Publisher's Desk...
Good morning and welcome to the A to Z Recipes daily newsletter. There are a few recipes in this issue that piqued my interest and which you may find worth trying. Some are fairly basic and solid keepers and a couple have more interesting ingredients or procedures. Of course, we have something to make you laugh, which is always welcome. Whatever you prefer, I hope you find something to take and savor from today??™s issue. Have a great day!
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Enjoy!
Ramblings...
The Trouble Tree
Shared by Judy, Warren, MI
I hired a plumber to help me restore an old farmhouse, and after he had just finished a rough first day on the job, a flat tire made him lose an hour of work & his electric drill quit, his ancient one ton truck refused to start. As I drove him home, he sat in stony silence.
On arriving he invited me in to meet his family. As we walked toward the front door, he paused briefly at a small tree, touching the tips of the branches with both hands. Upon opening the door he had undergone an amazing transformation. His tanned face was wreathed in smiles and he hugged his two small children and gave his wife a kiss.
Afterward he walked me to the car. We passed the tree and my curiosity got the better of me. I asked him about what I had seen him do at the little tree.
"Oh, that's my trouble tree," he replied. "I know I can't help having troubles on the job, but one thing's for sure, those troubles don't belong in the house with my wife and the children. So I just hang them up on the tree every night when I come home and ask God to take care of them. Then in the morning I pick them up again." Funny thing is," he smiled," when I come out in the morning to pick them up, there aren't nearly as many as I remember hanging up the night before."
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Did You Know?...
Home Baked Bread & Rolls - Made Simple!
By Pam Severance*, The Country Sunshine
My Mother, upon watching me mix up a batch of home made Orange Rolls, made the comment that I was the last of a dying breed. In a way- she was right! It seems that in our society of simple to prepare foods, we have lost the art of bread baking. My generation, commonly called "Generation-X" has never been called upon to bake bread for necessity; we can just go to the store and buy it! I believe, however, that we should not let this tradition fade away! Baking bread and rolls at home is not as difficult as you think-with today" s modern tools we have in our kitchens, plus a really good recipe, baking bread at home is a lot easier than you think!
Here are a few tips-
The first tool you need for baking bread at home is a good quality mixer. KitchenAid makes a high quality stand mixer that is powerful enough to easily mix your doughs and pastries. The mixers are available in 3 different models- Classic, Heavy Duty and Professional. I prefer the Heavy Duty model as it has a larger bowl capacity and a bit more power than the classic model.
The recipe you choose to use will greatly influence the type and texture of your bread. Yesterday's bread recipes required rising for several hours- not so today! There are many great recipes that are quick and easy, and produce a wonderful quality of bread. My personal favorite follows:
60 Minute Rolls
1 cup milk
1 cup water
1/4 cup margarine
4-5 cups all purpose flour
3 T sugar
1 tsp salt
2 pkgs active dry yeast
Combine milk, water and butter in a small saucepan. Heat over low heat until liquids are very warm to the touch, about 120 degrees, butter does not need to melt completely. In mixer bowl, place 3 cups of the flour, along with the remaining dry ingredients. Mix on low speed until well blended. Gradually add the warm milk mixture. Mix until well blended.
Gradually begin adding the remaining 1 to 2 cups of flour, 1/2 cup at a time, until the dough is firm, clings to the hook, and cleans the sides of the bowl. Turn out onto counter top and knead a few times.
Place in a large greased bowl and allow to rise in a warm place for 20 minutes. Turn out, and divide into rolls or loaves, whichever you choose. Place bread in a warm place and allow to rise for another 20-30 minutes. Bake in a 425 degree oven for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Brush with butter while still warm to produce a nice soft crust.
Here are some hints for successful bread baking:
Do not use liquids that are too warm, using liquids that are above 130 degrees will kill the yeast in your dough. Liquid should feel very warm to the touch - not burning hot!
Yeast that is old will not rise, but yeast can be stored indefinitely in the freezer! When you buy it at the store, simply pop it in your freezer until you need it!
If you want a shiny, brown crust simply brush the crust of your dough with beaten egg whites before baking. Coating the crust with butter after baking produces a nice, soft, buttery flavored crust.
Not sure if your bread is done? Tap the crust-if it sounds hollow, it's done!
And last but not least, be sure that your pans are well greased to avoid sticking to the sides. Using a cooking spray such as Pam or Crisco spray works just fine!
There you go! Following the tips given, you should have a wonderful tray of home baked bread in less than 2 hours! I baked this bread recipe into rolls and entered them in our local county fair- won a blue ribbon! And if this member of the "X-Generation" can bake bread, you can too!
*About the Author:
Pam is the publisher of the online home cooking magazine and cookbook, Cooking with The Country Sunshine. She is a full time farm wife, webmaster, and an editor for the Open Directory Project's Personal Recipe Collections site, The Country Sunshine - http://www.thecountrysunshine.com
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Discussion Forum
Our discussion forum at QuickTopic for our topic "Eating and Cooking Healthier" is well under way. To join in (or just to read) use your web browser to go to:
A to Z Recipes Discussion Forum
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Subscribe button when you get there.
NOTE:
Maybe once you get to the site using the above link, you could add it to favorites. Links that are easy to find are more likely to be used again.
Next Monthly Theme...
Five Ingredients Or Less Recipes
I believe this is a GREAT theme topic, don't you? I had been toying with the idea and then Mary from Nashville, TN solidified things for me when she sent me a slew of great recipes compiled when her local group had their theme of using 5 ingredients or less. Yes, we all enjoy preparing those more complex recipes and serving up something unique (if not spectacular!) to our family and friends. However, there is much to be said in "less is best". Do you have a recipe or two that require 5 ingredients or less to prepare? You know...the ones you rely on when time (or money) is at a minimum and hunger is high? How about that recipe that is so simple ingredient-wise but produces such fabulous results? Please share them with us in what could be a superb theme issue. Now, here is the NEW
set of rules:
A to Z Recipes continues with its popular Theme Issues. We will share theme recipes and post them on the first Sunday of each month. Send your recipes no later than the last Friday of each month to have them posted in the next monthly theme issue. You may send in TWO of your favorite theme recipes in ONE email. If the number of recipes exceeds those needed in the issue, the publisher will post as many from every submitter as possible and save the remaining recipes for the following Sundays of that month. The rules for recipe submissions for the monthly theme issues are the same as ALL recipes submitted for posting.
The rules are as follows:
As a service to your fellow readers, please send only recipes that are in a form that others could easily copy and save for their own use. Recipes that would require a lot of editing or cleaning up or use non-standard measurements should not be submitted. Recipes without a name and location of sender may NOT be posted or posted without any credit given. There will be NO recipes posted that are from other recipe-zines. A to Z Recipes protects the privacy of its readers and does NOT publish email addresses. There will be no exceptions.
The deadline for April's theme issue is Friday, March 26th.
Theme recipes must have subject: "Five Ingredients Or Less Recipes" and will be posted on Sunday, April 4th.
As usual, only recipes are to be sent to: A to Z Recipes Inbox
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Crazy Corner...
Angry Wife
Shared by Vicki, Sarasota, FL
A man left work one Friday afternoon. But instead of going home, he
stayed out the entire weekend playing golf with the boys and spending
his entire paycheck. When he finally appeared at home, Sunday night,
he was confronted by his very angry wife and was barraged for nearly
two hours with a tirade for his actions. Finally his wife stopped the
nagging and simply said to him, "How would you like it if you didn't
see me for two or three days?" To which the husband replied: "That
would be fine with me." Monday went by and he didn't see his Wife.
Tuesday went by and he didn't see his wife. Wednesday came and went
with the same results. Finally on Thursday the swelling went down just
enough where he could see her a little out of the corner of his left eye.
THESE ARE ACTUAL QUOTES TAKEN FROM FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE EVALUATIONS.
Shared by John, TX
1. "Since my last report, this employee has reached rock-bottom and
has started to dig."
2. "I would not allow this employee to breed."
3. "This employee is really not so much of a has-been, but more of
a definite won't be."
4. "Works well when under constant supervision and cornered like a
rat in a trap."
5. "When she opens her mouth, it seems that it is only to change
feet."
6. "He would be out of his depth in a parking lot puddle."
7. "This young lady has delusions of adequacy."
8. "He sets low personal standards and then consistently fails to
achieve them."
9. "This employee is depriving a village somewhere of an idiot."
10. "This employee should go far, and the sooner he starts, the
better."
11. "Got a full 6-pack, but lacks the plastic thingy to hold it all
together."
12. "A gross ignoramus...144 times worse than an ordinary
ignoramus."
13. "He doesn't have ulcers, but he's a carrier."!
14. "I would like to go hunting with him sometime."
15. "He's been working with glue too much."
16. "He would argue with a signpost."
17. "He brings a lot of joy whenever he leaves the room."
18. "When his IQ reaches 50, he should sell."
19. "If you see two people talking and one looks bored, he's the
other one."
20. "A photographic memory but with the lens cover glued on."
21. "A prime candidate for natural de-selection."
22. "Donated his brain to science before he was through using it"
23. "Gates are down, the lights are flashing, but the train ain't
coming."
24. "He's got two brains, one is lost and the other is out looking
for it."
25. "If he were any more stupid, he'd have to be watered twice a
week."
26. "If you give him a penny for his thoughts, you'd get change."
27. "If you stand close enough to him, you can hear the ocean."
28. "It's hard to believe he beat out 1,000,000 other sperm."
29. "One neuron short of a synapse."
30. "Some drink from the fountain of knowledge; he only gargled."
31. "Takes him 2 hours to watch '60 Minutes'."
32. "The wheel is turning, but the hamster is dead."
Sound Familiar?
Shared by Linda, CA
A man came home from work, sat down in his favorite chair, turned on the TV,
and said to his wife, "Quick, bring me a beer before it starts."
She looked a little puzzled, but brought him a beer. When he finished it,
he said, "Quick, bring me another beer. It's gonna start."
This time she looked a little angry, but brought him a beer. When it was
gone, he said, "Quick, another beer before it starts."
"That's it!", she blows her top! "You jerk! You waltz in here, flop your
behind down, don't even say hello to me and then expect me to run around
like your slave. Don't you realize that I cook and clean and wash and iron
all day long?"
The husband sighed. "It's started"
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Your Favorites...
CHICKEN WINGS IN CHABLIS
AND GARLIC CREAM SAUCE
~Submitted by Tena, MO
2 pounds chicken wings
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon oil
2 shallots, minced
?? cup Chablis
1 cup chicken broth
2 cups heavy cream
?? teaspoon minced fresh tarragon or pinch of dried
1 teaspoon snipped fresh chives or ?? teaspoon dried
Fresh lemon juice to taste
1 clove garlic, minced
White pepper to taste
1 teaspoon fresh parsley leaves, minced
Heat 4 tablespoons of the butter and the oil in a large skillet over moderately high heat until the foam subsides and saut?© the wings until they are golden. Transfer the wings to plate. Add 1 tablespoon of butter to used skillet and cook shallots over low heat until they are softened. Add Chablis and deglaze skillet over moderately high heat, stirring and scraping up the brown bits until the wine is reduced to a glaze. Add the stock and cook until reduced to about ?? cup. Add the cream and cook the sauce until it is reduced by half and is thickened. Strain the sauce through a fine sieve, and add both sauce and wings to skillet and simmer until just heated through, but do not let boil. Remove from heat and add remaining butter and rest of ingredients.
TOMATO AND CUCUMBER SALAD
~Submitted by Linda, CA
3 cucumbers
3 tomatoes
1 bunch green onions
3 garlic cloves minced
1 box of button mushrooms
1 jar Italian dressing
Slice all the vegetables. Put into a bowl add one jar Italian dressing and refrigerate for one hour, serve cold.
RED COOKED BEEF WITH NOODLES
~Submitted by Ingrid, Coos Bay, OR
1+1/2 lbs (700 g) stew beef, cut into 1 inch (3 cm) cubes
3 inch (8 cm) piece fresh ginger root, peeled and finely chopped
8 cloves garlic, peeled and flattened with the side of a cleaver or knife, but NOT chopped
3 scallions (spring onions) white and green parts, cut into 2 inch (5 cm) lengths
1/2 cup (125 ml) peanut oil
1 tsp (5 ml) hot red pepper flakes, or to taste
1 tsp (5 ml) Szechwan peppercorns*
1 tsp (5 ml) sugar
3 Tbs (45 ml) soy sauce
1/2 lb (250 g) Chinese noodles or fettuccine, cooked according to package directions
2 scallions (spring onions) white and green parts, cut into very thin slices
* Available in finer supermarkets and Asian specialty shops
In a mixing bowl combine the beef, ginger, garlic, the 3 scallions,
hot pepper flakes, and Szechwan peppercorns. Heat the oil in a wok or
large, heavy skillet until the surface of the oil shimmers and a few
small wisps of smoke appear. Add the meat and seasonings and stir fry
over maximum heat for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the sugar and soy sauce and
continue stir frying for 2 more minutes. Pour in enough water to
cover the meat and reduce the heat to low. Cook covered for 1+1/2 to
2 hours, until the meat is very tender. To serve, place a portion of
noodles in the bottom of a soup bowl and ladle the beef on top of the
noodles, making sure everyone gets a generous helping of the sauce,
and sprinkle with the sliced scallions. Serves 4 to 6.
SPINACH CHEESE PIE
(SPANOKOPETA)
~Submitted by Larry, Ontario, Canada
Crust:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup whole-wheat flour
1/3 cup margarine
6 tablespoons water
Spinach Filling:
?? pound spinach, washed, thoroughly dried, and torn into small pieces
?? pound feta cheese, crumbled
?? cup low-fat cottage cheese
1 medium-size onion, chopped (1/2 cup)
?? cup uncooked long-grain rice
2 eggs, slightly beaten
?? cup chopped parsley
?? teaspoon dillweed
?? teaspoon pepper
Preheat oven to 350?° F.
Prepare crust: Combine white and whole-wheat flours in small bowl. Cut in
margarine with pastry blender or fingertips until mixture is crumbly. Add
water; stir lightly with fork until soft dough forms into ball. Using
little more than half of the dough, pat into 12x8-inch rectangle. Place
into bottom of 11 ?? x7 1/2x1 ??-inch baking dish.
Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes or until golden brown. Leave oven
temperature at 350?° F. Reserve remaining dough.
Prepare Spinach Filling: Combine spinach, feta, cottage cheese, onion,
rice, eggs, parsley, dillweed and pepper in large bowl; mix until well
blended. Spoon into baked crust. Set aside.
Pat remaining dough into 16x8-inch rectangle. Place over top of spinach
mixture. Bake in preheated oven for 35 minutes or until golden brown.
Makes 6 servings at 340 calories per serving.
IMPOSSIBLE BANANA CREAM PIE
~Submitted by Ann, FL
1 c. milk
1/3 c. butter, melted
1 tsp. vanilla
3 eggs
1 1/2 c. granulated sugar
1/2 c. Bisquick mix
2 med. bananas, sliced
1 c. chilled whipping cream
2 tbsp. powdered sugar
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease pie plate (10 inch). Beat milk, margarine,
vanilla, eggs, granulated sugar and Bisquick until smooth, 1 minute, with hand
mixer. Pour into plate. Bake about 30 minutes. Cool completely. Arrange banana
slices on pie. Beat whipping cream and powdered sugar in a chilled bowl until
stiff. Spread over top.
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Heart Healthy...
VEGETABLE PIE
~Submitted by Joyce, IL
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
2 onions, finely chopped
1-1/2 cups mushrooms, finely chopped
2 cups green beans, chopped steamed
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley, chopped
2 teaspoons sage
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
6 ounces Pressed Tofu, coarsely shredded
In a medium-sized nonstick skillet, heat the oil. Add the onions; cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are softened, approximately 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms; cook, stirring occasionally, until wilted, approximately 5 minutes. Add the beans and walnuts; cook, stirring, until the nuts are toasted, approximately 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a food processor or blender container. Add the parsley, sage, allspice, salt and pepper; pulse until fairly smooth. Transfer the mixture to a medium bowl. Squeeze the tofu to remove any excess moisture; add to the mixture. Mix well. Refrigerate, covered, until chilled, at least 2 hours. Serves: 8.
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For Two...
PECAN PIE FOR TWO
1 egg
1/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup dark corn syrup
2 tbsp butter or margarine
1/3 cup pecan halves
2 - 4 1/2 inch unbaked pastry shells
Beat egg thoroughly with sugar, salt, corn syrup, and butter, add pecans. Pour into pastry shells.
Bake at 350 for 40-45 minutes or till knife inserted between center and edge comes out clean.
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Publisher's Choice...
POTATO AND PORTOBELLO MUSHROOM GRATIN
(See web version of newsletter for
photo!)
This was inspired by a dish created by Alex Padilla, sous chef at Boulevard,
the San Francisco restaurant owned by Aidells??™s wife.
1 1/2 cups hot water
1 1/2-ounce package dried porcini mushrooms*
1 1/2 pounds Portobello mushrooms
12 tablespoons olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
4 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes or white-skinned potatoes, peeled, cut into 1/8-inch-thick slices
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
Combine 1 1/2 cups hot water and porcini in small bowl. Let stand until
mushrooms soften, about 30 minutes. Drain, reserving 2/3 cup soaking liquid.
Chop porcini; set aside. Remove and chop stems from Portobello; place in
large bowl. Using small spoon, scrape away dark gills from Portobello and
discard. Cut Portobello caps into 1/2-inch pieces; add to bowl.
Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat.
Add chopped Portobello stems and caps and saut?© 4 minutes. Stir in garlic
and reserved porcini and saut?© until mushrooms are tender, about 10 minutes.
Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat.
Preheat oven to 375?°F. Coat each of two 13x9x2-inch glass baking dishes
with 1 tablespoon oil. Combine remaining 7 tablespoons oil, potatoes, parsley,
thyme, rosemary, salt and pepper in large bowl; toss to coat. Layer 1/6 of
potato mixture in each prepared dish (there will not be enough to overlap slices).
Top potatoes in each with 1/4 of mushroom mixture. Repeat layering. Top with
remaining potatoes. Pour 1/3 cup reserved porcini soaking liquid over potatoes
in each dish. Cover dishes with foil.
Bake gratins 45 minutes. Uncover and bake until tops are brown and potatoes
are tender, about 40 minutes longer. (Can be prepared 2 hours ahead. Let stand
at room temperature. Cover with foil and rewarm in 350?°F oven about 20 minutes.)
*Dried porcini mushrooms are available at Italian markets, specialty foods stores
and many supermarkets.
Makes 10 servings.
Bon App?©tit - December 2000
Libbey Glass Bakeware Vine Basket Rectangular Baker 3 Qt.
Features:
3 Qt. capacity
Tempered glass baking dish 9" x 13"
Use wood, plastic, or nylon utensils
Wire and rattan serving tray
Price: $14.99
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