King Arthur Sour Cream Coffee Cake

Cake:

1/2 cup butter

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

2 cups flour

1 t baking powder

1 t baking soda

1/2 t salt

1 cup sour cream (if not full cup, finish with milk) or yogurt

Topping/Filling:

1/4-1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup flour

1/3 cup brown sugar

1/2 t cinnamon

chopped walnuts

Cream wet ingredients. Mix dry ingredients together and fold into wet ingredients. Grease and flour a 9x9" pan, and pour half of the cake mixture in, flattening to fill the pan. Mix the flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon together, and then cut the butter in until moist and crumbly. Mix in walnuts if desired. Spread 1/3 of the topping on the batter in the pan, spread the rest of the cake batter on top, and then the rest of the topping. Bake in 350 degree oven for 35-40 minutes or until no longer jiggly.

Christy's Baked Eggplant "Parmesan"

Ingredients: 1 eggplant bread crumbs or crushed Ritz crackers (this was really good) or Panko italian seasoning 1 lb ground turkey (optional) mozzarella cheese spaghetti spaghetti sauce Preparation: Preheat oven to 415 deg. Cut up eggplant into small pieces or thin slices. Spray or grease 9x13 pan. Throw eggplant in pan with some bread crumbs and italian seasoning (sorry, I don't measure). Put it in the oven for about 30 minutes and stir it every once in a while, until it is brown and the eggplant is kind of dried out. While that is cooking, start boiling water for the spaghetti, brown the ground turkey, and grate the cheese. When the eggplant is done, mix it all together or make layers. Put some cheese on top. Turn the oven temp down to 350 deg and cook for about 30 minutes until the cheese is melted. You can put some Parmesan cheese on top.

Chocolate Souffle "Suf-ful"

3 eggs

1/3 c sugar

2 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips

pinch of salt

1/4 t cream of tartar/ 3-4 drops lime or lemon juice

Separate eggs into 2 bowls small enough to beat a small amount of egg, yet large enough to accommodate the eggs as the air is incorporated while whipping.

Beat egg yolks with 1/3 c minus 1 T of sugar, adding the sugar in two parts. Beat until pale yellow and the mixture runs in a continuous stream when poured.

Melt the chocolate in the microwave 30 seconds at a time on 50% power until melted, mixing to check for readiness. Mix with egg yolks.

If using the same beaters for the egg whites, wash well. Add the acid, and whip the whites, adding the 1 T sugar left gradually. Whip into stiff peaks. Mix a scoop of the whites into the yolk mixture to lighten, and then fold the yolk mixture into the whites gently.

Pre-heat oven to 375, and butter or spray ramekins or small oven safe bowls. Dust with sugar, and fill generously with mixture. It is also okay to refrigerate at this point if making ahead. Cook 20-30 minutes. Enjoy immediately!

Chocolate Mousse (Laurie)

8 oz. semi-sweet chocolate of a quality which one would not mind eating out of the bag

4 T butter

4 eggs

several drops of lemon juice or 1/8 t cream of tartar

3 T sugar

1/2-1 t vanilla

1 cup whipping cream

Separate eggs into whites and yolks. Melt chocolate and butter together in a large pot over the stove or large bowl in the microwave. Stir continuously, or every 30 seconds with "5" power to prevent burning. Allow to cool until it can be touched fairly comfortably so that the yolks don't cook when mixed in. Make sure it is still very warm, or it will be too stiff. Mix in the egg yolks. Place in refrigerator.

Whip egg whites and lemon juice until beginning to foam, and then gradually add 1 T of sugar. Continue whipping until stiff peaks form. Place in fridge.

Whip cream, 2 T of sugar, and vanilla to taste. Remove all ingredients from fridge, and mix a scoop of the egg whites into the chocolate. Then gently FOLD the rest of the egg whites in, and then gently fold the whipped cream in. Pour into wine glasses or small bowls and chill for at least 2 hours.

Makes 9-10 servings.

For whipped cream topping, whip heavy cream, sugar, and other flavorings to taste.

• Vanilla
• Peanut butter is good- mix a small amount of unwhipped cream into a small amount (less than a tablespoon) of peanut butter until smooth and runny, then add this to the vat of unwhipped cream and whip, adding sugar to taste.
• Peppermint- use peppermint extract
• Eggnog
• Amaretto
  

Camping Cornbread

1 box of cornbread mix
1 egg
Any other ingredients the package calls for
Milk

Mix ingredients, adding enough milk to be slightly thicker than pancake batter. Grease a medium-large saute pan well. Pour in batter, and place on stove over lowest heat possible. Cover with a tight-fitting lid. Resist the strong urge to check it frequently, letting it go 10-15 minutes without removing the lid, depending on the heat output of the stove. When you're certain it's burning, check for doneness with a toothpick or knife. Cornbread cooked this way is very crumbly, so melt your butter or honey on top, rather than trying to cut in half. Enjoy with the butternut squash chili!

Bread "Stuff"

Whole wheat baguette
Butter
Ham steak
Eggs
Shredded cheese
Oregano

Dice baguette into 1/2" cubes. Saute in butter. Stir in ham, then eggs, then cheese, then oregano. Scramble.

From Bobbie Herndon, made on a camping trip with the Zentners and Lenzes.

Apricot Rosemary Jam

4 cups apricots
3 1/2 cups sugar
fresh sprigs of rosemary or 1 t dried rosemary
3 T water

1. Wash (well if pesticides used, or remove skins- cut X on base, blanch, and peel) apricots. Cut in half and remove pits.

2. Place rosemary in the 3 T water in a medium saucepan. If fresh, just place the sprigs in the water. If dried, wrap in cheesecloth, bandana, or other lightweight fabric that won't bleed. I used a clothespin to close the baggie, which made it easy to lift it in and out of the water. Essentially, you make rosemary tea. Place a plate in the freezer.

3. Once the water is nearing a boil, remove the rosemary, and add the apricots. Lower the heat to medium low, or low. Pour the sugar on top, and mix gently. Stir every 5 minutes until the jam thickens, and then stir constantly to avoid burning the bottom. To test to see if the jam is the proper consistency, drop a few good sized drops on the frozen plate. If the jam runs easily, it is still too syrupy.

4. Place in jars (makes 1-2 pints), and either refrigerate for rapid consumption or can to send to faraway people. Let's be honest, if it is for personal consumption, it will not last long enough to make canning worth it.

Note: Heather states that this is her favorite jam. This can also be made with peaches.

Savory (not sweet) Bread Pudding

French bread
1 bunch of asparagi
6 eggs
2 cups milk
1 t salt
ground pepper to taste
1 cup Gruyere cheese (very mellow cousin to Swiss, however Swiss is not a good sub, just use more mozzarella and Parm, or a different cheese you think would taste good, instead)
1/2 cup mozzarella
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
2 spears of green onion
1/8 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/8 cup chopped fresh marjoram

Grease casserole dish with butter or oil. Cube bread and place in a large bowl. If the bread is fresh toast it after cubing it. In a large liquid measuring cup beat the eggs, milk, salt, and pepper together. Grate the cheese, and mix it in with the egg mixture. Mince the green onions and herbs, taking care to remove the marjoram stems, and any tough parsley stems. Mix these into the egg mixture. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Chop the asparagus up, and add it in with the bread. Pour the egg mixture into the bread mixture, mixing until all is combined. Press the bread down into the egg mixture with a spoon until it is saturated. Pour everything into the casserole dish, and bake until the top is browned and the egg is cooked, 30-40 minutes.

Pasta Carbonara

Ingredients

• 1 pound linguine or spaghetti
• 6 strips bacon or pancetta, diced
  
• 4 egg yolks
• 1 cup grated Parmesan
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped (optional)
  

Directions

1. Cook the pasta according to the package directions.
2. Meanwhile, fry the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat. Transfer to a paper towel and reserve the drippings.
3. In a large bowl, whisk the egg yolks. Still whisking constantly, add 2 tablespoons of the drippings, or a spoonful of boiling pasta water, to temper the eggs. Working quickly, add the drained pasta and Parmesan to the yolk mixture and toss to combine. Add the salt, pepper, parsley, and bacon. Serve immediately.
   

Pumpkin Custard

• 5 egg
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon each ground allspice, ginger and nutmeg
• 1 1/3 cup canned pumpkin (1 large can)
  
• 2 cups evaporated milk
• 
  

  TOPPING:

• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 8 teaspoons all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 4 teaspoons cold butter
• 8 tablespoons chopped pecans

In a bowl, beat the eggs. Add brown sugar, vanilla, salt and spices. Stir in pumpkin and milk. Pour into two greased 8 inch pie pans. Bake at 325° for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, for topping, combine brown sugar, flour and cinnamon in a small bowl. Cut in butter until crumbly; stir in pecans. Sprinkle over custard. Bake 25 minutes longer or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Yield: 8 servings.