Alpine Village Creamy Italian Salad Dressing

2 cups mayonnaise

1 cup sour cream
1 cup buttermilk
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
2 tablespoons onions, very finely minced
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon dried dillweed
Dash of hot pepper sauce
Dash of Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried sweet basil

Combine mayonnaise, sour cream and buttermilk in large bowl and mix with wire whip. Add remaining ingredients and refrigerate a few hours before serving.

Serve over your favorite green salad, or use as a dip for vegetables. Makes about 4 1/2 cups, about 12 servings.

I found this recipe on the internet years ago but I don't remember where.  It's excellent and I've made it so often I don't even measure anymore.  I tend to only make half the original recipe and I add extra dillweed.  Love it! 

Cheddar Batter Bread

Cheddar Batter Bread

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter

3/4 cup buttermilk

3/4 cup water

1 (1/4-ounce) package active dry yeast

3 large eggs

1 teaspoon hot red pepper sauce

4 cups all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1 cup (4 ounces) shredded sharp Cheddar or Swiss cheese

1 large egg yolk beaten with 1 tablespoon water, for glaze

 

Heat the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the buttermilk and water and heat just until warm to the touch (105 to 115° F). Pour into a large bowl. Sprinkle the yeast on top and let stand for 5 minutes. Whisk to dissolve the yeast. Whisk in the eggs and hot sauce.

Sift together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Gradually stir into the liquid to make a thick batter. Stir in the Parmesan cheese and 3/4 cup of the Cheddar (or Swiss) cheese.

 

Lightly butter two 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 x 2 1/2-inch loaf pans. Spread the batter evenly in the pans. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let stand in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 45 minutes.

 

Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 375° F.

 

Brush the tops of the loaves with the egg mixture. Bake 25 minutes. Sprinkle the tops of the loaves with the remaining 1/4 cup of shredded Cheddar and bake until the loaves are golden and sound hollow when removed from the pans and tapped on the bottoms, 10 to 15 minutes.

 

Cool in pans for 10 minutes. Turn out onto wire racks and cool completely. (The breads can be made 2 days ahead, wrapped in aluminum foil, and stored at room temperature.)

 

Good bread!

 

From Back to the Table by Art Smith

 

BBQ Cheddar Meatloaf

BBQ Cheddar Meatloaf

2 pounds lean ground beef

3 slices white bread, torn into small pieces

1 tbsp. dehydrated onion flakes

3 Tbsp heavy cream

1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 tsp garlic powder
1 Tbsp prepared yellow mustard
Salt & Pepper
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
1 cup barbecue sauce

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Coat a 7- x 11-inch baking dish with cooking spray.

 

In a medium bowl, combine ground beef, bread, mayonnaise, mustard, salt, and pepper. Mix with your hands until well blended. Place on a 12- x 16-inch piece of wax paper and pat firmly into a 10- x 12-inch rectangle.

Sprinkle cheese mixture evenly over ground beef mixture. Roll up jelly-roll style, starting from the short end, by lifting with the wax paper and removing the paper as you roll. Seal the end well.

Place seam-side down in prepared baking dish. Pour barbecue sauce over the roll and bake 55 to 60 minutes, or until no pink remains in beef and juices run clear.

Remove from the oven and allow to stand for 10 minutes. Slice and serve.

Good meatloaf!

Adapted form a Mr. Food recipe.

M&M Party Cookies

1 cup Crisco
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
2 1/4 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups M&M's plain chocolate candies

Blend together crisco and sugars in a large bowl.  Beat in eggs and vanilla.  Sift remaining dry ingredients together, add to sugar mixture, blending well.  Stir in 1/2 cup candies.  Drop from teaspoon onto ungreased cookie sheets; decorate tops with remaining candies.  Bake at 375^ for 10 minutes or until golden-brown.  Remove cookies with spatula to wire racks to cool completely.

Delicious and so colorful!

Rich Beef Barley Soup

1 tablespoon good olive oil

2 pounds beef shortribs

1 lb lean beef, cubes 

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 cups chopped leeks, white and light green parts (2 leeks)

2 cups (1/2-inch) diced carrots (4 carrots)

1 cup chopped yellow onion

1 cup (1/2-inch) diced celery (2 stalks)

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 sprigs fresh thyme leaves

3 bay leaves

32 oz carton beef broth

Water, as needed

1 cup pearled barley

Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven. Add the shortribs, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes until browned all over. Remove the shortribs with a slotted spoon and reserve.  Brown the beef cubes and remove them.

Add the leeks, carrots, onion, celery, and garlic to the fat in the pot and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes, until the vegetables start to brown. Tie the thyme sprigs together with kitchen string and add to the pot along with the bay leaves. Return the shortribs and beef cubes to the pot and add the broth, 1 teaspoon of salt, and 1 teaspoon of pepper and water if necessary to cover the mixture. Raise the heat and bring to a boil. Lower the heat, cover, and simmer for 1-2 hours or until the beef is very tender. Discard the thyme bundle and the bay leaves, and skim off the fat.

Meanwhile, bring 4 cups of water to a boil and add the barley. Simmer uncovered for 30 minutes, drain, and set aside.

When the soup is ready, add the barley and cook the soup for another 15 or 20 minutes, until the barley is tender. Depending on the saltiness of the stock, the soup might need another teaspoon of salt and some pepper. Serve hot.

Adapted from a Barefoot Contessa recipe.  YUM!!

Orange Oatmeal Cookies

½ cup butter

1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 egg
1 ½ tsp grated orange peel
¼ cup orange juice
1 cup flour
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp cinnamon

2 cups regular or quick cooking rolled oats

Preheat oven to 350^.

 

Cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in egg, orange peel and juice. Gradually beat in flour, soda, baking powder, salt and nutmeg until mixed. Stir in oats.

 

Drop by heaping teaspoonfuls about 2 ½ inches apart on greased cookie sheets. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes.

 

Makes 2 to 2 ½ dozen cookies

 

 

These were tasty (I liked the orange flavor), but they were very dense and cakey.  John loved them, but I probably will never make 'em again. 

Strawberry Vanilla Jam

Strawberry Vanilla Jam

3 cups crushed strawberries
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise and scraped
3 Tbsp Ball RealFruit Classic Pectin
1/2 tsp butter
3 1/3 cups granulated sugar
Grated rind of 1 small lime

This was my first time using my new Automatic Jam & Jelly Maker from Ball.  I loved it!  So easy!!

Wash and sterilize your jars and lids.  They need to be hot and ready.  This recipe will make about 2 pints of jam.

Wash and drain the strawberries. Remove the stems and hulls and crush the berries one layer at a time using a potato masher.  Measure the berries and add the vanilla bean and seeds and the lime rind.  Set aside.

Sprinkle the pectin evenly over the bottom of the pot fitted with the stirrer.  Add the crushed berries over the pectin.  Add the butter to help reduce foaming.

Press the "Jam" button and then "Enter" and wait 4 minutes (it'll beep 4 times) before gradually adding the sugar while the stirrer continues running.  Place the lid on the pot and go have a cup of coffee or something for the next 17 minutes.

When the machine beeps again press "Cancel" and unplug it.  Remove the lid and, using a pot holder, take the stirrer out.  Skim foam if necessary (I didn't have any foam - just a potful of beautiful, red and fragrant jam!).

Ladle the hot jam into the hot jars, leaving 1/2" headspace and being careful not to spill any on the rims of the jars.  (If you do wipe it off thoroughly).  Place the lids on the jars and screw on the rings just until fingertip tight. 

Process the jars in boiling water for 10 minutes (jars should be covered by 1-2" of water).  Turn off the heat and let the jars sit in the water for about 5 minutes. 

Carefully remove the jars to a folded towel on your counter and let them cool.  Check your seals before storing them in the pantry. 

Delicious flavor and color!  And I love my Jam & Jelly Maker!!!