MLK

Sage Potato Rolls 

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When you are invited somewhere for Thanksgiving, offer to bring the rolls.  You can take the  time since you are not doing anything else and get all the raves! For an elegant presentation, decorate each roll with a sage leaf. 

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
  • 2/3 cup water
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 2 tablespoons butter or margarine
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 3/4 cup instant mashed potato flakes
  • 2 tablespoons snipped fresh sage or 2 teaspoons dried sage, crushed
  • 4 1/4-4 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 packages active dry yeast

Directions:

  1. In a medium saucepan bring buttermilk, water, sugar, butter, and salt just to boiling. (Mixture may appear curdled.)
  2. Remove from heat.
  3. Stir in potato flakes.
  4. Let stand until temperature is 120 degrees F to 130 degrees F (about 15 minutes).
  5. Stir in snipped or dried sage.
  6. In a large mixing bowl stir together 1-1/2 cups of the all-purpose flour and the yeast.
  7. Add potato mixture.
  8. Beat with an electric mixer on low to medium speed for 30 seconds, scraping sides of bowl constantly.
  9. Beat on high speed for 3 minutes.
  10. Using a wooden spoon, stir in as much of the remaining flour as you can.
  11. Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface.
  12. Knead in enough of the remaining flour to make a moderately stiff dough that is smooth and elastic (6 to 8 minutes total).
  13. Shape into a ball.
  14. Place in a lightly greased bowl; turn once to grease the surface of dough.
  15. Cover and let rise in a warm place until double in size (45 to 60 minutes).
  16. Punch down dough.
  17. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface.
  18. Divide in half.
  19. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes.
  20. Grease 2 large baking sheets; set aside.
  21. Divide each half of the dough into 12 pieces.
  22. Shape pieces into balls.
  23. Arrange on prepared baking sheets about 2 inches apart.
  24. Loosely cover.
  25. Let rise until nearly double in size (about 30 minutes).
  26. Bake rolls in a 350 degree F oven about 12 minutes or until golden.
  27. Remove rolls from baking sheets; cool slightly on wire racks.
  28. Serve warm.

Serves:  Makes 24 rolls

Source:  Midwest Living

Curried Goat Cheese Spread

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For Jackie.  You can substitute other seasonings – like Herbs de Provence.

Ingredients:

10 1/2 oz goat cheese

2 Tab good olive oil

2 tsp curry powder (more if you really like curry)

Directions:

Mix well.

Refrigerate until about a hour before serving.

Serve with crackers or pita chips.

Serves:  Makes about 1 1/2 cups

Source:  Margie Kleerup

Pickled Garlic

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Margie served this with the Pickled Haricot Vert at Thanksgiving.  A different hors d’ouevre.  Quantities are not really important.

Ingredients:

  • peeled garlic
  • some vinegar
  • 1/4 tsp mustard seed
  • 2 small red peppers.

Directions:

  1. Cook the garlic, red pepper and mustard seed in the vinegar about 5 minutes.
  2. Place in jar, vinegar et al.
  3. Refrigerate over night.

Serves:  How adventurous are your friends?

Source: Margie’s kitchen

Pickled Haricot Vert (thin green beans)

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These were a huge hit at Thanksgiving.  And, you do them the day before.  Also good with Pickled Garlic.

Ingredients:

  • 1 – 2 lbs haricot vert
  • 1/2 c white wine
  • 1/4 c apple cider vinegar
  • 1/4 c white balsamic vinegar
  • 1/4 tsp white peppercorns
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 1 sprig dill
  • a wide mouthed jar tall enough to hold the beans upright.

Directions:

  1. Pack the beans in the jar standing upright, filling the jar completely.
  2. Add dill and garlic.
  3. Bring wine, vinegar, and pepper corns to a boil.
  4. Simmer for about 5 minutes.Serves:
  5. Pour hot vinegar mixture over the beans.
  6. Refrigerate overnight.

Serves:  How big are your friends on pickled things?

Source:  Margie’ kitchen

Note:  If you use regular beans, simmer them in the vinegar for a minute or blanch them first.

 

Garden Chili

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A tasty, not meat, chili.  You can vary the chili powder to your taste

  • 3/4 c oil
  • 3 lb 12 oz onion
  • 1 1/2 Tab garlic
  • 4 lb 4 oz celery
  • 1 lb carrots
  • 2 tsp oregano
  • 2 Tab cumin
  • 2 Tab chili powder
  • 1 1/2 Tab salt
  • 1 Tab pepper
  • 1 lb geen pepper
  • 2 lb zuccini
  • 1 1/2 lb mushrooms – canned
  • 5 lb 6 oz diced tomatoes
  • 1 qt water
  • 5# 6 oz beans (canned) = 1 1/2 lb dried
  • 1/3 c lemon juice

Directions:

  1. Saute onion and garlic until transparent.
  2. Add celery, carots, oregano, cumin, chili powder, salt and pepper.
  3. Cook until tender.

Serves:  Makes 3 gal

Source:  MLK

Chai Tea

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Margie’s spicy chai base. Make the house smell great!

Ingredients:

  • 2 qt water
  • 2 tsp fennel seed
  • 4 tsp clove
  • 1 tsp pepper
  • 24 cardamon pod
  • 2 tsp anise
  • 4 star anise
  • 1/4 c cinnamon bark chips
  • 10 allspice
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1/4 c sugar
  • 1/8 c tea leaves

Directions:

  1. Add spices to water.
  2. Simmer on low for at least 20 minutes.
  3. Add sugar and tea.
  4. Cool and strain.
  5. Serve hot or cold with milk.

Serves:  8 cups

Source:  MLK

 

Beef Ranchero Tijuana

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It is the citrus that makes this different and interesting.

Ingredients:

  • 4 pound beef  (orig recipe says 1 #)
  • 1 onion (about 1/2 lb.), chopped
  • 1 stalk celery (about 2 oz.), thinly sliced
  • 2 tsp dried oregano leaves
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1/4 to 3/4 teaspoon hot chili flakes
  • 1 can (8 oz.) crushed tomato (in place of tomato sauce)
  • 1 Tab Worcestershire
  • 1 green bell pepper (about 1/2 lb.), stemmed, seeded, and diced (used a roasted pepper instead)
  • 2 fresh jalapeño chilies (about 1 1/2 oz. total), stemmed, seeded, and diced  (2 tsp  Adobo chili paste)
  • 1/2 c dry red wine
  • 1 lime+orange juice to make 1/2 c (in place of water)
  • 2 Tab tequila (optional)
  • (deleted – 1/2 ounce mexican chocolate with cinnamon (or semisweet chocolate with 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon), finely chopped)
  • garlic salt

Directions:

  1. Trim an discard all bone, fat and gristle from beef.
  2. Cut meat into 1″x 2″ pieces
  3. Put meat in 4 -5 quart pan with 1 c water, onion, celery, oregano, cumin, 1/4 tsp chili flakes.
  4. Cover and bring to a boil.
  5.  Redue to low and simmer 20 minutes.
  6.  Remove lid and boil on high uncovered until pan is dry and meat browned, stirring often, about 25 minutes
  7. Add lime juice and enough orange juice to make 1/2 c.
  8. Stir until dry again, about 4 minutes.
  9. Add tomatoes, Worcestershire, peppers, 2 c water.
  10. Simmer until tender about 2 hours.
  11. Stir in tequila, wine.
  12. Season with remaining pepper flakes to taste.

Servings: 4?

Source: SparkRecipes as “adjusted” by MLK

Quick Chocolate Mousse/Custard

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Here’s an easy, impressive dessert which keeps (if any is left) 3 – 4 days.

Ingredients:

  • 24 oz chocolate chips (4 cups)
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 Tab brandy or other liqueur (Grand Marnier for orangey taste) (more)
  • dash salt
  • 1 1/2 c milk (and use skim)

Directions:

  1. In a blender, place chocolate bits, eggs, brandy, salt.
  2. Heat milk to just beginning to bubble.
  3. Add milk to blender
  4. Blend for one minute or until chocolate is melted.
  5. Pour into 8 ramekins or custard cups if needed quickly.  Refrigerate the rest. If not in a hurry refrigerate the whole batch and spoon out later.
  6. Serve with whipped cream and/or raspberry sauce.

Serves:  12

Source:  Judi Mailto, New Hampshire, August 2000

Shrimp Puttanesca

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Ingredients:

  • 16 large raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • 4 Tab smashed garlic
  • 5-6 whole pickled anchovies
  • 2 Tab chopped shallots
  • 4 Tab capers
  • 2 Tab chopped olives
  • 1 Tab red pepper flakes
  • 1 c white wine
  • 1 c peeled seeded tomatoes
  • 1/2 c cherry tomatoes
  • chopped parsley as needed
  • extra “virgin” olive oil

Directions:

  1. In a very hot saute pan, add garlic, shallots, anchovies, toolive oil.
  2. Cook for one minute or until very aromatic.
  3. Deglaze with white wine.
  4. Add shrimp, tomatoes, capers, olives.
  5. Cook for about 2 more minutes or until shrimp is done.
  6. Add parsley.
  7. Season as desired.
  8. Serve over pasta.

Serves:  4

Source:  

Chili for 50

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It doesn’t matter whether you’re tailgating or preparing meals days in advance, because when the temperature drops outside, a hot bowl of chili is one of the most comforting dishes you can eat. Serve this with warm bread or corn bread, a crisp salad, and something cool to drink.   Chili is definitely better made the day before. 

Ingredients:

  • 10 lb ground beef (8 lbs ground turkey) drained
  • 8 oz onion (1/2 c dried with 3/4 c water)
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 2 qt diced tomatoes (1 #10 can=12 c or 3 qt)
  • 1 qt tomato puree
  • 1 qt water
  • 3 oz chili powder (or more if you know your audience)
  • 1 1/2 Tab cumin
  • 1 1/2 Tab salt
  • 1/2 tsp pepper
  • 2 oz sugar (2 Tab)
  • 9 1/2 lb beans (canned) or 3# dried (See notes)

Directions:

  1. Brown the beef/turkey.
  2. Add garlic.
  3. Cook for 2 minutes.
  4. Add remaining ingredients.
  5. Simmer for at least an hour – longer is better.

Serves:  Makes 3 gal = 50 cups

Source:  MLK

Notes:  

  • Soak It Up
    If you plan to use dried beans for your chili, there are two ways to rehydrate them. The easiest is to soak the beans in room-temperature water overnight or for approximately eight hours. Be sure that the beans are completely covered by at least three to four inches of water. For the quick-soak method, boil the dried beans in a pot of water (again, three to four inches of water on top of the beans) for a few minutes and then let them soak for about two hours off the flame.
  • Sweeten It Up
    If your chili tastes bitter, add a little dark brown sugar to the mix.
  • Top It Off
    When serving, set out bowls of toppings such as sour cream, shredded Cheddar or Jack cheese, diced avocado, lime wedges, chopped red or green onion, chopped cilantro, and oyster crackers.
  • Cool Off
    If the chili’s heat is too much to take, counter the chile pepper’s capsaicin with casein, a protein found in dairy products like milk and yogurt. Another option is to eat bread or rice to help quell the fiery sensation.