Tuna pineapple salad on rye

This simple recipe is a family favorite and it’s quick and easy to produce with items you probably already have on hand.  I usually serve it on rye bread, but it’s equally good on a couple of slices of raisin bread. 

2 5-ounce cans of Solid White Albacore Tuna in water, thoroughly drained

1 8-ounce can crushed pineapple, thoroughly drained

½ cup of chopped walnuts

⅓ cup light or regular mayonnaise

Crisp lettuce leaves

Salt and Pepper to taste

To get all the juice out of the canned pineapple, I dump it in a sieve and press it with a fork.  Mix all ingredients together and spread on rye bread. Top with a crisp leaf of lettuce and another slice of rye.  

Recipe by Mary

Mary’s Double chocolate walnut brownies

I am a brownie fanatic and have lots of brownie recipes, but this is one I reach for quite often.  They are crisp on the outside and chewy on the inside, with that extra bite of nuts.  In fact, these brownies meet the definition of a classic brownie, and may be the best you’ve ever had!

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INGREDIENTS

1 cup all-purpose flour

¼ cup Dutch-process cocoa powder

¾ teaspoon fine sea salt

8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, divided

1 cup granulated sugar

¾ cup unsalted butter

½ cup packed dark brown sugar

3 large eggs

1 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

METHOD

Preheat oven to 350.  Line a 13×9” metal baking pan with parchment paper allowing 2 inches to hang over on all sides.  Lightly coat parchment paper with cooking spray. Whisk together the flour, cocoa and salt in a small bowl.  Set aside.

Melt butter and 5 ounces of chocolate together over very low heat, stirring with a spatula until smooth. Remove from heat and add granulated and brown sugar.  Mix until combined.  Add eggs and vanilla extract and whisk them into mixture with a fork. 

Use the fork to incorporate about half of the flour mixture.  Add remaining flour mixture and then the chopped walnuts. 

Transfer the batter to prepared pan and smooth top.  Roughly chop remaining 3 ounces chocolate and sprinkle over top of batter.  Bake in preheated oven 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.  Cool brownies on a wire rack for 2 hours.  Using parchment, remove brownies from pan.  Cut into squares.  Store at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 2 days.

Recipe by Mary

Avgolemono soup

Subtle lemon flavor with bright notes of fresh dill, silky egg thickened broth with hearty chicken and rice… this soup is the answer on a cold winter night when you’re dreaming of spring! This bright and cheerful, yet filling soup is a take on the Greek lemon sauce known as avgolemono. We ate ours with salad and toasted rye bread from the local bakery.

Ingredients

Serves 8

  • 1 whole rotisserie chicken, meat removed and shredded
  • 2 cups white rice
  • 4 cups water
  • 1 tsp coarse sea salt
  • 2 tbsp neutral oil
  • 2 tbsp + 2 tbsp salted butter
  • 1/2 yellow onion, diced
  • 2 medium carrots, diced
  • 1 tbsp minced garlic
  • 8 cups chicken broth or chicken bone broth
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 tsp Better Than Bouillon Roasted Chicken Base
  • 2 lemons, juiced, about 1/2 cup
  • 4 large egg yolks
  • 1 bunch fresh dill, chopped, 1/2 – 3/4 cup
  • salt & pepper to taste

Method

Bring the 4 cups of water and1 tsp of salt to a boil. Add the rice and cover, cooking on low for 20 minutes until the rice is done. In a large pot, combine the broth, 2 cups of water, and bouillon. Bring to a boil.

Heat 2 tbsp of neutral oil and 2 tbsp of butter in a cast iron skillet. Add the diced carrots and cook for three minutes. Add the onions and cook until translucent. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Remove from the heat.

Combine 1 cup of the cooked rice, 2 cups of hot broth, and lemon juice in a blender. Blend until well combined. While the blender is still running, add the yolks one at a time.

Add the remaining rice, the carrot and onion mixture, and the shredded chicken to the hot broth. Add the mixture from the blender to the pot and stir to combine. Simmer until thickened. Stir in 2 tbsp of butter. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Turn off the heat and stir in the dill.

Recipe by Katie

Chipped Beef Cheese Ball

I have been serving this quick and easy cheese ball to family and friends for many years.  It’s salty from the dried beef, and spicy from the horseradish.  It makes a great accompaniment to cocktails and never fails to please.

3 ounces of dried beef (Find this in a jar in the canned meat section of your grocery store)

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

¼ cup grated parmesan cheese

¼ cup pimento-stuffed olives, chopped

2 Tablespoons prepared horseradish

1 cup walnuts, chopped fine

Cup the dried beef into tiny slivers.  Mix all ingredients except the walnuts, using an electric mixer.  Form into a ball and roll in the chopped nuts.  Chill for at least an hour and serve with a variety of crackers. 

Recipe by Mary

Meatball White Bean & Kale Soup

This is a quick and easy weeknight family supper. It was pronounced delicious by even the pickiest eater in our house. Double the meatball recipe and freeze for an even easier future meal! Serve with garlic bread.

Ingredients

For the meatballs:

  • 1 lb ground beef
  • 1/2 small onion, finely chopped
  • 2 tbsp minced garlic
  • 2 tsp coarse sea salt
  • 2 tsp Italian herb seasoning
  • 1 tsp ground black pepper
  • 1/2 cup bread crumbs
  • 1 large egg, beaten
  • 1/2 cup buttermilk (plain yogurt works too)

For the soup:

  • 32 oz unsalted chicken stock
  • 2 tbsp cornstarch
  • 1 – 2 tsp sea salt to taste
  • 1 tbsp Italian herb seasoning
  • 1 tbsp Better Than Bouillon Chicken Base
  • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tbsp minced garlic
  • 2 carrots cut into matchsticks
  • 2 15 oz cans reduced sodium cannellini beans, with juices
  • 1 bunch kale, stems removed, torn into pieces
  • Fresh grated Parmigiano Reggiano

Method

Combine all the ingredients for the meatballs in a large bowl and mix with your hands until evenly distributed. Add additional bread crumbs or buttermilk if needed. Form into balls.

In a large cast iron or heavy bottom frying pan, heat a few tablespoons of neutral oil. Cook the meatballs until browned on all sides and set aside. If cooking an extra batch of meatballs to freeze for future use, make sure the they are cooked through, or the internal temperature reaches 165°F.

Place the meatballs in the bottom of a 4 quart or larger heavy bottom pot. Cover the meatballs with the chicken stock, reserving 1/2 cup. Bring the stock to a simmer. Add the cornstarch to the reserved stock (this should be cool or room temp) and beat with fork until incorporated and there are no lumps. Slowly stir the slurry into the simmering stock. Add the Better Than Bouillon and stir until completely dissolved. The stock will thicken as it returns to a simmer.

Add the salt, Italian herb seasoning, apple cider vinegar, and garlic. Add the carrots and cannellini beans with their juices. Simmer for about five minutes. When ready to serve, add the kale in batches. There will be alot of kale, and it will look as though it won’t fit. I promise it will! After each addition, wait for the kale to wilt before adding the next batch.

Serve topped with lots of fresh grated Parmigiano Reggiano and black pepper.

Recipe by Katie

Engagement Night Pot Roast

Tender warm roast beef served on a platter with brown gravy is one of my husband’s favorite dishes, especially in the Fall and Winter.  This is a fabulous Pot Roast, no matter what your reasons for cooking it.  Just don’t fuss over it too much.  Simplicity is the key here.

3-4-pound chuck roast

Kosher salt

Fresh cracked black pepper

All-purpose flour

The Method

            First buy the nicest looking pot roast you can find.  About 3 pounds is good.  Bring it home and salt and pepper it all over generously with kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper.  Then rub some all-purpose flour into the meat.  Next take the roast and shake it so that all the excess flour comes off.

            Your choice of a pot is critical:  First, it must be large enough so that the roast can lay flat in the bottom, and it MUST BE HEAVY-WEIGHT. I use an All Clad Dutch Oven and it works great.  A Lodge dutch oven, Le Creuset or a Staub pot would work well too; Any pot that’s heavy weight.  Pour a couple of tablespoons of good-quality olive oil into the pot and swirl the pot so that the oil covers the bottom. Heat the pot to a medium heat. The oil should not be smoking.

            Place the prepared pot roast into the hot pan.  It will sizzle-that’s the sound you’re looking for.  Don’t move it for at least 5 minutes.  The meat should be thoroughly browned, and the kitchen should smell like a steakhouse.  Before you proceed, you might need to remove the roast to a plate, pour in some additional oil and to return the pan to medium temperature.  Then, place the roast back in the pot on the other side and repeat the sizzling process.  Do the same thing for the sides, although you shouldn’t need any additional oil.

            Position the pot roast on one of the flat sides, cover the pot and turn the burner to Low.  DO NOT add any liquid. Turn the roast every 30 minutes until it’s done.  You can estimate the time it will cook by saying it takes about 45 minutes per pound.  However, the real test is how much liquid is in the pot.  As the roast cooks, you’ll be surprised by how much juice is in the pot and how beautifully brown it is.  As the roast nears completion, you’ll notice that there is less and less juice and the juice is very thick.   When there’s just a thin coating of juice in the bottom of the pot, it’s time to take it out.  Let it rest on a platter for at least 15 minutes. 

            In the meantime, make the gravy, starting with a “slurry”.  Measure 6 tablespoons of all-purpose flour into a coffee cup and measure ½ cup of water in a measuring cup.  Pour the water into the flour a little at a time, starting with about ¼ cup.  Stir vigorously with a fork until the slurry is smooth and lump free.  (No lumps in your slurry, no lumps in your gravy.) Pour 2 cups of water into the pot where you roasted the meat and whisk and heat the liquid to medium.  Pour the slurry into the hot liquid and whisk quickly to distribute it throughout.  Bring the liquid to a slow boil, whisking constantly.   Then turn off the burner and pour the liquid into a gravy boat.  My father calls this gravy “righteous”.