Spicy Black Bean Soup
Warmed corn tortillas and a nice green salad go nicely with this hearty soup.
INGREDIENTS
1 ½ Cups Dried Black Beans
5 Cups Water
1 Cup Chopped Yellow Onion
1 Cup Spicy Salsa
3 Minced Garlic Cloves
1 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
½ Teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper
6 Tablespoons Sour Cream
6 Tablespoons Chopped Cilantro
¼ Cup Diced Tomatoes
Soak the dried beans, covered with cold water, over night. The next morning drain the beans. Transfer the beans into a medium cooking pot with the 5 cups of water. Bring the beans to a boil and cook for 30 minutes. Add more water if you need to. Add the onion, salsa, garlic, salt and pepper. Stir occasionally. And cook on medium for another 30 minutes. Turn the heat down to a simmer and cook for 2 hours until done to the consistency that you desire. Serve in bowls garnished with sour cream, chopped cilantro and diced tomatoes. Serves 6
Molasses Cookies
The word molasses comes from the Portuguese word melaço which means honey. Molasses is a byproduct of the processing of sugar cane, grapes or sugar beets into sugar. The quality of molasses depends on the maturity of the sugar cane or sugar beet, the amount of sugar extracted, and the method of extraction. I know someone who loves molasses so much he eats is out of the jar with a spoon. If you love molasses you will love these cookies. These cookies are delicious!
INGREDIENTS
3 ½ Cups Unbleached Flour
1 Cup Butter
1 Cup Sugar
1 Cup Molasses
½ Cup Sour Cream
½ Cup Plain Yogurt
¼ Teaspoon Salt
½ Teaspoon Cinnamon
¼ Teaspoon Allspice
¼ Teaspoon Grated Nutmeg
In a medium bowl mix the butter with the sugar and then slowly beat in the molasses. Set aside. In a small bowl combine the sour cream and yogurt. Set aside. In a medium bowl mix together the flour, salt, cinnamon, allspice and nutmeg. Sift the flour mixture into the butter and sugar mixture alternately with the sour cream and yogurt mixture. Stir until blended. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Drop a tablespoonful of batter onto a parchment lined baking sheet 1 inch apart. Bake for 30 minutes until done. Remove and cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove from baking sheet and cool completely. Makes 40 cookies
Chile Rellenos
Chile Relleno is a Mexican dish that originated in Puebla and literally means “stuffed chile.” Chile Rellenos are usually stuffed with melted cheese like queso Chihuahua or queso Oaxaca (which are good for melting). They are also stuffed with something called picadillo meat which consists of diced pork, raisins, nuts and spiced with canella. Typically roasted poblano peppers are used, but sometimes are substituted with Anaheim, Hatch, Pasilla or Jalapeno chili peppers. After stuffing the chile pepper it is either covered in egg batter or corn masa flour and fried. Then served in a sauce.
INGREDIENTS
6 Fresh Poblano Chiles
1 Pound Queso Blanco
3 Tablespoons Flour
3 Eggs
½ Teaspoon Salt
2 Cups Olive Oil For Frying
For The Sauce:
14 Ounces Diced Tomatoes With Juice
1 Cup Chicken Broth
1 Diced Onion
For roasting the chiles place them directly on the burner of a gas stove until they are mostly blackened on each side. If you have an electric stove then put the chiles under the broiler. Remove the chiles from the burner and place them in bowl covered with plastic wrap for a minute. Peel off the blackened skin with your fingers. Don’t worry if you don’t get every bit of the skin off. Slice each chile on one side from the stem to the bottom. Remove most of the seeds and membranes, but if you like the chiles spicy then leave them in. Cut the cheese into long slices that fit the chiles and stuff the cheese into each chile. Roll in the flour. Separate the eggs. In a medium bowl beat the egg whites and salt until they are stiff. In a separate bowl beat the egg yolks and then gently fold into the egg whites. Pour the olive oil into a medium sauté pan and heat on medium high. Dip each chile into the egg coating and drop into the oil and cook for 2 minutes until golden brown on each side. Turn once with a spatula. Drain on paper towels. Top with either tomato sauce or enchilada sauce. You can top with chopped cilantro, sour cream, green chiles or shredded cheese. Serves 2
For the sauce: Combine onions, chicken broth and tomatoes with the juice. Simmer while you are making the rellenos. Serve on the side or cover the rellenos before serving.
Chocolate Cinnamon Cake
INGREDIENTS
2 Cups Unbleached Flour
1/3 Cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
1 ½ Teaspoons Baking Powder
¾ Teaspoon Baking Soda
2 Teaspoons Ground Cinnamon
½ Teaspoon Salt
1 Cup Butter
1 ¼ Cups Sugar
2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract
4 Eggs
1 Cup Sour Cream
1 Cup Semisweet Chocolate Chips
1 Cup Chopped Pecans
¼ Cup Sugar
1 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
Preheat the oven to 350° F. Prepare a bundt pan. Sift together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, 2 teaspoons cinnamon and salt. Set aside. In a medium bowl beat the butter and 1 ¼ cups of sugar. Beat with an electric mixer on high until light and fluffy. Reduce the speed to medium and beat in the vanilla. Next beat in the eggs one at a time. Reduce the speed to low and alternately beat in the flour mixture and sour cream. Combine just until blended. In a separate small bowl combine the chocolate, pecans, ¼ cup sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon for the crumb mixture. Pour half of the batter in the bottom of the prepared bundt pan. Sprinkle half of the crumb mixture next and then the rest of the batter, ending with the last of the crumb mixture. Gently cut through the batter and crumbs with a knife. Bake for 45 minutes. Cover the top of the cake with foil and continue baking for 15 minutes longer until done. Remove from the oven and cool for 30 minutes on a wire rack. Remove from the pan and finish cooling. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Serves 14
Old Fashioned Oatmeal Cookies
I would honestly rather eat an oatmeal cookie than a chocolate chip cookie. Wouldn’t turn down a chocolate chip cookie though. Here is my Old Fashioned Oatmeal Cookie recipe that I find to be absolutely delicious!
INGREDIENTS
¾ Cup Softened Butter
1 Cup Packed Brown Sugar
½ Cup Sugar
1 Teaspoon Baking Powder
¼ Teaspoon Baking Soda
¼ Teaspoon Salt
½ Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
¼ Teaspoon Ground Cloves
2 Eggs
1 Tablespoon Vanilla Extract
1 ½ Cups Unbleached Flour
2 Cups Rolled Oats
Preheat the oven to 375° F. In a large mixing bowl beat the butter with an electric mixer on medium for 30 seconds. Add the brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, cinnamon, cloves and salt. Mix until combined. Beat in the eggs and vanilla extract. Beat in the flour and then stir in the rolled oats. Drop the dough by rounded teaspoons two inches apart on to a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes until the cookies have light brown edges. Remove from the oven and cool on the cookie sheet for one minute. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool. Makes 45 cookies
Czech Potato Soup
Fall and winter soups are the best. So hearty and so warming. This Czech Potato Soup (Bramboracka) is an exceptional soup. Serve with sourdough or rye bread.
INGREDIENTS
6 Cups Water
¼ Cup Half & Half
1 Large Chopped Onion
1 Large Chopped Turnip
1 Cup Sliced Mushrooms
1 Chopped Celery Stalk
1 Large Chopped Carrot
3 Large Potatoes
½ Teaspoon Caraway Seeds
¼ Teaspoon Marjoram
1 Teaspoon Salt
2 Tablespoons Flour
5 Tablespoons Butter
½ Teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper
In a large sauté pan cook all of the vegetables, except the potatoes, in the butter. Slowly add the flour to the vegetables and add one cup of the water to the vegetables. Add the water, potatoes, salt, pepper, caraway seeds and marjoram. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to low. Cook for 30 minutes. Add the half & half and cook another 5 minutes. Serve in bowls along with either sourdough bread or rye bread. Serves 4
Yellow Squash Salad
A friend gave me a tiny yellow squash from his garden and I didn’t quite know what to do with it. It was so tiny and so cute that I just wanted to look at it. I finally decided to make a little salad with it. This Yellow Squash Salad turned out great!
INGREDIENTS
½ Red Onion Chopped
2 Small Diced Yellow Squash
2 Diced Curby Cucumbers
½ Cup Chopped Basil
1 Medium Chopped Tomato
6 Ounces White Beans
4 Ounces Chopped Feta Cheese
¼ Cup Oil & Vinegar Salad Dressing
¼ Teaspoon Salt
½ Teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper
Chop the onion, yellow squash, cucumbers, tomato and place in a medium serving bowl. Pour ¼ cup salad dressing over the chopped vegetables and set aside. Add the salt, pepper, white beans and basil. Lightly toss. Just when you are ready to serve add the chopped feta cheese and lightly toss. Serve immediately. Serves 4
Vanilla Babka
INGREDIENTS
2 Cups Unbleached Flour
1 ½ Teaspoons Baking Powder
¾ Teaspoons Baking Soda
1 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
½ Teaspoon Salt
1 Cup Unsalted Butter
1 ¼ Cups Sugar
3 Tablespoons Vanilla Extract
4 Eggs
1 Cup Sour Cream
Powdered Sugar For Dusting
Preheat the oven to 350° F. Prepare a bundt pan and set aside. In a medium bowl sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, 1 teaspoon cinnamon and salt. Set aside. In a separate medium bowl beat the butter and 1 ½ cups sugar with an electric mixer on high speed until light and fluffy. Reduce the mixer speed to medium and beat in the vanilla. Beat in the eggs one at a time. With the mixer on low speed, alternate beating in the flour mixture and the sour cream. Beat only until mixed in. Bake for 40 minutes. Cover the top of the cake with aluminum foil. Continue baking for 20 minutes longer. Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack for 30 minutes. Carefully loosen the cake from the sides of the pan. Invert the cake onto a rack and cool completely. Dust with powdered sugar. Serves 12
Plum Cake With Clotted Cream Frosting
I created this cake when I had a bunch of plums staring me in the face and were on the brink of going bad. I hate wasting food so put this cake together and it turned out very nice. It is also great to eat for breakfast!
INGREDIENTS
2 Cups Unbleached Flour
1 Tablespoon Baking Powder
½ Cup Butter At Room Temperature
1 ¼ Cups Sugar
2 Eggs
¾ Cup Milk
1 Teaspoon Vanilla
6 Diced Plums
Beat the eggs in a large bowl. Add the sugar and continue beating until fluffy. Add the butter and continue to mix. Sift the flour with the baking powder and salt. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture. Beat in the milk and vanilla. Fold in the diced plums. Pour the batter into a 13x9x2 inch baking pan. Bake in a preheated 350° F oven for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and completely cool. Frost with the Clotted Cream Frosting. Serves 10
Clotted Cream Frosting
INGREDIENTS
1 Cup Unsalted Butter At Room Temperature
½ Cup Room Temperature Cream Cheese
6 Ounces Clotted Cream
2 Teaspoons Vanilla
2 Cups Powdered Sugar
Beat the butter, cream cheese and clotted cream until fluffy. Add the vanilla while continuing to beat. Gradually add the powdered sugar through a sifter. Beat well. Frost a cooled cake.
Lady Bird Johnson’s Lemon Bundt Cake
INGREDIENTS
1 Cup Butter
1 2/3 Cups Sugar
10 Lightly Beaten Egg Yolks
3 ¼ Cups Unbleached Flour
4 Teaspoons Baking Powder
½ Teaspoon Kosher Salt
1 Cup Milk
1 Teaspoon Vanilla
1 ½ Tablespoons Fresh Lemon Juice
1 Teaspoon Grated Lemon Peel
Powdered Sugar For Dusting
Preheat the oven to 325° F. Grease and flour the Bundt pan. In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the beaten egg yolks until incorporated into the butter mixture. Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Re-sift 3 times. Add to the butter mixture, alternating with the milk. Mix until incorporated. Add the vanilla, lemon juice and lemon peel. Beat for 2 minutes and bake for one hour. Remove from the oven and cool the cake in the pan for 10 minutes. Invert the cake onto a serving platter to complete the cooling process. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Serves 10
