Friday Recipes

It's finally Friday - yay! Here are today's six recipes to help you through the weekend. Enjoy!

SHOOFLY PIE

This comes from Sara Bonisteel in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Sara wrote, “Shoofly pie is often thought of as the cake baked in a pie shell, or so wrote Jean Hewitt, The New York Times food writer who offered this recipe in the paper in 1965. This pie was served at a Pennsylvania Dutch luncheon hosted by the International Cuisine Group of the College Woman’s Club of Westfield, N.J., in the spring of that year. One of the organizers dug up the recipe from her mother’s ‘Housekeeper’s Scrap Book, 1896.’ There were four versions of the pie in the book; this was the one marked: ‘We like this one better.’” Yield: 8 servings; Time: 45 minutes.

To view this online, click here. Also, check out the Times tutorial “How to Make A Pie Crust”.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups flour

1/2 cup dark brown sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/4 pound (1 stick) cold unsalted butter

3/4 cup molasses

3/4 cup boiling water

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 single crust pie pastry (see recipe, which follows), rolled flat and placed in a 9-inch pie plate

Preparation

Heat oven to 450 degrees.

Make the crumb topping: Mix flour, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt together in a bowl. Cut in the butter with a pastry cutter until the consistency resembles cornmeal.

Combine molasses, water and baking soda and pour into pastry shell. Spoon the crumb mixture evenly over the top. Bake 15 minutes, lower the heat to 350 degrees and bake 20 minutes longer, or until set and firm.

PIE PASTRY

This is from Craig Claiborne and Piere Franey in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Yield: Pastry for an 8- to 10-inch pie.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups flour

8 tablespoons cold butter cut into half-inch cubes

1 tablespoon sugar

2 to 3 tablespoons ice water

Preparation

Put the flour, butter and sugar into the container of a food processor. Start blending.

Gradually add enough water so that the dough can be gathered into a fairly cohesive ball.

If a food processor is not used, place the flour and sugar in a mixing bowl. Add the butter and cut it in with two knives or a pastry blender until the mixture looks like coarse cornmeal. Add the water, stirring quickly with a fork.

Gather the dough into a ball and flatten it into a round disk one-inch thick. Wrap the dough in wax paper and chill for an hour or less.

ULTIMATE CHICKEN POT PIE

This comes from the GE Appliances e-newsletter. It begins, “Using convenience products like canned soup, cooked chicken, frozen veggies and refrigerated pie crusts make this comfort food classic a cinch to prepare. It's chock full of flavor and ready in just 50 minutes.” Makes 4 servings; Time: 35 minutes.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients:

1 package (about 14 ounces) refrigerated pie crust (2 crusts), at room temperature

1 can (10 3/4 ounces) Campbell's® Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup (Regular or 98% Fat Free)

1/2 cup milk

2 cups diced cooked chicken

1 package (12 ounces) frozen mixed vegetables, thawed (about 2 2/3 cups)

1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese (about 4 ounces)

Directions:

Heat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line the bottom of a 9-inch pie plate with 1 pie crust. Trim any excess.

Stir the soup, milk, chicken and vegetables in a medium bowl. Spoon the chicken mixture into the pie plate. Sprinkle with 3/4 cup cheese. Place the remaining pie crust over the filling. Trim any excess. Crimp the edges of the top and bottom crusts together. Using a sharp knife, cut several slits in the top crust.

Bake for 35 minutes or until the crust is golden brown. Sprinkle the crust with the remaining cheese.

Chef’s Notes: Make-Ahead: Bake 2 pot pies, eat one now and freeze one for later!

ROASTED VEGETABLE & CHICKEN ENCHILADAS

This also comes from GE Appliances e-newsletter. It begins, “Roasted veggies are combined with rotisserie chicken for these amazing enchiladas topped with a creamy chile verde sauce and melted Pepper Jack cheese.” Makes 8 servings; Time: 1 hour.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients:

3 Tbsp. olive oil

1 red bell pepper

1 small zucchini

1/2 of a medium red onion

1/2 cup black beans, rinsed and drained

1 cup shredded chicken (from a rotisserie chicken)

8 corn tortillas

2 cups shredded pepper jack cheese

Chile Verde Sauce:

1/2 cup half & half

2 cans diced green chilies

1 1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Chop bell pepper, zucchini, and red onion into 1-inch pieces. Toss the veggies with 3 tablespoons olive oil and spread on a large, rimmed baking pan.

Roast in preheated oven for 12-15 minutes. Remove from oven; reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees.

While the veggies are roasting, prepare the sauce by combining half & half, diced green chiles, cumin, salt, and garlic cloves.

For the enchilada filling, combine the roasted vegetables, black beans and chicken.

Heat corn tortillas slightly to soften. Wrap the tortillas in a clean kitchen towel and microwave for 30 seconds. Keep them in the towel as you fill the tortillas to keep them soft and pliable.

Fill each tortilla with approximately 1/3 cup of the filling. Roll tightly and place seam-side down in 9x13 inch pan. Repeat until all the tortillas are filled. Pour sauce evenly over enchiladas. Top with shredded cheese and cover with aluminum foil.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until cheese is fully melted.

Remove from the oven and top with fresh cilantro.

Chef’s Notes:

Use any leftover filling for a quick and easy breakfast. Reheat the vegetable and black bean mixture and add a fried egg to the top.

SUMMER MINESTRONE SOUP

This is from Tablespoon, and begins, “Minestrone soup, swimming with beans and macaroni, is vegetable soup’s heartier Italian cousin. Preparing it in advance and having at the ready in your freezer will have you singing ‘That’s Amore’ when dinnertime comes around.” Prep Time: 40 minutes; Total Time: 40 minutes; makes 4 servings.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 cup finely chopped onion

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano leaves

1 can (14.5 oz) Muir Glen™ organic diced tomatoes, undrained

1 cup Progresso™ cannellini beans, drained, rinsed (from 15-oz can)

1 medium zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1 medium carrot, thinly sliced

1/2 cup fresh or frozen cut (1/2-inch) green beans

1/2 cup uncooked elbow macaroni

1 carton (32 oz) Progresso™ vegetable stock

Shredded Parmesan cheese, if desired

Directions

In 4-quart saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add the onion and salt; cook until softened, about 4 minutes. Add garlic, thyme and oregano; cook 2 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, cannellini beans, zucchini, carrot, green beans and macaroni.

Add stock; heat to simmering over medium-high heat. Cook 6 to 8 minutes or until macaroni is al dente. Top with Parmesan cheese.

To freeze: In 8-inch skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and salt; cook about 4 minutes or until softened. Add garlic, thyme and oregano; cook 2 minutes. Transfer to medium bowl. Stir in tomatoes and cannellini beans. Transfer to 1-quart resealable freezer plastic bag. Mix zucchini, carrot, green beans and macaroni in another 1-quart resealable freezer plastic bag. Freeze both bags up to 3 months. When ready to serve: In 4-quart saucepan, mix stock and bag of frozen tomato-bean mixture; heat to simmering over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium; cook until frozen tomato-bean mixture is completely thawed, stirring occasionally. Add bag of vegetables and macaroni; return to simmering. Cook 6 to 8 minutes or until macaroni is al dente. Top with Parmesan cheese.

MACARONI SALAD WITH CHEESE AND HAM

This comes from Diana Rattray, About.com’s Southern Food expert. Diana wrote, “Diced ham and cheese make this a hearty macaroni salad, a good choice for a cookout or potluck.” Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 10 minutes; Total Time: 25 minutes; Yield: 4 servings.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

1 cup uncooked macaroni

1 1/2 cups diced cooked ham

1 cup diced or shredded (large shred) Cheddar cheese

1/2 cup chopped celery

1/3 cup chopped green bell pepper

2 tablespoons chopped pimento

1/4 chopped green onion

1/4 cup sweet pickle relish

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1 tablespoon prepared mustard

salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Preparation

Cook the macaroni in boiling salted water as directed on package, drain and cool.

In a large bowl, combine the macaroni with the ham, cheese, celery, bell pepper, pimiento, and green onion. Toss to blend.

In another bowl combine the relish, mayonnaise, and mustard. Add to macaroni mixture; stir gently to blend. Taste and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, as needed.

Chill and serve.