|
Published: December 13, 2007 11:48 am
Cookbook Corner: Care, compassion shows in ‘Recipes From the Heart’
Originally published in the December 14, 2007, print edition.
By Sarah Johnson
The Land Correspondent
Did you know that overripe bananas can be stored, unpeeled, in your freezer until you’re ready to bake banana bread? Or that adding tomatoes to your roast beef releases acids that make it more tender? Or that a leaf of lettuce dropped into a pot of soup absorbs grease from the top? Or that you can keep hot oil from splattering by sprinkling a little salt in the pan?
You would know all this if you owned “Recipes From the Heart,” a great new cookbook from the residents, families and staff of Cedar Crest Estate in Hutchinson and Cosmos Assisted Living Plus in Cosmos. This book is not only filled with plenty of recipes and cooking tips, it was created with a hearty helping of love and compassion — and the care it took to produce it shows in its quality.
Here are a few recipes highlighting the various sections.
º
If you’re looking for a light, tasty and beautiful beverage to serve at holiday gatherings, consider Exotic Fruit Drinks. This non-alcoholic cocktail with crystal-clear carbonated water sparkles with stained-glass cubes of fruit juices and luscious berries — a treat for the eye as well as the tongue.
Exotic Fruit Drink
Submitted by Amanda Gaspar
1 cup orange juice
1 cup cranberry juice
1/2 cup lemon juice
1 (32-ounce) bottle carbonated water
Frozen mixed berries
Put the orange juice, cranberry juice and lemon juice in three separate cups. Without mixing the juices, pour them into ice cube trays and freeze. When frozen, place one of each juice cube into a tall glass and fill with carbonated water. Add the mixed berries.
º
The secret to a good cheese soup is simple: a bit of onion and a dash of cayenne pepper. The following recipe makes a basic soup and allows you to add the vegetable of your choice if you so desire. Broccoli and cauliflower are suggested, but I also like carrots, red or green bell peppers, or smoked meats such as diced ham or bacon bits. Top with homemade croutons or — my favorite — a handful of popcorn.
Cheddar Cheese Soup
Submitted by Analiv Houck
3 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons flour
4 cups chicken broth
2 cups milk
1/2 onion, finely chopped
3/4 pound grated cheddar cheese
1 cup light cream
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Broccoli or cauliflower
Melt butter in saucepan. Stir in flour; blend until smooth. Very slowly stir in chicken broth and rest of ingredients. Cook either broccoli or cauliflower in microwave until fork-tender; chop, using tops. Stir into soup.
º
There must be thousands of things to do with the humble potato, but still I find myself gloomily staring at my potato pile wondering what on earth I’m going to do with them this time. Then I saw this recipe for Bacon-Wrapped Potatoes and I knew my troubles were over. The family raved. And they are so easy it’s almost sinful. Four out of four “yums” from the Johnson clan.
Bacon-Wrapped Potatoes
Submitted by Audrey Youngblom
1 small onion, thinly sliced
4 bacon strips
2 medium baking potatoes, halved lengthwise
Layer onion slices on cut side of two potato halves; top with other potato half. Wrap each potato with two bacon strips. Secure with toothpicks. Place on lightly greased baking pan. Bake uncovered at 325 F for one hour and 20 minutes or until potato is tender and bacon is crispy.
º
Who doesn’t love those smoky little wieners you eat with toothpicks and perhaps a dab of barbecue sauce? Here’s a recipe for a casserole featuring those lively little devils along with shredded potatoes, sour cream and cheddar cheese. What’s not to like?
Smoky Hotdish
Submitted by Linda Medina
1 cup onion, chopped
3 tablespoons butter
1 package hash browns
1 package Little Smokies
12 ounces sour cream
1 can cream of chicken soup
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Thaw hash browns and Little Smokies. Cut Little Smokies into bite-sized pieces. Sauté onion in butter and transfer into a baking dish or pan. Layer on hash browns and Smokies. Combine sour cream and soup; pour over potatoes. Add cheese and blend everything together. Bake at 350 F for 1 1/2 hours.
º
Got a leftover can of cranberry sauce? Use it up in this unique coffee cake that’s subtly flavored with banana and topped with pecans. It’s tangy and sweet — and best shared with friends over coffee or cocoa.
Cranberry Coffee Cake
Submitted by Viola Luedtke and Sandra Buendorf
1 1/2 cup sifted flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup chopped nuts
1/2 cup milk
1 ripe banana, mashed
1 beaten egg
1/4 cup melted butter
1 (8-ounce) can jellied cranberry sauce
1/4 cup sugar
16 pecan halves
Sift together flour, baking powder, salt, soda and sugar; stir in chopped nuts. Combine milk, banana, egg and melted butter. Add to flour mixture and stir just to blend. Pour into greased 9x9x2-inch baking pan. Cut cranberry sauce into 16 pieces and arrange on batter. Top with pecan halves. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup sugar. Bake at 400 F for 25 to 30 minutes.
º
Make a big batch of these Graham Cracker Pudding Sandwiches and watch your kids’ eyes shine (even if your kid is nearing retirement age). Wrap them in plastic wrap, stick ’em in a zippered bag and they’ll last for months, theoretically. In our house they’d probably last a few days.
Graham Cracker Pudding Sandwiches
Submitted by Andrea Dallmann
1 small box vanilla instant pudding
2 cups cold milk
2 cups Cool Whip
1 cup mini chocolate chips or M&Ms
48 graham crackers
Mix vanilla pudding and cold milk together. Cool mixture in refrigerator. Fold in Cool Whip, chocolate chips or M&Ms. Spread mixture on graham cracker half and cover with other graham cracker half. Freeze.
º
You’ve got the pancakes on the griddle or the waffles in the iron and you notice — uh oh, no syrup. Save a trip to the store and make your own. You probably have all the ingredients on hand.
Homemade Pancake Syrup
Submitted by Andrea Dallmann
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
1 cup corn syrup
1 cup water
1 teaspoon maple extract or almond extract
Combine sugars, syrup and water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil for five minutes. Remove from heat; stir in extract and cool.
º
I had to include this recipe for Road Kill Skunk to show that these senior citizens certainly have not lost their sense of humor. I think the key to the recipe lies in the last two words.
Road Kill Skunk
Submitted by Clarence Mallak
1 dead skunk (hit by car or truck)
1 cup bouillon
2 carrots, sliced
1 teaspoon onion juice
In an old pot, parboil skunk in salt water for 15 minutes. Place skunk in fresh water and simmer for an hour or until tender. Place skunk in roasting pan. Mix bouillon with one cup of water and pour over skunk. Add carrots and onion juice. Bake uncovered at 375 F for two hours (or not).
“Recipes From the Heart” is available by contacting: Audrey Youngblom, Cosmos Assisted Living Plus, 130 Neptune, Cosmos, MN 56228.
• Click to discuss this story with other readers on our forums.
|
|
|
Photos
|
|
|
Print this story
E-mail this story
Discuss this story
