The recipes on this page are available for your use and enjoyment, but in a larger sense, they are intended to stimulate your creativity when using our spice blends. Use these Ideas (and those that will follow) as a springboard to creating your own specialties. Happy Cooking! Andrea's Balsamic Vinegarette Dressing
4 tbl Olive Oil 1 tbl Balsamic Vinegar 1 tbl Water 2 tsp Cosgrove's Original Mediterranean Spice Blend 1 tsp Spicy Brown Mustard
Whisk all ingredients until well blended. Serve immed- iately. Store unused dressing in resealable jar in refrigerator. Mediterranean Roast Pork Loin
For Marinade:
1 cup honey 1/4 cup fresh lime juice 2 tbl Cosgrove's Original Mediterranean Spice Blend
Combine ingredients. Pour over 3-4 pound boneless pork loin in large resealable freezer bag. Seal and re- frigerate for at least 2 hours, up to 24.
Charcoal method: Prepare coals allowing for both direct and indirect heat zones. Remove pork from marinade, reserve marinade. Place pork over direct heat and sear on all sides (3-4 minutes per side). Remove from direct heat to in- direct side, cover grill and cook approximately one hour, basting with reserved marinade every 10-15 minutes, turning a quarter turn with each basting, until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees on meat thermo-meter. Discard unused marinade.
Oven Method: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Remove pork from marinade, reserve marinade. Place pork in roasting pan and place in preheated oven. Cook- ing and basting times should be roughly the same as above. Internal temperature should be 165. Unused marinade must be discarded, however pan juices may be served with the pork. Serves 8-10. Ruth's Sloppy Joes 1 lb ground beef 1/4 cup onion, small diced 1/4 cup green bell pepper, small diced 1 6oz can tomato paste 2 tbl worcestershire sauce 2 cube beef boullion 2 tbl Cosgrove's Original Bar-B-Q Spice Blend 1-2 cups water
In medium saucepan, brown ground beef. Drain beef thoroughly and return to pan. Add onion, pepper, tomato paste, worcester- shire, and spice. Add 1 cup of water and mix well. Simmer over low heat for 15-20 minutes. Adjust water quantity to reach desired consistency. Serves 4. | Crustless Quiche
1 lb small curd cottage cheese 1/2 lb grated swiss cheese 1/2 lb grated cheddar cheese 4 eggs 1/2 cup flour 1/2 cup milk 1/2 cup butter, melted 1 tsp baking powder 1 10 oz pkg frozed spinach, thawed, water removed 2 tsp Cosgrove's Original All-Purpose Spice Blend
Mix all ingredients. Pour into greased 9x13 pan. Bake at 350 for approxi- mately one hour. Roasted Roots (see note*)
1 1/4 cup sweet potato, peeled, medium (1/2") diced 1 1/4 cup parsnip, peeled, medium diced 1 1/4 cup carrot, peeled, medium diced 2 tbl olive oil 2 tbl Cosgrove's Original All-Purpose or Mediterranean Spice Blend
Toss sweet potato, par- snip and carrot with olive oil. Sprinkle with prefer- red spice blend. Toss again until everything is well coat- ed. Spread on cookie sheet in a single, even layer. Roast in 350 degree oven for 35-40 minutes, until roots are cooked through. Serves 6.
*Note: Feel free to substi- tute any hard root vegetable such as turnips, rutabagas or even beets. Of course, all potatoes work well with this recipe.
Roasted Vegegables
4-4 1/2 cups total of any of the the following:
Zucchini, halved, sliced 1/2" thick Yellow Squash, halved, sliced 1/2" thick Yellow or Vidalia Onions, Peeled, julienned 1/2" Red, yellow or green bell pepper, julienned 1/2" Fennel Bulbs, wedged into 1/8s Eggplant, peeled, diced 1/2" 2 tbl Olive oil 2 tbl Cosgrove's Original All-Purpose or Mediterranean spice Blend
Toss vegetable medley with olive oil. Sprinkle with preferred spice blend. Toss all again until well coated. Spread in a single even layer on a cookie sheet. Roast in a 425 degree oven 15-20 minutes, until edges just begin to char and vegetables are cooked through. Serves 6 Ee-Yore's Chicken Tacos
1 6oz chicken breast, boneless, skinless, julienned 1 tbl olive oil 1 tbl Cosgrove's Original Bar-B-Q spice Blend 2 6" flour tortillas 2 slices swiss cheese Standard taco toppings: shredded lettuce, tomoatoes, onions, salsa, etc., to taste
Heat olive oil in non-stick skillet until just shimmer- ing. Toss julienned chicken breast with spices and care- fully add to hot pan. Saute chicken until cooked through, about 6 minutes, stirring con- stantly. Divide chicken be- tween two tortillas, top with one slice of cheese and desir- ed toppings. fold and serve. Serves 1. | Middle John's
Blackened Chicken Breasts
Blackening is tradition-
ally done in smoking hot
cast iron skillet with
plenty of butter. As
many of us don't have
cast iron cookware and
all of us should limit
our cholesterol intake,
this recipe is a satisfy-
ing variation on the
original.
6 5-6 oz boneless,
skinless chicken breasts
Non-stick cooking spray
6 tbl Cosgrove's Original
Blackening spice Blend
(more or less to taste)
2 tbl Olive oil
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Between two pieces of plastic
wrap, pound chicken breasts
until an even thickness is
achieved (approx. 1/3").
Spray both sides of breasts
with cooking spray and coat
with 1/2 tablespoon of spice
blend per side (more or less,
to taste). Heat non-stick,
oven proof skillet with 2 table
spoon of olive oil over high
heat until oil is shimmering,
not quite smoking. With tongs,
gently lay chicken in skillet
(beware of spatter!) and cook
until blackened, about 2 minutes.
Turn and cook other side the same.
Move skillet from stovetop to
oven to finish cooking, approx-
imately five minutes. Serves 6.
Rice Pilaf
2 tbl butter
1/4 cup celery, small diced
1/4 cup onion, small diced
1/4 cup green pepper, small diced
1/4 cup carrot, shredded
1 cup white or brown rice
2 cup chicken broth
2 tbl Cosgrove's Original
Mediterranean Spice Blend
Melt butter in medium sauce
pan. Add celery, onion,
pepper and carrot and saute
until onion turns translucent.
Add rice and saute another 2
minutes, stirring constantly.
Add broth and spice. Bring to
a boil. Reduce heat to low,
cover and simmer for 30 minutes
or until nearly all the water
is absorbed. Serves 4-6.
Sevena's Barbequed Brisket
3-4 lb Beef
Brisket
3 tbl Cosgrove's Original
Bar-B-Q Spice Blend
1/2 cup Brown Sugar
1/3 cup olive oil
2 cup apple juice, divided
For rub, combine sugar and
spice blend. Rub liberally
over entire brisket surface.
For marinade, whisk together
1/4 cup apple juice and oil.
Place brisket into large
resealable bag, add marinade,
seal and refrigerate for at
least 2 hours, up to 24 hours.
Charcoal Grill Method: Pre-
pare fire on one side of fire
box to allow for direct and
indirect heat areas. Remove
brisket from marinade, discard
marinade. Place brisket, fat
side up, on indirect heat side
of grill. Cover and cook for
1 1/2-2 hours rotating and
basting with reserved apple
juice every 20 minutes or so,
until internal temperature
reaches 140 degrees. Move
brisket to direct heat and
continue to cook, uncovered,
basting liberally with
your favorite barbeque
sauce, for an additional 30 min-
utes. Internal temperature
should reach 165.
Remove from heat and let rest
15 minutes. Slice against the
grain. Serves six.
Oven Method: Preheat oven to
300. Remove brisket from mar-
inade, discard marinade. Place
brisket, fat side up, in roast-
ing pan with reserved apple juice.
Cover tightly with foil and cook
in oven for 2 1/2- 3 hours.
Remove foil, baste brisket with
your favorite barbeque
sauce, and continue to cook,
uncovered, for an additional 30
minutes. Remove from oven and
let rest 15 minutes. Slice
against the grain. Serves six. |