Cranberry Sauce ~ Grandma Leu

This has been a family favorite at Thanksgiving. I decreased the sugar from Grandma's recipe, and it is still very sweet.

1 bag of cranberries

2 apples, peeled and cored, cut up

2 navel oranges, including the peel, cut up

1½ cups sugar

Grind the cranberries, apples, and oranges in a food processor. Remove to a medium size bowl. Add sugar, more or less to taste. Chill.

This keeps a long time in the refrigerator, so make it in advance of Thanksgiving.                                                                  

Parmesan Spinach Casserole with Garlic Brown Rice

The recipe calls for potato chip topping, but I think French’s canned French Fried Onions would be real nice on this casserole. Also, don’t over-bake it.

Garlic Brown Rice

Rice can be made ahead of time or even the day before.

1 ½ cups brown rice (or 2 rice cooker cups)

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 teaspoon coarse sea salt

½ teaspoon garlic powder

½ teaspoon onion powder

Water

Place the rice in a rice cooker bowl and cover with water and stir. Pour off most of the water into the sink leaving the rice in the bowl. Repeat two more times. This cleans the rice.

Fill bowl with water to the two cup brown rice mark. Add the butter, salt, garlic powder and onion powder. Place the bowl in the slow cooker and select brown rice if you have the option. Set aside for the casserole.

Notes: Cut the salt in half if not using in a casserole.

Parmesan Spinach Casserole with Garlic Brown Rice

1 recipe cooked Garlic Brown Rice, above

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 cup very thinly sliced carrot rounds

1 large yellow or white onion, halved and thinly sliced

1 teaspoon coarse sea salt

3 tablespoons unbleached flour

3 cups milk

1 (16 ounce) package frozen organic chopped spinach, thawed and drained well

2/3 cup shredded Parmesan Reggiano or Pecorino Romano cheese

Sprinkle of garlic powder

1 cup crushed Kettle Brand Krinkle Cut Potato Chips, or French’s canned French Fried Onions

Thaw the spinach in a colander over a bowl or in the microwave if you're in a hurry. Press out as much liquid as possible with the back of a spoon.

Preheat oven to 350º. Lightly oil a 9x13 inch-baking dish and add the cooked rice.

In a large skillet melt the butter over medium heat and add the carrots, onions and salt. Cook until carrots are tender and onions start to caramelize. Add the flour and cook for a minute, then slowly pour in the milk stirring as you pour. Stir constantly until the sauce looks like it’s starting to thicken, but not completely thick yet, like medium gravy. Add the spinach, cheese, a good dash of freshly cracked pepper and heat just until warmed through. Spread mixture over rice and sprinkle very lightly with garlic powder. Top with crushed potato chips.

Bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until heated through. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

German Sauerkraut

It is best served with Sauerbraten, grilled Bratwurst, roast Pork, or chops. This can be made into a main dish by adding 1/2 pound smoked sausage (cut in 3-inch lengths) or 4 pre-cooked bratwurst, before simmering. I served this as a side dish to our gourmet group, along with slow-cooked pork roast.

2 tablespoons bacon drippings

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 Granny Smith or Roma apple, peeled and diced

1 package fresh sauerkraut, rinsed and drained

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 teaspoon caraway seed

1/4 teaspoon coarse-ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon ground allspice

1/4 cup, or more, dry white wine, or beer

Heat drippings in a large saucepan; when sizzling, add onions and apple and sauté

over very low heat until soft and coated with the drippings. Stir in sauerkraut; make sure it's well mixed.

Add brown sugar, caraway seed, pepper, salt and allspice; mix well. Stir in wine or beer; mix well.

Cover and simmer 40-45 minutes. May need to add additional wine or beer (or even water) if it evaporates too soon. I had to do this.

Scalloped Apples

4  medium  tart apples, peeled, cored, and sliced

1/2  cup  sugar

1/4  tsp  cinnamon

1/4  tsp  ground cloves

1/2  cup  butter (no substitutes)

2  cups  fresh white bread cubes (4 slices bread)

Toss apples with sugar and spices. In skillet, melt butter; add bread pieces, stirring until crispy and slightly brown. In a greased 8-in. pan, layer half the apples, then half the crumbs. Repeat.

Bake at 350º for 45 minutes or until tender. (Loosely cover with foil for the first 20 minutes of baking.)

Also, rather than layering, I usually end up putting all the bread crumbs on top for extra crunchiness. For Thanksgiving and large gatherings, triple the apples and spices, and double the butter and crumb topping, using a 13X9 casserole dish. 

Swedish Rice Pudding

This is a Swedish recipe eaten as a side dish with the meal, not as a dessert. Barb Olson used to bring a Swedish Rice Pudding to our potlucks.

1  cup  uncooked rice (not instant)
1  qt  whole milk
4  eggs
1  tsp  vanilla
1/2  cup  sugar

Cook rice in salted wayer, 20 minutes. Drain any remaining liquid. Beat eggs, sugar, vanilla, and milk, Blend into rice. Bake in a casserole dish, set in a pan of water, @325 degrees, for 1 hour.

When it starts to congeal, stir and then dot with butter. Sprinkle top with cinnamon and continue baking until a knife inserted in middle comes out clean.

Nonna's Polenta

Nonna was my Italian mother-in-law. This is how she makes fried polenta. We love it. Mom said to blend the cornmeal in cold water first. This way helps to prevent lumping.

6  cups  boiling water
2  tsp  salt
1-1/4  to  1-1/2  cups cold water
2  cups  corn meal, coarse cut

Combine corn meal, salt, and cold water. Stir until evenly moist. Add boiling water. Cook on top of stove, stirring constantly, for 15 minutes.

You can serve it just as-is, or fry it. Pack it into a buttered loaf pan and chill. Slice 1/2" thick and fry in butter.

Polenta with Gorgonzola and Red Pepper Sauce

6  cups  water
2  cups  cornmeal  (1 cup each, fine and coarsely ground)
2  tsp  salt
2  Tbs  melted butter
8  oz  Gorgonzola cheese

In a large, heavy pot, slowly pour water into the cornmeal, stirring constantly, until you have a lump-free paste. Stir in the rest of the water and salt. Cook on med-low heat for 20 - 30 minutes, stirring very frequently, until thick and smooth. Be especially careful the last 10 miutes to prevent scorching. When done, a spoon will stand up in the middle and the whole mass will cling together and pull away from the sides of the pan.

Remove from heat and scoop it out onto the countertop (or large cutting board) that has been wet down with cold water to prevent sticking. Smooth out polenta to about 1/2" thick. Cool for at least 30 minutes, up to half a day, covered with a cloth. Brush bottom and sides of baking dish with some of the melted butter. Brush the rest of the butter on top of the polenta. Cut into small rounds with a biscuit cutter. Put the scrap polenta in the baking dish. On top of this, make an overlapping row of rounds, leaning up against the side of the dish. Lean the next row of rounds overlapping the first row, etc. Crumble cheese over top.

Bake @450 degrees for about 20 minutes, until cheese melts and polenta is crusty. Serve with Roasted Red  Pepper Sauce.

Roasted Red Pepper Sauce:
6  huge  or  9  med  red bell peppers
1  onion, chopped
3  Tbs  olive oil
3  cloves  garlic, finely minced
3  tomatoes, finely chopped  OR  6  canned whole Italian Plum tomatoes with juice to make 1-1/2 cups
2  Tbs  chopped fresh basil (1 tsp dried)
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/4  cup chopped fresh parsley (not dried)

Place whole peppers directly on the rack of 500 degree oven, for about 20 minutes. Turn 2 - 3 times to get all sides evenly charred. Cover the bottom of the oven with aluminum foil to catch the drips, in case one splits open. Roast until skins are black and blistered. Put them immediately in a covered bowl. Allowing them to cool down in their own steam will make peeling easier.

When cool enough to handle, peel them over o bowl to catch the wonderful oils tey secrete. Do not rinse them. Remove seeds and thick inner inner membranes. Slice into thin strips, and then in half lengthwise. You should have about 2 cups.

Saute the onions in the wonderful pepper oils you have collected, or in the olive oil. Add garlic and saute for a few quick minutes. When the onions are translucent, add tomatoes, basil, and black pepper. Stir in the red pepper strips and cook for a few minutes.

Puree about 1/3 of the sauce in a blender or food processor. Return it to the pan. Add parsley. Serve over polenta or cooked pasta. If using pasta, slightly under-cook the pasta and put it in the pot of sauce to finish cooking.

NOTE:
Roast a few more peppers while you're at it, and use them for sandwiches. A roasted red pepper sandwich is the best!

Asparagus, Artichoke and Pea Risotto

1  cup  frozen petite peas, thawed
3  cups  canned chicken broth
3  cups  water
1  pkg  frozen artichokes, thawed
Asparagus tips from 1 lb of asparagus
4  Tbs  unsalted butter
1/2  cup  minced yellow onion
2  cups  Arborio rice
1  cup  dry white wine
1/4  cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus more for serving

Gently cook the asparagus tips in boiling salted water, until just tender, 1 to 2 minutes. Drain and set aside.

Heat the chicken broth and water in a small saucepan. Melt 3 Tbs butter in a large frying pan or wok. Add onion and cook, stirring until the onions start to change color, 3 - 4 minutes. Add rice. Stir until well coated with butter, about 1 min. Add wine; stir until it is almost all reduced. Add about 1/2 cup hot broth, or just enough to barely cover the rice. Cook, stirring constantly, until the stock has been almost completely absorbed.

Continue cooking in this manner, adding 1/2 cup hot broth at a time, for about 15 minutes. The rice should be tender, but still firm to the bite.

Stir artichokes, peas, and asparagus tips into the rice. Season lightly with salt. Add remaining Tbs of butter and the cheese. Mix quickly 1 - 2 minutes, until the butter and cheese have melted, and the rice has a moist and creamy consistency. Taste and adjust the seasonings, if desired. Sprinkle with additional cheese.

Especially good with Mapled Ham. Put the ham with some maple sauce spooned over it, on your plate. The little bit of maple sauce that sneaks over on the risotto adds a wonderful flavor.

Lemon Asparagus Risotto

This must be made at the last minute and requires your full attention.


6  cups  chicken broth, (low sodium)
3-1/2  Tbs  butter, divided use
1  Tbs   vegetable oil
2/3  cup  finely chopped onion
1-2/3  cups  Arborio rice
1/2  cup  dry white wine
1/2  lb  asparagus spears
1/2 - 3/4  cup  grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Salt and Pepper to taste
Finely grated zest of one lemon
Juice of one lemon

Bring the broth to a boil near the burner you will use for risotto.

Cut asparagus into 1½"  pieces. Partially cook by either steaming or
sauteeing in a little olive oil and butter.

While the broth is heating, put 1½ tablespoons butter and the oil in a large skillet. Add onion and sauté until pale golden. Add rice, stirring to coat thoroughly. Add wine. When it evaporates, add 1 cup of simmering broth. Cook and stir constantly  When the liquid evaporated, add another ladleful of broth. Continue stirring and adding broth like this until the rice is tender, but firm to the bite (about 20 minutes). As the cooking time nears, add less broth. Add lemon zest and juice; asparagus. Stir to combine and heat asparagus.

Risotto should be moist, but not runny. You may use all or a bit less of the broth. Possibly even a little more broth or water. Remove from the heat; add remaining butter and cheese. Grate a little more cheese for garnish.

Cranberry Sauce

This recipe was given to me at the bridge table. It was too late to try it that year, as cranberries had just gone out of season, so the next year I made sure I had some cranberries. This is my hands-down absolute favorite cranberry sauce. The little pieces of lemon rind really take it to a whole new level. Love this stuff.


2  apples, peeled, cored and cut up small 
2  whole  thin skinned oranges (with rind) cut up small
1  whole  Meyer lemon, (with rind) cut up small
1  lb  fresh cranberries
2-1/2  cups  sugar
1/2  cup  red wine

Hand cut the apples, oranges, and Meyer lemon. (Try to get a Meyer lemon, as they are thinned skinned, sweeter, and have less of the bitter white lining under the rind. If not available, use only a thinned skin lemon.)

Put everything in a pot and bring to a boil. Simmer about 10 minutes. Cranberries will pop and the whole mixture will thicken.

Can be made several days ahead.

Pineapple Cheese Casserole

Now who would ever think that cheddar cheese and pineapple would be so great together? This is the best pineapple casserole I have ever eaten.


2  cans (20 oz.) crushed pineapple, drained
1/8  cup  flour
2  cups  shredded cheddar cheese
1/2  cup  brown sugar
1  stack  Ritz crackers, crushed
10  Tbs  butter, melted

Combine pineapple, flour, brown sugar, and cheese. Spread in a 2 quart casserole dish. Sprinkle crushed crackers on top, and drizzle the melted butter over the crackers. Bake @350° for 30 minutes.

Can be served hot or cold, but tastes best right out of the oven.

Yorkshire Pudding

4  eggs
1  cup flour
1  cup milk
1/2  tsp  salt
Roast beef drippings or vegetable oil


Beat all together (except dripping's) and let it sit on the countertop for 1 to 4 hours. (I let it sit for four hours). Heat oven to 450°.


Put one teaspoon of dripping's from the roast beef or oil, into each of 12 popover or muffin cups. Put this into the pre heated oven for 2-4 minutes. Remove and immediately pour the batter into each cup, evenly distributing. Return to the oven and bake for 15 minutes.

DO NOT OPEN THE OVEN DOOR WHILE BAKING. Serve immediately.