Redstone Restaurant Famous Cornbread

Redstone American Grill is a small restaurant chain with locations in several U.S. states (3 are in Minnesota) Redstone is an upscale casual restaurant.  The menu itself is a high end barbecue featuring steak, chicken, pork and fish cooked on a wood fired grill. The Lodge Cornbread is one of the starters with maple butter and one of our favorites.

Ingredients:
3/4 cup cornmeal
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 Tbs baking powder
4 eggs
3/4 cup sugar
7 oz creamed corn  (1/2 can)
2 oz diced green chilies, drained well (1/2 can)
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup shredded Monterrey jack & cheddar cheese


1. Preheat oven to 400F
2. Mix together all ingredients in the order given
3. Pour into greased 8" or 9" iron skillet
4. Bake 25 minutes.  insert toothpick- to check if done.
5. Serve warm

Tupps Tidbits:   we used a Calphalon nonstick,  9" cake pan

This is awesome & to die for!  We had very nice results - moist crumb, delicate  with a crispy crust and just a hint of peppers, yumo!  We would definitely compare to Redstone Grill cornbread although at Redstone there is a caramelized crust & maple butter.  It was ffabulous tasting & easy to make. This recipe is DEFINITELY KEEPER IN OUR HOUSE!!!

Where did we find this one? www.food.com

Slow Cooker Pork Tenderloin

Crock pot or Slow Cooker recipes are great escapes.  You can literately set it and forget it for few hours. We like them because the cooking and clean up is easy.

Ingredients:
1.5 - 2 pounds lean pork tenderloin

Marinade:
1 cup chicken broth,
1 tbs dijon mustard

1 tbs rice wine vinegar
1 tbs lite soy sauce, low sodium
2 tbs honey
2 tsp fresh grated ginger
2 cloves, garlic, minced
1 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp black pepper
kosher or sea salt to taste

Glaze:
2 tbs honey
2 tbs lit soy sauce
2 tbs rice wine vinegar
2 tbs ketchup
1 tbs sesame oil
1 tbs dijon mustard

Directions:
In a large mixing bowl combine all marinade ingredients.  Trim away all visible fat from tenderloin and discard. Cut tenderloin into 2 pieces and place in marinade, ensuring all sides are coated.  Cover and allow tenderloin to marinate overnight in the refrigerator. Place tenderloin and marinade in slow cooker, cook on low 4-6 hours or until it shreds easily with a fork.  Remove from slow cooker. To prepare glaze, add all ingredients to a small saucepan, bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer and cook about 5 minutes or until desired thickness.  Pour glaze over tenderloin.

Tupps Tidbits:  crock pot meal makes meat tender due to the  low & slow cooking 

Sox (our cat ) in the Crock pot carrier!

Crock pot recipes rarely call for added oils or fats and are generally healthy so long as you trim the fat from your meat. This recipe was very healthy but lacked enough flavor.  NOT A KEEPER in our house. We would definitely use the pork in a stir fry recipe or shred for pork sandwiches with some barbecue sauce. It beats ordering greasy (and expensive) take out!




Where did we find this one? skinnnyms.com

Spinach Dip Bites

Superbowl Sunday... it is all about the food not really the great game right? Just kidding. But we decided to fuel up with this tasty appetizer. They look warm and cheesy on this cold & snowy February day! I hope it will have football fanatics in our house (at Leo's Sports Bar) cheering for more.

Ingredients

2 cups frozen spinach, chopped and thawed
1 6 ounce jar artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1/2 tsp minced garlic
2 Tbs. grated parmesan cheese
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 tsp garlic salt
pepper to taste
1 can seamless crescent dough

Instructions
  Preheat oven to 375

• In a bowl, combine spinach, artichoke hearts, garlic and parmesan cheese. Blend in cream cheese and half of the mozzarella cheese.  Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
• Using a rolling pin, lay out dough on a cutting board and lightly stretch to a 8 X 12 rectangle.  Cut dough into 2 inch squares, so you have 24 squared total
• Lightly grease a mini muffin tin and place a square in each slot, gently pushing down to create an indent (you don't need to mold to the cup).
• Scoop one teaspoon of you spinach mixture on top of each crescent square and gently push into tin (bites will mold to your tin while baking). Spread the remaining mozzarella cheese over the tops of each cup.
• Bake at 375 for 15 - 17 minutes, until golden brown.  Let cool for 5-10 minutes before moving from tray.

Tupps Tidbits:  we recommend the seamless, non reduced fat crescent dough as stated in recipe

This is a fabulous version of spinach/artichoke dip. I have to admit I could not stop eating them and either could the football fanatics!  We used reduced fat non-seamless crescent dough but I would not recommend it.  It was a little challenging with the seems and getting them to stick together in the muffin tin.  Also, the reduced fat dough bakes a bit quicker, making it easier to over bake and dry out.  It did make too much filling. which we served later by heating it up and serving with crackers. This was a quick appetizer to make and serve to a crowd. They disappeared quickly.  KEEPER in our HOUSE.

Where did we find this one?  http://lilluna.com/spinach-dip-bites/

Dilled Tilapia

Have you heard of Wildtree products?  They are simple &  healthy herbs, spices and culinary blends that are free of preservatives. Wildtree is a home based business which my niece, Jennifer Halvorson  is a Senior Team Leader.We recently received a few items from her as a gift and thought we would give them a try!  If you go to their web site they have a ton a great recipes to use with their products.
.

Ingredients:
6 tilapia loins or fillets
1/4 cup Wildtree Roasted Garlic Grapeseed Oil
2 1/2 tsp Wildtree Dill Dip Blend

Method of Preparation:
Brush tilapia with Wildtree Roasted Garlic Grapeseed Oil and season liberally with Wildtree Dill Dip Blend. Preheat a skillet over medium-high heat and add the remaining oil.  Place fish in the skillet and saute until golden brown; about 2- 3 minutes on each side.

TUPPS TIDBITS:  using a basting brush to evenly coat the Wildtree oil on the tilapia

We loved the dill on the Fish. Even though traditional food pairings like lemon and dill on seafood are classic combinations we had never prepared it that way. It was definitely a healthy recipe and we enjoyed it  but we decided this was  NOT A KEEPER in our house.  We felt the fish could have been coated with a bit more seasoning to our liking.

Where did we find this one?   www.wildtree.com

Chicken Parmesan Sub

Sub or Hoagie?  Hero or Sandwich?  Whatever you call it in your house , they are a step above a basic sandwich.  They are a great way to add variety to traditional sliced bread. A "dinner" sandwich can be a quick hit on the run.

1/4 cup flour
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp ground pepper
2 boneless skinless chicken breast, trimmed of fat
3 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 6-ounce bag spinach
1/3 cup prepared marinara sauce
2 Tbs grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
2 soft whole wheat sandwich rolls, toasted

1. Combine flour, salt & pepper in a shallow dish.  Place chicken between 2 large pieces of plastic wrap. Pound with smooth side of meat mallet until chicken is even 1/4 inch thickness.  Dredge chicken in the flour mixture.
2. Heat 1 tsp oil in a large skillet.  Add spinach and cook, stirring often until wilted 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to small bowl.
   
3. Add remaining 2 tsp oil to pan.  Add chicken, and cook until golden on first side, 2 to 3 minutes.  Turn the chicken, reduce heat to medium  Top with wilted spinach, marinara sauce and Parmesan.  Sprinkle with mozzarella, cover and cook until cheese is melted and chicken is cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes.  Serve on rolls.

Tupps Tidbits:  Refrigerate marinara sauce for up to 1 week or freeze.  You can use it to make pizza, lasagna or toss with pasta or veggies.

We both thought this meal was good.  When making this next time, we would  add oregano and basil to the flour mixture. In the ingredients it calls for a toasted bun, but in the preparation it does not mention this.  We did toast the buns. This recipe is a KEEPER IN OUR HOUSE.

Where did we find this one?  eatingwell.com

Cajun Shrimp

Most shrimp recipes are quick and easy to make making them an excellent choice for a weeknight meal. Shrimp is delicious boiled, sauteed on the stove or grilled in the backyard.  Within the temp -10 the last week or so, we decided against grilling in the backyard.   You would think this barbecue-style shrimp "CopyKat" recipe from Red Lobster  would be made on the grill and covered with barbecue sauce; rather it is baked in the oven in a spicy sauce.  It states to serve with rice or plenty of bread to mop up the extra sauce! That sounds interesting!

1/ 2 cup margarine (or unsalted butter)
1 pound medium or large shrimp
2 tsp cayenne pepper
3 tsp salt
2 tsp black pepper
2 tsp paprika
2 tsp cumin
2 1/4 tsp dry mustard
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried oregano
2 tsp onion powder
2 tsp garlic powder
lemon wedges, for garnish

Preheat oven to 400 F.  Place the margarine in  9 X 13 inch baking pan and then place the pan in the oven. While the pan is in the oven, wash peel, and devein the shrimp.  By the time you have finished prepping the shrimp, and margarine should be melted in the pan.  In a small bowel, mix together all the spices and blend well. Place the shrimp into the pan and then sprinkle on the seasoning mixture.  Mix the shrimp, margarine, and spices until the shrimp is well coated.  Bake for approx. 15 minutes, then remove the shrimp from the oven and check the doneness.  Shrimp should be pink when done.  Serve with lemon wedges.

TUPPS TIDBITS:  oven baking was an easy way to make shrimp, we served a lettuce salad, garlic cheddar biscuits and baked potato to make this meal complete

These were fired up shrimp! Not for the timid to try and eat. Even with lemon juice squirted on them, these were way too spicy for us.  This recipe is a NOT A KEEPER in our house.

Where did we find this one?  www.CopyKat.com

Jalepeno Popper Cheesy Stuffed Pretzel Bombs

This yummy picture came across my Facebook page just a few days ago.  The ooey gooey cheese, crisp bacon and jalapenos dripping out of the bread and I knew it would rock! I had to try it. Even though the recipe is intense & time consuming,  my wonderful husband said, with a smile on his face,  "Yes"  we can try this one.  Don't get lost in the recipe just check on the picture! YUMO!

2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast (1 packet)
12 oz. warm beer
2 tablespoons sugar
3 1/2 cups flour, plus more for dusting counter
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for pretzel tops
2 tablespoons baking soda
2 cups water
8 ounces cream cheese
8 ounces shredded Mexican cheese blend (or cheddar cheese)
1 (4 ounce) can diced jalapenos
12 ounces bacon, cooked and chopped into bite size pieces
     Note: You will also need an egg, even though the recipe did not call for it

Preheat oven to 450.

Pour beer into the bowl of a stand mixer filled with dough hook, sprinkle yeast over top, add sugar and stir. Allow yeast to bloom for 5-10 minutes. Once it is nice and foamy, it is ready.  It should look like the 'head' of a beer poured too quickly and smell yeasty.

Meanwhile in a medium bowl combine cheeses, bacon, and jalapenos.  Mix together. You may need a to use a wooden spoon to get it well mixed.

In a small bowl beat egg, set aside.  Sprinkle clean counter top with 1/4 cup flour.   Line a baking sheet with parchment paper to spray with cooking spray.  Set aside.

Add flour and salt to mixer.  Kneed for 3-5 minutes until the dough comes together in one ball.  Add more flour a tablespoon at  time as needed, if bread is too sticky to come together. Dough should be tacky when you pull it out of the mixer, not sticky.

Place dough on floured counter top and kneed in flour until it is no longer tacky, just a minute or two.  Form dough into a ball.  You need to cut this ball into 36 (somewhat) even pieces.  First quarter the ball of dough, roll each quarter into a fat log, cut that into 3 pieces.  Roll each piece into a log an cut into 3 pieces.  When you are done you will have 36 pieces.

Fill medium (4 cup) bowl with 2 cups of hot water and add baking soda.  Place baking sheet, baking soda water and cheese mixture on the counter that you are working on.

Roll each dough piece (one at a time) into a ball and then flatten it into a circle.  Add 1 tablespoon of cheese mixture in the center. Carefully pull each side over the cheese to create a 'cheese package', pinching the edges closed. Roll the dough into a ball. Be careful to make sure you can not see the cheese through the dough. Tap fingers in flour, pinch any tears and roll again.  Set aside and repeat until you have 3 stuffed dough balls. Transfer 3 stuffed dough balls to hot water mixture and allow to set while you are prepare the next 3.  Prepare the next 3 dough balls.  Remove dough balls from water with a slotted spoon and place on prepare baking sheet.  Place 3 newly prepared balls into the water and prepare 3 more.  Repeat until all dough balls are on the cookie sheet.

Arrange all pretzel balls on parchment so they are not touching.  Brush egg wash onto each one and sprinkle with course salt. Bake 8-10 minutes until the tops are browned.

TUPPS TIDBITS:  Take a 16 oz. can of beer and drink only 4 oz.  and  put it near a furnace vent to obtain "warm beer"  for the receipe.  Also, you can, mix the dough in a bread machine and this allows you time to have a few more beers!




These were the bomb! Soft and chewy and just a hint of jalapeno hot. We could not stop eating them. We did cut this recipe in half and ended up with about 16 bombs total.  They were a bit of work but totally worth it! This recipe is a KEEPER in our house.

Where did we find this one?  www.theslowroasteditalian.com
(this is a awesome site you might see us trying other recipes from it!)