Julie Shelby’s Baked Curried Onions

2 lbs small white onions
6 Tbsp. butter or margarine
4 Tbsp. flour
1 cup beef stock OR 1 cup water with 2 beef bouillon cubes dissolved in it
1 cup milk
1/4 to 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 tsp. curry powder
1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese
Add sliced water chestnuts and/or sliced mushrooms for further enrichment

01. Peel onions; cook uncovered in boiling salted water for 15 minutes.
02. Drain and place in a greased baking dish.
03. Melt the butter in sauce pan. Stir in the flour and cook for 1 or 2 minutes, stirring often.
04. Add beef stock and milk; cook, stir constantly, until mixture is thickened and smooth.
05. Remove from heat, add seasonings and cheese, stir til smooth.
06. Add sliced water chestnuts and/or mushrooms if desired.
07. Pour over onions.
08. Bake uncovered in a 350 degree oven for 45 minutes.

Serves 6 to 8.

Kathy Hawes’ Maple-Glazed Sweet Potatoes and Apples

3 lbs sweet potatoes, baked
2-3 apples
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
4 tbs butter
1/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup maple syrup
2 tbs dark rum
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground mace

01. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Arrange an oven rack in the highest position. Butter a 14×9x2 inch au gratin dish.
02. Let the potatoes cool slightly, then pull off the peel with a dull knife and cut diagonally into 1/4-inch slices.
03. Peel and core the apples and cut lengthwise into eighths. Toss in a bowl with the lemon juice. Combine with the sliced potatoes in the au gratin dish, making an arrangement of alternating slices if you have the patience.
04. In a stainless-steel saucepan, combine butter, sugar, maple syrup, rum, cinnamon and mace, and stir over moderate heat until the sugar dissolves.
05. Pour over the apple-potato mixture so that the top is uniformly moistened.
06. Bake in the upper third of the oven, basting frequently, for 25 minutes, or until the apples are tender, the sweets have a nice glaze, and the edges of both are browned lightly. If this last does not happen, run under broiler for 20 seconds.

Serves 8.

Cindy Peter’s Pumpkin Pie

Crust:
1 1/3 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup shortening
3 tbs ice water
Filling:
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp cloves
2 large eggs
1 3/4 cups solid pack pumpkin (15 ounces)
1 1/2 cups evaporated milk (12 ounces)

Crust
01. Combine flour and salt in mixing bowl. Cut in shortening with two knives until mixture is uniform.
02. Sprinkle the mixture with a tablespoon of ice water at a time. Toss lightly with a fork. After all water is added, form dough into a firm ball.
03. Press dough into a flat circle with smooth edges. On a lightly floured board/pastry cloth, roll dough to a circle 1/8 inch thick and about 1 1/2 inches larger than inverted pie plate.
04. Pick the dough up and gently ease into the pie plate. Do not stretch the dough.
05. Trip 1/2 inch beyond the edge of the pie plate; fold under extra dough t make a double thickness around rim. Flute or form the edges.
Filling
01. Combine sugar, salt, cinnamon, ginger and cloves into small bowl.
02. Beat eggs slightly in a large bowl, stir in previous mixture plus pumpkin.
03. Gradually stir in evaporated milk and stir until smooth.
04. Pour into pie shell; fill as close to the top as possible
05. Bake in a 425 degree preheated oven for 15 minutes. Then reduce the temperature to 350 degrees and bake for 40-50 minutes.
06. Cool for at least 3 hours at room temperature.

Serves: 8