Pumpkin Apple Muffins

Yield: Makes 18

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup all purpose flour
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
2 cups sugar
1 cup canned solid pack pumpkin
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
1 cup chopped peeled cored apples
1 cup raisins
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Topping
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) chilled butter

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease eighteen 1/2-cup muffin cups or line with muffin papers. Sift first 4 ingredients into medium bowl. Stir sugar, pumpkin, oil and eggs in large bowl until well mixed. Mix in dry ingredients, apples, raisins and walnuts. Place equal amounts of batter into prepared cups.

For Topping:

Combine brown sugar, flour and cinnamon in small bowl. Cut in butter with fingers or pastry blender until mixture is crumbly.

Sprinkle topping over muffins. Bake until muffins are golden brown and tester inserted into centers of muffins comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Cool. Serve muffins warm or at room temperature.

Chile Rubbed Pork with Corn Salsa

Mildly hot, ancho chili powder lends fruity sweetness to these roasted pork tenderloins. Anchos, which are dried poblano chilies, are the most commonly used chili pepper in traditional Mexican cuisine.

Ingredients:

• 2 pork tenderloins, about 1 1/2 lb. total
• 2 Tbs. olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
• 2 tsp. ancho chili powder
• 1 cup fresh or thawed frozen corn kernels
• 3/4 tsp. ground cumin
• 1 small yellow onion, chopped
• 1 large tomato, seeded and chopped
• Juice of 1 lime
• 3 Tbs. chopped fresh cilantro

Directions:

Preheat an oven to 425°F.
Rub the pork tenderloins with 1 Tbs. of the olive oil. Season generously with salt and pepper, and sprinkle with the chili powder.
In a large fry pan over medium-high heat, warm the remaining 1 Tbs. olive oil. Add the pork and brown on all sides, about 5 minutes total. Transfer the tenderloins to a shallow roasting pan just large enough to hold them. Reserve the fry pan and drippings.
Transfer the pork to the oven and roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center registers 145° to 150°F and the meat is barely pink in the center, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer the pork to a carving board, cover loosely with aluminum foil and let rest for 10 minutes.
Meanwhle, add the corn and cumin to the drippings in the fry pan and set the pan over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring, until the corn is lightly browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the onion, tomato, lime juice and cilantro. Season with salt and pepper.
Cut the pork into thin slices and serve with the warm salsa. Serves 4 to 6.
Adapted from Williams-Sonoma Food Made Fast Series,

ALE BRAISED SHORT RIBS

Here, beef short ribs and chunks of butternut squash are slowly simmered with ale and diced tomatoes to create a warming winter dish.

Ingredients:

• 4 to 5 lb. bone-in beef short ribs, cut into 3-inch pieces
• Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
• 2 yellow onions, thinly sliced
• 3 garlic cloves, sliced
• 1 butternut squash, about 2 lb. total, peeled and cut into chunks
• 1 can (14 1/2 oz.) diced plum tomatoes, with juice
• 1 bottle (12 fl. oz.) ale or dark beer
• 3 Tbs. all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup water

Directions:

Brown the short ribs
Preheat a broiler. Generously season the ribs on all sides with salt and pepper. Working in batches if necessary, arrange the ribs on a broiler pan and place under the broiler. Broil the ribs, turning once, until well browned, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer the ribs to a slow cooker.

Cook the short ribs
Scatter the onions and garlic over the ribs. Add the squash. Pour in the tomatoes with their juice along with the ale. Cover and cook according to the manufacturer’s instructions until the meat is separating from the bones and the squash is tender, 5 to 6 hours on high or 7 to 8 hours on low.

Thicken the sauce
Using a slotted spoon, transfer the ribs and squash to a shallow bowl or platter and cover loosely with aluminum foil. Skim the excess fat off the sauce. Put the slow cooker on the high-heat setting. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour and water. Whisk the flour mixture into the sauce and cook, uncovered and stirring occasionally, until the sauce is slightly thickened, about 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon the sauce over the ribs and squash and serve immediately. Serves 6.

FRICO

Great Low -Carb and Eay Snack. Got this recipe from Bob-Appetite.

16 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan or Grana Padano cheese

Special equipment: A silicone baking mat (such as a Silpat)

Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with silicone mat.

Working in 2 batches, scoop 8 mounds of finely grated Parmesan or Grana Padano cheese (1 tablespoon per mound) onto mat, spreading each mound about 3" wide and spacing at least 1" apart.

Bake cheese until light brown and melted, 5–6 minutes (check occasionally while baking so it won't turn too brown). Remove sheet from oven and let frico cool completely. (To shape frico, leave baking sheet in oven with door open; use a small offset spatula to remove frico one at a time, working quickly to shape. To form tuile-like shapes, gently roll warm frico around the handle of a wooden spoon. To form cups, press onto the bottom and up the sides of a mini muffin pan. Keep frico warm until ready to mold; it hardens quickly as it cools.)

Iron Skillet Peach Cobbler

Even though heavy iron cookware was first brought to North America by the early settlers of New England, none appreciate the pots and pans like the cooks of the South. Every home cook has at least one well-seasoned skillet they couldn't imagine cooking without, and many have corn stick and muffin pans, grill pans, and larger kettles or Dutch ovens, all made of heavy cast iron. One of the reasons heavy iron is so highly valued is its cooking properties. Heat is evenly distributed and held, making it ideal for deep frying, searing and even baking. The versatility of the iron pot or skillet is unrivaled; use it on the stove top, grill, or in the oven. If you're still not convinced, check the price. An iron skillet will cost under $10, a fraction of the price of a comparable heavy aluminum or stainless steel pan, and it should last a lifetime.     2 cups all-purpose flour 1 1/2 cups sugar 2 teaspoons baking powder 2 teaspoons salt 2 large eggs, beaten to blend 1 1/2 cups crème fraîche, divided 1 cup whole milk 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter 2 pounds peeled, pitted peaches, each cut into 1/2" wedges (about 2 cups) 1 cup Peach Preserves 1 cup chilled heavy cream 2 tablespoons sugar     Preheat oven to 350°F. Whisk first 4 ingredients in a medium bowl. Whisk eggs, 1/2 cup crème fraîche, milk, and vanilla in a medium bowl. Add egg mixture to dry ingredients; whisk until smooth. Melt butter in a 12" castiron skillet over medium heat. Swirl pan to coat with butter. Remove from heat. Add batter to pan. Scatter fresh peaches over, then spoon dollops of preserves evenly over batter. Bake until a tester inserted into center of cobbler comes out clean, 45–50 minutes. Let cool slightly. Meanwhile, whip cream in a medium bowl to form soft peaks. Fold in sugar and remaining 1 cup crème fraîche. Cut cobbler into wedges and serve with whipped cream mixture.

Yield: Makes 8 servings

MOUNTAIN BLUEBERRY COBBLER RECIPE

 They have been and are still called by various names such as cobbler, tart, pie, torte, pandowdy, grunt, slump, buckles, crisp, croustade, bird's nest pudding or crow's nest pudding. They are all simple variations of cobblers, and they are all based on seasonal fruits and berries, in other words, whatever fresh ingredients are readily at hand. They are all homemade and simple to make and rely more on taste than fancy pastry preparation.

Early settlers of America were very good at improvising. When they first arrived, they bought their favorite recipes with them, such as English steamed puddings). Not finding their favorite ingredients, they used whatever was available. That's how all these traditional American dishes came about with such unusual names. Early colonist were so fond of these juicy dishes that they often served them as the main course, for breakfast, or even as a first course. It was not until the late 19th century that they became primarily desserts.

 

MOUNTAIN BLUEBERRY COBBLER RECIPE 1/2 cup butter
1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup of sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup of milk
1 pint of blueberries
• Gobs of ice cream is optional :-)

DIRECTIONS:
• Melt butter in a 1 1/2 qt. glass casserole, set aside. In a large bowl combine flour, half of the 3/4 cup of sugar, baking powder, and salt, alternately with the milk.
• Pour over the melted butter in casserole dish.
• Drop blueberries and remainder of sugar on top of the batter.
• Bake in a preheated 325 degree oven for about an hour (the berries will sink to the bottom).
• Makes about six servings.

* Taken from "Miss Daisy's Blue Ribbon Desserts" Recipe Book.

Pain Perdu ( Chocolate French Toast)

The earliest known reference to French toast is in the Apicius, a collection of Latin recipes dating to the 4th or 5th century; the recipe mentions soaking in milk but not eggs (though the editor adds eggs) and gives it no special name, just Aliter Dulcia 'another sweet dish'. There is a 14th-century German recipe under the name "Armeritter". There are 15th-century English recipes for "pain perdu" (French for "lost [or wasted] bread", suggesting that the dish is a use for bread which has gone stale).

A 1660 recipe for "French Toasts" is different: toasted bread is soaked in wine, sugar, and orange juice.
A similar dish, suppe dorate, was popular in England during the Middle Ages, although the English might have learned it from the Normans, who had a dish called tostees dorees.

 

 

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/4 cup butter, divided
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Pinch kosher salt
• 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips or chopped chocolate
• 2 eggs
• 6 slices white bread, crusts removed and cut into triangles
• Special equipment: 9 by 5-inch baking dish

Directions

In a small pot over low heat, add 1/4 cup cream, milk, sugar, 3 tablespoons butter, vanilla, and salt and bring to a simmer. Put the chocolate into a medium bowl and pour in the cream mixture. Let sit until the chocolate is melted, about 5 minutes. Add the eggs and mix until well combined. Grease the baking dish with the remaining tablespoon of butter, and it line with the bread slices, overlapping slightly. Pour the chocolate mixture over the bread, making sure to cover the tips. Push the bread down with your fingers to coat the bread completely. Refrigerate, covered, for at least 2 hours. Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Bake until the custard sets and the bread turns golden at the edges, about 30 minutes.
Add the remaining cream to a chilled bowl and whisk until soft peaks form. Serve the French toast on individual plates with a dollop of cream.

Always a favorite!! My Aunt Mary Louise always makes these for our Family reunion in July in the Smoky Mountains. I got the recipe from her many years ago and make them now for our get togethers.

Calico Beans

Mary Louise Hailey

2 – 1 lb cans barbequed beans (hot chili beans)

1 – 1 lb can red kidney beans, drained

1 – 1 lb can lima beans, drained

1 lrg onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

¼ C. spicy ketchup or regular ketchup with a few dashes of hot sauce

½ C. brown sugar

1 tbl cider vinegar

1 tsp dry mustard

3 bacon strips, cut into 1” pieces

Salt and Pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350^.

Saute bacon in skillet until crisp, remove from pan. In the same pan used for the bacon, add the onion and garlic and cook until clear. Mix together all the other ingredients, add onion mixture, mix well. Add the bacon and stir gently to combine. Pour into a baking dish and bake for 1 ½ hours, or place in a crock pot for several hours.

This recipe can be doubled.

Add hot sauce to taste and add additional brown sugar to taste if desired.

Red-White & Blueberry Torte

Red-White & Blueberry Torte

Ingredients

• 1 cup crushed gingersnap cookies (about 20 cookies)
• 3/4 cup crushed vanilla wafers (about 25 wafers)
• 1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts
• 1/3 cup butter, melted
• 1 envelope unflavored gelatin
• 1-3/4 cups white grape juice
• 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2-1/2 cups fresh blueberries
• 1-1/2 cups sliced fresh strawberries

Directions

• In a small bowl, combine the cookie crumbs, wafer crumbs, walnuts and butter. Press onto the bottom and 1-1/2 in. up the sides of a greased 9-in. springform pan.
• Bake at 350° for 8-10 minutes or until set. Cool on a wire rack.
• In a small saucepan, sprinkle gelatin over grape juice; let stand for 1 minute. Heat over low heat, stirring until gelatin is completely dissolved. Cover and refrigerate until partially set, about 45 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a large bowl, beat the cream cheese, sugar and vanilla until smooth. Spread over crust.
• Place berries in a large bowl; add gelatin mixture and gently stir to coat. Spoon over cream cheese layer. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving. Carefully run a knife around edge of pan to loosen. Remove sides of pan. Yield: 12 servings.

Cherry Cola Ribs

I have served these so many times and actually plan on having them for dinner tomorrow night! They always get RAVE reviews and they are very easy to prepare. I like using the St Louis Style Ribs because there is so much more meat on them.These are a favorite at our yearly Memorial Day Picnic. Pork is usually on sale this time of year so pick some ribs up and enjoy!

Cherry Cola Ribs

LouAnn Dykhouse

Before using the cherry cola, pour it into a bowl and allow it to stand at room temperature until no longer effervescent, about four hours.

4 12-ounce cans cherry cola (flat)- diet Cola is NOT RECOMMENDED.
2 cups cherry jam or preserves
2/3 cup Dijon mustard with horseradish
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons malt vinegar or apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon hot pepper sauce
3 to 4 Racks Baby Back ribs or  St Louis Style Ribs


Boil cherry cola in heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat until reduced to 1 1/2 cups, about 45 minutes. Stir in next 5 ingredients. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until mixture is reduced to 2 1/2 cups, stirring occasionally, about 35 minutes. Transfer glaze to large bowl. (Can be made 1 week ahead. Cover; chill. Bring to room temperature before using.)
Position racks in top and bottom thirds of oven and preheat to 325°F. Sprinkle ribs with salt and pepper. Wrap each rib rack tightly in foil, enclosing completely. Divide foil packets between 2 rimmed baking sheets. Bake until ribs are very tender, switching positions of baking sheets halfway through baking, about 2 hours total. Cool ribs slightly in foil. Pour off any fat from foil packets. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Keep covered in foil packets and refrigerate. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour before continuing.)
Prepare barbecue (medium-low heat). Cut each rib rack in half between bones. Set aside 1 cup glaze. Brush ribs with remaining glaze and grill ribs until brown and glazed, turning to prevent burning, about 5 minutes total. Serve, passing reserved glaze separately.

The glaze is easily doubled to feed a crowd.