Recipes by Dinah Shore: Beef Brisket with Pureed Vegetable Gravy; Cheesecake Cookies; Chicken Soup Stew; Dinah's Potatoes; Red Snapper; Zucchini Stuffed Chicken

Dinah Shore's Beef Brisket with Pureed Vegetable Gravy

3 or 4 lbs. lean beef brisket
Salt and pepper to taste
About 3 tbsps. vegetable oil (or butter)
4 stalks celery, coarsely chopped
1/2 green pepper, coarsely chopped
3 carrots, peeled, coarsely chopped
3 tomatoes, peeled, seeded, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup dry red wine
1/2 cup beef broth

Season brisket generously with salt and pepper. Brown meat on both sides in vegetable oil (or butter) in a Dutch oven or heavy skillet. Add vegetables to form layer on bottom of pan, replace meat on top. Cover and bake in preheated 300 degrees F. oven about two hours, occasionally basting with juices from the meat. Uncover, add wine and beef broth. Continue baking uncovered until meat is tender. Remove meat to a platter. Skim excess fat from pan and discard. Strain vegetables and remaining pan juices, pressing through a sieve, or using a food mill to make the puree. Return this puree to pan and cook, stirring, until smooth and thick. Season to taste, and return meat to pan to reheat. Serve with kasha or potato pancakes, or with potatoes, cut in half, roasted and basted with meat-vegetables juices during the last hour of cooking. Serves 6-8.

Dinah Shore's Cheesecake Cookies

1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup melted butter
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Mix brown sugar, nuts and flour together. Stir in butter and mix with hands until crumbly. Remove 1 cup. Press remainder in an 8-inch square pan.

Bake at 350 degrees F. for 12 to 15 minutes.

Beat cream cheese with sugar until smooth. Beat in lemon juice, cream and vanilla extract. Pour into baked crust. Top with reserved crumbs.

Return to 350 degrees F. oven for 25 minutes. Cool thoroughly. Cut into 2-inch squares. Serves 6.

Dinah Shore's Chicken Soup Stew

2 qts. water
1 tbsp. salt
6 slices bacon, chopped (or 1/4 lb. salt pork, minced)
2 chickens, cut in serving-size pieces
2 carrots, peeled, sliced
2 onions, peeled, cut in half
1 pkg. frozen lima beans
1 pkg. frozen corn
1/4 tsp. cayenne
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
A few sprigs of fresh parsley
1 bunch celery, cleaned, chopped
2 or 3 potatoes, peeled, cut in cubes
1 can (16 ozs.) tomatoes
1 tsp. sugar
1/2 pt. heavy cream

Boil water with salt. Add bacon (or salt pork), chicken, carrot, onion, lima beans and corn. Add cayenne, pepper and parsley. Cover tightly, bring to a boil, then skim, if necessary. Reduce heat, cover again and cook slowly for about two hours. Stir gently but often. Parboil celery, set aside. Add potatoes, tomatoes and sugar to soup mixture. Continue cooking, covered, for 1 more hour. A few minutes before serving, gently pick off skin from the chicken where it can be done easily without tearing meat too much. Add celery and heavy cream. Bring mixture to a boil. Taste to correct seasonings. Pour into large heated soup tureen. Serve in soup bowls with crusty French bread. Serves 6-8.

Dinah Shore's Potatoes

2 lbs. sliced potatoes, skins on
2 cups whipping cream
2 tbsps. Dijon mustard
2 cloves chopped garlic
2 tbsps. butter
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Grease 13 x 9 inch baking dish. Lay sliced potatoes in dish, add salt and pepper. In saucepan, combine cream, mustard, garlic, and butter. Heat to boiling. Pour over potatoes. Cover dish with foil and bake at 350 degrees F. for approximately 1 hour. Uncover and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and bake an additional 1/2 hour. They should be a bit brown and crispy.

Dinah Shore's Red Snapper

4 red snapper fillets
1/2 stick butter, melted
Salt and pepper to taste
Juice of 2 limes
Lime halves for garnish
1/2 bunch chopped fresh parsley for garnish

Brush red snapper fillets with melted butter and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Broil quickly on each side under a very hot broiler. Sprinkle generously with lime juice. Before serving, pour on a bit more melted butter. Garnish with lime halves and sprinkle with chopped parsley. Serves 4.

Dinah Shore's Zucchini Stuffed Chicken

8 to 10 chicken pieces (with skin on)
2 zucchini, washed and shredded
4 cups bread, shredded
2 eggs, beaten
2 tablespoons chicken seasonings (salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder)*
(* 2 tablespoons combined spices)
1 large onion
1 to 2 cup water

Wash and clean chicken.

Mix all stuffing ingredients except water. Add water, a little at a time, until mixture is soft but of a fairly firm consistency. Place 2 to 3 tablespoons of mixture under the skin of each chicken piece and place on baking tray. Bake at 375 degrees F for 40 to 50 minutes. Drain off fat and serve.