Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Originally from our Cube Steak with Garlic Mashed Potatoes recipe, it seemed fitting to reshare this wonderful recipe for the holiday season.

Ingredients:
2 quarts water
2 pound white potatoes, peeled and cut into 1" pieces
1/3 cup fat free half and half
1 tablespoon butter
3 cloves garlic pressed
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp salt



Step One:

Bring the water to a rapid boil and then add the potatoes. Cover and reduce to a simmer.  Cook the potatoes for 15 minutes, or until tender.




Step Two:

Remove the pan from the heat, and using a colander,  strain potatoes. Return the hot potatoes to the pan.  Add the remaining ingredients, and mash then the potatoes to combine all ingredients well.

Roasted Cornish Game Hens

Ingredients

2 1-pound Cornish Game Hens

1 teaspoon salt, divided

1 teaspoon cracked black pepper

½ onion rough, chopped

1 clove garlic, pressed

½ teaspoon thyme

2 2-inch sprigs of rosemary

1 tablespoon olive oil*

*Optionally, additional oil or cooking spray may be used for basting

Step One:

Preheat Oven to 425 degrees F. While the oven is preheating remove the game hens from the refrigerator. Wash the game hens. Remove any organs that may have been included with the game hens.  Reserve the organs if you intend to use them, for example in gravy, else discard them.  Pat the game hens down with a paper towel to dry and place them on to a clean cutting board.

Step Two:

In a medium sized bowl, add the onion, ½ teaspoon of salt and pepper and the remaining ingredients save for the rosemary and combine well.  In a small bowl combine the oil and the remaining salt and pepper.

Step Three:

Stuff each game hen with ½ of the onion mixture, and a rosemary sprig each.  Then rub each game hen all over with the oil mixture.  Place the game hens on a baking pan with a rack.

Step Four:

Place the game hens in the oven and roast them for 30 minutes. If basting with oil, then remove the game hens from the oven and baste them then return the game hens to the oven. Reduce the Oven temperature to 400 degrees F and continue roasting for another 30 minutes, or until the internal temperature 175 to 180 degrees F.

Step Five:

Remove the game hens from the oven. Remove the stuffing, and drain any fluid that collected in the cavity.  Allow the game hens to rest for 15 minutes.  Half each game hen, and serve with desired accompaniments.

Easy Chicken Salad

Ingredients

2 6.5 Ounce canned chicken breast

¼ cup diced celery

¼ cup real mayonnaise (not salad dressing)

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon pepper

Step One:

Empty the chicken into a colander to drain. Rinse the chicken under cold water to remove the canning solution.  After rinsing, gently shake the colander to remove excess water.  Transfer the chicken to a medium sized bowl.

Step Two:

Combine the remaining ingredients with the chicken in the bowl. Transfer the chicken salad to a storage container. Lid the container and place it into the refrigerator. Allow the chicken salad to chill for at least 2 hours, or even overnight.

Steak and Cheese Eggrolls

Steak and Cheese Eggrolls came into my life completely by accident. One night the Asian takeout  order was messed up. I sunk my teeth into what I thought was a normal eggroll, and to my surprise and ultimately to my delight there it was - steak and cheese.  And there it began, a new guilty pleasure.   It's not the type of food one brags about, yet it is the type of food shared amongst close friends and the occasional pub/bar mate.

Ingredients

2 frozen beefsteaks Or 4 oz fresh shaved round beefsteaks
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/3 cup minced onions
1/2 cup shredded cheese (provolone, coby, cheddar, or Mexican blend)
6 eggroll wrappers
2 tablespoons water
2/3 cup cooking oil

Step One:

Heat a skillet over medium heat and add the beefsteaks. Season with the salt and the pepper and cook thoroughly done.  Reserve the beefsteaks to a cutting board, and add the onions to the skillet and cook until soft. Bowl the onions and remove the skillet from heat.  Back at the cutting board chop the beefsteaks.











Step Two:


Pour 1 tablespoon of water into a small shallow bowl. Retrieve the eggroll wrappers from the package. Please note they can dry out quickly.  Turn the wrapper such that one of the corners faces you as if you are south and the opposite corner is north. Place 1/4ths of the beefsteak, onion, and cheese on the corner closest to you.

Dip your fingers in to the water and moisten the east and west corners. Roll the wrapper from south to north, making sure to tuck in the east and west corners as you go. At the vest end moisten the north corner with a bit of water.  Repeat for the remaining three wrappers.





Step Three:

Add 2/3 cups of cooking oil to a skillet. If you own a home deep fryer, then by all means feel free to use it for this preparation. Heat the oil to 350 degrees (it should shimmer).   Using tongs add the eggrolls to the skillet. After 1 1/2 minutes rotate the eggrolls until all sides are crispy and golden.


Step Four:

Place the eggrolls on a plate lined with paper towels to absorb any excess oil. After about a minute serve them and enjoy.