2 lb. oxtails, whole bone-in or cut into pieces
3 tbsp. tomato paste
1 tbsp. minced ginger
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 large yellow onion, chopped
3 carrots, chopped
2 Idaho potatoes, chunks
1 cup flour
4 cups beef stock
1/4 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp thyme
1 habanero chile
2 tbsp. light brown sugar
1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 bay leaves
4 scallions, roughly chopped (garnish)
1/4 cup parsley, chopped (garnish)
salt
pepper
Cooked rice, for serving 

Cooking Tools
Medium skillet
Slow cooker

Directions
Dust oxtail in flour, place in skillet with oil and sear and brown on all side.  Place oxtail in bottom of slow cooker.  Add in the rest of the ingredients and cook on high for 8 hours until meat is nice and tender.  Serve with cooked rice.
Serves 4-6

You Can Control The Heat Level By Using Different Peppers.

Cranberry Cake

Cranberry Cake
With A Cranberry Butter Sauce!
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cooking Time: 45 minutes

  

Ingredients
1 box Betty Crocker white cake
3 eggs
1/3 cup oil
1 1/4 cup water
1 1/2 cups + 1 1/2 cups fresh cranberries
1 1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cranberry juice
1 stick butter + greasing
1 tsp flour for dusting

Cooking Tools
Spring form pan
Parchment paper
Large mixing bowl
Cooling rackMedium saucepan
Handheld strainer
Blender 

 

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 Degrees F. Prepare spring form pan by buttering and dusting with flour. Place round parchment cut out to the bottom of pan and butter.  In a large mixing bowl, whisk together cake mix, eggs, oil and water until well blended.  Fold into the batter 1 1/2 cups of cranberries.  Pour batter into the prepared spring form pan and bake in the oven for 45 minutes.  Check the cake using the toothpick in the center of the cake and it comes out clean.  Remove from oven and let cool completely on a cooling rack. While the cake is baking, In a saucepan add; 1 1/2 cups cranberries, sugar cranberry juice and butter.  Cook on medium low heat until for about 15 minutes, the cranberries will burst and cook down.  Cool cranberries for about 5 minutes, then place in blender until smooth.  Strain liquid with a hand held strainer to a bowl and let cool completely.  Once cake is cooled, remove from pan and flip upside down to a serving platter and peel off parchment paper.  This will give you a level surface for your Cranberry Butter Sauce.  Pour sauce starting at the center of the cake and let the sauce run off the edges of the cake.
Serves 8

Black Bean Soup

Black Bean Soup
This Hearty Bowl Of Soup Will Hit The Spot!
Difficulty: easy
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients
2 cans black beans, rinsed and drained
5 cups beef stock
1 1/2 cups green pepper, diced
1 cup onions, diced
4 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp cumin
1 4 oz. can of chopped green chilies
minced parsley, garnish
sour cream
salt
pepper

Cooking Tools
Stock pot
Blender

Directions
In a stock pot, add; olive oil, onions, green pepper and garlic, saute until tender.  Add in the pot; bean, beef stock, green chilies, cumin, salt and pepper to taste.  Cook for 15 minutes.  Remove from heat, let cool slightly before pouring into blender.  Do Not overfill blender, blend in batches. Does not have to be completely smooth. Serve in soup bowl and garnish with a dollop of sour cream and minced parsley.
Serves 6
 

Orange Five Spice Pork Riblets

Orange Five Spice Pork Riblets
Perfect For Your Next Holiday Party!
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 1 hour, 50 minutes

Ingredients
3-4 lbs. pork riblets
5 star anise, whole
2 cinnamon sticks
2 slices fresh ginger root
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 cup orange marmalade
1 cup apple juice
3 cloves garlic, sliced thin
1 tsp grated ginger
2 tbsp Gochujang chili paste
3/4 tsp Chinese five spice seasoning
1 cup green onion, sliced + garnish
1 1/2 cups red onion, quartered
1 tsp soy sauce
pinch black sesame
pepper

Cooking Tools
Stock pot
Large skillet
Parchment lined sheet tray
Basting brush

Directions
In a large stock pot, add; pork riblets (intact), enough cold water to cover ribs, star anise, sliced ginger root and cinnamon sticks.  Bring water to a boil and reduce heat to medium low and cook ribs for 1 hour 30 minutes. Cook pork until tender but not falling off the bone.  Skim off foam throughout the boiling process.  While the pork is cooking, in the skillet add oil, red onions, garlic and saute for a few minutes.  Add to the skillet, orange marmalade, apple juice, grated ginger, Gochujang paste, Chinese five spice, soy sauce, black sesame seeds and pepper.  Cook sauce on low heat until sauce is reduced and thickened.  Toss in green onion and set aside. Preheat oven to 400 Degrees F.  Once pork is cooked, remove from liquid to a cutting board and slice into 1-2 bone riblets and place the ribs fat side up on parchment lined sheet pan and baste with a little of the orange five spice sauce and place in oven for 10 minutes.  Place the oven on broil and brown until the fat side is slightly rendered and crispy.  Remove riblets from the oven and place in serving bowls and spoon orange five spice sauce on top of the riblets and garnish with sliced green onions.
Serves 4

Truffle Infused Potato Pancakes

Truffle Infused Potato Pancakes
Great Use For Leftover Mashed Potatoes!
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 20-25 minutes

Ingredients
3 cups cold leftover smashed potatoes or mashed potatoes
1 egg
1/4 cup Bisquick
olive oil for greasing
truffle infused oil, for drizzle
minced parsley, garnish
truffle salt
pepper

Cooking Tools
Medium mixing bowl
Large non-stick skillet

Directions
In a mixing bowl, add; cold potatoes and season with truffle salt and pepper.  Add in egg and Bisquick to the seasoned potatoes and mix well.  Grease skillet with a coating of olive oil on medium heat and dollop potatoes in the heated skillet and press down to create the pancake shape.  Cook pancakes in small batches, cook several minutes on each side. Turn pancakes when browned, turning too early can cause your pancake to fall apart.  Drizzle sparingly with some truffle oil on each pancake and garnish with minced parsley.

Yields
8-10

Acorn Squash With Italian Sausage Stuffing

Acorn Squash With Italian Sausage Stuffing
Perfect For The Holiday Table!
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 1 hour

 

Ingredients
1 acorn squash, halved, seeds removed
1/4 lb. Italian bulk sausage
1 cup carrots, small diced
1 cup celery, sliced
1 cup zucchini, diced
1/4 cup red onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, sliced thin
1 cup Ciabatta bread, small cubes
1/4 cup pignoli nuts
2 tbsp + 2 olive oil
1/4 tsp fresh thyme
2 tbsp Parmesan cheese, grated
salt
pepper

Cooking Tools
Medium skillet with lid
Baking dish

Directions
Preheat oven 375 Degrees F. Take halved and seeded acorn squash and coat with 2 tbsp of olive oil inside and out.  Salt and pepper inside of squash and place in baking dish.  Bake for 45 minutes. Insert tip of knife into the interior meat of the squash to check to see if the the squash is cooked.  While the squash is baking, in a skillet add; olive oil and sausage ( break apart the sausage as you are placing in the skillet).  Cook the sausage for 10 minutes.  Add in carrots, celery, zucchini, onions and garlic.  Place lid on and cook until carrots are slightly tender and sausage is fully cooked and browned. Toss in bread, pignoli nuts, thyme, Parmesan, salt and pepper to taste.  Once squash has cooked for 45 minutes, remove from oven and stuff each cavity with the sausage stuffing mixture and place back in oven for 15 additional minutes.
Serves 2-4

Apple Hot Toddy

Apple Hot Toddy
Warm And Soothing On A Cold Evening!
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients
5 cups apple cider
1/4 cup mulling spices
1 cinnamon stick
1 small orange, sliced
3 tbsp sugar
1/2 cup Drambuie (spiced whisky)

Cooking Tools
Medium saucepan
 

Directions
Place the first 5 ingredients in a sauce pan and simmer on low heat for about 20 minutes.  Pour Drambuie in the saucepan, stir and remove from heat.
Serves 4