Lentil Soup

4 carrots
4 stalks celery
1 large onion
2 quarts chicken stock
1 15 oz can tomato sauce
1/2 cup red wine
1 lb lentils

Place carrots, celery and onion in a food processor and pulse until fine.
Add to a stock pot and saute for 10 minutes, stirring frequently.
Add  Lentils, chicken stock, wine and tomato sauce.

Cover and simmer for about 2 hours, until Lentils are done.

Bechamel/Cheese Sauce

1 T butter
1.5 T flour
1 cup milk/cream, or  1/2 and 1/2
1/3 cup grated/shredded cheese, cheddar, etc.

In medium sauce pan melt butter
Add flour and incorporate butter into it
Slowly add milk and bring to a simmer, stirring so the pot does not burn. You will see it start to thicken
Add cheese, stir until melted

White Wine Sauce

1/3 cup finely chopped onion or shallots
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup white wine
2 T butter
1/2  T oil

Heat a frying pan with the oil in it
Sautee onion/shallots for 5-6 minutes
Add wine and simmer 5 minutes
Add chicken broth and bring to boil.
Reduce heat and add butter, stir.

Pound Cake

1 1/2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
6 large eggs
2 T vanilla extract
4 1/2 t baking powder
3/4 cup milk

Pre heat oven to 350

Cream butter and sugar
Add eggs and mix well
Add all other items and mix for 2-3 minutes, making sure all is blended.

Flour and butter (you can use no stick spray) a tube pan

Pour batter in and bake for about 45-50 minutes.

Ranch Dressing

1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 cup milk
1 tsp onion powder

Mix all in a bowl
Refrigate for 1 hour prior to serving to allow the flavors to blend

Macaroni Salad

1lb Elbow pasta, MUST be Elbows, they will absorb the mixture the best.

All measurements by weight.

1 oz. white vinegar
1/2 oz. salt
1/2 oz. sugar
1 oz. onion
12 oz. Mayonnaise
1 grated carrot
1 oz. finely diced onion
2 1/2 oz. finely diced celery

Boil pasta as per the directions, about 7 minutes once it comes to a boil.
Remove from water and drain, run cold water over the pasta and drain well.

Place celery, onions and carrots in a food processor and pulse until they are finely chopped.

Combine mayonnaise, sugar, vinegar and salt with celery, onion and carrot mixture. Mix well.

Place in bowl, cover and refrigerate prior to serving.

Meatballs

3.5 lbs ground beef (round if possible)
3 eggs
1.5 cups breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon granulated garlic
1  teaspoon salt
1.5 tablespoon gralic powder
3/4 cup grating cheese


Mix all in bowl, use ½ cup dry measure cup for balls.

Put on greased cookie sheet and bake at 425 F. for 45 min (about and check after 30 minutes)

Makes about 15

Stuffed Clams

1 Dozen little neck or cherry stone clams, cleaned
1 Cup bread crumbs
2 Teaspoons garlic powder
1/2 - 3/4 Cup chicken stock
Olive oil for drizzle over clams

Place clams in a 450 degree oven until they just open. Remove from oven.

Open throwing away 1/2 of the shell and removing clam from the other half, then place back.

Mix bread crumbs, garlic powder and enough chicken stock to make a fairly firm mixture.

Place the mixture over the clam, in each shell.

Drizzle with olive oil.

Place on cookie sheet with about 1/2 cup water.

Broil until the tops are brown.

HINT: If you purchase clams the day before, rinse well, refrigerate and place in a container with a wet towel over them.

Spring Rolls

Ingredients

    * 4 teaspoons vegetable oil
    * 1 medium head cabbage, finely shredded
    * 4 carrots,finely shredded
    * 1 (8 ounce) can shredded bamboo shoots
    * 1 can broken up straw mushrooms
    * 2 teaspoons soy sauce
    * 1/2 tablespoon Oyster Sauce
    * 1 Tablespoon Corn Starch
    * 1 teaspoon sugar
    * 1 (14 ounce) package egg roll wrappers
    * 4 cups oil for frying, or as needed

Directions

Heat 1 teaspoon vegetable oil in a  large skillet over medium heat.

Heat the remaining vegetable oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat. Stir in cabbage and carrot; cook for 2 minutes to wilt. Add bamboo, mushroom, soy sauce, salt and sugar.Continue cooking until the vegetables soften, about 6 minutes,add corn starch and cook an additional minute.

To assemble the egg rolls, place a wrapper onto your work surface with one corner pointing towards you. Place about 1 1/2 - 2 kitchen sized tablespoons of cooled filling in a heap onto the bottom third of the wrapper.

Heat about 6-inches of oil in a pot until hot.

Fry egg rolls 3 or 4 at a time until golden brown, 8 - 12 minutes. Drain on paper towels.


You can fry ahead of time, drain and  keep at room temp, then place on a cookie sheet and re heat for about 15 minutes in a 500 degree oven.

Hummus

Ingredients:

• 1 can garbanzo beans/chickepeas, drained
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 tablespoon sesame seed oil
• 1.5 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• t teaspoon corriander
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder

Preparation:

In a food processor, blend all ingredients together until smooth and creamy.

Old-Fashioned Ice Box Dessert

Old-Fashioned Ice Box Dessert

What You Need!
7-1/2 HONEY MAID Honey Grahams, broken in half (15 squares)
1 pkg. (8 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
2 cups cold milk 1 pkg. (3.4 oz.)
JELL-O Vanilla Flavor Instant Pudding
1 tub (8 oz.) COOL WHIP Whipped Topping, thawed
1/3 cup BAKER'S ANGEL FLAKE Coconut, toasted

Make It!

COVER bottom of 13x9-inch pan with grahams.

BEAT cream cheese in large bowl with mixer until creamy. Gradually add milk, mixing until well blended after each addition. Add dry pudding mix; beat 1 min. Gently stir in COOL WHIP; spread over grahams.

Sprinkle toasted coconut over each slice as it it is served. 

REFRIGERATE several hours. Top with coconut just before serving.

Kraft Kitchens Tips
How to Toast Coconut

Spread coconut evenly into thin layer on baking sheet. Bake at 350°F for 7 to 12 min. or until lightly browned, stirring occasionally.

Portuguese Fried Donuts - Big Batch

Malassadas (mel- ah- sah- dish) Portuguese Fried Donuts
1 1/4 tsp dry yeast
2 Tablespoons warm water
1/2 cup milk
1/4  stick butter
1/2 cup sugar
6 eggs, well beaten
5 cups flour

Dissolve yeast in warm water.
Melt butter in Milk.
Add sugar; stir until sugar is dissolved.
Add beaten eggs and yeast mixture. Stir and blend well.
Add flour and mix until all flour is dampened, mix until smooth.
If dough is too wet, add a little flour as needed.
Place in greased bowls, cover with a towel and let rise until dough doubles in bulk, usually several hours.
Heat vegetable oil for deep frying to 375 degrees. Keep a deep-fat thermometer in the oil and maintain the heat at 350-375 degrees.
Dip fingers in a bowl of flour as you work, to keep dough from sticking.
Pinch off pieces of dough, stretching it and flattening it; then fry until brown.

Use tongs to remove. Drain on paper towels.

Sprinkle with granulated sugar, cinnamon-sugar, or confectioners sugar.

Put the finished product into a paper bag with the sugar and shake, shake, shake.

Olive Tapenade

Olive Tapenade

1 can pitted olives, black,
3 ounces green olives, Sicilian, Greek, NO pimento
3 ounces Kalmata Olives
2 anchovy filet's, optional
1/2 jar capers, ground, optional
2 t garlic powder
1/2 t. mustard
1/2 t. mayonnaise
1 T. lemon juice
1 t. balsamic vinegar (red)
1/2 T. cognac or brandy
3/4 C. good quality extra-virgin olive oil

Combine all ingredients in the bowl of a food processor and pulse to combine well, then allow to process until mixture is coarsely pureed.

Taste for seasoning, then serve as a dip alongside crusty bread with goat cheese, grilled vegetables or chicken, or tossed with pasta and fresh herbs.

Stuffed Steak Rolls

Stuffed Steak Rolls

2 lbs boneless sirloin, sliced into 1/2 inch thickness (braciole)
1/2 lb. pork sausage cooked
1/2 C. breadcrumbs
1 egg
3 T. oil
1/2 C. water
2 onions sliced

Have butcher cut steak into paper thin slices.
Flatten steak slices on wax paper.
Remove, skin from sausage and break up into small pieces.
Mix sausage with breadcrumbs, egg, garlic, salt and pepper.
Spread the mixture on steak pieces and roll. Fasten with toothpicks.
Add water, marjoram and onion slices. Cover and bake for 45 -60 minutes adding water or wine if pan dries out.

Banana Date - Nut Loaf

Banana Date-Nut Loaf

1/2 cup Sugar
1 stick butter, margarine OR 1 cup butter flavored Crisco
1 egg
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups flour
3 medium ripe bananas
10 cut dates 1/4 cup coarsely chopped nuts

Beat egg, sugar and butter together.
Gradually fold in baking soda, flour, salt and dates.
Mash bananas and mix. Add nuts.
Place equally in 2 loaf pans, filled 1/2 way

Bake at 350 degrees for one hour.

Spread it with cream cheese!!

White Chocolate Cheese Cake

White Chocolate Cheese Cake

18 oz. White chocolate, broken into ½ oz. Pieces
½ C. heavy cream
2 lb. Cream cheese softened
1 C granulated sugar

6 eggs

Chocolate Ganache

½ c. heavy cream
1 T. unsalted butter
1 T. granulated sugar
3 oz. Semisweet chocolate

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Coat the inside of a 9" x 3" springform pan with 1 tablespoon of butter.

Place the white chocolate and ½ C heavy cream in a microwave safe container. Cover and allow to heat for about 3-4 minutes. Remove from oven, check and if more time is needed add in 30 second amounts. Once melted stir until smooth. Set aside until needed.

Place softened cream cheese, 1 C. sugar and salt into bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle and beat on low for 1 minute, on medium for 1 minute and high for 1 minute.

Scrape down bowl.

Add the eggs, 2 at a time, beating on medium for 15 seconds after adding, and scrape down the bowl after each addition.

Add the vanilla extract and the melted chocolate mixture, then beat on medium for 15 seconds.

Remove the bowl from the mixer. Use a rubber spatula to finish mixing the batter until it is smooth and thoroughly combined. Pour the cheesecake mixture into the prepared 10"  x 3" springform pan, spreading evenly.

Place a baking pan partially filled with hot water on the bottom rack of the oven (the bottom rack should be at least 3 inches below the center rack).

Place the springform pan on the center rack of the oven and bake for 20 minutes.

Lower the temperature to 250 degrees F. and bake for 20 minutes.

Lower the temperature to 225 degrees F. and bake for 20 minutes.

Then lower the temperature to 200 degrees F. and bake the cheesecake until the internal temperature of the cheesecake filling reaches 170 F., about 3 hours.

Turn off the oven and allow the cheesecake to remain the oven undisturbed for an additional hour.

Remove from the oven and cool at room temperature for 1 hour.

Refrigerate the cheesecake for 12 hours (do not remove the cake from the pan).

After the cheesecake has been refrigerated for 12 hours, prepare the chocolate ganache.

Heat 1/3 cup heavy cream, semisweet chocolate,1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon sugar in a microwave safe bowl for 3 minutes, checking after 2 minutes. over medium high heat. Remove from oven and stir until smooth.

Pour over the top of the chilled cheesecake.

Use a rubber spatula to spread the ganache evenly over the top of the cake, being careful not to spread it over the edges and sides of the cheesecake. Refrigerate 30 minutes to set.

The cheesecake can now be released from the springform pan.

Heat the blade of the knife under hot running water before slicing into the cheesecake. Cut the cheesecake with the knife, reheating the slicer after each slice.

NOTE: For a variation you can replace the white chocolate with an equal amount of semiweet or dark chocolate.