The AH Recipe Book

Kidney beans? Interesting. I would have expected cannelini small white beans, myself. Kidneys we put in minestrone.

I considered using them, as I had them at hand, but my grandmother tended to favor kidney beans. They stood up well to the whole wheat pasta.
 
Tonight, in celebration of my achieving retirement age and in celebration of my impending (in June) retirement, I am making Fish in Philadelphia Sauce.

Now That You’ve Shot Something . . .

Fish in Philadelphia Sauce
O.K. This one is a little tricky. Not because it’s difficult, you understand but because I don’t have any exact measurements and haven’t bothered to cook it often enough to come up with the “optimum”. However, it comes out great. The story goes like this.

In San Felipe, Baja California del Norte, there is a motel called the Pescador and in the Pescador Motel is the Baja Mar restaurant. The chef there is classically trained and I suspect that something like this recipe is original to him and that he probably made it up as his senior thesis or something. I’ve eaten it twice, once with grouper and once with white sea bass. The first is good, the latter will make your mouth think it has died and gone to Heaven. I watched it being made on Dale Pearson’s video Gone to Baja: Treasures in Gonzaga and tried to cobble it together myself. While this isn’t the exact “real thing” it’s damned good. Remember, the measurements are very approximate!


The Sauce
2 Tbs. olive oil
½ onion, chopped
½ green bell pepper, chopped
1/3 cup baby carrots, chopped
2 Tbs. each Italian parsley and cilantro
1 tomato, seeded and chopped
½ lb. sliced mushrooms
¼ cup dry sherry
¼ cup (more or less) water
2 Tbs. flour
1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
salt and pepper

The Fish
Cut the fillet of the fish into long strips about 2” wide.

Cut a slice off the end of a “cube” of Philadelphia cream Cheese and wrap the fillet around it, like a cinnamon roll.

Wrap a strip of partially cooked bacon around the roll and hole the whole thing together with a bamboo skewer.


In a preheated pan, pour the oil and heat until fragrant. Add all the onion, bell pepper, carrots, herbs, and tomato and stir until all the vegetables are mixed with the oil. Let it cook until the onions are just translucent then add the mushrooms and garlic. Stir for about 15 seconds then add the sherry. Cover and let cook for a bit. Sprinkle the flour over the whole thing and stir it in, then add the cream and the water stirring until you have a sauce that is the consistency you prefer. Put the fish wheels into the sauce, spoon the sauce over them, cover, reduce to simmer and cook for about 20 minutes or until the fish is properly cooked. Season to taste. Place the fish on dinner plates, spoon some of the sauce over the top and put the rest into a sauce or gravy boat. Serve with lots of steamed rice and pour the sauce over that. Accompany with a big green salad and either champagne or a slightly sweet white wine, Riesling or Gewürztraminer, perhaps.


Dessert will be liquid and alcoholic.
 
Holiday Cookies

This is a tried and true recipe that I make every year.

Sugar and Spice Cookies
from Canadian Living magazine

½ c. butter, softened
1 c. packed brown sugar
1 egg
½ tsp. vanilla
1 ¾ c. flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
¼ tsp. nutmeg
Pinch ground cloves

1. Beat together butter and sugar until smooth; beat in egg and vanilla.

2. Stir together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves; gradually stir into batter until blended.

3. Gather dough into ball; wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 3 days.

4. On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to 1/8-inch thickness.

5. Cut into 2-inch round cookies or desired shapes. Transfer to parchment paper-lined, lightly greased baking sheets. Decorate as desired.

6. Bake in 350F oven for 10 to 12 minutes or until edges just begin to brown. Remove to racks immediately and let cool. Cookies can be stored in air-tight containers for up to 2 weeks.

Makes about 50 cookies.
 
Oven Roast Potatos:

Warning, all of the measurements in this are by eye and to taste.

This is not so quick but oh so simple to make.

For two people:

10-12 small Red Potatos washed and pat dry
Garlic Powder or 2-3 Cloves Garlic Minced
Olive Oil
Salt, (I use Sea Salt) to taste
Cracked Pepper to taste
Paprika
Oregano, (Just a pinch or two.)

Cut the spuds in half lengthwise, then quarter the halves. Dump into a large Freezer Bag.

Add the Spices then add just enough Olive Oil to wet everything. Close the bag and mix completely making sure all of the potatos are well coated with the oil and spices.

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Dump the spuds onto a baking sheet, drizzle any leftover oil in the bag over the potatos.

Bake for about 20 minutes then turn the potato pieces over and bake for another 20 minutes or until the pieces are tender and their edges are just starting to crisp. Serve.

Just be careful as Potatos hold heat well.

Cat
 
There are finally some tomatoes to harvest. :)

Gazpacho

This gazpacho isn't really spicy but has a little heat to boost the flavor, and is great with quesadillas. It needs to be chilled, which you can do in about 20 minutes in the freezer.

Ingredients:
4 large, beefsteak tomatoes
1/2 small red onion, peeled, trimmed and roughly chopped
1 cucumber, thickly sliced
2 serrano peppers, seeded, deveined and roughly chopped
3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp. red wine vinegar or sherry vinegar
Sea salt and freshly-ground pepper to taste
Cayenne pepper, if needed
2 slices dry French or Italian bread, torn into pieces (optional)

Garnish: 1/2 firm-ripe avocado and 1 heirloom tomato (golden, orange or green), diced (optional)

1. Place the canned tomatoes with about half of their juices in a blender. Add the onion, cucumber, serrano peppers, olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper; blend until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning, adding a pinch of cayenne and more salt if needed to bring up the flavor.
2. If the soup is thin, add the bread, 1 piece at a time, puree again and check the consistency. If too thick, add the rest of the tomato juices and pulse briefly. Adjust seasoning again.
3. Chill for a few hours or overnight in the refrigerator, or pour into serving bowls and "flash-chill" in the freezer for about 20 minutes, stirring once.
4. Without cutting through the skin, score the avocado half in a crisscross pattern to form small cubes. Using a large spoon, scoop some cubes of avocado into each bowl, and top with diced heirloom tomato, if desired.

Serves 3 or 4

Nutrition per Serving: 185 calories, 3 g protein, 14 g carbohydrate, 14 g fat (2 g saturated), 0 cholesterol, 298 mg sodium, 3 g fiber.
 
I rarely post anywhere but the How-to board, but this thread is too tempting. :)

A simple, favorite go-to appetizer for those nights when you want to start the tease with layers of flavor (and it's what I happened to have for lunch today):

Blue Cheese and Walnut Spread

8 oz. cream cheese, softened
2 to 4 oz. blue cheese, crumbled (more or less, to suit your taste. Maytag is best!)
3/4 cup finely chopped walnuts
A sprinkling of fresh cut chives
A dash of Worcestershire sauce

Mix all ingredients in a bowl until smooth. (A pretty red bowl works well -- presentation matters!) Serve with toasted baguette or buttery crackers. For something a little more special, serve with a semi-dry red.

Note: Do not use the light cream cheese or neufchatel in this recipe. I think it destroys the delicate balance of the cream and blue.
 
This morning marked the first chilly morning, possibly a fluke, but with Fall right here--here's hoping its not. In times for pumpkin spice, apple cinnamon and all else things comfort this is a classic that always enters the refridge in the fall.

Nanaimo Bar- Peanut Butter

Base:
1/2c. Butter
1/4c. Sugar
1 egg
1tsp. Vanilla
1Tbsp. Cocoa
Mix together and set over boiling water until slightly thickened. Stir occasionally.

2c. Graham cracker crumbs
1c. Desiccated coconut
1/2c. Peanuts (chopped)
Mix and add to the above mixture. Press into a buttered 9" square pan so that the base is evenly spread. Chill 15 minutes.

Filling:
1/2c. Peanut Butter
2Tbsp. Soft Butter
2Tbsp. Custard powder
2c. Powdered sugar
4Tbsp. Milk
Mix well together and spread over layer one/base. Chill 15 minutes.

Glaze:
4-5oz. Semi-sweet chocolate
1Tbsp. Butter
Melt over hot water and spread over later two, then chill. Score chocolate with a sharp knife, then cut into squares.

Enjoy ;)
 
Harvest Pork Chops (slowly cooked in beer & apples)

Harvest Pork Chops

Sweet and savory combine in this harvest pork chop topped with apples.
Yield: 4 servings
Total Time: 1 hour, 15 minutes
Difficulty Rating: Easy

Nutritional Highlights: 304 calories (118 calories from fat), 21.1g carbohydrates, 23.3g protein. This recipe, along with any that features lean pork, is high in niacin, thiamin and vitamin B6, and very high in the antioxidant selenium.

Recipe From: Illinois Farm Bureau Partners...

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
4 large pork center loin chops (bone-in and inch thick)
1 medium onion, sliced
2 apples, cored and sliced into 8 wedges (Granny Smith or other firm variety)
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons flour
½ cup dark beer
1 cup chicken broth
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger
1 tablespoon thyme
salt and pepper, to taste

Tips & Notes

You can also prepare this dish in a slow cooker. After searing the pork, combine all ingredients in a slow cooker on low for 4-6 hours.

Instructions

1. Add oil to skillet or Dutch oven. Brown the pork chops on both sides, remove from pan.

2. In the same pan, sauté the onions until translucent, add garlic and apples. Sprinkle flour and incorporate into any pan drippings. Deglaze pan with beer.

3. Add the rest of the ingredients, cover and cook over medium heat for 1 hour or until very tender.
 
I have a three pound cheesecake in the oven. I can feel my hips expanding even as I type this. :D

The good news is, it goes with me to work tomorrow for a potluck. I work with a bunch of men. I'm not expecting leftovers (read: temptation!). :)

I'll post a recipe if anyone's interested. It's seriously the best cheesecake I've ever had.
 
There was a time, about thirty-five pounds ago when I would have begged for that recipe. Unfortunately when my weight maxed, so did my blood sugar so anything with sugar and most things with refined carbohydrates are no long allowed. I'm fine, now, but I watch what I eat verrrry carefully. However, if you come up with a cheese cake sweetened with agave syrup, I'm your bear! :D
 
Ooooh, now there's a challenge. I must noodle on it a bit! The recipe itself calls for 1 1/2 C sugar. Have not thought about substituting it with agave nectar. I've used Stevia before in baking/cooking, but only as a last resort. :D The aftertaste is so horrid, I'd rather just not eat sweets at all.
 
Steamed and Stuffed Maine Lobster

On the suggestion of NekoParks after my post in the What Did You Have For Dinner thread, I am posting, to the best of my recollection, how I prepared that meal. I always cook on the fly, without really measuring anything, so the following ingredients are approximate in their proportions.

You will need:

Two live Maine lobsters, about 1 pound each
Three ounces of cream cheese
One-third cup of Panko bread crumbs
One-half cup diced chives
One-half cup diced red, orange or yellow sweet pepper
One garlic clove, minced
Spices to taste (I like to use a little paprika, oregano, and rosemary, about a pinch of each)
Four tablespoons butter or preferable equivalent

Preparation: It is best that the lobsters are kept alive until just before you start cooking. Obviously, this recipe is not for the squeamish.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

You will need a large pot into which both lobsters can fit flat. Place a wire basket upside-down within the pot for the lobsters to perch upon, and fill the bottom of the pot with water until it is just under the top of the upside-down basket. Place upon the stove and bring to a boil.

Take the lobsters and, with a small, slender knife, pierce each through the head. Next, you will want to keep the tail straight. I use tongue depressors and bamboo fiber, lashing the depressor to the tail with the fiber. You can also use a wooden skewer to pierce the tail along its length.

Place the lobsters into the pot, drape the lid with a towel, and put the lid on the pot. The lobsters will need to steam for about ten minutes.

While the lobsters are steaming, mix the cheese, pepper, chives, breadcrumbs, minced garlic and whatever other spices you wish to use together in a mixing bowl.

After ten minutes, remove the lobsters from the pot and rinse under cold water. This stops the cooking process; if the lobsters keep cooking due to carryover temperature, the meat within may shrivel.

Place the cooled lobsters upside-down on a cutting board. With a large knife, split the bodies and gently crack them open, exposing all the wonderful innards. Use a spoon to scoop out all the internal organs. If you have a cat, he or she will absolutely love this treat.

Fill the cavities of the lobsters with the cream cheese mixture, then place them on a baking sheet. heat them in the oven for about ten minutes, maybe more or less depending on elevation.

While the lobsters bake, melt the butter. I usually do it in the microwave since it's fast and it doesn't really matter how you melt it. Best to place two tablespoons into a pair of ramekins or souffle cups before melting.

Remove lobster and transfer to plates. I like to serve mine with steamed broccoli (don't steam it in the same pot as the lobsters) and pan-seared potatoes (white or gold potatoes, quartered, work especially well).

Enjoy. :D

Note: Eating lobster is messy. There's no way around it. Wear a bib or clothing you don't mind getting splashed with lobster water and goo. Plus, if you don't have the right tools to crack open the claws and limbs, and you don't know how to do it by hand, it can get frustrating.
 
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And that recipe should work just as well for Pacific lobster as it does for Atlantic. With the Maine-ers you get more claw meat. With the Left Coasters you get more tail meat. Both good.
 
Ooooh, now there's a challenge. I must noodle on it a bit! The recipe itself calls for 1 1/2 C sugar. Have not thought about substituting it with agave nectar. I've used Stevia before in baking/cooking, but only as a last resort. :D The aftertaste is so horrid, I'd rather just not eat sweets at all.

Believe me I hope you come up with something. Splenda works in small quantities for things like whole wheat pancakes but I wouldn't want to sweeten a whole batch of cookies with it. However, agave does work wonders in both ice cream and whipped cream so it should do for cheese cake (he said hopefully . . . ).
 
And that recipe should work just as well for Pacific lobster as it does for Atlantic. With the Maine-ers you get more claw meat. With the Left Coasters you get more tail meat. Both good.

Very true; rock lobsters have anywhere from two to three times the amount of tail as Maine lobsters, and are usually easier to open. But the claw meat of the Maine is just damn delicious.

You know, I forgot to include the melted butter in the recipe. Better fix that.
 
On the suggestion of NekoParks after my post in the What Did You Have For Dinner thread, I am posting, to the best of my recollection, how I prepared that meal. I always cook on the fly, without really measuring anything, so the following ingredients are approximate in their proportions.

You will need:

Two live Maine lobsters, about 1 pound each
Three ounces of cream cheese
One-third cup of Panko bread crumbs
One-half cup diced chives
One-half cup diced red, orange or yellow sweet pepper
One garlic clove, minced
Spices to taste (I like to use a little paprika, oregano, and rosemary, about a pinch of each)
Four tablespoons butter or preferable equivalent

Preparation: It is best that the lobsters are kept alive until just before you start cooking. Obviously, this recipe is not for the squeamish.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

You will need a large pot into which both lobsters can fit flat. Place a wire basket upside-down within the pot for the lobsters to perch upon, and fill the bottom of the pot with water until it is just under the top of the upside-down basket. Place upon the stove and bring to a boil.

Take the lobsters and, with a small, slender knife, pierce each through the head. Next, you will want to keep the tail straight. I use tongue depressors and bamboo fiber, lashing the depressor to the tail with the fiber. You can also use a wooden skewer to pierce the tail along its length.

Place the lobsters into the pot, drape the lid with a towel, and put the lid on the pot. The lobsters will need to steam for about ten minutes.

While the lobsters are steaming, mix the cheese, pepper, chives, breadcrumbs, minced garlic and whatever other spices you wish to use together in a mixing bowl.

After ten minutes, remove the lobsters from the pot and rinse under cold water. This stops the cooking process; if the lobsters keep cooking due to carryover temperature, the meat within may shrivel.

Place the cooled lobsters upside-down on a cutting board. With a large knife, split the bodies and gently crack them open, exposing all the wonderful innards. Use a spoon to scoop out all the internal organs. If you have a cat, he or she will absolutely love this treat.

Fill the cavities of the lobsters with the cream cheese mixture, then place them on a baking sheet. heat them in the oven for about ten minutes, maybe more or less depending on elevation.

While the lobsters bake, melt the butter. I usually do it in the microwave since it's fast and it doesn't really matter how you melt it. Best to place two tablespoons into a pair of ramekins or souffle cups before melting.

Remove lobster and transfer to plates. I like to serve mine with steamed broccoli (don't steam it in the same pot as the lobsters) and pan-seared potatoes (white or gold potatoes, quartered, work especially well).

Enjoy. :D

Note: Eating lobster is messy. There's no way around it. Wear a bib or clothing you don't mind getting splashed with lobster water and goo. Plus, if you don't have the right tools to crack open the claws and limbs, and you don't know how to do it by hand, it can get frustrating.

Thank you for posting your recipe. I'm printing and saving it in my recipe folder. :)
 
Strawberry Bread

Combine and mix thoroughly all dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl:

Use a sifter to combine the following ingredients in a large mixing bowl:
3 cups of flour
1 t baking soda
1 t cinnamon
1/2 t salt

Slowly add the sugar into the flour mixture:
1 cup of granulated white sugar
1 cup of Turbinado sugar (Don’t use brown sugar. If you don’t have Turbinado sugar, then use white sugar.)

Combine the following liquid ingredients in a separate bowl:
1 10 ounce package of thawed frozen strawberries
1 cup of salad oil
4 well-beaten large eggs (beat the eggs in a separate bowl prior to adding to this mixture)
1 t of vanilla

Make a well in the center of the bowl of dry ingredients and slowly pour the strawberry, salad oil, vanilla, and egg mixture. Use a whisk or a spoon to mix dry and liquid ingredients together. Pour the batter into 2 greased and floured 4x8 inch loaf pans. Bake 1 hour @ 350 degrees.
 
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I promised this recipe to a few people the other day. If you'd rather finish the beer on your own, feel free to substitute their icing for a store-bought container.
(recipe from Chatelaine magazine)

Chocolate Guinness Cake
Prep: 30 minutes
Bake: 25 minutes

Cake:
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
¾ cup cocoa powder
1 ½ tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
¾ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup lightly packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup dark stout beer, such as Guinness, or your favorite beer

Icing:
3 cups icing sugar
½ cup cocoa powder
½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1/3 cup beer or milk
1 tsp vanilla
Generous pinch of salt
1 ¼ cup candied beer nuts, chopped (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350F (180C). Lightly oil or spray two 8-inch (20-cm) round cake pans (I recommend also dusting them with flour). Sift flour with cocoa, baking powder, soda and salt into a medium bowl. Stir to mix. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter with sugar for three minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after additions. Beat in vanilla. Using a wooden spoon, stir about one-third of flour mixture into butter mixture. Add half the beer. Repeat additions, ending with flour. Stir just until evenly mixed. Pour batter into pans and smooth top.

2. Bake in center of oven until a cake tester inserted in center of cake comes out clean, 25-28 minutes. Cool in pans on a rack for 10 minutes. Run a knife around inside edge of each pan then turn cakes out onto a rack. Cool completely.

3. For icing, sift icing sugar with cocoa into a bowl. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter until creamy, 2-3 minutes. Gradually beat half the icing sugar mixture into the butter, scraping down the sides as needed. The mixture will be dry at this point. Gradually beat in beer or milk, vanilla and salt, then remaining icing sugar mixture.

4. To frost, place one cake, top side down, on a cake plate. Spread one-third of the icing overtop. Sprinkle with 1 cup nuts. Place remaining cake on top, domed side up. Gently press down. Spread it with half the remaining icing, then spread the sides with icing. Garnish with remaining nuts. Cake will keep well, covered, at room temperature up to two days.
 
I promised this recipe to a few people the other day. If you'd rather finish the beer on your own, feel free to substitute their icing for a store-bought container.
(recipe from Chatelaine magazine)

Chocolate Guinness Cake
Prep: 30 minutes
Bake: 25 minutes

Cake:
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
¾ cup cocoa powder
1 ½ tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
¾ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup lightly packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup dark stout beer, such as Guinness, or your favorite beer

Icing:
3 cups icing sugar
½ cup cocoa powder
½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1/3 cup beer or milk
1 tsp vanilla
Generous pinch of salt
1 ¼ cup candied beer nuts, chopped (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350F (180C). Lightly oil or spray two 8-inch (20-cm) round cake pans (I recommend also dusting them with flour). Sift flour with cocoa, baking powder, soda and salt into a medium bowl. Stir to mix. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter with sugar for three minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after additions. Beat in vanilla. Using a wooden spoon, stir about one-third of flour mixture into butter mixture. Add half the beer. Repeat additions, ending with flour. Stir just until evenly mixed. Pour batter into pans and smooth top.

2. Bake in center of oven until a cake tester inserted in center of cake comes out clean, 25-28 minutes. Cool in pans on a rack for 10 minutes. Run a knife around inside edge of each pan then turn cakes out onto a rack. Cool completely.

3. For icing, sift icing sugar with cocoa into a bowl. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter until creamy, 2-3 minutes. Gradually beat half the icing sugar mixture into the butter, scraping down the sides as needed. The mixture will be dry at this point. Gradually beat in beer or milk, vanilla and salt, then remaining icing sugar mixture.

4. To frost, place one cake, top side down, on a cake plate. Spread one-third of the icing overtop. Sprinkle with 1 cup nuts. Place remaining cake on top, domed side up. Gently press down. Spread it with half the remaining icing, then spread the sides with icing. Garnish with remaining nuts. Cake will keep well, covered, at room temperature up to two days.

Anna,
Thank you so much for posting this recipe. I'm going to try it this weekend. Neko
 
Depending on how well the meat loaf I am currently baking turns out, I am or may not post the recipe later . . . .
 
Pecan Pie (Recipe over 100 years old)

With the holidays coming up, I thought that I would share an old family recipe. This is my grandmother's recipe for Pecan Pie. I didn't include a pie crust recipe, since most people know how to make one. Enjoy!

Grandmère's Pecan Pie

Ingredients

3 large eggs

3/4 cup granulated sugar (I prefer to use Turbinado Sugar—it has a richer taste than white sugar.)

1 cup of maple syrup

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened (Always use butter... never margarine.)

1 heaping tablespoon all purpose flour

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon grated orange zest

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon of a good quality bourbon or rum

1 cup of pecans, coarsely chopped

For Chocolate Pecan Pie: Reduce pecans to 3/4 cup and add in 1/2 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips with the pecans.


Instructions


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare the pie crust by placing it into an ungreased, regular 9-inch glass pie plate and fluting the edges. Don’t puncture the bottom of the crust, or it will stick. Put the pie crust in the freezer for 10 minutes or the fridge for 30 minutes. Always use a glass pie plate for this recipe. For some reason this pie is better in a glass pie plate.

Whisk the eggs together, then whisk in the sugar. Stir in the maple syrup and the softened butter; mix well. Add the salt, flour, orange zest, bourbon/rum and the vanilla; combine well and fold in the pecans. Warning: don’t over beat or over whisk the filling or it may turn runny.

Pour into unbaked pie shell and bake at 350 degrees for about 55 to 60 minutes or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Shield outside edges of the pie with a pie shield or aluminum foil about halfway through cooking to prevent overbrowning.

Pecan Pie Tips:

►Toast the pecans for extra flavor.

►Don't use a blender or a mixer. Use a whisk and a wooden spoon and hand mix only ... and don't beat it to death! Many pecans pies end up runny due to over-beating.

►Shield the edges of the pie about halfway through the cooking time to prevent over-browning.

►Let the pie cool completely before slicing. You should be able to hold the pie pan flat in the palm of your hand and it not be uncomfortable. If it's still too hot to do that, it's too hot to cut!

►The pie is done when a knife inserted into the center comes out fairly clean. The filling will still seem a bit jiggly as a whole, but that's normal and remember, it will continue cooking a bit even after removed, so you don't want to overcook it!
 
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Chilli Chicken

This is a family favourite - quick, easy and very tasty. Serve with boiled rice. Serves 5

Ingredients
A teaspoon of crushed dried chillis.
4 good-sized chicken breast fillets, skin removed, cuts into 1" cubes.
Around 6 Spring onions, sliced.
1" cube of root ginger, sliced into thin matchstick slivers (a teaspoon of preserved ginger will do).
2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped.
One small bottle (around 175ml) of dark soy sauce, a similar amount of light soy sauce and of rice wine (dry sherry is fine, too).

A wok works best for this, but a deep frying pan will work as well. Heat a tablespoon or so of oil along with the chillis until the oil shimmers, but before the chillis start to burnt. Stir fry the chicken until it's cooked, then add the spring onions, garlic and ginger, and stir for another minute or so. Then add the soy sauces and sherry, bring to the boil and then summer for 2 or 3 minutes. Serve the meat on a bed of boiled rice, and spoon sauce on to taste.

Sorry, all my recipes are a bit fast and loose, but this is as exact as I can make it.
S
 
I rarely post anywhere but the How-to board, but this thread is too tempting. :)

A simple, favorite go-to appetizer for those nights when you want to start the tease with layers of flavor (and it's what I happened to have for lunch today):

Blue Cheese and Walnut Spread

8 oz. cream cheese, softened
2 to 4 oz. blue cheese, crumbled (more or less, to suit your taste. Maytag is best!)
3/4 cup finely chopped walnuts
A sprinkling of fresh cut chives
A dash of Worcestershire sauce

Mix all ingredients in a bowl until smooth. (A pretty red bowl works well -- presentation matters!) Serve with toasted baguette or buttery crackers. For something a little more special, serve with a semi-dry red.

Note: Do not use the light cream cheese or neufchatel in this recipe. I think it destroys the delicate balance of the cream and blue.

I love this recipe. I'll have to try it. Thanks for posting it.:D
 
Chilli Chicken

This is a family favourite - quick, easy and very tasty. Serve with boiled rice. Serves 5

Ingredients
A teaspoon of crushed dried chillis.
4 good-sized chicken breast fillets, skin removed, cuts into 1" cubes.
Around 6 Spring onions, sliced.
1" cube of root ginger, sliced into thin matchstick slivers (a teaspoon of preserved ginger will do).
2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped.
One small bottle (around 175ml) of dark soy sauce, a similar amount of light soy sauce and of rice wine (dry sherry is fine, too).

A wok works best for this, but a deep frying pan will work as well. Heat a tablespoon or so of oil along with the chillis until the oil shimmers, but before the chillis start to burnt. Stir fry the chicken until it's cooked, then add the spring onions, garlic and ginger, and stir for another minute or so. Then add the soy sauces and sherry, bring to the boil and then summer for 2 or 3 minutes. Serve the meat on a bed of boiled rice, and spoon sauce on to taste.

Sorry, all my recipes are a bit fast and loose, but this is as exact as I can make it.
S

This sounds delicious. I'll have to try it. Thank you for posting it. :D
 
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