Current Issue Articles

Story by Elaine Revelle

thewoodenspoon@Juno.com

  Although the Santa Ynez Valley is in the throes of winter, our days can often be spring like and those times are what makes the “natives” look at one another and say, “yes, we do live in paradise.”
  While our surrounding mountains may we snow topped, the Valley floor takes on the lush greenness that belies our cold evenings and nights.

Bean Dip and Chips

CRAB SPREAD

1 package unflavored Knox gelatin
2 tablespoons cold water
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 8 oz. pkg cream cheese, softened
1 7 oz. can crab meat*
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup celery, chopped fine
3 green onions, chopped fine

Combine gelatin, water and soup in sauce pan and heat on stove.  Stir and simmer until gelatin is melted.  Remove from heat, stir in softened cream cheese and set aside to cool slightly.  Mix in rest of the ingredients, chill and serve with party snack type crackers.  (I like Triskets the best.)

BEAN DIP

If southwest is more to your taste, try this one. Also easy, this dip can be tailored to your taste for hotness.

2 16 ounce cans refried beans
8 ounces cream cheese
1 cup sour cream
1 package taco seasoning
1 small can chopped green chilies
1 tbsp chopped fresh or canned
    jalapenos, optional
1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack or
    sharp cheddar cheese

Mix all together and heat until cheese melts.  Serve warm with chips or taquitos.

STIRRED LEMON ICE CREAM
WITH FRESH CHERRIES

4 tsp grated lemon zest
    (from about 1-1/2 large lemons)
1/2 cup fresh-squeezed lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups sugar
1 quart heavy cream
1 to 1 1/2 pounds ripe cherries

  In a plastic container stir together the zest, juice, salt, and sugar until completely blended.  Stir in cream. Cover and freeze about an hour or until mushy. Stir with a fork, freeze another hour or so until mushy and stir again. 

  Repeat this one more time and freeze until firm. Transfer the ice cream to the refrigerator about an hour before serving to soften slightly, then spoon into individual bowls. To serve as an “interactive” dessert place cherries and a bowl of cool water in the center of the table, then everyone dips the cherries in the water to rinse before eating with the ice cream. Serves four to six.

HINT: 
  With cherries, always taste before buying if at all possible.  Some of the best flavored and readily available cherries are Royal Anns and Lamberts.

DUMP CAKE

1 can crushed pineapple
1 can cherry pie filling*
1 box yellow cake mix
1 cup chopped walnuts
2 sticks butter, cut into thin patties

Layer ingredients, in order listed, in a greased 9 X 12 baking dish.  Be sure that the final layer, butter patties, covers top.

Bake in a 350 degree oven for one hour to one hour and 15 minutes.  Serve warm or at room temperature topped with ice cream or whipped cream.
 
*Any fruit pie filling may be used with this recipe; cherry however is bright, colorful and just right for Valentines.  Also, if made with apple pie filling and a handful of oats this ends up tasting a lot like apple crisp.

 And what says March more than St. Patrick’s Day.  Along with the wearin’ o’ the green and shamrocks, my thoughts turn to beer.  While I don’t recommend using a green brew for this recipe, any one of your favorites will work just fine, thank you.

SHORT RIBS COOKED IN BEER

6 tablespoons olive oil
6 to 7 pounds short ribs
salt
fresh ground pepper
2 onions, chopped
4 carrots, sliced 1/2 inch thick
4 stalks celery, chopped
4 to 6 garlic cloves, chopped
1/3 cup flour
4 cups broth, chicken or beef
1 can beer
1-1/2 tablespoon tomato paste
2 bay leaves
1/4 cup horseradish* or more to taste

 In large roasting pan with lid or Dutch oven, heat oil until hot. Add short ribs and brown well on all sides. (Do this in batches.)
  Remove meat to plate and season to taste with salt and pepper.  Add onion, carrots and celery to cooking pan and cook until carrots and celery start to soften and onion is golden.

 Add garlic and cook another minute or two.  (Don’t let garlic burn.) Turn off heat, sprinkle with the flour and stir in broth.  Add beer tomato paste and bay leaves.   Stir to blend all ingredients well.  Add short ribs and any juices on plate. Turn up heat and bring to a simmer. Cover pot and place in a 300 degree oven.  Bake, covered for about 2-1/2 to 3 hours or until meat is tender. Remove from oven, turn heat off and place ribs on a serving plate.  Return ribs to oven or cover with foil to keep warm.  Allow vegetables in pot to stand for five minutes. Skim excess fat from top; adjust salt and pepper to taste and whisk in the horseradish.  Serve with vegetables/sauce spooned over meat or on the side.  (Sauce also good on mashed potatoes.)

*Use prepared or fresh grated horseradish, not horseradish cream sauce.  This is a hearty dish, so the stronger the horseradish, the better.

Still thinking “beer” here’s a yummy cake that calls for the non-alcoholic type. Two recipes, one with a cake mix as the basis and the second from scratch.

ROOT BEER CAKE
(made from a mix)

1 package yellow cake mix
1 12 ounce can or bottle root beer
1/4 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs

GLAZE

1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
3 tablespoons root beer
Combine confectioner’s sugar and root beer in a small bowl.  Beat until smooth.

ROOT BEER CAKE
(made from scratch)

1 cup butter
2 cups granulated sugar
3 cups cake flour
1-1/2 tablespoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3-1/2 teaspoons water
4 eggs
1 tablespoon root beer extract
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup milk
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease, flour and line the bottoms of two nine-inch cake pans with parchment paper. Use a mixer to cream butter with sugar until light and fluffy. Sift cake flour, baking powder and salt. With mixer on low speed, gradually add water and eggs to the butter mixture and beat until blended. Mix in root beer extract and vanilla. Alternately add flour mixture and milk to form a smooth batter.  Pour prepared pans and bake until just set, about 30 to 40 minutes. Let cool in pans for five minutes and then invert onto cooling racks to cool completely before frosting.

VANILLA FROSTING

7-1/2 cups confectioner’s sugar
2-1/2 cups butter
3 to 5 tablespoons heavy cream
3 teaspoons vanilla extract
Using a standing mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine the confectioner’s sugar and butter.  Mix on low speed until well blended; then increase speed to medium and beat for another three minutes.  Add the cream and vanilla and continue beating on medium speed for one minute more, adding more cream if needed to reach spreading consistency.

To decorate:  Place one cooled cake layer on a cake stand, frost the top surface and chill for 15 minutes (or freeze five minutes).  Place second cake layer on top, inverting it to create a flat top and push down on it slightly.  Frost the sides and top with a thin layer of frosting to hold in any crumbs (called a crumb layer) and chill 30 minutes or freeze 15 minutes.  Apply a second layer of frosting and finish with swirls.