Name: Ginger-Garlic Spicy Asian Soup
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 4 Servings
Cuisine: Asian
Ingredients: 1 large shallot, minced; 3 inch piece of ginger, minced; 3-4 large cloves of garlic, minced; 1 large jalapeno pepper, finely diced, or hot pepper flakes; 1 bunch green onions, diced; 2 tablespoons sesame oil; 4 star-anise; 64 oz. broth, I use "Imagine" vegetarian "No-Chicken" broth; 2-3 tablespoons Aji Mirin, rice wine; 1-2 tablespoons Lite soy sauce; 6 ounce rice noodles or Ramen.; 10 oz. Baby Bella mushrooms, stems removed and sliced; 1/2 sweet red pepper, matchstick cut; 2 baby bok choy, sliced at about 1/4 inch, including leaves; 1 cup snow pea pods sliced on an angle; Bean sprouts (optional); Pre-cooked shrimp, chicken, pork, or tofu (optional)

Ginger-Garlic Spicy Asian Soup

Posted on December 21, 2016 by Mark KarneySeptember 4, 2020

I created this recipe a number of years ago for Natalie when she was suffering from a bit of a cold since she is a big fan of ginger, garlic, and hot peppers. It provided some relief and we’ve been making it ever since, whether we need it for its curative properties or not. Despite the fresh vegetables, we usually eat it in the fall and winter, as it is soothing for stuffed up noses and sore throats. Of course, spicy soup is always comforting in cold weather.

This recipe can be very flexible and you can adjust the amounts to your taste and by what vegetables are available. However, the key ingredients are lots of ginger and garlic, and some type of hot pepper. Miri, Soy Sauce and Star Anise also help give the broth it’s characteristic flavor, so don’t omit or skimp on these items. You can leave the soup with just vegetables — I sometimes add shrimp but cooked pork or chicken would probably be good, or tofu to keep it vegan or vegetarian. If your head is really stuffed up, increase the amounts of ginger, garlic, and hot pepper. You have my word that you’ll feel a lot better after a hot bowl of this soup.

Ginger-Garlic Spicy Asian Soup

December 21, 2016

by Mark Karney

Ingredients

1 large shallot, minced
3 inch piece of ginger, minced
3-4 large cloves of garlic, minced
1 large jalapeno pepper, finely diced, or hot pepper flakes
1 bunch green onions, diced
2 tablespoons sesame oil
4 star-anise
64 oz. broth, I use "Imagine" vegetarian "No-Chicken" broth
2-3 tablespoons Aji Mirin, rice wine
1-2 tablespoons Lite soy sauce
6 ounce rice noodles or Ramen.
10 oz. Baby Bella mushrooms, stems removed and sliced
1/2 sweet red pepper, matchstick cut
2 baby bok choy, sliced at about 1/4 inch, including leaves
1 cup snow pea pods sliced on an angle
Bean sprouts (optional)
Pre-cooked shrimp, chicken, pork, or tofu (optional)

Instructions

Dice the green onions saving the green part for garnish.
Saute the ginger, garlic, shallot, pepper and white part of the onion in oil over medium heat until softened.
Add the broth, turn the heat to high, and add the 4 star-anise, one-half of the Mirin, and one half of the soy sauce.
Stir and taste, adding soy sauce to get the proper amount of saltiness. The amount needed will vary depending on your choice of broth. Add more Mirin if you like it sweeter.
Let the broth simmer for about 10 minutes. Remove the star anise and then add the rice noodles or Ramen and all of the vegetables except the bean sprouts and green onions. Turn up the heat and bring to a low boil and cook until the noodles are done.
Add the shrimp, pork, chicken, or tofu if desired and heat through.
Put some bean sprouts in the bottom of each bowl and ladle the soup in.
Everyone can top with green onions to their taste.

Amount Per Serving: 2 cups
Calories		318.03 kcal
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 8.15 g		12.3%
	Saturated Fat 1.18 g	5%
	Trans Fat 0.0 g
Cholesterol 0.0 mg		0%
Sodium 359.1 mg		15%
Total Carbohydrate 51.98 g		17%
	Dietary Fiber 5.13 g	20%
	Sugars 6.51 g
Protein 8.57 g

Vitamin A 8.36 %		Vitamin C 67.94 %
Calcium 12.12 %		Iron 17.09 %

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

Karney Family Recipes

Notes

As stated in the description, you can vary most of the amounts and the ingredients according to your preferences. The key ingredients are lots of garlic and ginger and some type of hot pepper, so don't omit or skimp on these. Star Anise isn't essential, but it adds an exotic flavor profile. The Mirin and soy sauce give the broth it's flavor so don't omit those. I think the some type of mushroom is essential also, Shitake is good but you should probably saute those with the garlic, ginger and onions. Experiment with vegetable types and amounts. You could use carrots in place of the sweet red pepper. The protein is optional. I usually add shrimp, but any of the others or none is good.

Butternut Squash Soup

Posted on October 27, 2016 by Mark KarneySeptember 4, 2020

Butternut Squash Soup

October 27, 2016

by Mark Karney

Ingredients

4-5 pounds butternut squash (2 large)
2 large onions
2 large jalapeno peppers (optional)
1 large russet potato
1 pound carrots
10 cups Low-Sodium Chicken Broth or Vegetable Broth
3 - 4 Tbsp. fresh sage leaves (or dried sage)
2 tsp. sweet Paprika
1 tsp. Fresh-Ground Nutmeg
1 tsp. White Pepper to taste
Salt (if needed)
3 bunches green gnions or chives (chopped)

Instructions

Peel, seed and cube the squash.
Peel and cube the carrots* and the potato.
Chop the onions and the peppers if you are using them.
In a large pot, saute the onions and peppers in the oil until they are translucent and just start to brown.
Add the squash and the potato and carrots, or the potatoes to the pot and then add the broth** until the vegetables are almost covered.
Bring to a simmer and cook until the vegetables are tender, about 15-20 minutes.
When the cooking is almost done, Chop the sage and add it to the pot.
Use a hand blender to puree the soup.***
Season with paprika, nutmeg, salt and white pepper.****
Taste and add more salt and white pepper if necessary.
Serve with chopped green onions or chives.

I always hate to see the warm days of summer go, but one bright spot as the cold short days of fall and winter arrive is a nice hot bowl of Butternut Squash soup and a fresh warm piece of good, hearth baked multi-grain or rye bread. This is a savory, spicy soup with just a hint of sweetness. It's relatively easy to make if you have an immersion blender and a large batch will provide meals for a couple of days along with some to freeze.
I tend to modify the recipe according to which vegetables I have on hand. To change up the recipe a bit, add a couple of large chopped jalapeno peppers and saute with the onions. My current recipe uses 1 large potato and 1 pound of carrots.

Notes

* You can substitute parsnips for the carrots or use a mixture of both. The potato adds some creaminess to the soup but you can eliminate it to reduce carbs.
** I use my favorite vegetable broth called "No Chicken", made by Imagine, which makes for a vegetarian and vegan recipe. You can substitute chicken broth or your favorite vegetable broth.
*** If you don't have a hand blender, you can remove the cooked vegetables with a slotted spoon and puree them in a blender or food processor and then return the puree to the soup pot. This is a messy and time-consuming way of doing this, so if you like the recipe, splurge and buy yourself a hand blender.
**** For this recipe I usually grate a whole nutmeg seed into the pot and also season with a considerable amount of white pepper to give the soup a bit of a bite, but add it to your own taste. I add some paprika for color. Taste before you add salt as the soup may be salty enough from the broth.

Roasted Tomatillo Salsa with Avocados

Posted on September 19, 2016 by Mark KarneySeptember 4, 2020

Since I’ve been growing Tomatillos in the garden, I’ve been looking for new recipes to use them in. I found a couple interesting recipes on the web and adapted them to my own tastes and came up with this one. Grilling the Tomatillos, onions and peppers adds a delightful smokiness to the salsa, so you really need to make an effort to grill them. I made this recipe for our annual trip to the Vintage Illinois wine festival at Mattheissen state park and it disappeared quickly even with a lot of other food around, which let me know it was a hit. This is an interesting alternative to Guacamole, and a nice change when Tomatillos are in abundance.

Roasted Tomatillo Salsa with Avocados

September 19, 2016

by Mark Karney

Ingredients

2 pounds tomatillos, husked and washed
2 large Jalapeno peppers, quartered lengthwise, seeds and pith removed
1/4 large red onion, large dice
4 cloves of garlic
3 or 4 ripe avocados
Juice of 1/2 lime
2 red peppers, I use hot Hungarian
1 bunch cilantro
Olive oil
Granulated garlic (to taste)
Pepper (to taste)
Salt (to taste)
Sugar (to taste if needed)

Instructions

Halve and remove stem from the Tomatillos.
Put the Tomatillos, onions and peppers in a bowl and sprinkle generously with salt, pepper, granulated garlic and olive oil, mix well to coat evenly.
Grill this mixture on a very hot grill, in a grill pan until the vegetables start to brown a bit. If the grill isn't very hot the Tomatillos will turn to mush before they start to brown.*
When the mixture has cooled a bit, puree it in a food processor along with the garlic and lime juice.
Peel and seed the Avocados, and dice to about 1/2 inch cubes. Combine in a bowl with the Tomatillo puree. Add the chopped bunch of the cilantro to taste.
Seed the red peppers and remove the pith, chop fine and add to the mixture.**
Mix well, taste, and add salt as needed. You may want to add some sugar depending on the tartness of the Tomatillos.
Serve with cornchips.

Amount Per Serving: 1/2 cup
Calories		119.18 kcal
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 8.83 g		12.3%
	Saturated Fat 1.26 g	5%
	Trans Fat 0.0 g
Cholesterol 0.0 mg		0%
Sodium 298.89 mg		12.4%
Total Carbohydrate 10.69 g		3.3%
	Dietary Fiber 4.69 g	16%
	Sugars 4.93 g
Protein 1.78 g

Vitamin A 4.4 %		Vitamin C 38.17 %
Calcium 1.68 %		Iron 4.38 %

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

Karney Family Recipes

Notes

*You could probably roast the vegetables in a 450 degree oven, but the grilling really adds a lot of flavor, so grill them if you can.
**Usually the grilled Jalapenos don't add a lot of heat so I add hot peppers to get a bit of spice in the sauce. The red peppers also add some color and flavor to the salsa, so use sweet ones if you want the dip very mild.

Baked Zucchini Appetizer

Posted on July 1, 2016 by Mark KarneySeptember 4, 2020

We’re always looking for Zucchini recipes. Here is a great appetizer with a fraction of the calories of breaded zucchini. Thanks to Marilyn Aliede for introducing us to this one.

Baked Zucchini Appetizer

July 1, 2016

by Mark Karney

Ingredients

1 or 2 Medium Zucchini
1/2 cup Panko
1/4 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
1 Tbsp Extra Virgin olive oil
2 tsp.Thyme
Paprika
Salt
Pepper
Olive Oil

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375.
Mix Panko, Cheese, Thyme and 1 Tbsp. olive oil until the mixture is an even yellow color from the oil.
Slice zucchini into 1/8 inch thick pieces.
Spray or brush both sides of Zucchini with olive oil.
Arrange in single layer on cookie sheet.
Sprinkle with paprika, salt and pepper to taste.
Sprinkle Panko mixture generously on top of the Zucchini.
Bake 20 - 30 minutes until golden brown.

Notes

You can mix up the Panko, Parmesan cheese, olive oil and thyme mixture in advance and keep it in the refrigerator for several weeks, using it as needed.

Natalie’s Pasta Salad

Posted on June 25, 2016 by Mark KarneySeptember 4, 2020

Natalie’s pasta salad is a group favorite at summer gatherings. She gets lots of requests for it, and it keeps well in the summer heat.

Natalie’s Pasta Salad

June 25, 2016

by Mark Karney

Ingredients

1 pound tri-colored rotini pasta
½ Bottle McCormick’s Salad Supreme (2.62 oz. bottle)
1 cup (8 oz.) Kraft Viva Italian Dressing
3 tomatoes (chopped) or 1 lb. grape tomatoes halved or quartered.
1 large cucumber (peeled, seeded and & diced)
8 green onions (chopped)
Fresh grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

Cook pasta to al dente and drain.
Chop vegetables while the pasta is cooking.
Mix all ingredients together.
Top with fresh grated Parmesan cheese.
Refrigerate for an hour or more to let flavors blend.

Vegetable Picnic Sandwiches

Posted on June 22, 2016 by Mark KarneySeptember 4, 2020

The idea for this came from and old Woman’s Day Encyclopedia of Cookery that we’ve had since we were first married. As usual, it has been modifies for our taste and for ease of preparation. These are nice, light, summer sandwiches that we often take to Ravinia, an outdoor summer music theater that is known for on-the-lawn picnics. Natalie makes up the filling and we put it in the cooler. We split the bread on-site and spray it with olive oil and put in the filling, thus avoiding soggy sandwiches.

Vegetable Picnic Sandwiches

June 22, 2016

by Mark Karney

Ingredients

12 French rolls
2 red onions diced fine
2 green peppers diced fine
2 cucumbers, peeled and seeded and diced fine
4 large ripe tomatoes, seeded and diced fine
40 pitted black or Kalamata olives, chopped (1 can, 6 oz. drained)
24 anchovy fillets, chopped (1 small tin)
1 3 oz. jar of capers
1/3 cup chopped parsley
Arugula if desired
Mayonnaise (Smart Balance Light)

Instructions

Chop all the vegetables except the arugula as directed (1/4 dice or less).
Combine all the vegetables except the arugula. Mix well.
Add just enough mayonnaise to moisten and continue mixing.
When you are ready to serve, Split each roll almost all the way through.
Spray or brush the inside of the roll with olive oil, add some arugula leaves if desired and then spoon in the filling.

Notes

You can adjust the ingredients to your taste. Substitute Anchovy Paste for the Anchovies if desired.
You probably won't need to add salt as the olives, anchovies and capers provide enough salt.
The arugula is a later addition to the recipe as I had a lot of it growing, but it really adds to the flavor.
If we are going on a picnic, we usually carry the veggie mixture separately, and assemble the rolls onsite to avoid having soggy bread.

Smoked Salmon, Basil and Zucchini Appetizer

Posted on June 20, 2016 by Mark KarneySeptember 4, 2020

This is a quick, delicious, summer appetizer that I came up with. We’re always looking for new uses for zucchini. I will usually make this from the first zucchini off the vine and it celebrates the beginning of the summer bounty.

Quantities are approximate and of course it all depends on the size of your zucchini and how much salmon you have. Seasonings are of course to taste.

Smoked Salmon, Basil & Zucchini Appetizer

June 20, 2016

by Mark Karney

Ingredients

6 ounces smoked salmon (not lox)
8 ounces whipped cream cheese
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon paprika
2 medium zucchini
1 ounce fresh basil, sliced into strips
4 ounces roasted red peppers

Instructions

Shred the salmon with a fork into a small bowl.
Add enough cream cheese to make a spreadable mixture.
Season with garlic powder and paprika to taste and mix well.
Slice the zucchini into 1/4 inch rounds.
Spread with the salmon mixture.
Top with basil and 1 or two pieces of red pepper.

Amount Per Serving: 3 pieces
Calories		135.99 kcal
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 10.85 g		15.4%
	Saturated Fat 5.72 g	25%
	Trans Fat 0.0 g
Cholesterol 36.07 mg		12%
Sodium 250.92 mg		10.4%
Total Carbohydrate 3.94 g		1%
	Dietary Fiber 0.78 g	0%
	Sugars 2.79 g
Protein 6.46 g

Vitamin A 16.44 %		Vitamin C 37.39 %
Calcium 4.6 %		Iron 3.83 %

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

Karney Family Recipes

Notes

You can substitute cucumber for zucchini.
You can substitute pimento for the roasted red pepper.

Smoked Salmon, Basil & Zucchini Appetizer

June 20, 2016

by Mark Karney

Ingredients

6 ounces smoked salmon (not lox)
8 ounces whipped cream cheese
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon paprika
2 medium zucchini
1 ounce fresh basil, sliced into strips
4 ounces roasted red peppers

Instructions

Shred the salmon with a fork into a small bowl.
Add enough cream cheese to make a spreadable mixture.
Season with garlic powder and paprika to taste and mix well.
Slice the zucchini into 1/4 inch rounds.
Spread with the salmon mixture.
Top with basil and 1 or two pieces of red pepper.

Amount Per Serving: 3 pieces
Calories		135.99 kcal
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 10.85 g		15.4%
	Saturated Fat 5.72 g	25%
	Trans Fat 0.0 g
Cholesterol 36.07 mg		12%
Sodium 250.92 mg		10.4%
Total Carbohydrate 3.94 g		1%
	Dietary Fiber 0.78 g	0%
	Sugars 2.79 g
Protein 6.46 g

Vitamin A 16.44 %		Vitamin C 37.39 %
Calcium 4.6 %		Iron 3.83 %

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

Karney Family Recipes

Notes

You can substitute cucumber for zucchini.
You can substitute pimento for the roasted red pepper.

Roasted Garlic & Rosemary Hummus

Posted on June 19, 2016 by Mark KarneySeptember 4, 2020

This recipe has been very popular to those who have tried it, so I feel compelled to add one more Hummus recipe to the website. I’m not sure that it is technically Hummus as it is made from Cannelini beans and not Garabanzo beans, but I’ll leave the arguments to the connoisseurs of correctness. The Rosemary gives this Hummus quite a different flavor than the traditional ones and we like it especially with vegetables even though it is very good with Pita bread. Another selection for my growing list of vegetarian friends.

Roasted Garlic & Rosemary Hummus

June 19, 2016

by Mark Karney

Ingredients

2 cans Cannelini beans
12 Cloves of garlic, basically a whole head
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 or 4 sprigs of fresh Rosemary
Juice of 1 lemon
Dash of Cayenne pepper to taste
Salt to taste

Instructions

Peel the garlic cloves and cut in half.
Put the olive oil and garlic in a small frying pan and cook uncovered over medium heat until the garlic starts turning golden brown. (About 5 to 7 minutes)
Remove from heat and let cool.
Rinse the Cannelini beans an place in food processor.
Remove the Rosemary leaves from the stem and add to the food processor.
Add the salt, lemon juice and Cayenne pepper.
When the garlic and oil have cooled, add them to the food processor.
Process until the mixture is smooth, adding a little water if it is too thick.
Taste and adjust seasonings.

Amount Per Serving: 2 Tablespoons
Calories		152.22 kcal
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 4.86 g		6.2%
	Saturated Fat 0.73 g	0%
	Trans Fat
Cholesterol 0.0 mg		0%
Sodium 101.12 mg		4.2%
Total Carbohydrate 20.6 g		6.7%
	Dietary Fiber 5.17 g	20%
	Sugars 0.79 g
Protein 7.7 g

Vitamin A 0.21 %		Vitamin C 3.19 %
Calcium 8.54 %		Iron 19.45 %

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

Karney Family Recipes

Avocado Toast

Posted on June 18, 2016 by Mark KarneySeptember 4, 2020

I’m always looking for healthy breakfast alternatives. Most American breakfast foods are laden with fat, sugar and refined carbs, and oatmeal with fruit gets a little old after a while.

Avocado toast is a quick, healthy breakfast that uses fresh ingredients. There are a lot of variations and it’s easy to come up with your own. This is one that turned out particularly well and is easy to make. Enjoy!

Avocado Toast

June 18, 2016

by Mark Karney

Ingredients

1 ripe avocado
1 jalapeno pepper (diced fine)
3 Tbsp chopped pistachio nuts
Baby arugula
Lime juice
Garlic powder
Pepper
Salt
Good extra-virgin olive oil
4 pieces good whole-grain bread

Instructions

Chop the jalapeno and add to the avocado and mash with a fork.
Add salt, pepper, garlic powder and fresh-squeezed lime juice to taste.
Toast the bread.
Spray the bread with a bit of olive oil, and top with a layer of baby arugula.
Spread 1/4 of the avocado mixture mixture on each of the toasts and top with the chopped pistachios. Finish with a spritz of olive oil.

Char’s Zucchini Pancakes

Posted on June 18, 2016 by Mark KarneySeptember 4, 2020

About August we are looking for as many ways as possible to use up the zucchini that is overtaking the garden. Our neighbor, Charlotte Welch, came up with this recipe for zucchini pancakes. It’s the best we’ve ever found. They can be served for breakfast or brunch and even as a side for dinner. Personally, I like them with Thai Sweet Chili Sauce or red pepper jelly, but you can serve them with butter or butter and syrup.

Char’s Zucchini Pancakes

June 18, 2016

by Mark Karney

Ingredients

2 cups grated zucchini
½ cup flour
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon black pepper
½ cup parmesan cheese
2 tablespoon melted butter
2 eggs, beaten
1 large shallot or small onion (optional)

Instructions

Cut zucchini in half lengthwise and scoop out seeds and soft center part. Grate it into a bowl, skin included, and then squeeze out as much water as possible. I do a handful at a time.
Finely dice the shallot or onion if you choose to add it in. Fry it in a little oil until translucent.
Mix all ingredients together.
Cook on a griddle at medium heat.
Serve plain or with your choice of topping.

Amount Per Serving: 2 pancakes
Calories		411.51 kcal
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 25.82 g		38.5%
	Saturated Fat 14.88 g	70%
	Trans Fat 0.48 g
Cholesterol 215.77 mg		71.7%
Sodium 675.36 mg		28.1%
Total Carbohydrate 22.83 g		7.3%
	Dietary Fiber 1.9 g	4%
	Sugars 4.67 g
Protein 22.5 g

Vitamin A 28.38 %		Vitamin C 24.66 %
Calcium 57.69 %		Iron 10.71 %

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

Karney Family Recipes

Notes

The pancakes will cook slower than a typical flour pancake.
Serve with butter, butter and syrup, Thai Sweet Chili Sauce, or Red Pepper Jelly.
The addition of the shallot or onion is my innovation, and it's good if you tend toward savory flavors.

Natalie’s Potato Salad

Posted on June 16, 2016 by Mark KarneySeptember 4, 2020

Everybody loves Natalie’s potato salad and the boys have all wanted the recipe, but it was never written down. Finally, I had Natalie make the salad and I stopped her at each step, measuring as we went. Forcing her to add the seasonings from measuring spoons rather than shakers was not pleasant, but I finally got the recipe down for posterity. (I have also adjusted this recipe a few times as the written-down amounts weren’t quite right. Make sure you taste as you add the seasonings! Here it is — enjoy!

Natalie’s Potato Salad

June 16, 2016

by Mark Karney

Ingredients

2.5 lb. Red Potatoes or fingerling potatoes
1 Medium Sweet Onions - Diced
2 Cups Diced Celery
2 tsp. Ground Thyme
1/2 tsp. White Pepper
1 Cups mayonnaise
4 Hard Boiled Eggs, chopped fine
4 Tbsp. prepared yellow mustard
1 Tbsp. cider vinegar
Paprika
Salt (To taste)

Instructions

Wash and dice the potatoes, removing bad spots. It's really not necessary to peel red potatoes unless you are finicky about those sort of things.
Boil the potatoes until cooked. Don't overcook or you will wind up with mashed potato salad. Cool the potatoes in cold water and drain.
Chop the celery and onions fine.
Boil the eggs, cool and chop fine.
Mix everything together, adjusting the seasoning to your taste.
When you are ready to serve, top with paprika

Mom’s Nut Roll (Dios)

Posted on December 13, 2015 by Mark KarneyJanuary 24, 2021

Helen Kun Karney
circa 1925

My paternal Grandmother, Helen Kun Karney, immigrated to the United States at the tender age of 16, in 1901. She married my grandfather, Steven Karney in 1904; they both came from the same town in Hungary, Battyan. Dios (‘dee-oshe) or Nut Roll is a Hungarian Christmas tradition, and I’ll never know if she carried a hand-written recipe with her on the boat from Europe, or if she created it from memory, but the recipe remains over 100 years later.

Grandma Karney’s recipe was passed on to me through my mother who used it to make the nut roll I remember so well. Although, I’m sure I watched my mother make it (and probably licked the bowl that contained the sugar and walnut filling,) I had never prepared it on my own until recently. I still use the same Wearever #918 aluminum pan that my mother used, and it perfectly holds the four rolls that that this timeless recipe makes. I recently purchased a second pan on Ebay. They haven’t been made in a long time, but if you can find one on Ebay, it will last for many generations. Nutroll freezes well, so while you are at it, make a couple of batches.

Mom’s Nut Roll (Dios)

December 13, 2015

by Mark Karney

Ingredients

Dough

1 cup or 8 oz. (2 sticks) unsalted butter or margarine
2 pkg. dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water
4 egg yolks
4 to 5 cups of flour
1 cup sour cream
2 Tbsp sugar

Filling

2 lb. ground walnuts
4 egg whites
1 scant cup of sugar
1 tsp. vanilla

Instructions

Make a leaven of 1/4 cup of warm water, 1 tsp. sugar and the yeast. Set aside.
Melt the butter and mix with the sour cream, sugar, 2 cups of flour and finally the egg yolks.
The mixture should be cool or only slightly warm. Now you can add the yeast mixture and knead in the rest of the flour until the mixture is about the consistency of soft bread dough.
Knead until smooth. If the dough has a layered look and won't hold together, knead in a little water until the dough is smooth and cohesive.
Divide into 4 parts and refrigerate covered overnight.
Mix together walnuts, egg whites, sugar and vanilla to make filling.
Roll out each piece of dough into a rectangle the length of your pan.
Spread with 1/4 of the walnut filling.

Roll up jelly roll style.

Butter the baking pan lightly.
Put the 4 rolls in a baking pan and let rise in a warm place, covered, for 2 hours.
Bake at 350F for about 45 minutes.

Cool and slice.

Amount Per Serving:
Calories		118.72 kcal
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 8.82 g		12.3%
	Saturated Fat 2.14 g	10%
	Trans Fat 0.08 g
Cholesterol 12.42 mg		4%
Sodium 4.22 mg		0.2%
Total Carbohydrate 8.52 g		2.7%
	Dietary Fiber 0.99 g	0%
	Sugars 2.69 g
Protein 2.63 g

Vitamin A 2.51 %		Vitamin C 0.16 %
Calcium 1.44 %		Iron 2.12 %

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

Karney Family Recipes

Notes

If you have trouble rolling out the dough or if it tears, your dough is too dry.It's better to err on the side of too soft, rather than too dry.
I use Ceresota all-purpose flour in my recipe. Other flours may have more or less moisture, so adjust the amount for a soft, but not sticky dough.
I usually cut the rolls in half crosswise, wrap them in foil and refrigerate until needed. Then I slice the larger piece into 1/2 in slices for serving. It dries out less than if you pre-slice the whole thing.
For freezing, wrap in foil and then seal in air-tight freezer bag.

Mom’s Nut Roll (Dios) – Vegan Version

Posted on December 13, 2015 by Mark KarneySeptember 4, 2020

My grandmother certainly had no concept of Veganism in her day. But, times change and I have a number of friends who became Vegan this year, some of whom I have gifted at Christmas with nut roll and Kifli. I always like a challenge, so I decided to see if I could make both of these traditional Hungarian recipes in Vegan form. I made a batch of the cookies in Vegan form and my wife said they were better than what I made last year. So I made two batches of Vegan Kifli and two batches of Vegan nut roll. I had my oldest son taste both without telling him about the change and he though I really outdid myself this year. So, I was happy that the recipe worked and worked well.

I won’t publish the whole recipe here, just the Vegan substitutions and a few other notes. Refer to the original recipe for the technique, because it is the same for Vegan as the normal recipe.

Substitutions:

Use margarine or vegan butter in place of the butter, same amount.

I used the same egg replacement for the egg whites as the egg yolks. Mix two tablespoons of ground Chia and Flax seeds (I used Raw Organics “Real Cold Milled Organic Golden Flax Seed & Organic Chia Seed”) with 6 Tablespoons of hot water and let it sit for about five minutes until thickened. Make one batch for the dough and another for the filling.

The sour cream was a little more complicated. Start with a cup of raw cashews (Trader Joes has these at a good price) and cover with boiling water. Let soak for at least 30 minutes and then drain. Put them in a food processor with 1 Tablespoon of cider vinegar and 1 1/2 teaspoons of lemon juice and 1/8 teaspoon of salt. Blend to form a thick paste and then add water, 1 Tablespoon at a time and blend until the desired consistency is reached. You’ll need to add 3 to six Tablespoons.

Technique:

Everything else is the same. Remember to keep the dough on the soft side. If it is too dry, it will be hard to roll and the final nut roll will be dry.

Kifli – Hungarian Cookies

Posted on December 12, 2015 by Mark KarneySeptember 4, 2020

Kifli is another Hungarian Christmas tradition that I remember well, and they were always my favorite of the Christmas cookies. Growing up, we called them Kiffles, which is the anglicized version of Kifli.

I had never made them until long after my mother was gone, and reclaiming the recipe was not easy as my mother had about 10 different recipes from my aunts and other relatives. She had one labeled “My own special recipe”, that had graham cracker crumbs in at and some other things not in the other recipes, and I’m sure were not in the Kifli that I remember.

After a few years of experimentation with the different recipes and many failures, I finally settled on this one which produces Kifli closest to what I recall, and adjusted the recipe slightly in December 2014.

Kifli – Hungarian Cookies

December 12, 2015

by Mark Karney

Ingredients

Dough

4 to 4 ½ Cups Flour
2 Eggs
1 cup or 8 oz. (2 sticks) unsalted butter or margarine
1 Cup Sour Cream

Filling

1 lb. Ground Walnuts (Approx 4 cups)
1 1/2 Cup Sugar
2 tsp butter
1/3 Cup milk
3/4 tsp. vanilla

Instructions

For the dough, melt the butter and mix till dough forms a soft ball.
Divide into 8 balls and refrigerate overnight, or at least a couple of hours.
Let the dough warm up and soften a bit, then, one by one, roll each of the 8 balls into a 9 inch circle.

Spread 1/8 of filling on the rplled out dough, leaving about 1/4" of the edge uncovered..

Using serrated pastry cutter, cut each round into fourths and each of the fourths into thirds, pizza style.
Roll each piece toward the center, crescent roll style and place on ungreased baking sheet.

Brush with egg-white if desired.

Bake at 350 for 15 minutes or until the Kifli just start to lightly brown. The secret is to not overbake. If the filling is oozing out and turning dark brown or burning, you are baking too long.
Dust with powdered sugar before serving.

Notes

Kifli can also be filled with fruit butter or preserves. Apricot would be often used or Lekvar, a Hungarian prune butter.

Kifli – Hungarian Cookies – Vegan Version

Posted on December 12, 2015 by Mark KarneySeptember 4, 2020

I don’t think my mother knew what a Vegan was and I’m sure making Vegan cookies never crossed her mind, although she was very health conscious in her cooking in her later years. But, times change and I have a number of friends who became Vegan this year, some of whom I have gifted at Christmas with nut roll and Kifli. I always like a challenge, so I decided to see if I could make both of these traditional Hungarian recipes in Vegan form. I made a batch of the cookies in Vegan form and my wife said they were better than what I made last year. So I made two batches of Vegan Kifli and two batches of Vegan nut roll. I had my oldest son taste both without telling him about the change and he though I really outdid myself this year. So, I was happy that the recipe worked and worked well.

I won’t publish the whole Vegan Kifli recipe here, just the Vegan substitutions and a few other notes. Refer to the original recipe for the technique, because it is the same for Vegan as the normal recipe.

Substitutions:

Use margarine or vegan butter in place of the butter, same amount.

Use almond milk in place of the milk.

To replace the two eggs, mix two tablespoons of ground Chia and Flax seeds (I used Raw Organics “Real Cold Milled Organic Golden Flax Seed & Organic Chia Seed”) with 6 Tablespoons of hot water and let it sit for about five minutes until thickened.

The sour cream was a little more complicated. Start with a cup of raw cashews (Trader Joes has these at a good price) and cover with boiling water. Let soak for at least 30 minutes and then drain. Put them in a food processor with 1 Tablespoon of cider vinegar and 1 1/2 teaspoons of lemon juice and 1/8 teaspoon of salt. Blend to form a thick paste and then add water, 1 Tablespoon at a time and blend until the desired consistency is reached. You’ll need to add 3 to six Tablespoons.

Technique:

Everything else is the pretty much the same. Remember to keep the dough on the soft side. If it is too dry, it will be hard to roll. The only difference is that these cookies do not brown like the non-vegan recipe. So bake them for 20 minutes and adjust the baking time for your later batches if necessary. When I was baking multiple trays of cookies, I set the oven to convection cooking.

Bruschetta

Posted on December 11, 2015 by Mark KarneySeptember 4, 2020

This is an easy recipe, I came up with it after having something similar at the Tapas Restaurant, La Tasca. It is best if you make it a day ahead so the flavors get to blend. This is one of the things I always make for Christmas Eve. And I usually make enough that we have it as a side dish for Christmas brunch.

Bruschetta

December 11, 2015

by Mark Karney

Ingredients

1 Large red onions.
2 28 oz. cans diced or whole roma tomatoes, drained and slightly rinsed. You can use the equivalent amount of very ripe fresh Roma tomatoes. Avoid supermarket tomatoes.
1/3 c Olive oil
1/3 c Balsamic vinegar
3 Tbsp fresh bbasil
2 tsp. dried Italian seasoning.
1 tsp. granulated garlic
Salt to taste

Instructions

Dice the onions and tomatoes if using whole ones, and mix with the basil.
Whisk together the olive oil and balsamic vinegar and pour over the vegetables.
Serve on sliced fresh Italian bread or Crostini. It's even better if you brush the bread with garlic and olive oil and grill it or stick it under the broiler for a few minutes

Notes

I revised the recipe recently to use canned tomatoes, because the tomatoes available in stores, especially in the winter, are usually hard and tasteless, The only way I would use fresh tomatoes is if they were very ripe and from my own garden or a good farmer's market.

Ellie’s Cheddar Slices

Posted on December 11, 2015 by Mark KarneySeptember 4, 2020

This award winning recipe (My oldest son, Jared, won first prize in an appetizer contest with it) comes from my Aunt Ellie, my mother’s younger sister. Aunt Ellie loved to entertain and we always looked forward to these cheddar slices around holiday time. Where she got this recipe, I’ll never know, but since it involves bacon and bread, it may have it’s roots in a traditional Hungarian recipe. This has been a traditional Christmas Eve treat for our family and we usually make enough to last all the way through the holiday season and into the winter, as it freezes very well.

Ellie's Cheddar Slices

December 11, 2015

by Mark Karney

Ingredients

½ lbs Sharp cheddar cheese (shredded or ground)
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
¼ tsp Powdered mustard
2 Whole eggs (beaten)
Black pepper to taste
4 Slices raw bacon
12 White bread slices

Instructions

Mix the first 5 ingredients in a food processor until smooth.
Spread on the bread slices. (This is a little easier if you use frozen or semi-frozen bread.)
Dice the bacon finely and sprinkle on top.
Toast in a 375° oven for 15-20 minutes until golden brown.

Notes

For freezing, don't bake them. Put them on a cookie sheet in the freezer until they are hard. Then separate unbaked pieces with wax-paper and wrap well with tinfoil. To toast, place frozen pieces on cookie sheet and toast in a 375° oven until golden brown. (25 – 30 min.)

Natalie’s Crescent Christmas Cookies

Posted on December 9, 2015 by Mark KarneySeptember 4, 2020

This is a traditional recipe that Natalie got from her mother. They are butter cookies, but unique in that the dough is a yeast dough and they have less sugar than typical butter cookies.

Natalie has been making them since we were first married, and Christmas wouldn’t quite be Christmas without them.

Natalie’s Crescent Christmas Cookies

December 9, 2015

by Mark Karney

Ingredients

1 pound cold butter
1 cup of sugar
1 cake of compressed yeast
2 eggs, separated
4 cups all-purpose flour
Chocolate sprinkles

Instructions

In a mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until fluffy.
Separate the eggs and reserve the whites.
Crumble the yeast into the egg yolks and add to the butter/sugar mix.
With the mixer still running, gradually beat in the flour.
Take about a 1 Tbsp. ball of dough and roll between your hands until elongated to about 2 1/2 inches.
Dip about 3/4 in. of the ends of the dough in egg whites and then chocolate sprintkles.
Bend into crescents and place on ungreased cookie sheet.
Bake for 10-12 minutes at 375 degrees.

Amount Per Serving: 2
Calories		249.69 kcal
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 15.9 g		23.1%
	Saturated Fat 9.86 g	45%
	Trans Fat 0.62 g
Cholesterol 53.96 mg		17.7%
Sodium 7.82 mg		0.3%
Total Carbohydrate 24.39 g		8%
	Dietary Fiber 0.64 g	0%
	Sugars 8.4 g
Protein 2.88 g

Vitamin A 15.0 %		Vitamin C 0.0 %
Calcium 0.98 %		Iron 5.8 %

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

Karney Family Recipes

Cookie Press Butter Cookies

Posted on December 8, 2015 by Mark KarneySeptember 4, 2020

Here’s the traditional recipe for Cookie Press Christmas cookies. This is a classic, but you still need the recipe, so here it is in a convenient place.

Cookie Press Butter Cookies

December 8, 2015

by Mark Karney

Ingredients

3 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ tsp. salt
1 ½ cups unsalted butter, softened
1 cup white sugar
2 egg yolks
2 tablespoons milk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 egg whites
2 tablespoons water

Instructions

Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Mix in the egg yolks, 2 tablespoons milk, flour, baking powder, salt and vanilla. Chill the dough.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C).
Fill the cookie press and shape the cookies on an ungreased baking sheet. Brush the top of each cookie with the egg whites mixed with 2 tablespoons of the water.
Decorate with colored sugar or candy sprinkles as desired.
Bake at 400 degrees F (205 degrees C) until the cookies are golden brown on top, about 10 minutes. Don't overbake.

Amount Per Serving: 2
Calories		212.25 kcal
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 12.04 g		18.5%
	Saturated Fat 7.45 g	35%
	Trans Fat 0.47 g
Cholesterol 42.8 mg		14%
Sodium 70.44 mg		2.9%
Total Carbohydrate 23.48 g		7.7%
	Dietary Fiber 0.53 g	0%
	Sugars 8.53 g
Protein 2.6 g

Vitamin A 11.32 %		Vitamin C 0.0 %
Calcium 2.37 %		Iron 5.38 %

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

Karney Family Recipes

Fresh Cranberry Relish – Fancy

Posted on November 11, 2015 by Mark KarneySeptember 4, 2020

We have been making a fresh cranberry relish for Thanksgiving as long as I can remember. This recipe is a little more complicated, but it is still no-cook, fresh and healthy.

Fresh Cranberry Relish – Fancy

November 11, 2015

by Mark Karney

Ingredients

1 medium unpeeled orange—scrubbed, halved, seeded and cut into 2-inch chunks
1 medium Granny Smith apple—peeled, cored and cut into 2-inch chunks
½ medium unpeeled lemon—scrubbed, seeded and cut into 2-inch chunks
4 cups fresh or frozen cranberries (1 pound)
¾ cup coarsely chopped pecans or pistachios.
½ - ¾ cup sugar
½ teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg (to taste)
½ teaspoon ground ginger (to taste)

Instructions

Wash the cranberries and pick through them, removing any soft or shriveled ones.
Pulse the berries in a food processor until they are chopped fine, and then put them in a bowl.
In a food processor, combine the orange, apple and lemon and pulse until finely chopped.
Transfer to the bowl with the cranberries and stir in ½ cup of the sugar, the nutmeg, ginger and the nuts. Mix well.
Taste and add more sugar if necessary.
Refrigerate for a few hours to allow the flavors to blend.

Amount Per Serving: 1/2 cup
Calories		119.41 kcal
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 5.04 g		7.7%
	Saturated Fat 0.45 g	0%
	Trans Fat 0.0 g
Cholesterol 0.0 mg		0%
Sodium 1.08 mg		0%
Total Carbohydrate 19.47 g		6.3%
	Dietary Fiber 3.14 g	12%
	Sugars 14.61 g
Protein 0.97 g

Vitamin A 0.36 %		Vitamin C 13.55 %
Calcium 1.38 %		Iron 1.87 %

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

Karney Family Recipes

Fresh Cranberry Relish

Posted on November 11, 2015 by Mark KarneySeptember 4, 2020

Years ago I was looking for a fresh alternative to the gooey, canned cranberry sauce that was traditional at Thanksgiving. I came up with this simple recipe and we have been serving it on Thanksgiving ever since. It is a quick, no-cook recipe.

Fresh Cranberry Relish

November 11, 2015

by Mark Karney

Ingredients

1 pound bag of cranberries
1 large orange
½ cup of sugar, adjust to your taste

Instructions

Wash the cranberries and pick through them, removing any soft or shriveled ones.
Pulse the berries in a food processor until they are chopped fine, and then put them in a bowl.
Peel the orange and remove seeds.
Put the orange pieces in the food processor and process until well pureed.
Add the pureed orange and the sugar to the cranberries and mix well.
Add more sugar if necessary.
Refrigerate for a few hours to allow the flavors to blend.

Amount Per Serving: 1/2 cup
Calories		56.84 kcal
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0.07 g		0%
	Saturated Fat 0.01 g	0%
	Trans Fat
Cholesterol 0.0 mg		0%
Sodium 0.84 mg		0%
Total Carbohydrate 14.74 g		4.7%
	Dietary Fiber 2.11 g	8%
	Sugars 11.28 g
Protein 0.29 g

Vitamin A 0.31 %		Vitamin C 14.65 %
Calcium 0.92 %		Iron 0.63 %

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

Karney Family Recipes

Smoked Salmon Spread

Posted on September 1, 2015 by Mark KarneySeptember 4, 2020

Smoked salmon is a staple of our diet and is the primary food that I make in my smoker. This is a quick recipe for a delicious spread that can be used on crackers or thinly sliced french bread or probably even as a vegetable dip. I used smoked chunk salmon in this recipe as opposed to the thinly sliced Lox that you would put on a bagel, but that would probably work, too. I just haven’t tried it.

Smoked Salmon Spread

September 1, 2015

by Mark Karney

Ingredients

8 ounces smoked salmon, flaked fine
8 ounces cream cheese
1 large Jalapeno pepper, chopped fine
1 bunch of green onions, slit and chopped fine (or equal amount chopped chives)
2 teaspoons dried dill or more fresh (to taste)
1/2 teaspoon white pepper (to taste)

Instructions

Flake salmon into a bowl with a fork
Blend all ingredients thoroughly with a spoon.
Taste and adjust seasonings.
Chill to let flavors blend.
Serve on crackers or thin slices of baguette.

Amount Per Serving: 2 Tablespoons
Calories		66.01 kcal
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 5.49 g		7.7%
	Saturated Fat 2.87 g	10%
	Trans Fat 0.0 g
Cholesterol 18.85 mg		6%
Sodium 147.15 mg		6.1%
Total Carbohydrate 0.76 g		0%
	Dietary Fiber 0.1 g	0%
	Sugars 0.53 g
Protein 3.49 g

Vitamin A 6.81 %		Vitamin C 1.93 %
Calcium 1.66 %		Iron 1.22 %

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

Karney Family Recipes

Notes

If the spread is too stiff, add a little sour cream until the right consistency is reached.
You can use mayonnaise instead of cream cheese in case you are avoiding dairy, or happen to like that flavor profile better. Add enough to hold the spread together, probably about 4 oz.

Pasta Primavera

Posted on March 27, 2015 by Mark KarneySeptember 4, 2020

Natalie found this recipe many years ago in a magazine or newspaper and has been making it ever since. It’s been modified a little from the original, but we always try to make recipes our own. This is a nice summery vegetarian meal that goes extremely well with a glass of crisp white wine.

Pasta Primavera

March 27, 2015

by Mark Karney

Ingredients

½ pound mostaccioli or rotini
¾ stick of butter
2 cups sliced fresh broccoli
3 medium carrots, thinly sliced
1 cup diced green onions
4 cloves garlic minced
2 teaspoons dried basil
½ teaspoons black pepper
Salt to taste
3 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
12 ounces pea pods
½ cup dry white wine
Freshly grated parmesan cheese

Instructions

Cook the pasta until tender, drain and keep warm.
Melt the butter in a large skillet and stir in broccoli, carrot, garlic, basil, salt and pepper.
Cook for 6 to 7 minutes until the broccoli is just tender.
Add the mushrooms and cook for two minutes more.
Add the peapods, onion, and wine, cover, and cook for two more minutes making sure that the vegetables are crisp tender.
Taste and adjust seasonings.
Toss the vegetable mixture with the pasta and serve with fresh grated Parmesan cheese.

Amount Per Serving: 2 cups
Calories		241.03 kcal
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 9.38 g		13.8%
	Saturated Fat 5.58 g	25%
	Trans Fat 0.35 g
Cholesterol 22.78 mg		7.3%
Sodium 424.16 mg		17.7%
Total Carbohydrate 30.94 g		10%
	Dietary Fiber 3.98 g	12%
	Sugars 4.91 g
Protein 7.04 g

Vitamin A 33.32 %		Vitamin C 56.14 %
Calcium 6.38 %		Iron 11.39 %

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

Karney Family Recipes

Mark’s Clam Chowder

Posted on January 26, 2015 by Mark KarneySeptember 4, 2020

I’ve been making this clam chowder for a long time. I came up with the recipe to mimic what you might get at a clambake, and to avoid the excess calories of New England Clam Chowder. This is a large recipe, because I usually make it for a crowd or we eat it for a few days. This recipe should scale down well. Serve it with crusty sourdough or rye bread.

Mark’s Clam Chowder

January 26, 2015

by Mark Karney

Ingredients

6 strips bacon, optional
1 large or 2 medium onions (diced)
5 pounds red potatoes unpeeled, diced.
1 pound carrots, diced
1 sweet red pepper (diced)
12 cups (96oz.) chicken stock
Water as needed
1 pound bag frozen corn
4 6.5 ounce cans minced or chopped clams with juice
1 can whole baby clams 10 ounces
1 bottle of clam juice 10 ounces
Black pepper
4 large sprigs fresh rosemary
Salt to taste, if needed

Instructions

Dice the bacon and fry in a large deep pot until crisp. Remove excess fat, leaving about 1 Tbsp.
Add the diced onion and black pepper. Cook until slightly browned.
Add potatoes, carrots, pepper, broth and enough water to cover.
Bring to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes.
Skim off any foam that forms on the surface. (This will get rid of most of the fat)
Add frozen corn, clams, clam juice and rosemary sprigs.
Return to boil and simmer another 15 minutes making sure potatoes are done.
Adjust seasonings, remove the rosemary stems and serve.

Amount Per Serving: Bowl
Calories		476.55 kcal
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 10.73 g		15.4%
	Saturated Fat 3.14 g	15%
	Trans Fat 0.04 g
Cholesterol 59.59 mg		19.7%
Sodium 1570.18 mg		65.4%
Total Carbohydrate 57.97 g		19%
	Dietary Fiber 6.23 g	24%
	Sugars 9.72 g
Protein 38.05 g

Vitamin A 52.36 %		Vitamin C 39.06 %
Calcium 11.53 %		Iron 43.17 %

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

Karney Family Recipes

Natalie’s Hot Ham and Cheese Sandwiches

Posted on January 26, 2015 by Mark KarneySeptember 4, 2020

This is a great way to use up leftover ham. But these are so good, we’ve been known to go out and get a small canned ham just to make these. They freeze well and are nice for parties. You can make them ahead and pop them in the oven just before you are ready to serve.

Natalie’s Hot Ham and Cheese Sandwiches

January 26, 2015

by Mark Karney

Ingredients

20-24 Sandwich Rolls
7 cups of leftover ham, ground in food processor
4 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
9 stalks of celery, chopped fine in food processor
1 can pitted black olives, chopped fine in food processor
1 large onion, chopped fine in food processor
2 Tbsp. Worcestershire Sauce
4 Tbsp. prepared mustard
Black Pepper to taste
Mayonnaise to barely moisten (about 4 Tbsp.)

Instructions

Process ingredients as described
Mix all ingredients together except the sandwich rolls.
Scoop out the center of sandwich Rolls
Fill with the mixture
Bake in pre-heated 325F oven for about 15 minutes
Enjoy

Notes

These can be made and frozen and baked later, baking time will of course increase. They can also be frozen after baking and reheated in the oven.
Please note that the quantities of ingredients can be adjusted to what you have on hand and to your taste. Be creative!

Karney Chex Mix

Posted on January 26, 2015 by Mark KarneySeptember 4, 2020

Chex Mix is a holiday tradition, and yes we have modified the original recipe that appears on the cereal boxes. More nuts of course!

Karney Chex Mix

January 26, 2015

by Mark Karney

Ingredients

4 cups Corn Chex Cereal
4 cups Rice Chex Cereal
4 Cups Wheat Chex Cereal
2 Cups Mixed Nuts (No Peanuts)
1 Cup Peanuts
1 Stick Butter (8Tbsp.)
2 Tbsp. Worcestershire Sauce
1 ½ tsp. Lawry’s Seasoned Salt
¾ tsp. Garlic Powder
½ tsp. Onion Powder

Instructions

In a large microwaveable bowl mix the cereals and nuts.
In a small microwaveable bowl melt the butter (40 sec. on high or until melted.)
Stir in the seasonings and mix well.
Pour over the cereal mixture, stirring as you pour, until evenly coated.
Microwave on high for 6 minutes, stopping to stir thoroughly every two minutes.
Cool before serving.

Shrimp Spread

Posted on January 25, 2015 by Mark KarneySeptember 4, 2020

Shrimp has been getting a lot of bad press lately, mostly because of the questionable conditions under which it is farmed. When I saw that my favorite grocery store, Heinan’s, carries sustainable, wild caught Oregon baby shrimp, I came up with this recipe for a quick appetizer spread.

Shrimp Spread

January 25, 2015

by Mark Karney

Ingredients

1 - 4 oz. can sustainable, wild caught Oregon baby shrimp
2/3 cup green onions, chopped fine (1/4” dice)
2/3 cup celery chopped fine (1/4” dice)
1 - small bottle of pimentos (1 ½ oz.), chopped fine (1/4” dice)
½ tsp. powdered garlic
½ tsp. hot Hungarian Paprika (to taste)
Approx. 6 oz. whipped cream cheese

Instructions

Mix first six ingredients together well and then blend in cream cheese.
Chill in refrigerator to let flavors blend.
Serve on Original Triscuit, or other non-seasoned crackers.

Tomato Salsa

Posted on October 24, 2014 by Mark KarneySeptember 4, 2020

Tomato Salsa and Salsa Verde.

This summer I grew tomatillos and made a great Salsa Verde. At the same time I made some traditional Red Salsa from the Roma tomatoes in the garden. This is a cooked salsa and closely approximates the salsa we are served at our favorite Mexican restaurant. The trick is to peel the Roma tomatoes. I’ve used canned tomatoes and it’s almost as good. In fact you are probably better off with good canned Roma tomatoes than the typical anemic Roma tomatoes that you find in the grocery stores off season.

Tomato Salsa

October 24, 2014

by Mark Karney

Ingredients

1 ½ lbs. (Approx. 8 large) Ripe Roma tomatoes or canned whole peeled Roma tomatoes.
1/2 large white onion or more to taste, chopped coarsely
4 large cloves garlic
2 jalapeno peppers or more to taste, chopped coarsely
¼ cup chopped cilantro
2 tablespoon fresh oregano
3/4 teaspoons salt, or to taste

Instructions

If you are using fresh tomatoes, wash tomatoes and slice off the stem end. Cut an “X” through the peel on the other end. Put the tomatoes into rapidly boiling water. Leave them in a couple of minutes until the skin starts to split and remove them with a slotted spoon.
Let them cool a bit and then pull off the skin.
Place peeled tomatoes or canned tomatoes, garlic, and oregano into a food processor. Process until pureed.
Place the mixture in a heavy pan over high heat.
Finely chop 1/2 onion and 2 jalapenos in the food processor and add to the pan.
Bring to boil, then reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until the mixture starts to thicken, about 15 - 20 minutes.
Remove from heat. Cool and then add cilantro and salt to taste. Add additional chopped jalapeno and onion to taste.

Notes

I've used canned tomatoes and it's almost as good. In fact you are probably better off with good canned Roma tomatoes than the typical anemic Roma tomatoes that you find in the grocery stores off season.

Salsa Verde

Posted on October 24, 2014 by Mark KarneySeptember 4, 2020

Tomato Salsa and Salsa Verde.

I found some tomatillo plants at the garden center this spring and planted them in the garden, specifically because I had never used tomatillos in cooking and I knew that this would force me to do it. The plants produced prolifically and i perused the web a bit and combined and modified a couple of recipes and came up with what everyone thought was a pretty good Salsa Verde (Green Sauce). We used it as a dip with chips, but it could be served over chicken or other Mexican recipes.

Salsa Verde

October 24, 2014

by Mark Karney

Ingredients

1 ½ pound tomatillos, husked and quartered
¼ large white onion or more to taste, chopped coarsely
4 large cloves garlic
2 jalapeno peppers or more to taste, chopped coarsely
¼ cup chopped cilantro
3/4 teaspoons salt, or to taste

Instructions

Husk & wash tomatillos. Place tomatillos and garlic into a food processor. Process until pureed.
Place the mixture in a heavy pan over high heat.
Finely chop 1/4 onion and 2 jalapenos in the food processor and add to the pan.
Bring to boil, then reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until the mixture starts to thicken, about 15 - 20 minutes.
Remove from heat. Cool and then add cilantro and salt to taste. Add additional chopped jalapeno and onion to taste.

Spicy Chickpea and Leek Soup with Kale

Posted on March 1, 2014 by Mark KarneySeptember 4, 2020

Mark and Jared at the Chopping Block

Last Christmas, Natalie gifted our oldest son, Jared and me with a cooking class at The Chopping Block which is a wonderful cooking school and gourmet shop at Lincoln Square in Chicago. (See the link at the left) This was my second class there, and the first for Jared — hopefully there will be many more.

One of the recipes that we prepared was this soup, and it is to die for. It uses fall and winter vegetables, is very healthy, and is hearty enough to be a complete meal. The combination of spices creates a rich, unique and complex flavor palette. Jared and I couldn’t wait to try this at home, which we both did the week after the class. It is certainly going to be a fall and winter favorite. Many thanks to The Chopping Block for this wonderful recipe.

Spicy Chickpea and Leek Soup with Kale

March 1, 2014

by Mark Karney

Ingredients

3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 leek, well-cleaned and tender green and white parts cut into medium dice
1 parsnip, scrubbed well and cut into medium dice (about 1/4 X 1/4 inch)
1 carrot, scrubbed well and cut into medium dice
1 Tbsp. of fresh ginger, grated or finely diced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 - 1 tsp. red pepper flakes (to taste)
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 tsp. curry powder
2 Tbsp. tomato paste
4-6 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1/4 tsp. saffron
1 medium sweet potato peeled and cut into medium dice
1 bunch kale, tough stems removed and torn or cut into bite-sized pieces
1 15 oz. can of chickpeas (Garabanzo beans), drained and rinsed
Fresh squeezed lemon juice to taste (about 1/2 lemon)
Salt and pepper to taste
2 Tbsp. fresh parsley rough chopped.

Instructions

Heat a deep heavy pot over medium heat and add the olive oil.
Gently saute the leek, carrot and parsnip until lightly carmelized, about 7-8 minutes. Be careful not to burn the vegetables.
Add the ginger, garlic, red pepper flakes, cumin, cinnamon, and curry powder, and cook an additional minute or so until the spices are toasted.
Add the tomato paste and cook an additional minute.
Stir in the stock, saffron and sweet potato, bring to a boil, and then reduce heat to a simmer. Cook uncovered until the sweet potatoes are almost done.
Mix in the kale and continue to cook until wilted, about 2-3 minutes.
Add the chickpeas and cook until just warmed through.
Season with salt, pepper and lemon juice to taste, stir in the parsley and serve.

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