Clever Cleaver Brothers Brats

1 tablespoon olive oil
4 cloves minced garlic
1 cup diced sweet onion
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 package bratwurst
2 - ounce. cans Milwaukee¹s Best Beer

For onion glaze
1/4 cup Dijon style mustard
2 tablespoons ketchup
1 teaspoon Cholula Hot Sauce
1/2 red pepper cut into 10 equal strips roasted on the BBQ
1 cup sauerkraut
5 hotdog style buns

Heat a large saucepan over medium-high heat, add olive oil and garlic, cook for 30 seconds.
Add the onion, chili powder, brown sugar, salt and pepper and sauté for 2 minutes.
Put in the brats and cover with beer. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to a low boil. Cook for approximately 45 minutes.
After 45 minutes, remove the Brat¹s and hold for the BBQ. Don¹t discard the liquid.
Continue cooking the beer and onion until the liquid thickens and becomes a glaze.
Remove the glaze from the pan and pour into a bowl. Add the mustard, ketchup and Cholula Hot Sauce to the glaze and hold for service.
Place the cooked brats on a preheated barbecue grill (medium) and cook approximately 5 minutes on each side. At the same time, place the red pepper strips on the grill and cook until tender. Toast the buns.

Crepes

2 large eggs
2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup water
1 1/2 cups of milk
salt & pepper

Combine all ingredients in a stainless steel or glass bowl and whisk well (until all ingredients are thoroughly incorporated).

To cook, simply place approximately 5 ounces of clarified butter or oil in a 6-to 8-inch non-stick sauté pan and place over medium heat. Allow the pan to heat up, then ladle approximately 2 to 4 ounces of the crepe batter into the pan and swirl around to the edges. When the batter starts to bubble and solidify on top, flip with a plastic spatula and cook for approximately 2 or 3 more minutes. Slide onto a plate or tray* and repeat until all the batter is gone.
Do not stack. Lay separately.

Orange "Cream" Frozen Treats
Canadian Living Test Kitchen

This frozen snack is a source of calcium, vitamin C and folate.
1 cup Vanilla yogurt 250 mL
1/2 cup Frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed 125 mL
1/3 cup Granulated sugar 75 mL

In bowl, whisk together yogurt, orange juice concentrate and sugar until well blended. Divide evenly among 4 empty 175 g yogurt containers or other small freezer-safe containers; cover with plastic wrap or lids (if available). Freeze for at least 6 hours or until firm. (Can be frozen for up to 2 weeks.)

Makes 4 servings.

Per serving: about 185 cal, 4 g pro, 2 g total fat (1 g sat. fat), 39 g carb, trace fibre, 6 mg chol, 39 mg sodium. % RDI: 1% calcium,4% iron, 2% vit A, 92% vit C, 28% folate

SOFT FOCACCIA

2 2/3 cups King Arthur Unbleached All Purpose Flour*
1 1/2 cups semolina*
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3 tablespoons Lora Brody Dough Relaxer™ (or substitute 2 tablespoons nonfat dry milk)
2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons olive oil or garlic oil
1 1/2 cups water

*If you don’t choose to use semolina, use a total of 4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour.

Combine all of the ingredients—in a mixer, bowl, or bread machine—and mix and knead to form a smooth, somewhat sticky dough. Allow the dough to rise, covered, for 1 hour, or until it’s just about doubled in bulk; if it hasn’t doubled after one hour, let it rise for an additional 30 minutes. Note: If you’re in a hurry, you may skip this first rise; however, the focaccia’s flavor will suffer somewhat.

Lightly oil a 9 x 13-inch pan, 12-inch round pan, 14-inch round pan, or similar-sized pan. Gently place the dough in the pan, and push it out to the edges; if you’ve used the dough relaxer, this will be a simple task. If you haven’t, push the dough until it fights back, then let it rest for 10 minutes before pushing again. Eventually you’ll get it out to the edges of the pan, and it’ll stay there (though this is ever so much easier with dough relaxer). Cover the pan, and allow the dough to rise for about 30 minutes, while you preheat your oven to 425°F. The dough at this point will have just puffed a bit; if you like your focaccia lighter, let it rise longer.

Dimple the dough all over with your fingertips. Now, this doesn’t mean poke it so hard and so thoroughly that it deflates; but it also doesn’t mean to leave only the barest of marks. Poke it as if you were back in elementary school poking the shoulder of the kid sitting in front of you— assertively, but not with enough force to hurt. Drizzle olive oil over the crust, as much or as little as you like and as your diet can stand. Sprinkle with coarse salt and pepper, if desired.

Bake the bread for about 20 to 30 minutes, or until it’s golden brown. Note: to make a kind-of-pizza using grilled vegetables, layer grilled vegetables (and any other toppings) atop the focaccia when it’s a light golden brown, and cook for about another 10 minutes. Remove the focaccia from the oven, and slide it out of the pan onto a rack to cool. Yield: One 9 x 13-inch loaf, about 1 3/4 inches thick; a 14-inch round loaf, about 1 1/4 inches thick; or whatever size and thickness loaf you’ve chosen to create.

FOCACCIA WITH GRILLED VEGETABLES

After my encounter with the skunk and the bees, I was happy to sit on the deck, relax, and grill vegetables. Talk about easy living—grilling vegetables is just about the least challenging culinary endeavor you can undertake. Here’s what you do: Turn on the grill (or build your fire, if you’re using charcoal); medium heat is what you’re looking for. Decide what vegetables you want to grill. I chose plum tomatoes, red and green bell peppers, small summer squash and zucchini, “baby bella” mushrooms, and sweet yellow onions. Next, decide if the vegetables should be pre-cooked in any way. If you’re in a hurry, this is an option for things like potatoes and onions, or thick pieces of squash or other dense vegetables. I usually microwave whole potatoes, in their skins, till they’re just short of tender, then slice them lengthwise and grill the rest of the way. I also sometimes microwave fat slices of onion, if I’m in a hurry. But I wasn’t in a hurry, so I didn’t pre-cook anything.

Cut the vegetables into pieces. The size of the pieces depends on what you plan to do with them, or how lazy or industrious you’re feeling. I cut the plum tomatoes in half lengthwise; I cored the peppers, and cut them in 6 strips each (they were quite large); cut the squash lengthwise into long, 1/2-inch-thick strips; left the mushrooms whole, and peeled and cut the onions crosswise into 3/4-inch-thick rounds.

Next, brush (or spray) the vegetables with olive oil. Garlic oil is always tasty. Lay the vegetables in a single layer on the grill; put the tomatoes cut-side down. I’ve found, with the onions, that a small bamboo skewer threaded right across the diameter of the onion round will keep all the pieces together as you grill. Shut the lid on your grill (if it has one), get yourself a cold drink and a good book, and relax. Turn the vegetables occasionally, moving them around to keep the ones in the center from burning. I find I turn the vegetables about once every 20 minutes or so. Depending on the vegetable, how hot the heat is, and how brown you like them, they’ll be done anywhere between 40 minutes or so (peppers) and 2 hours (for caramelized onions, or thick, juicy tomatoes). Transfer the vegetables from the grill to a plate as they become the shade of brown you like.

You can either serve the finished focaccia with the vegetables on the side; or inside; or on top. Or, when you’re baking the focaccia, about 10 minutes before it’s done, layer on the vegetables, sprinkle with Parmesan, mozzarella, goat cheese, or the cheese of your choice, and bake for about an additional 10 minutes, till the cheese is melted.

(From http://www.kingarthurflour.com/)

GIANT GINGERBREAD KIDS
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup dark molasses
1/4 cup water
3/4 tsp salt
3/4 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp allspice
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
raisins or currants

Beat sugar, shortening, molasses and water in a large bowl on low until blended.
Beat on medium 1 minutes. Stir in remaining ingredients except raisins.
Cover and refrigerate until chilled, 1 to 2 hours
Preheat oven to 375 degrees
Sprinkle a cloth covered surface (or which ever kind you wish) lightly with flour; turn out dough.
Roll dough until 1/4 thick. Cut with a 5 to 8 inch gingerbread person cutter.
Lift cookie carefully with a spatula and transfer to an ungreased cookie sheet.
Decorate
Bake until set 8/10 minutes. Let cookies cool 10 min. then carefully remove from sheet. Cool; decorate more if you like.
Makes about eleven 5" or six 8" cookies.

Fruit Puree

Fat Replacement

2 ripe but firm pears- washed well
2 medium apples-washed well
3/4 cup water
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp lecithin granules

Cut fruit into eighths (do not core); place in heavy saucepan. Add water, lemon and lecithin and bring to a simmer.
reduce to low heat, cover and simmer, stirring and mashing fruit on occasion, until mushy - 35/45 minutes.
Let cool slightly.
Press through a fine sieve (or food mill fitted with fine grate) into a bowl.
It will have an applesauce like texture. Let cool.
This will keep - covered, in the refrig. for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 6 months.
makes 1 3/4 cups

Oatmeal Brittle Cookies (these are divine!)
(winner of the $10K prize in the Quaker Bake it Better with Oats contest)

Combine 2 cups uncooked oatmeal with
1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour and
1/2 teaspoon baking powder.
Add 1 cup chilled butter (or margarine) and blend with electric mixer until crumbly.
Add 1 cup powdered sugar
2/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 1/2 tbsp water
1 tsp vanilla
Mix until dough begins to form.
stir in 1 cup chopped dry roasted or lightly salted peanuts.
Divide dough in half.
Using first half of dough, drop by large spoonfuls onto a foil-lined cookie sheet.
Pat evenly into a 13" by 9" rectangle with lightly floured hands.
Repeat using remaining dough and a second cookie sheet.
Bake 22 to 25 minutes at 350 deg. until golden brown-rotating cookie sheets after 12 minutes.
Remove cookie sheets to cooling racks.
Sprinkle atop with 1 cup chocolate chips for each cookie on cookie sheet.
Let stand a few minutes, spread chocolate evenly over the top. (Can omit chocolate - heh!)
Cool completely - may set in refrigerator to set choclate, depending on weather etc.
Remove - peeling off foil, break into pieces.
Store tightly covered.
Makes 4 to 5 dozen.

BIGOS -the national dish of Poland
(Hunter's Stew)

1 pound meaty pork ribs
salt and pepper
1/2 pound kielbasa, diced
2 pounds sauerkraut - rinsed and drained
1 tbsp butter
1 large yellow onion-peeled and minced
2 cloves garlic-peeled and minced
1 small head cabbage. Cored and shredded.
1 large carrot, peeled and grated
1 small bulb celeriac, peeled and grated
1 parsley root or parsnip, peeled and grated
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp dried marjoram
2 bay leaves
pinch of ground allspice.

Preheat oven to 350 deg. Put pork ribs on baking sheet, season with salt and pepper and bake until well browned, about 1 hour.
Set aside to cool.
Put kielbasa and 4 cups water in large saucepan and simmer 20 minutes. Add sauerkraut and continue to simmer.
Meanwhile melt butter in medium skillet over medium heat, saute' onions and garlic, about 15 minutes.
Transfer then to sauerkraut.
Remove meat from rib bones and shred into small pieces.
Add pork to sauerkraut, also add carrots, cabbage, celeriac, parsley or parsnip, and seasonings.
Partially cover, reduce to low heat and simmer for 3 hours.
Remove bay leaf before serving.

Dairy Delicious Dip

1 pkg (8 ounces) cream cheese-softened
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown-sugar
1 to 2 tbsp maple syrup

Process-chill and serve with fruit
2 cups

EGG SALAD TORTILLA SPIRALS

2 Tbsp Light cream cheese-softened
2 tbsp plain yogurt
1 tsp dijon mustard
1/4 tsp salt and pepper
3 hard-cooked eggs
1 finely chopped small green onion
2 large flour tortillas
Leaf or Romain Lettuce
6 Thin tomato Slices


Stir together cheese, yogurt, mustar, s/p, then stir in eggs and onion.
Spread egg salad over two large tortillas leaving 1 inch border.
Layer with lettuce and tomato. Fold bottom border over filling, then sides; roll up tightly.

Makes 2
Egg Recipes= http://www.eggsite.com

TOPPINGS FOR BAGELS

South-of-the-Border-Spread

1 8oz package cream cheese or neufchatel cheese-softened
1 4 oz can chopped green chiles-drained.
Garlic salt, to taste

Combine your preferred cheese with chiles, blend well. Add salt and chill to meld flavours. Serve at room temperature.

Makes enough for 8 bagel halves.

Vegetable Spread

1 8 oz cream cheese-softened
1/3 cup of any combination of chopped - celery, broccoli, green peppers, cucumbers, tomatoes, corn or peas.
5 tsp milk

Combine using enough milk to make spreading consistency spread.

makes enough for 8 bagel halves.

Apricot-Almond Cream Cheese

1/2 package (8 oz) of Cream Cheese-softened
6 dried apricots - soaked in water and drained
1 to 2 tbsp toasted, slivered almonds

Beat cheese by hand until light, chop apricots and almonds as fine as possible - and fold into cheese.
Use within 2 to 3 days for almonds to be crunchy.
Makes 2/3 cup
(a food processor could be used as well)

Eggy Spread
4 hard-cooked eggs-chopped
1/3 cup chopped, salt-free, dry-roasted peanuts.
4 tbsp Mayonnaise
1/2 tsp mustard
salt to taste

Combine - makes enough for 4 whole bagels.

Dehli Spread
1/2 cup softened cream cheese or whipped cream cheese
1/4 tsp plus 1/8 tsp curry powder
2 tsp chutney
1/8 cup finely chopped unsalted peanuts
1 tbsp shredded-sweetened coconut

Combine all - mix well, serves 1

Monkey Spread
1 tbsp honey
1 ripe banana snached
3/4 cup whipped cream cheese
1/4 cup finely chopped pecans

Combine-mix well.
Makes 1 CUP


Zabar's Scallion Cream Cheese Spread (of Zabar's food emporium of NYC)
(don't sue me - was in the food section of the newpaper-Express News!)

1 pound cream cheese at room temperature
1/2 cup sour cream
pinch salt
pinch garlic powder
1/2 cup chopped scallions

Combine cheese and sour cream, salt and garlic - stir well and until smooth. Stir in scallions.
Use also as cracker spread, or top of baked potatoes.
Makes 4 cups.
All recipes from News Express-Susan Merkner

PASTA CARBONARA

1 pound uncooked spaghetti
5 eggs
3/4 cup parmesan cheese
2 tbsp fresh - finely chopped-parsley
2 tbsp butter
2 cloves garlic - minced
1/2 cup whipping cream
2 strips bacon - cooked and crumbled
salt and fresh pepper to taste.

Cook spaghetti as you do and like.

Beat together eggs, cheese and parsley until blended. In large skillet over med/high heat - melt butter. Add garlic and saute' until golden brown . Add cream; bring to simmer. Add drained spaghetti (do not rinse), egg and cheese and bacon. Over med/high heat, toss until eggs thicken and coat pasta, 2 to 3 minutes. Season to taste.
Serve immediately!
(i like chopped green onion in my version)

Makes 4 servings

OVEN - CRISP EGG FOO YOUNG

1 cup long grain rice
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup plum sauce
2 tbsp soy sauce
dash Sesame Oil (optional)
1 tbsp Veg. Oil
8 eggs- lightly beaten
1/4 cup sliced green onions
1/4 cup chopped red pepper
2 cups (or more) bean sprouts

In sauce pan bring 2 cups water to boil, stir in rice and salt. Cover - reduce heat to low; simmer 20 minutes - or until tender and water is absorbed - fluff with fork.
In a bowl combine plum sauce, soy and sesame oil. Set aside.
In oven proof skillet - heat oil over medium heat. Pour in eggs, sprinkle with onions and pepper. Cook without stirring for 4 minutes. Broil for 2 minutes or until set. Sprinkle with sprouts, serve with sauce.

Easy Carmalised Onions (crockpot yum)

6 Large Onions (for about 6 cups of slices
2 tbsp olive oil

Peel the onions and cut into 1/4" slices. Place onions in slow cooker, drizzle oil atop.

Place the lid on the cooker and set to high. Cook 8 to 10 hours. The onions will have a deep brown colour.

Makes 3 cups. Leftovers can be refrigerated - covered up to 3 days. They may be frozen up to 1 month.

(from the Deperation Dinner lady's-Alicia Ross and Beverly Mills)
They now have a website: http://www.desperationdinners.com

Buttery Almond Crunch

1 tbsp plus 1/2 cup butter (no subs) - soften and divide
1/2 cup sugar
1 tbsp light corn syrup
1 cup sliced almonds

Line an 8-inch square pan with foil greased with 1/2 tbsp butter - set aside
Spread the sides of a heavy saucepan with 1/2 tbsp butter. Add 1/2 cup butter, sugar and syrup. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly. Stir/ cook until mixture is golden brown, about 3 minutes. Stir in almonds. Quickly pour into prepared pan. Chill until firm. Invert pan and remove foil. Break candy into pieces.

Yields: 10 oz (reminiscent of almond roca)

Fools Toffee

1 cup butter (no substitutes)
1 cup dark brown sugar
36 saltine crackers
11 1/2 oz chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)

In a small sauce pan over med-high heat, blend butter and brown sugar. Heat to coiling - boil then for 4 minutes. Cover a 10" x 13" jelly roll pan with foil and butter (grease) the foil lightly. Place a single layer of crackers closely together on top of the foil. Pour butter mixture over crackers - spreading as evenly as possible. Bake at 375 degrees for 5 minutes. After removing from oven sprinkle atop with chips. Allow chocolate to soften and then spread best as you can. Sprinkle with nuts if desired. Refrigerate until cool - break into pieces. Store in frig-1 to 2 weeks.

(got from my mama's list: sah-ap@kjsl.com)

Oven Onion Soup

5 Medium-Size yellow onions
5 tbsp butter ( 1/2 stick plus 1 tbsp)
1 1/2 Cups plus 1/2 cup water
4 Cups Milk
3 Tbsp Flour
1 1/2 Teaspoons salt
pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 275 degrees

Cut the onions into slices 1/8" thick
Put the onions into a casserole dish - 3 quart size, with a lid. (or a pyrex with foil to cover tightly)

Cut the butter into small bits and dot over the onions. Put the lid on and put in oven and bake for 30 minutes. remove cover and stir onions, cover again, return to oven for 2 1/2 hours. After 2 1/2 hours add the 1 1/2 cups water, stir, cover and bake 45 minutes.

Just before finished put the milk into a good sized pot, turn on the heat to medium-high. Put the flour and the 1/2 cup water into a jar with lid screwed on - shake it baby-shake it - until well mixed.

Stay right at the stove to watch milk - heat it just short of boiling (scalding). It's ready when you see a ring of tiny bubbles form around the edge. THEN pour the flour/water mix into the milk and stir briskly until smooth/blended. Add salt and cook for 4/5 minutes until the flour blends and thickens the milk. This gives the soup a pleasing texture, like cream.

Remove casserole from oven - pour milk over onions. Stir to mix. taste for seasoning needs. Stir and serve hot.

About 8 cups (Marion Cunningham)

COOKIES and CREAM PIE

1 1/2 Cups Cold half & half
1 Pkg (4-serving size) Vanilla Pudding
3 1/2 Cups Whipped Topping
1 Cup Crushed Thin Mints (girl scout if you can get)
1 ready-made Chocolate Graham Crust

Pour half/half into large bowl, add vanilla pudding filling. Beat until blended. Let stand 5 minutes.
fold in whipped topping, and crushed cookies. Spoon into crust.
Freeze 6 hours.
Before serving let stand 10 minutes to soften.

Decadent-yum!

Perogy Dough

3 Cups Flour
1/2 Cups Warm Water
1/2 Cup Warm Milk
2 Tbsp Cooking Oil
1 egg
1 teaspoon salt

Beat egg, add oil, water and milk with flour and salt. Knead well to make dough. Will make approximately 3-4 dozen depending on the thickness of rolled dough. Let cut dough stand in fridge for two hours. (Can be frozen for later use.)

Roll your FILLING into little balls (teaspoon size). Have your dough rolled out into 1/8" thickness. Place your little filling ball on top of dough - 1 1/2" from edge. Flip the dough over/atop the filling. Place your perogy cutter (if you have one) over the covered filling, press down, turning it to the right or left. Proceed to the second one. Freeze for later or to cook...put into boiling water, stirring gently at first. When they boil to top of surface and puff - lift out.
Fry onion and butter and spread atop.

Deep Fried Perogies

3 Cups Flour
2 Cup Cottage Cheese - fine
2 eggs - well beaten
1/4 Cup cooking oil
1/2 Teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt

Mix flour and cheese together. Add eggs, oil, salt and soda. Add water to make a soft dough, roll out dough and fill with fav. filling. Deep fry until a golden brown.

Perishky (Baked Perogies)
1 cup warm water
1 cup warm milk
1/4 cup melted margarine
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon yeast

4 to 5 cups flour to make soft dough
Add liquids in bowl first, then dry. Once made - let rest for 20 minutes, then roll out and fill with your favourite fillings. Once the pan is full, place in preheated oven 350 - for 15/20 minutes.


Filling for Perogy (5 - 6 Average Potatoes)

1. Mashed potatoes with cheddar cheese - salt and pepper to taste
2. Mashed potato with butter and fried onions - salt/pepper to taste
3. Mashed potatoes, little butter and cottage cheese - s/p to taste
4. Cottage cheese - s/p to taste
5. Sauerkraut, fried with butter and onions.
6. Any cooked meat filling, cooked with vegetables, add spices to taste.