Phoebe's Kitchen

Potato Cheese Casserole for Easter Brunch

Many years ago a dear friend in Florida, Jan Dean, gave me this recipe.  Easter brunch is not complete unless this dish is serve.  It is extremely rich, but it is only once a year so go for it.

It is also a delicious dish to be served at bridal showers or any large gathering. 

Potato Brunch Casserole

1 32 ounce package hash brown  

1 pint whipping cream    

16 ounce package of swiss cheese, grated       

¼ (1 stick) pound of butter, melted 

nutmeg

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  

2.  Put all ingredients in an oven-to-table casserole dish; mix thoroughly.  Sprinkle top with nutmeg.    

3.Bake covered for 30 minutes; remove cover and continue baking for another 30 minutes until golden and bubbly. 

Note:  Do not double recipe in same pan.
 From Taste & Tales of Massachusetts

Find the Taste and Tales of Massachusetts at Orchard House in Concord, MA

Orchard House was the home of author Louisa May Alcott.  The house is most noted for being where she wrote and set her beloved classic, Little Women, in 1868 at a "shelf desk" her father built especially for her.  Approximately 80% of the furnishings on display were owned by the Alcotts, the rooms look very much as they did when the family lived there, causing many modern-day visitors to comment that, "A visit to Orchard House is like a walk through Little Women!"

Our cookbook, the Taste and Tales of Massachusetts is available at the Orchard House Museum Store.  This weekend there will be holiday festivities at the House, "A Little Women Christmas at Louisa May Alcott's Orchard House"

French Apple Pie

 6      large apples - 2 each                                    MacIntosh,  Cortlands and                            Granny Smith  

1/2   teaspoon cinnamon                        

1/2  teaspoon nutmeg                               

1      cup sugar                                               

        pinch  sea salt 

 1     tablespoon flour                                      

 3/4 cup raisins tossed with 1 tablespoon  flour

1. In pie shell arrange alternate layers of apples, sugar,spices, and raisins.  Cover top with thin pastry.
2. Slash top in several places and seal edges.
3. Bake 60-70 at 350° until pastry is golden.
4. Top with confectioners sugar mixed with water.

Optional:  Add 1/2 cup dried cranberries before covering pie.

Find Taste and Tales of Coastal New England at R J Julia in Madison, CT

R J Julia at 768 Boston Post Road in Madison, CT now carries the Taste and Tales of Coastal New England, A Taste of Lobsters and some tales too... and the Taste and Tales of Cape Cod.  

Growing up our family spent many hours along the Connecticut shoreline.  I took my first boatride at the age of 6 months from Clinton, CT.  As teenagers my brother and I spent time at Hammonasett Beach.  It is so different than it is today.  Back in the 1960s, there was a wonderful boardwalk with concession stands and even music events on weekends. The My brother and his pals usually spent a week camping at the State Park.  The word Hammonasett means, "where we dig holes in the ground" and refers to the place where a settlement of eastern woodland Indians farmed along the Hammonasset River. The park has served many purposes since 1898 when it was used as a testing range for Wincester Repeating Arms Company; an army reservation during WW II and an aircraft firing range.  I best remember it as a beach. My brother and his pals usually spent a week camping at the State Park.  I remember going from our home in Old Lyme one evening and having sloppy joes sitting around a campfire.  

                                                                                                                                                                    
Sloppy Joes                    

1 pound lean ground beef  

1  medium onion, chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

1/4 cup chopped celery

1 cup celery

1 cup ketchup

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon ground mustard

freshly ground pepper to taste

6 hamburger buns, split

 

1. In 10-inch skillet, cook beef, onion, garlic and celery over medium heat 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until beef is brown; drain.
2. Stir in remaining ingredients except buns. Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer uncovered 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender.
3. Fill buns with beef mixture.

Serves 6

 

 

Cadwell's Cheese House

Cadwell's Cheese House in Dewittville, NY was the first to carry our latest book the Taste and Tales of New York. 

 I have know the owner Jane Currie- since the 70s..  She is an outstanding photographer and the author of several books about western New York state around Chautauqua.  Cheese  had been in the Currie family since the last 1800s and the Cadwell Cheese House has been selling quality cheese and gifts since 1927. 

Check out their website at http://www.janeandpamela.com/cadwellmain58/cheese32/pid1cheese.html

Taste and Tales of New York

        Introducing our latest cookbook with over 200 recipes and nearly 200 interesting tales and tidbits. 

Once again Louise Minks of Leverett, MA painted an amazing image that we used for the cover.  The colors literally just jump off.

Kudos go to Lynee Rudie of Turners Falls who designed the book.  She did an absolutely fabulous job. 

The book is available through our website, www.basspondpress.com.  There are representative tales and a delicious recipe for the official muffin of New York, an Apple Muffin.

 

 

Easter Brunch - Potato Brunch Casserole

Hard to believe that we ate outdoors last Easter on the first Sunday in April.  This year the weathermen can't make up their mind - rain or sun.

The dish below was given to me by a dear friend from Sarasota, Florida.  Whenever it is served, it just disappears. All I can say absolutely  delicious.  From Taste and Tales of Massachusetts

                 Potato Brunch Casserole

1 (32-ounce) package hash browns

1 pint whipping cream

1 (16-ounce) package Swiss cheese, grated

1 stick butter, melted

few dashes nutmeg

1. Preheat oven to 350° F.
2. Put all ingredients in an oven-to-table casserole dish; mix thoroughly.  Sprinkle top with paprika.
3. Bake covered for 30 minutes; remove cover and continue baking for another 30 minutes until golden and bubbly.                                                           

Note:  Do not double recipe in same pan.  

Serves 6-8                             

Comfort Food

Spring is coming!!!  It has been a long cold snowy winter.  This tree is between 6-7' tall and the snow is almost as tall.  Sorry I haven’t been in touch.  I have been working hard on my next cookbook, Taste and Tales of New York.

During these long cold days there is nothing like a little comfort food that makes us feel warm.  I have had this Hamburg Loaf recipe since my grad school days at Florida State University.  It was given to me by one of my classmates, Roberta Maddox.  It a delicious moist meatloaf and its secret ingredient is chopped apple.

 

Hamburg Apple Loaf 

1 egg beaten                                                                                                       

¼ cup milk                                                                  

¾ cup bread crumbs                                                    

¼ cup chopped onion                                                  

2 medium apples-peeled, cored, and finely chopped

1 teaspoon sea salt

⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg

1½ pound ground beef

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Combine all ingredients except ground beef.
3. Add beef, mixing well.  Pat into loaf pan.
4. Bake at for 1¼  hours.

 Glaze for Top (optional)

¼ cup ketsup

1 teaspoon dry mustard 

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1/4 tespoon ground nutmeg

1. Combine the above ingredients, and spread over meat loaf.
2. Bake an additional 15 minutes.

From the Taste and Tales of Massachusetts                                

 

Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies - 12 Days of Christmas Cookies

These are my all time favorite cookie.  Besides me, my neighbor Sean and my nephew Karl also rank them high on their list.  They are really double chocolate with a touch of orange juice.

The hardest part is coming up with the mint chocolate chip.  :Last year Nestle had them once again so I stocked up buying about 3 dozen bags.  This year I bought some at Targets, but when I went back they no loniger had any.

Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies

2¼ cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

¾ cup granulated sugar

¾ cup brown sugar, packed

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 large eggs

1 ( 10-ounce) bag mint chocolate chips

1 (12-ounce) semi-sweet chocolate chips

 

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. In a medium size mixing bowl combine flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
3. In a large mixing bowl beat butter until soft and creamy.  Add granulated and brown sugar, combine thoroughly.  Add vanilla and eggs, one at a time. 
4. Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture; add orange juice and combine.
5. Fold in bags of mint chocolate chips and semi-sweet chocolate chips.
6. Drop by rounded teaspoons onto ungreased baking sheets.
7. Bake for 9 to 11 minutes until golden brown.  Cool on baking sheets for a few minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely.

 

Yields 4 to 5 dozen.

 

 

Rose Kennedy's Sugar Cookie - 12 Days of Christmas Cookies

 Sugar Cookies can be very versatile.  They can be rolled and cut into reindeer, Santas, Christmas Trees, Angels, Wreaths, and a many other symbols of the holiday season.

My dear friend, Berneice of Sugar D.L.'s made the cookies on the left for me.  She makes the most awesome cookies.  They can be found at Fresh Acres in Springfield, MA.

This recipe can be found in the Taste and Tales of Massachusetts.

Rose Kennedy’s Sugar Cookies

 ½ cup unsweetened butter                               

 ¼ cup sugar                                                     

 3 egg yolks                                                      

½ teaspoon vanilla                                           

1 tablespoon milk

1¼ cup all-purpose flour

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon baking powder

 

1. Preheat oven to 375° degrees F.
2. Cream butter until light and gradually add sugar.
3. Add egg yolks, vanilla, and milk; beat thoroughly.
4. Sift dry ingredients and add to batter in batches.  Mix well, but do not overmix.
5. Place on unbuttered cookie sheets by teaspoons.  Press down using fingers.  If desired, sprinkle top with color sprinkle.
6. Bake in oven for about 8-10 minutes until edges are golden.

 Yields:  36 cookies

 

Almond Joy - Day 2 of 12 Days of Christmas Cookies

 Almond Joy Macaroon Bars 

 These tasty bites taste like the candy bar.  A marvelous combination of chocolate and coconut.  This delicious recipe can be found in the Taste and Tales of Coastal New England.

 

¾ cup (12 tablespoons) unsalted butter

2 cups all-purpose flour

½ cup light brown sugar, firmly packed

½ teaspoon salt

4 large egg whites

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

½ cup all-purpose flour

1 (7-ounce) bag sweetened, flaked coconut

1½ cups semisweet chocolate bits

 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Cut butter into ½-inch pieces.  Cut butter into flour until mixture begins to form pea size pieces.  Sprinkle in a 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking pan and press evenly onto bottom.
3. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden.
4. In a bowl, whisk together egg whites, sugar and vanilla until well combined. 
5. Blend in flour and coconut, mixing well.  Sprinkle chocolate chips evenly over hot shortbread.  Let chips melt and spread evenly over shortbread.
6. Drop coconut mixture by teaspoons onto chocolate and spread evenly.
7. Bake on the middle rack of the oven for 30 minutes.  Cool completely in pan before cutting into bars.

 

Yields:  24 bars