Cherry, Cranberry, and Nut Chutney

Not the same old Cranberry Relish!

As of 2007, this has become a real family favorite

(as long as we also have the jellied cranberry sauce available too!)

Cooking Light suggestions: Aside from making a stellar accompaniment to roast turkey, this chutney is great for gift giving; pack in a ribbon-tied jelly jar. It also goes well with roast chicken, pork tenderloin, or ham.

1 cup sugar
1 cup water
1/2 cup port or other sweet red wine (I also used 100% red grape juice as a sub)
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice (I prefer to use cinnamon alone)
1/2 cup dried tart cherries
1 (12-ounce) package fresh cranberries
2/3 cup chopped walnuts, toasted (being a true Texan, I've used pecans)
1/2 teaspoon grated orange rind
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
Orange rind strips (optional)

combine first 4 ingredients in a medium saucepan; bring to boil. Add cherries, and cook 1 minute. Stir in cranberries; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes or until cranberries pop. Remove from heat. Stir in nuts, grated rind, and extract. Garnish with orange rind strips, if desired.
cover and chill.
Yield: 16 servings of 1/4c

calories: 108, Fat 3g, protein, 1/5g, cholesterol 0.0g, calcium 11mg; sodium 2 mg; fiber 1.8g; iron .3mg, carbohydrate 19.7 g

Best Pumpkin Bread you ever ate!

Pumpkin Bread

(with cream cheese ribbon in center)

YUMMMMMMMMY!

I started looking for recipes to match the Starbuck's Pumpkin loaf that we served our guests at the cottages a couple of years ago.

I found this amazing recipe that outshines them all!

It just gets moister and better each day... believe me... you'll have it gone way before it could spoil! ENJOY!

1 LARGE loaf (or bundt pan)

Filling

1 8oz pack of cream cheese

1/3C sugar

1 egg

1 Tbsp. flour

2 tsp. grated orange peel

Batter:

1 1/2C canned pumpkin

1/2 C vegetable oil

1 1/2 C sugar

2 eggs

1/2 tsp. ground cloves

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 2/3 C flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 C. chopped nuts (as desired)

Directions for filling:

Beat together cream cheese, sugar and flour. Add egg and orange peel. set aside.

Batter directions:

Combine pumpkin, oil and eggs. Stir in sugar, salt, cloves and cinnamon. Mix well. Stir in flour and baking soda. Blend in pecans.

Pour 1/2 batter in a greased and floured large loaf pan.

Carefully spread cream cheese mixture over the 1/2 pumpkin mixture.

Cover with the remaining pumpkin batter.

Bake 1 1/2 hours at 325 degrees until tooth pick in the center comes out clean.

cool on wire rack

Acorn Squash for Sukkot

FALL STARBURST (Parve)

*Jenn had asked me and Troy to join them in their Sukkot and would I please bring an acorn squash dish. Certainly... little did I know that the "bug" would invade my day and once again, Troy would have to finish what I began... It was a success and as requested, here is the recipe. It may look and smell like sweet potato, but it really was acorn squash... what a PAIN that squash is to cut up... so very hard, but this recipe makes it worth the effort.

1 1/2 to 2 pounds butternut (or acorn)squash, cut into halves and seeds removed
1/2 cup margarine (I NEVER use margarine.. I used organic butter)
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
4 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and sliced
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 cups fresh cranberries

( I used organic dried/unsweetened, and added organic dried cherries too..

add a bit of water!!)
1/4 cup sugar
1-2 tablespoons cinnamon-sugar

(sold commercially or made at home with 1 part cinnamon to 4 parts sugar)

Boil squash in water to cover in a saucepan until tender. Cool until it can be handled.
Scoop out flesh, discarding peel.

Puree squash with margarine and brown sugar in a food processor. (Troy just mashed it)
Cook apples and 1/4 cup granulated sugar in a saucepan for 8 to 10 minutes, or until juices begin to be released and the sugar melts and coats the apples. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Heat cranberries with 1/4 cup granulated sugar in a saucepan until berries soften and burst, stirring often. (if you used the dried, be sure they are unsweetened,

and add a bit of water to the sugar as you rehydrate and prepare)

Arrange apples around the edge of a 9-inch French white oven-safe dish.

(I left the peels on the bright green apples for color and fiber)
Pour the squash puree in the center.
Top with the cranberries, leaving a small border of squash.

(The cranberries may bleed into the apples slightly.)
Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar and bake for 20 minutes.
Yield: 6-8 servings

taken from: Recipes from the Kosher Palette II

author says "my experience with Sukkot is that it is a

cozy holiday filled with family, friends and fun"

Tahtee's Peanut Butter Cereal Candy

Peanut Butter Cereal Candy

(with Tahtee changes)

(from the ACU women's cookbook...

a gift from my mother at my bridal shower in 1975)

*this has been a family favorite for years... much better than the marshmallow cereal bars*

3 cups Rice Krispies cereal

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cut white corn syrup

1/2 cup peanut butter

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Combine sugar and syrup, cook, stirring constantly until mixture comes to a full rolling boil.

Remove from heat, stir in peanut butter and vanilla, and immediately pour syrup over cereal mixture, stirring gently to coat.

Pat mixture into buttered 8'X8"X2" pan. Cool, cut into bars.

*this is the original recipe.... in my bars, I substitute and add whatever I want to make it healthier.

*I also usually double the recipe for our family

GET NUTRITIONALLY CREATIVE

ex: substitute Almond butter for Peanut butter

*use LivActive cranberry cereal for 1/2 of cereal mixture

*add nuts (whatever kind you like) or sesame seeds

*add chocolate chips (be sure to do this last minute as the hot mixture will melt the chips)

*add bran, or flax seeds... raisins, cranberries (don't use the sweetened ones), oatmeal, etc.

***caution... as you are adding, be sure not to add more than the liquid mixture can handle or the bars will not be chewy, but hard and crumbly ;)

**for Christmas it is pretty to use pistachios and cranberries in the candy... and good!!**

Bell Peppers (stuffed) ALA Aunt Ellena

*Nana says if Aunt Ellena recommends it, it's gotta be good*

STUFFED BELL PEPPERS
(from Houston Junior League Cookbook. 1968, p. 113)

½ cup uncooked rice ½ to ¾ can Rotel tomatoes
6 large green peppers salt and pepper
1 pound ground beef 1 can condensed tomato soup
1 medium onion (chopped) 1 ½ cup grated cheddar cheese
1 cup finely diced celery 1 soup-can water, or a little more
2 tablespoons bacon drippings 1 8-oz can tomato sauce
1 ½ teaspoons celery seed




Cook rice until tender. Cut tops off peppers, remove seeds, and boil pepper cases for 5 minutes. Drain. Saute beef, onion and celery in bacon drippings. Add rice, 1 cup grated cheese, celery seed and tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper;. Stuff pepper cases with mixture and place in greased, or foil-lined baking dish. Make a sauce by mixing soup, water, tomato sauce and remaining ½ cup grated cheese; pour over peppers. Bake uncovered, in 350 degree oven for about 45 minutes. Baste several times during cooking. The stuffed peppers can be frozen before cooking. Freeze separately in plastic bags with a generous amount of sauce over each pepper.

Serves 6

Post-production thoughts:

We used domestic basmati rice. Variety probably is unimportant.

We used “chunky style” Rotel tomatoes. A whole can (10 oz. probably would work.

Smaller bell peppers (about the size of a medium orange) give a more satisfactory pepper to filling ratio. This recipe would probably fill 8 or 9 peppers this size.

For future reference . . . we’ll soften (boil) a head of cabbage and try this filling, sauce and cooking time and temperature on lemon-sized stuffed cabbage rolls

Mimi's Lemon Cups (1945 recipe)

**Aunt Linda just sent this recipe that was given

to our Mimi (Mary Etta Wilson Pettersen), in 1945***

Well, then you MUST add Mimmie's lemon cups:Makes 12 custard cups

2 Cups sugar

10 Tbs. fresh lemon juice

4 Tbs, butter

rind of 2 lemons

6 eggs

pinch of salt

3 Cups milk

8 Tbs. flour

Cream butter and dry ingredients.

Pour in mixture of rind, juice, egg yolks and milk.

Fold in stiffly beaten egg whites, Pour into muffin cups.

Place cups in a pan of water and bake 45 min. @375.

Mary Jane Stevens gave this to Mimmie in 1945.

Mimi's Gingerbread

Mimi's Gingerbread

(could anything be more of a comfort food for a time of chaos that is pressing and depressing our financial markets and the political scene?.... let's just make a pan and eat it warm with butter.. let's just remember a simpler time and know that the ONE WHO created us is the One WHO makes the plans!) A MEMORIE FROM MIM'S KITCHEN. THE BEST GINGER BREAD YOU EVER TASTED!! NANA Date: Tue, 07 Oct 2008

HI! (from Aunt Linda... Nana's youngest sister, Eric's mom) Well, we have signs of fall here (Huntsville, AL) so I made gingerbread. (Eric's favorite). I've used Mimmie's recipe all of my life, and I wondered if you have it. It's really wonderful.

 She noted on my recipe card that it came from a White House Cookbook. Anyway, here it is....enjoy;

 Cream together 1/2 cup butter and 1/2 cup sugar. 

Add 1 cup molasses, 

1 tbs. ginger, & 

1 tsp. cinnamon 

Beat in 2 1/2 cup flour then

 2 tsp. baking soda dissolved in 1 cup boiling water. 

Add 2 well-beaten eggs. 

Bake in greased pan for 40-60 min at 350. .

Tahtee's V8 Texas Chili

Early Spring and we never know what kind of weather we are gonna have! This March 2008 is no different. Last night we had typical Texas Hailstone bombard our house for about 15 minutes and leave the skies clear and starry for a beautiful night. So what's for dinner...

Chili Tahtee style (a bit healthier than from the can) and a whole lot more adaptable to different tastes.

* 1/4 lb per person (for the purpose of this recipe we will figure 2 lbs)

Lean natural (or organic) beef (or you can use free range ground turkey)

*4 T good fresh chili powder (you can season more or less according to your taste for heat)

*1 large onion (chopped)

*T butter

*garlic (to taste... I use lots!!!!) minced

*2 pkgs of Taco seasoning

*1 medium size bottle of V8 juice (not the lemon kind... you can use low sodium)

optional: beans, corn, sour cream, avocado, and cheese

-in cast iron pot put 1-2T of butter to melt

-saute onion and garlic in butter till transparent

-add meat

-cook until browned

-add spices and seasonings (Salt and pepper to taste) Stir to mix

-add V8 until it covers mixture and let it simmer for at least an hour to mingle seasonings

*you can add any of the optionals for a fancier bowl of chili (its pretty to layer the chili, cheese, avocado, and then a dollop of sour cream)

*you can also do the good ole standby Frito pie with this great chili... wonderful and better than the can stuff!!!!

*good on a baked potato too

enjoy any time of the year, but especially a great Tornado season dish!

Moddie's Taco Soup (also called Santa Fe Stew by my friend Karen)

Moddie's taco soup! (Will's favorite)

Today is Valentines Day!! Elly called Will's mom, Moddie to get Will's favorite soup recipe. Here it is..... We're having it with warm tortillas and a big ole fresh fruit salad (Em says the strawberries are monstrous at Sams!) blackberry & apple cobbler w/ice cream for dessert! Ymmmm! (Elly and Em are doing the cooking tonight!)

Sent: Thursday, February 14, 2008 9:44 AM

To: Elly Doran

Subject: Taco soup

Good morning. My theme song these days is... If I only had a brain...I found your copy safe and sound in the floor board when we got home. (had to include Gaye's wonderful humor... she's one of the funniest... most fun people I know... I'm glad God put her in Elly's family!)

Regarding the soup.... It is my opinion that the longer you let it simmer,the better it is.

1 lb ground beef

1 chopped onion

1 pkg ranch style dressing mix

1 pkg taco seasoning mix

1 1/2 cups water

2 cans Mexican stewed tomatoes

1 can pinto beans (drained)1 can black beans (drained)

1 can crean style corn ( 2 if you want)

1 pkg corn torillas

grated cheese

Brown beef and onion, drain

Add all remaining ingredients and simmer for at least 30 mins.

Cut tortillas into 1/2" strips and bake until crisp

Serve with grated cheeseI did not do the tortillas strips. It is probably very good.

Love ya, Gaye

Strawberry Cake

Strawberry cake
(this cake is ALWAYS present at birthdays and special events for our family. Usually it is made in 9X13 sheet cake, but a pretty way is layered with the fresh strawberries on top) Moosey and Wibbie usually have a prerequisite of homemade vanilla ice cream as an accompaniment)

Strawberry cake made with a mix, along with strawberry gelatin and fresh or frozen strawberries.
INGREDIENTS:
1 box white or yellow cake mix (approx. 18 to 21 ounces)
1 cup vegetable oil
4 large eggs
1 package (3 oz) strawberry flavored gelatin
1/2 cup milk
1 cup mashed fresh or frozen strawberries (if using frozen, drain some of the juice off and reserve)
Strawberry Cream Cheese Icing:
1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 stick margarine (2 ounces), room temperature ***you can use butter :)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup strawberries, mashed (drain and reserve juice)
5 to 6 cups sifted powdered sugar (1 to 1 1/2 pounds)
PREPARATION:
Mix cake mix with strawberry flavored gelatin. Add oil, eggs, coconut, gelatin, and milk; and beat until well blended. Stir in 1 cup mashed strawberries and 1 cup pecans. Bake in 3 generously greased and floured 8- or 9-inch round layer pans at 350° for 35 minutes, or until cake tests done*.
Note:
To make the frosting, cream together cream cheese and butter; mix in vanilla and powdered sugar until firm but spreadable. Stir in drained strawberries. Drizzle cooled layers with reserved juice then spread with a layer of icing; ice sides and top. Store cake in an airtight container or wrapping; refrigerate.*Lightly touch cake in the center with a finger; if it springs back, the cake is done.

Baked Potato Soup

Baked Potato Soup

heat oven to 350
using a pyrex pan (NEVER USE FOIL OR ALUMINUM COOKWARE!!)
use 1 small potato per person (do NOT peel) and place in pyrex pan
cut up onion and place around potatoes
use whole peeled garlic (or not, to taste) place in pan with onions and potatoes
Bake at 350 until potatoes are soft (about 2 hours for a full pan of vegetables)
(check doneness with fork)
cool vegetables
***********
in a blender
put cooled vegetables 1/2 to top and cover with skim (or whole) milk
blend until smooth, then pour into pot to heat through
**keep doing this until you use all the vegetables you've cooked for servings planned**
add (to preference)
low fat sour cream
crumbled bacon
chives
** when warmed through, put grated cheese on top to serve
best with a country bread and real butter as a side.......... perfect for a Winter Day in Texas
I'm cooking this right now with extra garlic because the FLU has hit our family hard and it is a really wet/icy/coooooollllld day! May we all kick this flu soon! AMEN