Mushroom Soup

Chester County Mushroom Soup Printable versions here Recipe courtesy The Terrace Restaurant, Kennett Square Show: The Best Of Episode: Dining Adventures

1 carrot 1/2 onion 2 stalks celery 1 tablespoon butter or oil, plus 2 tablespoons melted butter or oil 2 pounds washed button mushrooms 1/2 pound washed shiitake mushrooms 1/2 pound washed oyster mushrooms 1 tablespoon fresh chopped tarragon 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon white pepper 3 pints chicken or vegetable stock 1 pint heavy cream 2 tablespoons flour Mince carrots, onions, and celery in a food processor and saute in heavy pot with oil. Mince mushrooms in a food processor, add to pot along with tarragon, salt, and pepper. Cook for about 15 minutes. Do not burn. Add stock and cream and bring to a boil. Mix melted butter and flour until smooth and whip into soup. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly until all of the flour and butter mixture is incorporated and the soup is thickened. Simmer for 30 minutes and serve. Adjust seasonings with salt and pepper, to taste.

Hearty Chicken Stew

Recipe courtesy Dave Lieberman Printable versions here Show: Good Deal with Dave Lieberman Episode: Comfort Food

This is the most delicious and vibrant take on chicken soup, the get well classic, that I could come up with. Lots of hearty pieces of chicken meat, a sweet broth with lots of bright veggies. I add a touch of heat with hot sauce at the end to get a little sweat going to get all those evil sick bugs out. Make it ahead of time and just heat it up at my friend's house. 4 small onions, quartered 6 cloves garlic, peeled 1 pound carrots, peeled and cut into -2inch chunks 2 pounds chicken thighs, skin removed Handful thyme sprigs Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 1/2 pounds red bliss potatoes, washed and quartered 2 handfuls green beans, trimmed Hot pepper sauce, to tasteIn a large pot, combine onions, garlic, carrots, chicken and thyme. Season with salt and pepper. Add cold water to cover. Bring to boil then reduce heat to a simmer. Skim and discard any scum that may come to the top. Simmer until the meat of the chicken falls off the bone with almost no pressure from a fork, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Remove the chicken pieces to a plate. Use 2 forks to separate the meat from the bone. Add the meat back to pot. Add the potatoes, cook until fork tender, about 20 minutes. Add green beans, cook until crisp-tender, about 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat, add hot sauce, salt and pepper to taste.

Easy Chicken Broth Enhancer

Add homemade flavor to canned chicken broth by tossing in leftover carrot peelings, onion ends, celery leaves, parsley stems, and/or mushroom stems, along with poultry bones and wings, if you have them, and a clove or two of garlic. Let it simmer for about 1/2 an hour, then strain. The result will taste like you spent hours on it.

Leek-y Chicken and Couscous

From Rachel Ray

4 servings

Ingredients:
1.5 cups chicken stock
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup golden raisins, a couple of handfuls, chopped
1.5 cup plain couscous
2 tablespoons olive oil
1.5 pounds chicken tenders, cut into large bite-size pieces
Salt
Pepper
2 medium leeks or 1 large leek
1 cup dry white wine (eyeball it), about 1/4 bottle
A handful of fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped

Heat the chicken stock and 1 tablespoon of the butter in a medium pot with a tight-fitting lid. When the liquid boils, add the raisins and couscous. Take the pan off the heat. Stir the couscous and place the lid on the pot. Let it stand.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and add the olive oil. Add the chicken in a single layer and season it with salt and pepper. While the chicken browns on all sides, trim the rough tops and the root ends off the leeks.

Cut the leeks in half lengthwise, then cut them into 1-inch half moons. Place the leeks in a colander and run them under cold water. Separate the layers to release the dirt and grit. Rinse well, then drain well.

Add the leeks to the chicken and wilt, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the wine and let it cook down by half, 3 to 4 minutes. The leeks should have some color but should be tender and the chicken should be cooked through. Add the remaining tablespoon of butter and swirl into the sauce.

Fluff the couscous with a fork and stir in the parsley. Place a bed of couscous on each dinner plate and top it with the chicken and leeks.

Rack of Lamb

Ingredients:
steak spice
lamb rack

1. Turn oven onto highest degree, basically broiling.
2. Put steak spice on lamb.
3. Put lamb in oven.
4. Turn every 2 minutes until ready.

Stir Fry

I used Turkey-Herb Sausage but you can use chicken or beef or kielbasa, whatever! Next time, try adding pine nuts!

Ingredients:
Turkey-Herb Sausage (or other), into 3/4-1 inch pieces
Bell Pepper (I used red), diced
White Mushroom,diced
2 Garlic Cloves, minced
Some onion, minced
Frozen vegetables (any work)
Thyme
Salt
Pepper


Large frying pan
Wooden spatula
Knife
Cutting board
Bowls/Plates

1. Large frying pan on high.
2. Put garlic, onions, and thyme in the pan for 1 minute.
3. Add meat, for 8 minutes.
4. Add vegetables for about another 5-8 minutes.

Done!

Soy Ginger Chicken and Winter Greens

From Whole Foods (365 Brand)

This recipe is a flavor sensation with tangy soy ginger sauce and those calcium-filled, dark leafy greens you're always trying to fit into your menu.

1/2 cup Soy Ginger Sauce (365 Brand)
2 large boneless chicken breasts, cut into thin strips
6-8 cups assorted fresh winter greens (kale, collards, mustard and/or chard)
2 TBS Olive Oil
2/3 cup julienned carrots
1/2 cup chopped scallions

In a small bowl, combine sauce and chicken. Let marinate at least 30 minutes.
Wash greens thoroughly, trip and chop roughly.
Bring a large pot of slightly salted water to boil.
Place greens in boiling water and blanch 3-4 minutes.
Drain and immediately transfer to ICE water to stop cooking and retain color.
When cool, drain and set aside.
In a large saute pan, heat olive oil over med-high heat, and saute chicken about 5 minutes until well browned.
Add carrots, scallions and cooked greens.
Saute another 3-5 minutes, tossing to mix ingredients.
Serve with more soy ginger sauce!

Pumpkin and Black Bean Soup

Recipe courtesy Rachael Ray Show: 30 Minute Meals Episode: 30-Minute Veggie Feast

2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, 1 turn of the pan 1 medium onion, finely chopped 3 cups canned or packaged vegetable stock, found on soup aisle 1 can (14 1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes in juice 1 can (15 ounces) black beans, drained 2 cans (15 ounces) pumpkin puree (found often on the baking aisle) 1 cup heavy cream (CAN USE LIGHT CREAM) 1 tablespoon curry powder, 1 palm full 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin, 1/2 palm full 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, eyeball it in the palm of your hand Coarse salt 20 blades fresh chives, chopped or snipped, for garnish Heat a soup pot over medium heat. Add oil. When oil is hot, add onion. Saute onions 5 minutes. Add broth, tomatoes, black beans and pumpkin puree. Stir to combine ingredients and bring soup to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low and stir in cream, curry, cumin, cayenne and salt, to taste. Simmer 5 minutes, adjust seasonings and serve garnished with chopped chives.

Sweet Potato and Sausage Soup

From Smitten Kitchen

Originally from Epicurious

We ended up using spicy chorizo (yee-ouch!) but it played off the sweet potatoes perfectly, saving me from death by cayenne.

Gourmet note: This hearty soup gets rich flavor from linguiça, a delicious pork sausage from Portugal seasoned with garlic, paprika, and other spices.

Makes 8 servings

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 10- to 11-ounce fully cooked smoked Portuguese linguiça sausage or chorizo sausage, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices (Spanish chorizo can be substituted)
2 medium onions, chopped
2 large garlic cloves, minced
2 pounds red-skinned sweet potatoes (yams; about 2 large), peeled, quartered lengthwise, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices
1 pound white-skinned potatoes, peeled, halved lengthwise, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices
6 cups low-salt chicken broth
1 9-ounce bag fresh spinach

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add sausage; cook until brown, stirring often, about 8 minutes. Transfer sausage to paper towels to drain. (I poured off some of the oil in the pot at this point, but the original recipe doesn’t think this is needed.) Add onions and garlic to pot and cook until translucent, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Add all potatoes and cook until beginning to soften, stirring often, about 12 minutes. Add broth; bring to boil, scraping up browned bits. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until potatoes are soft, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes. Using potato masher, mash some of potatoes in pot. Add browned sausage to soup. Stir in spinach and simmer just until wilted, about 5 minutes. Stir in remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Season with salt and pepper. Divide among bowls and serve.

Other options to consider: Kielbasa (suggested by commenter Wendy) instead of chorizo/linguiça, adding a can or two of drained white beans or using more spinach. I love spinach wilted in soups and could have used even more.

Hot Chocolate

From Orangette

Adapted from Dorie Greenspan’s Paris Sweets and Ladurée

The original version of this recipe uses twice as much of each ingredient listed below, serving four people. To make it more friendly for my household, I’ve halved it to serve two. But feel free, of course, to multiply the amounts to serve four or six or however many you want. Whatever you do, don’t be tempted to skip the blending step. It helps to incorporate the chocolate and makes the texture velvety-smooth.

My favorite chocolate for this is Scharffen Berger 70%. Use any bittersweet chocolate you like, but keep in mind that it should be one you love, since its flavor takes center stage.

1 ½ cups whole milk
2 ½ Tbsp. water
2 ½ Tbsp. granulated sugar
3 oz. bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

In a medium saucepan, combine the milk, water, and sugar. Place over medium heat and whisk occasionally until the sugar is dissolved. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring the mixture just to a boil. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the chocolate. At this point, blend the mixture. If you have an immersion blender, you can do this directly in the saucepan; if not, you’ll need to transfer it to a traditional blender. Either way, blend for 1 minute (on high speed, if using a traditional blender - and take care(!), as hot liquids expand when blended). The finished mixture should be very smooth and frothy.

Serve immediately.

Note: Should you have any leftover hot chocolate - wishful thinking, I know - you can store in the refrigerator for 2 days. Reheat it gently over low heat, stirring occasionally, until hot. Blend for 1 minute; then serve immediately.

Yield: 2 servings

Pita Chips

From Smitten Kitchen

We use these for lots of things: hummus, other dips, tossing with the Israeli Salad at the last minute (so they don’t get soggy) or for scooping it up. I find it a relief to be able to eat crunchy, tasty chips without the deep-fat fried guilt.

6 large pitas, cut into eight wedges each, then each wedge split into two layers (for small chips) cut into six wedges and split (for large, scoopable chips)
Olive oil cooking spray or 2 tablespoons olive oil
Flaky sea salt
1 tablespoon za’atar or sumac

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. On a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper, arrange all of the pita slices so they do not overlap. Either brush or spray with olive oil, then sprinkle with sea salt and your spice of choice. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, or until they begin to color. Let them cool completely before using, or bagging for later.

Israeli Salad

From Smitten Kitchen

2 medium roma tomatoes, cubed

1-lb English cucumber, cubed
½ medium red onion, cubed, or 4 scallions, finely sliced
3 tablespoons finely minced fresh, flat-leaf parsley
Juice of half a lemon
2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil
1½ teaspoons sumac powder
Salt and pepper, to taste

You can either toss all of the vegetables in one large bowl, and pour over it the parsley, lemon juice, olive oil and sumac mixture you whisked separately in a small bowl, or if you’re in a hurry just toss everything all at once.

Other additions: ½ to 1 cup crumbled or cubed feta, 1 bell pepper, cut into cubes, 1 15-ounce can of chickpeas, rinsed and drained, ½ to 1 cup coarsely chopped olives, 1 to 2 tablespoons finely minced mint or dill or pita chips (see below). You could also whisk a couple tablespoons of tahini into the dressing for a thicker, sesame-coated flavor.

Slice-and-Bake Cookies

From Smitten Kitchen

Adapted from Dorie Greenspan

Makes about 50 cookies

2 sticks (8 ounces; 230 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature
¾ cup (78 grams) confectioners’ sugar, sifted
1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
Pinch of salt
1 teaspoons vanilla or almond extract
2 cups (280 grams) all-purpose flour

Options:

• Mix in grated zest of 2 oranges and 1/2 cup dried cranberries (I finely chopped them)
• Mix in grated zest of 2 lemons; coat with or mix in 1/4 cup poppy seeds (I mixed the poppy seeds in)
• Mix in grated zest of 2 limes; coat with 1/4 cup cornmeal
• Mix in 1/2 cup chopped dried apricots; coat with or mix in 1/2 cup finely chopped pistachios
• Mix in 1/2 cup mini chocolate or peanut-butter chips
• Mix in 1/4 cup finely chopped candied ginger; coat with or mix in 1/4 cup sesame seeds
• Swap ¼ cup of flour for unsweetened cocoa
• Swap ½ to 1 cup of flour for ground almonds, pecans, hazelnuts or walnuts

1. Put the butter in the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat at medium speed until it is smooth. Add the sifted confectioners’ sugar and beat again until the mixture is smooth and silky. Beat in the egg yolk, followed by the salt and any dried fruits, zest, nuts or seeds. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the flour, beating just until it disappears. It is better to underbeat than overbeat at this point; if the flour isn’t fully incorporated, that’s OK—just blend in whatever remaining flour needs blending with a rubber spatula. Turn the dough out onto a counter, gather it into a ball, and divide it in half. Wrap each piece of dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 30 minutes.

2. Working on a smooth surface, form each piece of dough into a log that is about 1 to 1 1/4 inches (2.5 to 3.2 cm) thick. (Get the thickness right, and the length you end up with will be fine.) Wrap the logs in plastic and chill for 2 hours. (The dough can be wrapped airtight and kept refrigerated for up to 3 days or stored in the freezer for up to 1 month.)

3. Position the racks to divide the oven into thirds and preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

4. While the oven is preheating, roll cookie logs in any coatings of your choice. Then, using a sharp slender knife, slice each log into cookies about 1/3 inch (10 mm) thick. (You can make the cookies thicker if you’d like; just bake them longer.) Place the cookies on the lined baking sheets, leaving about 1/2 inch (1.5 cm) space between them.

5. Bake the cookies for 12 to 14 minutes, or until they are set but not browned. Transfer the cookies to cooling racks to cool to room temperature.

Keeping: Packed airtight, the cookies will keep for about 5 days at room temperature, or in the freezer for a month. Unbaked logs can be frozen for longer.

Roast Chicken

From Jamie Olivier

I recently discovered a way to make the chicken taste even better, by putting a lemon in with my potatoes when I was parboiling them. It smelt fantastic and flavoured the potatoes. Then when I was draining them I decided to stab the lemon, which hissed out juice and steam, and quickly jammed it inside the chicken! The benefits of the hot steaming lemon going into the chicken are very obvious as the meat tastes amazing, and the chicken cooks slightly quicker because of it.

Serves 4

• 1 x 2kg/4½lb free-range organic chicken
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2kg/4½lb potatoes, peeled
• 1 large, preferably unwaxed, lemon
• 1 whole bulb of garlic, broken into cloves
• a handful of fresh thyme
• olive oil
• a handful of fresh rosemary sprigs, leaves picked
• optional: 8 rashers of smoked streaky bacon

Rub the chicken inside and out with a generous amount of salt and freshly ground black pepper. Do this in the morning if possible, then cover the chicken and leave in the fridge until you're ready to start cooking it for lunch or dinner. By doing this, you'll make the meat really tasty when cooked. Preheat your oven to 190°C/375°F/gas 5. Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Cut the potatoes into golf-ball-sized pieces, put them into the water with the whole lemon and the garlic cloves, and cook for 12 minutes. Drain and allow to steam dry for 1 minute (this will give you crispier potatoes), then remove the lemon and garlic. Toss the potatoes in the pan while still hot so their outsides get chuffed up and fluffy - this will make them lovely and crispy when they roast.

While the lemon is still hot, carefully stab it about 10 times. Take the chicken out of the fridge, pat it with kitchen paper and rub it all over with olive oil. Push the garlic cloves, the whole lemon and the thyme into the cavity, then put the chicken into a roasting tray and cook in the preheated oven for around 45 minutes. Remove the chicken to a plate. Some lovely fat should have cooked out of it into the roasting tray, so toss the potatoes into this with the rosemary leaves. Shake the tray around, then make a gap in the centre of the potatoes and put the chicken back in. If using the bacon, lay the rashers over the chicken breast and cook for a further 45 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked and the potatoes are nice and golden. (You can tell the chicken is cooked when the thigh meat pulls easily away from the bone and the juices run clear.)

I like to remove the bacon from the chicken and crumble it up over the potatoes. Then I remove the lemon and garlic from inside the chicken, squeeze all the garlic flesh out of the skin, mush it up and smear it all over the chicken, discard the lemon and rosemary and carve the chicken at the table. Heaven!

Another version:
It’s one of those amazingly easy, incredibly flavorful dishes that anybody can pull off, with little or no skill. Here’s how: Ideally, the night before, you’ll salt and pepper your whole chicken and leave it in the fridge overnight. Then when you’re ready to cook dinner, put some cut up potatoes in a pot of boiling water with a whole head of garlic cloves (separate, but don’t bother peeling) and a lemon, for about 15 minutes. Strain and remove garlic and lemon. Prepare chicken for roasting by patting with paper towels, and then rubbing olive oil generously all over. Stab the boiled lemon ten times and stick it in the cavity of the chicken, along with the garlic and a handful of fresh thyme. Roast for 45 minutes. Then take out, and remove chicken from pan for a few minutes. Toss in the potatoes — stir them about so they can be coated with juices from the chicken. Clear a space in the middle, put the chicken back in the pan, and stick it back in the oven for another 45 minutes or so. When it’s done, the chicken will be the moistest you’ve ever made, with crispy skin and fragrant taste. The potatoes are super yummy too.

Scones

Scones are believed to have originated in Scotland. The scone's origins are unclear, some saying the name comes from where the Kings of Scotland were crowned, the Stone (Scone) of Destiny. Others believe the name is derived from the dutch word "schoonbrot" or "sconbrot" meaning "white bread" or beautiful bread.

It can be sweet or savory and can contain fruit, nuts, chocolate, cheese, herbs, etc...It is usually served warm, split open, and topped with butter, sugar,, jam or preservatives, and.or clotted cream. Traditionally served for afternoon tea or breakfast.

BASIC SCONE:

1. Preheat oven to 375* Fahrenheit; place rack in middle of oven.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together:

2 cups flour

1/3 cup granulated sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

pinch of salt

3. With pastry blender, cut in 1/3 cup butter until mixture looks like coarse crumbs.

4. In small bowl, combine:

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup milk/whipping cream

5. Add liquid mixture to flour mixture. Stir until just combined. DO NOT OVERMIX.

6. On lightly floured surface, knead gently. Roll or pat dough into a circle that is 7 inches round and about 1.5 inches thick.

7 Cut circle into 8 triangular sections.

8. Mix 1 egg with 1 tablespoon milk. Brush top of scones with this mixture.

9. Bake for 15 minutes or until lightly browned. Transfer to wire rack to cool.

Pancakes a la Betty Crocker

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes
Yield: 9 4-inch pancakes

Ingredients:

1 large egg

1 cup all-purpose* or whole wheat flour

3/4 cup milk

1 tablespoon granulated or packed brown sugar

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

3 tablespoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

Margarine, butter, or shortening

1. Beat egg in medium bowl with hand beater until fluffy. Beat in remaining ingredients except maragarine (or butter) just until smooth. For thinner pancakes, stir in additional 1-2 tablespoons milk.

2. Heat griddle or skillet over medium heat or to 375 degrees. Grease griddle with margarine if necessary. (To test griddle, sprinkle with a few drops of water. If bubbles jump around, heat is just right.)

3. For each pancake, pour slightly less than 1/4 cup batter from cup or pitcher onto hot grddle. Cook pancake until puffed and dry around edges. Turn and cook other side until golden brown.

*If using self-rising flour, omit baking powder and salt.

1 PANCAKE: Calories: 100 (Calories from Fat 35); Fat 4g (Saturated 1g); Cholesterol 25mg; Sodium 240mg; Carbohydrate 13g (Dietary Fiber 0g); Protein 3g

BANANA PANCAKES: This was my own variation of these pancakes. Slice about 1-2 bananas and mix them into your pancake batter. Then just fry as usual. Or, you can drop the slices into the pancake on the pan/griddle. MUSIC TO LISTEN TO: Banana Pancakes, Jack Johnson. Especially on a rainy day.

BERRY PANCAKES: Stir 1/2 cup fresh or frozen (thawed and well drained) blackberries, blueberries, or rasberries into batter.

BUTTERMILK PANCAKES: Substitute 1 cup buttermilk instead of 3/4 milk. Decrease baking powder to 1 tablespoon and beat in 1/2 tablespoon baking soda.

CRUNCHY PANCAKES: Stir 1/2 cup coarsely chopped trail mix or chopped nuts into batter.

Southwestern Chicken-Vegetable Soup

It is a very warming, spicy soup that serves up immune-boosting nutrition and opens sinus and bronchial passages, allowing for freer breathing. Try to use organic ingredients. This soup freezes well, and the recipe approximately makes 15 cups.

Ingredients:

1 medium-size white onion, diced

20 cloves garlic (not elephant garlic), minced

2 celery stalks, sliced very thin

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

8 cups homemade chicken stock

3 carrots, sliced very thin or cubed

2 medium-size potatoes, cubed

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper powder or 1 habanero pepper, diced and seeded

1 tablespoon fresh parsley, minced

2 teaspoons fresh cilantro, minced

1 bay leaf

Salt, pepper, oregano, savory, rosemary, or thyme to taste

1. In a 4-quart stock pot, saute the onion, garlic and celery in olive oil until transparent.

2. Add the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil.

3. Reduce the heat, and then cover and simmer for an hour.

Cranberry Cocktails: Cranberry Martini or Virgin Cosmopolitans

PHOTO CREDIT: Quentin Bacon

Cranberry Cocktails

Enjoy the fresh tang of cranberry in these fine cocktails. A non-alcoholic version is stylish and sharp, providing the perfect drink to serve alongside canapes.

From Williams-Sonoma Entertaining.





Yields: 8 cocktails

Cranberry Martinis
Ice cubes
1 cup (8 fl oz/250 ml) vodka
1/4 cup (2 fl oz/60 ml) dry vermouth
1/2 cup (4 fl oz/125 ml) cranberry juice
8 cranberries, frozen
4 lemon zest twists

Virgin Cosmopolitans
Ice cubes
1 cup (8 fl oz/250 ml) cranberry juice
1 cup (8 fl oz/250 ml) fresh tangerine juice
1/4 cup (2 fl oz/60 ml) fresh lime juice
4 lime zest twists

For the martinis, put 4 martini glasses in the freezer to chill for at least 30 minutes. Just before serving, fill a cocktail shaker half full with ice. Pour over the vodka, vermouth and cranberry juice. Cover with the lid and shake vigorously up and down for about 10 seconds. Strain into the chilled glasses, dividing evenly. Garnish each glass with 2 frozen cranberries and a lemon twist. Serve at once.

For the cosmopolitans, put 4 martini glasses in the freezer to chill for at least 30 minutes. Just before serving, fill a cocktail shaker half full with ice. Pour over the cranberry juice, tangerine juice and lime juice. Cover with the lid and shake vigorously up and down for 10 seconds. Strain into the chilled glasses, dividing evenly. Garnish each glass with a lime twist. Serve at once.

Southwestern Oven Awesomeness

Ingredients:

Chicken Chili

Some hamburger meat (in pieces)

Corn

Corn bread (with cranberries inside)

Red pepper, chopped

Black beans

Taco shell pieces

1. Mix together and put in oven safe container
2. Put in oven
3. Check on it, when there isn't too much liquid left take it out (when you think it'll be yummy)

E's Apple Pie

Easy Crust (2 crust, 9inch pie)

2 cups flour

1 tsp salt

2/3 cup plus 1 Tablespoon butter

2 tsp. vinegar

4 Tablespoons cold water

Put the flour in a bowl, add salt, and mix. Cut in butter w/ the side of a fork until the mixture resembles sm. peas. Add vinegar, then gradually add the cold water, a tablespoon at a time, and toss lightly w/ a fork until the dry ingredients have been absorbed. Cut in half.

For bottom crust, flour your board or pastry cloth and place half your dough on it. Turn over to flour other side. Tap lightly w/ a rolling pin to flatten, then turn over and roll from center to the edges to make a circle 1 inch larger than the pie plate. Fold in half and place gently on a pie plate, fitting it without stretching. Trim off excess crust at rim. Fill pie.

For the top crust, roll out second ball of dough. Fold in half. Moisten edge of bottom crust, and then lay top crust over pie. With scissors make 3 or 4 slits in center of top crust to let out steam. Then trim top crust w/ the scissors to within 1/2 inch of the rim of plate. fold excess top crust under edge of bottom crust and flute or seal edges together w/ a fork.

Apple Pie

6 to 8 fresh apples, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced

1 cup sugar

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

2 Tablespoons butter

Place sliced apples in the pie shell so that they are slightly mounded. Pour sugar over apples, sprinkle w/ nutmeg and cinnamon, dot w/ butter, cover w/ top crust. Complete pie by following directions given in piecrust recipe.

Bake for 10 minutes in a preheated 450 oven. Reduce heat to 350 and bake an additional 35 minutes. to make sure the pie is done, insert a fork into the slit in the top crust--apples should be soft and crust slightly browned.

If you have pie crust left over, roll out the excess, brush w/ butter, sprinkle w/ a cinnamon-sugar mixture, roll up jelly roll fashion, cut into 1 inch pieces and bake for 10 minutes at 450 degrees. Or spread soft peanut butter over the crust, roll up, cut and bake as above.

P.S. Many people squeeze a SMALL amount of fresh lemon juice over apples so they will not discolor and also because it enhances the flavor. Adjust sugar according to the kind of apples you use.

Many of the newer ovens seem to require less baking time than some of the older ones did - as much as 5 to 10 minutes in some cases. Try testing your bread and cakes 5 to 10 minutes earlier than your recipe specifies. Remember, the longer an item bakes, the greater the amount of moisture that is baked out. So if you bake it longer than necessary, your baked goods will be dry.

Cream Puffs

Difficulty: Medium Prep Time: 20 minutes Cook Time: 45 minutes Yield: 30 servings

For the pate a choux pastry:
1 cup water

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoons granulated sugar

1 cup all-purpose flour

3 to 4 eggs, plus 1 egg for egg wash

For the filling:
2 cups heavy cream

2 tablespoons sugar

1/4 teaspoon vanilla

To make the cream puffs: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

In a large saucepan, over medium-high heat, bring the water, butter, salt, and granulated sugar to a rolling boil. When it boils, immediately take the pan off the heat.

Stirring with a wooden spoon, add all the flour at once and stir hard until all the flour is incorporated, 30 to 60 seconds.

Return the pan to the heat and cook, stirring, 30 seconds to evaporate some of the moisture.

Scrape the mixture into a mixer and mix at medium speed.

With the mixer running, and working 1 egg at a time, add 3 of the eggs, stopping after each addition to scrape down the sides of the bowl.

Mix until the dough is smooth and glossy and the eggs are completely incorporated. The dough should be thick, but should fall slowly and steadily from the beaters when you lift them out of the bowl. If the dough is still clinging to the beaters, add the remaining egg and mix until incorporated.

Using a pastry bag fitted with a large plain tip, pipe the dough onto the baking sheet, in 2-inch diameter rounds or balls. Don't worry about making a hole for the filling yet, that'll come later.

Whisk the remaining egg with 1.5 teaspoons water. Brush the surface of the rounds with the egg wash to knock down the points (you may not use all the egg wash).

Bake 15 minutes, then reduce the heat to 375 degrees F and bake until puffed up, and light golden brown, about 20 minutes more. Try not to open the oven door too often during the baking. Let cool on the baking sheet.

To fill the cream puffs, place a pastry tip on your finger and poke a whole in the bottom of each puff.

To Make Filling: Whip the cream with the sugar and vanilla until stiff.

Pipe whipped cream into each cream puff and chill until ready to serve, no more than 4 hours.

If wanted, sift powdered sugar on top of cream puffs.

Notes about the recipe: The moisture in the eggs turns to steam and puffs the batter to try to release itself. You can fill them with anything, including instant pudding mix, jelly, or whipped cream.

Saucy Franks

Fabulously delicious.

Ingredients:

1 pound mini cocktail franks or 6 regular hot dogs cut into 1-inch pieces

1 (12 ounce) jar red currant jelly

4 tablespoons spicy brown mustard

You can serve these on toothpicks or pretty skewers.

1. With a pair of scissors, cut open the package of hot dogs. Place the mini franks or sliced hot dogs into the medium pot.

2. Empty the jar of red currant jelly into the pot. Use your skinny spatula or spoon to get the jelly out of the bottom of the jar.

3. Add the mustard.

4. Turn the heat to medium. Cook the hot dogs uncovered for 15-20 minutes, stirring to mix them with the sauce.

Cheftah

A soup with meat balls, potatoes, and onions. Persian meal.

Soup Ingredients:
Meat Balls (below)
Potatoes (chopped into any large size)
Onions (optional) (cut into any size)
Soup mix
A little bit of tumeric
A little bit of pepper
1 black lemon

Meat Balls ingredients:
Ground turkey meat
Onions, chopped in food processor (1 medium onion for every pound of meat)
Parsley
Salt
Pepper
Cumin
Tumeric

Mix together with your hands.

In a pot, put in meat balls and potatoes and onions (if you want), and it takes about 45mins - 1hr. Start it on HIGH so it boils and then when it boils put it on low and cover it.