Our needs today are several: Waycrazy’s barbecue sauce, an authentic Spanish potato omelet and the fruit tea as served at Vine Street Market.
Here’s a recipe from Nancy Caradine’s collection that may be doubled or tripled for a crowd; care is needed when reheating after making ahead. “Heat on low and stir often, as cheese will stick to the bottom of the pan,” she said.
Ham and Potato Soup
3 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into medium-size cubes
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
1 small onion, chopped fine
3 cups whole milk
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese, not the pregrated type that comes in a bag
1 cup diced cooked ham (leftovers or packaged diced ham)
Boil potatoes in 21/2 cups water until done. Drain, reserving liquid. Add water if necessary to make 1 cup of potato water. Melt butter and add flour, stirring until flour taste is gone, 2 to 3 minutes. Add onions. In a large saucepan, combine flour/onion mixture with milk, potatoes and water. Bring to a boil; add sugar, cheese and ham. Simmer 30 minutes, stirring often, on low heat; be careful or cheese will burn on the bottom of the pan. Makes 10 servings.
A reader named Daniel sent this recipe for Beef Burgundy, a favorite during cold weather. “The recipe does not call for browning the beef first, but I think it would improve the taste,” he wrote.
Beef Burgundy
1 pound lean stew beef
1/2 cup Burgundy wine
1 can reduced-sodium cream of mushroom soup
1 package dry onion soup mix
1 (8-ounce) package dry egg noodles
Mix beef, wine, cream soup and dry soup mix in a 2-quart glass casserole dish. Cook for 21/2 to 23/4 hours in a 325 F oven. Meanwhile, prepare egg noodles according to package directions. Ladle beef burgundy over drained noodles. Prep time: 15 minutes. Recipe may be doubled or tripled.
Sue Mickel sent this cake. She got it from “The Cake Doctor” by Anne Byrn.
Zesty Cranberry Cake
Unlike the vivid red cranberry sauce, this cake turns pinkish tan as it bakes.
Vegetable oil spray for misting the pan
Flour for dusting the pan
1 can (16 ounces) jellied cranberry sauce
1 package (18.25 ounces) plain white cake mix
1/2 cup fresh orange juice (from 2 to 3 oranges) or from the carton
1 tablespoon grated orange zest (from 1 medium orange)
2 large eggs
1/2 cup confectioners sugar, sifted
Place a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 350 F. Lightly mist a 12-cup bundt pan with vegetable oil spray, then dust with flour. Shake out the excess flour. Set the pan aside.
Reserve 1/4 cup of the cranberry sauce for the glaze and place the remaining sauce, the cake mix, orange juice, zest and eggs in a large mixing bowl. Blend with an electric mixer on low speed for 1 minute. Stop the machine and scrape down the sides of the bowl with the rubber spatula. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat 2 minutes more, scraping the sides down again if needed. The batter should look well combined and thickened. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing it out with the rubber spatula. Place the pan in the oven.
Bake the cake until it is light brown on top and springs back when lightly pressed with your finger, 30 to 35 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and place it on a wire rack to cool for 20 minutes. Run a long, sharp knife around the edges of the cake and invert it onto a serving platter to cool completely, 20 minutes more.
Meanwhile, prepare the glaze. Place the reserved cranberry sauce and confectioners sugar in a small mixing bowl. Blend with a fork until well-combined and smooth.
Spoon the glaze over the cooled cake so that it drizzles down the sides and into the center. Slice and serve.
Makes 16 servings.
Note: Store this cake, covered in wax paper or in a plastic cake saver, in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Or freeze it, wrapped in aluminum foil, for up to 6 months. Thaw the cake overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
Until next week …
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