Sandwich, Garbage

fruit jam
honey
ground cinnamon
maple syrup
multi-grain bread

Spread two knife-fuls of fruit jam on one slice of multi-grain bread. Drizzle honey lightly over jam, taking care to pass the drizzling honey over a finger for tasting/quality control. Sprinkle cinnamon EVENLY over entire surface. Drizzle maple syrup, utilizing same tasting/quality control process. Spread with knife for uniform coverage. Slice into four quadrants. Serve with apple juice.

Potato Kale Soup

1 large can chicken broth (approximately 6 cups)
5-6 potatoes, peeled and cut into pieces
1 onion
Garlic
½ link of smoked sausage
Bunch of kale
Olive oil (or canola oil)

Sauté onion in the oil in soup pot. Pour chicken broth into pot. Add potatoes, sausage, and garlic. Add about another 4-6 cups of water. Bring to boil and cook for about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, wash kale and tear into pieces. Add to soup. Cook another 10-15 minutes.

Chocolate Chews

½ c. shortening
1-2/3 c. sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
2 squares unsweetened chocolate, melted
2 c. flour
2 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
1/3 c. milk
½ c. chopped walnuts
½ c. confectioner’s sugar

Cream shortening, sugar, and vanilla. Beat in eggs, then chocolate. Sift dry ingredients together, add alternately with milk. Stir in nuts.

Chill for 2-3 hours.

Form in balls 1” in diameter. Roll in confectioner’s sugar. Place on greased baking sheet 2-3” apart. Bake in 350 ° oven for 20 minutes.

Makes 3 dozen.

Timothy's White Chili

1 pound large white beans
6 cups chicken broth
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 medium onions, chopped
1 tablespoon oil
2 4-ounce cans of mild green chilies, chopped
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons oregano
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
4 cups diced cooked chicken breast
3 cups grated Monterey Jack cheese
Sour cream
Salsa

Combine beans, broth, garlic and half the onions in a large soup pot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until beans are soft, three hours or more, adding more broth if necessary. In a skillet, sauté remaining onions in oil until tender. Add chilies and seasonings and mix thoroughly. Add to the bean mixture. Add chicken, and simmer one hour, stirring occasionally.

Serve topped with grated cheese, salsa and sour cream.
Serves 8 to 10.

Mother’s Oatmeal Cookies

Preheat oven to 400°

Cream together:
1/2 c. shortening
1-1/4 c. sugar
2 eggs
6 T. molasses

Sift :
1-3/4 c. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon

Add to creamed mixture.

Stir in:
2 c. oats
½ c. chopped nuts
½ c. raisins

Drop on greased cookie sheet 2” apart. Flatten with glass dipped in water. Bake at 400° for 8-10 minutes.

Clam Sauce, Linguini

1 huge Costco can of chopped clams
1 cup sauvignon blanc or other dry white wine
1/2 stick butter
olive oil
minced onion
minced parsley
1/2 BULB very thinly sliced garlic
white pepper
salt (if needed)
arrowroot powder
smidgeon thyme
smidgeon oregano
linguini

Saute onions, white pepper, thyme, oregano, and garlic in a wide skillet with the olive oil until translucent. Add butter. Add clam juice from clams. (Rinse drained clams in a fine colander.) Add wine. Simmer until liquid evaporates to at least half of volume or even less. Spoon some of the broth into a coffee cup and mix with arrowroot; add to sauce to thicken. Add clams and parsley and warm through. Serve immediately over linguini, with grated parmesan.

Note: The thyme, oregano, and parsley need to be added very judiciously.

Curry, Thai Style (Red)

2 cans light coconut milk
2 cans regular coconut milk
1 1/2 lbs chicken thigh meat, in chunks
5 carrots, in large disks
2 medium zucchini or similar squash, sliced into disks
4 small potatoes, cubed
2 large onions, diced
1 can of chicken broth
2 tablespoons Mae Ploy red curry paste
4 leaves dried kaffir lime leaves
1 stalk lemongrass, cut into very thin leaves
canola oil

Saute the onions and carrots in a little bit of oil. Add chicken and curry paste and saute a bit longer. Add chx broth and coconut milk; bring to a boil. Turn the heat down to high simmer, add zucch and potatoes, lemongrass and lime leaves. Simmer until potatoes are soft and zucchini has melted into the curry. Serve over jasmine rice.

Note: The lemongrass is optional but the curry paste and the lime leaves unfortunately are not.

Bourbon Slush

1 large can frozen pink lemonade
4 16 oz. bottles 7-Up or Sprite
1 small bottle marashino cherries plus juice
1 cup bourbon

Combine ingredients. Freeze. Stir every 6 hours.

(Couldn't alter the 16 oz. bottle part. It's part of the charm.)

Olive Cheese Tidbits

60 stuffed olives
2 c. grated sharp cheddar
1/2 c butter
1 c. flour
1 tsp. paprika

Blend cheese and butter; add flour and paprika. Pinch off small amount and flatten in hand; wrap around olive. Freeze. Do not thaw before baking. Bake at 400 for 15 minutes.

Yams, Lemon-nutmeg (Rehearsal Dinner)

6 Medium-sized sweet potatoes (about 3 pounds)
3 Tablespoons brown sugar
2 Tablespoons margarine
2 teaspoons lemon rind
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt

Scrub potatoes:prick several times with a fork. Bake at 375 for 1 hour or until done. Let potatoes cool slightly. Cut potatoes in half lengthwise, and scoop out pulp:discard skins. Place pulp in medium bowl:add brown sugar and remaining ingredients. Beat at medium speed of an electic mixer until mixture is smooth. Yield: 8 servings.

Tuna & Red Sauce Over Spaghetti

2 large cans of tuna in water
2 cans of whole tomatoes
1/2 can tomato paste (optional)
4 long shakes of soy sauce
teaspoon oregano
cracked pepper
olive oil
grated parmesan
1 large chopped onion
spaghetti


Pour a thin layer of olive oil in a large skillet and heat over medium high heat. Sautee the onions until just slightly translucent, then add drained tuna, oregano, and cracked pepper. Sautee until tuna changes color and liquid evaporates. Add tomato, turn down to medium-low. Simmer for 15 minutes, then break up tomatoes with wooden spoon. Add soy sauce. Simmer for 15 minutes more, or until sauce starts to thicken. Adding grated parmesan thickens sauce and adds flavor. Season to taste (may need more salt). Serve over spaghetti.

Note: Cheap, nutritious, and easy. Taught to me in college by one of Danny's girlfriends.