2020 Culinary Triumphs

This year we discovered many of our colleagues are talented cooks, artistic bakers, and foodie enthusiasts! Not only are they detailed engineers and technical support staff by profession, they are also epicurean chefs at home when they spend time in the kitchen. We are celebrating our staff’s culinary triumphs with kitchen-tested recipes and sharing their recipes with you. It’s tasty grub you can have anytime of the year.

Be sure to share your favorite 2020 recipes on our Facebook and “DCI is ME” Instagram “Culinary Triumphs” posts. Let us know any cooking tips or reasons why you like to serve the dish.

West African Peanut Soup

https://cookieandkate.com/west-african-peanut-soup/

Basil Ice Cream

https://www.serving-ice-cream.com/basil-ice-cream.html

Grandma’s Lemon Meringue Pie

https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/15093/grandmas-lemon-meringue-pie/

Banana Spice Cupcakes

This is a recipe from my mom and was the cake she made for my birthday growing up. Top it with cream cheese frosting – so good!

2 ¼ cups flour

1 ¾ cups sugar

1 ¼ teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 ¼ tsp baking soda

1 ½ tsp cinnamon

¾ teaspoon nutmeg

¾ teaspoon cloves

2/3 cup shortening

2/3 cup buttermilk

1 ¼ cups mashed bananas (3 medium)

2 eggs

Sift dry ingredients together in a big bowl. Add shortening, milk, bananas and beat. Add eggs last. Beat 2 minutes at medium speed. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes (less for cupcakes).

Star Bread

https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/star-bread/

I like to use a box grater to shred the frozen butter instead of cutting into cubes, and hand mix only!

Cream Scones

https://pinchofyum.com/bakery-style-blueberry-scones

Pierogis

https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/recipes/homemade-pierogi-recipe

Be sure to serve with caramelized onion

Chocolate Panna Cotta

https://bellalimento.com/2011/11/28/chocolate-amaretto-panna-cotta/

I topped with amaretto whipped cream and raspberries

Cinnamon Rolls

https://www.ambitiouskitchen.com/best-cinnamon-rolls/

Mississippi Mud Cake

Cake Ingredients:

4 eggs

2 cups sugar

2 sticks melted butter

1 ½ cups plain flour

1/3 cup cocoa

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup chopped pecans

1 jar (7 oz) marshmallow cream

For Cake:

Beat eggs with sugar, then add the rest of the ingredients. Mix well and pour into a greased and floured 9x13 pan. Bake 30 minutes at 350 degrees. Frost when cool.

Frosting Ingredients:

1 stick of butter

1/3 cup cocoa

6 tablespoons of milk

1 teaspoon of vanilla

1 box of powdered sugar

¾ cup of chopped pecans

To Make Frosting:

Mix all ingredients and frost cake after the cake has cooled.

Santa’s Trash Cookies

Ingredients

1 cup  (2 sticks) butter, softened

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1 large egg

2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 ¼ cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon kosher salt

¾ cup crushed potato chips

¾ cup crushed pretzels

1 ¼ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup red and green sprinkles

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line two baking sheets with parchment. In a large bowl using a hand mixer, cream together butter and sugars until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes.
2. Beat in egg and vanilla until combined.
3. In another large bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt until combined. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix until just combined.
4. Gently fold in most of the potato chips, pretzels, chocolate chips, and sprinkles (reserve some for pressing on tops of cookies).
5. Using a medium cookie scoop, scoop balls of dough (about 2 tablespoons each) onto prepared baking sheets. Press down lightly on each cookie to flatten, then press remaining potato chips, pretzels, chocolate chips, and sprinkles on top. Sprinkle with flaky salt.
6. Bake until edges are just starting to get golden, 14 minutes.
7. Remove from oven and let cool 2 to 3 minutes, then transfer to cooling rack to cool completely.

Pulled Pork Crock Pot Recipe

Total Time: 30 mins, plus 6 to 10 hours cooking time; makes: 6 servings

2 medium yellow onions, thinly sliced

4 medium garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1 cup chicken stock or low-sodium chicken broth

1 tablespoon packed dark brown sugar

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 tablespoon kosher salt, plus more as needed

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 (4 ½- to 5 lbs) boneless or bone-in pork shoulder (also known as pork butt), twine or netting removed

2 cups barbecue sauce (optional)

1. Place the onions and garlic in an even layer in the slow cooker and pour in the stock or broth. Combine the sugar, chili powder, measured salt, cumin, and cinnamon in a small bowl. Pat the pork dry with paper towels. Rub the spice mixture all over the pork and place the meat on top of the onions and garlic. Cover and cook until the pork is fork tender, about 6 to 8 hours on high or 8 to 10 hours on low.
2. Turn off the slow cooker and remove the pork to a cutting board. Set a fine-mesh strainer over a medium heatproof bowl. Pour the onion mixture from the slow cooker through the strainer and return the solids to the slow cooker. Set the strained liquid aside.
3. If the pork has a bone, remove and discard it. Using 2 forks, shred the meat into bite-sized pieces, discarding any large pieces of fat. Return the shredded meat to the slow cooker, add the barbecue sauce, if using, and mix to combine. If you’re not using barbecue sauce, use a spoon to skim and discard the fat from the surface of the strained cooking liquid, and then add 1/4 cup of the liquid at a time to the slow cooker until the pork is just moistened. Taste and season with salt as needed.

Southwestern Tenderloin Steaks with Chipotle Mashed Potatoes
Makes 2 servings; Total prep time: About 1 hour

FOR THE POTATOES—
Boil
1 lb. Yukon gold potatoes,
peeled, quartered

Mash and add

1⁄3 cup low fat buttermilk
2 tablespoons scallions, thinly sliced
1 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 teaspoon chipotle chiles in adobo, minced
Salt to taste

Boil potatoes in salted water in a saucepan over high heat for 15 minutes, or until tender. Drain, return potatoes to the pan, and dry briefly over medium heat. Take off the heating element and mash potatoes to desired consistency, then add the buttermilk, scallions, butter, chiles, and salt. Keep warm over very low heat.

FOR THE STEAKS—
Combine and sauté in 1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon paprika
1⁄2 teaspoon chili powder
1⁄2 teaspoon black pepper
4 beef tenderloin filets (2 oz. each)

Combine brown sugar, salt, and spices for the steaks in a bowl; coat filets on both sides with the spice rub. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a sauté pan over medium-high, add the steaks, and sauté 2–3 minutes per side for medium-rare, or to desired doneness. Remove from pan; keep warm.  

FOR THE SPINACH—
Heat and add
1 tablespoon olive oil
1⁄2 cup grape tomatoes
8 cups spinach leaves 

Heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high in second sauté pan. Add tomatoes and cook 1 minute, or until blistered. Add spinach and cook until wilted, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. 

LIME CREMA FOR THE POTATOES—
Makes 1⁄4 cup; total time: 5 minutes

¼ cup sour cream
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
Pinch of salt
Whisk all ingredients together and chill

To assemble, divide potatoes between two plates and top with some of the crema. Arrange the spinach and tomatoes on the potatoes, then layer the steaks on top.

COMPOUND BUTTER FOR THE STEAKS—
Makes 1⁄2 cup; total time: 5 min. + chilling
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
1 tablespoon fresh minced parsley
1 teaspoon lemon zest, minced
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
Combine all ingredients until incorporated
Roll in plastic wrap to form a log; chill until firm

Top each steak with 1 teaspoon compound butter. Chill remaining butter and use on fish or vegetables.