Lingonberry Butter

Lingonberries are an amazing little berry from Sweden that tastes sort of like a cranberry. Lingonberry preserves are tangy, sweet, and all around good. They are readily available online and in some IKEA and specialty stores. This compound butter is an excellent accompaniment to crepes; store bought Swedish pancake mix, or even toast. The serving size is approximate, but it makes a considerable amount.

Ingredients:

·         7 ounces Lingonberry preserves

·         1 1/2 lbs unsalted butter, room temperature 

Directions:

1.       In a medium mixing bowl, beat the butter with an electric mixer until creamy and pale yellow.

2.       Add lingonberries and beat until thoroughly combined and light pink in color.

3.       The finished product should have no visible liquid and be light and airy. If your butter is juicy, dark pink, or clumpy- keep beating!

4.       Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Has an excellent shelf life.

Words of Wisdom from Chef Lidia Bastianich

"Some of the most important things when cooking Italian food as a novice are:
cook seasonally;keep it simple; use fresh herbs; and cook enough for seconds."

Check her out on her Blog, Website, or on PBS or Create TV.

Old-Fashioned Meat Loaf

Nothing Fancy, just good ole home cookin!

About 4 servings

Ingredients:

·         1 pound ground beef

·         1 1/4 teaspoons salt

·         1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

·         1/2 cup chopped onion

·         1/2 cup chopped bell pepper

·         1 egg, lightly beaten

·         8 ounces canned diced tomatoes with juice

·         1/2 cup quick-cooking oats

Topping:

·         1/3 cup ketchup

·         2 tablespoons brown sugar

·         1 tablespoon prepared mustard

Directions:

1.      Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

2.      Mix all meatloaf ingredients well and place in a baking dish. Shape into a loaf.

3.      Mix ingredients for topping and spread on loaf.

4.      Bake for 1 hour.

Swedish Pancakes (Crepes)

Makes about 12 pancakes

Ingredients:

·         8 tablespoons unsalted butter

·         1 cup all-purpose flour

·         1 3/4 cups whole milk

·         3 large eggs

·         1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

·         1/4 teaspoon salt

·         Confectioners' sugar, maple syrup and fresh fruit, for garnish

Directions:

1.       Melt 4 tablespoons butter in a 10-inch nonstick skillet.

2.       Combine the flour, milk, eggs, melted butter, vanilla and salt in a blender; process until smooth.

3.       Preheat the oven to 200 degrees.

4.       Warm the same skillet over medium heat until a drop of water bounces and sizzles. Add 1 teaspoon butter; turn to coat the pan with the melted butter. Pour in a scant 1/3 cup batter and quickly swirl the pan to evenly coat the bottom. Cook until the pancake sets, 1 to 1 1/2 minutes. Using a rubber spatula, carefully lift the pancake by the edges and flip; cook until lightly golden on the other side, 15 to 30 seconds.

5.       Transfer to a plate; keep warm in the oven while making the others.

6.       Repeat with the remaining butter and batter to make about 12 pancakes. If the pancakes seem too thick, thin the batter slightly with warm water.
7.   Fold or roll and serve with confectioners' sugar, syrup and fresh fruit.  You could also place a small amount of fruit compote inside and roll up then top with whipped cream. Sometimes you will see these served with Lingonberry Butter. Roll up Ricotta Cheese or Yogurt inside and serve with fresh Strawberry slices and Chocolate Syrup. The variations are endless and yummy.

Low Calorie Easy Shrimp Scampi

Most shrimp scampi recipes use loads of butter, this one uses only a little butter and olive oil. The dish feels fancy but really it's easy and healthy (but don't tell anyone!).

Ingredients:

• 1/2 lb. linguine
• 1 tsp butter
• 4 tsp olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, minced fine
• 1 lb. large raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1/4 cup chopped, fresh parsley
• 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
• dash salt
• 2 Tbsp grated, fresh Parmesan

Preparation:

 

1. Cook the pasta according to the directions on the package.
While the pasta cooks, heat the butter and olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic, and cook 3 minutes. Add the shrimp, parsley, lemon juice, and salt, and cook until the shrimp are pink and curled.
3. Toss the pasta together with the shrimp and the Parmesan, and serve.

Serves 4
Per Serving Calories 340

Sweet Potato Ham Roll Ups

A great dish for Holidays and special occasions.

Ingredients;

·         2 medium sweet potatoes or 2 medium yams

·         3 tablespoons butter, melted

·         ½ C crushed pineapple, drain and reserve juice

·         ¼ C pecans, chopped

·         ½ C cracker crumbs  

·         3 tablespoons brown sugar

·         2 lbs ham slices, slices of your favorite deli-ham. Have them slice it thick enough to wrap around something without falling apart. An eighth-inch is about right.

·         ¾  C pineapple juice

·         ¼ C Shredded Coconut, firmly packed

Directions;

1.      Bake sweet potatoes wrapped in foil (crimped side up) until tender.

2.      Peel and mash.

3.      Add butter, pineapple, nuts, crumbs and brown sugar; mix well.

4.      Preheat oven to 350°F.

5.      Spread a thick layer of filling on each ham slice; roll as for a jelly roll, lay in pan against one another so they don’t unroll.

6.      Place in a baking dish; pour pineapple juice over and sprinkle the top with coconut

7.      Cover with foil.

8.      Bake (1 hour for smoked ham and 20 minutes for boiled ham).

Cream Cheese Pie

A great refreshing pie made with fresh or frozen fruits or berries.

Soften 14 ozs of Cream Cheese. To this add in a mixer using a paddle;
2/3 C Granulated Sugar
1/4 tsp Cinnamon
3 Eggs

Pour this into an unbaked pie crust and bake at 350 about 25 minutes until a knife comes out clean. Cool to room temperature.

Here's where you show your creativity!

To make a fruit glaze, take any fresh fruit and lightly boil in water till the color is well into the water. For berries, use the less desirable ones like slightly green strawberries and trimmings or perhaps any blueberries that may have split or aren't quite perfect. Peach skin and fruit, etc. Or if your using canned, use the juice or syrup drained off them (but do note you'll have to adjust the sugar).

To top a pie with Fresh Peaches (or Nectarines), it takes about 3 medium ones sliced. Spread a little of the glaze on the pie, arrange the peach slices like a pinwheel from the center, then fit in remaining slices around the perimeter. Spoon the remaining glaze over the fruit while it is still warm enough to work with and fill in the gaps. To make the glaze use about;

1 1/4 C of juice
1 C Granulated Sugar

Bring this to a boil. Mix together and add slowly, stirring constantly;

1/4 C cold Juice
3 Tbsp Cornstarch

Cook until thick and clear.

It takes about 3 C fresh Blueberries which you can do as above, or put all the glaze on the pie then top with the berries, or mix it with the glaze like a compote. It takes about 4 C of Marion, Black, or Raspberries. For Cherries you would use the Compote method. Wen using fresh Strawberries, clean them in cold water and core them then stand them pointed end up on paper towels. If you use frozen berries, thaw them out on paper towels to just thawed, don't let them get too warm.

Pipe Sweetened Whipped Cream around the perimeter of a chilled pie.