Recipe: Assorted Recipes (19) - 10-19-97 Recipe Swap (updated)

19 ASSORTED RECIPES
Recipe Swap - October 19, 1997

RECIPES IN THIS FILE:
Roasted Portobello Mushrooms with Fontina
Macaroni Shells Stuffed with Seafood Salad
German Soft Pretzels
Carol's Best Chili
Jalapeno Cornbread
Chili Beany Mushroom Soup
Bakers One Bowl Brownies
Drunken Apple-Pumpkin Pie
Apple Cranberry Pie
Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
Dutch Babies
Applesauce Cake
Eggless Cake Tip
Mock Whipped Cream
Chocolate Chip Cream Cheese Layered Bars
Maple-Tofu Topping
Taste of Dorset Wild Rice Salad
Vicki's Sweet Potato Souffle
Gingered Sweet Potato Puree in Orange Baskets

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ROASTED PORTOBELLO MUSHROOMS WITH FONTINA
Source: Bon Appetit magazine, September 1995
Makes 4 servings

"These hearty mushrooms, from Il Radicchio in Washington, D.C., are a stellar start to the meal."

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 (4-to 5-inch-diameter) portobello mushrooms, stems removed
8 ounces Fontina cheese, cut into 3x1/2x1/2-inch strips
4 slices bread from crusty round loaf, lightly toasted

Position oven rack 6-inches from broiler. Preheat broiler.

Mix first 4 ingredients in bowl.

Place mushrooms, stem side up, on heavy large baking sheet. Brush with oil mixture. Season with salt and pepper.

Broil mushrooms until just cooked through, about 3 minutes. Place on work surface.

Set oven temperature at 450 degrees F.

Cut each mushroom crosswise into 1/2-inch-wide strips Place mushroom slices, then cheese atop each bread slice. Place bread on baking sheet.

Bake until cheese melts, about 5 minutes.

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Chuck,NV: How about a fun and easy snacker?

MACARONI SHELLS STUFFED WITH SEAFOOD SALAD

Take a large pkg of the BIG shell pasta and boil until shells are cooked but very firm. Rinse gently and cool.

Then take 2 lbs of prepared seafood salad and mix in a generous amount of lemon juice. Simply fill the shells and enjoy.

I know this sounds too simple, but this is very tasty and actually creates a decorative look to the table!

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GERMAN SOFT PRETZELS
Makes 1 dozen pretzels

1 package active dry yeast
1 cup lukewarm water
2 1/2 to 3 cups all-purpose flour, divided use
2 tbsp oil
1 tbsp sugar
6 tbsp. baking soda dissolved in 6 cups water
Coarse salt
Butter or mustard (for serving)

In a bowl, dissolve yeast in 1 cup lukewarm water. Add 1 1/2 cups of the flour, oil and sugar. Beat for about 3 minutes to make a smooth batter.

Gradually stir enough of the remaining flour (about 1 cup) to form a soft dough. Turn out on floured board and knead until smooth and satiny (about 5 minutes), adding flour as needed to prevent sticking.

Place dough in a greased bowl, turn to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled (about 1 hour).

Punch dough down, divide into 12 pieces. Shape each into a smooth ball by gently kneading. Then roll each into a smooth rope about 18-inches long, and twist into a pretzel shape (form as if making a heart shape, and twist rope around itself at the top of the heart and put ends underneath the bottom of the 'heart'). Place slightly apart on a greased baking sheet. Let rise uncovered until puffy, about 25 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a 3 quart enameled or stainless steel pan (not aluminum) bring soda water mixture to a boil, adjust heat to keep water boiling gently.

With a slotted spatula, lower 1 pretzel at a time into pan. Let simmer for 10 seconds on each side, then lift from water, drain briefly, the sprinkle with coarse salt and let stand, uncovered till all have been simmered.

Bake in a preheated 425 degree F oven for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. Transfer to racks.

Serve warm with butter or mustard. Or let cool completely, wrap airtight, and freeze. To reheat, place frozen pretzels on ungreased baking sheets and bake in preheated 400 degree F oven for about 10 minutes.

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BEST CHILI
Recipe by Carol Burciaga
From: CarolB, FL
Makes 8 servings

2 1/2 pounds ground beef
2 large onions, chopped
5 cloves garlic, minced
2 packages Astor Chili Seasoning
1 package Hot Astor Chili Seasoning
1 large can crushed tomatoes
1 medium can diced tomatoes and green chiies
1 medium can diced tomatoes
2 medium cans dark red kidney beans

Cook onions and garlic with beef. Drain well.

Add chili seasonings to the meat and cook gently until flavors are absorbed.

Add tomatoes and beans, simmer slowly for 40-45 minutes.

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JALAPENO CORNBREAD
From: CarolB, FL
Makes 10 servings

1 cup cornmeal
1 cup flour
1 cup milk
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 can Mexi-corn, drained
1 cup cream-style corn
2 eggs
1/2 cup finely chopped green onion
1/2 lb cheddar cheese, shredded, divided use
3 medium jalapeno peppers, chopped fine
1 lb bacon, fried and crumbled
2 cloves, mashed garlic
1/4 cup oil

Mix all ingredients together except oil and reserve 1/2 of the cheese for topping.

Put oil in skillet and heat over low flame till hot.

Pour oil over cornmeal mixture in bowl. Stir real fast to melt cheese. Pour cornmeal mixture into the hot skillet. Top with remaining cheese.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 40-60 minutes.

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CHILI BEANY MUSHROOM SOUP
From: Betsy

In a 2 quart Dutch oven, cook until onions and peppers are softened:
2 tablespoons oil
1 (12 ounce) package fresh mushrooms, chopped
1 medium onion, finely chopped (1/2 cup)
1 small green bell pepper, finely chopped (1/2 cup)
1 clove garlic, finely chopped

Stir in:
1 (16 ounce) can whole tomatoes, undrained or 2 cups salsa
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce or 1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
1 (15 1/2 ounce) can kidney beans, undrained
1 (16 ounce) can cannellini beans, undrained
1 (16 ounce) can black beans (optional)
1 cup whole kernel corn (fresh, frozen, or canned)
1/3 cup red wine
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 to 3 teaspoons chili powder
Dried red pepper flakes to taste
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

Reduce heat. Cover and simmer 10-15 minutes or until heated through and slightly thickened.

Serve with and salad and thick slices of fresh baked bread or corn muffins.

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CarolB, FL: Our favorite brownies. No matter which recipe I try, I always come back to these. But always use rum, not vanilla!

BAKERS ONE BOWL BROWNIES
Adapted from source: Bakers chocolate

4 squares (1 ounce each) Bakers unsweetened chocolate
3/4 cup butter
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla (or rum)
1 cup flour
1 cup chopped walnuts

Melt chocolate and butter in saucepan over low heat. Take off heat and add rest of ingredients. Pour into 13x9-inch pan, which has been lightly sprayed with Pam.

Bake at 350 degrees F (325 for glass dish) for 30 minutes. DO NOT OVERBAKE!!! Check at 25 minutes for doneness. Cool in pan.

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DRUNKEN APPLE-PUMPKIN PIE
Source: Shepherd's Garden Seeds Catalog by Cathy Harned, 1991
Makes 1 pie, 6-8 servings

2 eggs
3/4 cup brown sugar; firmly packed
1 cup cooked mashed and drained pumpkin
1 cup thick and chunky applesauce
1 tbsp flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp each ground cinnamon and ginger
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp each allspice and cloves
1 1/2 cups half-and-half (or 1 1/2 cups evaporated milk)
1 tsp vanilla
1 (9-inch) unbaked pie shell
1 cup pecan halves
2 tbsp rum

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

In a bowl, beat together the eggs and brown sugar until light. Mix in the pumpkin, applesauce, flour, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, cloves, half-and-half and vanilla; blend thoroughly. Pour into pie shell. Arrange pecan halves over top of filling.

Bake at degrees 425 F in lower third of oven for 20 minutes, then reduce oven heat to 350 degrees F and bake 30 to 35 minutes longer, or until filling is firm and a knife inserted 1-inch from the edge comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.

At serving time, warm rum in a small container suitable for pouring. Light the rum with a match and (carefully) pour immediately while flaming over the pie.

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APPLE CRANBERRY PIE
Source: Apple Kitchen Cook Book by Demetria M Taylor
Makes 1 (9-inch) pie, 8 servings

1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup honey
2 tbsp flour
1 tbsp butter or margarine
1 tsp orange zest (grated orange peel)
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
3 cups fresh cranberries
2 cups diced, peeled apples
Pastry for 2-crust pie

Turn oven on to 425 degrees F.

In a medium pot, combine sugar, honey, flour, butter, orange zest, cinnamon and salt. Cook 2 minutes, stirring until sugar dissolves. (This could also be done in a microwave oven using a glass measure cup or bowl.)

Add the cranberries and apples and boil for 5 minutes or until the berries burst. Cool.


Pour cooled filling into a pastry-lined 9-inch pie pan. Arrange strips of pastry lattice fashion over filling. Trim edges and flute.

Bake 35 to 40 minutes.

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Teresa, AR: Roasted pumpkin seeds are not that difficult to make at home and could even become a family tradition that follows carving a pumpkin as a Jack-o-lantern.

After scooping the seeds out of the pumpkin, they must be washed well. This removes any pulp that might cling to them.

After washing, spread the seeds in a single layer on a cookie sheet and roast in a 375 degree F oven for 20-30 minutes or until dry.

For additional flavor, the seeds can be dotted with butter, or sprayed lightly with on of the butter sprays, then browned 5-10 minutes more in a 400 degree F oven. Stirring the seeds often will help them toast more evenly.

After baking the seeds may be sprinkled with salt, before cooling and serving.

FLAVOR INFUSED PUMPKIN SEEDS

To infuse pumpkin seeds with other flavors, a mixture of spices can be made in a saucepan. Here is a mixture that makes tasty pumpkin seeds:

Make a paste of:
1/4 cup curry powder
1/4 cup water
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Juice of a lime

In a saucepan, add the paste to 1 cup water and stir to dissolve. Bring to a simmer and add raw pumpkin seeds. Simmer the seeds in the liquid for five minutes prior to roasting at 225 degrees F until crisp. Enjoy!!

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Teresa, AR: I have used this recipe for 10 years now and this family LOVES it. And talk about EASY!! It is sort of between pancakes and waffles. Copied from a newspaper column: Frying Pan Follies by Carl Larsen (1980's) - It is an old Pennsylvania recipe. It is called:

DUTCH BABIES

Select the amount of ingredients according to the size of your baking pan, and figure each egg will equal one serving.

For a 2- to 3-quart pan, use:
1/4 cup butter
3 eggs
3/4 cup milk
3/4 cup flour

For a 3- to 4-quart pan, use:
1/3 cup butter
4 eggs
1 cup milk
1 cup flour

For a 4- to 4 1/2- quart pan, use:
1/2 cup butter
5 eggs
1 1/4 cups milk
1 1/4 cups flour

For a 4 1/2- to 5 quart pan, use:
1/2 cup butter
6 eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
1 1/2 cups flour

Melt the butter in the baking pan, in a 425 degree F oven (or 400F oven for a glass pan).

Then mix the batter quickly, thusly: Toss the eggs, minus their shells, into your blender and whirl on high speed for one minute. Pour in milk while whirling, then add the flour and blend for 30 seconds. (This can be mixed in a bowl with an egg beater too. Beat the eggs until they're light and lemon-colored, gradually beat in the milk, and then the flour. It takes a little longer but sometimes I'm just not up to washing out that pesky blender.)

Pour the mixture into the pan, and bake 20 to 25 minutes until it's all puffed-up and golden brown.

Serve with maple syrup on tap on confectioner's sugar. Or (I suppose) you could be really authentic and cover your Dutch Babies with Hollandaise sauce. But whatever, it's light, airy, delicious, and a lot easier than waffles!

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APPLESAUCE CAKE (no eggs, dairy or oil)
Source: MaryTCJr, 1994

"I'm finally posting a recipe. This is our family's favorite cake - we found the recipe on a box of raisins, I think, in the 1950's. It used to call for 1/2 cup of oil, but by increasing the applesauce it no longer needs it. Also, I'm posting the measurement of white flour the original recipe included. I have experimented with different ratios of whole wheat to white flour - depending on your tastes, you can do the same. Another variation I might try in the future is to use a little molasses and cut down on the sugar. It's very versatile, easy, and fool-proof." - Mary

2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder (use less if you wish or leave it out entirely for more of a spice cake)
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground mace
20 ounces unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup raisins

Mix dry ingredients together, then add the applesauce and stir. Spread in a greased baking pan.

Bake at 325 degrees F for 45-60 minutes, depending on the size of pan you use. (More for smaller, deeper pans, less for 9x13-inch pans.) It's done when a toothpick can be inserted and pulled out clean.

"The cake is so rich I don't put frosting on it; my mother used to sprinkle powdered sugar on top to give it a nice look."

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EGGLESS CAKE TIP
Source: Barbara Zimmerman

"I don't bake much but my son makes the most moist cake you would ever taste by substituting 2 mashed bananas for the oil and ener-g egg replacer for the eggs. If anything, the cake was much better than the original. In fact, I just served a piece to a guest along with some sorbet (fatfree, of course) and she begged for the recipe. He makes a variation of this with pineapple and brown sugar on the bottom of the pan and the same cake mix. The pineapple comes out on top."

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MOCK WHIPPED CREAM
Source: In the Kitchen with Rosie: Oprah's Favorite Recipes by Rosie Daley
From: Peggy, WA

1 (12 ounce) can fat free evaporated milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon brandy

Put a can of evaporated skim milk in the refrigerator and a stainless steel bowl and the beaters from an electric mixer into the freezer for an hour.

Put the milk into the chilled bowl, add 1 teaspoon each of pure vanilla extract and of brandy, and beat high speed just until peaks are formed. Use immediately.

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CHOCOLATE CHIP CREAM CHEESE LAYERED BARS
From: Robin, VA

Make a double batch your favorite chocolate chip cookie dough and spread half of it in the bottom of a lasagna baking dish. Put in fridge to harden slightly while mixing filling. (Do not refrigerate remaining cookie dough.)

For the filling, mix together:
2 pkg (8 oz each) cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs

Spread over cookie dough and then spread the remaining cookie dough over the fililng.

Bake in 350 degree F oven for about 1 hour. Let cool completely before cutting. Rich but wonderful.

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MAPLE-TOFU TOPPING
Rebecca, MI

For everyone - even non-veggies: We all need to add soy to our diets because of the great women's health benefits. Here's a tasty way to incorporate it into your diet:

1/2 tub SOFT Mori-Nu tofu
1 to 2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 teaspoon lemon juice

Blend until very smooth in blender. Chill.

Serve over fresh or frozen fruit or on puddings, parfaits.

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TASTE OF DORSET WILD RICE SALAD
Source: Abundance Across America, recipe by Larren Wood, Nevis, MN

1 cup raw wild rice, cooked
1 cup golden raisins
2 Golden Delicious apples, chopped, sprinkled with juice of 1 lemon
1 cup seedless red grapes, halved
2 tablespoons fresh mint, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
2 tablespoons chopped chives
1 cup pecan halves
Salt and pepper to taste

Mix the ingredients together and toss with dressing (recipe follows).

Cover salad and chill several hours in refrigerator. Keeps well.

DRESSING

1/4 cup olive oil
1/3 cup orange juice
2 tablespoons honey

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VICKI'S SWEET POTATO SOUFFLE
From: Vicki,La

This stuff is habit forming!

5 medium size sweet potatoes
2 eggs, beaten
3 tbsp butter
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup white granulated sugar
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1 tsp lemon extract
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp salt
Cinnamon, to taste
1/4 cup coconut, divided use
Miniature marshmallows

Cook, peel and mash the sweet potatoes.

Add eggs and butter to the potatoes and beat until the mixture is light and fluffy.

Add all remaining ingredients, except the marshmallows, saving a little of the coconut. Place in a buttered, 2-quart casserole dish and sprinkle with cinnamon.

Bake at 350 degrees F for about 30 minutes. A few minutes before removing this dish from the oven, sprinkle with the remaining coconut and a layer of mini marshmallows and complete browning for about 5 more minutes.

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GINGERED SWEET POTATO PUREE IN ORANGE BASKETS
Source: The California Culinary Academy
From: Bill/DC
Makes 12 servings

"The piquant flavor of the orange peel cooks into the sweet potatoes as they bake. Serve one stuffed orange-peel basket per person."

6 medium oranges
4 large sweet potatoes
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon powdered ginger
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
2 tablespoons chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Halve oranges and scoop pulp into a bowl. Reserve pulp for another use.

Peel and slice sweet potatoes. Steam until soft (about 15 minutes). Mash in a large bowl with egg, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and lemon peel.

Spoon puree into orange baskets, dividing equally. Set on a large baking sheet and sprinkle with chopped walnuts.

Bake for 25 minutes.

TO FREEZE AHEAD:
To save time, assemble this side dish in advance and freeze before baking. There is no need to thaw the puree before baking; just add 15 minutes to baking time.