Recipes from the December Meeting of the Pioneers

Cei made Blueberry Scones Mix in a Jar from RazzledazzleRecipes.com


2 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup nonfat dry milk powder
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon dried lemon peel
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup shortening
1 cup dried blueberries

Stir together flour, sugar, milk, baking powder, lemon peel, and salt. Cut in shortening using a pastry cutter or fork until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in berries. Layer into a 1-quart canning jar, tapping gently on the counter between layers to settle before adding the next. Add additional dried blueberries to fill in small gaps if necessary.

This stores at room temperature for up to 6 weeks, or freeze for up to 6 months.

Blueberry Scones

Place jar contents in a large mixing bowl. Add 1 tsp vanilla. Add 1 beaten egg and 1/4 cup water; stir just until moistened. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and quickly knead gently for 12 to 15 strokes or until nearly smooth. Pat to 1/2 inch thickness. Cut into desired shape and place 1 inch apart on an ungreased baking sheet. Brush with milk. Bake at 400 degrees F for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden. Transfer to a rack to cool slightly, and serve warm.

Sybil made Creamy Almond Candy from EagleBrand.net

1 1/2 pounds vanilla-flavored candy coating*
1 (14 oz.) can Eagle Brand® Sweetened Condensed Milk
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon almond extract
3 cups (about 1 pound) whole almonds, toasted**

MELT candy coating, sweetened condensed milk and salt in a heavy saucepan over low heat. Remove from heat. Stir in almond extract, then almonds.
SPREAD evenly into wax paper-lined 15 x 10-inch jellyroll pan. Chill 2 hours or until firm.
TURN onto cutting board. Peel off paper; cut into triangles or squares. Store leftovers tightly covered at room temperature.
MICROWAVE METHOD
COMBINE candy coating, sweetened condensed milk and salt in 2-quart glass measure. Microwave on HIGH (100% power) 3 to 5 minutes, stirring after each 1 1/2 minutes. Stir until smooth. Proceed as above.
*Also called confectioners’ coating.
** To toast almonds, spread in single layer in heavy-bottomed skillet. Cook over medium heat 2 to 3 minutes, stirring frequently, until nuts are lightly browned. Remove from skillet immediately. Cool before using.

Attach the following instructions on a gift tag:

She also made Strawberry Angel Cookies freom Smuckers.com

Crisco® Original No-Stick Cooking Spray
1 (16 oz.) package Pillsbury® Angel Food Cake
3/4 cup Smucker's® Strawberry Sugar Free Preserves
OR 1 cup Smucker's® Special Recipe Strawberry Preserves
3 tablespoons mini semi-sweet chocolate chips


HEAT oven to 325°F. Coat baking sheet with no-stick cooking spray.
BEAT together cake mix and preserves (do not add water) at low speed of electric mixer 1 minute or until evenly moistened. Continue to beat an additional 1 minute. Stir in chocolate chips. Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto prepared baking sheet.
BAKE 10 to 12 minutes or until tops are just lightly browned. Cool 1 minute on baking sheet. Place on cooling rack to cool completely. Cookies will be soft and chewy.
TIP Store between sheets of wax paper to keep from sticking together

Sherry made Chocolate Chex Caramel Crunch Mix from Chex.com

8 cups Chocolate Chex® cereal
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
6 tablespoons butter or margarine
3 tablespoons light corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup white vanilla baking chips

1. Into large microwavable bowl, measure cereal; set aside. Line cookie sheet with waxed paper.
2. In 2-cup microwavable measuring cup, microwave brown sugar, butter and corn syrup uncovered on High 1 to 2 minutes, stirring after 1 minute, until melted and smooth. Stir in baking soda until dissolved. Pour over cereal, stirring until evenly coated. Microwave on High 3 minutes, stirring every minute. Spread on cookie sheet. Cool 10 minutes. Break into bite-size pieces.
3. In small microwavable bowl, microwave vanilla baking chips uncovered on High about 1 minute 30 seconds or until chips can be stirred smooth (bowl will be hot). Drizzle over snack. Refrigerate until set. Store in tightly covered container

DeeAnn made Egg Nog Cheesecake from ControllingMyChaos.blogspot.com

3 8-oz pkgs cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
2 Tbs flour
3/4 cup dairy eggnog
2 eggs
2 tsp rum extract
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp cinnamon
19 mini graham cracker pie crusts OR 2 9-inch crusts

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Blend softened cream cheese with sugar, flour, eggnog and eggs. Add rum extract, nutmeg and cinnamon.
Pour into pie crusts.
Bake at 425 degrees for 8 minutes. Reduce heat to 250 degrees and continue baking for 20 minutes, or until firm to the touch (longer for larger pies).
Remove from oven and cool.
Refrigerate.
Serve with whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon.

December's Meeting of the Pioneers

December's meeting will be held on Wednesday, December 9th at 6:30 p.m. at Cei Kratz' home. 44514 Loneoak Avenue

The Theme Is: Holiday Food Gifts

Hope to see you all there!

Super Sides Recipes

It was another wonderful night for the Recipe Pioneers. The dishes were ALL delicious and the company was even better. We are getting more and more sisters attending and that just adds to the fun.


Sharon brought Beets with Orange Vinaigrette from The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook

3 (15-ounce) cans baby beets, drained
2 tablespoons raspberry vinegar
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
3 tablespoons good olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup small-diced red onion (1 small onion)
2 large seedless oranges, zested
Segments 2 large seedless oranges

Drain the beets and dice into 1/2-inch cubes. Place the beets in a mixing bowl and add the raspberry vinegar, orange juice, olive oil, salt, pepper and red onions. Zest the oranges and then segment over a bowl to catch the juices. Add the orange zest, orange segments, and any juices and mix well. Taste for seasoning and serve cold or at room temperature.

Sybil brought Cheesy Chile Rice from Food Network Magazine

Mix 2 cups cooked rice, 1/2 cup sour cream, 1 cup chopped scallions, a 4-ounce can chopped green chiles (drained), 1 cup shredded cheddar, and salt and cayenne to taste. Butter a casserole dish and sprinkle with Parmesan. Spread the rice mixture in the dish, sprinkle with more Parmesan and dot with butter. Bake 20 minutes at 450 degrees.

She also brought Best Banana Bread Ever (as muffins)

1 cup butter or margarine
2 cups white sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
3 cups white flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 cup sour cream
1 cup nuts (optional)
4 medium bananas

Preheat oven to 350°F.
Grease and sugar the loaf pans.
In a large bowl combined melted butter and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla. Mix well. Combine flour, baking soda, and salt. Stir into the butter mixture until smooth. Fold in sour cream and bananas. Spread into pans.

Bake at 350°F for 60 minutes for large loaves and 30 minutes for small loaves or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes then take of our pans and cool completely.

Karen brought Grilled Scallions from Food Network Magazine

Prepare an outdoor grill to medium high heat. Brush the scallions with olive oil. Lay the scallions on the grill until you see distinct grill marks, about 2 minutes. Turn the scallions over and cook about 1 minute more. Transfer to 2 plates and serve warm.


Cei brought Pizza Potatoes from Great American Recipes

4 cups frozen hash brown potatoes, thawed
1 tsp salt
1 jar (2-1/2 oz) sliced mushrooms, divided
1 can (14-1/2 oz) chunky tomato sauce
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1 tsp sugar
3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/3 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
2 oz. sliced pepperoni
2 Tbs chopped green onions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a 9-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Add the potatoes. Sprinkle with salt. Make for 10 minutes. remove from oven and set aside.

Drain the mushrooms. Combine the tomato sauce, half of the mushrooms, Parmesan, Italian seasoning and sugar in a large bowl; mix well. Spread on top of the potatoes.

Sprinkle the mozzarella and Cheddar on top of the potato mixture. Arrange the remaining mushrooms, pepperoni and onions on top. bake until the cheese is melted and the mixture is hot and bubbly, about 10 minutes. Cut into wedges to serve.

DeeAnn brought Sweet Potato Rolls from AllRecipes.com

1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
4 tablespoons white sugar
1/2 cup canned sweet potato puree
1/2 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
3 tablespoons margarine, softened
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Dissolve yeast, warm water, and 1 tablespoon sugar in a mixing bowl. Let stand 5 minutes. Add remaining sugar, sweet potato, butter or margarine, salt, and slightly beaten eggs. Stir to mix well. Stir in 3 cups of flour. Turn out on a lightly floured surface. Knead 2 to 3 minutes, adding just enough of remaining flour to prevent sticking. Do not knead too heavily; when smooth, shape into a ball. Place in an oiled bowl, and turn to coat the surface. Cover, and let raise about 1 hour or longer. Punch down, and allow dough to rest for 2 minutes. Divide into 16 to 20 balls, and place on a greased cookie sheet or in a 9x13 inch pan. Allow to rise until doubled. Bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for 12 to 20 minutes. Serve warm.

She also brought Artichoke and Chickpea Stew from AllRecipes.com

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
6 cloves garlic, minced
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 carrots, chopped
4 medium Roma (plum) tomatoes, chopped (she used 1 can of diced tomatoes)
1 (15 ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and quartered
1 (15.5 ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained (she used cannelloni beans)
1 quart low-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
1 teaspoon lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste

Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat, cook the onion until translucent. Stir in the garlic and chili flakes; cook until the garlic has begun to soften, about 1 minute. Add the carrots, tomatoes, artichokes, garbanzo beans, and chicken broth. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to low and simmer until the carrots are tender.

Season with sage, lemon juice, salt, and pepper to taste. Cook for 5 to 10 minutes more to meld the flavors.

Mary brought Cheese-Topped Zucchini from Favorite Recipes from Utah Farm Bureau Women

3 medium zucchini
1 medium onion, diced
Oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Oregano
1 cup tomato sauce
Mozzarella slices
Parmesan cheese

Slice zucchini in halves lengthwise. In large skillet, saute onion until tender in small amount of oil. Add zucchini halves, cut-side-up; sprinkle with salt and pepper and a little oregano. Pour tomato sauce over zucchini. Cover and cook on medium heat until tender, about 10 minutes. Top zucchini with sliced mozzarella cheese; sprinkle with additional oregano an cook, covered, until cheese melts. Cover with Parmesan cheese and serve.

Sherry brought

November's Meeting of the Pioneers

This month's meeting is going to be held on Wednesday, November 11th at 6:30 p.m. We will meet at DeeAnn's home: 3614 W Oldfield St. The theme this month is Super Side Dishes. I can't wait to see what you come up with!

We will be deciding on next year's monthly themes, so if you want a vote, be there!

Fun Halloween Food

Check out this website for some fun Halloween food ideas:

http://hoosierhomemade.com/meals-oct-26-nov-1-halloween-dinner/

Pumpkin Recipes G A L O R E ! ! !

If you are feeling the urge to cook something with pumpkin check this site out:

http://amysfinerthings.com/pumpkin-recipes

Enjoy!

October's Pasta Recipes

Cei brought Pasta Primavera with HOMEMADE PASTA

1 (14 ½ oz) can diced tomatoes
1 (6oz) can tomato paste
¾ cup fresh broccoli florets
¾ cup thinly sliced carrots
¾ cup sliced onion
½ cup zucchini, cut into chunks
½ cup sliced green bell pepper
½ cup sliced red bell pepper
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 bay leaves
1 TBS olive oil
½ tsp dried basil
½ tsp dried rosemary
½ tsp dried oregano
½ tsp dried thyme
1 ½ tsp salt
1 tsp white sugar
½ cup water

In a large pot, combine all the ingredients – yep, ALL of them together in one go.
Heat to just boiling, cover and reduce heat to simmer. Stir occasionally. Cook until all vegetables are tender, approximately 45 minutes .
Serve with cooked past of your choice!

Sybil brought Artichoke Pasta Salad

1-lb. bow tie pasta, cooked according to package directions, drained, and cooled
6 oz. pitted sliced olives
8 oz. artichoke hearts, chopped
8 oz. feta cheese, cubed
8 oz. mozzarella cheese, cubed
Mix all ingredients in large bowl and set aside.

1 clove garlic, chopped
¼ cup fresh basil, chopped
½ tsp. dried thyme
¼ cup shredded parmesan cheese
¾ cup olive oil
¼ cup red wine vinegar
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
¼ tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
Mix all ingredients in food processor or blender and blend well. Gently toss salad mixture with salad dressing and chill. Serves 8

Mary brought Tom Cruise's Spaghetti Carbonara from The Oprah Show
Makes 4 servings

1/2 inch olive oil (for frying pan)
2 cloves minced garlic
1 chopped onion
8 to 12 thick slices Italian bacon
4 eggs
2 packages spaghetti
2 cups grated Parmesan cheese
In a frying pan, combine 1/2 inch of olive oil, 2 cloves of minced garlic, one chopped onion and the Italian bacon cut into small squares. Let simmer for about a half-hour, being careful not to let the oil get to a boiling point.

In a bowl, beat 4 eggs with lots of salt and fresh ground pepper.

Bring a pan of salted water to a boil. Cook both packages of spaghetti until al dente, drain and immediately add egg mixture to pasta. The eggs are actually cooked by the pasta. (Make sure the eggs are thoroughly cooked before proceeding.) Stir the egg mixture until it is well mixed. Pour in the mixture from the frying pan and stir. Finish with the Parmesan cheese and serve!

Sherry brought Mac and Cheese

2 cups shell macaroni
1/4 each grated cheddar, monterey jack, and provolone cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
1 - 15 oz can diced stewed tomatoes, drained
1 Tbsp butter
2 tsp fresh oregano

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook macaroni according to package instructions, drain and transfer to a 4- cup casserole dish. Stir in remaining ingredients and bake until bubbling, about 30 minutes. Serves 6

DeeAnn brought Blueberry Lasagna from CDKitchen

***Lasagna Filling***
16 Lasagna noodles
2 pounds ricotta cheese
4 Eggs
2 pints fresh blueberries (I used frozen)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
***Crunchy Topping***
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup rolled quick oats
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup finely chopped nuts of choice (I used almonds)
***Hazelnut Cream Sauce***
1 cup sour cream
1 cup Hazelnut coffee creamer

Hazelnut Cream Sauce Mix 1 Cup of sour cream and 1 Cup of Hazelnut coffee creamer together until completely blended. Spoon over lasagna when ready.

In a large pan of boiling, salted water cook lasagna noodles until they are done. Drain and rinse under cold water. Return the noodles to the pot and cover with enough cold water to cover the noodles. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Wash and drain berries. In a large bowl combine the ricotta cheese, eggs and vanilla. Stir in the berries. Set aside. Coat the bottom and sides of Two 9"X13" baking pans with cooking oil spray. Layer 4 noodles across the bottom of each pan overlapping slightly. Spread half of the filling over the noodles. Make another layer of noodles and filling. Prepare the topping. In a medium bowl, use your hands to mix together all ingredients until coarse crumbs form. Spread evenly over the berries in each pan. Bake 45 minutes or until topping is golden brown and filling is bubbly. Remove from the oven and let lasagna set 15 to 20 minutes in the pan before cutting into squares. Place a lasagna square on the plate and spoon over some hazelnut sauce over the top. Serves 10.

DeeAnn also brought Creamy Pumpkin Pasta from MomAdvice.com

2 garlic cloves
2 tbsp olive oil
1 pound package of Sweet Italian Sausage (removed from its casing)
2/3 cup to 2 cups pumpkin puree (depending on your personal taste)(I used 2 cups)
1 can chicken broth
¼ cup half & half
½ cup sour cream
¼ tsp nutmeg
1 tsp salt
¼ tsp white pepper
1 tsp sage
2 tbsp fresh parsley, minced
¼ cup Romano Cheese, shredded
1 pound penne or rotini pasta

In a large skillet sauté the garlic in the olive oil on medium heat. Add the sausage and cook until no longer pink, breaking the meat up with your spoon as you cook it. Remove sausage and garlic from the skillet. Pour the chicken broth into the skillet and deglaze the pan using a wire whisk, to bring up all of the flavors stuck to the pan. Whisk in the half and half, sour cream, pumpkin, and seasonings. Simmer for ten minutes. Meanwhile, boil the pasta in salted water until al dente. Drain pasta and stir into the pumpkin mixture along with the turkey sausage, simmering for another three minutes or until the sauce thickens and hugs the pasta. Stir in parsley and garnish with Romano and more parsley.

Side Note- If the sauce is too thick, thin it with a little addition of chicken broth until you get it to the right consistency.

A Little Teaser....

Guess what I am making for Recipe Pioneers this week??????

Blueberry Lasagna AND Creamy Pumpkin Pasta. Yes, there is dessert pasta out there!

Hope to see you all tomorrow nite!!!!

October Meeting of the Pioneers

October's meeting will be held on Wednesday, October 14th at 6:30 p.m. The theme is: Pasta. Does anyone have a dessert pasta recipe? Tee hee!

We will meet at Cei's home: 44515 Loneoak Avenue

Recipes from Today's Meeting of the Pioneers

Mary brought Enchiladas

1 lb chicken
1 pkg corn tortillas
1-2 tsp mild chili powder
1 onion, chopped
10 oz can enchilada sauce
8 oz can tomato sauce
flour, for thickening
salt and pepper to taste
1-1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese
1/2 head lettuce, shredded
2 tomatoes, chopped
1 avocado, diced

Cook meat with chili powder, salt, pepper, and onion. Add enchilada and tomato sauce. Rinse cans out with 2 cups of water and add to mixture. Add flour and water to thicken. Simmer for 10 minutes. One at a time, dip tortillas in meat-sauce mixture to soften and layer in a casserole dish; spoon a little meat mixture on the top. Alternate tortilla, meat mixture and cheese. If there is any sauce left, pour on the top, end with a layer of cheese.

Bake for 20 minutes in a 350 degree oven. Top with lettuce, tomatoes, and avocados and serve.

Serves 6.

Sybil brought Easy Garden Bake from Weight Watchers

1 cup chopped zucchini
1 medium onion, chopped
1 large tomato, chopped
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup Bisquick reduced fat baking mix
1 cup skim milk
2 eggs or 1/2 cup egg substitute
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Grease a 9 inch pie plate. Layer the zucchini, tomato, onion and cheese in pie plate. In small bowl, stir remaining ingredients together until well blended. Pour into pie plate.

Bake for 35 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes before serving.

Makes 6 servings. 2 points per serving.

DeeAnn brought Beef Enchilada Casserole

1 pound lean ground beef
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 can (about 10 ounces) red enchilada sauce
1 can (10 1/2 ounce) condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 can (10 1/4 ounce) cream of chicken soup
1 can (4 ounces) chopped green chili peppers
1 cup milk
1 small clove garlic, minced
1 package (about 11 ounces) chili Fritos
8 ounces grated Cheddar cheese or Mexican cheese blend
1 can (4 ounce) chopped ripe olives

Preheat oven to 375°

In a large skillet, brown ground beef with onion; remove from heat and drain off excess fat. Add chili sauce, soups, chopped chili peppers, milk, and minced garlic; mix well.

In a greased 9x13x2-inch baking pan, place a layer of half the Fritos; top with half of the ground beef mixture. Layer with remaining crumbled tortilla chips, then remaining meat mixture. Sprinkle cheddar cheese and chopped black olives over top. Bake at 375° for 35 to 40 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Cei brought Ham and Grits Casserole

4 cups water
¼ tsp salt
1 cup quick-cooking grits, uncooked
1 cup chopped reduced-fat, low salt ham
3 Tbs reduced-calorie margarine
1 tsp low-sodium Worcestershire sauce
1 cup egg substitute
vegetable cooking spray
½ cup shredded reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese

Combine 4 cups water and salt in a large saucepan; bring to a boil. Stir in grits; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes or until grits are thickened, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Add ham, margarine, and Worcestershire sauce; stir until margarine melts. Gradually add egg substitute, stirring well.

Spoon grits mixture into an 11x inc baking dish coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350°F for 45 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake 5 additional minutes or until cheese melts. Let sand 5 minutes before serving.

Yield: 8 servings

Sherry brought another enchilada type casserole.

1-1/2 lbs cooked ground beef
1/4 cup cooking oil
2 cups frozen bell pepper and onion stir fry
1 pkg taco seasoning mix
1/4 cup hot water
16 oz can refried beans
1/2 cup salsa-milk
2 cups Fritos
1-1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 can corn, drained

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Spray pan with cooking spray. Heat oil in a large skillet, add hamburger, pepper and onion stir fry. Cook until hot, add water, corn and taco seasoning mix. Simmer till water is absorbed, stirring occasionally. In a separate bowl mix salsa and refried beans. Spoon 1/2 beef mixture into baking dish, then add 1/2 of the bean mixture on top. Then place a layer of chips on top of that. repeat with a layer of meat, then bean mixture, then chips. Cover with aluminum foil, and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and add cheese to the top. Bake for 10 more minutes without foil.

Do You Have A Cheat Day?

Then check out this blog:

http://cheatdaycafe.blogspot.com/

All I can say is YUM-O!!!

Another Delectable Blog

This one has some tasty sounding recipes. I want to try the Grape Salsa!

http://lickablespoon.blogspot.com/

Fun new food website

I found this fun website today. The food looks D.E.L.I.C.I.O.U.S. and the music reminds me so much of my mission to West Virginia that I am ready to pack my bags.

Enjoy: http://theungourmet.blogspot.com/

The Funny Side of Baking

If you want to laugh till you cry you must go check out the Cake Wrecks website. If I am ever feeling down or blue I just click on my link and I am transformed into a laughing hyena instantly. Check it out!

http://cakewrecks.blogspot.com/

Recipes from our August Meeting

We (my fam) made a snap decision to head to Idaho for week, so I missed my own group again...but I heard the recipes were delicious. I was going to try my hand at Ceviche, which I have been wanting to try for some time. If and when I do I will add it to this post.

Thank you Sybil for hosting at your lovely home!

So, without further chatter, here they are:

Sybil brought Mexican Cobbler

12 flour tortillas
1 stick butter
1-1/2 cups water
1/4 tsp nutmeg
21 oz can apple pie filling
1-1/2 cups sugar
1 tsp cinnamon

Chop apples in the pie filling. Fill each tortilla with 1 Tbs filling and roll up. Place in a 13x9 inch pan with rolled end down.

In saucepan add remaining ingredients and heat until sugar is dissolved and butter is melted. Pour over tortillas. Cover and let sit in refrigeratore for at least 8 hours. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-45 minutes. Serve warm.

Sherry Kennedy brought Brigaderio

3 Tbs cocoa
1 Tbs hot chocolate mix
1 Tbs butter
14 oz can condensed milk

Cook in heavy pan on medium-low heat (the lower the heat, the longer it takes) 20-30 minutes or until mixture starts to come loose from the pan. Pour into a glass bowl that has been sprayed with Pam. Let cool. Grease hands, form into balls. Roll in cocoa powdered sugar, cinnamon, nuts, whatever desired.

Makes approximately 20

Nicole brought Chunky Guacamole from the Better Homes and Gardens website

2 medium plum tomatoes, seeded and finely chopped
1/4 of a small red onion, finely chopped
1 or 2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
2 ripe avocados, seeded, peeled, and coarsely mashed
Tortilla chips

1. In a bowl combine tomatoes, red onion, garlic, lime juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Gently stir in avacados. Cover the surface with plastic wrap. Chill for up to 1 hour. Serve with tortilla chips.

2. Makes 2 cups (sixteen 2-tablespoon servings)

August Meeing of the Pioneers

The next meeting of the Recipe Pioneers is Wednesday, August 12th at 6:30 pm
It will be held at Sybil Rees' home - 1350 Caren Court
Our theme for August is South of the Border
Please bring any dish that comes from South of the U.S. border. Either bring a copy of the recipe to DeeAnn or email it to her at anndeehi@gmail.com

See you all there!

Recipes from our July meeting

Our theme was salads and/or Asian foods.

Sybil brought Asian Chicken Salad

1 head Romaine lettuce, chopped
1 head lettuce, chopped
1 can mandarin oranges, drained
1 bunch green onions, sliced
1 bunch cilantro, chopped
1 large can crispy chow mien noodles
1 cup slivered almonds, toasted
1 ½ - 2 cups any type of Asian Salad dressing…I used the one from Costco.

Toss all ingredients together. Chill for 1 hour.

Nicole brought Greek Pasta Salad
12 oz. dried mostaccioli or penne (about 4 cups uncooked)
2 cups cherry tomatoes, quartered
1 medium cucumber, halved lengthwise and sliced
4 green onions, sliced
1/3 cup pitted kalamata olives, halved
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup lemon juice
2 Tbsp. snipped fresh basil or 2 tsp. dried basil, crushed
2 Tbsp. snipped fresh oregano or 2 tsp. dried oregano, crushed
1 Tbsp. anchovy paste (optional)
4 to 6 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
1 cup crumbled feta cheese (4 oz.)
Fresh oregano leaves
Directions
1. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain in a colander. Rinse with cold water; drain again.

2. In a large bowl toss together the cooked pasta, tomatoes, cucumber, green onions, and olives.

3. In a screw-top jar combine the olive oil, lemon juice, basil, the 2 tablespoons oregano, anchovy paste (if using), garlic, salt, and pepper. Cover and shake well. Drizzle over past mixture; toss to coat.

4. Cover and chill in refrigerator for as least 2 hours or up to 24 hours. To serve, add feta cheese; toss. Sprinkle fresh oregano leaves. Makes 12 to 16 side-dish servings


Sherry brought Chicken Naan Pockets

4 small naan
3 Tbsp low fat yogurt
1 1/2 tsp garam masala
1 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp salt
3 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp chopped fresh coriander
1 green chilli, chopped
1 lb boneless chicken, skinned and cubed


1. Cut into the middle of each naan to make a pocket, then set aside.

2. Mix together the yogurt, garam masala, chilli poder, slt, lemon juice, fresh coriander, and chopped green chilli
Pour the marinade over the chicken and leave to marinate for about 1 hour.

3. Preheat the grill to very hot, then lower to medium. Put the chicken in a grill pan or flameproof dish lined with foil. Grill for 15-20 minutes until tender and cooked through, turning the chicken pieces at least twice.

4. Remove from the heat and fill each naan with the chicken.


from "Healthy Indian Cooking" written by Shehzad Husain and Manisha Kanani

June Meeting is Cancelled

We will resume again in July on Wednesday the 8th...and will do Salads and Asian food both. So, two recipes each and we will have a very nice dinner together. Be sure to invite your friends!

Our Next Meeting

Wednesday, June 10th at 6:30 p.m. at DeeAnn's home

Theme: Salads
Bring any type of salad: pasta, chicken, green, Jell-o, fruit, all of the above (tee hee). Hope to see you all there!

May's Meeting Recipes - Brunch

Tonite's theme was Brunch and there were some yummmmmmy dishes!

Sharon brought Nutty Orange Coffee Cake from Paula Deen at Food Network
INGREDIENTS
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup chopped pecans
2 teaspoons orange zest
2 (12-ounce) cans refrigerated buttermilk biscuits (10 count)
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese
1/2 cup (1 stick) melted butter
1 cup sifted confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In a small bowl, combine the granulated sugar, pecans, and zest; set aside. Separate the biscuits. Place about 3/4 teaspoon cream cheese in the center of each biscuit. Fold each biscuit in half over the cheese, pressing the edges to seal. Dip the biscuits in melted butter, then dredge in the granulated sugar mixture. Place the biscuits, curved-side down, in a single layer in the hollows of a lightly greased 12-cup bundt pan, spacing them evenly (do not stack). Place any remaining biscuits around the tube, filling any gaps. Drizzle any remaining butter over the biscuits, and sprinkle with any remaining sugar mixture. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until golden brown. Immediately invert the cake onto a serving platter. Combine the confectioners' sugar and orange juice, stirring well; drizzle the glaze over the warm cake. Serve warm.


Mina brought Artichoke Chicken Salad with Toasties or Tea Sandwiches for a Brunch from a Costco flyer
Serves 4
INGREDIENTS
1 can chunk chicken, drained
2 tbs. Olive oil
1 tsp. lemon pepper salt
about 1/2 cup artichoke hearts, drained and sliced
DIRECTIONS
1. Mix ingredients in a medium bowl. Allow to refrigerate for at least 20 minutes before serving. Serve with toahsties (recipe below)
2. Lightly butter 8 slices of bread
3. Sprinkle each slice of bread with 1/4 teaspoon of garlic salt and 1/4 teaspoon of paprika
4. Bake at 450 degrees until toasted. Allow to stand for 5 minutes, and then cut bread into 1 inch chunks
5. Spread your chicken salad on toasties and enjoy!Or spread on bread of your choice with lettuce. (Mina had hers on croissants and the were scrumptious!)

DeeAnn brought English Muffin Loaves from BreadRecipe.com
INGREDIENTS
2 pkgs acrive dry yeast
6 cups all purpose flour
1 TBS white sugar
2 cups milk
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup water
1 tsp salt
cornmeal
DIRECTIONS
1. In a small saucepan, heat the milk and the water until very warm (NOT HOT).
2. Combine 3 cups flour, yeast, sugar, salt, and soda in a large bowl. Add the warmed milk and water, and beat well. Stir in enough of teh remaining flour to make a stiff batter. Spoon into two 9x5 inch loaf pans that have been greased and dusted with the cornmeal. Cover, and let rise in a warm place for 45 minutes.
3. Bake at 400 degrees F for 25 minutes. Remove from pans immediately, and let cool.

And Grits and Sausage Bake from VeryBestBaking.com
INGREDIENTS
1 pkg breakfast sausage, cooked, drained and crumbled
3 cups water
3/4 cup ALBERS quick grits
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided
2/3 cup evaporated milk
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/8 tsp hot pepper sauce
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8-inch square baking dish.
2. Bring water to a boil in a medium saucepan; slowly stir in grits. Cover; reduce heat to low. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 6 minutes. Add 1-1/2 cups cheese, evaporated milk, garlic powder and hot pepper sauce; stir until cheese is melted. Add sausage and eggs; stir well. Pour into prepared baking dish.
3. Bake for 1 hour. Top with remaining cheese. Bake for an additional 5 to 10 mintues or until cheese is melted and golden brown. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving. Season with black pepper.
NOTE
Batter can be made the day before; cover and refrigerate. Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before baking.

April's Meeting Recipes - Appetizers

I am still waiting for a friend to give me the recipes that were collected at the last meeting. But, here are a few that were emailed directly to me:

Christine brought Easy Italian Pinwheels from Pillsbury.com
INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (2 oz)
1/2 cup sliced pepperoni, finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
1 egg yolk
1 can (8 oz) Pillsbury® refrigerated crescent dinner rolls or 1 can (8 oz) Pillsbury® Crescent Recipe Creations™ refrigerated flaky dough sheet
1 egg white, beaten
DIRECTIONS
1. Heat oven to 375°F. In small bowl, mix cheese, pepperoni, oregano and egg yolk.
2. If using crescent rolls: Unroll dough; separate dough into 4 rectangles. Firmly press perforations to seal. If using dough sheet: Unroll dough; cut into 4 rectangles.
3. Spread each rectangle with about 3 tablespoons pepperoni mixture. Starting at shortest side, roll up each rectangle; pinch edges to seal. Cut each roll into 6 slices. Place, cut side down, 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Brush with beaten egg white.
4. Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm.
High Altitude (3500-6500 ft): No change.

Mina brought Taco Soup from Weight Watchers
INGREDIENTS
1 pound lean ground beef
1 onion -- chopped
1 pkg. Taco seasoning Mix
1 can pinto beans -- (16 ounce) - do not drain
1 (16 oz) can chili beans regular
1 can corn -- (16 ounce) - do not drain
2 cans stewed tomatoes -- (16 ounce)
DIRECTIONS
1. Brown meat & onions and drain.
2. Mix Ranch & Taco seasonings into meat.
3. Add rest of ingredients, do not drain
4. Simmer 1 hour.
2 Weight Watchers points per cup. I am not sure of the pointsbut, it can’t be more because I used less ingredients.
To make this appetizer low fat
In a Baked Doritos Cup-sprinkle low fat cheese – scoop taco soup mixture on top of cheese –top with light sour cream.

Another Great Blog for Cooking and Baking

Check this out!

http://lovinfromtheoven.blogspot.com/

How to Peel a Potato

Check out this video...I haven't tried this method, but it looks very easy and a lot better than using a peeler. Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z4W0qIPJmoo

April Meeting of the Pioneers

Our next meeting will be held on Wednesday, April 8th at 6:30 p.m. Jana will be hosting it at her home: 3047 W Avenue J-4.

The theme for April is Appetizers.

We hope to see you all there!

What’s In The Pot???

Last night's meeting of the Recipe Pioneers had a theme of Crock-Pot or Fondue Pot. Again the dishes that were brought were delicious. Kari, thanks for hosting it in your home!

Here are the recipes I have collected so far:

Jana brought Sweet Shredded Pork (Café Rio)

3-4 pounds pork
1 small bottle taco sauce
1 Tablespoon cumin
1 cup brown sugar
1 can coke

Cover pork half way with water and cook in crock pot on high for 2 hours.
Shred the pork, removing all but ½ inch of water in the crock pot.
Return the port to the crock pot with the remaining ingredients.
Cook an additional 3 to 4 hours on low.
Serve as par of Café Rio salad or in tacos or burritos.

Kari brought Herbed Chicken and Stuffing Supper
(Betty Crocker’s Slow Cooker Cookbook)

3 pounds bone-in chicken pieces, skin removed
1 can (10 ¾ ounces) condensed cream of chicken with herbs soup
4 sweet potatoes or yams, peeled and cut into ½-inch slices
1 package (6 ounces) stuffing mix for chicken
1 ¼ cups water
¼ cup margarine or butter, melted
1 cup frozen (thawed) cut green beans

Place chicken in 5 to 6 quart slow cooker. Spoon soup over chicken. Top with sweet potatoes. Mix stuffing mix, water and margarine; spoon over sweet potatoes.

Cover and cook on low heat for 4 to 6 hours or until potatoes are tender and juice of chicken is no longer pink when centers of thickest pieces are cut.

Sprinkle green beans over stuffing. Cover and cook on low heat for 15 to 20 minutes or until beans are tender.

Mina brought Busy Day Crockpot Chicken and Rice
(Weight Watchers Crock Pot Recipes)
(3.5 points per serving)

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 cans 98% fat-free cream of chicken soup
1 can 98% fat-free cream of mushroom soup
1 box chicken flavor Rice-A-Roni
Put chicken and soups into the crock pot, turn on low for 8-10 hours. When you get home, cook the rice according to package directions. Serve the chicken and gravy over rice.

Lori brought Cool & Creamy Chocolate Fondue (Pampered Chef)

¾ cup semi0sweet chocolate morsels (Lori suggested milk chocolate instead)
1 container (8 ounces) frozen whipped topping, thawed
½ teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon rum or vanilla extract (optional)
Assorted fresh fruit dippers such as whole strawberries, apple, peach, or pear wedges

Place chocolate morsels and half of the whipped topping in small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave, uncovered, on high for 1 minute or until chocolate is melted and smooth, stirring after each 20-second interval. Fold in remaining whipped topping, cinnamon and rum extract, if desired. Mix until smooth. Cover; refrigerate at least 30 minutes.

To serve, spoon fondue into small bowl. Serve with fruit dippers.

DeeAnn brought Slow Cooker Reuben Dip (Allrecipes.com)

1 16-oz jar sauerkraut, drained
1 8-oz package cream cheese, softened
2 cups shredded Swiss cheese
2 cups cooked corned beef
¼ Thousand Island dressing

In a slow cooker, combine all the ingredients. Cover and cook on high for 45 minutes (or on low for several hours). Stir occasionally while cooking.

Serve with cocktail rye or crackers.

Debbie brought Hot Guac

and

Christine brought Chicken Fajitas(Mable Hoffman's Crockery Cookery)

1-1/2 to 2 lbs. flank or skirt steak, or boneless chicken
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 red or greeen bell pepper, sliced
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 jalapeno chile, seeded and finely chopped
2 teaspoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
8 to 10 warm flour tortillas
1/2 cup sour cream
1 avocado, peeled, pitted and thinly sliced

Cut meat across the grain into 1/2-inch diagonal strips. Place in a slow cooker. Top with onion and bell pepper. In a small bowl, combine garlic, chile, chili powder, cumin, salt, oil and lemon juice. Pour mixture over meat. Cover and cook on Low for 6to 7 hours or until meat is tender. Spoon several slices of meat with sauce into center of each warm tortilla. Fold over. Top with sour cream and avocado.

Fun Website

I was surfing the net today and found this fun website. You just type in your leftover ingredients and it gives you recipes you can make to use them up. Have fun!
http://www.recipematcher.com/

March Meeting of the Pioneers

Okay, now that we have enjoyed our evening of soups it is time to start planning for next month. Our meeting will be held on Wednesday, March 11th at 6:30 p.m. and will be at Kari Briggs home. Her address is: 42854 Normandy Lane and her number is 722-6762 if you need directions.

The theme for March is: Crock Pot or Fondue Pot.

It can be ANYTHING that is made in one of those two pots from appetizers to dessert and everything in between. Be brave and try something new this month. You may be able to add something new to your meal rotation. I know that ALL the soups are going to be added to my list of meals to make.


Hope to see you all there!

Soups Galore!

It was a great meeting of the “Pioneers” last night. We had some scrumptious soups to share and we were all warm and cozy after trying them. Thanks to everyone who came. Here are some of the recipes that we enjoyed.

Sybil Rees brought Creamy Artichoke Soup (Giada De Laurentiis)

2 TBS extra-virgin olive oil
2 leeks, white part only, washed well and chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 small potato, peeled and chopped
1 (8 oz) pkg frozen artichoke hearts, thawed
2 cups chicken stock
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 TBS plus 1/3 cup mascarpone cheese
2 TBS chopped chives, for garnish

Heat olive oil in heavy, large pot over medium heat. Add the leeks and the garlic and stir. Add the potatoes and cook for 5 minutes, stirring often. Add the artichokes, stock, salt, and pepper and cook until the vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes.

Using a handheld immersion blender, or in a blender in batches*, puree the soup. Add the 2 tablespoons mascarpone cheese and blend again to combine. In a small bowl, stir the remaining 1/3 cup mascarpone to soften.

Ladle the soup into serving bowls. Dollop the top of each of the soups with a spoonful of the softened mascarpone cheese and top the cheese with chives.

*When blending hot liquids: remove liquid from the heat and allow to cool for at least 5 minutes. Transfer liquid to a blender or food processor and fill it no more than halfway. If using a blender, release one corner of the lid. This prevents the vacuum effect that creates heat explosions. Place a towel over the top of the machine, pulse a few times then process on high speed until smooth.

Mary Smith brought Chicken Tortilla Soup (Sharon Beesley)

In a crockpot combine:

1 32-oz carton organic chicken broth
1 can black beans (do not rinse or drain)
1 can tomato sauce
1 can diced tomatoes with jalapenos
2 cups fresh salsa
3 frozen, boneless/skinless chicken breasts

Cook all day. Remove the chicken breasts and shred into bite size pieces. Return to crockpot. Add 1 can of corn, undrained.

To serve:
Place crumbled tortilla chips in bottom of bowls, ladle soup on top of chips. Serve with the following toppings:
Grated cheese, sour cream, sliced black olives, avocado chunks.

Mina Krutsch brought Longevity Noodle Soup (Swanson)

4 teaspoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon sesame oil
8 cups Swanson® Chicken Broth (regular, Natural Goodness™ or Certified Organic)
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 eggs, beaten
16 ounces thin spaghetti, cooked and drained
¼ lb. Sliced cooked ham, cut into 2” strips (about 1 cup)
green onions, sliced (about ½ cup)
1 clove garlic, minced

1. Stir cornstarch, water and sesame oil in a small cup. Set aside.
2. Heat broth, and soy sauce in a 3-qt. saucepan over medium-high heat to a boil. Stir cornstarch mixture and stir it into the saucepan. Cook and stir until mixture is slightly thickened.
3. Reduce heat to low. Add the eggs in a slow, steady stream, stirring while adding. Remove the saucepan from heat. Divide the pasta, ham and green onions among 8 servings bowls. Ladle about 1-cup broth mixture into each bowl. Serve immediately.

DeeAnn Haworth brought Cream of Corn Crab Soup (Favorite Recipes from Quilters cookbook)

8-oz pkg cream cheese, softened
3 cups sour cream
2 7-oz cans crab meat
Juice of ½ lemon
Salt and pepper to taste
¼ tsp garlic powder
4 TBS butter
4 TBS flour
2-3 cups milk
1 ½ - 2 cups corn
1-2 cups croutons

1. Beat cream cheese until smooth. Add sour cream, crab, lemon juice and seasonings and mix well.
2. In a large saucepan melt butter. Add flour and cook until bubbly. Turn to low heat and slowly add milk, stirring continuously to make a smooth white sauce. Add corn and cream cheese mixture and heat through, stirring until smooth.
3. Serve with croutons.

The other recipes will be added when I receive them. Enjoy!
(I was so excited to try all the soups that I forgot to take pictures, so the only photo we have is one from Food Network of Sybil's soup.)

Fish Chowder

I tried this great recipe yesterday. I found it on the Crockpot 365 blog. It was delicious. Even my 3 year old loved it. The only downside is the house still smells like fish...oh well. It was worth it. If you like seafood you gotta try this one! Enjoy.

Fish Chowder

1 lb of white fish (I used frozen Orange Roughy from Trader Joe's)
3 cups of chicken broth
9 baby potatoes (or 10. but not 11.)
1 cup frozen roasted corn
1/2 white onion
handful baby carrots
heart of celery
3-4 cloves of garlic
1/2 t black pepper
salt (to taste, especially if using homemade broth)
2 cups frozen shrimp (to add later)
1 cup heavy whipping cream (to add later)

--chop up all the vegetables. I used my handy-dandy Pampered Chef chopper
--cube the fish, it's okay if it's still frozen.
--dump everything except the cream and the shrimp into your stoneware insert

cook on low for 8-10 hours, or until the potatoes are tender. If your veggies are too big for your taste, use an immersion blender to smooth it out.

30 minutes before serving, stir in your cup of cream and the frozen shrimp. Turn your crockpot to high for the last 30 minutes.

Serve with a bit of fresh parmesan cheese.

February 2009 Meeting Info

Our February meeting will be held on Wednesday, February 11th at 6:30 p.m. at DeeAnn Haworth's home.

Please bring your dish, one copy of the recipe (make sure to state your source) with any hints or tips you discovered when preparing the recipe.

The theme for February is SOUPS.