Sweet and Sour Meatballs

Our parents party food!

1 cup cracker crumbs (a sleeve of saltines = 1 1/4 cup)
1 lb ground beef
1 egg
1/4 cup milk
1 tsp soy (soya) sauce
1 tsp worcestershire
salt and pepper

combine all the above and form into meat balls (I bought a handy dandy thing that looks like scissors but forms meat balls)
Place on foil lined rimmed cookie sheet and bake at 350 x 20 minutes. makes 40-50 meat balls

1 1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white vinegar
3/4 cup water
1/2 cup ketchup
1 tsp dry mustard
2 tbs corn starch

Combine all the above in sauce pan bring to boil
add cooked meatballs and simmer on low for about an hour

Peach Tart

Aunt Elaine's pie crust

5 cups flour

1 tsp salt

1 tsp baking pwd

1 lb shortening

1 egg

1 tbs white vinegar

water

mix first four ingredients with pastry blender

beat egg and vinegar in measuring cup. Add water to make one cup total

Add to dry ingredients, kneed lightly

wrap with plastic wrap and refridgerate at least one hour. Makes 5 single crusts approx and keeps well

8 large peaches peeled and pitted (you and drop peaches in boiling water for one minute for easy peeling or there are peelers available for soft fruit and tomatoes that work well)

juice of 1/2 lemon

1 cup sugar + 1 tbs

4 tbs flour

1 tbs butter in pieces

toss sliced peaches in lemon juice

mix flour and 1 cup sugar and toss well with peaches

roll out 1 crust to approx 11 inch circle on lightly floured surface

place pastry round on rimmed cookie sheet or pizza pan (you might line with foil for cleanup)

Spoon fruit mixture into center leaving a two inch border

Place butter pieces on fruit. Fold dough up and around fruit leaving an opening in center. Seal any breaks by brushing with water.

Sprinkle outside with sugar

Bake at 425 35-40 minutes

Scallops and Spinach

Bay of Fundy Scallops are very much missed by this Canuck Floridian

Publix sells Canadian scallops in their freezer section individually frozen and easy to use, although not as good they will do

Besides with a 30 year reunion coming up I might want to offset that pint of Haagan Dazz I ate last night

1 lb sea scallops

1/2 red pepper diced

1 stalk fennel diced optional ( I had fennel left over from yesterday's tomato soup)

1 shallot finely diced

1 lemon zested and juiced

1 pkg 10 oz spinach

salt pepper and nutmeg

wash scallops and dry well

heat frying pan medium high with tbs olive oil

add red pepper shallots and fennel and stir fry one minute

add spinach lemon zest and lemon juice and stir fry one minute adding salt pepper and nutmeg

remove veg mixture to plate

add tablespoon butter to fry pan

sear scallops2 minutes each side to sear side but not overcook season with salt and pepper

Place scallops over spinach and serve

Tomato Fennel Soup

Fennel can be used in a variety of ways. The bulb can be sliced, diced or quartered and served as a vegetable. The stems can replace celery in salads or stuffings

2 lb plum (roma) tomatoes

1 onion chopped

1 fennel bulb trimmed and chopped

3 garlic cloves minced

1/4 cup white wine or vermouth

2 qts chicken stock

1 6oz can tomato paste

1 tbs herbs de provence

1 tbs sea salt

1 tbs worcestershire

generous amt ground black pepper

garnish with chopped fresh basil, croutons, grated cheese or green onions

Saute onion, fennel and garlic in three tbs olive oil stirring occasionaly until tender, about 10 mins.

Meanwhile drop tomatoes in boiling water x 1 minute. Peirce peal with shrap knife and peal tomatoes. Cut each in half and squeeze out seeds and excess water. Chop

Add wine to fennel and onion mixture and cook until liquid disappears

add chopped tomatoes and tomato paste and cook for 5-10 minutes

Gradually add chicken stock, salt pepper and spices

Simmer 30 minutes