Welfare Queen Apple butter

2 lbs crab apples (can be acquired in most public parks or on any street after dark)
1 1/2 c sugar (if you can't get sugar you can us a handful of sweetener packets from the 7-11 or Dunkin donuts, then you can sell it to diabetics)
1 c water
1/4t cinnamon
1/4t nutmeg
1/4t allspice
1/4t powdered cloves(you can get these spices at the dollar store on foodstamps, right? If not try bringing a cup to the starbucks-you only need a couple shakes)

Cut off stems and flowered ends of of crab apples. the easiest way to get at all the fruit and stay away from the seeds is to cook the fruit for 45 min. and push though a fine hole colander. If you don't have one, then you can grate the flesh off with a fine grater, or cut away the flesh from the seeds and then cook the remaining ingredients in a crockpot or slowly on low heat, because if you're on welfare you've got nothing else to do-right? Save the jars from spaghetti and sterilize them and once the apple butter is thick place in jars. Trade what your kids won't eat with the neighbor welfare queen who makes soap because you know foodstamps don't buy soap! Get crafty and make some artsy labels and sell some at the local farmers market if the fancy bitch who runs it will let you because this shit is organic! Then maybe you can have some bus fare or some birth-control if baby's daddy comes at you again when the rent is due.

Bialy Barszcz and Zupa Ogorkowa

Dear Anais
These two recipes are more for Mure really, than for you. Not that you don't enjoy them, but she has really taken to enjoy them. I know that in Colorado you probably can't find a good loaf of bakery rye bread and some Krakus ham to enjoy these soups with, but a good smoked ham sandwich might do. The white borscht takes a little advanced preparation, but as much as you love science I don't see this being a problem for you. It too is a creamy sour soup like the pickles soup.

Zupa Ogorkowa
or Pickles soup
6c Water
1 Veg Bullion cube
1/2 c pickle juice
4 large barrel pickles chopped (do not use sweet pickles YUCK!)
2 1/2 c cubed potatoes
2 Tb flour
1 c Milk
1/4 c Sour cream
2 Tb butter
2 Tb chopped fresh dill

Combine the water veg cube , pickles, and potatoes and bring to a boil. Simmer 10 minutes. Combine flour and milk, and slowly and to the broth. Add the butter at the end. Add chopped fresh dill and sour cream for garnish/flavor.
Notes: Fresh barrel pickles are the best, but if you do not have these in your area a refrigerated dill pickle will be the closest substitute.


Bialy Barszcz
White borscht
2c wheat flour
water
veg bullion or veg stock
1/2 c dried mushrooms
2 cloves garlic crushed
2 potatoes cubed

Scald 2c whole wheat flour with boiling water pouring in enough to get a thin dough. When it cools add 1 3/4 pints luke warm water and place a piece of whole wheat bread crust in it. Pour into a glass jar, tie with gauze and leave in a warm place for 3 days. Cook 1 3/4 pints of vegstock with dried mushrooms and add 3/4 pints white borscht to the hot stock. Do not strain. Add more white borscht if not sour enough. Add crushed garlic cloves and potatoes. Salt to taste. It is traditional to serve with half a boiled egg and a pork sausage (like a banger). I think it would taste well with chopped bacon or rye crip crackers and spready cheese. It is usually served at Easter time and it can be made with rye flour too.

witches brew

Dear Anais,
You have by now returned to Colorado without me. But while you were here we made this delicious dish together; witches brew. I found this recipe on another blog- The art of manliness. I love this blog! If you are a fella, you must get thee to it. But I digress, this recipe was posted there. Nearly all the recipes required sausage bacon or ground beef (and this one was no exception) but you could easily modify this a million different ways for low fat or vegetarian tastes. I think you could even add greens to it and it would taste delish. Maybe the title itself implies throwing whatever the witch has on hand in the pot? We gobbled up this simple dish in two days, and I only modified it slightly (my mods are in red text).

Witches Brew

1 package precooked bacon
1 pound grass fed beef
1 cup diced celery
1 cup diced onion
1 large can 28 oz tomatoes
1 large can kidney beans
1 can mushrooms, undrained
1 bag egg noodles dumpling
3 gloves garlic minced

My instructions are a little more involved that the manly ones given of brown beef, drain fat, throw all in the dutch oven at 350 oven for one hour. I recommend thus; crisp bacon in microwave oven per package instructions, set aside to cool. Brown the ground beef in a skillet take some of the reserve fat and use it to saute the onions garlic and celery. When they are translucent throw everything in the pot and let simmer for a half hour or as long as you can go without the delicious aroma killing you! While the cauldron bubbles, cook the bag of egg noodles. Serve over the noodles-YUM!

Notes: You can make endless variations with this dish, but some starters might be with ground pork, white beans, and some collard greens? Or even you could go all veg with some boca crumbles, bacon bits/smoke flavor and black beans? How about ground chicken , cannelini beans, some spinach and ditalini for a fantastic fagioli? Now you and Daddy can eat this at least once a week...I think you could even do it up in the crock pot!

Tajin salsa

This recipeI am not writing to Anais, as she is here with me!!! Hooray!

She helped me come up with this delicious salsa.

1/2 c finely diced jicama

1/2 c finely diced mango

2 cloves garlic, shredded or minced

1/2 c onion finely diced

one packet tajin seasoning (or roughly 1 teaspoon I think, if you have it in the jar)

1 tsp finely chopped cilantro

I can diced tomatoes and green chiles (I used store bough, but rotelle will also work)

Combine and serve with fine Mexican style chips (no, Tostidos or Doritos are not in that category! Be adventurous, try it with blue corn or something.)

Shrimp toast, potato salad and soup of life.

Meme's shrimp toast

5 oz old english cheese spread

1 stick butter

1 Tb mayo

1/2 tsp garlic powder

14 oz can shrimp drained

1 package 6 english muffins

Chop shrimp and mix all ingredients. Spread on 1/2 muffin. Then cut muffins into triangles and place on cookie sheet. Broil 3 minutes or until bubbly.

Meme's potato salad

potatoes

bacon

hard boiled eggs

mayo

salt & pepper

chop potatoes and boil gently in salted water 8-10 minutes

strain the potatoes and place in a marge bowl to cool

boil eggs in heavily salted water for 7 min

while frying bacon until crispy

peel and chop eggs, chop bacon

salt and pepper the potatoes, add eggs and bacon

coat with enough mayo to make moist

serve slightly warm

Delish!

Mure's Thai soup of life

one inch peeled ginger, grated

12" piece lemongrass (optional)

2 cloves garlic (optional) grated

4 oz chopped extra extra firm tofu

1 cube vegetable bullion

1 leek sliced in rings (can sub green onions)

1 tsp wakame (optional)

2-3 TB fresh basil chopped

4 c water

1 block glass noodle

wedge of lemon

Throw everything in the pot but the glass noodle and basil, and bring to a boil. Simmer for 5 minutes. Then add the glass noodle, simmer for an extra 5 minutes. Remove from heat add basil and serve with wedge of lemon.

Notes:Mure fashioned this soup after a trip to Dharma garden for her birthday dinner. I have been addicted to this soup for weeks. I am convinced it has given me vitality and peace of mind-All from a bowl of soup! Mure has come a long way from a girl who could burn water.

Vegetarian Pot Pie, Shephard's pie and Baked Apples

Dear Anais,
This first recipe is one that I have stolen out-right from your Pepe. I imagine when Meme was sick with the cancer he got real good at making fast and tasty meals to serve them when he came home from working hard all day. This was one that he shared with me. Now this recipe calls for a premade pastry pie shell. If you purchase one from your usual grocer in the freezer section it is generally made with lard and tastes terrible. If you can purchase one from a health food store, or make one yourself it is always going to taste better. If you are in a hurry, don't beat yourself up, sometimes convenience wins. I know daddy got you that new mixer for xmas, so maybe you could look up a quick pie crust recipe and make one from scratch.

Vegetarian Pot Pie

2 premade pastry pie shells
1 can cream of mushroom soup (cream of celery or cream of chicken work well also)
1 can vegall, drained
1 can chicken for a meat variation-optional
pepper

Poke holes in one of the pastry shells with a fork and bake according to directions (or bake if from scratch) leave other pie shell out up-side down over a sheet of waxed paper to thaw. While shell is cooking combine all other ingredients on a bowl. After shell is cooked fill with ingredients, sprinkle with pepper. Carefully remove thawed pie shell from tin and place over filled pie and seal. Cover the edges of the pie with aluminum foil so they won't burn. Bake according to instructions on shell package and serve.

Shepherd's Pie

1 pastry pie shell
1/2 package morning star farms beef crumbles (or 1 lb ground sirloin for a meat variation)
2Tb beer
1 package brown gravy mix
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 small can chopped peas and carrots,drained
1 small can corn,drained
4 servings instant mashed potatoes

As above, precook the pie shell according to the pie instructions. I know that a lot of Shepherd's pie recipes do not call for crusts at all (like the one served at the Abbey pub-YUM!), but it is so much easier to serve people when the beef isn't flying out of the bottom and I have already told you how I feel about taking hot crocks out of the oven. Heat up the beef crumbles and follow the instructions for the brown gravy. Usually something like stir it up and ad 1/3 c water. You can make your own gravy with a tsp of Better than bullion or soy sauce and some cornstarch, but I am LAZY! Add in the beer ,black pepper, peas and carrots. Once that is all Incorporated and slightly thickened place it in the shell. Top with the can of corn. Top all of this with some instant mashed potatoes and cover the edges with foil so they wont burn. I don't think I need to go into the details of doing that when it should say so on the package,and the ease of the meal is ruined if you make them from scratch. But if you really wanted to you could make it all from scratch from the ground up, put the potatoes on with a frosting tip, brown them with egg whites and make it look fit for long-shanks himself. Even then I don't think the taste would be too much improved, AND it would still hop off the table to be eaten in about 20 minutes tops! I digress, bake the darned thing according to the shell or roughly 375 for 20 min or until heated thru and serve.

Baked Apples (or dinner with Henry Miller)

1.5 apples per guest (any kind will do, but baking apples-you want them to soften)
roughly 4 veggie or pork sausages per guest (I prefer johnsonville maple or brown sugar flavored)
cinnamon
1 bag of cholesterol free egg noodles
margarine or butter
dry dill

Core apples. I make a square incision on the top and then a smaller square on the bottom and push through to the other side. Place apples in a lipped cookie sheet or casserole dish. Put a sausage in every apple, sprinkle the top with cinnamon. Place the leftover sausages on the side of the pan next to the apples. Bake at 375 for 30-40 min or until the apples have split and are soft. While apples are baking boil noodles, drain cover with margarine or butter and sprinkle with dill. When serving apples, slice them in half and cover with margarine or butter-eat with noodles and fight over sausages-YUM!

French Onion Soup, Cabbage Roll Stew,Potato Pancakes, Kale Soup, Chicken and Dumplings

Dear Anais,


As you know you have always been an unusual child, but the only one I knew who could eat onions like apples. I think this is a trait from your Grandmother as it is said when she was pregnant and living in Denver she would only patronize one pizza parlor reputed to have raw onion slices on the top of their pizzas! I am not at all surprised that you should adore french onion soup so much. I have heard that this recipe I am including is some long lost relative of a Moosewood cookbook recipe. The Moosewood is a fine vegetarian restaurant located in Ithaca,NY ironically the exact location of the first Rainbow gathering your daddy took me to. I didn't get to go to the restaurant, but I did get to swim in the buttermilk falls and had a fantastic time on my first cross country motorcycle trip. So here is my version of the soup;





French Onion Soup





3Tb margarine or olive oil


4 lg onions coarsely chopped


1 tsp salt


1/2 tsp dry mustard


dash of thyme


5c water


1 Tb better than bullion veg (you can use reg veg bullion, but this particular bullion has a nice beefy/brown flavor that adds more authenticity to the soup I would really try not to skip it)


2Tb soy sauce (make sure yours does not have msg)


2 Tb beer (any kind will do, but the stouter the better, let daddy treat himself to a Guinness)


dash of white pepper


pumpernickel bread


smoked provolone





This soup is perfect for a dutch oven, but in a large soup pot warm your margarine or olive oil. Add your onions and salt. Cook them at a medium high heat until they have *sweat*. Not until they are translucent, but are well coated in the oil and are starting to look glossy. Add all other ingredients. Partially cover the pot and let simmer for 30 minutes. It can depend upon the onion (as either white or yellow make a suitable soup) but the cook time is just until the onions are tender. When the soap is ready to serve toast your pumpernickel and cut or tear into pieces, cover with smoked provolone and serve soup over the bread and cheese and eat when it has melted.





Notes: Now some of you die hards will proclaim that mozzarella must go on top. I concede that provolone is not the standard, but smoked provolone tastes so darned good! Just try it and tell me you haven't converted! Also, I know most of you will want to put the cheese on top and purchase special little soup crocks to put under the broiler for this soup. Don't do it! After having crocks explode, splashing soup on myself and little kids burning themselves on the side of a soup crock-forget it. Leave that kind of thing to the restaurants. When you are at home put the cheese under and it will taste just as delicious even if the presentation is not as grand.

This next soup is so easy that you can make this for you and daddy any day of the week in no time flat! It also would be super to throw in the crock pot and turn on while you are at school and come home to for dinner.

Cabbage Roll Stew

1 package shredded cabbage (don't shred it yourself to be cheap-this defeats the ease of the dish here. I know it would be cheaper, but really hard on the back, and if you want to make it super easy, then just buy the package and consider it money paid to yourself for making a healthier choice)
1 large can chopped tomatoes (make sure there are no added spices, just plain)
1/2 c instant rice or 1 c precooked leftover long grain rice (no parboiled)
1/2 package boca meat crumbles (you can ground 1 LB ground beef for a meat alternative)
1 cube veg bullion

Throw all in a pot. Fill tomato can with water add that too. Simmer on med for 30-40 min until all is tender. Stir occasionally to make sure it won't burn. If it gets too thick add more water. Serve with a generous amount of pepper and a pad of butter/margarine on top.

Notes: As I said earlier this would make a perfect crock pot dish, it would be great to come home to. Just serve with a great hunk of crusty rye bread. Unless you are Polish or Ukraininan you probably are not familiar with cabbage rolls (golabki/holubtsi) which would be a staple or treat in your house. I am TERRIBLE (for shame!!!) at making this delicious and back breaking meal, so this is my cheat. And if you are going to break your back,you might as well make some potato pancakes too...

Gramma used to tray and be lazy and make hers in the blender but they never came out very well. And I would make the from homemade shredding them myself, and putting them in salted water to keep them from turning black, straining them and then frying them, but they always came out so greasy and sometimes the potatoes were not cooked all the way in the middle. I guess you could say potato pancakes were something our family traditionally loves to eat, but we are not good at cooking them. But then I found this recipe, and though it is not mine (it purportedly came from a manufacturer of potato flakes) I think it is better than all our family flops.

Lazy Ass Latkes

3/4 c flour
1 1/4 c instant mashed potato flakes
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 1/2 c milk (soy works very well)
2 eggs
1/4 c finely diced onion (green, chive, or yellow)
2Tb oil (safflower or other high temp oil for frying)

Mix up the dry, add the wet, fry up!

I have heard this next soup bears an obnoxious resemblance to a soup they serve at the olive garden, but mine is all vegetarian and is low fat.

Kale Soup

1 bunch kale
1Tb olive oil
1 onion diced fine
3 cloves garlic chopped fine
1/2 package morningstar farms sausage crumbles or 4 links boca Italian sausages crumbled or 1/2 package morningstar farms ground beef crumbles +1tsp fennel seed
4 med sized red potatoes thinly sliced or shaved
1 c milk
4 c water
1 cube veg bullion (no msg w/ sea salt)
1 dash red chile flakes

Heat olive oil saute onions for 5 min de-rib and chop kale into bite sized pieces. Add kale and garlic to the mixture until fully wilted. Add the remainder of ingredients simmering 15 minutes or until potatoes are tender, or start to break when you stir roughly. Serve with grated Parmesan.

This next recipe is really a misnomer. I have not put real chicken in the chicken and dumplings recipe for a long time, but try telling your friends you have invited them of for veg'n and dumplings they don't look nearly as enticed as they did before no matter how hard you explain it away. I mean really, let's be frank, does fooling a flesh eater really carry the same sort of sin as fooling a vegan? So even thought I generally don't serve this with poultry I have always called this chicken and dumplings and probably always will.

Chicken and Dumplings

1 large onion
2 cloves garlic
1/c carrot or 3-4 baby carrots chopped
1 small can mushrooms ( you can use fresh, but first you must saute them until they are golden brown)
1 small can peas
1 small potato cubed
1 cube veg bullion
1 small bay leaf (maybe even half one)
1 tsp poultry seasoning (you can use Italian seasoning in a pinch)
2 planks Qorn crumbled or 1 can chicken for non-vegetarian variation (optional)
1 c milk
3 c water
1 Tb corn starch
1/3 c water
squirt of lemon

dumplings:
1 c flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
1/2 c milk

Saute onions in dutch oven or soup making pot until dark Brown and nearly burnt (but not bunt!) to give your soup a nice golden color. Add garlic, carrots, potato and shrooms with bullion water and seasoning to simmer for 20 min. Add milk and peas and bring to a boil. Mix together your corn starch and 1/3 c water until there are no lumps. When you have a rolling boil add this in slowly stirring constantly. After 5 minutes see if this is thick enough for you. If you like it thicker repeat with another 1/3 c water and 1 TB cornstarch. Note that it will thicken some with cooling and the addition of dumplings-you don't want to make a chicken pudding! Keep it going at a low simmer while you prepare the dumplings. I usually like to do this right in the measuring cup. It does not need to be exact. I throw the dry ingredients in (flour, BP , and salt) and then swirl in the milk until it is gloppy and gluey. Then take a spoon and throw teaspoonfuls into soup pot. Make sure the soup is still boiling so they don't sink. The more BP you add the fluffier your dumplings, the less the doughier or noodlier they will be. I vary them depending on my mood. once you get them all in there, put a lid on the pot, lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Squirt the lemon in there stir it around and serve!

Notes: Do not try and cheat here and by a can of vegall! If you could, believe me I would have taken the short cut. If you do the carrots will overwhelm the dish, the lentils will stand out, the celery will be out of place (it has a sort of Italian flavor with the bay leaf oddly enough) and there are too many potatoes. Also, do not be tempted to add more potatoes. The one tiny potato is just to add the little earthy flavor it imparts. The dumplings themselves are bready enough with the potato it would be starch-o-rama! Maybe I should alter the recipe for a turnip or parsnip instead-it's just that potatoes are so handy. We all have usually them in our cabinet.

Vegetarian Spaghetti Bolognese and Italian Potato Salad

Dear Anais,
Today I had a goat cheese and cherry tomato on baguette sammy and I was thinking about Italian food. You know you will have to go and ask Peppe' for his recipes, as I am not Italian at all, but I do have a great appreciation for Italian food. This first recipe is a modification of a Matha Stewart recipe. I saw her (or rather some of her minions) making this dish on her show and I didn't have time to write down how she made it,so I got the gist of it and whipped up this.

Vegetarian Spaghetti Bolognese

1Tb olive oil
1/2 white onion diced finely
4 baby carrots diced finely
4 fresh tomatoes from mom's garden or 1 can chopped tomatoes
1 cube veg bullion with sea salt (no msg)
4 cloves garlic pressed or finely diced
1/2 half package morningstar farms beef crumbles (or 1lb ground beef for a meat alternative)
1/4 c beer or burgundy wine
1/2 c milk or cream
Pasta, preferably thin spaghetti.

Warm the olive oil and saute the onions until translucent. Add the garlic and carrots for a few minutes. Toss in everything else but the milk, let simmer and thicken. Set a large pot of salted water to boil. When rolling boil is achieved add pasta. Slowly add milk to the sauce. Cream is least likely to curdle, but I have never had a problem using milk, and I have used all kinds, to include soy, and 2%. Cook pasta to desired tenderness, drain. Serve sauce over fresh pasta.

Notes: I have used just cheap beer leftover from the previous night's debauchery. Usually PBR or Miller, etc. Something like guiness or Pete's wicked ale might be a little overpowering and ruin the flavor of the sauce. The toasted flavor of a Burgundy wine lends itself well to tomato sauces and will richen the sauce, but feel free to try a dry white and let me know how it goes! Omitting the carrots, booze and milk will alter the sauce and turn it into ragu or something. I guess that is what really makes it a true bolo. Now on to the potato salad.

Italian Potato Salad

6 potatoes (use something firm-no russets. try reds, whites or golds here)
any size will do
1/2 c mayo (not salad dressing)
1/4 c Parmesan
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1 clove pressed garlic
salt to taste

If potatoes are large cut them into cubes, if tiny just half them. I like an open potato so it can absorb some of the flavors. Place them in a pot of salted water, enough for them to swim. Bring to a boil and simmer them for 10 min. Check to make sure they have cooked to desired tenderness. Strain. Rinse with cool water if desired. I like this potato salad warm too. Toss in the other ingredients. For a low cholesterol alternative I recommend Vegenase in place of Mayo-delish! Salt to taste. This dish pairs wonderfully with garlic rosemary pork chops. And so easy!

Garlic Rosemary Pork Chops

Thin cut pork chops
crushed garlic, roughly one clove per side of chop
whole rosemary leaves dried
salt and pepper

Coat pork chops with crushed garlic and sprinkle with rosemary leaves and salt and pepper lightly. Broil in over or toaster oven. Even suitable for grilling.

Recipes:Corned Beef and Cabbage, Colcannnon, Sausage and Saurkraut, Reubens and Faux Lobster aka Kippers in the Jar

Dear Anais,
Though there is snow on the ground here still, it won't be long before the crocus's will bloom and the warm winds blow and St.Patrick's day will be upon us. While I am still singing with the Irish singers I should make sure to gain a fine recipe for Irish soda bread to go along with these recipes. A nice one that uses buttermilk would be grand! But I digress, here is my recipe for corned beef and cabbage as many Chicagoans make it:

Corned Beef and Cabbage

2 pieces corned beef -one point cut and one flat cut
(If you buy one there will not be enough, nor will there be left over for reubens!)
1 head of green cabbage , cored and quartered.
1/2 dozen red or white potatoes
(no russets or baking kind, they will turn to mush)
1 large white onion, cut in half.
whole cloves
1 bay leaf

Take the biggest pot you have and lay the fattiest cut of beef fat side down on the pan. Take one half of the onion and poke it with cloves like you have since you were little. Place the onion, the seasoning packet the meat comes with, and everything else in the pot. Cover it all with enough water to make it all swim. Bring to a boil. Cover and simmer roughly 2 hours for every brisket. Be cautious not to let it cook too long, or the beef can get too soft and then it will just shred as you cut it.

Notes: For a spicy variation you can cut into one of the briskets and stuff garlic cloves into it. I haven't before as you and your sisters were too little to take the spice. If you have one large enough ,you can put this meal to slow cook in a crock pot. I never have as this meal is so heart clogging, it really is only something to be served once a year. It used to be my annual meat indulgence, LOL. The best thing about it is serving reubens for lunch the week after.

Reubens

Margarine
2 slices Pumpernickel
Corned beef
1 slice Swiss cheese
Thousand island dressing
sauerkraut

Spread Margarine on outside of pumpernickel bread. Microwave Corned beef and sauerkraut until warm. Place on Bread with cheese and dressing. Cook in hot skillet or sandwich maker until cheese is melted.

Now the best time to make these is if you have leftover sauerkraut from Polish sausage and sauerkraut. Of course I have a weakness for wedding sausage(weselna), or black forest sausage but any sausage is good. We are so blessed here to have all the polish delis, but you and daddy will have to make do with what you can get from the store.

Polish Sausage and Sauerkraut

1 Big link of Sausage
(I prefer to cut it into portions ahead of time so everyone knows what makes a serving, otherwise you have grabbypoos who take too much)
1 package of kraut
(I like sour less than I used to and I prefer to rinse it a bit, but John likes it super sour-follow your own tastes. Some people like it very mild and with a lot of onions and butter...hmmm-who would I know who likes onions?
1 Tb caraway seeds
(yes caraway seeds always caraway seeds!!!!!)

Throw it all in a giant sauce pan. and simmer for 20 min. Eat it all. Usually there is sauerkraut leftover but no sausage-perfect for tomorrow's reubens.

Sometimes the corned beef leftovers can vanish quickly leaving you with a pot full of lonely cabbage. Take heart! Nothing need go to waste. Now you have the fixings for colcannon. The first time I tasted this was in Chloe's Gramma Kitty's kitchen. I have never had it made any other way, and I have heard others make it with kale and not cabbage as she does. But it was just so delicious I don't think I could be persuaded to fix it in any other manor. She did not divulge her recipe, but I made my own fashioned after the way gramma makes mashed potatoes and how Gramma Kitty's Colcannon tasted.

Colcannon

2-4 cubed potatoes
milk
2-4 Tb butter
1 tsp salt
generous pepper
sliced steamed cabbage

Put the potatoes in the pot with he salt and water, set to boil. Boil for ten minutes or until tender. Drain. Add enough Milk to make them moist and 2 Tb butter mix with a mixer. Microwave leftover cabbage until warm, stir into the potato mixture. Top with more butter and and pepper.

Notes: This should really be a simple and pleasant dish. You can use freshly steamed or leftover cabbage. You can use any greens in place of cabbage. I have heard kale is nutritious and traditional. When in a hurry I have replaced a portion or all of the mashed potatoes with instant.

I know you are not fond of fish, but since I posted the colcannon, I will have to post your sister's and my favorite dish to go with the colcannon; Faux Lobster or Kippers in the Jar

Faux Lobster or Kippers in the Jar

1 smoked mackerel
1 large jar or jug
1 lemon

John rarely gets flowers, and when he does I always like them better in a pint glass rather than a vase. The vases were made of sturdy glass and much better suited for kippers than roses anyhoo. Make sure the mackerel is missing his head. I don't fancy the head portion and thought it best left for the kitties. Behead him with a sharp knife if need be. Put the mackerel (the same as a kipper) tail up in the vase, jar or jug and boil some water. Gently pour boiling water into the vase to submerge the kipper. The easiest method I find, is to pour it in as if you are pouring a fine glass of ale, tilting the container to the side and letting the liquid hit the side so as not to make bubbles. This will keep the kipper from tearing his skin and getting too disheveled. Let him set for 10 minutes or so. (Long enough to make the colcannon maybe?) then debate how to get him out. If you pour the liquid out you must be certain not to spill the hot fishy liquid all over the place and crash the dinner giving it to the cat (hmm, what would I know about that?) if you take him out with tongs you run the risk of him sliding out of his skin and yet again feeding the cat (this cat has a good chance of being very well fed you might say!) either way be very careful not to burn the cat and aim for the plate! Lay the mackerel open and squeeze him all over with lemon juice. Serve!

Recipe:Red lentil soup

Dear Anais,

This is a recipe that your sister and I recently discovered. It was just an amalgam of leftover ingredients we happened to have lying around the house. It tasted so good we argued over who got the last bowl! I thought I would share it because it was very easy, and since I have hear the weather has been cold by you a soup would be a good idea.

Red Lentil Soup

1 c red lentils (you could use any other small lentils yellow, green, etc.)
1 c chopped cabbage
4 diced baby carrots
3 ham hocks, 2 smoked turkey legs or 1 tsp liquid smoke for a vegetarian alternative
1 cube veg bullion
2 ribs celery chopped
4-6 c water

Throw everything in the pot. Make sure there is enough weater to make everything swim. Bring to a boil. Simmer until the celery is tender, being sure to stir occasionally to keep it from scalding. Remove hocks prior to serving.

Recipe:Smoked Pork Chops with Cabbage and Potatoes

Dear Anais,
John claims this is his favorite recipe. And how great is it that you can make such a tasty meal for a whole family for probably under $5? It is super easy too. I am posting this one, because even Daddy and John could make it!

Smoked Pork Chops with Cabbage and Potatoes

1 head cabbage quartered and with core removed
4-6 smoked pork chops
black pepper or a couple of peppercorns to taste
enough potatoes for 4 people

Toss potatoes, cabbage and pepper in pot. Cover them with water. Place smoke pork chops on top and bring to a strong boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cover with lid. Cook 20-30 min or until cabbage is desired tenderness.

Notes: For interesting color you can also use red cabbage. It is fun to use both colors together. Just using the red can make the meat look bruised and a little unattractive. Sometimes smoke pork chops can be hard to find and you can use a bone-in ham steak. If you do this, make sure you only put the ham steak in the pot for the last 10 minutes of cooking. If you do not you will end up with rubber ham! The tastiest and least expensive substitution are ham hocks or smoked turkey hocks. Just throw them in the pot with the cabbage and potatoes and simmer. For an even easier (yes I said EASIER!!!) dish you can throw this in the crock pot the evening before, and turn it on low heat right before leaving for work/school and come home to a super tasty dish that makes the whole house smell fantastic. Just be sure not to use russet/baking potatoes. They will dissolve in the constant cooking. Red, white, blue or yukon gold will all do well as long as you keep them whole.

Recipe:Sour Cream Chicken

Dear Anais,
You might not remember this recipe. This is one of Chloe's favorite recipes. She cannot wait until we are all together and maybe you could make it for her. It is one told to me by her grandmother that was made often by her mother-in-law Mrs.Grisa who was from Germany. It is a common recipe found over the Internet, but delicious nonetheless. I think you and Daddy would enjoy it very much. it is very simple to make and pairs very well with a package of rice-a-roni or rice pilaf.

Sour Cream Chicken

1 c Sour Cream
2T lemon juice
1/4t Worcestershire sauce
1/4 t paprika
1 garlic clove crushed
1/4 t salt
1/8 t pepper
4-6 boneless chicken halves
1 1/2 c bread crumbs

Combine wet ingredients in a shallow dish, set the chicken breasts in the mixture and marinade overnight. Remove chicken and roll in bread crumbs and bake in greased shallow baking pan at 350 for 45 min or until juices run clear. For interesting alternative you can pound the chicken flat before marinating and then after rolling in bread crumbs fry in canola or some other high temperature oil in a skillet.

Recipe:Simple Soup

Dear Anais,
I'm not having such a great day today...I am feeling kind of blue, and that is what made me think of writing down this recipe for you. This soup is Gramma's soup that she has made as long as I can remember. It is probably not exactly the same as she makes it because she uses Vegeta-a polish bullion that I have traded in favor of a MSG free bullion, but otherwise I think it is as close as it gets. This soups is all purpose. It is great for when you are feeling sick or blue. It was probably made by her mother to feed a lot of children on very little; it has a way of making you feel very full. Thus it is a great weight loss soup too. Gramma Fill was known for never turning away a guest for dinner-you could always add another cup of water to the soup. It has always been the way I have tried to impart some vegetable nutrients to your sister even if it was only the broth. I am sure you know who I mean without naming names! You can make it in varying volumes, but usually I only make it in small enough batches for it to be eaten in two days. It does not taste its best after then.

Simple Soup

chop celery-I prefer the heart, especially the leaves
1 cubed potato any variety for earthy flavor
1 carrot cubed in tiny pieces
1 bullion cube, natural pref vegetable
4-6 cups water
1/4 c soup pasta (should be stars, tiny shells, egg noodles, alphabet or pastina-no penne or macaroni)

throw everything in a pot but the pasta, bring to a boil then simmer on med for 10 min. Bring heat back up to high and a rolling boil. Toss in pasta stirring for 10 more min, stirring occasionally. Serve with white rye if handy.

Recipes:Minestrone Soup, Red Velvet Cake and Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting

Dear Anais,

This recipe is soooo easy to make. It tastes very good but it makes a HUGE batch. I think all Italian recipes are like this. You can ask Aunt Dawn to be sure.



"Home Made" Minestrone Soup



I large onion finely chopped

2Tb olive oil

3-6 cloves garlic minced

1 cube msg free/see salt veg bullion

1Tb Italian seasoning

1 small can carrots

1 can green beans

1 can peas

1 can red kidney beans

1 can garbanzo beans

1 can potatoes

1 jar spaghetti sauce (like ragu, nothing fancy)

Enough water to make veggies swim.

1 c shell pasta



Place olive oil in bottom of large soup pot and warm, saute onions until translucent, add garlic for a few min. Throw everything else in the pot but the shell pasta. Bring to a full boil. Once at a boil, add the shell past. Boil for 10 extra min until pasta is tender-serve with Parmesan on top.



Cheaters "mini"strone recipe:

1/2 onion chopped

1 Tb olive oil

3 cloves garlic

1 bullion cube

1 tsp Italian seasoning

1 can veg-all

1/2 can kidney beans

1/2 can garbanzo beans

1 c spaghetti sauce

1/3 c mini shell pasta



follow same instructions as above.

Notes: I know there is supposed to be spinach in there somewhere, but as Anais does not care for it, I have omitted it. You could throw a handful of it in at the end of cooking time. I wouldn't out it in the beginning or you end up with green soup. It is so veggie packed, I don't really think you are going to be missing much by leaving it out.



While we are on the red, I will post my favorite cake (hint, hint) since I have heard you have become so adept at baking.



Astoria Waldorf Red Velvet Cake



1/2 c butter softened

1 1/2 c sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla (always use the real stuff!!!)

2 1 oz red food coloring

2 Tb cocoa

2 1/2 c flour

1 tsp salt

1 c buttermilk

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1 Tb vinegar

9" pan



Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, stir in vanilla. Mix food coloring and cocoa-let set a few minutes, then add to mix. Sift flour and salt. Add flour and buttermilk alternately. Mix soda and vinegar, fold into the mixture. Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes in the 9 " pan, cool and frost with cream cheese frosting.

Does not work well with decorative pans as it is too moist and delicate of a cake (ask me how I know-cough, cough).





Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting


2 packages cream cheese softened
1/3 c honey
2 tsp vanilla

whip until desired consistency, frost cake, serve to mom on her birthday.

Recipes:Turkey Loaf,Jamaican Jerk Chicken

Dear Anais,
Dad said you were eager to have the recipe for Thanksgiving turkey loaf. It is not my recipe as I have seen it posted in many places, but this is my version of it that you all seem to love so much.

Thanksgiving Turkey Loaf

1 lb ground turkey
2Tb milk
1/2 box stuffing mix (turkey flavored or traditional is good)

In a large bowl mix all the ingredients. It will get super cold, so you may want to do it with gloves on. Spray a loaf pan with non-stick cook spray and preheat oven to 375. Fill loaf pan with turkey mixture. I like to mold the mixture into the middle of the pan keeping it from the shortest sides of the pan. This gives the end pieces a nice crisping-my favorite part. Cook for 40 minutes. You can generally tell if the loaf is finished by pressing on it. If it is firm it is generally done cooking.

Notes: Of course this serves splendidly with cranberry sauce, garlic mashed potatoes, gravy and veg. It makes an awesome leftover sammy if you can keep any leftovers. For a larger loaf just double the batch using the whole box of stuffing and 2lbs of gr.turkey, etc.


Heidi's Jamaican Jerk Chicken

3 Tb McCormick Jamaican Spice
3 dashes apple pie spice
1 Tb red wine vinegar
3 Tb olive oil
2 Tb soy sauce w/ mushroom
1 Tb smoke flavor
1 Tb honey
1/4 tsp molasses
2 dash chili powder

Notes: I found this recipe I used to make when you were a little baby. You should see the page it came from. It is colored on and greasy and really a mess. I believe I made this as a marinade and then Daddy used to grill the chicken or I would put it in the broiler. But I am going to include this with how I make jerk chicken nowadays too. It follows the same basic principle of preparation and marinating, but they will probably taste a bit different. Either one will be delicious.

Mom's Jamaican Jerk recipe
1 lb or more of chicken legs
cinnamon
nutmeg
allspice
powdered ginger
crushed or powdered garlic
pomegranate molasses
soy sauce
limes

I generally use chicken legs for the jerk because they are inexpensive, but you can use breasts or thighs too. First I remove the skin from the chicken. The easiest way to do this is to loosen it up by beating it up a little, and then hold one end of the chicken with a cloth or paper towel and then pull the skin really hard until it detaches. Once you have the skin off salt and pepper the meat. Then sprinkle it with powdered herbs and garlic. Cover with saran wrap and marinate one hour at least, or overnight. When ready to cook you can grill, broil, or bake at high temp (400) for 20 min each side. Sprinkle with soy sauce and coat generously with pomegranate molasses (Mom's super secret ingredient!!! you cannot substitute regular molasses it will not taste the same. The only thing that might work would be a TB of orange juice concentrate) I would coat it twice in the cooking. Cook until meat is nearly charred.

Notes: This dish serves well with couscous or rice and lentils. And if you cook lentils always remember to use a piece of kombu seaweed in them to make them taste just right! But I digress-we will get to lentils in another recipe. I like to sprinkle the chicken with lime juice and salt. I have omitted any peppers from the recipe to keep it mild enough for your sisters, but usually jerk is a HOT dish. I serve it with rooster sauce on the side for John and I, but if you are making it you might as well put some chiles in the marinade to spice it up.

Recipes:Pierogies,Fry bread, Wojapi, Navjo stew,White Chili , Black Chili

For Xmas My oldest daughter got a mixer from her father. She enjoys being in the kitchen and we have encouraged her culinary interest. YAY FOOD! This xmas was a hard one for me, as it is the first one where Anais and I have been apart. It was hard for me to think of a gift for her, as every time I thought of her I was overwhelmed with sadness, but also I usually enjoy making gifts for her and I didn't have the time to spend on crafting with school preoccupying most of my time this year. I finally (at the last minute!!!, shame one me) thought of making her a cookbook of all her favorite recipes of mine to compliment the cooking gear she was going to be getting from her dad. I wanted to make it in PDF format and compile some files to make it like a book, but then she would have to wait some time to get to see it and use it. So, this morning I thought-what about that blog that I thought I was going to use and never did? I could post all my recipes there so she could see them as I type them out, and then I will cut and paste them from the blog to put into PDF format for the book? HMMM smart cookie?!
So this is for you Anais and anyone else who should care to take a gander. I will post your favorite recipes on the blog and compile them for your binder/book as I go. Seeing as I am taking this Sunday off for New Years I am going to try and post a few up for you right now. They are in random order as I find them in my mind and other places so there is no accounting for selection, LOL! Here goes, enjoy;

Pierogi dough

2 c flour
2 eggs

Mix and kneed dough. Add water or flour as necessary for consistency. Roll into golf ball size balls and let rest for ten minutes or so. Flatten and fill with whatever. Boil pierogies and saute in butter until golden.

Notes: I find this dough to be a little eggier than the stuff you get when you buy pierogies in the local markets in Chicago. It tastes a lot like homemade egg noodles. The dough can get stiff if you work it too much too, but it does function and it make a good pierogi.




Mom's Fry Bread Recipe

1 small 5 oz can evaporated milk room temp(not to be confused with condensed milk)
+ enough hot water to make 1 c (3oz)
one yeast packet
1 Tb sugar
2 1/2 c flour
2 Tb butter
2 tsp salt
Oil for frying.

Pour room temp evap milk into 1c measuring cup, add enough hot water to the evaporated milk to equal 1c, roughly 3 oz. Add yeast and 1Tb sugar to the milk and water mixture, let rest 5 min. Put 2 1/2 c flour in mixing bowl add liquid mixture, butter , and salt. Knead and let rise one hour or until doubled. Then pull off balls of desired size and flatten with your hands. Leave a hole in the center and fry until golden on both sides. Corn oil is good for frying, but peanut has good flavor and crisco is acceptable. Do not use olive oil or other low temp oils.

Fry bread toppings:
Wojapi is a fruit topping taught to me that is very tasty. It has a special meaning. Wo=life, ja=giving, pi=fruit maybe when Indians were given flour as rations the fruit was the only healthy part of the meal they were getting. But this is my recipe for wojapi.

Wojapi:
1 lb of fruit (A mixture is always pleasing to the palate. Plums and cherries and blueberries is good, or something like gooseberries, chokecherries and strawberries. Persimmons are a nice seasonal and traditional native american fruit just make sure you don't get the Japanese kind.)
Water enough to juice up the fruit.
Some sweetener for tart fruit. (It can be honey or brown sugar or molasses or sorghum, apple juice concentrate anything on hand)Persimmons will not need any.
Cornstarch

Bring the fruit and water to a boil. Make a mixture of 1 T cornstarch to 3 Tb water. Mix this into the boiling fruit. Make sure to mix rapidly as it will gel quickly. If this does not thicken the mixture enough for you you can do it a second time-some people like a very thick wojapi. Remember it will thicken a bit as it cools.

Honey and powdered sugar are less fuss and common toppings.
You can also make Fry bread Tacos. Here is my recipe for Fry bread taco filling.

Fry Bread taco Filling:
1lb ground beef or package of morning star veggie crumbles
2-3 cans green chiles

brown meat, add chiles
Notes: How easy is that! Most indians I know don't always go for salt or a lot of seasonings, but I think it tastes good too with some garlic and onions sauteed in there. Top your fry bread with the filling , with chopped tomatoes and lettuce, sour cream and onions and put on some powwow music! Might I suggest Tha Tribe. OOH, that also reminds me of Navajo Stew.



Navajo Stew

1 chopped onion
2 cloves garlic
1/2 pound ground lamb or lamb stew pieces
coarsely chopped green hatch chiles (or canned whole chiles)
posole corn (or can of traditional style hominy)
4 c water

Saute onion, throw in garlic. When translucent, add lamb and brown. Throw in Chiles, corn and water.Slow simmer until the corn bursts and looks like popcorn. If you are using canned hominy just simmer until tender. Salt to taste.

Notes: This delicious and simple watery stew was fare at the powwow where I took my 3 day old daughter Mure. I could not stand being in the house any longer and The fry bread was calling my name. I think it was her first outing and her first powwow. I am not even sure they added onion and garlic-it might have just been chiles, lamb, and posole. I remember once making this with Blue corn posole. You can get it in all sorts of colors there. It is meant to be spicy and blood pumping -invigorating and simple. It reminds me very much of New Mexico and how you can throw 3 things in a pot and have them taste good. It also reminds me that many there were poor and lived simply. I sometimes miss the simplicity of the desert. This recipe in turn reminds me of my "white chili" recipe.

White Chili

I large white onion chopped fine
1 pound ground chicken or 4 planks of quorn crumbled for a vegetarian alternative
3 cloves garlic
1 can small white beans
3 small cans chopped green chiles
1 cube vegetable bouillon (try to use a natural cube without MSG)
1 tsp curry powder
1/2 can traditional style hominy (8oz)
I bunch cilantro,chopped

In a large cooking pot or dutch oven, Chop onion and saute until translucent. Add ground chicken and cook thoroughly until there are no longer any pink areas. Throw in beans directly from can-Do NOT Rinse! Toss in everything else. Add some cilantro. Simmer until all flavors are well mingled. Serve with a dollop of cour cream, crumbled tortilla chips, cilantro,and cheese for garnish.



Black Chili

I large red onion chopped fine
I lb ground sirloin/grass fed beef or 1 bag morning star farms beef crumbles
3 cloves garlic
1 can black beans
1 chipotle chile chopped fine(I prefer one from a can of them, save the rest for another time)
1 cube vegetable bouillon (tomato flavor is good too, again something natural with sea salt , no MSG)
1 tsp chili powder
1 can regular hominy

In a large cooking pot or even a crock pot for that matter, saute the red onion. You will want to saute the red onion for a very long time, almost until it is overdone. It tends to retain it's crispness for a very long time, and I like the vidalia flavor here but not a firm onion. Add the beef and brown it. I do not drain the beef, that is why I try to make the chili with something extra lean. The beans like to have a little bit of fat. Throw in the garlic until it looks a little soft. Toss in the black beans straight from the can-Do NOT Rinse! Add the chipotle, bullion, chili powder and hominy. Simmer until all flavors have mingled. Garnish with VERY finely chopped fresh tomatoes and a dollop of sour cream.

I guess this is all I've got for today. Happy cooking Anais,
Love Momma