Irene's Recipes

Some recipes are orignal; however many are copied or adapted from friends and favorite cookbooks. Where possible I attempt to give credit to the orignator. If you see one of your recipes here and I didn't give you credit, please let me know so I can. If you see your name here and want it removed, also please let me know. I do not wish to offend anyone. The format may be a bit strange as I converted them to html. I've added some comments on a few of the recipes and indicated which ones are "heart healthy". Also, I indicated which baking recipes don't contain eggs for those that don't eat them.


Cooking Philosophy, Hints & General Directions

Click here for Cooking Philosophy, Hints & General Directions for pan suggestions and directions for rolling pie crusts, mixing muffins, cookies and making yeast breads.

The following abbreviations are used in the recipes.

  • T. - Tablespoon
  • t. - Teaspoon
  • c. - Cup

    Unless specified otherwise, I spray all baking pans (cake pans, cookies sheets, cassaroles, pie pans, etc.) with Pam prior to baking. To remove cakes: run knife around edge to loosen. Let sit 5-10 minutes. Turn cake out onto plate. It comes out easily almost every time.

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    Favorite Spice Mixtures, Extracts & Ingredients

    The Penzy Spice catalog is an excellent source for spices, spice blends and lots of ideas. They have stores in Milwaukee, the Chicago area; Indianapolis; Pittsburgh, PA; Houston & Dallas, TX but alas not in Austin, TX; Louisville, KY or Rochester, NY. Their website is www.penzeys.com. Also World Market is a good place to find spices.

    Reminder: For longer life store all peels and spice mixtures containing peels in the refrigerator.

    Penzeys Spices

  • Florida Seasoning Salt Free: Pepper, garlic, citrus peel mixture. Has a bite to it. Excellent on fish, chicken, roasted veggies.
  • Mural of Flavor Salt Free: Milder but more complex mixture. Excellent on fish, chicken, roasted veggies.

    The Spice Hunter

  • Key Lime Pepper Blend Has a bite to it. Excellent on fish, any type.
  • Orange Ginger Pepper Blend Good on chicken and fish (especially salmon.) -- Unfortunatly this is no longer available. I have been attempting to mix up my own with so-so results.
    Although we don't know the proportions the ingredients listed are:
  • ginger
  • orange peel
  • black pepper
  • cardiamom
  • garlic
  • peppermint
  • coriander
  • orange oil
  • cayenne

    Any Brand

  • Garam Masala Flavorful blend to combine with appropriate amounts of sweet and hot curry powder. For meats and vegetables. When making curry I use about plenty of sweet curry, almost as much garam masala and hot curry to tast.
  • Fines Herbs Gives a French flavor to vegetables.
  • Bouquet Garni A good mixtures for soups and stews.
    Hint: In a crockpot go lightly on the seasonings as they will intensify.

    Extracts

  • Adams My favorite locally made ones. Good pure vanilla, almond, etc. (I'm not fond of McCormick)
  • Penzey's Pure Vanilla Extract Double Strength The best I've ever tasted. A real luxury.
  • Rodelle Pure Vanilla It is tolerable but not as good as the above two.

    I tend to be generous with vanilla, often adding more than the recipe calls for because it adds such an excellent flavor. Don't go overboard with almond flavoring though; it can easily get too strong.

    Ingredients

  • Oil For cooking savory items I use a decent quality olive oil - virgin or extra virgin. For sweet items or items that must be cooked at very high temperature I use canolla oil.
  • Shortening If the recipe calls for "butter or ..." I use real butter. Sometimes for texture a recipe calls for margarine or shortening. Then I use either stick margarine or Crisco. Crisco now has a "trans-fat free" version which seems to work fine.
  • Wine Use a tolerable quality wine to cook in. It doesn't have to be the best but the rule of thumb is that if you can't drink it don't cook in it. I usually use Gallo Hearty Burgendy or Chenin Blanc or Sutter Home White Zinfindel for cooking. (OK, I don't actually "like" to drink them, but I can.)
  • Garlic That minced garlic in a jar (produce section) is a great timesaver and works nearly as well as fresh in most recipes. Ed's rule: Never use less than a tablespoon.
  • Vinegar Unless it is specified I use "cider vinegar".
  • Brown Sugar I use "dark brown" for best flavor.
  • Cocoa Hershey's cocoa works fine for me.
  • Chocolate Chips When possible I use Ghirardelli 60% bittersweet or semi-sweet. Guittard is good too. In a pinch I will use Nestle or Hersheys but no off brands!


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    Appetizers & Dips

  • Artichoke or Crab Dip
  • Sausage & Cheese Biscuits
  • Crab Mango Cucumber Rounds

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    Beverages

  • Spiced Tea Mix
  • Cocoa Mix
  • Easy Fruit Punch
  • Mock Margaritas
  • Frozen Margaritas
  • Brandy Slush
  • Sangria
  • Milk Punch Similar to the one at Green Pastures.

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    Soups

  • Tortellini Soup Heart Healthy
  • Curried Squash Mushroom Soup Heart Healthy
  • Butternut Squash Soup Heart Healthy
  • Tomato Basil Soup from La Madeleine
  • The Inn at Brushy Creek's Portuguese Soup We loved that place before it closed.
  • Basil's Avocado Crab Soup Another place we enjoyed before it closed.

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    Main Dishes

  • Pan Fried Fish Quick to fix fish. Heart Healthy
  • Baked Fish Plain or with Tomato/Cheese topping. Heart Healthy
  • Microwave Poached Fish Heart Healthy
  • Chicken in Wine Heart Healthy
  • Sesame Chicken Heart Healthy
  • Boneless Chicken Thighs in Crockpot Heart Healthy - if mostly or all breasts
  • Spaghetti Sauce Beef or Chicken. Works in Crockpot. Heart Healthy - if very lean meat
  • Beef Stew in Burgundy Works in crockpot. Heart Healthy - if very lean meat
  • Meatloaf
  • Chunky Chili Works in Crockpot.
  • Ground Beef w/Beans Quick dinner with Rice.
  • Teryaki Marinade For grilling or broiling.
  • Breakfast Tacos
  • Crab Quiche Cassarole
  • Quiche Filling
  • Low Fat Quiche Heart Healthy
  • Poppy Seed Chicken Cassarole
  • Chicken Enchiladas
  • Tamale Pie
  • Lazagna
  • Easy, No Boil, Lasagna

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    Vegetables, Side Dishes & Salads

  • Orange Balsamic Vinegar Salad Dressing
  • Cucumber Tomato Slaw Heart Healthy
  • Fresh Broccoli Salad Heart Healthy - with light Mayo
  • Cranberry Salad Mold Uses fresh raw cranberries. Heart Healthy
  • Cranberry Ginger Relish Zesty cranberry sauce. Heart Healthy
  • Green Beans with Garlic Heart Healthy
  • Stir Fried Green Beans with Walnuts Heart Healthy
  • Baked Butternut Squash Heart Healthy
  • Steamed Carrots with Spice Heart Healthy
  • Baked Eggplant with Garlic Heart Healthy
  • Baked Squash/Tomato/Garlic Cassarole Heart Healthy
  • Curried Vegetables Heart Healthy
  • Mushrooms in Butter & Wine
  • Korean Rice Salad Heart Healthy in moderation with low-fat mayo
  • Pasta Salad
  • Asparagus w Pasta Heart Healthy
  • Yorkshire Pudding Make with drippings from roast beef.
  • Rice with Broth Heart Healthy - better to substitue brown rice and use low salt natural bullion.
  • Corn Cassarole
  • Noodle Kugel Rosh Hashanah (pareve)
  • Tzimmes Passover & Rosh Hashanah Heart Healthy

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    Yeast & Quick Breads

  • >>>HINT: General Yeast Bread Instructions
  • White Bread
  • Challah Irene's favorite egg bread from Ev from Max Brodsky in New Lenox
  • Challah Ed's preferred challah recipe.
  • Focaccia w/Rosemary
  • Yeast Rolls
  • Whole Wheat Bread Heart Healthy
  • Fitness Bread An easy, no knead, really dense, 100% whole wheat bread Heart Healthy
  • Limpa Swedish rye bread
  • Dark Rye Bread A hearty rye bread Heart Healthy
  • Pizza Dough
  • Holiday Stollen A holiday fruit bread, also known as Yulekage
  • Pumpkin Yeast Bread
  • Kolaches
  • >>>HINT: General Biscuit Instructions
  • Drop Biscuits Heart Healthy
  • Sourdough Biscuits
  • Cream Scones
  • >>>HINT: Basic Muffin Instructions
  • Basic Muffins Includes variations for apple, blueberry, cranberry.
  • Oatmeal Muffins
  • Lemon Muffins
  • Corn Muffins
  • Always Ready Bran Muffins
  • Pumpkin Cranberry Bread
  • Pumpkin Bread
  • Quick Coffee Cake
  • Ev's Buttermilk Pancakes
  • Oatmeal Buttermilk Pancakes
  • Standard Milk Pancakes
  • Healthy Oatmeal Pancakes Heart Healthy
  • Thick Raised Waffles Belgium Like

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    Cakes

  • Buttercream Icing For Cake Decorating
  • Caramel Icing
  • Cream Cheese Icing
  • Fudge Icing
  • Apple Cake
  • Basic Butter (Yellow) Cake
  • Banana Spice Cake
  • Boiled Spice Cake No eggs
  • Prune-Nut Spice Cake From Marty H.
  • Carrot Cake with a Kick
  • Non-fat Carrot Cake Heart Healthy - watch sugar content though
  • Chocolate Cake
  • Chocolate Cake (Eggless)
  • Fat Chocolate Cake (Rich, from Green Pastures)
  • Fruit Cocktail Cake Non-fat, no eggs
  • Hummingbird Cake
  • Kahlua Cake
  • Lemony Lemon Cake
  • Mississippi Mud Cake
  • Oatmeal Cake
  • Orange Butter Cake
  • Pineapple Cake Non-fat, no eggs.
  • Texas Sheet Cake
  • Bourbon Fruitcake Pound cake with pecans and burbon soaked fruit.
  • Chocolate Chocolate Yule Log Cake "Buche de Noel"

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    Cookies

  • Cookie Glaze Icing
  • Royal Icing with Meringue Powder
  • Royal Icing with Egg Whites
  • >>>HINT: General Cookie Instructions
  • Accidental Peppermint Balls No eggs.
  • Almond Bonbons Has several variations. No eggs.
  • Bourbon Balls
  • Butterscotch Brownines
  • Caramel (Turtle) Brownies
  • Chocolate Chip Cookies & Bars
  • Christmas Stockings No eggs.
  • Cocoa Brownies
  • Cream Wafers No eggs.
  • Gingerbread Cookies Dough works for gingerbread houses too. No eggs.
  • Hammentaschen A Purim treat.
  • Inside Out Chocolate Chip Cookies
  • Jan Hagel Cookies
  • Lemon Crinkles
  • Lemon Squares Really lemoney.
  • Meringue Cookies
  • Molassas Crinkles
  • Peanut Butter Cookies
  • Penny's Sugar Cookies My favorite cut out sugar cookies.
  • Pepparkakor Swedish ginger snaps. No eggs.
  • Original Quaker Oatmeal Cookies
  • Irene's Oatmeal Cookies I modified it for less trans fat, and a softer cookie.
  • Raisin Spice Squares
  • Russian Teacakes An easy jam filled shortbread. No eggs.
  • Snickerdoodles Cinnamon sugar cooky.
  • Spritz Cookies The recipe I use.
  • Spritz Cookies II
  • Dropped or Pressed Sugar Cookies Buttery & tender, original recipe.
  • Dropped or Pressed Sugar Cookies, Modified Buttery & tender, version I use.
  • Teacakes Makes gingery cake like cookies using cane syrup. No eggs.
  • Thumbprint Cookies

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    Pie & Desserts

  • Mango Lime Sorbet Heart Healthy
  • >>>HINT: Pie & Pastry Hints
  • Easy Oil Pie Crust Includes whole wheat and part butter versions.
  • Crumb Topping for Pie
  • Apple Pie
  • Blueberry Pie
  • Cherry Pie
  • Chocolate Truffle Torte Easy and so rich.
  • Double Chocolate Silk Pie
  • Lemon Meringue Pie
  • Strawberry Pie
  • Amoretto Cheesecake
  • Chocolate Sin Cheesecake
  • Death by Chocolate Cheesecake Discovered by Joanne R.
  • Custard & Fresh Fruit Tart French, fairly complicated to do, but spectacular.
  • Sticky Toffee Pudding Actually a date cake with a caramel topping.
  • Baked Custard and Rice Pudding
  • Chocolate Pudding no eggs Heart Healthy
  • Chocolate Mousse no eggs, really easy and good.
  • Tapioca Pudding Uses Minute Tapioca; includes chocolate version.
  • Vanilla Cream Pudding no eggs
  • Creme Puffs
  • Crepes/Blintzes
  • Easy (and Wonderful) Hot Fudge Sauce

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    Candy

  • Candied Ginger & Ginger Ale
  • Chocolate Fudge
  • Chocolate Truffles
  • Pralines

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    Passover

  • Matzoh Stuffing Passover
  • Passover Rolls Like Popovers
  • Passover Chocolate Almond Torte
  • Passover Chocolate Brownies
  • Passover Orange Sponge Cake Fairly easy and really tasty.

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    Splenda Recipes (Low Sugar for Diabetic or Weight Loss Diets)

    The following recipes use Granulated Splenda.
    Granulated Splenda has the same sweetness by volume as sugar.
    When using Splenda Granular in sugar recipes, you use the same amount as you would sugar.

  • Low Fat Crumb Crust
  • Key Lime Squares
  • Low-Fat Lime Cheesecake Also Amaretto version.
  • Low-Fat Mocha Cheesecake Can leave out coffee.
  • Coconut Creme Pie
  • Cherry Crisp with variations for other blueberry, peach & apple.
  • Banana Walnut Bread
  • Oat Bran Pancakes
  • Quick Coffee Cake

    Granulated Splenda may also be substituted for part of all of the sugar in the following recipes.

  • Cucumber Tomato Slaw
  • Cranberry Ginger Relish Zesty cranberry sauce.
  • Mango Lime Sorbet
  • Chocolate Pudding no eggs
  • Strawberry Pie

    Splenda for Baking Blend is used in the following recipes.
    Splenda for Baking Blend is twice as sweet as sugar.
    When using "Splenda for Baking Blend" in sugar recipes, you use 1/2 c. for every 1 c. of sugar you are substituting.

  • Oatmeal Cookies (not low fat)
  • Chocolate Chip Cookies (not low fat)

    Splenda Hints:

  • Cakes & Muffins Granular Splenda can be substituted for sugar for sweetness but it doesn't contribute the same moistness & volume as sugar. It is recommended that for every cup of Splenda used, add 1/2 c. non-fat dry milk powder and 1/2 t. baking powder for volume. 1-2 T. of molassas or honey can be added for moistness and flavor.
  • Cookies Cookies requre sugar to spread so you may want to flatten the cookies before baking.
  • Storage of Items with Splenda Splenda does not provide the perservative properties of sugar so items made with Splenda will have to be used up right away or refrigerated or frozen.
  • More Spenda Recipes and information at www.splenda.com

    Some Links to Diabetic Recipes:

  • http://www.cooksrecipes.com/category/diabetic.html
  • http://www.diabetic-lifestyle.com/fordinner.htm
  • http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/
  • http://www.recipegoldmine.com/diabetic/diabetic.html

    There are loads more, just Google "Diabetic Recipes"


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