50+ Lifestyles

Ella’s Kitchen

Spring has finally arrived – a time of new beginnings. Ella’s Kitchen also has a new beginning. There will be four featured cooks that will rotate monthly. This month I am introducing you to Verdene Franklin. Besides the featured recipes, I will be occasionally adding cooking short-cuts, menu planning, using herbs and spices, house-hold hints or gardening tips. I hope you enjoy the new look.

Ella

Verdene’s Vittles From the kitchen of Verdene Franklin…..

Now a resident of Davenport, Verdene comes to us with a wealth of colloquial cooking skills. She is Oklahoma/Texas born and raised and has lived and cooked professionally in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Guess you could say she has cooked from border to border! Here are three of her favorites.

Cream of Chicken Soup
1/4 c. butter
1/4 c. carrots
2 oz. flour
4 c. chicken stock
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
1 1/2 c. milk
1 c. half and half
3/4 lb. cooked chicken

Mix butter, celery and carrots over a low flame.
Add flour and stir until bubbly.
Add chicken stock, stirring constantly.
Add salt, peppers, milk and half & half.
Cook on a low flame until it thickens.
Makes about 2 Gallons.
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Hawaiian Fish
1 c. flour
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
Mix together and dredge fish in it; fry in skillet until golden brown
Sauce:
1/2 c. brown sugar firmly packed
1/2 c. soy sauce
1 tbsp. corn starch
1 tbsp. grated fresh ginger
1 tbsp. dry cream sherry
1 tbsp. sesame oil
1 tsp. minced garlic

Blend browns and corn starch. Add soy sauce, ginger, sherry, sesame oil, and garlic. Cook over a medium heat until it comes to a boil (2 to 3 Minutes) Remove from heat and drizzle over fish.

Garnish with pineapple chunks. Serve fish on a bed of rice.

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Honeyed and Curried Platter
Have Ready:
4C cooked brown rice
2C cooked kidney beans

In a saucepan make a cream sauce with 2 tbsp. Butter, 1 tbsp. Corn Starch, 2 c. Milk, 3/4 c. Dry Instant Milk.

When thickened, add to cream sauce: 1 tbsp. Lemon Juice,
1 tbsp. Honey, 2 tsp. Curry, 1 tsp. Salt.

Sauté 1 Medium Onion Diced, 2 Cloves of Garlic Minced,
2 Medium Carrots Sliced, 2 small Zucchinis diced

Serve on serving platter as a side.

Special Additions and Garnish:
Whole Cooked shrimp
Sliced Fresh Nectarines or Fresh Green Grapes