Pecan Pie Bars

Pecan Pie Bars

The original amount is listed first. After the recipe, is my cut-down of the recipe. We do not need 6-8 dozen bars for 2 people. (g)

6 cups all-purpose Flour
1-1/2 cups Sugar
1 tsp Salt
2 cups Cold Butter (NO substitutes!)

Filling:
8 Eggs
3 cups Sugar
3 Cups Corn Syrup
1/2 cup Butter, melted
3 tsp Vanilla Extract
5 cups Pecans, chopped

In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar and salt. Cut in better until crumbly. Press onto the bottom and up the sides of two greased/buttered 15" x 10" x 1" baking pans. Bake at 350°F for 18-22 minutes or until crust edges are beginning to brown and bottom is set.

Do not turn off the oven just yet! You are not done!

For Filling:
Combine the eggs, sugar, corn syrup, butter and vanilla in a large bowl; mix well. Stir in pecans. Pour over crust.

Bake 25-30 minutes longer or until edges are firm and center is almost set. Cool on wire racks. Cut into bars.

Refrigerate until serving. Yield: 6-8 dozen.

Note: We nuke some warm and eat with vanilla ice cream, or as-is.

Smaller Batch Pecan Pie Bars

1-1/2 cups Flour
1/4 cup + 1-1/2 tbsp Sugar
1/4 tsp Salt
1/2 cup Cold Butter

Filling:
2 Eggs
3/4 cup Sugar
3/4 cup Corn Syrup
1-1/2 tbsp Butter, melted
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
1-1/4 cups Pecan, chopped

Follow recipe as stated, using a 9" x 13" pan.

Debbi
(11/30/06)

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Pear Sauce (and what to do with a lot of pears)

Pear Sauce (and what to do with a lot of pears)

After poaching some in pear brandy with a bit of butter and eating them fresh cooked, I then usually make pear sauce, which I freeze. J likes it warmed up with a sprinkle of cinnamon or nutmeg on top, or I use a cup of it in the waffle mix, or it makes a good substitute for applesauce in any bread, cake or muffin recipe.

I've also made pear tart in the past.

Peel (optional), core (not optional, IMO) and chop (works better) any number of pears.  Cook over a low heat with a little bit of water until it is the consistency you want for pear sauce.  Strain (if not peeled).

Freeze in 1 cup (or more) containers. 

Add to wheat bread.  Or add to waffles.  Or add to muffins.  Or feed to your family warm.  Or cold.
Stir into oatmeal.  Or cooked rice.  Or oatmeal cookies.  Use anywhere applesauce is called for.

Slightly brown pork chops (drain grease), add 1 cup pear sauce, bake. Can you tell we like pear sauce?

Make dried pears.  Peel (optional), core (not optional) and slide about 1/4" thick.  Dehydrate using your favorite method.  Freeze or eat as is.

Elizabeth/zinlizzie
(11/30/06)

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Joy's Posole

Joy's Posole

I admit to using the canned hominy shortcut for posole, usually 2 cans each of white and yellow, drained and rinsed. The recipe I use is from Mom's copy of "Mexican Cookbook" by Erna Fergusson (University of New Mexico Press).

2 pounds pork, cubed
2 onions, chopped
1 bay leaf
1 tbsp fat
1/2 tsp oregano (I frequently forget this!)
1 cup red chili pulp OR 4-6 Tbsp chile powder
1 cup nixtamal (hominy) see note above
1 tsp salt

Fry onions in fat, add pork and blend. Add nixtamal or hominy, chile and seasoning. (I fry in the chili powder here, add canned hominy later).

Add hot water (more or less to cover) and simmer until pork is thoroughly tender, about 4 hours.

Serve steaming hot. If chile powder is used, mix with 1 tbls of flour and stir into fat.

If canned hominy is used, cook pork first until almost done before adding hominy. Then simmer until done.

Joy in icy Missouri
(11/30/06)

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Autumn Trifle with Roasted Apples, Pears and Pumpkin-Caramel Sauce

Autumn Trifle with Roasted Apples, Pears, and Pumpkin-Caramel Sauce

Here's one of the desserts I made for Thanksgiving. A very picky friend of my daughter's said, wide-eyed for emphasis, that it was the best thing she'd ever eaten in her ENTIRE LIFE (which is probably only about 16 years, but still):

A pastry bag and large rosette tip are optional for the whipped cream topping, which can also be spooned over the trifle.

Cinnamon Pastry Cream
6 large egg yolks
2 cups whole milk
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup cake flour
2 tsp vanilla extract
1-1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tbsp unsalted butter

Pumpkin-Caramel Sauce
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup canned pure pumpkin

Roasted Fruit
3 large Fuji apples, peeled, cored, cut into 1/2" cubes (about 4 cups)
3 Bosc pears, peeled, cored, cut into 1/2" cubes (about 3 cups)
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into 1/2" cubes

For Assembly
3-1/2 dozen (about) soft ladyfingers
1/3 cup dry Sherry

2 cups chilled whipping cream
2 tbsp sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
8 (1/8"-thick) slices Bosc pear
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice

To Make Cinnamon Pastry Cream:
Whisk yolks and 1/2 cup milk in large bowl. Add sugar, flour, vanilla, and cinnamon. Whisk until sugar dissolves. Bring 1-1/2 cups milk to simmer in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat. Gradually whisk milk into yolk mixture. Return mixture to same saucepan. Cook until custard
thickens and boils, stirring constantly, about 2 minutes. Transfer to medium bowl. Add butter and stir until melted. Press plastic wrap directly onto surface. Chill until cold, about 2 hours. (Can be made 2
days ahead. Keep chilled.)

To Make Pumpkin-Caramel Sauce:
Melt butter in heavy small saucepan over medium heat. Add sugar and cook until mixture is deep amber, stirring constantly, about 8 minutes (mixture will be grainy). Reduce heat to medium-low. Add cream (mixture will bubble). Stir until caramel bits dissolve, about 2 minutes. Add pumpkin; stir until heated. Refrigerate until cold, about 2 hours. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and keep refrigerated.)

To Make Roasted Fruit:
Preheat oven to 400°F. Mix apples, pears, and lemon juice in large bowl. Place butter on rimmed baking sheet. Heat in oven until butter melts and begins to brown, about 5 minutes. Add fruit to baking sheet and toss with butter. Roast until fruit is soft and golden, turning with metal spatula every 15 minutes, about 1 hour. Cool fruit on sheet.

To Assemble Trifle:
Place ladyfingers, flat side up, on baking sheet. Brush with Sherry. Line bottom of 2- or 3-quart glass trifle dish with single layer of ladyfingers, Sherry side up. Line bottom edge with 1 row of ladyfingers, Sherry side in, pressing gently against dish.

Spoon half of pastry cream into lined dish; smooth top. Cover with half of fruit. Drizzle 1/2 cup caramel sauce over. Line edge of dish with second row of ladyfingers, Sherry side in. Cover fruit with single layer of ladyfingers.

Spoon remaining pastry cream over. Cover with remaining fruit. Drizzle fruit with 1/2 cup caramel sauce. Line edge of dish with third row of ladyfingers, Sherry side in. Chill at least 6 hours. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled.)

Whip cream, sugar, and vanilla in bowl until mixture holds peaks. Fill pastry bag fitted with large rosette tip with whipped cream and pipe over trifle (or spoon whipped cream over). (Can be prepared 3 hours ahead; chill.)

Drizzle whipped cream with 2 tablespoons caramel sauce. Brush pear slices with lemon juice; arrange decoratively atop whipped cream. Serve, passing remaining caramel sauce separately.

Makes 12 servings.
(Bon Appétit November 2003 Epicurious.com © CondéNet, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Yes, it's long, yes, there are multiple steps and many ingredients, but it's totally worth it (and makes a LOT). If you pick one part to make, pick the pumpkin-caramel sauce, which is heavenly. The cinnamon pastry cream (a.k.a. custard) is pretty damn good too. Would probably be fabulous over sliced bananas.

Charlene in St Louis
(11/30/06)

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Chili Verde (Green Chili Stew)

Here's a Green Chili Stew recipe that was given to me by the folks who ran the roasted Hatch chile stand where I bought roasted chiles this year.

Hatch chilies are a long, wide-shouldered chili in the New Mexico chili family. Use something similar if you can't find New Mexico or Anaheim chilis. Some recipes assume that the chilis will be roasted and peeled before using. Since this recipe doesn't mention it either way, use your judgment. Personally, I use the already roasted ones. You can roast the ones you buy fresh from the store, use already-roasted and frozen ones, and probably even canned ones.

(I tend to use chile and chili interchangeably; sorry about that to anyone who finds it disconcerting.)

Chili Verde (Green Chili Stew)

3 pounds pork (cubed into 1/2" pieces)
3 onions (chopped)
3 cloves garlic (minced)
1 tbsp Oregano (crumbled)
8 Hatch Green Chilies (seeded and cut into 1/2" strips)
3 tbsp flour
water
salt and pepper
lard or olive oil to saute meat

Cut away excess fat from pork and cut into cubes. Brown pork in lard or olive oil. Remove from pan and sprinkle pork with flour. Brown onions and garlic in frying pan until transparent, but not brown. Add pork, oregano and chilies to onion garlic mixture and add water to cover the other ingredients. Simmer 2 to 3 hours. Add salt and pepper during last 1/2 hour.

jp
(11/29/06)

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Chile Verde from the Valley of the Sun

Here's a recipe from The Border Cookbook, by Cheryl Alters Jamison and Bill Jamison. The book's subtitle, which describes its content, is "Authentic Home Cooking of the American Southwest and Northern Mexico." (Valley of the Sun refers to an area near Phoenix, Arizona)

Chile Verde from the Valley of the Sun
Serves 6.
...Green chile stews in northern New Mexico can be fiery. Farther west in Arizona, similar dishes more often sooth than sizzle, like this pork version made with mild pods and tomatoes.

2-1/2 pounds pork Boston butt, trimmed of fat and cut in 3/4" cubes
1 cup chicken stock
1 medium onion, chopped
6 garlic cloves, minced
2 (14-1/2 oz) cans Mexican-style stewed tomatoes, undrained
2 cups chopped roasted mild green chile, preferably New Mexican or Anaheim, fresh or frozen
1 tsp dried oregano, preferably Mexican
1 tsp salt

In a large, heavy saucepan, combine the pork, 1/4 cup of the stock, the onion, and the garlic. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until the liquid evaporates and the meat is browned, about 20 to 25 minutes.

Add the remaining stock and scrape up and browned bits sticking to the bottom of the pan. Stir in the tomatoes, chiles, oregano, and salt. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cover the pan. Cook for 2 to 2-1/2 hours, stirring occasionally, until the meat is quite tender.

The chile can be served immediately, but the flavor improves with a day's refrigeration and reheating. Serve steaming hot in bowls.

Hmmm... I thought the book had a few recipes for the green chile stews of northern New Mexico, but I can't seem to find them. Soup, yes. Sauce, yes. Enchiladas, yes. Stew, no.

jp
(11/29/06)

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Green Chile Stew

This recipe is from the Santa Fe School of Cooking Cookbook by Susan Curtis. It is similar to some green chile stew I ate in a Los Alamos diner a few years ago.

There are so many recipes and adaptations for green chile stew that it is impossible to list them all, and local cooks usually add what they have on hand. The following recipe consistently produces a rich, hearty stew. The piquancy of the stew depends upon the heat level of the chiles used, so choose the chiles that suit your taste. (They recommend roasted green chiles, a mix of hot and mild for a balanced flavor.) We use a tender cut of meat in classes due to the limited time frame. However, simmering a less-tender cut of meat prior to adding the vegetables will work perfectly well. This recipe is actually better when made a day ahead. Serves 8.

Green Chile Stew

3 tbsp vegetable oil
1-1/2 pounds beef sirloin or pork butt, cut in 1" cubes
1-1/2 cups diced onion
1 tbsp minced garlic
6 cups chicken or beef broth
1 pound red or white potatoes, cut in 1" cubes
2-3 tsp salt, to taste
3 cups roasted, peeled, chopped green chilies
3 tbsp diced red bell pepper
2 tbsp chopped cilantro, or to taste

Heat the oil in a 6-quart pot over high heat and brown the meat in batches. Set aside. In the same oil, saute the onions until golden. Add the garlic and saute 1 minute. Return the meat to the pan along with any juices that have accumulated. Add the broth, potatoes, and salt and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 1 hour, until the potatoes are tender. Add the green chiles and the red bell pepper, and cook 15 to 20 minutes more. Add the cilantro, stir, and serve.

jp
(11/29/06)

---

Here are a couple of websites that have recipes for green chile stew. Most share the New Mexico sensibilities.

http://www.vivanewmexico.com/food.recipes.cocinas.html
http://www.santafe.com/history/green_chile_stew.html
http://www.premiersystems.com/recipes/mexican/green-chile.html
http://www.fiery-foods.com/dave/nmcuisine.asp

You can see a lot of the variations that creep in, depending on the cook and the local style. I'm looking forward to seeing Jen's version of this dish.

jp

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Bisteces a la Mexicana

Bisteces a la Mexicana

• Thin steaks
• onion
• roma tomatoes
• jalapeno peppers (fresh)
• water
• salt and pepper to taste

Amounts can vary. I usually have about 5 steaks, 1/4 onion (we don't LIKE onions, though), 4 tomatoes, and 2 jalapenos.

Chop your onion and tomatoes. Cut stems off of peppers and cut in half. We leave the seeds in, but you don't have to. Salt and pepper your steaks and cook them just a smidge under where you want them. Add onion, tomato, and peppers. Add water to cover. Put lid on and let the tomatoes stew. When they look good to you, eat!

Yet again, the way it's eaten here is with fresh warm tortillas, crema, arroz rojo, and sometimes beans on the side.

Jen in Mexico
(11/28/06)

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Not Yo' Mama's Banana Pudding

Not Yo' Mama's Banana Pudding

This is sooooooooo good...

2 bags of Pepperidge Farm Chessmen cookies
6 to 8 bananas, sliced
2 cups milk
1 (5 oz) box instant French vanilla pudding
1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened
1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
12 oz heavy whipping cream
2 tbsp sugar to sweeten cream

Line the bottom of a 13" by 9" by 2" dish with 1 bag of cookies and layer bananas on top.

In a bowl, combine the milk and pudding mix and blend well using a handheld electric mixer.

Using another bowl, combine the cream cheese and condensed milk together and mix until smooth.

In another bowl, whip heavy cream adding sugar to taste. Fold the whipped topping into the cream cheese mixture. Add the cream cheese mixture to the pudding mixture and stir until well blended. Pour the mixture over the cookies and bananas and cover with the remaining cookies. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Christy
(11/28/06)

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Chiles Rellenos

Chiles Rellenos

4 Poblano peppers, try to get pretty ones with long stems that aren't deeply indented or
     they will be a bitch to peel
monterey jack cheese (or your preferred filling)
2-3 roma tomatoes
a tbsp of tomato bullion
1/2 of an average white onion
a clove of garlic
3 eggs, separated
a small amount of flour (I dunno how much, maybe a 1/4 cup?)
oil or lard for frying
toothpicks, unless you like to live on the edge

Wash and dry your peppers. Blister (blacken) the outsides of the peppers (I do this over the flames of my gas stove, but you can use a griddle, just takes longer). The peppers will get lighter in color. Wrap the peppers with a damp towel.

Grate your cheese and separate your eggs and/or make your side dish.

Rub the skin off of the chiles. It doesn't have to be perfect, but get as much as you can. Make a slit in each chile. Clean out the seeds and stems, but be careful! Those suckers BURN (ask me how I know!). Stuff your chiles with cheese and toothpick them shut. Flour your chiles.

Heat oil/lard for chile frying. Beat the egg whites until they form stiff peaks. Beat the yolks in their separate bowl. Fold yolks into whites, being careful not to deflate the whites. When oil is hot, dip/roll chiles, 1 at a time, into the egg mixture and fry them. This works best if you bathe the top of the chile with oil while the bottom is cooking. When the bottom is a nice golden color, roll the chiles over and let the top cook. Remove to drain on paper towels.

Heat a little oil/lard in a sauce pan big enough to fit your chiles. Roughly chop your tomatoes (3 or 4 pieces is good). Put in blender with onion, garlic, bullion, and a bit of water (just enough to blend). When thoroughly pulverized, fry sauce in the oil until the color turns a nice deep red. Add water to get the consistency of tomato soup. Put your chiles in the sauce to reheat.

In our opinion, these are best served with fresh warm tortillas and mexican cream, with arroz rojo on the side.

geeze...it really looks more complicated than it is. I made these just a couple days ago and it took probably about 1/2 hour to make the whole meal, including the rice. If you choose not to use the bullion, you will need to add salt. If you do use it, don't add salt or it will be too salty.

~Jen
(11/28/06)

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Picadillo

Picadillo

• ground beef
• a potato or 2, depending on your taste
• a can of tomato sauce
• salt and pepper to taste
• other veggies if you want (peas/carrots/corn)
• onion to your taste (from none to a ton, your call)
• a couple cloves of garlic

Season and cook your ground beef. While it's cooking, chop your potato(s). Drain beef and return to pan. Add potatoes, onion, garlic (crushed), veggies if any, tomato sauce, and enough water to cover.

Cook until it's the consistency you like.

Serve with fresh warm tortillas, crema, and arroz rojo.

Jen in Mexico
(11/28/06)

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Enchiladas (the real ones from "el rancho")

Enchiladas (the real ones from "el rancho")

1 chile pasilla, stem and seeds removed (dried chile)
6 chiles california, stem and seeds removed (dried chile)
2 cloves
2 peppercorns
1 small clove of garlic
a piece of onion (how much do you like onions??)
salt
corn tortillas
shredded meat of your choice or cheese
queso cotija, queso fresco, or panela for garnish

Soak the chiles for an hour or 2, until they are the consistency of a fruit roll-up. Stick everything in the blender and pulverize to a thick liquid. Force it through a strainer or cheesecloth into a bowl.

Heat up some oil in a pan. Dip tortilla in sauce and fry it quickly, just until soft. Put filling on tortilla and roll up or, easier and more authentic, fold in half. Sprinkle queso cotija, queso fresco, or panela on top.

Eat.

Jen in Mexico
(11/28/06)

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Chocolate Cream Pie

Chocolate Cream Pie
Makes on 9" pie

For the best chocolate flavor and texture, we recommend either Callebaut semisweet and unsweetened chocolates or Hershey's Special Dark and Hershey's unsweetened chocolates. Do not combine the yolks and sugar in advance of making the filling--the sugar will begin to denature the yolks, and the finished cream will be pitted.

Chocolate Cookie Crumb Crust
16 Oreo cookies (with filling), broken into rough pieces, about 2-1/2 cups
2 tbsp unsalted butter , melted and cooled

Chocolate Cream Filling
2-1/2 cups half-and-half
pinch table salt
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 tbsp cornstarch
6 large egg yolks at room temperature, chalazae (protein strands attached to yolk) removed
6 tbsp unsalted butter (cold), cut into 6 pieces
6 oz. semisweet chocolate or bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 oz. unsweetened chocolate finely chopped
1 tsp vanilla extract

Whipped Cream Topping
1-1/2 cups heavy cream (cold)
1-1/2 tbsp granulated sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

For the Crust:
Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350°F.

In bowl of food processor fitted with steel blade, process cookies with 15 one-second pulses, then let machine run until crumbs are uniformly fine, about 15 seconds. (Alternatively, place cookies in large zipper-lock plastic bag and crush with rolling pin.) Transfer crumbs to medium bowl, drizzle with butter, and use fingers to combine until butter is evenly distributed.

Pour crumbs into 9" Pyrex pie plate. Press crumbs evenly onto bottom and up sides of pie plate. Refrigerate lined pie plate 20 minutes to firm crumbs, then bake until crumbs are fragrant and set, about 10 minutes. Cool on wire rack while preparing filling.

For the Filling:
Bring half-and-half, salt, and about 3 tbsp. sugar to simmer in medium saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally with wooden spoon to dissolve sugar. Stir together remaining sugar and cornstarch in small bowl, then sprinkle over yolks and whisk, scraping down sides of bowl, if necessary, until mixture is glossy and sugar has begun to dissolve, about 1 minute. Whisk yolks thoroughly in medium bowl until slightly thickened, about 30 seconds. When half-and-half reaches full simmer, drizzle about 1/2 cup hot half-and-half over yolks, whisking constantly to temper; then whisk egg yolk mixture into simmering half-and-half (mixture should thicken in about 30 seconds). Return to simmer, whisking constantly, until 3 or 4 bubbles burst on the surface and mixture is thickened and glossy, about 15 seconds longer.

Off heat, whisk in butter until incorporated; add chocolates and whisk until melted, scraping pan bottom with rubber spatula to fully incorporate. Stir in vanilla, then immediately pour filling into baked and cooled crust. Press plastic wrap directly on surface of filling and refrigerate pie until filling is cold and firm, about 3 hours.

Just before serving, beat cream, sugar, and vanilla in bowl of standing mixer on low speed until small bubbles form, about 30 seconds. Increase speed to medium; continue beating until beaters leave a trail, about 30 seconds more. Increase speed to high; continue beating until cream is smooth, thick, and nearly doubled in volume and forms soft peaks, about 20 seconds. Spread or pipe whipped cream over chilled pie filling. Cut pie into wedges and serve.

Tracy J.
(11/27/06)

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Olive Macaroni Salad

Olive Macaroni Salad

One box elbow, bow-tie, or shell macaroni
5-6 eggs
1-1/2 to 2 cups green olives with pimentos, sliced (I slice each olive into abour 4 slices across)
2-3 tsp (or more) celery seed (add as you like, I usually add more cause I love the stuff)
1 tsp Mrs dash
salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
1/4 to 1/2 cup mayonnaise (again, as you like)

Cook the macaroni and boil the eggs. Chop the eggs, drain the macaroni, add all other ingredients with the macaroni and eggs in a bowl, mix well. You can eat it then or let it refrigerate.

You can also add other seasonings if you wish, or more olives and more celery seed, it's an individual thing. It is really good the next day. I hate traditional macaroni salad, but I like this one...oh and don't cook the macaroni too mushy....

Marsha
(11/26/06)

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Pumpkin-Sage Polenta

Pumpkin-Sage Polenta

Serve this alongside pan-sautéed ham steaks. Polenta thickens if you make it ahead of time; just thin it with water or chicken broth. Rewarm it over medium-low heat, stirring with a whisk. Use a vegetable peeler to shave the Parmesan cheese.

2-1/2 cups 1% low-fat milk
2 cups water
3/4 cup canned pumpkin
1-1/4 tsp salt
1-1/4 cups instant dry polenta
3/4 cup (3 oz) grated fresh Parmesan cheese
2 tbsp 1/3-less-fat cream cheese
1 tbsp chopped fresh sage
1/4 cup (1 oz) shaved fresh Parmesan

Bring milk and water to a boil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add pumpkin and salt; stir with a whisk. Reduce heat to low, and gradually whisk in polenta; cook 1 minute or until thick. Remove from heat. Add 3/4 cup grated Parmesan, cream cheese, and sage; stir until cheeses melt. Top with shaved Parmesan. Serve immediately.

Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 3/4 cup)
CALORIES 197 (21% from fat); FAT 4.7g (sat 3g,mono 1.4g,poly 0.1g); PROTEIN 10.1g; CHOLESTEROL 14mg; CALCIUM 253mg; SODIUM 614mg; FIBER 3.2g; IRON 1mg; CARBOHYDRATE 28.7g
Cooking Light, NOVEMBER 2003

Maggie
(11/26/06)

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Cranberry Raisin Apple Pie

Cranberry Raisin Apple Pie

You'll also notice that many measurements are given as a range (like the 1-1/2 to 2 cups sugar). These are all about "to your tastes", as well as like if your apples are especially tart or you like more or less raisins in things, etc. Oh, and several recipes I looked thru also added a measure of chopped walnuts or pecans, up to about 1 cup. Not in mine, but it could be optional if you like them.

12 oz bag cranberries – chopped (cut in half is fine, if you have the patience)
1-1/2 to 2 cups raisins
1 to 2 cups thinly sliced apples, enough to finish filling your pie crust
1 tsp. vanilla
1-1/2 to 2 cups sugar
2 to 4 tsp.. flour (or 3 tbsp quick tapioca)

Mix fruits and vanilla.
Mix dry ingredients.
Sprinkle 2 tbsp dry on pie shell.

Mix dry ingredients with the fruit mix, allow to sit at least 15 minutes and then put in pie shell (taste test before putting into pie shell, in case you need the higher amount of sugar after all)

Dot with 2 tbsp. butter.

Cover with lattice crust – needs lattice for ventilation. Bake at 475°F for 15 minutes, lower heat to 350°F for 35 minutes.

Good cold (do refrigerate) or hot/warm with ice cream....

Dr. Maggie
(11/26/06)

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Cuddureddi (Fig Rings)

Cuddureddi (Fig Rings)

3 whole orange peelings
3 cups water
2 cups sugar

Boil water, sugar and orange peelings about 15 minutes, set aside to cool.

Filling

4 lbs. dry figs
1 lb shelled almonds,roasted
3/4 cup sherry wine
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp black pepper

Cut figs into quarters, remove stems. Add boiled orange peelings and water, soak overnight.

Dough

12 cups flour
1-1/2 cups shortening
1 tsp salt
2 cups sugar
water as needed

Cut shortening into flour, add sugar and salt. Add water to make a workable pie dough consistency. Knead dough until smooth. Roll into a ball, cover to let rest for about an hour.

Roll dough into a square piece to 1/8" thickness and 12" long. Cut strips 2-3/4" wide and 12" long. Spread fig mixture in the center of each strip (about the size of a thumb). Bring the long edges of the dough together and seal. Cut filled dough in half. Form each piece into a ring and tuck the ends under. With a pair of scissors, snip the top of the ring in several places. Brush with a beaten egg yolk. Continue with remaining strips. Place on a greased cookie sheet about 1" apart.

Bake in a preheated oven 325°F about 20 minutes or until dough is golden brown.

These were described to me as having dates as well as figs, that's a minor adjustment to use 1-1/2 lbs of each. Or 1 lb of figs, dates and 1/3 lb each of raisins, citron and currants for a blend. I'm also thinking, instead of rolling out that dough and cutting strips, if you have a pasta machine, just use THAT to get the perfect sized strips. If I were to try these, I'd likely cheat and use premade pie crusts from the grocery store. And I'd fill each one individually and make squares folded over into triangles instead of rings.

Incidentally, this comes from a cookbook put out by the Sons of Italy in Florida, "Preserving Our Italian Heritage" Enjoy!

Dr. Maggie
(11/26/06)

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Challa Bread Pudding

Challa Bread Pudding

Tear a loaf of challa into bits.  (If you have it every week, you can save the half from one Friday night to blend with the half from the next Friday night. It is also an excellent place to dispose of stale dinner rolls, buns, bread ends, etc.  The only thing that has ever failed has been bagels.  When I catered, we used stale croissant.)

Mix 2 cups of milk with four eggs (if cholesterol bothers you, call a cardiologist vbg)

Add 1/2 cup sugar OR 1/4 cup honey OR 1/4 cup maple syrup (the tree kind) and 2 tsp vanilla.

Pour the egg mixture, beaten, over the bread bits, mix around until all liquid is absorbed.  Turn into a greased 8" by 8" pan.

At this point, you can put it in the fridge so that it can be baked in the morning, or pop it straight into a 350°F oven.  If it has been refrigerated, bake for 45 min.  If straight in, usually 30 -35 min.

Mmm, tasty.
Laura in ALameda, CA
(11/26/06)

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Kimchi de Provence

Kimchi de Provence

1 head Chinese (Nappa) Cabbage--you can use European cabbage but it's just not the same
4 tbsp Kosher salt--PLEASE use Kosher!
1 tbsp Herbes de Provence
1 bunch green onions, chopped, greens and whites
As many cloves of garlic as you can stand, peeled and chopped well--I use at least six
1 glass gallon jar with lid

Chop the cabbage very roughly, I just cut it right across the cabbage every inch or so. Discard the core. In a big bowl, toss the cabbage, garlic and green onion with the salt and herbes de provence. Pack into the glass jar. Take the end of your rolling pin (assuming you use a big thick dowel like I do) and lightly pound the contents in the jar. Your goal is not to pulverize but to get the cabbage juice flowing. Screw the lid on and leave on your counter at room temperature for 48-72 hours or so. Refrigerate after opening. Delicious!

Notes
This is a "white" kimchi, without red pepper. It's not hot at all, but it has the benefits of fermented cabbage, which are numerous, and garlic. To make more traditional kimchi, take the above recipe, add a nob of ginger peeled and chopped fine, leave out the herbes de provence, and add at least a tablespoon of red pepper flakes. You can add any vegetables you'd like to this, but I suggest staying away from broccoli, except maybe the stems. Kimchi is very versatile, you can add or leave out garlic, ginger and/or red pepper and many different flavorings. I do suggest for health reasons you have nappa cabbage as your base and add or subtract other things to it for different tastes.

It will last in your fridge for several weeks, and in fact will "ripen" and improve in flavor as it sits.

Lynn S.
(11/26/06)

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Ham Bean Nirvana

Ham Bean Nirvana

Leftover meaty ham bone--if you don't have one, a couple of ham hocks will do, but this is really a classic leftovers recipe

4 cups dried great northern or navy beans (any white bean will do), picked over and washed

2 tsp dried rosemary
1 tsp dried thyme
3 cloves garlic, crushed--just smack em hard with a heavy can, throw out the peels and there ya go
4 whole peppercorns
Water to cover the beans at least twice over

I use a slow cooker for this, but you could also use a soup pot; it's really best with a slow cooker. Basically, throw everything in the cooker, put it on high with the lid on and come back 6-8 hours later.

You should have a slightly soupy incredibly good-smelling pot of ham beans waiting.

If you do this on the stovetop you'll have to bring it to a boil, then turn it down to a simmer and watch to make sure you don't boil off the water. Just replenish it if it gets low.

I serve this with steamed greens like kale, chard, collards or a mix thereof and corn bread. Put some of the "pot liquor" from the beans over the greens and corn bread and experience true Ham Bean Nirvana.

Notes
If this doesn't lead you to True Dried Bean Enlightenment, then there is no hope for your taste buds. These are that good, and extremely easy. This recipe makes a great deal, so be prepared to freeze leftovers.

Lynn S.
(11/26/06)

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Ada's Indian Pudding

Ada's Indian Pudding

Here's another contribution to the recipe collection.  My mom wrote this up for the 100th Anniversary Cookbook of the Springfield, Maine Congregational Church Ladies' Circle, but the recipe came from our friend Ada who belonged to the church in West Brooksville, Maine where my dad was the pastor.  There's nothing like a church ladies' cookbook.  ahem.

1 quart milk, scalded in double boiler

Mix in a bowl:
5 tbsp corn meal
1/2 cup molasses
1 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp salt

Stir this into the hot milk and cook a few minutes until it thickens.

Add 1/2 cup seedless raisins. Pout into baking dish and bake at 325°F for an hour or so.  Add 1 cup cold milk and cook an hour and a half more. Stir occasionally until the last half hour.

The cookbook also has recipes for Beet Jelly, Clover sugar syrup (like honey, minus the bees), brown bread steamed in cans, and ham smoking brine, if anyone's interested.  And both my aunt's and my uncle's baked bean recipes, because they could never agree on the right way to make 'em.  <g>

The Scullerymaid
(11/26/06)

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Pumpkin Shrimp Risotto

Pumpkin Shrimp Risotto

6 baby pumpkins*
24 unpeeled, large fresh shrimp
1 lb. unpeeled, medium-size fresh shrimp
1-1/2 lb. shiitake mushrooms
1 (2 oz) package fish bouillon cubes
2 quarts boiling water
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
6 shallots, chopped
6 garlic cloves, chopped
1 lb. Arborio rice
1 (3 oz) package refrigerated shredded Parmesan cheese
1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
1 tbsp butter or margarine

Buerre Blanc Sauce
Garnishes: fresh dill sprigs, whole shiitake mushrooms

Cook baby pumpkins in 1/2" boiling water in a Dutch oven, covered, 20 minutes or until tender; drain. Cut off and reserve tops. Peel pumpkins, and cut in half. Discard seeds. Mash pulp, and set aside 1-1/4 cups, reserving remainder for another use.

Peel large shrimp, leaving tails on; de-vein, if desired, and set aside. Peel medium shrimp, and devein, if desired; set aside.

Discard mushroom stems; thinly slice caps.

Stir together fish bouillon cubes and 2 quarts boiling water until bouillon dissolves.

Melt 1/2 cup butter in a Dutch oven over medium heat; add shallots, garlic, and rice, and sauté until shallots are tender.

Add 1 cup hot fish broth; cook, stirring constantly, until liquid is absorbed. Repeat procedure with remaining hot broth, 1 cup at a time. (Cooking time is 35 to 40 minutes.) Add 1 cup mashed pumpkin (reserve remaining 1/4 cup pumpkin for Beurre Blanc Sauce), medium shrimp, sliced mushrooms, Parmesan cheese, and thyme; cook, stirring constantly, 8 to 10 minutes or just until shrimp turn pink.

Melt 1 tbsp. butter in a large skillet; add large shrimp, and sauté 2 to 4 minutes or just until shrimp turn pink.

Spoon pumpkin risotto onto serving plates, and drizzle evenly with Beurre Blanc Sauce. Arrange large shrimp around risotto, and top with reserved pumpkin tops. Garnish, if desired.

*1-1/4 cups canned pumpkin maybe substituted for pulp from 6 baby pumpkins.

Yield: 6 servings

Maggie
(11/26/06)

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Utterly Deadly Southern Pecan Pie

Utterly Deadly Southern Pecan Pie

OK Here's my contribution (and thanks for the help in wanting to know how big a half recipie will be.)

4 eggs
1-1/4 cups clear syrup
1-1/2 cups broken pecans
1 cup sugar
4 tbsp. butter
1 tsp vanilla

Boil sugar and syrup together for three minutes. Beat the eggs well (with mixer) then pour in slowly the hot syrup, (while beating), add the butter, vanilla, and pecan meats. Pour into a raw pie shell and bake 350°F for 45 minutes or until set.

Jeanne
(11/25/06)

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Kimchi de Provence

Kimchi de Provence

1 head Chinese (Nappa) Cabbage--you can use European cabbage but it's just not the same
4 tbsp Kosher salt--PLEASE use Kosher!
1 tbsp Herbes de Provence
1 bunch green onions, chopped, greens and whites
As many cloves of garlic as you can stand, peeled and chopped well--I use at least six

1 glass gallon jar with lid

Chop the cabbage very roughly--I just cut it right across the cabbage every inch or so. Discard the core.

In a big bowl, toss the cabbage, garlic and green onion with the salt and herbes de provence.

Pack into the glass jar. Take the end of your rolling pin (assuming you use a big thick dowel like I do) and lightly pound the contents in the jar. Your goal is not to pulverize but to get the cabbage juice flowing. Screw the lid on and leave on your counter at room temperature for 48-72 hours or so.

Refrigerate after opening. Delicious!

Notes
This is a "white" kimchi, without red pepper. It's not hot at all, but it has the benefits of fermented cabbage, which are numerous, and garlic.

To make more traditional kimchi, take the above recipe, add a nob of ginger peeled and chopped fine, leave out the herbes de provence, and add at least a tablespoon of red pepper flakes. You can add any vegetables you'd like to this, but I suggest staying away from broccoli, except maybe the stems.

Kimchi is very versatile, you can add or leave out garlic, ginger and/or red pepper and many different
flavorings. I do suggest for health reasons you have nappa cabbage as your base and add or subtract other things to it for different tastes.

It will last in your fridge for several weeks, and in fact will "ripen" and improve in flavor as it sits.

Lynn S.
(11/25/06)

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Brownie Cake Non-Recipe

Brownie Cake Non-Recipe
1 box of triple fudge brownie mix (the ghiardelli kind) mixed with a box of regular dark chocolate cake mix.

Add in a bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips.

Make it in layer pans, bake at 350°F until done, layer it with easy chocolate mousse (large container of cool whip whipped with cream cheese and chocolate instant pudding mix) and top with chocolate frosting and then decorated with cool whip rosettes and chocolate curls.

Diabetic death, as my family calls it.

You could buy a bag of the hard sugar icing candies. Get some of bluejeans or spongebob and cut off his head so that it's just the pants. There, he has chocolate and pants.

Miya
(11/09/06)

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Boca Negra (a chocolate cake... sort of)

Boca Negra (a chocolate cake... sort of)

Here's the chocolate cake recipe from Christy's gathering. Really easy -- but use good chocolate, please. You deserve the best! A variation on a recipe by Lora Brody

12 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped (Ghiradelli chips work well)
1-1/3 cups sugar
1/2 cup bourbon (rum will do in a pinch)
2 sticks (8 oz.) unsalted butter, cut into 10 chunks
5 large eggs
1 tbsp + 1 tsp flour

Preheat oven to 350° F. Butter a 9" round cake pan, line bottom with waxed paper or parchment and butter that, then place in a shallow roasting pan.

Food processor directions:
Put chocolate in work bowl. Give it a whirl. Bring sugar and bourbon to a full boil and pour into the work bowl, process until completely blended. With the machine still running, add the butter, chunk by chunk, then the eggs, one at a time, then the flour. Mix another 15 seconds, then pour into pan.

Or...

By hand:
Place chopped chocolate in a medium bowl, set aside. Mix 1 cup sugar with bourbon and bring to a full boil. Pour hot syrup over chocolate and stir till smooth. Piece by piece, add in butter chunks, making sure each is melted before you add the next. Put eggs and remaining sugar in a separate bowl and whisk until the eggs are slightly thickened. Add eggs to chocolate mix, whisking until well blended. Whisk in the flour. Pour batter into prepared pan, smoothing top.

Add hot water to the roasting pan to come about an inch up the side of the cake pan. Bake for exactly 30 minutes. Top will have a thin, dry crust. Dry off pan, cover cake with plastic wrap, flip pan to remove cake, remove wax paper from the bottom, and flip right side up on serving plate. Remove plastic wrap.

Serve warm or room temp. Good with whipped cream. Chilled, it's too much like fudge (g).

Refrigerate if you're keeping it more than a day. It needs no frosting or other gilding of the lily, though I have served it with freshly whipped cream and raspberries on the side, if you feel the need.

Debbie
(11/10/06)

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Chocolate Kahlua Pecan Pie (from Dierbergs)

Chocolate Kahlua Pecan Pie (from Dierbergs)

Not cake, but just about as sinful as some of the other recipes - very tasty indeed ;oP

Preheat oven to 350ºF.

3/4 cup light corn syrup
2 tbsp Kahlua or other coffee liqueur
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup butter
1-1/2 cups pecan pieces
2 (1 oz each) squares unsweetened chocolate
1 - 9" unbaked pie crust
3 eggs

In small saucepan, bring corn syrup, brown sugar and butter to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer for 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in chocolate until melted; cool slightly.

In medium bowl, whisk eggs with Kahlua and vanilla. Slowly whisk in chocolate mixture. Stir in pecans. Pour into crust.

Bake on bottom rack in preheated 350ºF oven for 35–40 minutes, or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Serve with Kahlua whipped cream. Store in refrigerator.Makes 10 servings.

Kahlua Whipped Cream:
In small chilled bowl, beat together 1 cup whipping cream, 3 tbsp powdered sugar and 1 tbsp Kahlua until soft peaks form.

Joy in MO
(11/10/06)

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Tunnel of Fudge Cake

Ladies and Gentlemen:

I give you the Tunnel of Fudge Cake.

THERE'S FAT EVERYWHERE. TRANSFATS IN THE ICING MIX when I make it. There are a couple other versions on allrecipes.com that make up an icing sludge with butter and sugar and cocoa. However, for your purposes, use the mix. And BE sure to add the nuts. Extra fat/calories...

Ice it with ganache: equal parts good chocolate and cream in a double boiler. Drizzle with white chocolate for 'looks' and even more calories.

But in order for your own kharma to be pure, do this with the glee of giving something really wonderful and special, not for revenge. Make it gorgeous and then chill it. OHMYGAWD.
Enjoy; ZW

1-3/4 cups butter, softened
1-1/2 cups white sugar
6 eggs
2 (7.25 oz) packages chocolate fudge frosting mix
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups chopped walnuts
2 tbsp boiling water

1. Preheat oven to 350° F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 10" Bundt pan. Measure 3/4 cup of the frosting mix for the chocolate glaze. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the remaining frosting mix and flour, mixing just until incorporated. Fold in the nuts.
3. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 60 minutes. The top of the cake will form a brownie like crust before it is done. Allow to cool for 60 minutes in the pan, then cool completely on a wire rack before glazing.
4. To make the chocolate glaze: Mix together reserved 3/4 cup frosting mix and 2 tablespoons boiling water, stirring until smooth. Thin with additional boiling water if necessary to reach desired consistency. Spoon glaze over the cooled cake.

(11/10/06)

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Bugger the Cholesterol Chocolate Cake Recipe

Bugger the Cholesterol Chocolate Cake Recipe

It's a killer...

3 rounded tbsp really good cocoa powder
7 oz caster sugar
7 oz butter
3 large eggs
7 oz sr flour*
1 rounded tsp baking powder
1 handful flaked almonds
7 fl oz double cream

Topping:
4 oz butter
4 oz dark chocolate (lindt 85% cocoa is good)
4 oz icing sugar
3 tbsp milk

(*No clue as to what "sr flour" is. Sorry)


Preheat oven to 180°C / 350°F / Gas 4.

Line 2" x 8" cake tins or grease and flour to line.

Mix cocoa powder with 4 tablespoons of boiling water until smooth paste.

In separate bowl, beat sugar and butter until fluffy, add the cocoa mixture, eggs, flour and baking powder. Mix well and fold in the almonds. Divide between 2 tins and bake for around 25 minutes.

Melt the chocolate topping ingredients in a bowl over some lightly simmering water. Stir until blended well and allow to cool.

Whip the double cream to soft peaks adding a little sugar to taste.

Place 1st layer of cooled cake onto cooling rack, with grease-proof paper under the rack.

Spread the cream over, then sprinkle with sliced strawberries if desired. Sandwich the 2nd sponge on top and lightly press down. Run a knife around the edge to smooth off the cream.

Pour topping over top layer of cake allowing to drizzle down and coat the sides.

Allow to firm up before tucking in.

Angela
(11/09/06)

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