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September 2, 2003

from: Spike's and Jamie's Recipe Collection

http://www.spike-jamie.com/

Many of these recipes have not yet been added to the recipe web site, so you are getting a "sneak peek" of future additions. We hope you enjoy these recipes. Spike's comments are in []Brackets[].

Shalom, from

Spike the Grate & Jamie the Webmistress

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[] I hope everybody is having nice weather; ours is in the 90’s during the daytime, cooling in the evenings down to about 65 degrees F. There is an abundance of fruit and veggies available – even in our own back yards. I think almost every-body plants a tomato or two and maybe some zucchini. I have about 30 pages of zucchini (and other summer squash) recipes; if any of you would be interested, send an e-mail to me and I’ll send them. spiketh-@hotmail.com []

[] Tommie gave us about 50 peaches; too many to eat and not enough to can. We are always most grateful for fresh fruits and vegetables. Today I made 5 pints of sugarless jam for Larry, who has diabetes. I’ll share the recipe: []

SUGARLESS PEACH JAM
(“spreadable fruit”)

peaches
lemon or lime juice – about 2 Tbsp per batch
apple juice
cinnamon sticks

Peel and cut lotsa peaches into dice about 1/2 inch or less. Put them into a pot so as to fill the pot only half way (jam SPITS!). (That reminds me that Gary Busey once said “Never cook bacon when naked.” Same can be said for jam.) Crush the peaches with a potato masher. Add about 1/2 cup apple juice and toss in a couple of cinnamon sticks. I think I cooked about 8 cups at a time, and the total yield was 5 pints. It took a long time to cook down to the consistency we wanted and of course, it was VERY hot. I poured it into the sterile jars, put the lids on and they sealed without further cooking. It is important that your fruit be acidic; otherwise, botulism can develop. (That is not exactly the substance used to erase your wrinkles!) If it doesn’t seal readily, give your jars a boiling water bath for about 15 minutes.

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[] My grandmother, “Mauga,” made this salad. As a child, I thought it would be horrible. Since I didn’t taste it until I was about 20, that “awful” salad was the only unpleasant memory I had of Mauga. She had told me once that I would like it after I grew up. Now, at age 71, I still haven’t grown up, but I did come to love this salad. []

CUCUMBER AND ONION SALAD
By Spike’s Mauga

2 cucumbers
1 medium sweet yellow or sweet red onion
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
2 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 Tbsp mayonnaise

Slice cucumbers and onion very thinly, in your food processor if you have one. Shake the salt over that mixture, and refrigerate for an hour or so. Remove from fridge and pour into a colander to drain. Shake out as much liquid as you can.

Repeat that process. After shaking out the liquid for the second time, put into a clean, dry bowl. Add 1 tsp vinegar and 1 tsp sugar. Stir, and put back in the fridge. After another hour, remove and drain one more time. Back in the bowl, add the second teaspoon of vinegar and stir. Back into the fridge. At this point, you can let it sit overnight in the fridge. Just before serving, remove from fridge, drain, back into the bowl, and add about a table-spoon mayonnaise. Even if you hate onions, you will love this salad.

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[] This is another substance I thought was awful. I thought it even looked awful. It isn’t awful but it doesn’t look that great when it is separated. Shake it well before you pour each serving. This dressing is not for the cucumber and onion salad. It is for a salad with lettuce, tomatoes, and any other stuff you like. []

FRENCH DRESSING
by Spike’s Mauga

1 can Campbell’s Tomato Soup – regular size
1/2 cup cider vinegar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp paprika
1 Tbsp mustard (or less, to taste)
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
3/4 cup salad oil
1/2 cup sugar
2 cloves garlic, minced (optional)

Mix all together and refrigerate. Shake before using. Makes 1 quart. Store in a glass jar.

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BARBECUED CHICKEN FOR LAZY PEOPLE

[]We were lazy about our chicken yesterday. We had skinless, boneless breasts which we put into a plastic bag with a little olive oil and some herb/spice blend called “Carne Asada.” I will include (herein) the recipe for carne asada marinade. (This is NOT the seasoning blend that I used, however, I think it will give it the same flavors.)

Marinate it for about an hour in the fridge, then barbecue it in the regular way. Discard the marinade, since it has bacteria from the raw chicken in it. Always discard used marinade, because it can be dangerous. When the chicken is cooked to your liking, sprinkle some fresh lime juice on it just before serving.[]

CARNE ASADA MARINADE

1 lime, juiced
1 lemon, juiced
1 orange, juiced or 1/2 cup orange juice
2 tsp chili powder
1-1/2 tsp dried oregano leaves
2 tsp ground cumin
1-1/2 tsp crushed coriander seeds
*5 or more garlic cloves, (2 1/2 tsp minced ) coarsely chopped (* or to taste)
1/4 to 1/2 cup soy sauce
2 or more sliced jalapeno chilies
1 medium onion, sliced thin

Combine all ingredients in a 1-gallon Ziploc bag; close and mix well. Add chicken or beef. Marinate in bag up to 24 hours turning and massaging meat frequently. Grill to medium-well. Cut meat into 1/2" slices (or cubes) against the grain. Serve with tortillas, Mexican rice and beans. Garnish with lime wedges and cilantro.

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[] Of course, almost all recipes given to you on our website and in our news-letters are for foods you make at home. Otherwise, we could give you a list of recipes and grocery stores… When I use the term “home made” I usually refer to something that one would normally purchase, such as bread or tortillas. My friend, Danna, makes her own soy milk, and was kind enough to share her recipe with us. It apparently requires some strength to squeeze out the liquid from the soaked beans – maybe one gets strong enough by drinking soy milk! []

HOME MADE SOY MILK

2 cups soy beans
sweetener (1 tbsp honey, 1 tbsp sugar, equivalent of artificial sweetener)
1/4 to 1/2 tsp sea salt
1 Tbsp vanilla or other flavoring extract
4 calcium pills, ground, as with mortar and pestle
nutmeg (optional)
cinnamon (optional)

Soak the soy beans for at least 24 hours, in water to cover. Next day, drain the water (you could pour it on your house plants or in your garden). Measure 1 cup soaked soy beans and 2 cups water, into your blender. Blend for 3 minutes. Repeat until all beans are ground.

Pour the blended beans into a cheesecloth-lined sieve, over a large bowl. You could even use a jelly bag, letting it drain while you do other things and when it has dripped all it can by itself, pick up the cheesecloth or bag and start squeezing and wringing to get every bit of liquid out of the beans. Pour into a large pot on the stove and bring to the boil over slow heat. Turn off the heat and add your sweetener, salt, flavoring extract/s, calcium pills, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Refrigerate, and when it has cooled, add a lid to keep it from being infused with other odors and tastes from the fridge. Makes about 1 gallon.

[] Although Danna didn’t specify, I believe I would store it in quart jars (glass), as they can be boiled if you want to sterilize them. A double-fold of plastic wrap, anchored by a rubber band would provide a secure lid, or would line the lid of, for example, a mayonnaise jar. She says that it keeps for about a week. []

[] Note: You could probably add some form of chocolate, if you like. Of course, that would change the nutritional values, but I don’t know to what extent. []

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[] Our friend Al is Portuguese. Here in the Central Valley of California, people of “other” ethnicities (other than Portuguese) take great delight in making “Portagee” jokes, debasing these people and otherwise making fun of them. I have never understood that, and have observed that like all people, some are nice and some are not. Generally, Portuguese are fine, moral, hard-working people who take care of one another and live exemplary lives. Most of the Portuguese people in this area have come from the Azores, where, I think, the living is not easy. That is reflected in their plain and simple foods, and in the way they make something out of almost nothing.

They have many celebrations and festivals at which they serve Sopas and other good stuff, they have music, and a great deal of fun. I’ll share some recipes I obtained from some of our Portuguese friends. Have lots of French bread on hand, because to serve Sopas you put a thick slice of it into a bowl, and then ladle the Sopas onto it. []

PORTUGUESE SOPAS I

3 lb. pot roast
1 onion, diced
1/2 tsp. pepper
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 clove garlic, minced
3 bay leaves
2 tsp. allspice
2 med. heads cabbage
1 cup mint leaves
1 tsp. salt
Water

1 loaf French bread

In a large pot, combine the first 9 ingredients, salt and water. Cook on medium heat for 4 hours. Add more water as needed. Quarter cabbage and add to soup, cook 30 minutes until cabbage is tender. Serve over sliced French bread.

PORTUGUESE SOPAS II

5 lbs. chuck roast -- whole
2 medium yellow onions -- chopped
2 cans whole tomatoes -- diced
1 15 0z. can tomato sauce
1 large bay leaf -- optional
1 tsp cumin -- ground
1 tsp whole cloves
2 tsp allspice -- whole
1 tsp. cinnamon -- ground
1 tbsp garlic powder
3 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup ketchup
2 cups red wine
4 qt water
1 large cabbage head -- quartered
salt and pepper -- to taste
4 fresh mint sprigs (or dried)
1 or 2 loaves of French bread

Use a 6 to 8 quart pot and fill 1/2 to 2/3 full. Put meat into pot of water and bring to a boil. Also add while bringing to boil, chopped onions, ground spices, catsup, wine and Worcestershire sauce. Put the whole spices into a tea ball and submerge in broth.

Over low heat, simmer for about 3 hours. Check meat, and just before it starts to flake, remove from the pot and let cool. Cut into bite size pieces while cabbage is cooking, and return to the pot after the cabbage is translucent but not falling apart.

Last thing to add before you turn off heat is mint. Mint is the crowning touch and flavor. Mint is a must and adds such a wonderful flavor to the Sopas. Serve over a slice of French bread.

Note: You can also cook this in a crock pot for about 6 hours.

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[] Al’s mom gave me the recipe for Portuguese sweet bread. It is so lovely! []

PORTUGUESE SWEET BREAD
Theresa Azevedo

2 pkg yeast
1/2 cup warm water
1 cup mashed yams *** see note below
3 Tbsp sugar

1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup butter
2 tsp salt

6 eggs
1 cup sugar

2 cups flour

9-10 cups flour

Mix yeast, water, potatoes, and 3 T sugar; set aside.

Scald milk, add salt and butter; cool.

Beat eggs, add 1 cup sugar. Combine yeast and egg mixtures. Stir in 2 cups flour. Add milk mixture; beat. Stir in the rest of the flour. Knead. Raise until double; punch down, shape into loaves or rolls, put into greased loaf pans or onto greased cookie sheets (in any bun/roll shape you wish); allow to rise again.

Bake at 3500 for loaves, 40 to 50 minutes. For rolls, bake at 3750 for 20 minutes or so.

Great with butter, or with peanut butter. NOT for serving with Sopas.

***Note: This recipe calls for yams. Actually, we don’t have true yams in the US – the long, reddish sweet potatoes we call “yams” are actually “Garnet sweet potatoes.” Any type of sweet potato can be used for this bread – actually any kind of potato that will mash nicely can be used; the use of sweet potatoes makes it more of a treat, and gives it a nicer color.

[] That’s all for now. Happy cooking! []

Shalom, from Spike the Grate and Jamie the Webmistress

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