Author: sarah

Egg Drop Soup

4 cups chicken broth

1/8 teaspoon ground ginger or 1/2 teaspoon fresh grated ginger

2 Tablespoons chopped fresh chives or green onions

1 Tablespoon cornstarch

1 egg

1 egg yolk

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Reserve 3/4 cup of the chicken broth, and pour the rest into a medium saucepan.  Stir in the ginger and chives and bring to a rolling boil.

In a 1 cup glass measure (with spout), stir together remaining broth and cornstarch.

In another 1 cup glass measure (with spout), whisk the egg and egg yolk together.  Drizzle egg a little at a time into the boiling broth mixture.  Egg will cook immediately.  Once the eggs have been dropped, pour in the cornstarch mixture and stir until the soup is the desired consistency.

Recipe adapted from allrecipes.com

Pecan Pie Bars

Crust:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup white sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup unsalted butter, cold (10 2/3 Tablespoons)

Filling:
3 eggs
1 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 2/3 cups chopped pecans

Instructions:
1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9X13 baking dish with heavy foil and spray with cooking spray.

2.In a large bowl, stir together the flour, 1/3 cup sugar, and salt. Cut in 2/3 cup butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. You can use a pastry blender or just two knives. Sprinkle the mixture evenly over the prepared pan, and press in firmly.

3.Bake for 20 minutes in the preheated oven.

4.While the crust is baking, prepare the filling. In a large bowl mix together the eggs, corn syrup, 1/2 cup white sugar, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 2 tablespoons margarine, and vanilla until smooth. Stir in the chopped pecans. Spread the filling evenly over the crust as soon as it comes out of the oven.

5.Bake for 25-30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until set. I usually like things on the rare side and a little gooey but these you want cooked all the way through so make sure the middle is set. If the top starts getting to browned cover with aluminum foil.

6.Allow to cool completely on a wire rack before slicing into bars with a sharp knife.

Tomato Bisque

2 pounds tomatoes
2 cubes beef bouillon, crumbled
1 tablespoon white sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 bay leaf
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 cup butter
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 quart milk
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Run the tomatoes through a food mill to remove the seeds and skins, and place in a large pot over medium heat. Stir in the bouillon, sugar, salt, bay leaf, basil and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, and simmer 30 minutes. (If you’re going to can this mixture, process it now.)
In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Whisk in flour all at once to form a roux, cook 1 minute. Whisk in milk, a little at a time, cooking and stirring constantly until thickened. Stir into tomato mixture and heat through.
Recipe from allrecipes.com

Marge’s Rhubarb Upside-Down Cake

9-10 stalks rhubarb, diced
4 T. butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 tsp cinnamon
(can add strawberries or strawberry jam)
Preheat oven to 375. Melt butter over medium heat in a cast iron skillet. Add rhubarb and brown sugar, cinnamon and strawberries (if desired). Cook down until mixture is soft, over low heat, about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, make the batter.
1 stick softened unsalted butter
3/4 cup splenda or sugar
1 pinch sea salt
1 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
2 eggs, beaten
2 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup milk
(sour cream and a little baking soda may be added for special occasions)
Cream butter and splenda/sugar. Combine dry ingredients. Combine eggs, milk and vanilla. Alternately mix dry and wet ingredients with butter/sugar mixture until incorporated. Pour batter evenly over rhubarb in cast iron skillet. Bake at 375 for 10 minutes. Turn oven down to 325 and finish baking for 12-15 more minutes.

Easter Ham

1 (7- to 10-pound) bone-in half ham (shank end if you can find one)

Glaze of your choice (see below)

1 large Reynolds oven bag

REMOVE the ham from the packaging. If there’s a plastic disc covering the bone, discard it.

PREHEAT oven to 325 degrees.  Sprinkle 1 T flour in a large oven bag.  Place ham (fat side up) in bag and tie off.  Cut 6 slits in the top of the bag and place in a 325 degree oven.  Bake 20 minutes per pound.

To make glaze:

COMBINE the glaze ingredients in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Reduce to medium-low and simmer until syrupy and slightly reduced, 5 to 10 minutes. Keep warm.

REMOVE the ham from the oven 30 minutes prior to it being done.  Use a bulb baster to transfer 1 to 2 cups of ham juices from the bag to the glaze.  Discard bag and remaning juices.  Trim rind and fat from ham and discard.   Brush trimmed ham all over with glaze. Return to the oven, uncovered, and continue roasting about 30 minutes, brushing with glaze every 10 minutes. (Tent it loosely with foil if it’s getting too brown.)

REMOVE from oven and let stand 10-20 minutes before carving. Boil remaining glaze in a small saucepan to reduce slightly.  Serve on the side with the ham.

GLAZES:

Spicy Pineapple Ginger Glaze: 2 cups packed brown sugar, 1 cup pineapple juice, 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger, 1 tablespoon red pepper flakes.

Dr Pepper: 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar, 1/2 cup Dr Pepper, 2 tablespoons orange juice and 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard.

Orange Mustard: 3/4 cup orange marmalade, 1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice, 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

Apple Mustard Glaze: 1 cup packed light brown sugar, 3 tablespoons dry mustard, 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves and 1/3 cup apple juice.

Honey Mustard Glaze: 1 cup packed light brown sugar, 1/2 cup honey, 2 tablespoons brown or yellow mustard, 1/4 cup water.

Yield: 14 to 20 servings.

Fry Bread

1 1/3 cups flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup lukewarm (110 degree) water
oil for frying
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Heat oil 1 inch deep in small nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Combine frybread ingredients until a soft dough forms. Separate dough into four equal pieces. Flour hands and flatten a dough ball into a patty 1/2 inch thick, making a small hole in the middle so steam will escape. Fry in hot oil, turning once to crisp both sides of fry bread. Repeat with remaining dough balls. Makes 4 pieces. Serve with honey or with taco toppings for Indian tacos.

Kim’s Purple Lady Salad

6 oz pkg raspberry Jell-O

1 lb can of blueberries, undrained

1 sm can crushed pineapple, undrained

1 cup boiling water

8 oz carton cool whip

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Dissolve Jell-O in hot water, add blueberries and pineapple (with their juices).  Refrigerate until almost set.  Stir in cool whip.  Refrigerate until set.

Julie’s Grape Salad

4 lbs of grapes (red and green)
8 oz cream cheese (softened)
8 oz sour cream
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup brown sugar
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Blend cream cheese, sour cream, 1/2 cup sugar and 1 tsp vanilla. Mix in grapes. Combine pecans and brown sugar. Sprinkle on top!

Orange-Sesame Vinaigrette–for Napa salad

4 tsp sesame seeds
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3 T orange juice (fresh preferred–juice of 1 orange)
1 T red wine vinegar
4 green onions, thinly sliced
2 tsp honey
1 tsp grated ginger
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp toasted sesame oil
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Toast the sesame seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat, stirring until golden, about 10 minutes. Combine all ingredients and whisk together. Can be used as the dressing in Napa/Ramen salad.

Balsamic Vinaigrette

3/4 cup olive oil
1 T red wine vinegar
2 T balsamic vinegar
2 tsp shallot (opt)
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 garlic clove, minced
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
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Combine ingredients by whisking together, or in the food processor.