Review of last recipe - Individual Beef Wellingtons (photo above) - An easy dish to make, but I guess I could have made it nicer looking. I was surprised that the meat wasn't overcooked; was a medium rare.

TODAY'S RECIPE - SQUASH BISCUITS
From The Boston Globe, October 26, 1983 ...

Makes 4 dozen - 400 degree oven

1 cup cooked, mashed butternut squash or pumpkin
2 cups milk
1/4 lb butter, at room temperature, and cut into tablespoon sized pieces
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 tsp salt
2 pkgs powdered yeast
1/2 cup warm water
6 1/2 cups flour

In a medium saucepan, combine mashed squash, 1 cup milk and butter. Heat mixture slowly; stirring constantly.  Add sugar, salt and remaining milk.  Continue heating until lukewarm.

Dissolve yeast in warm water and add to squash mixture.  Add 4 cups flour and mix it to a soft dough.  Continue adding flour, a little at a time, until the dough is soft, but not tacky.  Place in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise for 1 hour in a warm place free from drafts.

Cut the dough down with a knife, cover and let it rise another hour. Preheat oven oven to 400 degrees.  Cut dough down again and turn out onto a lightly floured board.  Knead lightly to remove any large air bubbles.  Roll out dough to a large rectangle about 1/2" thick.  Cut dough into rounds of 2-2 1/2" in diameter and arrange on a lightly greased baking sheet and let rise 1 hour.  Bake about 20 minutes.  Remove, cool and serve.

Review of last recipe - Chocolate Cheese Pie (photo above) - A good enough dessert, but nothing special.

TODAY'S RECIPE - INDIVIDUAL BEEF WELLINGTONS
Serves 2 - 400 degree oven

1 tbsp butter
2 filets mignons (8 oz each; 1 1/2" thick)
2 heaping tbsp liverwurst (Although I do like liverwurst, I think it may ruin the taste of the steak, so I will be substituting truffle mousse pate.)
1/2 sheet frozen puff pastry; thawed
1 egg beaten with 1 tbsp milk

In a small skillet in hot butter, brown filets well and drain on paper towel. Spread 1 heaping tbsp of the pate on top of each filet.  Cut thawed pastry sheet in two, and roll each piece to a 6 1/2" square.  Wrap each filet, pate side up, in square, brush edges with water, and press to seal.  Brush all over with the egg mixture, and prick well with a fork.  Decorate with additional pastry strips, if desired.  Place on an ungreased baking sheet, and bake in preheated 400 degree oven for 20 minutes, or until golden brown.

Review of last recipe - Herbed Stuffed Pork Chops (photo above) - An okay stuffed pork chop; just nothing special.

TODAY'S RECIPE - CHOCOLATE-CHEESE PIE
Best made early in the day or the night before.

Serves 8-10

Graham cracker pie shell
1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
3 tbsp sugar
6 tbsp butter, melted

1 pkg (8oz) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
dash of salt
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
3 squares (3oz total) semisweet chocolate, melted and cooled slightly
whipped cream

Prepare pie shell by mixing the graham cracker crumbs, sugar and butter together.  Press firmly in 9" pie plate.  Chill in freezer.

In a small bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar, salt and vanilla until well blended.  At low speed, beat in eggs one at a time, until smooth.  Beat in chocolate.

Spread evenly in pie shell.  Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 15 minutes.  Turn off heat, and let pie stand in oven for 10 minutes longer or until knife inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool, then chill.

To serve, garnish with dollops of whipped cream.

Review of last recipe - Waldorf Chocolate Cake (no photo) - Boring chocolate cake with little taste ... the whipped cream doesn't count!

TODAY'S RECIPE - HERB STUFFED PORK CHOPS
From Family Circle Magazine.

Serves 4 - 350 degree oven

1/2 lb chopped mushrooms
1/3 cup chopped onion
1/3 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1 cup packaged bread crumbs
1/4 tsp ground sage
\1/2 cup chopped parsley
1/2 cup chopped dried apricots
4 double center loin pork chops with pockets
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 cup dry white wine

Saute mushrooms, onion and celery in 1/4 cup of the butter in a large baking dish or skillet with ovenproof handle, until tender; about 3 minutes. Add bread crumbs, sage, parsley and apricots.

Sprinkle pork chops inside and out with salt and pepper.  Stuff pork chop pockets loosely with mixture and secure openings with wooden picks. Wipe out dish/skillet.

Brown chops on both sides in remaining 1/4 cup butter in same ovenproof pan.  Pour wine around chops and cover.

Bake in 350 degree oven for 1 hour or until tender.  

Review of last recipe - Herbed Chicken Saute (photo above) - Pretty boring chicken!

TODAY'S RECIPE - WALDORF CHOCOLATE CAKE
Made with mayonnaise, instead of eggs and shortening.

8 Servings - 350 degree oven

2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa, preferably Dutch process
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup cold water
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
2/3 cup mayonnaise
1 cup heavy cream, whipped or 1/3 cup confectioners' sugar

In a large bowl, stir together flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Add water, vanilla and mayonnaise and beat at low speed just until smooth.

Turn into 2 greased and waxed-paper-lined 8" layer cake pans, or one greased and floured 9" square baking pan.  Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 30 minutes for 8" pans, and 45 minutes for 9" pan, or until cake pulls away from the sides of the pan and  toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Cool on rack for 5 minutes, then unmold and let cool completely before frosting with whipped cream and stacking them.  For the square cake, sift confectioners' sugar over top.

Review of last recipe - Walnut Sticky Buns (photo above) - It's embarrassing to realize that, although, the sticky buns did come out pretty well, I didn't follow the recipe very closely.  I just assumed I was having trouble because I don't make yeast dough often.  Note to self ...

TODAY'S RECIPE - HERBED CHICKEN SAUTE

Serves 4

2 tbsp flour
1/2 tsp each dried savory and rosemary
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp minced fresh garlic
1 3 lb chicken; cut into 8 serving pieces
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 cup chicken broth
1 tbsp chopped shallots
2 tbsp minced parsley
1 tbsp unsalted butter
1 tsp lemon juice

In a large bowl, mix the flour, savory, rosemary, salt, pepper and 1/2 tsp each of the thyme and garlic.  Add chicken and toss.

In a heavy skillet, heat oil over high heat.  When smoking, add chicken; skin side down, and brown 2-3 minutes on each side.  Add wine and 1/2 cup broth.  Reduce heat to low, cover and cook 15-20 minutes; until chicken is tender.

Remove chicken to a warm platter.  Add shallots to pan juices along with the remaining 1/2 cup broth and the rest of the thyme and garlic.  Simmer 2-3 minutes over moderate heat; stirring frequently until syrupy.  Whisk in parsley, butter and lemon juice. Spoon over chicken.

Review of last recipe - Herb Glazed Pork Chops - No photo because it wasn't worth the time to take the picture.  The meat was dry and not very tasty.

TODAY'S RECIPE - WALNUT STICKY BUNS

Makes 12 - 375 degree oven

1 envelope active dry yeast
2 tbsp warm water
1/4 cup boiling hot milk
1/2 cup sugar
3 tbsp shortening
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg
2 cups flour
1 tsp grated lemon peel
1/4 tsp ginger
Walnut Pan Coat (recipe below)*
1 tbsp melted butter
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/4 tsp cinnamon

Sprinkle yeast over warm water; let stand 5 minutes to soften. Meanwhile, stir hot milk, 1/4 cup sugar, shortening and salt together. When lukewarm, add egg, 1 1/2 cups flour, lemon peel, ginger and yeast. Beat on mixer at medium speed for 2 minutes.  Stir in remaining 1/2 cup flour to make a moderately soft dough.  Knead a few seconds to smooth out and round up dough.  Cover and let rise in warm place until doubled; 1 - 1 1/2 hours.

Prepare *Walnut Pan Coat by melting 1/2 cup butter in small saucepan. Add 1/2 cup brown sugar, 2 tbsp dark corn syrup and 1 tbsp water.  Stir over moderate heat until mixture reaches simmering and sugar dissolves. Turn into 9" layer cake pan and sprinkle with 1/2 cup large pieces of walnuts.

When dough has risen, turn out onto floured board and roll out to an 8" x 12" rectangle.  Spread with butter, sprinkle with 1/2 cup walnuts and remaining 1/4 cup sugar mixed with cinnamon.  Roll tightly; starting from long side of the dough.  Cut in 1" slices and arrange cut side down in prepared pan; placing 3 rolls in center and 9 around the edges.  Let rise until doubled; 40-50 minutes.  Bake at 375 degree oven about 25 minutes until browned and baked through.  Loosen edges and invert over plate. Let pan rest on rolls for 1 minute so that syrup drains.  Serve warm.