Roasted Corn and Lobster Dip

  • 1 cup frozen whole kernel corn
  • 1/3 cup chopped red or green sweet pepper
  • 1 6- or 8-ounce package flake-style imitation lobster, drained and coarsely chopped
  • 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese with jalapeno peppers (4 ounces)
  • 1/3 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/4 cup sour cream
  • 1 teaspoon finely shredded lemon peel
  • Vegetable dippers and/or crackers

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. In a shallow baking pan, combine corn and sweet pepper. Roast, uncovered, about 15 minutes or until vegetables start to brown, stirring occasionally. Remove from oven. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F.

2. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, stir together imitation lobster, cheese, mayonnaise, sour cream, and lemon peel. Stir in roasted vegetables.

3. Transfer mixture to an ungreased 8-inch quiche dish or shallow baking dish. Bake, uncovered, about 20 minutes or until heated through. Serve with vegetables and/or crackers. Makes 10 to 12 servings.

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Crab and Horseradish Havarti Dip

  • 1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
  • 1-1/4 cups shredded horseradish and chive Havarti cheese (5 ounces)*
  • 1/3 cup sour cream
  • 1/4 cup mayonnaise
  • 1 cup cooked lump crabmeat or one 6-ounce can crabmeat, drained, flaked, and cartilage removed
  • 1 cup shredded baby spinach
  • 1/3 cup thinly sliced green onions
  • Breadsticks, flatbread, toasted baguette slices, and/or bagel chips

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl, combine cream cheese, 1 cup of the Havarti cheese, the sour cream, and mayonnaise. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until well mixed. Gently stir in crabmeat and spinach.

2. Transfer mixture to an ungreased 1-quart souffle dish or shallow baking dish. Bake about 25 minutes or until heated through.

3. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup Havarti cheese and the green onions. Serve with bread and/or chips. Makes 12 servings.

*Test Kitchen Tip: If you can’t find the horseradish and chive Havarti cheese, substitute 1-1/4 cups shredded Havarti cheese and add 1 tablespoon snipped fresh chives and 2 teaspoons prepared horseradish with the sour cream.

12 servings – Calories175

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Blueberry Muffins

  • 1/2 cup butter softened
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 cups flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 2 1/2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
  • 2 Tbsp cinnamon sugar for topping

 

  1. Cream butter and 1 cup sugar until fluffy.
  2. Add eggs one at a time, beating well
  3. Combine flour, baking powder & salt; add to creamed mixture, stirring GENTLY
  4. Add milk & vanilla, mix lightly
  5. Stir berries into batter and spoon batter into well buttered muffin tins
  6. Sprinkle cinnamon sugar on top of each muffin
  7. Bake at 375° for 30 minutes
  8. Cool in pan before removing
  9. Makes 12 large muffins

Thanks to Karen Mannello for this recipe

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Spaghetti al Limone

  • 1 lb spaghetti
  • 1 lemon
  • 1 Cup medium cream
  • 1/4 cup vodka or grappa
  • 1/8 tsp freshly grated nutmeg

 

  1. Cook Pasta in 4 qts of boiling salted water
  2. Grate the lemon rind being careful not  to grate any part of the white peel
  3. In large skillet over low heat steep cream and lemon zest for 5 minutes.  Add vodka and stir in juice of half of the lemon and nutmeg.
  4. Drain the pasta when it is barely al dente and add to the sauce in the skillet.  Raise the heat to medium and stir and toss the spaghetti until they have absorbed most of the liquid and sauce is creamy and thick.

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Sour Cream Coffee Cake

(AKA Sylvia Luchinsky’s Coffee Cake)

  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 2 sticks butter
  • 3 cups flour
  • 1/8 tsp salt
  • 3 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 2 tsp vanilla

Filling

  • 1/2 cup chopped nuts
  • 1/2 cups chopped raisins
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 2 tsp cinnamon

    • Cream butter and sugar
    Add eggs – beat until fluffy
    Add all dry ingredients alternately with sour cream and vanilla
    Grease and flour 10″ bundt or tube pan
    Spread 1/2 batter in pan and sprinkle with  some of filling
    Repeat layers 3 times
    Bake 350° 55 – 60 minutes

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    Sausage & Escarole Soup

    • 1 lb hot sausage cut into pieces
    • 1 lb sweet sausage cut into pieces
    • 4 1/2 cups water
    • 3 heads of escarole
    • 2 Tbsp salt

    Fry the sausage with 1/4 cup of water in ungreased 12″ frying pan until thoroughly cooked. 
    Drain off excess fat and set pan aside.
    Wash and separate escarole leaves
    Bring water to boil and add salt. 
    Drop in escarole leaves and stir until all are added.
    When water has boiled, simmer 10 minutes
    Transfer cooked escarole dripping with water to pan with sausage
    Cook on low heat for 5 minutes
    Salt & Pepper to taste

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    Frugal Gourmet’s Biscuits

    • 1 cup + 2Tbsp flour
    • 1/4 tsp baking soda
    • 1/4 tsp baking powder
    • pinch of salt
    • 2 Tbsp crisco
    • 1/2 cup buttermilk

    Heat cast iron frying pan in over at 500° with 2 Tbsp shortening
    Use pastry cutter and cut together the first 5 ingredients
    Add buttermilk to the mixture and knead slightly
    Flatten to 1/2″ thick.  Cut into 6 biscuits with biscuit cutter or small glass
    Turn in pan oil to coat
    Bake 10 minutes

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    Irish Soda Bread

    • 4 cups flour
    • 3/4 cup sugar
    • 3 tsp baking powder
    • 1 tsp baking soda
    • 1 tsp salt
    • 1 stick butter
    • 2 cups raisins
    • 2 cups buttermilk
    • 2 tsp caraway seeds (optional)

    Mix dry ingredients.
    Melt butter and add to dry mix
    Mix together until beads form
    Add raisins, buttermilk and seeds
    Grease cast iron frying pan and pour in mix

    Bake at 325 for 60 – 70 minutes

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    Butternut Squash and Fried Sage Pasta

    • 8 oz whole-wheat penne
    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • 8 sage leaves
    • 1 medium red onion, thinly sliced
    • 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
    • 1 medium butternut squash (2 lb), peeled, seeded & cut into 1″ cubes
    • 1/2 teaspoon salt
    • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
    • 1/4 cup grated Parmesan

    butternutsquashsagepastaCook penne as directed on package.

    Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat.

    Fry sage, turning once, until crisp on both sides, about 1 minute per side. Transfer to a paper towel.

    Add onion and garlic to skillet. Cook, stirring frequently, until soft and golden, about 3 minutes.

    Add squash, 3/4 cup water, salt and pepper. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until squash softens, 5 to 7 minutes.

    Drain pasta, reserving 1 cup cooking water. Return pasta to pot and add squash mixture; stir over low heat, adding some reserved cooking water if necessary, until pasta is coated, about 1 minute.

    Serve, garnished with cheese and sage.

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    Polenta and Vegetables With Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

    polenta-red pepper1 cup uncooked instant polenta
    2/3 cup grated Parmesan, divided
    1/8-1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
    Vegetable oil cooking spray
    2 cloves garlic, chopped
    2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme (or oregano) or 1 tbsp dried
    1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
    1 tablespoon olive oil
    8 asparagus stalks, ends trimmed
    8 scallions, trimmed
    2 small Japanese or Italian eggplants, trimmed and halved
    1 medium-large yellow squash (about 1/2 lb), cut into 1/3-inch-thick slices
    1 cup cherry tomatoes

    Sauce

    1 jar (12 oz) prepared roasted red peppers, drained
    1/3 cup vegetable (or chicken) broth
    1 large clove garlic, chopped
    3 tablespoons chopped fresh chives, basil or parsley (plus extra for garnish)
    1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

    Bring 3 cups water to a boil in a medium-sized heavy saucepan. Add polenta in a stream, whisking to combine. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring frequently, until thick, 3 to 5 minutes. Whisk in 1/3 cup Parmesan and season with cayenne and salt. Coat a 9″ pie plate with cooking spray. Transfer polenta to pie plate, smooth into an even layer and let cool 15 minutes. Heat broiler. Whisk garlic, thyme, lemon juice and oil in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Toss vegetables with dressing. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray and arrange vegetables in 1 layer (or in 1 layer in a grill basket). Broil vegetables about 4 inches from heat until tender and slightly charred, 3 to 5 minutes on each side. Transfer to a platter. Combine all sauce ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Sprinkle polenta with remaining 1/3 cup Parmesan. Broil polenta in pie plate until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes, then cut polenta into 8 triangles. Divide polenta among 4 plates. Top with vegetables, drizzle with sauce and sprinkle with chives. Serve any remaining sauce on the side.

    280 calories per serving

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