Something Tasty

February Recipe Exchange

2010-01-21T20:21:00.000-08:00

Did you know Chinese New Year falls on Valentine's Day this year? To celebrate the dualistic holidays on February 14th, I thought I would make it a dual challenge. In true Iron Chef style*, the secret ingredient that must be present in your dish is CHOCOLATE! or if you prefer, you can bring an Asian themed dish to break up all the chocolate delights.

Once you have decided on your recipe, please leave it as a comment on this post or send me an email so we can add it to the final post.

Please submit your recipe even if you can't make it. The downside to this option though is the rest of us will miss your company as well as sampling the recipe.

January's Recipes

2010-01-21T19:35:00.000-08:00

Feijoada (Brazilian Black Beans):

1 lb. black beans - soak overnight
1 large onion
1 entire head of garlic - use as much garlic as you like
1 jalapeno - depending on how much heat you like use what you like
1 or 2 smoked ham hocks - what works best is if you use a real bone in ham, save the bone and the meat scraps from that and just add to the crock pot with the beans. Discard the bones when beans are done.
1 lb. meat - use what you like (traditionally, Brazilians would use just about every part of the pig - I prefer using either a nice steak or beef roast. I have also used corned beef without using the spice packet provided)
1 lb. bacon - either brown the bacon prior or just add the whole thing in raw - it doesn't matter

Chop the onion, garlic, and jalapeno into little chunks. Add with beans, meat, ham hocks, and bacon to crock pot. Cover with chicken stock (or use water) and set to high. Add a generous amount of salt and pepper. Cover and allow to boil. When boiling, reduce heat to low and allow to simmer until dinner time. If the liquid disappears, add a little more. When beans are soft, they are ready to eat. Discard the bones and non-meat parts of the ham hocks while saving the little bits of meat. They are tasty!

Prior to dinner, mince several cloves of garlic and add to heated olive oil in a pot for making rice. Add rice and allow to lightly roast. Add the water and cook the rice as you would normally.

Place rice on the plate followed by the beans. Eat and Enjoy!

White Chili With Chicken (Rebecca Baker)

3 Tbsp olive oil
1 large onion
1-2 tsp chili powder (I use 1)
1 1/2 tsp cumin
1 tsp oregano
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 (15 oz) cans navy beans, drained and rinsed
3 cups diced cooked chicken
1 cup frozen corn
2 small cans green chilies
2 cups chicken broth
1/4 tsp salt
2 Tbsp butter, softened
1 1/2 Tbsp flour
Pepper
Grated cheddar or Monterey Jack

Warm oil in large pot over medium heat. Add onion and saute until tender, stirring often (5-10 mins). Stir in chili powder, cumin, oregano, and garlic and saute for another minute. Stir in the beans, chicken, corn, green chilies, chicken broth, and salt. Bring to a simmer and allow it to simmer for 10-15 minutes.

Blend butter and flour together. Add to the chili and stir until it thickens, about a minute. Add salt and pepper to taste. Can add more broth to thin the chili or 3-4 Tbsp half-and-half or cream to thicken it. Top with cheese!

Herbed Chicken Soup (Danielle Neuffer)

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 medium yellow onion chopped
2 large carrots, peeled, cut into slices
12 ounces boneless, skinless chicken cut into chunks
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
4 cups chicken broth
1 small zucchini, ends trimmed off, cut into slices
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 cup cooked chickpeas
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon each tarragon, dill and chives

In a large saucepan over medium heat, heat the oil. Add the onion and carrots and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are soft, about 9-10 minutes. Turn up the heat to high and add the chicken and the salt. Stir until the chicken has turned mostly white. Add the broth, zucchini, thyme and chickpeas and bring to a simmer. Simmer about 3 minutes, then stir in the pepper and remaining herbs and turn off the heat.

Note: This soup is very good with Bruchetta or just sliced french bread.

LAKSA (the curry soup)Rachelle Tovar

1/4 lb thin rice noodles (pad thai noodles are the best if you can find them)

1 small onion, finely chopped
2 tsp oil
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tsp mild curry paste (see attachment to see the curry you need to find at the store. it CAN"T be Indian curry. . .it has to be Japanese curry)
2 tsp brown sugar
1 (14oz) can of coconut milk
1 cup chicken broth
2 tsp soy sauce
1 (7 oz) can corn
1/4 cup frozen peas (or substitute a small bag of frozen carrots and peas like I did instead of the corn)
1 cup shredded cooked chicken (rotisserie chicken is by far the best. . .I used turkey for recipe exchange night and regretted it.)
4 green onions thinly sliced
2 tsp lime juice

Cook noodles as per package directions and place in 4 serving bowls. Saute onion with oil for 5-6 minutes until soft and add the garlic, curry, and brown sugar. Cook 1 minute more. Add coconut milk, chicken broth, and soy sauce and bring to a boil. Add the veggies and green onion, simmer 3 minutes. Remove from heat and add the lime juice. Pour over noodles and serve immediately.

Laksa moves fast so it is best to have all your ingredients ready to throw in before you start. Good luck and enjoy.

January's Recipe Exchange

2010-01-05T12:51:00.000-08:00

Welcome to the New Year and resolutions abound. This month's theme is Soup for our Souls and Salad for our Goals. Bring your favorite soups or salads to Wednesday's recipe exchange and remember to get the recipe to me asap.

November's Recipe Exchange

2009-11-05T06:05:00.000-08:00

With Thanksgiving around the corner, this month brings the opportunity to share your favorite Thanksgiving foods. Please bring your traditional or newly found recipe to the Tovar's Wednesday, November 11th at 7:45 pm. Just post whatever you'll be making as a comment or email me or bring a hard copy. Gobble Gobble!

October's Recipes

2009-10-16T13:35:00.000-07:00

Jessica's Famous Carrot Cake (Kimberli)
Cream together:
2 c sugar
1 1/2 c oil
4 eggs

Add:
3 c grated carrots
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp soda
2 tsp cinnamon
2 1/4 c flour (sift)
nuts (optional)

Bake at 300 (time depends on what kind of cake pan you use... I usually use a bundt and it takes about an hour)

Frosting:
8oz pkg cream cheese
1 cube softened butter
powdered sugar
vanilla or orange flavoring

I usually half (or 3/4) this frosting recipe (depends on how much frosting you like).

Ghosts in the Graveyard (Michelle)
1 pkg (16 oz) OREO Sandwich Cookies
3 1/2 cups cold milk
2 pkgs (4 serving size each) JELL-O Chocolate Flavor Instant Pudding & Pie Filling
1 tub (12 oz) COOL WHIP whipped topping, thawed

Crush cookies in zipper-style plastic bag with rolling pin or in food processor. Pour cold milk into large bowl. Add pudding mixes. Beat with wire whisk 2 minutes. Gently stir in 3 cups of the whipped topping and 1/2 of the crushed cookies. Spoon into 13x9-inch dish. Sprinkle with remaining crushed cookies.

Refrigerate 1 hour or until ready to serve. Store leftover dessert, covered, in refrigerator.

To decorate graveyard: Decorate assorted cookies with decorating icings or gels to create "tombstones." Stand "tombstones" on the top of dessert with candy corn candy pumpkins and tiny jelly beans. Drop remaining whipped topping by spoonfuls onto dessert to create ghosts. Decorate with candies to create "eyes".

Boo Cups: Layer pudding mixture, remaining crushed cookies and candy corn or tiny jelly beans in 12 to 16 glasses or clear plastic cups. Decorate with additional candies, decorated cookies and whipped topping, as desired.

Monterey Pumpkin Dip (Rachelle)

8 oz. cream cheese, softened

15 oz. canned pumpkin

2 oz. chopped canned green
chilies or 1/4 tsp green Tabasco sauce

½ t. garlic salt

½ t. cumin

sour cream

chopped tomato

chopped green onion

diced red onion

tortilla chips

Blend cream cheese, pumpkin, green chilies, garlic salt, and cumin. Spread

into 8 X 8 in. pan. Top with sour cream, tomato, green onion, and red

onion. Serve with chips. (Hint of Lime Tostitos are the best)

Fruit Dip (Kathryn)

8 oz cream cheese
1 cup brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
candied pecans or toffee chips

Mix cream cheese, brown sugar, and vanilla until smooth. Top with pecans or toffee chips

Pumpkin Cream Pasta (Miyako)

14 oz pasta
1/4 pumpkin (kabocha)
5 oz sausage or bacon
1 onion
13 oz milk
4 oz cream
2 cubes chicken bouillon or base
salt and pepper

Peel pumpkin's skin and cut into small portions. Boil with milk, cream, and bouillon. Slice onion and stir fry with sausage and onion. Add salt and pepper. Mush the pumpkin and mix all the ingredients together.

Monster Faced Pesto Bites (Lorena)

1 pkg melba toast
1 jar pesto
1 jar green olives, sliced

Spread pesto on each slice of toast. Put two olive slices on each to look like eyes.

Deviled Eggs With Olive Spiders (Jen)

Deviled Eggs (favorite Recipe)
Large Black Olives

Slice black olives in half length-wise to make "bodies." Slice some of those halves again length-wise to make four "legs."

Ladies' Fingers (Megan)

Ingredients

* 2 tablespoons red food coloring
* 30 blanched almonds
* 2 large eggs
* 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
* 8 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick), room temperature
* 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
* 5 tablespoons granulated sugar
* Pinch of salt
* 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
Directions

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper, and set aside.
2. Place food coloring in a shallow bowl. Using a small paintbrush, color one rounded half of each almond. Set aside to dry. (or put almonds in a ziploc bag and shake with food coloring)
3. Separate 1 egg. Set aside the white. In a small bowl, whisk together yolk, remaining egg, and vanilla. Set aside.
4. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine butter, confectioners' sugar, granulated sugar, and salt. Beat on medium speed until well combined. Add egg mixture, and beat until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add the flour, and mix on low speed just until incorporated. Wrap the dough in plastic, and chill until firm, 20 to 30 minutes.
5. Divide the dough in half. Work with one piece at a time, keeping remaining dough covered with plastic wrap and chilled. Divide the first half into fifteen pieces. On a lightly floured surface, roll each piece back and forth with palms into finger shapes, 3 to 4 inches long. Pinch dough in two places to form knuckles. Score each knuckle lightly with the back of a small knife. Transfer fingers to prepared baking sheets. Repeat with remaining dough.
6. When all fingers are formed, brush lightly with egg white. Position almond nails; push into dough to attach.
7. Bake until lightly browned, about 12 minutes. Cool completely.

Rhodes Dough Monkey Bread (Angela)

This can be made the night before, and left to rise in the refrigerator, or you can make it three hours ahead of time and let it rise in your humid, warm oven.
• Grease or butter a Bundt cake pan. Add 1/2 cup nuts or pecans and put in bottom of pan if desired. (Optional).

• 18 balls frozen dinner roll dough (Rhodes works well). Let them thaw slightly and cut them in half.

• Sprinkle rolls with dry ’Cook and Serve’ butterscotch pudding (NOT INSTANT). Layer rolls in Bundt pan, and sprinkle the pudding mix around rolls before adding next layer.

• Heat together until bubbly:
• 1/2 cup butter or margarine
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon

• Pour caramel sauce over rolls and pudding.

• Rise:
• First option: Cover with towel and let rise overnight in fridge.
• Second option: Or you can heat oven to 200 degrees. Turn the oven off. Put a pan with steamy/hot water in the oven. Let rolls rise in the steamy warm oven.

• Bake in the morning at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes until done.

• Invert on plate and serve warm.

Roasted pumpkin seeds: (Angela)

• 3 Tablespoons melted butter
• 2 cups plain, raw pumpkin seeds (washed and dried)
• Dash of salt to taste.

Mix together. Either cook on stove top or bake on a sheet in oven until crispy. (I think it’s easier on the stovetop). You can use less butter if desired.

Candied Pumpkin Seeds:
• 3 Tablespoons melted butter
• 2 cups plain, raw pumpkin seeds (washed and dried)
• 1/3 cup of sugar

Mix together on stovetop on medium heat. Stir until sugar is melted and starts to caramelize.
Add seeds to salads, cereal, granola, trail mix, or snack on them by themselves.
You can substitute any plain seeds or nuts in these recipes.

Mom's Easy Apple Crisp (Julie)

6 apples, peeled and sliced
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup water

Mix together and put into an 8x8 baking pan.

1/2 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup flour
1/4 tsp salt
6 tbsp butter, melted

Mix dry ingredients and add butter, mixing until coarse. Crumble over apples and bake at 375 for 40 min.

Dem Bones Breadsticks (or just Breadsticks) (Rebecca)

1 ½ c lukewarm water

1T yeast

2 T sugar

½ tsp salt

3-4 c flour

1 cube butter

Parmesan cheese

Garlic salt

Melt butter on a large cookie sheet. Mix water, yeast and sugar and let sit for 10 minutes. Add salt and flour and knead for 3 minutes. Let rise for 15 to 20 minutes. Roll dough ¼ to ½ inch thick. Cut into strips. Roll in melted butter and place on cookie sheet. Let rise 15 to 20 minutes. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and garlic salt. Bake at 375 for 15 to 20 minutes.

Note: For the bone shape, cut the ends of the breadsticks in half about ½ inch up and roll them into knobs.
Carmel Bugles (Emily)

2-3 bags of Bugles
1 cube butter
2 1/4 cup (1 lb) of brown sugar
1 can sweet and condensed milk
1 cup Karo syrup
1 cup mixed nuts if desired

Mix in saucepan over medium heat: butter, brown sugar, condensed milk, and Karo syrup. Stir until it makes a soft ball (check in a cup of cold water). Do not over cook. In another bowl mix hot mixture and bugles and nuts if desired. Spread over a cookie sheet to cool.

October's Recipe Exchange

2009-10-06T15:04:00.000-07:00

For the next few months, our recipe exchanges will be centered around the various holiday celebrations. This month brings the opportunity to bring clever foodies that would be a perfect addition to any Halloween party. Please be creative or traditional just post whatever you'll be making as a comment or email me or bring a hard copy. Happy Hunting for the recipe of choice and we will see you Wednesday, October 14th at the Tovar's about 7:45 ish.

(our family two years ago for Halloween. . .we were going on a Lion Hunt)

September Recipe Exchange: Food for Thought

2009-08-02T21:14:00.000-07:00

With school back in session, dinner often seems to come at an inopportune time. It is so much easier when dinner just prepares itself. Bring your best crock pot recipes or quick fix dinners to September's Recipe Exchange Wednesday September 9, 7:45 pm at the Tovar's home (9034 Broadmoor Bend).

Once you have decided on your recipe, please leave it as a comment on this post or send me an email so we can add it to the final post.

Please submit your recipe even if you can't make it. The downside to this option though is the rest of us will miss your company as well as sampling the recipe.

May's Recipes

2009-05-27T08:17:00.000-07:00

German Courgette (ZUCCHINI) BARS W/CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

Cream: 1 cup oil and 1 1/2 cup sugar
Add: 3 eggs and beat well
Sift: 2 cups flour, 1/4 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp soda, 1/4 tsp salt, 1 tsp cinnamon
Add: 1 tsp vanilla and 2 cups zucchini, grated

Pour into greased 9x13 pan and bake at 350 degrees for 25 mins.

Frosting:
3 oz cream cheese
1/2 stick of butter
3 cups powdered sugar
milk for spread ability
May 13, 2009 4:19 PM

BECCA"S MEAT FUN
Here's one that I grew up with, and I should have made it tonight. You serve it with roast beef.

2 eggs
Flour
Splash of milk
Cold water
Pinch of salt

Make while meat is resting. Beat eggs. Add enough flour to make a paste (should look a little stringy!). As soon as the meat is taken from the oven, increase heat to 400 degrees. Put about 1 tablespoon of fat from meat into each section of a patty tin. Put tin in oven to get hot.

Meanwhile, add milk and salt to paste and beat well. Add enough cold water to make a thin batter and beat well. Pour into patty tins. Cook for 20 minutes. Should rise well, be light brown and crisp and be hollow in the center.

These used to be used at the start of the meal with gravy made from the meat residue. This was to help fill everyone up so they would not need so much meat. It is also possible to cook the batter in the original roasting tin after draining off some of the fat, then cut into pieces.

Lettuce Wraps (Kimberli)
2-3 chicken breast (cubed and cooked in oil - or however you like, I usually use cook my chicken in the crock pot, then shred it)
5-6 lg carrots - peel and grate
1 bunch chopped green onion
1 sm can water chestnuts - chopped
1 bag bean sprouts (This only stays fresh for about 2-3 days. I've also used canned bean sprouts and it works too. Not quite as good though. I've also used sugar snap peas or edamame and that was yummy, but harder to eat.)

Add all veggies to chicken, then add approximately
1/8 c sesame seed oil
1/4 c soy sauce
2/3 bottle bangkok padang peanut sauce (bottle is 11.5 oz - made by House of Tsang... you can usually find it at Wal-mart)

Stir and let simmer until veggies are done and sauce gets sort of thick (approx 20 min)
Wash bunch of romaine lettuce (I've also used boston). Put sweet and sour sauce down the vein then add the above mix.

Danish Almond Puffs (Julie Allen)

Crust: 1 cup flour
1 cube butter
2 TBS water

Cut butter into flour; sprinkle water over; stir with large fork; spread in large rectangle on cookie sheet (won't cover the whole thing). Cover the crust with the "puff" and bake at 350 degrees until golden brown. (my recipe doesn't give a time, so I just checked every 10 min until it looked good, around 30-40 min)

Puff: 4 eggs
1 cup flour
1 cube butter
1 TBS almond extract

Melt butter in boiling water (about 1 1/2 c.) ; remove from heat, add almond flavoring and flour, stir and cook for one minute until flour is cooked. Remove from heat, add eggs one at a time; spread over crust.

Frosting: 2 cups powdered sugar, 1/2 stick soft butter, and milk to moisten and almond flavoring to taste. Top with sliced almonds.

Fried Rice (Wendy)

Oil (any type)
4-5 stalks of Green onions
Frozen vegetables (thawed) (any mixture is fine…I always get the kind with peas, carrots, green beans, and sometimes lima beans)
2 eggs (beaten)
2 cups of cooked rice (this should feed 2 adults and 2 little children with some left over)
Soy sauce
1 tsp Sugar
White pepper
2 tsp Sesame oil
Red wine (optional)
• Cut green onions and divide them up into the white parts and the green parts.
• Heat oil in a big pan on medium-high heat.
• Stir in white parts of green onions when the oil is hot. You should hear sizzling. Stir the onions around for a minute or two.
• Put in the beaten eggs and cook like scrambled eggs, but not too well done.
• Stir in the vegetables. Turn the heat to medium and put the cover on the pan to cook the veggies a little. Keep watching the pan and stirring the vegetables so that everything gets cooked evenly and so the eggs don’t burn. Depending on how soft you want the veggies, take a bite of a carrot to determine if you’re done. (I usually cook mine longer because I want the veggies softer for my youngest one to eat.)
• Stir in the rice. This is where things get “heavier” to flip and turn. Keep mixing it up until you get a good distribution of veggies and eggs throughout the rice.
• Pour in some soy sauce and continue mixing. The reason there is no “set” amount of soy sauce is because you can control the saltiness of the rice. There is no rule that fried rice has to be ALL brown. It’s perfectly acceptable to Asians for fried rice to have some white color still left in there. I usually just keep pouring and mixing until all of my rice is a light brown. Then I have my husband taste it (only because he doesn’t like things as salty as I do). If it needs to be saltier I add more soy sauce. If it’s too salty, I add more white rice that I have saved on the side. I know this is SO not helpful because there isn’t a “set” amount, but it’s ok to play around with the amount to suit your family’s taste.
• Sprinkle in the sugar.
• Put as much white pepper as you like. (I never put a lot because I can’t eat spicy food.) So again, it’s up to you how much of a kick you want to give it. Just remember that white pepper has WAY more flavor and kick than black pepper, so be careful. If you want more spiciness after you’ve finished cooking, you can always add it just to a bowl of rice after the fact.
• Stir around the rice mixing the sugar and white pepper around.
• Pour in the sesame oil and stir the rice.
• Stir in the red wine, if using.
• Take the pan off the heat.
• Stir in the green parts of the green onions.
• Serve.

Cinco De Mayo

2009-04-28T06:26:00.000-07:00

With Fiesta on the mind and belly, May's recipe exchange with be Ethnic Food night. Now, obviously fiesta has more to do with Latin America, but feel free to bring any country's fare. (Or you can make the Guacamole dip as seen above). Hope to see you Wednesday, May 14th at 7:45 at the Tovar home (9034 Broadmoor Bend) for some good eats.

Once you have decided on your recipe, please leave it as a comment on this post or send me an email so we can add it to the final post. If you needed recipes from the previous exchange, check out Aprils's very small post.

Please submit your recipe even if you can't make it. The downside to this option though is the rest of us will miss your company as well as sampling the recipe

April's Recipes

2009-04-21T18:44:00.000-07:00

So there were more then two people who attended, but that is all the recipes I have been given (HINT HINT). If any of you had wanted to come and/or have a recipe to add, please put it in the comment section and I will add it to the blog. So without further ado, the recipes:

Quiche – Becca Clawson

1 premade pie dough
4 eggs
1 ¼ c milk
Assort. Herbs (see below)
Filling (see below)
Cheese (see below)
Preheat oven to 375. Put your premade pie dough in a deep dish pie pan (or cake pan), and flute sides. Put filling in bottom and cheese. In a large bowl combine eggs, milk and seasonings and whisk until well combined. Place your prepared pie pan on a sheet pan. Pour on top of filling and using a fork stir it in a little bit (If there is too much egg mixture for the dish don’t use it all). Bake in a preheated oven for 50-60 minutes. Should jiggle slightly yet it shouldn’t be runny, it should also have a nice color to it.

Fillings
Quiche Lorraine – diced ham, sautéed onions, swiss cheese and parmesan, herbs de province
Veggie Quiche – sautéed onion, spinach, zucchini, bell peppers, cheese your choice, herbs your choice
Spinach Mushroom Sausage – cooked crumbled Italian sausage, sliced mushrooms, spinach, cheese I like cheddar and parmesan, herbs thyme, salt and pepper
Roasted Veggie Quiche – oven roast eggplant, onion, zucchini, roasted bell peppers, cheese feta, herbs your choice
Asparagus Quiche – Asparagus chopped ( 4 left hole), cheese swiss and parmesan, herbs your choice. Float whole asparagus spears on top of egg mixture. Very pretty!

Berry Stuffed French Toast

Ingredients
Stuffing:
6oz. cream cheese
1 cup vanilla flavored yogurt (I used Dannon Natural)
1 1/2 cup mixed frozen berries (blueberries, raspberries, and boysenberries)
1 T powdered sugar

French Toast:
6 egss
1 cup skim milk
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp orange peel
dash of salt
(I also added a little cinnamon to this part as well)
12 slices of bread (I used a cinnamon swirl bread)

Directions
To make stuffing: Combine cheese and yogurt in large bowl.

Coat 6 slices of bread with yogurt mixture and place, stuffing side up, in a
9 x 13" pan. Spoon the blueberries and strawberries over the mixture. Spread more stuffing on the remaining 6 slices of bread, place over the fruit to top off the sandwiches.

In a separate bowl, mix eggs, milk, and vanilla. Pour over sandwiches and soak for 30 minutes.

Sauté sandwiches over medium heat, turning several times. Slice diagonally to serve.

To prevent overheating my house, I cooked them on the griddle. But you can also let it sit overnight and cook it at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes.

BBQ Food for June's Recipe Exchange

2009-03-28T08:07:00.000-07:00

For all of us not native to the South, the above video might dash our conceptions about BBQing. Don't worry, whether you refer to it as a BBQ or a cookout, recipe exchange this month will be anything you would bring to such an event. So bust out your best summer time recipes and bring them Wednesday, June 10 at 7:45 pm.

Thanks for all those who attended last month and posted their recipes which can be found below. Hopefully, soon we will have all the recipes that are brought.

Easter Brunch

2009-03-19T19:04:00.000-07:00

April's recipe exchange is days before Easter Sunday. I thought it would be nice to have a few more recipes to try this year. Furthermore, breakfast is one of my favorite meals of the day. We often will have breakfast for dinner even. That is why Brunches are so fantastic. Hope to see you Wednesday, April 8th at 7:45 at the Tovar home (9034 Broadmoor Bend) for some good eats.

Once you have decided on your recipe, please leave it as a comment on this post or send me an email so we can add it to the final post. If you needed recipes from the previous exchange, check out March's post.

Also, Christine wasn't able to come but still posted her recipe in the comment section which in turn was added to the blog. Please submit your recipe even if you can't make it. The downside to this option though is the rest of us will miss your company as well as sampling the recipe.

March Recipes

2009-03-11T20:10:00.000-07:00

I am sorry for all those who did not have the lucky chance of being at the recipe exchange on Wednesday. You were missed. The recipes and conversation were fantastic. See you next month with your brunch ideas.

Shepherd's Pie (Rachelle)

Ingredients:

1 lb ground hamburger
1/2 pkg Stove Top Stuffing (any flavor)
Mashed Potatoes (instant or favorite recipe)
4 oz grated cheese (or more)
3 green onions, chopped
3 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled
1/2 plum tomato, chopped

Preheat the oven to 350. Pour the 1/2 box of stove top stuffing in a medium size bowl. Pour enough warm water to almost cover. After the water is soaked into the stuffing, mix in the meat. Spread the meat mixture onto a foiled lined pan in the shape of your final dish. (I usually use a pie dish so I free form shape it into a circle) Cook for 15 minutes or until cooked through. Transfer the meat into the pie dish and cover with the mashed potatoes. Cover with onions and bacon and cheese. Cook until the cheese melts. Remove from the oven and sprinkle the tomatoes on top. Serve with salad and enjoy.

The Best of Granola (Tovi)

6 cups rolled oats (can use any combination of rolled grains)
1/2 cup wheat germ
1 cup unsweetened coconut
1/4 cup sesame seeds
1 cup nuts (more if you wish-whole or chopped: walnuts, cashews, almonds, pecans)
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup canola oil
1 cup melted honey (more if you wish a sweeter taste or it to clump more)
1 cup raisins or other dried fruit (dates, pineapple, plum, apple, etc)
1/2 tsp almond extract (optional)
2 T vanilla

Mix grains, nuts, seeds, and coconut together. Pour oil and honey over the mixture and stir well. Spread on lightly oiled cookie sheet and bake at 275 for 30 minutes or until mixture is golden brown. Do not over bake! Remove from oven, pour into large stainless bowl, and add dried fruit and flavorings. Serve with milk and fresh fruit or eat as a snack. Use for yogurt or ice cream topping. Store in tightly sealed container. Refrigerate if kept for a long time. For variety, add 1 t cinnamon and 1 t nutmeg. High in fiber, minerals, and vitamin C.

Red Potato Oven Fries (Julie)

2 pounds red potatoes, washed
3 tablespoons EVOO
2 tablespoons Herbes de Provence or (dried parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme combined)
1 tablespoon grill seasoning (recommended: McCormick Montreal Seasoning) or 1 teaspoon each salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 450

Lin a cookie sheet with foil. Cut potatoes into wedges and drop onto cookie sheet. Coat potatoes in oil. Season with dried spices and grill seasoning or salt and pepper. Roast, turning once, 25 min.

Taco soup (Molly)

1 can dark red kidney beans
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can corn
2 cans tomato sauce
1 envelope taco seasoning
1 small onion (chopped)
2 c. water
1 lb. ground hamburger or turkey

In large pot add the first 5 ingredients. Brown hamburger in skillet with chopped onion. Add browned hamburger and onion, plus the 2 cups of water to the large pot. simmer low 20 min. Top with sour cream, shredded cheese and tortilla chips.

Yummy Spaghetti (Christine)
Add the following to your choice of spaghetti and sauce (GO PREGO) to make a more complete meal.

Ingredients:
Olive Oil (or Vegetable Oil)
1 Red Bell Pepper, sliced into strips
1 Green Bell Pepper, sliced into strips
1 Yellow Bell Pepper, sliced into strips
1 Orange Bell Pepper, sliced into strips
1/2-1 onion sliced into strips (depends on how oniony you want it)
1-2 garlic cloves minced (depends on how garlicky you want it)
1 pound Mild or Hot Italian Sausage

Preheat oven to 350. Get a cookie sheet with the high edges (not the ones with no lip on the edge). Poor a good amount of oil into the pan and place sausage on it. Rub each piece of sausage with oil, covering it. Cook in oven 20 minutes on each side (40 minutes total). When they are done slice into little circles.

While the sausage is in the oven heat about 2 tablespoons olive oil in a pan on medium heat. Add Garlic and saute until garlic is just brown. Add Onion and Bell Pepper. Saute for about 20 minutes, or until veggies are to desired consistency. Add sausage and about a cup full of sauce to de-glaze the pan (mix sauce in and then rub the pan bottom to get all the nice juices up off it). Serve on top of spaghetti.

Never Fail Pie Crust (Becca)

2 1/2 c flour
1 c shortening (butter flavor)
1 tsp salt
1 egg, beaten
1/4 c cold water - I add ice
1 T vinegar (apple cider is really good)

Mix together flour, shortening and salt. Cut in shortening with pastry blender until clumps are about the size of large peas. Blend together egg, cold water and vinegar. Add to flour mixture and mix lightly with a fork. Roll out, place in pie pan and fill and flute as desired. Keep pie crust from getting soggy by rubbing egg white, slightly beaten, on bottom and sprinkle with flour. Bake pie shell at 400 degrees for 7 to 10 minutes or until golden brown. Makes 2 crusts.

FILLING:
Cream pies -
lg pkg. instant pudding mix (whatever flavor)
1 cup milk
1 1/2 cups heavy whipped cream (whipped)
Stir together and put into pie shell. Let it set up in the fridge for at least an hour or two.

Banana Cream pie: line bananas on the bottom and put some in mixture.

Lemon Cheese Bars (Kimberli)

1 package lemon cake mix (18.5 oz)

1/3 cup veg oil

2 large eggs

1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened

1/3 cup sugar

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (~ 1 lemon)

Preheat to 350 (center rack). Blend cake mix, oil, and 1 egg for 1 1/2 - 2 minutes. The mixture should be crumbly. Reserve approx 1 cup for the topping. Transfer the remaining into ungreased 9X13 pan (note: I always use 9X9 square pan because I like them thicker). Using your fingertips, press the mixture evently over the bottom of the pan so it reaches all sides. Bake crust 13-15 minutes.

You can use the same bowl/beaters for the filling. To make the filling, beat cream cheese until smooth (about 30 seconds). Add sugar, lemon juice, and 1 egg. Beat until well combined (about 1-2 minutes). Pour over crust and scatter reserved crust over filling.

Bake 14 to 15 minutes until golden brown and filling just starts to set. Cool on wire rack for 30 minutes. Serve. (I actually like them cold best, so I make them ahead of time and refrigerate. Also, I've used white and yellow cake mixes and just added a little lemon juice to them. That was the case for the recipe exchange. Other kinds of cake mixes might be good too.)

Dump Cake (Linda)

1 can pineapple tidbits
1 can cherry pie filling
1 box yellow cake mix
1 stick butter

Dump the canned fruit into baking dish. Cover with the cake mix and place the cube of butter on top. Cook in 350 degree oven until golden brown on top. Place on a cookie sheet before baking in order to catch any drips.

LUCK IS FOR LEPRECHAUNS

2009-02-21T10:03:00.000-08:00

The theme for March's recipe exchange is LUCK IS FOR LEPRECHAUNS. Please bring one of your recipes you know never fails. Whether it's the quick meal thrown together last minute, or the one you showcase for your guests, we could all use a few more trusted recipes. Hope to see you Wednesday, March 11 at 7:45 at the Tovar home (9034 Broadmoor Bend) for some good eats.

Once you have decided on your recipe, please leave it as a comment on this post or send me an email so we can add it to the final post. If you needed recipes from the previous exchange, check out February's post. (We are missing some of the recipes. . .if you are someone who forgot to send me your recipe, REPENT! Just add in in the comment portion of the previous post.)

2009-02-12T09:50:00.000-08:00

Thanks for all the food and fun Wednesday night. I have received a lot of recipes, but we are still missing some. For those who still need to send it, please either post it in the comment section or email me. Next time I will have tags for everyone to set by their dish so they can find the desired recipe on this blog. Without further ado, the recipes.

DRINKS AND APPETIZERS

Brazilian Lemonade (Sabrina)

~1 large lime, with smooth skin (the smoother the skin, the juicier the lime)
~1/2 c. sugar
~2 to 3 tblsp. sweetened condensed milk
~3 c. water
~ice

Wash and scrub the lime with a little bit of soap. Rinse well. Cut off the ends of the lime and cut fruit into eight pieces. Place lime pieces in a blender. Add sugar, sweetened condensed milk and water. Cover blender and pulse (on-off) five times on high speed. Strain the lemonade to remove lime rinds. Pour lemonade over ice. Raspberries, strawberries, pineapples, or coconut also can be added to the lime mixture before blending.

Roast Beef Roll-Ups (Michelle)

1 container (8 oz) cream cheese spread
3-4 teaspoons prepared horseradish
6 plum tomatoes, thinly sliced
1 small cucumber, thinly sliced
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
8 (6-7 inch) flour tortillas
½ lb thinly sliced deli roast beef (8 slices)

Combine cream cheese and horseradish; mix well. Thinly slice tomatoes, cucumber, and onion. For each roll, spread tortilla evenly with 2 tablespoons cream cheese mixture. Top with 5 tomato slices, 5 cucumber slices, 3 red onion slices, and 1 roast beef slice. Roll up tightly. Repeat with remaining tortillas and filling. Wrap filled tortillas individually in plastic wrap. Refrigerate, seam side down for 30 minutes. To serve, cut each roll crosswise into thirds.
Yield: 24 appetizers

(Variation: Turkey Roll-Up: Omit horseradish. Substitute chive and onion cream cheese spread for the cream cheese and thinly sliced deli peppered turkey breast for the roast beef slices. Prepare as recipe directs.)

Bruchetta (Becca)

1 loaf of french bread(I use a baguette because it is easier when serving a large group of people)
1 large tomato
Feta Cheese(I've used some flavored with Basil and Sun dried tomatoes)
Olive Oil
Basil

Slice bread into thin slices. Toast in the oven on 400 until warm and crispy. While it is toasting chop tomato into small pieces, try to get rid of as much liquid as you can. Mix in a small bowl, tomatoes and feta cheese crumbles. (Use as much cheese as you would like). Remove bread from oven and top each piece with a spoonful of tomato mixture. Drizzle each piece with olive oil and garnish with basil. Bake at 400 until warm.

---It is just as good without the cheese or with mozzarella cheese! Enjoy!

Joe's Crab Shack Warm Crab Dip (Jennifer)

Ingredients-

* One 8 Oz pkg Cream Cheese
* 2 Cans crabmeat (drained)
* 1/4 Cup diced green onions
* 1 Tbs minced mild red chili pepper
* 1 Tbs mild green chili pepper, minced.
* 1/4 tsp salt
* 1/4 tsp white pepper
* 2 Tbs shredded parmesean cheese
* Paprika for garnish.
* 1 tsp minced fresh parsley for garnish.

Directions

1. Preheat oven to broil.
2. Combine cream cheese with crab, green onions, chili peppers, salt and white pepper in a medium bowl. Stir well to combine.
3. Spread mixture into the bottom of an oven safe dish. Use a wide dish for this is so the dip is only about and inch deep in the bottom.
4. Sprinkle Parmesan Cheese over the surface of the dip.
5. Broil 3 or 4 minutes or until cheese on top begins to brown.
6. Sprinkle paprika over the dip, followed by the fresh minced parsley.
7. Serve with sliced toasted bread, tortilla chips or crackers.

Black Bean Salsa (Lorena)
2 cans Black Beans, drained
2 small plum tomatoes, diced
2 small avocado (or more if desired), diced
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1/2 lime, juiced
salt to taste

Combine ingredients in a large bowl. Chill in the fridge for flavors to blend. Serve with chips.

Roasted Raspberry Chipotle Sauce Cream Cheese Dip (Kimberli)
This is a great recipe to use in a pinch... I always have these ingredients on hand and its easy to throw together.

* Cream cheese - softened
* Roasted Raspberry Chipotle Sauce (my favorite brand is by Fischer & Wieser)
* assortment of your favorite crackers

Spead cream cheese into a shallow dish. For Wednesday's party, I cut the cream cheese into a heart shape with a cookie cutter. Cover with Raspberry Chipolte sauce. Enjoy!

Side note: "Fischer & Wieser" started in Fredericksburg, TX. You can sample the products from their first store "Das Peach Haus". They have lots of yummy sauces and tons of recipes. Rather than make the trip to the Hill Country, you can pick up a bottle at HEB or grab a larger (and much cheaper) bottle at Costco.

VEGETABLES/SALAD

Ginger Soy Asparagus (Kaori)

1 lbs asparagus, cut ends off
2T soy sauce
1T oil (I use olive oil)
1 1/2 t sugar
1 1/2 t sesame seeds, you can either toast them or buy them already toasted
1/4 t ground ginger
1/4-1/2 t cumin

In a medium saucepan or steamer, cook asparagus until crisp and tender, about 3-5 minutes. Drain and plunge in cool water. (I always skip this step and eat it warm) Drain again and put in a large serving bowl.

In a small bowl, mix other ingredients. Pour mixture over veggies tossing to coat. Enjoy!!
**You can also substitute the asparagus for fresh green beans.

MAIN DISHES

Shrimp alfredo (Arianne)

shrimp- fresh or frozen
butter
minced garlic
1 can petite diced tomatoes (drained)
1 jar alfredo sauce
basil
parsley
parmesan cheese
fettuccine pasta

Cook pasta according to package directions. Cook shrimp on medium in butter and garlic until shrimp makes a "c" shape. Drain and set aside. Cook alfredo sauce, tomatoes, basil, and parsley until warm. Add shrimp. Serve over pasta. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

Chicken Crescent Rolls (Rachelle)

2 TBSP butter, softened
3 oz cream cheese, softened
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1 large celery stalk, diced
2 mushrooms, sliced (optional)
1/2 bunch of green onions, sliced
1 cup cooked chicken, cubed
1 packages of refrigerated crescent rolls
3 TBSP butter melted
1/2 cup bread crumbs

SAUCE:
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese

Mix the butter, cream cheese, salt, and pepper together until well blended. Stir in the cut veggies and chicken until evenly coated with the cream cheese mixture. Separate each crescent roll out on an ungreased cookie sheet. Evenly distribute the mixture onto the wide end of each crescent roll. Fold the two corners of the wide end of the crescent roll into the middle of the triangle then roll up the rest of the crescent roll. Pinch the dough together to prevent any of the mix from spilling out. Dip each filled roll into butter and then into bread crumbs. Place back on the cookie sheet. Cook at 375 for 15-18 mintues. Combine all the ingredients of the sauce in a small sauce pan. Cook over low heat until cheese is melted, stirring constantly. Serve over rice.

DESSERTS

Chocolate-Hazelnut Ravioli (Julie)
16 wonton wrappers
1 egg, beaten to blend
1 cup Nutella
Veggie oil for frying
Granulated sugar
Powdered sugar for dusting
Mint leaves for a garnish (optional)

Brush the edges of wrapper with egg. Spoon 1 tbls Nutella into center of the wrapper. Fold diagonally in half over the filling and press the edges to seal. Repeat with remaining wrappers.

Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Heat about 2 inches worth of oil in pan for frying over medium heat.

Add ravioli to hot oil and cook until golden brown, about 45 seconds per side. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towel to drain. You can keep the cooked ones in the oven to keep warm.
Dust with powdered sugar.

(Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cool completely, then cover and refrigerate. Before serving, place on a baking sheet and rewarm at 375 just until they are heated through, about 7 min.)

Chocolate Eclair Dessert (Haley)

Crust
* 1/2 cup butter
* 1 cup water

Boil butter and water. Then remove from heat and add:

* 1 cup flour
* 1/2 tsp salt

Let mixture cool for 2 minutes. Then add:

* 4 eggs, one at a time until mixture is smooth and puffy

Bake in ungreased 9x13 pan at 450 for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 400 for 25 minutes or until golden brown. Let crust cool and shrink.

Topping
* 2 small pkgs French Vanilla instant pudding
* 3 cups milk
* 8 oz melted cream cheese
Combine ingredients together and allow it to set. Spread this mixture onto colled crust. Top with 1 (8 oz) tub of Cool Whip. Drizzle chocolate on top.

Chocolate Ricotta Pie (Danielle)

Crust

* 1 and 1/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
* 2 and 1/2 oz melted butter
* 2 TBSP sugar

Mix ingredients together well, shape inside 9" pie plate. Reserve and cool.

Filling
* 1 lb ricotta
* 3/4 cup confectionery sugar
* 1 tsp Almond Extract
* 1 cup toasted almonds
* 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
* 1 and 1/4 cup heavy cream

Combine ricotta, sugar, and extract in a bowl and set aside. Combine nuts and chocolate. Grind 1/3 at a time in an electric blender. Do not grind too fine. Fold ricotta and nut mixtures together and chill. Whip heavy cream until stiff and fold into the chilled ricotta mixture, half at a time. Spoon into the chilled crust and let sit overnight before serving.

Easy Crockpot Chocolate Fondue (Elizabeth)

--3 cups chocolate chips (semi-sweet, dark, milk, or white. Your choice.)
--1 cup heavy cream
--1 tsp vanilla

optional
you can doctor this up with:

--1 tsp peppermint, orange, coconut, etc. extract

The Directions:

Put chocolate chips in a small crockpot. Add the heavy cream and teaspoon of vanilla. Cover. Plug in and cook on low for about an hour. Stir.

If you do not have a small crockpot, you can put an oven-safe dish inside of a larger crockpot. Do not add water. There's no need to create a water bath for melting chocolate in the crockpot. It melts nice and slow.

Serve with apple chunks, banana slices, cubes of pound cake, mandarin oranges, cubes of bread, strawberries, or marshmallows.

First Recipe Exchange

2009-01-25T11:50:00.000-08:00

Wednesday, February 11 will mark the very first recipe exchange for our group of friends. The theme will be ROMANTIC DINNER FOR TWO/YOU (depending on the circumstance).

With Valentine's Day coming up and the condition of the economy, a homemade meal will hit the romantic spot without hopefully hitting our pocket books too hard. Think of a dinner menu you would like to have prepared for you. Then pick one item to bring to the recipe exchange.

IMPORTANT RULES TO FOLLOW:

This event really is open to everyone. If you can't think of a dish that would fit the theme, then bring something you really like making or just bring yourself. Please either bring a copy of the recipe or post a comment with the recipe in it. It will then be added to the next blog entry. Use the evite link to correspond any of your questions or comments.