Title: Gingered Figs
Categories: Fruits
Yield: 5 servings

20 California dried figs
3 c Cold water
1 tb Light molasses
2 ts Powdered ginger
1/2 c Sugar

Place figs and water in saucepan. Bring to hard boil, then lower heat and
simmer. Cover figs and cook for 20 minutes. Add molasses, ginger and
sugar. Stir gently in order to avoid breaking figs. Simmer for 15
minutes more or until figs are plumped and tender. Serves 5 or 6.
Wonderful with ham, pork, chicken, steak or roast beef!

Source: 48 Family Favorites with California Figs
Reprinted with the permission of The California Fig Advisory Board
Electronic format courtesy of Karen Mintzias

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MENUDO

Recipe By : Thomas Fenske
Serving Size : 1 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Soup

Amount Measure Ingredient — Preparation Method
——– ———— ——————————–
2 pounds Tripe — cut in 1″ squares
2 teaspoons Salt
1 teaspoon Cumin
1/2 teaspoon Black Pepper
14 1/2 ounces hominy, canned
1 pound pork knuckles — Raw
4 Cloves Garlic — crushed
4 tablespoons Chili Powder
1 tablespoon Oregano
2 tablespoons Butter

Wash tripe in hot water and then boil with salt in three quarts of water
for two to three hours or until tripe is tender. In separate saucepan,
cook one pound in water for one hour.

In another saucepan, blend melted butter, garlic, cumin, black pepper,
chili powder and oregano and saute’ for two to three minutes. Combine
tripe, pork knuckles and the broth from both pans with the spices and
one can of hominy. Bring to a boil and boil for five minutes. Serve with
tortillas.

Top menudo with chopped onion and a few drops of lemon juice.

Note: it may be necessary to thicken the sauce with a flour and water
paste if it seems *too* soupy.

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Famous Taco Dip

Recipe By : DonW1948
Serving Size : 1 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Appetizers Christmas
Holiday Mexican

Amount Measure Ingredient — Preparation Method
——– ———— ——————————–
1 can bean dip
1 can avocado dip — frozen
1 package taco seasoning mix
4 tablespoons sour cream
6 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 cup cheddar cheese — shredded
1 cup Monterey Jack cheese — shredded
6 green onions — chopped
1 tomato — chopped
1 can black olives — chopped

Layer ingredients starting at the top of the list. Mix together the taco
seasoning mix, sour cream and mayonnaise.

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NOTES : From: rec.food.recipes 12/12/95

1/4 cup shortening
2 cups flour
1 tbsp. sugar, if you like (which I do)
3 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
roughly 3/4 cup milk

Sometimes I add grated cheddar cheese after I blend the dry ingredients or
even while I’m kneading -depends when I think of it)

Cut shortening into flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. When mixture
resembles small crumbs add milk, but not all at once. Only add enough so
that the dough leaves the side of the bowl. Too much and the dough will not
cook through, too little and the biscuits will be dry- if they don’t fall
apart first. You’ll feel the right texture.

Knead on floured counter about 20 times and roll to about 1/2″ thick.
Cut out at about 2″ wide (a bit more or less doesn’t matter – at Christmas
I use Christmas cookie cutters and when I’m lazy I just cut the flattened
dough in rectangles with a knife).

Place on ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 10 min. or until golden on
to. (In my oven I have to watch the bottoms) If you like, you can brush
with butter an sprinkle with Parmesan cheese just before pulling out.

You can also use up that buttermilk, just cut baking powder to 1/4 tsp
salt to 1/4 tsp and add 1/4 tsp baking soda, then use buttermilk instead
of milk.

Crystal Garden

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 1 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Mixes

Amount Measure Ingredient — Preparation Method
——– ———— ——————————–
6 tbsp Salt
1 tbsp Ammonia
6 tbsp Bluing — liquid
Food coloring
6 tbsp Water

Combine salt, bluing, water and ammonia. Pour over small pieces of rock
or coal in a shallow GLASS OR CHINA bowl. Drip food coloring on top, if
desired. Crystals will begin to grow soon. Add water occasionally to keep
crystals growing. You’ll probably want to place dish on a tray or wooden
board as crystals grow over the sides of the bowl.

Submitted by a Crafty Mom to keep her kids occupied.

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Chocolate-Nut Fingers

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 36 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Chocolate Squares And Bars

Amount Measure Ingredient — Preparation Method
——– ———— ——————————–
2 cups pecans or walnuts — coarsely chopped
1 1/2 cups oven-toasted rice cereal
8 ounces semisweet chocolate — (squares)
1/4 cup milk
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Chocolate Glaze
4 ounces semisweet chocolate
4 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon light corn syrup
1/8 teaspoon salt.

About 3 hours before serving or early in day:
1. Line 12″ by 8″ baking pan with waxed paper.
2. In large bowl, mix nuts and rice cereal.
3. In heavy 2-quart saucepan over low heat, heat chocolate squares, milk,
and butter, stirring frequently, until melted and smooth. Remove from heat.
Stir in vanilla extract. Pour chocolate mixture over nut mixture; stir to
mix well. Press nut mixture evenly into bottom of pan. Refrigerate to set
chocolate, about 1 hour.
4. Prepare Chocolate Glaze.
5. Remove chocolate-walnut loaf from pan; remove waxed paper. Pour Chocolate
Glaze over loaf. With metal spatula, quickly and evenly spread glaze over
loaf. Refrigerate until glaze is set, about 1 hour.
6. Cut loaf lengthwise into 2 strips. Cut each strip crosswise into 18 bars.
Makes 36 bars. About 105 calories each.
CHOCOLATE GLAZE: In 1-quart saucepan over low heat, heat chocolate, butter,
corn syrup and salt, stirring constantly, until melted and smooth.

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2-1/2 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon dried leaf oregano
1 tablespoon dried leaf thyme

Combine all ingredients thoroughly and store in an airtight jar or container.

Source:Emeril Lagasse, New New Orleans Cooking
Makes: about 2/3 cup

Ghosts In The Graveyard

Recipe By : Cool Whip
Serving Size : 1 Preparation Time :0:10
Categories : Holidays

Amount Measure Ingredient — Preparation Method
——– ———— ——————————–
3 1/2 Cups Cold Milk
2 Pkgs. (4 Serving Size) Jello-Chocolate Pudding
1 Tub 12 Oz. Cool Whip Thawed
1 Pkg 16Oz. Oreo Chocolate Sandwich Cookies

Crush cookies in zip style bag, with rolling pin, or in food processor.

Make pudding as directed on package using 3 1/2 cups milk; let stand 5
minutes. Stir in 3 cups of the whipped topping and 1/2 of the crushed
cookies. Spoon into 13×9 dish. Sprinkle with remaining crushed cookies.
Refrigerate 1 hour.

Decorate with candy pumpkins,candy corn, milanos and spoonfuls of whipped
topping for ghosts (pipe in chocolate eyes)

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Title: Split Pea Soup
Categories: Soups/stews, Vegetables
Yield: 6 servings

1 lb Smithfield Ham, bits/pieces 2 lb Split Peas
1 ea Large Onion, chopped 3 ea Large Carrots, chopped fine
1 ga Water 2 ea Celery Stalks w/ leaves

Separate fat from meat. Fry fat in soup pan. When crisp, discard solids.
Fry onion in the fat. Add lean ham pieces. Toss a few minutes more. Add
water, peas, carrots, and celery (center portion with leaves, chopped
fine). Cover and cook slowly until peas are mushy. Do not puree.

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Vegetable “Pasta”

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 4 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Vegetable

Amount Measure Ingredient — Preparation Method
——– ———— ——————————–
3 medium zucchini
3 medium yellow squash
3 medium carrots
1 tablespoon butter — * see note
1/4 cup chopped basil
1/4 cup chopped parsley
salt
fresh ground pepper
fresh herbs — * see note

Wash zucchini, squash, and carrots. Peel carrots. Using a vegetable peeler,
slice the zucchini and squash into long strips and shred the carrots except
for the center core (s).
Set aside until ready to cook.

Heat the butter or oil over medium heat in a heavy skillet or Wok. Add the
shreds, carrots first, cooking for 2 or 3 minutes. Add zucchini and squash
and toss frequently, cooking for 3-4 minutes. Add salt, pepper, and herbs.

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Serving Ideas : Lamb Chops

NOTES : * or olive oil (which will also heat to higher temperature)
* such as basil or dried herbs