Christmas Green Beans

1 pkg (1 kg) frozen French cut green beans
½ onion diced
5-6 oz mushrooms sliced and halved
handful of sliced onions

Sauté onions, mushrooms and onions with butter.
Put beans in pot and add 1-2 inches of water
Boil, stir occasionally for 1-2 minutes
Drain
Add beans to mushroom mixture and mix.Reheat before serving by turning on burner under pan and stirring.

Carrot Cake

2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
1 cup oil
1-2 cups sugar (to taste)
4 eggs
3 cups grated carrots
1 cup chopped walnuts

Source: Elizabeth

Preheat oven to 325°F
Oil and flour 2 9 inch pans.
Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon
Add sugar gradually to oil beating well after each addition with electric beater on high.
Beat eggs until very light
Gradually beat eggs into oil and sugar, beating until smooth and fluffy
Gradually stir in dry ingredients until thoroughly mixed.
Add carrots and nuts, mix well.
Poor into pans and bake 60-65 minutes or until golden brown and cakes spring back.
Cool 20 minutes before removing from pans

Cream Cheese Icing
8 oz package cream cheese
3 Tbsp oil
3 ½ cups icing sugar
¼ tsp salt
Cream the cheese, blend in the oil
Gradually add sugar and salt
Mix until smooth and spreadable
Frost cake.

Chemistry Cake

Source: Isabelle
1 ½ cups flour
¼ tsp salt
¾ cup sugar
1 tsp baking soda
3 Tbsp cocoa
1 tsp vanilla
6 Tbsp oil
1 Tbsp vinegar
1 cup cold water
*1 egg (for richer cake, see below)

Put dry ingredients in small cake pan and mix until smooth
Make 3 wells and put one of following into each:
vanilla
oil
vinegar
Pour water over all and mix (* if using egg place in cup and fill remainder with water)
Bake at 350 °F for 25-30 minutes

Nanaimo Bars

Source: Isabelle

Crust
½ cup butter
¼ cup cocoa
1 egg
¼ cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
¼ tsp salt
Combine above and cook over low heat until it coats a spoon
1 ¼ cups Graham cracker crumbs
¾ cups coconut
Add to mixture
Spread into a greased 9"x9" pan

Filling
½ cup softened butter
3 oz cream cheese
2 Tbsp instant vanilla pudding
Cream together
1 cup icing sugar
2 Tbsp milk
Beat into mixture
Spread over crumb base
Place in fridge until firm (20 minutes)

Glaze
4 oz semi sweet chocolate
1 Tbsp butter
Melt and spread over filling
Refrigerate until set but not hard before cutting.

Apple Cheese Crisp

Oven 375ºF
6 medium apples
2/3 cup sugar
½ tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp all spice
¼ tsp nutmeg
2 Tbsp water
2 Tbsp lemon juice
2/3 cup sugar
¾ cup flour
½ tsp salt
2 cups grated cheddar cheese
1/3 cup butter
Heavy cream to serve
Source: Elizabeth
Serves 6

Butter 1 ½ qt casserole
Peel and core apples and cut into splices or chunks
Mix with 2/3 cups sugar and spices.
Turn into dish
Pour lemon juice and water over mixture

Mix together 2/3 cup flour, sugar, salt
Cut in butter
Stir in cheese
Sprinkle mixture over apples
Bake 45 minutes or until tender.

To Serve: Serve with cream.

Butter Tarts

1/3 cup butter
2 Tbsp milk or cream
1 egg beaten
1 cup sifted brown sugar
1 cup raisins
1 tsp vanilla
Pastry

Source: Isabelle

Mix ingredients and spoon into muffin tins lined with pastry. Bake at 450ºF for 8 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350ºF and cook until pastry is lightly browned.

Chocolate Mousse

6 oz (12 Tbsp) semi sweet chocolate chips
2 oz crème de cacoa
2 oz water, crème de menthe, or peppermint tea
melt in microwave until smooth
3 Tbsp sugar
Add and stir until glossy
Cool mixture
2 cups Whipping cream
½ tsp vannila
Whip
Fold whipped cream with chocolate
Refrigerate several hours or overnight. Or freeze.

Source: Mark

Note: A whip cream stabilizer is a good idea to give the dessert a better consistency.

Creme brulée

1 quart heavy cream
1 vanilla bean split and scraped (or 3 tsp of extract added at end)
1 cup sugar
6 large egg yolks
hot water

Source: Mark
Serves: 6 (though one whole serving may be too rich for many people)

place cream and vanilla (if using bean) into medium saucepan over medium/high heat. bring to boil
Remove from heat, cover and sit 10-15 minutes. Remove vanilla bean
Whisk egg yolks with 1/2 cup sugar until lightened.
Add cream a little at a time
Pour into 6 7-8 oz ramekins
Place ramekins into large dish and pour hot water half way up the sides of the dish
Bake 40-45 minutes. Should be set but still trembling
Remove from water and refrigerate at least 2 hours

To Serve:
Remove from fridge 30 minutes prior to browning
Divide sugar amongst remaining ramekins and melt sugar with torch
Let sit 5 minutes

Brownie Pudding Cake

350 ºF Oven
1 cup flour
½ cup sugar
3 Tbsp cocoa powder
1 ½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
Combine above

½ cup milk
2 Tbsp oil
1 tsp vanilla
Mix in to mixture

1/2 cup chocolate chips or raisins
Mix in and transfer to casserole dish

4 Tbsp cocoa powder
2/3 cup brown sugar
1 ½ cup boiling water
combine above and pour over mixture. DO NOT mix with mixture
Bake at 350 ºF for 30 minutes

Simple Rhubarb

10 -15 Stalks of Rhubbarb (n.b. leaves are poisonous)
1 cup brown sugar packed

Source: Elizabeth

1. Clean and cut rhubbarb into chunks, place in oven safe dish
2. Cover with sugar
3. Microwave on high roughly 10 minutes coverred
or
3. Bake at 300 degrees ºF for ½ hour

To Serve: Serve hot or cold with ice cream or yogurt

Compound Butter

½ stick of butter
1 clove of garlic; crushed
1 ½ tsp dried tarragon

Source: Mark

Place butter in a small bowl
If butter cold, microwave 10-15 seconds. This will cause some of the butter to melt while some stays solid.
Add garlic and herbs and mix until the butter reaches an even consistency.

To Serve:
Bread

Waffles

Quick (no egg foam)

2 eggs
¾ cup milk
2 tbsp. oil
1 cup flour
1 ½ tsp baking powder
1 ½ tsp sugar
½ tsp salt

Source: Mark

Makes 6 waffles

· Beat eggs until thickened
· Add oil and milk
· Add dry ingredients and beat until smooth
· Ladle 1/3 cup onto each half of waffle iron
· Cook until steam stops coming out (about 3 minutes)

To Serve:
· Butter and syrup

Roast Chicken

1 chicken
Kosher Salt
Chicken Seasoning
Pepper
Rosemary
Roasting vegetables

Source: Elizabeth

· Preheat oven to 350°F
· Rinse chicken, including cavity
· Trim off large chunks of fat
· Pat dry with pepper towels
· Rub inside of chicken with kosher salt
· Tie legs together and wings to body
· Sprinkle chicken liberally with chicken seasoning
· Sprinkle with pepper and rosemary
· Place on rack in roasting pan, breast-side up
· Place on oven with rack on 2nd lowest setting
· Cook, uncovered, 35 minutes per pound
· Prick vegetables all over.
· Add vegetables to pan for final 2-2 ½ hours

To Serve:
· Sprinkle with chopped parsley or dill

Boiled Cod with egg Sauce

Finnish

2 pounds cod (or other white fish)
1 cup milk
1 onion; sliced
1 bay leaf
½ tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
3 Tbsp butter
3 Tbsp flour
Dill or parsley; chopped

Source: Catherine

· Cut fish in pieces.
· Place fish in one layer of skillet
· Add milk and water to just cover
· Add onion, bay leaf, salt, and pepper
· Simmer (do not boil) gently until fish flakes easily
· Remove fish and keep warm
· Make a roux with butter and flour cook
· Slowly add fish cooking liquid to roux, whisking.
· Thin sauce (as necessary) with milk
· Add chopped egg to sauce

To Serve:
· Serve sauce over fish
· Garnish with dill or parsley

Spinach Salad

¼ cup wine vinegar
2 tsp soy sauce
½ tsp curry powder
2/3 cup oil
2 Tbsp dry white wine
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp dry mustard
½ tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
¼ tsp crushed garlic

Source: John

· Mix all. Beat to combine

To Serve:

Spinach
Mushrooms; sliced
5 sliced crisp bacon; crumbled
2 hard boiled eggs; chopped

· Combine with dressing

Potato Salad

4 cups cooked potatoes; cubed
3 cups cooked ham; cubed
4 hard poiled eggs; chopped
1 cup celery; sliced
½ cup onions; chopped
1 cup mayonnaise
Salt
Pepper
Cherry tomatoes or radishes

Source: Elizabeth

Serves 6

· Combine potatoes, ham, eggs, celery, onions, and mayonnaise.
· Mix lightly and season to taste

To Serve:
· Place into 2 6 ½ cup ring molds.
· Lightly brush with more mayonnaise
· ChillDecorate with radishes or cherry tomatoes

Cole Slaw I

1 small cooking onion
½ cup sugar
Salt
1 tsp dry mustard
1/3 cup vinegar
1 cup oiyl
1 Tbsp celery seed
1 cabbage
2-3 carrots
1 apple
Raisins

Source: Elizabeth

· In a food processor, finely dice / puree onion
· Add sugar, mustard, salt, vinegar.
· Mix again
· With food processor running, slowly poor in oil. This should form an emulsion
· Stop machine and add celery seed
· Pulse to mix but do not crush the seeds

To Serve:
Shred cabbage, carrots, apple
Mix in raisins
Poor on dressing
Marinate overnight
Stir before serving

Salad Dressing

2-3 cloves garlic; minced
½ cup oil
1 tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
1 Tbsp Worchester sauce
10-12 anchovey fillets
¼ cup parmesean cheese
3 Tbsp lemon juice
2 Tbsp vinegar
1 egg, slightly beaten
Romaine lettuce and other salad vegetables
2 cups croutons

Source: John

· Mash anchovies and mix together all but salad and croutons

To Serve:
· Pour over salad and serve with croutons

Caesar Salad

1 head of lettuce
6-8 Tbsp olive oil
6 Tbsp ground parmesan
2 Tbsp. white vinegar
1-2 fat cloves garlic; mashed
Salt
Pepper
Lemon juice
1 tsp. Worchester sauce

Source: Isabelle

· Combine all but lettuce

To Serve #1:
· Combine dressing with lettuce

To Serve #2:
2 slices of bread; dices
2 Tbsp butter
½ clove garlic; mashed
½ lb cooked ham
6 anchovy fillets
2 egg yolks

· Sauté bread, butter and garlic
· Toss yolks with lettuce
· Combine all

Vegetable Sald Dressing

¼ cup oil
2 Tbls vinegar
½ Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp parmesan
½ tsp salt
¾ tsp Worchester sauce
¾ tsp dry mustard
¾ tsp basil
¾ tsp oregano
¾ tsp sugar
¾ tsp black pepper
1 avocado; chopped

Source: Isabelle

· Combine
· Replace / vary the herbs. 1 ½ tsp of dried tarragon can replace the basil and oregano


To Serve 1: Mixed Vegetable

1 red pepper; chopped
1 yellow pepper; chopped
1 mild onion; chopped
1 stalk celery; chopped

· Combine with dressing
· Marinate overnight

To Serve:
Serve with a crusty bread and a compound butter with herbs that match the dressing.

To Serve 2: Butter Lettuce

1-2 heads of butter lettuce
Combine with dressing

Hambone Soup

3 parts pinto (aka romano) beans (750 g)
1 large can sauerkraut
Hambone with meat
3 parts beans to 2 parts ham
2 bay leaves
Onions
Butter
Sweet Paprika
1 Tbsp. Flour
Ketchup

Source: Grandma Maria

Boil beans with left over ham meat with 2 bay leaves
Later…
Add Sauerkraut and small piece of bay leaf
Fry onion in butter with paprika
Add onion mixture to soup
Brown flour with 1 tbsp of butter
Add ketchup and some broth to roux
Add roux to soup

To Serve:
Can be served with mashed potatoes.

Peanut Soup

1 cup plain peanut butter (no salt or sugar added)
6 cups chicken stock or water
2 Tbsp. butter
1 Onion
½ cup carrot; diced
½ tsp. red pepper flakes
½ green pepper; diced
1 cup peanuts; coarsely ground
½ cup green onion or chives; chopped
¼ cup rice; uncooked
½ cup celery; diced

Source: Catherine

Blend peanut butter and 2 cups of water or broth
Sauté onion in butter
Add carrot and celery and sweat for 10 minutes
Place vegetable mixture, peanut mixture and remaining water or broth in crockpot.
Cook on low for 5-7 hours
Add red pepper flakes, green pepper and peanuts
Cook on low for 1 hour

To Serve:
Garnish with chopped green onion (or chives)
Note, there is no salt in this recipe so you will likely have to add it at the table.

French Onion Soup II

3 lbs. onions sliced (or diced in food processor)
3 Tbsp. olive oil (or 1 + 2 Tbsp. butter)
1 tsp. salt
½ Tbsp. dried parsley
1 tsp. garlic powder
30 oz. Beef broth (concentrate, no water added)
20 oz. chicken broth (concentrate, no water added)
10 oz. apple juice (unfiltered apple cider is better)
1 Tbsp. vinegar (apple cider if you have it)

Source: Mark

Heat oil and butter
Add onions, salt, parsley, and garlic
Cook, uncovered over medium heat until heavily browned. Don’t chicken out! The darker the better. About 45 minutes
Mix vinegar and apple juice and add to onions.
Cook until thickened (10 minutes)
Add broth and simmer 30 minutes or more

French Onion Soup I

4 Tbsp. butter
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 lbs. Onions thinly sliced (or chopped in food processor) about 7 cups
1 tsp. salt
3 Tbsp. flour
2 quarts beef broth or one each of chicken and beef
1 clove garlic
1 tsp. sugar
Parsley
Thyme
1 cup dry white wine

French bread
¼ lb. Swiss cheese
¼ lb. mozzarella cheese

Source: Isabelle

Melt butter and oil together in large pot
Stir in onions, salt, sugar, and garlic
Cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally for 20-30 minutes until golden brown.
Sprinkle flour over onions and cook 2-3 minutes
Remove onion mixture
Heat stock in pot
Add wine.
Stir in onions a simmer 30 minutes

To Serve:
Place soup into oven proof bowls
Add tick slice of bread to each bowl
Top with cheese
Bake bowl 10 – 20 minutes

Cream of Red Pepper Soup

1 red bell pepper
Butter
1 cup milk
3 cups chicken stock
Flour
Salt
Pepper
Parsley
1 thumb-sized piece of freshly grated ginger

Source: Catherine
Story and description here Crème Fraiche is NOT fresh cream.

Serves 3 small bowls
½ hour preparation time

Dice pepper
Cook in butter until brown on medium heat
Add milk, chicken stock and grated ginger
If parsley is dried, add it now (to taste)
Season with salt and pepper
Simmer, stirring often
Make a roux of flour and butter (equal parts) and cook.
Mix ½ cup soup into roux.
Re-add roux mixture to soup
Simmer, stirring regularly for 10 minutes
Purée half of soup

To Serve:
Top with chopped parsley
Serve with slices of crusty bread

Yogurt Mushroom Soup

¼ cup butter
4 minced green onions
1 minced yellow onion
1 lb. sliced mushrooms
1 Tbsp. flour
6 cups chicken stock (4 cans of broth plus 2 cans of water)
2 egg yolks; broken
2 cups yogurt
Dill to taste
Nutmeg to taste
Salt
Pepper
Freshly chopped parsley or dill for garnish

Source: Elizabeth
· Melt butter over medium heat in a large pot
· Add green onions, mushrooms, onions.
· Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened
· Stir in flour. Cook briefly
· Gradually add chicken broth, cooking and stirring until slightly thickened
· Cover and simmer 30 minutes
· Blend egg yolks, yogurt, dill and nutmeg
· Stir ½ cup of soup into yogurt mixture to temper it
· Pour mixture back into pot stirring constantly
· Do not allow to come to a boil (yogurt will curdle easily)
· Add salt and pepper to taste

To Serve:
· Sprinkle with chopped parsley or dill

Gazpacho

1 sweet onion
1 English cucumber
1 green pepper
5-6 tomatoes
5 garlic cloves
½ cup olive oil
1 10 oz bottle chili sauce
Chopped parsley
1 lemon sliced

Source: Elizabeth

Mince garlic
Use a food processor to chop each ingredient individually. Otherwise will not be consistent in texture
Add chili sauce
Chill 24 hours
If more liquid is needed use spicy Clamato™ juice

To Serve:
Serve coldTop with chopped parsley and lemon slices

Cheese Ball

3 packages cream cheese (large)
3-4 oz blue cheese
1 clove garlic
3 dashes Worchester sauce
3 dashed Tabasco sauce
Chopped walnuts

Source: Elizabeth
Story and description here

Bring cheese to room temperature
Mix together with a mixmaster (i.e. mix well)
Chill and roll in chopped walnuts