Recipe 26- Baked Butternut Squash

                                                    BAKED BUTTERNUT SQUASH

6 small butternut squashes
1/2 stick butter
3/4 C maple syrup

Bake squash in a 350 degree oven for about 40 minutes.  Peel, scoop out seeds, mash squash.  Add dots of butter and whip. Add maple syrup and bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes.

Ratings (out of five)
Difficulty *
Taste **

For Thanksgiving, I served this vegetable dish.  However, I used frozen squash instead of fresh squash.  As a result, I had a hard time coordinating the amount of butter and maple syrup to add to the dish. Unfortunately, the dish had the improper proportions and the dish was too liquidity.  I will try again.

Despite the fact that this vegetable dish was not well received, the Thanksgiving dinner was wonderful.  My cousin Paul McCarthy and his wife Chrissy and their children Sean and Kallen  were visiting us from their home in Atlanta, Georgia. We cooked our turkey on the barbecue and enjoyed a great feast!  

I found this recipe on one of my mother Carol Callaghan's handwritten recipe cards.    

Recipe 25- Mozzarella Zucchini Spears

                   
                                           MOZZARELLA ZUCCHINI SPEARS

3 small zucchini

1 T olive oil

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon basil

2 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded (1/2 cup)

Cut each zucchini lengthwise into quarters. In a 10 inch skillet over medium heat, in hot oil, cook zucchini, salt and basil until zucchini is lightly browned and tender, about 10 minutes turning occasionally. Sprinkle zucchini with mozzarella cheese and cover skillet. Cook until cheese melts.

Ratings (out of five)

Difficulty *

Taste **

I served this appetizer at the murder mystery party that I hosted for my 50th birthday. I would not recommend this appetizer because it did not plate well and it needed to be cooked about 20 minutes before it was served. Despite the fact that this appetizer was not a hit, the murder mystery party was a smashing success! The solution was Ms. Jade with the revolver in the kitchen.

This recipe was taken out of a magazine and stapled to a recipe card and placed in my mother's recipe box.

Recipe 24- Pumpkin Bread

                                                                PUMPKIN BREAD

2 1/2 C granulated sugar
1 C vegetable oil
4 eggs
3 C all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 tablespoon baking powder
2/3 C water
1 can pumpkin pie mix (18 oz)
1 C chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)

In a mixing bowl, mix together the sugar and oil. Beat in the eggs one at a time.  In a separate bowl, mix together flour, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg, baking soda, and baking powder.  Add to first mixture alternately with water, mixing well between additions.  Add pumpkin, stir well, then stir in nuts.
Pour into three greased 8 1/2 x 4 1/4 x 2 1/2 inch foil loaf pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes.

Ratings (out of five)
Difficulty *
Taste ****

Two months ago, Lindsey started her freshman year at the University of California, San Diego. Caroline and I made this pumpkin bread to place in the first "care package" for Lindsey. My mother would send me homemade pumpkin bread and zucchini bread when I was in college.

My mother had two copies of this recipe in her recipe folder. One was handwritten by her on one of her recipe cards. The other was given to her by her good friend Mary Couglin and asks that my mother please make a loaf for the Historical Society gathering.      

 

Recipe 23- Chicken Style Kiev

                                                              CHICKEN STYLE KIEV

2//3 C butter
1/2 C bread crumbs
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan Cheese
1 teaspoon basil
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 chicken breasts, split (about 1 1/2 pounds)
1/4 C dry white wine
1/4 C chopped green onion
1/4 C chopped parsley

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Melt butter in 2 quart saucepan. Meanwhile, combine bread crumbs, Parmesan, basil, garlic salt, and salt. Dip chicken in melted butter then roll in crumbs to coat.
Place chicken in baking dish. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until golden brown and chicken is tender.  Add wine, green onion, and parsley to remaining butter.  Pour over and around chicken. Cook for 5 minutes longer.

Ratings (out of five)
Difficulty **
Taste ****

Yesterday, I made this dish for our family dinner. Everybody enjoyed the tender chicken and the favors. I will probably use less butter when I make this recipe again.  In preparing this dish, I learned that green onions are the same thing as scallions!

This recipe comes from my mother's recipe folder found in her kitchen in Lloyd Harbor, New York.

  

Recipe 22- Green Bean Casserole

                                                       GREEN BEAN CASSEROLE

1 (10 and 3/4 oz) can of Cream of Mushroom Soup
3/4 C milk
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1 1/3 C French's French Fried Onions
2 cans of green beans, drained

Mix soup and milk. Then add pepper, beans, and 2/3 onions in 1 1/2 quart casserole. Stir. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Top with remaining onions. Bake for 5 minutes.

Ratings (out of five)
Difficulty *
Taste *****

Growing up on Long Island, at all holiday meals, the Callaghan and McCarthy Families would serve this side dish.  Next week is Thanksgiving and Paul, Chrissy, Sean, and Kallen McCarthy are visiting us from Atlanta, Georgia for the holidays. As a result, I decide to make this side to test it out on the Welch Family to see if they like it.  They loved it! We will most certainly be serving this dish for Thanksgiving next week here in Walnut Creek, California.    

Recipe 21- Blueberry Pie

                                                                BLUEBERRY PIE


1 C sugar
2 1/2 tablespoon corn starch
4 C blueberries
1 tablespoon butter

Bake at 425 degrees for 40 minutes.

Ratings (out of five)
Difficulty *
Taste **

For my big 50th birthday, my husband Steve wanted to buy a blueberry pie, my absolutely favorite dessert.  He called over 7 bakeries and grocery stores in the San Francisco Bay Area but couldn't find any store that sold blueberry pie in early November. As a result, I told him that Caroline and I would bake my own pie.

Caroline and I used a pie recipe from a pie chart that my mother kept with her recipes.  I would not recommend my mother's recipe. The pie was very runny and needed other ingredients (such as flour)  to thicken it.  Despite its problems, the pie tasted great.  We used frozen blueberries as opposed to fresh blueberries because it is not blueberry season. I will continue to search for a better blueberry pie recipe.    

Recipe 20- Butterscotch Brownies

                                                          BUTTERSCOTCH BROWNIES


1 C brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 well beaten egg
1/2 C flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 C chopped walnuts

Beat egg well. Add sugar and vanilla to egg: mix well. Put flour, salt, and soda together. Stir into egg mixture. Add nuts, if desired.
Spread batter in greased 8 by 8 by 2 inch pan. Bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes. While warm, cut into 16 squares. Cool and remove from pan.

Ratings (out of five)
Difficulty *
Taste *

To serve at her 11 year old birthday party, my daughter Caroline chose this recipe because she loves butterscotch. The brownies had no taste and were a complete failure. As a result, we chose not to serve them at the party.  Despite the failure of the recipe, Caroline's costumed mystery party was a great successful!  The girls had a great time trying to sleuth out the kidnapper.

I found this recipe inside a folder of recipes kept by my mother in her kitchen at 9 Janes Lane, Lloyd Harbor, New York.