Baked Hominy and Tomatoes

3 cups of canned hominy drained
1 tablespoon of butter, melted (I have also used olive oil.)
2 cups of canned chopped tomatoes (I have also used stewed tomatoes.)
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup of your favorite grated cheese

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Combine the hominy, the butter, the tomatoes, and the cheese.

Season to taste.

Pour the mixture into a well-buttered or well-oiled baking dish.

Bake about 45 minutes, until bubbling and crusted.

Serve.

Cream of Corn Soup

This recipe is from a very old cookbook once owned by my maternal grandmother. For me it's a comfort food. Memories of long ago.

This recipe will serve 4 or 6 depending on the appetites.

1/2 tablespoon of minced onion
1 tablespoon of chopped celery leaves
3 tablespoons of melted butter
3 tablespoons of flour
2 cups of milk, scalded
1 cup of boiling water
1 cup of fresh corn kernels
Salt and Pepper to taste

Brown the onion and the celery leaves in the melted butter.

Add the flour and mix until it is smooth.

Add the milk slowly, stirring constantly.

Cook over boiling water until it is thick and smooth.

Add the corn.

Season to taste.

Celery salt may be substituted for the chopped celery leaves. If you do this don't add salt until you have tasted the soup.

Serve hot.

Creamed Celery

4 cups of chopped celery
2 tablespoons of butter
2 cups of milk
2 tablespoons of flour
1 teaspoon of salt
3/4 cup of pecan halves
1/2 cup of bread crumbs

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Lightly oil a 1 1/2 quart casserole.

Boil the celery until it's tender, maybe 10 minutes.

In a medium saucepan, over medium heat, melt the butter and then stir in the milk and the flour.

Stir the milk and flour mixture until it thickens and becomes creamy. Add the salt and the cooked celery.

Pour the mixture into the oiled casserole, top with the pecan halves, and cover with the bread crumbs.

Bake the dish for 15 minutes, or until the sauce bubbles.

Serve.

Heaven and Earth

A simple dish of warm mashed potatoes mixed with warm, well seasoned applesauce, salt, and enough sugar and cider vinegar to give a slight sweet-sour tang.

Serve warm with brown butter poured over it.

Note: Brown butter is made by cooking unsalted butter long enough to turn the milk solids brown while cooking out any water present in the butter. Often described as tasting nutty or toasty, it has a deeper, richer, more intense flavor than melted or clarified butter. Brown butter is a  for vegetables.

Heaven and Earth

1 1/3 cups of water
1/2 teaspoon of salt
3 1/2 pounds of potatoes, peeled and diced
3 apples, peeled, quartered, cores removed
1 teaspoon of salt
1 tablespoon of sugar
1 tablespoon of cider vinegar
1/4 pound of tempeh, diced
2 onions, sliced



In a large soup pot or Dutch oven, bring the water and 1/2 teaspoon of salt to the boil.

Add the potatoes and return to the boil. Cook until the potatoes are just tender.

Add the apples, return to the boil, and cook until the apples are tender.

Season with the 1 teaspoon of salt, the sugar, and the vinegar.

Saute the tempeh and the onion slices in a very small amount of sesame oil until done to your liking.

Drain any water from the apples and the potatoes.
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Pour the onion and the tempeh mixture over the potatoes and the apples and serve hot.

Seasoned Crisped Tempeh

1/2 cup of water
2 teaspoons of salt
6 ounces of tempeh, cut into slices 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick
Oil for frying

Combine the water and the salt.

Dip the slices of tempeh into the seasoned water.

Heat the oil in a saute pan.

Dip the slices of tempeh and then allow them to rip dry on a rack. (Water and hot oil can spatter.)

Slip the sliced tempeh into the oil and cut for 3 to 4 minutes, or until golden brown on each side.. Turn halfway through.

Serve alone or on rich or in a sandwich. Use your imagination.

Tempeh Mock Chicken Salad

This recipe will serve two at a lunch or one at a supper.

7 ounces of tempeh, diced into 3/8-inch cubes and fry in oil until golden and crisp, then cool to room temperature
1/2 cup of mayonnaise
2 tablespoons of minced onion
2 tablespoons of chopped dill pickle or dill relish
1/4 cup of minced fresh parsley
1 tablespoon of minced fresh basil
A pinch of crushed garlic
A dash of salt
2 or 3 cups of shredded lettuce

Combine the first eight ingredients, mixing well.

Serve mounded on the lettuce.

Tempeh Mock Tuna Spread

This recipe will make 1 1/2 cups of spread

6 ounces of tempeh, diced
1 tablespoon of water
1/4 cup of mayonnaise
1 tablespoon of minced onion
1/2 teaspoon of salt
2 tablespoons of minced fresh parsley

Steam the tempeh for 20 to 25 minutes; until desired tenderness is reached

Transfer the tempeh to a bowl. While it is still hot, add the water and mash thoroughly. Once mashed, allow it to cool to room temperature.

Add the remaining ingredients and mix well.

Use on sandwiches or crackers.

How to Make Tempeh [Homemade] - Easy Method

German-American Farmers' Fruit Soup

1 pound of fresh fruit (apples, pears, cherries, plums, strawberries, or rhubarb)
1 quart of cold water
1 twist of lemon peel
2 tablespoons of cornstarch
2 tablespoons of cold water
1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
1/4 to 1/2 cup of sugar
1 tablespoon of lemon juice or dry wine

Wash and slice any combination of the fruits listed above.

Place the fruit is a sauce pan, cover with the quart of cold water, add the lemon peel, bring to the boil, lower the heat, and simmer until tender.

Remove the fruit from the heat and puree.

Return the pureed fruit to the pan and bring to the boil.

Remove from the heat.

Mix the cornstarch with the 2 tablespoons of cold water and stir it into the fruit puree.

Return the puree to the heat and bring to the boil, stirring constantly until thickened.

Remove from the heat and season with the cinnamon, the sugar and the lemon juice or the wine.

Serve hot or cold.

A Simple Apple Pie

3 cups of peeled and finely diced apples
1 cup of sugar (brown or white, they both work well)
2/3 cup of cream
1/4 teaspoon of salt
1 rounded tablespoon of flour
1 store-bought pie shell

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

Mix all the ingredients except the shell.

Pour the mixture into the pie shell.

Bake the pie for 15 minutes.

Reduce the oven temperature to 325 and bake the pie for 30 to 40 minutes longer.

When the pie is about halfway done, take a table knife and push the top apples down into the pie to soften them.

When finished, allow the pie to rest about 20 minutes.

Serve.

A Mexican Pie

4 eggs
1/2 cup of milk
1/4 cup of chopped fresh cilantro
1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Jalapeno sauce to taste
1 cup of shredded Anejo cheese
1 4 ounce can of diced green chilis
1 tomatillo, diced
1 9-inch single pie crust.

 Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Place the eggs in a large bowl and beat well.

Add all the other ingredients except the pie shell. Stir well to combine.

Pour the mixture into the pie shell.

Bake in the preheated oven for 45 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Serve.

Cream of Brie and Leek Soup

1/2 cup of unsalted butter
8 large leeks (white part only) finely chopped
4 cups of unsalted vegetable broth
1/2 cup of flour
2 cups of milk
2 cups of heavy cream
1 1/2 pounds of Brie cheese
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Chopped chives to garnish







In a stock pot or Dutch oven, melt 1/4 cup of the butter

Add the leeks and saute for 5 minutes.

Add the vegetable broth and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 25 minutes.

Strain the leeks from the broth.

In a food processor, puree the cooked leeks with 1/2 cup of the broth. Pour the pureed leeks back into the pot and keep the heat on low.

Melt the remaining 1/4 cup of butter in a saucepan. Stir the flour into the butter. Blend to create a smooth paste.

Add the flour paste to the soup broth and stir well.

Blend in the milk and the cream, one cup at a time. Whisk the soup until it is smooth.

Chop the brie, including the rind, into small cubes. Add the chopped cheese to the soup in small batches. Blend between each addition until the soup is smooth. The small bits of rind will remain but the soup will become smooth.

It will take some time for the cheese to melt, but do not turn up the heat or you'll scald the milk and the cream.

Keep adding, stirring, and blending the cheese until all is melted.

If you enjoy the flavor of the brie rind, leave it in the soup. If you are not a fan of brie rind, dip it out with a strainer.

Season the soup with salt and pepper and sprinkle with the chives.

Serve.

Extremely Simple Tofu Teriyaki

1 pound of firm tofu, blotted and cut into 3/4-inch dice
1 cup of vegetable stock (homemade or canned)
2 tablespoons of dry white wine or dry vermouth
2 tablespoons of teriyaki sauce
2 green onions, thinly sliced

Combine the first 4 ingredients in a sauce pan. Bring to the simmer, cover, and cook gently for 10 minutes.

Divide the tofu and the liquid among 4 shallow bowls.

Garnish each serving with some of the sliced green onion.

Serve

German-American Farmer's Green Peas and Sour Cream

1 large zucchini or cucumber, peeled
1 pound of fresh or frozen green peas
Chopped chervil, tarragon, dill weed, and mint to taste
1 tablespoon of butter
Salt to taste
1/4 cup of water
1/2 cup of sour cream
1/2 cup of mayonnaise
1 tablespoon of lemon juice


Slice the zucchini or cucumber into 1/4-inch slices.

Place the slices in a large sauce pan and add the peas, the herbs, the butter, the salt, and the water.

Cover, bring to the boil, and reduce the heart to simmer. Cook for about 6 minutes, less if the peas were frozen—until tender.

Blend the sour cream, the mayonnaise, and the lemon juice.

Pour the mixture over the peas and stir carefully.

Heat thoroughly, stirring to prevent sticking.

Serve immediately.

Fried Sweet Potatoes with Cayenne

Oil and butter to fry
1 1/2 pounds of sweet potatoes, boiled until tender, peeled, and sliced
Sugar to taste
Salt to taste
Cayenne powder to taste

Heat the oil and the butter in a large pan.

Add the sliced sweet potato.

Sprinkle with sugar and salt to taste. The amount of each seasoning will depend upon experience. Upon what you prefer.

Cook until slightly caramelized. Then turn over and add a wee bit more sugar and salt. Cook until slightly caramelized.

Turn and sprinkle very lightly with the cayenne powder. The amount used here will also depend on personal experience.

Turn once more to allow the cayenne to be cooked for a moment.

Serve.

Michigan Creamed Eggs

6 hard-boiled eggs
4 slices of toast
Salt and black pepper to taste
2 cups of white sauce
Paprika to taste

Slice the eggs and divide on the toast.

Season the eggs with the salt and pepper.

Cover with hot white sauce.

Sprinkle with the paprika.

Serve.




White Sauce Recipe

2 tablespoons of butter
2 tablespoons of flour
Milk as needed
Salt and black pepper to taste

Melt the butter in a sauce pan.

Sprinkle in the flour and cook for 1 minutes, stir frequently.

Add enough milk to make a sauce. The consistency will depend on how much or how little milk you add.

Season with the salt and pepper.

Deep-Fried Bananas

8 small bananas, peeled
4 ounces of self-raising flour
1 1/4 ounces of rice flour
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1 cup of water
Vegetable oil for deep-frying
Sugar to sprinkle
1 limes, cut into wedges

Sift both the flours with the salt into a bowl.

Add just enough water to make a batter of smooth coating consistency. Mix well.

Heat the oil in a pan.

Dip the bananas in the batter. Ensure they are well coated.

Deep-fry the battered bananas until they are crisp and golden.

Remove and drain on paper towels.

Sprinkle with sugar and serve hot with the lime wedges on the side.

Tofu and Lettuce Soup

2 tablespoons of vegetable oil
3 green onions, sliced
2 garlic cloves, cut into thin strips
1 carrot, thinly sliced
4 cups of vegetable broth
2 tablespoons of soy sauce
1 teaspoon of sugar
4 ounces of lettuce, shredded
6 1/2 ounces of smoked or marinated tofu, cubed
Salt and black pepper to taste

Heat the oil in a soup pot or Dutch oven.

Stir-fry the tofu until it is brown. Drain and set it aside on paper towel.

Add the green onion, the garlic, and the carrot in the pan and stir-fry for 2 minutes.

Add the vegetable broth and the soy sauce.

Heat for 1 minute.

Add the sugar, the lettuce, and the tofu cubes.

Heat gently for a minute and adjust the seasoning.

Serve hot.

Miso Breakfast Soup

3 or 4 shiitake mushrooms, thinly sliced
5 cups of vegetable stock
5 ounces of firm or extra tofu, cut into bite-sized cubes
1 green onion, sliced
Salt and black pepper to taste

If you are using dried mushrooms soak them in hot water for several minutes, drain, and slice.

Bring the vegetable broth to a boil in a large sauce.

Add the mushroom slices.

Lower the heat to simmer and stir in the miso paste.

Simmer for 5 minutes.

Adjust the seasoning with the salt and pepper.

Divide the tofu among the serving bowls.

Ladle the soup into the bowls.

Garnish with the green onion slices.

Serve immediately.