The first recipe is one I came up with while at home relaxing during the final days of the elections. Congratulations by the way to all those who participate in Cree democracy either as candidates or voters.
Anyhow, we were having a BBQ at casa Nicholls and I made a small BBQ sauce and decided to do a salad. I was inspired by the raspberries out in the back of our house so I picked a bunch. It’s one of the nice things about going home at the right times of the year. The berries are in season and I try to stock some up for the long winter months. I rarely eat sweets like chocolate bars or such but prefer the natural taste of fruits and berries to satisfy the sweet tooth.
About this time I also find fresh herbs like parsley all over the place at very cheap prices. I get two bunches for 75 cents. But in most cases it’s way too much for me to use so I dry it out and have a new source of spices for the winter. For those of you who have never done this, it’s easy. Just tie the herbs into small bunches. Then you blanch them by dipping the herb bunches into boiling water to which a pinch of salt has been added. After that you shake off or towel blot excess water and lay herbs flat on a large baking sheet.
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees and as soon as oven reaches temperature, turn it off and place baking sheet in oven. Keep in oven until completely cooled. Remove the herbs from oven and crumble dried herbs.
You can now add this to your spice stock. ‘Nuff said as it’s time to cook.
Will’s Raspberry Delight Salad
Now you might be wondering why I call this a raspberry delight when there are no raspberries in the salad. Well, it’s all in the dressing and mighty tasty too. My family went through a large salad bowl like there was no tomorrow so I can attest to this recipe as being one of my nicest first attempts. I usually refine a recipe after but don’t need to in this case.
3 avocados
1 English cucumber
2 red sweet peppers
1 red onion (sweet variety)
1 package of pecans
Chop all ingredients except pecans into large chunks.
Toss together with pecans.
Add raspberry balsamic vinaigrette, tossing again until all is coated.
Raspberry balsamic Vinaigrette
3 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon chives
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt (optional, may use salt substitute)
3 small cloves or 1 1/2 clove of garlic
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 1/2 cups raspberries
1/2 cup virgin olive oil
Chop garlic into small pieces.
Toss all ingredients except oil into a food processor and mix until smooth.
Pour mixture and oil into a airtight container (ie Tupperware) and shake well.
Refridgerate before using.
Pine-Apple Chrisps
Here’s an interesting dessert that will have you wondering why you never made it before. It is simple and tasty to make.
3 medium Granny Smith apples, peeled and cored 3/4 cup pineapple preserves
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Crumb Topping-
2/3 cp flake coconut
1/2 cup quick or old fashioned oats
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup butter or margarine, melted
1/4 cup whole almonds, chopped
vanilla ice cream (optional)
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. For fruit, slice apples into thin rings, then cut rings into quarters. Combine pineapple preserves and flour in mixing bowl. Add apples, tossing to coat evenly. Pour into bottom of a 9-inch pie plate or similar shallow baking dish.
For crumb topping, combine coconut, oats, brown sugar and flour in a mixing bowl. Microwave butter on high for 1 minute and add to chopped almonds. Add butter and almonds to topping ingredients; mix well. Sprinkle topping evenly over apple mixture. Bake 30-35 minutes or until apples are tender and topping is golden brown. Cool slightly. Serve warm with ice cream, if desired.
Amazing Pork Roast:
1 teaspoon dried sage 1 teaspoon dried thyme 1 teaspoon dried rosemary 1 teaspoon crushed marjoram 1 (6 pound) pork tenderloin
4 medium tart apples – cored and cut into 1 inch chunks 1 large red onion – cut into 1 inch chunks
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 cup apple juice
2/3 cup real maple syrup
Combine the sage, thyme, rosemary, marjoram, salt and pepper. Rub over roast. Cover and refrigerate roast for several hours or overnight. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Place roast in a shallow roasting pan and bake for 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Drain fat. Mix apples and onion with brown sugar. Spoon around roast and continue to cook for 1 hour more or until the internal temperature of the roast is 160 degrees. Transfer the roast, apples and onion to a serving platter and keep warm. Skim excess fat from meat juices. Pour drippings into a heavy skillet. Stir in apple juice and syrup. Cook and stir over medium-high heat until liquid has been reduced by half, about 1 cup. Slice the roast and serve with gravy.
Baked Potato Salad
3 Potatoes, Idaho, medium-size Water
1 1/3 ts Salt
2 tb Salad oil
1/2 c Onion,chopped 1 ts Mustard,prepard
1/4 ts Celery seed
2 tb Cider vinegar
1/2 c Green pepper,diced 1/4 c Carrot,shredded
Put potatoes in a large saucepan with 1 inch cold water and 1 teaspoon salt; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer 25 minutes, until potatoes are tender; drain and cool. Peel potatoes and slice 1/4-inch thick; set aside.
Heat oil in a medium-size skillet; saute onion until soft. Stir in flour, mustard, celery seed and remaining 1/3 teaspoon salt. Gradually add 1/2 cup water and vinegar; cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture boils and thickens.
Combine potatoes, green pepper and carrots in a bowl; add sauce, mixing well. Spoon half the mixture into a shallow 8×8-inch baking dish; sprinkle with 1/2 cup cheese. Cover with remaining potato mixture and cheese. Bake, uncovered, in preheated 350 degree oven 15 to 20 minutes, or until cheese is melted and vegetables are hot.
Steak and Potato Salad
1-1/2 pounds beef flank steak, fat trimmed and scored 1 medium sweet onion, cut into small wedges 6 medium Italian plum tomatoes, cut into wedges
4 ears corn, cooked, cut into 1-1/2 inch pieces
1 medium green pepper, sliced
Fresh Herb Vinaigrette (recipe follows)
Grill steak over medium-hot coals to desired degree of doneness, about 20 minutes for medium, turning steak halfway through cooking time. Slice steak, diagonally across grain, into scant 1/4-inch slices. Combine sliced meat and vegetables in shallow serving bowl. Pour dressing over and toss. Serve immediately or refrigerate several hours and serve chilled.
Fresh Herb Vinaigrette
1/3 cup red wine vinegar 1/4 cup water
3 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons sweetener 1 teaspoon dried rosemary leaves 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves 1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves 1 teaspoon dried basil leaves 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon pepper
Combine all ingredients in covered jar; shake to mix.
Two great ways to spruce up corn on the cob
Lime and Red Chili Topping
Squeeze fresh lime juice over hot corn, sprinkle with red chile powder and black pepper.
Garlic-Lemon Vinaigrette
In a small bowl, mix together 1 1/2 tbsp. of olive oil, 2 tbsp. of fresh lemon juice and 2 cloves of minced garlic. Brush onto hot cobs of corn with a pastry brush.
Childproofing the kitchen:
* Store matches, lighters, sharp utensils and household cleaners in a cabinet accessible only to adults.
* Put child-safety latches on all lower-level cabinets.
* Unplug appliances when not in use and keep cords out of reach of children.
* Never pour hot liquid near a child and never leave hot drinks within reach.
* Use the back burners of the stove and turn pot handles toward the back.
* Watch out for tablecloths – since small children enjoy pulling on the cloth, glasses and plates can fall off.
* Keep stools and chairs away from counters and stoves.
* Be sure to keep alcohol locked away from children.
* Many kitchen accidents occur within seconds. It’s best to keep small children out of the kitchen completely. Use a child-safety gate, if possible, in the doorway to keep children out of the kitchen completely when you are in another room.
Cleaning…. now or later
The best way to save time cleaning is to not allow things to get dirty. Here are some very simple and clever things you can do quickly now to avoid heavy cleaning later.
Make Potholders and Tablecloths Unstainable
Spray new potholders and tablecloths with spray starch. This will prevent greasy stains and keep them looking like new. Reapply starch after laundering.
Prevent Refrigerator Odors
Place an uncovered cup of baking soda in the refrigerator. Replace every three months.
Make Stainless Steel Surfaces Spot-Resistant
After cleaning and drying (white vinegar works well), polish stainless steel with a little baby oil and buff*it.
Refrigerator Vegetable Bins
Line these with paper towels to absorb moisture. When they begin to get damp, use them to wipe out the bins and then replace with fresh paper towels.
Kitchen Trash Can
Sprinkle a small amount of fresh kitty litter in the bottom of the trash can to absorb moisture and odors. Replace when it gets damp.
Reduce Oven Cleaning
Place a sheet of aluminum foil on the floor of the oven. Replace when soiled.
Messy Hands?
Before going knuckle-deep into messy ingredients (making meatloaf, kneading bread, etc.) place two plastic bags nearby. If the phone rings, or the baby cries, you can quickly use the plastic bags as gloves to keep from leaving a messy trail of food.
