My Top 10 Recipes from "In the Kitchen with the Auxiliary"

About 2 years ago, my Ladies Auxiliary put together a fundraiser cookbook. We collected 400 recipes. What was so great about the book was that some of the recipes had been passed down in a family for generations. Some didn't have measurements, some were so simple with only 3 ingredients. There was so much history and love, it was a great experience. I have used the book many many times and there are a few recipes that have become my favorites. Here are my top 10 -

The recipes are not in any particular order

Roast Pork with Applekraut

1 - 3lb. pork loin
2 teaspoons garlic salt
2 teaspoons paprika
1/2 cup butter
4 medium cooking apples, cored and sliced into rings
4 cups sauerkraut, drained
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
Dash of nutmeg

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Sprinkle meat with garlic salt and paprika. Place meat on rack in a roasting pan. Roast for 1 1/2 hours or until meat thermometer reaches 170 degrees. Remove from oven and let rest for 15 minutes. Melt butter in a large skillet. Add apple rings, a few at a time, and cook until well browned. Add sauerkraut and the rest of the ingredients, cover and cook on low heat for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally Serve applekraut with the sliced roast pork.

Recipe contributed by Janet Holley, Hose Co. 1 Ladies Auxiliary

Smokey Apple Butter Ribs

3 lbs. boneless pork country-style ribs
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 medium onion, sliced
1/2 cup apple butter
2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon liquid smoke
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

Sprinkle ribs with salt and pepper. Place ribs in the crock pot. Cover ribs with the onion slices. In a small bowl, mix together the remaining ingredients; pour over the ribs and onions. Cover and cook on low heat setting for 8 to 10 hours. Serve over hot cooked noodles.

Recipe contributed by Kristen Karavitis, Hose Co. 1 Ladies Auxiliary

Engine 5 Steaks

2 to 3 lbs. skirt steaks
2 to 3 large tablespoons of chopped fresh garlic
1 tablespoon Goya Adobo
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon Maggi sauce

Combine all ingredients in a container and let steaks marinate. The longer the steaks sit in the marinade, the better. Then grill, occasionally drizzling with lime juice.

Recipe contributed by Dave Stucke, Chief 2006 River Edge Fire Department

Chicken with Forty Cloves of Garlic

1 whole chicken cut into 8 pieces
1/2 cup olive oil plus 2 tablespoons
5 sprigs fresh thyme
40 cloves garlic, peeled
Salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Toss with 2 tablespoons olive oil and brown on both sides in a wide skillet over high heat. Remove from heat, add remaining oil, thyme and garlic cloves. Cover and bake for 1 1/2 hours. Remove chicken from the oven and let rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

Recipe contributed by Rob Cordasco, Battalion Chief 2009 Little Ferry Fire Department

Bow Ties with Asparagus and Mushrooms

1 lb. bow tie pasta
1 bunch asparagus, trimmed and cut into 4 pieces
1 package fresh mushrooms, sliced
3 cloves garlic, cut in half
1 small can Hunt's tomato sauce
1/2 pint heavy cream
6 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Cook bow ties according to package; drain. In a large skillet, add olive oil and garlic. Saute until garlic becomes fragrant. Add asparagus and season with salt and pepper. Saute until al dente. Add mushrooms and cook about 5 minutes. Add tomato sauce and heavy cream; stir well. Continue to cook until asparagus are tender. Transfer bow ties to a large serving bowl and add sauce, tossing gently to combine.

Recipe contributed by Ann Gioielli

My Famous Linguine in White Clam Sauce

2 cans Doxee chopped clams, juice reserved
1 bottle clam juice
2 to 3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 cup olive oil
1 lb. linguine
1 tablespoon parsley
Salt and pepper to taste

Open both cans of chopped clams, strain reserving juice. In a pot of salted boiling water, cook linguine to your liking, drain and set aside. In a sauce pan, add olive oil, garlic and parsley. When the garlic begins to brown, pour both the bottle and reserved clam juice and add pepper to taste. Bring to a boil. As soon as the clam juice begins to boil, add chopped clams and stir. Let simmer for 3 minutes then shut off the flame. Place linguine in a large serving bowl and pour clam sauce over pasta. Toss and serve.

Recipe contributed by Joany Macaroni

Sweet Onion Casserole

2 Vidalia or sweet onions, sliced 1/4-inch thick
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup sour cream
3/4 cup grated good-quality Parmesan cheese
10 butter flavored crackers, crushed

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a skillet over medium heat, saute onions in butter until tender. Remove from heat and stir in sour cream. Spoon half into a greased 1-quart baking dish. Sprinkle with Parmesan and top with remaining onion mixture and crushed crackers. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes.

Recipe contributed by my aunt, Grace Napolitano

Orzo and Tomato Salad with Feta

1 cup uncooked orzo pasta
1/4 cup pitted green or Kalamata olives, sliced
1 cup diced feta cheese
3 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped
1 ripe tomato, seeded and chopped
1/4 cup virgin olive oil
1/8 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook orzo for 8 to 10 minutes, or until al dente; drain and rinse with cold water. When orzo is cool, transfer to a medium bowl and mix in olives, parsley, dill and tomato. Gently fold in feta cheese. In a small bowl, whisk together oil and lemon juice. Pour over pasta and mix well. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Chill before serving.

Recipe contributed by my brother, Dino Tsidavis

Strawberry Salad

2 to 3 bags baby spinach
2 pints strawberries
1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup oil
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup thin slices red onion

Mix together Worcestershire sauce, sugar, oil and vinegar; set aside. Place spinach in a large bowl. Wash and slice the strawberries and add to the spinach. Add onions. Just before serving, add the dressing to the salad and toss to combine.

Recipe contributed by Dawn Sequeira who I have known since grade school!

Onion Soup with Guinness and Irish Cheddar

2 tablespoons olive oil
6 cloves garlic, minced
8 cups thinly sliced onions
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, chopped
1/4 cup sherry vinegar
1 1/2 cups Guinness beer
6 cups beef stock
8 slices country bread, cut 1/2-inch thick and toasted
1/2 lb of thin sliced Irish Cheddar
Gray Salt

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add garlic and cook briefly to release aroma. Add onions, season with salt and pepper and cook for about 15 minutes, stirring often. Reduce heat to low and cook about 15 more minutes, stirring occasionally until onions are golden brown. Add thyme, vinegar and beer. Cook until the beer is reduced by half then add beef stock. Bring to a simmer and cook 10 more minutes. Preheat broiler. Transfer soup to individual over-proof soup bowls, top each with a slice of the toasted bread and a slice of the Cheddar. Boil until cheese is melted and starts to brown slightly. Serve piping hot.

Recipe contributed by Joan Iurato, Hose Co. 1 Ladies Auxiliary

Footnote - I didn't add any of my own recipes or recipes from my husband to this list because I like all of those recipes and if they weren't good, then they wouldn't have been in the cookbook...lol! I also didn't include desserts or appetizers in the list because I love all desserts and most of the appetizers are in my blog already. I also wanted to mention, many of the recipe in the book I haven't tried. Just because it isn't on the list, doesn't mean that I didn't like it or that it isn't good. XOXO