recipes

Heat Canola or Vegetable oil for frying - in a deep heavy pot fitted with a deep-frying thermometer. Heat the oil to 325 degrees. Drop the batter by spoonfuls into the hot oil. Do several batches so you do not overcrowd them. Fry each batch for about 2-3 minutes until golden brown. Scoop them out when done using a slotted spoon. Drain on paper towels. Transfer to a brown paper bag with powdered sugar (or cinnamon sugar). Shake them to coat. YUM!

I had a great interview with WGN's, Chicago radio broadcaster, Max Armstrong.

He mentioned how much he enjoys his mother's Persimmon's Pudding.

He asked her for her recipe, which she

generously wrote out and gave to him, for all of us to enjoy. Here it is:

Thank you Mrs. Armstrong!

To make persimmon pulp: Choose soft ripe fruit with a transparent skin. Peel and strain the pulp or mash, removing the seeds. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons of lemon juice to each cup of persimmon pulp to prevent discoloration if it is not to be used right away.

Ebert's Pick ~ Carrot Walnut Pancakes

These are pancakes chuck full of grated carrots and chopped walnuts. They were a favorite of Roger Ebert's when he would dine at my cafe, Panozzo's Cafe.

To a bowl, add:

1 cup "Arrowhead Mills Mutigrain Organic Pancake Mix" or your favorite mix

1 cup water

1/2 cup grated Carrots

1/4 cup Walnuts

1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon Nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

Stir until combined. Bake on hot, oiled griddle until golden and bubbles appear. Flip once. (Flipping pancakes several times makes for a tougher texture.)

These are deliciously nutritious. Make a lot and keep them in the freezer, then pop 'em in the toaster for a quick meal. They are a 'meal' and a great way to get your kids to eat carrots without knowing it!

Heat maple syrup with a cinnamon stick and drizzle over pancakes. You can also make your favorite cream cheese frosting and put a dollop of that on these Carrot Walnut Pancakes. Yum!

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Crockpot Italian Beef Recipe

From Diana Rattray,

Your Guide to Southern U.S. Cuisine.

FREE Newsletter. Sign Up Now!

Scroll down to see more Italian beef recipes and related crockpot beef recipes.

INGREDIENTS:

3 1/2 to 4 pounds beef roast, sirloin tip or rump roast
12 ounces (jar) Italian Giardiniera, drained, less if you want it less spicy
12 ounces (jar) pepperoncini peppers
1 envelope Italian salad dressing (zesty Italian)
10 ounce can condensed beef broth

PREPARATION:

Place beef roast in a 3 1/2 to 5-quart slow cooker. Combine Giardiniera, pepperoncini peppers, dry salad dressing mix, and condensed beef broth.

Add all mixture to crockpot. Cover and cook on LOW for 12 to 14 hours, until meat is very tender.

Use a fork to shred for sandwiches and serve with crusty Italian rolls or crusty bread. Serves 10 to 15.

Pumpkin-Date Loaf with Cream Cheese Swirl
This bread is best if allowed to stand overnight; make it the day  
before you plan to serve it.
Makes 1 large loaf
CREAM CHEESE MIXTURE
4 ounces light cream cheese (do not use fat-free)
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 large egg

PUMPKIN LOAF
1 2/3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder, preferably non aluminum
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
2 large eggs
1 1/4 cups firmly packed dark brown sugar
1 cup cooked solid-pack pumpkin or canned pumpkin
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup pitted whole dates, each date cut into 6 pieces with scissors  
(or substitute 1 cup raisins)
Adjust an oven rack to the lower third position and preheat the oven  
to 350 degrees. Butter a 9x5x3-inch or 10x4 1/2x3-inch loaf pan, or  
coat with cooking spray. Set aside. Silicone bakeware works the best.
For the cream cheese mixture, beat together the cream cheese, sugar,  
vanilla, and egg in a small bowl with an electric mixer until very  
smooth. Set aside.
For the pumpkin loaf, sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda,  
salt, and pumpkin pie spice together; set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk the eggs for about 1 minute, until frothy. Add  
the brown sugar and whisk for about 1 minute more, until the mixture  
is creamy and thick. Whisk in the pumpkin and oil until smooth. Stir  
in the dates. Add the flour mixture and stir gently with a rubber  
spatula only until thoroughly combined. Scrape the batter into the  
prepared pan and smooth the top. Pour on the cream cheese mixture and  
swirl it in with a knife, moving crosswise down the length of the loaf.
Bake for 55 to 60 minutes, until the loaf is well browned and a  
toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool in the plan  
on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Remove from the pan and let cool  
completely, right side up, on a wire rack. Slice with a serrated knife.

STRAWBERRY TRIFLE ~ from "A Need To Feed Cookbook" ~ Perfect for a Mother's Day Brunch!

A trifle is just a 'cake in a bowl' using a 'trifle' of this and that. It is easy, beautiful and much quicker that decorating a cake. It is visually appealing, easy to transport and when it comes to concocting one ... anything goes!

Assemble the following:

2 baked yellow cake layers

1 12 oz. jar CHERRY RASPBERRY FOSTER* or some jam

1 box VANILLA MOUSSE* or pudding prepared according to package directions.

2 pints strawberries, sliced and sweetened with a little sugar

1 large container whipped topping or 2 cartons heavy cream, whipped

In a tall 8" or 9" glass bowl: Place 1 cake layer. (Option: drizzle with a little liquor of your choice). Spread with 1/2 of the Cherry Raspberry Foster, then 1/2 the Vanilla Mousse. Next, 1/2 of the strawberries. Then, 1/2 of the whipped cream.

Repeat layers.

Garnish the top with dollops of whipped cream and whole fresh strawberries. A drizzle of chocolate is quite nice too!

Available at Panozzo's Pantry

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

SALSA CHICKEN

This is so easy and so delicious, you will get requests to make it again and again!
Serves 4-6

Season 4-6 Chicken portions liberally with TERRA SPICE SOUTHWEST RUB, ROASTED GARLIC PEPPER, COFFEE BBQ* or one of your favorites.

To an oven proof skillet, over medium-high heat:

Saute seasoned chicken in a 1-2 T. EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL*

Cook until browned. Add:

1 jar SALSA* such as SALSA BOBOS*, ROASTED POBLANO* GARLIC CILANTRO*, etc

Bring to a simmer. Cover. Reduce heat to low and simmer until done. The internal temperature of chicken should be 175 degrees.

Optional; top with grated colby or cheddar cheese and pop into a preheated oven at 350 degrees. Bake uncovered about 10-15 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly.

Serve with a rice blend by RICE RIVER FARMS*. Garnish with with chopped fresh cilantro.

*Available at Panozzo's Pantry

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Chicken Rice Casserole with Portabello Mushrooms & Goat Cheese ~serves 4-6

1 package BASMATI ROYAL Rice*, uncooked
2 cans Golden Mushroom soup
1 can water or white wine
1 can milk
2-4 oz. pkgs GOAT CHEESE*, crumbled
4-6 cut up Chicken breasts, browned
1-2 cups Portabello Mushrooms, cut up
1 (included) seasoning packet

Pour uncooked rice in bottom of greased 13x9" baking dish. Whisk soup, milk & water until smooth. Pour 1/2 of soup mixture over rice. Place browned chicken on top. Pour the remaining soup over top of chicken.
Sprinkle seasoning packet over the top.
Cover with aluminum foil.
Bake for 2 hours at 325 degrees.
*Available at Panozzo's Pantry
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

back to home page