Derby Trail Cook Book

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Ramaki (This is a great appetizer)
(Yes, you can actually get away
with serving liver to your guests.)
The Rumaki recipe is a classic party appetizer recipe, proving that anything wrapped in bacon tastes good—even liver. But you can opt for scallops, shrimp or stuffed olives, instead.

Rumaki
12 slices bacon, halved crosswise
12 ounces chicken livers, halved
12 whole water chestnuts, halved

Marinade:
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 teaspoon fresh minced ginger
2 tablespoons dry sherry
1 teaspoon sugar

The Rumaki Recipe begins with the marinade: Combine soy sauce, ginger, sherry and sugar in a small bowl. Add the chicken livers and water chestnut pieces and marinate them in the refrigerator for 1/2 hour.

Place 1 chicken liver piece and 1 chestnut piece in the center of each bacon-half, wrap, and secure with a toothpick.

Place the Rumaki on a broiler pan or shallow baking pan and broil, about 5 or 6 inches from the heat, until the bacon is crisp, about 10 to 15 minutes. Or, you may bake the appetizers in a 375° oven for 20 to 25 minutes. Serve hot. Makes 24 appetizers.
Variations:

Add fresh sliced scallions to the combination above.

Substitute sea scallops for the chicken livers and/or water chestnuts.

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Duck a' L orange

Ingredients & Directions

6 lb Duck, cut

1/2 c Red wine

1 T Orange peelings

1 ea Clove garlic, minced

3 T Salad oil

1 T Potato starch

1 1/4 c Orange juice

1 T Honey

1/4 t Ginger

1/8 t Pepper

1 c Orange sections


Puncture duckling generously with fork; place on rack in roasting pan. Pour most of the sweet red wine over duckling pieces. Roast in slow oven (325 deg), basting occasionally, allowing 25 minutes/pound. In medium saucepan, saute' orange peel and garlic in oil.Mix in potato starch till smooth.Slowly add orange juice, honey and remaining wine. Simmer (1 min). Mix in ginger,pepper and orange sections; simmer (5 min). Serve hot sauce with roast duckling.

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How To Make a Philly Cheese Steak

Most people who visit Philadelphia can't leave without trying a Philadelphia cheesesteak. Here are some tips so you can make your own at home.

Time Required: 15 minutes
Here's How:
Start with good beef. Pat’s uses sliced rib-eye. Jim’s uses USDA choice top round western steer beef.
Shave the beef very thin so it cooks quickly and remains tender.
Use a fresh high quality Italian roll - Amoroso’s is a favorite.
Decide if you want your steak with or without fried onions.

Decide if you want a steak or a cheesesteak. If you elect a cheesesteak you need to decide on American cheese, provolone or the Philly favorite "cheez whiz."
Any add-ons? Mushrooms, peppers, pizza sauce, tomatoes? You decide. It’s your sandwich.
Start to cook. Sauté the onions, peppers and mushrooms until soft.
Fry your steak until brown but not crispy or burned. You can mix in the fried vegetables now or add them at the end.
If you elect American cheese or provolone place the cheese on the meat until slightly melted. If you choose Cheez Whiz just smear it on the roll.
Place the roll over the meat/cheese/vegetables and scoop it into the sandwich.
Garnish your sandwich with pizza sauce, hot or sweet peppers or pickles as you choose.
Enjoy your Philadelphia cheesesteak.
Tips:
Using the best beef available is the key.
Don't overcook the ingredients.
If you don't cook, go to Pat's, Geno's or Jim's. Which one is best? It's a regular Philadelphia debate.

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Italian Pork Sandwich

Ingredients:
1 lb. boneless pork, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
1 8-oz. bottle low-calorie Italian dressing
4 French-style rolls, split and toasted
Marinated peppers, if desired

Directions:
(The night before, or in the morning)In a resealable plastic bag, marinate pork cubes in dressing. Refrigerate 6-24 hours. discard dressing; thread pork cubes onto skewers. If using wooden skewers, soak skewers in water for and hour to prevent burning.

Grill or broil about 4 inches from heat for 8-10 minutes, turning to brown all sides. Place cubes inside rolls and serve with purchased marinated peppers.

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Lots of folks have favorite sandwiches (see the two above for Mike and Steve).
Here's one of mine:


Ruben Sandwich

Ingredients

8 - slices dark rye bread

16 - teaspoons Russian or Thousand Island dressing

8 - ounces corned beef

4 - ounces Sauerkraut, well drained

4 - ounces Swiss cheese (1 or 2 slices each sandwich)

4 - pats butter

Directions

Spread the dressing on each bread slice.
On one slice, place the corned beef, then the sauerkraut, and then the cheese.
Place the second slice on the top with the dressing side down.
Butter the top of the sandwich and place buttered side down on a preheated griddle.
Now butter the other side of the sandwich, which is the top side.
Heat the sandwich until bread is golden brown.
Turn once and allow the other side to become golden brown.
Cut the sandwich in half and serve.

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Lasagna

8 ounces lasagna noodles, uncooked.
1 pound bulk Italian sausage
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
6 ounce can tomato paste
14 ounce can tomatoes, cut up
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon basil leaves
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
16 ounce container ricotta cheese
1 egg, beaten
1 tablespoon parsley
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
Cook lasagna according to package directions.

In large skillet combine sausage, onion and garlic. Cook until sausage is no longer pink, stirring occasionally; drain. Stir in next six ingredients, bring to boil. Reduce heat; simmer 20 minutes.

In medium bowl, blend ricotta, egg, parsley and salt. Spread a thin layer of sauce in a 13x9 inch baking pan. Layer one third each; lasagna, sauce, rocotta mixture, mozzarella and parmesan cheese. Repeat layers. Cover. Bake in a 375' oven until hot and bubbly, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Let stand 5 minutes before cutting.

Servings: 8

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This one is for those that like to bake with kids, and for those that are a bit crackers for crackers, like myself (crackers).

Homemade Animal Crackers

1/2 cup oatmeal

2 tsp honey

1/4 to 1/8 tsp salt

3/4 cup flour

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 cup butter, softened

4 Tbsp buttermilk

Do not grease cookie sheet. Grind oatmeal in a blender until fine. Add honey, salt, flour and soda. Cut in butter. Add buttermilk.

Roll dough very thin; cut out with animal cookie cutters. Bake at 400 degrees (F) until brown, 10 to 12 minutes.