BEST RECIPES OF 2016
DILL PICKLE SOUP
• 5½ cup Swanson Chicken Stock
• 1¾ pounds russet potatoes, peeled and quartered (5 to 6 medium)
• 2 cups chopped carrots (2 to 3 large ones
• 1 cup chopped dill pickles (small dice …. about 3large whole dills)
• ½ cup unsalted butter (1 stick)
• 1 cup reduced-fat Daisy brand sour cream
• 1/3 cup water
• 2 cups dill pickle juice
• 1½ teaspoons Old Bay seasoning
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• ½ teaspoon coarsely ground pepper
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
In large pot, combine stock, potatoes, carrots and butter. Bring to a boil and cook until potatoes are tender. Add pickles and continue to boil. In medium bowl, stir together flour, sour cream and water, making a paste. Vigorously whisk sour cream mixture, 2 tablespoons at a time, into soup. This will also break up some of the potatoes which is fine. You will see some initial little balls form, but between whisking and boiling al will disappear. Don’t panic! Add pickle juice, Old Bay, salt (*see below), pepper and cayenne. Cook 5 minutes more and remove from heat.Serve immediately.
*All pickle juice is not created equal so taste before you add salt. You may not need any.
Source: Recipe adapted from http:noblepig.com)
Quick egg drop soup was another 2016 favorite. If you’re looking for a light, easy-to-digest soup, this is for you.
QUICK EGG DROP SOUP
• 3 cups Swanson’s Chicken Stock
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/8 teaspoon white pepper
• 1 medium scallion (green onion)
• 2 large eggs, slightly beaten
Heat chicken stock, salt and white pepper to boiling. Stir scallion into eggs. Pour egg mixture slowly into stock, stirring constantly with fork or whisk to form shreds of egg. Recipe makes 4 servings.
Source: Adapted from my daily moment.com recipe.
MY FRIEND, THE SLOW COOKER
• 1 sweet onion, sliced and separated into rings
• 1 5-pound Miller whole chicken
• 1 20-ounce jar Pace medium salsa
• ½ cup butter (1 stick)
It’s no secret that I use my 5-quart slow cooker to make a variety of dishes. It includes this 3-ingredient Slow Cooker Chicken and Salsa. Note: Onions are added for flavor but too fatty to eat.
For easy clean-up, line cooker with Our Family Slow Cooker bag. Spread onion rings in bottom of the cooker. Place chicken on top of onion layer breast side down. Pour salsa over the chicken. Cook on high until no longer pink at the bone and juices run clear, about 4½ hours. An instant read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the thickest part of the thigh near bone should read 165ºF. Remove chicken from slow cooker, cover with a doubled sheet of aluminum foil and allow to rest in a warm area for 10 minutes before cutting.
Source: Used with permission of www.allrecipes.com, the world’s favorite recipe web site.
TERIYAKI CHICKEN FOIL PACKETS
• 1 20-ounce can pineapple chunks canned in juice, drained and juice reserved
• ¼ cup water
• 2 cups Minute Instant-Whole Grain Brown Rice
• 2 large red bell peppers, cut into 1½ chunks (about 2 cups)
• 3 cups fresh sugar snap peas
• ¾ cup La Choy Teriyaki Baste and Glaze Sauce
• 1 pound chicken tenders (you need 12 tenders so that each packet has 3 tenders).
Heat a gas or charcoal grill. Cut 4 18×2-inch sheets of heavy duty foil. Spray each with cooking spray. Pour reserved pineapple and water ln 4-cup measuring cup. Add brown rice; stir and let stand about 10 minutes or until almost all liquid is absorbed. Meanwhile, in large bowl, toss pineapple, bell pepper chunks, sugar snap peas and ½ cup teriyaki sauce until well blended. Place 3 chicken tenders on each foil sheet. Divide rice mixture and remaining liquid evenly over chicken and vegetables; stir gently. Spoon 1 tablespoon glaze; stir gently. Bring up 2 sides of foil so edges meet. Seal edges, and expansion. Fold other sides to seal. Place packs over medium heat. Cook for 12 to 14 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink in the center and vegetables are crisp-cooked. Remove packets from grill. Carefully fold back foil; open one end and spoon onto serving plates. Garnish with chopped parsley, if desired.
Source: Adapted from Pillsbury recipe.
Finally, our last best recipe of 2016 has to be Katharine Hepburn’s Brownie recipe, found among her belongings after she died.
KATHARINE HEPBURN’S BROWNIES
• ½ cup butter (1 stick)
• 2 1-ounce squares unsweetened baking chocolate
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 large eggs
• ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup chopped walnuts
Melt together butter and chocolate and take saucepan off the heat. Stir in sugar, eggs and vanilla and bet mixture well. Stir in flour, and walnuts. Spoon into greased and floured baking pan. Bake in preheated 325ºF oven for 35 to 40 minutes. Cut into squares and eat out of pan or arrange on serving dish. Yummy and moist.
Adapted from Bon Appetite recipe.