MASHED POTATO CRUST

FOR QUICHE

Butter a 9-inch pie pan.

30 minutes to prepare; about 30 minutes to bake.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

2 large (the size of a healthy fist) potatoes

2 Tbsp. butter

¼ tsp. salt

freshly-ground black pepper

choices of: herbs (rosemary or dill), or ½ cup finely-minced raw onion, depending on the contents of the

    quiche

Scrub the potatoes, cut them into chunks or slices and boil them until soft. Drain and mash.

combine mashed potatoes with butter, salt, pepper, herbs, onion.  Mix well.  Using a spoon and/or rubber spatula, sculpt a handsome crust with an even handsomer edge in your pre-buttered 9-inch pie pan.

Bake 30 (ish)  minutes.  Halfway through the baking, lightly brush the entire top surface with oil. 

IT IS NOT NECESSARY TO COOL THE CRUST BEFORE FILLING AND RE-BAKING.

from Cheryl Bloom

Green Tomato Chutney

1 Kilo green tomatoes

700g sugar

2 - 4 teaspoons chilli powder, or cayenne pepper

3 teaspoons black mustard seeds – coarsely ground

1 small pod of garlic crushed = about 1 heaped tablespoon

2 tablespoons fresh ginger, crushed or grated

About 0.7 Liter apple cider vinegar

salt

optionally 100g each chopped dried apricots and raisins

Slice or dice the tomatoes and sprinkle liberally with salt leave in a plastic colander or sieve to drain for a couple of hours or overnight. Squeeze out as much excess liquid as possible – put in a heavy based saucepan and add enough vinegar to just cover the fruit. Bring to the boil stirring occasionally, boil till the fruit starts to soften. Add the sugar and spices (no more salt!) and simmer gently – stir often as the chutney often tends to stick to the bottom of the pan – it’s ready when it reaches the consistency of jam when cool. – I test it by cooling a teaspoonful in a saucer.

Bottle like jam and it keeps for months or years.

from AB Priceman

French Onion Soup with Shaved Swiss Cheese

Recipe courtesy Emeril Lagasse, 2002

Ingredients

1 tablespoon oil

3 pounds yellow onions, peeled and slice thinly

1/3 cup bourbon whiskey

3 quarts stock

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper

1 teaspoon hot red pepper sauce

1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1 cup freshly grated Swiss cheese

Directions

1. In a large, heavy pot, heat oil over medium-high heat.
   

2. Add half of the onions and cook, stirring, until dark golden brown and caramelized, about 15 minutes.
   

3. Add the remaining onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until a deep caramel color, about 1 hour.
   

4. Add the bourbon and cook, stirring occasionally, until evaporated, about 5 minutes.
   

5. Add the remaining ingredients except the cheese, and stir well. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thick and fragrant, about 1 hour.
   

6. Remove from the heat and cover to keep warm.
   

To serve, sprinkle each portion with grated Swiss cheese.

Monie's Cranberry Liqueur

1 12 oz package fresh cranberries

4 C sugar

2 C water

2 tsp. lemon zest

2 tsp. orange zest

6 C vodka

1. Bring sugar and water to a boil. Let cool to room temperature.
   

2. Wash, pick and chop the cranberries (a Cuisnart is great).
   

3. In large glass, enamel or other non-reactive bowl, mix cranberries, lemon zest, sugar syrup, vodka
   

4. Mix gently.
   

5. Divide into 1 or 2 large glass jars or ceramic crocks with tight-fitting lids.
   

6. Let sit in cool dark place for several weeks (up to two months).
   

7. Strain (coffee filters are great) into gift jars.
   

You can use the chopped fruit in cranberry bread, on ice cream, etc.

from Cindy Frank (Monie was her mom's nickname)

Lynne’s Homemade Russian Vanilla

Buy large bottle of Vodka (the better the vodka the better the vanilla.)

6-14 Vanilla Beans (whatever you can afford)

1. Slit the vanilla beans lengthwise, almost all the way through
   

2. Put into Vodka bottle and let sit for at least a month on a dark shelf,
   

3. Shake up and down once or twice a week.
   

It just gets better and better the longer you let it sit.  For gifts buy small brown bottles, fill them and put in a half of a vanilla bean (slit lengthwise).

from Lynne Calder

Mushroom-Barley Soup

The following recipe is from our editor, Joe, which he says is for International Soup-optimists' Day:

4 tablespoons olive oil

2 medium onions, chopped

1 lb. Crimini mushrooms, wiped clean and quartered

4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

2 quarts chicken stock

1 cup pearled barley, rinsed and drained

2 carrots, cut into ¼-inch dice

1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage leaves (or ½ teaspoon dried)

salt and pepper, to taste

¼ cup parsley, chopped

In a soup pot, heat the olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the onions, and sweat them for 6–8 minutes. Add the mushrooms, raising the heat to medium, and cook 5 minutes more. Add the garlic and cook another 3 minutes. Now remove the vegetable mixture to a bowl.

In soup pot combine broth, barley, carrots, and sage. Bring to a boil, then simmer, covered, for 1 hour. Stir in the vegetable mixture, season with salt and pepper, and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in the parsley and serve.

from Cindy Frank

Two Turkey Tips

1) You can cook a 20 lb turkey in 2 hours using this method:

Season and butter the turkey breast, remove any metal pieces and place the unstuffed turkey in a plastic turkey baking bag and then a glass baking pan. Cook on medium in the microwave for 60 minutes, turning every 15 minutes. Remove the turkey after an hour, stuff if desired, place in a roasting pan and bake in a 350 degree oven for one hour. The turkey will be moist and juicy with a nicely browned skin.

2) Use eggnog in place of milk or cream in your pumpkin pie recipe. This makes for a special and delicious taste.

from Lonna Oliver

Patricia Brown’s Wild Rice & Apple Stuffing

1 cup chopped mushrooms

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup chopped,

      peeled apples

1/4 cup chopped pecans

1 tsp rubbed sage

2 tbl butter/margarine

1 1/3 cups water

1 4oz pkg brown & wild rice

2 beaten eggs

2 tbl chopped parsley

salt & pepper to taste

1. ✤Preheat oven to 350°
   

2. ✤In medium saucepan saute mushrooms, onion, apples, pecans and sage in butter/margarine 5 -7 minutes.
   

3. ✤Add water, bring to boil.
   

4. ✤Add rice, reduce heat; cover and simmer 20-25 minutes. or until liquid is absorbed. Cool slightly.
   

5. ✤Combine rice mixture with eggs, parsley, salt & pepper.  Place stuffing in cleaned turkey or chicken.  Cook turkey/chicken as you would. 
   

6. ✤For turkeys over 5 lbs double the recipe 
   

Halloween Recipes

Ghostly Hand Punch

1. ✦1 new rubber glove, washed well and rinsed
   

2. ✦1 pound coffee can, washed and rinsed
   

3. ✦4 cups chilled cranberry juice cocktail
   

4. ✦2 cups chilled orange juice
   

5. ✦2 cups vodka (Mandarin Absolut is good) -- you can use ginger ale if you'd like a non-alcoholic brew
   

6. ✦2 tablespoons sugar
   

7. ✦2 to 4 tablespoons Grand Marnier or other orange liqueur
   

8. ✦1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
   

9. ✦1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
   

10. ✦1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
    

11. ✦Ice cubes
    

12. ✦2 oranges, thinly sliced
    

13. 
    

14. ✦To make the hand, fill rubber glove with water. Tie at the wrist with string and freeze one or two days. Unmold. Sometimes a finger will fall off when unmolding, this only adds to the ghoulish effect.
    

15. ✦To make a base for the hand, fill coffee can about 1/3 full with water. Insert the hand and freeze until firm. To remove, run water on the outside of can.
    

16. ✦When ready to serve pour half the liquids into the punch bowl. Insert hand ice mold in the center. Fill bowl with remaining liquids. For added effect, place a few drops of red food coloring on the tips of the fingers just before serving.
    

Serves 10 to 12.

from Cynthia Frank

Barf Bread

Take a loaf of sourdough bread and peel crust off the top.  Slice lengthwise, not all the way through.  Then slice widthwise into 1 inch slices..again not all the way through.

1. ✦Mix together 1 jar Old English cheese spread, 1 stick of butter and microwave to melt.  Add garlic salt to taste and chopped parsley, chopped carrots, chopped roasted red bell peppers and stir.  Spread mix all over top and into the slices.  Wrap in foil and bake at 350 for 30 minutes.  Uncover the top of the bread and bake for another 10 minutes or until golden.
   

Kittylitter Cake

You will need to purchase a brand new litter box and scoop or I used a white baking dish and spatula.

1. ✦2 boxes cake mix, any flavor you like.
   

2. ✦Vanilla instant pudding mix, made to directions.
   

3. ✦Vanilla sandwich cookies and Tootsie Rolls.
   

4. ✦Green food coloring.
   

5. ✦Bake the cake mixes according to directions in oblong pans. 
   

6. ✦Cut into 1 inch squares and mix with vanilla pudding.  Place this in the "serving dish".  In food processor chop cookies until consistency of kitty litter.  Reserve 1/4 of this mixture.  Sprinkle the rest of the mixture over the pudding/cake mixture. 
   

7. ✦Add green food coloring to the reserved cookie crumbs, just enough so it resembles the green specks in kitty litter. 
   

8. ✦Sprinkle evenly over the cake. 
   

9. ✦Melt tootsie rolls in microwave until soft enough to pull and shape into cat poop.   Serve with a smile!!!
   

from Jennifer Bosma