Black Bottom Cupcakes

Black Bottom Cupcakes

Our Design Coordinator Dena Lenham absolutely loves Blackbottom Cupcakes.  Not only are they delicious, they are easy to make.  Enjoy her favorite recipe from her dear mother.

Instructions for making Black Bottom Cupcakes:

• 3 cups flour          

• 2 cups sugar

• 2 teas. baking soda

• 1 teas. salt         

• 6 tbsp. cocoa

• 3/4 cup vegetable oil

• 2 cups warm milk or water

• 2 tbsp. vinegar

• 2 tbsp. vanilla

Mix all together in one bowl

Filling:

• 8 oz. cream cheese softened

• 1 beaten egg

• 1/3 cup sugar

• 1 large package chocolate chips

Cream cheese then add egg and beat well. Stir in chips.

Use mini muffin

liners and pans. Fill cup half full with chocolate mix, drop filling on top by

teaspoonful (don’t touch the paper liner).

Bake at 350 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes.

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Pizza Dip

An oldie but a goodie from our archives back by popular demand.

Pizza Dip

Ingredients:

• 8oz. Cream Cheese
• 1/2 cup Sour Cream
• 1/8- 1/4 teaspoon Red Pepper
• 1 teaspoon Oregano

Mix above ingredients and spread in a shallow dish (I use a quiche dish or pie plate)

Top With: 

• 1/2 cup chopped Pepperoni
• 1/2 cup chopped Scallions         (optional)
• 1/2 cup chopped Green Peppers      (optional)

Cover with:     

• 1 cup Pizza sauce (I use Don Pepino)
• 1 cup shredded Mozzarella Cheese

Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 15 minutes or until cheese melts. Serve with corn chips or crackers.

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Doug's Good Friend Lamb Stew

Doug Kreinik created this stew one day when the family got bored with spaghetti and needed a special meal for a good friend who was leaving town. It also makes a cozy meal on a cool autumn evening.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. Lamb shoulder cubed
• 4 tbsp. Olive Oil
• 16 oz. can diced tomatoes
• 8 oz. can tomato paste
• 16 oz. can garbonzo beans
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 2 medium onions diced
• 1 cup sliced onions
• 5 cloves fresh garlic
• 1 large potato diced into 1" pieces
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. freshly ground pepper
• 1 tsp. oregano
• 1 tsp. tarragon
• 1/4 tsp. thyme
• 3 cups water
• 2 green peppers chopped/diced
• 2 Hungarian peppers chopped (optional) diced
• 2 tbsp. cilantro
• 1/2 tsp. coriander

1. In a large pan heat 2 tbsp. of olive oil.  Before searing the cubed lamb, flavor the oil with coriander and 1 clove of minced garlic.  This flavoring give the lamb a pleasing taste.
2. Sear the lamb until lightly brown, then remove.
3. In a large pot add 3 tbsp. of olive oil and saute the onions, mushrooms and peppers.  Add remaining cloves of garlic.  When all is nicely sauteed, add the diced tomatoes, tomato paste and water.
4. Add all of the spices, garbonzo beans, peas, meat and potatoes.  Cover and simmer for two hours, stirring occasionally.
5. Cool and place in the refrigerator for the 24 hours, heat and server over rice.

Serve with 3 cups of rice.  My favorite is Basmati rice.  It has great aroma.

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Summer Vacay & Recipes

Beginning July 2, 2011 Kreinik will be closing its offices and manufacturing plant for a little summer rest and relaxation. We will re-open on July 11, 2011. Here's a couple of Doug Kreinik's favorite recipes to try during your 4th of July holiday.

Marconi and Cheese

I do not eat milk products anymore, but my kids, and they are grown, love this when they visit. They now even make it in their homes. I begin with a basic white sauce using a double boiler.

You will need the following ingredients:

• Unsalted Butter (3 tbsp)
• Flour (2 tbsp)
• Half and Half (2 cups)
• Sharp Cheddar (8. 0z)
• Paprika
• Macaroni ( 8-10 .ozs)

1. Melt - 3 tbsp unsalted butter
2. Stir in - 2 level tbsp of flour
3. Blend well over low heat
4. Stir in slowly 2 cups of half and half and stir constantly
5. Bring to a slow boil and continue to boil constantly stirring. This creamy white sauce should be thick and smooth.
6. Add 1 chopped up brick of Sharp Cheddar ( My kids like the sharpest possible selection)
7. Add a dash of paprika
8. Cook Marconi noodles & drain
9. Pour cheese sauce over noodles

Eat and totally enjoy.

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Tangerine Meringue Pie

I love to experiment. I had heard that you could take any citrus and make a pie. I use premade pie crusts.

Pie Crust:

Bake a 9", premade pie crust and bake it until it is done

Pie filling (Mix in a double boiler):

• 4 tbsp cornstarch
• 1 ½ cups sugar
• 3 egg yolks
• 3 tbsp clarified butter (I cook out the milk solids)
• 2 tbsp tangerine zest
• ½ cup fresh tangerine juice
• 1 ½ cups boiling water

Meringue

• 3 egg whites
• ¼ tsp cream of tartar
• 6 cup sugar
• ¼ tsp vanilla

1. Beat egg whites and cream of tartar until frothy.
2. Beat in sugar, 1 tbsp at a time until stiff and glossy.
3. Beat in vanilla. Do not under beat
4. Pre-heat oven to 400F.
   
   

In Medium sauce pan:

1. Mix sugar and cornstarch and gradually stir in water.
2. Cook over medium heat, stir constantly until it thickens and boils for 1 min.
3. Gradually stir in half of the hot mixture into egg yolks.
4. Blend into hot mixture in pan
5. Boil and stir 1 minute
6. Remove from heat
7. Stir thoroughly: Clarified butter, tangerine zest, tangerine juice and pour into baked pie shell
8. Cover the pie with heaps of meringue making sure to carefully seal the edges.
9. Bake at 400 degrees for about 10 minutes or until a light brown then cool.

Eat and enjoy.

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Doug's Caesar Salad

When I go to friends homes for dinner I am often asked to bring my salad bowl and fixings. Here is my favorite.

In a blender mix the following ingredients: (This will give you a smooth and even dressing and hide the little bones in the anchovies that some find disconcerting.)

• 5 cloves garlic (Before putting garlic into the blender, slice in half removing the center core. This reduces the after taste of the garlic to a large extent. )
• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 can anchovies
• 1 tsp Worcestershire
• 1/4 tsp dry mustard
• 3 shakes of Tabasco sauce
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
  

Mix until you have a very smooth consistency.

Rinse and dry:

• 1 large head of romaine
• 1 head of bib lettuce
• 1 head of red leaf lettuce
  

Break into small pieces bite size pieces. Place in a very very large bowl. This makes it easier to mix and toss.

Add:

• 2 grated carrots
• 1/2 c black olives with out pits
• 1 large tomato chopped

Remove all seeds. This prevents salad from becoming too watery. Mix all vegetables well. Pour dressing over salad and mix well.


Add garlic croutons

I prefer mine made from French bread covered with a olive oil and garlic sauce. Sauce is made from 2 cloves minced garlic and 1/2 a cup of olive oil with a dash of oregano and basil. Spread this on with a pastry brush and cut into little cubes. I brown this in the oven for 10 minutes until crisp at 400 F.

Grind freshly ground pepper over salad.

I always put the freshly grated parmesan cheese in a bowl on the side. Some people like a lot and some people ,like me, are lactose intolerant..

I never use an egg in my sauce. Again some people do not like the thought of the raw egg and I personally do not like to take chances with salmonella..

Things to add to enhance this hearty salad:

• Canned Salmon
• Canned Tuna
• Grilled Chicken
• Sliced Grapes
• Mandarin Oranges
• Avocado
• Olives (Black, Green or Greek)
• Nuts-walnuts or pecans
  

Place salad on chilled plates and dig in.

Serves 5.

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Philly Style Vanilla Ice Cream

By Jim Cargo

Kreinik will be shutting down all of our sales/marketing/manufacturing operations to enjoy a week of vacation following July 4th and will re-open July 10. For 4th of July weekend my mother-in-law reminded me to bring my ice cream maker with me. I have an "off the hook" recipe for Philadelphia Style Vanilla Ice cream. The recipe is ridiculously simple to follow and the results are downright sinful. I have friends who refer to this as "Silk" (we never stray too far from threads) as it is so smooth and creamy. I got this recipe from the book "The Ultimate Ice Cream Book" by Bruce Weinstein. Its been a family favorite ever since.

To make about 1 quart you need:
An ice cream maker and rock/kosher salt
3 cups of heavy cream
3/4 cup, plus 2 tablespoons of sugar
2 teaspoons of vanilla extract

The directions:
Place heavy cream in a sauce pan and heat (do not boil) until you start to see small bubbles appearing around the edge of the pan. You only need to get the cream hot enough to dilute the sugar. When hot enough, turn off stove, and stir in the sugar. Allow the cream/sugar mixture to cool for 10 minutes before stirring in the vanilla. Place mixture in the fridge for a few hours to cool completely.

Add the chilled mixture to your ice cream maker. Back in the old days we used to have to hand crank this stuff out. Not anymore. I use a Rival electric ice cream maker but any machine will do. Follow the makers instructions for setting up your machine. After about an hour, the ice cream is done. My son gets first dibs on the beater when I'm done.

Fresh out of the maker, a good bit of the ice cream is just like soft serve making it easy to make some ice cream sandwiches. I like to put this on top of some freshly baked brownies to make brownie sundaes. (Sorry, no calorie counting here.) Perfect for get-togethers, holidays or really hot summer days.

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Chili Hamburgers

Time to change gears and talk about something fun. We have some great recipes to share enjoy this for your next cookout! This recipe comes from the book “Once-A-Month Cooking” by Mimi Wilson and Mary Beth Lagerborg. Dena Lenham used this book during her days of commuting 1 1/2 hours each way to work.

Have you heard of this technique: cooking all day, once a month, assembling and freezing meals that will last you all month? Sounds daunting, sounds like women that are way too organized. Sounds good, actually.

This book is subtitled, “A proven system for spending less time in the kitchen and enjoying delicious, homemade meals everyday.” I was skeptical until I tried it, but it truly saves my family time during the weekday, when meals are often fast food or less nutritious. The ingredients are all fresh, not processed, and thus healthy, and the meals don’t taste any less delicious because they’ve been frozen.

This book is a great way to try the technique. They offer a two-week plan if cooking for a whole month intimidates you. I suggest following their lists and schedule step-by-step for the basic two-week menu plan, and you’ll discover how this method works. Try it; let me know what you think. I have enjoyed having meals on hand for sick neighbors, unscheduled company, and weekday rushes. Your cooking day is a long day, sometimes 7 or 8 hours, but it is worth it.

You can make the patties from this recipe and freeze them right along with the buns to store for a later meal. Just thaw and grill when you’re ready.

• 1 pound lean ground beef or turkey
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped green bell pepper
• 1 tablespoon minced onion
• 1-tablespoon chili powder
• 1-tablespoon chili sauce
• 1/4-teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2-teaspoon salt
• 4 hamburger buns

Thoroughly mix all ingredients except hamburger buns. Shape into 4 hamburger patties. Grill to desired pinkness and serve on hamburger buns.

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