Good morning, and welcome to December and all the wonderful food that accompanies it. We've got requests that come straight from our Thanksgiving household, and here they are: how to use bee pollen in smoothies and other foods, and recipes for Pad Thai, curry tempeh, crustless quiche and spinach soufflé.
Bill Scoville sent this requested recipe, originally from Mary Hicks of Elizabethtown, Ky. She had an Irish coffee party after a sojourn in Ireland, and this was the favorite food she served.
Sausage Rice Krispies Casserole
2 pounds sausage, 1 hot and 1 mild
2 small onions, chopped
2 cups cooked rice
6 cups Rice Krispies cereal
2 (8-ounce) bricks Kraft Cracker Barrel cheese, cubed
4 eggs slightly beaten
2 cans cream of celery soup
1/4 cup milk
Brown sausage and chopped onions; drain well. Layer in this order: sausage mixture, rice, Rice Krispies, cubed cheese.
Mix eggs, soup and milk, and pour over top. Bake at 350 F for 40 minutes in 13-inch glass casserole. Makes 12 servings.
Betty McGee wrote, "Below is a recipe my family has enjoyed for years. This makes approximately 30, and they are delicious."
Buckeye Candy
11/2 cups peanut butter
1 cup softened butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
6 cups confectioners sugar
4 cups chocolate chips
In a large bowl, mix peanut butter, butter, vanilla and confectioners sugar until smooth. This batter will appear dry. Roll into 1-inch balls and place on cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Place in freezer for about 20 minutes.
Remove from freezer and set aside until chocolate is prepared.
Melt chocolate chips over water (double boiler), and stir until smooth and completely melted. Dip peanut balls into chocolate and place on parchment sheet. Place in refrigerator to set.
D.J. Marrs found the sought-for healthful breakfast bars. He explained that "they are healthy baked bars good for a quick breakfast. They contain rolled oats, dried fruit, yogurt, applesauce, honey, brown sugar (or use sugar-substitute Ideal no-calorie sweetener or Sugar Twin), spices, olive oil and whey protein."
Healthful Breakfast Bars
3 cups rolled oats
1 cup raisins or dried cranberries (or half of each)
2 teaspoons baking powder
6 ounces vanilla or plain yogurt
1/2 cup fat-free milk or soy or rice milk
2 tablespoons honey
1/2 cup applesauce
3 egg whites
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
2 tablespoons cinnamon, divided
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon allspice
2 scoops whey protein (vanilla flavor)
2 tablespoons brown sugar (or nonsugar equivalent)
Heat oven to 350 F. Combine all ingredients (except brown sugar and 1 teaspoon of the cinnamon) in large mixing bowl; mix well. Spray a 9- by 13-inch baking pan with Pam. Spread batter into pan, and sprinkle brown sugar and remaining cinnamon on top. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool and cut into 12 bars, 197 calories per bar (if oil is replaced with applesauce, 158 calories per bar).
This is a great on-the-go breakfast or snack with coffee or tea. Contains no gluten. May be made into muffins also. Store in the refrigerator.
Variations: Add chopped apples or fresh or frozen berries (about 1 cup) for variety. Also, you can sprinkle chopped walnuts on top just before putting in the oven.
This version of a make-ahead muffin bar calls for only Raisin Bran; it came from Betty Buechner.
Ever-Ready Bran Muffins
1 (15-ounce) package Raisin Bran
5 cups all-purpose flour
3 cups sugar
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons soda
2 teaspoons salt
4 eggs, beaten
1 quart buttermilk
1 cup vegetable oil
Combine first 5 ingredients in a very large bowl; make a well in center of mixture. Add eggs, buttermilk and oil; stir just enough to moisten dry ingredients. Cover and store in refrigerator until ready to bake. Batter may be kept in the refrigerator up to 6 weeks.
To bake, spoon batter into greased muffin pans, filling 2/3 full. Bake at 400 F for 12 to 15 minutes. Yield: about 51/2 dozen.
It was a little hard to pull myself away from real-time food to stir up your wonderful recipes this morning. But as we think of special-occasion recipes to be served at our place, most of those recipes come from Fare Exchange ... and the best of them are prepared in a legendary cast-iron Dutch oven, still bearing the magic of my own mother's cooking. New ideas, hearty memories: unbeatable combination.
Please share with us your own memories and your best recipes. They'll soon become part of our family's tradition.
To Reach Us
Fare Exchange is a longtime meeting place for people who love to cook and love to eat. We welcome both your recipes and your requests. Be sure to include precise instructions for every recipe you send.
Mailing address: Jane Henegar, 913 Mount Olive Road, Lookout Mountain, GA 30750.
E-mail: janehenegar@gmail.com.
Fax: 423-668-5092.