Classic New England Lobster, a favorite of her grandson Glen Jr., along with Pumpkin Pie and Shepherd’s Pie, favorites of her great-granddaughters Kayleigh and Keri, have been added to Mom’s Recipe Box.

“New Year Greetings with Bennett Family Favorites of Glen Jr., Kayleigh and Keri”

Family favorites are a good reason for a gathering.

Here are The Bennett Favorites at Glen Jr.’s house: Glen’s Favorite Classic New England Lobster; Kayleigh’s Favoite Pumpkin Pie; and Keri’s Favorite Shepherd’s Pie

Glen’s Favorite Classic New England Lobster

INGREDIENTS

2 or 3 tablespoons salt; 4 live lobsters (about 1 and a half pounds each); 1 half cup (1 stick) melted butter; Lemon wedges.

PREPARATION

Fill a large stockpot about half full of water. Add the salt and bring to a boil. When the water has come to a rolling boil, plunge the lobsters headfirst into the pot. Clamp the lid back on tightly and return the water to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and cook the lobsters for 12 to 18 minutes (hard-shell lobsters will take a longer time), until the shells turn bright red and the tail meat is firm and opaque when checked.

Lift the lobsters out of the water with tongs and drain in a colander. Place underside up on a work surface and, grasping firmly, split the tails lengthwise with a large knife. Drain off the excess liquid. Serve with melted butter and lemon wedges.

Recipe courtesy Brooke Dojny, The New England Clam Shack Cookbook, Storey Books, 2003.

Kayleigh’s Favorite Pumpkin Pie

Prep time 5 minutes; Cook time 45 minutes; Yield one 9 inch pie; serving size – serves 6-8.

New Year Greetings from The Bennett Family – Glen Jr., Kayleigh & Keri.

INGREDIENTS

1 fifteen ounce can pureed pumpkin; 1 fourteen ounce can sweetened condensed milk; 2 large eggs, slightly whisked; 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (rounded); one fourth teaspoon ground cloves; one half teaspoon ground ginger; one half teaspoon ground nutmeg; one half teaspoon salt; one (9 inch) pie crust ( bonus points for homemade)

PREPARATION

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees

2. In a small saucepan, heat pumpkin, spices and salt over low heat. Then pour into another bowl to cool to room temperature – this step is optional, but it seems to make the canned pumpkin taste closer to fresh pureed pumpkin.

3- Whisk all ingredients, except pie crust, together in a medium bowl until combined. Make sure there are no streaks of egg white because those will show up in the final product!

4- Pour into crust and bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes.

5- Reduce heat to 350 degrees and continue baking 35 to 40 minutes or until a sharp knife inserted 1 inch from the center comes out clean. If you don’t want to poke your pie – which will cause it to crack as it cools – you can jiggle it. It is done when only the center (1 inch diameter) jiggles. The pumpkin pie will set perfectly if allowed to cool completely prior to cutting.

6.- Serve cold with a nice mound of whipped cream. Enjoy!

Keri’s Favorite Shepherd’s Pie

INGREDIENTS

Best wishes for 2015!

1 pound ground beef; one onion, chopped; 1 bag of frozen sweet corn; 1 clove garlic, minced; 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce (or to taste); Kosher salt and pepper; Mashed potatoes about 2 lb. spuds – peel, boil, mash, add butter, milk, salt, pepper; three fourths pound grated sharp cheddar cheese (if desired).

PREPARATION

1. Saute the onion in olive oil for a couple of minutes.

2. Add the ground meat, stirring to break it up.

3. Add garlic and Worcestershire sauce – cook until meat is no longer pink.

4. Add corn and cook a few more mniutes.

5- Season to taste with salt and pepper.

6- Put into a casserole dish – suggestion, use something in between an 8×8 and a 13×9.

7- Top with mashed potatoes and grated cheese.

8- Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees about an hour, or until hot and bubbly and cheese is melted.

Look for Mom’s Recipe Box weekly on Fridays as family members add to and celebrate my mother’s collection of recipes – the Cecelia G. Bennett Collection. – JB