Derby Trail Cook Book

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Basic Hot Sauce Recipe
Ingredients:
1 16 ounce can of tomato sauce
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
6 peppers, chopped and deseeded
Salt and pepper
Directions:
Start by sautéing the onion, peppers and garlic in a teaspoon of olive oil for three minutes in a saucepan. Add the tomato sauce and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Place ingredients in blender and puree, Simmer for another 15 minutes, just to let the entire flavor combine. Salt and pepper to taste

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Here's one for the "kitchen challenged". Ask the kids to help, cause they'll love them too! Great for the holidays!

Caramel Popcorn Balls

1/3 cup butter or margarine
1/2 cup corn syrup
1 cup brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
10 cups popped popcorn

Melt the butter in a soup pot. Add corn syrup, brown sugar, and vanilla.

Stir & bring to a boil. Remove from heat. Add popcorn and mix in. Put waxed paper on your countertop. Form popcorn balls and lay on wax paper to harden. Makes about a dozen balls.

Make some extra popcorn, give the kids a needle and some thread, and they'll be busy for hours. Then help them put their "masterpieces" on the tree.
Just remember to let them know how good it looks as you munch the popcorn balls.

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Now here's one to do with the "kid"...a goat one.

Kid Gambellara Style, or Cavreto de Gambellara

Kid Gambellara Style, or Cavreto de Gambellara: According to Amadeo Sandri, Gambellara is known for two things: Its wines, and stewed kid, which is marinated, shaped into a ring, put whole in a large copper pot, slowly cooked atop a wood-fired stove. The result is nicely browned, but also extraordinarily tender. Mr. Sandri instead prefers to spit roast his kid, burning hardwood to obtain the coals that supply the heat. To serve 8:
INGREDIENTS:
A milk-fed kid, not more than 50 days old (one could also use lamb)
Olive oil
Three large, juicy lemons
Black peppercorns
Bay leaves
Sage
Rosemary
Garlic
Salt
PREPARATION:
The kid must be whole, with head and feet, and should still have both heart and liver in the cavity. Wash the animal inside and out with cold water and dry it well. Finely mince a handful of sage leaves with two large cloves of garlic, the leaves from a sprig of rosemary, and a 3-inch (7.5 cm) strip of lemon zest (yellow part only)


Add a teaspoon of salt to the mixture, mix well, rub the mixture into the kid, both inside and out.

Put the kid in a container just large enough to hold it, and pour three cups of olive oil over it. Squeeze the lemons, filter their juice, and add it to the kid, together with 3 bay leaves and six to eight peppercorns. Cover the container with a fine cloth and marinate the meat in a cool place (not the refrigerator) for two days, turning the meat twice daily.

Come cooking time, remove the kid from the marinade, drain it well, and spit it. Set the spit in front of the flames, with a leccarda (drippings pan) under it to catch the drippings, and cook it until it is golden brown outside, and perfectly tender inside. While the meat is cooking, baste it with the drippings from the pan or the marinade as you prefer, and when it is almost done drop several coals into the drippings; they'll produce puffs of smoke that will confer a smoky taste to the meat.

Serve it immediately upon removing it from the spit, on a bed of lettuce, and with cut lemons as garnish.

It takes several hours...don't rush it...be patient.

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Brie and Crab Stuffed Mushrooms Recipe (Appetizer)

Ingredients:
18 large mushrooms, stems removed & chopped
2 tablespoons melted butter
1 teaspoon garlic salt
2 tablespoons minced onion
1 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
4 oz jumbo lump crabmeat
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
3 oz Brie, cut in 18 pieces

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350º. Place mushroom caps on a cookie sheet. Brush caps with some of the butter and sprinkle with garlic salt.

In a skillet, saute the mushroom stems with onion, Worcestershire sauce using the remaining butter.

In a bowl, mix crabmeat and mayonnaise. Fill caps with mushroom and onion mixture. Top with crabmeat & Brie. Bake for 10 minutes or until mushrooms are tender and cheese is melted.

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Posole

2 lb Pork roast,cut in chunks

1/2 lb Pork rinds (skins)

2 ea Pork shanks or pigs feet

1 T Salt

2 c Posole

1 t Oregano

2 ea Cloves garlic, mashed

2 T Chopped onion

4 ea Red chili pods,remove seeds


Place meat and pork rinds and pork shanks in a large kettle and add about
5 quarts of water or enough to cover meat. Add approximately 1 tablespoon

salt and bring to a boil. Cook over medium heat for about 1 1/2 hours. Remove excess grease and set aside. Reserve liquid. Wash the posole very carefully until the water is clear so as to remove lime from kernels. Put in large kettle and cover with water. Boil until posole has popped. Mix meat, posole, rind and shanks or pigs feet. Add oregano, garlic, onion and chili pods. Let simmer for about 1/2 hour. Posole may be served as a main dish with hard rolls, tortillas or crackers. Additional red chili sauce may be added at serving time for more spice. NOTE:Posole can be found in the meat section if it is available in your area, if not available, hominy can be substituted in the same quantities but no rinsing or pre-cooking is needed. The posole will lose its authenticity but none of its tastiness if pork rinds, pork shanks or pigs feet are omitted. You can also add one can of tomatoes to enhance the flavor.

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Ramaki (This is a great appetizer)
(Yes, you can actually get away
with serving liver to your guests.)
The Rumaki recipe is a classic party appetizer recipe, proving that anything wrapped in bacon tastes good—even liver. But you can opt for scallops, shrimp or stuffed olives, instead.

Rumaki
12 slices bacon, halved crosswise
12 ounces chicken livers, halved
12 whole water chestnuts, halved

Marinade:
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 teaspoon fresh minced ginger
2 tablespoons dry sherry
1 teaspoon sugar

The Rumaki Recipe begins with the marinade: Combine soy sauce, ginger, sherry and sugar in a small bowl. Add the chicken livers and water chestnut pieces and marinate them in the refrigerator for 1/2 hour.

Place 1 chicken liver piece and 1 chestnut piece in the center of each bacon-half, wrap, and secure with a toothpick.

Place the Rumaki on a broiler pan or shallow baking pan and broil, about 5 or 6 inches from the heat, until the bacon is crisp, about 10 to 15 minutes. Or, you may bake the appetizers in a 375° oven for 20 to 25 minutes. Serve hot. Makes 24 appetizers.
Variations:

Add fresh sliced scallions to the combination above.

Substitute sea scallops for the chicken livers and/or water chestnuts.

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Duck a' L orange

Ingredients & Directions

6 lb Duck, cut

1/2 c Red wine

1 T Orange peelings

1 ea Clove garlic, minced

3 T Salad oil

1 T Potato starch

1 1/4 c Orange juice

1 T Honey

1/4 t Ginger

1/8 t Pepper

1 c Orange sections


Puncture duckling generously with fork; place on rack in roasting pan. Pour most of the sweet red wine over duckling pieces. Roast in slow oven (325 deg), basting occasionally, allowing 25 minutes/pound. In medium saucepan, saute' orange peel and garlic in oil.Mix in potato starch till smooth.Slowly add orange juice, honey and remaining wine. Simmer (1 min). Mix in ginger,pepper and orange sections; simmer (5 min). Serve hot sauce with roast duckling.

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How To Make a Philly Cheese Steak

Most people who visit Philadelphia can't leave without trying a Philadelphia cheesesteak. Here are some tips so you can make your own at home.

Time Required: 15 minutes
Here's How:
Start with good beef. Pat’s uses sliced rib-eye. Jim’s uses USDA choice top round western steer beef.
Shave the beef very thin so it cooks quickly and remains tender.
Use a fresh high quality Italian roll - Amoroso’s is a favorite.
Decide if you want your steak with or without fried onions.

Decide if you want a steak or a cheesesteak. If you elect a cheesesteak you need to decide on American cheese, provolone or the Philly favorite "cheez whiz."
Any add-ons? Mushrooms, peppers, pizza sauce, tomatoes? You decide. It’s your sandwich.
Start to cook. Sauté the onions, peppers and mushrooms until soft.
Fry your steak until brown but not crispy or burned. You can mix in the fried vegetables now or add them at the end.
If you elect American cheese or provolone place the cheese on the meat until slightly melted. If you choose Cheez Whiz just smear it on the roll.
Place the roll over the meat/cheese/vegetables and scoop it into the sandwich.
Garnish your sandwich with pizza sauce, hot or sweet peppers or pickles as you choose.
Enjoy your Philadelphia cheesesteak.
Tips:
Using the best beef available is the key.
Don't overcook the ingredients.
If you don't cook, go to Pat's, Geno's or Jim's. Which one is best? It's a regular Philadelphia debate.

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Italian Pork Sandwich

Ingredients:
1 lb. boneless pork, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
1 8-oz. bottle low-calorie Italian dressing
4 French-style rolls, split and toasted
Marinated peppers, if desired

Directions:
(The night before, or in the morning)In a resealable plastic bag, marinate pork cubes in dressing. Refrigerate 6-24 hours. discard dressing; thread pork cubes onto skewers. If using wooden skewers, soak skewers in water for and hour to prevent burning.

Grill or broil about 4 inches from heat for 8-10 minutes, turning to brown all sides. Place cubes inside rolls and serve with purchased marinated peppers.

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Lots of folks have favorite sandwiches (see the two above for Mike and Steve).
Here's one of mine:


Ruben Sandwich

Ingredients

8 - slices dark rye bread

16 - teaspoons Russian or Thousand Island dressing

8 - ounces corned beef

4 - ounces Sauerkraut, well drained

4 - ounces Swiss cheese (1 or 2 slices each sandwich)

4 - pats butter

Directions

Spread the dressing on each bread slice.
On one slice, place the corned beef, then the sauerkraut, and then the cheese.
Place the second slice on the top with the dressing side down.
Butter the top of the sandwich and place buttered side down on a preheated griddle.
Now butter the other side of the sandwich, which is the top side.
Heat the sandwich until bread is golden brown.
Turn once and allow the other side to become golden brown.
Cut the sandwich in half and serve.

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Lasagna

8 ounces lasagna noodles, uncooked.
1 pound bulk Italian sausage
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
6 ounce can tomato paste
14 ounce can tomatoes, cut up
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon basil leaves
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
16 ounce container ricotta cheese
1 egg, beaten
1 tablespoon parsley
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
Cook lasagna according to package directions.

In large skillet combine sausage, onion and garlic. Cook until sausage is no longer pink, stirring occasionally; drain. Stir in next six ingredients, bring to boil. Reduce heat; simmer 20 minutes.

In medium bowl, blend ricotta, egg, parsley and salt. Spread a thin layer of sauce in a 13x9 inch baking pan. Layer one third each; lasagna, sauce, rocotta mixture, mozzarella and parmesan cheese. Repeat layers. Cover. Bake in a 375' oven until hot and bubbly, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Let stand 5 minutes before cutting.

Servings: 8

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This one is for those that like to bake with kids, and for those that are a bit crackers for crackers, like myself (crackers).

Homemade Animal Crackers

1/2 cup oatmeal

2 tsp honey

1/4 to 1/8 tsp salt

3/4 cup flour

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 cup butter, softened

4 Tbsp buttermilk

Do not grease cookie sheet. Grind oatmeal in a blender until fine. Add honey, salt, flour and soda. Cut in butter. Add buttermilk.

Roll dough very thin; cut out with animal cookie cutters. Bake at 400 degrees (F) until brown, 10 to 12 minutes.

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Here's one for those that might have a "bad taste" in their mouth...over partying. Follow up with some hot wings. (recipe above).

Garlic and Potato Pie

Garlic Potato Pie ingredients list:
1 lb of scrubbed boiling potatoes.
6 cloves fresh garlic, sliced finely.
1 cup of milk.
¼ cup of breadcrumbs.
3 tablespoons of grated parmesan cheese.
3 tablespoons of butter.

Instructions for Garlic Potato Pie:
Preheat your oven to 380°F (180°C).

Slice potatoes thinly.

Butter a 9-inch pie plate.

Arrange a layer of potatoes, garlic slices, parmesan and slices of butter.

Repeat using the rest of the ingredients (other than the milk), saving some of the cheese and the butter.

Heat the milk and pour over top of the potatoes.

Top with bread crumbs and remaining cheese and butter.

Bake for 1 hour, until the potatoes are tender and top has turned golden brown.

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Matty was a friend of mine. I managed the movie theatre where he worked as a porter (janitor). He lived under the stage in two spare rooms. He slept days and cleaned at night after the last show. As he didn't speak English too well, nor did I Greek, I couldn't write his recipe for the Greek lasagna he invited me to share. Love of good food is common to all.
So, Matty, where ever you are now-a-days, I hope this does your recipe justice. YUM!

Greek Lasagna

12 oz Lasagna noodles
1 Large leek, chopped
5 Scallions, chopped
1/3 cup Chopped fresh dill
1 cup Low-fat cottage cheese
4 Eggs, beaten
3 tbs Whole wheat flour
1/4 cup Vegetable stock
1 Large onion, chopped
1/2 cup Chopped fresh parsley
1 1/2 lb Spinach, steam and chop
1 cup Crumbled feta cheese
3 tbs Butter
2 1/2 cup Skim milk
1/4 cup Grated Parmesan cheese

Cook lasagna noodles in boiling water until al dente. Drain and rinse under
cold water until cool. Spread out flat and cover so they do not dry out. Place
stock in skillet, add leeks, onions and scallions. Cook over low heat until
soft, but do not brown. Add parsley and dill, stir until the parsley is wilted.
Drain spinach and press out excess moisture, stir into onion mixture and set
over heat for a minute or two to drain any remaining moisture. Turn into bowl
and add cottage, cheese, feta and eggs. Melt butter in skillet, stir in flour
and continue stirring over low heat for 2-3 minutes, gradually add milk,
stirring until sauce thickens. Stir in Parmesan cheese, remove from heat. Place
1/2 cup of white sauce in bottom of a 9x13 pan. Add a layer of noodles (1/4 of
noodles) and spread 1/3 of spinach mixture over noodles. Repeat layering twice,
top with remaining noodles, top with remaining white sauce. Bake for 25 minutes
at 350 F. Allow to stand 15 minutes before cutting into serving size pieces.

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COLD TURKEY REUBEN SANDWICH ....as requested.
4 ts Plain Low-fat yogurt; -and of course cooked
8 sl Rye Bread; 1 1/3 c Sweet & Sour Red Cabbage;
8 oz Turkey; breast thinly sliced -drained (recipe to follow)

1 lb Red cabbage; shredded 1/2 ts Salt
1/2 c Cider vinegar; Sugar equivalent to a 2 tbs
1/2 c Water Sugar
2 tb Margarine

SANDWICH: Spread 1 teaspoon yogurt on each 4 slices of rye bread.
Divide the sliced turkey among tops of the bread slices. Spoon 1/3
Sweet and Sour Red Cabbage on each sandwich; top with remaining bread.

SWEET AND SOUR RED CABBAGE: Put cabbage, vinegar, water, margarine,
and salt in a deep cooking pot. Cover and cook about 15 minutes or
until crisp-tender, lifting and turnig with a large kitchen fork two
or three times. Remove from heat. Add sweetener to cabbage
gradually, lifting and mixing well with a fork. Drain off any liqiud

A good dill pickle goes well with this. (ask Cajun on the selection process).

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I must admit, I'm nuts for peanuts. Some would just say I'm nuts.
Anyway, give this one a try. It's pretty good.

Peanut Soup
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons grated onion
1 stalk celery, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons flour
3 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
2 tablespoons dry sherry
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons chopped dry roasted peanuts

In medium sauce pan, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion and celery and sauté 5 minutes. Stir in flour and mix until well blended. Gradually stir in chicken broth. Stirring to keep mixture smooth, simmer 30 minutes. Remove from heat and strain. Return liquid to heat and stir in peanut butter, sherry, lemon juice and salt. Heat through and serve garnished with chopped peanuts.

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Somerfrost got me thinking about cutting back on meat and eating more veggies. Here's one that can be used as a main course, easy for the "cooking challenged", and featuring one of my favorites.
Also, it tastes great!

Mushroom Garlic Asparagus

Ingredients
1/2 Pound mushrooms -- sliced (button or portobello)
1 Clove garlic -- minced
3 Tablespoons butter
1 Pound asparagus
2 Teaspoons soy sauce


Preparation:
Place butter in a 2 quart oblong dish. Microwave at high (100%) until melted, 30 seconds. Add garlic and mushrooms. Microwave at high (100%) 2 minutes. Remove mushrooms and garlic. Set aside. Place asparagus in dish, placing thicker portions to outside edge. Cover with plastic wrap. Microwave at high (100%) until tender crisp, 8 to 9 minutes. Add soy sauce and mushrooms. Cover with plastic wrap. Microwave at high (100%) until mushrooms are heated through, 45 seconds to 1 minute. Makes 4 servings.

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Here's another one to try with your children. There are so many good things that a child can learn from cooking/baking...measuring, following directions, telling time, on and on. Besides having fun making food together, you both get to share the results of your efforts. I still make these, even though my sons are now grown. Both of them know how to cook for themselves and any guests.

Pretzels

Prep time: about 30 minutes Ingredients:

1 tbsp. yeast
1/2 c. warm water
1 tsp. honey
1 1/3 c. flour
1 tsp. salt
Utensils:

oven (You'll need help from your adult assistant.)
small bowl
mixing spoon
medium-size bowl
cutting board, sprinkled with flour
baking sheet, sprayed with nonstick spray
measuring cups and spoons
Directions:

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit (165 degrees Celsius).
Put the yeast in a small bowl with the water and honey. Stir a little, then let the mixture sit for 5 minutes.
Mix the flour and salt together in a medium-size bowl.
After the 5 minutes is up, check on the yeast mixture. It should be bigger than before and a little bubbly. Add this mixture to the flour and salt mixture.
Stir everything together. Use a spoon to start. Finish with your hands. The dough is ready when it's still a little crumbly and flaky.
Put the dough on the cutting board and knead it like you are playing with clay. Knead it into one big ball.
Break off a piece of dough that's about the size of a big gumball or superball. Use your hands to roll it into a skinny snake.
Twist the snake into a medium-size pretzel shape, and put it on the cookie sheet. Do this with all the dough, making 12 pretzels.
Bake your pretzels for 10 minutes. Let them cool and take a bite!

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Cowboy cookin', what could be better?

Rock-a-Billy's Cowboy Chicken


What do you get when you toss a butter-and-vermouth-washed bird into a furnace hot enough to melt a branding iron? A bronzed beauty shot through with brushfire flavors fanned by lemon and herbs. For best results, use a kosher or free-range chicken for superior taste and texture. You can chow down on this all week, using leftovers in sandwiches and salads.

1 (3 1/2 to 4 pound) chicken, ideally kosher or free-range
1 lemon, quartered
1 bunch fresh thyme or 2 tablespoon dried
6 garlic cloves
1 tablespoon ground pepper

Basting Sauce
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup vermouth

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F.

Wash the chicken and pat dry. Discard the giblets. Squeeze the lemon quartered inside the chicken cavity. Place 2 of the quarters in the very back of the cavity, followed by the thyme. Lay the garlic cloves on top of the thyme, sprinkle with pepper, and add the remaining lemon quarters.

Place the chicken on its back in a roasting pan. Melt the butter in a saucepan. Remove from the heat, and stir in the vermouth. Drizzle half the mixture over the chicken. Bake 20 minutes.

Remove the chicken from the oven. Using a flat spatula and a carving fork, turn the chicken over onto its breast. Return to the oven for 20 minutes.

Remove the chicken from the oven and turn it over, breast side up. Drizzle the remaining basting sauce on top. Roast until dark golden brown all over, about 20 minutes.

Remove the chicken from the pan and transfer to a carving board. Let rest 10 minutes before slicing. Serves 4 (or 1 person 4 times all week long).

Here's my family's recipe for Natilla which is a cuban vanilla custard... OMG, so good!

Ingredients--

3 cups of milk
3 eggs
ground cinnamon
1/2 c of sugar
1 tsp of vanilla
3 tsp of cornstarch

Put 2 3/4 cups of milk in a pot and put the heat on. Mix the eggs, sugar, vanilla, corn starch, and the 1/4 cup of cold milk that is left together in a seperate bowl. Right before the milk on the heat comes to a boil, add in all the mixed ingredients while stirring constantly. Once it gets a medium texture of thickness, take off the heat and put in individuals cups or serving glasses. Add a dash of cinnamon on top, and refrigerate.

Thank me later.