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They're Here!!

Well, my parents and sis arrived last night and we've been busy having fun since. Both days have been low-key … watching the olympics, cooking, playing games and showing them the (few) Madison Hotspots such as the used book store and the used CD/DVD/video game store. It's crazy around here. 😛

I'll have to post recipes soon. We made the shrimp boil from Everyday Food August issue and it turned out really well. It was one of the first times I'd made an entire menu … and even with many many cooks it turned out great.

Then we did a bunch of DDRMax2 … A funny sight to behold.

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Strawberry Pops

from: Everyday Food, Jan/Feb 2003

Ingredients
1 ½ pints strawberries, rinsed and hulled
½ cup confectioners’ sugar
1/3 cup water

Directions
Place all ingredients in a food processor and process until chunky. Pour half mixture into a bowl. Process the rest until smooth. Pour into 3 ounce molds or plastic cups and insert sticks or wooden spoons. Freeze until solid – at least 8 hours.

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Jambalaya Bourbon Bread Pudding

from: Jess Nichols

Ingredients
¾ cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons vanilla extract
½ teaspoon salt
5 cups water
1 cup milk
12 oz can evaporated milk

Directions
In a large saucepan, combine sugar, vanilla extract, and salt. Slowly stir in water and bring to a boil. Add milk and evaporated milk and heat thoroughly. Ladle into mugs.

from: 103

Ingredients
pudding
1 18-inch loaf of french bread
2 tablespoons vanilla
4 cups milk
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3 eggs, beaten
1 cup raisins
2 cups sugar
3 tablespoons butter

sauce
1 stick butter
1 egg, beaten
1 cup sugar
¼ cup bourbon

Directions
Break bread into bite-size pieces in a large bowl. Cover iwth milk and soak 60 minutes. Mix well. Add egg and sugar. Stir in vanilla, cinnamon, and raisins. Melt butter in a 9X13X2 inch baking dish, tilting to coat all sides. Pour pudding into dish. Bake at 375 for 60 minutes. To prepare sauce, heat butter and sugar in the top of a double boiler. Slowly whisk in egg. Cool slightly. Add bourbon. Serve warm over pudding or in a sauceboat on the side.

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Twin Meat Loaves

from: 94

Ingredients
1 ¾ cup pinto beans with juice (15 oz can)
½ cup fresh or frozen corn kernels
½ cup prepared salsa
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon dried oregano
¼ teaspoons alt
12 ounces prepared polenta
2 to 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1 cup grated sharp cheddar

Directions
Heat oven to 350. Lightly oil a 10 inch cast-iron skillet or an 11 inch baking dish. Empty the beans and their juice into a bowl and mash with a potato masher. Add the corn, salsa, cumin, oregano, and salt and mix thoroughly. Set aside.

Slice 12 ounces of polenta roll into ¼ inch thick rounds. Arrange the rounds in the prepared skillet or baking dish slightly overlapping one another. Spoon the bean mixture evenly over the polenta, sprinkle with cilantro, and then the cheese.

Cover and bake for 15 minutes and then uncover and bake for a bout 15 more minutes, until the beans are bubbling and hot. For a crisp, golden topping, place under the broiler for about 2 minutes. Let sit for 10 minutes before serving.

Nutritional Info (1/4 recipe, 9 oz(
330 calories, 1.5 protein, 10.7 fat, 42.5 g carbohydrates, 6.1 g saturated fatty acids, 29.7 mg cholsterol, 563.9 mg sodium, 9.8 g total dietary fiber

from: Paula Kafer

Ingredients
3 cups soft bread cubes (about 4 slices cut in ½-inch cubes)
¾ cup milk
2 eggs
1½ pounds ground beef
½ pound ground pork
¼ cup finely chopped onion
¼ cup finely chopped celery
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1½ teaspoons salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
½ teaspoon poultry seasoning
¼ cup chili sauce or ¼ cup ketchup and 2 tablespoons corn syrup

Directions
Soak bread cubes in milk. Add eggs; beat with rotary beater. Add meats, onion, celery, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper and poultry seasoning; mix thoroughly. (Hint: Mix seasonings and a small portion of the meats with the beater then keep adding meats – blending by hand as the mixture gets thicker.)

Form into two loaves. Place in 13 x 9 x 2 inch baking pan. Bake, uncovered, in moderate oven (350ï‚°) for 1 hour. Drain excess fat from pan.

For glaze, spread loaves with chili sauce or spread with mixture of ketchup and corn syrup. Bake 15 minutes longer. Makes 8 to 10 servings.

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Cheese Rice Streudel

From: Moosewood

Ingredients
3 cups cooked brown rice (1.5 cups raw, 2.5 water)
1 heaping cup chopped onion
6 tbsp butter, divided
2 tbsp sesame seeds
3 cups grated cheddar
16 sheets Filo dough (store-bought)

Directions
Heat oven to 350. Sauté onion in 2 tablespoons butter until soft and translucent. Add sesame seeds. Toss and cook about 1 minute. Combine all ingredients. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Working with Filo dough is rather tricky. It’s incredibly fragile and it dries out very fast. So when you’re not working with it, cover it with a clean, damp kitchen towel. It’s also best if you work as quickly as possible. For this recipe, keep the other four tablespoons of butter and a pastry brush close at hand.

Grease the a cookie sheet with your choice of cooking spray or butter. Lay two sheets of Filo on the sheet (on top of one another) and brush the top one with butter. Repeat three more times so you have a total of eight sheets laid down. Spread the filling evenly over the sheets. Top the filling with 8 more sheets of Filo done in the same manner as the ones on bottom.

Bake for 45-50 minutes or until lightly browned and slightly puffy. Cut into squares and serve immediately.

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Golden Pilaf

from: Martha Stewart Kids

Ingredients
2 pounds boiling potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
3 large carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
½ cup milk
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 ½ teaspoons salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Directions
Place potatoes and carrots in a small stockpot with enough water to cover; bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat; simmer until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain, and return to pot; place over low heat to dry out, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove pot from heat. Pour half and half over vegetables and add butter; roughly mash with a wooden spoon or potato masher. Season with salt and pepper and serve immediately.

from: Martha Stewart

Ingredients
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 medium onion, minced
1 ½ cups Arborio rice (do not rinse)
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 cup dry white wine
3 to 4 cups Homemade Chicken Stock, vegetable stock, or low-sodium canned
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions
In a medium-size, heavy soup pot, melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium-high heat. When it foams, add onion, and cook, stirring, until onion is transparent, about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium, add rice, salt, and pepper, and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, until well coated, about 1 minute.
Add wine, and simmer gently until the liquid is absorbed, 3 to 5 minutes. Add ½ cup chicken stock, stir, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the liquid is absorbed. Repeat, adding ½ cup stock at a time, until the rice is cooked through but still firm, 20 to 25 minutes total.
Add the remaining tablespoon butter and the Parmesan cheese. Mix well, add salt to taste, and serve immediately.

from: Everyday Food, Jan/Feb 2003

Ingredients
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup flour
1 cup cornmeal
¼ cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 egg
¾ cup milk
1 cup frozen corn

Directions
Put the butter in an 8-inch square baking pan or a 9-inch ovenproof skillet; place in oven just long enough to melt butter. In a bowl, stir together the rest of the ingredients, except the corn, until just combined. Stir in the frozen corn. Spoon batter into a prepared pan and spread evenly. Bake until golden, 30 minutes in pan or 20 minutes in skillet.

from: Everyday Food, Jan/Feb 2003

Ingredients
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 chopped onion
1 cup rice
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon turmeric
1 dried bay leaf
1 pinch cinnamon
2 cups chicken stock or canned broth
1/3 cup raisins

Directions
In a saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add chopped onion and cook until soft. Stir in rice, salt, turmeric, cinnamon, stock or broth. Bring to a boil; cover and simmer 15 minutes.

Stir in raisins with a fork an simmer until stock is absorbed, about 5 minutes.

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Corn Kernel Bread

from: Martha Stewart Kids

Ingredients
2 pounds boiling potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
3 large carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
½ cup milk
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 ½ teaspoons salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Directions
Place potatoes and carrots in a small stockpot with enough water to cover; bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat; simmer until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain, and return to pot; place over low heat to dry out, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove pot from heat. Pour half and half over vegetables and add butter; roughly mash with a wooden spoon or potato masher. Season with salt and pepper and serve immediately.

from: Martha Stewart

Ingredients
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 medium onion, minced
1 ½ cups Arborio rice (do not rinse)
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 cup dry white wine
3 to 4 cups Homemade Chicken Stock, vegetable stock, or low-sodium canned
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions
In a medium-size, heavy soup pot, melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium-high heat. When it foams, add onion, and cook, stirring, until onion is transparent, about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium, add rice, salt, and pepper, and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, until well coated, about 1 minute.
Add wine, and simmer gently until the liquid is absorbed, 3 to 5 minutes. Add ½ cup chicken stock, stir, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the liquid is absorbed. Repeat, adding ½ cup stock at a time, until the rice is cooked through but still firm, 20 to 25 minutes total.
Add the remaining tablespoon butter and the Parmesan cheese. Mix well, add salt to taste, and serve immediately.

from: Everyday Food, Jan/Feb 2003

Ingredients
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup flour
1 cup cornmeal
¼ cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 egg
¾ cup milk
1 cup frozen corn

Directions
Put the butter in an 8-inch square baking pan or a 9-inch ovenproof skillet; place in oven just long enough to melt butter. In a bowl, stir together the rest of the ingredients, except the corn, until just combined. Stir in the frozen corn. Spoon batter into a prepared pan and spread evenly. Bake until golden, 30 minutes in pan or 20 minutes in skillet.

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Mandarin Tabsco Salad

from: soupsong.com

Ingredients
¾ pound broccoli, florets cut off and reserved, stems lightly peeled and chopped (woody end discarded)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 stalk celery with leaves, chopped
½ to 1 hot pepper (jalapeño, cherry, or Serrano)
4 cups vegetable (or chicken) stock
1 potato, peeled and diced
¼ to ½ cup parsley, chopped
salt and pepper to taste
brick of cheddar cheese for grating

Directions
In a large saucepan, sauté the onion, broccoli stems, celery and hot pepper in the olive oil over low heat – sweating them until the onion is transparent. Pour in the stock and bring to a boil. Stir in potato and parsley, then reduce heat and simmer for about 20 minutes, until the vegetables are tender. Puree, solids first, in a blender – then return to the pot.

When you’re five or so minutes away from serving, bring to the pureed soup to a boil, stir in the reserved florets, and cook on medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes. Return the soup and florets to the blender and lightly pulse until the florets are nicely chunked and distributed throughout. Ladle soup into bowls or flat soup plates and grate the cheese in long, thick strips over each serving. Serve immediately.

from: Paula Kafer

Ingredients
1 bag (10 oz.) raw spinach, rinsed, drained & refrigerated
(break into bite sized pieces and remove any large veins)
1 can (16 oz.) bean sprouts drained (or use fresh)
1 can (8 oz.) water chestnuts, drained and sliced
4 hard cooked eggs (chopped)
8 strips crisply fried bacon, drained and crumbled
1 recipe Sweet & Sour Dressing

Directions
Toss all ingredients with Sweet & Sour Dressing to taste.

from: Paula Kafer

Ingredients
Ingredients
1 bunch red leaf lettuce
8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
Thin slices red onion, to taste
2 avocados, diced
2 small cans Mandarin oranges, drained and chilled
½ cup sugared pecans
Tabasco dressing

Directions
It’s a salad, not a space ship! Toss all the ingredients together, mmmmkay?

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Spinach Salad

from: soupsong.com

Ingredients
¾ pound broccoli, florets cut off and reserved, stems lightly peeled and chopped (woody end discarded)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 stalk celery with leaves, chopped
½ to 1 hot pepper (jalapeño, cherry, or Serrano)
4 cups vegetable (or chicken) stock
1 potato, peeled and diced
¼ to ½ cup parsley, chopped
salt and pepper to taste
brick of cheddar cheese for grating

Directions
In a large saucepan, sauté the onion, broccoli stems, celery and hot pepper in the olive oil over low heat – sweating them until the onion is transparent. Pour in the stock and bring to a boil. Stir in potato and parsley, then reduce heat and simmer for about 20 minutes, until the vegetables are tender. Puree, solids first, in a blender – then return to the pot.

When you’re five or so minutes away from serving, bring to the pureed soup to a boil, stir in the reserved florets, and cook on medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes. Return the soup and florets to the blender and lightly pulse until the florets are nicely chunked and distributed throughout. Ladle soup into bowls or flat soup plates and grate the cheese in long, thick strips over each serving. Serve immediately.

from: Paula Kafer

Ingredients
1 bag (10 oz.) raw spinach, rinsed, drained & refrigerated
(break into bite sized pieces and remove any large veins)
1 can (16 oz.) bean sprouts drained (or use fresh)
1 can (8 oz.) water chestnuts, drained and sliced
4 hard cooked eggs (chopped)
8 strips crisply fried bacon, drained and crumbled
1 recipe Sweet & Sour Dressing

Directions
Toss all ingredients with Sweet & Sour Dressing to taste.

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Skillet Potato cake

from: Paula Kafer

Ingredients
2 lbs frozen hashbrowns
½ cup melted butter
½ tsp. Salt
¼ tsp. Pepper
½ cup chopped onions
1 pint sour cream
1 can cream of chicken soup
2 cups grated cheddar
2 cups crushed cornflakes

Directions
Defrost and separate hashbrowns and mix them together with the salt, pepper, sour cream, soup, and cheddar. In a separate bowl, combine cornflakes and butter. Spread hashbrown mixture in a large casserole dish. Cover it evenly with the cornflakes mixture. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes.

from: Martha Stewart Kids Holidays 2002

Ingredients
2 slices bacon
4 large eggs
½ cup milk
½ cup spinach, touch stems discarded, leaves rinsed and finely shredded
1/3 cup grated cheddar cheese, plus more for topping
¼ teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
4 English muffins, split and toasted

Directions
In a large, nonstick skillet over medium high heat, cook bacon until browned about 4 minutes per side. Drain slices on paper towels, then crumble. Heat broiler. In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs and milk, then whisk in the remaining ingredients (except muffins and 4 tablespoons cheese).

Heat an ovenproof 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium low heat. Pour in the egg mixture, and cook until bottom is set, about 7 minutes. transfer to broiler and cook until top is set and puffy, about 1 minute. Remove from heat and immediately slide onto a cutting board; let rest 1 minute.

Using a biscuit cutter or inverted glass, cut out four rounds, or cut into four wedges with a knife. Place one portion on the bottom half of each muffin. Transfer to a baking sheet.

Sprinkle remaining cheese over the sandwiches; broil until cheese is melted and bubbling, about 30 seconds. Place top half of muffins on each sandwich and serve immediately.

from: Everyday Food, Jan/Feb 2003

Ingredients
1 ½ pounds baking potatoes (2 or so) peeled and cut into chunks
3 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 scallions, including the green parts, thinly sliced (about ½ cup)
salt and pepper

Directions
Preheat oven to 425. Put the potatoes in a medium sauce pan of salted water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium, and cook until tender – about 10 minutes. Drain.

In a 10-inch cast-iron skillet (or any oven proof frying pan) heat butter and olive oil over medium heat. Stir in the potatoes, scallions, ¼ teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. With the back of a large spoon, press the potatoes into the pan, crushing them slightly.

Bake the potato cake until the edges are golden-brown, about 20 minutes. Loosen the cake with a heatproof spatula if necessary. Cover the pan with a plate, flip over, and remove the pan.