Jim's Projects

Jim Shore’s Banana Muffins

Are you looking for a special treat to make for your Valentine? We you came to the right place! Watch as I make my world famous banana muffins!

Banana Muffins Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• ½ cup white sugar
• ½ cup brown sugar
• ½ tablespoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• 2 eggs beaten
• ½ cup butter
• 2 cups of mashed ripe bananas (5 – 7 medium sized)
• ¼ cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Streusel Topping Ingredients

• ¼ cup brown sugar
• ¼ cup flour
• ¼ cup butter – put in freezer to harden
• ½ cup chopped walnuts (optional)

 

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 12 cup muffin tray or loaf pan.

Combine all dry ingredients in a bowl. Combine all wet ingredients in a separate bowl. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and blend well by hand. Add the chopped walnuts to the batter. Spoon ¾ way full into muffin cups or spread in loaf pan.

For the streusel topping combine brown sugar and flour. Take the butter out of the freezer and grate into flour mixture. Combine by hand until chunky. Add walnuts if desired.

Add streusel topping over muffin batter and bake uncovered for 20 – 25 minutes or until golden brown.

Jim’s Jambalaya Recipe

I grew up in the South and spent a lot of time as a young man along the Gulf coast.  I wouldn’t change a thing, that life has really suited me, so many wonderful things that I’m grateful for every day.  The people, the history, the climate… and most of all the food!  One of my favorite dishes is a Jambalaya recipe I learned as a young man living near Mobile, Alabama.  Take a look at the video to see me make a batch in my kitchen.   I think it’ll be one of your favorites too!

Ingredients

• 1lb medium shrimp peeled and de-veined
• 1lb chicken cut into chunks (white or dark meat)
• ½ 1b. smoked sausage
• 1 cup cooked ham cubed
• 1 Can diced tomatoes with juice
• 2 tbsp of bacon grease or olive oil
• 6oz can of tomato paste
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 1 cup chopped bell pepper (any color will do)
• 1 cup chopped celery
• salt to taste
• 1 cup uncooked rice (white or brown)
• 2-3 cups of chicken broth
• 2-3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tsp brown sugar
• 1 tsp basil
• 1 tsp parsley
• ½ tsp thyme or sage
• ¼ tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
• 1 Bay leaf
• black pepper to taste

 

Directions

Heat oil in a large stew pot over medium heat. Stir in shrimp and chicken and cook for 2 minutes or so just to brown. Take out and set aside. In the same pot stir in onion, celery, bell pepper, garlic, brown sugar, and rice. Add broth, diced tomatoes and tomato paste. Add basil, parsley, thyme/sage pepper and bay leaf. Bring everything to a boil and simmer for 8 minutes covered. Add chicken, shrimp and simmer for 5 minutes. Add sausage, ham, salt and cayenne pepper. Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes or until rice is tender.

Jim’s Cranberry Recipe

There’s a special magic about Thanksgiving. Some say it’s all about great food. The more high-minded will say it’s about shared memories with family and friends. I'm in the middle and feel strongly both ways! With that in mind here’s a cranberry recipe my mother used to make. And her mother before her. My family has enjoyed it for generations… and I’d like to share it with yours.

Ingredients

• 4 cups cranberries
• 1/2 cup white raisins
• 1/4 cup orange juice/apple juice
• 1 cup browm sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg/alspice
• pinch ground clove
• pinch ground ginger
• 1/2 cup minced pineapple
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
• 1/4 red wine or brandy
• orange zest

Directions

Combine OJ, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, ginger and simmer for 10-15 minutes. Add cranberries, raisins, and pineapple and bring to boil. Continue at lower heat for about 8 to 10 minutes while stirring. The cranberries should open. Turn off heat and stir in walnuts and wine/brandy. Top with zest. Let cool and cover and refrigerate.

Jim's Secret Chili Recipe

There’s nothing like a hot bowl of chili. It’s a real family favorite, and almost as much fun to make as it is to eat. Here’s a short video of me in the kitchen making a batch from my secret recipe. Take a look and give it a try. I think you’ll like it!

Ingredients

• 2 lb hamburger meat
• 1 cup of chopped onion
• 1/2 bell pepper
• 1 carrot blended
• 5 cloves of garlic
• 2 cans of dark kidney beans
• 1 can of stewed tomatoes
• 1 can of tomato sauce
• 2 cups of beef stock
• 3 tbl chili powder
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp fresh chopped basil
• 1 tsp fresh chopped parsley
• 1 tsp coarse black pepper
• 1 tsp brown sugar
• 1 tbl cidar vinegar or red wine vinegar

Easy Summer Pie Trick

Food is always a great way to get family and friends to together. In that spirit, I’d like to share a recipe tip I learned from a friend out in Amarillo. Now, I don’t normally share recipes I haven’t tried yet. But with my recent travels to Enesco Showrooms, QVC and other appearances I am a little behind on my summer baking. But this was so ingenious I thought I would share it with my friends.

It’s a vodka apple pie crust. That’s right, vodka! I realize apples are not necessarily in season right now as we eat watermelon in abundance but give it a try before sharing this fall. Let me know what you think!

Vodka Pie Crust

Foolproof and delicious! The vodka evaporates quicker than water, so when you bake it, it makes a light, flaky crust that’s perfect every time and the vodka is tasteless!

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 1/2 sticks butter
• 1/2 cup vegetable shortening
• 1/4 cup cold water
• 1/4 cup cold vodka

Directions

Process 1 1/2 cups of the flour, salt, and sugar in food processor until combined. Add butter and shortening and process until dough just starts to collect (about 15 seconds; make sure there’s no dry flour left) will resemble cottage cheese curds and there should be no uncoated flour). Scrape down the bowl and then add the remaining cup of flour and give it 4-6 pulses.

Transfer dough to mixing bowl and sprinkle with the vodka and water mixture. Fold liquid in with a rubber spatula until it all sticks together. Divide in to two even balls; flatten each into a 4” round. Wrap each in plastic and refrigerate from 45 minutes to 2 days before using to make your pie.

Perfect for a Summer Barbeque

Every once in a while, a friend will pass on a recipe that they insist we try. If we love it, we’ll add it to our lineup of family favorites. There were two recipes that popped into my mind right away when I started thinking about what I could share with you. Vodka pie crust and banana caramel pie-they’re both so good, I decided to share both.

This pie recipe was shared from a great friend of mine down in Houston. But before I do that I need to make a couple of things clear. First, some of you who’ve seen me on QVC recently have noticed I’m a mere shadow of my former self. Let me assure you this is absolutely intentional. Under orders from a very stern doctor and even sterner wife, Jan. I’m on a strict program and have lost a lot of weight. It feels great. But it means I won’t be able to enjoy this pie this summer and have to live through the pleasure of others. Secondly, I am breaking a vow of secrecy to my friend in Houston who guards this recipe jealously. I plead for forgiveness. It’s perfect for summer parties and your friends will think you’ve gone to culinary school!

I hope you enjoy this recipe!

Banana Caramel Pie

Ingredients

• 8 oz can of sweetened condensed milk
• 9” graham cracker pie crust (store-bought is fine)
• 1-2 bananas (enough to cover the bottom of the crust)
• Cool-Whip or freshly whipped cream (sweetened a bit)

Directions

Remove the label from the can of sweetened condensed milk and put it in a big pot of water. Bring the water to a boil and then reduce to a simmer for 3 hours until the milk caramelizes. Check the pot regularly to make sure there’s always plenty of water in the pot, enough that the can is always completely covered.

While the milk is “cooking,” cut the banana into 3/4” thick slices and cover the bottom of the graham cracker crust.

Once the milk is done, open the can and pour the caramelized milk over the layer of bananas. Top the milk layer with Cool Whip or freshly whipped cream.

Refrigerate for one hour. Slice and serve.