November Recipe of the Month

Squash Pan Rolls

List of Ingredients:

1 cup milk

5 Tablespoons unsalted butter

2 teaspoons sugar

3 1/2 cups flour

1 pkg. quick rising yeast

2 teaspoons salt

1/2 cup frozen winter squash puree thawed, room temperature

Mix flour, yeast and salt in food processor.  With machine running, add squash mixture through feed tube until ball forms.  Continue to process for 45 seconds.

Butter large bowl.  Place dough in bowl and turn to coat.  Cover and rise until double (about 50 minutes).  Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Butter two 9" round cake pans.

Punch down dough, turn-out onto a lightly floured surface, and divide into 24 equal pieces.  Roll each into a ball, and distribute evenly - 12 per pan. Melt remaining 2 Tablespoons of butter.  Use 1/3 of melted butter to brush tops of rolls.   Cover rolls and rise until doubled (about 20 minutes).

Brush again with 1/3 of melted butter and bake until golden-brown, about 25 minutes. Brush again with remaining butter and cool completely in pans.  Cover with foil and freeze up to 2 weeks.  Thaw, and then re-heat, covered, at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes before serving warm.

December

Recipe of the Month

Old Fashioned

Plum Pudding

Merry Christmas

List of Ingredients:

1/2 cup fine dry bread crumbs

1 cup hot milk

4 eggs - separated

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 pound beef suet - ground

3/4 cup flour

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/3 teaspoon ground mace

1/3 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon groung cinnamon

1/2 pound raisins

1/4 pound dried currants

2 ounces citron - finely chopped

2 ounces candied orange peel - finely chopped

1 cup apple cider - boiled down to 1/2 cup

1 cup walnuts - chopped

     Combine flour with salt, nutmeg, mace, cloves, and cinnamon; add to egg mixture.  Mix in fruits and 1/2 cup of reduced cider.  Mix well, and stir in nuts.  Beat egg whites until stiff and fold into batter.

     Cover a cloth with 1/4 inch of flour.  Spoon batter into center of cloth and making sure that the mixture is completely covered with flour, bring the sides of the cloth together and tie the cloth as close as possible to the pudding.  Place in boiling water, and boil gently for 2 1/2 to 3 hours.

                           -OR-

     Grease a 1 1/2 quart covered mold, pour in batter and steam for 3 1/2 hours.

     Unmold the pudding on to a plate and serve with Hard sauce or Fruit sauce.

     My great-grandmother brought this recipe from England 150 years ago.  We have made it several times for Christmas dinner, and have tried both the flour lined cloth and the pudding mold.  The flour lined cloth really works, but the mold makes a prettier presentation.

Hard Sauce

(For Plum Pudding)

List of Ingredients:

1/2 pound unsalted butter, softened/cool

3 cups powdered sugar

3 teaspoons vanilla

1/2 teaspoon grated or ground nutmeg

1/4 cup Cognac or dark rum

Grated zest of 1 orange

In a large bowl, combine butter, powdered sugar, vanilla and nutmeg. Beat at high speed 6 to 10 minutes, or until light and fluffy, but still firm enough to hold a shape.

While beating slowly, very gradually add the Cognac or rum (or if a non-alcoholic sauce is desired, orange juice may be substituted) and orange zest.

Spoon onto the hot pudding.

(Sauce recipe borrowed from Joy of Cooking -   1997 edition - a copy of which belongs in EVERY kitchen)

January

Recipe of the Month

Touchdown

Chili

List of Ingredients:

2 teaspoons oil

3 # chuck roast cut into 1/2 inch pieces

1 large onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, crushed

1 green pepper, chopped

4 Tablespoons chili powder

2 bay leaves

2 teaspoons oregano

2 teaspoons sugar

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

16 ounces stewed tomatoes

14 1/2 ounces beef broth (stock)

16 ounces red kidney beans

8 ounces tomato sauce

1 cup water

1 teaspoon cornmeal

         In Dutch oven, heat oil over high heat.  Add beef and brown.  Drain excess fat.  Stir in onion, green pepper, and garlic and saute until vegetables are softened (about 3 minutes).

         Stir in next 7 ingredients and cook for 2 minutes.  Add remaining ingredients and bring to boil.   Reduce heat and simmer (covered) for 1 hour.  Uncover and simmer for 1 to 1 1/2 hours more.  Discard garlic and bay leaves.

         Makes 2 quarts.

     There are probably more Chili recipes than anyone cares to count - all of which claim to be THE BEST.  This happens to be my favorite.  Try it with some grated chedder cheese sprinkled on top and a jollop of sour cream.  Good fare for a cold January afternoon while watching the superbowl.

February

Recipe of the Month

German Apple Pancake

List of Ingredients:

BATTER

3 large eggs

3/4 cup milk

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 apple thinly sliced

1 1/2 Tablespoons butter

FILLING

1 pound tart apples - peeled and sliced

1/4 cup butter - melted

1/4 cup sugar

ground cinnamon to taste (~1/2 teaspoon)

ground nutmeg to taste (~1/4 teaspoon)

2 Tablespoons butter (cut into small chunks)

1/2 lemon

powdered sugar to taste (~1 Tablespoon)

          Preheat oven to 450 degrees (F.)     

          Beat together eggs, milk, flour, and salt until very smooth.  Add 1/2 cup of apples.   Melt 1 1/2 Tablespoons of butter in heavy (cast-iron is best) skillet.  When butter is quite hot, pour batter into skillet; put skillet into oven.  After 15 minutes, reduce temperature of oven to 350 degrees and continue baking for 10 more minutes.

FILLING

          In medium skillet over medium heat, saute apples in butter.  Add sugar, season with cinnamon and nutmeg to taste.  Cook 8 to 10 minutes until apples are tender.

          When pancake is ready, slide it onto a platter, pour apple filling over one-half, dot with butter and squeeze lemon juice over topping.  Fold over other half,  sprinkle with powdered sugar, cut into 2 inch strips and serve immediately with hot maple syrup.

Serve this to your sweetie in bed on Valentine's Day morning - but don't get syrup on the sheets.  :-)

March

Recipe of the Month

Desert Drowned Shrimp

List of Ingredients:

Serves 4 to 6

2 pounds medium or large shrimp, unshelled

1/2 cup fresh lime juice

1/2 cup fresh lemon juice

1/2 cup water

1 teaspoon salt

1 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 Tablespoon coarse-ground black pepper

Lime and lemon wedges for garnish

(This dish is enhanced if preceeded by a carefully prepared Margarita or two.)

          Place the shrimp in a saucepan.  Add the lime and lemon juices, water, and salt and bring just to a boil.  Pour the mixture into a shallow dish, refrigerate it, and marinate the shrimp in the liquid for 45 to 60 minutes.

          Drain the shrimp and add the oil and pepper to them.  The shrimp can be served immediately or refrigerated for several more hours before serving.  Arrange the shrimp on a decorative platter, garnish with lime and lemon wedges.  Since the shrimp are intended to be peeled at the table, supply a recepticle for shells and plenty of napkins.

          We were inspired by the Southwestern cooking we experienced on our recent trip to Arizona.  This simple but unusual preparation comes from the desert country of Arizona, where farmers actually raise shrimp commercially today.