Cheesecake Supreme (Page 72)

CHEESECAKE SUPREME
1 3/4 c. graham crackers finely crushed (Can substitute chocolate crackers)
1/4 c. walnuts finely chopped
1/2 c. butter, melted
*1/2 tsp. cinnamon (can omit if you make a candy bar flavor)

3 (8-oz.) pkgs. cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
*1/2 tsp. lemon zest (can omit if you make a candy bar flavor)
1 tsp. vanilla
 2 T. flour
2 eggs
1 egg yolk
1/4 cup milk

In a medium bowl, mix crackers, walnuts, cinnamon and melted butter. Remove 1/4 cup of the mixture, saving it for the topping. Press remaining crumbs into a 8 or 9 inch spring form pan. Set aside. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Add sugar, flour, vanilla, and lemon and beat until fluffy. On low speed add 2 eggs and 1 yolk all at once. Beat on low until just combined. Stir in milk. Bake 375 degrees 35-40 minutes for 9 inch pan, and 45- 50 for an 8 inch pan. Bake until center appears "set" when shaken. Remove and place on wire rack, doing nothing to the pan. After 15 min. loosen the spring on the pan. Cool 30 minutes longer, then chill for 4 hours. You can slice and freeze. Wrap very well.

*Flavoring considerations- favorite candy bar, berries, pumpkin, cookie dough. You can take a 1/2 cup of the finished cheesecake mixture and mix it with a flavoring and swirl it in. Just get rid of the cinnamon and lemon flavoring. The cake in the picture had a chocolate crust and was chock full of Butterfinger candy bar.
Want to really play? Ice it with the cream cheese icing for the Nutty Butter Cream Cheesecake on  page 79

.....

Bittersweet Bacon Chutney

Bittersweet Bacon Chutney
1 lb. apple wood smoke bacon
1 cup red wine
2 oz. bittersweet chocolate (60% Ghiradelli)
1/2 cup no-salt cashews, chopped
1 medium red onion, chopped
1 cup brown sugar
1 tsp. salt

Cook bacon until brown& crisy. Cool chop and set aside.
In a 3-4 qt. pan bring vinegar to a boil; add chocolate, cashews, onion,sugar and salt.
Reduce heat &simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add bacon and simmer an additional 40-45 minutes.
Cool completely and spoon into clean jars. Refrigerate and use w/ in 2 weeks.
Serving ideas: can spoon over a pork tenderloin or pork chop.

Pan Seared Halibut

Pan Seared Halibut                                                                                          
6 T. olive oil
2 T. fresh ginger, minced (peel with a spoon)
2 T. garlic, minced
2 tsp. lemon zest
2 T. fresh chives, chopped
4 large halibut fillets, 5-6 oz. each
1 T. fresh thyme, chopped
salt and pepper to taste
oil for the pan

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Mix the herb mixture: Mix first 6 ingredients into a paste and set aside. Set a large oven proof skillet over medium heat. Add just enough oil to make a light film. Season the halibut with salt and pepper, along with the herb mixture on both sides. When the oil in the pan is hot, add the fillets, skin side up and cook until nicely browned, about 2 minutes. Then gently flip to the skin side, and put the skillet in the oven. Roast for about 4 minutes. Check for readiness with a tip of a knife. Fillets should be just opaque

and flaky. Remove from the pan and serve. Another great Rita Heikenfeld recipe~
Photo courtesy of Jungle Jim's international market.

Mexi-Chili Casserole

MEXI - CHILI CASSEROLE                                      Phyllis Taylor
1 lb. hamburger
 1 (15-oz.) can of tomato sauce
1 small chopped onion
1 1/2 c. cheddar cheese, shredded,
1 (15-oz.) can of kidney beans (don't divided drain)
6 oz. Frito corn chips, divided
1 (14-oz.) can of mild enchilada sauce

1 1/2 c. sour cream Sprinkle with cheese

Oven at 375 degrees. brown hamburger and onion. In a 2 qt. casserole dish mix hamburger mix,beans, enchilada sauce, tomato sauce, 1 cup cheese, and 5 oz. Frito chips and stir. Bake, uncovered, 20-25 minutes. Remove from oven and spread sour cream over the top. Sprinkle with cheese and return to oven for 3 minute. Garnish with Frito chips.

Appalachian Spaghetti (Or Taylor Spaghetti)

DAD'S MEATBALLS
(To be Served with Dad's Spaghetti)
James M Taylor III
Elsie Taylor
18 lbs. of hamburger
2 lbs. Bob Evan's Italian sausage
1 1/2 bunches of celery, chopped
1/4 c. Worcester's sauce
1/4 -1/2 c. A-1 sauce
2 1/2 green peppers, chopped
2 large onions (6 cups) chopped
6 eggs
1 can of evaporated milk
1 T. garlic powder
4 T. dried basil, oregano, and parsley
2 "handfuls" of oats (old or quick, doesn't matter)
 salt and pepper to taste * Mom does not like any pepper.
vegetable oil for frying (Mel & I don't think this is needed but Dad says yes)

In a very large container, mix the meats together. Add celery, onion and pepper. Add eggs and mix well. Throw in 2 handfuls of dry oats and mix. Add seasonings (spices and sauces). Use enough evaporated milk to make the mixture pliable or "wet" but still be able to form small balls. If you overdo it add more oats. Get 2 large iron skillets with hot vegetable oil, and brown the golf ball sized meatballs until very done. The veggies on the outside caramelize and the juices seal inside. Once the meatballs are cooked you can freeze them for later use, or put them into a huge pot of spaghetti sauce (see Dad's recipe for spaghetti sauce, too). You should cook the fried meatballs in the sauce overnight.

Note: To "taste" the mixture, fry up a small patty and adjust seasonings. I went light on the garlic, and usually add a lot more. I like garlic. Plan 6 lbs. of hamburger for 12 people. This recipe makes about 200 meatballs. you can cut it down. I'm not. When we make this it's a huge family party and everyone brings a container. This freezes great!

DAD'S SPAGHETTI SAUCE
(Requires an overnight prep)
James M Taylor III
Elsie Taylor - My Grandma
12 30 oz. cans of tomato sauce
1 30 oz. can of water cups
3 12 oz. cans of tomato paste
6 T. each parsley, basil, oregano and garlic powder
1 1/2 bunches of celery
2 large sweet onions, chopped
2 1/2 green peppers, diced
1/8-1/4 c. A-1 steak sauce

Place all the tomato sauce and paste in a huge stock pot. Take 1 30 oz. empty tomato can and fill it with water. Pour it into all the other empty cans, rinsing as you go, then pour it into the mixture. Add the vegetables to the pot and stir. Coat the top with the dried herbs and don't be afraid to really season it. It does cook down overnight! Add the A-1 steak sauce to taste. Mix and simmer overnight, stirring frequently. We add 200 meatballs to this and it makes quite a huge pot of spaghetti. If you are going to make it, then just make all of it! Freezes well.

2021 we doubled the herbs in sauce and meat and this update is reflected here.

CHICKEN CHEESY FINGERS (Page 38)

CHICKEN CHEESY FINGERS
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts halved 1 1/4 lbs (or a pack of tenderloins)
1/2 c. finely shredded cheddar cheese
1 egg, beaten
2 c. cheese-flavored crackers, crushed to1 cup
Dipping sauce - BBQ, ketchup or ranch

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a jelly roll pan with cooking spray. Cut chicken lengthwise into 1/2 inch strips. Mix crushed crackers and cheese in a plastic bag. Beat egg in a bowl. Place chicken strip in the egg mixture, then the cracker - cheese mix.

Seal the bag and shake, coating evenly. Place in a single layer on the pan. Bake 10-12
minutes, until done. Serve with desired sauce.

Note: Sometimes I cheat and use chicken tenders for an even quicker, more moist
chicken. Great, quick meal

Some good advice!

Yum Garlic and Ginger!
Did you know that you can tear off the amount of ginger in the store that you need? That you can peel it with a spoon? That you can freeze it? Ginger is wonderful.

Easy Reubin Dip (Page 5)

It is starting to feel like fall around here and I am a little bit German. This recipe has been calling our names!

Easy Reuben Dip

1 (16-oz.) jar sauerkraut, drained and squeezed dry
1 c. mayonnaise
1 (8-oz.) cheddar cheese, shredded
4 pkgs. Corned beef, chopped small
1 (8-oz.) Monterey Jack, shredded
Mix everything and place in an 8 x 8 dish. Bake 350 degrees until hot. Serve with rye
bread crackers.

Note: A great Oktoberfest dish!

Chicken Burgers with Blue Cheese (page 36)

Burger:
1 lb. ground chicken
1 egg, beaten
3/4 c. blue cheese, crumbled
1 c. dry bread crumbs
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. black pepper

 Sauce:
1/2 c. plain yogurt
1 clove garlic, minced
2 T. yellow onion, minced
2 T. blue cheese, crumbled
1/2 c. plain yogurt
2 T. olive oil 
salt and pepper to taste

4 poppy seed rolls split in halves (for a sandwich)

Combine chicken, egg, blue cheese, breadcrumbs, salt, and pepper until all ingredients are evenly distributed. Shape into 4 patties of equal size. In a large skillet over medium heat, add oil and pan fry burgers about 4 minutes per side. Do not mash down on burgers or turn frequently, as this will dry out the burgers. While burgers are cooking, combine yogurt, blue cheese, onion, garlic, salt and pepper in a medium bowl and mix well. Serve burgers on top of rolls and top with blue cheese- onion
sauce.
Serves 4.
Note: This is great for the winter when you want a "burger" but don't want to grill outside (Or when it rains). You can make and freeze (the burger, not the sauce).
I cut the burgers in 1/2 when I fry them because I like the crunchiness of the heated blue cheese and I know it's well cooked that way!

Lima Bean Stew (Page 17)

LIMA BEAN STEW
(I do not like Lima beans but love this stew!)    Recipe courtesy of Phyllis Taylor
1 lb. white lima beans
2 bay leaves
1 lb. sausage
1 onion, diced
1 can of Campbell’s Golden Mushroom
soup
3 T. ketchup
2 tsp. garlic powder (or more to taste)
1 c. boiled ham, chopped

Soak a 1 lb. bag of large white lima beans overnight in water, then rinse and drain. Cook lima beans in a pot of water with 2 bay leaves, until tender. Do not drain liquid. Set aside. In a large skillet fry 1 lb. (Bob Evan’s)  pork sausage with onion. Cool slightly and add to bean soup. Add mushroom soup and ketchup. Sprinkle in garlic powder. Simmer 1 hour. Remove bay leaves before eating!  Add ham. Yum.

Serve warm. Freezes well.

Food of the Mediterranean

We traveled to Italy, Malta, Greece and Turkey. Here are some foodie travels.

We had lunch outside the Vatican day one. I have to admit the pasta was dry, not much sauce and al dente. I had the linguine with asparagus and cambria. Jim had spaghetti with meat sauce  I was fatigued from an over night flight and not that hungry. The red wine was mellow and very good.

 The next day we went to Tuscany. It was a good foodie day, and we were well rested!
First stop was San Gimignano:

 The pizza was wonderful. I tried a bite of Jim's and really wished I had gotten a slice for myself.

 I had to peak in the kitchen of the bakery. This man had no idea how much I wanted to spend the day watching him knead. I didn't tell him for 3 reasons. 1) He didn't know I existed 2) I didn't speak Italian 3) Our tour driver was ready to move on.

 Jim bought a slice of pepperoni...yum!

Pork roasting - I imagine that tasted pretty good....

 We moved onto the winery in Sienna Torciano Winery

 Mama's Lasange Lasagne with Truffled olive oil

 Luigi and Heather~~~~

 The fresh fruit and markets of Sienna

 We found a little cafe in downtown Rome. Nice relaxing evening.

Pasta Making

So I have a pasta machine I've only used once. My friend Jeanne and I planned a day where we just pulled out some pasta recipes and played. We had a few recipes. We started with a basic flour, egg, water combo. 1cup flour, 1 egg, 1 Tbsp. of water. We ended up adding ?4 Tbsp. water. We thought this was the hardest. Kneading, even with a Kitchen Aid mixer/ dough hook was tough.
 Then we tried Semolina flour, egg, oil and water. Then flour, sour cream, chive and water. Finally we did Italian seasoning, 1/4 cup sour cream and 1cup flour. The sour cream was by far the easiest to work with.

We were confused what the order was on the pasta machine for the dials from thick to thin. Level 1 is where you should start and we felt level 6 was way too thin. We liked levels 4 or 5 for thickness.

Fettuccine was easiest to make, so we started there.

The drying rack came in much handier than I anticipated.

You can see the sour cream and chive on the right, the semolina in the middle and the flour on the top left row.

It cooked up in 5-7 minutes. Some of the chives came out (I used frozen, not dried. next time- dried herbs!).

We also tried some spaghetti. It was very thin, but very good. The most important thing to remember is NOT to was the pasta machine, not even a damp cloth. It was rust and ruin. Just let it dry and brush/shake.

LEMON BARS (Page 77)

Crust:
1 c. flour
5 egg yolks divided (1 in crust, 4 in curd)
1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
1/4 c. sugar

Curd:
3/4 c. sugar
3 oz. fresh lemon juice
zest of 2 lemons, divided (1 in crust and 1 in curd)
1/2 stick unsalted butter, cut into 4 T.
powdered sugar for dusting

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 9 x 9 pan. Combine flour, 1 stick unsalted butter, 1/4 cup sugar, zest of 1 lemon and 1 egg yolk, in a bowl until a dough forms. Press into the pan. Bake for 12-15 minutes, until lightly golden. Decrease oven temperature to 300 degrees. While crust is baking assemble curd. Lemon curd: In a heavy saucepan, place zest of 1 lemon, 4 egg yolks, 3/4 cup sugar, 3 oz. lemon juice and 4 T butter.

Whisk over medium heat until slightly thickened. The mixture actually
changes color (becomes lighter). Do not boil. Strain over a bowl. Pour over a warm crust. and return to oven for 10 minutes.

Allow it to cool completely. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes before cutting.
Generously sprinkle with powdered sugar.
Note: Nice light dessert is good anytime of the year!