Tag: KOA

Beer Bread

 This classic recipe, with its four simple ingredients, requires nothing more than a bowl, spoon, pan, and oven.  Great for beginner bakers.

Ingredients:

  • 3 c self-rising flour(12 oz weight – 3/4 lb )
  • 1 to 4 Tab sugar, to taste
  • 4 Tab melted butter, divided
  • 1 1/2 cups beer (1 12 oz can)

Directions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 375°.
  2. Lightly grease a 9″ x 5″ loaf pan.
  3. Mix the flour, sugar, 3 tablespoons of the melted butter, and the beer, stirring until fairly smooth; don’t worry about a scattering of small lumps.  The mixture will be sticky.
  4. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the top.
  5. Drizzle with the remaining 1 tablespoon melted butter.
  6. Bake the bread for 45 to 50 minutes, until a toothpick inserted about 1/2″ into the top of the loaf comes out clean, or with a few moist crumbs clinging to it.
  7. Wait until the bread cools completely before slicing.
  8. Store airtight at room temperature.

Tips from our bakers:

  • Self-rising flour is all-purpose flour with baking powder and salt added. To make your own, combine 1 cup of all-purpose flour with 1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon of salt.
  • Why the large range of sugar? Because you can make this bread as sweet as you like. Using 1 tablespoon of sugar will yield a bread with a mere hint of sweetness; 4 tablespoons will make bread that’s noticeably sweet, though not so sweet you can’t use it for sandwiches.
  • Can you make this bread with whole wheat flour? Yes, but it’ll be denser. Here’s our suggestion for a good compromise: substitute whole wheat flour for half the self-rising flour, adding 1 teaspoon baking powder and 1/4 teaspoon salt to the recipe.
  • Need a side dish really quickly? Pour the batter into 12 greased muffin cups, and enjoy mix and bake muffins in just 25 minutes or less! For muffins, fill the muffin cups 2/3 full. Bake until muffins spring back when pressed lightly in the middle, about 14 to 18 minutes; their tops will stay pale. Muffins are best enjoyed warm from the oven.
  • Don’t care for beer? Substitute 1 1/2 cups (12 ounces) plain seltzer water.
  • Vary by adding herbs or cheese.
  • Want to make this recipe vegan? Substitute 2 tablespoons vegetable oil for the butter in the batter; omit the butter topping.

Serves:  one 9″ x 5″ loaf

Source:  King Arthur Flour

 

12 CANS BEER

18C SELF-RISING FLOUR  4C=1#
1C SUGAR
1# BUTTER

Grilled Grapes

 These can be a big surprise on a camp 0ut!   The grapes get blistered and caramelized on the outside, and extra juicy and practically jammy on the inside. To get fancier, throw some hardy fresh herbs like rosemary or thyme in the oil—they’ll perfume the grapes, making them just the right amount of savory.
Then it’s only a matter of what to do with them:
Serve them as a condiment for meat.  Spoon them over pork, chicken, or even flaky white fish to instantly upgrade your main course.
Spoon them over ice cream.  A big helping served over vanilla ice cream just may be the ultimate 2-ingredient sundae.
Sprinkle them on salad.  Swap raw grapes out for a handful of roasted grapes and even the simplest salad will be transformed into something much more.
Use them as a topping for crustini.  One serious party hit, crostini are a perfect vehicle for the juicy grapes. Swipe something creamy like  ricotta or goat cheese on the toasts first. Or don’t. Either way you win.
Toss them with pasta.  Fruit in pasta? Believe it. Roasted grapes add just the right amount of sweetness to balance spicy, savory  ingredients like sausage, and their juice creates an instant sauce.
Use them as a fancy addition to a cheese plate.  Serve them in a bowl alongside a cheese plate and your guests will instantly be impressed. They pair perfectly with both soft cheeses like brie and harder cheeses like cheddar.

Ingredients:
  • 1 small cluster red seedless grapes ( per person)
  • 1/2 teaspoon olive oil

DIRECTIONS – grilled

  1. For each cluster of grapes, use 1/2 teaspoon of olive oil. In a mixing bowl, toss grapes, still on the stem, gently with olive oil.
  2. Grill on a medium-high grill for 3-4 minutes.

Directions: – roasted

  1. Toss grapes, on or off the stem, with olive oil, salt, and pepper
  2. Roast them on a sheet pan for about 30 minutes at 425°F.
Source:  .geniuskitchen.com – Recipe by HokiesMom, Epicurious.com

Roasted Red Pepper Mayo

This is a pretty sauce/dip.  Easy to make and it keeps.  Good on chicken, pork, and  fish, it can also be a dip for veggies or chips.

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 c (about 4 oz) jarred roasted red peppers, drained and coarsely chopped
  • 3/4 c mayonnaise
  • 1 Tab minced garlic
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

Directions:

  1. Combine all the ingredients in the bowl of a food processor.
  2. Process for 30 seconds.
  3. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
  4. Process for 30 seconds longer.
  5. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Serves:   1 1/2 cups

Source:  Emerils.com

Island Chicken

An easy way to offer people choices.  You can choose any of the myriad of sauces available on the grocery shelf.  For this event we chose three – spicy, traditional, and plain. With chicken, the quantity depends on the crowd.  Kids seem to eat drumsticks only – and several of them.

Ingredients:

  • chicken breast
  • chicken thigh
  • chicken drum  sticks
  • jerk rub
  • teriyaki
  • lemon
  • butter

Directions:

  1. Brush the chicken piece of choice with the sauce of choice.
  2. Grill.   Legs and thighs do not take long – watch them.

Source:  No brainer!

 

Tomato Basil Brushetta

Bruschetta is an antipasto from Italy consisting of grilled bread rubbed with garlic and topped with olive oil and salt. It can be topped with just about anything – tomato, vegetables, cured meat, cheese or pesto.  Pronounced “brusketta”, this classic Italian appetizer is a perfect way to capture the flavors of garden ripened tomatoes, fresh basil, garlic, and olive oil. Think of it as summer on toast! 

Ingredients:

  • Rondele (or other soft flavorful  cheese)
  • Roma tomatoes – diced and drained
  • basil – whole small leaves, or diced larger ones
  • red onion – finely diced
  • garlic
  • olive oil
  • balsamic vinegar – optional
  • Regina Panetini Garlic Italian Toast (Von’s)  or any baguette, sliced and  toasted on both sides

Directions:

  1. Brush the toast with oil.
  2. Rub with cut garlic.
  3. Mix diced tomatoes, onion and basil.  You can add a little garlic, salt, pepper and balsamic vinegar if you wish.
  4. Spread a thin layer of cheese on the toast.
  5. Top with automation mixture.
  6. Serve immediately or the toast will get soggy.

Source:   Many dinners at Italian restaurants

 

 

K O A – June 24-27, 2011 Gusto del Italia

Wino attire for Saturday night.  Lake San Antonio 77 winos stagger in.

* = recipe is on the blog

Pranzo di Venerdi – Friday Gala Dinner

Wine/Beer/Soft Drinks

*Crab Pizza – Crackers
*Spinach Dip – Baguette
Meat Balls in Marinara Sauce -purchased
Chips/Salsa/Guacamole

*Traditional Salad Bar

*Rich’s Sooper Soup Aka Minestrone Al Pesto Con Formaggio

*Mud Slides
Cookies/Brownies
S’mores

Milk
Coffee/Brandy/Kahlua

Prima Colazone Di Sabato – Saturday Breakfast
*Bellinis
Juice
Cereal
Yogurt
Strawberries & Grapefruit

Cinnamon Rolls – Purchased (Costco)
Bagels, smoked salmon, whipped cream cheese, capers, red onion, butter

*Omelets
Bacon

Milk/Coffee/Cocoa

Pranzo Di Sabato – Saturday Dinner

Italian Wine Tasting
*Italian Soda

*Antipasti
*Tortellini With Dip – *Dominoco’s Garlic Dressing,  *Magnifico Marinara                   Dressing

*Chicken Piccata
*Pasta Bar – Marinara Sauce (add Some Canned Whole Tomatoes), *Quattro               Formaggi Sauce
Parmesan Cheese
Butter

*Green Beans And Mozzarella Salad
*Panzanella

*Frozen Bread Dough Focaccia – Fire Roasted Tomatoes and Basil

*Easy Tiramisu

Gelato – Ralph Make It – No Recipe
Lemon, Strawberry, Orange, Pineapple Cello
Coffee/Milk/Brandy/Kahlua

 

Prima Colazione Di Domenica – Sunday Breakfast
*Bloody Marys
Cereal, Juice, Yogurt
Fruit
*Puff Pastry Thing

*Quiche – broccoli
Sausage – cooked at home, reheated in a plastic Freezer Zip Lock in boiling                water
Coffee/Milk/Coco/Milk

Pranzo Di Domenica – Sunday Dinner
Open Bar

Shrimp with *Supreme Sauce
*Cheese Triangles
*Stuffed Mushrooms – Stoffer’s Spinach

Fillet
*Sauted Mushrooms
*Sauted Onions
*Blue Cheese Butter

*Easy Creamed Spinach
*Cognac Carrots

*Caesar Salad
*Frozen Bread Dough Focaccia – sun dried tomatoes, Italian herbs

*Drambuie Chocolate Cheese Cake

Coffee Etc.

Prima Colazione Di Llunedi – Monday Breakfast
Assorted Juices, Cereal, Yogurt

All The Leftover Good Stuff

Scrambled Eggs
*Quesadillas
Fruit Compote

Available Any Time – Merenda Pranzo
cheese sticks, bread, pretzels,  ham, turkey, cheese, etc, goldfish, mac & cheese, yogurt anything that has already been served, m & ms, gummy bears, red vines, craisins, fruit ,cookies, beer, soft drinks, ice tea

 

Pasta Bar for 75

The clue for figuring meat for a crowd:  1/4 to 1/3 a pound per person.  However, the truth is meat does not come packaged that way.  So, guesstimate what is going to be most popular and go heavy on that product.  People will, of course, take a little of several things.  Trust me, no one will go away hungry!

4# pasta – mixed
3# angel hair pasta
marinara – 1#10 marinara + 1 qt
Alfredo  – ½ gal cream + 1 ½ # Parmesan cheese + ½  # butter (or check out               the *Fake Quattro Formaggi Sauce)
pesto  – 2 jars pesto
180 cooked shrimp – medium
10# chicken – cooked, sliced (or chicken tenders)
126 frozen meat balls – heated
5# Italian sausage – browned and drained
2# mushrooms sautéed
1 jar sun dried tomatoes
½ bag pine nuts
2# parm cheese
1 fresh basil (buy the plant – it will last longer if camping)

The trick is to lay everything out in a logical order.

Start with the bowls – large, or rimmed plates.
Next the pastas.
Then the meat choices.
Now you are ready for the sauces.
Finally the add-ons.
Last the cheese on top of everything.

For a large group arrange the set-up so it can be reached from both sides of the table.  Two lines – twice as fast!

Antipasto Bar

Antipasto (plural antipasti) is the traditional first course of a formal Italian meal. Typical ingredients of a traditional antipasto include cured meats, olives, peperoncini, mushrooms, anchovies, artichoke hearts, various cheeses (such as provolone or mozzarella), pickled meats, and vegetables in oil or vinegar.  In other words – choose what you like to nosh on and put it out!  And guess what – it could even be dinner.

  • 1 bx cherry tomatoes
  • 1 *Spiced Vegetables – carrots
  • 3 *Spiced Vegetables –  beets
  • 1 lb *pickled mushrooms
  • 1 head *marinated cauliflower
  • 1 large jar marinated artichoke hearts
  • 2 jars pickled asparagus
  • 1 ½# salami – thinly sliced
  • 1 lb mortadella
  • 1 pk provolone cheese (cut in 1/4th)
  • 1 jar pepperocini
  • 5 jars assorted olives ( or fresh)
  • 1 lb Parmesan or Mozzarella cheese cubes
  • 1 tin anchovies
  • 2 tin sardines
  • 2 bunches parsley (decoration)
  • many flat breads
  • 4 bx bread sticks
  • 1 bag garlic bagel chips
  • 2 lbs grapes
  • *Italian Cheese Triangles

Just open cans, and arrange contents artfully, garnishing with parsley and grapes.

The * items can be prepared a couple of days in advance.  The Cheese Triangles freeze.

Serves:  This quantity was an appetizer for 75 people.  You can scale it down for a smaller group.

Fake Quattro Formage Sauce

When you are camping, or feeding a large group, you don’t want to mess around in the kitchen a lot.  You need simple.  Canned Alfredo sauce has almost all the ingredients you will find in Quattro Formage  (Four Cheese).  Take advantage of someone else grating, stirring and all that.

Ingredients:

  • 1 gal Alfredo sauce – about a #10 can if you can find it
  • 1/2 lb Gorgonzola cheese – or other mild blue cheese – crumbled

Directions:

  1. Heat the Alfredo – a crock pot works nicely.
  2. Add the blue cheese.
  3. Stir until cheese melts.

Serves:   Enough for 75 if on a pasta bar with other sauce choices.  25 if only choice.

Source:  I enjoy the people at a party, not cooking in the kitchen.  (Although, frequently the party is in the kitchen!)

Drambuie Chocolate Cheesecake

“Note that the resulting cheesecake is VERY rich (like beyond anything you’ve ever had) and should be served in meager portions.  Be cautioned that, when utilized in the proper setting, servings of this cheesecake are an aphrodisiac of surpassing potency.”

Ingredients:
Crust:

  • 1 1/4 cup chocolate cookie crumbs (the Oreo crumbs are available in boxes in stores)
  • 1/4 cup butter, melted

Filling:

  • 1 envelope gelatin (1 Tab)
  • 1/3 c Drambuie (The 1/3 cup Drambuie can be substituted with a Drambuie / Amaretto mix (this is in fact preferable in flavor), but do not exceed 1/3 of a cup, as the filling will not set, and the alcohol will tend to overwhelm the flavor of the cheesecake.)
  • 16 oz  cream cheese (2  8 oz. packages)
  • 3/4 c sugar
  • 1/2 c cocoa
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla
  • dash salt
  • 1 1/2 c heavy cream – NO don’t whip it!

Directions:

  1. Leave cream cheese out of fringe to soften.
  2. Melt butter in microwave or on stove.  You may need slightly more than the 1/4 cup, but that’s ok.
  3. Crush the cookie crumbs.
  4. Mix with the butter.
  5. Press into the bottom of a 9 inch springform pan.
  6. Place pan in freezer to help crust set.
  7. In a glass measuring cup, sprinkle 1 pouch unflavored gelatin over 1/4 cup cold cream and let stand for 1 minute.
  8. Microwave on HIGH (100%) for 30-40 seconds; stir once.  Make sure it is completely dissolved.
  9. Mix together with rest of cream, Drambuie, and vanilla.
  10. Mix the sugar and cocoa and salt.
  11. Add the cream mixture a little at a time for an even mix.
  12. Dump in the softened cream cheese.
  13. Mix vigorously with hand mixer.  You’ll want an electric one as this can be some work.
  14. Dump mix into pan on top of crust.
  15. Cover pan.
  16. Place pan into freezer for at least 4 hours or the refrigerator over night.
  17. Some chocolate flakes, chocolate syrup, whipped cream, or cocoa powder can be garnished on the top when serving.
  18. Enjoy!

Serves:    12-16

Source:  Gerard van Belle