Pasta Preimavera

My good friend and comrad in arms Heather, sent this to me! Take the hint from Heather! Experiment and find out that sometimes the REQUIRED amount is just not enough or it is way too much for your tastes!

I made an Italian pasta primavera dish the other day and it turned out good, which I surprised myself. Just thought I would share in case you want to make it for dinner one night.
I don’t have a recipe of exact amounts since I was kinda just throwing things in to the pan as I thought of them, but here is what I put in it:


½ pound of cooked small pasta shells
frozen medley of broccoli and carrots and yellow bell peppers (about 1 cup)
sundried tomatoes, sliced (about ½ cup)
minced garlic ( about 2 Tablespoons)
sliced Greek calamata olives (about ¼ cup)
capers (about 3 Tablespoons)
fresh mozzarella cheese, cut into small bite size cubes
butter and olive oil mixture to sauté vegetables, and then add more to make into a pan sauce
salt, pepper, and dried basil to taste
Cook the pasta, and meanwhile, saute’ the frozen vegetables in butter and olive oil until hot. Then add the sundried tomatoes, garlic, olives, capers, and mozzarella cheese, seasoning and cooked pasta. Keep sautéing the pasta, vegetable & cheese mixture until mozzarella cheese starts to melt.

Basic jerky recipe for meat,fish and poultry

Normally meat is used raw for jerky,but cooked will also work for dehydration to be reconstituted later. Cut or gring meat to size(1/4 inch thick) Mardinate the meat thoroughly! The marinade MUST permeate the meat entirely. Some recipes call for a few hours,I prefer to marinade overnight in the fridge.
Be sure ALL of the utensils and your hands are clean.....
The following basic recipe maes enough mariade for appx 4 ponds of meat.

1/2 pound (1 cup) brown sugar
3 cups soy sauce

spices may be added :such as liquid smoke,sherry,chili pepper,lemon juice herbs....This is where YOU experiment with you favorite flavors!!!

Mix together in a large zip-lock bbag. Slice your meat and add to marinade-refridge overnight.

If tou have a dehydrator(well worth the purchase). Drain the marinade and place slices on the screen-do NOT let the pieces touch or overlap.
Once all the meat is properly placed.plug in the dehydrator and forget it until the meat is completely dried....Depending on how many racks,could take 24 hours. the thickness and type of dehydrator makes a difference regading the over-all time required.(follow manufactorures directions).
If you use an oven or a grill,use the lowest heat and check every 3 to 4 hours for dryness.
When complet....remove and spread on paper-towels. Pat with another paper-towel to absorb and grease beads tha may appear.cool and bag in zip-lock bags for storage....

Stock the Larder Recipes and Primary Stores

Hopefully, access to stores will never be curtailed. Hopefully, food prices will not climb so high as to be out of reach. Hopefully, we will never have a Natural Disaster that cuts off access to electricity,potable water,transportation,communication. Hopefully.......
Any and all of the above are not only possible,they are plausible-Are you prepared to last at home for a week,2 weeks,a year?????
I am in Florida. Hurricane preparation is a way of life! New England,Mountain States.Texas (practicallay EVERY state) has major snow-storms,ice storms, and the like in the winter...spring brings floods,tornadoes, Nor' Easters,etc......In a few words-ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN!
I thought I would post recipes on Saturday and Sundays for jerky,dried fruits,pre-mixed sweets(that just need aggs,water and oil to complete) along with items to ALWAYS have in your larder(pantry).
The important thing is to have the supplies you needfor you and your family to survive....If your expertise grows,you can help your neighbors survive too!
Please feel free to join in! Email me your recipes at thecripster4doc@gmail.com and I will add them to the weekend entries. I will add all I get on Saturdays and Sundays and will make sure you are acknoledged as the sender!

Grilled Pork With Dill Mustard Sauce

I found this recipe in the Bob Appetite Magazine. Although I use the recipe as a guide,I exchange ingredients(some) for stuff I have on hand! Sometimes it is a winner-sometimes-not so much!!! Regardless-this was a winner!

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tbls dried dill(they use fresh-chopped) plus 1/2 cup dill
2 medium yellow squash (didn't have zuccini)
1/4 brown Deli Mustard (din't have dijon)
1 tlbs honey
1 pound (or so) pork loin

Whisk 2 tbls balsamic vinegar ,2 tbls dill and 2 tbls water and 1 teaspoon salt on a medium bowl. Whisk until salt dissolves.Add yellow squash and marinatde 10 minutes-tossing often-then drain

meanwhile-whisk 1/2 cup dill ,mustard,honey and 1/2 cup water in medium bowl.

prepared BBQ grill(medium hign heat). Spread loin with 2 tbls of the mustard sauce(reserve the rest to serve with grilled loin). ( I put a bit aside and bush the sauce on-seem to get it on more evenly). grill about 25 minutes or until a thermometer inserted reads 145-150. Place loin pn a platter and slice into 1/2 slabs(appx-you really don't have to have a tape measure) serve with remaing sauce.

I served this with an assortment of pickles and my friend Heather's potato Salad!!! Threw an English together and What a FEAST we had!!!!

CORIANDER SCALLOPS WITH ORANGE-GINGER DRESSING

I got this recipe from Bon-Apetite Magazine! It is just this side of heaven!If you want to improve it even more-grill the scallops.........YUMMMMMMY!

3 tbls frozen orange juice concentrate(thawed)
2 tbls balsamic vinegar
3 tbls olive oil
2 tsp ground ginger
1 tbls ground cilantro
2 tbls coriander
16 SEA SCALLOPS
8 cups mixed baby greens
1 naval orange =peeled,pith removed divided into segments

whisk organge concentrate
vinegar,1 tbls oil,ginger, and cilantro in a small bowl

place coriander on a plate and season the the scallops with a wee bit of salt and pepper then press both sides into coriander to coat

heat 2 tb;s oil in large skillet over med-high heat-add scallops and cook until golden brown and opaque in center

serve on greens and drizzle with orange dressing....

YUMMY! Skip the oil and skillet if you like and through 'em on the grill!
(especially if you have one of those veggie cookers made for the grill !

Coconut shrimp and pinapple cole-slaw

This is messy to make, but well worth the effort!If you are lucky, you get the kids to help makin' the shrimp and be sure to emphasize that "Clean-up" IS part of "HELPING"! If you are stuck with the clean-up -throw a towel over it so you can ignore it -at least until your done eating!

For the shrimp:
6 or 8 large uncooked,peeled and deveined shrimp per person
1 large bag of sweetened-shredded coconut-fill a large soup bowl
egg-beaten in a large soup bowl
flour-start with 1 cup in a large soup bowl

enough oil in a deep fry pan to cover 2 knuckles (if you are lucky-use the fry daddy!)
after the shrimp is peeled and deveined-dredge each shrimp in flour-then bathe it in egg, them roll it in coconut and pile it up on a dish,tray or whatever....Repeat until you have enough shrimp to serve!
Deep fry in medium-hot oil until golden brown!

Rum pina-Colada sauce for dipping
in a small bowl
appx 6 oz og orange marmalade
1/2 cup of pina-colada bar mix
1 shot of rum
mix together and microwave for appx 35 seconds(melt the marmalade)
divide and serve in individual dishes(leftovers keep VERY well in the refridgerater

Pinapple cole-slaw
As I am a lazy-cook-iget the pre-made fresh cole-slaw but if "from-scratch" is your thing-go ahead slice the cabbage.shave the carrots and mix it up well
add a small can of unsweetened minces pineapple (drained)
add salad dressing or mayonaise (I prefer the dressing) mixing all the while until nice and creamy..

Make your grits as directed but instead of water-substitute cocnut milk(unsweetened) They come out creamier with a slight hint of coconut flavor!

If you are trying to create a tropical atmosphere fill an old wash-tub with sand and stick an umbrella in it!!! Wear a bathing suit while serving......
above all-enjoy!

KEY LIME COCONUT PIE WITH RUM CREAM

CRUST:
1 1/3 cup crumbed graham crackers
1/3 cup snredded coconut
2 tbls sugar
6 tbls butter

mix it altogether and press into a well buttered 9-in pie plate and bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes Set aside

FILLING:
3 large egg yolks
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
1 can of condensed milk
1/2 cup key lime juice

Whisk together until comletely blended and pour into baked pie-crust
bake 15-20 minutes at 350 degrees
refridgerate several hours(at least) overnight is best

TOPPING:

1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp rum (or rum flavoring)
shredded coconut
spreaded coconut on a cookie sheet and bake in a 350 degree oven until lightly browned

whip together until stiff peaks form
spread on top of pie before serving and sprinkle toasted coconut on top

SHE-CRAB SOUP

I don't know who takes the time to pick up each crab,turn it over and checks to see if it is a "He-Crab or a She-Crab" ! I DO know that if you try to order a pound of "She-Crabs" they really give you a strange look at the fish market!!!
All kidding aside-If you love chowders and you love Crab-meat-you will LOVE this recipe!!

SHE-CRAB SOUP

you need:
1 quart whipping cream
pinch of salt
pinch of pepper
2 cups boiling water
2 fish boullion cubes *
1.4 cup butter
1/4 cup flour
2 tbls lemon juice
1 pound of lump crabmeat
2 tbl minced fresh parsley
1/3 cup sherry

*If you use a can of crabmeat-save the juice and omit the pinch of salt in lieu of the fish boullion.....If I pick the crabs-and don't have the fish boullion, I saute a bit more crab.....

combine the first 3 ingredients in a heavy saucepan-bring to a boil - reduce heat and simmer for 1 hour-set aside
disslove fish cubes in boiling water.melt butter over low het -add flour and stir until smooth-cook 1 minute
slowly add fish boullion to butter.cook over medium heat until thickened-whisk in whipped cream mixture,heat throroughly.add lemon juice,nutmeg,sherry and crabmeat.
serve in bowls and garnish with parsley

I usually serve this with hot biscuits or warm yeast rolls!!!!
ENJOY!

Better Than Sex Chocolate Cake

This is NOT a recipe I dreamed up myself! It has been around for many years and have NO idea of it's origin,only that it is simple,and EXTEMELY well recieved!

You need:
Your favorite Devils Food Cake Mix(extra moist is best)
1 can Sweetened Condensed Milk
Hersheys Dark chocolate or reg chocolate Syrup
Can of Whipped Cream (NO Cool-Whip)

Bake the cake according to instructions-or use your favorite Moist chocolate cake recipe!
While the cake is HOT from the oven use a wooden spoon (wrong end) to poke holes ALL over the top-Don't put so many the cake turns to a pile of crumbs however(common hazzard of Chocolate-Lovers)
now-pur and spread the can of sweetened condensed milk.Use a spatula to spread evenly over the top of the cake.
Now squeeze approx. 3/4 cup of Hershey's Chocolate and spread with the spatula
Let the cake stand until cooled a bit......serve hot with whipped cream on top
Trust me this cake is good cold too-the leftover cake can be stored in the fridge and just keeps getting moister,chocolatier,and more wonderful!!!!!

LOADED BAKED POTATO SALAD

mYfriend,Heather sent this recipe on Friday Night--We get to sample it with a Bison Prime Rib Roast Saturday!
OK-it is Monday! Happy Valintines day!This was by far,the best Potato Salad I have ever eaten!!!
Loaded Baked Potato Salad

3 lbs. potatoes (about 6-8 potatoes) - baked, then let cool, then peel and dice into bite size chunks
½ cup bacon bits
½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
¼ cup chives, diced
2 stalks of celery, diced fine
½ cup sour cream
½ cup mayo
salt & pepper to taste

Combine all the ingredients together and mix well. Serve cold.
About 6 servings.

Lasagna Roll-ups!!!

Roll-ups- again from my dear friend Mary Ann!!!! Great for a quick meal!



(A different way to make Lasagna, plus it's easy to freeze in square containers and have several meals....I freeze in zip loc plastic containers and freeze, take out of freezer when ready to use and pop out of plastic dish and put in 6 3/4" x 6 3/4" x 3" deep corning dish and bake until bubbly.)



ingredients:



12 lasagna noodles, cooked and drained



1 lb. ground meat, (I use 1/2 & 1/2 hamburg and sweet Italian sausage)



3 cups ricotta cheese



2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese



1/2 cup parmesan cheese



2 jars spaghetti sauce(medium to large size depending if you like a lot or

less sauce)



Brown the meat, drain and cool. While noodles are cooking, mix the cooked meat, ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese and parmesan cheese together.

Lay noodles out flat and spread some of the cheese mixture over length of it...be generous but not to much! (want to be about 2 1/2 to 3" in diameter when finished rolling) Roll up noodle, place seam side down in deep pan which you have spread a little sauce on bottom of, continue with rest of noodles. Lastly, pour sauce over all and sprinkle with more Parmesan cheese. Bake for 30 minutes in 350 preheated oven. About two rolls per person depending on person! If freezing some don't bother to cook now, just freeze)



**the best thing about Italian food is you can adjust it to suit you, use any combination of meat or just hamburg, use more or less cheese, or use more or less sauce. Can half recipe if you don't want to freeze any. Have fun and enjoy!

Tiramisu

The REAL Tiramisu recipe calls for some pretty expensive Marsacaponi Cheese,I use this "Poor mans cook" recipe as a substitutue and it has never failed to bring a hearty "YUMMMMMM"!

Parsimonioius Tiramisu!

1 pound cake(store bought works fine!!!)sliced into equal portions and spread out on a large cookie sheet until golden brown(appx 15 minutes)

-in a small sauce-pan
beat 5 egg yolks
1/3 cup sugar
-whisk in
1/3 sweet Marsala Wine
1 tbl water
-Heat on medium while whisking until thickened-cool

In a large bowl beat until soft peaks form
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tsps vanilla extract
set aside

in another large bowl-(marsacaponi cheese substitute)
Whip together 12 oz of softened cream cheese
1/4 cup sour cream
2 tbl heavy cream

Now fold in whipped cream and cooled egg mixture until well blended

combine 1/2 cup kaluha
3 tbls brandy

in a small sauce-pan
heat 1 cup of heavy cream to an almost boil and remove from heat
add 1 large pkg of dark-semi-sweet chocolate bits and stir until smooth

In a large deep serving dish
dip pound cake slices in kahlua mix and lay in bottom of dish
spread cheese filling
drizzle chocolate
continue layering until all ingredients are spent-top with remaining glaze
chill overnight at least-48 hours is best
If you really want to serve it up pretty.....place a large paper doily on top and sift cocoa powder on top-remove doily
Be prepared for the all-welcome OOOOOH-AHHHH effect!

PEACHES AND CREAM CHEESECAKE

My favorite "Cheffette" Mary Ann sent this! I have not tried it yet(but will,most definately) . If you all try it,please submit some comments!!!

This is kinda like a cake, cheesecake and fruit dessert all rolled into one...I won first place at Bud family day cook off.



Peaches and Ceam Cheesecake



3/4 cup flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 1/4 oz. dry vanilla pudding(NOT instant)
3 tablespoons butter

1 egg

1/2 cup milk

1 can sliced peaches (15-20 oz)

8 oz. cream cheese

1/2 cup sugar

3 tablespoons reserved peach juice



1 tablespoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon



Mix first 7 ingredients and beat 2 minutes at medium speed. Pour into greased 9" pie pan. Place fruit over batter. Combine cream cheese, sugar and reserved juice in small bowl. Beat for 2 minutes at medium speed. Spoon over batter to 1" from edge. Mix sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over cream cheese. Bake in 350 degree oven for 30 minutes. Serves 9

Buffalo Cookies

My Mum found this recipe in an OLD magazine several years ago ( dated back to the 40's) I have updated it because I don't have time to make candy and then bake......These cookies are so good-the kids love 'em ,Hubby doesn't leave them alone and I well.........
Note: any of the add-ins choc bits,butterscotch bits, cocnut,pecans can be substituted for with dried fruits ,different nuts etc. so you can pretty much add whatever strikes your fancy at the time!



BUFFALO COOKIES
1 cup(2 sticks) butter (melted)
½ cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar-firmly packed
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
1 ½ cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
2 cups rolled oats(uncooked)
1 cup crushed cornflakes (I used 3 cups oats instead)
½ cup dark chocolate bits
½ cup butterscotch chips
½ cup pecans
½ cup coconut flakes
Combine butter,sugars,vanilla-beat until blended.Add eggs-beat again gradually add dry ingredients. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes

Black Russian Pie w/ Kahlua crust

Again! From Mary Ann's kitchen to yours!!!!

Black Russian Pie w/ Kahlua crust



Kahlua crumb crust:



20 Chocolate wafers or 16 Graham crackers

1/4 cup butter, melted

2 tablespoons Kahlua



Break crackers or wafers in blender, cover and process at grind(HI) until crumbed.(you may also do this with a rolling pin or any method that achieves the same results) Empty into a 9 inch pie pan. Add butter and Kahlua to crumbs mixing well. Press into bottom and sides of pie pan. Cook in 350 degree oven for approx 10 min. Cool at least 30 minutes before filling.



Black Russian Pie filling:



1/2 cup Kahlua

2 envelopes unflavored gelatin

1/2 cup milk, heat to boiling

2 eggs

1/2 cup sugar

2/3 cup volka

1 1/2 cups whipped cream



Put Kahlua, gelatin and hot milk into blender, cover and process at stir (lo) until gelatin is dissolved. Remove feeder cap. Add eggs, sugar and volka. Pour into large bowl and chill 15 minutes until slightly thickened. Stir occasionally to keep smooth. Put cream into blender, cover and process at whip(med) until thickened. Fold gelatin mixture and cream mixture together thoroughly. Pour into cool crumb crust and chill until set, about 1 hour.

BRANDY ALEXANDER PIE

This is a recipe from Mary Ann....trust(I know,I have said it before) THIS GIRL CAN COOK!!!!! This pie goes a long way as it is VERY rich but OHHHHH so elegant.........Do yourself a favor and try it BEFORE you make it for company! Trust me-your family will LOVE IT!

1 envelope unflavored gelatin

1/2 cup cold water

2/3 cup sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt

3 eggs, separated

1/4 cup cognac

1/4 cup creme de cacao

2 cups heavy cream. whipped



1 graham cracker pie crust. 9 inches

chocolate curls for garnish



Sprinkle gelatin over cold water in saucepan. Add 1/3 cup sugar, salt and egg yolks. Stir to blend. Stir over low heat until gelatin dissolves and mixture thickens. Do not boil. Remove from heat and stir in cognac and creme de cacao. Chill till mixture start to mound slightly. Beat egg whites till stiff. Gradually beat in remaining sugar and fold into thickened cognac mixture. Fold in one cup of the whipped cream. Pour into crust. Chill several hours or overnight. Garnish with remaining whipped cream and chocolate curls.

Doggie-Bag Hash Browns

Mornin' all! Admit it-you went out to a restraunt,ordered your dinner (to include french-fries) and when the server delivered,you found your plate large enough to feed a family of 4!!!!! I know you dug in with ferver(all the main course first with an occassional fry for some change) and then-you push back from the table,completely sated. That sigh of pure joy and a feeling that you just ate a complete side of beef....surely you finished it all! Then you look at your plate and see a pile of french-fries the size of Mt Washington stil there.You try to eat just one more-you can't do it!!!!! "CHECK PLEASE"!!You yell!"and bring a box with you!"
Just for the principle of the thing-you box up every last fry-now what!you can reheat them in the oven and hope for the best-OR......

you need:
left over fries
1/2 small sweet green pepper
1/2 small onion
seasonings

If you have a food processor-add all ingredients and process to a minced state
If no processor or blender-mince all of the ingredients and toss together
heat a fry pan with appx 2-3 tbls of olive oil to medium high
Dump all the ingredients into the hot oiled fry pan and stir-fy intil the onions are translucent

serve with your favorite eggs and bacon(ham or sausage) !

Breakfast cake! Blueberry Molasses!

There is nothing finer than waking up to the aroma of Molasses Blueberry cake coming out of the oven-Grab a coffee cut a big slab and watch the butter melt! Even though we have been in Florida for almost 30 yrs, I am always reminded of foggy August Mornings in Maine! This is genuinely a treat!

you need:
1 CUP MOLASSES
1/2 CUP SUGAR
1/2 CUP CRISCO (OR THE LIKE)
2 1/2 CUP FLOUR
2 TSP BAKING SODA-DISSOLVED IN 1 CUP BOILING WATER
1 TSP CINNAMIN
1 TSP GINGER
1 EGG
2 CUPS BLUEBERRIES (FRESH IS BEST-FROZEN WORKS FINE!)

Spray pam (or the like) generously in an 8x8 baking dish or tin
pre-heat oven to 350 degrees

Mix all ingredients together -scrape into tin and bake for 1 hour !

ENJOY!

FLUFFY BAKED EGGS

rEADY IN 5 TO 8 MINUTES- These are sometimes called French eggs ,but they are very good filling and lovely to serve!!!
pre-heat oven to 400 degrees
4 slices of bread
butter
4 eggs
seasoning

toast the bread and spread with butter
separate the egg yolks and whites.
whisk the whites until very stif add seasonings
(my favorite is a bit of garlic and some Italian herbs)
now put a ring of the stiffened whites on each slice of toast and drop 1 yolk in the center
place in oven and bake until set

serve with your bacon, breakfast sausage or ham

YUMMY!!!!

TOAD IN THE HOLE

ahhhhh Breakfast! This is a great breakfast for a large family or Brunch! Toad in the hole is very satisfying and will "Stick to your ribs" !!

What you will need:

9x13 baking dish
10-12 of your favorite breakfast sausage links
appx 1 oz. of the sausage drippings
1/2 cup of flour
2 large eggs (beaten)
1 Cup of milk
1 teaspoon Italian dried herbs
freshly ground pepper (to taste)

brown the sausage links in a oven-proof dish in 425 degree oven - turning frequently to make sure all sides are evenly browned
While the sausages are browning- (5-10 minutes) make the batter. Sift flour into a mixing bowl. Make a well in the center and put the beaten eggs and 1/2 the milk. mix the flour into the eggs and milk gradually from the sides. Stir in remaining milk and beat vigorously with a wooden spoon or wire-whisk until smooth.Stir in dry herbs and pepper (to taste).

Remove sausages from the oven and pour of all but appx. 1 oz of drippings. Now pour the batter into the dish with the sausages and continue to bake for 40-45 minutes or until the batter has risen and is brown and crips-Serve Immediately!
Normally I prepare this dish for "Champagne " Breakfast, but it is wonderful anytime with sunnyside-up or easy over eggs.......Not bad at lunch or dinner either!!