88-Lancaster Farming, Saturday, August 23, 2003 If you are looking for a recipe but can’t find it, send your recipe request to Lou Ann Good, Cook’s Question Corner, in care of Lancaster Farming, P.O. Box 609, Ephrata, PA 17522. There’s no need to send a self-ad dressed stamped envelope. If we receive an answer to your question, we will publish it as soon as possible. Check your recipe to make sure you copy the right amounts and complete instructions for making the reci pe. Sometimes we receive numerous answers to the same request, but cannot print each one. Answers to recipe requests should be sent to the same address. You may also e-mail questions and answers to LGOOD.EPH@LNPNEWS.COM QUESTION Velma Boughter wants a recipe for little hot cherry peppers stuffed with sauer kraut for pickling peppers in a brine and jarred. QUESTION Shirley Schwoerer, Wysox, wants a recipe for unstuffed cabbage leaves. QUESTION A reader wants complete in structions and recipe to make cheese. QUESTION Luci Essig, Bernville, wants a brownie cupcake recipe. QUESTION - V. Martin, New Holland, wants a recipe for coffee cake called A-P cake, which is sold at Yoder’s Store, New Holland. QUESTION - Debbie Mullinix, Woodbine, Md., wants a recipe for peach pound cake using fresh peaches. QUESTION A Quarryville reader wants a recipe for cream cheese icing that can be used to decorate cakes. QUESTION Margaret Grieff, Sidman, wants a recipe for Kosher dills similiar to those sold in refrigerated supermarket cases and marketed under the label Claussen Dill Pickles. QUESTION Margaret Grieff, Sidman, wants a recipe for fillings and dough to make “Hot Pockets.” QUESTION Margaret Grieff, Sidman, wants to know the best type of molasses to use in cookies and shoo fly pies. QUESTION Margaret Grieff, Sidman, wants to know if Cool Whip may be interchanged with whipped cream in recipes. QUESTION G. Minckler, Wayne, wants rec ipes using rice flour. QUESTION Recipes needed to use end-of summer produce such as tomatoes, corn, beans, and other vegetables. QUESTION Peaches and pears are so scrumptious in season, but how can I preserve them best to use later on, a reader inquires. Can they be frozen and used in dessert reci pes? If so, how? QUESTION Anyone have a recipe for blue berry whoopie pies? Through some glitch in the system this earlier request was dropped with out a recipe being printed. Jeremie and others have requested one. QUESTION A Coatesville reader wants a recipe for blueberry bars like the Amish sold at Steel City Farmers Market, Coatesville. The bars were very moist and had an icing glaze over the top. QUESTION Brenda Martin, Reinhoids, wants a recipe to make soy sauce. QUESTION Joyce Shoemaker, Mount Joy, wants a recipe for corn fries that taste like those served at Oregon Dairy Restaurant. She writes that the corn fries look like French fries. QUESTION Recipes and ideas are needed for using all types of summer fruits and vege tables. QUESTION A reader wants recipes for dishes that work well to take to potluck dinners or covered dish events. QUESTION A reader wants recipes and ideas for quick summertime cooking. ANSWER Here’s some information and recipes for using in-season peppers from Penn sylvania’s “Simply Delicious” Program in an swer to L. Kauffman’s request. “Pennsylvania peppers are a favorite flavor enhancing ingredi ent in many recipes featuring meats or other vegetables. And because they come in various shades of red, yellow, orange and purple be sides the basic green, they can also add a rain bow of color. Best of all, they are a significant source of vitamin C as well. Pennsylvania vegetable growers grow about 1,000 acres of peppers to add that extra bit of flavor to pizza, salads, stir-frys, omelets, sauces, and numerous other dishes. If green peppers are left on the plant to fully mature, they will turn color. Most varieties will turn red but some turn brilliant shades of yellow or orange while others become purple. As they turn color, their sugar content increases along with their vitamin C content. Green peppers have twice as much vitamin C as citrus fruit by weight while red peppers have three times as much plus beta carotene. Hot peppers are also high in vitamin C. While the familiar blocky bell peppers are the most common sweet pepper, there are several other kinds that are classified as sweet pep pers but that have a stronger flavor than bell peppers. This extra flavor makes them excel lent additions to various dishes. Among these varieties are cubanelle, banana and pimento peppers. There are many kinds of hot peppers grown. Probably the most common ones grown in Pennsylvania are Hungarian wax, Jalapeno, cherry and cayenne. Capsaicin, the substance that more makes peppers hot, is extremely pungent in its pure state. Capsaicin and related compounds are concentrated in the placenta of the pepper - the white ribs inside the pepper that hold the seeds. Thus much of the heat of peppers can be removed if this part is cut out. It is important to wear rubber gloves or repeat edly wash one’s hands while doing this to pro tect them. Be especially careful not touch the face or eyes during the process. Besides adding flavor to the diet, sweet pep pers can be eaten in quantities sufficient to supply significant amounts of vitamin C to the diet and help fulfill the recommended three to five servings of vegetables per day recommend ed by nutrition experts. Raw peppers sliced lengthwise into spears make a tasty and color ful addition to platters of other raw vegetables served with dip. William Scepansky, corporate chef for Ke gel’s Produce in Lancaster, has created these tasty recipes for “Simply Delicious” Pennsylva nia peppers:” Roasted And Marinated Red Peppers This extremely versatile preparation is so easy and much better than those found in jars. Use them on piz zas, in pastas and salads, or wherever else roasted pep pers are called for. Make sure to have good bread to sop up the juices. 6 red peppers, large, thick walled 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar 2 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced thinly 1 celery, Rib, sliced thinly 1 tablespoon basil, fresh, chopped 1 teaspoon salt, Kosher V* teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground Place peppers directly on a burner grate, over an open flame on a gas range or directly under a hot broiler on a sheet pan and char all sides, turning as needed to just blister the skin and not burn the flesh. Skin should turn a thin layer of black, not white with ash! Once peppers are black on all sides, top and bottom, place them into a mixing bowl and tightly cover with plastic wrap, so as to trap the steam. Allow to stand 15 minutes. Saving as much natural pepper juice that has accumulat ed in the bottom of the bowl and inside the peppers, peel the charred skin from the pep pers and discard. Discard stem and seeds and cut the peppers into Ix3-inch strips. Place back into the pepper juices. In a small saute pan, sweat celery and garlic in olive oil until celery is translucent and garlic is just beginning to turn golden. Immediately pour over peppers to stop from cooking. Add basil, salt, pepper and vinegar. Toss well and serve or refrigerate till ready to serve. Flavors are best when allowed to come to room temperature. Yields approximately 4 cups. Red Pepper Crostinl with Oregano A Feta Try these tasty Hors D ’ Oeuvres at your next party. They are fast and easy to make and are bursting with- Mediterranean flavors. Add chopped olives, capers and/or anchovies if desired. Yields I dozen Hors D’ Oeuvres. French Bread, small diameter, cut into 12 V*- inch thick slices 2 tablespoons olive oil, extra virgin 3 A cup roasted red peppers (see recipe above), cut into ’Axl-inch strips y# cup Feta cheese, crumbled 1 teaspoon dried oregano Salt to taste Black pepper, freshly ground, to taste Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brush slices of bread on both sides with olive oil, reserving a little for later, and season with salt and pepper. Lay slices flat on a sheet pan and bake till light ly golden and Just crispy, not rock hard. Cool to room temperature. Divide peppers among bread slices, placing an even mound on top of each slice. Sprinkle peppers with feta cheese fol lowed by oregano. Season each with a touch of salt and pepper and drizzle on the rest of the olive oil. Warm slightly or serve as is. Goat Cheese or Ricotta Salata can be used instead if desired. Fresh basil can also be substituted for the oregano. Enjoy! The following recipe by Sylvia Tinkey of Can onsburg at the “Simply Delicious” Vegetable Quick Bread Contest at the 2001 Butler Fair: Onion And Pepper Cheese Bread 4 cups all-purpose flour Va cup sugar 3 teaspoons baking powder Va teaspoon baking soda Va teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon seasoning salt 2 eggs V* cup oil 2 cups milk 2 cups chopped red and green sweet pep pers 1 cup onion, chopped 2 cups Cheddar cheese Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Stir together all dry ingredients and set aside, in a large mix ing bowl, combine eggs, oil, milk, peppers, on ions and cheese. Mix well. Add dry ingredients and combine until moistened. Pour into greased 9x5-inch bread pan and bake at 350 degrees F for 1 hour. FDA Allows Health Claim For Walnuts WASHINGTON, D.C. In an important deci sion recently, the U.S. Food and Drug Administra tion (FDA) affirmed the health claim, “Supportive but not conclusive research shows that eating 1.5 ounces per day of walnuts as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol may reduce the risk of heart disease.” This FDA decision comes in response to a peti tion filed by the California Walnut Commission, which highlights a body of international scientific research substantiating the specific benefit of con suming walnuts as part of a heart healthy diet in re ducing the risk of heart disease. The body of evi dence suggests that the nutritional composition of walnuts contribute to these heart health benefits. According to Dr. Sheila G. West, Vascular Inter vention Health Lab, Penn State. “There is a good amount of epidemiologic evidence, population based evidence that people who consume nuts, and walnuts in particular, have less cardiovascular risk. There is also a very strong body of literature to say that the special kind of fatty acids, the omega-3 fatty acids that are present in walnuts, help protect people against heart disease.” The 1.5 ounces of walnuts cited by the FDA more than fulfill the daily requirement of essential omega-3 fatty acids, a critical nutrient deficient in the American diet. Among tree nuts, walnuts are distinctive because of their concentration of omega -3 fatty acids. The importance of omega-3 fatty acids has been stressed in the recent reports of lead ing health organizations and governmental agencies recommending new dietary intake guidelines aimed at promoting public health by encouraging in creased omega-3 fatty acid intake by Americans. While walnuts’ ability to reduce cholesterol seems to be at the heart of their health benefits, walnuts contain a host of other important vitamins, minerals, protein, and antioxidants. Walnuts are cited as the largest single source of antioxidants, next to rose hips, according to a study from the University of Minnesota and University of Oslo. “It appears that the omega-3 ability to reduce in flammation and clumping of platelets may have broad health implications, including the reduction of C-Reactive Protein (CRP) in the body an emerging cardiovascular disease marker which can be identified through a simple blood test and help predict heart disease risk,” according to Penny Kris-Etherton, Ph.D., distinguished professor of nu trition at Penn State. One of the oldest foods, walnuts today are recog nized for their flavor, versatility, and health bene fits. For more information and recipes, visit www.walnuts.org.
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