Wednesday, August 21, 2013

Summer Squash or Zucchini Casserole




This recipe is from my mother-in-law, Margaret Guthrie (originally from Bon Appetit as Zucchini Bake.)  Even though it's a vegetable side dish, it is made with cream of chicken soup.  If you want to make it totally vegetarian, you can substitute cream of celery soup.  I usually make it over the summer when zucchini and summer squash are in season, but is good during the holidays as well. Goes well with roast chicken and turkey.

Ingredients:

2 lbs. sliced squash (6 cups);  I use a mix of zucchini and yellow summer squash.
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 can cream of chicken soup (I use Campbell's) -- or substitute cream of celery soup per
 head note.
1 cup sour cream (use regular, not low fat or fat free)
1 cup shredded carrots
1 -8 oz. pack herb-seasoned stuffing mix
1/2 cup melted butter

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Cook squash and onions in boiling, salted water 5 minutes; drain.  Combine soup and sour cream in a large mixing bowl (large enough to add the squash later).  Stir in carrots.  Fold in the cooked and drained squash and onion mixture.  Combine stuffing and melted butter and spread half in 12x7x2 dish.  Spoon veggie mix on top.  Then top with remaining stuffing.  Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes.  Serves 8.


Monday, January 28, 2013

Rouldaden

Recipe from Margaret Guthrie -- Good served with warm German potato salad.     Serves 4

Ingredients:

Sirloin tip cut 1/4" thick

large dill pickle cut in 1/4

1/2 lb. diced bacon

1 or 2 chopped onion

1 cup red wine

mustard

beef bouillon

salt

Directions:

Spread each cutlet with mustard, 1/2 tsp. salt, onion, bacon and pickle.  Roll and secure (with toothpicks or string).  Brown in butter.  Add 1 cup bouillon and wine.  Simmer for 1 1/2 hours.  Remove toothpicks before serving.

Thursday, January 24, 2013

Hand-Dipped Homemade Chocolates





This recipe is a special Christmas confection.  It was given to me by my mother-in-law, Margaret Guthrie, and is originally from the Ogdensburg Home Bureau.  Everyone seems to have their favorite flavors.  Ours are cherry, maple, orange, raspberry, strawberry and butter rum.  Allow at least 2  hours to do steps 5, 6 and 7. 


Ingredients:

4.5 - 5 cups chocolate chips/broken chocolate bars (I use combination of semi-sweet and bittersweet)

2 lb. confections sugar

1/2 lb. sweet unsalted butter

1/4 bar paraffin wax, grated -- I use a box grater. (Gulf Brand is good -- available in the canning department or in some craft stores -- check for FDA approval)

1 can sweetened condensed milk

Strawberry


Directions: (My notes on time say:  3 hours for steps 1-5 and also allow 2 1/2 hours to do steps 5,6 and 7 -- leave plenty of time no matter how you do the steps, especially with  times in the refrigerator/freezer, which makes it much easier)

(1) Mix together sugar, butter and sweetened condensed milk; mix well.

(2) Divide into dishes for flavoring and coloring -- I do 5 or 6 flavors.

(3)  Flavor with extracts -- you'll need 1 tsp. or more flavoring per bowl, to taste-- flavors to use: almond extract (for cherry flavor), maple extract, orange extract, vanilla extract, strawberry extract, raspberry extract, for butter rum -- use both butter and rum extracts.)

(4) Cover dishes with plastic wrap and refrigerate dishes (an hour or more).

(5)  One-by-one, remove dishes from the refrigerator, and roll the candy mixture into about 1 inch diameter balls. Place on a cookie sheet covered with foil (I label the foil with the flavors to keep track).  Stick a toothpick into each ball; set completed cookie sheet in freezer while finishing the rest. Repeat process with the rest of the dishes, keeping the bowls refrigerated until ready to roll into balls.  Freeze balls with toothpicks for at least 10 minutes before dipping in chocolate -- makes the dipping process easier. (Note:  This is a very messy step, you will need to wash your hands and utensils after each flavor.  Refreeze balls if they are too warm to work with.)  

(6)  Melt the chocolate/chocolate chips with the paraffin wax shavings in a double boiler; stirring until the wax is melted and the chocolate mixture is very smooth.

(7)  One flavor at a time, remove candy balls from the freezer and dip the candy in the melted chocolate holding the toothpick and quickly dipping and then swirling back and forth to get rid of extra chocolate before returning to the foil covered cookie sheet. Fill hole caused by toothpick with a dab of chocolate.  Repeat process for all flavors, returning dipped chocolates to the refrigerator. 

(8)  Put the dipped chocolates into individual white candy cups.

(9)  Keep chocolates in a covered container in the refrigerator.