Farmhouse omelet (Country breakfasts)

8 to 10 servings

• 1½ cups chopped onions
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 4 cups diced peeled cooked potatoes
• 8 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled
• ½ cup diced fully cooked ham
• ½ cup diced cooked roast beef
• 12 eggs
• 3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon pepper
• ½ teaspoon garlic salt
• ½ teaspoon celery salt

1. In a 10-inch ovenproof skillet, cook onion in oil until tender ; add potatoes, bacon, ham and beef and heat through.
2. Remove from the heat.
3. In a bowl, beat eggs ; stir in parsley and seasonings.
4. Pour into skillet ; stir gently to mix.
5. Bake uncovered, at 400F for 20-30 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean.
6. Cut into wedges to serve.

BON APPETIT

Muffins aux bananes et aux épices

Pour 12 muffins

• 60 ml beurre ramolli ou margarine
• 125 ml cassonade
• 2 oeufs
• 250 ml bananes en purée

1. Dans un bol, fouetter les ingrédients ensemble.
2. Tamiser ensuite :

• 375 ml farine tout-usage
• 10 ml gingembre moulu
• 5 ml poudre à pâte
• 5 ml soda à pâte (bicarbonate de soude)
• 5 ml cannelle moulue
• 2 ml clou de girofle moulu
• Pincée de sel

1. Ajouter les ingrédients secs au premier mélange cassonade-bananes et mélanger délicatement pour obtenir un mélange homogène.
2. Beurrer un moule à muffins et déposer une quantité égale dans douze moules en papier à muffins.
3. Cuire au four 400F pendant 20-25 minutes.

BON APPÉTIT

Chicago deep-dish pizza with sausage, mushrooms, and green pepper

     If deep-dish pizza wasn't actually born in Chicago, it certainly was catapulted to celebrity status right here. This is one of the most popular renditions of Chicago-style pizza, loaded with rich, gooey cheese, spicy sausage, and pungent green peppers, all topped with a tomato-mushroom sauce. If you'd rather have onions than green pepper, olives instead of mushrooms, go for it. Pizza recipes are meant to be improvised.

Makes one 14-inch deep-dish pizza, 6 wedges

• 1 pound mild or hot italian sausage, casing removed, meat crumbled
• 1 large green bell pepper, seeded, cut into 1- to 3-inch-wide strips, about 1¼ cups
• 10 ounces Herkimer or white cheddar cheese, shredded, about 2½ cups
• 1 tablespoon flour
• ½ teaspoon each : fennel seed, dried oregano, red pepper flakes
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 4 large mushrooms, trimmed, thinly sliced, about 1 cup
• 2 cups store-bought pizza sauce 
• One basic pizza crust dough, click here for recipe
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus additional for oiling the pan

1. Put a rack in the center of the oven ; line the oven rack with a pizza stone and preheat the oven to 425F.
2. Oil the bottom and sides of a 14-inch deep-dish pizza pan, preferably black steel ; sprinkle the inside surface with cornmeal, set aside.
3. Cook the sausage in an 8-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until browned, about 7 minutes ; use a slotted spoon to transfer the sausage to paper towels, than to a large mixing bowl.
4. Add the green pepper, cheese, flour, and seasonings to the sausage ; toss until combined.
5. Put the mushrooms and pizza sauce in a small bowl, mix well and set aside.
6. On a floured board, roll the pizza dough into a 20-inch circle ; fold the dough into quarters and transfer it to the prepared pan.
7. Unfold the dough and adjust it to fit the pan ; press it into the bottom and sides of the pan, then gently ease the dough up the sides until it extends above the rim.
8. Trim away the excess leaving ½ inch of the dough ; brush the bottom and sides of the dough with the oil.
9. Add the cheese filling in an even layer ; spread the mushroom-and-pizza sauce evenly over the top.
10. Fold the ½-inch dough down and pinch in to form a rim ; bake until the topping is sizzling and the rim of the crust is well browned, about 22 minutes.
11. Let it rest 10 minutes and serve warm, cut into wedges.

BON APPETIT

Basic Pizza crust dough

     This is a good basic pizza crust recipe ; it also makes great baguettes.

Dough for one 14-inch deep-dish pizza

• 1 package active dry yeast
• 1 cup warm water (105F to 115F degrees)
• 2¾ cups all-purpose flour
• ¼ cup whole-wheat flour
• 1¼ teaspoons salt
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1. Stir the yeast into the water and let it stand until the yeast is foamy, about 5 minutes.
2. To mix and knead the dough in a food processor fitted with the metal blade or in a mixer with the dough hook, put the remaining ingredients into the bowl.
3. Turn the machine on and slowly add the yeast mixture ; mix until the dough cleans the sides of the bowl.
4. Once the desired consistency is achieved (moist but not sticking to the sides), mix the dough until well kneaded, uniformly supple, and elastic, about 40 seconds in the food processor, about 6 minutes in a mixer. 
5. Or by hand, put the remaining ingredients into a large bowl and make a well in the center ; pour the yeast mixture into the well, work the yeast mixture into the ingredients in the bowl.
6. Knead the dough on a floured board until the dough is elastic and smooth, about 10 minutes.
7. Transfer the dough to a large plastic bag, squeeze out the air and seal the top.
8. Place the bag in a bowl and let the dough rise in a warm spot until doubled in bulk, about 1½ hours.
9. The dough can be used right away for the Chicago Deep Dish Pizza with sausage, mushrooms, and green pepper, or it can be refrigerated for up to 2 days or frozen for as long as 2 months, wrapped airtight ; thaw frozen dough, still wrapped, in the refrigerator.

Chicago deep-dish pizza recipe, click here

BON APPETIT

Ground Venison Meatloaf

   
     Since venison is leaner than other red meat, we've mixed in some ground pork for extra richness. Serve as main course or in small slices, chilled, as an appetizer.

Makes 8 servings

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 1½ pounds ground venison
• ¾ pound ground pork
• ½ cup soft fresh bread crumbs
• One-third cup milk
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ¾ teaspoon rubbed sage
• ½ teaspoon ground allspice
• ¼ teaspoon pepper
• One-third cup plum jam, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons bourbon
• 1 egg

1. Prehat oven to 350F ; lightly oil 9x5x3-inch loaf pan, set aside.
2. Heat oil in large skillet over low heat ; add onion and cook until softened, 7 to 10 minutes.
3. Transfer to large bowl, cool to room temperature ; add venison, pork, bread crumbs, milk, salt, sage, allspice, pepper, jam, bourbon and egg, and mix well to combine.
4. Transfer mixture to prepared loaf pan ; pack down and smooth top with rubber spatula, cover with aluminium foil.
5. Bake in preheated oven (350F) for 1 hour or until firm and cooked through ; cool 10 minutes in pan and carefully drain.
6. Invert loaf onto serving platter ; serve hot, at room temperature, or chilled.

BON APPETIT

Mini-pains de viande gratinés

4 portions

• 500 gr boeuf haché mi-maigre
• 45 ml ketchup
• 80 ml germe de blé
• 1 oeuf battu
• 1 oignon haché
• 375 ml sauce tomate
• 60 m basilic haché
• Sel et poivre au goût
• 375 ml cheddar léger moyen de la Fromagerie L'Ancêtre rapé

1. Préchauffer le four à 450F (230C).
2. Dans un bol, mélanger le boeuf, le ketchup, le germe de blé, l'oeuf battu, l'oignon et 125 ml de sauce tomate ; incorporer le basilic, le sel et le poivre.
3. Huiler 8 petits moules à pain de 4x2½-po. ou les alvéoles d'un moule à muffin.
4. Répartir la préparation dans les moules ; napper avec le reste de la sauce tomate et parsemer de fromage.
5. Cuire au four 20 minutes.

Zoom sur : Le cheddar léger moyen de la Fromagerie L'Ancêtre

     Contenant aussi peu que 18% de matières grasses, c'est-à-dire 40% moins de gras que le cheddar L'Ancêtre régulier, le cheddar léger moyen s'avère  une solution de choix pour les gens qui privilégient une saine alimentation. Fait de lait biologique québécois non pasteurisé, sans lactose, sans gluten et sans substances laitières modifiées, il est vieilli 6 mois pour offrir un goût hautement savoureux.

BON APPÉTIT

Lone star dry rub

                 A dry rub is  a mixture of spices that serves the same purpose as a marinade. It coats the surface of food enhancing the flavor, and during the cooking process adds a crusty texture. This is an all-purpose rub, suitable on almost anything you barbercue. Add or subtract spices according to your taste or to complement whatever you're smoking.

Makes about 2 cups

• ¾ cup paprika
• ¼ cup ground black pepper
• ¼ cup chili powder
• ¼ cup salt
• ¼ cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons garlic powder
• 2 tablespoons onion powder
• 1 tablespoon cayenne

1. Mix the spices thoroughly in a bowl.
2. You can store leftover rub in a tightly sealed jar in the refrigerator, but it will lose potency over time.

BON APPETIT

Italian Meatloaf

     The cottage cheese and mozzarella topping make this meat loaf especially rich.

Makes 6 servings

• 12 ounces lean ground chuck
• 4 ounces ground pork or sausage
• 1 cup fresh soft bread crumbs
• 1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon leaf oregano, crumbled
• ½ teaspoon leaf basil, crumbled
• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
• ¾ cup lowfat cottage cheese
• ½ cup shredded part-skim mozzarella (2 ounces)

1. Preheat oven to 350F ; grease 8½x3½x2½-inch loaf pan.
2. Combine chuck, pork, bread crumbs, half the tomato sauce, 1 egg, oregano, basil and garlic in large bowl ; mix well and pack in prepared pan.
3. Combine cottage cheese, ¼ cup mozzarella and remaining egg in small bowl ; spread over meat and top with the remaining tomato sauce and mozzarella.
4. Bake for 1 hour ; serve loaf directly from pan.

BON APPETIT

Meat Loaf with greens

     Here, mustard greens and spinach leaves lighten up the classic meat loaf. It's a tasty main course for an informal supper and it's a great option for picnics. Leftovers make the best sandwiches. The food processor shortcuts the preparation ; use it if you have one.
     Ground lean lamb can be substituted for the beef, if you prefer it.

Yield : 6 to 8 servings

• 1½ tablespoons vegetable oil
• 3 large garlic cloves, minced, about 1½ tablespoons
• 4 large green onions, thinly sliced, about 1 cup
• 2 medium ribs celery, chopped, about 1 cup
• 1 packed cup each : spinach leaves, mustard greens, stems trimmed on both, leaves roughly cut
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• 1½ pounds lean ground beef
• 12 ounces breakfast sausage
• ¼ cup soft bread crumbs
• 2 large eggs
• ¾ cup ketchup
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1½ teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• Freshly ground pepper to taste

1. Preheat the oven to 375F ; set aside a 9x13-inch baking pan.
2. Heat the oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat ; when hot, add the garlic, green onions, celery, spinach leaves, mustard greens, and ¼ teaspoon of the salt.
3. Cook until the celery is softened, about 6 minutes, stirring often ; transfer the mixture to a large mixing bowl, let it cool slightly.
4. Add the ground beef, sausage, bread crumbs, eggs, ¼ cup of the ketchup, the milk, Worcestershire sauce, cumin, red pepper flakes, the remaining salt, and the pepper to the bowl ; mix all ingredients thoroughly with  fork.
5. To test the seasoning, fry a small amount of the mixture ; adjust the seasoning
6. Mound the mixture in the reserved pan, use your hands to shape it into an 8x6-inch oval ; gently press to compact the loaf as much as possible.
7. Spread the loaf with the remaining ketchup ; bake until the loaf is well browned and sizzling, about 1 hour, 10 minutes.
8. Remove from the oven and use a flexible spreader to smooth the ketchup coating.
9. To serve, the meat loaf can be hot, at room temperature, or chilled.

BON APPETIT

Milagro Meat Loaf

                     Almost any kitchen crime can be called a meat loaf, but our version is so good one legislator threatened it with a sin tax. We named it after the milagros, or miracle charms, sold outside major churches in Mexico, because the recipe transforms a mundane dish into a family heirloom.

• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• ½ cup minced onion
• ½ green or red bell pepper, chopped fine
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon cayenne
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon cumin seeds, toasted and ground
• 1¼ pounds lean ground beef
• ¾ pound ground pork
• 1½ cups dry bread crumbs
• ¼ cup tomato-based barbecue sauce
• 3 tablespoons sour cream
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 egg
• Milk, as needed
• Additional barbecue sauce, optional

1. Preheat the oven to 350F.
2. Melt the butter in a heavy skillet ; add the onion, bell pepper, and garlic, and sauté until they are softened.
3. Stir in the black pepper, cayenne, salt, and cumin, and sauté an additional 2 or 3 minutes.
4. Spoon the vegetable mixture into a large bowl.
5. Add to the bowl the remaining ingredients, except the milk, and mix well with your hands.
6. The meat should feel quite moist but not soupy ; if it is too dry, add milk a tablespoon or two at a time until the consistency is right.
7. Mount the meat into a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan ; bake the meat, uncovered, for 40 minutes.
8. Raise the oven temperature to 400F, and continue baking another 20 to 30 minutes.
9. If you wish, brush with an additional tablespoon or two of barbecue sauce in the last 10 minutes.
10. Serve the meat hot or cold ; the meat loaf makes great leftovers and sandwiches.

Variation : Milagro meat loaf makes a great filling for stuffed peppers. Cut the tops off red or green bell peppers, and remove the seeds. Spoon the uncooked meat loaf mixture loosely into the peppers. Place the peppers in a baking dish with a few tablespoons of stock or water. Bake 40 minutes at 350F, and about 10 minutes more at 400F. Baste with barbecue sauce in the last few minutes, or top with a sprinkling of grated cheddar cheese.

BON APPETIT