How to Peel and Mince Garlic using Duct Tape (video)

How to create a Footlong Hot Dog using Duct Tape (video)

WATCH Jim and Tim Cook at the Macaroni Grille Challenge, Tucson, Arizona.

Sorry about the pun. (not really)

This is a recipe that we nabbed from a French Café in Minneapolis in the 1970s. It has been our benchmark for what constitutes good French Onion Soup ever since. The restaurant no longer exists, but, fortunately for you, this recipe does. It's nasty rich and tasty! This, a side salad and sorbet is all you need to impress your guests.

3 sticks butter
4 large yellow onions chopped
Sautee chopped onions in butter until onions are clear (not browned).
Add: 2 bottles BV brand (beef concentrate)
2 cans Beef Boullion
6 cups water
Dry Sherry to taste (we use approx. 1 cup)

Simmer until the flavors have melded then ladle the soup into in tureens and top with two toasted french bread slices (or croutons).

Top with shredded swiss cheese* (mound it up high - it will melt down).

Place bowls under broiler until cheese has melted down and is slightly browned. Serve bubbling hot.

This will serve four to eight people (depending on if you have Jim eating with you or not).

Hint: Refrigerate your onions before cutting to cut down on the tears.

*Provilone works well, too.

Duct Taped Coffee Can Ice Cream
from Everybody Loves Ice Cream © by Shannon Jackson Arnold
(Emmis Books,2004) Used with permission.

A great way to occupy the kids; they'll love getting involved in making their own ice cream. If the cans are tightly sealed, they can even kick the can back and forth.

Makes About a Pint

Ingredients:
1 11.5-13 ounce coffee can
1 34.5 ounce coffee can
3/4 cup whole milk
1 cup cream
1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2-3 pounds crushed ice
3/4 cup rock salt
Duct tape

1. Whisk sugar and milk in a bowl until completely dissolved. Stir in cream and vanilla. Pour mixture into smaller coffee can until 75-percent full.
Seal can securely by placing duct tape around edges of lid.
2. Put smaller coffee can into larger can. Place a one to two-inch layer of crushed ice in the bottom of larger coffee can, then add about 1/4 cup of salt. Continue to alternate layers of ice and salt until you reach the top of the larger can. Seal the larger can securely by placing duct tape around edges of lid.
3. Roll, or kick, the can back and forth for 10 minutes.
4. After 10 minutes check on the ice cream mixture. If it's not frozen enough, scrape down the sides and reseal. If necessary, drain water out of larger can, and add ice and salt as necessary to refill can. Reseal and roll can for another five minutes or so.
5. Once mixture has the consistency of soft serve, scoop out of can and enjoy. If a firmer consistency is desired, ripen in freezer for two hours before eating.


Note: Dispose of salt and ice solution outside, away from grass or tender plantings.

Be sure you visit Shannon's "cool" web site and buy the book!

Flourless Peanut Butter Kiss Cookies

These are so simple, you’ll laugh. But they’re GREAT!

1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 cup chunky peanut butter
1 cup sugar
36 chocolate kisses

Mix first three ingredients together and shape into 3/4" balls (cover your hands with duct tape first to ease your clean-up). Place on ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake at 350 degrees for ten minutes. Immediately press a chocolate kiss into the top of each cookie (unwrap the kisses first). Let cool. Makes about three dozen.

Butter the surface of a 9" by 12" pan (glass works best)
Fill with six to eight peeled, cored and sliced apples.
Dissolve 1 teaspoon salt in 1/3 cup water. Drizzle this over apples.

Sprinkle about 1 to 2 teaspoons of cinnamon over the top of apples (or more to taste).

Soften 1 stick butter (1/2 cup)
mix to a crumbly consistency with:
1 1/4 cup flour and 1 1/2 cup sugar
Loosely cover the apples with mixture.

Bake 350° for 40 minutes.

Serve warm with whipped cream or plain old vanilla ice cream (or a slice of cheddar cheese like Grandma used to).

A close second childhood favorite of Tim's (now pulling into first place as the favorite dessert to try at various restaurants when traveling) is Bread Pudding. This recipe is from Tim's grandma via his mom. The toppings and additives can vary as widely as your imagination. enjoy!

Ingredients
2 cups bread (torn or chopped into cubes)
4 cups milk - scalded (brought almost to boil)
2 eggs
1/2 c sugar
1/4 t salt
1/4 t nutmeg
1 t vanilla
add raisins, cherries, apples, walnuts, etc. as desired

directions:
soak bread in scalded milk until soft

in a large mixing bowl, beat eggs until light
stir in the rest of the ingredients
mix in soaked bread

pour mixture into a greased baking dish which is set in a larger pan of hot water
place both into a 350° oven for one hour or until a knife comes out clean
(Tim's mom reminds him at this point that this is NOT the way to clean your knives.)
serve warm or cold with sauce of choice
serves 6 to 8

Sauces:
Hard Sauce:
1 stick of softened butter mixed with
1 cup of powdered sugar
add a bit of cream to desired consistency.
Optionally add 3 T rum, brandy, or vanilla for flavor

Lemon sauce:
1 lemon (rind only -- grated)
3/4 cup sugar
2 Tbsp. butter
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup water

Cream together the butter and the sugar in a double boiler. Add the egg and the lemon rind, stir frequently. Cook for a few minutes while stirring. Add enough water to reach desired consistency.

Pour the lemon sauce over the bread pudding just before serving. This is best served warm.

3 lb. ground turkey
1 cup chopped mushrooms
1 cup chopped onion
1 egg
1/2 cup teriyaki sauce
(Try to find Soy Vay - it's great!)
1/2 cup beer
1/2 cup chopped peanuts
1 Tablespoon Five Spice Powder
1/2 cup breadcrumbs

Mix all this together in a large bowl - just stick your hands in there and mush it around until it's all mixed in. Form into patties and fry in a pan over medium high heat until cooked through.

Serve on a Wheat Bun (best compliments the flavor) topped with Asian Coleslaw.

Asian Coleslaw:
chop up about two cups of cabbage (red makes for a colorful plate)
mix with 1/2 to 1 cup of mayonnaise
add 1 teaspoon of five spice powder

Makes eight to twelve patties depending on how large you make the patties. Serve on a duct tape lined paper plate to avoid coleslaw juice leak-through.

SEARCH FOR THE PERFECT BRATWURST
Being from Wisconsin, we love our brats! Tim's favorite method of cooking them is to cook them slowly covered in beer and then finishing them off on the grill to give them a nicely browned and smokey flavor. Tim's brother, Dan, prefers to grill them raw basting them with beer while they are being grilled (he swears it's "The German Way"). Jim prefers Tim's method only he adds lots of onions to the beer mixture and returns them to the beer and onions on the stovetop after grilling to keep them hot and flavorful. What's your favorite method? Let us know and we may add it to our recipe file.

Your RECIPES: The absolute best way to cook brats is inside a pig. A friend of mine has a pig roasting business, and he stuffs the pig with brats before roasting it. They are always the best brats you will ever eat. - Jonderson

Tim grew up eating these things hot from the oven, loaded with melted butter and a glob of strawberry preserves. Of course you can eat them plain, or stuffed with chick ala king, as a side to prime rib au jus (aka Yorkshire Pudding). However you eat them, they're good stuff. Thanks to Joyce for the recipe.

1 cup flour
1/4 tsp salt
3 large eggs
1 cup milk
1 T melted butter

Beat 1 to 2 minutes

spray popover pans (heavy cast iron muffin pan or specially made popover pans) with non-stick spray and preheat pan for 1 to 2 minutes
put small amount of butter in each pan (optional)
bake 425° for 20 minutes reduce oven heat to 325° and continue baking for an additional 15 to 20 minutes

makes six popovers - double for twelve

The perfect way to impress overnight guests and give them a heart-healthy start a the same time.
Ever bored with plain old oatmeal, Tim has taken to adding good stuff to a basic oatmeal recipe.

It's easy! While you are cooking your oatmeal (according to package directions) just add chopped (peeled) apples, walnuts or pecans, raisins, shredded coconut, wheatgerm, a dash of cinnamon and whatever other suitable ingredients you think of. It turns a boring bowl of mush into a hot gourmet breakfast that would be proudly served at the finest B&Bs. To top it off the "Wild Oatmeal" try real Maple Syrup or honey.

Here's a recipe from Jim's sister and Tim's wife (yes, one in the same). A favorite of everyone who sticks a fork into it.

crazy cake (a no egg recipe)
3 cups flour
2 cups sugar
6T cocoa (1/3+ cup)
1t salt
3/4 cup oil
2T vinegar
2 cups cold water

mix dry incredients in a 9 by 12" pan
make three holes - into one pour oil, another vinegar and the third vanilla.
Pour cold water over the top and stir until mixed.
Bake 350 degrees check at 30 minutes - up to 40 minutes - check with a toothpick poke (when it comes out clean, it's done).

FFFFrosting (aka BGC Frosting)*
1 1/2 oz. unsweetened chocolate
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup milk
1/4 cup butter
1/2 t salt
Boil one minute or so and remove from heat - add 1 teaspoon vanilla - STIR off of heat while it cools and thickens.

*You may be tempted to eat this alone as fudge or spoon it warm over ice cream with a handful of chopped walnuts tossed on top.

Chef Joey Altman of San Francisco actually prepares baked duck encased in duct tape! - This is such an involved recipe that we devoted a whole page to it (with photos of us helping Joey prepare it). Click here.

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Duct Tape Guys' Cooking Videos:
How to Peel and Mince Garlic using duct tape.

Create a footlong hotdog using duct tape.

The Duct Tape Guy's Whiskey Burgers
Mix 2 to 3 pounds of ground beef (I like ground sirloin) with a couple of healthy splashes of whiskey - probably about 1/8 cup.
Chop up four to six cloves of garlic into little chunks (not finely minced) - and let it breath for a bit - this brings out all of the medicinal properties of the garlic (if you care). Chop a small onion into about 1/8 inch bits. Mix whiskey, garlic and onions into meat (get your hands in there and mush it around). Form into patties and shake on (my favorite grill seasoning) Lawry's Cracked Pepper Seasoning Salt.
Cook to your liking. Use a good hard roll or Kaiser roll instead of those flimsy hamburger buns.

Jim and I travel a LOT and eat at a LOT of great restaurants. I often order salmon when it's on the menu, but I have NEVER come across a better grilled salmon than what I cook at home. This is so incredibly easy - but SOOOOO good - it melts in your mouth like butter! When we serve it to guests, it never fails to get favorable comments.

Preheat your grill to a medium high heat.
(I use gas Weber with some kind of wood smoker chips in a cast iron smoker tray (see above) - this may be part of the reason the salmon turns out so dang good!)

Coat salmon filets with extra virgin (or not so extra virgin if you can't hack the price) Olive Oil on both sides and place skin down on a fish rack.

Shake Lawry's Black Pepper Seasoned Salt on the top side of the fillets.
Lay rack on grill. Close grill.
Cook skin down the entire time - until the salmon flakes apart with a fork.
Remove from grill and peel off the skin before serving (fish skin just doesn't taste right).

The SAUCE
I serve this with a blend of mayo, sour cream and dill weed with a little lemon juice.
(Note: I don't measure I just blob, shake, squeeze, stir and taste until it seems right.)

WARNING: Unless they have them duct taped on, you'll impress the pants right off of your guests!

Tim was messing around trying to replicate a tasty fish stew that his wife ordered at an Italian restaurant... This came pretty darned close:

12 oz. raw drained scallops*
12 oz. de-tailed cooked or raw shrimp*
12 oz. salmon* (skinned) - cut in cubes
set aside

3T olive oil
1/2 cup butter (one stick)
medium heat deep pan - stir in:
6 to 8 cloves chopped garlic
1 cup chopped onion
2 cups chopped mushrooms

add spices:
1T Italian seasoning (usually oregano, thyme, marjoram, rosemary, savory, save and basil)
1/2t Tarragon
1t black pepper
1t course ground salt
1/2 T. oregano
2T tomato paste

stir scallops and shrimp into sauté mix
add:
14 oz (can) chicken broth
14 oz (can) vegetable broth
14 oz (can) diced tomatoes (or 2 cups fresh, chopped and drained and seeded tomatoes)
2 cups medium dry white wine
(I use Pinot Grigio)
stir in salmon cubes

Optionally add 1/8 cup of dry sherry

Cook over low heat until flavors meld - last five minutes prior to serving turn up to a simmer and add fresh chopped asparagus tenders (the tops) to the stew.

Serve with a loaf of good bread to soak up the wonderfully flavored broth.

Serves two (Jim and Tim)
or six to eight (without Jim and Tim).

*You can substitute other fish as desired - these proportions seem about right.

Bisquick mix pancake recipe. Substitute half beer for the half of the milk called for. That's it!

You can make gutsier pancakes by adding wheat germ and chopped walnuts or pecans.

Caramel Pecan Rolls
Tim's German sister-in-law discovered this recipe. She's an excellent baker in her own right - but this time found a shortcut that stands up to anyone's best caramel rolls.

Ingredients:
1/2 package of Rhodes frozen bread rolls (about 18 rolls)
1 small package (3.5 oz.) of butterscotch pudding (the cooking kind, not instant)
1/2 cup melted butter or margarine
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup crushed pecans (optional - but why would you want to pass up pecans on a caramel roll?)

Instructions:
On the evening before baking (assuming morning baking), place frozen rolls in bundt pan (greased). Sprinkle pudding mix over top. Melt butter, mix in brown sugar, pour mixture over rolls, then add nuts. Put pan with prepared rolls in cold oven overnight to let the rolls rise.

The next morning, remove rolls from the oven. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake rolls for 25 minutes (they'll get golden brown on the top). Cool a bit and flop over onto a serving plate. That's it! You'll love 'em!

Tim's mom (Dorothy) made this. It was so good, he ate it until he got sick. But that didn't stop him from asking for the recipe... Here it is in all of it's rich (but simple) glory:
Chicken Almondine

ingredients:
3 cups cooked chicken
(6 boned skinless 1/2 breasts)
1 can cream of chicken soup
4 oz can of mushrooms
(or 1# fresh sauteed in margarine)
8 oz can sliced water chestnuts drained
2/3 cup mayonnaise (real)
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup dairy sour cream
--
8 oz pkg crescent roll dough
2/3 cup shredded Swiss cheese
1/2 cup slivered almonds
4 T melted butter or margarine

cook above list of first eight ingredients over medium heat until hot

pour into 9X13" casserole
cover with crescent roll
(unrolled into two rectangles)
combine Swiss cheese, almonds and butter
spread over dough

bake until golden brown
20 to 25 minutes at 350°
Should serve 12 if you don't invite Tim

option: Add a splash of sherry to the hot mixture
you can also divide into smaller casseroles for individual servings (add some green peas to the mixture and it will be similar to the best chicken pot pie you've ever tasted).

Julie is Jim's sister and Tim's wife. This white chili recipe has gotten rave compliments everytime she cooks up a batch. She is a bit shy about sharing the recipe (because it's so darned easy) - but we got it out of her.

Chicken White Chili

ingredients:
1.5 pounds of chicken breasts (skin removed)
1 tsp. olive oil
2 to 3 cloves minced garlic
1 cup chopped onion

1 - 19oz. can cannellini beans (undrained)
1 - 15 oz. can Great Northern beans (undrained)
2 - 4 oz. cans diced green chiles (undrained)*
2 T snipped cilantro
2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

shredded cheddar, colby or monterey jack cheese, sour cream, and crushed tortilla chips for topping

*for a spicier chile add 2oz of diced jalapinos

In a large saucepan, cook chicken breasts in three cups of boiling, salted water. Cook chicken until it is fork tender and juices run clear (20 minutes or so). Drain water, chop chicken into small cubes.
Sautee onion and garlic in olive oil until the onion is tender (about four minutes) and add diced chicken, beans and chiles (both undrained). Heat through.

Serve topped with shredded cheese, sour cream, and/orr crushed tortilla chips.

Makes about 6 cups (so we usually double it when having Jim over).http://ducttapeguys.com/onaroll/newsletter

1 pound of ground chuck
1 packet of onion soup mix
3/4 block of Velveeta cheese
(or other brand of processed cheese blob)
Mix all together and smear little blobs on small rye bread squares
Bake in a 350° oven for 10 to 15 minutes - serve hot!

also from Sherrie:

This is a little, rich, gourmet hors d'oeuvre is based on a recipe from one of our favorite Door County, Wisconsin Chefs - Bruce Alexander. While he hasn't parted with the exact recipe, Jim's sister has come up with this close proximity.

Quantities may vary slightly with little effect
Small bag (1 1/4 cup) of shredded Parmesan Cheese
4 oz. container of crumbled blue cheese
4 oz. contatiner of crumbled gorganzola cheese
1 16 oz. bag of shredded ramano cheese
1 stick of softened butter
Mix all of the above together and stuff into vertically sliced french bread (small loaves are preferrable), Wrap loaf/loaves in foil and bake in a 350° oven for thirty minutes. Serve warm. Makes about six 6" loaves. (serves Jim)

Dot is Tim's mom. And this is, without a doubt and all bias aside, the best meatloaf recipe we've ever tasted. Try it, if you don't agree, we'd LOVE to see your better-than-Dot's meatloaf recipe!

MEATLOAF
2 slides of bread cubed
1 cup milk (soak bread in milk)
1 1/2 pounds ground beef (we often use a mix of beef, pork and veal for an even better loaf)
2 beaten eggs
1/4 cup minced onion
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon sage
1/8 teaspoon pepper

Mix ingredients and place in a loaf pan
Bake 1.5 hours at 350°
During last 30 minutes of baking time top with this sauce (after pouring off all fat)
SAUCE:
6 Tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 cup ketchup (or catsup if you prefer)
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
2 teaspoons dry mustard

serves four or five people (or Tim)

This is a chicken concoction that Tim's mom discovered. It's one of those saucy meat dishes that you can do a lot with - serve it over rice, drenched on steamed broccoli, ladled over egg noodles, served on top of baking powder biscuits, or in pastry shells... See? versatile! That's why we call it Pollo (chicken) Versatile.

1/2 cup butter
1/2 large onion, chopped
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 8 ounce carton sour cream
1 (4 ounce) can mushrooms (drained)
1/4 cup white wine
1/4 teaspoon salt
ground pepper to taste
1 (3 lb) chicken, cooked and cut into bite-sized pieces
1/2 cup slivered almonds or cashews
Variations: add garlic and/or curry.

Saute onion in butter until limp. Add cream of mushroom soup, sour cream, mushrooms, wine, salt and pepper. Simmer over low heat for five minutes. Combine sauce with chicken in a 3 quart casserole dish. Top with almonds or cashews and bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes at 350 degrees. (serves eight)

Grandpa Bill's Swedish Pancakes
(Jim's dad made these with such pride - the grandkids still request the recipe to this day - therefore, we're posting it for them - and you).

Put the following ingredients in a blender:
3 eggs
1 1/4 cups milk
3/4 cup flour
1 T sugar (Tim uses powdered - he thinks it blends better)
1/2 t salt

Blend then pour onto a hot greased skillet (and electric gridle works best if you have one). You can choose the size - from small dollar-sized to large squares. This is similar to a crepe recipe - so stuff them, or serve them with butter and maple syrup.