Recipe Talk

Jacket Potato with Bacon, Mushroom, and Peppercorn Sauce Recipe courtesy Paula Deen


4 medium-sized russet or other baking potatoes, well scrubbed

12 ounces bacon, chopped

8 ounces sliced button mushrooms

1/4 cup brandy

1 tablespoon green peppercorns, drenched in cold water

1 cup cream

Salt and pepper

Butter, for topping

Potato: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Prick potatoes with a fork and bake until soft, about 1 hour.
Sauce: Saute bacon, add button mushrooms and cook until golden brown. Pour brandy first into a measuring cup (for safety) and then into the pan and carefully ignite with a long match. After the alcohol burns off and the flame has died, stir in the peppercorns. Stir in the cream and heat through, without boiling. Salt and pepper, to taste.

Cut open baked potatoes. Top each with a spoonful of butter, then cover generously with sauce.

Recipe Summary
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
Yield: 4 servings

Episode#: PA0704
Copyright © 2006 Television Food Network, G.P., All Rights Reserved

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Country Fried Steak with Biscuits and Gravy Recipe courtesy Paula Deen

Steak and Gravy:

1 1/2 cups, plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

8 (4-ounce) tenderized beef round steak (have butcher run them through cubing machine)

1 teaspoon House Seasoning, recipe follows

1 teaspoon seasoning salt

2 cups buttermilk

2/3 cup vegetable oil

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 quart whole milk

1/2 teaspoon monosodium glutamate (recommended: Ac'cent), optional

1 bunch green onions, or 1 medium yellow onion, sliced

Basic Biscuits:

1 package yeast

1/2 cup lukewarm water

5 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon baking powder

2 tablespoons sugar

3/4 cup solid shortening (recommended: Crisco)

2 cups buttermilk

Steak and Gravy: Combine 1 1/2 cups flour and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper in a small bowl. Sprinkle 1 side of the meat with the House Seasoning and the other side with the seasoning salt, and then dredge the meat in buttermilk and then flour. Heat 1/2 cup oil in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 or 4 of the steaks to the hot oil and fry until browned, about 5 to 6 minutes per side. Remove each steak to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Repeat with the remaining steaks, adding up to 1/4 cup more oil, as needed.
Make the gravy by adding the 2 tablespoons remaining flour to the pan drippings, scraping the bottom with a wooden spoon. Stir in the remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and the salt. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring frequently, until the flour is medium brown and the mixture is bubbly. Slowly add the whole milk and the Ac'cent, if using stirring constantly. Return the steaks to the skillet and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to low, and place the onions on top of the steaks. Cover the pan, and let simmer for 30 minutes.

Biscuits: Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Dissolve yeast in warm water; set aside. Mix dry ingredients together. Cut in shortening. Add yeast and buttermilk and mix well. Turn dough onto lightly floured surface and roll out to desired thickness. Cut with small biscuit cutter and place on greased baking sheet. Bake for 12 minutes or until golden brown.

Split biscuits in half and top with country fried steak and drizzle with gravy.

House Seasoning:

1 cup salt

1/4 cup black pepper

1/4 cup garlic powder

Mix ingredients together and store in an airtight container for up to 6 months.

Recipe Summary
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Yield: 4 servings steak and gravy; 3 dozen biscuits

Episode#: PA0709
Copyright © 2006 Television Food Network, G.P., All Rights Reserved

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Phyllo Wrapped Asparagus Recipe courtesy Paula Deen


8 or 9 asparagus spears, depending on size

1/2 (16-ounce) package frozen phyllo dough sheets, thawed

1/4 cup butter, melted

1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Snap off the tough ends of the asparagus.

Unwrap the phyllo and cut the stack in half lengthwise.

Reserve 1 stack for later use. Cover the phyllo with a damp towel to keep it from drying out.

Take 1 sheet of phyllo and brush lightly with some melted butter.

Sprinkle with some Parmesan. Place 2 to 3 asparagus spears on the short end of the sheet.

Roll up, jelly-roll style. Place each piece, seam side down, on a baking sheet.

Brush with more melted butter and sprinkle with more Parmesan.

Repeat until all the asparagus spears are used up.

Place baking sheet in oven and bake for 15 to 18 minutes, or until golden brown and crispy.

Recipe Summary
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Yield: 3 to 4 servings

Episode#: PA0806
Copyright © 2006 Television Food Network, G.P., All Rights Reserved

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Low Country Cookies Recipe courtesy Paula Deen

Filling:

1 (16-ounce) box graham crackers

12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) butter

1 cup sugar

1 egg

1/2 cup milk

1 cup chopped pecans

1 cup or 3 (1/2-ounce) cans shredded coconut

Topping:

2 cups powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter

3 tablespoons milk

For the filling: Line a 13 by 9-inch pan with whole graham crackers. Melt the butter in saucepan and add sugar. Beat the egg and milk together; add to butter mixture. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Add the nuts, coconut, and 1 cup graham cracker crumbs. Pour over the crackers in the pan. Cover with another layer of whole graham crackers.
For the topping: Beat all the ingredients together and spread over top layer of crackers.

Chill. Cut into squares.

Recipe Summary
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Inactive Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Yield: 15 to 20 servings

Episode#: PA0813

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Grandgirl's Fresh Apple Cake from Georgia Recipe courtesy Paula Deen

Cake:

Butter, for greasing pan

2 cups sugar

3 eggs

1 1/2 cups vegetable oil

1/4 cup orange juice

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

3 cups peeled and finely chopped apples

1 cup shredded coconut

1 cup chopped pecans

Sauce:

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup buttermilk

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Generously grease a tube pan.
For the cake: in a large bowl, combine the sugar, eggs, oil, orange juice, flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and vanilla extract; and mix well. Fold apples, coconut, and pecans into batter.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake until a tester comes out clean, about 1 1/2 hours.

Shortly before the cake is done, make the sauce: Melt the butter in a large saucepan, stir in the sugar, buttermilk, and baking soda, and bring to a good rolling boil, stirring constantly. Boil for 1 minute. Pour the sauce over the hot cake in the pan as soon as you remove it from the oven. Let stand 1 hour, then turn out onto a rack to cool completely.

Recipe Summary
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Inactive Prep Time: 1 hour
Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Yield: 16 to 20 servings

Episode#: PA1C23
Copyright © 2006 Television Food Network, G.P., All Rights Reserved

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Cornbread Dressing Mix

Makes: 10 servings
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Ready In: 55 minutes

Great stuffing for your Christmas or Thanksgiving turkey or chicken. This is an old time classic cornbread mixture where all you do is add your favorite meat to the dressing mix and serve it alone or stuff your favorite meat with it.

Ingredients

1 cup yellow cornmeal

3/4 cup flour

5 tsp baking powder

3/4 tsp salt

1 egg slightly beaten

1 cup milk

2 tbsp shortening or canola oil Ingredients to add to the cooked cornbread

6 slightly toasted sliced bread

2 cups celery finely chopped

1 cup green onion with tops cut fine

1/2 cup finely chopped onion

1/2 cup minced parsley

1/4 cup butter or margarine

1 1/2 tsp salt (more or less to taste)

1/4 tsp cayenne

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/2 tsp celery seed

chicken broth for texture

Directions
For the cornbread sift the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the egg milk and shortening. Do not overbeat. Cook at 425 degrees for 25 minutes. This will yield 5 cups of cooked cornbread.

Add the rest of the ingredients to the crumbled cornbread and stuff your turkey or chicken for baking. After cooking the meat, remove stuffing and serve as a side with your meal.

Or you can add chicken and chicken broth to the mixture per taste and texture to create a delicious cornbread dressing. Bake 30 minutes at 350 degrees in a greased 8x8 pan.