Monday, December 5, 2011

Emily's Homemade Lowfat Lactose-free Eggnog (Perfect for the Holidays!)

[serves 6 half cups (perfect for a small cocktail)]

3 eggs
1 cup of unsweetened organic soy milk
1 cup of vanilla soy creamer
1 cup of sugar
pinches of cinnamon and nutmeg to taste
1 tsp vanilla extract
rum to taste (i used a cup but as they say, the more the merrier.)

1. Seperate egg yolks from egg whites.
2. Put egg whites in the fridge.
3. In bowl, combine egg yolks and sugar. Beat until egg yolks are soft. Add soy milk, creamer, rum and vanilla extract. Do not overbeat - you want a nice thick consistency.
4. Chill both egg whites and yolk bowl overnight.
5. Before serving, beat egg whites until they form soft white peaks. Then whisk - do not beat - both bowls together. Garnish with nutmeg and cinnamon on top. Enjoy!

Cappuccino

Yield: 6 cups
18 ounces of espresso
3 cups of mile (whole or 2% work best; skim milk won’t froth much)
4 tablespoons sugar

1. Make espresso, but do not pour it into cups yet.
2. Heat the milk until little bubbles form around the edge of the pot. Watch carefully so it doesn’t boil over and burn.
3. Pour the hot milk into a blender and blend briefly on high; this will froth the milk.
4. Fill each coffee cup with 1/3 cup of espresso. Add 2 teaspoons of sugar and stir. Fill the rest of the cup with the foamy milk and serve.

Macchiato (Espresso with Milk)

Yield: 6 demitasse cups
18 ounces This coffee is ‘spotted’ with mild. (The word for spotted in Italian is macchiato.) According to Ms. Warren’s book, the drink is popular with elderly men who believe they are too frail for the undiluted espresso of their youth. In my experience, those who like their coffee strong order this. Jack often orders it. You will need a stove-top espresso pot or a modern electric espresso maker. The directions below are for a stove-top espresso pot that holds 2 ½ cups of water. In Eritrea, this is served in small glasses without handles.

6 level tablespoons dark-roasted Ethiopian finely ground coffee
4 tablespoons sugar
½ cup milk

1. Separate the top and bottom of the pot and remove the basket.
2. Put 2 ½ cups of water into the bottom half. It will come to just below the safety valve.
3. Return basket to the bottom half, and fill it with the ground coffee, packing it down with the back of a spoon. The basket will be filled nearly to the top.
4. Screw the top half of the lid on tightly.
5. Place the pot over medium heat and allow it to boil until it stops sputtering and the top half of the pot is nearly full of coffee. This takes 5 to 10 minutes (depending on altitude).
6. Put 2 teaspoons of sugar into each demitasse cup.
7. Heat the milk in a separate pot until bubbles form around the edge. Watch carefully or the milk will boil over and burn.
8. Fill each cup with espresso.
9. Use a spoon to drop a few spots of milk into the coffee, and serve.

M’es (Honey Wine)

Yield: 5 quarts
You may use 1 tablespoon of hops cones in pace of the gesho leaves. I had first ordered this at the Eritrean restaurant in Portland, Maine and was not impressed with it at all. In Eritrea, this rather sweet wine is drunk from traditional long-necked glass containers that look a great deal like bud vases. We drank this when we went with the International Women’s Club to the coffee ceremony restaurant about 11 kilometers outside of Asmara. The glass containers were a smaller version of the modern carafes that are very wide at the bottom with long thin necks. I liked the drink much better the second time.

M’es takes eleven days to prepare.
4 cups (32 ounces) honey
1 cup of gesho leaves

1. Mix the honey with 16 cups (1 gallon) of water and put it in a large glass container (such as a 2-gallon jar) and let it stand for 2 days at room temperature.
2. On the third day, place the leaves in a pot with 8 cups of the honey and water mixture. Bring it to a boil and simmer it for 20 minutes over a low heat.
3. Pour this boiled mixture back into the container of mixed honey and water and let it stand for an additional 7 days at room temperature.
4. Strain the mixture, discard the leaves. Cover the mixture and let it stand for another 2 days.
5. You may now strain the honey wine through a clean cloth and serve either at room temperature or chilled.

Suwa (Eritrean Beer)

Yield: 6 quarts
Gesho is a kind of buckthorn shrub with bitter leaves that have a taste similar to hops. One ounce (about 1 cup) of hopes cones, available in beer-making stores, can be substituted for the gesho leaves. Making suwa and allowing it to ferment takes thirteen days. We had it during the feast of St. Mary at an Eritrean teacher’s parents’ home. They served it room temperature.

½ pound gesho leaves
1 pound wheat berries (whole-wheat kernels)
8 cups of barley flour

1. Grind the gesho leaves in a blender or a food processor and put them into 8 cups of water and boil for about 15 minutes. Pour the boiled mixture into a large earthenware or glass container and add 16 cups (1 gallon) of water. Cover the container and let it stand for 6 days at room temperature, while you prepare the wheat berries.
2. Put the wheat berries in a covered container and add enough water to cover them. In about 3 days they will start to germinate. At that time, take them out of the water and place them in an empty container, cover it, and let them continue germinating at room temperature for 3 more days.
3. Remove the germinating wheat, spread it out on a baking sheet, and dry it in a 150°F oven for 1 hour, until they are crisp. Grind in a food processor, and add to the soaking leaves and water.
4. Mix the barley flour with 3 cups of water to make a dough. Spread it out on a baking sheet and bake it for about 10 minutes, until it browns on top.
5. Let it cool. Then break it into pieces and add it to the gesho leaves and wheat berry mixture n the container.
6. Let the container stand for an additional 7 days at room temperature.
7. At the end of that time, you will have a slightly alcoholic beverage. Before it can be served, it must be strained several times through a clean cloth.
8. Keep the suwa in the refrigerator or bottle it. It will keep for several weeks.

Spriss (Mixed Fruit Juice)

Yield: 32 ounces
In Eritrea, this is served at room temperature. I prefer to chill it or serve with ice.
1 guava
2 bananas
1 papaya
1 orange
4 tablespoons
sugar

1. Cut the guava in quarters, peel it, and put in a blender with 2 cups of water. Blend.
2. Pour the quava purée through a coarse sieve to extract the seeds. Put the guava purée back into the blender.
3. Peel the banana, break it into pieces, and add it to the blender.
4. Peel and cut the papaya into quarters and scoop out the seeds. Cut the papaya into pieces, add them to the blender and blend.
5. Peel the orange, separate it into sections and add it to the other fruits.
6. Add the sugar and blend thoroughly. Strain the juice through a coarse sieve and serve. The juice will be quite thick.

Aranchi (Eritrean Orange Juice)

Yield: 32 ounces
In Eritrea, this is served at room temperature. I prefer to chill it or serve with ice.
5 oranges
4 tablespoons sugar
1. Peel the oranges and separate them into sections.
2. Put them in a blender and add 2 cups of water, and the sugar.
3. Blend until frothy.
4. Strain and serve.

Créme Caramel (Custard with Caramelized Sugar)

Yield: 6 servings

This dessert is not as common as it was in Morocco, but it is a popular in Italian restaurants. Caramel Coating: ¼ cup sugar

1. Heat sugar in a heavy pot over a low flame. Watch carefully and stir constantly as the sugar begins to melt.
2. Continue stirring and slowly heating until the liquid sugar is the color of maple syrup. Be sure not to let the sugar burn.
3. Remove the pot from the heat. Spoon 2 teaspoons of the liquid sugar into 1 individual custard cup.
4. Tilt the cup so the liquid sugar coats the inside of the cup.
5. One at a time, repeat steps 3 & 4 for the remaining five cups. If you are using a muffin tray, it is easiest to coat the cups one at a time. Set aside. The caramel coating will harden. Custard: 1 cup plus 3 tablespoons mild 1/3 cup sugar 2 eggs 1/8 teaspoon salt ¾ teaspoon vanilla
6. Preheat oven to 325°F.
7. Combine the milk, sugar, eggs, salt, and vanilla in a bowl and beat until the mixture is frothy.
8. Pour equal amounts of the mixture into each of the muffin cups.
9. Place a rack in a baking pan and place the muffin tray on the rack. Pour very hot (not boiling) water into the baking pan so the water rises about 1 inch around the cups.
10. Set the whole pan with rack, water, and muffin tray into the oven and bake for 50 minutes. Test for doneness by inserting a knife blade into the custard. If it comes out clean, the custard is done 11. Remove the muffin tray and chill it for at least 1 hour.
12. When the tray is entirely chilled, dip 1 muffin cup over a small plate. If the custard does not unmold easily, slide a knife blade between the custard and the side of the muffin cup and push gently.
13. Repeat the unmolding process for the remaining 5 cups.
14. Refrigerate them until they are served.

Macedonia di frutta (Fruit Salad)

Yield: 4 servings
This is the most common dessert offered in Eritrean restaurants. It never seems to vary, no matter where you eat it. The grenadine syrup is manufactured locally by the Asmara Wine and Liquor Company.
2 bananas, peeled and sliced
1 guava, peeled and cubed
1 papaya, peeled, seeded, and cubed
2 oranges, peeled and cut in pieces
¾ cup grenadine

1. Divide equal portions of each fruit into 4 bowls.

2. Drizzle 3 tablespoons of grenadine syrup over each portion.

3. Mix gently and serve.

Kablo Zigni (Spiced Cabbage Stew)

Yield: 4 servings At first we got this with pieces of potato in it, but Jack doesn’t care for potatoes. Our maid’s mother adds shredded carrot for color. This dish is quite light in color, so I’m not sure how much tomato paste she uses. 1/3 cup oil 1 onion, finely diced 4 teaspoons berbere 1 cabbage, finely chopped 3 tablespoons tomato paste 1 teaspoon salt

1. Heat the oil in a pot. Add the onions and sauté until golden.
2. Remove the pot from the heat. Add the berbere and stir.
3. Add the cabbage to the pot, and mix well to coat thoroughly.
4. Return the pot to the head and add 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes
5. Add the remaining 2 cups of water and the tomato paste, and salt. Stir, and simmer for another 10 minutes. Serve with injera.

Kulu’wa (Eritrean Chopped Meat)

Yield: 4 servings
Although many Eritrean dishes are highly spiced (they are doing a number on my digestive system), this one is flavorful, but not very spicy.
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 onion, finely diced
1 tomato, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, finely diced
½ teaspoon berbere
1 pound top round beef, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper

1. Melt the butter in a large frying pan. Sauté the onion until it is golden.
2. Add the tomato, garlic, and berbere. Stir.
3. Add the meat and sauté, stirring often, for about 10 minutes. The liquid will evaporate and the meat will be flavored with the vegetable mixture.
4. Serve with bread or injera.

Ghee (Clarified Spiced Butter)

Yield: 1 ½ cups
Unsalted butter consists of oil, solids and water. Clarifying butter evaporates the water and separates the oil from the solids. The butter oil will keep indefinitely, unrefrigerated, without turning rancid. Ghee may be substituted for oil to add richness and flavor. I was first introduced to clarified butter in Morocco. It tasted a bit rancid to me, but is a delicacy in this part of the world. I haven’t noticed the same rancid flavor in Eritrea, so I have either acquired the taste, or adding the spices masks the rancidness.

1 pound unsalted butter
1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled
¼ teaspoon dry basil
1 clove garlic
¼ teaspoon fenugreek
1/8 teaspoon cumin
¼ teaspoon turmeric 3 whole cloves
1/8 teaspoon celery seed
1/8 teaspoon coriander

1. Melt the butter in a pot over a low heat. Add the other ingredients and cook uncovered over an extremely low heat for 45 minutes. Check the pot occasionally, but do not stir.
2. Skim off and discard any froth or spices floating on the surface. Remove the garlic and ginger pieces and discard them.
3. Allow the butter to cool to room temperature for 30 minutes. The white butter-solids and the spices will fall to the bottom of the pot and collect as sediment.
4. Dip the clear, golden butter out of the pot with a ladle, leaving all of the sediment behind.
5. Pour the clarified butter through a clean piece of cotton cloth stretched over the mouth of a jar to remove any remaining spice particles.
6. Store the clarified butter in a jar in a cool place.

Tsega Zigni (Spicy Beef Stew)

Yield: 4 servings

For extra flavor and richness, replace the oil with Ghee (see below).

½ cup oil
1 onion, finely diced
3 teaspoons berbere
1 pound beef stew meat, cut into ½ inch cubes (or smaller)
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon salt

1. Heat the oil in a pot. Add the onion and sauté it until it is golden.
2. Add the berbere and stir. Add the beef to the pot, and mix well to coat each piece with the onion and spice
mixture.
3. Cook over a low heat, stirring, for 3 minutes.
4. Add the tomato paste and 4 cups of water to the pot. Add the salt and mix well.
5. Bring the stew to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 25 minutes.
6. Serve with injera or another bread.

Shiro Powder: easy version

Yield: 6 cups powder

This recipe approximates the taste of authentic shiro
powder without the lengthy preparation time. The flours may be found in natural food stores.

3 cups chickpea flour
1 ½ cups bean flour
1 ½ cups pea flour
5 tablespoons berbere
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon salt

1. Mix the chickpea, bean, and pea flours together. Add the berbere, garlic powder, and salt. Mix thoroughly.
2. Store in an airtight container, the powder will keep for several months.

Shiro Powder: (authentic version)

Yield: 5 ½ cups powder

Shiro powder takes a long time to make. To speed things up, cook the legumes in four separate pots simultaneously, noting the different cooking times.

1 cup dried chickpeas
1 cup dried navy beans
2 cups dried yellow split peas
1 cup dried lentils
6 tablespoons berbere
1 ½ tablespoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon salt

1. Soak the chickpeas in 2 ½ cups of cold water overnight, and drain. In another container, soak the navy beans in 3 cups of cold water overnight, and drain.
2. Put the chickpeas in a pot with 4 cups of water and cover the pot. Boil the chickpeas for about 1 ½ hours. Remove the pot from the heat and drain any excess water. Set the chickpeas aside.
3. Put the navy beans in another pot with 4 cups of water. Partially cover the pot and boil for 1 hour. Drain any excess water and set the beans aside.
4. Place the split peas in a large pot with 8 cups of water. Partially cover the pot and boil 20 minutes. Drain the excess water and set the split peas aside.
5. Put the lentils in a pot and add 4 cups of water. Cover the pot partially and boil the lentils without stirring for 40 minutes. Drain the excess water and set the lentils aside.
6. Preheat the oven to 250°F. Spread each kind of legume on a baking sheet in a single layer. Roast the legumes in the oven for 2 hours, until they are all dry.
7. Grind the legumes together in a blender or a food processor until you have a fine powder. Add the berbere, garlic powder, and salt and grind until it is well blended.
8. Store in an airtight container, this powder will keep for several months.

Shiro (Legume Purée)

Yield: 4 large servings

This is served on a large communal platter. Several ladles of shiro are placed on a large round of injera with several rounds of injera folded in quarters, are placed nearby. Each person tears off pieces of injera and scoops up some shiro. You can also serve this with flour tortillas or with bread.

1 onion, finely diced
3 tablespoons of oil
1 1/3 cups Shiro Powder (see below)

1. Sauté the onion in the oil in a large pot until onion is golden.
2. Remove pot from heat and add 4 cups of water. Return to the heat and heat the mixture to simmering.
3. Add the spiced legume powder, and stir with a fork or whisk to eliminate any lumps.
4. Cook for about 5 minutes until it begins to bubble and thicken. Serve.

Fül (Bean Stew)

Yield: 4 large servings

This is a common dish throughout Eritrea, even in the small villages. We have eaten it most often for breakfast at our local Yemeni restaurant. We also ordered it when we went to Massawa (on the Red Sea coast) but it took a few tries before the waitress understood we foreigners really did want to eat it with our Cappuccino (that arrived with no milk). The stew is easy to make, keeps and reheats beautifully. In Eritrea it is eaten without utensils. Each bowl is served with hard rolls or bread that you tear off into pieces and scoop up the stew. In Eritrea, as in Morocco, each person does not get a separate bowl; instead, bowls are shared.

3 tablespoons oil
1 large onion, finely diced
¾ teaspoon berbere
2 cups dried fava or pinto beans, soaked overnight and drained
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon dried oregano
1 tomato, diced
2 Anaheiim chili peppers, seeded and diced.

1. In a large pot, heat the oil and sauté the onion until it is golden. Stir in the berbere.
2. Add the beans and 4 cups of water; bring to a rolling boil. Then decrease the heat until it simmers.
3. Cover the pot and simmer for at least 1 hour, or until beans are tender. Check occasionally to see that the beans are still covered with water. If they are not, add more water.
4. Remove 2 cups of cooked beans and put them in a blender. Add 1 cup of hot water and purée.
5. Pour the purée back into the pot and bring the mixture to a boil for 5 minutes. You will have two textures of beans: paste and whole beans
6. Remove the pot from the heat. Add the salt, pepper, and oregano. Stir.
7. Serve in bowls, garnished with pieces of tomato, onions, and peppers.

Tum’tumo (Lentils in Savory Sauce)

Yield: 4 servings

This is a popular dish during the fasting periods as dictated by the Eritrean Orthodox Church. It can be eaten during those times because it does not use any meat or dairy products.

2 cups dried lentils
1 onion, finely chopped
¼ cup oil
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon berbere
1 tomato, chopped
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 cloves garlic, minced

1. Put the lentils in a large pot with 6 cups of water. Bring the water to a boil, then reduce the heat. Cover the pot partially and allow it to simmer for about 15 minuts, until the lentils are soft. Set the lentils aside.
2. Sauté the onion in the oil in a large pot until the onion is soft and golden.
3. Add the salt, berbere, tomato, tomato paste, and ½ cup of water. Mix well and cook for 1 minute.
4. Add the garlic and lentils. Stir and bring to a boil.
5. Serve in bowls and eat with bread or injera.

Spinaci (Sautéed Spinach Greens)

Yield: 4 servings

This is best made with fresh spinach, but you can use any green: Costa (Swiss Chard) – steam for 8 minutes before sautéing or Homli (Mustard Greens) – steam for 5 minutes before sautéing. If you use frozen spinach, 30 ounces is enough. Defrost and drain the leaves thoroughly, then follow the instructions from Number 2 on.

3 bunches (about 40 ounces) fresh spinach, washed
3 tablespoons oil
6 cloves garlic, sliced
½ teaspoon salt

1. Cut off and discard the stems of the spinach leaves. Set the leaves aside.
2. Heat the oil in a large frying pan and sauté the garlic slices until they begin to turn golden. Add the spinach leaves to the pan.
3. Stir the leaves well to coat with the oil and garlic. Cover the pan and cook over a medium heat for 1 minute.
4. Uncover the pan and cook the leaves for 5 minutes more, stirring occasionally, until they are soft and dark green.
5. Sprinkle the spinach with salt and serve.

Fit’fit (Butter Spiced Crumble Bread)

Yield: 4 servings

This is very tasty, eaten with the hands.

1 ½ cups butter
3 teaspoons of berbere
6 cups of torn injera pieces, or other bread with the crusts removed

1. Melt the butter over a low heat, watching carefully so it does not burn. Add the berbere and stir constantly over a low heat for 1 minute.
2. Remove from the heat. Let stand for 5 minutes.
3. Return to the heat and warm the butter, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.
4. Pour the melted butter over the torn injera in a large bowl. Mix vigorously, using a fork, until you have a quantity of buttery crumbs.
5. Eat, without utensils, but forming the crumbs into small balls with your fingers.

H’mbasha (Festive Cardamom Bread)

Yield: 1 large loaf
This slightly sweet bread is my favorite. Normally it is made on special occasions and is served with tea or coffee. I use in as a change from injera.

1 packet active dry yeast
3 ½ cups warm water (110°F)
¼ cup oil
3 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons salt
7 ½ cups flour
¼ cup raisins
½ teaspoon cardamom seeds (from 16 pods)

1. Dissolve the yeast in the warm water in a large mixing bowl. Stir in the oil, sugar, and salt.
2. Add 2 cups of the flour and stir. Sprinkle the batter with the raisins and mix them in.
3. Sprinkle the batter with the cardamom seeds and mix them n.
4. Add the remaining 5 ½ cups of flour, 2 cup at a time, and mix it in. In the later stages you may find it easier to use your hands to incorporate the flour.
5. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead it until it is springy and elastic. This will take about 10 minutes.
6. Put the dough in a covered bowl and place it in a warm place to rise for about 1 hour.
7. Give the dough a sharp smack and knead it briefly to remove any large air bubbles. Return it to the covered bowl and let it rise for 1 hour more.
8. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Grease a pizza pan.
9. Give the dough a sharp smack and form it into a large, flat circle on the pizza pan.
10. Decorate the dough in a traditional way by slashing it with a serrated-edged knife. Slash lines about ¼ inch deep, radiating from a central point to the outside edge of the dough. Let rise for 30 minutes.
11. Place the pan in the oven and bake for 30 minutes.
12. Remove the bread from the oven and cool it on a rack.

Injera (Flat Sourdough Bread)

Yield: 18 rounds

In Eritrea, this is usually made from a very small gray grain called teff. The bread is an integral part of most traditional Eritrean meals. Each piece is the size of a large pizza. Injera serves as both plate and utensil; foods are ladled onto it, and pieces are torn off and used to scoop up the food. Normally, one or more pieces are planned per person. However, at home Jack and I use a fork and either break up the injera in the dish or use it like Italians use bread and sop up the juices. We generally eat 1/3 of a round per meal.

This recipe uses ingredients and methods the Eritrean Diaspora living in America follow. Unless you already have sourdough in the refrigerator, you need to start at least four days ahead of when you plan to eat it. It takes three days to prepare the sourdough starter and an additional day to make the bread.

2 cups all-purpose flour
Water
8 cups of self-rising flour
½ cup cornmeal
9 teaspoons solid shortening

1. Mix the all-purpose flour with 2 cups of water. Put the mixture in a large jar and cover the jar with plastic wrap.
2. Let the jar stand at room temperature for (3 days). This is the sourdough starter. Discard the water that has risen to the top of the starter.

3. In a large bowl, mix together the self-rising flour, cornmeal, 8 cups of water and all of the sourdough starter. Let this batter stand at room temperature for (24 hours). It will become bubbly.
4. Remove 1 cup of the batter to a pot and add ½ cup of water. Cook this mixture over a low heat while stirring until it becomes thick about (10 minutes).
5. Remove the mixture from heat and let it cool. Stir the mixture back into the batter.
6. Add 2 ½ cups of water and mix well. Let the batter stand at room temperature for (2 hours).
7. Remove 3 cups of the batter and put it into the jar you used to make the sourdough starter. Refrigerate the batter and use it as the sourdough starter the next time you make injera (beginning with Step 3).

8. Melt ½ teaspoon of the solid shortening in a large frying pan.
9. Remove 1 cup of the batter from the bowl and pour it in a stream into the hot pan in a counterclockwise spiral, starting from the outside edge of the pan.
10. Cover the pan and let the injera cook until the edges begin to brown and curl up and the middle is dry about (2 minutes).
11. Invert the pan over a clean dishtowel. The injera should fall out of the pan. The first injera may not turn out as well as the following ones.
12. Repeat the steps from Step 8, until all the batter is gone.
13. The rounds may be used immediately or; after they cool, they may be stored wrapped in plastic in the refrigerator for a few days.

If you like to make bread, this is fun. However, Martha buys ours from a bakery. If you live close to an Eritrean restaurant (there’s one in Boston & Cambridge, and another in Portland, ME), you may be able to order injera from them.

Berbere (Red Pepper Spice Mixture)

Yield: 3 cups

This is the most basic ingredient in Eritrean food and the way our housekeeper’s mother makes it, sometimes makes the food too hot for me. The spice paste you get by adding oil is called Da’lik and may be used interchangeably with berbere. While I haven’t made either, there is a pot of da’lik in our refrigerator. Berbere can keep for several months, or longer if you add 6 tablespoons of oil. I think ours is at least a year old, and Jack tells me it is still good.

When berbere is made in Eritrea, the red chili peppers are harvested (we have some in our garden now) and dried in the sun, as are the garlic bulbs. The spices are bought whole in the market, and each ingredient needs a combination of drying, roasting, pounding, and grinding. Needless to say, it’s a long and tedious process that takes several days.

This recipe is the American version.

1. Combine the following:
2 cups ground red pepper
5 tablespoons garlic powder
2 tablespoons onion powder
2 tablespoons ground ginger
2 tablespoons ground cloves
2 tablespoons salt
1 tablespoon ground cumin
2 tablespoons ground fenugreek
2 teaspoons of cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground cardamom
1 teaspoon ground black pepper

2. Mix thoroughly.
3. Store in an airtight container.

Why would anyone want 3 cups of hot sauce? It is in most Eritrean food and our maids mother uses a hefty portion of it in each dish she makes for us.

Ryan's Thanksgiving Chocolate Sauce

1/3 Cup butter
2 squares unsweetened chocolate
mix together over medium heat
Add 3/4 cup sugar, 1/2 cup light cream
and 1 can condensed sweetened milk (optional)

MaryAnne’s Strawberry Romanoff

5 egg yolks
1 cup sugar
1 cup Harvey's Bristol Cream sherry (don't use any other kind as the results won't be nearly as good)
3 pints strawberries
powdered sugar
1 cup heavy cream.

Directions:
Break 5 egg yolks in top of double boiler and beat until lemon colored.  Gradually add 1 cup sugar and beat until velvety.  Slowly pour in 1 cup of sherry and replace beater with spoon.  Stir until thick.  Place in bowl and cool.  Once cool, place in frig.  Obviously this part can all be done in advance. 
Just before serving, beat 1 cup heavy cream until very stiff.  Fold into custard until completely blended.  Add strawberries, turning until covered.  Place on round flat platter and decorate with largest berries dipped in powdered sugar.  In fact you can serve them any way you wish.

EE-Z ChEEZcake

1 gram cracker crust
1 box Jell-O cheesecake mix
Fresh strawberries
Prepare Jell-O as directed, When Jell-O is firm, slice strawberries and put on top.

Kahlua Pie (Gourmet Club)

9” Pie shell (baked)
4 egg yolks
½ cup sugar
2 (1 oz) squares semi sweet chocolate
¼ cup of water
1 envelope gelatin
¼ cup cold water
¼ cup Kahlua
1 ¼ cup whipping cream
2 tbsp sugar
2 egg whites
Toasted Almonds (chopped)

Directions:
Beat egg yolks in top of double boiler. Add ½ cup of sugar. Simmer until sugar dissolves. Melt chocolate in small pan with ¼ cup of water, stir into yolks. Simmer until it begins to thicken. Soften gelatin into cold water. Add to chocolate, stir, and remove from heat. Add Kahlua. Place bowl in ice to cool.
Beat cream with 2 tbsp of sugar until stiff. Beat whites until stiff. When chocolate begins to gel, slowly fold in ½ cream and egg whites. Pour into pie shell and place in refrigerator for a few hours. Rewhip cream and place on top with almonds.

Grandmummy’s Chocolate Sauce

1 tbsp butter
1 square of unsweetened chocolate
1/3 cup of water
1 cup of sugar
Melt butter and chocolate. Pour water and boil. Put sugar and reboil. Reduce heat, simmer for 2 minutes. Add a pinch of salt.

Baked Bananas

2 tbsp soft butter
4 lg or 8 sm bananas
¼ cup vermouth or cider
1/3 cup honey
1 tbsp lemon juice
½ tsp cinnamon

Directions:
Pam a baking dish or coat with butter. Peel banana and arrange in dish. Pour vermouth or cider, honey, and lemon juice. Sprinkle with cinnamon, and dot with butter. Bake 400˚F for 15 minutes. Baste every 5 minutes with liquid.

Aunt Cindy’s Pumpkin Rolls

Serves 8-12
½ can pumpkin filling
3 eggs
1 cup sugar
¾ flour
½ tbsp baking soda
¼ tsp. each of cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon
2 tbsp butter (or margarine)
¾ tsp. vanilla extract
8 oz. softened cream cheese
1 cup confectionary sugar

Mix together: ½ can (2/3 cup) pumpkin filling, 3 eggs, 1 cup sugar, ¾ cup flour. ½ tbsp baking soda, ¼ tsp. each of cloves, nutmeg, and cinnamon spread evenly into a cookie sheet lined with wax paper. Bake 12 minutes at 375˚F. Turn out while hot (directions below), chill completely, then fill with following: 2 tbsp butter (or margarine), ¾ tsp. vanilla extract, 8 oz. softened cream cheese, 1 cup confectionary sugar. Mix together with electric mixer until very soft and creamy.

Before chilling the pumpkin mixture: Right out of the oven, cover the pumpkin cake with a piece of wax paper and an upside down (2nd) cookie sheet. Flip and carefully peel wax paper from bottom of cake. Replace with fresh wax paper and/or cotton/linen dishtowel on top; flip again and remove wax paper from the op of cake. This will remove the trusty top layer. Replace with fresh wax paper and towel inside. Cool for 1 hour at room temperature and then refrigerate until completely cooled. Carefully unroll, removing only the inside wax paper and only far enough to stuff filling into center and spread on unrolled surface. Re-roll inside outer wax paper and towel, re-chill and serve.

Don’s Bailey’s Irish Crème

1 ¾ cup Jamesons’ Irish Whiskey
1 14 oz can of sweetened condensed milk
½ pint or 1 cup of light cream
4 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
½ tsp almond extract
2 tbsp chocolate syrup
2 tsp of instant coffee

Mix ingredients at high speed in blender or mixer to desired consistency. Keep refrigerated.

Wilton Buttercream Icing

“This creamy, flavorful icing is ideal for decorating.”
Makes 3 cups.
½ cup solid vegetable shortening
½ cup butter or margarine
1 tsp. vanilla
4 cups sifted confectioners sugar
2 tbsp. milk
Directions: Cream butter and shortening with electric mixer. Add vanilla. Gradually add sugar, one cup at a time, beating well on medium speed. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl often. When all sugar has been mixed in, icing will appear dry. Add milk and beat at high speed until light and fluffy. Keep covered with damp cloth until ready to use. Refrigerate when not in use. Keeps for up to 2 weeks in airtight container. Rewhip before using.

Gina’s Famous Fruit Pizza

2 ½ (8 oz) pkgs. Of quick crescent dinner rolls
3 tbsp sugar
1 (8 oz) pkg of cream cheese, softened
1 (3 ½ oz) tube almond paste
½ Tsp of almond extract
2 cups of fresh strawberries (halved of quartered)
1 cup of fresh raspberries
1 cup of fresh blueberries
1 cup of seedless grapes
1 (11 oz.) can of mandarin orange segments (drained)
2 kiwi (peeled, sliced, and quartered)
1 jar of apricot preserves, (heated in saucepan until melted)
¼ cup of toasted almond slices
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375˚F. Shape dough as needed to make large pizza crust on cookie sheet. Sprinkle with sugar. Bake for 14-19 minutes. Cool completely. Use mixer and food processor to mix cream cheese and almond paste together. Mix with almond extract and 2 tbsp of sugar. Frost crust evenly with mixture. Decorate with fruit. In a pot, melt apricot preserves, and brush over fruit. Sprinkle almonds over. Cover and store in fridge until cooled.

Italian Chicken with Mushrooms

Serves 4

8 broiler-fryer chicken thighs
½ cup white wine
2 tbsp tarragon vinegar
¼ cup chopped celery, onions, and green peppers
1 clove garlic – minced
¼ cup olive oil/butter
½ tsp basil
4 tbsp tomato paste
½ lb of fresh mushrooms, finely sliced
1 tsp salt
½ tsp pepper

Mix together wine, vinegar, celery, onions, green peppers, garlic, olive oil, and basil. Pour over chicken thighs and marinate in refrigerator over night. Melt butter in large frying pan. Remove chicken thighs from marinate. Brown chicken in hot butter. Place chicken in 2 quart baking dish. Stir tomato paste into remaining marinate. Add mushrooms. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper and pour marinate over chicken thighs. Cover and bake at 350˚F for 1 hour. May be served on noodles.

Ryan’s Eat Better America White Chicken Chili

prep time:35 min
start to finish:35 min
makes:
6 servings (1 1/3 cups each)

1lb ground chicken
1 medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup
2 teaspoons finely chopped garlic
3 cups Progresso® reduced-sodium chicken broth (from 32-oz carton)
1 1/2teaspoons dried oregano leaves
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8to 1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper (cayenne)
2 medium zucchini, chopped (about 3 cups)
2 cans (15 oz each) Progresso® cannellini beans or 2 cans (15 to 16 oz each) great northern beans, drained, rinsed
1can (4.5 oz) chopped green chiles
1/2cup shredded reduced-fat Monterey Jack cheese

Directions:
1. In 4- or 5-quart saucepan or Dutch oven, cook ground chicken, onion and garlic over medium heat 5 to 7 minutes, stirring constantly, until chicken is no longer pink.
2. Stir in all remaining ingredients, except cheese. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until zucchini is tender.
3. Remove from heat; stir in cheese until melted.High Altitude (3500-6500 ft): 
In step 1, cook chicken 6 to 8 minutes. In step 2, cover and simmer 12 minutes

Nutritional Information

1 Serving: Calories 330 (Calories from Fat 50); Total Fat 5g (Saturated Fat 2g, Trans Fat 0g); Cholesterol 55mg;Sodium 730mg; Total Carbohydrate 37g (Dietary Fiber 9g, Sugars 3g); Protein 34g Percent Daily Value*: Vitamin A 10%; Vitamin C 15%; Calcium 20%; Iron 35% Exchanges: 2 Starch; 0 Other Carbohydrate; 1 Vegetable; 3 1/2Very Lean Meat; 1/2 Fat Carbohydrate Choices: 2 1/2 
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Dinky’s Chicken

Serves 2
Chicken pieces
Garlic, salt and pepper
Parsley
1 can mushroom soup
½ pint sour cream
Seedless grapes (optional)

Directions:
Heat oven at 425˚F. Place chicken in baking dish and season. Bake 30 minutes. Turn chicken and season. Bake 15 minutes. Combine soup and sour cream. Cover chicken. Lower oven to 350˚F and bake 15 minutes. Can bake longer if needed. Serve with rice.

Chicken Casserol

1 lg. Chicken breast (cooked and cubed)
¾ bag wide noodles
½ lb mushrooms (chopped)
¼ lb Velveeta cheese
1 can mushroom soup
½ can evaporated milk
1 cup chicken broth
½ green pepper (chopped
½ red pepper (chopped)
1 tsp. flour
1 tbsp onion (chopped)
2 tbsp. sherry

Directions:
Sauté mushrooms in butter. Add flour, broth, and stir until thick. Add soup, milk, cheese, and cook until cheese is melted. Add onion, peppers, sherry, and chicken. Cook noodles as directed. In 2 qt casserole. Layer noodles and chicken. Bake at 350˚F for 35 minutes.

Grandmummy’s Gravy (for any meat!)

Meat drippings in pan where meat was cooked
Wonder shaker flour
Salt
Water

Directions:
Drain excess fat. Place pan on stove and bring to boil. With slotted spoon, stir loosening crispy bits. Shake flour with boiling, stirring constantly. Salt to taste. Alternate between water and flour, making sure it is boiling before adding flour. When desired consistency, cook 2 minutes longer to get rid of flour taste.

Lasagna

Serves 6-8

1 lb ground beef
1 jar spaghetti sauce (32 oz)
3 cup mozzarella cheese slice
1 egg beaten
1 ½ tsp parsley flake
Salt and pepper
6 lasagna noodles
½ cup grated parmesan cheese

Directions:
Cook noodles – drain. Brown ground beef – drain, add spaghetti sauce – heat to boil. Mix shredded cheese, parsley, egg, salt and pepper in a bowl. In 13/9/2” casserole dish, layer meat sauce on bottom, 3 noodles, ½ cheese mixture. Repeat. Top with layer of meat. Sprinkle parmesan on top. Place cheese slices on top. Bake at 350˚F for 30 minutes.

Cool 15 minutes before cutting.

Steve’s Cheeseburger Pie

1 lb ground beef
1 cup chopped onion
½ tsp salt
1 ½ cup shredded cheddar
1 cup milk
½ cup bisquick
2 eggs
9” pie plate (greased)

Heat oven at 400˚F. Bake for 25 minutes.

Meatloaf

2 lb. ground beef
1 pkg Lipton onion soup
¼ cup red wine
½ cup V-8 juice
Bacon slice


Directions

Shape into loaf. Besides bacon, add ingredients. Do not mix too much. Place in large pan and top with bacon slices. Bake at 350˚F until done and bacon is crispy (around 45 minutes).

November First Casserole

Serves 8
2 lbs. ground beef
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. sugar
½ tsp. pepper
2 15 oz. cans of tomato sauce
12 oz. very small noodles
6 scallion
2 cups sour cream
1 3 oz packages cream cheese
2 cups shredded cheese (sharp cheddar)

Directions:
Brown beef. Pour off fat. Add sauce and seasonings. Simmer about 15 minutes. Cook noodles. Drain. Finely chop scallions (including tops). Mix with cream cheese and sour cream. In a buttered 13x9x2” casserole dish (or 2 smaller ones), layer noodles, meat sauce, sour cream mixture, and cheddar cheese. Repeat layers ending with cheese. Bake 350˚F for 30 minutes.

Jenny’s Rotelle and Sausage Casserole/Salad

1 lb. rotelle (corkscrew) pasta
½ cup salad oil
2-3 cloves of crushed garlic
2 tsp dry basil leaves
1 lg. can (30 oz) tomato sauce
2-3 small zucchini cut in small pieces
1 pkg. frozen peas – thawed
1 can artichoke hearts cut up (save juice)
1 pt. cherry tomatoes
8 oz. mozzarella cheese cut in cubes
½ cup of parmesan cheese
1 lb sausage cut in small pieces or slices (any kind of precooked sausage)

Directions:
Cook pasta. Drain and toss with oil. In pan, stir garlic, basil, tomato sauce, and artichoke juice. Boil then simmer 2-3 minutes. Cool a bit. In large bowl, toss pasta, zucchini, peas, artichoke hearts, tomatoes, cheeses, and sausage. Add tomato sauce mixture. Serve warm or chilled. Serves a crowd!

Swordfish

1 ¾ lb swordfish
Mayonnaise
Salt and pepper
Dill

Directions: Place fish in baking dish. Cover with mayonnaise and salt and pepper. Sprinkle lightly with dill. Bake at 400˚F for 25 minutes. Serve with lemon wedge.

Swiss Steak

Beef (cubed)
Flour
Salt and Pepper
3 tbsp oil
1 can lg whole tomatoes
1 onion (chopped)
Mushrooms
Green pepper (chopped)
Coat beef with flour and salt and pepper. Brown in oil. Add tomatoes, onions, mushrooms, and pepper. Cook slowly (two hours). Add tomato juice if necessary.

Jenny’s Tuna Casserol

1 8 oz. can of tuna
Chopped Celery, onions, and mushrooms
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp flour
1 cup milk
2 tbsp parmesan cheese
½ tsp. marjoram
Bread crumb
Tomatoes
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Make a sauce, melting butter, blending flour, milk and seasonings. Stir in tuna and mushrooms, onions, and celery. Turn into buttered casserole. Cover with tomatoes, bread crumbs, and cheese. Bake at 350˚F for 20 minutes.

Grandmummy’s Spare Ribs

1 ½ lb ribs (cut)
1 ½ cup water
½ cup of vinegar
½ onion (minced)
1 clove of garlic
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1/8 cup of granulated sugar
½ tbsp ketchup
1 tbsp salt
2 ½ tbsp oil
1 tsp pepper
1 bay leaf

Directions:
Combine all but ribs and boil 10 minutes. Brown meat (25 minutes per side). Bake meat and sauce at 450˚F for 1 hour. Baste every 10 minutes.

Beef Stroganoff

Serves 4
Cut into ½ inch slices: 1 ½ lbs. fillet of beef
Pound the beef with a mallet until it is thin. Cut it into strips about 1 inch wide.
Melt in a pan: 1 tbsp butter
Sauté in the butter for 2 minutes: ¾ tbsp grated onio

Sauté the beef quickly in the butter for about 5 minutes. Turn it so that it will be browned evenly. Remove it. Keep it hot.
Add to the pan: 2 tbsp butter
Stir and sauté in the butter: ¾ lb sliced mushroom

Add the beef. Season it with: Salt and pepper, a grating of nutmeg, ½ tsp basi

Add and heat, but do not boil: ½ cup warm sour cream
Serve over pasta.

Grammy Pettengill’s Baked Beans

2 lbs Kidney Bean
½ tsp of baking soda
1 cup of white suga
½ cup of brown sugar
2 tsp of dry mustard
1 tsp of salt
1 tsp of pepper
1 quartered onion
1 lb of salt pork or bacon
1 bottle of ketchup

Directions:
Soak beans overnight in plenty of water to cover 1-2 inches over. Add baking soda, stir in water. In the morning, put beans on the stove as they are. Bring to a boil and boil for 20-25 minutes. DON’T let them boil over.
Remove from the stove and drain while beans are draining take white sugar, brown sugar, dry mustard, salt, and pepper in a separate pan and add 2 cups of boiling water and stir ingredients until dissolved.
Put ½ beans in bottom of large baking pot. Add quartered onion and salt pork or bacon and a few squirts of ketchup. Add the rest of the beans and ½ cup of more ketchup. Pour mixture over this and add enough hot water to cover ½ inch over beans. Cover and bake at 325˚F for about six hours. You may need to add water as water boils down. Do not stir. At 3 hours taste and add sugar if not sweet enough. When they are soft they are done. They are even better the next day!

Summer Squash and Carrot Casserole

Serves 10
2 lbs yellow squash or zucchini sliced
¼ cup onion chopped
1 can (10 oz) of cream of mushroom soup
1 cup of sour cream
1 cup of carrots shredded
1 8 pkg. herb seasoned stuffing mix
½ cup melted butter

Directions: Cook squash and onion in boiling salted water for 5 minutes; drain. Combine soup and sour cream; stir in carrots. Fold in squash and onion. Combine stuffing and butter. Spread half of stuffing in bottom of a 9 by 13 inch pan. Spoon squash mixture on top of stuffing. Sprinkle rest of stuffing on top. Bake at 350˚ uncovered for 25 to 30 minutes.

Spaghetti Sauce

1 lb hamburger
1 lg onion (copped
1 green pepper (chopped
10 fresh mushrooms
3 garlic cloves (minced
1/8 tsp hot cayenne pepper
1 lg can whole tomatoes
1 can tomato sauce
1 bay leaf
½ tsp oregano
¼ cup red wine

Directions:
Brown meat and drain. Sauté onions, peppers, garlic, and mushrooms. Add rest of ingredients and simmer for 2 hours. Serve over spaghetti.

Meatballs

2 lbs Hamburger meat
2 eggs
¼ cup vegetable oil
1 cup bread crumbs
1 cup of water
1 tbsp of Worcestershire Sauce
1 tbsp of Mustard
Salt and Pepper to taste
4 cube of beef bouillon
½ pint sour cream
1 cup chopped mushrooms
½ diced onion
¼ cup of butter
¼ cup flour
Directions:
Mix eggs, bread crumbs, water, Worcestershire sauce, mustard and salt and pepper well with the Hamburger meat, forming it into meat balls. Sauté in the vegetable oil. Pan sear meatballs to brown them, then bake single layer at 375˚ for 20 min.
To make sauce, add 4 cubes of beef bouillon to 1 quart of water. Set aside. Sauté onions and mushrooms in ¼ cup (½ stick butter) until soft. Stir in ¼ cup of flour to make paste. Stir in beef broth and then stir in sour cream. Simmer and serve over egg noodles or choice.

Grandmummy's Mustard Veal Cutlets

1 can chicken broth
2 tbsp Wondra Flour
3-4 tbsp Dijon Mustard
1/4 cup sherry
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 tbsp lemon juice
light cream (optional)
salt and pepper
Preheat oven to 350.  Pam frying pan. Add minced garlic and veal cutlets. Sear on each side.
Remove from pan and put in a casserole dish.  In a
saucepan put all other ingredients except cream. Cook over medium heat stirring with whisk until thick.  Simmer for 5 minutes.  Pour over veal Cook for 20-30 min. Just before serving you can add some cream to make it richer.  I have also used mushrooms in this recipe.

Ginger Pork Tenderloin

1 1/2 lb of tenderloin 
2/3 cup soy sauce
2/3 cup brown sugar
2 tbsp cornstarch
2 tbsp brown cider vinegar
3 cloves of garlic, 2 tsp ground ginger
1/3 cup crystalized ginger chopped
Mix and pour over tenderloins.  Marinate overnight
Pour off marinade into saucepan.  Bake tenderloins at 350 for 30-45 min
Simmer marinade until it thickens.  May serve sauce hot or cold.  It is very strong.

Turkey or Chicken Cutlets With Artichokes and Capers

Brown cutlets in pan until cooked with garlic and olive oil.  Remove and set aside.  Deglaze pan with white wine.  Add 1 tbsp of Better Than Broth Chicken flavor. Add chopped onion cook for a bit.  Add one can of dice tomatoes, drained, capers, mushrooms, and one can of artichoke hearts, drain and cut up.  Reduce for a bit.  Return cutlets till warm.  Serve.

Leek and Potato Soup

¼ cup butter
2 lbs leeks (white parts only) be sure to clean each leaf. Slice thin.
6 cups chicken stock or water
2 lbs baking potatoes peeled & sliced thin
salt & ground white pepper
2 T chopped fresh chive (use scissors to cut)
1 lb. crisp bacon or ham - chopped

Melt butter. Add leeks & sauté until soft (3-5 mins).
Add chicken broth and potatoes. Boil and simmer for 20 – 30 minutes.
Add bacon. Use hand blender to smooth.
Add s & p to taste.
Put in bowl and garnish with fresh chives.

This is Gerry’s favorite soup. Serve with hot bread from the oven. YUM!!!

Chicken and Barley Stew

This dish can be made in the crock-pot or Dutch-oven.
It is delicious comfort food!

Olive Oil
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1” chunks
64 oz. chicken broth
1 cup barley
3-4 leeks – whites only cut lengthwise, washed and sliced
2 carrots sliced
basil/Italian seasoning/parsley/salt/pepper

Brown chicken chunks in skillet.
Combine all ingredients in your pot.
Cook: Crock-pot: low heat – 4-5 hours
high heat – 2 – 2 ½
Dutch-oven: 350* for 1 hour

Caesar Salad Dressing

4-5 cloves of garlic
3/4 cup light olive oil
1/2 cup grated parmesan  cheese
5 Anchovies 
1 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
Juice of one lemon
2 coddled eggs (boil for one minute)
black pepper and salt to taste
Combine garlic, cheese, anchovies, Worcestershire sauce, and lemon in food processor.  Coddle eggs add to food processor.  Slowly add olive oil while the food processor is running.  Chill before serving.  It will thicken as it chills.

Roasted Cherry Tomato

3 pints cherry tomatoes
heavy olive oil
kosher salt
ground pepper
fresh basil chopped
Coat tomatoes and basil with olive oil salt and pepper
Roast at 350 for 20 min.

Crunchy Pea Salad

1 10 oz. pack frozen peas thawed
1 Cup diced celery
1 Cup chopped cauliflower 
1/4 cup diced green onions
1 cup chopped cashews
1/2 cup sour cream
1 Cup prepared Ranch dressing
Combine all and top with crumbled bacon

Smoked Salmon Bites

Mix together:
2 6oz. packs of smoked salmon chopped into small pieces
2 tbsp minced shallots or red onions 
2-3 tbsp lemon juice
2 tsp fresh chopped dill
2 tbsp capers
2 tbsp sour cream
salt and pepper to taste
Make bread cups with Pepperidge Farm very thin bread cut into circles. Brush with olive oil put into small muffin tins, bake for 10 min. at 400 degrees.  You can also use pre-made cups.

Scallops and Bacon in Maple Cream Sauce

2 1/2 Cups heavy cream
1/3 Cup maple syrup
1 1/2 tbsp dijon mustard
1/2 tsp nutmeg
Combine cream and syrup bring to a boil.  Simmer for 20 minutes until it is reduced by half.  Stir in remaining ingredients.  
Half pre-cook the bacon.  If scallops are too big cut them into smaller pieces.  Wrap bacon around scallop and use toothpick to hold together. Bake or broil until done.  Drizzle sauce over scallops.

Chicken Pistachio Curry Dip

1/2 Cup shelled pistachio nuts
1 Cup cooked cut up chicken
1 tbsp of curry or more if you like it stronger.
3/4 cup mayo
juice of half a lemon

Grind nuts in food processor set aside, grind chicken, curry, lemon and mayo. Mix nuts in.
Add more mayo if it seems dry.  Serve on raisin toast or thin raisin bagel slices

Mushroom Tartlets

24 slices of Pepperidge Farm thin white bread
2TBSP butter.

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees
Cut a 3 inch round from each bread.  I use the top of the Lawyer's Seasoning salt, press down and remove the outside.
Brush inside of two miniature muffin tins with butter. Gently fit bread into each mold.  Bake 10 minutes until golden brown.

Filling:
3TBSP minced shallots, 1/4 cup butter, 1/2 lb. fresh mushrooms finely chopped, 2 TBSP flour, 1 C heavy cream, 1 1/2 TBSP minced chives, 1 TBSP minced parsley,
1/2 TSP lemon juice, 1/2 TSP salt, 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper.


Saute shallots in butter for 1 min. Stir in mushrooms and simmer uncovered until all liquid is evaporated.  10 min. or so.  Remove from heat and stir in flour.  Pour cream over and return to heat.  Stirring constantly bring to boil and cook another minute until it becomes thick.  Remove from heat and stir in remaining ingredients.


Let cool, cover and refrigerate.  At this point you may spoon mixture into shells an freeze in their tins.  Once frozen, store in plastic bags.  Cook until they are heated through.

Braised Carrots

2 lbs carrot
2 tbsp butter
½ tsp sal
¼ tsp sugar
2/3 cup water

Directions:
Peel and wash carrots. Cut in 2” cross wise pieces. Then cut lengthwise into 1/8” pieces (like French fries). Put in frying pan with rest of ingredients. Bring to a boil and simmer, covered for 20 minutes. Toss over high heat to brown. Season to taste.

Cheese Fondue

Mix in a saucepan, heat and stir:
1 ½ lbs grated Swiss cheese.
2 cups of dry white wine
1/3 cup Kirsch
1 ½ tsp. cornstarc

Transfer to fondue pot.
Dip squares of crisp French bread.

Artichoke Chip Dip

1 can of artichoke hearts
1 cup of mayonnaise
1 cup of parmesan cheese
1 clove garlic crushed

Directions:
Chop artichokes. Stir into other ingredients. Bake at 350˚F for 30 minutes. Serve with chips or Triscuit crackers.

Artichokes

Stand artichokes upright in at least 1” of water (usually more so that artichokes are floating). Add 1 tbsp of oil and 1 lemon slice to water. Boil uncovered for 5 minutes. Cover. Boil 30-35 minutes (large) or 15-20 minutes (small) Serve with melted butter.

Tailgate Chili

2 medium onions – chopped
1 green pepper – chopped
2 lbs. pork sausage
2 15 oz. cans kidney beans – drained
1 12 oz can whole kernel corn – drained
1 15 oz can tomato sauce
1 6 oz can tomato paste
1 cup water
2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp salt

Directions:
Brown sausage in large pot – breaking it into small pieces. Add chopped vegetables. Sauté 5-10 minutes. Add all remaining ingredients. Simmer, covered, stirring occasionally about 30 minutes. Freezes well.

Julia Child’s Stuffed Mushrooms

12 lg. Mushrooms
2 tbsp butter (melted)
Salt and pepper
2 tbsp scallions (minced)
2 tbsp butter
½ tbsp flour
½ cup heavy cream
3 tbsp fresh parsley (minced)
¼ cup of Swiss cheese (grated)
2 tbsp butter (melted


Directions:
Remove stems (save) of mushrooms. Wash and dry. Brush with melted butter. Place hollow side up in baking dish. Salt and pepper, and then mince the stems. Sauté with scallions for 5 minutes. Simmer and add flour for 1 minute. Stir cream in for 2 minutes, and then stir in seasons. Fill capps and add 1 tsp. of cheese to each and butter. Bake at 375˚F until lightly browned.

Meatball Soup (Gourmet Club)

1 cup soft bread crumbs (3 slices)
¼ cup milk
1 lb ground beef
1 egg
½ tsp. seasoning salt
2 ½ beef broth
1 cup celery (diced)
¼ tsp dried cilantro
1 lg onion (chop)
½ cup carrots (sliced)
2 cups zucchini (cubed)
1 12 oz can whole tomatoes

Directions:
Combine bread, milk, beef, egg, and salt. Chill 30 minutes. Combine broth, celery, cilantro, onion, carrots, zucchini, and tomatoes in large pot. Bring to boil, cover, and reduce heat. Simmer 15 minutes.

Mrs. Shepherd’s Salad Dressing

1 cup sugar
½ cup ketchup
½ cup vinegar
½ tsp pepper
½ cup chili sauce
1 cup salad oil
1 tsp salt
3 garlic buds

Directions:
Mix all ingredients together. Pour into a quart jar and store in refrigerator.
Good for salads, tacos, and beef fondue dip.

Jenny’s Grilled Tomatoes

Tomatoes (as many as necessary)
Salt & Pepper
Butter
Garlic Salt
Brown sugar
Directions:
Halve tomatoes. Place in baking dish. Add salt and pepper, butter, garlic salt, and brown sugar. Broil until sugar melts.

Tomato Goop

3 lg. cans Hunts Tomato Sauce
1 cup of bread crumbs (or more if desired)
½ stick of butter, melted
¾ cup of brown sugar
1 tsp. of salt

Mix together, pour into buttered casserole. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour at 350˚F.

Indian Wafers

*Wonderful with drinks, soups, or salads
Set oven at 425˚F. Butter 2 cookie sheets or use heavy unbuttered tinfoil.
Mix: ½ cup corn meal (yellow or white)
1 tsp salt
Stir in:
¾ cup boiling water
1 tsp light butter
¼ tsp. butter flavoring

Spoon and arrange in balls on the cookie sheets. (Leave some room for spreading out.) Sprinkle with poppy seed or celery seed. Bake until brown about 8 minutes.

Gazpacho

Put all the ingredients in the blender and liquefy for two minutes:
1 can del monte original stewed tomatoes
1 can (6 oz) V-8 Juice
1 peeled and seeded cucumber (diced)
1 peeled and seeded green pepper (diced)
4 tbsp apple cider vinegar
4 tbsp dried minced onions
1 cup ice cubes
Salt and pepper to taste

Keep cold. Serve with dollop of sour cream.

“Real Simple and Yummy!!” Artichoke Dip for Chips

1 14 oz. can artichoke hearts
¾ cup of Mayonnaise
¾ cup of Parmesan Cheese
8 oz. grated mozzarella cheese
1 garlic clove (crushed)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350˚F. Finely chop or blend artichoke hearts. Mix chopped artichokes together with remaining ingredients. Bake in a 1 quart casserole covered until bubbly. Remove cover and lightly brown.

Gina’s Spinach Salad

1 bag of spinach
1 container of goat cheese
Raspberries (may be substituted with strawberries or pears)
1 bag of glazed pecans
Honey Dijon Dressing (may be substituted with raspberry vinaigrette)
Directions:
Mix Fruit, spinach, goat cheese, and pecans. Lightly dress. Serve.

Jenny’s Banana Bread

3 bananas mashed
½ cup melted butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs beaten
8 Tablespoons of milk
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 handfull of chopped walnuts (optional)

Add all ingredients to a big mixing bowl and mix with a hand blender until batter is fully moist.

Spray loaf pan with Pam (or grease with butter or oil). Use 1 large loaf pan or 3 small ones.
Pour batter into pan.

Bake at 350* for 60 – 70 minutes. (If you use 3 small loaf pans cook bread for 45 minutes).

To test if bread is done stick a knife into bread and if it comes out clean – it’s done. If knife is gooey cook for 5 - 10 minutes more.

Good luck! October 2010

Egg and Sausage Breakfast Casserole

8 slice of white bread, buttered and cubed
2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
1lb linked sausage (sliced in one inch pieces) or ground sausage browned 
These three item go in a 9" by 13" dish.
The next 4 items, combine and pour over the bread, sausage, and cheese mixture
4 eggs, well beaten
2 1/2 cups whole milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dry mustard
Refrigerate overnight.  Before baking, add 2 cans of mushroom soup and 1 cup of milk and 1/2 lb of sauteed fresh mushrooms.
Bake at 300 for 1 1/2 hours
Make sure that the dish you use can go from the refrigerator to the oven.

Nummy Egg Sammiches

1 bagle or English muffin or Croissant
Ham or bacon
1 egg

1 slice of American Cheese

Directions:
Toast or grill bagle/muffin/croissant. In frying pan, fry egg. When cooked, top with ham or bacon and cheese. Cover pan for brief moment. Place egg, meat, and cheese on toasted/grilled bread. Enjoy!

Peppy’s Favorite Chocolate Chip Pancakes

Serves 2
1 cup all-purpose flour
1½ teaspoon baking powder
½ tablespoon vanilla extract
1 pinch salt
1 cup milk (substitute buttermilk for richer pancakes)
3 eggs
1 cup chocolate chips

Directions:
Mix flour, baking powder and salt into large bowl. Mix milk, eggs, and extract in separate smaller bowl. Combine mixtures in the large bowl, and create a batter. If some people want plain pancakes, do not add chocolate chips. Otherwise, add chocolate chips to batter. Pour batter into frying pan. If chips were not added to the batter, sprinkle them on the pancake now. Cook on one side until the bubbles begin to pop. Flip the pancake and cook the other side briefly (about a minute). Flip again to check both sides. Serve.

Sundried Tomato and Prosciutto Omlet

3 Eggs
Sundried tomatoes
Prosciutto
Provolone cheese

Directions:
Crack the eggs into a glass mixing bowl and beat them until they turn a pale yellow color.
Heat a heavy-bottomed nonstick sauté pan over medium-low heat. Add the butter and let it melt.
Add the milk to the eggs and season to taste with salt and white pepper. Whisk. When the butter in the pan is hot enough to make a drop of water hiss, pour in the eggs.  Let the eggs cook for up to a minute or until the bottom starts to set.
With a heat-resistant rubber spatula, gently push one edge of the egg into the center of the pan, while tilting the pan to allow the still liquid egg to flow in underneath. Repeat with the other edges, until there's no liquid left.
Your eggs should now resemble a bright yellow pancake, which should easily slide around on the nonstick surface. If it sticks at all, loosen it with your spatula.
Now gently flip the egg pancake over, using your spatula to ease it over if necessary. Cook for another few seconds, or until there is no uncooked egg left. Layer cheese, tomatoes, and prosciutto slices on one half of the “egg pancake.” With your spatula, lift one edge of the egg and fold it across and over, so that the edges line up. Cook for another minute or so, but don't overcook or allow the egg to turn brown. If necessary, you can flip the entire omelet over to cook the top for 30 seconds or so. Just don't let it get brown.
Gently transfer the finished omelet to a plate. Garnish with chopped fresh herbs if desired.

Monte Cristo

2 eggs
Cinnamon
1/2 cup of milk
2 slices of white bread
3 slices of Ham
1 slice of swiss cheese
Maple syrup

Put two eggs in a shallow flat bottom pan. Add pinch of cinimon and milk. Whip until blended. Lay white bread in the pan until both sides are saturated. Put ham and swiss cheese on bread. Grill sandwich in covered pan until cheese is melted and bread is golden. Serve with maple syrup to dip.

Sam's Salmon on a Bagel

bagel(s)
cream cheese
chives
prepackaged smoked salmon

Toast bagels. Spread cream cheese on bagels. Sprinkle chives in cream cheese. Layer salmon on top of cream cheese. Serve. Eat. Smile.

Eggs Benedict

Blender Hollandaise Sauce
English Muffins
Canadian Bacon or Ham
Poached Eggs

Toast muffins. Place bacon or ham on top. Top with egg and cover with hollandaise.

To poach eggs: Put frying pan on Medium High and Fill 1” with water. When boiling, drop opened egg gently into water. Splash water gently over to cook tops of eggs.

Blender Hollandaise Sauce

3 egg yolks
2 tbsp lemon juice
¼ tsp salt
1 stick butter

Place yolk, lemon juice, and salt in blender. Heat butter until bubbling. Turn on blender for 30 seconds at high speed. Slowly (drop by drop at first) pour in hot butter while blender is still on. If sauce curdles, remove from blender and pour slowly back in. It should be creamy. Use over vegetables, eggs, or fish. Serve warm. Pour over English muffin with eggs and Canadian bacon (ham) to make Eggs Benedict.

Zucchini Nut Bread

3 cups flour
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
¾ tsp baking powder
1 tsp grated lemon peel
2 cups grated unpeeled zucchini
1 cup copped walnut
1 cup raisins
2 cups sugar
1 cup salad oil
4 eggs

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350˚F. Grease and flour 2 9x5x3 loaf pans.
2. Sift flour, cinnamon, soda, salt, and baking powder in a bowl. Combine lemon pieces, zucchini, walnuts, and raisins.
3. In large mixing bowl combine sugar, salad oil, and eggs. Beat until smooth.
4. Add sifted dry ingredients, mixing till smooth.
5. Add zucchini mixture, stir well until combined.
6. Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake 55-60 minutes.
7. Cool in pan for 10 minutes. Remove from pan. Cool on wire racks.

Chocolate Chip Muffins

Serves 12 2 cups all-purpose flour 1/3 cup light-brown sugar 1/3 cup sugar 2 tsp baking powder ½ tsp salt 2/3 cup milk ½ cup butter – melted and cooled 2 eggs – beaten 1 tsp vanilla 1 package (12 oz) chocolate chips ½ cup walnuts or pecans – chopped Directions: Preheat oven to 400˚F and grease up twelve muffin cups. In a large bowl, stir together flour, sugars, baking powder, and salt. In another bowl, stir together milk, eggs, butter, and vanilla until blended. Make a well in center of dry ingredients; add milk mixture and stir to combine. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts. Spoon batter into muffin cups; bake 15-20 minutes, or until a knife inserted in center of one muffin comes out clean. Remove muffin tin to wire rack; cool 5 minutes and remove from tins to finish cooling.