Simmer broth, vegetables, and cloves until tender.  Remove garlic.  Thicken with roux made with flour and butter.  (Work them together in a bowl with a spoon or fork, then stir in until roux is melted and sauce thickened.)  Blend in milk, nutmeg, juice, seasonings, and turkey.

Taste.  Adjust.

Pour into a 2 1/2 quart casserole.

Roll out a batch of biscuit dough based on 2 c. flour until it is the approximate shape of the casserole but slightly smaller.   Cut into squares and arrange on top of the turkey mixture with spaces in between.  Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes.

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This sounds so good.  Too bad it is hot and sticky out and is not at all appropriate for the middle of July.  Perhaps I shall set this up to publish in the middle of winter, and then I will be reminded of it and make it and be happy and warm.  Ah technology.

Combine flour, sugar, salt.  Add sour cream.  Beat until smooth.  Stir in apples, put in pie crust.  Mix sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle on top.  Bake @ 425 for 15 minutes, then 350 degrees for 35 mins.

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I am assuming this is a two crust pie.  Please let me know if you have ever made a one crust Sour Cream Apple Pie.

• 2 lbs. butternut or calabaza squash
• 1 medium onion, chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 1/2 stick butter (4 T.)
• 2 cups bottled clam juice (mmm…Clamato) or shell stock
• 3 T. coarsely grated peeled fresh ginger (about a three inch piece) (have you seen those fancy tubes of ginger in the produce section of the grocery store?  They are awesome!  No more withered pieces of ginger in the vegetable drawer making me think that someone left a dessicated finger in my refrigerator!)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp. pepper
• 2 T. fresh lime juice
• 1/2 lb. fine-quality crab meat, checked for shell and pieces of cartilage
• Chopped basil, cilantro and croutons for garnish (optional)

Halve the squash, scoop out the seeds, and peel with a vegetable peeler.  Cut the squash into 1/2 in. cubes; there should be about 5 cups.

Cook the onion in the butter in a heavy pot over moderate heat for five minutes. Add the squash and cook, stirring occasionally, for ten minutes, or until the squash is easily mashed with a fork.

Puree the soup (really, don’t.) in a blender or food processor in batches (it is so messy, and really, what is the benefit?) and return to the pot.  (Have you ever scraped squash puree off the ceiling?  So unfun.)  Stir in the lime juice and crab.

The soup can be made a day ahead, covered and refrigerated, or frozen for 3 months.  (Let cool, uncovered, before freezing.)

Serve the soup hot.  (Really?  Hot soup?  Wha?)

Makes about six cups. Serves 4 to 6.

Combine above and put in 9×13 pan.  Lay chicken pieces or pork chops over rice.  Sprinkle package of cream of onion soup over the top. Cover tightly with foil.  Bake at 35o for 2 1/2 hours.

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This is my favorite comfort food recipe of all time.  Yes, me, who complains about cream of __________ soup all the time.  I have tried to recreate this by being fancy, but I just can’t do it.  This is creamy, ricey, dreamy.  I let myself have it once a year.  mmmmm.

In medium bowl beat cream cheese until light and fluffy.  Add Eagle Brand, blend thoroughly.  Stir in lemon juice and vanilla.  (huh.  no mention of vanilla in the list of ingredients.  I have no idea how much.)  Pour into crust.  Chill 3 hours or until set.  Top with desired amount of pie filling.

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This is the kind of cheesecake my Mom made for years.  Imagine my surprise when I moved to New York City after high school and met an authentic cheesecake.  I still make this every once in a while when I am feeling nostalgic, but it really is no comparison to the real thing.

• 1/2 pkg. dry yeast
• 1 c. warm water
• 2 tsp. honey

Then beat in:

• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 1/2 c. white flour
• 1 1/2 c. wheat flour
• 3 T. oil

Knead 8-10 minutes, place in greased bowl, turn to coat.  Cover and let rise 1 hr.  Roll out 1/8 inch think.  Cut to desired size.  Fill and bake at 450 for 20 minutes.

Filling:

• 1 lb. ricotta cheese
• 2 c. shredded mozzarella
• Italian spices to taste
• Pepperoni, ham, other meat of choice or veggies
• pizza sauce.

• 1 1/2 c. all purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 package Fleishman’s dry yeast
• 1 c. very warm water (120-150 degrees)
• 2 tsp peanut oil
• 2 c. whole wheat flour
• Pam spray
• 1 15 1/2 oz jar pizza sauce
• 8 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese
• toppings of choice

Mix 1 cup flour, salt and yeast.  Add warm water, beat 2 mins at medium speed, scraping bowl occasionally.  Add oil and 1/2 c. wheat flour.  Beat 2 mins at high speed.  Stir in remaining wheat flour and enough white flour to make a stiff dough.  Knead on floured board five minutes.  Spray a bowl with PAM.  Set dough in bowl, turn to grease top.  cover and rise in warm place 30 mins.  Spray 15x10x1 pan with PAM.  Punch down dough.  Roll and stretch to 17×12.  Place in pan making rim at edge.  Bake at 450 for 8 mins.  Spread with sauce, cheese and toppings.  Bake 10-12 min more or until brown.

• 1 lb round steak, 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick
• 2/3 c. water
• 1 (4 ounce) can sliced mushrooms
• 1 envelope onion soup mix
• 1 cup sour cream
• 2 T. flour
• Buttered noodles

Trim fat from meat. Cut in small pieces. Heat fat in skillet or chafing dish. When you have about 3 T. melted fat, remove trimmings. (If fat coating is thin, add butter to make 3T.) Brown meat quickly. Add water and mushrooms (including liquid); stir in soup mix and heat to boiling. Blend sour cream and flour; add mixture. Cook and stir until mixture thickens. (If using a chafing dish, keep over hot water.)  Serve over hot noodles.

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What???  No condensed soup?

Cook onion in butter in large saucepan until tender.  Add water and contents of rice and seasoning packets.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat, cover and simmer 20 mins.  Combine flour and dry mustard in a small bowl.  Gradually add about 1/2 c. of the broth, stirring until smooth.  Stir remaining broth, flour mixture and milk into rice mixture.  Heat to a simmer, stirring occasionally.  Continue simmering until slightly thickened.  Stir in cheese.  Sprinkle with green onion.  Makes four to six servings.

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Trashtastic!

I have been craving this for weeks, but have not been able to locate this exact little scrap of paper with the recipe on it.  Peanut sauce can either be a fantastic experience, or warm peanut butter on noodles.  One makes me think of my favorite restaurant in NYC, the other makes me think of being unemployed.

• 1/4 c. soy sauce
• 1/4 c. rice wine vinegar
• 6 T. cold water
• 1 T. sugar
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 2 tsp. minced peeled fresh ginger
• 1 tsp. minced garlic
• 6 T. smooth peanut butter, at room temperature
• 3 T. peanut oil
• 3 T. Asian sesame oil
• 1/2 tsp chili oil (I have a problem with chili oil going rancid in my house, so I just use the rooster hot chili sauce.)

Place the soy, vinegar, water, sugar, salt, ginger, and garlic in a blender or food processor.  Process until the ginger and the garlic are liquid, about a minute.  Add peanut butter and process until combined and smooth.

Combine the oils and drizzle into the sauce while the blender/food processor is running.

Tada!  All done.  The great thing about this is that you can just pop it in the refrigerator and use it whenever you have that craving for peanut noodles.  It never lasts long here, so I always double it.  Bring to room temp before serving.  I usually just plop it on some warm noodles with sauteed vegies on top.  Shredded chicken or pork is a nice addition.  And crushed peanuts.  And lots of Asian ketchup.  mmmmm.

I think this recipe originally came from the All Around the World Cookbook by the fabulous Sheila Lukins.   I read her cookbooks like trashy fiction.