Ruth’s Grandma’s Pie Crust
This recipe is over 100 years old. My sister-in-law’s grandmother said it was a no-fail recipe. It’s the best I ever had.
In a large mixing bowl combine all-purpose flour shortening sugar and salt.
Blend together with a pastry cutter until crumbly.
Prickly Pear Jam
In order to remove the invisible spines from the prickly pears before using them to make this jam, use gloves.
Inspect 1 quart jar and 1 pint jar for cracks and rings for rust discarding any that are defective.
Immerse in simmering water until jam is ready.
Wash new unused lids and rings in warm soapy water.
Wear protective gloves to rub and rinse the prickly pears under running water to make sure all spines are removed.
Cut each pear in half and scoop pulp and seeds into the bowl of a food processor.
Pulse for 30 to 40 seconds.
Transfer mixture to a strainer lined with cheesecloth set over a bowl.
Gather cheesecloth into a pouch and squeeze out juice.
Remove any remaining pulp from the seeds and add to the bowl with the juice.
Smoked Salmon-Asparagus Frittata
A flavorful frittata made with potatoes, smoked salmon, asparagus, and red onion is sure to impress any brunch guest!
Place potatoes into a large pot and cover with salted water; bring to a boil.
Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until tender about 10 minutes.
Drain and let cool.
Whisk 10 eggs in a bowl.
Add hot sauce chopped tarragon chopped chives lemon zest salt and pepper to eggs and whisk.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
Dice potatoes once cooled.
Heat an ovenproof pan on medium-high heat and add olive oil.
Add onions potatoes and asparagus to pan and saute for 2 minutes.
Reduce heat to medium.
Add egg mixture to pan.
Stir in smoked salmon and Gruyere cheese.
Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes or until eggs puff up.
Cool for a few minutes and serve.
Moroccan Tagine
Tagines are Moroccan slow-cooked meat, fruit and vegetable dishes which are almost invariably made with mutton. Using lamb cuts down the cooking time, but if you can find good hogget (older than lamb, younger than mutton, commonly labeled ‘baking legs’ and sold cheaply) that will do very well.
Over medium heat, warm the oil in a big pot or Dutch oven.
In hot oil, fry the onion until it softens.
Add the lamb meat to the pan and cook until the outside is just beginning to brown.
Cumin, coriander, ginger, cinnamon, salt, and pepper are used to season.
Just enough liquid should be added to the pot to cover the meat.
When the meat is tender and the mixture resembles stew, cover and simmer the dish for 1 1/2 to 2 hours on low heat.
After an hour, if it seems there is too much liquid, remove the lid.
Cook the stew for an additional 5 minutes or so, or until the pears are soft, after adding the pears, golden raisins, and almonds.
Combine with rice.
Spicy Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore with Wine
This spicy chicken cacciatore with wine is simple and easy to make in a slow cooker and is based on a family’s traditional recipes.
The night before cooking layer ingredients into a slow cooker in the following order: chicken wine onion bell peppers garlic red pepper flakes Italian seasoning salt pepper diced tomatoes sugar and tomato sauce.
Cover and place in the refrigerator so chicken can soak up the wine 8 hours to overnight.
The next morning remove from the refrigerator and cook on Low stirring occasionally for 6 hours.
Remove chicken and shred meat with 2 forks; return meat to the cooker.
Cook on High with lid slightly off to allow juices to evaporate and sauce to condense about 2 more hours.
Mexican Corn-off-the-Cob Salad
In this simple side salad with a Mexican flair, cotija cheese, lime juice, and cilantro are combined to flavor the grilled corn.
Preheat an outdoor grill for medium-high heat and lightly oil the grate.
Grill corn in the husks on the preheated grill turning occasionally to desired tenderness about 15 minutes; some charring is fine.
Remove from the grill.
Remove and discard husks and silk when cool enough to handle.
Cut kernels off into a medium bowl.
Add lime juice and chili powder then mix in cotija cheese cilantro mayonnaise and pepper until thoroughly combined.
Taste and add salt if necessary.
Sicilian Fig Cookies
These Sicilian cookies are delicious fig-filled pastries. You can substitute the figs with dried dates. Hazelnuts can also be used in place of walnuts.
For the pastry: Combine flour sugar baking powder and salt in a large mixing bowl.
Add butter eggs vanilla and milk; mix into a smooth dough.
Turn dough out and shape into a circle; cut into 4 equal pieces cover in plastic wrap and chill.
For the filling: Zest and juice orange into a large bowl; add figs raisins and nuts.
Transfer mixture to a food processor; blend until evenly chopped.
Stir in honey rum and cinnamon; set aside.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
Grease cookie sheets.
Beer-Boiled Shrimp with Old Bay
Boiling shrimp in beer and Old Bay seasoning is an easy, foolproof cooking technique that always produces perfectly flavored shrimp that are perfect for a main dish or an appetizer.
Salt and beer seafood seasoning are combined in a sizable stockpot or saucepan over high heat.
Add both lemon rinds to the beer mixture and squeeze the juice from both lemon halves into it.
Stir and heat until boiling.
Boil for ten minutes with the lid on the pot.
Add the shrimp to the simmering liquid, cover it once more, and then turn off the heat.
When the shrimp are bright pink on the outside and the meat is opaque, which takes about 3 minutes, transfer them to serving bowls.
Linguine with Clams
Chopped clams and mushrooms simmered in white wine and butter with garlic and a touch of sour cream. Tossed with linguine pasta and served with a side salad and French bread, you’ll have yourself a meal to remember!
Large pot of lightly salted water should be brought to a boil.
When the pasta is al dente, add it and cook for 8 to 10 minutes.
Drain, then set apart.
In a big skillet, melt butter over medium-high heat.
Sauté the mushrooms, onions, and garlic until they are soft.
Pour in the wine, reduce heat as needed, and simmer for 10 minutes.
For an additional 20 minutes, add the clams, saved clam juice, sour cream, pepper, and parsley.
Serve after tossing with linguine.
Enjoy
Mom’s Giblet Gravy
This neck and giblet gravy with white wine, celery leaves, and onion needs about 2 hours to simmer, making it the perfect thing to start while the turkey’s cooking.
Cut turkey neck in half.
Set liver aside.
Combine neck giblets broth onions carrots wine celery garlic and bay leaf in a pot.
Bring to a boil.
Reduce heat and simmer for 1 1/2 hours.
Add liver and simmer for 30 minutes more.
Mix flour and butter together to form a thick paste.
Remove and discard neck and giblets.
Strain broth pressing vegetables to extract liquid.
Discard vegetables.
Add turkey drippings.
Add flour mixture gradually and stir until smooth.
Bring to a boil and cook until desired thickness is reached 7 to 10 minutes.
Season with salt and pepper.