Oysters Bienville 

Ingredients:

24 Shucked Oysters, Liquor, and 24 deep shells
3/4 cup chicken stock
4 TBS butter
1/4 cup finely chopped mushrooms
1/4 cup finely chopped shallots
2 TBS flour
2 egg yolks
1/2 cup light cream
1 cup chopped cooked shrimp or back fin crabmeat
3 TBS dry Sherry
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Cayenne pepper, Paprika (if desired)
1 cup panko bread crumbs

Procedure:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees
1. Shuck Oysters, drain and reserve oyster liquor (1/4 cup) Add it to the stock and
heat in a small sauce pan.
2. Melt butter in another saucepan and saute mushrooms and shallots until tender.
Stir in flour and cook until bubbling.  Remove from heat and whisk in the stock mixture.
Return to heat and boil, stirring constantly, unti the sauce thickens.  Simmer for 3 minutes
3.  Whisk egg yolks and cream in a bowl. Whisk in 1/2 cup of the hot sauce, a spoonful at a time.  Then slowly beat in the reaming sauce.  Transfer the enriched sauce to the saucepan.  Place over moderate heat and, stirring carefully, bring to a simmer.
4.  Add the shrimp or crabmeat, and sherry.  Season to taste with salt, pepper, and cayenne.
5. Arrange oysters in their shells on a baking sheet, lined with aluminum foil.  Distribute the seafood mixture over the oysters and lighlty sprinkle with panko and paprika (if desired)
Bake from 5-10 minutes until the sauce is bubbling and the bread crumbs are lightly browned.

Sausage, Peppers and Onions

Ingredients

Chicken Sausage -4 packages
Sweet Peppers (red, yellow, green, orange) 5
3 Red Onions
4 sprigs of Rosemary
6 cloves of Garlic
1/3 cup Olive Oil

Preparation

Slice sausage in 1/2 inch chunks
Slice peppers in 1/2 inch chunks
Slice onions in chunks
Remove Rosemary from stems
Mince Garlic

Toss all ingredients in 1/3 cup olive oil in deep pan.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes, stirring frequently to keep from over browning.  (If using convection oven, bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, stirring frequently).

Serves 15-20

Photo: Truro after the Blizzard of 2013

Herb Butter

Ingredients

Palm Gardens, Florida

1 lb butter, room temperature

3/4 cup chopped herbs

(Basil, Garlic, Sage, Parsley-choose one or two)

Combine in food processor

or use mixer to blend thoroughly

Press into square or oblong pan

 lined with plastic wrap

Refrigerate until solid

Cut into squares and freeze in

plastic containers with tight fitting lids

Use for roasting meats, vegetables and breads

A convenient seasoning for cooking a variety of meats, fish, vegetables or breads.  Sage Butter is very good for pork chops and sweet potatoes

Spanish Lemon Cream

Dogwood in Williamsburg VA

Ingredients


3 8oz containers of plain yoghurt
4 lemons
1/2 can of sweetened, condensed milk

Preparation


Squeeze the juice from the lemons.  Add the juice to a mixing bowl.  Add 8 oz of sweetened, condensed milk (each can is 14 oz-so a little more than half).  Mix well with mixer.  Add yoghurt, one container at a time and mix well.  Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour until it thickens to the consistency of pudding.

I usually put it in parfait glasses and top with a few fresh berries- raspberries or blue berries.


Serves 4-6

Turkey Brine

November days

Ingredients

12-20 lb thawed or fresh turkey (remove neck and livers,etc)

1 gallon sweet cider

1 cup apple cider vinegar

1 cup sugar

2/3 cup kosher or sea salt

1 yellow onion, sliced

1 lemon, quartered
1 orange, quartered
10 cloves
4 cloves garlic, smashed
6 bay leaves
1 tablespoon thyme
2 sticks cinnamon
1 quart ice water

Preparation

Put all ingredients EXCEPT ice water in a large (8 quart pot).  Simmer until all sugar and salt dissolve (about 5 minutes).  Add ice water.  When the brine is room temperature, place the turkey in breast side down. Cover and refrigerate turkey and brine.  Ideally, brine turkey on each side for 12 hours.

Drain brine and discard.  Pat turkey dry, rub with sage butter, inside and outside of turkey.  Make several small slits in turkey breast skin and rub some sage butter in between the skin and the meat. Add chicken broth to roasting pan (according to the size of the turkey) I use about 6-8 cups of chicken broth.  Roast with lid on pan according to weight of turkey.   Remove the lid of the pan for the last 20 minutes.

Pumpkin Bisque



Fall in Maine


Ingredients

2 stalks celery, chopped very fine
2 carrots, chopped very fine
1 medium yellow onion, chopped fine
6 cups chicken broth
( I use organic free-range chicken broth)
2 15 oz cans pumpkin
2 bay leaves
1 cup light cream or half and half
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
Salt and Pepper to taste

Preparation

Chop celery, carrots, and onion and add to large soup pot.  Add six cups chicken broth, bay leaves, sugar, nutmeg and salt and pepper.  Add pumpkin to soup pot.  Heat to a rolling boil and reduce to simmer.  Simmer for 45 minutes.  Just before serving,while simmering, add light cream and stir with whisk until well blended and heated through (about 4-5 minutes).  Do not boil.

Serves 6

Haricots Verts with Feta

Ingredients


Salad
1 1/2 pounds Haricots Verts (green beans-buy the very thin beans)
1 small red onion, minced
4 ounces feta cheese crumbled (1 cup)

Summer is here!

1/2 cup slivered almonds

Lemon Vinaigrette
3 TBS fresh lemon juice
3 TBS white wine vinegar
1 TBS Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 tsp salt
freshly ground pepper


Preparation


Lemon Vinaigrette:  Whisk lemon juice, vinegar, mustard, and sugar until combined.  Add olive oil in a thin stream, whisking continuously until blended.  Season with salt and pepper.  Set aside.

Boil 3 quarts water.  Plunge green beans into boiling salted water.  Cook 3 minutes.  Drain and rinse with ice water.  Pat dry.  Cover and chill thoroughly.

Transfer beans to a shallow serving bowl, add onion, and toss with 1/2 cup vinaigrette, adding more if desired.  Sprinkle with feta and almonds on top  Serve chilled.

Avocado and Roasted Corn Guacamole

Ingredients


1 cup fresh or thawed frozen corn kernels

A Recipe for Matthew's Graduation Party

1/4 cup plus 3 TBS olive oil
2 large avocados cut into 1/2 inch dice
1 large tomato cut into 1/4 inch dice
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 TBS minced red onion
1 tsp chopped fresh or pickled Jalapeno
1 tsp minced garlic
2 TBS fresh lime juice
1 tsp cider vinegar
1/2 tsp coarse salt
1//4 tsp cumin

Preparation


1.   Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.  On a baking sheet, toss the corn with 1TBS of the oil.  Roast corn, tossing often for 7-8 minutes until golden brown.  Let cool, then transfer to a medium bowl.

2.   Fold in the avocado, tomato, cilantro, onion, Jalapeno and garlic.  Stir in the lime juice, vinegar, coarse slat, and cumin.  Add 2 more TBS of the olive oil.  Cover and refrigerate for up to 6 hours.

Serve with tortilla chips and cold guacamole.

Beef Stroganoff Soup

Savery Avenue, Carver, MA: First Divided Highway in US

Ingredients

1 lb beef chuck steak
1 lb mushrooms
1 medium onion
3 garlic cloves, chopped
3 TBS Olive Oil
3 TBS Butter
Salt and Pepper to taste
4 TBS Flour
3 TBS Ketchup
1 quart Chicken Stock
1 quart Beef Stock
3 cups egg noodles

Sour cream

Preparation


Slice steak thin, cut into thin strips about 2 inches long.  Remove stems, slice mushrooms into thin slices.
Chop onions into small pieces (you can use an electric food chopper). Heat oil and butter.  First brown onions in oil and butter. Add steak and brown over low heat, add chopped garlic. Stir in sliced mushrooms and continue to cook over low heat.  Sprinkle flour over mixture.  Add ketchup.  Stir mixture until mixed well.  Add Chicken and Beef Stock.  Cook over medium heat until soup is boiling.  Add egg noodles and cook over medium heat until noodles are done (10 minutes).  Serve hot with a topping of sour cream.

Notes from Liz

This is a rich and filling dinner soup.  It serves 6-8 people.

Chicken Pot Pie

Ingredients

2 pie crusts ( I use the Pillsbury rolled crust in
the refrigerator section)
1 lb boneless chicken breasts or thighs

The Cape & Islands Orchid Show is a welcome visitor in January

5 cups of water
 2 cups vegetables of your choice:  Beans, Peas, Carrots, Water Chestnuts, Onions)You can use frozen mixed vegetables of your choice or you can use left over cooked vegetables.
1 stick butter
4 TBS flour
2 cups milk
Salt and Pepper to taste

Preparation

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Put 5 cups of water into a soup pan and bring to a boil.  Chop boneless, skinless chicken into bite size pieces.  Add to boiling water.  Cook until done (15 minutes).  Drain chicken and reserve the broth for future use.  You can cool and freeze it in ziplock bags or plastic containers.  Unroll crust onto a pie plate.
In a skillet, heat one stick butter until melted, add flour and whisk.  Add milk slowly to butter and flour mixture while whisking until a smooth white sauce is formed.  Add salt and pepper and heat while whisking until thickened.  Stir chicken and vegetables into white sauce.  Add this mixture to pie crust.
Unroll top crust on top of pot pie.  Crimp pie crust edge between thumb and fore finger or use fork to seal crust edge.  Cut four slits into center of pie.  Put into the oven and cook for 45 minutes to one hour, until crust is browned.

Notes from Liz

The vegetables are easy to vary.  I have tried the frozen packages of "stew vegetables", "oriental vegetables", "mixed vegetables"  and my own left over cooked peas, carrots, beans, potatoes, onions, etc.  This makes an easy packed lunch.  Pack a slice in a plastic container and microwave at work or school.  A complete meal in a slice.

French Onion Soup

Ingredients

Plenty of snow this winter

8 cups yellow onions (6-8 medium onions)
3 TBS olive oil
3 TBS butter
3 TBS flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp sugar
1 quart (32 ounces) Beef Stock
1 quart (32 ounces) Chicken Stock
Grated Cheese (I use mozzarella or gruyere)
French Bread, sliced and toasted

Preparation

In a large dutch oven or soup pot, add olive oil and butter.  Melt butter over low heat.  Slice onions into thin rings.  Add onions to pot and stir until coated with the olive oil and butter mixture.  Over low heat, stir until heated through.  Put a lid on the pot.  Stir frequently.  When onions are translucent, add salt and sugar.  This will increase browning.  Stir to brown all onions.  Add flour.  Heat Beef Stock in a separate pan.  Add hot beef stock to onions and stir.  Add Chicken Stock.  Cook on medium heat for about 1 hour.

Slice French Bread into 1/2 inch rounds.  Toast on both sides.  Grate Cheese.

Serve hot soup with a slice of toasted French Bread and plenty of grated cheese.

Serves 6-8

Notes from Liz
This hearty soup is a great meal with more french bread and cheese with fruit salad for dessert

Southern Pecan Pie

This pie will "eclipse" all other pecan pies!

Ingredients

1 cup dark Karo Syrup

1 cup granulated sugar

3 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 cups pecan meats

1 pie crust (I use Pillsbury refrigerated pie crust)

Preparation

Unroll pie crust and place in pie pan.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

In a bowl, lightly beat 3 eggs.  Add Karo Syrup, granulated sugar, and vanilla.  Stir until mixed well.  Add pecans and stir.  Pour mixture into pie crust.

Bake for 30-35 minutes (until filling has a nearly firm texture)

Notes from Liz

This is a very easy and delicious pie.  You can make the whole pie in 10 minutes plus cooking time

Scalloped Potatoes

When the snow is deep, you need comfort food.

Ingredients

6-8 large Yukon Gold Potatoes

1 stick butter

3 cups milk

4 TBS flour

Salt and Pepper to taste

Preparation

Peel and slice potatoes (about 1/8-1/4 inch thick)

Make a white sauce

Melt one stick of butter in a stock pot. Turn off heat.  Put 3/4 cup milk in a small bowl.  Add four TBS flour ON TOP of milk.  Whisk until flour is dissolved in milk.  Slowly add milk and flour into melted butter while whisking.  Heat butter, milk, and flour mixture on medium heat.  Whisk and add the remaining milk.  Heat until thickened.

Grease a 9x11 inch baking dish.  Arrange the potatoes in the dish.  Cover with hot white sauce.  Stir sauce and potatoes until the potatoes are coated with sauce.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.  Stir several times during baking.  Lower the heat to 300 degrees and cook 15 minutes more or until potatoes are tender and flaking with a fork.

You may add thinly sliced ham and stir into potatoe mixture before baking.

Serves 6

Notes from Liz
I know butter is high in fat and calories but if you save it for where it makes a taste difference...it is worth it!
Margarine doesn't taste the same.  Go for the butter!

Huevos Rancheros with Pulled Pork

Notes from Liz
When you make Pulled Pork with Carolina Barbeque sauce, make a double recipe and freeze some in 2 cup portions...or use left overs to make this tasty breakfast.

Liz making tortillas in Mexico-a real Gringo

Ingredients

4 eggs

1 can black beans

4 TBS chopped pimientos

3 tsp chopped chiles (your choice)

1/2 cup sour cream

4 tortillas, lightly browned

2 cups pulled pork in Carolina Barbeque Sauce

Preparation

Heat one can of black beans with pimientos and chiles. Keep warm on low heat.  Lightly brown  4 tortillas in a lightly greased skillet or on a griddle.  Heat pulled pork in Carolina Barbeque Sauce until bubbling. Beat 4 eggs and scramble in a skillet on medium heat.  Assemble:  Tortilla on bottom layer, pulled pork in barbeque sauce on next layer, black beans, scrambled eggs and top with sour cream.

Serves 4 ( easily adjusted for 1,2,or 3)

Supreme Sugar Cookies

Just like Poinsettias,  Sugar Cookies go with Christmas

Ingredients

1 cup butter softened (2 sticks)
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cream of tarter
granulated sugar for sprinkling

Preparation

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Cream butter, sugar, vanilla, and egg together ( in food processor). Sift flour, soda and cream of tarter into bowl of food processor with butter, sugar, vanilla and egg. Mix well in food processor until dough forms.  Chill dough for two hours before rolling out to cut.

Roll dough to 1/4 inch thick on lightly floured surface.  Dip cookie cutter in flour to cut shapes.  Place cookies on lightly greased baking sheet.  Bake for 5-8 minutes until edges are lightly browned.  If you do not want to ice the cookies, sprinkle with granulated sugar before baking. Cool completely before icing.

Icing for Cookies

1 egg white, room temperature, whipped
2 cups 10x sugar
1/4 tsp almond extract
1/2 stick softened butter

Beat egg white and vanilla and butter, slowly add softened butter.  Add food coloring if desired (separate icing into smaller batches if several colors are needed.

Ice cookies with knife, let air dry before you put them in a storage container.

Notes from Liz


In our family, we only make trees, no stars or bells or angels, only trees.  It started when all the other shapes were left uneaten (I think yellow or red wasn't appealing-green trees were the most in demand) So, after all these years, only trees for Christmas Sugar Cookies.  This sugar cookie makes great halloween cookies or Thanksgiving Cookies but we like trees the best.

White Chocolate and Cranberry Cookies

Ingredients

Reba in 2010-She still loves Christmas

2 1/3 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
12 oz (1 package) white chocolate chips
1 cup dried cranberries or Sugared Cranberries (See Desserts)
1/2 cup slivered almonds

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Combine dry ingredients in a small bowl.   Beat butter, brown sugar, sugar and vanilla using a mixer.  Beat in eggs.  Gradually stir in flour mixture.  Add cranberries, white chocolate, and almonds.  Drop by spoonful onto greased baking sheets.  Bake for 10-12 minutes.

Makes about 4 dozen cookies

Notes from Liz

The fresh cranberries are better because you can taste the preservatives in the dried berries.

Hungarian Kipfels

Reba in 2007-12 weeks old

Ingredients

1 cup butter (2 sticks)
8 oz. cream cheese
1/4 tsp. salt
2 Tbs sour cream
2 cups flour
2 cups powdered sugar
Apricot or Seedless Raspberry preserves

Preparation

Take butter and cream cheese out of the refrigerator.  When completely room temperature cream together with salt and sour cream. (You can do this in the food processor)  Add flour slowly until the dough is formed.  Roll dough into two balls and refrigerate for 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. You will roll the dough between wax paper (lightly flour wax paper) until it is about 1/4 inch thick.  Cut dough into diamond shapes (about 3 inches from point to point). Place a small amount of preserves onto each triangle.  Roll the diamonds into crescents.  Line cookie sheet with aluminum foil, reflective side down.  Bake for about 20 minutes or until lightly browned.  Sprinkle with powdered sugar immediately.  These are delicious when warm and they keep for several days.

Makes about 3 dozen

Notes from Liz

This is our traditional Christmas Cookie but they are good anytime of the year.

Christmas Salad

Ingredients

2 red onions

Christmas Cheer

1/2 cup olive oil

1 cup blue cheese

1/2 cup dried cranberries or

1/2 cup Sugared Cranberries (see Desserts)

3 cups endive

3 cups baby arugula

Preparation

1 or two days ahead:  Chop two red onions and add 1 cup vinegar. Let sit at room temperature for at least 24 hours.

Put ½ cup olive oil in plastic container with tight fitting lid.  Add 1 cup blue cheese crumbled.  Seal and leave at room temperature for 24 hours.

Hydrate dried  ½ cup dried cranberries with ½ cup boiling water or use Sugared Cranberries (see Desserts)

Mix 3 cups torn endive pieces with 3 cups baby arugula.

Before serving, Mix cranberries and greens with drained onions and blue cheese/olive oil.  Serve all at room temperature.

Serves 8 -10

Notes from Liz

Most of this salad can be made ahead and tossed just before serving.  The red onions and endive with arugula makes a pretty Christmas dish and delicious too.

Stuffed Mushrooms

Good for the holidays or anytime

Ingredients

1 1lb medium mushroom
(the secret is to buy fresh, not packaged
in plastic)
1 small onion, finely chopped
1/2 small green pepper, finely chopped
3 Tbs butter
1 1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp thyme leaves crushed
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 Tbs butter

Preparation

Buy the freshest mushrooms, wash and dry thoroughly.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Twist stems from mushrooms, leaving caps.  Finely chop tender portions of stems to equal 1/3 cup.  Cook and stir chopped ( I use electronic food chopper for onions and peppers) mushrooms, onion and green pepper in 3 tablespoons butter for 5 minutes.  Stir in bread crumbs, salt, thyme, turmeric, and pepper.  Heat 1 tablespoon butter in shallow oven proof pan.  Distribute melted butter on the bottom of the pan.  Fill mushroom caps with stuffing mix and place in ovenproof pan.  Bake for 15 minutes.  Turn oven to broil and broil mushrooms 3-4 inches from heat for 2-3 minutes (carefully monitor the broiling).  When mushrooms are browned on top, remove from oven and serve immediately.

Serves 8-10 for appetizers

Beef Stroganoff

If the weather outside is frightful, Stroganoff inside is Delightful!

Ingredients

1 lb beef sirloin steak or tenderloin

1/2 lb fresh mushrooms, sliced

1/2 cup minced onion

2 Tbs butter

1 1/2 cup beef stock

2 tsp ketchup

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tsp salt

3 Tbs flour

1 cup dairy sour cream

4 cups hot cooked egg noodles or rice

Preparation

Cut meat diagonally into very thin slices.  Cook and stir mushrooms and onion in butter until onion is tender: remove from skillet.  In the same skillet, brown meat lightly on both sides.  Set aside 1/2 cup beef stock; stir remainin beef stock, ketchup, garlic and salt into the skillet.  Cover and simmer 15 minutes.  Blend reserved 1/2 cup bouillon and flour (NOTE:  Add flour on top of boullion and blend with whisk) Stir flour/stock mixture into skillet.  Add mushtooms and onio.  Heat to boiling, stirring constantly.  Boil for one minute.  Remove from heat, stir in sour cream.  Put skillet back on very low heat and heat until heated through.  Server over hot noodles or rice.

Serves 4

Notes from Liz

Once, I had a grilled steak left over from a party and I sliced it paper thin and made the Stroganoff.  It was so delicious!