Breakfast |
Tortilla Española |
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1 lb. russet potatoes, sliced thin
- 1 medium onion, sliced thin
- 6 eggs, lightly beaten
- salt and pepper
Heat oil in skillet over medium heat, then add potatoes and onion and stir until they are coated in the oil. Reduce heat to low and cook about 12 minutes, until potatoes are cooked through. Remove to paper towels and let drain. Remove oil (but save it), and clean the skillet. Put potatoes and onions in bowl, pour eggs over them, stir, season with salt and pepper, and let stand for 10 minutes. Heat 1/2 the oil in skillet until hot and then add potato and eggs, spreading evenly. Reduce heat to moderately low. When top is no longer liquid (about 10 minutes), cover skillet with a plate and turn the tortilla out. Add the rest of the oil, get it hot, and return the tortilla, cooked side up, to the skillet and cook fo 7 minutes longer or until underside is browned. Let the tortilla rest until it comes to room temperature, then garnish with coarse salt. |
Appetizers |
Deviled Eggs |
- 12 eggs
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tsp. mustard
- 2 slices cooked bacon, crumbled
- paprika
- salt and pepper
Place eggs in pot, cover with cold water and place on high heat until vigorous boil. Remove from heat and let eggs sit in hot water for 18 minutes. Pour out water and shake pan to crack shells. Pour cold water on egsg and let sit for a few minutes until eggs are cool. Shell eggs. Cut eggs in half, and scoop out yolks into a bowl. Stir in enough mayonnaise and mustard to make a soft paste. Stir in crumbled bacon, salt and pepper to taste, then spoon yolks back into whites. Sprinkle with paprika and refrigerate until ready to eat. (Options: Bacon may be omitted. You can replace some of the mayo with sour cream. You might also try adding a little pickle relish, chopped green onion or curry powder. Top with a slice of green olive for a '50s cocktail party feel.) |
Soups |
Roasted Vegetable Soup |
- 3 TB olive oil (or cooking spray)
- 2 tomatoes, sliced thick
- 1 small eggplant, peeled, sliced thick
- 1 large red bell pepper, cored and quartered
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 6 cups chicken stock (or vegetable broth)
- 2 TB fresh basil, chopped
- dash salt and pepper
- dash cayenne pepper
Brush vegetables with olive oil (or spray with cooking spray) to coat on all sides, then season with salt and pepper. Broil vegetables on rack closest to broiler until vegetables are tender but not burned -- about 4 minutes for the tomatoes and 10-12 minutes more for eggplant, red pepper and onion. In a 5-qt. pot, saute the garlic over medium heat with a teaspoon of olive oil. When garlic is golden, add vegetables, stock, basil and cayenne. Heat to boiling, then lower heat and cook 4 to 6 minutes. Puree mixture in batches in a blender until soup is desired consistency. Garnish as desired, with yogurt, sour cream, parsley, whatever. (Options: You may grill the vegetables instead of broiling them. You may also use other vegetables -- mushrooms, zucchini, cabbage, etc. -- or vary the amount of vegetables to your taste. For an ultra-fancy presentation, make a soup with red vegetables, and a separate pot of green vegetables, and spoon a ladle of each into a soup bowl at the same time. The consistency of the soup will keep the two from mixing, and you have a lovely two-toned soup.) |
Cold Cream of Cucumber Soup |
- 2 8" cucumbers (about 1 lb.)
- 2 TB. butter
- 1/2 cup shallots or scallions
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 tsp. wine vinegar
- 1/2 tsp. dried dill or tarragon
- 3 TB. farina (cream of wheat)
- dash salt and white pepper
- 1 cup sour cream
Peel cucumbers. Cut 12 to 18 paper-thin slices for garnish; seed and chop the rest into 1/2 inch chunks (about 3 cups). Melt butter in large saucepan; add chopped shallots or scallions and cook for 1 minute, then add cucumber chunks, chicken broth, vinegar, and dill or tarragon. Bring to boil; stir in farina. Simmer uncovered 20 minutes or until farina is very tender. Puree in food processor or blender, thin out with milk or more broth if necessary and overseason slightly with salt and pepper. Beat in 1/2 cup sour cream and allow soup to cool; cover and chill. To serve, ladle into chilled soup cups or bowls; garnish with a spoonful of sour cream, cucumber slices and dill or parsley. (Source: Julia Child) |
Corn Chowder |
- 4 slices bacon
- 1 onion, chopped
- 3 ribs celery, chopped
- 1 bell pepper, chopped
- 1 cup potatoes, chopped
- 3 cups water or chicken broth
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/4 tsp. paprika
- 3 TB. flour
- 1 cup milk
- 1 can creamed corn
- 2 cans whole corn
Sauté bacon with onion, celery and bell pepper. Add potatoes, water or broth, salt and paprika. Simmer 45 minutes until potatoes are tender. Mix in flour. Add milk and corn. After adding milk, do not boil. (Options: Can use fresh or frozen corn. Recipe lends itself well to experimentation: add more milk, more corn, reduce the other vegetables, omit the bacon, add mushrooms, etc.) (Source: "The Joy of Cooking" -- the classic second edition) by Irma Rombauer and Marion Rombauer Becker) |
Portuguese Kale Soup |
- 1 lb. dry white beans
- 2 lbs. kale, washed and chopped
- 1 lb. linguica sausage, sliced
- 5 to 6 potatoes, sliced chicken
- dash salt
- dash pepper
Wash the beans and boil them in 4 or 5 qts. of water for an hour or until tender. Drain, then add the fresh kale, linguica and potatoes, and enough water to cover. Season with salt and pepper. Simmer gently for an hour. (Adapted from the Bad For You Cookbook) |
Salads |
Martha's Salad |
- 1 head lettuce
- 1/2 cup celery, chopped
- 1 to 2 TB. parsley, chopped
- 3-4 green onions, chopped
- 1 can mandarin oranges, drained
- 1/2 cup carmelized almonds
Dressing: - 1/3 cup sugar
- 1-2 tsp. dry mustard
- 1 cup salad oil
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1/3 cup white wine vinegar
- 1 TB. celery seeds
Caramelize almonds by placing almonds and 2 TB. sugar in skillet over medium heat. Stir until caramelized, 10 minutes. Remove and separate. Assemble salad. Dressing may be made ahead. Add dressing to salad just before serving. (Source: Jack's old roommate Bert Baker, who says it was named after his mother's friend Martha, who invented it) |
Cole Slaw |
- 6 cups cabbage, shredded
- 1 cup carrot, shredded
- 1/2 cup green pepper, chopped
- 2 TB. sugar
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 2 TB. vinegar
- 1 tsp. prepared mustard
- 1 tsp. celery seed
Mix everything together and refrigerate. (Options: Use a sugar substitute and light mayonnaise if you want a lower-calorie version.) (Source: Jack's mom.) |
Bread, sandwiches and pizza |
Cheese Strata |
- 12 slices bread
- 5 slices cheese (or 2 cups grated cheese)
- 2 2/3 cups milk
- 4 eggs, beaten
- 3/4 tsp. salt
- 1/4 tsp. dry mustard
Preheat oven to 350°. Arrange bread in casserole dish, layering with cheese. Top with remaining bread. Beat other ingredients together and pour over bread and cheese. Bake 45 minutes or until puffed and golden. (Options: You can be very creative with this dish. Add a layer of sautéed vegetables (onion, green pepper, mushroom) or chopped ham or bacon in with the bread and cheese. For a richer strata, add another egg and use heavy cream instead of milk. For a sharper strata, replace 1 cup of the milk with beer. One of the best stratas we've had contained sautéed onions, and sour cream replaced half the milk.) (Source: Adapted from the More Is Less Cookbook) |
Hearty Country Cornbread |
- 2 packages pork sausage
- 3 TB. butter
- 2 1/4 cups cornmeal
- 3/4 cup flour
- 1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
- 3 TB. sugar
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 2 2/3 cups buttermilk
- 1/2 cup butter, melted
- 4 oz. can green chiles, diced, drained
Brown sausage in frying pan; drain on paper towels. Meanwhile, place 3 TB. butter in 10" x 15" x 1" jelly roll pan. Bake in 425° oven for 5 minutes until butter is melted. Combine cornmeal, flour, soda, salt and sugar in large mixing bowl. Mix until blended. Add eggs, buttermilk and melted butter from jelly roll pan. Stir until combined. Fold in drained sausage. Pour into heated jelly roll pan and bake at 425° for 25 minutes or until browned. Remove from oven and drizzle with 1/2 cup melted butter. Sprinkle diced green chilies over top. Cut into squares. (Option: To spice it up, add finely chopped hot peppers to the batter.) |
Steve's Pizza |
- 1 3-pack yeast
- 3 cups warm water
- 3 tsp. salt
- 3 tsp. sugar
- 9 TB. olive oil
- 6+ cups flour
- 1 large can crushed tomatoes (or 1 jar good quality spaghetti sauce)
- 1+ tsp. garlic, rosemary, oregano, basil, pepper, red pepper, thyme
- toppings: ground beef, pepperoni, onion, mushrooms, olives, peppers, etc.
- cheese: grated mozzarella, parmesan, etc.
In a big bowl, dissolve yeast in water, then add salt, sugar and oil. Mix. Start adding flour, then stir until mixture is too stiff to stir. Start kneading, and add flour as necessary until the dough is stiff and unsticky, about 5 to 10 minutes. Spread 1 TB. oil on bottom of bowl and place dough inside, then turn over so each side of the dough is oiled. Place in warm, undrafty place for about an hour to rise. After it rises, punch down dough and spread over 2 pizza pans that have been oiled and dusted with cornmeal. Preheat oven to 400°. Spread crushed tomatoes (or use your own tomato sauce) over dough, then sprinkle with herbs to taste. Add toppings (the more and heavier the toppings, the less the dough will rise). Sprinkle with cheese and bake for 30 minutes. (Options: Underdone, the dough comes out more bread-like; overdone, it's chewier. For the toppings, brown the ground beef or sausage and drain the fat. Pepperoni will also exude less grease if microwaved briefly beforehand in several layers of paper towels. I like "crunchier" cheese, but for "whiter" cheese let the pizza bake without cheese for 20 minutes, remove it from the oven and sprinkle cheese on it, then return to oven. For 3 thinner crust pizzas, roll out the dough and go light on the toppings.) |
Pasta and rice |
Cold Asian Noodles |
- 2 chicken breasts, cooked, cut into strips
- 1 bunch scallions, cut to 2" lengths, then strips
- 1 lb. angel hair or vermicelli past
- 2 TB. sesame seeds
- 3 TB. ground coriander seeds
- 1 tsp. hot chili oil
- 5 oz. ham, cut into strips
- 1 1/2 cups walnuts, coarsely chopped
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 2 1/2 TB. sesame oil
- 3/4 cup soy sauce
Combine chicken, ham, scallions in large mixing bowl. Add cooked (and cooled and drained) pasta. Heat vegetable and sesame oils, sesame seeds and walnuts in small saucepan until sesame seeds turn light brown. Remove from heat. Add coriander and soy sauce (watch for spattering). Stir in chili oil. Pour dressing over noodles and mix to coat evenly. Refrigerate until cool, about 3 hours. |
Chicken |
Chicken Cacciatóre |
- 1/4 cup flour
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1/4 tsp. pepper
- 3 lb. chicken parts, boneless
- 4 TB. butter
- 1/2 lb. mushrooms, sliced
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 bell peppers, seeded, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 TB. parsley, chopped
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 6 oz. tomato paste
- 3/4 tsp. salt
- 1/4 tsp. marjoram
- 1/4 tsp. oregano
- 1/4 tsp. thyme
- cooked pasta
In a small bag, combine flour, salt and pepper. Shake chicken pieces in bag to coat completely. In a skillet over medium heat, melt 3 TB. butter. Add chicken and cook until well-browned. With a slotted spoon, transfer chicken to a baking dish. Pour off and discard all but 3 TB. of the pan juices. Add mushrooms, onion, green peppers and garlic to pan. Cook until onion is soft. Stir in parsley, wine, broth, tomato paste, salt, marjoram, oregano and thyme; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 10 minutes. Spoon sauce over chicken pieces. (May cool and refrigerate at this point.) Bake, covered, in a 350° oven for 30 minutes; remove cover and bake for 20 minutes more. Meanwhile cook pasta to al dente, strain, and add 1 TB. butter. Arrange chicken on serving platter, surround with pasta, and spoon sauce over chicken. Garnish with grated Parmesan, if desired. (Options: Can also be made with turkey, or using bone-in chicken. For "Basque Chicken," add chopped eggplant to the vegetables. For a more Spanish flavor, add pitted olives, basil and a few threads of saffron. This is a very adaptable recipe, so let your creativity express itself.) |
Poulet Poché aux Aromates á la Bretonne |
- 2 medium carrots, peeled
- 2 medium onions, peeled
- 3 mdium celery stalked, trimmed
- 7 TB. butter
- 1/2 bay leaf
- 2 1/2 cups chicken broth
- 3 1/2 lbs. chicken parts
- dash salt and pepper
- 1/4 tsp. tarragon
- 1 cup dry white vermouh
- 5 TB. flour
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 3 TB. swiss cheese, grated
Cut vegetables into julienne matchsticks 1 1/2 inches long and cook slowly in 2 TB. butter, 1/2 cup broth and bay leaf until tender, about 10 minutes. Remove loose fat from chicken and place in large casserole or electric skillet, arranging in layers with vegetables, sprinkling with salt, pepper and tarragon. Pour in wine; add enough chicken broth to almost cover chicken. Cover and simmer slowly over low heat or in 325° oven until chicken is tender, about 30 minutes. Remove chicken and vegetables with slotted spoon; place in casserole. Skim fat from liquid and boil down until reduced to 2 cups. Cook flour and 4 TB. butter together for 2 minutes in heavy pan without coloring. Add to boiling stock all at once; whisk until smooth and thickened. Boil 1 minute. Reduce heat and add heavy cream by spoonfuls; sauce should coat a spoon nicely. Drain any remaining liquid from chicken. Add sauce to casserole to completely cover chicken and vegetables. Sprinkle top with grated cheese; dot with remaining 1 TB. butter. May be refrigerated at this point. About a half hour before serving, place in preheated 375° oven and bake until bubbling and top is golden brown. Serve with rice or noodles. (Adapted from a Julia Child recipe.) |
Aunt Helen's Easy Chicken |
- chicken
- garlic salt
- basil
- oregano
- parsley flakes
- paprika
- pepper
Wash the cut-up chicken and shake the water off. Sprinkle all over with herbs and spices on all sides. Lightly oil an oblong pan and lay chicken skin side if (if not already skinless) and bake at 375° for 1 hour. You can also slice potatoes and lay under the chicken pieces to soak up the chickeny goodness. |
Chicken & Tasso Jambalaya |
- 2 TB. butter, unsalted
- 1/2 lb. tasso or ham, chopped
- 3/4 lb. boneless chicken
- 1/2 lb. andouille or smoked sausage
- 1 cup onions, chopped
- 1 cup celery, chopped
- 1 cup green peppers, chopped
- 1 TB. garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup tomato sauce
- 1 cup tomatoes, peeled, chopped
- 2 1/2 cups chicken broth
- 1 1/2 cups rice, uncooked
Seasonings: - 2 tsp. cayenne
- 1 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1 1/2 tsp. white pepper
- 1 tsp. thyme
- 1/2 tsp. black pepper
- 1/4 tsp. rubbed sage
- 2 bay leaves
Cook ham and sausage in butter until brown (3 min.). Add chicken and brown 3-5 min. Add seasoning and 1/2 cup each onions, celery, green pepper and garlic. Cook 5-8 minutes until tender. Add sauce; cook 1 minute. Add tomatoes, remaining vegetables. Stir in broth and rice. Bake in ungreased pan at 350° for 1 hour. Let sit 5 minutes before serving. (Adapted from a Paul Prudhomme recipe.) |
Turkey Orloff |
- 1/4 cup white rice
- dash salt
- 1 lb. onions
- 1 1/2 sticks butter
- 1 egg
- 2 egg yolks
- 1/2 lb. mushrooms
- 1 bunch parsley, fresh
- 1/2 tsp. tarragon
- dash pepper
- 12+ turkey breast slices
- 5+ TB. flour
- 1 TB. vegetable oil
- 3 cups chicken or turkey stock
- 1/2 cup low-fat cottage cheese
- 1 cup mozzarella, grated
For the rice and onion soubise, preheat oven to 325°. Drop the rice in a saucepan with 2 qts. rapidly boiling salted water and boil uncovered for exactly 5 minutes; drain immediately and reserve. Meanwhile, peel and chop the onions in a food processor. Melt 4 TB. of the butter in a small baking dish, and stir in the chopped onions and rice, 1/4 tsp. salt, mixing well to coat rice with butter. Cover and bake for about 1 hour, until rice is tender and beginning to turn yellow. When rice is done and still warm, beat in the egg and season with salt and pepper to taste. While the rice and onion soubise is cooking, trim and clean the mushrooms for the duxelles. Chop mushrooms in food processor. Mince parsley in the machine afterwards. Squeeze out as much of the liquid from the mushrooms as possible. Sauté the mushrooms in 2 TB. of butter in a skillet over moderately high heat, stirring and tossing to separate, for about 5-6 minutes. Stir in tarragon and parsley. Stir half of the mushrooms into the cooked rice and onion soubise, and reserve the rest. Meanwhile, pound turkey cutlets between two sheets of plastic wrap or wax paper, to expand their size and thin them down. Cover and refrigerate them until you are ready to sauté them. Salt and pepper the cutlets lightly, dredge in flour and shake off excess, and sauté in 1 TB. of the oil and 2 TB. of the butter (more if needed) until barely cooked through. Set slices aide as you finish them. Meanwhile, make a velouté sauce. Melt 4 TB. butter over moderate heat in saucepan, stir in flour and cook, stirring until foamy and frothy for 2 minutes and color turns golden yellow. Remove from heat and pour in 2 cups of the hot turkey or chicken stock and blend vigorously with a whisk. Return to heat, stirring slowly, scraping sides and bottom, and boil slowly for 2 minutes. Sauce should be thick enough to coat a wooden spoon nicely. In the food processor, puree the egg yolks with the cottage cheese. By dribbles, beat the hot velouté sauce into the egg-cheese mixture. Butter a 10" by 14" baking dish. Spread a thin layer of sauce on the bottom. Make a neat, slightly overlapping pattern of the turkey slices, spreading each with the soubise. Spoon remaining mushroom duxelles down the sides. Spoon remaining sauce over the turkey and spread cheese on top. (Recipe may be prepared in advance to this point.) Set dish in 400° oven for 25 minutes, until contents are bubbling hot and cheese has browned. (Options: Could also use chicken breast slices, or veal slices for Veal Prince Orloff, which Mary Richards served at one of her disastrous dinner parties ("Mr. Grant, you've got to put some back!"). This has been a Christmas dinner favorite in the Garceau-Freitag household since 1995.) (Source: Julia Child) |
Meat and casseroles |
Meatloaf |
- 2 lbs. ground beef
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 1.2 cup onion, chopped
- 1/2 cup bell pepper, chopped
- 1/4 cup celery, sliced thin
- 1 TB. Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 cup salsa
- 1 1/4 cups breadcrumbs
- dash salt and pepper
- 1+ tsp. herbs (your choice)
Mix everything together (use your hands), form into loaf shape, and place in baking pan. Bake at 375° for 1 hour. (Options: Best made with fatty ground beef or "meatloaf mix," a store-prepared mixture of beef, pork and veal. You need that beef or pork fat to keep the meatloaf from being too dry. Meatloaf is a forgiving medium, so use your creativity -- add chopped carrots, mushrooms or other vegetables, substitute ketchup or tomato sauce for the salsa, top the meatloaf with ketchup just before baking, layer strips of bacon on top, substitute panko crumbs for regular breadcrumbs, etc. For the herbs, we like marjoram, savory, parsley and tarragon, and a little of the "Italian" herbs: thyme, basil, oregano, rosemary, etc. Vary the number and quantity of the herbs to make your meatloaf stand out -- don't add a little bit of everything, every time. You can also line link sausages or hardboiled eggs down the center of the loaf, so that when it is sliced, each slice has a cross-section of sausages and/or egg. For an especially festive meatloaf, prepare as usual, but just before it is done baking take it out of the oven and cover with Pillsbury crescent roll dough. Return to oven until the dough cooks and your meatloaf is "en croute," or encased in pastry. We also like to cook it in a baking dish, not a loaf pan, which traps the fat and tends to make the loaf mushy. In a baking dish, exposed to hot air on all sides, the loaf gets more of a "roasted" flavor, and the excess fat drains into the dish.) |
Tourtiére (Canadian Meat Pie) |
- 1 packaged pie crust
- 2 large onions, finely chopped
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 2 TB. vegetable oil
- 1 1/2 lbs. ground lean pork
- 2 tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped (or 1 8-oz. can)
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. leaf savory
- 1/4 tsp. pepper
- 1/8 tsp. ground cloves
- 1/8 ts. cinnamon
- 1/4 cup parsley, chopped
- 1/3 cup breadcrumbs
- 1 cup water
Sauté onions and garlic in oil in a large skillet about 3 minutes. Add water; bring to boiling. Cook, stirring often, until water has evaporated and onions are tender. Add pork; cook, breaking up with a spoon, until no pink remains. Stir in tomatoes, salt, savory, pepper, cloves, cinnamon, parsley and water. Lower heat to medium; cook mixture, stirring often; until it is almost dry. Remove from heat; stir in 1/4 cup of the breadcrumbs; let stand for 10 minutes. Add remaining crumbs if mixture is still moist. (Makes about 6 cups filling.) Prepare piecrust mix following label instructions for a 2-crust pie. Line a springform pan with half the rolled-out pastry. Spoon filling into pastry-lined pan. Roll out remaining pastry; cut vents for steam to escape. Top pie; flute edge. Bake in preheated 450° oven for 10 minutes. Lower to 350°. Bake an additional 40 minutes or until pastry is golden brown. Cool slightly. (This is Jack's family tradition, and we have it most every Thanksgiving and Christmas.) |
Iranian Eggplant |
- 1 large eggplant
- 1/2 cup shortening
- 1 large onion, sliced
- 1 lb. ground beef
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1/2 tsp. ea. pepper, nutmeg, cinnamon
- 2 tsp. salt
- 2 large tomatoes
- dash paprika
Quarter eggplant lengthwise and then into 1/2" pieces. Wash and sprinkle with salt. Leave for 20 minutes as bitter juices extrude. Wash and dry. Sauté until golden brown. Degrease on paper towel. Sauté onions, remove and brown meat. Season meat. Put everything in casserole dish, then top with onions. Bake at 300° for 20 minutes. Serve over rice topped with plain yogurt. |
Seafood |
Scalloped Oysters |
- 1 1/2 pints oysters, fresh or canned, drained
- 1 pint half and half
- 1/4 tsp. pepper
- 4 cups saltine crackers, crushed (two "sleeves")
- 1 1/2 sticks butter
- 3 tsp. celery seed
Combine all ingredients; place in a buttered 8" x 8" baking pan or casserole. Bake at 350° for 30-40 minutes or until browned. (Source: A French-Canadian specialty of Jack's family.) |
Carl's Cool Crab Salad |
- 1 can lump crab meat
- 1/3 lb. surimi
- 2 stalks, broccoli, chopped
- 1 bunch broccoli florets, chopped
- 2 TB. yogurt, plain
- 4 TB. mayonnaise
- dash Louisiana hot sauce
- 2 TB. horseradish
Finely chop surimi, then mix everything together. Serve cold on lettuce leaves or sprouts or with whole wheat crackers. (Source: Steve's dad) |
Vegetables |
Vegetable Loaf |
- 1 cup brown rice
- 1 TB. butter
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 2 carrots, grated
- 1 cup mushrooms, chopped
- 2 cups breadcrumbs
- 1 cup almonds, finely chopped
- 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- dash salt and pepper
Cook the rice in boiling salted water for 30-35 minutes or until tender. Drain well. Meanwhile, heat the butter in a skillet, add the onions, garlic, carrots and mushroom and sauté for 5-10 minutes or until softened, stirring frequently. Stir in the breadcrumbs, almonds, cooked rice, cheese and eggs. Season to taste and mix thoroughly. Pack the mixture into a greased 7-cup loaf pan and bake at 350° for 1 to 11/4 hours or until firm to the touch and brown on top. Serve sliced, hot or cold. (Options: The sky's the limit. You can subsitute other nuts, other shredded vegetables, other cheeses, other herbs and spices ... use your imagination. We've done curried versions, Italian versions and Mexican versions. This is a great way to use up a lot of vegetables that are on the verge of going bad.) |
Scalloped Corn |
- 2 eggs
- 1 17-oz. can creamed corn
- 2/3 cup milk
- 1/2 cup saltines, crushed
- 2-3 TB. butter, cut in pieces
- 1 TB. sugar
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- dash pepper
Beat eggs until frothy. Stir in remaining ingredients and mix well. Turn into greased 1-qt. round casserole (2 1/2-qt. size for double recipe). Bake in preheated 350° oven for 55-60 minutes, or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. (Source: Jack's mom) |
Condiments, dips and sauces |
Green Goddess Dressing |
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 3 TB. white wine vinegar
- 1/2 tsp. tarragon
- 1 TB. lemon juice
- 1/3 cup parsley, chopped
- 3 TB. onion, chopped
- 3 TB. anchovy filets, mashed
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 TB. chives, chopped
- 2 tsp. capers
- dash salt and pepper
Blend all ingredients thoroughly in food processor. |
Coney Island Sauce (for hot dogs) |
- 1/3 lb. suet
- 2 or 3 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1/2 cup onion, finely chopped
- 1 TB. salt
- 1 lb. ground beef
- 4 TB. tomato paste
- 3/4 tsp. pepper
- red pepper flakes
Cook suet and garlic until rendered, then remove pieces of suet and garlic that are left in grease. Add onions and ground beef to grease and cook until hamburger separates and loses red color. Add tomato paste, salt, red pepper flakes if desired. Simmer for 1 hour, adding from 1 1/2 to 2 cups of water as sauce separates. (Source: Garceau family traditional secret recipe) |
Desserts |
Derby Pie |
- 1 stick butter, melted and cooled
- 2 eggs, ligtly beaten
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1 cup chocolate chips
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- 1 cup pecans
- 1 cup sugar
Mix together, pour into uncooked pie crust and bake at 350 for 50 minutes or until light brown. Serve warm or cold, topped with whipped cream or ice cream. |
Holiday Cheesecake |
- 1 2/3 cup graham cracker crumbs
- 1 cup plus 2 TB. sugar
- 1/4 cup butter, melted
- 1 TB. lemon juice
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- 3 eggs
- 3 8-oz. packages cream cheese
Soften cream cheese. Combine crumbs, 1/4 cup sugar and melted butter; press into a 9" cake pan and bake at 325° for 10 minutes. Set oven to 300°. Combine cream cheese, 3/4 cup sugar and lemon juice and mix well. Add eggs one at a time, beating after each one. Pour into crust and bake for 55 minutes. Combine sour cream, 2 TB. sugar and vanilla and spread over cake and bake another 10 minutes. Cool and chill. (Source: Jack's sister Judy) |
Cookies |
Oil Brownies |
- 1 cup sugar
- 5 TB. cocoa
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- 2 eggs
- 3/4 cup flour
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 3/4 cup chopped nuts
Mix ingredients and pour into a greased 9" x9" pan. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes. |
Chocolate Chip Cookies |
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup shortening
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour, sifted
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- 1 cup chocolate chips
- 1/2 tsp. baking soda
Cream together the sugar and the shortening, add beaten egg and vanilla. Sift together the dry ingredients, stirring them in a little at a time. Beat well. Fold in the chocolate chips. Drop cookie dough on greased cookie sheet about three inches apart. Bake at 375° for 12 to 15 minutes. (Source: Steve's friend Madeline) |
For the complete cookbook .pdf, click here. |