Recipes that may be of interest to Americans living overseas.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING Everyone. Here are two recipes that will suit either your Thanksgiving or Christmas Table. The good old pumpkin in a cheesecake rather, or instead of, the traditional pumpkin pie and a jello salad that is always a hit with the young ones. Cheesecake recipe coutesy of Martha Stewart's website, http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe.

Pumpkin Cheesecake

To prevent the top from cracking, be careful not to over mix the batter, and do not open the oven door while the cake is baking or cooling inside the oven.

Note: To make the crumbs for the crust, pulse graham crackers in a food processor until finely ground. No graham crackers? Wine or super wine biscuits/cookies will do or any sweet biscuit/cookie.

Prep: 30 minutes
Total: 8 hours
Ingredients
Serves 12

FOR THE CRUST
1 1/4 cups graham-cracker crumbs (from 10 whole crackers)
1/4 cup sugar
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

FOR THE FILLING
4 packages (8 ounces each) bar cream cheese, very soft
1 1/4 cups sugar
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup canned pumpkin puree (or make your own from fresh NZ pumpkin)
2 tablespoons pumpkin-pie spice
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 large eggs, room temperature

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350F/180C degrees, with rack in center. Assemble a 9-inch nonstick springform pan, with the raised side of the bottom part facing up.
2. Make the crust: In a medium bowl, mix cracker crumbs, sugar, and butter until moistened; press firmly into bottom of pan. Bake until golden around edges, 10 to 12 minutes.
3. Make the filling: With an electric mixer, beat cream cheese and sugar on low speed until smooth; mix in flour (do not overmix). Add pumpkin puree, pie spice, vanilla, and salt; mix just until smooth. Add eggs one at a time, mixing until each is incorporated before adding the next.
4. Place springform pan on a rimmed baking sheet. Pour filling into springform, and gently smooth top. Transfer to oven; reduce oven heat to 300 degrees. Bake 45 minutes. Turn off oven; let cheesecake stay in oven 2 hours more (without opening).
5. Remove from oven; cool completely. Cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate until firm, at least 4 hours. Un-mold before serving.

Festive Pineapple-Cranberry Salad

Prep: 10 min. plus refrigeration

1 can (20 oz) Crushed Pineapple, undrained
2 pkg. (4-serving size each) Raspberry Flavour Gelatin
1 can (16 oz.) whole berry cranberry sauce
1 Apple, chopped
2/3 cup chopped Walnuts

Drain pineapple, reserving juice. Remove 1 Tbsp. of Pineapple; set aside.
Add enough cold water to juice to measure 3 cups; pour into saucepan.
Bring to boil; remove from heat.
Add dry gelatin mixes; stir 2 minutes.
Stir in Cranberry sauce. Pour into large bowl.
Refrigerate 1 1/2 hours or until slightly thickened.

Stir in pineapple, apples and walnuts.

Refrigerate 4 hours or until firm. Garnish with reserved pineapple,
Sliced apple and some fresh mint.

Makes 14 servings, 1/2 cup each.

Fred and his family were having dinner at his Grandmother's house. Everyone was seated around the table as the food was being served. When Fred received his plate he started eating right away.
"Fred, wait until we say our prayer."
"I don't have to," the boy replied.
"Of course, you do," his mother insisted. "We always say a prayer before eating at our house."
"But that's at our house," Fred explained, "this is Grandma's house, and she knows how to cook."

5 MINUTE CHOCOLATE MUG CAKE
4 tablespoons Flour (not self-rising)
4 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons Hershey's baking cocoa (or any good baking cocoa)
Dash of vanilla
1 egg
3 tablespoons milk
3 tablespoons oil
3 tablespoons chocolate chips (optional)
1 large microwave safe coffee mug
(Note: Coffee Mug should hold a little more than 2 cups of water, best to test before making as ingredients will overflow as a dear friend found out. You could make the cake in a glass 500-600 measuring cup as an alternative)

Add dry ingredients to mug and mix well.
Add vanilla, egg, milk, and oil to mug and mix well.
Add the chocolate chips (optional) again mixing well.

Put your mug in the microwave.
Cook for 3 minutes (1000 watts) (Others have cooked it for 2 1/2 minutes as well)

The cake will rise above the top of the mug,
but don't be alarmed. It will not run down sides of mug, but will drop back down when Microwave stops. (Unless you used a mug that was too small, found this out the hard way)

Allow to cool a couple of minutes. (Important that you let it cool a little or it will stick to the mug)
Tip out onto a plate if desired and serve with whipped cream or drizzle a spoonful of frosting over top. (The chocolate chips will sink to bottom but be on top when you tip out)

Super Easy and a quick desert if you have unexpected company arrive.
ENJOY!!!

AMBROSIA - What some call 'Heavenly Hash' in the USA. This is a great fruit salad that everyone will be asking you to bring for shared meals.

1 - 432 gram tin pineapple chunks-drained
1 - 320 gram tin mandarin segments – drained
1 - large firm banana – sliced
1 ½ cups seedless grapes (cut in halves)
1 cup small marshmallows or large marshmallows quartered
1 cup grated coconut
½ cup coarsely chopped nuts (almonds preferred)
1 cup sour cream

Combine all ingredients in large bowl except sour cream.
Mix sour cream in separate bowl to soft consistency then pour
over fruit mixture and stir gently.
Chill for 1 hour or as long as overnight.
Decorate with extra coconut on top if desired.

You can substitute all kinds of fruit, I have used cherries
and some have used lychee nuts, your choice.

SMOKED CHICKEN PIE - This is a great, easy meal when company drops by and tastes fantastic!

125 grams Brie Cheese
1 Smoked Chicken
250 grams light sour cream
1 tsp lemon rind
1 tbl lemon juice
Freshly ground black pepper
12 stalks rocket (optional)
2 sheets flaky puff pastry
1 tbl dry breadcrumbs

Remove chicken from bones, discard skin and chop meat roughly. Slice cheese finely. Place sour cream in bowl and mix in lemon rind and lemon juice, salt and pepper. Chop rocket roughly and mix into sour cream with chicken and cheese. Place a sheet of pastry on an oven tray. Scattered breadcrumbs on pastry and pile chicken mix on top. Place second pastry sheet over mix and seal edges. Brush top with water and slash in several places for steam vent holes. Bake at 220 degrees Celsius for 10 minutes, reduce to 180 degrees Celsius and bake 20 minutes more.

Lora's BBQ Chicken Wings - Another great recipe for that potluck at work or family gathering at home. They are delicious and will disappear as soon as you put them on the table so you might want to make a double batch.

5 lbs (2 1/2 Kilos) of Chicken Wings or Nibbles (Regular not marinated)
1 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup cooking sherry
1/2 tsp dry mustard
1-cup soy sauce
1/4 tsp minced garlic
Place wings in shallow pan, preferably an aluminum throw away one for easy cleanup. Combine all other ingredients in saucepan, and bring to a simmer.
Pour sauce over wings and bake at 350 degree for 2 to 2 1/2 hours, turning over every 25 to 30 minutes until all sauce is absorbed and wings are glazed.

Chili Verde - Another wonderful Mexican recipe from my dear friend Lora

4 to 4 1/2 pounds (Abt 2 kilos) of pork shoulder, cut bite size. Remove as much fat from it as you can.
1/4 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. cumin, salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
Mix above dry ingredients and add to pork, mixing well.
Do not brown meat, and do not put any oil in pan.

Cook in large pot on medium heat for about 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
(Do not remove lid while cooking except to check on dryness. The pork creates it's own juice so usually requires no added liquid but if it does look dry, add a little water.)
Reduce heat to medium low.
Cook another 40 minutes.
Then add 1 (7oz or 200grams) can diced green chilies, and diced canned jalapenos to taste. I only use maybe 1/4 tsp.Jalapenos. Add 1 (16 oz or 450grams) can Mexican style chopped or stewed tomatoes.
Simmer until meat is totally done.

Serve with rice, beans, and flour tortillas.

Arroz Rojo - Red Rice - Here is a tried and true favorite for what we called "Spanish Rice" in California. Goes great with all your favorite Mexican dishes; enchiladas, tacos etc. and is easy to prepare.

1 1/2 cup long grain white rice
1 garlic clove
3/4 tsps of salt
3 tbls vegetable oil
1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
1 (8 oz) can Mexican style tomatoes
2 cups chicken broth
2 roasted chili peppers (finely chopped)

Mash garlic with salt to make a paste. Heat oil in large pan or pot. Add rice.
Cook and stir over medium heat until lightly browned, stirring often so as not to burn. Add onion and garlic paste. Cook and stir until onion is tender. Stir in tomato sauce, chili peppers and chicken broth. Cover and simmer until most of the liquid is absorbed. Reduce heat to very low and steam 30 to 45 minutes until rice is tender.

Makes 6 servings.

FLAN DE QUESO - Cream Cheese Flan - This recipe for flan came from a very good friend, Lora Mora and though it is a little fussy to make, the end results are worth it for that special occasion!
Lots of calories, but oh so good and at this stage of the game, who cares.

1 1/2 cups sugar
6 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 (8 oz or 225 grams) pkg cream cheese
1 (14 oz or 400 grams) can sweetened condensed milk
1 (12 oz or 350 grams) can evaporated milk

Make topping first. Have a 2 qt casserole dish standing by. Using a heavy skillet, melt sugar over high heat. When sugar is melted and forms golden color syrup, carefully pour into casserole dish. Turn the dish to coat bottom and sides with syrup, do this fast as syrup hardens very quickly.

Combine eggs, vanilla and softened cream cheese in blender or mixer. Add the cans of milk and blend well.
Pour into casserole dish and place in a large pan containing one inch of hot water.
Bake 350 degrees Fahrenheit/180 degrees Celsius for 50 minutes, let cool, then chill.

To remove flan, slide a thin knife around edges, invert over serving platter and tap dish lightly. After flan is removed, spoon out any remaining topping and pour over top of flan.

There will be hard layer of sugar that remains in baking dish, soak in hot soapy water to get it out.

I use a casserole dish that is about 4 inches (10 centimeters) deep and maybe 12 inches (30.5 centimeters) around. I top mine with whipped cream.

Guacamole Avocado Sauce

2 Medium avocados
1 small tomato (diced)
2 tablespoons minced onion
1-teaspoon lime or lemon juice
1-small garlic clove
1/2-teaspoon salt
Peel avocados. Mash with a fork in a medium bowl. Stir in tomato, onion, lime or lemon juice.
Mash garlic with salt to make a paste then stir into avocado mixture.
Serve at once, makes 6 servings
Note: Put the avocado seed in the mix to prevent browning.

Buttered Maple Syrup Kumara - Best made just before serving. For all the American families that miss Candied Yams at Thanksgiving and/or Christmas, here is a substitute recipe that is sure to please everyone in your family. No marshmallows on top but just as sweet and yummy!

4 medium Kumara, halved lengthways
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup (125ml) pure maple syrup
40g butter, melted
Cut kumara into 2cm slices. Combine kumara and oil in baking dish. Bake, uncovered in moderate oven 30 minutes. Increase oven temperature to hot, drizzle combined syrup and butter over kumara, bake, uncovered, 20 minutes or until kumara is browned, turn and brush once with syrup mixture during cooking.
Serves 8 to 10

Pumpkin Pie
For those of you that were unable to bribe someone to bring you a can of Libby's Pumpkin Pie Mix, here is the Kiwi recipe. Bake and enjoy the delightful aromas of the cinnamon and spices filling your house.
This recipe has been gratefully donated by Jinni Easterday of the American Women's Club in Auckland as printed in the Nov 2006 NZ House & Garden magazine. Also thanks to PJ & DK for sending the recipe in the first place.

Prepare the pumpkin for this pie by steaming it above water, mashing it and allowing it to cool.
1 1/2 cups mashed steamed pumpkin
1-cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
11/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground cloves
2 cups milk
2 eggs, lightly beaten

Preheat oven to 220°C. Roll out dough to line 2 X 23 cm pie pans. Make leaf shapes from leftover dough and set aside. Place ingredients in a large bowl and beat until smooth. Pour into lined pans. Place in center of oven and bake 10-12 minutes then lower heat to 180°C and bake 30-45 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. (After first 20-30 minutes jiggle pie to see if it has started to set. If so, remove from oven and quickly drop pastry leaf shapes on top then continue cooking.) Cool on a rack for at least an hour before serving with whipped cream. Makes 2 X 23 cm pies

Jinni also has an interesting pie crust recipe made without Crisco.
Mom's Pie Crust
A combo of semi-soft butter and Olivani makes a light, flaky crust while still retaining a rich butter flavor. The light version of Olivani can be used with good results.
2 1/2 cups high-grade flour
1/2 tsp salt
125g semi-soft butter
125g Olivani
5-8 tablespoons ice-cold water

Mix flour and salt in a bowl (metal is best). Cut in butter and Olivani with a pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles course meal. Add water a tablespoon at a time, mixing with a fork until dough just holds together without being wet or sticky. Mold into 2 flattened balls and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill at least 30 minutes before rolling out. Makes enough for 2 X 23cm pumpkin pies.

Max's Fudge
I thought I would share with everyone a wonderful chocolate fudge recipe that you can make very quickly. You can either serve to guests or package in pretty tins and give away for gifts. This great recipe came from our dear friend Max.

2 3/4 Cup Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips
1 Can (14 oz) Sweet Condensed Milk
1/4 Cup Butter
1 Cup of Chopped Nuts (Walnuts or whatever you prefer)

Place all ingredients except nuts in large bowl, microwave until 50% of the Chocolate melts (abt. 3 minutes). Stir once or twice during cooking. Remove and stir in nuts. Pour into well greased square pan (I use butter) and refrigerate until set and cool. Cut in squares. I keep the fudge in an air tight container in the refrigerator and it is usually gone within 2 days so I'm not sure how long it will actually last.

It will be ready to eat in 20 minutes and so good!

Miss America Breakfast Pie - Rick Rose, Owner of RockCliffe Mansion in Hannibal, Missouri, has kindly given his permission for us to print his famous Miss America Breakfast Pie, aptly named from Rick's friend, Leanza Cornett, Miss America 1993. It is unbelievably good and if you are ever in Hannibal, Missouri, be sure and try it first hand as it is the Mansion's Signature Breakfast.
Visit Rockcliffe Mansion Web Site

Ingredients:
NOTE: ingredients are VERY flexible...this is a great dish to use up leftovers in the fridge!
2 TBS veg. oil
1 lb (1/2 kilo) bulk sausage or chorizo (or, for vegetarians - SOYrizo or fake sausage crumbles)
8 oz mushrooms, coarsely chopped
1 cup cooked rice (brown or white)
1/2 cup canned black beans (optional)
1/2 cup canned corn (optional)
1 cup fresh salsa, drained
1 cup sour cream
7 eggs
1/4 cup cheddar cheese, or monterey jack cheese or a combo of both -- shredded
2 TBS chopped cilantro or parsley

1. Heat veg oil in large skillet, brown sausage or chorizo, making sure to crumble it (use the back of a wooden spoon or fork).
2. Once sausage is browned, mix in mushrooms, black beans, corn, and rice. Heat for about 5 minutes on medium heat.
3. Stir in drained salsa and sour cream, and let simmer for about 7 minutes.
4. Using the back of a wooden spoon or spatula, flatten the mixture into an even surface in the pan.
5. Crack the 6 eggs around the sausage mixture, creating a circle of eggs around the inside edge of the pan. Crack the 7th egg in the middle of the pan and cover, turning heat to low.
6. Cook for 8 minutes on low heat, covered. After 8 minutes, remove pan from heat, sprinkle shredded cheese evenly over the top of the "casserole" and cover for 3 minutes, so that the cheese can melt.
7. Salt and pepper to taste and sprinkle chopped cilantro or parsley on top. Slice like a pie and serve hot!
Enjoy!
Mrs.WW

They tell us we're using too much salt in our diet! So here's something you can do with all the salt that's left over after dinner:

1.Remove sink odors; pour ½ cup of table salt combined with about a quart of water into the drain.
2.Smelling sponges; soak in a cold saltwater solution after finishing the dishes.
3.Greasy Pans: Sprinkle salt into pan as soon as you remove the food. Later, wipe the excess grease out with a paper towel.
4.Clean Ovens: Mix salt and ground cinnamon put on food while still hot. After cooling, rub off salty spots with stiff brush or dishcloth.
5.Odors from hands: Rub in salt moistened with vinegar. Or, salt and water may work also.
6.Air Freshener: Remove pulp from half an orange and fill with salt.
7.Thermos bottles: Use saltwater, let stand for an hour and then rinse with water.
8.Removing rust stains: Make a paste using 3 parts table salt to one part lemon juice. Apply paste to rusted area with a dry cloth and rub the rust away. Rinse the area thoroughly and dry.
9.Relieve Bee stings: Wet sting spot and cover with salt.

CHART HOUSE BLEU CHEESE DRESSING
A tried and true recipe that I got many years ago from the fabulous Chart House Restaurant in lovely Coronado, California. Bon Apetite!

Place In Mixing Bowl:
1/4 cup sour cream
1/2 tsp dry mustard
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
Blend 2 Minutes At Low Speed
Add:
1 1/3 cups mayonnaise
Blend 30 seconds at low speed.
Then Blend 2 minutes at medium speed.

Crumble: 4 ozs. Good bleu cheese by hand into very small pieces and add.
Blend at low speed no longer than 4 minutes. Must sit 24 hours refrigerated before using. Makes approx. 2½ cups.

QUICK MIX (SUBSTITUTE FOR BISQUICK)
For those of you who really miss American Bisquick Mix, here is an alternative recipe that can be made to suit your favorite Bisquick recipes from the states. Try the oven fried chicken recipe below, it's great.

8 1/2 Cups all-purpose flour
1-teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 1/2 cups instant non-fat dry milk
1 tablespoon salt
2 1/4 cups vegetable shortening
2 teaspoons cream of tartar

In a large bowl, sift together all dry ingredients. Blend Well. With pastry blender or two knives, cut in the shortening until evenly distributed. Mixture will resemble cornmeal in texture. Put in a large airtight container. Label. Store in a cool, dry place. Use within 12 weeks. Makes about 13 cups of mix.

OVEN FRIED CHICKEN

1 tbsp margarine
1 1/2 tsp paprika
2/3 cup Quick Mix
1/4 tsp pepper
1 1/4 tsp salt
2 1/2 to 3 1/2 lbs.(1.1 to 1.5Kg) Chicken cut up

Heat oven to 425°(220°C). Melt margarine in pan 13 x 9 1/2"
Mix remaining ingredients and coat chicken, place skin side down in pan.
Bake uncovered 35 minutes.
Turn the chicken and bake until done, about 45 minutes.
6 Servings.

RECIPES USING BISQUICK
So by now all of you have made up a batch of Quick Mix (Bisquick's equivalent), have tried the Oven Fried Chicken and probably whipped up a batch of pancakes or waffles but still have some Quick Mix left and are wondering what to make now? Well how about those fabulously easy Impossible Pies? Here are two recipes for you, one sweet and one savory. Bon Apetite!

Impossible Lasagne Pie

1 lb. or 1/2 kilo of mince meat (ground beef)
1 tsp dried oregano leaves
1/2 tsp dried basil leaves
1 can (6 ozs) tomato paste
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup cottage cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup milk
2/3 cup Quick Mix baking mix
2 eggs
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
Heat oven to 200 Celsius, 400 Fahrenheit. Grease pie plate 10x1 1/2 inches. Cook and stir beef over medium heat until brown; drain. Stir in oregano, basil, tomato paste and 1/2 cup of the mozzarella cheese. Layer cottage cheese and Parmesan cheese in plate. Spoon beef mixture over top. Beat milk, Quick Mix, eggs, salt and pepper until smooth, 15 seconds in blender on high or 1 minute with hand beater. Pour into plate. Bake until knife inserted between centre and edge comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Cool 5 minutes.

Serves 6 to 8 people

Impossible Brownie Pie

4 eggs
4 ozs sweet cooking chocolate melted and cooled
1/2 cup Quick Mix
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup margarine or butter, softened
3/4 cup chopped nuts (Your choice)
Heat oven to 175 Celsius, 350 Fahrenheit. Grease pie plate, 9x1 1/4 inches. Beat all ingredients except nuts until smooth. 2 minutes in blender on high, stopping blender occasionally to stir, or 2 minutes with hand beater. Pour into plate; sprinkle with nuts. Bake until knife inserted in centre comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Cool 5 minutes. Serve with ice cream if desired.