A to Z Recipes
Newsletter

PEACH SOUR CREAM PIE

~Submitted by Larry Holmes, Ontario, Canada

1 cup sour cream
2 teaspoons grated lemon rind
½ cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
½ teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon salt
2 egg yolks, beaten
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 ½ cups peeled, sliced peaches (about 4 large)
1 partially baked Sweet Pastry (recipe follows)

Preheat oven to 425° F.

Mix together sour cream, lemon rind, sugar, vanilla, ginger, salt and egg yolks in a bowl. Sprinkle flour over peaches and toss together. Pile the peaches into the pie shell. Spread the sour cream mixture over the fruit. Bake for 15 minutes. Lower the heat to 350° F and bake 35 minutes longer or until the top is browned.

Serves 8

Sweet Pastry:
½ cup unsalted butter
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 egg yolks
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Preheat oven to 375° F. Cut the butter into 1-inch cubes. Combine the flour and sugar in a large bowl. Cut in butter until the mixture resembles coarse bread crumbs. Combine egg yolks and lemon juice. Add to flour mixture and blend well.

Roll our or pat the pastry until 1/8-inch thick. Place in a 9-inch flan pan. Trim off excess and prick the pastry with a fork. Line pastry with foil or parchment paper and fill with beans or pie weights. Bake for 15 minutes in lower third of the oven. Remove the beans or pie weights and bake for a further 5 minutes to partially bake the crust.




ROTEL CHICKEN

~Submitted by Carol, Renton, WA

1 Lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 Lb. Angel hair pasta
1 can Campbell's Cream of Chicken soup
1 Lb. Mexican or regular Velveeta cheese
1 can Rotel tomatoes w/ green chilies

Boil chicken breasts in large pan, adding a pinch of salt to water. Remove chicken when completely done. Boil pasta in remaining broth, drain after pasta is done. (go by package directions). Cut breasts into bite size chunks. Cut cheese into small chunks and melt in saucepan. Combine all ingredients in large pan-----mix well and serve.

(I like to put this in a greased 9x13-inch baking dish and add Ritz Cracker crumbs that have been moistened with a bit of melted butter, then put into the oven until bubbly and the crackers are a bit browned. This takes about 15 to 20 minutes in a 425F oven.)

Serve with a green salad.




MUSHROOM CHICKEN IN WINE SAUCE

Submitted by Lillian, FL

1 lb. chicken breasts, skinned and boned
¼ cup flour
2 Tbsp. Canola oil
Mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
½ cup honey mustard
½ cup white wine
1 Tbsp. parsley

Coat chicken with flour, shaking off excess. Heat oil in a large skillet and add chicken; brown on both sides, about 3 minutes per side. Stir in mushrooms, mustard and wine. Bring to a boil; cover and simmer for 20 minutes or until chicken is done. Sprinkle with parsley.

Serves 4




NEWFANGLED MEAT LOAF

~Submitted by Patricia Collins, LA

6 sheets phyllo pastry, thawed
1/2 stick butter
2 tablespoons dry bread crumbs

Filling
1 medium green onion, chopped
1/2 medium red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 cup dry bread crumbs
1/2 cup shredded Swiss cheese
1/3 cup milk
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

2 large eggs
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dried mixed herbs
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 pound ground beef

1. To prepare filling, mix green onion, red bell pepper, bread crumbs, cheese, milk, parsley, eggs, salt, herbs, and black pepper. Stir in beef.

2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.

3. Unfold phyllo sheets so that the lie flat. Place 1 sheet on waxed paper. Brush with some melted butter. Sprinkle with bread crumbs. Keep remaining sheets covered with plastic wrap and a damp cloth to prevent them from drying out.

4. Repeat with remaining phyllo sheets, some melted butter, and remaining bread crumbs.

5. Spread filling lengthwise down 1 side of pastry to within 1 inch of edge. Using waxed paper as an aid, roll up phyllo around filling. Brush ends with water; fold ends under.

6. Place pastry covered meatloaf, seam-side down, on prepared baking sheet. Brush with remaining melted butter.

7. Bake meatloaf until golden and juices run clear. About 1 hour and 10 minutes. Transfer baking sheet to a wire rack to cool slightly.

Serves 8




ASSORTED CHOCOLATE CANDIES

~Submitted by Joyce, IL

24 ounces (about 4 cups) semisweet milk or white chocolate 50 small two-layer candy cups
Fillings
Raspberry preserves
Marshmallow fluff
Toasted hazelnuts
Peanut butter
Liqueur-nut mixture (see note)
Caramel-praline mixture (see note)

Chop chocolate into small pieces if not using chips. Heat half of chocolate in top of double boiler until it melts & reaches a temperature of 110 to 120 degrees F. Remove saucepan with chocolate from heat & stir in remaining chocolate. Stir chocolate frequently until it reaches a temperature of 86 to 91 degrees F for semisweet chocolate, 84 to 88 degrees F for milk & white chocolate. Using a small pastry brush, paint inside of candy cups with melted chocolate. Place cups in freezer for 10 minutes. Remove cups from freezer. Using a spoon, fill cups three-fourths full with raspberry preserves, marshmallow fluff topped with a toasted hazelnut & other fillings.

Heat chocolate until it again reaches 88 to 90 degrees F. Using a spoon, drop chocolate on top of filling. Using the back of the spoon, smooth out chocolate & seal to the edge of the shell. Return candies to freezer for 10 minutes. Remove from freezer & store in airtight container.

NOTES:
To make liqueur-nut mixture, combine 1/2 cup finely chopped nuts with 1/4 cup Bailey's Irish Creme, amaretto or other liqueur. Place in freezer until ready to use. When filling candy shells, float nuts on top of liqueur. To make caramel-praline mixture, melt 20 caramels & 1/4 cup heavy cream in the top of a double boiler. Stir in 1/2 cup chopped nuts. Cool before using.

Yields 50 candies.




QUEEN OF SHEBA SOUL CAKE

~Submitted by Tena, MO

9 ounces unsweetened chocolate, cut into small pieces
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
6 large egg yolks
1 tablespoon flour
6 large egg whites at room temperature
pinch cream of tartar

Icing:
6 ounces semisweet chocolate, cut into small pieces
2 large eggs
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
lightly whipped cream, if desired

Line bottom of buttered 9” round cake pan, 2 inches deep, with wax paper, butter the paper, and dust the pan with flour, shaking out the excess. In the top of a double boiler set over hot water melt the chocolate, stirring. In a bowl with an electric mixer beat the butter with the sugar until the mixture is pale and fluffy. Add the chocolate, and beat the mixture until well combined. Add the egg yolks, 1 at a time, beating well. Beat in the flour and chill the mixture, covered. Beat egg whites with the cream of tartar and a pinch of salt until they hold stiff peaks. Stir one third of the whites into the chocolate mixture and fold in the remaining whites gently but thoroughly. Spoon the batter into the pan and bake the cake in the middle of the oven at 450F for 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to 300F and bake for 25-30 minutes more. Transfer cake to rack and let cool in pan for 10 minutes. Turn cake out, peel paper off and let cool completely.

Icing: In the top of a double boiler set over hot water melt the chocolate, stirring. In a bowl with an electric mixer beat the eggs and the butter until combined well. Add the chocolate and beat till fluffy and chill, covered, for 30 minutes. Spread the top and sides of the cake with the icing, and serve with whipped cream.




ASPARAGUS WITH WARM BACON & SHERRY VINAIGRETTE

~Submitted by Angelique, TX

Makes 4 servings

4 thickly sliced strips smoked bacon

For the vinaigrette:
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons sherry wine vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, with stems removed
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 pound asparagus, washed and tough ends removed
1/4 medium red onion, cut into thin lengthwise slivers

In a large skillet over medium heat cook the bacon until browned and crisp, 10 to 12 minutes. Drain on a double thickness of paper towel. Cut into 1/4-inch crosswise pieces and set aside.

To make the vinaigrette: In a small bowl whisk the vinaigrette ingredients, including a grinding of black pepper. Set aside.

Drizzle the asparagus with 1 tablespoon of the vinaigrette and season with salt.

Grill over Direct Medium heat until crisp-tender, 6 to 8 minutes, turning once halfway through grilling time.

Transfer the asparagus to a large deep platter. Drizzle with the vinaigrette. Sprinkle with bacon pieces and slivered red onion. Serve warm or at room temperature. Serve warm.

Source: www.weber.com




MARTHA WASHINGTON BALLS

~Submitted by Jean, Syracuse, NY

2 cups powdered sugar; (1-pound)
1 cup butter; melted
2 cup coarsely chopped pecans
1 can sweetened condensed milk Not evaporated milk)
1/4 paraffin block (see note)
1 package semisweet chocolate chips; -(6-oz)

Combine sugar, butter, pecans and milk. Roll into balls; chill.

Melt paraffin and chocolate chips in top of double boiler over barely simmering water. Use forks to dip balls into chocolate, then let cool on tray covered with waxed paper.

Note: You can substitute 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon shortening for the paraffin. Place chocolate and shortening in small heat-proof bowl. Add 1 inch of very warm (100- to 110-degree) water to a larger bowl. Place bowl with chocolate inside larger bowl and stir constantly until melted, taking care not to get any water in chocolate. If water cools, replace with more very warm water.

Click here to submit an item for posting in this section.
"It is a requirement that items sent for posting NOT be from other newsletters."

For Two...

PEARS WITH BLUE CHEESE

1 Pear, not too ripe
honey
lemon juice
sugar
good blue cheese, e.g. gorgonzola piccante, roquefort or cabrales de picos, in thin slices, at room temperature
corn starch

Peel and quarter the pear. Cut out the core, and cut into thin slices. Make a syrup using honey, sugar, lemon juice and some water. Put on medium heat and add pears. Cook until the pears look glazy. Arrange the pear slices and cheese slices on plates. Cook the syrup until the desired sweetness is reached, and add some starch to thicken. Pour sauce over the pears. Serve directly.

Serves 2