BBQ Sauce for beef, pork or venison©

After experimenting and testing BBQ sauce recipes for a number of years, we found that this recipe is the best all-around BBQ sauce for beef, pork, and venison. With the wonderful subtle taste of juniper from the gin and the added juniper berries, this sauce is a real treat, it will tenderize an old army boot, and the toughest cuts of meat. If you have a REAL tough cut of beef - like a shoulder or arm, add the gin and vermouth at the very end when the sauce has thickened and further simmer for only 5-minutes.




2 Finely chopped onions
6 TBS Butter or bacon fat
1 Cup Ketchup
½ Cup Vinegar
5 TBS Brown Sugar
1 6-Oz. Can Tomato Paste
1 Cup Water
Dash of Cinnamon
2 TBS Sweet Vermouth
3 TBS Mustard
6 TBS Worcester Sauce
Ground black Pepper
4-5 Dashes Angostura Bitters
½ Cup Gin
Hickory Salt to taste
4 Dashes Tabasco Sauce
3 TBS Molasses
2 Juniper Berries

Melt butter. Sautee onions in butter until very soft. Add remaining ingredients and stir/mix well. Simmer on low heat until sauce thickens.

Thinly slice meat while still partially frozen. Cook in sauce until it nearly falls apart. Serve on Kaiser Rolls. (Recipe posted here)

Side dishes that go well are cole slaw, potato salad, macaroni salad, potato chips, 10-bean salad or whatever suits your fancy

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Chicken Khorma

This is one of many meals that are served in the Muslim world on Eid, the festive holiday that breaks the year's 30-day Ramadan fast; a time when the faithful abstain from food, drink, and ALL other worldly pleasures. Food never tastes better than when you're hungry, and this particular dish is no exception. It is deliciously flavorful, easy to make, and very tasty.


1 whole chicken, cut up in small pieces, skinned (2 1/2 pounds) (*)
1/2 cup fried onions
3/4 cup plain yogurt
2 teaspoons ginger paste (gingerroot peeled, chopped and crushed)
2 teaspoons garlic paste (garlic cloves peeled, chopped and crushed)
5 cloves
4 cardamom seeds
1 1/2 sticks cinnamon
2 or 3 bay leaves
1 heaping teaspoon coriander powder
1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 cup oil

Heat oil in 12-quart pan; add cloves, cardamom, cinnamon sticks and bay leaves. Immediately add chicken, ginger and garlic pastes, and cook uncovered on medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring constantly.

Add coriander powder, cayenne pepper and salt, and cook for another 10 minutes, uncovered. Puree fried onions and yogurt in blender or food processor with 1 cup water. Add to chicken. Cover and cook for 5 to 10 minutes until chicken is tender.

This recipe is wonderful served over steamed Jasmine rice or egg noodles.

(*) In lieu of a whole cut up chicken, you can use drumettes or halved-boneless thighs. This way, there's no fighting to get individually selected parts, and everyone is a winner. :-) Be sure to remove the skin on whatever cuts of chicken you decide on.

German Apple Cake © King Arthur Company

This recipe has been authorized to post here by the gracious permission of the King Arthur Company, in Norwich, Vermont. http://www.kingarthurflour.com/
It is one of the best cakes I've ever had. With a large scoop of ice cream, or a HUGE dollop of whipped cream, you will never forget the wonderful flavor and texture.

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Ingredients:

Apple filling

2-3 large apples cored and peeled- Granny Smiths are great
lemon juice (optional, to sprinkle over apples)
5 TBS sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon

Batter

3 cups unbleached All Purpose flour
1 TBS baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 cup vegetable or canola oil
2 c sugar
4 eggs
¼ c apple juice (On this baking, I used pineapple juice and have used V-8 Splash in the past. Mmmmmmmmm!)
2-1/2 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 350.

Filling:

The filling is made before the batter because it’s layered into the cake. Peel and core apples. Cut them in quarters and then again in about ¼” chunks. You can sprinkle them with lemon juice to keep them from turning brown. Mix the apples, sugar and cinnamon together and set aside.

Batter:

Mix the flour, baking powder and salt together in a large mixing bowl. In another bowl, beat the oil and sugar on high speed for 2 or 3 minutes until it’s creamy.

In a separate small bowl (or a large mixing cup) beat the eggs until light. Add the juice and the vanilla, mix well and add it to the sugar and oil, beating thoroughly. Add the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients and gently fold together.

Assembling & Baking:

A tube tube pan works very well here. The cake rises quite a bit, so you'll need something fairly tall. You could also use a bundt cake pan.

Butter the pan then powder with a coating of confectioner’s sugar. Pour one-third of the batter into the pan, then add a thick layer of apples and sprinkle generously with the cinnamon sugar; repeat process, ending with batter - sprinkled with additional cinnamon sugar. Bake for about 50-55 minutes, or until a skewer or wooden toothpick comes out clean. (1)

The cake should be completely cooled before cutting into it, otherwise it may fall apart. Dust with additional powdered sugar.

(1) Depending on the amount of moisture in the apples, baking could take up to 70-minutes. If not done after 55-minutes, reduce heat to 325F. and continue baking until skewer comes out clean. Check in 5-minute intervals.

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Callaloo and Shark 'n Bake

After having been on a consulting and training assignment for a month in Trinidad and Tobago a few years ago, the typical ‘soup and sandwich’ that we’re all so familiar with took on an entirely new meaning. Callaloo – a spinach-type soup and mainstay in the Caribbean, combined with ‘shark and bake’ served together, is hard to top. They take minimal time to prepare and I guarantee, once you’ve had them, they will become a regular meal in your household. Below are listed recipes for both.
Shark-and-Bake

This specialty is served by many fine restaurants and roadside vendors throughout the island. It is a T&T version of fish and chips. It's relatively easy to duplicate at home, and if shark is not available, substitute halibut or swordfish.

Yield: 2 to 4 servings

Ingredients:

Juice from 1 lime
1 pound shark meat, cut into pieces about 3 or 4 inches long and 1 inch wide
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons minced chives or green onion tops
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups flour seasoned with salt and pepper
Vegetable oil for frying

Preparation:

Sprinkle the lime juice over the shark meat and let sit for 5 minutes. Combine the garlic, chives, thyme, and salt and mix well. Rinse the shark with water and dip the pieces first in the spicy mixture and then in the flour, coating them well. Fry the shark, a few pieces at a time, in the hot oil, turning often, for about 12 minutes. Drain on paper towels and serve wrapped in bakes. Sprinkle the shark-and-bake with your favorite hot sauce.

Variation:

The shark can be marinated for 2 hours in a mixture of lime juice, onion, garlic, thyme, and minced Habanero or jalapeno pepper.

Bake:

This is the bread that is served with shark to make the famous Maracas Bay shark and bake. The bakes are simple and quick to prepare. Yield: 4 to 6 bakes

Ingredients:

2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
½ cup butter
1 teaspoon sugar
Water
Vegetable oil for frying

Preparation:

Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the shortening and sugar, and mix with a fork. Add enough water to make a dough and knead gently. Cut the dough into 4 to 6 pieces (depending on how large you want the bakes to be) and roll each piece into a ball. Let stand for a few minutes.

Flatten the balls of dough until they are about ¼ inch thick, and fry in hot oil until they are brown. Remove and drain on paper towels. Kind of like a pita bread.

Callaloo:

This remarkable, bright green soup is often called "the national dish of T&T." It features callaloo (taro leaves or dasheen), but spinach is an excellent substitute. Yield: 8 to 10 servings

Ingredients:

3 bundles callaloo or 3 bunches fresh spinach, washed, tough ribs removed, coarsely chopped
4 cups coconut milk
2 cups milk
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 medium onions, chopped
1 bunch scallions, chopped
¼ pound pumpkin or Hubbard squash, peeled and coarsely chopped
¼ pound butter or margarine
salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:

In a stockpot or soup pot, combine all the ingredients and boil for 4 minutes. Reduce the heat and simmer for 40 minutes. If too thick, add more coconut milk. Remove from the heat, cool, and puree in a blender in small batches. Reheat the soup and serve.

NOTE: If you can get 2-3 medium to large live crabs, clean them, soak briefly in lime juice, and add them to the soup at the beginning. Now you have shark and crab. Makes for a very delicious and filling meal.

Corned Beef Hash

With St. Patrick's Day is here, many households will have scads of corned beef left over. It's hard to beat a corned beef sandwich on deli rye. But there is always corned beef hash which make a wonderful breakfast or brunch with a few poached or fried eggs on top.

1 – 2 Lbs Finely Shredded/chopped corned beef
1 - 2 Lbs quarter inch diced, cooked potato
1-2 TBS Chopped Parsley
½ Cup finely shredded onion
½ garlic bud shredded
¼ Cup melted butter
Salt and Pepper to taste


Just mix the meat, potatoes, parsley and melted butter in a bowl – taste it – and add salt and pepper. Put a generous amount of butter or bacon fat in a skillet and get it hot over medium-high heat (or high-medium heat if you prefer) and add the hash. You can add a little oil to the butter if you are scared of burnt butter. Fry it until it’s nice and browned on the bottom and crispy around the edges. Don’t pester it! If you keep moving it around and fooling with it - it will not brown properly. you can either cook it in one big batch or form it into patties. When it’s browned and crisped to your liking turn it and do the other side. Top it with a couple of poached or fried eggs and you have a world class breakfast.

This is best if all ingredients are combined, then put through a grinder WITH THE COURSE setting. .

Lemon Muffins

A new twist to muffins, and they are really a tangy treat.

Ingredients:

2 cups self-rising flour
¼ cup sugar
¼ tsp salt
1/3 cup Grated rind ½ lemon
1/3 cup presoaked golden raisins (optional)
1 cup orange juice
lemon-infused avocado oil
1 egg

Procedure:

Mix flour, sugar and salt in large mixing bowl. Into another bowl, whisk: Lemon rind, orange juice, egg and oil. Add the liquid, mix into the dry ingredients, folding gently until flour is damp. Be careful not to over-mix.

Oil a 12-muffin tray and spoon in the mixture. You can also use Texas Muffin Tins (6) Bake at 425 F. for 10-to-12 minutes.

Coconut Shrimp with Plum Sauce

Shrimp are always good. This recipe can serve as an appetizer or a main meal.






Ingredients:

1 pound large shrimp
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup of flour or tempura batter mix
4 cups of shredded coconut

Preparation:

Peel and devein the shrimp leaving the tails. Combine milk and egg in a bowl and whip until well blended. Place the flour on a small plate. Place the shredded coconut on a larger plate.

Dip the shrimp into the egg/milk. Next flour the shrimp. Dip in the egg/milk. Place in the shredded coconut and press the coconut onto the shrimp on both sides. Method 1: Heat a deep pan with enough oil to completely submerse the shrimp. Fry until golden brown.

Method 2:

Heat the oven to 350 and place shrimp on a well oiled pan and bake until golden brown usually about 3-4 minutes. Remove from the heat and drizzle with Plum sauce. You can find Plum Sauce in the Oriental or Ethnic food section of your grocery store

Coconut Shrimp

This can be served as either an appetizer or a full meal.

Ingredients:

2 lbs. jumbo shrimp or prawns deveined, boiled and cooled
1 cup evaporated milk
2 eggs
1 loaf unseasoned bread crumbs
1/2 cup sweetened, shredded coconut
1 tsp seasoning salt
1 1/2 tsp Shrimp/seafood seasoning
Peanut Oil to cover shrimp half way up in pan

Directions:

Add seasoning salt to bread crumbs and set aside for a few hours. Beat eggs well in a small bowl. Combine bread crumbs and coconut in a mixing bowl. Place shrimp in evaporated milk, then beaten eggs, then crumb, egg mixture a second time, then coconut mixture.

Fry until golden brown. Cooking time: about 20 minutes. Serve immediately over your favorite rice.

Baked Stuffed Clams for a Party

Having been born and raised in New England on the coast of Connecticut, baked stuffed clams were nearly an every weekend part of a party meal.



Ingredients:

50 Large clams (Quahogs or cherrystones are best)
3 Lbs butter
2 ½ Loaves of stale bread broken into cubes or crumbs
4-6 finely diced onions
½ cup diced pimentos
1 1/2 tsp paprika
¼ cup parsley flakesor freshly chopped Italian parsley
1 TBS McCormick Seafood Seasoning
1/3 Cup Dry Vermouth
4 eggs

Steam clams for 30-minutes; clean and dice. Simmer butter, onion, parsley, and seasoning for 15-minutes. Pour over bread and chopped clams in a separate large bowl. Add eggs, paprika, vermouth and pimento. Blend thoroughly and stuff into half-shells leveling to the top of each shell. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until butter starts to ooze out and the crust is a light brown. Be SURE to use a pan with sides so the butter won’t get all over the oven.

These can be frozen and reheated.

For a smaller quantity to feed 6, (four halves each) use the following:

12 Large Clams
3 Sticks butter
2/3 Loaf of stale bread
1 ½ diced onion
1 Egg
2 TBS parsley flakes
1 tsp seafood seasoning
1/8 cup diced pimento
½ tsp paprika

Follow the same baking instructions

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Raspberry-Toasted Coconut Muffins©

Ingredients:

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter at room temperature
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon Malibu White Rum with Coconut•
2 cups AP flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 tsp Instant Yeast (dissolved in water)
1 TBS water for yeast
1 cup buttermilk
1/3 Cup Toasted Coconut flakes
3/4 Cup Dried Raspberries Coarsely Chopped
Corn Starch
Cinnamon/Sugar MixtureButter for Muffin Tin

Procedure:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Grease or line muffin tins.

In a medium bowl cream together butter and sugar. Add eggs one at a time, making sure the eggs are fully incorporated. Stir in the rum.

Sift dry ingredients together into a separate bowl. Add dry ingredients alternately with buttermilk in several additions, stirring just until combined. Add the toasted coconut. Add dissolved yeast.

Coat the raspberries with corn starch before adding so they won't sink to the bottom of the muffin tin. Scoop the batter into prepared tins. Sprinkle with cinnamon/sugar if desired and place in oven. Immediately turn oven temperature up to 400 degrees and bake for 25 minutes for standard muffins, 15 - 20 minutes for mini muffins; 25-minutes for Texas sized muffins. Cool for at least 5 minutes before removing from pan. Yield: 12 standard muffins, 24 mini muffins, or 6 Texas sized

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Sourdough English Muffins

I don't know of anyone who doesn't like a nice English muffin slathered with butter and jam. These are not difficult to make, and the pleasure derived is long lasting.







Ingredients:

½ cup sourdough starter, fed
¼ cup WW flour
2 1/2 cups AP flour
1 cup bottled water
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
2 tbsp sugar
cornmeal

Procedure:

Once the starter is fed, mix up the dough and let it sit covered overnight. You don’t have to worry about overdeveloping the sourdough flavor because the baking soda will neutralize some of it, leaving just the right amount of sourness in your muffins.

The major change in this recipe, aside from using some whole wheat flour (1/4 cup) was to replace the milk the original recipe called for with water so as to ensure you get the rather coarse, open texture for English muffins.

If you have only a small biscuit cutter – say 2” rather than a 3-inch round, you may need to cook for an extra minute or two per side and you will probably get fewer than the 20 or so that this recipe calls for with the 2” cutter. They taste fantastic.

They will be a bit doughy when hot off the grill, but like most yeast breads, their texture stabilizes once allowed to cool for a few minutes (they cool quickly).

Combine starter with 2 cups of flour and 1 cup of water. Stir thoroughly, cover with plastic wrap and let sit out overnight (about 7-10 hours). In the morning, add the baking soda, salt, sugar to the dough and gradually add the remaining flour, 2 tablespoons at a time, until the dough looses its stickiness.

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and roll until about ½- 3/4 inch thick. Use a lightly floured biscuit cutter and cut the dough into as many rounds as possible. Place rounds on an ungreased baking sheet, covered with cornmeal. Sprinkle the tops of the muffins with cornmeal and leave them to rise, covered with a clean tea towel, for about 45 minutes. Here, you can use English muffin rings if you want. (Available through the King Arthur Flour catalog.)

Heat a lightly oiled or nonstick skillet over high heat until very hot, then reduce the temperature to medium/medium high.Cook the muffins for about 5 minutes on each side, turning only once. The muffins will reach a light or medium brown (turn down the temperature slightly if they cook too quickly) on both the top and the bottom when they are cooked through.

Before the first flip, the sides of the muffin will start to look dry, like the edges of a pancake, when they are ready to be turned. You can peek at the underside, too. Cool completely before storing.

Rum Pudding Cake

This delicious dessert is quick and easy to make, and will satisfy the lustiest of sweets lovers.

Ingredients:

9” Spring form Pan

2 7-ounce packages of anise-flavored sponge biscuits
¼ cup rum
4 cups whole milk
½ cup sour cream
1 package instant vanilla pudding (*)
1 package instant chocolate pudding(*)
1 cup heavy cream

Instructions:

Sprinkle one side of the biscuits with rum. Arrange one package of the biscuits flat side down in the pan, packed as tightly as possible. Crumble the remaining biscuits from the first package to fill spaces between the biscuits in the pan.

Mix 2 cups milk and the sour cream until well-blended. Stir in the vanilla pudding until very smooth. Allow to partially set, then pour and smooth over the biscuit layer.

Arrange the remaining package of the biscuits – flat side down – over the pudding. Crumble remaining biscuits to fill spaces.

Mix chocolate pudding with remaining milk in a medium size bowl following manufacturer’s directions. Allow to partially set, then pour and smooth over biscuits. Cover pan with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

Loosen cake around edges with knife, and carefully remove side of pan, leaving cake on the pan bottom.

Whip heavy cream until stiff. Spoon into pastry bag; pipe whipped cream around the cake bottom and top edge of the cake.

Serve with a demitasse of espresso.

(*) You can always make homemade pudding here, but the boxed instant pudding is quicker.

Stir Fried Curried Chicken©

This is a fairly quick recipe to make and it is very rewarding. It does require a little pre-planning, as you will need to toast the coconut flakes in the oven.

1 WOK

Ingredients

2 Boneless/Skinless Chicken Breasts Partially Frozen and Cubed
3 TBS peanut Oil

1 Cup Rice
1 TBS Dried Onion Flakes
1 Package Onion Soup

½ Cup Raisins
½ Cup REAL Bacon Bits (Fry bacon to crisp and drain on paper towels then break up)
½ Cup Crushed Spanish Peanuts
½ Cup Shredded, Toasted Coconut Flakes
½ Cup Dried Bananas
½ Cup Dried Apples
¾ Cup Indian (Bengali) Chutney (Mangoes-Papaya)
4 Hard Boiled and Chopped Eggs

White Sauce

2 TBS Peanut Oil
2 TBS Butter
1 TBS Curry Powder
1 Cup Milk

Instructions

In a medium pan, add 3 TBS peanut oil, and sauté cubed chicken. In the WOK, add rice, dried onions, and the onion soup mix; cover the rice with water and cover the WOK. Turn to high and bring to a boil. Stir when it first comes to a boil. Reduce heat to the lowest possible setting and let steam for 15-minutes.

When rice is almost done cooking, make the white sauce. Melt the butter, remove from heat and whisk in the flour and the curry powder. When well blended and pasty, add milk. Return to heat and whisk until thickened. Add more milk if necessary.

Add remaining ingredients to the rice along with the white sauce. Stir well and serve immediately.

If you prefer, you can always make a clear sauce by using one can of chicken broth and enough corn starch and water to thicken it.

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Blistering Hot, Nuclear Chicken Wings

2-3 Lbs Chicken wings (Drumettes are best)
1 12-Ounce Bottle Louisiana Hot Sauce
1 Stick butter

4 - 6 Habanero Peppers liquified in blender(*)





Melt butter on low. Add the Louisiana hot sauce and mix well. Stir in liquified habanero.

Deep fat fry wings. and drain on paper towels. When wings are fully cooked, place in pan and cover with foil. Place in 200 degree oven to keep warm.

Pour sauce over wings.

(*) You can use jalapeno peppers if you don't like the heat from the habaneros.

HAVE ICE CREAM ON HAND FOR THE NEXT DAY!!

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Cranberry-Walnut Muffins

Muffins are great anytime of day. These will carry you through mid-morning, and to break time. OR - have them mid-morning, and they will carry you to lunch.








1 Stick Butter at Room Temperature
1 Cup Sugar
2 Eggs at room temp
½ tsp Orange extract
½ tsp Almond extract
2 Cups All Purpose flour
1 tsp Sea Salt
1 tsp Baking soda
1 tsp Baking powder
1 Cup Buttermilk
½ cup chopped or crushed walnuts
½ cup chopped dried cranberries


Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar. Add eggs one at a time being sure they are well blended. Stir in the extracts.

Sift the dry ingredients into a separate bowl.

Add dry ingredients alternately with the buttermilk until just combined. Do NOT over mix. Blend in the berries and nuts. If too dry, add more buttermilk or regular milk to get a pourable batter.

Spoon the batter into buttered muffin tins. Sprinkle cinnamon and sugar over the batter. The yield here will be 12-standard muffins; 24-mini-muffins; or, 6-Texas sized muffins. Fill muffin tins to 2/3 each.

Turn oven to 400-degrees. Bake for approximately 25 minutes. Cool for 15-minutes before removing from muffin tins.
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Green Chili with Pork in Bread Bowls

A delightfully tasty meal that can be as mild or hot as you like.


2 Lbs Pork Tenderloin 3/4 inch diced
1 1/2 Cup Flour
2 TBS Powered Cumin
1 TBS Garlic powder
1 tsp Ground black pepper
1/2 Cup vegetable oil
1 Can Chicken Broth
1 Can Beef Broth
1 Can Chopped Green chilies
5-10 Slices of jalapeno or habanero peppers that have been coarsely diced
1 TBS jalapeno juice or habanero vinegar

Mix flour, cumin, garlic powder, black pepper in a zip lock bag. Add diced pork and shake so all the pork is well covered. Add vegetable oil to large pot, and bring to very hot. Add floured pork, and brown. Save the flour. Add broths to pot, and the remaining ingredients. Simmer for several hours. The heat must be VERY low, or the mix will Burn or stick to the bottom of the pan.

After an hour of simmering, mix the remaining flour with hot water, stir to make a paste, and add to the pork. Continue to simmer for another hour to have the flavors absorb into the pork mixture. This will be a very thick mixture, so be sure to keep the heat on the lowest setting possible. Add water if necessary.

Serve this in a bowl or in a bread bowl which is absolutely delicious. We made a French sourdough bread bowl recently and used that. If you bake the bread bowls in a greased chili bowl - normally 5" - 6" in diameter by 3" x 4" deep, then scoop them out - this works perfectly.

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Marinated Mushrooms- Crock Pot

Marinated Mushrooms are a delicious side dish to any beef dinner.








1 Lb. Large Mushrooms
1 Stick Butter
1 Cup Water
3 TBS Beef Base Paste (LeGout is best)
1 Cup Burgundy Wine
2 Garlic Cloves-Crushed
1 ½ Tsp Oregano
1 ½ Tsp Parsley
½ Large onion diced
1 ½ Tsp Thyme
2 TBS Olive oil
Dash of Worcester sauce

Thoroughly rinse mushrooms and drain; once drained, add to crock pot. Melt butter in medium sauce pan and add remaining ingredients. Bring to simmer. Pour over mushrooms. Simmer on low for 4-6 hours. Drain mushrooms and serve over marinated roast beef slices with rice. These are great with prime rib as a side dish.

Broccoli (or asparagus) Cheese Soup ©

If you enjoy cheese or cream soups, this is the ultimate. It will serve at least 4 guests, and in all liklihood, they will come back for seconds. Have a few copies of this recipe available because your guests will want a copy. We developed the recipe while living in Colorado, and have given out hundreds of recipe copies since 1979. It's a lot of work and many steps to make this, but you will be well rewarded. Try this once... I can guarantee you will make it over and over again. If you have any questions, please leave a comment.

5 TBS butter
2 Large Onions Diced
¼ tsp Fresh Ground Pepper
½ tsp Dried Thyme
1 TBS Sugar
¾ Cup Sweet White Wine
3 Cups Chicken Stock
2 Cups water
3 TBS Flour
1 ½ Cups Milk
½ Cup Heavy Cream
¼ tsp Dry Mustard Powder
1/8 tsp Nutmeg
Dash of Cayenne Pepper
½ Lb. Grated Jarlsberg Cheese
¼ Lb. Gruyere cheese
1 Bunch Broccoli (or you can use asparagus)
4 Celery Sticks

In a large flame-proof casserole dish, melt 2-TBS butter over moderately high heat. Add the diced onions, black pepper, thyme, and sugar. Reduce the heat to low, place a cut circle of waxed paper over the top of the onions and cover tightly with a lid. Simmer (removing and replacing waxed paper) stirring occasionally until the onions are very soft – about 1-hour and 15-minutes.

Remove the cover and the waxed paper and increase heat to moderate. Cook until the onions are golden brown – about 15-minutes.

Add the wine and bring to a slow boil until reduced by ½ - about 5-minutes. Add the chicken stock and 2-cups of water. Bring to a boil and simmer for 15-minutes.

In a large saucepan, melt the remaining 3-TBS butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook while whisking for 2-minutes without browning. If it starts to brown, remove from heat and continue whisking. Add the milk, cream, dry mustard, nutmeg, and cayenne pepper and bring to a boil. Boil while continuously whisking for 2-minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the cheeses until smooth.

Scrape the cheese mixture into the hot soup; add the broccoli and cook until crisp-tender – about 8-minutes. Stir in the diced celery and cook until heated through – about three minutes.

Serve with hot, French bread or baguettes right from the oven.

Veal Scallopini with Mushrooms

Ingredients:

4 Veal Scallopini
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 ½ oz fresh sliced mushrooms
salt & pepper to taste
1/3 cup heavy cream

Directions:

Heat the butter and oil in a heavy skillet and brown the Scallopini on both sides. Remove and keep warm. Add mushrooms, stirring in the skillet and cook for 10-12 minutes on low heat. Season. Drain the cooking fat and replace with cream. Stir on high heat for 2-3 minutes to deglaze the bottom of the skillet. Pour sauce over the Scallopini and serve immediately. Serve with: Pasta, tomatoes provencales and REAL garlic bread

Recipe source (Veal Appeal Recipe Booklet) For many more exciting veal recipes, go to www.vealrecipes.com

Italian Grinder

The true Italian Grinder originated in the states at a small Italian grocery store and deli on the north end of Shaw Street in New London, CT. in the late 1940's. The shop was run by the Christophers, and Ernie Christopher made THE BEST grinder available anywhere. Right around the corner - a half block away - on Bank Street was an Italian bakery, so it was a natural fit.

It's an easy sandwich to make, but you need the best ingredients available.

Ingredients:

1 Loaf fresh Italian Bread
6-8 slices of imported Genoa salami (can also use prosciutto)
6-8 slices of imported Provolone Cheese
Sliced Tomato
Shredded Lettuce
Grinder Salt (*)
Fresh Ground Pepper

Slice bread in half lengthwise. Drizzle or spritz each half with olive oil. Place slices of salami on one of the halves, and the sliced tomatoes on top of the salami slices. Top with the slices of provolone cheese, followed by the shredded lettuce. Salt and pepper the lettuce, followed by another drizzling or spritzing of olive oil. Close and slice in half.

Do NOT use American cheese

(*) Grinder salt is a blend of sea salt, onion powder and lots of garlic powder

Veal Oscar

Veal is probably the most delicate tasting meat in the world. In every household, meals are often designed around meat. The average American family serves meat at least once a day. This is not surprising because meat and deli-meat provide important nutrients. Among the different types of meat, veal holds a special place. Veal is a delicacy with a fine structure. Veal is tender, lean, mellow in taste and contains important minerals and vitamins. In addition to its aesthetic appeal, veal is important because of its high nutritional value, easy digestibility and a good alternative when keeping an eye on calories. This recipe is posted courtesy of http://www.vealrecipes.com Many more wonderful veal recipes can be found at this web site.

The preparation of this classic meal is somewhat time-consuming. So, give yourself the better part of an afternoon to complete every task. There’s no need to rush and the reward of this meal well done is worth the effort.

4 servings

Ingredients


1 lb of delft blue milk fed veal tenderloin (450g) (Center cut and totally cleaned)
4- 4 oz portions (4 X 122g)
1½ lb of queen crab legs (670g)
(8 oz of meat once removed from shells) (225g) 4- 2 oz portions ( 4 X 56g)
kosher salt
ground fresh white pepper
canola oil for sauté pan

Rosti Potato

2 large Yukon gold potatoes
kosher salt
fresh white ground pepper
4 oz clarified butter (122g)

Vegetables

1 lb asparagus (450g)
¾ lb baby carrots (340g)
1 leek
kosher salt

Foie Gras Hollandaise

3 egg yolks
½ lemon juiced
3 tablespoons water (45g)
4 oz clarified butter (112g)
4 oz foie gras (cubed) (112g)
kosher salt
ground fresh white pepper

Directions

Rosti Potato:

Have a fry pan large enough for 4 potato rosti (4”-5” in diameter) (10-12cm) on a medium high heat. Peel and grate potato into a bowl. Season with salt and pepper and mix well. Add clarified butter to hot pan and using ring mould add potatoes and press into rounds approximately ½ inch thick. (12mm)

Cook until golden brown on both sides approximately 4-5 minutes per side and remove to a parchment lined baking sheet.

These may be made up to an hour in advance and left at room temperature or a day ahead and refrigerated. They are, however, best made just prior to serving. If making ahead, preheat oven to 350ºF (176ºC) and bake room temperature potatoes for approximately 20 minutes or until hot.

Vegetables:

Have a medium sauce pan of boiling salted water ready.

Trim asparagus and blanch approximately 45 seconds to 1 minute. Immediately immerse in ice bath.

Blanch carrots approximately 2 minutes and immediately remove to ice bath.

Slice 4 strips of leeks, to tie the asparagus bundles, approximately 6” long (15cm). Blanch for about 5 seconds and remove to ice bath.

Tie the asparagus into 4 bundles. Finish cleaning the carrots with a paring knife where you have missed with the peeler.

The vegetables may be prepared up to a day in advance and kept in the fridge.
Reheat on baking sheet in the oven.

Veal Tenderloin:

Slit a hole in center of veal (lengthwise) and stuff with the crabmeat.

Preheat sauté pan on medium high heat. Season veal all around with salt and white pepper.
Add oil to pan and when hot, place veal into pan and let brown approximately 1 minute then turn ¼ turn and repeat until veal is browned on all 4 sides. The veal should release easily each turn if the pan is hot enough and it is properly seared.

In a preheated 375ºF (190ºC) oven put potatoes on bottom rack. Bake for 15 minutes while preparing the hollandaise. Turn potatoes over and add pan of veal, the carrots and asparagus to the oven while making hollandaise. After approximately 8-10 minutes veal should be about med-rare. Remove from oven and let rest approximately 4-5 minutes. You can leave vegetables in oven to keep warm. Turn oven off.

Foie Gras Hollandaise

Preheat medium sauté pan on medium high heat. Season foie gras with salt and white pepper and put into pan. Stir foie and immediately; remove pan from heat. Continue stirring until foie is golden brown and rendered. Transfer to another container and keep warm.

Over a double boiler on medium heat, in a stainless steel bowl whisk egg yolks, lemon and water. Whisk vigorously (do not stir) so as to incorporate air as you would to whip cream. When yolks are thick and tripled in volume – remove from heat and while still over double boiler, slowly whisk in clarified butter then slowly whisk in foie gras oil and chunks. Pass this mixture through a fine sieve and adjust seasoning. Serve immediately.

Put rosti on plate, top with crab stuffed veal tenderloin and place carrots and asparagus on either side of potato. Spoon sauce over part of the veal and shave fresh truffles over the sauce.

Amish Strawberry Pie

Anymore, most of the larger supermarket produce sections carry fresh strawberries nearly year round - or close to it.

The Amish use a lot of sugar and also use lots of honey, because many of the Amish farms have their own hives.

This pie is one of the best you'll ever eat if you like strawberry pie. The combination of honey and the tapioca powder as a thickening agent makes for a rave review.

This recipe is for a single crust pie.

Ingredients:


1/2 cup sugar (omit if using the cook type sweetened tapioca pudding powder)
2/3 cup honey
1/2 cup Tapioca powder
1/2 cup water
1 pound strawberries, washed, hulled, and sliced
1 tablespoon butter

Assembly:

Combine sugar, honey and strawberries; let stand for a few hours, until juicy. Drain juices off; transfer to saucepan, and bring to a boil. Mix together the water, butter, and tapioca. Add to the strawberry juice mixture; continue cooking, covered, over low heat for 2 minutes.

Cool slightly and stir in strawberries. Pour into baked pie shell and chill thoroughly so as to have the pie filling thicken. Top with whipped or your favirite topping. (Ice cream is a great finish for this pie.) Keep leftovers covered and in refrigerator - that is if there is any. :-)

Weiner Schnitzle

Kalbfleisch ist wunderbar! !!! Veal is wonderful - AND - very expensive, but if you can afford to treat yourself once or twice a year, do it!! Serve on a hoagie roll, or with spaetzle (dumplings or German noodles.)


INGREDIENTS:

4 veal cutlets, about 6-ounces each
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 egg, beaten
1/4 cup dry bread crumbs
Juice of 1 small lemon
Salt and pepper to taste
Oil for frying


DIRECTIONS:

Pound veal to about 1/4-inch thick. Pat dry.
Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place flour and
bread crumbs on individual plates or waxed
paper. Dip the cutlets first into the flour,
then the beaten egg and finally, the bread
crumbs. Place on baking rack and set in
refrigerator for 15 to 30 minutes. This helps
the coating adhere when frying.

Pour enough oil into a large heavy skillet to
come about 1/4-inch up the sides. Heat over
medium-high. When oil is hot, add veal cutlets,
in batches of 2 if necessary, do not to crowd
the pan. Fry until golden brown, about 4
minutes per side, turning once. Place on
platter, sprinkle with lemon juice and keep
warm.


German Noodle Dumplings Spaetzle

Spaetzle is a very popular side dish in Germany which is surprisingly almost never offered in the U.S. A delicious part of a evening's hearty meal, it pairs well with any meat, but is especially nice with sauerbraten and/or a veal dish. While spaetzle looks more like scrambled noodles, the preparations are similar to those of dumplings. This recipe is an easy one.

Ingredients:

2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup milk
1 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt black pepper

We're hoping you know how to prepare and cook the dough.

Thick Egg Noodles

For those of you who like nice, thick egg noodles, this is the ticket. They can be shaped or formed any way that pleases you.











6 eggs
3 Tbsp. oil
6 Tbsp. milk
3/4 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. baking powder
4 1/2 cups flour


Put eggs and other liquids in bowl. Whip; add dry ingredients. Blend and knead. Roll with noodle cutter, pasta cutter, or can be hand cut with a knife. Let noodles dry for about 1/2 - 1 hour. Package and freeze or use what ever you need immediately.

I made this in a bread machine, then wrapped the dough in waxed paper and chilled for an hour. You can always cut this recipe in half for a normal family meal. The noodles are thick and go a long way. They are wonderful with chicken or beef and gravy.

Peach Cake

This is a great eye-opener with early morning coffee.







Filling

3 large Peaches (canned will work here if drained and dried & diced)(Save syrup if canned)
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/8 tsp ginger

Batter

3 cups flour
1 ½ TBS baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 cup oil
2 c sugar
4 eggs
¼ c peach syrup
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp almond extract

Peel and cube the peaches for the filling; add and stir in the cinnamon, ginger and sugar.

Mix the flour, baking powder and salt together in a mixing bowl. In separate bowl, beat the oil and sugar for 3 or 4 minutes until it is creamy.

In yet another bowl, beat the eggs until light and lemony colored; add the syrup and the vanilla. Mix well and add it to the sugar and oil, beating thoroughly. Add the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients and fold together.

A tube pan works well here because it is tall and the cake will rise very nicely.

Butter the tube pan then dust with flour or confectioner’s sugar. Pour half of the batter into the pan, then add the peach mixture. Add the second half of the batter. Bake for about 50-55 minute at 325F. or until a metal or bamboo kabob skewer comes out clean.

Cool before cutting.

Of course, you can always use apples rather than peaches if you prefer. The process is the same.

Venison Recipes

For those readers here who like venison like we do, here's a few proven recipes that are good anytime of year.

If you would like to see more venison recipes, send a comment. We have TONS of wilderness recipes from the mountains of Utah, Colorado, Wyoming, Idaho, Montana, and Alaska.

Country-Fried Venison

1 1/2 lb (3/4" thick) venison
1 Cup All-purpose flour
Salt and pepper
1/4 tsp Seasoned salt
4 TBS Bacon drippings
2 clove Garlic; minced
4 Cups Water
1/3 c All-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp Bottled brown bouquet sauce
1 medium Onion; thinly sliced
1/2 lb Fresh mushrooms; sliced
Hot cooked rice

Prepare venison by trimming all fat and removing connective tissues. Cut meat into serving-size pieces, and pound each piece to 1/4-inch to 1/2-inch thickness. Combine 1 cup flour, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/8 teaspoon pepper, and seasoned salt; dredge the venison in flour mixture.
Heat 1 tablespoon bacon drippings in a large, heavy skillet; add garlic, and saute until golden. Remove garlic, and set aside. Add remaining bacon drippings to skillet; cook venison until it is lightly browned on both sides. Remove from skillet, and set aside.

Gradually stir about 1/2 cup water into 1/3 cup flour; mix until smooth, and add the remaining water. Stir flour mixture into pan drippings; cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened. Stir in bouquet sauce, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper.
Return venison and garlic to skillet; reduce heat. Cover and simmer 30 minutes. Add onion; cover and simmer 15 minutes. Add mushrooms; cover and simmer 15 minutes. Serve over rice.

Country Style Venison Stew

1/2 lb Bacon or 1/4 Lb salt pork
2 lb Venison steak
4 TBS Flour
6 cup Water or beef stock
1 large Tomato, chopped
2 medium Carrots, sliced
2 medium Stalks celery, sliced
2 medium Potatoes, in 1" cubes
1 Dozen small white onions
1 tb Chopped parsley
1 c green peas
Salt and pepper to taste

Cut bacon into 1" cubes and saute in large saucepan until lightly browned. Remove and set aside. Cut venison into 1 1/2 or 2" pieces and brown over high heat in 4 T bacon drippings. Stir in flour. Lower heat and let brown 2-3 minutes, stirring several times. Add liquid and let it simmer 1 hour or more until venison begins to get tender, add more liquid as necessary.

Add all the other ingredients, except peas, and continue to simmer to make a thick stew. Simmer peas in a separate pan until done. Strain and spoon over or around stew when served. Great accompanied by buttered corn muffins or biscuits, and a salad

Steak Scapolo

Are you into the 'sizzle' or the steak? This recipe is definately a keeper!! We have it maybe twice a year because the price of a Porterhouse or T-Bone steak is prohibitive. It is best cooked OUTSIDE on a superhot, high flame propane grill in a cast iron skillet. You can do it inside if you have a real high suction hood vent that vents to the outside.



Ingredients:

1 1/2 - 2 Lb thick Porterhouse or T-Bone steak
1 TBS Brown Mustard
3 TBS water
1 TBS butter
1 TBS Olive oil
Cumin
Garlic Salt
Pepper
Gin
2+ TBS Heavy Cream



Instructions:

Mix mustard and water. Brush mixture on one side of the steak. Sprinkle on garlic salt. pepper, and cumin; pierce the steak every half-inch with a meat fork. In the meantime, melt the butter and add the olive oil.

Turn flame to as high as it will go. Place skillet with the oil and butter on the flame until it smokes and the skillet is VERY hot. Brown one side of the steak. Remove steak from pan . Reheat pan to smoking again; brown second side of steak. While the steak is cooking on the second side and still smoking, pour in the gin. BE VERY CAREFUL HERE BECAUSE THE PAN WILL FLAME UP AND FURTHER SEAR THE STEAK SURFACE!!! Reduce heat and cook the steak to your preference of doneness.

When cooked to your liking, remove the steak, add heavy cream and whisk constantly until you have a thick sauce.

We generally serve this with linguini, a salad or antipasto (both posted here) and garlic bread, but it can be served with just about anything you want. Pour sauce over steak and pasta.

Stir Fy Pumpkin

Many people may not realize that pumpkin, or any seasonal gourd, is an ingredient in many Thai recipes. This recipe works best with good old American halloween-style field pumpkin.



Ingredients:

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic
1 cup finely-chopped pork (or other meat or tofu)
1.5 cup bite-size pieces of peeled pumpkin
2 eggs
1 tablespoon oyster sauce can use vegetarian if you prefer
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
1 tablespoon Golden Mountain seasoning sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 cup chicken stock or vegetable stock
1/2 cup 2 inch length green onion

MethodHeat the oil in a wok until very hot. Add garlic, stir-fry until golden brown. Add meat or tofu and saute until cooked. Add pumpkin, stock, oyster sauce, soy sauce, seasoning sauce and sugar. Stir together and cover for 3 minutes or until pumpkin is almost done. Break the eggs into the wok and stir, add green onion, remove from heat and serve with fresh steamed jasmine rice.

Ricotta Pie With Figs

Figs and ricotta are a delicious combination

1/4 c Dried figs; chopped to 1/4" pieces
1-2 TBS Brandy
5 Egg whites
2 Cups Ricotta cheese
1 tsp Lemon zest
1 tsp Orange zest
1 cup Brown sugar
A pinch of cinnamon
A pinch of ground cardomon
1 baked 10 inch pie crust - only half baked

In a small bowl combine the figs and brandy. Microwave on full power uncovered until the brandy has been absorbed and the figs are fragrant, about 1 minute.

Combine the egg whites, ricotta, zests and sugar in the bowl of a food processor with steel blade and run until creamy smooth. Pour into the pie shell, then gently spoon in the figs. Many of the figs will sink and that's okay. Dust the chopped figs in flour and that will help the sinking issue a little. Bake in the middle of a preheated 375 degree oven until set, about 50 minutes. Chill before serving

Andouille Sausage - Po' Boys

Cajun food has always been popular, and has recently had a revival. If you like sausage, you should think about buying a meat grinder with the sausage stuffing tubes - that is, if you don't already have one. These sausages combined with toasted, homemade Hoagie Rolls provide an excellent lunch or tailgate party food.


1 1/2 each yards large sausage casing,
1 about 2-3 inches wide
4 lb lean fresh pork
2 lb pork fat
3 1/3 tbsp finely minced garlic
2 tbsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/8 tsp cayenne
1/8 tsp chili powder
1/8 tsp mace
1/8 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1 tbsp paprika
1/4 tsp ground bay leaf
1/4 tsp sage 5
1 liquid hickory smoke


Soak the casing about an hour in cold water to soften it and to
loosen the salt in which it is packed. Cut into 3 foot lengths, then
place the narrow end of the sausage stuffer in one end of the casing.
Place the wide end of the stuffer up against the sink faucet and run
cold water through the inside of the casing to remove any salt.

(Roll up the casing you do not intend to use; put about 2 inches of coarse
salt in a large jar, place the rolled up casing on it, then fill the
rest of the jar with salt. Close tightly and refrigerate for later
use.)

Cut the meat and fat into chunks about 1/2 inch across and pass once
through the coarse blade of the meat grinder. Combine the pork with
the remaining ingredients in a large bowl and mix well with a wooden
spoon. You'll get the most flavor if you refrigerate the mix overnight in the refrigerator.

Cut the casings into 26 inch lengths and stuff as follows: Tie
a knot (double granny or square knot) in each piece of casing about 2 inches from one end. Fit the open end over the tip of the sausage stuffer and slide it to about 1
inch from the wide end. Push the rest of the casing onto the stuffer
until the top touches the knot. (The casing will look like
accordian folds on the stuffer.)

Fit the stuffer onto the meat grinder as directed on the instructions that come with the machine, or hold the wide end of the stuffer against or over the opening by
hand. Fill the hopper with stuffing. Turn the machine on if it is
electric and feed the stuffing gradually into the hopper; for a
manual machine, push the stuffing through with a wooden or plastic pestle. The
sausage casing will fill and inflate gradually. Stop filling about 1
1/4 inches from the funnel end and slip the casing off the funnel,
smoothing out any bumps carefully with your fingers and being careful
not to push the stuffing out of the casing. Tie off the open end of
the sausage tightly with a piece of string or make a knot in the
casing itself. Repeat until all the stuffing is used up.

If there are any air pockets in the stuffed casing, poke the air pocket with a needle and gently squeeze the air out.

Hoagie Rolls:

Dough Ingredients:


2 ½ cups Unbleached, high gluten bread flour
1 2/3 tsp non-iodized salt
1 TBS sugar
1 tsp instant yeast
1 tsp diastatic barley malt powder
1 TBS olive oil
7-8 Ounces milk
8 Oz Pate fermentee
Semolina flour or cornmeal for dusting
Stick butter
Use only 8 Ounces (half) the pate dough, freeze the other half

Instructions:

Pate fermentee should be at room temperature.

With a wooden spoon, stir together the flour, salt, sugar, yeast and malt powder in your largest mixer bowl. Add the olive oil, and water. Mix until it forms a ball, adding flour and/or water according to need. Mix on medium speed with dough hooks until you get a dough that passes the ‘windowpane’ test, is slightly tacky, and soft, but not too stiff.

Knead for 10-minutes on floured counter, or 6-minutes in mixer bowl with dough hooks. Lightly oil a large bowl and transfer the dough to the bowl. Roll the dough in the bowl several times so it is coated with the oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Let it ferment/rise until double in size. Because of the small amount of yeast used, the rising will take about 3-4 hours. DO NOT increase the amount of yeast.

Once doubled in size, add the 8-Oz of pate fermentee. Knead the pate into the raised dough, adding flour as necessary to get a silky, yet fairly stiff, flexible dough. Lightly dust with flour and return to bowl and let rise to double once again. This rising should take no more than 45-minutes.

Divide into either four or six equal pieces, depending on how large you want the rolls. Let the pieces rest for 10 minutes. Roll and shape into hoagie shaped rolls - about 8” long by 3” wide by 2 inches thick (for 4-roll.) The roll ends should be blunted, not pointed so you have a rectangular shaped creation.

Place the shaped rolls on a sheet pan that is lined with parchment paper, lightly oiled, and dusted with semolina flour or cornmeal. Spray tops of rolls lightly with olive oil. Cover loosely with plastic wrap, and let rise to one and one half the original size.

Turn on oven and set to 500F. making sure there is an empty steam pan in the oven. Score the rolls with two horizontal slashes. Pour four cups of water in the steam pan, and spray the walls of the oven with water. Place the rolls in the oven. After 30 seconds, spray the oven walls again and quickly close the oven door. Repeat spraying again after another 30 seconds. After the final spray, lower the oven temperature to 400, and rotate the pan 180 degrees. It should take about 15 - 20 minutes for rolls to complete baking.

When rolls are golden and cooked through, remove from oven to a cooling rack and rub the tops of the rolls with a stick of butter for a soft, golden crust.

Pate fermentee

This recipe yields approximately 16 ounces.

Pate Fermentee Ingredients

1 1/8 Cups of unbleached high gluten bread flour
1 1/8 Cups of AP flour
¾ tsp salt
½ tsp instant yeast
6-7 ounces of bottled water at room temperature

With a wooden spoon, stir together the flour, salt, sugar, yeast in your largest mixer bowl. Add the olive oil, and water. Mix until it forms a course ball, adding flour and/or water according to need. Mix on medium speed with dough hooks until you get a dough that is neither too sticky nor too stiff.

Knead for 4 to 6 minutes by hand, or 4 minutes in the mixer with the dough hooks. Dough should be soft and pliable and tacky, but not sticky.

Lightly oil a large bowl and transfer the dough to the bowl. Roll the dough in the bowl several times so it is coated with the oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Let it ferment/rise until 1 ½ times the original size.

Remove the dough from the bowl, knead it lightly to de-gas, and return it to the bowl. Cover with plastic wrap. Place the bowl in the refrigerator over night. You can keep this in the refrigerator for up to three days, or freeze in an airtight plastic bag for up to three months.

Curried Chicken Ala Dave Arnold

This recipe was given to me by Col. Dave Arnold - the son of General 'Hap" Arnold, the first general the United States Air Force ever had. The first time he made it for me some 25-years ago when I was visiting him in Sacramento, CA I couldn't believe he made it so fast, and it was absolutely exquisite. Some of the quantities are sketchy, but you can use your creative cooking abilities based on your taste preferrences.

Ingredients:

2-3 Boneless Skinless chicken breasts
Peanut oil
3/4 Cup Indian Chutney
1/2 Cup Shredded Coconut
1/2 CupRaisins
REAL Bacon bits
1/2 (+ or-) Cup crushed Spanish peanuts OR Almonds
1/2 (+ or -) CupDried banana
1/2 Cup (+ or -) Dried Apple
4 Eggs hard boiled and chopped
Rice for two large servings
1/4 Cup Dried onion flakes

White sauce

2 TBS flour
2 TBS Butter or peanut oil
1+ Cup milk
1 Heaping tsp madras curry


Procedure:

Sautee the chicken in peanut oil; let cool and cut into 1/2" cubes.

Cook rice in wok or large pan with the dried onion flakes; over rice with water - add one chicken bouillion cube to water, cover with foil, and cook until done. Add remaining ingredients, then reduce heat to very low; add a little water if necessary.

While the mixture is simmering, make white sauce with the flour and butter or peanut oil, add milk and stir until thickened. When thickened, whisk in the curry powder. Pour white sauce over chicken mixture and stir well. Serve over rice.

Raisin Cream Pie

This is a quick and easy dessert that is sure to please.


1 Cup raisins
1 Large box Vanilla Instant pudding
2 cups milk
2/3 tsp cinnamon
8oz container Cool Whip
1 TBS lemon juice
1 Cooked pie shell


Add raisins to boiling water. Let sit until they swell up. Drain raisins and let cool.
Make vanilla pudding per directions on box. Mix in cinnamon and lemon juice to
cooled pudding. Fold cool-whip into pudding mixture, then pour into pie shell.
Refrigerate until set.

Sliced Garlic-Peppercorn Italian Bread

We had this bread in Colorado a few months ago and it was outstanding. It's wonderful toasted as a garlic bread without any additional slatherings - SAVE - a spritz of quality olive oil after it has been sliced and toasted.



2 - packages fast-rising yeast (SAF quick Rise works well here)
1 - teaspoon sugar
2-1/2 - cups tepid water (110 degrees)
6-1/2 - cups good-quality unbleached bread flour (**)
1 - teaspoon salt
1 - teaspoon water
3- Garlic buds thinly sliced lengthwise
1 1/2 tsp freshly crushed peppercorns
1/2 - cup cornmeal

NOTE**

I mistakingly used AP flour, and I'm glad I did!! This was the chewiest Italian bread I have ever eaten. It was perfect - Your choice!!)

In a large mixer bowl, dissolve sugar into 1 cup of tepid (105-degree) water. Stir in yeast. Let stand until it is nice and frothy.

Add the four cups of flour. Beat mixture 10 minutes. The dough should pull away from sides of the mixing bowl.

Add salt and remaining 1-1/2 cup water. Then add the additional 2-1/2 cups of flour. Knead mixture with the dough hook of an electric mixture for five minutes. If kneading by hand, knead dough for 15 minutes. Add more water if dough becomes dry.

Add garlic and crushed peppercorns, and knead them into the dough by hand.

Grease large bowl. Put in the dough to bowl and cover with a clean towel or plastic wrap. Let the dough raise 1-1/2 hours or until double in size. In the middle of the dough, punch down and form the dough into 2 or 3 loaves. Clean a surface and spread some flour. Place loaves on floured surface and cover with towel. Let loaves rise to double in size - about 45 minutes.

Preheat oven to 450° F.

In the oven, you can add a pizza stone or bread bricks. Also, place a pan of hot water on bottom oven shelf. This gives it a nice crust.

After loaves have doubled, spread cornmeal or semolina flour on pizza stone or bread bricks. Or, you can use a greased cookie sheet thaat has been floured. Slide in loaves and bake 25 minutes or until golden brown. The loaves sound hollow when you tap a loaf. Cool the bread on metal rack.

Creamed Stuffed/Topped Apricots

Cream Stuffed Apricots (kaymakli kuru kayisi) is a Turkish delight that is sure to please most everyone's tastes. This is a simple and unusual dessert. Marscapone sweet cheese replaces the hard to find Turkish kaymak cheese. Worst case scenario, you can use cream cheese.




1 lb. dried apricots
2 1/2 C sugar
3 C water
1 tsp. lemon juice
1 lb. heavy whipped cream or marscapone
3/4 Cup grated or finely crushed pistachio nuts

Soak apricots in cold water overnight and drain.

Heat sugar and water together over medium heat for ten minutes, then add apricots. Cook until apricots are tender and syrup is formed.

Add lemon juice and remove from heat. With a perforated spoon, transfer apricots to a plate or cutting board to cool. With a spoon, half open the apricots and fill the inside with the cream or cheese. Arrange the apricots, slit side up on a platter, pour over them as much syrup as they will absorb. Garnish with the grated nuts.

Chicken Scallopini #1

This recipe is our daughters. Delicious, quick and easy :-)

4 Chicken Breasts - Sliced in half so they are about 1/2 inch thick
1/2 Cup Diced Green Onions
1 Pkg (8 oz) Mushrooms - washed and sliced
8 Tbls Butter - cut in half
1 Cup Heavy Cream
1/2 Cup White Wine
3-4 Tbls Olive Oil
1 Pkg (8 oz) Linguini - cooked Al Dente

Cook Pasta while cooking Chicken Scaloppini. When done set aside.

In large skillet heat olive oil. Sauté mushrooms until done - set aside.

Melt 1/2 the butter - sauté chicken - cook 6-8 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and golden brown on each side. Set on plate in oven (on warm).

Melt remaining butter. Sauté mushrooms and scallions together for approximately 2-3 minutes. Whisk in wine and cream and whisk gently until boiling (3-4 minutes).

Top pasta with chicken then cover with sauce. Serve with shredded parmesan.

Ocean Spray Trail Mix Cake©

The crushed almonds and cashews make this cake a real treat. It is an adaptation of the brown sugar pound cake posted here.

Ingredients:

1 cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed
1 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
1 cup sugar1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup canola or vegetable oil
5 large eggs, at room temperature
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 6 Oz package of Ocean Spray Craisins Trail Mix (peanuts removed)
1 - 1 1/2 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon rum extract

Preparation:

Crush or finely chop the cashews and almonds in the trail mix. We don't care for peanuts in cakes, so we remove them from the mix.

Preheat oven to 325F. Grease and flour or sugar a 10-inch tube pan, a 12-cup Bundt pan, or two 9" x 5" bread pans. If using bread pans, divide evenly between the two.

In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt and crushed nuts; set aside. At medium speed with an electric mixer, cream together the butter and sugars for 4 or 5 minutes, or until light and fluffy. With the mixer running at low speed, add the oil and beat until incorporated; then, beat in the eggs, one at a time(*). At low speed, add the flour mixture alternately with the milk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Beat only until ingredients are blended; do not overbeat. Fold in the crushed nuts, cranberries, and chocolate bits. Stir in the rum extract.

Pour into your prepared pan(s), and bake for 1 hour and 20 minutes. Remove cake from oven and check for doneness with a cake tester, metal skewer, or toothpick. If tester does not come out clean, bake for an additional 10 minutes, then test again. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then remove from pan and allow to cool completely.

A heavy layer of whipped cream on this cake, and a steaming cup of espresso tops it off.

Enchiladas with Creamy Green Chile Sauce

I was never a fan of Mexican food until in 1988, a Mexican National friend and co-worker of mine at a beef packing plant where we worked together introduced me to real Mexican food. His wife, Minnie, was a petite 4'11 girl who was no more than 21 years old at the time, and had the cooking experience of a 70 year old who had cooked for a living. So many recipes labeled as Mexican, are Americanized versions of what the real thing is supposed to be. I remember one day he brought in a dish for me that Minnie had made. I asked: 'What is it?' He told me. ( My spanish was weak at the time and WHOOSH, right over my head! )I then asked what's in it? He said: 'You don't want to know amigo!" I still don't know what was in it, but it matters not; it was one of the most delicious meals I ever ate. Thank you Lupe and Minnie.

WE ,HOPE YOU LIKE THIS ENCHILADA RECIPE.

Ingredients:

1 T. butter
3/4 C. chopped onion
1 large clove garlic, minced
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. ground cumin (We use LOTS more- up to 2 TBS!)
2 T. flour
1 1/2 C. chicken broth
2 cans or jars (4.5 ounces each) chopped green chiles (undrained)
vegetable oil for softening tortillas
12 corn tortillas
2 C. coarsely shredded cooked chicken
2 C. shredded Mexican-blend cheese
1 C. whipping cream
1/3 C. sliced green onions
1 can (2.5 ounces) sliced ripe olives, drained
3 roma tomatoes, seeded and chopped
Green enchilada sauce
Chopped fresh cilantro (optional)

Assembly:

In a saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Saute onion until transparent. Stir in garlic, salt and cumin. Stir in flour until well combined. Slowly stir in broth. Add chiles and stir well. Reduce heat to simmer; cook, uncovered, about 15 minutes. (Sauce can be prepared to this point, cooled and refrigerated 24 hours in advance.)

Preheat oven to 350°F. Place as many tortillas on 2 cookie sheets as will fit in a single layer. Brush lightly on both sides with vegetable oil. Bake 3 minutes to warm and soften tortillas before rolling. Stack on plate and cover with foil to keep warm while filling. Repeat until all tortillas are warmed. Combine chicken and 1/2 cup of the green chile sauce.

To fill tortillas, place 2 tablespoons chicken or pork mixture and 2 tablespoons cheese across center of each tortilla. Roll up and place seam-side-down in shallow 13 x 9 inch baking dish. Pour remaining sauce over rolled enchiladas; then pour cream evenly over entire mixture and top with remaining cheese. Sprinkle with the green onions and ripe olives. Bake, uncovered, in preheated oven for 20 minutes. Sprinkle with chopped tomatoes and cilantro, if desired, and serve.

Pour the enchilada sauce over everything when assembled.

A green chili with pork would go well with this as an additional sauce with the creamy sauce here, and the green enchilada sauce. Diced tomatoes, chopped raw onions, shredded lettuce - there is no end to what will work as an accompaniment. Enjoy :-)

Toffee Pudding Cake

An excellent, tasty dessert for the holidays.
Quick and easy.




1 ¾ cups dates, pitted and chopped
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/3 cup butter
¾ cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 1/8 cups self-rising flour
¾ cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup butter
2/3 cup evaporated milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 tsp almond extract
1 ½ cups boiling water to cover


Preheat oven to 350° F. In a small bowl combine the dates and baking soda. Pour enough boiling water over the dates to just cover them.

Cream ¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon of the butter with the white sugar until light. Beat in the eggs and mix well to combine.

Add the flour and date mixture (including water) to the egg mixture and fold to combine. Pour the batter into one 8 inch round baking pan.Bake at 350° F for 30 to 40 minutes. Let cool, slice and serve with warm caramel sauce.

To Make Caramel Sauce: In a small saucepan combine the brown sugar, evaporated milk, vanilla and ¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon butter. Cook over medium heat and bring to boil. Turn heat down and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionallyWhen thickened, add 1/4 tsop almond extract. Serve immediately.

A scoop on vanilla ice cream would the extra added attraction

Italian Venison or Beef Soup

The cold weather is on its way and that signals soup season. This recipe works best with venison, but you can substitute beef or lamb. Ingredients: 1 Lb ground venison (you can use beef or lamb) 1 Onion Chopped 1 14.5 Oz. can stewed tomatoes 2 8 Oz Cans of tomato sauce 3 Cups of water 1 TBS minced garlic 2 TBS dried basil 2 TBS dried oregano 1 tsp salt 1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper 1 15 Oz can pinto beans 1 15 Oz can green beans 1 carrot chopped 1 Zucchini chopped ½ (8 OZ) package ziti pasta 1 Lb ground venison (you can use beef or lamb) 1 Onion Chopped 1 14.5 Oz. can stewed tomatoes 2 8 Oz Cans of tomato sauce 3 Cups of water 1 TBS minced garlic 2 TBS dried basil 2 TBS dried oregano 1 tsp salt 1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper 1 15 Oz can pinto beans 1 15 Oz can green beans 1 carrot chopped 1 Zucchini chopped ½ (8 OZ) package ziti pasta Brown venison, onion, and garlic over medium heat Until meat is no longer pink. Add tomatoes, tomato sauce, Water and spices. Brimg to a boil, then simmer for About 30-monutes Stir in beans, carrots, and zucchini. Simmer for about 90-minutes Add pasta and cook until tender. Top individual servings With grated Parmesan or Romano and serve.

La piedra marinada gallinas de Cornualles

Marinated Rock Cornish Hens are a delicious treat if you like poultry - who doesn’t? And it takes only about 45 minutes to an hour to prepare this meal (after marinating the hens for 12-hours).

Ingredients Marinade:

2 TBS oil
1 Shallot chopped
1 Small onion finely chopped
1 Clove of garlic crushed
2 juniper berries crushed
½ tsp dried rosemary
2 peppercorns crushed
2 cups of dry white wine
1 cup vinegar
1 whole clove

Remaining Ingredients:

4 one pound Rock Cornish hens
1 TBS lard
¼ Lb Prosciutto diced
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 TBS flour
2/3 cup chicken stock
1 TBS meat extract
1 TBS lemon juice
8 slices of stale bread fried in butter at the last minute
6 TBS butter

Procedure:

Prepare a cooked marinade by placing 2 TBS oil in a saucepan and lightly browning the shallot, onion, garlic clove, juniper berries, rosemary and peppercorns. Add the wine, vinegar, and clove then bring to a boil. Cook over medium heat for 30 minutes. Remove from heat and cool mixture. Place the hens in a bowl and cover with cooked marinade. Cover and marinate for 12-hours.

After the marinating process, remove hens from the liquid, dry them, and truss the birds. Strain the marinade and reserve the juice. Place 1 TBS lard in a casserole and gently brown the prosciutto. Add the hens and brown them on all sides. Season with salt and pepper, sprinkle the flour, and add several TBS of the marinade liquid. Cover tightly and simmer over low heat, occasionally basting with a few spoonfuls of the stock. When the hens are cooked through (about 30-minutes) stir in the meat extract and lemon juice; mix carefully.

Transfer the hens to a cutting board and split in two. Place each half on the butter fried bread slices. Spoon the hot pan juices over the hens.

A tasty accompaniment to this meal could be artichoke hearts with butter, or baby snow peas with steamed pearl onions. You might also want to consider freshly steamed asparagus (if they are available) with a sprinkling of Balsamic vinegar and a little melted unsalted butter.

Lamb Tenderloin with rosemary Au Jus

Many of my friends and acquaintences in the Rocky Mountain and Midwest parts of the country don't care much for lamb. I think it may be because they never had fresh lamb, most of which is shipped to the east and west coasts. Fresh lamb - and I mean up to a week old - is one of the finest tasting meats there is. The previously frozen New Zealand lamb in many of our supermarkets, would in all probability, turn off the most avid lamb lover. Lamb tenderloins with feta cheese ravioli is a culinary delight that is rarely - if ever - found even in the best of restaurants. This is primarily a combined Italian and Greek dish that will delight your palate.

The following recipe is from a dear friend - Linda Pilo - who lives in North Carolina; one of the most creative cooks I have ever known.

Ingredients:

8 tenderloins of lamb (lamb loin or leg may be substituted)

Goat (Feta) Cheese filling

4 ounces goat (feta) cheese
1 ounce cream cheese
1 Tablespoon sun-dried tomato, diced
2 teaspoons chopped rosemary
Salt and pepper to taste
8 wonton skins (thin) or homemade pasta dough rolled out thin
Egg wash

Mix cheese with remaining ingredients. Egg wash one side of wonton. Place 2 TBS of filling and cover with other wonton to form a large ravioli. Cut or trim into circles. A cookie cutter will work well here.

Sauteed Swiss chard and Pancetta:

Beet greens (or spinach as a last resort) can be substituted
2 TB olive oil
2 oz pancetta chopped finely
1 TB minced garlic
1 bunch swiss chard, leaves coarsely chopped

Heat a sauté pan over high heat. Add Olive oil and pancetta and cook until lightly browned. Add the garlic and swiss chard and sauté until the greens are wilted and tender. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Au Jus:

8oz lamb trimmings
1-1/2 quarts Veal or Lamb stock
2 cups Merlot or Red Wine
1/2 cup shallot, minced
1 Tablespoon fennel seed

Brown lamb trimmings and degrease. Add 1 cup veal stock at a time and reduce to sauce consistency. Add 1 tsp fennel seed; continue additions until you develop enough sauce. In a separate pan, combine the red wine, shallot, 1 tsp fennel seed and reduce to a syrup. When you have enough reduced stock, add the reduction and simmer 10 min. Adjust salt and pepper and strain.

Presentation

Season lamb; grill or saute, let rest. Saute chard and cook ravioli; toss in butter and salt. Place a bed of chard in center of plate, top with the ravioli. Drizzle sauce around the plate. Slice the lamb on a bias and lean up against the ravioli. Garnish each tenderloin with a sprig of rosemary and on top of the ravioli with julienne of sundried tomato.

Pane di verdura (Vegetable Bread)

Vegetable bread is ideal to serve by itself or for brunch or dinner with fish, meat, or soup. Although the recipe calls for carrots, red peppers, spinach, asparagus, and corn kernels, any vegetable you have on hand can be used. It makes an ideal snack or light lunch with cheese and fruit.

Dough

• 1 envelope active dry yeast
• 1/4 c. milk, warmed to about 100 degrees
• 1/2 tsp. sugar
• 2 c. flour (10 to 11 oz.)
• 1 tsp. salt
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 c. bran flakes
• 1 stick butter, softened (1/4 lb.)

Vegetables

• 1 small carrot, cut into 1/4-in. strips
• 6 small asparagus spears, peeled
• 1/2 medium red pepper, seeded, peeled and cut lengthwise into 1- to 1 1/2-in. strips
• 6 oz. spinach, cleaned
• 1/3 c. corn kernels
• Egg wash made with 1 egg with half the white removed, beaten
• 1 Tb. fresh bread crumbs

Place envelope of yeast, 1/4 c. warm milk, and 1/2 tsp. sugar in the bowl of a food mixer and proof for about 5 to 6 minutes, until the mixture bubbles on top. Add the 2 c. flour, 1 tsp. salt, 3 eggs, and 1/2 c. bran flakes, and beat with the flat beater on speed 4 for 3 minutes. Add the stick of butter in pieces and mix on speed 3 for about 30 seconds, just long enough to incorporate the butter. The mixture should be sticky and elastic. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature for 1 1/2 to 2 hours (depending on time of year, heat, and humidity), until at least double in bulk.

For the vegetables: Place the carrot strips in 1 in. of water in a skillet and boil for about 5 minutes. Add the 6 asparagus spears and pepper strips, cover, and boil about 2 minutes. Then add the spinach and corn, cover, and boil 1 minute longer. Using a slotted spoon, spread the vegetables out in a large pan so they cool quickly.

When the dough has risen, push it down gently and place on a floured board. Spread the dough out by patting with a wet hand (to prevent the dough from sticking to it) into a rectangle approximately 11 x 13 in. Arrange the vegetables on top of the dough.

Roll the dough with the vegetables inside, using a dough scraper to scrape the dough off the table. It should form an oblong loaf about 12 in. long by 3 in. thick.

Butter a baking sheet and place the loaf on it seam-side down. Fold a piece of aluminum foil (about 2 1/2 to 3 ft. long) lengthwise into fourths. Butter the foil and wrap it around the bread. Tie loosely in place with a piece of string. This will hold the bread in shape, preventing it from spreading out too much on the cookie sheet. Brush with the egg wash and sprinkle with the bread crumbs. Let rise at room temperature for about 30 minutes.

Bake in a preheated 400-degree oven for about 20 minutes. Remove the string and the collar and continue cooking 10 minutes longer at the same temperature, for a total of 30 minutes. Let the bread rest for at least 20 to 30 minutes before slicing. Cut the bread into 3/4-in. thick slices.

Arrange the bread on a serving plate. Slices can be served as a garnish to meat and fish or served with cheese. If made ahead, refrigerate the loaf and reheat for a few minutes in the oven so it is about room temperature for serving.