Hard Boiled Eggs – More Than You Ever Wanted to Know

This is what the experts say!  I say – take your chances and hope for the best.  Always boil a few extra just in case.  Use not farm fresh, room temperature eggs.  Peel them at room temperature, not cold from the fridge.  For altitude, add 5 minutes to boil/wait time.

Check the internet – there are directions for every other cooking device you can name.

How to Make Hard-Boiled Eggs That Are Actually Easy to Peel
Because no one has time to spend 15 minutes peeling an egg.

Why can’t all hard-boiled eggs be easy-peel hard-boiled eggs? For a food that seems so simple to make (eggs + water), boiled eggs can be utterly infuriating—especially when it comes to the peeling. You’ve been there: All that’s standing between you and egg korma (or egg salad) is a bunch of just-boiled eggs and yet it’s taking you 15 minutes to peel each one and you’re removing huge gashes of white with every tiny shard of stubborn shell. It’s enough to drive you mad, even if you aren’t very, very hungry.

The truth of the matter is that making easy-peel hard-boiled (or soft-boiled!) eggs starts well before you get to the peeling. It begins with the eggs you choose, how you cook them, and how to treat them once your timer (yes, you must set a timer) dings. For eggs with yellow yolks set to your liking and pearly, smooth, unblemished exteriors, follow these guidelines for how to make hard-boiled eggs:

  1. Don’t use super-fresh eggs.  Farm-fresh eggs are going to be harder to peel—it’s a matter of their particular chemistry. To minimize frustration, save those straight-from-the-hen eggs for frying and scrambling and use a carton from the grocery store when you’re boiling.
  1. Start the eggs in boiling water.  Eggs added to boiling water rather than brought to a boil in the pot along with the cold water will be easier to peel. Plus, when you’re boiling eggs with the intention of jamminess—say, for soy-marinated eggs, this method allows for more precise timing. (Otherwise, you’ll have to watch closely to observe the exact moment the water comes to a boil.)  The biggest risk with adding eggs to boiling water is that they’ll crack and end up deflated and lopsided. To minimize that risk, scoot them in gingerly, using a spoon, then maintain a gentle simmer rather than a vigorous bubble so that they don’t knock around in the pot. Cook up to 8 eggs in a 2-quart saucepan—more than that and they might butt heads and crack open.
  1. Set a timer.  That’s 7 minutes for jammy eggs with firm but gooey yolks, 10 minutes for cooked through (but not chalky). If you’re using XL or jumbo eggs, you’ll need a bit more time.
  1. Use an ice bath.  Unless you halt their cooking, that timer was for naught. Let the eggs hang out in the cold water for a couple of minutes, until they’re just cool enough to handle, 2–3 minutes.  Using an ice bath helps halt the cooking process. Carry-over-cooking, be gone!
  1. Peel the eggs under the water while they’re still slightly warm. This keeps the pesky shells—which should slip off fairly easily—contained. It also helps if you crack the egg at the fattest end, where you’ll find the air pocket, and peel from there. If you’re still having trouble, peeling eggs under a running faucet can help the shells slide off.

Keep any eggs you won’t be using right away unpeeled, though—they’ll last longer that way!—and store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.

Source:  Bon Appetite, Sarah Jampel

Classic Hard Boiled Eggs on the Stovetop

This is the old-fashioned straight up way of hard-boiling eggs. Water and heat—that’s all you need. And a kitchen timer. Just cover the eggs with water, bring to a boil, then remove from heat and let the eggs sit for about ten minutes.

  • Method:
  • Cover the eggs in a saucepan with water.
    Fill a saucepan about a quarter of the way with cold water. Place the eggs in a single layer at
    the bottom of the saucepan. Add more water so that the eggs are covered by at least an inch
    or two of water.
    The more eggs that are crowding the pan the more water you should have over the eggs. 6
    eggs should be covered by at least an inch, 7 to 12 eggs, 2 inches.
  • Heat the pot on high heat and bring the water to a full rolling boil.
    Adding a teaspoon of vinegar to the water may help keep egg whites from running out if an
    egg does crack while cooking. Also some people find adding 1/2 teaspoon of salt to the water
    helps prevent cracking as well as making the eggs easier to peel.
  • Turn off the heat, keep the pan on the hot burner, cover, and let sit for 10-12 minutes.
    If you have the type of stove burner that doesn’t retain heat when turned off, you might want
    to lower the temp to low, simmer for a minute, and then turn it off.
    Depending on how cooked you like your hard boiled eggs, the eggs should be done perfectly
    in 10-12 minutes. That said, depending on your altitude, the shape of the pan, the size of the
    eggs, the ratio of water to eggs, it can take a few minutes more.
    Or if you like your eggs not fully hard cooked, it can take a few minutes less. When you find a
    time that works for you, given your preferences, the types of eggs you buy, your pots, stove,
    and cooking environment, stick with it.
    If I’m cooking a large batch of eggs, after 10 minutes I’ll sacrifice one to check for doneness,
    by removing it with a spoon, running it under cold water, and cutting it open. If it’s not done
    enough for my taste, I’ll cook the other eggs a minute or two longer.
    I also find that it is very hard to overcook eggs using this method. I can let the eggs sit,
    covered, for up to 15-18 minutes without the eggs getting overcooked.
  • Strain the water from the pan and run cold water over the eggs to cool them quickly and stop
    them from cooking further
    Or, if you are cooking a large batch of eggs, remove them with a slotted spoon to a large bowl
    of ice water.
    I find it easiest to peel the eggs under a bit of running water.
    The best way to store hard boiled eggs is in a covered container in the refrigerator. Eggs can
    release odors in the fridge which is why it helps to keep them covered.
    They should be eaten within 5 days.
  • Pros: Simple and doesn’t require any special equipment
  • Con: Sometimes eggs are hard to peel, especially farm-fresh eggs
  • Best for: Easter eggs or egg salad

Steamed Hard Boiled Eggs

To do this, place the eggs in a steamer basket in a pan with about an inch of water, then steam for about ten minutes.

  • Method:
  • Prepare pot and steamer basket:  If you are using a steamer basket, fill a saucepan with as much water as needed to reach the bottom of the steamer basket (about 1 inch or so). If you are not using a steamer basket, just fill the bottom of a saucepan with 1/2 inch of water.
  • Heat water to boiling.  Heat the water on high heat until it is boiling and producing steam. 
  • Turn off the heat
  • Add eggs to pot:  Gently place the eggs at the bottom of the steamer basket or the bottom
    of the pan.
  • Turn the heat back on again to medium high, and cover the pot.  This method works best if the eggs are in a single layer, but you can double them up as well, you’ll just need to add more time to the steaming time.
  • Set your timer and steam the eggs:  Set your timer for 6 minutes for soft boiled, 10 minutes for hard boiled with a still translucent and bright yolk, or 12-15 minutes for cooked-through hard boiled. If you have doubled up the eggs in the pan and they are not in a single layer, you may need to add a couple minutes or so to the cooking time for hard boiled.
    Note that many things will influence the steaming time, including altitude and the size of the
    particular eggs you are using.
  • Remove eggs to a bowl of icy cold water:  Remove eggs with a spoon to a bowl of cold water or ice water, or run cold water directly into the pan to cover the eggs and quickly cool them down.
  • Pros: Great for making easy-to-peel eggs with farm-fresh eggs
  • Cons: Can only cook about 6 eggs at once (more are ok, but the cooking time can be less predictable)
  • Best for: Deviled eggs, pickled eggs, salads like Nicoise salad
Source:   Simply Recipes, Carrie Havranek

Easy Hard Boiled Eggs (in oven)

Making hard boiled eggs in the oven AKA Baked Hard Boiled Eggs is a foolproof method for perfect hard boiled eggs every time!

Method:

  • First, preheat oven to 325ºF.
  • Place 12 large eggs (straight out of the fridge) into a muffin tin.
  • Bake at 325ºF for 25-32 minutes:
    25 minutes: Medium with a jelly consistency and hard to peel
    27 minutes: Moist, fully cooked, a little hard to peel
    30 minutes: Fully cooked and easier to peel
    32 minutes: Fully cooked, chalky consistency, and easiest to peel
  • While your eggs are baking, create your ice water bath. Fill a large bowl with water and then add ice.
  • Once your eggs are done cooking, remove the muffin tin from the oven and immediately transfer eggs into the ice water bath for 10 minutes. This will make the eggs easier to peel and prevent the yolk from changing color.
  • After 10 minutes, remove eggs from ice bath and either store in the fridge for up to 1 week, or peel and eat immediately.
    Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-5 days.

Source:  Fit Foodie

How to Make Boiled Eggs in the Microwave
Method:

  • Add 2 to 6 eggs in the bottom of a microwave safe bowl.
  • Cover the eggs with water at least 1/2 inch above the eggs.
  • Add a 1/2 teaspoon of salt for each egg (1 teaspoon for 2 eggs and 3 teaspoons for 6 eggs.)
  • Microwave for 4 minutes for 2 eggs, 5 minutes for 4 eggs, 6 minutes for 6 eggs.
  • Fill another bowl with ice and water or cold water.
  • If you want soft boiled eggs with runny egg yolks, immediately remove the eggs from the water and
  • plunge in a ice cold water.
    If you want hard boiled eggs, allow them to stay in the hot water for 2-3 additional minutes. Two minutes will give you just slightly creamy egg yolks. Three minutes will give you firm egg yolks.

Source:  Just Microwave It.

That Sausage Rice Casserole You Asked For

When Margie was in college she spent a summer in Woods Hole  Massachusetts on a program called Sea Semester. The class included a 6 weeks on land and 6 week sail to New England, Canada, and the Grand Banks on a 125 ft Staysail Schooner. They did everything on the ship – set sails, swab decks and cook.  There were frequent calls for recipes.  This is one of them.  It was the beginning of our family cook book – The Blue Book.

Ingredients:

  • 2 lb fresh bulk sausage
  • 1 c rice
  • 1 can chicken gumbo soup (Margie used Cream of Chicken.  Celery or mushroom would work too)
  • a spoonful or two of ketchup
  • 1/2 tsp chili powder
  • 2 c water
  • (Margie added a bag of frozen spinach)

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350°.
  2. Break up the sausage in a frying pan.
  3. Brown well.
  4. Drain off fat.
  5. Stir in rice.  Add soup, ketchup, chili powder, and water (and spinach).
  6. Mix well.
  7. Place in casserole.
  8. Cover tightly.
  9. Bake for about 40 minutes.

Serves:  8-10

Source:  An old newspaper recipe Margie found tucked in an old cookbook.

Butterscotch Sauce

Pretty basic, but I like it a little thinner so I added another 1/4 cup of sour cream.

FYI:  Butterscotch vs Caramel
The flavor of caramel is characterized by caramelized white sugar independent of molasses, butter or even salt. Butterscotch sauce is made with dark brown sugar, butter, salt, and some cream. Caramel sauce does not have to include butter, but butter is an integral part of butterscotch.

Ingredients:  

  • 1 c brown sugar, firmly packed
  • 2 Tab butter
  • 1/4 c sour cream
  • 1 tsp vanilla

Directions:

  1. Mix the brown sugar, butter and sour cream together in a medium saucepan.
  2. Cook the mixture on low heat.
  3. Constantly stir the mixture for about 5 minutes or until the mixture has melted and is bubbling.
  4. Remove from heat.
  5. Add the vanilla.
  6. Pour over dessert of your choice.

Servings: 4

Source:  Daisy.com

Potato Gratin (Pommes Dauphinois)

“The recipe is from Dorie Greenspan’s Around My French Table and is made of layers of thinly sliced potatoes bathed in garlic-infused cream and topped with cheese, then baked until the cheese melts and the potatoes turn soft on the inside, slightly crusty on top. The dish lends itself to much improvisation, as Greenspan explains in her “Bonne Idée”:  for a dash of colour, try substituting sweet potato for an equal amount of russets, or add a layer of cooked chopped spinach or chard, sautéed mushrooms, or steamed small broccoli florets. Bits of cooked bacon or strips of lightly sautéed pancetta would also work well, and in place of the Gruyère, try Parmesan or a blue cheese like Gorgonzola.”

These are TO DIE FOR!!  Margie made them for Easter using  Cheddar cheese.  If you let them wait in a warm oven for about half an hour, all the cream is absorbed by the potatoes.

Ingredients:

  • 1¾ c heavy cream
  • 3 garlic cloves, split, germ removed, and finely chopped
  • 2-2¼ lbs Idaho (russet) potatoes
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper
  • Light cream or whole milk, if needed
  • Small thyme or rosemary sprigs (optional)
  • ¼ lb cheese, preferably Gruyere, grated (about 1 cup)

Directions:

  1. Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 °.
  2. Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment.
  3. Generously butter a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate (a Pyrex pan is perfect) or other 2-quart baking pan and put it on the baking sheet.
  4. Put the heavy cream and garlic in a saucepan and bring to a gentle simmer over low heat.
  5. Keep it warm while you work on the potatoes.
  6. If you’ve got a mandoline or Benriner slicer, now’s the time to get it out; if not, you can use the thin slicing blade of a food processor or a sturdy sharp knife. One by one, peel the potatoes and slice them into rounds about ⅛ inch thick.
  7. As each potato is cut, arrange the slices in slightly overlapping concentric circles in the pie plate (or rows, if your pan isn’t round).
  8. Season with salt and pepper.
  9. Spoon over some of the warm garlic-infused cream, lightly pressing down on the potatoes with the back of the spoon so that the cream works its way around all of the slices.
  10. Continue until you’ve filled the pan. If you’re shy of a little garlic-infused cream – you want the cream to just peek around the edges of the pan – pour over a little light cream or milk.
  11. If you’re using the herbs, strew them over the potatoes.
  12. Dust the top of the gratin with the grated cheese.
  13. Slide the gratin (on the baking sheet) into the oven and bake for 45 minutes.
  14. Then check the gratin; if you can poke a knife through the potatoes and easily reach the bottom of the pan, the gratin is done. If the potatoes need more time but the gratin is getting too brown, cover the top loosely with foil and bake until the potatoes are tender, another 15 minutes or so.
  15. Remove the gratin from the oven and let it rest in a very warm place (or in the turned-off oven with the door open) for 5 to 10 minutes before you serve it, just so the bubbles can settle down and the potatoes can absorb the maximum amount of cream.

Serves: 8

Source:  Dorie  Greenspan, “Around My French Table”

Salad Bar Forever!

Once you start thinking of things to add to a salad bar, your brain goes crazy!  And this is just a beginning.  A salad bar can be a main, side, or “instead of”.  Because of the way food comes packaged (cans, bags, bunches) there will be leftovers

Ingredients:

§  LETTUCE – iceberg, romaine, red, mixed, spinach, kale, cabbage – red/green

§  TOMATOES – Roma, cherry, heirloom, sundried

§  MUSHROOMS – white, baby portobello, fancy, marinated

§  CELERY

§  RADISHS

§  PEPPER – green, red, yellow, jalapeno

§  CARROTS – fresh, pickled

§  CUCUMBERS – fresh, marinated

§  BEANS – garbanzo, kidney, pinto, green, wax, edamame

§  ONION – green, red, sweet, pickled, crispy

§  CHEESE – cheddar, jack, blue, parmesan, feta, burrata, mixed grated, grated/diced cheese of last week

§  BACON BITS

§  BEEF – diced, shredded, ground with taco seasoning

§  SEAFOOD – scallops, crab, salmon, shrimp – bay, tuna – plain old canned

§  CHICKEN – diced, shredded, seasoned, chicken sausage

§  HAM – julienne, diced

§  SALAMI

§  HARD BOILED EGGS

§  PEAS – snap, baby

§  BROCCOLI, SQUASH, ASPARAGUS, BEETS – roasted, marinated/pickled, fresh

§  CORN – roasted, plain, baby

§  ARTICHOKE HEARTS

§  FRUIT – pears, grapes, mandarin oranges, apples, avocado,
strawberries, pomegranate arils, melon

§  DRIED FRUIT – cranberries, cherries, raisins, mango, blueberries

§  CRUNCH – croutons – plain, seasoned, tortilla strips, crispy noodles, water chestnuts, jicama

§  NUTS – pine, pecans, almond slivers, peanuts, candied, roasted

§  SEEDS – pepitas, sunflower, sesame

§  OLIVES – green, black, sliced, marinated, Greek

§  FRESH HERBS – Basil, Mint, Chives, Dill, Parsley

§  GRAINS – Couscous, Farro, Quinoa, Barley, Rice

§  OTHER – tofu, cottage cheese, seasonal (ramps, fiddlehead fern)

§  ASSORTED DRESSINGS – bottled AND/or home made.  Be sure all have labels.

Directions:

  1. Slice, dice, cut open all the ingredients.
  2. Place in bowls with serving spoons, tongs.

Serves:  1 head of lettuce will serve 6-8

Note:  For a large crowd double the ingredient bowls and use both sides of the table to serve.

 

This entry was posted in Salads and tagged .

Old Fashioned Whiskey Cake

“This came from my sister’s mother-in-law many, many years ago and has been handed down over the years. It’s not only a great dessert, it also makes a wonderful gift at Christmastime.”  – Especially if you make it in a mini bunt pan.  Perfect hostess gift!  I add cream cheese frosting because I like cream cheese frosting.

Ingredients – Cake:

  • 1  box yellow cake mix (I used pecan cake mix)
  • 1 (3 1/2 ounce) box instant vanilla pudding
  • 4 eggs
  • 1/2 c oil
  • 3/4 c whole milk or 3/4 c 2% low-fat milk
  • 1  3/4  fluid oz whiskey
  • 1 c pecans or 1 cup walnuts, chopped

Ingredients – Icing:

  • 1/2 c butter, melted
  • 1 c sugar
  • 1/2 c whiskey

Directions – Cake:

  1. Combine all ingredients and mix for 3 minutes by hand.
  2. Pour into well-greased bundt pan.
  3. Bake for 50-60 minutes at 350 degrees. Toothpick should come out clean.
  4. Leave the cake in the pan.
  5. Using a long toothpick or skewer , poke several holes into cake.

Directions – Icing:

  1. Combine sugar, whiskey, and butter in small sauce pan.
  2. Cook on stovetop on medium.
  3. Heat until sugar is dissolved and mixture is brown.
  4. Pour 3/4 of icing onto cake.
  5. Let set 15 minutes.
  6. Flip cake onto plate.
  7. Brush remaining icing onto top& sides of cake.

Serves: 8 – 10

Source:  Cookin Katie

Cream Cheese Frosting

This frosting was originally from a Bon Appetit  but has been tweaked a bit by Margie and Ginger.

Ingredients:

  • 8 oz. cream cheese, room temp.
  • 10 tbsp (1¼ sticks) butter, room temp.
  • ¼ c spiced rum (or, in this case, whiskey)
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract or paste
  • 4½  c (1 lb) powdered sugar

Instructions:

  1. Beat cream cheese and butter with an electric mixer in a large bowl until smooth.
  2. Beat in rum and vanilla.
  3. Add powdered sugar (best to do in three additions, beating just until frosting is smooth after each addition; if you overbeat the frosting will become too soft to spread).

SourceBon Appetit, 10/2007

Ghirardelli Classic Fudge

James made this for Christmas – too good, too easy.  To facilitate removing fudge, have wax paper overlap top edge of pan.  Use two sheets of wax paper.

Ingredients:

  • 1 bar (4 oz) Ghirardelli Unsweetened Chocolate 100% Cacao Baking Bar
  • 1 1/2 c Ghirardelli Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
  • 1 1/4 c (10 oz) sweetened condensed milk
  • 1 1/2 tsp
  • Vanilla extract

Directions:

  1. Line an 8-inch square pan with waxed paper.
  2. Place all chocolate in a double boiler over hot, not boiling, water.
  3. Stir occasionally until the chocolate is melted.
  4. Stir in the sweetened condensed milk and the vanilla extract.
  5. Spread chocolate fudge evenly in prepared baking pan.
  6. Refrigerate for 2 hours, or until firm.
  7. Cut fudge into 25 squares using a long sharp knife.
  8. Store in an air-tight container, at room temperature.

Baker’s Tip: To add a twist on the classic fudge recipe top with: Ghirardelli Peppermint Bark SQUARES, toasted pecans, or drizzle melted white chocolate on top.

Serves:   25 pieces fudge

Source:  Wrapper of Ghirardelli 100% cacao unsweetened chocolate bar.

No-Churn Bourbon Brown Sugar Ice Cream

This is the easiest, fastest and best-tasting ice cream we’ve made all summer.  There are two optional mix-ins; choose none or one but not both.  Knowing how to pull off a great no-churn ice cream comes in handy whenever you need a frozen dessert in a hurry, or on those occasions when you want to serve a crowd. Compared with recipes for traditional ice cream, no-churn recipes are neither limited to the capacity of an ice cream machine nor do they require lengthy cooling for the pre-churned custard base.

Ingredients – Ice Cream:

  • 4 large eggs
  • 3 1/2 oz granulated sugar (about 1/2 c)
  • 1 1/2 oz light brown sugar (shy 1/4 c, loosely packed)
  • 1/2 oz bourbon (about 1 Tab) (The bourbon can be omitted, if alcohol is an issue.)
  • 1/2 oz vanilla extract (about 1 tablespoon)
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt (or slightly less)
  • Pinch ground cinnamon
  • 6 oz heavy cream (about 3/4 c)

Ingredients – Buttered Pecans (optional):

  • 1 oz unsalted butter, sliced into thin pats (about 2 tablespoons)
  • 4 oz raw pecan pieces (about 3/4 cup)
  • 1/8 tsp kosher salt

Ingredients -Crispy Cinnamon Clusters (optional):

  • 2 oz finely chopped dark, milk or good-quality white chocolate (about 1/3 c)
  • 1/2 oz refined coconut oil (1 heaping Tab) (olive, sunflower,avocado, almond oils can be a substitute but will alter flavor)
  • 1 1/4 oz Kix (about 1 1/3 cups), Crispix (1 heaping c), Rice Krispies (about 1 c) or other crunchy, low-sugar cereal
  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Directions – Ice Cream:

  1. Combine the eggs, granulated and brown sugars, the bourbon, vanilla extract, salt and cinnamon in a large glass or ceramic bowl.
  2. Stir with a flexible spatula until well combined.
  3. Place the bowl over a large pan of gently bubbling water.
  4. Stir and scrape continuously until the mixture registers 160° on an instant-read thermometer. This should take no more than 10 minutes, so adjust the heat as needed to keep things moving along.
  5. Transfer the bowl to a cool work surface.
  6. Use a handheld electric mixer to beat the warmed egg-sugar mixture until pale and thick enough to hold soft peaks, about 15 minutes. When properly mixed, the mixture will be thick enough to mound up on itself in the bowl when dropped from a spoon.  (A stand mixer will cut the time in half.)
  7. Whip the cream to stiff peaks in a separate large bowl;
  8. Add about one-third of the foamed egg mixture, whisking by hand to incorporate.
  9. Add the remaining egg mixture, and fold until well combined.
  10. Scrape into a 2-quart glass or ceramic baking dish, cover with plastic wrap.
  11. Place in the freezer. If you plan to use any mix-ins, let the ice cream freeze for about 1 hour, until thick and firm, before folding them in.
  12. With or without mix-ins, continue freezing until the ice cream reaches 0° before scooping.
  13. Serve as you would traditional ice cream, in ice cream cones or chilled bowls.

Directions – Buttered Pecans:

  1. Melt the butter in a large skillet over low heat.
  2. Then increase heat to medium.
  3. Stir constantly with a heat-resistant spatula, until the butter is golden brown, about 1 minute.
  4. Remove from the heat, add the pecans.
  5. Sprinkle with salt.
  6. Stir until well coated.
  7. Let the pecans stand for 15 minutes; this will allow them to fully absorb the butter.
  8. Meanwhile, position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 350°.
  9. Line a plate with parchment paper.
  10. Transfer the skillet to the oven (lower rack).
  11. Toast the pecans until fragrant and golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes depending on your personal preference.
  12. Scrape onto the plate.
  13. Freeze until cold and dry to the touch, about 15 minutes.
  14. Transfer to a quart-size, freezer zip-top bag and freeze until ready to use (up to several weeks).

Directions for Crispy Cinnamon Clusters (optional):

  1.  Line a plate with parchment paper.
  2. Melt the chocolate and coconut oil in a medium, microwave-safe bowl, on HIGH for 30 seconds.
  3. Stir well.
  4. Add the cereal and cinnamon, folding the mixture with a spatula so the cereal is completely coated.
  5. Scrape onto the plate.
  6. Freeze until cold and dry to the touch, about 15 minutes.
  7. Transfer to a quart-size, freezer zip-top bag and freeze until ready to use (up to several weeks).

Serves:   6

Source:  Stella Parks, SeriousEats.com.

Shrimp Delight

Shrimp lovers and cheese lovers will wrestle for a chance to dip their crackers into this delicious, easy dip.  A quick heat in the oven to melt the cheese is good too.

Ingredients:

  • 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
  • ½ (12 ounce) jar cocktail sauce
  • 1/2 lb bay shrimp or 2 (4 ounce) cans small shrimp, drained
  • 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

Directions:

  1. In a 9 inch round serving dish, spread the cream cheese.
  2. Top with a layer of cocktail sauce.
  3. Arrange shrimp evenly over cocktail sauce.
  4. Sprinkle Cheddar cheese over all.
  5. Chill in the refrigerator approximately 1 hour before serving.

Serves:  24  — 3 cups

Source:  Allrecipes -Vicki Stogner contributor

Peach Cobbler from A Boat, A Whale & A Walrus

You have to try this Peach  Cobbler – sort of Peach Cobbler. The method is a bit unusual.  It results in a sticky-crunchy topping that is hard to beat. Use the same crust to top summer berries, if you prefer. Margie served it topped with No-Churn Bourbon Brown Sugar Ice Cream and Buttered Pecans.  To Die For!!!

Ingredients:

  • 10 large peaches (about 4½ pounds), unpeeled, cut into 1-inch chunks
  • Zest and juice of 1 large lemon
  • ½ c (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 c sugar, divided
  • 1½ c  flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • ¾ cup whole milk
  • ½ cup hot tap water
  • Heavy cream, for serving

Directions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°.
  2. Put the peaches in a 9-by-13-inch (or similar) baking pan or gratin dish.
  3. Pat the peaches into a roughly even layer.
  4. Using a zester or a Microplane, zest the lemon evenly over the fruit and squeeze the lemon juice evenly over the top.
  5. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and 1½ cups of the sugar on medium speed until sandy, about 1 minute.
  6. Add the flour, baking powder, and salt.
  7. Beat again for another 30 seconds, until all the flour is incorporated and the mixture is evenly crumbly.
  8. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add in the milk.
  9. Increase the speed to medium and beat until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
  10. Plop the batter in 6 large blobs over the top of the peaches.
  11. With an offset spatula or small knife, carefully spread the batter evenly over the fruit, so it’s no more than about ½ inch thick in any one place.
  12. Sprinkle the remaining ½ cup sugar directly over the batter.
  13. Drizzle the hot water evenly over the sugar, using it to melt the sugar into the topping. (Use it all. It’s a strange method, but it works.)
  14. Bake the cobbler for 70 to 80 minutes, or until the top is browned and cracked. (A toothpick inserted into the topping should come out dry—be sure to check in a few places.)
  15. Let the cobbler sit for about a half an hour to firm up before serving warm in big bowls, with heavy cream poured on top.

Serves:   8

Source:  Epicurus by Renee Erickson