Fare Exchange: Ideas for tomatoes, stir fry and 7-Up biscuits

TO REACH USFare Exchange is a longtime meeting place for people who love to cook and love to eat. We welcome both your recipes and your requests. Be sure to include precise instructions for every recipe you send.• Mailing address: Jane Henegar, 913 Mount Olive Road, Lookout Mountain, GA 30750• E-mail: chattfare@gmail.com• Fax: 423-668-5092

Good morning, most-welcome readers. Today's requests as always begin the conversation: Fehn's clam chowder, tomato pie from Fare Exchange a couple of years ago, where to find Salada decaffeinated white tea, tips and tricks with making sun tea, and recipes for grilled tomato salsa and grilled tomato gazpacho.

Judy Bellenfant sent a request along with her version of Seven-Up biscuits. "I have a friend (a former resident of Chattanooga) who has requested a recipe for Fehn's clam chowder that was served every Friday. I would love to be able to fulfill her request."

Terrie Warren of Ooltewah had a habit of making tomato pie from a Fare Exchange clipping ... until she misplaced it this summer. Rush those recipes so she can still enjoy it with summer tomatoes. Glenna Johnson can find regular Salada white tea but not the decaffeinated variety. Can you help? And Jean Reidl remembers hearing years ago about sun tea but wonders whether it is a good way to brew tea, and would like tips and tricks for that along with recipes she saw but failed to copy from a magazine for salsa and gazpacho made with grilled tomatoes.

Several of you saw last week's Shelia's Signature Soup and asked about the amount of chicken broth. A 32-ounce box of chicken broth should do the job.


And speaking of tomatoes, Barbara has a new idea and a simple one for these summer glories. She got the idea from Ina Garten. It is interesting that the tomatoes are slow-roasted for two whole hours, albeit at low heat.

Roasted Tomatoes with Mozzarella and Basil

Tomatoes

Olive oil

Balsamic vinegar

Sprinkle of salt

Sprinkle of sugar

Fresh mozzarella

Fresh basil

Slice tomatoes about 1/2-inch thick and lay in a pan with sides and bottom covered with nonstick tin foil. Sprinkle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar to taste. Then sprinkle with salt and sugar also to taste. Roast at 275 degrees for about 2 hours. Serve plain or with fresh mozzarella and basil at room temperature. Pour any juices in the pan over tomatoes.


Marcia Kling adds eloquent words to our Chattanooga restaurant memory stream. She wrote that, "In the mid-1980s, our daughter worked at the Brabson House on her vacations from Meredith College. The Eatons were wonderful employers, and Maria learned a great deal from them. They were, obviously, also very trusting for, in the summer between her sophomore and junior years, they left Maria in charge of the kitchen while they took a week's vacation.

"That week was a revelation for David and me. We had no idea how much was involved in running a restaurant. Maria would go in very early in the morning, stay till about 5 p.m., come home for dinner and head right back to continue preparing food for the next day, returning home at about 11 p.m. After a day or so of this, we felt we had to go back at night with her. Before she would allow us to help, Maria made us swear we'd never reveal the recipes we were involved in preparing. For years, locked in my head were the recipes for the famous Brabson House tea and the chicken salad, never to escape my lips ... until, as you may remember, the Eatons released their recipes for general sale as they prepared to close the restaurant.

"That week taught me many things, particularly how much work is involved in running a restaurant, even one that typically served only one meal. Before that, a dear friend and I had considered opening a small tearoom, but Maria was right when she wisely advised that, 'If you and Mrs. Andreae want to remain friends, you'd better think twice about opening a restaurant.'"


An anonymous Exchanger included this clipping from a magazine in an envelope full of clippings.

Steak Teriyaki Stir-Fry

2 cups uncooked instant rice such as Minute Rice

1 pound beef cut for stir-fry

1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon teriyaki sauce, divided

1 tablespoon oil, preferably canola

1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger

1 clove garlic, minced

1 package (1 pound) frozen red, yellow and green pepper and onion strips for stir-fry

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon cornstarch

1/4 cup water

Prepare rice according to package directions; keep warm. Meanwhile, toss beef with 1 tablespoon teriyaki sauce. Heat large nonstick skillet over high heat until very hot, about 2 to 3 minutes. Cook beef strips in batches if necessary until just browned, about 1 minute. Remove from skillet; reserve. To same skillet add oil. Reduce heat to medium-high. Add ginger and garlic; cook until just softened, 1 minute. Stir in pepper mixture; cook 1 minute. In small bowl stir cornstarch and water together until smooth. To skillet add remaining teriyaki sauce and reserved beef; simmer 2 minutes. Stir in cornstarch mixture. Bring to boil, stirring. Boil, stirring, until sauce is thickened and mixture is heated through, about 1 minute. Serve over rice.


Susan Potts and Mary Zelle sent the same recipes for 7-Up Biscuits, but Zelle's calls for doubled ingredients. So we will give you the smaller portion, and after it give specifics for doubling the recipe.

7-Up Biscuits (Susan Potts)

2 cups Bisquick

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 cup Seven-Up

1/4 cup melted butter

Cut sour cream into biscuit mix, then add Seven-Up. This makes a very soft dough. Sprinkle additional Bisquick on board or mat and pat dough out.

Melt butter in a 9-inch square baking pan, and place cut biscuits in the pan.

Bake in a preheated oven at 450 degrees until golden.

7-Up Biscuits (Mary Zelle)

Double ingredients.

Mix Bisquick, sour cream and Seven-Up. Dough will be very soft - don't worry. Knead and fold dough until coated with your baking mix. Pat dough out and cut biscuits using a round biscuit cookie cutter. Melt butter in bottom of cookie sheet pan or 9-by-13-inch pan. Place biscuits on top of melted butter and bake in a preheated 425-degree oven for 12-15 minutes.


Just a Dash ...

Jenna Bounder has a simple dinner that seems fancy but prepares simply: Your favorite fresh pasta tossed with Sauces 'n' Love's vodka sauce, available at Whole Foods and perhaps elsewhere. Slice summer sausages and brown lightly in a skillet if you want to add meat. Add gourmet salad greens and dress simply with an olive oil and vinegar dressing. Any crusty bread is an easy addition.

Just a Dash is a place to report ways you are simplifying at home - not recipes but tips. Not instructions but quick, three-part menus. What ideas and hints and easy menus and how-to's are making your kitchen life tastier and easier?

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