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Sunday, September 18, 2011

EGG AND HAMBURGER CASSEROLE LOG

When you want to make a hearty breakfast, but don’t feel like dirtying up several pans for bacon, eggs and pancakes, this egg and hamburger casserole is the answer. Rolled into a nifty log, this salsa-topped egg dish has just the right hot and spicy flavor to begin a hard day hunting or hiking in the mountains – or sitting on the couch watching college football!

Ingredients:

6 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2-cup flour
1/2-cup grated (or shredded) cheddar cheese
1/4-tsp crushed red pepper flakes
Leftover meat from the Stuffed Green Peppers
Salt and pepper to taste
“The Salsa”

How to:

Beat the eggs in a bowl. Add the milk and flour and mix it all together well. Add the crushed red pepper flakes and the salt and pepper. Add the leftover meat from the Stuffed Green Peppers (if you don’t have this you can use leftover hamburger meat, bacon or sausage). Mix everything together with a fork – make sure the meat pieces are small.
Line a loaf pan with wax paper or parchment paper, so the paper hangs over the sides. Spray the paper with non-stick cooking spray.
Pour the egg mixture into the pan. Bake in a 375 oven for 12 to 14 minutes, until the edges begin to thicken and the center jiggles just slightly. Cover the top with the cheddar cheese and bake for an additional 3 to 5 minutes.
Remove the pan from the oven. Put on your oven mitts and then lift the parchment paper from the pan and set it on a cutting board. Take a spatula and gently lift up the egg loaf to release any portion stuck to the paper, but leave the loaf on the paper.
Roll the loaf into a log. Top with The Salsa. Cut into 1-inch sections and serve. (If you have trouble rolling it, as I did at first, you can just scoop it up and serve it).

STUFFED GREEN PEPPERS

We may be Rednecks, but as the title of our blog says, we’re sophisticated! One fancy recipe we just love is our stuffed green peppers – it sounds extravagant, eh? Easy to make, these green peppers come out of the oven with a little crispness and a lot of flavor. We use white rice, but you can use brown rice if you want. You can even prepare these in advance; just stick ‘em in the fridge until you’re ready to bake.

Ingredients:

1 to 1 1/2-lbs hamburger
1 sweet onion
1 cup white rice
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 tsp garlic salt with parsley
1 tsp black pepper
3/4-tsp oregano
1 can diced tomatoes
1 small can tomato paste
Parmesan cheese, grated
4 large green bell peppers

How to:

Cut off the tops of the bell peppers and scoop out the insides. Rinse them out with water. Set the peppers inside a small glass baking dish (9x9 works well).
Mix the hamburger, onion and rice in a bowl. Add the garlic, garlic salt with parsley, black pepper and oregano. Use your hands and really work the ingredients together.
Fill the hollowed out peppers with the meat mixture. Don’t be shy here and fill them to the brim.
Pour a can of diced tomatoes over the tops of the peppers. It’s ok if it gets on the bottom of the dish.
Here’s the secret to the tastiest peppers – spread tomato paste over the tops of the meat. You can use a knife, but your fingers work better. Top the tomato paste liberally with parmesan cheese.
Bake on 350 for 1 hour.

Tip:
Use the meat from leftovers in a fantastic egg casserole for breakfast the next morning.

EASIEST HAMBURGERS YOU’LL EVER MAKE

Grilled hamburgers are definitely a staple in this Redneck household. The meat is cheap and goes a long way. Now, there are all kinds of frilly recipes that have you adding exotic spices and such, but this one is by far the easiest and tastiest hamburger recipe you’ll ever come across. It’s also great for weekend camping and hunting camps.

Ingredients:

2 lbs hamburger
1 small onion
1/4-tsp salt
1/4-tsp black pepper
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

How to:

Finely chop the onion and add it to the hamburger. Add the salt and pepper and mix well with your hands.
Shape the meat mixture into large hamburger patties – no small burgers here, the bigger the better for the tastiest results.
Press your thumb into the center of the patties to create a little gully. Fill the gully with Worcestershire sauce.
Place the hamburgers on the grill. I look to cook them on indirect heat so they cook evenly. Cook on one side for a few minutes, this allows the Worcestershire to soak in and permeate the whole burger. Flip and cook on the other side for a few minutes. Ta da! The easiest burgers you will ever cook.

Friday, August 26, 2011

TWO GUY’S TARTAR SAUCE AND SALMON TOPPING

If you live somewhere you can catch ‘em, this tartar sauce is just the thing to go with freshly caught fish. It goes well with salmon – like we have out here in the Northwest – or trout or any white fish you have in abundance. One little tip – this recipe calls for real mayo and cream cheese, none of that Miracle Whip dressing stuff or fat free cream cheese – you’re getting your healthy on with the fish for crying out loud! And that is how we roll here at sophisticated redneck cooking!

Ingredients:

4 tbsp real mayonnaise
1 tbsp cream cheese
1 tbsp mustard relish
1 tbsp dried dill weed
1/2 tsp lemon pepper
3/4 tsp Cajun seasoning
1/4 tsp kosher salt

How To:

Mix all of the ingredients together in a small bowl and refrigerate for about 1 hour before eating. That’s it!!

Note: Great for Fish and Chips, any kind of White Fish or Shrimp

Bonus: If you want to barbecue a salmon, this is the topping to use. Just add Worcestershire sauce and sliced lemon and you have a great barbecue salmon.

How to:

Mix the above sauce and add 2 tbsp of Worcestershire. Slice up three lemons. Put foil over the grill and add the salmon filets (this amount is good for one or two filets) skin down on the foil. Add the sauce to the salmon and cover with lemon slices.

Grill over medium heat 30 minutes until salmon is flaky. Make sure you put a little lip all around the foil to catch all the juices and clean up will be a breeze. (More time for “refreshments”!)



Thursday, August 25, 2011

PORK CHOPS WITH APPLES AND MUSHROOM SAUCE

I made this dish last night and let me tell you, it rocked! The meat almost melts in your mouth with the sauce. Pair these chops with a couple baked potatoes and a green salad to round out the meal. If you’re not watching your carbs too much, add some garlic toast to the dish. A super redneck cooking tip – instead of butter and sour cream, pour the sauce on the baked potato – delicious!!

Ingredients:

4 center-cut pork chops
Salt and pepper to taste
Olive oil
Button mushrooms
1/2 sweet onion
1/2 stick butter
1 small apple
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

How to:

Turn the barbecue on high. Place the pork chops on the grill for about 1 minute on each side to sear the meat. Turn the meat to make cross cut sear marks – this just looks cool!
Take the meat off the grill and turn off one side of the grill. Turn the heat on the other side on low.

Place the chops on a piece of aluminum foil. Salt and pepper the meat to taste. Drizzle about a teaspoon of olive oil over the meat. Wrap the foil tight and place it on the grill – on the side without the direct heat. Cook on the low indirect heat for 45 minutes –halfway through turn the chops around to heat them evenly.

While the meat is cooking slice up a package of button mushrooms. You can use any mushroom you like -- buttons are easy to come by and slightly less expensive. Heat the 1/2-stick of butter (with a nod to Paula Deen!) in a medium saucepan on medium-low heat until it melts. Stir it around so it doesn’t stick to the pan or burn. Add the mushrooms.

Quarter a half of a sweet onion. Don’t chop it too small, leave the pieces fairly large. They will shrink down during the heating process. Add the onions to the saucepan.

Peel the skin off an apple – use any kind of apple you like – Use a grater and grate about a teaspoon of the apple. Add to the saucepan.

Turn the heat up to medium and add 1 tbsp red wine vinegar, 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce. Stir constantly and heat until the mushrooms and onions caramelize and you have a syrupy consistency.

The pork chops should be finished by now. Simply pour sauce over pork chops and enjoy!

Thursday, August 18, 2011

REDNECK CHILI DOGS

“I just have to say the first time I made this I thought I was going to have a mutiny, but then I dished it up on a hot stadium roll and I was the hero of the day! Who in their right mind does not like chili dogs, Coney dogs or just chili and dogs? Well I have a recipe that you can make in the morning, fish, and hunt or go for a good hike, and then come home to a dinner that rocks.” (Have some cold beer on hand) – Redneck Cooking Chef Dave

Ingredients:

1 lb hamburger (lean…really, we are eating chili dogs here!)
4 to 6 Frankfurters (Not hot dogs, or any of that turkey crap! 4 to 6 good old franks is the only way to go for this recipe)
1 lb kidney beans
6 tbsp of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 cups chopped onion (Walla Walla sweet if possible)
1 cup cheddar cheese
½ cup sliced okra to ¼ inch
2 tbsp coarsely chopped garlic
1, 16 to 20 oz can crushed tomatoes
2 tbsp tomato paste
3 tbsp chili powder
2 tbsp sugar
1 medium chopped bell pepper
Cayenne pepper (don’t be a sissy, give it 2 tbsp)
1 cup water

How to:

Soak the beans overnight.

Saute hamburger in the olive oil until it is about half cooked. Add the onions, okra, garlic and bell pepper. Don’t overcook. 10 minutes is the max.
You will need a large slow cooker. Place the mixture in the slow cooker with the tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, chili powder, the water and soaked beans. Cook on low for 4 hours. Add the frankfurters and push them down in the chili.

When the frankfurters split and open up they are done.

Pre-heat broiler on high. Open the stadium rolls and lightly spread softened butter on them with a very light dusting of garlic salt. Place rolls on a cookie sheet and watch them in the oven window because they will go from golden brown to black in about 10 seconds and you’ll need to get them out of there.
Take the rolls out of the oven. Remove franks with tongs, place on buns and pour chili over them. Add the cheddar and you have fantastic redneck chili dogs.

IN OR OUT CHICKEN FRIED STEAK

This recipe may look like a lot of work for a redneck chef, but really, it's not so bad once you get into it. You can even do this over the campfire at your hunting camp (just put the cold stuff in with the beer) or at a family picnic.

Ingredients:

4 cube steaks
2 cups flour
2 tsp kosher salt
2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp fresh ground pepper
1 tsp garlic salt
2 tbsp paprika
2 cups peanut oil
1 pint buttermilk

How to:

Between two pieces of wax paper or inside a 1-gallon zipper lock bag beat the cube steaks with a meat tenderizer until each steak is about 1/3 inches thick. Remove the top piece of wax paper or take the steaks out of the bag and season the meat on both sides with salt, garlic powder and pepper. Place the meat in a plastic bag. Set aside in a cooler (a refrigerator if you’re cooking this indoors!) for about 2 hours.

Heat enough oil to cover the bottom of a 5-quart Dutch oven in about ½-inch of oil. Check the oil by placing a drop of water in the middle of the oil, if it pops, the oil is ready.

While the oil is heating, mix 1 tsp pepper, 1 tsp garlic salt, 2 tbsp paprika and flour in a large mixing bowl. Take the meat out of the cooler and remove from bag. Place the meat on wax paper (wax paper just keeps the meat from sticking and is pretty easy to work with outdoors). Fill the same bag with the flour mixture and fill the now empty bowl with the buttermilk. You basically just switched the flour and meat from bowl to bag. Dip the meat in the bowl of buttermilk, soaking the meat through, and then drop the meat into the flour bag. Shake the bag until all the meat is covered in the flour mixture.

Place meat in Dutch oven. You can put 2-3 steaks in at a time depending on the size of the steaks. Cook until nice and brown, then remove from oven, and place onto a paper towel to soak up the grease. Have a baker or mashed potato and gravy ready to go and serve it. (Corn on the cob really rounds this dish out!)

Thursday, April 21, 2011

REDNECK GUACAMOLE DIP

You don’t need to go to the local Mexican restaurant to feast in this super tasty and healthy snack. The avocado is one fruit with massive health benefits as it has an abundance of vitamins, minerals and healthy fats and it even tastes good! You can receive some of these fantastic nutrients when you make this super simple Redneck Guacamole Dip.

Ingredients:
4 ripe avocados
½ clove garlic
2 roasted, peeled and chopped green chiles
¼ cup cilantro
1 lime
1 tbsp. kosher salt

How To:
Peel avocadoes by cutting down the center of the fruit to the pit. Separate the avocadoes and use a spoon to remove meat from skin.
Add the avocadoes, garlic, green chiles, cilantro, juice of the lime and kosher salt to a food processor and pulse 8 times. Stop when it is lumpy or it will be too thin and difficult to keep on the chip.

Note:
You are completely at the mercy of the avocado with this recipe. At the store, take care to buy them when they are ripe and firm for the best tasting guacamole.

Monday, April 11, 2011

“DON’T DRINK ALL THE MARINADE, CHUCK” MARINADE

Ingredients:
1 ½ cups of Crown Royal (or any other good whiskey, just in case you like to re-hydrate)
8 whole peppercorns
½ tsp of celery seeds
1/3 cup of finely minced garlic
12 ounce can of concentrated orange juice

How to:
First take a sip of whiskey to make sure it is all right. Then combine the marinade ingredients into a large zip lock 1-gallon plastic bag. You might want to check the whiskey again for quality (it can go bad fast!). Cut up the back straps in 1 to 1 ½ thick pieces. (This is the loin for all you non-hunters). Place the venison or elk back straps in the bag and shake well. Take another sip, all that shakin’ can work up a thirst. Refrigerate in a cooler or in the snow or anything that you can get to and turn it occasionally. Keep it cool for about 24 hours. YOU ARE DONE FOR ATHE DAY!! Better have a little snip to celebrate.

Next day, drink plenty of water and eat a big greasy hunting camp breakfast (like Dang Good Eggs and Ham) that will make you feel better. Heck, you already got your deer or elk so just kick back and… that’s right, take a sip.

Put a little oil in a Dutch oven and place the steaks in the oven. Pour the marinade over the steaks and cook over the coals for about 20 minutes or until the center of the steaks are pink and the outer has a nice crust. (If you like it well done, keep on cookin’)

Note: Here is how Chuck and I bake our tators at hunting camp.

Near the fire and out of the way (we’ve been sipping remember), we dig a hole about a 16” deep and just wide enough to fit the shovel in. Take hot coals from the fire and with the shovel put enough in the hole to raise the floor about 6 inches. Then put a little dirt over it (about 1 inch). Slice a small wedge out of the spuds and fill with butter. Wrap the potatoes in aluminum foil and place them on the dirt in the hole. Put about 1” of dirt on top of the spuds and fill with more hot coals to within 2 inches of the top. Cover with dirt and…take a sip. Let the spuds cook for about 30 to 45 minutes and you will have some really tasty potatoes.

One more sip before dinner. Enjoy

Thursday, March 31, 2011

"THE" SALSA

Do you like it hot and spicy? I’m talking about salsa here! Load it with garlic and peppers and your taste buds will rejoice while the tears start to flow. “The” salsa is easy to make, you just put everything in a food processor and mix. In no time you’ll be dipping tortilla chips in or adding this fresh salsa to your favorite redneck cooking recipes.

Ingredients:
4 oz. can chopped olives
4 oz. can green chilies
1 jalapeño pepper -- 2 if you are really brave
1 cup chopped white onion
3 scallions chopped
2 tbls. red wine vinegar
4 plum tomatoes
16 oz. can crushed tomatoes
3 tbs of extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup cilantro
2 cloves of garlic

How To:
Combine all the ingredients in food processor; pulse 6 to 8 times, until the thickness is to your liking. Some like it chunky, with large pieces of tomato, some like it more blended, so take the lid off and check it after about six 2-second pulses. It can go from a salsa to a soup in seconds so pay attention.

Not only is this great to dip it makes a great taco topping or omelet filler.

DANG GOOD HAM AND EGGS

A hot breakfast is a great way to start the day whether you’re at home, camping or hunting. If you are looking for a good breakfast recipe for your hunting camp, look no further. The only way to begin a long day of hunting is with a tasty, hot breakfast. Break out the cast iron skillet and get to work making Dang Good Ham and Eggs. This recipe is easy to make and tastes like home cookin’. You can save yourself some time, prepare the ingredients at home, and store them in your camp cooler.

Ingredients:
2 lbs of Ham cubed to ½-inch
Butter
“The Salsa” (You can find it in this blog)
Dozen large eggs

How to:
Fire up your cast iron skillet over a fire, stove-top, Coleman or whatever you want. Heat to a medium temperature.
Sauté your ham in the butter for about 15 min. or until it starts to brown. Add 2 cups of salsa to the ham. Cook for about 10 min and add the eggs. Cook until the eggs are done and serve.

Note: Serving this in flour tortillas is as good as a breakfast gets. Especially when camping! Enjoy

Thursday, March 24, 2011

CHUCK’S WORLD FAMOUS POTATO SALAD

Whether you call it potato salad or tater salad, this recipe fits the bill. The potatoes are cut and cooked to perfection with Chuck’s secret ingredient – pickle juice - added to the mix for outstanding flavor. Celery, green onions and black olives add great color to the dish. Serve this with our Indoor BBQ Ribs and your barbecue will be a guaranteed success.


Ingredients:
3- lbs russet potatoes
8- boiled eggs
2- stalks celery
5- green onions
1- can medium black olives
2-4 tbsp mayonnaise
1- tbsp dill
Pickle juice
1- tbsp Mustard
Salt and pepper to taste


How to:
Peel potatoes and cube them into ¾ to 1-inch pieces (any smaller and you’ll have mushy potatoes). Cook potatoes until you can run a fork through them. Drain the potatoes and pour 2 tbsp pickle juice over the hot potatoes. Allow the potatoes to cool completely.
Remove the eggshells and mash the boiled eggs with a fork (as if you were preparing egg salad). Dice celery, green onions and black olives. Mix these ingredients together in a large bowl. Add dill, mustard, 2 tbsp mayonnaise and 2 tbsp pickle juice. Mix well.
Once the potatoes are completely cooled, carefully fold them into the other ingredients. Add 1 tbsp mustard and more mayo as desired. Chill in the refrigerator for a few hours. This can also be prepared the night before.

Sunday, March 20, 2011

INDOOR BBQ RIBS

Is there anything better than BBQ ribs smoked for hours and hours so that the meat falls right off the bone? If the thought of these kinds of BBQ ribs makes your mouth water, and you don’t have time to watch an outdoor grill or the weather stinks, don’t fret, you can make these fabulous lip smacking Indoor BBQ Ribs right in the oven.

Ingredients:
2- Slabs of spare ribs
Stubbs dry pork rub
Garlic salt
Pepper


How to:
Pre-heat oven to 250 Degrees.
Rub ribs with a liberal amount of Stubbs, garlic salt and pepper, cover both sides and press into meat.
Wrap slabs in tin foil and place in roasting dish (on rack if possible)
Cook 4 hours and remove from oven. Turn meat over and return to oven.
Cook another 3 hours and take out of oven.
Coat one side with your favorite BBQ sauce and replace back on rack BBQ sauce side up.
Put oven on broil and cook until BBQ sauce is bubbling – this only takes a few minutes.

Remove, let sit for 5 min and go to town!!!

Saturday, March 19, 2011

Where did the term “redneck” come from?

It’s difficult to define just where the term “redneck” originated. Some say it came from the Scottish dissenters during the 17th century, who were Lowland Presbyterians, who wore red scarves around their necks and the term continued to be applied to their descendants who settled in the American south. In the 1800s, it was used to describe poor inhabitants in rural areas who worked in the fields, developing sunburns on the backs of their necks. Later coal miners in West Virginia were dubbed “rednecks” due to the red bandanas they often wore around their necks. Typically, the term is defined as “an unsophisticated person of a rural community”. We like to think of a “redneck” as someone who doesn’t feel like he has to impress people with superficial things, who is just as comfortable in a three-piece suit as he is in coveralls and boots. Rednecks have an intense sense of honor and will not tolerate anyone messing with them or their families.

The term “sophisticated” is much easier to define – it means having a refined knowledge of the ways of the world.

Well, what we’ve done here at the Sophisticated Redneck’s Guide to Cooking is combine the two. We’ve developed fantastic down home recipes with a little sophistication added in.