"Kitchen Sink" Split Pea Soup

"Kitchen Sink" Split Pea Soup

2 to 2 1/2 pounds smoked pork shanks
garlic (lots!) chopped or pressed
2 onions chopped
a little olive oil
1# split peas
1/2 # navy beans
3 carrots chopped
1/4 - 1/2 head red cabbage chopped
2 - 3 cups broccoli florets
1/2 cup mild (or not!) red chile peppers or 1 red bell pepper chopped
1 cup frozen corn (or one can drained)
mushrooms sliced

Soak the navy beans overnight, change the soaking water a couple of times. Also overnight cook the pork on low in a crock pot.

Next morning remove the meat, bones and fat from the pork broth and reserve the meat. Add the split peas and beans to the broth and cook till the peas are disintegrated and the beans are soft. Brown the onion and garlic and add to the soup.

Add the carrots and cook until they are nearly done. Add the rest of the veggies and the reserved meat. Cook until the veg are as done as you like them.

Serve with a good bread, cheese and fruit.

Peace
Anne in NM
(10/26/05)

Pistachio Pudding Cake

Pistachio Pudding Cake
(using a cake mix and instant pudding mix)

Mom's version came from the back of the pudding mix box (which she still has!)

1 package yellow cake mix
1 (3 oz) package instant pistachio pudding mix
1 cup water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
1/2 tsp almond extract
1/4 cup chocolate syrup

  1. Preheat oven to 350° F. Grease and flour a 10 inch Bundt pan.
  2. In a large bowl, mix together the cake mix and pudding mix. Pour in the water, oil and eggs and almond flavor. mix well. Pour one third of the batter into the prepared pan.
  3. Mix the chocolate syrup into half of the remaining batter. Pour the chocolate batter over the top of the batter in the pan. Top with the remaining plain batter. Swirl slightly through the layers. Bake in the preheated oven for 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool.

from Denise's mom
(10/18/05)

Key Lime Pie

Key Lime Pie

Another version of the classic, this one from my mother. It dates back at least to the '60's and possibly earlier. It may be from an old Fanny Farmer cookbook.

3-4 eggs, separated
lime juice to taste (usually 3-4 limes, maybe 1/4 to 1/2 cup)
1 can sweetened condensed milk
a bit of sugar
lime zest (optional)
1 pie crust

Beat the egg yolks until they are thick and straw-colored. Add the sweetened condensed milk and the lime juice and mix well. Add a bit of green food coloring if you think the pie needs it. Add a pinch of salt if you're the sort of person who does that. Pour this into the pie shell.

In a separate and very clean bowl, beat the egg whites until they hold peaks but are not too stiff or dry. Add a generous pinch of sugar (to taste). Spread this meringue on top of the pie, going all the way to the crust to seal it.

Bake in a 350°F oven (give or take a bit) until the meringue is nicely golden (somewhere in the 20-40 minute range, but I can't remember exactly, sorry). Remove and let cool to room temperature, then chill in the refrigerator. Then eat. Refrigerate leftovers if you have any.

This was my mother's recipe, so all amounts and techniques are more or less approximate. She might use a graham cracker crust, an unbaked regular pie shell, a partially baked pie shell, etc., depending on her mood and what was available. Lime zest was added to the filling, to the meringue, to both, or to neither, depending on her mood. If she was short on limes, she'd make it up with bottled lime juice or even lemon juice.

I have no idea where my mother got this recipe, nor what changes she made to it over the years. I don't know if it is necessary to torture the egg yolks or if less vigorous beating is OK. I don't know if the filling or meringue gets hot enough to be safe according to current safety guidelines. I do know the above general guidelines make a yummy pie.

Even if you don't use lime zest in this pie, save it for use in other desserts or meals.

jp
(10/3/05)

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