GRANDMA LEES SWEET AND SOUR BACON DRESSING (#40)

THE FOLLOWING RECIPE IS FANTASTIC FOR A SPINACH SALAD!

INGREDIENTS:
     3 slices thick bacon fried until crisp (set aside)
        you should have about 2 tbs of bacon grease
     2 eggs
     1 sm onion, peeled and sliced thin
     2/3  package of fresh raw spinach
 
DIRECTIONS:
     1. wisk together the two eggs, add a little bacon grease and stir
     2. on low heat add mixture into bacon grease a little at a time
         wisking until all is incorporated and you are ready to use
     3. pour on to the spinach and toss well    
.    4. this recipe is used for a spinach salad but can be used on lettice

    OPTIONS: you can do all or none of the following if you want!
                      after you have put what you want mix well and enjoy!
       1.  cut up an apple into tiny pieces and add to spinach salad
       2. add chopped walnuts or pecans to salad
       3. add crumpled bacon to salad
       4. add crumpled blue cheese or gorganzola to salad

* ITALIAN TOMATO SAUCE FOR CANNING ASHTON STYLE (#39)

INDGREDIENTS:       (VEGETARIAN RECIPE)

     10 lbs of ripe tomatos
     3 cans of contadina tomato paste
     4 medium to large onions peeled and thin sliced
     1 bulb of garlic cloves peeled and crushed
     6 tab of dried basil
     4 tsp of salt
     4 tsp of ground pepper
     2/3 cup of virgin olive oil
     (optional: 2 cups of italian red wine)

DIRECTIOINS:
     1. tomatos do not have to be peeled but you can if you wish; cut each
         into 4 pieces
     2. using a large fry pan or if necessary a large soup pot, pour the virgin olive
         oil and turn heat on moderate flame
     3. fry onions in pan until nicely brown, then add the smashed garlic and fry
         an additional 5 or so minutes making sure you don't burn garlic
     4. add the basil, salt and pepper and stir about 10 minutes
     5. add 3 cans of tomato paste and keep stiring about 10 minutes;
         (at this time you can add the wine and stir in
     6. if your pan or pot is not large enough split s ingredients  into 2 or 3
         pans and then split the tomatos also into the pans and cook at moderate
         heat for about 1hr, stiring constantly so as not to burn
     7. transfer all into a large soup pot,using a defuser between the pot and the  
         burner, and continue cooking an additional hour until sauce is thick
    8.  use a pedistal hand blender (I call it a motor boat blender)
         blend sauce until it is smooth
    9.  using quart and pint jars, fill jars until just below rim and water bath all the
         sauce. (you should have about 8 to 10 qts in total; (these will keep  for at
         least a year)      

SPECIAL SPLIT PEA SOUP ASHTON STYLE #38)

INGREDIENTS:

     1 lb dried split peas (check for stones or off color split peas)
     2 to 2 1/2 qts water
     1 ham bone and hopefully a good lb of ham meat
     2 tab of Millers Chicken Base or eqivelant (if ham
        is salty eliminate chicken base)
     1 medium onion, peeled and minced
     4 medium carrots, scrapped cut and minced
     2 stalks of celery,cut and minced
     1 tsp coarse ground pepper

DIRECTIONS:

    1. put ham bone and ham in 2 to 2 1/2 qts of water in lg pot and boil for about
        an hr.
    2. add minced onions, carrots,celery, chicken base, and pepper and slow boil
        about a half an hour
    3. add split peas and slow boil using a defuser between the pot and the flame
        (a good hour and a half) until vegtables are melted with the split peas into
        a creamy soup (remove ham bone and let itcool and as an option you may
        wish to suck out the marrow from the bone)     
    4. make sure soup is not to thick; add water to thin to consistency of heavy      
        cream; or if to thin, continue cooking until it thickens.  At this point you may
        wish to remove the meat and set aside; and if you wish using a vertical stand
        mixer ( I call it a motor boat mixer) mix the soup to a smooth consistency;
        than after cutting meat to about i inch pieces return to the soup).
        (as an option, you may add about 4 oz of heavy cream for a lighter soup)
    5. will serve 6 generously

REAL SPAGEHETTI SAUCE GRANDMA ASHTON SIDOTI STYLE (#37)

INGREDIENTS: (VEG STYLE ELIMINATE NECKBONES AND GRD MEAT)

      one cooks sauce in a large deep heavy pot with a top
      this recipe will serve 6 to 8 generously; double it for 12 to 16
     1/3 cup virgin olive oil
     1 lb meaty pork neck bones
      1/2 lb of ground lean beef  (see recipe for meatballs below)
     1 large (28oz) can crushed  tomatoes (contadina or equal)
     2 6oz cans of tomato paste (contadina or equal)
     5 cloves of garlic peeled and smashed
     3 tab (a slight handful) of dried basil
     1/3 cup of  parmesan cheese
     2 tsp salt
     1 tab pepper
     1 medium peeled minced onion
     2 tab granulated sugar
MEAT BALL RECIPE
     1 lb of lean gxround beef
     1 cup of  italian style bread crumbs\
     1/4 cup of parmesan cheese
     1 large egg
     4 cloves peeled minced garlic
     this recipe will make about 10 to 13 (golf ball size) meatballs depending on size
     (double it to make about 20 to 22 meatballs depending on size)

DIRECTIONS:
     1. put a 1/3 cup olive oil in a large fry pan on moderate heat
     2. heat oil and fry neck bones until brown on all sides, put them in lg soup pot
     3. fry meat balls in same oil and brown on all sides and put them in same pot
     4. fry 1/2 lb of ground meat in same fry pan until browned and put them in pot
     5. if necessary add a little more oil in fry pan and fry 2 cans of tomato paste until
         well mixed and slightly brown stiring constantly
     6. add 2 paste cans water  for each can of paste stiring constantly
     7. add large (28oz) can of crushed tomatoes and cook about 15 minutes stiring constantly; pour into pot; add a little water to fry pan which will release rest of sauce in the pan and pour into pot.
     8. important to use a defuser (these are round metal pie shaped with holes one can buy at a hardware store or a kitchen utensil store; put it in between burner and pot.  this will prevent sauce from sticking and burning sauce.
     9. bring to a near boil then turn heat down and simmer slowly for 1 1/2 hours.
   10. remove meat and set aside in a pot and put in oven covered at about 200 degrees; cook the sauce an additional 1/2 hr or more; then return meat to sauce until serving
    11. in a separate large pot fill over 1/2 with water adding 1/2 cup salt and when boiling add 1 pound of rigatoni or #9  thick spaghetti pasta and cook for about until adente and check (never overcook or it will get to be mushy! never under cook or its too hard!
    12. drain pasta and add enough sauce until its well covered in sauce;  remove meat and put on a               platter and put the pasta on a large platter to serve
        
OPTIONAL INGREDIENTS: 2 PIGS FEET WHOLE OR CUT IN HALF,;4 ITALIAN SAUSAGE IN CASINGS,; 4 CHICKEN PIECES (ONE DOES NOT HAVE TO PRE COOK THESE MEATS)

* SCOTISH SCONES ASHTON STYLE (#36)

INGREDIENTS:

       2 cups flour
       3/4 cup unsalted butter cut into small pieces
      2 tab baking powder
     3 tab sugar
     2 tsp salt
     4 eggs; 3 for the mix and 1 for the wash
     1/2 cup heavy cream
     1/2 cup plain yogurt
     1 cup raisons or blueberries
     1 tsp pure vanila

DIRECTIONS:
     1.pre heat oven 400 degrees
     2 in a large bowl, .mix together flour, sugar,
       baking powder and salt.
    3. mix the raisons or blueberries with a little flour
       and add to the dry ingredients.
   4.  add the butter and mix until mixture is crumbly
   5. add the eggs,  buttermilk, cream, vanila, and yogurt
       and mix to the consistency of sticky pie dough
   6. on a well floured cutting board, flatten dough
       to a good 1 1/2 inch thickness forming it into
       a rectangle.
   7. using a square cutter if possible or a knife cut
      into first squares than diagonally into triangles
   8. place all of the pieces on a greased baking sheet
   9. mix the egg with a little water and wash the top of
      each scone and then sprinkle a little sugar on top
 10. bake 20 to 25  minutes or until lightly brown
       (break one to make sure its done inside or cook
       a little longer)
 11. serve with sweetened creme fraich or clotted cream
       and preserves
       
 CREAM FRAICH (SWEET) RECIPE:

INGREIENTS:
   8 oz heavy cream
   4 oz sour cream
   3 tab of granulated sugar

DIRECTIONS:
   mix together cream, sour cream and
   sugar and cover and let stand about a couple
   of hours.  refridgerate and it will thicken 

      

    
    

BUTTERFLIED ROAST CHICKEN IN TWO WINES ASHTON STYLE (#35)

INGREDIENTS:
one whole frying chicken butterflied down the middle
but still connected together
1/2 cup virgin olive oil
3/4 cup of white port wine
3/4 cup of Pinot Grigio white wine
2 medium onions peeled and sliced
4 large carrots peeled and cut in half
8 small potatoes
1 lb button mushrooms whole or sliced
3 tab rinsed capers
2 tab flour for thickening sauce

DIRECTIONS:
preheat oven to 350 degrees
1. take the butterflied chicken and fry it in a large fry pan
    or a large roasting pan in 1/2 cup of virgin olive oil on
   medium high heat  until both sides are nicely browned
  set aside
2. in the same oil fry the onions  until browned and set aside
3. in a large roasting pan put the chicken top side down
4. put the onions around the chicken
5. add the wines and capers around the chicken
6. fry the mushrooms until browned and pour them and
   the oil around the chicken in the roasting pan
 7.bake the chicken top side up for about an hour at 350 degrees
    until tender (turn over once)
8. put  two cups of water in a large sauce pan and
    add the carrots and potatoes and  boil  until almost
   done and set aside.
9. drain carrots and potatoes and add them to the
    roasting pan the last half hour; at this time you
    can thicken the sauce so that it covers a spoon lightly
10. add a little more Pinot Grigio wine if necessary
11. cook an additional ten miniutes and put the
     chicken and vegtables in a large platter to serve
12. will serve 6 generously