Nana's Apple Sauce Cookies

I meet William Roof at the VFW in Novato on March 17, 2023.  He had just moved to our town from Seattle.  We were talking about stuff and I mentioned I had this food blog.  So, he has shared his Nana's Apple Sauce Cookie recipe for us to enjoy.  So, here goes.  

Ingredients

• ½ Cup melted butter (original recipe called for Oleo margarine) 
• 1 Cup White Sugar
• 1-½ Cup of warm, unsweetened Apple Sauce
• 2 Teas. Baking Soda
• 2 Cups (scant Flour - don't pack)
• 1 Teas. Cinnamon
• ½ Teas. Cloves
• ½ Teas. Salt
• 1 Cup raisins
• ½ Cup Nuts of choice

Proecdure

• Cream together the sugar& Cleo
• Add Apple Sauce, in which the Baking soda has been dissolved
• Shift flour, spices and salt
• Add raisins and nuts
• Combine but do not over mix
• Drop several inches apart on a baking sheet
• Bake at 325 for about 10 minutes

Oysters Bingo - Buckeye Roadhouse

Nick Patrakis, an acquaintance from Bel Marin Keys, is a big fan of the Oysters Bingo served at the Buckeye Roadhouse in Mill Valley.   Further, he makes this recipe often.  Enjoy as an alternative to Oysters Rockefeller

Ingredients

• 18-24 Oysters
• 1 bunch of Spinach
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• 2 TB Olive Oil or more if needed
• ¾ cup of Best Foods Mayonnaise
• 1 TB chopped Garlic
• 2 TB grated Asiago cheese - Parmesan can be used 
• 1 TB fresh Lemon Juice
• 1 TB Cognac

Procedure

• Stir spinach constantly in hot large pot until all leaves are wilted.
• Drain in mesh strainer, squeezing out as much water as possible with the back of the spoon. Roughly chop and toss with olive oil, salt and pepper.
• Combine the rest of the ingredients in a bowl.
• Shuck oysters into another bowl, reserving the deeper shell halves.
• Line a baking sheet with a "rack" made by pleating a large sheet of aluminum foil to hold the oysters upright (or use rock salt).
• Put a tablespoon of spinach in the bottom of each shell, top with an oyster and a tablespoon of sauce. (A rubber spatula works well to spread the sauce evenly.)
• Bake in a 400 degree oven for 5 minutes; then brown under broiler for about two minutes more.
• Serve hot!

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Megan's Asian Chicken Wings

So, another great recipe from my friend, Megan Costello.  She did this recipe for a birthday party of a mutual friend.  They were a great hit.   So, here we go. 

Ingredients

• Japanese BBQ sauce from Costco
• Party Chicken Wings from Costco
• Marinade for wings
• Japanese BBQ sauce, enough to coat wings completely
• Knob of ginger, minced
  
• Four cloves of garlic, sliced.
• Handful of parsley, chopped
• Sesame seeds

Procedure

• Marinade the wings overnight
• Preheat oven to 390
• Roast wings, skin side up, then turn about 20-30 minutes in. 
• Take any leftover marinade and put in a souce pan
• Add a knob of ginger, sliced garlic, and parsley, bring to ta boil and cook for a few minutes.
• At the 20 minute turn, pour some of the simmering ginger sacue over the turned wings.
• Cook for another 20 minutes and do a second turn.
• Add more sauce and sprinkly with sesame seeds.
• Finally, broil for 2-3 minutes. 
• If you are making ahead to serve stop at the 2nd turn cool and then finish before serving.
• It seems like it would over cook the chicken but I start the chicken right out of the fridge and the pour, After the first turn, I think keeps it moist.

Thai Pork and Shrimp on Sesame Wonton Crisps

A friend of ours, Deanna Desin, a member of the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks recently brought this recipe to the VFW as an appetizer for the group.  She got the Thai Pork Shrimp mixture from Yan Can Cook.  It is really a great tasting treat.  So, here we go.

Ingredients Mixture

• ¼ pound lean ground pork.
• ¼ pound medium raw shrimp.
• 1 TB chopped green onion (including top).
• 1 Serrano or Jalapeño chili minced.
• 2 Egg whites.
• 2 teaspoons chopped Chinese parsley roots and 1 inch of stems.
• 1 teasppon chopped cilantro leaves.
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic.
• ½ teaspoon salt.
• ⅛ teaspoon black pepper.

Procedure

1. In a food processor, combine the mixture ingredients and process to make a course paste.  

Ingredients Sesame Wontons

• 6 wonton wrappers.
• Cooking spray.
• 1-½ teaspoons dark Sesame oil.
• 2 teaspoons white toasted Sesame seeds.
• ⅛ teaspoon black sea salt.

Procedure

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Cut wonton wrappers in half diagonally.
3. Arrange triangles in a single layer on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray.
4. Brush evenly with dark sesame oil.
5. Sprinkle evenly with Sesame seeds and salt.
6. Bake at 425 for 4-5 minutes or until brown.

Final Step

• Spread Pork and Shrimp mixture on wontons.
• Serve immediately.

Penne Alla Vecchia Bettola

On December 12th of 2021, we meet my son, John, and his wife Mary, at Oracle Park (Home of the SF Giants) for a Holiday photo shoot.  Afterwards, we visited their home for an early dinner. While the Artichoke and Spinach soap was tasty, the true winner was the main dish, Penne Alla Vecchia Bettola.  This recipe found in Ina Garden's Cookbook "Foolproof", but actually came from Joe Realmuto chef at Nick & Toni's in East Hampton.  This is one of the best pasta dishes I have ever had.  While Puttanesca and Cacio E Pepe are my favortes this one come very close.

Ingredients

• 1 Cup Good Olive Oil
• 1 Medium Spanish Onion, Chopped
• 3 Cloves of Garlic, Diced
• ½ teaspoon chrushed red pepper flakes, use ¼ teaspoon for a less spicy pasta finish.
• 1-½ teaspoons dried Oregano
• 1 Cup Vodka
• 2 (28-ounce) cans peeled plum tomatoes
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black peppe
• ¾ Pound Penne Pasta
• 4 Tablesoons Fesh Oregano
• ¾ to 1 Cup Heavy Cream
• Grated Parmesan Cheese

Procedure

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Heat the olive oil in a large oven proof saute pan over medium heat, add the onions and garlic and cook for about 5 minutes until translucent. Add the red pepper flakes and dried oregano and cook for 1 minute more. Add the vodka and continue cooking until the mixture is reduced by half.
3. Meanwhile, drain the tomatoes through a sieve and crush them into the pan with your hands. Add 2 teaspoons salt and a pinch of black pepper. Cover the pan with a tight fitting lid and place it in the oven for 1-1/2 hours. Remove the pan from the oven and let cool for 15 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta al dente. Drain and set aside.
5. Place the tomato mixture in a blender and puree in batches until the sauce is a smooth consistency. Return to the pan.
6. Reheat the sauce, add 2 tablespoons fresh oregano and enough heavy cream to make the sauce a creamy consistency. Add salt and pepper, to taste, and simmer for 10 minutes. Toss the pasta into the sauce and cook for 2 minutes more. Stir in 1/2 cup Parmesan. Serve with an additional sprinkle of Parmesan and a sprinkle of fresh oregano on each plate.