February Recipe Group Soups

Carrot Coriander Soup
From: Melinda Allen

1 tbsp. butter or oil
1 lb. carrots peeled and chopped (young carrots give the best flavor)
1 small onion
3 c. water
1 cube vegetable or chicken stock
½ tsp. Grated nutmeg (preferably fresh)
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 tbsp. sugar (optional)
1 tbsp. coriander (chopped fresh coriander leaves are best but what you buy in a seasoning jar can be used also)

Method:
Grate or finely chop the carrots and onion (Food processor works great!) and set aside. Heat the butter or oil in a large saucepan, add the carrots and oinion and cook gently for a few minutes until the onion is soft.
Add the water, chicken or vegetable stock cube, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Stir, cover and cook for 15 minutes or until carrots are soft.
Puree the soup in a blender until fairly smooth. Return to pan, sweeten if desired with the sugar and stir in the coriander. Bring to boil. Turn off heat and serve.
If garnish is desired, use a few fresh, whole coriander leaves and swirl cream on top of the soup.

Rudie's Soup
From: Sharon Lawhorne

1 can Progresso French Onion Soup
1 can Cream of Celery Soup
1 or 2 cans of Tomato Soup
1 large can of diced tomatoes
2 large cans of mixed vegetables
1 can corn
1 can lima beans
Beef and/or Chicken cooked

In a large stock or crock pot, cook beef/chicken until tender. Add all the soups and vegetables an simmer all day. You can easily modify this to suit your own family’s tastes; with a can of string beans, macaroni, kidney beans, etc. (Since I work fulltime, I usually cook in a crock pot, the beef and/or chicken overnight and the next morning add rest of the ingredients and let cook all day.)

Wild Rice Chicken Soup
Amy McLaughlin

3 TB Butter
1/2 cup celery, diced
1/2 cup onion, diced
1 cup chicken broth
2 cups milk
3 TB flour
1-2 cups chicken, cooked and shredded, or 1 large can chicken
1 box Uncle Ben's Wild Rice Mix, cooked

Cook rice mix according to directions. While it is cooking, saute onions and add celery in the butter in a stock pot. Add the chicken broth and 1 cup of the milk. Mix the flour in the remaining 1 cup milk until no lumps remain. Add to soup. Bring to boil.

Hearty Ham & Potato Soup

Crissy Morgan

3 C. Low Sodium Chicken Stock
4 Tablespoons Flour
3 Bay Leaves
6 Large Potatoes (peeled & diced)
3 C. Milk
2 Carrots, diced
1/2 teaspoon White Pepper
1/2 Large Onion, chopped
1 Stick of Butter/Marg.
1 C. Country Ham Chips (cut into small pieces)
1 teaspoon Salt
In a large pot boil potatoes and carrot (about 20 minutes). In another pot, saute onions and ham in butter until tender. Add flour and stir constantly. Add milk and chicken stock, pouring in a slow steady stream, while stirring vigourously to blend and eliminate lumps. Add bay leaves, pepper and salt. By this time your potatoes should be done so drain water off but reserve some liquid just in case you need to thin your soup later. Place potatoes back into large pot and pour soup over, lightly mix together and allow to simmer over low heat (do not boil) for about 20 minutes. Serves 8-10 people.

Amazing Tomato Basil Soup

Ashley Wooters

Saute:
1 Onion thinly sliced
1 Stick Butter
2 tbsp. Olive Oil

Add almost immediately and continue to saute until onion is clear:

1/2 tsp Dill
1/2 tsp Thyme
1/2 tsp Basil

Add:
2 28oz. Cans of Italian Plum Tomato (no basil or whole stewed tomatoes)
3 tbsp. Tomato Paste (or one whole small can)

Mix together then add:
1/4 Cup Flour with
1/2 Cup chicken broth A
dd rest of 48oz. Chicken broth

Bring to boil. Stir bottom occasionally to avoid burning. Let simmer for 20 minutes. Puree Soup with handheld or blender.

Add: 1 tsp Sugar
1 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Pepper

Optional:

Add 1 Cup Heavy Whipping Cream. Serve with parmesan or cubes of cheddar cheese.

White Chili
From: Sherrie Waite

1 Large onion-chopped
1 tbsp. oil
3 cloves garlic
1 can chopped green chilis
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp cayanne pepper
2-3 cups chicken broth
3 cups cooked chicken-chopped
3 cans white beans-drained (Great Northern or Navy)
1 can chick peas - drained
1/4 cup cilantro-chopped

Saute onion in vegetable oil till cooked then, combine all ingredients in large soup pot. Simmer 30 minutes. serve with shredded monterey jack cheese & sout cream and more chopped cilantro if desired. Prep time 45 mintues. Serves 6-8 .

Starting in January, Recipe Group will meet the first Tuesday of each month, rather than the first Wednesday. We hope to see you there!

Christmas Enrichment Recipes

Many of you requested recipes for the food from our Enrichment night. Enjoy and Merry Christmas!

Baked Potato Soup

Hillory Dahle

4 C. chicken stock

1/2 C. flour

4 Bay leaves

4 large potatoes (peeled and finely diced)

4 C. milk

1/2 teas. White pepper

1/2 teas. salt

1/2 C. Butter

Heat chicken stock and milk in large pan over medium heat until almost boiling. Remove from heat and set aside. In another pot, make a roux by melting butter. Add flour and stir constantly. Add milk mixture to roux, pouring in a slow, steady stream, while stirring vigorously to blend and eliminate lumps. Add bay leaves, pepper and salt. Then add diced potatoes and continue to simmer over low heat until potatoes are tender (about 20-30 minutes). Lightly mash potatoes in soup and stir to blend well. Serve hot and top with sour cream, Shredded cheese, bacon bits and chives.

Cranberry Salad

Amy McLaughlin

1 box Spring Salad mix (from Costco or Sam’s)

½ bag spinach

(you may also use 1 head red-leaf lettuce, washed and shredded, and one head romaine lettuce, washed and shredded)

1 cup craisins

1 cup sliced almonds, sugared

(To sugar almonds: put 8 oz. almonds and ¼ cup sugar in pan over medium-high heat, stir constantly until sugar melts and almonds are coated. Remove from heat immediately)

1 cup feta cheese

Dressing:

½ large red onion (approximately 1 cup, chopped)

1 ½ cup sugar

1 tsp. salt

4 tsp. dry mustard

1 cup red wine vinegar

2 cups oil

Mix all ingredients in blender until well blended. Add oil and blend. Extra dressing stores well in the refrigerator for several weeks.

Mix salad with dressing and serve immediately.

Luscious Raspberry Sauce

Sherrie Waite

1 can frozen Welch’s White Grape Raspberry juice concentrate

1 cup water

2 ~ 12 oz. bags of unsweetened frozen raspberries ~ thawed

2 Tbs. cornstarch

Place 1 bag of raspberries in blender along with the juice, water and cornstarch. Blend for several minutes until completely blended. Pour into heavy saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring until it comes to a boil and becomes translucent. Remove from heat and add the other bag of raspberries. Cool well. Yield 3-4 cups. Use with-in 5 days. Great over cheesecake, ice cream, brownie sundaes, yogurt, etc.

Ice Ring for Punch Bowl

Sherrie Waite

½ gallon your choice of chilled fruit juice ~ depending on the flavor of punch you’ll be serving. You can also use water or Sprite if you prefer.

Assorted washed & prepared fruit:

Fresh cranberries, raspberries, strawberries, grape clusters, etc.

Sliced limes, oranges, kiwi, etc.

In a ring shaped Jell-o mold, pour 1-2 cups crushed ice. Arrange sliced fruit upright around mold, pushing into the crushed ice; fill in with berries or grapes. Carefully pour chilled juice into mold to fill ½ way up side. Freeze for 2 hours till firm. On top of the first layer, place more berries and fill to the top of mold with remaining juice. Top with sliced fruit and Freeze until solid about 8 hours.

~ For the Christmas Enrichment Ice ring we used sliced limes and fresh cranberries for the fruit and Cranberry juice. We served Cranberry flavored soda in the punch bowl.

Cookie Exchange

Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies

Sherrie Waite

1 cup sugar

1 cup brown sugar, packed

1 cup butter or margarine

1 cup creamy peanut butter

2 eggs

¼ cup milk

2 tsp vanilla

3 ½ cups flour

2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp salt

2 ~ 6 oz pkg of chocolate kisses or chocolate star drops

Cream sugar, brown sugar, butter and margarine. Beat in egg, milk and vanilla. In a separate bowl stir flour, soda and salt. Stir into egg mixture, mix well. Shape into 1 inch balls and roll in additional granulated sugar if desired. Place on un-greased coke sheet. Bake at 375 for 9-10 minutes. Immediately press kisses into hot cookies. Cool makes 5-6 dozen.

Snickerdoodles

Suzanne Christensen

1 C butter

1 ½ C sugar

2 eggs

2 ½ C flour

½ tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

2 tsp cream of tarter

¼ C sugar

2-3 tsp. cinnamon

Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs. Mix well. Add salt, baking soda, cream of tarter and last flour. Put in refrigerator with lid for 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Mix ¼ C sugar and cinnamon together.

Shape cookies into a ball. Roll shaped dough in the sugar cinnamon mixture. Place on cookie sheet.

Cook for 10 minutes.

Ginger Crinkles

Amy McLaughlin

6 Tablespoons Margarine (I usually use butter)

½ cup granulated sugar

½ cup brown sugar, firmly packed

2 egg whites

¼ cup molasses

2 cups all-purpose flour

½ tsp. salt

2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. cinnamon

½ ginger

½ tsp. ground cloves

Beat margarine, sugars, egg, and molasses with electric mixer (the mixture will look curdled). Sift or stir all dry ingredients together; add to molasses mixture and mix well. Cover and chill dough (this is important – dough will be too sticky to handle if not well chilled.) Form into small balls, using about 1 ½ tsp. of dough. Roll in sugar and place on a cookie sheet that is lined with parchment or lightly greased. Bake at 375 degrees for 8-10 minutes. Do not overbake or they will lose their chewy texture. Cool, store in an airtight container. Makes 4 dozen. 1 gram of fat each.

Apple Recipes

Apple Cream Cheese Torte

Amy McLaughlin

For crust 1 1/2 cups unbleached all purpose flour 1/2 cup (1 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into pieces 1/2 cup sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (can substitute with almond extract -- yummy!) Pinch of salt

For filling
1 8-ounce package cream cheese, room temperature
1/4 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For topping
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 large Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, thinly sliced (about 3 cups)
1/4 cup sliced almonds

Make crust:
Preheat oven to 400°F. Wrap outside of 9-inch-diameter springform pan with 2 3/4-inch-high sides with foil. Combine all ingredients in large bowl. Using fingertips, mix until moist dough clumps form. Gather dough into ball. Press onto bottom and 3/4 inch up sides of pan. Freeze 10 minutes. Bake until crust is light golden, about 10 minutes. Remove from oven. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F.

Make filling:
Beat all ingredients in large bowl until smooth. Pour filling into crust. Smooth top.

Make topping:
Combine sugar and cinnamon in large bowl. Add apple slices and toss to coat. Arrange atop filling. Sprinkle with almonds.

Bake torte until crust is deep golden and apples are tender, about 1 hour 30 minutes. Remove from oven; cool 1 hour. Cover; refrigerate overnight. (Torte can be prepared 3 days ahead. Keep refrigerated.)

Run small knife around pan sides to loosen torte. Remove pan sides. Place torte on platter. Serve cold.

Yummy Apple Dip

Amy McLaughlin

3 blocks (8 oz.) cream cheese (you can half this recipe, it makes a lot)

1 c. granulated sugar

1 c. brown sugar

Mix with mixer and spread in container (pretty bowl or whatever you plan to servie it in)

Top with pourable caramel dip from produce section of grocery store. Top that with Skor bits -- found in chocolate chip section. Slice apples and dip!

Apple Cake w/ Rum Sauce

Sherrie Waite

Cream well:

2 cups sugar

½ cup margarine

2 eggs

2 tsp. vanilla

In a separate bowl mix the following and stir into sugar- egg mixture:

2 cups flour

2 tsp. cinnamon

½ tsp. nutmeg

2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp. salt

Stir in remaining ingredients:

4 cups peeled, grated apple

1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Pour into 13X9 lightly greased baking pan. Bake at 350* for 35-45 minutes till done.

Rum Sauce

¼ cup butter or margarine

¼ cup water

2/3 cup packed brown sugar

1/3 cup Karo syrup

1 egg yolk

In a heavy saucepan stir all ingredients, cook over medium heat until thickened. Stir in 1 tsp rum extract.

To serve, pour spoonful of rum sauce over cake and top with Cool Whip.

Appetizers

Artichoke Dip
April Burton

1 1/2 c real mayo (not light)
6 oz fresh grated parmesan cheese
2 4 oz cans diced green shilis
2 cans Artichoke hearts in salt water

Drain hearts and chop them 4-5 cuts per heart. Mix them with all other ingredients and pour into baking dish and smooth flat with spatula.
Bake @ 350' 25 mins. Serve with tortilla chips

Pico de Gallo
Amy McLaughlin

2 lbs. Roma tomatoes, chopped medium
1 medium white onion, chopped medium fine
1 jalepeno pepper, seeded then chopped fine (I suggest wearing rubber gloves so that the juice doesn't burn your hands while chopping)
2 serrano peppers, seeded and chopped fine
1 bunch cilantro, top 1/3 chopped coarsely
Juice from 2 limes
1 TB kosher salt.

Mix all ingredients and serve with tortilla chips.

Salad Recipes

Baja Salad
April Burton

2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 green pepper, diced
1/3 c chopped green onions
10 frozen corn, thawed
1/3 c chopped cilantro
Mix together and let stand 1 hr or more, then toss with dressing as follows:
1 T dijon mustard
2 T ground cumin
1 t minced garlic
1 t pepper
1/2 t salt
1/2 c canola oil
Garnish with avocado, salsa, sour cream, chicken, shrimp, beef as desired.

Swiss Apple Pear Salad

Sherrie Waite

12 cups assorted lettuce greens (spring mix & iceberg)

1 cup shredded Swiss cheese

½ cup dried cranberries (Craisins)

1 red apple diced

1 Bosc pear diced

½ cup coarsely chopped walnuts

Dressing:

2/3 cup sugar

½ tsp. salt

2 tsp. sweet onion chopped

1/3 cup lemon juice

1 tsp. Dijon mustard

2/3 cup vegetable oil

1 Tbs. poppy seeds

Combine dressing ingredients in blender and blend well. Mix salad ingredients in large bowl. Pour dressing and toss to coat. Serve immediately.

Serves 8

Chinese Chicken Salad
Amy McLaughlin

1 pkg. coleslaw or 1 head of cabbage
2 chicken breasts
4 oz. sliced almonds, toasted
1 pkg. uncooked ramen noodles
1 can sliced water chestnuts
4 green onions, chopped
1-2 cans mandarin oranges
2 TB sesame seeds, toasted

Dressing:

4 TB sugar
6 TB rice vinegar
1 cup peanut oil
1 tsp. salt

Mix dressing and pour over salad. Cover and refrigerate for several hours or overnight.