January 2017 Recipes

Warm Apple Juice with Mulling Spices from the Savory Spice Shop

Sandie Fenton

Chicken Ranch Log

Dixie Kelly

1 large can chicken, drained

8 ounces cream cheese

1 package Ranch Dressing

Chopped parsley

Chopped pecans

Using a fork, combine all ingredients until smooth. Form into a log or put in small bowl. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and chopped pecans.

Refrigerate several hours for optimum flavor.

                                                           

Vegetable Sandwich Spread

Dixie Kelly                                   

Yield:  40 triangle sandwiches

¼ cup cucumber

¼ cup green pepper

½ cup celery

¼ cup onion

¾ cup carrot

1/8 teaspoon dill weed

8 ounces cream cheese

1/8 teaspoon salt

Mix all ingredients together and spread on slices from a Pullman loaf of bread.  Cut into triangles.

Delightful Cherry Bars

Dixie Kelly

Base:

½ cup butter, softened

1 cup all-purpose flour                       

¼ cup sifted confectioners’ sugar

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Combine flour, butter and confectioners’ sugar and mix well.  Press into a 13 by 9- inch baking pan.  Bake for 12 minutes, or until light brown.

Filling:

1 ½ cup firmly packed brown sugar           

2 eggs

¼ cup all-purpose flour                                   

½ teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt                                              

 1 cup finely chopped walnuts or pecans

½ cup maraschino cherries, drained and chopped – save the juice

Combine flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Set aside. Combine brown sugar and eggs.  Beat at medium speed of an electric mixer until fluffy.  Add flour mixture to sugar and eggs and mix well.  Stir in walnuts and cherries.  Spread over crust.  Bake at 350 for 20 minutes or until set.  Cool and spread with cherry frosting.  Cut into bars.

Cherry Frosting:

2 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar                       

2 to 3 tablespoons, cherry juice or milk

3 tablespoon butter or margarine, softened           

½ teaspoon almond extract

Combine confectioners’ sugar and butter in a mixing bowl.  Add cherry juice or milk to desired consistency.  Stir in almond extract.   (I just put the butter in a saucepan and melted it).  Add the powdered sugar, juice and extract.  If you want more frosting just add some more powdered sugar and juice.)

Cinnamon Basil Lime Cookies

Sandie Fenton

Sandie made Dixie Spivey’s recipe from The Charlotte Herb Guild Cooks, the  1997 Herb Guild Cookbook.

2 cups sifted all-purpose flour

1½ teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

2/3 cup softened butter

1 cup sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 tablespoons chopped fresh cinnamon basil

1 tablespoon lime zest

1 cup raw pistachios

Sift the first three ingredients.  Set aside.  In a large mixing bowl, cream butter, add sugar and gradually add in egg, vanilla, basil and lime zest, beating until very light and fluffy.

At low speed, beat in dry ingredients in three or four additions.  Mix in nuts, using hands if necessary. 

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and divide in half.  Shape each half into 6 to 7-inch log.  Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm (at least 8 hours) or wrap again in several layers of foil and freeze for later use.  Thaw frozen dough in refrigerator until unfrozen, but firm

When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  With a very sharp knife, slice dough into 1/8-inch slices and place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet.  Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly brown.  Do not over bake.  Immediately and carefully, remove to wire rack to cool.  Store in an airtight container.

Date Nut Bread Sandwiches with Pineapple Ginger Cream Cheese Filling

Sandie Fenton  

1 cup chopped dates

1½ teaspoons baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

½ cup chopped walnuts (or pecans)

¾ cup boiling water

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup sugar

3 tablespoons shortening

2 scant cups flour

Cover first four ingredients with the boiling water and let cool.

Beat, egg and add sugar, vanilla and shortening and cream well.  Add in flour and date mixture with a spoon and mix well.  Bake into prepared bread pan and bake at 350 degrees for 50 to 60 minutes.

Cool and slice and spread with plain cream cheese or the Pineapple Ginger Cream Cheese Filling below.

Cook’s Note: I got this recipe from my mother-in-law who was a wonderful baker.  I always thought she should have worked in a test kitchen. 

Pineapple Ginger Cream Cheese Filling

Sandie Fenton

1 can (8 ounces) crushed pineapple (in 100% pineapple juice)

1 to 2 tablespoons mayonnaise

4 ounces cream cheese, softened

¼ cup finely chopped walnuts (or pecans)

½ teaspoon fresh ginger root, peeled and grated

Drain pineapple and mix with mayonnaise, cream cheese, walnuts and ginger.   Spread on sliced date nut bread and cover with another slice.  Cut in half or thirds, depending on the size of the bread.

Lemon Curd Tarts with Blueberries and Mint

Sandie Fenton

Yield: 2 cups lemon curd

Sandie used a recipe from former member Jane Ireton.

1 stick butter

1½ cups sugar

Pinch salt

½ cup fresh lemon juice (about 4 medium lemons)

4 eggs

Zest of 2 lemons

Blueberries, whipped cream and mint, for garnish

Using whisk, mix all together thoroughly, except zest. Cook in double boiler until thickened. Strain through fine mesh sieve. Add lemon zest and refrigerate. It will thicken further after refrigeration. Place 1 teaspoon curd in mini tart shells. Top with dollop of whipped cream and blueberry or fruit of choice.  Top with mint.