2 cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup molasses
3 tablespoon hot water
Preheat oven to 400°F. In large mixer bowl combine all ingredients. Blend well with mixer. Chill dough at least an hour for easier handling.
Roll out dough on floured surface to 1/8-inch thickness. Cut with gingerbread man cutter. (Makes 12 6-inch or 24 4-inch gingerbread men.) Place on ungreased cookie sheets.
Bake at 400°F for 8 to 10 minutes. Cool. If desired, sprinkle with additional granulated sugar or decorate.
Ginger Cupcakes
2/3 cup molasses
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup shortening
1 teaspoon ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 cup sifted cake flour
1 cup sour milk
2 eggs, beaten
Heat first 5 ingredients to boiling, stirring constantly. Cool to lukewarm. Sift soda and flour together and add alternately with milk and eggs, beating thoroughly after each addition. Pour into greased muffin pans and bake in a 350°F oven for 15 minutes. Makes 16 cupcakes.
decorate with icing in Christmas colors.
Potato Dumpling (Gnocchi)
6 large idaho or russet potatoes
2 tablespoon salt; plus 1 teaspoon
1 dash freshly ground white pepper
2 eggs; beaten
4 cup unbleached flour
1 grated parmigiana cheese; for serving
Boil the potatoes in their skins about 40 minutes, until easily pierced with a skewer. When cool enough to handle, peel and rice the potatoes, and set aside to cool completely, spreading them loosely to expose as much surface as possible to air. (The reason for this is to allow as much evaporation of moisture as possible to avoid the need of additional flour, therefore keeping the gnocchi light).
Before proceeding further, bring 6 quarts of water and 2 tablespoons of the salt to a boil.
On a cool, preferably marble work surface, gather the cold riced potatoes into a mound, forming a well in the center. Stir the remaining 1 teaspoon salt and the white pepper into the beaten eggs and pour the mixture into the well. Work the potatoes and eggs together with both hands, gradually adding 3 cups of the flour and scraping the dough up from the work surface with a knife as often as necessary. (Incorporation of the ingredients should take no longer than 10 minutes. The longer the dough is worked, the more flour it will require and the heavier it will become).
Dust the dough, your hands, and the work surface lightly with flour and cut the dough into six equal parts. Continue to dust dough, hands, and surface as long as the dough feels sticky.
Using both hands, roll each piece of dough into a rope 1/2-inch thick, then slice the ropes at 1/2- inch intervals. Indent each dumpling with a thumb, or use the tines of a fork to produce a ribbed effect. (This facilitates adhesion of the sauce).
Drop the gnocchi into boiling water a few at a time, stirring gently and continuously with a wooden spoon, and cook for 2-3 minutes, until they rise to the surface. Remove the gnocchi from the water with a slotted spoon or skimmer, transfer them to a warm platter, adding a little sauce of choice, and boil the remaining pieces in batches until all are done. Sauce as desired, add freshly ground white pepper to taste and, if appropriate, grated cheese, and serve immediately.
Yield: 4 servings.
Leg Of Lamb
5 1/2 lb leg of lamb
1 clove garlic
1/4 cup kosher or coarse salt
2 tablespoon peppercorns -- cracked
1/4 cup cognac or brandy
2 cup dry red wine
Trim excess fat from lamb. Cut garlic clove into 4 to 6 slices. Using a paring knife, make enough small slits to insert slivers of garlic into various parts of meat. Sprinkle coarse salt and pepper over all sides of lamb. Place in large bowl; pour cognac or brandy over it. Refrigerate several hours or overnight, brushing with cognac or brandy and turning meat several times. Drain meat and put it and red wine in slow-cooking pot. Cover and cook on low 10 to 12 hours or until meat is done. If possible, turn roast in pot once during cooking.
Mushroom Fettucini
1 lb assorted mushrooms
1 pkg fettucini florentine
3 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic
1/2 cup pine nuts
1 pkg (3 oz.) sun dried tomatoes, softened and minced
Cook fettucini according to package directions. Meanwhile in medium saucepan, heat oil and saute remaining ingredients 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat; toss with hot cooked fettucini.
Peanut Butter Bars
1 18 oz jar peanut butter
3/4 cup butter
1 lb powdered sugar
1 lb graham crackers, crushed
12 oz milk chocolate morsels
Graham crackers are to be coarsely crushed. Using an electric mixer, cream together peanut butter and butter until soft and smooth. Beat in powdered sugar until smooth, then beat in graham crackers. Beat until well blended and moist. Spread mixture in a 13x9x2 inch pan. Melt the chocolate morsels and pour over mixture. Refrigerate 3 or 4 hours. Cut into bars.
Beef Veggie Soup
1 soup bone; (knuckle bone preferred)
1 lb stew meat
2 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 medium yellow onion; chopped
2 tablespoon dried parsley
1 bay leaf
1 16 oz. can peeled and chopped tomatoes
2 carrots; peeled and chopped
1 small cans (with liquid) of green beans; peas, corn and lima beans
1 rib celery; chopped
3 potatoes; cubed
1/4 cup barley or alphabet macaroni
36 oz hot water
Brown bone and meat in hot oil in stock pot. Add onion and cook until softened. Add water, parsley and bay leaf and cook on low heat about 2 hours. Add celery, carrots, tomatoes and cans of vegetables. Simmer 2 more hours. Season to taste with salt and pepper. About 1 hour before serving, add potatoes and barley or macaroni.
Serve with French bread, corn muffins or crackers. Make the day before, refrigerate overnight and skim off fat before reheating.
This soup is really better made a day or two ahead.
Sweet Potato Souffle
1/2 cup light corn syrup
2 eggs
4 large sweet potatoes cooked & mashed
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
Topping:
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown
1 sugar
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup butter or margarine
1 cup pecans -- chopped
Combine sugar, butter, syrup, and eggs. Add salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. Beat with mixer until fluffy. Stir in mashed potatoes. Spoon mixture into a greased 2-quart baking dish.
Prepare topping: Mix all topping ingredients together in a small bowl until crumbly.
Sprinkle topping over potato mixture and bake in 350 degree oven for 30 minutes.
Sweet Bread
3 pkg (0.25-oz) active dry yeast
3/4 cup warm water (110°f; 45°c)
1 tablespoon plus
1 cup sugar
7 3/4 cup all-purpose flour (about)
1 1/2 cup milk
1 1/4 cup unsalted butter or margarine
6 eggs
2 egg yolks
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
2 egg whites
Topping:
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup unsalted butter or margarine chilled
Powdered Sugar Icing:
2 egg whites
1 1/2 cup sifted powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
Grease side and bottom of 2 (10-inch) tube pans. Prepare Topping; set aside. In a shallow, medium bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add 1 tablespoon sugar and 1/2 cup flour; stir to combine. Cover; let stand in a warm place 5 to 10 minutes until foamy. Heat milk and butter or margarine in a small saucepan until melted. Let stand until mixture cools to warm. In a large bowl, beat eggs, egg yolks and remaining 1 cup sugar until pale and frothy. Add cooled milk mixture, salt and yeast mixture. Beat until smooth. Gradually beat in 4-1/2 cups flour. Stir in enough remaining flour to make a soft dough. Turn out dough on a lightly floured surface. Knead dough into a soft, smooth dough. Divide dough in 1/2. Arrange 1 part dough in each greased pan. Cover with a damp cloth; let rise in a warm place, free from drafts, until doubled in bulk, about 2 hours. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly beat 2 egg whites in a small bowl until foamy. Brush beaten egg whites on top of dough. Evenly sprinkle Topping over dough. Bake 50 to 55 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool cakes in pans 3 to 4 minutes on racks. Turn out of pans; cool completely on racks. Frost with Powdered-Sugar Icing, if desired. Makes 2 (10-inch) cakes.
Topping: In a small bowl, combine sugar, flour and cinnamon. Using a pastry blender or 2 knives, cut in butter or margarine until mixture resembles crumbs.
Powdered-Sugar Icing: The thin, satin-smooth crust of this icing is a nice complement to cookies, mazurkas and cakes. In a medium bowl, beat egg whites until frothy. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating constantly. Beat 10 minutes or until glossy. Add lemon juice; beat 2 minutes or until icing stands up in soft peaks. Makes about 1-1/4 cups icing.
Variation: Add food coloring or flavorings, such as 1 teaspoon sifted unsweetened cocoa powder or vanilla extract. Use a little more sugar if liquids are added.
Potato Pancakes
1 egg
2 cup milk
1 1/4 cup sifted enriched flour
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 dash pepper
1 1/2 lb potatoes
1 butter or bacon drippings
Beat egg with a little of the milk. Stir in the sifted dry ingredients alternately with the remaining milk, beating until mixture is smooth.
Wash and peel potatoes, grate directly into batter, then beat well.
Fry on a hot greased griddle and serve hot with crisply fried bacon, with stewed berries, or with applesauce.
Not only for breakfast.
In a small deep bowl, mix the two mustards, sugar and vinegar to a paste. With a wire whisk, slowly beat in the oil until it forms a thick mayonnaise-like emulsion. Stir in the chopped dill. The sauce may be kept refrigerated in a tightly covered jar for several days, but will probably need to be shaken vigorously or beaten with a whisk to remix the ingredients before serving it again.
