Egg Yolk Paint

Here's a fun recipe I got off a bag of flour years ago. It was originally meant for sugar cookies, but also works great for gingerbread cookies.

Roll out cookies and cut into shapes as desired. Place on a cookie sheet.
After cookies are painted, bake as usual.

Cookie Paint - Egg Yolk Paint -
Mix 1 egg yolk and 1/4 teaspoon water. Divide mixture among several small custard cups. Tint each with different food color to make bright colors. If paint thickens wile standing, stir in a few drops water.

Cheesy Ham Quiche

Cheesy Ham Quiche

Pastry for 9 - inch pie shell
1 cup diced cooked ham
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
4 eggs (beaten with fork)
1 cup milk (canned evaporated milk works best, but not necessary)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon parsley flakes

Put pie dough in piepan, trim excess pastry around edges. Bake at 400 for 3 minutes: remove from oven and gently prick with a fork. Bake 4 minutes longer. Let cool on rack.

Mix together ham, cheese, milk, and spices. Pour into baked pie shell.

Bake at 350 for 45 minutes or until firm.

Fresh Lemon Meringue Pie

For over thirty years this is the recipe I've used for Lemon Meringue Pie. Bob savors every bite!

Fresh Lemon Meringue Pie
from "Sunkist"

1 1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup cold water
1/2 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
3 egg yolks, well beaten
2 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 cups boiling water
1 teaspoon fresh grated lemon peel (this is the part with color - not the bitter white part underneath. If available, I buy one imported lemon so that I have the yellow peel. The green peel works fine - it's just not as pretty).
1 baked 9-inch pastry shell

In a saucepan, mix sugar, cornstarch and salt together, using a wire whisk. Still using whisk, gradually blend in cold water., then lemon juice until smooth. Add beaten egg yolks, blending very thoroughly. Add butter. Add boiling water gradually, stirring constantly with rubber spatula, Gradually bring mixture to full boil, stirring gently and constantly with spatula over medium to high heat. Reduce heat slightly as mixture begins to thicken. Boil slowly for 1 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in grated peel. Pour hot filling into baked pastry shell. Let stand, allowing a thin film to form while preparing meringue.

Meringue
3 egg whites
1/4 teaspoon cream of tarter
6 tablespoons sugar

Have egg whites at rom temperature. Use a small, deep bowl. Beat with mixer several seconds until frothy (some fairly large air cells still remain). Add cream of tarter. Beat on high speed until whites have just lost their foamy appearance and bend over slightly when beaters are withdrawn, forming “soft peaks”. Reduce speed to medium while adding sugar gradually about a tablespoon at a time. Return to high speed and beat until whites are fairly stiff but still glossy and soft peaks are again formed when beaters are withdrawn. Place meringue on the hot filling in several mounds around the edge of pie crust, sealing well. Cover the rest of the filling by spreading meringue from edge of pile to center, forming decorative swirls with spatula. Bake at 350 for 12 - 15 minutes until golden brown. Cool on wire rack at room temperature away from drafts for 2 hours before cutting and serving. Use sharp knife and dip into hot water after each cut for a perfect clean cut serving.

NOTE - it works best to have the ingredients ready to make the meringue as soon as the custard is ready.  You need to put the meringue on  the custard while it's still hot.  This helps to cook the meringue. 

I also tried making the filling with all sugar, but used 1/4 cup less sugar called for in the recipe.  It still turned out really well and wasn't too sour/tart. 

Linda's variation to use for filling with less sugar - still tastes great!

1 cup splenda (scant)
1/2 c. sugar
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup water
1/2 cup lemon juice
3 egg yolks, well beaten
2 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 cups boiling water
1 teaspoon fresh grated lemon peel
1 baked 9-inch pastry shell

In a saucepan, mix sugar, cornstarch and salt together, using a wire whisk. Still using whisk, gradually blend in cold water., then lemon juice until smooth. Add beaten egg yolks, blending very thoroughly. Add butter. Add boiling water gradually, stirring constantly with rubber spatula, Gradually bring mixture to full boil, stirring gently and constantly with spatula over medium to high heat. Reduce heat slightly as mixture begins to thicken. Boil slowly for 1 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in grated peel. Pour hot filling into baked pastry shell. Let stand, allowing a thin film to form while preparing meringue.

Linda's Lasagna

Here's a recipe I've been promising forever! Sorry it's taken me SO long to get it on here. The recipe makes a lot. You can cut it in half, but I love having it in the freezer.
I do not pre-cook my noodles. If you cover them well with sauce, and let the dish sit for a while before cooking, they cook up nice and tender in the dish.

If the lasagna is cold, the cooking time will need to increase. If you are cooking both at once - or four at once like I used to do regularly in Richmond, then you have to increase the cooking time and move them around in the oven to assure even cooking. I usually cook them covered until they are well heated through. After I uncover them, they are done when they are bubbling on the sides and the cheese on top turns a golden brown.

Happy cooking. =)

Linda's lasagna
yield: 2 9x13 pans 
 
3 lbs. ground beef
1 large onion, chopped
2 tablespoons parsley flakes
2 tablespoons dried basil
1 clove crushed garlic, opt.
1 tablespoon salt
1 ½ teaspoons sugar
3 cans tomatoes (420 grams each) - "small" or regular size can - not the large can (in US - 14.5 oz)
1 ½ cans tomato paste (340 grams each - I prefer Kenylon) (in the US, I use 3 small cans of Contadina tomato paste - 6 oz.) 

About a cup of water - I usually rinse out the cans and it ends up to be about a cup. 

6 cups cottage cheese (see directions elsewhere in the blog for making your own. Be warned, East African cottage cheese that is available in the store can be very sour, so I always make my own)
2 eggs
1 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons parsley flakes
1 cup Parmesan cheese

2 pounds mozzarella (pazella) cheese

lasagna noodles (if they are available, I've been buying the "no cook" noodles)

1. Cook ground beef and onion, adding garlic when almost done. Drain meat to remove grease. Then add tomatoes, chopped, tom. paste, water and spices. Cook for one hour at least.
2. In a separate bowl mix cottage cheese, eggs, parsley, pepper, and parm. cheese.
3. layer noodles, sauce, cottage cheese mixture, and mozz. cheese. Repeat twice. (so you end up with three layers). Add sprinkling of parm. cheese on top.
4. bake at 350. For first 30 min. cover with foil. Then remove the foil and cook until bubbling and slightly brown.

Assembling each lasagna -
Spray bottom of pan.
Put small amount of sauce on bottom of pan to keep noodles from sticking to pan
cover bottom of pan with noodles.  usually 3 1/2 noodles depending on the size of noodles
1 1/2 rounded cups of sauce for first two layers and then put what's left for the third layer.
1 cup cottage cheese mixture per layer
1 1/3 cups mozzarella cheese per layer

Try to spread ingredients evenly across the pan.

Chicken Stir Fry

This is a simple stir fry. You can substitute other meats, other nuts, other vegetables. This is the combination I use most often. I did not put an amount for the vegetables. Basically I fill or mostly fill soup bowls with each of the vegetables cutting them into bite size pieces. If I'm having more people over, I just add more ingredients. It's harder to cook in large amounts though.

¼ cup Soy sauce
⅔ cup water
½ teaspoon ground ginger
4 teaspoons corn starch
----------------------
onion
carrots
broccoli
snow peas
raw cashews (about 1/3 to 1/2 cup)

1. mix first five ingredients and set aside.
2. toast cashews in hot stir fry pan (careful - they burn easily). then set aside.
3. put small amount of oil in pan and heat. Add carrots and cook for two minutes. Then add onion to the carrots and cook them for three minutes. Add broccoli to the carrots and onions and cook for 2 minutes. Add snow peas to the other vegetables and cook for 2 min. Empty into bowl and set aside. (cooking times are approx. It depends on how hot the pan is, how many vegetables you're cooking, etc. You'll have to just try it a few times to get used to how long to cook them. You're looking for bright colors with some crisp left. You don't want raw vegetables, but you also don't want soggy overcooked ones).
4. If using fresh chicken breast (cut into small pieces) stir fry until done (pink is gone inside the pieces). OR use chicken from Chicken teriyaki (see elsewhere in the blog for recipe) that you've cut into bite size pieces. Put in pan and heat. Then add liquid (Soy sauce mix) and cook briefly until starts to thicken. Add back in vegetables and stir. Cover and cook for 1 minute. Add cashews, stir, and serve.
For many years I have served this over brown rice, but these days I usually serve it with quinoa.

Chicken Teriyaki

Here's a recipe I've used for years. It is a great main dish to serve with vegetables, etc. Then, freeze what's left (I usually double or triple the recipe) and use it as the meat in the Chicken Stir fry.

Chicken Teriyaki
4 chicken breast
1 tablespoon oil
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 clove garlic
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated

1. Combine oil, soy sauce, garlic, and ginger and add to chicken. Marinate for 4 hours in fridge.
2. Line pan with foil. Put chicken on it. Baste. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes.