Tortellini in Gorgonzola Sauce

You can find torellini in three places: frozen foods, fresh near the specialty cheeses, and dried in the pasta section. I tried the dried (that I found at Costco) and I am impressed with how good they were. The Gorgonzola is in the specialty/gourmet cheese section.

2Tbsp butter
1/2 medium sweet red pepper
2Tbsp flour
1 1/2 cup milk
1 cup gorgonzola, crumbled
Grated Parmesan cheese
Black pepper
Generous Dash of ground nutmeg
16 ounces of tortellini, cooked and drained
2 TBSP pine nuts or chopped walnuts
Fresh basil garnish

The recipe assumes you know you have to cook the tortellini while you do all the other steps, so cook the torellini according to directions.
1. In 3 quart saucepan over medium heat, in hot butter cook red pepper until tender-crisp.

2. Stir in flour; cook mixture 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Gradually stir in milk; heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to low; simmer 2 minutes or until sauce thickens.

3. Add Gorgonzola, Parmesan, black pepper and nutmeg. Stir until cheeses melt; remove from heat.

4. Stir in hot tortellini and pine nuts, toss to coat well. Garnish with basil leaves if desired.

This dinner is soooo good. Serve with a salad. What a meal. Why did I wait 30+ years to try this recipe!?

Salmon and Potato Soup

This is a variation on a recipe in my "Fish and Shellfish" cookbook.
It is pretty fast because I used two frozen salmon burgers for the fish and I cooked the potatoes in the microwave.
12 oz (or 2) salmon burgers
1 onion chopped
1.5 lb potatoes (I used red potatoes, but I think the regular spuds would be better because they will be mashed)
2.5 c milk (soy is an option)
2 Tbsp butter
salt and pepper to taste
snipped chives or scallions

1.Thaw the fish patties in the microwave
2.Chop the potatoes and put 1/4 c. of water in the bowl and cook them in the microwave until they are soft enough to mash.
3. Chop the onion and brown in large skillet or deep pot.
4. Add fish to the onion and cook until fish is done. Remove from heat to work on the potatoes.
5. Drain the water from the potatoes. Mash the potatoes, add the butter to melt into potatoes.
6. Add milk to potatoes thick and creamy. (I think I would like it a little thinner, but see how you like it)
7. Add the fish to the milky potatoes, and heat to just bubbling.
8. Garnish with chives or scallions.

Farm Apple Pie

That's right! It's a dessert! Ed's birthday was Feb 9, and I made this to have with our fancy dinner. We have been enjoying the pie so much, I thought it was worth sharing. This recipe is from a very old (1978) issue called 100 Baking and Dessert Ideas. I have only made a couple of the recipes in all these years, because most of them are extremely decadent (trans. Fattening!).
This pie has a wonderful crust and includes raisins, and tasted a lot like Mincemeat pie, which is one of my favorites.
For any of you thinking that this will only put on the pounds, I suggest you have a slice for breakfast with cottage cheese on the side!
2.5 c white flour
2 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking powder
3/4 c real butter (a must!)
1 egg yolk
7 cups thinly sliced peeled apples (I used 3 granny smith and 3 galas)
2 tsps lemon juice
1/3 c granulated sugar
1/3 c brown sugar
1/4 cup raisins (I used dried blue berries)
2 Tbsp flour
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt

In a mixing bowl stir together the first 4 ingredients. Cut in firm butter (not soft or melted)
till the mixture is like small peas. In measuring cup beat egg yolk slightly with a fork: add enough cold water to measure 1/2 c liquid. Continue preparing pastry for double crust pie, rolling out enough dough to lay over the 9 inch pie plate. Sprinkle apples with lemon juice. Combine remaining sugars, raisins, 2 Tbsp flour, cinnamon, nutmeg and 1/4 tsp salt. Add to apples and toss gently to coat apples. Fill the pastry lined pie plate with apple mixture. Wet the rim of the pastry shell with water applied with your finger tip. Top apples filling with remaining rolled pastry and seal by pressing the top pastry into the lower shell. Cut slits on top crust. Brush with milk and sprinkle with sugar. Bake in 400 degree oven for 50 minutes. cool on rack and cut when cool.