Neddy’s Kitchen

Clafouti for Fathers’ Day

Last year during cherry season I discovered the French dessert clafouti (or clafoutis) that contains fresh cherries. Captain Cliff loved it, so I made it this year for a Fathers’ Day celebration.

The Captain and I continue to like it, however none of our family took to it. One said that it tasted like bread pudding. Maybe that’s why we like it. If you want to try it, my recipe follows. Traditionally, “unpitted” black cherries are used, however, here in the U.S. dentistry is so expensive that I opted to be non-traditional. I used an olive pitter to remove all cherrystones before baking. In addition, last year I made it with Ranier cherries. I always have trouble keeping with tradition, as I like to innovate.

Edna’ s Clafouti
Serves 8

• 1 T butter
• 1 T vanilla extract
• 6-7 eggs
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 1/4 cup whole milk, half & half, or fresh cream (depending upon how rich you desire the resulting custard)
• 2 T kirsch or rum
• Pinch of salt
• 1/3 cup flour
• 1/3 cup almond flour (Use 2/3 cup of regular flour if you do not have ground almonds.)
• 3-4 cups fresh black cherries, pitted (unpitted for traditional)
• Confectioners’ sugar (optional)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Generously butter a 9″ cast-iron skillet or baking dish. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon granulated brown sugar.

Blend vanilla extract, eggs, sugar, milk, kirsch, and salt with an electric mixer or blender. for a few seconds, then add flours and blend until smooth, about 1 minute.

Pour batter into buttered skillet, then distribute cherries evenly over top. Bake until a skewer inserted into batter comes out clean and a golden brown crust has formed on top and bottom, about 30 to 40 minutes. Cool on a rack and then dust with confectioners’ sugar.

This is a quick version of my authentic Belgian Waffle Recipe. I continue to love using my Waring Pro Belgian Waffle Maker. You may serve these with authentic New England maple syrup to go with the blueberries. I like them with whipped cream.

(Makes Six Waffles)

* 1 1/3 cups milk scalded
* 2 tablespoons dried blueberries
* 2 cups biscuit mix, such as Jiffy or Bisquik
* 1 1/8 teaspoons active dry yeast (1/2 packet)
* 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
* 2 eggs, separated
* 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Measure the milk and add the dried blueberries to it. Slowly scald the milk in a large heavy saucepan or in the microwave. Add the butter and when it has melted, stir in the vanilla and cool to lukewarm, 105°-110°F. Meanwhile fill a copper mixing bowl with hot tap water. Measure the biscuit mix into another large mixing bowl, adding dried yeast and grated nutmeg. Stir to blend and reserve.

Separate the eggs, adding the whites to the dry, warm copper bowl and the yolks to the lukewarm liquid. Slowly stir the egg yolk mixture until smooth and slowly stir that entire liquid mixture into the flour mixture until smooth. Do not beat, as it is necessary to keep the blueberries intact.

Whip the room-temperature egg whites until stiff peaks form and fold them into the batter.

Preheat your waffle maker on your preferred setting. Setting #4 for the Waring Pro Belgian Waffle Maker achieves a golden brown baked Belgian waffle. You can adjust the browning control if you prefer lighter or darker waffles. The green ready indicator light will turn on and the waffle iron will beep when preheated.

Using the provided measuring scoop, pour the batter into the preheated iron. You may use a heat-proof spatula to spread the batter evenly over the grids, however once you get the knack of pouring the batter evenly you will not need to do this. Close the lid and rotate the waffle iron 180° to the right. Bake until the beeper indicates that the waffle is done. Rotate the waffle iron 180° to the left to open.

For best results, do not open the iron during the cooking of the waffle, as doing so offsets the timing mechanism.

This old fashioned comfort food is really quite easy to make. It is a good way to use leftover cooked chicken.

The Dumplings

• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon of salt
• 1/2 cup milk

Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and milk in a medium bowl. Stir well until smooth, then let the dough rest for 5-10 minutes. Place the dough on a floured pastry cloth and with floured hands, pat into a square about a 1/2 inch thickness. Cut the dough into 1/2 inch squares.

The Chicken Broth

• 1 quart chicken broth
• 1 small onion cut in fourths
• 1/2 pound fresh carrots sliced
• 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
• 1/2 pound frozen peas
• 1 pound cooked chicken

Place the broth, onion and carrots in a large pot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to simmer and drop each dumpling square, one at a time, into the simmering stock. The dumplings will swell, then slowly shrink as they thicken the chicken broth. Simmer for 20-30 minutes uncovered until thick. Stir often.

While the stock is thickening, remove the chicken meat from the bones, removing all skin. Cut into bite-size pieces. Add the poultry seasoning, frozen peas and deboned chicken to the pot and continue to simmer for another 10 minutes.

When the gravy has reached the desired consistency, sprinkle with freshly grated pepper and garnish with chopped parsley. Serves four.

This recipe is from the Washington home at Mount Vernon, Virginia where Mrs. Washington’s cake is on display at Christmastime. The original cake recipe below was one of her favorite recipes.

Martha Washington’s Great Cake
(from Mount Vernon)

Take 40 eggs and divide the whites from the yolks and beat them to a froth. Then work 4 pounds of butter to a cream and put the whites of eggs to it a Spoon full at a time till it is well work’d. Then put 4 pounds of sugar finely powdered to it in the same manner then put in the Yolks of eggs and 5 pounds of flour and 5 pounds of fruit. 2 hours will bake it. Add to it half an ounce of mace and nutmeg half a pint of wine and some fresh brandy.

The curatorial staff at Mount Vernon notes that when they made Mrs. Washington’s cake they followed her recipe “almost” exactly. For the five pounds of fruit, they used two pounds of raisins, one pound of currants, and two pounds of apples. They used cream sherry for the wine. Martha Washington baked her famous cake in one layer, however there is no pan now at Mount Vernon large enough to hold all of the batter, therefore the staff baked the batter in two 14 inch layers and afterwards stacked them. A 350 degree oven was used for 1 1/2 hours. The resulting cake was iced with a very stiff egg-white based frosting flavored with rosewater or orange-flower water.

Martha Washington’s Great Cake was originally uploaded by barneykin. It is posted here from

GOLDEN ALMOND COOKIES

6 hard boiled egg yolks, mashed.
3/4 pound softened butter (3 sticks)
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp almond flavoring
2 1/2 cups flour (sifted)
1/2 cup ground almond meal (if not available increase regular flour to 3 cups)

Cream butter, adding sugar gradually. Add egg yolks and almond flavoring. Add flour and almond meal slowly, mixing well, but DO NOT OVERKNEAD.

Using a cookie shooter, press dough about 2 inches across onto a silicon or parchment-lined baking sheet. Press an almond, small chocolate morsel or 1/2 a maraschino cherry in the center of each one. Bake at 400 degrees until the edges are JUST brown, 10-12 minutes. Any more than that, and they are overbaked. Makes six dozen cookies (inspired by http://neddy.wordpress.com/2005/12/23/christmas-baking/).

Almond Cookies
Originally uploaded by barneykin

• COOKIES
• CAKES
• PIES
• BREADS
• CANDY
• EVERYTHING ELSE

If there was REALLY a “Mrs. Claus”, she would send some of the goodies already prepared along with Mr. Claus when he makes his rounds on Christmas Eve.

Cousin Violet’s Fudge Recipe

Long ago, before collecting recipes from the Internet became de rigueur , we homemakers often traded handwritten recipes. My cousin made the most delicious fudge and I was intrigued and asked for the recipe. I had stopped making fudge because I could only manage success about once in five tries. My usual result was a soupy concoction that could only be eaten with a spoon. Cousin Vi’s recipe changed all of that. It is simple - no boiling, and I make it in the microwave oven, which we didn’t have in those long ago days of yore.

Cousin Vi is now 78 years old and her handwriting is still as beautiful. That is because she has the genes of an artist coursing through her veins, as her father was my Uncle Ben, of whom I have written much.

Cousin Vi’s Very Easy Fudge

INGREDIENTS:

• 18 ounces semisweet baking chocolate (such as 3 bags of chocolate chips)
• 1 can sweetened condensed milk (14 ounces)
• 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• pinch salt
• 1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts or pecans (I toast them in the oven first.)

PREPARATION:
In a heavy saucepan over low heat melt the chips into the milk, stirring until smooth. Remove from the heat. Add the vanilla, salt and nuts, and stir until smooth. Spread evenly into a waxed paper lined 8 or 9 inch pan. Chill for 2 hours, or until firm. Turn fudge onto a cutting surface, peel away the waxed paper and cut into even squares. Store loosely covered at room temperature.

*MICROWAVE METHOD: Heat chips and milk on high for 3 minutes, depending on the wattage of your oven. Stir until smooth, then follow the traditional recipe.

Christmas Tree Fudge: If you would like to made some beautiful edible gifts for Christmas, try this. Follow the recipe above using “white” chocolate and substitute 1/2 cup chopped green candied cherries plus 1/2 cup chopped red candied cherries for the chopped nuts. Oil or butter large Christmas tree cookie cutters, place on waxed paper, and pour the warm fudge into them. Let sit overnight until set. Wrap each tree, including the cookie cutter in a see-through bag and tie with a bright ribbon. VOILA!

The image, My Christmas Fudge, was originally uploaded by barneykin. It is posted here from

Old-Fashioned Scrapple Recipe - Without the Scraps

The name of this Pennsylvania Dutch dish comes from the chopped “scraps” of pork meat that are the main ingredient. Tradition claimed that scrapple included all that was left of the hog after butchering, except for the scream. These scraps were mixed with a ground cornmeal broth and seasonings and molded into a loaf. After chilling, the loaf was sliced and fried and traditionally served hot for breakfast or brunch. We Maryland children ate this often and loved it. However, once I became aware of the various parts of the pork that were included in scrapple, I began making my own recipe from what I consider the more savory cuts of the hog, such as the loin.

• 1 pound lean chopped pork
• 2 tablespoons butter or oil as needed
• 29 ounces (2 cans) chicken broth
• 1 cup cornmeal
• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, seasoned with salt and pepper

In a large saucepan gently saute pork in butter or oil. Add cornmeal, chicken broth, thyme and salt. Bring to a boil, stirring often. Reduce heat and simmer about 20 minutes or until mixture is very thick, stirring constantly. Spray with oil and then line an 8x8x2-inch baking pan or a 9x5x3-inch loaf pan with waxed paper, letting paper extend 3-4 inches above top of pan. Spoon pork mixture into pan. Cover and chill in the refrigerator 4 hours or overnight. Unmold; cut scrapple into slices. Dust scrapple slices with flour mixture. In large skillet brown scrapple on both sides in a small amount of butter. Serve with ketchup or maple syrup. Serves 12.

At the end of the steps, there is a link to a video, which really helps.

Step 1: Besides the freshly roasted turkey, you will need:

• 1 sharp knife
• 2 cutting boards
• 1 fork

——————————————————————————–
Step 2: Remove the wishbone.

• Remove a little skin from the base of the turkey’s breast.
• Cut around the V-shaped wishbone and pull it out carefully so as not to damage the meat.

——————————————————————————–
Step 3: Carve the legs

• Cut along the turkey’s hip joint with your knife, letting the leg slowly separate from the body and remove the leg completely from the joint.
• Cut the leg at its knee joint and set both pieces aside.
• Repeat for the other leg.

——————————————————————————–
Step 4: Carve the breasts

• Cut into the bird along the side of its breastbone.
• Angle the knife and cut the meat away from the carcass, cutting through the wing joint. The breast should come easily away from the body.
• Repeat for the other side.

——————————————————————————–
Step 5: Slice the breasts

• Cut off the wing tips from the breasts and slice the remaining meat against its grain.
• Don’t throw away any of the bones! If your roasted bird is an all natural one, you can use its carcass to make a tasty turkey soup.
• Serve.

These tips were devised from VIDEOJUG where you can watch a very helpful video of how to do this, which makes it much easier than reading: The Video .

The image, Turkey Carving Time, was originally uploaded by barneykin. It is posted here from

This year I created a Turkey Pie recipe to serve during the Thanksgiving weekend. I based it upon the French-Canadian tourtière recipe that I sometimes made years ago, using ground turkey breast in place of most of the ground pork.

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 1/2 pounds ground turkey breast
• 1/2 pound ground pork
• 6 medium potatoes, peeled and sliced
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 tablespoons ground sage
• 1 tablespoon marjoram
• 1 1/2 teaspoon allspice
• ground cinnamon
• salt and pepper
• pie-crust dough for 2 double crust pies (I used “Perfect Pie Crust”, omitting the sugar.)

PREPARATION:
Combine ground meats, sliced potatoes, chopped onions and bay leaves in large pot. Add 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper. Add 1-2 cups of water or broth and simmer mixture, covered, for 30-45 minutes or until the potatoes are tender. Remove from heat and drain excess water, if necessary. Remove bay leaves. Mash thoroughly, using potato masher. If mixture seems too moist, thicken with a small amount of instant mashed potatoes or dry bread crumbs. Mix in sage, marjoram and allspice and add more salt and pepper to taste. Cool.

Roll half the pastry into two 12-inch circles. Line two 9-inch pie plates with pastry. Trim pastry even with rim. Divide the meat mixture among them, smoothing the filling. Roll out remaining dough for tops. Place over fillings; trim to 1/2 inch beyond rim. Seal; flute, sprinkle with flour and cut small slits in the top. Cut out a turkey shaped stencil or use a cookie cutter and place on top of each pie crust. Sprinkle top of pie with cinnamon, then remove stencil. Bake at 400° for 45 minutes. Makes 6-8 servings for each pie.

The image, Turkey Pies, was originally uploaded to the Internet by barneykin. It was posted here by Neddy of .

Visit Neddy’s Store