Vacation cooking

Whenever we travel, I like to cook for friends, but don't have my cookbooks with me and am in vacation mode, so just can't think of recipes. So...I'll add to this brain dump as we travel (we are in Maine now in the midst of a 3 week New England trip visiting friends and family!).

Today we made

• tomato soup (1/2 with cream, 1/2 without) and grilled cheese sandwiches (in Portland, ME for Jen and Mike)

Other ideas for future visits with friends:

• Lentil soup
• Butternut squash soup
• Split pea soup
• Green pea soup
• Pasta fagioli

redbones' corn pudding

Redbones Corn Pudding 

Ingredients:

• 2 1/4 Cup Milk
• 6 Tbsp Sugar
• 7 Tbsp Crisco
• 1/4 tsp Pepper
• 2 tsp Salt
• 6 Large Eggs
• 6 Cups Corn
• 2 Cups White Cheddar Cheese
• 4 Minced Jalapeno Chilies

Scald:

• 2 1/4 Cup Milk with
• 6 Tbsp Sugar
• 7 Tbsp Crisco
• 1/4 tsp Pepper
• 2 tsp Salt

Beat:

• 6 large eggs and slowly pour in scalded milk mixture

Sir in:

• 6 cups fresh corn or (thawed blanched frozen corn)
• 2 cups white cheddar cheese
• 4 minced jalapeno chilies

Pour mixture into creased individual molds (about ten 8oz molds). Bake in a water bath at 350 degrees for approximately 40 minutes or until inserted pick comes out dry. 

bolani garlic mint cheese

I had some leftover greek yogurt at home and made a dip that tasted really close to the Bolani garlic mint cheese that I love from the farmers' market:

I used greek yogurt and added:

- crushed dried mint (what i use for tea normally)

- lemon juice

- 1 clove of raw garlic crushed in garlic press

- salt

- chives (optional, I just had them out)

I didn't measure anything- but here's a real recipe: http://www.chow.com/recipes/27613-garlic-mint-yogurt-spread

yogurt & tahini sauce

for rice bowls:

1. 1/4 cup tahini paste, at room temperature
2. Juice of half a lemon
3. 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
4. 2 cups plain whole-milk yogurt
5. 1 teaspoon ground cumin
6. 1/2 teaspoon Aleppo pepper or freshly ground black pepper
7. Salt
8. 1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley, for garnish

1. In a food processor, blend the tahini paste, lemon juice and olive oil until smooth. Add the yogurt and blend the mixture thoroughly. Scrape the tahini sauce into a bowl; stir in the cumin and Aleppo pepper. Season with salt and garnish with the parsley.

MAKE AHEAD The tahini sauce can be refrigerated for up to 3 days. Serve at room temperature. .

Mom's mint brownies

Make brownies (9x13)

Mint:
4 T butter
1 tsp mint extract
2 cups 10x powdered surgar
2 T milk
food coloring

Mix and spread on cooled brownies

Chocolate:
Melt 2 baking squares with 2T butter. Spread on top & refrigerate.

Persimmon Bread

• 
  1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter plus more for pan
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour plus more for pan
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 4 large, very ripe Hachiya persimmons
• 1/3 cup buttermilk
• 2 tablespoons finely grated orange zest
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 large eggs

print a shopping list for this recipe

preparation

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour a 9x5x3" loaf pan. Tap out excess flour.

Combine raisins and 2 tablespoons hot water in a small heatproof bowl. Let steep for 20 minutes to plump raisins (or microwave for 15 seconds).

In a medium bowl, whisk together 3/4 cup all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Set aside.

Scoop persimmon flesh from skins into a blender. Purée until smooth. Transfer 1 cup purée to a medium bowl (reserve any remaining purée for another use). Whisk in buttermilk and orange zest. Set aside.

Using an electric mixer, beat 1/2 cup butter in a medium bowl until light and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add sugar and beat until light and fluffy, 3-4 minutes longer. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until mixture is well combined. Gradually add persimmon mixture; beat until well combined. Add dry ingredients in 3 batches, beating just until incorporated. Fold in strained raisins.

Pour batter into prepared loaf pan. Bake until a tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 1 hour.

Let bread cool in pan for 20 minutes. Unmold and let cool completely on a wire rack.

Read More http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Persimmon-Bread-380637#ixzz2Qgt8geLO

Almond milk rice pudding

1. 1 1/2 cups sushi rice, rinsed
2. 1/3 cup sugar
3. Pinch of salt
4. 7 cups unsweetened almond milk
5. Cherry preserves, for serving

1. In a large saucepan, combine the rice, sugar, salt and 1 cup of the almond milk. Cook over low heat, stirring, until the almond milk is absorbed, 5 minutes. Gradually add 5 more cups of almond milk, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring and cooking until the sauce is very thick, 25 minutes. Let cool, then stir in the remaining 1 cup of almond milk. Serve topped with cherry preserves.  
2. Note- I didn't use cherry preserves and added a dash of cardamom instead. I also made 1/3 of the recipe.

http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/almond-milk-rice-pudding