PAGE 88
BISCUITS TORTONI (DESSERT)
2 and 1/2 cups Half and Half
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
8 stale macaroon cookies, crushed
1/4 cup dark rum
1 and 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 cup slivered almonds
Combine 1 and 1/4 cups of Half and Half, sugar and macaroons in a bowl and chill for about 30 minutes. Beat the remaining Half and Half until it thickens and forms peaks. Fold in the macaroon mixture, rum and vanilla extract. Place twelve paper muffin tin liners in a muffin tin pan. Fill the muffin-tin liners with the macaroon mixture. Sprinkle each muffin with slivered almonds. Freeze for about 3 hours before serving.
BAKED POTATOES FLORENTINE
2 Tbs (30 ml) butter
10-12 oz (280-330 g) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and thoroughly drained
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
A grating of fresh nutmeg
4-6 baking potatoes, baked
1/2 cup (125 ml) freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Heat the butter in a skillet over moderate heat and saute the spinach until warmed through. Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Scoop out about half the pulp of the baked potatoes and mix with the spinach mixture. Fill the potatoes with the spinach and potato mixture and top with the Parmesan cheese. Bake in a preheated 450F (230C) oven until heated through and golden brown on top, 10 to 15 minutes. Serves 4 to 6.
SHEPHERD'S PIE
1 1/2 lbs ground beef, turkey, veal or mix: Browned and drained
1 12 oz can herbed diced tomatoes (Italian, Mexican, whichever)
6 person serving mashed potatoes, either according to box, or about 6 medium potatoes
salt and pepper to taste
1 1/2 C sharp Cheddar cheese
Take browned meat, mix with tomatoes, and spread in the bottom of a 13x9 casserole dish. Top with mashed potatoes and salt and pepper,and sprinkle with the Cheddar cheese. Bake at 325 for about 30 to 45 minutes until cheese is bubbly, melted and just slightly browning. Cut into squares, and serve with salad, or green vegetables.
Variations can include differing spices of either Mexican or Italian origin, a can or about 8 ounces of frozen corn (thawed), and many others. This is a very forgiving recipe so feel free to experiment.
CHICKEN AND RICE
2 cups uncooked rice
1 1/2 cups green peppers - strips
3/4 cup thinly sliced onions
3 Tbs. cooking oil
1/4 cup cornstarch
2 cups chicken stock
3 Tbs. soy sauce
2 cups slivered cooked chicken
3 ripe tomatoes - wedged
Prepare rice and keep it warm. Saute green peppers and onions in oil in a covered skillet, use low heat and cook until tender but not brown. In a bowl, blend cornstarch with a small amount of chicken stock. Add remaining stock and soy sauce. Gently stir chicken and stock into the vegetables. Cook and stir until sauce is clear and thickened. Add tomatoes and cook just until heated through. Serve over rice. Serves 5 - 6.
MARIAN'S CHICKEN POT PIE
6 tablespoons butter -- melted
6 tablespoons flour
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup half and half -- (fat free works)
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt -- more to taste
1 teaspoon ground sage
4 cups cooked chicken -- chopped
1 16 oz. frozen vegetables, thawed
Buttermilk biscuits:
2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon soda
1 tablespoon sugar
5 tbs. butter
1 cup buttermilk
Melt butter in large saucepan. Add flour and mix well. Add broth and half and half and stir to dissolve flour. Heat until thickened. Mix in seasonings. When hot, add the cooked chicken and thawed frozen vegetables. Heat through. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Meanwhile, make the biscuits in medium sized bowl. Stir together all the dry ingredients, cut in the butter until it's in small pieces and add the buttermilk. Stir until it forms a ball. Knead a few times until smooth on a lightly floured surface. Pat out to a 1/2" thickness and cut with a 2" biscuit cutter. Pour the chicken mixture into a 9x13 baking dish then top with the unbaked biscuits. (You may have a few biscuits left over). Bake for about 20 minutes, until the biscuits are lightly browned and the chicken mixture is bubbling. Serves 6-8 - depending on how hungry everyone is. You could double the biscuit recipe and have an extra pan of them to serve with honey and butter.
CHEESY PASTA AND PORK CASSEROLE
1 1/2 lb. fresh, Lean Ground Pork
1 lb. box Cavatopi Pasta (curly pasta)
4 Tbs. Butter
1 1/4 cup diced Onion
1/4 cup minced, fresh Basil
1/4 cup minced fresh Oregano
1 cup diced Red Bell Pepper
3 Tbs. Flour
1 1/4 cup Whole Milk
1 cup Heavy Whipping Cream
2 cups cubed Cheddar Cheese
1 1/3 cup cubed Smoked Mozzarella Cheese
1 cup shredded Smoked Cheddar Cheese
3/4 cup Parmesan Cheese
1/4 tsp. Cayenne Pepper
1/2 tsp. Salt
1/4 tsp. Black Pepper
Paprika
Preheat oven to 350 F. Cook pasta al dente. Cool under cold water and drain. Pour pasta into casserole dish. Cover to prevent drying. In a skillet over med-high heat, melt 2 Tbs. butter. Add onion, green and red bell peppers and saute for 5 minutes. Add basil, oregano and ground pork. Mix while cooking until the pork is finely crumbled. In a separate saucepan over medium heat, melt remaining 2 Tbs. butter. Add flour and cook for 1 minute while stirring. Add milk, cream, regular cheddar and mozzarella cheeses and cook until the cheeses melt and the sauce comes to a boil. Reduce heat and cook until sauce thickens. Add salt, cayenne and black pepper. In the casserole dish, mix together the pasta with the pork mixture, then cover with the cheese sauce. Top with chipotle cheddar and parmesan cheeses, cover and bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees F. Remove cover in the last 10 - 15 minutes of cooking to brown the top. Remove from oven, sprinkle with paprika and serve.
FRITOSŪ HOT BEAN DIP
1 15-ounce can pinto beans, drained
4 bottled jalapeno slices (nacho slices)
1 tablespoon juice from bottled jalapeno slices
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Combine drained pinto beans with the other ingredients in a food processor. Puree ingredients on high speed until smooth. Cover and chill for at least an hour before serving.
Makes 1 1/4 cups.
MARINTED VEGETABLES
1 lb asparagus
1 lb baby Brussels sprouts
1 lb broccoli
1 lb carrots
1/4 c balsamic vinegar
4 c white wine vinegar
4 oz fresh ginger
1 lg onion
4 cloves garlic
4 T soy sauce
4 T mustard seed
1 T celery seed
4 squares of cheesecloth
4 pieces of string ~6" long
4 gallon-size zipper baggies
Clean and trim the asparagus and Brussels sprouts. Break the broccoli into florets, peel the stem, and slice into coins. Peel the carrots, and slice into coins or sticks. Steam each veggie separately until it is cooked through, but still firm, and even a little bit crisp. Shred the ginger, and mince the garlic and onion; mix with the mustard and celery seeds, and portion out into four equal amounts on the cheesecloth. Tie each square into a bundle with the string. Mix the vinegars, and soy sauce. Place each veggie in a separate baggie, add the spice package, and one-fourth of the marinade. Let sit in the refrigerator at least overnight, and up to 7 days. Just before serving, remove the veggies from the bag, and drain well.
ROASTED VEGETABLES
Preheat oven to 450
1 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise, and sliced across in 1-inch thick pieces
1 yellow summer squash, halved lengthwise, and sliced across in 1-inch thick pieces
1 red onion, thinly sliced, separated into rings
1 lb. asparagus, tough ends snapped off, spears cut in thirds
1 red pepper, cut into bite size pieces
1 yellow pepper, cut into bite size pieces
1 cup baby carrots
3 Tbs. olive oil
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
Mix veggies with olive oil, salt, pepper in large roasting pan. Spread in a single layer. Roast 30 minutes, stirring twice, until vegetables are lightly browned and tender. Serves 4 Time: 10 minutes, plus 30 min roasting
The cooled veggies can be refrigerated up to 5 days. Leftovers are delicious in sandwiches, on pizzas, in salads, or as part of an antipasto platter.
CARAMEL BROWNIES
Ingredients:
1 box German chocolate cake mix
1 package caramels (15oz.)
2/3 cup evaporated milk (small can)
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/2 cup nuts
1 cup chocolate chips
Preparation:
Mix dry cake mix, 1/3 cup of evaporated milk, and butter together until smooth. Set aside.
Melt caramels and 1/3 cup of evaporated milk together until smooth.
Spread 2/3 of cake mix in a buttered 9x13 inch pan.
Pour melted caramel mixture over cake mix.
Drop chocolate chips evenly over caramel mixture.
Drop remaining cake mixture randomly over chocolate chips. (This will spread out during cooking).
Bake at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
EASY BAKED FISH
1 to 1 1/2 pounds fish fillets (6 nice sized)
freshly ground black pepper
1 box cornbread stuffing mix
1 can of chicken broth
8 oz. creamy type cheese
1 small onion, diced
butter, oil, or cooking spray
Rub baking dish with butter or oil - or spray with cooking spray to prevent sticking. Dump the stuffing into a bowl and add chicken broth and water per directions. Put half of the mixture into a baking dish. Add the diced onions to this mixture. Next, put the fish fillets into the dish over the stuffing. Season with pepper. Add the rest of the stuffing mix. Slice the cheese and cover the top of the fish and stuffing. Cover the casserole. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 40 minutes. You may wish to add additional chicken broth to the mixture if you like your stuffing a little thinner.
ANOTHER ASPARAGUS ROLLS
1 pound fresh asparagus
1 package crescent roll dough
1 cup Monterey Jack cheese, grated
1/4 cup real bacon bits
1/4 cup green onion, finely chopped
Break off tough ends of the asparagus leaving just the tender tips. Steam for several minutes until cooked just crisp tender. Open crescent roll dough and separate at the seams. Sprinkle some cheese, bacon bits and green onion on each roll followed by an asparagus spear. Roll up and bake in the oven for 10 - 12 minutes or until rolls are browned. Slice and serve.
MARINATED MUSHROOMS
2 pounds fresh mushrooms, washed and stems removed
2/3 cup olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped
2/3 cup white vinegar
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. dried marjoram
1 tsp. dried rosemary
Salt and pepper to taste
Combine all ingredients in a large glass bowl and refrigerate overnight to allow flavors to blend. Serve chilled or at room temperature.
PEPPERMINT MILKSHAKES
4 cups vanilla ice cream
1 cup milk
4 large peppermint patties
Peppermint sticks
For those of you that may not know, peppermint patties are a type of candy composed of a soft peppermint filling covered with dark chocolate. Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Garnish with peppermint sticks.
LEMON-LIME MOUSSE
Note: Although this recipe calls for uncooked egg whites, the
acidity level is sufficient to kill salmonella bacteria.
2 eggs, separated
1/4 cup (60 ml) sugar
2 Tbs (30 ml) cornstarch (cornflour)
Juice of 6 limes
Juice of 2 lemons
Beat the egg yolks and sugar until foamy. Add the cornstarch and juices. Bring the mixture to a boil in a non-reactive pot over moderate heat, stirring constantly. Beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form and fold into the egg yolk mixture. Spoon into ramekins or small bowls and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Serve chilled. Serves 4 to 6.
