Thursday, December 3, 2009

Greek Meat Balls aka Keftedes


These Greek meatballs were another one of HiHo's traditions for Christmas. She quadrupled the recipe for the Christmas Eve Party. Crowds would form around the two pots that she served them in making them a real conversation piece. While the spinach dip sandwiches were my favorite dish, this was definitely my sisters. She would keep the pot hot on a hot plate and use it as a finger food, providing guests a cup of toothpicks to serve themselves with. These are yummy and quite memorable.



Ingredients
1.5 pounds ground round steak
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup fine, soft bread crumbs
2 medium onions, finely chopped
1 Tablespoons chopped parsley
1 Tablespoon chopped fresh mint
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
shortening for pan frying.

Process
  1. Combine all ingredients except shortening and mix thoroughly. (I remember HiHo working this with her bare hands).
  2. Refrigerate for several hours.
  3. Shape into small bite-size balls. (this took forever when quadrupled and HiHo would often beg for my help!)
  4. Fry in hot shortening until browned.
  5. Serve hot. Although HiHo never did it, Tzadziki makes a great accompaniment.

Tuesday, December 1, 2009

Mushroom Sandwiches

In honor of December 1st, I am beginning the bump and repost my traditional Christmas recipes, while adding some new ones. Look out - HiHo's famous Bourbon Balls are at the top of the list!

This was another one of HiHo's Christmas Eve dishes, for which she doubled the recipe. The only problem is I abhor mushrooms so if there was ever a place where these sandwiches touched one of the Spinach dip sandwiches I would not touch them. Regardless, I know many people LOVED these little buggers, therefore I shall share it will my sister and I run very quickly in the other direction! The Pepperidge Farm bread is becoming increasingly difficult to find. If you can not find the thin bread, gently press or use a rolling pin to roll the slices thin.


Ingredients
1 pound mushrooms
1 slice of onion
4 Tablespoons butter
2 Tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 teaspoons thick cream
parsley (written in in HiHo's handwriting)

Process
  1. Chop mushrooms and onion finely and saute slowly in butter.
  2. When tender, sprinkle them with flour and salt and cook a little longer.
  3. Add the cream and stir until nicely thickened.
  4. Season to taste.
  5. Spread on thinly sliced bread. HiHo used Pepperidge Farm Thin breads and also cut the crusts off.
  6. Place under broiler and cover with another slice of bread.
  7. Cut into small rectangles or triangles.
  8. Toast gently on both sides.

Monday, November 23, 2009

Jenny's Easier to Roll-out Pie Crust

This dough has great consistency, is easier to roll out, and still has that buttery flavor we all love.

Ingredients
2 and 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1 stick of butter
1/2 cup Crisco
1/4 to 1/2 cup ice water

Process
  1. In order, add ingredients one at a time to a food processor on pulse.
  2. Use immediately or save for later. This recipe is best when making many pie crusts.

Saturday, November 7, 2009

Pumpkin Butter

A friend of mine gave me this recipe and it is from All Recipes. com
Please note it can not be canned, as pumpkin is not an acid fruit.
So please refrigerate or freeze.
Here's the link: Pumpkin Butter

Ingredients

  • 1 (29 ounce) can pumpkin puree
  • 3/4 cup apple juice
  • 2 teaspoons ground ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1 1/2 cups white sugar
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Directions

  1. Combine pumpkin, apple juice, spices, and sugar in a large saucepan; stir well. Bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer for 30 minutes or until thickened. Stir frequently.
  2. Transfer to sterile containers and chill in the refrigerator until serving.

Friday, November 6, 2009

Dehydrated Apple Slices


No recipe required!

Just peel

core

and slice your apples.

Put them in single layers

in a food dehydrator

and have at it!

Marion's Apple Butter

This recipe is from Preserving the Harvest by Carol Costenbader. I made it last night using the oven method. I also used the smallest amount of sugar and it worked fine! Next time I will try it in my slow cooker - just need to decide on high vs. low.
This is YUMMY!!!

Ingredients
10 large tart apples (about 5 lbs)
2 cups apple cider
3-5 cups sugar
3/4 tsp. ground cloves
1/2 tsp ground all-spice
3 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
  1. Process
  2. Wash, core & quarter apples.
  3. Combine apples and cider in oven safe pot on top of stove.
  4. Cook slowly in cider until tender.
  5. Blend in a food processor or run through a food mill.
  6. Return apples to pot.
  7. Add sugar and spices and stir to combine.
  8. Cook in 350°F oven or slow cooker 6-8 hours, stirring often. Test for desired thickness by spooning mixture onto a cold plate. If no liquid oozes around edges, it is thick enough. Ladle into jars. Process 10 minutes or freeze.

Thursday, November 5, 2009

Dal

Dal is an Indian dish made of savory lentils.

Ingredients
3 cups water
1 cup dried lentils
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 medium onion, finely chopped,
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 Tablespoons oil


Process
  1. Heat water and lentils in a pot and bring to a boil.
  2. Stir in salt and turmeric.
  3. Cover and simmer about 30 minutes until tender.
  4. In the mean time in a separate frying pan, stir in remaining ingredients and cook until onion is tender.
  5. Add this mixture to the lentils, stir, and cook until thickened (about 20 to 30 minutes).

Mexican Meat Pie

This is quick and simple and loved by the kids!
Ingredients

1 Pie shell
1 egg
1 lb ground beef or turkey
7 oz. whole kernel corn
1.2 cup soda crackers
1/2 cup chili sauce
2 Tablespoons pepper flakes or fresh green pepper
1 Tablespoon onion
1.2 teaspoon oregano
for cheese mixture topping.
1 egg beaten
2 Tablespoon milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
dash of cayenne pepper

Process
  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
  2. Mix all ingredients together in a bowl.
  3. Transfer into pie shell and press into dish and put in preheated oven.
  4. While pie is baking, prepare cheese mixture for the topping.
  5. Bake in oven for 20 to 25 minutes.
  6. Top with cheese mixture and bake another 5 minutes. Feel free to garnish with a few olives too.

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Boys Apple Butter

I named this recipe this afternoon when the middle school boys helped me make it after school. One helped cut and core the apples, the other helped me peel them. They were both responsible for running the food mill too. We had fun and they learned a lot. I fully support teaching boys to be more domestic in the kitchen!
Feel free to 1/2 this recipe if you would like.

Ingredients
32 apples - peeled, cored and quartered
4 cups water
8 cups sugar
4 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon clove powder


Process
  1. Wash, peel, core and quarter apples.
  2. Place in stock pot with water and bring to a boil.
  3. Boil until apples are soft but not liquid.
  4. Run apples through the food mill and return to the pot.
  5. Add the sugar and spices and heat, stirring frequently as mixture thickens.
  6. Cook until thick enough to round up on a spoon.
  7. Ladle hot butter into hot jars, leaving 1/4 inch head space and remove air bubbles.
  8. Adjust caps and process for 10 minutes in a boiling water canner.

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Homemade Carrot Soup

This recipe was made from the "bruised" carrots we harvested that would not be safe to store long term. I had intended to make a type of parsnip soup from the woody white carrots we ended up with but it will have to wait. I made this soup from quite a colorful group of carrots don't you think?




























Ingredients

4 cups variety of carrots - peeled and chopped
2 Tablespoons oil
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
and
6 cups stock




















Process
1. In a large pot, heat oil and cumin until aromatic.
2. Stir in carrots and stock.
3. Bring to a boil.
4. Cover and boil for 10 minutes.
5. Uncover, reduce heat and simmer until carrots are tender (about 20 to 30 minutes)
See how colorful my carrots made this soup!?















6. In small batches, transfer soup to blender and blend until smooth.
7. Return to stockpot and heat.
8. Stir in heavy cream and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Serve as a side dish for dinner. Serves 6.

Sunday, November 1, 2009

A Halloween Cake
















My husband laughed at me for making this cake for Halloween. Why on earth would I make a sugar filled cake and then cover it with frosting and more candy? Because I love Halloween and my kids are awesome and I like to spoil them every now and again. Did I really just say that?
Anyway, I made a simple chocolate sheet cake from one of Lovina Eicher's recipes. I then took some butter cream frosting that was left over from my carrot cake muffins, and smothered my sheet cake in it. I then used Reese's pieces to decorate the top, reserving just the brown ones for spelling out Happy Halloween. I am sure you could make the same cake with different words and have it work prefectly for a Thanksgiving dinner! The strange thing is though, that the words are FAR easier to read in the picture than they are in person. Anyone know why? This cake is so good that my kids chose it for dessert tonight as an alternative to candy. Go kids! Enjoy!

Ingredients
For the cake:
2 cups all purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter
1 cup water
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
2 large eggs beaten
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the icing:
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup shortening
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
3 cups confectioners sugar
2 table spoons milk

Reese's Pieces for the lettering.
Process
To make the cake
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Grease a 10 by 15 inch pan, or more than one if you have smaller pans
  3. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt.
  4. Stir with a whisk to blend.
  5. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter.
  6. When butter is melted add the water and cocoa.
  7. Bring saucepan mixture to a boil.
  8. Add the hot mixture to the large bowl of flour and stir well to combine.
  9. Add the eggs and beat well.
  10. Add the sour cream and mix.
  11. Add the milk and vanilla and stir until completely mixed.
  12. Turn into greased pan and bake 25 to 30 minutes or until a took pick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
To make the icing
  1. Cream the bitter and shortening with an electric mixer.
  2. Add the vanilla.
  3. Gradually add the sugar, 1/2 a cup at a time, beating well on medium speed.
  4. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl. When all sugar is in, icing may appear dry.
  5. Add milk and beat at medium speed until light and fluffy.
  6. Yields about 3 cups.
When cake is completely cool, ice and decorate as you wish.

Friday, October 23, 2009

Fresh Brussell Sprouts

Ingredients
Fresh Brussell Sprouts
olive oil
minced garlic
pats of butter
lemon juice

Process
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Pick your Brussell sprouts while they are still small.
These tasty little bundles are shown inside of an old Country Crock butter tub.












3. Trim them. Cut the nub of the stem off allowing the outer leaves to fall off, leaving the tight inside bundle for you to work with.
Here is a before and after picture of my trimming:















4. Place trimmed Brussell sprouts in a single layer in a glass baking dish.
5. Toss your Brussel sprouts with olive oil, minced garlic and a couple of tablespoons of butter cut into pats or dabs.






















6. Put in oven and stir every five minutes.
7. When Brussell sprouts begin to brown, toss with 1 or 2 tablespoons lemon juice and cook for 5 more minutes.
8. Remove from oven and enjoy!

Thursday, October 22, 2009

Meatloaf in a Pinch

One day last week I had my schedule suddenly crunch on me and I had to come up with dinner in a jiffy. This picture shows the meatloaf cooking in a crock pot because that's where it started. Soon after putting it in the crock pot I realized that that wasn't fast enough, so I removed it, put it into two loaf pans, and cooked it at 350 degrees until done.

Ingredients
2 pounds ground beef
1 pound ground pork
1 can French Onion soup
one egg
1 cup stove top
2 un-greased loaf pans
ketchup, chili sauce, or A1 sauce for glaze (optional)

Process
  1. Preheat oven to 350
  2. Put all ingredients in a bowl and stir until well combined.
  3. Divide mixture between to loaf pans and place in oven.
  4. Cook for about 30 minutes until cooked through and pulling away from pan. In last 5 minutes you can brush the top with the glaze if you so wish.
  5. Enjoy with a side of mashed potatoes and a tossed salad.
P.S. My favorite is the sandwiches the next day - meatloaf on bread with mayo and chili sauce and even some left over mashed potatoes if there are any!

Thursday, October 15, 2009

Chicken in Chipolte con Adobo

Erin asked me for this recipe the other day, but I think it originated with her brother Matthew. I can't find my copy of the recipe, but this one (thanks to my MB) comes the closest to what I remember!
Chicken in Chipotle with Adobo
Ingredients
    1 cup Chipotle Peppers En Adobo Sauce (half my recipe for it)
    4 pounds boned and skinned chicken breasts

Directions

In a large teflon pan that has a lid, brown chicken briefly, you will need to do a couple shifts in the pan. Then tuck all breasts in the pan and arrange the cooked peppers and sauce on top of the meat, and cover to cook relatively low for around 40 minutes. Rearrange/stir after 20 minutes. Meat will be done when it starts giving off juice. Try not to overcook white meat.

Makes 16 4 ounce servings. It is great cold and sliced up in sandwiches too. Freeze single breasts in ziplock sandwich bags for future meals!

Number of Servings: 16

Highland RIdge Apple Crisp

This recipe comes from Baby's preschool. It is uber yummy! it has become a daily book end - we have it for breakfast AND dessert!

Ingredients
4 (or more) peeled, cored and sliced apples
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup (or more) packed brown sugar
1/2 cup (or more) oats
1 and 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup softened butter

Process
  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees
  2. Spread the apples in an un-greased 8 x 10 baking pan
  3. Mix remaining ingredients with a fork and spread over apples
  4. Bake uncovered for about 30 minutes or until the topping is golden brown and the apples are tender.
  5. Let cool for 5 minutes and then serve in a bowl with a healthy serving of vanilla ice cream over it.

Monday, October 12, 2009

Chicken with Cranberry Compote

Ingredients
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1 cup boiling water
2 Tablespoons butter
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup red onion, diced
1/2 cup tart apple, chopped
1/4 cup cranberry juice
3 Tablespoons apple juice
1 Tablespoon red wine vinegar
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1/8 teaspoon allspice.

Process
  1. Combine first 5 ingredients, soak for 15 minutes, drain and then cook.
  2. Soak the cranberries in the boiling water for 15 minutes.
  3. In skillet over medium heat, melt butter.
  4. Add celery and onion to butter and saute.
  5. Add apple and cranberries and stir.
  6. Add juices and vinegar and cook until the liquid is reduced by half.
  7. Add coriander and ground allspice. This makes the compost.
  8. After chicken is cooked, serve it topped with the compote.

Sunday, October 11, 2009

Baked Rice

For those of us who can be a bit "rice shy" after getting it stuck to a pan or two, try this simple, low maintenance and fool proof recipe for some really yummy rice!

Ingredients
2 cups rice
2 and 1/2 cups stock
1 and 1/2 Tablespoons finely chopped onion
1 and 1/2 Tablespoons finely chopped celery
1 and 1/2 Tablespoons finely chopped green pepper
1 and 1/2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
pinch of pepper

Process
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
  2. In a 5 x 9 pan, combine all ingredients and mix well.
  3. Seal pan with aluminium foil.
  4. Bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes.

Saturday, October 10, 2009

Broccoli Salad


In a medium bowl, combine the following ingredients:

1 to 2 head broccoli, cut into small flowers
1/3 pound bacon cooked (crispy)
1/2 pound raisins
1 cup mayo
1/2 cup sugar
1 Tablespoon raspberry vinegar

Friday, October 9, 2009

Potato Quiche

Ingredients
9” pastry shell (many recipes on blog)
2 cups mashed potatoes
1/2 cup light cream
1 Tablespoon butter
3/4 cup cottage cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon cayenne
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1 and 1/2 cup shredded swiss cheese
4 cups onions.

Process
  1. Preheat oven to 375 or 400 degrees.
  2. Combine potaotes, cream and butter.
  3. Combine cottage cheese, sour cream, eggs and spices and beat until smooth.
  4. Stir in potato mixture.
  5. Add swiss cheese and onion.
  6. Put ingredients into pie shell and bake for 35 to 40 minutes.
  7. Let stand 10 to 15 minutes before serving.

Thursday, October 8, 2009

Spinach Lasagna

Ingredients
at least 10 lasagna noodles
2 packages (10 ounces) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 Tablespoon oil
1 cup or more grated carrots
1 can (15oz) tomato sauce
1 can (6oz) tomato paste
1/2 cup chopped olives
1 and 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 cups cottage cheese
1 pound Monterrey Jack cheese
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

Process
  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  2. Cook noodles and drain.
  3. Grease a 13 x 9 baking dish.
  4. Put a layer of noodles into dish.
  5. In a frying pan, saute onions.
  6. Add carrots and mushrooms and cook until tender.
  7. Stir in tomato sauce, paste, olives and oregano.
  8. Layer cottage cheese over noodles.
  9. Layer spinach over cheese.
  10. Layer sauce over spinach.
  11. Layer 1/3 Monterrey Jack cheese.
  12. Repeat and place remaining cheese over top.
  13. Bake for 30 minutes.

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

Pizza Night

First you make your dough in a dough machine then you just follow the steps along the way. It really is quite easy... you just need to keep practicing and reinventing your toppings!





































































































































The toppings in these pizzas, in order, are:
crumbled goat meat sausage with sauce and cheese
Sliced potatoes with cheese
And pesto and potato with cheese.

Monday, October 5, 2009

Baba’s Apple Surprise

Ingredients
Apples
several cups water
several cups sugar
whipped cream
cream cheese

Process
  1. Peel but don’t core apples.
  2. Prepare a rich syrup with equal parts sugar and water and cook 5 minutes.
  3. Simmer apples in syrup until they are translucent and then remove and chill.
  4. Add 2 Tablespoons grated orange rind to each cup of syrup. Simmer several minutes and then cool.
  5. Whip cream. Rice the cream cheese and add to whipped cream.
  6. When ready to serve, spoon syrup over chilled apples.
  7. Serve with cheesy whipped cream

Sunday, October 4, 2009

Apple Rum Duff

A recipe from HiHo that serves 6 to 8.
Ingredients
2 cups chunky applesauce
1/4 cup sugar
3 Tablespoons Rum
1 Tablespoon grated orange rind
2 cups broken ginger snaps
1/2 cup heavy cream, whipped
Chopped pistachios and raspberries for garnish

Process
  1. Combine applesauce, sugar, rum, orange rind and gingersnaps.
  2. Stir until well mixed and chill.
  3. Just before serving fold in whipped cream.
  4. Put mixture into sherbet glasses and sprinkle with chopped nuts.

Saturday, October 3, 2009

HiHo’s Apple Cake

Ingredients
2 teaspoons cinnamon
5 Tablespoons sugar
5 DELICIOUS apples; peeled, cored and sliced
3 cups flour
3 cups sugar
3 teaspoons baking soda
4 eggs
1 cup Wesson oil
1 teaspoon salt
Juice of one orange
2.5 Teaspoons vanilla

Process
1. Preheat oven to 350
2. Mix first three ingredients in large bowl and set aside.
3. In another bowl, mix remaining ingredients and beat 5 minutes.
4. Grease and flour pan.
5. Pour into tube pan by layers, first batter then apples then batter and finally apples.
6. Bake in oven for 1 and 1/2 hours

Friday, October 2, 2009

Mulled Cider

This is an adult version of the classic warm drink and proportions make enough to serve a large number of people.
Ingredients

2 gallons fresh cider
2 whole lemons, sliced
2 whole oranges, sliced
10 whole cloves
1 box cinnamon sticks
1 Tablespoon cinnamon
1 Tablespoon nutmeg
2 cups light rum

Process
  1. Pour cider in a large cooking pot.
  2. Add all remaining ingredients to the pot and stir well.
  3. Heat until it boils and serve in mugs, straining if wanted.

Bacon, Cabbage and Apples

This is some awesome fall comfort food.
Ingredients
3 bacon slices cut into 2 inch pieces
1 small head red cabbage, coarsely cut
3 tart apples cut into small pieces
1/4 cup vinegar mixed with 1/4 cup water
1 Tablespoons brown sugar
2 whole cloves
Salt and pepper

Process
  1. Preheat oven 350.
  2. Saute bacon briefly
  3. Add chopped cabbage and apple pieces.
  4. Stir in bacon drippings for a minute and then transfer to a greased casserole dish.
  5. Mix and add remaining ingredients.
  6. Cover tightly and cook slowly for one hour in the oven.
  7. Serve with tossed salad and rye bread.

Apple Cheese Pie

This recipe came from Mrs. Brickman! I like that this recipe that uses cheese in place of pastry!
Ingredients
5 large tart apples - peeled and cored
1 teaspoon of lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup flour
4 Tablespoons butter - melted
1 cup grated cheddar cheese

Process
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Melt butter and let cool slightly.
  3. Arrange sliced apples in a greased pie pan.
  4. Sprinkle with lemon juice and 1/4 cup sugar.
  5. Mix remaining ingredients and then mix with melted butter to form coarse crumbs.
  6. Cover apples with this mixture and bake in oven for 40 minutes.

Mima’s Apple Tart

Since we are in the midst of apple season, it is time I get out all of my apple recipes! Mima is a great place to start.

Ingredients
Apples - peeled, cored and sliced
sugar
water
nutmeg
lemon peel
pastry shell

Process
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Place apples in a saucepan, with a little sugar and water, and gently simmer over medium heat.
  3. Add nutmeg and lemon peel.
  4. Cook until apples are tender.
  5. Remove from heat and cool.
  6. Cover a shallow pie dish with pastry.
  7. Add apples.
  8. Cover top with strips of pastry.
  9. Bake in oven until pastry separates from dish.

Friday, August 28, 2009

Savory Crust Chicken Pie

As I begin the process of getting all of SP's recipes up, I figured I should bump this one back up to the top so it is together with all the rest. I also think this is the first recipe to introduce one of our favorite cooking additives: lemon pepper! The first time I ate this, SP had made several pies for our family when our Mom died. He brought one fresh out of the oven and one ready for the freezer. It keeps well in the freezer and reheats nicely for convenient suppers. Enjoy - a family favorite the kids will love!

Ingredients:
Filling:
1/2 cup chopped carrots
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup red pepper
1/2 cup green pepper
2 Tablespoons butter
2 cups cubed cooked chicken
generous shakes of lemon pepper
1 can condensed cream of chicken soup

Crust
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup butter softened
1 egg
1 cup flour
1 Teaspoon baking powder
1 Teaspoon salt
1 Teaspoon dried sage


Process:
Preheat oven 400 degrees.
Cook chicken. Add generous shakes of lemon pepper.



When chicken is cooked, add the vegetables.

When vegetables have cooked about 10 minutes, add the can of soup. Continue stirring as mixture heats.



While mixture cooks, combine crust ingredients in a mix master or by hand.
Fold crust into baking dish - a round ceramic type - and press generous amounts of crust up onto sides of pan.


When chicken mix is finished cooking, fold into pan lined with crust.



Cover open center with the shredded cheese.

Bake 30 to 35 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving!

YUMMY!



Thursday, August 27, 2009

Easy Pie Crust

Ingredients
1 cup all purpose flour
1/3 cup cake flour
1 Tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
6 Tablespoons cold butter cut into pieces
2 Tablespoons shortening
3 Tablespoons ice water

Process
1. Combine flours, salt and sugar in a bowl.
2. Cut in butter with pastry cutter.
3. Cut in shortening the same way.
4. Sprinkle with ice water and continue to mix until proper consistency.
5. Divide into 2 balls. Freeze 10 minutes.
6. Let warm before rolling out on a well-floured surface.

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Crisco Pie Crust

This recipe makes enough for a one-crust pie.
Ingredients
1 and 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup Crisco
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 Tablespoons ice water

Process
1. Mix flour, and salt together in a bowl.
2. Cut in shortening with a pastry cutter, until it resembles peas. (Do not use hands to mix).
3. Once the mixture is the right texture, add ice water and combine with fork. DO not add more water.
4. Quickly gather the dough into a ball and flatten into a 4” disc.
5. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate 30 minutes.
Double the recipe for a 2 crusted pie.

Rob's Mom's Upside Down Pinapple Cake

My second favorite thing about this recipe is that Rob’s Mom used to send us this cake as a care package in college. My absolute favorite part of this recipe is that my copy of the recipe is written on the back of a letter from Rob. We love you Rob!

Ingredients
4 Tablespoons butter
2 and 1/2 cups pineapple, save juice (20 ounce can?)
Cherries
Walnuts
4 to 6 Tablespoons butter
1 and 1/3 cup brown sugar
2/3 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 and 1/2 cups flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt

Process
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Spread butter in a 13 x 9 inch pan.
3. Place pineapple in pan and then dot with cherries (and walnut if you like such things).
4. Cover with brown sugar.
5. In a separate bowl, mix shortening with sugar, eggs, and vanilla. When combined, stir in flour, baking powder, and salt. Then add the reserved pineapple juice.
6. Juice from the cherries can be added as well.
7. Bake in preheated oven, for 45 to 50 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
8. Let stand 5 minutes, and then dump upside down on a plate.
9. Slice and serve – yum yummy!

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

High-Tech S’mores

This recipe makes one s'more at a time.

Ingredients
1 bag marshmallows
1 box graham crackers
Several Hershey’s bars
A microwave

Process
1. On a small plate place one square of graham cracker.
2. On top of cracker place one or two rectangles chocolate.
3. Top chocolate with marshmallow and squish a bit.
4. Place plate in the microwave and cook on high for 10 to 15 seconds.
5. Remove (marshmallow will have expanded) from microwave, top with another graham cracker square, press together to adhere, and let cool a minute.
6. Enjoy sitting on the couch watching late night TV.

Baba's Rhubarb Pie

I missed putting this up at the beginning of Rhubarb season, but now seems an even better time since pie season is really just beginning! :) This is a recipe of Baba’s that has made its way into my recipe box, 3 generations later. What I like about it is that I know she made it from rhubarb grown on the farm, and someday in the near future, I will do so on my own farm!

Ingredients
1 cup rhubarb, chopped
1 cup raisins, chopped
1 cup sugar
1 egg
Juice of one lemon
Pie crust (for the bottom but you can make it without the top)

Process
1. Combine ingredients in a bowl and mix well.
2. Place in pie pan lined with pie crust.
3. Choose whether or not to cover and bake in a preheated oven until cooked through. If baked uncovered, sprinkle a little flour on top before baking.

Monday, August 24, 2009

Homebound S’mores

Ingredients
1 bag jumbo marshmallows
3 milk chocolate bars
1 box graham crackers
1 toaster oven

Process
1. Turn toaster oven to 400 degrees
2. Line several toaster oven tray with graham crackers.
3. Place one jumbo marshmallow neatly on top of each graham cracker.
4. Place tray in oven and let heat, no more than 3 minutes.
5. While marshmallow heats, break apart the chocolate bars.
6. Take tray out of the oven and stick 1 to 3 piece of chocolate on top of each marshmallow, and then top with another graham cracker.
7. Push down to adhere sandwich and let sit a minute. Enjoy!

Saturday, August 22, 2009

Warm Weather Coffee

This tasty recipe makes wonderful iced coffee for the morning, if made the night before.

Ingredients
Coffee
water
cinnamon sticks
ground cloves
ground nutmeg

Process
  1. Brew a pot of coffee as you usually would.
  2. Pour hot coffee into a heat safe bowl.
  3. Add one or two sticks of cinnamon, and a few dashes of cloves and nutmeg.
  4. Refrigerate over night.
  5. In the morning, fill large glass with ice and strain chilled spiced coffee over it.
  6. Dress coffee as you would like and enjoy on a hot, hazy, and humid August morning.

Brown Rice Pudding

This recipe was given to me by La, college roommate and Godmother of Baby, during my wedding shower. La describes it as comfort food with a twist. I learned something with this recipe about molasses. The difference between sulfured and unsulfured molasses is that sulfured molasses is made from green cane stalks and sulfur dioxide is used to sanitize the juice. Sulfured molasses is usually lighter in taste and color than the same grade of unsulfured molasses.
Serves 6.

Ingredients
3 cups non-fat milk
1/2 cup short-grain brown rice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup milk
3 eggs
1/4 teaspoon sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup raisins
1 Tablespoon unsulfured molasses


Process
1. In a heavy saucepan over medium heat, bring milk, rice and salt to a simmer.
2. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook until rice is very tender and liquid is absorbed. Stir occasionally, cooking about 1 and 1/2 hours.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk milk, eggs, sugar, vanilla and cinnamon. Stir in raisins.
4. Gradually stir the egg mixture into the rice mixture.
5. Stir over low heat until mixture is just thickened, about 6 minutes.
6. Transfer to bowl. Stir in molasses. Cool
7. Refrigerate, until well served, and serve in small dishes, like ramekins.

Friday, August 21, 2009

Laurie’s Honey and Almond Biscotti

This recipe for Honey Almond Biscotti comes from my dear friend La. It makes roughly 2 dozen biscotti.

Ingredients
2 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 and 1/2 cups plus 1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
5 large eggs
1 Tablespoon honey
1 Tablespoon grated lemon peel
1 and 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup slivered almonds toasted

Process
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Butter and flour a large baking sheet.
3. In a large bowl, whisk flour, 1 and1/2 cups sugar, baking powder, and salt until blended.
4. Make well in center of dry ingredients.
5. Add 4 eggs, honey, lemon peel, and vanilla to center of well.
6. Stir egg mixture gradually, until blended and mixed with dry ingredients.
7. Mix in the almonds.
8. Drop dough onto prepared sheet by Tablespoonfuls, forming into two 12-inch-long by 2-inch-wide logs.
9. Space logs 3 inches apart on sheet.
10. Using moistened fingertips, flatten or shape logs neatly (as in smooth into biscotti like shapes).
11. Beat remaining egg in small bowl. Brush logs generously with egg.
12. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon sugar.
13. Bake until logs are golden and firm to the touch, about 15 minutes.
14. Reduce oven to 325. Cool logs on baking sheet about 10 minutes.
15. Transfer warm logs to work/cutting surface.
16. Cut logs, on a slight diagonal, into 1/2 inch-thick slices.
17. Arrange slices, cut side down, on 2 clean baking sheets.
18. Return to oven and bake until lightly golden, about 8 minutes.
19. Cool completely.
20. Store in an airtight container up to week, but if you have a bunch of people around you with the munchies, they won’t last an hour!

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Chocolate Mousse

This is an unbelievably easy and decadent dessert.
Ingredients
2 eggs
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup sugar
2 egg yolks
1 Tbsp Grand Marnier (use orange juice as an alternative)
2 Tbsp Kahlua
6 ounces chocolate chips
1 tsp vanilla extract
6 Ramekins
Whipped cream for garnish (and a citrus zest?)

Process
1. Heat the chocolate with the Kahlua and Grand Marnier over a low heat until the chocolate is melted. Set aside.
2. In a blender mix the eggs, egg yolks, vanilla, and sugar.
3. Add the heavy cream and blend for 30 seconds.
4. Pour in the chocolate mixture and blend until smooth.
5. Pour into ramekins and refrigerate 2 to 3 hours until set.

Serve with garnish of whipped cream and a sprinkle of zested citrus.

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

HiHo’s Blueberry Pudding

This recipe card is one of my favorites. It came out of a recipe book that HiHo helped put together for the Hospital volunteer Guild. HiHo was a member of the guild and a veteran volunteer for the local hospital, where I was born and where I later birthed my first child. This particular page has HiHo’s handwriting scrawled all over it with additions and recommendations. Why? Because this was HER recipe and donation to the cookbook! She added to it and improved it over the years! Well used and much loved, this recipe is timely this August since I have been storing quarts of blueberries daily.

Ingredients
3 cups blueberries
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
6 slices bread (HiHo noted “no crust”)
Butter (HiHo noted “melted”)
Cinnamon
Dash of Rum (HiHo recommended Myer’s Dark rum)
And then added in HiHo’s writing:
2 teaspoons lemon juice
2 tsp. Gelatin? (My best guess is that it is added in the first step with the berries)

Process
1. Over medium heat, cook berries with sugar and water for 10 minutes.
2. Add rum and stir.
3. Spread melted butter over bread and sprinkle with cinnamon.
4. Arrange bread and berries in alternate layers in a loaf pan.
5. Refrigerate for several hours.
6. Un-mold, slice, and serve with heavy whipped cream and some Rum! :)

I love you HiHo!

Monday, August 17, 2009

Farmer's Market Salad

These August days have been sweltering and the last thing I wanted to do was to cook over a hot stove, oven or grill. So I opted for cold, quick, easy, local and yummy.

Ingredients
a variety of cherry or plum tomatoes
fresh goat cheese balls, in oil
fresh cilantro
balsamic vinegar

Process
  1. Cube tomatoes and put in medium bowl.
  2. Cube or crumble cheese and add to tomatoes.
  3. Mince cilantro and sprinkle over cheese and tomatoes.
  4. Add a dash or two of vinegar and stir until combined.
  5. Chill salad or eat immediately.

Chocolate and Coffee Pots de Crème

This recipe, from the dessert section of my recipe box is from origins unknown. However, Pots de crème, the plain chocolate kind, were a staple for my dear mother HiHo. I fondly recall the cute way she would say its name with an exaggerated Julia Childs-esque French accent. This recipe adds the zip of strong espresso.

Ingredients
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1/3 cup sugar
6 egg yolks
1 vanilla bean split
12 ounces bittersweet chocolate, cut into 1/4 inch pieces1/2cup very strong prepared espresso coffee
8 pot de crème cups (4 to 5 ounce Ramekins)

Process
1. Bring the cream and sugar to a boil with the vanilla bean in the saucepan.
2. Whisk yolks in a bowl.
3. Whisk roughly 1/3 of the boiling cream into the yolks.
4. Bring remaining cream back to a boil and whisk in the yolk mixture.
5. Continue to cook, whisking constantly another 15 or 20 seconds, until slightly thickened.
6. Strain in the cream and add chocolate. Whisk until smooth.
7. Whisk in coffee.
8. Pour into ramekin molds.
9. Refrigerate until cooled and set.
10. Serve alone or with a crisp cookie of some sort.