Phoenix Bird

RECIPES - APRIL 2000

SQUIRREL CURRY Morrigan
1 lb. squirrel bits White wine
4 t Curry powder Basil
Oil 1 14-oz. can coconut milk
Veggies - onions, squash, peppers Spices - cinnamon, sage, etc
2 t Fish sauce if desired  
The curry portion will work for anything. Begin by simmering the squirrel bits until they are soft and fall from the bone, (long time), approx. 1 lb. worth. When meat is tender, sauté 2 t curry powder in some oil in frying pan, until powder turns a darker brown. Take powder out and set aside. Chop up some veggies, onions, squash, peppers work well, and sauté them in the same oil until they are softer, maybe adding white wine and basil, if you like. Put 1 can (14 oz) coconut milk, 2 t new curry powder, old cooked powder, veggies and more spices (cinnamon, sage, whatever you like) into pan with squirrel meat. To make it taste more Asian, add 2 t fish sauce too. Otherwise, it tastes like Indian curry. Simmer the whole thing for about an hour and serve over rice. The beautiful thing about curry is you can use anything.

I've eaten curried hard-boiled eggs even.
CSIPETKE (PINCHED NOODLES) Prepared2
Hungarian csipetke is the missing link between the noodle and the dumpling: It's a bit of each but not quite either. As a result, you can drop csipetke into broth or soup for extra flavor and texture, or you can serve them alongside a main course with sauce or gravy, or you can use them in place of dumplings or noodles in almost any other recipe.

The nutritional content depends on how big you make the csipetke. Here's the breakdown for the whole recipe: 650 cal, 19.9 gm fat, 213 mg cholesterol, 96 gm carbohydrates, 3.6 gm fiber, 19.2 gm protein, 1131 mg sodium.
1 c flour 1 egg
1/2 t salt 1 T oil
Mix flour and salt; add egg. Stir to make a stiff dough, sprinkling in a few drops of cold water if necessary. Knead until smooth. Let dough rest at least 30 minutes.

Flatten dough a bit at a time between floured palms (or roll 1/8-inch-thick on a floured board) and pinch off pieces slightly smaller than a dime. Drop them into rapidly boiling salted water; cook until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain and rinse csipetke; stir them directly into stew or soup, if ready. Otherwise, turn them into a bowl, coat with oil, and set aside in a warm place until ready to use.
GULYAS SOUP Prepared2
Here's an excellent opportunity to use those csipetke noodle/dumplings from our previous tip's recipe--just drop them in the soup before serving. "Gulyas" means cattle- or sheep-herder in Hungarian. This hearty soup has traditional roots in the foods prepared by rustic herders, long ago. Serve the soup in bowls topped with sour cream. Serves 4-6.

Per serving: 487 cal, 20.9 gm fat, 76 mg cholesterol, 46.9 gm carbohydrates, 5.9 gm fiber, 27.4 gm protein, 1466 mg sodium.
1 lb. lean boneless stewing beef 1/2 t crumbled dry marjoram
2 T olive oil Salt and pepper
2 med onions, peeled and chopped 1 16-oz can tomatoes, broken up
2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped 3 med potatoes, peeled and diced
2 t Hungarian sweet paprika 2 med carrots, peeled and sliced
Dash cayenne pepper 2 red (or green) sweet peppers, cut in chunks
3 c beef stock or broth 2 T flour
2 c water 2 T water
1/2 t caraway seed Sour cream
Wipe beef with damp cloth; cut in 1-inch cubes. Place oil in Dutch oven. Add beef; brown well on all sides. Remove from pan with slotted spoon; set aside. Add onions and garlic to pan; cook 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add paprika, cayenne, stock, 2 c water, caraway, marjoram, salt, pepper, and meat. Stir well. Bring to boil over moderate heat. Reduce heat to low; cook, covered, 45 minutes. Add tomatoes, potatoes, carrots, and peppers. Stir well; return to boil. Cover; cook 30 minutes.

Combine flour and 2 T water; stir to form smooth paste. Add slowly to soup, stirring well. Cook over low heat, stirring until thickened.
DUTCH OVEN COBBLER Wodan
2 cans fruit 1 box cake mix
Just got back from a campout where we made this. It's very good but we would have liked a cold glass of milk with it.

Build a good fire, get a nice bed of coals.

Just as you sit down to eat dinner you start the cobbler. Using a shovel, scrape some coals out from under the burning logs and make a base on which to set the Dutch oven.

Before you put the oven on the coals open two cans of fruit (we used sliced peaches) and pour into the oven, juice and all. Then open a box of cake mix (we used yellow cake) and sprinkle it on top of the fruit and juice. Pat it down a bit to ensure dampness, but don't stir it up. Sprinkle some cinnamon on top. Put the lid on the oven and set it in the coals. Shovel some more coals on top of the lid. Eat dinner. When you are done with dinner (20 - 30 minutes) the cobbler will be ready.
QUICK DANDELION WINE Pooch
1 qt.dandelion blossoms 1 gallon water
1 lemon cut into slices, not peeled 2-1/2 pounds sugar
Put all these ingredients in a kettle and boil 5 minutes, then pour into a jar. When cool add 2 Ts of good yeast; keep in a warm place for 3 days until it ferments. Strain and bottle.

I got this recipe from the elderly lady we bought our camp from. Her husband died years ago and he made all sorts of wine. I was lucky enough to get a little over a gallon of 1964 vintage elderflower wine that he had made. Apparently he made about 50 gallons the year before he died. All went bad but what I got, due to the metal lids on his gallon jugs getting pinholes after all those years in the basement.

I can't vouch for this recipe as I am just now making a batch for the first time. I can say this, if it works as well as his elderflower, it should be great. I also have his elderflower recipe, but it is for 50 gallons at a time and I don't have the equipment for that. I am going to try and reduce it and will post it when I do. The elderflower wine was the finest homemade wine I have ever tasted - of course maybe aging for 36 years had something to do with that.
BBQ POTATOES Garry
Dad came up with this years ago and I've yet to find a better way to eat potatoes. Works best with "new" or thin skinned Taters.

  • Clean the "taters" with water, leave skin on

  • Microwave until almost cooked; don't forget to stick fork in prior to heat to avoid "boom"

  • Place on BBQ at same time as meat, no tinfoil, etc, just the taters

  • Slather the taters with your favorite sauce, (which should be "Bullseye"!)

  • Turn taters often - goal is to have sauce dry - turn, add more

  • When meat is done, so is taters. Cut open, add your favorite (sauce, butter, etc), then add more of the same.

WARNING: this is very habit forming, and you gain several pounds just looking at it, but is well worth it!
RABBIT STEW Pooch
1 c flour 1/2 c chopped celery
1 t salt Water
1/2 t white pepper 1 c green limas
1 stewing rabbit (6 pounds or over) cut into serving portions 1 c sliced carrots
1/4 c butter or oil 3 or 4 large quartered potatoes
1/2 diced onion 1 c peas
1/2 diced onion  
Combine salt, pepper, and the flour in a paper bag. Shake rabbit portions in bag until coated with the flour mix. In a heavy deep pan, heat butter or oil. Add floured meat and cook until brown on all sides. Drain excess fat. Add onion and celery and enough water to just cover.

Cover with a tight fitting lid to prevent escape of steam and flavors. Simmer until meat is tender. Remove from heat, take out rabbit pieces, and remove bones. Return meat to pot and add the limas, carrots, and potatoes. Cook over low heat until vegetables are fork-tender, then add peas and continue to cook until peas are just tender. Season taste with additional salt and pepper if needed. (This is one of those dishes that cannot be hurried. It takes about two hours from start to finish. Cooking at too high a heat can cause the larger pieces of rabbit to be tough and stringy.)
BARBEQUE RABBIT-OVEN STYLE  Pooch
2- to 3-pound frying rabbit, cut into serving portions 3/4 c barbecue sauce (bottled or your own recipe)
1-1/2 t salt 1/2 c water
1/4 t pepper  
Sprinkle moist pieces of rabbit with salt and pepper. Place in a shallow baking dish and brush generously with barbecue sauce. Pour the water in the bottom of the dish, cover, and bake at 350* for forty-five minutes. Remove the cover, turn the pieces, and brush them well with barbecue sauce. Bake uncovered for thirty minutes, or until well browned; brush occasionally with more sauce as it finishes to keep it moist.
CHARCOAL-BARBEQUED RABBIT Pooch
2- to 3-pound young rabbit, cut into serving portions 1/2 c sherry
1-1/2 t salt 1/2 c cooking oil
1/4 t white pepper 1-1/2 t seasoned salt
Sprinkle moist pieces of rabbit with salt and pepper and place on rack over medium-hot bed of coals. Make a sauce by blending together the sherry, cooking oil, and seasoned salt. Turning the pieces often, baste frequently with the sauce. Cook for one hour, or until tender. (You can substitute a favorite barbecue sauce, but additional oil may be necessary to help keep the rabbit tender and juicy.)
RABBIT SANDWICH SPREAD Pooch
1 c re-cooked, cooled, boned, and ground rabbit Mayonnaise or salad dressing to moisten
1/2 t salt (or salt to taste)  
(Optional: sweet pickle relish to taste and small dab of prepared mustard to above mixture, also you can add dash of celery salt, white pepper or seasoned salt for added flavor) Just don't over do it, rabbits delicate flavor is easily overpowered.

Mix thoroughly. Spread on very lightly butter bread or toast. Toasted bread seems to enhance the flavor of rabbit meat.
RABBIT with RICE Pooch
6 slices of bacon 1 medium onion, finely diced
Salt and pepper 2 bouillon cubes (chicken flavored)
1 c flour 2 c hot water
1 frying rabbit cut into serving portions  
Fry bacon until crisp, remove from pan and cool. Salt, pepper, and flour the pieces of rabbit then fry in the bacon grease until browned. Remove the pieces and place in a casserole with a lid. Sprinkle the diced onion over the rabbit, crumble the bacon and sprinkle this over the rabbit.

Dissolve the bouillon cubes in the hot water and pour over the rabbit, cover, and bake in a 350* oven until the meat is tender. Remove to a serving platter. Thicken the gravy with flour or cornstarch and serve over steamed rice.
RABBIT & DUMPLINGS Pooch
1 large frying rabbit, cut into serving portions 1 T butter or margarine
1/4 c finely diced hearts of celery 1/2 t salt
1/8 t white pepper 1/4 c finely diced onion
Water to cover  
Combine all ingredients in a pot that holds approximately 1/3 more than the volume of the ingredients. Cover with a tight fitting lid and cook slowly until the meat is fork-tender. While it is cooking, mix the following to make the dough:
1 c white flour 1 t butter or margarine
2 ts baking powder Water or milk to moisten to a drop-biscuit consistency
1/2 t salt  
When the rabbit meat in the large pot is tender, drop ts of the dough into the simmering liquid. Keep the dumplings separated in the water as much as possible, to prevent them from sticking together. As soon as all the dumplings have been added, cover tightly and raise the heat until the liquid comes to a rolling boil. Boil covered for ten minutes. Remove cover, over the heat and cook at a low simmer for ten minutes. (To make more dumplings for a large family or company dinner--use two c of flour instead of one, and add one more t of baking powder plus and additional 1/4 t of salt.) Makes six servings
THAI TRAIL MIX Gar
Volumes are estimates because I've never actually used a measuring c for this. Makes enough for 1 adult person, four days if relied upon heavily.

Combine:
4 C dried bananas 1 C roasted or blanched peanuts
1 C dried chopped dates 3/4 C candied lemon or lime peel
2 C dried coconut 3/4 C candied ginger
2 C roasted soy nuts 2 Tbs. red pepper flakes (optional)
1 C roasted cashew pieces  
Try to keep all the ingredients similar in size or the big stuff has a tendency to float to the top. I usually run the banana chips and the cashews through the food processor a bit to halve the size of each piece.
SWISS STEAK scoutmom
This is a great crock pot meal. Place all the ingredients into the crock-pot and let it cook on low all day long.
1 round steak cut into pieces 1 medium onion diced
1 small bag baby carrots 1 large jar of spaghetti sauce
4 large potatoes diced Salt and pepper to taste
When it finishes cooking, the steak will be very tender.
FOR THE KIDS-LOLLIPOPS Pooch
4 c sugar Preferred extracts (lemon, orange, etc)
2 c light corn syrup Food coloring
1 c hot water 7 dozen wooden sticks (small dowels or chopsticks cut to length)
Take a baking sheet and coat it with oil. Line up the sticks on it, about 4 inches apart. Combine the sugar, corn syrup, and water in a four-quart pot. Cook them until your candy thermometer registers 270 degrees F. (the soft-crack stage). Then reduce heat and continue cooking until the thermometer reaches 310 degrees F. (the hard-crack stage). Take from the heat; let it cool several minutes. Divide the mixture in half. Add any preferred flavorings and if desired the food coloring, adding a different flavor and coloring to each half of the batch. Stir to blend thoroughly.

When the candy thermometer falls to 280 degrees F., drop Ts of the syrupy mixture on the ends of the sticks. Let stand until completely cold and hard.
RHUBARB SPREAD Pooch
2 c rhubarb cut in pieces 1 t cinnamon
2/3 c brown sugar 1 T butter (or margarine)
1 c molasses  
Combine the ingredients in a pan. Cook over a moderate heat, stirring continuously until well blended. Boil for ten minutes.

Transfer the pan to the oven. Cook its contents at low temperature until the rhubarb spread reaches the consistency of apple butter.
FRIED CORN ON THE COB Pooch
4 ears of corn 1/2 t paprika
1/4 c all-purpose flour 1/8 t black pepper
1/8 c fine bread crumbs 1 egg
1/2 t salt Cooking oil
Husk the corn and remove the silk. In a shallow dish, blend flour, bread crumbs, salt, paprika, and pepper. Lightly beat the egg in another shallow dish. Heat oil in a skillet. Dip the ears of corn in the egg. Drain slightly. Roll them in the flour mixture. Shake off any excess and fry in the hot oil for about four minutes. Turn occasionally. When golden brown serve with meat, poultry, or seafood.
PUMPKIN BREAD--LOW FAT Seattle
Note: Seattle brought this to the Florida campout - it's delicious!
2/3 c applesauce 2 t baking soda
2-/3 c sugar 1-1/2 t salt
Egg substitute equal to 4 eggs 1/2 t baking powder
2 c pumpkin 1 t cinnamon
3-1/3 c flour 1 t cloves
Combine first 4 ingredients (applesauce through pumpkin). Add to mixture of the next 6 ingredients (flour through cloves). Pour into 2 Pam-sprayed loaf pans. Bake 50 min at 350 degrees or until knife comes out clean. When done, leave in pans, wrap foil over top and let cool. This makes them moister.
APPLE BUTTER Templar6
6-quart crock pot 1/2 T cinnamon
Apples 1/2 t cloves
4 to 4-1/2 lbs. sugar  
Cook apples for sauce. Fill crockpot. Cook until red on low (approx. 26 hours). Remove top and continue cooking until nice and thick (about 1 hour). Add four to four and half pounds of sugar, 1/2 tablespoon cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon cloves and cook for one hour on high. Can, freeze or wax.

If you don't know what your crock pot capacity is, just measure water into it to determine. You can half or even quarter the above recipe. A 3-quart crock will yield about 10 half-pint-canning jars. Also, if you have apple sauce put up and you placed spices and sugar in before canning...just reduce the spices and approximate the sugar. If you elect to can the apple butter, 1/2 pints-boiling water bath for approx. 10 min. A friend of mine even made this with store canned applesauce and it turned out well; I prefer homemade, but you could use a combination of both.

The first time I tried this recipe, I was a doubting Thomas. But it has been a yearly project for several years now. A couple of years ago I had excess plums. I made plum jelly, sauced the left over pulp and used my crockpot for plum butter.

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