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November's Recipe

Peanut Brittle

Ingredients

Serves 4

·      Unsalted butter, softened, for baking sheet

·      2 cups sugar

·      Pinch of salt

·      1 1/2 cups/7 oz. salted peanuts (Cashews or Almonds)

·      Vegetable oil, for spatula

Directions

1.    Butter a rimmed baking sheet; set aside. Stir together sugar, 1/2 cup water, and the salt in a medium saucepan. Cook over high heat, without stirring, until sugar begins to melt and turn golden, about 3 minutes. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until sugar has melted and mixture turns golden amber, about 10 minutes.

2.    Remove pan from heat. Stir in peanuts. Immediately pour peanut mixture onto buttered baking sheet. Quickly spread mixture to 1/2 inch thick using an oiled metal spatula. Let cool completely, about 15 minutes. Break brittle into pieces. Brittle can be stored in an airtight container, up to 2 weeks.

October's Recipe

Harvest Pumpkin Cheesecake Pie

6 tablespoon butter, melted

2 8 oz. pkgs. cream cheese at room temperature

4 eggs, slightly beaten

2 cups ginger cookies, finely crushed

1 cup pumpkin (from a can)

1 cup brown sugar, tightly packed

¾ cup milk

¼ cup flour

1 ½ teaspoon vanilla

1 t each cinnamon, ginger & allspice

½ teaspoon each nutmeg and salt

1 cup sour cream

1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

Combine the butter and cookie crumbs, line a cheesecake pan and bake at 350º 10 – 12 minutes.  Beat the cream cheese until it’s smooth. Add in the pumpkin and sugar. Beat 3-5 minutes until it is fluffy. Add flour, spices, salt and vanilla. When well mixed add the milk and eggs.  Pour into the cooled crust and bake at 350º 1 ¼ to 1 ½ hours. Turn off oven and leave for slightly open. Leave pie in the oven to cool for 1 hour. Remove and allow to cool two more hours.  Stir together the sour cream, sugar and vanilla and spread over the cooled pie and refrigerate.

Serve chilled not at room temperature.

September's Recipe

Shrimp Pad Thai

Serves 6

·       8 ounces rice-stick noodles

·       1/4 cup tomato-based chili sauce

·       1/4 cup fresh lime juice

·       3 tablespoons soy sauce

·       2 tablespoons light-brown sugar

• 1 tablespoon anchovy paste

·       4 tablespoons vegetable oil

·       4 garlic cloves, minced

·       1 pound peeled and deveined medium shrimp

·       3 cups bean sprouts, plus more for garnish

·       8 scallions, trimmed, halved lengthwise, and cut crosswise into 2-inch pieces

·       1 large egg, lightly beaten

·       ASSORTED GARNISHES (OPTIONAL)

·       1/3 cup chopped dry-roasted peanuts

·       Pinch of red-pepper flakes

·       3 cups bean sprouts, plus more for garnish

·       1/4 cup fresh cilantro

·       Lime wedges

Directions

1.     Bring a large pot of water to a boil; remove from heat. Stir in noodles; let soak until softened (but still undercooked), 3 minutes. Drain; rinse under cold water until cool.

2.     In a small bowl, whisk together chili sauce, lime juice, soy sauce, brown sugar, and anchovy paste. In a large nonstick skillet, heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium-high heat. Add garlic, and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add shrimp; cook, tossing often, until just opaque throughout, about 3 minutes. Transfer shrimp to a plate.

3.     Return skillet to medium-high heat. Add remaining 2 tablespoons oil along with the noodles and chili-sauce mixture; cook, tossing, until combined, about 1 minute. Add bean sprouts, scallions, and shrimp. Pour in egg; toss until noodles are coated and cooked through, about 2 minutes. Serve, topped with garnishes, if desired.

Chefs Hint

Rice noodles are very delicate; for best results, have the other ingredients cut and measured before you begin, and make sure to undercook the noodles in the first step. The combination of anchovy paste and soy sauce is a good substitution for Asian fish sauce, which is used to flavor many Thai dishes.

July & Augusts' Recipe

Spinach & Goat Cheese Stuffed Mushrooms

Makes about 24

·       Olive oil, for baking sheet

·       3 slices white sandwich bread

·       1 small garlic clove, coarsely chopped

·       1 log (5 ounces) soft goat cheese, crumbled

·       1/2 cup fresh parsley leaves

·       1/2 cup fresh spinach

·       1/4 teaspoon red-pepper flakes

·       Coarse salt

·       White Pepper

·       2 packages (10 ounces each) white button mushrooms, stems removed

Directions

1.     Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly oil a rimmed baking sheet.

2.     In a food processor, pulse bread and garlic until fine crumbs form; set 1/2 cup aside. To food processor, add goat cheese, parsley, and red-pepper flakes. Season with salt & white pepper, and pulse filling until combined.

3.     Spoon filling into each mushroom, and roll filled side in reserved breadcrumbs. Place on prepared baking sheet; bake until mushrooms are tender and lightly browned, 15 to 20 minutes.

June's Recipe

Steak Marinade

INGREDIENTS:

1 c. Barbeque Sauce

¼ c. Steak Sauce (HP Sauce)

4 Tbsp. Red Wine Vinegar

4 Tbsp. Soy Sauce

5 Tbsp. Worcestershire Sauce

1 Tbsp. Prepared Mustard

1 Clove. Garlic, Minced

Salt & Pepper to taste

Directions:

May's Recipe

Easy Bake Strawberry Short Cake

1 qt. fresh strawberries
1 c. sugar
2 c. all-purpose flour
2 tbsp. sugar
3 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1/3 c. shortening
1 c. milk
Butter
Light cream or sweetened whipped cream

Slice strawberries, sprinkle with 1 cup sugar and let stand 1 hour.

Heat oven 450 degrees. Grease round layer pan, 8 x 1 1/2 inches.

Measure the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt into bowl. Cut in shortening thoroughly until mixture looks mixed.  Stir in milk just until blended.

Pat into pan. Bake 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Split short cake while warm.  Spread with butter, fill and top with fresh berries. Serve warm with cream. 

April's Recipe

Chicken and Sausage Gumbo Soup

INGREDIENTS:

3 1/2 pounds frying chicken, 1 onion (cut in chunks), celery leaves, 1 teaspoon salt, 5 cups reserved broth, 6 slices bacon (diced), 1 pound smoked andouille or smoked sausage (sliced 1/4" thick), 1 1/2 cups chopped onion, 2 green bell peppers (chopped), 2 celery ribs (chopped), 3 cloves garlic (minced), 3 tomatoes (peeled and chopped or 1 (14.5 ounces) can diced tomatoes), 1 can (approx. 15 ounces) tomato puree , 1 package (10 ounces) frozen corn kernels (thawed), 1 package (10 ounces) frozen sliced okra (thawed), 1 tablespoon fresh chopped thyme or 1 teaspoon dried leaf thyme.

PREPARATION:

Combine chicken the onion chunks, celery leaves & salt in a Dutch oven or large kettle. Add water to cover. Bring to a boil; cover & reduce heat let simmer about 45 minutes, or until chicken is tender.

Remove chicken, reserving 5 cups of the chicken broth; discard onion and celery leaves. Remove chicken from bones; cut into bite sized pieces. Set aside.

Cook bacon and sausage in a large Dutch oven over medium heat until bacon is crisp. Remove bacon and sausage, reserving 1 tablespoon drippings in Dutch oven. Crumble bacon, set bacon and sausage aside. Add onion, pepper, celery, and garlic to Dutch oven; cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until vegetables are tender. Add chicken, bacon, sausage, reserved broth (should be approximately 5 cups), tomatoes, and remaining ingredients. Bring mixture to a Boil, reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 1 ½ hours.

March's Recipe

Hot Crossed Buns Recipe

1 cup milk, 2 tbsp yeast, 1/2 cup sugar, 2 tsp salt, 1/3 cup butter (melted and cooled), 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp nutmeg, 4 eggs, 5 cups flour, 1 1/3 cups raisins and 1 egg white.

Glaze: 1 1/3 cup confectioner's sugar, 1 1/2 tsp finely chopped lemon zest, 1/2 tsp lemon extract and 1-2 tbsp milk.

Directions:  In a small saucepan, heat milk until warm, being careful not to exceed 110 F.  Pour warm milk into a bowl and sprinkle with yeast.  Mix to dissolve and set aside for 5 minutes.  Add sugar, salt, butter, cinnamon, nutmeg and eggs, stir constantly.  Gradually mix in flour.  Dough will remain wet and sticky.  Knead until smooth, about 5 minutes.  Cover bowl and set aside for 30-45 minutes.  Knead again until smooth and elastic, about 3 minutes.  Add raisins and knead until they are well incorporated.  The dough will still be sticky.  Shape it into a ball and put it into a buttered dish.  Cover and let rise overnight in the refrigerator.  The next day, let the dough sit out at room temperature for 30 minutes.  Meanwhile, line a large baking pan with parchment paper.

Divide dough into 24 equal pieces and shape each piece into a ball.  Place balls 1/2" apart on baking sheet and cover with a clean kitchen towel.  Let rise in a warm, draft free area until doubled in size.  This will take close to 1 1/2 hours.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Slash the tops of the buns with a serrated edge in the shape of a cross.  Brush with egg white and place in the oven.  After 10 minutes, reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F.  Bake about 15 minutes more, until buns are golden brown.  Remove buns to a cooling rack, whisk together glaze ingredients and spoon over the buns in the cross pattern.

February's Recipe

Dean's Beef Tenderloin Pinot Noir & Wild Mushroom Sauce

2 (8oz) Filet's, kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper, 2 bacon strips, 2 Tbls extra-virgin olive oil, 1 lb mushrooms various kinds, 1 Tbls finely chopped garlic, 2 sprigs rosemary, 2 cups Pinot Noir, 2 Tbls prepared beef gravy, 2 Tbls unsalted butter. Preheat oven to 375F.

Directions: season both sides of the beef generously with salt & pepper. Wrap bacon around side of each steak, secure with twine or tooth pick. In a large ovenproof skillet, heat the oil over medium high heat until almost smoking. Place steaks in hot pan, cook until well seared on 1 side (about 3 min) Add mushrooms, garlic, and rosemary, stir. Transfer pan to the oven, roast 10-12 min or until steaks are cooked med-rare (soft in Middle)     Place steaks, mushrooms & rosemary into a platter and keep warm. Return the pan to the stove over med-high heat. Deglaze with wine, scraping up all the yummy bits in the bottom of the pan. Stir & mix in the beef gravy. Put steaks & mushrooms back in pan & coat in the sauce from the pan. finish with a couple of Tbls of butter to make it rich. Put steak & mushrooms on plates, take tooth picks out or twine. Pour wine sauce on top & garnish with the rosemary sprig.  Serve with your favorite potato & veggies.  

January's Recipe

Dean's Home made Baileys Irish Cream

3  Whole Eggs, 15 oz Canned Mild or "Eagle Brand," 1/2 pint of Whipping Cream, 1/2 tbsp Coconut Extract, 3 Tsp. Chocolate Syrup, 13 oz. Scotch Whiskey.

Directions: combine all ingredients in a blender and blend for 1 minute, let stand over night and bottle the next day. No need for waiting time, Pour a glass over ice and ENJOY!