Best Recipes

• 3 cups peeled, seeded, and chopped acorn squash
• 1/2 cup finely chopped celery
• 1 cup peeled coarsely chopped potatoes
• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 5 cups chicken stock
• 1/2 cup finely chopped apples
• 1/2 cup chopped carrots
• 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients (except cream) in sauce pan.  Simmer over medium heat 30 minutes.  Puree mixture in food processor until smooth.  Return to pot, add cream.  Heat throughly.  Do not boil.  Serves 6-8.

• 1/2 cup carrots, finely chopped
• 1 cup onion, finely chopped                                 
• 1 cup beets, finely chopped                                    
• 1 cup celery, finely chopped
• 1 parsnip, finely chopped                   
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 2 cups beef stock
• 1 cup cabbage, finely shredded
• 1 cup tomato pulp or strained stewed tomatoes
• salt and pepper to taste
• sour cream, fresh dill ( dill)

Barely cover carrots, onion, beets, celery, and parsnip with boiling water in 3 quart pot.  Cover pot and allow vegetables to simmer for 20 minutes.  Add butter, stock, cabbage and tomatoes.  Cook, covered for 15 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper.  Pour soup into bowls and garnish with teaspoonful of sour cream and sprinkling of fresh dill.

• 1 pound onions chopped
• 1 stick margarine
• 2 pound chopped broccoli or 2 large bags frozen
• 1 quart chicken stock or 1 quart water and 2 tablespoons chicken stock base
• 1 quart half and half cream
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch (optional)
• add 1 pound American cheese grated or 1 pound Velveeta cut in small pieces

Saute onion in margarine until clear.  Add broccoli and chicken stock, cook until tender.  Add half and half cream and blend.  Add grated or cut up cheese.  Cook until cheese is all melted and soup is thickened.  Dissolve cornstarch in 1 cup water and add if a thicker soup is desired.

• 4-5 pound stewing chicken, cut up
• 1 large stalk celery (with leaves), cut into pieces
• 1 medium carrot, cut into fourths
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
• 2 medium tomatoes, cut into fourths
• 3 cloves garlic
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon dried sage leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper

Remove any excess pieces of fat from chicken.  Place chicken, giblets, and neck in 4 qt. dutch oven.  Add just enough water to cover.  Add remaining ingredients.  Heat to boiling; reduce heat.  Cover and simmer until thickest pieces are tender, about 45 minutes.  Refrigerate until chicken broth is cool.

When cool, remove chicken, debone and skin pieces.  Skim fat from broth; strain.  Cover and refrigerate chicken pieces and broth seperately no longer than 24 hours.  Use any recipe calling for cooked chicken or chicken broth.  Makes about 4 cups cut up chicken and 7 cups broth.  If preferred, freeze the broth for later use.

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 1 cup finely chopped celery
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 2 oz. can whole kernel corn (drained) or 2 cups fresh/frozen corn
• 20 medium oysters
• 1 cup finely chopped onion
• 2 cups cubed potatoes ( 1/2 inch cubes)
• 2 cups water 1/4 teastpoon salt
• 2 cups milk
• 2 tablespoons oyster liquor

In a large pot, melt butter over medium heat and add onions and celery.  Saute 10 minutes, until slightly brown.  Add potatoes, stock, water, basil, and salt.  Simmer over low heat for 30-45 minutes, or until spuds are falling apart.  In a small sauce pan, whisk together flour and 1/2 cup of milk, bring to boil over low heat and add this to the simmering stock.  Add the remainder of the milk and the corn.  Heat (but do not boil) the soup over low heat for another few minutes.  Just before serving, add oysters and liquor.  Heat about 5-6 minutes until oysters puff up and the edges are curly.  Serves 8-10.

• 8 potatoes, cubed
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 qt. milk
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 egg, well beaten
• salt and pepper to taste

Boil the potatoes until soft, drain.  Add 1qt. milk and heat throughly, season to taste.  Work the butter into the flour.  Add the egg and 1/4 cup milk, using enough milk to make mixture thin enough to drop into the hot milk.  Drop by teaspoonfuls into the hot milk.  Cover the sauce pan and cook about 10 minutes.  Serve immediately.

• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 1/4 teaspoon oregano
• 1/4 seasoned salt
• 3 cups boiling water
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 cup carrots, sliced
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon basil
• 1 envelope onion soup mix
• 8 oz. can tomato sauce
• 1 cup celery, sliced
• 1 cup macaron, cooked and drained

Crumble beef into slow cooker.  Add pepper, oregano, basil, seasoned salt, and dry soup mix.  Stir in water, tomato sauce, and soy sauce; then add celery and carrots.  Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours.  Turn control to high.  Add cooked macaroni and Parmesan Cheese.  Cover and cook on high for 10-15 minutes.  Makes 5-6 servings.

• 2 cups tapioca
• 1 qt. grape juice
• 1/2 cup lemon juice
• 1 pound raisins
• 2 qts. water
• 2 cups (or more) sugar
• 1 pound prunes
• 1-2 cinnamon sticks

Boil tapioca in water until clear.  Add grape juice, sugar, lemon juice, and cook cinnamon sticks and fruit with juices.  Remove cinnamon sticks when done.  Yield one gallon.  Served as an appetizer.  Your preference of frozen fruits can be added, but try it this way first.

• 24 oz. jar of roasted red peppers, drained
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1and 1/4 cups sour cream
• 1and 1/2 cups buttermilk
• 1 Tablespoon curry powder
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper or to taste
• salt to taste
• 1 teaspoon sugar or to taste
• 2 cups cooked yellow corn kernels
• 6 green onions (with greens), thinly sliced for garnish.

In a blender or food processor, place the first 8 ingredients and process until smooth. Pour soup into a medium pan; add corn.  Cover and simmer about 5 minutes.  Ladle into bowls.  Top each with green onions and optional sour cream.  Serves 6.

• 3 pounds oxtails, disjointed
• 1/2 cup barley
• 1/2 cup celery, chopped
• 1/4 cup rutabaga, chopped
• 1 medium tomato peeled, seeded and chopped
• 1 1/2 tablespoons marjoram
• 2 cups water
• 1 medium onion chopped
• 1/2 cup carrot, chopped
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• 2 teaspoons salt
• pinch dill
• pinch garlic powder
• pinch nutmeg

Place oxtails in 6 qt. pot.  Add water to cover and bring to boil over high heat.  Cover and simmer until meat is very tender and can be easily removed from bones, about 2 and 1/2- 3 hours.  Cool, then cover and refrigerate overnight.  Skim fat from surface of stock, reserving 1/4 cup of fat.  Remove meat from bones, discarding fat that clings.  Bring 2 cups water to boil in medium saucepan.  Add barley, cover and simmer until tender, about 35-40 minutes.  Drain.  Heat oxtail fat in medium skillt.  Saute onion, celery, carrot and rutabaga about 3-4 minutes.  Stir in meat.  Heat 6 cups oxtail broth in large pot.  Stir in barley, vegetable meat mixture, tomato and wine and bring slowly to boil.  Stir in remaining ingredients and cook about 5 minutes over medium heat.  Refrigerate several hours or overnight.  Skim any fat from surgace and reheat just before serving.

• 2 lamb shanks
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1 tablespoon whole allspice
• 1/2 cup parsnips, peeled and diced
• 2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
• 2 qts. water
• 2 beef bouillon cubes
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup leeks, chopped
• 1 cup carrots, peeled and diced
• 1/2 cup celery, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup parsley, minced
• 2 qts. cabbage, shredded

Place lamb shanks into large slow cooker with bouillon cubes, pepper and salt.  Tie allspice in cheesecloth.  Add allspice, leeks, parsnips, carrots, celery, potatoes, parsley, and water to pot.  Cover and cook on low 7-9 hours or until meat is tender.  Remove allspice and meat from pot.  Cut meat off bones; dice and return to pot.  Skim off fat from top of soup.  Turn control to high.  Add cabbage.  Cover and cook on high for 25-30minutes or until cabbage is done.  Makes 8 servings.  Can also be prepared on stovetop.

• 3 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
• 1 medium-sized onion, cut into chunks
• (2) 14oz. cans chicken broth
• 1 large tomato, finely chopped (reserve juice)
• 1 cup Gruyere or Swiss cheese, shredded
• 6 oz. can tomato paste
• 1 cup seasoned croutons

Puree butter, onion, and tomato paste in a blender or food processor.  Pour into a 3-4 qt. pan and cook over high heat, stirring until puree boils vigorously.  Add broth and tomato, including juice.  Heat through and season with salt to taste.  Makes about 4 cups.

• 1/2 cucumber peeled
• 1/2 avocado, peeled
• 3 tablespoons olive oil or salad oil
• 4 cups canned tomato juice
• 1/2 mild red or white onion, peeled
• 1/2 teaspoons crumbled oregano
• 2 tablespoons wine vinegar
• 2 limes, cut in wedges
• liquid hot pepper seasoning, to taste

Cut off a few slices of cucumber and onion and save for garnish.  Chop the rest of cucumber and onion into small pieces.  Slice or chop the avocado.  Put onion, avocado, oregano, oil, and vinegar in a container.  Pour in the tomato juice.  Top with cucumber and onion slices.  Chill.  To serve, ladle into bowls, adding a little ice to each serving.  Let each person add lime juice and hot pepper seasoning to taste.

• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 tablespoon butter or margarine
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 2 small zucchini, chopped
• 8-10 oz. can whole kernel corn, drained
• 2 tablespoons canned, roasted chilies, finely chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 1 cup milk
• 2 oz. Monterey Jack cheese, cut into 1/4 inch cubes
• ground nutmeg
• snipped parsley

Cook and stir onion in margarine in 2 qt. sauce pan until tender.  Stir in chicken broth, zucchini, corn, green chilies, salt and pepper.  Heat to boiling; reduce heat.  Cover and cook until zucchini is tender, about 5 minutes.  Stir in milk; heat until hot.  Add cheese; garnish with nutmeg and parsley.