Posts from the ‘Recipes’ Category

Nov 19

12 STUFFING SUGGESTIONS

There’s a good chance, for many of us, with social distancing advisories, family gatherings for holiday meals could be smaller this year. This reality can put a damper on our anticipation of the events ahead and how we plan for them. Perhaps, reminding ourselves that next year we’ll be back to our familiar traditions, we can better deal with this ‘new normal’ type of holiday celebration.

Another way is to try new menu items. Dishes specific for this year rather than the usual holiday favorites can help in making fresh memories, rather than dwelling in nostalgia. Thanksgiving is a good holiday to start, or, as it’s often called, ‘Turkey Day’.

Since turkey is the entrée most served on this day, turkey presentation is a great place to discuss introducing new ideas. Perhaps you need a smaller bird this year, maybe only a hotel breast or just a ‘loin’. Perhaps you’ve always stuffed the bird and want to try an oven stuffing. Changing the size, even the type of roast is a good option, but changing the stuffing can change the dining experience.

If you add different side dishes (Nov.5, 2020, Nov.14, 2019, Nov.1, 2018, Nov.15,2018) , salads (Dec.28,2017), try a new salsa( Dec.19.2019) and possibly another dessert (Nov.2, 2017, Nov.8.2018, Nov. 29,2018, Nov. 29, 2018,Nov.7, 2019, Oct. 29, 2020), you can make this year a special memory too. You may even discover recipes you want to incorporate into your traditional holiday menu in the years to come.

Below are 12 recipes and the general rules for making stuffing. So, take a look. There’s such variety, from the most basic to some interesting ones with unusual ingredients, including fruit, you’ll be glad you did.

RECIPES
Basic Bread Stuffing with Options: Stuffs (1) 10 lb. turkey or (2) 4-6 lb. chickens
1/3-1/2 cup butter
Giblets*
½ cup chopped onion
10 cups bread cubes-white, wheat or cornbread-1 day old or, if older, toasted
3 eggs
½ cup chopped parsley
2 ½ cups chopped celery
1 tsp. salt
1 ¼ tsp. paprika
½ tsp. nutmeg
Sufficient milk or broth to lightly moisten the stuffing
3 cups chopped nuts-walnuts or pecans*
Sauté the giblets and onions in the butter until slightly brown. Add the rest of the ingredients and gently toss to incorporate. Stuff birds or follow directions in General Rules below
*OPTIONS: In place of giblet and nut meats, sauté the following substitutes with the onion:
1) 12 small pork sausages, skinned and sliced
2) 2 ½ cups sliced mushrooms
3) 1 ½-2 pints raw oysters, chopped or whole. Use oyster liquor for half the moistening liquid.

Apple-Walnut Stuffing: Serves 12
8 oz. chopped mushrooms
1 lg. onion –chopped
2 ribs celery – sliced
1 lb. sausage –hot, sweet, pork or turkey
1/3 cup butter
2 lg. cooking apples, peeled and diced
4 cups herb seasoned stuffing mix-add sage or thyme and onion powder if not included
½ cup chopped toasted walnuts
1 ½ cups chicken or turkey broth
1 egg- well beaten
Cook sausage until no longer pink in a large skillet, drain and set aside in a large bowl. Melt the butter in the skillet and sauté the vegetables 4 min. add the apples and cook 2 min. stirring constantly. Add to bowl with sausage. Add the stuffing mix and nuts to the bowl; toss then add the broth and egg; toss again. Spoon into a greased 2 quart casserole or dish, cover and bake in a preheated 325 deg. oven
20 min. Uncover and bake 25-30min.until internal temperature is 165 deg.
To make ahead: Chill to store, bring to room temperature and microwave, covered, on high 3-4 min. until heated through.

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Shiitake and Sourdough Stuffing: Serves 8
3 cups sliced shiitake caps
1 celery stalk- sliced
1 cup chopped onion
¼ cup butter
6 cups sourdough bread in ½ inch cubes
2 Tbs. chopped Italian parsley
½ tsp. thyme
¼ tsp. dried sage
1/3 cup turkey, beef or chicken broth
Salt and pepper
In a large pot sauté vegetables in melted butter for 10 min. or until tender. Remove from heat and stir in the other ingredients. Bake in a greased 3-quart casserole in preheated 325 deg. oven for 30 min. until bread is toasted and golden on top.
To prepare ahead: Store chilled, bring to room temperature and microwave, uncovered 4 min or until heated through.

Brown and Wild Rice Dressing: Serves 6
1 pkg. brown and wild rice mix
3 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
4 oz. sausage, sweet, hot, pork or turkey
1cup diced onion
1 small carrot sliced thin—about ½-3/4 cup
½ cup dried cranberries or cherries
¼ cup chopped Italian parsley
2 Tbs. fresh or 1 Tbs. dried basil
1 Tbs. oil – if needed
Cook rice according to directions and set aside. Sauté sausage and vegetables in oil, if needed, until meat is browned and vegetables are tender. Drain and stir in the other ingredients and stir rice into the sausage mix. Place in a casserole dish and serve or chill and bring to room temperature before reheating in a microwave to serve.

Vegetarian Version: Serves 6
2 cups cooked brown rice
2 cups cooked wild rice
6 scallions chopped
½ cup toasted chopped walnuts or slivered almonds
2 Tbs. orange zest
Juice of one orange
1/3 cup plumped raisons, dried currants or cranberries
¼ cup EACH chopped fresh parsley and basil
Salt and pepper
Combine everything in a large bowl, toss well and chill to meld flavors. Serve cold or at room temperature.

Crisp Squash Dressing: Serves 4
2 lb. squash- butternut is best-peeled, seeded and cut in 1inch cubes
4 Tabs. butter – divided
1cup diced onion
2 cups toasted bread cubes
½ tsp. salt
1/3 tsp. pepper
½ tsp. crushed dried rosemary
1/3 cup toasted chopped walnuts
Boil squash in water 7-8 min. until crisp tender. Drain well and toss with half the salt and pepper and 1 Tbs. butter. Put in a 3 quart baking dish and set aside. Sauté the onion in remaining butter until soft, add the bread and remaining seasonings and coat well with butter, add the nuts. Spoon over the squash and bake in a preheated 400 deg. oven for about 10 min. until bread is golden. Toss lightly before serving. Prepare the day before, chill, bring to room temperature and bake just before serving.

Chestnut Stuffing
2 Tbs. oil
2 medium onions-chopped
4 celery stalks-chopped
1 carrot-chopped
¼ cup parsley-chopped
1 tsp. dried rosemary
Salt and pepper
3 cups roasted, peeled, chopped chestnuts
6 ½ cups bread cubes
1 ¼ cups chicken broth
2 eggs
Sauté vegetables in oil until soft. Off heat, stir in remaining ingredients and pour into a 13 x 9 inch baking dish. Bake at 325 deg. until internal temperature reaches 165 deg.
Alternatively, stuff 2 chickens or 1 turkey.

Cranberry Stuffing: Yield 6 cups
2 cups cranberries –ground
½ cup butter
½ cup sugar
8 cups fresh bread crumbs+ 2 Tbs.
2 tsp. salt and ½ tsp. pepper
½ cup chopped celery
2 Tbs. sage
2 tsp. thyme
3 Tbs. minced parsley
1 cup water
Cook cranberries in butter, slowly, about 5 min., add sugar and stir well. Add the rest of ingredients with the water and cook about 8 min. until blended. Cool a bit, add 1-2 beaten eggs, pour into an ovenproof casserole and sprinkle 2 Tbs. bread crumbs over the top. Bake with bird until top browns, puffs and the temperature in 165 deg.

Apricot Pistachio Stuffing: Yield 4 cups
6 Tbs. butter
½ cup chopped celery
½ cup coarsely chopped dried apricots
½ cup coarsely chopped pistachios
3-4 Tbs. hot water
1 tsp. dried basil
2 cups herb-seasoned stuffing mix
1 egg lightly beaten
¼ cup dry vermouth
Optionally:-topping if cooking in oven
Crushed stuffing mix mixed with
3 Tbs. butter melted
Sauté celery in butter until transparent, add the rest of the ingredients and stuff bird, or place in an ovenproof casserole, garnish with topping and cook to 165 deg.

GENERAL STUFFING RULES:
1) Quantity: Birds up to 10 lb. use ½ cup stuffing per pound
Birds over 10 lb. use 1 cup stuffing per pound
2) Never store stuffing in the bird. Add it just before roasting and remove it when carving.
3) Stuffing should be kept moist. If cooking separately, keep covered. If a crust is desired for presentation, remove cover 10 min. before finished.
5) Stuffing should always be 165 deg. Allow bird to stand 15-20 min. after removing from oven. Stuffing will continue to cook and rise to proper deg.
6) Stuff both neck and body cavities loosely. Stuffing expands. Trussing isn’t needed.

Nov 12

Holiday Sweet Potatoes

Here’s a fun fact. White potatoes and sweet potatoes aren’t related. Both are tubers, but sweet potatoes are actually a tropical member of the Morning Glory family. Moreover, what we commonly see labeled ‘Yams’ are actually Louisiana Reds, which are darker than other sweet potato varieties, another marketing myth.

However, in all honestly, the darker ones do have richer, deeper flavor, than pale ones. To choose the best, stick to the smaller or medium potatoes with the smoothest skin.

Potatoes, especially sweet potatoes, are a favorite part of winter holiday meals, even those which include stuffing and they have one big advantage over white potatoes. Cooked leftovers, other than mashed, freeze well, probably due to their high fiber content.

With Thanksgiving coming up, here are some recipe suggestions to brighten your menus. They’re easy, most can be prepped ahead to save stress and guaranteed to make a hit. With so many holiday plans changing this year, a sweet potato dish may be just the solution for rounding out an altered holiday dinner menu.

RECIPES

Sweet Potatoes Anna: Serves 4
2lb. peeled, thinly sliced sweet potatoes with
¼ cup melted butter,
1 Tbs. sugar,
1 ½ tsp. cinnamon,
¾ tsp. ginger,
¼ tsp. nutmeg,
¼ tp. pepper and a pinch of salt.
4 oz. shredded Swiss cheese
Lightly toss potatoes with other ingredients. Layer half the slices in an over-lapping circular pattern in a foil lined 9 inch cake pan. Sprinkle with cheese; layer the rest of the potatoes on top. Cover loosely with foil and bake at 425 deg. for 60 min. Uncover and invert onto serving platter. Can be rewarmed in the microwave

Two Scalloped Potato Recipes: Scalloped potatoes are a popular easily transportable side dish and these two recipes are quick to make as well.

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Harvest au Gratin Potatoes: Serves 4
1 large sweet potato in ¼ inch slices
2 medium Yukon Gold potatoes in ¼ inch slices
¼ cup chopped onions
2 cups 1% milk
3 Tbs. flour
1 Tbs. butter
Salt & pepper
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Paprika and dried parsley flakes- for garnish
Boil potato slices in water until crisp tender about 5 min . Drain and put in a lightly greased 8 inch non-metal baking dish with onions and dot with butter. In a small sauce pan, combine flour and milk with seasonings and heat, stirring constantly until thickened. Pour over potatoes, cover with cheese and garnish. Bake in a 350 deg. oven until brown and bubbly, about 25 min. When making ahead, leave baking until serving time or if oven space is a problem, under bake by about 5 min. store covered, chilled and reheat uncovered before serving, or follow directions above for microwave.

Quick Scalloped Potatoes: Serves 4
1 lb. medium potatoes – mixed sweet and white- in thin slices
¾ cup skim milk
¼ cup grated Parmesan
Paprika for garnish
Layer potatoes and cheese in a greased 2 qt. casserole. Pour over the milk then garnish, cover with vented plastic wrap and microwave on high 10-12 min. turning dish 3 times. Best served at once, but to prepare ahead, see above recipe for directions.

My Candied Sweet Potatoes: Serves 6
(1) 29 oz. can sweet potatoes-drained liquid reserved
3 Tbs. butter
4 Tbs. brown sugar
Lemon juice
Layer half the potatoes in an oven proof casserole dish, dot with ½ the butter and sprinkle with lemon juice and then half the sugar. Repeat layer with the rest of the ingredients and drizzle with 1-2 Tbs. of reserved liquid. Bake at 350 deg. until glazing appears. Serve hot. Leftovers freeze well.
OPTIONS:
1) Place 1 ½ cups sliced apple or 1 thinly sliced unpeeled orange between the layers
2) Place sweet potatoes from (1)18 oz. can, plus ¼ tsp. salt in a microwave safe dish. Cook on high 4 min. and stir, spoon over 1/3 cup Orange Marmalade and cook 1-2 min. more until marmalade is dissolved.

Sweet Potato Cranberry Casserole: Serves 8
2lb. sweet potatoes
(1) 16 oz. can whole cranberry sauce
½ tsp. cinnamon
2/3 cup EACH rolled oats, flour, light brown sugar
6 Tbs. butter
Cook and mash sweet potatoes and place in a casserole. Stir in whole cranberry sauce and cinnamon. Combine remaining ingredients to make crumbs and sprinkle them over the casserole top. Bake at 375 deg. 20 min. If preparing ahead, store crumbs and casserole separately, chilled, until ready to bake.

Spiked Sweet Potatoes: Serves 4
4 baked sweet potatoes -meat removed and shells reserved
1/3 cup brown sugar
¼ tsp. nutmeg
/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/3 cup raisins
½ cup 2% milk
¼ cup bourbon
Combine meat from potatoes with other ingredients and fill shells, or optionally put into casserole dish. If not serving at once, store covered, chilled for up to 3 days. Bring to room temperature before reheating gently

NOTE: For double baked recipes* oven baking hardens the skin into a shell.
Wash potatoes and rub with butter, margarine or oil and bake at 425 deg. for 40-60 min. until they give way when gently squeezed. Cut an oval in the top of each shell and spoon out the meat. Mash with a bit of butter and, optionally adding other ingredients, refill the shells, mounding on top. Potatoes can be prepped ahead, wrapped in plastic wrap and frozen or chilled, then baked the second time just before serving. Alternatively, for immediate serving, freshly baked potatoes can be simply split, slightly fork mashed and the toppings added. DO NOT MICROWAVE potatoes, The skins become too soft and spit.
*When double baking potatoes, apply heavier garnishes, chopped nuts, fruits, zested or sliced peel before freezing. Light garnishes, powdered spices and dried herbs can be added before the final baking.

Cinnamon Butter: Serves 4
¼ cup butter -softened
1 tsp. brown sugar
½ tsp. orange zest
1/4tsp, cinnamon
3 Tbs. toasted chopped walnuts or pecans
Mix all the ingredients and top each of 4 baked potatoes with an equal portion. Serve at once. Topping can

Orange-Honey Sauce: Serves 4
1/3 cup orange juice
3 Tbs. honey
3 Tbs. butter
Pinch salt
Combine all ingredients in a microwave safe dish and cook for about 1 min. until butter is melted. Whisk to combine and spoon into 4 cooked potatoes. Serve at once. Topping can be made ahead and reheated or mashed into the meat before stuffing for double baked.

Nov 5

GOLDEN AU GRATINS

The weather suddenly cooled and, planning dinner last weekend, I realized I was craving Potatoes au Gratin. It started me thinking how perfectly Gratins suit autumn. The comforting, warm fillings with interesting texture contrasts and the crisp, fragrant, golden toppings seem to embody the very essence of the season. I pulled up my posting from Nov. 9, 2017, and found it filed with valuable, pertinent information, as fresh today as 3 years ago. So with slight updates for 2020, I’m reprinting it.

Like most people, I love gratins. They make a pretty presentation; the topping enhances the flavor and creates an interesting contrast in texture. Crispy, but not, it complements the softer body of the dish. There is a wide variety of gratins for every course, one might even say that French Onion Soup is a gratin, with its topping of bread and cheese but the true value of this category of dishes is in their convenience.

Gratins are a menu planner‘s and cook’s dream because they can be prepared ahead of baking or partially baked and finished or transported and finished on site. This quality makes gratins the perfect dishes to consider when organizing a communal or holiday dinner, a buffet supper or contribution to a pot-luck party. I’ve written several posts on easily prepared and/or portable side dishes (Nov. 3,2016, Nov.10, 2016, Dec. 15, 2016, Nov.15,2018 Nov.14, 2019) and gratins deserve a place at the top of those lists.

Gratins’ appeal is far older than their easy fit into our current lifestyle. It goes back centuries and led to the naming of the recipe category. ”Gratin” in French means “crispy and slightly burnt”; “Au Gratin” means “with crumbs”. Centuries ago, when food was baked in iron pots in the embers of an open fireplace, it had to be inverted onto a platter to be served. Often the bottom had formed a crusty, browned layer which was considered a treat. With the development of closed ovens and serving ware that went from oven to table, inverting food was no longer needed. People missed the crusty ‘gratin’ but baking was more even and the layer had disappeared.

The solution was to create a topping layer to imitate it. Other cuisines hit on breadcrumbs but the French just had to improve on that by making it into a flavor element, naming it ‘Au Gratin’ and turning the recipes using it into a food category. The traditional ‘gratin’ is cheese and/or breadcrumbs. Butter, dotted or melted and drizzled over is an option. Crushed crackers, cereals, potato chips and cookies are permitted as well. However, these are all cooked items as opposed to the ‘crumb’ and ‘crisp’ toppings found on desserts, which are based on raw flour. They are not ‘gratins’.

Gratins can be made with most foods and adapt many casseroles, as shown in the recipes below, but they are chiefly associated with recipes using cream sauces. The interesting thing is that when cooking gratins with starchy items like potatoes or pasta, there’s no need for a roux or added thickener. The gluten in those ingredients releases in cooking and thickens the sauce alone, making preparation a breeze.

We don’t know this year what precautions will be advised for the coming holidays, but in planning for them, or simply meal planning ahead, try some gratin recipes. . There’s a nice selection of recipes below to start you on the way. One is actually a low cost dinner and another great for leftover chicken.

RECIPES

Boursin Stuffed Mushrooms: Serves about 4 From 500 -3 Ingredient Recipes by Robert and Carol Hildebrand
16 large mushroom caps
8 oz. Boursin cheese
1 cup Panko
Remove the mushroom stems, and wipe the caps. Stuff them with the cheese, then press the Panko on the tops, patting to cover completely. Place the mushrooms in a pan with ¼ cup water in the bottom and bake at 400 deg. 10-12 min. until they’re soft and the Panko is golden. Serve hot.
NOTE: Can be made several hours ahead and kept chilled. Bring to room temp before cooking

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Roasted Potato, Garlic and Leek Gratin: Serves 4
2 lbs. . russet potatoes-peeled and sliced
½ leek- sliced
1 Tbs. roasted garlic paste
2 cups milk
1 bay leaf
1 ¼ tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. grated nutmeg
2 Tbs. sour cream
2 tsp. Dijon mustard
½ cup grated Swiss cheese
Bring milk, salt, bay leaf, and nutmeg to a boil. Add vegetables and garlic, reduce to a simmer and cook 10-15 min. Remove solids to a 1 ½ quart shallow casserole dish with a slotted spoon. Discard bay leaf. Stir sour cream and mustard into milk mix, pour over potatoes and bake at 425 deg. for 10 min. Scatter cheese over top and bake an additional 15 min. until cheese is golden and bubbles. Serve hot.

Gratin Dauphinoise: Serves 6 This is one of the most famous gratin dishes. You will find it’s more compact than the Potatoes Au Gratin we’re used to. From Bay Books’ The Food of France
2 ¼ lb. floury potatoes
2 garlic cloves crushed
½ cup grated Swiss cheese-divided. 2 Tbs. in reserve for topping
Pinch nutmeg
1 ¼ cups half and half
½ cup heavy cream
Thinly slice the potatoes with a mandolin or knife. Place 1 layer in a well-buttered 9”X 6”baking dish, sprinkle with some nutmeg, garlic and cheese. Repeat layers ending with potatoes. Pour liquid over and top with reserved cheese. Bake in a preheated 350 deg. oven until potatoes are cooked and liquid is completely absorbed. If top browns too quickly, cover with foil. Allow to stand 10 min. before slicing to serve.

Cauliflower au Gratin: Serves 4-6 – Can easily be doubled
1 lg. head cauliflower
1 cup milk
2 Tbs. flour
2 Tbs. butter
1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 envelope chicken bouillon granules
3 Tbs. shredded Parmesan cheese
Paprika and dried parsley for garnish
Cut green leaves off head and cut the core even with the stalks of the flowerets. Boil the head in lightly salted water to cover for 15 min. starting with the top down for 5 and then turning it bottom down. Remove from pot and stand on bottom in a lightly greased casserole. Make a white sauce by melting the butter, whisking in the flour to form a roux, or paste, and then adding the milk and whisking to dissolve any lumps . Bring to a simmer over medium high heat, stirring constantly and continue to stir until sauce thickens. Add cheddar cheese and stir to melt. Pour sauce over the cauliflower, sprinkle with Parmesan and garnish with paprika and parsley. Bake at 350 deg. for 30-40 min. until lightly browned and bubbly. Can be made ahead until just golden, chilled, brought to room temperature and browning finished in an oven on site.
Variation: Cauliflower Polynesian: Serves 4
1 large head cauliflower divided into flowerets
½ tsp. garlic powder-option 1
1Tbs.oil-option 1
2 Tbs. grated Parmesan-options-1&2*
¼ cup melted butter- option 2
½ cup plain breadcrumbs
Salt and pepper
Paprika and dried parsley for garnish
*Cheese can be added to either of the optional methods of cooking the cauliflower .

Fennel, Tomato and Garlic Gratin: Serves 4. Another recipe from Bay Books
2 lb.4 oz. . fennel bulb
1 large red onion halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
1/3 cup olive oil
2 garlic cloves-crushed
1 lb. 2 oz. tomatoes-peeled and chopped
Gratin Topping
2 ¼ oz. fresh white bread(3-4 slices) made into crumbs in a processer =about 1-1 ½ cups
2/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 garlic clove crushed
2 tsp. lemon zest tsp. lemon zest
Peel tomatoes by dipping into boiling water for 10-20 sec., roughly chop. Cut fennel bulbs in half lengthwise and thinly slice with a mandolin or knife. Sauté the onion in the oil until just softened, about 2-3 min. add garlic and cook 2 min. add funnel and cook 7 min. stirring frequently until soft and golden.
Add tomatoes and cook 5 min. or until tomatoes are soft. Pour mixture into a buttered 8 ½ inch square pan. Toss together all the gratin ingredients and scatter over the dish. Bake in a preheated 400 deg. oven until top is golden and crisp, about 15 min. Serve hot.

Chicken with Mushrooms in Cream Sauce: Serves 2
2 chicken thighs-rinsed well and trimmed of fat
½ medium onion –sliced in half then quartered
4 mushroom caps about 1 ½ inch diameter each-quartered
3 oz. milk or half and half
½ tsp. chicken bouillon granules
½ tsp. dried sage
1 ½ Tbs. butter-divided
2 Tbs. white wine-optional
2Tbs. flour
1 Tbs. grated Parmesan cheese
1/3 cup –or more-Panko
Water
Cook the chicken in just enough water to cover until tender. Cool, skin, bone and separate in bite sized pieces; reserve broth. Sauté vegetables in 1 Tbs. butter until onion is soft, about 3 min. using a slotted spoon, remove to plate with chicken. Measure 5 oz. of broth, add 3 oz. milk or cream, white wine, sage and bouillon to equal 1cup fluid. Melt reserved butter in the remaining butter in pan; bring to foam, remove from heat and add flour stirring to make a roux or paste.* Quickly add liquid and return to heat stirring constantly as it simmers until thickened, about 3 min . Remove from heat and correct seasonings. Fold in the meat and vegetables then pour into 1 casserole or 2 ramekins. Sprinkle with panko and cheese and bake at 360 deg. 20-25 min. until top is golden and sauce bubbles. Serve hot at once, or prepare ahead and bake before serving.
*For a lower fat rendition, replace the roux with 1 Tbs. cornstarch dissolved in the liquid and proceed to cook as directed above.

Gratin of Creamed Salmon or Other (Canned) Fish*: Serves 4-6 From Julia Child’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking.
1 ½ cups cooked canned fish—well drained, juice reserved
¼ cup minced onion
3 Tbs. butter
3 Tbs. flour
1 cup milk
¼ cup white wine
4-6 Tbs. cream
¼ tsp. oregano
Salt and pepper
Optional add-ins-mushrooms, green pepper, hard boiled eggs
¼ cup grated Swiss cheese
1 Tbs. butter
Measure the milk, fish juice and wine to equal 1 ½ cups. If short add some of the cream or more milk. Brown the onions in the butter, then make a roux, following the directions above use the flour, milk, fish juice, wine and seasonings to make a thick sauce. Thin if desired with the cream. Fold in the fish and options, if using, and pour into a baking dish, preferably only 2 inches deep. Sprinkle with cheese and dot with the 1 Tbs. butter. Bake at 425 deg. for 15-20 min. until top is browned.
*NOTE: This is a great recipe for shellfish, mollusks and chunks of firm fish. In fact, Crab Au Gratin was very popular in the mid 20^thCen. Simply replace the canned fish with an equal quantity of chosen seafood. Replace the fish liquid with cream from the stated quantity, and proceed as directed above.

Pears Au Gratin: Serves 6 –Also from Julia Child’s book cited above
2 lb. pears- fresh or canned, peeled, cored and sliced 3/8 inch thick
¼ cup white wine OR mix of pear juice and wine
¼ cup apricot preserves or jam
½ cup cookie crumbs, preferably macaroons
1 Tbs. butter
1 baking dish 8 inches by 2 inches deep smeared with 2 Tbs. butter
Arrange the pears in a circular pattern in the baking dish. Beat the liquid and the preserves together, strain and pour over the pears. Sprinkle with the crumbs and dot with the butter. Bake on the middle rack in a preheated 400 deg. oven for 20-30 min. until top is golden. Serve hot, room temp or chilled.

Oct 29

GRAPES-STARS OF AUTUMN

2020 is so uncertain that I’m not writing my usual post on Trick or Treat Dinners this year but if anyone needs menu suggestions click on Oct. 25, 2019 or Oct. 20, 2016

Grapes are another fall fruit that’s been cultivated for over 7,000 years. Originating in the eastern Mediterranean, like apples, grapes have innumerable species and are enjoyed raw, dried and in juice form. Only for grapes, ‘juice’ usually refers to wine. The fruit’s natural fermentation introduced man to alcohol and gives wine a history equal that of grape.

However, unlike other fruits, despite its history, grapes have practically no footprint in the culinary field. The leaves are used as wraps, cooks love grape seed oil, raisins are popular, and, more recently, fresh grapes do serve as featured notes in salads and on bruschetta, but rarely are they the base ingredient of a recipe, much less a serious dish for, say, an entrée.

The early settlers in North America were the first to create a lasting recipe for cooked grapes. The Indians harvested a native species, which the settlers rejected it as unstable for wine making. Careful cultivation led to the Concord grape and the development of grape jelly.

In 1869, Thomas Welch, a New Jersey physician-pharmacist-dentist developed a formula to pasteurize the Concord grape and produce a non-alcoholic juice as an alternative to wine for church services. The drink was so popular he bottled and sold it from his store. His children turned it into a commercial product which is still synonymous with his name.

Yet, in spite of the success of the juice and grape jelly’s has been a favorite for generations, finding fresh grapes on menus has remained relatively rare. The closest they get to dinner is as decorations in the centerpiece. I wanted to find out why and researched them in books and on line, with few results. There has been little culinary experimentation with grapes since the seedless varieties, with thin skins, were developed. The closest I came to serious recipes, other than salads and desserts is https://www.brit.co/grape-recipes/

I still don’t have a definitive answer, but I did find some interesting recipes to share with you to perk up your autumn meals. Since childhood, I’ve liked hot grapes with meat. My favorite is the Wild Rice Stuffed Cornish Hens below. Check it out-it’s a winner and so easy!!

RECIPES
White Gazpacho: Serves 4-6. From 500 3 Ingredient Recipes by Robert and Carol Hildebrand
The classic recipe for this soup is often called Almond, Garlic and Grape Soup and has many more ingredients.
4 slices of slightly stale white bread-crusts off in cubes
5 cloves of garlic-roasted or boiled for 5 min.
1 cup blanched almonds
2 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil
1 lb. green grapes-divided into 2 groups 2/3 whole & 1/3 halved
Cover the bread with cold water and soak for 10 min. Squeeze water from bread and process with the garlic, nuts, oil and 2/3 of the grapes plus 2 cups water until smooth, adding more water if needed. Season with salt and pepper and chill 1hr. to overnight. Adjust seasoning and serve cold garnished with the halved grapes.

Grape and Walnut Chutney: Serves 8-From The Bon Appetit Cookbook This recipe goes with pork, veal, duck and any poultry dark meat.
1 ½ lb. seedless red grapes
¼ cup red wine vinegar
3 Tbs. sugar
3 Tbs. balsamic vinegar
½ cup toasted, chopped walnuts
3 Tbs. chopped fresh Italian parsley
In a skillet over medium-high heat, stir grapes until warmed through about 2 min. Add sugar and vinegars and cook, stirring occasionally, until grape juices reduce slightly about 10 min. Add nuts and parsley and boil over high heat until juices thicken to syrup about 1 min. Save chilled and serve with pork, veal, duck and poultry dark meat dishes.

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Cornish Game Hens with Wild Rice and White Grapes: Serves 4
4 Cornish Hens
1 box Long Grain and Wild Rice
8 lightly toasted slices of white bread if you decide to split the hens into 8 servings
2 cups chicken broth
2 Tbs. cornstarch or flour
¼ tsp. each thyme and rosemary
1 Tbs. butte
1lb. seedless white grapes, stems removed
Prepare the rice according to package directions, and use it to stuff the hens. If the birds are split, cover each stuffed half with a slice of bread and invert as placed in the pan. If left whole, place the hens breast side up in the pan. Rub the butter over the game hens. Pour ¼ cup broth in the bottom and roast at 350 deg. for 1 hour, basting every 20 min. and maintaining the fluid level in the pan. Meanwhile chop the giblets and cook them in 1 cup of broth. Spread the grapes out in a microwave safe pie plate with 1 Tbs. water. When the hens are done, add the pan drippings to the remaining broth with enough water to equal 1 cup. Dissolve the four or cornstarch in the cold broth, and add to the pan with the broth and giblets. Cook over medium heat until the sauce thickens. Microwave the grapes 30 sec. before serving and plate with the hens. Serve the sauce on the side.

Sautéed Chicken and Grapes: Serves 4-From 500 3 Ingredient Recipes by Robert and Carol Hildebrand
2 ½ lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
3 Tbs. oil
1 cup flour
1 lb. seedless green grapes
4-6 Tbs. butter
Clean the chicken, pat dry, season with salt and pepper and dredge in flour. Sauté in 3Tbs. butter over medium-high heat turning until crisp and golden. Place chicken on a baking sheet in a preheated 400 deg. oven and cook 15-20 min to finish. Do not clean sauté pan. While the chicken roasts, puree half the grape and press through a strainer to remove skins. Return the pan to the heat with the remaining grapes and sauté until slightly browned. Whisking, add the juice, salt and pepper and the butter 1 tablespoon at a time until sauce thickens. Remove as soon as all butter is melted or the sauce will break. Serve a hot breast on each plate with the sauce spooned over.

Roasted Chicken Sausage with Grapes and Onion: Serves 4-From 500 3 Ingredient Recipe by Robert and Carol Hildebrand
2 Tbs. oil
1 ½ lb. chicken or turkey sausage
1 lb. red onion- in julienne strips
½ lb. green grapes
Poach the sausage in a little water until done, about 20 min. Sauté the onion in the oil until soft and golden, about 2-4 min. Put the onions in a shallow 1 qt. baking dish, add the sausage and grape and bake in a preheated 350 deg. oven about 20-25 min. until brown on top.

Sole Veronique: Serves 2-There are many recipes for this dish but I’m quoting this because I so rarely recommend all microwave recipes. It’s no fail, I’ve used it for years after finding it in an almanac book
1 lb. flounder fillets
1 cup dry white wine
1 Tbs. cornstarch
¼ cup butter
2/3 cup light cream
½ tsp. salt
1 lb. seedless green grapes
Dissolve cornstarch in cream, then add 1/3 cup wine. Place the fish in a comfortably fitting microwave safe dish with the rest of the wine, cover with plastic wrap and microwave on high 4-5 min. turning once. Drain fish, set aside and let grapes marinate in the wine. Melt butter in a 4 cup microwave safe bowl 40 sec. on high with salt. Add cream mix to butter and microwave 1 min. stirring once. Continue to microwave 2- ½ min. stirring every 30 sec. Place fish with grapes alongside on microwave safe serving plate(s). Spoon sauce over and microwave on high 30 sec. Serve hot.

Snow Peas with Grapes: Serves 6
1 lb. snow peas-ends trimmed, cut on an angle in 1 inch pieces
¼ lb. seedless grapes-halved
2 Tbs. melted butter
Pinch lemon pepper-to taste
Melt butter in microwave, add lemon pepper to taste. Microwave snow peas 3-4 min.in 1 Tbs. water, or until crisp-tender, drain and add butter mixture and grapes Microwave 15 sec. more. Serve warm.

Sweet and Spicy Grapes: Serves 4-6
1 lb. seedless grapes
1 cup sour cream
1-2 Tbs. sugar-or to taste
Generous sprinkles of cinnamon
Mix the sugar and sour cream until sugar dissolves and the taste is only slightly sweet. Gently toss with the grapes until well coated, adding more sour cream if needed. Divide among individual dessert saucers and chill well. Just before serving sprinkle liberally with cinnamon.

Grape Pie: Serves 8-10-From Taste of Home– https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/ruby-grape-pie/
Pastry for a 2 crust pie
4 cups (2 lbs.) seedless red grapes-halved
2/3 cup sugar
½ tsp. ground cinnamon
3 Tbs. cornstarch
2 Tbs. lemon juice
1 Tbs. lemon zest
2 Tbs. butter
Combine grapes, sugar and cinnamon in a saucepan, toss to coat and marinate 15 min. Add cornstarch, lemon juice and zest, bring to a boil, stir for 2 min. or until thickened. Pour into a pastry lined 9 inch pie plate, dot with butter and cover with top crust. Seal, trim, flute and cut steam holes in top. Bake at 425 deg. for 20 min. then at 350 deg. for 30-35 min. or until golden brown. Cool in a wire rack.

Grape Kuchen: Serves 6-8-A Kuchen pan looks like a 9-inch pizza pan. Shallow 9 inch pie tins can be used
Rich Egg Pastry
1 cup butter
3 cups flour
2 egg yolks
¼ cup cold water
1 lemon
¼ cup sugar
Cut butter into flour. Beat egg yolks and add water, combine the mixes adding lemon juice, zest and sugar. Pat into the pan ¾ inch thick.
Filling
1 ½ lb. seedless green grapes
¾ cup sugar
2 Tbs. flour
3 eggs –separated
¼ cup water
¼ cup sugar
Toss grapes with ¾ cup sugar and flour, fill crust. Beat egg yolks with water and drizzle over the fruit. Bake in a preheated 325 deg. oven 45 min. Beat egg whites stiff, adding ¼ cup sugar to form stiff peaks. Spread meringue over fruit and bake until top is lightly browned.

Oct 22

FAVORITE 3-4 INGREDIENT RECIPES

In winter and spring we’re more disposed to cooking, to exploring cuisines, experimenting and/or creating new recipes and updating old ones. Dinner is an anticipated part of daily life. The reasons are simple, we’re inside more, we crave comfort food and then we’re eager to enjoy the fresh crops as they arrive in market.

Then comes summer and the heat cuts appetites and interest in spending time in the kitchen, despite air-conditioning. Dinner becomes casual, frequently cold, often pick-up.

In early fall, schools open, activities and groups start-up, projects are planned and schedules are topsy-turvy. Organization meetings often occupy e the evening hours, there’s the return of home-work for parents and children. Dinner becomes a necessity wedged in between appointments, sometimes served in shifts. Take out is popular.

By the time routines are set in late fall, dinner once again takes a back seat to the activities connected with the hustle of the long holiday season. At this point we turn to those 3 and 4 ingredient recipes, which are so fast and easy but still convey the spirit of a home-cooked meal. You know the type recipe, a package of this mixed with a can of that, quickly baked with a sprinkle of cheese on top.

Unfortunately, these recipes, however tasty, are often learned by rote and quickly become boring. I’m as guilty as anyone of over-using the quick fixes and first, I tried expanding my collection. Then I realized that these recipes have to, fundamentally, be big on flavor to appeal with so few ingredients and that leaves room to add spices, herbs etc. to pop or shift the taste. Alternatively, replacing one or two ingredients with similar foods can create different dishes, with no extra time or effort, adding far more variety to menu options.

I took this idea and started working with some of my favorite 3 to 4 ingredient recipes. I found infinite creative room here and, so far, have come up with enough recipes to fill a book. I’ve selected my favorites for this post but at 20 it’s still a lot for a post. Note, the recipes below are not from books, they are mine, and if you want to find more visit my posts of Sept.7, 2017 Sept.6, 2018 Sept. 5, 2019 and Sept. 17, 2020. There are more recipes to be found by selecting September for any year from the drop-down menu in the right margin on any page of this blog.

Before I get to the recipes, I want to add a word about 3, 4 even 5 ingredient cookbooks or blogs, because there are a lot of them out there. They range from the very basic to quite elegant, and though most offer valuable content: First, their recipes are not to be confused with budget meals, and second, the recipes are not necessarily time savers, requiring lengthy prep. So read carefully before you buy or download, except, of course, the ones below.

RECIPES- I restricted myself to dinner recipes in this post, a wider field would have just too many. However, I’m going to start with my favorite quick 3 ingredient recipe because It goes with everything and it is truly the easiest 3 ingredient recipe I’ve ever see. Most of all, the fact that it’s no fail, putting to rest the old myth that this food is as tricky as a soufflé, blows my mind!
No Peek Popovers: Yields 8- from Cooking With 3 Ingredients by Ruthie Wornall
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1 cup flour
Combine ingredients and stir into a smooth batter, Fill greased muffin tins ¾ full (popover tins are better) Place in a COLD oven, turn to 450 deg. And bake 30 min. Don’t peek. Serve hot.

Basic Tomato Sauce for Spaghetti or Chilli: Serves 4
This is my own quick version with a twist I learned in Italy, substituting carrots and raisins for sugar. It’s healthier and gives the sauce more texture, but doesn’t affect the taste. The sauce serves for either spaghetti or chili and freezes beautifully, even in the ready to serve state for either dish. Make extra and freeze in separate containers of the size your family needs for a meal, or in single servings. If not thawed, reheat in the microwave at 1 min. intervals, stirring.
1 lb. ground meat –beef, sausage or turkey –I like a mix.
(1) 28oz. can crushed tomatoes
2 Tbs. oil
1 medium-small carrot, peeled and sliced thin (1/8 to 1/16 inch)*-larger end halved lengthwise
½ oz. raisons-half a 1 oz. box
2 tsp. garlic powder – or to taste
1 tsp pepper and salt to taste
2 tsp. dried oregano
For Spaghetti For Chil In 2020, with many working remotely, dinners need to be quickly ready when the family comes together at day’s end. The recipes should be simple enough that any responsible family member can begin prep, and to ensure this, they should be basic operations without methods which could lead to fat spattering or boil overs, yet with minimal mess and easy clean up. Actually this approach can be a bonding experience and help the family dynamic. See 11 recipes

#quickdinnersforthe new normal #simplisticcooking #nofussmeals

EASY MEALS FOR THE NEW NORMAL

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li
2tsp. dried basil –or to taste 1 Tbs. chili powder
Grated Parmesan 1tsp. paprika
(1) 15 oz. can pinto or kidney beans
Monterey Jack cheese
In a stockpot, over medium heat, brown the meat in the oil, when all pink in gone, add all the other ingredients. Simmer about 40 min. until the sauce reduces a bit and the carrots are very tender. Alternately, make the sauce and add the other ingredients before reheating. Serve spaghetti over cooked pasta and the chili over cooked rice. Pass with grated cheese.
*Commercial seasoning packets can also be used.
** You can use baby carrots sliced, it takes about ¼ lb. and they cook faster so slice them slightly thicker.
,so make extra if you wish, and freeze it in separate containers of the size your family needs for a meal, or in single servings for quick kid’s meals

New New England Boiled Dinner: Serves 4
A modern take on an old recipe. Ideally, this is made with thick slices of Canadian bacon, but once common, that’s hard to find, and very expensive now. Slices of smoked turkey can substitute for the ham.
1 lb. to 1 ½ lb. round bone ham slice=2 individual slices
(2) 1 lb. bags frozen French cut green beans
(2) 14 oz. cans small whole potatoes drained
(1) 10 1/2 oz. can beef consommé
(1)14oz can chicken broth
2 Tbs. butter
Cut the ham into 4 portions, and gently make tiny slits around the outside edges to prevent curling. Melt 1 Tbs. butter in the pot over medium heat, and cook the ham pieces on one side until their edges start to brown. Remove to a plate, and using the other 1 Tbs. butter, brown the potatoes slightly. Remove from pot. Put the frozen green beans in the pot, top with the potatoes, then pour in the consommé, and the broth, finally lay the ham, browned side up, on top. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 15 min. until beans are tender. Check timing with directions on bags of beans.

Alternatives:
1) replace ham with smoked turkey or turkey ham or corned beef
2) Use cut, raw sweet potatoes, but be sure to cook until soft-about 20 min.
3) Use Brussels sprouts instead of beans.
Note-frozen leaf spinach can be used, but fresh cooks down to ¼ the original volume and is too fast for any potatoes to heat through. Trimmed kale would be the better option, but still cook too quickly for sweet potatoes.

Chicken is probably the most versatile meat, not only in the amount of ways it can be prepared, but in the fact that it can substitute for turkey, pork and veal in many dishes. We tend to forget that those meats can substitute for chicken too. So if looking for a change, think any of them in scaloppini cuts, cutlets or slices of lion or boneless or loin pork chops.

Chicken Parmesan

This may be a little different from most recipes, but it’s the one I learned from friends in Florence and uses no breading.
.4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
¼ cup flour
2 Tbs. butter
2 Tbs. oil
(1) 4 oz. can mushrooms-stems and pieces-drained
(2) 8 oz. cans tomato sauce
8 oz. Mozzarella cheese- in thin slices or coarsely grated
¼ cup Parmesan cheese grated
Pound chicken and dredge by shaking in a plastic bag with the flour, one piece at a time. Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat, and brown the meat on both sides @ 6 min. total for the chicken, 8-10 for the veal, depending on thickness. Add oil as needed to prevent sticking. Remove meat to an ovenproof pan or dish that holds the meat close, but not overlapping. Sauté the mushrooms for 30 seconds in the pan juices, and turn off the heat. Pour in 1 can of the tomato sauce and deglaze the pan, pour it, with the mushrooms, over the meat. Repeat deglazing with second can of sauce. Cover, and seal the meat dish with foil. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 40 min. Remove pan and turn on broiler. Carefully, mindful of the steam, remove the foil, and spread the Mozzarella evenly over the meat. Sprinkle the Parmesan on top and broil until bubbly and beginning to brown.
Alternatively: Broil the chicken, turning once. I use an aluminum pan. Add other ingredients and proceed as above.
OPTION
Chicken Marsala
Add 1 medium onion in thin slices to the ingredients and substitute 1 ¼ cups marsala wine for the tomato sauce. Proceed as above, adding the onion when chicken is turned over.
Artichoke Chicken: Serves 4 from Cooking With 3 Ingredients by Ruthie Wornall
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
(1) 6 ½ oz. jar marinated artichokes-drained and chopped
4 slices Swiss cheese
Pound the meat to an even thickness between pieces pf plastic wrap, brown them on both sides in a greased skillet. Arrange in an oven-proof pan and, spread artichokes equally over the tops. Top with the cheese and bake at 350 deg. For 20-30 min. until chicken is tender and cheese is golden.
OPTIONS
1) Replace the marinated hearts with (1) 12 oz. jar of artichoke salsa, the Swiss with Monterey Jack cheese and proceed as above. From 500 3-Ingredient Recipes by Robert and Carol Hildebrand

2) Chicken Florentine:
(1) 10 oz. box of frozen chopped spinach-thawed and drained.
2 Tbs. Cream cheese, sour cream or plain yogurt-mixed with the spinach
4 thin slices of Mozzarella cheese
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Brown the chicken in a bit of oil in a skillet or under the broiler. Cover with the spinach and top with the mozzarella and bake as directed above. Halfway through the baking, sprinkle the Parmesan over the chicken and finish the baking.

Pork Loins with Apricot Glaze: Serves 4
Shadybrook Farms makes turkey tenderloin that is the same size as this type of pork loin and can substitute.
(2) 1 lb. Pork Tenderloins – Commercially prepared in plastic sleeves*
12 oz. jar apricot preserves
15 oz. can apricots in syrup-drained, contents reserved
Chop fruit, boil syrup to reduce by half and dissolve jam in syrup , add fruit
Remove wrappers from pork and pat dry. Rub each with ½ tsp salt and ½ tsp pepper. Heat grill or broiler. Brush meat with glaze and place on a foil lined pan or on grill and cook 4 inches from heat source 10-15 min for the grill, 15 – 20 min. under the broiler, basting with glaze and turning every few minutes, until internal temperature reaches 150 degrees. Allow to rest, tented under foil 5 min., before carving. Slice meat and serve topped with a drizzle of glaze and be sure to pass any remaining glaze warmed.
OPTIONS
Easy Pork Loin # 1- from Cooking With 3 Ingredients by Ruthie Wornall
(2) 1 lb. pork loins
1 envelope dry onion soup mix
1 tsp. crushed rosemary for the apricot glaze.
In a pan, rub the meat with the mix and rosemary, pour 1/3 cup of water in the bottom and roast at 350 deg., basting occasionally, adding more water if needed, until a thermometer reads 170 deg. About 30-40 min.

Easy Pork Loin # 2- from Cooking with 3 Ingredients by Ruthie Wornall
Replace the soup and rosemary with 2 tsp. powdered mustard and 2 tsp. marjoram. Proceed as above.

FISH
Coconut Tilapia: Serves 4
4 Tilapia filets
1 cup Panko
½ cup sweetened coconut flakes
½ cup mayonnaise
Lemon pepper
Oven 350 deg.
Toast coconut on a piece of foil until golden, about 4 min. don’t burn. When cool mix with Panko.
Place fish on a lightly oiled cooking surface, pan or baking sheet. Cover the tops with a thin veneer of mayonnaise. Dust with lemon pepper. Sprinkle with Panko-coconut mix, and bake 8 min. per 1 inch width of filet, until top is golden, fish puffs and edges bubble. Serve at once.
Tip: Put the breading mix in an empty herb bottle with a shaker top. Eases application, and extra stores in the bottle.

Salmon in Mustard-Orange Coating; Per portion
1 salmon fillet
1 ½ Tbs. Dijon or spicy brown mustard
2 tsp. sugar-preferably brown
½ tsp. finely diced orange peel
Place the fish on a lightly oiled baking sheet or piece of foil. Spread the mustard evenly on top and sprinkle first with the sugar and then the orange peel. Bake in a 350 deg. oven about 15-20 min. until a light crust forms. Serve hot.

VEGETABLES
Microwave Ratatouille: Serves 4
Slice 2 medium zucchini, and 2 small onions into a microwave safe bowl. Top with 1 Tbs. oil, and ½ tsp lemon pepper. Microwave 3 min. Add ¾ cup salsa *, or ½ z 15oz can diced tomatoes*, or an equal amount of peeled, chopped fresh tomatoes, and a sprinkle of red pepper, if desired, and microwave an additional 2 min.

Spinach Tart: Serves 4
(2) 10 oz. boxes, chopped spinach. Drain, put in a greased pie plate or shallow casserole.
Mix with 2 raw eggs and 2 packets chicken or beef flavored bouillon granules. Top with a sprinkle of nutmeg, and bake along with meat .for 30 min. at 250 degrees, or 20 min at 350 degrees. Can also be microwaved for 4 min. on high power.

Potatoes Seaview: Serves 4
Cover a baking sheet with foil. Wash 2 large potatoes—baking are good for this. Slice them about ¼ inch thick and lay them in lines on the foil, overlapping about 1/3 of their surface. Dot liberally with butter, and broil until nicely brown-@ 10min. Use a spatula to place them in segments on the plates. Can be done ahead and kept warm.

Oct 15

PUMPKINS- MORE THAN A FUNNY FACE

Poor pumpkins have gotten bad PR as a nutritional food for years because they’re more than just a funny face or decoration. Native to North America, loaded with a variety of nutrients, including fiber, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, they have been a recognized food source for over 7,000 years. Sadly, though now grown globally, they are used as animal fodder in most countries and in their native land relegated to pie filling served around one holiday per year.

Pumpkin seeds, roasted, have fared better as snacks and ingredients for salads. They’re known as Pepitas, because they are, botanically, the seed of the pepo berry. That’s right folks, pumpkins are really berries and, another surprise, because they’re planted in spring, considered the last of the summer crops, not the first of fall.

Nutritionally and in culinary uses, pumpkins, though slightly higher in fiber, are interchangeable with the other fall-winter squash produce, acorn, Hubbard, butternut etc. They can be cooked in any recipe, using the same directions, and served at any part of a meal the others can, which means in dishes throughout a meal. The single deciding factor in choosing squash for specific dishes is the thickness of the rind. Those with harder skin, such as acorn or pumpkin, can be halved or hollowed and baked ‘in shell’ with or without content, and the cooked pulp scooped out. The ones with thin skin, like butternut or Hubbard, are easier peeled, cut in chunks and boiled then mashed, or roasted.

To choose pumpkin, or any squash, pick the heaviest for its size and the one with the deepest color. It will have the most beta-carotene. Kept in a cool, dry place, a pumpkin will hold for a few weeks, but once cut, should be covered, chilled and used within a day or so. Don’t over worry about removing the strings when cleaning raw squash. Once the squash is cooked they can be ‘raked’ out with a fork, or will simply stick to the beaters during blending.

To roast a whole pumpkin, pierce in several places to let the steam escape, otherwise cut it in half or wedges and cook, skin side up in ½ inch water at 400 deg. for 45-60 min. Beware of the steam when cutting open. To cook any squash quickly, peel, seed and grate the raw meat, then sauté or boil.

Interestingly, with the exception of pumpkin pie and seasonal presentations, squash dishes, though popular, aren’t generally featured in restaurants. This makes them an open field for the home cook o score. Learning a few delicious, appetizing recipes can make you a star. Here are 18 recipes, for all courses, sure to get you raves, and if you want to see more check out my posts for Oct. 8, 2012, Oct. 28, 2014, Oct. 22, 2015, Oct. 29, 2015, Oct. 6, 2016, Oct. 13, 2016, Nov. 1, 2018, Nov. 8, 2018 Oct. 24, 2019, Oct. 31, 2019 . If you want to make yummy pumpkin ice cream ir frozen yogurt, visit the postings for July 30, 2020 and Aug.13. 2020.

RECIPES
Starters

Pumpkin Crisps are an elegant garnish for any squash dish. Using a potato peeler, slice off strips from a wedge of raw pumpkin. Fry in ½ cup oil until crisp, drain on paper towels and sprinkle over serving.

Roasted Pumpkin Soup: Serves 6-8
3 ½ lb. pumpkin
2 Tbs. oil+ 4 Tbs.
2 onions—chopped
2 garlic cloves – chopped
3 in. piece of grated fresh ginger root
1 tsp. ground coriander
½ tsp. turmeric
Salt and pepper
1 qt. vegetable or chicken stock
Fresh cilantro for garnish
Prick pumpkin all over and rub with 2 Tbs. oil, or cut it in wedges and brush with oil. Roast in a 400 deg. oven for 45 min. until tender. Meanwhile, sauté onion, garlic and ginger 4-5 min. in the 4 Tbs. oil; add the other seasonings for 2 min. When pumpkin is cooked and cool, scoop out the flesh and add it and the broth to the pot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 20 min. Puree the soup, test seasoning and reheat to serve with cilantro and other garnishes below.

Harvest Bread; Yield 1 loaf
¼ cup butter
1 cup sugar
¼ cup egg substitute
(1) 15oz.can pumpkin
1 banana mashed
1 cup flour
¼ cup whole wheat flour
½ cup buttermilk
1 tsp. EACH baking soda and cinnamon
½ tsp. EACH nutmeg and salt
¼ tsp. Each ginger and cloves
6 oz. chopped walnuts
3/4cup chocolate chips
Cream the butter and sugar until light, beat in the egg, pumpkin, banana and buttermilk. Still beating add the flours, spices baking soda and salt. Stir in the chocolate and nuts. Pour into a lightly greased1 lb. loaf pan. Bake in a preheated 350 deg. oven until golden and top springs back. Serve with Ice cream, whipped cream or other topping.

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Pumpkin Ravioli: Serves 4
1 lb. pumpkin cooked and mashed until smooth
½ tsp. cinnamon
2 Tbs. butter
24 wonton wrappers
Mix pumpkin with the cinnamon. Lay out the wrappers on a flat surface and place 1 tsp. of the squash mix. In the center of each; top with another wrapper and dampen the edges with water and press to seal. Alternately, place ½ tsp. filling in the center and fold the wrapper over to form a triangle.
Bring 4 qts. salted water to a boil and cook the ravioli, a few at a time, until they float. Remove and drain on a plate. Melt the butter, pour over the ravioli and rewarm in a microwave before serving. Garnish with parsley and/or Parmesan.

Spinach Ravioli: Serves 4 This dish is especially good when served combined with the squash ravioli in equal amount. With or without meat the combination makes a full entrée.
(1) 10 oz. package of chopped spinach- thawed and drained
1 cup ricotta or cream cheese
½ tsp. nutmeg
2 Tbs. butter
24 wonton wrappers
Repeat the process as directed above, substituting the spinach, mixed with the cheese and nutmeg for the ingredients in the squash recipe. Serve on the same plate with the squash ravioli using the full 4 Tb. butter as a sauce.

Entrees
Stew in a Pumpkin: Serves 6
This is a favorite recipe of mine, and one I’ve also featured in a post on reasonably priced dinners. It’s great for a weekend or a dinner party at this season. Can also be made and served individually in small pumpkins.
3 Tbs. butter
2 lbs. beef cubed—well trimmed pork can also be used
3 Tbs. cornstarch
2 large onions diced
3 tomatoes chopped
2 Tbs. butter
¼ tsp. EACH salt and pepper
3 cups beef stock
½ lb. prunes
½ lb. dried apricots
3 sweet potatoes sliced
(2) 10 oz. packages corn –thawed and drained
1 pumpkin, top cut off and reserved, cleaned of pulp and seeds.
Melt 3 Tbs. butter in a Dutch oven. Roll the meat in the cornstarch and brown. Set aside. Melt 2 Tbs. butter in a separate pan and sauté vegetables until tender. Add to meat with juices. Add all remaining ingredients except pumpkin cover and simmer 1 hr. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Ladle stew into the pumpkin; set in a roasting pan with 1 inch of water, and bake for 1 hr. Carefully transfer pumpkin from the pan to a serving dish and replace its top as a lid for garnish. Serve at once scooping out some of the pumpkin meat as you ladle out the portions.
NOTE: I save clean-up by sautéing the vegetables in the Dutch oven first and then browning the meat. It’s one less pot. Also if you have it on hand, replace one cup of stock with beer. It deepens the flavor.

Pozole: Serves 6*
4 cups delicata squash or small pumpkins -peeled, seeded cubed
½ lb. ground beef or sausage.
2 large onions diced
1 Tbs. oil
2 cloves garlic- mashed
(1) 28 oz. can diced tomatoes
4 cups coarsely chopped bell peppers-any color
(1) 29 oz. can hominy- white or yellow
3 Tbs. minced chipotles in adobo sauce
2 tsp. lime juice
¼ tsp. salt
1 Tbs. dried oregano or sage
Sauté the onions in the oil until soft and golden; add the garlic and ½ the salt and cook 2 min. . Add the tomatoes and pumpkin and simmer 10 min. Add the bell peppers, cover and cook 15 min. until the pumpkin is soft. Stir in the other ingredients and heat through, about 5 min. Garnish with choice of: Jack cheese, crushed tortilla chips, shredded lettuce, fresh herbs or lime wedges. Serve warm.
* Adapted from The Moosewood Restaurant New Classic Cookbook

Sides

Roasted, Curried Pumpkin: Serves 6-8*
2 lb. pumpkin- peeled and cut in ½ inch cubes
2 Tbs. curry powder
½ cup olive oil
¼ cup toasted pumpkin seeds –see directions above for Butternut-Cider Soup
Toss the pumpkin with the oil, curry powder and salt and pepper to taste . Spread on a baking sheet and roast in a preheated 350 deg. oven until soft and brown, about 30 min. Serve hot with the seeds scattered over.
* From 500 3 INGREDIENT Recipes by Robert and Carol Hildebrand

Pumpkin Risotto: Serves 4
2 cups cooked pumpkin- cubed
1 small onion
2 tsp. oil
4 cups vegetable or chicken broth
1 ¼ cups Arborio rice
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
¼ tsp. black pepper
3 Tbs. grated Parmesan
Bring the broth to a simmer. In a separate pot, sauté the onion in the oil until soft; add the pumpkin and mash then add the rice and 1 cup broth. Simmer until broth is absorbed and repeat until all the broth is used up and the rice is tender but still firm, about 20 min. Stir in the other ingredients and serve hot garnished with more parsley and cheese.

Squash Crisp: Serves 4 From Homemade Magazine- Can double as turkey dressing
2 lb. butternut squash- peeled, seeded and in 1 inch cubes
4 Tbs. butter divided
1 cup chopped onion
2 cups toasted bread cubes- stuffing mix is good
1 tsp. crushed dried rosemary
¼ cup chopped walnuts
Salt and pepper
Simmer the squash in water until tender, about 7 min., drain and toss in a 3 quart casserole dish with 1 Tbs. butter and salt and pepper to taste. Sauté onion in remaining butter until tender, about 5 min. Add bread and rosemary and cook about 2 min. more tossing to coat bread with butter. Stir in walnuts and spoon over squash. Bake in a 400 deg. oven until bread is browned. Toss before serving.

Quick Side Dishes or Desserts: from Try-Foods Inc.
2 midget pumpkin-halved lengthwise and seeded
1 cup applesauce
1 Tbs. maple syrup
¼ cup chopped walnuts or pecans
½ tsp. cinnamon
Place pumpkin, cut side down, in a microwave safe dish, cover microwave on high 6-9min. until tender. Combine other ingredients in a bowl and spoon into pumpkin cavities and microwave on high 3 min. until heated through. Serve hot.
Savory Stuffed Pumpkin:
2 Recipes– Adapted from Try-Foods Int. Inc. recipesThese recipes are for the small individual pumpkins, sometimes called decorative, about the size of acorn squash. If you can’t find them substitute acorn squash.
Cut the pumpkins lengthwise in half and seed. Place halves cut side down in a pan with 1 inch water. Cover and bake at 350 deg. for 45 min. Drain and return to dish cut side up. Fill with one of the following.
NOTE: Pumpkin and squash halves can also be cooked in a microwave. Place them cut side down in a safe dish, covered and cook on high for 6-9 min. I prefer the oven because the shell remains firmer and holds its shape better.
Apple Stuffing:
Serves 4
2 pumpkins-halved lengthwise and seeded
2 medium apples, peeled and diced
2 Tbs. butter
½ cup chopped pecans
½ cup apple juice
2 Tbs. brown sugar
½ tsp. nutmeg
Salt
Sauté all ingredients in butter for 5 min. Spoon into squash, return to oven and bake 15 min. more or until apples are tender.

Pumpkin Fruit Cups:
Serves 6
3 pumpkins-halved lengthwise and seeded
1 large cooking apple-peeled, cored and diced
3 Tbs. raspberry jam
1 Tbs. honey
4 tsp. butter
1 ½ cups fresh cranberries
Heat jam, honey and butter until bubbly, add cranberries and cook until they pop. Add apples and spoon into pumpkin. Bake at 375 deg. 15 min. Serve hot.

Desserts
First, since pie is the primary use of pumpkin, I’ll offer some variations to the usual presentation. Fun fact here, the colonists cut the top off the pumpkin, removed the seeds and strings and filled the cavity with milk, spices and sugar. Replacing the top, they baked the pumpkin until the flesh was soft and spooned it into bowls with the liquid like mashed potatoes and gravy. As for today’s custard pie recipes, I don’t think one can go wrong with Libby’s printed on their pumpkin cans. My personal touch is to cover the top with meringue and brown it in the oven.

Meringue topping
Beat 2 egg whites until soft peaks form; add a drop of cider vinegar and continue beating gradually adding ¼ cup sugar until stiff, glossy peaks form. Casually spread the meringue over the top of the cooled pie and place in a 300 deg. oven for 20 min. until the top browns slightly.
Other toppings for the traditionalists who simply want to upgrade the custard pie:
*Nut Topping: Mix 2/3 cup pecans or walnuts+ 2/3 cup brown sugar + 3 Tbs. butter. Sprinkle over pi. Place in a 425 deg. oven until it begins to melt. Spoon over pie.
*Eggnog Cream: Reduce 2 cups commercial eggnog over low heat, by half about 20-25min. Chill well and spoon over pie before serving or pass on the side.
Pumpkin also makes a wonderful cheesecake and there are a lot of pumpkin cheesecake recipes in books, magazines and on the web, especially at this time of year, too many to pick one for this article. My personal favorite is Kraft’s Philadelphia Cream Cheese Pumpkin Marble Cheesecake. Find it on their web site.

Pumpkin Chiffon Pie– This is a great pie for anyone who doesn’t like the more intense flavor of pumpkin custard or to serve in warm weather.
1 baked pie shell- this is especially good with cinnamon and sugar and/or ground nuts added into the dough
1Tbs. gelatin softened in ¼ cup cold water
1 ½ cups cooked pumpkin
½ cup sugar
¾ tsp. salt
1 tsp. Cinnamon
½ tsp. ginger
2 eggs-separated
1 cup milk
¼ cup chopped toasted walnuts, pecans or Brazil nuts for garnish
Beat the egg yolks slightly; combine with the seasonings milk and pumpkin inch and cook over boiling water stirring constantly 5 min. Add the gelatin and stir until dissolved. Chill until slightly thickened. Beat the egg whites to soft peaks then add the sugar, beat to stiff peaks and fold into the pumpkin mixture. Pour into the baked shell, garnish with the nuts and chill until firm. Serve cold.

Pumpkin Tiramisu: Serves 10-12
1 ½ cups whipping cream
¾ cup sugar
8 oz. cream cheese
15oz. can pumpkin
¾ tsp. pumpkin pie spices
3 oz. pkg. ladyfingers halved
¼ cup rum
2 oz. amaretto cookies -crushed
Beat the first 2 ingredients until stiff, beat in the next 3 until smooth. Line a 9 inch springform pan with half of the halved ladyfingers, squeezed together so no spaces remain. Sprinkle with 2Tbs. rum. Cover the ladyfingers with half the filling and top with the rest of the ladyfingers and 2 Tbs. rum. Spread the rest of the filling on top and Sprinkle with crushed cookies. Chill overnight.

Pumpkin Crumble: Serves 18-20
1 box plain yellow cake mix
1 stick butter or margarine at room temp. + 4 Tbs. chilled
4 eggs
(2) 15 oz. cans pumpkin
(1) 5 oz. can evaporated milk
1 ¼ cups sugar
1 Tbs. Pumpkin Pie Spice Mix –See blend recipe below*
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
Whipped cream for topping
Grease and flour a 13X9 inch baking pan. Reserve 1 cup of the cake mix and blend the rest on low speed, with 1 egg and the stick butter until combined. Press into the bottom and slightly up sides of the pan. Using same bowl and beaters, combine the pumpkin, 1 cup sugar, spices, milk and remaining eggs and beat until lighter in color and texture, about 2 min. Pour into prepared pan. With clean bowl and beaters, on low speed, beat the reserved cake mix, sugar and butter until crumbly; stir in the nuts and sprinkle it over the custard. Bake in a 350 deg. preheated oven 70-75 min. Center should still jiggle, but nuts should have browned. Cook 20 min. on a wire rack. Serve topped with whipped cream. Cake can be stored covered in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

* Pumpkin Pie Spice Mix:
1 cup sugar-preferably bar or super-fine sugar
½ tsp. EACH salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice
Stir everything together in a glass jar . Screw on the lid and shake well and put in a cool dark place for several days to incorporate the flavors, shaking every day or so to keep them blended. This can be adjusted to suit personal preference.

Oct 8

HOME KITCHEN HOLIDAY GIFTING 2020-A NEW LOOK

I always remind people that October is the best month to begin to provision and prep food for the winter holidays, especially for baking projects. In a few weeks, dairy prices will rise and stocks of other ingredients will be depleted, candied fruits, nuts, flavorings and decorations in particular. If you have any concern about spoilage, remember cookie dough, unbaked pastry, and baked cakes freeze well. Even icings freeze if they don’t contain uncooked eggs. Furthermore, having items prepared, or partially prepared, is a big time and stress saver when holiday schedules really get tight. See my posts on how to schedule holiday meal preparation and stay calm Oct. 5, 12, 19, 2017 and Oct. 18,2018.

Another category that benefits from advance prepping is home- made holiday food gifts, which may be taking on more significance this year. We all know that social distancing will change things. Large group events will probably be canceled charity balls, bazaars, concerts, church and school programs and those ‘Door busters’ luring throngs of holiday shoppers. The private sector will, no doubt, be affected as well canceling office parties and the wonderful cocktail-buffets where we catch up with friends but an unexpected trend is adding full family holiday dinners to the list.

A couple I know, who share their large home with their married daughter and her two children, a toddler and an infant, have decided to break with tradition and host no extended family holiday dinners. The wife, a consummate baker, plans to make extra amounts of her specialties and deliver them to the relatives she would normally host. A friend of hers has been making jam all summer for the same purpose, and she knows a farmer’s wife who plans to deliver a half a roasted turkey Christmas Eve to all the relatives usually invited to dinner.

These gifts aren’t personalized ‘Thank You’s or special ways to wish friends a happy holiday. They carry a deeper message, saying “I made this for you because I want you to know I care for and will miss you. I am truly saddened by this situation, pray next year things will be normal again and we will be together.” It’s the thought and effort that goes into making such gifts which really carries the message. The personal touch conveys more than words and fortunately, several will stand up to shipping, because, if this trend continues, it will curtail travel. So should the trend continue, these items are worth considering.

Even if, hopefully, a vaccine is developed and the pandemic is over by December, these home-made items can still be gifted and save some shopping. They can say;”Hey, look what I did stuck at home” or “The kids and I thought you might like to share what we learned.”(Think grandparents!) Finally, you might simply like some for your pantry-the chai tea mix is a 12 month go-to for me and the almonds are better than any on the market. In fact, I use most of these recipes frequently in serving my family meals.

Most of these items, especially the nuts, would be quite expensive to buy, so there’s no fear of slighting the recipient and several can be combined either with others or placed in a container which also counts as part of the gift. Most also ship well. For years, I sent the cookies to Italy and they had aged just enough to be perfect on arrival-and they don’t break. Of course, you may have specialties of your own to make and I hope this helps with some ideas about presentations.

RECIPES
WATERMELON PICKLE:
1 Watermelon- Green rind peeled and meat removed. White rind cut in 1 inch cubes.
1 cup cider vinegar per pound
1 cup water per pound
1 ½ cup sugar per pound
3 inches stick cinnamon per pound
4 cloves per pound
1 Tbs. sliced ginger root per pound
Cover melon cubes with salted water and soak for 2 hrs. Drain and rinse well. Boil in fresh water until half tender, about 10 mins. Drain again and rinse in cool water. Weigh melon and measure the other ingredients into a pot accordingly and boil them for about ½ hr. until a syrup forms. Add drained melon rind and boil for another 10 mins. or until rind is crisp-tender. Allow to cool and pack cubes with syrup, including spices, to cover, into glass jars with secure fitting lids. Store refrigerated.

MINT SAUCE:
4 cups fresh mint –tough stems removed
Cider vinegar to cover
Sugar or substitute such as Splenda to taste
Simmer the mint and vinegar in a pot until the leaves are cooked, about 8 min. Add sweetener to taste as the mint cooks. Do not over do. This should be sweet-sour when finished. Remove from heat, cool and process or blend until the mint is finely ground. Correct seasoning and pour into clean bottles. Let stand, uncapped until completely cool, cap and store in a dark, dry, cool place. Keeps for two years or more.
Use in salads, on cooked vegetables and to marinate or baste meat.
NOTE: I use sterilized salad dressing bottles—but only glass ones.

APPLE CHUTNEY: Makes 1 1/3 cups
2cups peeled, cored and chopped apples
½ cup chopped onion
½ cup raisins
1/3 cup cider vinegar
¼ cup brown sugar
¼ cup water
2 Tbs. candied citron
1 Tbs. curry powder
½ tsp salt
½ tsp ground ginger
1/8 tsp, ground cloves
1/8 tsp. ground cinnamon
2cloves garlic-minced
Put everything into a pot and cook over low heat for 50 mins. stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. Cool and pour into jars of about 4 oz. each. This keeps for months in a cool dry place but once opened, refrigerate.

GRANOLA CRISPS
This is another “gourmet” food that is expensive to buy commercially but inexpensive and easy to make .The beauty of this basic recipe is that you can include “add-ins” to personalize it especially if dealing with allergies as I do with my family.
1 cup whole wheat flour
3 cups rolled oats
1 cup brown sugar packed
6 Tbs. butter (1/2 lb.) butter melted
½ cup water
Pinch salt
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Whisk the dry ingredients together, and the butter into the water, then pour the liquid over the dry ingredients and mix well, incorporating any add-ins. Use as many of them as you like. Spread the batter out on cookie sheets and bake until light brown and crisp, about ½ hr. Cool on the sheets and break into pieces. Store in air-tight containers. I find tins do well for this.
ADD-INS; Shredded coconut, raisins, dried cranberries or other dried fruits, peanuts, almonds or other nuts, sunflower or toasted sesame seeds, and/or spices like cinnamon and nuts .

ROASTED ALMONDS:
You need to buy the Raw, Natural Almonds in skins for this
1 tsp. butter per pound of nuts
Salt to liberally cover-several tablespoons
Cover the almonds with water and bring to a boil. Simmer for 3 -4 mins until some nuts start to float. Working a batch at a time rinse the nuts under cold water and remove the skins by squeezing them. The nut will pop out of its skin. Preheat the oven to 350 deg. Melt the butter on a foil covered cookie sheet. Toss the skinned nuts in the butter and bake them until golden to light brown, tossing occasionally, about 30 mins. Watch carefully toward the end because they will burn quickly. Roll the nuts onto paper towels and liberally sprinkle with salt. Cool and place in jars. Allow to stand uncovered several hours. Cover and store in a cool dark place. Will keep about 6 weeks. I use glass jars for storage, but for gifts I buy tins that hold either 1 or 2 pounds. At Christmas, I fill decorative mugs with nuts, seal them with plastic wrap and top with a bow. They make great token gifts.

CHAI TEA
Although there are plenty of recipes out there for instant chai tea, I think they miss the mark. They require several powdered commercial products, including the tea, are pre-sweetened and you end up spooning a finished mixture into water. This is O.K. if you want to make it for yourself, but as a present, it’s like giving someone a jar of instant coffee. It’s far more elegant to give a jar of actual tea with spices that can be steeped and flavored to order, and more economical too– commercial add-ins cost money. Use black tea leaves or if you can only find blended teas, opt for a breakfast one. Avoid green tea. Its flavor is too weak to stand up to the spices.
Spice ingredients for one pot of tea: about 6 cups
1/2 of a star anise star
10-12 whole cloves
6-7 whole allspice
1 heaping teaspoon of cinnamon bark (or 2 short sticks)
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1 cardamom pod opened to the seeds-lightly crushed
1 inch piece of ginger, sliced thin, dried and crumbled
2 heaping tablespoons of a high quality full-bodied broad-leaf black tea (Ceylon, or English Breakfast if a broad-leaf Ceylon is not available)-Available in most stores
Optionally 2 Tbs. brown sugar-to taste
Other ingredients:
1 cup water
4 cups whole milk
NOTE: 1 Tbs. =2grams=1 cup or bag.
Pour spice mix over 5-6 cups of water, boil for 1 min. then steep for 5 min. cool and pour into a pitcher and add equal amount of milk. Add sugar to taste if needed. Serve cool or cold.
To make by the cup: Sprinkle 2 Tbs. tea over 1 cup cold water. Allow to boil for 30-45 sec. Then steep for 4 min. Strain and pour dividing into 2 cups. Add milk to equal 2 cups and sugar to taste. Serve cool

FRUIT BREADS: Not Grandma’s lead heavy fruit cake. This recipe is wonderful in that by using the options, you can make it into your own.
2 boxes of quick bread mix with fruits—DO NOT buy a swirl or sweet variety.*
¼ cup chopped pecans or walnuts
¼ cup raisins
¼ cup chopped candied fruits
¼ cup other chopped dried fruits not in either mix**
Ingredients listed on boxes.
Red wine
Rye or Bourbon for wrapping
Cooking spray
Whole pecan or walnut halves and candied cherries for decoration
colored sugar crystals.
(2) 8 or 9 inch round cake pans or 2 regular loaf pans
Remove a bit of the mix from each, about ¼ cup total, and toss with the fruits to coat and separate them so they don’t clump in the cakes. Make up the batters separately replacing half the water required with wine, then combine them. Mix in the chopped fruits and nuts. Spray pans and divide batter between them. Decorate the tops with the nut halves, cherries and sugar. Do not press in or they will sink into the batter as it rises. Alternatively, pull out the oven shelf after about 15min. and place the fruits and nuts. The sugar can be sprinkled before baking. Cook and cool according to package directions*** in a preheated oven and on a rack. Remove from pans and invert onto plates.
When cool, sprinkle liberally with the whiskey, and wrap in plastic wrap, Refrigerate on plates. Unwrap every week to ten days and re-sprinkle with the whiskey.
*I like Cranberry and Pumpkin for the mix, but Cranberry and Date Nut is good too. It depends on the holiday and your preference.
**The best choices of dried fruits for this type of bread are apricots, dates, figs and pineapple. Just don’t duplicate a fruit already in the mix.
***Even when using the same brand there may be a variation in cooking times This may require a bit of math. Usually there will be a common ground if you overlap the time brackets. Use a toothpick to test for doneness.
*****You may want to add more colored sugar before serving

YULE LOG—Serves 16-18
Using boxed Gingerbread mix, I replace half the water with applesauce, add ¼ cup oil and use 2 eggs. Beat only until well incorporated – about 2 min.
Grease the bottom only of a 19 x 11 inch jelly roll pan. Line it with parchment paper and grease the paper.
Preheat the oven to 350 deg., and bake on the middle rack for 16 to 18 min. until it springs back when poked lightly with a finger.
Remove from the oven and sprinkle liberally with powdered sugar. Cover with a tea towel, and using a board as a brace invert the cake. Peel off the parchment and roll the long side of the cake in the towel. Resting the seam on the bottom let the cake cool completely.
Meanwhile, beat 8 oz. cream cheese with 8 oz. Cool Whip until smooth adding 2 tsp. maple flavoring -or to taste, and 1/3 cup chopped, toasted walnuts or pecans.
Carefully unroll the cake and fill with the cheese mixture. Re-roll. Trim ends evenly.
Cut a piece about 3 inches long from one end on an angle and position it along the “trunk” to form a branch. Secure it with a bit of frosting.
Frost the cake and add any decorations. Freeze until ready to serve. Allow to thaw 30 to 45 min.

Coconut Macaroons- The advantage of these cookies as gifts is their durability. Long distance shipping won’t alter their appearance or taste.
Vanilla-Optionally Cherry
1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
1 (14 oz.) pkg. shredded coconut
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Optionally ½ cup chopped candied cherries.
Mix all ingredients in a bowl and drop by rounded teaspoons on a greased baking sheet. Bake at 350 deg. For 10 min. until slightly golden. Cool slightly on sheet then remove.

Chocolate Macaroons
1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condenses milk
1(14 oz.) pkg. shredded coconut
1 (12 oz.) pkg. semi-sweet chocolate chips
Melt the chocolate in a microwave at 30 sec. intervals. When melted add the coconut and gradually stir in the milk, using only enough to moisten the batter so that it can be easily be transferred to the pan by heaping teaspoon. To test, let the batter rest for a minute, push it to one side, tilt the bowl and if liquid quickly pools in the bottom, don’t add more milk. A runny batter spreads in cooking resulting in flat conjoined cookies.

Oct 1

APPLES-SYMBOL OF FALL

With their bright colors, crisp texture and clean, slightly spicy flavor, apples are the perfect fall icon. Of Asian origin, they are one of the oldest fruits and certainly the most legendary. Globally grown, apples have more varieties than other fruits, over 7.500, 2,500 produced in the U.S. alone, some naturally developed by climate and soil, most cultivated. Only about 100 types are commercially traded, and just 4 or 5 regularly in local markets, depending on geography, but that’s still enough to have them available all year and make them familiar ingredients in most cuisines, serving in dishes for every phase of a meal.

All apples can be eaten raw, but some cook better than others and, depending on the cooking time, a specific variety may be preferred over another for a recipe. The list changes every few years because new or improved varieties are constantly being cultivated. Right now, Granny Smiths are the go-to for cooking and Red Delicious the standard recommendation for eating-out-of-hand. Current favorites for general use are Fuji and Honeycrisp.

Apples should be firm to the touch, but not rock hard, may have some specks on the skin, but no bruises and smell faintly like apple. They’re long-lasting if kept in a cool place, refrigeration is good. However, they absorb odors, so separate them from pungent items such as onions and garlic. Proximity to potatoes speeds ripening due to ethylene gas, so avoid that as well. Once cut, exposure to oxygen will brown them. The common preventative recommended is fresh lemon juice, which is fine for a salad but may affect taste if the slices are used as dippers for example. Another answer is to soak the slices in salted water for 15 min. then rinse and store chilled, rinsing again right before use.

Apples may be iconic to autumn, but they are a mainstay through the winter. They provide fresh fruit for our diets, energy boosting snacks, add bright flavor touches to entrees and create delicious desserts. Below are 14 recipes to show how versatile apples are and how they can fit into any part of a meal. If you want to explore more Sept 27, 2018 and Oct. 26, 2017 and Nov.2, 2017.

RECIPES
Canapes: Apples are natural partners with cheeses and smoked meats. A chunk of apple paired with a piece of nearly any cheese and/or a square of ham or corned beef, for example, on a toothpick makes a nice presentation. Slices are also great dippers for cheese mixes.
Apple Chips: Makes about 40-50
2 large cooking apples- cored and cut lengthwise in thin slices
½ cup sugar
Water to cover- about 1 cup
Dissolve sugar in water and soak apple slices 15 min. Drain and place in a single layer on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake in a 200 deg. oven for 2 hours, turning once or until dry, golden and slightly curling. Cool and use at once or store in airtight containers. Serve with cheese dips, or topped with a cheese curl or small dab of cheese-Blue or Cheddar recommended. These can be re-hydrated by boiling in a bit of water or apple juice until soft to use as pie or strudel stuffing.

SOUP
Apple Soup: Serves 6
Recipe I
4 large apples-cored and chopped
1 large red onion- minced
3 Tbs. butter
1 quart chicken stock
¼ tsp. EACH nutmeg, salt, cinnamon
2 cups half-and-half or heavy cream
½ cup toasted chopped walnuts
Saute onions and apples in butter until tender. Add stock and seasonings and blend. Simmer partially covered 10 min. Off stove, fold in half-and-half or cream. Warm to incorporate. Serve chilled or warm garnished with nuts .
Recipe II— Curried version
Replace nutmeg and cinnamon with 1 ¼ tsp. curry powder, or to taste, and reduce cream to ¾ cup. Garnish with parsley or chopped chives in place of nuts.

SALADS and EXTRAS
Waldorf Salad: Serves 4
This salad is an oldie but goodie not often seen on menus now. Serve with muffins or rolls.
.4 apples—peeled cored and in bite-size dice
2 ribs celery diced
½ cup raisins
½ cup toasted walnuts
1/8 tsp. curry powder – optional
Mayonnaise
½ head of iceberg or equal amount Romaine slice thin
Mix first 5 ingredients in a bowl with just enough mayonnaise stir easily. Line 4 plates with lettuce and spoon salad equally into centers of each. Garnish with dried parsley or more nuts. Can also be stuffed into pitas.

Apple-Nut Salsa: Serves 2-From Steven Raichlen’s Indoor Grilling
1 large, crisp apple- sweet-tart such as Fuji—skin on-cored and in medium-small dice
2 Tbs. finely diced onion
1 jalapeno pepper in fine dice-or more to taste
3 Tbs. chopped, toasted pecans or walnuts
2 Tbs. lime juice
1 Tbs. finely chopped candied ginger*
3 Tbs. finely chopped cilantro
1 Tbs. brown sugar-optional
Toss the apple with the lime juice in a bowl to prevent browning. Then add the other ingredients, but don’t mix until ready to serve. Can be made several hours ahead and kept covered, refrigerated. Serve with ham, pork, sausage, good with barbeque.
*If you don’t have candied ginger, mix powdered with a little brown sugar to taste.

Apple Compote: Yield 3 cups—A multi-use recipe. It’s useful in desserts as an ingredient, but can be served as alone as a fruit course, as an accompaniment to meat or as a dessert with whipped or ice cream. A few tablespoons can be stirred into hot or cold cereal.
6 large cooking apples –Golden (NOT Red) Delicious, Granny Smith, Rome etc.
1 cup water
¼ cup sugar
1 Tbs . lemon juice
¼ cup raisins—optional
¼ tsp. cinnamon—optional
¼ cup chopped toasted walnuts-for optional garnish
Peel, core and dice apples in ½ inch chunks. Bring sugar and water to a boil; add apples, raisins and juice. Cook until fruit is tender but not mushy. Taste if more sugar is needed, add cinnamon if desired. Serve warm or chilled, topped with nuts if desired.

ENTREES
Apple-Pork Casserole: Serves 6
6 medium cooking apples-peeled, cored and sliced
2 cups diced, cooked pork-dark meat chicken or turkey are acceptable
1/3 cup water
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
½ tsp. salt
1/3 cup fresh breadcrumbs
Cook apples in water, covered until soft. Place pork in the bottom of a casserole, add ½ the salt and ½ the apples. Repeat layer and top with breadcrumbs, bake in a 375 deg. oven for 30 min. until bubbling. Serve hot.

Gorgonzola-Apple Stuffing for Poultry: Serves 4– from Gourmet Cooking by Deborah Anderson
(4) 1 ½ lbs. Cornish hens or chickens or one 5-6lb. bird
1pkg. wild rice-about 2 cups cooked
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½ cup pine nuts
4oz. Gorgonzola cheese
1 cup diced onion – optional
Salt and pepper
Mix all ingredients while rice is still warm so cheese melts. Stuff birds and roast at 350 deg. 1 hour 15 min, until juices run clear, basting occasionally. Serve hot.

SIDES
Scalloped Apples with Cheese: Serves 6
4 apples-pared, cored and sliced
¾ cup fine breadcrumbs
2 cups shredded sharp cheese
2 Tbs. butter
milk
Salt to taste
½ tsp. melted butter
Line a greased baking dish with ¼ breadcrumbs, cover with about 1 apple sliced, ½ cup cheese and a sprinkle of salt . Repeat layering until ingredients are used. Pour over milk to cover and top with ½ cup breadcrumbs tossed with melted butter. Bake at 350 deg. until apples are soft, about 30 min.

Cabbage and Apple Bake: Serves 4
1 medium head cabbage-finely shredded
3 Tbs. butter
2 Granny Smith apples-peeled and sliced
½ medium onion- sliced
2 Tbs. caraway seeds
2 tsp. salt
Paprika
Melt the butter in a large skillet and toss in all the ingredients to coat. Cover and cook over low for 1 hour. Serve hot. OR toss ingredients in an oven-proof casserole, cover and bake on low (300 deg.) for about an hour.

DESSERTS

Easy Apple Strudel: Serves 6-8-FromRecipes 1-2-3 by Rozanne Gold
2 ½ cups compote
5 Tbs. unsalted butter-melted
7 sheets phyllo dough
lay sheets of phyllo on a flat surface and coat each lightly with butter using a pastry brush, restacking them as you do. Spoon apple compote parallel to one of the short sides of the phyllo leaving a 3 inch margin. Roll up tightly like a jelly roll. Place, seam side down on a baking sheet. Brush top with remaining butter and bake in a 375 deg. oven for 25min. Cool and serve in slices. Best within 3 hrs. of baking, do NOT refrigerate, not even leftovers.

Dutch Apple Cake: Serves 6-8
Use an 8 inch round cake pan
2-3 apples-depending on size, peeled, cored and sliced
1 cup flour
2 Tbs. sugar + a little for garnish
2 eggs beaten
2 ½ oz. butter
2 Tbs. milk
½ tp. baking powder
¼ tsp. salt
Cinnamon and sugar for garnish
Sift dry ingredients, blend in butter . First stir in eggs then milk. Pout into a greased and floured pan and arrange apple slices decoratively in a circular pattern over the top. Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. Bake at 450 deg. for 40 min. Serve on a plate or from pan. Optionally pass whipped cream.
Crust can be frozen, chilled or baked ahead according to pie directions.

A LUNCH SUGGESTION
Ham, Cheese and Apple Sandwich: Serves 1
4 slices bread-Jewish rye or pumpernickel suggested, or wheat buns
Deli sliced ham and cheese-choices optional
Thin coating of mustard on bread-optional
Slice a peeled, cored apple in about 3 slices per quarter. Put in a small bowl with a light sprinkle of sugar and another of cinnamon. Add 1-2 Tbs. water or apple juice and microwave about 1min-1 min.30 sec. Store refrigerated in juice if made ahead. This prevents the apple from browning. Layer apples on bread between ham and cheese, to keep moisture from ruining bread