O'Brien Family Farms Blog

PREP: 15 HOURS

TOTAL: 50 MINUTES

MAKES: 12 SERVINGS

3 eggs, lightly beaten

1 cup vegetable oil

3 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 1/4 cups white sugar

2 cups shredded zucchini

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

1 pint fresh blueberries

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Lightly grease 4 mini-loaf pans.

2.  In a large bowl, beat together the eggs, oil, vanilla, and sugar.  Fold in the zucchini.  Beat in the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon.  Gently fold in the blueberries.  Transfer to the prepared mini-loaf pans.

3.  Bake 50 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a knife inserted in the center of a loaf comes out clean.  Cool 20 minutes in pans, then turn out onto wire racks to cool completely.

PREP: 35 HOURS

TOTAL: 40 MINUTES

MAKES: 12 SERVINGS

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup cornstarch

1 cup water

4 cups fresh blueberries, stemmed and rinsed

1 tablespoon Amish Roll butter

3 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup granulated sugar

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

6 tablespoons of solid vegetable shortening

1 egg

3/4 cup Dakin Dairy milk

Shortening, for frying

Creole Cream Cheese

1.  In a large saucepan, over medium heat, combine the sugar and cornstarch.  Mix until blended.  Stir in the water and bring to a boil.  Cook for 2 minutes or until thick and bubbly.  Remove from the heat and pour over the blueberries.  Add the butter and mix well.  Cool completely.   

2.  Sift the flour, 1/4 cup of the sugar, baking powder and salt into a large mixing bowl.  Add the shortening and with your hands or a fork, mix until the mixture resembles coarse meal.

 

3.  In a small bowl, whisk the egg and milk together.  Gradually add the egg mixture to the flour mixture and mix until a smooth ball forms.  Cover the ball of dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

 

4.  Remove from the refrigerator and bring to room temperature.  Divide the dough into 12 equal portions.  On a lightly floured work surface, roll out each dough piece into a thin round about 5 inches in diameter.  Put about 1/4 cup of the blueberry mixture in the center of each round, fold the dough over, and crimp the edges together with a fork.

 

5.  Preheat the oil to 360 degrees.  Fry the pies in batches, 2 to 3 at a time, until golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes.  Remove and drain on paper towels.  Sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar.  Serve.

PREP: 5 MINUTES

TOTAL: 30 MINUTES

MAKES: 8 SERVINGS

1 tablespoon Ariston Specialties olive oil

1 eggplant

1 egg

1 tablespoon water

1 cup dry bread crumbs

1 tomato, chopped

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup Italian-style salad dressing

1.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Grease baking sheet or pizza pan with olive oil.

2.  Slice the eggplant into 8 round slices, each 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick.  Trim the skin, maintaining the round shape of the slices.  In a small bowl, whip together the egg and water.  Place the breadcrumbs in a separate small bowl.

3.  Dip the eggplant slices one at a time into the egg and water mixture, then into the breadcrumbs.  One by one, place the coated slices in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet or pizza pan.  Top the slices with equal amounts of tomato, Parmesan cheese and Italian-style salad dressing.

4.  Bake in the preheated oven approximately 15 minutes.  Change oven setting to broil and continue cooking 3 to 5 minutes.  Check the slices frequently while broiling to avoid burning.

PREP: 30 MINUTES

MAKES: 40 SERVINGS

 2.  Preheat an oven to 300 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil, then remove the foil from the sausage logs, and place them onto the baking sheet.

3.  Bake in the preheated oven until the internal temperature reaches 170 degrees about 1.5 to 2 hours.  Cool the sausages on a rack until they have cooled to room temperature.  Dab occasionally with a paper towl to absorb excess grease.  Slice thinly to serve.

PREP: 30 MINUTES

MAKES: 4-6 SERVINGS

1. Combine half and half, eggs, sugar, brandy, cinnamon, and salt in 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish; whisk custard to blend well. Spread 2 tablespoons preserves on each of 4 croissant halves; top each with plain croissant half, pressing to adhere. Place croissants in custard; turn to coat. Let soak until custard is absorbed, turning and basting often, about 30 minutes. 

2. Melt butter in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add croissants; sauté until cooked through and browned, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer croissants to plates. Add blueberries to same skillet. Sauté until heated through, about 3 minutes. Spoon berries over croissants. Serve with maple syrup.