RECIPES

Check this page regularly to see our featured recipes!  This page is also available for our customer’s favorite recipes or hints.  Just e-mail us and we’ll add them to this page.

January featured recipe –

It’s cold outside and what could be better than a steaming hot bowl of soup!

HAM AND POTATO CHEESE SOUP

Here is a tasty way to use up leftover ham.  Potatoes and ham and cheese make a great combination.  Serve with crusty bread and a fruit salad.

2 tablespoons butter                                               
3 cups chicken stock or broth
1 cup chopped yellow onion                                   
1 cup grated Gruyere cheese
1 cup cubed ham                                               
¼ to ½ cup milk
¼ teaspoon dried thyme                                   
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
3 large russet potatoes (about 2 ½ pounds) peeled and sliced
Chopped parsley for topping

In a saucepan over medium heat, melt butter.  Add onion and sauté until tender, about 5 minutes.  Stir in ham, thyme, potatoes, and stock.  Cover and simmer over medium-low heat until potatoes are very tender, about 20 minutes.  Potatoes should be broken up and slightly mushy.

Add cheese and milk and stir until cheese melts and soup is heated through, about 5 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper.  If you have an emulsion blender, puree slightly to thicken soup.  If you do not have an emulsion blender, use a potato masher and mash slightly.  Ladle into bowls and sprinkle with parsley.

February featured recipe –

It’s Valentine’s Day and what could be better than a delicious rich chocolate brownie?  This brownie offers depth, moistness, creaminess and fudginess and it just tastes fun!  These are even more terrific when served with vanilla ice cream and chocolate fudge.  They are too good just for Valentine’s Day – serve them all year long.

BRRRRR-OWNIES

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 5 pieces
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3 oz. bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped           
Pinch of salt
1/3 cup all purpose flour
2/3 cup sugar           
3 oz. unsweetened chocolate, coarsely copped                                   
1 cup (6 oz.) York Peppermint Pattie            Bites (or an equal weight of patties) chopped into bits
                                                  

Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 325 degrees.  Line an 8 inch square baking pan with foil, butter the foil and place the pan on a baking sheet.

Set a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of gently simmering water.  Put the butter in the bowl, top with the chopped chocolates and stir occasionally until the ingredients are just melted.  You don’t want them to get so hot that the butter separates.  Remove the bowl from the pan of water.

With a whisk, stir in the sugar.  Don’t be concerned when your smooth mixture turns grainy.  Whisk in the eggs one by one.  Add the vanilla and whisk vigorously to bring the batter together and give it a shine before gently stirring in the salt and flour.  Stir only until incorporated.  Switch to a rubber spatula and fold in the peppermint pieces.  Scrape the batter into the pan and smooth the top with the rubber spatula.

Bake the brownies for 30 to 33 minutes, or until the top is dull and a thin knife inserted into the center comes out almost clean.  Transfer the pan to a rack and cool to room temperature.

When they are completely cool, turn out onto a rack, peel away the foil and invert onto a cutting board.  But into sixteen two inch squares.

March featured recipe –

It’s the luck of the Irish that we get to share in some great recipes!

IRISH STEW

Irish Stew is cooked in layers and served in bowls at the table.  Traditionally, the meat is not browned first and is cooked on top of the stove.  This recipe is baked in the oven for easier temperature control.  Serve with Irish Soda Bread which follows.

4 medium russet potatoes (about 2 pounds) peeled and cut into ½ inch slices                                                                       
3 large yellow onions, cut into ½ inch slices                       
Chicken stock (about 4 cups)                                   
2 pounds boneless lamb shoulder, cut into 1 inch cubes
½ teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper to taste
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a large lightly sprayed or oiled Dutch oven or casserole, place half the potatoes for the bottom layer.  Spread half the onions over the potatoes, followed by all the lamb.  Sprinkle with thyme, salt and pepper.  Layer remaining onions and potatoes over lamb.  In a small saucepan, bring stock and Worcestershire sauce to a boil and pour over stew.  Cover and bake until the meat is tender, about 1 ½ hours.  Can be cooked on top of the stove over low heat for 1 ½ hours.

IRISH SODA BREAD

This classic peasant bread is one of the specialties of Ireland and is still baked regularly in homes all over the country.  It is best served fresh or toasted the next day.  It is very easy to make.

2 cups all purpose flour                                   
¼ teaspoon baking soda
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder                                   
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a large bowl, mix flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda.  Stir buttermilk into flour mixture until the dough is moistened evenly.

On a floured surface, knead dough 5 or 6 times.  Form dough into a ball.  Transfer to a buttered baking sheet and shape into an 8 inch mound.  With a sharp knife, cut a shallow cross in the top.  Bake until golden brown, about 40 minutes.  Remove from pan and wrap in a clean kitchen towel and cool on a rack for 1 hour.  Slice and serve.