Ranch Dip

 My sister sent me this recipe. It is simple and feeds a crowd. I just can't decide the vehicle - tortilla chips or Bugles?

Ingredients

1 package cream cheese, softened

1 cup sour cream

1 package Ranch seasoning

2 cups cheddar

6 slices bacon, crispy and crumbled

sliced scallions

Process

Combine all ingredients and mix well. Chill and serve.

Christmas Cheese Ball from Cafe Delights

 

 I make this recipe every year. It is simply the best cheese ball ever. This year I am going to halve the recipe and make a ball instead of the tree. This recipe is from Cafe Delights.

Ingredients

For The Dip:

• 4 cups cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
• 1/2 cup red bell peppers (or capsicum
), diced
• 1/4 cup dill pickles, finely diced
• 1/4 cup chives, chopped
• 1/4 cup parsley, chopped
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder

• Salt, to taste (if desired)

For The Decorations:


• 1 1/2 - 2 cups pitted mixed olives (I use a variety of black, green and Kalamata olives) -- dried with paper towel
• 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped (dried with paper towel)
• Rosemary leaves/sprigs to decorate
• Ritz, water crackers or pretzels for serving
• Salami slices, for serving
• Prosciutto slices, for serving

Instructions

• In a bowl combine all the ingredients for the dip and mix until the ingredients are well combined.
• Place a piece of non-stick plastic wrap on a clean bench top or work surface. Scoop the cream cheese mixture out onto the plastic wrap and completely cover with another piece of wrap (you may need two pieces to cover it). 
• Use your hands to mold the cream cheese into a tree shape. Then, carefully pick up the tree with one hand and peel off the plastic wrap on the bottom of the tree with your other hand. Place the tree straight onto a serving plate.
• Use a cake spatula to smooth the edges. Decorate with olives, sun-dried tomatoes and rosemary leaves/sprigs, lightly pressing each element into the cream cheese to ensure they stay on. Brush with some sun dried tomato oil from the jar (optional but adds even more flavor)!
• Top with a star cut out of a yellow or orange bell pepper OR a thick slice of cheese. 
• Serve with crackers of your choice, salami and prosciutto slices rolled up!ENJOY! Printable recipe : HERE
  

Meat Pie

 In snow making season, I try to make something warm and nourishing for the 4 to 12 shift SP works on. I recently thought of a Mexican Meat pie recipe that's on this blog and decided to make it. My first thought when I printed it out was, why is it called Mexican? There's nothing really Mexican about it in the slightest. My first observation of the recipe was why the heck had I written the proportions the way I did. My solution was to tweak it and fix it and update it. So here is my updated and revamped meat pie. Feel free to add more seasoning.

Ingredients

For the pie:

I pie shell - bottom only

1 egg

1 pound ground meat (beef or turkey)

1 can corn kernels drained

1/2 cup crushed saltines

1/2 cup chili sauce

2 Tablespoons pepper flakes, preferably Allepo pepper (our new favorite)

2 Tablespoons chopped onion

1/2 teaspoon Oregano

For the topping:

1 egg beaten

2 Tablespoons milk

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon dry mustard

1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

dash of cayenne

Process

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. 

2. Mix all of the pie ingredients together in a bowl and use your hands to mix. 

3. Transfer ingredients into the pie shell and put in the oven on a cookie tray. 

4. While pie is cooking whisk together the topping ingredients. 

5. Bake the pie for25 minutes (if turkey) or 40 minutes in beef until its cooked thru. 

6. Remove from oven and top with the cheese mixture. 

7. Return to oven and cook an additional 10 minutes. Feel free to garnish with olives if you would like. 

Enjoy!

Welsh Rarebit Mac and Cheese

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You had me at cheese Rachel Ray! This recipe is SO good.  I think next time I will make it even saucier. Yummo!

Welsh Rarebit Mac and Cheese

Cranberry Curd Pie with Biscoff Cookie Crust

 This recipe is an absolute gem and a Thanksgiving favorite. Published in last years Hannaford Fresh, I was surprised to discover I never put it up on the blog last year. Here's the online recipe.

Ingredients

13 Tbsp. unsalted butter

24 Biscoff cookies (about 6 1/2 oz.)

1 cup plus 5 Tbsp. sugar

1/4 tsp. almond extract

3 cups fresh or frozen cranberries (about 12 oz.)

1/2 cup water

1 tsp. lemon zest and 1/4 cup juice, from 2 lemons

1/4 tsp. salt

2 large eggs plus 3 egg yolks

Process

1. Center a rack in oven and heat to 325 degrees. Generously grease bottom, sides, and rim of a 9" pie dish and set aside.

 

2. Cut 8 tablespoons butter into eight pieces and set aside to soften; melt remaining 5 tablespoons butter. In a food processor, process cookies and 3 tablespoons sugar until finely ground, about 1 minute. Add melted butter and almond extract and pulse until crumbs are clumpy and moistened, 8 to 10 times, scraping bottom as needed. Transfer to prepared pie dish and use a dry measuring cup to press crumbs firmly into bottom and up sides. Transfer to oven and bake until fragrant and set, 18 to 22 minutes. Let cool completely. Rinse bowl of food processor and set aside.

 

3. Combine cranberries, remaining sugar, the water, lemon zest, and salt in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until cranberries have mostly burst and liquid has thickened, 8 to 10 minutes. Carefully transfer to food processor and puree until completely smooth, about 1 minute; rinse pan.

 

4. Pour cranberry mixture through a fine-mesh strainer into now-clean pan, stirring and pressing mixture through strainer and scraping bottom until only seeds remain (this will take a few minutes as mixture will be quite thick); discard solids. In a medium bowl, beat eggs and yolks until well combined. While whisking, slowly add 1/3 cup cranberry mixture to eggs, then gradually whisk into pan with remaining cranberry mixture.

 

5. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly and scraping bottom and sides of pan with a rubber spatula, until mixture has thickened and reaches 170 degrees, 8 to 12 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in remaining 8 tablespoons butter, one piece at a time, until fully incorporated, then whisk in lemon juice.

 

6. Pour filling into cooled crust and let cool to room temperature, about 1 hour, then refrigerate at least 2 hours and up to 1 day before serving.

Monster Cookies

 I made these as a cute little treat for Daughter on what is likely her last Halloween at home. I even added eyeballs to these rather large cookies.

Here is the link: Monster Cookies.

Grill Eu Brochette for 1

Ingredients

1 loin lamb chop, boned with tail cut off

salt and pepper

2 chicken livers

2 mushrooms, whole but peeled? (I do not  eat nor work with mushrooms)

1 and 1/2 Tablespoon melted butter

1/2 teaspoon chopped chives

1/2 teaspoon chopped parsley

Tabasco

Process

1.  Cut tender part of chop in three pieces. 

2. Rub with salt and pepper.

3. Add butter to pan and brown  with chicken livers and whole peeled  mushrooms. 

4. When done, skewer with mushrooms on each end and alternating livers with lamb. 

5. Add chives and parsley to the melted butter in the pan for a few minutes. 

6. Add Tabasco and salt and pepper and pour over meat on hot plate.

Duck a la Bigarade

 

I'm spelling this the right way, not how it looks on the card with it's ancient calligraphy. 

 

 

 

 

(Shane's witty narration)

Ingredients

2 ducks  

Livers from the two ducks

Two oranges, peeled

2 tsp. beef stock

pinch cayenne

1/2 cup port

Process

1. Roast ducks as usual (like a boss). 

2. Parboil and puree the livers

3. (This is my favorite transition) Meantime, cut rind from two oranges, and shred into tiny match sticks. 

4. Par boil rind match sticks for 2 minutes in just enough water to cover.

5. Drain and pat dry.

6. Add the match sticks to a double boiler with the juice of the two oranges, the  skimmed pan drippings from the duck, beef stock, and cayenne.

7.  Simmer 2 or 3 minutes

8. Add the livers and port. 

10. Heat through and place into gravy boat. 

11. Serve ducks on platter, garnished with orange slices with sauce on the side.

Southern Chili

 Serves 6 - or more? I would like to make this soon and freeze it for Dad's Christmas Maine Meals on Wheels! (It's our little inside joke and perfect Christmas gift and use of freezer space in the fall).

Ingredients

butter

1 clove garlic, crushed

3 onions, chopped

1 Green pepper, chopped

 1 pound ground beef

 

1 Tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce

1/4 pound pork sausage, NOT links

4 Tablespoons olive oil

Dash Tabasco

Salt and Pepper

1 Quart tomatoes (we assume chopped, diced, crushed?)

1 teaspoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon minced herbs (thyme, sage, etc.)

3 teaspoons chili powder

 

1 can kidney beans

1 cup broad noodles (egg noodles)

Process

1. Melt a little butter and add crushed garlic, onion and pepper, and fry until soft. 

2. Add meat and brown. 

3. Add all other ingredients except beans and noodles and simmer for 1/2 hour or until mixture is blended. 

4. Add beans and noodles and cook 5 minutes (or more - until noodles are cooked. If too thick add a little water). 

5. Serve in soup plates with toasted crackers.

Chicken Mareug..??? We can't read the card - any help welcome

Ingredients

2 Tablespoons oil 

small roasting chicken, cut into pieces for serving, including insides

flour

1 cup white wine

3 tomatoes, chopped

Large Tablespoon tomatoe paste

1 onion, sliced

salt

pepper

fresh thyme

paprika

red pepper

sage

tarragon

1/4 pound sliced unpeeled mushrooms

Pitted ripe olives

Tablespoon whiskey 

bread

more oil.

Process

 1. Heat 2 Tablespoons oil in a pot. 

2. Toss each piece of chicken  in flour

3. Fry chicken in the oil until brown, doing the liver last. 

4. When chicken is done remove from pot.

5. In a separate sauce pan, heat 1 cup white wine.

6. Add tomatoes to the pot. 

7. Stir and add a large Tablespoon tomato paste, stir. 

8. Add onion. 

9. Cover and reduce. 

10. Salt and Pepper the chicken and add to the tomatoes. 

11. Add the heated wine and let reduce to half.

12. Add thyme, paprika, red pepper, sage, and tarragon. 

13. Add mushrooms. 

14. Add pitted ripe olives and a Tablespoon whiskey. 

15. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes.

16. Add a little water if there is not enough juice. 

17. Serve over sliced bread fried in oil.

Lobster Princess Balls

Ingredients

 1 freshly cooked lobster, unshelled

1 large potato, boiled and riced

grated onion

1 egg, well beaten

Anchovy Butter

salt and pepper to taste

Deep fat for frying

watercress

Process

1. Put meat of lobster through a food chopper and place in a bowl.

2. Add 1 cup freshly boiled and riced potato, 1 teaspoon grated onion, the egg, 1 Tablespoon Anchovy butter and pepper and salt to taste. 

3. Roll into 1 inch balls and chill. 

4. When ready to serve, fry balls in deep fat until brown. 

5. Drain

6. Stick into each ball a leaf of crisp green watercress

7. Serve as hot as possible.

Potatoes Barigoule

Ingredients

Potatoes

stock 

1 cup olive oil

salt 

pepper

vinegar

Process

 1. Place peeled and washed potatoes in sauce pan. 

2. Cover with stock and boil until tender. Drain

3. Put 1 cup olive oil in a deep frying pan, heat and add potatoes. 

4. Cook until lightly brown. 

5. Place on dish, sprinkle with salt pepper and vinegar. Serve.

Pot de Creme Au Chocolate for 6

 This recipe is a huge memory for me and Hi-ho's culinary adventures. She loved making pot de creme for her frequent dinner parties. This is a yummy indulgence. 

Ingredients

1 quart milk

1/2 pound semi-sweet chocolate. 

3 Tablespoons sugar

3 eggs separated

Process

1. Boil 1 quart milk 

2. Very gradually, add the milk to the chocolate to melt, stirring all the time. 

3. Add 3 Tablespoons sugar and let cool. 

4. Beat 3 egg yolks. 

5. Beat one egg yolk. 

6. The beat together lightly. 

7. Add egg mixture to chocolate and strain when cool. 

8. Pour into individual ramekins. 

9. Bake in a hot water bath aka Bain Marie in medium oven for 25 minutes. 

10. Put on ice to cool aka cool in fridge.

Cauliflower Casserole

 This recipe began with a nudge from Food and Wine but we tweaked it to feed a crowd.

Ingredients

2 heads Cauliflower, cut into florets

Pint of sour cream

2 cups sharp cheddar cheese (we like Cabot)

2 teaspoons Paprika

a handful of fresh thyme leaves

2 teaspoons salt

1 Tablespoon Aleppo pepper flakes

Process

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. 

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

3. Butter a 9 X 13 baking dish. 

4. Blanch the cauliflower in the boiling water for 5 minutes. Drain. 

5. In a large bowl, combine the cauliflower, sour cream, half the cheese, paprika, thyme, salt, and pepper flakes. Stir thoroughly.

6. Pour mixture into the prepared baking dish and top with the remaining cheese. 

7. Bake for 30 minutes or until the cheese is fully melted and lightly browned. 

Chicken Parmesan Sliders

 I originally made this following a recipe from delish.com (thanks delish) but I have tweaked it a bit to accommodate our palate.This recipe is flexible enough to feed a family or a crowd!

Ingredients

20 oz package (or larger) Air fried chicken cutlets or breasts

12 to 24 slider buns

1 to 2 jars Marinara

2 cups + shredded mozzarella (there is never too much cheese)

1 cup grated parmesan

1/4 cup to 1/2 cup melted butter

1 teaspoon garlic powder

Process

1. Prepare chicken according to the instructions on the packaging. 

2. When finished, leave the oven on and if needed, cut chicken into slider sized pieces. 

3. Lay the bottom half of the slider rolls out on a baking sheet. 

4. Top the bottom of the buns with marinara. 

5. Add the chicken pieces to each bun. 

6. Baste the chicken with another layer of marinara. 

7. Top with Mozzarella and Parmesan. 

8. Top the sliders with the top buns. 

9. In a small bowl melt the butter and the garlic powder. 

10. Using a brush, spread the melted butter mixture over the top of the sliders. 

11. Bake in the oven until cheese is melted, roughly 20 minutes.

Slow Cooker Chicken Parmesan Pasta thanks to Damn Delicious

 

 I have had this recipe saved from some point during the pandemic. It is kept in a green binder with all the other recipes I have accumulated in the last two years. I really wanted an easy family friendly Crockpot version of chicken Parmesan. This recipe came close but needs some tinkering. I missed the breading on the chicken, but I also wanted more Basil taste. Either way, it was a convenient easy recipe for a day with many interruptions. Thank you Damn Delicious - I am happy to be following you!

https://damndelicious.net/2016/08/05/slow-cooker-chicken-parmesan-pasta/

 

Harvest Pound Cake

 I am not usually fans of Facebook ads, especially when they market something as main stream as Betty Crocker, as if that American staple needs more attention. After passing by the ad multiple times, I finally clicked on it and loved it for it's simplicity. Then I noticed two apples foundering on the counter top and I knew I would be making this. It is simple and lovely, and the caramel glaze is over the top. I highly recommend this simple and enjoyable cake. 

https://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/harvest-pound-cake/3aee7486-55b5-4e3e-ae01-3c60c03eaaec

Pasta with Caramelized Shallots

 This recipe is originally from the New York Times.  SP called it a keeper but made some modifications to it. It was then decided that this would be a terrific base for Puttanesca Sauce.

Serves 4

Ingredients

1/3 cup olive oil, plus more as needed

6 large shallots, sliced very thin

5 garlic cloves - 1 finely chopped and 4 thinly sliced

Salt and Pepper to taste

Red pepper flakes - Aleppo would be excellent. 

3 teaspoons anchovy paste (or more)

6 ounces tomato paste

10 ounces linguini

1 cup parsley leaves, finely chopped

Sea salt

Process

1. Heat olive oil in a large heavy pot or a Dutch oven. 

2. Add shallots and thinly sliced garlic and season with salt and pepper. 

3. Cook, stirring, until the shallots are soft and have caramelized with golden brown edges - roughly 15 to 20 minutes. 

4. Add the red pepper flakes and anchovy paste. Stir until it all melts. 

5. Add tomato paste and season, again, with salt and pepper. 

6. Cook, stirring to prevent scorching, until the tomato paste has cooked int he oil and caramelized a bit, getting a deeper color, about 2 minutes. 

7. Cook your pasta. Reserve ~1 cup of the pasta water  and use as needed to thin the sauce. Use some EVO to achieve desired consistency.

Chicken Broccolini

 This wonderful recipe, a family favorite, is the brain child of SP. I literally crave this recipe often but living in rural Maine I can't always get the main ingredient: broccolini. 

Ingredients

2 pounds chicken breast, sliced thin (in half length wise)

flour

eggs

Panko

1 large bunch broccolini

3 cloves garlic

1/2 cup Spanish olives, sliced

1 teaspoon corriander

1 teaspoon cumin

1 cup white wine

Process

1. Flour, egg, and Panko the chicken breasts. 

 

2. In a large pan with a little oil, start cooking the chicken breasts. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3. While the chicken cooks, steam the broccolini in the microwave for about 5 minutes. 

 

4. When chicken is done, remove from pan. 

5. Wipe out pan and saute the broccolini and garlic for roughly 5 minutes. 

6. Remove broccolini and place chicken into the pan. Place broccolini over the top. 

7. Sprinkle generously with the cumin and coriander. 

8. Add olives and wine. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

9. Cover and steam for roughly 5 minutes. 

Enjoy!

Mediterranean Burgers

 We have friends who don't eat anything with four legs, so we made this with turkey, however you could make this with whatever ground meat you choose. We originally  found this recipe on Budget Bytes but have played with it a bit.

Ingredients

Burgers:

1 lb (or more) ground meat

1/3 cup chopped sun dried tomatoes

1/4 cup red onion, minced

1 cup (or more) fresh spinach, chopped

1.4 cup feta crumbles

1 teaspoon oregano, fresh is best

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 Tablespoon oil (preferably olive)

Burger buns and slices or cucumber for serving

Sauce to go on buns:

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon dill

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 small plain Greek yogurt

1/2 Tablespoon lemon juice

Directions

1. Make the sauce by mixing all the ingredients together in a bowl. Refrigerate until ready to serve. 

2. Prepare the burgers by combining all the ingredients. Mix well. 

3. Form into burger patties - it should make 4 or 5. 

4. Sear each burger in a pan  for 2 to 3 minutes on each side. 

5. Finish the burgers on the grill. 

6. Serve burgers on the buns with sauce and sliced cucumber.

Grinders

I spent large parts of my childhood in Stonington, CT, as we owned a house on Water Street. I won't tell you the number but last time I checked, the historically salmon colored door was now blue. One of my favorite memories was to be sent down to Camacho's to pick up our order of grinders and spend $1.00 on penny candy. The grinders were amazing and we ate them everywhere - at home, at the beach, at the point, at the light house, or at the Wad Club. Sadly, Camacho's is no more (now a jewelry store), and I have never been able to find a replacement in all my searching. Then we moved to Maine and when I asked for a grinder, I was handed a pepper grinder. Back to the drawing board it was. I finally gave up looking and decided to make up my own close-as-I-could-get version. It's still not the original, but it satisfies the craving. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ingredients

A baguette or two, or a loaf of French bread or even Italian (the bread is the hardest part to match)

Mayonnaise (always use Hellmann's)

Italian Dressing (Originally it was a red wine vinaigrette but I haven't found a close match yet)

Iceberg lettuce, shaved thin

Tomatoes, sliced thin

Provolone cheese slices

Genoa salami slices

Mortadella slices (if they don't have it use Capricola)

Ham slices

Process

1. Cut bread in half lengthwise. 

2. Coat top half with generous amounts of mayo. 

3. Coat the bottom half entirely with Italian dressing. 

4. Start layering your meats and the cheese. 

5. Top with tomatoes and the thinly shaved lettuce. 

6. Close the sandwich and press together. 

7. Carefully slice into needed sizes. 

Enjoy!

Curried Cauliflower Pickle

 This Indian pickle is a favorite dish of mine to make and can. It is a delightful appetizer at my Indian dinners. It is from one of my favorite cook books, Put 'em Up, by Sherri Brooks Vinton. 

This recipe is made every year and is also the primary reason I grow cauliflower in my garden now. It's not a vegetable I have had a love affair with, that is, until I found this recipe. 

Yum!

Daughter's Chicken and Dumplings Dinner

 I was so excited a few weeks ago when Daughter came to me with a recipe she wanted to make. She said she found it on TicToc but went to the effort to write it out and asked to make it with me. It was a proud Mom moment for sure. 

Ingredients

4 chicken breasts, cleaned and roughly cut into chunks

1 white onion, chopped

salt and pepper

1 teaspoon sage

2 cans cream of chicken soup

32 ounce carton chicken breast

1 container Pillsbury Grands, each quartered

1 bag mixed frozen vegetables

Directions

1. Plug in Crock Pot and turn to high. 

2. Place onions and chicken in Crock Pot and mix. 

3. Season with salt, pepper, and sage. 

4. Add soup and broth and stir to mix. 

5. Cook on high for 4 hours. 

Excuse my blurry photo at this stage

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

6. After 4 hours, shred the chicken with a fork until it is all broken up. 

7. Add the dough and veggies to the Crock Pot. 

8. Cook on high an additional two hours. 

Spoon into bowls and enjoy!

Russian Sour Cream

 " Rub bowl with cut lemon - it must be moist not wet . Pour in amount of cream needed and set in warm place for several hours. "

OK

Ratottoille Niscoise

 " Cover bottom of a frying pan with olive oil. Cur up all veg into it. 3 large onions, 2 zucchinis, 1/2 an eggplant, 1 pound tomatoes - seedless with some skins, 1/2 green pepper, lots of garlic, salt and pepper, red pepper, one hot pepper (or strip), a little thyme, rosemary, and parsley. Cook over hot fire for one to two hours. Can be served hot or cold. Cooked rice may be added. "

String Beans Bretonne

 "Cook diced onions in butter until golden. Add a little flour. Stir and moisten with stock. Bring to a boil, season with salt and pepper. Add cooked beans with a clove of crushed garlic to the sauce. Sprinkle over chopped parsley. "

Stuffed Squabs with Nuts

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Brown - put in casserole with gravy and water - sherry - bake for one hour - . Cover"

The hand writing is weird on this one and not one I can say I recall. 

As a recipe, it is basically you take your squab and stuff it with nuts and then follow the disjointed sentence above.

 Hmm...

Iced Strawberries

 " Hull strawberries. Add 3/4 pound powdered sugar to each pound of strawberries. Place in deep glass dish with layer of sugar between each layer of fruit. Pour over 1/2 cup and fruit juice. Place in refrigerator for an hour and a half. Remove, sprinkle with shaved ice and then more powdered sugar. "

Veal Loaf

Ingredients

1 pound veal, ground

1 pound beef (round), ground

1 cup bread crumbs from center of loaf

3 eggs

salt and pepper

celery salt

1 pound salt pork, sliced

onion - in pan

1 cup water - in pan

Directions

1. Mix the veal and the beef together

2. In another bowl, mix the eggs and bread crumbs and then add to the meat. Mix and mould into loaf with hands.

3. Put salt pork over and under the meat loaf. 

4. Add cut onion and water to baking pan. Place meat loaf on top.

5. Bake as a roast, basting often.