ThriftyFun Recipes
Volume One, Number 157, December 12, 2005
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Hello,
Thank you Robin, Heather, Charlie and Linda for today's recipes.
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Recipe Requests
Cake is Too Dry
When I make a cake, the directions are to bake for a certain amount of time or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. When I wait until the toothpick comes out totally clean, the cake is very dry. Can the toothpick be a little wet, and the cake still be okay to take out of the oven?
Thanks for any and all replies.
P.J. from Delaware
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Gold and Silver Applesauce Layer Cake
My grandmother used to make a cake she called gold and silver applesauce layer cake. It was delicious. I know she gave the recipe to some of the ladies in the church, but I do not have access to their names here in charleston. Does anyone have a recipe that has applesauce between the layers and the layers are gold and silver?
Thanks for the help.
Carolyn from Charleston, WV
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Sponge Candy Recipe
I am looking for a recipe for sponge candy. The old fashon sponge candy. I once had the receipe but have lost it. I would really love to get it again. Does anyone know how it is done? Or is it a lost art?
Nicole McLaughlin from Cornwall Ontario
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Pork and Beans Goulash
I am looking for a recipe for a goulash made with pork and beans, hamburger and it has vinegar in it. It is for my father in law, he is in a nursing home and would love to have some of the dishes that his wife (gone now) made for him.
Thanks for your help.
Carolyn from charleston, WV
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Contest ends December 31, 2005
Today's Recipes
Cranberry Apple Muffins with Cinnamon Drizzle
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cup all purpose flour
- 2 tsp. baking powder
- 1/4 tsp. baking soda
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 5 Tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 Tbsp. finely grated orange zest
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- 1 cup coarsely chopped Granny Smith apples (about 2 small apples)
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line muffin pan with baking cups.
For muffins, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in small bowl; set aside. In large bowl, cream butter, sugar and orange zest with electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add egg; mix well. Beat in half of dry ingredients, then half of milk and sour cream; mix well. Add remaining ingredients; mix well. Stir in cranberries and apples. Fill muffin pan with batter. Bake 25-30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Combine the drizzle ingredients and drizzle over muffins.
Drizzle:
Ingredients
- 1 cup confectioners' sugar
- 1 tsp. cinnamon
- 1 tsp. milk
Directions
Mix ingredients and drizzle over muffins.
By Robin from Washington, IA
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Smothered Greens
- 3 cups water
- 1/4 lb smoked turkey breast, skinless
- 1 Tbsp hot pepper, freshly chopped
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1/4 tsp cloves, ground
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1/2 tsp thyme
- 1 stalk scallion, chopped
- 1 tsp ginger, ground
- 1/4 cup onion, chopped
- 2 lbs greens (mustard, turnip, collard, kale, or mixture)
1. Place all ingredients except greens into large saucepan and bring to a boil.
2. Prepare greens by washing thoroughly and removing stems.
3. Tear or slice leaves into bite-size pieces.
4. Add greens to turkey stock.
5. Cook 20 to 30 minutes until tender.
Makes 5 servings--Serving size: 1 cup
Calories 80
Fat 2 g
Saturated fat less than 1 g
Cholesterol 16 mg
Sodium 378 mg
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Limas and Spinach
Your family will love to eat more vegetables cooked this way.
- 2 cups frozen lima beans
- 1 Tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 cup fennel, cut in strips (4 oz)
- 1/2 cup onion, chopped
- 1/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 4 cups leaf spinach, washed thoroughly
- 1 Tbsp distilled vinegar
- 1/8 tsp black pepper
- 1 Tbsp raw chives
1. Steam or boil lima beans in unsalted water approximately 10 minutes. Drain.
2. In a skillet, sauté onions and fennel in oil.
3. Add the beans and stock to the onions, cover, and cook for 2 minutes.
4. Stir in the spinach. Cover and cook until spinach has wilted, about 2 minutes.
5. Stir in the vinegar and pepper. Cover and let stand for 30 seconds.
6. Sprinkle with chives and serve.
Makes 7 servings--Serving size: 1/2 cup
Calories 93
Fat 2 g
Saturated fat less than 1 g
Cholesterol 0 mg
Sodium 84 mg
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Seared Venison with Mushroom Ragu
By Charlie Burke For the last two years the New Hampshire Farm to Restaurant Connection (http://nhfarmtorestaurant.com) has sponsored Growers' dinners, featuring the finest New Hampshire products at leading restaurants in the state.
The first was held at the Bedford Village Inn, and the Inn's former Chef, Joe Brenner, served fabulous roasted venison from Bonnie Brae Farm in Plymouth, New Hampshire (http://www.bonniebraefarms.com/). The entire meal was excellent, but the venison was clearly the consensus favorite, with diners' commenting on the tenderness and rich flavor which had none of the strong "gamey" taste so often found in venison which is improperly handle or cooked. This year, Chef Sebastian Carosi featured Bonnie Brae venison in a carpaccio at a Growers' Dinner held at The Shaker Table in Canterbury. It was so popular he kept it on his menu for the rest of the summer! Since 1994, Henry and Cindy Ahern have raised deer on their 200 acre family farm, improving their breeding stock of Red Deer descended from German, Scottish and Yugoslavian herds and producing meat of the highest quality. Their venison is served in high end restaurants throughout New England, and Bonnie Brae Farm was featured on Food Finds on The Food Network. Henry is a tireless promoter of farm raised venison and elk, as well as all locally produced agricultural products, and he is seen at agricultural meetings throughout New Hampshire.
We were discussing the high demand for loin and rib sections which are very tender and are easily cooked for steaks and roasts, and I asked Henry and Cindy for a less popular cut, believing we could adapt recipes for these, as well. We knew the shanks work well like lamb or veal shanks in osso buco type braises, but I wondered if the leaner, less tender cuts could be cooked like similar cuts of beef, such as flank steak.
Henry brought me a beautiful bottom round piece - deep red and free of fat and silver skin. The grain was easily seen, and I could tell it would be tender if cut into thin strips across the grain and seared at high heat. I fired up the sauté pan and cooked a few strips which had been lightly seasoned with only salt and pepper. Cooked to a medium pink, they were tender and flavorful, so it was clear they could be cooked without marinades or sauces and served like any red meat.
Like lamb or beef, however, this cut obviously would work with favorite seasonings, limited only by the cook's imagination. I decided to make a red wine reduction as a sauce and serve the venison with a rich mushroom ragu. I also set aside some of the slices to marinate in one of our favorite oriental style flank steak marinades using soy sauce, chopped ginger and garlic. We cooked both and sampled them for dinner last night and found the meat to be tender and flavorful, perfectly adapted to both preparations.
Four servings venison:
- 1 - 1 1/2 pounds bottom round venison,
sliced across the grain in 1/8 inch slices
- 2 shallots, chopped
- 1/2 cup chicken stock
- 1/2 cup red wine such as Shiraz or Zinfandel
- 2 tablespoons butter Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Mushroom ragu:
- 1 pound mixed mushrooms, such as button, portabella and
shitake, roughly chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste (when using
small amounts of tomato paste, buy it in tubes and store in
refrigerator)
- 1/3 cup red wine
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
(substitute 1 teaspoon dried oregano or herbes de
Provence)
- 2 teaspoons salt, freshly ground pepper to taste
Prepare mushrooms:
Put sauté pan over high heat and add olive oil. Add mushrooms, salt, pepper and herbs. Cook over high heat, tossing and stirring. When liquid evaporates and mushrooms start to brown, add tomato paste and garlic, stirring for 2 - 3 more minutes. Add wine and cook until it evaporates. Correct seasoning and set aside. Reheat over medium heat as venison finishes.
Sauté venison:
Heat second pan over high heat, add oil. Salt and pepper venison and add to pan when oil is shimmering. Do not crowd; if the pan is not large enough to hold the meat easily in 1 layer, do it in two batches because the moisture must evaporate if the meat is to brown. Watch closely, and turn the pieces as the edges turn light. Cook until slightly browned with pink interior. Remove venison from pan and add chopped shallots. Cook shallots for a minute or so until soft, add wine and chicken stock and reduce until slightly thickened - about half original volume. Turn heat off, swirl in butter and return meat to the pan. Quickly toss the venison so that it is well coated and serve with the mushrooms. Roasted potatoes or a potato pancake (see our recipe files for both) would go well, as would a salad with balsamic dressing. Serve the same fruity red wine used in the recipe.
Check out Bonnie Brae's website or find a source in your area for farm raised venison and see why leading chefs are so eager to serve this flavorful and healthy meat. The more tender cuts can be prepared just as you prepare lamb and beef, and, as this recipe shows, outstanding dishes can be had with bottom round and other less popular cuts of venison. This venison is of the highest quality, raised without hormones and other additives and is another great example of the healthy advantages of buying locally.
About the author: An organic farmer and avid cook, writer Charlie Burke is the vice president of the New Hampshire Farmer's Market Association (www.nhfma.org). His column & recipes appear weekly in The Heart of New England's newsletter... get a free subscription by sending a blank email to: heartofnewengland-subscribe@yahoogroups.com or visit www.TheHeartofNewEngland.com
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Quick Beef Cheeseball
This is a VERY quick recipe for a cheeseball on short notice, and tastes great!
Ingredients
- 16 oz. cream cheese (softened)
- 2 packages dry chipped beef
- 1 small onion
- 1 Tbsp. worcestershire sauce.
Directions
Dice onion and beef, saving a little to the side. Combine all ingredients and roll into a ball. After ball is formed, roll cheeseball into the leftover beef you saved. Serve with your favorite crackers!
By Heather from Buckhannon, WV
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M&M Brownies!
Here is a no brainer dessert to take to a party that always gets me raves and requests for my recipe. Make a package of cheap brownie mix according to the directions. Sprinkle with holiday M & M's and then bake. Doesn't get much easier or cheaper than this!
By Linda
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Holiday Idea: Easy Chocolate Bonbons
By LeAnn R. Ralph From the book: Christmas In Dairyland (True Stories From a Wisconsin Farm)
When I was a kid growing up on our dairy farm in Wisconsin 40 years ago, my big sister would make Bonbons for Christmas. Back then I thought they might just be about the best thing I had ever tasted - and I still think so.
The Bonbons will make an extra-special treat for your family this Holiday season - or, wrap them up and give them as Christmas gifts to family and friends.
Here's the recipe:
~ Loretta's Chocolate Bonbons ~
(from the story "Good Things Come in Small Packages")
- 1 1/2 cups shredded coconut
- 1 stick butter
- 2 pounds powdered sugar
- 1 can sweetened condensed milk
- 2 cups chopped nuts
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1 large package chocolate chips
- 2/3 bar paraffin
(Instead of chocolate chips and paraffin, the coconut balls can be dipped in melted chocolate almond bark; follow the package directions for melting the almond bark.)
Mix coconut, butter, powdered sugar, condensed milk, nuts and vanilla. Roll into small balls. Chill in refrigerator for several hours or in the freezer for one hour. Melt chocolate chips and paraffin in a double boiler (or in a clean coffee can set on canning jar rings in a pan of water). Using a toothpick, dip the chilled coconut balls into the chocolate mixture. Place on wax paper until set.
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Easy Fantasy Fudge
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup margarine or butter
- 3 cups sugar
- 2/3 cup evaporated milk
- 1 package semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 jar Jet-Puffed Marshmallow creme
- 1 cup chopped nuts (opt.)
- 1 tsp. vanilla
Directions
Lightly grease 9x13 pan or 9 inch square pan. Mix margarine, sugar and milk in heavy 2 1/2 to 3 quart saucepan; bring to full rolling boil on medium heat, stirring constantly. Continue boiling 5 minutes on medium heat to until candy thermometer reaches 234 degrees F, stirring constantly to prevent scorching. Remove from heat. Gradually stir in chips until melted. Add remaining ingredients; mix well. Pour into prepared pan. Cool at room temperature; cut into squares. It is best not to substitute other brands of marshmallow creme.
By Robin from Washington, IA
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