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.

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.

Strawberry Shortcake

Easy summertime dessert:  Made on biscuits, pound cake, scones or shortcake, and topped with sweetened strawberries and freshly whipped cream:

French Walnut Oil Vinaigrette

 

This is the recipe from "La Tourangelle Roasted Walnut Oil", except the amount of balsamic vinegar has been reduced.  I have experimented with making my own walnut oil vinaigrette since my first salad at Restaurant St. Michel in Coral Gables, 29 years ago, where they served a very similar one as their house dressing.  The secret of this simple vinaigrette is to use roasted walnut oil, since plain walnut oil is not very flavorful, and make sure to refrigerate it once open to keep it fresh.  

This is very good on any mixed greens salad,  or French Roasted Beet Salad (recipe here from the French Essence blog by Vicki Archer).  I especially like this with some crumbled goat cheese and French bread!

Ingredients:

4 Tbsp. Roasted Walnut Oil

1 tsp. balsamic vinegar

1 tsp. Dijon mustard

Dash of salt, to taste

Directions:

Combine all ingredients and enjoy.

Apple-Maple-Pecan Muffins

Made in the large (Texas size) muffin tins for 6 muffins. Leftovers are good sliced in half horizontally and reheated in the toaster oven. Recipe from my mother, Mary Jane Scanlon.

Makes 6 large (Texas size) muffins. 

Ingredients:

1/2 cup shelled pecans

1/3 cup chopped dried apple slices (1/4 inch pieces)

1 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 cup quick-cooking oatmeal (not instant)

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 cup chopped peeled apple (1/4 inch pieces)

1/2 cup raisins

1/2 cup vegetable oil, preferably sunflower

1/2 cup maple syrup

1 egg

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:

Heat oven to 400 degrees.  Using spray vegetable oil, coat a 6-muffin Texas size muffin pan and set aside. 

Lightly oil bowl and blades of food processor; in processor bowl, coarsely chop pecans and dried apple slices.  Transfer to mixing bowl.  Add flour, oatmeal, baking powder and soda, fresh apple and raisins.

In a 2-cup measuring cup, measure oil and syrup; add egg and vanilla; whisk until blended.  Pour over dry ingredients.  Stir with wooden spoon or spatula until just blended.  There should be a few spots of unblended flour.  Spoon batter into greased muffin cups; batter will almost fill each cup. 

Bake until muffins feel firm to the touch, 20 to 25 minutes.  Cool 5 minutes in pan.  Carefully turn out of pan. Let the muffins cool on a rack a few minutes before serving.  Serves 6.

Carrot and Almond Muffins

When I make muffins for breakfast, it is usually these -- healthful and delicious.  They are made in the large (Texas size) muffin tins for 6 muffins. Leftovers are good sliced in half horizontally and reheated in the toaster oven. Recipe from my mother, Mary Jane Scanlon.

Makes 6 large (Texas size) muffins. 

Ingredients:

1/2 cup whole unblanched almonds

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 tablespoon wheat germ

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

pinch of nutmeg

1/2 cup raisins

1 cup sliced pared carrots

1/2 cup vegetable oil, preferably sunflower 

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:

Heat oven to 400 degrees.  Using spray vegetable oil, coat a 6-muffin Texas size muffin pan and set aside. 

In bowl of food processor, coarsely chop the almonds; transfer to mixing bowl.  Add flour, wheat germ, baking powder and soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and raisins to the same bowl; stir to blend thoroughly.  With processor motor running slowly, add carrots through feed tube, process until finely chopped.  Add oil, brown sugar, egg and vanilla.  Process until blended.

Pour the liquid ingredients over the dry; stir with wooden spoon or spatula until just blended.  There should be a few spots of unblended flour.  Spoon batter into greased muffin cups; batter will almost fill each cup. Bake until muffins feel firm to the touch, 20 to 25 minutes.  Cool 5 minutes in pan.  Carefully turn out of pan. Let the muffins cool on a rack a few minutes before serving.  Serves 6.

Yogurt Topped With Honey, Prunes and Wheat Germ

Great mid-morning snack with lots of calcium and protein and it has only four ingredients. In a small bowl, place two large spoonfuls of non-fat plain Greek yogurt, sprinkle with 1 Tbsp. wheat germ, top with two D'Noir Prunes (I like the Sunsweet brand without preservatives), and then drizzle with 1 Tbsp. honey (I've been using a locally made buckwheat honey from Berryville, VA this winter -- local honey is supposed to be good for your immune system, and the buckwheat is nice for a change as it seems a little less sweet than clover or orange blossom honey). Serves 1.  Approximately 250 calories.