With three-cheese manicotti, having no meat is no problem

Welcome to mid-May Wednesday, most welcome companions.

This morning’s requests are in three categories: tomatoes (as has been our recent custom), crab meat and banana bread. Merritt Adams wrote, “My grandmother used to make something called cooked tomatoes. I have never been able to replicate, and sadly she passed before anyone had the recipe. I came close with a tomato jam (had to tweak it a bit) and would be curious if anyone has a recipe I can try for my father.”

Ms. Adams knows the recipe contains vinegar, sugar, tomatoes and onions. Sometime green and jalapeño peppers may be used. This is served over black-eyed peas, or with cornbread and beans, or with pork. And she added, “The time I tried, I used fresh tomatoes. But I did buy some already stewed tomatoes for my next attempt.”

And that is where you come in.

Odell Waddell of East Brainerd began, “I am not our city’s best cook, but I have been known to be a pretty good mixer of ‘potions.’

“I have been given a pound of frozen lump crab. Now, what do I do with it? Any ideas for a good potion including the crab — perhaps a party dip or a main dish for a nice meal? A pound is a lot of crab meat, so I need to think about minimizing waste and handling leftovers. Perhaps you or some of your readers can give me some direction.”

We are counting on you for that.

Finally, T.B.C. sampled gluten-free banana bread that included pineapple. Does anyone have that recipe?

‘QUICK’ BREAD

Jane Stewart is up next from her Lookout Mountain kitchen. “In response to the request for yeast breads that don’t take all day, here is a favorite of mine. They are not quite as quick as the recipe name suggests.” (The name comes from two 20-minute rising times.)

“You can start this two hours before dinner and have really good freshly baked hot rolls with your meal. I make about 20 rolls out of two-thirds of the dough and then a dozen cinnamon rolls out of the final third.”

“I also made Hot Cross Buns for Easter, and they were so good too. That was an all-day project, however, but the results fantastic. We stored them in our freezer and kept enjoying the leftovers two to three times a week for the next three weeks. Usually we don’t eat much bread, but somehow, with all the yard work we’ve been doing, we’re actually losing weight in spite of the rolls.”

This is a good place to pause, thanks to Ms. Stewart, and be grateful for the mental and physical space for many of you to do yard work, when “confined” to your particular green space. Whether slimming or appetite-whetting, yard work is just plain good for you.

Twenty-Minute Buns

2 cups lukewarm water

2 packages yeast (5 teaspoons)

1/3 cup sugar

1 teaspoon salt

3 cups whole-wheat flour, divided

2 eggs

1/3 cup oil

3 cups white flour, divided

Mix water, yeast and sugar, and let bubble for 10 minutes. Add salt and 2 cups whole-wheat flour, and beat with a mixer 3 to 4 minutes. Add eggs and oil. Beat 1 minute. Add the final cup of whole-wheat flour and 2 cups of white flour, and stir by hand. Work in remaining 1 cup of white flour while kneading for 5 to 10 minutes.

Let rise 20 minutes. Shape into buns. Let rise 20 minutes more. Bake in preheated 350-degree oven for 12 to 15 minutes. Makes 2 to 3 dozen rolls.

Cinnamon Rolls

1/3 of dough from TwentyMinute Buns

2 tablespoons melted or softened butter

1/2 cup sugar

1 rounded teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 cup raisins, give or take

Roll out last third of dough, and spread with melted or softened butter. In a small bowl, mix sugar and cinnamon, then sprinkle on dough. Add raisins. Roll up, and pinch long edge to seal. Cut into 12 rolls. Place rolls in a 9- by 13-inch pan, and bake 15 minutes at 350 degrees.

CEREAL THRILLER

Kathleen Maxwell of East Brainerd supplied the longed-for recipe for Golden Grahams S’Mores. Her source is Betty Crocker.

Golden Grahams S’Mores

8 cups Golden Grahams cereal

1 bag (10 ounces) miniature marshmallows (5 1/2 cups), divided

1 cup milk chocolate chips (9 ounces)

5 tablespoons butter or margarine

1/4 cup sugar

1 tablespoon water

1 teaspoon vanilla

Grease a 13- by 9-inch pan with butter. Measure cereal into a large bowl.

Reserve 1 cup of the marshmallows. In a 3-quart saucepan, heat remaining 4 1/2 cups marshmallows, the chocolate chips, butter, sugar and water over low heat, stirring occasionally until completely melted. Remove from heat, and stir in vanilla.

Pour marshmallow mixture over cereal in bowl; stir until evenly coated. Stir in remaining 1 cup marshmallows.

Press firmly in pan. Cool at least 1 hour until firm. For bars, cut into 6 rows by 4 rows. Store loosely covered at room temperature.

Notes:

› If you spray your bowl with cooking spray before using it, you’ll have less mess to clean when you’re done.

› The sugar and water may be replaced with 1/4 cup corn syrup.

› If you prefer your marshmallows more visible in the bars, just wait a minute or two after mixing the warm chocolate and marshmallow mixture into the cereal to allow it to cool slightly before you stir in the final cup of marshmallows.

Microwave version:

Grease 13- by 9-inch pan with butter. Measure cereal into large bowl. Reserve 1 cup of the marshmallows. In a large microwavable bowl, microwave remaining 4 1/2 cups marshmallows, the chocolate chips, butter, sugar and water, uncovered, on high for 2 minutes to 3 minutes and 30 seconds, stirring every minute, until melted and smooth when stirred. Stir in vanilla. Continue as directed in recipe.

MEATLESS MANICOTTI

Margaret McNeil and her son were discussing the predicted shortage of meat, and he suggested she prepare this meatless version of a favorite family recipe. The McNeils live in Memphis, and in sharing this pasta dish on her food blog years ago, she wrote about the restaurant that inspired her interest in manicotti. It is Provino’s in Chattanooga.

Stuffed Manicotti

1 (8-ounce) box manicotti 3 cups ricotta cheese 1 (12-ounce) package shredded mozzarella cheese

3/4 cup grated Parmesan

cheese

3 eggs, slightly beaten

1 1/2 teaspoons salt 3 teaspoons parsley

flakes

3/4 teaspoon oregano

1/4 teaspoon pepper 1 (24-ounce) can pasta sauce, divided

Cook manicotti according to package directions; drain. Dry manicotti with paper towels, and place in a single layer on a cutting board or other work surface. In a large bowl, combine cheeses, eggs, salt, parsley flakes, oregano and pepper. Fill manicotti with the cheese mixture. Spread a thin layer of pasta sauce in a greased 13- by 9- by 2-inch baking pan. Place manicotti in pan in a single layer; cover with 2 to 3 cups pasta sauce. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 to 55 minutes, or until heated through and cheese is melted. Heat the remaining sauce, and serve with the manicotti. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

This is one of those Exchanges that pulls us toward the kitchen for practice. Well, don’t they all? See you next week, I hope.