Honey and Hazelnuts - November 2011

Diva:  Stacey

Drinks:  Erin

Lychee Martinis

¼ c sugar

¼ c water

1 c drained canned lychees (15 to 20, from a 16- to 20-oz can)

2 T fresh lemon juice

6 oz (¾ cup) vodka (preferably Skyy)

1 ½ oz (3 T) Cointreau or other orange-flavored liqueur

Heat sugar and water in a 1-quart saucepan over high heat, stirring, until sugar is dissolved, then pour into a heatproof bowl set in a large bowl of ice and cold water. Let stand, stirring occasionally, until syrup is cold, about 3 minutes.

Purée lychees with sugar syrup and lemon juice in a blender until smooth, then force through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, pressing hard on solids and then discarding them. Fill cocktail shaker halfway with ice cubes and add lychee purée, vodka, and Cointreau. Shake 15 seconds and strain into Martini glasses.

Appetizer:  Hallie

Brie and Honeycomb

Serve slices of a baguette with a wheel of brie and oozing hunk of honeycomb.  Allow your inner diva revel in the lusciousness of those flavors combined.  

Soup:  Mary Ellen

Honey Carrot Soup

16 oz baby carrots or 3 ½ c sliced carrots     

1 c chicken broth 

½ medium onion, chopped 

½ c  

2% milk 

1/4 c honey 

ground nutmeg, to taste    

In large saucepan, combine carrots, chicken broth and onion. Cover and  simmer over medium heat for about 15 minutes, or until carrots are tender.  Transfer mixture to blender or food processor; blend until smooth. Return  to saucepan. Add milk and honey. Return to simmer. Serve hot or chilled,  sprinkled with nutmeg. 

(From the National Honey Board)

  

Salad:  Mariah and Sara

Inspired Salad

Organic Greens

Hazelnuts

Fresh Blackberries

OMG - GORGEOUS!

Romano Cheese

Salt/Pepper

White Balsamic

Olive Oil

Honey

Mix tbsp of honey with a dash of salt and ¼ tsp cayenne, add water until the mixture softens to a stir pour mixture over 2 cups of hazelnuts, place in over for 20 minutes at 350 (check often).  Set hazelnuts aside and drizzle a generous amount of olive oil on a large cutting board appropriate for serving, salt and pepper the board then place the greens on the slab, using two kitchen knives toss the salad on the cutting board coating the leaves with olive oil, drizzle white balsamic over the greens and coat again using the kitchen knives.  Using a carrot peeler, peel a generous amount of cheese on top of the salad the salad is nearly ready to serve!  To put the finishing touches on this inspired pile the berries and nuts in each on the four corners.  As inspired by Jamie Oliver – serve on the cutting slab!

Side Dish:  Lovina

Twice Baked Bourbon-Hazelnut Sweet Potatoes

2 T. veggie oil

3 pounds sweet potatoes (about 6 round, not skinny)

½ c crème fraiche or cream cheese

6 T melted butter, divided

2 T. pure maple syrup

2 T bourbon

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp ground nutmeg, divided

¼ c chopped hazelnuts (or pecans, walnuts…)

¼ c panko bread crumbs

Salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 350°F. Oil the sweet potatoes and roast on rimmed baking sheet until very tender, 1 to 1 ½ hours. (You can nook them in the microwave to speed the roasting time!)

Cool slightly. Cut each potato in half and place the flesh of the top halves in a bowl—it should just fall out of the skin. Gently scoop the flesh out of the bottom halves and add it to the bowl, leaving a little around the edges for stability. Mix in the crème fraiche, 4 Tbs. butter, syrup, bourbon, 1 tsp. cinnamon, 3/4 tsp. nutmeg, 1 tsp. salt and pepper to taste. Using a hand mixer (or immersion blender), puree until smooth.

Scoop the potato puree back into the bottom halves. Mix the remaining 2 Tb. of butter and ¼ tsp. nutmeg with the panko and chopped nuts. Salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle the mixture over the tops of the sweet potatoes.

Bake another 15-20 minutes until warmed through and golden on top!

* These can be made 2-3 days in advance. If coming out of the fridge, bake 30-40 minutes–until warmed through or cheat and rewarm in the microwave. *smile* I won’t tell!

(From aspicyperspective.com)

Entrée:  Colleen

Polenta with Caramelized Onion, Pear, and Hazelnuts

Polenta:
4 c cornmeal
8 c water
10 cloves garlic
olive oil for sauteing
finely copped rosemary to taste
2-3 T honey
1 ⅓ c heavy cream

I make polenta in my multi cooker because it is so easy.  I made this in two batches (half of the ingredients per batch).  On brown setting, saute garlic for 1-2 minutes.  Add polenta, water, rosemary, and honey and stir.  Set to rice cook.  When finished with the cycle, stir in cream.  Put polenta in a 9x13 pan in an even layer.  I refrigerated mine overnight.

Caramelized onions
this is a pretty basic recipe - but you can follow a recipe like this one.

 2 pears thinly sliced
8 oz of smoked gruere grated
hazelnuts finely chopped

Bake the polenta at 350 for ~45 minutes or until warmed though and starting to get golden on the top.  Take out of the oven and layer with caramelized onions and pear.  Bake for another 10 minutes.  Layer with cheese and hazelnuts and bake for another 10 minutes.  Let rest for 5 minutes, cut and serve!

Dessert:  Ashley and Tamara

White Chocolate Mocha Hazelnut Layered Mousse 

(served with Ashley's Hazelnut Honey Brittle, see below)

200g dark chocolate, chopped
200ml soya whipping cream, chilled
3 T icing sugar, sifted after measuring
3 T Kahlua

200g vegan white chocolate
200ml soya whipping cream, chilled
3 T icing sugar, sifted after measuring
3 T Frangelico

First a warning - this needs a lot of load of bowls so get prepared! **Now completely line a standard size loaf tin with cling film so that it overhangs all edges. Melt the dark and the white chocolate separately, I did this placing bowls over pots of simmering water but you could also microwave. Once they have melted scrape them into separate bowls to cool down, they will take too long to cool if you leave them in the bowl you melted them in. Keep giving them a stir to help them cool.

Place the whipping cream into 2 large bowls (200ml in each bowl) and whisk in the icing sugar. Now you have to wait until the chocolates are close to room temperature, if you whisk hot or too warm chocolate into the cold soya cream it will seize up. When ready start with the dark chocolate and scrape it slowly into the whipping cream whisking all the time. When it looks all combined then you can slowly start to whisk in the Kahlua a bit at a time then set it aside.

Repeat the same process with the white chocolate and Frangelico but don't worry if this one seems floppier than the dark chocolate, they set the same.

Now take 1/3 of the dark chocolate mousse and place in another bowl (told you it takes a lot of bowls!) and take 1/3 of the white chocolate mousse and add that and whisk these together well. Now you should have equal bowls of dark chocolate, white chocolate and mixed mousse. Being precise as I am I weighed the mousse to figure out exactly 1/3, but you could just eyeball it of course!

**Spoon the dark chocolate mousse into the loaf tin and level off as best you can. Top with the white chocolate mousse then the mixed mousse levelling off each layer. Now place it in the fridge to fully set, best to leave it overnight but 5 hours should do it.

(From maplespice.com)

**I made these in individual ramekins and served with a chunck of Ashley’s brittle.

Ashley’s Hazelnut Honey Brittle

3 c hazelnuts
¾ c honey
¾ c butter

Toast and skin hazelnuts.  Curse alot while spending an inordinate amount of time rubbing the stubborn skins off and chasing after the ones that pop out of your hand and roll across the floor.
In a heavy saucepan, bring honey to a simmer, whisk in butter and cook until saucelike, about 5 minutes.  Remove from heat and stir in nuts.  Spread on a parchment-lined or generously greased cookie sheet.  Place in freezer for at least 2 hours.  Cut into pieces and wrap in wax paper and store in the freezer.

Cinnamon - October 2010

Diva: Aven

Drinks:  Erin
Glogg

2 bottles red wine
2 oz dried orange zest
2 oz cinnamon sticks
20 whole cardamom seeds
25 whole cloves
1 pound blanched almonds
1 pound raisins
1 pound sugar cubes
5 fluid ounces brandy

Pour wine into a large pot.  Bring to a boil over medium high heat.  Wrap orange zest, cinnamon sticks, cardamom and cloves in cheesecloth, tie with kitchen string and put into pot.  Let boil for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Stir in almonds and raisins and continue to boil for 15 more minutes.  Remove from heat. 

Place a wire grill over the pot and cover with sugar cubes.  Slowly pour on brandy, making sure to completely saturate the sugar.  Light sugar with a match and let it flame.   When sugar has melted, cover pot with lid to extinguish flame.

Stir and remove spice bag.  Serve hot in cups with a few almonds and raisins.

Erin’s Note: Don’t add as many raisins/nuts, definitely take the spice bag out prior to flaming the brandied sugar, and don’t add as much sugar as it calls for

(From allrecipes.com)

Appetizer:  Mariah
Crostini with Roasted Garlic, Goat Cheese and Apple Chutney

1 c (packed) golden brown sugar
¾ c rice vinegar
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 ½ tsp minced peeled fresh ginger
⅛ tsp cayenne pepper
1 cinnamon stick
1 ½ pounds Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, cut into -inch pieces (about 4 cups)
1 c golden raisins
1 French-bread baguette, cut into 1/3-inch-thick slices
Olive oil
Roasted Garlic
12 ounces soft fresh goat cheese room temperature

Stir sugar and vinegar in heavy large saucepan over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Add next 4 ingredients and simmer until mixture is syrupy and reduced to 1/2 cup, about 8 minutes. Mix in apples and raisins. Increase heat to high and boil until apples are tender, stirring frequently, about 10 minutes. Cool to room temperature. (Chutney can be made 3 days ahead; cover and refrigerate.)

Preheat oven to 450°F. Arrange baguette slices on baking sheet and brush with olive oil. Bake until golden and crisp, about 8 minutes. Spread each toast with roasted garlic; top with goat cheese and chutney.

(Adapted from Bon Appétit October 1999)


Salad:  Aven
Fall Salad with Cinnamon Vinaigrette

Mixed Greens (lettuce, mizuna, arugula)
1 Pear, sliced thin
1 Fennel Bulb, sliced very thin

¼  pound dry Gouda, grated 


Toss greens, top with pears, fennel, cheese, and dressing



Cinnamon Vinaigrette



¼ c white balsamic vinegar

¼ c olive oil

1 T lemon juice
2 T agave syrup
½ tsp cinnamon, cumin, coriander, cardamom
¼ tsp cayenne

Side Dish:  Colleen
Corn on the Cob with Cinnamon Honey Butter



Place corn in pot with cold water.  Bring water to a boilover medium-high heat.  When water boils, corn is done.

Cinnamon Honey Butter



1.5 sticks of butter, softened
¼ c honey

1 tsp cinnamon



Whip butter, honey and cinnamon until smooth.



This butter recipe yields a large batch - enough for many ears of corn and leftovers for toast or rolls or anything else you'd like to eat buttery and sweet!

Entrée:  Sara
Cider Brined Pork Loin with Dijon-Brown Sugar Glaze served with Apple Compote

1 center cut half boneless pork loin (4.5-5.5 lbs)
4 c apple cider
1 c apple cider vinegar
1 c light brown sugar
3 T orange juice concentrate
1 T honey
2 tsp cinnamon

Whisk together the ingredients in a heated sauce pan, then allow the marinade to cool.
Take a gallon slide lock freezer bag and stick your pork loin inside it. Make sure you can zip it shut before you pour in any liquid. If necessary, cut the pork loin into two parts so that it fits in your freezer bag (or use two). Pour in the liquid, squeeze out the air and zip the bag shut. Refrigerate 2-3 hours.

Take the pork out of the refrigerator, pour out the marinade, pat the pork dry and let sit for 30 minutes.  At this time preheat the oven to 350.

Place the pork loin on a rack fat side up. Cook 25 minutes per pound and check with a meat thermometer.

At 1 hour 45 minutes to 2 hours, glaze the top of the loin (see below).  When internal temperature reaches 155 degrees, pull it out, cover it with foil and let it rest for 10-15 minutes.

Glaze

1 ½ c light brown sugar, packed
2 T flour
2 tsp Dijon mustard
3 T cider vinegar

Heat the ingredients in a sauce pan and allow to cool (5 mins).

(From baorao.blogspot.com)

Lentil Loaf
3 ½ c water or vegetable broth
2 onions, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 T olive oil
2 c pre-cooked rice
½ tsp salt
¼ c ketchup or barbecue sauce
½ tsp sage
½ tsp Italian seasoning

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large soup or stockpot, simmer the lentils in water or vegetable broth until cooked, about 30 minutes. Drain thoroughly then mash the lentils until they are half mashed.
Sautee the onions and garlic in olive oil for 3 to 5 minutes, or until soft.
Combine the onions, garlic and olive oil with the mashed lentils and add the rice, salt, ketchup or barbecue sauce, sage, and Italian seasoning.
Gently press the mixture into a lightly greased loaf pan.  Drizzle a bit of extra ketchup on top if desired.

Bake for 1 hour.  Allow to cool slightly before serving, as this will help the lentil loaf to firm up.

(From about.com)

Apple Compote

2 c water
⅓ c sugar
½ vanilla bean, split in half
1 T Calvados or brandy
½ tsp ground cinnamon
⅛ tsp ground cloves
⅛ tsp ground nutmeg
Pinch salt
8 large Golden Delicious apples, peeled, cored, and cubed

In a large saucepan, combine the water, sugar, vanilla bean and seeds, Calvados, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and salt and bring to a boil. Boil gently until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture thickens slightly, about 5 minutes. Add the apples and return to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the apples are very tender and the mixture thickens, about 20 minutes.

Remove from the heat and remove the vanilla bean pods. Let cool to room temperature before serving.  (The mixture will thicken as it cools.)

(From foodnetwork.com)

Dessert:  Tamara
Baked Pears with Cinnamon Soy Ice Cream and Cinnamon Sugar Tortilla Points

Pears

6 pears, peeled, halved and cored
melted butter
1 T cinnamon
¼ c brown sugar

Melt butter in small saucepan over medium heat and stir in cinnamon and sugar.  Baste both sides of pears with butter mixture.  Bake in baking dish, 350 degrees until desired tenderness.

Cinnamon Soy Ice Cream

2 c vanilla soy creamer (or any non-dairy milk)
2 c vanilla soy milk (or any non-dairy milk)
¾ c sugar
2 T arrowroot
2 T cinnamon


Mix 1/4 cup of soy milk with the 2 tablespoons of arrowroot and set aside.
Mix the soy creamer, soy milk, and sugar together in a saucepan. When the mixture has just started to boil, take off the heat and stir in the arrowroot slurry. This should immediately cause the liquid to thicken (not a lot, but a noticeable amount; it will be thicker when it cools).  Mix in cinnamon.

Set the ice cream mixture aside to cool. Freeze according to your ice cream maker's instructions.

(Adapted from veganicecream.blogspot.com)

Cinnamon Tortilla Points

2 whole wheat flour tortillas
cinnamon
sugar
spray oil

Lightly spray tortillas with oil on both sides.  Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar mixture.  Bake in oven at 350 until desired crispiness.

Serve pears with ice cream on top and a tortilla point.

Lottery:  Ashley

Wild Wild West: Divas in the Canyon - July 2010

 Diva:  Mariah

Drinks:  Ashley
Cowgirl Cooler

⅓ c water                          
⅓ c sugar
5 fresh mint sprigs                   
4 c pink grapefruit juice
2 ½ c bourbon                   
12 dashes Angostura bitters
1 c ginger ale

Stir water and sugar together in a small saucepan over low heat until sugar dissolves.  Increase heat and bring to a boil.  Add mint sprigs.  Remove from heat; cool syrup completely.  Strain syrup into a pitcher.  Add grapefruit juice, bourbon, bitters and ginger ale.  Serve over ice.

(Adapted from Bon Appetit Dec 2007)

Appetizer:  Colleen
Canyon Queso

2 lb shredded Mexican blend cheese

1 beer
4 small cloves garlic, pressed
1 small bunch green onions, chopped
3 T cilantro, chopped
4 oz can diced green chilies
¼-½ c diced, deseeded tomatoes
3 T pickled jalapenos, dices
1-2 T chili powder
1-2 T cumin

flour to cover cheese

Heat beer in a pot with pressed garlic and green onions.  Add tomatoes, chilies, jalapenos, and stir.  Mix chili powder, cumin, flour and coat cheese with mixture.  Add cheese to pot and stir occasionally until melted.  Serve with your favorite tortilla chips!


Soup:  Erin
Vegetable Chili

¾ c olive oil (I didn’t use this much)       
3 zucchinis, chopped
2 onions, chopped                   
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 large red/green bell peppers, chopped       
2 cans tomatoes w/ juice
1 c tomato juice                   
1 c uncooked bulgur wheat

4-5 stalks celery, chopped               
2 T chili powder
1 T ground cumin                   
1 T dried basil
1 T dried oregano*                   
½ tsp cinnamon
½ tsp cayenne                   
1 tsp salt/pepper
½ c chopped cilantro                   
1 ½ c kidney beans
1 c sour cream   
2 c grated cheese       
4 scallions, white bulb and 3 in green

Heat the tomato juice to boiling.  Add it to the bulgur in a small bowl, cover, and let stand 15 minutes.  Heat ½ cup of the oil in a large soup pot over medium heat.  Add the zucchini and sauté until just tender, 5 to 7 minutes.  Transfer the zucchini to another bowl.  Heat the remaining ¼ c oil in the soup pot over low heat.  Add the onions, celery, garlic, and bell peppers.  Saute until just wilted about 10 minutes.  Place over low heat.  Add the canned tomatoes and their juice, chili powder, cumin, basil, oregano, pepper, salt.  Cook (I simmered) uncovered, stirring often, for 30 minutes.  Stir in the kidney beans and bulgur.  Cook for another 15 minutes.  Stir well and adjust the seasonings to taste.  Add cilantro.  Serve with bowls of sour cream, grated cheese and sliced scallions alongside.

Salad:  Tamara
Cowgirl Coleslaw

1 head of red cabbage, shredded or sliced
2 carrots, shredded
2 apples, cut in match sticks (I used Fuji)
1 T Dijon mustard
¼ c balsamic vinegar**
4 cloves of garlic, minced
6 T olive oil
salt and pepper

Mix mustard, balsamic, olive oil, garlic and salt and pepper in a jar and shake to mix well.  Toss with cabbage, carrots and apples.  Serve cold.

**Note:  Next time I make this, I would use white balsamic or cider vinegar instead to keep the crisp white color of the apples.  The red balsamic darkened the apples too much.

Side Dish:  Stacey
Not-too Sweet Baked Beans

1 15.5 oz can great northern beans
1 15.5 oz can navy beans
1 15.5 oz can baby butter beans
1 15.5 oz can pinto beans
2 14.5 oz can stewed tomatoes
⅓ c molasses
2 T light brown sugar
2 T prepared mustard
1 tsp Kosher salt
½ tsp Tabasco or other hot sauce
6 oz bacon
1 medium onion, thinly sliced

Preheat oven to 350.  Reserving two sliced of bacon, cook the remaining bacon in a large skillet.  While it’s cooking, place all beans in a colander and rinse and drain.  Transfer to a large baking dish. 

Pour tomatoes over beans.  Add molasses, brown sugar, mustard, salt and pepper.

When the bacon has cooked, remove bacon from the pan and cook the onions in the bacon drippings stirring frequently.  While the onions are cooking, crumble the cooked bacon over the beans.  Add onions and combine all the ingredients well.  Cover and bake for 1 hour.  Allow to stand for 5 minutes and serve.

Adapted from The Big Book of Backyard Cooking.

Entree:  Sara
Buckaroo Stew

I cooked both stews partially on the stovetop and partially with charcoal outside.

Vegetarian:
6-quart cast iron Dutch oven

¾ large white oven chunked
2 carrots chopped
2 potatoes (I used red and russet)
2 celery sticks chopped
2 tomatoes chopped
½ can kidney beans
½ can black beans
1 c red wine
1 c veggie stock

Salt and pepper to taste

Sauté onion. Add potatoes and carrots and celery. Cook for about 5 minutes. Add the beans and tomatoes, wine and stock. Put about 5 hot coals on the bottom, and 5 hot coals on the top. Cook until potatoes are done and folks are hungry!

Meaty:

12-quart cast iron Dutch oven
1 lb bacon, chopped into 1-inch chunks
1 ½ lbs London broil beef, chopped into 1-inch chunks

1 ½ large white oven chunked
4 carrots chopped
3 potatoes (I used red and russet)
4 celery sticks chopped
2 tomatoes chopped
½ can kidney beans
½ can black beans
1 ½ c red wine
1 ½ c veggie stock
Salt and pepper to taste

Fry bacon in Dutch oven, remove. Sear beef, remove. Sauté onion in olive oil. Add potatoes and carrots and celery. Cook for about 5 minutes. Add the beans and tomatoes, wine and stock. Put about 8 hot coals on the bottom, and 10 hot coals on the top. Cook until potatoes and beef are done and folks are hungry!

(Adapted from Grandpa Bob’s recipe)

Dessert:  Aven
Wild Berry Honey Buckle with Honeyed Cream

Cake
¼ c unsalted butter
1 c honey
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
3 c berries (I used raspberries and blackberries)
1 ½ c milk
5 c flour (I used 6 ½ whole wheat pastry & 1 white)
2 c oats
2 tsp baking soda
4 tsp baking powder
2 tsp salt

Streusel
⅔ c flour
⅓ c brown sugar
4 Tbsp salted butter

Cream
2 c cream
6 T honey
2 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 350.  Cream butter and honey, add eggs and vanilla and beat well.  Stir in milk and dry ingredients until just combined.  Fold in 2 cups of berries.  Grease a 10” springform pan, pour in batter and sprinkle with remaining cup of berries.  Sprinkle streusel on top of berries.  Bake for 60 minutes (if center is still slightly gooey turn oven off and leave cake in for another 30 to 60 minutes. 

Whip cream until soft peaks form, gently stir in honey and vanilla.

Lottery:  Lovina

Things that make you go hmm - September 2006

Diva: Ashley

Drinks: Michelle

Appetizer: Lovina
Fried Dill Pickles

1 qt. dill pickles, thinly sliced
1 ¾ c all purpose flour, divided
2 tsp red pepper
2 tsp paprika
2 tsp pepper
2 tsp garlic salt
½ tsp salt
3 dashes hot sauce
1 c beer
Vegetable oil

Dredge sliced pickles in 1 cup flour; set aside. Combine remaining 3/4 cup flour and dry ingredients; add hot sauce and beer, mixing well. Dip dredged pickles into batter. Deep fry in hot oil, 375 degrees until pickles float to surface and are golden brown. Drain on paper towels; serve immediately.

Yield: about 2 1/2 dozen appetizer servings.

Spicy Ranch Dipping Sauce

3/4 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons minced green onions
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon hot sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon horseradish

Whisk together ingredients. Garnish, if desired. Store in an airtight container in refrigerator up to 2 weeks.
Yield: Makes about 1 cup

Salad: Stacey
Walnut salad dressing

2 green onions, finely chopped
1 T fresh parsley, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp paprika
1 T tarragon
3 T white wine vinegar
3 ½ c mayo
2 ½ tsp salt
½ tsp white pepper
½ c finely chopped walnuts
¾ c buttermilk

Toss dressing with mixed greens with bacon, fontina cheese, tomatoes, English cucumber.

Soup: Nicole
Curried Butternut Squash and Apple Soup
The Hotel Del Coronado Cookbook by Beverly Bass

2 T Butter
2 medium onions, coarsely chopped
1 large or 2 medium butternut squash (about 3 lbs.) peeled, seeded and cut into chunks
6 c Chicken Stock
2 ½ tsp curry powder
Salt and pepper to taste

Melt butter in a heavy stock pot or Dutch oven over medium-low heat. Add onions and sauté until golden but not browned, about 15 min. Add the squash, apples, potatoes, stock and curry powder. Increase the heat and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until the vegetables are very tender, about 30 min.

In batches, puree the mixture until smooth in a food processor. Return soup to the stock pot or dutch oven and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve hot.

Soup may be stored in refrigerator for up to four days

Side Dish: Sara
Grilled Peaches with Blue Cheese and Spicy Honey

Spicy Honey
½ c honey
Juice of 1 lemon
¼-1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
Heat on low – stir until warm and uniform

6 peaches – halved
place cut side down on hot grill (medium heat) for about 1-2 minutes. Flip and cook for 2 more minutes. Remove from grill; add cheese crumbles to pit area. Drizzle with spicy honey.

Entree: Tiffany
Swordfish in a Sesame Seaweed Spaetzle Crust

8 Filets of fresh Swordfish
4 c flour
4 Eggs
Water
1 T salt
Olive Oil
1 sheets Japanese roasted Nori
1 T black Sesame seeds, roasted
1 ½ c mashed potatoes

Lemongrass Dressing (double for the amount of fish above)
¾ c Raspberry vinegar
3 stalks lemongrass
2 bulbs shallots, minced
1 tsp Ginger
2 T Olive oil
1 T sugar

Step One: Make Spaetzle
Make Mix flour and salt ingredients in large mixing bowl. Beat eggs individually; add to dry ingredients. After all eggs are mixed, add small amounts of water. Crush Nori and mix with sesame seeds and add to batter. Beat with a wooden spoon to create thick, yet elastic, pasta.

In a large pot, boil 6-8 cups of water. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Force the batter through spätzle machine to produce dough shape. Cook pasta 3-5 minutes stirring through 3 boiling points. Remove with a large draining spoon to cold plates, spreading the pasta to the edges of the plate to drain.

Step Two:
Make Mashed Potatoes
Cook potatoes until soft. Mash with veggies broth. Set aside.

Step Three: Make Lemon Grass Dressing
Blend all ingredients in a blender and pass through a strainer or cheese cloth.

Step Four: Assemble and Cook Fish
Spread mashed potato on one side of each filet and press spaetzle into potato. Heat oiled skillet and place fish, spaetzle side down. Cook until golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes. Flip over and place skillet in a preheated 400 degree oven until fish is cooked, about 4 to 5 minutes. Drizzle with Lemongrass Dressing.

Dessert: Erin
Gorky’s Beet Cake

4 eggs
2 c sugar
1 c oil
2 c unbleached flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 ½ tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla
3 c shredded fresh beets
1 c chopped walnuts

Beat together eggs, sugar and oil until fluffy. Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon in large bowl. Add to egg mixture and stir well to blend. Add vanilla beets and walnuts. Beat together 1 min. Pour into a 13 x 9 inch baking pan and bake @ 350 degrees for 35-45 minutes.

Almond Sauce
1 8oz package cream cheese, softened
½-¾ c whipping cream
1 tsp almond extract

Blend together cream cheese, whipping cream and almond extract in blender or mixer until fluffy. Spoon onto cake or serve separately to dollop cake.

WildCard: Tamara
CD of Songs that make you go Hmmmm….