Zombie Cupcakes

Zombie Cupcakes for the season premiere of the Walking Dead.

Seafood Gumbo

The weathers turning from fall to early winter and I want some soup. Soup with Seafood(& or sausage) that is...oh and spicy.

* 1 large yellow onion
* 1 green bell pepper
* 1 red bell pepper
* 1/2 pound okra
* 1/2 cup canola or vegetable oil
* 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
* 3 garlic cloves, minced
* 1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes with juices
* 5 cups fish stock or bottled clam juice
* 2 bay leaves
* 2 1/2 tablespoons Creole seasoning blend
* Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
* 1/2 pound andouille sausage, cut into 1-inch slices
* 1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
* 1 teaspoon filé powder
* Cooked white rice for serving
* 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Preparation

1. Dice the onion and the green and red bell peppers. Set aside.
2. Trim the stems from the okra pods, then cut the pods crosswise into slices 1/2 inch thick.
3. In a large, heavy soup pot over medium heat, warm 2 tablespoons of the canola oil. Add the okra and sauté, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and softened, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
4. In the same pot over medium heat, warm the remaining 6 tablespoons oil for 2 minutes.
5. Whisk in the flour until incorporated. Cook the mixture, or roux, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until dark brown, about 4 minutes. Do not let the roux turn black.
6. Add the onion and bell peppers and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
7. Add the reserved okra, the tomatoes with their juices, stock, bay leaves, Creole seasoning, salt and pepper. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 30 minutes to blend the flavors.
8. Stir in the sausage & shrimp, cook until the sausage is heated through and the shrimp are pink, 3 minutes more.
9. Sprinkle in the filé powder and stir for 30 seconds. Remove from the heat and discard the bay leaves.
10. To serve, spoon white rice into warmed bowls, ladle the gumbo on top and garnish with the parsley.

Beef Wellington...Welcome Back!

Back to the Food Porn blog. This is the first post of the season & I apologize I've been busy what with graduating school & starting a new business and all. After seeing Gordon Ramsey's recipe I thought I would make my own.

This savory recipe combines beef loin, mushroom duxelles, and (traditionally) foie gras is wrapped in puff pastry and baked. It looks like a million dollars and tastes like heaven. It's also surprisingly easy to make, albeit time-consuming, but can easily be completely prepped a day in advance and then slid into the oven for 30 minutes to bake before serving.

* 2 filets mignon, 1-inch thick or any beef loin of choice
* 2 sheets puff pastry
* Salt and pepper to taste
* 1 Tbsp. unsalted butter
* 4 Tbsp. Mushroom Duxelles
* 1 egg

1. Thaw puff pastry according to package directions.

2. Filets are often irregular in shape, if yours are use a piece of kitchen twine to tie them into a round. (See the photo tutorial for making Individual Beef Wellingtons.)

3. Season filets generously with salt and pepper.

4. Pre-heat a medium (10-inch) non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add butter and swirl in pan to melt.

5. Cook filets on both sides for about 3 minutes until well-browned, then brown the edges. Note: Regularly check the internal temperature of the filets, they should not be cooked past 120F at the center.*** Allow filets to cool, then wrap in plastic and chill for at least a couple of hours. In the meantime make the duxelles*.

6. Heat oven to 400F. Whisk together egg and 1 tablespoon water (egg wash).

7. Wrap the filets in puff pastry according to the steps outlined in the photo tutorial for Individual Beef Wellingtons. Brush with egg wash, and bake in center of oven until golden brown; about 30 minutes.

Garnish with side of potatoe...

BEEF WELLINGTON...DONE!

Homemade Hefeweizen

Batch size: 5 gallons
O.G.: 1.049
IBUs: 12-14

6.6lbs LME Wheat extract
0.85 oz Tettnager hop pellets, 60 minute addition
WLP300 Hefeweizen Ale yeast

Boil the hops with the extract for 60 minutes, add honey. Chill to pitching temps and add yeast starter. Condition 2 weeks @ 65-70 degrees. This beer should ferment out rather quickly and be ready for the bottle within 10-12 days if your yeast was fresh.

Twice Baked French Potatoe Mash

Twice Baked French Potatoe Mash

• 4 to 6 red potatoes
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/2 lb bacon
• shredded cheese
  
• 1/3 to 1/2 c. milk
• 2 to 4 tbsp. butter
• pepper
• Food Mills
• Potato Masher
• Wire Whisks
• Mixing bowls

-Boil 4 to 6 medium-size potatoes for 20 to 25 minutes or until tender when pierced with a knife.
-Pan fry bacon, let the bacon stand for 10 minutes until cooled and then chop.
-Mash potatoes with whisk or electric mixer
-Whisk in 2 to 4 tbsp. melted butter, a pinch of salt, pepper to taste and 1/3 to 1/2 c. warmed milk.
-Top potatoes with shredded cheese & chopped bacon.
-Bake for 10 minutes at 350 degrees

Beef Filet in Polynesian Posison sauce

I love to cook on my grill, especially steaks. This is one of my favorite recipes for cooking... well the perfect steak. The two most important steps in cooking the steak is preparation & timing. First choose a cut of meat. I like to cook thinker cuts of beef filet. Then prepare the Poison sauce.

1/2 c. soy sauce
1/3 c. oil
2 tsp. of whisked molasses
1 tsp. ginger
1 tsp. dry mustard
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
& a pinch of black & red pepper

Cover both sides of filet and wrap in tin foil for at least two hours for proper marinade process. The grilling part is really left up to preference. I prefer to heat the grill at a high temperature then slightly lower it before placing the meat. For rare (140-150 degrees) is usually 6-7 minutes, Medium(160 degrees) is 9-12 minutes and 12-15 minutes for well(170 degrees). Use the hand test or a meat thermometer to help you determine the temperature of your steaks. Once getting desired color, let the filet cool, garnish & serve with choices of sides. I usually like a salad & potato substitute.

Chili Lasagna

Chili Lasagna is very easy & makes for interesting way to eat Chili... Lasagna. To say the least this brings together two of my favorite foods. The first step to this recipe is simply make your favorite chili. I prefer to have mine spicey!
2 pounds lean ground beef
1 cup diced onion
2 cloves garlic, thinly chopped
2 (16-ounce) cans red beans, drained then rinsed
2 1/2 cups diced tomatoes
1 (4-ounce) can Diced Green Chiles
2 teaspoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1. 1. Cook and drain the ground beef, onion and garlic in large skillet until beef is browned.
2. Preheat over to 375 degrees
   
3. 2. Add the beans, diced tomatoes, chiles, chili powder and cumin. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low; cover. Cook, stirring frequently, for 20 to 25 minutes.
4. Then Layer four sheets of barilla lasagna noodles and cover evenly with chili. Be sure to crush two hand fulls of saltine crackers between each layer to absorb access moisture & to give the dish stability. Do this until backing is layer to the top (4 sheets of lasagna noodles/chili, 4 sheets/chili). This should amount to four layers of four sheets.
5. Once the backing dish is full bake at 375 for 45 min.
6. Remove dish & cover with shredded cheese & a scope of sour cream.