Thought to be the precursors to today's pancakes, johnnycakes (also called hoecakes) are made with cornmeal. They date back to the early 1700s, when frontiersmen cooked the unleavened batter over an open flame on the base of a metal hoe. Unlike the originals, these johnnycakes include eggs and baking powder, which help yield a puffy cake. Serve with maple syrup.
No party is complete without chips and dip. This dip has za'atar, a Middle Eastern spice blend, which can be found in most grocery stores. Check the expiration date on the walnuts you're buying to ensure they are fresh. Soaking them overnight gets rid of the astringency that some people don't like, so give this recipe a try – even if you think you don't like walnuts!
In a hurry one night, I created this Baked Macaroni & Cheese Casserole. I used regular macaroni pasta, the cheeses that I had on hand and a little something extra - Sun Dried Tomatoes in Oil. My family loves Mac & Cheese, it's our favorite "Comfort Food" and they say that this is the best version that we've had to date, declaring that it's "Perfect"! Served along with a Green Salad and some Crusty Bread or Buns you'll have an Excellent Family Dinner!
You can’t beat the comfort factor of thinly sliced potatoes and onions sizzled together with cheese in a pan.
Potatoes hold a special place in the nation’s heart, and every regional cuisine seems to offer its own humble way of cooking these earthy staples. Pan haggerty, cooked in one heavy pan, dates back to the Industrial Revolution, when it was a cheap and delicious way to fill the bellies of workers in the old pit towns of Northumberland. This rustic dish has been gentrified over time, and you’ll now find versions including bacon, ham or sausage.
This recipe is an adaptation of the Canadian Living Dark Christmas Cake from their 2004 Holiday Cookbook. Due to allergies in my husband's family, I had to remove the nuts from the original recipe, and substituted the dates instead. As well, I am not a fan of a lot of candied fruit, so substituted dried fruit for a lot of the candied stuff. It took three tries to come up with the recipe below (which is simply Dark Christmas Cake, 2006 recipe in my cookbook), but my family, in-laws, and coworkers certainly like this one. Hope you do too.
