Monday, October 26, 2015

Crock Pot Sweet Potatoes

This is a great side dish for Thanksgiving. I happen to like Sweet Potatoes and this recipe is the perfect dish for the Holidays. This recipe is adapted from Southern Living.





Here's what you'll need:
1 - 6 quart Crock Pot

Sweet Potatoes in a Crock Pot:

4 pounds of Sweet Potatoes, peeled and sliced 1" thick.
1/2 C Frozen Concentrated Orange Juice, thawed
4 TBS Butter, melted
3 TBS Brown Sugar
1 tsp Salt
3 tsp Fresh Copped Rosemary
2 tsp Cornstarch
1 TBS Cold Water
1 TBS Orange Zest
2 Cloves of Garlic, minced.

In the Crock Pot:
Potatoes

In a small bowl:
Orange Juice Concentrate
Butter
Brown Sugar
Salt
Rosemary
Orange Zest
Garlic
Whisk well
Pour over the Potatoes.
Toss well.
Cover and cook on Low for 6 hours.
Transfer Potatoes (with a slotted spoon) into a serving bowl.

Increase the Crock Pot temperature to High.
In a small bowl:
Cornstarch
Cold Water
Whisk well.
Add to the Crock Pot liquid.
Cook, stirring constantly for 5 minutes until it thickens.
Spoon over the Potatoes and serve.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!


Quinoa and Spring Mix Salad

This is one of my favorite salads. Most of the Restaurants I eat at are offering so many more Vegetarian options. My two new favorites are Zoës Kitchen and Mod Market. The menus are incredibly vegetarian friendly and.....healthy!





Quinoa and Spring Mix Salad:

4 C Spring Mix Greens
4 C Cooked Quinoa
1 C Fresh Blueberries
1/2 C Chopped Pecans
1 Avocado, diced
1/3 C Crumbled Feta Cheese

Dressing:
1/4 C Mayonnaise (Low-fat is OK, if you think it will make you feel like it's healthier)
My personal choice of dressing is always Olive Oil and Apple Cider Vinegar.
1 TBS Plain Yogurt
2 TBS Granulated Sugar
4 tsp Whole Milk
1 1/2 tsp Apple Cider Vinegar
1 1/2 tsp Poppy Seeds

Whisk all ingredients for the dressing in a jar and refrigerate 1 hour.

Toss all Salad ingredients in a Serving Bowl.
Toss the Dressing into the Salad just prior to serving.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!



The French Macaron Experience

This is not a post of recipes, it's not a lesson on how to create and prepare them. It's a testimonial about my favorite Macarons Cookbook.
I have many Macaron Cookbooks, including the most popular Ladurée but the best one for learning the technique in my latest one, Pierre Hermé.

Paris Macarons:

Pierre Hermé
72 Rue Bonaparte
Paris

Pierre Marcolini
78 Rue du Bac
Paris

Ladurée
18 Rue Royale
Paris

If you have the opportunity to visit Paris, my favorite city in the world, include a visit to La Grand Épicerie de Paris and Le Bon Marché.

38 Rue de Sévres
Paris


Here are just a few picture of some amazing Macarons from Pierre Hermé.








Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Sunday, October 25, 2015

Les Macarons, encore!

Macarons are incredible, beautiful, tasty, and very French. I took my second Macarons Class today and I learned that they are as difficult to make as everyone believes, but I wouldn't discourage anyone from learning how to make them. Today I learned that you can't make Macarons when the humidity is high and especially after several days of thunder storms and pouring rain. So, my take away from the class today is that we had a blast, it was fun and no matter what happens in the process, Macarons taste delicious............. Ils sont incroyable!
Anne and I spent the summer in France and we were on a mission to taste every Macaron we saw in every Patisserie and Boulangerie we passed, on the streets of Paris, Aix, Ouistreham in Normandy to the small villages in Provence. We tasted them from Pierre Marconi, Pierre Hermé, Ladurée, Eric Keyser and the list goes on.
I'm working on a post that will include recipes for a variety of cookie and filling combinations with some basic flavors and some unusual ones. Until then, enjoy some photographs of a variety of French Macarons.







Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Vintage Recipes from the early 70's

I often talk about the extensive vintage cookbook collection I have. Every year we attend the Mennonite Central Committee Sale in Kansas, at the State Fairgrounds. It's a Relief Sale for Mennonite Mission. It's 2 days of shopping, eating, and a Quilt Auction. There are many Amish families that attend and it's all for a great cause. In one of the buildings there's a booth that has 8 - 10 6" tables filled with cookbooks donated my local families. I've found handwritten books with incredible recipes. It's the first booth I go to. I try to be the first one in line and I buy a lot of them.

Last Spring I purchased a bag of General Mills Recipes Cards from the early 70's. There must have been 1000 cards. It was not an easy task choosing recipes to post on the Blog, but I have the following favorites that I decided to post today.

Some of the directions needed to be adapted since kitchen gadgets, appliances and some instructions have changed since the 70's.







Corn Muffins:

1 C Yellow Cornmeal
1 C Flour
2 TBS Sugar
4 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Salt
1 C Milk
1/4 C Shortening

Heat oven to 425 degrees.
Grease the bottom of 12 medium muffin cups.
Blend all ingredients about 20 seconds.
Beat 1 minute.
Fill Muffin Cups2/3 full.
Bake 15 minutes.
Immediately remove from pan.
12 Muffins.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!


Creamy Coleslaw

1 small Green Cabbage, cut into 1 inch pieces.
1/2 Green Pepper, cut up.
1/2 C Mayonnaise
1/4 C Sour Cream
2 tsp Lemon Juice
1/2 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp Dry Mustard
A Dash of Pepper.

Add enough of the vegetables to fill a Food Processor, pulse just long to roughly chop them. (about 3 - 4 seconds)
Repeat with remaining vegetables.

Mix Mayonnaise, Sour Cream, Lemon Juice Salt, Mustard and Pepper.
Pour over the chopped Cabbage . Stir to mix well.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!


Chuck Wagon Beans:

This is not a vegetarian recipe. I have ingredients to make a vegetarian version! I use Vegetarian Bacon, Vegetarian Beef Bouillon and Vegetarian Meatless Ground by Yves.

"Covered wagon kitchens, complete with pantries and tailgates, once brought meals to cowboys driving cattle north from the Texas range to the new Kansas railroads.
Menu: Coffee, Steak, Stew, and Beans, Beans, Beans!"

1/2 lb. bacon slices
3 lbs. ground beef
3 C finely chopped onions
1 C finely chopped celery
2 beef bouillon cubes
2/3 C boiling water
1 1/2 cloves of garlic, minced.
1 1/2 C ketchup
3 TBS yellow mustard
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 cans (29 oz each) molasses-style baked beans.

Heat oven to 375 degrees.
In a Dutch Oven, fry bacon until crisp, set aside.
Drain the fat.

In the same pot, cook and stir the ground beef, onion and celery until the meat is browned and the onion is tender.
Dissolve the bouillon cubes in the boiling water.
Stir bouillon and remaining ingredients into the meat.
Cover and bake 1 hour and 15 minutes.
Crumble bacon over the beans.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!


Spinach Gourmet:

2 - (10 oz.) packages of chopped frozen spinach, thawed.
2 - (4.5 oz.) cans of button mushrooms, drained.
2 tsp dried minced onion.
1 clove of garlic, minced.
1 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
2/3 C sour cream
2 TBS milk
2 TBS butter, softened.

In a 1 quart casserole dish, mix spinach and remaining ingredients.
Cover and bake 1 hour.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!


"Syrup from American maple trees flavors this traditional apple dessert. It has gone on many a Fourth of July picnic and begun many a day at the breakfast table."

Apple Pan Dowdy:

1  (20 oz.) can of Apple Slices, drained.
1/2 C Brown Sugar
3 TBS Butter, melted.
6 TBS Maple Syrup


Heat oven to 425 degrees.
Prepare pastry crust for an 8" two crust pie.
Stir together apple slices and brown sugar.
Turn into the pastry lined pie pan.
Top with butter and 3 TBS of the Maple Syrup.
Cover it with a top crust with slits cut into it and flute the edges.

Bake for 15 minutes.
Remove from oven.
Make criss-cross cuts about 1" apart through the top crust and filling.
Drizzle with remaining maple syrup on top.
Cover the edges of the crust with a 2" - 3" strip of foil. to prevent excessive browning.
Bake for an additional 25 minutes.
Serve warm and if you wish, pour on additional syrup.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!


Deluxe Pecan Pie:

Prepare dough for a  single crust 9" pie. Incorporate the chopped nuts into the dough. Roll out and fit into a 9" Pie Pan.

2 TBS Chopped Pecans
3 Eggs
1 C Granulated Sugar
1/2 tsp Salt
2 TBS Butter, melted
1/2 C Dark Corn Syrup
1/2 C Heavy Cream
1 tsp Vanilla
1/4 C Brandy
1 C Pecan Halves

Heat oven to 375 degrees

In a small mixer bowl, beat eggs, sugar, salt, butter, syrup and cream.
Stir in vanilla, brandy and pecans.

Pour into the crust.
Bake 40 - 50 minutes or until filling is set and pastry is golden brown.
Cool completely.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Christmas Salad:

1- (8 3/4oz.) can of Fruit Cocktail, drained.
2 Bananas, sliced.
1 small Apple, unpeeled and diced.
1/2 C Seedless Green Grapes
5 Maraschino Cherries, cut in half.
1/4 C Miniature Marshmallows
1/2 C Heavy Cream, whipped.

In a large bowl, combine fruit cocktail, bananas, apple, grapes, cherries and marshmallows.
Fold in Whipped Cream.
Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!


Apricot Pecan Bread:

2 1/2 C Flour
1 C Granulated Sugar
3 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
1 tsp Salt
1 TBS plus 1 tsp Grated Orange Peel
3 TBS Vegetable Oil
1/2 C Milk
3/4 C Orange Juice
1 Egg
1 C finely chopped Pecans
1 C finely chopped Dried Apricots

Heat oven to 350 degrees.
Grease and Flour a 9"X5"X3 Loaf Pan.

Measure all ingredients into a large mixing bowl, beat on medium speed 1 minute.
Pour into the pan.
Bake for 55 - 60 minutes or until a toothpick in the center comes out clean.
Remove from the pan and allow to cool completely before slicing.


Quick Coconut Bars:

3 TBS Butter
2 C of any White Cake Mix
1 1/2 C Miniature Marshmallows
1 C Semisweet Chocolate Chips
1/2 C Flaked Coconut
1 C Chopped Pecans
1 (14oz,) can of Sweetened Condensed Milk

In the oven at 350 degrees:
Melt butter in a 9" X 13" Casserole Pan.
Tilt the pan to coat the bottom.
Sprinkle the dry Cake Mix over the Butter.
In the order listed, sprinkle evenly over the dry mix:
Sprinkle Marshmallows
Chocolate Chips
Coconut
Pecans
Pour Milk evenly over the top.

Bake for 30 minutes
or until golden brown.
Run a knife around the edges to loosen.
Cool completely.
Cut into squares.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Pumpkin Bread:

2/3 C Shortening
2 2/3 C Granulated Sugar
4 Eggs
1 (16oz.) can pf Pure Pumpkin
2/3 C Water
3 1/3 C Flour
2 tsp Baking Soda
1 1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Baking Powder
1 tsp Cinnamon
1 tsp Ground Cloves
2/3 C Chopped Pecans
2/3 C Raisins

Grease and Flour 2 - 9"X 5"X 3" Loaf Pans.

Mix Shortening and Sugar together.
Stir in Eggs, Pumpkin and Water.
Blend in Flour, Soda, Salt, Baking Powder, Cinnamon, Clove.

Stir in Nuts and Raisins.
Pour into Pans.
Bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes or until a toothpick in the center comes out clean.
Allow to cool completely.

Serve with Cream Cheese or Apple Butter.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!


Creamy Baked Rice Pudding with a Meringue Topping:



1/2 C Uncooked White Rice
1 C Water
1/2 C Granulated Sugar
1 TBS Cornstarch
A Dash of Salt
2 Eggs, separated
2 1/2 C Whole Milk
1 TBS Lemon Juice
1/2 C Dark Raisins

1/4 C Sugar (for the Meringue)

In a saucepan on medium heat:
Rice
Water
Stir together.
Heat to boiling. stirring occasionally.
Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 15 minutes without removing the cover or stirring.
All of the water should be absorbed at the end.

Heat the oven to 350 degrees.
In a mixing bowl:
1/2 C Sugar
Cornstarch
Salt
Whisk well.

Beat Yolks in a small bowl.
Add Yolks and Milk to the Sugar mixture.
Beat with an electric hand mixer.
Stir in the Rice, Lemon Juice and Raisins.

Pour into a greased 1 1/2 quart Casserole Dish.
Place the dish in a roasting pan and fill with water half way up the Casserole Dish.
Bake for 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.
Remove the the entire Roasting Pan with the Casserole Dish from the oven and set aside.

Increase oven temperature to 400 degrees.

Beat the Egg Whites until foamy.
Add the 1/4 C of Sugar, 1 TBS at a time and continue beating until stiff and glossy.
Drop by the spoonful onto the Rice Pudding.
Return to the oven to bake for an additional 8 - 10 minutes. The Meringue should be golden brown.
Serve immediately.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!















Thursday, October 22, 2015

Cream of Asiago Cheese Soup

I have several recipes for Soup. I make Soup often beginning with the change of the weather in Fall. I love Soup!


Cream of Asiago Cheese Soup:

3 C diced Onion
1 C diced Celery
3 C diced Carrot
6 TBS Butter
4 C Diced Potato, skin on.
1 C Dry White Wine
2 C Vegetarian Chicken Broth or Vegetable Broth
2 C Half and Half
2 C  Freshly Grated Asiago Cheese

In a Stockpot on medium high heat:
Butter
Heat until melted.
Onion
Celery
Carrot
Cook for 3 - 5 minutes until tender.

Add:
Potatoes
Wine
Broth
Cover, reduce heat to medium and cook for an additional 20 minutes.

Add:
Cream
Continue cooking an additional 5 minutes.
Remove from heat.
Add:
Cheese
Use an Immersion Blender and purée the soup, leaving a few chunks.

Serve individual servings topped with additional Shredded Cheese.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!


Pumpkin Baked French Toast

I just received this recipe and I'm feeling a bit lazy today, so I'm simply posting the link. This would make the perfect Holiday Brunch recipe. It may not be healthy, but all things in moderation! Right?
I hope some of my readers take the time to try this as we get closer to cooler weather, Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas. It's Pumpkin Season, indulge yourselves!




http://lilluna.com/pumpkin-french-toast-bake/

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!