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.
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to Recipes
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
(Orlindall)
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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Return of the Hobbit-Baker
More tasty Middle Earth recipes from our talented baker may be found
at her site: The
Bakery in Rivendell
Being a Baker and all... - by Mel Baggins
Bilbo’s Tea
Cake
zest of one lemon (or orange if you prefer)
3/4 c. butter
1 c. sugar
4 eggs
2 1/4 c. flour (any soft flour will do)
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1/2 c. dried cranberries or currents
juice of one lemon(orange)
Cream together butter, sugar and zest. Stir together dry ingredients
in a separate bowl. Add the eggs to the butter mixture one at a
time, beating well after each. Add dry ingredients and lemon(or
orange...) juice and mix Just Until Combined. Spoon into greased
loaf pan and bake at 350 degrees for 30-45 min. or until golden.
Wrap and store overnight before serving to Gandalf for Afternoon
Tea.
-Note- To impress the Wizard (and the Dwarves...), glaze with a
mixture of half a lemon(not orange) and 1/2 c. of icing sugar. Pour
over the loaf before hiding in the refrigerator overnight. Perfect
for unexpected parties.
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Breakfast
Scones for Mr. Frodo
2 1/2 c. all purposed flour
1 tbsp. baking powder
1/4 c. sugar
1/2 c. cold butter
1 c. any kind of fruit yogurt(I like strawberry)
Mix all the dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Cut in the
butter using a pastry blender until crumbly. Add yogurt and mix Just
Until It Forms A Ball of Soft Dough. (*swish* this is Sting...don’t
overmix, or you’ll feel him this time!)
Dump onto floured board and kneed 8-10 times Just Until Smooth *pats
Sting at her side* Do Not Overwork the Dough!
With your hand, gently pat down to 1 inch thickness and cut into
desired shape (triangles are my favorite)
Bake in a 350 degree oven for 12-15 min.( or until light brown) on
an ungreased baking sheet.
Brew a pot of tea. Slice up some fruit. Boil some eggs. Place
butter, jam, honey and cream on the table. Wake Mr. Frodo. Go!
*scoot!*
Annnnd...after much mentioning in posts...The elusive healing tea
appears!(this recipe is REALLY good for colds. I use it all the
time :) )
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Aragorn’s
Athelas Tea
Also known as
‘Sam’s Kingsfoil Brew’
*since herb-lore of Middle-Earth is mostly confined to herbs
native to the Shire, records of True Athelas are scarce. However,
it seems by all accounts that Mint is the closest relative.*
Juice of 2 lemons
3-4 1/2 inch coins of fresh Ginger
1 clove of garlic (“You *must* trust Master..”)
3 sprigs of Mint (approx. 7-10 leaves)
2L. Filtered water, boiling
Unpasteurised Honey
Echinaccia extract, liquid
Place Ginger, Mint and Garlic(peeled, but not crushed!) in a
cheesecloth and tie off. Add to boiling water and cook for 5-7 min.
Turn off heat and add lemon juice. Remove spices and transfer to an
insulated tea pot. Into each cup, add a tsp. of honey(or to taste),
and echinaccia extract to the bottle’s instructions.
Rx: Serce to any Man, Hobbit, or Dwarf (Elves don’t get sick,
remember?) suffering from congestion, sore throat, dry cough or
Morgul blades.
I have found the secret recipe that Merry used to prepare Frodo's
mushrooms in FOTR...But because you're all so sweet, I'll share ;)
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Merry’s
Mushrooms
“They’re mine! Mrs. Maggot gave them to me- A Queen among
farmers’ wives!” -Frodo, Fellowship of the Ring.
I onion, small dice
3-4 cloves of garlic, minced
3 c. small mushrooms, washed (can also use large mushrooms sliced in
half or quarters)
3 tbsp. oil
1 tbsp. thyme
2 c. water
2 tbsp. arrowroot
Salt&Pepper
In a medium pot or a deep pan, saute the onions and garlic in the
oil until the onions are soft. Add the mushrooms and thyme and cook
for two more minutes.
Add 1 1/2 c. water and simmer uncovered for 15 min. Mix the
arrowroot with the remaining 1/2 c. of water, and add to pot. Cook
until thickened, approx. one minute. Adjust salt and pepper to
taste. Serve immediately to hungry Hobbits (Or eat them all yourself
:) )
Enjoy!
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Melanie's Way Bread
Scottish Shortbread-style Lembas
This for those of us that are too
sweet. Diabetic that is.
1 cup all purpose flour
12 packets Splenda or Equal(they don't loose the sweetness in
baking)
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/8 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons cold butter or margarine, cut into pieces.
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
12 whole unblanced almonds or pecan halves (optional)
Combine dry items and butter together in medium bowl mix until it
resembles coarse crumbs. sprinkle in vanilla and almond extracts and
stir in. mix with hands until mix starts to hold together.
Pat dough evenly into greased 8 inch cake pan or such, about 1/2
inch thick. Lightly score dough about half way through into 12
wedges or squares. Press in almonds or pecans if desired.
Bake in preheated 325*F (160*C) oven until bread is lightbrown,
about 25 to 30 minutes. Cool on wire rack, cut into wedges while yet
warm.
For those who count such things: 120 calories, 1gram protein, 10 g
carbo, 8 g fat, 0 mg chol., 112 mg sodium. Food exchanges= 1/2
bread, 1 1/2 fat.
These were given to me on Fathers
day, wrapped in large (plastic) leaves tied with a silver cord
resembling an Elven gift as a prelude to my Kingly gift...
STING...My 4 girls always know how to please Dad and make him cry.
- On'ono Laivindur
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
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
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
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
Another
rendition:
Elven Lembas Bread II
2 ½ cups of flour (I used bread flour
but you can use all purpous flour too)
1 tablespoon of baking powder
¼ teaspoon of salt
½ cup of butter
1/3 cup of brown sugar
1 teaspoon of cinnamon
½ teaspoon honey
2/3 cup of heavy whipping cream
½ teaspoon of vanilla
Preheat oven to 425°F. Mix the flour,
baking powder and salt into a large
bowl. Add the butter and mix well till
fine granules (easiest way is with an
electric mixer). Then add the sugar
and cinnamon, and mix them
thoroughly. Finally add the
cream, honey, and vanilla and stir
until a nice, thick dough forms.
Roll the dough out about 1/2 in
thickness. Cut out 3-inch squares and
transfer the dough to a cookie
sheet.Criss-cross each square from
corner-to-corner with a knife, lightly
(not cutting through the
dough). Bake for about 12
minutes or more (depending on the
thickness of the bread) until it is
set and lightly golden.
Let cool completely before eating,
this bread tastes better room
temperature and dry. Also for more
flavor you can add more cinnamon or
other spices.
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.
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
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
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.
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
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!
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
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
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
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
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
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)
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.
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
top
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
top
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
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
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
top
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
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
top
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)
top
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
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.
top
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
top
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
top
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
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
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
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
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
top
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
top
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
top
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
top
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
top
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
top
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
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
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
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Cake
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