Baby Food - April 2007

Diva: Tamara

Drinks: Nicole
Orange Juice
Chocolate Milk

Appetizer: Mariah
Babies Eat Spinach

1 pkg. (10 oz.) frozen chopped spinach, cooked, well drained
½ c Mozzarella Cheese
1/3 c Light Cream Cheese Spread
1 T Grated Parmesan Cheese
1 T finely chopped onion
¼ tsp garlic powder

Preheat oven to 350
Mix all ingredients blended well
Use phyllo dough to make little c with the spinach cheese mix inside…..

Salad: Sara
Baby Salad

Baby Spinach as the green part of the salad
Baby carrots
Cherry tomatoes
Baby Corn (the canned kind)
Green (Baby) onions
Goat Cheese

French Dressing

½ c tomato sauce
¼ c brown sugar
½ c red wine vinegar
½ c onion, grated
1 tsp paprika
½ tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 c salad oil
salt and pepper

Add the tomato sauce, sugar, vinegar, onion, paprika and Worcestershire to a food processor bowl. Pulse until blended. With the processor running, slowly add the oil. Check the seasonings. Cover and refrigerate until needed.

Soup: Lovina
Baby Food Lentil Soup
Lovina’s variation of recipe from Bon Appétit, December 2006

3 T extra–virgin olive oil
2 c chopped onions
1 c chopped carrots
4 garlic cloves, chopped
2 bay leaves
5 c (or more) vegetable broth
(I used 5 c. water and 6 tsp. Vegetable “Better than Bouillon”)
2 c lentils, rinsed, drained
1 14 1/2–ounce can diced tomatoes in juice
1 1/2 tsp balsamic vinegar
Salt and fresh ground pepper

Preparation:
Heat olive oil in heavy large saucepan over medium–high heat. Add onions, carrots, and garlic; sauté until vegetables begin to brown, about 15 minutes. Add 5 cups broth, lentils, bay leaves, and tomatoes with juice and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium–low, cover, and simmer until lentils are tender, about 35 minutes.

Transfer 2 cups soup (mostly solids) to blender or food processor and puree until smooth. Return puree to soup in pan. Season with a dash of salt (you might not need salt if you add the extra bouillon), pepper (about 15 turns), and about 1 tsp of vinegar. Ladle soup into bowls. Garnish with cilantro leaves.

Side Dish: Stacey
The Lady's Cheesy Mac (courtesy of Paula Deen)

4 c cooked elbow macaroni, drained
2 c grated cheddar cheese
3 eggs, beaten
½ c sour cream
4 T butter, cut into pieces
1 tsp salt
1 c milk
fresh rosemary sprigs for garnish (my own personal touch!)

Preheat oven to 350. Once you have the macaroni cooked and drained, place in a large bowl and while still hot add the cheddar. In a separate bowl, combine the remaining ingredients and add to the macaroni mixture. Pour macaroni mixture into a casserole dish and add a few rosemary sprigs to the top. Bake for 30-45 mins. Top with additional cheese if desired.

Entree: Ashley
Risotto with peas and carrots

5 c low-sodium vegetable broth
½ c finely chopped onion
½ stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter
1 ½ c Arborio rice (12 oz)
½ c dry white wine
1 c frozen baby peas, thawed
1 c carrots; steamed and cubed
½ tsp finely grated fresh lemon zest
1 c finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (2 oz)
3 T finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Pureed peas and carrots as sauce on side ( I used actual baby food)

Bring broth to a simmer in a saucepan and keep at a bare simmer, covered.

Cook onion in 2 tablespoons butter in a 3- to 4-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Add rice and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add wine and simmer, stirring, until absorbed.

Stir in 1 cup simmering broth and cook at a strong simmer, stirring constantly, until broth is absorbed. Continue simmering risotto and adding broth, about ½ cup at a time, stirring constantly and letting each addition become absorbed before adding next, until rice is just tender and creamy but still al dente, 18 to 20 minutes (there will be leftover broth).

Stir in peas, carrots, zest, 2/3 cup cheese, parsley, remaining 2 tablespoons butter, and salt and pepper to taste. If necessary, thin risotto with some of remaining broth. Serve immediately, with remaining 1/3 cup cheese.

Dessert: Michelle
Pound Cake

Lottery: Erin

Tapas - March 2007

Diva: Erin

Drinks: Stacey

Red wine sangria with fresh peaches, apples, and grapes.

The sangria consisted of one bottle of red wine, one can apricot nectar, 4 ounces Grand Marnier, one can of ginger ale, and lots of fresh limes and oranges.

The non-alcoholic was lemonade.

Appetizer: Tamara
Marinated Peppers

Quintessential tapas. Best with overnight marinating.

4 - 6 mixed peppers, roasted
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
seasoning
2 tsp lemon juice
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (or mixture of flavored oils such as basil, lemon...)
1⁄2 tsp dried mixed herbs
1 baguette, sliced and toasted

Cut the skinned peppers into strips. Mix the remaining ingredients and whisk into a dressing. Pour over the peppers and toss well. Allow to marinate, preferably overnight, otherwise at least 4 hours. Serve with the toasted baguette slices.

Roasted Almonds with Cayenne and Cumin
Serves/Makes: 2 c

2 c whole blanched almonds
½ tsp cayenne
½ tsp paprika
1 tsp cumin
2 T melted butter
2 T olive oil
1 T sea salt

Preheated oven to 300F. Toss almonds with the other ingredients. Place in a single layer on a baking sheet. Roast almonds until golden brown, about 15 to 20 minutes. Allow to cool before serving.

Salad: Mariah
100% Edible Salad

Butter leaf lettuce bowls
Filling: sliced carrots, cabbage, green onions, red peppers, cucumbers, sliced spinach and baby toms dressed with balsamic vinaigrette.

Everything is this salad is cut into small pieces and enjoyed by using your hands.

Dressing Recipe
Balsamic
Olive Oil
Mustard
Garlic
Salt and Pepper

Soup: Sara
Salmorejo—tomato and garlic dip

2 lbs ripe tomatoes
1 loaf of "stale", crusty, or dried bread
6 cloves garlic
Olive oil
Vinegar
Salt
Hard boiled Eggs

Peel and chop the tomatoes, slice the bread. Peel Garlic and cut into two to three pieces. Place all in a large mixing bowl and blend (I am pretty sure I used my food processor) in batches. When mix is even, add three or four tablespoons of vinegar, salt to taste and continue blending until smooth creamy mixture is formed. Add oil, vinegar, and salt if necessary. Place in fridge to chill, however serve at room temperature. Serve with a garnish of hardboiled egg and fresh bread.

Side Dish: Lovina
Spanish Croquetas
Serves 4

1 T Olive Oil
2 T Flour
1 egg
1 c milk
1/3 c bread crumbs
Pinch Nutmeg
Pinch Salt
2/3 c ham (cut into small pieces) OR 2/3 c. cheese of your choice (I used parmesan)

Warm oil in frying pan (not so hot that smoke rises). Remove the pan from heat and add flour to the oil. Stir with a wooden spoon until it becomes a paste.

Put the pan back on heat and add the milk, little by little, stirring the mixture all the time until it is cooked and even. Add the nutmeg, a pinch of salt and the ham. Cook in the pan until the mixture is soft, stirring constantly.

When mixture is stiff, spoon it into a bowl and let it cool. Beat the egg, set aside. Once the mixture is cool, make small portions and mold with your hands into the shape of a croqueta (oval). Dip each croqueta into the beaten egg and then dip it into the breadcrumbs. Place the croqueta separately on a plate. You can fry them right away, or put them in the fridge and leave them until you are ready to cook and eat them.

Fry the croquetas in a pan with enough oil to cover them. When they are golden and crispy, take them out and lay them on a paper towel or bag to absorb the excess oil. Serve immediately.

Variation: Use any meat, cheese, or herb in these. Great for using up leftovers!

Entree: Nicole
Meat Filled Empanadas

Filling:
2 T olive oil
2 large Spanish onions, minced
2 pounds ground beef
4 cloves garlic, crushed
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 red bell peppers, roasted, peeled, seeded and chopped
1 c canned, peeled tomatoes
½ c green cocktail olives (pimento filled), whole
¼ c black currants

Empanada Dough:
2 ½ c all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
5 T vegetable shortening
1 egg, beaten
1/3 c dry white wine

Empanada Dough: Combine flour, salt, and sugar in a food processor. Cut in shortening, mixture should be sandy. Add the egg and wine, pulse until dough comes together in a ball. The dough should be pliable; if not add more wine.

Assembly: Separate the dough into 3 balls. Roll the first ball out until it is 1/4 inch thick. With a 6-inch round cutter, cut circles out of all the dough. Remove the edges and save for the next roll. Fill each circle with about 2 1/2 tablespoons in the center of the dough.
Dip a small brush in room temperature water, run the brush around the edge of the dough. Close 1 side to the other forming a half moon shape. Close the edges pressing lightly with the back of a fork.

In a deep sauté pan, heat 4 to 5 inches of canola oil on medium high heat to 360 degrees F. Add the empanadas turn over constantly until golden. Remove and drain on paper towels. Serve immediately.

Dessert: Ashley
Mini Vanilla Cupcakes with Orange, Almond and Chocolate Glazes

1 c all-purpose flour
1 tap baking powder
¼ tsp salt
1/3 c whole milk
½ tsp vanilla
¾ stick (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
½ c plus 1 tablespoon sugar
1 large egg

Special equipment: 2 mini-muffin pans, each with 24 (1 3/4-inch) muffin cups; 24 foil or paper mini-muffin liners.

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Line muffin cups with liners. Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Stir together milk and vanilla in a small bowl. Beat together butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add egg and beat until just combined. Reduce speed to low, then add flour and milk mixtures alternately in batches, beginning and ending with flour and mixing until just combined.

Divide batter among muffin cups, filling them two-thirds full, and bake until tops are pale golden and a wooden pick or skewer inserted in centers comes out clean, about 15 minutes. Invert cupcakes onto a rack and cool completely.

Glazes

Chocolate:
3 ounces fine-quality bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened)
2 T unsalted butter

Chop bittersweet chocolate and in a double boiler or a metal bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water melt chocolate with butter, stirring until smooth. Dip top of cupcake into chocolate glaze.

Almond:
1 ½ c powdered sugar
3 T all purpose flour
Water
slivered almonds

Whisk sugar and flour adding water by 1/4 teaspoonfuls to make thick but still spreadable glaze. Dip top of cupcake into glaze, sprinkle almonds on top.

Orange:
1 ½ c powdered sugar
3 T all purpose flour
Orange juice
orange zest

Whisk sugar and flour adding orange juice and water if needed by ¼ teaspoonfuls to make thick but still spreadable glaze. Dip top of cupcake into glaze, sprinkle orange zest on top.

WildCard: Michelle

Lottery: Tiffany