Candied Cucumber Rings

Candied Cucumber Rings
Submitted by Pat Shipp

(also called Christmas Pickles)

2 gal. peeled and seeded cucumber slices
2 cup lime
8 1/2 qt. water
3 cup vinegar
1 bottle red food coloring (or green)
1 Tbsp alum
10 cup sugar
2 cup water
8 sticks cinnamon
1 pkg. cinnamon candy

Combine cucumbers, lime and 8 1/2 qt. water in container. Let stand 24
hours. Drain. Rinse in clear cold water and drain. Cover with cold water
and let stand 3 hours. Drain. Place cucumbers in kettle and add 1 cup
vinegar, food coloring, and alum. Add enough water to cover cucumbers and
bring to boil. Simmer 2 hours and drain. In kettle, combine 2 cups
vinegar, 2 cups water, sugar, cinnamon sticks and candy. Bring to boil
until candy and sugar dissolves. Pour over cucumbers and let stand 24
hours. Repeat boiling process 1 more day. Then heat syrup and cucumbers.
Pack in jars and seal.

Cheater's Homemade Chicken Broth

Cheater's Homemade Chicken Broth
Submitted by Terry
Recipe By: Lynne Rosetta Kasper - Lyn Belisle

1/2 cup dry white wine
2 large garlic cloves -- crushed (leave unpeeled if organic)
2 Whole cloves
1 canned tomato
1 bay leaf -- broken
1/2 teaspoon dried basil -- crumbled
3 can (14 ounces each) low-sodium chicken broth
1 med to large onion -- coarse chopped (if organic, trim away root,
but leave skin)
1/2 large stalk celery with leaves -- coarse chopped
1/2 med carrot -- coarse chopped (leave unpeeled if organic)

5 minutes prep time; 30 minutes stove time.

The broth keeps 4 days refrigerated and 6 months frozen. Let's face it, I
can extol the glories of homemade chicken and vegetable broths until Hades
freezes over. In reality, the only people still making their own broth are
me and an 80-year-old woman in Siberia. The can of "low sodium" is
winning. How about meeting me halfway? Take that can, add a few
ingredients and give them 30 minutes on the stove, and you will have a
broth you can build a reputation on. You can prepare this recipe with
either vegetable or chicken broth. Every flavor-boosting trick we know
goes into this recipe. There is garlic, aromatic vegetables and herbs and,
most important of all, the red wine and tomatoes, two umami superstars.
Umami is a chemical component that heightens flavors and makes the whole
greater than the sum of its parts.

Cook to Cook: One of the overlooked bonuses of cooking with organic
vegetables is that you get to use the whole vegetable, peel and all,
without worrying about questionable elements. For instance, an onion's
skin is literally and culinary pure gold. A good example is this broth,
where the organic onion is simply rinsed, the root trimmed away and the
rest put into the pot. That skin turns the broth tawny gold and lends an
edge of flavor. . In a 4-quart pot, combine all the ingredients. Bring
them up to a simmer, partially cover, and cook 30 minutes. Strain the
broth into a bowl or a storage container. Either use it right away,
refrigerate it, or freeze.

Recipe Notes
Makes about 4 cups

Polish-style Cabbage Rolls

Polish-style Cabbage Rolls
submitted by amanda

2 lb ground beef, lean
1/2 c rice, uncooked
1 med onion, diced
1 green pepper, diced
2 eggs
1 head cabbage, large
2 qt tomato juice

Prepare the cabbage leaves: The Old timers would freeze the head solid then
peel the leaves from the head as they thawed. The best way I've found is
to cut the core out with a knife then put the hole-where-the-core-was side
down in a steamer over boiling water. Let it sit for about 10 minutes and
remove. Several layers of the outer leaves should be soft enough to remove
from the head. When you've removed as many as you can return the head to
the steamer to soften more leaves. Take a sharp knife and remove as much
of the central vein as you can.

Filling Mix all the other ingredients together in a bowl. work it with
your hands until the eggs and other ingredients except the tomato juice are
thoroughly mixed into the meat. Now take a glob of mixture and set it in
the hollow of a deveined leaf with the end that was near the core towards
you. Fold the end nearest you about / way over the mix. Fold the left side
over the mix and then the right side. Roll about / turn away from you so
that the "seam" is on the bottom. Place in the pan seam side don and
continue with the other leaves.* When you've made the last cabbage roll
pour in the tomato juice to cover. Bring to a boil then simmer for AT
LEAST an hour.
Serve in a bowl with the juice although these like spagetti
are better the 2nd day. *This is an ideal cabbage roll. 3/4 of them won't
go together this perfectly so be ready to make adjustments when making the
rolls.

Variations
Garlic is great paprika and chili powder will work in the stuffing
V-8 instead of tomato juice is pleasantly different.

Kue Lupis (Indonesian Sweet Sticky Rice Dumplings)

Kue Lupis
submitted by sanwells

Indonesian Sweet Sticky Rice Dumplings

sticky rice dumplings
500 g sticky rice, washed, soaked in water overnight, rinsed
500 ml water
banana leaves
225 coconut, grated
1/4 teaspoon salt
300 g palm sugar
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
125 ml water

Take 2 piece of banana leaves, make like a triangular shape, put in 1
tablespoon of sticky rice, close it and secure with ropes or toothpick.
Simmer in water for 3 hours until well cooked. Rinse and remove the
leaves. Set aside and let cool. Mixed the grated coconut with salt. Steam
for 10 minutes. Combine palm sugar with granulated sugar and water. Boil
until it became a thick sugar syrup. Roll the sticky rice dumplings into
the grated coconut. Arrange in small plates and pour over the syrup.

Microwave Reuben Casserole

Microwave Reuben Casserole
From: Groups

This mouth-watering casserole, patterned after the sandwich of the
same name, is perfect for a patio picnic or neighborhood potluck where
a microwave oven is available.

3 Tbs. margarine or butter
3 slices pumpernickel bread, cut into cubes
8 oz. corned beef, chopped
8 oz. can sauerkraut, well drained
1/2 cup prepared thousand island salad dressing
4 oz. (1 cup) shredded Swiss cheese
2 medium tomatoes, seeded, chopped

MICROWAVE DIRECTIONS:
Melt margarine in medium skillet over medium heat; add bread cubes.
Toast 5 minutes, stirring occasionally; drain on paper towels. Layer
bottom of 8 or 9-inch square microwave-safe baking dish with corned
beef and sauerkraut. Spoon dressing evenly over sauerkraut; sprinkle
with cheese.* Cover with waxed paper. Microwave on medium for 8
minutes, rotating dish once halfway through cooking. Remove waxed
paper. Microwave on medium for 5 to 7 minutes until hot. Immediately
sprinkle with chopped tomatoes and bread cubes. 4 to 6 servings.

Tip:
*Casserole can be made to this point, covered with plastic wrap and
refrigerated several hours or overnight. Microwave times may need to
be increased.

-Pillsbury Classic Cookbooks, June 1992 (#136)
Picnics & Potlucks

No Sugar Grape Jelly

No Sugar Grape Jelly
From: Groups

Ingredients:
1 envelope unflavored gelatin
2 cups unsweetened grape juice (or any other unsweetened juice can be used)
1 tablespoon bottled lemon juice
1-3/4 teaspoons liquid calorie-free sweetener (use more or less
according to taste)

Add gelatin to grape juice and lemon juice in a saucepan. Place over low
heat. Stir constantly until gelatin dissolves. Bring to a boil and boil
1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat.

Add calorie-free sweetener. Stir well to mix. Pour into clean hot jars.
Seal. Cool and store in refrigerator.

This jelly will keep well in a refrigerator 4 to 6 weeks. Do not freeze.
Makes 2 half-pints. 1 tablespoon equals 10 calories.

Frosted Sandwich Loaf

Frosted Sandwich Loaf

1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup mayonnaise (use a good quality, such as Hellman's)
1 tomato, peeled and thinly sliced
3 (3 ounce) packages cream cheese, room temperature
milk
1 lb meat, cooked and minced (ham, turkey, beef, or salmon are all good)
parsley (to garnish)

Remove crusts from an unsliced rectangular loaf of day old bread.

Cut 4 lengthwise slices and spread with butter.

Place a slice on a platter butter side down, spread it with
mayonnaise, then cover with a layer of tomatoes.

Spread another slice with mayonnaise and place it dressing side down
on the tomato layer.

Spread the top of this slice with a layer of the minced meat, cover
with the third slice of bread butter side down.

Spread it with mayonnaise and cover with a layer of lettuce.

Spread the fourth slice of bread with mayonnaise and place it on the lettuce.

Place cream cheese in a bowl and thin with just enough milk to make
it spreadable.

Frost the outside of the loaf.

Garnish with parsley and place in the refrigerator at least one hour
before serving.

Cut into slices to serve.

Makes 6-8 servings

Fettuccine with Sweet Pepper-Cayenne Sauce

Fettuccine with Sweet Pepper-Cayenne Sauce

12 ounces dry fettuccine pasta
2 red bell peppers, julienned
3 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 cup reduced fat sour cream
3/4 cup chicken broth
3/4 cup grated Parmesan
cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and
cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.

Meanwhile, spray cooking oil in a large skillet and saute red bell
peppers, garlic and cayenne pepper over medium heat for 3 to 5
minutes.

Stir in sour cream and broth; simmer uncovered for 5 minutes. Remove
from heat and stir in cheese.

Toss hot pasta with sauce and season with salt and pepper to taste; serve.

Seafood Tomato Alfredo [Campbell's Kitchen]

Campbell's(R) Seafood Tomato Alfredo
from Campbell's Kitchen

Prep Time: 15 min. Cook Time: 20 min.

1 tbsp. butter
1 medium onion, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
1 can (10 3/4 ounces) Campbell's(R) Condensed Cream of Mushroom with
Roasted Garlic Soup
1/2 cup milk
1 cup diced canned tomato
1 lb. fresh fish fillet (flounder, haddock or halibut), cut into 2-inch pieces
4 cups hot cooked linguine

Directions:
Heat the butter in a 10-inch skillet over medium heat. Add the onion
and cook until tender.
Stir in the soup, milk and tomatoes and heat to a boil. Add the fish
to the skillet. Reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook for 10 minutes
or until the fish flakes easily when tested with a fork. Serve over
the linguine.

Serving Suggestion: Serve with spinach sauteed with garlic and crusty
whole wheat rolls. For dessert serve reduced-fat pound cake topped
with sliced strawberries and light whipped cream.

Serves 4.

Mediterranean Chop Salad

Mediterranean Chop Salad
from Campbell's Kitchen

Prep Time: 25 min.

3 ribs celery, sliced or 1 cup sliced fennel
1 cup chopped roasted red or yellow pepper
1 large seedless cucumber, peeled and chopped
1/2 cup chopped pitted ripe olive
1/2 cup prepared balsamic vinaigrette salad dressing
1 pkg. (12 oz.) hearts of romaine, rinsed and chopped
1 box (6 oz.) Pepperidge Farm(R) Seasoned Croutons or any variety
Freshly ground black pepper
Parmesan cheese shavings

Directions:
Mix celery, peppers, cucumber, olives and dressing in large serving
bowl. Cover and refrigerate until serving time.
Toss chopped lettuce, croutons and dressing mixture just before
serving. Sprinkle with black pepper and Parmesan cheese.

Sweet Potato Pie

Sweet Potato Pie

2 cup sweet potatoes, drained
4 Tablespoon margarine,melted
3 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp grated nutmeg
3/4 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla
1 9" pie shell, baked
1/4 c chopped pecans

Use a food processor or fork to mash sweet potatoes together with
melted margarine. Blend in eggs, sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. Add milk
and vanilla.

Pour mixture into baked pie shell. Microwave on 70% (medium high) 7 minutes.

Sprinkle pecans over surface of pie. Rotating midway through cooking,
microwave on 70 % (medium high) 6 to 8 minutes or until center no
longer jiggles.

If you prefer, you can bake it in the oven at 375 degrees for about
35-45 minutes or until it doesn't jiggle.

Chili Sedona

Chili Sedona

4 pounds extra lean chuck
2 medium onions, diced
1 32-ounce can undrained whole tomatoes, chopped
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 1/4 cup water
1 4-ounce can green chilies
2 16-ounce cans pinto beans
2 16-ounce cans chili beans (Mexican style), mashed

In a large dutch oven over medium high heat brown the meat and the onions.
Drain off any fat. Add the tomatoes, chili powder, salt, peppers,
garlic and water.
Stir well. Add chilies: Simmer 15 minutes. Add the pinto and chili
beans and simmer for 1 hour longer or until the flavors are well
combined.

Yield: 12-16 servings.

Orange Basil Cookies

Orange Basil Cookies

1/4 cup butter, softened
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon orange juice
1 teaspoon fresh orange zest
1 tablespoon orange extract
1 box yellow cake mix
1 cup currants
1/2 cup walnuts
2 tablespoons dried basil

Cream together butter, cream cheese and egg yolk. Add orange juice, zest
and extract. Add the dry cake mix. Stir in the currants, walnuts and
basil. drop by teaspoons on a buttered cookie sheet. Bake in a 350
degree oven for 12 to 15 minutes. Cool on wire rack.

Yields approximately 4 dozen.

PHAD THAI (THAI FRIED NOODLES WITH SHRIMP)

PHAD THAI (THAI FRIED NOODLES WITH SHRIMP)
From: Groups

1 lb. thin Thai rice stick noodles
10 med. size shrimps, shelled and cleaned
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 c. bean sprouts (preferably fresh)
1 tbsp. nampla (fish sauce)
1/4 c. sugar
1 tbsp. ketchup
1 tbsp. minced garlic
1/2 c. vegetable oil

GARNISH:

1 tbsp. chopped spring onion
1 tbsp. chopped fresh coriander leaves
2 lemon wedges
1 tbsp. coarsely ground peanuts
Additional raw bean sprouts
Dash of chili powder or red pepper

Soak noodles in warm water for 15-20 minutes, drain. Place bean sprouts
in cold water. In a large frying pan or wok, heat oil and saute garlic
over medium to high heat until light brown. Add shrimp and stir-fry
until well done. Add sugar, nampla, ketchup to wok, stirring together.
Add eggs, then noodles, and stir-fry mixture until noodles turn orange.
Drain bean sprouts and add to wok. Stir-fry another 2-3 minutes.

Put on serving plate with raw bean sprouts arranged on side. Sprinkle
top with ground peanuts, spring onion, coriander, chili powder and
garnish with lemon wedges. Serve hot.

[Gay-Chefs] Nova Scotia Treats

Nova Scotia Treats
Submitted by: Groups

From the kitchen of Sarah, Kate and Tina Nicklas

2 sleeves of Ritz Crackers
6 ounces of Nestlé's Tollhouse Morsels
8 ounces of condensed milk

Grease 9x9 inch pan. Crumble Ritz crackers in a bowl. Mix in morsels and
condensed milk. Spread in pan. Bake 25 minutes in oven at 350 degrees.
Allow to cool, then cut into pieces and enjoy.

Grilled Potato Salad

Grilled Potato Salad Recipe

by Heidi

When I went to grill the potatoes and squash I set each piece on the grill, I suspect you could also use one of those grill baskets with success as well. I also though about finishing this version with chopped jalapeno, cilantro and toasted sesame seeds - you can make it as simple or embellished as you like, depending on your individual tastes. I used a red-leafed lettuce here.

10 medium-sized new potatoes, unpeeled and quartered
3-4 small yellow summer pattypan squash, cut in half
1 bunch of green onions or spring onions
a big splash of olive oil
2 lemons, cut in half

1/4 cup rice vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
clove of garlic, mashed and chopped
a couple drops of toasted sesame oil
salt

1/2 a head of lettuce, washed and cut into bite-sized pieces

Toss the potato wedges, squash, and green onions with a bit of olive oil and a pinch of salt. Place them on a medium-hot grill. Place the lemons on the grill as well, cut side down. Grill for 10-20 minutes or until golden and cooked through - moving around the grill if needed and flipping to get color on all sides. The squash will likely cook faster than the potatoes, remove pieces and place on a platter when they are done grilling.

While everything is grilling, whisk together the rice vinegar, olive oil, garlic, sesame oil, and a couple pinches of salt. When the onions come off the grill, let them cool for a couple minutes and then cut into 1/2-inch segments. Set aside.

Toss the lettuce with a splash of the dressing, and turn it out onto a large platter. Now toss the vegetables (but not the lemons) with a big splash of the dressing and arrange it on top of the lettuce sprinkled with the reserved grilled green onion segments. Garnish with the lemon (which I like to squeeze over my salad just before eating for an added layer of extra mellow tang that goes great with the potatoes.

Serves 6 (or so) as a side.

Rustic Cabbage Soup

Rustic Cabbage Soup Recipe

From: "heidi"

Chances are I'm not making my own stock on the average weeknight. I am a big fan of Rapunzel Herb Bouillon (available at many stores), I use about 1/2 of one cube in a soup like this to kick things off - it makes a nice, light but flavorful broth. I'll crush it into a powder and add it to the pot just before I add water. I had some Rancho Gordo flageolet beans already cooked so I used them here, but no worries if you have to turn to the can. For the vegans out there, just skip the Parmesan, and you're in business.

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
a big pinch of salt
1/2 pound potatoes, skin on, cut 1/4-inch pieces
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
5 cups stock (see head notes)
1 1/2 cups white beans, precooked or canned (drained & rinsed well)
1/2 medium cabbage, cored and sliced into 1/4-inch ribbons

more good-quality extra-virgin olive oil for drizzling
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated

Warm the olive oil in a large thick-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Stir in the salt and potatoes. Cover and cook until they are a bit tender and starting to brown a bit, about 5 minutes - it's o.k. to uncover to stir a couple times. Stir in the garlic and onion and cook for another minute or two. Add the stock and the beans and bring the pot to a simmer. Stir in the cabbage and cook for a couple more minutes, until the cabbage softens up a bit. Now adjust the seasoning - getting the seasoning right is important or your soup will taste flat and uninteresting. Taste and add more salt if needed, the amount of salt you will need to add will depend on how salty your stock is (varying widely between brands, homemade, etc)...

Serve drizzled with a bit of olive oil and a generous dusting of cheese.

Serves 4.

Crabmeat Brunch Pie

Crabmeat Brunch Pie
Posted by: Groups

1 bunch chopped scallions
1 large chopped red pepper
6 ounces crabmeat
1 cup grated Swiss cheese
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
8 large eggs
2 cups half-and-half
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper
1 cup fresh bread crumbs

Butter a 10-inch quiche pan. Beat the eggs. Mix all of the remaining
ingredients together and add to the eggs.
Pour into the pan and bake at 350 degrees until set. Cut into pie-shaped
pieces and served hot.

Yields 8 servings.

May be used for breakfast or as a main meal with salad.

Indian Broiled Fish

Indian Broiled Fish
Posted by: Groups

4 frozen fish filets
2 tablespoon fish masala (Indian store, it's a spice mixture)
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon grated ginger root
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
2 tablespoon yogurt

Make a paste with the above (the yoghurt is optional but I like it),
cover the filets and let them defrost, covered, 6 to 24 hours in
refrigerator. It is a good idea to score the filets lightly. Turn them
occasionally if desired.
Grill about 3 minutes a side until slightly browned or to taste. Serve
with lemon slices on rice. Accompany with raita, salads etc.

Serves 4.