My favorite cookbooks….

by 👩‍🍳 Cooking With a Southern Vibe in Music City USA 👩‍🍳, August 21, 2012

My love of cooking began with Silver Palate Cookbook and Abby Mandel’s Cuisinart Classroom.

I’ve cooked for years, but the two cookbooks that really started whatever creativity in the kitchen that I have, began in the 1978 when hubby bought me my DLC-7 Cuisinart, the same workhorse that still sits in my kitchen to this day and has inspired me to make many wonderful dishes.

abby

My first really great cookbook was Abby Mandel’s Cuisinart Classroom.  Oh, my, the woman was a wonder.  She introduced me to spices and herbs and food combinations I had never heard of, her recipes were phenomenal.  She’s gone now, but her recipes will live on forever.  You can find her cookbooks on eBay, they are wonderful for anyone who loves to cook.

silver

And then came The Silver Palate, and I was off to the races.  I subsequently bought every cookbook that Julie Rosso and Sheila Lukins published, but none compared to the first.  The recipes are delightful, they never fail, and I still use that cookbook to this day. Some of our families favorite recipes came from the pages of The Silver Palate.   It’s battered and scarred, the pages are grease stained and torn, and I love it.

A few years ago, Ryan bought the same cookbook, and then had me go through it and note in his everything that I wrote in mine.

So regardless of all the wonderful cookbooks that came later, these will always be the most special.  Such good memories…. ~ Jan

The BEST Cucumbers and Onions

by 👩‍🍳 Cooking With a Southern Vibe in Music City USA 👩‍🍳, August 19, 2012

cuc_edited

This is a great twist on an old favorite.  My friend, Barb, gave me this recipe this summer, and it’s a keeper.  I normally peel the cucumbers, but I used English cucumbers in the photo above, so I left the peeling on.  This is such a good recipe, the herbs give it a fresh taste.  I think you will all enjoy it.

~ Jan

1 cup vinegar
1/4 to 1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp salt
1 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp marjoram
1/2 tsp lemon pepper seasoning
1/2 tsp ground mustard

Close lid on small bowl and shake until well mixed.

Pour over 6 cucumbers peeled and diced and 1 medium onion sliced

Elsah Landing California Strawberry Pie

by 👩‍🍳 Cooking With a Southern Vibe in Music City USA 👩‍🍳, August 04, 2012

sp

1 9 inch pie shell, baked

1 cup instant nonfat dry milk powder (Carnation)
2/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup boiling water
3 Tablespoons butter, melted
2 Tablespoons lemon juice

Combine dry milk, sugar and water with butter in blender jar.  Blend until smooth.  Stir in lemon juice and chill.

4 cups sliced fresh strawberries or leave them whole if you prefer.
1 Tablespoon sugar, optional

Spread chilled mixture over bottom of prepared pie shell.  Arrange strawberries on top.  Sprinkle with sugar, if desired.

1-1/2 cups heavy cream
1 Tablespoon sugar, optional

Beat cream until almost stiff.  Gradually add sugar.  Beat until stiff.  Spread over fruit filling.

Fresh mint leaves"
Fresh strawberries

Garnish each serving with a mint leaf and a strawberry.

Source:  The Elsah Landing Restaurant

Elsah’s Landing Berry Apple Fantasy Pie

by 👩‍🍳 Cooking With a Southern Vibe in Music City USA 👩‍🍳, August 03, 2012

pie_edited

ingredients
  • Pastry for a double-crust pie
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 4 teaspoons quick-cooking tapioca
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 2 cups fresh blackberries
  • 2 cups sliced, peeled apples
  • 2 tablespoons butter, cut up
directions
  1. Prepare pastry and divide in half. Form each half into a ball. On a lightly floured surface, roll one ball of the pastry into a 12-inch circle. Transfer the rolled-out pastry to a 9-inch pie plate.
  2. In large mixing bowl, stir together the sugar, tapioca, and cinnamon. Add the blackberries and apple slices. Toss gently until coated. Let stand 15 minutes.
  3. Spoon filling into pastry-lined pie plate. Dot with butter. Trim pastry even with the edge of the pie plate. Moisten the edge of the pastry with water.
  4. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the remaining pastry into a 12-inch circle. Cut slits in the pastry to let steam escape. Place pastry on the filling. Trim the top crust to 1/2 inch beyond edge of pie plate. Fold top pastry under bottom pastry and crimp edge. Cover edge of crust with foil to prevent overbrowning.
  5. Bake in a 375 degree F. oven for 25 minutes. Remove foil. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes more or until the crust is golden and the filling is bubbly. Cool on a wire rack. Makes 8 servings.
    nutrition facts

    Dietary Fiber, total (gm) 3, Calories (kcal) 419, Sodium (mg) 165, Carbohydrate (gm) 57, Protein (gm) 3, Cholesterol (mg) 8, Fat, total (gm) 21

    Source:  Midwest Living Magazine

    Pioneer Woman’s Favorite Weeknight Meals

    by 👩‍🍳 Cooking With a Southern Vibe in Music City USA 👩‍🍳, August 02, 2012

    You can find lots of Ree’s Recipes on Land O’ Lakes Site

    © Jan CAN Cook · THEME BY WATDESIGNEXPRESS