Wednesday Recipes

Better late than never. Here are today's six recipes. Enjoy!

VERY BERRY PIE WITH BLACKBERRY, BLUEBERRY AND RASPBERRY

This comes from Joy Nordenstrom, About.com's Cooking for Two and Romantic Meals Expert. She writes, “This Very Berry Pie with Blackberry, Blueberry and Raspberry was definitely the way to my guy’s heart! He loves this pie each and every time I have made it. It is truly one of his favorite desserts. In the fall and winter, when I can’t get the fresh berries as easily, I simply use frozen berries and just add a bit more cornstarch.” Prep Time: 20 minutes; Cook Time: 50 minutes; Total Time: 70 minutes; Yield: 6 slices of pie

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

For Pie Filling and Crust:

1 pre-made refrigerated pie crust, Immaculate is my personal favorite brand

4 cups blackberries

2 cups raspberries

1 1/2 cups blueberries

1/4 cup of cornstarch (if berries are exceptionally juicy or if you are using frozen berries you will want to increase the amount of cornstarch and/or add some instant tapioca to the mix)

1 cup of sugar

2 teaspoons cinnamon

3 tablespoons lemon juice

2 tablespoons Almond Liquor (Amartto)

4 teaspoons of unsalted butter, cold

1/8 teaspoon of salt

For topping:

1 egg white

1/2 teaspoon of water

2 tablespoons of raw sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon cardamom

For Serving:

Optional a scoop of vanilla or pralines and cream ice cream

Special Tools: 4-cup capacity glass pie dish

Preparation

Pre-heat the oven to 450 degrees and place a cookie sheet in the oven. Roll out the pre-made piecrust and place into a large glass pie dish. Combine the lemon juice, almond liquor and cornstarch in a large bowl. Combine the salt, sugar and cinnamon in another small bowl. Add the berries to the liquid mixture and lightly stir enough to cover berries. Sprinkle the sugar mixture over the berries and stir again till coated.

Pour into the piecrust. Chop up the butter into little pieces and scatter on top of the berries. Add the top crust and crimp the top and bottom crusts together. Cut 4-6 one-inch marks into the top of the crust with a sharp knife to allow the steam to escape while cooking.

Whisk vigorously the egg white and water. Use a pastry brush and paint the entire surface of the piecrust. Combine the sugar, cinnamon and cardamom. Sprinkle the sugar evenly over the surface of the piecrust. Cover the outer edge of the crust with tinfoil. Place pie on heated cookie sheet and put in center of oven. After 10 minutes reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees. After a half hour remove the tinfoil and rotate the pie. Bake for a total of 45 minutes to one hour.

Once lightly browned, remove from oven and let sit on a wire rack for at least 3 hours. Yes, I know it is torture but if you don’t your pie won’t be fully set. There will still be juice when cut but it won’t collapse if properly set. Serve with vanilla or pralines and cream ice cream.

SOUTHERN PEACH COBBLER

This yummy recipe comes from The Baker Chick, one of my favorite emailed newsletters. This one begins, “Peach season is here and I hope you get a chance to bake this fabulous crowd-pleasing recipe. I’m my baker chick mojo comes back soon- again thank you so much for bearing with me! Xo” Yield: 10 – 12 servings. Adapted from Down How with the Neeleys on The Food Network.

To view this online, go to http://www.thebakerchick.com/2015/08/southern-peach-cobbler/.

Ingredients

10 ripe peaches – peeled and sliced

1 teaspoon cinnamon

2 cups brown sugar

3 tablespoons corn starch or flour

Biscuit Dough:

2 cups flour

1/4 cup granulated sugar, plus 1 1/2 tablespoons for sprinkling (raw sugar would be great for this too)

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 stick butter, cubed and chilled

3/4 cup buttermilk

1 egg white, for washing

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

In a large 13x9 baking dish, combine the peaches, brown sugar, cinnamon, and corn starch. Toss gently to combine.

n a large bowl combine the flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder. Cut in the butter with a fork, pastry blender or 2 knives until the dough resembles sand. Slowly add the buttermilk, stirring with a wooden spoon until the dough comes together. (You may not use all of the buttermilk.) With floured hands gently knead the dough together a bit until it comes together but is still sticky.

Scoop the dough into 4 inch (or so) biscuits and arrange over the peaches using your floured hands to flatten slightly if needed. Use the egg white as a wash, brushing on top of dough. Sprinkle the 1 1/2-tablespoons of sugar on top. Cook the cobbler until the top is golden brown, about 40 minutes.

Serve warm with vanilla ice cream!

CROCKPOT VEGETABLE MINESTRONE

Linda Larsen, About.com's Busy Cooks guide, writes, “This hearty recipe has a very complex flavor. One of the more surprising parts of the recipe is that pasta cooks right in the crockpot.”

Prep Time: 20 minutes; Cook Time: 8 hours; Total Time: 8 hours, 20 minutes

Ingredients:

4 cups vegetable broth or stock

4 cups tomato juice

1 tsp. salt

1 Tbsp. dried basil leaves

1/8 tsp. pepper

2 carrots, sliced

2 stalks celery, chopped

1 onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup sliced mushrooms

2 (14 oz.) cans diced tomatoes, undrained

1-1/2 cups uncooked rotini pasta

Parmesan cheese

Preparation:

Mix all ingredients except pasta and cheese in a 4-5 quart crockpot. Cover crockpot and cook on LOW for 7 to 8 hours until vegetables are tender. Stir in pasta. Cover and cook on HIGH setting for 15-25 minutes until pasta is tender. Sprinkle each serving with freshly grated Parmesan cheese. 12 servings

CHILLED CUCUMBER SOUP: TART, TANGY, TINGLY

This comes from Kevin D. Weeks, About.com's former Cooking for 2 guide. He wrote, “I know people who say "Ech!" when I mention chilled soups. The idea of eating cold soup simply offends their sense of "rightness" - soup should be hot and savory, something for a cold January day. But a chilled soup, enjoyed on the patio on a hot summer day while the grill is roasting a few steaks is almost the apotheosis of good times in the summer time. Slightly spicy with a nice lilt of curry and a refreshing tartness from the buttermilk, yogurt, and lime, this soup is wonderfully cool and refreshing soup served with grilled fish. Serves 2.

Prep Time: 20 minutes; Total Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

2 10-inch cucumbers; peeled, seeded, and chopped

1 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup plain yogurt

1 Tbsp. fresh lime juice

1 sm. shallot; finely chopped

1 Tbsp. fresh mint; finely chopped

1/2 tsp. curry powder

Salt to taste

1/4 tsp. ground white pepper

Preparation:

Place cucumbers, scallions, mint, and lime juice in a food processor.

Pulse four or five times, scraping down sides once, then and process until finely chopped - about one minute longer.

Scrape down sides and add remaining ingredients and process another minute. Taste and adjust seasonings.

Chill for at least 4 hours. Taste and adjust seasonings again before serving.

ONE-POT PASTA PRIMAVERA

Another goodie from Vegetarian Times, this time, from page 74 of the June 2011 issue. It starts off, "This easy recipe lends itself to endless variations. In place of fresh basil, try 1/4 cup chopped cilantro or parsley, 2 Tbs. chopped fresh tarragon, or 1 Tbs. finely minced fresh rosemary or oregano." Serves 4 in 30 minutes or less.

3 Tbs. olive oil

3 cloves garlic, minced (1 Tbs.)

1 tsp. grated lemon zest

8 oz. fusilli pasta

2 small yellow squash, halved and cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices

1 medium orange bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces

8 oz. small broccoli florets (3 cups)

2 cups halved cherry tomatoes

8 green onions, thinly sliced (1/2 cup)

1/2 cup torn fresh basil leaves

Grated Parmesan cheese or vegan Parmesan-style cheese for garnish, optional

Combine oil, garlic, and lemon zest in small bowl. Set aside.

Cook pasta in large pot of boiling, salted water according to package directions. Add squash and bell pepper 4 minutes before end of cooking time. Add broccoli 3 minutes before end of cooking time. Drain pasta and vegetables, reserving 1/2 cup cooking water.

Return pasta mixture to pot, and stir in tomatoes, green onions, basil, oil mixture, and reserved cooking water. Heat over medium-low heat until tomatoes are hot. Serve with Parmesan cheese, if desired.

nutritional information Per 2-cup serving: Calories: 346; Protein: 11 g; Total Fat: 12 g; Saturated Fat: 2 g; Carbohydrates: 52 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 112 mg; Fiber: 5 g; Sugar: 5 g

CURRY CHICKEN

I'm not sure what emailing list I got this one from; maybe About.com? But when I saved it, it was without info.

The recipe starts off, "Curry chicken is a nice recipe for busy weeknights, with chicken breasts, onion, potatoes and carrots all cooked together in one dish. Feel free to use chicken thighs instead of breasts, and to replace the curry paste with 1 1/2 - 2 tablespoons curry powder if needed." Serves 2 - 4; Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients:

3/4 - 1 pound chicken breasts, boneless, skinless, cut into chunks about 1 1/2 inches

2 potatoes, peeled, chopped into chunks

1 red onion, peeled and chopped

10 baby carrots, washed, drained, cut in half

2 tablespoons oil for stir-frying

2 tablespoons curry paste (traditional Indian yellow curry paste is best)

1 cup chicken broth

1 teaspoon granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste

Freshly ground black or white pepper, to taste

Ground coriander, optional

Preparation:

Heat a wok or deep-sided frying pan over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons oil to the heated wok. When the oil is hot, add the onion. Stir-fry1 until the onion is softened and translucent. Add the curry paste and stir-fry until fragrant. (If using curry powder instead, add a small amount of water to form a paste).

Add the chicken and stir-fry for about 5 minutes so that the chicken is browned and coated with the curry paste.

Add the carrots and potatoes. Stir for a minute and add the chicken broth, sugar, salt, and pepper. Cover and simmer over low heat for about 15 - 20 minutes, making sure the chicken is cooked.