Pork Country Ribs

2 lb country pork ribs
1/2 t salt
1/2 t ground pepper
1 T olive oil
1/4 c ketchup
1/2 t liquid smoke
1 T fish sauce
2 T brown sugar
2 T cider vinegar
1 large clove garlic, minced
1 t oregano
1/8 t Thai chili spice or cayenne pepper

Heat the oven to 225ºF. Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium temperature. Use 1/2 of the salt and pepper to season one side the ribs. When the oil begins to smoke, put ribs, seasoned side down, in the dutch oven. Use the remaining salt and pepper to season the top side of the ribs. Fry the ribs for about five minutes, then turn, and continue to fry for another four to five minutes.

While the ribs are frying, mix all of the remaining ingredients. Remove the ribs from the heat. Brush the top of the ribs with the sauce, and turn the ribs over. Brush the other side of the ribs.

Cover the dutch oven, and bake the ribs for an hour.

Uncover the ribs and pour off and reserve accumulated liquid. Turn the ribs, brush them with the remaining sauce, cover the dutch oven, and continue to bake for another hour.

Remove the ribs from the oven. Add any additional accumulated liquid to the reserved liquid. Cover the dutch oven, and set the ribs aside while preparing the sauce.

Skim the fat from the liquid. In a small skillet, boil the liquid over medium high heat until it is reduced by about half. It will be slightly thickened.

Remove the ribs to a serving dish. Spoon the sauce over the ribs.

Phillip's Rum Punch

I tasted this in the Caribbean, and it reminds me of a boat undersail and a glass of libation in hand.

1 part coconut or white rum
1 part amber or medium rum
3 parts pineapple/orange or tropical juice
1 part sour mix
enough grenadine to give some color
bitters to taste
orange or grapefruit zest (optional)

Happy's Famous Potato Salad

This recipe changes every time I make it. I don't cook from recipes very well.

4 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed (1/2" dice)
2 T olive oil
2 T cider vinegar
1/2 t salt (or to taste)
1/4 t black pepper (or to taste)
6 eggs, boiled, peeled, and chopped
6 scallions, thinly sliced
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
3 or 4 baby kosher dill pickles chopped
6 large stuffed olives, sliced
1 T dill weed, finely chopped
1 c non-fat sour cream
1 c low-fat mayonnaise
2 T prepared mustard

Cover the potatoes with water, and boil for 10 - 12 minutes until done. Drain the potatoes and place them in a large bowl. Dress the potatoes with the oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper. Lightly toss. Cover and refrigerate.

In a pot, cover the eggs completely with water. Cover and bring to a boil. Boil for 10 minutes. Remove from heat, drain the eggs, and cover with cold water. Peel and chop the eggs.

Add the eggs, scallions, celery, pickles, olives, and dill weed to the potatoes. Lightly toss to mix.

Mix together the sour cream, mayonnaise, and mustard. Pour over the salad, and fold to mix. Refrigerate for a couple of hours before serving.

Potato Galette

2 medium-small red bliss potatoes (about 3/4 lb)
1 T olive oil
1/4 t crushed black peppercorns
1/4 t kosher salt

With a paring knife, remove the eyes and any blemishes from the potatoes. Use a manoline with a 1/8" julienne blade (or a grater) and julienne the potatoes. Place the potatoes in a bowl of cold water.

Heat the oil in a medium-sized non-stick skillet over medium heat (on my stove, it's 4.5 out of 10). Using a strainer, rinse and drain the potatoes, until no water is dripping from the strainer. Add the potatoes to the skillet, and use a spatula to coat the potatoes with the olive oil. Spread the potatoes across the bottom of the skillet, sprinkle with the potatoes with salt and pepper, and fry for 8 - 10 minutes.

Turn the potatoes and flatten them firmly with the spatula into a cake. Fry for another 8 - 10 minutes.

Carefully turn the potato cake, and fry for another 5 - 8 minutes.

You can add 2 T chopped onion or a couple of cloves thinly sliced garlic. Add the onion or garlic just before turning the potatoes the first time. Garnish the galette with chopped parsley. Serve with sour cream, or capers. Ketchup?

Marinated Asparagus

l lb asparagus stalks
1/3 c olive oil
3 large cloves garlic, thinly sliced
cracked pepper
1/2 t dried basil
1/2 lemon, juiced

Steam asparagus for five minutes, then plunge into a pan of cold water. Arrange the asparagus in a single layer in a dish (a 13 x 9" cake pan works well). Cover and refrigerate the asparagus.

Heat the olive oil in a small skillet over medium low heat. Add the garlic to the oil, stirring the mixture to coat the garlic, and separate all of the garlic slices. Fry the garlic until it is a deep golden brown, about 5 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat. Crush the oregano and add it to the oil and garlic. Cool the mixture completely.

Pour the oil-garlic mixture over the asparagus. Cover the asparagus and refrigerate at least twelve hours.

To serve, arrange the asparagus and garlic on serving plates and drizzle with lemon juice.

Chicken in a Pot

This recipe appeared in the Washington Post Food Section, Wednesday, March 18, 2009, Chef David Hagedorn. This is chicken at its very best. I love this fowl. I made a couple of changes, noted below.

4 - 5 lb chicken, reserve the gizzard packet
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
dried rosemary
6 medium cloves garlic, crushed
2 T olive oil
1 medium onion, small dice
1 medium carrot, small dice
2 ribs celery, small dice
4 sprigs thyme
1 stem rosemary
1 bay leaf
homemade chicken broth
1/2 lemon, juiced
1 t cornstarch
1 T cold water
Chopped parsley for garnish

Preheat the oven to 275ºF. (The original recipe states 250ºF, but after my first experience with this recipe, that just seemed a little too low. 275º works quite well.)

Rinse the chicken in cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Grind together 1 t kosher salt, 1/2 t peppercorns, 1/2 dried rosemary, and 2 crushed garlic cloves. Carefully insert some of the rub underneath the skin on the breast, being careful not to completely separate the skin from the breast. Season the rest of the chicken with the remaining rub. (This is my own rub, Chef Hagedorn is probably blanching at the thought of using something like this....) Tuck the chicken wing tips under the chicken.

Heat the oil in a dutch oven or a (covered) roast pan over medium-high heat until the oil begins to shimmer. Add the chicken, breast side down, and sear undisturbed for five minutes.

Using tongs, carefully turn the chicken over. Arrange the vegetables around the chicken. Cook for about five minutes, then add the herbs, remaining garlic, and chicken neck and gizzard, if desired.

Press a large piece of aluminum foil directly over the chicken. Cover the pot and bake for about 1-1/2 - 3 hours (or at least until the internal temperature of the thigh registers 155º).

Turn off the oven. Remove the chicken from the oven. Loosen the foil and remove the lid. Let the chicken rest for 20 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board. Carve the chicken into ten pieces (see carving note, below). Put the pieces on a serving platter, and cover with the foil. Place the platter back in the turned-off oven.

Strain the pan juices into a measuring cup. Press the vegetables against the strainer to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard the vegetables. Skim the fat from the liquid and discard. Add enough homemade broth, if needed, to the juices to make one cup liquid. Pour into a small saucepan. Add the lemon juice, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.

Mix the cornstarch with the cold water, and whisk into the boiling liquid. Stir until the sauce slightly thickens and is smooth. Season with salt and pepper.

Pour the sauce over the chicken, or serve at the table separately.

Carving Note: Hagedorn has a five-step method for carving the chicken. It's very easy:

1. Use a carving knife to cut through the skin between the thigh and the breast
2. Pop the thigh joint where it joins the bird, and cut through the skin to remove the leg and thigh
3. Cut through the joint separating the thigh and leg.
4. Separate the wings from the bird at the joint, and cut through the joint, leaving an ample amount of breast meat on the first joint. Cut off and discard the wingtips.
5. Remove each breast half from the carcass. (Begin slicing through the breast at the breastbone. You can then separate each breast half from the carcass.) Slice each piece in half.

Saffron Fennel

This recipe also appeared in the Washington Post Food Section on Wednesday, March 18, 2009. David Hagedorn, chef. The fennel is crunchy and very tasty.

1 large fennel bulb with stalks and fronds
1/2 t salt
1/4 t freshly ground black pepper
1/4 t ground turmeric
1/2 t sugar
1 T extra-virgin olive oil
1 t finely grated lemon zest
1/4 t saffron threads

Prepare the fennel by removing and reserving the fronds. (If you are going to make this a day ahead of time, wrap the fronds in a paper towel and refrigerate them.) Remove the bulb's stalks and the outer leaves. (You can chop and saute the stalks as you would celery, and use it to make soup stalk.)

Cut the bulb in half vertically, and remove the triangle core. Slice the fennel horizontally into thin slices. (I misread the recipe and sliced it vertically. The diners still ate it enthusiastically.)

Combine the dry spices and the sugar. Put the fennel in a plastic food storage bag. Add the combined spices and the oil. Seal the bag, and mix well to completely coat the fennel. Transfer the fennel to covered microwave-safe dish. Cover the dish, and cook on high in the microwave for 5 minutes.

If you are making this dish a day ahead, cool the fennel, then refrigerate.

While the fennel is cooking, rinse the reserved fronds, and pat them dry with a paper towel. Chop the fronds as you would chop parsley.

When the fennel has cooked, remove the dish from the microwave and stir the dish contents to mix. Stir in the chopped fennel frond. Serve immediately.

Hagedorn cooks the fennel in the plastic storage bag. I did this, and the corners of the bag failed, dripping fennel juice everywhere. So I'm going to stick with cooking it in a microwave-safe dish.

Lentils

The original recipe appeared in the Washington Post Food section on Wednesday, March 18, 2009, David Hagedorn, chef. I changed a couple of the ingredients. This is a very tasty side.

1 c "French" lentils
3 c vegetable or chicken broth
1/2 dried thyme
2 medium garlic cloves, crushed
1/2 t salt
1/4 t ground black pepper
1 bay leaf
1 medium carrot, peeled and diced
1 medium potato, small dice

Rinse the lentils. In a small saucepan, combine the lentils, broth, and spices. Bring to a boil, and add the carrot and potato. Cover and simmer on a lower heat for 30 minutes until the lentils and vegetables are soft.

I made this the day before I served them. They really taste better the second day. I just cooled them down for an hour or so, then refrigerated them overnight. I warmed them up the next day before serving.

Peach-Apricot Cobbler

This recipe was modified using a similar recipe from the Washington Post Food Section, March 18, 2009, Page F8. From David Hagedorn.

2-12 oz packages frozen peaches, defrosted
4 oz dried apricots, diced (about 1/2 c)
2 oz crystallized ginger, diced (about 1/3 c)
1 stick unsalted butter
1-1/4 c flour
1-1/4 c sugar
1/4 t salt
1 T baking powder
1-1/4 c whole or low-fat milk
1 t almond extract
1 t vanilla extract

Mix together well the fruits, ginger, and sugar. Set aside at room temperature for an hour.

Preheat the oven to 325ºF. Cut the butter into pieces, and place in a 10" cast-iron skillet, then place the skillet in the oven to melt the butter. It should turn brown, but not burn.

Mix together the flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder in a large mixing bowl. Beat in the milk and extracts until the batter is smooth.

Remove the skillet from the other. Pour the batter into the skillet; a crust will begin to form around the edge. Use a slotted spoon, and arrange the fruit on top of the batter, taking care not break the crust around the edge.

Bake in the oven for an hour until the crust has a deep golden brown. Cool slightly and serve with vanilla ice cream.

Note: I fixed this dessert in too small a skillet (the original recipe says "medium" but does not define medium. I used a 9-inch skillet which was much too small. Happily, the dessert tastes so wonderful that it really doesn't matter what the dessert looks like coming out of the oven!

Scalloped Potatoes

These are not your usual scalloped potatoes.

7 T unsalted butter, divided
2 lb Golden Yukon potatoes, pared and sliced (1/8")
1 medium onion, sliced (1/8")
1 small green pepper, chopped
1/2 lb mushrooms, coarsely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 c flour
2-1/2 c milk
1/2 lb Gruyere or sharp Cheddar cheese, grated
1/4 t cayenne pepper
1/2 t Louisiana hot sauce
salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 c chopped parsley (optional)

In a large, heavy skillet, melt 4 T butter over low heat. Add the onions, green pepper, mushrooms, and garlic, and cook over low heat until the vegetables are cooked down and soft, about a half hour. Stir the vegetables occasionally, while cooking.

While the vegetables are cooking, pare and slice the potatoes into a bowl of cold water. Drain and rinse the potatoes in a colander.

Butter a 13" x 9" pan with 1 T of the butter. Set the pan aside.

Stir the flour into the cooked vegetable mixture (keep the burner on low). Slowly stir in the milk, and bring to a boil over low heat. If you haven't already done so, you should grate the cheese, now....

While the sauce is cooking, arrange one-third of the sliced potatoes to cover the bottom of the prepared pan. Salt and pepper to taste. As soon as the sauce boils, stir in the grated cheese, and stir until all of the cheese is blended in. Stir in the cayenne pepper, hot sauce, and parsley. Remove the skillet from the burner.

Spread one-third of the cheese sauce over the potatoes. Layer one-half of the remaining potatoes, and salt and pepper them. Top with one-half of the remaining sauce. Top with the remaining potatoes and sauce.

Mix the bread crumbs and 2 T melted butter. Spread the bread crumbs on top of the potatoes. Bake in a 350° F oven for 45 minutes.

Cornbread Mix

So you like cornbread, but the mix that you've used FOR YEARS suddenly disappears from the supermarket shelves. That happened to me, so I made my own mix.

3 c flour (I use whole wheat)
3 c yellow cornmeal
3 T sugar
2 T baking powder
2 t salt

Mix all the ingredients together and store in a tightly covered container.

Cornbread

1 T butter or cooking oil
2 T cooking oil
1/2 c milk
1 egg
1 c cornbread mix

Preheat the oven at 400°F. Add 1 T butter (or cooking oil) to an 8-inch cast iron skillet, and heat the skillet in the oven while you mix the cornbread.

Whisk together the oil, milk, and egg. Pour over the cornbread mix, and stir together until mixed. Pour the batter into the heated skillet and bake for 12 - 14 minutes. Do not overbake.

Corn Cake

1 c cornbread mix
1/3 c sugar
1/4 c yellow cornmeal
1/4 t baking soda
3 T cooking oil
1 egg
2 t vinegar
1/2 c milk
1 t vanilla

Heat the oven to 350°F. Grease and sprinkle cornmeal in an 8-inch cake pan.

In a mixing bowl, mix together the cornbread mix, cornmeal, sugar, and soda. In a measuring cup, mix the vinegar and milk. Add the egg, oil, and vanilla. Pour the liquids over the dry ingredients, and stir until well mixed. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.

Bake for 25 minutes, or until done. Cool the cake for about 10 minutes, and turn it out onto a rack to cool completely. You can frost the cake, or serve the cake with jam or jelly.

Note: Add the zest of an orange or a lemon to the dry ingredients. Add the juice of the lemon or lime and enough milk to make 1/2 cup to the other liquid ingredients. Dust with powdered sugar.

Potato Tortilla

a.k.a. Potato Pie

Serves 4 as a side, 8 as an appetizer.

1/4 c extra virgin olive oil
2 medium potatoes
1 small or medium onion
1 red pepper
1 stalk celery
1 bunch green onions
2 large cloves garlic
4 eggs
salt
pepper
oregano
rosemary

Heat a 9-inch iron or non-stick oven proof skillet on medium heat. Peel and grate the potatoes into a bowl of cold water. Rinse and drain the potatoes in a colander. Squeeze out excess water.

Heat 2 T of the olive oil in the skillet. Add the potatoes, and stir them to coat them with the oil. If desired, add salt and pepper to taste. Fry undisturbed for 10 minutes. With a spatula, turn the potatoes and fry for 10 more minutes.

While the potatoes are frying, peel and chop the onion into medium dice. Seed and slice the pepper into sections, then into 1/4-inch strips. Finely chop the celery. Mince the garlic. To prepare the green onions, trim and peel off the limp or discolored stalks. Cut off the green tops, and chop the white bulbs separately from the tops.

When the potatoes are nicely browned, remove them from the skillet to a plate or bowl. Add the remaining olive oil to the skillet. Set aside the garlic and green onion tops and bulbs. Add the remaining vegetables to the skillet. Stir to coat and cook for about 7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and the chopped green onion bulbs. Add the herbs and salt and pepper to taste, and continue cooking for another three minutes.

While the vegetables are cooking, beat the eggs. Heat the oven to 375º F (190º C).

When the vegetables are soft, remove them from the skillet. Turn the heat to low. Place the potatoes in the skillet, and arrange to cover the bottom of the skillet. Heat for a couple of minutes. Spoon the vegetables on top of the potatoes, then pour the beaten eggs on top of the vegetables. Gently shake the skillet to distribute the eggs evenly. Sprinkle the reserved green onion tops on the eggs. Let the skillet sit for about 3 minutes over low heat. Put the tortilla in the oven, and bake for 10 minutes.

Remove the tortilla from the oven. Serve warm or at room temperature. The potatoes will firm up as they cool.

Variations: Add 1 T chili pepper or 1/2 t hot pepper flakes to the potatoes for a little heat. Stir 5 or 6 chopped olives into the vegetables before adding the eggs. Sprinkle 1 T large capers on top of the eggs. Lay 8 sliced artichoke hearts on top of the vegetables before adding the eggs.

Eggnog

Yields about 1/2 gallon

6 eggs
1 pt Kentucky whiskey or bourbon
1 c dark rum
1 pt heavy cream
1 pt half and half
1/2 c sugar
grated nutmeg

Note: Start this process at least two weeks before you want to drink it.

In a large bowl, beat the eggs until yellow and thick. Add the liquors, and stir until blended.

In another bowl, beat the heavy cream until it is thickened (to very soft peaks - don't overbeat). Fold the whipping cream into the egg mixture. Add the half and half and sugar, and stir until the eggnog is combined.

Pour the eggnog into clean containers (I use empty liquor bottles), and cover tightly. Let this mellow in your refrigerator for at least a couple of weeks, more likely a couple of months. Serve in cups and sprinkle with freshly grated nutmeg.

Fried Potatoes

I finally have devised a foolproof method for frying breakfast potatoes. Read on!

Serves 1

1 medium russet or red bliss potato
salt to taste
pepper to taste
pan spray

Spray a small cast iron skillet with pan spray, and heat the skillet on medium to medium-low heat (on my stove, it's 4.5 out of 10).

With a paring knife, remove blemishes and eyes from the potato. Grate (or thinly slice) the potato into a bowl of cold water.

When the skillet is hot, drain the potatoes in a strainer, and press the potatoes against the side of the strainer. Spread the drained potatoes evenly over the bottom of the skillet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Fry the potatoes for 3 minutes. Using a fry spatula, flatten the potatoes in the skillet. Continue frying without stirring or turning the potatoes. After 7 minutes, turn the potatoes, and continue frying for another 10 minutes. Serve with ketchup, if you like ketchup.

Variations:

• If you like onions or garlic, add them to the potatoes before you put the potatoes in the skillet. 1 T of chopped onion or 1 clove of garlic is a good place to start.
• If you like some heat in your potatoes, try sprinkling roasted Thai chili powder on the potatoes when you add the salt and pepper.
• You can also substitute fish sauce for the salt (use about 1 t). Sprinkle the fish sauce over the potatoes when you turn them.

Shrimp and Chicken Chowder

Serves two, but you can always double the recipe.

Note:This recipe has lots of ingredients, but it goes together very easily, so don't be intimidated! You can make the stock ahead of time OR you can use 2 c unsalted chicken or vegetable stock. If you don't have fish sauce, you can get it at an Asian market. (Golden Boy brand is excellent.) You can substitute salt to taste (1/2 teaspoon to start) plus 2 T water, but the fish sauce really adds a wonderful flavor. Substitute a hot chili powder for the Thai roasted pepper, if you don't want to make your own (the recipe for Thai Roasted Pepper follows this recipe).

The stock

2 T olive oil
1 med onion, chopped (quarter-inch dice)
2 stalks celery finely chopped
2 med carrots, peeled and grated
4 c water
4 whole allspice
3 cloves
1 cinnamon stick
2 bay leaves

Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a heavy skillet (I use cast iron). Add the onions, and cook them until they soften and begin to brown. Add the celery. Stir occasionally, and continue frying until the celery begins to lose its bright green color. Stir in the carrots and fry until the carrots are very limp and begin to brown. Toward the end of the cooking, you will need to keep stirring the vegetables with a metal spatula, because the oil will be absorbed, and the vegetables will stick to the skillet.

When the vegetables have finished cooking, transfer them to a 2-1/2 qt stockpot. Pour some of the water into the skillet to deglaze it, and add to the stockpot with the rest of the water. Add the spices, and bring the stock to a boil, then turn the heat down such that the stock continues to boil, and continue to boil, uncovered, until it is reduced to half its volume (about a half hour to 45 minutes).

Remove the stock from the stove, and strain it into a container. Set it aside (or refrigerate) until you are ready to make the soup. Discard the solids in the strainer.

The meat

10 raw shrimp, deveined and peeled
1/4 lb raw chicken breast strips, sliced in half-inch pieces
2 T fish sauce
2 T rice vinegar (or lime or lemon juice)
2 cloves minced garlic
black pepper to taste
1/4 t Thai roasted pepper (or chili powder)

Read the Note, above, about substitutions for the fish sauce and Thai roasted pepper.

In a small bowl combine all of the ingredients. Cover the bowl and refrigerate until you are ready to finish the soup.

The rest of the soup

1 small can corn, undrained (8.75 oz)
1 med potato, peeled and grated
1/4 cup heavy cream (optional)
bean sprouts (optional)

In a soup pot, heat the stock and canned corn to boiling. Add the grated potato, and continue to simmer uncovered for three to four minutes. Add the shrimp and chicken mixture and simmer until the meat is cooked, about three minutes. Remove from the stove.

Put a couple of tablespoons of bean sprouts in the bottom of each soup bowl. Stir the cream into the soup, then ladle the soup over the bean sprouts and serve immediately.

Thai Roasted Peppers

The name is a misnomer, because the chilies aren't roasted, they are fried!

Note: Prepare the peppers in a well-ventilated kitchen. The fumes of the frying peppers can irritate your eyes. When you are grinding the peppers, be careful about touching your fingers to your face or rubbing your eyes. The ground pepper can irritate your skin. Wash your hands thoroughly after handling the peppers.

2 - 4 oz whole dried Asian chili peppers
2 T peanut oil

Line a metal strainer with paper towels.

Heat the oil in a cast iron skillet on high heat until the oil has a sheen, but isn't smoking. Add the peppers, stirring constantly for about 30 seconds, until the peppers are shiny and have turned darker, but before they burn and turn black.

Immediately remove the peppers to the strainer. Let the peppers drain and cool. Dab them with a paper towel to remove any excess oil.

When the peppers are completely cool, grind them in a food processor or spice mill until they are finely ground. Store in a tightly covered container in the refrigerator.

Use the condiment very sparingly....

Mushroom and Olive Quesadillas

Makes six appetizers, or three servings.

1 can black beans, drained
2 T olive oil
1 T chili powder
2 large cloves garlic, peeled
6 corn tortillas
4 large mushrooms, scrubbed
8 large olives
3/4 cup shredded sharp cheese
1/4 c thinly sliced green or red pepper
pan spray

Mash the beans. Heat the olive oil in a teflon-coated or iron skillet over medium heat. Add the beans, and stir until bubbly. Meanwhile, finely mince or mash the garlic and add to the beans. Stir in the chili powder, and cook until the beans are no longer soupy and are quite thick. Spoon the beans into a small bowl and set aside.

In a food processor, process the mushrooms and the olives until the mixture is well blended. Spoon into a small bowl.

Heat the skillet to medium high. Lightly coat one side of a tortilla with pan spray. Place the tortilla, sprayed side down on a plate. Put a couple of heaping tablespoons of beans in the middle of the tortilla, and spread the beans to cover the tortilla. Spoon 1/3 of the mushroom mixture on top of the bean mixture. Sprinkle some chopped sweet pepper on top of the mushroom mixture. Follow with 1/4 c shredded cheese, and top with another tortilla and spray it some pan spray.

Carefully transfer the quesadilla to the heated skillet and fry for two to three minutes. Turn the quesadilla, and fry for another couple of minutes.

Cut each quesadilla in quarters. Serve hot with salsa, or whatever you serve with quesadillas.

Roasted Pepper Soup

Broth
1 onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
1 leek top, washed and chopped
1/2 t dried marjoram
3 sprigs fresh thyme
1/4 t whole black pepper
3 whole allspice
1 whole clove
1/2 t salt
1 qt water

Pepper mixture
4 medium to large green or red peppers
1 dried chipotle pepper
1 shallot, sliced
1 leek root, trimmed, clean, sliced lengthwise, and coarsely chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 small potato, peeled and chopped
4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
6 - 8 tomatillos, husked and rinsed
1 T sugar
2 T cider or white vinegar
2 T tomato paste

Broth

1. In a soup pot, saute the onion on medium heat in 1 T olive oil until the onion is quite brown.
2. Add the celery, carrot, and leek top. Cook until the vegetables are soft, stirring the mixture often.
3. Add the spices and the water, and simmer over low heat for a half hour or more.
4. Strain the broth, and discard the solids. Set aside

Pepper Mixture

1. While the broth is simmering, wash the green pepper and lay on a broiling rack. Roast the peppers under the broiler, turning them as the skin chars. When the you have finished roasting them, put them in a paper bag and close it tightly, then set aside.
2. In a small dish, cover the chipotle pepper with boiling water, and set aside.
3. In a large skillet, heat 1 T olive oil over medium heat, and saute the shallot, leek root, and celery just until the vegetables are soft. Reduce the heat to low and add the potato and garlic.
4. While the vegetables continue to cook, in a small saucepan, cover the tomatillos with cold water, bring to a boil, and cook over medium low heat for about 10 minutes. Drain the tomatillos and add to the vegetables.
5. While the tomatillos are cooking, remove the skin and seeds from the green peppers. Coarsely chop them and add to the sauteed vegetables.
6. Reserve the liquid from the chipotle pepper, finely chop the pepper, and add it to the vegetables.
7. Simmer for the vegetables for another three or four minutes until the peppers are well heated.
8. Add the pepper mixture to the broth and bring the soup to a boil. Stir in the sugar, vinegar, tomato paste, and reserved liquid from the chipotle pepper.
9. turn the heat to low, and simmer the mixture for thirty minutes, or until the peppers are very soft.
10. In four or five batches, puree the soup in a food processor. Return the soup to a soup pot, and heat to serving temperature.

Serve with sour cream, chopped tomatoes, and chopped cilantro. This soup is very thick. It can also be served as a cooked salsa with tortilla chips.

7-Can Chili

3 T olive oil
1 onion, diced
2 carrots, peeled and shredded
1 green pepper, diced
1 jalapeno pepper, finely diced
3 large garlic cloves, minced
3 T chili powder
2 t cumin seed
1 t dried oregano
1 stick cinnamon
2 bay leaves
3 whole cloves
6 whole allspice
1/4 c raisins
1-15 oz can white beans
1-15 oz can black beans
1-15 oz can kidney beans
1-15 oz can red beans
1-8 oz can corn
2-14 oz cans diced tomatoes
1 pt chicken stock
1 lb ground turkey

Heat 2 T olive oil in a large soup pot. Add the onions, carrots and peppers, and cook over medium heat until the onions are browned and soft (stir often). Add the garlic and cook an additional one or two minutes.

Add the spices (except the cloves, allspice, and cinnamon stick) to the vegetables, mix well, and cook over low heat for another couple minutes. Put the cloves and allspice in a tea ball, and add to the pot.

Add the cinnamon stick, raisins, beans, corn, tomatoes, and chicken stock. Stir well. Raise the heat to medium, and bring the soup to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to low.

In the skillet, heat 1 T olive oil, and brown the turkey. Season with salt, if desired. Add the turkey to the chili, and continue to simmer the soup over very low heat for at least a couple of hours. Stir every so often.

This chili tastes better the next day, but you probably won't be able to resist the temptation to eat it immediately.

Happy's Chicken Barbeque

4 large chicken thighs, skinned and boned
1 onion, chopped
olive oil
1 c red wine
salt
pepper
3 large cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
1/2 t oregano
2 T balsamic vinegar
1 T Dijon mustard
1 T barbeque sauce
1 T ketchup

Heat the olive oil in an iron skillet on medium-low heat. Add the onions and cook slowly until brown and carmelized. Remove from the skillet.

Add some more olive oil to the skillet, and raise the heat to medium-high. Place the thighs, skinned side down in the skillet. Salt and pepper to taste. Brown the meat each side for three or four minutes. Remove from the heat. Remove the meat from the skillet. Put the skillet back on the heat, and deglaze with the wine. Add the onions and the meat back to the skillet. Add the crushed garlic. Sprinkle in the oregano. Turn the heat to very low, cover the skillet tightly, and cook very slowly for an hour or so, adding more liquid if necessary (but not too much!).

Set the skillet off the heat, and remove the meat from the skillet. Use a couple of forks to shred the thighs. Return the meat to skillet. Add the vinegar, mustard, ketchup, and barbeque sauce. Simmer for 15 or 20 minutes on low heat. Serve on hamburger buns, or any other way you like your barbeque.

Date No-Bake Cookies

2 c graham cracker crumbs
2-1/2 c small marshmallows
1 c chopped dates
1/2 c chopped nuts
1 can Eagle brand condensed milk

Mix well and form into small balls and roll in Angel flake coconut.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

2-1/4 c flour
1/2 t soda
1 t salt
1 c shortening
1/2 c brown sugar
1 c white sugar
3 eggs, beaten
2 t vanilla
1 c chopped nuts
1 c chocolate chips

Sift flour, soda, and salt together. Cream shortening, brown and granulated sugars together. Add eggs and vanilla. Beat thoroughly. Add sifted dry ingredients. Fold in nuts and chocolate chips. Drop from teaspoon onto greased cookie sheet. Bake in moderate oven (350°F) about 10 minutes.

Soft Sugar Cookies

5 c flour
2 c sugar
1 c sour cream
1 c shortening
1 t soda
1 t baking powder
1/2 t nutmeg
1 t salt
4 eggs

Mix as little as possible. Chill. Roll out. Bake at 400°F.

Oatmeal Cookies

3/4 c shortening
1 c sugar
2 eggs
1/4 c milk
2 c oats
2 c flour
3/4 t soda
1 t cinnamon
1/2 t salt
1 c raisins

Mix in order given. Drop by teaspoonfuls on baking sheet. Bake at 350°F for 10 minutes.

Note: Cost of ingredients approximates 7¢ per dozen cookies (1944).

English Cookies

2 c brown sugar
1 c shortening
1 t baking powder
1 t soda
1 t nutmeg
1 t cinnamon
1 c cold coffee
2 eggs
3 c flour
2 c raisins
1/2 c chopped nuts

Sift together dry ingredients. Mix in the other ingredients. Drop by teaspoonfuls on a greased pan. Bake in a medium oven (350°F) for 10 minutes.

Toffee

Norma Dobler

1 c butter
1 c sugar
3 T water

Boil rapidly 10 minutes on high.

Add 1 t vanilla. Pour into two 9-inch pie pans. As soon as slightly set on surface, place 1-1/2 Hershey bars on each. Spread to cover surface, cool, and break into pieces. ou can spread surface with chopped nuts.

Note: This recipe was from my mother's best friend, Norma Dobler. This was always a Christmas treat, and we often received a box of toffee from the Doblers.

Uncooked Fudge

4-1/2 c sugar
1 can evaporated milk

Boil five minutes. Remove from heat and add:

3 large (5 oz) Hershey bars
2 packages chocolate chips
1 pint marshmallow creme

Add quickly to sugar mixture, stir, pour out into pan.

Peanut Brittle

2 c sugar
1 c light corn syrup
1 lb unroasted peanuts
1 t vanilla
1 t water
1 t soda
1/4 t salt

Combine sugar and syrup in heavy skillet, stir until sugar dissolves. Heat slowly to boiling, stiring constantly. Cook to hard crack stage (290°F). Add peanuts and continue cooking until peanuts are a light tan color, stirring constantly - about 10 minutes. Remove from heat, add vanilla, water, and soda. Stir slightly. Pour into well-greased pan or platter.

Chocolate Waffles

1 c sugar
1/2 c butter
2 eggs
1/2 c milk
1 c chopped walnuts
1-1/2 c flour
1 t baking powder
2 squares chocolate, melted

Mix in order given. Drop by tablespoon, one in each section of a waffle iron. Bake three minutes. Do not substitute shortening for butter.

Note: These were a special dessert when we were kids. Mom served them with whipped cream.

Chocolate Chip Fudge

4 c sugar
1/2 lb butter
1 large can evaporated milk
1/8 t salt
14 oz chocolate chips
1 pint marshmallow creme
1 t vanilla

Cook to a soft but firm ball, stirring most of the time. When it has reached the right consistenc, add the chocolate chips and the marshmallow creme. Beat until cool, and add the vanilla. Optionally add nuts, raisins, coconut, or peanut butter.

Fudge Squares

3/4 c sifted cake flour
1/2 t baking powder
1/8 t salt
1/3 c shortening
2 oz (squares) chocolate
1 c sugar
2 eggs, well beaten
1/2 c chopped walnuts
1 t vanilla

Sift flour, baking powder, and salt. Melt shortening with chocolate. Beat sugar into eggs, add chocolate mixture and blend. Add sifted ingredients, nuts, and vanilla, and mix well. Bake in a greased 8"x8" pan in a moderate oven (350°F) about 35 minutes

Cool and cut into squares. Makes about two dozen