Larky Lady's Lingerings: December 2009

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Monday, December 21, 2009

Christmas Traditions

What are some of the traditions observed in your family? Do you have a Christmas Tree with old fashioned ornaments? Or do you like a modern look? Do you have a real tree or an artificial one? We like to put our tree up (an artificial one) the day after Thanksgiving. This year we were in England for Thanksgiving, so it was put up after we got back on December 1st. The outside lighting went up about the same time, and that job caused EG some problems. He tested each string before they went up, but after they were turned on, sections didn't work. That problem was only partially solved. One string only has part of it working, but it has stayed up!

Speaking of Thanksgiving, I had a surprise that day, because before we left for England EG made plans with his children to find a turkey so we could have our Thanksgiving meal there. When I walked in that evening, there it was, all nicely browned and very much enjoyed.

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Recipes

Carrot & Orange Soup Recipe
Ingredients:
1 Onion, finely chopped
Salt Pepper
3 tbsp Light Olive Oil
6 Medium Sized Carrots, peeled and sliced
4 c Chicken Stock
Cream
1/4 c Small Black Olives drained
Zest of 1 Orange
1/2 c Orange Juice
Directions:Heat the oil over moderate heat and add the onion and orange zest. Fry gently, without browning, until the onion is soft. Add the carrots and stock, bring to the boil and boil gently for about 15 minutes until the carrots are tender. Remove from the heat and puree until smooth in a blender or food processor. Place back on the heat, in a clean saucepan and bring to the boil. Remove from the heat and add the orange juice, do not reheat otherwise the orange flavour will dissappear. Taste, season and serve with a little cream drizzled onto the soup and a sprinkling of chives.

Focaccia
Makes 1 flatbread
2-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 envelope FLEISCHMANN'S RapidRise Yeast
2-1/2 teaspoons Spice Islands Oregano (leaves)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup very warm water (120E° to 130E°F)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 egg
In large bowl, combine 1-1/2 cups flour, undissolved yeast, oregano, and salt. Stir very warm water and oil into dry ingredients. Stir in egg and enough remaining flour to make soft dough. Cover; let rest 10 minutes. With lightly oiled hands, spread dough in oiled 13 x 9-inch baking pan. Spread with selected topping. Cover loosely with plastic wrap; let rise in warm, draft-free place until almost doubled in size, about 15 to 30 minutes. Bake at 400E°F for 25 minutes or until done. Let cool in pan on wire rack or serve warm, cut into squares.

Recipe from Country Pleasures Bed & Breakfast, Cashton, Wisconsin via Mary Jo & Norma
APPLE CINNAMON FRENCH TOAST
Makes 2-9x13" pans
8 tablespoons butter
7 or 8 baking apples (sliced)
1 cup brown sugar firmly packed
4 tablespoons dark corn syrup
2 teaspoons cinnamon
16 slices French bread
6 eggs
13/4 cups of milk
11/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
The day before saute apples in butter and cook until tender stirring occasionally. Add brown sugar, dark corn syrup and cinnamon. Stir until sugar dissolves. Pour apples into 2 greased 9x13" pans.
Arrange bread slices in one layer on top of apples. Beat eggs, milk, and vanilla well and pour 1/2 over each pan. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate over night. Next day,, heat oven to 375 degrees. .Bake
30-35 minutes or until mixture is firm and bread is golden. Cool in pan for 5 minutes. Invert in another pan or on tray so apples are on top. Can be be served with warm syrup and whipping cream.

Another Recipe from Golda
Coconut Cake
1 white cake mix (Betty Crocker Super Moist preferred)
Mix according to directions, using 3 whole eggs.
Bake. While hot, poke holes all over cake. (Wooden Spoon Handle works well.)
Pour 1 can Cream of Coconut with 1/2 tsp. coconut extract added over top of cake.
Cool. Spread with 1 8 oz. container of Cool Whip.
Sprinkle 1 cup coconut over top. Refrigerate.
(Freezes nicely.)

Golda's Roasted Carrot Ginger Soup

1 1/2 lbs. carrots, peeled and halved lengthwise
1 lb. turnips, peeled and quartered lengthwise
1 large onion, sliced
3" piece fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
6 T. unsalted butter
3 T. (packed) dark brown sugar
8 cups chicken broth (more if necessary ) DIVIDED
Salt, to taste
Pinch of cayenne pepper
Sour cream or creme fraiche for garnish
Snipped fresh chives, for garnish

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Combine carrots, turnips, onion and ginger in shallow roasting pan to fit. Dot with butter and sprinkle with brown sugar.
Pour 2 cups broth into the pan. Cover well with foil and bake until vegetables are very tender, about two hours.
Transfer the vegetables and broth to a large pot; add the remaining 6 cups of broth, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, partially covered for about 10 minutes. Puree the soup in batches, adding more broth if necessary. Return the soup to the pot; adjust the seasonings and heat through.
Serve each portion dolloped with the cream and sprinkled with the chives.

My Neighbor's Grape Salad Recipe
2 lb. green grapes
2 lb. red grapes
8 oz. Cream Cheese
8 oz. Sour Cream
1/3 cup sugar
Vanilla
Thoroughly cream together sour cream and cream cheese. Add sugar and vanilla and mix well. Combine with grapes and stir until grapes are well coated. Put into serving bowl.
Sprinkle over top:
3 T brown sugar
3 T chopped pecans

Easy Enchilada Casserole from Kay
1 medium onion, chopped
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 (19-ounce) can enchilada sauce
1 (16-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 small can green chilies, not drained
1 (11-ounce) can Mexican-style corn, drained
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 (10-ounce) package 6-inch corn tortillas
3 cups chopped cooked chicken*
3 cups (12 ounces) shredded Mexican four-cheese blend
Sauté onion in hot oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until tender. Stir in next 6 ingredients. Reduce heat to low, and cook, stirring often, 5 minutes or until thoroughly heated.
Spoon one-third of sauce mixture in bottom of a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch baking dish. Layer with one-third of tortillas, half of chicken, and 1 cup cheese. Repeat layers with one-third each of sauce mixture and tortillas, remaining chicken, and 1 cup cheese. Top with remaining tortillas, sauce mixture, and 1 cup cheese.
Bake at 350E° for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden and bubbly.
*2 pounds lean ground beef, cooked, may be substituted.

EG's Awesome SAVOURY FISH CRUMBLE
(Microwave Dish)
2 T. butter
1 onion, chopped
4 T. chopped green pepper
1-2 lb. white fish, skinned & chopped
Salt
Pepper
½ cup bread crumbs
1 T. lemon juice
2 T. diced Muenster Cheese
Fresh Parsley
Place butter in casserole dish and heat on FULL until melted. Add onion and green pepper and cook on FULL for 3 ½ to 4 minutes, stirring twice. Add the fish and season lightly with salt and pepper. Cook on FULL for a further 3 ½ minutes, stirring every minute.
Mix together the remaining ingredients and cover the fish with the mixture. Cook on FULL for 3 1/4 to 3 ½ minutes, turning twice.
Serves 4.

English Recipe

English Recipe Treacle Tart
For the pastry:
225g/8oz plain flour
110g/4oz butter, chilled and diced
1 medium egg
For the filling:
450g/1lb golden syrup
85g/3oz fresh breadcrumbs
generous pinch ground ginger
1 lemon, zest, finely grated
and 2 tbsp of the juiceMethod
1. Rub the fat into the flour until it resembles fine breadcrumbs.
2. Mix in the egg with a knife,then knead to a smooth dough..
3. Use the dough to line a 23 cm/9in loose bottomed tart tin, prick with a fork and leave to rest in the fridge for about 30 minutes.
4. Preheat the oven to 190C/375F/Gas
5. Bake the pastry blind for 10-15 minutes until light golden brown.
6. Mix together the filling ingredients and pour into the pastry case. Bake for about 30 minutes. Serve hot or cold.

Recipes

Aaron’s ZIPPY CHICKEN CORN CHOWDER
2 lb. cubed chicken breasts
4 T. margarine
1 lg. red pepper, chopped
2 med. leeks, chopped
3 T. flour
1 T. paprika
4 cups chicken broth
2 med. potatoes, cubed
4 cups frozen corn
1 T. Worcestershire Sauce
1 tsp. salt
½ tsp. hot pepper sauce
1 cup half & half cream
Saute chicken in 2 T. margarine. Set aside/keep warm. Saute red pepper in remaining margarine. Add leeks; cook 1 minute. Stir in flour and paprika until blended. Gradually stir in broth. Add potatoes. Bring to boil. Reduce heat; simmer 15 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

sweetb's HOT BROWN
4 slices of toast
1/4 C American cheese, grated
4 slices of baked chicken or turkey,cut from the breast about 1/4 thick
8 strips bacon,fried crisp
4 T grated Parmesan Cheese
1 C cream sauce *
thin sliced garden tomato (optional)
Blend yellow cheese with cream sauce until cheese has melted. Place a piece of chicken on each piece of toast and cover with 1/4 cup of sauce. Place 2 strips of bacon (previously cooked) on each sandwhich,and sprinkle with 1 T of Parmesan. Place sandwhich under broiler until golden.
*Cream Sauce
2 T butter
2 T flour
1 cup milk (or cream)
Melt butter, mix in flour. Slowly add milk and cook until mixture thickens.

England Recipes

Scones
2 cups [8 oz] of self-raising flour [If you don’t have self-raising then use plain flour but add 2 teaspoons of baking powder]
2 ounces of margarine or lard
2 teaspoons bicarbonate of soda [If you use baking powder leave out the bi-carb]
½ cup [¼ pint] of milk [if the milk is just turning sour it works better but fresh is OK too]
Pinch of salt
Mix all the dry ingredients together in a large bowl and rub together to a sort of breadcrumb mix.
Add all the milk at once and mix lightly to a spongy dough.
Knead lightly to make the dough smooth and roll it out to about ½ to ¾ inch thick.
Cut out with a 2" round cutter. Brush lightly with milk and bake in a hot oven (220 - 230 degrees C, 425 - 450 degrees F or gas mark 7 - 8] for about 10 minutes.
Cool the scones on a wire rack so that the outside stays crispy.
This quantity makes about 12 - 15 scones.
The most important things to remember are to add all the liquid at once and cook them quickly.

Mary Jo H.'s Strawberry Whipped Sensation
4 cups fresh strawberries, divided
1 can (14 oz.) EAGLE BRAND® Sweetened Condensed Milk
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 tub (8 oz.) COOL WHIP Whipped Topping, thawed, divided
8 OREO Chocolate Sandwich Cookies, finely chopped
1 Tbsp. butter, melted
LINE 9x5-inch loaf pan with foil, with ends of foil extending over sides of pan. Mash 2 cups of the strawberries in large bowl. Add condensed milk, juice and 2 cups of the whipped topping; mix well. Pour into prepared pan.
MIX chopped cookies and butter. Spoon over whipped topping mixture. Cover with ends of foil and gently press cookie mixture into whipped topping mixture. Freeze 6 hours or until firm.
INVERT dessert onto serving plate when ready to serve; remove pan and foil. Spread remaining whipped topping onto top and sides of dessert. Slice remaining 2 cups strawberries; arrange over dessert. Store leftovers in freezer.

Mary Jo H.'s Chow Mein Hot Dish
1 lb ground Beef
2 C. chopped celery
1 small onion
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can cream of celery soup
1 ½ C. uncooked rice
2 C. water
¼ C. water chestnuts, chopped
½ C. soy sauce
¼ tsp. pepper
cashews
chow mein noodles
Brown ground beef with celery and onion, combine all ingredients except cashews and chow mein noodles in crock pot or casserole dish. 15-20 minutes before serving, sprinkle chow mein noodles and cashews on top of hotdish. Continue cooking for 15-20 minutes. May be prepared the night before.
Cooking times:
Crock pot 2-3 hours
Oven 375 for 1 hour

Yorkshire Pudding
3/4 c. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
2 eggs
1 c. milk
4 tbsp. oil
Beat flour, salt, eggs, milk together until very smooth, scraping bowl occasionally. Refrigerate 2 hours or longer. Heat oven to 450 degrees. Measure oil into 8 x 8 x 2 inch square Pyrex pan. Heat for 2 minutes. Pour batter into pan and bake for 20-30 minutes. Do not open door. Serve immediately.This may be baked in muffin tins, using 2+ T. batter per muffin, with 1-2 tsp oil in each tin before preheating pan to very hot. Wrapped tightly, Yorkshire Puddings freeze and reconstitute very well.

Lee's Spaghetti Bolognese
1 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
500g/1 lb 2oz minced (ground) lean beef
2 tbsp tomato puree
400g/14oz can chopped tomatoes
250g sliced mushrooms.
Oregano, basil, Italian seasoning add to taste
A few splashes of Louisiana hot sauce.
Heat olive oil in a deep pan or wok.
Add mince, add good splash of hot sauce and stir in, cook until brown.
Put pan of water on to boil for spaghetti.
Add spaghetti to water once boiled. Cook until ready.
Add mushrooms, onions, seasoning, tomato puree and tinned tomatoes. Stir in and simmer for approx 20 mins.
Serve on a bed of spaghetti. May sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
Serving suggestion: accompany with garlic bread and a glass of red wine.

EG's Braised Beef
Cooking time: see points 1,2 & 4
Preparation time: 35 mins
Main cooking utensil : Large pan with well-fitting lid.
For 8 people you need:
3 lb joint brisket or topside of beef or rather less cut into pieces, see point 4
2 oz fat
2 carrots
3 onions
½ swede (rutabaga), sliced
2 leeks
3 sticks celery
4 oz bacon
Bouquet garni*
Seasoning
½ pint stock
¼ pint red wine
*mixture of fresh herbs, parsley, thyme, sage etc tied in muslin.
Either leave the beef whole or cut into large pieces –– true braised beef must be cooked above the liquid etc... so should never be cut too small.
1. Heat the fat and brown the meat in this for a few minutes.
2. Lift out on to a plate, then brown the sliced vegetables in the fat together with the diced bacon.
3. Add the bouquet garni, seasoning, the stock and wine, then lift the meat on top of this mixture.
4. Cover the pan tightly, and cook very slowly.... a whole joint of meat needs to cook for about 1 hour per lb., meat cut into fairly large pieces (weighing about 3oz. per piece) needs about 1 ½ hours cooking.
5. From time to time lift the lid and add a little more stock if the mixture appears to becoming dry.
6. Sieve vegetables and stock as a delicious sauce, reheat and remove bouquet garni.
To Serve... Garnish with freshly cooked vegetables if wished.

Sue’s Rhubarb Bars
Filling:
3 cups chopped rhubarb
1 ½ cups sugar
2 T. cornstarch
1/4 cup water
1 tsp. vanilla
Dissolve cornstarch in water. Combine with rhubarb, sugar and vanilla. Cook until thick.
Set aside.
Crust:
1 ½ cups rolled oats
1 ½ cups flour
1 cup brown sugar
½ tsp. baking soda
1 cup margarine
½ cup chopped nuts
Mix oats, flour, brown sugar, and soda. Cut in margarine as for pie crust. Place a little more than half of crumb mixture in a greased 9"x13" pan. Pat down. Spread filling over top and sprinkle with remaining crumb mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Cool and cut into bars. Good plain, with ice cream or Cool Whip.

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Monday, December 21, 2009

Christmas Traditions

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