Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, June 16, 1993 TAG: 9306160043
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: 3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Reviewed by HARRIET LITTLE
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
Ruby Jeanne Caldwell of Salem says her new cookbook is simply an extension of her family's tradition of helping people in need. This tradition, faithfully carried on by Caldwell, has led her to devote time and money since the early 1950s to locate and help those in need.
Four years ago, Caldwell says, she had the idea of a cookbook in a dream. She bought seven boxes of discounted note cards, looked up celebrities' addresses at the library, and hand-wrote letters detailing her cookbook idea. The response was overwhelming, and "Celebrity Cooks" is scheduled to appear in bookstores this month.
Caldwell, who is a member of the Citizens' Advisory Committee for Social Services in Roanoke, says that proceeds from sales of her book will go to a future Lehi Christian Children's Fund to provide, among other things, recreational and training opportunities for children and young people.
The recipes, tested by Caldwell with help from family and friends, cover a wide range from simple to sophisticated, and come from such diverse celebrities as Don Meredith, Lady Bird Johnson, Bill Cosby, Reba McEntire, Joe Gibbs, Elizabeth Taylor, Willie Nelson and President Clinton.
As with any cookbook of its sort, a compilation necessarily includes recipes of uneven challenge for the cook. Julie Andrews' Spinach Casserole's ingredients include cream of mushroom soup, eggs and frozen spinach. It's a simple recipe for the less-experienced cook.
On the other hand, Joe Montana's Ravioli requires a made-from-scratch dough, a ground meat-spinach-onion-cheese filling and some delicate rolling, filling, cutting and handling - a complicated procedure suited for a more experienced cook.
Ruby Jeanne Caldwell's book turns out to be a worthwhile and delightful labor of love that will, one hopes, contribute greatly to her project.
Following are a few recipes from "Celebrity Chefs."
\ "People's Court's" Judge Joseph Wapner's Eggplant Hors D'oeuvres
1 eggplant
1 clove garlic
1 jar mushrooms sliced, or
6 fresh mushrooms sliced
1 tomato
12 green olives with pimento centers
4 Tbsps. wine vinegar
1/4 onion
1 jar artichokes
2 celery sleeves
1/3 jar capers
12 cocktail onions
2 Tbsps. olive oil
6 pinches oregano
salt and pepper
Bake eggplant one hour at 350 degrees. Peel and chop in food processor. Dice onion, mash garlic, cut up artichokes and mushrooms. Dice celery, mince tomato, cut onions and olives in half. Keep juice from artichokes. Add lemon juice and wine vinegar, olive oil, oregano, salt. Add pepper to taste. Blend thoroughly and chill. Set for 6 to 24 hours and serve with crackers.
\ Bill Cosby's Monkey Bread
5 to 5 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 packages active dry yeast
1/3 cup sugar
1 tsp. salt
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup butter
3 large eggs
1 cup or more melted butter for dipping
ln large mixer bowl, combine 1 1/2 cups flour, yeast, sugar and salt. In saucepan, heat water, milk and butter until warm (120 to 130 degrees), butter need not melt. Add to flour mixture. Add eggs. Beat at low speed until moistened. Beat at medium speed for 3 minutes.
Add enough remaining flour to make soft dough. Knead on a floured surface for 8 to 10 minutes. Place in a greased bowl turning to grease top. Let rise in a warm place until light and doubled, about 1 hour.
Punch down; turn out on floured board. Roll out 1/4-inch thick. Cut dough into diamonds (with cookie cutter) or any shape preferred. Dip each piece into melted butter; arrange in a buttered "monkey pan" ( 10 inch tube). Cover and let rise again until almost doubled, about 1 hour. Bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes or until browned and done.
\ Richard Petty's Stuffed Green Peppers
1 1/2 lb. ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped fine
1 Tbsp. chili powder
2 eggs
1 cup catsup
1 cup cornflakes
salt and pepper to taste
6 bell peppers cut in half & cleaned
Sauce:
2 1/2 cups catsup & tomato paste, use more catsup than paste
2 Tbsps. ground mustard
1 Tbsps. vinegar
2 tbsp brown sugar
Boil peppers 5 minutes. Mix other ingredients together. Stuff peppers with mixture and arrange in bottom of large Pyrex dish.
Mix together ingredients for sauce. Pour sauce over peppers. Bake at 375 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes.
\ Hank Williams Jr.'s Vegetable Casserole
4 Tbsps. margarine
4 Tbsps. flour
1 1/2 cup milk
1 can Veg-all
1 can asparagus
1 tsp. lemon juice
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. nutmeg
3 eggs, beaten
grated cheese or buttered bread crumbs
Melt margarine and add flour. Stir and cook until thick. Add milk slowly and stir and cook until thick. Add remaining ingredients and mix. Pour into a 2 quart casserole and top with cheese or bread crumbs.
Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes.
\ Elizabeth Taylor's Chicken With Avocado and Mushrooms
1 small avocado (preferably the dark-skinned California variety)
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
2 small chickens (2 1/2 lbs. each), cutting into serving pieces
salt and freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup butter
3 Tbsp. Cognac
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup chicken stock
3 finely chopped shallots
1/3 cup dry white wine
2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
chopped parsley for garnish.
Peel and cube avocado, sprinkle with lemon juice. Cover and refrigerate. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. In a large heavy skillet, over low heat, heat 3 to 4 Tbsp. butter and saute chicken until juices run yellow when it is pricked with a fork, about 35 to 40 minutes. (Use two skillets if necessary, adding more butter as needed). Transfer cooked chicken to a serving dish. Cover loosely with aluminum foil. Keep warm in a 300 degree oven for 15 minutes, while preparing sauce. Add shallots to skillet. Cook over medium heat, stirring and scraping sides and bottom of pan with a wooden spoon. Add cognac and wine and bring to a boil. Boil until mixture has almost evaporated. Add cream and boil 5 minutes longer.
In a saucepan over high heat, saute mushrooms in 3 tablespoons butter. Add chicken stock to cream mixture. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thick. Add the mushrooms, remaining cognac and avocado cubes. Stir until well blended. Pour over chicken. Sprinkle with parsley. Enjoy!
\ Jay Leno's Uncle Louie's Chicken Wings Marinara
2-3 dozen chicken wings
1 can Italian plum tomatoes
Olive oil
Garlic or Garlic powder
Durkee's hot sauce
Salt
Parsley
Cook chicken wings by broiling, or lightly flour them and deep fry in safflower or peanut oil. While they are cooking, prepare the sauce.
Heat 1/8-inch olive oil in a pan, add garlic powder or crushed garlic to taste. Mash one can of whole plum tomatoes through a sieve and cook in the olive oil. Add a few teaspoons of chopped parsley and salt to taste - then cook about 20 minutes. At the end of this cooking time, add hot sauce (put in a little or a lot, depending on how hot or mild your taste), but put in at least 2 tablespoons or the sauce won't be as tasty. Add a little garlic powder and cook another 3-4 minutes.
In a bowl, toss the chicken wings with 1/2 cup of the sauce and serve with the remaining sauce on the side to dip the wings into. Enjoy!
\ President Bill Clinton's Chicken Enchiladas
Cooking oil
2 4-oz. cans green chiles
1 28-oz. can tomatoes
2 tsp. salt
3 cups shredded cooked chicken
2 cups grated cheddar cheese
1 large clove garlic, minced
2 cups chopped onion
1/2 tsp. oregano
2 cups dairy sour cream
15 corn tortillas
Preheat oil in skillet. Chop chiles after removing seeds; saute with minced garlic in oil. Drain and break up tomatoes; reserve 1/2 cup liquid. To chiles and garlic add tomatoes, onion, 1 tsp. salt, oregano and reserved tomato liquid. Simmer uncovered until thick, about 30 minutes. Remove from skillet and set aside.
Combine chicken with sour cream, grated cheese and other teaspoon salt. Heat 1/3 cup oil; dip tortillas in oil until they become limp. Drain well on paper towels.
Fill tortillas with chicken mixture; roll up and arrange side by side, seam down, in 9 by 13 baking dish. Pour chili sauce over enchiladas and bake at 250 degrees until heated through, about 20 minutes. Yields 15 enchiladas.
\ Harriet Little teaches at James River High School.
by CNB