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MARCH 2013

Red Potato Colcannon

Serves: 4 (1 cup each)

Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

1 pound small red potatoes, scrubbed and cut in half

1 tablespoon butter

1/2 cup thinly sliced onion

6 cups thinly sliced green cabbage (about 1/2 head)

1 cup low-fat milk

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon white pepper

Preparation

1.       Bring 1 inch of water to a boil in a Dutch oven or steamer. Place potatoes in a steamer basket and steam, covered, until just cooked through, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl and cover to keep warm.

2. Meanwhile, heat butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook until translucent, about 2 minutes. Add cabbage and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the cabbage begins to brown, about 5 minutes.

3. Reduce heat to low. Stir in milk, salt and white pepper; cover and cook until the cabbage is tender, about 8 minutes. Add the cabbage mixture to the potatoes. Mash with a potato masher or a large fork to desired consistency.

Enjoy! 

GRANDMA’S SUGAR COOKIES

3 Cups Flour

1 ½ cups brown sugar

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp vanilla

2 tsp cream of tartar

2 eggs

1 cup butter

Sift baking soda, cream tartar and flour. Add sugar,

Mix in butter with a pastry blender. Add eggs and vanilla.

Roll thin and cut out cookies using cookie cutter.

Bake 350 degrees until golden brown.  Makes 4 dozen

Ice with butter icing and just add sprinkles or sugar! Enjoy.

Sugar 'n Spice Holiday Cookies Recipe

This is a common holiday cookie. You will find it at many holiday parties and events. Don't leave this cookie off your cookie tray.

Yield: About 1 dozen.

Cookie Ingredients

• 3 3/4 cups flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon allspice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 2 teaspoons Vanilla
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup light brown sugar
• 2 eggs

Icing Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups confectioner's sugar
• 3 tablespoons milk
• 1/8 teaspoon vanilla
• Colored sugars

How to make Sugar 'N Spice Holiday Cookies:

1.       Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees. Set aside.

2.       Sift together all dry ingredients, except sugars.

3.       In a separate bowl, add butter, vanilla and eggs, beating until fluffy.

4.       Gradually add sugars and beat well.

5.       Stir and mix together flour mixture.

6.       Roll dough onto a floured surface to 1/8 inch thickness.

7.       Use cookie cutters to cut out holiday shapes.

8.       Bake 10 - 12 minutes.

9.       Let cookies cool before icing.

10.   While the cookies are cooling, make the icing. Stir icing ingredients together until smooth.

11.   Spread icing on each cookie and decorate with colored sugars.

Chocolate Turtle Cheesecake

Ingredients:
1 (7-oz.) package caramels
¼ cup evaporated milk
¾ cup chopped pecans, divided
1 (9-inch) chocolate crumb piecrust
2 (3-oz.) packages cream cheese, softened
½ cup sour cream
1 ¼ cups milk
1 (3.9 oz.) package chocolate instant pudding mix
½ cup fudge topping

Directions:
Place caramels and evaporated milk in a heavy saucepan.  Heat over medium-low heat, stirring continually until smooth, about 5 minutes. Stir in ½ cup chopped pecans. Pour into piecrust. Combine cream cheese, sour cream, and milk in a blender.  Process until smooth. Add pudding mix; process for about 30 seconds longer. Pour pudding mixture over caramel layer, covering evenly. Loosely cover pie and chill until set, about 15 minutes. Drizzle fudge topping over pudding layer in a decorative pattern. Sprinkle top of cake with remaining pecans. Loosely cover pie and chill until serving time. Serves 12.

Quick Chicken Cordon Bleu

This easy take on chicken Cordon Bleu keeps the flavors the same, but skips the fussy layering and breading steps. Serve with delicate squash and broccoli.

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed and tenders removed 1/4 cup coarse dry whole-wheat breadcrumbs 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, divided 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley or thyme 1/4 teaspoon salt 4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided 1/3 cup shredded Gruyère or Swiss cheese 1/4 cup chopped ham (about 1 ounce) 2 tablespoons reduced-fat cream cheese

· Preheat oven to 400°F.

Sprinkle chicken with 1⁄4 teaspoon pepper and salt. Combine cheese and cream cheese in a bowl. Combine the remaining 1⁄4 teaspoon pepper with breadcrumbs, parsley (or thyme) and 2 teaspoons oil in another bowl.

Heat the remaining 2 teaspoons oil in a large, ovenproof nonstick skillet over medium heat. Cook the chicken until browned on both sides, about 2 minutes per side. Move the chicken to the center so all pieces are touching. Spread with the cheese mixture, sprinkle with ham, and then top with the breadcrumb mixture.

Bake until the chicken is no longer pink in the center and an instant-read thermometer registers 165°F, 5 to 7 minutes.  

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 40 minutes

Ingredients

4 to 4 1/2 cups flour

2 Tbsp sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

4 Tbsp butter

1 cup raisins

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1 3/4 cups buttermilk

Method

1. Preheat oven to 425°. Whisk together 4 cups of flour, the sugar, salt, and baking soda into a large mixing bowl.

2. Using your (clean) fingers (or two knives or a pastry cutter), work the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse meal, and then add in the raisins.

3. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture. Add beaten egg and buttermilk to well and mix in with a wooden spoon until dough is too stiff to stir. Dust hands with a little flour, then gently knead dough in the bowl just long enough to form a rough ball. If the dough is too sticky to work with, add in a little more flour. Do not over-knead! Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface and shape into a round loaf. Note that the dough will be a little sticky, and quite shaggy (a little like a shortcake biscuit dough). You want to work it just enough so that the flour is just moistened and the dough just barely comes together. Shaggy is good. If you over-knead, the bread will end up tough.

4. Transfer dough to a large, lightly greased cast-iron skillet or a baking sheet (it will flatten out a bit in the pan or on the baking sheet). Using a serrated knife, score top of dough about an inch and a half deep in an "X" shape. The purpose of the scoring is to help heat get into the center of the dough while it cooks. Transfer to oven and bake until bread is golden and bottom sounds hollow when tapped, about 35-45 minutes. (If you use a cast iron pan, it may take a little longer as it takes longer for the pan to heat up than a baking sheet.) Check for doneness also by inserting a long, thin skewer into the center. If it comes out clean, it's done.

Hint 1: If the top is getting too dark while baking, tent the bread with some aluminum foil.

Hint 2: If you use a cast iron skillet to cook the bread in the oven, be very careful when you take the pan out. It's easy to forget that the handle is extremely hot. Cool the handle with an ice cube, or put a pot holder over it.

Remove pan or sheet from oven, let bread sit in the pan or on the sheet for 5-10 minutes, then remove to a rack to cool briefly. Serve bread warm, at room temperature, or sliced and toasted.  I love to have a slice of Irish soda bread just out of the oven.

Ingredients

• 1 bag (12 ounces) fresh cranberries, for swizzle sticks

• 1 bunch mint, for swizzle sticks

• 2 cups freshly squeezed pomegranate juice (about five pomegranates)

• 3 cups freshly squeezed tangerine juice (about seven tangerines)

• 5 cups cranberry-juice cocktail

• 2 bottles (750 ml each) sparkling wine or Champagne

Directions

1. Spear three cranberries alternately with two mint leaves on each wooden skewer. Place skewers on a baking sheet; cover with damp paper towels, and refrigerate up to one hour.

2. In a large punch bowl, stir together fruit juices. Fill the glasses with ice, and ladle about 1/2 cup punch into each glass; top with sparkling wine. Garnish each glass with a swizzle stick.

Cook's Note

Use a citrus reamer, juicer, or press to extract the pomegranate juice; strain liquid through a fine sieve set over a bowl, and discard solids.

August 2008

BLUEBERRY CRISP

Ingredients: 
· 6 cups fresh blueberries, washed 
· 1/4 cup instant tapioca 
· 1 tablespoon lemon juice 
· 1 cup rolled oats 
· 1/2 cup flour 
· 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon 
· 1/2 teaspoon salt 
· 3/4 cup butter or margarine, melted 
· 2/3 cup light brown sugar 
· 1/3 cup granulated sugar
Preparation: 
Preheat oven to 350°. Combine the blueberries, tapioca and lemon juice in a large casserole dish. Mix well and lte stand for at least 15 minutes. In a separate bowl combine the remaining ingredients. Smooth the mixture over top of the berries, covering completely. Bake at 350° for 45 minutes. 
ENJOY

  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.