Vodka Jello Jiggler Shots

 

2 (3 oz each) boxes Jello

¾ cup boiling water
3 oz vodka
1 oz cold water

Start by pouring 3/4 cup of boiling water into a large glass measuring cup. Dissolve 2 packages of Jello in water, stirring approximately 2 minutes. Add Vodka and cold water, stirring well. Pour the liquid into Jello molds or a 9 x 9 inch pan. Chill until firm (approximately 3 hours).

If using the 9x9 inch pan, cut Jello into diamond shapes or cut with a cookie cutter. Place on a waxed paper lined plate.

Keep uneaten portions refrigerated. 

Enjoy!

 

Crab Balls

1 lb crabmeat from the blue crab

1 egg, beaten
1 tablespoon yellow prepared mustard
¼ cup panko bread crumbs
1 cup panko bread crumbs
¼ cup milk
1 tablespoon Old Bay seasoning
Oil for frying

Note: You can use less Old Bay you like. Being from Maryland’s coastal region we like our Old Bay and use it liberally. If you aren’t from a coastal region you may want to use half the amount of Old Bay.

In small bowl combine ¼ cup panko bread crumbs and the milk. Let sit for five minutes so the panko can soak up the milk.

In large bowl combine beaten egg, mustard, Old Bay and panko/milk mixture. Gently fold in crabmeat. Shape crab mixture into walnut sized balls and roll in remaining panko. Place on waxed paper lined plate. Place crab balls in fridge or freezer to chill for thirty minutes.

Heat oil to 350 degrees in iron skillet. Fry crab balls, making sure both sides get golden brown. You could even fry them in a deep fryer. Drain crab balls on paper towels and serve. Very yummy!

Note: Someone from the Eastern Shore of Maryland—such as myself—would sprinkle the balls with a small amount of Old Bay when they come out of the fryer. Just saying... 

Apple Pie Baked in Apple



6 Granny Smith apples
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 tablespoon cold butter
1 pkg premade pie crusts

1) Preheat oven to 375F.

2) Cut off the top of 4 apples off and discard. Remove the inside of each apple with a spoon or melon baller, being careful not to puncture the peel. Reserve interior of apples to chop up for filling.

3) Remove skin and core from remaining apple and slice very thinly. These apple pieces will give you the additional filling needed to fill the four apples you are baking.

Mix sliced and chopped apples with sugars and cinnamon in a bowl. Scoop apple mixture into hollowed apples.

Cut butter into four pieces, placing one piece on top of filling in each apple. 

4) Roll out pie crust and slice into 1/4 inch strips. Cover the top of the apple in a lattice pattern with pie crust strips.

5) Place apples in an 8×8 pan. Add just enough water to the cover the bottom of the pan. Cover with foil and bake for 20-25 minutes.

Remove foil and bake for an additional 20 minutes or until crust is golden brown and sliced apples are soft.

Best eaten while still warm. Great served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top. Enjoy!

Dippy’s Awesome White Bean Chicken Chili

2 or 3 chicken breasts

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium onion, quartered

2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 jalapeno, halved and seeds removed
1 Hungarian wax pepper or banana pepper, halved and seeds removed
1 pablano pepper, halved and seeds removed
1-1/2 lbs tomatillos, halved

4 cups chicken broth (one 32oz box)
2 cans cannelloni beans (white kidney beans)
1-1/2 tablespoons cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander (optional)
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
salt and pepper to taste

2 ears corn on cob (or ¾ cup of frozen corn kernels)

Preheat over to 375 degrees. In dutch oven drizzle chicken breasts with olive oil and salt and pepper to taste. Roast chicken breasts, uncovered, for 1 hour. Remove chicken, leaving juices in pot. When chicken is cool enough to handle, shred or dice meat and set aside.

Meanwhile, place quartered onions on sheet pan (that has a rim) along with garlic, all of the halved hot peppers and halved tomatillos. Drizzle with very small amount of olive oil (1 tablespoon or less). Roast in oven at 375 degrees for 40 minutes. As soon as you remove them from oven, try to take skins odd of peppers. Place peppers, onions, garlic and juices from the roasted peppers in a blender and puree. (You might have to do this in two or three batches.

Add puree to dutch oven (which still has the chicken juices in it. Add in chicken broth, beans and seasonings. Simmer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. (I keep the lid on but open ¼ of the way)

Cut corn off of cobs and add to chili. Simmer 20 to 30 minutes, or until corn is done.

Serve with garnishes such as sour cream, grated cheese, cilantro, sliced or diced avocado and sliced scallions. Great served with cornbread or corn muffins. I made cornbread muffins to serve with the chili and it was a very filling, very delicious meal. This is a little more labor intensive but SOOOOOOOoooooo good! This is the version I make.

Note:  Sometimes I dice extra jalapenos and add to chili at the beginning of the simmering. And I put in chopped fresh cilantro at the end of the cooking time.

Dippy Short Ribs

1 pkg short ribs (4 to 6 pieces)
2 slices thick bacon, diced
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ cup chopped onion
1 cup diced carrot
1 large clove garlic, minced
1 can (14 oz) beef broth
1-1/2 cups red wine (I use a good Cabernet Sauvignon)
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon fresh thyme
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon cornstarch

Over medium heat, in your favorite Dutch oven (mine is a cute red Lodge Dutch Oven), add olive oil. When hot add short ribs and diced bacon. Your goal is to lightly brown the bacon and sear the outside of the short ribs.

 

Reserve meats to the side, keeping juices in pan.  Add onions, carrots and garlic. Sauté 3 to 5 minutes.

 

Pour in beef broth and wine. Add seasonings, reserved meats and bring to a simmer. Cover and place in 325 degree oven for two hours or until meat is tender.

Set meat aside and cover to keep warm. Strain broth, reserving vegetables with meat. Make a gravy with broth by mixing cornstarch with a small amount of liquid before adding it to the hot broth. Simmer, stirring frequently.

 

Serve on a bed of the carrot and onion and drizzle with a generous amount of gravy. Awesome pared with mashed potatoes and peas. Enjoy.

 

Chicken Noodle Soup

(an easy recipe every sickbed-bitch needs to know)

 

1 pkg chicken thighs (4 to 6 pieces)

2 cups water
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
2 cartons (32oz each) chicken broth (set aside 1 cup)
2 carrots, peeled and diced or sliced
1 small onion, peeled and diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup dry egg noodles

In your favorite soup pot (mine is a Lodge Dutch Oven and I LOVE it), place chicken thighs (I remove the skin from mine), 2 cups water, 1 cup of the chicken broth, bay leaf, salt and pepper. Simmer with lid on for approximately an hour or until chicken thighs are cooked through and the broth smells divine.

 

Remove chicken and pull the meat from the bone, shredding it to add later.

 

 

Meanwhile stir in remaining chicken broth, carrots, onions and garlic. Simmer 1 hour, making sure carrots and onions are tender. Add dry egg noodles and reserved shredded chicken. Simmer ten minutes or until egg noodles are cooked.

 

Serve and enjoy. Guaranteed to chase away cold germs.