Mixed Vegetable Bake Recipe

Mixed Vegetable Bake
(From the book Kiss The Cook Who Microwaves:
One Dish Meals by Mary Mouzar and Joanne Uhlman)

(Crispy buttered crumbs and shredded golden cheddar cheese top a veggie mixture of peas, carrots, cauliflower and potatoes in a cream sauce)

1 cup diced carrots
2 1/2 cups pared, cubed potatoes (about 3 or 4 medium)
2 cups cauliflower florets
1 cup frozen peas
1/4 cup water
10 oz can condensed cream of chicken soup (or use the easy homemade recipe on page 145 if you have the cookbook mentioned above)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup bread crumb topping (saute some bread crumbs in butter until golden or use the recipe for Crispy Crumb Topping on page 149 of the cookbook mentioned above)

Method: In a 2-quart (6"x10") microwave-safe baking dish, arrange carrots in corners, potatoes along edges, cauliflower and peas in centre. Add water. (see illustration below)
Cover and cook at 100 % power 10 minutes (no need to uncover during cooking time), or until vegetables are tender.
Add soup to vegetables and mix.
Cover and heat at 50% power 4 minutes or until hot.
Sprinkle with cheese and crumb topping.
Makes: 4 or 5 servings

Arrange the vegetables in baking dish as shown above. This helps promote even cooking, with tougher veggies near the edges and tender near the middle.

Cover with a rectangular baking dish of the same size. No need to move or stir the contents during the cooking time.

After the cooking is done, and while hot, sprinkle with cheese and crumb topping.

Baked Haddock Fillets

Enjoy Fresh Nova Scotia Baked Haddock
Living along the Nova Scotia coast means having freshly caught fish delivered to the door, or available from within a short drive to the nearest public market where it is brought from one of the nearby ports. Liverpool's market has a vendor offering a variety of fish every Saturday morning from spring to late autumn.
Here is a simple and tasty way to enjoy fresh haddock fillets. The recipe uses one pound of fish but it could be easily doubled.

Baked Haddock Fillets
1 tablespoon butter
1 medium onion, sliced (about a 1/2 cup)
1 lb fresh or thawed haddock fillets
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup bread crumbs (homemade bread is best for crumbs)
1/4 teaspoon summer savory
Method:
Saute onion in butter.
Arrange fish in buttered baking dish. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with half the crumbs, the sauteed onion, then remaining half of crumbs.
Sprinkle with summer savory.
Bake in 375 degree Fahrenheit oven for 20 minutes.

Corn Relish Recipe

The corn, peppers, celery and onion for this recipe were all purchased from Valerie Jollimore's fruit and vegetable stand at the Liverpool, Nova Scotia farmer's market. The wonderful aroma of a variety of pickles is wafting from the kitchens around the Region Of Queens these days.

Corn Relish
1 cup white vinegar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoons powdered mustard
1 teaspoon celery seeds
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
2 1/2 cups corn kernels, cut from cobs
3/4 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup finely chopped celery
1 1/2 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons cold water
1/2 cup diced sweet red pepper
1/2 cup diced green pepper
Method: In a saucepan or Dutch oven, combine vinegar, sugar, salt, mustard, celery seeds, turmeric and hot pepper sauce; bring to boil.
Stir in corn, onions and celery; reduce heat and simmer, stirring often, until softened, about 20 minutes.
Whisk flour with water; whisk into pickle mixture. Add red and green peppers; bring to boil and cook, stirring often, until thickened, about 5 minutes.
Fill sterilized jars and seal.
Note: This recipe makes the amount in the above picture but you may double the recipe, if you wish.

Beef & Barley Soup

This old fashioned Beef & Barley Soup begins with a couple of good beef bones. My source of marrow bones with lots of meat attached is Hatt's Quality Meats on Milford Street in Milton, just upriver from Liverpool, Nova Scotia. The pressure cooker speeds up the soup making process. It also cooks the barley in half the regular time.

Here's how I made the soup pictured above:

Beef & Barley Soup
2 meaty soup bones

6 cups cold water

1 teaspoon peppercorns

1/2 bay leaf

1/4 teaspoon marjoram

1/4 teaspoon thyme

1 cup fresh celery leaves

1 scrubbed carrot, sliced

1 peeled onion, sliced

1 1/3 teaspoons salt

Cut the meat from the bones and then cut into bite-size cubes; brown it in beef drippings directly in a pressure cooker. Add bones to meat. Add water, peppercorns, bay leaf, marjoram, thyme, celery leaves, onion and salt. Close the cooker and bring slowly to 15 pounds pressure. Process 30 minutes. Allow pressure to drop before opening. Transfer to a large pot.

Remove the bones.

Clean the pressure cooker then add four cups of water. Bring to a boil. Add 1 cup of barley and boil, uncovered for 2 minutes. Cover and bring to 15 pounds pressure. Process 30 minutes.

Allow pressure to drop before opening. Add barley to the meat and broth.

Other vegetables: Add whatever types and amounts of cooked vegetables that you wish to the soup. If adding frozen peas or corn, there is no need to cook them first.