The Recipe Bank
Just another WordPress.com weblogEating Healthy: Cold Cantaloupe Soup
Cold Cantaloupe Soup
2 medium ripe cantaloupes, seeded, peeled, chopped
2 cans (11 ounces each) condensed tomato bisque soup
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1/3 cup fresh orange juice
Dash champagne
1 tbsp. chopped fresh basil
1 tbsp. grated orange rind
1 tsp. grated peeled fresh ginger root
In covered blender container or food processor, blend all ingredients, half at a time, until smooth. Strain to remove excess pulp. Cover; refrigerator 3 to 4 hours. Serve in chilled bowls.
Makes 8 cups or 10 servings
Cooking Cajun: Chicken Okra Gumbo
Chicken Okra Gumbo
1 cut up chicken
Two-10 oz jars oysters
One-14 oz smoked or turkey sausage (cut in slices)
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped bell pepper
2 lb okra (cut in slices)
1 med tomato (cut in small pieces)
2 tbs cooking oil
2 tbs roux
14 cups water
Seasoned salt
Black pepper
Red pepper
Season chicken on both sides. Heat cooking oil in an iron pot. Brown chicken on both sides.
Remove chicken from pot as it browns. Fry okra, bell pepper and onion until okra is tender. (Do not use an iron pot to fry okra). Stir often to keep it from sticking. Add tomato. Cook until tomato is soft. Combine all ingredients except oysters in a 5 quart aluminum pot. Season to taste. Simmer for 1 hour. Add oysters. Cook an additional 10 minutes. Serve with rice.
Roux:
1 cup all purpose flour
Heat flour in an iron skillet. Stir constantly over low heat, browning until it is dark brown.
Eating Healthy: Fat-Free Mexican Layer Dip
Fat-Free Mexican Layer Dip
8 ounces nonfat sour cream
8 ounces nonfat cream cheese
1 package taco seasoning
1 jar peccante sauce
2 chopped tomatoes
1 chopped bell pepper
1 bunch chopped green onions
12 ounces shredded nonfat cheddar cheese
1/2 cup sliced jalapeno
Combine sour cream, cream cheese and taco seasoning in bowl, mix well. Spread on large platter.
Spread peccante sauce on top. Sprinkle tomatoes evenly, bell pepper and green onions. Top with cheddar cheese and sliced jalapeno.
Serve with low fat crackers or restaurant-style chips.
Cooking Cajun: Black Bean Salsa
Black Bean Salsa
1 can 15 oz. black beans, drained
1-1/2 cups canned corn, drained
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 cup red onions, diced
1 to 2 jalapenos, diced
1/2 cup fresh lime juice
1/2 cup olive oil
1/3 cup fresh cilantro
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Mix all ingredients together. Allow to sit in refrigerator a few hours before serving. Makes a wonderful dish for chips or topping for enchiladas or burritos
Foods of Ireland: Bangers – Oxford Sausages Recipe
Bangers – Oxford Sausages Recipe
INGREDIENTS:
1/2 pound lean pork, ground
1/2 pound lean veal, ground
6 ounces pork fat, ground
3 slices white bread with crust, crumbled or finely chopped
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/8 tsp mixed grated nutmeg
1/8 tsp mace
1/4 tsp minced fresh thyme or 1/8 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp minced fresh marjoram or 1/8 tsp dried marjoram
2 tsp minced fresh sage or 1 tsp dried sage
1 tsp loosely packed, finely grated lemon zest (see Note)
1 large egg
Prepared hog casings
PREPARATION:
Combine ground pork, ground veal, pork fat, and bread. Whisk together salt, pepper, cayenne pepper, nutmeg, mace, thyme, marjoram, sage, lemon zest, and egg. Knead into pork and veal mixture. Stuff sausage mixture into prepared casings, compacting firmly. Prick any air pockets with a pin. Store raw sausages in the refrigerator up to three days. Freeze up to 3 months.
To serve: Bangers may be poached, braised or fried. Cooked sausages may be refrigerated up to 1 week or frozen up to 3 months.
Foods of Ireland: Beef & Guinness Stew Recipe
Beef & Guinness Stew Recipe
Ingredients
2 pounds lean stewing beef
3 tablespoons oil
2 tablespoons flour
Salt and freshly ground pepper and a pinch of cayenne
2 large onions, coarsely chopped
1 large clove garlic, crushed (optional)
2 tablespoons tomato puree, dissolved in 4 tablespoons water
1-1/4 cups Guinness stout beer
2 cups carrots, cut into chunks
Sprig of thyme
Instructions
Trim the meat of any fat or gristle, cut into cubes of 2 inches (5cm) and toss them in a bowl with 1 tablespoon oil. Season the flour with salt, freshly ground pepper and a pinch or two of cayenne. Toss the meat in the mixture.
Heat the remaining oil in a wide frying pan over a high heat. Brown the meat on all sides. Add the onions, crushed garlic and tomato puree to the pan, cover and cook gently for about 5 minutes.
Transfer the contents of the pan to a casserole, and pour some of the Guinness into the frying pan. Bring to a boil and stir to dissolve the caramelized meat juices on the pan.
Pour onto the meat with the remaining Guinness; add the carrots and the thyme. Stir, taste, and add a little more salt if necessary.
Cover with the lid of the casserole and simmer very gently until the meat is tender — 2 to 3 hours. The stew may be cooked on top of the stove or in a low oven at 300 degrees F. Taste and correct the seasoning. Scatter with lots of chopped parsley.
Yield: 6 to 8 servings
Recipe from: The Complete Book of Irish Country Cooking by Darina Allen
Foods of Ireland: James Beard’s Irish Stew
James Beard’s Irish Stew
Ingredients
3 to 3-1/2 pounds lamb shoulder
1 pound neck of lamb
2 quarts water
1 medium onion stuck with 2 cloves
1 large bay leaf
2 large garlic cloves
1 tablespoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon thymeParsley sprig
3 thinly sliced medium onions
3 leeks split in half and cut in small dice
Additional bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
4 medium potatoes, finely diced
2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
Instructions
Have the butcher bone the shoulder and give you the bones. Put the bones and neck in a deep saucepan with 2 quarts water. Bring to a boil and boil 5 to 6 minutes, skimming off the scum from the surface. Add the onion stuck with cloves, and the bay leaf, garlic, salt, pepper, thyme, and parsley. Bring to a boil again, reduce the heat to simmer, and simmer 2 to 2-1/2 hours to a strong broth. Strain, and put in the refrigerator overnight. Next day, skim off the fat.
Remove all fat from the lamb shoulder and cut the meat into pieces 1 inch wide and 2 inches long. Put the meat in a heavy pan with the sliced onions, leeks, additional bay leaf and thyme, nutmeg, and enough lamb broth to come 1 inch above the meat. Bring to a boil, skim off the scum, reduce the heat, and simmer, covered, 1 hour, then test the meat for tenderness. If it still seems a bit tough, give it another 15 minutes, then add the diced potatoes. Cook 30 minutes, until the stew is slightly thickened by the potatoes, then taste for seasoning. You will probably find it needs salt — 1 to 2 teaspoons should be sufficient — a few grinds of pepper, and a touch of nutmeg. Let this cook a little to blend with the stew, then add the chopped parsley and cook just 1 minute more.
Source: James Beard’s American Cookery by James Beard (Galahad Books)
Chicken and Cashew Stir Fry
Chicken and Cashew Stir Fry
4 servings
25 min 5 min prep
1 bunch scallions
1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 red bell pepper, chopped
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped peeled fresh ginger
1/4 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
3/4 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 cup whole roasted salted cashews
Chop scallions, separating white and green parts.
Pat chicken dry, then cut into 3/4-inch pieces and toss with salt and pepper.
Heat a wok or 12-inch heavy skillet (not nonstick) over moderately high heat until a drop of water evaporates immediately.
Add oil, swirling to coat, then stir fry chicken until golden in places and just cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes.
Transfer to a plate with a slotted spoon.
Add bell pepper, garlic, ginger, red-pepper flakes, and scallion whites to wok and stir fry until peppers are just tender, 5 to 6 minutes.
Stir together broth, soy sauce, cornstarch, and sugar, then stir into vegetables in wok.
Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 1 to 2 minutes.
Stir in cashews, scallion greens, and chicken along with any juices accumulated on plate.
A Delightful Treat: Apple Pecan Crisp in a Crock Pot
Apple Pecan Crisp in a Crock Pot
6 servings
3¼ hours 15 min prep
5 large granny smith apples, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
2 tablespoons lemon juice
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup cold butter
3/4 cup chopped toasted pecans
vanilla ice cream
Place apples in a lightly greased 6-quart slow cooker; drizzle with lemon juice, and toss to
coat.
Combine flour and next 3 ingredients in a medium bowl. Cut butter into flour mixture with a
pastry blender or two forks until mixture resembles coarse meal; sprinkle over apples.
Cover and cook on HIGH 3 hours or until apples are tender. Sprinkle with pecans. Serve warm with ice cream.
Sun-Dried Tomato and Basil Bread Dip
Sun-Dried Tomato and Basil Bread Dip
12 dry sun-dried tomatoes
1/2 chopped onion
2 cups extra virgin olive oil
1 cup balsamic vinegar
1 clove crushed garlic
2 tablespoons freshly chopped basil
1 medium diced hot pepper
Blanch the sun-dried tomatoes in boiling water for 3 minutes. Remove from water
and chop. In a saucepan simmer the onions, (blanched) sun-dried tomatoes, garlic
in 1 cup of olive oil for 30 minutes. Pour into a blender with the hot pepper and
basil blend for 7 seconds. Add balsamic vinegar and remaining oil. Refrigerate
for 6 hours. Place into a sealed container. This bread dip will last for 2 weeks
in the fridge.
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