Hoppin into 2012

Hoppin John Patties

This year, I wanted to try something different with one of my family’s traditional southern recipes for black eye peas and rice. So we created Hoppin Johns Patties.

Hoppin Johns- is a traditional dish for good luck served for New Year derived from an African American southern dish consisting of black eye peas and rice cooked with pork or turkey, spices and vegetables.

Black eye peas are high in fiber, protein, potassium and other minerals. When combined with brown rice and vegetables the creation process unfolds. Check out my recipe and let me know what you think.

Hoppin John Patties by Meal Makers, Inc.

Hoppin John Patties                                          
Makes 8 patties      

Ingredients                                      

8 ounces Mushrooms, cleaned and sliced

½ cup Onions, medium diced

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 teaspoon ginger, minced

1 cubano pepper, small diced

1 Tablespoon Olive oil

½ teaspoon smoked paprika

½ teaspoon thyme leaves

½ teaspoon oregano

½ teaspoon allspice

1 teaspoon cumin

½ teaspoon cayenne pepper

Hoppin John Pattie with Mustard Greens

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon black pepper

2 cups brown rice, cooked

1(15 oz) can Black eye peas drained and rinsed

1-2 Tablespoon Canola oil

Instructions

1.       Prep vegetables and gather ingredients.

2.       In a skillet over medium heat, add oil onions, ginger and garlic. Let cook stirring occasionally a few minutes then add mushroom. Continue to cook several minutes then add peppers. Cook vegetables until soft.  Add spice and seasonings to the pan and let cook 1 or 2 minutes longer.

3.       Place the Mushroom mixture in a food processer and then pulse several times until smooth. Add the mushroom mixture to the black eye peas and rice. And mix well to blend. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.

4.       Add Mushroom mixture to a large bowl with black eye peas. Using a potato masher mash peas and mushroom mixture together three or four times. Leaving half of the peas un-mashed. Fold rice into the mixture with a spatula.

5.       Divide mixture and form into 8 equal size balls and roll into patties. Place on a wax paper line tray and refrigerate for 30 – 60 minutes.

6.       Heat a non-stick skillet with a little oil over medium flame. Add patties to the pan and brown on each side.

Serve hot with your favorite vegetables.

Here are some other interesting versions of Hoppin John

Hoppin' John Cassoulet

Hoppin' John

Broccoli with Bow Tie Pasta Alfredo & Pine Nuts



Todays Meatless Monday recipe is can be made in 30 minutes or less. We invite you to try it and let us know what you think.

Broccoli with Bow Tie Pasta Alfredo & Pine Nuts
Serves: 4- 6 servings

Photograph by Meal Makers, Inc.

Ingredients                                 

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 clove garlic, minced

2 teaspoons all-purpose flour

1 cup low-fat (2%) milk

Sea salt to taste

2 tablespoons cream cheese

3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese, plus extra for topping

2 cups Broccoli Florets

12 ounces bow tie (Farfella) Pasta

Freshly ground pepper

Directions

Heat a saucepot to melt  the butter over medium heat. Add the garlic and lemon zest and cook until the garlic is slightly soft, about 1 minute. Add in the flour and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon,1 minute. Whisk in the milk, stirring constantly, until just thickened, about 3 minutes. Add the Neufchatel and parmesan cheese; whisk until melted, about 1 minute.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the bow tie pasta and cook until al dente, 8 to 12 minutes. Add Broccoli florets to pasta about the last 1 1/2 minutes. Drain the pasta and broccoli and return to the pot. Reserve 1 cup of the cooking water.

Toast the pine nuts In a skillet over medium heat.

Add the sauce and 1/2 cup of the reserved cooking water to the pasta and gently toss to combine, adding more cooking water as needed to loosen. Season the pasta with salt and toss with toasted pine nuts. Divide among bowls and top with parmesan and pepper.

Top 10 Ways Not to Burn Thanksgiving Dinner

According to the U.S. Fire Administration, cooking fire incidents spike during Thanksgiving and Christmas time. But it's not just fires. Trips and falls, along with cuts and burns incidents are also high many of which occur while people are preparing their meals.

Thanksgiving can be a whirlwind of cooking and entertaining guests.  To make sure no one gets hurt, Fire administration officials recommend:

·         Stand by your pan, when cooking. Never leave food, grease or oils cooking on the stovetop unattended. Pay attention!

·         When simmering, baking, roasting, or boiling food, check it regularly, remain in the home while it’s cooking, and use a timer to remind you that you are cooking.

·         Wear short or tight-fitting sleeves when cooking, because loose fitting clothing can easily catch on fire.

·         Keep potholders, oven mitts, wooden utensils, paper or plastic bags, towels, and other things that can catch fire, away from your stovetop.

·         Plug microwave ovens and other cooking appliances directly into an outlet, not an extension cord.

·         Keep children three feet away from the stove.

·         Test fire alarms before a gathering to make sure they are working.

What to do if you have a fire

• If it’s a small grease fire and you have an oven mitt and lid nearby, smother the flames in the pan by sliding the lid over it. Turn off the burner, and don’t move the pan. Leave the lid on the pan until it has cooled.
• For an oven fire, turn the heat off and keep the door closed to prevent flames from burning you or your clothes.
• For a microwave oven fire, turn it off immediately, keep the door closed and unplug the appliance if you can reach it safely. Keep the door closed until the fire is out.
• If your clothing catches fire, Stop, Drop and Roll to put out the flames.
• When in doubt, get out, is what the U.S. Fire Administration advises for any fire in the kitchen. If you leave, close the door behind you and call 911. If you decide to stay and fight the fire, make sure others are already out and you have a clear exit path.

One of the larger contributors to Thanksgiving fires in recent years is the increasing popularity of deep-frying turkeys, which uses grease that can become flammable. If you're planning to deep-fry your holiday bird, watch this video to see a first-hand demonstration of what can happen if you don't follow all instructions

Safety around turkey fryers

Before you use a turkey fryer, make sure to read instructions. Many accidents involving turkey fryers are from first-time users.

• Make sure to use a turkey fryer outside and at a safe distance from buildings or any other combustible material. Also, don’t use a turkey fryer in a garage or on a wooden deck. Be sure it is on a flat surface.
• Don’t leave the fryer unattended. Most units don’t have thermostat controls, so if you don’t watch it the oil could continue to heat until it catches on fire.
• To keep oil from spilling over, which can cause fires if the oil hits the burner, never overfill the fryer. Be sure the turkey or Chicken is completely thawed and be cautious of marinades. Water can cause the oil to spill over.
• Never use water to put out a grease fire. Keep an all-purpose fire extinguisher nearby.

·          Keep children or pets away from the fryer even if it is not in use. The oil inside the cooking pot can remain dangerously hot hours after use.

If a fire starts and has been extinguished, call 9-1-1 anyway and have firefighters make sure it is out.

During this Thanksgiving weekend we wish you a safe and joyous holiday!

Meatless Monday

       Vegetarian Three Bean Chili

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: about 1 1/2 cups) 

            

      Ingredients

• 2 red bell peppers medium diced
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1 teaspoon Ancho Chili powder
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• ½ teaspoon dark cocoa powder
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 1 1/2 cups (1/2-inch) cubed peeled butternut squash
• 1 (28-ounce) can no-salt-added diced tomatoes, un-drained
• 1 (15-ounce) can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 (15-ounce) can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• Salt & pepper to taste

 Preparation

1.  Prep vegetables.
2. Heat a Dutch oven or sauce pot over medium-low heat. Add oil to pan then add onion and peppers cook 15 minutes, stirring occasionally until soften about 5 – 8 minutes. Stir in cumin crushed red pepper, chili powder, paprika, cocoa powder and garlic; cook 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
3. Add vegetable broth, squash, and tomatoes and bring to a simmer and cook stirring occasionally for about 10 minutes. Add beans; simmer 25 minutes or until slightly thick, stirring occasionally. Add cilantro taste and season with salt and pepper to taste,

Cornbread goes well with this chili.

Count Down to Thanksgiving!

The festive part of the year is approaching us quickly. Have you begun planning your holiday menu yet? Now is a great time to start if you have not thought about your holiday meal. Nor is it too early to plan other upcoming  holidays like Chanukah , Christmas or Kwanza meals.

First on the agenda should be the menu. If the meal is a collaborative effort of family and friends,then deciding who will be preparing what from appetizers to desserts should be made very soon. Also do not forget to delegate who will be bringing the beverages.

In planning the menu please remember to keep those with special diets such as food allergies, diabetics, and vegan/ vegetarians in mind. Finding out any special dietary requirements in advance gives you the opportunity to plan and prepare dishes that everyone could enjoy at the dinner table.  The people with the special diet would be appreciative of the advance consideration and feel included in the festive dining experience.

Fall is a good time to try something new.

The fruits and vegetables that are in season now are:

Apples, artichokes, avocado, beets, bok choy, broccoli,

brussels sprouts, cabbage

carrots, cranberries, celeriac, chard, chestnuts, Greens, cranberries, daikon, fennel, guava, kiwi

kumquat, lemons, oranges, pears, persimmons, pomegranate, potatoes, quince

rutabaga,  turnips and variety of fall and winter squash

Many of these fresh fruits and vegetables are grown locally. We will be featuring recipes for side dishes in upcoming posts.

With higher food prices and slim budgets in mind take advantage of the Supermarkets: Free turkey, Ham or Lasagna giveaways! When a certain dollar amount has been spent with in the free turkey campaign time frame, a turkey, ham or lasagna is earned. Some stores offer different products so check the weekly circulars for the giveaway campaign that suits your needs. If you shop at different stores you may be eligible to win a free item from each store patronized. Most stores only allow the customer to earn one item within the time period regardless of the amount spent over the set goal.

During this time of year “good” coupons are more bountiful. I state “good” because these are more likely for items you may actually want to purchase and the value of the coupon does not require you to purchase more than one item to reap the benefit.

If holiday meal planning and cooking is overwhelming for you, consider using a Personal Chef for your meal preparations. Meal Makers, Inc. is available to help you by preparing your holiday meals or working with you to prepare your meal.  Contact us for more information mealmakersinc@gmail.com