Holiday Extravaganza

Turkeys:

Brined Black Pepper Pomegranate Molasses Glazed Turkey
Carolann Wedlund

Ingredients:
1 (14 to 16 pound) frozen young turkey
For the brine:

For the brine:
1 cup kosher salt
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 gallon vegetable stock
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped candied ginger
1 gallon heavily iced water
For the aromatics:
1 red apple, sliced
1/2 onion, sliced
1 cinnamon stick
1 cup water
4 sprigs rosemary
6 leaves sage
Canola oil

Turkey Glaze:
1 1/2 cups pomegranate molasses
3/4 cup prepared horseradish, drained
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/2 teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper
Directions


2 to 3 days before roasting:

Begin thawing the turkey in the refrigerator or in a cooler kept at 38 degrees F.

Combine the vegetable stock, salt, brown sugar, peppercorns, and candied ginger in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Stir occasionally to dissolve solids and bring to a boil. Then remove the brine from the heat, cool to room temperature, and refrigerate.

Early on the day or the night before you'd like to eat:

Combine the brine, water and ice in the 5-gallon bucket. Place the thawed turkey (with innards removed) breast side down in brine. If necessary, weigh down the bird to ensure it is fully immersed, cover, and refrigerate or set in cool area for 8 to 16 hours, turning the bird once half way through brining.

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F. Remove the bird from brine and rinse inside and out with cold water. Discard the brine.

Place the bird on roasting rack inside a half sheet pan and pat dry with paper towels.

Combine the apple, onion, cinnamon stick, and 1 cup of water in a microwave safe dish and microwave on high for 5 minutes. Add steeped aromatics to the turkey's cavity along with the rosemary and sage. Tuck the wings underneath the bird and coat the skin liberally with canola oil.

Whisk together pomegranate molasses, horseradish, mustard, salt, and coarsely ground black pepper. Set aside and let sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before using to allow the flavors to meld

Roast the turkey on lowest level of the oven at 500 degrees F for 30 minutes. Insert a probe thermometer into thickest part of the breast and reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Set the thermometer alarm (if available) to 161 degrees F. A 14 to 16 pound bird should require a total of 2 to 2 1/2 hours of roasting.

During the last 15 minutes of roasting, brush the entire turkey with 1 cup of the pomegranate glaze. Remove the turkey from the oven, brush with the remaining glaze, loosely tent with aluminum foil and let rest 15 minutes before slicing.

Mason Jar Gift Ideas Recipes:

Cherry, Almond and Cinnamon Granola

Ingredients
4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
2 cups sweetened, shredded coconut
2 cups sliced almonds
1 1/2 cups dried cherries, chopped
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup good honey
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Toss the oats, coconut, almonds, and cherries together in a large bowl. Pour the vegetable oil and honey over the oat mixture. Add the cinnamon, and stir with a wooden spoon until all the oats and nuts are coated with the liquids. Pour onto a sheet pan. Bake, stirring occasionally with a spatula, until the mixture turns a nice, even golden brown, about 25 to 30 minutes.

Remove the granola from the oven and allow to cool, stirring occasionally. Store the cooled granola in an airtight container.

*I use coconut oil and it makes it even more yummy

Total Time: 40 min Yeild 10 cups

Recipe from Ina Garten (Barefoot Contessa)

Cowboy Cookies

Start with 1 quart mason jar
You will need:
1 1-3 cup all purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup & leveled
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup cooking oats
3/4 cup m&ms
3/4 cup semi-sweet chocoalte chips
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup white sugar
1/3-1/2 cup chopped pecans

Layer the ingredients in like this (you will have to pack the ingredients tight for everything to fit):

First: flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt
Second:oats
Third: m&ms
Fourth: chocolate chips
Fifth:brown sugar
Sixth: white sugar
Seventh: chopped pecans

Toffee Blondies:

In the jar:

1 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

1 cup flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

3/4 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

1/2 cup heath chips

To make the blondies:

1/4 cup melted butter

2 lightly beaten eggs

1 tsp vanilla

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Spray an 8x8x2 pan with cooking spray. In a bowl, combine the butter, eggs, and vanilla. Stir in the contents of the jar. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until the brownies are set and the edges begin to pull from the sides of the pan. Cool in pan. Makes 16 bars.

Side Dishes/Dessert:

Cranberry Raspberry Relish

1 pound fresh cranberries, finely chopped

2 Tarygreen apples, peeled, cored and finely diced

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup orange marmalade

10 oz package frozen raspberries, thawed and drained

1 tsp lemon juice or to taste

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. 

*May be refrigerated, covered for 1 month.

Spoon relish into serving bowl

Yeild: 6 cups; serves 12

This relish is quickly assembled when a food processor is used.

Grandma Holladay’s Cranberry Jello Salad

Nancy Holladay

The first recipe is the one I brought to the dinner. I used less than ½ cup of sugar and only about 3 cups of water total. I also used 6 apples and two cans of mandarin oranges.

1 large pkg. (6 oz or two 3oz pkgs) Cherry gelatin (Jello)

1/2 (up to 1) cup sugar, as needed

3-4 cups water, boil (at least 2 cups) to dissolve the jello and sugar – then add the rest of the water

Mix into the dissolved jello:

1 pkg (about 12-16oz) cranberries, ground or finely chopped

6-8 apples, ground or finely chopped

1 orange / or 1 (or 2) can mandarin oranges, chopped

Set and serve.

I didn’t bring this one, but it is easier and good.

Holiday Cranberry Jello

2 sm (3oz) or 1 lg (6oz) pkg. cherry jello

1 can whole cranberry sauce

1 can crushed pineapple (20 oz)

1 ½ cups boiling water

Add boiling water to jello and dissolve. Add cranberry sauce gradually and mash lumps to blend well. Add pineapple and mix thoroughly.  Pour into 9x13 glass casserole.  Chill overnight.

Yam/Apple Casserole

Carol Hansen

l 29 oz can yams
1 can apple pie filling
about 1/3-1/2 C sugar (to your taste)
l tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp each of allspice, nutmeg, and
a pinch of cloves

Drain the liquid from the can and save it. Put the yams in the bowl
of a mixer, add a little of the saved cooking liquid, sugar and spices
and whip up to the consistency of regular mashed potatoes, adding a
bit more liquid and sugar if you think necessary. You don't want it
runny, but you also don't want it stiff. Put about 1/3 of this in the
bottom of a casserole dish; next add a layer of apple pie filling,
repeat two more times to make 3 layers in all, ending with the yams on
top. Bake at 375 about 45 mins or until bubbly and heated through.
If you want, this can also be made from 'scratch' with fresh cooked
yams and green apples sauteed in a bit of butter with sugar and
cinnamon.

Pumpkin Cake Dessert
RaeDene Hodson

1 yellow cake mix
1/2 cup melted butter
1 egg
1 29 oz can pumpkin
1 can evaporated milk
1 1/2 cups sugar
4 eggs, slightly beaten
1 tsp salt
3 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla

Reserve 3/4 cup cake mix. Mix rest of cake mix, 1/2 cup melted butter and 1 egg. Press into a 9 x 13 pan.
In bowl, mix eggs, sugar, salt, pumpkin, milk, cinnamon, vanilla. Pour into pan (over cake mix). Sprinkle with topping (below)
Bake 1 hour at 350 degrees.
Top with Cool Whip or serve with vanilla ice cream.

Topping
3/4 c cake mix
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup melted butter
Mix until crumbly and sprinkle on top of cake.

Praline Topped Yams Recipe
Megan Bodily
 

3 cups mashed sweet potatoes (can used canned)
 1/2 c. sugar
 2 beaten eggs
 1/2 tsp. salt
 1/2 stick butter or margarine
 1/2 c. milk
 1/2 tsp. vanilla
 1 tsp. cinnamon

 Topping:
 1/3 c. flour
 1/2 c. butter or margarine (melted)
 1 c. chopped pecans
 1 c. Brown SUGAR

 Combine all ingredients, except those for the topping. Mix untill smooth.
 Pour into an oblong casserole dish.
 Combine topping ingredients and sprinkle on top. Bake @ 350 degrees for 30
 min.
 May be prepared to cooking stage in advance and refrigerate until needed.

Pretzel Salad

Karen Tolliver

Crust:
2 cups Pretzels Crushed (Sometimes I do more, because I want to make sure there is enough pretzel on the bottom)
3 Tbsp Sugar
3/4 Cup butter, Melted

Middle Layer:
8oz. Cream Cheese, Softened
1 cup sugar
8oz. Cool Whip, Thawed

Top Layer:
1 pkg. (1-2 Cup) Fresh or Frozen Raspberries
2 (3oz) pkgs raspberry gelatin
2 cups boiling water

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
2. Mix pretzels, 3 Tbsp sugar and melted butter. Press into 13x9 inch dish.
3. Bake for 5 min. Then let cool completely. (if it doesn't cool completely, the next layer will melt...)
4. Mix softened cream cheese and cup of sugar. Add whipped topping; mix well.
5. Spread mixture on top of pretzel crust, Make sure that you seal the edges completely, meaning push the cream cheese layer all the way to the sides, and make sure there are no small holes (if not sealed, the jello will seep into the pretzel crust, and it won't be as good.)
6. Completely dissolve gelatin with the boiling water. Add raspberries.
7. Let gelatin cool slightly, before putting on top of cream cheese layer ( if you don't let it cool, the hot gelatin can cause the cream cheese layer to melt.). *if you are using frozen raspberries, then this will cool the gelatin quickly.*
8. Pour gelatin with raspberries over the cream cheese layer.
9. Chill until set.

Autumn Chopped Salad
Jonna Carlile

Ingredients
6 to 8 cups chopped romaine lettuce
2 medium pears, chopped
1 cup dried cranberries
1 cup chopped pecans
8 slices thick-cut bacon, crisp-cooked and crumbled
4 to 6 oz. feta cheese, crumbled
Poppy seed Salad Dressing (I like T. Marzetti)
Balsamic Vinaigrette (I like Newman's Own Light Balsamic Vinaigrette)

Instructions
On a large platter, combine the lettuce, pears, cranberries, pecans, bacon and feta cheese. Drizzle generously with poppy seed dressing, followed by some of the balsamic vinaigrette. (I would estimate that I used about a cup of dressing: 70 percent poppy seed dressing and 30 percent balsamic vinaigrette) If you prefer your salad to have more dressing, feel free to experiment with the combination.

Freezer/One Dish meals

Poppy Seed Chicken

Jan Skubal

4 cups cooked chicken breast

2 cans cream of chicken Soup

3 cups sour cream

8 oz crushed Ritz Crackers

1 cup minced onion

1 cup chopped celery

1 small package of sliced almonds

Mix soup & sour cream together, then add onion and celery. Mix cracker crumbs, melted butter, poppy seeds and almonds. Layer crumbs, chicken and soup; repeat layers. Top with layer of crumbs and almonds. Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes.

Elizabeth's Crock Pot Chicken

Jan Skubal

3 chicken breasts, cut into bite size pieces

1 package Good seasons Italian salad dressing mix

8 oz cream cheese

1 can cream of chicken or cream of mushroom soup

1/2 -1 package frozen spinach (thawed and undrained)

Cook chicken and seasoning in crock pot for 3 hours to all day. After chicken is cooked, add cream cheese, soup and spinach. Heat through. Mixture can be thinned with a little milk. Serve over rice (good over cooked cauliflower too)

Mississippi Corn Bread Salad

Jan Skubal

Cornbread - baked (buy 2 @ lucky's) crumble corn bread up

Corn Mixture is:

1 can kidney beans

2 cans corn

1 bunch green onions, chopped

1 can black olives, chopped

1/2- green bell pepper, chopped

1/2 - red bell pepper, chopped

1 lb. bacon fried crispy

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Dressing:

1 pint sour cream

1 pint mayo

1 package dry ranch dressing

Layer in glass bowl. Corn bread first layer, then corn mixture, then dressing, than cheese, then bacon and repeat.

Jello Salad Mold

Jan Skubal

2 small or 1 large Jello, leave 1/2 cup water out and use juice from mandarin orange for last 1/2 cup cold water.

Let jello soft set. Mix in cool whip - 1 1/2 cups, not whole tub. Add miniature marshmallows and mandarin oranges. Put in Tupperware mold & let finish setting.

Spaghetti Pie

Jan Skubal

6 oz spaghetti

2 TBSP butter or margarine

1-3 cup Parmesan cheese

3 well beaten eggs

your favorite spaghetti sauce - 1 large jar

1/2 cottage cheese

1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Cooke Spaghetti and drain. Stir in butter, Parmesan cheese and eggs. Form mixture into a crust in buttered pie pan. Spread cottage cheese over bottom of crust. Pour in spaghetti sauce. Bake uncovered 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese on top and bake 5 minutes more.

Beefy Tomato Skillet

Barbara Reinert

1 lb ground beef

3 cups beef broth

1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes with garlic and onion, undrained

2 cups small elbow macaroni

2 cups corn (frozen)

1 (8oz) can tomato sauce

1 TBSP chili powder

1 cup shredded Monterrey Jack Cheese

In large skillet, brown beef; drain. Stir in broth, tomatoes, uncooked macaroni, corn, tomato sauce & chili powder. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low. Simmer, uncovered 15-17 minutes or until elbows are tender, stir occasionally. Remove from heat. Sprinkle with cheese. Cover, let stand 2 minutes until cheese melts.

Lasagna with Turkey Sausage

Carolann Wedlund

· 2 tablespoons olive oil

· 1 cup chopped yellow onion (1 onion)

· 2 garlic cloves, minced

· 1 1/2 pounds sweet Italian turkey sausage, casings removed

· 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes in tomato puree

· 1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste

· 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, divided

· 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves

· Kosher salt

· Freshly ground black pepper

· 1/2 pound lasagna noodles

· 15 ounces ricotta cheese

· 3 to 4 ounces creamy goat cheese, crumbled

· 1 cup grated Parmesan, plus 1/4 cup for sprinkling

· 1 extra-large egg, lightly beaten

· 1 pound fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Heat the olive oil in a large (10 to 12-inch) skillet. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes over medium-low heat, until translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add the sausage and cook over medium-low heat, breaking it up with a fork, for 8 to 10 minutes, or until no longer pink. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, 2 tablespoons of the parsley, the basil, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Simmer, uncovered, over medium-low heat, for 15 to 20 minutes, until thickened.

Meanwhile, fill a large bowl with the hottest tap water. Add the noodles and allow them to sit in the water for 20 minutes. Drain.

In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta, goat cheese, 1 cup of Parmesan, the egg, the remaining 2 tablespoons of parsley, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Set aside.

Ladle 1/3 of the sauce into a 9 by 12 by 2-inch rectangular baking dish, spreading the sauce over the bottom of the dish. Then add the layers as follows: half the pasta, half the mozzarella, half the ricotta, and one third of the sauce. Add the rest of the pasta, mozzarella, ricotta, and finally, sauce. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup of Parmesan. Bake for 30 minutes, until the sauce is bubbling.

Broccoli & Rice In Coconut Curry Sauce

Recipe taken from 12 Steps to Whole Foods, by Robyn Openshaw (The Green Smoothie Girl)

Elizabeth Champion

1 1/2 cups brown rice, rinsed well

3 cups water

2 Tbsp. coconut oil

3 stems of broccoli, cut in bite-sized pieces (including stalk)

8 oz. mushrooms, washed well and cut in thirds

1 can (14 oz.) coconut milk

1 Tbsp. cornstarch

1 Tbsp. curry powder

1 1/2 tsp. sea salt

2 tomatoes, chopped

1/2 cup chopped cilantro

1/4 cup fresh parsley (or 1 Tbsp. dried)

Bring water and rice to a boil, turn down to medium low, cover, and simmer for 45 mins. In a large wok, frying pan, or pot melt coconut oil and lightly saute broccoli on medium high for five minutes, then add mushrooms and saute another two minutes. In a blender, blend coconut milk, cornstarch, curry powder, and salt. Add to vegetables and heat on medium high, stirring frequently and reducing to a simmer until sauce is thickened. Toss mixture gently into brown rice, along with tomato, cilantro, and parsley. Serve hot.

Note: Cooked rice freezes great. I like to freeze my left over rice in 2 cup sizes. That way I can easily add them to recipes (like this) that call for cooked rice and save myself a step. And if you buy sliced mushrooms and the Costco broccoli then you can make this recipe in 15 minutes! Bon Appetit! Elizabeth

Freezer/One Dish meals

Busy lifestyles and over-full schedules make traditional cooking methods nearly obsolete in many families. The results are poor nutrition and budgets strained by the high cost of fast food or commercially prepared meals. Test Kitchen is here to help. We will be having a demo on how to make delicious freezer/one dish meals for those nights you simply don’t have time or are just too tired. It will be held on October 12th at 7pm at the Centerville Cultural Hall. Bring your favorite freezer meal or one dish meal to share or just come and enjoy.

From the Garden

Fresh Marinara Sauce
Penny Bosko

6 lbs ripe tomatoes
6 cloves garlic
3-4 lg carrots
1/3 cup olive oil
2 TBSP dried basil
1 TBSP oregano
2 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper

Mix. bring to boil. simmer. and stir occasionally until thick - about 2 hours. Pour into canning jars and thy should seal or put in ziplock freezer bags.
Fresh Salsa
Penny Bosko

2-6 tomatoes diced
1-3 any color bell pepper diced
3-4 green onions
1-2 ears of corn
1/4 cup cilantro

Add can of black beans or a firm avocado if desired

Strawberry Freezer Jam

Kori Archibald

3-1/4 cups prepared fruit (buy about 2 qt. fully ripe strawberries)

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

1 box MCP Pectin

1 cup corn syrup

4-1/2 cups sugar, measured into separate bowl

RINSE clean plastic containers and lids with boiling water. Dry thoroughly.

CRUSH strawberries thoroughly, one layer at a time. Measure exactly 3-1/4 cups crushed strawberries into large bowl. Stir in lemon juice. Stir in pectin; let stand 30 min., stirring every 5 min. Stir in corn syrup. Gradually add sugar, stirring until well blended. Stir an additional 3 min. or until sugar is completely dissolved and no longer grainy. (A few sugar crystals may remain.)

FILL all containers immediately to within 1/2 inch of tops. Wipe off top edges of containers; immediately cover with lids. Let stand at room temperature 24 hours. Jam is now ready to use. Store in refrigerator up to 3 weeks or freeze extra containers up to 1 year. Thaw in refrigerator before using.

Charred Tomato Gazpacho

Carolann Wedlund

• 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds, lightly crushed
• 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup crustless white bread cubes
• 1 large clove garlic
• Kosher salt
• 3 1/4 pounds tomatoes, halved
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
• 1 Kirby cucumber
• 1 green bell pepper
• Freshly ground pepper

Directions

Preheat a grill or grill pan to medium high. Heat the cumin seeds, coriander seeds and 1/2 cup olive oil in a small skillet over medium-low heat until the seeds are toasted, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a liquid measuring cup. Transfer 3 tablespoons of the spiced oil and about half of the seeds to a small bowl; reserve for topping.

Put the bread cubes in a bowl, cover with water and let soak 2 minutes. Drain, squeeze dry and set aside.

Mince the garlic, then sprinkle with a pinch of salt and mash it into a paste with the flat side of a knife.

Toss the tomatoes in a bowl with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and grill until charred, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer half each of the charred tomatoes, bread, garlic paste, sugar and vinegar to a blender; add 1/4 teaspoon salt and puree until smooth. With the motor running, add about half of the spiced oil from the measuring cup. Pour the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl. Blend the remaining tomatoes, bread, garlic paste, sugar and vinegar with the other half of the spiced oil and 1/4 teaspoon salt, then strain into the bowl. Chill the soup at least 2 hours.

Dice the cucumber and bell pepper. Season the soup with salt and pepper. Ladle into bowls; drizzle with the reserved spiced oil and top with the diced vegetables.

Quinoa with Garden Vegetables

Elizabeth Champion

1 cup quinoa
1 cup wheat (or any other whole grain)

Prepare both all grains according to package directions.

2 cups cooked black beans
1 cup carrots, shredded or julienned
2 bell peppers (red, orange, or yellow),
chopped 3 green onions, diced
2 cups mushrooms, chopped
1-2 medium zucchini, chopped
Note: This are the veggies I used. You can add or delete any veggie and it will still be good. Great way to use whatever you have in the garden
½ cup fresh parsley, chopped
½ cusp fresh cilantro, chopped

Mix all the ingredients in a bowl, then add in the grains. Toss with dressing A or B and serve warm or cold

Dressing A:
1/4 C extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp. flaxseed oil
1/2 C fresh lemon juice
2 tsp. ground turmeric
1 Tbsp. cumin
2 tsp. sea salt
freshly ground pepper to taste
optional: 1/4 C fresh mint, chopped

Shake all ingredients in a pint jar and stir into mixture.

Dressing B:
¼ cup fresh orange juice
1 Tbsp. chia or flax seeds
2 Tbsp. white wine vinegar
1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp. honey
1 Tbsp. fresh mint, diced or ½ tsp. dried mint

Mix orange juice and chia or flax seeds and let sit for ½ hour. Add remaining ingredients, mix, and pour over grain and veggie mixture. Also makes a great salad dressing.

Swiss-Almond Floret Bake

Shelley Baer

3 cups water
2 cups fresh cauliflowerets
2 cups chopped fresh broccoli
2 TBSP butter
2 TBSP all-purpose flour
1-1/4 cups milk
1/2 cup shredded Swiss cheese
1 TBSP apricot jam
1/4 teaspoon curry powder
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper

Topping:
1/2 cup dry bread crumbs
1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted
2 TBSP butter, melted

In a large saucepan, bring water to a boil. Add cauliflower and broccoli; return to a boil. Cover a cook for 3 minutes. Drain and pat dry.

In another large saucepan, melt butter. Stir in flour until smooth; gradually add milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Reduce heat; stir in the cheese, jam, curry, salt and pepper. Cook and stir over low heat until cheese is melted. Remove from the heat.

Place the cauliflower and broccoli in a greased 1-1/2 qt. baking dish. Top with cheese sauce. Combine topping ingredients; sprinkle over sauce. Bake, uncovered, at 350 for 20 - 25 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Yield: 4-6 servings.

From the Garden

Come and join us for our Test Kitchen this month on Wednesday, August 10th at 7pm at the Centerville Building Cultural Hall. Our theme is “From the Garden” and we will be having several demonstrations on how to take care of a garden, how to store the excess produce, how to make freezer jam, and also a presentation on tomatoes. Bring your favorite dish to share using fresh produce or just come and enjoy. Please bring a copy of your recipe so that we can post it on the blog.

International Night

Indian Rice

Munne Baines

1-2 teaspoons of zeera (whole cumin seeds) which you drop in a pan with hot oil—about 3 Tablespoons

1 jalapeno pepper, grated (add more if you like things hotter)

2 inch piece of peeled ginger, grated

1 tomato, diced

3 teaspoons of salt

1 ½ teaspoons of black pepper

½ cup of frozen peas

2 potatoes, peeled and diced.

Sprinkle the whole cumin in the hot oil. Stir constantly into it changes lightly in color and becomes more aromatic. Next, add the jalapeno, ginger then tomato.

Saute. Add salt, pepper, frozen peas and potatoes. Saute for a few more minutes. Then your basmati rice add—3 cups of rice to 6 cups of water.

Cover pot with a lid and bring it to a boil. When boiling, turn down to low. Stir periodically so it won’t stick. Cook 10-15 minutes until water is absorbed and rice is tender.

Indian Lentil Soup

Munne Baines

2 cups of yellow lentils (split moong dal)

2 cups of orange lentils (split masoor dal)

Rinse the lentils with cool water in a colander.

Add 20 cups of water to a pressure cooker. Add the yellow and orange lentils

To the lentils and water add:

3 teaspoons of salt

1 Tablespoon of oil

1 ½ teaspoon black pepper

4 inch piece of ginger, peeled and grated

2 jalapeno peppers grated

3 cloves of garlic, grated

Seal the pressure cooker. When up to full pressure, turn down heat and cook 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat, and run a small stream of water over the pressure cooker to cool down before opening.

While the lentils are cooking, in a medium skillet heat the following:

2 Tablespoons of oil, when hot add:

1-2 teaspoons of zeera (whole cumin seed) Cook a minute or two until lightly aromatic and it slightly changed color

1 ½ onions diced

1 ½ - 2 tomatoes, diced.

Saute until cooked. Add to cooked lentils along with ½ cup chopped cilantro.

Curried Orange Chicken

Nancy Holladay

2 lbs chicken pieces - I prefer boneless, but bone-in works too

½ teas. curry powder – more or less to taste (I don’t measure it, just sprinkle what looks good)

Sprinkle chicken pieces with curry powder, rub curry into meat. Arrange in baking dish, skin side down.

¼ cup orange juice

2 Tbls. honey

1 Tbls. prepared mustard

Combine juice, honey, and mustard in small saucepan and simmer until blended. Or combine in microwave safe bowl and heat until it can be blended. We like lots of sauce, so I frequently double the amounts for the sauce. Pour over the chicken and bake in moderate oven - 375° for 30 minutes. Turn chicken and continue baking 20 minutes longer or till tender. I have been known to cover the baking dish if I might not be available to turn it and just let it cook. Remove chicken pieces to serving platter and reserve pan juices; keep chicken warm.

2 teas. cornstarch

1 Tbls. cold water (or more orange juice, if you like lots of orange)

½ orange, peeled, sliced and quartered – or use for garnish

In small saucepan on stove (or bowl for microwave), combine cornstarch and water; stir in reserved pan juices from chicken. Cook and stir till thick and bubbly. If you have increased the amount of sauce, you will need to increase the cornstarch and water too. Add orange pieces; heat 1 minute. Since I use orange juice in place of the water, I don’t usually add the orange pieces. Pour sauce over chicken on platter or serve separately to be spooned over hot cooked rice.

Taco Dip

Shelley Baer

Cook in a crock pot on low for 5 hours

1 can refried pinto beans

1 can refried black beans

2 chicken breasts

½ bag corn

1 cup salsa

After 5 hours stir to break up chicken and add:

1 8 oz cream cheese

1 package taco sauce

Cook for another hour and stir to break up the chicken some more.

Top with grated cheese and serve with tortilla chips.