BECKY'S CHICKEN GNOCCHI SOUP




4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 cup finely diced onion
1/2 cup finely diced celery
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 quart half-and-half
2 (14-ounce) cans chicken broth (if you enjoy a thicker soup, use 1 can)
Salt
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
1 cup finely shredded carrots
1 cup coarsely chopped fresh spinach leaves
1 cup diced cooked chicken breast (you can use a rotisserie chicken) I roast or boil a whole fryer and pick/shred the chicken once its cooked, kinda like NC BBQ
1 (16-ounce/500g) package ready-to-use gnocchi pasta

Melt the butter into the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion becomes translucent. Whisk in the flour and cook for about 1 minute. Whisk in the half-and-half. Simmer until thickened. Whisk in the chicken broth. Simmer until thickened again. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon salt, the thyme, parsley, nutmeg (if using), carrots, spinach, chicken, and gnocchi. Simmer until the soup is heated through. Before serving, season with additional salt, if necessary.

 BILL'S CHOCOLATE TART

 

 Tart Shell Pastry:
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
3 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, cold and cut into small chunks
1 large egg, separated
2 tablespoons ice water, plus more if needed

Filling:
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup milk
10 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs, at room temperature

Directions:To make the pastry: combine the flour, sugar, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Add the butter and mix with a pastry blender or hands until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Make a well in the middle of the pastry. Combine the egg yolk with the ice water in a small bowl, whisking to blend; pour it into the well and work it in to bind the dough until it holds together without being too wet or sticky. Squeeze a small amount together, if it is crumbly, add more ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time. Form the dough into a disk and wrap in plastic; refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface into a 12-inch circle, about 1/4-inch thick. Carefully roll the dough up onto the pin (this may take a little practice) and lay it inside a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Press the dough into the pan so it fits tightly; press the edges into the sides of the pan. It is important to press the dough evenly into every nook and corner of the ring, especially the scalloped edges. Shave off the excess hanging dough with a knife. Put the tart in the refrigerator for 15 minutes to relax.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Place the tart pan on a sturdy cookie sheet so it will be easy to move in and out of the oven. Line the tart with aluminum foil and add pie weights or dried beans to keep the sides of the tart from buckling. Bake for 30 minutes, then remove the foil and weights. Using a pastry brush, lightly coat the crust with a beaten egg white. Return to the oven and continue to bake for another 8 minutes until the tart is golden in color, but not brown. Remember the tart will be cooked again with the filling. It should be cooked but light in color so that it will not burn on the second bake. Set aside to cool and lower the oven temperature to 325 degrees F.

To make the filling: Heat the heavy cream and milk in a pot over medium-low flame, until it simmers slightly around the edges. Remove from the heat; add the chopped chocolate and stir until melted and smoothed out. Add the sugar and salt and whisk until well incorporated. Beat the eggs in a small bowl until blended and add them to the chocolate mixture, stir until completely blended. Pour the filling into the cooled tart shell and bake at 325 degrees F for 15 to 20 minutes until the filling is set and the surface is glossy. If you see any bubbles or cracks forming on the surface, take the tart out right away – that means it is beginning to become over baked. Cool before cutting.

 

CINDY WALKER'S CHEESECAKE

　

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs

1/2 cup white sugar

1/4 cup butter, melted

5 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened

5 eggs

2 egg yolks

1 3/4 cups white sugar

1/8 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup heavy whipping cream

1.Preheat oven to 200 degrees F

2.Mix the graham cracker crumbs, 1/2 cup of the white sugar, and the melted butter together. Press mixture into the bottom of one 9 or 10 inch springform pan.

3.In a large bowl, combine cream cheese, eggs and egg yolks; mix until smooth. Add the remaining 1 3/4 cups white sugar, the flour and the heavy cream. Blend until smooth. Pour batter into prepared pan.

4.Bake at 200 degrees for 3 hours, 20 minutes or until filling is set. Let cheesecake cool, then refrigerate overnight.

NANA'S FRIED SHRIMP

“PEEL AND DEVEIN SHRIMP. IT'S EASIER IF YOU DO THE DEVEINING UNDER COLD RUNNING WATER.  AS YOU ARE CLEANING THE SHRIMP, KEEP AS COLD AS POSSIBLE WITH ICE CUBES.

SOAK THE SHRIMP IN A MIXTURE OF 2 EGGS, 1/4 CUP OF LEMON JUICE, A LITTLE ONION AND GARLIC SALT AND PEPPER FOR 2 HOURS OR MORE.

MAKE A MIXTURE OF SELF RISING FLOUR, SELF RISING WHITE CORN MEAL ( HALF AND HALF ) A LITTLE ONION AND GARLIC SALT AND PEPPER. ALSO, A GOOD HEAVY SPRINKLING OF PAPRIKA. DREDGE THE SHRIMP IN THE MIXTURE GOOD. YOU CAN DO THIS EARLY OR AS YOU ARE COOKING IT.

HAVE SOME CRISCO OIL FAIRLY HOT IN THE FRYING PAN AND BY THE TIME YOU PUT THE LAST SHRIMP IN THE PAN, IT WILL SOON BE TIME TO TURN THE FIRST SHRIMP. DON'T COOK TOO LONG AS THIS MAKE THE SHRIMP TOUGH. 
ALSO, WHEN BUYING SHRIMP, BE SURE THEY ARE NOT PINK BUT PEARLY GRAY. THAT MEANS THEY ARE FRESH.”

NANA'S SPAGHETTI SAUCE - again - she made by feel - found her handwritten recipe!

Brown hamburger and Italian sausage in frying pan.  Add onion and green pepper.  Add cans of tomato sauce, paste or puree, and stewed tomatoes.  Season with oregano, parsley, pepper, garlic and 1/2 to 1 teaspoon sugar and kikomon sauce.  You can add mushrooms.  Cook slow for several hours.

NANA'S CHILI - she hand wrote this - and she made it by feel - sooooo!

Brown onion and green pepper in hot fat.  Add tomato sauce, kikoman sauce to pot, then add ground beef.  As beef cooks in hot sauce, separate meat.  Season to taste with pepper, garlic salt, parsley, and chili powder.  Add onion soup mix.  Cook about one hour, then add drained kidney beans.  If mixture is too thick, add V8 tomato juice.  If too thin, remove cover and let cook down.

Pecan Pie Cookies

Ingredients

·         1 prepared single pie crust (homemade or purchased, I used Pillsbury)

·         2 tablespoons butter, melted

·         ½ cup pecans, chopped

·         ⅓ cup packed brown sugar

·         ¼ cup corn syrup

·         2 eggs

·         ¼ teaspoon salt

Optional

·         ¼ cup semi sweet or milk chocolate chip for decorating.

Instructions

1.    Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2.    In a large non-stick pan, combine butter, pecans, brown sugar, corn syrup, salt and eggs. Cook on the stove top over medium-low heat just until thickened. (You don't want it dry, just slightly thickened, about the consistency of pudding). Remove from heat and set aside.

3.    Unroll dough and using a 3" round cookie cutter, cut out circles. Gently fold about ⅛-1/4" up on the edges.  

4.  Spoon 1 tablespoon of the pecan mixture into each circle.

5.    Place on a parchment lined pan (it's important to line it) and bake 8 minutes or until filling is just set. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack.

6.    Place chocolate chips in a small Ziploc bag (use brand name, the store brands tend to leak). Microwave about 15 seconds or until mostly melted. Snip off a tiny corner of the baggie and drizzle chocolate over the cookies. Cool until set.