Handy recipes

5 things:

1.  Almond milk (from Fit for Life by Harvey & Marilyn Diamond):

1/4 cup whole raw almonds
1 cup cold water
2 tsp maple syrup (optional, and it should be 100% maple syrup)

Blanch almonds in 2" of boiling water in a sauce pan, add almonds and simmer for 30 seconds.
drain, slip off skins, and put almonds in a blender.
Add 1 cup cold water and blend at high speed for 2-3 minutes until you have a thick white milk.
Add the maple syrup if you want.
Use as is for smoothies or strain if you want all the little chunks out.

2.  Biscuits (from Julia's Kitchen Wisdom by Julia Child).  Biscuits are always wonderful.

2 cups flour
1 2/3 Tablespoons baking powder
3/4 t. salt
1 T sugar (you can leave this out if you like)
3/4 cup butter
1 cup milk

Mix the flour with the baking powder and salt, then cut in the butter until the mixture looks like cracker crumbs.  Fold in the milk with a wooden spoon to make a rough, sticky dough.

Turn the dough out onto a well-floured surface (make sure your hands are floured, too), then knead gently, lifting the left side over the right, then the right over the left, giving 6 folds in all.

Gently pat the dough into a rectangle 3/4" thick, then cut in squares or use a round biscuit cutter.

Place the biscuits on a baking sheet and bake them in a preheated 425F oven  for 15-2o minutes until cooked through and lightly browned.

3.  Potato pancakes (from Chez Moi):  For each person, peel one medium potato, cut it into chunks and put in a food processor (I use my Little Oscar).  Add one raw egg, a bit of salt & pepper, and process until there's no more big chunks.  Heat a T of oil or butter in a cast-iron frying pan until it's quite hot, and pour the whole batch of batter in.  When bubbles form on the top, and the bottom edge looks brown and crispy, flip it over and brown on the other side.  One pancake per person.  Serve with a pat of butter and a bit of maple syrup.

4.  Zucchini-garlic-dill soup (from an old girlfriend who got it from Atkins, I think):  Into a two-quart sauce pan,  add two medium zucchinis, washed and cut into chunks,  a clove or two of garlic, similarly cut up, and either 1 quart of chicken stock or water, and boil until the zukes & garlic are soft, then add a T or so of dill (either fresh or dried, but I prefer dried), plus salt & pepper.  Add to blender and puree.  When it's nice & smooth, add a T or two of cream or evaporated milk or almond milk, as you prefer.  Stir together and serve.

5.  Popcorn in olive oil (from Chez Moi, also):  Heat a deep saucepan and swirl in a couple of tablespoons or more of EVOO.  Add 3 kernels and cover.  When the 3 kernels pop, add about 1/4 to 1/3 cup of popcorn and stir with a wooden spoon until the kernels start to look toasty.  If they start popping, put the lid on and shake the pan constantly until the popping stops.  Turn off the heat and empty the pan into a big bowl.  Add melted butter and salt to taste, and Bob's your uncle!!  My daughters like a little heat and way less (no) butter, so they add a bit of something spicy, soy sauce, and grated parmesan cheese.  But I don't like that so much.  I like just plain old popcorn w/ butter, and I LOVE the flavor when it's popped in olive oil rather than anything else.