Here goes an effort to round up previously posted recipes and encourage the posting of additional ones:

quote:

Originally posted by Dave Bowers:
This is Keikos Tex Mex 7 layered taco dip. Easily the best tasting food in the world. Since the holidays are coming up in just "6 MONTHS" I thought that this would be the best time to share it with you.

Layer 1:
2 large cans bean dip (preferably Frito Lay)
drain any water from cans and spread on bottom of a rectangular cake dish

Layer 2:
3 avocados peeled and crushed
2 tbsp. lemon juice
sprinkling of garlic salt
mix 3 ingredients well and spread over bean dip

Layer 3:
16 oz. sour cream
1 pkg. taco seasoning mix
mix well and spread over avocado layer

Layer 4:
1 bunch green onions, chopped fine
spread over sour cream layer

Layer 5:
2 large tomatoes, sliced, seeds removed, patted dry on paper towels, and diced
spread over onions

Layer 6:
small can sliced black olives, drained, patted dry, and chopped
spread over tomatoes

Layer 7:
4-8 oz. cheddar cheese, grated
spread over black olives

PS, the drying of the incrediants like tomatoes, olives etc. is a big thing.

And if you have friend who are subject to "gas" skip the green onions. It makes no difference, but at least you can think that you are a caring person and the won't know the difference.

An Earlier post, moved here:

Since Dave started the Mexican recipe thing, one good one deserves another. Besides, it's hot, and this Spanish soup takes little heat to prepare and is served cold.

Classic Gazpacho:

This is the simplest and easiest, and requires no heat. Purists will say this is the only legitimate pretender to the throne. Spanish or Greek olive oil is best, being stronger. It is best when made fresh and served with a hoppy beer. I have actually made it on a boat floating down the Colorado River.

4- to 5-inch squared hunk of stale baguette bread, crusts removed
1 small garlic clove
1 medium-sized cucumber, roughly chopped
1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded and roughly chopped
3 large beefsteak tomatoes or 4 small ones, cored and roughly chopped. Romas work, too.
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons sherry or red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt

• Soak bread in cold water for 10 minutes. Peel garlic, drop into blender and blend until finely minced. Squeeze bread until as dry as possible and put in blender, along with cucumber. Blend to smooth, adding a bit of the oil if it doesn't liquefy. Once smooth, add peppers and blend to almost smooth, then add tomatoes and blend until you like the texture. Add the oil, vinegar and salt, blend just a little, then taste, adding more vinegar and salt as needed. Chill, then serve in a glass over ice. A dash or Worcester or Cholula (but not both, or it will overpower the veggie flavor) pleases some. A little vodka makes it a Sangriento Maria.


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This next one is our favorite. It is more work, but is worth it, and you get the real garden-fresh experience, with the textures of the vegetables contributing. It keeps better, too, perhaps due to the spices. In fact, it should sit for several hours to let the flavors work. Both my youngest son and I have traveled a bit in Spain, although at different times, and we agree that this one is as good as it gets. Even a lady who had studied in Salamanca agreed.

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I don't like cukes all that much, but this one always appeals.

We made a batch the other day and still have some left in the fridge. We always give some to the people who give us tomatoes and cukes.

OUR FAVORITE GAZPACHO


1 barely hard boiled egg yolk with whatever white sticks to it.
1 1/2 lbs chopped fresh plum tomatoes
1/2 cup chopped red pepper
1 cup chopped cucumber, seeds removed
1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
2/3 cup olive oil, preferably Arbosana from California Olive Ranch. Yes, It makes a difference.
1/4 cup lemon juice.
2 cups beef broth
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup finely minced parsley
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 tablespoons Worcestershire
Pepper, coarsely ground
1 1/2 oz garlic, finely chopped
Kosher salt.
24-ounces Glorietta tomato juice (or other brand without high fructose corn syrup)

1/8 cup Cholula
Garnish (optional): chopped parsley, minced red onion, chopped olives

In a pot or large bowl, combine tomatoes, pepper, cucumber, red onion, olive oil, lemon juice, cold beef broth, red wine vinegar, parsley, oregano, Worcestershire, and coarsely ground black pepper to taste. Stir.

Sprinkle garlic with a pinch of salt, and let sit in bowl.

Add egg yolk to garlic and salt mixture, and mash together with fork.

Pour tomato juice into large pot or bowl with vegetables, and add garlic, egg, and salt mixture.

Taste for seasoning and add salt, pepper, and Cholula to taste.

Chill for at least 4 hours and serve. Garnish with chopped parsley, minced red onion, and chopped olives if desired.

As with homemade tomato sauce or chili, its flavor improves with age — you can store it in the refrigerator and eat it for about a week.
•
Why mash the garlic with egg and salt? To make a garlic-infused paste that adds body and substance to the tomato broth.

We tend to like our gazpacho pungent and sharp, with garlic, lemon, and onion flavors lingering on the palate. If you prefer milder soup, reduce the onion, garlic, and vinegar quantities by half.

• Try to chop the vegetables so that they're small but not minced or pulverized, and don't worry if the sizes aren't uniform. The pieces should be small enough to chew or drink from a glass or brandy snifter, but big enough to recognize. If you use a blender, lightning will strike you.

If you want a little more suble cucumber taste, try to find Persian cukes.



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Here is one that is on our list to try next time. I include it only because it has me all fired up. I think the author is going a little far on the Andalusian olive oil, but go for Spanish or Greek if you can. Here in El Lay, there a lot of people who call themselves Spaniards, but no grocery stores with much from Spain.

Gazpacho With Basil and Lemon

This version of gazpacho uses all of the essential historical ingredients: bread, garlic, olive oil, sherry vinegar and tomatoes. But from there, it takes some liberties, namely the addition of lemon juice to balance the acidity, jalapeño pepper for heat, and a generous amount of basil to add a fragrant blast of summer. It also uses the tomato water and seeds, which are discarded in most gazpacho recipes, to soak the bread.


The recipe calls for both a food processor and a blender -- the processor makes it easier to combine all the ingredients in one fell swoop, while the close confines of a blender yield a finer end result.

By all means adapt this recipe, adding more water for a thinner, even more pourable version, more basil for a more pronounced herbaceous quality, or more jalapeño (or a few of its seeds) for extra heat.

This recipe makes about five cups of gazpacho, which will fill most processors and/or blenders to near capacity. If you want to make more, just double or triple the recipe, make it in batches, and combine the batches in a large pitcher or two. In theory, it will keep for about two days in the refrigerator, though it's unlikely to be there that long -- gazpacho, especially on hot summer days, is addictive and tends to go fast.



1 cup 2- or 3-day-old bread, crust removed, in 1/4-inch cubes (from about 4 ounces of bread with the crust on)
1 1/2 pounds vine-ripened tomatoes (4 or 5 tomatoes)
1 cup cold water, preferably purified or bottled water, plus more for soaking bread if necessary
Kosher salt
Black pepper in a mill
Pinch of sugar
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil, preferably from Andalusia or at least from Spain, plus an additional 1/3 cup if serving from a bowl
1 large clove garlic, mashed to a paste with a sprinkle of salt
Pinch of ground cumin
1 Kirby (pickling) cucumber, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 red bell pepper, seeds and stem removed, coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon diced red onion
2 teaspoons deseeded, minced jalapeño pepper
3/4 cup (loosely packed) thinly sliced basil leaves
3 tablespoons sherry vinegar, preferably Spanish vinagre de Jerez
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
Minced cucumber, red and/or green pepper, tomato, and/or small, toasted croûtons (optional, for garnish, if serving in bowls)

• Put the bread in a small bowl.

• Remove the stems from the tomatoes and cut off just enough of their tops to expose the seeds. One by one, hold the tomatoes over the bread and squeeze the seeds into the bowl. If the tomato seeds and tomato water do not cover the bread, add just enough cold water to cover.

• Roughly chop the tomatoes, put them in a separate bowl, and season them with salt, pepper, and a pinch of sugar.

• Let the tomatoes and bread sit for 15 minutes.

• By hand, squeeze as much liquid as possible out of the bread and put the bread in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Add about a tablespoon of the oil, the garlic, cumin and a few grinds of black pepper. Process until the bread, garlic and oil have come together into a paste, about 20 seconds.

• Add the tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, onion and jalapeño pepper to the bowl and process until the ingredients have been blended together. Add basil leaves, sherry vinegar, and lemon juice and pulse to combine. With the motor running, slowly drizzle in the remaining olive oil (if serving the gazpacho from a bowl, add the extra 1/3 cup olive oil to thicken and enrich the soup further), then add the water.

• Transfer the gazpacho to the bowl of a standing blender and process until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute. Taste and correct the seasoning with salt, pepper, lemon juice and vinegar if necessary.

• Cover and refrigerate the gazpacho for at least 12 hours, or chill in the freezer for 1 hour before serving. If serving in bowls, garnish with the minced cucumber, red and/or green pepper, tomato, and/or small, toasted croûtons.


Makes about 5 cups. Serves 4 to 6 as a soup, or 10 as a refreshment (4 ounces per glass).

Our favorite slushy Margarita

1/3 cup Tequila
1/3 cup Triple Sec
3 oz Minute Maid frozen limeade concentrate
3 oz Minute Maid frozen lemonade concentrate(we thaw and mix the two and keep the blend ready in the freezer)
3 tbsp fresh squeezed lime juice (don't even bother with Rose's or Realime)
3 cups ice cubes (this will vary slightly with the hardness of the cubes)

Blend only long enough to get desired texture. More ice makes it thicker (but weaker)if desired.

We have found the Champ HP3 blender to do the best job. It is pricey, but it can do so much. It makes better slushie drinks than anything else. A Margarita just leaps into focus once the texture of the ice is right. The proper texture can seem almost as smooth as a sherbet or gelato.

You will notice the absence of sugar. That is intentional, as we believe sugar improves the flavor of a poor tequila and masks the complexities of a superior tequila, hindering full appreciation of it.

So, if you are using low quality tequila, add some sugar.

We have been told by several sources that adding sugar is common in bars where cheaper product is served. This increases profit. Once a drinker has weaned himself of the sugar habit, drinking takes on a whole new dimension. Smaller sips yield greater pleasure. You actually taste more without drinking more. Well, not much more, anyway.

And you gotta try a Kokomo. They are actually creamy.

1/3 cup Malibu rum
1/3 cup vanilla flavored liqueur
1/3 cup Coco Lopez cream of coconut OR 1/3 cup coconut milk with 3 tbsp sugar
1/4 cup orange juice
2 tbsp squeezed key lime juice.
3 cups ice
Blend until smooth.


Heck, it even makes hot vegetable soup. Yep, it stirs and chops the veggies with such vigor that it actually heats up. And icy Mocha Frappacinos to die for.

When I upped the power in the doghouse to over 300, Susan said she was entitled to over 3 horsepower on the counter, wo we bought a Champ. Then, since we dry camp so much, I had to buy a way more powerful inverter. Now, the blender dims the lights and makes the CD player start over.

quote:

Originally posted by Rusty:


The correct Margarita consists of this:

4 Parts Tequila
2 Parts Triple Sec (or Cointreau; some dilettantes insist on Gran Marnier)
Juice of one lime
1/4 tsp sugar if the limes are bitter.

Now, this is the recipe I've used for years, and I hasten to point out it's similar to Jimmy Buffet's (except he specifies his Margaritaville Mix, which haas a triple sec flavoring).

Buffet was a customer of mine for years, so I have faith he knows whereof he speaks...even though he tended to favor frozen ones...Daquiris can be frozen; frozen Margaritas are an affront to civilization. But I never turn one down...

Perhaps some Barthmobile rally will feature a Margarita comparison. Anyone still standing will get to vote.

.

Now that October is here, I thought a good Oktoberfest Beer Brats recipe would be good, especially since that is what we are gonna have tonight.

Milwaukee Beer Brats

Milwaukee Beer Brats

Use this method with hot dogs, knockwurst, or just about any link sausage.

INGREDIENTS:
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil or butter,
• 2 Tablespoons pickling spice
• 1 Tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 large sweet onion, sliced into 1/4-inch rings.
• 4 bratwurst sausages
• 12 oz bottle Guiness


Heat 1 teaspoon of olive oil or butter in a large Dutch oven. Brown brats until deep golden brown. Remove to a platter.

To the drippings, add 2 Tablespoons of olive oil or butter and the sweet onion rings. Toss the onions to coat with the oil. Cook, stirring often, until onions are limp and golden but not brown. Add pickling spices and garlic powder.

Add the brats to the onions and add the beer. Cook over low heat until the beer has cooked down to a syrup, about 12 to 15 minutes.
We find that, since these are so flavorful, the robust flavor of whole wheat pita bread works well, and they are healthier. We butter (or olive oil) them and lay them on a griddle for a little toasting. Press the pita onto the heated griddle with a spatula to start the toasting.
The brats may also be served with the onions as an entree.

Yield: 6 servings

The Sidecar (Oft credited with being the first cocktail):

1 Part Triple Sec
1 Part Lemon juice
1 Part Brandy

Serve "on the rocks".

Rusty's French Onion Soup:

1 white or yellow large onion, sliced and quartered
Clarified butter
3 cans Campbell's Beef Broth
2 soup cans water
2 oz dry white wine
2 TBSP Lea and Perrins Worcesterhire sauce
2 TBSP minced garlic
1 TBSP lemon juice

Sautee onion in clarified butter until golden brown; add garlic, sautee for two minutes, then add Worcester Sauce and lemon juice. Add beef broth, bring to a boil; pour into a pot and add water and wine. Simmer for one hour. Serve with Parmesan cheese.

Frizzled Green Beans:

1 lb. green beans (or substitute pole beans)
Clarified butter
2 TBSP minced garlic

Boil (or better, steam) green beans until tender. Drain and dump into ice water (preserves color and texture).

Drain, add garlic, then sautee in clarified butter until slightly browned.

Mike and Laural's Dill Dip:

1 c. sour cream
1 c. mayonnaise (DO NOT substitute Miracle Whip or other "salad dressing")
2 TBSP parsley
2 TBSP chives
2 tsp dill weed
2 tsp Beau Monde

Conbine and mix well all ingredients. Refrigerate overnight.

Sidecar..........That brings back memories of my grandfather, who came back from WWI with a fondness for both sidecars and French 75s (a drink that also makes some seniority claims). In the case of the latter, his admiration even extended to the artillery piece of the same name. He admired almost all things French except the Chauchat. He kept a signed picture of M. Foch on his desk with some citation or other from him. Once, as a lad, I asked my mother to read it to me, and she stalled and he kept it out of my sight from then on.

My mother grew up singing French nursery rhymes learned from him. She sang for him every day as he grew old and died. People in the hospital would stand outside in the hall to hear her sing. Alas, I inherited neither her singing nor French abilities.

Thanks for the memory trigger. It is turning cool here today, and tonight will be a good time for a fire in the fireplace and a sidecar or two.

However, the Old Fashioned makes a pretty strong claim for being the first cocktail. Certainly it was earlier than motorcycles, with or without sidecars, and the eponymous French artillery piece.

Holiday cocktail...

My wife and I call this a Brandy Alexander but I know we do not follow the proper recipe....This is what the drink has become as a result of our running out of the proper ingredients.

In a 10 oz. glass, add ice and then add:

1 oz. Brandy (I usually use Christian Brothers)
1.5 oz. dark cream de cocoa

Fill rest of glass with half and half and garnish with cinnamon.

(I have never tried it with vitamin D or any other kind of milk because I always expect to have to loose some weight after new years)

Tina says I was supposed to put the whole drink in a shaker but we got lazy.... we just stir em up nowadays. You can always add more half and half if it is too strong....we just havent gotten there yet.

All the Recipes sound great. I have had the Onion soup of Rusty's and it was great.Thank for sharing how it is made. I have two recipes for those of you who like a little Christmas Cheer drink. These are from the Doctor's I use to work with. Hope you like them.
Punch:
#1
1 cup lemon juice
2 cups sugar
3-4 cups RUM
4 cups Pineapple Juice
Mix well chill and serve

#2
Mix well ,
One Bottle Valley High Wine
One Bottle Vodka
One Bottle 7up or Club soda
serve chilled

#3
Slush
large can frozen Orange Juice,
large can frozen lemonade
11/2 cups sugar
7 teaspoons instant ice tea
2 or more cups Bourbon Whiskey
7 cups water
Mix all the above well
Put in Freezer.
serve 1 scoop of slush to 1/2 glass of 7 up

When I made this I kept some of it without the Bourbon for the kids.They thought they were drinking like the adults.
Merry Christmas to all of you,
Betty

Rusty, your onion bread has gotten good reviews over the weekend.

Is the recipe available?

BTW, we made your onion soup, and it is delicious.

Thanks about the soup - BTW, I forgot the 1/4 cup white wine (in the recipe above - since fixed - but not in the soup I've made.

Beer Garlic Bread - by the Threes

3 c. Self-rising flour
3 TBSP sugar
12 oz. beer (warm)
3 TBSP Minced garlic
3 TBSP Butter (melted)

In a large bowl, lightly mix flour and sugar. Slowly blend in beer. Add garlic, mix thoroughly.

Transfer dough into bread pan (~9"Lx4"Wx3"D). Leave covered for 1 hour. Preheat oven.

Bake 50 minutes at 325°. At 15 and 30 minutes, brush top liberally with butter, and again when done.

quote:

Originally posted by Rusty:
Thanks about the soup - BTW, I forgot the 1/4 cup white wine

Oh, it was still quite good. I think we added a little sherry at serving. We usually keep some sherry handy for soups. Dry sipping sherry, not that awful cooking sherry. We threw in some dry sourdough crusts, too.

FWIW..........Brat recipe has been improved and post edited to reflect.

quote:

...my grandfather, who came back from WWI with a fondness for both sidecars and French 75s (a drink that also makes some seniority claims).

The "French 75"

Two parts gin
1 1/2 Ounces of Simple syrup
juice of half a lemon
Champagne

Preparation: Pour the gin, topped with a half flute of sparkling wine or champagne, add sugar (it will fizz up so make sure the flute isn't full yet) then top off with more sparkling wine. Alternate: Combine syrup, lemon juice, and gin in a shaker full of ice. Shake well, then pour into a tall glass and top with champagne. (If possible, ice the glass ahead of time.)

Substitute vodka for gin, and it's the French 76.