R.P.L.O.T.N. gets cookin'!!

as time permits, Smoky will include the metric measurements; a shortcut and index.

And here is a wonderful holiday recipe from Mary Ann ~ mas/ca: Cranberry Salsa

 

12oz fresh cranberries, chopped in food processor
12-15 oz canned crushed pineapple, not quite drained
1 bunch chopped fresh cilantro
1 onion chopped
1 gr pepper chopped
1-3 chopped jalapenos
1/4-1/2 C sugar
Serve with chips or Triscuits. 
Its great over a block of cream cheese as well.
Lower-Calorie Strawberry Shortcake Source: Better Homes and Gardens

Prep: 1 hour 10 min.
Bake: 10 min Ingredients:

3 cups sliced fresh strawberries
2  tablespoons sugar
1-2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4  teaspoon baking soda
3 tablespoons margarine
1 beaten egg
1/2 cup buttermilk or skim milk
Nonstick spray coating
1 - 1.4-ounce envelope whipped dessert topping mix
1/2 cup skim milk
Directions:
Combine strawberries and the 2 tablespoons sugar. Cover and let stand in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour or up to 3 hours.

In a mixing bowl stir together flour, the 1 tablespoon sugar, baking powder, and baking soda. Cut in margarine until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Combine egg and buttermilk. Add to flour mixture all at once, stirring until combined.

Spray an 8-inch round baking pan with nonstick spray coating. With lightly floured hands, pat dough into pan. Bake in a 450 degree F oven about 10 minutes or until golden. Cool in pan 10 minutes. Remove from pan and cool completely, or serve shortcake warm.

Meanwhile, prepare whipped dessert topping mix according to package directions using the skim milk.

Split shortcake into 2 layers. Place the bottom layer on a serving plate. Top with some of the berries, then add the second layer of shortcake. Spoon dessert topping and the remaining strawberries on top of cake. Makes 8 servings.

Purple Hugs
quiltDonalyn


THAI CHICKEN / SHRIMP SAUTE OVER JASMINE RICE
 
Ingredients:
 
Boneless Chicken Breast or Thighs - about 6 Thighs or 2 large breasts, cut into bite size pieces
Pineapple - Crushed - 1/2 cup
Bunch of Scallions chopped all
Red Bell Peppers  - 2 slice thin
Coconut Flakes about 1 /4 cup
Thai Sauce 1 /2 cup -World Harbors Nong Khai Mountain - East Asian Style Thai Sauce & Marinade
 
Sauté Chicken or Shrimp with sliced red bell peppers and scallions.  Add 1/2 cup each of Thai Sauce and crush pineapple.  Sprinkle coconut flakes and simmer 2 - 3 minutes. 
 
Jasmine Rice - follow instructions on package for cooking
 
Serve over rice and YUMMY is not the word to describe
 
Purple Hugs
Donalyn
Strawberries in Balsamic Vinegar
(Fragole All'Aceto Balsamico)
 
This is a quick and delicious dessert for the summer time, actually all year round
1 1/2 pounds of strawberries, quartered (or really any fruit)
2 tablespoons sugar
3/4 tablespoon chopped fresh mint
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
 
Place strawberries in a large bowl and sprinkle with the sugar.  Add the mint and vinegar and mix well.  Let the mixture rest for 1 hour before serving.
 
For sharper sweet and sour contrasts, cook 3 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar and 3 tablespoons of sugar in small nonstick saucepan until reduced by one third.  Pour over strawberries, add the mint, mix well and enjoy.
 
Serve over Angel Food Cake or Lemon Sponge Cake or over Vanilla Ice Cream.

Purple Hugs
quiltDonalyn

Cucina Amore - Easy-to-prepare Italian Recipes - Author - Nick Stellino


Crown Jewel Cake.....    Another summer dessert
Prepare one 3 ounce package each Jell-O
 
Orange, Lime and Raspberry separately dissolving each package in 1 cup boiling water, add 1/2 cup cold water. Pour each flavor into separate pans.  Chill till form then cut into 1/2 inch cubes.
 
Dissolve 1 -  3 ounce package of lemon Jell-O and 1/4 cup of sugar in 1 cup of boiling water, add 1/2 cup of pineapple or orange juice. Chill till slight thickened.
 
Prepare 2 envelopes of Dream Whip per instructions on the package.
 
Blend Dream Whip, gelatin cubes and thickened Lemon Jell-O.  Spoon into 9" springform pan, chill overnight.  Run spatula around sides and invert onto cake plate.  Add a couple leafs of mint.
 
Really pretty and very light.

Purple Hugs
quiltDonalyn


Pasta with Shrimp and Capers
(Pasta Con Gamberi E Capperi)
 
Ingredients:
3 quarts of water (salt optional)
4 tablespoons olive oil
4 garlic cloves. sliced
2 tablespoons chopped shallots
2 teaspoons anchovy paste
1 pound raw shrimp, 21 - 25 count, shelled and deveined
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 cup white wine
3 tablespoons capers
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 cup clam juice
1 cup Tomato sauce
1 pound pasta - linguine, spaghetti or spaghettini
 
In large stockpot, bring the water to boil with or without the optional salt.
 
Put olive oil, garlic, shallots and anchovy paste into a large sauté pan and cook over medium-high heat until the garlic starts to sizzle, about 2 - 3 minutes, stirring to mix well. Add the shrimp and red pepper flakes and cook until the shrimp turn pink, about 2 minutes.  Pour in the wine and cook for 1 minute.  Add all the remaining ingredients except the pasta, bring to a boil for 2 minutes, then reduce the heat and simmer 1 minute.  Turn off the heat.
 
Cook the pasta in the boiling water according to package directions until just tender.  Drain, place it back in the pot and add the sauce, tossing until well coated.  Cook 2 minutes over medium heat or until most of the sauce has been absorbed.
 
Enjoy and have a nice Italian bread with it to mop up the sauce. 

Purple Hugs
quiltDonalyn

Cucina Amore - Easy-to-prepare Italian Recipes - Author - Nick Stellino


Sundae Cake ~~  No bake!    

                    
Spray 9 x 13 pan with Pam.
 
l pkg oreo cookies (1# 2 oz)
1/2 gal vanilla or other ice cream ( I use butter pecan)
Hot Fudge Sauce*
Cool Whip thawed  (Thaw for 4 hours in refrig. Do not let sit out on shelf)
Chopped Nuts (I use pecans)

Crumble pkg of oreos (blender ok) on bottom of pan.  Spread softened ice cream on crumbs.  Heat Hot fudge in microwave to soften and drizzle over ice cream. Cover with cool whip.  Sprinkle with nuts. Freeze.  Keep frozen at all times.

* can substitute any kind of sundae sauce.


Jan Walther


Grandma Gregg's Rhubarb Pie 

                
3 cups Rhubarb cut up
1 1/2 C sugar
3 Tbsp  flour
2 eggs beaten

Mix and fill pie shell.  Dot with 2 Tbsp margarine or butter.
Seal with top crust cut with slits and bake 400F degrees for 50 minutes.

Another version if you don't like the sour take of rhubarb is as follows:

2 C cut up rhubarb
2 C cut up pears
1 C sugar
3 Tbsp flour
dash of salt

Mix and fill pie shell...dot with 2 Tbsp margarine or butter.  Seal with top crust cut with slits and bake 400F degrees for 50 minutes.

Here is the pie crust recipe I use...My local quilt group really loves it.

Pie Crust

5 cups flour
1 Tbsp salt
2 cups shortening (Crisco) (original recipe calls for lard)
- * Smoky notes - this is a 1 lb "box"
1 egg  -- break into a 1 C measuring cup, fill cup with milk to make 1 full cup egg/milk mixture

*Smoky's note - her mom has a similar recipe and fills the cup with 1 Tbsp vinegar and the rest cold water and beats with fork until blended. She also adds one Tbsp brown sugar to the dry ingredients.

Cut first 3 ingredients with pastry blender.  Add liquid, mix and kneed well.

Use lots of flour on board when rolling out crust.

*Smoky notes - divide the dough into about sixths and roll out one pie bottom or one pie top at a time.  Fit the crust into the pie shell and trim away excess and mix it back into the rest of the dough.

The dough can keep this crust in fridge for a week or so and in freezer even longer.  It makes enough crust for about 3 double crusted pies.  If in fridge or freezer, warm up in microwave before rolling out. 

*One last Smoky note - for a shiny finish on the baked crust, brush with milk or a beaten egg before cooking.

Betty/lostberrypicker