Artichoke Pepper Pizza

Ingredients:

1 medium red bell pepper
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
1/4 cup light mayonnaise
1/8 teaspoon red pepper
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup artichoke hearts
1 (1-pound) Boboli pizza crust
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/2 teaspoon thyme

Directions:

Cut the red bell pepper into strips. Saute in the olive oil in a skillet for 3 minutes. Stir in half the garlic. Saute for 1 minute. Process the remaining garlic, mayonnaise, red pepper, black pepper and artichokes in a food processor until the artichokes are finely chopped. Place the pizza crust on a baking sheet. Spread with the artichoke mixture to within 1/2 inch of the edge. Top with the red bell pepper. Sprinkle with the mozzarella cheese, feta cheese and thyme. Bake at 450 degrees for 14 minutes.

Servings: 4

Pasta di Lenticchie - Lentil Soup

Ingredients

1 pound dry lentils
4 cups chicken broth
3 cups water
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 carrots, diced
2 tablespoons olive oil

Directions

In a large soup pot put lentils, broth, and water. Bring to a boil and simmer for 1 hour and 15 minutes. In a small pan, gently saute the garlic until light golden brown. Add this to the cooking lentils, along with the carrots.

Suggestions: Add 1/2 pound of cooked Ditalini. When serving, add a pinch of crushed red pepper. Serve with grated cheese

Estherville Plantation Fried Shrimp

Ingredients:

2 pounds raw shrimp in the shell
2 eggs
2 Tablespoons milk or water
cracker crumbs
salt and pepper, to taste
Mazola oil for deep-fat frying
2 Tablespoons butter

Directions:

Peel shrimp leaving the last segment and tail intact. Beat eggs with milk or water. Dip shrimp in this mixture, and roll in a combination of crumbs, salt and pepper. Fry shrimp in hot oil and butter about five minutes or until golden brown. Drain on absorbent paper and serve hot.

Servings: 4

Buttermilk Pie

Ingredients:

1-1/3 cups sugar
3 Tablespoons flour
2 beaten eggs
1 stick melted butter
1 cup buttermilk
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 teaspoon lemon extract
1 9 or 10 unbaked pastry shell

Directions:

Combine the sugar and flour. Beat eggs thoroughly and add to sugar-flour mixture. Add melted oleo and buttermilk. Mix well. Add extracts. Pour into chilled deep dish 9 or 10 inch unbaked pastry shell. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes without opening door.

Yields: 1 pie

Green Chile Sauce

This recipe yields about 12 cups of green hot sauce. You may reduce quantities proportionally if you want to make a smaller batch.

Ingredients:

6 cups chopped hot green chile, seeded
1 clove garlic, minced
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
1/8 teaspoon ground coriander
½ tablespoon red chile powder
½ teaspoon white pepper
½ teaspoon cumin powder
1 tablespoon salt
10 cups water
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1-½ cups water (for cornstarch)

Directions

In a large pan, combine the green chile pepper, garlic, onion, coriander, red chile powder, white pepper, cumin, salt, and the 10 cups water. Bring to a boil and cook, uncovered, for 1 hour.

In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch and water and mix thoroughly. Add to the chile mixture and cook until the mixture clears, about 20 minutes.

Yield: About 12 cups
Heat Scale: Medium
Dave DeWitt

Lazy Lasagne

Ingredients:

2 pounds ground round steak
1 teaspoon salt
1 envelope Lawry's spaghetti sauce mix
2 cans (1 pound each) tomatoes
1 can (15 ounce) tomato sauce
1/2 teaspoon basil
Grated Parmesan cheese
1 package (8 ounce) lasagne noodles
2 packages (6 ounce each) sliced Mozzarella cheese

Directions:

In Dutch oven or large saucepan, brown meat in salt. Add spaghetti sauce mix, tomatoes, tomato sauce, basil and a generous sprinkling of Parmesan cheese. Simmer 30 minutes. Cook lasagne noodles just until tender. In 9x11-inch casserole, layer meat sauce, noodles, and Mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Repeat layers, saving enough meat sauce to pour over top layer. Bake in 300-325 degree oven for 20 minutes. This is a simplified version of lasagne, yet has an authentic taste; better by far if made the day before or at least early in the morning, and then baked just before serving.

Serves: 6 - 8

Country Pecan Morsels

Ingredients:

1/2 cup all purpose flour
1-1/2 cups dark brown sugar, firmly packed
1-1/2 cups chopped pecans
Pinch of salt
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

Heavily grease 3 miniature muffin tins. Combine flour, brown sugar, nuts and salt. By hand, stir in eggs and vanilla. Batter will be lumpy. Spoon batter into prepared tins, filling about 2/3 full. Place muffins in cold oven, turn thermostat to 300 degrees and bake for 25 minutes. Remove from oven. Cool 1 minute, then run a knife gently around the edge of tin to loosen muffins. Cool partially before turning out onto wire rack to cool.

Lentil Soup

Ingredients:

1-1/4 cups lentils
5 cups water
4 slices bacon, chopped
1 leek, finely chopped
1 onion, finely chopped
1 carrot, finely chopped
1 green bell pepper, finely chopped
1 tomato, finely chopped
3 Tablespoons butter
3 Tablespoons flour
1 (15-ounce) can consomme
1 – 2 Tablespoons salt
2 Tablespoons vinegar

Directions:

Sort and rinse the lentils. Combine the lentils and water in a stockpot. Bring to a boil; reduce heat. Simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Fry the bacon in a skillet until crisp. Discard the bacon, reserving the bacon drippings. Cook the leek, onion, carrot, bell pepper and tomato in the reserved bacon drippings for 5 minutes or until the vegetables are tender, stirring frequently. Add the vegetable mixture to the lentils and mix well. Melt the butter in the same skillet. Add the flour, stirring until smooth. Add the consomme, salt and vinegar. Cook until slightly thickened, stirring constantly. Add the lentil mixture and mix well. Cook over low heat for 30 minutes or until of the desired consistency, stirring occasionally. Ladle into soup bowls. Serve with a mixed green salad and country bread.

Serves: 6 - 10

Birds of Paradise

Ingredients:

1 egg
1 Tablespoon milk
4 (6-ounce) boned, skinned chicken breasts
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup butter
3/4 cup dry sherry
green grapes
toasted pecans

Directions:

Preheat an electric skillet to 300 degrees. Beat egg and milk together. Dip chicken in this mixture and coat thoroughly with cheese. Melt butter in skillet and brown chicken on each side. Pour sherry over each chicken piece. Cover skillet and reduce heat to 225 degrees. Cook chicken 30 to 40 minutes. Serve chicken on a bed of rice garnished with green grapes and toasted pecans. Sauce in pan can be served as it is or thickened as desired.

Note: Large amounts of chicken can be prepared ahead and frozen. Thaw, reheat in skillet, and add sherry.

Servings: 4