Hard Sauce

I have such fond childhood memories of my grandmother K-K making hard sauce while my mother worked away at making minced meat pis for Christmas dinner. It was such hard work for a reward I loved to snitch out of the refrigerator before we ate. 

 

Ingredients

 

1 cup sweet butter, softened

1 cup confectioners sugar

1/4 brandy (or rum or sherry but rum is best)

Nutmeg 

 

Process

 

1. Cream the butter and sugar well (this is the hard work when done by hand)

 

2. Add the brandy, a few drops at a time (This is another element of effort because it takes time.) and beat it until fluffy (your arms will hurt)

 

3. Add the nutmeg to taste and chill, (this is the phase where I would sneak tastes)

 

Serve with pie of choice.  

 

 

 

Key Lime Pie

 

This is another recipe by Craif Clairborne of the New York Times. Hi-Ho was a big fan of his work.  

 

Ingredients

 

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup flour

3 Tablespoons cornstarch

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 cups water

3 eggs, separated

1 Tablespoon butter

1/4 cup fresh or bottled lime juice

Zested rind of one lime

Baked 9 inch pie shell

Meringue pie topping (see below), ingredients:     

¾cup heavy whipping cream

1½ tablespoons confectioners’ (or granulated) sugar, plus more to taste

¼teaspoon kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal) or ⅛ teaspoon table salt

1 or 2Key limes, to zest for garnish

 

 

Process

 

1. Combine the sugar, flour, cornstarch, , and salt in a saucepan and gradually stir in the water.  Cook stirring constantly until thickened. 

 

2. Beat the egg yolks. Gradually stir in the mixture from step one. Return the heat to low and cook, stirring, another two minutes

 

3. Stir in the butter, lime juice, and rind and cool slightly. Pour into the baked pie shell and cool.  

 

Meringue topping:

4. Just before serving, make the topping: In a large bowl, beat the cream, confectioners’ sugar and salt with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until you have stiff peaks, about 2 minutes. Top the chilled pie with the cream, and then finely grate lime zest on top to garnish. Slice and serve. Leftovers will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about 4 days, or in the freezer for up to one month.

 

 

Chickpea Salad

 

Ingredients

 

2 cups cooked or canned chick peas, drained

1/4 cup Pimento

1/2 cup chopped green pepper

1 cup chopped celery

freshly ground salt and pepper, to taste

1/2 to 3/4 cup mayonnaise

2 to 3 Tablespoons prepared horseradish 

Lettuce 

 

 

Process

 

 1. Combine the chickpeas, pimento, green pepper, celery, salt and pepper and toss lightly. 

 

2. Combine the mayonnaise and horseradish and stir gently into the mixture. 

 

3. Just before serving arrange on crisp lettuce.  

Lentil Salad

 

Ingredients

 

1 cup lentils

1 onion stuck with 2 whole cloves 

1/2 bay leaf

3 cups water

1 teaspoon salt

2 &1/2 Tablespoons oil

1 & 1/2 Tablespoons white vinegar

1 raw onion, minced

2 Tablespoons minced Parsley

Freshly ground pepper to taste

Quartered tomatoes 

 

Process 

 

1.  Place the lentils, the onion stuck with cloves, and the bay leaf in a saucepan. Add the water and salt, bring to a simmer, and simmer until tender (about 30 to 40 minutes). Drain and discard the bay leaf and onion. 

 

2. Add the oil, vinegar, and minced raw onion. Let cool to room temperature. 

 

3. At serving time, add the parsley and pepper and mix lightly. Garnish with tomatoes.  

Watercress and Endive Salad

 

I was going to wait to post this until I actually made it but most places these days, at least in Maine, hardly anyone knows what watercress is. You can't buy it in Hannaford but I am going to buy some seeds to grow it!

 

Ingredients

 

1 bunch watercress

6 heads Belgian Endive

1/2 cup olive oil

3 tablespoons wine vinegar

1/4 teaspoon salt

freshly ground black pepper

1/8 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon minced onion 

 

Process

 

 1. Before untying the watercress (if tied), cut off part of the stems to make short sprays. Discard the stems and untie the bunch. 

 

2. Crisp watercress sprays and endive in water about fifteen minutes before using. Dry gently in paper towels. 

 

3. Cut the endive heads in half lengthwise, beginning at the root ends. Cut into bite sized pieces. 

 

4. Combine the olive oil, vinegar, and seasonings and mix well. 

 

5. Place the endive and watercress in a salad bowl and sprinkle with the salad dressing. Toss lightly and serve.  

Chicken and Sweet Potato Stew

 

SP and Baby thought this one up one January night. 

Ingredients

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken - cubed

2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed

2 large onions, chopped

1 green pepper, chopped

1 red pepper, chopped 

2 cans coconut milk

salt and Pepper

Oil

4 cups chicken broth

and the spice mix: 

freshly squeezed orange

2 Tablespoons Paprika

2 teaspoons cumin

2 teaspoons Coriander

2 teaspoons Turmeric

1/4 to 1/2 teaspoons Cayenne

2 Tablespoons ground cashews

Process

1. Salt and Pepper the chicken cubes and Saute until cooked. Remove

2.  To Be Continued.... sorry

Lentil Loaf!!!! (AKA Cheddar Cheese and Lentil Loaf)

 

It was an absolute GIFT to find this in Hi-Ho's Fannie Farmer, which my sister Mush currently owns. THIS recipe was a gift from heaven when I was a child insisting on being a vegetarian, with a woman who really didn't want to cook for a picky eater. Mom would make this loaf once a week so that I had a healthy dose of protein at every family (nightly) dinner.  

 

Ingredients

 

1/2 pound cheddar cheese, shredded

2 cups drained lentils, cooked or canned

1/2 a small onion

garlic (in Hi-Ho's writing)

1/2 teaspoon salt 

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon thyme

1 cup soft bread crumbs, packed

1 egg slightly beaten 

1 Tablespoon butter, softened 

 

Process

 

1.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. 

 

2. Mix (it says grind) the chieese, lentils, and onion together. Add the salt pepper and thyme. Add the bread crumbs, egg, and butter. Mix thuroughly.

 

3. Bake in a greased loaf pan for 45 minutes. Serve with a tomato sauce (or chili sauce mixed with A-1 like my meatloaf) on top.  

 

Swedish Meatballs

 

We seem to be on a run of recipes from Hi-Ho's New York Times cookbook. Boy did my mother love to entertain!

 

Ingredients

 

2 Tablespoons butter

3 Tablespoons minced onion

1 cup fresh bread crumbs

1 cup milk, or equal parts milk and cream

3/4 pound ground round steak

1/4 pound ground veal

1/4 pound ground pork 

1 egg

Freshly ground salt and pepper

1/4 cup flour

3/4 cup cream or evaporated milk

and in Hi-Ho's handwriting: allspice, nutmeg, and Marsala Sherry 

 

Process

1. In a large skillet, melt the butter and saute the onion until it is golden brown. 

 

2. Soak the breadcrumbs in the milk. Add the meats, egg, onion, salt and pepper and mix thoroughly.

 

3.   Shape the mixture into balls about one and one half inch in diameter and roll them in the flour, reserving one tablespoon of the flour. 

 

4. Melt enough additional butter in the skillet to cover the bottom. Brown the meatballs over medium heat, shaking the pan occasionally so the meatballs retain their size and shape. Remove them from skillet, reserving juices,  and place in a serving dish and keep warm.

 

5.  Combine the reserved flour with the cream and, using a whisk, stir gradually into the pan juices. Simmer three to four minutes, stirring occasionally. Pour this gravy over the meatballs and serve hot. 

 

Enjoy! 

 

Avocado Soup Gerald

 This is another of Hi-Ho's recipes from New York Times cookbook and I am including it because I just love the name and I wish there was a backstory. 

 

Ingredients

1 to 2 ripe avocados

Several drops onion juice

1 cup chicken broth/Consomme

1/2 cup sour cream 

1/2 cup light sweet cream

freshly ground salt and pepper, to taste 

paprika for serving 

 

Process

1. Wash and peel enough avocado to make one cup. 

 

2. Combine all ingredients in an electric blender, or mash the avocado and beat with the other ingredients until smooth and well blended.  

 

3. Store the mixture in a covered jar in the refrigerator until chilled. 

 

4. Correct the seasonings and top each serving with a sprinkle of paprika 

 

 

Crab Meat Canapes

 

 This recipe is from one of Hi-Ho's New York Times cookbook, one of her favorites for entertaining. 

 

Ingredients

1 can crab meat, picked over well

1/4 mayonnaise (Hellman's is best) 

1 Tablespoon chopped parsley

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Tobasco sauce, to taste

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Melba toast rounds (for serving) 

Process

 1. Combine the crab meat with the mayonnaise, herbs, and seasonings and mix well in a bowl.

 

2. Spread on toast rounds and serve immediately.  

 

Individual Jam Cakes

 

 This was an old recipe from Martha Stewart's Food Magazine.  It is easily doubled or tripled. 

 

Ingredients

 

1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature

3/4 granulated sugar

1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest 

2 large eggs separated

1 & 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup milk

6 Tablespoons jam of your choice

1 & 1/2 cups confectioners sugar

1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice 

 

Process 

 

1.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

 

2. Butter a standard 6 muffin tin and set aside. 

 

3. In a medium bowl, beat butter, granulated sugar, and orange zest until light and fluffy.

 

4. Beat in eggs one at a time and mix until creamy. Set aside. 

 

5. Into a small bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add flour mixture and milk, in alternating batches, to the butter mixture.  Set aside.

 

6. In a clean bowl, whisk egg whites to soft peaks. Fold into the batter. 

 

7. Divide half of the better among the muffin cups. 

 

8. Make an indentation in the middle of each and fill with a tablespoon of jam. 

 

9. Top the muffin cups with the remaining batter.  

 

10. Bake in preheated oven for about 30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Unmold cupcakes and transfer to a wire rack to cool. 

 

11. When cooled, in a small bowl, whisk together the confectioners sugar and the juice. 

 

12. Place the wire rack over parchment paper to catch the mess. 

 

13. Drizzle the cupcakes with the glaze and let dry. 

 

Enjoy! 

 

Oat Macaroons

 

Ooh these sound really good! I want to make them this week! I am going to change the date from 2021 so it is closer to the top! Maybe I can even dip them in chocolate! 

Ingredients

 1 and 1/4 cup rolled oats

1/2 cup sugar

3 eggs

1 and 1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1 and 1/2 Tablespoons butter

1 Tablespoon vanilla

Process

 Combine ingredients. Drop in small cakes and bake on tin sheet. 

No mention of temp or time as usual.