With a Splash of . . . - August 2011

Diva:  Colleen

Drinks:  Lovina

Lemon Splash 


1 oz Effen vodka :)

1 oz triple sec 

1 oz amaretto 

juice of 1/4 lemon 

3 oz soda water

Mix together the liquors and fresh squeezed lemon juice. Pour over ice and top with soda water. Get your effen splash on!

(modified from drinkmixer.com)

Mango nectar spritzer

 

6 oz mango nectar 

splash of soda 

garnish with a wedge of fresh peach

Appetizer:  Mariah
Peach Relish with a Splash of citrus Vinaigrette

8 Peaches chopped
1.5 inches of fresh ginger peeled and grated
1 Purple pepper diced
One hand full of fresh basil chopped
3 Greens onions diced
1 Garlic Scape diced

For vinaigrette, mix lime juice, honey, salt, pepper and fresh garlic to taste.

Sauté ginger in a splash of olive oil for 3 minutes until, add half the chopped peaches and purple pepper and sauté for another 4 to 5 minutes over medium high. Remove from heat place in a bowl and add remaining ingredients, then pour the vinaigrette over the relish and stir gently. Serve over toasted sourdough baguette.

Salad:  Ashley
Greens with cherry tomatoes, basil, marinated artichoke hearts and a splash of mozzarella cream

Mixed greens

chopped fresh basil
 

chopped marinated artichoke hearts 

whole heirloom cherry tomatoes
  

1 tub of fresh mozzarella



To make the mozzarella cream:
  In a food processor, puree fresh mozzarella, about 2 T of the liquid whey, and 2-3 T of the oil from the marinated artichokes.  Process until smooth.  Add more oil until the cream becomes smooth and loose and the desired consistency.

  

To make the salad:
Place greens on the plate.  Top with about 2 tsp shopped fresh basil, ¼ c (or desired amt) of chopped marinated artichokes, about 4 tomatoes, and a splash of the mozzarella cream.

Side Dish:  Sara
Jalapeño Wild-Rice Cakes

¾ c water
⅓ c wild rice
½ tsp salt, divided
1 T all-purpose flour
½ tsp baking powder
1 egg
1 jalapeño pepper,* finely chopped
2 T minced onion
1 T freshly grated ginger or 2 teaspoons ground ginger
2 T vegetable or olive oil

Combine water, rice and 1/4 teaspoon salt in medium saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 40 to 45 minutes or until rice is tender. Drain rice, if necessary; place in medium bowl. Add flour, baking powder and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt; mix until blended.

Whisk egg, jalapeño pepper, onion and ginger together in small bowl. Pour egg mixture over rice; mix until well blended.

Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Spoon 2 tablespoons rice mixture into pan and shape into 3-inch cake. Cook, 4 cakes at a time, 3 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Transfer to paper towels. Serve immediately or refrigerate rice cakes for up to 24 hours.

(From recipes.howstuffworks.com)

Entrée:  Erin
Baltimore Crab cakes with Spicy Avocado Sauce



For sauce

½ ripe medium California avocado, pitted and peeled
1 T low-fat mayonnaise
1 T fresh lime juice
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp sugar
1 fresh jalapeño or serrano chile (including seeds), stemmed and quartered lengthwise
¼ c fat-free (skim) milk

For crab cakes
    
¼ c mayonnaise
2 scallions, thinly sliced  (didn't use these, just used chives)
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 T Dijon mustard
2 tsp fresh lemon juice plus wedges for garnish
1 ½ tsp Old Bay Seasoning
½ jalapeño, seeded, finely chopped
1 pound lump crabmeat, picked over
1 ¼ c panko (Japanese breadcrumbs), divided (I used Ritz crackers, finely crushed)
1 T thinly sliced chives
¼ tsp kosher salt
⅛ tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 head Bibb lettuce  (thought this sounded awesome, but didn't do it)
2 T vegetable oil

Whisk first 7 ingredients in a medium bowl. Add crab; fold to blend. Stir in 3/4 cup panko, chives, salt, and pepper. Divide into 6 equal portions. Form each into 1"-thick patties. Refrigerate for at least 10 minutes. Line a platter with lettuce leaves.  


 Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Place remaining ½ cup panko on a plate. Coat cakes with panko. Fry until golden brown and crisp, 3-4 minutes per side. Arrange atop lettuce; serve with lemon wedges.

(From epicurious.com)

Dessert:  Aven
Classic Chocolate Whoopie Pies

1 ⅔ c all-purpose flour


⅔ c unsweetened cocoa powder


1½ tsp baking soda 


½ tsp salt


4 T unsalted butter, at room temp

4 T vegetable shortening

1 c (packed) dark-brown sugar

1 large egg

1 tsp vanilla extract

1¼ c milk


Marshmallow filling*

1½ c Marshmallow Fluff


1¼ c coconut oil


1 c confectioners’ sugar


1 T vanilla extract


Position rack in center of oven; preheat to 375ºF. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. 

Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt on a sheet of waxed paper. In the work bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter, shortening, and brown sugar on low until just combined. Increase speed to medium; beat for 3 minutes. Add egg and vanilla; beat 2 more minutes. 


Add half of flour mixture and half of milk to batter; beat briefly on low. Beat in remaining flour mixture and milk. 


Using a spoon, drop batter 1 Tbsp at a time onto one of the baking sheets, spacing at least 2 inches apart. Bake one sheet at a time for about 10 minutes, or until pies spring back when pressed gently. Remove from oven; let pies cool on sheet for 5 minutes; transfer to a rack to finish cooling. 


To make filling: Beat Fluff and shortening for 3 minutes on medium. Reduce speed to low, and add sugar and vanilla. Beat until incorporated. Increase speed to medium; beat until fluffy.

Sandwich filling between the flat sides of two pies; repeat.

* I  divided the filling up to make three flavors; mocha (added cocoa powder and coffee), raspberry (added raspberries and chambord), and vanilla (didn't add anything).

(Adapted from dashrecipes.com)

Iconic Americana - January 2011

Diva:  Sara

Drinks:  Aven
Velvet Elvis

1 ½ shots Jack Daniels (*cola)
1 shot Chambord berry liqueur (*blackberry syrup)
½ shot lime juice
Sprite/7-up
Lime wedge

*non-alcoholic substitution

(From diffordsguide.com)

Appetizer:  Mariah
Garlic Roasted Potato Skins

3 lb russet (baking) potatoes (6 to 8 medium; preferably organic)
1 small head garlic (2 inches in diameter)
¾ stick (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
1 tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper

Preheat oven to 350°F.
Prick each potato once or twice with a fork. Cut off and discard top fourth of garlic head, then wrap garlic tightly in foil. Bake garlic and potatoes on same rack in lower third of oven until potatoes are tender, 50 minutes to 1 hour. Remove potatoes from oven and cool on a metal rack 15 minutes. Continue to bake garlic until tender, about 15 minutes more, then cool in foil on rack. While garlic cools, halve potatoes lengthwise, then quarter each half (to form short wedges). Scoop out potato flesh (reserving it for another use), leaving 1/4-inch-thick potato skins. Increase oven temperature to 425°F. Squeeze garlic into a small bowl, discarding garlic skins, and mash to a paste with butter, salt, and pepper using a fork.
Divide garlic paste among potato skins (about 1/2 teaspoon each), spreading evenly, then roast skins in a large shallow baking pan (1 inch deep) until golden and crisp, 20 to 25 minutes.

(From epicurious.com)

Onion Spinach Dip

3 T extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, chopped (1 3/4 cups)
½ lb shallots, chopped
½ lb baby spinach, coarsely chopped
3 ounce cream cheese, softened
1 (16-ounce) container sour cream
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper

Heat oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté onion and shallots, stirring, until lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Reduce heat to moderate and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 8 minutes more. Add spinach and cook, stirring, just until wilted, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and cool slightly. Transfer spinach mixture to a bowl, then stir in cream cheese, sour cream, salt, and pepper until combined well. Chill, covered, at least 1 hour.

(From epicurious.com)

Potato Balls Rolled in Corn Flakes

1 egg, separated
½ tsp dried parsley flakes
1½ c seasoned, very stiff mashed potatoes
⅔ c Corn Flake Crumbs
2 T margarine or butter, melted

Combine egg yolk and parsley flakes in small mixing bowl. Add potatoes. Mix until thoroughly combined. Set aside.  In small shallow dish, beat egg white until foamy. Set aside.  Portion potato mixture by level measuring-tablespoon. Shape into balls. Dip balls in egg white. Coat evenly with crushed Corn Flakes. Place in well-greased or foil-lined shallow baking. Do not crowd. Drizzle with melted margarine.  Bake at 450° F about 10 minutes or until lightly browned

(From www2.kellogs.com)

Honey Dijon Dipping Sauce

¼ cup Dijon Mustard
¼ cup Brown Mustard
2 tbsp Apple Cider or Rice Wine vinegar
2 tbsp honey

Mix Well

Salad:  Lovina
Cobb Salad

Cobb salad was the invention of restaurateur manager, Bob Cobb, who in 1926 at The Brown Derby restaurant in Los Angeles, California, found a way to use up leftovers. Cobb had been improvising with the salad for years."

 For the salad:


½ head of romaine, chopped

1 bunch watercress, stems removed
4 boiled eggs, sliced or diced

half roasted chicken, boned and chunked
2 avacados, peeled, pitted, and diced
4 roma tomatoes, diced

8 thick-cut bacon strips, crisped and chopped
1 wedge danish bleu cheese, crumbled
several chives for garnish, long lengths



Arrange the eggs, bacon, chicken, avocados, tomatoes, and the bleu cheese crumbles in neat rows atop the lettuce, covering the lettuce almost completely.



For the dressing:
¼ c red wine vinegar (I used white balsamic)

¼ tsp sugar

1 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tsp salt

¾ tsp freshly ground black pepper

¾ tsp Worcestershire sauce
¼ tsp Dijon mustard

2 cloves garlic, finely minced

⅓ c olive oil

2 T water



In a small bowl, whisk together the wine vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, garlic, salt, and pepper. While whisking, slowly drizzle in the olive oil to form a thick dressing. You can also add an ounce of bleu cheese crumbles to the dressing if you like.

Pour a little of the dressing over the salad and garnish with chive lengths. Serve immediately. Pass the remaining dressing at the table.

(Modified from whatscookingamerica.com)

Soup: Colleen
Ocean Chowder

¼ c arame (seaweed)
2 T butter
2 medium yellow onions, diced
salt
1 T garlic, minced
2 stalks celery, diced
1 large carrot, diced
2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, diced
2 bay leaves
4 c vegetable stock
2 c heavy cream
2 T fresh parsley, chopped
1 T fresh thyme, chopped
black pepper

Place arame in strainer and rinse well. Transfer to bowl, add cold water until barely covered, and let soak for 10 minutes. Drain, chop very coarsely, and set aside.

Meanwhile, melt butter over medium heat, add onion and ½ t salt, and sauté, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes, until soft and translucent. Add garlic and sauté another minute, then add celery and carrot. Cook 5 minutes, then stir in arame, potatoes, bay leaves, and stock, and bring to a boil.

Reduce heat to low and let simmer about 20 minutes, until potatoes and carrots are just cooked.
Add cream and herbs, and simmer over low heat, stirring frequently, for 10 minutes. Remove bay leaves, season with salt and pepper, and serve.

(From theveggietable.com)

Side Dish:  Tamara
Baked Potatoes with Broccoli and Cheese

Russet potatoes (1 per person)
Coarse sea salt
Olive oil
Broccoli
Butter
Cheese

Preheat oven to 350.  Fork potatoes all over.  Rub with olive oil and salt.  Place the potatoes directly on the oven rack and bake for 90 minutes.  Cut up broccoli and steam till just cooked.  Plunge in cold ice water to stop cooking.  Slit potatoes down the middle and push in to open up.  Put a pat of butter on potato.  Stuff with broccoli and top with cheese.  Put potatoes back into the oven and warm through until cheese is melted. 

Entrée:  Stacey
Uncle Dennis’ Pineapple Glazed Baked Ham

1 7-10 lb good quality bone-in oven ham
1 20 oz can pineapple rings
2 c brown sugar
1 T mustard

Preheat oven to 350.  Score ham in diaganol pattern.  Roast in oven in roasting pan for about 2 hours.  Add a little water to the pan if it starts to burn.  Cover with foil half way into cooking time.

Make glaze – drain juice from the can of pineapple and mix with brown sugar and mustard.

Pull out ham and lay pineapple rings all over and around it.  Baste 3 times every 15 minutes. 

Remove from oven and let rest 15 minutes.  Then carve.  Spoon some juices over each slice before serving.

Buttermilk Biscuits

1 package yeast
½ c warm water
5 c flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1T baking powder
2 T sugar
34/ c Crisco shortening
2 c buttermilk

Preheat oven to 400.  Dissolve yeast in warm water and set aside.  Mix dry ingredients together in a large bowl.  Cut in shortening and add yeast and buttermilk.  Mix well.  Turn dough onto lightly flavored surface.  Pat out to about 1 ½ inches thick.  Cut with biscuit cuter andplae on greased cookie sheet.  Bake about 12 minutes, until golden brown.

(From pauladeen.com)

Dessert:  Ashley
S’mores Cupcakes

1 ½ c graham cracker crumbs (about 15 whole crackers ground in processor)
½ c all purpose flour
2 ½ tsp baking powder
½ c (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
¾ c sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
¾ c whole milk
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate (do not exceed 61% cacao), chopped
½ c (scant) heavy whipping cream
¾ c plus one 7-ounce jar marshmallow creme
Nonstick vegetable oil spray
12 1-inch pieces broken graham crackers (for garnish)

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 12 standard muffin cups with paper liners. Whisk graham crumbs, flour, baking powder, and pinch of salt in medium bowl. Beat butter and sugar in large bowl until light and fluffy. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating to blend between additions. Beat in vanilla. Add graham-cracker mixture in 3 additions alternately with milk in 2 additions, beginning and ending with graham-cracker mixture. Divide batter among muffin cups.

Bake cupcakes until tester inserted into center come out clean, about 22 minutes. Transfer cupcakes to rack; cool completely.

Place chocolate in medium bowl. Bring cream just to boil in small saucepan; pour over chocolate. Let stand 1 minute; stir until smooth. Cool ganache until lukewarm.

Push apple corer about 1 inch into top of each cupcake; remove cake, forming hole. Spoon 3/4 cup marshmallow creme into resealable plastic bag, pushing into 1 bottom corner. Cut 1/2 inch off corner. Pipe into holes in cupcakes. Spread 2 teaspoons ganache over each cupcake. (Can be made 8 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.)

Preheat broiler. Coar rimmed baking sheet with nonstick spray. Spoon dollops of marshmallow creme on sheet. Broil until slightly charred, 1 to 2 minutes. Spoon dollop of charred cremem over each cupcake; garnish with piece of graham cracker.

(from Bon Appetit)

Lottery:  Erin

Breakfast at Tiffany’s - May 2006

Diva: Tiffany

Drinks: Lovina
Champagne Lemon Granita

Best for a late afternoon brunch.

4 scoops lemon sorbet
2 oz. citrus vodka
2 oz. Champagne or sparkling wine
2 sprigs fresh mint

On low speed, blend sorbet pouring vodka steadily bit by bit. Add Champagne or sparkling wine. Serve in chilled glasses and garnish with mint.

Mariah
Poinsettias

One part Extra Dry Champagne
One Part Delicious Cranberry Juice

Appetizer: Erin
Fruit Dip

1 Jar Marshmallow Cream
8 oz cream cheese
1 tsp ginger
1 tsp grated orange rind

Beat with mixer

Use fresh pineapple, strawberries, mandarin oranges, apple, banana (may want to use lemon juice on apple and bananas)

Salad: Tamara
Strawberry-Belgian Endive Salad

2 large Belgian endives
2 c sliced strawberries
½ c sliced kiwifruit
¼ c paper-thin slices red onions
2 T fresh lemon juice
1 ½ tsp honey
1/8 tsp salt
pinch ground nutmeg

Slice the endives, widthwise, into ¼-inch thick semicircles. Toss in a large bowl with the strawberries, kiwi and red onion.

In a small bowl, stir together the lemon juice, oil, honey salt and nutmeg. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to combine.

Soup: Michelle
Peach Yogurt Soup

2 16-oz containers of plain Brown Cow yogurt
½ c honey
1 t cinnamon
1 t nutmeg
1 qt jar canned peaches

Mix all the ingredients together

Side Dish: Sara
Breakfast Potatoes with Rosemary and Mushrooms

6 large red potatoes, diced
8 large button mushrooms, quartered
5 cloves garlic, minced
¼ white onion
4 sprigs fresh rosemary
¼ c balsamic vinegar
¼ c vegetable oil
2 T butter
salt and pepper to taste

Soak rosemary and garlic in balsamic vinegar for 20 minutes to infuse flavors.
Heat oil in large frying pan or wok. (I used my new birthday wok!!)
Add onions until cooked.
Slowly add potatoes stirring frequently.
In another pan, sauté mushrooms in butter, when cooked, add to potato mixture
I wanted my dish to have some crisp so I popped it in the broiler for a few minutes and flipped them a couple of times before serving.

Entree: Stacey
Quiche Lorraine

1 single-crust pie pastry
6 slices of bacon
1 medium onion, sliced
3 beaten eggs
1 ½ c milk
¼ tsp salt
dash nutmeg
1 ½ c shredded Swiss cheese
1 T flour

Line unpricked pastry shell with a double-layer of foil. Bake at 450 for 8 minutes. Remove foil and bake 4 minutes. Remove from oven and lower temp to 325. Cook bacon in skillet till crisp. Reserve 2 T drippings, crumble bacon and set aside. Cook onion in reserved drippings till tender, not brown. In a small bowl stir together eggs and spices. Add bacon and onion. Toss cheese with flour, then add to egg mixture. Pour egg mixture into pastry shell. Bake at 325 for 35-40 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Dessert: Nicole
Fruit Tartlettes

Crust:
1 ¼ c all-purpose flour
¼ c sugar
½ c cold butter
2 beaten egg yolks
1 T chilled water

In a food processor, place the steel blade in the work bowl. Add flour, sugar, and butter. Process with on/off turns till pieces are the size of small peas. Stir together egg yolks and water. With machine running, quickly add liquid through the feed tube. Stop machine as soon as all liquid is added. Process with 2 more on/off turns. Remove dough and shape into a ball.
For easier handling, cover dough with plastic wrap and chill for 30-60 minutes.

Divide the dough into 12 equal balls. Roll each ball into a 4-inch circle to line the cups of a muffin pan. Bake them for about 12 minutes.

Filling:
1 (1.3 ounce) envelope whipped topping mix
½ c cold milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
½ c confectioners' sugar
Assorted fruit

In a small mixing bowl, beat the topping mix, milk and vanilla on low speed until blended. Beat on high until soft peaks form, about 4 minutes. In a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and confectioners' sugar until smooth. Fold in whipped topping mixture. Spoon into tart shells; top with fruit. Refrigerate leftovers.

WildCard: Ashley
Tiffany boxes (pound cake with hazelnut filling and fondant)

Pound Cake:
2 c sifted cake flour (not self-rising; sift before measuring)
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
1 c granulated sugar
1 T grated orange zest
1 tsp grated lemon zest
2 sticks (½ pound) unsalted butter, softened
4 large eggs, at room temperature 30 minutes
½ tsp pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 325°F with rack in middle. Butter an 8 ½- by 4 ½-inch loaf pan. Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix together sugar and zests with an electric mixer at low speed until sugar is evenly colored, then add butter and beat at high speed until pale and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Beat in eggs 1 at a time at medium speed, scraping down side of bowl frequently, then beat vanilla. At low speed, mix in flour mixture until just incorporated. Spread batter in loaf pan and rap pan several times on counter to eliminate air bubbles. Bake until golden and a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, 1 to 1 ¼ hours. Cool in pan on a rack 30 minutes, then run a knife around edge of pan and invert cake onto rack. Cool completely, top side up.

Chocolate Hazelnut filling is Nutella.
Cut pound cake into squares the size of the desired box. Use two squares per box. Spread Nutella in between pound cake squares. Coat entire cake lightly with Nutella. Cover cake with blue fondant. Make bows with white fondant.

Lottery: Mariah