Main Dishes

Barbecue Pot Roast (from Eileen)

Rub meat with 2 tsp. salt & 1/4 tsp. pepper, brown in 3 T. fat. Add water, tomato sauce, thinly slice onions & minced garlic; cover & cook over low heat - 1 1/2 hrs. (this is when I skimmed, trimmed & cut the meat). Combine remaining ingredients & pour over meat; cover & continue cooking about 1 hr., or until tender. Remove meat to hot platter. Skim off most of fat, dilute with water to suit taste, than thicken with 2 T. flour mixed to smooth paste with a little water.

Beef Stew (from Johnny D - Phillips) - serves (4) Paul really likes it with 1 tsp. red pepper - he says it's robust!

caramelize:

1 medium onion, diced
3 cloves of garlic
2 stalks celery & leaves
2 carrots
1/4 cup parsley

in olive/cano la oil until golden.

Add good quality beef concentrate (3 cups beef broth).

Add Tbsp.: basil, lemon pepper
Add tsp: thyme, oregano, cumin

1/4 - 1 tsp. crushed red pepper
3 bay leaves and

1/2 - 1 tsp. of crushed anise seeds then add large can of diced or crushed tomatoes (3 cups). Bring to a boil and set on simmer, covered.

Meat: trim meat well and brown in skillet a few batches at a time, then add all meat and juices to stockpot, cover and simmer for 1 1/2 - 2 hours. Prepare other vegetables.

Add large chunks of onion, carrots, celery plus potatoes and fresh parsley to add at end. I only add 30 min. at end cook only until tender. Parsley can be added at very end. I figure 1/2# meat per person - because we enjoy leftovers - add what you like and enjoy!

Cavatini from Sharolyn ate at Jerry's Retirement

Brown 1 lb. hamburger with chopped onions & peppers. Season with salt, pepper & garlic
Cook 1 pkg Trio Italian pasta. Drain

Combine meat and pasta with:
1 pkg pepperoni
1 large can mushrooms, drained
1 can pitted ripe olives, drained
1 large pkg mozerella cheese
2 jars or cans of spaghetti sauce
3 tsp. Italian seasoning

Makes 2, 9x13" pans. Bake 350º for 30-40 minutes

Chicken with Apricot

1 (11-12 oz.) pkg dried apricots or fresh
1 c water
2 tbsp veg oil
1/2 of onion thinly sliced into 1/2" strips
4 bone - in chicken halves and legs with skin on (1 1/2 # total)
2 tbsp dry white wine
1 tsp tomato paste
2 to 3 tsp sugar
2 lemon wedges
hot rice pilaf for serving

Soak the apricots in the water for 20 to 30 minutes until soft and plump, if fresh won't need to do. Remove and set aside. Save the soaking water.

Coat a large skillet at least 2 inches deep with nonstick cooking spray. Add the oil & warm over medium heat. Saute the onions until transparent, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from the pan & set aside. Raise the heat to high & quickly brown all the chicken pieces on both sides in batches. Do not allow them to burn.

Pour the wine into the pan immediately. Add the tomato paste & the soaking water from the apricots, stirring until the tomato paste is dissolved. Add the onions, aprictos, sugar to taste, & the juice from the lemon wedges, setting aisde the rinds. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat & cover. Simmer for 10 min. then turn over the chicken pieces & spricots, cover again, & simmer for 10 more minutes.

Meanwhile, using a small sharp paring knife, remove the pulp & all the white pith from the lemon rind. Mince the yellow zest. Sprinkle over the chicken & continue simmering until the chicken & continue simmering until the chicken is very tender, maybe another 10 min. The exact timing depends on the thickness of the breasts, drumsticks. Serve with rice pilaf.

Cooking Up a Storm. recipes lost & found from The Times-Picayune of New Orleans, edited by Marcelle Bienvenu & Judy Walter., 2008

Christmas Goose (Tina made this in MD, '04 - a better experience than we previously had) from "The Silver Palate Good Times Cookbook", 1985.

A most unusual stuffing a traditional holiday bird. The tart cranberries and kumquats (couldn't find so substitutes gooseberries) balance in flavor and texture with the pork sausage and crunchy pistachios. An orange-flavored liqueur blends the flavors all together. Goes best with a wonderful red Burgundy wine.

1 lb. bulk pork sausage
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 large yellow onion, chopped
5 ribs celery, coarsely chopped
1 1/2 c. dry white wine
1 bag (1 lb.) dried herb stuffing (used dried croutons)
12 oz. fresh cranberries
1 jar (9 oz.) kumquats, drained & quartered (used gooseberries)
1/2 c. shelled pistachio nuts
1/4 c. Cointreau or Grand Marnier
2 eggs, lightly beaten
salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 goose (9 to 11 pounds)
1 lemon, halved
1 tsp. ground allspice
1/2 c. pure maple syrup

1. Sauté the pork sausage in a large skillet, crumbling it with a fork, just until it is no longer pink. Transfer to a large mixing bowl.
2. Melt the butter in the same skillet over medium heat. Add the onion & celery & sauté about 10 minutes. Stir in the wine & cook 1 min. more. Add the herb stuffing to the sausage, pour the vegetable mixture over all, & stir to combine thoroughly.
3. Add the cranberries, kumquats (gooseberries), & pistachios to the stuffing and stir to combine. Moisten the stuffing with the Cointreau & eggs. Season to taste with salt & pepper.
4. Preheat oven to 450ºF.
5. Rinse the goose & pat dry. Rub inside & out with the cut lemon. Sprinkle the cavity with salt & pepper.
6. Loosely stuff the bird & then truss. (Extra stuffing can be baked in a greased casserole for 40 minutes at 350ºF. -- Tina placed it around the goose instead)
7. Roast the goose for 20 min. Reduce the heat to 350ºF. Continue roasting until juices run clear when the thickest part of the thigh is pierced, about 20 min. per pound. Baste first with the syrup & then the accumulated pan juices.
8. Remove from the oven & let stand about 10 min. before carving.

6 portions

5-Hour Oven Stew (from Helen Roach through Phillips)

1 1/2 lb. cubed stew meat
5 medium potatoes, cubed
2 cups carrots in 1" chunks
2-14.5 oz. cans stewed tomatoes
2 T. quick-cooking tapioca
1 Tbsp. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
1 cup chopped onion (chunks)
1 cup sliced celery (1 inch)

herb seasoning
parsley
Worchestershire sauce

Combine, stir in large (3 qt) casserole. Cover. Bake at 275 deg. oven for 5 hrs. or crockpot on low for 8 or more hrs)

Green peas before serving -- frozen veg. also work for carrots, potatoes, onions, etc.

Combine first 6 ingredients. Make into 4 patties (or meatballs). Place in shallow baking dish. Brown 20 min. in oven (350º). Drain.
Combine flour & 3-4 T. tomato juice until smooth. Slowly add tomatoes, sour cream and mushrooms. Pour over patties. Cover with foil. Bake 30 min. at 350º.

Judy adapted: added 1/4 tsp. salt & 1/2 tsp pepper made into meatballs (about 30-32). I cooked in microwaved meatballs for about 5 minutes and 10 min. in oven before adding the sauce.

Kevin remembers adding corn or peas
Kim uses tomato sauce, chili powder, onions and garlic powder & peas