Sauteed Green Beans with Hazelnut Crumbs

1/2 c. ground or finely chopped toasted hazelnuts
1/2 c. fine fresh bread crumbs or 1/4 c. dry bread crumbs
1 lb. green beans, stemmed
6 Tbs. butter
1 Tb. minced shallots
1/4 tsp. each salt and pepper

Combine the nuts and bread crumbs and set aside.
Blanch the green beans in boiling salted water for 2-3 minutes.
Refresh under cold running water and drain.
Heat water the butter in a saute pan.
Add the shallots and saute until softened.
Add the green beans, salt, pepper and hazelnut crumbs.
Saute several minutes to heat through.
Serve at once.

From The Frog and Commissary Cookbook

Chicken Breasts with Apples and Cider Cream Sauce

CIDER CREAM SAUCE:

2 c. flitered cider
2 Tbs. Dijon mustard
2 1/2 c. heavy cream
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp. each salt and pepper

CHICKEN:

6 boneless chicken breast halves, skinned
3/4 c. flour, seasoned with 1 1/2 tsp. each salt and pepper
1/2 c. clarified butter
2 large tart apples, cored and cut into 1/4" slices

SAUCE:

In a 2 qt. saucepan, reduce cider to 1/2 cup.
Whisk in the mustard and cream and reduce to about 2 cups
over medium-high heat or until thickened like a sauce.
Add seasonings and set aside.

CHICKEN AND ASSEMBLY:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Dredge chicken in the seasoned flour and shake off the excess.
Heat 6 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet.
Add the chicken and saute on one side for 5 minutes.
Turn the chicken over and saute for 3-5 minutes more or until
just done. Remove the chicken from the skillet
and keep warm in the oven.

Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter to the pan.
Add the apple slices and saute for 3-5 minutes or until
just tender.
Remove the apples and keep warm.
Pour off any excess butter from the pan.
Add the cider cream sauce to the pan and heat
through while scraping up any little browned bits
from the bottom of the pan.
When hot, serve over the chicken breast and garnish with the apple rings.

From The Frog and Commissary Cookbook

Italian Rice Salad with Clear Garlic Vinaigrette

CLEAR GARLIC VINAIGRETTE

1 1/4 cups corn oil
1/2 c. white wine vinegar
1 3/4 tsp. salt
1 3/4 tsp. peppr
1 Tb. minced garlic
1/2 tsp. dried basil
1/2 tsp, dried oregano
1/4 c. parsley

Whisk together all the ingredients for the vinaigrette and set aside.

RICE SALAD

6 cups cooked rice (2 cups raw)
3/4 lb. cooked, peeled, cut into thirds
2 c. finely chopped green peppers
3/4 c. finely chopped red onions
1 cup quartered cooked marinated artichoke hearts
1/4 c. small capers
1/3 c. minced parsley
1/3 c. minced dill
1/4 c. golden raisins
1/4 c. dark raisins
Mixed greens

Combine all salad ingredients. Toss with the dressing
and let it marinate for several hours. Serve on a bed of greens

VARIATIONS

Chicken, pepperoni can be subsituted for the shrimp.
Orzo can be subsituted for the rice.
You can add peas, chopped olives, red peppers or what ever you have on hand.

From the Frog Commissary Cookbook

Havarti-Stuffed French Toast

2 eggs
1/2 c. milk or half and half
1 tsp. Dijon style mustard
1/4 tsp. salt
4 oz. Havarti cheese. sliced
4 slices home style bread
2 tsp. unsalted butter
Currant jelly (optional)

Beat eggs, milk, mustard and salt together
in a large shallow bowl. Set aside.
Divide Havart cheese between two slices of bread.
Melt butter in a large skillet.
Gently dip the assembled bread into the egg mixture,
one side at a time.
Ease into the skillet.
Cook over medium heat 3 to 5 minutes per side
or until golen brown.

Microwave fudge

2/3 c. 10x confectioner's sugar
1/2 c. cocoa
1/4 c. milk
1/2 c. butter
1 Tb. vanilla
1/2 c. chopped nuts (optional)

In a microwave dish mix all ingredients except the vanilla
and nuts.
Cover the dish and microwave onhigh power until the butter melts,
about 2-3 minutes.
Stir until smooth and add the vanilla and nuts.
Place in a buttered 8 x8 dish and cool.

Green Beans with Bacon

1 lb. green beans
1 strip bacon
1/2 small onion
1/2/to 3/4 tsp. salt
2 c. water

Wash beans and cut off ends.
Cut into 1 inch diagonal pieces.
Place in saucepan.
Add all other ingredients.
Boil gently until beans are tender.
Drain; remove bacon and onion.
Serves 4-6.

Baltimore Crab Cakes

1 lb. crab meat
1 egg, well beaten
1 slice bread, crust removed
1/4 tsp. red peper
1 tsp. dry mustard
2 Tb. salt
red pimento (optional)
2 tb. mayonnaise

Break bread into very small pieces and add egg.
Combine all other ingredients, then add crab meat and toss lightly.
Form into small cakes and fry in hot oil until golden brown.
Serve with saltines. Serves 6 to 8.

Southern Peach Pudding

Pudding:

6 c. chopped peaches (about 10 peaches, peeled, pitted and chopped)
1/4 c. cornstarch
Cinnamon or nutmeg (optional)

Topping:

1/2 pint heavy cream
1 c. grated pecans

Put half of the pecans in a blender or food processor and blend with
the cornstarch until smooth.
Add the cinnamon and nutmeg to taste, if desired.
Pour into the top of a double broiler, bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly.
Mixture will thicken.
Add remaining chopped peaches and cook just until tender.
Spoon into individual sherbert dishes and chill.
Just before serving, whip heavy cream and spoon over pudding.
Top with grated pecans and serve immdiately.

Serves 6.

From the Sweet and Sugarfree Cookbook

Pear Jam

1 cup blended pear (whip in a food processor or blendar until smooth)
1/4 tsp. cinnamon

Heat the blended pear and cinnamon in a pan to boil,
then turn to low and simmer, stirring occasionally,
until mixture reaches desired thickness.
Yields 1/3 cup.

From Sweet and Sugarfree Cookbook

Coconut Pineapple Squares

Squares:

3 large eggs
1/2 c. butter, softened
1 c. pineapple juice (drained from 20 oz. can
of unsweetened crushed pineapple)
2 1/2 c. unbleached white flour
1 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
2 c. flaked coconut
Well drained pineapple from the 20 oz.can


Topping:
1/2 c. flaked coconut

Beat together the eggs, butter and pineapple juice.
Add flour, baking soda, baking powder and cinnamon.
Beat well and stir in 2 cups coconut and the pineapple.
Pour batter into a well greased 9 x 13" baking pan and spread out evenly.
Sprinkle with 1/2 cup coconut.
Bake at 350 degrees for20 to 25 minutes until browned.
Cool and cut into squares.
Serves 8-10.

From Sweet and Sugarfree Cookbook

Banana Ice Cream

3 frozen bananas (1/2 banana per person)
Milk

Peel and freeze ripe bananas.
Just before serving, cut bananas into 1/2" slices.
Place in a food processor or blender and blend,
adding just enough milk to create a thick consistency.
Do not add too much milk or you will get a milk shake,
Serve immediaitely.

From Sweet and Sugarfree Cookbook

Soft Pretzels

4 c. unbleached white flour
2 Tb. vegetable oil
2 Tb. granular yeast
1 1/2 c. lukewarm water
1 egg
Coarse salt (optional)*

Combine two cups flour, oil, yeast and water in a large
bowl and beat with an electric mixer for a few minutes.
Add the remaining flour and knead for 10 minutes ot
until the dough is smooth and elastic.
If the dough is sticky, add a little more flour.
Pinch off pieces of dough and roll into long snakes.
Twist into shape and place on and oiled baking sheet.
Leave the sheet in a warm place for 1/2 hour for the dough to rise.
Brush with the beaten egg and sprinkle with salt or covering of your choice.
Bake at 450 degrees for 15 minutes or until browned.
Yields 30.

Pecan Rolls

1 c. butter (1/2 lb)
2 c. flour
1/2 c. powdered sugar
2 c. chopped pecans or walnuts
1 tsp. vanilla
2 Tb. water

Mix all ingredients, except powdered sugar,
with hands until all are mixed together.
Shape into date size. Chill 1/2 hour or longer.
Bake in a very slow 325 degree oven for 45 minutes
or until light brown.
Roll in powdered sugar when done.

Crab-Shrimp Quiche

My mom loved to make quiche.
This was my favorite of all of them.

Crust:

1 c. flour
1 Tb. sugar
1/8 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 lb. butter

Sift flour, sugar, salt and baking powder together.
Blend in butter.
Mix with hands until rolling consistency.
Roll or pat into a 10 inch pie plate.

Filling:

1/2 lb. Swiss cheese
1 c . crab meat
1/2 c. small cooked shrimp
1 1/2 c. light cream
4 eggs, beaten
1 Tb. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
dash of pepper
dash of cayenne
2 Tb. butter, melted
2 Tb. dry sherry

Cut cheese into 1/4 inch slices.
Put into the bottom of an unbaked pie shell.
Cover with crab and shrimp.
Beat the remaining ingredients well and pour into crust.
Refrigerate or freeze.
When ready to serve, bring to room temperature.
Bake at 375 degrees for 40 minutes or until browned.
Let stand 20 minutes before serving.
Serves 4 -6.

Sample of Baked Pears

Baked Pears 


I just threw in a handful of ingredients and came up with this!

Oatmeal Refigerator Cookies

This is my family's recipe for oatmeal cookies,
which to date is still my favorite.
Refrigerator is is the name for you have to refrigerate the dough.
Kooky name for them I must admit, but it helps it stand out
amongst other oatmeal cookie recipes in my recipe box.

1 c. Shortening or butter (shortening makes a chewier cookie,
butter makes a crisper but more flavorful cookie)
1 c. White sugar
1 c. brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
3 c. rolled oats
1 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 c. sifted flour

Mix all ingrdients together and shape into a long roll.
Wrap in plastic or wax paper and chill for a few hours.
Slice in to 1/8" slices and place slices on a greased
cookie sheet. Bake 8 - 10 minutes at 400 degrees.
Yields: 5 dozen

Chicken with Peaches

1/2 c. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. paprika
4 boneless chicken breasts
2 Tb. vegetable oil
1/2 c. dry sherry
2 Tbs. brown sugar
1 Tb. soy sauce
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
16 oz. can peach halves

Combine flour, salt and paprika. Dredge chicken in mixture.
Brown chicken on both sides in hot oil; drain.
Place in 12 x 9 x 2" baking dish.
In a bowl combine sherry, brown sugar, soy sauce and ginger.
Pour over chicken; cover and bake for 15 minutes at 350 degrees.
Add peaches and bake for another 15 minutes.

Baked Crab Dip

1 lb. fresh lump crabmeat
1/4 tsp. dry mustard
1 c. Mayonnaise
1 1/2 c. grated cheddar cheese
1 1/2 tsp Old Bay Seasoning
1 tsp.Worchestershire sauce

Combine all the ingredients, except 3/4 c. Cheddar cheese and crabmeat.
Fold in lump crabmeat; place into a 1 qt. baking dish. Top with remaining cheddar cheese and sprinkle a dash of Old Bay seasoning on top.
Bake 15 minutes or until mixture begins to boil around the edged. Serve with crackers.

Baked Brie in Puff Pastry with Honey Walnut Sauce

1 sheet of puff pastry, freshly made or frozen, thawed (17 1/4 oz. package)
2 wedges of Brie, each about 6 1/2" long by 1/1/2" wide at rind end.
1 egg, beaten
1/4 c. butter
3 Tbs. honey

1 1/2 tsp. minced garlic
3 Tbs. chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Roll out puff pastry sheet
on a floured surface to form a 12' square.
Cut diagonally through the pastry to form two triangles.
Place one Brie edge in the center of each triangle,
with the tip of the cheese wedge facing toward
the 90 degree angle of the triangle. Sprinkle the top of the cheese
wedges with 1/2 Tbs. of the chopped walnuts.
Pull up and fold the puff pastry loosely to enclose the cheese.
Press gently to seal. Press fork on the seam to seal completely.

Transfer the pastry wrapped Brie to a baking sheet, seam side up.
Brush with an egg glaze. Bake Brie until the pastry is golden,
about 18 minutes.

Meanwhile combine butter, honey and garlic in a small saucepan
over low heat. Stir until the butter melts. Divide
the sauce between two plates. Sprinkle sauce with remaining walnuts.
Place Pastry wrapped Brie atop sauce on plates and serve.

Hot Crab Dip 1

1 can jumbo lump crab meat
1 8 oz. package cream cheese, softened
1 tb. minced onion
Dash worcestershire sauce


Drain crab, save juice. Beat all ingredients together with mixer.
Add crab juice as needed for desired consistency.
Heat 20 minutes at 350 degrees in a baking dish.