Welcome to the Blue Sky Cookbook. Here’s what’s cooking today:
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Yields: 18 pancakes (3-4”)
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1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup Bob’s Oat Bran Cereal
1 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 Tbsp Saco dry buttermilk powder
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Mix dry ingredients.
If you do not have dry buttermilk, increase the baking powder to 3 tsp.
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1 egg
2 Tbsp canola oil
About 2 cups milk
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Add the egg, oil, and 1 3/4 cups of the milk. Blend well with a wire whisk. Add milk if needed until the batter will run off the spoon like a ribbon. If you like them fluffy, add less milk. If you like them thin as hound dog ears, add more milk.
To make a crepe-style pancake, use 3 eggs and thin out with milk.
Cook the pancakes on medium heat (300 F) on a griddle or a cast iron skillet. Oil the surface with canola oil on a paper towel in between batches. Flip them when the bubbles leave craters and they lose their shine around the edges. Test for doneness by gently pressing the edge of the spatula in the center of the pancake. When it springs back without indenting, the pancakes are done.
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These are “Pat’s Pancakes”, except that I added the oat bran cereal to make them more nutritious for my grandkids. I’m always disappointed when I order pancakes in a restaurant; they never quite live up the standard of Pat’s pancakes.
Posted in Bread & Pancakes, Breakfast | No Comments »
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Serves 6
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6 egg whites
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Separate the eggs, placing the whites in a deep bowl or measuring pitcher and the yolks in a separate deep bowl. Discard two yolks, retaining 4 yolks. Beat the egg whites into stiff peaks.
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4 egg yolks
¼ cup extra-fine sugar
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Beat together on medium speed for two minutes. The yolks will turn a lighter color of yellow.
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2 T Butter
200g (7oz) dark chocolate bar with about 55% cocoa
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Break the chocolate bar into ½ inch pieces and set aside.
Put two inches of water in the bottom of a double boiler and bring it to boil. Keep the top pan of the double boiler away from the heat. When the water is boiling, place the top pan on the double boiler, add the butter. When the butter melts, add the chocolate and turn off the heat. Let the chocolate melt. Stir gently until the chocolate is just melted. Remove the top pan to a trivet on the counter away from the heat.
**It is very important that the chocolate is not heated past the minimum melting temperature.!**
Add the egg yolks to the chocolate and gently blend together.
Add the egg whites, folding them in gently with a rubber spatula.
Pour into 6 ramekins or small dishes or glasses. A brandy glass would be fun.
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Chocolate bar
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To make shavings, have the chocolate bar at room temperature. Hold the chocolate bar on its edge and shave the chocolate into curls with a vegetable peeler. Sprinkle the shavings on the mousse.
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Whipped Cream
Raspberries (optional)
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Refrigerate for 4 hours, uncovered. After 4 hours, cover tightly with plastic wrap. Serve with whipped cream. The mousse will keep for a week in the refrigerator.
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The best chocolate for Mousse is Côte d’Or Noir de Noir (54% cacao) from Belgium.
Posted in Dessert | No Comments »
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Oven 400 F
Serves 2
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½ cup farro
1 cup chicken broth
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Rinse farro under warm water. Place in a small saucepan with the broth and bring to a boil. Turn down the heat to simmer. Cover and cook about 30 minutes until tender. If the pan dries before the farro is done, add 2 T water and continue until tender to taste. Set aside, uncovered.
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½ sweet yellow onion
2 celery stalks & leaves
2 cloves garlic
1 tsp Italian herbs
2 sprinkles cayenne pepper
2T olive oil
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Chop the onion and celery to ¼” dice. Chop the garlic extra fine.
Pour the olive oil in a sauté pan. Add everything and sauté a few minutes on med-low. Season with cayenne pepper to taste.
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1 large red bell pepper
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Wash the pepper. Cut in half along the stem, leaving half of the stem on each side. Trim the white membrane and discard with the seeds.
Place the peppers on top of the onion mix. Cover and cook on low for 15 minutes. Stir midway to ensure the onions are not burning.
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1 T olive oil
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Grease a baking pan with the oil. Place the peppers in the pan. Mix the farro into the onions and pile on top of the peppers. Bake 15 minutes at 400 F.
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Optional:
Shredded mozzarella
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Top with cheese if desired. (I would never say no to cheese!)
These peppers are delicious with Pan Seared Shrimp.
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For a true vegetarian, use water or vegetable broth rather than chicken broth.
Posted in Main Dishes, Sides, Vegetarian | No Comments »
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Serves 4
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1 lb frozen raw shrimp
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Thaw the shrimp in a bowl with cold water for 10-15 minutes. Peel if necessary. Chop into small bites. Dry well with paper towels.
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2 T olive oil
½ sweet yellow onion
2 cloves garlic
Sprinkle cayenne pepper
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Slice the onion into long ribbons. Chop the garlic fine. Sauté with oil on medium heat in a cast iron skillet or heavy frying pan until tender. Season with cayenne pepper to taste. Add the dry shrimp and quickly stir fry for about one minute just until the shrimp turn opaque.
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½ lime
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Remove from the heat and add the lime juice. Stir and serve.
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This quick and easy shrimp dish is so versatile as an appetizer, side dish or main event. Shown above along side Red Peppers with Farro.
Posted in Appetizers, Fish and Seafood, Main Dishes | No Comments »
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Serves 8
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1 lb raw frozen shrimp
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Thaw in cool water. Peel if necessary. Dice to ½” pieces. Pat dry on paper towels and set aside.
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½ large yellow onion
2 cloves garlic
2 T olive oil
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Chop the onion to ¼” dice. Peel and dice the garlic very fine. Place in a cast iron skillet or wok with the oil. Sauté over medium heat 5 minutes.
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2 tsp dried oregano
2 tsp Frank’s Red Hot Sauce
¼ tsp black pepper
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Add to the onions, rubbing the oregano with your fingers. Stir together and turn off the heat. Remove most of the onions to a medium size bowl.
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1 T olive oil
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Reheat the pan over medium heat. Add oil. Add the chopped shrimp and stir fry for 1 minute or less until the shrimp just turns opaque. Transfer immediately to the bowl with the onions.
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½ 4-oz can sliced jalapenos, drained
1 4-oz can chopped green chiles with juice
1 14-oz can diced mangos, drained
2 avocados
2 limes, squeezed
1 tsp salt
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Dice the jalapenos very fine. Chop the avocado into ½ inch dice. Add all to the shrimp and mix well.
Add additional Red Hot Sauce or jalapenos to taste.
Serve at room temperature with tortilla chips.
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This quick and easy ceviche is based on the Baja Style, but made with ingredients from the pantry.
Posted in Appetizers, Fish and Seafood, Mexican Style | No Comments »
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Yields 1 cup
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1 medium shallot
1T sugar
1 ½ T poppy seeds
½ t salt
½ t ground mustard
¼ cup white wine vinegar
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Peel and dice the shallot very fine to yield about 4 T. Place ingredients in a jar, close and shake vigorously.
Alternatively, process the shallot in a food processor, add the remaining ingredients and process lightly.
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¼ cup olive oil
¼ cup canola oil
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Add and shake or process lightly again.
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Canned whole cranberry sauce
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Scoop 4 T of the jellied cranberry sauce from the can, avoiding the whole cranberries. Add and shake or process lightly again.
Store in the refrigerator for up to 4 weeks. Shake before serving.
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This is wonderful with Chicken Edamame Salad.
Posted in Salad, Sauces, Vegetarian | No Comments »
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Serves 8
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1 lb raw frozen shrimp
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Thaw in cool water. Peel if necessary. Dice to ½” pieces. Pat dry on paper towels and set aside.
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1 large fresh mango
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Peel the thin mango skin with a sharp paring knife. The center of the fruit has an oblong shaped pith. Cut into the fruit lengthwise down to the pith all around at ½ inch intervals. Turn the mango and cut around crosswise at ½ inch intervals. Shave off the pieces into a bowl. When you get down to the pith, squeeze all of the juice out with your hands. Discard the pith.
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2 cucumbers
1 avocado
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Chop the cucumbers and avocado into ½” dice.
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½ small red onion
2 red Serrano chiles
2 green Anaheim chiles
Fresh cilantro
¼ cup V8 juice
2 tsp dry oregano
½ tsp red pepper flakes
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
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Chop the onion and chiles very fine. Remove and discard the chile seeds.
Chop about 12 leaves of cilantro.
Combine everything in a large serving bowl.
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4 cups water
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt
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Bring all to a rolling boil in a medium pot. Add the chopped shrimp and par boil for one minute or so, just until the shrimp floats. Drain and add immediately to the serving bowl.
Mix well. Serve with tortilla chips.
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This ceviche is based on my recollection of the fabulous ceviche we enjoyed at Marquis Los Cabos in Mexico. They did not give me the recipe, but they did describe how the shrimp was par-boiled.
Posted in Appetizers, Fish and Seafood, Mexican Style | No Comments »
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Serves 4
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2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breast
1/3 cup Cranberry Poppy Seed Vinaigrette
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Trim any cartilage. Butterfly cut lengthwise to create 2 thin cutlets from each half-breast. Place the fillet between 2 sheets of parchment paper and pound lightly with a mallot or edge of a plate.
Place the chicken and salad dressing in a plastic bag to marinade. Mix to coat the chicken. Set aside for 30 minutes at room temperature or up to 8 hours in the fridge.
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1 apple
2 cucumbers
1 orange bell pepper
Fresh spinach
Fresh arugula
Sliced almonds
Sunflower seeds
Dried cranberries
Cranberry Sauce
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Wash and chop the vegetables. Arrange the ingredients in separate bowls.
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2 T olive oil
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You may grill the chicken over low fire or sauté as follows: Pour the oil in a large sauté pan. Add the chicken fillets and cook over low heat, turning after 5 minutes. Cook just until the inside is turning white. Remove from the pan and slice diagonally into ½” slices.
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1 lb frozen shelled edamame
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Add the edamame into the pan. Cook over medium heat until the beans are warm throughout.
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Cranberry Poppy Seed Vinaigrette
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Serve the chicken and edamame warm or at room temperature.
Arrange all the ingredients and vinaigrette salad bar style to allow everyone to personalize their salad.
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If you have leftover Turkey, cube it up and warm it in the pan with some of the vinaigrette instead of chicken.
Posted in Chicken, Main Dishes, Salad, Turkey | No Comments »
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Oven 350 F
Serves 8-10
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1 large sweet yellow onion
6-7 stalks celery
2 apples
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Chop the onion fine into 1/4” bits. Cut the apple into quarters and core the seeds, leave the skin. Chop the apple and celery into 1/2” bits.
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1 (12 oz) bag Pepperidge Farms Herb Seasoned Stuffing Crumbs
1 T dried fluffy sage
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Place the stuffing crumbs in a large bowl. Add the sage and chopped ingredients.
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5 T butter
1 1/3 cups Swanson’s chicken broth
2 eggs
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Melt the butter in the microwave in a medium size bowl. Add broth and eggs. Beat well.
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Blend the broth mixture into the stuffing until all of the stuffing is moist.
Place in a greased casserole dish or 9×13 pan. Cover with a lid or foil. Bake 30 minutes at 350 F. Uncover and bake another 20 minutes until crispy golden on top.
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This is Fred’s favorite holiday dish; he calls it “Filling”. Is that a Philadelphia thing? You may substitute your own freshly made bread crumbs. To 6 cups of breadcrumbs, add 2 Tbsp Provence Herb mix and 1 tsp salt.
Posted in Christmas, Sides, Thanksgiving | No Comments »
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Prepare one day ahead
Yields ~ 4 cups
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2 fresh ripe mangos
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Peel the thin mango skin with a sharp paring knife. The center of the fruit has an oblong shaped pith. Cut into the fruit lengthwise down to the pith all around at ½ inch intervals. Turn the mango and cut around crosswise at ½ inch intervals.
Shave off the pieces into a bowl. When you get down to the pith, squeeze all of the juice out with your hands. Discard the pith.
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1 medium cucumber
1 tomato or a handful of grape tomatoes
3 scallions
½ green bell pepper
1 green anaheim chilie
1 jalapeno (if desired)
Variation:
Add a diced avocado.
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Peel the cucumber and remove the seeds. Dice the tomato, onions, cucumber and bell pepper into ¼” bits.
Sliver the chilies very fine. Remove the seeds and discard. If you like spicy food, add some of the jalapeno seeds.
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1 lime, juiced
1 orange, juiced
½ tsp salt
6 fresh cilantro leaves
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Add the rest. Mix well and store covered in the refrigerator overnight in a glass dish for the best flavor.
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A ripe mango feels similar to a ripe peach. Buy a firm mango 2-3 days ahead and keep it on the counter under bananas to ripen. Mango salsa goes great with fish or chicken.
Posted in Appetizers, Sauces | No Comments »