Review of last recipe (photo above) - Not the best pic as I noticed after I spooned out the dish that there's a chip on Nana Lucy's plate just from recent wear and tear (boo).  I will not be using these except for holiday/special meals as to save them from accidents (I want the set to be as intact as possible when I hand it down to my stepdaughters).  Back to the food ... it was tasty, but nothing utterly fantastic.

TODAY'S RECIPE - BUTTERNUT SQUASH CHEESECAKE
This was clipped from Bon Appetit September 1983 issue from their "ask for a restaurant's recipe" column.  I was living in Salem MA; the inquirer asked about a dessert offered from a restaurant in Newburyport MA, where I now work.  Unfortunately, the restaurant, Pottage, doesn't exist anymore.  I did google the former owners, who still live in the area and are now both realtors.  And the woman from Needham MA who asked for the recipe was a teacher at that time, but now practices law in the Syracuse NY area.  Oh, the power of Google...

Serves 10 - oven 350 degrees

1 1/2 lbs unpeeled butternut squash, cut into chunks (you need 1 cup mashed in the end)

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (about 20 crackers)
1/3 cup butter, melted
3 tbsp sugar

1 lb. cream cheese, room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
4 eggs
1/2 cup flour
1 tbsp orange liqueur
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp ground cloves

Steam squash until very tender; about 15 minutes.  Scrape out pulp and mash or puree enough to measure 1 cup.  Set aside.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Blend crumbs, melted butter and 3 tbsp sugar in large bowl.  Press crumb mixture evenly onto bottom (and sides, if desired) of 8" springform pan and set aside.

Beat cheese in large bowl with electric mixer until fluffy.  At medium speed, gradually blend in squash, sugar, eggs, cream, flour, liqueur, cinnamon, ginger, salt and cloves.  Turn mixture into prepared pan. 

Set pan on baking sheet.  Bake until firm; about 1 hour.  Turn off oven, open door 2", and let cake cool in the oven for 40 minutes.  Transfer to wire rack to cool completely.  Chill thoroughly before serving.

Review of last recipe (no photo above) - Actually, I forgot to take a picture ... it was an unremarkable looking dish; like a chicken stew.  It was really tasty, and although I initially thought I would like the garlic pulp spread on bread, I wasn't a big fan.

TODAY'S RECIPE - SHRIMP AND CRABMEAT SAUTE
From The Boston Globe, September 21, 1983

Serves 6

4 tbsp butter
1 tsp minced garlic
3/4 lb mushrooms, sliced thin
3/4 lb shrimp
3/4 lb crabmeat
3 tbsp sherry
1 cup heavy cream
1 tbsp minced chives
2 tbsp minced parsley
salt and pepper

Peel and devein shrimp.  Pick over crab to remove any cartilage.

In a large skillet, melt the butter over low heat.  Add the garlic and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add the mushrooms and increase the heat to medium-low, and saute for 10 minutes or until nearly all the juices have evaporated.

Increase heat to medium-high and add shrimp and saute for 2 minutes; stirring constantly.  Add crabmeat and cook another minute, still stirring.  Add the sherry and stir to blend, then add the cream. 

Holding the skillet by the handle, tip it to a 30 degree angle over the heat.  Push the crab and shrimp towards the handle, away from the the heat, leaving the cream almost directly over the flame or element.  Boil the cream about 5 minutes or until it is reduced by about half.  Set the skillet down flat, add the chives and parsley, and cook for just 1 minute longer.  Serve immediately.

Review of last recipe (photo above) - I like to make easy cookies .. these really are not.  They must be rolled out and cut out of the dough ... then the scraps rolled out and cut out again (which toughens the dough and adds more flour to the finished product). The pressure of the rolling pin made the dough stick to the counter, so had to free it before cutting the cookies out.  Just a pain ... The finished product is tasty enough, but will hold final judgment for when they cool and I have one with a cup of tea (the one bite for the "photo shoot" wasn't enough of a taste), and will have the husband weigh in. as well.

TODAY'S RECIPE - CHICKEN WITH 40 CLOVES OF GARLIC
Serves 8
oven 375 degrees

2/3 cup oil
16 chicken thighs or drumsticks (or a combination of the two)
4 ribs celery, cut in long strips
2 medium onion, chopped
6 sprigs parsley
1 tbsp chopped fresh tarragon or 2 tsp dried
1/2 cup dry vermouth
2 1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
dash of nutmeg
40 cloves of garlic, unpeeled
french bread

Pour oil into shallow dish; add chicken and turn to coat all sides evenly.  In a heavy 6-qt casserole, combine celery, onions, parsley and tarragon.  Lay chicken on top and add vermouth.  Sprinkle with salt, pepper and nutmeg.  Tuck garlic cloves around and between chicken pieces.

Cover casserole tightly with foil, then lid.  Bake in preheated 375 degree oven for 1 1/2 hours without removing cover. 

Serve chicken with pan juices, whole garlic cloves and slices of heated french bread.  Spread garlic out from root end of papery husk onto bread and spread like butter.

Review of last recipe (photo above) - It was good, but obviously, expensive to make, so don't know if I'd make it again.

TODAY'S RECIPE - BUTTER COOKIES
This recipe was on the back of a Land O Lakes butter box circa ?.

Makes 6 dozen - oven 400 degrees

1 cup each sweet butter, softened, and sugar
1 egg
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
2 tbsp orange juice
1 tsp vanilla

In a 3 qt mixer bowl, cream butter, sugar and egg until light and fluffy.  Beat in flour, baking powder, orange juice and vanilla until smooth and well combined.  Chill 2-3 hours or until firm enough to be rolled.

Roll out dough, 1/2 at a time, on well floured surface to 1/8" - 1/4" thickness.  Cut out with cookie cutters.  Place on ungreased cookie sheet, and bake in center of oven for 6-10 minutes or until golden brown on edges.  Cool on wire rack.

** For a crisper cookie, roll to 1/8", and for a softer cookie, roll to 1/4".

Review of last recipe (photo above) - A good easy technique for quick cooking of thighs (or breast), but unfortunately, I did not buy boneless thighs and had to do some butchering ... and I did kinda butcher the meat.  Still turned out tasty.

TODAY'S RECIPE - SEAFOOD A LA MEDITERRANEE

Serves 4-6

1/2 cup olive oil
4 medium garlic cloves, minced
12 cherrystone or littleneck clams, scrubbed
3 lobster tails (1 1/2 lbs), cut into 1" segments, shells intact, and patted dry
12 jumbo shrimp, deveined, shells intact, and patted dry
1 cup dry white wine (chablis), warmed
2 cups drained canned italian plum tomatoes
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp dried oregano
salt and pepper
3 cups steamed white rice
2 tbsp chopped parsley for garnish

Heat oil in deep heavy skillet over medium-high heat.  Add garlic and saute 1 minute; do not brown.  Add clams and lobster and saute 1 minute.  Add shrimp and saute 1 minute.  Pour in wine and simmer until lobster and shrimp are just opaque; about 2-3 minutes.  Remove lobster and shrimp from broth using slotted spoon; set aside.  Add tomatoes, bay leaves and oregano with salt and pepper to taste. 

Simmer until clams open; 2-3 minutes and discard any that do not open.  Discard bay leaves. 

Return lobster and shrimp to stew.  Spoon bed of rice into heated rimmed bowls.  Ladle stew over rice, and sprinkle with parsley.

Review of last recipe (photo above) - Nothing I would ever make again.  And adding fruit didn't help either.

TODAY'S RECIPE - CHICKEN THIGHS ROYALE

Serves 4

1 1/2 lbs chicken thighs, skinned, boned and pounded thin
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 cup each sour cream and dry bread crumbs
1/4 cup oil
lemon wedges and chopped parsley or paprika (for garnish)

Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper.  Dip in sour cream then in crumbs to coat. 

In a large heavy skillet over medium heat, cook chicken in hot oil, turning once after 6 minutes or until golden, and juices run clear when pierced.

Remove to serving platter.  Serve with lemon wedges dipped in parsley or paprika.

Review of last recipe (photo above) - It was easy and delicious, even though Italian chefs would never add cheese to seafood. This is my first blog recipe post bunion surgery on 10/19, and I was pleased that I actually drove to the store myself to buy the ingredients, got them home by myself (I'm on crutches), and made the meal.

TODAY'S RECIPE - BUDINO DI RICOTTA (Cream Cheese Custard)
For an added treat, top with fresh or frozen strawberries or blueberries.

Serves 4

1/2 lb ricotta cheese
1/4 cup grated milk chocolate
1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts
2 tbsp heavy cream (or more if needed)

Cream the ricotta.  Add chocolate and nuts and blend thoroughly.  Add cream as needed for desired consistency.  Serve in sherbet glasses.

Note:  This can also be used as a filling for many cakes and cookies.