Tante Tina

Ingredients Red peppers garlic pickling spice coarse salt sugar white vinegar olive oil Directions Sterilize jars. Make brine consisting of 1/2 cup sugar, 1 cup vinegar and 1 cup water, bring to boil. Wash and clean peppers in hot water, removing white rind. Slice peppers lengthwise. In bottom of each jar place one garlic clove and pack with peppers. On top add 1/2 tsp pickling spice and 1 tsp coarse salt. Fill with hot brine and then add 2 tsps olive oil. Seal tightly and invert.

Ingredients 1 cup butter 3/4 cup brown sugar, firmly packed 1/4 cup white sugar 1 tsp vanilla 1-1/2 cups flour 1/2 tsp salt 1 tsp baking soda 1/3 cup boiling water 2 cups rolled oats 1/2 cup chopped nuts or coconut 3/4 cup chocolate chips Directions Beat butter until soft. Add sugars and beat until fluffy. Add vanilla, flour and salt and mix well. Dissolve baking soda in boiling water. Blend into mixture. Stir in the rolled oats, nuts and chocolate chips. Roll into balls and flatten with fork dipped in cold water. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes Yields 4-5 dozen.

Ingredients 1 cup butter 2 cups sugar 4 heaping tbsps cocoa 4 eggs beaten 1 cup flour 1 cup slivered almonds 1 tsp vanilla Icing 2 cups icing sugar 2 tbsps butter 2 tbsps cocoa 2 tbsps boiling water 2 tbsps vanilla Directions Cream sugar, cocoa and butter. Add beaten eggs and vanilla. Add flour and fold in almonds. Bake in greased 9x13 pan at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes. Top will appear to be underdone (falls in middle), but don’t overcook. Should be moist and chewy. Icing Mix ingredients together with electric beater while brownies are cooking Add icing immediately after removing from oven so it will melt into a shiny glaze.

Ingredients 1/2 lb dried kidney beans (soaked overnight) 4 qts chicken stock 1 cup dried lentils 2 cups swiss chard, chopped 6 oz can of tomato paste 1 cup red wine 1 cup chopped onions 1 cup chunked carrots 1 cup chopped celery 2 tbsp chopped garlic 2 tbsp chopped fresh basil or 1 tsp dried 1/2 tbsp chopped fresh oregano or 1/2 tsp dried 1 lb hot or sweet italian sausage, cut in 1/2" rounds 2 cups zucchini, cut in 3/4" pieces 1 cup chopped fresh parsley 1 cup dried small shell pasta salt and pepper to taste Directions Drain the soaked beans and discard the water. Bring the stock to a boil in large soup pot. Add the beans and reduce to a simmer. Cook two hours partially covered, then add lentils and cook for another 1/2 hour. Test to be sure the beans and lentils are done. Add the chard, tomato paste, wine, onions, carrots, celery, garlic, basil and oregano. Cook for a further 15 minutes. Saute the sausage in a heavy frying pan over medium heat until brown, about 5-7 minutes, discard the fat. * Add sausage to the soup along with the zucchini, parsley and pasta. Cook until the pasta is al dente. Allow to cool and refrigerate overnight. When reheated, test for seasonings and add salt and pepper to taste. Serves 10-12 persons. Serve with grated parmesan cheese and thick slices of sourdough bread.

Ingredients 1 lb butter (4 sticks) 1-1/2 lb chicken livers, washed, patted dry and halved 1 large onion, minced 1/2 cup tart apple. peeled and chopped 3 tbsps green onion, finely chopped 4 oz cognac, brandy or scotch 1 30z pkge cream cheese, softened 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice 2 tsps salt scant 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper Directions Soften 2-1/2 sticks of butter in large bowl. Melt 3/4 stick of butter in heavy pan. Saute onion until soft, stir in apples and green onion. Cook for a few minutes and transfer to food processor. Add another 3/4 stick of butter to pan and add chicken livers. Stir for 3-4 minutes. Add brandy and stir for 3-4 minutes more. Place in food processor and allow to cool for 5 minutes. Add cream cheese and blend until smooth. Cool to room temperature. Beat softened butter until smooth and fluffy. Add chicken mixture slowly, beating well. Stir in lemon juice, salt and pepper. Fill crocks and refrigerate.

Ingredients 3 Leeks, white part only 1 medium onion, peeled and quartered 1/4 cup butter 3 medium potatoes, peeled 3 cups chicken stock salt and pepper 1/2 tsp thyme 1-1/2 cups whipping cream Garnish 3 oz crumbled Roquefort or other blue cheese, 4 chopped green onions. Directions Fit food processor bowl with slicing disk. Applying medium pressure to pusher, slice leeks and onions. Melt butter in stock pot and sweat leeks and onions. Cut potatoes to fit into feed tube and slice. Add to onions and leeks. Add stock, salt, pepper and thyme and cook covered about 30 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Meanwhile, cut green onions into 2" lengths. In work bowl still fitted with slicing disk, arrange onions vertically in feed tube. Make sure they are tightly packed. Slice and set aside. Refit work bowl with steel knife. Puree mixture in 3 or 4 batches, return to stock pot and stir in cream. Re-heat gently, but do not boil. Sprinkle a little cheese on top and garnish each bowl with chopped green onion.

Ingredients 5 qts cold water 1 lb lean ground beef 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg 1 tsp salt Lipton’s 7 Vegetable soup mix - 2 envelopes 1 tbsp dried lovage Salt to taste ( 2 tsp) Directions Mix meat, nutmeg and salt and form into tiny balls, about the size of a dime. Drop into large soup pot containing 5 qts cold water. Bring to a slow simmer for 1 1/2 - 2 hours. Skim off foam periodically. Add both envelopes of Lipton’s soup mix and lovage. Simmer additional 1/2 hour. Add fine egg noodles to taste and simmer for 10 minutes. Serve with Maggi sauce

Ingredients 1 tbsp vegetable oil 2 tbsps all-purpose flour 1/4 tsp cayenne 2 onions, chopped 3 stalks celery, sliced 1 sweet green pepper, diced 1 sweet red pepper, diced 3 cloves garlic, diced 3 cups chicken stock 1 28 oz can plum tomatoes with juice 1/4 lb uncooked chicken, diced 1/4 lb okra sliced (optional) 1/2 cup long grain rice 1/2 tsp hot red pepper sauce salt and pepper to taste 1 cup corn niblets 1/4 lb canned crabmeat, picked over and squeezed dry 3 green onions sliced Directions Heat oil in large saucepan. In small bowl combine flour and cayenne. Whisk into oil and cook carefully over medium-high heat until mixture is dark and brown. Be careful not to burn it. Add onions, celery, peppers and garlic. Reduce heat and cook for 5-10 minutes, until vegetables are slightly wilted. Add stock and tomatoes and heat, breaking up tomatoes with a spoon. Add chicken, okra, rice, hot pepper sauce, pepper and salt. Cover and cook gently for about 20 minutes. Add corn and crabmeat. Cook for 5 minutes. Add green onions and cook for 5 minutes longer. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary. Makes 3 qts.

Ingredients Blue cheese dressing 1 cup mayonnaise 2 tbsps onion, finely chopped 1 tsp garlic, minced 1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped 1/2 cup sour cream 1 tbsp lemon juice 1 tbsp white vinegar 1/4 cup blue cheese, crumbled salt and pepper to taste cayenne pepper celery sticks Wings 24 chicken wings (about 4 lbs) 4 cups peanut or corn oil 1/4 cup butter 2-5 tbsps Louisiana hot sauce 1 tbsp white vinegar salt and pepper Directions For dressing; combine all ingredients in a bowl and chill for an hour. Makes 2-1/2 cups. Cut off and discard the wing tips. Cut the main wing bone and second wing bone at the joint. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Heat oil in deep-fryer or saucepan; when it is hot, add half the wings and cook about 10 minutes or until golden brown and crisp. Remove and drain on paper towels. Transfer cooked wings to heated serving platter and keep warm. Repeat with remaining wings. In a saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Stir in hot sauce and vinegar. Remove from heat. Pour over wings. Serve with celery sticks and blue cheese dressing. Makes 4-6 servings.

Ingredients 4 lb roasting chicken, cut into serving pieces lemon juice 1 clove garlic, peeled and halved 1 tsp thyme or rosemary, finely chopped salt freshly ground black pepper 1 tbsp flour 2 tbsps olive oil 2/3 cup white wine 6 anchovy fillets, finely chopped 2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed 1/2 lb tomatoes, skinned and roughly chopped 3/4 cup calamata olives, pitted and roughly chopped Directions Rub the chicken pieces with lemon juice and with the cut surface of the halved garlic clove. i Mix the herbs and seasoning into the flour and dust the chicken pieces with this mixture. Heat the oil in a deep frying pan and brown the chicken on all sides. When each piece is golden brown, remove to an flame-proof casserole. Pour over the juice from the frying pan, cover and cook over a gentle heat for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, pour the wine into the frying pan and bring to a boil, stirring to amalgamate any sediment. Lower the heat and add the anchovy, crushed garlic, tomatoes and olives. Simmer until the sauce thickens. Season to taste. Pour sauce over chicken just before serving. Serves 6.