Bacon Mushroom and Parmesan Pasta

This recipe is pretty flexible on the quantity and type of some of the ingredients. The first time I made this for my brother was in the fall when the wild mushrooms are plentiful in the Northwest; I used some Matsutaki and "Green and Orange" (we're not sure what their real name is, that's just what Grandma called them) he'

Grandma Irene

d foraged, but if you don't have access to wild mushrooms Cremini would be fine too. Since he prefers Fideo, or "cut" spaghetti and we didn't have any, I just broke up Angel Hair pasta (I'm impatient--who has 7 minutes, when you can cook it in 4 minutes?). However, this recipe would be good with most any type of pasta.

5 - 6 slices Bacon

2 - 3 cloves garlic, minced (or use jarred)

1-1/2 to 2 cup sliced and/or chopped mushrooms

Pasta of your choice

Salt and pepper

about 3/4 cup Heavy cream

about 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Start large pot of water to boil for pasta. In a large skillet fry the bacon until desired crispness (strips to be crumbled after frying, or chop it first--up to you).

Meanwhile, add salt to boiling water and start cooking your preferred pasta--this recipe comes together rather quickly, so try to time it so the pasta is cooked correctly by the time the remainder of the recipe is done.

Remove bacon to drain on paper towels and pour off some of the bacon grease if you feel there is too much. Add mushrooms to skillet, seasoning to taste with salt and pepper. Cook until browned and excess moisture has cooked off. Add garlic during last few minutes, so it won't burn.

Push mushroom and garlic mixture to the edges of the skillet and pour heavy cream into center. Stir cream as it warms and add the grated cheese to incorporate into a sauce, add the crumbled bacon, stirring together with the mushrooms and sauce. Drain and add pasta, reserving a little of the cooking water which you can add to the mixture to thin the sauce somewhat--the starch in the water also helps the sauce cling to the pasta.

Season to taste with additional salt, pepper and grated Parmesan. Makes 2 or 3 servings.

Savory Chicken-Mushrom Crepes

Savory Chicken-Mushroom Crepes
(aka "Frenchiladas")

Normally I use the breast meat from rotisserie chicken to make chicken salad for sandwiches, but one day I decided to go all wild and crazy and came up with this idea instead. (Of course, if you don't want to make crepes, my brother says the filling is great in tacos.)

Filling:

Cousin Terri and Aunt Peggy
In San Francisco

1 large shallot, peeled, sliced and chopped

10 cremini mushrooms, cleaned and sliced

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp ground pepper

2 cloves garlic, minced (or use jarred)

5 Tbs butter (divided)

2 Tbs flour

3/4 to 1 cup chicken broth (or a combination of broth and white wine)

breast meat from one rotisserie chicken, chopped (about 2 to 2-1/2 cups)

1/4 cup oil-packed sun dried tomatoes (blotted to remove excess oil)

1 tsp seasoning blend*

optional: 
Sour Cream and/or Avocado to serve

Melt 3 Tbs butter in 12-inch skillet over medium heat; add shallots and mushrooms and sauté until tender; add garlic during last minute or so of cooking, then move vegetables to edges of pan and add 2 Tbs of butter to melt. Stir flour into melted butter, combining with vegetables. Cook several minutes, then add broth (and wine, if desired) and stir until sauce thickens. Add chicken, sun-dried tomatoes and seasoning and stir to combine. Simmer until chicken is heated. Note: filling can be made ahead of time and reheated to fill crepes.

Place about 1/4 to 1/3 cup of filling on the lower half of each crepe. Fold the bottom part of the crepe over the filling, then fold in sides and roll up to enclose the filling.

*Note: The seasoning blend I use contains salt, onion powder, paprika, garlic granules, cayenne pepper, ground black pepper, sage, thyme, oregano and cumin.

Basic Crepes:

3 eggs

1-1/2 cups whole milk, divided

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus whole butter for cooking crepes

Whisk the eggs and 1/2 cup milk together in a large bowl; add flour and salt and whisk until you have a smooth batter. Add the remaining cup of milk and gently whisk to combine. Cover the bowl and refrigerator the batter for at least 30 minutes or up to several hours. When you are ready to cook the crepes, melt 3 Tbs of butter and whisk into the batter. Batter should be the consistency of heavy cream--if it is too thick add a small amount of milk.

Heat a 9-inch non-stick skillet or crepe pan over medium heat. Melt a teaspoon of butter in the pan or spray with vegetable spray. The pan should be hot enough that a drop of water dances across the surface.

Using a ladle or a measuring cup, pour about 1/4 to 1/3 cup of the batter into the pan, swirling the pan while pouring so the batter covers the pan thinly and evenly for each crepe and trying no to leave any holes. Pour off any excess batter.

Cook the crepe over medium-high heat until the edges turn brown, about 15 to 20 seconds. Gently flip the crepe using a small spatula and your fingers. Cook on the second side for another 10 to 15 seconds--the second side will not be as evenly browned as the first side. Remove the pan from the heat and invert it over a warm plate to stack the crepes. Keep warm in a low oven while cooking the remaining batter.

If not using all crepes immediately, place waxed paper between each crepe, wrap in plastic wrap or place in a resealable plastic bag and refrigerate for up to two days. Crepes can be reheated (uncovered) in a 250° F for 15 minutes or until warm.

Old Fashioned Oatmeal Pancakes

This recipe was one Mom attached to the fruit syrups she made and sold at her market in Ocean Park, Washington. It was a seafood market, but for some reason she wanted to sell jams, jellies, syrups and desserts also.

Old Fashioned Oatmeal Pancakes

Aunt Anne and Mom

2 cups rolled oats 

   (not the "quick" or instant kind) 

2 cups buttermilk

1/4 cup melted butter

2 eggs

1/2 cup flour

2 Tb sugar

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp soda

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cinnamon

Blend oats and buttermilk in a bowl; cover and refrigerate overnight.  In the morning beat the eggs and butter together.  Add to oat mixture and stir just to blend.  In another bowl combine the dryingredients; add to oat mixture and stir just until moistened.  If batter is too thick, stir in more buttermilk.  Spoon onto lightly oiled hot griddle.  When first side is browned, gently turn and cook until second side is golden brown.  Serve with plenty of butter and syrup.

Ginger Molasses Cookies

Aunt Peggy and Uncle Lee - Nahcotta, WA
(uncle Lee was a big fan of ginger cookies)

The first time I made these I mistakenly measured three tablespoons of ginger. The cookies were spicy-hot, but actually quite delicious.

Ginger Molasses Cookies

1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick)

1 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup molasses

1 egg

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp baking soda

pinch salt

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground cloves

3 tsp ground ginger *

1/4 cup raw (turbinado) sugar

Preheat oven to 300 F.  Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a small bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, salt, and spices. In a medium bowl, cream the butter with 1 cup sugar.  Add the molasses and egg and beat well.  Add the flour mixture to the creamed mixture and stir to combine well.

Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls (about the size of an unshelled walnut) into raw sugar and gently roll to coat; place about 2 inches apart onto baking sheets--they will spread.  Bake for about 10 minutes or until cookies are beginning to brown--Cookies should look slightly underbaked.  Remove to wire rack to cool.

* If you like VERY strongly flavored (i.e. HOT) ginger cookies, you can add more! If you are truly daring try adding some chopped candied ginger.

Velvet Almond Fudge Cake

Becky with Grandma's dog Nina
ca. 1980, Nahcotta Boat Basin

A "chocoholic's" delight, this cake is easy and really needs no frosting, since it already has has a triple dose!

Velvet Almond Fudge Cake

1-1/2 cups sliced or blanched slivered almonds

1 pkg (12 oz) chocolate chips

1 pkg chocolate fudge or chocolate cake mix

1 pkg (3.4 oz /4 serving size) instant chocolate fudge or chocolate pudding mix

4 eggs

1 cup sour cream

1/2 cup water

1/4 cup oil

1/2 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp almond extract

Toast almonds at 350° F for 3 to 5 minutes; allow to cool. Sprinkle 1/2 cup of almonds on bottom of well greased 10 inch tube pan.  Set aside remaining almonds and chocolate chips.  Measure remaining ingredients into mixer bowl.  Blend; then beat at medium speed 4 minutes.  Stir in chips and almonds.  Pour into pan and smooth--batter is fairly thick. Bake at 350° F  for 65 to 70 minutes, or until cake begins to pull away from sides of pan.  Do not underbake.  Cool in pan 15 minutes.  Remove and finish cooling on rack. 

Serve with dollop of whipped cream or scoop of ice cream, if desired. 

Mom's Chocolate Applesauce Cake

Mom mad

Mom (and friend) ca. 1955

e this cake for many birthdays and special occasions in our family. It is a fairly simple, moist cake, but the chocolate whipped cream makes it taste divine.

Mom's Chocolate Applesauce Cake

1 pkg chocolate cake mix

(preferably a "basic" one without added pudding)

1 tsp soda

1-2/3 cups applesauce (about 14 oz)

(the original recipe called for "1 can" but they don't seem to sell it that way these days)

2 eggs

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1/4 cup water

Preheat oven to 350° Fahrenheit.  Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans. Beat cake mix, soda and applesauce with electric mixer.  Add eggs, oil and water and beat for about two minutes on medium speed.  Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until done.  Fill and frost with Chocolate Whipped Cream.

Chocolate Whipped Cream Frosting

2 cups heavy cream

1/3 cup powdered sugar

2-1/2 Tbs cocoa

1/2 tsp vanilla

Sift powdered sugar and unsweetened cocoa together. Add to cream and vanilla. Mix together; do NOT beat.  Chill at least two hours, then whip until stiff.

Lemon Cream Parfait

Rick, cousin Wayne, Terri and Sherrie

This recipe was shared by one of the Park Hosts when I worked at Fort Stevens State Park. This was one of the most popular desserts at any potluck and always seemed to disappear first. I made this recipe almost every week to sell at my Mom's store--a seafood market, but everyone seemed to also want cookies and desserts. You can, of course, experiment with other flavors and create your own version of this dessert--I've included the Tropical / Coconut version, which is one of my favorites.

Lemon Cream Parfait

1 stick butter

1 cup flour

1 cup pecans, finely chopped (I use a small food processor)

8 oz cream cheese, softened

1 cup powdered sugar

1 cup Cool Whip (from 8-oz container)

1 small pkg lemon instant pudding

1 small pkg vanilla instant pudding

3 cups milk

Remaining Cool Whip; additional chopped pecans for garnish

First layer: melt butter in 9x13 pan (can also make in a 10x10 pan; crust & all other layers will be slightly thicker). Mix in flour and nuts; pat out to cover the bottom of pan (yes, it is enough, even though it doesn’t seem to be). Bake at 350F for 15 minutes; cool--overnight is best.

Second layer: beat softened cream cheese, powdered sugar and one cup of Cool Whip; gently spread over cooled crust.

Third layer: mix pudding mixes and milk (okay to use same bowl & beaters used for second layer); beat two minutes with electric mixer. Spread over cheese mixture.  Refrigerate until third layer is firm, then top with remaining Cool Whip and sprinkle with chopped pecans. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Tropical Cream Parfait: slice 3 or 4 bananas over cream cheese layer, use 2 pkg vanilla pudding and add flaked coconut (about 1 to 1-1/2 cups) to pudding when mixed. Top with remaining Cool Whip. You can, of course omit bananas for a Coconut Cream only version.