Episode 11: Banana Bread

When I tell you this banana bread is award winning, it is not a lie. My mother has ribbons and awards from winning at the state fair two years in a row (those were the only years she submitted her bread, but I am sure if she kept up with it then she would have won more). Since we are here let's get to it.

BANANA BREAD

• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup butter (1 stick), softened or melted and cooled
• 2 eggs
• 3 overly ripe bananas
• 1 tbsp milk
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 2 cups flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp vanilla

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. In a large sized bowl combine cream together the sugar and butter. Add in the eggs, vanilla and milk. Mix. Put to the side

In a medium sized bowl, mix together the flour, cinnamon, powder, soda, and salt. Slowly add to the butter mix and combine till fully incorporated. Peel the bananas and break them into pieces. Add to the batter and mix together using a hand mixer or stand mixer until completely broken down. 

Grease loaf pans and add batter halfway to each pan. Bake in preheated oven for 25-28 minutes or until skewer comes out clean and bread is a golden brown. Remove from oven but do not let cool. Instead immediately turn bread out on to prepared plastic wrap and wrap up to retain moisture. 

I have a couple of variations to this bread that I like to do from time to time. At the same point as the banana add in you can add all sorts of things: chocolate chips, walnuts, coconut, cheesecake pieces, or even peanut butter. I even have a slight variation that involves rum, but that's for another episode. You can do whatever you like to make a recipe your own. It's your bake so why not?!

If you would like to see a tutorial on how to make the banana bread check out my TikTok videos at mrs_sheenak. 

Episode 10: Cabbage Rolls

 

Cabbage rolls are one of those foods that you either love or hate. I happen to love cabbage so these are right up my alley. I wasn't always into cabbage so a lot of my love for it has developed over the years. This recipe was one my mom had up her sleeve which she got from my grandmother. 

CABBAGE ROLLS

Sauce

• 1/2 onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 15 oz can tomato sauce
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• Salt and pepper to taste

Roll Filling

• 1 large head of green cabbage
• 1/2 pound sausage (pork preffered)
• 1/2 pound ground beef
• 1/2 onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 egg
• 1 cup rice, cooked
• 1 tbsp parsley
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp white pepper
• 1/2 tsp basil

In a large stock pot bring 8-10 cups of water to boil. In a separate sauce pan on medium high heat, add oil and sauté onions until translucent. Add in garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Add in the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, vinegar, and brown sugar. Lower heat to simmer and add salt/pepper to taste.

Back at the stock pot drop in the whole head of cabbage and let boil for 5-7 minutes. Remove from water and let cool. 

In a bowl combine sausage, beef, onion, garlic, rice, parsley, paprika, white pepper and basil. Mix together. Add egg and mix again. 

As soon as the cabbage head is cool to touch, with great delicacy remove each leaf in full without tearing. Remove as many as possible. Take each leaf and remove the stiff rib of the middle by making a triangle - do not cut the leaf in half, just remove the rib. After removing the ribs, take a good size amount of the filling and place on the end of the leaf. Roll and fold until enclosed. 

In a medium sized casserole dish add a layer of the sauce. Place each roll in the sauce once side by side. As soon as all the leaves are used or the filling is gone (whichever comes first), cover the rolls with the remaining sauce. Cover with aluminum foil. Place into oven for 80-90 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove and serve after 5 minutes of waiting.

I like to serve these with sauerkraut and a side of sour cream. You can do this however you want. It's your dish so why not!

If you'd like to see a tutorial on how to cook please check out my TikTok at mrs_sheenak.

Episode 9: Shepherd's Pie

 

I love Shepherd's Pie, especially if it's done the right way. Most of your recipes will call for ground or minced beef. This is wrong. An actual Shepherd's Pie is made with ground lamb hence it's name. When you use ground beef or minced beef that is a Cottage Pie. It's the same ingredients just different names. If you don't want to use lamb that is perfectly fine, just know it is a different name. With that let's get into it.

SHEPHERD'S PIE

• 1 pound ground lamb (or beef if you don't like lamb)
• 1/2 small onion, minced
• 1/4 tsp white ground pepper
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp dill
• 1/2 tsp basil
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/4 tsp sage
• 1/2 tsp oregano
• 1 can sweet peas, drained
• 1 can sliced carrots, drained
• 4 large potatoes, russets work best
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 2-3 tbsp butter
• 1/2 tbsp parsley
• 1 packet of instant brown gravy or jar gravy

In a stove top also oven safe skillet (stainless steel with a stainless steel handle or an iron skillet), add a little olive oil and the onion. Add the ground lamb along with the spices. Cook through. Remove from heat then add the peas and carrots. Stir together.

Peel and cut the potatoes. Add to a pot of water or desired stock and bring to a boil. Remove from heat once potatoes are tender. Drain and mash. Add cream, butter and parsley. Stir together and set aside. 

Mix up instant brown gravy mix or heat up jar gravy. Add gravy to lamb and vegetable mixture. Stir. Top with mashed potatoes spreading them across the top. 

Transfer the entire skillet to a 375 degree Fahrenheit oven for 20-25 minutes or until top is solid to touch (there might be golden touches to the potatoes). Remove from oven and let sit for 5 minutes before serving.

There are some folks who enjoy putting a layer of their favorite cheese between the meat and potatoes before baking. It adds another dimension to the dish. If you have trouble getting your mashed potatoes just right there is no shame in using instant potatoes. You can also substitute the canned vegetable for frozen if you have that on hand. You can change a recipe and make it your own. Why not?!

If you want to see a video tutorial on this recipe check out my TikTok at mrs_sheenak.  

Episode 8: Chori-Pollo

 

I've always enjoyed what Americans call Mexican food. Normally I will go to my favorite local restaurant and order this dish. Since I am on a tight budget lately I took it upon myself to try to make it. It was a hit not only with my taste buds, but with my husband's as well. Let's get this made

CHORI-POLLO

• 2 pounds chicken cutlets
• 1 packet fajita seasoning
• 1/4 cup white vinegar
• 3 tbsp olive oil

In a large ziploc baq, combine the fajita seasoning, vinegar and oil. Mix completely. Add the chicken and coat all the pieces. Zip the bag shut. Place in the fridge for four hours.

• 1 roll of chorizo (I use Cacique)
• 1 small block of Velveeta Queso Blanco, cubed
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 can of mild Rotel
• 1/2 small onion, diced
• 1/2 green pepper, diced

In a large skillet, cook the chorizo. Once cooked, remove from the pan and keep heat on. Add onion and green pepper. Cook for 2-3 minutes. Remove the chicken from the fridge and add to the pan. Cook thoroughly. Set aside.

In a separate pot, add 1/4 of the Velveeta on low heat so that it can melt. Once it melts completely add the milk and the can of Rotel. Stir and keep on low.

Once all the items are heated place the chicken on a plate, cover with the cheese sauce and then top with chorizo. ENJOY!

There are a great many things you can serve this with including rice, beans, and even a side salad. The possibilities are endless. Mix it up and try different combinations. Why not?!

If you want to see a video tutorial check out my TikTok at mrs_sheenak

Episode 7: Chocolate Porkchops

 

It sounds gross - I know - I had my reservations the first time a friend made a variation of this for me. Since then it has become one of my husband's favorite dishes I make. Let's get to it.

CHOCOLATE PORKCHOPS

• 2 pounds of pork chops, preferably cut at 1 inch thick
• 2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp tarragon
• 1/4 tsp dill
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp black garlic
• 1 tsp cayenne
• 1/2 tsp ground white pepper

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. In a large bowl combine all the spices including the cocoa powder. Rub this mixture on both sides of the pork chops. In an iron skillet or other metal handled pan, sear both sides of the the chops to have a nice crust. Keep in skillet or pan and place in oven. Pork will be ready when the internal temperature is 145 degrees Fahrenheit or cooked for 20 minutes. 

I used the remaining drippings from the pork to created a gravy to go with the chops and it was absolutely delicious. I normally pair the chops with pan fried brussels sprouts with bacon and a balsamic viengar reduction or rice with field peas and snaps. You can do whatever you like - even serving with mashed potatoes to go with that gravy. Why not?!

If you want to see a tutorial on this particular recipe check out my TikTok channel - mrs_sheenak.

Episode 6: Fried Mac n Cheese

I try to use my leftovers to the fullest extent. When I had a lot of leftover mac n cheese I had to think about how I wanted to use it up without just reheating it. Normally when you reheat mac n cheese it gets rubbery which is something I wanted to avoid. Since I live in the South we like to fry things so we gave it a go at fried mac n cheese. If you don't have leftover mac n cheese we will start with a fresh batch in the recipe. Here we go:

FRIED MAC N CHEESE

• 2 cups elbow macaroni
• 2 cups grated white sharp cheddar cheese, divided
• 1 cup diced butterkaise cheese, divided
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 3 tbsp all purpose flour
• 1 small package diced pancetta (bacon can be substituted)
• 1 tsp paprika 
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp parsley
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning
• 1/2 cup seasoned breadcrumbs

In a cooking pot, bring 4 cups of water to boil. Add macaroni and cook for 8-10 minutes. While the macaroni cooks, fry the pancetta. Remove the pancetta once it is crispy but reserve the oil. This will be used for the béchamel. Strain the macaroni and put it to the side. Bring the leftover pancetta grease to a medium high heat; add the flour and spices. Mix fully. Slowly add in the heavy cream and thicken up until it coats the back of a spoon when a line can be made with your finger. Remove from heat then add in 1 cup of white cheddar and 1/2 cup of butterkaise. Melt completely. Stir in pancetta and macaroni. Add to a greased baking dish and cover with remaining cheese. Top with breadcrumbs. Bake in a 350 degree Fahrenheit over for 20-25 minutes. Remove from the oven and let sit until completely cooled. Move to refrigerator for 4 hours. Macaroni will need to be chilled in order to fry correctly.

• 1 cup panko
• 1 cup seasoned breadcrumbs
• 2 large eggs
• 3-4 cups of canola or vegetable oil

In a bowl combine the panko and breadcrumbs. In another bowl add eggs then whisk. These will be the two separate items needed for frying. Add oil to a pot on the stove on medium high heat. Temperature can be adjusted to compensate for burn if it happens. Remove your mac n cheese from the fridge. It can be sliced in 1 inch squares or a biscuit cutter can be used to cut out uniform pieces. Dredge each piece in the eggs coating fully. Transfer to the breading mixture and coat all the way around. Once the oil reaches a frying point add in the mac n cheese medallions. Fry until golden and turn over to fry the other side golden. Remove from oil onto a paper towel to soak up excess oil. 

I like to make a dipping sauce out of ranch dressing and Frank's Red Hot sauce, but you can use whatever you like to dip it in. Try out any variation you want - you can even add jalapenos to the mac n cheese. Why not?!

If you want to see a tutorial on how to make the recipe check out my channel on TikTok under mrs_sheenak