Cooking with 'Hope'

Super Bowl Recipes

Many years ago I put together a cookbook for an elementary school and I invited the then First Lady Rosalyn Carter if she would favor us with some of her recipes. She sent this recipe for a Cheese Ring. I used cheddar cheese in the recipe and added a bit of white wine. It’s really quite nice to have something from the White House.

Some sweet Italian sausage bread slices go well with this hearty Italian Chicken and Bean Stew, and of course top it off with pecan tarts

Plains Special Cheese Ring

From First Lady Rosalyn Carter

1          pound grated sharp cheese

1          cup finely chopped nuts

1          cup mayonnaise

1          small onion, finely grated

Black pepper

Dash of cayenne

Strawberry preserves, optional

Combine all ingredients except preserves, season to taste with pepper. Mix well and place in a 5 or 6 cup lightly greased ring mold. Refrigerate until firm for several hours or overnight.

To serve, unmold, and if desired, fill center with strawberry preserves, or serve plain with crackers.

Hope’s Sweet Italian Sausage Bread

1          pound uncased sweet Italian sausage

½         pound grated mozzarella shredded cheese

2          eggs

1/3       cup Parmesan cheese, grated

2            teaspoons dried sweet basil, ground

1          pound fresh pizza dough or frozen bread dough, defrosted

Brown sausage in a frying pan, drain grease, then let cool.  In a bowl, mix sausage, cheeses, basil and 1 egg, set aside. Roll pizza dough on a lightly floured board to form a large rectangle, at least 10 x 8 inches. Fill the dough by spreading sausage mixture over dough but inside the edges by ¾ of an inch. Roll dough and mixture like a jellyroll, pinch ends to seal. Invert, seam side down on a cookie sheet. Paint the outside of the dough with beaten egg. Bake for 10 minutes at 450 degrees then 25 to 30 minutes at 350 degrees. Let stand for 5 minutes then slice and serve warm.

Spinach, Vegetable Dip with Horse Radish

1            package frozen spinach, defrosted and drained

1            package Knorr vegetable dry soup

1            container sour cream

2 to 3            tablespoons fresh horseradish

2            teaspoons soy sauce

1          small sweet onion, finely chopped

Mix all ingredients together. Place in a serving bowl or a hallowed out round loaf of bread bowl. Serve with your favorite crackers; I like whole wheat and sesame seed crackers with this.

Easy Cheese Fondue with Beer

Fondues are in vogue right now so here is a simple cheese fondue recipe. You may use either beer or white wine in this.

8          ounces grated Swiss cheese (Imported has more flavor)

8          ounces extra sharp Cheddar cheese, grated

2            tablespoons flour

12        ounce can beer

1 to 2            tablespoons Horseradish (optional)

In a medium sized bowl toss together cheeses and flour. Warm the beer in a saucepan or a fondue pot. Slowly drop handfuls of the cheese mixture one at a time into the warm beer, stir, and wait for each to melt before adding another handful. Stir in the Horseradish.  Serve with rye or whole wheat bread pieces or crackers.

Italian Style Chicken and Cannellini Bean Stew

2          pounds of chicken thighs, cut into 2-inch chunks, boned and skinned

¼         cup all-purpose flour

2            tablespoons olive oil

Salt and Pepper to taste

1          medium sweet onion, chopped in small pieces

2          garlic cloves, minced

2            tablespoons dried parsley, chopped

1            teaspoon dried sweet basil, chopped

4          carrots cut into ½ inch chunks

1          can (14 ounces) diced tomatoes, drained

1          can (14.5 ounces) chicken broth

1          can (19 ounces) cannelloni beans, rinsed an drained

1          cup red wine (optional)

Heat oven to 350 degrees. In a plastic storage bag mix together flour, salt and pepper.  Adding a few pieces at a time coat chicken thigh pieces. Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven or deep casserole dish; add chicken and brown on all sides. Remove chicken to a plate and put aside. Stir onion and carrots in Dutch oven with drippings. Cook, stirring until onions are softened about 5 to 6 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in basil, parsley and diced tomatoes. Top with browned chicken. Pour broth over chicken. Bring liquid to a boil, cover, lower heat to medium low and cook for about 20 to 25 minutes. Add wine and cannelloni beans, mashing a few of the beans first for added flavor. Continue to cook, covered, for another 10 minutes or so or until the chicken is done.

Pecan Tarts

(Make the day before.)

Tarts:

1          stick butter softened

3          ounces cream cheese softened

½            teaspoon lemon juice

1          cup all-purpose flour

Blend all ingredients together and roll into 24 small balls. Put into small cupcake tins. Shape cup with fingers to fit the shape evenly.

3            tablespoons chopped pecans

Pecan Filling:

¼         cup chopped pecans

1            teaspoon vanilla extract

2          eggs

1 ½      cups brown sugar

2            tablespoons melted butter

½            teaspoon ground cinnamon

Sprinkle three tablespoons chopped pecans evenly into each tart. Fill cup with pecan filling. Bake in a 350-degree oven for 25 to 30 minutes.

Hope is a retired professor from North Carolina. She resides in Hampstead for the past 13 years, with her husband Vincent, a retired New York City Police Detective. She enjoys cooking and has been awarded numerous ribbons for her breads and has a Blueberry Festival prize for her blueberry cheesecake, which is presently being enjoyed by cruise ship tourists in New Zealand.