Recipes that appear in Idea Alley have not been tested by the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.
I recently heard from a reader asking how I keep all of my recipes organized.
I told her not very well.
My core recipes are kept in a recipe box on my kitchen counter along with a few often-used cookbooks (Idea Alley: 50 years of recipes from the Arkansas Democrat, Arkansas Gazette and Arkansas Democrat-Gazette; my family's cookbook and David Joachim's Food Substitutions Bible). The rest of my "organization system" consists of stacks upon stacks of papers and cookbooks feathered with sticky notes. And of course the newspapers digital archives.
If you have a method that works, please share by dropping a note or sending an email to the address below.
Martha Winters shares this bread recipe from the Wichita Eagle in response to Becky May's request for a cornmeal yeast bread.
Corn Meal Mini-Loaves
2 packages active dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water
1 cup milk, scalded
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon salt
1/2 cup cold water
51/2 to 6 cups all-purpose flour, divided use
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup enriched cornmeal, plus more for dusting
Dissolve yeast in warm water.
Pour scalded milk over shortening, sugar and salt; stir occasionally until shortening melts. Add cold water and cool to lukewarm. Stir in 2 cups flour and eggs. Add the dissolved yeast and the cornmeal. Stir in enough of the remaining flour to make a soft dough. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead 8 to 10 minutes or until smooth and elastic. Shape dough into a ball. Place in a greased bowl; turning to coat surface of dough. Cover and let rise about 1 hour or until doubled.
Punch dough down; shape to form 6 French bread-shaped loaves about 6 inches long. Generously grease 2 large cookie sheets; sprinkle each with about 2 tablespoons cornmeal. Place 3 loaves on each prepared cookie sheet. Cut 31/2-inch slashes across the top of each loaf. Cover; let rise about 45 minutes or until nearly doubled. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes.
Editor's note: For traditional loaves, divide dough in half and shape and place each portion into standard loaf pan. Cover and let rise until doubled. Bake at 325 degrees for 45 minutes to 1 hour.
A McGehee reader shares this chicken recipe, which she describes as "rich and filling."
The bundles can be assembled in advance and refrigerated until ready to bake.
Chicken Bundles
1 (171/4-ounce) package frozen puff pastry sheets
2 cooked chicken breasts, skinned and boned
2 tablespoons peanut oil
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped mushrooms
1/2 cup sour cream
11/2 teaspoons prepared mustard
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 pound Monterey jack or pepper jack cheese, sliced
Thaw puff pastry sheets until flexible.
Chop chicken into bite-size pieces.
Pour oil into a small skillet; heat and add onion and mushrooms. Saute for 3 to 4 minutes. Mix in sour cream, mustard and seasonings. Remove from heat.
Cut each pastry sheet in half. Place 1/4 of the chicken in a mound in the center of each sheet. Spoon mushroom mixture over chicken. Place sliced cheese on top. Bring ends of puff pastry together over the chicken and fold twice. Crimp sides of pastry to seal chicken mixture inside. Place on a lightly greased cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes or until richly browned.
And to finish with something sweet, this sugar-free pudding recipe comes from Bill Hirst.
"This is my 'go to' recipe for a super quick, 'a little something sweet' end to a meal," Hirst writes.
Chocolate Pudding
6 tablespoons bulk Splenda
3 tablespoons cocoa powder
3 tablespoons cornstarch
Pinch salt
2 cups skim milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Combine the dry ingredients in an 8 cup Pyrex mixing bowl and stir in the milk. Then microwave on high (1000 watts) for 3 minutes. Stir and microwave 1 minute more. Continue cooking in 30 second increments, stirring between each, until thickened. Stir in the vanilla and pour into 4 cups. Cover and refrigerate. Serve with a dollop of frozen whipped topping.
Makes 4 servings.
Note: To save prep time, Hirst mixes and weighs several batches of the dry ingredients to store in a jar.
Next week: Anderson's Roquefort salad dressing.
REQUEST
• Hoppin' John like that served at Murry's Dinner Playhouse for Betsy Berry.
Send recipe contributions, requests and culinary questions to Kelly Brant, Idea Alley, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, P.O. Box 2221, Little Rock, Ark. 72203; email:
kbrant@arkansasonline.com
Please include a daytime phone number.
Food on 02/21/2018