TRYING NEW RECIPES FOR A NEW YEAR

While they’re home from college for the holidays, my grandchildren have been trying out new and old recipes. They come from a family that likes to cook, so this becomes an enjoyable activity for them. Granddaughter also has been carrying on the family tradition, started by her dad, of making caramel corn to give as gifts. Grandson likes to make quiche and made one for home and one to take to a potluck at a friend’s home.

Try New Recipes

As you begin a new year, perhaps you’ll want to consider trying new recipes for your family. These could be old recipes you find in an ancestor’s collection. Or they might come from different parts of the country, even another country. Also, whenever you’re traveling, you can be on the lookout for new recipes and food ideas. As Jim and I travel around the U.S., we encounter foods typical to those parts of the country or to the various families we meet. Some may be foods we’ve eaten before and now are re-introduced. Others are recipes we’ve never had.

Variations of Old Recipes

My daughter also tries new recipes to vary the menu for her family. The other night she varied her pizza. She made the usual individual pizzas for a couple family members. Then she used pizza dough for Pizza Turnovers, which were delicious. Roll the dough out into a small circle; hers were about 8 inches. Spread one half with cheese, meat (bacon, sausage, or pepperoni), chopped green pepper, chopped onion, and sliced mushroom. Then fold over the dough and pinch the edges together. Bake at 400 degrees F. until cooked through, about the time you bake a pizza.

You can vary the ingredients you use inside the turnover, and add a bit of pizza sauce, if you prefer.

Cover with foil and cook for 1 hour at 375 degrees F. Take foil off and cook 15 minutes more, until vegetables are done.

Southwestern Dish

When Jim and I lived in Texas, during his Air Force days, we discovered Southwestern cooking with a Mexican influence. A Texas friend introduced me to Lazy Enchiladas.

Sauté 1 chopped onion in small amount of oil or pan spray. Add 1 pound ground beef (you can use turkey) and brown. Add one 15-oz. can stewed tomatoes and one 15-oz. can red kidney beans, 1 can chili without beans. Heat thoroughly. Layer tortillas in 9 x 12-inch pan. Top with meat mixture. Continue layering tortillas (about 12 total) and meat topping. Generously cover top with grated cheddar cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. You can make this ahead and refrigerate or freeze, then cook when needed.

What new recipes are you trying this year or would like to share? I’d enjoy hearing about them.

(c) Mary Emma Allen

(Mary Emma Allen researches and writes from her woodland NH home.)