Holiday cooking lesson

“We enjoyed meeting you and cooking under your guidance. The meal was varied and enjoyable. You added to the fun and pleasure of our holiday events, Ellie. Thanks so much.”

Ellen F., Worcester, Massachusetts

Spinach Salad with Raisins and Peanuts

© "So Easy, So Delicious"
 
10 oz fresh spinach
1 T vinegar
1½ to 2 T olive or canola oil
2 T water
1 T sugar
1/2 to 1 tsp curry powder, or to taste
1 T chutney
1/4 C raisins
1/4 C peanuts
1/4 C peanuts

Wash and dry spinach and tear into bite-size pieces. Place dressing ingredients in a jar and shake well. In a large bowl, toss spinach, raisins, peanuts and apples. Add dressing and toss well.

Variations:

● Substitute 1 C sliced strawberries for the apple.
● Substitute dried cranberries for the raisins.
● Substitute chopped pecans or sliced almonds for the peanuts.

Hint: This dressing can be made several days in advance and refrigerated.

Holiday Cooking Class

“It was such a pleasure to work with Ellie Deaner again at our Renewal by Andersen holiday cooking demonstration, sponsored in part by Westborough Life magazine. This was the second program Ellie has done for us and everyone always comes away happy and “full”. There were lots of questions and oohs and aahs as she displayed her technique for caramelizing nuts as well as how to make festive looking holiday appetizers, among other things. We are already being asked when the next cooking class will be held!”

Sandy P., Renewal by Andersen, Northborough, Massachusetts

Tortilla Pinwheels

 
Soft flour tortillas
Whipped cream cheese
Pesto sauce
Roasted red peppers, seasoned, if possible
Baby spinach leaves

Lay tortilla on a plate or cutting board. Using a spreading knife, cover tortilla with a thin coating of cream cheese. Spread pesto sauce over that. Place roasted peppers over pesto layer. Then cover with a layer of baby spinach leaves. Roll up tightly; place on a platter and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate. When ready to serve, slice tortillas into whatever size pinwheels you’d like.

Hint: These can also be served right after they are made, however, it’s preferable to refrigerate them for awhile first. You may also make them a day in advance of serving.

Sweet Potato Cranberry Casserole

© "So Easy, So Delicious"
 
4 large sweet potatoes or yams (approx. 2½ lbs)
1/4 C brown sugar, divided
1 C fresh cranberries, divided
2 T butter or margarine, divided
1/2 C orange juice
1/2 C walnuts, chopped
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Bake sweet potatoes at 400° for approximately 40 to 50 minutes, or in the microwave (see below), until tender. Cool briefly. Remove the skins and mash the potatoes. Place half of the sweet potatoes in a 1½- to 2-quart casserole which has been sprayed with nonstick spray. Sprinkle with half of the brown sugar,  cup of the cranberries. Dot with 1 tablespoon butter or margarine. Layer with remaining sweet potatoes, brown sugar, cranberries and butter or margarine. Pour orange juice on top. Cover and bake at 350° for 25 minutes. Sprinkle with walnuts and cinnamon and bake, uncovered, for another 10 to 15 minutes.

Microwave Method:: To cook 2 to 2½ pounds sweet potatoes, prick with the tines of a fork, set on a paper towel or plate and cook on high for 8 to 10 minutes, or until tender.

Pecan Squares

© "So Easy, So Delicious"
 
1/2 C butter or margarine
1 C dark brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 C flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
Dash salt
1 C pecans, coarsely broken
Confectioners’ sugar, for sprinkling on top

Using an electric mixer, cream butter or margarine and brown sugar until fluffy. Add egg and vanilla. Beat well. Fold in flour, baking powder and salt. Remove the bowl from the mixer and stir in pecans with a spoon. Spread batter in a greased 9-inch square pan. Bake at 350° for 25 to 28 minutes, or just until the middle of the dough is set, and a toothpick, inserted in the center, comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack and cut into squares. Sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar

Hint: These squares can be cut into large 4- or 5-inch pieces and topped with vanilla ice cream or frozen yogurt or they can be cut into 2-inch squares and served like a cookie or small pastry. They freeze well.

Pumpkin Apple Soup

© "So Easy, So Delicious"
 
3 lbs fresh or (2) 16 oz cans pumpkin
6 C chicken or vegetable broth
2 Granny Smith apples, peeled and cubed
1 large onion, chopped
1/2 tsp rosemary
1 tsp thyme
1/2 C milk or half and half
Salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 C sour cream or yogurt, for garnish
Croutons, for garnish

Peel and cube pumpkin and cut into 2-inch pieces. Heat broth in a large pot. Add pumpkin, apples, onion and spices. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover and cook for 30 minutes, or until apples and vegetables are tender. Purée in a food processor or blender. Return soup to the pan and add milk or half and half and simmer for 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Serve with a dollop of sour cream or yogurt and croutons, if desired.

Hint: If using fresh pumpkin, to avoid the drudgery of peeling and cutting it, wash it and poke it all over with the tines of a roasting fork. Place on a plate, uncovered, in the microwave and cook on high for 10 minutes. Turn over and cook for another 10 minutes. Remove from microwave and cool briefly. Cut open, remove and discard the seeds (or roast, if desired). Using a spoon, scrape flesh of pumpkin from the skin and place in the soup pot and proceed with recipe.

Weston Public Library

Apple Bread

© From Ellie’s Kitchen to Yours"
 
1 C canola oil
3 eggs
2 C sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
3 C apples, finely diced
3 C flour
1 to 2 T sugar, for sprinkling on baked bread

Combine oil, eggs, sugar and vanilla. Sift flour with cinnamon, salt and baking soda. Add to egg mixture. Fold in apples. Pour batter into 2 greased 8"x4" loaf pans. Bake 50 to 60 minutes at 300° until a toothpick, inserted in the center, comes out clean. While hot, sprinkle with sugar and as soon as it can be handled, remove it from the pan. Cool on a wire rack and then wrap the loaves in foil.

Yield: 2 loaves

Hint: This bread is delicious for breakfast or brunch. It freezes well.

Honey and Garlic Chicken

© "So Easy, So Delicious"
 
5 to 7 lb chicken or capon
1/4 C water
2 to 3 tsp paprika
1/2 C honey
1/4 C ketchup
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 C soy sauce
2 T brown sugar

Place chicken in a roasting pan. Pour water into pan. Sprinkle chicken with paprika. Roast, uncovered, at 350° for 30 minutes. While chicken cooks, combine remaining ingredients in a saucepan and heat until well blended. Pour this sauce over the chicken and then cover the pan with foil. Roast for 45 minutes, basting occasionally. Uncover and roast for 15 additional minutes, or until chicken reaches desired doneness, basting once or twice.

Hint: For an easy meal, bake potatoes or rice in the oven while the chicken is cooking.

Poached Peaches

© "From Ellie’s Kitchen to Yours"
 
2½ lbs ripe peaches (8 to 9)
3/4 C sugar
1 C white wine (Chablis, Chardonnay, Sauvignon blanc)
1 C water
Zest of 1 orange or lemon, grated
1 stick cinnamon

First remove skin from peaches by plunging them into boiling water for about 40 seconds. Remove with a slotted spoon and immediately plunge into ice cold water. Using a sharp paring knife, peel off skin. Cut peaches in half and remove pits. Place peaches and everything except wine in saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Add wine and cook for 10 to 15 more minutes or until peaches are tender. Cool and chill until serving time. Garnish with mint leaves, raspberries and/or whipped cream.

Hint: This is a wonderful dessert to make when peaches are in season. You can make it a day or two in advance. It contains no fat. Zinfandel or blush wine may be substituted for white wine. To get the zest (skin) of the orange or lemon without getting the bitter white pith below it, use a lemon zester or microplane.

Paul & Sara's cooking lesson

"Ellie, thank you so much for the cooking lesson. You made preparing the dishes seem so easy, and the results were delicious. We had a lot of fun working with u. We are already planning our next meals with the cookbook you put together. It was a true pleasure sharing our kitchen with you."

Paul C., Sudbury, Massachusetts

Gazpacho

© "From Ellie’s Kitchen to Yours"
 
6 very ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped
1 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded and chopped
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 small green pepper, finely chopped r
1 clove garlic, minced
1½ C tomato juice
3 T olive or canola oil
2 T red wine vinegar
1 tsp salt, or to taste
Black pepper, to taste
2 to 3 drops Tabasco sauce
Croutons (for garnish)

Purée all ingredients, except croutons, in a blender or food processor. Serve in chilled soup bowls or mugs. Garnish with croutons.

Hint: To peel tomatoes, place them in boiling water for about 30 to 40 seconds. Remove and immediately plunge them into ice cold water. Using a sharp paring knife, peel off skins. Gazpacho is a very refreshing soup that I first tasted in Spain many years ago. It is very low in calories and fat and is a great way to use any surplus vegetables you may have from your garden.

Marinated Cole Slaw

© "So Easy, So Delicious"
 
Salad:
1 head cabbage, shredded
2 stalks celery, sliced
2 carrots, grated
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 green pepper, chopped

Dressing :
2/3 C vinegar
1/3 C olive or canola oil
1 tsp dry mustard
1 tsp celery seed
2 to 3 tsp salt
1/2 C sugar

Place cabbage and other veggies in a large bowl. Combine dressing ingredients and place in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil and remove from heat. Cool and pour over cabbage mixture. Refrigerate for at least 8 hours before serving. This will keep in refrigerator for several days.

Hint: To save time, buy shredded cabbage and shredded carrots at the supermarket.

Jiffy Blueberry Sauce

© "From Ellie’s Kitchen to Yours"
 
2 C blueberries
2 T fresh lemon juice
3 T sugar
2 tsp cornstarch

Combine all ingredients and place in a saucepan. Cook over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until mixture is hot and begins to thicken. Sauce will thicken as it cools.

Microwave: Combine all ingredients and place in a large glass bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, which has one hole poked in it. Cook on high for 3 minutes, stirring once or twice during cooking. Sauce will thicken as it cools.

Hint: Serve hot with pancakes or waffles or at room temperature or chilled over ice cream or frozen yogurt. Raspberries, strawberries or any other berries may be used to make this sauce. Also, you can use frozen berries, however increase the cooking time.