Shaker Lemon Pie

Shaker Lemon Pie

(from April 2001 Saveur)

Filling
2 large lemons
2 cups sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
4 eggs
4 tbsp. butter, melted
3 tbsp. flour

Crust
1-3/4 cups flour
1 tsp. salt
10 tbsp. cold butter, cut into pieces
2 tbsp. vegetable shortening

For the filling:
Thoroughly wash lemons, then dry with paper towel. Finely grate lemon zest into large bowl. Using a mandolin or sharp knife, slice lemons very thin; remove and discard seeds. Add slices to zest and toss with sugar and salt. Cover and set aside at room temperature for 24 hours.

For the crust:
Sift together flour and salt into a mixing bowl. Use a pastry cutter or two knives to work butter and shortening into flour until it resembles coarse meal. Sprinkle in up to 5 tbsp. of ice water, stirring dough with a fork until it just begins to hold together. Press dough firmly into a rough ball, then transfer it to a lightly floured surface. Give the dough several kneads with the heel of your hand to form it into a smooth ball. Divide dough into two balls, wrap in plastic, and rest in refrigerator for one hour.

Preheat oven to 425°F. Whisk eggs in bowl until frothy. Add butter and flour, whisking until smooth. Stir into lemon mixture.

Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface into two 12" rounds. Fit one round into a 9" pie plate and pour in filling. Cover pie with remaining pastry round. Fold edges of dough under, then crimp edges. Cut steam vents in top crust.

Bake until edges begin to brown, about 30 minutes. Reduce heat to 350°F and bake until crust is golden brown, about 25-30 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool for at least 30 minutes before serving to Annie.

shared by Annie T.
(3/30/01)

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Chocolate Crinkles

Chocolate Crinkles

1/2 cup vegetable oil
4 oz melted unsweetened chocolate
    (I have to admit that I never have the stuff in the house so instead I
    use 4 tbsp butter and 3/4 cup baking cocoa - plus a heaping tbsp or so extra)
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
powdered sugar for rolling in before baking

Mix oil, chocolate and sugar. Beat in eggs one at a time until well mixed (scrape down sides of bowl after each addition). Beat in vanilla. Stir in flour, powder and salt until mixed.

Chill several hours (or freeze for 2 hours). Drop a teaspoonful of dough into powdered sugar and coat it then place on greased cookie sheet. Bake 10-12 min at 350°F. Cool a minute or two then remove to a wire rack to completely cool.

Store in airtight container. May be frozen after baking so long as they are completely cool before putting them in there.

Theresa
(3/26/01)

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Lemon Oregano Chicken for the Crockpot

Lemon Oregano Chicken for the Crockpot

1 (4 - 4.5) lb chicken, whole
3 lemons, halved
2 large onions -- cut into quarters
5 cloves garlic -- minced
2 tbsp olive oil
1-1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp hot red pepper flakes
salt, pref. kosher or sea salt

Put chicken on a rack in the slowcooker, or improvise a rack out of large balls of aluminum foil. It is very important that the chicken not be on the bottom of the cooker, or it will boil in its juices and be rubbery.

Squeeze lemons all over chicken, removing pits. Put the lemon halves into the chicken cavity. Scatter onions around chicken. Liberally salt the chicken, then rub all over with oregano, and sprinkle on hot red pepper flakes.

Sauté garlic in olive oil for a few minutes (I do not like the taste of raw garlic cooked in the crockpot without this step, it has a metallic taste). Pour garlic and olive oil over the chicken. Cover and cook on low for eight hours.

Carolyn D.
(3/24/01)

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Cowboy Cookies

Cowboy Cookies

Originally from "The Farmhouse Cookbook" by Susan Loomis.

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 cup unsalted butter -- at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup dark brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups rolled oats
1 package semisweet chocolate morsels
3/4 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment or foil.

Sift flour, baking soda, salt and baking powder. Set aside.

Cream butter and both sugars. Add eggs, mixing thoroughly. Stir in vanilla, add flour and mix well. Then add oats, chocolate chips and pecans.

Drop by tablespoons onto cookie sheet. Bake until golden, approx. 15 minutes.

Carolyn
(3/24/01)

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Pasta with Pancetta and Greens

Pasta with Pancetta and Greens

4 oz. Pancetta (see note), chopped
1-1/2 pounds mixed greens (spinach, mesclun, chard leaves, etc), coarsely chopped
5 cloves garlic, more or less, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
1 red pepper, cut into dice
2 cups diced tomato, fresh or canned
1/2 tsp hot red pepper flakes
olive oil
1 pound thin spaghetti, fettucine, or other pasta of choice

In a very large frying pan, sautee pancetta in just a bit of olive oil with garlic, onion red pepper flakes until onion is golden and pancetta begins to brown. Add red bell pepper, and sautee for another few minutes.

Add greens, and about 1/4 cup water. Cover and reduce heat to med-low. Sweat the greens for about five minutes until thoroughly wilted.

Remove cover from pot, add tomatoes, and cook, uncovered for about 20 minutes, while you make the pasta. The sauce should thicken a little bit. Correct for salt/pepper.

Cook pasta according to package directions. When pasta is just a bit firmer than al dente, drain, and put in the pot with the sauce. Cook for a minute or two more. Serve with Parmesan.

Carolyn
(3/24/2001)

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Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

I don't have a chocolate chip bag handy, but there's a recipe on the butterscotch chip bag. It uses 3/4 cup of each of the sugars, 1-1/4 c. flour, butter instead of shortening, and only a half tsp salt (there is salt in the chips). Otherwise, it is the same as the recipe I use:

1 cup shortening
1 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
3 cup rolled oats
1-1/2 cup flour
1 tsp. soda
1-1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup raisins [or 12 oz. chocolate chips]
(1. cup chopped walnuts)

This is much easier using a mixer than by hand. Cream the shortening and sugars. Mix in the eggs and vanilla. Mix in the rolled oats. Sift the flour, soda and salt. Mix in. Stir in the raisins, nuts and/or chocolate chips by hand. Bake 10 minutes at 350°F on an ungreased cookie sheet. Makes approximately 60 cookies.

You might find that bulk rolled oats from the health food store are a bit too thick; if so, try the store brand (cardboard cylinder). Quick oats make an entirely different cookie. You can substitute butter for the shortening, but the cookies become rather limp and not as good (IMO). You can substitute 7/8 cup chilled lard plus 1/2 cup flour for the shortening, but the cookies brown very quickly so try 8 or 9 minutes instead of 10.

In our family, adding chocolate chips to oatmeal cookies makes them Martha Washington Cookies.

--Sylvia, who just ordered some wool, sock yarn, needles, and Folk Shawls from Kate Painter
(3/23/01)

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Dumped Fruit Cobbler

Dumped Fruit Cobbler

Into a 9" x 9" pan, melt 1 stick butter in oven at 350ºF.

In mixing bowl/measuring cup, mix:

• 1 cup flour
• 1 cup (or less ) sugar
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 1 cup milk

Pour over melted butter.

Open one 24-32 oz can of fruit (pie filling/fruit in juice/syrup..whatever..if you have time, cut up 4 cups of fresh fruit and mix with 1/4 cup sugar and any seasonings you like).

Dump over batter that is dumped over butter.

Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour (juicier fruit takes longer).

Sloppy dessert...use bowls and add ICE CREAM or whipped cream.

Claudia K
( 3/16/01)

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Erika's Macaroni and Cheese

Erika's Macaroni and Cheese

I use the recipe from James Beard's book- "Beard on Pasta." The crucial elements seem to be a bechamel sauce and LOTS of good sharp cheddar. It takes some time and fussing to make, which is probably just as well given the amount of fat it contains; this is not a quick, cheap snack, but it is irresistible. Here's the recipe, from memory:

Boil half a pound of macaroni noodles in salted water until just short of done (for the ones I buy, it's about 8 minutes).

While water is heating and pasta is cooking:

Grate 3/4 lb cheddar. Set some of it aside for the topping. (In the US, I'd buy the sharpest New York cheddar I could find that wasn't actually walking away by itself.)

Heat 2 cups milk to just below scalding. (I use low-fat milk--the merest gesture to good nutrition--and nuke it for 3 min on high.)

Preheat oven to 350°.

In a saucepan melt 4 tbsp butter; when it's melted, add 4 tbsp flour and stir the foaming mixture over low-medium heat constantly for 4 minutes, or until the raw taste is gone. (This is the roux that forms the base for the sauce.)

Over low heat, add the milk a little at a time, stirring to form a thickish sauce. When all the milk is incorporated, add about 1/2 tsp Tabasco (or as much as you like) and simmer for a few minutes until
the sauce thickens a bit more. Don't let it boil hard. (James Beard suggests adding cream at this point, but it's entirely superfluous.)

Take pan off heat, add the grated cheese and stir until it's all melted in. Combine with the noodles in a 13" x 9" (or so) pan. Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top.

Bake about 30 min, or until brown and crispy at the edges. Allow to cool a few minutes before serving.

Go forth, and sin no more.
Erika
(who now knows what's for dinner)
(3/16/01)

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Debbi's Sugar Cookies with Icing

Debbi's Sugar Cookies with Icing

Cookies:
1 cup Butter
2 large Eggs
1/4 cup Milk
1 tsp Baking Soda
4 cups Flour
1 cup Sugar
1 tsp Vanilla extract

Icing:
1/3 cup Powdered Sugar
Warm milk (amount varies by wanted consistency and house humidity)
(opt) food coloring

To make cookies:
Cut butter into flour. Combine sugar, eggs and vanilla. Stir baking soda into milk. Mix all together. Chill dough if necessary.

Roll dough out on a lightly floured surface. Cut with cookie cutters. Place on a ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 350°F for 8 to 10 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.

To make icing:
Mix powdered sugar with enough warm milk to desired thickness. Color with food coloring. Spread on cookies with a brush.

Debbi (PotWench)
(3/16/01)

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New York Bagels

New York Bagels

Who was looking for the bagel recipe? Did you get it yet? Anyway, my sister gave me hers. She says the things you get these days are so fluffy and light because they don't boil them first. They just let 'em raise, coat with egg white, and bake.

Anyhooo . . . here's her recipe for New York Bagels.

2 packages Dry Yeast
4-1/4 cups Sifted Flour
1-1/2 cups Warm Water
3 tbsp Sugar
1 tsp Salt

Knead, cover and let rest 15 minutes.

Cut into 12 pieces.

Shape each piece into a smooth ball, poke hole in center of ball, pull dough to enlarge. Cover and let rise 20 minutes.

In kettle, combine:

1 gallon Water
1 tbsp Sugar

Bring to a boil, reduce to simmer.

Cook bagels in water, 4 or 5 at a time. (She says to treat them just like dumplings; when they rise to surface they are done.)

Drain.

Place on ungreased baking sheet. Bake 375ºF for 30 minutes.

She says she hasn't made them in years, but when her kids were still home, she made them all the time.

Betty in northern lower Michigan quoting George Carlin... One tequila, two tequila, three tequila, floor.
(3/6/01)

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