Excerpt
from Fix-It and Enjoy-It! Cookbook: All-Purpose, Welcome-Home Recipes
by Phyllis Pellman Good
Tuscan-Style Pork Ribs with Balsamic Glaze
J.B. Miller, Indianapolis, IN
Makes 6-8 servings
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Standing (or Chilling) Time: 2-8 hours
Baking Time: 2 hours, 15 minutes
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh rosemary leaves, or 1 tsp. dried rosemary
1½ Tbsp. kosher salt
1½ Tbsp fennel seeds, or 1½ tsp. ground fennel
2 tsp. pepper
2 tsp. fresh chopped sage, or 1 tsp. dried sage
2 tsp. fresh chopped thyme, or ½ tsp. dried thyme
2 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. crushed red pepper, optional, depending on how much heat
you like
1 tsp. ground coriander
½ tsp. ground allspice
6 lbs. pork ribs
3 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1. In a small bowl, combine olive oil, rosemary, salt, fennel seeds,
pepper, sage, thyme, paprika, red pepper, coriander, and allspice.
2. Rub spice paste all over ribs and let stand at room temperature for
2 hours, or refrigerate overnight.
3. Preheat oven to 325°.
4. Arrange ribs on a large, rimmed baking sheet or roasting pan, meaty
side up.
5. Roast ribs uncovered for 2 hours or until tender.
6. Preheat broiler. Brush meaty side of ribs with balsamic vinegar and
broil 6 inches from heat until browned, about 2 minutes.
7. Let stand for 5 minutes, then cut between ribs, or serve in slabs.
Tip: You can use this glaze on pork chops, lamb chops, and cuts of chicken.
Curried Chicken Pitas
Sharon Eshleman, Ephrata, PA
Makes 4 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
½ cup light mayonnaise or salad dressing
1 Tbsp. honey
1 Tbsp. pickle relish
¾-1 tsp. curry powder, according to your taste preference
2 cups cubed cooked chicken
1 cup halved grapes or chopped apples
½ cup chopped pecans
4 pita breads, halved
8 lettuce leaves
1. In a bowl, combine salad dressing, honey, pickle relish, and
curry powder.
2. Stir in chicken, grapes, and pecans.
3. Line pita halves with lettuce. Spoon ½ cup chicken mixture into each
pita.
Black Bean and Butternut Burritos
Janelle Myers-Benner, Harrisonburg, VA
Makes 8 burritos
Prep Time: 45 minutes
Baking Time: 15-20 minutes
1 Tbsp. oil
1 small or medium-sized onion, chopped
3-4 cups butternut squash, cut into ½" cubes
½ tsp. cumin
¼ tsp. cinnamon
½ tsp. salt
2 cups cooked, or a 15-oz. can, black beans, drained
8 tortillas
1½ cups grated cheese
sour cream
cilantro, if you wish
salsa
1. In a large skillet or saucepan, heat oil. Sauté onions until
tender.
2. Add butternut. Cover and cook over medium heat until tender.
3. Add cumin, cinnamon, and salt. Add beans. Cover, and heat
through.
4. Put ⅛ of mixture in each
tortilla, top with 3 Tbsp. cheese, and roll up. Place seam-side down in
a greased 9 x 13 baking pan.
5. Bake uncovered in 350º oven for about 15-20 minutes, until heated
through.
6. Serve with sour cream and salsa, and cilantro if you wish.
Tips: Tortillas freeze well with the mixture inside so I often make a double or triple batch. You can also freeze just the filling.
Grilled Peach Melba
Stacy Schmucker Stoltzfus, Enola, PA
Makes 4 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Grilling Time: 5-10 minutes
4 large, unpeeled peaches or nectarines
2 tsp. sugar
2 cups red raspberries, fresh or frozen
sugar, optional
vanilla ice cream
1. Halve and pit peaches or nectarines.
2. Press fresh or thawed raspberries through sieve. Save juice and
discard seeds. Sweeten to taste with sugar, if needed.
3. Grill unpeeled peaches cut-side down for approximately 2 minutes.
Turn peaches over. With cut-side up, fill each cavity with
½ tsp. sugar, and continue grilling until grill marks appear on
skins.
4. Serve immediately with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and drizzle with
the raspberry sauce.
Yam fries
Kathy Keener Shantz, Lancaster, PA
Makes 6 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Baking Time: 20 minutes
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. curry
½ tsp. hot sauce
4 medium-sized yams, sliced like French fries
1. In a large mixing bowl, combine oil, salt, pepper, curry, and hot
sauce.
2. Stir in sliced yams.
3. When thoroughly coated, spread on lightly greased baking sheet.
4. Bake at 375° for 20 minutes, or until tender.
Linguine Salad with Peanut Sauce
Gretchen H. Maust, Keezletown, VA
Makes 6 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 15 minutes
8-oz. box dry linguine
½-1 cup chopped scallions
1 diced cucumber
¼ cup peanut butter
⅓ cup cider or rice vinegar
¼ cup soy sauce
¼ cup warm water
⅓ cup sesame oil
2 cloves minced garlic
½ tsp. 5-spice powder
hot sauce to taste
dark green lettuce leaves
toasted sesame seeds and tomato wedges for garnish
1. Cook linguine as directed on box, but undercook slightly. Drain.
Rinse with cool water.
2. In a large bowl, combine linguini, scallions, and cucumber.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together peanut butter, vinegar, soy
sauce, water, oil, garlic, 5-spice powder, and hot sauce.
4. Arrange lettuce on platter. Spoon linguine mixture into the middle.
Drizzle dressing over top. Garnish with sesame seeds and tomato wedges.
Variations:
1. For a heartier dish, add cubed cooked chicken or turkey.
2. Serve hot, replacing the cucumbers with cooked zucchini.
Tip: I like to triple the peanut sauce and keep it in the refrigerator to use as a salad dressing or dipping sauce for grilled chicken.
Reprinted from Fix-it and Enjoy-it! Cookbook. Copyright by Good Books ( www.goodbks.com ). Used by permission. All rights reserved.