Sausage & Kraut

This is more or less the recipe, improvise as you like.

Kielbasa sausage 1.5 lbs, cut into 2" lengths
Sauerkraut 2 15 oz. cans
Gala apples 2 or 3, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
Brown Sugar 3 - 4 Tbsp.

Optional:
Potatoes 2 - 3, peeled and cut into large chunks (approx 1" - 2")

Place sausage in bottom of a medium to large casserole dish.
Place potatoes in with sausage.
Spread sauerkraut over sausage and potatoes
Mix half the brown sugar into the sauerkraut.
Place apple rings (slices) on top.
Spread the remaining brown sugar on the apples.
Cover & bake at 350 (325 if in glass or Pyrex) 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

African Peanut Soup

After leaving the kitchen as a baker I went around the corner and started making soup. This was one that surprised me with it's popularity.

AFRICAN PEANUT SOUP (adapted from the More-With-Less Cookbook)

The MWL version is called West African Groundnut Stew and I've taken a few liberties with it. Chicken instead of beef, diced tomatoes instead of paste; adding cumin & oregano; chopped peanuts and peanut butter instead of just crunchy peanut butter. ...just a few liberties

Here's my scaled-down version, but make it as you like. Of course, it's better when made with chicken broth so you have to adjust the salt if you do.

Butter: 1 oz.
Onions, diced: about 1 1/2
Garlic, minced: about 1 T.
Diced Tomatoes: 1 28 oz. can
Water or broth: 1/2 gal.
Nutmeg: 3/4 t.
Chili Powder: 3 1/2 t.
Cumin: 1/4 t.
Oregano: 1/4 t.
Cayenne: to taste
Salt: 1 1/8 t.
Peanuts, chopped: 3/4 c.
Peanut Butter (I used smooth): 1/2 c.
Rice (I used long-grain brown): 1 c.
Cooked chicken, cubed or shredded: about 2 cups

Sauté onions and garlic in butter.
Add tomatoes, water (broth), and spices.
Bring to slow boil.
While soup is heating prepare peanuts.
Add peanuts, peanut butter, rice, chicken and cook until rice is done.
Stir occasionally to keep rice from burning on the bottom of the pot and to break up clumps of peanut butter. Reduce heat once the rice is cooked.

Marie's Scones (as requested)

I never thought I'd actually forget this recipe since I made these 5 days a week for nearly 5 years. At work at 5 am, sometimes 4:30, working alone in the quiet kitchen. Usually all of the scones were gone by 8 am so if you weren't in line when the doors opened, well, you could wait until tomorrow. Or, if it was Friday, you might have been lucky and found an orange-chocolate muffin instead.

With the understanding that all recipes are made for tinkering, here's the original (or at least my best recollection to-date):

Flour 2 c.
Sugar 1/2 c.
Baking Powder 1 T.
Salt 1 t.

Butter 4 oz. (1 stick)

Egg 1
Milk 3/4 c.
Raisins 1/4 c

Lightly grease baking sheet or use baking parchment paper.
Heat oven to 400°.

In one container, whisk egg(s) then add milk & raisins.
(for plump raisins, make this ahead and soak overnight)

In another mixing bowl, combine dry ingredients.
Cut in butter until the mixture looks like cornmeal.

Add wet to dry and stir/fold together.
Turn out on floured surface and knead just until dough forms smooth ball.

Make a round approximately 1/2" thick, then cut into 8 pieces.
Brush pieces w/ water (or egg) and gently sprinkle w/ sugar.
Place scones on pan and bake for about 13 1/2 minutes until lightly golden.

Eat immediately. If there are any remaining a day later, reheating in a toaster oven works best.

As for the tinkering, I suggest dried cherries, apricots, or a diced apple are all good substitutes for raisins. Maybe a little cinnamon or nutmeg or cloves. Chocolate chips, chopped almonds or walnuts. Endless options, really...

Sweet Potatoes with Cranberries

ROASTED SWEET POTATOES W/ CRANBERRIES


Preheat oven to 400°.
Prepare:
5-6 Fist-sized sweet potatoes, cut into large chunks
½ - ¾ c. chopped red onion

Spread vegetables on large baking pan (big enough so the vegetables aren't piled up)
Drizzle about ½ c. oil over the vegetables. (I used peanut oil)
Sprinkle, to taste, with salt & pepper.
Roast veggies until lightly browned/blackened, stirring about every 15 minutes.

When sweet potatoes are done, add 1 – 1 ½ c. fresh cranberries to pan and return to oven for about 5 minutes. Long enough to let some of the berries burst, but without burning the sweet potatoes or cranberries. Remove pan from oven and finish glaze, if you're not already done with it.

While roasting sweet potatoes, prepare applesauce glaze.

In small sauce pan, combine:
1 c. applesauce
1 c. apple juice or cider
½ c. brown sugar
3 T. flour
¼ t. ground cloves
¼ – ½ t. ground cinnamon

Heat on medium-high, stirring continuously, until glaze is thickened.
Removed from heat and save.
When sweet potatoes are finished, place them in a serving dish.
Stir glaze over sweet potatoes and serve warm.

Sour Cream Chocolate Cake

My mom has been making this cake for nearly her whole life. And I believe my grandma was making it before then. Needless to say, it's a family favorite and when we're together it rarely stays in the pan more than 2 days. Even when we're not all together! Call us weird, but we like to have a piece in a bowl with milk. Personally, I only do that with this cake. Why? Good question. Habit? Genetics? Of course, in the interest of graciousness, I will still eat it if there is no milk available. Vanilla ice cream is always a good substitute.

Lest I bore you further...

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
(if you're not using a metal pan, reduce 25 degrees)
My experience is to bake 30 minutes in metal pan, 40 in glass.

Grease a 9 x 13 pan

Combine in mixing bowl:
2 c. flour
2 c. white sugar
1/2 c. cocoa powder
2 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt

Combine the wet ingredients:
1 c. sour cream (light sour cream works too)
2 eggs
2 t. vanilla

Measure and reserve:
1 c. hot water

Make a "well" in the dry ingredients then add wet ingredients and the hot water. Mix with an electric hand mixer just until completely blended. Bake 30 to 40 minutes, depending on pan. Spread on the frosting when the cake is completely cooled. Serve, devour, and try to share.

I've also made this cake in two 8" round pans. You'll have to adjust the baking times accordingly.

Icing/Frosting for whole cake: (or buy ready made)
2 1/2 c. powdered sugar (sift out any lumps)
1/4 c. cocoa powder
3 T. butter, very soft, almost melted
1/2 t. vanilla
1/4 c. milk

Combine the first 4 ingredients, then pour in some of the milk and continue stirring the icing. If needed, add more milk, but just enough to keep the icing firm, but still spreadable.

Spaghetti Squash Recipe

Spaghetti Squash Gratin
from Vegetables by James Peterson, p. 197
Makes 6 side-dish servings

1 2 1/2 lb. spaghetti squash
9 fresh sage leaves
1 garlic clove, minced/crushed
2 1/2 c. grated Swiss gruyere cheese (about 8 ounces)
3/4 c. heavy cream
salt & pepper

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees

Cut the squash lengthwise and place halves, flesh side down, in a baking dish with enough hot water to come 1/4" up the sides of the squash. The water prevents burning and helps steam the squash so it cooks more evenly. Cover with aluminum foil and bake until the squash is soft when poked with a knife - about 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Spoon out and discard the seeds. Scrape along pulp with a fork and pull out and reserve the shreds. Leave the oven on at this point unless you're baking the squash in advance.)

With butter, rub the bottom of a medium (8 cup or slightly larger) gratin or baking dish.

Finely chop 6 of the sage leaves and toss the "spaghetti" with the chopped sage, garlic, 2 cups of the cheese, the heavy cream, and salt to taste. Spread this mixture in the bottom of the dish -- the squash layer should be about 1 inch thick -- and sprinkle remaining cheese on top. Arrange the remaining 3 sage leaves on top of the gratin. Bake approximately 45 minutes. If the top of the gratin doesn't turn golden brown in the oven, slide it under the broiler for about 1 minute to brown it. Remove from oven, grind fresh pepper over it and serve immediately.

I've adapted the above recipe in a few ways. Since gruyere is, here at least, nearly $16/pound, I've been known - or maybe unknown - to substitute asiago for half the gruyere. Sometimes I've even completely replaced the gruyere with half asiago and half romano. Do what you like. Also, being that I like garlic - as do most of my friends - I use at least 2 cloves, depending on their size.

Bon appetit!

Homemade Granola

Ten years ago when I worked at a cafe, I made a very similar recipe. Mine adds ground flax and omits the chopped, dried apricots. Add/delete as you wish. I use parchment paper on the baking pan, but I suppose it would work to bake on a greased pan. It may seem expensive, but one bowl of this keeps me full till lunchtime.
Enjoy.


Mix together:
4 1/3 c. Rolled Oats
1/2 c. Pumpkin Seeds
1/2 c. Sunflower Seeds
1/2 c. Shredded Coconut, Unsweetened
1 1/4 c. Wheat Germ, Toasted
1 c. Sliced Almonds, Toasted
3/8 c Ground Flax Seed
3/4 t. Ground Cinnamon

In different bowl, combine:
5/8 c. Honey
5/8 c. Oil
1/2 t. vanilla

Warm liquids until honey and oil are no longer separated.
This takes 10-15 seconds in the microwave.

Add wet to dry and stir until thoroughly mixed.

Evenly spread granola onto parchment lined baking sheet.
Bake at 325 F for 30-35 minutes stirring every 7-10 minutes
Granola is done when it is golden brown.
Let cool completely on pan then store in air-tight container.
Makes about 12 cups.

Macaroni & Cheese

Here's a recipe for some good mac & cheese. The recipe makes enough for 4-6 adults so adjust as needed.

From scratch and all in one pot.

Boil until done, but don't drain any water:

16 oz. Elbow macaroni

4.5 c. water

1 1/4 t. salt

Measure and prepare:

4 oz. sharp cheddar cheese, finely grated

1 oz. parmesan or romano cheese, finely grated

4 oz. cream cheese (neufchatel works), softened & in small pieces

When pasta is done, stirring constantly, slowly add the cheeses.

Choose and add a quantity/mixture/choice of cooked meat and or cooked vegetable.

Suggestions:

Diced, baked chicken breast

Ground Beef

Bacon

Hot dogs/sausage

Broccoli

Corn

Peas

Cauliflower

Salsa

Diced canned or fresh tomatoes