APPETIZERS RECIPES

Thank you to everyone who came. Everything was so delicious. Sorry it took so long to get these on the blog. It took me a while to figure out how to do this blogging thing. Anyway, here are the delicious recipes from our december get together.


Plum-Orange Freezer Jam

3 lbs. plums (about 10 medium)
1/2 c. water
1 tsp. grated orange peel
1/4 c. orange pulp (about 1 medium)
1 1/2 c. sugar
1/2 tsp. mace
1 pouch freezer jam pectin

Wash plums, drain. Pit and finely chop plums. Combine plums and water in a saucepot. Cover and simmer 5 minutes. Measure 3 3/4 c. cooked plums. Combine cooked plums, orange peel, orange pulp, sugar and mace in a medium bowl. Let stand 15 minutes. Gradually stir freezer jam pectin into friut mixture. Stir 3 minutes, let stand 5 minutes, landle into freezer jars or containers. Leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Adjust two-piece caps. Freeze. (I usually make a few batches at the end of the summer to use through the winter.)

I pour one small container Plum-Orange Freezer Jam over 1 8 oz. cream cheese block and serve with crackers.






Green Chili Bread - Karalee Monson


1 loaf French bread
butter
garlic salt
2 cans green chilies
2 c. mozzarella cheese
less than 1/4 c. miracle whip
parmesan cheese
parsley



Cut bread in half lengthwise. Butter both halves, sprinkle with garlic salt. Mix chilies and cheese and enough miracle whip to make spreadable. Spread on buttered bread. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and parsley.



Bake in 350 oven for 15-20 minutes or till cheese is bubbly.








Pesto Sun Dried Tomato Torte - Becky Sellers


3 8 oz. pkgs. cream cheese
1/2 c. grated parmesan
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 7 oz. container refrigerated pesto
1 8 oz. jar minced, oil packed sun dried tomatoes, well drained
Baguette slices


Place cream cheese, parmesan and garlic in food processor. Blend, and divide into thirds. Line a 5 cup mold or loaf pan with plastic wrap. Spoon 1/3 of cheese mixture in bottom of mold. Smooth top. Spoon pesto evenly over cheese layer. Spoon 1/3 cheese mix over pesto. Smooth top. Spoon tomatoes evenly over cheese layer. Spoon 1/3 of cheese mix over tomatoes. Strike filled mold on counter to pack down. Cover and refridgerate at least 24 hours.


When ready to serve, turn mold upside down onto platter. Remove plastic wrap. Serve with baguette slices.





Hot Pizza Dip - Becky Sellers


1 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese
1 tsp. dried Italian seasoning
1 c. shredded mozzarella cheese
3/4 c. shredded parmesan cheese
1 8 oz. can pizza sauce
2 TB green onion
2 TB chopped bell pepper

Combine cream cheese and Italian seasoning. Spread in bottom of 8 inch pan. Combine mozzarella and parmesan cheese and sprinkle half over cream cheese layer. Spread sauce on next. Sprinkle with the rest of the cheese. Top with bell pepper and green onion.


Bake in 350 oven for 15-18 minutes. Serve with sliced French bread.





Spinach Dip - Karlie Himle

1 box frozen chopped spinach, thawed, excess juice squeezed out and chopped a little more1

1 pkg knorr leek soup mix

1 small can water chestnuts, chopped
1 green onion, sliced

1 c. sour cream

1 c. mayo

Mix together and refridgerate overnight. Serve with crackers, bagel chips, or french bread.

Raspberry Almond Shortbread Cookies - Karlie Himle

1 c. butter, softened

2/3 c. white sugar

1/2 tsp. almond extract

2 c. white flour

Cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Mix in almond extract and then add flour, mixing until dough comes together. If dough is too soft refridgerate for 30 minutes. Roll into 1 1/2 inch balls and place on cookie sheet. Make indent and fill with raspberry jam.

Bake in 350 oven for 14-18 minutes. Let cool. Melt a little semi-sweet or dark chocolate. Place in a ziploc bag and snip off a small corner. Drizzle over the cookies.

Jalapeno Poppers - Miriam Deru

Jalapeno peppers

Cream cheese

Bacon

Wearing gloves wash the jalapenos and slice them lengthwise. Remove the seeds. Using the back of a spoon push cream cheese into each jalapenos half center, filling the center. Slice bacon in half. Wrap each jalapeno with bacon.

Lay on a foil covered baking sheet. Bake at 350 oven for 1 hour or until bacon is crispy.

Rosemary Bread - Janna Mangum

1 1/4 c. warm water

2 TB yeast

1 TB rosemary

1/4 c. olive oil

3 1/2 c. flour

2 tsp. salt

Dissolve yeast in warm water. Add and mix ingredients into soft dough. Flatten out like a pizza. (I flatten it out right on my pizza stone.) Poke holes with a finger half way through dough about 1 1/2 inches apart. Let raise 30 minutes. Brush with olive oil. Sprinkle with kosher salt. (I like to cut mine like breadsticks before I bake it.)

Bake at 400 oven for 15 minutes. Serve with olive oil and balsamic vinegar to dip it in.

Appetizer Anyone?

We all have an array of exciting get togethers at this time of year so, for the month of December come get some good ideas for appetizers that will amaze even the most hard to please.

I thought this would be fun because there is such a broad range of sweet, savory and salty flavors in this group. So feel free to bring your favorite(s), (I don't think I can narrow it down to just one!)

Hey, this is Karalee, I thought you all should know the next recipe group will be at my home. It will be 9 DECEMBER, 2010. We will meet at 11 am. It is so fun to visit and we know some of you have kindergartner's so if you can't make it right at 11 please still come! Hope to see you there . . . or here!!!

Thanksgiving Recipes

Thanks to everyone who came, and sorry this is so late! Here are the recipes:

Candied Sweet Potatoes (Karalee)
We agreed that Thanksgiving sweet potatoes are often too sugary. Karalee's recipe makes 'em just right.

4 large yams
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
2 Tbsp. butter, melted
sprinkle of salt for balance
1/2 bag marshmallows

1. Cover the yams with water in a large pot and boil for 25-35 minutes or till tender. When they are cool to the touch, peel and dice them. Put in an 8x10 pan.
   
2. Pour melted butter over yams; sprinkle with sugar. You can add more sugar/butter if you want them to be sweeter.
   
3. Cover and bake in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes, stirring 2 or 3 times. Top with the marshmallows and put in oven for 5 more minutes till marshmallows are toasted. EAT UP!!!

Super Easy Homemade Stuffing (Karalee)
So, I forgot to take pictures of the recipes... But here's a great look-alike! Just imagine the mushrooms you see are slices of sausage. Even better.

12-14 pieces of bread, diced or torn, dried on a cookie sheet overnight. (Just cover them with a thin dish towel.)

1 whole onion, chopped

3-5 stalks of celery, chopped

1 frozen box any flavor sausage links

1-2 cups chicken broth

Sage or poultry seasoning

1. Saute onion and celery in 1 Tbsp. olive oil. When tender put aside in 8x10 dish.
   
2. Add sausage links to pan. Heat till thoroughly cooked, slice in 3-4 pieces each.
   
3. Add dry bread, sausage, and a shake or two of sage or poultry seasoning to onion and celery mixture.
   
4. Pour 1 cup of the chicken broth over stuffing mixture; stir to combine. Add another cup of chicken broth if needed, I usually need about 1 1/2 cups. Don't add too much, you don't want soggy bread.
5. Heat, covered, in a 350 degree oven for 20-30 minutes. DEVOUR!!!
   

Lion House Dinner Rolls, Simplified (Kirsten)
These were particularly light, fluffy, moist, delicious, mouth-watering...

2 cups warm milk (110 to 115 degrees)
2 Tbsp. dry yeast
1/4 cup sugar
2 tsp. salt
1/3 cup butter, shortening, or margarine
1 egg
5 to 5 1/2 cups all-purpose flour or bread flour

1. Put warm milk in a large bowl or electric mixer. Add yeast, then sugar, salt, butter, egg, and 2 cups flour. Mix on low speed until ingredients are wet, then for 2 minutes at medium speed.
   
2. Add 2 more cups of flour and mix on low speed until ingredients are wet, then 2 minutes at medium speed. Add about 1 more cup of flour and mix again by hand or mixer. Dough should be soft, not overly sticky, and not stiff.
3. Scrape dough off sides of bowl and spray with cooking spray to prevent the dough from sticking to the sides of bowl or drying out. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise in warm place until double in size, about 45 minutes.
4. Make little balls of dough (about 1.5 inches in diameter), and place on greased cookie sheet about 2 inches apart. Allow to rise in a warm place again until about double in size, about 1 hour.
5. Bake at 375 degrees for 15 to 18 minutes. Brush tops of rolls with melted butter.
   

Pumpkin Pie Cake (Anya)

Ah, pumpkin pie cake. This was the hardest picture to find-- very few show the moistness of Anya's recipe. So good!

1 large can Libby's pumpkin (NOT pie filling)

1 1/2 cups sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ginger
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
4 large eggs
1 24 oz. can evaporated milk
1 box yellow cake mix

1. Mix pumpkin according to directions on back of can (I only do half the sugar and just the cinnamon for the spices, but it's good with all of it too!). Pour into a greased 9x13 cake pan.
2. Sprinkle 3/4 of a yellow cake mix to cover the top of prepared pumpkin. Using a fork or whisk, gently turn the cake mix down into the pumpkin leaving very little mix on top. The more you leave on top, the less cake-y it will be. I don't mix it too much though, so that there are little pockets of cake-y and little pockets of pumpkin.
3. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 40 minutes.
4. Top with whipped cream (the real stuff is the best!).

Pumpkin Bread (Amy)
Amy drizzled a sweet glaze over the top, making this delicious recipe even more mouth-watering.

3 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. salt
1 cup oil
4 eggs
2 cups pumpkin puree
3 cups sugar
2/3 cup water

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Make a well in the center.
2. In a separate bowl combine oil, eggs, pumpkin, sugar and water.
   
3. Add pumpkin mixture to flour mixture and beat for 1 to 2 minutes.
   
4. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 60 to 70 minutes.

Apple Crumb Pie (Miriam)
Look-- the first actual picture of one of our recipes! I've made this pie, um, 5 times in the last month. It's that good.

Pastry:
1 1/4 cups flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1/3 cup shortening
4 to 5 Tbsp. cold water

1. In a medium bowl stir together flour and salt. Using a pastry blender or two butter knives, cut in shortening until pieces are pea-sized.
2. Sprinkle 1 Tbsp. water over part of the flour mixture; gently toss with a fork. Push moistened dough to the side of the bowl. Repeat moistening flour mixture until all the flour mixture is moistened. Form dough into a ball.
3. Between two pieces of wax paper, roll dough into a circle a little larger than the pie pan's diameter. Peel off the top layer and invert into pie pan. Crimp edges. Set aside.

Pie Filling:
6 cups thinly sliced, peeled tart apples (I've tried all sorts, and Granny Smith are my favorite)
3/4 cup sugar
2 Tbsp. flour
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/8 tsp. nutmeg

1. Combine the sugar, flour, cinnamon and nutmeg. Add apple slices and gently toss until coated. Pour into pie pan.
   

Crumb Topping:
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
3 Tbsp. butter

1. Combine flour and brown sugar. Using a pastry blender or two butter knives, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle over apples.

Place pie on a cookie sheet to catch drippings. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 1 hour, or until apples are tender and filling is bubbly. If your oven "runs hot", line pastry edges with foil to prevent over-browning. Remove the foil after 40 minutes of baking.


Lemon Mint Ice (Becky)
A light, zippy slush-- the perfect appetizer to a heavier Thanksgiving meal.

8 cups water

2 cups sugar

1 12 oz. can pink lemonade

1 handful fresh mint leaves w/ stems removed

1. Put water and sugar into a large pot. Heat enough to dissolve sugar. Stir often. Remove from heat.
   
2. Add lemonade and mint leaves. Stir. Cool mixture. Remove leaves.
   
3. Pour into 9x13pan. Put in freezer. Freeze solid. Break up with a fork or potato masher. Serve in small cups.

Warm Artichoke Dip (Janna)
Mmmmm...

2 cans artichoke hearts
1 8 oz. cream cheese
1 small package shredded Parmesan cheese
1 small can mild chopped green chiles
1 cup mayonnaise
Slivered almonds

Drain artichoke hearts and cut into bits. Mix rest of ingredients, combine and bake in a 350 oven until hot. Sprinkle with slivered almonds.

Recipe Group For: THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 11TH @ 11:00 A.M.

Miriam has had a scheduling conflict and will no longer be able to host at her home this month.  Instead we will be meeting again at my home and we will meet at 11 a.m.

Because Thanksgiving is upon us we will go ahead and do any recipes from this holiday that you love to have.  That can mean just about anything, salads, breads, desserts, pies, mashed potatoes, etc.  Whatever you love to have at Thanksgiving and are excited to share we will be excited to eat!!

Next month we will meet at Karalee Monson's home and she will be deciding the theme soon.  Hope you all can make it!!

-Karlie

Change of Plans...

So Thursday the 11th is turning out to be busier than expected for me, and since it's also Stake Temple day (afternoon session at 1:00, evening session at 6:45), that affects all of us. I'd like to reschedule Recipe Group to be the following Thursday, November 18th.

Does that work for you?

With that change, I want to change the theme. It is, after all, the week before Thanksgiving, and I think that merits some preparatory baking! I'd like to change the theme to pie. We can do Mexican another time.


So Thursday, November 18th at 11:00, bring your favorite pie and its recipe, and let's eat!

Thanks all,
Miriam

November: Mexican!

Hi all, this is Miriam Deru. Our next meeting will be at my house, Thursday November 11th, at 11:00. The theme: Mexican.

We'll define 'Mexican' loosely. There are so many variations out there on enchiladas, burritos, tacos, rice, dips, and the rest, so whether authentic or personalized, bring a dish of one of your favorite recipes to share. I'll provide the toppings (lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream, cheese, salsa, etc.). It should be fun!

Hasta luego, amigas. (Oh yeah, brushin' up on my high school Spanish 1.)

Recipes from October Meeting (soups and bread)

Well ladies, I FINALLY took the time to sit down and get these recipes posted.  I know you said you would email me the recipes and I think that would be best next time, but my typing skills needed practice anyway. ;)  I hope you all enjoyed getting together as much as I did.  I know it was a little loud and crazy with all of the kiddos but I still enjoyed my time getting to have some normal adult conversation and eating a really yummy lunch with all of you.  I look forward to the next meeting at Miriam's home in November.  She'll be posting something about that coming up soon.


CREAMY CHICKEN RICE SOUP (Becky Sellers)

1/2 C. chopped onion
1 medium carrot, chopped
1 celery rib, chopped
1/2 tsp. minced garlic
1 Tbsp. canola oil
2 cans (14 1/2 oz. each) chicken broth
1/3 C. uncooked white rice
3/4 tsp. dried basil
1/4 tsp. pepper
3 Tbsp. flour
1- 5 oz. can evaporated milk
9 oz. diced cooked chicken

In a large saucepan saute the onion, carrot, celery and garlic in oil until tender.  Stir in the broth, rice, basil and pepper.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat: cover and simmer for 15 minutes or until rice is tender.  In a small bowl, combine the flour and milk until smooth: stir into soup.  Bring to a boil.  Cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened.  Stir in chicken: heat through.  Yield: 5 servings.

BREADSTICKS (Sara Havey) recipe to come:

WHITE CHICKEN CHILE (Miriam Deru)

In a large pot, saute:
1-2 lbs. chicken (bite-sized pieces)
1 med. onion
1 1/2 tsp. garlic (2 cloves)
1 Tbsp. olive oil

Add:
2 cans Great Northern Beans (drained)
1 can (14 oz.) chicken broth
1-2 cans diced green chilies (drained)
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cumin
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper (or ground red pepper if you prefer it less hot)
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. oregano

Simmer 30 minutes, then add:
1/2 cup warm whipping cream or whole milk and 1 c. sour cream.

DOUBLE CORN BREAD (Miriam Deru)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Melt 1 Tbsp. butter in a 9 in. round baking pan.  Swirl to coat.

In a medium bowl combine:
1 c. flour
3/4 c. corn meal
2-3 Tbsp. sugar
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. salt

In a small bowl combine:
2 beaten eggs
1 c. milk
1/4 c. cooking oil

Add egg mixture all at once to flour mixture.  Stir just until moistened. Add:

1/2 c. frozen whole kernel corn, thawed

Pour batter into hot pan.  Bake 15-20 minutes.

WHEAT BREAD (Janna Mangum)

In a 2 cup measuring cup:
3/4 c. warm water
1 Tbsp. yeast
1 Tbsp. sugar

In a large mixing bowl:
2/3 c. salad oil
2 tsp. salt
1/4 c. honey
2 c. hot tap water

Mix and add to liquid:
1/2 c. powdered milk
1/2 c. gluten flour
2 Tbsp. dough enhancer
1 c. white bean flour

Mix well and add yeast.  Add white wheat flour, just enough for the dough to start to pull away from the sides of the bowl as it's mixing.  Knead 8-10 minutes in the mixer with dough hook, longer if hand kneading.  Shape into 3 equal loaves and place in greased loaf pans.  Let rise until double in size.  Bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes.  Reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake 10 more minutes.  Butter top while hot.  Remove from pans and let cool on wire rack until stone cold before bagging.

CHICKEN CORN CHOWDER (Karlie Himle)

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 stalks of celery, finely chopped
1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 jalapeno, finely chopped, seeds and membrane removed (this is important for flavor – but doesn’t add heat because the seeds and membranes are removed and it is cooked with the other veggies)
1/4 cup thinly sliced or cooked chopped ham
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 (14-oz.) cans chicken broth
3 tablespoons flour
3 ears of fresh corn kernels or 1 1/2 cups frozen corn kernels
2 large chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
4 oz. softened cream cheese
1 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Place olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Saute celery, bell pepper, onion and jalapeno until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and ham; cook for another 3 minutes. Whisk the broth with the flour in a liquid measuring cup or bowl and then stir into the soup. Stir in the corn and chicken. Bring to a low boil and reduce heat. Whisk together the cream cheese and milk in a large bowl until smooth (soften the cream cheese until almost melted in the microwave). Whisk the cream cheese/milk mixture into the soup along with the salt, pepper and cheddar cheese. Simmer on low until ready to serve.

PUMPKIN SOUP (Karalee Monson)

Cook pumpkin or squash until tender.  Puree.  Use or freeze for later use.
(Canned would work just as good)

Saute onion until tender and puree. (I just use powder, it's easier.)
Melt 3 Tbsp. butter
Add 3 Tbsp. flour, make a roux
Add 3 c. milk (or cream if you're not on a diet)
Whisk until thickened. 
Add:
3 c. pureed pumpkin or squash to roux mix. 
Add salt, pepper, and a dash of basil to taste.

Ready, Set, Go............

I thought with the colder months just ahead that it would be a great start to our recipe sharing to begin with your favorite soups and breads in the month of October.

Here's how I would like to work this (and if any of you have suggestions, please let me know):

-Meet once a month.
-Bring something made and ready to share according to the theme for the month.  I will always post at least 2 items for our theme, but you can choose to make only one, or both, whichever you prefer.
-Bring only 1 copy of your recipe.  Pictures of your dish will be taken and posted on the blog along with your recipe.
-Host for the following recipe swap will be decided at the current meeting.
-Day/time and theme for the following month could be decided at the current meeting, unless you would rather have a schedule already put on the blog for the year which we could decide upon when we have our first meeting.
-Most likely we will schedule to meet on an afternoon around the lunch hour.
-Children are welcome to come.  I don't see how most of us would be able to avoid this anyhow.  If you're okay with that, so am I.
-Come ready to enjoy some great food!

I was thinking that we might do the first get-together on Thursday, October 14th at 12:00 noon.  Would this work for most of you? 

I'm excited to get to know all of you better and to have the opportunity to taste all your wonderful recipes!!  If you have questions, call me at #801-458-1262.  If you call the number on the ward list you will get my husband so use the one here instead.

*PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT OR CALL TO LET ME KNOW IF YOU WILL BE ABLE TO ATTEND.  WE WILL HAVE THE FIRST MEETING AT MY HOME.  THE ADDRESS IS 1733 N. 225 W.

Thanks,
Karlie