Beer Batter for Fish

(could probably be used for onions or other veggies as well)

1/2 cup flour
seasoning salt to taste
pinch onion powder
pinch garlic powder
1 tablespoon melted butter
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup beer
1 egg white, beaten to stiff peaks
2 lbs firm whitefish- cod, pollock, etc.

1. Sift flour with seasonings. Add butter and egg, and slowly add beer. Finally, fold in the beaten egg whites, stirring until smooth.

2. Let stand for 1 hour on the counter.

3. Preheat hot grease to 375ºF.

4. Dip pieces of fish into batter, shaking off excess. Fry until golden brown.

5. To keep hot until serving, place cooked pieces on a baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray in a 200ºF oven. Fish will hold for about 30 minutes in oven.

Quick Applesauce Muffins

2 cups Bisquick Heart Smart Baking Mix
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup applesauce
1/4 cup milk
1 egg
2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Topping:
Cinnamon sugar
Sliced almonds

Preheat oven to 350ºF.

Combine Bisquick, sugar, and cinnamon in a bowl, stir with a whisk.

Add applesauce, milk, egg, and oil. Stir to combine.

Fill greased muffin pans 2/3 full with muffin batter.

Sprinkle muffin tops with almonds, and then cinnamon sugar.

Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean.

Makes 9 standard size muffins.

The Lady & Sons' Peach Cobbler

1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup self-rising flour
3/4 cup milk
1 28-oz can sliced peaches in heavy syrup, undrained
cinnamon for sprinkling (optional)

Preheat oven to 350ºF.

Place butter in a 2-quart baking dish and set in the hot oven to melt the butter. Meanwhile, stir sugar and flour together and mix well. Slowly add the milk and stir to prevent batter from forming lumps.

Carefully, remove baking dish with melted butter from the oven and carefully pour batter directly on top of the butter. DO NOT STIR TOGETHER. Spoon the peaches on top of the batter, then very gently, pour the reserved syrup on top. AGAIN, DO NOT STIR. Sprinkle on cinnamon at the point if using.

The most important part of this dish is not stirring the mixture. Pop it into the oven as is, and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until golden brown. The crust will rise above the fruit, producing a fantastic crust with a gooey, fruity bottom. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or freshly whipped cream.

Basic Pizza Dough

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons sugar
1 package yeast
1 cup water

1. Combine sugar, water and yeast in a measuring cup or small bowl.
2. Combine flour and salt in a large bowl and make a well in the center.
3. Pour yeast mixure and oil in well and stir into dry ingredients until you have a soft dough.
4. If dough is too sticky, add a bit more flour.
5. Knead until smooth on a lightly floured surface.
6. Place in an oiled bowl, cover with a towel and let rise until doubled.
7. Punch down and let rest for 10 minutes.
8. Makes 1- deep dish or 2- 12" pizza crusts.
9. To bake, top with your favorite sauce, cheese, etc.
10. Bake at 450 degrees for about 15 minutes or until crispy and cheese is bubbling.

Pizza Carbonara

a Rachael Ray recipe

1 refrigerated pizza dough, or one from your favorite pizza joint (I use homemade)
Cornmeal, for sprinkling on pizza pan
Extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO), for drizzling
1/4 pound pancetta, chopped
1 cup ricotta cheese
1/4 cup grated Romano or Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
1 large clove garlic, grated (2 cloves is better)
Black pepper
2 large egg yolks, beaten
1 1/2 to 2 cups shredded provolone cheese
A handful of flat-leaf parsley, chopped

Preheat oven to 450°F.

Roll out dough into a large, thin, round or rectangular shape. Scatter a little cornmeal on the pizza pan or baking sheet before placing rolled-out dough on it.

Drizzle dough with EVOO and prick it with fork tines in a few places.

Place in oven and partially bake for 7-8 minutes.

Drizzle EVOO in a small skillet and heat over medium-high heat. Cook pancetta until crisp, 4-5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and cool.

Brush the baked pizza crust with some of the grease from the skillet you cooked the pancetta in for a little extra flavor.

Add beaten egg yolks, ricotta, Romano, grated garlic and black pepper to a bowl and stir to combine.

Spread the ricotta cheese mixture out over the pizza crust, then top with provolone cheese.

Scatter the reserved pancetta all over and bake 12 minutes or until crust is crisp and the cheese is evenly golden on top. Scatter parsley over cooked pizza, cut into wedges and serve.

Crock Pot Macaroni and Cheese

8 oz. uncooked macaroni
2 eggs
1 1/4 cup milk
1 (12 oz) can evaporated milk
4 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese-divided
salt and pepper to taste

In a large bowl, beat the eggs and milks together until well combined. Add the macaroni, salt and pepper, and 3 1/2 cups of the cheese. Mix well and pour into crock pot. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top, cover and cook on low for about 5 hours*. Do not open the lid at all during cooking time.

*You'll want to keep an eye on this the first time you make it. I cooked it for 5 hours, and it was pretty browned around the edges- so next time it will be more like 4 1/2 in my crock pot. Adjust accordingly for your personal slow cooker.

Cabbage Patch Stew

recipe from Carolyn

1 pound extra lean ground meat
2 medium onions, thinly sliced
1 1/2 cups cabbage, thinly sliced or shredded
1/2 cup celery, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups kidney beans, undrained
2 cups canned tomatoes, undrained (I used 1 28 oz can whole tomatoes)
2 cups fresh mushrooms, sliced
2 tsp chili powder, or more to taste
1 tsp ground cumin
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup chicken broth
1 tsp beef broth concentrate, diluted in water
1 1/2 cups water
salt and pepper to taste
10 medium potatoes
1/2 cup buttermilk
salt and pepper to taste
1 Tbsp butter

Brown ground beef over medium heat. Add onions, garlic, cabbage, and celery; cook until vegetables have lost their raw color- about 5 minutes. Add beans, mushrooms, tomatoes, broths, and seasonings (and some water if it appears to be too thick) and continue to simmer for 15-25 minutes. Add more or less water as needed to the consistency you like.

Meanwhile, boil potatoes until fork tender and mash them using the butter, buttermilk, salt and pepper.

Serve about 1 to 1 1/2 cups stew per person in large bowls, then add scoops of hot potatoes on top and enjoy.

** This recipe is highly adaptable. Use your choice of meat- ground turkey, ground chicken, even pork would be good. TVP or soy crumbles would work as well. It could also be made with no meat at all if that is your choice. I happened to add a 1/2 teaspoon of sweet curry powder and really enjoyed it that way. I also swapped out the canned beans for dried cranberry beans. Substitutions are easily made, just use what you would like.

7-Up Cake

1 box yellow cake mix (I use Duncan Hines)
1 (3 oz) package instant vanilla pudding mix
4 eggs
1/2 cup oil
10 ozs. 7-Up

Icing:
2 cups sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 eggs
1 large can crushed pineapple
1 stick butter
1 cup shredded coconut

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Combine cake ingredients. Beat well with a mixer. Pour into a greased bundt pan or 3 greased cake layer pans. Bake layers for 25-30 minutes or the bundt for closer to 45 minutes. Cake is done when a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool cake on a wire rack.

In the meantime, combine the icing ingredients in a saucepan over med-low heat. Stir constantly, cooking until thick and just starting to bubble. Cool icing mixture completely before icing the cake.

Buttermilk Raisin Pie

1 9-inch unbaked pie shell
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 1/4 cups sugar
3 eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 pinch salt
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup raisins

1. Place raisins in a heatproof bowl. Pour boiling water over them to cover. Set aside for at least 30 minutes to plump.

2. Preheat oven to 400ºF.

3. Roll out dough pastry as necessary and place in pie dish.

4. Using a hand mixer, beat the melted butter and sugar together.

5. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat well.

6. Add the flour,salt, cinnamon, and buttermilk. Beat until thick and creamy.

7. Drain raisins from liquid, and add the plumped raisins to the buttermilk mixture. Mix in with a spoon and pour into the pie shell.

8. Bake at 400ºF for 10 minutes. Reduce heat, and bake at 350ºF for another 50-60 minutes.

9. Pie will turn a nice golden brown and will not jiggle when shaken. A knife inserted into the middle will come out clean when pie is done.

Cherry Swirl Coffee Cake

4 cups Bisquick
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup melted butter
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon almond extract
3 eggs
1 can cherry pie filling (ore blueberry, peach, raspberry, etc.)

Glaze:
1 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons milk
1/4 teaspoon vanilla

Heat oven to 350ºF; grease a 9 x 13 pan. Mix all ingredients except pie filling. Beat vigorously for about 30 seconds. Spread 2/3 of the batter in baking pan. Spread pie filling over batter. Drop remaining batter by tablespoons over pie filling; swirl into batter slightly. Bake 20-25 minutes until light brown; drizzle with glaze while still warm. For Glaze: beat pwdred sugar with milk and vanilla to desired consistency. Add a little more milk if it's not thin enough to drizzle.

Aunt Lita's Lumpia

2 pounds ground beef
4 stalks celery
3 medium carrots
1 onion
4 eggs
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 1/2 tablespoons salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 package egg roll wrappers

Grind celery, carrots, and onion in a food processor, or chop finely. Mix with the hamburger, 3 beaten eggs, and seasonings.

Beat remaining egg and put on a shallow plate

Place egg roll wrapper on table and put meat mixture in a long narrow row. Roll up, sealing with the egg.

Heat oil in a frying pan or deep fryer to 400º. Fry until golden brown.

Cinnamon Loaf

from the Woman's Day Collector's Cook Book

1 package active dry yeast
2/3 cup mik, scalded
1/2 cup sugar, divided
1 teaspoon salt
Butter
2 eggs
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Sprinkle dry yeast into 2 tablespoons very warm water. Let stand a few minutes; then stir until dissolved.

Pour hot milk over 1/4 cup sugar, the salt, and four tablespoons butter; cool. Add eggs, yeast and half the flour. Beat with a rotary beater or electric beater until smooth. Beat in remaining flour with spoon. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour.

Punch down and knead lightly. Roll out on floured pastry cloth or board to a rectangle 18" by 9". Spread with 2 tablespoons butter; sprinkle with 1/4 cup sugar mixed with cinnamon. Roll up tightly from the short end and put in greased 9 x 5 x 3 loaf pan. Brush with 2 tablespoons melted butter and let rise until doubled, about 45 minutes. Bake in a moderate oven (350ºF) about 30 minutes.

Kingly Smoked Salmon

Recipe from: Smoke & Spice: Cooking with Smoke, the real Way to Barbecue
by Cheryl Jamison and Bill Jamison

Ingredients:
Pacific king salmon butterflied tail section (or use coho or silver salmon)
Alder wood for smoking

Rub:
1/4 cup dill, dried
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tsp kosher salt
2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Optional Mop
Remaining Rub
1 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup canola or corn oil

Instructions:

The night before you plan to barbecue, combine the rub ingredients in a small bowl. Open the salmon flat and massage it well with about 2/3 of the rub, reserving the rest of the mixture. Fold the salmon back into it's original shape, place it in a plastic bag, and refrigerate it overnight.

Prepare the smoker for barbecuing, bringing the temperature up to 180 to 200 degrees F.

Remove the salmon from the fridge and let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.

If you plan to baste the fish, stir the remaining rub together with the other mop ingredients in a saucepan and warm the mixture over low heat.

Transfer the salmon to the smoker skin side down, placing the fish as far from the fire as possible. Cook for 50 to 60 minutes, mopping it after 10 and 30 minutes in a wood-burning pit, or as appropriate for your style of smoker. The salmon should flake easily when done. Have a large spatula and platter ready when taking the salmon off the smoker, because it can fall apart easily. Serve hot or chilled.

BBQ tips:
Alder remains the best wood for smoking Pacific salmon. Alder chips are fairly common across the country, but you may have more difficulty finding the wood in chunks or logs. Fruit woods are the best substitute, particularly when mixed with smaller pieces of alder.

Yield: 8 Servings

Mob Potatoes

1 2 pound package frozen hash browns, thawed
1 can reduced fat cream of chicken soup*
1 pint reduced fat sour cream
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
3/4 cup melted butter, divided
2 cups crushed corn flakes

Preheat oven to 350ºF. In a large bowl, combine hash browns, soup, sour cream, onion, cheddar cheese, salt, pepper, and 1/2 cup of melted butter. Mix well. Pour mixture into a 9 x 13 pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray.

In a small bowl, combine corn flakes and remaining melted butter. Mix well and sprinkle over the top of the hash brown mixture.

Cover the pan with aluminum foil and bake in a 350 oven for 1 1/2 hours.

Makes about 12 good size servings.

* You can use other "cream of" soups if you desire. Celery and mushroom work particularly well.

Grilled Wild Boar Chops

4 wild boar chops
2 lemons -- juiced
zest of 1 lemon
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup fresh rosemary, chopped
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1. salt and pepper the chops.
2. place chops in roomy, non-metal container so each chop lays flat.
3. whisk all ingredients (sans chops) for marinade.
4. pour marinade over chops.
5. cover and refrigerate at least (4) hours, turning every hour or so.
6. prepare grill/fire for direct heat on hi.
7. sear chops on both side for 2 minutes.
8. turn heat down or place chops on cooler part of grill for remaining cooking.
9. Close lid and cook about (5) mins on each side for medium rare.
10. let chops rest at room temp for (10) mins before serving.

Quick Pesto Tortellini

1 package frozen vegetables, your choice
1 pound cheese tortellini
1 15 oz. container ricotta cheese
1/4 cup prepared pesto
salt and pepper to taste


Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the vegetables and cook until done, remove the vegetables to a large bowl. Add the tortellini to the cooking water, and cook according to package directions until done. Add the cooked tortellini to the vegetables, reserving the cooking water.

In a small bowl, combine ricotta cheese, pesto, salt, and pepper. Add to the vegetables and tortellini, along with 1/2 cup of cooking water. Toss everything together until the sauce is a consistency you like. If it's still too thick, add cooking water, 1/4 cup at a time.

Serve immediately, or it can be refrigerated and warmed back up, covered, in a 350 oven for 20-25 minutes, or a few turns in the microwave.

Beignets

adapted from King Arthur Flour Baker's Companion

2 1/2 pounds vegetable shortening for frying
1 cup milk
1 large egg
1/4 cup vegetable oil or melted butter
4 drops lemon oil
2 cups white whole wheat or all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tablespoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/4 cup powdered sugar, for sprinkling on beignets

1. Heat vegetable shortening in a deep fat fryer or in a large deep potto 350ºF. Make sure there is at least 2 inches of fat in the pot.

2. Mix the milk, egg, vegetable oil and lemon oil with a whisk, set aside. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and granulated sugar. Mix to combine. Add the milk mixture to the flour mixture. Stir until smooth.

3. Drop the batter by tablespoonful into the hot grease. Fry four or five beignets at a time, making sure that there is plenty of room for them to expand and float around. Fry the beignets for about 2 minutes per side. Most of the beignets will turn themselves over, but keep an eye on the pot in case one gets stubborn. Use a slotted spoon to remove them from the oil and drain them on paper towels.

4. Serve beignets hot with a sprinkling of powdered sugar. Recipe makes between 18-30 beignets, depending on the size you make them.