Daddy's Chicken and Pepper Sandwiches

Such a cute family

1 skinless, boneless chicken breast
1 onion, sliced
1 bell pepper, slices
1/2 cup Heinz 57 Sauce
salt and pepper
swiss cheese
2 hoagie rolls

Slice the chicken and stir fry it in a little olive oil until it's cooked through, about 7 minutes.  Take the chicken out of the pan and set it aside.  Add onion and pepper to warm pan and cook until the onions are translucent and the pepper is soft.  Add the chicken back into the pan with the Heinz sauce and season to taste.  Meanwhile, toast the rolls under the broiler (watch them the whole time - it can go from zero to burnt in no time) and then top with the chicken mixture and add sliced cheese.  Put back under the broiler until the cheese melts.

Uncle Jamie's Basic Wraps

Get the wrap (many flavor choices) at the market.  Figure out what you want in it.

(Cheese - sliced is easy - I like Swiss - shredded can work too)

(Meat - whatever kind, again, sliced)

assorted veg.

Assemble:

Put wrap on plate.  If you like mayo, mustard, hummus, pesto, guacamole, whatever, smear some on wrap.

Put cheese and/or meat on wrap (one or 2 slices).

Add some lettuce.  

(That is the basic - But I like to add (shredded is good, small slices will do) carrot or other veg such as zucchini, cucumber, kohlrabi, often I'll sometimes roast mushroom, red pepper, onion  or eggplant and toss that on the cheese, some olives,  or experiment.....

The point is, that you can put almost anything you like to eat into the wrap, roll it up, and eat it.  The more you stuff it, the messier, and better, it is.  And it is easy.

Uncle Rich's Peanut Butter and Banana Sandwich

Perhaps no food says “Burke family” like the peanut butter and banana sandwich, now being consumed by its fourth generation of Burkes (at least).  The kind of bread that you use is a matter of personal taste, but it is widely believed by those with beards and English degrees that one can hardly do better than using cinnamon-and-raisin bread.  And because the slices of raisin bread tend to be rather small, one will feel justified in eating three or four sandwiches made with it at one sitting.

Ingredients:

2 slices of bread

peanut butter (choosy mothers choose Jif)

portion of 1 banana (not overripe, or the flavor will overwhelm the sandwich)

butter

cinnamon-and-sugar, mixed

Preparation:

spread the butter evenly over one slice of bread

N.B.: people with uneducated palates suppose that using butter on such a sandwich is gilding the lily.  The butter is, in fact, the ingredient that raises this meal from a minor treat for minor youths to the food of the gods.

spread the peanut butter evenly over the other slice

N.B.: do not apply the peanut butter too thickly or the resulting sandwich will be unpalatable and only barely edible.

cut slices of banana as long as the bread is wide and about ¼” thick, and array them on top of the peanut butter

N.B.: an excess of banana will eclipse the yummy flavors of the other ingredients;  use restraint.

sprinkle cinnamon-and-sugar over the banana and peanut butter side (perhaps as much as ½ tsp)

place the buttered slice of bread on top of the other slice, and cut the whole thing in half, if so desired

Comment:

This is a wholesome, family-friendly food, just as one would expect of a Burke recipe.  It goes well with any drink that a six-year-old might happily consume.  It does not go well with beer, wine, or ardent spirits.  Or stew.

Hannah's Note:  Uncle Jamie, Uncle Rich, and Daddy all sent me sandwich recipes.  I think perhaps the deep and abiding sandwich love is genetic.  

Miss Pat's Squash Fritters

2 cups grated squash
2 heaping tbsp. flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt dash pepper 
1 egg
Mix ingredients togethr and drop by spoonful into hot pan in which 1/2 cupo of vegetable oil has been heated. Brown on both sides.

Chicken Stir Fry

2/3 cup long grain rice (uncooked)
2/3 cup broken thin spaghetti (uncooked)
1/3 cup olive oil
3 cups chicken broth
1 cup broccoli florets
1/4 tsp thyme
1 cup cooked chopped chicken
1/2 cup sliced green onions
1/4 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
1/4 cup diced red pepper
Place oil in pan with pasta and rice, sizzle for 5 minutes. Add rest of ingredients and cook 10 minutes.

Miss Pat's Fudge Pie

6 Tbs. cocoa 1 1/2 c sugar
3/4 c butter 1 1/2 tsp vanilla
7-8 tbs flour 1/2 - 3/4 c pecans
3 eggs pinch salt
Melt butter, stir in cocoa, remove from heat and add sugar, eggs, flour, salt, vanilla & pecans. Pour into greased and floured pie pan. Bake @ 325 degrees for about 30 mins. Sometime I sprinkle the pecans on top before baking.

Miss Pat's Zucchini Pie

This is easy and can be used as a main dish or a side. 

4 c. zucchini, thinly sliced pepper
1 c. chopped onion 1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 c. water 1/4 tsp basil
2 Tbsp, parsley flakes 1/4 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp salt 2 eggs
8 oz. shreddd mozzarella cheese
Saute zucchini and onion in 1/4 cup water for 10 minutes. Drain excess liquid. Combine the eggs, cheese, parsley and spices. Stir in zucchini mixture. Place in 10 inch pie plate and bake at 375 for 18-20 minutes.

Hannah's Note: Miss Pat brought this to Jessie and Ellen's college graduation present.

Heather's Chicken Key Lime Curry

This recipe is the one of the curry we made when Jessie, Dave and I came to Mississippi for Spring Break from our freshmen year.

2 large onions, sliced (4 cups), divided
1 (1-inch) piece peeled ginger, chopped
4 garlic cloves
2 1/2 cups water, divided
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 chicken (about 3 1/2 pounds), cut into serving pieces
2 tablespoons curry powder (preferably Madras)
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon sugar
1 Key lime, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons fresh Key lime juice Blend 1 cup onions with ginger, garlic, and 1/2 cup water in a blender. Heat oil in a 12- to 14-inch heavy skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Pat chicken dry and season with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Brown, skin side down, about 6 minutes (don’t turn over), then transfer to a plate. Add remaining onions to skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to plate with chicken. Reduce heat to medium and add onion-ginger paste to skillet. Cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add curry powder and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Stir in tomato paste, remaining 2 cups water, sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon salt and bring to a simmer. Return chicken and onions to skillet with sliced lime and simmer, partially covered, turning chicken once, until just cooked through, 25 to 30 minutes.

Heather's Chocolate Chip Cookies

This is my special chocolate chip cookie recipe that I give to no one except people I like.

2 & 1/2 cups Flour
1tsp Salt
1tsp Baking Soda

1 & half sticks butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1tbs vanilla
2 eggs
Lots of Chocolate Chips (at least one bag but two never hurts)

Heat oven to 375 degrees F. In a small bowl mix the flour, salt and baking soda. Next, with a mixer, cream the butter and sugar until smooth, add the vanilla as you are mixing them. Beat in the eggs into the butter, sugar and vanilla mixture. Once all the wet ingredients are combined slowly beat in the flour mixture adding in one third increments. Add the chocolate chips to the mixture. Finally drop spoonfuls of the cookie dough onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, and bake for 9-11mins.

Grandma's Summer Squash (courtesy of Aunt Diane)

Grandma and Uncle Rich

This has been one of my favorite summer recipes; I’ve been using it for years and thought I had a written recipe, but apparently it was so easy I simply kept making it.  Diane

This requires a large frying pan. 

Ingredients:

Summer Squash (zucchini or yellow):  8-10 small (approx.. 8” long) or large that equals about 4 cups.

1-2 really large onions, depending on how much you love onions.

Croutons or 2 slices of bread and butter for sautéing – I do the second unless in a real hurry.

Shredded mozzarella cheese – maybe a handful – depends on how much you like mozzarella

Salt and coarse ground pepper (or regular if you don’t have coarse ground pepper).

Prepare 8-10 small zucchini or yellow squash or a mix of the two:

Rinse and pat dry and cut in ½” slices.  If using larger squash use about 4 cups.  Basically you can adjust the proportions for any amount – lots of onion for lots of squashJ

Prepare:

Using medium heat:

Slice a large yellow or white onion and slowly sauté in 2 Tablespoons of oil until soft.  Stir often.

Add the squash and continue to sauté until soft.  Continue stirring often.  Cook until most of the liquid from the squash has evaporated.

Make your own croutons while the squash is cooking (yummy because of the butter) or use storebought croutons.  To make your own – cut 2 slices of bread into cubes of 1” or smaller.  Melt ¼ stick of butter in a separate frying pan over low heat, add the bread, stir it so the butter coats most of the sides.  Toast slowly in the pan until brown. Add more butter if needed – it adds to the flavor of the dish.

Add salt and coarse ground pepper to taste – remember the cheese and the croutons will add salt.

To serve:  Put in a large bowl, top with the shredded mozzarella and croutons.

Mum’s Apple Cake

2 apples peeled cored and diced

3 tbsp vegetable oil

¼ tsp salt

1 c. sugar

1 egg

1 c. flour

½ tsp cinnamon

½ tsp nutmeg

Mix all ingredients together.  Spread in a greased 8-inch pan.  Bake at 350º for approximately 35 minutes.  

Grandma’s Orange Chocolate Chip Bars

1 1/2 cups sifted flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking power

1/2 teaspoons salt

1/2 cup shortening or oil

1/3-cup sugar

1 orange rind, grated

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 egg

3/4 cups orange juice

6 oz (1 cup) semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375

Sift 1 1/2C flour

      1 1/2 t baking power

      1/2 t salt

Set aside

In large bowl:

Cream together: 1/2 C shortening (or oil)

                              1/3 C sugar

                              1 orange rind, grated (or 2 t frozen juice) (Put a little orange rind aside for glaze)

                              2 t vanilla

Add: 1 egg

Then add the flower mixture, alternating with 3/4 C orange juice.

The batter will be thick.

Then add 6 oz (1 C) semi-sweet choc chips

Spread in greased 13x9 pan

Bake at 375 for 25 min

then glaze while still warm:

           

For glaze, combine 1 C sifted confectioner's sugar

                         2 T orange juices

                         (1 T grated orange rind)

Brie, Shrimp and Basil Pasta

I made this all the time when I lived in York and everyone always loved it.    I always served it with baguette and each of us four girls had our own bottle of white wine and we watched SVU in the dead of frozen English nights.  

8 oz brie (rind removed, cubed)

2 fresh chopped tomatoes

1/3-cup kalamata olives

2 cloves of garlic, crushed

1 cup fresh basil, sliced up

8 oz pasta

1 lb pealed, cooked shrimp

Combine everything but the shrimp and pasta in a bowl and let stand 1 hour at room temperature.  Cook pasta according to directions on the box.  While the pasta is still warm combine it with the olive mixture and the shrimp.