Catherine's Recipe Box

Note: Prepare beets by boiling and then peeling.  Puree in the food processor.  Clean any surfaces that come in contact with beet juice IMMEDIATELY!  Measure out beet puree and freeze any leftovers in 3/4 cup portions to use for later batches of this recipe. Ingredients 3/4 cup of beet puree 4 ounces of good-quality chocolate chips 3/4 cup all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons baking powder pinch salt 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract 7 tablespoons butter, softened 1/3 cup sugar 2 eggs, room temperature   Directions 1) Preheat oven to 350F. 2) Melt chocolate in microwave by microwaving for 30 seconds at a time, stiring in between. When chocolate is smooth, set aside. 3) In a small bowl, whisk flour with baking powder and salt. 4) Cream butter and sugar together, add vanilla and eggs, one at a time, until the mixture is creamy. 5) Add melted chocolate, beet puree, and flour mixture. Mix until there are no lumps. 6) Pour batter into 8 x 8 greased baking pan (or 7 x 11) and bake

Note:  Fair warning:  This will make your house smell like onions for DAYS!  This recipe is fancy, but inexpensive to make (especially if you make your own stock).  Serve with a slice of crusty bread in the soup, top with your favorite cheese & broil for a minute or two.  I started using seasoned croutons instead of bread which adds a nice touch. Ingredients 3 lb onions, peeled and roughly chopped 1 Tbsp crushed garlic 4 Tbsp butter 2 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar 1/2 cup Apple Cider (or Apple Juice) 2 cups stock (turkey is fabulous, but use whatever you have!) 3 cups water 1/4 tsp ground pepper 1 1/2 tsp salt 1 tsp ground thyme 1 tsp coarsely ground rosemary (I used my mortar & pestle; I don't like little sticks of rosemary in my soup) Directions 1) Caramelize onions and garlic in butter over medium-low heat.  This will take about 45-60 minutes.  Keep an eye on it, stirring as necessary.  You do not want it to burn!! 2) De-glaze the pan with 2 Tbsp of apple c

Note:  Dill is my mom's absolute favorite herb & this dip is a great way to feature DILL!  This is a new favorite in our family (ps, I am not a dill lover, but I do love this dip!)  I almost feel bad calling this a recipe considering the very short directions, but the ingredients are delightfully balanced, so here it is! Ingredients 16oz Sour cream 1 cup mayonnaise 1 Tbsp lemon juice(fresh is best) 1 Tbsp dill weed (fresh chopped or from a tube) 1/2 tsp garlic powder (or equiv.) 1 1/2 tsp fresh grated lemon peel (optional) Directions Mix and chill. source: my mommy. :-)