ENGLISH GRANNY’S POPOVERS
My maternal grandmother, Alicia Birch, was English. She was a master of English cooking: roasts, savory pies, puddings and desserts with really odd names. Popovers and Yorkshire pudding (similar recipe, but made with beef drippings in a pan) were my favorites. My family loves these popovers, and I often serve them to accompany entree salads.
-Rue RicheyINGREDIENTS
5 tablespoons melted butter
2 eggs
1 cup milk (whole milk preferred)
1 teaspoon sugar
DIRECTIONS
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Drizzle a teaspoon or so of melted butter in each up of a 12-cup muffin pan or popover tin and put it in the oven while you make the batter - but keep watch to make sure the butter doesn’t burn or get too brown
Beat together the eggs, milk, 1 tablespoon melted butter, sugar and salt. Beat in the flour a little bit at a time. The batter should be super smooth
Carefully remove muffin tin and fill each cup about halfway. Bake for 15-20 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake for additional 5-15 minutes - or until popovers are puffed and brown. Do not open oven until popovers have baked for at least 25 minutes. Remove from pan immediately and serve hot. Also good with jam or fruit preserves
THE BRUCE SHARPE MANHATTAN
My father’s favorite cocktail was the Manhattan, and it was the drink of choice for family holidays. The key, he always said, was the final splash of cherry juice. He has since passed away, but every year we honor his birthday with a Bruce Sharpe-style Manhattan on the rocks (and a good steak).
-Shannon SharpeINGREDIENTS
2 ½ ounces of your preferred bourbon or rye (Bruce preferred bourbon)
Bitters
Ice
1 ounce sweet vermouth
Maraschino cherries in their juice
DIRECTIONS
Add a few bitters to a chilled cocktail glass, slowly rolling from side to side to coat the glass. Shake out the excess, leaving only the residue and add ice. Pour the bourbon (or rye), sweet vermouth and a splash of cherry juice (this is the key) into the glass. Stir gently (shaking creates tiny bubbles, which is not ideal for a smooth Manhattan) until ingredients are well mixed. Garnish with as many cherries as desired.
HOMEMADE IRISH CREAM WHISKEY
My family and I make this drink constantly between Thanksgiving and New Years. It is easy to make and even easier to drink! This recipe is a staple at all holiday gatherings and we never leave home without it.
-Kiley MolnarINGREDIENTS
3 eggs
1 can sweetened condensed milk
4 tablespoons chocolate syrup
½ teaspoon almond extract
½ teaspoon coconut extract
DIRECTIONS
In a blender mix eggs, sweetened condensed milk, chocolate syrup, almond extract, coconut extract, and vanilla.
½ teaspoon vanilla
1 pint heavy cream
8 oz Jameson Whiskey
Blend in the heavy cream and Jameson Whiskey
**use within one week due to raw egg**
SCONE WITH CURRANTS
While usually associated with England, scones are also connected to Scotland and Ireland and are certainly a staple in my Irish family. Growing up we made them most weekends and there is still something nostalgic about the smell. This recipe is so easy and if you don’t like currants feel free to swap in blueberries, cranberries, etc. Butter and jam is also delicious!
-Kathryn GivenINGREDIENTS
1 3/4 cups flour
3 tablespoons sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/3 cup or 1/3 tablespoons cold butter diced
1 beaten egg
6 tablespoons half and half
1/2 cup currants (optional)
DIRECTIONS
Combine all dry ingredients and knead in diced butter until the batter is coarse and there are some small pieces of butter the size of peas.
Mix in egg and half and half until just combined. Fold in currants. Do not over-mix.
Put eight half- inch thick discs on the baking sheet and bake at 400 degrees for 8-10 minutes.
BEST BANANA BREAD
Growing up, my family was a “buy half a dozen bananas every week” household and no one would ever eat them! However, we always ate the banana bread - especially for breakfast. This is a Sunday ritual my sister and I took on, because neither of my parents were cooks or bakers! Also, these make great mini-loafs or muffins - just bake for half the time!
-Brittany ChevalierINGREDIENTS
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs, beaten
4 bananas
1 3/4 cups whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
6 oz (half bag) semi-sweet chocolate chips (optional)
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 425F. Drizzle a teaspoon or so of melted butter in each up of a 12-cup muffin pan or popover tin and put it in the oven while you make the batter - but keep watch to make sure the butter doesn’t burn or get too brown
Beat together the eggs, milk, 1 tablespoon melted butter, sugar and salt. Beat in the flour a little bit at a time. The batter should be super smooth
Carefully remove muffin tin and fill each cup about halfway. Bake for 15-20 minutes, then reduce heat to 350F and bake for additional 5-15 minutes - or until popovers are puffed and brown. Do not open oven until popovers have baked for at least 25 minutes. Remove from pan immediately and serve hot. Also good with jam or fruit preserves
CHANGUA
Changua is a very traditional dish of the capital city of Bogota, Colombia. Funny story, my grandma used to make Changua for my brother and I when we were super young and we never liked it. It was always fast and super rich nutrient breakfast. (People also say it cures hangovers). Eventually my mom made it for us when we moved to the states and slowly I began to love it more and more. Eventually I wanted to learn how to make it, so I asked my grandma, my mom and my aunt. Everyone
made it in their own way but they all tasted so good regardless how they made it. So one day when I was in college I was missing a home Colombian cooked meal and decided to make it. And it wasn’t bad but could have been better. think this dish is very important because it’s a dish that is so rooted in Colombian culture especially to the people of Bogota. I believe is is important to keep tradition even if its with a small easy ready to eat dish.
-Carlos DominguezINGREDIENTS
3 cups 2% milk
3 cups water
4 large eggs
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro, additional stems and leaves for garnish
3 medium scallions, chopped
Kosher, or regular salt and fresh cracked pepper, to taste
Crusty toasted bread, optional for serving
(You can also buy the Bimbo brand White Toasted Bread it is premade)
DIRECTIONS
Place the milk and water in a medium pot and bring to a boil. Add the scallions, salt and pepper and cook for 3 minutes
Reduce the heat to medium and carefully add the eggs, without breaking the yolks
Poach the eggs for 3 minutes or longer if you like it cooked well in the center; add the cilantro
To serve, gently place an egg in four shallow bowls, then ladle in the soup, about 1 1/2 cups each
Serve warm with toasted bread on the side and garnish with more fresh cilantro
UYGHER POLO RICE
This dish is important because it’s one that’s been made in my family for generations and one of the few recipes that have been passed down and adapted throughout the years.It’s a very traditional staple for one of the minority populations in China. Unlike the northeast of China, where the staple is the noodle, rice remains the central ingredient for this Uygher dish. Polo rice represents many cultures - Muslims, Chinese, and even stretches into the southern tips of Russia. There are many variations found across Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, each having it’s own slight adjustments for taste. This particular recipe represents the style that is common in XingJiang, China.
INDGREDIENTS
1 large white onion, chopped
1 lb carrot, grated
Salt (as you prefer)
2 ¼ cups water
2 cups rice
1 bulb of garlic
½ cup raisins
½ cup oil
1 red hot pepper (optional)
½ teaspoon cumin (optional)
1 lb lamb or 1 lb beef (optional)
DIRECTIONS
Heat oil in a large pot. Set the stove temperature at medium heat
Add the chopped onion to the pot, still stirring, and cook until it is translucent
Stir carrots into the pot. Note that it will initially look like there are too many carrots in the dish; however, once they begin to absorb some of the oil they will shrink down and mix well into the recipe
Add salt according to your taste
Pour water into the pot
When the water boils, add the hot pepper (optional) and whole garlic bulb. Let them simmer in the mixture for five minutes, and then fish them back out and set them aside
Add cumin (optional)
Lower the stove temperature to low heat and allow the mixture to boil for 15 to 20 minutes
After the 15 to 20 minutes, raise the heat (once again, no higher than medium) and add rice to the pot. Spread the rice out on top of the water, but do not mix it with the rest of the ingredients
When water is no longer visible above the rice, then spoon the rice towards the center
Replace the garlic bulb and red pepper into the pot, and pour raisins on top of the rice
Place a lid on top of the pot and set the heat to low
Cook for 30 minutes. After that time, once again remove the hot pepper and the garlic, and stir the rest of the ingredients
Cook the meat in the oil, stirring occasionally until evenly browned and serve on top of the bed of rice (optional)
KARI AYAM (MALAYSIAN “CHICKEN” CURRY)
I joined SDG for a Stuff Your FACE cooking demonstration on June 2. He described his Kari Ayam as a comfort food--something his mother makes. His version is completely plant-based, and he described it as the healthiest curry you’ll ever eat.
INGREDIENTS
KARI AYAM
1 - 2 tbsp Kari Ayam paste
1/4 brown onion
1 clove garlic
1/4 cup coconut milk
1 tbsp dried vegetable stock
1 tbsp sweetener of choice
1 medium potato skinned
1/2 block extra firm tofu
DIRECTIONS
CHICKEN “RICE”
1 cup brown rice
1 clove garlic
1/2 inch ginger
1/4 brown onion
1 green onion
1 tbsp dried vegetable stock
TO GARNISH
Green onion
Cilantro
Fried onion
Combine all “chicken” rice ingredients inside a pot and fill with water to the first joint in your finger. Boil then reduce to simmer until no more bubbles, then turn off. . Rip tofu into bite sized, irregular pieces. Salt and place in nonstick pan on low heat, flipping frequently until brown (could take up to 1 hour, but you don’t need to get it all the way, if you don’t want to)
Add Kari Ayam paste, brown onion and garlic to a medium pot and dry fry on medium heat until fragrant. Add in the rest of the ingredients on that list, stir, cover and cook until potatoes are tender (approx 20-25 minutes)
Serve one bowl of rice with the curry, garnish all with green onion, cilantro and fried onion
SWEET & SOUR MEATBALLS
This was my favorite dish growing up. It was my grandmother’s recipe. (The recipe card was left to my Aunt and Uncle; they still have the original one, it looks like it’s like 100 years old.) My grandmother would make it for me on my birthday every year, and my mom would make it for me on special occasions. While the recipe is “Sweet & Sour Meatballs,” for some reason, my grandmother always called it “Swedish Meatballs.” My grandmother passed away in 2006. She was one of my best friends, and the greatest person I knew. We learned a lot about her after she died that she kept private, including her philanthropy and her incredibly selflessness. This dish reminds me of growing up and of my grandmother!
-Bobby BonettINDGREDIENTS
1 small onion
1 green pepper
2 cans tomato sauce
2 lbs chop meat
4 tbsp lemon juice
4 tbsp brown sugar
1/2 glass water
DIRECTIONS
Saute chopped onion and green pepper strips
Add tomato sauce, water, lemon juice, and brown sugar
Keep the pot uncovered
When this mixture is boiling, put meatballs in Lower the flame and cover Cook 1 1/2 hours
SPICY JAMAICAN JERK CHICKEN AND RICE & PEAS
Rice and Peas (which is, technically, rice and beans) is one of the most quintessential Jamaican dishes out there. It is a regular dish for Sunday dinners and holidays, and it would be sorely missed if it weren’t there. Every family (and every family cook) makes their version a bit differently, and it’s almost always done by feel. In my family, my mother, grandmother, and aunt’s rice and peas are all distinguishable from one another! Jerk Chicken has always been a staple at our parties and a regular on the dinner table.
-Brittany LloydINGREDIENTS
JAMAICAN JERK CHICKEN
8 pieces bone-in chicken, drumsticks and thighs
½ cup of lemon juice (to clean chicken)
½ jar of Walker’s Wood jerk seasoning
2 tsp. crushed garlic
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 medium-sized onion, chopped
1 cup of water
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 400F
Wash chicken with lemon juice and water, then drain
Rub Walker’s Wood jerk seasoning, crushed garlic, dried thyme, and chopped onion into the chicken (optional: leave to marinate for at least one hour)
Place chicken in shallow, ovenproof dish and add 1 cup of water. Cover with aluminum foil
Bake for one hour, covered
After one hour, remove aluminum foil. Continue baking for 15-20 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through
RICE & PEAS
1 (14-ounce) can of coconut milk (not cream)
½ cup of dried red kidney beans
½ tsp. crushed garlic
¼ tsp. thyme
2 cups of white rice
1 scotch bonnet pepper (aka habanero pepper)
Water
Fill a 2-3 quart pot halfway with water. Add red kidney beans and boil, continually adding water to keep beans covered
When beans are tender (and there should still be about 3 inches of water over the beans), add coconut milk, rice, garlic, thyme, and entire (and uncut) scotch bonnet to pot
Continue to boil until only a thin layer of water is still covering the rice
Cover pot and reduce heat to low
Simmer until liquid is evaporated, about 45-60 minutes, or until rice is tender
BROCCOLI CHEESE CASSEROLE
This is another Thanksgiving staple in my family. I didn’t start making this recipe until I moved out on my own and had to learn over the phone. It might be that reason I haven’t been able to master it yet. It seems to be one of those recipes where she follows the card, but has made adjustments as she goes since she knows them so well. Even though I’m convinced mine haven’t every been as good as hers the friends and family I’ve hosted for Thanksgiving have always raved about this dish! Some years I’ve made two just to be able to have some left overs.
-Kasey CampbellINGREDIENTS
2 [10oz] bags of frozen chopped broccoli – or about
3 fresh stalks chopped with stems removed
1 [10½ oz] can of Cream of Mushroom Soup
1 Cup Mayo
1 Cup Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese
1 Medium Onion Chopped
Salt + Pepper to Taste
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350F
Thaw and drain broccoli if using frozen
2 Eggs Beaten
1/2 Stick of Butter Melted
4 oz packaged Herb Stuffing Mix (1/2 an 8 oz bag) (Pepperidge Farm suggested)
Lightly steam (do not fully cook) and drain broccoli if using fresh (we always use fresh)
In a bowl, combine broccoli, cream of mushroom soup, mayo, cheese, onion, and salt + pepper
Fold in the beaten eggs
Transfer to a 2qt casserole dish
Combine melted butter and stuffing mix. Sprinkle over top of the casserole mixture
Bake uncovered for 45 min
TAGINE POT: HONEY & CARMADON CHICKEN WITH OLIVES & CHICKPEAS
The Tagine Pot is typically made from terracotta and has been used in the North African region for centuries to cook meat, pultry, vegetables and fruit. The Tagine cooks slowly so the finished dish is full of moisture and flavor. North Africans discovered these types of dishes traveling to Morocco. This dish is mild in flavor and a nice introduction to this style of international cooking.
-Terri GlassmanINGREDIENTS
8 plump chicken thighs
2 tbsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp cardamon
2 tbsp honey
1 1/2 inch chunk of fresh ginger root, finely grated
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
Pinch of dried chili flakes (optional)
6 tbsp olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 large red onion, finely sliced
1 3/4 cups of good chicken stock
14 12/oz can of chickpeas, drained
2 tomatoes, peeled, deseeded and chopped
Handful of pitted olives
Generous handful of fresh coriander (or parsley), finely chopped
DIRECTIONS
Place the chicken thighs into a shallow dish
Grind cumin seeds into coarse powder and place in a bowl
Add cardamom seeds to bowl of cumin
Stir in honey, grated ginger, garlic, chili (if using) and 4 tbsp of olive oil. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and pour the mixture over the chicken thighs. Leave to marinate a couple hours if possible
Heath the remain olive oil in a frying pan, remove the chicken from the marinade and gently fry the chicken until golden brown all over. Transfer the browned chicken to the Tagine and pour over any left over marinade. Scatter the onion slices over and pour in the chicken stock. Stir in drained chickpeas, chopped tomatoes and olives
Put the lid onto the Tagine and cook in the oven at 350 degrees for one hour until the chicken is tender. Stir in the chopped corriander and serve immediately with couscous or rice
GRANDMOTHER’S UKRANIAN BORSCHT
When I was a little girl, my grandmother made it for our family, and everyone loved it. It was a time for us to sit around the table together and enjoy each other’s company. My mother continues to make it for us today. My grandmother brought the recipe over from Ukraine/Russia with her, where she and her mother escaped by boat to America.
-Julie ArkinINGREDIENTS
3 Large Beets
4 Beet Stems
3 Medium Size Beet Leaves
1 Small Cabbage
1 Large Or Two Medium Size Onions
Soup Bones Or Small Piece Of Chuck (Optional)
1 Bay Leaf
Sweet And Sour Salt (Or Crystalized Citric Acid--Can Be Bought In A Pharmacy)
1 Can Of Butter Beans Drained (Available In Supermarkets)
1 Large Container Of Sour Cream
DIRECTIONS
Wash beets thoroughly and scrape off the skin
Chop into quarter- size pieces and place in a large pot
Chop onion roughly and add to pot
Add beet stems, leaves and bay leaf to the pot
Chop the cabbage roughly and add two or three cups to the pot
Add enough water to cover the ingredients
Add soup bones or chuck if using
Add tablespoon spoon of salt
Add a pinch of grains of sweet and sour salt
Bring to a boil and simmer for about an hour
Taste and adjust for seasoning - add butter beans
Whisk enough sour cream into the soup to turn it medium pink (it’s easier to whisk the sour cream into soup if you remove the ingredients first)
The soup should taste both sweet and sour so add a few grains more of the sweet and sour salt if need be
PECAN PIE
Easiest and best pecan pie recipe - I’ve been making this for 30+ years. Recipe is from The Ultimate Southern Living Cookbook.
-Kelly Cannon BuchsbaumINGREDIENTS
½ cup butter, melted
1 cup sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
4 large eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon salt
Pastry for 9-inch pie (homemade or I use Pillsbury’s pie crusts that come two in a box)
1 ½ cups pecan halves (or 1 ½ cups coarsely chopped pecans – I prefer halves)
DIRECTIONS
Combine the first 3 ingredients (butter, sugar and light corn syrup). Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until sugar dissolves. (This step is important. You’ll know the sugar is dissolved when you can see through the mixture and see very few sugar crystals)
Cool slightly. Add eggs, vanilla, and salt to the mixture. Mix well with a whisk or fork
Pour filling into unbaked pie pastry shell
Top with pecans (I like to take a fork and turn the pecan halves over where they are all facing the same way – not necessary though)
Bake at 325F for 55 minutes. Serve warm or cold
STRAWBERRY RHUBARB CRISP
Rhubarb “anything” is a popular dish in the UK—where my mother is from—but less so in the US. Rhubarb pies, jams, candies, etc. But it wasn’t until I was an adult that I tasted rhubarb and began using it as an ingredient during my baking sprees. It’s the perfect summery dessert, both sweet and tart!
-Brittany LloydINGREDIENTS
RHUBARB LAYER
1 lb sliced strawberries (about 3 cups, measured after you slice them)
1 lb sliced rhubarb
¾ cup white sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons lemon juice, freshly squeezed
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 350F degrees.
CRISP LAYER
¾ cup all-purpose flour
¾ cup light brown sugar
¾ cup quick cooking oats
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon salt
2/3 cup melted butter
In a large bowl, stir together the sliced strawberries, sliced rhubarb, sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice and vanilla extract so that the fruit is evenly coated. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, oats, cinnamon and salt.
Stir in the melted butter. It should feel like wet sand and form crumbles/chunks if you squeeze it in your fist. Using a slotted spoon, spoon the strawberry rhubarb mixture into a 9x9 inch ceramic pan. Do not add the juice from the bottom of the bowl.
Crumble the oatmeal topping over top.
Cover the dish lightly with aluminum foil.
Bake for 30 minutes, covered.
Remove the aluminum foil and bake for an additional 20-25 minutes, or until the top is golden brown.
Allow to cool for at least 15 minutes before serving.
Serve topped with vanilla ice cream and enjoy!
CHOCOLATE FRENCH SILK PIE
Is a ‘French Silk Pie’ actually French? Definitely not. As far as I can tell, this is a recipe developed in the U.S. in 1951 for a Pillsbury Bake-off...which is about the time my maternal grandmother started making it and our family started requesting it at holidays. (The ‘French’ of the title refers to the silky texture of the filling, which is reminiscent of France’s popular mousse au chocolat.) My family is also not French; but claims German, Austrian and Dutch ancestry, traceable back to one of the passengers on the Mayflower on one side. So perhaps it’s fitting that this sorta Euro-influenced all-American 1950s dessert is beloved to us. My late grandmother as well as my late mother made this pie with me, many times, for Thanksgiving and Christmas gatherings especially. It’s been shared with dozens of friends and in-laws over the years. It’s one of the few recipes I have memorized. And I even still have my late grandmother’s oil-stained hand-written recipe card, which calls for ‘oleo,’ ‘ie, margarine, rather than butter (note: butter tastes wayyy better!). My sole other adjustment to her recipe is that I’ll often top this pie with a dash of sea salt flakes rather than, say, the chocolate shavings or whipped cream that similar twists on this dessert call for. Even sans any topping, it’s decadent. And I’m so pleased to share it with you.
-Kelly Phillips BadalINGREDIENTS
GRAHAM CRACKER CRUST
1 1/2 cups crushed graham crackers
3 tablespoons sugar
1/3 cup butter, melted
DIRECTIONS
Stir ingredients together until well blended, then press into 9” pie pan
Chill 1 hour OR bake for 8 minutes; then cool completely before filling
INGREDIENTS
PIE FILLING
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 squares baking chocolate OR 6 tablespoons cocoa + 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
Optional: sea salt flakes, whipped cream or chocolate shavings, as toppings
DIRECTIONS
Beat butter and sugar until fluffy
Add 1 egg and beat 2 minutes. Add second egg and beat 2 minutes
Blend in chocolate and vanilla
Pour into crust, add any desired toppings and chill at least 2 hours before serving
SWEET POTATO SOUFFLE
This recipe is a staple for my family’s Thanksgiving dinner. Growing up, we would also host our extended family at our house each year. This was originally one of my aunt’s recipes, but now friends and family have come to know it because of my mom. She has always made Thanksgiving dinner without any help and tt’s always been impressive to me that she gets everything out of the oven and on the table at the same time.
-Kasey CampbellINGREDIENTS
SWEET POTATO MIXTURE
1 [8oz] Can of Whole Cut Yams –Bruce’s if you can find them
1/3 Cup White Sugar
1/2 Cup Brown Sugar
2 tbs Butter
1/2 Cup Whole Milk
BROWN SUGAR/PECAN TOPPING
4 tbs Butter (softened)
1/2 Cup Brown Sugar
1/4 Cup Flour
1/2 Cup Chopped Pecans
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350F
Heat sweet potatoes in a pot, simmer until tender. DRAIN the sweet potatoes, transfer to a bowl, and mash
Add white sugar, brown sugar, and butter
Add milk gradually (you may not use all of the milk)
Mix until combined and smooth
Transfer to round casserole dish
TOPPING
Melt butter
Mix in brown sugar, flour, and pecans
Sprinkle mixture over sweet potato mixture
Bake uncovered for 30-45 minutes
Entire dish can be assemebled the night before – remove from fridge to return to room temp before baking