Every December the women's group in our church has its annual progressive dinner/bake-off, so for food for thought friday I'd love to recap the event. By about a week before the date we submit our favorite recipes, from appetizers to salads to desserts. These recipes are then pasted into a Word document, printed off, and punched with holes so they can be added to a binder chock full of recipes from years past. I even have some from 2001!
Last night was this year's progressive dinner and it was another successful year if you judge by the variety of dishes and great conversation. How does it work? We start at one house, split up into groups, and rotate among three or four houses sampling everyone's recipes. I've become an expert on how to pace myself so I'm not bursting at the seams by the time we arrive at the church for desserts and a program! I even take notes as I go, marking with two stars my favorites, one star the good but not great, and a dash for those I don't care for. I liked just about everything I tasted last night, but here are a few that I not only loved but are perfect for holiday entertaining. Enjoy!The Holiday Sprite
16 oz. can orange juice
16 oz. can lemonade
1/2 can sugar
1 tsp almond extract
1 tsp vanilla
1 liter Sprite
10 cans water
Mix ingredients together in large container and serve. Makes 18-20 servings. (How easy is that--and it was so good!)
Spinach Dip
1/3 of 10 oz. package frozen chopped spinach
1 8 oz. package cream cheese
2 cups mayonnaise
1/3 cup whipping cream
2 T dry minced onion
1 tsp Accent
1/2 tsp salt
2 T chives
Mix ingredients in blender. Serve with various cracker or warmed baguettes or French bread broken in pieces. (Not your typical Knorr spinach dip but this was to die for! Could it be the cream?!?!)
Corn Pudding
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 cup (8 oz.) sour cream
1 (8.5-oz.) package corn bread/muffin mix
1/2 cup milk
1 (15-oz) can whole kernel corn, drained
1 (14.75-oz) can cream-style corn
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a large mixing bowl cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each. Beat in sour cream. Gradually add mix alternating with milk. Fold in corn, Pour into greased 3-qt. baking dish. Bake uncovered for 45-50 minutes or until set and lightly browned. (Reminds me of Chevy's corn cake!)
Cranberry Salad
2 cups cranberries, ground
3 cups miniature marshmallows
3/4 cup sugar
2 cups apples, diced
1 cup heavy cream, whipped
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
1/4 tsp salt
Combine cranberries, sugar, and marshmallows and let set overnight. Add other ingredients and fold in the cream and chill. (Sweet, light and yummy!)
Baked Oatmeal Breakfast
3 cups quick oats
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 cup milk
2 eggs
1/2 cup butter, melted
Combine dry ingredients; then add wet ingredients. Pour into a 9x9 greased pan. Bake for 40-45 minutes. Crust should be golden and a bit crispy when done. Cut and serve in bowl. Eat plain or top with milk, raisins, dried or fresh fruit, nuts, etc. (This would be perfect for serving guests Christmas morning!)
Cinnamon Roasted Almonds
1 egg white
1 tsp cold water
4 cups whole almonds
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Lightly grease a 10x15 jellyroll pan. Lightly beat egg white. Add water and beat until frothy but not stiff. Add the nuts and stir until well coated. Mix sugar, salt and cinnamon and sprinkle over the nuts. Toss to coat and spread evenly on prepared pan. Bake 1 hour, stirring occasionally, until golden. Allow to cool. Store in airtight container. (These were almost a clone of those tantalizing ones from the mall kiosk--I could eat them by the fistful!) --Emily
Friday, December 14, 2007
good food and good friends make for a great night!
Friday, December 11, 2009
Recipe wrap-up, part 2
Last week I went through and put together a list of ten bookmarked recipes in an effort to get through the extensive collection of bookmarked pages in my browser. This week I'm giving you ten more...and it looks like I'll have enough for a part 3! Hopefully you'll discover some new recipes to try, new blogs to read and new indulgences to, well, indulge
in. Happy browsing!
After part 3 next week I'll be posting some of my favorite recipes from this year's church progressive dinner. You can find all my faves from 2008 here:
And here's one from 2007:
Friday, January 8, 2010
Fave breads and salads
Here are my favorite bread and salad recipes from our 2009 progressive dinner. For past recipes check out Monday's post and the bottom of this post. I won't stop until I've shared all my faves with you! But only a few at a time, mind you. This time of year it's all about portion control...
Bran Muffins
1 cup boiling water
3 cups All Bran (divided)
2 cups buttermilk
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup oil OR 1/3 cup oil + 6 tabelspoons flax seed meal
2 eggs
2 tablespoons molasses
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons soda
Combine water and 1 cup All Bran. Let cool then add 2 cups All Bran and buttermilk. Set aside. Cream sugar and oil. Add eggs, flax seed (if using) and molasses. Mix well then add dry ingredients. Stir in buttermilk/All Bran mixture until combined. Bake in greased muffin tins at 400° for 15 min.
Cornbread
3/4 cup melted butter
3 eggs
1 1/4 cup milk
2 1/2 cups Bisquick
1 cup sugar
1 cup cornmeal
1 tablespoon brown sugar
Stir together well. Pour into greased 9x13-inch pan. Bake at 350° for approximately 25 minutes.
No Knead Artisan Bread
3 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon rapid rise yeast
2 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons warm water
Mix all ingredients and let sit for at least 12 hours, preferably 18 hours. Dough will generally be loose and bubbly. Pour onto floured surface and fold over a couple of times. Let rest. Shape into loose ball and place on well-floured piece of wax paper or hand towel. Cover with towel and let rise 2-3 hours.
When dough has risen, place a covered casserole into oven and preheat to 450 degrees. You want the casserole dish to be very hot (no need to preheat the lid). Remove the dish from the oven, invert the dough into the dish, give a shake to center and place back into the oven and cover with lid. Bake at 450° for 35 minutes, remove lid and bake another 10-15 minutes until loaf is browned nicely. Remove from casserole and cool on wire rack.
BLT Salad
1 head lettuce
10 slices bacon fried crispy and crumbled
2 large tomatoes, diced
2 cups chicken, cooked and cubed
4 hard-boiled eggs, sliced
Sauce:
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup BBQ sauce
1 tablespoon onion, minced
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Mix and chill sauce. Just before serving toss salad with dressing. Or you can toss it all and chill overnight.
Fruity Lemon Salad
1 small pkg. lemon Jell-O
1 small pkg. lemon pudding (cooked, not instant)
1 cup whipped cream or Cool Whip
Dissolve lemon Jell-O in 1 1/2 cups boiling water. Cool in fridge until almost set. Prepare COOKED lemon pudding, following directions on box (adding an egg); then cool in fridge. When pudding and Jell-O are both partially set, whip them together with electric mixer. Fold in whipped cream (or Cool Whip).
Add any combination of fresh, canned, or frozen fruit, such as bananas, grapes, strawberries, apples, peaches, pineapple tidbits (drained), pears, Mandarin oranges (drained), blueberries. Also add mini-marshmallows or nuts. Chill until served.
Potato Salad
6 large potatoes, cooked and peeled
6 hard boiled eggs
sweet pickles, diced small (as many as desired)
Dressing: Experiment with portions since it depends on how much dressing you like.
Miracle whip
Mustard - just a little bit!
Sugar to taste
A little milk just to make creamy
A shake of celery seed and pepper
Mix dressing ingredients with a wire whisk, then pour over potatoes and eggs and mix gently with wooden spoon. It needs to sit at least four or five hours and tastes really good the next day! (Note: add dressing while the potatoes and eggs are still a little warm - not hot. The flavors seem to blend better.)
Image by prettytypewriters, shared via Flickr.
Friday, January 15, 2010
Fave soups & main dishes
This is about part three in a four-part series recapping my favorite recipes from our church's annual progressive dinner. You can read the first two posts here (appetizers and drinks) and here (breads and salads). Today I bring you soups and main dishes. You for sure need to try the two chilled berry soups. They are delish! Soup's on!
8 Can Soup
1 can (14 oz.) Veg-All
1 can (14 oz.) diced tomatoes
1 can (14 oz.) diced potatoes
1 can (14 oz.) vegetable soup
1 can (14 oz.) kernel corn
1 can (14 oz.) green beans, sliced
1 can (14 oz.) Hormel chili with beans
1 can (14 oz.) Hormel chili w/no beans
Mix all together and heat thoroughly. Serve w/grated cheese, sour cream and nacho chips.
Chilled Raspberry Soup
1 (32 oz.) nonfat raspberry yogurt
2 cups sour cream
1 cup Cran-Raspberry juice
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tablespoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon lemon juice
3 whole cloves
Set yogurt and sour cream to the side and chill. Stir together remaining ingredients. Cook in crock pot for 15 min. and sugar dissolves. When done, strain out whole cloves and put juice on ice. Add the yogurt and sour cream just before serving. Whisk together until smooth. op with berries when serving.
Cool Berry Soup
1 (32 oz.)plain or vanilla yogurt
1 - 1 1/2 cups sour cream
1/3 cup orange juice
1/3 cup pineapple juice
1 cup powdered sugar
Frozen berries
Combine all ingredients, whisk until all sugar is dissolved and is smooth. Serve with frozen berries on top.
Spicy Tomato Bisque
1 (28 oz.) can chopped tomatoes or tomato puree
1/3 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
3/4 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 cup milk
4 oz. cream cheese, cubed
In saucepan over medium heat, stir together tomato puree, red pepper flakes, black pepper, basil and sugar. Bring to a simmer, and cook 10 - 15 minutes. Whisk in cream cheese until well blended, then stir in the milk. Heat through without boiling. Serve with grilled cheese sandwiches!
White Chicken Chili
1 tablespoon. oil
1 lb chicken, cooked and diced
1 med. onion, chopped
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
2 cans great northern beans
1 can chicken broth
2 cans chopped green chilies
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon oregano
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 cup. sour cream
1/2 cup heavy cream
Sauté chicken, garlic and onion in oil in a skillet. Place in stock pot or crock pot with remaining ingredients except sour cream and heavy cream. Simmer for 30 minutes. Remove from heat and add sour cream and heavy cream. Stir and serve. Serves 6. For a lighter version, add 1 cup of Fat Free sour cream instead and omit cream. Still just as yummy!
Oven Kalua Pork
4-5 lbs pork roast (pork or shoulder)
1 T liquid smoke
2 1/2 tablespoons sea salt, divided
Preheat oven to 325. Rub pork with liquid smoke and 1 ½ T. salt. Wrap pork several times with foil and seal completely. Place pork in roasting pan and bake for 5 hours. After baking, shred pork, sprinkle with the remaining salt. Serve with rice.
Parmesan Chicken
4-8 chicken breast halves
1 pkg. Ranch dressing mix (dry)
1 cup crushed cornflake crumbs
1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1 cup butter, melted
Rinse chicken and pat dry. Mix all dry ingredients together. Melt butter in separate bowl. Dip chicken in butter and then in dry ingredients. Place in greased baking dish. Sprinkle remaining dry mixture on top. Bake at 350° for 30-35 minutes or until done.
Spinach Ravioli Lasagna w/Pesto Bread Crumbs
Note: all these ingredients can be found at Costco
1 (23 oz.) Alfredo Sauce, divided
1 (38 oz.) pkg. spinach & cheese ravioli, cooked according to directions
1/4 C. basil pesto
1 C. roasted red peppers, sliced into ½ inch strips
Pesto Bread Crumbs:
1 cup bread crumbs
1/2 cup basil pesto
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
Preheat oven to 350. Coat a 13x9 inch baking pan with cooking spray. To prepare the bread crumbs, mix all ingredients in a small bowl until thoroughly combined. Set aside.
Smooth 1 1/2 cups of Alfredo sauce over the bottom of the pan. Layer 18 of the ravioli in slightly overlapping rows - 3 across and 6 lengthwise. Tuck any extra ravioli into this layer. Smooth 1/2 cup Alfredo Sauce over the Ravioli. Place red pepper strips evenly across the top. Sprinkle with Pesto Bread Crumbs.
Cover with foil and bake until the sauce is bubbling, about 35 minutes. Remove the foil and broil until the bread crumbs are lightly browned. Let the Lasagna rest for about 5 minutes.
Taco Pie
1 can crescent rolls
1 lb. ground beef
1 pkg. taco seasoning
1/2 onion, chopped
1 sm. can tomato soup
1 cup sour cream
1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
2 cups crushed corn chips
Press crescent rolls into bottom and sides of a 9" pie dish for crust. Brown and drain ground beef. Add taco seasoning, onion and tomato soup. Layer into crust 1 cup crushed corn chips, meat mixture, sour cream, cheddar cheese and remaining corn chips. Bake at 375° for 20 - 25 minutes. Serve with chopped lettuce and tomatoes.
Image by Carol's Lines, shared via Flickr.
Monday, January 4, 2010
I don't do Mondays
The first Monday of 2010 is off to a shaky start thanks to a nasty cold both my husband and son lovingly shared with me. I can think of no better way to face piles of laundry, towers of Christmas decoration boxes, handfuls of Honeycomb cemented to the counter and a to-do list a mile long than with a pair of pj's, a box of Kleenex and some Nyquil.
On that to-do list is a post for Rocky Mountain Moms Blog AND gathering my thoughts for my first ever post on my new site. My new site is the silver lining around my somewhat cloudy forecast for the week. Quinn is almost done with the design and it's about time I started writing. I hope to unveil the new site within the next couple weeks whether all the kinks are worked out or not. Whoo hoo! I'll be focusing all my caffeinated energy elsewhere this week so forgive me if my posts here are few if any. One of my resolutions for 2010 is to do less online and more IRL (in real life) so something's gotta give...and this ol' blog is one of them!
But I don't want to leave you empty handed--or stomached--today so here are a few of my favorite appetizer recipes from my church's 2009 progressive dinner. I'll post a few more later in the week (breads, main dishes, desserts, etc.). By the way, even though the holidays are over that cranberry salsa would make a great appetizer, especially for Valentine's Day with its super rich red color! Enjoy!
Cranberry Salsa
1 bag fresh cranberries
1 bell pepper
1 to 3 tablespoons jalapeno
1/4 to 1 cup onion
2/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon salt
1/2 bunch cilantro
1 to 2 packages cream cheese
Chop everything separately then blend together in blender or food processor. Chill for at least 1 hour then serve over cream cheese.
Tortilla Pinwheels
1 8 oz pkg. cream cheese
1 4 oz can diced green chilies
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Garlic, salt and Tabasco to taste
1 cup sour cream
1 4 oz. can chopped black olives
1/2 cup (or less) diced green onions
5 10-inch flour tortillas (flavored if you choose)
Mix all ingredients together until creamy (except tortillas). Divide evenly and spread an even layer of mixture on each tortilla. Roll into a log shape and chill for up to 24 hours. Slice each log into 1 inch pieces and serve with salsa or guacamole as an appetizer.
Ranch Vegetable Bruschetta
1/2 cup Ranch Veggie Dip
1 loaf French bread, sliced diagonally into 1-inch slices
1/3 C. olive oil
1/2 English cucumber, diced
2 med. tomatoes, diced
1/4 cup chopped red onion
fresh dill springs
Preheat oven 400 degrees. Arrange bread slices on a tray. Brush each slice with olive oil. Sprinkle with a little salt. Toast bread 4 - 5 minutes until lightly browned. Cool completely. Spread each slice of toast with veggie dip. In medium mixing bowl combine cucumbers, tomatoes and onions. Spoon mixture onto each toasted slice of bread. Garnish with fresh dill sprigs.
Posts
