BANANA JUMBOS
Recipe from Sharon Powers

2 1/4 cups flour                      1 cup sugar
2 tsp. baking powder               3/4 tsp. salt
2/3 cup shortening                  2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla                            1 cup mashed bananas
                                                12 oz. package chocolate chips

1.     Combine dry ingredients in large mixing bowl.  Cut in shortening. 

2.     Add eggs, vanilla, mashed bananas and beat well.  Fold in chocolate chips. 

3.     Drop by teaspoons onto greased baking sheet.  Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar, if desired.    

Bake 10—12 minutes at 400 degrees. 

Half Moon Cookies

¾ cup shortening
1 ½ cup sugar
2 eggs
1 cup sour milk or (l tablespoon lemon juice + milk)
3 ½ cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla

          Cream shortening & sugar together.  Add eggs.  Beat well.  Alternately add milk and the dry ingredients.  Beat well.  Add vanilla.  Drop by teaspoonfuls onto greased cookie sheet. I use a scoop!  Bake 375 degrees for 12-15 minutes.  You can frost half of each cookie with white frosting and half with chocolate.  I don’t frost them most of the time and serve them as plain old sugar cookies.  If you aren’t going to frost the cookies, then sprinkle them with cinnamon sugar before baking.  They are also good just glazed with vanilla frosting while they are still warm.  These are my favorite cookies to have with a cup of vanilla tea!

           I also mix by hand and use part Gold Medal flour and part bread flour, but all Gold Medal still makes a good cookie. 

Enjoy!
 

Rice Pudding

1 quart whole milk
½ cup long-grain white rice
½ cup sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons cornstarch
2 eggs
Raspberries or seasonal fruit for garnish

Combine 3 ½ cups of the milk with the rice, sugar and cinnamon in a medium sized, heavy-bottomed saucepan.  Cover and simmer until the rice is tender, about 25 minutes.

Combine the remaining milk with the cornstarch and eggs.

Remove the pan from the heat and add about 2 cups of the hot liquid to the cornstarch mixture, whisking constantly.  Add the warmed cornstarch mixture to the remaining milk mixture in the pan.  Return the pan to the heat and while stirring constantly, bring the pudding to a boil and cook for 1 minute.

Portion the pudding into dessert dishes.  The pudding can be served warm at this point, or cooled completely and refrigerated, covered with plastic wrap to keep a skin from forming.

Garnish each serving with raspberries (or seasonal fruit) and a sprig of mint.

Makes 8 servings.
 

Blueberry Scones

1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup yellow cornmeal
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1/3 cup cold butter, cut up
½ cup buttermilk
1 egg
1 ½ teaspoon finely shredded lime peel
1 cup frozen blueberries (do not thaw)
1 teaspoon cornstarch
3 to 4 teaspoons lime juice
1 cup powdered sugar
3 tablespoons chopped almonds, toasted

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Coast a large baking sheet with cooking spray.
2. In a large bowl, combine flour, cornmeal, granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and ½ teaspoon salt.  Cut in butter until flour mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Make a well in the center.  Combine buttermilk, egg and peel; add all at once to flour mixture.  Stir with a fork just until moistened.
3. Toss berries with cornstarch to coat; add to flour mixture.  Stir gently 3 – 5 turns, just until berries are incorporated (do not over mix.)  Using a large spoon, drop dough into 12 mounds on baking sheet, leaving 1-inch between mounds.  Bake 12 – 15 minutes or until tops are golden.
4. For icing, in a small bowl whisk enough lime juice into powdered sugar until drizzling consistency.  Drizzle over arm scones.  Sprinkle with nuts.  Serve warm.  Makes 12 scones.
    

Raspberry Patch Cream Pie

Pie Crust:
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
½ cup sugar
5 tablespoons butter, melted

Filling:
1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
¼ cup confectioners’ sugar
2 teaspoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Topping:
¾ cup sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1 1/3 cups cold water
¼ cup raspberry gelatin powder
3 cups fresh raspberries 

In a small bowl, combine cracker crumbs, sugar and butter.  Press into the bottom and up the sides of an ungreased 9-inch pie plate.  Bake at 350 degrees for 9 – 11 minutes or until set.  Cool on a wire rack.

In a small mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese, confectioners’ sugar, milk and vanilla.  Carefully spread it over the cooled crust.

In a small saucepan, combine the sugar, cornstarch, and water until smooth.  Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened.  Remove from heat; stir in gelatin until dissolved.  Cool to room temperature.  Refrigerate until slightly thickened.

Arrange raspberries over the filling, and then spoon gelatin mixture over berries.  Refrigerate until set. 

Note:  I will be serving this pie at my backporch lunch classes this summer.  It is delicious and the recipe was given to me by Linda Waterman, a student. 

Stuffed Pepper Soup

1 Pound Ground Beef
1 Large Can Tomato Juice
1 Jar Chili Sauce
2 Celery Stalks (chopped)
1 Onion (chopped)
1 Garlic Clove (minced)
2 Quarts Water
½ Teaspoon Salt
2 Medium Red or Green (or one of each) Sweet Peppers (diced)
3 Chicken Bouillon Cubes
1 Cup Instant Rice (uncooked)

Brown the ground beef in a frying pan, drain and add to crock-pot.  Add the rest of the ingredients, except for the rice.  Cook on high for 2 hours, turn down to low for another two hours.  Add the cup of Instant Rice during the last half hour of cooking. 

Note:  I like to use low sodium chicken broth, so I used two cans of that as part of 2 quarts of water and omitted the chicken bouillon cubes.  I got this recipe from the Nine Pines’ February Newsletter.  Nine Pines is, a local gift shop.  My students just loved it when I served it at a Monday Night Supper Class!
 

Manhattan Clam or Shrimp Chowder

4 slices bacon diced
1 qt. water
1 ½ tsp. salt
1 cup finely diced carrots
1 cup finely diced celery
1 cup finely diced onions
2 cups diced potatoes
1 cup canned tomatoes
¼ tsp. pepper
2 cans of either shrimp or clams (could also use fresh)

Fry the bacon until golden, then add water and simmer for five minutes.  Add the salt, carrots, celery, and onions and simmer for 20 minutes.  Add the potatoes, tomatoes, and pepper and simmer for 20 minutes.  Add the clams or shrimp and juice.  Simmer until hot and ready to serve. 

 This is a recipe that my family loves.  I used to cook it in an iron kettle in the fireplace at our summer home in Old Forge.  Of course I wrapped the kettle in foil first to save on cleanup time!

                                          

Vermont Pickles Recipe
from Joanne Mitchell

I got this recipe at a church supper in Chester, Vermont. Ted and I like to drive the country roads when we go to Vermont and this particular year we were driving our 1950 Chrysler Windsor car. When we went through Chester in the morning I noticed a sign for a church supper, so when we came back I pulled up in front of the church and parked. Ted was shocked as he thought I wanted to eat at some fancy restaurant.  The best food can be found at church suppers! 

4 quarts thinly sliced pickling cucumbers (I slice them on my potato slicer really thin)
¼ cup salt
Water to cover cucumber slices 

Let cucumbers soak in the salt water for about 2 hours.  Drain.

6 cups sugar
6 cups vinegar
3 tsp. Curry powder
3 tsp. Mustard seed
3 tsp. Celery seed

Bring syrup to a boil

Put drained cucumbers into jars, pack tightly
Pour in syrup, cover and seal. 
Process in hot water bath for 15 minutes. 
Be sure that the jars are sealed.

Makes 4 quarts or 8 pints + or –
I put any leftover cucumber slices and sauce into a bowl and refrigerate it to eat right away.

 Chicken Velvet Soup

6 T. butter or margarine
6 T. all-purpose flour
½ Cup milk
½ cup light cream
3 cups chicken broth
1 Cup finely chopped chicken
Dash of Pepper      

Melt butter or margarine in saucepan.  Blend in all-purpose flour, then stir in milk, light cream and chicken broth.  Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until mixture thickens and comes to a boil.

Reduce heat.  Stir in finely chopped cooked chicken and dash of pepper.  Return soup to boiling and serve immediately.  Makes about 5 cups.
 

Rosamarina Salad

1 lbs. Rosamarina
1 can crushed pineapple, drained
1 can chunk pineapple, drained
2 cans mandarin oranges, drained
1 large Cool Whip
Maraschino Cherries (optional)
1 cup miniature marshmallows (optional)

Cook rosamarina and drain.  Add fruit and sauce.  Refrigerate overnight.

Sauce:
2/3 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 tablespoons flour
¼ tsp. Salt
Juice from drained fruit

Cook together with juice from fruit until thick.  Mix well with other ingredients and refrigerate.  Add Cool Whip the next morning.

WILD RICE & CHICKEN SOUP

2 ½ cups chopped cooked chicken (I used a garlic & herb rotisserie chicken from the store)
2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
2 medium carrots, coarsely shredded (I bought a package of the tiny carrot sticks)
2 stalks celery, diced
1 10 ¾-ounce can condensed cream of chicken or cream of mushroom soup
1 6-ounce package long grain and wild rice mix
5 cups chicken broth

1.     In a crock-pot, combine diced cooked chicken, mushrooms, carrot sticks, celery, soup, uncooked rice and the contents of the rice seasoning packet.  Gradually stir in chicken broth and 5 cups of water. 

2.     Cover, cook on low-heat setting for 6 – 8 hours or on high-heat setting for 3 – 4 hours.  Makes 8 – 10 servings.

3.  This is so easy and so delicious!  It is also a healthy recipe.   I served it in some new poppy soup bowls with a tossed salad and plate of fresh fruit.

 

CANADIAN MAPLE-GLAZED POT ROAST
 

1 ½ to 3-pound boneless beef chuck pot roast
1 T. cooking oil (I used Crisco)
4 medium parsnips and/or carrots, cut into 3-inch long pieces (I used 4 of each)
1 medium acorn squash, seeded, cut into 1-inch thick slices (I used butternut)
2 small onions cut into wedges
½ cup maple syrup
3 T. quick-cooking tapioca
2 T. white wine vinegar
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. finely shredded orange peel (optional)
¼ tsp. ground black pepper
4 cups hot cooked noodles

1. Trim fat from meat.  If necessary, cut meat to fit into a 4-5-quart slow cooker.  In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat.  Brown the meat on all sides in hot oil.  Drain off fat.   I added a bit of water and got all the juices out of the pan and put them in slow cooker with meat.
2. In the slow cooker, combine parsnips, carrots, squash, and onion.  Place the meat on top of the vegetables.  In a small bowl combine maple syrup, tapioca, white wine vinegar, orange peel (optional, I didn’t use it), salt and pepper.  Pour over meat and vegetables.
3. Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 11 – 12 hours or on high-heat setting for 5 ½ hours to 6 hours.
4. Transfer meat and vegetables to a serving platter.  Pass cooking liquid with meat.  Serve over hot noodles.  Makes 8 servings.

Pumpkin Muffins

1 cup raisins
½ cup water
2 eggs
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 ¼ cups sugar
¾ tsp. Ground cloves
¾ tsp. Ground cinnamon
½ tsp. Salt
1/3 cup cooking oil
1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
1 ½ tsp. Baking powder
½ tsp. Baking soda

Soak raisins in the ½ cup water for 5 minutes.  Do not drain.  In large mixing bowl beat eggs; stir in pumpkin, sugar, ground cloves, ground cinnamon, and salt.  Add oil, mixing well.

Stir together flour, baking powder, and baking soda.  Add to pumpkin mixture with half of the raisin water mixture.  Mix well.  Add remaining raisin mixture; stir to mix.  Fill greased muffin pans 2/3 full.  Bake at 400 degrees until top springs back when pressed with fingers, about 25 minutes.  Makes 12 large or 16 medium muffins.
 

CHOCOLATE SILK
ESPRESSO PIE

3 cups whole milk
3 tablespoons instant espresso powder
½ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup cornstarch
¼ tsp. salt
2 large eggs
1 bar (8 oz.) bittersweet chocolate, chopped
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 piecrust baked
1 cup heavy cream, whipped with 2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar

Bring milk just to a simmer in a 1-quart saucepan over moderate heat.  Remove pan from heat and whisk in espresso powder until dissolved.  Keep warm, covered.

Whisk together granulated sugar, cornstarch, salt and eggs in a 3-quart heavy saucepan until combined well.  Add milk in a slow stream, whisking constantly.  Bring to a boil over moderate heat, whisking constantly.

Reduce heat and simmer, whisking until thickened and registers 170 degrees on an instant-read thermometer, about 2 minutes.  Add chocolate, butter and extract to mixture.  Let stand 5 minutes, then whisk until chocolate is melted and incorporated.  Cover surface and cool completely (about 1 ½ hours). 

Spoon into baked crust and put the whipped cream on top.  Refrigerate until ready to serve, at least 4 hours.
 

Sweet & Sour Pork

2 lbs. cooked pork, cubed (I used tenderloin)
1 can (20 oz.) pineapple chunks, drained with syrup reserved
½ cup packed brown sugar
½ cup vinegar
½ tsp. salt
2 tsp. soy sauce
2 carrots, cut diagonally into thin slices
1 clove garlic, finely chopped (optional)
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons cold water
1 green bell pepper, cut into ¾” pieces (I used half red and half green pepper)
4 cups hot cooked rice 

Add enough water to reserved drained pineapple syrup to make 1 cup.  Heat syrup mixture, brown sugar, vinegar, ½ tsp. salt, the soy sauce, carrots and garlic to boiling in Dutch oven; reduce heat.  Cover and simmer about 6 minutes or until carrots are crisp-tender. 

Mix 2 tablespoons cornstarch and 2 tablespoons cold water; stir into sauce.  Add pork, pineapple and peppers.  Heat to boiling, stirring constantly.  Boil and stir 1 minute.  Serve over rice.  Makes 6 servings.   I serve a nice tossed salad and bread with it.


 

OLD-FASHIONED SOFT PUMPKIN COOKIES

 
2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ teaspoon salt
1 ½ cups granulated sugar
½ cup butter (1 stick), softened
1 cup canned pumpkin (NOT pumpkin pie filling)
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¾ cup chopped pecans (optional)
Glaze

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease cookie sheet.

Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt in a medium bowl, beat sugar and better in a large mixer bowl until well blended.  Beat in pumpkin, egg and vanilla extract until smooth.  Gradually beat in flour mixture.  Drop by rounded tablespoons (or use a scoop) onto cookie sheet.

Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until edges are firm.  Cool 2 minutes on baking sheet and then remove to racks to cool.  Drizzle glaze over cookies. 

Glaze:  Combine 2 cups of sifted confectioners sugar, 3 tablespoons milk, 1 tablespoon melted or softened butter and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract in small bowl until smooth.  I put a blob in the middle of the cookies while still hot and it drizzles down the sides.  Don’t spread it or it will all end up on your rack or the wax paper you put under it! 

Note:  I made these for my husband to take to his hunting lodge and the men sent me lots of thanks and compliments, so they must be good!  I know I like them!    I also always put the pecans in them too, but sometimes use walnuts – depends on what I have on hand. 
 

THANKSGIVING SQUASH CASSEROLE

2 - 3 lbs. Hubbard, Acorn, or Butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cubed
2 tablespoons butter (must be REAL butter)
3 tablespoons light brown sugar
2 tablespoons maple syrup (not imitation)
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Oil a baking pan and add squash cubes.  Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 325 degrees until the squash is tender. 

2. Mash squash (I use a potato masher), add 1 tablespoon butter, 2 tablespoons light brown sugar and 1 tablespoon maple syrup.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

3. Put mixture into a nice casserole dish.  Put remaining tablespoon of butter over the top in small bits.  Sprinkle on the last tablespoon of brown sugar and pour over the remaining tablespoon of maple syrup.  Be sure to taste to see if it is sweet enough.  If not, add more brown sugar. 

4. Bake for 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly.  Serve immediately.  Sometimes I drizzle on even more maple syrup at this point.

Tip:  You can also half the acorn and butternut squash, seed it, and bake upside down on a well oiled pan until it is soft.  Then scrape the pulp out of the squash skins and mash.  With the Hubbard, it is too large to do this way and needs to be cut up.  If really big, use a hack saw (or better yet, have your husband use a hack saw). 

Crock-pot Lasagna

1 jar (25 to 26 oz.) spaghetti sauce, store bought or homemade
1 can (14 ½ oz.) diced tomatoes
1 package (8 – 9 oz.) oven –ready, no boil lasagna noodles
1 container (15 oz.) ricotta cheese
1 package (8 oz.) shredded Italian cheese blend or shredded mozzarella cheese
1 package (10 oz.) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
½ lb. ground beef, browned (optional)
½ cup chopped onion (optional)

1. Combine the spaghetti sauce and the canned diced tomatoes (do not drain).

2. Spray a 4 ½-to 6-quart crock-pot with nonstick cooking spray.  Spoon 1 cup of the spaghetti sauce mixture into the bowl of the crock pot.  Arrange one-fourth of the lasagna noodles over the sauce, overlapping and/or breaking the noodles into large pieces to cover as much of the sauce as possible.  Three-fourths of a cup of spaghetti sauce over the noodles, then top with one-third of the ricotta cheese (about ½ cup), and ½ cup of the shredded cheese.  Spread half of the spinach over the cheese. 

3. At this point if you are making vegetarian lasagna, then repeat the layering two more times, beginning with noodles.  If you are adding the ground beef and onions, then replace the spinach with the ground beef and noodles.  Do this once more, then put the remaining noodles over the sauce and shredded cheese on top.

4. Cover crock-pot with lid and cook as manufacturer directs on low setting for 2 ½ hours to 3 hours, or on high setting 1 ½ to 1 ¾ hours or until noodles are very tender.  I did it on high, then went to low setting. 

5. Cut into serving-sized sections and lift out.  It comes out very high and is absolutely delicious served with a tossed salad and Italian bread. 
   

Pear Pie

Crust:
1 cups sifted pie and pastry flour
1/2 tsp. salt
6 T. Crisco
2 - 3 T. ice water 

Sift flour with salt.  Cut in shortening until the size of small peas.  Make two holes in mixture and drop a tablespoon of ice water in each.  Using a fork push dry ingredients together until it forms a ball.  Add more water if necessary.  Roll out to fit a 9” pie dish and flute the edges. 

Note:  I use a rolling pin cover and roll it out on a pastry cloth.  I sometimes also dump the dry mixture after adding the water and mixing a bit onto waxed paper and then push it together into a ball with the wax paper.

Filling:
5 cups sliced pears  (be sure they are ripe)
3 T. lemon juice                                                         
¾ cup sugar
1 tsp. nutmeg (adjust to your personal preference)
½ tsp. cinnamon  (adjust to your personal preference)
3 T. flour 

Peel and core the pears and thinly slice into a bowl, measuring out 5 cups.  Toss  well with the lemon juice.  Add the sugar, flour, nutmeg and cinnamon and toss together.

Topping:
½ cup flour
4 T. butter
¼ tsp. salt
½ tsp. nutmeg
Dash of cinnamon

Combine ingredients together with fingers or in a food processor until crumbly.  Put the apples into the crust, top with the crumb topping.  Bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes.  Serve with a small scoop of vanilla ice cream and drizzle with caramel sauce.  It is wonderful!
 

                                                       Raspberry-Apple Nut Salad
4 slices bacon
1 bunch romaine lettuce
1 bunch baby spinach
1 Golden Delicious apple, cored and sliced
1 cup fresh raspberries
½ cup walnuts or pecans
½ cup bottled raspberry vinaigrette

1.     In a medium-sized non-stick skillet, cook bacon over medium-high heat until crisp, about 5 – 6 minutes.  Remove from pan to a paper-towel-lined plate to cool.  Discard pan drippings.

2.     In a large salad bowl, tear romaine lettuce into bite size pieces.  Add apple slices, raspberries and walnuts or pecans.  Gently toss with dressing.  Crumble bacon over salad and serve.
 

Peach Shortcake
 

Filling: 
5 medium-sized peaches (2 lbs. Total)
1/3 cup sugar
1 T. fresh lemon juice

Pit the peaches, peel peach halves.  Finely dice two of the peach halves.  Set aside.  Slice remaining peaches into ½ inch thick slices.  Place in a medium-sized bowl with sugar and lemon juice.  Set aside.

Shortcake & Topping:
1 cup buttermilk
1 egg
1 T. vegetable oil
1 tsp. grated lemon rind
2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
½ cup + 2 T. sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. baking soda
¼ tsp. salt
1 cup heavy cream

Heat oven to 425 degrees.  In small bowl, blend buttermilk, egg, oil, and lemon rind together.  Stir in diced peaches.  In a large bowl mix together flour, ½ cup of the sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  Make a well in the center of the mixture and add the buttermilk.  With a fork, gently stir until evenly moistened and dough comes together.  Gather dough together with floured hands. 

Lightly dust a cutting board with flour and pat dough into a 14” log.  With a floured knife, cut into 8 pieces.  Transfer to baking sheet.  Brush rounds with water then sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of the sugar.

Bake at 425 degrees for 20 – 22 minutes until toothpick comes out clean.  Meanwhile, whip heavy cream with remaining 1 tablespoon sugar to medium-stiff peaks.  Refrigerate until ready to use.

Cut each shortcake horizontally in half.  Place each bottom half on a plate.  Spoon a little juice from the peaches onto each half, and then top with ½ to 2/3 cup peaches. Spoon ¼ cup whipped cream onto fruit.  Cover with top half of shortcake, cut side down and serve.  Delicious!  I also sprinkled cinnamon sugar over the whipped cream!
 

BASIL TOMATO SOUP

2 cans (28 oz. each) crushed tomatoes.  (I used 8 cups of crushed fresh tomatoes)
1 can (14 oz.) chicken broth
Fresh basil (18-20, or to your taste) 
1 tsp. sugar
1 cup whipping cream  (I used half and half)
2 T. butter

In a large saucepan, bring the tomatoes and broth to a boil.  When I used fresh tomatoes I peeled and cored them, then ran them in the food processor until crushed.  Reduce heat; cover and simmer at least 10 minutes.  (I simmered it about 2 hours).  Add basil and sugar.  Reduce heat to low, stir in cream and butter.  Cook until butter is melted.  Yield 9 servings.  Serve with a dollop of sour cream and fresh basil or parsley springs.  Goes Fast!
 

 
     Creamsicle Delight

Recipe from Linda Quackenbush

3 cups boiling water
1 small package orange Jell-O
1 small package cook and serve vanilla pudding
1 small package cook and serve tapioca pudding
1 small can mandarin oranges, drained and cut in half
1 small container whipped topping (Cool Whip)

Add the orange Jell-O and pudding to the boiling water in a large bowl.  Bring back to a boil in the microwave, whisk well.  Let the mixture cool completely.  I leave it on the counter, then put it into the refrigerator until cooled and thick.  Add the mandarin oranges and fold in one small carton of whipped topping.  Mix well and put into serving dishes or mold.  Refrigerate until firm.

A favorite of all of my friends!
 

SUMMER CORN CHOWDER

6 slices smoky style bacon
1 small onion
4 cups fresh or frozen corn
1 can cream of corn
1 Yukon gold potato
3 cups chicken broth
½ tsp. black pepper
1 cup half and half

Cut up the bacon slices into small pieces and fry in a pan until crisp.  Chop the onion and mix with the bacon in the pan for about 4 minutes.  Add the corn.  Cube the Yukon gold potato and add to soup pot.  Add the 3 cups of chicken stock and the black pepper.  Bring all of the ingredients to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.  Add the half and half slowly bring back to temperature by simmering an additional 5 minutes.  Serve with a sprig of fresh parsley and a dollop of sour cream. 4-6 Servings.  Enjoy!
 

Carrot Cupcakes

Cupcakes:
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup vegetable oil
3 T. orange juice
½ tsp. vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. ground allspice
½ tsp. salt
¾ cup + 2 T. flour
1 ½ cups shredded carrots
½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans
¼ cup shredded coconut, plus more for garnish

Icing: 
8 oz. Cream cheese (room temperature)
¾ cup confectioners’ sugar
¼ T. vanilla extract 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a bowl, combine sugar, vegetable oil, orange juice, vanilla extract and eggs.
2. Stir in baking powder, baking soda, allspice and salt.  Add flour; mix.  Stir in carrots, walnuts, and coconut.
3. Oil a standard muffin tin or line with paper cups; distribute batter evenly.  It makes 12 cupcakes, but I only got 10.
4. Bake until toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean, 25 minutes.  Let cool before frosting.  Garnish with toasted shredded coconut.
5. Make the icing:  In a mixing bowl, combine cream cheese, confectioners’ sugar, and vanilla extract. Whisk until smooth.

These didn’t last long!  Everyone loved them!  

           Carrot Soup with Thyme

2 pounds carrots (I bought carrot sticks in a bag at Wegman’s)

1 medium onion, diced

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 ½ quarts chicken OR vegetable broth (I used low sodium)

2 cups half and half cream

Salt and pepper to taste

Freshly grated nutmeg to taste

Bouquet Garni:  6-8 fresh parsley springs; 3 fresh thyme sprigs or 1 teaspoon dried thyme; 6-8 black peppercorns.  I wrapped them in a coffee filter and tied it with string.

Garnish:  Put a dollop of sour cream in center of soup, then a few grated carrot pieces and a sprig of parsley and thyme or oregano on either side.

Wash, trim and peel the carrots and chop them coarsely.  Trim, peel and chop the onion coarsely.  Sweat the vegetables in butter in a soup pot.  Add the stock and bring the soup to a simmer.  Add the bouquet garni and simmer about 20 minutes.

Remove the bouquet garni and puree the soup in batches.  Stir in the cream (slowly) and season with salt, pepper and nutmeg.  Let the soup warm over very low heat for 5 minutes.  Serve in warm soup bowls and garnish as above. 

Note:  DO NOT BOIL THIS SOUP.  It is meant to be simmered slowly.

 
Enjoy!

        Joanne