The Recipe Trove

from Everyday Food, July/August 2010

Directions:

In a food processor, puree strawberries with 1 tablespoon sugar.  Transfer to a small bowl.

In processor, puree blueberries with 1 tablespoon sugar.

In another small bowl, whisk together yogurt and 2 tablespoons sugar.

Pour the three mixtures, alternating, into ten 3-ounce ice-pop molds, making 3 to 5 layers each.  With a skewer or thin bladed knife, swirl mixtures together in an up-and-down motion.  Insert ice-pop sticks and freeze until solid, 2 1/2 to 3 hours.

Makes 10.

*For tropical pops use 4 kiwis and 1 large mango instead of the berries.

3 heaping cups of fresh blueberries

Directions:

Wash blueberries and remove any stems.  Place about 1 cup of the blueberries at a time into a bowl and mash with a potato masher or a fork.   Measure 2 1/2 cups of crushed blueberries.

In a 6 or 8 quart dutch oven or kettle, combine the berries, sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon and cloves.  (Add the butter if using.) Stir together and bring to a full rolling boil, stirring occasionally.  When the full rolling boil has been achieved, add the pouch of liquid pectin.  Return to a full rolling boil.  Boil hard for 1 minute, stirring constantly.  Quickly skim off any scum with a metal spoon. (If you use the butter, there won’t be any scum.)

Immediately ladle the hot jam into hot, sterilized half-pint canning jars, leaving 1/4-inch head-space.  Wipe jar rims and adjust lids.  Process in a boiling water canner for 10 minutes (start timing when the water returns to a boil).  Remove jars from canner and cool on racks.  Makes between 5-6 half- pints of jam.

2 sticks Butter

Melt butter in a medium saucepan. Add milk, brown sugar, and white sugar. Bring that to a boil and add graham cracker crumbs. Reduce heat to low and cook for 5-6 minutes.

Put a layer of Club crackers on the bottom of a 9 x 13 pan. Pour half of the graham cracker mixture over that. Add another layer of crackers, then the other half of the graham cracker mix, followed by a third layer of crackers.

Melt chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, and peanut butter. Use to frost the bars by spreading it evenly over the top layer. Chill. Cut. Enjoy!

from Bon Appetit magazine, July 2010

Preheat oven to 400°F. Cook bacon in large ovenproof pot over medium heat until crisp, stirring occasionally. Using slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towels. Add onions to drippings in pot; cook until beginning to brown, stirring often, about 8 minutes. Add garlic; stir 1 minute. Add beans, root beer, vinegar, molasses, tomato paste, mustard, chili powder, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper; mix. Stir in bacon; bring to boil. Transfer to oven; bake uncovered until liquid thickens, about 30 minutes.

4 cups cider vinegar

Directions:

Combine all the ingredients, except the chicken, in a large saucepan and bring to a boil.  Immediately remove from the heat, cool, transfer to a covered container and refrigerate until ready to use.

To prepare grilled chicken for 6 servings, place 12 chicken pieces in a 2-gallon food storage bag.  Pour half of the marinade over the chicken.  Close the bag tightly and refrigerate for 24 hours, turning once or twice.  (Or use whatever time you have- at least 2 hours would be ideal.)

Remove the chicken from the fridge and allow to come to room temperature.  Grill the chicken pieces for 12 to 15 minutes per side- or until nicely browned and the juices run clear when pierced with a knife.  Serve hot or cold.

For 24 pieces of chicken, use all the marinade.

1 cup flour
1 cup cornmeal (yellow, white or blue)
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425ºF.  Spray two muffin pans with cooking spray and set aside.

In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, salt and pepper.

In a separate bowl, combine the milk, eggs and oil- blend well.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix just until combined.  Fold in the hot dog slices and cheddar cheese.

Fill the muffin cups 2/3 full with the chunky batter- try to evenly distribute the hot dog slices so you don’t end up with muffins minus dogs.

Bake in a 425ºF oven for about 15 minutes.  They should look like they are just starting to brown around the edges.  Remove from oven and let cool in the pans for five minutes.  Remove the muffins from the pans and serve immediately.

Makes about 18 corn dog muffins.

AKA No-Bake Cookies

AKA Amish Boiled Cookies

Directions:

Line a baking sheet with wax paper and set aside.

In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat.  Once melted, add the milk, sugar and cocoa and turn up the heat a little bit.  Stir while cooking, and bring to a boil.  Once boiling, cook and stir for 1 minute.

Remove from heat and stir in the peanut butter, vanilla and salt.  Stir until smooth.

Add the oats, and nuts or raisins if using and fold them in until everything is well coated.

Using a cookie scoop or two tablespoons, dollop out tablespoon sized portions of the mixture onto the baking sheet.  Work kind of quickly as the mixture begins to set up while you are scooping.  Set the baking sheets aside for 1 hour to set and firm up.

Store in an airtight container- makes between 35-48 cookies, depending on the size of your scoop.

Apple-Graham Muffins

Preheat oven to 400ºF.  Spray a 12-cup muffin pan with cooking spray.

In a mixing bowl, beat together the egg, milk, oil and vanilla.  Set aside.

In a separate bowl, combine the flours, sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.  Whisk together until well combined- making sure to eliminate any brown sugar lumps.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and begin mixing together gently.  When there are still a few spots of visible flour remaining, add the apples and nuts and fold them in.

Divide the batter among the 12 muffin cups.

Combine the remaining sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl.  Sprinkle the tops of the muffins with the cinnamon sugar.

Bake in a 400ºF oven for 20 minutes, or until a tester inserted in the muffin comes out clean.

Allow to cool for five minutes in the pan before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

Makes 12 muffins.

3/4 pound of spaghetti, fettuccine, or spaghetti rigate

Directions:

Heat a deep skillet over medium high heat and add the fat to the pan.  When it’s hot and ready, add the bell pepper and onion.  Cook for 1-2 minutes, or until softened.  Add the garlic and sausage, and cook for an additional 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to package directions, adding salt to the cooking water, and being sure to reserve 1 cup of the water before draining.

Add the stewed tomatoes, Italian seasoning, black pepper and Worcestershire sauce to the sausage mixture.  Cover and bring to a boil.  Remove the cover and continue cooking for just a few minutes, stirring occasionally.  Taste to check for seasoning, and add some of the pasta cooking water, starting with about 1/2 a cup and seeing how it is from there.  Most likely, that will be enough.

When the pasta is cooked, drain it and toss with the butter and the Parmesan cheese.

Serve the chunky sausage sauce over the pasta, and sprinkle with additional Parmesan if desired.

Serves 4 generously.

from Barefoot Contessa Family Style

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Drizzle oil into a large pot of boiling salted water. Add the macaroni and cook according to the directions on the package, 6 to 8 minutes. Drain well.

Meanwhile, heat the milk in a small saucepan, but don’t boil it. Melt 6 tablespoons of butter in a large (4-quart) pot and add the flour. Cook over low heat for 2 minutes, stirring with a whisk. While whisking, add the hot milk and cook for a minute or two more, until thickened and smooth. Off the heat, add the Gruyere, Cheddar, 1 tablespoon salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Add the cooked macaroni and stir well. Pour into a 3-quart baking dish.

Slice the tomatoes and arrange on top. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, combine them with the fresh bread crumbs, and sprinkle on the top. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbly and the macaroni is browned on the top.