Tastes From Home

INGREDIENTS

DIRECTIONS

First, brown your beef--tastes better if u do.
Next, add all ingredients to crock pot & let cook 3 to 4 hours, or until u can tear apart with fork or with hand potato masher. It might take longer.
Remember, if u let it cook too long it gets mushy & u don't want that. Don't let it dry  out either--if it does, add a little water.                                               
Add your favorite BBQ sauce if you like or make your own*
Bon Appetite
Love MA

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 Cup Brown Sugar
1 1/2 Cup Ketchup
1/2 Cup Vinegar (Red or Cider works great!)
1/2 Cup Water
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
2 1/2 Tablespoons Dry Mustard
1 1/2 Tablespoons The Original Seasoning
Dash of Red Hot Pepper Sauce (To Your Desired Heat)

DIRECTIONS

Prime rib is so simple to prepare why wait for a special occasion.

Plan it right and you can have a delicious dinner with friends and tasty

leftovers for the week.

8” cake pan
parchment or waxed paper

INGREDIENTS

• 4 oz dark, bittersweet chocolate (I make my own mix with ⅓ from a super dark bar 70% and ⅔ ghiradelli chips)
• 1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature (½ cup)
• 3 eggs, room temperature
• ¾ cup sugar
• ½ cup cocoa powder, sifted
• ½ cup fresh berries, preferably raspberries or blackberries
• ¼ - ⅓ cup Back in Blackberry jam 
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream

• Preheat the oven to 375º.
• Cut an 8” circle out of parchment/wax paper and place it on the bottom of the cake tin. Lightly butter paper, set aside.
• Chop the chocolate bar into smaller chunks and mix with chips in a small glass bowl. Microwave for approximately 30 seconds. Remove from the oven and stir. Microwave for another 30 seconds and remove from the oven and add the butter. Return to the microwave for another 20 seconds or until all melted but not bubbling. Note: You can also melt the chocolates together with the butter in a double boiler or bain marie.
• Whisk the sugar into the chocolate mixture.
• In a separate medium bowl, whisk eggs until light and frothy.
• Slowly add the melted chocolate to the eggs. Take your time so as not to cause the eggs to scramble.
• Once all of the chocolate mixture is incorporated into the eggs, add the sifted cocoa powder and whisk until just combined. (You don’t want to knock the air out of the batter!)
• Pour batter into the prepared cake pan and place on the middle rack of the oven.
• Bake approximately 25 minutes or until a light crust forms on the top of the cake.
• Remove cake from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes then invert onto a serving plate.
• When completely cool, lightly dust with cocoa powder.

FOOL DIRECTIONS

• Rinse, dry and place the berries in a small bowl. With a fork mash them but don’t macerate them! Leave a few nice chunks to give texture. Sprinkle with a ½ teaspoon of sugar.
• In a blender or bullet or with a hand mixer whip 1 cup of heavy whipping cream with 1 teaspoon of sugar until fluffy, yet firm but not hard. Note: The bullet whips very quickly so keep checking the mixture so you don’t end up with butter!
• This dessert comes down to personal taste so grab a spoon and taste along the way. If you like things sweeter, by all means, add a little more sugar.
• Once the cream is thick and firm, gently fold jam and berries into the mixture.

TO SERVE

• The torte is rich, so a sliver with a dollop of fool will be a decadent delight. That said, this recipe will easily serve 10 or more!
• To serve as a trifle style parfait: chop torte into 1” chunks and add 3 or 4 to a parfait glass. Top with the spoonful of fool and add a few more chunks topping with another layer of fool. To make this really indulgent, sprinkle with a fresh berries and plain whipped cream.

Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS

Crumbly Topping
1 Cup All Purpose Flour
¼ Teaspoon Sea Salt
½ Cup Packed Brown Sugar 
½ Cup Chilled Butter 
½ Cup Chopped Walnuts

Apple Filling
4 Cups Tart & Sweet Apples, thinly sliced
(we used Granny Smith and Gala)
2 Tablespoons Packed Brown Sugar
1 Teaspoon PS LUV
1 Teaspoon Lemon Juice
1 Teaspoon Irish Whiskey--Jameson, but of course!

Cakey Crust Batter
1¼ Cup Flour
1 Cup Sugar
1½ Teaspoon Baking Powder
½ Teaspoon Sea Salt
1 Egg, slightly beaten
⅓ Cup Vegetable Oil
¼ Cup Heavy Whipping Cream
¼ Cup Irish Whiskey--Jameson, but of course!
¼ Cup Water
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract

Creamy Topping
1 Cup Heavy Whipping Cream
¼ Cup Baileys Irish Cream--nothing else will do!

 DIRECTIONS

Enjoy!

Serving Suggestions: 

Want to make it easy to share? Use a muffin tin and create mini cake pies. 
Makes about 12 cupcakes. Adjust baking time accordingly. Approximately 25 to 35 minutes.

Not in the mood for sauce? Top with a scoop of your favorite vanilla or caramel ice cream.

Serve for brunch with our tasty frittata and a crisp salad.

On Super Bowl Sunday, Americans consume almost 1.5 billion chicken wings. That's A LOT OF birds!

However, not too long ago, these flappers were considered scrap meat used almost exclusively for making stocks and sauces and not served as the finger licking delicacy that we’ve come to love. 

We’ve taken inspiration from some of our favorite wings flavors to create two new wing recipes that we think have real game West Coast Hotties pay homage to classic Buffalo Wings with a California kick of extra heat and spice. The Kojo Spiced Wings get their depth of flavor from coffee and smoked ancho chilis and a sticky sweet finish from a flavorfully spiced glaze that marries two of our most popular jams. Both are baked in the oven and ready in about an hour. Serve separately or create a toothsome pairing that will surely delight the taste buds of even the most erudite wing connoisseur.

Each recipe serves About 4

West Coast Hotties With Animal Style Sauce 

INGREDIENTS

• 1½  lbs chicken wings
• 1 tablespoon SriRaCha CHA Gourmet Sea Salt
• 1½ teaspoons  Pure Paleo Gourmet Seasoning
• ½  teaspoon fresh cracked pepper
• ½ teaspoon baking powder - Aluminum Free*
• Fresh veggie sticks: celery, carrots, peppers, cucumbers 
• Blue Cheese Cooling Dip

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• ⅓ cup sriracha hot pepper sauce
• ½  teaspoon Pure Paleo Gourmet Seasoning
• ½ teaspoon SriRaCha CHA Gourmet Sea Salt
• ½ teaspoon Fresh lemon juice
• Fresh cracked pepper

For the Blue Cheese Cooling Dip:

• ½ cup crumbled blue cheese
• ½ cup plain whole-milk yogurt
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise 

Mix all ingredients together in a small bowl. Can be made a day in advance-- but if your house is like mine, it won't last so better make a double batch!

Kojo Spiced Wings With Sweet Sticky Sauce

INGREDIENTS

• 1 ½ lbs. chicken wings
• 1 tablespoon Kojo Gourmet Seasoning
• 2 teaspoons The Original Gourmet Seasoning
• ½  teaspoon Baking Powder---Aluminum Free*
• 1-2 teaspoons fresh cilantro, chopped

For the sauce:

• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter or vegetable oil
• 2 large garlic cloves, crushed & minced, about 1 teaspoon
• 1 1” piece fresh ginger, peeled & grated, about 1 teaspoon
• 1-2 whole chili, cayenne or chili de arbol; fresh or dried 
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
• ½ cup water
• ⅓ Cup Just Peachey Gourmet Jam
• 2 tablespoons Jalapeno Madness Gourmet Jam
• cornstarch slurry---2 tablespoons cornstarch mixed with ¼ cup water
• Sriracha sauce, optional

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 400º.
2. In two separate bowls, combine seasoning ingredients. Set aside.
3. If necessary, trim and prep chicken wings: using a very sharp knife, find the joint between the wing tip and the middle section of the wing and slice through it. If you can slice the joint correctly you won’t have to apply much pressure. Make a similar cut in the joint between the drumstick and the middle section. Again, it should slice pretty easily if you go through the joint. Learn how to discern this intersection on the meat and avoid chopping through the bone. That said, remember, a good butcher is an ace in your culinary pocket! IF YOUR MARKET HAS AN ONSITE BUTCHER, TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THEIR EXPERTISE. LET THEM DO THIS WORK EXPERTLY FOR YOU.
4. Once the wings are prepped, sprinkle the seasoning mixture over the wings making sure each wing is coated evenly in flavor. Set aside for 15-30 minutes or even overnight to intensify the flavor.
5. Place a wire rack inside a large rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment or foil paper. (You’ll thank me later for an easier clean up!)
6. Arrange wings on the prepared rack spread out in a single layer.DO NOT CROWD THE PAN.
7. Place wings in the oven and bake for 40 minutes, turning each wing midway through cooking time to ensure evenly crisped skin.
8. While wings bake, prepare sauces. In one saucepan, melt butter and add garlic, ginger and chili pepper. Saute about 3-5 minutes until garlic and ginger soften. Add liquids and jams. Bring to a boil and whisk in the cornstarch slurry. Reduce heat and simmer until sauce thickens. About 7-10 minutes. Taste and adjust heat with a squirt of sriracha sauce if you like it hotter. Set aside. Meanwhile, in another saucepan, on medium heat, melt butter and add sriracha sauce, seasoning and salt. Stir well. Taste and adjust heat if necessary. Add the fresh cracked pepper and fresh lemon juice. Set aside.
9. When the wings finish baking, remove them from the oven and turn on the broiler.
10. Take the Kojo Spiced Wings and toss in the sweet sticky sauce to coat evenly. Return those wings to the rack in a single layer and broil until glaze is glossy and lightly caramelized, turning every couple minutes to make sure they char, but don’t burn; approximately 5-7 minutes. Plate and sprinkle with chopped cilantro.
11. Toss the West Coast Hotties in the animal style sauce and keep warm until the sticky wings are caramelized. Plate and serve immediately with fresh veggie sticks and blue cheese cooling dip.

Rose Mountain

Our Rose Mountain Himalayan sea salt is a medium grain salt with varying hues of red, pink and white crystals.

Legend traces the discovery of the Himalayan salt deposits to the army of Alexander the Great. However, the first physical records of mining this rose colored treasure are from the 1200s. The salt is harvested in the Punjab province of Pakistan, which is situated in the foothills of the Salt Range system.

These beautiful rose crystals, rich in dozens of trace minerals, (the pink hue comes from iron,) formed from a thick layer of evaporites left with the receding of ancient sea beds nearly 600 million years ago, leaving  one of the purest salts on earth. 

Use Rose Mountain just like you would ordinary table salt. We sell a medium grain crystal, you may want to grind the salt to a finer consistency for a particular recipe to ensure the proper measurement.

Cook, bake or finish any dish or drink with this premium Himalayan salt.

Elevate every bite!

Suggested Recipes:

Boozy Upside Down Skillet Cake

Zesty Chilled Carrot Soup

Grilled Pork Chop w/Roasted Zucchini and Lemon Ricotta Spinach Sauce

CLICK HERE to shop!

Serves 2-4

INGREDIENTS

• 2 fresh avocados
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 1 teaspoon fresh jalapeño, minced
• 2 tablespoons white or red onion, finely chopped 
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt*

PREPARATION

In a medium bowl, mash avocados together with onions, jalapeños and cilantro. Add lime juice and stir well to incorporate all ingredients. Sprinkle with sea salt. Taste and adjust as your palate desires. Serve with our "Nacho Ordinary Steak n' Potatoes," "Turkey Enchiladas or just enjoy with chips.

SPECIAL EQUIPMENT

INGREDIENTS

Toppings: 

salsa

(We add them all for triple the YUM!)

PREPARATION

Preheat the oven to 450º.

Put whole peeled potatoes in a large pot and cover with water to parboil.

Place pot on the stovetop and bring to a boil. Then, turn the heat off, cover the pot with a lid and let rest for 15 minutes. 

While the potatoes are cooking, prep the guacamole. Click here for our full recipe. And, season the steak on all sides with a generous sprinkle of Olé Olé seasoning and a drizzle of olive oil.

Set aside.

When the potatoes are fork tender, yet firm, they are done. Run them under cool water to stop the cooking process, then slice into ¼” rounds.

Arrange potato slices on a parchment paper covered cooking sheet and sprinkle with The Original seasoning then, drizzle with olive oil. Toss potatoes to coat completely.

Place in the oven and roast for about 10 minutes, then turn over and roast for another 10-15 minutes, until golden brown.

While the potatoes are finishing, cook the steak. Heat a skillet with a little oil until nearly smoking. Flap steak is best when served at about medium rare so it only takes a few minutes to cook. Depending on thickness, this will only take about 2-3 minutes per side. When steak is done, take it out of the pan and let it rest for approximately 10 minutes. After meat has rested, slice across the grain into ½” strips and then into bite size cubes.

When potatoes are cooked to a golden brown, remove them from the oven and arrange the slices in an overlapping flower petal pattern lining the bottom of a cast iron skillet.

Turn on the broiler.

Next, sprinkle cheese on the potatoes. Then add a layer of steak and cover with the remaining cheese. Put the skillet in the oven and broil for 3-5 minutes until the cheese is melted and browned.

Remove the skillet from the oven and add toppings, starting with chopped tomatoes, onions and jalapenos, then drizzle with salsa and add the scoops of crema and guacamole. Serve with cold beers or our refreshing Zeeladas for extra zing!

Enjoy!!!

It takes awhile for it to feel like autumn in SoCal because unlike most of the US, we experience many gloriously warm, balmy days. But that doesn't stop us from craving fall flavors. So in a quest to capture a true taste of harvest time, we created the "Figatini." This original recipe cocktail is a flavorful concoction of home-crafted fig and citrus liquors, but you can make it with many of the commercially available specialty spirits on the market. So, whether you're chilling inside by a roaring fire or unwinding outside on a warm night, toast the season figaliciously. 

Serves 2

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 ounces Limoncello 

3 ounces Fig Vodka*

4 ounces Purple Reign Tea, chilled

2 ounces Fresh Lemon Juice

2 teaspoons Tangerine LUV Gourmet Jam

Suggested Garnishes: lemon twist, sprig of lavender, slice of fig

PREPARATION

Add all ingredients to cocktail shaker. Shake well. Add ice and give another few shakes to make it good and frothy.

Strain into martini glasses, garnish and enjoy.

Cheers!

*Note: 

"Figenza," imported from Europe and "Black Fig," made in the USA, are two of the fig infused vodkas that are readily available in most liquor stores.

Serves 8

INGREDIENTS

4 Eggs

2 C Milk

2 C Heavy Whipping Cream

1 1/2 C Sugar

1 T Vanilla

1 T Bourbon (and some more bourbon)

8 C Cubed Bread--We suggest Brioche, Challah or another sweet bread.

1/2 C Toasted Nuts, Chopped

Optional Halloween Decoration Items:

Chocolate Wafers, Milano Cookies, Gummy Worms, Red Gel for writing and whatever else comes to your imagination!

Bourbon Sauce

Bloody Good Simply Strawberry Sauce

PREPARATION

Grease 9"x13' x 2" rectangle baking dish with butter or coat with cooking spray.

Preheat oven to 350°.

Spread cubed bread on cookie sheet and toast until dry. Browning the edges of the cubes improves the bread pudding texture, however, avoid burnt bread at all costs. Allow 12 - 20 minutes, depending on the moisture content of your bread. Set aside.

Whisk eggs until fluffy then add next 5 ingredients. Beat mixture until smooth.

Toss bread and toasted almonds in pan.

Pour egg mixture over the bread and toss to coat. Let stand 5-15 minutes until bread is thoroughly saturated.

Place pudding pan inside larger cooking pan and create a "bain marie" by adding enough boiling water to the sheet so that it is 1" deep around pudding pan.

Place in oven and bake until pudding is puffed and golden brown on top, and toothpick comes out clean, approximately 50-60 minutes.

While the pudding cooks prepare the Bourbon Sauce. 

Remove pudding from the oven and let cool slightly.

To Decorate:

To create a boo-tiful graveyard atop your bread pudding, let the pudding cool slightly, then, liberally sprinkle a layer of 'dirt' made from grinding any chocolate cookies, like oreos, or other edible biscuits into fine crumbs. 

To create tombstones, use Milanos or other wafer cookies and a red gel pen to  decorate with 'RIP' or other spooky sayings.  Add any other favorite scary props, like gummy worms, candied eyeballs, bones, etc....

For other fall gatherings consider adding sugared fresh mint leaves or even maple leaf cookies. 

This dessert makes an incredible centerpiece. So display early and let all the ghouls drool over the visual spectacle with anticipation before you scoop, slather and serve with the bloody good sauces. 

Enjoy!

Note:  Not hosting a crowd this Hallow's Eve? The recipe can be simply halved to serve less monsters. Watch the episode of "Tastes From Home" for tips & tricks.

Want to republish this recipe? Request permission here. It's free.

©2017 Sleepers Gourmet

Serves 4-6

SPECIAL EQUIPMENT
13 x 9 Baking Dish
Immersion Blender
Sheet Pan

For the sauce…

INGREDIENTS
1 ½ Pounds Fresh Tomatillos
1 ½ Cup Chicken Stock
½ Teaspoon Salt
2 Fresh Jalapeños, whole

Note: If you can’t find fresh tomatillos, substitute a large can of green enchilada sauce, approximately 28 ounces. But, trust me, make the tomatillo sauce from scratch. The extra effort is worth it because the flavor is so much brighter making the enchiladas that much more divine!

DIRECTIONS
Preheat the broiler. Prep sheet pan by lightly coating with cooking spray, set aside. Peel the tomatillos discarding the husks and stems and rinse under cool water to remove stickiness. Place tomatillos on the sheet pan with whole jalapeños. Sprinkle with salt. Place in the oven about 2” from flame and broil until tomatillos are soft and somewhat charred and the jalapeño is blackened. Turn once midway through cooking time, approximately 6-8 minutes.

While tomatillos char, bring chicken stock to boil in a medium saucepan. When tomatillos and jalapeños are done, remove from the oven and place the tomatillos directly into the broth. Let the jalapeños cool slightly then rub blackened skin off, split, remove seeds and chop finely. Add 1 Tablespoon chopped jalapeño to the broth and reserve the remaining tablespoon for filling. Cook for another 5 minutes. Then, with a stick immersion blender puree the mixture until smooth. Bring back up to a boil and reduce slightly until you have approximately 2 cups of sauce to work with. Set aside.

For the filling…

INGREDIENTS
2 ½ Cups Roasted Turkey or Chicken, Chopped & Shredded
Note: Roasting a bird is easy and the best part is you typically will have leftovers!   Click HERE for the full recipe.
½ Cup Asadero or White Cheddar Cheese, Shredded
½ Cup Red Onion, finely minced
½ Cup Cilantro, finely chopped
1 Tablespoon Jalapeño, finely chopped
½ Cup Chicken Broth
½ Cup Plain Greek Yogurt or Sour Cream
1 Tablespoon Fresh Lime Juice
2 Teaspoons Olé Olé Gourmet Seasoning

DIRECTIONS
In a large bowl, combine the chicken with remaining ingredients, set aside.

For the assembly…

INGREDIENTS
White Corn Tortillas, small, 6” size
Enchilada Sauce
Filling
½ Cup Asadero or White Cheddar Cheese, Shredded
Your Favorite Toppings: Salsa, Yogurt, Guacamole, Calipeños™

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 400º
Put about ½ cup of sauce in the bottom of the baking dish covering the entire bottom. Spoon about 2 generous tablespoons of filling into the center of each tortilla and roll, placing seam side down into the pan. Continue filling and rolling enchiladas and placing them crosswise into dish until it is full. Then, pour more sauce evenly over the top, saturating all of the tortilla until covered but not swimming. Then, sprinkle with remaining shredded cheese.

Cover with foil and place in the oven to bake for about 15 minutes. Then, remove the foil and bake for another 5 minutes or so until the cheese is brown and bubbly.

Let the enchiladas cool a few minutes then serve with your favorite toppings, like salsa, crema, Calipeños and perhaps a fresh green salad and Margaritas!

Enjoy!

 Join Christina as she makes Enchiladas Live on Facebook

The Coating Mixture

1½ Cups Panko Breadcrumbs
3  Tablespoons Cornmeal
1 Tablespoon Cornstarch
2 Tablespoons Flour
1½ Tablespoons Sleepers Pure Paleo seasoning
1½ Tablespoons Sleepers Fowl seasoning
1  Teaspoon Dry Mustard Powder, optional

In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients and mix together well. Store in an airtight container. 

Note: This recipe will give you enough breading to coat several batches of chicken. Just be sure to measure out the proportion of coating needed before handling the meat to avoid cross contamination.

Spicy Plum Sauce

½ Cup Your Favorite BBQ Sauce
1½ Tablespoons Plum Pepper Punch Jam
1 Teaspoon The Original Seasoning 
½ Teaspoon Fresh Lime Juice

In a small bowl, mix all ingredients together and set aside.

Preparing The Chicken Bites

½ Cup Breading Mixture*
1½ Pounds Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts, cut into strips or chunks *
3 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter, melted

1. Preheat oven to 400º
2. Measure ½ Cup Coating Mixture into a shallow bowl. 
3. Wet chicken pieces with water, drain well and place one piece at a time into the bowl shaking and thoroughly coating each chicken piece.
4. Place coated pieces onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Do not crowd the pieces. They will crisp much better if there is space between them.
5. Once all pieces are coated, discard any coating mixture that's left over. Then, drizzle each piece with melted butter to maximize the browning and crisping.
6. Place in the oven and bake for approximately 20 minutes. Check the pieces and flip over and bake for another 5-10 minutes.
7. When golden brown, remove from the oven and let rest about 5 minutes. The pieces will continue to crisp and are much better when warm than hot.

NOTES

* If preparing a larger amount of chicken, you will need more of the coating mixture. Remember to remove the amount you need from the larger batch before you start handling meat using a clean, dry measuring cup. Do NOT risk food poisoning with cross contamination.

* Feel free to substitute bone-in chicken. Adjust cooking time accordingly baking to an internal temperature of 165º.
* Try with pork chops too! Follow instructions as above and bake chops to an internal temperature of 145º.