Cooking With The Oslers

Cranberry Walnut Multi Grain Bread

2012-02-10T15:16:00.000-08:00

1 1/2 cups warm water (105-110 degrees, esp. not over 120 degrees - kills yeast!)
1/3 cup molasses, pref. unsulfured. (I use regular)
1 T. rapid rise yeast
3 cups total bread flour , divided
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
1/2 cup rye flour
1/2 cup while wheat flour
3 T. cocoa powder, sieved
3 T. vital wheat gluten (IMPORATANT_NEED- makes bread rise) Store in fridge
2 tsp. espresso powder
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup good quality dried cranberries (should be pliable not hard nuggets)
1 cup chopped walnuts (or your favorite nut)
2 generous T. walnut oil (store in fridge- will go bad)
Cornmeal for dusting

Put dough hook on mixing bowl. Place warm water, molasses and yeast in the mixing bowl. Let stand until mixture is foamy.
Meanwhile, combine 2 1/2 of bread flour with whole wheat, cornmeal, rye, wheat gluten, espresso, cocoa and salt. Whisk well.
Add four mixture to yeast mixture & mix on speed 2 ~ 2 min.
Add the cranberries, walnuts, and oil & mix on speed 3 for another 2 min.or until mixed. Con't on speed 3, add rest of the flour- 1/2 cup- a little at a time until a dough ball forms.
Knead in the bowl speed 2 for 4 minutes.
Put in a large bowl and cover with plastic wrap- not a towel to preserve heat. Let rise in a draft free place x 2 hours or so.
Knead in, gently, any stray berries or nuts. shape into a 13 x 4 loaf. Place on a large bake sheet covered with parchment paper. Spray lightly with Pam and sprinkle cornmeal for dusting.
Cover again with plastic and let it rise 40 min.
Preheat oven 350 degrees. Cut 5 diagonal slices across the top. Bake on center rack so bottom doesn't burn. Bake 35-45 min. (Until center temp 205). The bread should sound hollow when tapped. Transfer to a wire rack and cool.

Double Orange Blossom Honey Butter

Whip 1 stick unsalted softened butter until fluffy. Beat in 2 T. good orange blossom honey or more, to taste. Add 1/8 tsp. orange oil or 1/2 - 1 tsp. orange extract.
Makes a wonderful combination
This recipe was from Rita Heikenfeld's Gifts from the Kitchen Class.You could easily make smaller loaves. This also makes great sandwich bread. Mmmmm sliced turkey, a light cheese.....enjoy.
Rita says "It doesn't matter where the recipe came from, it only matters where it's going"

Easy Chicken & Rice Casserole

2012-01-14T04:23:00.000-08:00

This recipe smells as good as it tastes. The yeast in the wine, as it bakes, makes the house smell like fresh baked bread. My sister in love, Melinda, gave us this recipe when the twins were born. We've loved it since!

Chicken & Rice Casserole
1 can each of cream of: celery,chicken & mushroom
1 cup of uncooked rise
1 cup of milk (skim works fine)
1 soup can full (or I use 1 small bottle from a 4 pack) of good white wine
1 pack of uncooked chicken tenderloins (or slice up a few breasts)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix everything but the chicken in a 2 quart casserole dish & lay the chicken on top. Cover & bake for 1 hour with lid on, then stir a few times. Remove the lid and bake another hour.(Kind of a tease for the family at the 1 hour mark.) Serving fresh baked rolls with this does help your brain adapt for what your nose has been telling it is happening. It's great aroma therapy and EASY! A family favorite.

Cranberry Almond Cake

2012-01-02T14:58:00.000-08:00

Cranberry Almond Cake
1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
8 oz. unsalted butter, room temperature
7 oz. almond paste (found in the baking aisle- not marzipan)
1 cup sugar
4 large eggs , room temp.
1 tsp. vanilla extract (never imitation!)
1/4 cup milk at room temp.
1 1/2 fresh cranberries (you can buy these around the holidays and freeze them)- picked through & coarsely chopped
Confectioner's sugar for dusting

Preheat oven to 350.
You can do this in a buttered & floured bundt pan (recommended), loaf pans or even cupcakes
Sift together flour, salt & baking powder. Set aside. Beat together butter & almond paste. Add the sugar & beat until light & fluffy ~ 2 min. longer.Beat the eggs in 1 at a time, scraping down between each addition. Beat in vanilla.With mixer on low speed alt. flour mixture with milk, Stop and scrape down as needed.Fold in cranberries.
Transfer to pan and smooth with a spatula. Bake 45-50 min. (less for cupcakes) Consider checking at 42 min. with a wooden skewer to test doneness- should come out clean. Cool for 15 min. in pan, then invert on a wire rack. Once cool, dust with confectioner's sugar.
Do Ahead: I bake this and then slice, freezing the slices.

Rita's Pepperoni Bread

2012-01-02T14:50:00.000-08:00

PEPPERONI BREAD
3 c. all purpose flour, unbleached, plus
2 T. extra virgin olive oil
more if needed
1 T. sugar
1 pkg. dry yeast (equals about 2T.)
1 tsp. salt
1 c. pepperoni, chopped
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 small clove of garlic, minced
1 1/4 c. water
Optional glaze: 1 egg yolk - small amt. of milk to mix with egg yolk
In an electric mixer bowl, combine flour, yeast, and oregano. In a small saucepan,
heat garlic, water, olive oil, sugar and salt to 115 degrees (any hotter can kill the
yeast). Stir to dissolve the sugar and salt. Add wet mixture to the dry mixture and
combine with a wooden spoon. Beat on high speed for 3 minutes. Gently stir the
pepperoni in with the paddle attachment on low speed. Add more flour if you need to
so dough is pliable. Switch to dough hook and knead on #2 speed. You may need to
add even more flour. You want the dough to pull away from the sides.(Or you can do
by hand on a floured surface, adding pepperoni, then flour to make the dough smooth
and elastic.) The dough shouldn't be sticky. Place in an oiled bowl, flip once so the
top is oily. Cover with saran wrap in a draft free area. Allow it to rise until doubled,
about 45 minutes. Punch down the dough and form into 1 large round loaf (or 2 smaller loaves, adjust baking time). Place on a cookie sheet that has been lightly oiled
and dusted with cornmeal. Let it rise again for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 375
degrees. Bake for 30 minutes (maybe less for smaller loaves). For a new glaze brush
egg/milk mixture onto the bread about 18-20 minutes into the baking.
Note: Don't cut the bread while it's hot. It will mash down. This is wonderful served
with Rita's white bean Italian soup! Heck this is wonderful served with anything!
Do Ahead: You can freeze the dough as soon as it is made (no rising!) OR bake it to finish and freeze the individual slices. We just pull out a slice from the freezer and toast lightly. Great with soup.

PUMPKIN SOUP

2012-01-02T14:46:00.000-08:00

PUMPKIN SOUP Haitian Recipe
1 lb. beef stew meat
1 onion, cut up
1 lb. chicken
3 medium turnips, cubed
1/4 quart water
1 hot pimento, whole with stem
1 T. lemon or lime juice
1/4 lb. pasta or vermicelli
3 cloves, whole (I'd tie in cheesecloth)
1 c. flour
1/2 lb. cabbage, chopped
2 T. baking powder
1 lb. pumpkin (joumou), cubed
pinch of salt
2 large carrots, cut up
2 T. unsalted butter
1/4 c. celery stalks and leaves, cut up
cold water
3 medium potatoes, cubed
Use a large kettle and boil the beef and chicken in water with cloves (tied in
cheesecloth) and lime juice for 20 minutes. Remove froth as it forms. Add all of the
vegetables (except the pimento) Boil 35-40 minutes longer, until tender. You can
remove meat and cloves (or fish out 3 cloves) and puree veggies with an immersion
blender if you wish for a creamier base. Return meat and pimento to soup (make sure
pimento is not broken it is added for more aroma, than flavor). Add pasta and cook
until tender. This can be served with dumplings as well. Dumplings: Cut butter into
flour until it forms pea-sized lumps. Gradually add water until it is the consistency of
non-sticky pizza dough. Form into finger-like shapes. Cook in soup 5-10 minutes.
Note: New Year Day is a holiday observed in Haiti. The Christians pray till midnight,
sing to the Lord and wish each other ‘Happy New Year’ afterward. Then they go
home and eat pumpkin soup. To learn more go here

SAUSAGE, CHEESE & ROASTED RED PEPPER CALZONE

2011-12-31T08:15:00.000-08:00

Everything that one should learn about Italian cooking should come from Jungle Jim's Carol Tabone! Call the Jungle and schedule a class~ Here's Carol's Calzones:

SAUSAGE, CHEESE, AND ROASTED RED PEPPER CALZONE
1 1/2 c. warm water 105-110 degrees 1 lb. red onion, sliced thin
1 envelope dry yeast 4 sweet Italian sausages, castings removed
2 T. olive oil
1 1/2 tsp. salt 3 c. mozzarella cheese, grated
4 c. flour, divided 12 oz. ricotta cheese, drained 1 hour
1 large red bell pepper 3 tsp. dried oregano
2 T. olive oil
Pour warm water into a large bowl and stir in yeast. Let stand about 5 minutes until
yeast dissolves. Mix in salt and oil. Add 3 3/4 cups flour (do 1/2 cup at a time),
stirring until blended. Transfer to a floured surface and knead dough (you may not
need all of the 1/2 cup reserved flour for this). You want it smooth and elastic, but not
sticky. Rub inside a large bowl with oil and place dough in the bowl. Flip the dough
over (oily side up) and cover with saran wrap in a draft free place for 1 hour, 15 min.
The dose has risen when 2 fingers indentations remain. Filling: Place a red pepper on
a baking sheet and set the oven to broil. Roast the pepper until all of the sides are
black. Transfer to a bowl and cover with saran wrap for 10 minutes. The steam will
help shed the skin. Peel, seed and slice into thin strips. Set aside. In a large skillet,
heat olive oil, over medium high heat. Cook red onions until brown (25 minutes.)
Remove onions to a bowl and cook sausage, breaking it into small bits, until done. Set
aside. In a bowl, mix together the mozzarella, ricotta and oregano. Season to taste
with salt and pepper. Place oven racks in the top 1/3 and bottom 1/3 of the oven.
Preheat to 400 degrees. Brush 2 cookie sheets with olive oil and dust with cornmeal.
Punch down the dough. Knead on a floured surface for 1 minute. Divide dough into 4
equal portions,shaping each into a ball. Roll each into a 9 inch round. I transfer it to the bake sheet before assembly.) Spread 1/3 cup of the cheese mixture over half of each round, leaving a 3/4 inch border. Place 1/4 of the onions, another 1/3 cup cheese mixture, 1/4 of the sausage, 1/3 cup of the cheese mixture, and 1/4 of the peppers.
Fold dough over forming a half circle and seal edges firmly, so nothing leaks out.
Pierce top of calzone a few times with a sharp knife so steam can escape while
baking. Repeat with 3 other calzones, 2 per bake sheet. Bake 15 minutes, reverse
sheets and bake 15 more minutes, until golden brown. Makes 4 HUGE calzones.
Note: You can be creative with the fillings. I recommend making sure everything is
cooked going into the calzones. 4 calzones can easily feed 8 people. I'd also consider adding garlic flavored melted butter to brush on as it comes out of the oven.
Do Ahead: Freeze the dough just after you mix it- Thaw it in a warm greased, covered bowl.

BUTTERED PECAN FROSTING

2011-12-24T10:06:00.000-08:00

This recipe appeared in the local paper back in the 1970s and my Grandma Ada made it and loved it. We have been making it at Christmas since then. A delicious 3 layer cake. You can slice and freeze this by the slice,too!

BUTTERED PECAN FROSTING
(Use with Nutty Butter Cream Cheese Cake or Carrot
Muffins Recipe)

1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature DIVIDED
1 lb. powdered sugar
1 1/2 c. pecans, chopped
4 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
1-2 T. evaporated milk

In a medium saucepan, melt 3 T. butter and add pecans. Brown the pecans. Allow the
pecans to cool. (I spread out on a cookie sheet. Cream together 5 T. butter, cream
cheese, and powdered sugar. Add milk to bring frosting to desired creaminess. Ice the
cakes as you normally would. Be generous between the layers, as you usually have
leftover icing. Layer the cakes (it's a 3 layer cake).
Take the cooled pecans and lay
them on the outside, pushing into the frosting, but not the top of the icing, so that it's coated all around with buttered pecans. Keep in a cool area.
Note: I make this at Christmas or any "special occasion".

NUTTY BUTTER CREAM CHEESE CAKE

2011-12-24T09:58:00.001-08:00

This recipe appeared in the local paper back in the 1970s and my Grandma Ada made it and loved it. We have been making it at Christmas since then. A delicious 3 layer cake. You can slice and freeze this by the slice,too!

NUTTY BUTTER CREAM
CHEESE CAKE

1 c. unsalted butter, room temperature 1 c. buttermilk, room temperature
2 c. sugar 1/2 tsp. salt
4 ox. cream cheese, room temperature 2 1/2 c. flour
4 egg yolks (reserve whites) 1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 c. water 1/2 tsp. vanilla
4 egg whites 1/2 tsp. rum flavoring (located near
vanilla in spice aisle)Or just rum!

Heat oven to 350 degrees. *Grease and flour 3 cake pans. Cream together butter,
cream cheese, and sugar. Add egg yolks, vanilla, rum, water, and buttermilk. Sift all
dry ingredients together, and add to the mixture, mixing well. In a separate bowl, beat
egg whites until fluffy and soft peaks form. Fold beaten egg whites into the cake
mixture. Place into the 3 pans evenly and bake for 40 minutes. Cool on racks.* Serve
with butter pecan frosting.
Note: Awesome cake recipe with a great "WOW" factor when this is served. I not
only grease and flour the pan, I also add a circle (pan-sized) piece of wax paper to the
base of a greased and floured pan. Remove the wax when the cakes cool.(This year I used parchment and popped the paper off right out of the oven- risky but a success!)
DO AHEAD: Make and freeze in zip lock bags ~ 1 month in advance. Thaw and make the icing day before.

Busken's Snowball/Wedding Cookies

2011-12-19T14:50:00.000-08:00

Busken's Snowball Cookies
Busken’s Wedding cookies

These go by many names: snowball, wedding, or Russian tea cookies. Naturally, Rita Heikenfeld nails this recipe. Is there anything she can’t do?! This recipe was in the Community Journal 8/1/07. I cut the recipe in half and made half pecan and half black walnut. Naturally, I am partial to the walnut!

Everything at room temperature-
1 cup unsalted butter, 1 cup Crisco, 1 cup sugar –Cream together until fluffy.
Add 1 Cup black walnuts in tiny pieces (Or whatever nut you like)
Add 4 cups flour
Add ¾ tsp. salt Mix until smooth.
Slowly add 1 beaten egg and mix until smooth. Don’t over mix!
Roll into tiny balls (the smaller the better!) and place on an ungreased cookie sheet.
Bake at 325 for 20 min. until edges begin to brown. Remove and allow to cool.
THEN roll in 1 cup powdered sugar. Makes about 4 dozen.

Chicken Lickin' Pork Chops

2011-12-19T14:48:00.000-08:00

Chicken Lickin' Pork Chops

6-8 lean chops about 1 inch thick (any thickness works)
Mix in a lg. zip lock bag or bowl:
1/2 cup flour
1 1/2 tsp dry mustard
1/2 tsp. garlic powder

Heat 2 Tbsp. oil in frying pan

Dredge chops in dry mix and brown in hot pan. Lay in crock pot.

Pour 2 cans of Campbell's Chicken and Wild Rice Soup over it and cook high 3-4 hours or low 6-8 hours.

Scalloped Potatoes

2011-12-19T14:46:00.000-08:00

Scalloped Potato Recipe

Preheat oven to 425 degrees
5-8 potatoes peeled and thinly sliced -a food processor or mandolin is helpful
1 1/2 tsp. salt
3 Tbsp. unsalted butter,melted
1/2 cup half & half (I use 1 cup if doing 8 or more potatoes)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (I use more)
Mix sliced potatoes with butter and salt. Place in casserole dish. Pour cream over potatoes and sprinkle with cheese. Cover and bake 20 min (I do 30 if using 8), then uncover for 15 or more until fork tender.
*If you add 1 cup cooked ham- it is now a main dish!!

Grandma Ada's Fudge

2011-12-13T16:19:00.000-08:00

BLACK WALNUT FUDGE OR
"GRANDMA ADA'S FUDGE"
Ada Gumbert
2 1/2 c. sugar
2 T. butter
1/4 c. cocoa

1 T. corn syrup
1 tsp. vanilla
2/3 c. evaporated milk 1/2 c. black walnuts

Grease an 8 x 8 pan with butter. Set aside. Take a small amount of butter on wax
paper and line about 1-2 inches of the top of the pan. (This keeps the mixture from
boiling over. I used to think it was magic! It was science, but just for today, as the
mixture rises, tell yourself it's magical!) Mix sugar and cocoa until well blended in a
pan. Add syrup and milk. Stir over low heat until the sugar has dissolved. "Stir no
more", as Grandma wrote. Cook until soft ball stage. Remove from heat. Add butter
and vanilla (but don't stir it in). Cool. Then beat until "thick", with a WOODEN
spoon. (Now Mom and I tried this after Grandma died and couldn't figure out what
that meant. Mom looks at me and asks " Are you thick? I'm not thick yet." And then
we giggled.) So by all means beat until thick. The better description is to beat until the
fudge begins to dull and and becomes harder to mix. Add in the walnuts and pour into
prepared pan. Chill.
Note: If you don't like black walnuts, you can substitute English walnuts. This is
known in our family as THE fudge. You can buy black walnuts, at Christmas, and
freeze them in a freezer bag, for up to 2 years! Do it!

Do Ahead Gravy & Rita's Herbed Butter Recipe

2011-11-19T10:55:00.000-08:00

I made Diane Phillips Make Ahead Gravy, but used a few Tbsp. of Rita Heikenfeld's herbed butter. Very nice to have this double batch of gravy done-just need to add the drippings!
Rita's Herbed Butter is on page 44 of my cookbook-
6 T. unsalted room temp. butter, 1/2 tsp. coarse sea salt, 1 Tbsp. each chopped fresh parsley,thyme and rosemary,1/4 tsp. fennel seed- ground....I used a coffee grinder. Just mix it up and take out a tablespoon or two for the gravy. I rub the turkey/chicken under the skin, then over the skin with the rest of the butter. Freezes great!
Diane's Gravy Recipe is pretty basic:
6 T. unsalted butter, 6 T. flour- whisk continually x2-3 min, then slowly add in 4 cups turkey/chicken broth. Cook, stirring continuously, until it boils/becomes thick. Salt & Pepper to taste. Freezes for 6 weeks. On the big day reheat & add pan drippings. I doubled it & it's done!

Baked Penne a la Carbonara- Diane Phillips

2011-11-11T14:40:00.000-08:00

I've been enjoying Diane Phillips books lately. This is 1 I've made twice in 2 weeks (per family request!)

Serves 10 as a side dish or 6 as a main dish
(Or 4 if you have teen boys!)

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1/2 cup chopped shallots
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
1/4 cup flour
1-1/2 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup chicken broth (Keep some extra handy in case you need to thin out the sauce)
1-1/2 cups freshly grated Parmesan (okay do 2 cups- you're welcome)
1/2 to 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Salt (optional) to taste....since when was salt an option?
1 pound penne pasta, cooked according to package directions until al dente and drained
12 strips bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces, coked until crisp, and drained on paper towels (app. 3/4 pound)
1/2 pound fresh mozzarella cheese, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

Step 1
In a 3-quart saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter, add the shallots and thyme, and cook, stirring, until softened, about 3 minutes. Whisk in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, until the flour is cooked, but hasn't turned color, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the cream and broth and bring to a boil, whisking constantly. Stir in 1 cup of the Parmesan and season with pepper and with salt if desired.

Step 2
Coat a 13x9-inch baking pan with non-stick cooking spray and sprinkle 1/4 cup of the remaining Parmesan over the bottom. In a large bowl, toss the hot penne with the olive oil. (This parmesan makes a nice crust on the bottom.)

Step 3
Stir the sauce into the penne, then stir in the bacon and mozzarella. Transfer to the prepared pan and sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 - 1/2 cup of Parmesan.

Diva Do-Ahead: At this point, you can cover and refrigerate overnight OR freeze freeze for up to 6 weeks. Bring to room temperature before continuing.(Thaw 1 day in fridge)

Step 4
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake the penne until golden brown, about 30 minutes. Let rest for about 5 minutes before serving.

Now I was lazy and copied the recipe from here. It looks like a nice blog. Her recipe had olive oil, mine doesn't (I went to Diane's class,where this recipe came from her book) I think the olive oil is why the sauce separated.
Diane's book is called "Perfect Party Food" by Diane Phillips.

Make Ahead Mashed Potatoes

2011-11-01T14:38:00.001-07:00

This is from Diane Phillips' book "Happy Holidays from the Do-Ahead Diva"
I had the pleasure of attending 2 of her classes last week & she was just a delight to meet & learn from. This is a great book!

Make Ahead Mashed Potatoes
8-10 med. russet baking potatoes peeled & cut into 1 inch chunks,
6 Tablespoons ((3/4 stick) unsalted butter, softened
3/4 c. freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup sour cream
1 8 oz. package cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup fresh chives, chopped (optional)
Salt & Pepper to taste

Boil the potatoes in salted water to cover until tender. Drain.
Butter the dish (I use foil pans for freezing) w/ 2 Tbsp. of butter. Sprinkle a 1/4 cup Parmesan evenly over the bottom.
Place the hot cooked potatoes in a large bowl.Add the sour cream and softened cream cheese & 2Tbsp. butter,1/4 cup cheese & chives. Taste for seasoning, add salt and pepper.
Place in prepared dish. Dot w/ final 2 Tbsp. butter and sprinkle with final 1/4 cup cheese.
*Wrap tightly & freeze for up to 1 month. Bring to room temp before baking.*
Bake the potatoes x 25 min, until golden brown.
Follow up These held up very well and tasted very good after 2 weeks of freezing.

Cheesy Chicken Fingers

2011-09-05T03:46:00.000-07:00

CHICKEN CHEESY FINGERS
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, halved 1 1/4 lb
(Or a pack of chicken tenderloins)
1/2 c. finely shredded cheddar cheese
1 egg, beaten
2 c. cheese-flavored crackers, crushed to 1 cup
Dipping sauce - BBQ, ketchup or ranch
Heat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a jelly roll pan with cooking spray. Cut chicken
lengthwise into 1/2 inch strips. Mix crushed crackers and cheese in a plastic bag. Beat
egg in a bowl. Place chicken strip in the egg mixture, then the cracker - cheese mix.
Seal the bag and shake, coating evenly. Place in a single layer on the pan. Bake 10-12
minutes, until done. Serve with desired sauce.
Note: Sometimes I cheat and use chicken tenderloins for an even quicker, more moist
chicken. Great,easy meal.

Impressed by emealz.com so far!

2011-09-05T03:42:00.001-07:00

Cuban Black Bean Soup

2011-08-20T13:14:00.000-07:00

1 lb. black beans (Can use canned beans
to bypass soaking process)
1 red pepper, seeded, large diced
1 green pepper, seeded, large diced
1 white onion, large diced
1 bay leaf
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 T. cumin
1 T. sugar
1 T. oregano
1/8 c. white vinegar
1 banana pepper or Italian frying pepper
salt to taste
Olive oil, for sauteing, plus 1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup red onion, finely chopped
1/2 c. sour cream

In a large stock pot, cover the beans in water, covering them by 2 inches. Add bay
leaf, cumin, oregano, and Italian pepper. Simmer until the beans are tender, about 45
minutes. Remove the pepper in a pan, saute the onion, red and green peppers until
translucent. Puree in a blender. (This is called “sofrito”). In the same pan saute the
garlic. Add to the beans, along with the sofrito, 1/4 cup olive oil, sugar, and vinegar.
Season with salt. Continue to cook until very thick, about 45 minutes. Garnish with
red onion and sour cream.
Freezes well.

KRAUTSUPPE (CABBAGE SOUP)

2011-08-20T13:02:00.000-07:00

4 slices of thick bacon, diced
2 c. water
2 onions, diced
6 sprigs of parsley
2 potatoes, cubed
1 Bay leaf, tied together with parsley with string
2 carrots, diced
1 turnip, diced
1 head of cabbage, green , shredded
salt and pepper to taste
4 c. chicken stock
1/4 c. Parmesan cheese
In a 6 qt. pot, lightly brown the bacon and onion to soft over low heat. Combine all
ingredients in pot, except salt, pepper and cheese. Simmer 2 hours. Discard parsley
bundle. Season to taste. Pour into soup bowls and garnish with Parmesan.

We would have a get together with my brother's family and do a 5 course meal from a different country. This was from our German exploration. My kids have since renamed this (forgive me) poop soup....hey, it's a house full of boys! It really is a great root soup recipe. It freezes great. The Parmesan is the key to the great taste.

NANCY'S AWESOME COBB SALAD

2011-07-04T06:26:00.000-07:00

Nancy Valmassoi is one of my favorite people and she made this for me and I loved it. And I love her and my life is better for knowing both!

NANCY'S AWESOME COBB
SALAD
Step 1:
1 bag of wagon wheel pasta, cooked
2 cups cooked chicken, cubed
2 ripe tomatoes, cubed
1 lb. bacon, fried and crumbled (You could use less here, but why?)
2 cups fresh spinach (counteracts the bacon, really....)
1 (4-oz.) crumbled blue cheese
1 c. pitted black olives
Step 2:
1 tsp. honey or sugar
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/4 c. red wine vinegar
1 c. olive oil
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 clove garlic, minced fine
Mix the first 7 ingredients in a large bowl. In a smaller separate bowl, whisk the mustard, vinegar, olive oil,black pepper, honey and garlic. Pour over the salad and toss. I would love to put how many this serves, but it's so good that, when I make it.....it serves very few! I love this dish!
Note: Just go ahead and double it. You will not be able to stop eating it.

Blue Cheese Coleslaw

2011-07-02T13:11:00.000-07:00

Pulled pork sandwich and blue cheese coleslaw- yum. Must be 4th of July weekend! Even people who say "I don't like blue cheese" come back and say "I was wrong. I guess I do like blue cheese" It's just that good!

BLUE CHEESE COLESLAW
2 lbs. Napa cabbage, shredded
(8-oz.) blue cheese, crumbled
1/4 c. green onions, chopped
In a separate bowl whisk:
3/4 c. vegetable oil
1/3 c. cider vinegar
2 T. sugar
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tsp. celery seeds
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. dry mustard
1/2 tsp. white pepper -black is just fine, really!

In a large salad bowl mix cabbage, blue cheese, and scallions. Set aside or keep
refrigerated up to 24 hours before serving. Just before serving whisk together the oil,vinegar, sugar, celery seed, garlic, salt, pepper, and mustard. Pour over slaw and mix.
(Slaw wilts right away so make sure you are ready to serve.)

BEEF AND BEAN CHILI

2011-06-28T06:45:00.000-07:00

2 T. olive oil
1/4 c. Worcestershire sauce
2 large onions, diced
1 28 oz. can chopped tomatoes
1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded and diced
2 T. tomato paste
1 T. garlic, minced
4 c. chicken broth
1 1/2 lb. good stew meat (or hamburger)
1 (15-oz.) can of black beans,drained and rinsed
1/4 c. chili powder
1 T. cumin
1 (15-oz.) can of kidney beans,drained and rinsed
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. black pepper
3 bay leaves
1 tsp. chipotle adobo chili, minced

Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook,
stirring occasionally, until softened and light brown. Add the bell pepper and cook 5
minutes longer. Add garlic and cook until fragrant. Increase the heat to medium high;
add the beef and cook until browned. Drain off excess fat. Stir in the chili powder and cumin.Cook 1 minute. Stir in the remaining ingredients and bring to a low boil.
Reduce the heat to low and simmer 45 minutes to 1 hour so flavors meld and the
liquid reduces and thickens. Serve warm.
Note: I only use 1 tsp of chopped chili. I buy a can of chilies in Adobo sauce (Mexican aisle).I freeze them in individual bags, in a larger freezer bag. They thaw a tad soggy, but who cares,it's chili.
I will freeze half of this for another dinner (I usually will use up within 3 months)

Half-pint Jar Pies | Amy Tobin

2011-06-21T10:14:00.000-07:00

Half-pint Jar Pies | Amy Tobin
Going berry picking and am going to do this! Thanks Amy!

Tropical Cake

2011-02-13T04:13:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I made this: http://www.duncanhines.com/recipes/cakes/leahny/tropical-cake
and I didn't like it. I think maybe with a plain yellow cake. The topping was very good, cake was almost "perfume-like" with pineapple smell. I also thought the box was deceiving as I thought it was a complete pineapple upside down cake in a box...(yeah I know for $1!? I was stupid) Learn from my ways!

Ingredients Baking Instructions

* 1 pkg. Duncan Hines Pineapple Supreme cake mix
* 2 ripe bananas
* 1/3 cup soft butter or margarine
* 1 cup packed brown sugar
* 1 cup flaked coconut
* 2 tbsp. milk

1. Mix and bake cake according to package directions in a 13x9-inch pan.
2. Cool cake in pan.
3. Slice each banana lengthwise to 4 thin slices. Arrange slices on cake.
4. In small bowl combine butter, brown sugar, coconut and milk Spread on cake and cover bananas completely.
5. Place cake under broiler and broil 2 to 3 minutes till bubbly.

Interesting fact

2011-01-11T04:20:00.000-08:00

The Chinese used black pepper to cure cholera, Europeans used it as currency, and Attila the Hun demanded 3,000 pounds of the stuff in exchange for discontinuing his sacking of Rome.

New Cookbook for a Good Cause

2010-09-25T05:36:00.000-07:00

My friend Shane Whybrew and his wife Kris are trying to adopt a child from Africa. They have put together a cookbook to help raise money. If anyone wants to support them in this, please contact me or reach Shane through the FAME organization, Indianapolis Ind.
The Blueberry French Toast is from Shane's book!

Blueberry French Toast (Overnight Prep)

2010-09-25T05:29:00.000-07:00

1 loaf french or Italian bread, cubed
1 8oz pkg. of Philly cream cheese, cubed into small bits
2 c. fresh or frozen blueberries
8 eggs
1 1/2 c. milk
1/2 c. maple syrup
1/2 c butter, melted
Spray a 9x13 pan and place 1/2 the bread cubes in it. Melt the butter is a separate bowl and allow it to cool slightly. Over the bread in the pan place 1/2 the blueberries and all of the cream cheese. Cover with the remaining bread then the blueberries. In a big bowl mix syrup,eggs, milk and butter and pour over the bread evenly. Cover and let it sit in the fridge overnight. Next day bake at 350 degrees x1 hour (check at 45. min of baking and cover with foil if need be.) Dust with powdered sugar and serve with blueberry syrup. Yum!

Chocolate Chip Cookies

2010-09-08T16:23:00.001-07:00

Chocolate Chip Cookies That I Had at Beth's

2 c. flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter

1 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 lg. egg + 1 egg yolk

2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 tsp. almond extract

3/4 c choc. chips (semi sweet)

3/4 c. white choc. chips

1/2 cup chopped nuts (your pleasure)

Heat oven to 325 degrees. Spray 9x13 pan. Set aside.

Whisk flour, salt & baking soda in a med. bowl. Set aside. In a mixing bowl place butter & sugars. Beat until blended and fluffy. Beat in eggs,vanilla & extract. Add dry ingredients until just combined. Stir in nuts & chips by hand. Place evenly in pan. Press down if needed to make it even. Bake 25 min. (or longer) until toothpick in center comes out clean. This dough can be made ahead and frozen.

Too Much or Dip It in Chocolate?

2010-09-04T15:56:00.001-07:00

Humbling Picture

2010-08-05T11:30:00.000-07:00

This is a picture of a "kitchen" in the village in Haiti where the money
we raised from the cook book went. The pink tub is a hospital wash
basin. Very humbling!

Farmhouse Cheddar Cheese Soup

2010-06-27T14:27:00.000-07:00

4 c. chicken broth 1 large onion, chopped
6-8 oz. shredded sharp cheddar cheese 1 T. flour
2 c. chopped, peeled potatoes 1 c. chopped, peeled carrot
1/4 tsp. each-dill, dried mustard and 3 cloves garlic, minced
pepper Salt and pepper to taste
2 c. chopped cauliflower Ham is optional
3/4 c. milk
Combine broth, potatoes, cauliflower, onion, carrot, and garlic in a large pan and
bring to a boil.

Cover and simmer 15-20 minutes, until vegetables are tender.

Remove from heat and puree with an immersion blender.

Return pan to heat and gradually add cheese, dill, mustard, and pepper.

Stir until cheese melts.

Blend milk and flour until
smooth and pour slowly into hot soup, stirring until well blended.

Enjoy! (This is served with Amish dill bread and garlic scape pesto butter)

This freezes very well!

PARMESAN BACON BREAD STICKS Page 5

2010-05-27T14:17:00.000-07:00

25 Thin Alessi Bread Sticks
1/2 c. parmesan cheese
13 slices Thick Bacon cut lengthwise

Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Place the bacon in a plastic bag with the cheese and coat
(Can do a few hours ahead of time). Carefully wrap the cheese covered pieces of
bacon around the sticks. They break very easily. Lay on an un-greased cookie sheet. (Do not use foil, as it will stick to the bacon....trust me on that one) Bake for 1 hour. This can be served warm or at room temperature.
Yields 25 (or number of bread sticks/ bacon you have)
Note: Make this ahead of time, as there will be greasy, messy baking sheets to clean.
I've tried parchment paper,and it does help with clean up. I make these ahead of time,
and place them upright in a decorative vase. It let's me have more room on the table
for plates.

Baked Cod (Or Tilapia) Parmesan

2010-04-28T15:39:00.001-07:00

*Cook Book correction page 33 - add 1/2 tsp. garlic powder to the mixture

BAKED COD PARMESAN
1 1/3 lbs. cod fillets, about 1/2 inch thick. (I also use tilapia)
salt and pepper to fillet
1/3 c. Parmigiano Reggiano, grated
3 T. unsalted butter, melted
1-2 tsp. Italian parsley, minced
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/3 c. dry bread crumbs ( I like panko- Japanese bread crumbs)
few grinds of fresh black pepper

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Combine butter, bread crumbs,pepper, cheese, garlic
powder,and parsley in a small bowl. Season both layers of the fish with salt and
pepper, then the mixture. Place fish in a single layer in a shallow greased baking dish.
Sprinkle crumb mixture on top and pat down. Bake about 10 minutes (until fish flakes
when touched with a fork). Bread crumbs should be golden.

How Ham Came to Be Easter Food

2010-04-01T03:55:00.001-07:00

Did you know how ham became associated with Easter? Apparently, since they didn’t have refrigeration back then and meat wasn’t a popular commodity during the Lenten season, all the meat that they had left over from the winter was cured in order to help preserve it. And right around the end of the Lenten season was when the meat was done curing, and so ham became a natural and popular choice for Easter celebrations.

From Arnold's Bar & Grill - Irish Breakfast

2010-03-15T03:38:00.000-07:00

Arnold's Bar & Grill is a unique restaurant downtown (Cincinnati)> I think of him as the unofficial Mayor of Cincinnati!

Dublin Coddle

Dublin Coddle is an Irish breakfast casserole that is easy and delicious. I make it the night before and just bake it off in the morning. I also put a twist on it by cooking it on a cooking sheet instead of in the pan. Hope this isn't too confusing for you.

In a casserole pan make put 6 slices of thick whole wheat bread or bread of your choice on the bottom. Next top each with 2 pieces of cooked pepperwood bacon, 1 piece of cooked sausage patty, crispy fried hash browns, sauteed onions and then top with another piece of bread. Mix 12 eggs with 1tsp. salt, 1 tsp pepper and 1 tsp cayenne pepper. Pour mixture over bread and let sit until mixture is absorbed into bread or overnight. With a pancake turner pull entire layer of bread slice from casserole pan and place on a cookie sheet. It is going to be gooey but that is okay. Sprinkle with smoked gouda cheese and bake for about 30 minutes or until firm.

Perfect Bernaise
Bernaise is easy if you have a food processor with a hole in the top.

Melt 1/4 pound of butter and let it get to room temperature.

In food processor add 3 egg yolks, 3 dashes of Tabasco, 2 dashes of Worcestershire sauce, 2 dashes of salt, 2 dashes black pepper and a pinch of cayenne (really just a pinch)
Turn processor on and VERY slowly add the butter. Try to stream it. When you see it thicken you are done.
If you are making eggs Benedict I have learned to bring your water to a boil and then reduce it to a simmer to poach your eggs.

Today I am serving Corned Beef Benedict's in honor of St. Patty's Day.
http://www.mylifeatarnolds.com/

Baked Spaghetti Squash with Herbs and Bacon (Optional)

2010-03-10T08:59:00.000-08:00

Cook book page 23

Makes 6 servings.
3 lbs. spaghetti squash (Ideally have 1 squash that weighs 3 lbs.)
3 Tbsp. unsalted butter
3 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. fresh herbs (mixture of rosemary, thyme, basil, oregano)
1/8 tsp. garlic powder (I like extra)
6 slices bacon cooked and crumbled. (Can bake with squash ~ 10 min.) Optional...mandatory for me.

Cut the squash length-wise in half. Carefully remove seeds. Well-grease a bake sheet and turn the squash cut side or flesh side down. Bake 375 degrees about 50 min. until squash is soft. Remove and let it cool. Remove the inside flesh with a fork. It will come out in strands that look like spaghetti, hence the name.

Place a lg. heavy bottomed skillet over med. heat. Add the butter & olive oil, when hot add the herbs and garlic. And cook for 20 sec. (releases natural oils/ flavors)Add squash and toss to coat/ heat thoroughly. Pour onto a warm platter and serve immediately or with a sauce. Crumble bacon over dish.
*You can toast the seeds - oil & salt for a good snack.

Suppli al Telefono

2010-03-08T11:16:00.000-08:00

* Recipe is from Jungle Jim's Carol Tabone. She KNOWS her risotto!
This is a popular appetizer from Italy that was designed to use up leftover risotto. For advance preparation, the risotto balls may be fried ahead and reheated in 350 degree oven before serving. When it's prepared and heated properly it should be stretched strands of cheese when one bites into it. It imitates telephone wires, ergo the name.
Base risotto:
4-5 c. chicken broth 1/4 cup olive oil 4 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1 medium onion diced 2 cups Arborio rice 1/2 c. freshly grated Parmesan cheese
salt to taste

Bring broth to a boil in a med. saucepan & keep it to a simmer (Don't let it boil away).
In a separate lg. saucepan pan, heat olive oil and butter. Add diced onion and saute over med. heat, until translucent 4-5 minutes.
Stir in rice and cook just long enough to coat the grains thoroughly 1-2 min.
Heat on med. add 1/3 cup simmering broth and cook, stirring constantly, until liquid is absorbed. Always stir in the same direction "because". Con't. to add broth 1/3 cup at a time stirring constantly over med. heat until all liquid is absorbed until all liquid is gone ~ about 16 min. Until rice is tender with a bite to the middle. Remove from heat and add cheese, season with salt. Allow rice to cool about 2 hours before making the balls. You may also cover and refrigerate until the next day.

Mozzarella balls:
Risotto recipe as above.
3 large eggs DIVIDED, 1 in risotto and 2 eggs for dipping
4 oz. mozzarella diced
1/2 c. Parmesan cheese grated
2 Tbsp. minced Italian parsley
salt &pepper to taste
2 cups dried bread crumbs
Vegetable oil for frying

Beat 1 egg and add to cooled risotto, mix well. Combine mozzarella, Parmesan, parsley,salt and pepper.

Scoop up egg sized amount of risotto (1 1/2 Tbsp.) and lay it in the palm of your hand. The rice should be no more than 1/2 inch deep. Make an indentation in the center, fill with small diced cube of mozzarella and fold over, roll into a ball. Don't over stuff it. Lay it on a bake sheet and finish rolling all the balls. (Rinse hands every 4-5 balls)

Beat the remaining eggs with a little salt in a small bowl. Set breadcrumbs on a small bowl or plate. Dip the ball first into the egg,
and drop into the bread crumbs and roll.
"Wet hand" and "dry hand " technique works well here! Lay on separate sheet. You may need to refrigerate briefly until balls become firm.

Heat 3 inches of oil in the pan until 375 degrees. Test oil by dropping a few bread crumbs in the oil. They should bubble and turn brown almost instantly. Using a slotted spoon lower the rice balls into the oil.

Fry until golden brown about 2 min. (I did 3 at a time) Remove with a slotted spoon onto paper towels.
Serve immediately.
When you pull them apart the string should be line string. I have not tried freezing them. You can reheat in the oven 350 degrees until done or microwave (if you are a Type A Osler)
Makes 20-24.

Cilantro Rice Dish Page 25

2010-02-14T14:33:00.000-08:00

Cilantro Rice:

1 1/2 c. white rice (I use med. grain)
3 1/2 c. chicken broth (I use conc. broth and mix with hot water as shown in photos
1 T. chopped cilantro
1 T. chopped chives (snip with scissors -it's easier)
* you can chop/ snip herbs and freeze in a freezer bag. The only thing that doesn't freeze well is basil or oregano)
1/2 juice of 1 lime.
Heat liquid in a sauce pan. When it comes to a boil, add the rice and reduce heat to low - cover. Cook for 20 min. Fluff with a fork and fold in herbs.

Sprinkle with lime juice. I lay this out on a cookie sheet to cool,

then freeze flat in freezer bags.

Side dish is ready to go. You can play around with herbs in this dish. Nice way to use up left over herbs. Consider lemon or orange juice as well.
This is my favorite when served with Chicken Orange Chipotle and Black Bean Salsa (in recipe book).

Where To Eat Food Chain Help

2010-01-11T03:45:00.000-08:00

Click the pic to enlarge:

Elephant Stew

2009-12-03T03:22:00.000-08:00

I have a few friends headed to Africa for mission work. I found this recipe and thought it was amusing. I hope they don't end up needing it!

Elephant Stew
1 Medium elephant
2 Rabbits (optional)
Brown Gravy (lots...I suggest from a jar)
salt and pepper

Cut elephant into small bite sized pieces (allow 2 months for this process). Add enough gravy to cover. Cook over kerosene fire at 465 degrees for 4 weeks. Serves 3,800 people. If more are expected by all means add the 2 rabbits. But only do it if more are expected.....most people do not like finding hare in their stew. :P

Herbed Beef Tenderloin

2009-11-29T16:14:00.000-08:00

This is beef tenderloin (a huge amount for $71). I bought it at Jungle Jim's for $9.99/lb. I have seen it go as low as $7.99/lb there. Jungle's does something others don't. Ask them to trim up the tenderloin and tell them you want to make meatloaf from the trimmings. It is the highest quality meatloaf you'll ever have. I used it for Italian meatloaf and got 2 meals just out of the meatloaf. We will have 2 very nice beef tenderloin dinners. Usually I have some leftover beef for a swiss cheese/ beef quiche. Without the quiche the breakdown is $17.75/ person, which is cheaper than getting beef tenderloin at a restaurant. And with this beef tenderloin recipe from the cook book... I submit better. Watch Jungle's for the lower price. (I have seen it as high as $13/lb.& as low as $8.99/lb - esp. around holiday/turkey time!) And enjoy a great tasting easy meal (s)! Here's the recipe:

Herbed Beef Tenderloin

1 whole tenderloin, trimmed
1 T. rosemary, ground in a coffee grinder
1-2 T. olive oil
2 tsp. sea salt, fine
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp. black pepper
1 T. basil, dried
kitchen string
Take tenderloin and tie up kitchen string at about 1 1/2 to 3 inch intervals . Don't forget to tuck the thinner ends up under the meat and tie it for more even cooking!
Combine oil and garlic and brush it over all of the meat.
In a separate bowl: mix basil, rosemary, salt and pepper. Sprinkle it over all the meat and let it sit about 30 minutes (at room temperature). Place on a shallow roasting rack and bake, uncovered at 425 degrees for 45 minutes. I cook to 150 degrees, pull from the oven and wrap very tight
with foil. Let stand at least 10 minutes. When you let it stand the juices redistribute, so don't skip this step!

ITALIAN WHITE BEAN SOUP

2009-10-02T04:50:00.000-07:00

(Known in our house as THE soup)
by Rita Heikenfeld
3 cans Progresso cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 c. Olive oil (enough to cover bottom
of stock pot)
1-lb. fresh Italian sausage
3 leeks chopped (don’t use bulb or area where it begins to leaf out)
1/4 tsp. thyme
2-3 tsp. garlic, minced
8 c. chicken broth
14.5 oz. can of diced tomatoes (pref. no salt)
1 sprig fresh rosemary or ½ tsp. dried
2 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, diced (leave skin on)
Salt and pepper to taste
Parmesan cheese for garnish
Parmesan cheese rind can be added (opt.)
1 Bay leaf great extra flavor
1 bunch of kale –stemmed and coarsely
Fill bottom of stock pot with oil over medium heat. Add sausage, leeks, potatoes,
garlic, bay leaf and thyme. Saute until sausage is cooked. Add tomatoes, beans and
broth. Simmer about 45 min. Add more broth if necessary. During last 15 min. add
rosemary (it can overpower dish). Remove the bay leaf. Add kale and cook 5 minutes.
Garnish with generous amounts of Parmesan and an optional swirl of olive oil.
Freezes well. Serves 10-12 bowls. My kids loved this so much they even ate it for
breakfast!
Note: This is our number one favorite soup. I have had people ask for this recipe more
than any other recipe.

Asian Braised Short Ribs (pg 31)

2009-10-02T04:37:00.000-07:00

This dish would be awesome in a crockpot. Just do your prep the night before, and make the slurry right before you eat it. Great with rice.

ASIAN BRAISED SHORT RIBS
4 lbs. boneless beef short ribs (~$20, and very lean and we got 2 meals out of it) OR
boneless chuck roast cut into pieces (much cheaper/ ?fatty)
1/2 c. soy sauce
1/4 c. rice wine or dry sherry
2 T. olive oil
2 15.5 oz. beef broth
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp. fresh ginger root, finely grated (peel with a spoon,freezes,whole,great)
2 tsp. Toasted sesame seed oil (keep refrigerated)$3.50 at Whole foods
1 c. onion, finely chopped
2 T. cornstarch mixed with 3 T. water
4 green onions, chopped
Preheat to 350 degrees. In a Dutch oven, heat the oil and brown the ribs or chuck a
few pieces at a time and set aside. When all the meat is cooked, add garlic, ginger and onion to the pan. Saute 5-7 min. until the onion begins to turn translucent. Add the meat back to the pan and slowly add the soy sauce, sherry and broth. (You can cool,cover, and refrigerate 3 days or freeze for 2 months at this point. Bring to room temp.
before proceeding.) Bake in a Dutch oven, covered, for TWO hours. Remove from oven. In a separate bowl, mix a corn starch slurry with the water and pour around meat. Cover and bake 10 more minutes, until the sauce thickens. Remove from the oven and stir sesame seed oil into the sauce. Garnish with green onions and serve over rice or
noodles.
Note: Versatile dish that can be made ahead, can be done in a Dutch oven or a crock
pot (low 8 hours, high 4 hours). Thicken sauce in a small pan on the stove.

Nutty Butter Cream Cheese Cake with Buttered Pecan Frosting

2009-09-24T07:23:00.000-07:00

BUTTERED PECAN FROSTING
(Nutty Butter Cream Cheese Cake or Carrot
Muffins) Pg. 57

1 stick unsalted butter,DIVIDED, room temperature,
1 lb. powdered sugar
4 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
1-2 T. evaporated milk
1 1/2 c. pecans, chopped
In a medium saucepan, melt 3 T. butter and add pecans. Brown the pecans. Allow the
pecans to cool. (I spread out on a cookie sheet. Cream together 5 T. butter, cream
cheese, and powdered sugar. Add milk to bring frosting to desired creaminess. Ice the
cakes as you normally would. Be generous between the layers, as you usually have
leftover icing. Layer the cakes (it's a 3 layer cake). Take the cooled pecans and lay
them on the outside, pushing into the frosting, but not the top of the icing, so that it's
coated all around with buttered pecans. Keep in a cool area.
Note: I make this at Christmas or any "special occasion". I think this icing would be
awesome on the carrot cake muffins, (just don't use the pecans).

NUTTY BUTTER CREAM
CHEESE CAKE Pg 65

1 c. unsalted butter, room temperature
4 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
2 c. sugar
1 c. buttermilk, room temperature
4 egg yolks (reserve the egg whites!)
1/2 c. water
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. rum flavoring (located near
vanilla in spice aisle)
2 1/2 c. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
4 egg whites

Heat oven to 350 degrees. *Grease and flour 3 cake pans. Cream together butter,
cream cheese, and sugar. Add egg yolks, vanilla, rum, water, and buttermilk. Sift all
dry ingredients together, and add to the mixture, mixing well. In a separate bowl, beat
egg whites until fluffy and soft peaks form. Fold beaten egg whites into the cake
mixture. Place into the 3 pans evenly and bake for 40 minutes. Cool on racks.* Serve
with butter pecan frosting.
Note: Awesome cake recipe with a great "WOW" factor when this is served. I not
only grease and flour the pan, I also add a circle (pan-sized) piece of wax paper to the
base of a greased and floured pan. Remove the wax when the cakes cool.

Cincinnati Sauerkraut Balls Page 2

2009-09-19T11:57:00.000-07:00

I brown the sausage a little first, then add the onions.Chop the sausage up, with the spatula, into tiny bits, so each ball has a bit of sausage.

I like to mix in all the smaller ingredients into the cream cheese first.

Make sure the sauerkraut has been squeezed very dry. I use a colander and the base of my hand. Don't rinse the sauerkraut, either!

I like to add the warmed sausage and onions as it sort of melts the cream cheese and allows for a thorough mixture.

Refrigerate for a few hours so you can form the balls easier.

It goes flour, water/egg (I only used 2T. water & 2 eggs for 35 balls!)Place on cookie sheet.

Be ready to go with very hot oil! Paper towel on cooling racks. Be careful! We did 4-5 balls at a time until they were browned and crunchy.

Outside is hot and crunchy and the inside is warm and creamy. You can cool them and freeze at this point.

CINCINNATI SAUERKRAUT
BALLS
Karen
1 (32-oz.) jar sauerkraut, drained and pressed
2 T. sweet hot mustard
1/4 tsp. garlic salt
1 1-lb. breakfast sausage (Like Bob Evan's)
1/2 c. chopped onion
4 T. fine dry bread crumbs (in the mix)
1 (8-oz.) cream cheese at room temperature
4 T. chopped flat leaf parsley
1/8 tsp. pepper
1 c. all purpose flour
4 eggs
4 T. water
1 c. fine bread crumbs (for rolling) 1 bottle Cooking oil for deep fat frying
In a large skillet cook sausage and onion until sausage is brown. Drain.
Drain sauerkraut, pressing out as much liquid as you can. In a large mixing bowl add sauerkraut, sausage mixture, 4 T. bread crumbs, cream cheese, parsley, mustard,
garlic salt and pepper. Cover and chill several hours or overnight. (You can freeze it at this stage, but I freeze after frying) Put flour in a shallow dish. In another shallow dish, beat eggs with water until combined. Put 1 cup bread crumbs in a third
container. Using about 2 T. of sauerkraut mixture, form into balls. (It’s easier to do all at once). Roll the balls into the flour, then the egg mixture, and then the bread crumbs.
Fry a few at a time in deep hot fat (365 degrees) for about 2 minutes or until brown.
Remove from fat with a slotted spoon. Drain on a paper towel. Transfer to a baking
sheet. You can keep these warm in an oven at 275 degrees. I freeze mine at this stage
and reheat in an oven 350 degrees until warmed with no problems. This recipe yields
50-60 balls. That is a "2 bite ball" we made a 1 inch scoop and it yielded 35 "3 bite balls".

How To Cut a Pepper

2009-09-19T11:36:00.000-07:00

The goal is to have a nice even dice, with no seeds.
First cut off the top, then then bottom. Then cut through the side and go around the pepper, careful to not disturb the seeds! Cut away in "squares" and make even julienne strips. Cut the strips into even diced peppers. Tah-dah! You can freeze this for quick soups and stews. They will be a little mushy....but it's stew, who cares?

From Rita Heikenfeld ~ Freezing Food

2009-09-15T03:29:00.000-07:00

To freeze - or not to freeze? Foods that freeze well & those that don't
Posted by RitaHeikenfeld at 9/7/2009 12:55 PM EDT on Cincinnati.com
Here's the deal:
Foods that freeze well:
Red meat - 4-12 months
Poultry - 9 to 12 months
Seafood - 3 to 6 months
Raw bacon - 1 to 2 months
Some casseroles - 1 to 4 months
Soups, stews & stocks - 2 to 4 months
Cooked legumes 4-6 months
Whole berries - 8 to 12 months
Peeled ripe bananas - 2 to 4 weeks
Blanched veggies - 2 to 12 months, depending on the veggie
Bread - 6 to 8 months (wrap well!)
Pie dough - 6 to 8 weeks
Nuts - 6 to 12 months
Butter - 6 to 9 months
Egg whites - 12 months
Flour (like whole grains, all purpose, etc.) - 6 to 12 months (check whole grains after 6 months)
Foods that don't freeze well:
High moisture veggies like lettuce, celery & cabbage get watery.
Cream and custard fillings separate.
Meringue toughens.
Milk undergoes flavor changes
Sour cream and yogurt separate (i've had luck whisking them a bit before using)
Heavy cream usually won't whip after it's been frozen, but it's OK to use.

VEGETABLE LASAGNE (Page 60)

2009-09-10T17:01:00.000-07:00

They say you eat with your eyes first!

I line up my veggies in order of cook time.

I had my lagest skillet and still made a mess.

Love these noodles!

Adding pesto to the veggies

Making the bechamel sauce, thickening

Adding the nutmeg

Chopping basil in a "chiffonade"

Ricotta cheese mixture ingredients

Layering the lasagna

The finished produce with a fluffy top ~ Yum.

VEGETABLE LASAGNE
olive oil salt pepper to taste
2 c. onions chopped nutmeg to taste (for bechamel sauce)
4 cloves garlic, minced 1 1/2 lbs. whole milk ricotta
3 zucchini, diced 8 oz. frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
2 red bell peppers, diced
1 cup shredded carrots optional
6 oz. mushrooms, sliced 2 T. fresh basil, chopped
4 Roma tomatoes, diced 2 1/2 c. mozzarella, divided
1/2 c. pesto, home made or prepared 1 1/2 c. Parmesan, divided
3 T. unsalted butter 3 eggs
2 T. flour 1 box of Barilla no bake lasagne noodles,divided in thirds
2 c. whole milk
In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onions and cook until soft, add
carrots and cook a few minutes more. Then add zucchini, peppers and garlic and cook.
Add tomatoes, salt and pepper to taste. Place all veggies in a large bowl, set aside.
Heat more olive oil and cook mushrooms. Add cooked mushrooms to vegetable mix
and stir in 1/2 cup pesto sauce and coat well. Set aside. Bechamel Sauce: In a heavy
saucepan, melt butter. Remove from heat. Whisk in flour. Return to heat and cook
flour 1-2 minutes, don't let it brown. Remove from heat and whisk in milk. Return to
heat and whisk until thick. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg (to taste). Set aside.
Ricotta mix: Combine ricotta, spinach, basil, 1/2 c. mozzarella, eggs,and 1 cup
Parmesan. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Grease a 9 x 13 and preheat oven to
375 degrees. Take 1/3 of the bechamel sauce and place in the bottom of the pan. Lay
1/3 the noodles over the sauce. Layer 1/2 of the vegetables next and then the ricotta
mixture. Spreading evenly as you go. Place 1 cup of mozzarella over next. Lay
another 1/3 of the noodles. Repeat bechamel sauce layer, vegetable layer and then the
last 1/3 of the noodles. Spread the ricotta over noodles and cover with all of the
remaining cheeses. Bake 45 minutes until nicely browned.
Note: You can find the home made pesto recipe in the "This and That" section of this
book. Don't be afraid to season each layer. Careful on the nutmeg, as it can over
power the dish.

Some Photos of Pesto Chicken

2009-08-29T14:19:00.000-07:00

Here is what you do after you've made pesto: you add lemon juice, marinate a few hours and grill.

Pesto and Pesto Chicken (Pg. 39)

2009-05-21T09:25:00.000-07:00

Pesto and Chicken with Pesto:
2 c. firmly packed basil leaves 1/2 c. olive oil
1-2 cloves of garlic 1/4 to 1/2 c. Parmesan cheese(the good stuff)
3 T. Pine nuts salt and pepper to taste
If making Pesto chicken add 3-4 T. lemon juice and 2 lbs thawed boneless skinless chicken breast.
Season chicken with salt and pepper place in a gallon size freezer bag or 9 x 13 dish. Cover and refrigerate. Wash up!
Pesto sauce:
In a food processor place garlic and pulse, then the basil and pulse.

Add the pine nuts and pulse.

Slowly add olive oil while processing, then pulse in the cheese.

You can pour into a small Ball Mason jar, cover the top with olive oil and freeze. You can use right away on bruschetta or in a pasta dish.

If making pesto chicken, add lemon juice to the mixture and mix well. Pour over the chicken and marinate for 30 min. to a few hours (refrigerate), but NOT over night. I like a freezer bag to flip the mixture.

Grill chicken, turning only once until cooked, but not until dry! Place on a platter and cover with foil so juices redistribute. Can be served over pasta or a bed of greens. Yum!

Chicken Pot Pie (Page 39)

2009-05-04T02:56:00.000-07:00

4 cups chicken cooked and diced
1 cup onion,chopped 1 tsp. salt
1 cup carrot, chopped 1/4 tsp. pepper
1 cup celery, chopped 2 sheets puff pastry thawed (side by side)
1/2 cup + 2 T. unsalted butter 1 egg yolk
1 cup frozen peas 1 T. half and half
1/4 cup plus 2 T. flour
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup half and half

Take 3-4 uncooked chicken breasts and cover 1/2 way with water or broth and bake at 350 degrees until done. Dice into small pieces to 4 cups and set aside. Chop veggies as into small bits. Set up ingredients so that when the ingredients are gone, you are done. This is called "mise en place".

Melt the butter in a large saute pan (this is a 4 quart pan.) And saute the veggies.

You will be sauteing the veggies at least 10 min. over medium heat. Really make sure the veggies are soft. This is their only real "cook" time. As you are waiting for the veggies to soften, line up your next ingredients. Once you have softened veggies add flour and peas. Stir and cook for 1 minute.

Gradually add broth and cream. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thick and bubbly. Stir in salt and pepper. Add chicken and stir. Ladle mixture into an oven proof dish (or smaller individual oven proof bowls to 3/4 full. Place on a cookie sheet.

Lightly flour your surface and rolling pin. Roll out puff pastry to 1/8 inch thickness.I use an offset spatula to slide under the pastry, to loosen it. Mix the egg yolk and 2 T. half and half and brush onto pastry. Pick that pastry up and put it wet side down on top of mixture. If doing individual bowls, I would cut slt. larger than the bowl, then brush. Once the pastry is on the bowl, brush the top with egg wash. Bake about 20 min. or until the top is puffy and golden.

Notes: I only needed 1 sheet of puff pastry, so I took the other sheet, cut into squares and put into muffin cups. Bake 400 degrees until brown (?15 min) and you can give to people who want extra bread. I would double the base mixture and maybe even freeze it. There are never leftovers, so at our house ~ just double in 2 casserole dishes. The main goal of baking is to cook the puff pastry as everything in the base is cooked. I sprayed the casserole dish and would NOT do that next time. You see it made the dish look not so nice. You could wipe down the inside for baking. Individual ramekins (oven proof bowls have worked well in the past. Just really make sure the pastry seals to the edge and use a bake sheet in case there is spillage.

Nutella Ravioli

2009-01-26T03:21:00.000-08:00

16 wonton wrappers
1 egg, beaten
1 cup Nutella
1/4 cup hazelnuts, coarsely chopped and toasted
vegetable oil
powdered sugar
In a small pans toast hazelnuts ( I used pecans, they were fine) until you begin to smell them, remove from heat, stir.Brush the edges of the wonton with egg and place a scant T. or smaller amount of Nutella in the center. Fold over and seal, crimp with a fork.Heat oil in a large skillet to 350 degrees and fry each wonton until golden brown, place on paper towel. (You can do ahead: cookie sheet and reheat 200 degrees for 6-8 min) Serve warm with ice cream and sprinkle with nuts. Wonderful!

Typhoid Mary

2008-12-03T14:57:00.000-08:00

This makes me feel better about my cooking!

Typhoid Mary: An Urban Historical
by Anthony Bourdain

From the author of Kitchen Confidential comes this true, thrilling tale of pursuit through the kitchens of New York City at the turn of the century.

By the late nineteenth century, it seemed that New York City had put an end to the outbreaks of typhoid fever that had so frequently decimated the city's population. That is until 1904, when the disease broke out in a household in Oyster Bay, Long Island.

Authorities suspected the family cook, Mary Mallon, of being a carrier. But before she could be tested, the woman, soon to be known as Typhoid Mary, had disappeared. Over the course of the next three years, Mary worked at several residences, spreading her pestilence as she went. In 1907, she was traced to a home on Park Avenue, and taken into custody. Institutionalized at Riverside Hospital for three years, she was released only when she promised never to work as a cook again. She promptly disappeared.
For the next five years Mary worked in homes and institutions in and around New York, often under assumed names. In February 1915, a devastating outbreak of typhoid at the Sloane Hospital for Women was traced to her. She was finally apprehended and reinstitutionalized at Riverside Hospital, where she would remain for the rest of her life.

I'll Beat You With a Sausage

2008-09-08T04:11:00.001-07:00

Fresno news:
Man Attacks Other With Italian Sausage And Spices

A burglar in California thought he's spice things up over the weekend. In Fresno, police say a 22-year-old guy broke into a home while several men were sleeping inside.

The burglar allegedly grabbed some seasoning from the kitchen and threw it in the face of one of the men as he woke up. Then, the guy grabbed an Italian sausage and used it to slap several people in the face.

A dog then ate the sausage as the burglar ran off in his t-shirt and underwear.
Police caught him.

Baking Bread

2008-02-17T09:27:00.000-08:00

Egg Bread

2 Tbsp. (or 2 pkgs.) Dry active yeast at room temperature

½ cup warm water (between 105-115 degrees)

¼ cup sugar

¼ unsalted butter at room temperature

3 large eggs at room temperature

1 ½ cups warm milk (105-115 degrees)

6 ½ to 7 cups unbleached flour

2 teaspoons salt (the only “exact” measurement!)

Glaze: 1 beaten egg with 1 Tbsp. cold water

Sesame seeds or poppy seeds (optional)

In a lg. bowl stir yeast into water and soften (pinch of sugar optional). Once it’s softened stir in sugar, butter, eggs, milk and 3 cups of flour. Beat vigorously with a heavy whisk x 2 minutes or use Kitchen aid with paddle at #6 for 2 min. It should be like cake batter. This is called a sponge. Cover it with a moist heavy towel or pam-sprayed plastic wrap x 30 min. (It can be done 24 hours in advance).

Then add 2 tsp. salt and remaining flour ¼ cup at a time until the dough begins to pull away . (Use the dough hook x 4 min. at level 4). If no mixer, turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic. Put in an oiled bowl, turning once. Cover and let rise 40 min-1 hour.

Lightly oil a work surface and turn out the dough. Divide into thirds and roll equal lengths of long dough about 20 inches each. Lay each strand side by side on a well greased or parchment covered baking sheet. Braid bread tucking each end under. Allow to rise 30 - 45min. covered with a towel. Then brush entire surface with egg wash and sprinkle optional seeds. Bake at 375 for 45 min. until internal temp = 190 degrees.