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WALKING ON THIN ICE

Ragged Robin

October 21, 2010 No Comments

Ragged Robin Cookies

1/2 C raisins (yellow, not brown)
1/2 C nuts (of course, chopped–not too fine)
3 C all-purpose flour (prefer _off_ brand)
1 t baking soda
1 egg
1 t vanilla
1/4 t salt
1/2 C butter
1/2 C shortening
1 C sugar

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Scald nuts and raisins: bring 2 C water to a boil and add chopped nuts and raisins. Simmer.

Meanwhile, sift flour, soda and salt (or mix).

Grandma is perturbed about our measuring cups:

In separate bowl, cream butter, shortening and sugar; add eggs. Beat. Add vanilla. Add flour mixture gradually. You may need to use your hands!

Scoop nuts and raisins into dough and incorporate (it’s OK to get some of the water into the dough to help with its pliability).

Drop onto greased sheet (approximately 1 T of dough per cookie). Bake 12-15 minutes until light golden brown.

Grandma: This was the first recipe in my file. I copied it from the American Weekily Section of the Plain Dealer. I am now 86 years old–was 15 when I copied it. If anything seems unusual, it’s because I make slight changes to suit myself!

Sweet Bean Soup of Tremont

October 4, 2010 2 Comments

Sweet Bean Soup of Tremont

2 cans great northern beans, drained & rinsed
1/2 can corn, drained
3 medium carrots, sliced
1 large yam, cubed
4 large dried apricots or peaches, chopped (or fresh fruit if you like.)
small quantity (1/4 C? dried fruit mix such as raisins/apples, etc.)
1 handful fresh minced parsley
1/4 t grains of paradise or whole peppercorns
1/8 t grains of cardamom
1/4 – 1/2 t celery seed
1 t or 1 T berbere powder or curry powder
1 t powdered cumin
3 large cloves garlic, peeled and diced
3 large shallots, peeled and diced
1 small onion, diced
1 small potato, cubed
adobo powder or seasoned salt
1/4 C oil, preferably peanut oil but you could use whatever.

Stir and fry garlic/shallots/onions in oil, small flame, 3-5 minutes with generous dash of adobo powder. Add potato/yam/carrot and stir & fry 3-5 minutes, low flame. Add celery seed, berbere and parsley, fry 2 minutes. Add beans, cumin, grains of paradise and cardamom and fruit. (The apricots will make the soup kinda sweet.) Stir together. Add cold water to about an inch over the top of the mixture. Add more adobo powder to taste. Bring to a boil, then simmer on low flame 30 minutes, until veggies are tender and liquid has boiled down somewhat (do not cover). Add canned corn before serving.

A Lady K creation.

PARADISE STEW (recipe and food magic)

September 11, 2010 No Comments

PARADISE STEW

1/2 C saved fat, skimmed off a curry.
1 t sesame oil
dollop peanut oil
More fat if you are adventuresome.

Heat oil in a heavy bottomed pot until ready for this blend (chopped):

1 shallot
1.5 old onions
2 large cloves garlic

Put these aromatics in the oil on low flame and tend to when you think of it.

Meanwhile, chop:

5 stalks celery, chopped with leaves. While you are chopping the celery, throw some celery seed into the aromatics (onions/shallots/garlic) to prepare them for the celery.

Next, chop:

2 carrots
1 sweet potato (skinned)
1 potato

I like to chop into shapes of all sizes. Add to pot.

You might be baking a birthday cake for your grandma at this point. I was for mine. So I kinda let these ingredients caramelize on low flame, although interspersed with periods of supervised high flame, while I worked on the batter for her cake. I imagine, oh, 10-20 minutes of caramelization is good.

Next:

Put in two thighs and two breasts. Chicken. Put them on the bottom of the pan under the vegetables to sear.

(While chicken is searing but not too hot, work on the rest of Grandma’s birthday cake and get that in the oven.)

Now the chicken should be pleasantly seared on one side. Cover the contents of the pot with water, probably about a half inch above the material ingredients. Add 1/2 cup dried lentils (green or brown) to the stew.

Next:

1 very liberal dash of Balsamic vinegar
liberal shakes of Adobo powder (all purpose seasoning)
1 t (use your own discretion) of Berbere.
10 grains of paradise
20 grains of cardamom

Bring to a boil, then reduce to low flame and cover. Let stew for a while. Once it has turned into a nice stew but still has lots of liquid and the lentils are soft (probably 30-45 minutes?), add:

Raisins – 1/2 C
Israeli couscous – 1/3 C
1/2 stick cinnamon

Cook until the couscous is done. Eat & enjoy.