Wednesday, November 2, 2011

First 5 recipes in my email Nov 2

 
 
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1
Homemade Potato Chips 
I love homemade chips. What I do after I peel my potatoes is use the peeler to slice the chips. Just be careful towards the end not to slice you fingers. Then I rinse the slices until the water is clear, getting as much starch off as I can. I do drain the wet chips after rinsing on towels.
Then I use my daddy fryer. Doesn't take a lot at a time, but if you watch they will stop sizzling when cooked. You can leave them in longer, if you like them darker. Then drain on paper towel and salt.
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2
Homemade Apple Pectin 
Apples are very high in pectin, used to thicken jellies and jams. Pectin is very good for you, and is even added to supplements and touted as being good for your heart. I can't vouch for their health benefits, but you know what they say about apples and doctors!

Ingredients:

  • 10 lbs. apples
  • water

Directions:

Wash and quarter the apples. Remove the stems and blossom ends, but don't peel. Trim out bruises and bad spots. Place in 10-12 quart kettle. Barely cover with cold water. Put over moderate heat and cook slowly, covered, for 1/2 hour. Put in a jelly bag or in a bag made from a few thicknesses of cheesecloth, and let hang over kettle to drain overnight. Do not squeeze the bag.
This should make about 3 quarts of juice, which you must now reduce to 1 pint of syrup over low heat, uncovered. Strain well. Store in the refrigerator. Or if you are not using it within a week, put in sterilized jars leaving 1/2 inch head space and process 5 minutes.
To Use the Pectin:
You will have to experiment a little. It's potency will depend on the apples you used. Try the smallest amount and, if it doesn't thicken your jam or jelly enough, add more. Use the larger amount in your next batches.

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 - 3/4 cup pectin
  • 4 cups juice or cooked fruit and juice
  • 2 - 3 cups sugar

Directions:

Combine. Boil rapidly to jelly stage.
This is really good if you have a source for a lot of apples. You don't need the pretty, perfect apples, but the ones a lot of people would call ugly. Some places will sell them cheaper as canning apples. Or you might have some in your backyard and be wondering what to do with all those apples.
If you make several batches, you should have enough to get you through the fall jelly and jam season, and then through next spring and summer too
 
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3
Spaghetti Bake

Prep Time: 20 min
Total Time: 35 min
Serves: 4 to 6

Ingredients

8 oz. spaghetti
1 egg, beaten
2 cups KRAFT Shredded Mozzarella Cheese, divided
1/4 cup KRAFT 100% Grated Parmesan Cheese
1/2 lb. Italian sausage, casing removed, crumbled
1-3/4 cup (14 oz.) spaghetti sauce

Preparation

COOK spaghetti as directed on package; rinse with cold water. Drain. Toss
with egg, 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese and Parmesan cheese. Lightly spray
8-inch
square baking dish with no stick cooking spray. Place spaghetti mixture in
prepared dish.

BROWN sausage in medium skillet on medium heat; drain. Stir in sauce. Cook
on low heat 5 minutes. Spoon sauce over spaghetti mixture. Top with
remaining
1 cup mozzarella cheese.

BAKE at 375°F for 15 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Let stand 5
minutes.

Good friends are hard to find, harder to leave, and impossible to forget.
 
 
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4
 
AN EASY WHITE FUDGE FROSTING RECIPE

1/2 c. butter

1 c. sugar

1/4 c. milk

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 3/4 c. confectioners' sugar

Melt butter in small saucepan over medium heat. Remove from heat. Add sugar and milk, stirring until well blended. Over medium heat, bring to boiling. Remove

from heat; let cool slightly.

Mix at medium speed 1 3/4 cup confectioners' sugar into warm mixture, beating well after each addition until frosting is thick enough to spread, gradually

beat in a little more confectioners' sugar. Add vanilla.

Makes enough to frost top and sides of an 8 or 9 inch two layer cake.

 
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5
 
HUGS & KISSES CUPCAKES                               Makes 24 cupcakes.

These are red velvet cupcakes with cream cheese frosting and decorated with heart shaped cookies and mini heart shaped chocolates.

48 mini heart shaped chocolates
Pink or red sugar crystals
1/2 tsp cinnamon
3/4 cups almonds or pecans
1/4 cup Southern Comfort liqueur
2 cans 16 oz each cream cheese frosting
1/2 tube 8.25 oz sugar cookie dough, room temp
1 tbs light brown sugar
1/4 cup seedless raspberry jam
1 box red velvet cake mix

Heat oven to 350°. Line two 24 well cupcake pans with paper liners. Prepare cake mix according to package directions, omitting 1/4 cup water and adding liqueur and jam. Divide batter among liners. Bake 15 min. or until done. Let cool. In food processor, pulse sugar, cinnamon and nuts 5 times or until finely chopped. In bowl, beat cookie dough and nut mixture 30 seconds or until blended. On floured surface, roll out dough, chill 30 min.
-Using 1" heart shaped cutter, cut out 24 cookies, sprinkle with sugar crystals. Place cookies on lined baking sheet, bake 8 min. Let cool. Spoon frosting into pastry bag fitted with star tip, pipe onto cupcakes. Top with cookies and mini chocolate hearts, then SERVE...
 
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Billie C.
http://thelifeofbilliec.blogspot.com/

"If we knew what it was we were doing, it would not be called research,
would it?"
- Albert Einstein

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