Recipes from Mindsay 1. Kahlua From jimschweizer I think I blogged this before but couldn't find it (making another batch right now Kahlua 1 Qt Brewed Coffee 2 1/2 cup Vodka 1/2 cup Brandy 3 Tbsp Vanilla 2 1/2 cup sugar 1/2 cup Brown Sugar Simmer coffee and sugars for 3 hours. Add vodka, brandy and vanilla (after you remove it from heat.) Bottle as desired. 2. tri-tip rub This is for a really large amount of tri-tip. Adjust as necessary.. 10 tbls paprika 4 tbls seasoned pepper 4 tbls salt 4 tbls garlic powder 4 tbls chile powder 6 tbls brown sugar 2 tsp cinnamon red pepper flakes to taste Don't grind it. Leave it course. Rub the tri tip just before you put it on the grill. 3. Chicken Fricassee This recipe comes with a little story, from wendyinchicago. Most of my family recipes were taught to me from my Mom and maternal Grandmother. My paternal Grandmother suffered from Arthritis, and moved to an assisted living facility when I was very young. She didn't cook when we went to visit her, however, my Mom used to rave about the Chicken Fricassee that she'd make when she visited us. This is that recipe. Originally it was a whole chicken cut into the typical 8 pieces, this has been updated and I now use skinned Chicken breasts. You can use whatever chicken parts you like to use. Chicken Fricassee - Old Fashioned but GOOD!!! (4 servings) 3 Tbls all-purpose Flour 1 tsp Paprika 1 tsp Poultry Seasoning 1/2 tsp Salt 1/2 tsp Black Pepper 4 (6 ounce each) skinned Chicken breast halves 2 tsp Butter or Margarine 1 1/2 cups chopped Onion 1/2 cup chopped Celery 3 Garlic cloves, minced 1 cup Chicken broth 1/4 cup Dry White Wine 2 cups julienne-cut Carrots 1/4 cup chopped fresh Parsley Combine first 5 ingredients in a large zip-top plastic bag. Add chicken; toss well to coat. Remove chicken from bag; reserve the flour. Melt butter in a large nonstick fry pan over medium heat. Add chicken, top side down; saute 5 minutes or until chicken is browned. Remove from pan; keep warm. Add celery, onion, and garlic to the pan; saute 5 minutes, stirring so it softens not browns. Stir in the flour from the mix bag; cook 1 minute. Add broth and wine, be sure to stir evenly to keep from lumping; bring to boil. Add carrots. Return chicken to pan, top side up. Cover, reduce heat to simmer. Cook 25 minutes or until checken is done. Sprinkle with chopped Parsley. Serve 1 breast and 3/4 cup sauce, choose your sides as you like. 4. Holiday Pies: Sweet Potato and Cranberry On the Holidays I'd make this because I don't like Pumpkin Pie. Originally it called for Whisky, but it was horrible that way, so now I omit it. It became such a hit that I had to give it to the "next generation" in our family. I usually double the recipe so there is one pie to share and one to keep. wendyinchicago Auntie's Sweet Potato Pie 2 cups Sweet Potato Mash (about 5 medium potatoes peeled, cooked and mashed) 3 Eggs 1 tsp Vanilla 1 tsp Nutmeg 4 Tbl Butter 1 Tbl Lemon Juice 1 Tbl Flour 1 cooked Pie shell Follow the instructions for cooking the pie shell, let cool. Blend all the ingredients together until smooth, pour into the cooled pie shell. Put in a pre-heated 350 degree oven and let cook for 45 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Serve with main course or as a dessert. Hint: Any leftover filling can be cooked in a buttered casserole dish. *----*----*----*----*----*----* This next one I've not made, but found on the 'net when the taste for one came up. I am offering this recipe out there to others that enjoy cranberries as much as I do. It will be tried soon. Cranberry Pie Pastry for double crust pie 3 cups halved Cranberries 1/2 cup Water 1 3/4 cups Sugar 5 tablespoons Flour 1/4 teaspoon Salt 1/2 teaspoon Almond extract 2 tablespoons Butter Prepare pastry for pie. In saucepan add cranberries and water and bring to the boiling point. Mix dry ingredients and slowly add to cranberry mixture. Cook on low heat until mixture thickens. Remove from heat and add extract. Cool filling completely. Pour into 9 inch pastry lined pan. Dot with the butter. Add top crust as a lattice crust or as a whole top crust, crimping edges and pricking top in several places. Bake in 425 oven for 35 to 40 minutes or crust light golden. Serve room temperature or cold with ice cream or whipped cream. 5. Roasted Broccoli I have always liked broccoli, but never had it cooked like this until the other night. It is simple and very delicious. The measurments are what I used, but you could vary them to adjust to your own tastes. I put them in the oven while roasting some chicken, ended up eating all the broccoli and only a small bit of chicken. Roasted Broccoli from wendyinchicago 12 oz of Broccoli flowerettes, you can use the cleaned up stems too, but be sure to quarter them. 1 Tbls Olive Oil 1 Tbls Sesame Oil 2 tsp Soy Sauce 1 crushed garlic clove In a large bowl, mix all ingredients until broccoli is coated with oils. Place mixed pieces onto a shallow baking dish or cookie sheet in a single layer. Roast on 375 degrees, until fork tender and beginning to brown. 6. A classic - Chicken Pot Pie By jimschweizer When I was a kid my parents would leave us those little tins of chicken pot pies to warm up and eat in front of the TV when it was their night out. I always liked them, but this recipe blows them away! Crust: 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour 3/4 tsp salt 2 egg yolks 3 tbs ice water 2/3 cup cold butter Filling: 1 cup sliced carrots (3) 1 cup sliced celery (1) 2 cups frozen peas 1 cup chopped white onion 4 chicken breast (or 1 1/2 pd thighs) 4 tbs butter 5 tbs flour 2 1/2 cups chicken broth 2/3 cup milk 1/2 tsp salt dash pepper 1 egg, beaten Directions: 1) Crust - sift together flour and salt in a medium bowl - make a depression in the center; put yolks and ice water in the depression; slice butter into tbs sized chunks and add to the depression; using a fork, cut the wet ingredients into the dry; when flour is moistened, hand combine the ingredients; roll the dough into a ball, cover with plastic and refrigerate for 2 hours. 2) Preheat the oven to 425 F. 3) Steam vegetables until almost tender. 4) Poach chicken in lightly salted water 8 to 10 min. 5) In a large saucepan melt butter remove from heat, add flour and whisk until smooth; add chicken broth and milk - stir over high heat until boiling; cook 1 minute then reduce heat to low. 6) Chunk the poached chicken, add to the sauce w/ salt and pepper. 7) Add steamed vegetables and simmer 4-5 min. 8) Roll out dough on a floured surface and line pan(s). 9) Spoon chicken and veg. filling into pan (s) and cover with dough. Brush beaten eggs on dough. 10) Bake pies on cookie sheet 30-45 min. (Yes, this is a lot of work... but it's worth it!) 7. The Ultimate Comfort Food - Bread Pudding I made this last night but substituted some of the vanilla with Grand Marnier and used dried blueberries instead of raisins - YUM! By jimschweizer Ingredients: 2 cups milk 1/4 cup butter 2/3 cup sugar 3 eggs 2 teaspoons cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 3 cups bread, torn into small pieces (french bread works best) 1/2 cup raisins or berries (optional) Directions: 1. In medium saucepan, over medium heat, heat milk just until film forms over top. Combine butter and milk, stirring until butter is melted. Cool to lukewarm. 2. Combine sugar, eggs, cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla. Beat with an electric mixer at medium speed for 1 minute. Slowly add milk mixture. 3. Place bread in a lightly greased 1 1/2 quart casserole. 4. Sprinkle with raisins or berries if desired. Pour batter on top of bread. 5. Bake at 350 degrees F for 45 to 50 minutes or until set. Serve warm. 8. Cherry Chicken Lettuce Wraps INGREDIENTS * 2 tablespoons canola oil * 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger root * 1 1/4 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut into bite size pieces * 2 tablespoons rice vinegar * 2 tablespoons teriyaki sauce * 1 tablespoon honey * 1 pound dark sweet cherries, pitted and halved * 1 1/2 cups shredded carrots * 1/2 cup chopped green onion * 1/3 cup toasted and sliced almonds * 12 leaves of lettuce DIRECTIONS 1. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add ginger and chicken and saute until cooked through, about 7 to 10 minutes. Set aside. 2. In a large bowl, whisk together remaining 1 tablespoon oil, vinegar, teriyaki sauce and honey until mixed together. Add chicken mixture, cherries, carrot, green onion and almonds; toss together. 3. To Serve: Spoon 1/12 of the chicken/cherry mixture onto the center of each lettuce leaf; roll up leaf around filling and serve. Serves 6 9. Shanxi beef (I haven't made this yet, but I wanted to save the recipe...) Shanxi is a northern province in China; this is a braised beef dish from that region: Ingredients: 3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce 3 bunches scallions, chopped (about 1 1/2 cups chopped) 1 pound lean boneless beef (such as top sirloin), very thinly sliced 1/4 cup cornstarch 1/4 cup water 1/2 cup sesame oil generous pinch fennel seed 1/2 cup chicken broth 2 teaspoons rice wine 1/4 teaspoon grated fresh ginger In a medium bowl, combine the soy sauce and scallions. Add the beef and mix to coat. In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch with the water until dissolved. Add to the beef mixture and stir well. Set aside. In a wok, heat the oil over high. Add the fennel seeds and cook stirring constantly. until the oil starts to smoke. Add the beef mixture, with the marinade, and stir fry until barely cooked, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the stock and the rice wine. Cover the wok and boil for 1 minute. Add the ginger, stir and serve. Sounds pretty good! 10. Boston baked beans We had a "traditional" 4th of July weekend lunch today - baked beans with hotdogs sliced into it... yep, remember that?! I'm going to have to try this recipe next time: INGREDIENTS * 2 cups navy beans * 1/2 pound bacon * 1 onion, finely diced * 3 tablespoons molasses * 2 teaspoons salt * 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper * 1/4 teaspoon dry mustard * 1/2 cup ketchup * 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce * 1/4 cup brown sugar DIRECTIONS 1. Soak beans overnight in cold water. Simmer the beans in the same water until tender, approximately 1 to 2 hours. Drain and reserve the liquid. 2. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). 3. Arrange the beans in a 2 quart bean pot or casserole dish by placing a portion of the beans in the bottom of dish, and layering them with bacon and onion. 4. In a saucepan, combine molasses, salt, pepper, dry mustard, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce and brown sugar. Bring the mixture to a boil and pour over beans. Pour in just enough of the reserved bean water to cover the beans. Cover the dish with a lid or aluminum foil. 5. Bake for 3 to 4 hours in the preheated oven, until beans are tender. Remove the lid about halfway through cooking, and add more liquid if necessary to prevent the beans from getting too dry. 11. Ramen Noodle Salad Ingredients: 3 tablespoons toasted sesame or peanut oil 2 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar 2 tablespoons honey 2 tablespoons soy sauce 2 tablespoons canola oil Pinch red pepper flakes 3-ounce package instant ramen noodles, seasoning package discarded, noodles broken into small pieces 2 tablespoons sesame seeds 10-ounce bag baby spinich greens 1 bunch scallions, finely chopped 1 green apple, cored and cut into matchsticks 1/4 cup dried cranberries Make the dressing first in a small bowl, whisk together the sesame oil, rice vinegar, honey and soy sauce. Set aside or chill. In a medium skillet over medium heat, combine the canola oil and red pepper flake. Heat for 30 seconds, then add the noodles and sesame seeds. Cook, stirring constantly, until golden, about 8 minutes. Transfer the noodle mixture to a large bowl and let cool ten minutes. Add the spinach, scallions and apples slices, then drizzle with the dressing and toss to coat. Top with dried cranberries. (You don't have to follow all the ingredients nor process - yesterday we added dried blueberries and sunflower seeds and cooked the spinach with the noodles - and added ginger, etc 12. Delicious NE Clam Chowder This recipe is from vitainchicago Mom of wendyinchicago New England Clam Chowder 4 or 5 red potatoes, peeled, and cut into bite size pieces (keep in water until ready to use) 2 - 10 oz cans of chopped clams (or you can use whole, your call) undrained. 1 medium onion, chopped 6 cups water (enough to cover potatoes) 1/4 stick butter 1 pint Half & Half 1 pint Milk Salt and White pepper to taste 4 Tablespoons flour mixed with 6 oz water to thicken soup In a large stock pot, add onions and potatoes, pour in water (it should just cover the potatoes, add more if needed), add salt to taste and butter. Cook on medium heat until potatoes are just cooked, not too soft. DON'T DRAIN. Pour in the Half and Half, Milk, and clams with juice. Add white pepper to taste. When it comes to a boil, mix the flour and water together, slowly add to the stock pot as you stir, thickening the soup. If it is too thick add some more milk, if too thin, add more flour/water mixture. Let simmer for 15 minutes. Makes 6 servings 13. Pot Roast with Vegetables Recipe from wendyinchicago Pot Roast with Vegetables INGREDIENTS: * beef rump roast, about 4 pounds * 1 small onion, sliced * 2 tablespoons salad oil * 2 tablespoons butter or margarine * 1 clove garlic, crushed * 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves * 1 bay leaf * 8 whole black peppercorns * 1 teaspoon salt * 1 can (10 1/2 ounces) beef broth, undiluted * 12 small white onions * 6 to 8 carrots, peeled & halved lengthwise * Mixture of favorite root vegetables (I used beets, turnips, carrots, onions, celery root and potatoes, cut bite sized.) PREPARATION: In hot oil and butter in a 5-quart Dutch oven or large heavy kettle over medium heat, brown the rump roast with sliced onions, turning, until browned on all sides. Add garlic, thyme, marjoram, bay leaf, black peppercorns and salt; cook, stirring, for about 30 seconds. Add beef broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to simmer; cover and cook for about 2 1/2 hours. Add onions, carrots, and any other vegetables; reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes or until vegetables and meat are tender. Note: I didn’t have to make gravy, what was there was plenty and rich with flavor. To make gravy: Transfer meat and vegetables from Dutch oven to warm serving platter. Keep warm, covered loosely with foil. Into 2-cup measure, strain liquid remaining in Dutch oven. If necessary, add water to measure 2 cups. Return the hot liquid to Dutch oven. Combine flour with 1/4 cup of cold water; stir until smooth. Stir flour mixture into liquid in Dutch oven and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat; simmer for another 3 minutes. Taste and add salt if desired. Serves 8. 14. Cranberry Cinnamon Rolls Recipe from wendyinchicago Here’s a variation on basic cinnamon rolls that is perfect for the holidays. These cranberry rolls can be prepared the night before and left to rise in the refrigerator. Simply pop them in the oven in the morning and top them with an orange caramel glaze. Cinnamon Cranberry Rolls Ingredients: # 2 package dried cranberries (6-ounce size), chopped # 1 tbsp. orange zest # 3 c. boiling water # 1 1/2 c. granulated sugar # 3 tbsp. ground cinnamon # 1 tbsp. ground nutmeg # 1 package active dry yeast (not rapid rise) # 8 c. all-purpose flour, plus 3 tbsp. # 1 tbsp. granulated sugar # 1 c. warm water (about 110 degrees) # 1 c. warm milk (about 110 degrees) # 3/4 c. granulated sugar # 1 1/4 c. butter, melted # 1 tsp. salt # 2 large eggs, beaten Orange Cranberry Glaze Ingredients: # 2 tbsp. brown sugar # 1 tbsp. butter # 2 tbsp. orange juice # 1 tbsp. milk # 1 c. powdered sugar Method: In a medium-sized bowl, mix 1½ cups granulated sugar with cinnamon and nutmeg. Set aside to use for the filling. Place chopped cranberries and orange zest in a separate bowl. Pour in boiling water and cover for five minutes to allow the ingredients to soften. Drain the cranberry and orange mixture and spread it on layers of paper towels. In another medium-sized bowl, mix yeast, 3 tablespoons of flour and 1 tablespoon of sugar. Add warm water and stir. Let mixture sit for about five to 10 minutes until yeast activates and mixture gets a little foamy on top. In a large mixing bowl, combine milk, ¾ cup sugar, ¾ cup melted butter, salt, eggs, ¼ of the cranberry and orange mixture, and 6 cups of flour. Add yeast mixture and continue mixing until soft dough forms. Add remaining 2 cups of flour and combine until a firm dough forms. Place dough on a floured surface and knead for about eight to 10 minutes. Butter a large bowl with about 2 tablespoons of the melted butter. Place dough in bowl and turn to coat with butter on all sides. Cover and let dough rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1½ hours. Remove dough from bowl, punch down and roll out to a 15-by-20 inch rectangle. Brush surface with about 1/4 cup of the melted butter. Sprinkle surface with remaining cranberry and orange mixture. Top with the sugar cinnamon mixture that you set aside. Starting on a wide side, tightly roll up the dough around cinnamon/cranberry mixture. Pinch and seal the edges. Using a very sharp knife, cut the roll into 12 slices. Spread a tablespoon of the melted button on the bottom of a 9-by-12 inch baking dish. Place rolls closely together, cut side down, in the dish. Brush with remaining butter. Cover the rolls with plastic wrap and place them in the refrigerator overnight. When you remove rolls from the refrigerator, let them sit for about 20 minutes before baking. Place rolls in a cold oven and set the temperature to 350 degrees. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until rolls are golden brown. Just before rolls are ready, make the caramel orange sauce: Place brown sugar and butter in a small saucepan over medium high heat. Stir until ingredients are well blended and mixture starts to bubble and foam. Remove from heat, carefully pour in orange juice and milk. Mixture will harden. Return to heat and stir until ingredients are fully blended and mixture is smooth again. Remove from heat and mix with powdered sugar. Remove rolls from oven and spoon or brush glaze over them. Serve warm. 15. Scottish Shortbread Recipe from bisexuallover Scottish Shortbread 1 cup softened butter 1 egg yolk 1 cup confectioners sugar 3 cups all-purpose flour Angelica (*this is a sweet herb of the parsely family) Candied green and red cherries to decorate 1. Cream butter; blend in egg yolk and gradually add sugar, beating until mixture is very smooth and creamy. 2. Work in flour, kneading until well blended. 3. On a greased cookie sheet, pat and press mixture into a 9-inch circle 1 inch thick. Pinch edges so that they are wavy. Decorate with candied cherries. I make holly with 1 red cherry and clipped green one as leaves. 4. Bake in moderate oven (350 degrees) until very lightly brown, 25 to 30 minutes. 5. This recipe takes about 3/4 of an hour, including baking. Note: Tradition says do not cut this with a knife. Break it first into 4 quarters, symbolic of St. Andrew's Cross, the patron saint of Scotland. Comment: I usually make 2 smaller rounds, sometimes 3, for gifts. 16. Pizzelles Recipe from onewalrus These are an Italian wine cookie which I grew up eating every holiday season. (My mother is Italian.) By wine cookie, I mean that they are traditionally eaten with a glass of red or rose wine, but any beverage will do. A thin, crispy cookie, they're fun and easy to make, but you'll need a pizzelle iron ($25.00?). Take a look at the slide show and get to work. Pizzelles (pronounced pit-zay-ulls) Ingredients: 4 Cups Sifted Flour 4 tsp. Baking Powder 6 Large Eggs 1 Cup Sugar 1/2 lb. Melted Butter (2 sticks) 1 Tbsp. Vanilla or Anise Oil (licorice oil) Directions: 1. In large bowl, beat the eggs well. 2. Stir in sugar. 3. Stir in melted butter. 4. Add vanilla or anise oil. 5. Sift in flour and baking powder and stir well without beating. 6. Heat up pizzelle iron. 7. Place appx. 1 Tbsp. of batter in center. 8. When steam stops exiting (appx. 1 minute) remove pizzelles and, 9. Place and stack on waxed paper to cool 10. Move away from edge of countertop so your dog doesn't eat them. Yield: appx. 60 cookies 17. Three Holiday Recipes Contributed by bisexuallover Apple Dumplings 2 cups Flour 4 teaspoons Baking powder 1 teaspoon Salt 4 Tablespoons Shortening 1 cup Milk 6 each Apple Sugar 1 teaspoon Cinnamon Pare and core apples. Sift flour, baking powder and salt; cut in shortening, add milk and mix to smooth dough. Turn onto floured board and divide into six portions. Roll each portion large enough to cover one apple. Place an apple on each piece of dough; fill with cinnamon and sugar; wet edges of dough and fold over apple. Place on greased baking sheet, and bake at 350-F until apples are tender (about 40 minutes). Yule Moon Cookies 1 cup butter 1 1/4 cup sugar 2 tsp. grated lemon peel 1/4 tsp. salt 1 1/3 cup. flour 1 1/2 cups grated almonds (blanched) 1 tsp. vanilla Icing: 2 cups sifted confectioner's sugar 1 tsp. vanilla 2 1/2 T. water Cream together butter and sugar until fluffy and light. Add grated lemon peel, salt, flour, grated almonds, and 1 tsp. vanilla; mix thoroughly. Place dough in bowl. Cover and chill thoroughly. When dough is well chilled; or next day, roll out dough to 1/8" thickness and cut with moon/crescent cookie cutter. Place 1/2" apart on ungreased baking sheet. Bake in preheated 375 degree oven for 8 to 10 minutes. Icing: While cookies bake, combine confectioner's sugar, vanilla and water. Spread over tops of cookies while still warm, but not too hot as icing will melt. Thin with additional drops of water if glaze is too thick. Allow cookies to cool. Yield: 10 dozen cookies. Yule EggNog Bread 4 cups all-purpose, unbleached flour 1/2 cup sugar 1 tsp. salt 3 tbs. butter 1 6 oz. packet Sun Maid Sun Ripened Dried Fruit Bits Equal amount chopped pecans 1 1/2 cup egg nog 1 pkg. dry yeast, in 1/2 cup warm water, Warm everything to room temperature. Pitch yeast in warm water, with a pinch of sugar. Mix flour, sugar, and salt; cut in softened butter. Mix in fruit and nuts. When yeast is good and frothy, mix in egg nog and yeast mixture and knead, adding flour as necessary. Let rise about an hour, punch down dough, form into a ball, and let rise againPreheat oven to 350. Bake approximately 30-45 minutes until done. 18. Recipe from johnndepp Ingredients 12 navel oranges 1 gallon dark chocolate or fudge ice cream 24 whole cinnamon sticks Directions Cut off the top of the oranges. Gently hollow out the pulp, leaving a thick shell; hollow pulp out of cut-off tops too. Cut Jack-O'Lantern faces into each orange. Pack scoops of ice cream into shells (try to avoid letting ice cream ooze out of eyes or mouth). Cut a small hole in the top of each orange cap. Set tops back on over the ice cream and insert a cinnamon-stick stem through the hole. Place in the freezer for at least 3 hours or until serving time. Yield: 24 desserts 19. Penne with Shrimp and Sausage Recipe from wendyinchicago This recipe is from my cousin, we made it one late night for a quick dinner. The ingredients are below and when used in full it serves 8, tonight I used about half of them to make 4 servings, (love the leftovers), it's a very forgiving recipe you can fiddle as you want. I put notes in red. Penne with Shrimp and Sausage 6 pieces turkey or pork italian sausage (I skinned it and made little meat balls out of them) 1 lb cleaned shrimp (just a note, I hate cleaning shrimp, used to have a cool tool for it..hmm) 2 bags baby spinach (10 oz total) 1 small can peeled & chopped tomatoes drained (14 oz can) 1 lb penne (I used mini penne) garlic (use as much as you want) < olive oil (initially use it to cook sausage, then a bit more for garlic/shrimp, and add some to finished pasta) parmigiano cheese (mix in some to taste, add more on your own) toasted pine nuts (I skipped these and added chopped basil instead) salt & pepper red pepper flakes (if you want it a bit spicy) Saute skinless sausage until brown, remove from pan, set aside, don't clean pan then add olive oil & garlic cook until tender add shrimp, cook until pink. Meanwhile boil water and cook pasta After draining pasta keep about a 1/4 cup of the water (you really don't want it soupy) Mix pasta, shrimp, sausage, tomatoes, and spinach....add more olive oil Stir gently over heat until spinach wilts, add remaining pasta water if necessary. Sprinkle with cheese to taste. Add salt, pepper & red pepper flakes, to taste Add pine nuts and serve. Eat a big bowlful with a nice bottle of red wine and enjoy! 20. Chilean Seafood Stew Chilean Seafood Stew 3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 1 medium yellow onion, sliced 1 yellow bell pepper, sliced 1 orange bell pepper, sliced 1 red bell pepper, sliced 4 garlic cloves, chopped 2 lbs. Chilean Sea Bass, cut into 2” pieces 4 scallions, chopped 1 teaspoon jalapeño, chopped 1 cup white wine 1 cup bottled clam juice 1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes in juice 1 bay leaf 1 lime, juiced 2 limes, quartered 1 lb medium shrimp, peeled 1 cup fresh cilantro, chopped Corn or flour tortillas, warmed In a large Dutch oven, heat olive oil over med-high heat. Sauté the onions until they begin to brown. Toss in bell peppers and cook about 3 minutes. Add garlic, jalapeño, wine, clam juice, tomatoes, bay leaf, and lime juice (1/4 cup). Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes. Add Sea bass and shrimp. Continue to cook for 5 minutes until shrimp is opaque. Remove from heat discard bay leaf. Stir in cilantro and scallions. Serve with lime wedges and tortillas. 6 servings. 21. Pita Bread This recipe is from a recipe site I belong to, it looks easy and tasty. wendyinchicago Pita Bread Ingredients * 2-1/2 cups bread flour (I used Heartland Mill Organic Strong High-Gluten), plus more for sprinkling while kneading & rolling out dough * 2 teaspoons salt * 1 Tablespoon sugar * 2 teaspoons active dry yeast * 2 Tablespoons good olive oil * 1 cup warm water (105-110 degrees) Directions 1. 8 8-inch squares of aluminum foil for baking pitas 2. In a large bowl combine 1 cup flour with the salt, sugar, and yeast. Add the oil and water. 3. Beat vigorously with a wooden spoon for three minutes, then stir in the rest of the flour 1/2 cup at a time. 4. The dough should be a rough, shaggy mass that will clean the sides of the bowl. 5. If the dough is moist, add a small amount of additional flour. 6. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knead for 6 minutes. 7. Preheat the oven to 500 degrees. 8. Divide the dough into 8 pieces. 9. I patted the dough into a circle and used my metal dough scraper to quickly and evenly cut it into eighths (as if cutting up a pie). 10. Roll into balls, dust lightly with flour, and cover with a damp tea towel. Let rest for 30 minutes. 11. Use the palm of your hand to flatten each ball into a disk. Finish with a rolling pin, flattening the dough into a disk about 6" in diameter and 3/16" thick. Their thinness is more important than making them perfectly round. 12. Place each round on a square of foil, and carefully place 3 or 4 of the rounds directly on the oven rack. Bake for 5 to 8 minutes, or until they are puffed. 13. When you remove the breads from the oven, stack them up and wrap them in a large piece of foil. This will keep the dough soft while the tops fall, leaving a pocket in the center. 22. Wonton Soup as created by sandyquill Tags: wontons soup chinese food low-fat recipe For those who want to know what can make you go, "Yummmmmmm...," I present my recipe for wonton soup. Please note that it is highly adviseable to get all the preliminaries set out and placed in a workable order for you, because once you start actually cooking the wontons, you really can't stop until all of them are done. All measurements are approximate...your palate is your own. 1/2 lb. ground turkey (lean) ginger root 1/2 cup thawed cooked spinach (I recommend Bird's Eye chopped spinach...fewer stems). I recommend squeezing excess moisture from it over the sink. 32 oz. (or more) organic OR clear chicken broth. soy sauce (I prefer low sodium) 1 package wonton skins (usually 40 - 50 count, depending upon your brand.) To prepare for cooking: * grate the ginger until you have approximately 1/4 cup * pour broth into a large pot and add 1/4 c. spinach and "some" soy sauce * fill a small cup with room temperature water for dipping your fingers to moisten the wonton skins * take the wonton skins out of their package and stack them for easy access * start the broth heating to a boil, while you prepare the meat mixture * In a small mixing bowl, mix the ground turkey, 1/4 c. of spinach, and all the grated ginger. Dash in some soy sauce. Mix by hand, blending all the ingredients as best you can. It will not be uniform, but it should be fairly mixed. To prepare a batch of wontons for cooking: ** Lay out the wonton skins. I use a large cutting board for this, for easy clean-up later. I generally go 12 at a time. ** In the center of each square, put about 1/2 teaspoon of the meat mixture. You will figure out how much after you roll your first batch. There should not be more than can be comfortably rolled and closed into the skin without tearing the pasta. ** After wetting your fingertips, wet the edges of each wonton skin. ** Roll each wonton up, from bottom to top, picking it up, folding the ends so they meet, and pinching the pasta so that it sticks to itself. ** Repeat. Cooking: *** When one batch is done (say a dozen or so), and the soup is boiling, carefully drop the wontons into the broth. *** While they cook, prepare the next batch of wontons. *** Wontons are done when they float in the soup pot. (I have found that one batch is done by the time I have laid out, filled, and rolled the next dozen wontons.) *** Remove with a slotted spoon into a bowl. Repeat until all your wonton skins have been cooked. If you find you have some meat mixture left after all the skins have been used, roll it into small meatballs and cook them with the last batch of wontons. They will cook quickly and make a nice addition to the soup. If you find you have extra wonton skins when the meat mixture is gone, you can deep fry them and coat them in powdered sugar for a quick dessert. The soup is a fairly healthy, low-fat recipe. Cooked wonton soup will keep for at least three days in the fridge, if you make up a huge batch and are the only one who is eating it. 23. Hummus and Labneh (or Laban) Tags: cheese food hummus yummy yogurt chickpeas mediterranean food From Revcathian Here is the recipe for Hummus: 2 cups dried chickpeas 1/2 cup tahini (sesame paste) 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 1 garlic clove, minced Juice of 2 medium lemons 1/2 to 1 teaspoon sea salt 1/2 teaspoon cumin Combine chickpeas with water and soak for 8 to 10 hours. Drain well. Combine the drained chickpeas and 1 quart fresh water in a kettle over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 1 to 2 hours or until chickpeas are tender. Drain well. Puree the chickpeas in a blender or food processor. Add the tahini, olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, salt and cumin; blend until smooth. Adjust seasoning. Serve immediately, or place in an airtight container in the refrigerator until serving time (will keep about five days). From The What Would Jesus Eat Cookbook, by Don Colbert, MD Note: when I am in a hurry, I use two cans of chickpeas/garbanzo beans. AND Labneh (or Laban) is a Lebanese soft fresh cheese made from yogurt. It is eaten within a week or so of preparation. Basic Ingredients: 1 quart yogurt, 1 tsp salt Equipment: sterile handkerchief or cheese cloth, two bowls, whisk, strainer. Instructions: 1. Assemble ingredients: yogurt, salt, sterile handkerchief, two bowls, whisk, strainer. 2. Stir up a quart of yogurt to a smooth consistency, pour into bowl. 3. Add one teaspoon of salt. 4. Whisk to mix thoroughly. 5. Place a sterile handkerchief in a strainer suspended over a medium sized bowl (larger than a quart). Pour in salted yogurt. 6. Lift the four corners of the cloth to make a "sling" and suspend over the bowl to catch the whey which drips through. You can use a strong rubber band looped around the four corners and over a faucet to suspend the cloth. (Some people let the whey go down the drain, but I do this process in the refrigerator because it is just too hot in Louisiana for leaving cheese out.) 7. Suspend over the bowl to catch the whey which drains off. It can be suspended in a refrigerator to ensure freshness. 8. After about 24 hours, the whey has been drained off, remove and open the cloth. 9. Now you can mix in herbs, minced vegetables (about 2 tablespoons or so), form into a ball and store in the refrigerator. thanks to David Fankhauser The texture is somewhat like creamcheese, but it has a bit of a tang to it. Very nice. 24. cheeseburger casserole From bisexuallover Here's a recipe I made that I found online; its pretty good - a giant cheeseburger! It's more of a casserole. It's super easy, feeds 4-6 people, but I have a family of four, and it just fed us with a little extra. Takes about 30 minutes to make. Ingredients: 1 cup onion 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese 1 lb of ground beef 1 cup milk 2 eggs 1 cup Bisquik 1 teaspoon of salt Directions: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a round 8 inch casserole pan. Brown the onions and beef - takes about 5-8 minutes. Drain and add salt. Put into pan. Mix eggs milk and bisquick in a bowl. Pour cheese on top; I use more then one cup of cheese. I just coat the top of the beef with cheese. Pour liquid on top, and bake 25 minutes or until a knife comes out clean It ends up lookin like a casserole then a hamburger but its really good 25. Sole Food From: wendyinchicago Easy and tasty Sole recipes Broiled Sole 4 servings 4 sole, cleaned trimmed and skinned olive oil, for brushing salt and pepper lemon wedges, to serve Preheat the broiler. Season the fish with salt and pepper; brush with olive oil. Place the fish on the broiler racdk and cook under the broiler, brushing frequently with olive oil, for 7-8 minutes on each side. Transfer to a warm serving dish and serve with lemon wedges. Sole in Melted Butter 4 servings 4 sole, cleaned trimmed and skinned 1 1/4 cups milk all-purpose flour, for dusting 2/3 cup butter salt Put the sole in a dish, add the milk and let soak for at least 15 minutes, then drain, pat dry with paper towels and dust lightly with flour. Melt 4 Tablespoons of the butter in a skillet, add the fish and cook over medium-low heat for about 5 minutes on each side until golden brown and tender. Season with salt and transfer to a serving dish. Melt the remaining butter until it starts to froth, then pour it over the fish. Serve immediately. 26. Tired of the same old pancakes? These are delicious and healthy, from wendyinchicago : Oatmeal Pancakes 6-8 servings Cooking time: 15 min; 10 min prep 1 1/2 cups flour 1 cup quick oats 1 Tablespoon baking powder 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon salt 2 eggs 1 1/2 cups milk 3 tablespoons margarine, melted 1. Mix all dry ingredients together in a bowl. 2. Stir in milk & melted butter. 3. Add eggs, 1 at a time. 4. Bake on a hot griddle until bubbly. 5. Flip & bake until done. 27. Beef Wellington (Individual Servings) From: wendyinchicago This is what was for dinner tonight, from scratch. It is a simple, yet elegant recipe: Beef Wellington 2 servings, 40 minutes (10 minutes prep) salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil 2 tablespoons butter 1/3 cup minced shallots 1 cup diced fresh button mushrooms 1 garlic clove, minced 2 tablespoons red wine 2 (3 ounce) beef filet mignon about 1-inch thick 4 ounces sliced pate, cut in half vertically (use your favorite pate, chicken, pork, or duck mousse) 6 sheets frozen prepared puff pastry, thawed, cut in half 1 egg, beaten 1 tablespoon water 1 tablespoon minced fresh basil 1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. 2. Melt together the butter and oil over medium heat in a small skillet. 3. Add the shallot and mushrooms, season to taste with salt and pepper, and sauté until mushrooms are browned, about 5 to 7 minutes, then add the garlic and sauté for an additional 2 minutes. 4. Add the red wine, stir well, and sauté until wine evaporates; remove from heat. 5. Heat a nonstick skillet over high heat, drizzle with a little olive oil, and sear both sides of the pieces of beef (leaving the middles rare); set aside and keep warm. 6. Mix together the beaten egg and water to make an egg wash. 7. On a lightly floured board, roll out each piece of the puff pastry until they're about 10"x6" big; cut a thin strip, about 1/8th inch thick, from the 6-inch ends of the pastries and set aside for decorative purposes. 8. On each piece of pastry, place half of the mushroom mixture, top with half of the pate, and then 1 piece of seared beef. 9. Brush the perimeter of the pastry with the egg wash. 10. Gather two opposite corners of the dough together, then the other two, and twist the 4 corners to seal. 11. Loosely tie the reserved strips around the top of each Wellington. 12. Transfer Wellingtons to a parchment or silpat lined baking sheet (a non-stick baking pan should be okay, too), then brush each Wellington well with the egg wash and sprinkle with minced basil. 13. Bake at 400 degrees F for 15-20 minutes or until they've turned a golden brown to your preference; remove from oven and let sit on baking sheet for 5 minutes. 14. Serve and enjoy! 28. Aggression Cookies Aggression Cookies from jimschweizer This is a great recipe for kids to make. Ingredients: 3 cups oatmeal 1 1/2 cups brown sugar 1 1/2 cups flour 1 1/2 cups butter 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder Dump everything into a bowl large enough for the kids to get their hands into. Then knead it, smash it, pound it. The longer and harder you mix it, the better it tastes! Roll dough into balls and bake on an ungreased cookie sheet at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes. (recipe by Martha Jean Klein) 29. Ceviche Ceviche 1 lb. Fresh Fish (any firm white fish is good) 1 large onion 6 limes 1 grapefruit 4 cloves garlic 1 jalapeno 3 or 4 yellow, orange, or red bell peppers (or mix) 1 cup Fresh Cilantro 2 tomatoes (or 1 24 oz. can diced tomato's & chiles; drained) Louisiana Hot Sauce 1 mango Cut fish into small chunks making sure to remove any dark meat. Squeeze limes, Grapefruit juices into bowl, (if you double the recipe, remember one grapefruit to six limes). Place fish in Ziploc bag and cover with the lime and grapefruit juices. Be sure all of the fish is covered with the juice as this is what "cooks" the fish. Refrigerate for 20-30 minutes, after making sure the fish has changed to white from opaque, drain juices. Chop all the vegetables in small pieces, crush garlic, chop Cilantro, mix all together with fish. Add 5 dashes of Hot Sauce into the mix. Refrigerate for 1 hour. Right before serving chop 1 Mango, add and mix. Serve with Wheat Crackers. 30. Cobb Salad Cobb Salad Ingredients: 16 oz. chopped mixed lettuce (Romaine, Red Leaf, Iceberg) 1 cup Cobb salad dressing 4 oz. blue cheese crumbles 4 oz. bacon bits 4 oz. diced tomatoes 8 oz. grilled chicken breast, diced 1 cup grated egg yolk 1 cup grated egg whites 4 whoe eggs total 2 avocados, diced Directions: Combine mixed lettuces and cobb salad dressing in a large mixing bowl. Toss lettuces to evenly dress with salad dressing. Build a salad in a large salad bowl. Start from the left and lay a row of blue cheese on top of the lettuces. Next, lay a row of bacon to the right of the blue cheese. Follow the bacon with tomatoes, then diced chicken, egg yolk, egg white, and finish with avocado. Yield: one large salad, serves 4-6 people Cobb Salad Dressing Ingredients: 1 clove garlic, finely chopped 2 Tbs. sugar 1 tsp. mustard powder 1 tsp. Kosher salt 1 1/4 Tbs. white wine vinegar 3/4 Tbs. red wine vinegar 1 1/4 Tbs. water 1/4 tsp. dried oregano 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes 1/4 tsp. black pepper 1/2 cup vegetable oil 2 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil Directions: Combine ingredients in a tabletop food processor and blend until smooth. Yield: one cup 31. New York Cheesecake From Tess New York Cheesecake Graham cracker crust 2 pounds cream cheese 3/4 cup granulated sugar 2 large eggs, lightly beaten 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 2 tablespoons cornstarch 1 cup sour cream Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, beat together cream cheese and sugar until smooth and light. Beat in eggs, vanilla and cornstarch only until thoroughly mixed. Stir in sour cream until mixture is well-blended. Pour mixture into crust which has been pressed into a 9-inch springform pan and pre-baked for 8 minutes. Bake cheesecake 45 minutes. Allow cake to cool in the oven with the door propped slightly open 3 hours. Chill. (From The Joy of Cheesecake) Note: I always follow the recipe on the Graham Cracker Crust box for mixing crust but still bake for only 8 minutes. 32. Fresh-Herb Salmon with Jasmine Rice Fresh-Herb Salmon with Jasmine Rice Preparation Time: 30 minutes minutes Cooking Time: 45 minutes minutes 2 1/2 cups jasmine rice 3 teaspoons kosher salt 1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley 1/3 cup chopped fresh chives 1/3 cup chopped fresh dill Zest of 1 lemon 2 1/2 pounds salmon fillets, skin removed 2 tablespoons olive oil 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger 2 scallions, white and light green parts only, thinly sliced In a large saucepan, combine the rice, 4 cups of water, and 1 1/2 teaspoons of the salt. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until all the water is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit, covered, for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the parsley, chives, and dill. Reserve 1/3 of the herb mixture in an airtight container in the refrigerator for another use. Combine the rest of the herb mixture with the lemon zest and set aside. Heat broiler. Coat the salmon fillets with the oil and season with the black pepper and the remaining salt. Broil 10 to 12 minutes, until just cooked through. Reserve 2 fillets for another use. Fluff the rice with a fork and reserve half (about 4 cups) for another use. Mix the ginger and scallions with the remaining rice. Top each salmon fillet with the fresh-herb mixture and serve with the rice. Tip: Salmon fillets don't need to be turned to cook through. Broil 10 minutes for each inch of thickness. Yield: Makes 4 servings, with leftovers 33. Mashed Potatoes With Style From Wendyinchicago If you are interested in making your dinner a little bit fancy or special, the following little trick is easy but looks so stylish. Make your favorite mashed potatoes recipe, be it with garlic, sour cream, or fancy oils. The only thing is that you must make sure they are not lumpy. Let them cool a little, then put them in a pastry bag, or a ziploc bag fitted with a nice pastry tip. Pipe them out decoratively on a well greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees until slightly browned. You can decorate them with a sprig of fresh herbs if you are so inclined. Serve along your favorite entree. They can be made ahead and browned before serving. CALORIES 627 (0% from fat); FAT 26g (sat 5g); PROTEIN 43mg; CHOLESTEROL 112mg; CALCIUM 61mg; SODIUM 1427mg; FIBER 1g; CARBOHYDRATE 52g; IRON 3mg Real Simple, SEPTEMBER 2002 34. Potato Fennel Bake From wendyinchicago: Serves 6 Ingredients: 1 large or 2 small Fennel bulbs* (sometimes called Anise or Finocchio) tops trimmed off, and cored. 6 red potatoes (about the size of your fist) peeled butter salt and pepper Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease (I buttered) a 9x9 baking dish. Slice** the potatoes thin as you can, put one overlapping layer in the baking dish. Follow with a layer of thinly sliced fennel bulb (if using a large bulb cut it in half then slice, if small bulbs just slice from the bottom.) Generously put in pads of butter, salt and pepper layer. Repeat layering process with the rest of the potatoes and fennel (fennel should be the top layer, you can put some of the fennel fronds on the top) Cover dish with foil and bake for 40-45 minutes, or until potatoes are fork tender. (this depends on the thickness of your slices). Cut in squares, and serve. It's a very fresh tasting potato dish, a little different then using onions. I then served it with Boneless Lamb Roast with onion, garlic and mint. Side dish of steamed Green Beans. (If you want that recipe, let me know.) Some people add creme and cheese to this to make it a Gratin, but this is just as tasty and less work/calories, and has a very fresh taste. Fennel Bulb I used a Mandolin Slicer for really thin slices 35. Baked Oatmeal Pudding From wendyinchicago: 2 cups Oatmeal 2 cups Cottage Cheese 2 eggs 1 cup milk 1 tsp cinnamon (I use 2 tsp cause I really like cinnamon) 1 tsp nutmeg 1/2 cup sugar Mix all ingredients together. Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 40 minutes. If desired, serve with brandied raisins, maple syrup, sautéed apple slices, toasted walnuts or be creative!!!! Serving size 6 - 8 36. Eggs Florentine From wendyinchicago: This is great Christmas morning, I mix it the night before and just pour it into the baking dish in the morning. 12 eggs ½ cup half and half cream 1 pint creamed cottage cheese 8 oz. Swiss cheese, grated 8 oz. feta cheese, cubed 4 tablespoons butter softened 2- 10 oz pkg. frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well drained (squeeze to dry out) 1 teaspoon nutmeg Beat eggs slightly. Add cheeses and butter, and mix well. Stir in spinach and nutmeg. Pour into a greased 13- in. x 9- in. x 2in. baking dish. Bake in preheated 3500 oven uncovered for 1 hour or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Yield: 12 – 16 servings. Optional topping: Cover with small amount of crushed cornflakes mixed with butter, garlic salt & parmesan cheese. 37. Amazingly Delicious Eggnog From wendyinchicago: 4 cups milk 5 whole cloves 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 12 egg yokes 1 1/2 cup sugar 2 1/2 cups light rum 4 cups light cream 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1. Combine milk, cloves, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, and cinnamon in a saucepan, and heat over lowest setting for 5 minutes. Slowly bring milk mixture to a boil. 2. In a large bowl, combine egg yolks and sugar. Whisk together until fluffy. Whisk hot milk mixture slowly into the eggs. Pour mixture into saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly for 3 minutes, or until thick. Do not allow mixture to boil. Strain to remove cloves, and let cool for about an hour. 3. Stir in rum, cream, 2 teaspoons vanilla, and nutmeg. Refrigerate overnight before serving. Prep time 20 minutes, Cook time 8 minutes. Ready time 6 hours 28 minutes. 12 servings. 38. Crockpot Jambalaya From: wendyinchicago 8 servings 9 hours; 20 mins prep 1 large onion, chopped (about 1 cup) 1 medium green bell pepper, chopped (about 1 cup) 2 medium celery ribs, chopped (about 1 cup) 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped 1 (28 ounces) can diced tomatoes, undrained 2 cups chopped, fully cooked smoked sausage ( I use andoullie) 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut in bite size pieces 1 tablespoon parsley flakes 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon pepper 1/4 teaspoon red pepper sauce ( I use a lot more) 3/4 lb uncooked peeled deveined medium shrimp, thawed if frozen Mix all ingredients except shrimp in slow cooker. Cover and cook on Low setting for 7 to 8 hours (or High setting for 3 to 4 hours), or until vegetables are tender. Stir in shrimp; cover and cook on Low setting about 1 hour or until shrimp are pink and firm. Serve with rice. 39. Playdough This isn't exactly a Holiday recipe, but it's a good one to keep around for a rainy day if you have kids in the house. They'll have fun making it, and hours of fun after that... Playdough Recipe w/ alum Ingredients: 1/2 C salt 2 C water food coloring 2 Tbsp oil 2 C flour 2 Tbsp alum 1. Combine salt and water in a saucepan and boil until salt dissolves. 2. Remove from heat and pour into a large mixing bowl. 3. Add food coloring(s) until you get the desired color. 4. Add oil, flour and alum. 4. Knead until smooth (you can substitute 4 tsp cream of tartar for the alum) 40. Roasted Pumpkin Seeds From jimschweizer: Don't throw out those pumpkin seeds when you make your Jack-O-Lantern this year! They make a great snack and are rich in vitamins B and E! Purist want only salt on theirs, but feel free to experiment! Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups pumpkin seeds 2 tsp melted butter or oil salt to taste Options: (one or more) garlic powder seasoning salt cayenne pepper Cajun seasoning mix Preheat oven to 300 °F. After cleaning (most) of the gunk off the seeds, toss the seeds with the melted butter (or oil) and seasonings of your choice. Spread the seeds in a single layer on a cookie sheet (covered with aluminum foil) and bake for about 45 minutes stirring occasionally. Be careful, I've burnt these a few times... 41. Kitty Litter Cake From hypnagogic: On a recent visit to our veterinarian to get shots for our cat I found this recipe on the waiting room bulletin board. After recovering from hysterical laughter, I obtained a copy from the office staff so that my wife could make it, which she refused to do. I took it to work and gave the recipe to a lady at work who loves cats. The pictures below show the results of her work. It doesn't look very nice, but it's actually quite tasty, so I decided to pass it along. CAKE INGREDIENTS: 1 box spice or German chocolate cake mix 1 box of white cake mix 1 package white sandwich cookies 1 large package vanilla instant pudding mix A few drops green food coloring 12 small Tootsie Rolls or equivalent SERVING "DISHES AND UTENSILS" 1 NEWcat-litter box 1 NEW cat-litter box liner 1 NEW pooper scooper 1) Prepare and bake cake mixes, according to directions, in any size pan. Prepare pudding and chill. Crumble cookies in small batches in blender or food processor. Add a few drops of green food coloring to 1 cup of cookie crumbs. Mix with a fork or shake in a jar. Set aside. 2) When cakes are at room temperature, crumble them into a large bowl. Toss with half of the remaining cookie crumbs and enough pudding to make the mixture moist but not soggy. Place liner in litter box and pour in mixture. 3) Unwrap 3 Tootsie Rolls and heat in a microwave until soft and pliable. Shape the blunt ends into slightly curved points. Repeat with three more rolls. Bury the rolls decoratively in the cake mixture. Sprinkle remaining white cookie crumbs over the mixture, then scatter green crumbs lightly over top. 4) Heat 5 more Tootsie Rolls until almost melted. Scrape them on top of the cake and sprinkle with crumbs from the litter box. Heat the remaining Tootsie Roll until pliable and hang it over the edge of the box. Place box on a sheet of newspaper and serve with scooper. Enjoy! 42. dinner notes Took the London broil out of the freezer first thing this morning. When it was almost defrosted I made the marinade: Approximate measurements (hey, a real chef doesn't always use measuring spoons) 1/4 cup olive oil 1/4 cup soy sauce (the good kind - my wife will shoot me) three spoonfuls brown sugar a bunch (probably about a tablespoon) sesame seeds salt (about a teaspoon) white pepper (give it a good shake) black pepper (grind it baby) grated fresh ginger (maybe a tablespoon - nah, grate more!) 4 cloves garlic - pressed Stir the marinade and put the steak in a big Ziplock bag. Add the marinade and just forget it for hours. Sometime about an hour before dinner time, I peeled and chopped a sweet potato, a few more garlic cloves, and an onion. In a glass baking dish, with a dash of olive oil, I mixed the potato, onion, garlic and lots of butter (you can never have too much butter) with some salt and pepper and stuck it in a 350 degree oven (mixed it every 15 minutes after that.) Fired up the grill and BBQd the steak to the desired doneness, medium rare in our case. Steamed some broccoli for about 5 minutes and took the potatoes out of the oven. Oh man, I'm stuffed! I don't hear the kids complaining either.... 43. My Carmel Dip Recipe From foolmoonchild: Carmel Dip (goes well with apples and strawberries) 1 cup brown sugar 8 ounces creamcheese (soft) *and please go for the 1/3 fat kind, because it's so fatty. ewww* 1 tsp. Vanilla flavoring Mix with electric mixer till creamy! ALL HAIL THE DIP! 44. Hot Artichoke Dip From tess: 1 14 oz can artichoke hearts or bottoms, well drained 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese 1 8 oz cream cheese, room temperature 1/2 cup mayonnaise 1/2 - 1 tsp dried dill 1+ clove of garlic Heat oven to 400 degrees In food processor (or mini chopper or blender) chop artichokes and garlic. Put chopped artichokes/garlic in large mixing bowl. Add remaining ingredients and beat with electrix mixer till smooth. (If you have a large food processor, just use that. If not, this method works just fine.) Scrape mixture into pie plate or casserole dish. Smooth top and bake until hot and bubbly, about 15 minutes. Serve with breadsticks, crackers or baked pita chips. You can double this recipe. I usually dump in more Parmesan cheese (there can never be too much) and at least one extra garlic clove (okay, maybe thre can be too much garlic, but it hasn't happened to me yet!) This can also be made ahead and refrigerated; just increase the baking time by about 10 minutes. This dip can also be used to stuff mushroom caps. Fill the caps, brush with butter, and place on baking sheet. Bake at 400 degrees for about 15 minutes. 45. Christmas Breakfast Recipes From katryn: Here are a few great ideas for Christmas morning: Breakfast Christmas Tree (8 servings) 2 pkgs. refrigerated crescent rolls 2 tbsp. melted butter 2 oz. cream cheese 1 c. confectioners' sugar Red and green sugar 1 tsp. grated orange peel 3 tbsp. sugar 2 tbsp. orange juice Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Slice 2 packages of crescent rolls (do not unroll) into 11 equal pieces and flatten. On ungreased cookie sheet, arrange 10 pieces into a triangle to form tree. Use last piece to make trunk. Combine butter, sugar, and grated orange peel; brush on dough. Bake 20 minutes. Meanwhile, cream the cream cheese with powdered sugar and orange juice. Brush on baked rolls and sprinkle with red and green sugar. Christmas Wreath Coffee Cake (8 servings) FOR THE BATTER: 1 and 1/2 cup sifted cake/pastry flour 2 and 1/2 tsp. baking powder 1/2 tsp. salt 1 egg -- slightly beaten 3/4 cup sugar 1/3 cup melted shortening 1/2 cup milk 1 tsp. vanilla FOR THE STREUSEL 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar 2 tbsp. cake/pastry flour 3/4 tsp. cinnamon 2 tbsp. butter or shortening Sift together flour, baking powder, salt. Combine remaining ingredients. Stir all at once into flour mixture just until blended. Combine sugar, flour, cinnamon; cut in butter or shortening until crumbly. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Place half of streusel in greased 1 quart ring mold; top with half of batter. Repeat layers. Bake for about 30 minutes. Cool 10 minutes in mold. Invert on wire rack; cool. Drizzle with confectioners' glaze and decorate. Eggnog Pancakes (4 servings) 1 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1 cup eggnog 1 large egg - lightly beaten 2 Tablespoons butter - softened 1 Tablespoon sugar 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt Heat griddle or skillet to medium heat. Coat lightly with cooking spray. In a large bowl, sift flour with sugar, baking powder, and salt. In a seperate bowl, mix remaining ingredients. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix well. Pour batter - about 1/4 cup per pancake - onto griddle. When pancakes begigin to bubble on top, flip and cook until both sides are golden brown. Serve with butter and powdered sugar. A sprinkle of grated nutmeg is great finishing touch. 46. Edible Fruitcake From wendyinchicago: This is a very moist dark fruitcake made with fresh apples, walnuts, pecans, and dried fruit such as cranberries, currents, pineapple, raisins, apricots and cherries. This makes two large 8-inch fruitcakes. Great keepers and they ship well! 24 servings 2 hours 15 minutes 1 hr prep 1/2 lb. margarine 2 -cups light brown sugar 3 -teaspoons lemon extract 4 -eggs 1 -cup molasses 2 -cups peeled apples (cut into slices and cooked until soft in the microwave) 4 1/2 -cups flour 1 –teaspoon baking powder 4 –teaspoons cinnamon 1 1/2 -teaspoons allspice 1 –teaspoon nutmeg 1 –teaspoon salt 1 –teaspoon ground cloves 1 –cup pecans (chopped) 1 –cup walnut halves 1 –cup currants 1/2 -cup dark raisins 1/2 -cup golden raisins 1 –cup dried sweetened cranberries 1 –cup dried apricots (roughly chopped) 1/2 -cup candied pineapple 1 –cup candied red cherries PLUS 1 –cup pecans 1 –cup walnuts 1 –cup candied cherries 1. Spray 2 8-inch springform (or Bundt) pans with Pam. 2. Flour pans well and tap then discard excess flour. 3. Preheat oven to 325°F. 4. Cream margarine until fluffy. 5. Add brown sugar and beat for 1 minute on medium. 6. Add lemon extract, eggs, cooled apples and molasses. 7. Mix flour and other dry ingredients together in a separate bowl. 8. Add 1/2 the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and beat well. 9. Add the rest of the flour mixture and stir until well incorporated. 10. Stir in all the fruit and nuts. 11. Spoon approximately 6 cups of batter into each pan. 12. Top with pecans, cherries and walnuts. 13. Bake at 325F for 1 hour 15 minutes. 14. Let cakes set for 10 minutes. 15. Using a knife, loosen fruitcake from sides of the pan. 16. Open springform latch and remove pan. 17. Invert cake on a plate and with a knife remove pan bottom. 18. Place a cake rack on the fruitcake bottom and invert so the cake cools right side up. 19. Remove plate and let set until cooled completely. 20. Wrap well in plastic and store in an airtight container or foil. 47. Turkey Tetrazinni (Thanksgiving - leftovers) From wendyinchicago: 6 servings 1 hour 5 minutes 30 mins prep Ingredients: 16 ounces spaghetti, uncooked 3 tablespoons olive oil 1 (8 ounce) package fresh mushrooms, sliced 4 tablespoons butter 1/4 cup flour 2 cups chicken broth or turkey broth 1 cup heavy cream (may use evaporated milk) 3/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese 2 tablespoons dry white wine 3 cups chopped, cooked turkey or chicken 2 tablespoons butter 1/4 cup soft breadcrumbs 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg 1. Cook spaghetti according to package directions and set aside until needed. 2. Saute mushrooms in oil until tender, about 5 minutes. 3. Set mushrooms aside. 4. Wipe out pan. 5. Melt butter in pan and add flour gradually, stirring with a whisk to form a roux. 6. Cook until bubbly, then add broth slowly and keep stirring with whisk until mixture becomes thick. 7. Remove sauce from heat. 8. Stir in cream, parmesan, and wine, mixing until cheese melts. 9. Mix in turkey and mushrooms. 10. Toss spaghetti with sauce mixture, coating noodles thoroughly. 11. Place noodles in a greased 9x13-inch baking dish. 12. Melt 2 tbsp butter and toss with bread crumbs. 13. Sprinkle over the top of noodles. 14. Sprinkle the nutmeg lightly over the top of the breadcrumbs. 15. Bake noodles at 375F for 25-30 minutes or until hot and bubbly. 48. Turkey Quesidillas (Thanksgiving - leftovers) From hester: Take leftover turkey, chunk it up and throw it in a skillet (cast iron is great) with a 12 ounce jar of Picante sauce. Cook until the juices disappear. Butter both sides of a tortilla and throw in another hot skillet until 1 side browns. Flip and add the turkey/picante mixture and 1/4 cup shredded cheese to 1/2 of the tortilla and fold over. Cook until slightly brown and flip onto other folded side until cheese is melted. Guaranteed to get rid of leftover turkey. 49. Tasty Turkey Casserole (Thanksgiving - leftovers) We're still eating leftover turkey! But tonight's the last night! I took the turkey carcass outside and put it in the trash... From jimschweizer: Ingredients: Leftover turkey (as much as you want but 1 1/2 cups or so). Pasta of choice (I used rotelli) 1/4 cup water (or turkey broth) 1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup 1 stalk celery 1 medium onion 2 cloves garlic Salt and pepper. Bread crumbs. Butter Chop onion and celery, slice garlic. Saute the onion, celery and garlic in butter (I use butter and olive oil) until the onions are almost clear. Meanwhile cook the pasta according to directions - al dente. Combine soup, water and pasta in a casserole dish. Stir together. Add turkey, celery, onion and garlic and salt and pepper to taste. Mix together. Smooth top and cover with bread crumbs. (I like the herb and garlic kind.) Bake in a 350 F oven for 30 to 45 minutes. Good eating! 50. Cranberry Salad - Holidays From: tess: Ingedients: 1 lb cranberries 2 1/2 cups water 2 cups sugar juice of one lemon 1 3 oz pkg lemon jello 1 3 oz pkg cherry jello 1 1/2 cups celery 1 cup chopped walnuts Directions: 1. cook cranberries, sugar and water uncovered until 1/2 of cranberries burst. Don't let them get mushy. 2. Immediately add jello and stir until dissolved. 3. add lemon juice 4. chill until syrupy (about 2 hours) 5. chop and add celery and nuts 6. pour into 2 quart mold and chill over night in fridge 51. The Ultimate Late Night Sandwich (Thanksgiving - leftovers) From: wendyinchicago: Two slices of bread (of choice), mayo up both slices, smear on cranberry jelly, add slices of turkey meat and dressing, salt and pepper it, drizzle a bit of gravy on it, top with some lettuce. Put together and you have the ritual! ps This is eaten as a group while hoovering over the spread out leftovers. 52. Yankee Doodle Noodles (Thanksgiving leftovers) From jimschweizer: Anyone brave enough to try this on the day after Thanksgiving? Ingredients: 8 ounces wide egg noodles 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 small onion, minced 1-1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 1-1/2 (12-ounce) cans evaporated skimmed milk 1/4 cup cream sherry 1 (14-1/2-ounce) can stewed tomatoes 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste 2 1/2 cups shredded cooked turkey meat 1 (13.75-ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and sliced thinly 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Butter a 2 1/2- to 3-quart casserole dish. Cook the noodles in a large pot of boiling salted water just until al dente. Drain in a colander. Meanwhile, melt the butter over medium-high heat in a medium-size saucepan. Add the onion and saute until softened, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with the flour and continue cooking, stirring constantly, for a minute more. Gradually pour in the evaporated milk and sherry and stir until smooth. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the mixture thickens, 5 to 7 minutes more. Stir in the can of stewed tomatoes and then season the sauce to taste with cayenne, salt and pepper. Stir the sauce and noodles together in a large mixing bowl. Gently fold the turkey, artichoke hearts and 1 cup of the cheese into the noodle mixture. Turn into the prepared casserole dish. Sprinkle the remaining cup of cheese over the top of the casserole. Bake the casserole until bubbling and lightly browned on top, 35 to 45 minutes. Serve hot. 53. Giblet Gravy (Thanksgiving) From jimschweizer: Makes about 2 cups This is the sauce for anyone who prefers a rich, slightly sweet gravy with savory giblets for texture and body. The availability of pan drippings varies according to the size of the bird and other factors; for this recipe you should have 1/2 cup of drippings. Turkey giblets and neck 1 medium onion, quartered 1 carrot, coarsely chopped 1 stalk celery, coarsely chopped 1/2 cup water Pan drippings 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter 1/4 cup all-purpose flour Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste While turkey roasts, place giblets and neck in heavy 1 1/2-quart saucepan. Cover with cold water. Bring to a boil over high heat, skimming scum from the top. Add vegetables and, if needed, a little additional water to cover them; return to a boil. Lower heat to a simmer; cook slowly for about 2 hours, until liquid has reduced to a rich stock. Strain, pressing stock from vegetables; discard vegetables. Reserve stock; you should have about 1 1/4 cups. Chop giblets in small cubes; reserve. When turkey has completed roasting, remove it from the roasting pan, set roasting pan atop two burners, and over low heat add the 1/2 cup water to pan. Blend water with pan drippings, using a wooden spoon to stir mixture and loosen browned bits from bottom of pan; the water and pan drippings together should equal about 1 cup. Reserve this liquid. In a heavy saucepan, melt butter over medium-low heat. Whisk in flour; raise heat to medium and cook until flour mixture begins to turn golden brown (about 2 minutes). Stir in 1 cup of the reserved giblet stock and the reserved 1 cup of liquid from the roasting pan, stirring constantly until thickened. If mixture is too thick, whisk in additional turkey stock or, for a creamy gravy, add a little milk. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in giblets and serve hot with roast turkey. 54. Candied Sweet Potatoes (Thanksgiving) From: wendyinchicago: Makes 8 -12 servings. Takes 1 hour 30 minutes (1 hr prep) Ingredients: 6-8 sweet potatoes 1 cup butter brown sugar 1 can pineapple chunks 2 bags miniature marshmallows 1. Boil sweet potatoes till tender,drain potatoes and let cool. 2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 3. When they are cool peel them and slice them into 1/4in thick slices. 4. Put into 13x9 Pan. (I use the disposable foil pans they so much easier to use and you just can throw it away.) 5. Slice butter into slices and put on to each slice of potatoes. 6. Then sprinkle brown sugar all over potatoes. (more sugar the sweeter and yummier they are.) 7. Drain the pineapple chunks and cover the potatoes and brown sugar. 8. Finally, put marshmallows all over potatoes. (Dont be afraid to use a lot. I actually mix them in THEN put more on top. Gives it an awsome taste and sweetness.) 9. Put in oven for a 45 minutes. 10. Let rest for about 10 minutes then serve. 55. Sweet Potato - Apple Bake (Thanksgiving) From: tess: Serve this casserole with pork. You'll like it so much you may want to add it to your traditional Thanksgiving menu. Ingredients: 1/3 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger Dash salt 2 pounds peeled, cooked sweet potatoes 2 Golden Delicious apples, sliced 3 tablespoons melted butter or margarine, divided 1/2 cup shredded coconut (optional) 1/4 cup chopped pecans Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a 1quart shallow baking dish. In small bowl combine brown sugar, ginger and salt; set aside. Cut sweet potatoes into ½-inch slices. Arrange half in baking dish. Cover with apples. Sprinkle half the grown sugar mixture over apples. Top with remaining sweet potato slices. Sprinkle with remaining brown sugar. Spoon on 2 tablespoons melted butter or margarine. Cover and bake 35 minutes. Remove from oven. Combine coconut (optional), chopped pecans and remaining butter; sprinkle over sweet potatoes. Return to oven and bake 10 minutes more or until coconut is lightly browned. Makes 6 to 8 servings, about 325 calories per 6, 245 calories per 8. 56. Thai Turkey and Jasmine Rice Soup (Thanksgiving - leftovers) From: jimschweizer: We're going to have a 17 pound turkey this year, but it looks like there will be only 5 or 6 of us around the dinner table - that means LEFTOVERS! I'm always looking for new ways to serve leftover turkey. Here's something with a 'different' cultural approach; make this a very personal style of cooking, with most flavoring elements being added "to taste." Ingredients: 3 quarts chicken broth 3 stalks fresh lemon grass 3 tablespoons fresh ginger, minced 3 cloves fresh garlic, sliced thinly 3 tablespoons fish sauce leftover turkey breast, cut into bite sized pieces 1 tablespoon chili garlic paste 1 cup cooked jasmine rice 3 limes, zested and juiced cilantro leaves, whole, for garnish 3 scallion tops, thinly sliced, for garnish Heat chicken broth to a boil. Cut off dry tops of lemon grass and discard. Peel the bottom third of lemongrass stalks, crush and put into broth, along with ginger and garlic. Allow to simmer at least one hour. Remove lemongrass. Add fish sauce and turkey breast, along with chili garlic paste. Add rice. Add lime juice to taste, and garnish with strips of lime zest, cilantro leaves and scallion tops. 57. Poached Garlic Soup With Thyme and Red Pepper Creams (garlic) From wendyinchicago: This is a favorite recipe for fall. It is robust and rich and certainly keeps the vampires away. The call for 12 heads — not cloves — of garlic is correct, but don't worry, poaching the garlic in chicken stock both concentrates and mellows the flavor. INGREDIENTS: * 6 cups vegetable or chicken stock * 12 heads garlic, cloves pulled apart but not peeled (discard excess papery covering) * 1 tablespoon kosher salt * 1 1/2 cups heavy cream * 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice Makes 6 servings 1. Combine the stock, garlic, and salt in a large saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 1 hour until the garlic is very soft. 2. Strain the contents of the pan through a fine sieve, reserving the liquid and garlic separately. Pop the garlic cloves out of their skins and push the pulp through the sieve. 3. Whisk the garlic purée into the reserved poaching liquid and add the cream and lemon juice. Warm the soup over medium heat, stirring frequently. Alternatively, you can cool the soup, then keep it covered in the refrigerator for up to 1 day. Reheat before serving. Thyme And Pepper Creams INGREDIENTS: 1 red bell pepper 2 teaspoons olive oil 1/2 cup heavy cream 1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice Kosher salt Freshly ground black pepper 1 teaspoon chopped thyme leaves 1. Preheat the oven to 375° F. 2. In a bowl toss the pepper with the olive oil. Transfer to a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Turn the pepper over and cook for another 10 minutes until completely soft. 3. Remove the pepper from oven. Transfer to a bowl and cover with plastic wrap; set aside for 10 minutes. Remove the pepper from the bowl, and when it is cool enough to handle, remove as much of the skin as possible along with the stem and seeds. Push the pepper through a heavy-duty sieve into a bowl set aside. 4. Whisk the cream in a bowl until it holds very soft peaks but is not too stiff. With a rubber spatula, fold half of the cream into the pepper pure and add 1/2 teaspoon of the lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper. 5. Stir the thyme and remaining 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice into the rest of the cream. Season with salt and pepper. Use immediately or cover and refrigerate the creams separately for up to 3 hours. 58. The "Pink" Stuff (Thanksgiving) From misshap: Ingredients: 8 oz cream cheese, softened 1/2 cup sugar 8 oz frozen sliced strawberries, drained 2 bananas, sliced 1 can crushed pineapple, drained 9-oz Cool Whip Dump the pineapple and strawberries in a colander to drain. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, blend the cream cheese and sugar together with a fork. Add the pineapple and strawberry mixture and the sliced bananas and stir until combined. Blend in the Cool Whip. Spread in 9 x 14 glass dish; cover with foil and freeze overnight. This will keep in the freezer for several weeks. To serve, thaw slightly for about half an hour, then cut into squares. All the kids love this and so do the grown-ups. 59. Pistachio Pineapple Fluff (Thanksgiving) From patchesmom: Ingredients: 1 small box sugar free Jello Instant Pistachio pudding mix 1 can Dole crushed pineapple in it's own juice (drained) 1 8 oz Cool Whip (lite) Drain pineapple, put in bowl, add dry Jello pudding mix, stir well til blended, add coolwhip....yum yum! (can be made for diabetics) 60. Spicy Corn Casserole (Thanksgiving) From hester: Ingredients: 2 cans of corn, drained 1 can chopped green chilis 8 oz cream cheese 4 tablespoons butter salt dash of cayenne pepper Paprika Melt butter and cream cheese in microwave. Stir in drained corn, chilies, salt & cayenne pepper (to taste). Bake in a 350 oven for 30 minutes until hot and bubbly. Sprinkle top with paprika. 61. Everybody loves pasta! Fusilli with Bacon and Mushrooms From: jimschweizer: I haven't been able to find fusilli bucati corti around Santa Barbara so I've been using other kinds of curly pasta. Ingredients: 1 onion 1 clove garlic (more if you like) 4 oz+ bacon 12 oz white mushrooms 2 tablespoons oil (I usually use olive or sunflower) 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1 tablespoon dried marjoram salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste 12 oz fusilli (or other dried curly pasta) Parmesan cheese (serves 4) 1. Finely chop onion and crush garlic. Cook bacon, drain fat and chop into 1 in. pieces. Slice the mushrooms. 2. Heat oil in a frying pan, add onion, garlic and bacon and cook for about 5 min. stirring occasionally until the onion begins to soften. Add the mushrooms, nutmeg and marjoram and season with salt and pepper. Lower the heat, cover the pan tightly and cook gently 10 to 15 min. 3. Meanwhile bring salted water to boil, add the pasta and cook according to the directions on the package (if using dried.) 4. Drain the pasta and return it to the pan. Add the mushroom mixture and Parmesan cheese and heat gently, tossing the pasta and mixture until well mixed. Serve at once. My kids love this one, and feel free to experiment with the herbs and mushrooms... 62. I love garlic! From: jimschweizer: Two of my favorite recipes with tons of garlic! 1) Garlic dip (served with sliced veggies and chips) 1 package cream cheese 3 tbsp. milk 5 large garlic cloves salt (to taste) parsley paprika Mix the cream cheese with the milk until you get a dip consistency. Press the garlic into the cheese and mix with the salt. Then you can either mix in the parsley and paprika or use them as a garnish. 2) Ceasar Salad Dressing 2 Tb vinegar (I like Balsamic) 6 Tb olive oil pinch of salt and pepper 1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard 6 cloves garlic, crushed 1 raw egg 1 Tb parsley 6 x 2" strips anchovey paste All you have to do it mix it up and you have the ultimate garlic delivery system for your salad