A to Z Recipes
Newsletter

KEY LIME PIE
(Serves 8 to 10)

~Submitted by Larry Holmes, Ontario, Canada

Crust:
16 graham crackers*
?? cup graham cracker crumbs
?? cup butter, melted

Filling:
2 11-ounce cans sweetened condensed milk
OR 1 1/2 14-ounce cans
5 large egg yolks
?? cup + 2 tablespoons key lime juice
1 tablespoon lemon zest

Topping:
1 cup whipping cream
1 tablespoon icing sugar
?? teaspoon vanilla extract
thinly sliced halved lime slices (optional)

Wrap graham crackers in clean tea towel or place in sealable freezer bag. Pound with mallet until crackers are coarse crumbs. (Or pulse a few times in food processor. Add to bowl with ready-made crumbs and butter. Stir to combine. Pat mixture in even layer over bottom and up sides of of 9-inch pie plate. Bake in preheated 350?° F. oven 8 minutes. Cool.

In large bowl, using electric mixer, beat condensed milk and egg yolks until well combined. Beat in juice and zest. Pour into pie shell. Return to middle rack of oven. Bake about 20 minutes at 350?° F or until filling is still jiggly but begins to set. Cool. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

For topping: Whip cream with sugar and vanilla in bowl using whisk of electric mixer, until firm. Spread over pie just before serving or serve on the side. Garnish with lime slices, if desired.

*They provide a chunky, more interesting crust.

Adapted from The Toronto Star

SWEDISH MEATLOAF IN PASTRY

~Submitted by Ingrid, Coos Bay, OR

Pastry:
2-1/4 c flour
1 tsp salt
3/4 c cold unsalted butter, cut in small pieces
1 egg, cold
1/2 c sour cream, cold

Filling:
4 tbsp butter
4 oz fresh mushrooms, finely chopped
3 lbs ground beef, pork, ham, veal, or any combination
1/3 c chopped onion
1/4 c chopped fresh parsley
1 c grated Swiss cheese
1 egg + 2 tbsp milk

Grease the bottom of a 10-1/2" x 15-1/2" jelly roll pan with butter.

Pastry: It's easiest to make this pastry in a food processor. In a small bowl, mix egg and sour cream. In the food processor, pulse the flour and salt until mixed. Add butter; process 15 seconds, until it has the consistency of coarse meal. With processor running, add egg mixture; process just until dough comes together. If you don't have a food processor, chill a large bowl, mix the flour and salt in the bowl, then cut in butter with a pastry blender or two forks. Stir in egg mixture just until you can form the dough into a ball. Wrap dough in waxed paper; refrigerate for 1 hour.

Divide dough in half. Roll each half into a 6" x 14" rectangle. Place one rectangle in prepared pan; set pan and remaining pastry aside.

Filling: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Melt butter in a large skillet. Add mushrooms; cook over medium heat 6 minutes or until slightly colored. Add ground meat; cook until browned and until liquid in pan cooks away. Place meat mixture in a large bowl. Add onions, parsley, cheese, and milk; mix well.

Gather mixture into a ball; place onto dough rectangle in pan. Using your hands, press meat into a narrow loaf shape. Brush edges of dough with egg/milk mixture. Place the second dough rectangle over the meat. Using a fork, press the dough edges together to seal. Brush top of pastry with egg/milk mixture. Prick top with a fork in several places. Bake 45 minutes, until golden brown.

ARIZONA TACO SALAD

~Submitted by Jessica, Corfu, Greece

1 lb. ground beef
Seasoned salt to taste
1 sm. head Iceberg lettuce
1 lg. tomato, chopped
1/2 lb. Cheddar cheese, grated
1 (6 oz.) can pitted black olives, chopped
1 (15 oz.) can Mexican-style chili beans, undrained
1/3 c. creamy French dressing
1 (10 1/2 oz.) pkg. corn chips

Brown ground beef; add seasoned salt. Drain excess oil. Chill. Wash lettuce. Pat dry and tear or chop into bite-size pieces. Combine all ingredients except corn chips. Add chips just before serving or place in a separate bowl for self-service.

Yield 6-8 servings.

BRUNSWICK STEW

~Submitted by Pam H, Swanton, OH

This chicken stew is best served over homemade cornbread.

3 to 3 1/2 pound chicken
2 cups water
salt & pepper to taste
paprika to taste
2 cans (16 ounces) stewed tomatoes
1 can (17 ounces) whole, kernel corn, undrained
1 can (16 ounces) undrained lima beans
1 (or 2) potatoes, diced
1 chopped onion (size depends on your taste for onion)
2 Tablespoons corn starch
1/2 cup cold water

Put 2 cups water in kettle and add chicken (I put the chicken in whole), cover, and bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until the chicken is cooked, about an hour.

Skim fat from the broth. Remove chicken from kettle and set aside to cool.

After it's cooled, bone chicken (it's better than chewing around the bones, trust us). Add paprika, tomatoes, corn (with liquid), beans (with liquid), potato, and onion. (Sometimes I add cooked bacon, too, about 1/4 pound.) Heat to boiling, reduce heat, cover and simmer until the potatoes are done, about an hour.

Mix the cornstarch with 1/2 cup cold water and stir into stew. Heat until it boils, stirring constantly, then boil for one minute or until stew thickens a bit, add the boned chicken, let it heat and it's done.

We make cornbread by following the recipe on the cornmeal box and it adds just the right flavoring to make this recipe scrumptious enough for even Elizabeth to eat. Pete would rather substitute peas for the lima beans, which is OK with us. We often add a can of peas and limas and corn and green beans; whatever we happen to have. Experiment and see what you can do.

Click here to submit an item for posting in this section.
"It is a requirement that items sent for posting NOT be from other newsletters."

For Two...

SHRIMP SCAMPI WITH A TWIST

~Submitted by Jean, Syracuse, NY

Yield: 2 servings

Ingredients:

1 lb. large shrimp, peeled and deveined
3 Tbsp. butter
3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. ground white pepper
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp. dried oregano
Juice of 1 lemon
1/4 cup parsley, minced
5 Tbsp. Italian bread crumbs
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
Salt to taste
1 lb. of cooked fettuccine or linguine

Preparation:

Melt butter with the olive oil in a saute pan. When the mixture is hot, add the garlic, white pepper, red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper and oregano. Stir well.

Once garlic looks cooked (about 3 minutes), add the shrimp.

Toss in the pan until well coated with the spiced oil. Add the lemon juice and keep tossing over the heat. Quickly add the parsley, bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese.

Toss to coat completely. The shrimp should now be bright pink and cooked through.

Place the pan under the broiler until cheese looks melted, approximately 1 to 2 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.

Serve over the cooked pasta, with additional Parmesan sprinkled over the top.