AUNT FANNIE'S LEMON PIE

Aunt Fannie was a dear family friend from Beaufort, NC.  My mother and her were great pals and every time we would come stateside for home leave, we would visit with her and often she would make this pie for us.  My sister Anita shared it with me from my other sister, Sue’s food blog. 

1 cup sugar

1 1/4 cup water

1 tablespoon butter

1/4 cup cornstarch

3 tablespoons cold water

2 egg yolks

2 tablespoons milk

1/2 cup fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon grated lemon peel

Combine sugar, water add butter. Heat until sugar dissolves. Blend corn starch and cold water; add to hot mixture. Cook slowly until clear-about 8 minutes.

Beat egg yolks with milk. Slowly stir into cornstarch mixture.

Remove from heat. Add lemon juice and peel. Pour into baked shell.

Add meringue if wanted and brown.

Aunt Fannie Willis was a phenomenal cook...everything she made was wonderful and I'm so very happy to have her Lemon Pie recipe!!!

http://gammysuesewell.blogspot.com/2015/01/auntfannies-lemon-pie-1-cup-sugar-1-14.html

Tortellini Sausage Soup

I make this soup regularly in the winter.  It is filling and perfect for those cold rainy nights.  I rarely make it the same way twice because it is the kind of soup that you make with whatever you have on hand.  Let your taste buds drive you to your own perfect combination.

Ingredients

1 lb ground Italian Sausage

Olive oil as needed

1 onion, diced (use more if you like!)      

3 carrots, diced

4 celery ribs, sliced across rib

2 TBSP garlic, minced

1 cup red wine

2 quarts Stock (I tend to use chicken but Beef would be preferable)

¼ cup better than bouillon paste

2 TBSP Italian Seasoning (mixture of basil, oregano and Thyme)

2 TBSP tomato paste

9 ounces Cheese Tortellini (lately, I have been using Trader Joe’s)

Water as needed

Salt and pepper as needed

Instructions

In a medium hot pan, fry sausage until just cooked.

Remove Sausage to a plate and set aside.

If the pan is dry, add some olive oil to the pan. Add in chopped onion and sauté till slightly pink. Add salt to onions to help them sweat.

Add garlic and move around with onions for a minute.

Add the rest of the veggies to onion mixture and cook for a few minutes till onions are translucent.

Add sausage back in and deglaze with red wine. Make sure that you get up all the good stuff left in the bottom of the pan mixed into the wine.

Add in stock and bouillon and herbs and bring to a boil.

Add tomato paste and with the mixture boiling add in Tortellini.

Is there enough liquid to boil the pasta and still have the dish be a soup?  Then don’t add water, otherwise add water to cook the pasta and soup together.

Bring soup back to a boil and then reduce heat, pan covered till the pasta is done which is whatever your pasta box says for cooking time.

Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper and more herbs as needed.

Add Parmesan cheese to the bowls of soup when you serve.

Notes:

I like to cook this in my cast iron cook pot that my children gave to me.  It makes it taste better.

I have thrown in crushed tomatoes to this, zucchini (at the very end to preserve their shape), kale, spinach, red bell peppers and even potatoes, whatever you have in your fridge. 

I have also used sausage links and just sliced them into rounds but I find the ground sausage easier to eat.

Sliced and toasted bread are nice to have this meal.

Okay, Chianti is also nice and tasty…

Samoan Coconut Bread Rolls (Pani Popo) *

 *

We made up 96 of these for a Church Dinner and the recipe doubled very easily.  We used dark brown sugar on top instead of raw sugar and they came out perfect.  We also made the dough and formed it into rolls the night before and let it sit in a refrigerator overnight, took them out a few hours before and then baked them with great success. 

Cook Time 25 minutes

Servings 12 rolls

Ingredients

1 package (2 1/4 teaspoon) Active dry yeast

3 tablespoons Warm water 105F- 115 F

1 can coconut milk 14-15oz divided in half

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 large egg

¼ cup powdered milk I used full fat milk

½ cup Sugar

½-1 teaspoon salt

3 1/2 cups to 3 3/4 cups all purpose flour

2 -3 tablespoon brown sugar optional for the top

Instructions

In a standing mixer combine 3-tablespoon lukewarm water and yeast. Let it sit until dissolve for about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile in a microwave safe medium bowl, combine 1 cup coconut milk, with the butter pieces, sugar, salt and microwave for about a minute. Stir until everything is melted. 

Lightly whisk in the egg and powdered milk to the butter mixture (if the mixture is too hot let it cool to a warm mixture to prevent eggs from curdling.)

Dump everything into the yeast mixture.

Mix for 2 minutes at medium speed. Add about 3 ½ cups of flour and continue mixing dough.

Add in enough additional flour (if needed) to make soft dough.

Turn dough on lightly floured surface and knead for 8 to 12 minutes or more if you want airy bread.

Place dough in a greased bowl, turning once to coat the dough Cover loosely with a clean cloth and let rise in a warm, draft-free place for 1 to 2 hours or until doubled.

Punch the dough down.

At this point the dough maybe shaped into a grease loaf pan, and place seam side down in the pan or divide dough into 12 equal pieces. Shape into balls.

Place in greased 12 -inch round pan and bake. You may refrigerate before baking for up to 24 hours.

Preheat the oven to 350 F. 

Add the remaining coconut milk in the pan. Brush the top of the loaf with coconut milk and sprinkle with sugar. Bake until the crust is deep golden brown and the bottom of the loaf sounds hollow when tapped, 20 to 25 minutes.

Remove from the baking pan and let it cool. I like to eat mine when it is still warm.

Recipe Notes

 Make sure the water is not too hot. You don’t want it warmer than body temperature.

Divide the coconut milk in half 1 cup for the dough and the other cup to use for baking.

A soft dough will firm up as it rises the first time, so try not to add too much flour. It’s better to err on the side of not adding enough flour than adding too much–you can always add more flour, but you can’t take it away once it’s in the dough.

In order for your bread to be fluffy it has to double in size- be patient with it . This one took about 3 hours to really double in size. Sometimes even more . It depends on the weather.

If your bread does not rise in an hour, try turning on the oven to warm for 10 minutes. Then, turn it off and let the dough rise in the oven.

If all fails mix rapid rise yeast into the dough and knead.

 *   https://www.africanbites.com/samoan-coconut-bread-rolls-pani-popo/

Mr. Russell’s Rice

By Nadine Onstot

Prepare:

3 c. uncooked brown rice  -  cook in 6 cups of water about 50 minutes

Saute in oil or butter:

1 yellow or orange pepper

12 oz. sliced mushrooms

1 bunch green onions

4 cloves garlic (minced)

Combine sautéed veggies with cooked rice.

Heat in microwave and add:

2 cans of beans (black, kidney or pinto - any)  UNDRAINED

2 cans of diced tomatoes (Mexican or Italian)

Stir in:

2 Tablespoons chili powder

2 teaspoons cumin

Salt and Pepper

Serve.

This makes a large pot.  I’d guess 12 servings

LEMON ZUCCHINI BREAD

This Lemon Zucchini Bread combines two favorites in one delicious loaf of bread! Topped with a sweet lemony glaze, it's a great way to sneak in extra veggies and the BEST way to wake up!

Cathy Trochelman

Serves:1 loaf

INGREDIENTS

1½ c. all purpose flour

½ tsp. baking soda

¼ tsp. baking powder

¼ tsp. salt

¾ c. sugar

1 c. finely shredded, unpeeled zucchini

¼ c. cooking oil

1 egg

2 Tbsp. lemon juice

2 Tbsp. finely shredded lemon peel

Glaze

½ c. powdered sugar

1 Tbsp. lemon juice

1 tsp. lemon zest

*glaze can be doubled if desired

INSTRUCTIONS

In a medium mixing bowl combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt; set aside.

In a separate mixing bowl combine sugar, zucchini, cooking oil, egg, lemon juice, and lemon peel. Stir to combine.

Add dry ingredients to zucchini mixture; stir just until combined.

Spoon batter into greased bread pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for 50-55 minutes or until golden brown and set.

Cool in pan on a wire rack 15 min, then remove from pan and cool completely.

Once cool, combine ingredients for glaze and drizzle over bread.

Bacon, Corn & Zucchini Medley

This is from My sister Anita.

Ingredients:

4 slices bacon

2 cups chopped zucchini

1 1/2 cups fresh corn kernels

1 small onion, chopped

1 pinch pepper

1/4 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Directions:

1. Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium-high heat until evenly brown. Reserve 1 tablespoon of drippings. Drain bacon, chop, and set aside.

2. Heat the bacon drippings in the skillet over medium heat. Saute the zucchini, corn, and onion until tender but still crisp, about 10 minutes. Season with pepper. Spoon vegetables into a bowl, and sprinkle with chopped bacon and shredded cheese.

Nana's Zucchini Bread

This is my mother's recipe, Nana Lewis

Ingredients

3 Eggs, well beaten

1 & 3/4 cups sugar

1 cup oil

1 tsp Baking Soda

1 tsp Salt

1 tsp Cinnamon

1 tsp Baking Powder

3 cups AP Flour

2 cups Grated Zucchini

1 cup Chopped nuts

Instructions

Cream sugar and eggs.

 Add rest of ingredients and mix together.

Divide into two loaf pans and bake for 45-50 minutes at 350 degrees.

Zucchini Bread

This recipe is from Nadine Onstot.

3 eggs

1 3/4 c. sugar

1 c. salad oil

3 t. vanilla

2 c. grated, unpeeled raw zucchini

2 T.  grated orange rind

3 c. sifted flour

1 t. salt

1 t. soda

1/4 t. baking powder

2 t. cinnamon

1/2 c. raisins or nuts (I prefer raisins)

Beat eggs until light and fluffy; add sugar and continue beating until blended.  Stir in salad oil, vainly, zucchini and orange rind.  Sift dry ingredients; stir into egg mixture along with raisins.  Turn into 2 greased 8x4” loaf pans.  Bake at 325 degrees for 50 to 60 minutes or until bread tests done.  Remove from pan; cool on rack.  Chill before slicing.

I’ve made this about a million times.  The orange rind and cinnamon add a little zing to zucchini which doesn’t have a lot of flavor in quick breads.  Two thin slices with a layer of peanut butter makes a great, freezable sandwiches for quick lunches.

Keebler Cracker Cookies

Joy Kamstra of Southminster Presbyterian Church makes these little wonders when she does coffee hour.  We begged and begged her for the recipe and she said that it was too easy for all of us.  But there we were, slurping them down!  She finally relented and gave us the recipe and now we make it available to the public.  Thanks, Joy!   J

Ingredients

1 box Keebler crackers

1 cup butter

2/3 cup sugar

Sliced almonds

Instructions

Line a jelly roll pan with foil and spray with oil.

Line up crackers in jelly roll pan side by side and end to end.

Melt butter in a sauce pan and add sugar.

Pour melted butter mixture over crackers.

Sprinkle with lots of sliced almonds.

Bake in a 325 oven for 15 to 17 minutes.

Break up and serve.

French Hot chocolate

I keep trying to find a recipe as good as the hot chocolate that I had at Multaris in Nice, France.  This is darn close!

1 vanilla pod

20 oz whole milk

I cup cream

2 TBSP brown Sugar

Pinch salt

5.5 oz Bittersweet dark chocolate, chopped fine

3.5 oz milk chocolate finely chopped

10.5 oz heavy cream whipped to serve

Split vanilla pod lengthwise and scoop out seeds.

Add them to the milk along with the whole pod and add cream as well.

Add sugar and salt and bring to a simmer-NO BOILING!

Turn off heat, take vanilla pod out and add chocolates, whisking till smooth

Add heat again and bring to a slow simmer-DO NOT BOIL

Then pour into cups and add whipped cream.

Greek Lemon Potatoes

 We have made these many times for many different events.  It multiplies well.  Doubling it fits into a standard chafing dish perfectly.

         

QTY   measure       ingredient

8        whole  Potatoes, peeled cut into wedges

4        cloves garlic

0.5     cup     olive oil

1        cup     water

1        TB      Dried Oregano

¼       cup     lemon juice

some            sea salt

some            pepper

Peel and cut potatoes into wedges of roughly uniform width and length.                          

Make marinade of the next seven ingredients.  Pour over peeled wedges.                      

Cook potatoes in a 400 degree oven for 20 minutes.                                           

Stir potatoes and bake for another 20 minutes.                                                   

Judge your desired level of browness- I like mine singed a bit on the edges- and cook till achieved.  Don't let potatoes get dry and add more water if needed.      

You can use other things in place of the water like chicken stock.  Water works fine.                                         

Cornish Pasties

Cornish Pasties

Yield: 10 pasties

 Use the Pastry for Pasty dough for this recipe.

INGREDIENTS 

FILLING

8 ounces lean ground beef

6 ounces boiling potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch dice

1 medium onion, finely chopped

4 -5 tablespoons beef gravy or 4 -5 tablespoons beef stock

1 teaspoon dried herbs ( thyme, marjoram, sage)

salt and pepper

milk

DIRECTIONS

Combine beef, potatoes, onion and herbs and season generously with salt and pepper.

Stir in enough beef gravy to bind mixture.

Roll dough out on lightly floured surface to thickness of 1/8 of an inch.

Using 5-6 inch in diameter, round cutter, cut 10 circles.

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Lightly grease baking sheet.

Mound meat mixture lightly in center of each circle; brush border with milk; fold dough in half over filling, pinching edges together to seal.

Brush pastries with milk.

Arrange on prepared sheet.

Bake 10 minutes, reduce oven temperature to 340F and continue baking until pasties are light brown, about 45-50 minutes.

Serve hot or at room temperature.

Pastry for Pastys

FOR THE PASTRY

8 oz butter

10 oz hot water

2 cups flour , plus extra for dusting

1 tablespoon sea salt

1 large free-range egg , beaten

Bring your butter and water to the boil in a large pan, then take the pan off the heat.

Stir the flour and salt into the mixture bit by bit with a spoon, until you’ve got a dough.

Tip it on to a floured surface and use your hands to shape it into a smooth disk.

Put the disk of dough into a floured bowl, dust the top with flour, then cover with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for about 30 minutes (Sometimes longer.  Make sure the dough is cool before working.  If you let it go overnight, bring it to near room temperature before working it.)  

Cannelloni

We made this for 65 people at Southminster for our SPC Together Spring Celebration.  It was very well received. 

Tomato sauce (use canned sauce)

White Sauce (Recipe follows)

2 TBSP butter

1 lb boneless skinless chicken

1 medium onion

1 garlic clove

2 TBSP white wine

1 large egg

2 tsp tomato paste

½ tsp salt

1/2 tsp rosemary

1 package of frozen spinach 10oz Drained and squeezed free of water!

10 uncooked cannelloni shells

Boiling water

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

White Sauce

3 TBSP butter

3 TBSP flour

½ tsp salt

1 ¾ half and half

Instructions

Prepare White sauce

Melt butter over medium heat

Stir in flour and salt until bubbly

Whisk in half and half and stir till the mixture thickens.

Set aside to mix into recipe.

Prepare Cannelloni filling

Add butter to pan and heat chicken.

Remove from pan to separate plate and let cool.

Add onion and garlic to drippings in chicken pan. Cook till onion is translucent.

Add wine and cook till wine evaporates.

Transfer onion mixture to bowl and whisk in egg, tomato paste, salt, rosemary, pepper and salt and nutmeg and 1/3 cup of the white sauce.

Finely chop chicken and spinach and add to onion mixture.

Heat oven to 350.

Cook Cannelloni shells in boiling salted water until al dente about 6 to 10 minutes.

Drain shells and rinse in cold water.  Drain well.

Coat bottom of 13 X 9 pan with Tomato sauce. 

Fill each shell with ¼ cup of the chicken mixture. Place in baking pan and spoon white sauce over each shell.  Finish with tomato sauce.  Sprinkle with cheeses and bake uncovered for 35 minutes until golden.

Focaccia

     

Inspired by Carol Field

3 ten inch rounds or two 11 X 16 sheets.

Ingredients

2 ½ tsp active dry yeast

¼ warm water

½ tsp sugar

2 TBSP Olive Oil

2 ¼ cup water at room temperature

7 ½ cups  AP flour (half AP and half Bread Flour if you wish)

1 TBSP Fine salt

Directions

Stir yeast into the warm water and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Let it stand for 10 minutes till foamy.

Stir in 2 ¼ cup water and olive oil.

Add 2 cups of flour and salt and mix together.

Add up to 5 and ½ cups of flour as needed until the dough comes together. 

Knead on a flour surface till velvety and soft-not sticky!  About 8 to 10 minutes.

1^st Rise

Place dough in an oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap.  Let it rise till it has doubled in sized about 1 ½ hours.  (I found an hour was enough time)

2^nd Rise

Cut the dough to desired shape and press into your oiled pans or sheets.  Cover with a towel and let rise for 30 more minutes.

3^rd Rise

I have never had the patience for this step but Carol recommends that you dimple the dough with your fingers, cover it with a towel and let it rise for 2 more hours!!!!! 

Top with your choice of toppings.  I like to put Extra Virgin Olive oil with Rosemary and Sea salt one loaf.  Pesto sauce all over the second and herbs such as basil, oregano and thyme with parmesan cheese.  Do what you like and experiment to find that awesome combination.  Tomorrow I am going to make some with some sautéed onions and olive oil.  Let your imagination rule the day!

Bake in a hot oven at 400 degrees for 20 minutes, turning as needed.  You can spray misting water over the baking dough three times in the first ten minutes if you wish.  Eat warm!

Roasted Baby Carrots with Honey and Orange

We made this for 70 people at a dinner at church and it was very well received.  I should  have made more!  :)

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds slender baby carrots, trimmed, scrubbed

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil plus additional for drizzling

1 teaspoon (packed) finely grated orange peel

1/3 cup fresh orange juice

1 1/2 tablespoons honey

 Sea salt

Preparation

Preheat oven to 400°F. 

Arrange carrots in single layer on rimmed baking sheet.

Add 2 tablespoons olive oil and orange peel; sprinkle with salt and pepper and toss.

Pour orange juice over; cover tightly with foil.

Roast until crisp-tender, about 10 minutes.

Remove foil. Increase oven to 450°F.

Drizzle honey over carrots.

Roast uncovered until carrots are tender and browned in spots, about 10 minutes longer.

Transfer carrots and any juices to platter.

Drizzle lightly with additional olive oil.

Sprinkle with sea salt.

Zuppa Toscana Soup

 From Anita Isom

INGREDIENTS

16 oz. Jimmy Dean regular sausage

8 slices of bacon, chopped in small pieces

½ large onion, diced

2-3 cloves of garlic, minced

32 oz.  chicken broth

2 1/2 cups water

5 medium Yukon gold potatoes, thinly sliced

1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

Salt and pepper, to taste

4 cups fresh spinach

1 cup heavy whipping cream

Parmesan cheese, grated

INSTRUCTIONS

Brown sausage in a large pot or dutch oven.

Remove sausage with a slotted spoon and set aside.

Cut bacon into small pieces  and add bacon to pot and cook until crispy.

Stir in chopped onion. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes or until onion is translucent.

Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently.

Add chicken broth and water to the pot. Add crushed red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper if desired.

Add thinly sliced potatoes (I cut in half and then sliced) and the cooked sausage to the pot and bring to a simmer over medium heat.

Continue cooking until potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes.  (I cooked on low longer - about 30 minutes)

Add the spinach to the soup, and simmer for an additional 5 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Stir in the heavy cream and let heat through.

Ladle soup into bowls and serve with Parmesan cheese.

Cheese Boats (Peinirli)

By Akis Kitchen

Ingredients

For dough

350 ml water, at room temperature

1 packet active dry yeast

pinch of granulated sugar

450 g hard flour (bread flour)

70 g whole wheat flour

10 g salt

1 teaspoon olive oil

For peinirli – pizza boat

50 g butter

200 g gruyere, grated

100 g cream cheese

pepper

5 slices of bacon, cut in to pieces

50 g butter, melted, for brushing

fresh oregano (optionally)

Instructions for the dough

In a mixer’s bowl, add the water, yeast and sugar.

Whisk by hand so the yeast can activate.

Add the flour and salt.

Beat for 5-8 minutes using the hook attachment, until the dough starts to pull away from the sides of the bowl.

Remove from mixer’s bowl and transfer to another bowl that has been brushed with 1 teaspoon of olive oil.

Cover with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel and set aside for 1 – 1 ½ hours, until it doubles in size.

When ready, dust a clean working surface with flour and place dough on it.

Divide the dough into 5 pieces and shape each piece into a ball.

Roll out each ball of dough into small oval shapes.

Preheat oven to 400  Convection oven. 

For the peinirli – pizza boat

Divide the pieces of butter over each oval shape, about 10 g of butter for each.

In a bowl, combine the gruyere, cream cheese and pepper, until the mixture comes together. At this point you can add any of your favorite herbs.

Spread the cheese mixture nicely over each oval shaped dough, dividing it evenly between them and add the bacon.

Create peinirli – pizza boat by raising the edges of the dough and folding it inwards to form a border.

Line 2 baking pans with parchment paper and dust with some flour.

Transfer peinirli to baking pans. (2 on one and 3 in the other).

Bake for 15-20 minutes, making sure to switch the pans positions half way through baking time so that they all cook evenly.

When ready, remove from oven and brush the border with melted butter.

Sprinkle with some fresh oregano and serve.