I did not invent this recipe. JoAnne got it from the Internet. But..it has a wonderful flavor and I think I know why. But, I’ll let you discover it all by yourself.

This is supposed to make 4 to 6 servings. But.. we shared one of these and could have eaten more! The flavor is UNBELIEVABLE!

Ingredients:

1/2 of a 15 ounce package of refrigerated Pie Crusts (one crust)

1 entire Garlic Bulb

1/2 tsp. Olive Oil

1-1/2 cups shredded Fontina Cheese, divided into two   3/4 cup portions

4 large Tomatoes

1/2 tsp. Salt

1/4 tsp. Pepper

Fresh Basil

to sprinkle over the top when cooking is finished.

Cut off the pointed ends of the Garlic Bulb. Place the garlic bulb on a piece of aluminum foil, and drizzle with olive oil.  Fold the foil to seal.

  Bake the Garlic at 425 degrees for 30 minutes, cool. Squeeze pulp from the garlic cloves into the bottom of the baked piecrust.

  Sprinkle 1/2 of the Fontina Cheese (3/4 cup) over the garlic.

  Slice the Tomatoes and sprinkle evenly with salt and pepper.  Place the slices on folded paper towels and let stand for 10 minutes.

  Arrange Tomato slices over the shredded cheese...

  Sprinkle the remaining Fontina Cheese (3/4 Cup) over the Tomatoes.

  Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until tart is lightly browned.

I’ve tried to get JoAnne to write down this recipe for 30 years. She has never written it down but today I begged and the following is what I got:

2 pounds of ground beef (80/20 as for burgers)

2 large onions

Cut up the onions into small, saute-able pieces and saute the mixture of onions and ground beef in the bottom of a large pot (which pot must be big enough to hold the following stuff after the meat and onion mixture has cooked for about 15 minutes). Cook 15 minutes.

Pour the contents of the following cans and packs into the meat/onion mix. Then wash out each can with half a can of water to wash out the remaining product and empty the water into the meat/onion mix.

For 4 persons

INGREDIENTS:

5 Large Onions (mild or hot --  

     doesn’t matter.

2 Quarts Water

1 Cup Red Wine Vinegar

8 tsp. Salt

6 tsp. Sugar

4 Bay Leaves

6 Cloves

10 Black Pepper Corns

10+ Juniper Berries (dried)

8 Bratwurst

1 French baguette to bake

DIRECTIONS:

1. Peel the onions and cut into

    big rings (about ½ inch or

    larger)

2. 2.Boil the water; add the onions,
   

    vinegar and all the spices;

    stir it.

3. 3.Then, simmer it until the onions are transparent (about 1 hour)
   

4. 4. Bring the sauce to boil again, puncture the Bratwurst, add the Bratwurst, then reduce the heat and let it simmer for 20 minutes (do not boil or the Bratwurst may pop)
   

5. 5. Put the Bratwurst on a plate, pour some of the delicious juice and onions over it and serve with the French baguette.

This incredibly delicious dish is from my German Daughter in Law Andrea. Andrea is from Nurnberg and this is a recipe unique to that region.  I could not believe the wonderful taste of this recipe! I pleaded with Andrea to translate it into English and let me put it on my website. She calls it a summertime meal but I first had it on November 14 and I want it again today -- November 15!

   (“Zipfel” doesn’t mean “bratwurst” but is a sort of slang word for “remnant” or “extension” or “hanging-out protruding thing”.)

Chicken Piccata with Lemon, Capers, Artichoke Hearts

One of the best tasting dishes we’ve ever eaten!   Andrea sent us this recipe and told us that Norman ate enough for 4 people the first time she made it.

4   Chicken Breast halves, skinless

1/3 cup all purpose flour

1 Lemon Zest from big lemon

1/2 tsp Paprika

1/2 tsp Garlic powder

1 Tbsp. Olive Oil       

1  Juice from fresh lemon 

1/2 cup Dry white wine

1  can (14 oz) Chicken broth

14 oz. quartered Artichoke hearts

1/4  cup drained Capers

Instant Bouillon Seasoning

Salt

Ground Black Pepper

1 cup Penne Pasta

Chicken Piccata with Lemon,Capers,            

  Artichoke Hearts

Start with the recipe for Jim’s Braised Belgian Endives (see in Jim’s Vegetables) but after you complete the cooking of the endives, remove them from the pan BUT LEAVE ALL THE SAUCE IN THE PAN, and broil 4 Chicken Breasts (for 2 people) until they are almost completely cooked. This can be done on an outside grill or in your oven. 

Jim’s Chicken Breasts with Braised Endives

You can lightly sprinkle some Lawry’s or similar flavoring on the breasts before grilling.

When the Chicken Breasts are almost fully cooked, slice them in half -- the large flat way -- and lay the freshly cut inside surface of each breast half down into the sauce in the endive braising pan.  Turn heat to high which will drive the sauce into the chicken breasts, turn off the heat and serve as in the photo below.  The flavor is incredible.

(2 Fennel bulbs -- the white bases of the plants -- are good for two large side item servings)

The sauce that the Fennels create along with the other ingredients is a taste that gave me a very pleasant surprise -- maybe even better than the sauce with endives.

Jim’s Chicken Breasts with Braised Fennel

(See preparation of Chicken Breasts under Chicken with Endives)

2 Tbs  lemon juice
1/2   tsp sugar

3/4 tsp. of Chicken Bouillon) 

Put the butter in a heavy bottomed frying pan and heat until butter is frothing. Turn over the fennel pieces so that the butter browns (but does not burn) and the edges of the fennel caramelize. After a few minutes, when you really think you are in danger of burning the butter and/or the fennels, turn down the heat to low and pour in the chicken broth. Sprinkle the sugar and lemon juice over the fennels and cover loosely. Simmer for 20 minutes or until tender. Stick a fork into them to test for tenderness and when you like the result you're finished.

Jim's Pickled Shrimp

(This is delicious with Jim's Braised Endives. Get the shrimps out of the pickling liquid as the endives are being braised. Put the shrimps on a warmed plate in the oven, but do not cook the shrimps any further.)

Boil shrimp only until they just begin to float (be very careful not to overcook) in:

White Vinegar  -- enough to cover shrimps during boiling

“Cookies” brand  seasoning (or any salty seasoning)-- about 1 tsp.

Ground Pizza pepper -- about 1 / 2  tsp.

Immediately remove shrimp from the boiling mixture when done to be sure that shrimp do not continue cooking.  Run cold water over them. 

Save the vinegar mixture, let it cool, then put shrimps in jar in refrigerator with vinegar mixture over it.

Serve shrimp chilled (but warmed if served with braised endive.

For 3 people

The reason this is called “Half and Fishless” is that it is half of the original recipe and is a generous quantity for 3 people, and it does not use fish except for the clam juice. I think that IF you use fish pieces instead of chicken that I would NOT add the fish pieces until about 5 minutes before serving.

INGREDIENTS:

6" or more, 1" diameter -- 1/4 lb.

Mexican Chorizo Sausage

(is better than Spanish Chourico.)

(best: Ole Mexico "La Banderita"

but all of the chorizo and

chourico’s taste great.)

5 oz. pkg. Bella (or Vigo)

   Saffron Rice

2 Tbs. Olive Oil

  (and more as needed)

1  Small Onion

2  large cloves Garlic

1  Green Bell Pepper (or more: the Bell Peppers pick up the flavor and are almost the best tasting items in the finished dish)

1 can Rotel Tomato with Chili

    Peppers, Mild

1  bunch  Fresh Parsley

3  large Chicken skinless breasts

1 tsp Chicken Bouillon

1/2 tsp sugar

1/2 tsp Saffron threads: soak

    threads in 1/4 cup very hot water

2 Cups Chicken Stock

1   8 oz. Bottle Clam Juice

(best: Haddon House)

1/4 tsp Salt

Ground Black Pepper

Paprika

Lemon Zest

  from one whole lemon

Pre-prep:

Cut the Chicken into 1" pieces.  Toss with Paprika and Lemon Zest in Ziploc bag and hold.

Cut the Chorizo Sausage into small pieces.

Cut the  Green Bell Pepper into fairly large pieces -- suggest 9 long slices each half, then cut in half.

Chop or grind the fresh Parsley

Slice the Onion and Garlic into thin slices or chop up.

Soak the Saffron threads in 1/4 cup very hot water.

Serves 2    (new changes  as of Nov. 1, 2016

This recipe is a takeoff from the superb recipe in “Joy of Cooking” (the only cookbook you’ll EVER need.) But “Joy” minimized the vegetables so I added more especially carrots because they pick up the wine flavor beautifully.  Also, I added more wine because I like a light sauce and not a heavy and thick sauce.

For 2 people I like 20 oz. total of boneless, skinless thighs.  Wash and dry.

Melt in heavy, large skillet:

  3 Tbs. Butter

Add and brown slightly:

  1/8 lb. Minced salt pork

  1-1/2  onions cut into fairly large pieces

  16 oz. package mini carrots 

  2  minced shallots

  2  peeled, finely chopped garlic clove

Push the vegetables aside.  Note: if there is no room in the pan for all these ingredients you can remove the vegetables while you brown the chicken in the fat.

Brown the chicken in the fat.

Add and stir:

  1 Tbsp. Flour

  2 Tbsp. Chopped parsley

  1/4 Tbsp.  dried marjoram

  1/8 tsp. Grated nutmeg  

  1/2 bay leaf

  1/4 tsp. Thyme

  1/2 tsp. Salt

  1/8 tsp freshly ground pepper

  1/2 tsp. Sugar

Stir in:

  2 cups dry red wine at the beginning of cooking (and then add 1-1/2 to 2 more cups during the final 10 minutes.)

Simmer covered over low heat for about 1 hour.

Add for the last 10 minutes of cooking:

  1/2 lb. Sliced mushrooms

  1 1/2 or 2 more Cups Red wine.

Skim off excess fat (or not),  serve.

These are Curried Eggs. The name “Indian Eggs” came about when my kids were young and to get them to try this new (to them) flavor of Curry, I called these Indian Eggs hoping that the kids would think that I meant American Indians. They did.

Quantities below for 2 servings

Hardboil 4 Eggs (about 12 minutes at boiling, then peel)

In saucepan:

Melt 2 Tbsp. Butter or Margarine

Mix in to melted butter, 2 Tbsp. Flour

Add:

Milk,

   and stir and heat, until sauce is desired thickness

Add:

1 level tsp. Chicken Bouillon

2 Tbsp. (or more to taste)  Curry Powder

1/4 tsp. Paprika

Slice eggs into sauce

I think this works best for just 2 people because it must be served as soon as it’s tossed, and it is difficult to work with larger quantities of pasta as you toss it in the oil, garlic, parsley mixture. This is our absolute favorite pasta dish -- even better than our clam sauce pasta and the basil pesto pasta. Pay attention to the “tips” in this recipe! They are important.

1 bunch of Parsley -- finely chopped

1/2 tsp. Crushed Red Pepper (Pizza Pepper)

6 large Garlic Cloves  -- smashed and chopped up or sliced thin

8 Tbsp. Olive Oil

Medium Thickness Pasta for 2 people

Boil medium thickness pasta. Put some salt and some olive oil into the pasta boiling water. Then drain and hold the pasta when done.

At the moment that you put the cooked pasta into the drainer (collander) turn on the burner under the following:

In a very LARGE skillet put:

8 Tbsp Olive oil,

6  sliced or smashed cloves garlic,

TIMING is VERY IMPORTANT IN NEXT:

Heat Olive oil in skillet, and saute the garlic lightly (the lighter you saute it the more garlic flavor. And if you saute it too long the garlic “bite” disappears.  So, I sniff over the skillet and when my eyes JUST begin to quit burning from the garlic fumes I add the pasta),

and then, turn off the burner under the skillet, and...

Dump the pasta into the hot skillet, and toss the pasta  in the hot garlic/oil,

and add Chopped Parsley and the Red Pizza Pepper until mixed.

Chopped parsley,

IMPORTANT: The parsley is NOT just a garnish -- it is an important part of the FLAVOR of this dish. Don’t make this dish unless you have a good parsley grinder that will reduce the fresh parsley to the tiniest possible particles.

Salt to taste

Serve with Parmesan cheese sprinkled over it.

A-1 Shepard’s Pie

Ingredients:

A-1 Shepard’s Pie

(for 2)

1 lb. ground beef

1 large onion, chopped

1/3 Cup A-1 Sauce

2 Cups hot mashed potatoes

1 Cup Kraft’s Shredded Cheddar Cheese

Heat oven to 350 degrees.   Brown the meat with onions in a large skillet, drain.   Add A-1  steak sauce, bring to boil.   Spoon into 11/2 qt. baking dish. Mix potatoes and cheese, spread evenly over meat mixture.   Bake 12 to 15 minutes, or until heated through to 165 degrees.

This turned out to be surprisingly good. The recipe was on the A-1 bottle. The idea of having the A-1 sauce IN the dish as it’s being cooked makes for a great taste.

Tomato Tart

Preparation:

Press refrigerated piecrust onto bottom and up the sides of a 9 inch pie or tart pan.

JoAnne’s CHILI

3 large cans (15 oz.) Chili Beans

  (better is white beans with chili flavoring)

3 15 oz.  cans Tomatoes (better is pre-cut up with chili flavoring)

1 large can Tomato Puree

1 small can Tomato Paste

2 packs McCormick’s Hot Chili Seasoning

1 pack McCormick’s Mild Chili Seasoning

  Stir, and add:

1/4 Cup Chili Powder 

   Simmer for at least 15 minutes.

The mixture can be eaten almost at once but is better if it is allowed to simmer for 15 minutes or more.

This dish is a typical meal during summer time and great to be served with cold beer

Tip:You can prepare the sauce a day in advance  and add the Bratwurst  whenever you are ready to eat the dish.

Prep:

Cut chicken breasts horizontally into thin slices. Season with salt and black Pepper.  In shallow dish or plastic bag combine flour, lemon Zest, Paprika and garlic powder.  Mix well.  Add chicken slices and turn over to coat them.  Remove chicken from flour mixture and shake off excess flour.

Boil the penne pasta and then drain it.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.  Add chicken and sauté about 2 minutes per side or until golden brown and cooked through.  Add lemon juice, wine, and chicken broth and bring to a simmer.  Simmer about 5 minutes until chicken is cooked through and sauce thickens.  Take chicken out of skillet and add some Bouillon seasoning. Stir well.  Put chicken back and add artichoke hearts and capers, and simmer 1 minute to heat through.

Serve with penne pasta.

2 Fennel Bulbs (enough to fill your frying pan snugly when sliced in half lengthwise -- cut off the green uppers and discard. After you pull apart the bulb, slice the white pieces in half for better cooking -- to get them to brown in the butter.)

3-4 Tbs butter

1 cup chicken broth

2 tsp Worcestershire Sauce

Cooking:

In a large pan, brown the chicken and sausage in the olive oil.

Remove meat mixture from pan and reserve it.

Add chopped onions and garlic and

chopped parsley. Saute the

  onions and garlic 'til transparent.

  (Add more oil to cook if needed.)

Add 1 can Rotel Tomato with

   Chili Peppers.

Add Green Bell Peppers 

Add 1/4 tsp. Salt,  Pepper

Add Saffron juice (after soaking

   threads in 1/4 cup very hot water)

Add 1/2 tsp. Sugar

Add 1  tsp. Chicken Bouillon.

Add Rice to pan and stir and cook it until slightly browned.

Add 2 cups Chicken Stock and one bottle Clam Juice. Bring mixture to boil and then reduce heat to low. 

Return the Sausage and Chicken  to the pan. 

Cook Slowly about 30 minutes on the cooktop. 

(Add more Chicken Stock if necessary.)

  (optional -- not necessary):

Serve with dollop of:

Aioli Verde:

  1/2 cup cilantro or parsley leaves,

   6 to 8 large garlic cloves crushed,

   mayonnaise

In a blender, puree cilantro leaves with just enough water to produce a paste. Combine cilantro, garlic and mayonnaise. Chill in refrigerator for at least one hour to let flavors blend.

      (olive oil and garlic pasta)

NOTE!

Using the right beans -- WHITE BEANS WITH CHILI FLAVORING, and using the right tomato -- DICED TOMATOES WITH CHILI FLAVORING is so important to the Chili Recipe above that I felt compelled to SHOW you the right kind of beans and tomatoes at the right  -------------------------->