Ashley Famous Recipes

Chocolate Chip Almond Biscotti

2009-01-14T16:26:00.001-08:00

1/2 Cup Butter (room temperature)

1   Cup Brown Sugar

3   Eggs
1 1/2 teaspoon Vanilla extract
1 teaspoon Almond extract

1    3/4 Cup Flour ( all purpose)
1    teaspoon Baking Powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 Cup cocoa powder

1/2   Cup Chocolate chips ( dark or milk chocolate) coarsely chopped
1    Cup Almonds coarsely chopped

Take one cup of almonds and spread out evenly on a cookie sheet. Put into an oven at
350 F for 8-10 minutes. This toasts them and adds flavor. Put them aside to cool until the next step which would be to chop them coarsely and then again set them aside until you will add them into the egg mixture. Turn down your oven to 300 F so that when you do the baking it will be lower and ready to go. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

In another bowl mix  1 3/4 cup of flour with 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon of baking powder and 1/2 cup of cocoa powder. Sift or mix well together. Set aside.

In a larger bowl add 1/2 cup of butter. Set aside until you will add the sugar.

In a small bowl take 3 eggs and lightly beat them with a whisk or fork. Add 1 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla and 1 teaspoon of almond extract to the eggs and mix together.

Now that all of your ingredients are ready to add together go back to the larger bowl with the butter and gradually beat in with an electric mixer the 1 cup of brown sugar adding a little at a time until fluffy. This may take several minutes. Then add the beaten eggs mixture gradually and beat until this becomes smooth and creamy and as you slowly raise the beaters the batter will fall back into the bowl in slow ribbons. Also this will take several minutes. Fold in 1 cup coarsely chopped almonds then the chopped chocolate chips. Gradually add in the flour/dry ingredients mixture. This can be done with a mixer or by hand until all of the ingredients are all combined. The dough will be sticky. Turn out the whole amount of dough onto a cookie sheet that has parchment paper on it. Wet your hands and form a log making it uniform. About an 1 1/2 high by 5 1/2 wide. Bake 35-40 minutes or until firm to the touch ( logs will spread during baking). Remove from oven onto a wire rack for ten minutes or more so you can handle it. It can be slid right off of the baking sheet while still on the parchment paper. After it is cooled, remove from parchment paper by sliding it on to a cutting board and return the parchment to the baking sheet. Cut the log with a serrated knife, cutting log into 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick pieces on the diagonal. Put slices back on the baking sheet sitting them up and return to the oven for 30 - 40 minutes to continue to bake as this removes more moisture making them really crisp. You can vary the crispness by how long you bake them in the final baking time. Remove from the oven and let cool. Store in air tight container for weeks (if they last that long).

If you would like you can melt some chocolate in the top of a double boiler and dip the biscotti pieces or use a knife to coat them. Store with pieces of parchment between the layers. Enjoy     Paula

2008-10-04T19:15:00.000-07:00

By Claudine Pruitt

I received an interesting recipe from my lil' sis Alicia. I was skeptical of the main ingredient...but I am hooked! It took a couple of tries to get it just right. Who would have thought that Cauliflower would be used as a tasty crust to an American favorite. All you need is:

1 10 oz bag of frozen cauliflower (Use fresh if you like)
2 cups of mozzarella cheese
2 eggs
2 sprinkles of chef salt
1 dash of dried oregano
This batch will make 2 pizza crusts.

Steam the Cauliflower until tender. Blend in a food processor until Cauliflower resembles mashed taters.

In mixing bowl add Cauliflower, cheese, eggs and seasoning. Mix until well blended.

I love my pampered chef clay pizza pan, but any pan will do. Make sure you spray the pan liberally with either canola or olive oil.

Take 1/2 of the mixture and spread on oiled pan. Make it look like a real pizza crust.

Bake at 425 for 20-25 minutes. Watch it closely. Some pans will brown the crust more quickly. You want the crust to be brown and toasty.

Pull it out of the oven.

Next, add your favorite toppings! Marinara, Alfredo, peppers, mushrooms, chicken, pepperoni, artichokes, whatever you like.

Put back in oven and bake until cheese is melted.

It is best to let your creation rest and cool for 10 minutes or so. It is easier to cut and serve.

Make another creation with the rest of the dough.

It's amazing how everyone in your family will devour this treat! Preston and Cassidy, my niece and nephew, who can't stand cauliflower, asked for seconds!

The possibilities are endless!

Finally those who can't have all the carbs. in a "real" pizza, can now have something darn close!

Thanks for sharing T.

Claudine Pruitt

2008-10-02T11:48:00.000-07:00

We're in the soupe mode now that autumn is coming on! Here's one we've been eating for a long time and I had it as a boy many times..even served it as 'chow' in my cookin days in the US Army!
Sure to please just about anytime, a crisp fall day, makes it even better! It makes use of leftover ham quite well, thankyou!

1 Package of Michigan Great Northern Beans, rinsed, picked over and covered with water in a bowl and left overnight. In the morning, you'll notice that the beans have soaked up most of the water...really plumping up. Now, the rest is easy and you'll need:

The beans
1 Large Onion
2 stalks of Celeri
Ham cut off the bone into cubes but you can also use ham steaks cut up.

1 carrot, cut up

Bring the top 4 ingredients to a boil, reduce heat and simmer covered for about 3 hours. Check it now and then, adding water if necessary. Add the cut up carrots about half-way through the cookin process. Season with salt and pepper - carefully.

When you're sure the beans have throughly cooked, turn off and let sit ontop your range or stove for a few hours...at this time, the soup takes on the flavours of the vegetables and smoky ham.
When you're ready to serve, reheat, correct seasoning and serve in heated soup bowls with some crusty bread and butter on the side.

You can also add a tablespoon of tomato paste to this soup and also you can puree this soup and add 1/2 cup of half and half and a dollop of unsalted butter..BUT we like it just like above! Some folks like to add some freshly chopped onions on top, just before serving. Any way you like it, go for it!

BEAN NOTES We're partial to Michigan grown Great Northern Beans where they grow a lot of them in the Thumb region of the Great Lakes State. Fertile ground in this area makes Michigan one of the largest bean producers in the world. I fondly remember the elevator along Highway M-53 near Marlette..Frutchley Bean Companyand their slogan emblazoned on the side of this huge elevator was: We Aim To Please!

Serve this soup to your family and you'll have a tootin' good time..GUARANTEED! And be sure to aim well!

Keep on cookin'!

2008-10-01T11:19:00.000-07:00

What to do with all those nice tomatoes still kicking out of your garden...turn them into the perfect luncheon or supper soup QUICK!

For this recipe, you'll need:

8-10, red ripe tomatoes, skinned, seeds removed
1 large sweet onion,finely diced
2 Cups Beef Stock
Ashley Famous Chef Salt
Sour Creme
Chopped Fresh Dill

Method:

Skin tomatoes by immersing them in hot water bath and peel. Either seed by hand or run through a food mill, but do remove the seeds for esthetic reason, although they're edible!

Saute in 2T unsalted butter, the Onion until soft but not browned
Add tomato (which now should be a puree,the stock and add enough Ashley Famous Chef Salt to taste, and bring to boil. Reduce heat to simmer covered for 35 minutes.

Uncover and correct the seasoning. For a GREAT addition to your soup consider adding 2Tbs of fresh Red Beet juice and 1 Tbs of sugar. If your soup is too thin, add 1 Tbs corn starch that has been mixed with 2 oz of water. Introduce the hot to the corn starch mixture stirring well, then into the hot tomato mixture.

Serve in large soup bowls, a dollop of sour creme or Smetana and some fresh chopped dill!

Enjoy this Polish Tomato Soup...Smacknie!

Serves 4-6.

2008-09-24T20:15:00.000-07:00

By Claudine Pruitt

I couldn't believe my ears when Cole, my middle child said that Cannon Casserole was his favorite dish. I wasn't surprised by the request for Cannon Casserole...it has been in my family for ages. I was more surprised that he referred to dinner as a dish. He's been hanging out with his mother way too much.

As Cody sifted through my "odd and ins drawer" he confessed he was going to be a chef. He then began to bang my measuring cups to make music??

Fun at the Pruitt home!!

Cannon Casserole is simple and loved by all!

1/2 cup finely chopped sweet onion or a generous sprinkle of dried onion.

1 pound of ground beef/chicken or turkey.

2 cans of creamed corn.(The original recipe calls for only 1 can, but the Pruitt boys love extra corn.)

1 container of simply potatoes mashed potatoes. (If you have time, make a fresh batch of mashed taters..if in a rush...simply potatoes have the best ready to make taters around!)

Add 1 Tbsp. of canola oil to pan. Once oil is heated, add onion, saute until golden, add ground meat and of course chef salt. Drain of any excess fat.

Layer in a casserole dish. 1st the ground meat, next, the corn and finally the taters! Don't forget to add a sprinkle of chef salt to the top of your potatoes, which will add great flavor and an amazing color to the dish!!

Bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees or untill bubbly!!

As Cole would say..."I'm going to eat more than Dad tonight!!"

Claudine

2008-09-17T21:38:00.000-07:00

I've always been a devoted fan of the original chef salt, I can remember it being in our home since I was in 3rd grade. I remember as a young child playing in the basement with all of my father's cooking supplies. At the time I couldn't tell you what anything was, I remember a large sifter type thing, tons of pans and containers and of course chef salt labels. My sister and friends would pretend to have a shop or I would simply daydream away by myself. I would pretend to serve customers and prepare amazing dishes.

As my daydreams have become somewhat of a reality, I continued to use Chef Salt...until today. I was introduced to the kicked up formula...

I began with 6 bone-in chicken breasts for the grill. They take a lot longer than a a boneless breast to cook, but are able to take the temperature of the grill for a lot longer and they lock in the juices. I lifted the skins of the breasts and sprinkled them with the kicked up version of chef salt. The aroma of the salt is amazing! When no other sodium is used, it is o.k. to give a liberal sprinkle of the salt. It's actually not a salt but a seasoning you are adding. I added soy sauce, Italian dressing, Mcaffery ground mustard (GO BRONCOS) and left over terrikai marinade under the skin. I continued to brush the mixture over the chicken while it was cooking.

Earlier in the week I took advantage of the sale on asparagus at King Soopers. Asparagus is great on the grill...but did I taste a difference with the kicked up version? Why yes!! I sprinkled olive oil, lime juice(usually I use lemon juice, but that is all I had.) and a huge sprinkle of "Kicked Up" Chef SALT.

What a great meal....So simple...so tasty!

The more I think about it...the "Kicked Up" Chef salt needs a new name!!! It's sort of a tongue twister...

Any Ideas???

Claudine Pruitt

2008-09-10T00:03:00.000-07:00

I never was interested in starting a blog, but my experience that my family and I had at the Grumpy Gringo in Estes Park, Colorado made me want to shout from the mountain tops! I've had a couple of days to think about probably the worst customer service experience that I have encountered. By all means, I am not an easy guest. I expect prompt and friendly service, a clean facility and good food...doesn't everyone expect that? Kelly, my husband begs me to take it easy and "act like your not at work". How can I when I know that good service and food can be obtained! Yes, I've received complaints, but I'm not afraid to admit that indeed I have dropped the ball and make it right.

My entire family, minus Kelly, were excited to try this Mexican joint near our hotel. Our party of 9 were seated in the very back of the restaurant. Always a sure sign of being forgotten. The bagged chips and salsa were brought out immediately, something to hold us over while the drinks were brought out. I couldn't believe that refills on chips and salsa were a whopping $2.99! I was in the mood for a good Mexican beer, Modelo Especial perhaps? No, the beer cooler wasn't working. Hey, it does happen! I settled for a Miller Light. The drinks did take awhile. Even though I expect good service, I am understanding that it does take more to serve a party of 9.
We placed our order, then the waiting game began. At about 30 minutes of listening to my nephew and sons beg for their food I decided to go check out the scene. Maybe I would run into our server? I did in fact run into our server, he was sitting at the bar. Wasn't there something more constructive he could be doing? Like getting our food out of the kitchen? According to his manager Mike Anderman, they allow the servers to sit at the bar when there is nothing to do. As we all decided to cut our ties and go to McDonald's the food began to arrive. Yay!!! To say the least, everything was very disappointing. Everything was luke warm-perfect for the three starving young men.

This doesn't seem too bad, right? It gets better! Mike came to our table to see what was wrong. James, who is pretty calm and has been in the biz for a long time, expressed his concern about the food. Mike didn't believe that anything was wrong. He even wanted to prove that the ground beef was piping hot! Mike came to our table with a taco and a meat thermometer sticking out of it!! Mike raised his voice, "See, it's 155 degrees". I've never seen such unprofessionalism in my life. I couldn't contain myself any longer. I added my two cents in, "It's not just that our food is cold and had to find our server at the bar for refills, we've waited over 45 minutes for our food". Oh no we didn't, Mike brought the kitchen ticket to show exactly what time the order was punched in. Unbelievable!

I've never in my life experienced such piss poor service from a manager. I don't blame our poor server, look who is training him. I've never had a situation escalate to this level. Usually if my food is cold or something isn't right, a new dish is brought out with an apology, and that's that! All of the adults left without eating, we were still charged for those meals. Mike took 50% off our bill.

Not one apology was given by anyone!

Estes Park is one of our favorite places to go year round, but the more I think about it, we've never found a restaurant we'll go back to when we return. The restaurants in Estes Park are similar to those in an airport. Airport restaurants are ranked one of the worst in customer service. They don't have to impress you, most likely you won't be back anytime soon, and even if you will be, who cares? Where else are you going to eat when you missed your flight? They don't care, at least Monte and Carole House, owners of the Grumpy Gringo, don't care.

When you are in Estes Park, your best bet for a quick meal is visit the gift shop in Rocky Mountain National Park, order a chili dog and an ice cream cone. That's the best meal we've had there ever!

Claudine Pruitt

2008-09-08T10:08:00.000-07:00

Hello all you customers and fans of Ashley Famous - we've been gone most of the summer, particularly in the beautiful Pacific Northwest on other business matters.

We expect to launch a very SPECIAL BLOG PAGE, authored by one of our staff writers, Claudine.

As I understand it, her weekly blog will cover restaurants and other establishments serving food of many kinds...even festival and fair food booths at locations around the country.

She comes to us with excellent credentials, having been formally trained in culinary arts and with a wealth of hands on experience as a Managing General Partner of a Boston based restaurant.

We welcome her and hope that you'll read her stuff often.

We have been messing around with a new formula of Ashley Famous Chef Salt, our Flagship product...we've experimented with different salts including Celtic Sea Salt. So far, we like the outcome in our testing of this product.

Of course, when ever possible, we only use the purest organic ingredients in our products.

For fall, we are also launching "Smoky Ashley Famous Chef Salt", a product that will give you that 'hickory smoked' flavour and taste..we expect to have this available in late October. Trial sizes will be available for $1.95. Watch the blog site for further details!

We just returned from the Longs Peak Scottish Irish Festival in Estes Park, Colorado. Lots of authentic food, bagpipes and lots of people too in one of the most marvelous settings known to man! We loaded up McDuff and Murphy in our motorcoach and enjoyed three days up there. I recommend the festival and Estes Park to everyone!

A chilly morning here in Denver, about time to get out there and grab some of the late tomatoes and other vegetables growing in the Ashley Famous Garden.

Until next time,

Dennis Ashley
Keep on Cookin'!

2008-02-18T13:18:00.000-08:00

This recipe would normally be prepared from ingredients that you have in the kitchen..there's more prep than first meets the eye, so allow yourself plenty of time to do it well!

1/2 Pound thick cut Bacon
2-3 Tbs of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 large onions, sliced
1-1-1/2 cup Chix Stock
1 package of Linguinne
3 egg yolks
1/2-1 Cup fresh grated Parmesan Cheese
Black Pepper, coarse, fresh grated
Ashley Famous Chef Salt

Methode
Cut the bacon slices into 1/4 inch pieces.

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil and cook the bacon, stirring frequently until it is lightly browned, but still soft in the center. Pour off all but 3 Tbs of the bacon fat, and add olive oil to make 3 Tbs. This depends on the fat in the bacon.

Add the sliced onions and saute till soft, but not browned, about 5 minutes. Add chix stock, bring to a boil, reduce heat to achieve a nice simmering and then cook uncovered until the liquid has reduced by half.

On the back burner, cook the pasta in boiling salted water, best to cook to al dente. When the pasta is cooked to your liking, reserve about 1 cup of the pasta water and add the cooked pasta directly to the sauce in your large saute pan.

Add enough pasta water to the pasta and sauce to coat all of the pasta..a good time now to correct the seasoning with some Ashley Famous Chef Salt...REMOVE the pan from the heat, and carefully add the egg yolks, one at a time...tossing with a couple of large forks...add the fresh grated Parmesan cheese, and fresh black pepper.

Serve on heated plates or bowls, garnished with a sprinkle of chopped flat-leaf parsley.

RECIPE NOTES
Don't worry about the egg yolks...the heat from the pasta will actually cook the yolks in a few seconds...this is a rich recipe and can be used as a complete meal with some crusty Italian bread and a side salade...Bon giorno!

Keep on Cookin'!

2007-12-09T10:54:00.000-08:00

Basic Recipe - A heavy 4 quart kettle or Dutch Oven that has a tight fitting lid will be best. Also set out a deep 3-4 qt bowl.

Have ready a 4 pound Beef Top Roast and place him in the kettle.

Marinade:
2 Cups of Red Wine Vinegar
2 Cups water
1 large onion sliced
1/4 Cup sugar
2 tsp salt
10 peppercorns, whole
6 cloves, whole
3 bay leaves

Combine above ingredients in a sauce pan and bring to just about boiling. Remove from heat and allow to cool. When cool, pour over meat and add 1 lemon, sliced.

Cover and set in refrigerator, turning meat with a fork every 6 hours for 3 days.

Remove meat from marinade and drain thoroughly. Strain and reserve marinade.

Heat in the dried out kettle, 4 Tbs of unsalted butter. Add the marinated meat and brown slowly on all sides over medium heat. Add 2 cups of the marinade (saving the rest for gravy). Bring marinade to a boil, reduce heat. Cover kettle tightly and simer about 3 hours or until the meat is tender when pierced with a fork. Add more of the marinade if necessary. REMEMBER, the liquid around the meat should be simmering, not boiling.

Remove meat from kettle when tender, cover or put in a very slow oven to keep warm. Reserve all liquid.

For gravy: Melt 1/4 in the dried kettle and stir in 1/4 cup of flour, stirring constantly. Gradually add about 1 cup of the reserved marinade and water or beef stock to make 3 cups. Over medium heat, stir until thickened, then reduce heat. Add about 1/2cup of sour creme, that has been incorporated with some of the marinade before adding.

Serve over sliced Sauerbraten with buttered noodles or mashed potatoes or potato dumplings. Excellent with Rotkohl. (See my recipe for red cabbage in this Recipe Section).

Options and Cooking Notes:

We like to use our enamel lined iron Dutch Oven for this recipe, but regardless of what you use, it should be a heavy pot with good fitting lid.

Adding raisins to this dish is very nice.

This will easily feed 4-6 people. It tastes even better the next day! What you will also appreciate is the fragrance that fills the kitchen and house while this is cooking...a real Hausfrauen!

Enjoy and Keep on Cookin'!

2007-11-14T10:41:00.000-08:00

Here's another contribution from Coloradoan Paul Argentiere. You'll think you're in Athens after eating this one!

1 Pkg Fresh Chicken Thighs (10) Skinned & Rinsed, trimmed of excess fat globs

MARINADE & SAUCE
Juice (strained) of 3 small lemons
2 heaping tsp Ashley Famous Chef Salt
1 tsp Ground Black Pepper
2 heaping TBS chopped Garlic
4 oz White Wine
1 tsp Paprika
2 TBS Dried Oregano
2 TBS Extra Virgin Olive Oil

METHOD
Mix ingredients with a fork or spoon and pour mixture into a 1 gallon ZipLoc freezer bag. Add chicken thighs, and seal bag with as little air inside as possible. Tumble the thighs until evenly coated with marinade, garlic and oregano and let sit 1/2 hour, moving the mixture every 5-10 minutes around the chicken thighs.

Preheat oven to 375f.
Place thighs back-side UP in a shallow pan greased with a film of olive oil. Pour remaining marinade over the chicken pieces and Bake 10 minutes, then BROIL 5 minutes+ until slightly browned or the garlic pieces begin to toast on their edges.
Remove from oven and baste with juices. Then let sit for 5 minutes.

Serve with your favorite Veggies..Makes great leftovers and sandwiches!

OPA!

2007-11-06T12:39:00.000-08:00

4 skinned and boned chicken breasts, slightly flattened out and dusted in flour.
Ashley Famous Chef Salt and Aromatic Pepper
6 Tbs unsalted butter
2 cans Orange Juice concentrate
1/2 cup lightly toasted slivered almonds
4 Tbs High Quality Madeira

Method: Season chicken breasts generously with Ashley Famous Chef Salt and Aromatic Pepper and dust in flour. In a saute pan, cook breasts in butter to brown on both sides over medium heat. Reduce heat to simmer, add orange juice concentrate, cover and cook for about 20 minutes or just until the breasts are tender and cooked throughout. Remove cooked breasts to a plate and cover.
Add two finely minced shallots to the liquid in saute pan to about the consistency of heavy creme, and cook over medium-high heat stirring to slightly brown. Add Maderia wine, stirring to blend, correct seasoning if necessary.
Serve this sauce over the warm breasts, and top with toasted almond slivers and finely minced parsley.

Recipe Note: To toast almonds, place in small saute pan over low heat, stirring every so often to brown..remove and let cool.

For more information on Madeira wine and cooking with Wine in General, please visit the Blog Page on this site and click on 'More On Taste' posted 11/6/07.

2007-10-31T15:33:00.000-07:00

1 medium onion, sliced thin, then pop out into rings and lay in the bottom of a large skillet.
Drizzle with Olive Oil and saute on medium-high heat, tossing occassionally.
About halfway through cooking, sprinkle liberally with black pepper and continue to cook until transparent.
Add chicken breasts on top of onions and 1 can chicken broth (reserve 1/3 cup broth)and sprinkle generously with Ashley Famous Chef Salt - cover and bring to a boil.
Lower heat to medium and poach the breasts about halfway.

Add several dashes of Tapatio Hot Sauce, and 1-1/2 tsp soy sauce to the liquid and turn the breasts over.
Now continue poaching uncovered (I turn then once or twice more to keep them on all sides and to blend the juices)

When cooked, remove from liquid.

Mix 1 heaping TBS cornstarch into the reserved broth and add to the juices in the pan stirring until it comes to a boil and thiickens into gravy consistency.

Plate the breasts and cover generously with gravy and onions. Serive with your favorite vegetable and rice or potatoes.

Recipe courtesy of Paul Argentiere of Parker, Colorado.
October, 2007

2007-10-31T10:29:00.001-07:00

2 Boxes JIFFY* Cornbread Mix
2 EGGS, slightly beaten (or 1/2 cup Egg Beaters)
Add 2 more egg whites (or whole eggs for richer bread)
1 4 oz can of diced Jalapenos (drain)
2/3 Cup milk
1/2 cup cooked Corn (cooked in chicken broth + remainder of can of of Creme of Celery Soup + garlic salt to taste)
Add enough flour and/or cornmeal to bring batter to thicker consistency.

Mix it all together and pour the batter into a greased 9" square Pyrex dish and bake at 375 degrees for about 1/2 hour to 45 minutes or until the top is golden brown and th3e center springs back.

Result:: Moist & spicy! Even better the second day.

FROM: Paul Argentiere, Parker, Colorado, a fine Italian gentlemen who knows how to cook good things to eat!

*Ashley Famous Note: The Jiffy Mix is our favorite cornbread mix..we've walked the grounds of the Chelsea Milling Company in Chelsea, Michigan...hands on milling and manufacturers of the world's best mixes including Jiffymix..they've been milling fine products since the early 1800's..still in the family today..by people who care! You can visit them at www.jiffymix.com

2007-10-24T13:25:00.001-07:00

A lot of people have said..'we're tired of bottled dressings'...and I certainly agree, fact, hardly use them. If you long for a pleasant salade dressing, low in calories and good for you, then try this one.

Ashley Famous High Country Herb Viniagrette

2Tbs Red Wine Vinegar
1 Tbs Ashley Famous High Country Herbs (Product information found elsewhere on this site)
Good Quality Olive Oil
pinch of Ashley Famous Chef Salt
Fresh ground Coarse Black Pepper
Whisk in olive oil in a stream to incorporate. Correct seasoning with Ashley Famous Chef Salt and fresh Coarse ground pepper to taste.
Allow dressing to sit for an hour over even overnight to allow the herbs to get to know each other, so to speak. Drizzle on a nice green salade and enjoy! This is a winning combination, easy to fix, very economical and very low in calories! Great on cooked vegetables too like, broccoli and cauliflower...really engergizes the taste of these two vegetables! Try it to day, you'll be delighted!

2007-10-17T18:23:00.000-07:00

Here's a classic French sauce often associated with fish.
Blend
3/4 Cup Creme fraiche (substitute Dairy Sour Creme)
1-1/2 Cup Mayonaise
To this, add 1/2 tsp Cayenne Pepper and 4-6 minced cloves of garlic and a squeeze of lemon or lemon zest and incorporate well.

I've used it in Flemish Fish Soupe with a dollop or two on top or even as a sauce with a simple filet of fish. Rouille can also be used as a flavourful vegetable dip.
Try adding fresh or dried herbs like Tarragon, Parsley, Thyme. Let your creativeness flow baby, and find new uses for this delicious and easy to fix sauce..let me know where it takes you!

"He that never eats too much, will never be lazy. - Ben Franklin

2007-10-16T15:07:00.001-07:00

Face it, we're landlocked here in the Rocky Mountains with a supply of pretty decent fish from both coasts and abroad! Oh how I long for a platter of Yellow Lake Perch, that many places in the area of my boyhood haunts offered and still do today in countless restaurants, some fancy, some not, but Yellow Lake Perch is that kind of fish! And on any Friday night, you can find those Eagles, VFW's, and lakeside saloons, whipping up those wonderful Friday Night Fishfrys...all you can eat! We used to fish in Lake St. Clair and usually get all we wanted, winter and summer! And how about those
Not much to fixin these fish...quickly cleaned, dipped in seasoned flour and cooked in an iron skillet, ain't nothin like em!

Don't confuse Yellow Lake Perch with Ocean Perch...two completely different species. Right, all you Detroiters out there? Where's the best Lake Perch served these days? For more years than I'll even admit, Pat Obrien's in St. Clair Shores always did them up just right and through several generations of the family, they still do! With just a sqeeze of lemon, their great Tartar Sauce, a side of slaw and fries and you're good to go! We used to wash them down with fire-brewed Stroh's or Goebel's beer. Both breweries now only a vestige of the times.

Some fish, has an excellent affinity for Saffron, Thyme, Tarragon, Fennel, Parsley and Dill. If you're using any of these herbs in a dried fashion, gently rub them in your hands to release the perfume or essence of the herb. Saffron, perhaps the world's most expensive herb, is chiefly cultivated in Spain, France, Sicily on the lower spurs of the Apennines and in Iran and Kashmir. Saffron is made from the dried stigma and part of the style of the Saffron crocus, a beautiful flower that blooms in late autumn..right about now!
Another good thing to know about fish is that most of it is very low in fat and requires only short cooking periods.

Help...landlocked in Denver...please send Yellow Lake Perch!

2007-10-15T17:24:00.000-07:00

I spotted a medium head of red cabbage about ready to harvest earlier this afternoon in the Ashley Famous garden...and started to think about this dish..so here 'tis! Relatively quick to prepare, and it ages well stored and even better the next day!

1 medium head Red Cabbage,grated in shreds or cut similarly
1 Tbs of bacon drippings or vegetable oil..or butter
2 Tbs White Onion, grated into shreds
Sugar
2 Tsp Ashley Famous Chef Salt
1/2 Tsp Ashley Famous Aromatic Pepper
Water
Vinegar
1 Cup firm, peeled apple minced OR Apple sauce

Here's what you do: Saute red cabbage and onion over medium heat until just wilted. Add sugar and the Ashley Famous Salt and Aromatic pepper, enuf water to cover half of the sauted cabbage, vinegar.
Cover and simmer for about 25 minutes. Add apple or apple sauce and bring up to serving temperature. Correct seasoning.
Serves as a nice side dish for about 4-6 diners.
Preparation Time - 10 minutes
Cooking Time - 35 minutes

Serve with beef or any other meat where a sweet and sour vegetable may be needed.

I also note that the roadside stands and Farmers Markets are coming on with hearty vegetables, now that tomatoes and other summer fruits and vegetable are about gone. Look for a firm head of cabbage. If you have some raw cabbage leftover, one of those Tupperware containers makes a perfect storage place in the refrig!
Good Cookin!

2007-10-12T16:41:00.000-07:00

SPICED PECANS
Nothing satisfies like a batch of fresh roasted spiced nuts like you can get at many street fairs and carnivals...now you can have them at home in minutes.

Beat 1 egg white until foamy but not stiff..add 3 Cups of whole Pecans, 1/3 cup of Sugar, 2 tsp of ground cinnamon and 1/2 tsp each of Ashley Famous Aromatic Pepper, and Ashley Famous Chef Salt. Combine well.
Add nuts, coating them well and spread evenly on a greased baking sheet and bake in a 250f pre-heated oven, stirring twice.
Cool slightly, break apart, cool completely. Store in a air tight container..but they won't last long!

Optional -
Dash of Tabasco sauce
Any other fresh nut of your choice. This recipe may be successfully doubled!