(¯`•.¸¸.•´¯`•->Spike’s Good Eatin’ Special<-•´¯`•.¸¸.•´¯) for October 6, 2006

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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[] It looks like spinach is on everybody’s mind these days. As a person who does not like raw spinach, and who is too cheap to buy bagged greens, none of my eaters has had a problem. I understand (although I have not tried it, there is a “veggie wash” product at the grocery store that does kill e-coli bacteria. If you use the bagged salad greens, you should probably use that stuff, as directed on its package.

[] I think that we need to be very careful about all of our foods, and be sure that the foods are clean and that our hands are clean during the handling and eating thereof. []

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Here’s a nice thing for breakfast – at least it looks nice. I think it would be more tasty if…

EGGS IN A NEST

4-6 eggs, separated
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Chopped fresh herbs for garnish (optional)

The whites need to be placed into a larger bowl, and the yolks need to be placed each into a little bowl or cup. Beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Spoon into a greased baking dish and make an indentation for each egg yolk. Here is where we need to be creative: put a small lump of butter into each indentation, and a tiny pinch of herbs. [] Of course, I like the herb blend called “Spike”, but parsley is ok.[]

Add the unbroken egg yolks to the depressions, and put another small lump of butter onto each yolk. Bake in a preheated 350 F oven until set, 10 to 15 minutes. When you bring it out of the oven, season with salt and pepper (all over) and garnish with chopped herbs if desired. Serves 2 to 3.

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[]This looks like a lovely dessert. Another one that I haven’t tried, but I did print it and plan to try it. Pumpkin stuff is very popular at this time of year.[]

PUMPKIN CAKE, LUSCIOUS FOUR-LAYER

1 pkg. (2-layer size) yellow cake mix
1 can (15 oz.) pumpkin, divided
1/2 cup milk
1/3 cup oil
4 large eggs
1-1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice, divided

1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tub (8 oz.) whipped topping, thawed
1/4 cup caramel topping (the kind you would use for ice cream)
1/4 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans. Beat cake mix, 1 cup of the pumpkin, the milk, oil, eggs and 1 tsp. of the pumpkin pie spice in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Pour evenly into prepared pans.

Bake 28 to 30 min. or until wooden toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 min. Remove from pans to wire racks; cool completely. Beat cream cheese in small bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until creamy. Add sugar, remaining pumpkin and remaining 1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice; mix well. Stir in the whipped topping.

Cut each cake layer horizontally in half with serrated knife. Stack layers on serving plate, spreading the cream cheese filling between layers. (Do not frost top of cake.) Drizzle cake with caramel topping just before serving; sprinkle with the pecans. Store leftover cake in refrigerator.

How to Slice and Stack Cake Layers

Place one of the cooled cake layers on a serving plate. Make a 2-inch horizontal cut around side of cake using a long serrated knife. Then, cut all of the way through the cake layer to make two layers. Remove the top layer by sliding it onto a 9-inch round cardboard circle. Frost the cake layer on the serving plate with one-third of the whipped topping mixture, then slide the top half of the split cake layer from the cardboard circle onto the frosted layer on plate. Place the remaining unsplit cake layer on a cutting board. Cut into two layers as done for the first layer. Repeat the process of transferring the cake layers to the stacked cake layers on plate using the cardboard circle.

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[] Cool days are always inspiration for casseroles – at least in my house. I made up this one, and since I’m a Prairie Home Companion fan, I call it “Hot Dish.” []

HOT DISH

4 Tbsp flour
3 Tbsp butter
1 1/4 cups milk
salt, pepper, paprika – to taste

Make a cream sauce, flour, butter, and milk. Season with salt, pepper, and paprika. Set aside.

Cooked chicken, cut into cubes – however much you have left over
1 or 2 carrots, sliced in very thin coins
1 stem celery, sliced very thinly
1/4 (of a) bell pepper – any color – chopped very finely
1/2 cup onion, sliced thinly
1 cup frozen peas, thawed a little bit
2 Tbsp butter
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese, if desired

Put the carrots into a microwave dish with 1 tsp water, cover, and
microwave for 3 minutes.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Melt the butter in a sauté pan, and sauté the onions and bell pepper until they are soft but not browned. Toss in the carrots and the cooked chicken cubes.

Toss in the frozen, almost-thawed peas, and pour in the cream sauce. Mix thoroughly. If you cannot bake in your sauté pan, spray a casserole dish and pour all that stuff into it, cover with the shredded cheese, and bake for about 20 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the cream sauce is bubbly.

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[] Hallowe’en is approaching. In addition to the special Hallowe’en disks on our site (www.spike-jamie.com), here are a couple more: []

CARAMEL APPLES

2 cups heavy cream
2 cups sugar
1/4 cup butter flavor shortening
1/2 cup dark corn syrup
12 medium McIntosh apples, washed and stemmed
12 wooden craft sticks

Line baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside. Fill about half of a large bowl with ice water.

In a heavy-bottomed saucepan combine cream, sugar, Crisco Shortening and corn syrup; bring to a boil over medium heat. Continue cooking until the temperature registers 245°F on a candy thermometer, about 10 to 12 minutes.

Remove from heat and briefly plunge the saucepan into ice water to stop the caramel from cooking. Remove from ice water and let mixture cool for a few minutes.

Insert a craft stick into the stem end of each apple. Dip 1 apple into the caramel; coat the top and sides with caramel using a spoon. Transfer to prepared baking sheet to cool. Repeat with remaining apples.

Optional Toppings: Chocolate covered toffee bits, crushed Macadamia nuts, crushed peanuts, seasonal sprinkles, tinted coconut or chopped candy corn.

Note: Use 5-inch craft sticks, 1/4-inch in diameter. Add toppings or garnish as desired, or serve in seasonal cupcake liners.

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OATMEAL CARMELITA BARS

no-stick cooking spray
3/4 cup butter flavor shortening, melted
1 -1/2 cups quick oats (not instant or old fashioned), uncooked
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour, divided
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 -1/3 cups milk chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1 jar (12.5 ounces) or 3/4 cup caramel ice cream topping

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray bottom and sides of 9x9x2- inch baking pan with no stick cooking spray; set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer combine 3shortening, oats, sugar, all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, baking soda and cinnamon. Mix at low speed until crumbs form. Reserve 1&#8260;2 cup for topping. Press remaining crumbs into prepared pan.

Bake 10 minutes. Sprinkle chocolate chips and nuts over crust. In a medium bowl combine caramel topping and remaining 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour. Stir until well blended. Drizzle over chocolate chips and nuts. Sprinkle reserved 1&#8260;2 cup crumbs over caramel topping.

Return to oven. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Run spatula around edge of pan before cooling. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Cut into squares.

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Have a fun hallowe’en!
 

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