Cheese ,Please...

Hi ya,
Sorry for the long delay between posts, but things have been a bit....lets say, trying? Summer is the season of death in the music biz and Im fighting for my (business) life.Enuff of that, this is for fun!! I have really wanted to make cheese for a long time and have been researching different ways to make cheese that are simple for the first timer.The first cheese I am going to make is a Indian "Paneer" cheese. It is very light, fresh and non-aged (I guess you could age it and give it a rind)I love this stuff in Indian curries and spread on a nice round of Garlic nan bread.It is not a melting cheese, think more like a less tangy cream cheese. Wish me luck !! Into the (fromage) abyss!!

Paneer Cheese

1 quart plain, full fat yogurt, live cultures please
1 tsp salt
1 large piece cheese cloth
1 large metal bowl
2 chop sticks

Empty yogurt onto cheese cloth
Tie cheese cloth into a hobo bundle
Twist tightly until liquid begins to seep from yogurt
Run chopsticks thru top of bundle
hang sticks to suspend bundle over bowl
place in fridge over night
Next morning, open bundle, remove cheese to flat dry surface
sprinkle with salt
shape to a round
You can eat and enjoy now or cook with later
Enjoy your new title of "Fromagier" which either means cheese maker or frog likker
Im not sure? :)

Diablo Shrimp and Grits for Joy

Yes, I know I have been away for a bit and there have been no new mouthwatering foods for you to check out.Tonite I will reverse that trend.My old buddy Joy had asked about shrimp and grits so, I guess this one is for her !! I call them Diablo, cause well, they can be really spicy, adjust the hot pepper down for a more wimpy version !! Please leave me comments and let me know how Im doing !!

Diablo Shrimp and Grits

1 pound large shrimp
1 large onion chopped
1 bell pepper chopped
1 bunch green onions chopped, save the greens for garnish
1 tsp chopped garlic
2 cups chicken broth
2 cup heavy cream
1 jalapeno pepper chopped fine
2 cups uncooked REAL grits (no instant allowed)
1 stick butter
Creole seasoning to taste
8oz shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Bring large pot of water to boil with a pinch of salt
add shrimp, let cook till pink (about 1 minute)
remove shrimp and reserve

Follow directions for grits
when creamy, add 1 cup cream and cheese
whisk till cheese is melted and grits are smooth
cover and keep warm

Melt butter
add flour (your making a roux, again)
stir,stir and stir
stir till roux is a peanut butter color
add all vegetables, cook till soft
add chicken broth and stir
add 1 cup of cream
salt pepper and creole seasoning to taste

to serve:
place grits in bottom of bowl
add 3to 4 shrimp
cover with the gravy
Enjoy!!
Be sure you have lots of french bread to sop up all the jucies !!

The Pork Chops of doom with rice and cream gravy

Got a good deal on pork chops.Wanted mashed potatoes...forgot to buy them (dumbass) had a nice bag of rice and some heavy cream...I knew it would turn out well. Even Max ate 3 chops !!! I will tell one of my secrets to killer fried food. Tony Chacheres Creole seasoning mix!! Its a combo of about 12 of my favorie spices and a little heat ! Try it on anything from scrambles eggs to ice cream......Im kiddin bout the ice cream.Thanks to all ya'll for reading my blog,as my followers are growing in number and the food ad folks are starting to contact me!! This is great.Thanks again!!


Killer pork chops

2 pounds thin pork chops (1/2" thick)
1 cup flour
2 tbl spoon Tony Chacheres creole seasoning
1 cup of milk
2 eggs

Put flour and spices in a ziplock bag
mix eggs and milk in a large bowl
dip each chop in milk mixture
then place in bag and shake till coated
shake off excess flour
Heat 1/2" vegtable oil in a CAST IRON PAN...Must be cast iron and old and from your grandma....not really, but it makes for a better story
fry till golden brown ,crispy and delicious!!


Cream Gravy
1 pint heavy cream
1 stick butter
1 cup flour
salt and pepper to taste

melt butter in a pot
add flour and whisk
whisk
whisk
whisk
and whisk till smooth
cook for 2 to 3 minutes
whisking the whole time
add cream
whisk ,ditto
bring back toa boil
if it gets to thick, add a little more milk

Rice
3 cups rice ...REAL RICE...not in a boil bag, not instant...just rice
5 cups water
1 stick butter
salt

boil water with salt and butter
add rice
turn down to simmer, place lid on
simmer for 20 minutes till water is evaporated

Eat.....its good
Fry up some love and feed somebody

Frank Zappa (Dont let your) Meatloaf

Made this Tuesday night....in a big hurry and damnit, its the best meatloaf I have ever eaten!!! Had to make a simple ingredient sub right at the end, which is what I think put it out of the park!! Very moist, very tender and just the right amount of spice. And BTW, Frank Zappa had a song lyric that went "Dont let your meat loaf,haw haw haw!!

Frank Zappa Meatloaf

2 pounds 73/27 ground beef
1 pound hot breakfast sausage
2 large eggs
1 cup bread crumbs
2 large sweet onions (hot damn, Vidalias are in season!)
1 large bell pepper
2 table spoons garlic crushed
1 cup ketchup
1/2 cup sweet chilli garlic sauce (any brand)
1/4 cup worchestershire suace
4 or 5 good shakes of hot sauce
salt
pepper

chop onion , bell pepper and garlic and saute in butter until tender then reserve
then in a bowl, mix together (with your hands): The ground beef,sausage, eggs and bread crumbs,salt and pepper
add cooked veggies
DO NOT OVERWORK THIS MIXTURE....it will be tuff if you do!!
add worshestershire and hot sauce
grease a large glass baking dish
shape meat mixture into a even loaf size (so it will cook evenly)
mix together ketchup and chilli suace,then spread all over meatloaf

bake at 400 for 1 hour, covered with foil
turn up to broil, remove foil and cook for 10 minutes
serve with mashed potatoes or my mac and cheese
Even better as a sandwich the next day!!!!!