The Baldpate Inn Cornbread

 

1 cup butter

1 cup sugar

4 eggs

2 cups creamed corn

½ cup Monterey Jack cheese, grated

½ cup medium cheddar cheese, grated

1 cup all-purpose white flour

1 cup yellow cornmeal

4 teaspoons baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Using an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar, then add eggs one at a time. Gradually, mix in corn and cheeses. Stir in the remaining ingredients. Spread evenly in a greased 9×13 cake pan. Place in oven, close door, and IMMEDIATELY reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees. Bake one hour. Top will still seem moist-looking, not dry as in a cake. Center should be set, not gooey. Serve warm.

From: The Baldpate Collections

Nancy’s Notes: This is the best cornbread I’ve ever tasted. I could eat like cake.

Brie with Green Chile Soup

 

3/4 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup chopped celery

4 Tbsp butter

2 Tbsp flour

1 pint (16 oz) half + half

1 16-oz can chicken broth

1/2 lb Brie, cut into small pieces

2 4-oz cans diced green chiles

Salt + pepper to taste

Sauté onion and celery in large saucepan. Stir in flour. Using a whisk, slowly add half + half and chicken broth. Stir constantly until blended. Add Brie and whisk until melted. Add chiles, salt and pepper. Ladle soup into bowls and serve hot. Serves six. Enjoy!

From: The Pink Adobe Cookbook – The Pink Adobe has been a first rate restaurant in Santa Fe for years.

Nancy’s Notes: I added some chopped red bell pepper, nice color! I only used 1 4-oz can of green chiles.

Leek and Potato Soup

 

5 or 6 leeks

5 T butter, divided

3 cups diced peeled potatoes

1 quart chicken broth

2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. cayenne

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

2 T flour

Wash the leeks and split them lengthwise. Cut off and discard the green part of the stalks. Rinse out any sand or dirt from the white parts; cut into thin slices. In a large saucepan sauté the leek slices in 3 tablespoons of the butter for 4 to 5 minutes, until tender but not browned. Add the potatoes and the broth; bring to a boil. Boil for 2 to 3 minutes; reduce the heat and simmer until the potatoes are tender. Season to taste with salt, cayenne and nutmeg. Strain out the vegetables and put through a food mill or ricer. Return to the soup.

In a saucepan over low heat, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and stir in the flour. Add 1 1/2 cups of the soup and blend will; cook until the mixture thickens. Return to the kettle and stir until the soup comes to a boil. Serve in hot soup plates with a dash of cayenne or nutmeg.

From: Marianne Wire, a friend from a former book club.

Basil and Olive Oil Scones

 

2 cups flour

1 Tablespoon baking powder

1/4 cup grated Parmesan or Romano cheese

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground pepper

1/2 cup buttermilk or plain yogurt

1/3 cup olive oil

1 egg

2 teaspoons lemon juice

2 garlic cloves, minced

3 Tablespoons chopped fresh basil

Heat oven to 375°. Put flour, baking powder, cheese, salt and pepper in large bowl and mix. In another bowl – whisk buttermilk, oil, egg, lemon juice, garlic and basil until blended. Stir mixtures together until soft dough forms. turn out on floured surface, knead 10 – 15 times. Gather into ball – cut in half – place halves on baking sheet – pat to 8-9″ rounds. Score circles into 8 wedges – don’t separate.

Bake 15 – 20 minutes until lightly browned. Cool 5 minutes. Wrap loosely in towels and cool 15 – 20 minutes.

Caraway Biscuits

 

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup whole-wheat flour

4 teaspoons caraway seeds

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1½ cups buttermilk

3 Tablespoons honey

2 Tablespoons canola oil

1 Tablespoon freshly grated orange zest

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly oil a baking sheet or coat it with nonstick spray.

2. In a mixing bowl, whisk all-purpose and whole-wheat flours, caraway seeds, baking soda and salt.

3. In a glass measuring cup, combine buttermilk, honey, oil and orange zest. Make a well in the dry ingredients. Add wet ingredients and stir with a fork until just combined. (Dough will be sticky.)

4. On a floured surface, knead dough 8 to 10 times. Gently pat into a 3/4-inch-thick circle.

5. With a 3-inch cutter, cut out biscuits and place 1 inch apart on prepared baking sheet. Press dough scraps together and repeat to make 12 biscuits.nan bread recipe Dip a sharp knife in flour and cut a crisscross on the top of each biscuit.

6. Bake biscuits for 15 to 20 minutes, or until lightly browned. Transfer to a wire rack to cool for at least 10 minutes before serving. Leftover biscuits may be split and toasted.

MAKES 1 DOZEN BISCUITS.

Nancy’s Notes: Made September 3, 2010. Easy and tasty. Served with red cabbage and brats.

Cream of Wild Rice Soup

 

2/3 cup wild rice

½ cup onion, diced

½ cup celery, diced

½ cup carrots, diced

3-4 strips bacon, diced

2 tablespoons butter

4½ cup chicken stock

½ teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon dried crushed rosemary

1 ½ cup heavy cream

Beurre Manie (2 tablespoon flour and 1 tablespoon butter kneaded together)

salt

pepper

fresh parsley

Sauté rice, onion, celery, carrots, and bacon in butter until vegetables are tender and bacon is crisp, 3-4 minutes. Stir in stock and herbs, bring to a boil, reduce heat, and cover. Simmer until rice is tender, 30-40 minutes. Stir in cream, whisk in Beurre Manie until soup thickens. Season. Add more stock if soup appears too thick. Serve hot and garnish with chopped fresh parsley.

From: Wisconsin Herb Cookbook by Suzanne Breckenridge & Marjorie Snyder

German Bean and Sausage Soup

 

2 slices bacon

½ cup (1 medium) chopped onion

1 cup (2 medium) sliced carrots

1 cup (1 medium) cubed, peeled potato

¼ cup chopped fresh parsley

½ teaspoon marjoram leaves, if desired

¼ teaspoon pepper

2 cups water

8 oz. (1½ cups) thinly sliced smoked bratwurst, Polish sausage (Kielbasa) or wieners

16-oz. can Green Giant Cut Green Beans, undrained

16-oz. can Great Northern beans or white beans, undrained

In large saucepan, cook bacon until crisp; drain, reserving 1 tablespoon drippings. Crumble bacon, set aside. Sauté onion in reserved drippings until tender. Add carrots, potato, parsley, marjoram, pepper and water: bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer about 20 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Add bratwurst, beans and reserved bacon. Heat thoroughly 6 (1¼-cup) servings.

From: Vicki Zeigler – she had notes on the recipe that she omits the bacon and marjoram leaves. She sautés the onion in 1 T of butter. Vicki says she usually doubles the recipe using 2 cups of water and 2 cups of broth.