Recipe follows...: French Apple Cake

Recipe follows...: French Apple Cake: It was a Huge Hit! I stumbled upon this fantastic breakfast cake by Sydney when everybody in my house was tired of eating cheesecakes and s...

APPLE PIE

Tart-sweet and oh, so delicious. This pie came into being when we wanted an Apple Pie that wasn’t just sliced apples or applesauce, but had a more firm texture. Guess I have been making it for over 40 years now and we never tire of it!

INGREDIENTS

Flaky Pie Crust dough for double crust, recipe follows

2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 cup granulated sugar plus more to sprinkle on top

8 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and cut into quarters

1/8 teaspoon cinnamon or nutmeg or to taste

2 Tablespoons butter in bits

½ a lemon, optional

Aluminum foil

INSTRUCTIONS

Line a 9-inch pie pan with half the pie dough, trim at the counter level, roll under and flute, refrigerate. Preheat oven to 350°.

Sprinkle flour evenly over bottom of pie shell. Sprinkle ¼ cup sugar evenly over flour. Place apple quarters, cut side down, in a concentric circle around edge of pie shell and fill the center. Add additional apple quarters in a second row on top of first circle and center using all of the quarters. Cover evenly with ¾ cup remaining sugar. Dust with cinnamon or nutmeg. Distribute butter bits evenly over top. Squeeze lemon juice over all.

Roll remaining half of pie dough into a 10-inch circle. With a cookie cutter of your choice, cut as many shapes as possible. (I usually use one that is scalloped, but sometimes diamonds or hearts as the mood strikes). Cover the top in an attractive design, overlapping but leaving some small open spaces for steam to escape. Fold a sheet of aluminum foil (that will wrap around the pie plate with enough room to pinch together) in quarters to make a strip. Wrap around the pie plate and pinch together to hold well. Brush surface of dough lightly with ice water and sprinkle with sugar as desired. (I use lots because it crunches up – but that is relative).  Bake 1 hour or until the crust is browned, the sugar crunchy and the apples tender when poked with a sharp knife. Remove to a wire rack, remove foil and cool. Great served warm but also great chilled.

FLAKY PIE CRUST – double crust pie

Now do not be afraid. Pie crust is really, really simple and all those esoteric things you have heard about it are just NOT true. It is, well, easy as pie!  And here is how:

INGREDIENTS

2 cups all-purpose flour.  Lightly spoon into a dry measuring cup and level with a straight edge             knife. Do not scoop, dip or tap on the counter top.

1 teaspoon table salt

2/3 cup cold shortening

2 Tablespoons cold butter

2 Tablespoons cider vinegar

Iced water as needed (2-4 Tablespoons perhaps)

INSTRUCTIONS

Place measured flour in large mixing bowl. Add salt and stir with a fork to combine. (I use the large serving fork from my everyday stainless set). Measure the shortening by packing it into the cup. Remove it in medium-size pieces to the flour bowl. Add butter. “Cut” together with a pastry blender until you have small bits like rice. Sprinkle with vinegar and stir with the fork to combine and moisten the flour mixture. Now, 1 Tablespoon at a time, add the water and stir with the fork to moisten the flour mixture. Add more water as necessary until, as you stir, the mixture begins to come together in a mass. It will be a bit damp, but not sloppy wet. When it has gathered, on a lightly floured pastry cloth, divide it into two discs – one slightly larger than the other.

On a well-floured pastry cloth and using a rolling pin sock, roll the larger disc into about a 10-inch round, taking care to press together any splits that may occur as you roll. Go slowly, nothing is going to happen. Check to make sure there is enough flour on the pastry cloth from time to time so the pastry doesn’t stick. When the dough has been rolled out, roll it around the rolling pin and lift it to the middle of the pie plate, unroll and gently lift it into the pie plate as centered as possible and gently lifting it to cover the sides of the pie plate. Trim to counter length all around. Starting at one point begin to roll it under and lay it on the rim of the pie plate so you have a nice raised edge. Crimp it using the thumb and forefinger of one hand and the forefinger of the other hand to “pleat” the edge. Chill in the refrigerator with the second disc in the center while you prepare the filling.

When the filling is ready, remove the second disc from the refrigerator to a floured pastry cloth. Roll into about a 10-inch circle. Using your chosen cookie cutter cut out as many shapes as possible and continue as above.

NOTE: For a single crust pie simply halve the recipe. It is easy, honestly!  You can use the food processor if you like. The method is just about the same as you are looking for the same results.

BEANS

A few Basic Bean Recipes to get you thinking about this hardy, healthy and satisfying legume. Plus some great recipes for things that go into and go with beans. A classic Spinach Salad, Johnnycake Corn Bread, A Firehouse Chili Blend, Make your own Italian Sausage, Corn Dumplings, Fresh Tomato Salsa and more.

 Of course, to be fair, we must address the “toot” problem.

                                               

Beans, beans, the musical fruit

The more you eat, the more you toot

The more you toot, the better you feel

So eat some beans at every meal!

Anonymous

One simple solution is suggested: add a pinch of ground ginger when cooking them and you won’t give a “toot.” Truly, give it a shot and see if it won’t work for you. For some reason the ginger counteracts the – and here’s a word to remember – oligosaccharides that your intestinal bacteria are attracted to.

As an added precaution the following soaking methods are recommended for dry beans. (For canned beans, simply rinse well and drain. Add the ginger if using.)

EZ Quick Soak: wash and pick over beans to check for and remove any pebbles or debris. Beans will increase in size as they soak so choose a pot large enough to allow for this. Place the beans in the pot and cover with 2-3 inches of unsalted water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium and simmer for 10 minutes. Drain the beans, discarding the water. Cover with 2 inches of fresh cool water and soak for 30 minutes. Drain, rinse and proceed with the recipe.

EZ Quick Soak 2: Place the washed and picked over beans in a large pot, cover with 2 inches of water and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat, cover and let stand 1 to 2 hours.  Drain and, if called for, use fresh water for cooking.

An added note: you may add 2-3 teaspoons of vegetable oil to the pot to help prevent boil overs and reduce foaming. Never add salt to beans before cooking. It will toughen the skin and prevent absorption of liquid. Use caution in adding acidic ingredients like wine, vinegar, lemon juice and even tomatoes before the beans reach desired texture. If you do they will not soften further.

Bean Appétit!

VERMONT BAKED BEANS

An old stand-by of my New England Grandmother Whittaker. Beans on Friday night and Beans for breakfast on Saturday morning.

Serves 4-6

INGREDIENTS

1 pound white beans (Navy or Pea)

Water

2 teaspoons dry mustard

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

¾ cup pure maple syrup

2 Tablespoons molasses

¼ pound square of bacon, scored

1 large onion, peeled and scored

¾ teaspoon salt

INSTRUCTIONS

Wash and sort beans. Soak overnight in cold water to cover by 2 inches. Drain and place in a large pot. Cover with fresh water – 2 inches above beans - and heat to boiling. Cover and simmer 45 minutes. Turn off heat and let set until ready to bake.

Preheat oven to 275°. Drain Beans. Place beans in a bean crock or large casserole that can be covered. Mix the mustard, pepper, maple syrup and molasses together and pour over the beans. Stir thoroughly. Push bacon and onion deep into beans. Add enough water so that it is visible but does not cover beans. Cover and bake 3 hours. Stir each hour, adding water if dry. Uncover after 3 hours, stir in salt and add water if dry. Bake an additional 1-1/2 hours.

Here are two sides we always have with Vermont Baked Beans.

SPINACH SALAD

If you use unwashed spinach a neat trick for removing all the sand, is to swish it in a sink of tepid water with a splash of vinegar. Amazingly all the sand will fall to the bottom and no more gritty spinach.

Serves 2 – may be doubled

INGREDIENTS

1 10 ounce bag prewashed spinach

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 large clove garlic, slivered

3 Tablespoons red wine vinegar

Pinch of salt

Dash of freshly ground pepper

4 slices bacon, crisply fried and crumbled

1-2 hard cooked eggs, chopped

INSTRUCTIONS

Remove spinach stems and tear leaves into bite-size pieces. Chill until serving time. In a 1 cup measure place slivered garlic in ¼ cup olive oil and let stand a minimum of 1 hour. Just before serving, remover garlic slivers from oil, add vinegar, salt and pepper and combine. Place spinach in a serving bowl and pour dressing over all. Toss until leaves are well coated. Sprinkle with bacon and egg. Serve on chilled plates.

JOHNNYCAKE CORNBREAD

Serves 4-6

INGREDIENTS

1-1/3 cup sifted all-purpose flour

1 cup yellow cornmeal

¼ cup granulated sugar

3 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

1 cup whole milk

¼ cup melted butter

1 egg, beaten

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 400°. Grease a 9-inch pie plate well. Mix dry ingredients. Combine and add remaining ingredients and mix just until blended. Pour into prepared pan and bake 25 minutes. Cut into wedges to serve. Honey is a nice addition!

GLORIFIED BEANS

This comes from a Las Vegas show girl, Evelyn Cedar, we called Big Red because of her wonderful head of red hair perfectly coiffured . We worked together often at 20^th Century Fox. She was Suzy Parkers stand-in and a great cook! I later found a similar recipe in a book a received from “Mother Barrbour” (Minetta Ellen) of radio’s One Man’s Family called Chatter With The Batter. Nothing but talent in the recipe!

Serves 4-6

INGREDIENTS

1 medium onion, grated

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 28 ounce can of baked beans

1 6 ounce can tomato paste

2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1 Tablespoon granulated sugar

1 Tablespoon chili powder (recipe follows if you want to make your own)

11 prunes, pitted and chopped

1 cup grated cheddar cheese

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 300°. In a casserole that can be covered, mix together all ingredients except the cheese. Top with the cheese, cover and bake 1 hour.

FIREHOUSE CHILI POWDER

Makes 5.5 ounces

INGREDIENTS

6 Tablespoons paprika – Hungarian or Spanish preferred

2 Tablespoons turmeric

1 Tablespoon red pepper flakes

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon oregano

½ teaspoon ground chili

 ½ teaspoon garlic powder

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon ground cloves

INSTRUCTIONS

Combine all ingredients in a food processor fitted with the steel blade and blend to a fine powder. Store in a jar with a tight fitting lid in the refrigerator.

CHICKEN & SAUSAGE CASSOULET-STYLE

From the French region of Languedoc, this classic dish is usually made with duck or goose but, always with white beans. The sausage here is Italian giving it an international twist and a flavor that I like!

Serves 4-6

INGREDIENTS

1 pound white beans (Navy or Pea)

Water as needed

1 cup celery, sliced

1 cup carrots, sliced

2 cubes beef bouillon

1 pound Italian sausage (recipe follows if you want to make your own) or Polish sausage, skinned and sliced into thick chunks

3 pounds chicken, with giblets, cut into serving size pieces, giblets reserved

1 cup chopped onion

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup V8 or tomato juice

½ cup dry sherry

1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 Tablespoon finely chopped fresh basil

2 Bay leaves

1 teaspoon salt or to taste

Bread crumbs or panko

Paprika, Spanish preferred

INSTRUCTIONS

In a stock pot or large kettle, combine beans and 8 cups of water. Bring to a boil. Boil 2 minutes. Turn off heat and let stand 1 hour. Drain. Add 8 cups of fresh cold water, celery, carrots, and bouillon and chicken giblets. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 1 hour.

Roll Italian sausage, if using, into 1 inch balls. Broil until browned on all sides. Remove and set aside. Broil chicken pieces until nicely browned on both sides. Remove and set aside.

Preheat oven to 325°. Drain beans, reserving liquid. In a large casserole, combine beans and vegetables with reserved sausage, onion, garlic, V8 or Tomato juice, sherry, Worcestershire, basil, bay leaves and salt. Top with chicken pieces and pour 1 ½ cup reserved bean liquid over all. Sprinkle with Bread crumbs or panko, then with paprika. Cover and bake 1 hour or until beans are tender, adding additional bean liquid if they are getting too dry.

OLD WORLD ITALIAN SAUSAGE

5 pounds – can be halved or even less

INGREDIENTS

5 pounds freshly ground pork with some fat

3 cloves garlic

2 Tablespoons coarse salt

2 Tablespoons fennel seeds

2 teaspoons black peppercorns

15 small dried hot peppers (Chile de arbol), seeds removed

½ teaspoon dried thyme

1¼ teaspoons coriander seeds

INSTRUCTIONS

In a food processor fitted with the steel blade and with the motor running, drop the garlic through the feed tube and mince. Add salt, fennel, peppercorns, hot peppers, thyme and coriander. Process until combined. The mixture should almost be a powder.

Place the ground pork in a large bowl, add the processed ingredients and knead together with your hands until well combined. Divide into 1 pound or ½ pound amounts, wrap for freezing and freeze. Great for pizza and for pasta sauces!

CHILI BEANS CON CARNE

This is from my Texas Grandmother Beasley. “It isn’t chili without Oregano AND cumin” was her motto. So be it! This is Chili the way we like it. Vary the chili powder to your heat preference.

Serves 4-6

INGREDIENTS

2 Tablespoons rendered bacon fat

1 pound ground beef

1 pound ground pork (or use the Italian Sausage above)

3 large cloves garlic, minced

1 cup chopped onion

2 jalapeño peppers, minced

1/3 cup chili powder or to taste (recipe above)

1 pound 13 ounce can tomato puree

2 teaspoons dried oregano, Mexican preferred

1 teaspoon ground cumin

2 – 1 pound cans red beans or beans of your choice – 1 with liquid, 1 drained

Serve with:

Corn dumplings, optional – recipe follows

Chopped onion

Chopped cilantro

Grated cheddar cheese

INSTRUCTIONS

In a large pot, heat bacon fat. Add ground beef and ground pork and brown well. Add garlic, onion and jalapeño and cook until onion is transparent. Add chili powder and toss to coat ingredients. Add Tomato puree, oregano and cumin and combine. Cover and simmer 20 minutes to allow the flavors to blend. Add beans and heat through. Top with corn dumplings if using.

CORN DUMPLINGS

INGREDIENTS

1 cup all-purpose flour

½ cup yellow cornmeal

2 teaspoons baking powder

¾ cup whole milk

 7 ounces corn nibblets, drained or frozen corn defrosted

INSTRUCTIONS

In a medium bowl, combine flour, cornmeal and baking powder.  In a small bowl combine milk and corn. Stir milk mixture into flour mixture just until combined. Drop by Tablespoons on top of hot chile, cover and simmer 15-10 minutes or until fluffy and not doughy on the bottom.

TEX-MEX BLACK BEAN SOUP

Nothing better on a cold stormy day. Filling and fulfilling with the following Quesadillas!

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

2 15 ounce cans black beans, drained and rinsed

1 Tablespoon canola oil

1 medium onion, finely chopped

4 cloves garlic, pressed

2 teaspoons chili powder or chili piquin molido

1 teaspoon ground cumin

¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes

2 cups low salt chicken broth

1 cup water

For garnish:

Chopped cilantro

Hard cooked eggs, chopped

Lime wedges

White vinegar

Serve with:

Sausage Quesadillas, if desired – recipe follows

INSTRUCTIONS

In a 3 quart pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook until tender – about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic, chili powder, cumin and red pepper flakes, and cook 30 seconds. Add broth, water and drained beans. Heat to boiling, reduce to simmer and cook, uncovered, 15 minutes.

Transfer solids to a food processor fitted with the metal blade and puree. Return to pot and heat through. Ladle into soup bowls and garnish with cilantro and hard cooked egg. Serve with lime wedges and vinegar.

SAUSAGE QUESADILLAS

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

¼ pound Italian sausage, recipe above if desired

1 small red onion, thinly sliced

1 small red bell pepper, julienned

4 teaspoons canola oil, divided

2/3 cup frozen corn, defrosted

½ teaspoon chili powder

¼ teaspoon dried oregano, Mexican preferred

¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1 tomato, seeded and finely diced

4 8-inch flour or corn tortillas

1-1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack or Jalapeño Jack cheese

Salsa, recipe follows, and sour cream, optional

INTRUCTIONS

Break up sausage in a large skillet and cook until well browned. Drain if necessary and set aside. Add 2 teaspoons of oil to the skillet and sauté onion and red pepper about 5 minutes. Add corn, chili powder, oregano and pepper and stir until vegetables are crisp tender. Stir in tomato and reserved sausage and heat through.

Spoon the sausage mixture on one half of each tortilla. Divide the cheese evenly on top of the sausage mixture and fold the tortilla over. Add the remaining 2 teaspoons of oil to the skillet. When the oil is hot, add the filled tortillas cheese side down and cook until well browned. Turn over and cook on the remaining side until cheese is melted. Serve with salsa and sour cream.

FRESH TOMATO SALSA

About 2 cups

INGREDIENTS

4 small ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped – should be about 2 cups

½ cup finely chopped onion or to taste

2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and minced

1 Tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon salt

½ cup chopped minced cilantro or to taste

½ teaspoon fresh oregano leaves, minced

2 Tablespoons canola oil

1 Tablespoon fresh lime juice or to taste

1 Tablespoon cider vinegar

INSTRUCTIONS

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients. Cover and refrigerate to blend flavors.

THREE BEAN SALAD

A bity goes-with-everything salad and great with BBQ!

Serves 4-6

INGREDIENTS

½ cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon celery salt

Salt to taste

¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper

½ cup cider vinegar

¼ cup canola oil

1 red onion thinly sliced

¼ cup finely chopped green pepper

1 16 ounce can cut green beans, drained

1 16 ounce can garbanzo beans drained and rinsed

1 16 ounce can red kidney beans, white, beans, black beans or beans of your choice, drained and rinsed

INSTRUCTIONS

In a large bowl combine sugar, celery salt, salt and pepper. Add vinegar and oil and mix to combine. Add remaining ingredients and toss to coat well. Cover and refrigerate several hours or overnight.