The Recipe Corner - Homemade Applesauce

Sometimes the best things in life are the simplest.  For years my grandmother and I made this together every fall.

Peck of apples (preferably Cortlands)
1/2 cup of water
Pinch of cinnamon

Quarter, core and slice apples into heavy bottomed pot. Pour in water and bring to boil, turn down and simmer until all are mushy.  Run through the larger blades on a food mill discarding the peels.  The pink color comes naturally.  Add cinnamon if desired.  Will keep up to a week in the fridge and freezes well so you can make it now and enjoy it for Thanksgiving.

Recipe compliments of Spongetta.

The Recipe Corner

Garlic with a Side of Chicken 
(adapted from a recipe in Everyday Food that I have long since lost, so it may not resemble it anyway)

1 or 2 heads of garlic, smashed, peeled, and coarsely chopped
1/2 cup olive oil
Lemon sliced into rounds
8-10 skinned chicken thighs
Fresh chopped tarragon (parsley and basil work well too)

Heat garlic in pot with olive oil.  Bring to bubbling then simmer 10 minutes.  Allow to cool.  Toss oil with chicken, lemon and herbs. Season with salt and pepper.  Let sit a half hour.  Heat oven to 400.  Dump chicken mixture into a roasting pan and bake until cooked through, turning once, about 40 minutes.

A great entree for even the most picky eater.

Recipe compliments of Spongetta.

The Recipe Corner -Chicken and Mushroom Soup

These measurements are all approximate; it's your soup - wiggle the ingredients around to suit your taste.

1 Cup Chicken Broth (I use College Inn when I don't have home-made, which is most of the time.)

1/2 cup of cooked chicken cubed or in hunks - you can use more if you want.

1 oz of uncooked pasta (I used spaghetti when I made the soup in the picture.)

1/4 cup frozen peas

1/4 cup dried mushrooms or 1/2 cup fresh mushrooms. What kind?  Any kind you want. I have used Black Trumpets, oysters, portabella, morels,  porcini, shiitake and chicken mushroom. You can also use those uninteresting white mushrooms that you see in every grocery store. 

Basil

Olive oil

If you are using dried mushrooms, reconstitute them with boiling water to cover. Don't throw out the mushroom water; it's a good addition to the soup.

If you are using fresh mushrooms, saute them for about 5 minutes in a little olive oil and basil.

Bring broth to a boil, add basil if you are using dried mushrooms, and cook the pasta. When it is al dente, add the frozen peas, and the chicken. Bring back to a boil and add the mushrooms with the basil and oil or with the mushroom water depending on what mushrooms you are using. 

Oyster mushrooms in the wild.

Serves 1.

Recipe compliments of GoodOldBooks.

Thursdays Recipe Corner

Beachcomber Pasta Salad
Brought to you by Beachcobersgrove
Paintings and jewelry with a sandy point of view. Its only appropriate that the first ingredient in this recipe is shells.

1 lb pasta (sm shell)
1 handful black olives, pitted
  1 c. sun-dried tomatoes in oil
1 c. broccoli crowns (firm cooked)
1 bunch fresh basil
1 c. corn/peas
1/2 red onion chopped(or green onions)
1 bottle italian dressing
Optional: parmesean cheese & bacon bits
Salt, pepper, thyme to taste

Beachcombers Cove, Your Oasis of Fun , Tropical Art

The peaceful spirit of the seahorse is represented here for your wearing pleasure. Handmade in 16g. sterling silver wire and combined with natural, bone beads, it is approximately 8" long and fastens with a handmade clasp. 

Thursdays Recipe Corner

Today's tasty toast recipe is brought to you by the appropriately named Tofunutloaf on etsy.com. If you are a fan of breadyness, she has a mascot for you. Meet the Burger Bott who is cute enough to eat.
And now for the eats.

Yeah, I'm writing up how to make toast. But, this was really awesome toast, and really awesome toast is not an everyday occurrence. You will not find this toast at any fancy brunch, or on a high-class continental breakfast buffet, or in any fancy breakfast spot anywhere. It can only be had by searching out (or making) the best local food around. To have this incredible toast experience, you will need:

1 thick slice of amazing bread
really good fresh goat cheese
The best honey you can muster

Toast bread. Spread with the desired amount of goat cheese, and drizzle with honey. Eat.

If you happen to be near the Greater Champaign-Urbana Metropolitan Area, and would like to experience this toast as I did, you will need:

1 thick slice Mirabelle honey walnut bread
Prairie Fruits Herbs de Provence chevre
honey from Sasse's Apiary

Toast bread. Spread with the desired amount of goat cheese, and drizzle with honey. Eat. Toast more bread, spread with goat cheese, and drizzle with honey. Eat.

The Recipe Corner - Almond Delights

Today's Thursday treat comes from WhimseyFish.  An artist with a range of talents. From large jewelry to tiny knitted sweaters. She has wonderful sense of color and texture which is well represented in her cooking.
Enjoy.

Almond Delights
Makes 50

The Cookie:
½ cup Slivered Almonds
1 cup Butter, softened
½ cup Confectioners' Sugar
2 tsp. Almond Extract
1/8 tsp. Salt
2 cups Flour
Chocolate-Almond Filling

1. Bake the almonds for 5 minutes in a 350° oven until they are lightly browned. Let cool, finely chop and set aside.
2. Mix butter and sugar until smooth and creamy. Add almond extract, salt and flour. Mix well.
3. For each cookie half, roll a rounded ½ tsp. of dough into a ball the size of a marble. Place 1½ inches apart on an ungreased
baking sheet and bake in a 350° oven for 10 to 12 minutes until firm, but not browned. Cool completely on a wire rack.
4. Put together 2 cookies with about ½ tsp. of the filling. Don’t skimp, as you want the frosting to ooze out the sides so the nuts have something to stick to.
5. Generously roll the exposed chocolate frosting edge in the chopped almonds.

Chocolate-Almond Filling:
2 tbs. Butter
2 tbs. Heavy Cream
3 oz. Semisweet Chocolate Chips
½ tsp. Almond Extract
1 cup Confectioners' Sugar

1. Bring the butter and cream to a boil. Remove from heat and add chocolate, stirring until smooth. Mix in the remaining ingredients.
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The Recipe Corner. Homemade Peach Ice Cream

Your list of ingredients. 

1 pint half and half
1 pint whipping cream
1 14 oz can condensed milk
Fresh peaches.
I use 3 large ripe peaches because I like lots of peach flavor.

Mix all ingredients together except the peaches.
Peel and chop peaches or run through food processor depending on your preference of chunky or smooth ice cream.

Mix the pieces with the milk/cream mixture and freeze according to the instruction on your ice cream freezer.

Find a shady tree on a summer day, sit under the tree and consume.

Visit TextstyleTextures online shop for the linen dress that goes perfect with peach ice-cream, summer days and shady trees.


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The Recipe Corner - Popcorn, Main Course

Popcorn is an economical thing to eat providing you don’t break a tooth on it.  Then it gets expensive. Be careful. Please. 

Cook your popcorn in olive oil. This helps with the illusion that you are eating healthy food.  I pop up a double fistful of popcorn in olive oil and throw into a large shallow bowl. Large and shallow is important for the mixing technique used later on. That and carefully washing your hands.

In the pot you just used, swab out any bits of hull, pour in the amount of olive oil you are going to put on your popcorn (still healthy) and then pour in some more. (oops.)

Crush three giant cloves of garlic into the oil and saute lightly. When the garlic turns lite brown and the house reeks, let it cool a bit. Then pour over popcorn while occasionally digging both hands into popcorn and tossing gently (into the air like the falling autumn leaves. No, no. Don’t do that).

Generously sprinkle Brewers Yeast powder over popcorn till you think you have enough. Yes, we are still keeping with the illusion that we are eating healthy. Then sprinkle in some more.  Yes, folks, Brewers Yeast. It has a very nutty flavor that blends well with the garlic and olive oil. Its available at your local health food store. Give it a try. 

Sprinkle a bit of lawry’s Seasoning Salt. Its got to be Lawry's. I don't know why. The only thing that you could season your popcorn with that would taste better would be a thick cut of rare to medium steak also seasoned with Lawry's. 

You don't have to go too crazy with the salt.  Again. The illusion of health. 

Sprinkle in some Parmesan cheese. That's the protein part of the meal. When you think you have sprinkled in enough, sprinkle in some more. 

Push your sleeves up to your elbows and start dredging up the popcorn, grease and powdery stuff. Get the seasonings nicely distributed and call the neighbors over for a taste test. 

I was going to get a glamorous  fashion shot of the finished product but I turned my back on the neighbors for what I swear was no longer than three seconds. When I turned back this is what I found. The empty bowl is testimony to how good it is. 

Recipe compliments of ManicManx.

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The Recipe Corner - Plaintains

You need at least 1/2 a plantain for each person.

Melt butter and olive (or vegetable oil) in a frying pan. Turn your heat to medium or medium low. Add the plantain, sliced about a quarter inch thick, to the oil. Shake sugar and cinnamon over the top of the plantains. fry until golden, turn plantains and add sugar and cinnamon to the other side. Before taking them off the heat, flip the pieces back for about 30 seconds just to set the second sugar and cinnamon coating. Serve hot with ice cream for dessert or, my favorite, as a side dish to jambalaya.

Recipe compliments of MarthaHorman.
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The Recipe Corner - Tasty Chicken and Super Sweet Tamales

I used to live in Mexico, and was a home health nurse in L.A. for Cubans. Both have their own way of making tamales.  I sort of combined them and added my own takes. We made both the sweet and the chicken tamales the other day and they were fantastic. Also, now that there is the maseca, which is tamale corn flour, you don't have to spend four hours just boiling the corn meal, then another 4 hours boiling the tamales.

For the Chicken Tamales, follow the Maseca package recipe, but add a can of creamed corn to the tamale mix; the final mix should be thick enough that you can form it.  All the maseca recipes say steam the tamales, but we just boiled them covered with water for 1/2 hour and they came out great!
You do have to add more spices because both the boiling and steaming will somewhat diminish their strength.

Chicken filling for tamales:
Slow cook chicken (thighs are best)  in a crock pot set on low with chicken broth, fresh bay leaf, garlic, fresh rosemary, fresh or dried thyme, splash of white wine and an herb mix such as Cavender's Greek Seasoning. I slow cook the chicken over night.

After boning chicken fry in pan with olive oil, white wine, onion, red bell pepper, garlic, fresh bay leaf, fresh or dried thyme, Cavender's Seasoning and a bit of fresh ground nutmeg. Salt to taste. If you would like your tamales hot add a chopped hot chili of your choice. 


SWEET TAMALE RECIPE
2- cups tamale flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2/3 cup butter (margarine), whipped
1-1/2 cups liquid
1/2 can pineapple, crushed
cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, grated nutmeg
nuts
Mix dry ingredients, add in butter  then liquids. Let sit for a few minutes; should be consistency
of thick peanut butter; need to form and put channel in for the filling.

Filling:  1/2 can pineapple (crushed)
             1 tsp of each allspice or pumpkin pie spice; cinnamon; 
             1/2 tsp grated nutmeg
              a dash of rum
              1/2 cup of pecans (small pieces)
              2 tbsp brown sugar
              1/3 cup of raisins (preferably soaked first in pineapple juice and rum!!!)

Put about 2 tbsp maza in the lower third of shuck, towards skinny end.
Put in about a tsp or 2 of filling; add another tsp or so of maza to cover; fold  and tie with
string.
Boil for 1/2 hour. (better than steaming!)
We ate some of each then froze the rest with our old vacuum sealer. They last for 6 months easily.

Recipes compliments of FlowersForRealJewelr.

The Recipe Corner - Salmon Salade Composee

This is my mash up of Salade Niciose and Salade Composee (Composed salad).  Composee salads are beautiful, and great for big groups when everyone is on a different diet!  Finally the Paleos and the Vegans can agree!

8 to 16 oz.  cooked salmon, or tuna (canned is OK)
3 hard boiled eggs peeled and either sliced or quartered
8 oz  (a big handful)green beans stem ends trimmed
8 small red potatoes (each about 2 inches in diameter, about 1 1/4 pounds total), each potato  scrubbed   and quartered
1 small red onion sliced thin
3 small ripe tomatoes, cored and cut into eighths
2 medium heads butter lettuce, or mixed salad greens, leaves washed, dried, and torn into bite-sized pieces
1/4 cup niçoise olives 
2 Tbsp capers, rinsed
4 oz. blue cheese and/or feta
1 small lemon cut into eighths

Vinaigrette

1/2 cup lemon juice 
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium shallot, minced 
1 Tbsp  thyme 
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard 
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Whisk lemon juice, oil, shallot, thyme and mustard; season to taste with salt and pepper and set aside.
Bring potatoes and 4 quarts cold water to boil in a large pot. Add 1 tablespoon salt and cook until potatoes are tender, 5 to 8 minutes. 
Bring green beans and enough water to cover them to a boil. Cook until bright green.  They should be tender but crisp, 3 to 5 minutes. Drain beans, transfer to cold water, and let stand until just cool, about 30 seconds; dry beans well. 
This is the fun part: Place the salmon in the middle of a large platter. Gently break it into bite sized pieces and top with capers.  Arrange the other components around the fish in an attractive way.  I like to serve the lettuce in a separate bowl.  Pass the vinaigrette, and a nice, dry white wine!

Recipe compliments of ClockworkCrow.

the Recipe Corner - Black Bean Chili

Ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds boneless pork, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 15 1/2-oz. cans black beans, drained
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped yellow bell pepper
1 cup thick and chunky salsa
1 15 1/2-oz. can diced tomatoes, do not drain
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper

Directions
Combine all ingredients in a slow cooker.
Cover and cook on low heat setting 7 to 8 hours.
Serve with avocado, onion, diced tomatoes, etc.
Bread bowls are a nice touch.

I love recipes that I can set and forget and have dinner prepared when I get home from work. You can even put all the ingredients in the slow cooker at night, put it in the refrigerator and take it out in the morning and set it to cook before you leave for the day.


Recipe compliments of beachcomberscove.
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The Recipe Corner - Grandma's Sponge Cake

6 large eggs, separated
1 cup sugar
Grated rind of 1/2 lemon
2 tbsps. lemon juice
1 cup flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking power

Beat the egg yolks until thick. Add sugar slowly, still beating. Then add the grated rind, lemon juice and one half of the beaten egg whites. Mix well.

Fold in flour, baking power and salt. Add remainder of beaten egg whites and mix lightly.

Bake in an ungreased tin (cake pan) in a moderate oven (350〫F) for 35 to 45 minutes. Invert pan to cool.

Grandma always used an angel food cake pan for her sponge cake. She would also substitute orange rind and juice for the lemon. It depended on what she had in the house.

Recipe compliments of MarthaHorman.
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The Recipe Corner - Sweetened Condensed Milk Caramel

1 can sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated) 

Remove label from can. Place unopened can in the bottom of a very deep pot.. Cover with water so that the water is 3 to 4-inches above the can. Bring the water to a boil and boil steadily for four (4) hours.

You must make sure that the can is always totally covered with water. Never let the water level get down to the top of the can, because this could cause the can to explode. You can boil it with the lid on to slow down the evaporation. You will have to add water (hot hot hot) as you go.

After four hours remove the can from the water and allow it to cool. When can is cold or at least cool to the touch, open and you will have soft caramel; even the color is caramel. Keep it refrigerated.

Great as a fruit dip. Warm in a microwave and pour over cake, Service with crispy cookies and ice cream. Or just get a spoon.

Recipe compliments of TexstyleTextures.

The Recipe Corner - Smoked Salmon Quiche

Preheat oven to 375F.

1/4 pound of thin slices of smoked salmon (I use lox.)
4 whole eggs plus 2 egg yolks
2 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup grated Jarlsberg (Imported Swiss cheese may be substituted.)
Salt, pepper, and a pinch of nutmeg
Pastry for one pie shell
Butter

Line a pie plate or a quiche dish with the pastry.

Arrange most of the salmon on the pastry. Save one or two pieces to decorate the top.

Sprinkle the salmon with the Jarlsberg.

Beat the eggs and the cream together and add the Parmesan cheese and nutmeg. Season to taste with the salt and pepper.

Gently pour the custard over the salmon and Jarlsberg. Dot the top with the butter and lay the saved slices of salmon on top.

Bake 35 to 40 minutes until the custard is lightly browned and the custard is set. Serve at once.

Recipe compliments of GoodOldBooks.
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The Recipe Corner - Oven-fried Zucchini Sticks

Ingredients:

Cooking spray
1/2 cup whole-wheat flour
1/2 cup all-purpose flour 
1 1/2 lb. zucchini (about 3 med.) cut into 1/2 X 3” sticks
2 Tblsp cornmeal 
2 egg whites lightly beaten
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 475 F. 
Coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray. 


Combine flours, cornmeal, salt, & pepper in a large resealable plastic bag. Dip zucchini in egg white, shake in bag to coat, and arrange, not touching, on the baking sheet. Coat all exposed sides with cooking spray. 
Bake on the center rack for 7 minutes. Turn the zucchini and coat any floury spots with the cooking spray. Continue to bake until golden brown and just tender, about 5 minutes more. 


Serve hot.


Recipe compliments of Beachcomberscove.

The Recipe Corner - Bear Logs

Peanut Butter Banana Granola Rolls - aka - Bear Logs 


You will need:

1/2 medium banana

1/4 cup Peanut Butter (almond butter/cashew butter - smooth to crunchy -whatever you like best)

1 cup unsweetened granola (I used a organic store bought brand, which tend to be sweetened, but that has cranberries, almond, sunflower seeds)

wax paper

Mash and mix all ingredients together. 
Dump out onto a piece of wax paper and form into a log. Place in freezer for about 90 minutes. Take out and slice into 1 inch slices. 
We cut off a slice to eat and kept the rest in the freezer. You can put a slice in the microwave for 10 seconds if it's too frozen. They have a nice creamy crunch and are very filling and addictive. 


Recipe compliments of alterspace.

The Recipe Corner -Cheesecake Cookies

Preheat oven to 350

1 box cake mix, yellow or butter
1 8 oz pkg cream cream or reasonable substitute
1 stick butter or reasonable substitute
2 jumbo eggs (if you don't have jumbo or extra large you might add an extra egg)
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla or almond flavoring (optional)

Soften the cheese and butter to room temperature, blend with the eggs and sugar. add cake mix a little at a time until thoroghly blended.

Drop by teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 12-15 minutes depending on oven and how brown you like your cookies. The less done they are the more they taste like cheesecake.

Let cookies cool on sheet until they can be removed without scrunching up or tearing.


Recipe compliments of TexstyleTextures.

The Recipe Corner - Grandma's Spanakopita Redux

My Grandma isn't Greek, but she was an adventurous cook for her time, and her Spanakopita was always one of my favorite dishes.  Grandma used cottage cheese, butter and very subtle spices, and the result was lovely.  This is my version.  I am really interested in Mediterranean cuisine, and I have adjusted the ingredients with those flavors in mind.

1 box phyllo (filo) pastry thawed in the refrigerator according to package directions.

½ cup or so of olive oil in a small bowl (grandma used butter here-you can do a combo if you'd like)

1 cup ricotta

1 chunk plain feta (8 oz.)

1 bag frozen spinach (14 oz.)

1egg, lightly 

½ tsp nutmeg

½ tsp aleppo or other red pepper 

I also add ½ tsp of Penzy's Turkish Seasoning blend which includes garlic, cumin, and sumac berries.  This isn't necessary, but I am addicted to the stuff!

Thaw and drain the spinach, then squeeze out excess water.  I press it against my strainer with my knuckles to get all of the liquid out.  Lightly chop the spinach, and then toss it into a large bowl.  Add the feta and crumble it  into fine chunks with a fork.  Add the ricotta and the egg.  You want the mixture to be moist, but not runny. Add the spices.  Blend well and set aside.

Clear a surface to make a space to fold up the spanakopita.  You need at least about 1 ½  by 1 ½  feet to work in.  With a pastry brush or a folded up paper towel wipe down the surface with a thin layer of oil.  Take out a large sheet pan and have it ready.  Wet a clean dish towel with water, and wring it out thoroughly.  (It should be damp, not wet.)  Once you have everything in place you can open the phylo package.  Unroll the roll of phylo sheets and place one sheet on your oiled surface.  You want the long edge of the rectangle to be horizontal.  Put the damp cloth immediately on the remaining sheets.  Brush the sheet thoroughly with oil especially at the edges.  Place another sheet on top, and oil it the same way, and then a third.  You can layer 4 or more sheets, but I wouldn't do it with less than 3.

Notes on phylo: The only tricky thing about working with phylo is that you can't let it dry out or it breaks.  Just keep every sheet under a damp cloth or oiled and you will have no problem.  BTW, don't stress if it does break a bit.  Just stack the next layer on, and it will be fine!

Back to assembly.  Take a sharp knife and cut your rectangle horizontally into 3 long, even “ribbons”.  Now take a scant tablespoon of filling and put it at one end of a ribbon.  Avoid using too much filling-just a dab will do it.  Fold the ribbon up just like you fold a flag.  Fold the top corner next to the filling down to the bottom edge to form a triangle, and enclose the filling. Then fold again and again along the  triangle shape until you get to the end of the ribbon.  Brush lightly with oil and put it onto the waiting sheet pan.  Ta-da!  Now repeat with the other two ribbons.  Brush your surface lightly with oil and repeat the whole process until you run out of filling, or phylo, or time.

The assembled pastries can be refrigerated on the sheet, covered with the damp cloth and plastic wrap for up to about a day.  To bake preheat oven to 375 degrees and bake until golden brown.  This takes about 20 to 25 minutes.

You can also do this dish in a casserole like lasagna.  Just use 4 or 5 sheets for the bottom layer, letting excess phylo run up the side of the casserole .  Add half of the filling, 4 or 5 more sheets, the second half of the filling, and 4 or 5 sheets for the top.  Fold any excess phylo over the top to make a smooth package.  Any broken bits of phylo will look pretty scattered on top!  Bake at 375 for about  40 minutes, until the top is golden brown.

Recipe compliments of ClockworkCrow.

The Recipe Corner - Stove Top Cabbage

Serves Two - double the recipe if you want leftovers.

½ head of green cabbage – chopped into 1” squares ½ onion - diced ½ apple – diced 1-ish Tablespoon of Olive Oil 2-ish Tablespoons of Butter (Use more olive oil if you don’t want to use butter) 2-3 Tablespoons of Apple Cider Vinegar (or whatever flavor you like and to taste) 1-2 Tablespoons of Brown Sugar (to taste) 1 vegetable bullion cube (can be chicken or beef if you like) ½ cup of water Salt and Pepper to taste Add oil and butter to large frying pan. Heat while chopping onion and apple. Add to pan and stir. I put the salt and pepper in at this point too.  Chop cabbage and add to pan. Stir to coat all the cabbage. Cook on medium heat and let cabbage reduce just a bit and start to get transparent.  Add the vegetable bullion, water, vinegar and brown sugar and stir well. Keep on medium heat stirring on occasion, but let everything reduce and the water reduce out as well.  Taste to make sure your vinegar and sugar levels are to your taste. Cook until the cabbage is tender and to your desired level of texture.  Serve with chicken or turkey sausage, spicy mustard and a hard roll or as a side. Excellent accompanied with sweet potatoes and ham as well. Enjoy! Recipe complements of altarspace.