Sugared Pecans

 To properly execute this recipe, you need a little patience, and a firm confidence that the plain white table sugar in your pan will actually melt and become caramel when it reaches 366.8 degrees Fahrenheit.

 

Martha’s Sugared Pecans

½ cup white table sugar

2 cups pecans (You may substitute slivered almonds, walnut halves, or other nuts, as desired)

A pinch of kosher salt

Consider one of the following options:

pinch cinnamon

pinch cloves

generous pinch cayenne

Line a cooling rack with foil or parchment paper and set aside.

Heat sugar, nuts and spices in heavy medium skillet over medium heat.  (Any skillet will work, but you are making caramel, which is notoriously rough on nonstick pans.  Stainless steel is preferable only for the sake of your pan.)  Stir occasionally with wooden spoon.  Do not add water.  After several minutes, the sugar will begin to look sticky.

Continue to stir.  After several more minutes, the sugar will begin to melt.  Continue to stir gently.

When sugar is completely melted, empty contents of skillet into thin layer onto prepared rack.

Let cool and break into pieces.  Store in cookie tin or glass jar with tightly fitting lid.

(Note:  if the sugar does not seem to be melting after about five minutes, your stove may not be hot enough.  Increase the heat to medium and continue as directed.  Monitor very carefully.)

Strawberry Spinach Salad

 

Strawberry Spinach Salad

10 oz bag fresh baby spinach

1/4 small red onion, thinly sliced

1 pint strawberries, quatered long ways

1 cup sliced almonds, toasted (Or make Sugared Pecans)

1/4 cup crumbled cooked bacon

1 bottle Poppyseed Salad Dressing, chilled

Toss salad ingredients together and chill. Just before serving, pour in chilled poppyseed salad dressing. Toss to coat. Be careful to not add too much. 

Serves 12.

 

Martha’s Sugared Pecans

½ cup white table sugar

2 cups pecans (You may substitute slivered almonds, walnut halves, or other nuts, as desired)

pinch kosher salt

Consider one of the following options:

pinch cinnamon

pinch cloves

generous pinch cayenne

Line a cooling rack with foil or parchment paper and set aside.

Heat sugar, nuts and spices in heavy medium skillet over medium heat.  (Any skillet will work, but you are making caramel, which is notoriously rough on nonstick pans.  Stainless steel is preferable only for the sake of your pan.)  Stir occasionally with wooden spoon.  Do not add water.  After several minutes, the sugar will begin to look sticky.

Continue to stir.  After several more minutes, the sugar will begin to melt.  Continue to stir gently.

When sugar is completely melted, empty contents of skillet into thin layer onto prepared rack.

Let cool and break into pieces.  Store in cookie tin or glass jar with tightly fitting lid.

(Note:  if the sugar does not seem to be melting after about five minutes, your stove may not be hot enough.  Increase the heat to medium and continue as directed.  Monitor very carefully.)

Crockpot BBQ Ribs

 

Crockpot BBQ Ribs

4 lbs pork baby back ribs

Salt and pepper to taste

1/2 teaspooon garlic powder

1/2 teaspooon onion powder

Sauce:

2 cups BBQ Sauce

1 cup Ketchup

1/2 cup brown sugar

4 Tablespoons red wine vinegar

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

2 teaspoons oregano

1 tablespoon liquid smoke (if you like a smokey flavor)

Dash of hot sauce (if you desire a spicier flavor)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place the ribs in a shallow baking pan, season with salt, pepper, garlic powder and onion powder. Bake for 15 minutes, then turn over and bake for 15 minutes more. Drain off the fat.

In a medium bowl, combine BBQ sauce, ketchup, brown sugar, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce and oregano (and liquid smoke and/or hot sauce, if desired).

Place ribs in a large crockpot (at least 6 quart). Curl them around or cut in half. Pour sauce over the ribs and cook on low for 6-8 hours, until tender.

If you want to carmelize the BBQ sauce, put the ribs back in the oven at 400 degrees for 15 minutes.

Pasta Fagioli Soup

 

This is the perfect, warm meal for those nights in the fall when you need something filling, yet nutritious.

Stanley Tucci's Pasta Fagioli

Ingredients:

extra-virgin olive oil

1medium onion, sliced

2 cloves garlic, halved

1/2 bunch cavolo nero (Tuscan kale), roughly chopped

3 (14-ounce) cans cannellini beans

3 cups chicken stock or vegetable stock

2-3 cups marinara sauce

1pound small pasta, like ditali or gnocchetti sardi

salt, to taste

freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Parmigiano-Reggiano or pecorino, for serving (optional)

Steps:

Pour a glug of the oil into a medium pot and saute the onion and garlic over medium-low heat until soft. At the same time, boil the cavolo nero in a small pot of salted water.

Add the beans, stock and marinara to the pan with the onion and garlic and stir together. Cook over low heat.

When the cavolo nero is soft, strain it, add it to the bean mixture and stir.

Continue to cook on a low simmer with the lid askew for about 15 minutes.

In the meantime, boil the pasta in salted water according to the directions on the package. When it’s done, strain it, reserving about a cup of the water, and place it in a large bowl.

Add about 2 cups of the bean mixture to the pasta along with some of the pasta water and a drizzle of oil and mix.

Salt to taste and divide among 4 bowls.

Add more bean mixture to each bowl with a drizzle of oil. Sprinkle with pepper and Parmigiano or pecorino, if using.

(serves 4)

Stanley Tucci shares his easy recipe for pasta fagioli

Kung Pao Chciken

 

Kung Pao Chciken

1 lb. chicken, cut into 2" pieces

3 cloves gar;ic, chopped

1 cup green beans, cut into 1" pieces (Optional)

Oil

1/4 cup chicken broth

2 Tablespoons soy sauce

2 Tablespoons Apple juice

1 Tablespoon cornstarch

1/2 teaspoon Sesame Oil

1/4-3/4 teaspoon crushed red chilies

10 green onions, cut diagonally into 1 1/2" pieces 

1/3 cup peanuts

Rice

Fry chicken, garlic and green beans in the oil. In a saucepan, make sauce by mixing chicken broth, apple juice, soy sauce, cornstarch and sesame oil. Cook to thicken, about 1 minute. Add crushed red chilies and stir to combine. Pour over chicken. Add green onions and peanuts. Serve over rice.

Serves 4-6.

Crockpot BBQ Meat

 

Crockpot BBQ Meat

11 lb. stewmeat

1/2 of 18 oz. bottle BBQ Sauce

Place meat in crockpot and pour BBQ Sauce over the meat. Set on low and cook for 8  hours. Seve on Hamburger buns or Kaiser Rolls.

Double Layer Pumpkin Pie

 

Double Layer Pumpkin Pie

3 cups crushed graham crackers (15 graham crackers)

1 and 1/2 cubes melted butter

1/2 cup sugar

8 oz. cream cheese, softened

1 cup powdered sugar

1 cup cool whip

2 pkgs Instant Vanilla Pudding

1 cup milk

16 oz can pumpkin

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ginger

1/4 teaspoon cloves 

Cool Whip

Grease a 9x13" pan. Mix graham crackers, butter and sugar together. Press firmly into pan. Whip cream cheese and powdered sugar together , then stir in Cool Whip. Spread over graham cracker crust. Cool in refrigerator for 20 minutes.

Whip together vanilla pudding, milk, pumpkin, cinnamon, ginger and cloves. Spread over chilled layers. Cool again until ready to serve.

To serve, top with more Cool Whip.

Christmas Morning Casserole

 

Christmas Morning Casserole

8 slices of bread, cubed

4 eggs

2 1/2 cups milk

3/4 teaspoon dry mustard

1 lb. sausage, browned

Grease a 9x13" casserole dish. Spread the bread in the pan, Mix the eggs, milk and mustard together and pour over the bread. Sprinkle with the browned sausage. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

The next morning, mix together:

1/2 cup mild grated cheese

1 can cream of mushroom soup

Pour over refrigerated casserole. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

Almond Glazed Cookies

 

Almond Glazed Cookies

1 cup (2 cubes) butter

3/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon almond extract

2 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Combine butter, sugar and alomd extract. Mix until creamy, 1-2 minutes. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Roll dough into 1" balls. Place 2" apart on a cookie sheet. Flatten to 1/4" thick with the bottom of a buttered glass dipped in sugar. 

Bake for 7-9 minutes. Cool

Optional Glaze-

1 1/2 cup powdered sugar

1 teaspoon almond extract

4-5 teaspoon water

Mix together and spread on top of cookies. Top with almond slices.

Griddle Scones

 

Griddle Scones

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cream of tartar

3/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup buttermilk

1/2 stick butter, melted and cooled

Mix together dry ingredients. Stir together buttermilk and melted butter. Add to dry ingredients. Stir to form soft dough. tuen out onto floured surface. Divide dough in half and knead each 3-4 times. Pat into 6" round, 1/2" thick. Cut into 4 wedges.

Heat cast iron skillet until hot. Lightly dust both sides of scones and shake off excess. Cook on low 3 minutes, undisturbed. Increase heat to medium low and cookk until scones are puffy and the undersides are golden brown, about 5 minutes. Turn over and cook about 7-8 minutes. Watch closely so they don't burn. Cool 3-4 minutes.

Serve butter and honey or jam.

Angie's Pasta Salad

 This recipe is from our friend, Angie...Mom's hairdresser for 30 years. This was one of Mom's favorite pasta salads.

Angie's Pasta Salad

3 Cheese Tortellini

Asparagus, cut in pieces 

1-2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

1 teaspoon Garlic Powder

1 teaspoon Onion Powder

Grape Tomatoes, cut in half

Feta Cheese

Black Olives

Kalamata Olives

Creamy Italian Salad Dressing

Salt and Pepper

Cook pasta and cool. Saute asparagus pieces in olive oil. Then season with garlic powder and onion powder. Cool. Mix all ingredients together, in desired amounts to taste.

Traditional Smoked Turkey

 

Traditional Smoked Turkey

1 fresh or frozen but thawed turkey (15lbs)

3-4 Tbsp Traegar Chicken Rub

2 Tbsp Olive Oil

Wipe turkey surface and cavity with wet paper towels, discard paper towels. Lightly rub oil over the turkey and in the cavity. Sprinkle a light coating of Traeger Chicken Rub on the surface and in the cavity of the turkey. Start the traeger grill on smoke with the lid open until fire is established (about 5 minutes). Switch to "medium" or 300 degrees on the digital thermostat. Place turkey on the center of the grill, close the lid and cook for 3 1/2 to 4 hours or until internal meat temperature is 160 to 165 degrees in the thickest part of the breast. Allow the turkey to rest 20-30 minutes before carving.

optional: Place the turkey in a foil roasting pan to collect the juice to make a gravy.