Stuffed Zucchini

12-14 zucchini, 6" in length at most
1 onion
1 c uncooked rice
1 lb lamb ground
1/8 t cinnamon
salt & pepper
3 large tomatoes (or 1 can stewed tomatoes)

Core the zucchini to 1/2 inch of the edge, or so.  Saute the onion until transparent.  Mix the lamb, uncooked rice, and salt and pepper, with the onion.  Add 1/2 the tomatoes to the mixture.  Fill the zucchini.  Cover with the remaining tomatoes.  Barely cover the whole dish with water and cook until the lamb and rice are cooked.  Or, put some water in the dish (1/2" or so), cover and bake in the oven for awhile.

Zucchini Soup

3-4 zucchini
4-5 shallots, chopped
1 1/2 T butter
1 1/2 T oil
1 t curry (+ more as needed)
1 1/2 c chicken broth/bouillon
1/2 c half & half
salt & pepper
sour cream (for garnish - optional)
chives (for garnish - optional)

Peel & slice the zucchini.  Saute with the shallots in butter and oil until transparent.  Add curry, chicken broth, and half & half.  Blend in a blender.  Season to taste.  Can be served hot or cold.

Spinach and Meat Pies

Time consuming, but great for picnics.

Dough:

1 cake/package yeast
1 T sugar
6 c flour
2 t salt
2 c water (lukewarm)
1/3 c milk

Dissolve yeast in 1/2 c water with the sugar.  Let double in size.  Place flour and salt in a bowl, make depression.  Mix remaining water, milk, and yeast mixture and pour into flour.  Knead until smooth, dipping hands in water as necessary.

Cover, let rise until double in bulk (2-4 hours).  Punch down and use as directed.

Meat pies

1 lb lamb
2 medium onions, chopped
1/2 c. pine nuts
1/8 t cinnamon
salt & pepper

Mix all ingredients.  Roll out dough (about half a full recipe) into 4" rounds.  Place T of meat mixture on each round.  Fold sides down, forming a triangle, but leaving the center open so meat cooks well.

Bake at 400 F for about 20 min.

Spinach pies

2 bunches fresh spinach
1 bunch green onions
1 medium dry onion
1/8 t allspice
salt & pepper
3/4-1 c lemon juice
1/2 c olive oil
pomegranate (optional)
raisins (optional)

Chop spinach, green and dry onions.  Combine all ingredients.  Roll out dough into 4" rounds.  Place T of spinach mixture in center of each round (if touches the edges, they will not seal).  Fold sides down, forming a triangle.

Bake at 400 F until golden brown.

Tuna Burgers

A Papa and now Dmitri favorite.

Tuna Burgers

1 can tunafish (preferably solid)
1 egg
1/2 small onion
1/8 c breadcrumbs
1/4 c oatmeal (quick oatmeal is finer)
2-3 T flour
salt & pepper

Most amounts are approximations.  Mix the tuna and egg.  Chop the onion finely and add to the tuna.  Add in the oatmeal and enough breadcrumbs and flour to hold the mix in a hamburger shape.  Season with salt and pepper.  Shape into patties and fry in butter/oil.

Dmitri's Chicken Recipes: Balsamic Cacciatore, Wine & Cream Sauce, and Parmesan

There are a few meals that go over particularly well with Dmitri - right consistency for finger food and tasty.  For my future reference, here is a short list.

Balsamic Chicken Cacciatore

Chicken thighs (3 or 4)
4 cloves garlic
1 can diced tomatoes (fire roasted with garlic, etc, seems particularly good)
1 can mushrooms (optional)
~1/4 c of balsamic vinegar
salt, pepper
basil, oregano
brown sugar (if desired)

Place the thawed chicken in a lightly oiled baking dish.  Add the sliced garlic.  Cover with the tomatoes. Add mushrooms (if desired). Pour in enough vinegar so the tomatoes begin to change color.  Sprinkle on some brown sugar.  Season.  Bake at 350 F for at least one hour.  If longer, check to make sure it's not burned.  The consistency should be similar to pulled chicken.

Chicken in Wine & Cream Sauce

(adapted from Julia Child)

Chicken thighs (3 or 4)
4 cloves garlic
1 onion
1/2 c wine
water/chicken stock as needed
thyme, sage
salt, pepper
mushrooms
1/2 cream

Sautee the chicken in butter, using an oven proof dish (Le Creuset casseroles are wonderful).  Remove from the pan, and pour out all the fat.  Add a pat of butter and sautee the onions and garlic.  Add the chicken back in and season with salt, pepper, thyme, and sage.  Pour in the wine - chicken should not be covered, but should be sitting in a pool of liquid.  Add water or chicken broth as needed.  Cover and bring to a simmer.  Move to the oven, baking at 350F for about 1/2 hr.  Add the mushrooms, and more wine, if needed.  Bake until heated.  Remove from oven.  Add cream and cook, stirring, until hot and slightly thickened (just a few minutes).

Chicken Parmesan

Chicken thighs (3 or 4)
bread crumbs
1 egg
tomato sauce
garlic
mozzarella cheese
parmesan cheese
basil, oregano
salt, pepper

Slice the thighs thinly.  Dip in the beaten egg, then in the bread crumbs, coating both sides.  Fry in butter/oil mix until browned.  Remove.  In a casserole dish, sautee garlic in butter.  Add the chicken slices, then slices of mozzarella.  Cover all with tomato sauce, sprinkling parmesan cheese on top.  Season with basil, oregano, salt and pepper.  Cover and bake at 350F for at least 1/2 hr.  Should be sizzling.  Serve with rice or noodles.

Strawberry Jello Salad

A Kieffer specialty, described by a guest as a "unique delicacy... mousse, custard, creme brulee, pudding?"  Is it standard How-to-Cook-Minnesotan?

Strawberry Jello Salad

2 8 oz box strawberry jello
8 oz Philadelphia cream cheese
Frozen sweetened strawberries
8 oz Cool Whip

Mrs. Phyllis Kieffer's directions:
"8 oz Box Strawberry Jello.  Just use the hot water requirements.  No cold H2O.

I use the hot jello to melt the 8 oz Philadelphia cream cheese.

Then I put jello mixture, Philadelphia cream cheese in the blender.  Then I add frozen sweetened strawberries. You may need to pour only part of it in at a time.  Then I use the mixer to mix in 8 oz Bowl of Cool Whip.

You can adjust the Amounts to make a smaller salad."

Oat Cakes - aka Dmitri's biscuits

Concept from Orangette, though these remind me of oatmeal raisin scones.

In brief:

Oat Cakes

1/4 c yogurt
1 stick softened butter
1/3 c brown sugar
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 c oats
1 c flour
1/2 tsp salt

Combine yogurt, butter, and brown sugar with a fork.  Add in the dry ingredients.  (Might be able to add raisins at this point.)  Using your hands, scoop up the dough into a ball.  Spread out and, with the palm of your hands, push into a 1/4 inch sheet.  Cut out circles, and transfer the circles to a greased baking sheet.

Bake for 15 minutes at 350F.