RECIPES FROM ANDREAS KITCHEN
"WASTE NOT, WANT NOT"
"BUY LOCAL, BUY SEASONAL, BUY FRESH"
SPINACH SOUP
4 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1 large onion, minced
3 pounds spinach, large stems removed
2 cups chicken stock or canned low sodium chicken broth
2 cups low-fat milk or what ever you have on hand for your coffee or tea
1 tsp. salt
� tsp. freshly ground black pepper
Thin slices of lemon and minced chives, for garnish
In a large saucepan, melt the butter over moderate heat. Add the onion, and reduce the heat to low. Cook until soft, but, not brown, about 10 minutes. Increase the heat to moderate and add the spinach leaves by the handful, stirring wilt them before adding the next handful. When all the spinach has been added, cook for about one minute to completely soften the spinach.
In a food processor, puree the soup in batches until smooth. Return the soup to the pan; stir in the stock and milk. Simmer over moderate heat until heated through. Season with salt and pepper.
Serve in soup bowls, garnished with a slice of lemon and a sprinkling of chives.
BERRY CLAFOUTI
PANCAKELIKE CLAUFOUT IS A SIMPLE FRENCH DESSERT. TOP THE BATTER WITH FRESH BERRIES BEFORE BAKING.
3 eggs
1� cups milk
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
� tsp. nutmeg
1/8 tsp. salt
1� cup strawberries or other berries of choice
In a small mixer bowl beat the eggs with electric mixer till foamy. Add remaining ingredients EXCEPT berries; beat on low speed till smooth. Pour batter into a buttered 9-inch quiche dish or pie plate. Top batter with berries.
Bake in a 350 degree oven 40 to 45 minutes or until knife inserted off-center comes out clean. Let stand 15 minutes.
NOW LET'S HEAD OVER TO THE PRESERVES AND OTHER GOODIES
TROPICAL ORANGE COCONUT DROPS
2 cups sugar
1 cup butter, softened
3 eggs
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp. vanilla
2 tsp orange zest or 1 tsp. orange extract
3 � cups all-purpose flour
� cup flaked coconut
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large mixer bowl, combine sugar, butter, eggs, baking powder, salt, vanilla and orange zest or orange extract. Beat at low speed, scraping bowl often, until well mixed, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in flour and coconut until well mixed, 2 to 3 minutes.
Drop rounded tsp. of dough 2 inches apart onto greased cookie sheets. Bake for 8 to 12 minutes, or until edges are lightly browned. Remove immediately and place on cooling racks.
SNOWBALL COOKIES
2 cups all purpose flour
2 cups finely chopped pecans
� cup granulated sugar
1 cup butter, softened
1 tsp. vanilla
Powdered sugar for rolling
Hershey kisses
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In large mixer bowl, combine flour, nuts, sugar, butter and vanilla. Beat at low speed, scraping bowl often, until well mixed, 3 to 4 minutes. Shape rounded tsps. of dough around Hershey kiss forming into 1 inch balls. Place on ungreased cookie sheets.
Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until very lightly browned. Remove immediately and roll in powdered sugar while still warm and again when cool.
OLD FASHIONED PRESERVES BARS
CRUMB MIXTURE
2 � cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup butter, softened
1 egg
FILLING
1 jar (10 oz.) preserves from farm, flavor of your choice
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. For crumb mixture, in large mixer bowl, combine all crumb mixtures. Beat at low speed, scraping bowl often, until mixture is crumbly, 2 to 3 minutes.
Reserve 1� cups of the crumb mixture. Press remaining crumb mixture on bottom of 8-inch square baking pan. Spread preserves to with � inch of edges. Crumble 11/2 cups reserved crumb mixture over top. Bake for 42 to 50 minutes, or until lightly browned.
Cool completely and Cut into bars.
FRUIT FILLED THUMBPRINTS
THESE TENDER BUTTER COOKIES ARE ROLLED IN NUTS AND FILLED WITH PRESERVES
2 cups all-purpose flour
� cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 cup butter, softened
2 eggs separated
1/8 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
1� cups finely chopped pecans
Fruit preserves
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In large mixer bowl, combine flour, sugar, butter, egg yolks, salt and vanilla. Beat at slow speed, scraping bowl often, until well mixed 2 to 3 minutes. Shaped rounded teaspoons of dough into 1-inch balls. In small bowl, beat egg whites with fork until foamy. Dip each ball into whites; roll in nuts. Place 1 inch apart on greased cookie sheets. Make depression in center of each cookie with back of teaspoon. Bake for 8 minutes; remove from oven. Fill centers with preserves. Continue baking for 6 to 10 minutes, or until lightly browned.
CHECK ALL THE DIFFERENT PRESERVES, HONEY, ETC. THAT THE FARM HAS, THEY MAKE GREAT GIFTS FOR A HOST OR HOSTESS OF A PARTY THAT YOU ARE ATTENDING AND ALSO GIFTS FOR YOUR FAMILY, FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS. TIP: CUT A ROUND OF FABRIC, PLACE A RUBBER BAND OVER FABRIC AND WRAP WITH A FESTIVE RIBBON OR PICK UP SOME SMALL BAGS FROM THE DOLLAR STORE OR DOLLAR GENERAL AND PLACE JAR IN BAG TIE WITH A RIBBON AND A TAG WHAT IS IN THE JARS.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS REGARDING THESE RECIPES E-MAIL ANDREA AT afreebody@veriron.net or john@hydroharvestfarms.com
RECIPES COURTESY OF ANDREA FREEBODY, APOLLO BEACH, FL
P.S. PICK UP SOME OF FARMER JOHN'S SNOW PEAS. THEY ARE FABULOUS IN STIR FRY, GREAT FOR DIPPING, OR IN YOUR SALADS. LAST SEASON, I PURCHASED ALL FARMER JOHN HAD AND A LADY IN LINE BEHIND ME, WANTED SOME SNOW PEAS AND WAS TOLD SORRY ANDREA JUST BOUGHT ALL I HAVE RIGHT NOW, SO DON'T SNOOZE OR YOU MIGHT LOSE UNTIL NEXT CROP IS READY. OF COURSE EVERY THING FARM HAS IS FRESH, FRESH AND NO PESTICIDES.
DON'T FORGET TO ORDER YOUR CHRISTMAS TREES AND POINSETTIAS AND AS TERRIE MENTIONED LAST WEEK IF YOU CANNOT FIT IT IN YOUR TRUNK, TALK TO FARMER JOHN OR FARMER FRANK ABOUT DELIVERING YOUR TREE. A GREAT HOLIDAY SURPRISE FOR A NEIGHBOR OR A FRIEND THAT IS UNABLE TO LEAVE THEIR HOUSE, PICK UP A SMALL TREE FROM THE FARM AND HELF THEM DECORATE IT AND BRING SOME HOMEMADE COOKIES.
MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS.
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