Artichoke Appetizer

12 Servings

4 Eggs,beaten
1/2 lb Cheddar cheese,grated
12 oz Jars marinated artichokes
-cut up
Salt & pepper,To Taste
Dash of tabasco
3 Green onions,chopped fine
6 Soda crackers,crushed
1 Clove garlic,crushed

Saute’ onions and garlic in artichoke oil; then drain. Mix all
ingredients and spread in greased 8×8″ pan. Bake at 325 for 30 min.

Can be baked, frozen and re- heated.

Aunt Sadie’s Brisket of Beef

8 Servings
3 Large onions-Sliced Paper Thin
8 Whole allspice
Salt and pepper
Garlic powder
Hungarian paprika
5-6 lb brisket; 1st cut

Remove any excess fat from brisket, but leave a little on top. Place one half of the onions on bottom of pan.

Season the onions with a little salt, pepper, garlic powder and lots of Hungarian paprika. Place brisket on top of onions, then other half of onions and allspice on top of the brisket. Cover and roast in a 300 degree F. oven for 3 hours.

Test your brisket and when it is fork tender, take it out. Let it cool and then slice it very thin. Strain juice and either thicken it with a little cornstarch or serve it au jus. You will have a very dark brown juice.

NOTE: Best when made one day in advance.

Chocolate Wreath Cake

12 Servings

3 c All-purpose flour
1 T Baking powder
1 T Baking soda
1 1/2 t Salt
3 c Sugar
3 c Water
6 oz Semisweet chocolate
-finely,Chopped
1 lb Unsalted butter,softened
3 Large eggs,lightly beaten
2 1/4 c Confectioners’ sugar
1/2 t Vanilla extract
-Few drops green food colori
Fresh raspberries,dried
-cranberries,or cherries,
-for garnish

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Butter and flour a 10-inch tube pan with a non-removable bottom.

In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

In a medium pot, combine the sugar and water and bring them to a boil.

Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the chocolate and 1 stick of butter. When the chocolate and butter have completely melted, whisk the mixture to combine completely. Whisk in the beaten eggs.

Pour about half the chocolate mixture into the dry ingredients and whisk vigorously to thoroughly combine the ingredients and remove any lumps. Working quickly, add the remaining chocolate mixture and whisk to combine.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 60 minutes, until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean.

Let the cake cool in the pan for about 15 minutes, then turn out onto a rack to cool completely.

In a medium bowl, cream together the remaining 3 sticks of butter and the confectioners’ sugar, until light and fluffy.

Remove 1/3 cup of the icing, place in a small bowl, and color
it with a few drops of the green food coloring. Put the remaining icing in a pot, add the vanilla.

Over low heat, stir the icing until it becomes a pourable consistency. (If it overheats, causing the butter to separate, put the icing in the refrigerator to chill and stir to bring it back together.)

Pour the icing over the cooled cake so that it drips down the center and outside. Cluster the red berries in groups of 3 on top of the cake. Fill the green icing into a pastry bag fitted with a leaf tip and pipe a few leaves around each cluster of berries.

Serves 12 to 16.

Christmas Oyster Soup (Soupe Aux Huitres De Noel)

4 Servings

2 Carrots,mediun
-peeled & in long,Grated
-thin shreds
1/2 c Celery,finely diced
1/4 c Butter,melted
4 c Milk,or 1/2 milk, 1/2 cream
4 c Oysters
-salt and pepper,To Taste

Peel and grate in long thin shreads, the carrots and add finely diced celery. Melt butter in saucepan and add the vegetables. Stir.

Cover and simmer over very low heat for 20 minutes, without browning the vegetables. Add milk (or use 1/2 milk, 1/2 cream); bring to a boil.

Heat oysters in enamelled cast iron pan over medium heat; do not boil. Pour into milk and serve. Uase salt and pepper to taste.

The soup should be served as soon as ready, otherwise it tend to curdle. The milk and vegetables can be be prepared ahead of time and the oysters heated and served at the last minute.

Christmas Pasta Sauce

6 Servings

1/4 c Extra-virgin olive oil
Small carrot,*
Small onion,*
Small celery stk,*
Large garlic clove*
1 lb Italian sausage
1/3 lb beef,Ground
6 1/2 oz Pancetta,diced
1/2 t Salt
1/2 t pepper,Freshly Ground
1/4 t nutmeg,Freshly Grated
1/2 c Dry red wine
1/2 c Tomato paste
1 c Italian tomatoes,chopped
2 T Parsely *

1. Soak the porcini in warm water for at least 1/2 hour. Remove from the water, squeeze dry and chop.

2. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan or flameproof casserole, heat the olive oil over moderate heat. Add the carrot, onion and celery and saute until the onion is golden, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.

3. Add the sausage, ground beef and pancetta to the pan. Cook over moderate heat, stirring to break up the meat, until the beef and sausage are no longer pink. Drain off any fat. Season with the salt, pepper and nutmeg.

4. Pour in the red wine and cook, stirring occasionally, until it evaporates, about 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste, tomatoes, porcini and 1/2 cup of warm water. Simmer for 30 minutes. If the sauce gets too thick, add a little more water.

Add the parsley just before serving.

Coating For Your Thanksgiving Turkey

1 Servings

1/3 c Paprika
Salt
Garlic powder
Onion, dried
Pepper
Water to make paste

This will do about a 13-15lb turkey. Seasonings are to taste.
Basically you make a paste of the above ingredients. It should be the consistency of finger paint–thick and not runny.

The skin cooks nice and crisp. Remember to baste during cooking.

Cold Pumpkin Souffle

8 Servings

2 c Heavy (whipping) cream
1 can (30 ounces) pumpkin-pie
-filling
2 Envelopes plus 1 teaspoon
-unflavored gelatin
1/4 c Bourbon whiskey (or 1)
-Tablespoon vanilla extract

For garnish: lightly sweetened whipped cream, chopped pistachio nuts, ground cinnamon.

1. Have a 1 1/2-quart souffle dish or 2- to 3- quart serving bowl ready.

2. IF USING SOUFFLE DISH: Tear off a piece of foil or waxed
paper 4 inches longer than the circumference of the souffle dish. Fold in thirds lengthwise. Fit around outside of dish with 2-inch collar extending above the dish. Fasten over lapping ends to each other with cellophane tape or paper clips.

3. Beat cream in a large bowl with electric mixer just until soft peaks form when beaters are lifted.

4. Put 1/2 cup pumpkin-pie filling in a small saucepan. Stir in gelatin. Place over low heat and stir 3 to 4 minutes until almost boiling and gelatin is completely dissolved. Remove from heat.

5. Put remaining pumpkin-pie filling in a large bowl. Stir in hot gelatin mixture then bourbon and 1/2-cup whipped cream. Fold in remaining whipped cream until blended.
6. Pour into prepared dish or serving bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 4 hours or up to 2 days.

7. BEFORE SERVING: Remove collar. Spread top of soufflé with whipped cream. Score lightly with knife and sprinkle with cinnamon. Press nuts into sides of souffle or if serving from a bowl, sprinkle over whipped cream.

Makes 8 cups, 12 servings.

Tourtiere
6 Servings

2 lb Pork,ground
1    Onion,large
1    Garlic clove
1/8 t  Mace,ground
1/8 t  Sage,ground
1    Potato,small
1/4 c  Raisins
-Pepper,To Taste
-Water,boiling
Pastry for double crust pie

Finely mince onion and garlic. Peel and grate potatoes. Place pork,
onion, garlic, mace, sage, grated potato and raisins in large heavy
pot. Cover with boiling water, about 2 cups/ Cook, uncovered over
medium hear or till meat is no longer pink and water is absorbed, 30
to 45 minutes. Stir frequently, reducing water if necessary to avoid
boiling. Remove from heat and set aside to cool. Skim off excess fat.
Preheat oven to 400F. Meanwhile prepare pastry. Line a pie plate with
half of the pastry. Prick with fork and bake 10 minutes. Cool to room
temperature. Pour coled meat mixture into pie shell. cover with top
crust. Crimp and seal edges and cut vents to allow steam to escape.
Bake 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 350F and bake 30 more minutes or till
crust is light brown and filling is bublly. Serve hot.

—

CRUST  ==========================
2 1/2 c  Flour
2 t  Baking powder
1 t  -Salt
1/2 lb Shortening
1/2 c  -Hot water
2 t  Lemon juice
1    Egg,well beaten
FILLING  ========================
1 lb Pork,lean ground
1    Onion,finely chopped
1/2 t  -Salt
1/4 t  -Pepper
1/2 t  Thyme
1/2 t  Sage
1/2 t  Dry mustard
1/2 t  Cloves
1    Potato,boiled & mashed
HERB SAUCE  =====================
1    Celery stalk,minced
2 1/2 c  Consomme
1/2 t  Sage
1/2 t  Thyme
1/4 c  Butter
1/2 c  Flour
1 T  Parsley
1 c  Mushrooms,chopped

For Crust: Combine flour, baking powder and salt in large mixing bowl. Measure in 2/3 cup cold shortening and cut into flour till mealy. Completely dissolve remaining 1/2 cup shortening in hot watrer (heat as necessary to dissolve). Cool. Add lemon juice and egg to water-shortening mixture. Mix liquid into flour mixture till dough leaves the sides of the bowl. Turn out onto lightly floured board and knead for about 1 minutes or till all flour is blended. Wrap in waxed paper, refrigerate for 1 to 12 hours. Roll out 2/3 of the dough and line a casserole dish. Reserve 1/3 for top crust.

For Filling: Simmer meat and 1/2 cup water for 45 minutes. Add onion and seasonings and simmer for 15 minutes. Mix in mashed potatoes and cool. Place in bottom crust, top with remaining dough and slit crust. Bake at 400F for 30 minutes.

For sauce: Simmer all ingredients except for flour, parsley and mushrooms for 1 hour. Add to sauce and stir till thickened, then add parsley and mushrooms Simmer for 10 minutes. Serve with tortiere.