Beef Stroganoff

1 1/2 pounds lean beef (top sirloin or similar) (can also use sliced pork instead)
4 Tbsp butter
1 medium onion (quartered and sliced)
1/2 lb brown mushrooms thickly sliced
1 garlic cloves minced
1 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1 cup beef broth
3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup sour cream
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp dijon mustard
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper

Garnish: 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley


Melt butter in frying pan and start sauteeing the onions, mushrooms, garlic and meat.

Sprinkle the flour on top and gradually start adding the beef broth, blending it with the flour using a rubber spatula. Once blended and simmering hot get a a separate bowl to temper the sour cream.

Stir a few tablespoons of the sauce into 1/4 cup of sour cream so that it doesn’t curdle then add it to the pan while stirring constantly.  Once the sour cream is tempered, add it to the sauce in pan.  Season with dijon mustard, salt, pepper, worcestershire sauce.

Serve with flat egg noodles.

Peach Cobbler, Old Fashioned

1 stick butter

1 1/2  cup of all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups of sugar, divided in half
1 1/2 tablespoon of baking powder
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1 1/2 cup of milk

6 c. sliced peaches, fresh or frozen
2 tablespoon of lemon juice

Oven @ 375°F
If using fresh peaches, scald them for 1 minute in boiling water, and cool in cold water.  Peel the skins off.  Slice up the peaches and mix the peaches with 3/4 c. sugar and the lemon juice. 

Put the stick of butter in a 9x13 glass baking pan and put in the oven to start melting. 

Put peaches and sugar mixture in a medium sauce pot and begin cooking on medium heat.  Stir frequently.  This gets the peaches to exude peach juice which will flavor the cobbler crust.

While the butter melts, and peaches cook, mix the batter.  Mix all dry ingredients first.

When the butter is melted, remove from oven.  The peaches should be cooked well enough to produce a lot of juice.  Mix the milk into the dry batter ingredients.  It should be the consistency of pancake batter. 

Pour the batter into the baking pan and melted butter.  As the batter drizzles into the pan, move it around so the butter is displaced and runs in and around the batter.  Lastly, gradually pour or spoon into the batter the peaches and juice.  Try to distribute the juice and peaches evenly.

Bake for 45 minutes.

Rib Rub

2 tsp smoked salt
4 tsp kosher salt
8 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp cumin
1 tbsp espresso-chili powder (or regular chili powder + 1/2 tsp espresso powder)
1 tbsp paprika
1 tbsp onion powder
1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tbsp oregano
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp black pepper

makes enough for roughly 12 lbs of pork ribs.  Typical rack of ribs sold in stores as about 6 lbs.
I use Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ sauce, but many could be good.

If making 6 lbs of ribs, use half the recipe.  Either make half or store the other portion afterward.
Using a knife, cut the ribs apart.  Generously cover the ribs with the rib rub.  Roll them around together to evenly coat in the spice mix.

In a large pot or dutch oven, put 2 tbsp oil and 1 c. water.  Set the stove burner to medium.  Put all the ribs in the pot, cover and cook for about 90 minutes, or until the meat is pulling away from the bones.

When done, brush the ribs generously with barbecue sauce and bake in the oven for 10 minutes on a large baking sheet.  This dries out the sauce a bit.  Remove from oven, coat once more with barbecue sauce and serve.

Cream of Potato and Chicken Soup

4 chicken thighs
2 quarts water
8 medium potatoes, peeled and diced into
2 tsp minced garlic
1 large onion, diced
1 tsp salt or more to taste
1 1/2 c. half & half
1 1/2 c. milk
1/2 c. mashed potato flakes
3 tbsp flour
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp chili powder
2 c. shredded cheddar cheese

Boil the chicken, onion and garlic in the water and salt for ~2 hours.  After the chicken's boiled, remove it and let the pieces cool.  While cooling, put the chopped potatoes, spices, in the broth and cook on medium for 10 minutes.

While the potatoes cook, heat the half & half in the microwave until hot.  In a separate bowl, mix together the mashed potato flakes and flour.  Mix in the half & half, gradually adding in soup broth and stirring until the mashed potatoes are loose and soupy.  They should be slightly lumpy. 

Remove chicken meat from the bones, chop up the meat, discard bones and cartilage.  Add meat to soup.  Stir the mashed potatoes into the soup, add the cheese and the milk.  Adjust salt levels to taste.