This week, we are featuring Paths of Sunshine recipes from Florida Federation of Garden Clubs Inc. The first is a meat dish made with beef cubed steaks that sounds as if it will prove to be wonderful. Called Italian Braciole, the meat and sauce is served over cooked spaghetti similar to the way we serve spaghetti and meatballs.
Next is Ceviche. We make it with shrimp but the recipe calls for any other seafood that you may prefer. Ceviche, as you may recall, is “cooked” with the acidity of citrus and other acidic ingredients rather than heat. It is marinated for 24 hours and chilled prior to serving. It is deliciously different and is served as an appetizer with tortilla chips or fried plantain chips.
Savory vegetable casserole uses frozen vegetables and a couple of canned vegetables. You make a cheese sauce and then bake it in the oven. It, too, sounds like a delicious dish.
Oriental rice is a special dish that takes rice, which can be a bland affair, and makes it very special.
Next, we have a blended avocado soup. It calls for avocados, chicken broth, light cream and sherry wine, which, since there is only two tablespoons, can probably be dispensed with if you like. The book says it can be served warm or cold.
Fried cauliflower is made with the florets of a large fresh head of cauliflower, cooked until just approaching tender, rolled in breadcrumbs and fried in butter.
For dessert, there are two cookie recipes, both refrigerator cookies. They are Pecan Crisps and Orange Refrigerator Cookies. For both cookie recipes, you make the recipe up, roll it in waxed paper, refrigerate for a time, slice the cookie log into 1/4-inch thick pieces, and bake. They seem to be fairly simple and tasty.
Please email your recipes to: news@theapopkachief.com or mail them to The Apopka Chief, P.O. Box 880, Apopka, 32704-0880. And send us not only your recipes but ideas for future recipe columns as well.
ITALIAN BRACIOLE
6 cubed beef steaks
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chili sauce
1/2 cup beef broth
1 (4-ounce) can sliced mushrooms
2 tablespoons chopped bell pepper
2 tablespoons sliced pimiento-stuffed olives
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon oregano
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon pepper
Hot cooked spaghetti
1/2 cup cold water
3 tablespoons flour
Season cubed steaks. Spread onion on steaks and roll. Secure with toothpicks. Place seams down in 10 x 6 x 2 baking dish. Combine chili sauce, broth, mushrooms, pepper, olives, sugar, Worcestershire sauce, oregano, garlic and pepper. Pour over beef rolls. Bake 350 degrees about 1-1/4 hours. Arrange meat rolls atop spaghetti on serving platter. Keep warm. Pour pan juices in measuring cup, skim off fat. Add enough water to make 1-1/2 cups liquid. Blend flour with cold water. Add to meat juices and cook until desired consistency. Spoon sauce over meat and pasta. Serves 6.
CEVICHE
1 pound shrimp
Juice of four lemons
1/4 to 1/2 cup hot pepper vinegar
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
Two medium onions, chopped
4 hot peppers (seeds removed), chopped
Peel and devein shrimp and combine with other ingredients. Marinate 24 hours. Chill 4 hours before serving. Top with four hot peppers for decoration. Other seafood may be used in place of shrimp.
SAVORY VEGETABLE
CASSEROLE
1 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced lengthwise
One small onion, grated
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
3 cups milk
3/4 pound sharp cheese
1/8 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 (9-ounce) package frozen artichoke hearts
1 (9-ounce) package frozen green beans, French style
1 (10-ounce) package frozen lima beans
1 (8-ounce) can water chestnuts sliced lengthwise into thirds
1 (3-1/2-ounce) can French fried onion rings crumbled
Cook mushrooms and small onion in butter for about five minutes. Add flour, salt and white pepper. Stir thoroughly to blend the seasonings with mushrooms and onion. Stir in milk and cook, stirring constantly, until thickened and smooth. Add cheese, hot pepper sauce and soy sauce. Stir until cheese is melted. Meanwhile, prepare the frozen vegetables as directed. Blend vegetables into cheese mixture. Add water chestnuts, mixing lightly to avoid mashing vegetables. Turn mixture into a buttered 2-quart casserole. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Sprinkle crumbled onion rings atop and bake 10 more minutes.
ORIENTAL RICE
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1 cup long grain rice, uncooked
1 (10-ounce) can onion soup
1 can water
1 (6-ounce) can mushroom stems and pieces
1 (6-ounce) can water chestnuts, thinly sliced
Melt butter in casserole dish, set aside. Mix: rice, soup, water, mushrooms and water chestnuts. Pour into casserole with melted butter. Bake covered at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Remove cover and continue baking for 15 additional minutes.
AVOCADO SOUP
1 (13-3/4 ounce) can chicken broth
2 medium avocados, peeled, seeded and cut into chunks
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/8 teaspoon dried dillweed
3/4 cup light cream
2 tablespoons dry sherry wine
Combine all ingredients into a blender. Blend, medium speed until smooth. Serve warm or cold. Do not boil. Serves 4 to 6.
FRIED CAULIFLOWER
One large head cauliflower
1/4 cup flour
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup breadcrumbs
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 cup butter or margarine
Break off flowerets of cauliflower, discarding woody bottoms. Wash thoroughly and par-boil until just slightly tender. Drain, and dust with flour. Dip each floweret into beaten eggs, then roll in mixture of breadcrumbs, salt, and pepper. Fry in melted butter or margarine until brown on all sides, drain again, and serve at once while still hot. Serves 4 to 6.
PECAN SUGAR CRISPS
3/4 cup butter, softened
2/3 cup sugar
One egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1-3/4 cups flour
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
Cream butter. Gradually add sugar, beating at medium speed of an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add egg, vanilla and salt, beating well. Stir in flour. Cover and chill one hour. Shape dough into two (8-inch) logs. Roll each log in chopped pecans. Wrap logs in waxed paper; chill at least three hours. Slice dough into 1/4-inch slices. Place on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 to 20 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool cookies on wire racks. Yields about four dozen.
ORANGE REFRIGERATOR
COOKIES
1/2 cup shortening
3/4 cup sugar
One egg
2 tablespoons evaporated milk
1-1/2 tablespoons grated orange rind
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups flour
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
Pecan halves (about 1 cup)
Cream shortening. Gradually add sugar, beating on medium speed of electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add egg, beating well. Add evaporated milk, orange rind, and vanilla, beating well after each addition. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Add to creamed mixture, mixing well. Shape dough into two (12 x 2-inch) rectangles. Place pecan halves lengthwise down the center of each rectangle. Fold sides of dough tightly over pecans forming logs. Wrap logs in waxed paper and chill at least two hours. Cut dough into 1/4-inch slices. Place on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake at 350 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned.
Cool cookies on wire racks. Yields six dozen.
