Cumin-Lime-Chili Roasted Corn

By Dave Washburn

Jeezze I almost forgot this!

12 ears fresh sweet corn (coming up on the last of it here in sunny FL- right now getting some really excellent country gentleman) in the husk

2 sticks butter (I can't afford that expensive stuff Perry uses- regular salted butter is fine)

2 T cumin

1 T chili powder

1 t kosher salt

1 clove garlic smashed

a few good grinds of pepper (use your fave)

juice of 2 limes

Peel off the outer leaves of the husks on the corn. Be sure to leave enough to cover the ears. Carefully peel back the remaining husks and remove as much of the silk as you can. Fold back the husks. Soak in cold water overnight.

Melt the butter in a sauce pan- while melting add the cumin and chili powder- bring it up to a low simmer and cook 5 minutes. Remove from heat- add the other ingredients. Let cool to room temp.

Remove the corn from the water- place the corn on a big baking sheet- this is the messy part- peel back the husks again and brush the corn liberally with the butter mixture. Fold the husks back up. You can tie them up with butcher twine if you are a complete neat freak- I don't. Place them on a low grill 30-40 minutes turning frequently. If you like, you can cut off the stem end and the husks fall right off, or you can just pile them on a platter and watch all of your drunken friends cover themselves with burnt bits of husk and butter- really funny.

Fajitas!

by Dave Washburn

Cinco de Mayo is coming up and we have a big party planned (not the correct date- having it on the 9th, Saturday- come on down)- so I have my sombrero thinking cap on. I developed this recipe years ago after too many tasteless fajita fillings. Simple and fun. Make sure that you have dos dos equis ready for the cook.

2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 lbs round steak
half cup olive oil
2 T cumin
2 T chili powder
2 cloves garlic (I prefer roasted) minced or smashed
1 t oregeno (mexican if you have it)
1 t thyme
zest and juice of 3 limes
1 t kosher salt
1 t cracked black

optional random hot sauce
8-10 green onions sliced
half bunch cilantro chopped

Slice the chicken and beef across the grain in half inch wide strips- place in separate bowls.

Whisk the remaining ingredients together- pour over the chicken and beef- stir to coat- cover with plastic wrap and chill four hours.

Toppings

3-4 green or red sweet peppers cleaned and sliced into half inch strips
2 large sweet onions sliced into half inch slices- separated into rings

Place in a large bowl, drizzle with olive oil, salt with kosher or sea salt add a grind of pepper.

Toss to coat.

Grill the chicken and beef over high heat- you are looking for medium rare- 2-3 minutes a side, if that.

In a grill pan, grill the veggies until slightly wilted and they have grill marks.

Serve with a big pile of warm flour tortillas and your fav condiments- sour cream, guacamole, pico de guya, salsa, whatever. Place everything on the table (meat on heated platters) and watch everyone go nuts. Refried beans and Mexican rice are excellent with this.

Hummus!

By Kathryn Washburn Breighner

I really love hummus. Spread on crackers, rolled in a wrap with diced cucumber and tomato, spread on a thick bread and topped with sliced cucumbers and bean sprouts, I use it in a variety of ways.

But then there are those super market hummus containers, sometimes added with preservatives, and pricey. So since this spring weekend is anything but springlike weatherwise and I couldn't work outside, I decided to experiment with my first from scratch batch of hummus. And it's a winner!

Many hummus recipes call for cans of garbanzo beans. I instead used dried garbanzos and really started from scratch. While about a dollar for a 1/2 pound compared to $3-4 for two cans of prepared garbanzos, these required 90 minutes of simmering and thus, used energy to do so. But I didn't use the energy required to create the can itself so I guess, I did my part during Earth Week.

So to start presoak the garbanzo beans by either soaking in water over night or putting in a pan with 2" of water over the top of the beans, bring to a boil, boil 2 minutes, then cover, turn off the heat and let them sit for an hour. Drain, cover again with 4" of water, simmer over medium heat for about 60 minutes and then 30 minutes over low heat. The skins will be separating from the beans and they will pierce easily with a knife. Drain the beans, saving the liquid, and put into a food processor.

For seasoning:
1/2 c tahini
4 T fresh lemon juice
3 T olive oil
salt and pepper

And that's a basic hummus. But I spiced it up with:
2 T sweet paprika
2 t hot paprika
1 t garlic powder

Blend in the the food processor until the desired consistency. Add drained bean water if it is too dry. I like mine very thick.

This makes 2 cups so have a plan for how to use it!

Sausage Potato Chowder

By Perry Washburn

On rainy and blustery Spring weekends, my crew looks for something warm, homey. We make lots of hearty gumbos and other types of soup. Our daughter Aida is a huge fan of all soups, but especially chowder. This is a great one, and I'm not sure what warmed me most, this wonderful dish or the smile on Aida's face after the first spoonful!

1/2 cup butter (Plugra is great!)
1/2 cup flour
2 cups chopped celery
1 cup chopped onion
2 cups red potatoes, small dice, with skins on
2 cups stock (homemade is MUCH better)
2 cups milk (or half & half)
1 pound mild smoked sausage (Emeril's apple)
1 tsp Cajun seasoning

Make a mild roux with the butter and flour. Add the butter to a large, heavy pot, and turn the heat up to medium-high. Don't add butter to a hot pot, or you will burn it. When the butter is melted and starting to foam, add the flour and cook, stirring constantly, just until it starts changing color, perhaps 3-5 minutes. Add the celery, onions and sausage, and cook until the veggies are starting to wilt. Deglaze the pot with the stock. Bring to a boil with the rest of the ingredients except the milk. Reduce heat to a simmer, and after it has settled down add the milk. Cook for 20-30 minutes, until the potatoes are done and the chowder is thickened and calling out to the hungry diners in other parts of the house. To make everyone really happy, make some biscuits!

Gene's Beans With Sorghum

by Dave Washburn

I've always been a fan of antique food cookery and this is probably the first recipe I learned. There are hundreds of variations on beans and I've incorporated sorghum into this one after a visit to the Smokies a few years ago. The original recipe calls for molasses, but quite a few people are not that fond of the bitter taste, and I found several recipes with sorghum (which is NOT molasses). Dead simple and I will assure you that halfway through the cooking time in a campground you will have a mob waiting.

1 lb. great northern or navy beans, rinsed, sorted and soaked overnight
2 12 oz pkgs salt pork, slashed to the rind at half inch intervals
half cup sorghum
2 tbs dry mustard
5-6 small onions peeled
2 tsp fresh ground pepper
water to cover

In a dutch oven place the salt pork in the bottom. Cover with the beans. Push in the onions around the salt pork. Pour in the sorghum. Sprinkle in the mustard and pepper. Add water to about one half inch above the beans. Place in a slow oven 300 degrees or over a low fire (or dutch oven- a few coals top and bottom) for about six hours. After six hours, taste for salt- you probably won't have to add any- if you do, dissolve a little in half cup of water. Check water level- you will probably have to add a little. Cook two more hours. If in the oven after another hour remove the lid to brown up a little. Serve with cornbread or campfire biscuits and a good salad. I've taken this to dozens of parties and always get a empty pot back.

Barley Pilaf

By Kathryn Washburn Breighner

I found this recipe in Gourmet in 1979 and have adapted it over the years. I don't know what caught my eye in barley; this isn't something we grew up on. I work to include whole grains into our meals and we started talking about barley since we're heading to Dad's next weekend and planning foods for him that are nutritious but don't spike his blood sugar. Barley fits the bill.

This is simple and outstanding!

1 onion, minced
1/4 c butter
1/2 lb sliced mushrooms
1 c pearl barley
1/2 t salt
1/2 t thyme
1/2 t oregano
1/4 t sage
3 c chicken stock

Saute the onion in butter over med. heat until translucent. Add mushrooms and saute for 3 min. Stir in barley and spices and saute for 3 min. Add stock. Bake, covered, at 350 degrees F for 55-60 minutes.

Aunt Dottie's Pot Pie Crust

By Kathryn Washburn Breighner

I recently visited our Aunt Dottie and she had read my post on Turkey Pot Pie. Many years ago, Dottie clipped this pot pie crust recipe out of a newspaper. She shared it with me and this week when using leftover roasted chicken to make a pot pie, I tried the crust. Very tasty and super easy.

Make the pot pie filling--chicken or turkey, potatoes, onions, carrots, celery, peas, whatever looks/tastes good. Then make this pie crust, roll out and place on top of the pie. I brought the pot pie filling to a simmer on top of the stove and then placed in an oven proof pan, topped with Dottie's crust and popped in the oven.

1 c flour
1 t baking powder
1 t salt
1/3 c shortening
1/4 c hot water
2 t lemon juice
1 egg yolk, slightly beaten,

Blend dry ingredients. Mix shortening, water, lemon juice, and 1/2 of egg yolk. Stir into flour mixture. Blend into ball and chill. Roll out, place on top of pot pie filling, brush with remaining egg yolk. Bake at 400 degrees F for 25-30 minutes.

Thanks, Dottie!

Here's the link for the previous Pot Pie Post:
www.threesiblingsinthekitchen.blogspot.com/search/label/Turkey