Karen's Killer Fixin's

Karen’s Killer Fixin’s **Author Special** with Mark Nesbitt

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  Karen’s Killer Fixin’s **AUTHOR SPECIAL** with MARK NESBITT

Welcome to my Friday bonus feature called Karen’s Killer Fixin’s **Author Special**!!  Today, in lieu of one of my own recipes, I’m going to introduce you to a new author who will share one of his favorite recipes. Not only will you and I occasionally learn how to make something new and delicious, but we’ll get a chance to check out some wonderful authors.

Introducing author, MARK NESBITT, and his favorite recipe for PEACH LIGHTNING, shared with him by a ghost!

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BOOK PEEK ~   CIVIL WAR GHOST TRAILS by Mark Nesbitt

  • Riveting ghost stories with history from all the major engagements of the war, including Manassas, Shiloh, antietam, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Vicksburg, Gettysburg, Chickamauga, Chattanooga, Petersburg and Appomattox.
  • Chilling accounts from wartime capitals of Richmond and Washington, DC, and haunted Civil War prisons at Johnson’s Island, Point Lookout, and Andersonville.
  • Field investigations with witnesses and EVP recordings.

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 About the author, Mark Nesbitt….

Mark Nesbitt was a National Park Service Ranger/Historian for five years at Gettysburg before starting his own research and writing company. Since then he has published over fifteen books including the popular Ghosts of Gettysburg series and newly released Civil War Ghost Trails. For his most recent ebook, Blood & Ghosts, his co-author was Katherine Ramsland, an expert in the field of forensics and serial killers. Mark’s stories have been seen on The History Channel, A&E, The Discovery Channel, The Travel Channel, Unsolved Mysteries, and numerous regional television shows and heard on Coast to Coast AM, and regional radio. In 1994, he created the commercially successful Ghosts of GettysburgCandlelight Walking Tours® and in 2006, the Ghosts of Fredericksburg Tours.

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CIVIL WAR GHOST TRAILS by Mark Nesbitt

EXCERPT

Why would ghosts be associated with the Civil War? Like most wars, the Civil War began with naïve expectations of a quick victory—on both sides. Men enlisted for ninety days and prayed that the war wouldn’t end before their enlistment. Parties and celebrations sent young men off to glorious war, and girlfriends could not really be serious when they told their beaux to bring home their uniforms without any holes in them.

Tragically, after four years, nearly 850,000 of those young men would never come home. Half of that number would die wasted from disease. Hundreds of thousands more would return missing a limb. These figures, however, are slightly misleading. America in the nineteenth century had less than one-tenth the population it does today. So we need to multiply those figures by ten to get the same impact they would have today. Imagine if, in just four years of war today, America lost more than 8 million young men and millions more came home missing an arm or leg or both. The outcry would be overwhelming.

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Connect with Mark Nesbitt & Civil War Ghost Trails:

I hope you enjoy today’s Killer Fixin’s, as well as the recipe Mark is sharing with us today.  Happy eating!

Karen

P.S.  We’re at 62 recipes and counting with this posting.  Hope you find some recipes you like. If this is your first visit, please check out past blogs for more Killer Fixin’s. In the right hand column menu, you can even look up past recipes by type. i.e. Desserts, Breads, Beef, Chicken, Soups, Author Specials, etc.

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Note from author, Mark Nesbitt: Thanks to Sarge, a resident ghost at the Cashtown Inn, Pennsylvania, for sharing this recipe when told we had a bottle of Virginia White Lightning. For those folks who are wondering, White Lightning is actually legal moonshine that you can buy in the liquor stores. The illegal version would make the recipe much more fun and might be what my ghost Sarge actually used, but we’ll stick with the legal version! 🙂

 

PEACH LIGHTNING

* Muddle 1/2 peach in the bottom of an Old-Fashioned glass
Add crushed ice
Top off with White Lightning

STIR.

[[FOR THOSE OF LEGAL DRINKING AGE ONLY!!]]

* One type of bartender’s tool is a “muddler” which is used like a pestle to mash the fruit in the bottom of the glass.

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**SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT:  Mark will give away an ebook copy of BLOOD & GHOSTS, which he co-authored with Katherine Ramsland (this week’s Karen’s Killer Book Bench author, check Monday & Wednesday blogs for more about Katherine)  to one reader who comments on today’s Karen’s Killer Fixin’s blog.  Winner will be randomly selected and announced Monday.  Thanks, Mark, for sharing your story, and favorite recipe, with us!
Karen's Drop-In Diary

Karen’s Diary Drop-In ~ 10-25-12

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[[Welcome to my weekly writer’s diary where I’ll share my “Woot Woot!” moments and the not so “woot woot” moments of my writing world. And, yes, I might even share the occasional musing or two about reading and writing, two of my favorite things!]]

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Dear Diary,

            It’s Thursday ~ 10/25/12 ~ and…

I’m continuing where I left off last week when I mentioned how much I love social networks and the friendships I’ve made across the country.  I spent two glorious days last week visiting with friends I made online.  I thought you might like a peek at what we did.

I spent the night in Colorado Springs with Linnea Hall(http://www.amazon.com/Linnea-Hall/e/B004LL0OFA). We met when I went to Tennessee to speak at her chapter couple of years, but we’ve chatted ever since. When I heard she was coming to Colorado for several days, I just had to find a way to go play. And did we play!  We didn’t have much time around her conference, but was able to dash out before it got dark to explore the Garden of the Gods. It was doubly fun for me because, long as I’ve lived in Colorado, I’ve only driven through the area once.

It truly is beautiful, one of the reasons why I love my Colorado Rockies!  See for yourself….

Love the red color of these rocks!

Looking west where the sun has gone down but the sky is still light enough to take pictures.

Love all the different strata colors.

Fascinating erosion variations.

 

Balancing Rock!

It’s all fun and games until some silly tourist knocks the rock off balance…Linnea! 🙂

 

My friend, Linnea.  Last stop, Balancing Rock, before too dark to explore.

We drove out of the Garden of the Gods park into Manitou Springs where I knew the BEST restaurant for the hungry and adventurous.  Stagecoach Inn has been around forever (some say it was the original stage stop 100 years ago) and has a few specialties I wanted to introduce to Linnea. Specialties she can’t get back in Tennessee anyway…like Rocky Mountain Oysters (yummm, a fav of mine). Yes, we’re talking Bull Bullocks, “balls” for the less squeamish. Done right, they can be great eating, and Stagecoach does it right! We also tried their smoked pheasant soup. We rounded our meal off with buffalo pot roast and homemade berry cobbler.  We were stuffed when we were finished, even had leftovers to take back to the hotel, but it was well worth it!  It gave us the energy we needed to sit up into the wee hours of the night in our pajamas talking.

The next morning, Linnea went back to her conference schedule and I dashed off to a friend’ s house fifteen minutes away in the foothills.  Lori Kander is a friend I met on a MySpace readers’ group, if you can believe it!  We were online friends for years before she moved to Colorado and we finally met. I got to see her lovely new home (well, it DID take me a while to get down to her!) and we spent several hours visiting and brainstorming her new book.  (I wonder how many of us who read prodigiously end up picking up a pen to put to paper.  I’m sure there are lots!)  Sadly, I left my camera in the truck when I arrived and we got sidetracked by what is turning into a great book, so I have no pictures of Lori or the foothills around her to share. I’ll be sure to share her photo when she publishes her book — she will — and I highlight her on one of my Book Bench blogs.

Around the fun stuff, I had a tough decision to make. I had already scheduled to conduct my 4-week online workshop, The “W” Plot…Or The Other White Meat for Plotters, several times through the next year.  But I have some surgeries coming up that forced me to cancel all of them except for January’s date with STAR (Southern Tier Authors of Romance).  My online workshop career will have to go on hiatus for a while. I’ll miss the fun of exploring student plots but I just can’t take a chance I can’t give everyone 100%.  When I take the schedule back up, I’ll be sure to make an announcement.  Thankfully, I have made my workshop available on my website at www.karendocter.com for those who still want the full class lectures, so I’m not completely deserting my fellow writers!

Interestingly enough, directly on the heels of sending out my cancellation emails, I received an invitation to go back to Phoenix to do my full day, “W” workshop for the good folks at Saguaro Romance Writers. I did the workshop for them several years ago and had a great time, so I’m looking forward to doing it again.  I decided I could do the physical workshop for them since it’s only one day and it’s not scheduled until October.  Still, going to keep the rest of the year open so I can work on getting back on my feet and running…literally.  Hmmm, maybe not. But walking would be nice!

I’m sure I have lots of other things I could share today, but I’ll refrain.  I really need to get this posted since it’s running about fourteen hours behind schedule. 🙂  Wishing you all a wonderful week!

See you next Thursday for another rousing entry in Karen’s Diary Drop-In….

 

Karen's Killer Fixin's

Karen’s Killer Fixin’s: Bean with Bacon Soup

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  It’s time for Karen’s Killer Fixin’s!

Over the years, I’ve filled two 4-inch, 3-ring binders with my own creations as well as recipes my family and friends were willing to share with me.  I simply love to cook and want to share that love with my readers.

So every Friday, I share one recipe I think you and your family might enjoy. It might be a main course recipe. A cookie or baked item. Candy. Salads. Whatever strikes my eye and fancy…which today is BEAN WITH BACON SOUP!!

My absolute favorite Campbell’s soup growing up was bean with bacon.  I spent some time trying to reproduce the flavor from scratch and finally came up with this final recipe.  Yes.  It includes a LOT of bacon but then, anything with bacon, is enhanced with MORE! 🙂  If you’re watching your diet, just give yourself a treat once in a while. You won’t be sorry!

I hope you enjoy today’s Killer Fixin’s.  Happy eating!

Karen

P.S.  We’re at 61 recipes and counting with this posting.  Hope you find some recipes you like. If this is your first visit, please check out past blogs for more Killer Fixin’s. In the right hand column menu, you can even look up past recipes by type. i.e. Desserts, Breads, Beef, Chicken, Soups, Author Specials, etc.

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 BEAN WITH BACON SOUP
[Serves 6]

1 bag white beans
1 tsp. thyme
1½ tsp. crushed garlic
½ lb. raw, chopped bacon
2 carrots, chopped
2 cups tomato juice **
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 tsp. liquid smoke
1 onion, chopped
2 tsp. salt
2 T. brown sugar

In crock pot, soak white beans overnight in water 2 inches over top of beans.  In morning, add enough water to recover beans back to 3 inches above.  Add rest of ingredients and cook in crock pot all day.

*  Recommend making this soup first time with you at home to make sure beans don’t absorb all of the water and burn.  Have made this one all over the country, and differing altitudes and moisture levels do affect results.

**  If tomato juice is unavailable, you can replace 2 cups of tomato juice with 2 small cans of tomato paste and 2 cups water.

Karen's Killer Fixin's

Karen’s Killer Fixin’s: Pumpkin Pie ~ Made with Fresh Pumpkin

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  It’s time for Karen’s Killer Fixin’s!

Over the years, I’ve filled two 4-inch, 3-ring binders with my own creations as well as recipes my family and friends were willing to share with me.  I simply love to cook and want to share that love with my readers.

So every Friday, I share one recipe I think you and your family might enjoy. It might be a main course recipe. A cookie or baked item. Candy. Salads. Whatever strikes my eye and fancy…which today is PUMPKIN PIE ~ MADE WITH FRESH PUMPKIN. A Double Feature Recipe!!

This week’s recipes are courtesy of a request by a friend of mine. We were talking about her abundance of pumpkins and what to do with them all. I suggested preparing them for freezing for fresh pumpkin pie at Thanksgiving, which reminded me that it was time to share this recipe.  The first time I made my family homemade pumpkin pie with fresh pumpkin, they put a moratorium on ANY canned pumpkin. It’s that fresh and that tasty! We like the lighter touch on spices, too. 

With the deluge of pumpkins on the market this month, it makes good sense to get your pumpkins now and freeze it so all you have to do is thaw it in November for your pies. The first recipe below tells you how to prepare and freeze the pumpkin (easy peasy) and the second recipe is how to make the BEST, freshest pumpkin pie you’ve ever had. I’ve even had people who hate pumpkin pie like this one. I’ve found happy holidays can be truly happy, even for the cook, with some advanced planning. 🙂

I hope you enjoy today’s Killer Fixin’s.  Happy eating!

Karen

P.S.  We’re at 60 recipes and counting with this posting.  Hope you find some recipes you like. If this is your first visit, please check out past blogs for more Killer Fixin’s. In the right hand column menu, you can even look up past recipes by type. i.e. Desserts, Breads, Beef, Chicken, Soups, Author Specials, etc.

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PUMPKIN…MAKING/FREEZING FRESH

Small pumpkins are best for flavor and texture and ease of preparation, however, larger pumpkins can also be used. MUST USE whole, fresh pumpkins, not those used as Jack O’Lanterns!!

Cut pumpkin in half (thirds if larger) and scoop out all seeds and debris.  (Set seeds aside if desired to make baked pumpkin seeds.)  Leaving rind on, place cut side down on cookie sheet or pan large enough to accommodate pumpkin halves.  Bake in 275 degree oven 45-60 minutes until pumpkin meat is fork tender.

NOTE:  After 60 minutes, if pumpkin is not quite tender, check in 10 minute increments.  There might be a bit of browning juice in bottom but that’s okay as long as it doesn’t burn.

When pumpkin is tender, remove from oven and let cool enough so it can be handled.  Scoop the tender pumpkin into a ricer or food processor (even a blender can work in a pinch if you don’t mind stopping to push down pulp until smooth, a bit time-consuming though) and process until texture is smooth.

When pumpkin meat is completely cooled, spoon into ziplock freezer bags and mark with the date processed.  Freeze flat for easier stacking.  Thaw completely before use.

NOTE:  Use processed pumpkin in pumpkin pies, cookies, and desserts as needed.  Be aware that fresh pumpkin retains more moisture than canned pumpkin and adjust your recipes accordingly.  If you wish to freeze pumpkin for future pies, recommend freezing in five-cup increments.  That way you’ll have exactly enough fresh pumpkin for the two pies in next recipe.  Then, all you need to do is thaw one package.

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KAREN DOCTER’S FRESH PUMPKIN PIE
[Two 9-inch deep-dish pies]

 

2 uncooked 9-inch piecrusts
1 large can pumpkin OR 5 cups fresh (thawed) pumpkin (see 1st recipe)
2 T. flour
1-1/2 cup packed brown sugar
½ tsp. ginger
½ tsp. nutmeg
¼ tsp. salt
½ tsp. cinnamon
1 can evaporated milk (NOT sweetened condensed milk)
2 large eggs (add last!)

SPECIAL NOTE:  Recipe above is for a fresh tasting pumpkin pie using canned pumpkin.  If using fresh pumpkin, increase flour to 3 T. and use 3 eggs.

Make two 9-inch, deep-dish piecrusts, either from scratch or use ready made (there are generally two in a pack in your grocery freezer section, NOT graham cracker crumb piecrust!).  Set aside.

In large bowl, beat together rest of ingredients until smooth and thoroughly mixed.  Pour into uncooked piecrusts, spreading evenly between pie shells.  Do not overfill—extra pumpkin can be poured into small, oven-proof bowls and cooked separately as a custard.  (Great for those who don’t want crust!)  Bake in 400 degree oven, 10-15 minutes. Then, turn down heat to 350 degrees for 45 minutes until middle is set.

NOTE:  May need to cook longer to set when using fresh pumpkin.  Check in ten-minute increments after 45 minutes.  Cool on racks and serve.  If not serving immediately, cool, and then place (covered with plastic wrap) in refrigerator.  Serve with whipped cream.

Karen's Killer Fixin's

Karen’s Killer Fixin’s **Author Special** with Sharon Clare

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  Karen’s Killer Fixin’s **AUTHOR SPECIAL** with SHARON CLARE

Welcome to my Friday bonus feature called Karen’s Killer Fixin’s **Author Special**!!  Today, in lieu of one of my own recipes, I’m going to introduce you to a new author who will share one of his favorite recipes. Not only will you and I occasionally learn how to make something new and delicious, but we’ll get a chance to check out some wonderful authors.

Introducing author, SHARON CLARE, and her favorite recipe for CURRY GLAZED CARROTS!

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BOOK PEEK ~  Love of Her Lives by Sharon Clare

Calum and Beth are soul mates who have lived many lives together until Beth decides to live a life on her own. Left behind in the Upper World, Calum sees a wrongful imprisonment in her future, so he bargains with Finn, an elven trickster to return to Earth, rescue Beth and reclaim her heart. Unfamiliar with the twenty-first century, he must determine who plots against Beth while playing Finn’s passion-provoking game.

Beth has no recollection of their lives together and didn’t ask this sexually-charged stranger to come to her aid. She is horrified to find her house ransacked and her life threatened. With a secret to keep, she takes the greatest risk of all—trusting Calum. Her life soon depends upon re-evaluating everything she thought normal. Their eternal bond will only be saved if Beth can rescue the man who spanned worlds to rescue her.

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 About the author, Sharon Clare….

Sharon Clare lives in Ontario with her husband and three wonderful grown-up kids who come and go from the nest. She fell in love with writing at the University of Toronto where she graduated with a science degree in psychology and professional writing. She writes paranormal romance and has published short stories, art reviews, newsletter and magazine articles. Her favourite place to write is outside under the maple trees beside the trickling pond and blooming lilies.

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LOVE OF HER LIVES

EXCERPT

If the best way to a man’s heart was through his stomach, then tiramisu may just be the best way out of a man’s heart, or so Beth Stewart hoped. She needed all the help she could get. Breaking up with Matthew required tact and diplomacy. Her financial security depended on them remaining friends.

She stood at her kitchen counter, bent over a shopping list, considering the perfect break–up meal. He loved her sweet potato coconut soup, one of the few things about her he’d not tried to improve. Since it was vital they continued to work together amiably until their investment house in Belize sold, she would butter up his palate to ease the breakup.

Matthew, you deserve a woman who is crazy over you … Or one who didn’t see his endless suggestions as a need to control. Was that a good way to start the break–up conversation? Should she wait till dessert?

And what else to serve? Nothing that sparked romance, no chocolate–dipped strawberries tonight. Perhaps tiramisu was too decadent. Perhaps an old–fashioned apple pie to bring thoughts of support, community, the golden rule? Or was she reaching with that?

She should serve something to ensure Matthew left the house after dinner. Baked beans?

She chuckled as she approached her garden shed. A heaping plate of Rocky Mountain oysters would have him running for the curb before dinner. How do you prefer your bull’s testicles, Matthew? Rare? Well done? Roasted in their sac?

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Connect with Sharon Clare & Love of Her Lives

For more Love of Her Lives please visit sharonclare.com

Love of Her Lives is available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iTunes, Google Play (for epub file) and wherever ebooks are sold.

I hope you enjoy today’s Killer Fixin’s, as well as the recipe Sharon is sharing with us today.  Happy eating!

Karen

P.S.  We’re at 58 recipes and counting with this posting.  Hope you find some recipes you like. If this is your first visit, please check out past blogs for more Killer Fixin’s. In the right hand column menu, you can even look up past recipes by type. i.e. Desserts, Breads, Beef, Chicken, Soups, Author Specials, etc.

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Note from author, Sharon Clare:  Recipe comes from one of the best cooks I know, Barbara Urbain.

 

CURRY GLAZED CARROTS

12 carrots
2 tbsp. butter
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tbsp. chopped or grated ginger root
1-1/2 tsp. curry powder
1-1/2 cups chicken stock
2 tbsp. honey

Peel carrots, cut into 1/4 inch slices. In a deep skillet, heat butter, garlic, and ginger root over medium heat for 1 minute. Add curry powder and cook for 30 seconds, stirring. Add carrots, stock and honey. Cook until liquid evaporates and carrots are tender and glazed. About 20-30 minutes.

Bon appétit!

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**SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT:  Sharon will give away an electronic copy of LOVE OF HER LIVES to one reader who comments on today’s Karen’s Killer Fixin’s blog.  Winner will be randomly selected and announced Monday.  Thanks, Sharon, for sharing your story, and favorite recipe, with us!
Karen's Killer Fixin's

Karen’s Killer Fixin’s **Author Special** with Art Keller

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  Karen’s Killer Fixin’s **AUTHOR SPECIAL**

Welcome to my Friday bonus feature called Karen’s Killer Fixin’s **Author Special**!!  Today, in lieu of one of my own recipes, I’m going to introduce you to a new author who will share one of his favorite recipes. Not only will you and I occasionally learn how to make something new and delicious, but we’ll get a chance to check out some wonderful authors.

Introducing author, ART KELLER, and his favorite food and beer pairing recipe for OLD NUMBER 38 STOUT CHOCOLATE MOUSSE which he prepared with the assistance of his brother, DENNIS KELLER! (Read more with the recipe, below.)

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BOOK PEEK ~  Hollow Strength by Art Keller

Jeff Stein, author of “A Murder in Wartime,” and veteran Washington Post journalist an “Spy Talk” blogger: “Art Keller has definitely been there, done that.  As a former CIA operative in the agency division responsible for tracking black market nuclear weapons, he has seen enough to make his hair stand straight permanently, and in ‘Hollow Strength’ he’ll make yours stand up, too.”

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About the author, Art Keller….

Art Keller is a former CIA case officer in the Counter-Proliferation  Division, the part of the CIA charged with spying on and sabotaging  Iran’s nuclear program. He’s done commentary for CNN, CBS, The News Hour on PBS, Newsmax Magazine, and the National Geographic Channel.    He’s  also the author of the just released spy novel (espionage thriller)  about the CIA and Iran, Hollow Strength.

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Hollow Strength
EXCERPT

 Book excerpt, the big bang in chapter two that gets thing rolling:

Vahdat was reaching up to terminate his call when the limpet mines detonated. By a strange trick of the physics of shock waves and flying shrapnel, Vahdat’s cell phone, as well as the hand that had been gripping it, was blown free of the Shaheed and deposited by a blast wave into the blue-green waters of the Gulf. The synchronized crump of multiple mine detonations were clearly transmitted over the airwaves into Ziyaii’s voicemail box before the saltwater of the Persian Gulf shorted out Vahdat’s phone.

* * *

Within five seconds, catastrophic explosive flooding took the Shaheed from floating on the Persian Gulf to being in the Persian Gulf. The pressure and shock waves, the flying molten metal, superheated gases, and scalding flash-steamed water vapor created conditions as hostile to life as the cosmic furnace at the heart of the sun. The explosions left nothing that even the most hardened trauma surgeon, accustomed as they were to gruesome injuries, could have gazed upon without horror or pity. On a sunny June day, at 11:43 a.m. local time, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corp Navy Destroyer Shaheed, carrying a load of VIPs and press on its maiden voyage, was lost with all hands.

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Connect with Art Keller & Hollow Strength

I hope you enjoy today’s Killer Fixin’s, as well as the recipe Art and Dennis are sharing with us today.  Happy eating!

Karen

P.S.  We’re at 57 recipes and counting with this posting.  Hope you find some recipes you like. If this is your first visit, please check out past blogs for more Killer Fixin’s. In the right hand column menu, you can even look up past recipes by type. i.e. Desserts, Breads, Beef, Chicken, Soups, Author Specials, etc.

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NOTE: This food and beer pairing is prepared with the assistance of Art’s brother, Dennis Keller, a past-master at food and beer pairings. He used to be a chef and now works for the Northern California North Coast Brewery, a craft brewer that has become so popular that they are literally not able to keep up with demand.

Old Number 38 Stout  CHOCOLATE MOUSSE

16 ounces Old # 38 Stout
8 egg yolks
8 egg whites
10 ladyfinger or macaroon cookies
9 ounces bittersweet baking chocolate
4 tablespoons butter room temperature
9 tablespoons granulated sugar

 

Reduce the stout by half over very low heat in saucepan and allow it to cool.
Melt the butter and chocolate while stirring over a double boiler, gradually add the sugar. Allow mixture to reach room temp, then whisk in the egg yolks and half of the reduced stout. Beat the egg whites until stiff in a separate mixing bowl. Fold the whites into the mouse gently. Crumple the cookies into serving glasses or plates. Drizzle the remaining stout over the cookies and cover with the mousse. Allow to set up in refrigerator over night. You can garnish with whipped cream and milk chocolate shavings.

 

Serve with cold Old # 38 Stout.
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I wish to extend my thanks to Art and Dennis for giving us a truly fun, out-of-the-ordinary, and creative recipe!
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**SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT:  Art will give away a digital (mobi/Kindle or epub/Nook/iPad) copy of HOLLOW STRENGTH to up to five (5) lucky readers who comment on today’s Karen’s Killer Book Bench or Monday’s Interview blog.  Winners will be randomly selected and announced Monday.  Thanks, Art, for sharing your story with us!
Karen's Killer Fixin's

Karen’s Killer Fixin’s: Steak Kabobs

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  It’s time for Karen’s Killer Fixin’s!

Over the years, I’ve filled two 4-inch, 3-ring binders with my own creations as well as recipes my family and friends were willing to share with me.  I simply love to cook and want to share that love with my readers.

So every Friday, I share one recipe I think you and your family might enjoy.  It might be a main course recipe.  A cookie or baked item.  Candy.  Salads.  Whatever strikes my eye and fancy…which today is STEAK KABOBS.

Today I’m sharing a recipe that is versatile, indoors and out.  It calls for oven broiling, and it’s great this way.  But, given a choice, I love my barbecue!  I also love that this meal can be prepared the night before and just tossed on the fire when you get home. Add some brown rice or a salad and you’ve got a great, filling meal that tastes of summer.

I hope you enjoy today’s Killer Fixin’s.  Happy eating!

Karen

P.S.  We’re at 56 recipes and counting with this posting.  Hope you find some recipes you like. If this is your first visit, please check out past blogs for more Killer Fixin’s. In the right hand column menu, you can even look up past recipes by type. i.e. Desserts, Breads, Beef, Chicken, Soups, Author Specials, etc.

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STEAK KEBOBS
[Serves 4]

2 T. reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 T. honey
1 tsp. ground ginger
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 tsp. grated lemon peel
¼ tsp. crushed hot red pepper flakes
12 oz. boneless sirloin steak, trimmed & cut into 1-inch cubes
8 cherry tomatoes
4 lg. Mushrooms, cut in half
1 green bell pepper, cored, seeded, cut into 8 squares

In shallow glass dish, combine soy sauce, honey, ginger, garlic, lemon peel, and red pepper flakes.  Mix well.  Add beef; stir to coat.  Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 1-2 hours, stirring occasionally.  Preheat broiler.  Remove beef from the marinade.  Using four 10” metal skewers, alternately thread beef, tomatoes, mushrooms, and bell pepper.  Place on broiler pan.  Broil 2” from heat, turning 2-3 times, until meat is medium-rare and vegetables are lightly browned, about 10 minutes.  Serve immediately.

NOTE:  Marinate beef and assemble skewers up to 1 day in advance.  Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to cook.

Karen's Killer Fixin's

Karen’s Killer Fixin’s: Fudge Truffle Cheesecake

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  It’s time for Karen’s Killer Fixin’s!

Over the years, I’ve filled two 4-inch, 3-ring binders with my own creations as well as recipes my family and friends were willing to share with me.  I simply love to cook and want to share that love with my readers.

So every Friday, I share one recipe I think you and your family might enjoy.  It might be a main course recipe.  A cookie or baked item.  Candy.  Salads.  Whatever strikes my eye and fancy…which today is FUDGE TRUFFLE CHEESECAKE.

Beyond creme brulee, cheesecake is my absolute favorite dessert.  I haven’t met a cheesecake I didn’t like! 🙂

As a result, I’m constantly on the lookout for different recipes for these wonders of deliciousness. Add fudgy chocolate to cheesecake? I’m sooooo there. The hard part is waiting for the refrigerator set up!

I hope you enjoy today’s Killer Fixin’s.  Happy eating!

Karen

P.S.  We’re at 55 recipes and counting with this posting.  Hope you find some recipes you like. If this is your first visit, please check out past blogs for more Killer Fixin’s. In the right hand column menu, you can even look up past recipes by type. i.e. Desserts, Breads, Beef, Chicken, Soups, Author Specials, etc.

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FUDGE TRUFFLE CHEESECAKE
[9-inch cheesecake]

Chocolate Crumb Crust (Recipe below)

2 cups (12 oz.) semi-sweet chocolate chips
3 pkgs. (8 oz. each) cream cheese, softened
1 can sweetened condensed milk (NOT evaporated milk)
4 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla

Heat oven to 300 degrees.  Prepare Chocolate Crumb Crust (below); set aside.  In heavy saucepan, over very low heat, melt chocolate chips, stirring constantly.  In large mixer bowl, beat cheese until fluffy.  Gradually beat in sweetened condensed milk until smooth.  Add melted chocolate chips and remaining ingredients; mix well.  Pour into prepared pan.  Bake 1 hour and 5 minutes or until center is set.  Cool; chill.  Refrigerate leftovers.

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CHOCOLATE CRUMB CRUST
[For Fudge Truffle Cheesecake]

In medium bowl, combine 1-½ cups vanilla wafer crumbs, ½ cup powdered sugar, 1/3 cup powdered (baking) cocoa and 1/3 cup melted butter or margarine.  Press firmly on bottom of 9-inch springform pan.

NOTE: I don’t own a springform pan. If you’re making this for the boss or a special event, you might want to own one. The springform pan makes it easier to serve, and it looks pretty when dished up.  If it’s for your family, they’re not going to care if it looks pretty and uniform…as long as it’s on their plate. 🙂

 

Karen's Killer Fixin's

Karen’s Killer Fixin’s: 25-Minute Beef & Salsa Burritos

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  It’s time for Karen’s Killer Fixin’s!

Over the years, I’ve filled two 4-inch, 3-ring binders with my own creations as well as recipes my family and friends were willing to share with me.  I simply love to cook and want to share that love with my readers.

So every Friday, I share one recipe I think you and your family might enjoy.  It might be a main course recipe.  A cookie or baked item.  Candy.  Salads.  Whatever strikes my eye and fancy…which today is 25-MINUTE BEEF & SALSA BURRITOS.

An easy meal that satisfies the entire family. This recipe can also be adjusted for a variety of different flavors. See note at bottom of recipe. A perfect meal when you need to get dinner on the table quickly.

I hope you enjoy today’s Killer Fixin’s.  Happy eating!

Karen

P.S.  We’re at 54 recipes and counting with this posting.  Hope you find some recipes you like. If this is your first visit, please check out past blogs for more Killer Fixin’s. In the right hand column menu, you can even look up past recipes by type. i.e. Desserts, Breads, Beef, Chicken, Soups, Author Specials, etc.

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25-MINUTE BEEF & SALSA BURRITOS

[Serves 8]

1 ¼ lbs. ground beef
1 ½ T. chili powder
½ tsp. ground cumin
1 pkg. (10 oz.) frozen chopped spinach,thawed and well drained
1 ¼ cups prepared chunky salsa
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
8 medium flour tortillas, warmed

In large non-stick skillet, brown ground beef.  Pour off drippings.  Season beef with chili powder, cumin, ½ tsp. salt and ¼ tsp. pepper.  Stir in spinach and salsa; heat through.  Remove from heat; stir in cheese.  Spoon ½ cup beef mixture in center of tortilla.

NOTE: Not a fan of spinach in your burritos? Replace with well drained can of red, black or pinto beans.

Karen's Killer Fixin's

Karen’s Killer Fixin’s: Vanilla [Chocolate] Caramels

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  It’s time for Karen’s Killer Fixin’s!

Over the years, I’ve filled two 4-inch, 3-ring binders with my own creations as well as recipes my family and friends were willing to share with me.  I simply love to cook and want to share that love with my readers.

So every Friday, I share one recipe I think you and your family might enjoy.  It might be a main course recipe.  A cookie or baked item.  Candy.  Salads.  Whatever strikes my eye and fancy…which today is VANILLA [CHOCOLATE] CARAMELS

I love caramels.  Homemade caramels are the bomb…and so much easier to make than you would think. This makes a great Christmas gift for friends, family and neighbors. A special treat that only you will give them. Make several batches of each. Your family will snatch up quite a few before you get any into gift tins. 🙂 

I hope you enjoy today’s Killer Fixin’s.  Happy eating!

Karen

P.S.  We’re at 53 recipes and counting with this posting.  Hope you find some recipes you like. If this is your first visit, please check out past blogs for more Killer Fixin’s. In the right hand column menu, you can even look up past recipes by type. i.e. Desserts, Breads, Beef, Chicken, Soups, Author Specials, etc.

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VANILLA CARAMELS

[2 pounds]

2 cups sugar
1/3 cup butter
2 cups warm light cream
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup light corn syrup
½ cup nutmeats
½ tsp. salt

Mix sugar, 1 cup of the cream, corn syrup and salt in large saucepan.  Cook, stirring about 10 minutes.  Add remaining cream very slowly so mixture doesn’t stop boiling.  Cook 5 minutes longer.  Stir in butter, 1 tsp. at a time.  Cook slowly, stirring until 248 degrees registers on candy thermometer.  Remove from heat; add vanilla and nuts and mix gently.  Pour into buttered 8-inch square pan and cool.  Turn out on board, mark off ¾-inch squares and cut.  Wrap in wax paper.

CHOCOLATE CARAMELS

[2 pounds]

Follow recipe above, adding 3-4 oz. (squares) unsweetened chocolate to mixture before cooking.

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