Victor Martorano

Limoncello is an Italian cordial that is oh, so good! It’s a refreshing summer drink!

• 15 organic lemons, well scrubbed
• 1 1.75 ml bottle vodka (80 or 100 proof – higher proof=stronger)
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup water

Wash the lemons well and pat dry. Carefully zest the lemons with a zester or vegetable peeler so there is no white pith on the peel.

Step One:
In a large glass jar (1-gallon jar), add the vodka and the lemon zest. Cover the jar and let sit at room temperature for at least 10 days and up to 40 days in a cool dark place. The longer it rests, the better the taste will be. (There is no need to stir – all you have to do is wait.) As the limoncello sits, the vodka slowly take on the flavor and rich yellow color of the lemon zest.

Step Two:
In a large saucepan, combine the sugar and water; cook until thick and syrupy, approximately 5 to 7 minutes. Cool the syrup and then stir into the limoncello mixture. Allow to rest for another 10 to 40 days.

Step Three:
After the rest period, strain and bottle: discarding the lemon zest. Keep in the freezer until ready to serve.

Tim Morton

This recipe comes from Tim Morton, a former co-worker, and a really swell guy! He gave me a jar of it and after the first bite – I HAD to have the recipe!

As he says in the recipe, lots of things can be altered or changed. Use any variety of ingredients to suit your taste – or what you have on hand!

• 6 cups flaked or rolled grains
• 1 cup nuts (chopped or not)
• 1 cup wheat germ (can substitute almond or walnut meal, sunflower seeds, or sesame seeds)
• 1 teaspoon grated nutmeg
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup safflower or canola oil
• 3/4 cup honey, golden syrup, or maple syrup (Grade B maple syrup tastes best)
• 1 cup dried fruit

Preheat oven to 300° . Toss the dry ingredients together – but not the dried fruit – then add the oil and sweetener and toss again to coat thoroughly (I use a large Tupperware container for this – seal and toss the dry ingredients, add the wet stuff, seal and toss, again.) Spread the mixture onto two sheet pans or two 9×13 pans and bake for 30 minutes, stopping every 10 minutes to stir and turn the mixture so it browns evenly. After it comes out of the oven, add the dried fruit. As it cools, it will lose its stickiness and become crunchy. You can use less oil or less sweetener and get similar results if you’re looking to cut calories.

Good Combinations of Fruits and Nuts

• Cherry and almond
• Tropical (macadamia nut and dried pineapple, papaya, and/or coconut – sub ginger for nutmeg)
• Trail mix (peanuts and raisins, plus chocoolate chips when mixture cools)
• Maple walnut (walnuts with any kind of dried fruit – apples are good.)

Uses for Granola

• As a breakfast cereal with milk
• With yogurt and fruit
• On ice cream

This is an easy recipe that can be changed to suit your tastes – or things in the refrigerator!

• 6 oz Ham Steak
• 3oz Gorgonzola Cheese
• 1 leek (green onions or other onions work fine, too!)
• Won Ton Wrappers
• Black pepper to taste

Finely chop leek and sauté in a bit of butter.  Place in food processor with ham and cheese and process until almost pasty.

Place won ton wrapper on board and fill with a scant 1/2 teaspoon of filling.  Dampen one side of wrapper with moist finger, and fold over on the diagonal and seal, creating a triangle.  Bring up long edges and pinch together.  Repeat with remaining won ton wrappers.

Deep fry about 1-2  minutes or until crispy browned.  Drain on paper towels and serve with dipping sauce.

Dipping Sauce

My favorite all-purpose dipping sauce is merely

• Apricot Jam (although we usually use leftover filling from Aunt Emma’s Cookies)
• Chili Paste (Sambal Oelek)

Add desired amount of Sambal Oelek to Jam and serve.

You can add

• Soy Sauce
• Sesame Oil
• Chopped onions or any number of flavors to suit your taste!

Jenni Sowizdrzal

• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 4 garlic cloves, sliced
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional if you don’t want it spicy)
• 1 pound unshelled shrimp (26 to 32 shrimp per pound)
• 2 teaspoons sweet paprika  (regular paprika is fine)
• 1/4 cup medium-dry sherry
• 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley leaves (optional, or use a couple teaspoons of dried parsley leaves)
• Fresh lemon juice, to taste
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

In a large heavy skillet set over moderately high heat, heat the oil until it is hot, add the garlic and cook, stirring, until it is pale golden.

Add the red pepper flakes and the shrimp and cook the mixture, stirring, for 1 minute, or until the shrimp are pink and just firm to the touch.

Sprinkle with shrimp with the paprika and cook the mixture, stirring, for 30 seconds.

Add the Sherry, boil the mixture for 30 seconds, and sprinkle with parsley.

eason the mixture with the lemon juice and salt and pepper, to taste, and transfer it to a serving bowl.

The shrimp may be made up to 1 day in advance and kept covered tightly and chilled.

Serve the shrimp at room temperature.

This recipe comes to us from our friend Susan, who requested it from the PBS Show A La Carte/Daisy Cooks!

Makes 6 appetizer servings, or, with a salad, a light supper

• 1 pound navy beans or black-eyed peas, cooked and drained
• 2 pounds small shrimp, peeled, deveined and cut into ¼-inch dice
• Half a small Spanish onion, diced very fine (about ½ cup)
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 teaspoons fine sea or kosher salt
• Half a Scotch bonnet chili pepper or chili pepper of your choice, finely chopped
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
• All-purpose flour
• Vegetable oil

1. Mash about two-thirds of the beans to a paste in a large bowl. Stir in the remaining beans and then the shrimp, onion, cilantro, salt, chili, black pepper, and cumin.

2. Form the bean mix into six 3 ½-inch patties, lining them up on a baking sheet as you go. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes or up to 8 hours. Refrigerating the cakes will firm them up and make them easier to handle.

3. Pour enough oil into a 12-inch skillet to fill ½-inch, about 1 cup. Heat the oil over medium-high heat until rippling.

4. Meanwhile, spread a thick layer of flour out on a plate. Coat both sides of the patties, handling them gently. Slip the patties into the oil and cook, turning once, until golden brown on both sides and the shrimp is cooked through, about 8 minutes.

Drain on paper towels and serve hot.

Serve with Spicy Pineapple Vinegar.

• 1 12-ounce bag cranberries
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 2 pears, peeled and chopped
• 2 teaspoons lemon zest
• 1/4 cup diced candied ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1/4 cup cider vinegar
• pinch salt

In a heavy saucepan combine all the ingredients except pears and simmer the mixture, stirring occasionally, for about 5-6 minutes or until the berries have burst. Add the chopped pears and simmer a few more minutes. Cool and refigerate.

Mile Amason

Ingredients:

• 16 oz can whole kernel corn, drained, or two large ears fresh corn, kernels cut and cob scraped
• 1 pound claw crab meat
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• two green onions, chopped with tops
• ½ stalk celery, finely chopped
• 2 to 3 sprigs fresh parsely, chopped
• 1-1/2 tsp Black pepper
• ½ tsp cayenne pepper
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 eggs, beaten
• ½ cup half-and-half or whipping cream
• ¼ cup white wine
• 1-1/2 cups self-rising flour

Put crab meat, chopped vegetables, spices, and liquid ingredients into a large bowl and stir to mix well and coat everything with milk and eggs mixture. Stir in flour just before cooking.

Drop spoonfuls of batter onto a nonstick frying pan or lightly greased skillet or griddle and cook 3-4 minutes until bubbles rise to the top of the batter and bottom is brown. Turn them over to finish cooking. Serve hot or cold.

• 1/2 cup kosher salt
• 1/2 cup dried oregano
• 1/4 cup chipotle powder
• 1/4 cup smoked paprika
• 1/4 cup powdered garlic

Mix everything in a food processor until powdery. That’s it!

• 2 cups catsup – the better the catsup, the better the sauce
• 1 cup red wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1 cup brown sugar, packed
• 4 tablespoons chipotle powder
• 2 tablespoons dry mustard
• 1 tbsp garlic powder

Mix all ingredients in a saucepan and simmer about 15 minutes. It is kick-a-poo GREAT!

Tim Dineen

Really simple and really tasty!

• 1/2 lb fresh sausage (I used a Cherry Maple pork sausage, but the flavor is only limited by your imagination and store offerings!)
• 1 cup chopped mushrooms
• 1 leek, chopped
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• Cheese (I used Cranberry Stilton, but any cheese you like will do!)
• 1 pkg  Puff Pastry (I’m not usually a “brand-name person” but Dufour is really good, as is Wegmans.  Just don’t use one with partially hydrogenated fat.  Use Butter!)

Sauté leeks and mushrooms until they begin to wilt.  Add crumbled sausage and cook until browned and cooked through.  Add maple syrup.  Taste for seasoning and add S&P if desired.  Cool.

Roll out puff pastry sheet to 16″ square.  Cut evenly into 16 4″ squares.  Place heaping teaspoon of cheese in center of each square.  Place sausage filling atop cheese and fold puff pastry into a package, seam side down.  Place on cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.

Brush with egg wash, if desired.

Bake in preheated 375° oven about 30 minutes, or until puffed and browned.

Jenni Sowizdrzal

• ½ cup crumbled blue cheese
• ¼ cup soft butter
• ¼ cup chopped walnuts
• 2 T. fresh minced parsley
• 1 tsp. fresh minced rosemary

(other spices can be substituted for parsley or rosemary if you don’t have, basil and a little garlic are always good, dried spices can be used, just use a little less)

Combine all ingredients, shape into a 5-inch log and wrap in plastic and refrigerate at least 30-minutes or until firm.

Slice and add on top of grilled steaks or use softened as a spread on your favorite breads/crackers!