Category: TOPICS & CATEGORIES

Economy Ice Cream

Title of Recipe: Economy Ice Cream

Ingredients:
2 eggs
6 tbsp sugar
4 tbsp white corn syrup
1 cup top milk
1 cup light cream
1 tsp. Vanilla

Instructions:
Beat egg yolks, sugar and corn syrup until thick and lemon colored. Add milk, cream, flavoring. Pour into refrigerator tray. Freeze until firm. Remove to chilled bowl. Add unbeaten egg whites and beat until fluffy. Return to freezing compartment for 20-25 minutes or until frozen.

Peanut Brittle Ice Cream – substitute 1 cup crushed peanut brittle for sugar. Add 1 tsp vanilla.

Strawberry Ice Cream – Substitute 1 cup finely sieved strawberries for 1 cup milk. Add ¼ cup sugar.

Coffee Ice Cream – dissolve 1 tbsp instant coffee in 1 tsp boiling water. Add to milk in basic recipe.

Cucumber Sauce

Title of Recipe: Cucumber Sauce (for fish or meat-pref cold)

Ingredients:
¾ cu cream (sour cream optional)
2 tbsp vinegar or lemon juice
¼ tsp salt
1/8 tsp paprika

Instructions:
Beat until stiff ¾ cup cream or sour cream (if using sweet cream add slowly). Add 2 tbsp vinegar or lemon juice, season w salt and paprika. Pare, seed and cut finely & drain well 1 lg cucumber. Add to sauce.

Texas Sheet Cake

Title of Recipe: Texas Sheet Cake

Ingredients:
2 cu sugar
2 cu sifted flour
½ tsp salt
2 cubes butter (1/2 lb)
1 cu water
4 tbsp cocoa
½ cu sour cream
2 eggs
1 tsp soda
1 box powdered sugar
¼ cu butter
vanilla
milk

Instructions:
In lg bowl put sugar, flour & salt. In small heavy pan bring butter water, cocoa to a boil. Take from heat. Add immediately to sugar/flour/salt ingredients. Add sour cream, eggs and soda to mixture, mix till well blended. Batter will be very thin. Pour into greased, floured 10 ½” x 15 ½” pan. Bake 20-25 min at 350°. Don’t overbake while warm, frost.

Special Steps:
Frosting; ¼ lb butter, 6 tbsp milk, 4 tbsp cocoa. Boil milk, butter and cocoa until bubbly. Mix in nuts, 1 box powdered sugar & 1 tsp. vanilla. Beat until smooth. Spread over warm cake.

Cinnamon Spiral Bread

Title of Recipe: Cinnamon Spiral Bread

Ingredients:
½ cu warm water (not hot 110-115°)
1 pkg active dry yeast
2 cu lukewarm milk
2 cups quick-cooking rolled oats
¼ cu brown sugar (packed)
2 tbsp soft shortening
1 tbsp salt
1 cup raisens
5 ½ to 6 cups sifted flour

Instructions:
Dissolve yeast in water, in mixing bowl. Stir in milk, rolled oats, brown sugar, shortening, salt, raisins, half of flour. Mix with spoon until smooth. Add rest of flour, mix with hand. Turn onto lightly floured board. Knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 min. Round up in greased bowl; bring greased side up. Let rise in warm place (85°) until double in bulk…1 ½ to 2 hours. Divide dough into 2 parts. Round up each into a ball. Roll each into an oblong, 15×8”. Sprinkle with all except 2 tbsp. of the mixture of ½ cup sugar and 2 tsp cinnamon. Roll up like jelly roll, sealing tightly at the ends. Place in 2 greased loaf pans, 9x5x2 ½”. Let rise until almost double in bulk….40 to 50 min. Heat oven to 400° (mod. Hot). Bake 35 to 40 min. Brush top of hot bread with corn syrup and sprinkle with rest of cinnamon-sugar mixture.

Brown Bread

Ingredients:

  • 1 TBL brown sugar
  • 2 tsp Rapid Rise Yeast or proofed Dry Active Yeast
  • 1/4 C warm water
    PROOF THE ABOVE IF NECESSARY
  • 2 C sour dough starter
  • 1 C bread flour
  • 1 1/2 C whole wheat flour
  • ½ cu honey
  • ½ cu molasses
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 TBL instant coffee
  • 1 TBL cocoa powder
  • 2 TBL butter – softened
  • 1 C whole milk
  • 1 C dry milk
  • 1 C raisins – OPTIONAL

Step by Step:

  1. Mix till combined – add splashes of water in necessary to bring together
  2. Then mix 6 more minutes
  3. Let rest 20 mintues
  4. Mix 4 more minutes
  5. Cover and rise 1 hour
  6. Fold in thirds four times – beating flat in between folds
  7. Finally, form into 2 balls and put on a baking sheet
  8. Drizzle with EVOO
  9. Cover loosely with plastic wrap
  10. Let rise another hour
  11. Slash an X in the top, then bake 325º for 60 minutes
  12. Let cool

 

Breakfast Biscuits

INGREDIENTS

2 cups GRANDPA’S BISCUIT MIX (shown below)
2/3 cu buttermilk
OPT:  1/4 C shredded Cheddar cheese

Splash more milk ONLY if it doesn’t come together when you knead in Step 3.  If it’s too wet, add a bit more biscuit mix or use dried milk.

DON’T OVER-MIX OR YOUR BISCUITS WILL BE TOUGH

STEP BY STEP

  1. Add milk to biscuit mix. Stir with a spoon to combine.
  2. Turn out on a floured surface.
  3. Turn over onto itself 8 times to create layers
  4. Roll or pat to ½ inch thickness.
  5. Cut into 2 or 3 inch rounds.
    • Push down, THEN turn.  Don’t turn as you push, or you will seal the edges together and your biscuits will not rise
  6. Place on a greased baking sheet with sides just barely touching
    • Otherwise they will spread, not rise
    • Don’t use a teflon baking sheet
    • Put a small dent in the center to help create flat tops
  7. Brush the tops lightly with melted butter
  8. Bake at 450° for about 10 minutes.
  9. Turn pan and cook another 5-8 minutes

Biscuit Mix

Freeze well, bake without thawing

 

 

 

 

 

Avocado Cream

Title of Recipe: Avocado Cream

Ingredients:
3 ripe avocados
1 lg lime
3 tbs sugar
pinch salt
½ pint vanilla ice cream

Instructions:
Remove rind and pits from 3 avocados. Put fruit thru blender. Combine puree with juice of 1 lg lime, 3 tbs sugar, pinch salt and ½ pint vanilla ice cream. Pour into pan and freeze about 1 hour or until semisolid. Several drops of maraschino may be added before freezing.

Bruschetta

All of these are served on top of a French Bread or Bauguette sliced on the bias (angle) and toasted until it just starts to turn brown.

Caprese

  • Tomato, slice of mozzarella, topped with a basil leaf or black olive
  • Drizzle with EVOO at serving time

Caramelized Red Onion

  • Caramelize slivers of red onion in EVOO, then spread marscapone and prosciutto. Top with fig and red onion

Goat Cheese and Pear

  • Spread goat cheese and top with wedges or thin slices of pear. Drizzle with aged balsamic vinegar glaze

Burnt Mozzarella

  • Shave whole-milk mozzarella over sliced bread. Cover bread completely, then broil about 60 seconds to melt the cheese. Top with pesto

Olive Tapenade

  • Variety of pitted olives roughly chopped, then mixed with a sprinkle of anise seed, Greek oregano, red pepper and EVOO. Top with aged balsamic vinegar

Brie

  • A thin slice of brie with a few capers or slices of persimmon

 

Here are some more ideas:

  • Goat Cheese and Smoked Salmon
  • Sauteed Spinach with Bacon
  • Cream Cheese and Pomegranate
  • Cream Cheese w/ Onion and Caper
  • Goat Cheese and Raspberry Jam
  • Goat Cheese with Cherries
  • Feta Cheese topped with Cucumber
  • Sliced Ham with Apricots or Figs
  • Salami with Dijon Mustard
  • Parmesan and Grilled Peppers
  • Spinach Pesto and Sardines

The ideas are nearly limitless.
Don’t be afraid to experiment.

 

Pasta Brief

Durum Wheat Pasta

  • Southern Italian
  • South Dakota – So close you can’t tell
    • Florence Gormet, Inc

CLICK HERE FOR ANOTHER TAKE ON
COOKING PASTA FROM SCRATCH

Tips

  • Keep pasta from air, light, and weevils.  Store in a plastic airtight container.
  • Cook small pastas in a stock pot covering with 1 inch of water
  • Cook long pasta in a 12 inch skillet
  • Reserve liquid for soup thickeners or Cacio e Pepe
    • Mix 2 TBL black pepper
    • 3.5 oz (100 gm) Pecorina Romano grated cheese
    • 50 gm grated Parmesan cheese
    • 1/3 C EVOO
      • Stir with a wooden spoon to create a paste
    • Add 2 oz starchy water and mix to combine (about 3/4 C total)
      • Whisk slowly to combine
    • Add spaghetti pasta and stir for 2 full minutes
    • Finish with 2 TBL Pecorino Romano
    • Add 1/2  more black pepper

Making your Own Pasta

Semolina flour, salt, eggs – and then EVOO – not too much

  • Approx 100 gm 00 semolina flour per egg
  • Approx 2 C flour for 3 eggs
  • Add 2 TBL EVOO (mostly on hands)
  1. Make nest of flour and salt mixture
  2. Oil your hands
  3. Add eggs into the well
  4. Mix with hands to combine
  5. Bench knife until it starts to come together
  6. Keep hands oiled
  7. Add another egg yolk if necessary
  8. Drizzle water if necessary, but it will probably be OK
  9. If too sticky, add a bit more flour
  10. Knead on floured surface with oiled hands until it becomes springy
  11. Roll into a thick rope, and wrap in plastic for 30 minutes – This is a must
  12. Cut into equal sized pieces, depending on how you will use the pasta
    • Golf ball sized pieces is a good size if you are going to cut strips manually,
    • Tennis ball sized if you will put them through a roller
  13. Roll, fold, repeat about 8 times
  14. Cut and flour
  15. Let dry for about an hour
  16. Cook in large pot of boiling water
  17. Only needs to cook 3-5 minutes

Types of Pasta

  • Lasagna Noodles About 2 inches wide
  • Pappardelle About 1 inch wide
  • Tagliatelli ½ inch wide
  • Fettuccini ¼ inch wide
  • Linguini 1/8 inch wide
  • Spaghetti 1/16 inch wide
  • Angel Hair 1/32 inch wide

Pasta will last a long time, but keep it in a dark airtight container

Five Shapes

  • Strings
    • Vermicelli
    • Spaghetti
    • Capellini
    • Fedelini
  • Ribbons
    • Linguini
    • Fettucini
    • Tagliatelle
    • Bavetti
  • Tubes
    • Penne Rigata
    • Tubetti
    • Zitti
    • Rigatoni
    • Tortiglioni
    • Mostaccioli
  • Shapes
    • Dischetti
    • Fusili
    • Farfalle
    • Orchiette
    • Radiatore
  • Micro Pasta
    • Orzo
    • Pastina

Preparing Pasta

  • Dry pasta – is essentially already cooked
    1. Put into a pan or skillet.
    2. Cover with a asmall amount of cold water- just to cover by an inch
    3. Add 1 TBL salt Bring to a boil
    4. Remove the lid, give it a quick stir, and simmer only 8-10 minutes
    5. Pull out pasta with a strainer or tongs
    6. KEEP pasta water, thicken or finish sauces with pasta water
  • For Spaghetti, use a 12 inch sautee pan, lay noodles flat , barely cover, bring to a boil, add salt

Serving Suggestion

  • Serve hot pasta on top of EVOO and minced garlic
  • Top with grated cheese, sundried tomatoes, black pepper

 

 

Grandpa’s Banana Ginger Bread

INGREDIENTS FOR TWO SMALL LOAVES

FIRST BOWL:

  • 1/4 CU softened margarine
  • 1/4 CU white granulated sugar
  • 1/4 CU brown sugar
  • 1 eggs
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla
  • 2 TSP lemon juice
  • 1-2 over-ripe bananas – mashed

SECOND BOWL:

  • 1/2 CU white flour
  • 1/2 CU wheat flour
  • 1/4 CU spelt (optional)
  • or 1/4 CU more white flour
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 TBL granulated ginger – chopped
  • NOTE: I prefer to pulse the ginger with a bit of the sugar to make small chunks of ginger.

STEP BY STEP
1. Preheat oven to 350º F
2. IN FIRST (LARGE) BOWL – – Cream butter and sugars together
3. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until smooth after each egg
4. Mix in mashed bananas, vanilla, and lemon juice
5. IN SECOND BOWL sift and mix all dry ingredients together and add ginger
6. Add dry mixture to first bowl, stir to moisten. Do not over-mix.
7. Transfer to greased loaf pans (or pans lined with wax paper)
8. Lay a sheet of foil loosely over the top, and bake 60 minutes.
9. Remove foil after baking 60 minutes, and continue to bake for 15 more minutes.
10. Let stand ten minutes before removing from pan
11. Place released loaf on cake rack to cool
This will make TWO 2½ x 4½ baking dishes

Options:
1. Replace the ginger with chopped walnuts
2. Add raisins, dates, or dried cranberries rather (or in addition to) the ginger
3. We like to add ¼ C raw oatmeal to ours, and cut back on the wheat flour a bit

Three Christmas Treats

from Chef Chris Nicosia from Sassi Restaurant

Nutella No-egg Dessert

INGREDIENTS

  • 250 gm whole milk
  • 250 gm Nutella
  • 250 gm cream (heat to scald)
  • 1 TBL gelatin

STEP BY STEP

  1. Mix milk and Nutella
  2. Heat cream in separate pot
  3. Add gelatin to cream and mix
  4. Pour cream into Nutella mixture blending as you pour
  5. Pour into glasses and let it set overnight uncovered
  6. Once cooled, you can cover it

Amaretti Cookie

  • 8 oz Almond Paste – Dried (in a can)
  • 1 C Sugar
  • Incorporate in Kitchen Aid
  • 2 egg whites
  • Blend till smooth
  • Put into piping bag
  • Lightly greased pan with wax paper
  • Put buckeye sized dollops
  • 375º for 8-10 minutes
  • Cook till they start to brown

Spinchi – Ricotta Fritters

  • 1 LB ricotta
  • 4 eggs
  • Mix above
  • 1/4 C sugar
  • Cake flour
  • Baking powder
  • AP flour
  • Vanilla
  • stir
  • Put little drops into 365º oil

Get amounts from YourLifeAZ

Spanish Style Potatoes

INGREDIENTS

  • 5 Russet potatoes
  • 1 TBL salt
  • 1 tsp baking soda

STEP BY STEP

  1. Wash and dry four potatoes
  2. Optional: Peel potatoes
  3. Cut into one inch segments
  4. Bring a large pot of water up to a boil
  5. Add 1 salt and baking soda to the water
  6. Add potatoes and bring pot back to a full boil
  7. Turn off heat and let potatoes simmer in the hot water two minutes
  8. Strain potatoes from water – discard the water
  9. Dump potatoes onto a clean towel and let air dry for 30 minutes
  10. Return to a large mixing bowl and toss with 1 TBL EVOO
  11. Add 1 TBL large grain kosher salt and toss until coated
  12. Pour onto a baking pan and let rest 30 more minutes
  13. Heat up 3 C canola oil to 375º
  14. Add potatoes all at once
  15. This will reduce oil temperature, but that’s OK
    Do not reduce heat on the oil, you want it eventually to start frying
  16. Cook 25 minutes from the time you add them
  17. Remove to a paper towel to drain
  18. Sprinkle with salt while they are still warm
  19. Serve with a side of dipping sauce

Spicy Tomato Dipping Sauce

  1. Microplane two cloves of garlic
  2. Heat up 1 TBL EVOO in a pan to medium low heat
  3. Heat 2 TBL tomato paste till it starts to break down
  4. Push the tomato paste to the side and add a splash more oil in the clear space
  5. Add garlic and 1 tsp sweet paprika to the oil
  6. Add 1/2 tsp kosher salt and 1/2 tsp powdered cayenne pepper
  7. Mix cayenne 20 seconds, then mix all ingredients together
  8. Add 1/4 C water and 1/4 C chicken stock and whisk all together
  9. Bring up to a boil and then reduce to a simmer
  10. Let simmer 5 minutes
  11. Remove from heat and whisk in 2 tsp white wine
  12. Put into bowl and set aside to finish cooling
  13. Add 2 TBL Miracle Whip salad dressing

 

 

 

Avocado and Eggplant Velouté (soup)

This is a popular dish in many African countries.

Velouté is one of the FIVE MOTHER SAUCES

Cut off green stem of eggplant
Coat outside with EVOO
Poke full of holes (lots)
Bake at 450º for about 35 minutes – till blackened
Let cool down until you can touch it without being burned
Cut open and discard most of the seeds
Scrape out flesh – Keep about the size of a playing card of the burnt flesh
– set flesh aside
Sautee diced onion over medium heat
Add garlic when onion has softened (remove center germ)
Salt and pepper to taste
Add pinches of curry, cardamom, powdered cumin, cumin seed, clove, cinnamon, nutmeg, mace, allspice, dry ginger, chili peppers, coriander seed, peppercorn, sweet and hot paprika, fenugrek, and dry turmeric – whatever you already have on hand
Cook about 3 minutes, then add eggplant back in
Simmer another 8-10 minutes
While eggplant simmers, add shitake mushrooms (more or less, to taste) to a hot pan with EVOO
Sear mushrooms – add salt
Meanwhile, bring 3 C milk up to a high simmer
Add pulp into milk
Puree in blender with 4 TBL butter on low
Add skin back in during the last few seconds of blending
Pour into bowl and top with sauteed mushrooms
Optionally add some pieces of torn bread
Drizzle with EVOO
Sprinkle top with chopped chives

Basic Angel Food Cake

INGREDIENTS

  • Muffin rings lined with paper and sprayed
  • 3/4 C castor (confectioner) sugar
  • 1 C Cake Flour – NOT self-rising
  • 1/4 tsp baking soda
    Meringue
  • 2 tsp Cream of Tartar
  • 1/2 tsp Salt
  • 14 large Egg Whites
  • 1 TBL warm water
  • 2 tsp vanilla
  • 1/2 C granulated sugar
  • 1/2 tsp Citric Acid
    Topping
  • 1/2 C granulated sugar (for fruit)

STEP BY STEP

  1. Place muffin ring in center of an oven-safe skillet
    For Meringue:
  2. Beat egg whites to foamy peaks – not stiff peaks
  3. Add salt, cream of tartar and 1/2 C granulated sugar early into beating process
  4. Add castor sugar, citric acid, vanilla and warm water as you approach stiff peaks
  5. Pour into large mixing bowl
    For Cake:
  6. Fold in CAKE flour 1 TBL at a time – Don’t use AP flour.  Cake flour is a finer grind than AP flour.  DO NOT overmix
  7. Fill baking ring about 3/4 full
  8. Even out top and tap to remove bubbles
  9. Preheat oven to 350º
  10. Place pan of hot water on the bottom shelf
  11. Bake pie at 350º for 60 minutes (see note at bottom)
    Topping:
  12. Add 1 stick butter ti skillet
  13. 1/2 C sugar
  14. 1/2 C grand marnier or rum
  15. Mix together then add quartered strawberries, blackberries and blueberries – or other fruit topping
    Cake:
  16. Cool before removing from ring for at least one hour
  17. Serve with macerated (eg) strawberries and lemon juice plus sour cream, vanilla and sour cream

Topping

  1. Use strawberries, blueberries, etc
  2. Sprinkle 1/2 C sugar
  3. Mash the fruit slightly using two forks
  4. Let them macerate while you bake your cake

Variation
You can use biscuit rings or lady-finger molds instead of a bundt pan.  If you do this, reduce cooking time to 30 minutes.

 

Pepperonata

Ingredients

  • Misc peppers – all colors
  • Onion
  • Salt and pepper
  • Favorite spices
  • Splash red wine vinegar

Step by Step

  • Clean peppers
  • Put over medium to low heat
  • Add garlic, dried oregano and thyme
  • Olive oil to cover bottom of pan
  • Simmer 45 minutes
  • Fresh herbs at the very end
  • Keep for up to a week in the fridge
  • Serve as a side with any meat

Creamed Corn

Ingredients

  • 2 pieces of bacon – browned
  • Red onion
  • Chopped chives
  • Garlic
  • Old Bay Seasoning
  • Smoked paprika
  • Fresh tarragon
  • Corn – fresh or canned
  • Half and Half to moisten
  • 1/4 C cream cheese
  • OPTIONAL
    • Diced poblano
    • Diced red bell

Step by Step

  1. Brown bacon, then set aside and crumble
  2. Dump much of the grease
  3. Add first four veggies
  4. Soften 5 minutes
  5. Add Old Bay, smoked paprika, tarragon
  6. Add corn
  7. Add Half and Half and cream cheese
    – Healthy alternative: substitute chicken stock and blend1 C of veggie mixture, then add back in

 

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