Carrot Thing

From Sally's Mother, Evelyn W. Murov


Ingredients:


1 C grated carrots (4-5 med)
2 C brown sugar
1-1/2 sticks margarine (3/4 C)
3 eggs
1-1/4 C flour
2 t salt
1 t baking powder
1 t baking soda
1 T lemon juice
1 T water


Directions:
Cream sugar and margarine and add 3 eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. Add sifted flour mixture. Then add lemon juice, water and carrots. Mix well.

Put in greased casserole and bake at 350 for 30 minutes.


Other Info:
Another one of those recipes that my mother got when I was a little girl and I=ve been making for years. Actually it=s more of a carrot bread than ring or pudding as my mother used to call it. Lenny says we should just call it “Carrot Thing”. Use fine side of grater in grating. Can be fixed in am and put in refrigerator and baked before serving. However, you must allow enough time for it to reach room temperature before baking or else it will not get done.

I usually make it several days before I=m going to serve it and stick it in the freezer. The key is to defrost it early enough so that it=s at room temperature before baking, otherwise it takes forever for the inside to get done. I also use a food processor to grate the carrots and this gives it a somewhat different texture. Either way works fine and the result is delicious.

Cinnamon Scones

For the scones:
3 C all purpose flour
1/2 C sugar
2-1/2 t baking powder
1 t salt
1/2 t baking soda
3/4 C unsalted butter, at room temp
1 C cinnamon chips
1 C buttermilk

Preheat oven to 425 & butter a baking sheet. In a large bowl mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt & baking soda. Blend the butter into the dry ingredients, using your fingertips or a pastry blender, until the mixture is crumbly. Add the cinnamon chips and mix to combine. Add the buttermilk and stir until the dough is tough and shaggy.

Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto buttered baking sheet. Bake until puffy and golden, 15-18 minutes. (approx 28 - 30 scones, depending on size - cinnamon chips made by Hershey)

Chocolate Chip Cookies

INGREDIENTS
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
2 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips (16 oz)

PREPERATION
Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 375°F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment or wax paper.

Whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl.

Beat together butter and sugars in a large bowl with an electric mixer at high speed until pale and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Lightly beat 1 egg with a fork in a small bowl and add 1 3/4 tablespoons of it plus 2 remaining whole eggs to butter mixture, beating with mixer until creamy, about 1 minute. Beat in vanilla. Reduce speed to low and mix in flour mixture until just blended, then stir in chips.

Scoop 1/4 cup batter for each cookie, arranging mounds 3 inches apart, on 2 baking sheets. Flatten mounds into 3-inch rounds using moistened palm of your hand. Form remaining cookies on additional sheets of parchment.

Bake, 1 sheet at a time, until golden, 13 to 15 minutes. Transfer cookies to a rack to cool and continue making cookies in same manner using cooled baking sheets.

Cornbread Stuffing with Ham, Chestnuts and Sage

From Bon Appetit, November 2005

8 Servings

Stone-Ground Cornbread
6 Tb butter, divided
8 oz ham steak or pancetta, cut into 1/2-inch dice (about 2 c)
2 c chopped onion
3 large celery stalks, chopped (about 1 3/4 c)
2 Tb chopped sage
1 7.25 oz jar steamed, peeled chestnuts, coarsely crumbled (we use fresh)
1/3 c chopped fresh parsley
1/2 tea salt
1/2 tea ground black pepper
1 1/2 c low-salt chicken broth
2 large eggs
nonstick cooking spray

Preheat oven to 350. Coarsely crumble cornbread onto large baking sheet. Toast in the oven until slightly dried, about 5 minutes. Remove from oven, maintain oven temperature.

Butter a 11X7X2 inch glass baking dish. Melt 1 Tb butter in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add diced ham and saute until browned, about 6 minutes. Transfer ham to large bowl. Melt 4 Tb butter in same skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions, celery, and sage; cover and cook until tender, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Transfer vegetable mixture to bowl with ham. Stir in chestunuts, parsley, 1/2 tea salt and 1/2 tea pepper.

Stir crumbled cornbread into ham mixture. Whisk 1 1/2 c chicken broth and eggs in medium bowl to blend. Mix into stuffing, adding more chicken broth by tablespoonfuls if dry. Transfer stuffing to prepared baking dish. Dot with reminaing 1 Tb butter. Spray sheet of foil on 1 side with nonstick spray. Cover cornbread stuffing with foil, sprayed side down. Bake 40 mintues. Uncover and bake until top begins to brown, about 20 minutes longer.