The first 3 recipes in this article are all from A+ Recipes from Hickory Hollow Christian School printed March 2012; used with permission. Look for this at the kitchen stores in both markets – the Shops at Dayton (Kitchen Wares & More) on Rt. 42 and Heritage Market (Kitchen Kupboard) on Rt. 11.
Cream of Asparagus Soup
½ c. chopped onion
1 T. oil
2 (14 ½ oz.) cans chicken broth
2 ½ lb. fresh asparagus, chopped
¼ tsp. tarragon
¼ c. butter
¼ c. flour
½ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. white pepper
3 c. half & half cream
1 ½ tsp. lemon juice
shredded Swiss cheese
In large saucepan, sauté onion in oil; add broth, asparagus and tarragon, then simmer until asparagus is tender, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and purée with blender or food processor; set aside. In another soup kettle, melt butter; stir in flour. Cook until beginning to brown; slowly add cream and salt and pepper. Bring to boil and add asparagus mixture and lemon juice. Heat through. Garnish with Swiss cheese. Yield: 2 quarts; 8 servings.
Cornbread Salad
1 (8 oz.) box Jiffy cornbread mix or favorite cornbread
1 (4 oz.) can green chilies, undrained
⅛ to ¼ tsp. ground cumin
⅛ tsp. oregano (opt.)
pinch of sage (opt.)
1 or 2 (15 oz.) cans pinto or kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 or 2 (15 oz.) cans whole kernel corn, drained
3 med. tomatoes, chopped (opt.)
canned jalapeños (opt.)
1 c. chopped green pepper
½ to 1 c. chopped onion
2 c. grated cheese
8 to 10 strips bacon, fried & crumbled
Dressing:
1 c. mayonnaise
1 c. sour cream
1 pkg. ranch dressing mix
Bake cornbread in 9-inch square pan according to package directions, adding chilies and herbs. Cool completely and cube or crumble. Combine the chopped vegetables; set aside. Mix dressing ingredients together.
To assemble, layer half the cornbread in 9×13-inch dish or trifle bowl. Continue to layer half of beans and corn, half of dressing, half of chopped vegetables, bacon and cheese. Repeat layers. Dish will be very full. Refrigerate 2 to 3 hours before serving. Yield: 15 to 20 servings.
Herb Fish Fillets
¼ c. finely-chopped onion
2 T. butter
½ tsp. minced garlic
1 T. lemon juice
2 tsp. parsley
¼ – ½ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. dried tarragon
⅛ tsp. dried thyme
1 lb. white fish or tilapia (or trout?)
¼ c. dry bread crumbs
In small microwave-safe dish, combine onion, butter and garlic. Microwave, uncovered on high for 1 to 2 minutes, or until onion is partially cooked. Stir in lemon juice, salt and herbs. Arrange fillets in a greased 2-quart dish. Top with half of butter mixture. Stir bread crumbs into remaining butter mixture; sprinkle over fillets. Cover and microwave on high 4 to 6 minutes, or until fish flakes easily with fork. Yield: 4 servings
Rhubarb Crunch
1 c. flour
¾ c. uncooked oatmeal
1 c. brown sugar
½ c. melted butter
1 tsp. cinnamon
4 c. diced rhubarb
Mix flour, oatmeal, brown sugar, butter and cinnamon together until crumbly. Press half of crumbs in a greased 9 inch baking pan. Cover with diced rhubarb.
1 c. sugar
2 T. cornstarch (or Thermflo*)
1 c. water
1 tsp. vanilla
Combine and cook until thick and clear. Pour over rhubarb. Top with remaining crumbs. Bake at 350ºF for 1 hour.
*My explanation concerning cornstarch v. Thermflo:
For the thickening, I always use Thermflo, a modified food starch derived from waxy maize that has “exceptional tolerance to heat and shear”, as described on manufacturer and distributor websites. One year I canned apple pie filling with – one made with corn starch and the other with Thermflo. The jars with cornstarch were opaque and murky looking; the cornstarch clotted around the apple slices. The jars made using Thermflo had a rich, brown, translucent and smooth textured appearance. I was astounded at the difference! You can find Thermflo at Sharp Shopper and other bulk food stores.
