This classic gets its name from its country of origin: France. After making its debut in the 18th century, it has become a national treasure. During ancient times (and still today), onions were cheap and easy to grow, and hence, readily available.
In a large saucepan melt butter. stir in onions. Cook covered over medium-low heat for 8 to 10 minutes or till tender and golden. Stirring occasionally. Stir in beef broth, dry sherry or dry wine (optional) Worcestershire sauce and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat. Cover and simmer 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, sprinkle toasted french bread with shredded cheese. Place bread under broiler till cheese melts turns a light brown.
To serve ladle soup into bowls then float bread on top. Makes six servings
History. The recipe for this appears in the 1796 edition of American Cookery by Amelia Simmons, the first known cookbook authored by an American. In 1606, the Mi’kmaq people introduced the French settlers in Port Royal, Nova Scotia to Cranberries.
In a medium saucepan combine sugar and water. Bring to a boil stirring to dissolve the sugar. Boil rapidly for 5 minutes.
Add cranberries and return to a boil. Reduce heat. Boil gently uncovered over medium-high heat for 3 to 4 minutes or until skins pop, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat serve warm or chilled. Makes 2 cups.
Mark Kurlansky, in his book Salt, states that the Irish produced a salted beef around the Middle Ages that was the “forerunner of what today is known as Irish corned beef” and in the 17th century, the English named the Irish salted beef “corned beef”.
Remove the corned beef from the packaging. Rinse with cold water and pat dry with paper towels.
Place the corned beef brisket (fat side up), carrots and potatoes in a slow cooker. Add 3 cups of water to the slow cooker, plus the seasoning packet that comes in the corned beef package.
Cover and cook on LOW for 6 hours.
Add the cabbage on top of the corned beef and cook on LOW for another 2 hours.
Remove the cabbage, corned beef, potatoes and carrots from the slow cooker. Slice the corned beef against the grain.
Place the butter, garlic, parsley and salt and pepper in a small bowl. Microwave in 30 second increments or until melted.
Drizzle the garlic butter over the carrots, potatoes and cabbage. Place the meat, potatoes and vegetables on a platter and serve with mustard on the side if desired.
Red Beans & Rice – When we were stationed in New Orleans this was a very popular dish with the locals.
Origin
The origins of this iconic dish are believed to trace back to the Haitian Revolution when red kidney beans were brought to New Orleans by those fleeing the uprising.
1lbmeaty ham bone or 1 pound meaty smoked pork hocks
1cuplarge onion chopped
2bay leaves
1/2tspground red pepper
12ozsmoked sausage chopped 2 1/2 cups
4cupscooked rice
Instructions
rinse beans. In a large pot combine beans and 6 cups water. Bring to a boil. reduce heat.
Simmer 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Cover and let stand for 1 hour.
Drain and rinse beans.
Return beans to pot. Add ham bone or pork hocks, onion, garlic, bat leaves, red pepper and 6 cups of fresh water. Bring to a boil. Then reduce heat and cover. Simmer 2 1/2 hours or until beans are tender. Stirring occasionally. Add additional water during cooking if necessary.
Remove from heat. When cool enough to handle cut meat off bone, coarsely chop meat. Discard bone. Return chopped meat to pot.
Stir in sausage return to boiling; reduce heat Simmer uncovered for 20 to 30 minutes or until thick gravy forms. Stirring occasionally.
Remove bay leaves. Serve over cooked rice and season to taste. Garnish with cut green onion if desired.
Hot Cocoa Mix – I love hot chocolate. Saw this recipe and simply had to try it.
Origin
As early as 500 BC, the Mayans were drinking chocolate made from ground-up cocoa seeds mixed with water, cornmeal, and chili peppers (as well as other ingredients)—a much different version from the hot chocolate we know today.
Although the exact origin of this soup is unknown, it is known that it comes from the Mexico City area in Mexico. Traditional this soup is made with chicken broth combined with roasted tomatoes, onion, garlic, chiles and tortillas, cut into strips and fried.
In a pan over medium heat, heat about 1-inch deep of oil. Add tortilla strips and cook, turning as needed for about 2 to 3 minutes or until golden and crisp. With slotted spoon, remove tortillas from pan and drain on a paper towel.
Season chicken breast with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
In a pot over medium heat, heat about one tablespoon of oil (from frying the tortillas). Add onion and garlic and cook until softened.
Add chicken stock, diced tomatoes, diced green chilies, tomato paste, chili powder and oregano. Stir to combine and bring to a boil.
Add chicken, lower heat, cover and simmer for about 10 to 15 minutes or until chicken is tender and cooked.
Remove chicken from pot and shred. Return to pot.
Add black beans and corn. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Continue to simmer for about 8 to 10 minutes or until heated thoroughly.
Ladle into bowls and top with crunchy tortilla strips and other garnishes (as desired)
Some attribute the original sandwich to a cafe in Sioux City, Iowa, where, many years ago, in 1930 a cook named Joe added tomato sauce to his “loose meat” sandwiches. Voila: a new between-the-bread offering, and the sandwich’s official name.
According to Rhonda Massingham Hart’s Making Houses, the first known recipe for this treat came from Greece in 2400 BC. Chinese recipes were developed during the 10th century and by the late Middle Ages, Europeans had their own version we know today.
Combine egg, sugar, molasses, butter and water mix well.
In a large bowl stir together flour, baking soda, ginger, and salt; add molasses mixture and beat until mixed well.
Pour into a greased 8-inch square baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes or until cake tests done. (insert toothpick near the center should come out clean)
The first biscotti, often referred to as Biscotti di Prato, were created in 14th-century Tuscany in the city of Prato and were made from almonds, which were abundant in the region. Because the second baking drew moisture out of the biscuit, it rendered the biscotti hard, sturdy and, importantly, resistant to mold. Consequently, this turned out to be the ideal food to store. They soon became a favored provision of sailors, including Christopher Columbus, who traveled at sea for months at a time with the crunchy cargo.
It didn’t take long for other nationalities to discover the utility of these twice-baked biscuits. British hardtack — a twice-baked, dry, hard biscuit made from flour, water and salt — and German zwieback — a twice-baked, crisp, sweetened bread — are both spinoffs of the Italian original.
4ozwhite baking bar or white chocolate baking squares, coarsely chopped
3ozsemisweet chocolate, chopped
Instructions
Lightly grease cookie sheet and set aside
Beat butter with electric mixer on medium speed for 30 seconds
Add sugar, cocoa powder, and baking powder; beat until combined
Beat in eggs
Beat in as much flour as your can using electric mixer. Then beat in the remaining flour with a wooden spoon. Stir in chopped chopped white baking bar and semisweet chocolate.
Shape dough into two 9 inch long rolls and place on prepared cookie sheet.
Flatten each roll slightly
Bake in 375 degree oven for 20 to 25 minutes until toothpick poked into center comes out clean.
Remove from oven and let cool 1 hour
Cut each roll diagonally into 1/2 inch thick slices. Place slices, cut side down on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake in a 325 degree oven for 8 minutes, the turn them over an bake for 7 to 9 minutes till cookie are dry and crisp (do not overbake)
This was invented by London-based confectioner and baker Tom Smith (1823 – 1869) who set up shop in Goswell Road, Clerkenwell in the 1840s. Smith initially produced wedding cakes and sweets. On a trip to Paris he discovered the French ‘bon bon’, a sugared almond wrapped in a twist of tissue paper.
Line cookie sheet with nonstick aluminum foil (or use regular foil and spray generously with nonstick cooking spray.)
Cover cookie sheet with one layer of saltine crackers.
In a medium saucepan over medium high heat, bring butter and brown sugar to a boil, stirring continuously for about two minutes (it should be bubbly.)
Remove from heat, stir in one teaspoon pure vanilla extract.
Pour toffee mixture over crackers, then bake for 6 minutes.
Remove from oven, sprinkle top of warm crackers with milk chocolate chips.
Allow chocolate to soften for a minute or two, then spread chocolate evenly on top of crackers. Now is the time to add sprinkles or chopped nuts to the top.
Allow to cool, then break up into bite size pieces.
Notes
You can speed the cooling process by placing the tray into the freezer.
