Aunt Anne's Kitchen Sink Salad

Kitchen sink salad: 

Base is Romaine hearts with either spinach or mixed greens. Must have a really crisp Apple, some bacon or ham and some kind of nuts-preferably with a sugar coating. Then add your choice of strawberries, mandarin oranges, mangos, green onions, sunflower seeds, almost anything else. 

Dressing:(I tripled it,usually double it) make several hours before to pickle the onion.

1/3 c oil (I used smart balance-no flavor) 60 g
3 T Apple cider vinegar 50 g
1/4 scant c sugar (I don't double the sugar-do it to taste) 15 g
Salt to taste large pinch
2-3 T minced red onion 

I dice the Apple into the dressing to keep them from browning. I let them marinate for about 10 minutes.

Enjoyed this salad Easter Dinner 2019.

Creamy Blue Cheese Grits

1 Tablespoon and 1 teaspoon Kosher salt

1 teaspoon pepper

1 1/2 cups quick-cooking (5-minute) grits

2 cups half-and-half

3 Tablespoons unsalted butter

3 ounces blue cheese

Bring 6 cups water to a full rolling boil in a heavy 4-quart saucepan.  Add 1 Tablespoon Kosher salt and slowly whisk in 1 1/2 cups quick-cooking (5-minute) grits, pouring them into the pot in a thin, steady stream while whisking constantly.  Reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 5-7 minutes, until the grits have thickened.

Add 2 cups half-and-half and 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter and stir.  It will seem very thin but the grits will thicken again as they cook.  Bring the grits to a boil over medium heat, reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until smooth and creamy.  Off the heat, stir in 3 ounces blue cheese, 1 teaspoon Kosher salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper.  Season to taste and serve hot.

From Ina Garten's "Cook Like a Pro".

Imitation Crab Salad

In a medium bowl, toss:
1 pound imitation crab
1 stalk celery, cut into 1/8-inch dice

In a small bowl, whisk together dressing:
1/3 cup prepared mayonnaise (70 g)
3 tablespoons sour cream (50 g)
1/4 teaspoon tarragon
1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard

Stir into crab mix and season with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper.

Serving suggestions: Toasted hot dog rolls or Boston or Bibb lettuce.
Makes 4-6 servings.
Imitation Crab Salad

Kristy's Biscotti

3 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/4 sticks unsalted butter, melted
3 eggs
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
1 Tablespoon almond extract

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silpat mat.

Sift flour, baking powder and salt into medium bowl.

In a large bowl mix the sugar, melted butter, eggs, vanilla extract, and almond extract. Add the flour mixture to the egg mixture and stir with a wooden spoon until it’s well combined.

Divide the dough in half. With floured hands, shape dough into a 13x3 inch log (should be about 1 1/2 inches high). Transfer both logs to the prepared baking sheet, spacing about 2 inches apart.

Bake the logs until they’re golden brown, about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool the logs completely on the sheet on a wire rack, about 30 minutes.

On a cutting board, use a serrated knife to cut logs into 1/2-inch-wide slices. Arrange the slices cut side down on the same baking sheet.

Bake for 12 minutes. Turn the biscotti over and continue baking about 10-12 more minutes, just until they’re starting to get some color. Transfer the biscotti to a wire rack to cool. Store on the counter for up to 1 week. Or store them in the freezer in a plastic baggy for months.

Optional: 1 cup slivered almonds, toasted

Joan Rogers' Hot Fudge Sauce

1 cup melted butter
3/4 cup (95 grams) cocoa
4 cups (500 grams) powdered sugar
2 2/3 cups (2 cans) evaporated milk
1 Tablespoon vanilla

Mix all (but vanilla) and boil for 8-10 minutes, stirring from time to time, until as thick as you want. Then add vanilla.

Chili Sauce

16   /   8      /   4        cups chopped ripe tomatoes, peeled*
  6   /   3      /   1.5     cups sweet onion
  2   /   1      /   0.5     cups green peppers
  2   /   1      /   0.5     cups red peppers
  1   /   0.5   /   0.25   cup brown sugar
  1   /   0.5   /   0.25   Tablespoon celery salt
  1   /   0.5   /   0.25   teaspoon horseradish

  1   /   0.5   /   0.25   teaspoon cinnamon

  1   /   0.5   /   0.25   teaspoon dry mustard
  1   /   0.5   /   0.25   teaspoon nutmeg
  2   /   1      /   0.25   cups apple cider vinegar

Process the tomatoes, onion and peppers in the food processor, putting them into a medium pot.  Add sugar, celery salt, horseradish, cinnamon, mustard and nutmeg.  Simmer for 2 hours.  Add vinegar, cook down to desired thickness.

Can add a ripe peach (skinned like the tomatoes) or a little pineapple if desired (run through the food processor).

*Drop tomatoes (hulled with a cross cut into the bottom) in boiling water for 1 minute. Remove to a bowl of ice water.  The skins should slip off easily.

Note: Tried this in the pressure cooker--you still need to cook it down to the right consistency, so, just do it on the stove top when you have the time.

Sandwich Bread

TANGZHONG (STARTER):
3 tablespoons water
3 tablespoons whole milk
2 tablespoons King Arthur Unbleached Bread Flour

Combine all of the ingredients in a small saucepan, and whisk until no lumps remain.

Place the saucepan over low heat, and cook the mixture, whisking constantly, until thick and the whisk leaves lines on the bottom of the pan, about 3 to 5 minutes.

Transfer the tangzhong to a small mixing bowl or measuring cup and let it cool to room temperature.


DOUGH:
3 cups Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon instant yeast

Whisk together the flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, and instant yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment.

1 cup milk
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons olive oil

Combine the milk, water, and oil in a separate, microwave-safe bowl, and heat to between 120°F and 130°F. Be sure to stir the liquid well before measuring its temperature; you want an accurate reading. If you don't have a thermometer, the liquid will feel quite hot (hotter than lukewarm), but not so hot that it would be uncomfortable as bath water.

With the mixer on low (to avoid flour from poofing everywhere), pour in the hot liquid.  Add the tangzhong. With the mixer on high, beat for 1 minute until the dough is smooth and has started to become elastic. 

Lightly grease an 8 1/2" x 4 1/2" loaf pan, or line with parchment paper.

Pour the soft dough into the pan, leveling it as much as possible with floured hands. (Optional: brush the top of the dough with olive oil.)

Cover the pan, and let the dough rise till it's just barely crowned over the rim of the pan.  When you look at the rim of the pan from eye level, you should see the dough, but it shouldn't be more than, say, 1/4" over the rim.  This will take about 45-minutes to 1 hour, depending upon the temperature of your kitchen.  While the dough is rising, preheat the oven to 400°F.

Remove the cover and bake the bread for 22-27 minutes, till it's golden brown.

Remove the bread from the oven, and after 5 minutes, turn it out of the pan onto a rack to cool. (You can lightly butter the sides at this time if you like).