Thanksgiving Cream Pie

Adapted from the Lionhouse Recipes Cookbook

Servings: 6-8 (1-9" pie)

5 T. corn starch
I use 2 1/2 T. corn starch + 2 1/2 T. Thick-Gel (3 3/4 T. Ultra-Gel)
1 c. sugar
1 t. salt
2 1/2 c. milk and 3/4 c. half-and-half
I use 2 3/4 c. milk + 1/2 c. heavy whipping cream; extra whipping cream is easier to use.
3 egg yolks (Reserve the whites for an omelet or such)
2 T. butter (Could use margarine, but it really needs the butter for best results.)
1 t. vanilla
1 baked 9" pie shell

1. Beat the egg yolks together in a small bowl with a fork until smooth, removing any lumps or white strings or fatty globules. Set aside.
2. Combine corn starch, Thick-Gel, salt, and sugar in a heavy, 3-quart pan and mix together well with a whisk. Add the milk and cream or half-and-half and set the pan on medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixtures is thick and smooth.
3. Tempering the egg yolks: Spoon small amounts of the hot cream mixture by degrees into the egg yolks and and blend together thoroughly. This should gradually bring the eggs up to a heat close to the mixture without cooking them.
4. Add the egg mixture gradually back into the cream mixture and cook 2-3 minutes longer, until the mixture becomes very thick.
5. Remove the filling from the heat and add butter and vanilla, stirring until everything is mixed in.
6. Pour the filling into the pie shell and let the pie chill 3-4 hours before serving. Top with whipped cream.
   

Chocolate Cream: Stir in 1/2 c.-1 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips with the butter and vanilla. (I like it dark and rich, so I go closer to 1 cup. For two pies I use pretty much a whole package of chocolate chips.)

Banana Cream: Give the hot filling a minute or two to cool after stirring in the butter and vanilla. Add bananas as desired; I usually add 3-4 bananas, cut into chunks. There's usually a little more than will fill the pie shell.

Tips:

• When separating the whites from the yolks, avoid as much as possible getting any white in with the yolks, as it may cook and cause little white lumps in the finished pie filling.
• The smoother the yolks are to begin with, the better chances your filling won't get lumps.
• It will take some time for the mixture to thicken; don't hurry it too much by turning up the heat or you're likely to burn the filling.
• This recipe really has to be stirred virtually constantly once it goes on the heat, but especially once it starts to thicken. Make sure everything is in place so you don't have to leave the stove while the cream mixture is thickening. Be sure to scrape the entire bottom of the pan regularly, so certain areas don't burn or lump.
  
• If there are lumps, a hand-blender may do a good deal to mix them in.
  

Chicken Osso Buco

I might well put this over egg noodles instead of penne.

Servings: 6

12 medium chicken drumsticks (about 3 pounds)
2 T. all-purpose flour
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. black pepper
2 T. olive oil
1 c. chopped carrot
1 c. chopped onion
1 c. chopped celery
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 T. Ultra-Gel or 2 T. quick-cooking tapioca
1 8-oz. can tomato sauce
3/4 c. chicken broth
1 t. finely shredded lemon peel
1 T. lemon juice
1 t. dried thyme, crushed
3 c. dried penne pasta (prepared and cooked)
Snipped fresh parsley (optional)

1. Remove skin from chicken. Mix flour, salt, and pepper in a resealable plastic bag. Add chicken, a few pieces at a time, shaking to coat. In a 10-inch skillet, brown the chicken (half at a time) in hot oil over medium heat, about 10 minutes or until golden, turning once. Set aside.
2. In a 4- to 5-quart slow cooker, combine carrot, onion, celery, and garlic. If using tapioca, sprinkle tapioca over the vegetables. Place chicken on top of the vegetables.
3. In a medium bowl, stir together tomato sauce, chicken broth, lemon peel, lemon juice, and thyme. If using Ultra-Gel, add the Ultra-Gel and let thicken for a few minutes. Pour the sauce over the chicken in the cooker.
4. Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 5-6 hours or on high-heat setting for 2-1/2 to 3 hours.
5. Prepare penne according to package directions. Drain well. Spoon chicken and sauce over pasta. If desired, garnish with parsley.
   

Mexican Chicken Lasagna

Servings: 12

2 lb. uncooked, boneless, skinless chicken breast
30 oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
3 c. fat-free sour cream
2 c. shredded reduced-fat Mexican-style cheese (1 c. for chicken mixture, 1 c. for topping)
8 oz. can chopped green chiles
2 t. ground cumin
1/2 t. black pepper
12 medium corn tortillas, cut into 2-inch strips
1 c. salsa (mild, medium, or hot)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a 9x13 pan with non-stick cooking spray.
2. Place chicken in medium saucepan and fill with just enough cold water to cover the chicken. (I'd add some salt to the water and maybe some celery seed.)
3. Set the pan over high heat and bring it to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until the chicken is cooked through, about 10-15 minutes. Drain the chicken and, when it's cool enough to handle, cut it into 1 inch pieces.
4. Put the chicken in a large bowl and add the beans, sour cream, 1 cup of the shredded cheese, chiles, cumin, and pepper. Mix them together and set the mixture aside.
5. Arrange half of the tortillas in the bottom of the lasagna pan, overlapping pieces to cover the surface. Top the tortillas with half of the chicken mixture, layer the rest of the tortilla pieces on that, and top the second layer of tortilla pieces with the second half of the chicken mixture. Sprinkle the remaining cup of cheese on the top.
6. Bake until filling is bubbly and the cheese is melted, about 30 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes before slicing into 12 pieces. Serve with salsa on the side.
   

Tater Tot Casserole

I've started adding green beans in the interest of a little more nutrition. I've tried putting corn in it too, but that was way too sweet. This is best with tater tots, not tater rounds or other varients.

Serves: 6-8

1 2-lb. bag tater tots
2 cans cream of condensed mushroom soup
1/2 lb. - 1 lb. ground beef, seasoned with salt and pepper and browned with minced onion
1 can green beans, if desired (not the shredded kind)

Mix cream of mushroom soup, browned ground beef, and (if desired) green beans in a 9x13 casserole dish and spread the mixture evenly over the bottom of the casserole dish. Top with tater tots and put it in the oven, uncovered, at 425 degrees until the tater tots are golden brown and cooked through and the rest of the casserole is hot and bubbling. (Probably 35-50 min.) While the casserole is still hot, sprinkle lightly with a little salt.

Curried Potato Salad

This recipe calls for red-skinned potatoes with the skins left on, but I don't see why some nice peeled russet couldn't work every bit as well.

Serves: 6 1-c. servings.

1 lb. potatoes, cut into 1-inch cubes
2 T. lemon juice
1 large red bell pepper, seeded and diced (about 1 1/2 c.)
4 celery stalks, thinly sliced (about 1 c.)
1 small, red onion, chopped (about 1/2 c.)
1 c. frozen peas, thawed
1/4 c. minced chives or green onion
1/4 c. chopped dill pickles
1/2 c. plain fat-free yoghurt (substitute low-fat sour cream?)
1/2 c. fat-free mayonnaise
1 T. Dijon mustard
1/2-1 t. yellow curry powder
1 t. salt
1 t. pepper

1. Place potato cubes in a large saucepan; cover with water by at least 1 inch. (I'd add some salt to the water.) Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork, about 12 minutes.
2. Drain potatoes in a colander. Pour the potatoes into a large bowl, add the lemon juice, and toss together.
3. Add the red bell pepper, celery, onion, peas, green onion, and pickle.
4. Whisk the yoghurt or sour cream, mayonnaise, mustard, curry powder, salt, and pepper in a separate bowl. Pour over the vegetables and toss until everything is well coated.
   

Quick Green Beans

I got this idea from a friend in France who told me she cooked her delicious green beans in chicken bouillon. I typically use the Better Than Bouillon paste you can find in most large grocery stores because it has the best balance of meaty flavor and salt. The exact amounts in this recipe aren't too important, so long as the broth tastes good, because the beans are just taking on the flavors anyway. The same technique should work for fresh green beans; they'll just take longer to cook.

1 can or bottle canned green beans
Chicken, pork, or beef bouillon concentrate
Minced onion and/or garlic
Chili flakes
Pepper

Pour the green beans (along with their liquid) into a saucepan and put on medium to medium high heat. Add bouillon concentrate to taste until the green beans are steeping in a broth that is slightly more concentrated than for a soup. Add onion and/or garlic, pepper, and a small amount of chili flakes for a little zing. Let the beans come to a boil and serve.

Glazed Carrots

This is just an approximation. :)

1-2 lb. carrots (either baby carrots or cut into bite-size pieces)
1-2 T. butter or margarine (maybe a little more)
2-3 T. honey or brown sugar

Put the carrots in a saucepan and cover them with water. Add 1/2-1 tsp. salt to the water and set the carrots to cook over medium heat.

When the carrots are tender when poked with a fork, drain off the water. Add the butter and honey or brown sugar. (If you'd like a little more or less glaze, the proportion of butter and sugar should be about the same. The glaze should not, ideally, be very watery.)