6 oz bittersweet chocolate; broken into pieces
2 tablespoon sugar
2 cup boiling water
2 cup milk
1 cup half-and-half
2/3 cup kahlua or tia maria (optional)
1/2 cup whipping cream; whipped
Place chocolate and sugar in a heavy saucepan. Pour in boiling water. Stir with whisk until chocolate is melted. Cook, stirring occasionally, over low heat to simmering point, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from heat. Heat milk and Half and Half in a saucepan over low heat, just until bubbles form around edges. Slowly pour milk mixture into chocolate mixture, whisking until smooth. Simmer 5 minutes, then add liqueur. Beat cream until stiff. Ladle chocolate into mugs and top each with whipped cream. Makes 6 cups.
Cognac Cookies
6 oz chocolate chips (semi-sweet)
2 1/2 cup vanilla wafers, crushed fine
1 cup pecans (finely chopped; start with 8-10 oz whole
1/2 cup sugar (white, granulated)
1/4 cup corn syrup
1/3 cup cognac (use the best you can afford, it makes a difference!)
Melt chocolate bits. If you have never worked with melted chocolate before, then use a double boiler with the burner set on low.
Crush vanilla wafers very fine (fineness is important). Chop pecans (again fineness is everything). Add sugar, corn syrup and cognac (I use 1 nip of cognac and 1/2 nip of rum, works fine and costs less). Stir in pecans and wafer crumbs. Now you learn why you were supposed to grind them very finely.
By now the mixture should be a smooth paste. Remove from heat and form into about 1-inch balls. Roll balls in extra granulated sugar.
Note: Store these in an air-tight container; if you are a chocoholic, have someone hide them from you. They are best if you allow them to age and mellow.
Makes 3-4 dozen.
Cranberry Muffins
1 cup cranberries
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1 egg beaten
1/4 teaspoon orange rind
3/4 cup orange juice
1/3 cup butter or margarine melted
1/4 cup nuts chopped
Coarsely chop cranberries, sprinkle with 1/4 cup sugar & set aside. Preheat oven to 375°F, prepare pans. Combine flour, 2nd measure sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon & allspice. In another bowl combine egg, orange rind & juice and melted butter. Add dry mix to wet mix & stir to moisten. Fold in cranberry mixture & nuts. Spoon into pans & bake for 15-20 mins or until golden. Makes 9 large muffins.
Carrot Stuffed Cabbage Leaves
1 cabbage head, about 2 1/2 lb
2 medium yellow onions; fine chopped
1 centiliter garlic; crushed
1 tablespoon oil
1 1/2 cup raw carrots; scrubbed and finely grate
2 cup cokked mashed potatoes
1/2 cup raisins
1/4 cup fresh parsley; finely chopped
1 salt and pepper to taste
3 cup carrots or tomato juice
Remove cabbage core, plunge cabbage in pot of boiling water, bring to full boil, and then remove from heat. Allow cabbage to stay in covered pot about 20 minutes, drain, and allow cabbage to cool. (Reserve a bit of cooking water.) Peel off 16 large elaves, trim coarse center ribs and set aside. Saute onions and garlic in oil until clear but not brown. Pour into deep bowl and add grated carrots, potatoes, raisins and seasonings and combine well. Spoon mixture into center of each leaf, fold leaf edges over stuffing (envelope style), roll into cigar-shapes fastened with wooden toothpicks (plastic ones will melt). Arrange in two layers at bottom of deep, flame-proof dish. Pour juice over stuffed leaves, cover, and simmer for half an hour. add more liquid if needed.
Nut Crunch
1/2 cup honey
1 1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
2 cup roasted cashews
In a heavy saucepan, preferably nonstick, bring the honey and lemon juice to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the nuts and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens and darkens (be careful not to let it burn), about 15-20 minutes. Pour out onto a nonstick pan, such as a jellyroll pan or a large skillet moistened with cold water and spread to a thickness of about 1/4 inch. Let cool completely. When fully hardened, break into small pieces. Makes about 3/4 pound of candy. Store in a tightly sealed tin.
You can use any kind of nuts (walnuts, pecans, almonds) and can also dip the finished candy in melted chocolate.
Cranberry Catsup
4 cup cranberries, fresh (1 pound)
2 cup onion, finely chopped
2 cup water
4 cup sugar
2 cup vinegar, white
1 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon cinnamon, ground
1 tablespoon allspice, ground
1 tablespoon celery seeds
2 teaspoon cloves, ground
In 3-quart Dutch oven, combine cranberries, onion and water; bring to a boil. Cover and simmer 10 minutes (or until berries are easily mashed).
Puree mixture or push through a sieve. In Dutch oven, combine puree, sugar, vinegar and spices; bring to a boil. Boil gently, uncovered, for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the mixture is the consistency of catsup. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking (mixture will thicken).
Remove from heat; skim off foam. Ladle into hot canning jars, leaving 1/2 inch, and put lids on jars. Put in boiling water for 5 minutes.
Cauliflower Pickles
2 medium heads cauliflower; (about 3 lbs.)
2 medium carrots
1/2 cup salt
1 water
5 canning; (1 pt.) jars & caps
2 cup white vinegar
3/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 teaspoon celery seeds
1/2 teaspoon whole cloves
5 sprigs fresh dill
Cut cauliflower into flowerets. Thinly slice carrots. In 6-quart enamel, stainless steel, or glass container, stir salt and 6 cups water until salt is dissolved. Add cauliflower and carrots; cover and let stand in cool place about 6 hours.
Drain vegetables; rinse with running cold water; drain thoroughly. In 8-quart saucepot or Dutch oven over high heat, heat vinegar, sugar, mustard seeds, crushed red pepper, celery seeds, cloves and 4 cups water to boiling, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to medium; cover and cook 5 minutes. Add vegetables; heat to boiling. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 5 minutes longer, stirring occasionally.
In each hot jar, place 1 dill sprig. With slotted spoon, spoon hot vegetables into hot jars to 1/4 inch from top of jar. Immediately ladle hot vinegar mixture over vegetables in jar to 1/4 inch from top of jar. (Keep mixture simmering while filling jars.) with small spatula, carefully remove any air bubbles between vegetables and jar. Close jars as manufacturer directs.
Place jars on rack in canner half full with boiling water, far enough apart so that water can circulate freely. Add additional boiling water if needed so that water level is 1 to 2 inches above tops of jars (do not pour water directly on jars). Over high heat, heat to boiling. Cover canner; reduce heat to medium; boil gently 15 minutes. With jar lifter or tongs, remove jars from canner; set jars, several inches apart, on wire racks. Cool at least 12 hours
Ceasar Salad
20 large romaine leaves
1 head lettuce
1 cup french bread cut 1/2 in cube
1 large garlic clove
1 egg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 juice of one lemon
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup grated romano cheese
fresh ground pepper to taste
Wash and dry lettuce. Wrap and refridgerate. Warm bread cubes in 275°F oven, tossing until hard and dry but not burnt. Mash garlic into side of large salad bowl. Ease egg into boiling water and boil exactly 1 minute, then crack into bowl, breaking it up with fork. Add salt. Add lemon juice, olive oil and worcestershire. Mix well. (Makes about 1/2 cup dressing.) Add lettuce leaves, tossing to coat thoroughly. Add Romono and pepper. Toss again. Arrange on 2 dinner plates. Garnish with croutons Makes 2.
Celery With Pine Nuts
1 celery; large bunch
1 onion; small chopped
1/2 cup pine nuts; toasted
4 tablespoon butter salt & pepper
1 tablespoon italian parsley; chopped
Wash celery, cut into diagonal pieces, 1" long. Melt butter in saucepan and add onions and celery. Cover and cook, shaking pan till celery is tender-crisp, about 15 minutes. Remove lid, stir in salt & pinenuts, serve immediately.
Lemon Squares
1 cup powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup flour
1/2 cup margarine
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2 eggs
4 tablespoon lemon juice
lemon rind -- grated
1 tablespoon margarine
Combine 1/4 cup powdered sugar, 1/8 teaspoon salt and flour; mix well. Work in 1/2 cup margarine. Press mixture in 8-inch square pan.
Bake in preheated 350°F oven for 15 minutes. Remove from oven.
Combine the 1 cup regular sugar, baking powder and remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt. Blend in slightly beaten eggs, 2 tablespoons lemon juice and lemon rind. Spread over baked mixture. Return to oven. Bake for 20 minutes longer. Remove from oven and cool completely.
Combine remaining 3/4 cup powdered sugar, remaining two tablespoons lemon juice and 1 tablespoon margarine for glaze. Spread over lemon mixture. Cut into squares to serve.
Fry Bread
6 cup whole wheat flour; finely ground
1/2 teaspoon salt; (optional)
3 teaspoon vegetable oil
3 cup water
Making The Dough: Combine salt and flour and heap this mixture in a bowl. Make a well in the middle and add oil. Work flour and oil together, as for pastry dough, and then add two cups water. Mix and knead the dough, aiming for an homogeneous mass. Add more water (about 1 up), a little at a time, kneading to absorb the moisture until the dough is soft but not sticky. It is the right consistency if, when poked with the index finger, a little indentation is made but the dough does not stick to the finger.
Rolling The Fry Bread: Pinch off enough dough to make a ball 1 1/2 to 2 inches in diameter. Flatten the ball and dip into white flour. Lightly flour a surface for rolling out the dough. With a rolling pin, roll the ball into a circle about 4 inches in diameter. Smear lightly with oil and fold in half. Smear with oil again and fold into a quarter. Round off corners of the triangle by squeezing in.
Flour the rolling surface and formed bread again and roll it out into as round a shape as possible. The objective is to end up with a flat circle of dough that looks like a Mexican tortilla, 8-9 inches in diameter. The edges of the chappati must be fairly thin. Ue the rolling pin with a circular motion, exerting more pressure on the edge so that the chappati keeps turning with each roll. White flour must be occasionally sprinkled on the dough and the board to allow the chappati to turn.
Cooking The Fry Bread: Heat a thick, cast-iron griddle ( a pancake griddle or a large frying pan will do) on high heat, then turn down to medium. Spread the rolled out chappati onto the grill. It's color will change to a slightly darker shade within 30 seconds. Slide the chappati to the edge of the grill with your fingertips (this is a skilled task and requires asbestos fingers), pick it up and turn it over. Let it cook another 30 seconds or so, until small blisters or bubbles appear on the surface. Turn it over again. If everything is going well the chappati should (miraculously) start to inflate like a small balloon. This process can be encouraged by gently pressing down on the chappati at various points with a cloth towel. All is not lost if the chappati does not inflate in this fashion; it is still quite edible as long as it is evenly cooked. Any spots that look a bit raw can be cooked by pressing them against the hot griddle with the towel. Turn the chappati over and cook for a final moment.
Take the bread off the grill and crush it to remove the air. It may hurt to destroy the spherical shape, but if the bread is left blown up, it tends to become hard and tough. Squashing the air out maintains it in a soft and flexible condition for eating.
Fry bread is usually spread with ghee (substitute butter or oil) and eaten warm, often with a vegetable dal and a salad, chutney, or pickles. Leftover fry bread is good for lunches. Make a sandwich by rolling one around spiced vegetables. Refrigerate any unused dough. It stores quite well for a few days and is handy to have in reserve for other meals. Lightly oil the leftover dough and store in a plastic bag or airtight container.
Ghee
2 lbs butter
Put the butter into a good-sized nonstick pan. Melt at the lowest possible heat.
When it's all melted, increase heat slightly. There must be no sign of smoke or any other undue activity indicating too much heat. Leave the butter to stew (the only word for it, really) for about an hour. Watch it carefully to make sure it doesn't get too hot and start to scorch. The milk solids will fall to the bottom of the pan: others will float on top. DON'T STIR or agitate the pan under any circumstances!
At the one-hour point, carefully skim off any remaining floating stuff with a skimmer or slotted spoon. Remove the ghee from the heat and allow it to cool for 10-15 minutes. Strain it into a heatproof jar through a triple thickness of cheesecloth, or a thickness of butter muslin if you can get it, or even through paper towels.
The ghee will solidify, but it won't get too hard. It should be light yellow and have a lovely butterscotchy aroma. Keep it tightly covered in a cool place. It will keep almost indefinitely if you've successfully gotten all the milk solids out.
