At the luncheon, there were 14 all together including the youngest; a young teen guy and two other men. For their door prizes many of them brought cookbooks for the exchange and one woman brought cheese from her local town in upper New York State. They had such an enjoyable time at their first luncheon they are planning another in the fall. Brenda, who was in charge of organizing told me that some of the recipes aren't necessarily "original" but recipes everyone has been making and serving for years. You know how recipes go though, you start with the original and before you know it you've created another version. One of the women, Kathleen said her recipe was originally for a pie, but she changed the amounts of the ingredients to make it into a dessert. Joan, from TX said the next Texas luncheon will be in October. I know I sure miss those fun-filled luncheons where there was lots of great food, very enjoyable company, door prizes and wonderful recipes to be shared. Note: Joan just e-mailed me saying the PA luncheons have been going on for about 11-years, but this is the first one they exchanged recipes and door prizes.
I have taken the liberty of adding comments or serving suggestions, but basically the recipes are as they came to me. I also did not test or try any of these recipes as of this post. Note; as in my recipes, unless otherwise stated all eggs will be large. Julia
I hope you enjoy the Pennsylvania TOH recipes listed below!
2 (6 oz.) boxes strawberry gelatin
2 cups boiling water
2 (10 oz.) packages frozen strawberries
1 (8 oz.) cream cheese, soft
2 cups whipped topping (such as Cool Whip)
1 cup sugar
Into a 13x9 glass pan, add 1 box of gelatin and 1 cup boiling water, stirring well to combine. Place in refrigerator until firm. Into a bowl of electric mixer add cream cheese and sugar beating well. Fold in the whipped topping and spread over firm gelatin layer. Mix the second box of gelatin and 1 cup boiling water, mixing well to combine and add frozen berries. Stir until berries have melted. Place in refrigerator for 10 minutes, then pour over cream cheese mixture and refrigerate. To serve; remove and slice into pieces, garnish with fresh strawberries if desired and maybe a mint leaf. This would be a refreshing summer al fresco salad to serve with grilled fish, chicken or even burgers.
Antipasto - Brenda W. - this recipe was given to Brenda when she attended a party in the 90's. She has been making it for years for family get-together's and her uncle always requested it. All meats, cheeses and vegetables are cut into 1-inch cubes. You can mix up the ingredients if someone doesn't care for an item. This recipe makes a huge amount so you can halve it if desired.
1/4 lb. cooked salami
1/4 lb. pepperoni
1/4 lb. ham
1/2 lb. provolone cheese
3 medium tomatoes (get those ruby red ones)
2 medium green peppers
3 stalks celery
2 medium onions
1 jar green olives, drained
1 can black olives, drained
1 (1 lb.) box shells pasta
fresh oregano
1 (8 oz.) bottle Italian dressing
Into a pot of boiling salted water, add pasta and cook al dente. Drain pasta, and refresh a few times in cold water, drain well again. Cube all the other ingredients and mix together with pasta into a large bowl combining with a little of the dressing mixed in. Refrigerate covered for a few hours. Before serving mix in more dressing, taste and adjust seasoning. Pour onto a large serving platter lined with red leaf lettuce. Garnish with fresh sprigs of parsley and oregano.
Black Bean and Corn Salsa - Bonnie H.
1 (10.5 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed in cold water, drain again
1 (11 oz.) can crisp niblets corn (Bonnie did not say to drain, but I think you would want to)
2 Tbl. red or sweet onion, diced
1/4 cup green pepper, seeded and diced
2 Tbl. fresh cilantro, chopped
2 Tbl. olive oil
Place all ingredients into a bowl and mix to combine, cover and chill. This would be great with fresh hot tortilla chips or served with grilled chicken. I also think hollowing out a few Haas avocados and adding some of the salsa into the center would make a great side dish.
Chicken Breasts in Mushroom Sauce - Nancy F.
6 (8 oz.) bone in, skin on chicken breasts
1 (10 oz.) can cream of mushroom soup
1 lb. fresh mushrooms, sliced (you can use button or an assortment of mushrooms)
1/3 to 1/2 cup milk (a touch of whipping cream would be great to add too)
6 pats of butter
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and place into a greased 13x9 baking dish. Put a pat of butter onto each breast then place in oven to brown. When browned remove from oven and turn down temperature to 350 degrees. Into a bowl, add soup, milk and mushrooms (I would first saute the mushrooms in some butter until lightly golden) and mix to combine. Pour over browned chicken and bake for 1 hour our until done. I would place onto a serving platter, pour sauce over the top and sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley. Serve with mashed garlic potatoes and a tossed garden salad with a vinaigrette, or creamy corn pudding and fresh sliced ruby red tomatoes drizzled with a herb vinaigrette. A nice white wine would be a great accompaniment. Note: just me, but I think a good squeeze of fresh lemon juice would be great in this dish, as well as some fresh thyme or a nice splash of sherry would be great added to the soup mixture.
Chicken Carbonara - Brenda W.
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup hot water
2 tsp. Italian seasoning
2 garlic cloves, chopped and divided
1 1/2 lbs. chicken, cut into strips
1/2 cup butter
2 strips of bacon, cooked until brown and crisp and chopped finely
2 Tbl. all purpose flour
2 cups heavy whipping cream
2 cups milk
1/2 cups Parmesan cheese, grated, plus a little extra
3/4 cup roasted red pepper, sliced into strips
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 lb. spaghetti
Topping
1 cup Mozzarella cheese, shredded
2 Tbl. Romano cheese, grated
2 Tbl. Parmesan, grated
1/4 cup Panko breadcrumbs
1 Tbl. butter, melted
1 small garlic clove, finely minced
Fresh parsley, chopped
Into a bowl, combine olive oil and whisk with hot water. Add some of the chopped garlic and then add chicken strips. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Into a large saute pan melt butter over medium heat and add garlic and bacon bits. Saute for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Whisk in flour and cook for about 1 minute to remove flour taste. Add heavy cream, milk, salt, pepper and Parmesan, whisking to combine, bring to a boil then reduce to simmer so it thickens, add peppers. Topping; into a bowl, combine Romano, Parmesan, Mozzarella, Panko, some parsley, chopped garlic and melted butter, stir to combine and set aside. Into another large saute pan, add olive oil and drain the chicken, add to the pan cooking until lightly brown and cooked through on both sides. Add the sauce to this pan with the chicken, stir to combine. In the meantime, into a pot of boiling salted water add pasta and cook al dente, drain well. Place the cooked pasta onto a serving platter and pour over sauce, add topping to chicken and place briefly under broiler to get golden brown and bubbly. Carefully with hot pads remove the platter, garnish with extra parsley and serve. Note: I would wait a few minutes so the platter cools a bit or have the hostess in charge of serving, dish it up so no one gets hot fingers from passing the platter. Serve with hot garlic bread and a tossed salad.
Mexi Meatloaf Muffins - Ann W. (Ann described these as AWESOME!)
1 tsp. hot chili oil
1/2 cup onion, diced
1/2 cup carrots, shredded
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. paprika
3/4 tsp. ground cumin
2 tsp. chili powder
1/2 cup chunky salsa
2 eggs
1/2 cup plain bread crumbs
1 1/2 lbs. 95% ground lean beef
2 Tbl. taco sauce
Fresh guacamole
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray a 12 cup muffin tin with cooking spray and set aside. Into a saute pan on medium heat, add chili oil, onions, carrots and garlic cooking about 5 minutes or until vegetables are soft. Remove from heat. In to a large bowl add; salt, pepper, cayenne, oregano, paprika, cumin and chili powder and stir to combine. Add cooked vegetables, salsa, bread crumbs and eggs stirring to combine well. Add the beef and mix to combine. Divide the meat mixture evenly among the 12 muffin cups. Drizzle a 1/2 tsp. of taco sauce over the top of each muffin. Bake approximately 25 minutes or until cooked through. Remove to cooling rack and cool 5 minutes before turning out. Place each muffin onto a serving platter and top with some fresh guacamole then serve. Note: I would also garnish with fresh cilantro or thinly sliced scallions. Serve with Mexican rice and either refried beans or black beans and fresh warmed tortillas with butter. My weakness is orange butter on hot tortillas.
Beef and Rice-A-Roni Meatballs - Ann W.
3/4 lb. ground beef
1/3 cup onion, minced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup fresh button mushrooms, diced
1 (6.8 oz.) box beef rice-a-roni (set aside the seasoning packet)
1 egg
2 tsp. dried parsley
2 cups warm water
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 Tbl. cornstarch
water
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In to a large bowl add beef, onion, garlic, mushrooms, rice-a-roni, egg, parsley, salt and pepper. Shape into about 12 meatballs. Into a large saute pan, drizzle with a little oil and brown all the meatballs over medium high heat. Remove from heat and transfer to a 13x9 baking dish. Stir the rice-a-roni seasoning packet with the 2 cups of warm water, mixing well. Pour over the meatballs and cover with foil. Bake for about 45 minutes or until cooked through. Remove the baking pan and pour off the liquid into a saucepan. Heat over medium heat. Stir together cornstarch and water. When liquid comes to a boil whisk in cornstarch mixture and cook until slightly thickened. Place meatballs onto serving platter and pour over sauce. Garnish with fresh parsley. Note: I would serve with cooked egg noodles tossed with butter and parsley or steamed rice. A side of fresh steamed green beans with slivered almonds and some hot rolls.
Baked Beans - Nancy F.
1 lb. dried lima beans
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
Sauce
2 cups brown sugar, packed
1/2 lb. bacon, diced
1 medium onion, finely diced
1 tsp. dry mustard
1 (46 oz.) can tomato juice
2 Tbl. molasses
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Into a saute pan, add bacon and cook until browned and crispy. Remove to paper towels to drain. Place the dried beans into a large Dutch oven covered in cold water, add baking soda and salt. Let soak until soft, drain well and place back into Dutch oven. For sauce; into a bowl combine sauce ingredients and mix to combine. Pour sauce over beans in Dutch oven and bake about 6 hours or until beans are tender. Note: these would be great served with grilled steaks, or burgers and a nice chilled red potato salad.
Frosted Cashew and Toffee Bit Brownies - Dan F. The story behind these brownies is special according to Nancy F. the grandmother of this young man. He entered this recipe in their local fair in the Hershey's Baking contest. He was just 10 at the time and won first prize. He then took his recipe to the PA Farm show and competed against many other kids all older than him. Unfortunately, he did not win that contest, but was excited to go and compete. Nancy considers these brownies a winner and they are very, very good she says!
Brownies
3/4 cup butter, melted
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
3 eggs
1/2 cup cocoa
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups cashews, chopped
1/2 cup milk chocolate chips
1/2 cup white chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups English toffee bits
Frosting
1 stick butter, soft
2/3 cup cocoa
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup evaporated milk
1 Tbl. pure vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. salt
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 13x9 cake pan with no-stick spray. Line the pan with foil with 2-inch overhang on each end. Spray the foil with no-stick spray. Into a bowl of electric mixer beat butter, eggs, sugar and vanilla. Into a medium bowl combine flour, baking powder and salt whisking to combine. Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture, mixing well. Stir in nuts, chips and toffee bits and pour into prepared pan. Bake about 22 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely on a wire rack for at least one hour. Remove brownies from foil and frost with frosting. Frosting; into a bowl of electric mixer beat butter, add cocoa and powdered sugar, mixing to combine. Slowly add milk and vanilla. Add more milk if need to achieve desired consistency. Frost brownies, cut into pieces and enjoy with a ice cold glass of milk, or a hot cup of coffee.
Garden Club Dessert - Janet L.
1/3 cup sugar
1 Tbl. all purpose flour
1 egg, slightly beaten
1/4 tsp. salt
8 oz's. orzo noodles, cooked
1 can mandarin oranges, drained saving juice
1 can pineapple chunks, drained, saving juice
8 oz. Cool Whip
Place cooked orzo noodles into a large bowl and set aside. Into a saucepan combine the sugar, flour, egg, salt and reserved juices stirring until slightly thickened and stirring constantly. Pour this mixture over cooked orzo noodles, gently stir to combine and refrigerate covered for several hours or overnight. Add the drained mandarin oranges and pineapple chunks to the bowl and fold in Cool Whip. Note; Janet says you can also substitute fruit cocktail or other fruits for the oranges and pineapple, once again be sure to reserve the juices.
Banana Spice Layered Dessert - Kathleen S.
1st layer
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 stick cold butter
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
2nd layer
1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, soft
1 cup powdered sugar
1 1/2 cups thawed Cool Whip (16 oz. container)
5 bananas, sliced and spritzed with fresh lemon juice so they don't brown
3rd layer
2 (3 oz.) packages instant vanilla pudding mix
1 1/2 cups milk
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
3/4 cup Cool Whip
pinch of salt
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 13x9 baking dish. In a bowl combine the 1st layer ingredients and mix to combine until crumbly like pie dough, add to that the walnuts and place into prepared baking pan spreading evenly and pressing down slightly. Bake for about 12-15 minutes. Remove to cooling rack and cool the crust. Into a bowl of electric mixer add cream cheese and powdered sugar creaming to combine. Fold in the 1 1/2 cups Cool Whip and spread over the cooled crust. Place the 5 sliced bananas over the cream cheese layer. Into a large bowl; whisk 2 packages of pudding, milk, cinnamon and then fold in 3/4 cup Cool Whip and salt. Spread this over the bananas and put the rest of Cool Whip on top. Dust surface with cinnamon. Note: I think some shaved chocolate on top would look nice too.
White Chip Orange Dream Cookies - Kathie D.
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup butter, soft
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 egg
2 - 3 tsp. orange zest
2 cups (12 oz.) Nestle's Premium White morsels
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Into a bowl combine flour, baking soda and salt; set aside. Into a bowl of electric mixer beat butter, sugar and brown sugar until creamy, beat in egg and zest. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in morsels. Drop by rounded tablespoons onto ungreased baking sheets, parchment paper can be used if desired. Bake for about 10 to 12 minutes or until edges are light golden brown. Let stand two minutes on baking sheet; then remove to wire racks to cool completely. Kathie says in her home they never have time to cool before they are consumed! They also freeze well.
Cheesecake Pie - Monica
1 (9-in) graham cracker crust (baked and cooled)
1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, soft
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 (8 oz.) container Cool Whip
1 can cherry or blueberry pie filling (use good quality)
Into a bowl of electric mixer beat cream cheese then add powdered sugar and vanilla mixing until smooth. Fold in Cool Whip and pour into crust. Pour pie filling over the top and chill at least 3 hours over overnight.
Sour Cream Rolled Cookies - Nancy F.
2 cups butter, soft
3 1/3 cups sugar
4 eggs
2 cups sour cream
1 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
8 1/2 cups all purpose flour
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Into a bowl of electric mixer, beat sugar and butter to combine, add eggs and stir in sour cream, baking powder, baking soda and vanilla. Mix in flour to make a soft dough. Roll to 1/4-inch thickness on floured work surface and cut with cookie cutters. Bake for about 10 -12 minutes. Remove to cooling rack for about 5 minutes, then remove cookies to racks to cool. Note: Frost with cream cheese frosting tinted in pretty colors or desired frosting of your choice. Decorate with colorful sprinkles or colored sugars. These cookies are nice for Valentines Day, Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas or birthdays!
Peanut Butter and Oat Surprise Cookies - Sally E.
2 sticks butter
1 cup sugar
2/3 cup brown sugar
1 cup peanut butter
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
2 eggs
2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup quick oats
2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 bag Nestles' chocolate chunks
1 bag Heath toffee bits
Into a bowl of electric mixer beat sugars, peanut butter, vanilla and eggs, beating until creamy. Into a bowl add flour, oats, baking soda and salt, mixing to combine. Add dry ingredients to creamy mixture then stir in chocolate chunks and toffee bits. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheet 1-inch apart. Bake for about 10 - 12 minutes. Remove to cooling rack, let rest a minute or so and then remove to racks to cool. Enjoy with a hot cup of coffee, or tea for an afternoon pick-me-up.
Saltine Toffee Cookie - Janet L.
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup chopped pecans
4 oz. saltine crackers (one sleeve)
1 cup butter
1 cup dark brown sugar, packed
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with nonstick foil or spray foil with cooking spray. You don't want them to stick! Line the pan with the saltine crackers in a single layer. Into a saucepan combine the butter and sugar, bring to a boil and boil for 3 minutes. Do not stir during this time. Immediately pour over saltines and spread to cover crackers completely. Be very careful because the mixture is very hot and you don't want to burn yourself. Bake for 5 minutes and then remove from oven and sprinkle with chocolate chips over top. Let rest for 5 minutes. Spread the melted chocolate and sprinkle on chopped nuts. Cool completely and then break into medium to large pieces. Janet says she stores hers in the refrigerator for several hours before breaking. Note: You could make a few batches of these for the holidays, place into decorative covered tins, tie a big beautiful French ribbon around the tin and bring to family/friends as gifts. Or better yet, take some to church or a senior center or elderly senior nursing homes.
Strawberry Cookies - Nancy F.
1 cup butter, soft
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. strawberry extract
3 cups all purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 cup fresh strawberries, diced
1 cup white chocolate chips
1/4 tsp. baking soda
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl of electric mixer, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla on low. Into a bowl, combine flour, salt and baking powder, stirring to combine. Gradually add all dry ingredients to wet ingredients and beat until blended, scraping down sides of bowl. Gently stir in strawberries and refrigerate dough for 25 minutes. Scoop dough into small rounds with small cookie scoop and place on well greased baking sheets. Bake 7 - 8 minutes or until just golden brown. Cool for 5 minutes on baking sheet and then transfer to wire racks to cool completely. Note: These would be nice for a garden luncheon.
The next recipes listed are from the Texas TOH ladies luncheon that was held in October of 2013. I know they have another summer luncheon coming up soon.
French Onion Tomato Soup - Marietta S. (Marietta took two recipes and combined them and it looks and sounds absolutely delicious to me)
4 cups thinly sliced onions
8 Tbl. butter
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 clove garlic, minced
1 (46 oz.) can tomato juice
2 cups beef broth (good quality)
2 Tbl. Worcestershire sauce
1/3 cup red wine (the good type you would drink)
1 Tbl. fresh lemon juice
2 tsp. dried parsley flakes
2 tsp. brown sugar
2 cups Mozzarella cheese, shredded
Seasoned croutons or thick sliced French bread (slice on diagonal about 1/2" thick and lightly toast)
In a large saute pan, add butter and onions over medium heat to caramelize, remember this takes awhile so be patient (20 to 30 minutes). Stir in flour, whisking about 1 minute to remove flour taste and whisk in broth and stir to combine, it will thicken. Add rest of ingredients and heat thoroughly. Ladle soup into 10 oz. ovenproof soup bowls and top with croutons or baguette slices, then sprinkle on cheese. Heat broiler and place soup about 6-inches below heat source until cheese is melted and bubbly. Serve with a nice crisp garden salad and some hot rolls.
Avocado and Tomato Salad - Bettie L. (Bettie says she doesn't think there is anything you can do to mess up this salad. If you like more of one thing or less of another, do it....depending on how many people you are serving, adjust ingredients. The key is the right amount of dressing and using enough salt to balance out the flavors)
4 cups Haas avocados, medium dice
2 cups grape tomatoes
2 cups cucumbers, peeled and medium dice
1 cup red onion, small dice
4 Tbl. fresh cilantro, chopped
1 garlic clove, finely minced
2 Tbl. fresh lime juice
1/2 cup olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup sweet frozen corn, thawed
Place all ingredients into a large bowl except for the lime juice and olive oil. Place olive oil and lime juice into a jar with a lid and shake well to combine. Pour dressing over salad and toss to combine. Refrigerate covered until well chilled. Stir before serving. To serve; add green leaf lettuce to a platter and heap salad on top. Note: I would add some chili powder and ground cumin to the dressing mixture, with just a small amount of honey. You know me, I love scallions so I would add some thinly sliced ones on a diagonal as a garnish. This would be great served with grilled chicken (marinated in a lime mixture) or grilled halibut or swordfish. You could also use this to add to fish or chicken tacos as a relish.
Sweet Potato Salad - Sandy S.
4 large sweet potatoes, peeled and 1/2 to 1-inch cubes
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
1/2 cup diced scallions, including green part
1 red bell pepper, seeded and finely diced
2 Tbl. fresh chives, minced
2 tsp. fresh orange zest
2 tsp. apple cider vinegar
1/2 tsp. hot sauce
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Into a pot of boiling salted water add cubed potatoes and cook until tender. Drain and cool. Mix the remaining ingredients into a bowl and add cooled potatoes, season with salt and pepper. Cover and chill for an hour or so. Note: great to serve at picnics or gatherings as you could increase the ingredients easily. Grilled hamburgers or hot dogs anyone? I would also garnish with whole sprigs of fresh chives artfully arranged on top.
Creamy Shrimp and Dill Salad - Sandy S.
Shrimp
1 lb. peeled cleaned shrimp
1/4 cup fresh dill, chopped
2 garlic cloves smashed
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Salad portion
1 cup fresh dill chopped
1 garlic clove, grated
1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
1 cup English cucumber, diced
3/4 cup red onion, diced
1 lemon, zested
2 tsp. sugar
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Into a pot of boiling water, add shrimp, dill, garlic, salt and pepper and turn down heat cooking shrimp until opaque for about 3 minutes. Drain and place shrimp into an ice bath to cool, then coarsely chop. Into a large bowl, mix remaining ingredients and add chopped shrimp, mix to combine. Chill covered. To serve; line a pretty serving bowl with lettuce and add salad mixture. Garnish with extra fresh dill. Note: this would be a great entree salad or to serve with grilled fresh fish or a pot of creamy dreamy clam or seafood chowder. Hot crusty garlic cheese bread would be a great accompaniment too!
Summer Chicken Salad - Joan H. Note: I increased the amounts to serve more. This is an easy salad to add more to for more servings.
4 cups cooked chicken, cubed
3 celery stalks, thinly sliced on diagonal
1 cup red seedless grapes
1/3 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup mayonnaise, maybe more depending on how wet you like it
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup pecans, lightly toasted and rough chopped
4 scallions, sliced on diagonal including green part
Fresh parsley, chopped garnish
Note: I would also add about a tsp. of curry powder and a good squeeze of fresh lemon juice
Into a large bowl add chicken, celery, grapes, raisins, and scallions. Into a small bowl, mix mayonnaise, salt, pepper (curry and lemon if adding). Mix dressing to combine, taste and adjust seasonings. Gently mix the dressing into the chicken mixture. Cover and chill for about 30 minutes. Line a platter with green leaf lettuce and pile on salad. Sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley. Serve with warm croissants or add the salad to the croissants for a sandwich. A bowl of gazpacho would be nice served with this too. Note: you could also add Mandarin oranges, pineapple chunks, chopped sweet/crisp apples.
Cucumber, Tomato and Red Onion Salad - Sandy S.
1/4 small red onion, julienned
1/2 English cucumber, diced
1 lb. Roma tomatoes, diced
2 Tbl. fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup basil infused olive oil (see my note below)
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Soak the onion in ice water for about 15 minutes. Drain and pat dry. In a large bowl, add onions, cucumber and tomatoes tossing to combine. In a small bowl whisk the lemon juice, oil, salt and pepper. Pour over salad and toss to combine, serve immediately. Note: to make basil infused olive oil crush fresh basil leaves and add to a container, pour in olive oil and let combine for a few hours, covered. At least this is how I (Julia) would do it. This is a great summertime fresh salad to serve with cold sandwiches on a hot evening so you don't have cook.
Sesame Chicken - Joan H. (Joan has had many of her recipes published in TOH)
1/3 cup all purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 2/3 cups Caesar salad croutons, crushed
1/4 cup sesame seeds
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch strips
2 tsp. butter
2 tsp. canola oil
Into a shallow bowl, combine flour, salt and pepper. In another bowl, combine crushed croutons and sesame seeds. Place eggs in a third shallow bowl. Note: in culinary terms we call this a breading station. Coat the chicken with flour mixture, then dip into eggs and then coat with crouton mixture. Into a large non-stick saute pan add butter and oil and cook chicken in batches (don't overcrowd) over medium heat for about 5-6 minutes on each side. To serve; place chicken onto a platter and serve with grilled asparagus drizzled with a touch of toasted sesame oil and loaded fried rice. Note: I would garnish with sliced scallions. You could also serve this chicken on warmed tortillas, garnished with sliced scallions, fresh chopped cilantro and topped with an Asian sauce.
Taco Lasagna - Marian C.
1 lb. ground beef (for those who don't care for beef like me (Julia) use ground turkey or ground chicken or a combo of both
1/2 cup green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1/2 cup onion, chopped
2/3 cup water
1 (2.25 oz.) envelope taco seasoning mix
1 (15 oz.) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (14 1/2 oz.) can Mexican style diced tomatoes**
1 package corn tortillas
1 (16 oz.) can refried beans
3 cups Mexican cheese blend
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a glass 13x9 baking dish. In to a large saute pan, add beef, cooking for a few minutes, add peppers and onions cooking until beef is browned and done and vegetables are just softened. Drain fat and place back into saute pan. Add water, canned tomatoes and taco seasoning and bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Into the prepared pan, layer tortillas, beef mixture, cheese, refried beans, black beans, and continue layering. Cover with foil and bake for about 30 minutes. Sprinkle on extra cheese and place under broiler for a few minutes until golden and bubbly. Remove from oven and let rest about 10 minutes before slicing into pieces. Note: serve with Mexican coleslaw (or Bettie's avocado and tomato salad), sliced Haas avocados, sour cream, pico de gallo and margaritas. I would sprinkle on some fresh cilantro and thinly sliced scallions cut on a diagonal for garnish. **Marian didn't say weather to drain the tomatoes or not, so add them undrained, but don't add all of the water.
Bacon Jack Chicken - Joan H. (I went ahead and increased the amounts for this recipe)
6 boneless skinless chicken breasts, lightly pounded
seasoning salt (such as Lawry's)
freshly ground black pepper
6 bacon strips, halved
1 small onion, sliced
1 cup fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 1/4 cups Pepper Jack cheese, shredded
6 Tbl. Parmesan cheese
Rinse chicken in cold water and pat dry. Sprinkle chicken breasts with seasoning salt and pepper. Into a nonstick saute pan, add a little butter and drizzle of olive oil over medium heat. Add chicken and cook on each side until nicely browned and cooked through. Remove to a plate and tent with foil to keep warm. Into the pan, add bacon and cook until nicely browned. Remove to paper towels to drain. Remove most of bacon fat and add onions and mushrooms to pan, cooking to soften onions and lightly brown mushrooms. Return chicken to pan, and top with the vegetables and 2 halved strips of bacon per chicken breast, covering with the Jack cheese. Let stand in pan covered for a couple of minutes so cheese melts then sprinkle on Parmesan cheese. Remove to serving platter and garnish with fresh whole chives. Note: Serve with hot cheesy scallion cornbread, coleslaw in a zippy vinaigrette and Bourbon mashed sweet potatoes.
Butterfinger Dessert - Marian C.
1 prepared angel food cake, cut into 1-inch cubes (homemade or store bought)
1 package instant butterscotch pudding mix**
1 1/2 cups milk
1 container Cool Whip, thawed
10 fun-sized butterfingers bars, crushed
Spray a 13x9 in glass pan with cooking spray. Arrange half of the angel food cake in bottom of pan. Combine pudding mix with milk and whisk until it starts to thicken. Fold in Cool Whip and pour half of the "fluff" mixture over cake in pan. Top with half of the crushed butterfingers. Repeat with rest of cake, fluff and candy. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving. Note: I would serve in big goblets and add extra cool whip on top and garnish with dark chocolate shavings. **Marian didn't say what size pudding to use so go by the amount of milk in recipe. Also for Cool Whip, I would go with the regular size (not the small or jumbo).
Angel Toffee Dessert - Joan H. The above listed recipe is very similar to this one, but I decided to post both of them
1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, soft
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 Tbl. milk
1 (8 oz.) carton of Cool Whip
5 cups angel food cake, cubed (homemade or store bought)
1/2 cup chocolate syrup
1/2 cup English toffee bits or almond brickle bits, divided
Into a large bowl of electric mixer beat cream cheese, sugar and milk until smooth. Fold in Cool Whip. Arrange cake cubes in a ungreased 11 x 7-inch dish. Drizzle with chocolate syrup. Set aside 1 Tbl. toffee bits and sprinkle remaining bits over chocolate. Spread cream cheese mixture over top and sprinkle with remaining bits. Cover and chill until serving. Store leftover in refrigerator. To serve; dish up into goblets and maybe add a mint leaf for garnish.
Carrot Cake Cookies - Pat S.
Filling
2 oz. cream cheese, soft
2 oz. unsalted butter, soft
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
Batter
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup sugar
1 egg yolk
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup rolled oats
3/4 cup packed grated carrots (peeled)
1/3 cup dried currants
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Filling; in bowl of electric mixer cream cheese and butter until smooth, add powdered sugar and lemon juice and beat until combined. Cover and chill for 30 minutes. Batter; in large bowl whisk flour, ginger and salt. Into another bowl add melted butter, egg yolk, flour mixture, sugars and stir in oats, carrots and currants. Drop dough by tablespoonfuls onto baking sheets, flatten and bake until edges are crisp rotating baking sheets halfway through cooking time of 15 - 18 minutes. Cool on wire racks. Turn half of the cookies over bottom side up and dollop each with 1 tsp. of cream cheese filling. Top with remaining cookies pressing gently to spread filling to edges.
Apple Praline Bread with Sauce - Maxine S.
1 cup sour cream
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
2 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups peeled and finely chopped crisp/sweet apples
1 cup pecans, divided
Sauce
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup butter
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9x5x3-inch loaf pan; set aside. Into a bowl of electric mixer beat together the sour cream, sugar, eggs and vanilla on low for a couple of minutes. Add flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Continue beating on low to combine, scraping down sides of bowl. Fold in apples and half of the nuts. Place batter into the greased loaf pan. Sprinkle remaining nuts on top and gently press into batter. Bake for about 60 minutes or until pick inserted in center comes out clean Remove to cooling rack and cool in pan for about 30 minutes, then with a thin bladed sharp knife run around edges of pan and turn out onto cooling rack to cool completely. Sauce; into a saucepan add butter and sugar and over medium heat bring to a boil; lover heat and simmer for about 1 minute, stirring constantly until sauce thickens. Remove from heat and drizzle over bread. Cool then slice and serve. I want a cup of coffee right now with a slice of this bread! Note: maybe a few holes poked in bread with a toothpick so the sauce can get a bit inside of bread.
Alison's Caramel Delight Cookies - Bettie L. (she got this from a friend named Inga who originally got it from her friend Sharon)
1/2 cup butter, soft
2/3 cup sugar
1 egg, separated
2 Tbl. milk
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 cup all purpose flour
1/3 cup cocoa
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup pecans, finely chopped
Filling
14 unwrapped light caramels
3 Tbl. heavy whipping cream
Drizzle
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
Into a bowl of electric mixer beat butter, sugar, egg yolk, milk and vanilla until creamy. Stir together the flour, cocoa and salt and blend into butter mixture. Refrigerate dough for at least one hour. Filling; in a saucepan place the caramels and heavy cream, cooking over low heat stirring often until caramels melt and mixture is smooth. Beat egg white slightly. Remove dough from refrigerator and shape into 1-inch balls and then press your thumb gently in center of each ball to make an indentation. Dip each ball into the beaten egg white and roll in the chopped pecans to coat. Place cookies onto baking sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Press center of each cookie again with your thumb. Immediately spoon 1/2 tsp. of the caramel filling in center of each depression, but don't overfill. Carefully remove cookies from baking sheets to wire rack to cool. Place chocolate chips into microwave safe bowl and microwave for 1 minute or until softened, stirring to smooth. Place waxed paper under wire rack with cookies and drizzle chocolate over each cookie. Allow to cool. Give me one of these and a big cup of hot java!
Mango Nut Bread - Joan H. (Joan says this is absolutely delicious!)
2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
3 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
2 cups chopped mango's
1/2 cup chopped dates
1/2 cup chopped macadamia nuts
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Into a large bowl combine; flour, sugar, soda, salt and cinnamon. In another bowl of electric mixer beat eggs oil and vanilla. Stir into dry ingredients until just moistened. Fold in mango's, dates and nuts (batter will be stiff). Spoon into two greased 8x4 loaf pans. Bake for about 50 to 55 minutes or until pick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove to cooling racks, cooling 10 minutes before turning out onto wire racks to cool completely. Note: This might make a good french toast for morning breakfast, drizzled with some pure maple syrup, add crisp bacon and a hot cup of coffee.
Chocolate Cream Cheese Coffee Cake - Maxine S. (Maxine said this recipe was from Southern Living Magazine in 2003)
Cheese filling
1 1/3 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup butter, cold and cut into pieces
1 cup pecans, chopped
1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, soft
1/4 cup sugar
1 Tbl. all purpose flour
1 egg
1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
Batter
1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate morsels
1/2 cup butter, soft
3 1/2 cups light brown sugar, packed
3 eggs
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 (8 oz.) container sour cream
1 cup hot water
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
Drizzle
1 cup powdered sugar
2 Tbl. milk
1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
Filling; in a small bowl stir together the flour and brown sugar. Cut butter into flour mixture with a pastry blender until crumbly; stir in pecans and set aside. Batter; melt the chocolate in a microwave safe bowl on high for 30 second intervals until melted, stir until smooth. In a bowl of electric mixer beat butter and brown sugar on medium for about 5 minutes or until well blended. Add eggs, one at a time, beating just until blended after each addition. Add melted chocolate, beating to blend, and scraping down sides of bowl. Sift flour, baking soda and salt, gradually adding to chocolate mixture alternately with sour cream, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Gradually add 1 cup of hot water in a low steady stream beating on low to blend. Sir in vanilla. Spoon batter evenly into 2 greased and floured 9-inch springform pans lined with wax paper. Dollop cream cheese mixture evenly over cake batter and gently swirl through cake batter with a knife. Sprinkle reserved pecan mixture evenly over cake batter. Bake for 45 minutes or until set. Cool on wire rack. Drizzle; into a bowl add ingredients and whisk to combine. Place cooled cakes onto serving plates and drizzle icing evenly over tops so it drips down sides of cake.
Amish Caramel Bars - Joan H.
32 individually wrapped caramels, unwrap them
5 Tbl. heavy whipping cream
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup rolled oats
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
3/4 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium saucepan over low heat, melt the caramels and heavy cream, stirring occasionally until smooth. In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, oats, brown sugar, baking soda and salt. Stir in melted butter until well blended. Press half of the mixture into the bottom of a 13x9 baking pan, and reserve the rest for later. Bake the crust for 8 minutes, remove and sprinkle on chocolate chips. Pour the caramel mixture over the top and then crumble the remaining crust mixture over everything. Return to oven and bake an additional 12 minutes or until top is lightly browned. Cut into square while still warm. Note: these would be nice cut into pieces and placed into tins to give away during the Christmas holiday, wrapped in pretty French ribbons.
Pecan Pie Caramel Cheesecake - Maxine S.
Crust
3 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup sugar
Filling
3 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese, soft
2 eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup all purpose flour
3/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
Topping
1 1/2 cups pecan halves, lightly toasted
2 cups caramel sauce
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. For crust; in a large bowl mix all crust ingredients together until moist. Press into a 10-inch springform pan; set aside. Filling; into a bowl of electric mixer whip cream cheese and sugar until smooth. With mixer on low, stir in vanilla and eggs, one at a time, scraping down sides and bottom of bowl, stirring again. Beat in flour, cinnamon and nutmeg, scraping down sides. Pour into prepared crust and smooth the top. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes until cheesecake is set and hardly jiggles when moved. Remove from oven and cool completely to room temperature. Topping; arrange pecans halves in a circle design over entire top of cake. Cover and refrigerate. When ready to serve; remove from springform and place on serving platter. Drizzle over caramel sauce. Note: the recipe did not say to precook the crust for 10 minutes as usually done with a cheesecake, I personally would do this, cool and then add filling and bake.
Banana Split Salad or Dessert - Joan H.
1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, soft
1/2 cup sugar
1 (20 oz.) can frozen sliced strawberries in syrup, thawed
2 medium firm bananas, chopped
1 (8 oz.) carton whipped topping (such as Cool Whip)
1 cup chopped walnuts
Red food coloring - to get a lovely pink color (optional)
In a large bowl of electric mixer beat the cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Stir in pineapple, strawberries and bananas. Fold in the whipped topping, walnuts and food coloring. Pour into a lightly sprayed 13x9-inch glass casserole dish. Cover and freeze until firm, about 3 hours. Remove from freezer 30 minutes before serving and slice into pieces. Note: I would add dollops of whipped cream on each serving, and a fresh strawberry with green stem.
Bon Appetit
"Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony." - Colossians 3:12-14
"Is any pleasure on earth as great as a circle of
Christian friends by a good fire?" - C.S. Lewis
"The next best thing to being wise oneself is to live in
a circle of those who are." - C.S. Lewis
No comments:
Post a Comment