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30 West Main Street ~ Blue Ridge, GA 30513 ~ 706-632-3070
Monday - Saturday: 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Email: countrystitches@tds.net
Priscilla Ryan, Owner

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July 2008

Potato Salad with Mustard Dressing

1½ pound waxy potatoes, such as red
¼ c. Dijon mustard
¼ c. Grainy Mustard 
½ c. olive oil
1 tab balsamic, sherry or other flavorful vinegar
3 tabs chopped fresh basil leaves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Bring a medium pot of water to a boil: salt it. Peel the potatoes if you like (or wash and scrub them well), then cut into bite-sized pieces: cook them in the water until tender but still firm and not at all mushy, 15 minutes or so .Drain.
Mix together the mustards, oil, vinegar, basil, and toss with potatoes. Season with salt and pepper. Serve warm or at room temperature. This can be refrigerated for up to a day: bring back to room temperature before serving.
Makes 4 servings 
Time 30 minutes, plus cooling time

June 2008

Crispy Cornflake Cookies

1 ½ C SIFTED FLOUR 
1 Tsp. BAKING POWDER
¼ tsp. Salt
1 C Shortening
1 C Brown Sugar
1 C sugar Grand.
2 eggs well beaten
1 ½ Tsp. Vanilla
2 C Cornflakes
2 C Quick Oats
½ C chopped Nuts
Grease the cookie sheet
Sift the flour and other dry ingredients together and set aside.
Cream shortening; add sugar and mix well. Add eggs and mix. 
Add dry ingredients to the mixture. Stir in the vanilla, nuts, Cornflakes and oats.
Drop by the tablespoonfuls onto cookie sheets.
Bake for 10 min at 375 degrees.
Cool on cookie rack.
   

May 2008

Easy Pineapple Slaw

One can (15 ¼ ounces) Del Monte Pineapple Tidbits in its Own juice
1/3 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons vinegar
6 cups coleslaw mix or shredded cabbage

Drain pineapple, reserving 3 tablespoons juice.
Combine reserved juice, mayonnaise and vinegar; toss with 
pineapple and coleslaw mix. Season with salt and pepper to taste, if desired.
Makes 4-6 servings

April 2008

Grilled Summer Burgers
For the Sports men

1 lb ground beef 
2 t. mustard
½ cup onion, chopped 
1 t. salt
3 T. catsup
1-1/2 T. prepared horseradish 
2 T. green pepper, finely chopped 
pepper to taste
4 to 5 hamburger buns

Combine all ingredients except buns: shape into 4 to 5 patties. Broil in oven or cook on outside grill for 5 minutes. Turn over and broil the other side until done. Place on buns to serve.
OK ladies if you are not wild about sports? Invite the girls over for a potluck Quilt fest and serve a fruity drink and dessert and quilt on.

March 2008

IRISH SODA BREAD

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup whole-wheat flour
1 tesp baking soda
1 tesp salt
2 tablespoons butter or margarine room temp
1¼ cups buttermilk
1 table flour for dusting

1-Oven temp 400, Grease baking pan
2-Sift flour, baking soda, salt into bowl
   Make a well in the center and add butter or margarine and buttermilk.
   Working outward from the center, stir with a fork until soft dough is formed.
3-With flour hands gather dough into a ball
4-Transfer to a floured surface, knead for 3 min. Shape the dough into a large round    ball.
5-Place on a baking sheet cut across the top with a sharp knife.
6-Dust with flour. Bake until brown 40 – 50 min. Transfer to a rack to cool.

ITALIAN DOUGHNUTS
Easy to make these doughnuts will disappear quickly

10 oz. container ricotta cheese           4 teaspoons baking powder
2 cups all purpose flour                        1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
5 eggs, beaten                                      2 cups oil
5 tablespoons sugar                             Garnish: powdered sugar

Mix together all ingredients except oil and powdered sugar in a large bowl.  Mix well with wooden spoon; set aside.  Heat oil to 375 degrees in heavy deep saucepan. Carefully drop dough by teaspoonfuls into hot oil.  Cook until golden, 3 to 4 minutes; drain on paper towels. Place powdered sugar in a brown paper bag; add doughnuts a few at a time and shake to coat.  Makes 5 dozen.

Hint

Give your Country Kitchen counter the look of an old-fashioned sweet shoppe! Collect lots of glass jars, wash thoroughly, then dry and fill with candy treats for visitors, big and small to take home.

MOCK WHIPPED CREAM FROSTING

1 cup milk                                 
1 cup butter
2 Tab. all purpose flour  
1 tsp. Vanilla extra
1 cup sugar 
Optional food color

Combine milk and flour: mix until smooth and chill.  In another bowl, stir sugar, butter and vanilla together: mix well.  Stir in milk mixture: beat well.  Add food coloring if desired mix well makes about 3 cups

ITALIAN STYLE MEAT LOAF

One egg
1 ½ lb lean ground beef or turkey
8oz. hot mild Italian sausage casings removed
1 cup Contadina seasoned bread crumbs
1 can 8oz. Contadina tomato sauce divided
1 cup finely chopped onions
½ cup finely shopped green bell peppers

Beat egg lightly in large bowl. Add beef sausage bread crumbs, 
¾ cup tomato sauce, onions and bell pepper mix well.
Press into ungreased 9x5 inch loaf pan. Bake, uncovered, in preheated 
350 degree oven for 60 minutes.
Spoon remaining tomato sauce over meat loaf. Bake for 15 minutes 
longer or until no longer pink in center: drain. Let stand for 10
minutes before serving.
Makes 8 servings. Prep Time 10 min. Cook time 75 min. Standing time 10 min.

Hint of the Month:  To keep holiday treats from breaking or becoming stale during shipping, try this helpful hint:  Drop cookies pass the “drop test” when two cookies are placed with their bottoms together and wrapped in plastic wrap.  They stay fresher and are less likely to crumble when wrapped this way individually.  Line a tin or a box with crumpled waxed paper to help cushion the cookies.  Fill the container with cookies to within 1 inch of the top,  Add more crumpled waxed paper or bubble wrap at the top to cushion the cookies and prevent them from shifting during shipping.

SIMPLE SALAD DRESSING

½ cup olive or vegetable oil
¼ cup sugar
3 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
Salad greens and vegetables of your choice

Combine the first six ingredients in a jar with a tight-fitting lid;
shake until blended. 
Store in the refrigerator. Shake before serving; drizzle over salad.
Yield about 1 cup.

POUND CAKE

4 cups flour                                                                    ¾ cup milk

3 cups sugar                                                                  1 tsp. Vanilla

6 eggs (room temperature)                                               1 tsp. almond

1 lb. butter softened                                                         1 tsp. lemon

Cream butter and sugar, Add eggs, one at a time mixing well after each.  

Add flour and milk, alternating each, starting with flour.   Add flavorings, mix well.  Grease and flour pans.

Bake at 300 for 1 1/2 hours.

Enjoy! 

 ~~

APRIL 2007

MARCH 2007

MEDITERRANEAN CHICKEN

2 ½ lbs. chicken, cut up                                          ½ tsp. pepper

1lb sliced mushrooms                                             1 ¼ tsp. salt

1 can tomatoes, diced                                            1 garlic clove

½ cup chopped onions                                            2tsp. basil

3 slices zucchini                                                       1 bay leaf

1 sliced green pepper

Bake chicken   at 425 for 20 minutes.  

Add mushrooms, tomatoes, onion, zucchini, green pepper, pepper,  salt, garlic and bay leaf.

Bake at 350 for 50 minutes.

Enjoy!

~~

FEBRUARY 2007

WALNUT COOKIES

Half cup (1 stick) butter or margarine at room temperature

¾ cup sugar

1 cup flour

2 teaspoon Vanilla extract

1 cup walnuts or almond

Preheat oven 300.  Grease two cookie sheets.

With electric mixer, cream the butter or margarine until soft.  Add 1/3 cup of sugar and continue beating until light and fluffy.  Stir in the flour, vanilla, and walnut or almonds.

Drop teaspoonfuls of the batter 1-2 inches apart on the cookie sheet and flatten slightly with fork.  Bake until golden brown about 25min.

Transfer to a rack set over a backing sheet and sprinkle with remaining sugar.

Enjoy!

~~

                                  JANUARY 2007

APPLE CAKE

  4 Cups diced apple                                      1 ½ tsp. baking soda

  ½ cup oil                                                         ½ tsp. salt

  2 cup sugar                                                    1 tsp. cinnamon

  2 eggs, beaten                                               1 tsp. vanilla

  2 cup flour                                                       1 cup chopped nuts

Combine apples, oil and sugar.  Add beaten eggs.  Combine flour,

Soda, salt and cinnamon; add to batter.  Stir in vanilla and nuts. 

Bake in greased 9 x 13-inch pan at 375 for about 45 minutes.  Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.   

HINT:  When preparing several batches of pie dough, roll dough out between sheets of plastic wrap.  Stack the discs in a pizza box, and keep the box in the freezer.  Pull out the required crusts as needed.