Groovy Cajun Shrimp & Sausage

    How about an easy to cook and healthy Cajun Shrimp, sausage and veggie meal! About ten minutes to prep and another ten to cook in the air fryer and you have a great meal!

   Ingredients: About 8 ounces of 1/4 inch sliced half moon zucchini, 8 ounces also 1/4 inch sliced half moon yellow squash, One Red Bell Pepper (green can be used but I choose red for the colorful display slice the pepper in thin 1' slices, About a tablespoon of cajun seasoning, 24 cleaned and peeld jumbo shrimp about a pound, 8 ounces of sliced chicken sausage or kielbasa, 2 tablespoons of olive oil and some cooking spray

    Put the shrimp and cajun seasoning in a bowl and toss, add the veggies and olive oil and continue to toss finally mixing in the sausage.

    Spray the air fryer with the cooking oil and preheat to 400 degrees about 3 minutes. Add the mixture and cook for 8 to 10 minutes. The time difference would depend on the air fryer size, a smaller fryer will cause the meal to be deeper and need more time and a mix about half way through. Larger air fryers will be good at 8 minutes

 Groovy Gooey Chocolate Chip Cookies

     How about some delicious chocolate chip cookies without heating the house up! I have the recipe for you and it involves our friend, the Hot Air Fryer!

     Ingredients: 1 cup softened butter, 3/4 cup sugar, 3/4 cup dark brown sugar, 1 tablespoon vanilla extract, 2 large eggs, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 2-1/3 cups all purpose flour, 2 cups chocolate chips and cooking spray.

     In a mixing bowl place the butter and add the two sugars and beat until fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the vanilla, eggs, salt, baking soda and slowly mix, then start adding the flour, slowly until it is all combined. Then add the chocolate chips and stir by hand till mixed in.

     Next place foil or parchment paper on the bottom of the air fryer basket and if using foil spray with cooking oil. Pre-heat the fryer to 350 degrees (about 2 minutes). Place scoops, (about 2 tablespoons) of the mixture in the fryer, pressing down slightly to flatten a bit, keep about an inch apart and place back in fryer at 350 degrees for 5 minutes. Repeat until mixture is used up or enjoy a few cookies and refrigerate or freeze the dough and cook when ever the urge strikes

Makes about 30 cookies total!

   

              

 Groovy grilled steak without the grill!

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    Sometimes you want the taste of grilled steak but that's not always possible. For some it's too cold or icy in the winter and others it is too hot to go out and grill in the summer and for others they may be in an apartment and no place for a grill. 

    Hot Air Fryer to the rescue! If you check the Cuts Of Meat section you'll see examples of the cuts of meat you can get from the short loin, any of those will work here but for this recipe we'll be discussing the boneless strip steak. You can buy them or cut them from the bone as I show in the Cuts Of Meat section; and before anyone tries to tell me "there is more flavor in the cut with the bone", that is false, unless your name is Rover, Fido, Spot, Bailey or Gizmo! The extra flavor comes from the fat and gristle close to the bone, not the bone itself!

     You have several prep options and these are to taste: first you can simply cook the steak as is, or you might wish to season it first. I personally like black peppercorns, but other options include garlic powder, onion powder, cajun seasoning etc. Some folk like their steak marinated, if that's you marinate overnight in your favorite marinade (bbq sauce, hot sauce, teriyaki etc) in the refrigerator but be sure to bring to room temp before cooking.

     Spray the basket for the air fryer with cooking spray and set to 400 degrees for 2 minutes place the steak in the basket and cook at 400 for 6 minutes (this is for an approximate 1" thick steak, adjust time for thickness). After 6 minutes flip steak and cook another six minutes. At the same time you flip the steak you can also add a vegetable like broccoli etc.

     You can also prepare some rice, fries or other steamed veggie to go with your steak or simply enjoy as is. In the picture I threw some baked waffle fries in the oven to go with my steak that tastes just like it was cooked on a grill.

  

     

Quick and Groovy Pork & Broccoli

 

    This recipe is for an air fryer so you can have a delicious and healthy meal in just a Groovily small amount of time and I'm talking about 15 to maybe 20 minutes tops!

 Ingredients:

2 - 6 to 8 ounce center cut pork chops

Non stick cooking spray (preferably olive oil style)

1- tsp paprika

1- tsp onion powder

1- tsp garlic powder

2- cups broccoli florets

2- tsp minced garlic

 Preheat air fryer to 350 degrees and spray basket with cooking spray. Mix paprika, onion powder and garlic powder, then spray both sides of the pork chops with cooking spray and then sprinkle the seasoning mix on both sides. When the air fryer is heated (only a few minutes) add the pork chops in put in to cook for 6 minutes.

While they are cooking, spray the broccoli florets with cooking spray and toss them in a bowl or bag with the minced garlic. When the six minutes are up open the fryer flip the pork chops and add the broccoli put them back in and cook another 6 minutes.

Remove and enjoy a very healthy, quick, easy and Grrroovy meal!

 

Groovily Slow Chicken and Dumplings!

This recipe is for chicken dumplings prepared in a slow cooker, so you don’t heat the house up and six easy hours later dinner is served! All cooked while you’ve been having a groovy good time!

Ingredients

4- boneless skinless chicken breast halves

2- tblsps butted

2- 12 ounce cans cream of chicken soup

2- 12 ounce cans chicken broth

1- diced onion

2- 10 ounce packages refrigerated biscuit dough

1-tsp Italian seasoning

Cut the chicken breasts into approx 1-1/2 to 2 inch pieces and place into slow cooker along with the butter, soup, broth, onion, and Italian seasoning.

Be sure that the chicken is covered, if not add water til it is.

Cover and cook on high for five hours, take refrigerated biscuit dough and tear into pieces placing them in the cooker. Re-cover and cook another hour.

Be sure to look properly exhausted before serving, as if you’ve been slaving away in the kitchen all day! Maybe they’ll do the dishes! Now that’s groovy!

Grooviest Potato and Egg Salad!

A very simple recipe for a summertime staple! People put a lot of different things into a potato salad to the point where, for me, it’s no longer a potato salad! This recipe is easy, simple and gives you that little something extra without changing the basic idea! Now that’s groovy!

Ingredients

6 medium potatoes (Red, Gold, and White make the best potato salad because of more   moisture content than say Russet or baking potatoes)

6 large eggs

Bacon bits (these can be found made from soy for those non meat eaters)

16 ounces of mayonnaise

The eggs should be hard boiled, bring about two quarts of water to a rapid boil and place the eggs into the water using a slotted spoon and placing the large end of the egg in first to help prevent breakage. Boil for 14 minutes, remove from heat and immediately run under cool water drain and repeat (cooling the eggs down prevents them from continuing to cook within themselves and thusly turning the yolk green, it’s still good but doesn’t look as nice for presentation)

Boil the potatoes for approximately 45 minutes depending on the exact size. The best method of determining this is the “stick a fork in them” method. It should insert easily but before the potato starts to fall apart when attempting this. So slightly firm is good because you are going to remove from heat, drain and allow to air cool (which means they will cook a bit more while cooling).

Peel the eggs.

Chop half the potatoes into bite sized pieces into a bowl, do the same with the eggs, then sprinkle some bacon bits in (to taste) Repeat with the rest of the eggs and potatoes and a bit more bacon bits and begin mixing the mayonnaise into the blend, a spoon full at a time. Continue until you have used all the mayonnaise and the mixture is smooth and creamy.

Refrigerate and enjoy!

Ungroovy Rust!

Today’s subject is about a question I received recently. “How do you remove rust from a cast iron pan?”

    Not an overly difficult task, there are two methods I use.

One: Place about two tablespoons of salt and an equal amount of cooking oil in the pan and use a paper towel to rub the mixture into the rusted areas of the pan. This should remove most minor rusting. And you should then re-season the pan (see below)

Two: Use steel wool on very heavy rust and then re-season two to three times.

Care of cast iron.

   Cast iron is very durable but needs to be cared for and it will last for generations.

Seasoning: preheat oven to 350 degrees and put a sheet of aluminum foil on the bottom rack.

 Give the pan a light coating of oil or shortening and place upside down on the upper rack and allow to cook for one hour, and turn off oven. Leave the pan inside to cool removing when it is cool enough to be handled.

If you notice food sticking to your pan frequently that is a sign it needs to be re-seasoned

Proper care so rust doesn’t occur:

Wash using only hot water or if need be a very mild detergent and a plastic scrubber so you don’t damage your seasoned surface.

NEVER use a dishwasher!

Dry thoroughly, (you can even put it on the stove and heat it slightly to make sure all moisture is gone).

Store in a dry place without the lid on the pan (moisture may build up inside).

Finally, If storing for an extended period of time, give it a light coating of cooking spray or oil.

Some easy steps and cookware to pass on to the next generation! Now that’s groovy!