My friend Linda sends me a recipe from time to time and they always are special and have an surprise ingredient. This chunky apple offering is a fresh compote that is a sure winner at the meal in which it is served. Hot or cold works as a dessert or as a tart accompaniment to a pork dish.

Ingredients:
2 ½ cups water
4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
7 medium size Granny Smith or other firm tart apples
½ cup good Sauternes
6 tablespoons red current jelly
2 cinnamon sticks
grated zest of 2 lemons
½ cup shelled chopped walnuts
½ cup raisins

Preparation:
Step 1. Mix half of the water and half of lemon juice in a bowl
Step 2. Peel and core the apples and cut them into 1 ½-inch chunks and place in water
Step 3. In a medium size saucepan combine the remaining water and the Sauternes
Step 4. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and add apple chunks
Step 5. Partially cover and cook gently until apples are tender and remain whole
Step 6. With slotted spoon transfer apples to a bowl, add current jelly and cinnamon sticks to the remaining syrup.
Step 7. Set on medium heat bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook until reduced by one third
Step 8. Pour the syrup over the apples. Stir in walnuts and raisins

Service: Warm or cool The recipe makes 6 portions
Sweet tooth folks add 1/3 cup of sugar but Linda feels that it is perfect without the additional sugar and so do I

Every day for the last week the news has been centered in Massachusetts.. This has me thinking about recipes and restaurants that I have experienced in that area. I would pay more attention if the news included a great recipe from the area. I don’t know how to make that happen but I think that there would be broader appeal if there was an excellent recipe for Boston Baked Beans attached. Here is a recipe that will please, however you feel about the news..

Boston Baked Beans

Ingredients:
3 cups dried navy beans
½ lb sliced bacon
1 teaspoon salt
1 clove garlic finely minced.
¼ cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
2 teaspoons dry mustard
1 cup dark molasses
Several cups of boiling water

Preparation:
Step 1. Cover beans with cold water, cover & refrigerate overnight
Step 2. Next day drain, then put beans into a 6 quart kettle-cover with 2 quarts water
Step 3. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer covered for 30 minutes
Step 4. Preheat oven to 300 degrees
Step 5. Cut bacon into chunks & place into 3 quart bean pot or casserole Add beans –stir
Step 6. Mix other ingredients without the water and pour over beans
Step 7. Add enough boiling water to cover the beans( about 1 cup)& stir briefly
Step 8. Bake covered for 6 hours stirring once every hour(add a little water if they start to dry)
Step 9. Remove cover for final 30 minutes to brown top of beans

Service: I think this recipe can(should) be served in it’s own small side dish. Relegating it to a paper plate next to a hamburger or hot dog at a picnic always leaves me thinking that it deserves a better final resting place.

When time is rushed a fast meal can be prepared that has nothing to do with “Fast Food”. That happened over the weekend when we were faced with more commitments than a sensible schedule should contain. We answered one dinner challenge with an excellent crustless quiche being prepared and served in less than an hour. A cup of tomato soup preceded the quiche and was prepared in about 10 minutes while the quiche was in the oven.

A Quick Quiche

Ingredients:

5 large eggs
3 slices crisply fried bacon (broken up)
¼ cup diced onions
1 cup blanched spinach
Several sliced mushrooms
One cup finely shredded cheeses (Jarlsburg-Asiago-Feta)
1 cup half & half
½ tsp salt
Fresh ground pepper
1Tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive oil
Several dashes of Cholula

Preparation:
’
Step 1. In olive oil, sauté onions & mushroom for several minutes add spinach for last minute
Step 2. Whip eggs in bowl –add half & half-salt & pepper –dash of Cholula hot sauce
Step 3. Butter pie dish and then cover bottom with ½ cup cheese
Step 4.add veggies & bacon to dish
Step 5. Pour in egg mixture with remaining cheese
Step 6. Bake 40 minutes in 375’oven till inserted toothpick or skewer comes out clean

Service: Invert onto serving plate and cut into 6 slices

Quick Tomato soup to serve while the Quiche is finishing in the oven

In a sauce pan sauté several diced Roma tomatoes and ½ cup of diced onions
After a few minutes add a can of Campbell’s Tomato Soup and a can of milk along with some fresh basil.
Heat thoroughly and serve in a small bowl with a sprinkle of crumbled Feta cheese centered on the soup—Hide the Campbell’s can and no one will guess and I’ll never tell

Note: The cheeses for the quiche were what we had on hand. Use what you prefer and have at hand, but use several types if possible.
Break up the bacon but do not crumble

At a pleasant New Years Eve gathering of friends at dinner I sparked a general conversation of some excitement by commenting on organic food production in America. I wondered how organic product growth could keep pace with our country's need for produce and other food items.

Some surprising thoughts were offered over a dinner that involved wild caught salmon as a main course. It was pointed out by one guest that nearly everything on the table was organically grown and there was a need for organic products that extended beyond the issue of healthy eating.

The surprise to me was the animosity towards farming in America that was expressed. One diner expressed the thought that farming had done more damage to America through the years than any other group.

I was bewildered by such a thought and said so.
The list of farm transgressions was produced without hesitation starting with farmers as the supporters of the slave trade, the misuse of the soil that produced the Dust Bowl and erosion of the thirties, the importation and then mistreatment of illegal aliens brought to America to harvest crops at miserable wages, outrageous political tactics to assure government crop support and stimulate an agricultural business that is continuously eliminating the family farm and locally grown produce. The expanded use of Ethanol was described as simply a political perk for farmers than made no sense in solving oil use and environmental issues. Then the nitrogen poisoning of water ways was put on the table for discussion.

It was pointed out to me that the fertilization of farms in Pennsylvania had caused pollution that ran down the Susquehanna River into the Chesapeake Bay. The increased nitrogen content of the inflow has seriously degraded various fish stocks and the oyster production in the bay.

Apparently improvements and farmer education,in the Chesapeake watershed is producing a slow improvement in the situation. That seems not to be the case in the Gulf of Mexico where dramatic change is happening. The entire watershed of the Mississippi drains down the center of the country into the Gulf and is causing a growing dead zone. Apparently this dead zone supports no life and is caused by farm fertilization with a concentration of nitrogen. No fish , no mollusks, no plant life—no nothing—and the dead zone is growing.

I had heard about the Chesapeake problem and the improving situation there. I had not been aware of the Gulf dead zone and am only familiar with the presentation I received at dinner after a glass of wine or two. The dead zone story was followed up with a recommendation that I become aware of the “acidization” of the oceans that was taking place. Fortunately I was rescued by the presentation of a beautiful Trifle for dessert and the suggestion that we save the oceans problems for another dinner gathering.

While we as a nation are arguing over the issues of global warming and Co2 emissions from fossil fuel use, there is a real and present danger that has been on the back burner of political interest. It seems that action against oil companies and the auto industry are easier targets than farmers. I think it is because we imagine farming as a family effort when that is not the typical case any longer.

I’m half way converted to organic products wherever possible to alleviate the nitrogen pollution of the water ways by the mega farms along the major rivers. I’m a big proponent of fish as a healthy dinner choice and really never connected the farms as such a threat to Grouper and other species in the Gulf of Mexico. The problem with my friends at dinner is that their knowledge and interest extends beyond just eating the meal.

Now I’ve got to think about farmers in an expanded light. In the meantime our hostess has promised the recipe for the magnificent salmon marinade that made the New Years Eve dinner so memorable. I think she offered the recipe as a consolation prize for my lack of farming knowledge but a demonstrated willingness to learn.

As a long time big city dweller I have only really had one extensive tour of a farm in my life. That was a dairy farm. I haven’t had a glass of milk since that visit which was about 35 years ago. Those cows didn’t look like Elsie which was my prior vision of what a cow was supposed to look like. I'm a bit hesitant to visit many farms. I really want to imagine that the food I eat magically arrived in the refrigerated cases after being lovingly grown and harvested by the Waltons.

Happy New Year and let me hear from the farmers both organic and otherwise. I’m sure that I didn’t get the total picture over that salmon at dinner.

About 30 years ago we had a small party on a dock in South Jersey and hired a local caterer to put together a few starters for the gathering. One of the suggestions was a 4 layer Mexican dip. My reaction was negative but thankfully overridden by my wife who was the main organizer. She said I was a bid staid and was simply reacting because I didn’t know Mexican food or for a matter of fact knew no one of Mexican heritage. Both were true observation so I said OK. I agreed to go with the dip as my first tiny exposure to things Mexican.
I’m glad I agreed because the 4 layer was a hit and we have since made it our own through the years with additional layers and it is always a winner no matter the theme of our party. So you can be assured, if you use our 7 layer dip at your next event it will be well received and probably a real hit.

7 layer Mexican Dip

For starters here are the layers

1st. Back and Pinto Bean mixture( recipe follows below)
2nd. Guacamole
3rd Sliced green onions
4th. Sour Cream sprinkled with Chili powder
5th Diced fresh tomatoes
6th Sliced Black Olives
7th Mexican Cheese Blend, Shredded

Bean Mixture: Drain and rinse
1 can of black beans
1 can of pinto beans
Puree beans.
Then sauté ½ cup chopped yellow onion and 2 cloves of garlic in olive oil
Add pureed beans, ¼ cup chopped cilantro and 1 cup of picante sauce.
Simmer for 2-3 minutes then let cool

Preparation:
In a shallow bowl:
Spread the bean mixture
Top with prepared guacamole
Then sliced green onions
Next spread 1 cup sour cream and sprinkle with chili powder
Add a layer of diced fresh tomatoes
And sliced black olives
Finish with a generous sprinkled layer of shredded Mexican cheese blend

Serve with a combination of blue and white corn tortilla chips

Our serving bowl is a shallow 12 inch diameter solid green colored bowl with a brown lip. It has a Mexican or Native American appearance.
My knowledge of Mexican food has improved over the last 30 years and now living in Colorado has exposed us to the colorful culture of the folks that shared and were important participants in the settlement of this great part of America.

A Christmas party is something we always look forward to hosting. Having friends and family join us to share the joy of the season is a highlight of our year. We enjoy the company and do our best to have an array of food dishes that are festive and appropriate for this gathering in the holiday season.

There is a significant amount of preparation required for this party every year, so careful planning is the first step in making sure the event is a success. Each of the food items cannot take hours to assemble. There needs to be balance not only in the type of food but also in the time needed to get it ready to be served

A wonderful first offering to get the party off on a bright note is a Brie en Croute. This is quick, easy to prepare and is an interesting use for Brie (generally a dessert cheese) to start the party

Holiday Brie en Croute

Ingredients:
Frozen Puff Pastry Sheets
1 Brie Cheese round about 2.5 lb
1 egg yolk
1 tbsp. half & half

Preparation:
Roll out the 1 sheet of thawed puff pastry on a floured board
Cut corners of the pastry to make a circle roughly 24 inches in diameter
Place the wheel of Brie in the center of the pastry
Gather the pastry evenly around the Brie with a bundle on the top
Tie the bundle of dough with cotton twine to hold it in place and together
Trim excess dough and chill the cheese on a parchment lined baking sheet for 1 hour

Cooking
Preheat oven to 400’
Step 1.Combine egg yolk and half & half and brush on top of pastry
Step2. Bake till pastry puffs and is golden brown about (35 minutes)
Step 3. Keep an eye on the baking and reduce temp if it is browning too quickly
Step 4. Cool Brie on a rack for 20 minutes

Serve warm, accompanied with water crackers or those of your preference.

Buck Cooks is a daily blog covering the best recipes and kitchen cookware information.

Note:

The Brie I call for in the recipe will be appropriate for a party of 15-20 people with the other Hors d'Oeuvres being served. For a smaller gathering use a 1 lb Brie. There are recipes that call for apricot preserves, cranberries and toasted almonds on the Brie before the pastry encloses it and it is placed in the oven. We have tried these recipes through the years and have settled on the unadorned Brie en Croute recipe. The preserves and other ingredients are often messy and really unneeded to create this impressive start for the evening..
I think it was a Martha commentary that convinced us to try this classic presentation. She was right –as usual with Hors d’Oeuvres.

Our plans for this morning were to take a drive through the mountains to Estes Park to do some Christmas shopping. Plans were changed when we woke up to 10 inches of snow that fell over night. With all that beautiful new Powder we decided the shopping could wait. It was snowshoe time with some hot chocolate and scones to follow. Not yet ready for a long trek on the snowshoes, an hour or so would be fine for our first venture of the winter. We are always ready for scones and hot chocolate and this was a perfect time to use some of those cranberries left over from Thanksgiving There are many varieties of scones that we bake for ourselves but this is the one that is our favorite on a snowy morning.

Cranberry Orange Scones

Ingredients:
1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries, coarsely chopped
½ cup sugar
3 cups all purpose flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 stick chilled unsalted butter
1 large egg
2/3 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons orange juice
1 teaspoon grated orange peels

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 375’
Step 1. Stir cranberries and 2 tablespoons sugar in a small bowl( let stand-5 minutes)
Step 2. Mix all dry ingredients in a large bowl
Step 3. Cut butter into small cubes and distribute over dry ingredients
Step 4. With two knives or a pastry blender cut in the butter until course crumbs are formed
Step 5. In a small bowl beat egg, buttermilk, juice, vanilla and grated orange peel
Step 6. Add the egg mixture to the flour and stir to combine-the dough will be sticky
Step 7. Flour hands and knead in the cranberries till distributed throughout
Step 8. Drop 1/3 cup fulls on ungreased baking sheet.
Step 9. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until a toothpick inserted in scone comes out clean
Step 10. Set on wire rack to cool slightly - Serve warm

Makes approximately 1 dozen scones

Afterthoughts: Steps 7 and 8 are a bit messy. It is not a mistake, simply sticky steps.
The recipe is a tried and true winner developed in our kitchen but the photo is another story. It is a Weight Watchers Photo which looks like it was taken in our kitchen of our scone(it wasn't) It should encourage anyone who needs to drop a few pounds to look into their program