Friday, December 5, 2008

Gram's Gingersnaps

This recipe came from my grandmothers recipe box. I had to type it because there were so many stains on it it was hard to read!!

Oven: 350
Bake Time: 12 minutes

Ingredients:
3/4 cup butter or lard
1-cup light or dark brown sugar, firmly packed
1 egg
1/4 tsp salt
4 Tbsp molasses
2 1/4 cups flour
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 t black pepper

(White sugar for rolling.)

Directions:

In a sifter or wire strainer:
Put flour, baking soda, ground cloves, cinnamon ginger and pepper. Set Aside.

In a bowl:
  • Cream together butter and brown sugar until well mixed, light, and fluffy.
  • In a separate bowl beat together the egg, salt & molasses.
Then mix these together. I use a Kitchen Aid but I know my grandmother did this by hand. (UGH!)

Add dry ingredients - should be a bit on the "goopy" side.

Stick in the fridge:
If you have the time, cover & chill overnight but a few hours will work.

After chilled, shape dough into balls but rolling it in your hands -about walnut sized and roll in white sugar and then put on a greased cookie sheet, (or parchment if you use it.)

Pop in the oven and make sure you have enough milk handy for taste testing!!

Saturday, November 29, 2008

Basic Artichoke Dip with "Options"

Mix:
One Jar or Can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped up (reserve liquid)
1/2 pkg cream cheese, (I use fat-free or low-fat) room temperature
1 clove of garlic (mashed)
1/3 cup plain nonfat/ low-fat yogurt or sour cream
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions or fresh chives (green part too)
1 t Italian herb seasoning (or some thyme, basil, etc.)
1/2 t teaspoon salt (kosher if you have it)
1/2 cup of parmesan

Optional-
*can of crabmeat -drained
*green chili pepper or tabasco
*handful of fresh spinach - chopped very small w/o stems
*use reserved liquid from artichokes if you need it to make it creamier.

Cook for about 25-30 minutes in a covered casserole at 350.
Serve with crispy whole wheat pita chips (YUM)

Monday, November 24, 2008

Oatmeal Apple Crisp

OATMEAL APPLE CRISP

3-4 c. apples, chopped
3 tbsp. flour
1 c. sugar
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 c. brown sugar
1 c. oatmeal
1 1/2 c. flour
1/2 c. butter

Combine apples, white sugar, 3 tablespoons of flour, cinnamon and nutmeg. Blend well and place in 9"x13" greased baking dish. Combine brown sugar, oatmeal and 1 1/2 cups flour. Into this mixture, cut butter and mix until it becomes crumbly. Spread over the apples. Bake at 375 degrees for about 40 minutes or until apples are tender. Serve hot or cool with cream or ice cream.

Sunday, November 23, 2008

Sweet Potato Chipolte Soup

A Soup we are having for Thanksgiving - has a little zip to it!!

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 white onion, chopped
2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
4-5 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons minced and peeled fresh ginger
1 chipotle en adobo, chopped
3 sweet potatoes (about 2 pounds), chopped
6 cups chicken broth (or veg. broth) ( I use low sodium - why not?)
3/4 cup dry white wine
pinch of salt
1/4 tsp black pepper (from a pepper mill if you have one)
1- 8 oz can evaporated milk (non or lowfat)
2 teaspoons grated lime zest
2 teaspoons fresh lime juice


HOW TO:
Heat the oil in a large stock pot over medium high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, until tender. Add the sugar, garlic, ginger, and chipotle pepper; cook for about 2 minutes.

Stir in peeled and chopped sweet potatoes, broth, wine, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally , until fork-tender, about 25 minutes.

Remove the pan from the heat; let the mixture cool for a few minutes. Transfer the mixture to a food processor or blender and puree (I use a hand held mixer right in the pot).

Return soup to pot. Stir in evaporated milk and return to a simmer. Remove from heat and stir in the lime zest and juice. (I also like to put this in my crockpot- keeps the milk from getting weird while heating.)

Easy to freeze in 1 serving containers...makes a great lunch to go if you have access to a microwave.

Tuesday, August 26, 2008

Easiest "Pie" you will ever make!

Is it a Pie or is it a Tart?
Oven 425

1 "Store bought" pie crust (that you roll out)
1/4C fig jam**
1# plums**
1 egg w water for egg wash
1/2C sugar (raw cane if you have it)
  • Take pie crust out of fridge and get to room temp. Roll out flat onto cookie sheet.
  • Take jam and spread out on crust
  • Take fruit and layout toward the middle and stack up around the center.
  • Fold edges of pie crust around the fruit just to keep it from falling out, leaving most of the fruit exposed at the top.
  • Brush edges with egg wash and sprinkle with sugar.
Bake @425 for 45 minutes. If you use parchment paper on a cookie sheet it is much cleaner. If you have no parchment paper just make sure you grease your cookie sheet.

If you have diabetic friends, you can leave off the sugar if you choose. And you can use sugar free jam.

**Fruits: any pitted fruit and jam that sounds yummy with it.

How easy is that? Even without the sugar it is really yummy - I did a strawberries and rhubarb jam -of course I used the sugar. But the first time I had it, it didnt have any. All Fruit Jam and no sugar on the crust.

Monday, August 11, 2008

Salted Herbs or Herbs Salee

Ingredients
* 1 cup chopped fresh chives
* 1 cup chopped fresh savory
* 1 cup chopped fresh parsley
* 1 cup chopped fresh chervil
* 1 cup grated carrot
* 1 cup chopped celery leaves
* 1 cup chopped green onion
* 1/4-1/2 cup coarse salt

Directions
In a large bowl, combine herbs and vegetables.
Layer 1 inch of herb mixture in the bottom of a crock or glass bowl and sprinkle with some of the salt.
Repeat layers until all of the herb mixture and salt is used.
Cover and refrigerate for 2 weeks.
Drain off accumulated liquid and pack herb mixture into sterilized jars.

Sunday, August 10, 2008

Watermelon Salad, by Katharine

I made the salad as follows:

seedless watermelon cut in bite sized cubes
lots of cilantro
some arugula if you have it
a bit of fresh tarragon
chives or red onion or onion sprouts...or whatever onionish you have
some crumbled feta
some fresh basil...just enough to give it a bite\
I threw in a handful of crushed flax seeds

The dressing was a bit of raspberry vinegar and a bit of tarragon vinegar (use whatever vinegar you have and like)
some olive oil
some freshly ground black pepper

Wednesday, June 25, 2008

Another trip for Katharine and I stay here...

Here is what she said:

I can't wait to start the cooking at the Margaree. Did I tell you some of the menu? Scallops the first night, filet of beef with stilton the next, rack of lamb the next, and god knows what after that. Lunches will be foie gras with poached pears; caviar with cheeses; Jamie's mushroom soup...then leftovers. I hope I can get all the stuff in my little CRV...along with Molly and the boys. YUMMM!!

Dessert: Pepper Strawberries

Ingredients:
Strawberries
Sugar
Black Pepper - fresh ground - lots
Gran Marnier
1/2 or heavy cream


Let Strawberries be at room temp.
Slice in half and put in glass bowl or non-metal container
Sprinkle a teaspoon (per box) or so and mix lightly to encourage the juices flowing.

Take coursely ground pepper and sprinkle liberally. When you think you have too much, add more. (No Kidding) Do not mash - mix easily.

Place in fridge for at least 20 minutes, they can stay there all day if it is something you want to prepare early in the day.

Take out of fridge and spoon mixture into individual dishes and add Gran Marnier, brandy or Sambuca over top to your taste. Any of these work and if you like something else try it!

Then drizzle 1/2 and 1/2 or heavy cream over top.

Easy decadence!

Monday, April 21, 2008

Appetizer-Cheese Spread

Chop Fine
1/2 Green Pepper
1/2 Onion

Let Soften
1# Cream Cheese
1# Wispride Sharp Cheese Spread (2 Tubs)
1/4# Blue Cheese

To Taste
Worcestershire Sauce
Garlic Salt
Pepper

Mix with a mixer or food processor or break your arm stirring.
This tastes very much like our local favorite from Pilot's Grill.

Saturday, March 22, 2008

Stuff that you just make up

Crazy Veggie Casserole:

Ingredients
Baby Spinach or other cook-able green
Waterchestnuts in a can
Cooked Brown Rice
Fresh Ginger
Chicken Stock
Corn Starch or flour
Ground Pepper and Salt
Zuccini or Yellow Summer Squash
Garlic
Shallots


Preheat Oven to 350 find something you can put in the oven and bake.

Sautee shallots/garlic/fresh ginger in butter or olive oil - do it slowly.
Cook Brown or Wild Rice at the same time on another burner. ( this can take up to 40 minutes)

Chop spinach and waterchestnuts and set aside.

Steam spinach from pan and place in casserole dish along with veggies.

Combine cooked rice and stir. Cover and bake for 20 minutes.

Wednesday, March 19, 2008

MEAT-PORK LOIN

Easy Main Course


Buy a bigger one that you think you need -IF you have left overs they are great for picnics or sandwiches.

Take the Loin out of the plastic, wash it and pat it dry.
Stab it with a fork all around it.
Roll it in Spices. I usually use the prepared rubs and bring one with me.

Cover and let sit in the fridge for the day or even if it is just a few hours.

Cook on the grill or underneath the broiler - we like it pretty pink.

Serve with salsa or horseradish.

Easy App's

You can double this recipe and use it a second time around - it only gets better! It is easy to have around and warm on those days when the river isnt!

Crabmeat Dip

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/4 C sour cream
Chopped green onions
Can/Jar of drained artichokes - chopped
1 teaspoon horseradish
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 couple turns with some ground black pepper
A few dashes of hot sauce
1 can crabmeat, drained and flaked

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C).
Mix the ingredients in a container you can stick in the oven.

Bake in the oven 45 minutes, or until bubbly and lightly browned.
Serve on crackers or some crusty bread.

Katharine's "I told you so's!"

A Suggestion for your Menu!

Day 1:

Late lunch at Mother Webb's -- little steaks, of course
evening will be nibblies...pate de foie gras, wonderful cheeses, artichoke and asiago dip, dried bread.
Wine: Cawarra

Day 2: Buds for Breakfast
Dinner: woodcock with wonderful brandy sauce with morels wild rice a la Katharine
a small salad
Wine: Gnarly Head

Day 3: probably Jamie's rack of lamb at the Shortts.
curried apricots, salad

Linda will probably prepare some tasty befores
Wine: who knows?

Day 4: duck a la Linda at the Shortts
probably a rice dish, veggies and salad
More wine: Anakena perhaps

Day 5: Buds again, of course
champagne chicken with salad
Wine: Anakena

Day 6: a Bud or two
BBQ'd steak, agli e olio pasta, salad, garlic bread
Wine: Gnarly Head

Day 7: Many Buds
leftover steak in sandwiches
Mother Webb's enroute home

Many different cheeses are ready to be demolished at various times; e.g., just before an afternoon nap, at the Tent Pool with une bouteille de vin rouge.

Now you can say "you bitch!"

Field Kitchen Additions:
paper towels
matches
butter
ziplock bags

Snacks

Snacks

Munching and picnicking is always fun.
Here are some of our choices, they are easy to carry, most require no refrigeration.

Nuts and seeds or chex mix
Granola
Multiple types of cheeses
Crackers
Fruit

Cooking Ahead

Whatever you can prepare ahead - do it. If you are thinking you may want to have something for dinner and you can get multiple meals from it, it is a great a idea.

Things like roasting a turkey or ham or doing a big stew that you can have for dinner one night and eat throughout the week is a good think. Ham is great 'cause you can have sandwiches or cook it with eggs on another day.

Having to start from scratch after a long day of fishing can be a real bummer. So a little planning ahead can make a real difference in having a tasty meal!

Sunday, February 24, 2008

Items for the Field Kitchen

Knowing that you may be staying in a cabin with a small kitchen really helps. If you have been there you have an idea what to expect. If you haven't, here is a little list of things that can help. Whether you need them along the way before you arrive, at the cabin or just for a picnic by the pool, they are good things to have.
  • Wine/Bottle opener (of course)
  • A GOOD Piece of cutlery (if there is one available, often the ones available are really dull)
  • Crockpot (if you have room)
  • Small Cutting Board
  • Small travel cooler (for poolside picnics)
  • Travel Mugs
  • Ziplock Bags
  • Microplane grater
  • Salt & Pepper Grinders
  • Coffee or Tea
  • Sweetner - if you use it
  • Tee Lights (candles) - very nice touch Katharine
  • Book of matches or one of those fancy long handled grill lighters.
From Katharine, while we learn how to use this darn BLOG - "thingy."
  • Spices
  • Sturdy wine glasses that can be used on the bank of the river
  • Plastic table cloth
  • Napkins
  • Chicken bouillon or stock