Category: Recipe of the Week

Hello, Jim and Hugh! Here is another recipe for the blog. It is a great time of year for preserving the harvest, whether it is planted or foraged. I am fortunate to have numerous native persimmon trees, Diospyros virginiana, on my property. It’s free foraged food, and this year I was able to get to them before the deer, coyotes, or the cows. If you have not ever tried a ripe persimmon, the best description I can give you is to imagine a honeyed apricot. The taste is fantastic. Always be certain that it is a ripe persimmon. Green ones …

This is a flavorful, simple, and inexpensive casserole for any occasion where you’d like to provide a meal to someone in need, such as when there’s a new baby, or a medical or condolence call. I like to make it in a disposable aluminum pan, approximately 10” x 12” in size, so that the recipient doesn’t have to be concerned with returning a dish, and I deliver it with a loaf of store-bought French bread on top. Voila! It’s a complete and comforting meal for the family. It also freezes well (along with the bread, too), if it’s not needed …

Ingredients: 1 ham bone (crack the bone if you want the marrow by placing bone in a heavy paper bag, giving it a whack with a hammer, and removing the bone, throwing away any shards) 1 lb small, dried red or pink beans, soaked at least overnight and up to 24 hours, rinsed, and drained 1 cup or more of chopped fresh or frozen spinach 1 chopped onion 1-3 cloves garlic, minced pepper, to taste one bay leaf cumin, to taste 6 cups hot cooked rice chopped green onion, as optional side Directions: Place ham bone in the bottom of …

Ingredients: 1 1/2 pounds fresh cubed pork 4 carrots, chopped 2 onions, chopped 2 ribs celery, chopped 3 to 4 potatoes, peeled and chopped (optional) Red pepper flakes, to taste Directions: Boil meat about 20 minutes in a pot on stove. Put chopped celery, carrots, onions, and potatoes in a 5-quart Dutch oven. Put meat on top of vegetables. Pour in 1 cup of liquid from boiled meat. Put covered Dutch oven in oven and cook at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for 1 hour and 20 minutes. Check for doneness of vegetables. Put 2 tablespoons oil in frying pan, mix in …

Ingredients: 2 eggs ¾ cup vegetable oil 2 tsp. vanilla 2 cups flour 1 cup packed brown sugar 2 tsp. baking soda 2 tsp. ground cinnamon ½ tsp. salt 1 ½ cups shredded carrots (2-3 medium) 1 cup shredded peeled apples ½ cup coconut ½ cup raisins ¾ cup sliced almonds, divided Directions: Preheat oven to 350. Paper or spray 18 regular sized muffin cups. Prepare the carrots and apple and set aside. In a large bowl, beat eggs, oil, milk, and vanilla. Add flour, brown sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt; mix until dry ingredients are moistened. Stir in …

Here is a fairly simple-to-prepare Cajun-style pork stew: Ingredients: 1 1/2 pounds fresh cubed pork 4 carrots 2 onions 2 ribs celery 3 to 4 potatoes (optional) Red pepper flakes, to taste Boil meat about 20 minutes in a pot on stove. Put chopped celery, carrots, onions and potatoes in a 5-quart Dutch oven. Put meat on top of vegetables. Pour in 1 cup of liquid from boiling meat. Put covered Dutch oven in oven and cook at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for 1 hour and 20 minutes. Check to see if the vegetables are done. Put 2 tablespoons of oil …

This is my favorite Minestrone soup. Ingredients: ¼ cup cooking oil (I use peanut oil or olive oil) 1 clove garlic, minced or (1/8 tsp. powder) 1-1/3 cup onion coarsely chopped 1-½ cup celery with leaves, coarsely chopped ½ can (6 oz.) tomato paste 1 Tbs. parsley 1 cup carrots, sliced fresh or frozen 4-¾ cup cabbage, shredded 4 cans diced tomatoes (28oz. cans) 1 can red kidney beans, drained, rinsed (black beans also work well) 1 ½ cup frozen peas 1 ½ cup green beans 1 tsp. sugar Dash of hot sauce (optional) 11 cups of water 2 cups …

This a recipe for a soup made from cooked and then pureed butternut squash. Ingredients: 4 ½ pounds butternut squash, halved lengthwise, remove seeds 1/3 cup butter 2 large leeks ¾ tsp. dried thyme 5 cups chicken stock or broth ¼ tsp. salt 2 Tbs. brown sugar ½ cup sour cream 2 ½ Tbs. chives, chopped 8 slices bacon, fried crisp-crumbled Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degree F. Place the squash, cut side down on a baking sheet and bake until tender, about 40 minutes. Cool slightly. Using a spoon, scoop out the squash from the skin and set aside. …

Ingredients: 1 small onion, chopped 2/3 cup sliced celery ¼ cup butter Add: 4 cups chicken broth 1/8 tsp. poultry seasoning 1/8-1/4 tsp. nutmeg (according to taste—I use 1/8 tsp.) 3 cups sliced or diced carrots 1 large diced potato 1 tsp. sugar 1 cup of cream (optional) *do not add if you’re going to freeze this soup; wait to add cream until puree has been reheated and just before serving. Directions: In an 8-cup pot, combine butter, onion and celery and saute until tender. Add broth and remaining ingredients, except cream. Cook until all vegetables are tender and soft. …

This is a wonderful and easy recipe for bread that is traditionally braided, often using three braids but sometimes as many as six braids and can even be made into round braids. (The rounds are often made for the Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashanah, using dried fruit inside the bread braids to represent the sweetness of God’s gift of new beginnings. For those who are believers in the Messiah (Yeshua/Jesus), we already know the sweetness of a spiritual new beginning and look forward to the sweet day when we will be physically restored to a new beginning in the New …

Dear Hugh, It has taken me 40 years to make the perfect omelette. Okay, okay, I’m slow. I know it already! The secret is to use a non-stick pan and plenty of butter rather than oil or margerine. Heat the pan and butter until hot (nearly smoking) and tip in the eggs beaten with a little salt. Any cheese, ham, onion, or herbs are added to the eggs and beaten up together. Stir a figure 8 twice, and leave it alone to cook. Slide out onto a plate folding it as you go. The pan can be wiped clean with …

How would you like a quick homemade dip for those dinner guests that arrive suddenly or a quick, healthy dip for your family that is nutritious, easy, and healthy to boot? This will take just 15 minutes of your time and make 1kilo/2.2 pounds of delicious dip ready to eat with carrot or celery sticks. Note : If you are cutting the unhealthy carbs from junk, such as deep fried takeout, this is an ideal alternative. Ingredients: 2 cups canned chick peas (garbanzo beans), drained until all the “froth” from the water is gone 6 Tbsp peanut butter (crunchy or …

Here is a simple recipe for making a cool refreshing dip for those hot summer days when you don’t want something sweet or you are seeking a healthy way of adding some variety to your diet. It makes a great alternative to the sugary sauces that are sold on the supermarket shelf. The bonus is its homemade, and you know what’s in it, which is a winner in my book! Ingredients: 1 Kg / 2.2 lbs full fat Greek yogurt 1 rsp lemon Juice 4 cloves of fresh garlic 1 tsp rock salt 2 Tbs olive oil 2 stalks of …

Ingredients 1 quart tomatoes 1 pint water 1 pint or can green beans 1 pint or can corn 1 pint or can beef 1 small onion, chopped 1 clove garlic 1 tsp sea salt 1 tsp pepper 1 bay leaf 1 tsp dried basil chunks of winter or white squash, optional or chunks of sweet potatoes, optional Directions Combine all ingredients into a soup pot. Bring to a boil and simmer for at least 30 minutes or until it smells good. Servings: Makes a lot for 2 and enough for 4. o o o Do you have a favorite recipe …

It’s August, and it’s too hot to cook, isn’t it?! Here is a lovely cooling main dish salad, adapted with thanks from my old 1988 Betty Crocker Cookbook. I’ve been making this salad for so many years that the old cookbook automatically opens to this recipe’s page. Note: Our preferred source of chicken for this recipe is to throw a few extra pieces on the grill when grilling, then throwing them in a ziploc in the freezer ready to be used for it. A can (14 oz.) of chicken is an easy alternative, when time is short. Use whatever works …