In The Kitchen

Karen’s Kitchen

December 18, 2014

Christmas Cherry Nut Cake

Christmas Eve was always a special time in our family. My mom was a great cook and baker. This recipe was a staple at our Christmas Eve gatherings, even better for breakfast the next day with a nice cup of tea. I still make it every year. Use whichever shaped pan you like: I use a tube pan. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

2 3/4 cups sifted all-purpose fllour

1 3/4 cups sugar

4 tsp. Baking Powder

1 tsp. Salt

2/3 vegetable shortening

1/3 cup Maraschino Cherry Juice

2/3 cup whole milk

16 Maraschino cherries cut into eights

5 Egg Whites (about 2/3 cup unbeaten)

1/2 cup chopped nuts

Directions:
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour your pan. In a large bowl, sift your dry ingredients together, and then add the shortening, juice, milk and cherries. Beat for 2 minutes at medium speed. Stop your mixer and scrape your bowl every 30 seconds. Add the egg whites one at a time until completely incorporated and beat for an additional 2 minutes at medium speed. Fold in the chopped nuts.  Scrape batter into pan, and bake for 55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool completely and enjoy!

September 18, 2014

Traditional Pumpkin Bread

This time of year, I begin to think of all of my favorite Fall recipes. This pumpkin bread is simple and easy to make. I sometimes add nuts and raisins. The grandchildren love it with lots of butter. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 can of Pumpkin (16 oz)

3 cups Sugar

1 cup Oil

2/3 cup water

4 Eggs

3 1/2 cups flour

2 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp ginger

Directions:
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour bottoms only of two 9×5 loaf pans. In a large bowl, blend combine the first 5 ingredients and beat for 1 minute at medium speed. Combine the remaining dry ingredients in another bowl, and fold into the wet mixture. Pour batter into prepared pans and bake for 60-75 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool for a few minutes, and then remove from pans and let cool completely.

June 9, 2014

Lucy’s Italian-style Hamburgers

Attorney DeBruyckere’s mother, Lucy, was THE master of the “Italian Mixture” hamburger. Our family would look forward to these every summer, enjoying them hot off the grill!

 
Ingredients:

• 2 lbs ground beef
• 4 eggs
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
• 1-2 cups of Italian-style breadcrumbs

Preheat your grill, and turn down to the “low” setting. In a bowl, whisk eggs, salt & pepper together. In another large bowl, combine the ground beef and egg mixture. Gradually add breadcrumbs until no longer tacky, but not dry. Shape the mixture into whichever sized patties you like, grill, and serve! These are great with provolone or mozzarella cheese.

April 14, 2014

Shrimp, Corn, and Sweet Potato Soup

This soup recipe is both quick and easy to make, healthy, and filling! Enjoy.

Makes 12 servings

Ingredients

• 1 red onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped celery
• 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
• 2 cups diced peeled sweet potato
• 1 (16oz) bag frozen corn
• 1 (10 oz) can cream-style corn
• 1 (6 oz) can tomato paste
• 4 cups fat-free chicken broth
• 1 1/2 pounds peeled medium shrimp
• Salt & pepper to taste
• Chopped green onions, optional

Directions:

In a large non-stick pot, sauté the onion, celery, garlic, and green pepper until tender. Add the sweet potato, corn, tomatoes, and green chilies, tomato paste, and broth; bring the mixture to a boil.

Add the shrimp, bring to a boil, reduce heat and continue cooking until the shrimp are done, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper; garnish with the green onions if desired, and serve.

March 24, 2014

Stuffed Rolled Eggplant

If you like eggplant you will love this recipe. It was passed down to me from my friend, Josephine Barbieri, who just so happens to be an outstanding cook. I sauté the pine nuts and garlic in  olive oil and then add to the mixture. This is one of those recipes that’s even better the next day, once all of the flavors have had a chance to meld.

Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 1 medium eggplant—peeled OR unpeeled (your choice)
•  4 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups italian style bread crumbs
• 1 lb. ground beef
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 cups of vegetable oil for frying
• 2 TB pine nuts
• 1/4 cup chopped black olives
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder OR minced fresh garlic
• 1 TB chopped parsley (fresh)
• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1 cup tomato sauce (homemade or store bought)

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Slice eggplant lengthwise into thin slices—about 1/8″ to 1/4″ thick.
• Crack all eggs into a medium-sized bowl and whisk until mixed.
• Add 1 cup of  the breadcrumbs onto a pie plate.
• One by one, dip the slices of eggplant into mixture, and using a fork, let the excess egg drip back into the bowl.
• Press the egg-washed eggplant slice into breadcrumbs using a fork or your hands. Shake off excess. Place breaded eggplant slice on a cooling rack. Repeat with all slices, and let them rest for 10 minutes before frying.
• While the eggplant slices are resting, simmer the hamburg and onion until tender. Place the hamburg into a medium bowl.
• Place paper towels underneath another cooling rack. This is where your cooked eggplant slices will drain.
• Fry the eggplant slices in a large skillet with at least 1/2 inch of olive oil. Don’t crowd the pan with too many slices. Cook until slices are browned on both sides. Drain on cooling rack.
• For the stuffing, place cooked ground beef & onions, 1/2 cup of bread crumbs, olives, pine nuts, garlic powder, parsley, cheese, salt, and pepper into a small bowl. Gradually add beaten egg until the mixture reaches the consistency of a meatball—holding together yet not too sticky to the touch. Set aside.
• Prepare your baking dish, covering the bottom of the dish evenly with tomato sauce.
• Place 1 TB of stuffing 1″ from the short edge of eggplant slice. Roll-up lengthwise (like you would a sleeping bag).
• Arrange rolled eggplants in your prepared baking dish, and sprinkle with parmesan cheese.
• Cover and bake in oven for 20 minutes, or until the egg in the stuffing has been cooked through.

March 11, 2014

Simple Cupcakes

Cupcakes are a quick and easy treat to make. I’ve been using this recipe since my children were little, and now bake these cupcakes with my grandchildren. They’re a big hit at birthday parties for young and old. Enjoy!

CUPCAKES

Ingredients:

• 2 1/4 cups cake flour or 2 cups all-purpose flour*
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 3 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup shortening
• 1 cup milk
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 4 egg whites (1/2 cup)

Directions:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees.
• Prepare cupcake pan with liners.
• Measure flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, shortening, 2/3 cup of the milk , and the vanilla into large mixer bowl. Blend 1/2 minute on low speed, scraping bowl constantly. Beat 2 minutes high speed, scraping bowl occasionally. Add remaining milk and the egg whites; beat 2 minutes high speed, scraping bowl occasionally.
• Fill cupcake liners 1/2 way full and bake for 20 minutes, or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool.

*Do not use self-rising flour in this recipe.

VANILLA FROSTING

Ingredients

• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 1/3 cup butter or margarine, softened
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 to 2 tablespoons milk

Directions

• In medium bowl, mix powdered sugar and butter with spoon or electric mixer on low speed. Stir in vanilla and 1 tablespoon of the milk.
• Gradually beat in just enough remaining milk to make frosting smooth and spreadable. If frosting is too thick, beat in more milk, a few drops at a time. If frosting becomes too thin, beat in a small amount of powdered sugar.

December 9, 2013

Traditional Holiday Stuffing Made Simple

An easy-to-make recipe which has been in our family for years. It makes a large batch, big enough for the largest of turkeys! Bon apetit.

Ingredients:

• 1 large onion, chopped
• 8 stalks of celery, chopped
• 6 lbs of hamburger
• 3-4 loaves of stuffing bread
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Poultry seasoning, to taste

Directions: Brown the hamburger, onion, and celery together and cook until the meat is no longer pink. Break up the bread and mash it, a little bit at a time, into the meat-mixture. Season to taste.Your stuffing is now ready to enjoy! Tastes great stuffed inside poultry, and can also be baked in a casserole dish in the oven until heated through and enjoyed on its own.

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October 29, 2013

Sauce & Meatballs

A simple red sauce with meatballs was a staple in my home as a child. Every Saturday, without fail, I would wake up to the aroma of the sauce and meatballs, which would simmer all day long. A family supper, complete with Italian bread from Tripoli Bakery, would be had by all.

I have continued this tradition with my granddaughter, Lucy. Each Tuesday we make the sauce and meatballs. She looks forward to “stirring” the sauce all day long.

Red Sauce

• 1 large onion, chopped
• 3 TB olive oil
• 4-28 ounce cans of crushed tomatoes
• 2 small cans of tomato paste
• Salt, pepper, garlic powder, oregano and basil to taste
• 2 TB Sugar

Directions: Simmer onion in olive oil until tender. Add rest of ingredients and reduce to a simmer.

Meatballs

• 2 lbs ground beef
• 4 eggs (1 egg to every lb of ground beef)
• Garlic powder, salt, and pepper
• 1 can seasoned bread crumbs—you’ll gradually add these in

Directions: Mix beef, eggs, and garlic powder together. Gradually knead bread crumbs into mixture, 1/4 cup at a time, until it feels like a dough, and then form into meatballs. Add into simmering sauce, and cook until meatballs are done—no longer pink in the center. Once cooked through, continue cooking on a low simmer until you’re ready to eat. Enjoy!

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October 17, 2013

Aglio e Olio
(garlic and oil sauce)

I love to cook for my family and we all love garlic. This recipe comes from “The North End Italian Cookbook”, fourth edition, authored by Marguerite Di Mino Buonofane. It’s such a hit, I make it year-round!

In addition to the recipe below, I chop up a few extra cloves of garlic and add to step two when I add the pasta water. The red pepper flakes and basil are a must, and I prefer to use rigatoni as the pasta. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 cup olive oil
5 garlic cloves, slivered
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp dried red pepper flakes
1 TB fresh parsley, chopped
1 teaspoon fresh basil, chopped

Plus 1 pound pasta of your choice

1. Using a medium-sized heavy skillet, heat the oil until warm. Add the garlic and simmer slowly for about 5 minutes or until the garlic is golden. Do not burn. You may remove the garlic at this point or leave it in if you enjoy a strong garlic flavor.

2. Add the salt, black and red pepper, parsley, and basil. Let simmer about 5 minutes to blend flavors; use as desired. If using with pasta, add some of the hot pasta water to sauce in skillet and let slightly boil about 3 minutes, add to hot strained pasta and serve immediately with lots of fresh grated black pepper and grated cheese.
Yields: 1 cup