Corn Pudding

Corn Pudding

My mother-in-law got this Corn Pudding recipe from a family friend, Tracy and I loved it when she made it as a side dish for Christmas dinner in 2019. I wanted to make this to accompany BBQ chicken thighs I baked. This corn pudding is also called corn casserole with the same ingredients just known by two different names. It is a simple dish to put together and best served warm. The melted cheddar cheese on top completes the dish. The best part is you do not need to use a mixer just add the ingredients in a large bowl and mix it all together and bake in the oven. If you love corn, you got to make this dish.

Ingredients

1 15.25 oz. can Whole Corn, drained 

1 14.25 oz. can Creamed Corn

1 cup Sour Cream

1/2 cup, 1 stick Unsalted Butter, melted and cooled

1 cup Cheddar Cheese, shredded

1 8 oz. Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix

Directions

Heat oven to 350°F. 

Grease 1 8x8 square pan.

Put the 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese aside.

Add the ingredients (except for the cheese) in a large bowl and mix until combined.

Pour into prepared pan and smooth the top with a knife.

Bake for 45 minutes.

Remove from the oven, sprinkle the cheese all over the top and return to the oven for 5 to 10 minutes or until melted.

Take out of the oven. 

Let the corn pudding rest for 5 minutes and serve.

-Sophia/Two Frys

Southwestern Pasta Salad

Southwestern Pasta Salad

I came across this Southwestern Pasta Salad in Taste of Home. This is a vibrant, colorful and hearty pasta salad. I bumped up the flavor, added cracked black pepper, and increased some of the ingredients for a bold and kicked up taste. The original recipe has sliced avocado on top but mine was not ripe, so if you have avocado, slice it and add it just before serving. This dish is perfect for a backyard BBQ and as an accompaniment to chicken or burgers, and for sharing with your family. See the adapted recipe below.

Close-up,  Southwestern Pasta Salad

Southwestern Pasta Salad

Ingredients
1 cup Salsa, Medium

1 cup Lime Juice, Freshly Squeezed

1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 1/2 tablespoons White Wine Vinegar

2 teaspoons Ground Cumin

1 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper

1 teaspoon Coarse Salt

1/2 teaspoon Cracked Black Pepper

1 package (16 ounces) Uncooked Cavatappi (or Spiral) Pasta

So yummy!

Cover with plastic wrap and chill for 2-3 hours

1 1/2 cups Fresh or frozen whole kernel Corn, thawed

1 can (15 ounce) Black Beans, rinsed and drained

1 cup Cherry Tomatoes, whole or sliced in half

1 can Black Olives, sliced and drained

1 Green Pepper, chopped

1 Red Pepper, chopped

1 small red onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro, divided

Delish!

Pasta salad perfection

Directions
In a small bowl, whisk together the salsa, lime juice, extra virgin olive oil, white wine vinegar, garlic cloves, cumin, cayenne pepper, black pepper and salt;  set aside.

In a large pot, boil water, add salt and cook pasta according to package directions. 

Drain the pasta and rinse with cold water; set aside.

In a large bowl, mix with a spatula or wooden spoon the pasta, tomatoes, corn, beans, olives, peppers, onion and 1/2 cup cilantro. 

Pour salsa dressing over salad and combine. 

Refrigerate for at least 2-3 hours to set. 

Before serving sprinkle the rest of the the cilantro.

For the Southwestern Pasta Salad recipe, visit Taste of Home:
https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/southwestern-pasta-salad/

Enjoy!

Sophia/Two Frys

Potato Salad

Potato Salad

I am a big fan of creamy potato salad and this weekend I made some. Potato salad goes great with chicken wings, chicken thighs, pork chops, ribs, steak, burgers, hot dogs, etc... It is the perfect accompaniment to round out your BBQ and enjoy this last weekend before cooler weather starts to kick in.

Potato salad

Creamy potato salad

Yummy potato salad

Allen made two kinds of chicken wings to go with this potato salad. To really let the flavors develop, you need to chill this potato salad overnight or for at least 5-6 hours. This potato salad is very creamy, eggy, tangy, and perfect to share with your family and guests. This year, I added celery seed and sprinkled fresh dill over the potato salad, and this is by far the best potato salad I ever made. See recipe and directions below.

Eggs

Shallot cut in 4 and ready to dice

Diced shallot

Ingredients
1 5-pound bag of Russet Potatoes

2 cups Mayonnaise (adjust according to your preference)

6 Eggs

1 medium Shallot, finely diced

1/2 cup Relish

1/4 cup Dijon Mustard

3 tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar

1 tablespoon Coarse Salt + 1 teaspoon

1 teaspoon Celery Seed

A small bunch of Fresh dill, taken off stem

Ingredients

Diced potatoes

Ready to mix in shallot and eggs

Mixed in

Directions
Wash the potatoes in warm water.

Place potatoes in a large pot with water on medium heat and season with 1 tablespoon of coarse salt.

Cover and cook until potatoes are tender but not too soft; about 20-30 minutes.

After 20 minutes, test some of the potatoes with a fork and adjust extra time as needed.

Place eggs in a saucepan filled with water. Boil eggs for 15 minutes, turn off the heat and let them sit in the water for 10 minutes.

Remove from heat and place in a bowl with cold water for 5 minutes.

Peel the eggs and slice each one into 4 quarters and with a fork or potato masher break them up; set aside.

When the potatoes have cooked drain them into a colander, and cool to room temperature for about 15 minutes.

1 of the 2 cups of Mayo and 1/4 cup Dijon mustard

Mayo and Dijon mixed in

Adding in relish and then the vinegar, celery seed, and fresh dill (see pic above)

Peel each potato and dice into pieces and place in a large bowl.

Add shallot and eggs to bowl and mix together with a wooden spoon or spatula.

Add the mayonnaise, and Dijon mustard and mix together.

Add the relish, apple cider vinegar, and 1 teaspoon of salt and combine.

Taste and adjust salt if necessary.

Sprinkle fresh dill over the potato salad.

Cover and chill in fridge for several hours or overnight.

Enjoy!

-Sophia/Two Frys

Mangu with Men Pa'w Umami

Mangu with Men Pa'w Umami Mild Gourmet Sauce

We have reviewed several Men Pa'w Sauces over the years on many foods and are big fans of the product line. Carline Phanor recently released the stellar Men Pa'w Umami Mild Gourmet Sauce. I put it over mangu that Sophia made us and it was superb! Umami is mild but it is packed with flavor and will compliment all your dishes. The rich taste lingered nicely on my tongue and I kept adding more of it to my mangu. Umami adds a refreshing and bold kick and is versatile for rice dishes, beans, seafood, eggs, chicken, pork, steak, veggie dishes and more.

Men Pa'w Umami with mangu

Umami is a vinegar based sauce and features roasted red peppers, fire roasted red jalapeno, chocolate habanero and a variety of spices. Men Pa'w are known for their Caribbean flavors and Umami is no exception. Some of the spice ingredients are garlic, cayenne pepper, paprika, onion, curry powder, black pepper, celery, chili powder, and parsley. See mangu recipe below. We made ours with Dominican salami but you can also make mangu with fried Spanish white cheese, and also fried or scrambled eggs.

Umami

Mangu Ingredients
3-4 Green Plantains

Apple Cider Vinegar

1/2 cup, 1 stick Butter, softened

1 Shallot, diced

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Coarse Salt

Mangu with Dominican Salami

Mangu with Dominican Salami

Directions
Peel and slice plantains.

In a small skillet, add 1 table spoon of olive oil, shallots and season with salt. Sautee over medium heat and then set aside.

In a large pot filled with water, add the peeled and sliced plantains and cook over medium heat.

Plantains ready to mash

Adding butter and continuing to mash

Add coarse salt.

Cook for 20-25 minutes.

Reserve 1 cup of the starchy water.

Drain plantains and return to pot.

Add cooked shallots and stir together with a spatula

Starchy water reserved before draining plantains

With a masher start to smash plantains.

Add butter and continue mashing.

Add about 2 tablespoons of the starchy water and continue mashing until you reach the consistency you like. I prefer mine a little on the chunky side.

Adding starchy water

Adding apple cider vinegar

Add cooked shallots and combine with a spatula.

Add 1-2 tablespoons (or less) of Apple Cider Vinegar and stir together with a spatula.

Add 1 tablespoon at a time of the starchy water if needed.

Enjoy!

-Allen and Sophia/Two Frys

Turkey Bolognese with Smokehaus Blues

Turkey Bolognese with Born to Hula Smokehaus Blues Hot Sauce

Turkey Bolognese with Born to Hula Smokehaus Blues Hot Sauce

I love making a hearty bolognese and for this quick, under 30 minute bolognese dinner, I use organic ground turkey since it is lean and tastes great when infused with the right amount of spices. I had 2 tablespoons left of Born to Hula Smokehaus Blues Hot Sauce, and added it to my sauce. The pleasant yet medium heat of Smokehaus Blues highlights the bolognese, and adds a welcome touch of smokey flavor that does not overpower. Smokehaus Blues ingredients are: diced tomatoes (diced, tomato juice, salt), distilled vinegar, cayenne pepper, roasted garlic, Chipotle Chile, onion and lime juice. The fresh taste of Smokehaus Blues compliments the robust flavor profile, and with each bite you get a zesty kick from the Chipotle that lingers and makes you crave more. Smokehaus Blues is a versatile sauce and works great as an addition to many recipes. Allen consumed most of the bottle on pizza, eggs, turkey burgers, and breakfast burritos. Two Frys highly recommend Born to Hula Smokehaus Blues Hot Sauce so see link below to order a bottle or two or three.

Turkey Bolognese and Garlic Bread

Ingredients
1 lb. Organic Ground Turkey

1 lb. Spaghetti (I use Barilla Spaghetti)

1 24 oz. Pasta Sauce Jar (I use Barilla or make homemade if you have time)

1 teaspoon Tomato Paste

2 tablespoons Born to Hula Smokehaus Blues Hot Sauce

3 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 Yellow Onion, chopped

4-5 Garlic Cloves, minced

Coarse Salt

Cracked Black Pepper

1 tablespoon Italian Seasoning

Bunch fresh Parsley, roughly chopped

1 Bay Leaf

1 cup Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

Grated Parmesan Cheese

Ground Turkey cooking

Directions
Roughly chop a bunch of parsley; set aside.

With a skillet on medium heat, add 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil and when hot add ground turkey, season with salt, pepper and Italian seasoning; add onions and bay leaf.

Cover and cook for about 7 minutes stirring often, and then add garlic. Continue cooking.

After 5 minutes add pasta sauce, tomato paste, and Born to Hula Smokehaus Blues Hot Sauce. Stir, cover, and simmer on low heat for about 10 minutes.

Sauce simmering

To make the spaghetti bring a large pot of water to boil.

Once the water boils add coarse salt and 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil.

Add the spaghetti and cook to Al Dente, according to box directions.

Before draining spaghetti, reserve about 3/4 cup of starchy pasta water.

Drain spaghetti and return to pot.

Adding Born to Hula Smokehaus Blue to my sauce

Remove bay leaf and add turkey bolognese in skillet to pasta pot, then the reserved pasta water, and stir.

Add shredded Mozzarella cheese and grated Parmesan cheese and combine.

Add parsley and combine.

Add more Parmesan cheese over the top and serve with garlic bread if desired.

To order Born to Hula Smokehaus Blues Hot Sauce and other fine products, visit:
http://borntohula.com/

"Like" Born to Hula Hot Sauce on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/BTH52

-Enjoy!

-Sophia/Two Frys

Acorn Squash

Acorn Squash

Roasted Acorn Squash with cinnamon

I love autumn and cooking with squash while they are in season. This roasted acorn squash is simple to prepare and goes great with chicken, pork and veggies. Acorn Squash is a little less sweeter than Butternut Squash and on my half, I sprinkled Ground Cinnamon all over just before serving. I love the taste and smell of squash and it is good for you too. You can leave out the cinnamon or sprinkle a little brown sugar before baking if you want it sweeter.

Yummy Acorn Squash

Ingredients
1 Acorn Squash

Extra Virgin Olive Oil (California Olive Ranch)

Coarse Salt

Cracked Black Pepper

1 tablespoon Ground Cinnamon

Acorn Squash

Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Cut Acorn Squash in half.

Using a spoon gently remove the seeds.

With a knife, score each half with a knife about 5-6 times straight across.

Brush with olive oil, and season with salt and black pepper.

Place with flesh side up in baking sheet.

Place in center rack of oven and cook for 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Sprinkly cinnamon over the top.

Let squash rest for 5 minutes.

-Enjoy!

-Sophia/Two Frys

Veggie Pasta Salad

Veggie Pasta Salad

Veggie Pasta Salad

I love making this Veggie Pasta Salad and it is so refreshing during hot summer days. Even though it is September, NY is in the brink of a heatwave and this pasta salad was fitting for Labor Day. This recipe is very easy to put together and it is so yummy. The only thing bad about this recipe is you do not want to stop eating it. The tangy dressing, the crunch of the veggies and great tasting pasta make this a satisfying and hearty meal. The more time it is chilled in the fridge the better, so go for at least 3-4 hours or more if you have the time. Recipe below.

Peppers, Broccoli, and Onions sauteeing

Ingredients
1 Red Bell Pepper, sliced

1 Orange Bell Pepper, sliced

6 Radishes, sliced and halved

1 bunch of fresh Broccoli Florets, cut

1/4 Yellow Onion, chopped

1 cup Shredded Carrots

1 container Grape Tomatoes

1 bunch of Parsley, roughly chopped

Veggie Pasta Salad, chilled and ready to be eaten!

Coarse Salt

Cracked Black Pepper

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 cup Light Italian Dressing (or more if desired)

1 bag Wacky Mac Veggie spirals (Tomato, Beet and Spinach Blend)

Veggie Pasta Salad, so yummy!

Directions
In a huge pot, add salt and 1 teaspoon olive oil in bowling water and cook veggie spirals 1 minute shy of Al Dente according to package directions.

Drain and set aside.

Season broccoli, peppers and onions with salt and pepper.

Add olive oil to skillet on medium heat and sautee broccoli, peppers and onions for 5 minutes or so.

Cool veggies.

In a large bowl, add veggie spirals, broccoli, peppers, onions, carrots, radishes, tomatoes and combine.

Add Italian Dressing and combine.

Add Parsley and mix together.

Cover and chill in fridge for at least 2-3 hours before you serve and add a little more dressing to taste if desired.

Enjoy!

-Sophia/Two Frys