Brown Stew

2 lbs. beef chuck cut in 1 1/2 inch cubes
2 T fat
4 cup boiling water
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 clove garlic
1 medium size onion sliced
2 bay leaves
1 T salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp paprika
dash of All Spice or cloves
1 tsp sugar
6 carrots quartered
1 lb small white ??

Thoroughly brown meat on all sides in hot fat; add water, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, onion, bay leaves and seasonings, simmer for 2 hrs stir occasionally to keep from sticking. Add carrots and onions. Continue cooking 20-30 minutes or until veggies are done. Potatoes cubed may be add if desired.
Remove meat and vegetables, thicken liquid for gravy. Serves 6-8

Autumn Pear Salad

Dressing:
5 T olive oil
2 T Balsamic Vinegar
1 tsp honey
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 T chopped onions
salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Mix dressing ingredients in a jar, shake well and refrigerate.
Pour on top of mixed greens and pear slices.
Sprinkle with asiago cheese and cashews.

Butternut Squash Soup

1 butternut squash peeled and cubed
1 onion
3 stalks celery cut into chunks
3 carrots cut into chunks

Put all ingredients into a roasting pan. Drizzle with a little olive oil. Sprinkle with seasoning salt and thyme. Roast at 350 degrees for 40 minutes or until easily pierced with a fork. Heat 6 cups chicken broth in a saucepan, adding the roasted vegetables. Using an emulsifier or blender, blend until smooth. Add 1 cup shipping cream and one sprig of fresh Rosemary.

Warm through but do not boil.

Additional seasonings can be added like curry or nutmeg and salt and pepper to taste.

You can boil the vegetables in the broth if you don't want to roast them.

Dad's Divinity

4 c. sugar
1 c. corn syrup, white or dark
3/4 c. cold water
3 egg whites
1 tsp pure vanilla
2 cups chopped pecans

Directions:
In a heavy saucepan over medium heat, stir together the sugar, corn syrup, and water. Stir only until sugar has dissolved. Do not stir after this point. cook syrup mixture until it reaches 250 degrees F on a candy thermometer, bringing it to a hard ball stage.

While the syrup is cooking, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Once the sugar mixture reaches 250 degrees F, carefully pour a slow steady stream of syrup into the stiffly beaten egg whites, beating constantly at thigh speed. Add the vanilla and continue to beat until mixture holds its shape, approximately 5 minutes. Stir in pecans.

Using 2 spoons, drop the divinity onto waxed paper, using 1 spoon to push the candy off the other. This may take a little practice because the technique is to twirl the pushing spoon, making the candy look like the top of a soft serve ice cream. If the candy becomes too stiff, add a few drops of hot water. You will need to work fast when making this type of candy. After you spoon the cooked sugar and nuts onto the waxed paper, you're done. Cool the candies on racks completely. You can store them in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

Fresh Spinach Salad

Wash and remove stems from a bunch of fresh spinach. Tear leaves and drench with dressing made from tomato catsup, vinegar or fresh lemon juice, salad oil, and brown sugar, to taste. Serve garnished with crisp crumbled bacon and grated hard-boiled egg.

Lemon Pull-Aparts

9x13 inch pan or 12 inch deep dish pizza pan

12 Rhodes dinner rolls
grated peel of 2 lemons
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup melted margarine

Citrus Glaze
1 T melted butter
2 T fresh lemon juice
1 c powdered sugar

Grate lemon rind and mix with sugar. Cut semi-thawed rolls in half and place in greased 9x13-inch pan or 12-inch deep dish pizza pan. Melt butter and pour rover rolls. Sprinkle with lemon rind/sugar mixture, reserving 1/4 cup of mixture to sprinkle on just before baking. Cover with plastic wrap. Let double in size and bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes. Remove from pan and place on serving dish within 5 minutes after removing from oven. To make citrus glaze, combine powdered sugar, melted butter, and lemon juice and mix until thin. Cover rolls with glaze while warm.

My Very Favorite Dessert (Not For the Faint-hearted)

Almond Lace Cups

You can bake two cookies at one time if your cookie sheet is at least 12x15 inches, but it takes patience to complete all twelve. Cookie cups can be made up to two weeks ahead and stored in a airtight container in a cool place. 

1 cup whole blanched almonds (4 oz)

1/2 cup butter (see note)

3/4 cup granulated sugar

2 T all purpose flour

2 T milk

Finely chop almonds with a knife or in a food processor, being careful not to let them become pasty. Melt butter in a medium-size saucepan. Remove from heat;  stir in almonds, 1/2 cup sugar, the flour and milk until well blended. Generously grease and lightly flour a large cookie sheet. Set out two 6 oz custard cups for later use. Drop 2 level tablespooons almond mixture in one mound about about 4 inches from one end of the cookie sheet. Spread batter in a 3-inch circle (cookies will spread to about 5 inches as they bake). Repeat at other end of cookie sheet. Bake on top rack in preheated 350 oven 4 minutes or until golden brown and glossy. Cool on sheets 2 minutes. (Cookies should be firm but still pliable. If cookies have become hard, return them to the oven briefly to soften. Remove each cookie gently with long metal spatula; place each over an inverted custard cup. Press cookies to custard cups in 3 or 4 places to create ruffled edges (cookies will harden in 1 to 2 minutes) Let cool. Remove and repeat with remaining batter (no need to grease and flour the cookie sheet again)

When ready to serve I fill with a scoop of vanilla ice-cream, and top that with some raspberry topping. On that I place a chocolate butterfly. You may want to stripe a little red sauce or chocolate (maybe white chocolate) on the dessert plate first. 

If you can make these cups, you can put in whatever you like instead of ice cream- mousse, fruit parfait, cheesecake, fruits, etc., but you must be very gentle as the shells are very fragile. 

Chocolate Butterflies

Cut some paper squares about 4x3 one for each butterfly. Fold each square in half. With sharp pencil draw an outline of half a butterfly. The pressure of the pencil point will mark the other half. Open up the squares and tape them to a working surface- probably your cabinet surface. Now with the melted chocolate and a piping bag, trace the butterfly lines. Carefully lift the waxed paper up and place it in an egg carton slightly bent in the middle. Cool completely, then gently remove the waxed paper. 

Well, I warned you, but try again. Practice makes perfect. Success? Oo-La La! and Hallelujah! :)

I have just used melting Milk chocolate, but the recipe calls for 2 squares semisweet chocolate and
1 t. shortening, Stirring until chocolate is melted. Cool a little before piping.

Another simpler idea for a little dessert cup is to place cupcake liners into muffin pans, put a dob of melted chocolate in and work it up the sides of the paper with a small spoon. Be sure to get the top edge thick enough. Cool thoroughly, remove papers, Put in cheesecake, fruits, whatever.