Mrs. Angela's Recipe Book

Ingredients
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter
5 to 6 whole fresh peaches (best when not overly ripe or soft), peeled, cut in half and pit removed (about 1 3/4 pounds)
1/2 a lemon
7 tablespoons real maple syrup
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
3 tablespoons light corn syrup

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In a medium bowl, mix the flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt using a fork or pastry cutter. Cut the butter into small pieces and gradually add to flour mixture until evenly mixed.

Slice the peaches 1/2-inch thick into a bowl. Add the zest from the lemon half. Squeeze juice from the lemon half and stir in with the peaches and zest. Add 2 tablespoons of the maple syrup to the peaches and stir well.

Pour the peach mixture into a small pan (8 or 9-inch square) and cover evenly with the crumb topping. Cover with foil and bake for 15 minutes. Remove the foil and bake until crisp and brown on top, an additional 20 to 30 minutes.

For the maple cream sauce, pour the heavy cream into a saucepan. Add the remaining 5 tablespoons maple syrup and corn syrup and stir over moderate heat until thickened and reduced by about one-third, about 15 minutes. Refrigerate the sauce until it is cold and thick. Or, if you’re in a hurry, set the saucepan into a small bowl of ice (the ice will melt and turn into ice water). Stirring your mixture, it will cool and thicken in about 15 minutes. Drizzle the maple cream sauce over the peach crisp. Serve warm

Ingredients

For the potatoes:
1 1/2 pounds russet potatoes
1/4 cup half-and-half
2 ounces unsalted butter
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 egg yolk

For the meat filling:
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 cup chopped onion
2 carrots, peeled and diced small
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 pounds ground lamb
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons tomato paste
1 cup chicken broth
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons freshly chopped rosemary leaves
1 teaspoon freshly chopped thyme leaves
1/2 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels
1/2 cup fresh or frozen English peas

Directions
Peel the potatoes and cut into 1/2-inch dice. Place in a medium saucepan and cover with cold water. Set over high heat, cover and bring to a boil. Once boiling, uncover, decrease the heat to maintain a simmer and cook until tender and easily crushed with tongs, approximately 10 to 15 minutes. Place the half-and-half and butter into a microwave-safe container and heat in the microwave until warmed through, about 35 seconds. Drain the potatoes in a colander and then return to the saucepan. Mash the potatoes and then add the half and half, butter, salt and pepper and continue to mash until smooth. Stir in the yolk until well combined.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

While the potatoes are cooking, prepare the filling. Place the canola oil into a 12-inch saute pan and set over medium high heat. Once the oil shimmers, add the onion and carrots and saute just until they begin to take on color, approximately 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic and stir to combine. Add the lamb, salt and pepper and cook until browned and cooked through, approximately 3 minutes. Sprinkle the meat with the flour and toss to coat, continuing to cook for another minute. Add the tomato paste, chicken broth, Worcestershire, rosemary, thyme, and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer slowly 10 to 12 minutes or until the sauce is thickened slightly.

Add the corn and peas to the lamb mixture and spread evenly into an 11 by 7-inch glass baking dish. Top with the mashed potatoes, starting around the edges to create a seal to prevent the mixture from bubbling up and smooth with a rubber spatula. Place on a parchment lined half sheet pan on the middle rack of the oven and bake for 25 minutes or just until the potatoes begin to brown. Remove to a cooling rack for at least 15 minutes before serving.

Ingredients
1/2 pound elbow macaroni
4 tablespoons butter
2 eggs
6 ounces evaporated milk
1/2 teaspoon hot sauce
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Fresh black pepper
3/4 teaspoon dry mustard
10 ounces sharp cheddar, shredded

Directions
In a large pot of boiling, salted water cook the pasta to al dente and drain. Return to the pot and melt in the butter. Toss to coat.

Whisk together the eggs, milk, hot sauce, salt, pepper, and mustard. Stir into the pasta and add the cheese. Over low heat continue to stir for 3 minutes or until creamy.

Ingredients
2 lemons, halved, plus wedges for serving
1/2 cup Old Bay Seasoning
8 cloves garlic, smashed
1 large red onion, quartered
6 sprigs fresh thyme
1 pound baby red potatoes
4 ears corn, husked and snapped in half
1 1/4 pounds large shrimp, unpeeled
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Hot sauce, for serving (optional)

Directions
1. Fill a large pot with 4 quarts of water.
2. Squeeze the lemon juice into the water and add the squeezed lemon halves.
3. Add the Old Bay, garlic and onion.
4. Tie the thyme sprigs together with kitchen twine and add to the pot.
5. Cover and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook about 5 minutes.
6. Add the potatoes to the pot and cook until just tender, about 10 minutes.
7. Add the corn and cook 5 more minutes.
8. Add shrimp, cover and cook until the shrimp curl and are just opaque, 2 to 3 minutes.
9. Transfer the shrimp and vegetables with a slotted spoon or skimmer to a large bowl.
10. Add the butter and about 1 cup broth to the bowl and toss until the butter is melted.
11. Transfer the shrimp and vegetables to a platter.
12. Serve with the remaining broth, lemon wedges and hot sauce, if desired.

Ingredients:
2 refrigerated pie crusts
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
3 tbsp of milk
24 pecan halves

1. Preheat oven to 350
2. Use a cookie cutter to cut out 24 mini crusts and place crusts in muffin tins.
3. Bake crusts for 5 minutes and remove from oven.
4. While crusts are baking, microwave chocolate chips and milk for 1 minute. Stir until smooth.
5. Place 1 tsp of chocolate mixture onto each crust and top with a pecan half.
6. Bake for 10 minutes.
7. Allow to cool complete and store in refrigerator

Coconut Curry Shrimp

Ingredients
1 (14-ounce) can unsweetened coconut milk (not low-fat)
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon curry powder
2 teaspoons minced ginger
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
Lime wedges, for serving
Directions
In a large pot whisk together the coconut milk, lime juice, curry powder and ginger. Slowly bring to a low boil over low heat. Simmer for until slightly reduced and thickened, about 7 to 10 minutes. Taste for seasoning and add salt and or pepper, if needed. Add the shrimp and simmer, covered, until the shrimp are fully cooked, about 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer the curry to a serving bowl and serve with lime wedges.

Ingredients

* 2 pounds curly edge lasagna noodles
* Salt
* 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
* 2 pounds ground beef, pork and veal mix
* 1 medium onion, finely chopped
* 1 small carrot, grated or finely chopped
* 3 to 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated
* 2 fresh bay leaves
* Freshly ground black pepper
* 2 pinches ground cinnamon
* 3 tablespoons tomato paste
* 1 cup white wine
* 1 (28-ounce) can San Marzano tomatoes
* A handful basil leaves, torn
* 4 tablespoons butter
* 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
* 2 to 2 1/2 cups milk, eyeball the amount
* Freshly grated nutmeg, to taste
* 1 1/2 cups grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
* 2 cups fresh ricotta cheese

Directions

Bring a large pot of water to a boil over medium heat. Break all of the pasta sheets into irregular, larger than single bite-sized pieces. Salt the water, then add the pasta and cook to a little shy of al dente. Drain and set aside in a large bowl.

Heat the extra-virgin olive oil in a heavy bottomed pot or large skillet over medium heat. Add the meat, press it into an even layer and brown it for 3 to 4 minutes before moving. Turn the meat and add the onions and grated carrot. Stir and cook a few minutes to soften, then add the garlic, bay leaves, salt and pepper, to taste, and the cinnamon. Cook for a couple of minutes, then stir in the tomato paste, wait for 1 minute then add the wine. Reduce for a minute more, then add the tomatoes, breaking them up as you stir. Reduce the heat to a simmer and add the basil.

While the sauce simmers, in a medium sauce pot, melt the butter over medium heat and whisk in the flour. Cook for 1 minute, then whisk in the milk and nutmeg, and season with salt, pepper, to taste. Let cook for a couple of minutes to thicken, then stir in 1/2 cup of the grated cheese and turn off the heat.

Heat a broiler.

Add the meat sauce to the bowl with the pasta and toss. Layer half of the pasta into a lasagna pan and scatter with dollops of fresh ricotta cheese. Top with remaining pasta. Pour the white sauce over the pasta and scatter the remaining 1 cup of the grated cheese over the top. Put under the broiler to brown and bubble. Remove from the broiler and serve.
Sloppy Lasagna

Sausage-Cauliflower Spaghetti

Ingredients

* Kosher salt
* 12 ounces spaghetti
* 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
* 12 ounces sweet Italian turkey sausage, casings removed
* 6 cloves garlic, sliced
* 1 small head cauliflower, broken into small florets
* 1 bunch scallions, chopped
* 1 cup grated pecorino romano or parmesan cheese

Directions

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the spaghetti and cook as the label directs. Reserve 2 cups cooking water, then drain.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Crumble the sausage into the skillet and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until lightly browned and no longer pink, 4 to 5 minutes. Clear a space in the pan, add the garlic and cook until just golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the cauliflower and cook until the edges are browned, about 2 minutes. Add 1 cup of the reserved cooking water, cover and reduce the heat to medium. Cook until the cauliflower is tender, about 8 more minutes. Uncover and boil over high heat until the liquid is almost evaporated, about 2 more minutes.

Add the spaghetti to the skillet along with the scallions. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt. Toss for a minute or two to wilt the scallions and coat the pasta with the sauce, adding up to 1 cup cooking water, if needed, to loosen. Remove from the heat, sprinkle with the cheese and toss. Divide among shallow bowls and drizzle with more olive oil, if desired.

Ingredients:

* 1/2 pound bulk spicy Italian sausage
* 1 cup flour
* 1 teaspoon baking powder
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 cup heavy cream
* 1 ounce American or sharp cheddar cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 425°.
2. In a large skillet, crumble 1/2 pound bulk spicy Italian sausage and cook, stirring often, over medium-high heat until browned, about 5 minutes. Drain and let cool.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together 1 cup flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder and 1/4 teaspoon salt.
4. Stir 1/2 cup heavy cream into the sausage.
5. Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured work surface, press into a disk and cut into 6 even triangles.
6. Cut 1 ounce American or sharp cheddar cheese into 6 cubes and place 1 in the center of each triangle; roll into a ball.
7. Place the dough balls on a baking sheet, brush with some more cream and bake until golden, 12 to 15 minutes.

Ingredients:

* 1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
* 1 cup ricotta cheese
* 2 eggs
* 1/2 cup milk
* 12 slices sandwich bread
Cannoli French Toast

Directions:

1. Sift 1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar into a small bowl, then stir in 1 cup ricotta cheese. In a medium bowl, beat together 2 eggs and 1/2 cup milk. Trim the crusts off 12 slices sandwich bread and, using a rolling pin, roll out the bread to flatten. Add 1 tablespoon of the sweetened ricotta to each slice, fold over and pinch the edges together. (The edges will seal during cooking.) In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil over medium heat. Working in 3 batches, dip the stuffed bread slices in the egg mixture and transfer to the skillet. Cook, turning once, until puffed and golden, about 3 minutes. Dust with more confectioners’ sugar before serving