Frozen Lemon Tarts

Fresh Frozen Lemon Tarts (from Academy Ward, Colorado Springs)

3 eggs, separated

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

2/3 cup sugar

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp. grated lemon rind

1 tsp. vanilla

1/2 cup finely crushed vanilla wafer crumbs

1 cup heavy cream, whipped

The recipe, as written:  In double boiler, combine well-beaten egg yolks, lemon juice, sugar and salt.  Cook over hot, but not boiling water, until custard coats a metal spoon.  Cool.  Stir in rind and vanilla.  Beat egg whites until stiff but not dry, fold into custard.  Fold in whipped cream.  Sprinkle bottom of 12 paper fluted muffin cups with 1 tsp. each vanilla wafer crumbs.  Pour custard into cups and sprinkle with remaining crumbs.  Freeze in muffin tins until firm.  Remove paper before serving.

My modifications:  I have never, in 40 years!, had a double boiler.  I now know one can be simulated using a glass bowl over a pan of simmering water.  I never can understand what it means, "until custard coats a metal spoon."  (I get it:  when you run your finger over the back of the spoon  you're using, it should leave a trail and not fill in.)  Problem is, this happens immediately if you're not discerning about this subject.  Long ago I upped the heat a bit (you can stand there, stirring, for a VERY long time waiting for the custard to SLOWLY thicken, but since there are other things you need to be doing) and watched carefully until mixture thickened somewhat (it will thicken more as it cools), and if I had any bits of cooked egg whites, I just used a fine-mesh strainer and strained it out.

-Mom

Spicy Lasagna Recipe (with vegetarian option)

Spicy Lasagna

1 lb ground spicy Italian sausage (I used mild Italian sausage for the non-spicy lasagna)

1 qt Brent's pasta sauce or other prepared pasta sauce (I actually used a bit more than a qt, so have two bottles on hand, but you can get by with just one)

1 lg container ricotta cheese

A bunch of dried basil

2 eggs

18 lasagna noodles

shredded mozzarella cheese

Boil lasagna noodles until al dente. While the noodles are cooking, brown the sausage. Once the sausage is cooked, pour in the pasta sauce and let simmer for a while. Mix ricotta cheese with eggs and basil. Use a tiny bit of sauce on the bottom of the pan. Then layer 6 noodles (this will require some significant overlapping, which I do because I like my lasagna heavy on the noodles, so you could use 5 noodles instead and still have plenty of coverage), 1/3 the cheese mixture, then 1/3 the sauce. It's better to be a little skimpy on the sauce on the first two layers so that you have plenty for the top layer. Repeat layering two more times. Cover with tin foil and bake at 350 for 40-50 minutes. Let it cool completely. Store it in the fridge until you are ready for it's second baking, just before you serve. For second baking, put it in a 300 oven for about an hour or until warmed through. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese on the top about 20 minutes before it's done. Let cheese get bubbly and brown. (The second baking is what makes the lasagna really good, so be sure to not omit that step.)

For the vegetarian version:

omit the sausage

slice a couple of medium sized summer squashes.

Put squash on a baking tray, drizzle with olive oil and season with garlic salt and thyme. Roast in a 350 oven for 10-15 minutes. Add a squash layer between the cheese and sauce layers.

That's it.

-Maren

Picnic Brownies

Picnic Brownies    (from Lion House Bakery cookbook)

4 oz. unsweetened baking chocolate    (Okay, maybe I should add something here; I used Lindt Excellence intense dark chocolate, mostly 80% but had to use a little 70% -- if these tasted particularly good, the good chocolate could have been part of the reason.)

1 C butter

2 C sugar

2 tsp vanilla

1 tsp salt

4 eggs

1 3/4 cup flour

2/3 cup chopped walnuts, pecans, or almonds.  And remember, if you want the best flavor, toast them in the oven.  Which I didn't do.

1 C chocolate chips  (I used Guittard milk chocolate, because I LOVE them, but I know dark chocolate is all the rage now)

Preheat oven to 350.  Grease two 9 inch round cake pans.

Carefully melt butter and chocolate together in microwave.  (Be REALLY careful, because it is so easy to burn.  I think I did a minute or two on 50% power, let it sit, then I had to do a little more.  But watch it.)  In medium bowl, mix sugar, vanilla, and salt; add to melted chocolate mixture and blend well.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Add flour and mix well.  Stir in chocolate chips and nuts.   Divide batter equally into prepared pans.   Bake 20 to 25 minutes.  Brownies are done when toothpick inserted an inch from center comes out clean.  Do not overbake.  Allow to cool completely before cutting.  If necessary, run a thin knife between pan and brownies and turn upside down.  (I didn't need to do this because I used that Pam Bakers spray.)  Recipe calls for cutting each round into 8 wedges, but I cut into 12.  We had 24 good-sized brownies.  Yum.

-Mom

Beef Tamale Pie

Beef Tamale Pie

1 T vegetable oil

1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef

1 medium onion, minced

1 medium jalapeno chile, seeds and ribs removed, chile minced*

salt

2 T chili powder

4 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through a garlic press

1 T tomato paste

1 t dried oregano

1 t cumin

1/4 t cayenne pepper

1   28 oz. can diced tomatoes**

1   15.5 oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained

1   1/4 cups frozen corn (do not thaw)

8  oz. Monterey Jack cheese, shredded (about 2 cups)

1/4  cup fresh cilantro leaves, minced ***

4 t juice from 2 limes****

ground black pepper

1 recipe homemade cornbread topping (recipe follows)

1.  Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium high heat until shimmering.  Add the beef and cook, breaking up large clumps of meat with a wooden spoon, until it is no longer pink.  Stir in the onion, jalameno, and 1 t salt and cook until softened and lightly browned, 5 to 7 minutes.  Stir in the chili powder, garlic, tomato paste, oregano, cumin, and cayenne and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

2.  Stir in the diced tomatoes with their juices, scraping up any browned bits.  Off the heat, stir in the black beans, corn, cheese, cilantro, and lime juice and season with salt and pepper to tasste.

3.  Transfer the beef mixture to a greased 13 x 9 inch baking dish.  Spread the cornmeal topping evenly over the filling, pushing it to the edges of the baking dish.

4.  To store:  wrap the dish tightly with plastic wrap that has been sprayed with vegetable oil spray and then foil and refrigerate for up to 2 days or freeze for up to 1 month.

5.  To serve:  adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 375 degrees.  Unwrap the dish.  If refrigerated, bake, uncovered, until the filling is bubbly and the crust is baked through and golden, 50 to 60 minutes.  If frozen, unwrap the dish and let the casserole sit at room temperature for 30 minutes while the oven heats, then cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake for about 30 minutes.  Remove the foil and bake until the filling is bubbly and the crust is baked through and golden, 50 to 60 minutes longer.

To serve right away:  bake, uncovered, as directed in step 5, reducing the baking time to 45 minutes.

* I was surprised to learn that I have a reaction to cutting up the jalapeno.  It kind of hurts my throat and makes me cough.  I buy packs of 100 rubber gloves (throw away kind, but I reuse them) and always wear them when I mince a jalapeno.  Then wash your hands with the gloves on before you reuse them.  I once made the mistake of not doing this, and I touched my eye with an unwashed finger and it stung badly for a long time.

** I always buzz my tomatoes in the food processor before adding them to a dish.  I don't totally puree them, but almost do.  I don't like big chunks of tomato in things, and I've found that even the petite diced are too big of pieces for my taste.

*** I hate cilantro and never use it.  Sometimes I substitute fresh or dried parsley in a smaller amount.

**** I always try to have that frozen lemon juice in my freezer, and I just use that in place of lime.

Homemade Cornbread topping

1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1 cup yellow cornmeal

6 T sugar

2 t baking powder

3/4 t salt

1/4 t baking soda

1 C buttermilk

8 T (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled

2 large eggs

1.  Whisk the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, salt and baking soda together in a large bowl.

2.  In a separate bowl, whisk the buttermilk, butter, and eggs together.  Stir the buttermilk mixture into the flour mixture until uniform.  Use as directed in Beef Tamale Pie.

-Mom

Sweet Potatoes

Sweet Potatoes (aka "nutty buddy yam bake" from Janet Campbell)

1 large can sweet potatoes (or 2 large fresh)
1/4 c melted margarine
1 egg
1/2 c sugar
1 c mil
1/8 tsp allspice
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp cinnamon

mash potatoes, leave a bit chunky (shelley's comment insert here:  I puree mine because I don't like the chunks)
put on topping and bake 35-40 min at 350 in a 9x9 square or 9" round

topping:
1/4 c flour
1/4tsp cinnamon
1/2 c sugar
1/4 c melted margarine
1/2 c chopped pecans

-Shelley

Glazed Broccoli with Almonds

Glazed Broccoli with Almonds (from the Lion House Cookbook), serves 6-8

2 lbs broccoli
1/2 t salt
1 chicken boullion cube
3/4 C hot water
1/4 C margarine
1/4 C flour
1 C light cream (half & half)
2 T lemon juice
pepper to taste
1/4 C grated parmesan cheese
1/4 C slivered blanched almonds

(I know mom quadruples the sauce.  I usually do it as the recipe calls for it.  I doubled it for Thanksgiving to appease Mom, but it wasn't enough sauce for either her or Maren.  So you decide how you want to do it.)

Preheat oven to 375.  Grease a 9x9 pan.  Cook broccoli, arrange in pan.  While broccoli is cooking, prepare sauce.  Dissolve boullion cube in hot water.  Melt margarine in pan, blend in flour.  Gradually stir in cream and boullion; cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened and smooth.  Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice, salt and pepper.  Taste to correct seasoning.  Pour sauce over broccoli.  Sprinkle with cheese and almonds.  Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown.

-Shelley

Cornbread

Cornbread from Joan Wright

Mix:  2/3 cup sugar

        1/2 cup butter

add:  2 eggs

Mix and add to first mixture:  1 cup flour

                                          1 cup cornmeal

                                          1/2 tsp salt

(actually, I don't mix that.  I just dump it all in the food processor.)

add:  1 cup buttermilk mixed with 1/2 tsp baking soda (be sure to mix it well and really scrape the inside of the measuring cup to get it all out.  Actually, I don't know if you really have to mix those things or not, but the recipe says to so I do.)

Pour into greased 9" square pan and bake 30-40 minutes at 375.  (When I'm serving a lot of people, I double the recipe and bake it in a 9 x 13" pan.)

-Mom

Healthy Granola Bars

Healthy Granola Bars

2.5 c old fashioned oats

1 c whole wheat flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp vanilla extract

3/4 c shredded coconut

4 oz applesauce

2.5 tbsp flaxseed

1/4 c honey

1/3 c packed brown sugar

2 oz chopped pecans

2 oz slivered almonds

Preheat oven to 325 F. Lightly grease one 9x13. In a large mixing bowl combine the oats, flour, baking soda, vanilla, applesauce, flaxseed, honey, and brown sugar. Stir in nuts and coconut. Lightly press mixture into the prepared pan. Bake at 325 F for about 20 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes, then cut into bars. Let bars cool completely in pan before removing or serving.

-Maren

Black Bean Soup

Black Bean Soup

10 slices bacon (preferably smoked)

2 medium onions, chopped

6 garlic cloves, pressed

1 (14.5 oz) can reduced-sodium chicken broth (I use chicken base)

1.5 cups canned crushed tomatoes

2 T ketchup

2 t Worcestershire sauce

1 T chili powder

4 (15.5 oz) can black beans, drained but not rinsed

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 bunch cilantro

juice of 1/2 lime

Thinly sliced scallions for garnish

Sour cream for garnish

Grated cheddar for garnish

Put the bacon into a large heavy pot and place it over medium heat. Cook until it starts to give up its fat, about 4 minutes. Stir in the onions and cook, stirring, until they start to turn translucent. (If you don't want to use bacon, I'd just saute the onions in a little olive oil, and then add some liquid smoke when you add the rest of the ingredients.) Stir in the garlic and cook until you can smell it, about 1 minute. Add the broth, tomatoes, ketchup, Worcestershire (and liquid smoke if you're using it.), and chili powder. Stir in the beans, turn the heat to high and bring to a boil. Adjust the heat so the soup is bubbling gently and cook 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. 

Meanwhile, pick off all the thick stems from the cilantro. Wash it and shake dry. Chop the cilantro coarsely and stir it into the soup when it has been simmering 10 minutes. Cook until the soup is thickened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the lime juice. Serve with the garnishes.

Let me know how you like it!

-Maren