Cucumber Jar Salad from Yvonne

I have a great story to tell about the woman that shared this recipe.
Her name is Yvonne and she's German, living in Sweden. My wife and I travel to France a lot and we have made many friends in France over the years. I have been traveling to France for 44 years. We stay with friends in France when we travel there. The last time we were in Paris we decided to take a Van to the airport to fly home. On our way, which was only about a 15-20 minute drive, I noticed that the driver was not taking a direct route to the airport. I know Paris so well that I knew we were not going in the right direction. When I asked, he told me we were stopping to pick up some other passengers. I was unaware that there would be others on the route. When we stopped, a woman and her daughter got in the Van. The mother sat next to me and I immediately began to talk to her. Only to discover that she did not speak very much English, she was originally from Germany and was living in Sweden. Her daughter spoke very little English.  I speak Fluent French and she doesn't .That has never stopped me in the past. I brought out my best German that I had learned when I spent some time in Germany and we conversed in English, German and her broken French and talked all the way to the airport. At this point we spent about 15 minutes in the Van together. We ended up exchanging addresses, and eventually became friends on Face Book and are still in communication with each other. We hope that she and her family will someday visit us in the States.
Life is all about sharing..... sharing cultures, sharing languages, sharing friendships and ..... sharing recipes!
I love to travel and the friendships that we make on our journeys. I wish everyone could do the same.
So, in conclusion, thank you Yvonne for reaching out to share those few words on that 15 minute ride to Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris, France. And thank you for continuing our friendship on Face Book and for sharing recipes with our family!
We hope that someday you can come and stay with us in Texas.

Here's The recipe for Cucumber Jar Salad:
From Foodies TV and Recipes We love.

This is the perfect salad for a picnic, a family gathering or a  church supper !
I love the concept of the jar!

4 Cucumbers, sliced thin
1 large Red Onion, sliced thin
1 large Green Bell Pepper, sliced
1 TBS Salt
2 C White Vinegar
1 1/2 C Sugar
1 tsp Celery Flakes
1 tsp Red Pepper Flakes

In a large bowl:
Cucumbers
Onion
Bell Pepper
Salt
Mix Well, set aside

In a Saucepan:
Vinegar
Sugar
Celery Flakes
Red Pepper Flakes
Bring to a boil
Remove from heat and add 2 handfuls of ice until melted.
Place everything in a large mouth canning jar (2 quarts or 1/2 gal.)
Pour vinegar mixture over the vegetables and refrigerate.
Will keep up to 2 months
Makes 2- 1 quart jars.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Let's Talk about Limes !

I happen to love Limes. I prefer cooking and baking with Limes over any other Citrus Fruit.
When I find a recipe I love that calls for citrus, I choose Lime. I'll convert a recipe to change it to Lime. Of course that's not difficult to do. Texans use Lime in a lot of Tex-Mex Recipes and when we drink a Corona Beer, you'll often see us squeezing a wedge of Lime into the beer and shove the Lime wedge into the bottle. It's just the way we drink our Mexican Beer. We use Lime in Salsa, Pico de Gallo, Pie, Cake, Margaritas, Fruit Salad, etc.

I've chosen a few recipes to post that include Lime.

I found this recipe on Food52, a blog that I follow and I adapted the recipe to make it with lime rather than any other Citrus Fruit. However, any other Citrus Fruit would work well.

Warm & Gooey Lime Pudding:

5 TBS butter, softened, 1 TBS, of the 5, reserved for greasing the pan
1 1/2 C sugar
2 TBS lime zest
3 large eggs, separated
5 TBS flour
1 C Half and Half
6 TBS Lime juice
Confectioner's Sugar for dusting

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and butter a 9"X9" baking pan.

In a large bowl using a hand mixer:
Butter
Sugar
Zest
Beat until pale and fluffy

Add, alternately until incorporated:
flour
Half and Half
Add:
Lime Juice and mix until smooth and silky

In a separate bowl, with a hand mixer:
Beat Egg Whites until stiff and glossy

Fold Lime batter and Egg Whites together just until combined.
Don't over mix.
Pour into baking dish

Place the baking dish in a Roasting Pan and fill 1/2 way up the sides of the baking dish with warm (not hot) water.
You can add the water after the pans are in the oven if it's easier.

Bake for 50 minutes.
The top should be golden brown and cracking.
It will still jiggle and that's OK, but the longer you bake it, the more "cakey" it will be and that's OK too.

Serve in individual bowls and dust with Confectioner's Sugar.

Note: Any Citrus will work.
Grapefruit might be nice!

Another Best of the Best Recipes from 1980

Lime and Melon Chutney:

This is a Chutney that is served with Crackers and Cream Cheese.

It may seem a bit decadent, but worth the work. This recipe will impress your guests!

1 1/2 C Plain Vinegar

1 1/2 C Sugar

2 - 3 TBS Coarsely Chopped Fresh Ginger

2 Cloves of Garlic, minced

2 tsp Mustard Seed

1 1/2 tsp Salt

1/8 - 1/4 tsp Crushed Red Pepper Flakes

8 C  Cubed Cantaloupe

1 1/2 C Golden Raisins

1/2 C Fresh Lime Juice

1/2 C Chopped Walnuts

1 TBS Grated Lime Zest

In a Dutch Oven, Combine:

Vinegar

Sugar

Ginger

Garlic

Mustard Seed

Salt

Crushed Red Pepper Flakes

Boil generously for 5 minutes

Add:

Cantaloupe

Raisins

Lime Juice

Return to a boil

Boil gently over medium-low heat stirring often for about 1 hour, until the mixture is the consistency of a Jam

Remove from heat

Fold in Walnuts and Lime Zest

Ladle into Hot Canning Jars to within 1/4"

Run a knife between the Chutney and the jar to release air

Wipe the edges clean and put the tops on

Process in a hot water bath for 10 minutes

Remove from the bath and cool completely

Yield about 6 half pint jars

Serve with Crackers and Cream Cheese



Margarita Pie:

This recipe is from Love From The Oven, a Blog that I follow.

Thanks for sharing!

Ingredients

• 1-1/4 cups crushed pretzels
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 6 Tbsp. butter, melted
• 1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk
• 1/2 cup lime juice (you can use margarita mix in place of the lime juice or a combo of both)
• 1 env. KOOL-AID Lemon Lime Unsweetened Soft Drink Mix
• 1 tub (8 oz.) COOL WHIP Whipped Topping, thawed, divided

Instructions

MIX pretzel crumbs, sugar and butter; press onto bottom and up side of 9-inch pie plate. Refrigerate until ready to fill.

MIX next 3 ingredients in large bowl. Whisk in 2-1/2 cups COOL WHIP; pour into crust.

FREEZE 6 hours. Remove from freezer 15 min. before serving; let stand at room temperature until slightly softened. Top with remaining COOL WHIP.

Lime Cake with Lime Glaze and Frosting:

I've researched many Lime Cakes and this is my favorite.

350 degree oven

9x12 cake pan ( brushed well with Pan Release) recipe is on the Blog under ( Tips,Hints and More)

1-3 ounce package of Lime Jello

1 1/3 C Sugar

2 C flour, sifted

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp each of Baking Powder and Baking Soda

1 1/2C Vegetable Oil

3/4C Orange Juice with Pulp

1 TBS Lemon Juice

1/2 tsp vanilla

5 Eggs, beaten

2 TBS Lime Zest

Glaze:

1/2C Lime Juice (about 25 Key Limes or 4 large regular Limes, or cheat and use a bottled Lime Juice.

(I prefer Key Lime Juice)

1/2C Powdered Sugar

Frosting:

1 stick of Butter, room temperature

1-8 ounce package of Cream Cheese, room temperature

1- 1lb. box of Powdered Sugar

In a large bowl whisk together:

Jello

Sugar

Flour

Salt

Baking Powder

Baking Soda

Add;

Oil

Orange Juice

Lemon Juice

Vanilla

Eggs

Mix well and fold in the Lime Zest by hand.

Pour the Batter into the prepared cake pan.

Bake for 40 minutes.

Cool for 5 minutes in the pan.

Turn onto a cooling rack over a cookie sheet pan.

While the cake is still hot, mix the Glaze, pierce the cake with a fork and pour on the Glaze, spread evenly over the entire cake.

Cool completely.

Prepare the Frosting: (with a hand mixer or stand mixer)

Cream together the Butter and Cream Cheese.

Beat in the Sugar until smooth.

Frost the top and sides of the cake.



Lemon or Lime Curd from Scratch:

I'm adding the option of Lime since I live in Texas and we make a lot of recipes with Lime instead of Lemon. I would make Lime curd, with a bit of minced jalapeno in it, for mini tarts.

This is the perfect recipe for those who prefer the fresh taste of Lemon or Lime Curd or for those that do not have access to buy it.

Zest of 2 lemons or limes, wide strips

Juice of 2 lemons or limes,strained

6 TBS sugar

2 large whole eggs + 3 large yolks

1/2 C butter (8 TBS or 1 stick)

Place all ingredients in a heat proof bowl over gently simmering water in a saucepan, or in a double boiler.

Whisk continuously until sugar dissolves and butter melts.

Continue whisking until the Curd coats the back of a spoon ( about 3 minutes).

Do not let it boil.

Remove from heat.

Push Curd through a medium sieve with a rubber spatula into a clean dry bowl.

Cover with plastic wrap, pressing directly onto the surface of the Curd.

Poke a few holes in the plastic to release steam.

Refrigerate at least 3 hours or up to 5 days.


Margaritas:

This is one of my favorite Margaritas because it doesn't have added sugar or simple syrup.

There's a twist in this Margarita because it includes rum.

2 oz. Patron Silver Tequila

1 oz. Triple Sec or Cointreau

1 oz. fresh Lime Juice

1 oz. fresh Orange Juice

1 oz. Dark Rum

Salt, Ice, Lime Juice

Blend the first 5 ingredients in a cocktail shaker.

Dip the rim of a  glass in Lime Juice and Salt.

Fill the glass with ice and add the Margarita.

Here are additional recipes!

Margaritas for a Crowd:

1 750 mll bottle of Silver Tequila

2 C Triple Sec or Cointreau

1 C Fresh Lime Juice

Ice

1n a 1/2 gallon pitcher, combine all ingredients and serve on the rocks.

Curacao Margarita:

1 part Lime Juice ( 1 shot )

1 part Cointreau ( 1 shot )

2 parts Tequila ( 2 shots )

Shake over ice in a cocktail shaker, strain into a glass

Serve straight up topped with a splash of additional Cointreau.

Mango Margarita:

2 shots of Tequila

2 TBS fresh Lime Juice

1 can of Mango Juice

Shake over ice in a cocktail shaker, strain into a glass and serve straight up.

Peach Blueberry Margarita:

10 Blueberries in a pint glass , muddled and filled with ice.

1.5 oz. of Silver Tequila

.5 oz. of Agave Nectar

1.5 oz. Fresh Lime Juice

3 oz. Fresh Pureed Peaches (place fresh pieces of peeled Peaches in a blender , with a tiny amount of water, depending on the juiciness of the Peaches and puree )

Combine:

Tequila

Agave

Lime Juice

Peach Puree

Pour into the glass with the Blueberries and Ice.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Lime Ricotta Bars:

Crust:

1 3/4 C Flour

2/3 C Confectioner's Sugar

1/4 C Cornstarch

1 TBS Lime Zest

3/4 tsp Salt

12 TBS Butter (1 1/2 sticks) cut into 1" pieces, softened + extra for greasing the pan.

Filling:

1 C (8oz.) Fresh whole milk Ricotta Cheese, drained

4 large Eggs, beaten

1 1/3 C granulated Sugar

2 TBS Lime zest

2/3 C Lime juice

1/4 tsp salt

Crust:

350 degree oven

Lightly butter a 9"X13" baking dish and line it lengthwise with a piece of parchment paper (butter the paper) lay a second piece of paper the width of the pan and butter it.

In a food processor:

Pulse Flour, Confectioner's Sugar, Cornstarch, Lime Zest and Salt.

Add butter and pulse until pale in color and resembles coarse meal.

Sprinkle mixture evenly into the baking dish and press firmly over the bottom and about 1/2" up the sides. Use the bottom of a metal measuring cup to smooth the crust.

Freeze for 30 minutes.

Bake for 20 minutes.

Filling:

In a medium bowl, whisk by hand:

Ricotta

Eggs

Sugar

Flour

Stir in Lime zest, Lime juice and salt.

Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees

Pour filling into the dish

Bake for 30 minutes

Remove from oven and transfer to a cooling rack and cool at least 2 hours.

Carefully transfer to a cutting board using the paper to slide out of the pan.

Cut into squares using a chef's knife, cleaning after each cut.

Dust squares with confectioner's sugar.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Interesting Regional Foods across America!

I had to get my car inspected and it was going to take about an hour. I decided to walk across the street to Starbucks and wait until the car was finished. It was early in the morning and Starbuck's is always crowded. I managed to get the last seat available. The tables and chairs are close together and it gets packed with customers. I was sitting very close to two woman at the table next to me. I was not eavesdropping but it's easy to hear the conversation when you're so close. I knew they were talking about some event they were planning. At first I though they were planning a wedding reception, maybe  they were caterers, I wasn't sure. Then, I very clearly heard one of them ask the other if she had ever heard of Kool-Aid Pickles. I knew at that point I had to apologize for overhearing the conversation and comment, after all, I have the recipe on my blog for Kool-Aid Pickles.

I mentioned that to them and told them about the blog , I said that I overheard them talking about food and they could get the recipe from the blog.  I told them that I'm fascinated with regional foods in American that only the locals are aware of and take pride in cooking and eating. Then the other woman told me that she grew up eating bags of Fritos with a yellow mustard packet squeezed into the bag, mixed up and eaten with a spoon.  I had never heard of it, but then as the conversation continued they mentioned eating Pickles stuffed with candy, Horse Shoe Sandwiches, Walking Tacos etc. I told them that I was so interested in this topic that I would research it and blog about it. I finally learned that they were planning an event at the local elementary school where they wanted to gather recipes from parents and create a cookbook to be published to raise money for the school. I was fascinated at that point and came home to start my research.



I have to start with the Kool-Aid Pickle story and recipe:

This is the craziest thing I've ever made.

The concept and original recipe is believed to have come from the Delta region of Mississippi.

The overwhelming favorite flavor was any of the Reds which included Strawberry, Cherry, or Tropical Punch. I heard a story that a woman created these pickles and sold them at her local country store in Mississippi. They were such a success that she ended up selling them in many outlets.

We've made the Tropical Punch. I want to try Lime or Grape.

1 - 46 ounce jar of Whole Dill Pickles.

1 C Sugar

2 C Water

2 Packets of you favorite flavor of Kool - Aid

Drain and discard the juice from the pickles, rinse the jar and the pickles .

Remove the pickles and cut each one in half lengthwise

Return them to the jar and set aside

In a large measuring cup, combine Sugar, Water and Kool - Aid

Mix until the sugar has completely dissolved

Pour the Kool - Aid into the jar to completely cover the pickles

Discard excess Kool - Aid

Cover and refrigerate at least 48 hours

Longer if you can wait....... LOL

I know this sounds crazy, but you may be surprised that you like them , we did!

Far Out Man!

Here's another interesting Kool-Aid Recipe from my blog:

I had previously posted a recipe for Kool Aid Pickles and I thought that was bizarre. I made them and I loved them. I've learned not to be critical when I see a recipe that I'm not familiar with. There was such a great story that went with the Kool Aid Pickle recipe that I embraced the concept.

There isn't a story behind this recipe, just another All American Iconic recipe.

This recipe comes from Allrecipes.com

Kool-Aid Pie:

1 (0.13oz) package of any unsweetened fruit flavored Kool Aid drink mix.

1 (14oz.) can of sweetened condensed milk.

1 (8oz.) container of frozen whipped topping, thawed.

1 - 9" prepared graham cracker crust.

Whisk Kool Aid and milk until thick and smooth.

Gently fold in whipped topping until light and fluffy.

Spread into the crust

Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Here are other Pickle stories:

The woman at Starbucks was telling me that when she was young, she would go to the local corner store that sold large Pickles and the kids would cut off the top of the pickle and stuff it with a candy called, Now and Later. I have never heard of this candy. They would suck on the pickle and the candy. It was the first time I had ever heard of this "treat". 

Here are other Pickle stories that I discovered:

On the South side of Chicago there were corner stores that sold Van Holten Pickles in plastic bags, They would sell the pickles with a peppermint stick stuffed in the middle.

In St. Louis  pickles sold from jars in the Penny Candy Stores were stuffed with a Jolly Roger Stick.

Pickles were also hollowed out and stuffed with your favorite flavor of Kool_Aid.

This was just the beginning of discovering unusual and, not so unusual, but interesting regional foods in America.

Here's one that I absolutely love:

Walking Tacos:

I think this would be great for a kids party, a neighborhood Block Party or even a fun family party.

I like this idea!

1 small bag of Fritos.

Open the bag and start filling it with your favorite Taco ingredients, and eat it from the bag with a fork.

Here are a few of the suggestions:

Chili Con Carne (recipe to follow)

Shredded Cheddar Cheese

Sour Cream

Chopped Green Onions

Sliced Pickled Jalapenos

Open a bag of Fritos, spoon in some Chili, Cheese, Sour Cream, Onions and Jalapenos.

Here's the Chili Con Carne recipe, or you can just open cans of Hormel Chile! (Hormel makes canned vegetarian chili)

2 TBS Olive Oil

1 medium Onion, chopped

1 Green Bell Pepper, chopped

1 Red Bell Pepper, diced

4 Cloves of Garlic, minced

1 pound of Lean Ground Beef ( vegetarian option is available)

a pinch of Salt and a pinch of Pepper

2 C diced Roma Tomatoes

1 C of your favorite Chunky Salsa

1 small can of Tomato Paste

1 C Water

3 C of a variety of canned beans (black,red kidney,chili beans, navy beans), drained

1 C sliced black olives, drained

2 TBS Chile Powder

1 TBS Cumin

1 TBS Tabasco Sauce

1 TBS Lime Juice

1 tsp Garlic Powder

1/2 C fresh chopped Cilantro

In a large Dutch Oven on medium heat, saute:

onion

bell peppers

saute 5 minutes

Add minced garlic for 1 minute

Add beef, salt, pepper, cook until browned , drain

Add tomatoes, salsa, tomato paste, Stir Well

Add water, beans, olives, chile powder, cumin, tabasco sauce, lime juice, salt and pepper, garlic powder.

Stir Well

Add cilantro, reduce heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes.

One of the women at Starbucks told me about this interesting dish:

Chicken Booyah:

This is a stew made with chicken from Northern Wisconsin. It's a favorite at many festivals, church picnics, bazaars and any large gatherings in the northern part of Wisconsin.

It's believed that the word Booyah comes from a very low language called Walloon. The word Booyah may come from the Walloon word Bouyon , Bouyu or from it's original French word Bouillon.

The original Belgian immigrants arrived in Wisconsin in 1853. It's believed that they brought Booyah with them. They spoke a Walloon dialect.

Here's the recipe:
It's not possible to create a vegetarian version of this recipe.

1 (4-5) pound whole roasting chicken cut into quarters
1 pound beef stew meat, including bones
1 pound pork stew meat
2 large onions, chopped, divided
4 quarts of water, divided
6 carrots, divided
6 potatoes peeled and diced
1 C frozen peas
1 small bunch of celery, divided
1 (28oz.) can whole tomatoes, undrained and cut up.
salt and pepper to taste

In a large Soup Pot or Dutch Oven over medium heat, add chicken, beef, pork, 1/2 of the chopped onion and 2 quarts of water.
Cover and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat to low and simmer for 20-30 minutes until chicken is tender and the meat falls off the bones.
Remove chicken and transfer it to a bowl and set aside to cool.
When the chicken has cooled, take the meat from the bones and cut it into pieces.
Refrigerate the cooled chicken until ready to use.

Continue cooking the beef and pork for 1 1/2 -2 hours or until tender.
Remove to a bowl, cool, remove the meat from the bones and cut into pieces.
Refrigerate until ready to use.

Strain the stock, refrigerate until cooled completely.
When cold, remove the fat from the surface.

Return the strained stock to the pot.
Add remaining ingredients, 2 quarts of water and bring to a boil.
Reduce to low heat and add remaining onions, carrots and potatoes.
Simmer 10 - 15 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
Add chicken, beef, pork, peas, celery, tomatoes, salt and pepper.
Simmer until thoroughly heated.
Serve ladled into soup bowls.

"Hotdish" or Tater Tot Casserole from Minnesota:

It's a version of Shepherds Pie using Tater Tots in place of  mashed potatoes. it finds it's origin from the Midwest United States. It's affectionately called Church Lady Casserole. It's said that there are as many different ways of making Tater Tot Hotdish as there are Minnesotans that make it.

Hotdish is a Minnesota term typically known as a casserole that contains a starch, a meat, canned or frozen vegetables and a canned soup that's cooked together in one baking dish. Since many Minnesotan  settlers are Norwegian, it's believes that Hotdish originated from the Norwegian word "Varmrett" which means warm dish. These one dish meals were inexpensive, easy to fix and very filling. They came about when farm wives needed to find convenient ways to feed a meal to their family or congregation members of the Lutheran Church.

2 pounds of ground beef or ground turkey (this recipe can be converted to vegetarian).
2 tsp beef bouillon or vegetarian bouillon.
2 C water
1 (10.5 oz.) can of cream of mushroom soup
1 (10 oz.) can of cream of celery soup
1 (8oz.) package of cream cheese, room temperature, cubed.
1 TBS onion powder
2 tsp garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste
2 (14.5) cans of cut green beans, drained
1 (32oz.) bag of frozen Tater Tots, do not thaw
2 C shredded Cheddar Cheese

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Put a 9"X13" baking dish on a sheet pan sprayed with a vegetable cooking spray

In a medium bowl, mix together bouillon and water until dissolved.
In a large skillet over medium heat, brown the beef and drain off the fat and discard it. (this is not necessary with vegetarian crumbles), remember to cook them in 2TBS of vegetable oil.
Add in the bouillon, both soups, cream cheese, onion powder and garlic powder.
Stir until cream cheese is melted and bouillon is blended.
Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Pour beef mixture into the prepared dish.
Layer green beans evenly over the beef.
Cover beans with a single layer of frozen Tater Tots.
Sprinkle evenly with Cheddar Cheese.

Bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes.


Sugar Cream Pie or Hoosier Sugar Cream Pie, Indiana Cream Pie, Sugar Pie or Finger Pie is simply a basic pie shell with layers of creamed butter and maple or brown sugar with a sprinkle of flour filled with vanilla flavored cream and baked.

The recipe originated in Indiana around the 1850's within the Shaker/Amish Community.

1 - 8" Pie Crust
1 C Brown Sugar
1 TBS flour
1 C (minus 2 TBS) of Heavy Cream

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

Mix brown sugar and flour directly in the unbaked pie crust until the flour disappears.
Add the cream and mix with your fingers or a wooden spoon.

Bake at 325 degrees until the entire surface of the filling is boiling and the crust is bronzed, about 50 - 60 minutes.

Remove from oven , cool to room temperature before serving.
An option is to sprinkle the top of the pie with grated nutmeg.


Horseshoe Sandwiches:
This can be converted to vegetarian with the hamburger version.

The signature dish of Springfield, Illinois. It was originally serves on a sizzling metal plate. Two thick slices of Bread were toasted and placed on the plate. A thick slab of Ham, shaped like a Horseshoe was added. The Ham was topped with a Welsh Rarebit Cheese Sauce. The Cheese was topped with a pile of French Fries to represent the "nails". The metal plate represented an Anvil. Today the sandwich can be made with either Ham or two large Hamburger Patties and then the Fries topped with the Cheese Sauce.
The name came from the Ham shaped like the Horseshoe, the hot plate was the Anvil and the Fries were the Nails. It was created in the late 1920's by Chef Joe Schweska at the Leland Hotel on the corner of 6th and Capital in Springfield, Illinois.

Ingredients for 4 sandwiches:

frozen french fries
beer cheese sauce
8 slices of toasted white bread
sliced ham or 8 cooked hamburgers
 paprika

Prepare the fries as directed on the package
Place 2 slices of bread on individual plates
Top with ham or hamburger
Cover with cheese sauce and a large mound of fries
Garnish with paprika

Beer Cheese Sauce:

2 egg yolks
1/2 C beer
2 TBS butter
3 C shredded English Cheddar cheese
1 tsp worcestershire sauce
1/4 tsp dry mustard
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

In a bowl,:
egg yolks
beer
Mix Well, set aside

In a double boiler over hot water:
butter
cheese
worcestershire sauce
mustard
salt
black pepper
cayenne pepper
Mix Well
Add:
egg mixture, a little at a time, stirring constantly.
Cook and stir until it thickens and bubbles.
Remove from heat.



Rochester, New York / Garbage Plate

Garbage Plate was created at Nick Tahou Hot's fast food restaurant. The restaurant was opened n 1918.
The dish included just about everything the kitchen could cook. Meat, potatoes and other things thrown on to create a one plate meal. It was considered a great late night snack for college students. There are so many variations such as the Hot Dog Plate, Hot Dog Burger Plate, Hamburger Egg Sausage and Steak versions.

Here is a recipe:
Layer the following on an individual plate.

1st layer:
Home Fries and Macaroni Salad
2nd. layer:
2 Hamburgers, well done covered with Melted Cheese, Horseradish Sauce and Chili Sauce.
Serve with a side of Italian Bread.


Portland, Oregon / Mashed Potato Candy

Wow, this one is definitely odd. But I guess all of these regional dishes may seem odd to some people.
I have never heard of this before.

1 medium potato
1/2 C dates
1/4 C dried figs
1/2 C golden raisins
2 TBS dark raisins
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp maple flavoring
5 2/3 C Confectioner's Sugar, sifted
1/2 C Confectioner's  Sugar for coating the candy
1/2 C Ground Pecans

Bake or Microwave the potato
Grind the dates, figs and both types of raisins in a food mill or finely chop in a food processor.

While the potato is still warm, scoop out the potato fron the skin and mash well.
Mix in:
vanilla
maple
5 2/3 C Confectioner's sugar
Mix until a dough is formed
Add:
fruit mixture
Mix Well
Refrigerate the dough for 1 hour

Shape into a 1 1/2" diameter rolls
Roll them in 1/2 C confectioner's sugar and ground nuts.
Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until well chilled for 24 hours.
Slice thin
Refrigerate the slices
Bring to room temperature to serve
Store in a covered container to prevent drying

Variation:
Roll the dough into small truffles, confectioner's sugar and nuts.
Refrigerate and bring to room temperature to serve.


Cincinnati Ohio / Skyline Chili
I would actually make this one!

Cincinnati is famous for Skyline Chili. My wife found it here in Dallas at a local grocery store.
This recipe can be made vegetarian with a can of Hormel Vegetarian Chili.

Here's a recipe for  Original Skyline Chili Dip:

1 (15oz.) can of Skyline Chili or Hormel Vegetarian Chili
12 oz. Cream Cheese, softened
1/4 C Diced Onion
12 oz. Shredded Cheddar Cheese

1 - microwavable glass 9"X13" baking dish

Spread Cream Cheese evenly over the bottom of the baking dish
Sprinkle evenly with Onions
Pour Chili evenly over the Onions
Cover the Chili with Shredded Cheese
Microwave for 2 minutes or Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes

I hope you enjoyed reading about these interesting regional foods in America.
I think there are a few that I would make.
I'm not sure they're all for everyone, but it's fascinating to see how diverse the country is when it comes to favorite foods.
I know from traveling the world that every region in every country has speciality foods that have been passed down form generation to generation and I find those recipes to be interesting too.
My wife and I have actually been brave and sampled some regional foods in other countries. I think she has tasted more unusual foods than I have since I'm a vegetarian........ I think you all know what I mean!

Until the next story.....!
And if the two woman from Starbucks made it to the end of this story...... I would love to hear from you!

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Meatball Sub Casserole from Mom's Pantry Kitchen

I received a great recipe on FB today from a blog that I follow, Mom's Pantry Kitchen. I thought it sounded incredible. I was going to post the entire recipe and then she asked me be sure to link the recipe back to her blog for credit. I decided  just to copy the web address and share the recipe........!
I hope my followers take time to make this. I know that I will!

http://www.momspantrykitchen.com/meatball-sub-casserole.html


Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Dallas Morning News Taste Section 2/5/2014 Italian Jam Tart

It's been awhile since I've written anything from the Taste Section. I simply haven't seen any recipes that I felt were worthy of writing about. Today that changed!
I immediately fell in love with the story and the recipe for an Italian Jam Tart.
The story and the recipe come from Elizabeth Karmel. She went to Italy, took a cooking class and came away with this amazing recipe. It's simple, easy and versatile. It's something that we would make for a family get together, Easter, Christmas, Thanksgiving....... and even a dinner party with friends.
She said "As I learned in Italy, the real secret to this tart is "using the best quality jam that you can find". "I look for jam made with only a bit of sugar and I prefer fig, apricot, cherry, strawberry and raspberry." "The thing I love about switching up the jams is that you can add extracts and seasonings to match your jams. When making a fig jam tart, I add a touch of cardamom to the crust; when I make cherry, I use almond extract instead of orange blossom. You can even make the chocolate crust with the addition of 1/2 cup of cocoa powder."

Italian Jam Tart:

13 TBS (1 stick plus 5 TBS) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 C plus 1 TBS sugar
1/4 tsp orange blossom water or vanilla extract (see above note for variations)
1 1/2 C flour
1/8 tsp sea salt
Generous 1/2 C ( about 6.5 oz.) fig, apricot,cherry or berry jam

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Position an oven rack in the center of oven.

In a large bowl, use an electric mixer with the whisk attachment to beat the butter and sugar on medium speed until the mixture is very light in color, 3 or 4 minutes.
Add the orange water or extract and blend well

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour and salt.
Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and mix by hand just until the dough is thoroughly combined, about 30 seconds.
Measure out a scant 1/2 C of the dough and smooth it out on a small plate , then place it in the freezer.

Meanwhile, press the remaining dough evenly into and up the sides of a 9" tart pan with removable bottom. If the dough is too soft to work with, chill it briefly. Refrigerate the tart for 15 minutes.
Once the tart has chilled, spread the jam evenly in it, starting from the center and leaving a border of about 1/2 inch around the edges. The jam should be thinly spread and not resemble a filled pie. Remove
the reserved dough from the freezer and crumble it into small pieces over the jam.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the topping is a beautiful golden brown. Remove from the oven and place on a rack to cool completely.
Remove the tart from the from the sides of the pan and cut into wedges.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Brownies......... Biscoff and Moose Munch!

I'm going to start with Moose Munch Brownies. I discovered this "non recipe" recipe at a Harry and David Store during the Holidays many years ago. Harry and David makes Moose Munch. For those that aren't familiar with Moose Munch, it's a popcorn that's coated with chocolate, either Milk or Dark and it has caramelized nuts and caramel corn mixed in with the chocolate covered popcorn.
They have recipe cards and the brownie recipe  is great.
Buy your favorite box of Brownie Mix and bake it according to the package directions. As soon as you remove the baked brownies from the oven, open a bag of Moose Munch and evenly distribute it over the top of the brownies and gently press it into the brownies. The Moose Munch will begin to melt. Cool completely in the pan. Cut into squares and serve. It's that simple. They're always a hit when we make them. We prefer Ghirardelli Brownie Mix.

I've already posted a story about Biscoff Cookies and Biscoff Spread and posted a couple of recipes.
Here's another great Biscoff recipe.

Chocolate Brownies with Biscoff Balls.

I'm going to give you the shortcut version of the original recipe. The brownies are similar to the Moose Munch Brownies. This time you're going to bake Biscoff Balls in the Brownie Mix. Buy your favorite Brownie Mix and mix the batter according to package directions, do not bake until you make the Biscoff Balls that will be baked into the brownies.
I use Ghirardelli Brownie Mix for this recipe too. Here's the recipe and directions for the Biscoff Balls.

Biscoff Balls:

1/2 C Biscoff Spread
1/2 C minus 1 TBS of Confectioner's Sugar. (Powdered Sugar)

To make the balls:
Sift the sugar into a bowl.
Add the Biscoff Spread and mix well until a soft dough is formed. It should not be sticky.
Form 1" balls and place on a parchment paper lined sheet pan and freeze. Or place them in any container in a single level to freeze.
After the brownie mix is made, pour it into  the appropriate sized pan, according to package directions and evenly distribute the Biscoff Balls in the brownie batter and gently press them in, leaving the top 1/3 of the balls exposed.
Bake as directed.
Remove from the oven and cool completely in the pan .
Refrigerate the brownies for at least and hour and up to two hours before serving.
This makes cutting the brownies easier.



Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Dark Chocolate Ganache Pie with a Biscoff Cookie Crust from Bakaholic Mama

 A couple of years ago I discovered Biscoff Cookies and then Biscoff Spread. I've created an original bar recipe using it. I'm saving the recipe for a contest before I post it.
I recently saw this recipe and I wanted to share it on the blog. If you haven't tried Biscoff products, I highly recommend them.
At the end I posted  the story of Biscoff  and a recipe that I previously posted on the blog.

Here's the recipe for the Chocolate Pie:

1 1/2 C finely crushed Biscoff Cookies
6 TBS butter, room temperature
2 C dark chocolate chips
1 C heavy cream
1/4 tsp salt
Whipped Cream and Chocolate Shavings for garnish

In  a mixing bowl;
Cookie Crumbs
Butter
Press into a 9" Pie Pan
Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes

In a saucepan over medium heat::
Chocolate
Cream
Salt
Whisk until smooth and completely melted.
Pour into the crust and refrigerate for 2 hours.
Slice and serve topped with whipped cream and chocolate shavings.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Here's an earlier post from my blog:

Biscoff Biscuits, or Cookies as the Americans call them, were created in Belgium in 1932.

They're a crunchy caramelized flavored cookie.

Biscoff Spread is Europe's alternative to America's Peanut Butter.

It is completely Vegan and does not contain nuts of any kind.

It does contain Wheat and Soy.

The Spread was created in Belgium in 2007 by the same company that makes the cookie.

The Spread was created as an entry in a recipe contest for a Belgian Television Station along with 2000 other entries.

It was one of the finalists.

It's available in Creamy and Crunchy.

The Biscuits and the Spread are available in the United States.

Here's the Recipe for Biscoff Truffles:

1/2 C Semi Sweet Chocolate Chops

1/2 C Biscoff Spread

20 Biscoff Biscuits , crushed in a Food Processor and divided ( save 2 TBS aside)

1/2 C Powdered Sugar

Microwave the Chocolate Chips in a glass bowl for up to 1 minute.

Stirring occasionally until completely melted.

Stir in the Biscoff Spread until well combined.

Set aside the 2 TBS of crushed Biscuits and mix the remainder into the Chocolate mixture.

Make sure it's well combined.

Refrigerate the mixture for 10 minutes, stirring after 5 minutes. ( Do not chill the mixture for more than 10 minutes)

Spoon heaping teaspoons of the mixture into mounds on sheets of waxed paper. ( if the mixture seems to be too wet, add some of the 2 TBS of crushed Biscuits that you set aside earlier)

Let these sit at room temperature for at least 20 minutes to air dry.

Place Powdered Sugar in a bowl.

Pick up each mound of the mixture and shape into a ball or roughly shaped truffle.

Place them one at a time in the Sugar using 2 forks to toss them until completely coated.

Place in individual paper or foil candy cups

Store at room temperature.

Makes about 2 dozen Truffles

Enjoy!

Peace in the Kitchen!