Recipe(tried): Warm, Fuzzy Mountain Food....

Hello Everyone!

We spent a wonderful week up at the cabin in the Western North Carolina Mountains...dinners up there just wouldn't do without a special name so I tend to name them appropriately enough with "mountainy" names. It was cold and we tended to eat cold-weather, comfy foods. Brought back mountain apples and sugar pumpkins, I'll let you know later what I will make with them...one night we enjoyed this particular meal in front of the roaring fireplace...

Smokey Mountains Winter Pot Roast
make sure you have flakey, buttery rolls to "sop" up this rich gravy!
1/4 c. olive oil
1 beef rump roast, 4-4 1/2 lbs.
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 large onions, minced
4 large garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp. anchovy paste
1/4 c. packed lite brown sugar
2 1/2 c. beef broth
1 c. fruity red wine
1/2 c. black olives, pitted and coarsley chopped
1/2 c. pimiento-stuffed green olives, halved
2 T. capers, drained
1/2 c. dried apricots
1/2 c. whole pitted prunes
1/2 c. figs, cut lengthwise in half
grated zest of one lemon
2 T. fresh lemon juice
1 T. dried oregano

Heat the olive oil in a large pot over med. high heat. Season the rump roast with salt and pepper and brown the roast on all sides in the hot oil for 15 mts. Remove from heat and set aside on a platter.

Add the onions to the pot and saute til soft about 5 mts. Stir in the garlic and cook another 5 mts. Blend in the anchovy paste and the brown sugar til smooth. Pour in the beef broth and red wine, mix in the olives, capers, dried fruits and lemon zest and juice. Season with oregano and additional salt and pepper if necessary.

Return the roast to the pot and bring the mixture to simmer over med. heat. Cover the pot, reduce the heat and let simmer for about 3 hours.

Remove pot roast from pot and slice thin overlapping slices in a large baking dish. Skim any fat from the sauce and ladle the gravy over the meat.
Serves 6-8

Possum Holler Baby Carrots with Brown Sugar & Mustard

1 lb. baby carrots, trimmed and peeled
3 T. butter
2 1/2 T. light brown sugar
1 T. grainy Dijon mustard

Blanch or steam the carrots til crisp-tender, 6-8 minutes.
Melt the butter in a med. skillet, stir in the sugar and mustard and make a smooth paste. Add the cooked carrots and toss to coat. Cook a few minuted more and then serve at once.
Makes 6 servings

Stoney Brook Creamed Spinach

2 lbs. fresh spinach, rinsed well and stemmed
3 T. butter
1 bunch scallions, trimmed and minced
8 oz. cream cheese, room temp.
2 T. heavy cream
2 T. fresh lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 t. ground nutmeg

Place spinach leaves in a steamer and cook over simmering water just til wilted, 5-10 mts. Drain, cool, and chop.

Melt the butter in a skillet over med. heat. Add the scallions and saute for 5 mts. Break the cream cheese into small pieces, add it to the skillet and mix well till it is smooth. Add the spinach and stir well to combine. Stir in the cream and lemon juice, season with salt and pepper and nutmeg. Cookk for 5-7 mts. Serve at once. Serves 6-8

Cabin Creek Cranberry Streusel Coffee Cake

This winter coffee cake is very easy to make and absolutely luscious to consume!

Coffee Cake:
1 stick butter, room temp.
1 c. sugar
2 large eggs
1 t. vanilla extract
1 T. grated orange zest
2 c. flour
1 t. baking powder
1 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
1 c. sour cream
2 1/2 c. fresh whole cranberries

Streusel Topping:
3/4 c. packed lite brown sugar
1/2 c. flour
2 t. ground cinnamon
4 T. butter
1/2 c. walnuts, coarsely chopped

Oven at 350. Butter and lightly flour a 13x9 baking pan.

Cream the butter and sugar til light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then the vanilla and zest.

Mix the flour, baking soda and powder and salt together. Add the flour mixture to the creamed mixture alternately with the sour cream. Spoon the batter evenly over the bottom of the pan and then sprinkle the berries over.

Prepare the topping: Toss the sugar, flour and cinnamon together in a small bowl. Cut in the butter with a pastry blender til the mixture is crumbly. Stir in the nuts. Sprinkle the streusel over the berries.

Bake in oven for 45 mts. Serve warm or at room temp. cut into squares. Makes 10-12 servings