Chocolate Truffles

Ingredients
2 cup(s) Milk Chocolate  (or dark chocolate) Chips
1/3 cup(s) Unsweetened Cocoa
1/3 cup(s) plus 2 tablespoons heavy cream
1/2 tablespoon(s) unsalted butter
3/4 cup(s) chopped almonds (optional)


Directions

In a small saucepan, bring the cream to a simmer. Add the butter and stir until melted. Add the chocolate chips. Stir until completely melted and smooth. Remove from the heat and pour into a shallow bowl.

Cool, cover, and refrigerate the mixture until firm, at least 2 hours.

Using a melon baller or small spoon, roll the mixture into 1-inch balls. Roll each ball in the cocoa or almonds. Enjoy immediately or refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

Comments
Yield: 30 truffles

Fish or Shrimp Tacos - (really fast prep - 30 minutes start to table)

Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds shrimp peeled and deveined, or same quantity some firm white fish
2 big cloves garlic
butter - to taste (could replace with olive oil
1/2 cup plain yogurt - (or sour cream if you are feeling decadent)
3 T Mayonaise
1/2 teaspoon cumin -  actually I prefer more, but add to taste
3 Limes quartered
1/2 teaspoon salt (kosher, of course)
8  6-inch soft tortillas - corn or flour, I prefer flour
3 cups shredded green cabbage
1 small jar tomatillo green salsa
hot sauce or pepper flakes to taste - watch out - these creep up on you fast
Tequilla for flavoring if so inclined

Directions
Start the margaritas and get ready for a treat

Heat up the serving and dining plates if you live somewhere cold

Clean up the shrimp or seafood and rinse well, pat dry and set aside

In a small bowl, whisk together the yogurt, mayonaise, cumin, salt, and squeeze at least 1/4 of a lime into the mix.  Add a bit of tomotilla sauce, or pepper flakes, or chilli sauce to taste. Mix up and taste. Adjust seasonings.

Warm up a medium skillet, and melt the butter (or olive oil)
Toss in the minced garlic and stir quickly around - don't overcook or burn the garlic - don't let it get all browned. Squeeze in 1/4 of a lime worth of lime juice - more to taste.  You can also add in a Tablespoon of good tequilla if so inclined.

Toss in the seafood and cook , just enough to be done - don't overcook - stirring often.  While cooking seafood, get everyone to sit down at the table.  Refill the margarita glasses.

When you are just a minute short of having the seafood done, put the first servings of tortillas on a single plate covered with a paper towel in the microwave for 30 seconds

When the tortillas and seafood are done, assemble the tortillas as follows and bring to the table:
lay a tortilla out on a warmed dining plate
spoon in 1-2 Tablespoons (or more to taste) of the yogurt mixture and spread around
drop a small handfull of shredded cabbage on top of the yogurt
then gently place a serving of fish on the bed of cabbage.
Squeeze some fresh lime juice on top of fish
Fold tortilla in half , garnish with a lime quarter and deliver steaming to the table
Repeat for each guest

Return to the kitchen and warm up the 2nd batch of tortillas when everyone screams for seconds.


Implements
small mixing bowl
microwave proof plate
medium sauce pan
garlic mincer

Comments
Makes enough for 4

Banana Plum Optional Bread (by Betsy)

Ingredients

2/3 white flour + 2 Tblsp.

2/3 whole wheat flour

1 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp baking powder

5 Tblsp butter

1/3 cup white sugar, less a bit

1/3 cup brown sugar, not packed

2 eggs, lightly beaten

2 old bananas, mashed

1 plum, cut into tiny pieces

1/2 cups nuts

Combine dry ingredients, whisk and set aside.

Mix butter and sugar until blended nicely.

Stir in dry ingredients without over mixing.

Stir in eggs.

Mix in fruit and nuts.

Directions

Combine dry ingredients, whisk and set aside.

Mix butter and sugar until blended nicely.

Stir in dry ingredients without over mixing.

Stir in eggs.

Mix in fruit and nuts.

Pour into oiled or greased bread pan. 

Bake 350 until toothpick comes out clean, about 50 minutes.

Note: If you leave the plum out, the flour can be reduced the 2 Tblsp.

in which case, I prefer 1 cup white and 1/3 cup whole wheat, but that's per tastes. 

Comments

PS. I added the plum here because one day, I didn't have enough apples

for my apple crisp, so I added a pear and a plum, and that was fruity delicious,

especially the plum, so now I'm trying plum in everything (and my apple crisp

is forever changed.)

Soaring Cranberry Bars - Energy Bar snacks

Ingredients

1 cup dried cranberries

2 tbs sugar

 

2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

2 cups dried oats (Quaker Oat Brand)

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 cup melted unsalted butter

 

1-1/4 cups dried dates, chopped

3/4 cup pecans, chopped

1 cup caramel sauce

Directions

1.  Preheat oven to 350º.  Lightly grease a 13 x 9 baking pan.

2.  Mix together cranberries and sugar.  Set aside.*

3.  In mixing bowl combine flour, baking soda, dried oats, sugar and brown sugar.

4.  Add melted butter and mix until crumble-like texture.  Reserve 1 cup for topping.

5.  Press the flour-oats mix onto the bottom of the baking pan and bake at 350º for 15 minutes.

6.  Sprinkle the cranberry-sugar mix, dates and pecans over the baked bottom

7.  Pour caramel over top.

8.  Take the 1 cup reserved topping mix from step 4 and place over the filling and bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown.  Let cool before cutting.

Implements
 13 x 9 baking pan

Comments

This recipe comes to us from our friend Cheryl outside Boulder Colorado, who got it from a zip line trip she took which criss crossed the Animas River in Colorado with zip lines.  A full adrenaline filled day which required refueling with these bars.  We've made them and can attest to their caloric content.  Be sure you have a busy day planned before consuming one of these puppies. 

Don't add the sugar if the cranberries have been treated with a sweetener, such as honey, when they were dried.  

Cranberry Cake

Ingredients
Filling:

1pge of cranberries (about 3 cups)
½ cup of sugar

Topping:

½ cup of butter or margerine
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 cup flour

Directions
Place  cranberries into a greased 10” pie plate and pour sugar over them

For Topping: 

Melt butter or oleo in a microwave safe bowl that is big enough to hold all the other ingredients. (4 cup Pyrex measuring cup works well)
Add sugar and stir well
Add eggs one at a time and stir well
Add flour and stir until well blended

Pour topping over cranberries, making sure all berries are covered.
Bake in 350 degree oven for 1 hour

Implements
10” pie plate,  4 cup Pyrex measuring cup or bowl of similar size, 1spoon

Comments

This recipe is originally from Diana.

Diana writes:

This receipe comes from my friend, Beth many, many, years ago.
It's also good with sliced bananas if you have any that are going bad.--put them on

before the topping. I make this so much that I have the receipe memorized(which is amazing

with my bad memory). It's so fast to put together when you get company at the last minute.

top of the cranberries

Arugula, Chicken, and Rice Salad - Betsy (from Food Everyday)

Ingredients

2/3 cup rice

3 cups packed mixed fresh herbs – we used oregano and basil – the recipe calls for basil and parsley.  Also, we used half herbs, half baby spinach.

2 Tablespoons olive oil

3 Tablespoons red wine vinegar

salt  and pepper

5 ounces arugula

4 cups shredded cooked chicken

2 scallions

2 med tomatoes, cut into ½ “ wedges

  or cut cherry tomatoes in half.

Directions

1.     Cook rice.  In a blender, blend herbs, oil, and vinegar.  Add ¼ cup cold water, if necessary.  There was enough water left on the spinach and herbs that we did not need to add water.  Blend until dressing is smooth.  Season with salt and pepper.

2.     Toss arugula with some dressing.  Toss rice, chicken, scallions, with dressing.

3.     Place arugula on plate, top with chicken, then tomatoes

Comments

We adjusted the sauce per our proportions of ingredients on hand.  It’s like a pesto really.   This was really tasty with the arugula.

From Food everyday (I can’t believe I bought a Martha Stewart magazine)

Altered by Nava and Betsy

Asperagus, Steamed,roasted,stir-fried, grilled - (from Mark Bittman of the NYTimes via Jessie

Ingredients
1 1/2 to 2 pounds of fresh amperages to serve 4 people
salt and peppper to taste

Directions
Even the best asparagus needs something, even if it’s as little as olive oil and lemon. Hence the following below, with the best cooking methods — steaming (or poaching; in the case of asparagus, they’re roughly equivalent); roasting; grilling (or broiling, which is always an alternative, because the broiler is nothing but an upside-down grill); and stir-frying — and flavors well suited to each.

There are several varieties of asparagus, including white, which is, in my experience, overrated. (You Northern Europeans may yell at me all you like; I’ve tried it everywhere.) The most relevant difference for most of us is thick versus thin, and you can use either in any recipe here. In the 1990s, I considered skinny asparagus far superior to fat, because it requires no peeling and cooks in a flash. A few years ago, I began to better appreciate the delicious snap of thick spears as well as their relative sturdiness. Certainly if you’re steaming or grilling, thick is the preferable type. It really should be peeled; it will look, taste and bite more nicely if you take the time. And with thick or thin, you can snap the bottoms off or go the easier route and just chop off the last inch or two with a chef’s knife.

You might prefer asparagus crisp-tender or softer than that; either way, it’s done when you can pierce the thickest part of a spear with a sharp knife without much resistance. This might take less than five minutes for very slender asparagus, twice that long for thick. (Roasting is the slowest of the cooking methods here.) For all of these recipes, use 1 1/2 to 2 pounds to serve four people, and as always, add salt and black pepper to taste.

1. STEAMED

With Brown Butter
Put asparagus in a covered pot with an inch of water (they may stand, lean or lie flat) and turn heat to high. Put 2 to 4 tablespoons butter in a small saucepan over medium heat; stir occasionally until foam subsides and butter turns nut brown. When asparagus is done, drain, drizzle with butter and serve.

With Aïoli
Skip brown butter. Put an egg yolk in a food processor with 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard, 1 to 4 peeled garlic cloves, 1 tablespoon lemon juice and 1 teaspoon lemon zest. Turn it on and drizzle in 1 cup olive oil; an emulsion will form. Serve asparagus dipped in aïoli.

With Fried Eggs and Ham
Skip brown butter. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add 4 slices good ham and cook gently on both sides; remove. Add 2 more tablespoons butter in skillet and fry four eggs until whites are firm. Serve asparagus topped with ham, eggs and any pan juices.

2. ROASTED

With or Without Bacon
Heat oven to 450. Toss asparagus with 2 tablespoons olive oil (more if you don’t use bacon) and 4 ounces cubed bacon (optional) in a roasting pan. Roast, turning once or twice, until done. Garnish: Grated Parmesan.

With Carrots, Sesame and Soy
Skip bacon. Substitute sesame oil for the olive oil and add 2 thinly sliced carrots to roasting pan. After 5 minutes of roasting, sprinkle with 1 tablespoon sesame seeds. When done, drizzle with soy sauce and toss. Garnish: Crumbled toasted nori.

With Blue Cheese and Bread Crumbs
After 5 minutes of roasting, turn asparagus and top with 1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs and 1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese. Continue to roast without turning until asparagus is done. Turn on broiler and broil until top browns, about 1 minute.

3. STIR-FRIED

With Shallots and Fish Sauce
Put a large skillet over high heat for 3 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons peanut oil, then asparagus — cut into 2-inch lengths — and 10 halved shallots. Cook, stirring, until asparagus and shallots are dry and beginning to brown. Add 2 tablespoons water and 1 tablespoon fish sauce; cook until done. Garnish: Chopped peanuts.

With Scallops and Black Beans
Soak 1 tablespoon fermented black beans in sake or white wine to cover while pan heats. Substitute 1 tablespoon minced garlic for the shallots and soy sauce for the fish sauce. Add black beans and 1/2 pound sliced or cubed scallops to pan along with soy sauce and water. Garnish: Chopped chives.

With Chicken and Shiitakes
Skip shallots. When pan is hot, add oil, then 1/2 pound cubed chicken thighs. Cook, stirring occasionally, until browned; remove. Add asparagus and 1/2 pound trimmed and sliced shiitake mushrooms; proceed, substituting oyster sauce for the fish sauce. Add chicken back to pan along with oyster sauce and water. Garnish: More oyster sauce.

4. GRILLED

With Lemon Marinade
Heat a grill with rack 4 to 6 inches from flame. Combine 2 tablespoons olive oil and zest and juice of 1 lemon; brush asparagus with this. Grill asparagus crosswise, turning once or twice and brushing with sauce until done. Garnish: Lemon wedges.

With Grape Tomatoes and Pesto
Skip lemon; grill 1 pint grape tomatoes, skewered, with the asparagus, brushing all with olive oil. Purée 1 cup basil leaves, 1 small garlic clove, 1 tablespoon pine nuts, 1/4 cup (or more) olive oil and 1/4 cup grated Parmesan in a mini food processor. Serve asparagus and tomatoes with pesto.

With Red-Pepper Glaze
Substitute lime zest and juice for the lemon; add 1 tablespoon honey and 1/2 teaspoon (or more) red-pepper flakes. Grill 1 yellow bell pepper — cut into thick strips — and 4 trimmed scallions along with the asparagus, brushing all with the glaze. Garnish: Lime wedges.

Yakisoba with Pork (or chicken) and cabbage - (Jessie via the NY Times)

Ingredients:
6 oz. dried Chinese Egg Noodles (Chukamen Noodles)  (or 10-12 oz. fresh)
1 T sesame oil
3 T peanut oil
2 T minced or grated ginger root
2 Pork chops, thinly sliced - or substitute chicken, shrimp, or tofu - cut meat thin while still partially frozen
1 small head Napa or Savoy cabbage, shredded (about 4 Cups)
2 carrots - shredded
2 T ketchup
1/4 Cup low sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup worcestershire sauce
2 T mirin, or a pinch of sugar
few drops tobacco sauce or "cock" sauce to taste
1 bunch scallions, chopped

Directions


1. Bring a pot of water to boil, salt lightly and add noodles.  Cook until just done, about 3 minutes.  Drain in a colander and run under cold water to stop cooking process.  Toss noodles with sesame oil to keep them from sticking together and set aside.

2. Put peanut oil in large skillet over medium high heat.  When its hot, add ginger and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute.

3. Add meat and cook for 5 minutes until no longer pink, and starting to brown around the edges

4. Add cabbage and carrots to skillet and stir. Sprinkle with salt lightly.  Continue to cook until vegetables soften, adding a bit of water as needed to keep them from sticking.

5.  Meanwhile, stir together in a small bowl ketchup, soy sauce, worcestershire sauce, miring, and hot sauce.  When vegetables are soft and any liquid has evaporated, add noodles and sauce to skillet.  Toss to coat everything well and cook until noodles are warmed through.

Serve topped with scallions.

Comments
Can add steamed frozen peas, or fresh snap peas - uncooked


Serves 4, takes about 30 minutes start to finish

Oat Scones - A Mother's Day Favorite (from Elaine Kile)

Ingredients
2/3 cup butter or margarine melted
1/3 Cup milk
1 Egg
2 t vanilla extract
1 1/2 Cup all purpose Flour
1 1/4 Cups Quick Oats uncooked
1/8 Cup Brown Sugar or maple syrup to taste
1 T baking powder
1/2 t salt
1/2 cup chopped walnutsnor pecans
1/2 cup raisins or chopped bananas or dried cherries or fresh blueberries or dried mangos or fresh peaches

Directions
In a microwave proof bowl melt the butter. Combine with milk and egg and vanilla

Combine dry ingredients

Stir in wet ingredients with just enough strokes to combine, will be flakey

Add in nuts and fruit. Mix just a little bit.

Shape dough into a ball with your hands as you lift it from the bowl.

Place ball in center of greased baking sheet and flatten into 8 or 9 inch round patty patting in cracked edges as you form dough pie.

Use a knife and cut pie into 8 wedges and slightly separate all the wedges.

Bake in oven preheated to 425 degrees F 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown.

Serve immedieately while still hot for breakfast with fresh preserves.

Baked Prawns (Greece) - Diane's friend Connie

From Food

From Food

Ingredients
2 lbs lg/med uncooked prawns
1 med onion, finely chopped
1/2 c olive oil
1 cup chopped green onions
2 cloves garlic crushed
2 cups chopped, peeled tomatoes (drained)
1/2 Cup dry white wine
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1/2 t dried oregano
Salt, freshly ground black pepper to taste
4 oz. feta cheese crumbled

Directions
Shell prawns, devein and rinse
Drain and dry with paper towels and refrigerate until required

Heat oil in a pan & gently fry onion until transparent. Add green onions & garlic. Cook 2 minutes longer

Add tomatoes, wine, most of the parsley, oregano, salt & pepper to taste.

Cover and simmer gently for 30 minutes until thick.

Preheat oven to 500 degrees.

Spoon half the tomato sauce into a large oven proof dish (9 x 14)
Add prawns in a single layer & spoon remaining sauce over them.
Coarsely crumble the feta and sprinkle on top.

Place uncovered dish into 500 degree oven for about 12 minutes until prawn tails are pink, meat has firmed up, feta has melted and it is lightly browned.

Sprinkle with remaining parsley and serve immediately with crusty bread.

Implements
Large sauce pan with lid
oven proof pan 9 x 14 or equivalent

Comments
Serves 6

Grandma Olive's "Goulash" - (Grandma Olive Olive via Betsy)

Ingredients
1 med. onion
2 ribs of celery
1 lb lean ground beef
1 - 6 oz can tomato paste (and 2 cans of water)
1 - 15oz can diced tomatoes
1/2 tsp. salt
1/3 tsp. garlic powder
3 tsp. sugar
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp each of basil and oregano
2 cups elbow macaroni

Directions
Dice then fry onion and celery. Add ground beef and cook until brown
and onions are transparent. Add tomato paste and 2 cans of water.
Stir over low flame until well mixed. Add can of cubed tomatoes and
all the seasonings. Simmer stirring occasionally for 30 minutes.
Adjust seasonings to taste.

Cook pasta according to directions. Drain. Add to sauce.
Fold gently together. Serve. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

Comments
Olive made this Goulash every time the family came to visit. It is being added to the cookbook this year in memory of her birthday. Thanks Betsy for submitting

Linguini With Goat Cheese Proscuitto and Spinach - Eva

Ingredients
½ lb linguini dried or fresh
1 small red onion
4-6 oz of goat cheese
1cup dry white wine
9 oz baby spinach
4-6 oz proscuitto sliced thin
olive oil

Directions
Bring a large quantity of water to boil in the large pot and cook the pasta to your desired doneness
Cut up the onion into a small dice, and sauté in a small amount of olive oil until soft in the small saucepan.
When the onions are soft, add the wine, and simmer about 5 minutes
Add the goat cheese and stir until the cheese is melted
Add the chopped basil, and set the pan aside

Cut up the proscuitto into small strips and sauté for a short time in the large frying pan with a few drops of olive oil
Remove proscuitto and add spinach to the pan. Cover and cook slowly until spinach is wilted. If water is released, drain it off.
Add the proscuitto to the spinach, add the drained pasta and the goat cheese sauce, stir and serve.

Implements
1 large pot for cooking pasta
1 small saucepan
1 large covered pot or frying pan

Comments
Recipe from Cooking Magazine, modified by Eva

Easy Thai Chicken Coconut Curry

Ingredients
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 Tablespoon butter
1 14oz. Can light coconut milk
1 Tablespoon Thai Kitchen Green Curry Paste
6 boneless skinless chicken thighs cut into bite size pieces
1/2 yellow onion cut in medium chunks
1 red bell pepper sliced thick
Chopped fresh basil for garnish
1 stalk Lemon grass sliced thin (optional)
Other vegetables as available (snow peas, frozen peas, bok choy, etc.)

Directions
Sauté onion in large frying pan with 1 Tablespoon olive oil
Add red bell pepper once onions are about 1/2 cooked
Once peppers are about 1/2 cooked, with pan on high,
Add butter, melt, then add chicken pieces
Brown chicken turning twice to get both sides, then turn down the heat to low
Add coconut milk
Stir in curry paste
bring to a simmer
Add salt and pepper and lemongrass (if using)
Cover pan and simmer for 30 minutes

Start rice.

When rice is done, serve curry over rice and garnish with chopped basil

Implements
Large frying pan with lid

Comments
Can add chicken broth, and other vegetables - don't overcook vegetables. Add to curry while cooking.

Serves 2 people with small lunch portion leftover.

Total preparation time - 45 minutes

Hybrid Granola - somewhat moist, but still crunchy

Cooking Granola on a bright clear morning, waiting for the temperatures outside to rise. Welcome to my world.

HYbrid of Eva's and Maya's granola recipe. This does not require the total demolition of a blender to grind up the dates, and keeps the kitchen cleaner. Just chop them up and add water to the mixture before cooking. Watch the video for sequence.

Slow cooked Pulled Pork Sandwiches (David via Roberta Gilbert)

Ingredients
Pork Loin, pork shoulder, or pork rump as big as fits into your crock pot
1 can beer - I prefer something dark and tasty, but the polls are still out
1 jar good barbecue sauce - recommend "Dinosaur" brand
(4-6) Exquisite buns cut in half - warmed in oven just before eating

Directions
Put thawed pork into slow cooking crock pot
Pour 1 can beer over meat
Activate crock pot for 3 hours on "Hi"

Drain pork, discard liquid
pull pork apart with two forks
discard bone if meat had one
put pull meat back into crock pot
pour in 1 jar barbecue sauce

Continue to cook on high for 1 more hour
turn to low and keep warm until served

Implements
Slow cooker - crock pot

Comments
Start this meal on a cold morning before heading out for the snow. Finish it up after returning from the slopes as everyone is showering and doing afternoon Yoga.

Serve hot and steaming over oven warmed buns

Serve with crisp salad and cold beer

This recipe serves a varying number of people from 3-8 depending on size of pork cut and appetite of eaters.

Octopus (Edgar)

Ingredients
½ pound octopus/person
2 Tbs tomato paste
1 medium potato /person
½ medium onion/person
Garlic
Capers ½ teaspoon /person
1/8 cup red wine/person
parsley flakes
Bay Leaf
Pepper


Directions
Precook the octopus with a bay leaf and garlic. Cover with water. Bring to a boil
and simmer till soft. The water will take a brownish cast. Test for softness with a
sharp knife. Check by cutting off a piece and tasting it. This could be done a day or
two ahead of time. Store in a refrigerator with the liquid in which it was cooked.
However, you can achieve an excellent result without storing ahead of time.

When the octopus is mostly cooked, peel potatoes – one medium size/person, cut
in chunks and fry in a non-stick frying pan with olive oil till the potatoes are nicely
brown & crisp on all sides. When the potatoes are almost done add an onion & garlic
and continue frying until the onion is softened

Drain the octopus in a colander saving the liquid. Cut the octopus in bite size chunks.
And place these in the pan in which you were frying the potatoes. Add parsley,
more garlic, a small tomato or tomato paste, capers, red wine, and pepper to taste.
Use your imagination. I used the above ingredients because I found some of them
mentioned in other octopus recipes. I think plum sauce may also be a good additive.

Add enough of the reserved liquid to cover all the ingredients in the frying pan.
Cook a bit more till the amount of liquid is somewhat reduced. Taste and cook until
you achieve the consistency that pleases you.

Serve piping hot.



Comments

This dish goes well with a salad with oil & vinegar dressing.
Mark Bittman writes that this is one of the last undiscovered seafood’s in this
country. Most is caught off our shores and then shipped frozen to Europe where
they have the graciousness to send some of it back. The best meal on our last trip
to the Adriatic was octopus and that is what inspired me to cook this as a surprise
dinner for Eva.

If you purchase the octopus frozen, defrost it in the refrigerator or cold water. Octopus freezes
well.

Whiskey-Apple Crumble Pie, Jessie

Ingredients
Pastry for a 9-inch single-crust pie, crimped and chilled in pie plate
(eg, David's Cuisinart recipe, standard flaky pastry crust from Joy of Cooking, or one premade bought from dairy section)

Crumble
¾ cup all-purpose flour
6 tbsp cold unsalted butter
¼ cup packed light brown sugar
¼ cup sugar
½ tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp salt
½ cup chopped pecans

Filling
2 pounds tart, crisp apples
3 tbsp unsalted butter
½ cup packed light brown sugar
2 tbsp whiskey or bourbon
½ tsp ground cinnamon
pinch ground cloves
pinch ground nutmeg
pinch salt

To make the crumble:
Combine flour, butter, sugars, cinnamon, and salt in a food processor and pulse until the mixture resembles bread crumbs. Add the pecans and refrigerate the crumble until needed. (Oops I added the pecans to the food processor… that came out just fine, too.)

Directions
Preheat oven to 450 F.

Peel, core, and slice the apples about ¼ inch thick. In a large sauté pan over low heat, melt the butter and sauté the apples for 5 minutes, until the outer edges get slightly soft.

In the pan off the heat, measure the sugar, whiskey, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and salt on top of the apples and toss gently until the apples are evenly coated. Scrape the filling into the bottom crust. Sprinkle the crumble evenly on top.

Bake the pie on a lipped baking sheet for 10 minutes, or until the crust looks dry, blistered, and blonde. Turn the oven down to 350 F and bake for about an hour, until the crumble browns, the apples yield when pierced with a knife, and the juice is bubbling thickly at the edges of the pie.

Cool the pie completely before cutting, at least a few hours. Serve it up at room temperature. Store the pie uncovered at room temperature, up to 3 days.

Implements

Comments

We had a pie contest at work and this was my favorite! It's from Bubby’s Homemade Pies.

Fish Tajine Moroccan Style, From Betsy

Ingredients
Marinade:
2 Tbsp. white wine vinegar
Juice of one lemon
½ cup fresh cilantro
½ cup fresh parsley
5 garlic cloves
1 tsp. paprika
¼ tsp cumin
cayenne
¾ tsp salt

1 lb. fish
Chez Piggy suggested Monk cut into ¾” chunks, which was not available – I used cod and kept the pieces large so, when they broke up in the “stew” they ended up as bite size.
1 lb. shrimp
2 med onions, diced
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2-3 carrots, cut into chunks
2 sweet potatoes, cut into small chunks

2-3 tomatoes, diced
1 green bell pepper
1 red pepper
Pinch of saffron
1 tsp cumin
Juice of one lime
1 Tbsp. tomato paste
More salt, if desired


Directions
Blend marinade into a paste, rub onto fish and shrimp and let sit for half hour while preparing the vegetables.

In a pot that fits all this food, saute the the slow-cooking vegetables (don’t add the fish yet!) about 10 minutes – until par cooked. Then add tomatoes, peppers, spices, lime and tomato paste.

Cook five more minutes. Then, add the fish and cook another 15 minutes or until fish is done, stir once.


Implements

Comments
This recipe is based on a recipe from, “The Chez Piggy Cookbook”, winner of the 1999 cuisine canada. A tajine is a north African clay cooking vessel which has a flat circular base with low sides, and a large dome-shaped cover. Tajine recipes are usually slow cooked. Due to lack of time, and the type of fish I used, slow was not an option, but never the less, mightily delicious! Other differences are that the original recipe calls for 4 lbs of fish and only 1 ½ tsp lemon juice added to Fish – I used juice of one lime. Serve with couscous!