Rustic Comfort Food: Celebratory Style - December 2012

Diva: Lovina

Drinks: Aven
Red and White Wine

Blackberry Wine Spritzers
I added some homemade blackberry juice to some sparkling water and then mixed with wine half and half over ice.

Cranberry Raspberry Shrub
1 c frozen or fresh berries
1 c sugar
1 c apple cider vinegar
sparkling water

Bring the fruit and sugar to a boil and stir until the sugar dissolves.  Remove from heat and add the vinegar.  Pour mixture into a jar and let sit at least 1 full day before drinking for flavors to combine.  Mix fruit mixture and water to taste and serve over ice; half and half is good and not too vingegary.

Appetizer:

Soup: Colleen
Potato Soup with Smokey Cheese

2 large red onions, chopped
3 T butter
Salt
3 Yukon gold potatoes, diced
4 c veggie broth
1 c whipping cream
1 c buttermilk
Salt and Pepper
~ 8 oz sharp white cheddar cheese, shredded
8 or more oz of smoked cheddar cheese, shredded (add to taste)

Saute onions in butter with a pinch of salt until soft. Add potatoes and broth and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and cook until potatoes are soft (30-45 min).  Remove from heat and puree with an immersion blender.  Add heavy cream, buttermilk and cheese and heat through.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Serve garnished with extra cheese!
This soup is also delicious if you add kale or spinach!

Adapted from:  http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/leek-potato-soup-recipe/index.html

Salad: Tiffany
salad ingredients: candied nuts (I'll forward you the recipe my sister sent me), feta, thinly sliced red onion, dried cranberries (I used pomegranate), mixed greens

dressing ingredients: 1/3 c. olive oil, 1/4 c. sugar, 1/4 c. raspberry vinegar (I couldn't find it, so used balsalmic raspberry vinegar), 1/2 t. salt, 1/2 t. Tabasco, pepper, dried parsley


Side: Erin
Cauliflower Gratin
    
1 (3-pound) head cauliflower, cut into large florets
Kosher salt
4 T unsalted butter, divided
3 T all-purpose flour
2 c hot milk
½  tsp freshly ground black pepper
¼  tsp grated nutmeg
¾  c freshly grated Gruyere, divided
½  c freshly grated Parmesan
¼  c fresh bread crumbs

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Cook the cauliflower florets in a large pot of boiling salted water for 5 to 6 minutes, until tender but still firm. Drain. Meanwhile, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a medium saucepan over low heat. Add the flour, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon for 2 minutes. Pour the hot milk into the butter-flour mixture and stir until it comes to a boil. Boil, whisking constantly, for 1 minute, or until thickened. Off the heat, add 1 teaspoon of salt, the pepper, nutmeg, 1/2 cup of the Gruyere, and the Parmesan. Pour 1/3 of the sauce on the bottom of an 8 by 11 by 2-inch baking dish. Place the drained cauliflower on top and then spread the rest of the sauce evenly on top. Combine the bread crumbs with the remaining 1/4 cup of Gruyere and sprinkle on top. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and drizzle over the gratin. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the top is browned. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Entree :


Dessert: 

Divas Dine Out - June 2011

With so many divas out of town this month, four divas enjoy a meal at Bank Left Bistro in Palouse, WA. Before heading out, Aven, Lovina and Ashley join Diva Stacey, for cocktails at her home.

Raspberry Smash




2 lime wedges
½ c fresh raspberries

6 T vodka

4 tsp sugar (plus more for glass rims)

1 ½ c ice cubes
1 c champagne--chilled

 
Run 1 lime wedge around rims of 2 old-fashioned glasses.  Dip rims in sugar.  Place both lime wedges, raspberries, vodka, and 4 t. sugar in cocktail shaker; using muddler or wooden spoon handle, smash fruit together.  Add ice and shake for 15 seconds.  Divide between glasses (do not strain), and top with champagne.  Serve and enjoy!!  (Makes 2)

(From Bon Appetit magazine)


Spicy Rosemary Peanuts

2 lbs. unsalted dry-roasted peanuts
⅓ c melted butter
3 T fresh rosemary-finely chopped
1 ½ tsp garlic powder
1 ½ t salt
1 tsp cayenne pepper

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and spread peanuts out in an even layer.  Toast in oven until golden--about 8-10 mins.
Meanwhile, in a large bowl combine melted butter, rosemary, and spices.  Add hot peanuts to bowl and toss until thoroughly coated.  Enjoy!! 

(From Bon Appetit magazine)

Asian Fusion - August 2010

Diva:  Erin

Drinks:  Colleen
Mango Mojitos without the Muddle

2 lb mango flesh, pureed

juice of 8 limes
mint simple syrup (1 c sugar, 1 c water, 1+ c roughly chopped mint)

2 + 750 ml  bottles sparkling water

mango rum



To make the mint simple syrup, bring sugar, water and mint to a boil.  Remove from heat and let stand for 30 minutes.  Strain mint leaves and chill simple syrup.

For drinks, add pureed mango, lime juice, simple syrup and sparkling water (start with 1 of water bottle and add to taste) in a pitcher and stir.  For non-alcoholic version, serve over ice with a lime wedge.  For alcohol version, add a shot of mango rum to a glass of ice then top with mango puree mixture and a lime wedge.

Appetizer:  Sara
Veggie Tempura Fries with Wasabi Ranch and Ginger-Citrus Sauce



 1 c Ice Water
1 Large Egg

1 c All-purpose Flour

3-4 T Black Sesame seeds (I couldn't find any, so I used poppy seeds and regular sesame seeds)

Vegetable Oil for Deep Frying (I used a fry daddy)

Salt and Pepper to taste.



I blanched green beans and snap peas, carrots, beets, and zucchini (unblanched). Coat in batter, Deep fry until golden brown.



Wasabi Ranch


1 c mayonnaise

½ c Greek yogurt
½ tsp dried chives

½ tsp dried parsley

½ tsp dried dill weed

¼ tsp garlic powder
¼ tsp onion powder

⅛ tsp salt

⅛ tsp ground black pepper

1 T wasabi powder ( I also added about 2 inches of wasabi paste from a tube)
more salt to taste.



Citrus Ginger Sauce


1 ¼ c water

1 T corn starch
¾ c dark brown sugar
¼ c soy sauce
2 T minced fresh ginger

1 tsp minced garlic
2 T lime juice
1 T lemon juice
¼ tsp crushed red pepper flakes

(From Kitchen on Fire)

Soup:  Ashley
Mushroom Wontons in a Lemongrass Ginger Soup



For the wontons: makes alot.  I was making this up as I went so amounts are approximate.
2 c finely chopped crimini mushrooms

1 pkg firm tofu, drained and finely chopped or crumbled

3 green onions finely sliced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 pkg wonton wrappers
salt to taste



Saute mushrooms and tofu in 1 tbs butter or oil until soft and cooked through.  Add green onions and garlic and saute about 2 minutes.  Fill wontons according to pkg directions.  Set aside.

For the broth:

1 carrot, sliced

2 leeks, sliced
8 c vegetable broth

4 stalks lemongrass

1 inch piece of fresh ginger, thinly sliced

2 cloves garlic, sliced
1 green onion, thinly sliced

1 T sesame oil

1 T Siracha hot sauce or to taste



In a soup pot, heat sesame oil.  Add carrot and leeks and cook until softened.  Add broth, lemongrass, ginger, green onion, garlic, and hot sauce.  Simmer for about an hour.  



To make the Wonton soup:
 Drop filled wontons into the simmering broth.  Cook for 5 minutes.  Ladle into bowls.

Salad:  Stacey
Salad with Sweet Sesame Dressing

⅔ c rice vinegar
1 c canola oil
2 T sesame oil

4 cloves garlic, minced
2 T soy sauce
½ c sugar
4 tsp sesame seeds

Place all ingredients in a quart jar.  Shake and store in the fridge until ready to use.
Serve over a salad of shredded cabbage, cucumber, red onion, red pepper and chives.

Side Dish:  Mariah
Braised Dino Kale (or bok choy)



1-2 T of vegetable oil
5 bunches of kale

1 c veggie or chicken stock

1-2 T Soy sauce

1-2 T Sesame Oil

Salt and Pepper to taste.



Heat the oil in a large saute' pan over high heat. Add the kale, and sear until outside is nicely browned. Deglaze the pan wit the stock and some soy sauce. Reduce the heat until the liquid is at a simmer. Continue to cook, covered or not, until the bok choy is nice and tender. Adjust the seasoning with soy sauce, sesame oil, salt, and pepper.

(From Kitchen on Fire)

Entrée:  Tamara
Asian Pizzas

Pizza Dough

1 c warm water
1 ¼ tsp yeast
3 T olive oil
3 T wheat gluten
3 c flour
1 ½ tsp salt

Combine ingredients in bread machine and run on dough or pizza dough cycle.  Roll out dough into desired shape (to make enough for everyone I made my pizzas in rectangle cookie sheets) and let rise for about a half hour.  One recipe will make one rectangle or 2 round 10” pizzas.  For the Japanese pizza I added in chopped up nori. 

Thai Pizza

3 T peanut butter
3 T brewed black tea
2 T rice vinegar
2 T soy sauce
1 T minced ginger
2 tsp honey
2 T sesame seeds
1 T paprika
1 tsp salt
4 green onions, chopped
1 larger carrot, grated
tofu, crumbled and pan fried
chili oil

Combine peanut butter, tea, vinegar, soy sauce, ginger and honey.  Mix well and set aside.  Toast sesame seeds and combine with the remaining ingredients.  Add 3 tablespoons of the sauce to the vegetable mix.  Spread remaining sauce on the dough and top with vegetable mixture.  Cook at 550 for about 6 minutes.  Sprinkle finished pizza with a bit of chili oil, if desired.

(Adapted from Allrecipes.com)

Chinese Pizza

3 T hoisin sauce
3 T tomato paste
1 T rice vinegar
1 T chili pepper puree
1 tsp soy sauce
2-3 slices of ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ can of water chestnuts, drained and sliced
⅓ c red onion, diced
½ c small snow peas, halved
½ can bamboo shoots
1 can baby corn
1 red bell pepper, sliced thin
2 tsp sesame oil

Combine hoisin, tomato paste, vinegar, chili pepper puree and soy sauce.  Mix well and set aside.  Heat some oil on high heat and sautee garlic and ginger, about a minute.  Add vegetables and stir fry for 2-3 minutes.  Remove from heat and add in sesame oil.  Toss well.  Spread hoisin sauce on pizza base and top with vegetables. .  Cook at 550 for about 6 minutes.

Japanese Pizza

2 sheets of toasted nori
1 block tofu
flour for dredging
2 T soy sauce
1 T orange marmalade
1 tsp honey
⅛ tsp ground ginger
bok choy, chopped
ramen noodles

When making pizza dough, add in 1 sheet of crumbled or chopped nori to the bread machine.  Press block of tofu between two plates to remove some water for about a half hour.  Cube the tofu and dredge in flour.  Pan fry the tofu on medium-high heat, turning often to sear each side of each cube.  Remove from heat and cool.  Combine soy sauce, marmalade, honey and ginger and mix well.  Pour over tofu and allow it to marinade for at least an hour.  Steam the bok choy (adding in white parts first then green parts at the last minute) with a bit of salt.  Plunge in an ice bath to halt cooking.  Spread marinated tofu over pizza crust and top with bok choy. .  Cook at 550 for about 6 minutes.  Sprinkle the second sheet of crumbled or chopped nori on top.  Serve with crumbled ramen noodles on the side for sprinkling. 

Dessert:  Lovina
Lemongrass Cheesecake with Raspberry Coconut Milk Sauce

20 shortbread cookies, like Lorna Doone
2 T melted butter
2 pounds cream cheese
pinch of kosher salt
10 ounces sugar
4 stalks lemongrass, white parts only, minced
4 extra large eggs
Juice of 2 lemons
5 ounces cream

Preheat oven to 325 degrees convection. In a bowl, combine crushed shortbread cookies and melted butter. Press cookie mixture into bottom and sides of 8-inch cake pan; a springform pan is
recommended. Bake in middle of oven for about 10 minutes. Remove to a rack and let cool. Turn oven down to 300 degrees. In a stand mixer, cream together cream cheese, salt, sugar and lemongrass.  Add eggs one at a time, alternating with the lemon juice, allowing each egg to be fully incorporated into the mixture before adding the next, scraping the bowl constantly. Add cream. Spoon mixture into baked crust and place in a water bath. (You'll need to foil the edges of your springform pan to prevent leakage.) Bake cheesecake in middle of oven for about 60 minutes, until edges become browned and cake is set in the center. Remove from water bath, remove foil and place on a rack to let cool, then refrigerate until chilled and serve.

(From ming.com)

Raspberry Coconut Sauce
1 can coconut milk

⅓ c fresh raspberries (plus a few extra for garnish)

⅓ c sugar

2 tsp corn starch

In a small saucepan, heat the coconut milk over medium heat. Crush the raspberries in a small bowl using the back side of a teaspoon. Add the raspberries and sugar to the coconut milk. Heat until simmering. Whisk together cornstarch with 1 TBSP water. Add cornstarch mixture to pan. Stir gently until sauce thickens. Cool to serve. Pour over slices of Lemongrass cheesecake and garnish with mint and raspberries.

Lottery:  Aven

Birthday Girl Aven!

Namesake - July 2009

Diva: Sara

Drinks: Stacey
Sykes' Salty Dog Cocktail

John and I perfected the drink a couple of years ago...Sykes family favorite!!

makes one drink:
1 and ½ ounces Absolut Mandarin Vodka
6 ounces ruby red grapefruit juice
kosher salt for rim of glass
fresh grapefruit slices for garnish

***without the salt it is called a greyhound, without the vodka it is called a salty puppy!!***

Appetizer: Mariah
Crump's Canyon Caviar

This very special dish is loved by all Crumps and is an easy breezy creation while on a river trip or simply just enjoying the river from the beach!

2 (15 ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
2 (15 ounce) cans pinto beans, rinsed and drained
2 (15 ounce) cans white corn, rinsed and drained
1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chiles, undrained
1 jalapeno chile pepper, seeded and finely chopped
1 red bell pepper - cored, seeded and finely chopped
1 green bell pepper - cored, seeded and finely chopped
1 small red onion, finely chopped
1 bunch cilantro leaves, finely chopped
½ c rice vinegar
½ c olive oil
1/3 c white sugar
½ teaspoon garlic powder

Mix the black beans, pinto beans, white corn, green chiles, jalapeno pepper, red and green bell peppers, red onion, and cilantro together in a large bowl.

To make the dressing, stir the rice vinegar, olive oil, sugar, and garlic powder together in a pan. Bring to a boil, then remove from heat, and cool. Pour dressing over bean mixture, and toss to mix evenly.

Cilantro Yogurt Sauce
One bunch cilantro mixed with desired amount of plain yogurt.

Serve Crump's Canyon Caviar with Cheesy Quesadilla and top with Cilantro Yogurt Sauce.

Salad: Aven
Great Grandma Mae's Frogeye Salad

My great-grandma Mae used to make this salad every summer when we would get together for little mini reunions in her backyard in Casper Wyoming. It was always my favorite. I don't know if she had her own recipe or used one from the pasta box. This recipe I found has all the same ingredients as hers - I left out the marshmellows and cool-whip and used one tub of Ricemellow creme instead.

1 lb Acini di Pepe package
1 medium Egg
½ c Sugar
1 T Flour
¼ tsp Salt
16 oz Crushed pineapple drained, reserving juice
16 oz Fruit cocktail drained
16 oz Mandarin Oranges drained
1 c Marshmallows
12 oz Cool Whip

Cook Acini di Pepe as package directs. Drain.

In a heavy saucepan, beat egg with wire wisk until foamy. Stir in sugar, flour, salt, and reserved pineapple juice. Over low heat, cook and stir until thickened and bubbly.

In a large bowl, combine Acini di Pepe with egg mixture. Chill thoroughly about an hour.

Stir in pineapple, fruit cocktail, mandarin oranges, and marshmallows. Fold in Cool Whip.

Cover and chill thoroughly. Stir before serving. Refrigerate leftovers.

Soup: Tamara
My name, Tamara, means "date palm" in Hebrew so I made a soup using dates.

Pumpkin, Red Lentil and Date Soup

100 grams red lentils
500 grams pumpkin, de-seeded cut in pieces
250 grams (1 can) crushed tomatoes
1 T oil
1 T fresh rosemary, chopped
1 T fresh thyme, leaves only
1 onion, chopped
1 liter water
1 vegetable bouillon cube
pinch of cayenne
10 dates, de-seeded and chopped
splash lemon juice

Heat the oil in a large pot.
Add the chopped onions and saute until glassy.
Add the rosemary and thyme, the pumpkin pieces and the red lentils.
Add the vegetable bouillon and cook the soup until the pumpkin is soft and the lentils are done.
Check from time to time and stir, as the soup becomes quite thick.
Add the tomatoes and the dates and puree the mixture until smooth.
Add a splash of lemon juice and season to taste with a pinch of salt and cayenne.
Garnish with coriander leaves or chili oil and serve hot.


Side Dish: Ashley
Pita pizzas with tomatoes, olives and feta inspired by Maggie's tomato salad, which she served to me during a meeting that inspired me to make a leap of faith.

Pitas (makes 8 regular sized)

3 c flour
1 ½ tsp salt
1 T sugar
1 packet yeast (or, if from bulk, 2 teaspoons yeast)
1 ¼ to 1 ½ c water, roughly at room temperature
2 T olive oil

If you are using active dry yeast, follow the instructions on the packet to active it. Otherwise, mix the yeast in with the flour, salt, and sugar. Add the olive oil and 1 1/4 cup water and stir together with a wooden spoon. All of the ingredients should form a ball. If some of the flour will not stick to the ball, add more water.

Once all of the ingredients form a ball, place the ball on a work surface, such as a cutting board, and knead the dough for approximately 10 minutes (or until your hands get tired). If you are using an electric mixer, mix it at low speed for 10 minutes.

When you are done kneading the dough, place it in a bowl that has been lightly coated with oil. I use canola spray oil, but you can also just pour a teaspoon of oil into the bowl and rub it around with your fingers. Form a ball out of the dough and place it into the bowl, rolling the ball of dough around in the bowl so that it has a light coat of oil on all sides. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel and set aside to rise until it has doubled in size, approximately 90 minutes.

When it has doubled in size, punch the dough down to release some of the trapped gases and divide it into 8 pieces. Roll each piece into a ball, cover the balls with a damp kitchen towel, and let them rest for 20 minutes. This step allows the dough to relax so that it'll be easier to shape.

While the dough is resting, preheat the oven to 400 degrees. If you have a baking stone, put it in the oven to preheat as well. If you do not have a baking stone, turn a cookie sheet upside down and place it on the middle rack of the oven while you are preheating the oven. This will be the surface on which you bake your pitas.

After the dough has relaxed for 20 minutes, spread a light coating of flour on a work surface and place one of the balls of dough there. Sprinkle a little bit of flour on top of the dough and use a rolling pin or your hands to stretch and flatten the dough. You should be able to roll it out to between 1/8 and 1/4 inch thick. If the dough does not stretch sufficiently you can cover it with the damp towel and let it rest 5 to 10 minutes before trying again.

Open the oven and place as many pitas as you can fit on the hot baking surface. They should be baked through and puffy after 3 minutes.

Tomato Topping:

2 c diced seeded tomatoes
1 c pitted coarsely chopped olives
½ c chopped red onion
4 T olive oil, divided
3 T chopped fresh mint
3 T chopped fresh basil
3 cloves minced garlic
1 c crumbled feta cheese

Mix topping together, mound on top of pitas and place under broiler until cheese gets warm.


Entree: Lovina
Leg of Lamb

My entree was inspired by my sister Adela. She has been on my mind a lot lately because she is going to have another baby in the next couple of weeks. The meaning of her name means "noble", thus I wanted to make something that was inspired by the definition of the word noble. I took it to mean something impressive in appearance, splendid to the senses, and of bold flavor. Having never cooked a leg of lamb and wanting to challenge the majority of people's impression of lamb as a meal choice, I decided to give honor to my sister my barbecuing a fantastic leg of lamb.

1 sirloin end leg of lamb, boned, and trussed
4 cloves garlic
8 fresh mint leaves
1 T brown sugar
1 T kosher salt
2 tsp black pepper
5 T strong mustard, such as Dijon
2 T canola oil
2 sprigs fresh rosemary

Roughly chop the garlic cloves in the food processor. Add the mint and repeat. Add the brown sugar, salt, pepper, mustard, and oil and blend to a paste. Spread the paste evenly on the meat side of the roast. Roll the leg into a roast shape and tie with cotton butcher's twine. Fire 2 quarts (1 chimney's worth) of charcoal (natural chunk is best). When charcoal is lightly covered with gray ash, split the coals into 2 piles and move them to the far sides of the cooker. Close the lid and allow the grate to heat. Then, place the lamb, skin side up, on the middle of the hot grate. Add the rosemary sprigs to the charcoal briquettes and close the lid and grill. After 20 minutes, flip the roast and rotate it 180 degrees. Insert the probe thermometer into the roast and continue to grill until it reaches an internal temperature of 135 degrees, about 25 to 30 minutes. Remove the roast at 135 degrees. Remove the butcher's twine from the roast. Cover with foil and rest it for 15 minutes before serving.

Dessert: Colleen
Stephanie's Summer Crisp

My neighbor Stephanie used to make Alex and I an amazing nectarine and raspberry crisp in the summer time when we lived in Tucson. I think of her often, especially in regards to her wonderful recipes - she always fed us so well! So, for a summertime namesake dessert, Stephanie's Summer Crisp had to be the winner.

Nectarines and Raspberries - I used ~20 peaches and 3/4 lb raspberries. Put stone fruit on bottom of dish and top with raspberries.

For the crisp topping:

¾ c light brown sugar
½ c butter
¾ c white sugar
1 c flour
1 t cinnamon
1 c oatmeal (not instant)

Mix butter, sugars, cinnamon until well combined. Add the flour and oatmeal. Crisp topping should be fairly dry but when pinched together it should stick. Sprinkle on top or fruit. Bake at 350 for ~ 1 hour.

Lottery: Bonnie

Yin and Yang - June 2009

Diva: Mariah

Drinks: Erin
Salty Dog

2 oz vodka
5 oz grapefruit juice
salt rimming
Garnish: lime wedge

Mix all ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice. Strain into a salt rimmed martini glass and garnish with lime wedge.


Fuzzy Navel

1 ½ oz peach schnapps
orange juice to fill

Pour the peach schnapps into an highball glass filled with ice cubes.
Top with orange juice. Stir well.

Screwdriver

2 oz vodka
5 oz orange juice

Build the ingredients in a glass with ice.
Stir well.

Woo Woo

1 ½ oz peach schnapps
1 ½ oz vodka
3 ½ oz cranberry juice

Build the ingredients in a glass with ice.
Stir well.

Appetizer: Sara
Chipotle Edamame Dip

Dip

1 ½ pounds shelled edamame
¼ c cultured sour cream
¾ c non-fat plain yogurt
4 ozs fresh goat cheese, crumbled
2 oz hard cheese (Asiago, Parm, etc.)
3 chipotles in adobo, chopped, plus 2 tablespoons of adobo sauce from the can
¼ c fresh lemon juice
1 small garlic clove, chopped
2 tsp kosher salt
1 T chopped oregano
2 T or more nutritional yeast

Pepitas

½ c raw pumpkin seeds
1 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp ground coriander
¼ tsp crushed red pepper
1 tsp finely grated lemon zest
1 tsp chopped oregano

Make the dip: In a medium pot of boiling salted water, simmer the edamame until tender, about 8 minutes. Drain well and transfer to a food processor. Add the sour cream, goat cheese, chipotles, adobo sauce, lemon juice, garlic and salt and puree until smooth, scraping down the side of the bowl. Stir in the oregano and transfer the dip to a serving bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight.

Make the pepitas: Preheat the oven to 375°. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss the pumpkin seeds with the olive oil, salt, coriander and crushed red pepper. Bake for 7 minutes, until the seeds begin to brown. Transfer the pepitas to a bowl and toss with the lemon zest and oregano.

Serve the dip at room temperature, topped with the spiced pepitas.

Salad: Ashley
Asian Slaw

Dressing
2 c vegetable stock
2 T cornstarch
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and diced
1 clove garlic
½ shallot, chopped
½ c chopped fresh cilantro
¼ c Thai chile sauce
¼ c apple cider (or rice wine) vinegar
½ tsp ground cumin
¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper

Slaw
¼ c pecan pieces
½ tsp dark chili powder
¼ tsp cayenne
1 T olive oil
¼ c halved macadamia nuts, not toasted
¼ pound red cabbage, shredded
¼ pound green cabbage, shredded
1 small green bell pepper, cored, seeded and thinly sliced
1 small red bell pepper, cored, seeded and thinly sliced
1 small yellow bell pepper, cored, seeded and thinly sliced

Stir ½ cup vegetable stock with cornstarch in a measuring cup until blended. Bring remaining 28 ounces stock to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to a simmer and slowly whisk in stock-cornstarch mixture. Stir rapidly until stock is the consistency of olive oil. (It should cling to the back of a spoon.) Cool to room temperature, skim off and discard any film on top. Place cumin seeds in a dry sauté pan over medium-high heat. Stir until aroma of seeds is released, about 1 minute.

Blend ¼ cup stock in a blender with cumin seeds and remaining dressing ingredients until smooth. (Refrigerate or freeze leftover stock.) Heat oven to 350°F. Combine pecans, chili powder, cayenne and oil in a mixing bowl; toss to coat pecans. Place nuts on a cookie sheet and roast until the aroma of the chili powder is released, 3 to 4 minutes. Combine dressing and slaw ingredients in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Soup: Aven
Beet and Fennel Soup

6-8 med beets
1 fennel bulb
1 med onion
1-2 med carrots
3 T fennel seeds
1 32oz box veggie broth
~2 quarts water
sour cream

boil beets, carrots and 2 Tbsp fennel seeds in water until soft, mash with fork or potato masher, reserve water
dice and saute onion and fennel until soft
combine veggies with broth and the water used to boil the beets
add salt to taste
simmer for 20-30 minutes
toast remaining fennel seeds in dry skillet or oven
garnish soup in bowls with sour cream and toasted seeds


Side Dish: Lovina
Black Bean and Espresso Chili

Serve this over the Baked White Polenta with Two Cheeses, and season with any — or all — of the suggested toppings (chocolate adds mole flavor).

½ c olive oil
5 large onions, chopped
¼ c instant espresso powder
¼ c chili powder
¼ c ground cumin
¼ c dried oregano leaves
2 28-ounce cans crushed tomatoes with added puree
1/3 c honey
6 large garlic cloves, minced
7 15-ounce cans black beans, rinsed, drained
2 c water
1 T salt
¼ tsp chipotle chili powder or chili powder
Large pinch of ground cinnamon

Assorted toppings: sour cream, chopped fresh cilantro, chopped green onions, shredded cheese, sliced jalapeños, and shaved bittersweet chocolate
preparation

Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add onions and sauté until tender, about 8 minutes. Mix in espresso powder, 1/4 cup chili powder, cumin, and oregano. Cook 1 minute. Mix in tomatoes, honey, and garlic. Bring to simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer 30 minutes. Add beans, 2 cups water, salt, chipotle chili powder, and cinnamon. Bring to boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium and simmer uncovered until mixture thickens slightly, stirring often, about 30 minutes. Season with salt. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cool slightly. Refrigerate uncovered until cold, then cover and refrigerate. Rewarm before serving.)

Place toppings in individual condiment bowls. Ladle chili into bowl and serve toppings alongside.
(from Bon Appetit)

Entree: Colleen
Lettuce/Cabbage Wraps

Spicy Sauce

1 tsp rice vinegar
1 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp chinese mustard
1 T water
1 tsp Chinese chili sauce

Filling

3 cloves garlic, minced
1 thumb-size piece galangal (or ginger), grated
1 red chilli, de-seeded and finely sliced (omit altogether if you prefer very mild wraps) - I used a serrano chili

2 shallots, sliced finely
½ c firm tofu, (I cubed some baked tofu)
1 carrot, grated or cut into thin strips
4-5 mushrooms, thinly sliced
water chesnuts
3 spring onions, sliced lengthwise into matchstick-like pieces
approx. 2 c bean sprouts
2 T lime juice
oil for stir frying
cilantro to top

Saute filling ingredients. garnish with cilantro. fill lettuce or napa cabbage leaves with stir-fried mixture and top will sauce. Yum!
(from recipezaar)

Dessert: Stacey
Raspberry Buttermilk Cake

2 c flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp soda
½ tsp salt
1 stick butter, softened
1 1/3 c sugar, plus 3 T. sugar for sprinkling on top of cake batter
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
1 c well-shaken buttermilk
2 c fresh raspberries (about 12 ounces)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Butter and flour a 9X13 cake pan. Whisk together flour, baking powder, soda and salt then set aside. Beat butter and 1 1/3 cups sugar with an electric mixer at medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes, then beat in vanilla. Add eggs and beat well. At a low speed mix in flour mixture and buttermilk, alternating half the flour mixture, then half the buttermilk, then the rest of the flour, then the rest of the buttermilk. Mix until just combined. Spoon batter in cake pan, smoothing top. Scatter fresh raspberries evenly over top and sprinkle with remaining 3T. sugar. Bake until cake is golden and a toothepick in center comes out clean, 25-30 mins. Serve with whipped cream. Enjoy!!

Lottery: Sara

Norwegian - April 2009

Diva: Lovina

Drinks: Tamara
Fjellbekk (Norwegian for “moutain stream”)

¾ oz Vodka
¾ oz Aquavit
¾ oz lime juice
Sprite soda

Build over ice in a tall glass.

Berry soda

Wild berry nectar
Sprite Soda

Build over ice in a tall glass.

How to Skoal:






Reviewing the notes...

The Teetotaler and the Preggo give it a "dry" run

Bonnie, Lovina and Mariah Skoal with Style...

Appetizer: Colleen
Marinated Cheese (two variations)

11 oz., scant (300g) Edam Cheese - (I couldn't find Edam so I used Gouda)
1 red paprika, cut in strips (again - no Paprika pepper, so I used Hungarian Wax pepper in one and red bell pepper in the other)
1 ¼ c (3 dl) olive oil
7/8 c (2 dl) white vinegar
1 T red pepper, finely chopped (no cayenne pepper so I used red jalapeno with the hungarian pepper and serano chile with the red bell pepper mix)
1 T oregano
1 T thyme
1 T green peppercorns (couldn't find straight green peppercorns so used a mix of red, green, white, and black)
2 garlic cloves

Dice Cheese the size of Sugar cubes.
Prick with a fork to allow the marinade to be absorbed.
Mix all ingredients for marinade in a heavy-bottomed casserole and bring to a boil.
Cool.
Layer Cheese and paprika in a jar and pour marinade over all.
Cover and chill.
Keeps 2-3 weeks in refrigerator.

Flat Bread

½ c (1-¼ dl) lard, melted (I used vegetable shortening)
¼ c (½ dl) Sugar
½ c (1-¼ dl) oatmeal flour
1 c (2-½ dl) graham flour (substitute for graham flour is 2/3 c unbleached flour, 1/3 c wheat bran, 1.5 tsp wheat germ)
¾ tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 ½ c (3-½ dl) buttermilk
unbleached flour as needed

Combine ingredients, adding white flour to make dough workable.
Roll out into rounds with grooved rolling pin and a pastry cloth.
Cut into pieces and bake on cookie sheet in a 350 degrees (175 degrees C) oven for about 8 minutes or until crisp.

I'm not sure why the recipe doesn't have you add a lot of unbleached flour to begin. I ended up adding quite a bit to have it be a "workable" dough - maybe a cup or more? Also takes much more than 8 minutes to become crisp. I made some crispy and some not so crisp for a fun texture comparison.

Let's See those poses again, sistas!

Salad: Erin
Fruit salad

Mix sliced strawberries and blueberries in a bowl. Slice avocado and pineapple.

Dish strawberries and blueberries on salad plate. Place avocado and pineapple on salad plate around strawberries and blueberries. Top strawberries and blueberries with yogurt (I used one or two spoonfuls of Brown Cow Maple Yogurt). Add a mint sprig as garnish.

Soup: Stacey
Norwegian Cauliflower Cheese Soup

1 c Jarlsberg cheese, shredded (found in specialty cheese/deli section)
3 T butter
1 c sliced leeks (middle light green part only, and wash very well)
3 T flour
3 c chicken broth
3 c cauliflower, coarsely chopped
1 c ½ and ½

Saute leeks in butter until tender. Add flour, stirring constantly, until bubbly. Remove from heat and gradually blend in broth. Return to heat and cook, stirring constantly. Add cauliflower, reduce heat, and simmer for 20 minutes or until cauliflower is tender. Stir in cream and cheese. Simmer until heated through and cheese is melted. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Makes about 5 servings.


Side Dish: Bonnie
Burning Love (vegetarian style)

1 onion, sliced in chunks
3 c mushrooms, sliced kinda thick
2-3 apples, peeled & sliced in chunks
4-5 lb potatoes, peeled & chunked
white cheddar, shredded
soft tofu
veg broth paste
bacon salt
cornstarch
cinnamon
salt
pepper
butter
oil
milk

Drain water off tofu then press water out but placing it on a plate, between kitchen towels and weighted down with several plates. After about 20 min. Take tofu and crumble it up and add a lot of bacon salt then repeat the pressing process for at lease 30 min. When done fry in oil, remove and let drain on a paper towel.

Boil potatoes, when done make mashed potatoes and season to taste.

Sautee onion in oil until it starts to soften, add mushrooms. Cook until done then add veg broth, cornstarch, salt and pepper, cook for few minuets.

Sautee apples in oil with cinnamon until soft but not smushy.

Put potatoes in greased casserole dish then top with cheese. Add apples to mushroom-onion mixture then pour over potatoes. Bake in oven until heated through, maybe 400 for 25 min. Take out and top with tofu-bacon.

Entree: Sara
Curried Cod Cakes

4 T curry powder--you choose the spicy level
1 T Dijon mustard--dry mustard
½ c flour
1 package Panko bread crumbs
2 T paprika
1 ½ tsp salt
1 ½ tsp pepper
2 avocados
3 lbs cod--poached in the oven in water at 350 for 20 minutes
3 lbs potatoes--boiled and mashed
3 T fresh mint, shredded
1 ½ c sour cream
½ c tomato diced

Make curry flour by combining the first six ingredients together.
Halve, pit and peel the avocados. Cut the halves lengthwise into thin wedges.
Combine the mint, sour cream and tomatoes. Set aside.
Gently mix fish and mashed potatoes together (you ca add onion, garlic and spices if you want)
Separate cod mixture into even balls and flatten into cakes--this recipe should make about 12 cakes 1 x 3 inch.
Dip, Dredge, or Sprinkle on curried bread crumbs
Bake at 400 for 15 minutes and flip if needed, cook for another 15 minutes.
Top each fillet with a few slices of avocado, and a spoonful of mint sour cream sauce.

Curried Potato Cakes

1 tsp canola oil
½ tsp mustard seeds
½ tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp kosher salt
4 ½ c peeled shredded baking potato (about 2 pounds)
2 T chopped fresh parsley
2 T canola oil
¼ tsp ground turmeric
¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
Dash of ground red pepper
Cooking spray

Preheat oven to 400°.

Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add mustard and cumin seeds to pan; cook 2 minutes or until mustard seeds pop, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Place spice mixture and salt in a mortar; crush seeds with pestle. Set aside.

Gently squeeze potato to remove excess moisture. Combine potato, spice mixture, parsley, 2 tablespoons oil, turmeric, and peppers in a large bowl. Divide mixture evenly into 10 (1/3 cup) portions; place on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Flatten to 1/2-inch thickness. Spray with a bit of oil, and dip in or sprinkle on curried breadcrumbs. Bake at 400° for 15 minutes or until golden. Turn over; bake an additional 15 minutes. Serve with sour cream.

Lemon Garlic Sour Cream

1 tsp lemon zest
1 clove garlic minced
1 c sour cream

Love Dip

1 package cream cheese or Neufechel
10 Cloves garlic Minced
3 T tomato paste
2 T fresh cilantro minced
Salt and pepper and cumin to taste (about ½ to 1 tsp of each)

Dessert: Mariah
Old Fashioned Pound Cake & Raspberry Trifle

Pound Cake

4 ½ c flour
1 ½ tsp salt
½ tsp cinnamon
2 c butter
2 ¼ c sugar
1 ½ tsp vanilla (or brandy extract)
9 eggs, slightly beaten

Whipped Cream Layer

1 ½ c whipping cream
¼ c sugar

Cream Cheese Layer

2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
2 tsp lemon juice
1 lemon, zest of, chopped
½ c sugar
1 ½ tsp vanilla extract (or lemon)

Berry Layer

4-8 c fresh raspberries
¾ c sugar
1 c water (optional)

Sprinkle
4 teaspoons baking cocoa
fresh berries


Line bottoms & sides of three 8x4 loaf pans with parchment paper--do NOT grease; preheat oven to 325; place oven rack in lower position.

In a large bowl, mix pound cake dry ingredients; set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar until creamy & fluffy, scraping bowl several times; add flavorings, then eggs three at a time--continue beating (a curdled appearance will be "beaten" out with thorough mixing).

Now begin adding the flour in about half-cup portions, mixing well after each.

Turn batter into prepped pans, quickly pushing it higher around edges than in center
(this will keep the top level).

Bake for 20 minutes, then increase oven temp to 350, bake 40 minutes longer (crack on top will be slightly browned--showing no moistness).
Cool for 5 minutes on cooling rack, then remove from pans to finish cooling--DO NOT REMOVE PAPER!

When cooled, wrap waxed paper around two of the loaves, and then plastic wrap & freeze. Slice the remaining loaf into 12-15 slices, then cubes; set aside.

WHIPPED CREAM LAYER: In a mixing bowl, beat cream with sugar until stiff peaks form; set aside.

CREAM CHEESE LAYER: In another bowl, beat cream cheese, lemon juice, vanilla and sugar. Add about 2 cups of the whipped cream and the lemon zest--fold in; set aside.

BERRY LAYER: Set aside one cup of berries for garnish. Sprinkle remaining berries with sugar, then lightly mash/crush them. Let them sit for about 30 minutes to get juicy---if you're short of time, add the water and this makes a nice juice too.

ASSEMBLE THE TRIFLE: Sprinkle a layer of pound cake cubes in the bottom of a 3-quart glass serving bowl.

Drizzle 3-4 tablespoons of berry juice over the cubes.
Spread one fourth of cream cheese mixture over the cake cubes.
Sprinkle one teaspoon of cocoa over this, then some crushed berries.
REPEAT this twice. Add about half of the reserved berries to the last layer.

Top with remaining cream cheese, whipped cream and sifted cocoa; remaining berries added as a garnish before serving.

Cover & refrigerate for about 3 hours, this is ready-to-eat now (taste really does improve!).

Wild Card: Aven
Vikings

1 pound lean ground beef
½ pound ground pork
2 eggs
½ c oatmeal
1 medium onion minced
½ c canned evaporated milk
1 ½ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
¼ tsp allspice
¼ tsp ginger
1 T butter
krusteaz pancake mix (I substituted gluten free baking mix)

Saute onion in butter until transparent and soft.

Mix oatmeal, eggs, and canned milk until combined. Mix the beef and pork together then add the oatmeal mixture, onions and spices. Beat with a mixer until fluffy.

Using 1/3 to 1/2 cup of meat mixture (depending on how big you want your Vikings) form a ball. Place meatballs on a baking sheet or pan. Cook in a 400 degree oven for about 15 minutes until done. Remove from oven and allow to cool.

When the meatballs are cool enough to handle, stick a wooden "popsicle" stick in each one (you can usually buy these at any craft store).

Mix the Krusteaz pancake batter with water, make it thicker than usual so that it will coat and stick to the meatballs.

Hold the meatball by the wooden stick and dip it into the batter, then drop it into a deep fat fryer with oil heated to 375. Roll it around so all the sides cook evenly. Cook until golden brown. Remove from oil and drain on a plate covered with paper towels. Serve with ketchup, mustard or what ever you want!

****For the vegan version, I substituted soy creamer for the milk and tempeh for the meat. I omitted the eggs altogether.

Lottery: Ashley (absent)

The wee male imposter!

Mardi Gras - Let the Good Times Roll - February 2009

Diva: Stacey

Drinks: Tamara
Mardi Gras Hurricanes

Serves 10-12

12 ounces light rum
12 ounces dark rum
10 ounces grenadine, or passion fruit syrup (I used grenadine)
10 ounces fresh orange juice (I doubled it.)
10 ounces sour mix, or fresh lime juice (I used lime juice)
3 T superfine sugar, or more to taste
1 large orange, cut into 1/4-inch thick slices

Mix all the ingredients in a tall pitcher or large pot and stir to dissolve the sugar. Pour into a punch bowl and add the ice cubes and orange segments. Serve in tall glasses over ice with straws. (Omit alcohol for virgin version and increase the orange juice to taste.)

**These turned out to be very strong. In future you may want to decrease the rum a bit and increase the orange juice. For the non-alcoholic you will want to increase the juice and maybe add bubbly water.)

Appetizer: Erin
Hearts of Palm

1 14 oz can hearts of palm
3 T green onion, chopped
¼ c sour cream
1/8 tsp cayenne
¾ c parm cheese
2/3 c mayo
2 T pimento, chopped (little jar)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Drain hearts of palm and chop finely. Reserve 1 T of parm cheese and green onion. Mix hearts of palm thoroughly w/ remaining ingredients. Spread mix into shallow baking dish and sprinkle w/ reserved parm cheese and onion evenly over top. Bake 20 min or until hot and bubbly. Run quickly under broiler to brown top.

Serve with crackers or bread. Wheat thins or baguette slices are perfect.

Salad: Sara
Citrus Sunburst Salad

For the Vinaigrette (I doubled the recipe)
1/8 c Raspberry (or Pomegranate) Vinegar
1 T Dijon Mustard
1 T Honey
1 tsp Orange zest
1/3 c Vegetable (or Grapeseed) oil

Whisk together the vinegar, mustard, honey and orange zest until well incorporated. Pouring slowly, whisk in the oil until emulsified. Season with salt and pepper.

For the Salad
1 c Pecans
1 ½ T butter
2 T Sugar
2 tsp Chili powder
6 c Mixed Salad Greens (I used romaine and red leaf)
½ c Dried Cranberries
4 0z Feta, crumbled (I omitted for the Mardi Gras Theme)
2 Medium oranges peeled with a knife and cut into segments (I used blood oranges)
1 Pomegranate separated (I was unable to find one, but it really is a nice addition to the salad)

Melt butter in a non-stick saute' pan on high heat. Stir in the pecans and cook for about 2 minutes. Toss the sugar and chili powder in with the nuts. Continue to cook for an additional 2-4 minutes until the sugar has just started to melt. Remove to a sheet pan covered with parchment paper and let cool completely.

Portion out the salad on to plates and serve with cranberries, orange segments, pecans, and in lieu of pomegranate I use red pepper strips for added color. Very yummy and good for you salad!

Soup: Bonnie
Potato Garlic Soup

Equal parts russett potatoes and red potatoes. (I used about 4 c. each)
1 large T of minced garlic
4 heads of garlic w. the top 1/3 of the heads cut off and the paper removed for the most part
2 large leeks
2 T veg broth paste
1 c heavy cream
fresh chopped thyme (few tbs)
few bay leaves
about 3 T butter
1 T oil
salt and pepper

On med heat butter and oil, add leeks. Cook until half done then add minced garlic and cook for while longer. Add potatoes water, bay leaves, veg paste and garlic bulbs. Cook until done then lower heat. Remove bay leaves and garlic. Smoosh garlic out of bulbs and use how ever much you want. (I used it all.) Use submersion blender to puree to desired consistency, add thyme and cream.

Side Dish: Mariah
Smothered Green Beans

1 quart green beans, broken in short pieces
1 small onion, sliced
2 T shortening
1/3 c water
1 small sprig of parsley
Pinch of thyme
Salt and pepper to taste
Dash of Worcestershire
Add Blacken Cajun Seasonings to taste

Sauté beans and onions in grease for a few minutes, until onions are wilted. Add water, parsley, thyme, salt, pepper, and Worcestershire sauce. Bring to a boil. Lower to simmer and cover. Cook for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. (A large can of green beans can be substituted for fresh, using 1/3 cup of the liquid, & adding beans and other ingredients after onion is sautéed.) Servings: 4

Entree: Ashley
Brown Sugar and Bourbon Ribs

Be sure to remove (or score) the membrane on the underside of the ribs so that the seasonings can penetrate and fully flavor the meat. Even better, ask the butcher to remove the membrane.
For Divas, I used boneless pork ribs

Yield: Makes 4 servings

Basting sauce
½ c (packed) golden brown sugar*
½ c apple butter*
½ c bourbon whiskey
¼ c apple cider vinegar
3 T apple cider*
2 T Dijon mustard

*I pressed apples from my tree instead and decreased the sugar.

Ribs
1 T coarse kosher salt
1 T (packed) golden brown sugar
1 ½ tsp dry mustard
1 ½ tsp dried thyme
1 tsp ground ginger
½ tsp ground cinnamon
1 ½ tsp cayenne pepper
2 2- to 2 ¼ -pound racks baby back pork ribs (I used 5 lbs of boneless and 2 pkgs of firm tofu)

1 large onion, sliced
1 cinnamon stick, broken in half
6 thin rounds peeled fresh ginger
1 ¼ c apple cider

For basting sauce:
Whisk all ingredients in medium bowl to blend.

For ribs:**
Mix first 7 ingredients in small bowl. Using small sharp knife, loosen membrane from underside of each rib rack and pull off (or score membrane). Rub 1 tablespoon seasoning mix into each side of each rib rack. Place ribs in large roasting pan. Cover and chill at least 6 hours and up to 1 day.

Preheat oven to 325°F. Lift ribs from pan. Scatter onion, cinnamon stick, and ginger in pan. Pour in cider. Return ribs, meat side down, to pan; cover pan with foil. Roast ribs until meat is tender and begins to pull away from bones, about 2 hours. Uncover; cool at least 30 minutes and up to 2 hours.

Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Grill ribs until heated through and slightly charred, about 5 minutes per side. Brush generously on all sides with basting sauce. Grill until sauce becomes sticky glaze, about 3 minutes longer per side. Transfer rib racks to cutting board. Cut racks between bones into individual ribs. Arrange on platter and serve, passing remaining sauce separately.

**I let the ribs sit with the rub for 2 hours, then put the ribs and the ingredients listed for the roasting pan part into my crockpot and cooked it on low for about 8 hours. I then followed the grill part except I had to use a veggie grill pan since the meat was practically falling apart at that point.














Dessert: Aven
Apricot Raspberry King Cake

Dough

1 c milk
¼ c butter
2 (.25 ounce) packages active dry yeast
2/3 c warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
½ c white sugar
2 eggs
1 ½ tsp salt
½ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
5 ½ c all-purpose flour
1 baby doll!

Scald milk, remove from heat and stir in 1/4 cup of butter. Allow mixture to cool to room temperature. In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in the warm water with 1 tablespoon of the white sugar. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.

When yeast mixture is bubbling, add the cooled milk mixture. Whisk in the eggs. Stir in the remaining white sugar, salt and nutmeg. Beat the flour into the milk/egg mixture 1 cup at a time. When the dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 to 10 minutes.

Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a damp cloth or plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 2 hours. When risen, punch down and divide dough in half.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease 2 cookie sheets or line with parchment paper.

Filling
1 pkg cream cheese
½ cucp powdered sugar

beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth

½ cup raspberry jam

Glaze

1 ½ c sugar
¼ c water
½ c butter
¼ c apricot rum
1 tsp rum extract (optional)

Boil sugar and water, stirring until sugar dissolves. Add butter and simmer until thick and syrupy. Remove from heat and add rum and extract.

Roll dough halves out into large rectangles (approximately 10x16 inches or so). Spread the cream cheese filling evenly over the dough, then the jam over the cream cheese and roll up each half tightly like a jelly roll, beginning at the wide side. Bring the ends of each roll together to form 2 rings. Place each ring on a prepared cookie sheet. With a knife make cuts 1/4” deep at 1 inch intervals. Let rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 45 minutes.

Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes. Push the doll into the bottom of the cake. Frost while warm with the glaze. Another layer of glaze can be added when cake is cool.

Whomever receives the baby in their slice is supposed to have good luck and is supposed to throw the next party and/or make the next cake!

Wild Card: Tina (sub for Lovina)
Tabasco-Cheddar Biscuits

1 ½ c cake flour
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
4 T cold, unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
½ c low-fat buttermilk
1 tsp Tabasco red pepper sauce

Preheat oven to 400 F and coat baking sheet with cooking spray.

Whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder and alt in large bowl. Stir in butter and cheese. Stir in buttermilk and mix until dough just comes together. Scrape out onto well-floured work surface and pat dough to ½ inch thickness. Cut out biscuits with 2 ½ inch diameter round cutter. Repeat with remaining scraps of dough until you have 8 biscuits and transfer biscuits to prepared baking sheet.

Sprinkle red pepper sauce on tops of biscuits. Bake 12-15 minutes or until puffed and golden. Serve hot.

Lottery: Colleen