Asparagus risotto
2 Tbsp butter
1/2 c onions, finely diced
1/2c carrots, finely diced
1 c arborio rice
1/2 c dry white wine
4 to 4 1/2 c vegetable stock, heated in a separate pot
1 bunch of asparagus, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces (about 2 cups)
1/2 c grated Parmesan cheese
Using a heavy, wide saute pan, melt the butter and soften the onion and carrots for several minutes. Add rice and stir until thoroughly coated with butter. Add the wine and cook until the rice absorbs it.
Over medium-low heat, add the hot stock, 1/2 at a time, stirring between each addition. When the rice has absorbed the stock, add more, 1/2 at a time. This should take 20-30 minutes. When adding the last portion of stock, add the asparagus so it can cook along with the rice, about 5 minutes. Taste the rice. It should be creamy on the outside yet slightly firm in the center. Stir in the Parmesan and serve immediately.
from pp91-97
Sassy Sangria for 20
2 oranges, thinly sliced
1 lemon, thinly sliced
2 limes, thinly sliced
Fresh fruits (seedless grapes, strawberries, apple and pear slices
1 lb frozen peaches or bluberries
1 1/2 to 2 c Grand Marnier
1 2/2 c brandy
2 very large bunches fresh herbs (lemon verbena, lemon balm, mint, or pineapple sage)
1 gallon dry white wine
Sparkling mineral water or champagne
At least two days before serving, mix all ingredients (except frozen fruit and sparkling mineral water or champagne) in a large glass container, twisting the stems of the herbs to release flavor.
Just before serving, transfer mixture to a clear glass pitcher or bowl with a fresh bouquet of herbs and the frozen fruit (edible flowers may be used as well). Serve in glases with herbal ice cubes and a splash of champagne or mineral water and a fresh herb sprig
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
Cabbage Bean Soup and Baked Brie
from Cooks.com
BAKED BRIE IN PHYLLO
1/4 c. apricot preserves; optional
1/2 lb. wheel Brie or Camembert cheese
1/2 lb frozen phyllo dough, 10-12 sheets, thawed
1/2 c. butter, melted
Fresh dill weed; optional
Red and green grapes; optional
Apples, sliced; optional
Pears, sliced; optional
1. Spread preserves on top of the Brie.
2. Wrap the Brie in thawed phyllo dough one sheet at a time, brushing each sheet with melted butter. (Keep unused phyllo covered with damp cloth while wrapping Brie.)
3. Turn cheese over after applying each sheet of phyllo for even distribution.
4. Brush phyllo-wrapped Brie with butter.
5. Cover; refrigerate.
6. Before serving, place the phyllo-wrapped cheese in a shallow baking pan. Bake in a 425 degree oven 8-12 minutes or until golden. Let stand 10 minutes. Garnish with optional dill weed and fruit if desired. Serve with crackers.
Baby Brie in Phyllo: Prepare Baked Brie in Phyllo as directed above except use 2 tablespoons apricot preserves, substitute two 4 1/2 ounce packages Brie or Camembert cheese for the 2 pound wheel; use 1/4 pound phyllo dough (six sheets) and 1/4 cup melted butter.
Combine as above, dividing preserved, phyllo, and butter between the cheese rounds. Makes 2 rounds, 8-10 servings each.
MINTED CUCUMBER SALAD
FOR 4 SERVINGS YOU WILL NEED:
2 med. cucumbers, pared, halved lengthwise, seeded & diced
1 tsp. salt
1/2 sm. green pepper, diced 1/4 inch
2 green onions, thinly sliced
1/2 c. plain yogurt
2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp. olive or salad oil
1 clove garlic, minced or pressed
2 tbsp. chopped fresh mint or 1/2 tsp. crushed dried mint leaves
Fresh mint leaves for garnish
Crisp lettuce leaves (opt.)
1. Sprinkle cucumbers with salt. Let stand 15 minutes on paper toweling. Rinse and drain well. Blot off excess liquid.
2. Mix cucumbers with green pepper, onion, yogurt, lemon juice, oil, garlic and chopped mint. Cover and chill for 30 minutes to blend flavors.
3. To serve, place into pretty bowl and garnish with fresh mint leaves. For individual servings, line 4 salad plates with crisp lettuce leaves and top with cucumber mixture. Garnish with fresh mint leaves.
[/COLOR]
Cabbage Bean Soup
3 tbs olive oil
3 leeks, chopped
1 onion, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
2 ribs celery, chopped
2 clove garlic, minced
2 cups vegetable broth
1/2 lb green beans
3 cups Italian plum tomatoes, chopped
1 lb green cabbage, shredded
3 cups cooked cannellini beans
1 cup water
Salt and pepper
1 Loaf dry French bread, sliced
Olive oil
Parmesan
In hot oil, cook leeks, onion, carrot, celery, and garlic. Add broth. Simmer 10-15 mins. Add green beans, tomatoes, cabbage. Heat. Add beans, water, salt and pepper. Cover, simmer until cooked (test by tasting). Place a slice of bread in individual bowls; drizzle with olive oil; sprinkle with Parmesan and ladle soup on top.
BAKED BRIE IN PHYLLO
1/4 c. apricot preserves; optional
1/2 lb. wheel Brie or Camembert cheese
1/2 lb frozen phyllo dough, 10-12 sheets, thawed
1/2 c. butter, melted
Fresh dill weed; optional
Red and green grapes; optional
Apples, sliced; optional
Pears, sliced; optional
1. Spread preserves on top of the Brie.
2. Wrap the Brie in thawed phyllo dough one sheet at a time, brushing each sheet with melted butter. (Keep unused phyllo covered with damp cloth while wrapping Brie.)
3. Turn cheese over after applying each sheet of phyllo for even distribution.
4. Brush phyllo-wrapped Brie with butter.
5. Cover; refrigerate.
6. Before serving, place the phyllo-wrapped cheese in a shallow baking pan. Bake in a 425 degree oven 8-12 minutes or until golden. Let stand 10 minutes. Garnish with optional dill weed and fruit if desired. Serve with crackers.
Baby Brie in Phyllo: Prepare Baked Brie in Phyllo as directed above except use 2 tablespoons apricot preserves, substitute two 4 1/2 ounce packages Brie or Camembert cheese for the 2 pound wheel; use 1/4 pound phyllo dough (six sheets) and 1/4 cup melted butter.
Combine as above, dividing preserved, phyllo, and butter between the cheese rounds. Makes 2 rounds, 8-10 servings each.
MINTED CUCUMBER SALAD
FOR 4 SERVINGS YOU WILL NEED:
2 med. cucumbers, pared, halved lengthwise, seeded & diced
1 tsp. salt
1/2 sm. green pepper, diced 1/4 inch
2 green onions, thinly sliced
1/2 c. plain yogurt
2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp. olive or salad oil
1 clove garlic, minced or pressed
2 tbsp. chopped fresh mint or 1/2 tsp. crushed dried mint leaves
Fresh mint leaves for garnish
Crisp lettuce leaves (opt.)
1. Sprinkle cucumbers with salt. Let stand 15 minutes on paper toweling. Rinse and drain well. Blot off excess liquid.
2. Mix cucumbers with green pepper, onion, yogurt, lemon juice, oil, garlic and chopped mint. Cover and chill for 30 minutes to blend flavors.
3. To serve, place into pretty bowl and garnish with fresh mint leaves. For individual servings, line 4 salad plates with crisp lettuce leaves and top with cucumber mixture. Garnish with fresh mint leaves.
[/COLOR]
Cabbage Bean Soup
3 tbs olive oil
3 leeks, chopped
1 onion, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
2 ribs celery, chopped
2 clove garlic, minced
2 cups vegetable broth
1/2 lb green beans
3 cups Italian plum tomatoes, chopped
1 lb green cabbage, shredded
3 cups cooked cannellini beans
1 cup water
Salt and pepper
1 Loaf dry French bread, sliced
Olive oil
Parmesan
In hot oil, cook leeks, onion, carrot, celery, and garlic. Add broth. Simmer 10-15 mins. Add green beans, tomatoes, cabbage. Heat. Add beans, water, salt and pepper. Cover, simmer until cooked (test by tasting). Place a slice of bread in individual bowls; drizzle with olive oil; sprinkle with Parmesan and ladle soup on top.
vivaterra Glass Popcorn Maker
[URL=http://www.vivaterra.com/pls/enetrixp/!stmenu_template.main]viva terra[/URL]
Some of my favorite items
Glass Popcorn Maker Set
Popcorn au naturel--no oil, no butter, no mess. Place a handful of kernels in the popperbowl, cover, put it in the microwave, and a few minutes later simply lift the lid and serve. There's no healthier or more flavorful way to pop up a batch. Our glass marvel delivers greaseless, delicious popcorn that is much lighter than any microwave-bag variety.
Magnetic Stainless Steel Spice Racks
This ingenious rack with magnetized spice containers surpasses the design of all others. The clear-topped containers beautifully display their contents, and have tops that turn for sprinkling or pouring. The magnetized bottoms sit securely on the stainless steel panel. Add and subtract strips at will to the handy modular version.
Slate Cheese Board Set
Our tapered-edge slate cheese board provides a natural, safe and secure cutting surface, perfect for writing cheese names with chalk, while its padded feet protect tabletops. Simply wipe clean with a damp cloth to maintain its natural appearance for years. Two knives included. 12"L x 16"W
Recycled Glass Carafe
Designed to hold an ample supply of water yet take up little space on your night table, the recycled carafe comes with drinking glass top to prevent spills. 6"D x 8.5"H
Some of my favorite items
Glass Popcorn Maker Set
Popcorn au naturel--no oil, no butter, no mess. Place a handful of kernels in the popperbowl, cover, put it in the microwave, and a few minutes later simply lift the lid and serve. There's no healthier or more flavorful way to pop up a batch. Our glass marvel delivers greaseless, delicious popcorn that is much lighter than any microwave-bag variety.
Magnetic Stainless Steel Spice Racks
This ingenious rack with magnetized spice containers surpasses the design of all others. The clear-topped containers beautifully display their contents, and have tops that turn for sprinkling or pouring. The magnetized bottoms sit securely on the stainless steel panel. Add and subtract strips at will to the handy modular version.
Slate Cheese Board Set
Our tapered-edge slate cheese board provides a natural, safe and secure cutting surface, perfect for writing cheese names with chalk, while its padded feet protect tabletops. Simply wipe clean with a damp cloth to maintain its natural appearance for years. Two knives included. 12"L x 16"W
Recycled Glass Carafe
Designed to hold an ample supply of water yet take up little space on your night table, the recycled carafe comes with drinking glass top to prevent spills. 6"D x 8.5"H
Roasted Red Pepper Dip & Layered Broccoli Salad
from [URL=http://my.webmd.com/content/pages/21/106169]webMD[/URL]
ROASTED RED PEPPER YOGURT DIP
Recipe created by 3-A-Day™ of Dairy.
print recipe
email recipe
Prep time: 10 minutes
Ingredients:
1 (12 oz.) jar roasted red peppers, drained
2 (8 oz.) containers lowfat plain yogurt
1 (4 oz.) can chopped green chilies, drained
1 garlic clove, minced
Preparation:
1.
Purée red peppers in food processor or blender; drain again.
2.
Add remaining ingredients; mix until blended and refrigerate.
3.
Serve with assorted cut vegetables or pita wedges.
Yields: 5 servings
LAYERED BROCCOLI SALAD
Recipe created by Cabot Creamery® on behalf of 3-A-Day™ of Dairy.
print recipe
email recipe
Prep time: 25 minutes
Ingredients:
6 cups chopped broccoli flowerets
1 small red onion, very thinly sliced
1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) shredded 50% light
Cheddar cheese
2/3 cup dried, sweetened cranberries or raisins
1/2 cup plain fat free yogurt
3 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1/4 cup unsalted, dry roasted, hulled sunflower seeds or chopped walnuts
1 ounce (2 tablespoons) 50% less fat bacon pieces
Preparation:
1.
In a large, glass serving bowl, layer broccoli, onion and cranberries.
2.
In a small bowl, whisk together yogurt, honey, mayonnaise and vinegar.
3.
Drizzle the yogurt dressing over the layered salad.
4.
Layer cheese on top.
5.
Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
6.
Sprinkle with sunflower seeds and bacon pieces just before serving.
Yields: 6 servings
Antipasto Pasta Salad, Gingered Fruit Salad, Picnic Checklist
ANTIPASTO PASTA SALAD
Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less but requires additional unattended time.
1 pound rotini or fusilli (corkscrew-shaped pastas)
2 garlic cloves
1 tablespoon Dijon-style mustard
1/3 cup red-wine vinegar
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 ounce (1/2 cup) sun-dried tomatoes (not packed in oil), soaked in hot water for 5 minutes and drained well
1/2 pound smoked mozzarella, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
a 1-pound can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
3 1/2 ounces sliced hard salami, cut into julienne strips
10 to 20 bottled small peperoncini (pickled Tuscan peppers)
1/2 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes
1 cup loosely packed fresh flat-leafed parsley leaves, minced
In a kettle of boiling salted water cook the rotini until it is tender and drain it. Refresh the pasta under cold water and drain it well. In a blender blend the garlic, the mustard, the vinegars, the water, the oil, and salt to taste until the dressing is emulsified. In a very large bowl toss the pasta well with the dressing and stir in the sun-dried tomatoes, the mozzarella, the garbanzos, the salami, the Tuscan peppers, the red pepper flakes, and the parsley. Chill the salad, covered, for 1 hour. The salad may be made 2 days in advance and kept covered and chilled.
GINGERED FRUIT SALAD
2 fresh peaches
3 md plums
1 whole cantaloupe
1/2 whole honeydew melon
1/2 lb green and red grapes
1/2 c fresh lime juice
1 ts lime rind -- grated
1/4 c honey
1/2 c candied ginger root --
: chopped finely
Prepare all fruit by washing, peeling if desired,
removing pits and slicing into bite-size pieces.
Melons may be scooped out with a melon baller, if
desired. Combine all fruit in a large ceramic bowl.
Mix lime juice, rind, honey, and ginger together. Pour
over fruit, toss, and marinate for at least six hours.
Serve chilled or at room temperature
A Picnic Checklist
* A large blanket or tablecloth. For damp lawns, bring a tarp.
* Napkins. (Cloth napkins make a nice impression).
* Paper towels and/or a few hand towels for cleanup.
* Forks, knives and spoons.
* Serving utensils.
* Plates. (Bowls, if necessary).
* Wine and water glasses. Sturdy, reuseable plastic works well.
* A corkscrew and bottle opener, if necessary.
* A can opener, if necessary.
* A small cutting board or cheese board.
* Portable food favorites. See our picnic feature for more ideas.
* Lots of fluids (including non-alcoholic beverages for rehydrating).
* One cooler for beverages and another for perishable foods. If your cooler doesn't have wheels, consider a wagon.
* Garbage bags.
* Sunscreen.
* Insect repellent.
* Candles. Citronella varieties can help fight mosquitos. Look for enclosed holders with a sturdy base. Tall tapers are difficult to manage safely outdoors, and exposed wicks are easily extinguished by wind.
* A flashlight.
* Family and friends!
Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less but requires additional unattended time.
1 pound rotini or fusilli (corkscrew-shaped pastas)
2 garlic cloves
1 tablespoon Dijon-style mustard
1/3 cup red-wine vinegar
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 ounce (1/2 cup) sun-dried tomatoes (not packed in oil), soaked in hot water for 5 minutes and drained well
1/2 pound smoked mozzarella, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
a 1-pound can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
3 1/2 ounces sliced hard salami, cut into julienne strips
10 to 20 bottled small peperoncini (pickled Tuscan peppers)
1/2 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes
1 cup loosely packed fresh flat-leafed parsley leaves, minced
In a kettle of boiling salted water cook the rotini until it is tender and drain it. Refresh the pasta under cold water and drain it well. In a blender blend the garlic, the mustard, the vinegars, the water, the oil, and salt to taste until the dressing is emulsified. In a very large bowl toss the pasta well with the dressing and stir in the sun-dried tomatoes, the mozzarella, the garbanzos, the salami, the Tuscan peppers, the red pepper flakes, and the parsley. Chill the salad, covered, for 1 hour. The salad may be made 2 days in advance and kept covered and chilled.
GINGERED FRUIT SALAD
2 fresh peaches
3 md plums
1 whole cantaloupe
1/2 whole honeydew melon
1/2 lb green and red grapes
1/2 c fresh lime juice
1 ts lime rind -- grated
1/4 c honey
1/2 c candied ginger root --
: chopped finely
Prepare all fruit by washing, peeling if desired,
removing pits and slicing into bite-size pieces.
Melons may be scooped out with a melon baller, if
desired. Combine all fruit in a large ceramic bowl.
Mix lime juice, rind, honey, and ginger together. Pour
over fruit, toss, and marinate for at least six hours.
Serve chilled or at room temperature
A Picnic Checklist
* A large blanket or tablecloth. For damp lawns, bring a tarp.
* Napkins. (Cloth napkins make a nice impression).
* Paper towels and/or a few hand towels for cleanup.
* Forks, knives and spoons.
* Serving utensils.
* Plates. (Bowls, if necessary).
* Wine and water glasses. Sturdy, reuseable plastic works well.
* A corkscrew and bottle opener, if necessary.
* A can opener, if necessary.
* A small cutting board or cheese board.
* Portable food favorites. See our picnic feature for more ideas.
* Lots of fluids (including non-alcoholic beverages for rehydrating).
* One cooler for beverages and another for perishable foods. If your cooler doesn't have wheels, consider a wagon.
* Garbage bags.
* Sunscreen.
* Insect repellent.
* Candles. Citronella varieties can help fight mosquitos. Look for enclosed holders with a sturdy base. Tall tapers are difficult to manage safely outdoors, and exposed wicks are easily extinguished by wind.
* A flashlight.
* Family and friends!
4/8/05 Kick Ass Asparagus Recipes
almost forgot! It's getting to be asparagus season. I love asparagus drenched in butter. I think one of our favorite things to do last year was hop on the old scooter and putter along the country roads looking for asparagus. Then we'd take it all over to MIL's and have a feast. So much you can do with asparagus.
from foodnetwork.com
Spring Asparagus with Mimosa-Style Dressing
Recipe courtesy of Gourmet Magazine
1 pound asparagus, washed and trimmed
3 hard-boiled eggs
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
In a large deep saute pan of salted boiling water blanch the asparagus, 6 to 8 stalks at a time, until barely tender and brilliant green, about 1 to 2 minutes depending on thickness of asparagus. Remove asparagus from simmering water and plunge into an ice-water bath. Repeat process for remaining asparagus. When asparagus is completely chilled, drain, pat dry and arrange on a serving platter. Cut each hard-boiled egg in half and separate the whites from the yolks. Pass the egg whites through a coarse sieve into a small bowl. Pass the yolks through a coarse sieve into a second small bowl. In a separate bowl whisk together the lemon juice, mustard and zest. Add the olive oil in a stream whisking constantly until well combined. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Drizzle dressing over asparagus. Sprinkle the sieved egg whites and yolks over the asparagus in a decorative pattern (i.e. stripes of white and yellow). Serve immediately.
good directions for simple grilled asparagus below:
Grilled Asparagus Spears
Recipe courtesy Bob Blumer
Show: The Surreal Gourmet
Episode: Thrilling Grilling
1 pound fresh asparagus, trimmed and peeled, see Cook's Note
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
Preheat a grill.
Place asparagus on a plate. Drizzle oil over the asparagus and turn spears until they are coated. Sprinkle with salt and turn again.
Grill asparagus for 5 minutes over a hot grill. Each minute or so, roll each spear 1/4 turn. Asparagus should begin to brown in spots (indicating that the natural sugars are caramelizing) but should it not be allowed to char. Dripping oil may cause flare-ups. Keep a glass, or spray bottle of water handy to spritz on coals, if necessary.
Remove from grill and serve immediately (eating spears with your fingers enhances the experience).
Cook's Note: Look for firm asparagus stalks with firm deep green or purplish tips. Also check the bottom of the spears. If they are dried up, chances are they have been sitting around for too long. Trim off the tough bottom of the spear by grasping each end and bending it gently until it snaps at its natural point of tenderness, usually 2/3 of the way down the spear. If the spear is less than 6 inches long, chances are it has already been trimmed for you. Then take a vegetable peeler and peel off the outer skin of the lower half of the remaining stalk.
Ok, I've actually eaten this AT The Lady and Sons- it's good, but if you are going to go there, skip the menu and eat from the buffet. The best dishes are served from there, trust me!
Lady and Sons Asparagus Sandwich
8 to 10 fresh asparagus spears, washed and trimmed
2 tablespoons butter, divided
Salt and pepper or lemon pepper
2 slices pumpernickel bread
2 slices Jack cheese
1 or 2 tablespoons Thousand Island Dressing, recipe follows
3 slices red onion, cut into rings
Pickle slices or fresh parsley, for garnish, optional
Blanch asparagus spears in boiling, salted water for 1 minute. Remove immediately to a bowl of ice water.
Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add asparagus and lightly saute. Season with salt and pepper, or lemon pepper. Remove asparagus from pan and set aside. Butter 2 pieces of bread with the remaining 1 tablespoon butter. Place bread in the same skillet, buttered side down, and grill on 1 side. Flip bread and lay 1 piece of cheese on each slice of bread. Grill until cheese is melted and then remove from pan. Spread desired amount of dressing on top of each slice of bread. Arrange asparagus on top of cheese, rotating the spears. Place onion rings on top of asparagus. Cut sandwich in half. Garnish with pickle slices or parsley, if desired.
Thousand Island Dressing:
1 1/2 cups mayonnaise
1 hard-boiled egg, crushed finely
1 cup ketchup
1/4 cup dill relish
Salt and pepper
Lemon pepper
In a medium bowl, mix all ingredients together. Season with salt, pepper, and lemon pepper, to taste. Store in an air-tight container and refrigerate until ready to serve.
from foodnetwork.com
Spring Asparagus with Mimosa-Style Dressing
Recipe courtesy of Gourmet Magazine
1 pound asparagus, washed and trimmed
3 hard-boiled eggs
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
In a large deep saute pan of salted boiling water blanch the asparagus, 6 to 8 stalks at a time, until barely tender and brilliant green, about 1 to 2 minutes depending on thickness of asparagus. Remove asparagus from simmering water and plunge into an ice-water bath. Repeat process for remaining asparagus. When asparagus is completely chilled, drain, pat dry and arrange on a serving platter. Cut each hard-boiled egg in half and separate the whites from the yolks. Pass the egg whites through a coarse sieve into a small bowl. Pass the yolks through a coarse sieve into a second small bowl. In a separate bowl whisk together the lemon juice, mustard and zest. Add the olive oil in a stream whisking constantly until well combined. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Drizzle dressing over asparagus. Sprinkle the sieved egg whites and yolks over the asparagus in a decorative pattern (i.e. stripes of white and yellow). Serve immediately.
good directions for simple grilled asparagus below:
Grilled Asparagus Spears
Recipe courtesy Bob Blumer
Show: The Surreal Gourmet
Episode: Thrilling Grilling
1 pound fresh asparagus, trimmed and peeled, see Cook's Note
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
Preheat a grill.
Place asparagus on a plate. Drizzle oil over the asparagus and turn spears until they are coated. Sprinkle with salt and turn again.
Grill asparagus for 5 minutes over a hot grill. Each minute or so, roll each spear 1/4 turn. Asparagus should begin to brown in spots (indicating that the natural sugars are caramelizing) but should it not be allowed to char. Dripping oil may cause flare-ups. Keep a glass, or spray bottle of water handy to spritz on coals, if necessary.
Remove from grill and serve immediately (eating spears with your fingers enhances the experience).
Cook's Note: Look for firm asparagus stalks with firm deep green or purplish tips. Also check the bottom of the spears. If they are dried up, chances are they have been sitting around for too long. Trim off the tough bottom of the spear by grasping each end and bending it gently until it snaps at its natural point of tenderness, usually 2/3 of the way down the spear. If the spear is less than 6 inches long, chances are it has already been trimmed for you. Then take a vegetable peeler and peel off the outer skin of the lower half of the remaining stalk.
Ok, I've actually eaten this AT The Lady and Sons- it's good, but if you are going to go there, skip the menu and eat from the buffet. The best dishes are served from there, trust me!
Lady and Sons Asparagus Sandwich
8 to 10 fresh asparagus spears, washed and trimmed
2 tablespoons butter, divided
Salt and pepper or lemon pepper
2 slices pumpernickel bread
2 slices Jack cheese
1 or 2 tablespoons Thousand Island Dressing, recipe follows
3 slices red onion, cut into rings
Pickle slices or fresh parsley, for garnish, optional
Blanch asparagus spears in boiling, salted water for 1 minute. Remove immediately to a bowl of ice water.
Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add asparagus and lightly saute. Season with salt and pepper, or lemon pepper. Remove asparagus from pan and set aside. Butter 2 pieces of bread with the remaining 1 tablespoon butter. Place bread in the same skillet, buttered side down, and grill on 1 side. Flip bread and lay 1 piece of cheese on each slice of bread. Grill until cheese is melted and then remove from pan. Spread desired amount of dressing on top of each slice of bread. Arrange asparagus on top of cheese, rotating the spears. Place onion rings on top of asparagus. Cut sandwich in half. Garnish with pickle slices or parsley, if desired.
Thousand Island Dressing:
1 1/2 cups mayonnaise
1 hard-boiled egg, crushed finely
1 cup ketchup
1/4 cup dill relish
Salt and pepper
Lemon pepper
In a medium bowl, mix all ingredients together. Season with salt, pepper, and lemon pepper, to taste. Store in an air-tight container and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Herbed Olive Spirals bhg
Herbed Olive Spirals from bhg.com
ngredients
1 16-ounce package hot roll mix
1/3 cup oil-pack dried tomatoes
2 3-ounce packages cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup finely chopped pitted ripe olives and/or green olives
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1 egg yolk, slightly beaten
1 teaspoon cracked black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano or thyme, crushed (optional)
1 slightly beaten egg
1 tablespoon water
Directions
Prepare the hot roll mix according to package directions. After kneading, divide the dough into two portions; cover and let rest for 5 minutes. Grease a large baking sheet; set aside.
For filling, drain tomatoes, reserving oil. Chop the tomatoes. Combine tomatoes, cream cheese, olives, green onions, egg yolk, pepper, and, if desired, oregano or thyme in a mixing bowl. Stir in about 1 tablespoon reserved tomato oil, if necessary, to make a filling that is easy to spread.
Turn dough portions out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll each portion to a 14x11-inch rectangle. Spread half of the filling atop each rectangle to within 1/2 inch of edges (filling amount will seem generous). Roll up dough tightly from long sides. Seal seams. Place loaves on the prepared baking sheet with seams down. Cover and let dough rise till nearly double (about 30 to 40 minutes).
Make three or four diagonal cuts about 1/4 inch deep in loaf tops, using a sharp knife. Combine the egg and water; brush onto loaves. Bake in a 375ý oven about 25 minutes or till golden. Carefully remove loaves from baking sheet and cool on wire racks. Serve warm or at room temperature. Slice with a serrated knife.
ngredients
1 16-ounce package hot roll mix
1/3 cup oil-pack dried tomatoes
2 3-ounce packages cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup finely chopped pitted ripe olives and/or green olives
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1 egg yolk, slightly beaten
1 teaspoon cracked black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano or thyme, crushed (optional)
1 slightly beaten egg
1 tablespoon water
Directions
Prepare the hot roll mix according to package directions. After kneading, divide the dough into two portions; cover and let rest for 5 minutes. Grease a large baking sheet; set aside.
For filling, drain tomatoes, reserving oil. Chop the tomatoes. Combine tomatoes, cream cheese, olives, green onions, egg yolk, pepper, and, if desired, oregano or thyme in a mixing bowl. Stir in about 1 tablespoon reserved tomato oil, if necessary, to make a filling that is easy to spread.
Turn dough portions out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll each portion to a 14x11-inch rectangle. Spread half of the filling atop each rectangle to within 1/2 inch of edges (filling amount will seem generous). Roll up dough tightly from long sides. Seal seams. Place loaves on the prepared baking sheet with seams down. Cover and let dough rise till nearly double (about 30 to 40 minutes).
Make three or four diagonal cuts about 1/4 inch deep in loaf tops, using a sharp knife. Combine the egg and water; brush onto loaves. Bake in a 375ý oven about 25 minutes or till golden. Carefully remove loaves from baking sheet and cool on wire racks. Serve warm or at room temperature. Slice with a serrated knife.
Layered Salads & Foodie Quotes
For layered salads, I like to use darker lettuce or spinach, because it produces a more dramatic effect. Also, if you are going to make it ahead of time, add smaller sized uncooked pasta to the bottom layer. It will absorb some of the excess moisture and by the morning it will be soft. I like to line the walls of the bottom layer (containing the pasta) first with sliced cucumbers. I think it looks cute.
Here are some neat quotes regarding food and meals from [URL=http://www.foodreference.com/html/qtable.html]FoodReference.com[/URL]
"The table is the only place where one is never bored during the first hour."
Jean-Anthelme Brillat-Savarin (1755-1826)
The Physiology of Taste (1825)
"The dinner table is the center for the teaching and practicing not just of table manners but of conversation, consideration, tolerance, family feeling, and just about all the other accomplishments of polite society except the minuet."
Judith Martin
“In our opinion food should be sniffed lustily at table, both as a matter of precaution and as a matter of enjoyment, the sniffing of it to be regarded in the same light as the tasting of it.”
E.B. White (1899-1985) American essayist
“A host at a table where a guest is obliged to ask, is a host dishonored.”
La Petite Cuisine du baron Brisse (1870)
“A man is in general better pleased when he has a good dinner upon the table than when his wife talks Greek.”
Samuel Johnson (1709-1784)
“A man who can dominate a London dinner table can dominate the world.”
Oscar Wilde
“Be not angry or sour at table; whatever may happen put on the cheerful mien, for good humor makes one dish a feast.”
From a Shaker manual, 'Gentle Manners'
“Being set at the table, scratch not thyself, and take thou heed as much as thou canst not to spit, cough and blow at thy nose; but if it be needful, do it dexterously, without much noise, turning thy face sidelong.”
Francis Hawkins, Youth's Behaviour (1663)
“I sat at a table where were rich food and wine in abundance, and obsequious attendance, but sincerity and truth were not; and I went away hungry from the inhospitable board.”
Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862)
“I went to this restaurant last night that was set up like a big buffet in the shape of an Ouija board. You'd think about what kind of food you want, and the table would move across the floor to it.”
Steven Wright
Here are some neat quotes regarding food and meals from [URL=http://www.foodreference.com/html/qtable.html]FoodReference.com[/URL]
"The table is the only place where one is never bored during the first hour."
Jean-Anthelme Brillat-Savarin (1755-1826)
The Physiology of Taste (1825)
"The dinner table is the center for the teaching and practicing not just of table manners but of conversation, consideration, tolerance, family feeling, and just about all the other accomplishments of polite society except the minuet."
Judith Martin
“In our opinion food should be sniffed lustily at table, both as a matter of precaution and as a matter of enjoyment, the sniffing of it to be regarded in the same light as the tasting of it.”
E.B. White (1899-1985) American essayist
“A host at a table where a guest is obliged to ask, is a host dishonored.”
La Petite Cuisine du baron Brisse (1870)
“A man is in general better pleased when he has a good dinner upon the table than when his wife talks Greek.”
Samuel Johnson (1709-1784)
“A man who can dominate a London dinner table can dominate the world.”
Oscar Wilde
“Be not angry or sour at table; whatever may happen put on the cheerful mien, for good humor makes one dish a feast.”
From a Shaker manual, 'Gentle Manners'
“Being set at the table, scratch not thyself, and take thou heed as much as thou canst not to spit, cough and blow at thy nose; but if it be needful, do it dexterously, without much noise, turning thy face sidelong.”
Francis Hawkins, Youth's Behaviour (1663)
“I sat at a table where were rich food and wine in abundance, and obsequious attendance, but sincerity and truth were not; and I went away hungry from the inhospitable board.”
Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862)
“I went to this restaurant last night that was set up like a big buffet in the shape of an Ouija board. You'd think about what kind of food you want, and the table would move across the floor to it.”
Steven Wright
Easter '05- Deviled Eggs & Breakfast Hash
Easter stuff~ trying to get some recipes together for tomorrow. M gets to leave the hosp for ONE day. We thought it would be the whole weekend, but oh well. I might let everyone come over for dinner or something.
I'm also looking for things to make for the nurses at the rehap unit.
Classic Deviled Eggs
Serve for any occasion, whether it be a wedding feast, a picnic in the park, or for lunch or dinner!
Items Needed: (for 12 Deviled Eggs)
# 6 hard boiled Eggs (large)
# 3 tablespoons mayonnaise or salad dressing
# 1 tablespoon sugar
# 1 teaspoon mustard (honey mustard is great!)
# 1 teaspoon vinegar
# salt & pepper to taste
# paprika (optional)
To boil eggs, place eggs in enough cold water to cover completely, bring to a rolling boil over high heat.
Reduce heat to a lower MEDIUM BOIL and cook an additional 12 minutes.
Promptly chill eggs so yolks stay bright yellow.
Remove shells from eggs, and halve lengthwise with a knife.
Carefully remove the yolks, and place in a medium bowl.
Mash yolks with a fork, and add remaining ingredients.
Very carefully spoon mixture back into the egg white halves. Garnish with a light sprinkling of paprika (optional).
from [URL=http://www.goodegg.com/recipe/deviledegg.html]goodegg.com[/URL]
Breakfast Hash
2 lbs small white potatoes (unpeeled and 1-in diced)
2Tbs olive oil
1 med yellow onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 bell peppers 1 1/2 Tbs finely chopped fresh rosemary
8 small soy sausages, thinly sliced
4 oz fresh baby spinach, chopped
chitpole powder
1. Boil potatoes and simmer 10-12 minutes. Drain and cool.
2. In very large skillet, heat oil over med-high heat. Add onion and cook, stirring often, until begining to soften, 5min. Add potatoes, and cook, stirring occasionally until crispy and brown about 10 min. Stir in spinach-cook until spinach wilts.
3. Break eggs over has and cook until eggs are set. Quickly flip eggs over to briefly cook on other side- 1 min- add salt and pepper and chitpole to taste
from Vegetarian Times.
I wish I had all of my cookbooks with me.
I'm also looking for things to make for the nurses at the rehap unit.
Classic Deviled Eggs
Serve for any occasion, whether it be a wedding feast, a picnic in the park, or for lunch or dinner!
Items Needed: (for 12 Deviled Eggs)
# 6 hard boiled Eggs (large)
# 3 tablespoons mayonnaise or salad dressing
# 1 tablespoon sugar
# 1 teaspoon mustard (honey mustard is great!)
# 1 teaspoon vinegar
# salt & pepper to taste
# paprika (optional)
To boil eggs, place eggs in enough cold water to cover completely, bring to a rolling boil over high heat.
Reduce heat to a lower MEDIUM BOIL and cook an additional 12 minutes.
Promptly chill eggs so yolks stay bright yellow.
Remove shells from eggs, and halve lengthwise with a knife.
Carefully remove the yolks, and place in a medium bowl.
Mash yolks with a fork, and add remaining ingredients.
Very carefully spoon mixture back into the egg white halves. Garnish with a light sprinkling of paprika (optional).
from [URL=http://www.goodegg.com/recipe/deviledegg.html]goodegg.com[/URL]
Breakfast Hash
2 lbs small white potatoes (unpeeled and 1-in diced)
2Tbs olive oil
1 med yellow onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 bell peppers 1 1/2 Tbs finely chopped fresh rosemary
8 small soy sausages, thinly sliced
4 oz fresh baby spinach, chopped
chitpole powder
1. Boil potatoes and simmer 10-12 minutes. Drain and cool.
2. In very large skillet, heat oil over med-high heat. Add onion and cook, stirring often, until begining to soften, 5min. Add potatoes, and cook, stirring occasionally until crispy and brown about 10 min. Stir in spinach-cook until spinach wilts.
3. Break eggs over has and cook until eggs are set. Quickly flip eggs over to briefly cook on other side- 1 min- add salt and pepper and chitpole to taste
from Vegetarian Times.
I wish I had all of my cookbooks with me.
Pesto Olive Pinwheels & Artichoke Canapes
Flaky Pesto Olive Pinwheels
Makes about 100.
12 oz. cream cheese -- softened
1 c. grated parmesan
2 green onions with tops -- minced
1/3 c. your favorite pesto sauce
1 pkg. frozen puff pastry sheets -- thawed until cold enough to roll but still chilled
1 1/2 c. whole pitted ripe olives -- wedged or coarsely -- chopped
Beat together cream cheese, parmesan, green onions and pesto until well blended.
On lightly floured surface roll half of puff pastry (1 sheet) into 10x6 inch rectangle.
Spread half the cheese mixture over pastry, covering completely. Scatter half the olives over filling. Roll lengthwise like jelly roll, starting at long side to make a log. Repeat with remaining pastry, filling and olives.
Freeze logs until solid (or up to 2 months).
Heat oven to 375 degrees. Remove logs from freezer 10-15 min. before baking. Slice into 1/4 inch thick rounds. Place 1 1/2 in. apart on non-stick baking sheets. Bake 10-12 min. or until lightly browned.
Hot Artichoke Canapes
Makes 32 puffs
1 can (12 oz) artichoke hearts, drained well & chopped
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 clove garlic, minced
3 tbsp grated parmesan cheese
3 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1 pkg (17.25 oz) frozen puff pastry, thawed
Egg Wash (1 egg, beaten with 1 tbsp water)
In medium bowl, combine artichoke hearts, mayonnaise, garlic, parmesan cheese and parsley; set aside.
On floured surface, unfold sheet of puff pastry. Crimp seams with fingertips. Roll sheet to 12-inch square. Brush with egg wash.
Cut pastry sheet into 16 (3-inch) squares. Place small amount of artichoke filling in center of each 3-inch square. Fold 2 side corners up to encase filling.
Place canapes on parchment-lined baking sheet. Brush each with egg wash mixture.
Cover and refrigerate at least 15 minutes and up to 3 hours. Repeat with puff pastry sheet and remaining filling. (can be frozen and cooked frozen later).
Bake in 400 degree F oven for 12-13 minutes or until browned and puffed. Serve warm or at room temperature.
[URL=http://www.molsol.com/Cooking/appetizers2.html]From molsol[/URL]
1 8 oz. package refrigerated crescent rolls
1 Portabella mushroom
8 oz small white mushrooms
2 TBS butter
1/2 cup whipping cream
1 egg
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 cup shredded Swiss cheese
Wash mushrooms and chop in food processor. Place butter in a small skillet and cook mushrooms over medium heat until all liquid is evaporated.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease 2 dozen 1 3/4" muffin tins. Separate each roll of dough into six equal pieces. Cut each piece in half (to form a square) and press into muffin tins. Divide mushroom mixture evenly among shells. Beat together egg, cream, salt and cayenne. Pour egg mixture over mushrooms (approximately 2 tsp. each). Sprinkle with grated cheese. Bake at 375 degrees for 18-20 minutes or until center is set. To serve warm, cool 5 minutes before removing. To freeze, cool on rack and freeze in air tight container or bag. To reheat, place frozen quiches on cookie sheet and bake 12-14 minutes at 350 degrees. Makes 24. Freezes extremely well.
[URL=http://busycooks.about.com/od/appetizerrecipe1/r/jalapopp.htm]busy cooks at about[/URL]
Jalapeno Poppers
* 12 oz. cream cheese, softened
* 2 cups shredded Pepper Jack cheese
* 25 jalapeno peppers, seeded, cut in half
* 1 cup milk
* 1 cup flour
* 1-1/2 cups dried packaged breadcrumbs
* Oil for deep frying
PREPARATION:
In a medium bowl, combine cream cheese and pepper jack cheese; blend well.
In a pot of barely simmering water, blanch the pepper halves for 2 minutes, drain and dry thoroughly with paper towels.
Spoon the cream cheese mixture into jalapeno pepper halves.
Place milk and flour into two separate shallow bowls. Dip the stuffed jalapenos first into the milk then into the flour, making sure they are thoroughly coated. Place the coated jalapenos on wire racks and let dry for about 10 minutes.
Dip the jalapenos in milk again and then roll them in breadcrumbs to coat. Let coated peppers dry, repeating the dipping in milk and rolling in breadcrumbs if necessary.
In large skillet, heat the oil to 365 degrees F. Deep fry the filled and coated jalapeno peppers 2 to 3 minutes each, until golden brown. Remove and let drain on a paper towel.
To freeze, DO NOT FRY PEPPERS. Place on cookie sheet and freeze until hard, then package in single layer in plastic freezer containers. To eat, place on cookie sheets and bake at 350 degrees for 20-23 minutes until hot all the way through, golden brown, and crisp. Makes 25 appetizers
Makes about 100.
12 oz. cream cheese -- softened
1 c. grated parmesan
2 green onions with tops -- minced
1/3 c. your favorite pesto sauce
1 pkg. frozen puff pastry sheets -- thawed until cold enough to roll but still chilled
1 1/2 c. whole pitted ripe olives -- wedged or coarsely -- chopped
Beat together cream cheese, parmesan, green onions and pesto until well blended.
On lightly floured surface roll half of puff pastry (1 sheet) into 10x6 inch rectangle.
Spread half the cheese mixture over pastry, covering completely. Scatter half the olives over filling. Roll lengthwise like jelly roll, starting at long side to make a log. Repeat with remaining pastry, filling and olives.
Freeze logs until solid (or up to 2 months).
Heat oven to 375 degrees. Remove logs from freezer 10-15 min. before baking. Slice into 1/4 inch thick rounds. Place 1 1/2 in. apart on non-stick baking sheets. Bake 10-12 min. or until lightly browned.
Hot Artichoke Canapes
Makes 32 puffs
1 can (12 oz) artichoke hearts, drained well & chopped
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 clove garlic, minced
3 tbsp grated parmesan cheese
3 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1 pkg (17.25 oz) frozen puff pastry, thawed
Egg Wash (1 egg, beaten with 1 tbsp water)
In medium bowl, combine artichoke hearts, mayonnaise, garlic, parmesan cheese and parsley; set aside.
On floured surface, unfold sheet of puff pastry. Crimp seams with fingertips. Roll sheet to 12-inch square. Brush with egg wash.
Cut pastry sheet into 16 (3-inch) squares. Place small amount of artichoke filling in center of each 3-inch square. Fold 2 side corners up to encase filling.
Place canapes on parchment-lined baking sheet. Brush each with egg wash mixture.
Cover and refrigerate at least 15 minutes and up to 3 hours. Repeat with puff pastry sheet and remaining filling. (can be frozen and cooked frozen later).
Bake in 400 degree F oven for 12-13 minutes or until browned and puffed. Serve warm or at room temperature.
[URL=http://www.molsol.com/Cooking/appetizers2.html]From molsol[/URL]
1 8 oz. package refrigerated crescent rolls
1 Portabella mushroom
8 oz small white mushrooms
2 TBS butter
1/2 cup whipping cream
1 egg
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 cup shredded Swiss cheese
Wash mushrooms and chop in food processor. Place butter in a small skillet and cook mushrooms over medium heat until all liquid is evaporated.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease 2 dozen 1 3/4" muffin tins. Separate each roll of dough into six equal pieces. Cut each piece in half (to form a square) and press into muffin tins. Divide mushroom mixture evenly among shells. Beat together egg, cream, salt and cayenne. Pour egg mixture over mushrooms (approximately 2 tsp. each). Sprinkle with grated cheese. Bake at 375 degrees for 18-20 minutes or until center is set. To serve warm, cool 5 minutes before removing. To freeze, cool on rack and freeze in air tight container or bag. To reheat, place frozen quiches on cookie sheet and bake 12-14 minutes at 350 degrees. Makes 24. Freezes extremely well.
[URL=http://busycooks.about.com/od/appetizerrecipe1/r/jalapopp.htm]busy cooks at about[/URL]
Jalapeno Poppers
* 12 oz. cream cheese, softened
* 2 cups shredded Pepper Jack cheese
* 25 jalapeno peppers, seeded, cut in half
* 1 cup milk
* 1 cup flour
* 1-1/2 cups dried packaged breadcrumbs
* Oil for deep frying
PREPARATION:
In a medium bowl, combine cream cheese and pepper jack cheese; blend well.
In a pot of barely simmering water, blanch the pepper halves for 2 minutes, drain and dry thoroughly with paper towels.
Spoon the cream cheese mixture into jalapeno pepper halves.
Place milk and flour into two separate shallow bowls. Dip the stuffed jalapenos first into the milk then into the flour, making sure they are thoroughly coated. Place the coated jalapenos on wire racks and let dry for about 10 minutes.
Dip the jalapenos in milk again and then roll them in breadcrumbs to coat. Let coated peppers dry, repeating the dipping in milk and rolling in breadcrumbs if necessary.
In large skillet, heat the oil to 365 degrees F. Deep fry the filled and coated jalapeno peppers 2 to 3 minutes each, until golden brown. Remove and let drain on a paper towel.
To freeze, DO NOT FRY PEPPERS. Place on cookie sheet and freeze until hard, then package in single layer in plastic freezer containers. To eat, place on cookie sheets and bake at 350 degrees for 20-23 minutes until hot all the way through, golden brown, and crisp. Makes 25 appetizers
How to be a good houseguest
How to be a good houseguest.....
Rules each houseguest should know and follow if they expect to be invited back for another visit.
Come visit us again!
Who doesn’t want to hear that phrase after they’ve just visited family or friends? Ideally, it should be uttered with a smile. Not the tight, controlled smile that tells you someone is being polite. No, I’m talking about the loose, genuine smile that says they really had fun and want you to return...anytime.
Unfortunately, for the most part, everyone overstays their welcome.
It’s hard to keep both the host and guests happy for more than a day, but, with a little prior thought and creativity, both can be accommodated very nicely. Follow these guidelines to become the perfect houseguest.
The number one rule: don’t arrive early–or late. If you’re arrival time is on Saturday morning, don’t show up Friday night. Unless the possibility of your arrival time moving up is part of the arrangements, do not pop in unexpectedly. And for heaven’s sake, don’t be late. For every minute that you’re tardy, your host will be envisioning a horrible crash or some equally disastrous problem. Call if you think there’s a possibility that you won’t arrive on time.
No matter how short your stay, always bring a gift. Always. There are no exceptions to this rule. Though it may be difficult to chose the right gift, any gift is better than nothing at all. When in doubt, liquor is always acceptable, unless you already know the host or hostess is dead set against liquor: then it would be the worst gift you could possibly show up with. Do your homework.
Food can be an iffy gift, depending on your host. Whatever you do, don’t show up with a teeny-tiny little cheesecake that can’t possibly feed you and your family as well as the host’s family. Your host may feel slighted. After all, he’s giving you full overnight accommodations. Think in terms of quantity as well as quality before you buy. Do ask ahead. Bake or purchase something the host prefers, not something you prefer. And, finally, even if it’s your favorite recipe and your husband’s mouth is watering for a piece of it, do not suggest when it’s a good time for the host to serve it. What he does with the gift is entirely up to him. You did bring it for him, didn’t you? If he doesn’t suggest it be cut into, he may not like that particular goodie. Whatever you do, don’t make him admit it. That makes the gift useless, and forces the host to feel less than gracious.
A plant makes a nice gift, so does a set of plush bathroom towels. Do not purchase anything cute, like a stature of a little boy peeing on the grass, or a talking fish plaque for the den. You may think it’s great; your host may hate it.
Remember your host has gone through a lot of trouble to have you over, despite what he says, so always be polite. Eat a little bit of what is served, and bring favorite snacks for children, who may be picky eaters. Offer to help with the cooking and clean-up and be prepared to do so.
If you’ll be using the host’s swimming pool, it wouldn’t hurt to bring your own towels. After a day or two, your host will appreciate your thoughtfulness.
Don’t bring Sparky along. If you do, and your host is good enough to allow your pet access to his home, keep a close eye on Sparky. No matter what your host says, keep Sparky in a kennel–preferably in the garage. Your host is probably just being kind, and one night in the garage won’t kill Sparky. Dogs will be dogs, and let’s face it...they have accidents, they smell, and sometimes they scratch holes in carpets and jump on furniture. Believe me, that’s enough to kill your chances of ever being asked back.
The same goes for children. If you’ve been invited, your host already knows you have children. That doesn’t mean you can let them run wild. That means keep a closer eye on them than you do at home. You and your child already know all the rules at home. Children don’t necessarily know it applies to other houses, and your rules may not be as strict as your host’s rules are. Don’t let baby run through the house with a cracker, cookie, or other snack. In fact, don’t let baby run through the house, period.
Pick up after yourself. Be a neat freak. Your hostess will adore you for that. Make the bed when you get up, put your toothbrush away after using it, don’t leave your suitcases in the living room, even if you’re sleeping on the couch. Ask if there is a closet you can use. Would you want your house looking like a hotel lobby?
No matter how long your stay, find time to retreat to your room for several hours each day. Give your hostess some breathing space. They have a routine that you probably have just screwed up royally. Trust me on this one, you’ll both need a breather from time to time.
Make it clear to your host, long before you arrive, what you intent to get out of this vacation. For instance, let your host know that you plan on doing some family things alone with the kids–if that’s what you want. Or that you would like your host’s family to join you when you go to Disney Land. Whatever your plans, make sure no one is surprised. An itinerary makes things a lot easier on everyone. There’s nothing more depressing than promising your kids a fun-filled day at the zoo and finding out your host has already purchased tickets for the ballet and is insisting the entire family really must go.
If you are staying more than one day, you have a responsibility to the host to invite them to dinner. You may ask what restaurants are good in the area, but ultimately you make the decision on how much you would like to pay for dinner. Your hostess will be glad to get out of the kitchen, and so will you.
Rules each houseguest should know and follow if they expect to be invited back for another visit.
Come visit us again!
Who doesn’t want to hear that phrase after they’ve just visited family or friends? Ideally, it should be uttered with a smile. Not the tight, controlled smile that tells you someone is being polite. No, I’m talking about the loose, genuine smile that says they really had fun and want you to return...anytime.
Unfortunately, for the most part, everyone overstays their welcome.
It’s hard to keep both the host and guests happy for more than a day, but, with a little prior thought and creativity, both can be accommodated very nicely. Follow these guidelines to become the perfect houseguest.
The number one rule: don’t arrive early–or late. If you’re arrival time is on Saturday morning, don’t show up Friday night. Unless the possibility of your arrival time moving up is part of the arrangements, do not pop in unexpectedly. And for heaven’s sake, don’t be late. For every minute that you’re tardy, your host will be envisioning a horrible crash or some equally disastrous problem. Call if you think there’s a possibility that you won’t arrive on time.
No matter how short your stay, always bring a gift. Always. There are no exceptions to this rule. Though it may be difficult to chose the right gift, any gift is better than nothing at all. When in doubt, liquor is always acceptable, unless you already know the host or hostess is dead set against liquor: then it would be the worst gift you could possibly show up with. Do your homework.
Food can be an iffy gift, depending on your host. Whatever you do, don’t show up with a teeny-tiny little cheesecake that can’t possibly feed you and your family as well as the host’s family. Your host may feel slighted. After all, he’s giving you full overnight accommodations. Think in terms of quantity as well as quality before you buy. Do ask ahead. Bake or purchase something the host prefers, not something you prefer. And, finally, even if it’s your favorite recipe and your husband’s mouth is watering for a piece of it, do not suggest when it’s a good time for the host to serve it. What he does with the gift is entirely up to him. You did bring it for him, didn’t you? If he doesn’t suggest it be cut into, he may not like that particular goodie. Whatever you do, don’t make him admit it. That makes the gift useless, and forces the host to feel less than gracious.
A plant makes a nice gift, so does a set of plush bathroom towels. Do not purchase anything cute, like a stature of a little boy peeing on the grass, or a talking fish plaque for the den. You may think it’s great; your host may hate it.
Remember your host has gone through a lot of trouble to have you over, despite what he says, so always be polite. Eat a little bit of what is served, and bring favorite snacks for children, who may be picky eaters. Offer to help with the cooking and clean-up and be prepared to do so.
If you’ll be using the host’s swimming pool, it wouldn’t hurt to bring your own towels. After a day or two, your host will appreciate your thoughtfulness.
Don’t bring Sparky along. If you do, and your host is good enough to allow your pet access to his home, keep a close eye on Sparky. No matter what your host says, keep Sparky in a kennel–preferably in the garage. Your host is probably just being kind, and one night in the garage won’t kill Sparky. Dogs will be dogs, and let’s face it...they have accidents, they smell, and sometimes they scratch holes in carpets and jump on furniture. Believe me, that’s enough to kill your chances of ever being asked back.
The same goes for children. If you’ve been invited, your host already knows you have children. That doesn’t mean you can let them run wild. That means keep a closer eye on them than you do at home. You and your child already know all the rules at home. Children don’t necessarily know it applies to other houses, and your rules may not be as strict as your host’s rules are. Don’t let baby run through the house with a cracker, cookie, or other snack. In fact, don’t let baby run through the house, period.
Pick up after yourself. Be a neat freak. Your hostess will adore you for that. Make the bed when you get up, put your toothbrush away after using it, don’t leave your suitcases in the living room, even if you’re sleeping on the couch. Ask if there is a closet you can use. Would you want your house looking like a hotel lobby?
No matter how long your stay, find time to retreat to your room for several hours each day. Give your hostess some breathing space. They have a routine that you probably have just screwed up royally. Trust me on this one, you’ll both need a breather from time to time.
Make it clear to your host, long before you arrive, what you intent to get out of this vacation. For instance, let your host know that you plan on doing some family things alone with the kids–if that’s what you want. Or that you would like your host’s family to join you when you go to Disney Land. Whatever your plans, make sure no one is surprised. An itinerary makes things a lot easier on everyone. There’s nothing more depressing than promising your kids a fun-filled day at the zoo and finding out your host has already purchased tickets for the ballet and is insisting the entire family really must go.
If you are staying more than one day, you have a responsibility to the host to invite them to dinner. You may ask what restaurants are good in the area, but ultimately you make the decision on how much you would like to pay for dinner. Your hostess will be glad to get out of the kitchen, and so will you.
9/7/04 Tomato Vinaigrette - M update
Tomato Vinaigrette (for bruchetta, served cold)
12 roma tomatoes, blanched, skinned, seeded, and chopped
3 large, pitted black olives, chopped
3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
2 tsp. fresh oregano
3 tsp. fresh mint
salt to taste
1 baguette, sliced
Combine all ingredients and cool in the refridgerator for at least 1 hour before enjoying. Serve in individual bowls with slices of bread on the side.
recipe for warm bruschetta
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1/2 green pepper, chopped
1 med. spanish onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1/4 c. dry white wine
1 1/2 chopped tomatoes ( I prefer roma)
1/2 tsp basil
1 Tbsp. tomato paste
1 1/2 c. grated Gruyere cheese
pinch of thyme and pinch of mint
dash paprika
salt/pepper to taste
1 baguette
Saute green pepper, onion and garlic over med. heat for 3-4 minutes. Add wine, heat high for another 3-4 minutes. Add tomatoes and all seasoning and cook 15 min. med-high, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, slice bread into 2 pieces lengthwise and cut each half into four equal pieces. Toast on both sides in oven. Add tomato paste to items that are cooking turning heat to medium for 3-4 more minutes. Stir in cheese, season to taste, and spread over toasted bread with a spoon. Broil 1 min. or so in oven. Serve hot.
Roasted Red Pepper Soup
4 medium red peppers (broiled or roasted, skinned and sliced)
4 medium tomatoes (blanched, skinned and seeded, and chopped)
1/4 c. extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp dried marjoram
1/2 tsp. thyme
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 tsp. mild curry paste (optional)
1 medium spanish onion, sliced
1 medium leek, sliced (white part)
1 cup cabbage, chopped
2 cups water
sweet chili sauce to taste
salt/pepper to taste
Heat oil in a large pan. Add herbs, garlic, and curry paste. Stir over low heat for 1 minute, or until aromas mix, and add onion and leek. Cook 3 minutes or until onion is golden. Add cabbage, tomatoes, red peppers and water. Bring to a boil and immediately reduce to a simmer for 20 minutes. Allow to cool slightly. Place the soup in small batches in the food processor or in a blender and blend until smooth. Return the soup to a clean pan, stir in chili sauce and season with salt and pepper. reheat gently and serve hot.
BTW, M is doing well. He gets slight tremors at times, but his seizure medication seems to be working. We've been getting the levels in his blood checked and the doctor was pleased with them. I just want to hurry and start this job before too long! I've been paying these hospital bills and I can't stand how outrageous they are. I told my MIL how much M's MRI was, and the next day she brought over her papers from when she had an MRI done only a few months ago. We were charged THREE TIMES what her insurance company was charged. I'm annoyed that just because we don't have insurance we get charged more?! How does THAT make sense?
12 roma tomatoes, blanched, skinned, seeded, and chopped
3 large, pitted black olives, chopped
3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
2 tsp. fresh oregano
3 tsp. fresh mint
salt to taste
1 baguette, sliced
Combine all ingredients and cool in the refridgerator for at least 1 hour before enjoying. Serve in individual bowls with slices of bread on the side.
recipe for warm bruschetta
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1/2 green pepper, chopped
1 med. spanish onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1/4 c. dry white wine
1 1/2 chopped tomatoes ( I prefer roma)
1/2 tsp basil
1 Tbsp. tomato paste
1 1/2 c. grated Gruyere cheese
pinch of thyme and pinch of mint
dash paprika
salt/pepper to taste
1 baguette
Saute green pepper, onion and garlic over med. heat for 3-4 minutes. Add wine, heat high for another 3-4 minutes. Add tomatoes and all seasoning and cook 15 min. med-high, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, slice bread into 2 pieces lengthwise and cut each half into four equal pieces. Toast on both sides in oven. Add tomato paste to items that are cooking turning heat to medium for 3-4 more minutes. Stir in cheese, season to taste, and spread over toasted bread with a spoon. Broil 1 min. or so in oven. Serve hot.
Roasted Red Pepper Soup
4 medium red peppers (broiled or roasted, skinned and sliced)
4 medium tomatoes (blanched, skinned and seeded, and chopped)
1/4 c. extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp dried marjoram
1/2 tsp. thyme
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 tsp. mild curry paste (optional)
1 medium spanish onion, sliced
1 medium leek, sliced (white part)
1 cup cabbage, chopped
2 cups water
sweet chili sauce to taste
salt/pepper to taste
Heat oil in a large pan. Add herbs, garlic, and curry paste. Stir over low heat for 1 minute, or until aromas mix, and add onion and leek. Cook 3 minutes or until onion is golden. Add cabbage, tomatoes, red peppers and water. Bring to a boil and immediately reduce to a simmer for 20 minutes. Allow to cool slightly. Place the soup in small batches in the food processor or in a blender and blend until smooth. Return the soup to a clean pan, stir in chili sauce and season with salt and pepper. reheat gently and serve hot.
BTW, M is doing well. He gets slight tremors at times, but his seizure medication seems to be working. We've been getting the levels in his blood checked and the doctor was pleased with them. I just want to hurry and start this job before too long! I've been paying these hospital bills and I can't stand how outrageous they are. I told my MIL how much M's MRI was, and the next day she brought over her papers from when she had an MRI done only a few months ago. We were charged THREE TIMES what her insurance company was charged. I'm annoyed that just because we don't have insurance we get charged more?! How does THAT make sense?
7/24.. T-minus 4 days
One of the reasons I've been SO pressed for time is that I've gotten into raw foods big time. I had no idea how time-consuming it is, but it has been fun. A friend of mine has lost over 75 lbs since October and she doesn't even exercise, unless you call chasing after kids all day (she's a teacher and she has three little kids herself) exercise. I don't talk to her much, so when I found out that she went from being a meat eater to a vegan all at once and then, several months later, she was mostly eating raw, I was astonished.
I started getting into it around the time of my wedding because my mom was going to have the author of a raw "cookbook" cater something, either my reception or my brunch or the rehearsal dinner. Now I'm going pretty strong. I sprout, dehydrate, juice, process, and generally make a huge mess out of my small kitchen. The weird thing is that I've accidentally let my garden almost bite the dust because I've been concentrating on preparation! Sad. Anyhow, of course I have not lost any weight. I think that it's because I still go out to eat with friends and there are times when I'm tired so I'll make one of my old fattening standbys. It is really a very different way of life.
Poor M, I used to make him a different cake about every week. Now I don't even make cake at all. Oh well! He's healthier, right?
The big thing that is coming up in my life is that I'm going to be donating my kidney to my aunt. Her kidneys failed about five years ago, and since then she has been through h e l l. Her twin donated one kidney (it was rejected within two years), and although I was a 3 match, she accepted a kidney from my uncle. It was rejected a couple of months ago. We have all been devastated. I wish her life were back to the way it used to be. She is very talented and she's also a newlywed. She has to do peritoneal dialysis, which has its pros, but the biggest drawback is that she must sleep in her own room without her DH. Dialysis is a very difficult way to live. She has done every other kind, and she can no longer go to the center and do it via her blood because all of her veins are too weak from collapsing so much. On top of that, she feels so awful about herself. She is such a productive person usually, but her health is taking its toll on what she can accomplish. I truly hate it.
Anyhow, so that will be coming up within the next few months, I hope. It will depend on the transplant team and her own health, I guess.
I started getting into it around the time of my wedding because my mom was going to have the author of a raw "cookbook" cater something, either my reception or my brunch or the rehearsal dinner. Now I'm going pretty strong. I sprout, dehydrate, juice, process, and generally make a huge mess out of my small kitchen. The weird thing is that I've accidentally let my garden almost bite the dust because I've been concentrating on preparation! Sad. Anyhow, of course I have not lost any weight. I think that it's because I still go out to eat with friends and there are times when I'm tired so I'll make one of my old fattening standbys. It is really a very different way of life.
Poor M, I used to make him a different cake about every week. Now I don't even make cake at all. Oh well! He's healthier, right?
The big thing that is coming up in my life is that I'm going to be donating my kidney to my aunt. Her kidneys failed about five years ago, and since then she has been through h e l l. Her twin donated one kidney (it was rejected within two years), and although I was a 3 match, she accepted a kidney from my uncle. It was rejected a couple of months ago. We have all been devastated. I wish her life were back to the way it used to be. She is very talented and she's also a newlywed. She has to do peritoneal dialysis, which has its pros, but the biggest drawback is that she must sleep in her own room without her DH. Dialysis is a very difficult way to live. She has done every other kind, and she can no longer go to the center and do it via her blood because all of her veins are too weak from collapsing so much. On top of that, she feels so awful about herself. She is such a productive person usually, but her health is taking its toll on what she can accomplish. I truly hate it.
Anyhow, so that will be coming up within the next few months, I hope. It will depend on the transplant team and her own health, I guess.
New Neighbors Idea
For a new neighbor...
Actually, our old neighbors recently sold their house to a wonderful couple from Chicago. I wish that I'd remembered about this issue when the new neighbors moved in. I made a basket which contained Fantastik wipes, dog treats for their dog (I heard him barking through the fence), choco-covered macadamia nuts, some other fattening snacks, and I forgot what else. Inside the "welcome" card, I included a little card with the address/phone of our favorite pizza place, closest pharmacy, favorite grocery store, our vet and of course our name/number. We took the basket over to them after they had been there for a few days. Wow! I couldn't believe how nervous we were!
But it was a great way to let them know that we were happy to meet them and ready to help them get used to Rockford however we could.
Actually, our old neighbors recently sold their house to a wonderful couple from Chicago. I wish that I'd remembered about this issue when the new neighbors moved in. I made a basket which contained Fantastik wipes, dog treats for their dog (I heard him barking through the fence), choco-covered macadamia nuts, some other fattening snacks, and I forgot what else. Inside the "welcome" card, I included a little card with the address/phone of our favorite pizza place, closest pharmacy, favorite grocery store, our vet and of course our name/number. We took the basket over to them after they had been there for a few days. Wow! I couldn't believe how nervous we were!
But it was a great way to let them know that we were happy to meet them and ready to help them get used to Rockford however we could.
6/23/03- anniversary recap
Well, things are alright over here. My mom has been having heart problems, and I was in AZ for a long time. These last couple weeks have been pretty weird. My aunt (mom's sis) died, and my mom went to UT for her funeral, but in the process, my mom had another heart attack. We have had so many financial issues lately, with my sister's problems and other family needing things from us, I simply did not have the money to be there. My mom did have surgery in UT, and was able to attend the funeral.
She is home in AZ now, recovering.
Meanwhile, our ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY came and went!!! How cool is that?! Here was my spread:
I ordered these for our wedding as well. It is from an old MS Entertaining book. It is very easy to prepare. Take cream cheese and a little bit of Roquefort and a little bit of whipping cream and beat it with the old Kitchen Aid. Roll DRY seedless grapes in the mixture. Then roll it all in toasted, chopped pistachio nuts. YUM.
and we also toasted with some St. Francis 1997 Reserve Merlot that we had saved for the occasion. I did get a wonderful gift from M, but I don't feel right posting what it was.
I have been taking summer classes this year. I am going to take my last final on Friday. After that, I will have two free months. Only four more months til I finally graduate! I'm pretty excited about that. I had a job offer a couple months ago (in Arizona) already, but I turned it down because I need more time to figure out what I want to do with the rest of my life. WOW, things change quickly. Just one year ago, I was worrying about FMIL/MIL and petty little wedding crap. sigh.
I made eggplant parmesan (one of the menu choices at our reception)... I did something different. I skinned the eggplant, cut them into little circles with cookie cutters, and then made them- fried, then baked in muffin pans. It was awesome! Next time I have a get-together, I will use them as a topping for bruschetta. I layered in the muffin tins as follows: eggplant, parmesan, marinara, mozzerella....
... then I had some endive with herb cheeses
here we are toasting
oh! here is a shot of my grape-thingies...
She is home in AZ now, recovering.
Meanwhile, our ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY came and went!!! How cool is that?! Here was my spread:
I ordered these for our wedding as well. It is from an old MS Entertaining book. It is very easy to prepare. Take cream cheese and a little bit of Roquefort and a little bit of whipping cream and beat it with the old Kitchen Aid. Roll DRY seedless grapes in the mixture. Then roll it all in toasted, chopped pistachio nuts. YUM.
and we also toasted with some St. Francis 1997 Reserve Merlot that we had saved for the occasion. I did get a wonderful gift from M, but I don't feel right posting what it was.
I have been taking summer classes this year. I am going to take my last final on Friday. After that, I will have two free months. Only four more months til I finally graduate! I'm pretty excited about that. I had a job offer a couple months ago (in Arizona) already, but I turned it down because I need more time to figure out what I want to do with the rest of my life. WOW, things change quickly. Just one year ago, I was worrying about FMIL/MIL and petty little wedding crap. sigh.
I made eggplant parmesan (one of the menu choices at our reception)... I did something different. I skinned the eggplant, cut them into little circles with cookie cutters, and then made them- fried, then baked in muffin pans. It was awesome! Next time I have a get-together, I will use them as a topping for bruschetta. I layered in the muffin tins as follows: eggplant, parmesan, marinara, mozzerella....
... then I had some endive with herb cheeses
here we are toasting
oh! here is a shot of my grape-thingies...
may 1, '04 Ryan Recap
thanks for posting in here. I have stopped in at times to grab a recipe or an idea, but never posted. I miss you and the ladies over in the group journal very much, but I've been so busy lately.
I finally came over to the WC the other day b/c I wanted to get someone to save my old journal on a cd but I couldn't find the darned thing!
Anyhow, let's see. Here is what has been going on with me:
my sister's husband got sent out to war, so she has been an absolute mess. they just got married in sept... she called me and begged me to go out to utah and stay with her for a while. i jumped in my car and headed out there, but on a sunday, my NEW lemon of a car actually BROKE down on me! i had to rent a car to get to utah while the dealership nursed it back to "life." when i finally got there, i received a phone call from my best friend Ryan's brother letting me knowthat Ryan had died. it was a shock, but a weird coincidence that i was already in utah. I hadn't told Ryan that I was coming because I was planning on surprising him.
I stayed a little over two weeks. I still had to take care of my sister, who was very depressed. I was glad to get home, but the day after I got home, i got a call from my mom. She had been taken to the hospital with some major heart problems. I flew to Arizona immediately, and two weeks later, here i am still. I stayed at my brother's house last night, and while waiting for him to take his shower, i decided to jump on here to see if I could find my journal again. I'm glad I looked over on the cooking board today and saw your post. It makes me feel closer to home, somehow.
Right now, I am in the position of "strong" one. I have not had the chance to mourn Ryan properly, nor have I had a chance to deal with my mom's health problems (other than to make the necessary practical decisions regarding her care, etc.). I am utterly exhausted. I miss M so much! and Shaggy and kitty. and my garden, which I stared in friggin' january but will not get a chance to plant... I even miss that d a m n car of mine! :rolleyes:
Hopefully I'll be home in a couple of weeks. Please do stop by my house if you are in Rockford! I'd love to see you, I'm sure you know that. M has put one of the buildings up for sale, and has also been in contact with some realtors in a few states, looking around for property, but I'm sure that we will be living on Prospect for at least until Sept.
I finally came over to the WC the other day b/c I wanted to get someone to save my old journal on a cd but I couldn't find the darned thing!
Anyhow, let's see. Here is what has been going on with me:
my sister's husband got sent out to war, so she has been an absolute mess. they just got married in sept... she called me and begged me to go out to utah and stay with her for a while. i jumped in my car and headed out there, but on a sunday, my NEW lemon of a car actually BROKE down on me! i had to rent a car to get to utah while the dealership nursed it back to "life." when i finally got there, i received a phone call from my best friend Ryan's brother letting me knowthat Ryan had died. it was a shock, but a weird coincidence that i was already in utah. I hadn't told Ryan that I was coming because I was planning on surprising him.
I stayed a little over two weeks. I still had to take care of my sister, who was very depressed. I was glad to get home, but the day after I got home, i got a call from my mom. She had been taken to the hospital with some major heart problems. I flew to Arizona immediately, and two weeks later, here i am still. I stayed at my brother's house last night, and while waiting for him to take his shower, i decided to jump on here to see if I could find my journal again. I'm glad I looked over on the cooking board today and saw your post. It makes me feel closer to home, somehow.
Right now, I am in the position of "strong" one. I have not had the chance to mourn Ryan properly, nor have I had a chance to deal with my mom's health problems (other than to make the necessary practical decisions regarding her care, etc.). I am utterly exhausted. I miss M so much! and Shaggy and kitty. and my garden, which I stared in friggin' january but will not get a chance to plant... I even miss that d a m n car of mine! :rolleyes:
Hopefully I'll be home in a couple of weeks. Please do stop by my house if you are in Rockford! I'd love to see you, I'm sure you know that. M has put one of the buildings up for sale, and has also been in contact with some realtors in a few states, looking around for property, but I'm sure that we will be living on Prospect for at least until Sept.
Irish Glory and Cucumber Delights
So here are a couple that I got from a great old Cookbook all about hors d'oeuvres:
Cucumber Delights
Simply Slice one large cucumber, drain 1 hour (I sprinkle with a little salt to draw the water out) and heap on this mixture:
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/4 stuffed green olives (I did two recipes; one with onion stuffed and one with garlic stuffed... both great!)
1 Tbsp. white wine
1/2 tsp. salt
Blend well!
There are many variations of this cucumber recipe. there is one with dried beef, cream cheese and bleu cheese, which would sound good to me if I ate meat!
I'm thinking that I need to put less of the mixture on the cucumber, and maybe cut the cucumber in half. I had some melba toasts, and tried the cucumber on it. I liked it, M didn't. I guess that I don't like the idea of people having to pick something moist up with their fingers.... but it tasted great!
next...
Irish Glory
Mix...
1 c mashed potatoes
1/4 lb soft butter
1 c. sifted flour
1/2 Tbsp. caraway seeds
1/5 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. salt
- - -
1 beaten egg
crushed cereal corn flakes
Form into balls, roll in beaten egg and then in crushed cereal flakes. Drop by teaspoonfuls on a greased cooky sheet and bake at 400 until brown.
I made them too big, and I didn't have cereal, so I crushed up tortilla chips. It still tasted alright. Except I will use less caraway next time. Otherwise they would make a great appetizer. They are easy to handle, tasty, and if you don't make them too big, will only be one bite.
Cucumber Delights
Simply Slice one large cucumber, drain 1 hour (I sprinkle with a little salt to draw the water out) and heap on this mixture:
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/4 stuffed green olives (I did two recipes; one with onion stuffed and one with garlic stuffed... both great!)
1 Tbsp. white wine
1/2 tsp. salt
Blend well!
There are many variations of this cucumber recipe. there is one with dried beef, cream cheese and bleu cheese, which would sound good to me if I ate meat!
I'm thinking that I need to put less of the mixture on the cucumber, and maybe cut the cucumber in half. I had some melba toasts, and tried the cucumber on it. I liked it, M didn't. I guess that I don't like the idea of people having to pick something moist up with their fingers.... but it tasted great!
next...
Irish Glory
Mix...
1 c mashed potatoes
1/4 lb soft butter
1 c. sifted flour
1/2 Tbsp. caraway seeds
1/5 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. salt
- - -
1 beaten egg
crushed cereal corn flakes
Form into balls, roll in beaten egg and then in crushed cereal flakes. Drop by teaspoonfuls on a greased cooky sheet and bake at 400 until brown.
I made them too big, and I didn't have cereal, so I crushed up tortilla chips. It still tasted alright. Except I will use less caraway next time. Otherwise they would make a great appetizer. They are easy to handle, tasty, and if you don't make them too big, will only be one bite.
Thanksgiving '03 recap
I hope that you all had a beautiful, safe Thanksgiving.
We had a nice, quiet day. It should be a crime for women like me to get such joy out of doing all of that WORK! Without fail, every relative who called had the same things going on, according to their sex; men were either on the couch or picking at food, and women were working. Well, good thing some of us like the work!
Hits:
Artichoke Soup.... AMAZING!!!
Horseradish Cream Cheese.... Good!
Saffron Rice.... BAR-NONE the best recipe for rice that I have
Cardamom Carrots... Very good; would have been enjoyed more if we didn't have so much of everything else. Shaggy liked them the best, though!
Apple Butter Pumpkin Pie... It's a rare pie that STILL turns out, even when the chef puts too much milk in it! YUMMY!
Misses
Cheese Biscuits... Still don't know what I did wrong, there. I made the Onion Mini Quiches to make up for it.
Stuffed Acorn Squash... At the last minute, we decided not to bother!
We had a wonderful meal, gave Shaggy a special little T-day surprise, and a friend who was in town for the weekend stopped by. We played Scrabble and a little pitch. We got up early this morning and went to Stokholm Inn for breakfast.
I am so thankful this year! My very First Married Thanksgiving! And M indulged me by taking pictures for me of my First Married Thanksgiving fare, and I'm so grateful that he didn't tell me what he REALLY thinks about my craziness.
Shaggy was crazy too! He obviously expected SOMETHING..
OK! That was my FMT.... I hope to read all about your Thanksgivings!
We had a nice, quiet day. It should be a crime for women like me to get such joy out of doing all of that WORK! Without fail, every relative who called had the same things going on, according to their sex; men were either on the couch or picking at food, and women were working. Well, good thing some of us like the work!
Hits:
Artichoke Soup.... AMAZING!!!
Horseradish Cream Cheese.... Good!
Saffron Rice.... BAR-NONE the best recipe for rice that I have
Cardamom Carrots... Very good; would have been enjoyed more if we didn't have so much of everything else. Shaggy liked them the best, though!
Apple Butter Pumpkin Pie... It's a rare pie that STILL turns out, even when the chef puts too much milk in it! YUMMY!
Misses
Cheese Biscuits... Still don't know what I did wrong, there. I made the Onion Mini Quiches to make up for it.
Stuffed Acorn Squash... At the last minute, we decided not to bother!
We had a wonderful meal, gave Shaggy a special little T-day surprise, and a friend who was in town for the weekend stopped by. We played Scrabble and a little pitch. We got up early this morning and went to Stokholm Inn for breakfast.
I am so thankful this year! My very First Married Thanksgiving! And M indulged me by taking pictures for me of my First Married Thanksgiving fare, and I'm so grateful that he didn't tell me what he REALLY thinks about my craziness.
Shaggy was crazy too! He obviously expected SOMETHING..
OK! That was my FMT.... I hope to read all about your Thanksgivings!
SNG's Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cake
Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cake (or Pie is you like!)
Ingredients
Cake:
1 (18 1/4-ounce) package yellow cake mix
1 egg
8 tablespoons butter, melted
Filling:
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
8 tablespoons butter, melted
1 (16-ounce) box powdered sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
To make the cake: Combine all of the ingredients and mix well with an electric mixer. Pat the mixture into the bottom of a lightly greased 13 by 9-inch baking pan. Prepare filling.
To make the filling: In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and pumpkin until smooth. Add the eggs, vanilla, and butter, and beat together. Next, add the powdered sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and mix
well. Spread pumpkin mixture over cake batter and bake for 40 to 50 minutes. Make sure not to overbake as the center should be a little gooey.
Serve with fresh whipped cream.
Variations: For a Pineapple Gooey Cake: Instead of the pumpkin, add a drained 20-ounce can of crushed pineapple to the cream cheese filling. Proceed as directed above.
For a Peanut Butter Gooey Cake: Use a chocolate cake mix. Add 1 cup creamy peanut butter to the cream cheese filling instead of the pumpkin. Proceed as directed above.
Ingredients
Cake:
1 (18 1/4-ounce) package yellow cake mix
1 egg
8 tablespoons butter, melted
Filling:
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
8 tablespoons butter, melted
1 (16-ounce) box powdered sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
To make the cake: Combine all of the ingredients and mix well with an electric mixer. Pat the mixture into the bottom of a lightly greased 13 by 9-inch baking pan. Prepare filling.
To make the filling: In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and pumpkin until smooth. Add the eggs, vanilla, and butter, and beat together. Next, add the powdered sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and mix
well. Spread pumpkin mixture over cake batter and bake for 40 to 50 minutes. Make sure not to overbake as the center should be a little gooey.
Serve with fresh whipped cream.
Variations: For a Pineapple Gooey Cake: Instead of the pumpkin, add a drained 20-ounce can of crushed pineapple to the cream cheese filling. Proceed as directed above.
For a Peanut Butter Gooey Cake: Use a chocolate cake mix. Add 1 cup creamy peanut butter to the cream cheese filling instead of the pumpkin. Proceed as directed above.
Thanksgiving '03 Menu
MY THANKSGIVING MENU
Early in the day, we are going to drop by (not eat) M's brother's house. Our SIL's mother just died, and SIL is too depressed to do much cooking. I'm dropping off some food because we are going to have Thanksgiving just M and me this year.
so! Here goes....
Also, I'm not sure if everyone who posts here knows that we are vegetarian. This will account for the lack of a turkey or ham (or other meat) recipe. But if anyone is looking for good meat recipes, I have tons of great vintage recipes and will be happy to email them to you if you are looking for something specific.
First of all, I'm making a simple layered salad, mashed potatoes with my special mushroom gravy, and corn. These were M's only demands, and I won't bother posting these 'duh' recipes.....
Now for the rest..
ARTICHOKE SOUP
1 c. sliced green onions
1/4 c. chopped onion
2 Tbsp. butter, melted
2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1 (14 1/2 oz) can vegetable broth
1 (14 oz) can artichoke hearts, undrained and shopped
1/4 tsp. white pepper
2 Tbsp. minced fresh parsley
Saute onions in butter in a large saucepan until tender. Add flour, and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Gradually stir in broth, and cook until thickened, stirring constantly. Stir in artichoke hearts with liquid and white pepper. Cook until thouroughly heated. Spoon into serving bowls; sprinkle with fresh parsley. Can be made ahead. Makes 3 cups.
CELERY STICKS WITH HORSERADISH CREAM CHEESE
(not pictured but pretty good)
1 bunch celery
1 8-oz package cream cheese, room temp.
2 Tbsp. prepared horseradish, or more to taste
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper
1. Separate the celery stalks. Rinse them free of grit, and peel to remove strings if desired. Cut the stalks into 3- to 4-inch pieces, leaving the tender inner stalks whole. Wrap celery sticks in a damp cloth, and shill for 1 hour before serving.
2. In a small bowl, combine the cream cheese, horseradish, and Tabasco. Season with the salt and pepper. Serve the cream cheese mixture with celery.
SAFFRON RICE WITH TOMATOES AND FRESH OREGANO
Pinch of saffron
2 Tbsp. salt, plus more for seasoning
1 1/2 c. jasmine rice
2 large or 3 regular-sized roma tomatoes, seeded and cut into 1/4 -in. dice
(about 1 cup)
Freshly ground pepper
6 sprigs fresh oregano, leaved piced from stem
1. Fill a med. saucepan w/cold water. Add saffron and 2 Tbsp. salt. Bring water to a boil. Stir in rice, ad cook until rice is tender, 12-14 minutes. Remove from heat, and drain well.
2. Place rice in serving bowl. add butter and tomatoes, and toss very gently. Season with salt, pepper, and fresh oregano. Serves 4
CARDAMOM CARROTS
1 1/2 lbs carrots, scraped and cut into julienne strips
1/2 c. butter
1/4 c. honey
2 tsp. grated lemon rind
1/4 c. lemon juice
1/4 c. orange juice
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
1/3 c. dry vermouth
3/4 tsp. ground cardamom
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
1. Cook carrots in a small amount of boiling water 4 minutes or until crisp-tender. Drain carrots, and plunge into cold water; drain again.
2. Melt buter in a large skillet over low heat; add honey and next 3 ingredients, stirring until blended.
3. Combine cornstarch and vermouth; stir into sauce. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture boils. Add carrots, cardamom, salt, and pepper to sauce. Cook over low heat until carrots are thoroughly heated. Stir in fresh parsley. Serves 6.
STUFFED ACORN SQUASH
deciced not to bother!!
4 c. whole grain bread, dried and cubed
1 c. onion, diced
1/2 c. celery diced
1 Tbsp. rubbed sage
1/2 tsp. thyme
1 1/2 c. vegetable stock
2 Tbsp. butter
2 Tbsp. parsley, minced
1/8 tsp. minced garlic
2 eggs
sea salt
1 large acorn squash
Heat stock, adding butter, onion, celery, parsley and seasoning. Simmer together for 5 minutes. Add dry bread. Mix in eggs. Season with sea salt and pepper. Cut squash into quarters and remove seeds. Place squash into the bottom of a casserole dish. Top with stuffing. Bake at 350 for 1 1/2 hours, covered. Serves 4
CHEESE BISCUITS (very old recipe)
did not turn out!!!!
1 c. flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. butter (unless you want to use lard, which is what it calls for!)
1/2 c. milk
1/2 c. grated cheese.
Mix flour, baking powder, cheese, and salt, working in butter until finely powdered, adding milk; bake in hot (425) oven for 15 minutes.
APPLE BUTTER PUMPKIN PIE
Unbaked 9" pie shell
1 c. apple butter
1 c. cooked or canned pumpkin
1/2 c. brouwn sugar, firmly packed
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. cinnamon
3/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/8 tsp. ginger
3 eggs, slightly beaten
3/4 c. evaporated milk
1. Combine aple butter, pumpkin, sugar, salt and spices. Add eggs; mix well. Add milk gradually; mix.
2. Pour into pie shell. Bake in hot oven (425) about 40 minutes
As a side note, I have come up with an idea that I think will work very well for me. I typed out all of my Thanksgiving 2003 items, recipes and all, and printed it out. That way, I don't have to have a bunch of cookbooks and scattered recipe cards all over the place. I put it in a mylar sleeve that fits into a binder. I plan on doing this for all future holidays. If something new is extra good, it will be easy to go back and find it in years to come. Next up, M's birthday cake
Early in the day, we are going to drop by (not eat) M's brother's house. Our SIL's mother just died, and SIL is too depressed to do much cooking. I'm dropping off some food because we are going to have Thanksgiving just M and me this year.
so! Here goes....
Also, I'm not sure if everyone who posts here knows that we are vegetarian. This will account for the lack of a turkey or ham (or other meat) recipe. But if anyone is looking for good meat recipes, I have tons of great vintage recipes and will be happy to email them to you if you are looking for something specific.
First of all, I'm making a simple layered salad, mashed potatoes with my special mushroom gravy, and corn. These were M's only demands, and I won't bother posting these 'duh' recipes.....
Now for the rest..
ARTICHOKE SOUP
1 c. sliced green onions
1/4 c. chopped onion
2 Tbsp. butter, melted
2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1 (14 1/2 oz) can vegetable broth
1 (14 oz) can artichoke hearts, undrained and shopped
1/4 tsp. white pepper
2 Tbsp. minced fresh parsley
Saute onions in butter in a large saucepan until tender. Add flour, and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Gradually stir in broth, and cook until thickened, stirring constantly. Stir in artichoke hearts with liquid and white pepper. Cook until thouroughly heated. Spoon into serving bowls; sprinkle with fresh parsley. Can be made ahead. Makes 3 cups.
CELERY STICKS WITH HORSERADISH CREAM CHEESE
(not pictured but pretty good)
1 bunch celery
1 8-oz package cream cheese, room temp.
2 Tbsp. prepared horseradish, or more to taste
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper
1. Separate the celery stalks. Rinse them free of grit, and peel to remove strings if desired. Cut the stalks into 3- to 4-inch pieces, leaving the tender inner stalks whole. Wrap celery sticks in a damp cloth, and shill for 1 hour before serving.
2. In a small bowl, combine the cream cheese, horseradish, and Tabasco. Season with the salt and pepper. Serve the cream cheese mixture with celery.
SAFFRON RICE WITH TOMATOES AND FRESH OREGANO
Pinch of saffron
2 Tbsp. salt, plus more for seasoning
1 1/2 c. jasmine rice
2 large or 3 regular-sized roma tomatoes, seeded and cut into 1/4 -in. dice
(about 1 cup)
Freshly ground pepper
6 sprigs fresh oregano, leaved piced from stem
1. Fill a med. saucepan w/cold water. Add saffron and 2 Tbsp. salt. Bring water to a boil. Stir in rice, ad cook until rice is tender, 12-14 minutes. Remove from heat, and drain well.
2. Place rice in serving bowl. add butter and tomatoes, and toss very gently. Season with salt, pepper, and fresh oregano. Serves 4
CARDAMOM CARROTS
1 1/2 lbs carrots, scraped and cut into julienne strips
1/2 c. butter
1/4 c. honey
2 tsp. grated lemon rind
1/4 c. lemon juice
1/4 c. orange juice
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
1/3 c. dry vermouth
3/4 tsp. ground cardamom
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
1. Cook carrots in a small amount of boiling water 4 minutes or until crisp-tender. Drain carrots, and plunge into cold water; drain again.
2. Melt buter in a large skillet over low heat; add honey and next 3 ingredients, stirring until blended.
3. Combine cornstarch and vermouth; stir into sauce. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture boils. Add carrots, cardamom, salt, and pepper to sauce. Cook over low heat until carrots are thoroughly heated. Stir in fresh parsley. Serves 6.
STUFFED ACORN SQUASH
deciced not to bother!!
4 c. whole grain bread, dried and cubed
1 c. onion, diced
1/2 c. celery diced
1 Tbsp. rubbed sage
1/2 tsp. thyme
1 1/2 c. vegetable stock
2 Tbsp. butter
2 Tbsp. parsley, minced
1/8 tsp. minced garlic
2 eggs
sea salt
1 large acorn squash
Heat stock, adding butter, onion, celery, parsley and seasoning. Simmer together for 5 minutes. Add dry bread. Mix in eggs. Season with sea salt and pepper. Cut squash into quarters and remove seeds. Place squash into the bottom of a casserole dish. Top with stuffing. Bake at 350 for 1 1/2 hours, covered. Serves 4
CHEESE BISCUITS (very old recipe)
did not turn out!!!!
1 c. flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. butter (unless you want to use lard, which is what it calls for!)
1/2 c. milk
1/2 c. grated cheese.
Mix flour, baking powder, cheese, and salt, working in butter until finely powdered, adding milk; bake in hot (425) oven for 15 minutes.
APPLE BUTTER PUMPKIN PIE
Unbaked 9" pie shell
1 c. apple butter
1 c. cooked or canned pumpkin
1/2 c. brouwn sugar, firmly packed
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. cinnamon
3/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/8 tsp. ginger
3 eggs, slightly beaten
3/4 c. evaporated milk
1. Combine aple butter, pumpkin, sugar, salt and spices. Add eggs; mix well. Add milk gradually; mix.
2. Pour into pie shell. Bake in hot oven (425) about 40 minutes
As a side note, I have come up with an idea that I think will work very well for me. I typed out all of my Thanksgiving 2003 items, recipes and all, and printed it out. That way, I don't have to have a bunch of cookbooks and scattered recipe cards all over the place. I put it in a mylar sleeve that fits into a binder. I plan on doing this for all future holidays. If something new is extra good, it will be easy to go back and find it in years to come. Next up, M's birthday cake
Hot Olive Cheese Balls
Hot Olive Cheese Balls
1 can refrigerated biscuits
40 stuffed green olives (i'm going to use garlic stuffed b/c i can't stand the pimento stuffed)
1/4 c. grated parmesan cheese
OVEN 450 --- makes 40 balls
Cut biscuits into quarters. wrap each piece around an olive; roll in parmesan cheese; bake at 450 for 6-8 minutes until golden brown. Serve warm.
You can make this up to 2 hours ahead of time, keep refrigerated, and put in the oven when you are almost ready to serve.
1 can refrigerated biscuits
40 stuffed green olives (i'm going to use garlic stuffed b/c i can't stand the pimento stuffed)
1/4 c. grated parmesan cheese
OVEN 450 --- makes 40 balls
Cut biscuits into quarters. wrap each piece around an olive; roll in parmesan cheese; bake at 450 for 6-8 minutes until golden brown. Serve warm.
You can make this up to 2 hours ahead of time, keep refrigerated, and put in the oven when you are almost ready to serve.
Speedy Orange Coffee Cake
Speedy Orange Coffeecake
1 package refrigerated biscuits
2 Tbsp. butter, melted
1/4 c. sugar
2 Tbsp. finely chopped walnuts
2 tsp. grated orange peel
Dip biscuits in butter, then in mixture of sugar, nuts, and peel. Overlap biscuits in circle in 9-inch pie plate. Bake at 400 for 15 minutes or until done. Serve hot.
1 package refrigerated biscuits
2 Tbsp. butter, melted
1/4 c. sugar
2 Tbsp. finely chopped walnuts
2 tsp. grated orange peel
Dip biscuits in butter, then in mixture of sugar, nuts, and peel. Overlap biscuits in circle in 9-inch pie plate. Bake at 400 for 15 minutes or until done. Serve hot.
Pioneer Corn Bread
These recipes were cut from Family Circle magazine in the '30s. They were intended to be put in a binder, and indeed they were.
My mom is a Dutch Oven maniac. I must admit that i, myself, have never tried it out, but for anyone out there who has one, here is a delicious-sounding recipe...
Pioneer Corn Bread
(Baked on top of stove)
1 c. all-purpose flour
3 tbsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 c. yellow corn meal
1 egg
3/4 c. milk
1 tbsp. melted shortening (aw, can't i just use butter??)
Sift flour; measure; and sift again with baking powder, sugar, and salt. Combine with corn meal. Beat egg; add milk and shortening. *** dry ingredients; stir until thoroughly mixed. Pour into well greaded Dutch oven; cover. Bake slowly on top of stove 25 minutes, or until done. serves 6. here is a pic!
My mom is a Dutch Oven maniac. I must admit that i, myself, have never tried it out, but for anyone out there who has one, here is a delicious-sounding recipe...
Pioneer Corn Bread
(Baked on top of stove)
1 c. all-purpose flour
3 tbsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 c. yellow corn meal
1 egg
3/4 c. milk
1 tbsp. melted shortening (aw, can't i just use butter??)
Sift flour; measure; and sift again with baking powder, sugar, and salt. Combine with corn meal. Beat egg; add milk and shortening. *** dry ingredients; stir until thoroughly mixed. Pour into well greaded Dutch oven; cover. Bake slowly on top of stove 25 minutes, or until done. serves 6. here is a pic!
Sovereign Spice Cake
"The Latest Cake Secrets" copyright 1934 that was soooooooo goooooooooood! -and just perfect for this season.
Sovereign Spice Cake
2 c. sifted cake flour
2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. cloves
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. mace
1/2 tsp. allspice
1 c. brown sugar, firmly packed
2 eggs, well beaten
1/4 c. milk
1 c. heavy cream
Sift flour once, measure, add baking powder, salt, and spices, and sift together three times. Sift sugar and add gradually to eggs, beating well. Add flour, alternately with milk and cream, a small amount at a time, beating after each addition until smooth. Bake in greased pan, 8x8x2 inches, in moderate oven (350) 50 minutes. Spriad Raisin Nut Filling on top and Sea Foam Frosting.
Raisin Nut Filling
3/4 c. brown sugar, firmly packed
2 Tbsp. butter
1/4 c. water
3/4 c. broken walnut meats, toasted
3/4 c. cut seeded raisins
2 Tbsp. cream or rich milk
Heat sugar, butter, and water in skillet, and cook until a small amount of mixture forms a soft ball in cold water. Remove from fire; add nuts and raisins. Add cream until of right consistency to spread.
Sea Foam Frosting
2 egg whites, unbeaten
1 1/2 c. brown sugar, firmly packed
1 tsp. vanilla
Dash of salt
5 Tbsp. water
Combine egg whites, sugar, salt, and water in a double boiler, beating with a rotary egg beater until thouroughly mixed. Place over rapidly boiling water, beating constantly, and cook for 7 minutes, or until frosting will stand in peaks. Add vanilla before spreading on cake.
Sovereign Spice Cake
2 c. sifted cake flour
2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. cloves
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. mace
1/2 tsp. allspice
1 c. brown sugar, firmly packed
2 eggs, well beaten
1/4 c. milk
1 c. heavy cream
Sift flour once, measure, add baking powder, salt, and spices, and sift together three times. Sift sugar and add gradually to eggs, beating well. Add flour, alternately with milk and cream, a small amount at a time, beating after each addition until smooth. Bake in greased pan, 8x8x2 inches, in moderate oven (350) 50 minutes. Spriad Raisin Nut Filling on top and Sea Foam Frosting.
Raisin Nut Filling
3/4 c. brown sugar, firmly packed
2 Tbsp. butter
1/4 c. water
3/4 c. broken walnut meats, toasted
3/4 c. cut seeded raisins
2 Tbsp. cream or rich milk
Heat sugar, butter, and water in skillet, and cook until a small amount of mixture forms a soft ball in cold water. Remove from fire; add nuts and raisins. Add cream until of right consistency to spread.
Sea Foam Frosting
2 egg whites, unbeaten
1 1/2 c. brown sugar, firmly packed
1 tsp. vanilla
Dash of salt
5 Tbsp. water
Combine egg whites, sugar, salt, and water in a double boiler, beating with a rotary egg beater until thouroughly mixed. Place over rapidly boiling water, beating constantly, and cook for 7 minutes, or until frosting will stand in peaks. Add vanilla before spreading on cake.
Scallion Tartlets
Nov. 2003, p. 196
Scallion Tartlets
"Baked tartlets can be frozen up to three weeks. Without tawing, reheat them in a 350 degree oven for about ten minutes. INstead of tartlets, you can make two large tarts: cut pastry into two 8-inch squares; bake for about 30 min."
-all purpose flour, for work surface
1 standard package frozen puff pastry, thawed
8 bunches scallions (2 1/4 lbs.) trimmed and cut into matchsticks
1 garlic glove, minced
1 red Thai chile, ribs and seeds removed, minced
1/2 c. (2 oz.) walnuts, finely chopped
1/2 c. Kalamata olives, pitted and coarsely chopped
2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
1 Large egg yolk
1/2 c. freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1- Preheat oven to 400. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out pastry sheets just to smooth creases, and trim edges slightly to make even.
2- Cut each sheet into four squares; place on a parchment paper lined baking sheet, 2 inches apart. Freeze 20 min.
3- Place scallions, garlic, chile, walnuts, olives, and oil in a medium bowl. Season with salt and pepper; toss. Set aside.
4- In a small bowl, whisk togeher egg yolk and 1 tsp. water. Brush a 1/2 in. border around edges of dough squares with egg wash. Divide scallion mixture maong squares, leaving a 1/4 in. border; spronkle square with cheese.
5- Bake until crust is golden brown, about 20 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temp.
**** M can't stand walnuts in his dinner, so i omitted them. I added some fresh, cooked spinach to the mixture. It was wonderful! I took a picture of it but I can't find it! ****
Scallion Tartlets
"Baked tartlets can be frozen up to three weeks. Without tawing, reheat them in a 350 degree oven for about ten minutes. INstead of tartlets, you can make two large tarts: cut pastry into two 8-inch squares; bake for about 30 min."
-all purpose flour, for work surface
1 standard package frozen puff pastry, thawed
8 bunches scallions (2 1/4 lbs.) trimmed and cut into matchsticks
1 garlic glove, minced
1 red Thai chile, ribs and seeds removed, minced
1/2 c. (2 oz.) walnuts, finely chopped
1/2 c. Kalamata olives, pitted and coarsely chopped
2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
1 Large egg yolk
1/2 c. freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1- Preheat oven to 400. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out pastry sheets just to smooth creases, and trim edges slightly to make even.
2- Cut each sheet into four squares; place on a parchment paper lined baking sheet, 2 inches apart. Freeze 20 min.
3- Place scallions, garlic, chile, walnuts, olives, and oil in a medium bowl. Season with salt and pepper; toss. Set aside.
4- In a small bowl, whisk togeher egg yolk and 1 tsp. water. Brush a 1/2 in. border around edges of dough squares with egg wash. Divide scallion mixture maong squares, leaving a 1/4 in. border; spronkle square with cheese.
5- Bake until crust is golden brown, about 20 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temp.
**** M can't stand walnuts in his dinner, so i omitted them. I added some fresh, cooked spinach to the mixture. It was wonderful! I took a picture of it but I can't find it! ****
Pumpkin Martini
San Francisco Chronicle’s wine section:
“The Pumpkin Martini
Recipe adapted from Maggiano's Little Italy restaurant.
INGREDIENTS:
3 ounces Bols Pumpkin Smash liqueur
1 ounce Captain Morgan Original Spiced Rum
1 dash half-and-half
Ground cinnamon, for garnish
INSTRUCTIONS: Shake the ingredients over ice, and strain into a cocktail glass rimmed with sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle a little more cinnamon on top. Serves 1
Gary Regan is co-author of "New Classic Cocktails" and other books. E-mail him at [email]wine@sfchronicle.com[/email].”
“The Pumpkin Martini
Recipe adapted from Maggiano's Little Italy restaurant.
INGREDIENTS:
3 ounces Bols Pumpkin Smash liqueur
1 ounce Captain Morgan Original Spiced Rum
1 dash half-and-half
Ground cinnamon, for garnish
INSTRUCTIONS: Shake the ingredients over ice, and strain into a cocktail glass rimmed with sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle a little more cinnamon on top. Serves 1
Gary Regan is co-author of "New Classic Cocktails" and other books. E-mail him at [email]wine@sfchronicle.com[/email].”
Easter Bird's nest Cookies
Bird's Nest Cookies
makes two dozen
1 c. unsalted butter, room temp
1/2 c. plus 2 Tbsp. sugar
1 3/4 c. all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling out dough
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 c. Dutch-process cocoa powder, sifted
6 oz. semisweet chocolate, chopped
1 c. heavy cream
1 tsp. instant espresso powder
2 c. sweetened shredded coconut
6 dozen candy-coated chocolate eggs
1. heat oven to 350; line two baking sheets with parchment paper, and set aside. in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine butter and sugar.
2. in a large bowl, combine four, salt, and cocoa powder. add flour mixture to butter mixture; mix on low speed just until a stiff dough forms, about 2 minutes. transfer dough to a piece of plastic wrap, wrap tightly, and chill until firm, about 30 minutes.
3. place the chocolate, heavy cream, and espresso powder in a medium heat-proof bowl. place the bowl over a pan of gently simmering water, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate has melted. remove bowl from heat, and set the chocolate ganache aside to cool, stirring occasionally
4. on a lightly foured surface, roll out chilled dough to a 1/4 inch thickness. using a 2 1/4 inch-round cookie cutter, cut out 24 cookies; place them on lined baking sheets. chill cookies until firm, about 20 minutes.
5. bake cookies until set, about 14 minutes. transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
6. ((( for colored coconut, combine a few drops of food coloring with 3 Tbsp. water in a medium bowl. stir in coconut; mix until evenly colored. spread on an ungreased baking sheet; bake just until dry, about 12 minutes, being careful not to brown. let coconut cool; transfer to a small bowl. ))) optional!
7. when the ganache has cooled to room temp, whisk until it becomes stiff enought to pipe. transfer ganache to a pastry bag fitted with a 3/8 inch round tip, and pipe around perimeters of cookies. dip each cookie, ganache-side down, into plain or colored coconut. fill the "nests" with candy-coated chocolate egge, 2 or 3 eggs per nest. store cookies in an airtight container, refrigerated, up to 3 days.
makes two dozen
1 c. unsalted butter, room temp
1/2 c. plus 2 Tbsp. sugar
1 3/4 c. all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling out dough
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 c. Dutch-process cocoa powder, sifted
6 oz. semisweet chocolate, chopped
1 c. heavy cream
1 tsp. instant espresso powder
2 c. sweetened shredded coconut
6 dozen candy-coated chocolate eggs
1. heat oven to 350; line two baking sheets with parchment paper, and set aside. in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine butter and sugar.
2. in a large bowl, combine four, salt, and cocoa powder. add flour mixture to butter mixture; mix on low speed just until a stiff dough forms, about 2 minutes. transfer dough to a piece of plastic wrap, wrap tightly, and chill until firm, about 30 minutes.
3. place the chocolate, heavy cream, and espresso powder in a medium heat-proof bowl. place the bowl over a pan of gently simmering water, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate has melted. remove bowl from heat, and set the chocolate ganache aside to cool, stirring occasionally
4. on a lightly foured surface, roll out chilled dough to a 1/4 inch thickness. using a 2 1/4 inch-round cookie cutter, cut out 24 cookies; place them on lined baking sheets. chill cookies until firm, about 20 minutes.
5. bake cookies until set, about 14 minutes. transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
6. ((( for colored coconut, combine a few drops of food coloring with 3 Tbsp. water in a medium bowl. stir in coconut; mix until evenly colored. spread on an ungreased baking sheet; bake just until dry, about 12 minutes, being careful not to brown. let coconut cool; transfer to a small bowl. ))) optional!
7. when the ganache has cooled to room temp, whisk until it becomes stiff enought to pipe. transfer ganache to a pastry bag fitted with a 3/8 inch round tip, and pipe around perimeters of cookies. dip each cookie, ganache-side down, into plain or colored coconut. fill the "nests" with candy-coated chocolate egge, 2 or 3 eggs per nest. store cookies in an airtight container, refrigerated, up to 3 days.
Mini Onion Quiches
from The Lady and Sons cookbook.
Mini Onion Quiches
3/4 c. cracker crumbs
4 Tbsp. butter, melted
1 c. green onion with tops
2 Tbsp. butter, room temp.
2 eggs
1 c. milk
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 c. grated Swiss cheese
preheat oven to 300. combine and stir cracker crumbs and melted butter until crumbs have completely absorbed butter. divide among 12 mini muffin tins that have been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray (i used olive oil)... saute onion for 10 minutes in 2 Tbsp. butter. cool, and divide on top of crumbs. beat eggs. add milk, s&p, and cheese, stirring gently. spoon on top of onion. don't fill to top. bake 15-20 minutes until set. serve immediately or may be stored in the fridge and warmed just before serving.[/COLOR]
YUMMY YUMMY YUMMY!!!!!!!
Mini Onion Quiches
3/4 c. cracker crumbs
4 Tbsp. butter, melted
1 c. green onion with tops
2 Tbsp. butter, room temp.
2 eggs
1 c. milk
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 c. grated Swiss cheese
preheat oven to 300. combine and stir cracker crumbs and melted butter until crumbs have completely absorbed butter. divide among 12 mini muffin tins that have been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray (i used olive oil)... saute onion for 10 minutes in 2 Tbsp. butter. cool, and divide on top of crumbs. beat eggs. add milk, s&p, and cheese, stirring gently. spoon on top of onion. don't fill to top. bake 15-20 minutes until set. serve immediately or may be stored in the fridge and warmed just before serving.[/COLOR]
YUMMY YUMMY YUMMY!!!!!!!
#76 Feb '00 & #68 Apr '99
76 Feb 2000
IDEAS
the mudroom p 116
potted citrus p154
-glues p106
COOKING
sweet pancakes p74
Valentine's Day Linzer Pie p186
-risotto 101 p78
-tasting peppercorns p84
-low-fat hummus p176
-caramelized garlic and shallot pasta p178
-pink heart tuiles p188
-rich chocolate heart cakes p190
68 April 1999
IDEAS
-caring for azaleas and rhododendrons p74
-making birth announcements p187
-how to play the card game Spite and Malice p192
ranunculus arrangement p90
COOKING
easter bird's nest cookies p108 & 251
i made these at the very first family get-together that i attended at the IL's house, and they were a major hit. the ganache icing calls for espresso to liven things up, and these taste amazing. they look cute too!
-sauteed mushrooms in phyllo crisps p261
-spring-greens soup p262
IDEAS
the mudroom p 116
potted citrus p154
-glues p106
COOKING
sweet pancakes p74
Valentine's Day Linzer Pie p186
-risotto 101 p78
-tasting peppercorns p84
-low-fat hummus p176
-caramelized garlic and shallot pasta p178
-pink heart tuiles p188
-rich chocolate heart cakes p190
68 April 1999
IDEAS
-caring for azaleas and rhododendrons p74
-making birth announcements p187
-how to play the card game Spite and Malice p192
ranunculus arrangement p90
COOKING
easter bird's nest cookies p108 & 251
i made these at the very first family get-together that i attended at the IL's house, and they were a major hit. the ganache icing calls for espresso to liven things up, and these taste amazing. they look cute too!
-sauteed mushrooms in phyllo crisps p261
-spring-greens soup p262
#90 Feb '02 & #111 Feb '03
90 February 2002
IDEAS COOKING
cute breakfast nook p150
paperwhites... arrangement how-to p45
make guests feel at home with a basket of slippers p60
creating a dining nook p151
patios p177
-home-lighting tips p114
-tableclotch lengths p34
COOKING
roasted-garlic hummus p190
spoon catcher p56
chocolate curls p64
sweet messages p64
bonbon-filled hearts p64
-romantic wines p78
-chocolate desserts p164
111 Feb.2003
IDEAS
p39
table set p52
color palettes
kitchen p116
-knitting p127
[COLOR=crimson]MSL no.66 Feb. 1999[/COLOR]
IDEAS
-organizing books p86
-making valentines p94
-orchids p120
COOKING
-salt p128
-macaroni and cheese 101 p66
IDEAS COOKING
cute breakfast nook p150
paperwhites... arrangement how-to p45
make guests feel at home with a basket of slippers p60
creating a dining nook p151
patios p177
-home-lighting tips p114
-tableclotch lengths p34
COOKING
roasted-garlic hummus p190
spoon catcher p56
chocolate curls p64
sweet messages p64
bonbon-filled hearts p64
-romantic wines p78
-chocolate desserts p164
111 Feb.2003
IDEAS
p39
table set p52
color palettes
kitchen p116
-knitting p127
[COLOR=crimson]MSL no.66 Feb. 1999[/COLOR]
IDEAS
-organizing books p86
-making valentines p94
-orchids p120
COOKING
-salt p128
-macaroni and cheese 101 p66
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