Recipes from February Potluck Dinner


Deviled Eggs from Holly Jeffries
6 large eggs
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 ½ tablespoons sweet pickle relish
1 teaspoon prepared mustard
1/8 teaspoon salt
Dash of pepper
Garnish with paprika
Place eggs in a single layer in a saucepan; add water to a depth of 3 inches. Bring to a boil; cover, remove from heat, and let stand 15 minutes. Drain immediately and fill the saucepan with cold water and ice. Tap each egg firmly on the counter until cracks form all over the shell. Peel under cold running water. Slice eggs in half lengthwise and carefully remove yolks. Mash yolks with mayonnaise. Add relish, mustard, salt, and pepper; stir well. Spoon yolk mixture into egg whites. Garnish, if desired.
Caprese Salad Skewers from Holly Jefferies
Cherry tomatoes
Mozzarella balls
Fresh basil
Olive oil
1 cup balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper

Assemble, tomatoes, basil (rolled from one end to the other), and mozzarella balls on medium-sized toothpicks. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
To make balsamic glaze, add one cup of balsamic vinegar to a sauce pan over medium heat. Once it comes to a boil, set on simmer for about 10-15 minutes until it reduces to a syrup consistency. You can check by dipping a spoon in the balsamic and if it covers the back of it, it's done. As it cools, it will thicken a bit more then drizzle on top of caprese salad skewers.

Chicken Marbella from Suzanne Williams
6 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Salt and freshly ground pepper
½ cup red wine vinegar
½ cup olive oil
1 cup white wine
1 cup brown sugar
½ cup dried pitted prunes, cut in half
 ½ cup dried apricots, cut in half
½ cup pitted and Spanish green olives
½ cup capers and a little juice
1 tablespoon minced garlic
⅛ cup dried oregano
½ cup chopped fresh parsley
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Heat a large, non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Spray the pan with a little olive oil non-stick spray (or brush lightly with olive oil) and place three of the chicken breasts in the pan. Cook the chicken until it begins to brown, about 2 minutes, then turn and lightly brown them on the other side. Remove chicken to a baking sheet lined with foil (the chicken will not be fully cooked at this point).Wipe out the pan if necessary, and then repeat the browning process with the remaining three chicken breasts.
Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake the chicken just until it is cooked through. (Test by cutting into a piece or using a meat thermometer - chicken should be 165 degrees). Be careful not to overcook the chicken or it will be dry. When the chicken is fully cooked, remove from the oven to cool.
In a large saucepan, combine the red wine vinegar, olive oil, white wine, brown sugar, prunes, dried apricots, Spanish olives, capers, garlic, and oregano. Heat the marinade to a boil and cook for one minute more. Stir in the parsley and remove from heat.
Slice each chicken breast diagonally into thin strips. Place the chicken into a glass or ceramic casserole or other dish with sides, and pour the marinade over the chicken. Wrap tightly and refrigerate for at least 4 hours and up to two days. Chicken Breast Marbella can be reheated before serving covered tightly with foil or a lid. Or, serve it cold or at room temperature.

Lentil Salad with Fresh Vegetables and Curry Dressing from Ann Baldwin  
From the St. Louis Herb Society Cookbook

6 cups chicken broth
2 cups dried lentils, rinsed and drained (Note: Brown or green lentils are acceptable for this dish, but French or black lentils are preferred.  They are smaller, creamier, and more attractive.)
Assortment of fresh vegetables, such as blanched chilled broccoli or cauliflower florets, a mixture of red, green, orange, or yellow bell peppers, grated carrots, chopped zucchini, sliced celery, chopped scallions and/or sliced red onions
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

To prepare the salad, bring the broth to a boil in a large saucepan.  Add the lentils.  Simmer gently for 20 to 25 minutes or just until tender.  Drain in a colander and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process.  Drain thoroughly and place in a large bowl.  Add the dressing and assorted fresh vegetables and toss to mix.  Cover and refrigerate for 4 hours or longer.  Add the parsley just before serving and toss to mix.
For the Curry Dressing, whisk the olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice, curry powder, and garlic in a small bowl.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper. (I chose to add the curry sauce to the vegetables and the vegetables to the lentils just before serving.)
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
4 teaspoons curry powder
2 garlic cloves, crushed
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Parsnip and Pear Salad from Susan Poel
Salad
1 pound parsnips
½ pound celery ribs
2 Bosc pears
8 sprigs fresh flat-leaf parsley

Heat the oven to 425°F.
Peel the parsnips and trim off the ends; cut the parsnips in half lengthwise, then crosswise into ¼-inch-thick half-moons.
On parchment-lined sheet pan, toss the parsnips with 1 to 2 tablespoons oil; season with salt and pepper and spread in an even layer. Roast 10 to 12 minutes, stirring halfway through, until the parsnips are tender and lightly browned. Transfer the parsnips to a medium bowl.
Trim the ends from the celery; cut the celery on the diagonal into 1-inch pieces. Add to bowl with parsnips.
Cut the pear into quarters lengthwise and cut away the core; cut each quarter lengthwise into ½-inch-thick slices, then crosswise into ½-inch pieces.   Add to bowl with parsnips and celery.
Strip the parsley leaves from the stems; coarsely chop the leaves and add to bowl with all other ingredients. Toss with vinaigrette.

Cinnamon vinaigrette
1/3 cup sherry vinegar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon coriander powder
2 tablespoons maple syrup
½ cup mild olive oil or grape seed oil

In a small bowl, stir together all ingredients and season to taste with salt and pepper.
Sicilian Vegetable Medley from Mary Beth Collins
This recipe came with the Instant Pot and has become a favorite.  Modified from Laura Pazzaglia at www.HipPressureCooking.com.

1 large eggplant, peeled and cubed
1 teaspoon salt
¼ cup olive oil
1 medium pepper (red or yellow), cut into strips
2 medium zucchini, cut into rounds
1 onion, cut into thin wedges
2 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
10 cherry tomatoes, halved
1 tablespoon capers, strained and rinsed
1 tablespoon pine nuts
1 tablespoon raisins
¼ cup olives, pits removed
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 teaspoons dried basil
1 bunch fresh basil leaves, for garnish
Pine nuts, for garnish
Crumbled feta cheese with Mediterranean herbs (Trader Joes), garnish

Put the eggplant cubes in a strainer and sprinkle with salt.  Leave it to sweat for 30 minutes. Preheat the pressure cooker on “Sauté”.  Add the olive oil and brown the vegetables.  First add the eggplant and potatoes. Stir frequently for about 3 minutes. Add the peppers and onions, stir frequently for another 3 minutes, and then add the zucchini.  Stir again for 3 minutes. Add the pine nuts, raisins, olives, capers, salt and pepper, and dried basil.
Close and lock the lid of the pressure cooker.  Press “Pressure Cook” and set 6 minutes of pressure cooking time.  When the time is up, release the pressure quickly.  Transfer the contents of the pressure cooker to a serving dish to stop the vegetables from cooking.  Serve at room temperature with fresh basil, pine nuts, and crumbled feta cheese.  

Tomato Crostata with Honey-Thyme Glaze from Lynn Lytle
From The New York Times

Crust
1 cup of all-purpose flour, more for rolling out dough
½ cup fine cornmeal
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
10 tablespoons cold, unsalted butter cut into small cubes
½ cup grated extra-sharp cheddar cheese
In a food processor, briefly pulse the flour, corneal and salt. Add butter and cheese and pulse until mixture forms chick-pea size pieces. Add ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, up to 6 tablespoons, pulsing occasionally until mixture is just moist enough to hold together. Form dough into a ball, wrap with plastic and flatten into a disk. Refrigerate at least 2 hours.
Filling
1 ½ pounds different-colored tomatoes, sliced ¼-inch thick
1 teaspoon sea salt
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
½ bunch fresh thyme springs, plus 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
1 cup extra-sharp cheddar cheese, grated
Black pepper, to taste
1 large egg
Flaky sea salt, like Maldon

Line a rimmed baking sheet with a double later of paper towels. Spread out tomato slices in a single layer. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of salt and let sit at least 1 hour, up to 3 hours.
In a skillet over medium heat, combine vinegar, honey, and thyme sprigs and bring to a simmer; let simmer for 2 minutes then transfer to a bowl. Wipe out the skillet and add olive oil and garlic. Cook garlic 2-3 minutes or until golden and caramelized. Remove garlic and finely chop. Reserve garlic oil.
Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Lightly flour a work surface and rolling pin. Gently roll out the dough to a ¼-inch thickness, dusting with flour if dough is sticking. Transfer dough to baking sheet and return to fridge for another 20 minutes.
Heat the oven to 425 degrees. Pat tomatoes dry with paper towels. Brush tomatoes with honey mixture (reserve the thyme sprigs). Leaving a 3-inch border, distribute cheese, garlic, and half the chopped thyme leaves on center of crust. Add black pepper to taste, then layer tomatoes in an overlapping pattern, maintaining the 3-inch border. Drizzle garlic oil over tomatoes, sprinkle with remaining thyme leaves, and lay the reserved whole thyme springs on top. Gently fold crust up around the tomatoes, making a 2-inch border.
In a small bowl, whisk 1 egg and 1 teaspoon of water. Using a pastry brush, brush egg wash over crust and sprinkle top of crostata with flaky salt. Bake for about 35 minutes, until pastry is deeply golden brown. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Black Bean and Corn Salsa from Beth Burgin
2 cans (15 oz ea) black beans, rinsed and drained
2 cans (15 oz ea) Del Monte fresh cut whole kernel white corn, drained
1 red bell pepper de-seeded and chopped
1 small red onion, chopped
4 green onions, finely sliced
1/2-3/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
6-8 ounces salsa fresca or pico de gallo
Juice of 1 lime
S&P to taste (1/2 teaspoon salt to start)
Can add minced garlic, cumin, cayenne, or Jalapeño for more kick or heat
Avocado, pitted, peeled, chopped 
Combine/stir all ingredients (except avocado) together in large bowl. Let sit in refrigerator overnight or for at least 3-4 hours. Stir in the avocado an hour or so before serving, check S&P and spice/heat to taste. Makes a great base for Quesadillas.

Fresh Rosemary Muffins from Hilda Norwood
¾ cup of milk
¼ cup raisins
¼ cup golden raisins
¼ cup currants
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped
¼ cup unsalted butter
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
½ cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1 large egg, lightly beaten
4 ounces goat cheese

Cook milk, raising, currants and rosemary in a heavy saucepan over medium heat, stirring often. Remove from heat a couple minutes before it starts to steam. Add butter and stir until butter is melted. Cool completely.
Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Make a well in the center. Stir together the egg and milk mixture until well blended. Add to the well in the flour mixture and stir just until moistened. Spoon one third of batter into lightly greased 12-cup muffin pan. Add two teaspoons of goat cheese to each muffin cup. Add remainder of batter and bake about 20-25 minutes.

Barley and Black Bean Salad from Sandie Fenton

3 cups quick-cooking barley, (vegetable or chicken broth may be added to the water)
2 cans of black bean
1 ½ cups of corn kernels
1 cup peas
1 medium red onion, chopped
1 ½ cups grape tomatoes, cut in half
Large handful of cilantro, chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Salt and pepper to taste
Juice of 1 to 1 ½ limes or lemons
1-2 tablespoons olive oil
2 small or 1 large avocado

Add everything except the Avado to a large bowl and toss gently. Season with salt and pepper. Add chopped avocado just before serving.
Serves 8-10 and stores well for several days. For variety, add chopped chicken breast to the salad.

Lemony Rice with Toasted Almonds from Dana DeBellis
The Herb Garden Cookbook, page 38

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup long-grain white rice
½ medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 ½ cups chicken broth
¼ cup dry white wine
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
4 green onions with tops, chopped
1/3 cup almonds, toasted (To crush toasted almonds, place in a clean dishtowel and lightly crush with a rolling pin.)
Salt and pepper
½ cup lime basil, finely chopped and tightly packed
2 tablespoons butter
6 thin slices lemon

In a medium-size casserole, heat olive oil and butter. Add rice and sauté on medium heat, stirring frequently, until rice is golden, about 5 minutes. Add the onion and garlic and sauté about 4 minutes longer. Add the chicken broth, wine, and lemon juice and bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, covered, about 15 minutes.
Quickly add the green onions, almonds, salt, pepper, lime basil, and butter, lightly mixing to melt the butter. Place 6 lemon slices on top and allow to stand, covered for about 10 minutes. Before serving, mix well, arranging the lemon slices on top. Garnish with lime basil sprigs. Serves 6.

Bok Choy Salad from Susan Oleson
Thanks to Dixie Kelly

·        Step 1
2-3 bunches bok choy greens – preferably small, tender bunches
2-3 green onions
Rinse and dry the bok choy and green onions. Slice onions and cut/slice the greens and ribs of greens into 1/8-1/4 inch slices. Put in large salad bowl.
·        Step 2
Noodles only from Ramen noodle package
½ cup slivered almonds
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
1 tablespoon butter
Place broken noodles, almonds, and sesame seeds in a pan with butter. Heat until toasted, stirring constantly. They can burn easily. Remove and cool.
·        Step 3
Seasoning packet from Ramen noodle package
¼ cup sugar
¼ cup vegetable oil (peanut or canola, not olive oil)
¼ cup rice vinegar
1 teaspoon sesame oil
Mix the seasoning packet from noodles with oils and vinegar as the dressing.
Just before serving mix all ingredients together.

Cheddar Thumbprints with Pepper Jelly from Lana Andrews

6 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
½ cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
½ cup butter
1 egg yolk
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 egg white and 1 tablespoon water
1 ¼ cups nuts, chopped
½ cup pepper jelly

Line cookie sheets with parchment paper and preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Use a mixer or food processor and combine cheeses and butter. Add egg yolk and pepper. Once combined, add flour and a soft dough will form. Combine egg white and water in a bowl. Place chopped nuts in another bowl. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Roll in egg white mixture then in the nuts. Press center of each ball to indent. Bake 15 minutes. Press center again when removed from oven. Fill with jelly when cool.

Bacon-Parmesan Tassies from Lana Andrews

½ cup butter
4 ounces cream cheese
1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
½ cup half and half
1 large egg
1/8 teaspoon salt
5 bacon slices, crumbled
½ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
Chives to garnish

Beat butter and cream cheese until creamy. Gradually add flour and beat until blended. Shape into 24 balls and place in refrigerator for at least 1 hour. Place chilled dough balls in lightly greased 24-cup miniature muffin pan. Press dough, forming a shell.
Whisk together half and half, egg, and salt. Sprinkle crumbled bacon into each shell and top with 1 teaspoon Parmesan cheese. Drizzle half and half mixture over cheese. Sprinkle chives on top. Bake until puffed and golden brown.

Pioneer Woman Asian Noodle Salad from Phyllis Cutrell
Based on Food Network recipe

8 ounces thin spaghetti
8-ounce bag julienne/fine-cut carrots, about 1 ½ cups
6-ounce bag baby sweet peppers, seeded and thinly sliced into rings, about 1 cup
4-ounce bag of bean sprouts, about 1 cup
3 English cucumbers, halved, seeds removed and sliced
3 scallions, sliced
Up to one bunch cilantro, chopped
½ head or more of Napa cabbage, sliced
½ head or more of purple cabbage, sliced
½ bunch kale, leaves torn off the stalks and shredded
2 cups peanuts, chopped
Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook the spaghetti to al dente according to package directions, drain, rinse, and let cool.
Mix the spaghetti together with all other salad ingredients.
Dressing
½ cup olive oil
1/3 cup low-sodium soy sauce
¼ cup oyster sauce
¼ cup rice vinegar
¼ cup brown sugar
3 tablespoons fresh ginger, chopped
2 tablespoons sesame oil
2-3 cloves garlic, chopped
Whisk together all ingredients in a medium bowl. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss it together. Transfer to a large platter and serve.

No comments: