Asian-Style Beef Stew

Yields 6 servings

Ingredients:
2 Large onion, white minced
3 Tbls tomato paste 
2 Tbls oil, vegetable 
2 Tbls ginger root grated
9 Cloves garlic, fresh minced
1 Cup stock, beef 
1 Cup stock, chicken, low-sodium 
8 Ounce(wt)s carrots, baby 
1/4 Cup soy sauce, low sodium 
1/4 Cup sherry, dry or dry white wine
2 Tbls tapioca, Minute 
2 Each bay leaves 
3 Pounds beef, stew meat 
1 to taste salt and pepper 
6 Ounce(wt)s snow peas trimmed and cut in half
8 Ounce(wt)s water chestnuts, canned, sliced drained, patted dry
4 Each onion, green sliced thin
1 Tbls sugar, light brown, packed 
2 Cups rice, jasmine cooked 

Directions: 
Add onions, tomato paste, oil, ginger and garlic to slow cooker. 

Stor together the two stocks, soy sauce, sherry (or wine), and add to cooker. Add in carrots, bay leaves and tapioca. Season the beef with salt and pepper to taste and nestle into the cooker. Cover and cook until beef is tender, 9 to 11 hours on low, or 5 to 7 hours on high. 

Remove beef and transfer to a bowl or cutting board. Let cool slightly, then using two forks, shred beef into bite-sized pieces. Remove any fat from the surface of the stew. Discard bay leaves. 

Return beef to cooker, and add in the snow peas, water chestnuts, brown sugar and scallions. Let heat through. Serve over cooked rice and drizzle with extra soy sauce, if desired.

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Homey Chicken Stew

Yields 6 to 8 servings

Ingredients:
3 Pounds chicken thighs, boneless, skinless trimmed
1 to taste seasoning, Greek 
1/4 Cup oil, vegetable 
2 Large onion, white minced
6 Cloves garlic, fresh minced
1 Tbls tomato paste 
2 tsp thyme, fresh minced
1/3 Cup flour, all-purpose 
1/2 Cup wine, dry white 
4 Cups stock, chicken, low-sodium 
12 Ounce(wt)s potatoes, small red scrubbed, cut in 1/2-in pieces
4 Large carrots peeled, sliced 1/4-in thick
2 Each bay leaves 
1 Cup peas, frozen 
1/4 Cup parsley, flat-leaf minced
1 to taste salt and pepper 

Directions: 
Dry chicken with paper towels and season with greek seasoning. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Brown half of chicken lightly on both sides, 5 to 8 minutes; transfer to bowl. Repeat with 1 tablespoon more oil and remaining chicken; transfer to bowl. 

Heat 1 tablespoon more oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add onions, garlic, tomato paste, and thyme, and cook until onions are softened and lightly browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Stor in flour and cook 1 minute. Slowly whisk in wine, scraping up any browned bits. Whisk in 1 cup stock, smoothing out any lumps; transfer to slow cooker. 

Microwave potatoes and carrots with remaining tablespoon oil in covered bowl, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are nearly tender, about 5 minutes; transfer to slow cooker. Stor remaining 3 cups of stock and bay leaves into slow cooker. Nestle browned chicken with any accumulated juices into slow cooker. Cover and cook until chicken is tender, 4 to 6 hours on low. 

Chef's Note: If you are cooking this for 6 hours, do NOT microwave the vegetables.

Transfer chicken to cutting board, let cool slightly, then shred into bite-sized pieces. Let stew settle for 5 minutes, then remove fat from surface using large spoon. Discard bay leaves. 

Stir shredded chicken and peas into stew and let sit until heated through, about 5 minutes. Adjust stew consistency with additional hot stock, if needed. Stir in parsley, season with salt and pepper, to taste, and serve.

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Rustic Potato Leek Soup

Yields 6 to 8 servings

Ingredients:

2 Tbls butter
2 leeks, white and light green parts only, halved lengthwise, sliced thin and washed thoroughly
1 onion, white, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 tsp thyme, fresh, minced
6 cups chicken stock, low-sodium
1 1/2 lbs red potatoes, scabbed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
3 carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 bay leaves
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 Tbls dill, fresh, minced
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Melt butter over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic, leeks, and thyme and sauté until soft and slightly golden, about 10 to 12 minutes. Add 1 cup of stock to deglaze pan. Move everything to a slow cooker or Dutch oven.

Add in remaining stock, potatoes, carrots, and bay leaves. Cook on low heat, with lid for 4 to 6 hours, or until vegetables are soft.

Discard bay leaves. Stir in cream and heat about 5 minutes, or until completed heated through. Stir in dill, salt and pepper to taste and serve.

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Dijon Herbed Pork Chops

Yields 4 servings

Ingredients:
1 1/2 Cup breadcrumbs, panko 
1/2 Cup cheese, parmesan, grated 
1 Tbls Silver Service Chef's Bob's Poultry Rub 
1 Large egg, whole

1 Tbls mustard, Dijon  

1 tsp water 
4 9-ozs pork chops, loin, boneless
2 Tablespoons oil, olive 

Directions: 
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix breadcrumbs, cheese, and poultry rub in pie dish; season with salt and pepper to taste, if desired. Whisk egg with mustard and water in medium bowl to blend.  Dip chops into eggs, then coat on both sides with breadcrumb mixture. 

Heat oil in heavy large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add pork chops to skillet and cook until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer skillet with pork to oven. Bake until pork chops are crisp on the outside and meat thermometer inserted into pork registers 150 degrees, about 20 minutes. 

Transfer chops to plates. Serve.

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Balboa Red Beans and Rice

Yields 6 servings

Ingredients:
1 Pound beans, red, dried washed and picked over
1 Large onion, yellow chopped
1 Large bell pepper, green or red, chopped
5 Each celery stalk chopped
6 Cloves garlic, fresh minced
3/4 Pounds ham hock, smoked meat diced off bone plus bone
1 Teaspoon thyme, dried rounded
6 Each bay leaves 
2 Teaspoons tabasco 
1 1/2 Tablespoon worcestershire sauce 
1/4 Cup Silver Service Chef Southwestern Seasoning 
1/2 Teaspoon salt, Kosher 
1 Teaspoon pepper, black, ground 
3/4 Pounds sausage, kielbasa sliced on the bias

Directions: 
Cover beans in cold water and soak overnight. The next day, drain and put fresh water in the pot. (This helps reduce the amount of gas in the beans). Bring the beans to a boil. Make sure the beans are always covered by water, or they will discolor and turn hard. Boil the beans for about 45 to 60 minutes, until the beans are tender but not falling apart. 

While the beans are boiling, sauté the onions, celery and bell pepper until the onions turn translucent. Add the garlic and sauté for 2 more minutes, stirring occasionally. After the beans are boiled and drained, add the sautéed vegetables to the beans, then add the ham meat and bones, sausage, seasonings and just enough water to cover. 

Chef's Note: If you are par-boiling fresh sausage, use the "stock" remaining instead of water. 

Bring to a boil, and then reduce heat to a low simmer. Cook for at least 3 hours, until the whole thing gets nice and creamy. Adjust seasonings as you go along. Stir occasionally, making sure that it doesn't burn and/or stick to the bottom of the pot.

Serve over white rice and with cornbread on the side.

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Sweet and Spicy Hot Pepper Wings

Yields 2 dozen

Ingredients:

• Olive oil cooking spray
• 2 to 3 pounds chicken wings, split into drums and planks, wing tips cut off and discarded
• Silver Service Chef's Lindy's Rib Rub to taste
• 1/2 cup Silver Service Chef Hot Pepper Jelly
• 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
• 1/4 cup Frank's hot sauce
• 
  
• Directions:

Preheat the broiler. Line a sheet pan with foil, place a rack on top of the pan and spray the rack.

Sprinkle the wings with Lindy's Rib Rub. Spread the wings on the rack in 1 layer. Broil 4 to 5 inches from the heat, turning over once, until cooked through, 20 minutes.

In a small saucepan over moderate heat, whisk the hot pepper jelly, lime juice and hot sauce until smooth. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and let simmer 3 to 5 minutes. Brush 1/4 cup sauce on the cooked wings or toss in a metal bowl) and broil 3 minutes minutes. Toss again in more sauce and broil 1 to 2 more minutes until crispy about. 

Toss with the remaining sauce before serving.

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Twinkie Cupcakes with Marshmallow Buttercream

Yields 24 cupcakes 

Ingredients:
16 1/2 Ounce(wt)s cake mix, yellow 
3 2/5 Ounce(wt)s instant pudding mix, French vanilla
7 Ounce(wt)s marshmallow fluff
1/2 Cup Crisco, butter-flavored sticks 
1/3 Cup sugar, powdered 
1/2 tsp extract, vanilla 
1/4 tsp salt, table 
2 tsp water, very hot

Directions: 
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two muffin tins with about 24 paper liners. Set aside. 

Prepare cake mix according to package directions, stirring the box of pudding mix into the cake batter to blend. Portion batter evenly among muffin cups, about 2/3 full, and bake for approx. 15 to 18 mins or until golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. 

Cool completely, the core out the cupcake’s middles with a sharp, small paring knife, careful not to cut through the entire cupcake. Trim most of the cored out piece, leaving a top to replace after filling.  Eat or discard the rest of the cored cupcake (see below). 

First, dissolve the salt into the hot water and allow to cool. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together the marshmallow cream, butter, powdered sugar and vanilla extract until fluffy. Beat in the salt water. Mixture should be light but not as stiff as frosting. 

Scoop filling into a resealable plastic bag, seal tight, and snip off a corner of the bag. Pipe the filling into each cored cupcake, filling just to the top. Replace top.

Refrigerate cupcakes while you prepare the frosting. 

Buttercream:
Ingredients:

7 Ounce(wt)s marshmallow fluff
1 Cup Crisco, butter-flavored sticks
1 Teaspoon extract, vanilla
2 Pounds sifted sugar, powdered

Directions:
In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together the fluff, Crisco and vanilla until combined and creamy, about 2 minutes. 

Sift powdered sugar into a bowl. Gradually begin adding powdered sugar in, about one cup at a time, until frosting is light and fluffy.

Pipe frosting onto cooled cupcakes, careful to cover the filled center with frosting. Store frosted cupcakes airtight, preferably in the fridge.

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Lemony Coconut Bars

Yields 12 servings

Ingredients:
1 1/2 Cup flour, all-purpose 
1/2 Cup sugar, powdered 
3/4 Cups butter cold
4 Large egg, whole 
1 1/2 Cup sugar, white 
1/2 Cup juice, lemon 
1 Teaspoon baking powder 
1 Cup coconut, dried, unsweetened 

Directions: 
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a 9 × 13 × 2 inch pan with foil or parchment paper and spray with non-stick cooking spray. 

In a bowl, combine flour and confectioners’ sugar; cut in the butter until crumbly (I used my food processor and pulsed the ingredients until thoroughly combined). 

Press into the bottom of a lightly greased 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking pan. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes. 

Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl, beat the eggs, sugar, lemon juice and baking powder until well mixed. Pour over crust; sprinkle coconut evenly over the top. 

Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. 

Cool on a wire rack. Cut into bars.

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