Mudflats Recipe Collection

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[Jamie]

Oh thanks Irishgirl !

I love Pavlova's and strangley so do my sons. I use Nigella Lawson's Chocolate Pavlova recipe - I'll pots here later.

 

[Irishgirl]

Ooh,
Chocolate pavlova sounds lovely. I'll be waiting! 

[CO Almost Native]

Jamie:

Here is the recipe; Yia-Yia is Greek for grandmother.

Yia-Yia's Spanakopita

1. Cook the following together for 20-25 minutes:
2 c. green onions, chopped
2 packages frozen chopped spinach
3/4c. water
2T. canola oil (you can use olive, it has a stronger flavor)
1T. dried dill
2T. dried parsley
(you can use fresh herbs, just adjust the amount)

Strain thoroughly in a colander, and let sit*
* I press it gently against the sides of the colander; you really want the spinach mixture very, very dry.  Press it several times while in the colander- not so hard it squishes through the holes, but you need to get the water out.  Sometimes I'll cook the spinach in the morning, put it in the colander in the sink, and go do errands; 3-5 hours is not too long to strain.. even longer is ok, maybe better.

2. Beat 7 eggs until light and fluffy (this also takes a while; thank goodness for my Kitchenaid mixer)
When fluffy, add:
1c. crumbled Feta cheese (do not use low fat, or flavored)
1c. Parmesan cheese (fresh is best, but shredded will work- do not use the stuff in a can)
2T. melted butter
2T. sugar
12 oz. carton of low-fat cottage cheese (if you use whole milk kind, you will need to strain it.  I usually strain the low-fat kind a little.  You can also use 1% cottage cheese.)

Mix well, but all the lumps won't be gone- that's ok.

3. When the cheese is mixed, add the greens and mix together thoroughly.

4. Melt together: 1 stick of butter and 1 stick of margarine (you can use all butter, if you wish.  The original recipe calls for 1 butter and 2 margarine, but I never need that much)

5.  Putting everything together: the cheese-greens, and the filo

1 box filo sheets- there are two packaged rolls inside.

Use a 9x13" pan (metal, glass or ceramic) Filo sheets used to be large, so I used a lasagne pan, but they are smaller now, and fit a 9x13" (check the box to make sure)

Using a pastry brush, coat the bottom of the pan with the butter/marg mixture.

I have everything ready to assemble, because filo can be a little tricky.  I buy Athenos brand Filo-in the freezer section- but almost any commercial kind is fine.  Do not use whole wheat, though- it is yucky.

Open one of the filo packages in the box (put the other in the frig for another time), carefully spread out the roll, and cover with a slightly damp dish towel.

Put one filo sheet on the bottom- you have to carefully place it, because once it touches the butter, that's where it will stay.  If it's off-center, just adjust the next sheet. Re-cover the rest of the filo with your slightly damp towel- if the sheets dry out, you can't use them.
The first sheet is the hardest:  brush the butter mixture over the sheet to coat- you'll see when it is completely coated, but not soggy.

Repeat: put 7 filo sheets on the bottom, brushing butter on the top of each sheet before you add the next one.

Top the 7 sheets with the cheese-greens, spreading it evenly over the filo sheets.

Top the cheese-greens with 5-6 more filo sheets, buttering each one in the pan before adding the next one.  Again, the first one will be tricky, but after that it is easier.

Now, using a sharp knife (if it's not, the sheets rip and become a mess) cut just the top sheets of filo into pieces:  4 x 6, or 24 pieces. 


Bake at 400⁰ for 10 minutes, then lower the oven temperature to 350^o for 50 minutes. This is sea level baking, not high altitude.  If you are high altitude like me, you just watch the last 15-20 minutes, so it doesn't get too brown, just golden on top.

Cool until warm, then cut all the way through.

Spanakopita (or pita) should be served at room temperature.  Store leftovers in the frig- I warm it up slightly in the microwave, covered with a paper towel.

I have frozen it- best to freeze unbaked, but if you freeze it cooked, let it thaw until at room temp.  The filo may be a little soggy, but it's still yummy.


Ok- this may seem long and involved, but I tried to include cooking instructions, so that your pita will turn out fine. Read the recipe all the way through, so you know what ingredients to buy.  Maybe i should have listed everything first, but this way I hope you can see how to do each step.  I learned by watching my stepmom and her mother, but anyone can do this.  Each step is not hard, but the whole recipe takes time.  Allow a whole day- but you can come and go from the kitchen and house.

Feel free to leave questions, or email me directly

This is a family favorite, especially at the holidays.

[Jamie]

CO - thanks for the Spanikopita recipe! I will try it, though maybe not the filo dough!

[CO Almost Native]

Jamie:

You are most welcome.  I wouldn't recommend making filo from scratch either; too much work and too tricky.   All my Greek friends (I'm an honorary Greek when I visit Omaha) use commercial...

[TRConnie]

A thousand years ago when I was young, vibrant and attractive, I used to hang out on Usenet's rec.food.cooking.  If you're not familiar with Usenet, google it...I can't do justice to explaining it at my present level of brain function.

During winter, mostly, we used to have snow storm recipe threads.  Someone would post the odd assortment of stuff they had on hand and request recipes to turn it into something tasty that didn't require risking life and limb to go out for additional ingredients.

For example, right now I have extra-charp cheddar, a bunch of celery, a can of black olives, a frozen cornish hen, a boatload of garlic heads, two-week old fresh thyme, one sweet potato, a pound of bacon, frozen broccoli florets, frozen mango chunks, and a can of beef broth.  Assuming I have staples, can any of you cooking geniuses come up with something veering towards haute cuisine?

Connie, munching on saltines...couldn't come up with anything and didn't want to go out

[the problem child]

Connie, I love a culinary challenge!

Thaw the cornish hen - but this will only feed one. I hope you are alone. Microwave or steam and mash the sweet potato. Combine the thyme, some chopped celery with the mashed sweet potato. Add a bit of the garlic, stuff it into the cornish hen. Drape some bacon over the breast to keep it nice and moist and then roast the hen.
At the same time, place a whole, unpeeled head of garlic (cut off the very top so that each of the cloves is just barely triimmed off) in a small baking dish with a bit of the beef broth and some water. Cover and put it in the oven also. Roast garlic (you'll know it is done when you can sink a knife in easily) is lovely spread on bread (assuming that is a staple).

Have the hen, stuffing and bread and garlic as your main course. Steamed broccoli too, if you insist on a vegetable. For dessert, pour a bit of the left-over garlic beef reduction over some nearly thawed mango chunks. You will be surprised and pleased at how well mango goes with garlic essence!

[MonaLisa]

I CALL DIBS ON ADOPTING PROBLEM CHILD!!!!

[the problem child]

Connie, I love a culinary challenge!

Thaw the cornish hen - but this will only feed one. I hope you are alone. Microwave or steam and mash the sweet potato. Combine the thyme, some chopped celery with the mashed sweet potato. Add a bit of the garlic, stuff it into the cornish hen. Drape some bacon over the breast to keep it nice and moist and then roast the hen.
At the same time, place a whole, unpeeled head of garlic (cut off the very top and bottom so that each of the cloves is just barely triimmed off) in a small baking dish with a bit of the beef broth and some water. Cover and put it in the oven also. Roast garlic (you'll know it is done when you can sink a knife in easily) is lovely spread on bread (assuming that is a staple).

Have the hen, stuffing and bread and garlic as your main course. Steamed broccoli too, if you insist on a vegetable. For dessert, pour a bit of the left-over garlic beef reduction over some nearly thawed mango chunks. You will be surprised and pleased at how well mango goes with garlic essence!

Just to be clear, I have never used this precise combination of ingredients before. It might be quite awful. But it uses almost everything mentioned.

[InJuneau]

This is like calling in to "The Splendid Table" and playing the what's in the refrigerator game (I can't think of the name of it now) with Lynne Rossetto Kasper!

[CO Almost Native]

I'm including two Christmas cookie recipes: the first I have made for more than fifty years, and the second I have to make a triple batch, as it is a family favorite.

Candy Cane Cookies
I started making these when I was a child in Omaha, and I have made them with my children, who are now grown (of course, they don't make their own- they do a "drive by", and pick up a canfull.)

1c. butter or margarine
1c. sifted (but I never do) powdered sugar
1 egg
1/2 t. vanilla
1/2 t. peppermint extract
dash salt
2 1/2c. flour (if you are at high altitude, add about 1/4c. more)
1/2t. red food coloring, liquid or paste

In a large mixer bowl, beat butter/margarine until softened; add powdered sugar and beat until fluffy.  Then add egg, vanilla, peppermint, and salt.  Beat well. Add flour and beat until well mixed; divide the dough in half, stir the food coloring into one half.

Wrap each half in Saran wrap, and chill for 30 minutes or so- it needs to be easy to handle.

For each cookie:  place 1 t. (approximately) of each dough on a well-floured surface.  Roll each into a rope of about 4"; Place the ropes side-by-side and twist together- I roll them together a little to make sure they stick together.  Form into a candy cane; place each cane about 2" apart on a Pammed cookie sheet.

Bake in a 350^o oven for approximately 8 minutes or until golden brown on the edges. (The original recipe calls for a 375^o oven, bake for 8-10 minutes- but I found that too hot.  You can decide which directions to use.)

Cool- these freeze well, if you have any leftover. The recipe  is easily doubled.

I have hung these on our tree for decades; anyone who comes to the house takes one when they leave.  Warning:  if you have young children in the neighborhood who tend to come and go from your house, you need to make a rule saying only one cookie a day.  I learned this when my kids were young



Chocolate Mint Creams

These aren't just good during the winter holidays- you can use a different color cream, and make them for any occasion.

1 1/4c. flour
1/2 t. baking soda
2/3c. brown sugar
6T. butter or margarine
1T. water
1- 6oz. pkg. semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 egg
1/2-3/4 pound cream mint "kisses"- I buy "Smooth 'n Melty" petite kisses by Guittard Chocolate. They make bigger pastel ones in the spring.

Stir together flour and baking soda.

In a medium saucepan, heat/stir together butter, brown sugar, and water until the butter is melted and it is smooth- sugar is dissolved.  Add chocolate pieces, and stir until they are melted.

Pour into a large mixing bowl and let stand for 10-15 minutes to cool.

Beat the egg into the chocolate, stir in the flour mixture.  Dough will be soft, so cover/chill for about an hour.

Shape the dough into 1" balls, and place 2'' apart on ungreased cookie sheets.  Bake in a 350^o oven for about 6-8 minutes- remove and immediately top with a mint.  Return sheet to oven, and bake for two minutes more.

Take out, and use a an icing knife (or small flexible spatula) to "frost" each cookie.  Remove and cool until mint icing is firm.  Freezes well, makes about 48.

If you use the petite mints- I do for the winter- I melt them in a bowl in the microwave. I bake the cookies a little longer, swirl the frosting on top, and bake maybe 1 minute longer.  Or you can bake the cookies for 8-10 minutes, and then just frost/cool.

These are like a smashed brownie with mint topping.  yum. This recipe is easily doubled, or tripled, if you have a big mixer.  They freeze well, too.


 

[Lin]

hi, all

HELP....i can't find the obama sweet potato pie recipe and need it for the california mudstock this weekend.  anybody????? 

I have this one, not sure it is the one you are looking for:
Obama Sweet Potato Pecan Pie:
1 unbaked pie crust
2 cups mashed sweet potato (I nuke fresh ones, peel and run through food processor)
small can evaporated milk
2 beaten eggs
1/2 cup white sugar
1/3 cup light brown sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1-2 Tbsp black strap molasses
mix the above well, we like it spicy, so I usually use some grated fresh ginger (about 1/2 tsp) also use a dash of nutmeg, cinnamon, allspice and cloves (about 1/4 tsp each) it tastes good without all the spices too, so it’s up to you.
stir in 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans (slicing is easier if they are chopped very fine)
fill into unbaked pie shell, gently place 5 pecan halves in center to form a star and more halves around the edges (you can skip this, but it makes a prettier pie if included)
bake in preheated 350 degree oven for about an hour (toothpick in the middle test)
Let cool and enjoy …. we like it to set overnight in fridge, some in the family prefer it still a little warm, either way is good.

[SMR]

@CO Almost Native --

Your mint cookies sound yummy.  If I weren't leaving soon for the holidays I would use them to start a holiday cookie tradition with the toddler...

There is a really yummy looking cookie over at epicurious.com that looks like fudge with a minty layer.  I am on a diet between TG and Xmas, so not going to give them a try until well after the holiday gorging...  Your cookie reminds me a bit of that cookie, which is why I'm mentioning it.

For everyone else -- have to tell you that epicurious.com is the greatest recipe resource around.  Ratings, suggestions, tens of thousands of recipes from Gourmet, Bon Appetit, etc.  I think the Sunset recipes are all on myrecipes.com.

I can't wait until all of these recipes are put together in a Mudflats book (or something like a book).  Will have to start cooking often again...

[CO Almost Native]

SMR:

I have perused epicurious.com, and it is a great resource.  I think I remember that recipe- mine is more like a brownie topped with melted mint cream.  You can make these any time, you just have to find the mints-

I'm going to check to see it Guittard has a web site, and they can be ordered online.  I'm looking forward to the Mudflats Cookbook, too

I have to decide if I want to post more recipes; I have a very easy potato casserole- mashed potatoes made with sour cream and cream cheese, then baked...anyone interested?

[MonaLisa]

A friend of mine makes store-bought mix brownies a little more special by laying Andes Candies on the batter before baking, then swirling the melty-chocolately-mintiness with the back of a spoon before it cools. 

[CO Almost Native]

MonaLisa:

I think that would work with my recipe, but I don't know how well the Andes re-solidify.  The Smooth 'N Meltys work great- and you can find them online.  I get my bags at two different upscale food marts in Denver-

[MonaLisa]

CO: they kinda' re-solidify, but not quite 100% as hard as they were, fresh from the wrapper.  Are smooth & melty's the chocolate droplets people use to make molded candy with?

[Nebraska Native]

Chipped Beef Dip

This is an easy appetizer, looks great and tastes great!
Dip:
3 oz. dried beef chopped fine/coarsely your preference
8 oz cream cheese softened
2 TB finely chopped green pepper
1/4 cup green onions chopped
1/4 tsp white pepper
8 oz sour cream (no-fat, low-fat is fine)
garlic powder to taste

Topping:
1/2 cup slivered almonds
parsley for sprinkling

Mix together all ingredients for dip and spread into 8" or 9" pie pan.  Sprinkle almonds and parsley on top and bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes.  Serve with crackers, bagel chips or pita chips.

[GJ in ID]

Mom's Special Stuffin Muffin Recipe:

    Note: Stuffin Muffins can be made using any boxed or homemade stuffing recipe, and toasting it in your muffin tins.  I like to make mine special by adding ingredients below. When making them for my crew, which use to be about 24 people. I use two muffin tins that make 12 muffins each. You can cut the recipe in half to fit one 12 hole muffin tin or in half again to make just six muffins. I usually make this recipe before Thanksgiving and put any left over stuffing in a freezer bag for any Christmas outing I may be invited to. Stuffin Muffins are great warned up in the Microwave.

  1 pd ground sausage (get the kind seasoned the way you like it, make mine plain)
  1 pkg long grain & wild rice (traditional Herbs & Seasonings)
  1 pack of fresh chopped mushrooms or (2 sm cans)
  2 cans sm oysters
  2 cans sliced waterchest nuts
  1 lg box chicken broth ( 2 cans if you can’t find the boxed kind)
  1 stalk celery
  2 sm or 1 large onion
  2 pkg of stuffing mix (seasoned the way you like it, or you can make your own dried bread cubes)

Clean and peel onion & celery, dice fine, put onions, celery & mushrooms in half of chicken broth, bring to boil, let simmer until onion and celery are soft. I usual do this in a large pot, so I can add the rest of ingredients later. In skillet, brown sausage, then add pack of rice and other half of chicken broth, bring to boil, then simmer until rice in done (see directions on rice page).  Add these to large pot, along with oysters and waterchest nuts, then add bread cubes or boxed stuffing, mix well. Lightly butter or spay oil on muffin tins. After your stuffing mixture has cooled shape it into balls and place in muffins tin. Brown for 25 min at 400* or longer at lower sitting and depending on your oven.

G J

[CO Almost Native]

CO: they kinda' re-solidify, but not quite 100% as hard as they were, fresh from the wrapper.  Are smooth & melty's the chocolate droplets people use to make molded candy with?

No (I think you are offline, but you can read this tomorrow)- Smooth 'N Meltys are non-chocolate minty "kisses", and they come in large/pastel or small/with with red/green sprinkles or green mint.