Friday Recipes

If you're anything like me, you're probably glad that this week is over. Talk about an especially rough election season!

Well, we're finally here at the weekend (yay!). Here are six recipes to help get you through it. Enjoy!

BAKED CREAM CORN WITH RED BELL PEPPERS AND JALAPENOS

This yummy recipe is from Ree Drummond, also on The Food Network. Total Time: 1 hr 5 min; Prep: 15 min; Cook: 50 min; Yield: 6 servings; Level: Easy

Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ree-drummond/baked-creamed-corn-with-red-bell-peppers-and-jalapenos-recipe.html?oc=linkback.

Ingredients

8 ears corn, husked

2 red bell peppers, diced

2 jalapeno peppers, diced

1 cup heavy cream

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

1 stick salted butter, cut into pieces

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Slice the corn kernels from the ear in a large, deep bowl with a sharp knife. Turn the knife to the dull side and scrape the cob all the way down to remove all the bits of kernel and the creamy milk.

Add the red bell peppers, jalapenos, heavy cream, 2 teaspoons salt, a generous amount of pepper and the butter and mix well. Pour into a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Bake until hot and bubbly, 45 to 55 minutes.

BEIGNETS

This was posted on TODAY Recipes (yes, from The TODAY Show), and is from Kix Brooks. The recipe begins, “Country legend Kix Brooks (of Brooks & Dunn fame) has a new cookbook called ‘Cookin' It with Kix.’ Here, he shares how to make classic beignets at home, and it's way easier than you think!” Let me tell you, if you’ve never eaten a beignet, you’re in for a real treat. They’re absolutely delicious!

You can view this online here.

Ingredients

Vegetable oil, for deep frying

2 eggs

1 1/2 cups purpose flour

3/4 cup whole milk

1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon

1/4 teaspoon salt

Pinch of cinnamon or nutmeg (optional)

1/2 cup powdered sugar

Preparation

Pour enough oil to come halfway up the sides of a large, heavy deep pot. Heat the oil over high heat for 360 degrees.

Whisk the eggs in a large bowl. Add the flour, milk, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Whisk well to make a smooth batter.

In batches, without crowding, drop heaping tablespoons (or use an ice cream scoop) of the batter into the pot of oil. Fry, turning the beignets occasionally, until evenly browned. This could take several minutes. The best way to know if they're done is to take one out, cut it in half, and see if it's done in the middle. Use a slotted metal spoon to transfer the beignets to paper towels to drain.

Sift the powdered sugar onto the beignets, and serve immediately for breakfast or brunch. Or serve them as a dessert with ice cream.

Kix tip: For a little something different, mix equal parts powdered sugar and cinnamon together, and sprinkle onto the freshly fried beignets. Or mix several small bowls of powdered sugar and other spices, such as cardamom, nutmeg, or even cayenne pepper, and let your guests sprinkle on the sugar of their choice.

BBQ CHICKEN

This comes from the folks at GE Appliances, and begins, “This BBQ chicken recipe is a simple classic that will be the star of your next summer gathering.”

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

1 pound chicken drumsticks

1 pound chicken thighs

2-3 cups Italian dressing

2-3 Cups BBQ sauce (homemade or store bought)

Directions

Marinate the Chicken:

Combine drumsticks and thighs in a bowl and add Italian dressing until chicken is covered. Let sit overnight (ideal) or for 3-4 hours.

Cooking:

Fire up a gas or charcoal grill to medium heat, put chicken on, and cook for 20 minutes (about 10 minutes per side). After 20 minutes, brush on your favorite BBQ sauce. Turn chicken and add more BBQ sauce. Cook for an additional 10-15 minutes. Watch closely, so you don't burn the BBQ sauce.

CHERRY CLAFOUTIS

This comes from Martha Rose Schulman in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Martha wrote, “This classic French dessert looks fancy, but it is a cinch to make. I use yogurt in my clafoutis, although it isn’t traditional (the French use cream). And I always enjoy leftovers for breakfast.” Yield: Serves 8; Time: 1 hour 30 minutes.

This was featured in “A Short Season for Cherries”, and can be viewed online here.

Ingredients

For the Cherry Clafouti

1 1/2 pounds (about 5 cups) fresh ripe cherries, stemmed and pitted if desired

2 tablespoons kirsch

6 tablespoons sugar

3 large eggs

1 vanilla bean, scraped

Pinch of salt

2/3 cup sifted unbleached all-purpose flour

3/4 cup low-fat yogurt

2 tablespoons milk

2 teaspoons confectioners’ sugar (optional)

Preparation

For the Cherry Clafouti

Toss the cherries with the kirsch and 2 tablespoons of the sugar, and let sit for 30 minutes. Drain over a bowl.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Butter a 10- or 10 1/2-inch ceramic tart pan or clafouti dish. Fill the dish with the drained cherries.

In a medium bowl, beat the eggs with the remaining sugar and the seeds from the vanilla bean. Add the salt and the liquid from the cherries, and combine well. Slowly beat in the flour, and whisk until smooth. Add the yogurt and milk, and combine well. Pour over the cherries, scraping out all of the batter with a rubber spatula.

Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes until the top is browned and the clafouti is firm and puffed. Press gently on the top in the middle to see if it’s firm. If not, return to the oven for five minutes.

Remove from the oven and cool on a rack. When the clafouti is warm or cool, sift on the powdered sugar. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Tip

Advance preparation: If you’re making this for a dinner, you can make it several hours ahead. The leftovers will keep for about three days in the refrigerator.

EASY BURRITO CASSEROLE

This comes from Diana Rattray, About.com’s Southern Food expert. Diana wrote, “This burrito casserole is made with all the great flavors of a beef and cheese burrito. The ground beef combination includes burrito seasoning, refried beans, cheddar cheese, and tortillas. Use part chorizo sausage in this dish, or make it with all ground beef.

“Serve this easy, flavorful casserole with rice, salsa, and a dollop of sour cream or guacamole. It's a dish your family will ask for again and again!” Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 25 minutes; Total Time: 40 minutes; Yield: Serves 6.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

6 medium flour tortillas, soft taco size

1 pound lean ground beef

1/2 pound chorizo sausage, casings removed, or more ground beef

1 cup chopped onion

2 to 3 tablespoons chopped jalapeno peppers, optional

1 packet (1 ounce) burrito seasoning*

1 can (approx. 15 ounces) refried beans

2 large tomatoes, diced

1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions

2 tablespoons chopped cilantro, optional

6 ounces shredded mild Cheddar cheese or blend of Cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses

Preparation

Lightly grease a 2 1/2 to 3-quart baking dish. Heat oven to 350° F.

Slice the tortillas into strips about 1 1/2 to 2 inches wide. Arrange half of the strips in the bottom of the baking dish. Set the remaining strips aside.

In a large skillet, brown the ground beef, chorizo, and onion, stirring, until beef and sausage are no longer pink. Add the jalapeno peppers and burrito seasoning and stir to blend.

Stir in the refried beans and continue cooking, stirring, until hot and bubbly.

Spoon the hot filling mixture evenly over the tortilla layer. Sprinkle with the diced tomatoes, green onions, and cilantro. Top with the remaining tortilla strips then sprinkle with the cheese.

Bake for about 10 to 15 minutes, or until the cheese has melted and the casserole is bubbly.

*Substitute taco seasoning for burrito seasoning or use the homemade mix below.

Quick Burrito Seasoning Mix

Combine 1 tablespoon of chili powder with 1 1/2 teaspoons of cumin, 2 teaspoons of paprika, 1 teaspoon of onion powder, and 1 teaspoon of minced dried onion.

CHOCOLATE DUMP-IT CAKE

This deliciousness comes from Amanda Hesser in The New York Times' cooking newsletter. Amanda writes, “A couple of years ago, my mother taught me to make her dense but moist chocolate birthday cake. She calls it 'dump-it cake' because you mix all of the ingredients in a pot over medium heat, then dump the batter into a cake pan to bake. For the icing, you melt Nestlé's semisweet-chocolate chips and swirl them together with sour cream. It sounds as if it's straight from the Pillsbury Bake-Off, but it tastes as if it's straight from Payard. Everyone loves it.” Time: 1 hour 45 minutes; 10 servings

To view this online, go to http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/9404-chocolate-dump-it-cake.

Ingredients

2 cups sugar

4 ounces unsweetened chocolate

1 stick unsalted butter, plus more for greasing the pan

2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting the pan

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup milk

1 teaspoon cider vinegar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/2 cups Nestle's semisweet-chocolate chips

1 1/2 cups sour cream, at room temperature

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and place a baking sheet on the lowest rack to catch any drips as the cake bakes on the middle rack. In a 2- to 3-quart pot, mix together the sugar, unsweetened chocolate, butter and 1 cup of water. Place over medium heat and stir occasionally until all of the ingredients are melted and blended. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly.

Meanwhile, sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. In a small bowl, stir together the milk and vinegar. Grease and flour a 9-inch tube pan.

When the chocolate in the pot has cooled a bit, whisk in the milk mixture and eggs. In several additions, and without overmixing, whisk in the dry ingredients. When the mixture is smooth, add the vanilla and whisk once or twice to blend. Pour the batter into the tube pan and bake on the middle rack until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean, about 30 to 35 minutes. Let the cake cool for 10 minutes, then remove from the pan and cool on a rack. (This can be tricky -- if someone is around to help, enlist him.) Let cool completely.

Meanwhile, melt the chocolate chips in a double boiler, then let cool to room temperature. Stir in the sour cream, 1/4 cup at a time, until the mixture is smooth.

When the cake is cool, you may frost it as is or cut it in half so that you have 2 layers. There will be extra icing whether you have 1 or 2 layers. My mother always uses it to make flowers on top. She makes a small rosette, or button, then uses toasted slices of almond as the petals, pushing them in around the base of the rosette.