Ermine Icing

This is an old-fashioned icing, also called boiled-milk frosting. The results are as light as whipped cream but with much more character. It was the original icing for red velvet cake.

INGREDIENTS:

5 tablespoons/40 grams flour
1 cup/235 milliliters whole milk
1 teaspoon/5 milliliters vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
1 cup/ 230 grams unsalted butter, softened
1 cup/200 grams granulated sugar

PREPARATION:

STEP 1
Over medium heat, whisk flour and milk in a small saucepan and heat to a simmer, stirring frequently until it becomes very thick and almost puddinglike.

STEP 2
Remove from heat, whisk in vanilla and salt. Pour into a bowl to allow it to cool completely. Put plastic wrap on the surface to keep a skin from forming.

STEP 3
Use a mixer to cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy, scraping the sides of the bowl occasionally, about 5 minutes. With the mixer on medium, add the cooled flour mixture a little bit at a time. Continue to beat until the mixture becomes light and fluffy and resembles whipped cream.

The New York Times

Ermine frosting is a “Boiled milk” frosting, sometimes referred to as “Butter Roux”, although that is not technically correct, since it is not based on a roux. Ermine frosting is simply a different method of making a ButterCreme using the gluten in flour and casein in milk to create a suspension, instead of the albumen in egg whites like Swiss and Italian ButterCreme or an emulsion with egg yolks like French ButterCreme...     www.culinaryalchemist.blogspot.com

Banana Slush Punch

Ingredients:

6 cups water
1-1/2 cups sugar
5 ripe bananas, peeled
46 oz. can unsweetened pineapple juice
12 oz. can frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
12 oz. can frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed
2-1/2 quarts ginger ale or 7-Up

Preparation:

In large saucepan, heat water and sugar to a rolling boil. Remove from heat and cool completely. In large bowl, mash bananas and blend with some of the pineapple juice. Strain through mesh strainer. Then add cooled sugar syrup and remaining juices (NOT ginger ale or 7Up). Freeze in a 5-quart freezer container, stirring once during the freezing process.
To serve, let frozen mixture stand at room temperature for 1-2 hours until softened.

Directions:

Transfer to punch bowl, and add ginger ale. You can also make individual servings of this by scooping frozen mixture into glasses, filling 1/2 full, then filling the remainder of the way with ginger ale or 7-Up.

Old Fashioned Southern Cornbread

Ingredients:

1 cup cornmeal
1⁄2 cup flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1⁄2 cup milk
1⁄2 cup boiling water
3 tablespoons corn oil
1 egg
1 1⁄2 teaspoons baking powder
Directions:

Grease an 8-inch round or square baking pan (or, for more authenticity, a cast iron skillet). Preheat oven to 425. Place pan in oven to preheat.
Combine cornmeal, flour, salt, and sugar in mixing bowl. Add corn oil and use a cutting motion with spoon so that oil will be well blended with other ingredients. Add the boiling water and mix well.
Add cold milk and stir. Let stand for a few minutes until batter has cooled to room temperature.
Mix in egg and then baking powder; beat briskly.
Remove preheated pan from oven and pour in batter. Bake until lightly browned (approx. 20 minutes).

Cornmeal Dressing

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup Quaker corn meal (yellow)
2 cups cold water or chicken stock
1/3 cup butter
1 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
1/2 cup chopped onion (I prefer red)
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 1/2 tsp poultry seasoning
5 cups toasted bread crumbs
2 eggs beaten

DIRECTIONS:

Combine cornmeal and water/chicken stock in sauce pan. Add butter and cook until mixture thickens, stirring constantly. Combine hot mush with remaining ingredients. Stuff lightly into neck of turkey or chicken. Roast according to standard roasting directions. Dressing may be baked in a covered casserole in slow oven (325) 50 to 60 minutes. Uncover for the last five minutes to brown the top.

Serving Size: Makes 16 2" servings.

#2


CORNMEAL DRESSING

2 c. self-rising meal
3 slices stale bread
2 tbsp. poultry seasoning
1/2 c. celery
1 lg. onion
1 1/2 c. chicken broth
1 egg
Salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

Combine 3 slices of stale bread with 2 cups of self-rising meal. Mix in 2 tablespoons poultry seasoning, 1/2 cup chopped celery, 1 large onion and 1 1/2 cups of chicken broth. Salt and pepper to taste. Mix well, add 1 egg, stuff turkey or place in pan and bake until done.

Twin Oaks Almond Iced Tea

Ingredients:
2 - 2 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup water
1 gallon water (16 cups)
8 pitcher-size cold brew tea bags
2 tablespoons almond extract
Directions:
1.
In a medium saucepan combine sugar and 1 cup water; cook and stir over medium heat until sugar is dissolved and mixture just comes to a boil. Remove from heat; transfer to a bowl and cool.
2.
Meanwhile, in a very large container combine 1 gallon water and tea bags; let brew 30 minutes. Remove tea bags; stir in cooled syrup and almond extract.
3.
Fill a 2- to 3-gallon punch bowl half full with crushed ice; pour in almond iced tea and serve.
Makes 19 cups tea (12, 12-oz. servings).

Roasted Ham Bone Stock

The stock is best made a day ahead of time and chilled so you can easily skim off the fat before using. It can also be used as the base of a sauce or gravy for pork dishes or to cook risotto.

1 roasted ham bone
1 large onion, peeled and cut into quarters
1 large leek, trimmed and thinly sliced
1 large carrot trimmed and chopped
1 large rib celery, trimmed and chopped
6 black peppercorns
1 bay leaf
Salt
Water

Place the bone in a large soup pot. Add the onion, leek, carrot, celery, peppercorns, bay leaf, and salt (go easy on the salt-most smoked hams are very salty). Cover with cold water and bring the mixture to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to moderately low and simmer, partially covered, until the stock is flavorful, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. If the stock still tastes weak, raise the heat to moderately high and let it simmer vigorously until the flavor intensifies. Season to taste.

Strain the stock and let cool. Refrigerate, covered, overnight.

Skim off any fat floating on the top of the stock and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for several months until you are  ready to use the stock.

www.recipelink.com

Country Style Strawberry Shortcake

Recipe:


2/3 cup shortening
¼ cup boiling water
2 tsp salt
2 cups flour

Measure the shortening and salt and place in a glass bowl and add the boiling water. Stir briskly to melt shortening and make an emulsion. The water and shortening should actually combine and become whipped looking (if the water does not completely combine with the shortening it will be OK). Add all of the flour at once and fold and turn into the shortening mixture until just combined. Let sit for a couple of minutes and turn onto well floured counter. Use a rolling pin and roll out as with any crust recipe. Use just enough flour to prevent sticking. For making rounds to use for shortcake, cut with a biscuit cutter and place on any cookie sheet. Dock all crusts by piercing several times with a fork. Place in 350-degree oven for 15 minutes or until golden.

To assemble these yummy shortcakes place a crust in a bowl and cover with a spoonful of sliced and sweetened strawberries. Layer 2 more crusts with berries on top of the first. Finally, pour evaporated milk over all (I like cream better, but evaporated milk is traditional).

www.motherearthnews.com

Old Fashioned Cooked Potato Salad Dressing

In saucepan combine:

2/3 cups sugar
1 T. flour
1/3 t. salt
1/6 t. ground mustard

Stir in:

1 egg, lightly beaten

Gradually stir in:

½ cup vinegar
1/3 cup water

Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring
Constantly; cook and stir for 2 minutes.
Cover & refrigerate.

Before serving, add to equal amount of mayonnaise.

Shortbread with Buttercream Frosting

A crisp butter cookie covered in a smooth and silky buttercream frosting... devine!
Ingredients
For the Shortbread
1/2 C. Salted butter, room temperature
1/2 C. Powdered sugar
1 tsp. Vanilla extract
1/8 tsp. Almond extract
1 C. A-P Flour
1 tsp. Crisco to grease pan
For the Buttercream Frosting
1/2 C. Salted butter, room temperature
2 C. Powdered sugar
1 1/2 tsp. Vanilla extract
2-3 Tbsp. Full fat milk or cream
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 300°F, 275°F if using a convection oven.
Line the bottom of a 10 inch tart pan with parchment paper and grease the sides of the pan with Crisco.
In a stand mixer, with paddle attachment on medium-low speed, add in the butter, powdered sugar, vanilla and almond extract and mix until combined.
Turn the mixer to low and add in the flour continue mixing until combined. This is a thick dough so don't worry if the mixture is hard to beat.
After the dough is combined place it into the tart pan and press it into the bottom of the pan being sure to keep it as flat and level as possible.
Now take a fork and prick holes into the dough at even intervals, make sure you cover the whole area of the dough as this will keep the dough from bubbling up while it bakes and will make for a nice flat topped cookie for the frosting.
Bake the dough for 30-35 minutes until it is golden brown on the top and edges.
After the cookie has finished baking remove it from the oven, slide off the side of the tart pan, remove the parchment bottom paper and quickly cut it into wedges with a pizza cutter or a long sharp knife.
Separate the cut wedges and let the cookies cool to room temperature.
While the cookies are cooling in a stand mixer, with paddle attachment on medium-high, whip the butter until it is light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes.
Turn the mixer speed to low and add in the powdered sugar and mix until combined.
Add in the vanilla extract and milk/cream until you reach a smooth spreadable consistency.
Now when the cookies have cooled to room temperature cover them with frosting and enjoy!
The cookies will keep for 2-4 days in a air tight container.
Notes
Helpful Hints:
Make sure to cut the cookie into wedges when it is hot directly out of the oven. If you wait until it is room temperature it will crumble when you cut it.
Shortbread adapted from King Arthur Flour
Buttercream Frosting adapted from The Kitchen Magpie
http://truebluebaking.com/2014/02/23/shortbread-buttercream-frosting/