Boston Baked Beans "Jean's Beans"

Ingredients:

• 1 Quart pea beans


• ¾ lbs. fat salt pork


• 1 tablespoon salt


• 3 tablespoons sugar


• 1 tablespoon to 1 cup molasses, according to taste


• ½ teaspoon mustard, if desired


• Boiling Water

Directions:
Pick over beans, cover with cold water, and soak overnight. Drain, cover with fresh water, heat
slowly (keeping water below boiling point), and cook until skins will burst -- which is best
determined by taking a few beans on the tip of a spoon and blowing on them, when skins will burst
if sufficiently cooked. Drain beans. Scald pork and scrape, removed 1/4 inch slice, and put it on
the botton of bean pot. Cut through rind of remaining pork every half-inch, making cuts 1 inch
deep. Put beans in pot and bury pork in beans, leaving rind exposed. Mix salt, molasses and sugar,
add 1 cup boiling water and pour over beans; than add enough more boiling water to cover beans.
Cover bean pot and bake 6 to 8 hours in slow oven (250 degrees F), uncovering the last hour of
cooking, that rind may become brown and crisp. Add water as needed. If pork mixed with lean is
preferred use less salt.

(Serves --)

From "The Boston Cooking School Cook Book"
Fannie Merritt Farmer
Seventh Edition 1943


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Butternut Squash with Pumpkin-seed Pesto

Here's an idea: Save a few of the toasted pumpkin seeds to use as a garnish. That little bit of extra crunch will complement the sweet, succulent squash beautifully.

Ingredients:

• 1 (3-pound) butternut squash, peeled and cubed (1/2 inch; about 6 cups)


• ¼ cup olive oil, divided


• ½ cup green (hulled) pumpkin seeds (pepitas, not toasted)


• ½ cup packed cilantro sprigs


• 1 ½ teaspoons fresh lemon juice

Directions:
Preheat oven to 500°F with rack in middle. Toss butternut squash with 2 tablespoons oil and 1/2 teaspoon salt, then arrange in 1 layer in a 17- by 12- by 1-inch baking pan and roast, turning occasionally, until golden brown on edges, 20 to 25 minutes. Meanwhile, toast pumpkin seeds in 1 tablespoon oil in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until seeds are puffed and beginning to brown, 2 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a large plate and cool. Pulse cooled seeds in a food processor with cilantro, lemon juice, 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper, and remaining tablespoon oil to a coarse paste (not finely ground). Toss squash with pesto and salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.

(Serves --)



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Aunt Laurel's Brisket Recipe

Ingredients:

• 9 pounds First cut or a whole Brisket


• 1 package onion soup mix


• 1 cup Ketchup, or chili sauce, or BBQ sauce


• 2 tablespoons Prepared mustard


• 2 tablespoons Grape Jelly


• ¼ cup Water

Directions:
Mix together last 5 ingredients, spread 1/2 of the mix under the meat, and 1/2 on top of the meat.

Wrap completely and tightly with heavy duty foil. Bake at 325 degrees in a foil pan for 3-4 hours until the brisket is fork tender.

Open foil and remove meat. Pour gravy into a container, and refrigerate over night. Rewrap the brisket in foil, and refrigerate overnight.

The next day, skim off the fat from the gravy. Slice meat, against the grain, in thin slices preferably with an electric knife.
Place slices neatly in a pyrex dish and cover tightly with saran and foil. (The gravy and the meat can be separately frozen at this point.)

To Reheat: Pour part of the gravy over the meat, and reheat in slow oven or 325 for 20 or 30 min. or til heated through.

Peeled potato wedges can be added either with the original cooking, with the meat, or at reheating time in the gravy. But if they should not be over cooked.

If gravy seems too strong, add some hot water to it while heating. Serve meat with remaining gravy.

(Serves --)

If Brisket is First cut (around 5-7 lbs.) or a whole Brisket (9 lbs.)

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Apricot-glazed Turkey with Roasted Onion and Shallot Gravy

Ingredients:

• Apricot Glaze


• 1 cup apricot nectar


• 1 cup apricot preserves


• 2 tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger


• 1 tablespoon honey


• Herb Butter


• ¾ cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature


• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme or 1 tablespoon dried


• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh sage or 1 tablespoon dried rubbed sage


• 1 ½ teaspoons salt


• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper


• Onion Mixture


• 2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) unsalted butter


• 3 large onions (about 2 pounds), thinly sliced


• 6 ounces shallots (about 6 large), thinly sliced


• Turkey


• 1 21- to 22-pound turkey


• 1 14 1/2-ounce can (or more) low-salt chicken broth


• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried


• ½ teaspoon chopped fresh sage or 1/4 teaspoon dried


• Gravy


• 1 14 1/2-ounce can (about) low-salt chicken broth

Directions:
For Glaze: Combine all ingredients in heavy small saucepan and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until thickened and reduced to 1 1/4 cups, about 15 minutes. For Herb Butter: Blend all ingredients in small bowl. Set aside. For Onion Mixture: Melt butter in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and shallots and sauté until very soft and light brown, about 20 minutes. (Glaze, herb butter and onion mixture can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover separately and chill. Bring herb butter to room temperature before continuing.) For Turkey: Position rack in lowest third of oven and preheat to 400° F. Pat turkey dry with paper towels. Season turkey cavity with salt and pepper. Place turkey on rack set in large roasting pan. Slide hand under skin of turkey breast to loosen skin. Spread half of herb butter over breast under skin. If stuffing turkey, spoon stuffing into main cavity. Place remaining herb butter in small saucepan. Stir over low heat until melted. Brush butter over outside of turkey. Tie legs together loosely to hold shape of turkey. Roast turkey 30 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 325° F. Roast turkey 1 hour 30 minutes, basting occasionally with pan drippings. Tent turkey with heavy-duty foil; roast 45 minutes longer. Add onion mixture, 1 can broth, thyme and sage to pan. Roast 15 minutes. Bring glaze to simmer. Brush 1/2 cup glaze over turkey. Continue to roast turkey uncovered until meat thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh registers 180° F. or until juices run clear when thickest part of thigh is pierced with skewer, brushing occasionally with glaze and adding more broth to pan if liquid evaporates, about 40 minutes longer for unstuffed turkey (about 1 hour 10 minutes longer for stuffed turkey). Place turkey on platter, tent with foil. Let stand 30 minutes. Reserve mixture in pan for gravy. For Gravy: Pour contents of roasting pan into strainer set over large bowl. Spoon fat from pan juices in bowl. Transfer onion mixture in strainer to blender. Add 1 cup pan juices to blender and puree until smooth, adding more pan juices and chicken broth if necessary to thin sauce to desired consistency. Transfer sauce to heavy large saucepan and bring to boil. Cook until color deepens, skimming off any foam, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Serve turkey with gravy.

(Serves --)



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Marjorie Baker's Carrot Cake Recipe

Ingredients:

• ¾ cups Brown Sugar


• 2 sticks unsalted butter


• 1 cup grated carrots


• ½ teaspoon salt


• ½ teaspoon baking soda


• 2 eggs, beaten


• 1 ½ cups flour, sifted


• 1 teaspoon baking powder


• 1 tablespoon lemon juice


• 1 tablespoon water

Directions:
Melt shortening. Add brown sugar. Add carrots, beaten eggs, and rest of the ingredients. Bake in a greased (I use Baker's Joy spray) 6 Cup ring mold at 350 Degrees for 45 minutes. Test for doneness with a toothpick (it should come out clean). 10 osen sides with knife if necessary, turn upside down on a round platter, to serve. May be mixed the night before, covered, and refrigerated, and bake d the next day. Recipe may be doubled to use a 12 Cup ring mold to serve 12-14, depending on the rest of the menu.

(Serves 8)



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