Cucumbers A la Marsha

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Submitted by Joyce Bayer, who got this from Marsha Avrushin.

 

  • 1 C water
  • 3/4 C vinegar
  • 1/2 C sugar
  • Fresh ground pepper to taste

 

Peel and slice cucumbers. Put them in layers, alternating with the onions, sprinkling each layer with salt.

Mix the dressing until all sugar granules have disappeared.

Thoroughly rinse all salt off cucumbers. Make sure all salt has been rinsed off. Don’t let any salt remain on the cucumbers. Squeeze onions and cucumbers until all liquid is out.

Pour dressing over cucumbers. Seal container. Allow to sit in refrigerator at least overnight.

Belgian apple cake

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Submitted by Nathalie Padilla, one of our very favorite Belgian persons!

  • 1 3/4 cup flour, sifted
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter or margarine
  • 1 1/3 cup sugar
  • 4 extra large eggs (separated)
  • 1 tablespoon rum (or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract)
  • 5 cups apples, sliced thin

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Grease a 13” by 9” pan.

Mix the flour, baking powder and salt, and set aside.

Beat the egg whites until peaks form and set aside, as well.

In a large bowl of an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar. Add yolks, one at a time. Mix well. Slowly add the flour mix, beaten egg whites and rum (or vanilla).

Put a layer of dough in a the greased pan, then a layer of apples, followed by another layer of dough on top.

Bake approximately 48 min. at 350 degrees.

Banana bread

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Submitted by Nathalie Padilla, who got it from Cooking Light magazine.

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup butter, softened
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 1/2 cups mashed ripe bananas (about 3 bananas)
  • 1/3 cup plain low-fat yoghurt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • cooking spray

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups. Level with a knife. Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt, stirring with a whisk.

Place sugar and butter in a large bowl, and beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended (about 1 minute). Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add banana, yoghurt and vanilla, and beat until blended. Add flour mixture. Beat at low speed just until moist. Spoon batter in an 8 1/2 by 4 1/2 – inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.

Cool 10  minutes in pan on a wire rack. Remove from pan. Cool completely on wire rack.

Fruit Drops

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Submitted by Joyce Bayer, who writes:  “This is a recipe from my grandmother (my mother’s mother). She used to make them for us, and I loved them. Several years after she passed away, I asked my mother about making them. She helped me find the recipe among my grandmother’s belongings. That recipe was indicative of the way Grandma cooked—sugar, butter, flour, eggs—ingredients listed without any quantities. I worked on the recipe for several years before I got it the way I think I remembered these cookies tasting. It is very important to use whole milk, otherwise the cookies are like hard tack as soon as they cool. When storing them, I usually put a piece of waxed paper between layers of cookies, since they tend to stick together.”

  • 2 cups Granulated Sugar
  • 1 cup Butter or Margarine
  • 3 Eggs
  • 1 cup Sour whole milk (do not used reduced fat milk)
  • 1 cup Chopped nuts
  • 1 cup Chopped dates or raisins
  • 1 teaspoon Baking soda
  • 1-2 teaspoons Cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon Cloves
  • 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
  • 4 cups Flour

Combine all ingredients. Drop by spoonfuls in baking tine or on greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 8-12 minutes, depending on softness desired. Store in tightly covered container.

Salmon with Sesame Vegetables

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  • 2 skinless 6 ounce salmon filets
  • 2 teaspoons sesame oil
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 medium leek, (white and green parts only)  thinly sliced and washed well
  • 1 medium carrot, thinly sliced on the diagonal
  • 2 teaspoons peeled, grated, fresh ginger
  • 1 large clove garlic, minced
  • 3/4 cup dry white wine
  • 1/2 cup bottled clam juice
  • Toasted sesame seeds

Brush both sides of salmon filets with sesame oil.  Season with salt and pepper.

Sear salmon in a skillet over high heat until just cooked through, about 2 minutes per side.

Transfer salmon to a platter.

Reduce heat to medium.  Melt 1Tablespoon butter in the same skillet.  Add leek, carrot, ginger, and garlic and sauté until carrot is just tender, about 4 minutes.

Spoon vegetables over salmon, dividing evenly.

Tent salmon with aluminum foil to keep warm.

Add wine and clam juice to the skillet and boil until liquids are reduced to a glaze, about 10 minutes.

Whisk in remaining 2 Tablespoons butter.

Spoon sauce over salmon filets and vegetables.  Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds.

Garlic Chicken with roasted Potatoes & Cauliflower

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Submitted by Deborah Gibbs, who says “The kitchen smells great!”

  • 4 large cloves garlic, pressed
  • 5 Tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 Tablespoon tarragon vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
  • ¼ cup apple juice
  • Salt & pepper to taste
  • 6 chicken thighs trimmed (I used boneless breasts)
  • 4 large baking potatoes, cut into 1 ½ inch cubes ( I slice thick)
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 1 tablespoon flour or cornstarch
  • ¼ cup parmesan cheese
  • ¼ cup panko bread crumbs
  • Italian seasoning to taste
  • 2 Tablespoon fresh copped parsley
  • 3 cups cauliflower florets

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a glass measuring cup – combine garlic through salt & pepper to taste. Spray a large, baking sheet with nonstick spray. Place the chicken to one side and the potatoes to another – drizzle with the marinade. Toss to coat. Place in oven for 20 minutes

Place the egg in one bowl & whisk in flour. In a pie plate mix the cheese, bread crumbs, seasoning & parsley.  Dip the cauliflower pieces in the egg mixture = dredge in bread crumbs to coat & place on a baking sheet.

After 20 minutes of roasting time, baste chicken with juices – place the baking sheet with cauliflower in the oven. Roast 20 more minutes or until the chicken in done.

( You can probably roast the cauliflower with just a little olive oil)

Chocolate Mice

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Submitted by Debbie Tenzer.

This is a wonderful project to do with children!

  • One bag of Oreo cookies
  • One bag of Hershey Kisses
  • One can of chocolate frosting
  • One bag of sliced almonds
  • One small tube, white decorative ‘writing gel’ icing
  • Colored sugar, one color or different colors

Carefully remove tops from 24 Oreo cookies, so white filling intact on the bottoms. Sprinkle white filling with colored sugar. Set cookies aside.

Unwrap 48 Hershey Kisses.

With a small knife, place a small amount of chocolate frosting on the bottoms of two kisses, and “glue” the bottoms together. The points of the kisses now form the “nose” and “tail” of the mouse.

Place a small amount of chocolate frosting on the “tummy” of the mouse, and attach the mouse, tummy-side down, to the white filling of an Oreo.

Select two almond slices (“ears”), and slide them into the frosting between the kisses.

Squeeze out small dots of white writing gel icing to make “eyes” and the “nose.” Now your mouse is ready!

Your mice can be served together on a platter, individually in cupcake paper cups, or as table decorations.

Note: Use red or green colored sugar for Christmas, orange for Thanksgiving, blue for Hanukkah, etc.

Hungarian Mushroom Soup

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Submitted by Mandy Mills.  From Moosewood Cookbook by Mollie Katzen.

  • 2 Tbsp Butter
  • 2 cups Chopped onion
  • 1 ½ – 2 lbs Sliced mushrooms
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 – 3 teaspoons dried dill
  • 1 Tablespoon mild paprika
  • 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
  • 3 Tablespoons flour
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 cup milk at room temperature (can be low fat)
  • Black pepper to taste
  • ½ cup sour cream
  1. Melt the butter in a kettle or Dutch oven. Add onions, and sauté over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Add mushrooms, salt, dill, and paprika. Stir well and cover. Let cook for about 15 more minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in lemon juice.
  2. Gradually sprinkle in the flour, stirring constantly. Cook and stir another 5 minutes or so over medium-low heat. Add water, cover, and cook about 10 minutes, stirring often.
  3. Stir in milk; add black pepper to taste. Check to see if it needs more salt. Whisk in the sour cream, and heat very gently. Don’t boil or cook it after this point. Serve hot.

Serves 4-5

Cream of Broccoli Soup

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Submitted by Mandy Mills.  Adapted from The Joy of Cooking

Heat in a soup pot over medium-low until the butter is melted:

  • ¼ cup water or stock
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • Add and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until tender but not browned, 5- 10 minutes:
  • 1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, sliced

Stir in:

  • 4 ½ – 6 cups stock
  • 1 large head (1 – 1 ½ lbs) broccoli, washed, trimmed and coarsely chopped

Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer until the broccoli is tender, 15 – 20 minutes. Puree until smooth (an immersion blender makes this simple). Return to the pot (if you didn’t use an immersion blender) and stir in:

  • ¼ – ½ cup cream, half-and-half, or milk
  • salt and pepper to taste

Warm briefly, but do not allow to boil after you have added the milk.

Serve with warm, crusty bread.

German Apple Pancake

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Submitted by Mandy Mills, from The Vegetarian Epicure by Anna Thomas

This is a pancake – just one – that you bake, and it’s ready all at once for everyone, instead of a serving at a time. It can be a special-day breakfast for two or three people, or a lovely dessert for four to six.

Pancake

  • 3 Large eggs
  • ¾ cup Milk
  • ¾ cup Flour
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 ½ Tablespoons Butter

Filling

  • 1 lb. Tart, fresh apples
  • 2 – 3 Tablespoons Melted butter
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • Cinnamon and nutmeg to taste
  1. Preheat the over to 450o. Beat together the eggs, milk, flour, and salt until very smooth. In a heavy 12-inch skillet, melt about 1 ½ Tablespoons butter. As soon as it is quite hot, pour in the batter and put the skillet in the oven. After 15 minutes, lower the over temperature to 350 degrees, and continue baking for another 10 minutes. The pancake should be light brown and crisp. During the first 10 minutes or so of baking, the pancake may puff up in large bubbles. If it does, pierce it thoroughly with a fork or skewer.
  2. While the pancake is baking, prepare the apple filling. Peel and thinly slice a pound of apples. Sauté them lightly in butter and add ¼ cup of sugar. Season to taste with cinnamon and nutmeg. The apples should be just tender, not too soft. 8-10 minutes of cooking over a medium flame should be plenty. The filling can be prepared ahead and reheated just before serving.
  3. When the pancake is ready, slide it onto an oval platter, pour the apple filling over one side and fold the other side over. You can top it with a little powdered sugar if you like. Serve by slicing pieces off crosswise.