Cold Orange Souffle

Ingredients:

1 cup cold water
2 envelopes unflavored gelatin
8 eggs, separated
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 (6 ounce) cans frozen orange juice, thawed
1 cup sugar
1 cup whipping cream, whipped
Orange sections (Optional)

Directions:

Place water in the top of a double boiler and sprinkle the gelatin over the surface to soften. Beat egg yolks lightly and add them with the salt to the gelatin. Mix well. Place over boiling water and cook, stirring constantly, until gelatin dissolves and the mixture thickens some, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in orange concentrate. Chill until mixture drops from a spoon into soft mounds. Beat egg whites until stiff but not dry. Gradually beat in the sugar and continue beating until the egg whites are stiff. Fold the whites into the orange mixture. Fold in the whipped cream. Arrange a collar of double waxed paper around a 2-1/2 quart souffle dish, 2 inches above the top of the dish. Fasten with tape. Pour mixture into dish can chill until firm. Remove collar and decorate with orange sections. A great summer dessert.

Servings: 8 – 10

Bohemian Beer Bread

Ingredients:

4 cups all purpose flour
2 Tablespoons butter or margarine
2 packages fast-acting dry yeast
1 teaspoon caraway seeds
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
3/4 cup beer
2 Tablespoons honey or sugar
1/2 cup warm water
1 egg, beaten

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place flour, butter, yeast, caraway seeds, salt and garlic powder in bowl of food processor. Use dough blade and pulse several times until well mixed and butter is cut in.
2. Heat beer, honey and water until warm (about 130 degrees). With machine running, slowly add warm liquid mixture through feed tube. Process until dough is smooth and leaves side of the bowl.
3. Remove dough and shape into smooth ball. Place in greased 1-1/2 –2 quart casserole dish, turning once to grease top. Flatten gently to edges. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 20-25 minutes.
4. Brush top of loaf with a beaten egg. Place in oven for 25-30 minutes. Loaf is done when it sounds hollow when tapped. Remove from pan and cool on wire rack.

NOTE: For the most authentic Bohemian bread, substitute 1-1/4 cups rye or wheat flour for the same quantity of white flour.

Serves: 6

Spicy Grilled Chicken Fajitas

Ingredients

1/4 Cup / 60 mL Fresh Lime Juice
1 Tbsp. / 15 mL Watkins Liquid Onion Spice
2-1/2 Tbsp. / 40 mL Watkins Fajita Seasoning
1 teas. / 5 mL Watkins Cilantro
1 pound / 454 g Skinless, Boneless Chicken Breast Halves
2 Red or Green Bell Peppers, seeded and cut into quarters
2 Large Onion, cut into 1/2-inch / 1-cm thick slices
8 Large Flour Tortillas, warmed
Watkins JR's Thick & Chunky Salsa

Optional topping:

1 Cup / 250 mL Sour Cream mixed with 1 Tbsp. / 15 mL Watkins Jalapeno Snack & Dip Seasoning or 1 Cup / 250 mL Sour Cream mixed with 1 Tbsp. / 15 mL Watkins Salsa & Sour Cream Snack & Dip Seasoning

Directions

Combine first four ingredients; mix well. Add chicken; turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes. Remove chicken from marinade. Cover and grill chicken 4 to 6 inches from medium coals 15 to 20 minutes, brushing with marinade and turning occasionally until chicken is done. Grill pepper and onions, 10 to 15 minutes, turning frequently until crisp-tender. Cut chicken and peppers into strips. Discard any remaining marinade. For each serving, place some of the chicken, peppers, and onions in center of tortillas. Top with salsa and seasoned sour cream, if desired. Makes 8 servings.

Nutritional Information Per Serving (without sour cream topping):

Calories 270, Protein 18g, Carbohydrates 36g, Fat 7g, Saturated Fat 1g, Cholesterol 50mg, Sodium 250mg, Dietary Fiber 3g

Meatballs and Spaghetti

Ingredients for Sauce:

3 Tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 clove chopped garlic
2 (20 ounce) cans of tomatoes
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste)
1 cup water
1 teaspoon basil
2 Tablespoons parsley
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Ingredients for Meatballs:

3/4 pound ground meat
1/4 - 1/2 pound ground pork
1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1 Tablespoon parsley
1 clove minced garlic
1/2 cup milk
2 beaten eggs

To Prepare the Sauce:

Saute onion and garlic in olive oil. Add canned tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, water, basil, parsley, salt and pepper. Simmer sauce over low heat about 1 hour. Stir often or it will stick.

To Prepare the Meatballs:

Mix all ingredients with hands. Roll into small balls and brown on all sides. Add to sauce and continue to cook for 30 to 45 minutes.

Cinnamon Apples with Cream Cheese Filling

Ingredients

6 tart apples
1-1/2 cups water
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup red hots
Red food coloring (optional)
1 small package (3 ounce) cream cheese
Orange juice to soften cheese
1 Tablespoon grated orange rind
1/2 cup broken toasted pecans
1/2 cup sliced ripe olives (optional)
Salt

Directions

Core and peel apples. Make a syrup of water, sugar and red hots. Boil syrup in heavy skillet for 10 minutes or until thickened. Add food coloring if desired. Place apples in gently boiling syrup; baste and turn until tender, about 25 – 30 minutes. Carefully remove apples from skillet. Drain thoroughly and chill. Stuff with Cream Cheese Filling.
To make Cream Cheese Filling, mash softened cream cheese and add small amount of orange juice until it is a good consistency to stuff apples. Add orange rind, pecans and olives. Season with salt to taste. Fill cavities of the cinnamon apples and chill before serving.

Serves: 6

Spinaci Saltati (Sauteed Spinach)

Ingredients

2 lbs (1 kg) fresh spinach, washed and stems removed
2 Tbs (30 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
2 - 4 cloves garlic, peeled and cut in half
2 Tbs (30 ml) lemon juice
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Directions

Bring a large pot (6 quarts, 6 L) of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the spinach and cook for 2 minutes. Drain and rinse the spinach under cold water. Drain again, pressing the spinach in the strainer to remove as much water as possible. Chop the spinach coarsely. Heat the oil in a large skillet over moderate heat and saute the garlic until it is golden but not brown, about 3 minutes. Remove and discard the garlic. Add the spinach and toss with a fork until warm through, about 2 minutes. Add the lemon juice and season with salt and pepper.

Serves 4 to 6.

Monterey Jack Wafers

Ingredients:

1 pound Monterey Jack cheese

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 to 425 degrees. Cut cheese into pieces about the size of a pat of butter. Place on a teflon cookie sheet allowing plenty of room for spreading. Two pats of cheese across and three pats down the sheet are sufficient. Bake until the cheese stops bubbling entirely. Time may vary depending on oven. Remove with a teflon spatula, and cool on waxed paper.

Note: Only a teflon cookie sheet and a teflon spatula can be used for this recipe.

Oyster and Rice Stuffing

Ingredients:

2 pounds lean ground pork
1 cup chopped onion
salt and pepper, to taste
2 pints fresh stewing oysters, drained
3 cups chopped celery
6 cups cooked regular rice

Directions:

Brown pork and onion in a Dutch oven. Season with salt and pepper. Drain oysters, reserving liquid. Add oyster liquid and celery to pork and onion, cover, and cook slowly for one hour. Stir occasionally, adding a little water if necessary. Add oysters and cook for five more minutes. Add five to six cups of rice as needed to absorb most of the liquid. Heat thoroughly.

Servings: 10 - 12

Rosemary Grilled Onions

Ingredients:

2 Tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 pounds onions, sliced
1/4 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly cracked pepper
2 Tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Heat the rosemary and vinegar in a saucepan over low heat until hot; do not boil. Remove from the heat and cover. Let stand for 20 minutes.
Brush the onion slices on both sides with the olive oil and arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet, keeping the slices intact. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper.
Arrange the onion slices in batches on a lightly oiled grill rack. Grill for 4 to 6 minutes per side or until charred and tender. Place the grilled onions in a large bowl. Add the rosemary vinegar and parsley to the onions and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Serves: 6

Chicken with Balsamic Vinegar and Mushrooms

Ingredients:

6 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
2 Tablespoons flour
Ground pepper to taste
1 Tablespoon olive oil
16 ounces assorted mushrooms, chopped
2 shallots, minced
1 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup white wine
1/4 teaspoon thyme
1 bay leaf

Directions:

Rinse the chicken and pat dry. Coat with a mixture of the flour and pepper.
Saute the chicken in the olive oil in a skillet until light brown on both sides. Remove the chicken with a slotted spoon to a platter. Tent with foil to keep warm.
Saute the mushrooms and shallots in the pan drippings for 3 minutes. Stir in the broth, balsamic vinegar, white wine, thyme and bay leaf. Return the chicken to the skillet.
Cook, covered, over medium-low heat for 10 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through, turning the chicken once. Transfer the chicken to a serving platter; cover to keep warm.
Cook the mushroom mixture over medium heat for 5 to 7 minutes or until reduced to the desired consistency, stirring constantly. Discard the bay leaf. Pour the sauce over the chicken. Serve with hot cooked rice or pasta.

Servings: 6