-Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. -Combine the peaches, 1 cup sugar, and water in a saucepan and mix well. Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat. -Put the butter in a [...]]]> 4 cups peeled, sliced peaches
2 cups sugar, divided
1/2 cup water
8 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 cups self-rising flour
1 1/2 cups milk

-Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
-Combine the peaches, 1 cup sugar, and water in a saucepan and mix well. Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat.
-Put the butter in a deep baking dish and place in oven to melt.
-Mix remaining 1 cup sugar, flour, and milk slowly to prevent clumping.
-Pour mixture over melted butter. Do not stir.
-Spoon fruit on top, gently pouring in syrup. Batter will rise to top during baking.
-Bake for 30 to 45 minutes.
To serve, scoop onto a plate and serve with your choice of whipped cream or vanilla ice cream

This recipe was given to me by a true Southern cook and it is awesome! Enjoy!

· Blend all ingredients in a food processor · Add bread crumbs slowly. Consistency should be loose enough for dipping bread into mixture but [...]]]> 1 cup chopped seeded plum tomatoes
1 cup (packed) coarsely chopped fresh basil
¼ cup red wine vinegar
2 Tblspn balsamic vinegar
1 Tblspn Dijon mustard
2 garlic cloves
½ cup olive oil
bread with crusts cut off (approx. 1 cup)

· Blend all ingredients in a food processor
· Add bread crumbs slowly. Consistency should be loose enough for dipping bread into mixture but firm enough to stay on the bread
· If too thick, stop adding bread crumbs or process in more oil

Everyone seemed to enjoy this at the July 4th BBQ, so here it is!
I serve it with Baguette.

10 ounces of fresh baby spinach 1 small head of radicchio 6-7 ounces of pine nuts, toasted 1/3 cup olive oil ¼ cup balsamic vinegar ¼ cup dry red wine 1 shallot, minced 1 baguette Parmesan cheese, freshly grated

Ø Place spinach in large serving bowl Ø Slice radicchio thinly and mix in with spinach

Ø In saucepan over medium heat: place olive oil, balsamic, wine and [...]]]> (Serves 6)

10 ounces of fresh baby spinach
1 small head of radicchio
6-7 ounces of pine nuts, toasted
1/3 cup olive oil
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
¼ cup dry red wine
1 shallot, minced
1 baguette
Parmesan cheese, freshly grated

Ø Place spinach in large serving bowl
Ø Slice radicchio thinly and mix in with spinach

Ø In saucepan over medium heat: place olive oil, balsamic, wine and shallot and bring to light simmer (about 3 minutes)
Ø Pour over salad and toss, then immediately cover with tin foil and let stand for about 5 minutes
Ø Toss again and then serve on individual salad plates with pine nuts sprinkled on top and a parmesan toast

For Parmesan Toasts:
Ø Slice baguette diagonally into eighths
Ø Melt butter and brush over baguette slices
Ø Sprinkle with Parmesan Cheese and place in oven or broiler until cheese melts
Ø Serve warm on salad

This recipe takes some time, but it’s sooooo worth it! I’m too late for Passover on this one, but just in time for Easter. Ingredients

1/2 ounce dried porcini mushroom pieces

2 T unsalted butter

1 small onion, minced

3 1/2 ounces fresh shiitake mushrooms, sliced º-inch thick

5 ounces fresh cremini mushrooms, sliced º-inch [...]]]> From “Here in America’s Test Kitchen”

This recipe takes some time, but it’s sooooo worth it! I’m too late for Passover on this one, but just in time for Easter.

Ingredients

1/2 ounce dried porcini mushroom pieces

2 T unsalted butter

1 small onion, minced

3 1/2 ounces fresh shiitake mushrooms, sliced º-inch thick

5 ounces fresh cremini mushrooms, sliced º-inch thick

2 medium garlic cloves, minced (about 2 t)

3 cups heavy cream

1 cup whole milk

4 sprigs fresh thyme

2 bay leaves

2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

4 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/8-inch-slices

1 cup shredded Gruyere (about 4 ounces)

Directions

1. Cover dried porcini pieces with 1/2 cup hot tap water in small microwave-safe bowl. Cover with plastic wrap. Cut several steam vents with paring knife and microwave on high power for 30 seconds. Let stand until mushrooms soften, about 5 minutes. Lift mushrooms from liquid with fork and mince, using chef’s knife (you should have about 2 tablespoons.) Pour soaking liquid through a strainer lined with paper towel and reserve.

2. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Meanwhile, melt butter in large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until foaming subsides, about 1 minute. Add onion, fresh shiitake, and fresh cremini and saute until the mushrooms release their moisture, about 2 minutes. Add minced, rehydrated porcini along with their liquid and cook until all mushrooms are tender and liquid has reduced to about 2 tablespoons, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and sautÈ until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add cream, milk, thyme, bay leaves, salt, pepper, and potatoes and bring to simmer. Cover, adjusting heat as necessary to maintain light simmer, and cook until potatoes are almost tender (paring knife can be slipped into and out of center of potato slice with some resistance), about 15 minutes.

3. Remove and discard thyme sprigs and bay leaves. Transfer potato mixture to 3-quart gratin dish and sprinkle with cheese. Bake until cream has thickened and is bubbling around sides and top is golden brown, about 20 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes before serving.

NOTE: Make sure you have 4 pounds of potatoes because there’s a lot of sauce! I think I may have used too few potatoes when I made this, but it was still delicious.

1 & 1/2 C. dried red kidney beans

1 C. bulgar

1 small can tomato juice

2 big onions

3 carrots

1 green pepper

4 cloves garlic

3 large cans crushed and peeled tomatoes

Tobasco, hot red paprika, salt and pepper

Directions

1) Soak kidney beans overnight in LOTS of [...]]]> Here is an easy vegetarian chili recipe that everyone always loves (and no one guesses is vegetarian).

Ingredients

1 & 1/2 C. dried red kidney beans

1 C. bulgar

1 small can tomato juice

2 big onions

3 carrots

1 green pepper

4 cloves garlic

3 large cans crushed and peeled tomatoes

Tobasco, hot red paprika, salt and pepper

Directions

1) Soak kidney beans overnight in LOTS of water

2) Boil beans until soft (about 2 hours)

3) Heat tomato juice and then add this to the bulgar in a small dish

4) Dice up onions, carrots, green pepper and sauté it all with garlic until carrots are soft

5) Add cans of peeled tomatoes (with all their juice) to sautéed vegies and heat all this about 15 minutes

6) Add bulgar

7) Add hot stuff (tobasco, etc.) to taste

8) Add kidney beans and heat again

9) Add tomato paste if need to thicken

Play around with ingredients for your desired taste – play with recipe using different types of peppers or celery. 

For non-vegans, garnish with sour cream and/or cheddar cheese!

Scoops out the ice cream. Drizzles on some of the golden sauce (not too much!) Add toppings to taste.

The first time you try it you will understand. Don’t laugh, this dish rocks!

1. Cook pasta according to [...]]]> Bowtie pasta with sun dried tomatoes. Optional – add stir fried chicken

1 small jar marinated artichoke hearts – cut into bite sized pieces
1/3 -1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes – cut into stripes
1 pkg bow tie pasta
1/2 cup white wine or dry sherry
1/4 c water or chicken broth
1 clove garlic – pressed

1. Cook pasta according to package – do not rinse.

2. In a large saucepan add artichoke hearts, sundried
tomatoes, wine, water and garlic clove. Cook on low
heat while pasta is cooking.

3. Add pasta to saucepan, toss and cook for a few minutes
until mixed well.

Serve with grated fresh parmesian cheese. Optional – add stir fried chicken

2 or 3 zuchinni [...]]]> Here is an easy recipe for Calzones with dipping sauce. I’m one of those cooks who just throws things in the pan, so my measurements might not be so exact, but you’ll get the idea. I get all these ingredients at Trader Joes and this makes 2 good size calzones.

Ingredients

2 or 3 zuchinni squash (depending on size)
9 cloves of garlic, minced (use fresh)
1 medium onion, chopped
1 package sliced mushrooms (then chop smaller)
Olive oil or vegie broth to saute
1 container (about 16 oz) ricotta cheese
shredded mozzerella cheese (couple handfuls)
grated parmesan cheese (couple handfuls)
1 ready made pizza dough (found in the cold section near the salads at Trader Joes)
1 large can crushed tomatoes
crushed red pepper
italian seasoning
salt and pepper

For Calzones:

1. Preheat oven to 350
2. In large skillet, saute chopped onion in olive oil or veggie broth (or your saute medium of choice), for 2 or 3 minutes
3. Add chopped zuchinni and mushrooms and 3 cloves of chopped garlic
4. Saute until cooked through – add some salt to soak up moisture from mushrooms (you don’t want soggy calzones)
5. In a bowl, mix together cooked veggies and ricotta cheese and a handful or two of grated parmesan
6. Press out pizza dough in cookie sheet so it becomes a big rectangle. Cut in half width-wise – these will be your 2 calzones.
7. In each half, place a handful of shredded mozarella cheese and add your ricotta-veggie mixture to each side also.
8. Fold each piece of dough over the filling and press down the sides where they meet. If you have too much filling, you’ll know because it will leak out (but this tastes good too)!
9. You can brush the tops with a tiny bit of olive oil or just place directly in the oven for about 20 minutes or until they get golden brown.

For Sauce:

1. In a saucepan, saute remaining 6 cloves of chopped garlic in olive oil until they become golden brown.
2. Add can of crushed tomatoes
3. Add italian seasoning and crushed red pepper to your taste; an important trick is to “crush” the dried seasonings in your hands before adding to the sauce – it releases a lot of flavor and will really make your sauce taste great.
4. Cook for about 15 minutes.

Serve calzones with marinara dipping sauce on side. You can, obviously, substitute whatever ingredients you enjoy in the calzones – I’ve done them with sausage, spinach, etc. and they are always a hit!