Portuguese Cornbread: Broa

Ingredients:

2 packages active dry yeast
2 teaspoons sugar
1/4 cup warm water
1 1/2 cups stone-ground cornmeal, plus additional for sprinkling
2 teaspoons salt
1 cup boiling water
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
Extra-virgin olive oil, for brushing
1 tablespoon coarse salt

Directions:

In a small bowl combine the yeast, sugar, and the warm water in a large bowl until the yeast is dissolved and foamy, about 5 to 10 minutes.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the cornmeal and salt with the boiling water. Beat vigorously with a wooden spoon to blend. Add the melted butter and mix to incorporate. Now, pour the yeast mixture into the cornmeal mixture, stirring to combine. Gradually add the flour, mixing well after each addition. Add a couple of tablespoons of water if the dough feels dry and doesn't come together easily. Continue to mix until a dough forms into a ball. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead, adding just enough flour to keep the dough from sticking, until smooth and elastic, about 5 to 10 minutes.

Grease a large bowl with oil and transfer the dough to the bowl, brush the top with more oil so it is completely coated. Cover the dough with a kitchen towel and let it rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 11/2 hours.

Turn the dough out onto the floured surface and knead briefly, 3 or 4 times, to punch out the air. Gather the dough into a ball and shape it into a round loaf. Cover the dough with a kitchen towel and let rise again until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. and place a pizza stone in the oven to heat up.

Put the dough round on the pizza stone and brush the top with oil. Sprinkle the top of the bread with coarse salt. Bake in middle of the oven for 40 to 50 minutes until the bread is golden brown and bottom sounds hollow when tapped. *To recreate the steam effect from authentic Portuguese brick ovens, spray the bread and oven walls with cold water every 10 minutes. Transfer the bread to a wire rack to cool.

Recipe courtesy of Tyler Florence

Southern-Style (Moist) Cornbread

IINGREDIENTS:

2- 2⁄3 tablespoons bacon drippings or 2 2⁄3 tablespoons butter or 2 2⁄3 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups stone-ground yellow cornmeal
3 tablespoons molasses
1 teaspoon salt
2 1⁄8 teaspoons baking powder
1⁄2 teaspoon baking soda
2⁄3 cup rapidly boiling water
1 1⁄2 cups buttermilk
2 large eggs, beaten lightly

DIRECTIONS:

Set oven to 425 degrees. Place 8" square baking dish (preferably glass) with drippings (butter) in oven while it heats.
Place 2/3 cup cornmeal in medium bowl.
Mix 1 1/3 cup cornmeal, salt, baking powder & soda in small bowl.
Pour boiling water into medium bowl of cornmeal. The water must be *rapidly* boiling to form the proper mush!
Whisk in buttermilk gradually, breaking up lumps as needed.
Whisk in eggs & molasses.
When you can smell the bacon fat, or the oven is heated, remove pan from oven, then add dry ingredients to wet, and mix until just moistened.
Whisk in hot fat from pan just until incorporated.
Pour batter into hot pan, and bake about 25 minutes, until top is golden brown and center tests clean with a toothpick.

Cool 5 minutes before cutting.

Food.com

Seville Orangeade

Prep time: 15 minutes.    

Yield:  Makes 1 1/2 quarts

INGREDIENTS:

10-12 seville oranges, washed and scrubbed clean
1 cup sugar
The juice from one large lemon
5 cups cold, filtered water

METHOD:

1 Cut the oranges in half lengthwise and then slice them into thin 1/8-inch slices.

2 Put them in a large flat-bottomed non-reactive bowl. Stir in the sugar. Use a potato masher to mash the orange slices until most of the segments are juiced.

3 Pour water into the bowl of orange slices. Stir to mix gently, making sure that any undissolved sugar gets completely dissolved. Stir in the lemon juice.

4 Set a large fine mesh strainer over another large bowl and strain the orange mixture through it, pressing if necessary to get out as much of the juice as possible. Pour into a serving pitcher.

Simply Recipes

Groovy Orangeade

INGREDIENTS:

2 oz. lemonade
1 oz. Monin Candied Orange Syrup
14 oz. ice
2 oz. lemon-lime soda

Yield: 1 Glass

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Fill serving glass with ice.

2. Add remaining ingredients.

3. Cap and shake vigorously, or transfer from serving glass to other glass and back.

4. Garnish.

Southern Glazed Ham

Ingredients:

1 spiral sliced ham
1 1/2 cups crushed graham crackers
1 cup light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt

Instructions:

Line a roasting dish with foil and place the ham meat side down.

In a small bowl combine the cracker crumbs, salt, and brown sugar.

Pat the cracker mixture all over the ham and cover with foil.

Bake according to package directions, removing the foil the last 15 minutes to brown the top.

Zuppa Toscana

Ingredients:


1 lb. Italian sausages (use spicy to get that signature Olive Garden flavor)
4-6 russet potatoes, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1/4 c. REAL bacon pieces (optional)
2 Tbsp minced garlic (about 3-4 cloves)
32 oz. chicken broth
1 c. kale or Swiss chard, chopped
1 c. heavy whipping cream
2 Tbsp flour

Directions:

1. Brown sausage links in a sauté pan.

2. Cut links in half lengthwise, then cut slices.

3. Place sausage, chicken broth, garlic, potatoes and onion in slow cooker. Add just enough water to cover the vegetables and meat.

4. Cook on high 3-4 hours (low 5-6 hours) until potatoes are soft.

30 minutes before serving:

5. Mix flour into cream removing lumps.

6. Add cream, kale, and bacon to the crock pot, stir.

7. Cook on high 30 minutes or until broth thickens slightly.

8. Add salt, pepper, and cayenne to taste.

Stuffed Pepper Soup

Ingredients:

1 pound lean ground beef
1 large onion, diced
3 teaspoons minced garlic
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 cups beef broth
2 29-ounce cans tomato sauce
1½ tablespoons Cajun seasoning
3 bell peppers, diced
¾ cup minute rice, uncooked
shredded cheese, for topping

Instructions:

Add ground beef, diced onion, garlic, and olive oil to a large stock pot. Saute over medium heat 2-3 minutes until fragrant and onions are tender.

Add tomato sauce, cajun seasoning, bell peppers and rice and simmer on medium-low heat for 20 minutes.

Taste and add salt and pepper to taste, if desired.

Top with shredded cheese and serve hot.