The Geo-Kitchen Cookbook

A great way to use all those cucumbers you get from your plants! A little zing from the jalapeno and a burst of lime add a fresh taste to cucumbers in this refreshing fresh salsa. Prep Time: approx. 15 Minutes. Ready in: approx. 1 Hour 15 minutes. Makes 4 cups (12 servings).

Directions: In a medium bowl, stir together the cucumbers, tomatoes, green pepper, jalapeno pepper, onion, garlic, lime juice, parsley, cilantro, dill and salt. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour. Serve with tortilla chips.

Use 6 cups of apples sliced. They can be fresh or frozen. Place in bottom of a 8x8 or 9x9 or pie plate. Mix together the following and sprinkle over the apples:

Crust:

Filling:

1. Preheat oven to 350^oF. Sift flour, baking soda, and salt into a bowl; set aside.
2. Put sugars and lemon zest in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed 30 seconds. Add butter; mix until pale and fluffy, about 1 minute. Mix in eggs, 1 at a time, and then lemon juice. Reduce speed; gradually add flour mixture, and mix until just combined.
3. Scoop dough using a 2-inch ice cream scoop; space cookies 2 inches apart on parchment-lined baking sheets. Flatten cookies slightly with a spatula. Sprinkle tops with sanding sugar, then lightly brush with a wet pastry brush; sprinkle with more sanding sugar.
4. Bake cookies until golden brown, about 15 minutes. Let cool on sheets on wire racks for 5 minutes. Transfer cookies to racks using a spatula; let cool completely. Cookies can be stored at room temperature up to 3 days.

1. To make white sauce, melt butter in small saucepan over low heat. Stir in flour; cook 1 to 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Using wire whisk, stir in milk; bring to a boil. Cook, whisking constantly, 1 to 2 minutes or until thickened. Stir in dressing mix and white pepper; set aside.
2. Preheat oven to 350^oF. Spray medium skillet with nonstick cooking spray; heat over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic; cook and stir 2 to 3 minutes or until tender. Remove half of onion mixture; set aside.
3. Add mushrooms to onion mixture remaining in skillet and cook about 5 minutes or until mushrooms are tender. Combine mushroom mixture, green beans and white sauce in 1 ½ quart casserole. Combine bread crumbs with reserved onion mixture; sprinkle over casserole. Bake, uncovered, about 20 to 30 minutes

I grew up in Houston, where my parents were volunteer firefighters. Every year, my stepmother's chili was a finalist in the local fire department's chili cook-off. She wouldn't ever share her recipe with me, though, so I experimented on my own to come up with a recipe that's even better than hers. And unlike my stepmother, who I love dearly, I'll share mine! It only takes 20 minutes to prepare, followed by several hours of simmering.

Note: Most northerners may be surprised to learn that authentic Texas chili never contains beans. Some competition chili cooks, however, prepare and alternate "Yankee Chili" which they offer right next to the authentic stuff. Yankee Chili is the exact same chili, with beans added. If you wish to add beans (and I admit I usually do), you can at least retain some semblance of Southwestern authenticity by using black beans, which are healthier, anyway.

1. Slice beef into bite-sized cubes, and begin heating in a skillet with the olive oil.
2. Add-in garlic, and enough cayenne pepper to make the beef REALLY hot. The beef will be the primary source of "hotness" in your chili. This means that the chili will have a very mild flavor initially, and the "kick" will sneak-up on you as you're eating it. In other words, make the beef at this stage spicier than you'd normally enjoy. The flames will be lowered a few notches later by all the non-spiced vegetables.
3. Brown the beef chunks in a skillet until cooked-though, but still tender. Be careful about breathing in the steam/smoke from the skillet. If your beef is super spicy here, you may discover that the steam has an effect like a mild teargas. Once it's cooked, pour entire contents of skillet into a large soup pot or crockpot.
4. Slice onions into thin (1/4 inch or so) quarter rings. Remove the cores from the bell peppers, and slice then into roughly 1/2-inch quarter rings. Stir into pot.
5. Drain green chiles and tomatoes very thoroughly, and stir into pot.
6. Add beans if desired.
7. Simmer on moderate heat, covered, for a couple of hours. As the ingredients cook together and the vegetables start to soften, it will take on a much more soup-like consistency.
8. We're not making soup. We're making thick, chunky cowboy manfuel. So once the ingredients are softened and blended together, continue to simmer on low heat, uncovered, to allow the water to steam-off. When it's as thick as you like, you can replace the lid.
9. This is the time to "tweak-out" the flavor by adding salt, garlic and any remaining spices you'd like. You can also ass more cayenne here, if it's not hot enough for you yet.
10. Let the pot simmer on low for at least 6 hours. I usually start mine before I go to bed, let it thicken over, night, then put the pot back on and let it continue to simmer covered until my wife and I get home from work.

Serve hot, in bowls, with cornbread or saltines on the side (I got my stepmother's cornbread recipe, but I won't share that!) Top with chopped white onions and grated cheddar cheese, if you like, but I prefer mine on its own.

Zutaten für 4 Personen:

17 dag glattes Mehl, 8 dag Schmalz, 3-4 El. Wasser, Salz;
Belag: ¾ kg Zwiebeln, 25 dag Hamburger Speck (oder Rauchspeck), 1/16 1 Öl,
1/8 l Weißwein, ¼ l Sauerrahm, 4 Eier, Salz, Pfeffer, Kümmel, Muskatnuß.

Zubereitung: Mehl, Schmalz, Wasser und Salz rasch zu einem glatten Mürbteig verarbeiten. Die geschälten Zwiebeln in dünne Ringe schneiden, in Öl anschwitzen, mitdem Weißwein aufgießen und einkochen, bis die Flüssigkeit verdampft ist. Eier mit dem Sauerrahm verrühren, mit Salz, Pfeffer, Kümmel und Muskatnuß abschmecken und unter die Zwiebelmasse mischen. Den dünngeschnittenen Speck in Streifen schneiden und ebenfalls daruntermengen.

Den Teig ½ cm dick ausrollen und eine niedere bemehlte Tortenform damit auslegen. Die Speck-Zwiebelmasse einfüllen, den Kuchen im vorgeheizten Backrohr bei 200 Grad etwa 10 Minuten anbacken, dann die Temperatur auf 180 Grad reduzieren und etwa 30 Minuten fertigbacken.

Diese steirische Spezialität ist ein originelles kulinarisches Mitbringsel für herbstliche Einladungen und schmeckt zu Strum oder Wein ganz ausgezeichnet.

The recipe is for 4 persons:

The dough: 17 dec. fine sifted flour ( 1 dec. = 10 grams), 8 dec. lard, 3 - 4 table spoons water or as needed, some salt

The filling: 3/4 kg onions, 25 dec. smoked bacon, 1/16 ltr. cooking oil, 1/8 ltr. white wine, 1/4 ltr. sourer cream, 4 eggs, salt, pepper, careaway seeds, nutmeg

Preparation: Flour, lard, water and salt to be mixed to a smooth dough mix. Peeled onions to be cut in thin ringed slices and browned in the hot oil, add the white wine and heat till the liquid is steamed off. Mix the eggs with the sourer cream, add salt, pepper, careaway seeds and nutmeg to taste. Mix in with the onions and mix in the thin sliced bacon.

Roll out the dough to about 5 mm thickness and lay into a shallow cake form ( cookie sheet ? ) Cover the dough with the onion bacon etc. filling. Put into 200 deg.cent. preheated oven and bake for 10 min. Then reduce heat to 180 deg. cent. and finish baking for 30 min. till done!

This type of baking is austrian styer - mark specialty to be taking along when visiting friends etc. on a cold fall or winters evening for good eating and company. A bottle of strum ( austrian spice wein ? ) or a bottle of wine goes along with it !

Drain together - 1 large can fruit cocktail and 1 can crushed pineapple. Keep juice. Take 2/3 of juice and bring to a boil. To this add 4 beaten eggs, 1/2 cup sugar, 3Tbsp. flour, boil until it thickens. Let cool and add to fruit. Just before serving, add 1 cup whipped cream and 3 bananas.

Part 1:

In a large saucepan, combine blueberries, sugar, water, lemon peel and lemon juice. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.

Part2:

Meanwhile, combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Cut in butter until mixture is crumbly. Add milk and mix until mixture is just moistened. Drop dough by spoonfuls into simmering berries. Cover and cook over low heat for 10 minutes. Do not lift lid!

Spoon dumplings/berries/sauce into individual bowls. Serve warm with cream, whipped cream, ice cream if desired.

(Approx. 6 servings).

* We often make 1/2 recipe for small batch and omit the lemon peel (don't usually have it around!)

Cook chicken in water with 1 bay leaf. Cook for 30 minutes. Cut into bite sized pieces. Cook noodles. Add all together and mix well. Use 1/2 bottle of dressing. Serve Warm or cold.

Sift sugar and flour into large mixing bowl. Combine margarine, shortening, cocoa, and water in saucepan and bring to a boil; pour over sugar and flour and mix well. Add remaining ingredients in order given and beat thoroughly. Pour into greased cookie sheet. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes. Leave cake in pan. Ice with chocolate icing. (Originally from Eleanor Matrens, Florence Loewen in RFC cookbook).

This is a recipe that I baked many times over the years my kids were in school for fundraiser lunches, etc. I usually put sprinkles on top as young kids love that! Excellent!!!

Toppings:

Combine mashed potatoes with onion and parsley. Cook bacon in a non-stick skillet until fat runs and bacon turns crisp. Allow to cool then crumble and mix with mashed potato mixture. Form into patties and cook in bacon drippings until well browned on both sides. If making without bacon, cook the patties in some oil in a frying pan. Makes 2 servings.

Cream butter and add the soda, cardamom, mix well. Gradually blend in sugar. Beat in the eggs. Sift together the flour and cream of tartar. Gradually stir into butter mixture. Chill dough 3 - 4 hours. Shape dough into small balls ( 3/4 inch). Place on ungreased cookie sheet (parchment paper works well). Dip fork into flour and press into each cookie in criss-cross style.

Bake 350 degree approx 10 minutes.

Turdle Prep:
Prepare live Turdles by removing the claws with a hammer and chisel. Simply strike each digit in a downward motion with the chisel just above the knuckle. Don't worry about any sounds or movements the Turdles make, these are involuntary. Discard the claws.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. It is important that you perform this next step while the Turdle is still alive. So you may want to get the water boiling before you start chopping in step 1. Carefully and slowly lower each Turdle into the boiling water tail first. This may cause the Turdle to react as if in distress. Again, please ignore this. Turdles are like lobsters, unable to feel pain due to their underdeveloped brains. Once the Turdle has boiled for 2 minutes, remove it from the water. As the shell of the Turdle offers considerable thermal protection, they may still be alive. So much the better!

For this next step, you need to have a helper. We need to peel the shell off the back of the Turdle. Once the Turdle has cooled, have one person hold the shell, and the other person can hold the bottom plate. Both of you should pull as hard as you can and the connective tissue that has been weakened by the boiling water should release and the shell should peel right off. Clean the shell thoroughly and set aside for later.

Use a sharp knife to slice the meat off of the back and along the sides of each Turdle. You should now be left with a boneless piece of flesh resembling the size and shape of 4 small chicken breasts.

Slice the meat into finger sized strips. Place them in a ziplock bag and add half of the soy sauce and a couple of shakes of hoy sin.  Allow the mixture to coat the meat and set aside in the fridge while the vegetables are prepared.

Vegetable Prep:
Chop the carrots as indicated and either parboil them in water for 60 seconds, or for 30 seconds in the microwave. Clean the Bok Choi, removing the bottom inch or two of the white stalks and chopping up the rest into medium sized pieces.

Cooking:
Heat a large skillet or a wok to high heat. Add oil. Put in the marinated meat, and toss for 60 seconds or until the meet is nicely browned. Add bacon and allow to cook for an additional 45 seconds. Now gradually add the vegetables starting with the carrots, then the onion and the bok choi and then the broccoli - reserve snow peas. Toss the mixture for 30 seconds and then reduce the heat to medium. Add the remainder of the sauces and the almonds. Heat the sauces till they start to bubble. Add snow peas and sugar and toss. Turn the wok off and arrange the cooked raman noodles in the bottom of the cleaned shells. Divide the dish evenly between the two shells. Serve with warm sake.>

---Note: If Turdle is out of season, substitute three large or four small chicken breasts.

Brown 1 lb. ground hamburger or ground turkey. Add 1 can stewed tomatoes (soup can size) and 12 oz. chopped green chile. Add chopped garlic to taste. Simmer for 15 minutes.

You can eat this as cooked or use it over scrambled eggs, etc. You can also add boiled potatoes if you wish. Enjoy this New Mexico recipe (lived there for 40 years before moving to Illinois).

1 lb Italian Sausage boiled. Peel & dice & saute chunks until crisp. Heat 2 Tbsp olive oil.

Saute:

Add:

Heat and reduce liquid. Add sausage & cooked penne. Stir. Add 1/2 cup parmesan cheese and serve.

Heat oven to 350^o.

Cream together:

Add 2 eggs and mix. Hand mix in 1 cup flour and 1/2 bag of score pieces. Bake in 9x9 pan for 30 minutes. When taking out of oven, sprinkle 1/4 bag of chips / Riesses on top. Let cool, cut and eat.

Preheat the waffle iron.

Put a large laddle of batter onto the waffle iron, close the lid and three minutes or so later breakfast is ready for the trail.

Chop bacon into smaller pieces and fry until crisp. Remove from pan leaving grease. Fry hamburger and onions in bacon grease. Drain off fat. Add drained hamburger and bacon to rice in large skillet mixing well. Stir in tomatoes & green chiles - mix well. Add salt & pepper to taste. Add tomato sauce of you like it moister. Heat thoroughly and serve.