RECIPES FROM THE FINE - ARTS BLUESBAND & POETRY PRESS HOMESTYLE KITCHEN



Directly From my Heart You!



RICHARD'S DEADLY COOKIES


1 cup butter 2 cup flour
2 eggs 1 cup sugar
2 tsp vanilla ½ cup brown sugar
1 cup peanut butter chips 2/3 cup cocoa
1 cup chocolate chips ¾ tsp baking powder
1 cup nuts (optional) ½ tsp salt

Cream butter, sugar, vanilla and eggs until light. Combine flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt, then add to creamed mixture. Stir in chocolate and peanut butter chips, and add nuts if you are using them.

Drop in tablespoon sized balls onto cookie sheets and bake for 10-12 minutes at 350º F. Cookies will not spread too much. Watch out for overcooking!


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LOW(er)-FAT PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES


½ cup fat substitute ¾ cup regular sugar
2 tsp vanilla ¼ cup peanut butter sugar
1 egg substitute 2 cups flour
¼ tsp salt ½ tsp baking soda
3 tbspwater  

Combine shortening, sugar, peanut butter sugar, egg substitute and vanilla and beat until smooth. Mix in flour, baking soda, salt and water.

Drop by teaspoonfuls , evenly spaced, onto baking sheets and bake for 12 to 14 minutes in a 350° oven. They will not brown. Cool on a rack.


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LOW-FAT BROWNIES


1 cup flour 3/8 cup low-fat cocoa
1/8 ts salt 1 cup sugar (see below)
2 egg substitutes ¼ cup fat substitute
½ oz walnut pieces 1 tsp vanilla

Combine flour, cocoa and salt. Prepare sugar. (Try ½ cup Succanat™, ¼ cup peanut butter flavored, ¼ plain.) Add egg substitute and fat substitute to the sugar, and beat until fairly smooth. Add vanilla. Fold the flour-cocoa mixture into the sugar-egg-substitute mixture, and then add the (optional) nuts. (Most of the fat grams are in the nuts.) This mixture will be very stiff!

This will make ½ recipe, just enough for the bottom of a glass meatloaf pan. Bake @ 350° for 30-35 minutes. Watch out for overcooking!


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APPLE OR BANANA NUT BRAN MUFFINS


7/8 cup bran 1/8 cup honey
¼ cup flour 1 ½ tbs fat substitute
1/8 cup brown sugar ¼ cup nuts (optional)
½ tbs baking powder ½ cup raisins (optional)
½ tspcinnamon½ cupchopped fruit
½ cupskim milk1egg substitute

Combine dry ingredients and add milk, egg substitute, honey and fat substitute. Mix gently until moistened. Add nuts and fruit (including nuts and raisins if you like.) Fill muffin tins and bake @425°.


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RAVIOLI IN WALNUT-RICOTTA SAUCE


1 lb cooked ravioli 1 cup shelled walnuts
½ cup fresh ricotta 1/3 cup toasted pine nuts
¼ cup olive oil 2 tbsp parsley
½ cl minced garlic 1 tbsp basil
salt and pepper

Combine all ingredients except ravioli in a food processor or blender; mix until smooth. Toss with cooked pasta and serve.


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PASTA SVELTA

Rigatoni and Chicken


1 chicken, cut up 1 cup chicken broth
1 red pepper 2 tbsp virgin olive oil
4 clvs garlic, minced 1 cup ricotta
12 oz rigatoni macaroni 4 tbsp capers, drained
1 large tomato, diced 10 spinach leaves, sliced
salt and pepper

Poach chicken in broth for about 35 minutes or until tender. Cool, and remove skin and bones, cutting meat into large pieces. Set aside. Roast pepper; skin and peel and cut into quarters. Set aside.

Saute garlic in oil 2 or 3 minutes. Mix with the pepper, oil and ricotta in a blender or processor until smooth. Place mixture in a large skillet or dutch oven. Add cooked rigatoni to heated cheese sauce, along with capers, tomato, salt, pepper and chicken. Add most of the spinach and cook until heated through. Garnish with remaining spinach.


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RIGATONI WITH VEGETABLES VINAIGRETTE


2 cups cooked ravioli 1 cucumber, sliced
2 carrots, sliced thin ¼ cup parsley
1/3 cup olive oil 3 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp minced onion salt and pepper to taste

While Rigatoni is cooking, combine cucumber, carrots and parsley in a bowl. Combine oil, lemon juice, onion, salt and pepper, stir, and pour over other vegetables. Toss with hot rigatoni and serve.


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LENTIL SOUP


8 cups water 8 oz sliced pepperoni
2 cups chicken broth 1 cup sliced onions
1lb can tomatoes 2 carrots, sliced
2 stks diced celery ½ tsp oregano
¼ tsp sage ¼ tsp cayenne
2 cups lentils ½ lb each sweet and hot sausage
salt to taste

Wash lentils; fry and drain sausage. Place lentils, sausage, pepperoni, onions, tomatoes, salt, oregano, sage, and cayenne in large pot and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer for about ½ hour. Add carrots and celery, and simmer another 40 minutes.


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JULIA'S GRANNY GRATIN WITH HAM


2 lbs potatoes 1 cup diced ham
1 cup cheese ¼ cup flour
¼ stk butter 1-1/3 cup hot milk
nutmeg, garlic, mustard, sage

Slice potatoes, boil and drain. Smear large dish with butter.

Prepare flour, milk and butter in a white sauce and season with mustard, nutmeg, garlic and sage. Layer dish with potatoes and ham, sauce, cheese, top with additional sauce and cheese, and bake until hot and bubbly


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BEER BATTER


1 cup flour 1 tbs oil
2/3 cup beer 2 tbs lukewarm water
1 egg, separated
salt to taste
extra flour

Place flour and salt in bowl and add oil. Add beer and water while stirring and continue until blended. Beat in egg yolk. Cover and let stand 2-3 hours. Beat egg white until stiff and fold into batter.


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MICROWAVE ENGLISH MUFFIN LOAF


2 pk Fleischman's Rapid-Rise yeast 5 cups all purpose flour
1 tbs sugar 2 cups milk
2 tsp salt ½ cup water
¼ tsp baking soda
cornmeal, as needed

Set aside 1 cup flour, combine remaining dry ingredients. Heat liquids until very warm, 125-130ºF. Add to dry mixture; beat well. Stir in reserved flour to make stiff batter. Spoon into two loaf pans that have been greased and sprinkled with cornmeal. Sprinkle tops of loaves with cornmeal. Cover. Microwave on Medium 1 minute. Let rest 10 Minutes. Repeat until doubled in size. Bake each loaf separately in Microwave on high for 6½ minutes. Rest 5 minutes, then remove and cool.

In regular oven, add another cup flour. Rise normally and bake at 400º F for 25 minutes. Remove immediately from pans and cool.


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BISCOTTI


1 cup nuts (walnuts or hazelnuts) ½ cup sweet butter
½ cup sugar 2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 tsp vanilla/anise extract 2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder ½ tsp salt
extra flour for shaping

(Optionally toast nuts in oven.) Grind half nuts in food processor. Cream butter and sugar; add beaten eggs gradually, and add vanilla or anise as preferred. Sift dry ingredients, add by thirds to liquids, adding ground nuts last. Stir in whole nuts.


Shape into two loaves by hand on a greased cookie sheet; bake for 25 min @400º F. Remove and cool the loaves, then slice into biscotti shapes and lay on sides. Toast for additional 15 minutes, then cool completely on baking sheet. Store airtight.


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NESTOR-STYLE CORNBREAD


¾ cup yellow corn meal 1 1/3 cup flour
3¾ tsp baking powder ¾ tsp salt
1/3 cup white sugar ¼ tsp ground allspice
2 eggs ¼ cup milk (light cream)
¼ lb melted butter 1 tbs brown sugar
melted butter for baking pan

Measure and blend all dry ingredients, then blend together the eggs, milk, butter and brown sugar. Add the wet ingredients to the dry, mixing well. The mixture will be very dry and stiff. Place batter in portions into heated, buttered cast-iron baking pan. Bake about 18-20 minutes @425º F.


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CHOCOLATE BREAD


3 tb + ½ ts unsweetened cocoa 3 tbsp boiling water
1½ tp vanilla extract 3 eggs
1¼ c sifted cake flour ½ cp +  1 tb sugar
¾ tsp baking powder ¼ tsp salt
13 tbsp softened unsalted butter

Mix cocoa and water in small bowl; leave to cool. Whisk vanilla and eggs into cooled cocoa mixture. In big mixer combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt; blend. Add half the cocoa mixture with the butter. Mix on low for 30 seconds. Increase to medium speed and beat one more minute, then add remaining cocoa mixture in two batches, mixing 20 seconds after each batch.


Bake in a grease, wax-paper and more grease lined and floured pan. Bake @350º F for 50-60 minutes. Cover with buttered foil after the first 25 minutes, to prevent browning. Cool in pan for 10 minutes; then remove and cool upright.


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CORNSTARCH PUDDING


3 tbs cornstarch 1/3 cup sugar
½ tsp salt 2 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla 1½ oz shaved, unsweetened chocolate

Combine cornstarch, sugar and salt. Gradually add milk. Heat to boiling and boil gently for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add vanilla, pour into wet molds.


For chocolate pudding, add the shaved chocolate with the milk (before cooking,)


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RECIPES FROM WALNUT ACRES AND OTHER FINE PURVEYORS



Directly From their Heart to You!



WALNUT ACRES PANCAKES


1 cup any W.A. mix 1 tbs honey
1 egg 1 tbs melted butter or oil
¾ cup milk (or less, to taste)

Mix beaten egg, milk, honey and shortening. Vary amount of milk for thicker pancakes. Stir into mix until fairly smooth. Makes about six pancakes. Turn only once!


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CORN BREAD (Walnut Acres)


2 cups W.A. mix 1 cup milk
2 eggs 4 tbs melted butter

Blend eggs, milk and butter, and add to dry mix. Stir as little as possible. Bake at 400º F for 25-30 minutes.


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CORN MUFFINS (Walnut Acres)


2 cups W.A. mix 1½ cup milk
2 eggs, beaten ½ stb salt
1½ cip milk 4 tbs melted butter
1 tbs brown sugar (optional)


Mix dry ingredients. Mix eggs, milk and butter, and add to dry ingredients. Stir as little as possible. Bake at 375º F for 25-30 minutes.


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BRAN MUFFINS (Walnut Acres)


2 cups W.A. mix 1 cup milk
1 egg 3 tbs honey or molasses
3 tbs oil


Blend eggs; add honey, milk and oil. Stir in muffin mix, stirring only enough to mix. Bake at 425º F for 15 minutes. Makes 12 muffins


Vary by adding raisins, dates, nuts, etc.


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INSTANT MASHED POTATOES (Walnut Acres)


full recipe

1½ cups water 1½ cups W.A. potato flakes
2 tbs butter ½ tsp salt
1 cup milk

smaller recipe

1 cup water 1 cup W.A. potato flakes
1 tbs butter ¼ tsp salt
½ cup milk

Bring water, milk & butter to simmer. Add potato flakes & salt. Let rest a bit, then stir and serve.


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FANCY WILD RICE (Voyageur)


1 cup wild rice 4 cups lightly salted water

Wash and drain rice. Place in saucepan with water and bring to boil. Lower to simmer and continue cooking for 45-50 minutes, or until rice is tender and has mostly opened, but is not yet mushy.

Uncover and fluff the rice, simmer for an additional 5 minutes but do not dry out the rice. Drain any excess, then serve.


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BASIC BROWN RICE


1 cup brown rice 3 cups water
1 tsp salt

Bring water to boil; add salt and brown rice. Cover the pot and reduce the heat to low. Allow enough cooking time (about 45 minutes) for the rice to absorb all of the water.

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