Recipes

Pecan Bars

Jon — Tue, 08 May 2012 12:30:35 +0000

Pecan Bars

¾ cup shortening (half butter, softened ( I use ¼ c. shortening and ½ c. butter)
¾ c. confectioner's sugar
1 ½ c. flour
Cream shortening and sugar together. Blend in flour. Press evenly over the bottom of an ungreased 13x9x2 baking pan. Bake at 350 for 12 to 15 minutes.

2 eggs
1 c. brown sugar, packed
2 T. flour
½ t. baking powder
½ t. salt
½ t. vanilla
1 c. chopped pecans.
Mix and spread over hot baked layer, and bake 20 minutes longer. Cool, and cut into bars, about 3x1 inch.

Orange Bread

Jon — Tue, 08 May 2012 12:27:56 +0000

This is Jon's Mom's Orange Bread recipe.

Peel 3 medium navel oranges and slice in thin strips.

Boil peels with 1 cup cold water and 1 tsp. Baking soda for 5 minutes.

Drain and wash well...this removes most of the “white” stuff.

Then boil peels in 2/3 c. water and 1 cup sugar until the “syrup” is thick,
and let cool. (I usually spread the peels on sugar coated wax paper to cool)
After the peels cool, chop into small pieces.

Bread
1 c. sugar
2 T. butter, melted
2 eggs
3 ¼ c. flour
3 t. baking powder
½ t. salt
1 c. milk 1 cup pecans (chopped)
orange peel

Pound Cake

Jon — Tue, 08 May 2012 12:26:36 +0000

This is Jon's Mom's Sour Cream Cake recipe

1 cup butter (softened)
3 c. sugar
Cream together until well blended.

Sift together in a large bowl:
3 c. flour
¼ t. baking soda
½ t. salt

6 eggs (may be separated, beat egg whites until almost stiff and fold in last) Or just add one whole egg at a time (this is what I do)
1 c. sour cream
1 t. vanilla

Add one egg at a time to butter/sugar and beat well after each.

Party Pasta Salad

Audrey — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 02:07:34 +0000

I was inspired by a few online recipes, but pretty much made this up as I went along. It turned out delicious and was a big hit!

1 lb pasta (orecchiette or some other smallish one preferred)
1 medium-sized jar of sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, drained, chopped and olive oil reserved
1/2 small red onion, finely diced
1 small tomato, finely diced
~1/2 lb feta, crumbled.

Curry Chicken Salad

Audrey — Sat, 28 Apr 2012 16:09:35 +0000

A recipe of my own creation, but inspired by this one.

I don't have measurements, but sort of just made this using the following ingredients until it tasted right and balanced.

Cooked chicken, chopped or torn into smallish pieces (I always start with a rotisserie chicken from Eastern Market, but any chicken will do)
Apple, diced into small pieces
Red onion, diced into small pieces
Raisins (I'm partial to golden raisins, but it doesn't matter; dried cranberries could be used here too)
Cilantro, finely chopped

Chicken in a Tomatillo, Chipotle, and Brown Sugar Sauce

Audrey — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 23:53:41 +0000

We recently got a digital antenna for our TV, which has opened up a mostly crappy selection of ".1" stations to us. But... there is an entire PBS station seemingly dedicated to cooking shows. My new favorite: Pati's Mexican Table. This is the first recipe of hers that we tried, and it was easy and delicious! I was especially excited to make this dish because we actually have a large log of piloncillo (like brown sugar) that we've been eating down for the last 2 years. Any opportunity to use that stuff is a win in my book.

Tamales de Elote

Audrey — Sun, 22 Apr 2012 20:32:10 +0000

This recipe is a mash-up of several recipes.

2 cups corn kernels (cut from 2 large ears of corn)
4 oz (1 stick) butter, cut into 1/2" pieces and softened slightly
1 tsp baking powder
2 tbsp sugar
1 3/4 cup masa harina
1 tsp salt
1 1/4 cup milk, warmed

Argentine Chimichurri

Audrey — Sun, 18 Mar 2012 15:35:37 +0000

Oh, how I learned to love a steak while honeymooning in Argentina.
Chimichurri, you are the secret.
So delicious.
And delightful.
You have brought me to the land of grilled meats.
And my grill-master husband thanks you.
Forever, and beyond.

Head of garlic (~ 10 cloves)
1/2 medium or whole small onion, chopped
1/3 cup chopped red bell pepper
1/2 bunch parsley, chopped
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp thyme
1 large bay leaf, crumbled
1/2 tsp sweet paprika
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground pepper
1/3 cup red wine and/or sherry vinegar
1/4 - 1/2 cup olive oil

Trinidadian Macaroni Pie

Audrey — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 02:28:00 +0000

Throughout college, I had several Trinidadian friends (including a great freshman year roommate). One of the easiest (and most delicious and most fattening) dishes we would eat was macaroni pie. I stole this recipe from CaribbeanPot.com and it was quite tasty.

14 oz "macaroni" (we used bucattini pasta - round like spaghetti but wider with a hole in the middle)
1/2 medium onion diced very small
1 habanero or scotch bonnet diced fine (optional)
2 large eggs
1 can evaporated milk (~12.5 oz)

Shakshuka - tomato/chickpea with egg

Jon — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 01:33:03 +0000

From Bon Appetit, halved and with some modifications:

Ingredients
3 T olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
2 jalapeños, finely chopped
1 1/2 cups chickpeas, soaked overnight and drained
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 14-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes, crushed by hand, juices reserved
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup coarsely crumbled feta
4 large eggs
1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley