Middle-earth Recipes
compiled by MithrandirCQ and Primula with additions.

We encourage a visit to the Middle-earth Foodie blog for images and write-ups of some of the recipes you will find here.

Merry's Mulled Cider

Mix together 2 quarts of apple cider, 20 whole cloves, 1/2 cup of sugar, 12 sticks of cinnamon, 14 whole allspice, and 1/2 teaspoon ofsalt. Bring to a boil. Simmer for 15 minutes. Keep warm. Strain and serve in a mug with a lemon slice.

I will drink any tea, but prefer chai if I can get it. In fact, I loved it so much, that I played around with recipes until I came up with my own homemade version:

Merry's Spiced Chai

5 cups of boiling water
1 teaspoon of ground ginger
2 pinches of allspice
3/4 teaspoon of peppercorns
10 whole cloves
1 1/2 cinnamon sticks
1/8 cardamom seeds
2 tea bags (black tea; I used English Breakfast, but Earl Grey and Darjeeling are also recommended)

Mix all ingredients, then simmer and let brew for 5 minutes. Remove the tea bags and brew another 10-20 minutes more, depending on how spiced you like your tea. For a milder tea flavor, replace one of the tea bags with an apple cinnamon herbal tea bag, and use only 1 cinnamon stick.

Tea is best served with milk and sugar. The spice mix can be used for 2x the recipe if longer brewing time is used. Leftover chai can be refridgerated for iced chai, or to be reheated later. - MerryK

Mrs. Maggot's Cottage Pie

Slice a large onion and 2 carrots and sauté in bacon fat until the onions are limp. Add 1 pound of cubed beef, 1 tablespoon of flour, and salt and pepper to taste. Saute for several minutes, and then add 1/2 cup of beef stock and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes. Peel and quarter 1 pound of potatoes and boil until soft. Mash with 2 to 3 tablespoons of butter and enough milk to make a soft mash. Season with salt and pepper. Put the meat in a pie dish, cover with the mashed potatoes, and bake in a 375 degree oven for 30 minutes. Before serving, run the dish quickly under the broiler to brown the potato crust.

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Mushroom Soup from the Inn at Bree

Chop 1/2 pound of mushrooms very fine. In a large saucepan, melt 4 tablespoons of butter. Add 1 tablespoon of chopped onion, 2 cups of finely chopped carrots, 2 cups of finely chopped celery, and 1 clove of garlic, minced. Stir in 2 1/2 cups of beef broth, 3 1/2 cups of water, 1 small can of tomato paste, 1/4 teaspoon of salt, and 1/16 teaspoon of pepper. Bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat. Simmer 1 hour. Purée the soup. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a skillet, add 1/2 pound of sliced mushrooms, and sauté for 5 minutes. Add to the soup. Add 1/4 cup of dry sherry. Heat thoroughly and serve.

Mirkwood Cookies

Sift together 2 1/2 cups of flour, 2 teaspoons of double acting baking powder, and teaspoon of salt. Cream 3/4 cup of butter. Gradually add 1 cup of brown sugar (granulated brown sugar works well) , creaming well. Blend in 1 unbeaten egg and 1 teaspoon of vanilla and beat well. Melt 1 1/2 squares (1 1/2 ounces) of unsweetened chocolate; set aside to cool. Add the dry ingredients gradually to the egg mixture. Mix thoroughly. Remove 2/3 of the dough to a floured pastry board. Stir 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda into the chocolate. Blend the chocolate mixture into the remaining 1/3 of the dough. Chill if necessary for easier handling. Roll half of the light-colored dough into a 10 by 4 inch rectangle. Shape half of the dark (chocolate) dough into a 10 inch roll and place on the rectangle of light dough. Mold the light dough around the dark dough and wrap in foil. Repeat with the remaining dough. Chill for at least 2 hours.Cut the dough into slices 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick. Place 2 slices together on a greased cookie sheet to resemble eyes. Pinch the corner of each slice to give a slant-eyed look to the cookie. Place a chocolate chip into the center of each eye. Bake for 8 to 12 minutes in a preheated 350 degree oven. Remove from the baking sheets at once. Store between layers of foil in a flat, covered container. Makes approximately 3 1/2 dozen cookies.

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Scotch Eggs Strider

Hard boil 8 eggs. Cool and peel. Mix together 1 pound of sausage meat, 1/2 teaspoon of sage, 1 tablespoon of parsley, and a pinch of thyme (or use 1 pound of sage-flavored sausage). With the sausage meat make 8 patties large enough to surround the 8 peeled, hardcooked eggs. Place an egg in the center of each patty and form the sausage around the egg. Roll the egg in flour seasoned with salt and pepper, then in beaten egg, and then in breadcrumbs. Fry in deep fat.

Beorn 's Honey Nut Cake

Put 1 1/2 cups of cottage cheese through a strainer. Mix the strained cottage cheese with 1 1/2 tablespoons of sifted flour, 1/4 teaspoon of salt, 3 tablespoons of sour cream, 3 beaten egg yolks, 1/2 cup of honey, 1 tablespoon of butter, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, the rind of 1 lemon, and 1/2 cup of wheat germ. Fold in 3 egg whites, stiffly beaten. Butter a 9-inch square cake pan. Sprinkle the bottom of the pan with 1/4 cup of wheat germ. Pour the batter into the pan and top with 1/8 cup of wheat germ and 1/2 cup of chopped nuts. Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 30 minutes.

Smaug's Gems

Combine 1 cup of vanilla wafer crumbs, 1 cup of confectioners' sugar, 1 cup of chopped nuts, and 1 tablespoon of cocoa Add 2 tablespoons of light corn syrup and 1/4 cup of whisky. Mix well and shape into 1inch balls. Roll in confectioners' sugar and place in an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator.

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Bilbo's Orange Marmalade

Wash, dry, and peel 2 pounds of smooth, unblemished oranges Cover the peel with cold water and simmer for 2 hours, until it is tender. Slice the oranges very thin and mix with 2 pounds of sugar Drain the peel, cool, and scrape out the white pith. Slice the peel very thin. Combine the oranges and peel, and stir well. Simmer over a low heat until thick. Pour into hot, sterilized jars and cover

Frodo 's Scones

In a large bowl, sift together 2 cups of sifted all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder, and 1 tablespoon of sugar. Cut in 1/2 cup of shortening. Add 1 cup of raisins or currants.Make a well and add enough buttermilk to form a stiff dough Roll out 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick on a floured board. Fry on a lightly greased griddle for 7 to 10 minutes. Turn. Fry for 7 to 10 minutes more and serve.

Roast Mutton For The Trolls

Leave a thin layer of fat on a large leg of mutton and rub with a cut clove of garlic. Roast for 25 minutes per pound in a 350-degree oven. Serve with mint jelly and Shire pudding.

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Shire Pudding

Mix together 1 cup of milk, 2 eggs, 1 cup of flour, and 1 teaspoon of salt in a blender. Put 3 tablespoons of hot beef or lamb drippings in a 9 inch glass pie plate. Pour the batter into the middle of the drippings. Bake in a preheated 425 degree oven for 15 minutes. Reduce the heat to 350 degrees and continue baking until the pudding is puffy and brown.

Seedcake for Gimli

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter an 8-inch round cake tin. Sift 2 1/2 cups of flour with 1 teaspoon of baking powder and a pinch of salt. Cream together 4 ounces of butter and 1/2 cup of sugar. Beat 1 egg and add to the butter, then add 2 teaspoons of caraway seeds. Fold in the flour mixture, then gradually add enough milk (up to 1/2 cup) to make a smooth, thick batter. Pour into the prepared pan. Bake in the middle of the oven for 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool 5 to 10 minutes before turning out on a cake rack.

Goldberry's Pie

Heat the oven to 425 degrees. Mix , 2/3 cup of sugar, 4 tablespoons of flour, 1/3 teaspoon of cinnamon, and a pinch of grated lemon peel. Mix with 3 cups of fresh berries (blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, strawberries, boysenberries). Pour into a pastry-lined pie pan. Dot with butter. Cover with the top crust. Brush the top crust with milk and sprinkle with sugar. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes. If the crust begins to brown too much, cover the edges with tin foil.

Baked Bluefish For Gollum

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Place a 4 to 5 pound bluefish, cleaned and split, on an oiled baking sheet, skin side down. Lay 5 or 6 strips of bacon across it. Bake uncovered for 25 minutes until the fish flakes easily. Sprinkle with fresh parsley and lemon juice and serve immediately.

Fruit Fool a la Sackville-Baggins

Cook a quart of berries (gooseberries, raspberries, or blackberries) in a heavy saucepan over a low heat for 30 minutes, stirring and mashing constantly. Add 1 cup of sugar and simmer until the sugar is dissolved. Purée in a fine sieve, cover, and refrigerate. Just before serving, whip 3 cups of heavy cream and fold it into the fruit mixture. Serve at once.

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Ring Cookies and Sauron's Eyes

One batch sugar cookie dough, colored with yellow and touch of red food color to achieve a nice golden color
Red sugar
Chocolate shot

Roll the dough 1/4 inch thick. Cut into rounds with a doughnut cutter (one which cuts out the center of the dough) and reserve the centers. Use a fork to make cross-hatch marks (or, for the Tengwar and Quenyan-minded, write some form of Elvish with the back of a dinner knife). Sprinkle the marks with red sugar. Bake according to recipe directions and cool on rack.

Take reserved centers and, using the back of a dinner knife, press a linear "pupil" into each center. Fill the pupil with chocolate shot. Sprinkle red sugar directly over the chocolate shot (trust me!). Bake about five minutes and cool on rack.

Observations:

A bit of red makes the cookies more gold-metal-like than sun-like. Sprinkling the sugar directly over the cross-hatch marks and the chocolate shot for the Sauron's Eyes will create a bit of a radiant look after baking and saves time. It will only take three or four bits of chocolate shot per Eye, so you might just want to place them on by hand. It didn't take me but a minute, and I'm a slow baker!

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Doc's Carrot Cake Recipe

(Doctor Gamgee)

Combine in Mixer:
1 box Yellow Cake Mix
1 sm. Box Vanilla Instant Pudding
2/3 Cup Orange Juice
1/2 Cup Vegtable Oil
4 Eggs

Add:
1 Tablespoon Ground Cinnamon
1/4 Teaspoon Ground Nutmeg

By hand, fold in:
1/2 cup chopped Pecans (not too small)
1/2 cup raisins (I prefer Golden Raisins from white grapes, but to each their own)
3 cups shredded carrots.

Grease and Flour two round cake pans (I use 8 inch) and bake at 350 until brown and springs back when
gently pressed with a finger (in my oven, about 25 mins.)

Cool on wire rack for 10 mins, then remove from pans and cool for an additional hour.

Frosting:
Combine in mixer:
8 ounces Cream Cheese
1 stick butter
2 teaspoons orange juice

Add: (A little at a time!)
3 1/2 cup powdered sugar

Invite Dr.G over to see if you did it right :-)

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- On'ono Laivindur

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Dwarven Women's Pumpkin Cake
No beard required

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons allspice
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 3/4 cups packed light brown sugar
4 large eggs
1 cup safflower or canola oil
1 1/2 cups fresh pumpkin puree or canned solid-pack pumpkin

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Butter a 13-by 9-by 2-inch metal baking pan. Line bottom with wax or parchment paper, then butter paper.
(GS's notes: you can use two, 9" cake pans instead - and you don't have to butter anything, just put the wax or parchment paper on the bottom)

Sift together flour, cinnamon, allspice, baking soda, and salt. Whisk together brown sugar and eggs in a large bowl, then whisk in oil and pumpkin puree. Add flour mixture and whisk just until smooth. Pour batter into baking pan and bake in middle of oven until springy to the touch and a tester inserted in center comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes.
(GS's note: the two, 9" cakes took 20 to 25 minutes)

Cool cake in pan on a rack 10 minutes, then run a knife around edge and invert onto rack. Peel off paper and cool cake completely.
(GS's note: or not!) I made a butter/cream cheese frosting that was very good with it. I think this would also be very good with ice cream or whipped cream.

- Gimli's Sister

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Rivendell Banquet Black-Bottom Cheesecake Muffins

An Elven hors deouvres for the after-feasting nibblers.

Preheat oven to 350F

*mouse note; Double the amounts of the following 11 ingredients. that will give you double the base, which
imho works better, looks better, and tastes better.*

Combine the following 6 ingredients in a large bowl :
1 1/2 c flour
1/4 c unsweetened cocoa
1tsp baking soda
1tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1c sugar
Combine the following 5 ingredients in a seperate bowl
1 egg
1c water
1/2 c vegetable oil
1TBSP vinegar
2tsp vanilla
add wet ingredients to the dry ingredients spoon into greased muffin tins. fill 3/4 of the way

Combine the following ingredients and beat until slightly lumpy. Spoon onto center of the chocolate batter.
1 8oz package of cream cheese, softened
1egg
1/3 c sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 cup slivered almonds (optional)

Bake 20-25 minutes or until muffin is cooked and cream cheese mixture is beginning to brown. Let cool in pan 2 minutes then carefully remove muffins. Enjoy on a mithril platter with miruvor while listening to hobbits recite poetry!

- Mousechief

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Hobbit's Porridge

Old-Fashioned Rolled Oats - or if you really want to be authentic, Steel-cut Oats
Whole, shelled almonds, or sliced almonds.
Pecans or Walnuts, chopped
Flax seed
Raisins and/or dried, sweetened cranberries. (apple also works!)
Brown sugar, molasses or real maple syrup
Cinnamon
(Salt)
Whipped cream (from the can is the most fun)

Stovetop:  Cook a goodly batch of the oats according to package. Make it as thick, chewy or gloopy as you prefer. Add as much of all of the above as suits your hobbity tastes. Stir well, top generously with whipped cream and a dash more of cinnamon. You will never think of oatmeal the same way again!

Microwave: Dump a scoop of oats into your bowl - at least a cup. Shake in a little salt. Add as many of the above listed goodies to your oats as you prefer. Fill the bowl with water just a little over the oats. Microwave about a minute-and-a-half. Stir well. Top generously with whipped cream and a decorative dash of the cinnamon.

Lady Hobbit's Version:  Also add semi-sweet chocolate chips to hot oats and stir until melted.

For younger hobbitlings, be sure the grown hobbit controls the amount of salt they shake into their bowl, and help them with the cooking, of course.

- Primula

Dwarf's Version:
Just top it with lots of brown sugar and a pat of butter!

- Gimli's Sister

Simp’s Hobbit Porridge
Start the oats the night before in a crockette (a small crockpot) unless you’re cooking for a bunch'o'hobbits, then a regular crockpot will do. Add a tad more water than normal for the overnight cooking. Add raisins the night before for natural sweetness.

The best part of this recipe is that when you get up and come into the kitchen, look!! someone’s already made breakfast! Wow!

- Simpetarwen

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Aha! To all those who have always searched for the Lembas bread recipe, search no more.  I have personaly tried these, made them myself, and they are very good. Try it!

Elven Lembas Bread Recipe

6 TBSP butter or margarine, slightly softened
2 cups self-rising flour

1 TBSP granulated sugar
½ cup raisins (optional)

1 egg, well beaten
½ cup milk

4 TBSP heavy cream
Mallorn leaves


With a pastry blender of fork, cut margarine into the flour in a mixing bowl until the mixture resembles cornmeal. Do this rapidly so the butter does not melt. Add the sugar and if desired, ½ cup of raisins. In a small bowl, beat the egg and milk together until mixed. Reserve 1 TBSP of this mixture to brush the tops of the Lembas. Add the cream and egg mixture to the flour and mix just until combined into a stiff, soft dough. Knead three or four times on a lightly floured surface. Roll dough to a ¾" thickness and cut with an oval or leaf shaped cookie cutter. Place on a lightly greased baking sheet, leaving 1" of space between Lembas. Brush the tops of the Lembas with the reserved egg-milk mixture. Bake for 12 -13 minutes in a preheated 400 degree oven.

For safe keeping, wrap each Lembas individually in a fresh, clean Mallorn leaf. If these leaves are unavailable in your area, store the Lembas in a tightly closed container. Makes about 1 ½ dozen Lembas.

- Elven Maiden

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Rosie's Shire Pie
 
1 pound whole mushrooms
1 pound ground sausage
1 yellow onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 stalks celery, diced
1 carrot, diced
2 Tb. flour
1/4 Cup dry white wine
1 1/2 Cups chicken stock
1 Tb. thyme
1 teaspoon sage
Salt & pepper to taste
 
Clean mushrooms and cut into quarters.  Crumble the sausage & place in a large, deep pan.  Cook over medium heat.  Add onions, garlic, celery, and carrot, and cook about 5 minutes.  Add mushrooms and cook 5 minutes more until vegetables are tender.  Stir in flour and cook and couple of minutes, stirring.  Add wine and half of the stock, stirring and working out any lumps.  Add remaining stock and bring to a boil.  Turn heat to low, add herbs, salt and pepper and cook 10 minutes.  Pour into deep pie dish or 8x8 baking dish and set aside.
 
Cornmeal Crust (makes enough for two pies)
1 3/4 Cups flour
3/4 C. yellow cornmeal
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 pound cold butter
1/4 Cup shortening
1/3 - 1/4 Cup ice water
 
Mix flour, cornmeal, and salt in a large bowl.  Cut in butter.  Add shortening and continue to work dough until texture resembles coarse meal.  Sprinkle water over dough and knead with hands.  Refrigerate dough 30 minutes to 24 hours (can also be frozen).  Roll dough on a floured surface to 1/4 inch thickness.  Place dough over top of filling in pie dish. 

Bake pie at 375 degrees for 30 minutes or so, until crust is lightly browned and filling is bubbly.

Along with a green salad and warm bread, this pie feeds a family of 4 - 6 hungry little hobbits.

 - Rosie Gamgee

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Balin's Spiced Beef
Something from the finer days, when he entertained his cousins in style.

In a big bowl put: 4-5 lb. chuck, shoulder or round roast

covered with...

Dry red wine
Apple juice or cider
One or two sliced white onions
1/2 a bay leaf
1 tsp. each of cinnamon and allspice
1/2 t. cloves
1 1/2 t. salt
1 t. pepper

Cover and let marinate in the fridge 12 hrs. or more. Drain and reserve marinade. Preheat oven to 275 degrees.
Put meat in a roasting pan, heat half the marinade to boiling and pour it over along with about a cup of boiling water. Cover and simmer in the oven for about 3 hours.  If you like, you can add carrot chunks, sliced turnip and potato an hour before its done.

You can thicken the sauce like gravy, or have it au jus. Serve with roasted veggies, or noodles, or rice. Good hot or cold.

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Strawberries and Cream Bread

1 3/4 c. flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 c. butter
3/4 c. sugar (or less)
1/2 c. sour cream
2 eggs
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
2 tsp. vanilla
1 c. strawberries, coarsely chopped

Grease an 8x4 in. loaf pan. Preheat oven to 350. In a bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder/soda and salt. In mixing bowl, cream butter and add sugar. Beat until airy. Add eggs one at a time. Beat in sour cream and vanilla. Stir into dry ingredients until just moistened. Add strawberries, mix gently and turn into pan. Smooth the top and bake for 60 minutes. Cool in pan 10 minutes, then turn onto a rack to cool.

Addictive! This only makes one loaf - I usually make four at a time. Freezes pretty well.

- Primula

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Strawberry & Banana French Toast

1 banana, sliced
4 slices Texas toast
Confectioners sugar
strawberries, sliced
1 egg
½ cup of milk
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Butter

Sandwich sliced bananas & strawberries sprinkled with confectioner sugar. Whisk the egg, milk, vanilla and cinnamon. Dip sandwiches in egg mixture and cook in butter.  Okay, maybe hobbits didn't have such an exotic Southern fruit as bananas - let's just say a travelling fruit-salesman from Far Harad came through.

 - Strange Elf

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Bag End Apple Bread
I adapted this from a banana bread recipe because I had way too many old apples. The kids loved it!

1 c applesauce (shortening substitute, can use shortening, butter or oil if you want the unhealthy stuff. wink )
1 c brown sugar
1 c white sugar

4 eggs, well beaten (I use powdered eggs & they work fine, too)
4 c applesauce (or 4 ripe mashed bananas)
2/3 c milk (I use powdered, works great!)
4 c flour (For extra healthy alternative I used 2 c white flour, 1 c. wheat flour, 1 cup wheat germ)
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp salt
1 tsp - 1 Tbsp cinnamon depending on taste preference

Cream applesauce (oil) and sugar/ Mix in the rest of the ingredients & stir until it reaches cake batter consistency. Bake in two large loaf pans sprayed with pan spray for 1 hr at 350 degrees.

- Rosie

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Middle-earth Appetizers

She-Loaves (little cornbread muffins with black cream cheese frosting and black lace licorice spider legs)

 Frodo Fingers (short stubby breadsticks with a sliced almond on one end and a loop of pepperocini around the other end)

 Sauron Fingers (long breadsticks with a pointy sliced olive piece on one end and a loop of pepperocini around the other end)

 Sauron eyeballs (hard-boiled egg halves, with a pimento-filled green olive placed neatly on top of the Mordor (deviled) yolk)

- Simpetarwen

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Into the West Seashell Salad

Cook one bag of large seashell pasta, drain, and refrigerate.
When the pasta is cold, add and mix together:

One can of drained, water-packed white tuna (or any other protein you prefer),
Two globs (about 1/3 to 1/2 cup?) of mayonaise to make it stick together (or salad dressing, or fat-free mayonaise, though the whole-fatted variety lends superior taste and texture, especially if there are leftovers)
About 1/4 cup of sweetened pickle relish
1/4 cup of finely diced celery (for that all-important crunch factor)
Salt & pepper to taste

Serve on top of a lettuce leaf.
Freshly sliced peaches or pears are a lovely accompaniment.  Refrigerate leftovers promptly!

- Simpetarwen

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Po-Tay-To Onion Soup

4 Tbsp butter
2 medium yellow onions, peeled and sliced
2 lbs potatoes, peeled and sliced
3 cups milk
5-½ cups canned chicken broth
¼ cups fresh chives, chopped
½ tsp celery seeds
¼ tsp dried thyme, whole
1 cup light cream
salt, to taste
black pepper (freshly ground, if possible), to taste
3 Tbsp cornstarch
3 Tbsp water
½ cup fresh chives, chopped
6 slices bacon, crisply fried and chopped


In a large stockpot, melt butter and sauté onion until translucent (do not brown). Add potatoes, milk, chicken broth, chives, celery seed and thyme. Cover and simmer gently for 60 minutes.

Mix cornstarch and water, stirring well. Add to soup, stirring constantly, until thickened. Cook for 5 - 10 minutes.

Using a potato masher, mash potatoes into small pieces. (Or use food processor or immersion blender to puree soup). Add cream, salt and pepper. Heat about 5 minutes.

Garnish with chives and/or bacon pieces.

- Ashlyn

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Cheddar Soup

2 leeks
2 potatoes
4 carrots
4 tablespoons butter
6 cups vegetable broth
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 teaspoon thyme powder
1/4 teaspoon sage powder
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup milk
5 oz. Kerrygold Irish Cheddar cheese

Clean, peel, and chop the vegetables.
Melt the butter in a soup pot and saute the vegetables lightly for about 3 minutes. Stirring frequently.
Add the stock, garlic, herbs, and seasonings.
Bring to the boil, cover and simmer for 30 minutes.
Blend the soup in a blender and return to the pot.
Add the milk and cheese.
Reheat, but do not boil.

What better way to warm up a batch of cold travellers coming out of the Wild? 
Surely a staple of Barliman's or he was no proper Innkeeper.

- Strange Elf

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Ten Cup Ranger Cookies for Rangers in the field who only have one measuring cup with them.

1 cup butter
1 cup peanut butter
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 cup oatmeal
1 cup coconut
1 cup chocolate chips
1 cup raisins or craisins**
1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
1 cup self-rising flour


Preheat oven to 350.

Cream together butter and sugars, add peanut butter and eggs, beat until well combined. Add oatmeal, coconut, chocolate chips, raisins, and nuts, stirring after each. Stir in flour.

Drop cookie dough onto cookie sheets and bake for 13 minutes.


NOTE: This is good as is, but you can play around with the amounts of oatmeal, coconut, chocolate chips, raisins/craisins and nuts, as long as the total of them comes to 5 cups. So, if you don't like, say raisins, then you could put another cup of coconut, or an additional 1/2 cup coconut and 1/2 cup nuts!

- Ashlyn

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Mrs. Cotton's Berry Pie

Pastry for double crust (9 inch)
1 egg white
2 tablespoons water, divided
1 cup sugar
¼ cup cornstarch
1 to 2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 cups fresh blueberries
1 cup fresh raspberries
Sugar to sprinkle

Line a 9 inch pie plate with bottom pastry.
Beat egg white with 1 tablespoon water, brush over crust.
In a bowl. combine 1 cup sugar, cornstarch, lemon peel, vanilla and cinnamon.
Gently stir in the berries.
Pour into crust.
Roll out remaining dough and fit onto pie.
Flute edges, and brush with remaining water.
Cut slits in top.
Sprinkle with sugar.
Bake at 400° for 40-50 minutes or until crust is nice golden brown and filling is bubbly.
Cool on a wire rack.
Store leftovers in fridge.

Perfect for summer months with blueberries and raspberries in abundance.

- Strange Elf

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Elanor's Strawberry Cheesecake Smoothie

1 1/2 c. strawberry ice-cream or frozen yogurt
3/4 c. strawberry nectar
1/4 c. low fat sour cream
3 Tablespoons cream cheese
2-3 cups fresh strawberries, frozen.

Okay, Hobbits probably didn't have blenders. But if they had, they would've wanted to drink this!
Put everything but the strawberries in the blender and blend. Add frozen berries and blend til smooth. Serve with graham crackers if you really want the whole experience...wow... 
We made this with cranberry-raspberry juice instead of the nectar and it was still very good.

- Primula

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Gaffer's Tomato Sauce
Fresh from that marvelous garden...

1 CAN (1 LB 12 OZ) CRUSHED TOMATOES
1 CAN TOMATO PUREE
1 CAN 6 OZ TOMATO PASTE
ITALIAN PARSLEY CHOPPED FINE
BAY LEAF
SWEET BASIL FINELY CHOPPED
SALT
PEPPER
SMALL TO MEDIUM WELL DICED ONION
CLOVE OF GARLIC
OLIVE OIL

(BROWN MEATS WITH OLIVE OIL AND GARLIC BEFORE ADDING SAUCE TO POT)
PORK SHOULDER / ROAST
MEATBALLS
ITALIAN SWEET SAUSAGE (15 TO 20 MINUTES) – FORK TO RELEASE FLAVOR
BRACCIOLE – (AKA ROUND STEAK THINLY SLICED) - ADD GARLIC, PARSLEY, SALT & PEPPER ON IT, THEN ROLL IT UP AND SKEWER W/ A TOOTHPICK THE DIAMETER SHOULD BE ABOUT 1 ½ INCH PER ROLL

COOK TOMATO PASTE, PUREE AND CRUSHED TOMATOES. AT NEAR BOILING, TURN DOWN THE HEAT TO LOW.
STIR FOR 20 MINUTES – BOILING

COOK ABOUT 3 TO 4 HOURS, STIRRING EVERY 15 MINUTES.

(For more servings, double (or treble) the recipe. This is not a big pot full)

- pi

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Gammer's Manicotti
(Perfect with Gaffer's sauce, above)

2 EGGS
1 ½ SHOT GLASS OIL  (you may have to borrow one from the Green Dragon)
2 CUPS FLOUR
DEMITASSE WARM WATER
PINCH OF SALT

ADD OIL TO EGGS, BEAT WELL.
BLEND IN FLOUR AND WATER.
IF NEEDED, ADD EXTRA FLOUR SO THAT DOUGH FORMS A BALL.
SPLIT AND ROLL.

FILLING:
1 ½ LB RICOTTA
½ LB CHOPPED MOZZARELLA
1 EGG
GRATING CHEESE
GARLIC
PARSLEY

BAKE 45 MINUTES AT 350 DEGREES.

- pi

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Daddy Twofoot's Eggplant Parm
What all good hobbits like to do with their eggplants!

SLICE EGGPLANT
COAT WITH 1ST FLOUR
THEN EGG (SCRAMBLED)
THEN BREAD CRUMBS

PUT ON A COOKIE SHEET W/ LITTLE OIL (ENOUGH TO COVER THE BOTTOM)
PLACE EGGPLANT ON COOKIE SHEET

400 DEGREE OVEN – TURN OVER IN ABOUT 10 MINUTES OR UNTIL BROWN

YOU CAN FREEZE THESE AS IS AND AS NEEDED TAKE THEM OUT OF FREEZER

PLACE IN A PAN WITH SOME SAUCE ON THE BOTTOM, LAYER WITH MOZZARELLA IN BETWEEN LAYERS, TOP WITH SOME GRATED CHEESE.

BAKE 30 MINUTES, COVER WITH FOIL.

- pi

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Gondorian Griddle Cookies

Targon no doubt kept many a batch of these on hand for the soldiers of Minas Tirith in his buttery, especially since they can be made ahead and cooked up on short notice for the early watch. 

3 1/2 cups flour
3/4 to 1 cup sugar, according to taste
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup butter or shortening
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
1 1/4 cups raisins (optional)

Sift dry ingredients together into a large bowl. Cut in butter or shortening until mixture is mealy.  Beat egg, add milk and blend. Add egg mixture and raisins to flour mixture.  Stir until all is moistened and dough clings together.  Roll on a lightly floured board to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut with 2" round cookie cutter.

Heat griddle until a few drops of water dance on it - do not overheat! Oil lightly and place cookies on it.  As the bottoms brown, the tops will become puffy. Turn and brown the other side. Serve warm.  Makes 3 dozen cookies.

Variation:  Lemon Griddle Cookies  - omit raisins and add 1 teaspoon lemon rind.

Freezing: Pack unbaked cookies in freezer containers with pieces of foil between them; freeze.  A few may be removed from the freezer whenver you want them.  Let them thaw at room temperature about 15-20 minutes and bake on griddle as above.  Excellent for camping trips.

- Primula

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Rumble's Somersault Cobbler
Surely the Widow Rumble would have offered generous helpings of this fruity delight at every Bagshot Row Potluck.

1/4 to 1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter or margarine

1/2 c. milk
3/4 cup flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt

3 cups berries or fruit
Sugar
3/4 cup boiling water

Cream sugar and butter. Combine dry ingredients and add alternately with the milk. Mix well and pour into a buttered 8x8 inch pan. Top with 3 cups of berries or fruit. Over it sprinkle 1/2 cup sugar (less for sweet fruit, more for sour - up to 1 cup for sour cherries). Dot with butter. Pour boiling water over all.

Bake 30 minutes at 400 degrees.
You can double it and bake it in a large casserole and it works great too. This way there might be a little spoonful left over in the corner for you after all your hungry neighbors have had their fill.

- Primula

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Cranberry Tomato Chutney

After your next big gathering of Dwarves goes by and that cold turkey is just waiting to be used up, try this Cranberry Tomato Chutney to go with the cold turkey left-overs. It's such a simple dish.

5 Cups fresh cranberries
1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
1 cup raisins
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoons ground ginger

In a saucepan, combine all the ingredients. bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 20 - 25 minutes or until cranberries and raisins are tender, stirring occasionally. Cool. Cover and refrigerate for three days before serving.

 - Strange Elf

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Tater Cookies

1 pound butter
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
3 1/2 cups flour
2 cups crushed potato chips (about 5 ounces)
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Cream butter and sugar, add vanilla and stir in flour.  Add potato chips and nuts.  Drop by teaspoon onto a greased cookie sheet. They do not spread much, you can put them fairly close together.  Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.  These keep very well and are surprisingly like shortbread.

- Primula

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As it is the Christmas Season, I will share with you one of our favorites from our first Christmas in Germany: Beseler Lebkuchen. They keep forever (seemingly -- we eat them too quickly), and are wonderful to give as gifts. For the LOTR in us, we refer to them as:

BreeLander Lebkuchen

1Pint Hiney
3 1/4 cups Sugar
3/4 cups pecans (or almonds)
3/4 Citron
1/2 cup Sugared Orange peel (cut in fine pieces)
1 teaspoon Cinnamon
1 teaspoon Cloves
1 teaspoon Mace
1 teaspoon Baking Soda
6 oz. liquid (it calls for half water, half wiskey which works great, but we have used Amaretto, orange juice, Rum, and ginger ale as substitutes for the wiskey and it is all good)
Rind of a lemon, grated
10 cups of flour.

Heat honey, sugar and pecans. Let cook a little; keep stirring. Let cool. Add spices and soda, then whiskey-water and lastly the flour. Roll out dough thinly while still warm. Cut into squares or oblongs and place on well greacsed cookie tins. Let stand overnight. Bake at 350 F. 10-12 minutes, remove while warm.

- Doctor Gamgee

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There was hot soup, cold meats, a blackberry tart, new loaves, slabs of butter and half a ripe cheese: good plain food, as good as the Shire could show... FotR

Blackberry Tarts from Bree

Filling:

4 c. blackberries
Sugar to taste
Lemon zest to taste

Wash berries, lightly toss with sugar and lemon zest.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Tart shells:

3 c. flour
1 t. salt
1 c. butter or shortening
8 T. ice water (more or less)

Sift flour and salt. Cut in shortening or butter. Add cold water 1 tablespoon at a time, tossing with a fork. Shape dough into 2 balls. Roll out and cut out circles just big enough to fit the cups of a muffin tin.  Fit the dough circles into the muffin pan like small pies. Fill with the berries.
Bake for about 35 minutes or til pastry is lightly browned. 

Makes about 2 dozen little muffin-sized tarts.

- Primula

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 I made this last year from a recipe I found at Epicurious. It smells wonderful as it bakes and tastes even better. Enjoy and feliz navidad!

Hall of Fire Christmas Bread (Chilean Pan de Pascua)

Ingredients

Yeast sponge:

      Pinch of sugar
      1 (1/4-ounce) packet active dry yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons)
      3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour


Dough:

      1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
      1/3 cup sugar
      1/2 teaspoon salt
      Finely grated zest of 1 orange or lemon
      4 large eggs, room temperature
      3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
      1 1/2 teaspoons brandy
      1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
      1/2 cup dried or glacéed cherries
      1/3 dark raisins
      1/3 cup golden raisins
      1/3 cup candied ginger or lemon or orange peel
      1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted


Preparation

Make sponge:
In 2-cup glass measuring cup, stir together 1/2 cup warm water (105°F to 115°F) and sugar. Sprinkle yeast over and stir, then let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. Stir in flour, cover with plastic wrap, and let stand at room temperature until sponge rises to top of measuring cup, 20 to 30 minutes. Uncover and stir mixture down.

Prepare dough and bake bread:
In bowl of electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar until fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add salt and zest and beat until combined. Add 3 eggs, 1 at time, beating well after each addition. Add sponge and beat until combined. Add 2 cups flour and mix at low speed until combined. Add remaining 1 cup flour, remaining 1 egg, brandy, and vanilla and mix at low speed until smooth.

Increase speed to medium and beat dough until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Add cherries, dark and golden raisins, and candied fruit, and mix at low speed until incorporated.

Lightly butter clean, large bowl. Turn dough out onto work surface and form into ball. Transfer dough to bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover bowl snugly with plastic wrap and let rise in warm, draft-free area until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.

Line 8-inch diameter (at top) clay flowerpot with foil and lightly grease foil. (Alternatively, lightly grease 9-inch diameter springform pan with 3-inch-high sides.) Turn dough out onto work surface and knead 1 minute, then transfer to pot or pan. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in warm, draft-free area until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.

Arrange rack in lower third of oven and preheat to 375°F. Remove plastic wrap from dough in pan and transfer pan to oven. Bake 20 minutes, then lay sheet of foil loosely on top of loaf. Continue baking until bread is nicely puffed and golden-brown, about 25 to 30 minutes more. Cool in pan on rack 10 minutes, then unmold and cool completely before slicing and eating.

Sam's Notes

      Dissolving the yeast in water that's the correct temperature is key: water that is not hot enough will result in a rise that is too slow; water that is too hot will kill the yeast, and the dough will not rise at all. Use an instant-read thermometer to check the temperature of the water: To get an accurate reading, begin with more water than you need, and then pour the extra off.

      Be sure to use active dry yeast, not instant.

      Before you begin, be sure that your butter and eggs are at room temperature. To warm the eggs, place them in a small bowl and then add several changes of hot water to cover.

      A standing mixer is the best to make this bread, which is too soft to knead by hand and exhausting to knead by stirring. Use the paddle attachment for best results.

- Yaralindi (Sam)

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Mushrooms ala Gandalf

This is an old British recipe with a few modifications of my own:

~ Fill up a pan with cut mushrooms (portabella if you have them).
~ Add a 1/2 stick of butter.
~ Enough cooking wine (your choice) to cover the bottom of the pan.
~ Add pepper generously with a grinder.
~ Several shakes of nutmeg.
~ Add Worchestershire Sauce till everything turns black.
~ Cover and cook on medium. Cook them to death.  Use your staff if you have to.
~ Reduce heat to warm when mushrooms have absorbed most of the liquid in the pan.
~ For the best taste, leave in pan and serve.

Great with steak or on burgers. Makes good leftovers too.

- Gandalf the Grey

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One thing that comes to mind when the holidays roll around is the obligatory, and oft-maligned, fruit cake. Every year my mother and I make fruit cakes using the same basic recipe, but with slight variations for our differing tastes (hers has candied cherries - yuck!), so I thought I'd post my recipe for any who do happen to like fruit cake, especially with plenty of red wine in it.

Fruitcake of Erebor

8 oz golden raisins
8 oz candied pineapple
1 lb candied mixed fruit
8 oz dried figs, quartered
8 oz dates, quartered
6 oz dried cranberries
½ – 1 cup red wine

Combine fruits and wine and soak overnight.

8 oz butter or margarine
8 oz brown sugar
½ cup molasses
4 – 5 large eggs
1½ + ⅓ cups all-purpose flour
¼ + ⅛ tsp baking soda
¾ tsp cinnamon
1⅛ tsp nutmeg
¾ tsp ground cloves
4 oz blanched almonds
8 oz lb pecans
4 oz walnuts

1 cup red wine (optional)

Preheat oven to 300.
Cream butter, sugar and molasses. Beat in eggs. Gradually add flour, soda and spices.
Add the batter and nuts to fruit mixture and stir well.
Grease 8” foil loaf pans (4 - 6) with vegetable shortening. Fill each pan @ 2/3 full. Bake for 1¾ - 2¼ hours until done.

Pour about 1/4 cup of wine over each loaf when taken out of the oven. Remove cakes from pan immediately and set on wire rack to cool.

Wrap each loaf in plastic wrap (or cheesecloth), then with aluminum foil and store in refrigerator. May be basted with additional wine weekly, if desired. 

- Ashlyn

With all the red wine, all you need is a roaring fire and some red meat off the bone!

Primula's adaptation:  Change walnuts to pecans, increase almonds, double cinnamon and substitute the candied mixed fruit with currants and additional dates.  Half splenda-half sugar worked well to bring down the sugar amount. Pre-chopped dates work well also.

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Cherry Soup Provender ... (because it takes a lot of provender to raise young hobbits.)

2 1/2 pounds pitted dark, sweet cherries (fresh if you can find and afford them, I use frozen)
4 cups water
1/4 cup honey or maple syrup
Juice of 1 lemon
Whipped cream or yogurt for topping (optional)

In large saucepan bring cherries, water and honey/maple syrup to boil, reduce heat and simmer 15-20 minutes.
Cool completely before next step.
Blend cherries and liquid with the lemon juice, add more honey/maple syrup if needed, until smooth.
Chill thoroughly. Ladle into bowls and top with a dollop of whipped cream or yogurt.

-Primula & Eileen

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Lavender & Lemon Muffins
Heavenly golden muffins for all those golden-haired hobbitlings cavorting in Rosie's garden.

½ cup Sugar
1 ½ teaspoon Lavender
1 ½ teaspoons grated lemon zest
1 ¾ cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
2/3 cup buttermilk
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon lemon extract
1 egg
2 teaspoons melted butter

- Preheat oven to 400 º F
- Line 12 regular muffin tins with paper cup liners
- Combine sugar, lavender and lemon zest in blender or food processor until lavender is chopped up
- Remove 2 tablespoons into a separate bowl
- In a separate bowl combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt
- In a separate bowl combine buttermilk, egg and oil
- Add sugar mixture with flour mixture, then add buttermilk mixture and stir together until just combined
- Spoon batter into muffin cups
- Bake 15 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean
- While still warm, brush melted butter onto muffins and dip in reserved sugar mixture

- Strange Elf

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Frogmorton Flapjack
A good bite for the sweet-tooth from the 'real' Shire.

125g Porridge oats (quick oats)
125g Rolled oats
150g butter
75g golden syrup
75g caster sugar (superfine)
1 tsp. ginger (optional)

Heat the butter, syrup and sugar in a saucepan until all melted together, then mix in the oats.
Place in a baking tray and cook for about 30 minutes at 175 oC.
Then slice, and leave to cool.

- Laiquendi & Strange Elf

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One of the autumn favorites - just be sure you use a 'pie pumpkin' not a 'jack-o-lantern' one, the latter is too bland and stringy for good eating. We get one or two "eatin' pumpkins" in October that decorate our porch until they are eaten in November - usually this way:

Stuffed Pumpkin (or Dinner in a Pumpkin)

Pumpkin (about 4-5 lb.)
1 lb. ground beef
1 small onion, chopped
1 can tomatoes (not jumbo sized)
1 cup instant rice, uncooked
2 cups beef broth
4 T. butter, melted
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. thyme
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 c. grated cheddar cheese

Cut a lid in your pumpkin, scoop it out and brush the inside with the melted butter. Set it in a shallow casserole dish. Brown beef and onion together, drain. Add the rest of the ingredients except the cheese. Combine and scoop into the pumpkin. Put on lid. Bake pumpkin in a 350 degree oven for about 2 hours, or until pumpkin flesh is soft. About 15 minutes before it is done, take off the lid and top it with the cheese, return to oven to melt.

Serve by scooping the filling out with the pumpkin, delicious. You can save the seeds from your pumpkin to blanch and toast in the oven also.

- Primula

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Taters Boulangere

Pre-heat the oven to 350F. For 3-4 people you will need ~1.5 lbs of potatoes - peeled and sliced to about 1/4", a sliced onion, some rosemary (but dried herbs will do nicely), and a mixture of 1 cup of chickent stock and 1/2 cup of milk. It will scale quite nicely for larger/smaller dinners. Take an ovenproof dish and wipe it with butter so nothing sticks. Put in a layer of potatoes, a layer of onion, sprinkle over some bruised rosemary. Repeat. Top off with a layer of potato. Pour over the milk-stock mixture (may not need all of it) and then top off the dish with dots of butter and some rosemary sprigs (or herbs). Cook uncovered in the oven for 50-60 minutes until the potatoes are soft in the middle and brown/crisp on top. The original recipe suggested checking the dish and adding more liquid if it looked dry, but I've never had to.
or roasted butternut squash......

1 butternut squash, about 2 lbs.
1/2 teaspoon crushed chili flakes
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon coriander
1 teaspoon fennel
1 teaspoon dried oregano or tarragon
1-2 tablespoons olive oil.

Warning: Butternut squash are smooth, hard, and round so absolute stinkers to cut without adding finger to the mix. Be careful! I want you still to be able to type.

Preheat the oven to 425F. Cut the squash in half, scoop out & discard the seeds and goopy bits. Cut those in half and then half again.

Mix the spices - grind them up if you are using whole spices and have a lot of energy. Blend with enough oil to make a runny paste.

Place the squash, skin side down, on a baking tray. Baste/smear with the spice mixture. Bake for 30 minutes or until tender.

- Monitor13

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Roasted Garlic is pretty amazing.

Cut the tops of 4 heads of garlic and set them in a pyrex dish. Pour 1 tbsp of Olive Oil on each head, then cover dish with foil and bake at 325 for 45 minutes. Remove the foil and bake an additional 12.

You can either serve it with some french bread (a knife will let you pull it from the head easily) and butter (it has a lovely nutty flavor that is not sharp), or mix it in with your mashed potatoes with a little sour cream, butter and milk.

Quite yummy!

- Doctor Gamgee

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Roasted Potatoes & Onions

6 – 8 potatoes, scrubbed, cut into chunks
2 onions, cut into chunks
⅓ cup olive oil
¼ cup butter, melted
1 envelope onion soup mix
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried marjoram
1 Tbsp dried parsley flakes
1 tsp black pepper
½ tsp salt

Preheat oven to 450.

Combine all ingredients in large roasting pan. Toss well. Bake until potatoes are crisp and golden brown, stirring occasionally, for about 60 - 75 minutes.  Good basic provender.

- Ashlyn

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Corn Casserole

1 can whole kernel corn, drained
1 can creamed corn
2 Tbsp self-rising flour
¼ tsp salt
⅛ tsp black pepper
1 packet sugar substitute
2 large eggs
¼ cup milk
2 Tbsp butter, melted

Preheat the oven to 350. Lightly grease a casserole dish with cooking spray.

Combine whole kernel and creamed corn. Add next 4 ingredients and stir well. Whisk together eggs and milk; add to corn mixture along with melted butter; stir well. Pour mixture into prepared dish.

Bake for 45 minutes or until golden brown and set. Let stand 5 minutes.

Makes 7 (½ cup) servings.

- Ashlyn

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Roasted Green Beans

1 pound green beans , stem ends snapped off
1 tablespoon olive oil
Table salt and ground black pepper

Adjust oven rack to middle position; heat oven to 450 degrees. Line rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil**; spread beans on baking sheet. Drizzle with oil; using hands, toss to coat evenly. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt, toss to coat, and distribute in even layer. Roast 10 minutes.

Remove baking sheet from oven. Using tongs, redistribute beans. Continue roasting until beans are dark golden brown in spots and have started to shrivel, 10 to 12 minutes longer.

Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper, transfer to serving bowl, and serve.

Serves 4

** An aluminum foil liner prevents burning on dark nonstick baking sheets. When using baking sheets with a light finish, foil is not required, but it is recommended for easy cleanup.

- Ashlyn

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Mixed Vegetables Meduseld

Assorted vegetables, frozen or fresh, such as broccoli and cauliflower florets, cut green beans, new peas, etc.
1/2 - 1 c. assorted nuts, chopped.  Pecans, cashews and sliced or slivered almonds work best.
1/4 c. butter, or more depending on how many veggies you have.
Seasoning :a favorite pepper, perhaps, or a seasoning blend.  Our favorite is 'ras el hanout', a blend with coriander, lavender, cloves, rose petals, red pepper and other good things.  It is a moroccan spice, and might be found in an 'international' market, if no traders have recently come through from Far Harad.

Place vegetables in a deep fry-pan, add a little water and cover.  Steam, stirring occasionally, until  just done.  Move vegetables to another container.  In the hot pan, melt the butter and add nuts and seasoning.  Stir constantly over medium to med.-high heat until butter is browned and foamy.  Pour over the vegetables and toss. 
Fit for a King, this is a great way to use up frozen vegetables.

- Primula

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Pineapple Cheddar Casserole

Cube 8 slices of bread (we quarter it both ways for 16 cubes per slice).
Melt a stick of butter and pour over bread cubes, tossing so that all are evenly coverd. Set aside.

Cube 1 lb. of cheddar cheese into 1 inch chunks. Set aside.

Open two cans of Pinepple Cubes and pour juice into a saucepan.
Add 1/2 cup sugar and 4 tbsp. of flour. Heat over medium-high heat until it thickens, stirring constantly.

Pour Pineapple chunks and cheese and 2 cups mini-marshmallows in a 9X9 pan (spread them evenly so the three items are well mixed.

Our juice mixture over this, and top with the bread cubes.

Bake at 350 for 20-25 mnutes (until bread crusts begin to turn brown--don't overcook).

It sounds weird, but is totally Yummy!

- Doctor Gamgee

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Rosie's Bread
This time of year, I love baking bread. After a lot of trial & error, my daughter and I have tweaked a recipe to come out with just the right consistency of white bread for slicing, cinnamon rolls & pizza dough. My favorite way to eat it is fresh out of the oven with a little melted butter & garlic salt. Yum! We use this recipe at least twice a week. There is almost nothing cozier than the smell of fresh bread!

1 1/2c warm water
3 Tbsp honey (or sugar)
1can evap milk (Or we sometimes use 12 oz of powdered milk, to rotate our food storage)
1Tbsp salt
1/3 c oil
2 eggs beaten (though we usually use powdered eggs, again to practice with our food storage)
3 packets yeast
8 1/2 c flour

Preheat oven to 350
Mix yeast, warm water and honey. Set aside.
Mix all other ingredients in a separate bowl.
Add the honey-water-yeast mixture and blend well.
Add flour last.
Knead until smooth as a babys bottom!
Dough makes 3 bread pan loaves. Roll and divide.
Put into each greased pan to rise.
Bake for 40 minutes in convention oven (15-20 in convection oven) or until golden brown.
You can substitute half of the white flour with wheat to make a healthier bread.

- Rosie

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Fantastic Bread ala Vison

OK. You need a heavy Dutch oven for this, enameled cast-iron, like Le Creuset, at least 6 quart capacity. It must have a matching lid. You will also need parchment paper, a 10 inch skillet, and some nonstick cooking spray such as Pam.

The recipe:

3 cups all purpose flour -- measure PRECISELY, I was careless the first time I made it, and thus had to add a tad more liquid to the mixture
1 1/2 tsp table salt
1/4 tsp instant yeast -- I don't use instant yeast, I hate the stuff and have never had any luck with it. So I used ordinary traditional rise yeast.

BUT -- I proofed the yeast in the water/beer mixture for 8 minutes, then went ahead with the dough.

If using instant yeast, mix it with the flour and salt. Otherwise, do as I did and stir 1/4 tsp ordinary yeast into:

3/4 cups plus 2 tbsp (7 oz) water at room temperature
1/4 cup plus tbsp (3 oz) mild lager such as Budweiser (according to the magazine, better beer does not make better bread but Sleeman's was fine and you can use non-alcoholic beer if you like).

(If using traditional yeast, let it proof for 8 - 10 minutes, then proceed)

1 tbsp ordinary white vinegar

Mix the dry ingredients. Add the water/beer/vinegar and stir around until it forms a sort of shaggy ball. Cover it with plastic wrap and let it sit in a warmish spot (not WARM, but warmish) and let it sit for 8 to 18 hours.

I mixed it up yesterday at about 4:30 pm and let it work until about 10:30 this morning. It had risen beautifully.

Before proceeding with the bread, spray the sheet of parchment paper (about 12 by 18 inches) with Pam and put the paper in a 10 inch skillet.

Now you turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead it maybe 15 times, about 15 seconds. Make a ball, put it seam side down on the sprayed parchment paper in the skillet and spray the top of the dough lightly with Pam and then cover it with plastic wrap and let it rise for 2 hours or so.

About half an hour before you intend to bake it (1 1/2 hours after setting the bread to rise, in other words):

-put the oven rack on its lowest position
-put the cast iron Dutch oven and its lid into the oven, set it to preheat to 500 degrees F.

-When the bread has risen for its 2 hours, or longer if you think it needs it,
slash the dough across the top with a VERY SHARP knife or razor blade

-take the HOT pot from the oven, set its HOT lid carefully aside

-lift the bread on its parchment paper gently up and gently set it into the HOT cast iron pot

- pop the HOT lid on, and pop the whole shebang into the oven. Do not worry if the parchment paper overhangs a bit, it won't affect anything.

-reduce the oven heat to 425 F. and bake with the lid ON for 30 minutes.

-take the lid off the pot and cook a further 20 to 30 minutes.

-remove to a cooling rack and let cool for a couple of hours.

Then cut a hunk off and butter it and enjoy it. Splendid bread, I assure you!!! Crunchy, shattering crust, open texture, tastes like bread should.  This recipe demonstrates once again how stupid it is to cook with volume measures instead of weights.  I love the way Cooks' Illustrated explains things, and this recipe is interesting for that reason if no other.

And remember boyz and girlz, the pan is HOT.

I've made this bread 3 times in the last 3 days and it is FANTASTIC. Next time I make it, I'm going to put 1/4 cup whole wheat flour in place of 1/4 cup white flour.

- Vison

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How to Fix Runny Jam or Jelly
Oh no! What is a hobbit-household to do when the jam is too thin?

3/4 cup boiling water
1 package pectin (this comes from Certo, don't know if it will work with SureJell)
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
Mix and let set until gas has been completely expelled - stand for 10 minutes
Put 8 cups of soft jam or jelly, 1 1/2 cups sugar and 1/4 cup lemon juice in large pot, bring to boil stirring constantly. Add Pectic mix, the lemon juice and boil for 4 min while stirring.

Skim and jar the same as usual.

- Primula, with thanks to Toni

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Click here for Apples and Mushrooms Recipes
Click here for Blob's Collection of Jello Recipes from the Fans
Click here for the Thanksgiving Page

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Birthday cake for Bilbo and Frodo, submitted by Old Toby

Cake with swan-boat for the "Into the West" party

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Note: the material posted here is for the personal use of members of the Fellowship of Middle-earth community and may not be used for commercial or other unauthorized use, by publication, re-transmission, distribution, or otherwise, except as permitted by the Copyright Act or other law.
Questions/comments? Email Primula.