YULETIDE MEAL

Come to the table....

                This holiday season what we need is true peace as we reflect on the state of the world we live in.  We brought to the table our favorite home-cooked Christmas dishes, enjoyed a simple dinner and reflected on God's gift of peace and joy in the midst of turmoils & tragedies.  The recipient of our annual charitable giving is The Grace Place School, Inc., a start-up faith-based school in Pamplona Beach, Florida, for children resqued from sex-trafficking - www.graceplaceschool.org

May the Prince of Peace who lives in us grant us His unspeakable joy, this season and the year after.

Caprese Salad

Roast Chicken with Rosemary Potatoes

Roasted Garlic Brusselsprouts

Soda Bundt Cake

Recipes

Roast Chicken

Brining Solution:

1 Tbs. kosher salt

1 Tbs. brown sugar

1/4 cup of apple cider vinegar

Ice water enough to immerse whole chicken

Dry Rub:

1 Tbs. kosher salt

1 Tsp. fresh ground pepper

1 Tsp. cayenne

2 Tsp. paprika

2 Tsp. poultry seasoning

1 Tsp. cinnamon

Cavity Filler:

1 lemon (halved)

1/2 orange

2 sprigs of fresh sage

1. Brine chicken overnight in solution (refrigerated).

2. Take brine chicken out, pat dry and let sit for 15 minutes before seasoning with dry rub.

3. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

4. Mix dry rub ingredients together and season chicken all over, including inside cavity.

5. Fill cavity with lemon, orange & sage.

6. Place in roasting rack & pan, roast in oven for 1.5 hrs or until internal temperature reaches 160 degrees F.

7. Serve with Rosemary Potatoes.

Rosemary Potatoes

6 red potatoes, sliced to 1/2" thick.

1 Tbs. olive oil

1 Tbs. kosher salt

1 Tsp. fresh ground pepper

sprigs of fresh rosemary

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

2. Toss sliced potatoes with the rest of ingredients.

3. Place in baking dish & bake covered for 1 hr.


Soda Bundt Cake 
1 box lemon cake mix
1 - 3.4 oz instant lemon flavored pudding mix
1 1/2 cups clear soda (7-Up, Gingerale or Sierra Mist)
4 eggs
3/4 cup vegetable oil

Icing
Mix confectioner's sugar or cream cheese and lemon juice until smooth.

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
2. In a large bowl, mix all ingredients until smooth.
3. Pour into greased and floured 10 inch bundt cake pan and bake at 325 degrees for about 45 to 50 minutes or until set. Let cool and remove from pan and place on a wire rack.
4. Drizzle with lemon icing.











NOT YOUR GRANDMOTHER'S POTLUCK

          Back in the 80's while in college I often got invited to church potluck dinners where mid-western grandmas and church ladies brought oven-proof pyrex bakeware filled with "hot dish" or casserole.

This month it seemed timely to bring back the potluck idea.  I asked the ladies of our group to bring a modern twist to the church potluck theme.

We opened with cocktail, this time the tried & true Mimosas.

Next was a fresh take on Spinach Salad with

a sprinkling of Toasted Almonds and 

Pomegranate Blueberry Vinaigrette.

 

For the main course, given that this is November, some kind of turkey hot-dish would be most appropriate, thus we had Turkey Dressing Casserole served with a side dish of Glazed Carrot with Toasted Pecans.

Dessert was a modern take on Pumpkin Mousse adorned with crushed & whole gingersnap cookies, an ending accompanied by earnest prayers from our lips to God's ears.

Recipes

Turkey Dressing Casserole

1 lb. ground turkey

1 medium sweet onion, diced

1 cup diced sweet peppers

1 can (10.5 oz.) condensed cream of celery soup

1 cup low sodium chicken broth

1 box Pepperidge Farm Herb Seasoned Stuffing bread cubes

1 cup panko bread crumbs

1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

1 tbs.butter, room temp

1 tbs.olive oil

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

2. Heat olive oil on non-stick skillet, add ground turkey and saute until brown, remove from skillet into a large bowl.

4. Add butter to the same skillet and cook onion and sweet peppers until onion is transluscent.

5. Into ground turkey bowl, add mixture of cooked onion & peppers.

6. Add cream of celery soup, chicken broth & stuffing bread cubes into bowl, mix all ingredients well.

7. Pour into a 12"x8"x4" baking dish that's been sprayed with cooking oil,  spread evenly.

8. Bake for 20 minutes, remove from oven and sprinkle top with bread crumbs and parmesan cheese, bake for another 5-10 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Glazed Carrots with Toasted Pecans 

1 tbs. olive oil

6 cups diagonally sliced (1/4 in.) peeled carrots

1 tsp. minced fresh ginger

1 cup packed brown sugar

1 1/2 cups toasted pecan halves 

1. Heat oil in a nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat.

2. Add carrots and cook, stirring frequently, 4 minutes.

3. Stir in ginger and sugar and cook, stirring, until sugar melts, about 2 minutes.

4. Add pecans and cook until carrots are tender when pierced and mixture is glazed in sugar, 3 to 5 minutes.

Pumpkin Mousse Shooter 

2 oz. fat-free cream cheese, softened

1 can (15 oz) solid-pack pumpkin

3/4 cup fat-free milk

1 package vanilla fat-free sugar-free instant pudding mix

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp. ground ginger

1/8 tsp. ground cloves

3 cups thawed reduced-fat whipped topping, divided

4 gingersnap cookies, crushed 

1. Beat cream cheese in a medium bowl with electric mixer at medium speed until smooth.

2. Add pumpkin, milk, pudding mix, cinnamon, ginger and cloves and beat about 1 minute or until smooth.

3. Fold in 1 1/2 cups whipped topping.

4. Spoon 1/4 cup mousse into each of the eight 6 oz. dessert glasses.

5. Spoon 2 tablespoons whipped topping over mousse in each glass.

6. Top with 1/4 cup mousse. Cover and refrigerate for about an hour.

7. Just before serving, top each shooter with remaining whipped topping and gingersnap crushed cookie crumbs.



FARM TO TABLE

          Now that cooler weather is upon us, farmers markets are back in business in Arizona. We decided to take this opportunity to serve up dishes made with fresh vegetables from the local markets.

          What could be better to start the afternoon than having Pumpkin Pinapple cocktail?

          Following cocktail hour:  Garden Salad topped with Almonds, Raisins and Goat Cheese and served with Strawberry Vinaigrette.

          And for the main course: Organic Spaghetti Squash served with Sausage and Baby Portobello Mushroom sauce.

  

          Lastly, dessert: Vanilla Frozen Yogurt topped with Fresh Fruit coated with balsamic vinegar, maple syrup and a dash of cinnamon.

          We thanked God for earth's abundance as well as His overflowing blessings in our lives...

He is indeed good!

I KNOW WHAT YOU DID THIS SUMMER

         We're back from our summer break...

What a good thing to be lunching together again, sharing this year's summer memories & experiences.

Accordingly, I asked each person to bring something that's representative of their last 3 months, so here we go:



 

First Course:  2 choices of salads (right)

- Black Bean & Corn Salad with Mango, a recipe from a home-cooked dinner at a friend's house while vacationing in Oregon.

- Raspberry Goat Cheese Spinach Salad with Candied Walnuts representing a summer of gardening & oil painting.

Main Entree (left):

- Chicken Enchiladas from an R&R trip to Santa Fe.

- Roasted Acorn Squash with Honey-Lime Glazed Pepitas, a recipe from a cookbook purchased while staying at a B&B in Colorado.

Wine Pairing (below):

- Due Rossi (two reds) described as "an off dry red exhibiting aromas of oak and

blackberry followed by jammy blackberry quality with oaky and spicy finish" bought from the Ciccone Vineyard and Winery in Suttons Bay, MI while attending a family wedding in the Wolverine State.

Desserts: 2 choices of cakes (below)

- Indonesian Layer Spice Cake served with Coffee Luwak, both brought back from a 3-week vacation spent in Jakarta, Indonesia.

- Pineapple Upside Down Cake signifying a trip to Hawaii amidst a house turned upside down from remodeling.

 

  Exchanging stories brought us joy and gratitude in the fact that God trully watched over us, keeping us safe and sound while blessing us with wonderful memories.

Recipes

 

Black Bean and Corn Salad with Mango

To prepare Black Bean and Corn Salad:

1 can (15oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
2 cups frozen corn
½ red onion, diced
½ red pepper, diced
1 small jalapeno, diced (remove the seeds to make it less spicy)
1 mango, diced
3 tablespoon cilantro, rough chopped

 

Dressing:

2 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 tablespoons lime juice
½ teaspoon chili powder
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ black pepper

1. Mix all the salad ingredients except the cilantro in a bowl.
2. In a separate bowl whisk together ingredients for the dressing.
3. When the corn is complete thawed pour dressing over salad and mix well.
4. Add cilantro and toss. Serve salad cold.

Roasted Acorn Squash with Honey-Lime Glazed Pepitas

2 acorn squash, seeds removed, and cut into 8 equal wedges
2-3 teaspoons olive oil for brushing squash
1/4 cup unsalted peanuts
1/4 cup unsalted pepitas
juice of 1/2 lime
1/4 teaspoon lime zest
3 tablespoons quality honey
1 tablespoon water
1/4 teaspoon cider vinegar
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
salt to taste

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Line a baking pan with tinfoil (for easy clean up).
3. Brush the flesh of the squash with olive oil and roast flesh side down for 40-45 minutes, or until tender. 
4. In a small skillet over medium heat, add peanuts and pepitas.
5. Heat until golden brown and they begin to pop. Remove from heat.


Indonesian Layer Spiced Cake

12 oz butter
2Tbsp condensed milk
20 eggs yolks
5 oz confectioner's sugar
2 oz superfine flour, sifted with
1.5 tsp all spice
2 Tbsp rum

1. Preheat oven at 375 degrees F, line and grease a 6 inch cake pan.
2. Beat butter and condensed milk until smooth, leave aside.
3. In another bowl, beat egg yolks and sugar until pale and thick.
4. Fold butter into egg yolk mixture, then fold in sifted flour in 2 batches until combined,
add rum.  Put cake pan in the oven for 1 minute, remove. 
5. Pour a laddle of batter into pan and spread evenly.
6. Bake for 5 minutes until the top is light brown. 
7. Remove from oven and prick top of cake with toothpick to prevent air bubbles from forming.
8. Scoop the same amount of batter for the second layer.
9. Repeat the same process until all batter is gone, remove and cool on wire rack.





 

Wine Pairing:
- Due Rossi (two reds) described as "an off dry red exhibiting aromas of oak and
blackberry followed by jammy blackberry quality with oaky and spicy finish" bought from the Ciccone Vineyard and Winery in Suttons Bay, MI while attending a family wedding in the Wolverine State.

 

AFTERNOON TEA

        On our last gathering before we break for the summer, we welcomed three new members and an out of town guest. Now what could be more perfect to usher in the summer days ahead of us than delighting in an Afternoon Tea?  So we put on our bonnets, sipped some champagne, steeped our various flavors of tea and tasted a menu of delectables:

- Chilled Strawberry Almond Soup

- Fresh Fruit Salad

- Savory Scones

- Smoked Salmon & Dill Egg Sandwiches

- Tomato & Cucumber Sandwiches

- Vanilla Buttercream Tea Cake

- Thumbprint Tea Cookies

In closing we offered up prayers for a safe, healthy and rejuvenating summer for everyone. 

May the good Lord grant us glorious summer days and bring us back together all refreshed come autumn!

Chilled Strawberry Almond Soup

Fresh Fruit Salad

Savory Scones

Smoked Salmon & Dill Egg Sandwiches
and
Tomato & Cucumber Sandwiches

Vanilla Buttercream Tea Cake

Thumbprint Tea Cookies

ROAD TRIP

            In the spirit of Easter, we decided to take a road trip to Yarnell, AZ to view the 14 Stations of the Cross at St. Joseph's Shrine (www.stjoseph-shrine.org).  We kept the menu for the road trip simple: Turkey Couscous salad for main course and Brownies for dessert.

Picnic in the shade.

It was an hour and 45 minutes drive from Phoenix with some mountain-view sceneries sprinkled throughout the ride. As soon as we got there, we spread our picnic basket under a tree and got right down to lunch. Then we ascended through some rough steps between large boulders to view the beautiful carvings of the Stations of the Cross. The view from the top is quite remarkable. This time, God and nature certainly took center stage. As Jesus himself declared, "man does not live by bread alone...."

Turkey Couscous Salad

Homemade Brownies

One of the carved images set amidst boulders

ST. PAT'S ITALIAN DINNER

           A conventional St. Patrick's Day celebration would feature anything Irish with abundance of overflowing Guiness .  We decided, instead, to celebrate St. Patrick's Italian connection because he was, after all, a young Roman living in England who was taken captive to Ireland as a slave.
 

Featured as the main entree is a wonderful Italian dish called "Braciole" that one of the ladies expertly prepared for us.  It's served with pockets of angel hair pasta and red meat sauce and preceeded first by Bruschetta (topped with goat cheese and sun-dried tomatoes), then Italian Garden Salad.  For dessert: Tiramisu ice-cream cake - a perfect ending coupled with news of some exciting changes and answered prayers that are happening in our midst.

St. Patrick would certainly approve!

Our one nod to Ireland: green table setting

Bruschetta served with toppings of Goat Cheese and Sun-dried Tomatoes

Italian Garden Salad

Braciole: thin slices of meat rolled with a filling of egg,
served with Pockets of Angel Hair Pasta and Red Meat Sauce.

Tiramisu Ice Cream Cake

INDONESIAN LOVE FEAST

          This Valentine's weekend, I can't think of a better way to show my love & appreciation for the friendship I cherish with these women than to throw an Indonesian dinner (which is something I haven't done in 15 years).  

I still remember a thing or two on how to prepare such dinner, from watching my mother cooked in our tiny kitchen in Jakarta, Indonesia, where I grew up a long time ago.  If you ever want to try this cuisine, there are numerous web sites pertaining to Indonesian cooking, complete with pictures and recipes. The one I like most is www.tasty-indonesian-food.com.

For our event I decided to go with some of the more famous dishes, such as:

Lumpia (eggrolls)

Gado-gado (steamed vegetable salad with peanut dressing)

Sate Ayam (chicken satay served with peanut sauce)

Nasi Goreng Udang (shrimp fried rice)

Kue Pandan (pandan cake)

Es Buah (iced tropical fruit in coconut milk)

The hostess welcomed us with roses, champagne & heart-shaped chocolates and gave each guest a small potted rose plant to take home.  In addition, one of the ladies gave me a vintage-style apron as a Valentine's gift.  How could a woman not fall in love all over again with such sweet friends?

They are the ones who love you for who you are, who stand by you and hold hands in prayer with you - they're one of life's most priceless treasures.  I know what the apostle Paul meant when he said, "I thank God whenever I think of you", because I thank the Lord when I think of these women.

                  


What a welcoming sight: roses, champagne & chocolates...o, my!

 

Eggrolls with Tangy Tomato Garlic Sauce
 (notice the burned edges?  I was so excited about the champagne & chocolate that I forgot to take these out of the oven)

Steamed Vegetable Salad with Peanut Dressing

Chicken Satay with Peanut Sauce 

Shrimp Fried Rice

Pandan Cake drizzled with Chocolate Sauce & sprinkled with Toasted Coconuts

Iced Tropical Fruit in Coconut Milk