4 lbs yams

1 ¼ cups sugar

2 tlbs cornstarch

1 tsp salt

2 cups orange juice

4 tlbs butter or margarine

1 ½ tsp grated orange peel

1 orange, thinly sliced

Peeled yams cut into ½ in thick slices, discarding thin ends.  Overlapping slices, arrange in rows in a shallow 3 quart casserole or baking dish; Set aside.

In a small pan, combine sugar, cornstarch, and salt; stir in orange juice until well blended. Bring to a boil over high heat and cook, stirring, until sauce thickens and becomes clear (about 1 minute).

Remove from heat, add butter and orange peel, and stir until butter is melted. Pour over yams. Bake, uncovered, in a 400 oven for 45 minutes. Uncover and baste tops of yams thoroughly with sauce.

Continue baking, uncovered, basting with sauce several more times, for 15 minutes or until yams are tender when pierced and tops are well glazed. Garnish with orange slices.

Makes 12 to 14 servings.

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Susan Polk hosted twelve members to a delicious brunch on August 26. The group welcomed first timers Barbara Tiner and Cynthia Jackson to the event.

The food varieties were wonderful and very tasty. Lee brought ripe cantaloupe with prosciutto; Tina provided more fruit and croissants; Paula made a tasty fruit medley; Cynthia made very pretty ( and tasty) Sweet bruschetta (recipe posted) ; Jan made a Baked French Toast (recipe posted); Barbara A. baked a crustless quiche with a pineapple salsa; Barbara T. made the “World Famous Hash Brown Casserole”; Susan provided tofutti crepes and tiny quiches; Myrna treated us to a typical NY bagel, cream cheese, lox, pickled herring and smoked fish spread; Grace made a wonderful Strawberry Arugula Spring Salad; and for dessert, Jo provided an apple coffee cake while Christine treated the group to chocolate croissants. Needless to say, we all left with full tummies and doggie bags – talking about the long walks we would need to work off the calories consumed.

Think about joining the group for our next epicurean adventure with Mexican food in September!

Baked French Toast Recipe

Sweet Bruschetta Recipe

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What a great time we had Friday 2/22 at cooking. My husband, John, made our favorite Bolognese sauce and I made the antipasta and sangria. Avoiding getting loopy, we all feasted and talked and laughed all afternoon. We had 12 at our extended dining room table, but knee to knee and elbow to elbow-it didn’t matter. Our group is so much fun, and we hope it keeps getting larger (not the belly lol). Please join us next month at Candice Hovland’s home for Casseroles ( the last of the winter comfort food.) Fondly-Myrna

Meat Sauce Bolognese

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, minced (about 1 cup)
1 medium carrot, peeled and finely chopped (about ½ cup)
½ cup minced celery, with leaves (about 1 stalk)
Salt (not much)
1 pound ground beef (80% lean)
1 pound ground pork
½ cup dry red wine
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 28oz can San Marzano tomatoes, hand crushed
3 bay leaves
Ground black pepper
4 cups hot water, or as needed

Heat the olive oil in a wide, 3-4 quart pan or Dutch oven over medium heat. Stir in the onion, carrot, and celery, season lightly with salt, and cook, stirring, until the onion is translucent, about 4 minutes. Crumble in the ground beef and pork and continue coking, stirring to break up the meat, until all the liquid the meat has given off is evaporated and the meat is lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Pour in the wine and cook, scraping the bottom of the pan, until the wine is evaporated, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and cook a few minutes. Pour in the tomatoes, toss in the bay leaves, and season with salt and pepper to taste (not too much).

Bring to a boil; then lower the heat so the sauce is at a lively simmer. Cook the sauce, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is dense but juicy and a rich, dark-red color. (Most likely, a noticeable layer of oil will float to the top toward the end of cooking.) This will take about 2 to 3 hours. (The longer you cook it, the better it will become.) While the sauce is cooking, add hot water as necessary to keep the meats and vegetables covered. The oil can be removed with a spoon or reincorporated in the sauce, which is what is done traditionally.

One recipe creates enough sauce to dress about 1 ½ pounds of pasta (about 6 cups of sauce).

Melting Pot Sangria

Fill a pitcher ¼ full of ice

Then put in:

¼ of an orange
¼ of a lemon
¼ of a lime
5 ounces triple sec
5 ounces brandy
5 ounces sugar water
5 ounces orange juice
20 ounces of red wine (Carlo Rossi Burgundy is good)

Top with ice.

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STONY RIDGE MALVASIA WINE CAKE

1 ¼ C. Malvasia Bianca Wine

1 Pkg. yellow cake mix (no pudding)

1 Small vanilla instant pudding

¾ C. Cooking oil (Canola)

4 Eggs

1 t. Vanilla

¼ C. Sugar

2 t. Cinnamon

½ C. chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Butter bundt pan and sprinkle with nuts. Mix first six ingredients on high speed for 8 minutes. Pour half of batter into the pan. Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar, then top with rest of batter.

Bake at 350 for 50 minutes. Let cool 30 minutes before removing from the pan.

Enjoy with a dollop of whipped cream and some chilled Malvasia Bianca Wine.

All you wine drinkers save this date: February 23, Craig & Tracey are hosting a special romantic Valentine Wine Tasting Evening to also celebrate national “Open A Bottle Day” (it’s true!)

Cheers,

Tracey Harper

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CHEESE STRATA

8 – 9 Eggs – Beaten

3 1/2 C. Milk

1/2 tsp Dried Mustard

1/2 tsp Pepper

1/4 tsp Red Pepper

1 tsp Salt

1 Box Herbed Seasoned Croutons

8 oz. Sharp Cheddar Cheese – Grated

Preheat oven to 350.  Butter 9×13 pan.  Place croutons in buttered pan.  Mix all other ingredients except cheese and then pour over croutons.  Top with cheese.  Refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight.  Bake approx. 60 minutes.

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