Rhubarb Cookies

Too Much Rhubarb!!! These cookies are great for using up a bounty of rhubarb and they freeze well so you can enjoy them after your patch has gone to seed. 1C chopped rhubarb 1C brown sugar Set aside for up to 12 hours, let it get all juicy. Pour off juice and save for later. Then add 1/2 C butter (melted and cooled) 1 egg beaten Sift together and hold: 2 C flour 1 C rolled oats 1/2 tsp. salt 1 tsp. cinnamon 1/2 tsp. ground cloves 1 tsp. baking soda 1 tsp. baking powder Take rhubarb and mix in dry ingredients. Add enough of the juice to make a moist cookie dough. (if your oats are old, they can be really dry and you may need more juice, add some, mix, add some more until you have a moist (but not soupy) batter. (the consistency of banana bread) If you want: 1 c. craisins 1 c. nuts (optional) 375 degrees for 12-15 minutes.

Aunt "Raine's" Pumpkin Bread

This is the real old time MOIST pumpkin bread. NOT a cake like version and not fancy. Great to make a freeze ahead - great to make in smaller loaves too. Serve with cream cheese.

Oven 350
Makes 2 standard loaves or 6 -7 smaller loaves.

Combine and put aside
4 eggs - beaten
2/3C water
1C Canola or Corn Oil
1 Can Pumpkin


Sift
3 1/2C Flour
3C Sugar
2t baking soda
1 1/2t salt
1t cinnamon
1t nutmeg
Pinch of cloves

*1C walnuts (optional)
*1C raisins (optional)

Put dry ingredients with egg mixture and mix together.

Tuna Crostini's

This is so easy!

Tuna Crostini's


1 baguette or italian bread
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese


In a mixing bowl:
2 (6-ounce) cans white meat tuna packed in olive oil
1/4 cup capers, drained
1 large shallot, chopped (or a leak)
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 T fresh lemon juice
1/4 C watercress (chop it if you have it)
2 T chopped fresh parsley leaves
15 to 20 grinds of black pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Slice baguette (or italian bread) into slices and place on a baking sheet. Bake until toasted and LITE golden, then pull out and sprinkle parm over each piece and put back into oven.

Put back into oven and cook until cheese is melted.
This all takes less than 10 minutes.

Put all remaining ingredients in a mixing bowl and mix up - most of the time I do this with my hands so I don't crush the tuna, I just toss it together.

Put tuna mixture on top of each toasted baguette slice and some people like chopped bermuda onion as a garnish.

Salsa, Salsa, Salsa - This one is FRESH!

Because it is always a crap shoot with my garden - fresh herbs or the tomatoes I scam from friends or from the farmers market, I vary with what my real ingredients will be, tho this is my base recipe:


Chop:

* Onions, scallions or leeks
* Garlic - crush, fresh only not the jar kind
* Ripe tomatoes, peeled and seeds removed, chopped into chunks
* Chile peppers, fresh ones- Serrano or Jalapeno, finely chopped, remove the seeds (wear gloves if you need them)
* Red Pepper Flakes (if you like extra spice)
* Cilantro - fresh if you have it, Parsley if you don't
* Lime juice
* Lemon Juice
* Salt
* Ground Pepper

Chop onion and garlic - set aside

Combine onions and garlic with chopped tomatoes, peppers, cilantro, lime & lemon juice salt and ground pepper.


*If you are interested in adding more sweet to this recipe - try adding mangos or peaches - but strain off the juice so it doesn't become to watery.

New Deadliest Catch Season - it is "what's for dinn-ah!"

Ingredients
2 large tomatoes cut in half - allow to get to room temp if you have in fridge. This is low carb friendly...

1- 1 1/2 C crabmeat fresh
1/2 cup almonds
1 C monterey jack cheese - shredded (I love pepper jack)
1/2 c leeks or shallots
1/2 c fresh parsley
1 clove garlic smashed
1/2t oregano (dried) 1T fresh
1/2t basil (dried) 5 large leaves - fresh chopped
1/4C capers (optional)

HOW:
Half and core tomatoes coat with olive oil

Roll the tomato cut side down in almonds
Put on cookie sheet

Combine:
The rest of the ingredients and mix well (gently) place on top of tomatoes and bake for 15 minutes until bubbling. Save a little grated jack (or if you like some parmesan) cheese for the top and if you want to get fancy, just put a little on the top 3 minutes before done and flick on the broiler. But watch closely, you don't want it to burn!!

Garnish with paprika or cayenne - tabasco (if you dare!)

SPICY JAPANESE CUCUMBER SALAD

This recipe was adapted from 2 recipes on Cooks.com and then I added my twist!

2 med. cucumbers
1 t soy sauce
1 Leek
1 T white vinegar or rice vinegar
1 t sugar
2 t sesame oil
2 T Tabasco * (for your taste)
1/2 tsp. salt
2 slices fresh ginger, finely chopped or slivered
1 T toasted sesame seeds

Peel skin off cucumbers and ends. Remove seeds (if you like) Slice cucumbers lengthwise in thin ribbon like slices.

Slice leek in a similar way- lengthwise and thin slices.

Marinate in mixture of remaining ingredients. Chill in the marinade an hour or longer (even overnight). Occasionally toss the cucumbers to make sure it covers them.

What can you do with a Hanger Steak?

I get hanger steaks from my farmers market. I love the guy I get meat from there and seriously he can sell me anything I will buy it. I know the meat will be good, just half the time, when I get home, I have NO idea what to do with it - I dont want to destroy it. But hanger steak is tricky I have learned and if you buy if from an organic meat guy, it isnt all that cheap , so the pressure is on to make it right!

This cut of meat is NOT for anyone that wants well done or anything more done than medium rare OR you will chew your face off and any flavor just goes away.

The Hanger Steak is a thick strip of meat from the underside. It hangs between the rib and the loin. It is a bit stringy.

Ingredients:
1 3-4# hanger steak

Tenderize with fork or a meat tenderizer on both sides.

Mix together:
2 1/2 cups balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce
1 1/3 cups brown sugar
1 tablespoon salt
salt and pepper to taste

Combine 2 cups of balsamic vinegar with Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar and 1 tablespoon salt. Mix until the sugar is dissolved.

Put hanger steaks in a ziplock bag. Pour marinade over steaks, seal bag and turn to coat. Marinade hanger steaks for at least 3 to 4 hours up to 6 will work.

Take the 1/2 cup of balsamic vinegar in a sauce pan. Bring to a boil and reduce by half. Set side and allow to cool. Vinegar will continue to thicken as it cools.

Get out the cast iron and make it good and hot. Sear both sides for about a minute.

Brush with the thickened balsamic and put underneath the broiler for NO MORE than 3 minutes per side. Brush each side with the thickened balsamic after you turn them - and when you are done.

I made this in the winter and usually this is a grill thing, but not tonight, so the broiler works just as well this time of year.

Crustless Mini- Quiches

My friend Lainie gave me this recipe from one of those places that nobody bothers to read. I ofcourse have to change it up in order to make it my own - but these are so convenient you cannot help but make them. I am going to put them in the freezer, then take them out as I am ready to use them - great quick breakfast - :30 seconds in the microwave.

Oven 350 - bake 22 minutes

2C of shredded cheese ( I used Gruyere because I had it, I may use pepper jack next time)
1/2C half and half (I use fat free)
1/2C Mayo (I use canola mayo)
2 Eggs (Large or Jumbo work best!)
2T Flour
1/2t salt (I use 1 teaspoon kosher)
Black Pepper (to taste)

Goodies inside:
I use veggies and if I have ham or bacon I put a little in too. Onions, broccoli, spinach, crabmeat would work. Whatever you like. I also put a little Franks Red Hot in it to make it interesting.

Take Muffin pans and grease them up well (I use Olive oil) this makes 12.

Mix up all the cheese, 1/2 & 1/2, mayo, eggs, flour, salt and pepper - (Red Hot if you like it)

Take your chopped up goodies and sprinkle on the bottom of the muffin cups, then pour the egg mixture over the top. Fill 3/4 of the way up.

Pop in the oven.

Old Favorite - "No Bowl Cake"

This is a tuned up version of the favorite easy cake mom used to make.
Oven 350 for 30 minutes.

Cake:

Dry Ingredients:
1 1/2 Cups flour
1 Cup sugar
3 TB cocoa powder
1/2 tsp. salt or 1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp. baking soda

Wet:
5 TB melted butter
1 Cup cold water
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 TB white vinegar

Preheat oven to 350°. Combine all of the dry ingredients in an un-greased 8x8-inch square cake pan.

Put into one corner melted butter, into the second corner water and vanilla, and in the third corner you put the vinegar.

Stir everything and blend it well. Bake at 350° for about 30 minutes or until the cake shrinks a little from the sides. Let the cake cool, and then frost.

Berry Rhubarb crumble pie

Preheat oven to 400 degrees- then 350 for the rest.

BUY a pastry shell, this is messy enough without worrying about a pie crust.

Ingredients
* 2 egg
* 2 cup white sugar
* 1 teaspoon vanilla
* 1 1/2 teaspoon grated orange or lemon zest
* 2 cup diced rhubarb, if using frozen, chop while frozen,
then thaw and drain well
* 2 cup blueberries or blackberries or raspberries
if frozen, thaw and drain well
* 3 tablespoons flour or corn starch

Top "Crust" - here is the crumble part
* 3/4 cup flour
* 1/2 cup brown sugar (depending on the tartness you like, dark brown is sweeter)
* 1/3 cup softened unsalted butter

Directions
In a large bowl, mix egg, sugar, vanilla, orange zest, gently add rhubarb, the other berry (blueberries or blackberries or raspberries) you have sprinkle 2 tablespoons flour (or corn starch) on top and carefully coat them. (This is especially important if you have thawed your rhubarb or fruit-they are really goopey)

Pour mixture into a prepared, unbaked pie shell (8-inch). Set aside.

In a small bowl, cut 3/4 cup flour, brown sugar, and softened butter together until pea-size clumps are formed. Sprinkle above mixture on top of pie filling.

Bake pie for 10 minutes. Lower heat to 350 degrees F and bake another 30-40 minutes until bubbly.

Christmas Slush

Slush

1 (12 oz.) can frozen orange juice concentrate
1 (12 oz.) can frozen lemonade (or limeade)
1 1/2 c. sugar (optional)
1/4 c cherry juice (from marachino cherries)
1 c Water
2 c Whiskey
2 c Rum (white rum keeps the red color)
1/4c Sweet Vermouth (if you have some)

Mix all together well in large bowl. Freeze in quart containers. When needed scoop out slush into glass, then fill up glass with ginger ale, or mountain dew.

Stormy Day Bean Soup

This is a good way to use ham, chicken or turkey and make your own stock at the same time!

Things you need:

CrockPot (the best thing on earth if you don't have the back of the woodstove to use) if you have neither you can still use a stock pot on very low heat on the stovetop.

• Chicken/turkey carcass or ham bone

• 1# Dried Beans (you can get an assortment in a bag or you can mix up your own) I use: Split Pea, Lentils, Navy, Soldier, Yellow Eye, Jacob's Cattle.
• 1 medium onion -chopped
  
• 1 carrot (optional) -chopped
  
• 2 cloves garlic -smashed
  
• Cayenne or Red Hot (to your taste)
• Kosher Salt (to taste - less or none if you are using ham)
  
• Leftover Meat (as much as you want, 2 cups is good)
• 1 can (with juice) diced tomatoes with juice
  
• 3-4 cups of stock (water works okay, just not as tasty)
  

Soak Beans (in water) or in stock overnight. If you are soaking in stock, then put in fridge. If this is a last minute idea, don't fret just parboil for 30 minutes. Soaking beans gives you more flavor than parboiling - my opinion.

Slowly boil off the meat from whichever you are using (Chicken/Turkey carcass or Ham bone)

Skim off the fat.

Slowly saute onion & garlic in 1/4 C of olive oil. Just when you are ready to take it out, add cayenne or red hot and salt. Give it a stir add the meat and stir again just enough to warm it up.

Pour "goodies" into the crockpot and set to LOW.
Cut up carrot and add to goodies.
Add stock and give it a stir.

This is something that you can season as you go along. BUT be careful with the hot stuff - it may surprise you (and not in a good way), after it has stewed for a while.

About an hour before it is done (this is why I use a carrot - as it gets tender you know when the soup is ready to eat), add the canned tomatoes. Some people have told me they have used canned basil tomatoes and tho I have not, I bet they are lovely!

I call this Stormy Day - because I always seem to make it when I am at home when the weather is bad - it isn't meant to be a "Rush Home from Work" recipe. I often make stock and freeze it to use later - I think I saw Emeril use ice cube trays for this once and I LOVE THAT idea! Hate throwing away stuff that we need for later...

COLD OVEN...Popovers

Mix all together...DO NOT PREHEAT OVEN - COLD OVEN!!
These popovers rise on egg power alone - so use the best eggs you can find.

1 C flour (sifted)
1 C Milk
2 T butter (melted and not too hot)
3 Large or Jumbo eggs - room temperature works best
1 t kosher salt

I use a hand blender (Emil calls it a boat motor) till smooth.

Pour into VERY well greased muffin, popover pan, or custard cups
Bake @400 degrees for 35 - 40 minutes (depends on humidity)

DONT open the oven to look at them- even tho steam may be billowing out, they will come crashing down and you will be really sad...

I am famous for this CORN CHOWDER

Since this is about corn, generic canned corn is okay, but I really love green giant - the corn is in great shape in the can and not in pieces and it is really sweet. I have even added crabmeat to this recipe (right at the end) and it makes for a good twist.

Salt Port - diced
Shallots or Leaks
Garlic
White Wine
White Maine Potatoes - WITH skins - washed and diced

Tarragon
Thyme
Salt and Pepper
Franks Red Hot or Tabasco

1 Can Corn w/ juice
(pay the extra 20 cents and buy Green Giant or Delmonte)
1 Can Creamed Corn (ditto from above)

1 C 1/2 and 1/2
1/2 C milk
1 Can Evaporated Milk

Slowly brown salt pork, shallots/leaks and garlic.

Stir in potatoes, tarragon & thyme

Add wine and bring to a slow boil. Add corn(s) and stir. Reduce heat allow to cool for a minute or two.

Add 1/2 & 1/2
Add evaporated milk, milk
Bring up to temp- DO NOT BOIL!
Add red hot to taste - not meant to overpower, just meant to season.

Christmas Eve's French Onion Soup

This has been a family tradition for many years. My mom had a good friend that used to make it for her family and she passed away at a young age. I think mom started making it to remember her friend. (Tho' don't tell any body mom isnt known for her prowess in the kitchen!)

So I put my own twist to it and have started serving it myself - it is very, very easy. I use a crockpot, because it seems to allow the soup to combine some very subtle flavors into more full ones and give the soup some staying power - you can leave it on the counter for Christmas Day for stragglers!

Makes 8 big crocks of soup.

• 6-8 large YELLOW onions (peeled, thickly sliced and separated)
  
• 1/4# butter
• 2-3 bay leaves
• 4 cloves of garlic - crushed
• 1T kosher salt
• 2T dried thyme
  
• 3T flour
  

1 1/2C (or more if you like) white wine or dry sherry (whatever is open)
OR 1 1/2C red wine - there is a difference in taste, white is tends to be sweeter red seems to be less sweet and more full.

6 C of Beef Stock

• Thick Slices of french bread.
• 4 C shredded gruyere and swiss ( 4 C TOGETHER)

In a large (high sided) frying pan SLOWLY saute onions, butter, garlic, bay, salt.

Add wine and allow to reduce and bring back to a slow boil.
Sprinkle flour & thyme over onions & stir.

Add 1/2 of the Beef Stock - Stir (if you have vegetarians in the house you can use veggie stock, but you may need to add some more seasonings)

Bring back to a slow boil.

Take everything in the frying pan and place in a crock pot - add remaining stock and stir, put on low heat. Let mellow for a few hours.

Ladle into crocks, place french bread on top (some at my house like it completely covered in french bread and sprinkle generously with shredded cheese combination.

Place under broiler and watch closely, broil until cheese bubbles.
Sprinkle tops with paprika and serve (crocks are hot, be careful!)

Whatever's in the fridge Jambalya

You can use, leftover cooked chicken, ham, bacon, sausage, turkey, steak (in Maine we add Shrimp in season) or any combination of the above! (If you like hot sausage, add it in!-this includes the cheapest kind to the more extravagant andouille, linguica or chaurice)

Don't let the quantities mess you up, there really is no science and everyone loves mine and I just throw whatever I have that could be getting old in the fridge.

If everything is cooked all ready, I just throw them in a stock pot and warm them up, if I have some uncooked stuff around, I cook it up and drain it, then add everything else in to warm it up.

Then saute your tired vegetables like,
Onion, leeks, scallions, shallots
Peppers, any bell will do
garlic - 3-6 cloves - depending on how you much you like garlic
chopped celery
tomatoes (I use whatever I have-even if they are a bit shriveled) depending on how many tomatoes you have, you may want to have a can of diced tomatoes on the side - to add later, if you think you need it.

Add RICE:
If you have some cooked rice hanging around use it, if not 2 cups of cooked rice (I LOVE Basmati, the taste and how it stands up being used as leftovers) some people use Uncle Ben's - I don't love that because it is really starchy, but it is an easy option. I will tell you not to use Minute Rice- if you use it, don't plan on using this as leftovers or it will become mush.

For Spicy option:, ONLY if you and the people are feeding like it with ZIP-if you have spicy sausage all ready in there, keep this in mind.

Zippy seasoning blend (I use: 1 teaspoons cayenne, 1 teaspoons black pepper, 1 teaspoon white pepper, 1 teaspoon oregano, 1/2 teaspoon thyme to taste (or 2 - 3 tablespoons); 2 bay leaves

Vegetarians: I have vegetarian friends that do not use any meat at all. They add spinach, olives and sometimes tofu chunks, as well as the veggies they love but they use BROWN or long grain rice instead of white. It tastes really good!

It is nearing St. Patricks Day, then it is time for Guiness Recipes

So my gal pals & I sitting around talking about recipes and I couldn't believe I didn't have any Guinness Recipes Posted! I have been experimenting with Guinness for years. Had a buddy that always brought 4 over to my house and only drank 1 - I don't drink Guiness -so I used Guinness in Baked Beans, Stews and even in cake!

Here we are saving the best for FIRST! My friend Katy (yes she is 21!!) loves cupcakes so this is adapted for her! These are dense.

Cake or Cupcakes!
Preheat Oven 350

This is rich, but basic. The Guinness (or other stouts) make it rich and dark.

MAKES (8-10 in) cake or 12 standard muffins. 6 Mondo muffins

Ingredients:
2 sticks (8 oz) unsalted butter
1/2 t baking powder
1 1/2C soft brown sugar
2 t baking soda
4 eggs, beaten
1 can stout (Guinness)
1 C all purpose flour
1/4c cocoa powder
1/2c semi sweet choco chips or other dark chocolate you may like. (melted)

Put Butter in (8-10 in) deep cake tin, or line muffin pan with butter or cupcake papers. Set aside.

Cream together the butter with the soft brown sugar.
Gradually add the beaten eggs.

Sift together the flour, baking powder and baking soda.

Melt the chocolate chips, mix in the stout with the cocoa powder.

Add the flour and stout mixes alternately to the butter and eggs until completely incorporated. It should be smooth.

For Cake:
Spoon into the prepared pan & bake in the oven for 1 to 1 1/2 hours until cake tester comes out clean.

For Cupcakes:
Spoon into cupcake/muffin pans and bake for 45-60 minutes.

Some people cover with a piece of parchment paper if they look like they may be iover browning.

Allow to cool before removing .

Cheers! I like to garnish with powdered sugar! Num, Num!

Other Variations

When you pour a glass of stout there is a foamy head on top. You can do exactly the same with this cake.

Melt 1/4 if butter and add of grated white chocolate or semi sweet or dark chocolate shavings and pour on top. If you are feeling really irish you can add 2 shots of whiskey, let cool and you have some icing ready to spread on the cupcakes or cake.

Stout Pudding:
Crumble cake and spoon into some martini glasses.
Pour half and half or cream on top, some people like to garnish with raspberries, strawberries or cherries.

WICKED GOOD Amaretto Brownies (thanks, Tyler Florence)

Ingredients
* 2 sticks unsalted butter, plus more for pan
* 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate chips
* 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
* 1 teaspoon baking powder
* Pinch salt
* 4 large eggs
* 2 cups sugar
* 2 tablespoons amaretto liqueur
* 1 1/2 cups walnuts (optional)
* Powdered sugar, for garnish

How to:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Line a 9 by 9 square baking pan with parchment paper, making sure paper hangs over the edges. Grease paper with butter so the brownies don't stick. Melt butter and chocolate over a double-boiler and stir gently until smooth and shiny. Remove from the heat and cool slightly.

Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt into a mixing bowl and set aside. Whisk together eggs, sugar and amaretto in a mixing bowl until combined. Pour in chocolate mixture and continue to whisk until combined. Gradually add flour mixture, then add walnuts and incorporate with a wooden spoon. Transfer batter to baking pan and bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean when inserted into the middle of the pan. When done, invert onto a cutting board, remove paper and cut into squares. Garnish with powdered sugar and serve.

Creamy Garlic Soup

1 cup garlic cloves, peeled
olive oil
2 1/2 cups chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
1 cup white wine
2 1/2 cups milk (or 2 C of half & half)
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup peeled and cubed potatoes
salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. Using a stick blender chop garlic into coarse paste, using a bit of the chicken broth to make it creamy.
2. Heat oil in a large saucepan over low heat. Add the garlic paste and cook just until the paste begins to color, stirring constantly. Stir in the remaining chicken broth and wine. Bring mixture to a boil.
3. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.
4. Stir in the milk, cream and potato and simmer for another 30 minutes.
5. Puree soup with stick blender, return to saucepan and simmer.

Add salt and pepper to taste. Put a dollup of sour cream and garnish with chives or fresh parsley.

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!!