Once again I have found a recipe whose components baffle me. In this case, there are two. These were found under the Hot Hors D'Oeuvres section of The United States Regional Cook Book. Those of you with tender stomachs, continue at your own risk!
Remove stones from cooked prunes fill with cheese or peanut butter, wrap in short strips of bacon, fastened with a toothpick. Broil until bacon is crisp, serve hot on a cocktail pick.
Spread strips of uncooked bacon with peanut butter, roll tightly, fasten with a toothpick. Broil until bacon is crisp and serve on cocktail picks stuck with an eggplant.
Fill cooked prunes with peanut butter? And serve wrapped in bacon? Really???? Or better yet, spread raw bacon with peanut butter and cook?? I'm not sure the eggplant stuck on the cocktail pick would make it taste or look any better. For the love of Pete! I'm not sure who these were supposed to be served to, but I think they might have been a convenient way of getting rid of unsavory house guests. Who on earth would serve either of these to someone they liked and wanted to have over again? I would love to talk to the one person who actually made and served these two. I think my questions would start with "Why?"......
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Pizza from a different perspective
Its been a long time since I had pizza. A really long time; how about almost a year?! With Rand being intolerant of the three main ingredients (wheat, dairy, tomatoes) it just wasn't worth it. I came across this pizza crust recipe the other day, and figured I could give it a good try. Mike and I came up with a list of toppings, and away we went. Here's what we came up with. The crust recipe is from glutenfreecookingschool.com. I left out the ingredients and directions for the gal's pizza sauce since we weren't using it.
Gluten Free Pizza Crust
Yield: Enough pizza for two adults, if your goal is to be very full. This may be enough for three or four if you’re serving salad as well) Makes 2 8x8 crusts
1 Tbsp. Active Dry Yeast
1 1/3 c. milk (soy, cow, or rice)
1 tsp. sugar
1 1/3 cup brown rice flour
1 c. corn starch
2 tsp. Xanthan-Gum
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp. fennel seed
1/2 tsp. rosemary (dried)
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. oregano
2 tsp. olive oil
2 tsp. cider vinegar
2. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
3. Heat the milk in the microwave so that it is warm (not so hot that it would burn your finger, just warm). Combine the milk with the sugar and yeast in a small mixing bowl. If you stir the mixture while you slowly pour the milk, then it should all dissolve very nicely. Let this sit while you proceed to the next step - it needs to have time to get bubbly.
4. Combine the brown rice flour, corn starch, xanthum gum and spices in a larger mixing bowl. If the rosemary is not crushed, then I usually chop it up a bit with a knife before I put it in the bowl.
5. Add the oil and vinegar to the yeast mixture, which should have some air bubbles by now. Then pour all of that into the flour mixture and stir well. Once you’ve done this, the dough will be somewhat sticky, and now is a good time to sprinkle some extra rice flour on it. Now that the rice flour is cutting down on the stickiness, form the dough into a ball and let it sit while you get your pans ready.
6. If you’re using pans or a cookie sheet to cook the crusts, you will need to grease them, so that the pizza crust does not stick. Spread butter, olive oil, shortening, or cooking spray on the pan and then sprinkle a bit of rice flour on top of that. ( I use one round and one square cake pan for the pizzas. To me, it’s easier than rolling it out so that I can use my pizza stone. But if you have a pizza stone, feel free to use that, or a cookie sheet.)
7. Split the ball of dough into two pieces - one for each pan. Starting from the middle of the dough, use your fingers to press down on the dough and spread it out towards the edges of the pan. I usually work my way from the center to the edges in a circular pattern. When you get the dough to the edges, continue to push the dough up onto the side of the pan, so that you will have a nice crust. Here are some pictures of me making the crust last weekend.
8. Pop the crusts into the hot oven for 8 minutes. While they are cooking, add the basil to the sauce and prep your pizza toppings. Tonight we used diced onion, diced bell pepper, mushrooms, and black olives.
9. Take the crusts out of the oven. While they cool for a second, use your stick blender to puree the pizza sauce if you do not want it to be chunky.
10. Drizzle some olive oil onto your crusts and spread it over them evenly. (This will keep the pizza sauce from making your crust soggy.). Now add the toppings starting with the pizza sauce and ending with the cheese.
11. Pop the pizza back into the oven for 10 - 15 minutes. The time is not specific, you just want the pizzas to stay in the oven until the cheese starts to brown a bit. Pull the pizzas out, cut, and serve.
I was really impressed. The dough tasted like real pizza dough, had good texture, and held up to the toppings well. I did notice that it didn't brown, but that seems to be a trend when cooking with gluten free flours. Here are the toppings we used, and the changes I'll make the next time I make it.
Toppings: I layered thawed chopped frozen spinach, sauteed garlic slices, Italian turkey sausage (cooked most of the way and sliced into rounds), butterflied shrimp (we put it on everything, what can I say..), and pine nuts. These worked really well together!
Notes: I would add a pinch more salt to the dough, to help punch up the flavor. Along those same lines I would double the amount of rosemary that goes into the dough. I'll also sprinkle either sea salt or kosher salt on the dough when I bake it the first time, and add the pine nuts so they get pushed into the dough a little. I'm still picking them up off the floor from last night. Silly me put them on last. I would also double the sliced garlic. I used about 4 medium sized cloves, and put them in the pan to cook with the sausage. Mike and I both commented there weren't enough of them! I drizzled some olive oil on the crusts even though we weren't using a sauce. I'm not sure if it made a difference with the flavor or not. The pizza crusts came out a bit thick for our taste; I used a 8x8 square pan and a 9" pie dish. I will try halving the recipe and using my pizza stone to see if I can get a thin-medium crust. If you like a thicker crust, go with the whole recipe.
All in all, we were really impressed with the final product. For not having any cheese or tomato sauce, the pizza was really good; very flavorful and not at all dry. We will definitely make it again!
Gluten Free Pizza Crust
Yield: Enough pizza for two adults, if your goal is to be very full. This may be enough for three or four if you’re serving salad as well) Makes 2 8x8 crusts
1 Tbsp. Active Dry Yeast
1 1/3 c. milk (soy, cow, or rice)
1 tsp. sugar
1 1/3 cup brown rice flour
1 c. corn starch
2 tsp. Xanthan-Gum
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp. fennel seed
1/2 tsp. rosemary (dried)
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. oregano
2 tsp. olive oil
2 tsp. cider vinegar
2. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
3. Heat the milk in the microwave so that it is warm (not so hot that it would burn your finger, just warm). Combine the milk with the sugar and yeast in a small mixing bowl. If you stir the mixture while you slowly pour the milk, then it should all dissolve very nicely. Let this sit while you proceed to the next step - it needs to have time to get bubbly.
4. Combine the brown rice flour, corn starch, xanthum gum and spices in a larger mixing bowl. If the rosemary is not crushed, then I usually chop it up a bit with a knife before I put it in the bowl.
5. Add the oil and vinegar to the yeast mixture, which should have some air bubbles by now. Then pour all of that into the flour mixture and stir well. Once you’ve done this, the dough will be somewhat sticky, and now is a good time to sprinkle some extra rice flour on it. Now that the rice flour is cutting down on the stickiness, form the dough into a ball and let it sit while you get your pans ready.
6. If you’re using pans or a cookie sheet to cook the crusts, you will need to grease them, so that the pizza crust does not stick. Spread butter, olive oil, shortening, or cooking spray on the pan and then sprinkle a bit of rice flour on top of that. ( I use one round and one square cake pan for the pizzas. To me, it’s easier than rolling it out so that I can use my pizza stone. But if you have a pizza stone, feel free to use that, or a cookie sheet.)
7. Split the ball of dough into two pieces - one for each pan. Starting from the middle of the dough, use your fingers to press down on the dough and spread it out towards the edges of the pan. I usually work my way from the center to the edges in a circular pattern. When you get the dough to the edges, continue to push the dough up onto the side of the pan, so that you will have a nice crust. Here are some pictures of me making the crust last weekend.
8. Pop the crusts into the hot oven for 8 minutes. While they are cooking, add the basil to the sauce and prep your pizza toppings. Tonight we used diced onion, diced bell pepper, mushrooms, and black olives.
9. Take the crusts out of the oven. While they cool for a second, use your stick blender to puree the pizza sauce if you do not want it to be chunky.
10. Drizzle some olive oil onto your crusts and spread it over them evenly. (This will keep the pizza sauce from making your crust soggy.). Now add the toppings starting with the pizza sauce and ending with the cheese.
11. Pop the pizza back into the oven for 10 - 15 minutes. The time is not specific, you just want the pizzas to stay in the oven until the cheese starts to brown a bit. Pull the pizzas out, cut, and serve.
I was really impressed. The dough tasted like real pizza dough, had good texture, and held up to the toppings well. I did notice that it didn't brown, but that seems to be a trend when cooking with gluten free flours. Here are the toppings we used, and the changes I'll make the next time I make it.
Toppings: I layered thawed chopped frozen spinach, sauteed garlic slices, Italian turkey sausage (cooked most of the way and sliced into rounds), butterflied shrimp (we put it on everything, what can I say..), and pine nuts. These worked really well together!
Notes: I would add a pinch more salt to the dough, to help punch up the flavor. Along those same lines I would double the amount of rosemary that goes into the dough. I'll also sprinkle either sea salt or kosher salt on the dough when I bake it the first time, and add the pine nuts so they get pushed into the dough a little. I'm still picking them up off the floor from last night. Silly me put them on last. I would also double the sliced garlic. I used about 4 medium sized cloves, and put them in the pan to cook with the sausage. Mike and I both commented there weren't enough of them! I drizzled some olive oil on the crusts even though we weren't using a sauce. I'm not sure if it made a difference with the flavor or not. The pizza crusts came out a bit thick for our taste; I used a 8x8 square pan and a 9" pie dish. I will try halving the recipe and using my pizza stone to see if I can get a thin-medium crust. If you like a thicker crust, go with the whole recipe.
All in all, we were really impressed with the final product. For not having any cheese or tomato sauce, the pizza was really good; very flavorful and not at all dry. We will definitely make it again!
Sunday, March 29, 2009
In support of not wedding your lawn
Now that its spring, this is the perfect recipe to support your case for not weeding your lawn.
Dandelion and Lettuce Salad
(courtesy of The United States Regional Cookbook, c 1947)
1 head lettuce
1 pint dandelion greens
4 small onions
1/2 green pepper
1/3 pound Swiss cheese
salt and black pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil
4 tablespoons vinegar
2 medium tomatoes, quartered
2 hard-cooked eggs, sliced
Cut lettuce, dandelions, onions, pepper and cheese into small pieces. Add salt and pepper. Mix well. Add olive oil and vinegar. Mix thoroughly. Add tomatoes and eggs, mixing lightly so that they will not be mashed or broken. Serves 8 to 10.
I have to admit, this salad doesn't seem all that strange. Along with that admission comes this one. I have eaten sauteed dandelion greens. I don't recall exactly what they tasted like, but a neighbor gal, Jennifer, and I cooked them up one summer day many, many moons ago. So, while I'm not sure they'll take the place of frisee and radicchio, you are not armed and ready with a valid reason as to why you're letting the dandelions take over your lawn. Bon appetit!
Dandelion and Lettuce Salad
(courtesy of The United States Regional Cookbook, c 1947)
1 head lettuce
1 pint dandelion greens
4 small onions
1/2 green pepper
1/3 pound Swiss cheese
salt and black pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil
4 tablespoons vinegar
2 medium tomatoes, quartered
2 hard-cooked eggs, sliced
Cut lettuce, dandelions, onions, pepper and cheese into small pieces. Add salt and pepper. Mix well. Add olive oil and vinegar. Mix thoroughly. Add tomatoes and eggs, mixing lightly so that they will not be mashed or broken. Serves 8 to 10.
I have to admit, this salad doesn't seem all that strange. Along with that admission comes this one. I have eaten sauteed dandelion greens. I don't recall exactly what they tasted like, but a neighbor gal, Jennifer, and I cooked them up one summer day many, many moons ago. So, while I'm not sure they'll take the place of frisee and radicchio, you are not armed and ready with a valid reason as to why you're letting the dandelions take over your lawn. Bon appetit!
Saturday, March 28, 2009
It was supposed to be asparagus......
This recipe baffles me. I know vegetables used to be boiled. I'm just not sure what vegetable you are supposed to get in the end. Walk through this recipe with me, if you will....
Asparagus with Egg Sauce
Asparagus for six servings. Cut off the tough lower end, which can be used for soup. Soak so as to get all sand grit off tips. Place in boiling salted water in a flat pan and cook until tender, about 15 minutes. Serve with generous amount of Egg Sauce on triangles of toast.
Egg Sauce
1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons flour
1 cup Carnation Milk, undiluted
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 egg yolks, beaten
2 hard cooked eggs
Melt butter, add flour and slowly add milk, stirring to keep sauce smooth. Cook until thick, add salt and yolks of beaten eggs. Cook for another minute, stirring constantly. Pour over asparagus and garnish with chopped eggs.
Ok. So I can kind of picture the recipe up until the point where it gets garnished with hard boiled eggs. What I get as an end result is a pile of barely green, limp asparagus tips coated with a egg-colored chunky sauce. I don't know that I would serve this to anyone I was fond of..... Maybe on April Fool's Day?
Asparagus with Egg Sauce
Asparagus for six servings. Cut off the tough lower end, which can be used for soup. Soak so as to get all sand grit off tips. Place in boiling salted water in a flat pan and cook until tender, about 15 minutes. Serve with generous amount of Egg Sauce on triangles of toast.
Egg Sauce
1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons flour
1 cup Carnation Milk, undiluted
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 egg yolks, beaten
2 hard cooked eggs
Melt butter, add flour and slowly add milk, stirring to keep sauce smooth. Cook until thick, add salt and yolks of beaten eggs. Cook for another minute, stirring constantly. Pour over asparagus and garnish with chopped eggs.
Ok. So I can kind of picture the recipe up until the point where it gets garnished with hard boiled eggs. What I get as an end result is a pile of barely green, limp asparagus tips coated with a egg-colored chunky sauce. I don't know that I would serve this to anyone I was fond of..... Maybe on April Fool's Day?
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Marshmallows, marshmallows everywhere!
I found this recipe in The Carnation Year Book Of Menus And Recipes. I don't have any idea on the year, but I'm guessing its from the '50s or '60s. And yes, it is the Carnation of powdered breakfast and canned milk fame. This sounded really interesting, and made me think of the glam days of Hollywood. Not sure why. When Rand and I can have dairy again I'll have to give it a whirl.
Lemon Marlow With Ginger Marshmallow Sauce
27 marshmallows
2/3 cup water
3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 cups whipped Carnation Milk
Steam the marshmallows and water in the top of a double boiler until the marshmallows are completely liquefied. Add lemon juice and cool until mixture is slightly stiffened and quite cold. Combine whipped milk (recipe to follow) lightly with the marshmallow mixture. Turn into freezing compartment of refrigerator and freeze without stirring. Serve with Ginger Marshmallow Sauce or any other desired sauce. Serves 6.
Whipped Carnation Milk Topping for Desserts
1 cup Carnation Milk, undiluted
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 cup confectioners sugar
Chill milk thoroughly. Whip until stiff. Add lemon juice and continue whipping to blend thoroughly. Add sugar. 6 servings
Ginger Marshmallow Sauce
16 marshmallows
1/2 cup water
3 egg yolks
4 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons ginger preserved in syrup, minced
1/2 teaspoon grated orange rind
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon rind
Place marshmallows and water in top of double boiler, cover and steam until the marshmallows are melted. Beat egg yolks thoroughly, add sugar, and then stir in the marshmallows. Add ginger, orange and lemon rind, return to the double boiler, cook 2 minutes longer. Chill.
So basically you're serving a marshmallow dessert with a marshmallow topping..... It would make for a pretty sweet dessert, but it still sounds delicious. I'm a little puzzled about the step of turning the marshmallow/whipped milk mixture into the freezing compartment of my refrigerator, but I suppose with today's appliances you would just put it in a bowl, in the freezer, and leave it until it is frozen solid. I bet the ginger sauce would be awesome over chocolate cake or brownies..... Yeah, I'm going to have to make this one. I'll let you know how it turns out, when I do!
Lemon Marlow With Ginger Marshmallow Sauce
27 marshmallows
2/3 cup water
3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 cups whipped Carnation Milk
Steam the marshmallows and water in the top of a double boiler until the marshmallows are completely liquefied. Add lemon juice and cool until mixture is slightly stiffened and quite cold. Combine whipped milk (recipe to follow) lightly with the marshmallow mixture. Turn into freezing compartment of refrigerator and freeze without stirring. Serve with Ginger Marshmallow Sauce or any other desired sauce. Serves 6.
Whipped Carnation Milk Topping for Desserts
1 cup Carnation Milk, undiluted
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 cup confectioners sugar
Chill milk thoroughly. Whip until stiff. Add lemon juice and continue whipping to blend thoroughly. Add sugar. 6 servings
Ginger Marshmallow Sauce
16 marshmallows
1/2 cup water
3 egg yolks
4 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons ginger preserved in syrup, minced
1/2 teaspoon grated orange rind
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon rind
Place marshmallows and water in top of double boiler, cover and steam until the marshmallows are melted. Beat egg yolks thoroughly, add sugar, and then stir in the marshmallows. Add ginger, orange and lemon rind, return to the double boiler, cook 2 minutes longer. Chill.
So basically you're serving a marshmallow dessert with a marshmallow topping..... It would make for a pretty sweet dessert, but it still sounds delicious. I'm a little puzzled about the step of turning the marshmallow/whipped milk mixture into the freezing compartment of my refrigerator, but I suppose with today's appliances you would just put it in a bowl, in the freezer, and leave it until it is frozen solid. I bet the ginger sauce would be awesome over chocolate cake or brownies..... Yeah, I'm going to have to make this one. I'll let you know how it turns out, when I do!
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Two For One Special....
In honor of St. Patrick's Day I have two beverage recipes guaranteed to make you savor and be grateful for your Guinness. Both of these are from "A Roundup of Menus & Recipes for Girl Scouts" circa 1962.
Hot Spiced Energy Cocktail
2 cans (10 1/2 ounces each) condensed tomato soup
2 cans (10 1/2 ounces each) condensed beef broth
3 cans water
dash cinnamon
whipped cream
nutmeg
In a large saucepan, combine tomato soup, beef broth, water, and a dash cinnamon.
Heat. Simmer a few minutes to blend flavors. Garnish with whipped cream and
a sprinkle of nutmeg, if desired. Makes 9 to 10 servings.
And just in case that wasn't enough.....
High Dive Cooler
3 cans (10 1/2 ounces each) condensed beef broth
1 1/2 soup cans apple juice
2 teaspoons lemon juice
Blend beef broth with apple and lemon juices. Serve cold. Makes 9 servings.
God bless the Girl Scouts, but what on earth were they thinking? I'm guessing both these were intended to be a pre-meal beverage to whet the appetite, sort of like an aperitif. However, I can't imagine ever drinking something concocted from these ingredients on purpose! Really - whipped cream on top of tomato soup and beef broth with a dash of cinnamon?!????? I for one am more than relieved the Girl Scouts stuck with cookies. Hip-hip-hooray for Thin Mints!
Hot Spiced Energy Cocktail
2 cans (10 1/2 ounces each) condensed tomato soup
2 cans (10 1/2 ounces each) condensed beef broth
3 cans water
dash cinnamon
whipped cream
nutmeg
In a large saucepan, combine tomato soup, beef broth, water, and a dash cinnamon.
Heat. Simmer a few minutes to blend flavors. Garnish with whipped cream and
a sprinkle of nutmeg, if desired. Makes 9 to 10 servings.
And just in case that wasn't enough.....
High Dive Cooler
3 cans (10 1/2 ounces each) condensed beef broth
1 1/2 soup cans apple juice
2 teaspoons lemon juice
Blend beef broth with apple and lemon juices. Serve cold. Makes 9 servings.
God bless the Girl Scouts, but what on earth were they thinking? I'm guessing both these were intended to be a pre-meal beverage to whet the appetite, sort of like an aperitif. However, I can't imagine ever drinking something concocted from these ingredients on purpose! Really - whipped cream on top of tomato soup and beef broth with a dash of cinnamon?!????? I for one am more than relieved the Girl Scouts stuck with cookies. Hip-hip-hooray for Thin Mints!
Monday, March 16, 2009
Just the thing to jump-start your day,,,,
I don't know about you, but I tend to view breakfast as several things. First, it should make getting up worthwhile. Second, it should be tasty enough to get you through to lunch; no "second-breakfasts" or "elevensies" to get you through the morning. Third, it should not contain mystery ingredients. I came across this recipe in a booklet written for Coleman (manufacturers of camping gear etc), originally published in 1962. Get ready, this one's a doozy!
Breakfast Stew
(Serves 4)
1 cup cooked ham chunks
1 can mushroom soup
1/2 cup milk
4 hard cooked eggs
1 small can pineapple chunks, drained
Combine all ingredients except eggs in saucepan and simmer until heated.
Add eggs, quartered vertically. Serve with toast made on your Toaster-Griddle-Broiler.
(Note: if you have any cornbread left over from the night before, this is perfect to pair it with.)
There are several items in this recipe that just don't belong together, and in my opinion, should never be in the same dish. The one that sticks out the most is the pineapple. What is pineapple doing in a breakfast stew, never mind one that also contains hard cooked eggs? I shudder and laugh every time I think about this recipe. I wonder if anyone actually made it, what possessed them to, and what they thought!
Breakfast Stew
(Serves 4)
1 cup cooked ham chunks
1 can mushroom soup
1/2 cup milk
4 hard cooked eggs
1 small can pineapple chunks, drained
Combine all ingredients except eggs in saucepan and simmer until heated.
Add eggs, quartered vertically. Serve with toast made on your Toaster-Griddle-Broiler.
(Note: if you have any cornbread left over from the night before, this is perfect to pair it with.)
There are several items in this recipe that just don't belong together, and in my opinion, should never be in the same dish. The one that sticks out the most is the pineapple. What is pineapple doing in a breakfast stew, never mind one that also contains hard cooked eggs? I shudder and laugh every time I think about this recipe. I wonder if anyone actually made it, what possessed them to, and what they thought!
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