Category: Recipe of the Week

Rose M.’s “Magic Mix” White Sauce Mix Combine: 4 C nonfat dry milk 1 C flour ¼ C corn starch 1 C butter or shortening (or a combination)   Combine all very well with a pastry blender, or better yet, with a food processor or mixer.   To use, combine 2/3 C Magic Mix with 1  to  1 ½ C water (depending  how thick you want your sauce and what you’re making), and simmer until thick. You can start with less water and add more water if you want a thinner sauce, or even add more mix to get the …

Jackie and Brenda’s Venison Chili 1 ½ pounds ground venison 2 cans light red kidney beans, drained 1 Six ounce can tomato paste 1 Twenty eight ounce can crushed tomatoes 1 onion, diced Chili powder and ground red pepper, to taste.   Brown venison and onion together in large pot or Dutch oven. Add all other ingredients and cook on low heat for 1 to 1½ hours or 1½ to 2 hours if using dried beans. Chef’s Notes: Dried kidney beans can also be used but be aware that red kidney beans require longer soaking than other beans to reduce …

Michelle W.’s Baked Oatmeal The following shared with me by my wonderful neighbor and adopted mom, who received it from the owner of a bed and breakfast in the heart of Amish country, Lancaster Pennsylvania. I double the recipe, mix it overnight and cover with plastic wrap, and store in the fridge. the next morning, as soon as I awaken, I remove wrap, put pan in a cold oven, turn oven on to 350 and bake about 1 hour or until the top is brown and crunchy.  I like to add fresh fruit (blueberries, peaches, apples are divine) prior to …

Jaime’s Black Bean, Corn, and Turkey Soup   1 lb ground turkey 1 tbsp vegetable oil 1 medium onion, diced 1 tbsp chili powder 1 tsp cumin 3 cups chicken broth 2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed 1 can sweet corn, drained 1 cup salsa   Saute turkey and onion in vegetable oil until brown.  Then add the spices and cook for 2 minutes.  Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.  Enjoy with your favorite corn bread!   Our favorite corn bread recipe is as follows:   1 box Jiffy Yellow …

Marie’s Zucchini Ratatouille 2 TBS olive oil 1 large zucchini squash, sliced in half lengthwise and then into semicircles 1 medium onion, sliced 2 TBS minced garlic (fresh or reconstituted dried flakes) Heat oil at 400 degrees in an electric skillet and add squash, onion and garlic. Saute for about 15 minutes until zucchini slices start to brown. Add: 1 TBS chopped herbs: basil, rosemary, oregano, thyme are best. Add 2 Roma tomatoes, cut in wedges and saute an additional 5 minutes until tomatoes are soft Chef’s Notes: We served it over leftover tuna/rice casserole (not at all French!) and …

The Late Memsahib’s Molasses Taffy Ingredients: 1 Cup granulated Sugar 1 Bottle (1-1/2 Cups) Dark Molasses 2 tsp vinegar 1-1/2 Tbsp Butter 1/8th tsp Salt 1/2 tsp Baking Soda Coating: Powdered Sugar Directions: In a THICK 3-quart saucepan, mix molasses, sugar, and vinegar. Heat and stir CONSTANTLY until it reaches the hard ball stage. Remove from heat. Add butter, salt and soda. Stir until foaming stops. Pour into -a well-buttered pan. Pull the taffy by hand until it is light and stiff. Using buttered scissors, cut into bite-sized pieces (1/2 diameter cylinders x 1 inch long. Roll in powdered sugar. …

Notutopia’s Tomato-Corn Pie This is a quiche-like pie. Makes 8 servings. Ingredients 3/4 cup whole-wheat pastry flour 3/4 cup all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil 5 tablespoons cold water 3 large eggs 1 cup milk 1/2 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese, divided 2 medium tomatoes, sliced 1 cup fresh corn kernels, about 1 large ear, or canned or frozen 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme, or 1/2 teaspoon dried 1/2 teaspoon salt, divided 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper Recipe Steps: Preheat oven to 400°F. To prepare pre-baked crust: Combine whole-wheat flour, …

Two Stinging Nettle Recipes from Notutopia Stinging Nettle Pesto Ingredients ¼ lb. young stinging nettle leaves ¼ cup fresh mint leaves 1 garlic clove, minced ½ cup pine nuts, toasted 2 Tbsp. lemon juice extra virgin olive oil ¼ cup firmly packed grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper Prep: – Fill a large pot halfway full with water. Add ¼ cup salt and bring to a boil. – For washing the nettles, fill a large bowl with cold water. Using latex gloves or tongs (if you’re allergic to rubber), submerge the nettles in the water and …

Big Ben’s Chicken Asparagus Rice Casserole Sometimes spontaneity can yield a pretty good result.  This recipe was thought up on the spot at fish camp one night, and the result was a quickly emptied  pot.  3 cups Jasmine white rice 6 boneless skinless chicken breast halves 2 lbs fresh asparagus spears 1 can condensed cream of chicken soup 1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup 1 cup heavy cream 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese   Combine rice and 6 cups water.  Mix in soups and chicken breasts.  Cover and bake for 1 hour on low heat (275-to-325 degrees F), stirring …

Big Ben’s Sausage Lentil Soup 2 lbs mild Italian sausage (mine was homemade, more lean than what you’d get at the store), crumbled 6 cups mirepoix, diced small (that’s 1 1/2 cups celery, 1 1/2 cups carrot, and 3 cups yellow onion, diced to approx 1/4 inch cube) 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) Use 1/4 cup if your sausage will render as it cooks. (Mine doesn’t.) 2 tablespoons (4 to 6 cloves) minced garlic 10 cups water or stock 1 ea 15 oz can diced tomatoes (fire roasted preferable) 1 ea 4 oz can tomato paste 2 sprigs fresh (approximately 2 …

Brad’s Budget Artisan Bread   In the spirit of sharing, I thought I would offer a recipe for bread that high-end bakeries charge a lot of money. You will need the following reusable items (and after these purchases sit is very inexpensive): Baking (aka Pizza) Stone Pizza Peel (The thing you slide pizza into an oven with, but you could use the back or a sheet pan if you flour or corn meal it well so the dough can slide off easily) Food grade container or tub with a lid (not air tight, but so it will keep stuff out) …

Wiley’s Chuckwagon Pecan Pie Recipe Here’s a ranch favorite I love to take to potlucks and calf-ropings. No one has a clue that it’s main ingredient is Pinto Beans!             1 C mashed pinto beans (cooked, unseasoned and well done)             2 C sugar             4 eggs             1/4 lb butter             2 tbs molasses or dark corn syrup             2 tsp vanilla             1/2 tsp salt   Cream sugar and butter. Add well beaten eggs, molasses, and salt. Beat in well-mashed beans (that have been cooked, unseasoned and well done.) Pour into an unbaked pie shell. Pecans may be sprinkled …

I like to shop Costco, they offer a spiral sliced ham for about $20 which kept in the fridge has a very long storage period, however I have found that cooking the ham, and then dividing up serving portions in zip locks works great, the big treat for myself is to leave a portion of meat on the bone and freezing until ready to cook.   My recipe, requires a large crock pot, I unfreeze the ham bone with the residual meat, overnight I soak a large bag of navy beans per directions, I like to prepare the soup early a.m. by starting out putting  …

Martha in Indiana’s Whole Wheat Bread   3 cups warm water 1 1/2 tablespoons dry yeast 1 tablespoon honey Dissolve the honey and yeast in the water in a large crockery bowl. Pray for 5 minutes while the yeast “activates”, becoming foamy. Stir in 3 c. W.W. Flour, stir for 5 minutes to develop gluten. Add 1/3 c. Honey, 4 teaspoons salt, 1/2 c. Applesauce and stir for another 5 minutes. Add flour (6-7 cups) till a stiff dough is formed. Turn out on floured board and knead until elastic and smooth.  A good test to see if it is kneaded enough is to …

Angela in Eastern Oregon’s Stuffed Green Pepper Soup:   1 Lb ground Italian Sausage or 1 can LTS Ground Beef 8 Cups of Boiling Water 1 1/2 Cups White Rice 3 tbls dehydrated Onion Flakes 1 tbls dehydrated diced carrots 1/4 cup dehydrated Celery 1/2 cup dehydrated Green & Red Pepper Flakes 3 tbls Dehydrated tomato powder, add water until it has a paste consistency. 2 tbls Beef Bouillon 1/2 tsp Cayenne Pepper flakes (optional) 1/4 tsp Garlic Powder   In skillet brown the Italian Sausage (breaking into bite sized pieces), some will want to drain of the excess grease …