The Recipe Thread

[Ima Facultiwyfe]

All I can tell ya is to do whatever Miles says. He's no slouch in the kitchen.
Love, Ima

[Miles]

Here's the link to the recipe http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina- ... index.html

BTW that is one handsome little cub scout you have there!

Thanks for any help you can offer!

hehe, thanks! That is me, 25 years ago.

I think Kelly and I will have to prepare the recipe this weekend and let you now how it works out.

Well you were a handsome little cub scout 25 years ago! Enjoy the crab cakes even if they don't stick together! They were delicious tasting! Will wait to hear yours held together and then try to figure out what I did wrong.

Thanks IowaDevi! Appreciate the recipe and I'll definitely let you know how they go down this weekend.

[Miles]

All I can tell ya is to do whatever Miles says. He's no slouch in the kitchen.
Love, Ima

You flatter me Ima!

[DukeForester]

Earlier in this thread, Very Duke Blue was asking TNT to post a potatos salad recipe. Obviously I am not TNT, but I have a dynamite potato salad recipe.

Use russett potatoes. For some reason they work the best. Cover with water (do not peel) and cook (barely boiling) until they are just getting done by sticking a fork in them. Don't overcook or you'll end up with mashed potato salad. Normally for 5-6 avg size potatoes will cook for 25 or so minutes. While you are cooking the potatoes, hard boil 4-5 eggs. Once the potatoes and eggs are cooked, drain hot water and immediately cover on cold tap water. Once you can handle them peel them. Russets will normally peel very easily. Do not cut too deep into the potato. Just want the peeling to come off. Not to gross anyone out but like peeling skin from a sunburn. After peeling put the potatoes in the fridge for at least 2 hours along with the peeled hard boild eggs. Take the portatoes & eggs out of the fridge and the potatoes should be firm. Dice the potatoes into 3/4" squares. Add salt & pepper to taste (I use an inordinate amount of salt & pepper, but this is one of the things that makes the salad IMO). Slice up the eggs in the potatoes. Add sweet relish. Here again I do not measure but I'd guess maybe a cup of relish to 5-6 potatoes. Add diced onions and sliced celery. Again no measurements but probably 3/4-1 cup of each. Finally add real mayonnaise, not Miracle Whip or that fake mayonnaise stuff. My preference is Helmann's. Again no measurement, just add until it looks like potato salad. Mix somewhat gently (again do not want mahed potato salad) and taste. I normally have to add more relish and, believe it or not , salt. Chill and your ready to go. The key is cooling your potatoes before dicing them. Everybody who has tasted this raves about it. To me it is just regular old potato salad. But I have never tasted anyone else's that comes even close. Needless to say, you know what I get told to bring to any cookouts or other affairs.

[windsor]

by popular deman:

Windsor's Peach French Toast

I use a dense french bread, sliced about 1.5 inches thick.

For six slices of bread:

Blend well
3/4 c Half/Half
3 eggs
3 T peach preservers

pour mixture over bread, allow to soak over night turning once.


Fry.
Serve with
Peach butter (soften stick off butter, blend in peach preserves to taste)
Sliced peaches (fresh or frozen..not canned)
Maple Syrup
powdered sugar.

I have made this for Christmas for 20+ years, usually for 20+ people. If you are serving a big crowd you can fry it the day before, and put it in foil as 'loaves' of about 6 slices, toss in 350 over for about 30 minutes to warm up.

It also freezes quite well.

[IowaDevil]

by popular deman:

Windsor's Peach French Toast

I use a dense french bread, sliced about 1.5 inches thick.

For six slices of bread:

Blend well
3/4 c Half/Half
3 eggs
3 T peach preservers

pour mixture over bread, allow to soak over night turning once.


Fry.
Serve with
Peach butter (soften stick off butter, blend in peach preserves to taste)
Sliced peaches (fresh or frozen..not canned)
Maple Syrup
powdered sugar.

I have made this for Christmas for 20+ years, usually for 20+ people. If you are serving a big crowd you can fry it the day before, and put it in foil as 'loaves' of about 6 slices, toss in 350 over for about 30 minutes to warm up.

It also freezes quite well.

Oh man this looks wonderful! Thanks for sharing!

[lawgrad91]

by popular deman:

Windsor's Peach French Toast

I use a dense french bread, sliced about 1.5 inches thick.

For six slices of bread:

Blend well
3/4 c Half/Half
3 eggs
3 T peach preservers

pour mixture over bread, allow to soak over night turning once.


Fry.
Serve with
Peach butter (soften stick off butter, blend in peach preserves to taste)
Sliced peaches (fresh or frozen..not canned)
Maple Syrup
powdered sugar.

I have made this for Christmas for 20+ years, usually for 20+ people. If you are serving a big crowd you can fry it the day before, and put it in foil as 'loaves' of about 6 slices, toss in 350 over for about 30 minutes to warm up.

It also freezes quite well.

Thanks, Windsor! I can't wait to try with BACON!

[CathyCA]

by popular deman:

Windsor's Peach French Toast

I use a dense french bread, sliced about 1.5 inches thick.

For six slices of bread:

Blend well
3/4 c Half/Half
3 eggs
3 T peach preservers

pour mixture over bread, allow to soak over night turning once.


Fry.
Serve with
Peach butter (soften stick off butter, blend in peach preserves to taste)
Sliced peaches (fresh or frozen..not canned)
Maple Syrup
powdered sugar.

I have made this for Christmas for 20+ years, usually for 20+ people. If you are serving a big crowd you can fry it the day before, and put it in foil as 'loaves' of about 6 slices, toss in 350 over for about 30 minutes to warm up.

It also freezes quite well.

YUM!

[Ima Facultiwyfe]

The OP loves peach fritters. This sounds easier. Bet he'll love 'em! Thanks!!
Love, Ima

[Very Duke Blue]

Sounds wonderful. I will be trying this on my family. Thanks.

[Ima Facultiwyfe]

Made the peach toast for Sunday breakfast today. The OP gives it a thumbs up!
Love, Ima

[windsor]

Made the peach toast for Sunday breakfast today. The OP gives it a thumbs up!
Love, Ima

Glad he liked it Ima!

[windsor]

Just made some french onion soup (mmmmmm) and it was a very easy recipe, and really freakin good...so I thought I'd share

4 cups sliced onions (I use half yellow and half red)
½ cup Unsalted butter (if you only have salted its ok..just don’t add any at the end
2 Tbs Olive Oil
1 t Thyme
40 oz Beef stock (veg. stock can be used) homemade or store bought. I use progresso beef.
2 T dry sherry (or dry white wine)
French Bread
Cheese (easy melting white cheese – parmesan, provolone, swiss…I use provolone and Swiss)
Crock (for soup) You have to have some kind of crock to put in the broiler – I used handled ceramic soup mugs I got at Big Lots for $1 each.

Melt butter and olive oil in heavy pan or stock pot over low heat
Add sliced onions
Cook until caramelized, about 30-40 minutes (I find it works to stir them a lot until the onions are soft then let them sit for 5-10 at a time so the brown and caramelize) The more caramelized the better the result.

When caramelized, add thyme, broth and sherry.
Stir and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes, preheat broiler. Slice French bread and toast under broiler (both sides – it will keep it from getting to soggy). When broiler is hot, ladle soup into crocks…place bread on top and layer cheese over bread.
Place under broiler until cheese is brown and bubbling.

Note – you can overfill the crocks a bit so bread is floating over the lip, the bread will absorb the broth and sink some.

[Ima Facultiwyfe]

If any of you knew this already and didn't tell me -- well, I'm mad at you.

This is the slickest way to cook corn on the cob that I ever saw! No more standing there shucking husks and picking silks. No more boiling big pots of water, etc.

Here's what you do:

Tear off and throw away any outer husks that look dirty or dry. Leave the fresher ones intact. Cut off the tassel down to where you can see some kernels. Cut off the butt of the cob just before it starts to curve.

Microwave about three minutes per ear.

When done, hold the little end with a dish towel so you don't burn your fingers and SQUEEZE.
It slides out the bottom clean as a whistle!! Not a single silk found anywhere!

How cool is that? Sure doesn't take much to make me happy, does it?
Love, Ima

[Very Duke Blue]

If any of you knew this already and didn't tell me -- well, I'm mad at you.

This is the slickest way to cook corn on the cob that I ever saw! No more standing there shucking husks and picking silks. No more boiling big pots of water, etc.

Here's what you do:

Tear off and throw away any outer husks that look dirty or dry. Leave the fresher ones intact. Cut off the tassel down to where you can see some kernels. Cut off the butt of the cob just before it starts to curve.

Microwave about three minutes per ear.

When done, hold the little end with a dish towel so you don't burn your fingers and SQUEEZE.
It slides out the bottom clean as a whistle!! Not a single silk found anywhere!

How cool is that? Sure doesn't take much to make me happy, does it?
Love, Ima

It is cool. I have never heard of this. Too bad we don't have a corn crop this year. Most didn't make it through this crazy weather.

[wilson]

I'm bringing this thread back, because I just am. No time to post one right now; just bumping it back up for later use.

[Ima Facultiwyfe]

Thanks Wilson. I'd lost track of this thread. I've been doing a lot with new recipes lately. Being at home taking care of post op patients means lots of time in the kitchen. Been baking all of our bread, from every day loaves to big artisan breads. I've learned how to make REAL pizza dough with OO flour from Italy. Crisp on the bottom with big, light and airy edges. (we've broken up with Dominoe's --yuck), great ribs in the oven believe it or not, some marvelous chili. Even finally learned to make a creme brulet that was velvety and curdle free.

Discovered Canal House cookbooks. They rock.
Love, Ima

[IowaDevil]

Ima how did the vodka pie crust turn out?

[Phredd3]

This thread needed a bump, and here's something none of you have probably ever done:

Swedish Punsch

Swedish Punsch was once a common cocktail ingredient back in the late nineteenth century, but it has been in and out of favor here on the American side of the Atlantic. I see Total Wine now has it, but making it from scratch is just better.

At the heart of Swedish Punsch is Batavia Arrack, which is just recently once again being imported into the States. Not to be confused with Arak – a spirit from Arabia flavored with anise seed – Batavia Arrack is from the tropical island of Java. In fact, the word “Batavia” is the Javanese name for the island of Java, and the word “arrack” means any distillate, so the loose translation of “Batavia Arrack” is “Java Juice”. This juice begins life as a mash of Javanese red rice in which fermentation is allowed to start naturally, then sugarcane syrup is added. The mixture completes fermentation, and it is then distilled. Batavia Arrack is technically a variant of rum, but it has a unique flavor that can’t be easily duplicated, and traditional rum or cachaça is not really an adequate substitute. Oh, and don't try to drink it neat. There's a reason Batavia Arrack is primarily a cocktail ingredient.

What you'll need:
~1.5 cup of Batavia Arrack
~1.5 cup of flavorless vodka, or pure grain alcohol cut with distilled water to 100 proof
Two lemons and two limes, sliced thin and seeded
Black tea leaves
Whole pod of cardamom (or a couple teaspoons ground cardamom wrapped in a coffee filter), slightly crushed
~2.5 cups of sugar
Other spices or spice extract
Vanilla extract

The recipe for Swedish Punsch begins two days ahead, once you’ve acquired a bottle of the Batavia Arrack. (I use Batavia Arrack van Oosten, which is the only brand I’ve found here in the U.S.) Put the two thinly sliced and seeded lemons and limes in a couple of large mason jars or other covered glass vessel(s). Cover them with a cup or more of the arrack, plus an equal amount of the vodka or diluted grain alcohol, add the cardamom pod (and other spices, if using directly), and let steep at room temperature overnight.

At the same time, boil a couple cups of hot water and brew double-strength black tea. Let the tea steep about five minutes - the tea should be plenty dark, but double-strength refers to using twice as much tea, not steeping twice as long (which would make the tea bitter),. Remove the tea leaves, and, while the water is still hot, add an equal volume of sugar to create a flavored simple syrup. Add an eighth teaspoon or so of vanilla extract. If you have not steeped the arrack with extra spices, you may also add a spice extract to the tea syrup at this stage. I make my own spice extract that I also use for mulled wine, and it works very well. Let this mixture sit in a covered glass container in the refrigerator over night.

In the morning (don’t let the arrack steep more than ~12 hours), strain the alcohol off the fruit and spices and into a large glass bowl. Combine with the cold tea mixture. Mix well, and put the full, covered bowl into the refrigerator to let the flavors integrate for another 24 hours.

This is ready-to-use Swedish Punsch. This will spoil if stored at room temperature, so I like to funnel it into a couple of unused wine/booze bottles and keep it handy in the back of my fridge.

What do you do with Swedish Punsch? This used to be a staple ingredient in literally dozens of cocktails around the turn of the 19th-20th centuries. Do an internet search. Be creative. Or try this:

Fill a large tumbler a third- to half-way with crushed ice, and add the juice of half or three quarters of a fresh lime. Fill the remainder of the glass with equal parts of Swedish Punsch, White Port, and tonic water (once you’ve gotten used to the flavors, adjust the proportions to taste). Stir just enough to mix without releasing too much carbonation. Garnish with a lime slice or quarter, and serve on a hot day.

At home, we just call this combo "Hooch", but it's been suggested to me that I ought to name this cocktail a "World Cup", since it uses ingredients from across the globe (arrack and cardamom from Indonesia, imported by the Dutch, infused in Sweden, mixed with quinine from South America in the tonic water, plus wine from Portugal). It drinks a bit like a darker, more complex caipirinha.

Use with caution. These go down easy and are plenty potent!

[devildeac]

This thread needed a bump, and here's something none of you have probably ever done:

Swedish Punsch

Swedish Punsch was once a common cocktail ingredient back in the late nineteenth century, but it has been in and out of favor here on the American side of the Atlantic. I see Total Wine now has it, but making it from scratch is just better.

At the heart of Swedish Punsch is Batavia Arrack, which is just recently once again being imported into the States. Not to be confused with Arak – a spirit from Arabia flavored with anise seed – Batavia Arrack is from the tropical island of Java. In fact, the word “Batavia” is the Javanese name for the island of Java, and the word “arrack” means any distillate, so the loose translation of “Batavia Arrack” is “Java Juice”. This juice begins life as a mash of Javanese red rice in which fermentation is allowed to start naturally, then sugarcane syrup is added. The mixture completes fermentation, and it is then distilled. Batavia Arrack is technically a variant of rum, but it has a unique flavor that can’t be easily duplicated, and traditional rum or cachaça is not really an adequate substitute. Oh, and don't try to drink it neat. There's a reason Batavia Arrack is primarily a cocktail ingredient.

What you'll need:
~1.5 cup of Batavia Arrack
~1.5 cup of flavorless vodka, or pure grain alcohol cut with distilled water to 100 proof
Two lemons and two limes, sliced thin and seeded
Black tea leaves
Whole pod of cardamom (or a couple teaspoons ground cardamom wrapped in a coffee filter), slightly crushed
~2.5 cups of sugar
Other spices or spice extract
Vanilla extract

The recipe for Swedish Punsch begins two days ahead, once you’ve acquired a bottle of the Batavia Arrack. (I use Batavia Arrack van Oosten, which is the only brand I’ve found here in the U.S.) Put the two thinly sliced and seeded lemons and limes in a couple of large mason jars or other covered glass vessel(s). Cover them with a cup or more of the arrack, plus an equal amount of the vodka or diluted grain alcohol, add the cardamom pod (and other spices, if using directly), and let steep at room temperature overnight.

At the same time, boil a couple cups of hot water and brew double-strength black tea. Let the tea steep about five minutes - the tea should be plenty dark, but double-strength refers to using twice as much tea, not steeping twice as long (which would make the tea bitter),. Remove the tea leaves, and, while the water is still hot, add an equal volume of sugar to create a flavored simple syrup. Add an eighth teaspoon or so of vanilla extract. If you have not steeped the arrack with extra spices, you may also add a spice extract to the tea syrup at this stage. I make my own spice extract that I also use for mulled wine, and it works very well. Let this mixture sit in a covered glass container in the refrigerator over night.

In the morning (don’t let the arrack steep more than ~12 hours), strain the alcohol off the fruit and spices and into a large glass bowl. Combine with the cold tea mixture. Mix well, and put the full, covered bowl into the refrigerator to let the flavors integrate for another 24 hours.

This is ready-to-use Swedish Punsch. This will spoil if stored at room temperature, so I like to funnel it into a couple of unused wine/booze bottles and keep it handy in the back of my fridge.

What do you do with Swedish Punsch? This used to be a staple ingredient in literally dozens of cocktails around the turn of the 19th-20th centuries. Do an internet search. Be creative. Or try this:

Fill a large tumbler a third- to half-way with crushed ice, and add the juice of half or three quarters of a fresh lime. Fill the remainder of the glass with equal parts of Swedish Punsch, White Port, and tonic water (once you’ve gotten used to the flavors, adjust the proportions to taste). Stir just enough to mix without releasing too much carbonation. Garnish with a lime slice or quarter, and serve on a hot day.

At home, we just call this combo "Hooch", but it's been suggested to me that I ought to name this cocktail a "World Cup", since it uses ingredients from across the globe (arrack and cardamom from Indonesia, imported by the Dutch, infused in Sweden, mixed with quinine from South America in the tonic water, plus wine from Portugal). It drinks a bit like a darker, more complex caipirinha.

Use with caution. These go down easy and are plenty potent!

Wow! I'd forgotten this thread completely. Nice find!!