Mary Ann's Shrimp Dip

Mary Ann makes this great dip each Christmas for the family.  Generally, she make 3 batches as this dip goes fast.  

Ingredients

• 1 standard can of Tiny Shrimp, rinse in water
• 4 ounces of cream cheese (Mary Ann uses whipped cream cheese)
• 3 tablespoons of Mayo (or more if needed to make it creamy)
• Tabasso sauce
• Worcestershire Sauce
• Lemon Juice
• Paprika

Procedure

The following ingredient amounts are approximate.  Combine to your taste.

• Rub serving bowl with a clove of garlic
• Combine the cream cheese and 3 tablspoons of Mayo or more until creamy
• Add about 4 shakes of Tabasso Sauce
• Add about 2 shakes of Worcestershire sauce
• Add 5 drops of lemon juice
• Combine the above ingredients
• Add shrimp and combine all ingredients
• Put mixture into serving bowl
• Sprinkle Paprika on top
• Serve with potato chips

Papa's BBQ Sauce

Okay, my recipe for my BBQ ribs is getting torn and warn so much that I can hardly read it.  So, it is time to write it down.  I found the BBQ rib rub and BBQ sauce recipe in a Harley Davidson magazine in 2008.  I worked for a year tweaking the recipe to my liking.  In my opinion, the recipe is almost perfect.  Enjoy.

Ingredients for the Dry Rub

• 1-1/2 Cups Dark Brown Sugar 
• 1/2 Cup Chili Powder
• 1/2 Cup Paprika
• 1 TB Garlic Powder
• 1 TB Dry Mustard
• 1 TB Onion Powder
• 1 TB Cracked Black Pepper
• 1/2 Teaspoon Cayenne Pepper

Ingredients for the BBQ Sauce

• 1 medium Spanish or Red onion, finely diced (optional)
• 1-1/2 Cup Olive Oil to Saute onions (optional)
• 4 Cups of Ketchup
• 1 Cup Chicken or Beef Broth
• 4 TB Dark Brown Sugar
• 1/2 Cup Apple Cider Vinegar
• 3 TB Worcestershire Sauce
• 3/4 Cup Molasses
• 1 TB Dry Mustard
• 2 TB Chili Powder
• 1/2 Teaspoon Roasted Curry Powder
• 1 TB Kosher Salt
• 1/4 Cayenne Pepper
• 1/2 Teaspoon Black Pepper
• 3 TB Tomato Paste
• 1 Teaspoon roasted Garlic

Ingredients for Cooking Ribs

• Apple Juice

Procedure for the Dry Rub

• Combine all of the ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth.  The brown sugar can lump so process until entire mixture does not have lumps.

Procedure for the BBQ Sauce

• Saute onions in the olive oil until translucent. (optional)
• Add the rest of the sauce ingredients and cover and simmer over a low heat for 3/4 to 1 hour to infuse the flavors.  The heat should be very low (use the simmer settings if you have them).  Check every 5 minutes and stir the mixture with a whisk.  Set aside to cool.  Store in glass jars.

Procedure for cooking the Ribs

• I purchase ribs from Costco.  You can get a package of 3 ribs.
• The day before you want to cook the ribs, lay out the ribs on a large cooking tray and apply the dry rub to both sides.  Refrigerate overnight covered with plastic wrap.
• The next day, cut the ribs into two halves.
• I put 3 halves in an aluminum lined 3/4 inch deep pan.
• Pour apple juice around the ribs to leave about ¼ inch liquid.  Cover the pan with foil. 
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
• Cook the ribs for 1-1/2 hours.  Rotate the pans in the oven every 30 minutes to insure even cooking. 
• Once cooked, uncover the ribs, drain the liquid and let the ribs rest for a minimum of 30 minutes.
• Next, preheat the grill.
• Reheat the ribs on the grill on medium-high heat.  Apply the BBQ sauce to each side.  I start with the bone side down.  Continue to grill the ribs and apply the BBQ sauce until the ribs are caramelized with sauce and heated through.  
• Serve immediately.  Generally, each person gets 4 ribs.  Each pack is about 12 ribs and should serve 4 people.

Cup A Cuppa

This recipe via my wife is from a dear friend, Jan Miller.  It is called Cup A Cuppa because the ingredients are proportioned as a cup of this and a cup of that.  Very easy to make and great reviews at parties.  Enjoy. 

Ingredients

• 1 cup mayo
• 1 cup of shredded Jack cheese
• 1 cup of shredded Cheddar cheese
• 1 small can of mild Green Chili
• Sprinkle small amounts of Onion Powder and Garlic Powder to taste
• 1 freshly sliced Baguette

Procedure

• Slice up a fresh baguette into 1/4 inch slices
• Spread mixture over sliced baguette 
• Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes
• Serve

Catelli's Chicken Parmesan

Recently, two of our friends (Deanna and Jan) took a local day trip.  First stop was the Rio Nido Roadhouse near the Russian River.  Traffic was so bad (it was July 4th, 2024), we decided to not go to the Union Hotel Restaurant in Occidental, but rather, we made a u-turn and took off for Geyserville.  Deanna took us to Catelli's (an Italian restaurant).  While I had the Butter Garlic pasta, Deanna had their thin Ravioli with Domenica's meat sauce (to die for). Deanna noted that the restaurant was famous for their Chicken Parmesan.  While I still need to cook it, I wanted to share it on my blog.  So, here goes.  

Ingrediants

Marinade

• 4 boneless, skinless checken breasts
• 1 bunch fresh basil
• 1 bunch fresh Italian parsley
• ½ cup olive oil
• 8 cloves of garlic
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper

Breading

• Oil for Frying
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• Salt and Pepper
• 4 Eggs
• 2 cups Panko
• ¼ cup granulated garlic

Polenta (You could substitute Spaghetti)

• 2 cups polenta
• ¼ cup mascarpoe or ricotta
• ¼ cup grated smoked mozzarella
• ½ cup grated Parmesan

Domenica's Sauce

• 4 to 5 cloves garlic, minced
• ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 2 tablespoons EVOO
• 1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup Burrata
• 1 cup grated Parmesan, plus additonal for serving

Procedure

1. For the marinade: Pound or butterfly chicken breasts to about ½ inch thick.
2. Blend basil, parsely, olive oil, garlic, slat and pepper in blender.
3. Pour over the chicken in a bowl and let marindate 15 minutes at room temperature, or up to overnight refrigerated.
4. For the breading: bring oil to 350- degrees in a deep fryer or preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
5. Stir together the flour and salt in a shallow bowl, then beat together the eggs and ½ cup water with a little salt and pepper in another shallow bowl. Stir together the panko, granulated garlic and salt in a third shallow bowl.  Dredge the chicken in the flour first, followed by the eggs and then panko.
6. Fry until the chicken floats, about 3 minutes, or bake until cooked, approxmately 10 minutes,
7. For the polenta, Bring 10 cups of water to a boil in a saucepan, then stir in the polenta and lower the heat.  Simmer, stirring regularly until done, about 20 minutes.  Stir in mascarpone, smoked mozzarella and parmesan until the cheese has melted.
8. For Domenica's sauce: Lightly saute the garlic and crushed red pepper in the oilive oil in a saucepan.  Add the tomatores and salt and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes.
9. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
10. Scoop polenta into an oiled cast-iron skillet or over overproof dish.  Put the chicken on the polenta, then ladle Domenica's sauce over the top.  Scoop on Burrata and Parmesan, then bake until the cheese is melted, about 5 minutes.  Finish with more Parmesan and chopped Parsley.

Three Great Dressings - One for A Reuban Sandwich and the other for a Wedge Salad

Russian Dressing For Reuban Sandwich

Hectors Smoke House

• 1 very finely chopped and smushed shallot
• 
  1 cup mayonnaise i
• 1/4 cup ketchup 
• 1 tablespoon creamy prepared horseradish
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon sweet relish 
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika 
• 1 teaspoon sriracha (optional)
• Add salt and pepper to taste (optional)
• Mix throughly

Blue Cheese Gressing - Mary Ann Found This Nice Version

This recipe require a block of Blue Cheese that is 6 ounces

• ¾ cup Mayo
• ¾ cup Sour Cream
• 6 ounces crumbled good quality Blue Cheese
• 3 tablespoons Minced Parsley optional)
• 1-½ Tablespoons Lemon Juice (optional, but recommended)
• ½ teaspoon sea salt (fleur de sel recommended)
• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper (white pepper optional)
• Milk, Buttermilk or whipping cream to thin out the dressing (optional)
• Combine all ingredients and thin out if needed.  Make sure you keep some of the blue cheese crumbles in tack to add texture to the dressing.
• Keep in refriderator, tightly covered for one week. 
• Add tomatoes and crisp bacon to taste.

Blue Cheese Dressing For Wedge Salad

Chef John from FoodWishes.com - Makes about 3 1/4 cups Creamy Blue Cheese Dressing - Please note: everything in this recipe is “to taste,” so adjust to your liking!

• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1 cup sour cream
• 3/4 cup buttermilk
• 1 teaspoon crushed garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• Cayenne to taste
• Combine all of the above ingredients until smooth
• 4 ounces frozen blue cheese, grated
• Before preparing the dressing, put the bluse cheese in the freezer for about 3 minutes or until very firm.  Then; using a manual grate using the mediem grate holes slowly greate the cheese and adding the bits to the dressing.  After addiing about 1@ punce of blue cheese chips, stir the dressing and repeat until the entire block of cheese is gone.