Recipes of Our Tribe

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  • Butternut Squash and Feta Quesadillas

    Butternut Squash and Feta Quesadillas
    Recipe type: Entree
    Cuisine: Mexican
    Prep time: 
    Cook time: 
    Total time: 
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    Ingredients
    • 1 1-lb butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1″ cubes
    • 1 jalapeño, seeds and membrane removed, finely chopped
    • 1 dried cayenne pepper (optional)
    • 4 flour tortillas
    • 4 oz sheep’s milk feta, crumbled
    • ¼ cup cilantro, chopped
    • sea salt and black pepper
    • vegetable oil
    Instructions
    1. Boil a big pot of salted water and add cubed butternut squash. Boil until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain and cool slightly, then puree in food processor.
    2. Add jalapeño to pureed butternut squash, then add salt and pepper to taste. If you like more heat, add a finely diced dried cayenne pepper to the mixture.
    3. Spread butternut puree on a tortilla, then sprinkle cheese and cilantro. Use second tortilla to make a top for the quesadilla.
    4. Heat oil in large skillet over medium high. Add quesadilla and cook until browned, then flip over and repeat.
    5. Garnish with more cilantro and serve immediately.

     

  • Smokey Dave’s Horseradish

    Smokey Dave’s Horseradish
    Recipe type: Condiment
    Prep time: 
    Total time: 
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    Delicious and spicy and so fresh it just pinched me.
    Ingredients
    • 1 cup fresh horseradish root, peeled and chopped
    • 3 Tbl vinegar
    • ½ tsp salt
    • 4+ T water
    • dash of chipotle flakes (optional)
    Instructions
    1. Peel horseradish root and chop into chunks
    2. Outside or in a well-vented area: puree horseradish in food processor until finely chopped
    3. Wait 3 minutes then add vinegar and salt (and chipotle flakes if desired), puree some more
    4. Add water and blend until it has a creamy consistency
    5. (Note: Adding the vinegar at the 3 minute mark locks in peak spice)

     

  • Grilled vegetables with chipotle dressing

    Grilled vegetables with chipotle dressing
    Prep time: 
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    Ingredients
    • ¼ cup orange juice
    • 1 tablespoon finely chopped canned chipotle chilies
    • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
    • ⅓ cup olive oil
    • 3 plum tomatoes, quartered lengthwise
    • 1 medium zucchini, trimmed, cut lengthwise into ¼-inch-thick slices
    • 1 medium-size yellow crookneck squash, trimmed, cut lengthwise into ¼-inch-thick slices
    • 1 Japanese eggplant, trimmed, cut lengthwise into ¼-inch-thick slices
    • 1 red onion, cut into ⅓-inch-thick slices
    • 1 chayote squash, peeled, cored, cut into 12 wedges
    Instructions
    1. Whisk first 3 ingredients in small bowl. Add oil and whisk until well blended. Season dressing with salt and pepper.
    2. Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Place all vegetables on 2 large baking sheets. Brush vegetables with ¼ cup dressing. Grill vegetables until tender and beginning to brown, turning occasionally, about 5 minutes for tomatoes, zucchini, yellow squash, eggplant and onion and 15 minutes for chayote squash.
    3. Separate grilled onion slices into rings. Arrange all grilled vegetables on platter. Drizzle remaining dressing over. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Serve warm or at room temperature.

     

  • Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

    Slow Cooker Pulled Pork
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    As much as I loved pulled pork from the smoker, it’s a whole lot easier to make it in the slow cooker and it still comes out delicious.
    Ingredients
    • 2 medium yellow onions, thinly sliced
    • 4 medium garlic cloves, thinly sliced
    • 1 cup chicken stock or low-sodium chicken broth
    • 1 tablespoon packed dark brown sugar
    • 1 tablespoon chili powder
    • 1 tablespoon kosher salt, plus more as needed
    • ½ teaspoon ground cumin
    • ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
    • 1 boneless or bone-in pork shoulder (aka pork butt), about 5 lbs
    • 2 cups barbecue sauce (optional)
    Instructions
    1. Place the onions and garlic in an even layer in the slow cooker and pour in the stock or broth. Combine the sugar, chili powder, measured salt, cumin, and cinnamon in a small bowl. Pat the pork dry with paper towels. Rub the spice mixture all over the pork and place the meat on top of the onions and garlic. Cover and cook until the pork is fork tender, about 6 to 8 hours on high or 8 to 10 hours on low.
    2. Turn off the slow cooker and remove the pork to a cutting board. Set a fine-mesh strainer over a medium heatproof bowl. Pour the onion mixture from the slow cooker through the strainer and return the solids to the slow cooker. Set the strained liquid aside.
    3. If the pork has a bone, remove and discard it. Using 2 forks, shred the meat into bite-sized pieces, discarding any large pieces of fat. Return the shredded meat to the slow cooker, add the barbecue sauce, if using, and mix to combine. If you’re not using barbecue sauce, use a spoon to skim and discard the fat from the surface of the strained cooking liquid, and then add ¼ cup of the liquid at a time to the slow cooker until the pork is just moistened. Taste and season with salt as needed.

     

  • Blueberry Cheese Muffins

    Blueberry Cheese Muffins
     
    by: 
    Nutrition Information
    • Serves: 12
    • Serving size: 117g
    • Calories: 280
    • Fat: 9g
    • Saturated fat: 5g
    • Trans fat: 0
    • Carbohydrates: 42g
    • Sugar: 16g
    • Sodium: 175mg
    • Fiber: 1.5g
    • Protein: 8g
    • Cholesterol: 63mg
    Recipe type: Breakfast
    Prep time: 
    Cook time: 
    Total time: 
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    Ingredients
    Dry:
    • 1-1/2 cups whole wheat flour
    • 1-1/2 cups unbleached white flour
    • 1 TBL baking powder
    • ¼ tsp salt
    Wet:
    • ¾ cup sugar
    • 3 eggs
    • 1 cup milk (or buttermilk)
    • 1 tsp vanilla extract
    • ¾ stick butter at room temperature (if it’s cold, microwave 5 seconds on each side to soften)
    Other:
    • 2 cups frozen blueberries
    • 1 cup grated mozzarella, Vermont ceddar, or other cheese
    Instructions
    1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
    2. Beat butter until creamy. Beat in sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time. Stir in baking powder and salt.
    3. Mash half of the blueberries and stir them in, along with the grated cheese. Stir in the whole wheat flour. Stir in ½ the milk. Stir in the white flour. Stir in the rest of the milk. Stir in the remaining blueberries.
    4. The batter will be very moist, like a pancake batter (wonder what kind of pancakes this would make?). Pour it into the muffin tins and bake for 30-40 minutes.

  • Smokey Dave’s BBQ Sauce

    Smokey Dave’s BBQ Sauce
    Nutrition Information
    • Serves: 48
    • Serving size: 1 oz
    • Calories: 36
    • Carbohydrates: 8.4g
    • Sugar: 7g
    • Sodium: 169mg
    Recipe type: Condiment
    Cuisine: American
    Prep time: 
    Cook time: 
    Total time: 
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    Lip smackin’ sauce for ribs, chicken, everything.
    Ingredients
    • 1 large can tomato sauce
    • ¼ cup honey
    • ½ cup red wine (old is fine, white is fine)
    • ¾ cup apple cider vinegar
    • ½ cup molasses
    • ½ tsp garlic powder
    • 1 tsp chipotle flakes
    • 1 tsp paprika
    • ½ tsp celery seed
    • ¼ tsp cinnamon
    • ½ tsp cayenne pepper (optional if you want it Hot)
    • 1 tsp salt
    • 1 tsp coursely ground black pepper
    Instructions
    1. Whisk together the liquid ingredients and brown sugar in a large saucepan over medium high heat. Add the remaining ingredients and stir until it starts bubbling. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes or more until it’s reached the desired thickness.

  • Grandma’s Apple Pie

    Grandma’s Apple Pie
     
    by: 
    Nutrition Information
    • Serves: 8
    • Serving size: 138g
    • Calories: 163
    • Fat: 3g
    • Saturated fat: 1.8g
    • Trans fat: 0
    • Carbohydrates: 36g
    • Sugar: 31g
    • Sodium: 41mg
    • Protein: 0.2g
    • Cholesterol: 8mg
    Recipe type: Dessert
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    Ingredients
    • 5-7 Tart Apples
    • ¾ cup Sugar
    • 2 Tbsp. Flour
    • dash of Salt
    • 1 tsp. Cinnamon
    • ¼ tsp. Nutmeg
    • 2 Tbsp. Butter
    Instructions
    1. Grandma mixes all the dry ingredients together, then tosses apples in it.
    2. Bake in hot oven 400 degrees for 10 minutes.
    3. Reduce heat to 350 and bake for 50 minutes.
    4. *Apparently she did not feel like sharing her pie crust recipe, but Dona has had good luck with Betty Crocker.

  • Zia Antoinette’s Risotto

    In a large kettle or soup pot, brown 1 pkg. Perri sausage along with an onion (diced) in 2 Tbsp. oil*. Meanwhile in a large saucepan heat large can chicken broth & 1 small can Hunt’s tomato sauce. Add 2 cups Arborio rice to the sausage mix. Add 2-3 large ladles of hot sauce & broth mixture & stir until all the broth is absorbed into the rice.

    Now it is just a matter of adding broth to rice & [something] it absorbed. Keep mixture boiling at a medium heat.

    *Wine can be added if wanted.

    Cook 20 minutes.

    Add parmesan cheese when all broth is absorbed. Serve.

    P.S. (from Grandma Joyce) I also add a small can of pieces & stems of mushrooms. You can add peas, corn, or whatever. Enjoy.

  • Pumpkin Ricotta Squares

    Pumpkin Ricotta Squares from the Hartford Courant
     
    by: 
    Recipe type: Dessert
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    The shortbread crust requires no rolling or fluting. Ricotta gives the not-too-sweet filling a bit of body. As a finishing touch, add a topknot of sweetened whipped cream to each bar before serving.
    Ingredients
    Shortbread Crust:
    • ⅓ cup packed light brown sugar
    • 1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • ½ teaspoon baking powder
    • ½ cup butter, softened slightly and cut into chunks
    Filling:
    • 2 eggs
    • 1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin
    • 8 ounces whole milk ricotta
    • ½ cup packed light brown sugar
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • 1 (5-1/3-ounce) can evaporated milk
    • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
    • ½ teaspoon ginger
    • ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg
    • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar mixed with ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
    Instructions
    To make crust:
    1. Combine sugar, flour, salt and baking powder in a mixing bowl, and stir until well mixed. Add butter and, with a fork or pastry blender, incorporate butter into the flour mixture until the mixture is crumbly. Pat into a 9-inch square baking pan. Bake in a 375-degree oven for 15 minutes. Remove pan from oven and set aside while preparing filling.
    To make filling:
    1. Combine eggs, pumpkin, ricotta, brown sugar, salt, evaporated milk, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg in a large mixing bowl. Whisk until ingredients are well blended and mixture is smooth. Pour over the shortbread crust. Sprinkle sugar-cinnamon mixture over top of filling.
    2. Bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes. Remove from oven and cool thoroughly before cutting into bars or squares.
    3. Linda Giuca is a writer and co-owner of Alforno Trattoria in Old Saybrook. Contact her at Linda@lindagiuca.com. Christopher Prosperi is chef/owner of Metro Bis restaurant in Simsbury. Contact him at ChristopherProsperi@yahoo.com

  • Kelly’s Tofu Gluten Free Ricotta Pie

    Kelly’s Tofu Gluten Free Ricotta Pie
     
    by: 
    Recipe type: Dessert
    Cuisine: Italian
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    (open to suggestions) *Recipe requires 1 cup cooked rice. Leftover from the night before is best.
    Ingredients
    Crust:
    • 2 c. GF flour
    • ⅓ c. sugar
    • ½ c. Crisco
    • 4 tsp. baking powder
    • ½ tsp. xanthum gum
    • 1 egg white
    • ½ tsp. orange extract
    • ¼ c. rice milk
    Filling:
    • 1 lb. silken tofu
    • ½ lb. soft tofu, cut into small chunks
    • ¼ tsp. orange extract
    • 3 eggs or 6 egg whites
    • ¾ c. sugar
    • ½ tsp. vanilla
    Instructions
    For crust:
    1. Blend flour, sugar, crisco, Xanthum gum, & baking powder w/ pastry blender.
    2. Mix wet ingredients in separate bowl. Add to other ingredients.
    3. Smoosh into a 10-inch pie pan. In my opinion, this makes too much (too thick) crust and I wouldn’t use all of it.
    For filling:
    1. Mix together the above ingredients. Add ½ – ¾ cups cooked rice.
    2. Mix ¼ c. chocolate chips and/or chopped maraschino cherries.
    3. Pour into shell and sprinkle w/ cinnamon & sugar.
    4. [Bake @ 350 for 40 min in metal pan,
    5. or 325 for 60-65 min in pyrex]
    6. *This time is for the original pie. I would say bake in a pyrex at 350 for 60 minutes.
    7. **Watch for burning crust. Pies thicken upon standing