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2003

TODAY's CASES:

Fruit Cocktail Cookies

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Bobbi 
  To: phaedrus
  Sent: Wednesday, June 11, 2003 11:00 AM
  Subject: Fruit Cocktail Cookies

  I had a recipe for cookies made with canned fruit cocktail. I would love to get it 
  again, as I lost the one I had in a move. Great moist cookies & good to keep in freezer.

  Thanks
  Bobbi
  

Hi Bobbi,

Below are three recipes.

Phaed

  Fruit  Cocktail  Cookies

   Ingredients : 
   1 c. shortening
   1 c. brown sugar
   1/2 c. white sugar
   2 eggs, well beaten
   4 c. flour
   1 tsp. baking soda
   1 tsp. baking powder
   1 tsp. cinnamon
   1 tsp. cloves
   1 pinch of salt

   Preparation : 
     Cream shortening.  Add brown sugar, white sugar, and eggs.  Sift
   flour and add baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, cloves and salt.
    Drain and add 1 large can fruit cocktail.  (Add a little fruit
   cocktail juice if too dry.)  Drop by spoonful on cookie sheet.  Bake
   at 350 degrees until lightly brown.  
   ----------------------------------
   Fruit  Cocktail  Cookies

   Ingredients : 
   1 c. shortening
   1 c. brown sugar
   1/2 c. white sugar
   3 eggs
   1 c. raisins
   2 c. drained fruit cocktail
   1 c. nuts
   1 tsp. vanilla1 tsp. soda
   1 tsp. baking powder
   1 tsp. cinnamon
   1 tsp. cloves
   3 c. flour

   Preparation : 
      Drop cookies on baking sheet and bake 10-15 minutes, 350 degrees.
    ----------------------------------
   Fruit  Cocktail  Cookies

   Ingredients : 
   1 c. shortening
   1 1/2 c. sugar
   1 egg
   2 tbsp. molasses
   1 c. raisins, if desired
   1 lg. can fruit cocktail
   Nuts, if desired
   1 tbsp. vanilla
   1 tsp. soda
   3 tbsp. hot water
   4 c. flour
   1 tsp. cloves
   1 tsp. cinnamon
   1 tsp. salt (or less)

   Preparation : 
     Makes 6 dozen.  Cream shortening and sugar; add eggs and molasses,
   fold in fruit, raisins and vanilla.  Dissolve baking soda in the
   water, add to mixture.  Add sifted dry ingredients, drop by teaspoon
   onto greased cookie sheet.  Bake at 350 degrees until lightly
   browned.  Crushed pineapple may be used instead of fruit cocktail.   

Medications & Heat Stroke

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: lisa 
  To: phaedrus
  Sent: Tuesday, June 10, 2003 11:11 PM

  Dear Uncle Phaedrus,
  
  Last week we were having a heat wave here and the TV news mentioned that people on certain 
  medications were more susceptible to heat stroke.  They mentioned five medications but the 
  two I'm interested in are beta-blockers and diuretics.  How does that work?  My pharmacist 
  was unclear on the matter but he did say that drinking more water probably wouldn't help.
  Thanks.

  lisa 

Hi Lisa,

Below is a list of drugs that can predispose one to heat stroke. The reason beta blockers can cause a problem is in the fact that they slow heart rate, lower blood pressure, and reduce sweating. Sweating is the body's way of keeping cool, and anything that reduces perspiration can be a problem during hot weather. Increasing water intake might not help, but it certainly wouldn't hurt, and it might help. Diuretics cause you to urinate excess water out of your system. Less water in your body means less perspiration. Drinking extra water would certainly help with these. You doctor was probably noncommital because he didn't know for sure. Doctors hate to admit that they don't know something. By all means, people should drink extra water during a heat wave if they are on these medications.

Phaed

  "... these include gastrointestinal drugs containing atropine (Donnatal); antidepressants or 
  antipsychotics (Thorazine, Haldol, Prozac); antihistamines (Benadryl); certain cardiovascular 
  medications including betablockers (Blocadren) and diuretics (Diuril); and Parkinson's disease 
  medications. If you use any of these medications, be especially careful to limit your exertion 
  and drink plenty of water during hot, humid weather..." 

  Sympathomimetics (alpha adrenergic agonists) :
  Amphetamines 
  Epinephrine 
  Ephedrine 
  Cocaine 
  Norepinephrine 

  Anticholinergics: 
  Atropine 
  Scopolamine 
  Benztropine mesylate 
  Antihistamines 

  Diuretics: 
  Caffeine 
  Alcohol 
  Furosemide (Lasix) 
  Hydrochlorothiazide 
  Bumetanide (Bumex) 

  Phenothiazines: 
  Prochlorperazine 
  Chlorpromazine hydrochloride 
  Promethazine hydrochloride 

  Butyrophenones: 
  Haloperidol (Haldol) 

  Tricyclic Antidepressant: 
  Amitriptyline (Elavil) 
  Imipramine 
  Nortriptyline 
  Protriptyline 

  Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors: 
  Phenelzine 
  Tranylcypromine 

  Other Medications: 
  Beta Blocker 
  Calcium Channel Blockers 
  Lithium

Nicaraguan Nacatamales

 ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Amie
  To: phaedrus
  Sent: Thursday, June 12, 2003 6:25 AM
  Subject: Recipies

  Do you have recipies for Nacatamales or quecio from Nicaragua or Popusa from El salvadore 
  anything from Nicaragua is good too. Thanks.

  Amie 

Hello Amie,

Below are two recipes for nacatamles.

Phaed

  Nacatamales

  Ingredients:

  Masa for tamales 
  Peppers(big ones, not spicy ones)
  Butter, Sour cream, milk(good thick stuff no non fat) 
  Chicken or Pork or nothing(for the vegetarians)
  Tomatoes                        
  Potatoes
  salt                            
  garlic
  onion                           
  Lard or bacon fat
  Achiote                         
  white rice
  Mint leaves(fresh if possible)
   
  Boil the meat for about a half an hour. Take the meat out and set the broth aside.  
  Take the Achiote and mix it with water until you have semi thick salsa that will 
  coat all of the meat.  To this salsa add salt, diced onions and  crushed garlic.  
  Mix. Now use it to marinate the meat.  Set aside

  Now the crucial part, we move on to The Masa.  A finished nacatamal is about 
  2x3x4 or 5 inches that is about 27 inches^3 each. 
  So figure out how many you plan to make and take about 3/5 that volume 
  of dry masa.  For example ten nacatamales is 270in^3 or 18 cups which 
  multiplied by 3/5 is about 11 cups(be creative it might be somewhat 
  less). To this add a considerable amount of tomatoes, potatoes, 
  onions, garlic and peppers that have all been thoroughly liquefied in 
  a blender.  Add salt to your liking.  add milk, sour cream, lard, 
  butter and broth to moisten the masa(don't add water if you don't need 
  to).  Massage the masa until you are tired of doing it then do it 
  some more.

  The construction of the Nacatamal is next.  Grab a ball of masa and 
  place down on the center of two layers of banana leaves.  Push the 
  center of the ball of masa down to create a bowl of masa.  In this 
  bowl place the marinated meat. To the side of this place a slice of 
  potato and some rice. Put a slice of tomato to the side of this.  Put 
  slices of peppers and onion around the edge of the bowl.  Put a few 
  leaves of mint on top of it all.  Now fold the leaves around the 
  bowl/masa/nacatamal snugly-DON'T RIP THE LEAVES.  Try to make sure 
  that the ingredients are completely enclosed by the leaves.  Now 
  secure with a string(tie it like a ribbon on a X-mas gift-DON'T RIP 
  THE LEAVES.  Boil for several hours.
  ------------------------------------------
  Chicken Nacatamales

  Dough Ingredients:

  ¸1/2 lb of cornflour (We recommend the brand, Maseca, but any other brand will do).
  ¸ 4 oz of instant mashed potato mix
  ¸ 1/2 liter of milk
  ¸1/2 oz of capers (with their juice)
  ¸ 6 garlic cloves
  ¸ 1 medium-sized green bell pepper
  ¸ 1 medium-sized yellow onion
  ¸ 3/4 lbs of margarine
  ¸ 1 oz of seedless green olives
  ¸ A splash of Tabasco Sauce
  ¸ 2 cubes of chicken bouillon
  ¸ 1/4 cup of Naranja Agria juice (bitter orange, orange and lime hybrid)
  ¸ 4 oz of whole canned tomatoes
  Heat the milk and slowly dissolve instant mashed potato mix into it. Dissolve cornflour in 
  enough water to produce a thick paste and add to milk and potato mix. Blend the rest of the 
  ingredients together (except the margarine) in a blender and add to the cornflour, milk and 
  potato mix. Melt the margarine into a large pot and slowly add the dough. Mix until cooked-When 
  the dough stops sticking to the sides of the pot.

  To Assemble the Nacatamales You'll Need:

  ¸ 10 one-foot-long pieces of aluminum foil
  ¸ 10 plantain plant leaves cut in half
  ¸ Manila rope
  ¸ 1 lb of white potatoes, cut into thin slices
  ¸ 2 medium tomatoes, cut into thin slices
  ¸ 1 medium onion, cut into thin slices
  ¸ 1 green bell pepper, cut into thin slices
  ¸ 30 seedless green olives (3 per Nacatamal)
  ¸ 40 capers (4 per Nacatamal)
  ¸ 2 bunches of mint
  ¸ 1/2 cup of raisins
  ¸ 3/4 cup of raw white rice
  ¸ 2 1/2 lbs of boneless chicken breast

  Marinate the chicken breast with Naranja Agria, achiote, ground garlic, cumin, ground onion, 
  and salt for two hours-All to taste. Cut chicken breast into medium-sized strips. Soak the 
  raisins and raw rice in water for two hours. Arrange two halves of the plantain plant leaves 
  in a t-shape over a one-foot strip of aluminum foil. Place 1 cup of the cooked dough in their 
  center. Place the following on top of the dough, in this order:

  ¸ 3 seedless green olives
  ¸ 4 capers
  ¸ 5 raisins
  ¸ 2 medium sized strips of chicken
  ¸ 1 tablespoon of rice
  ¸ 2 slices of potato
  ¸ 1 slice of green bell pepper
  ¸ 1 slice of onion
  ¸ 1 slice of tomato
  ¸ Top with a small bunch of mint

   
  Close the plantain plant leaf carefully over the ingredients and then the aluminum foil over 
  the plantain leaf. Make sure the contents are wrapped in tightly. Wrap the manila rope around 
  the package as you would a present, tying a double knot when done. Place all 10 Nacatamales into
  a pot of boiling water large enough to hold them and cook for 3 hours to allow the raw ingredients 
  to cook thoroughly.

Salvadoran Pupusas

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Amie
  To: phaedrus
  Sent: Thursday, June 12, 2003 6:25 AM
  Subject: Recipies

  Do you have recipies for Popusa from El salvadore anything from Nicaragua is good too. Thanks.

  Amie

Hello Amie,

Below are two recipes for pupusas.

Phaed

   Pupusas
  (El Salvadoran stuffed tortillas)
  Servings: 8 pupusas
   
  Ingredients
   Prep
   Amount
   
  Masa harina (Maseca or Quaker brand)  2 cups 
  Water  1 cup 
      
  Filling (see notes)  1 cup 

  Method 
  In a large bowl, mix together the masa harina and water and knead well.  Knead in more water, 
  one tablespoonful at a time, if needed to make a moist, yet firm dough.  It should not crack 
  at the edges when you press down on it.  Set aside to rest 5-10 minutes. 
  Roll dough into a log and cut into 8 equal portions.  Roll each portion into a ball. 
  Press a hole in each ball with your thumb.  Put about 1 tablespoon of desired filling into each 
  ball and fold the dough over to completely enclose it.  Press the ball out with your palms to 
  form a disc.  Be careful that the filling doesn't spill out. 
  Line a tortilla press with plastic and press out each ball to about 5-6" wide and about 1/8-1/4" 
  thick.  If you don't have a tortilla press, place the dough between plastic wrap and roll it out 
  with a rolling pin. 
  Heat an ungreased skillet over high heat.  Cook each pupusa for about 1-2 minutes on each side 
  till lightly browned and blistered.  Remove to a plate and cover till all pupusas are done.  
  Serve with curtido. 
  Notes

   Pupusas are a particularly Salvadoran food.  Salvadoran restaurants are often called pupuserías. 
   Pupusas can be filled with any number of ingredients.  Cheese, chicharrones (fried pork rinds) or 
   refried beans are the most common.  For a cheese filling, use grated farmer's cheese, mozzarella, 
   queso fresco or Swiss.  If you can't find chicharrones, grind 1 cup of cooked bacon with a little 
   bit of tomato sauce in a food processor.  Finely minced, sautéed jalapeño peppers are also a tasty 
   filling.  Or try a mixture of different fillings. 
   Curtido, a type of coleslaw, is typically served with pupusas. 
   Pupusas are traditionally made by slapping the dough from palm to palm to flatten it out.  I find 
   the tortilla press to be quicker and easier for beginners. 
   ---------------------------------------------------
   Salvadoran Pupusas

  By Graciela Fortin-Magana

  Preparing the dough 

  There are different brands of tortilla flour to make the dough. MASECA, which can be found in most 
  large supermarkets in the international section, is one of them but there are others. Follow the 
  instructions on the bag and make as much dough as needed. Once the dough has been prepared set it 
  aside while you prepare the filling. 

  Three Fillings

  Cheese

  3 cups of shredded cheese (use hard and cream cheese mixed together; you can mix frying cheese, 
  mozzarella and ricotta)
  3 or 4 tablespoons of heavy cream
  1/2 to 1 cup of ground "oroco" (this will be hard to find in the U.S. So you can use very finely 
  chopped green peppers or scallions instead)
  Salt to taste

  Make a paste with these ingredients. To avoid the paste leaking, it should not be too soft.

  "Chicharron"

  1 cup cooked bacon (cooked with garlic, see below).
  4 - 5 tomatoes
  Salt to taste.

  Cook bacon with some garlic (optional). Set fat aside but do not discard. Once cooked, grind bacon 
  with the tomatoes, 1 green pepper, and salt to taste. Mix with some of the bacon fat until it has 
  a soft consistency

  Mixtas 

  Ground and fried beans (they can be canned or prepared from your favorite recipe).

  When filling the pupusas add beans, chicharron and cheese (or combine two of the three).

  Making the pupusas

  With two tablespoons of dough make a ball using your hands and later clap your hands until you make 
  a round, thin (1/8 of an inch thick) tortilla. Continue making more tortillas this way. Put filling 
  over one tortilla, cover with another and push down the sides to close them. This is the "beginners" 
  method.

  People who have experience do it this way: make a ball with the dough. Insert your thumb in the ball
  and make a hole in the center. Fill that hole with the filling, close the hole by pushing the dough 
  on the sides up. Clap your hands carefully so that the filling doesn't come out and flatten the ball.

  Cook on a slightly greased griddle, pan or electric pancake griddler and cook over low-medium heat 
  (325-350 F) first one side, then the other until they are cooked. Each side will be ready when it no 
  longer sticks to the pan (depending on the thickness of the tortillas, this might take 4 minutes or 
  more per side).

  Pupusas are topped with pickled cabbage and tomato sauce. 

  Pickled Cabbage

  Chopped cabbage that has been quickly passed through boiling water
  Medium onion, sliced
  Carrot, finely shredded
  Cooked green beans, not too soft (optional)
  Beets (optional)
  Horseradish (optional).
  Red pepper, finely chopped (optional)
  Vinegar
  Water
  1 teaspoon oregano
  Salt to taste

  In a glass or plastic jar with wide opening mix all the ingredients. Add vinegar and water to taste. 
  Mix with a wooden spoon (never metal). Put the mix in the refrigerator and let it rest for a week 
  so that the ingredients pickle. 

  Tomato Sauce

  Large tomatoes, peeled (the number will depend on how much sauce you want to prepare)
  1 green pepper.
  1 medium onion.
  2 garlic cloves.
  1 chicken flavored bouillon cube.
  Cilantro (optional).
  Water.
  Salt to taste.

  Cook all the ingredients with a little water. Put everything in a blender and blend. Cook for another 
  10 minutes, stirring occasionally

Sicilian Spaghetti

   ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: patty 
  To: phaedrus
  Sent: Friday, June 13, 2003 1:50 PM
  Subject: sicilian spaghetti

  a friend of mine made some Sicilian spaghetti one time and I would love to have the receipe do you have one

  

Hi Patty,

See below.

Phaed

  Sicilian  Spaghetti  Sauce

   Ingredients : 
   2 (28 oz.) cans whole tomatoes,
      reserve liquid for thinning, if necessary
   1 (6 oz.) can tomato paste
   1 (15 oz.) can tomato sauce
   2 tbsp. sweet basil
   2 tbsp. dried parsley
   2 tbsp. sugar
   1 tsp. garlic powder or 2 cloves garlic
   8 oz. sliced fresh mushrooms, optional
   1 lb. browned and drained ground beef, optional

   Preparation : 
      Break up tomatoes in large saucepan.  Add next 6 ingredients. 
   Bring slowly to a boil, then cover and simmer 3-4 hours.  Add
   optional ingredients in last hour of cooking.  Uncover and simmer to
   thicken sauce; cover and add tomato juice to thin. 
   ----------------------------------
   Sicilian  Spaghetti  &  Meatballs

   Ingredients : 
   Sicilian Sauce:
   1 garlic clove, minced
   2 tbsp. olive oil
   2 cans (15 oz.) tomato sauce
   2 tsp. dried basil
   1/2 tsp. pepper
   1 med. onion, chopped
   2 (6 oz.) cans tomato paste with 4 cans water added
   1 tsp. salt
   1/4 tsp. ground red pepper, optional
  Sicilian Meatballs:
   1 lb. ground beef
   2 tbsp. chopped parsley
   1 garlic clove, minced
   1/4 tsp. pepper
   1/2 c. dry bread crumbs
   2 eggs
   1 tsp. salt

   Preparation : 
      Fix spaghetti noodles as directed on the package (1 pound).  Cook
   garlic and onion slowly in oil for a few minutes.  Add the tomato
   paste, water and tomato sauce.  Mix together and add seasonings. 
   Simmer while making meatballs.
   ----------------------------------
   Sicilian  Spaghetti  And  Meatballs

   Ingredients : 
   3 cans tomato paste
   9 cans water
   1 lg. clove garlic, chopped
   2 med. sized bay leaves
   Salt and pepper to taste
   1/4 tsp. baking soda
   3 tbsp. sugar
   2 tbsp. chopped oregano
   1 tbsp. minced onion
   Meatballs:
   1 1/4 lb. hamburger
   1 c. Italian seasoned bread crumbs
   2 eggs
   1 c. grated Romano cheese

   Preparation : 
      Mix all ingredients in large saucepan.  Bring to boil.  Simmer on
   low heat for approximately 2 hours.  Mix all ingredients.  Roll into
   balls.  If mixture is sticky and difficult to roll, add more bread
   crumbs and cheese.  Brown meatballs in skillet.  Add to simmering
   spaghetti sauce.  Meatballs will cook through as sauce simmer. 
   NOTE:  You can replace hamburger with ground turkey, but add only 1.
   Serve over your favorite pasta, and sprinkle with Romano cheese. 

""


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