Recipes by Liberace: Blue Ribbon Potato Soup; Meatball Soup; Rock Cornish Hen Supreme; Sticky Buns

Liberace's Blue Ribbon Potato Soup

3 large potatoes, peeled and diced
2 qts. salted water
1/4 lb. thin noodles
1/4 lb. thick sliced bacon, diced
1 large onion, chopped
1/4 tsp. white pepper

1. Cook potatoes in salted water. Cook noodles according to package instructions. Combine noodles with potatoes and their liquid.

2. Saute bacon with onion. Stir into soup, add pepper. Correct seasonings. Serve piping hot. Serves 6.

Thoughts: Recipe won a blue ribbon at the Wisconsin State Fair.

Liberace's Meatball Soup

1 1/2 pounds ground beef
1/8 pound lean ground pork
3 tablespoons chopped parsley
1 chopped onion
1 cut onion
4 tablespoons flour, divided
2 eggs
2 slices bread, soaked in milk and squeezed dry
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 quarts salted water
1 bay leaf
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 cup light cream
8 boiled potatoes

1. Thoroughly mix together beef, pork, parsley, chopped onion, 1 tablespoon flour, eggs, bread, salt and pepper. Shape into spheres the size of golf balls. Boil in salted water with bay leaf, allspice and cut onion for 30 minutes. Thicken broth with remaining flour. Blend well.

2. Simmer for several minutes. Remove from heat, stir in cream. Serve over boiled potatoes with a crisp salad or coleslaw. Serves 8.

Liberace's Rock Cornish Hen Supreme

For the stuffing:

3 tbsps. shallots (or medium-sized onion), chopped
1/2 cup celery, chopped
4 tbsps. butter
1/2 lb. sausage meat (or finely ground fresh veal or pork)
Chopped cooked giblets and mashed livers from Rock Cornish hens
5-oz. can water chestnuts, drained and chopped
2/3 cup chopped nuts (pecans, English walnuts or almonds)
3 tbsps. chopped fresh parsley
1 tsp. poultry seasoning
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
2 1/2 cups cooked rice
1 tsp. salt
Freshly ground pepper to taste
1/3 cup dry red wine (or cranberry juice plus 1/2 tsp. fresh lemon juice)
Chicken stock to moisten (canned or juice from cooked giblets)

1. Cook shallots (or onion) and celery in butter. Add sausage meat (or veal or pork), giblets and liver. Cook a few minutes over low heat. Remove from heat.

2. Toss meat mixture lightly in mixing bowl with water chestnuts, nuts, parsley, poultry seasoning, rice, ginger, salt and pepper.

3. Add wine (or cranberry juice) and enough chicken stock to moisten dressing. (If a denser dressing is desired, add 1/2 beaten egg.) Makes enough dressing for 4 Rock Cornish hens.

For the Rock Cornish hens:

4 Rock Cornish hens, cleaned, each one weighing about 1 lb.
Teriyaki sauce (or soy sauce)
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Sweet butter
1 ground bay leaf

1. Remove giblets and simmer in water with piece of onion, rib of celery, salt and pepper until tender. Strain, chop giblets, reserve stock.

2. Rub inside cavities of hens with salt, pepper and ground bay leaf. Fill inside cavities loosely with dressing. Close flaps with skewers or by sewing. Truss hens, tie wings and legs to body.

3. Rub outside skin with teriyaki sauce (or soy sauce), softened butter and pepper. Place hens breast-side up on sizzling platter (or on rack in baking dish). Roast in preheated 400 degrees F. oven 45 minutes. Baste often with teriyaki (or soy sauce) mixed with pan juices and butter until birds are crisp and brown. Serve on warmed platter. Serves 4.

Liberace's Sticky Buns

1 cup white raisins
1/4 cup light rum
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
2 sticks unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1/4 teaspoon ginger
3 packages refrigerated unbaked crescent rolls
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup whole pecans
Non-stick baking spray with flour for greasing pan

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Spray two muffin pans with non-stick baking spray. Combine raisins and rum in a small bowl and warm in microwave on high for 45 seconds. Set aside. In a saucepan, melt butter and then stir in spices and brown sugar. Cook, stirring frequently, until it becomes a bubbling syrup. Put a teaspoon of syrup and a few whole pecans in each muffin cup. Unroll one package of crescent rolls on a piece of parchment paper. Pinch seams together to form one flat piece. Drizzle a quarter of the syrup over the dough. Sprinkle a third of the raisins and a third of the chopped pecans on it. Roll it jelly roll style. Cut into 1-inch thick pieces. Place one slice of dough, cut side up, in each muffin tin. Repeat with each package of crescent rolls. Bake 13-15 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and immediately flip the buns onto a cookie sheet covered with parchment paper. Replace any nuts that may have stuck to the pan and serve warm. Makes 2 dozen.