A Few Of FR's Finest....Every Day....08/15/03....Cooking With FReepers - Carlo3b

dansangel; Billie

[dansangel]

A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day

Free Republic made its debut in September, 1996, and the forum was added in early 1997.   Over 100,000 people have registered for posting privileges on Free Republic, and the forum is read daily by tens of thousands of concerned citizens and patriots from all around the country and the world.

A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day was introduced on June 24, 2002. It's only a small room in JimRob's house where we can get to know one another a little better; salute and support our military and our leaders; pray for those in need; and congratulate those deserving. We strive to keep our threads entertaining, fun, and pleasing to look at, and often have guest writers contribute an essay, or a profile of another FReeper.

On Mondays please visit us to see photos of A FEW OF FR'S VETERANS AND ACTIVE MILITARY

If you have a suggestion, or an idea, or if there's a FReeper you would like to see featured, please drop one of us a note in FR mail.

We're having fun and hope you are!
~ Billie, dansangel, dutchess, Mama_Bear, Aquamarine ~

Several Finest FReepers have requested a thread whereby they would have the opportunity to exchange favorite recipes. Our motto around here is (among other things), "We Aim To Please." With that said, it is a pleasure to present to you ~

design by Billie
"the other stuff" by dansangel

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There are two schools of thought about eating. Many of us "eat to live" - that is, consume food instinctively to sustain life. Then there are others who "live to eat." I definitely fall into the latter category!

Toss some mixed salad greens with a luscious balsamic vinaigrette dressing, add Greek olives and feta cheese and I am sighing with delight. Pour expertly created Italian-style tomato sauce over carefully hand-made pasta and I am quivering with anticipation. Serve (almost) anything covered in decadent chocolate and I am purring like a kitten.

Blame it on my ethnic Italian upbringing, but eating is more of an event than an exercise in survival.

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FReeper Carlo3b has graciously agreed to co-host today's thread. For those of you who are not familiar with Carlo, he is a Master Chef and the one behind compiling and publishing "The Clinton Legacy Cookbook" ~ a collection of FReeper recipes traded online in celebration of the Klintoons exiting the White House. Our very own Billie is credited with some of the illustrations used in the book. For those of you interested in owning a copy of this entertaining and useful cooking aid, please send a FReepmail to Carlo3b for details.

Carlo3b

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Before getting underway with the flurry of recipe exchange, I'd like to start you all out on some favorite recipes of mine~



Baked Stuffed Mushrooms - Italian Style

Ingredients:

24 mushrooms (approx. 1 and 1/2 - 2 inches in diameter)
2/3 c shredded provolone cheese
1/4 c seasoned bread crumbs
1 clove garlic
1/4 c chopped onion
3 tbsp chopped green pepper
3 tbsp margarine

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~ Wash mushrooms and remove stems from the caps. Chop the stems.
~ Sautee onion, garlic, green pepper and 2 c chopped mushroom stems in margarine until tender.
~ Remove from heat and stir in bread crumbs and cheese.
~ Press mixture into the mushroom caps.
~ Bake at 425 degrees for 10 minutes.
Enjoy!





Chicken and Artichokes

Ingredients:

2 chicken breasts cut into 2-inch chunks
2 jars marinated artichoke hearts
1 small jar marinated mushrooms
1/2 c seasoned breadcrumbs
1 egg beaten
2 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp grated parmesean cheese

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~ Dip chunks of chicken in egg and then roll in bread crumbs.
~ Heat olive oil in frying pan and lightly fry coated chicken pieces. Set aside.
~ Partially drain artichoke hearts and mushrooms.
~ In a small-medium baking dish, layer chicken pieces on the bottom. Then, layer artichokes and mushrooms. Top with parmesean cheese.
~ Bake at 350 degrees until chicken is cooked thoroughly.
Enjoy!





Chocolate/Butterscotch "Brownies"

Ingredients:

1 and 1/2 c graham cracker crumbs
1 can Borden's condensed sweetened milk
1 c Nestle's semi-sweet bits
1 c Nestle's butterscotch bits
1 c coarsely chopped walnuts

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~ Mix all ingredients well.
~ Press mixture into a well-greased 9" square pan.
~ Bake @ 350 degrees F for 30-35 minutes.
~ Cool 45 minutes.
~ Cut into 1 and 1/2 inch squares.
Enjoy!

Have fun trading recipes. Above all,

Mangia! :-)

THIS WEEK'S THREADS 08-11-03 Military Monday 08-12-03 High Road To China 08-13-03 FReeper Pets - Mama_Bear's "Boyz" 08-14-03 Dems: Vote No on Recall

Opinions by our own 'King of Ping' The guy's good, folks!

Thanks, Mixer!

1) Click on the graphic to open the Calendar.
2) Once there you can click on any month and even click to the right to go into next year. Once you are in the month that you joined FR you will need to click on the number in the calendar and then an add item screen will come up.
3) In the next box enter your name in the "Calendar Text" field and then click on submit.
4) If any of the screens fail to load simply click on refresh in your browser and that will usually fix it.
5) If all else fails or simply if you want me to do this for you send me a FReepmail and I will gladly do it for you. ~Mixer

God Bless Our Military

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Below are names of some of our FReepers' loved ones who are serving our country. If you have someone you would like to add, please address a post to Billie; Dansangel; Dutchess; Mama_Bear; Aquamarine and we will add their name to this list. As we pray for them, we pray also for all our nation’s leaders, and military personnel, and their families and friends. May God hold them close to His heart.

~~~~~~~~~~   ~~~~~~~~~~

We ask Lord, that You guide the leaders of our great country in their hour of decision. The burden that has been placed on their shoulders is overwhelming. We ask that with Your infinite wisdom You guide them gently to the right decisions.

Please give us the strength, Lord, to get through each difficult and devastating day that faces each of us and our country. Protect and guide our Military that are now being called to duty, strengthen them in their trials and temptations; give them courage to face the perils which beset them; and grant them a sense of your abiding presence wherever they may be; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

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OhioWfan........................son mystery-ak..........son, husband Gogrammy................grandson Inspectorette...................son Blessed American..........nephew Slip18..........................nephew anniegetyourgun...........nephew Pippin....niece,nephew,loved one Doug from Upland......son-in-law weldgophardline.....brotherinlaw Future Snake Eater..........cousin WaterDragon..son-in-law,grandson BeforeISleep...................son The Mayor........................niece LadyX.........................grandson fawn796.....................nephew ValerieUSA................2 sons Warrior Nurse...........active duty SK1 Thurman...........active duty David Osborne.........active duty fc2tomschermuly......active duty bkwells..................activve duty LongCut..................active duty Trish.......................active duty

Maigrey................cousin ladtx....................2 sons Mama_Bear...........nephew gator girl............husband severa................husband MozartLover......son, nephew LBGA........................son SpookBrat...........nephew Himyar.....................son boxerblues............2 sons the piper...................son sheeza...............husband kemathen7...........husband Diver Dave................niece deadhead................cousin JimRobinson.....2 nephews Armymarinemom.....3 sons Consort..2 daughters,son-in-law Darheel..................niece dixie sass.............nephew BeAllYouCanBe.........son AgThorn...............2 sons homeschoolmama.......nephew kneezles.................son

[LadyX]

{{{{{ Mega Hugs for Carlo..:) }}}}}

Those hugs were based on general principles, but more are due for this recipe, sounding like just what I need.

A childhood memory was growing up in Coral Gables, Florida and my parents slipping out early on Sunday mornings to go to downtown Miami to the Mayflower Hotel.
(No longer in existence, I understand)
There was a doughnut shop (watch 'em being made) there, and they'd have coffee and doughnuts and bring some home to my older sisters (one in high school) and me.
I can still summon that warm and aromatic smell!

In recent years, not near a good bakery, all I find are soaked in yucky glaze ones, or plain, somehow disappointing ones - yearning for basic plain, old-fashioned ones like this appears to be!

Thanks, Carlo - for all the memories . . .

[LadyX]

"We've had pears coming out the gazoo here. I've peeled and cooked about 2 dozen twice myself. One friend made pear honey, pear preserves and cobblers.
I don't have a pear tree but I was giving pears away because I had too many given to me.
Need pears anyone?"

(pssst- - can't we give 'em out for Weinie in CA??
Vote for Weinie gimmick - "A pear in every partridge tree" kinda thing??)

[The Thin Man]

Mornin' dansy. Oh, the unfairness of it all. I can't participate cuz I don't cook.

Don't give me a second thought, just go along and continue exchanging recipes.

:-)

[carlo3b]

{{{{{ Mega Hugs for Carlo..:) }}}}}

... Blush... Thank you my dearest friend, thank you for the memories of our little buddy Angelique... :( ... HUGG

[iceskater]

Carlo-
This sounds like another gem!

Thank you so much!!!!!

[JustAmy]

I'll try this one also. Sounds delicious.
Serve with sliced tomatoes!!

[dansangel]

((((((((LadyX)))))))

It is a well-known fact that food, along with fragrances, invokes memories.

Every time I eat pasta (as I am right now at lunch) I think of my maternal Grandmother whom I miss dearly.

It's wonderful to keep these memories alive!

[Calpernia]

Even though it isn't morning anymore...may I still shake my tail feathers at the Finest?

[MaryFromMichigan]

Hi, MeeknMing!
So- you like simple, fast and tasty? (Me too!)
My sister in law gave me this recipe a few years ago.
We have 4 kids and they have an army of friends, so this is made often at our house:

Taco Casserole

Press one tube of refrigerator dough crescent rolls into a 9" x 13" pan
Spoon in 2 pounds taco meat (cooked and prepared according to pkg. directions)
Spread 2 cups of sour cream over the taco meat
Sprinkle 1 cup (or more) of crushed tortilla chips on top of the sour cream
Sprinkle 8 oz. shredded cheddar and mozzarella cheese over top
Bake at 350º for 20 - 30 minutes

So simple- and kids love it!

[dansangel]

(((((((humblegunner))))))

Thank you for bumping by! Please come back when you have a moment - there's got to be a great recipe lurking at your house that you'd like to share!

:-)

[dansangel]

Sounds ***fabulous*** ((((((Carlo))))))

Thank you, thank you, thank you.......

[dansangel]

Thank you for the pear recipe. Mmmmmmm......I'll bet the *house* smells good when you do that, too!

[dansangel]

Wow (((((((((Aqua))))))))

This sounds like one we'll have to try out on .45MAN.

Thank you for sharing that!

[dansangel]

Dandelion wine....who woulda thunk it? LOL!

Now, growing up, my Dad used to fry dandelion greens in olive oil and garlic. Slap them on a hunk of Italian bread and ooooooweeeee! Excellent meatless Friday fare!

:-)

[MaryFromMichigan]

"fry dandelion greens...."

We never had fried dandelion greens, but I loved my Mom's fried green tomatoes, egg plant and yellow squash!

Slice, dip in beaten eggs, then in cracker crumbs, fry.
No one ever cooks like your Mom!

[Calpernia]

I'm going to post some fun gift recipes and then power down. We still don't have stable power here and the Net access is on and off. I will catch up (and steal) some of your recipes over the weekend. I will post more too pending on the power stability.

Enjoy!

Gift Basket Fillers:

Raspberry BonBons
1C finely crushed Vanilla Wafers
1C Confectioners' sugar
1C Chopped Almonds
2T cocoa, unsweetened
2T Butter
1/4C Raspberry Preserves (Seedless)
1/4C Raspbery liqueur
6Oz Sweet Baking Chocolate, (grated)
Combine wafter crumbs, sugar, almonds and cocoa in bowl. Heat butter & raspberry until butter melts. Blend butter mixture into crumb mixture, add liqueur. Chill for an hour. Shape into 1" balls. Roll balls in chocolate.

Makes 20 and stores for 2 weeks.

Almond Bark
1C ((2) 3oz pkges) blanched whole almonds
1 lb. white chocolate pieces
Spread almond in a single layer on a cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees F. for 12 minutes or until brown. Stir occasionally. Set aside to cool.

heat Chocolate over low heat in a double boiler, stir until melted. Stir in almonds. Spread on a waxed paperlined baking sheet and refrigerate until sets.

Makes 1.5 pounds.

Rocky Road

1 (6oz) bag semi sweet morsels
1 (6oz) bag butterscotch morsels
1 can milk (eagle is my brand)
2C miniature marshmallows
1C chopped pecans, walnts or toasted almonds.

Melt morsels in a double boiler over med. heat, stir. Add milk, stir until well mixed. take off heat, add nuts and marshmellows, stir and pour into buttered square glass dish. chill until firm. Cut into squres.

Almond Buttercrunch

1C slivered and blanched almonds
1/2C Butter
1/2C Sugar
1T light corn syrup

Line bottom and sides of 8 by 9 inch cake pan with foil. Butter heavily. combine almonds, butter sugar, and corn syrup in 10 inch skillet. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring until golden brown. Spread candy in prepared pan. Cool until firm. Break into pieces.

About 3/4 of a pound.

[sweetliberty]

I don't know about you fungus munchers. Takes all kinds I guess. ;-)

[dansangel]

Thank you for the great words and the equally great brisket recipe ((((((((dutchess)))))))) I'm going to have to try that one out, too.

Hope you are enjoying being with your folks and being away from the "hub-bub."

You know, I used to make a tangy (sweet) brisket many years ago, but have since lost the recipe. It was fairly easy and very impressive to guests.

[dansangel]

Yum, yum! Great job, (((((dansangel)))) and (((((Billie)))) :-)

Thank you ((((((JH2))))))))

It helps to have the "Host with the Most" (Carlo, bless his heart) alongside to share in the duties.

I know you've got some *great* stories, John. Got any great recipes to go along with them?

:-)

[dansangel]

Oh my goodness, Tiramisu!

I used to work at a hospital in FL. About every other week, the cafeteria would serve Tiramisu as a dessert selection. Two wonderful ladies I worked with (one has since passed away, bless her soul) would buy the cakes *whole* and take them home!