RECIPES FROM THE EVENING RELIEF SOCIETY “SAMPLING TIME”

Here are a few recipes from our BUCKET LIST party. We tried recipes we have never made/tried. Some, if not all were delicious! Pictures of the fun night to follow!

 

HASSELBACK POTATOES  (Joan Rudd)

Scrub 4-6 medium potatoes [or 10-12 small potatoes] and slice at 3 mm intervals nearly through but just short of the bottom.  Slice 3-5 garlic cloves thinly and insert between a few of the potato slits.  Dot each potato with a ½ -1 teaspoon of chilled butter cut into tiny pieces.  Drizzle with 3-5 T of olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt and freshly ground pepper.  Bake @ 425 degrees for approx. 40 minutes or until potatoes are crispy on the outside and softened in the centers.  [I brushed them with melted butter halfway thru cooking.]  Serve warm!

 

QUICK AND EASY BLENDER SALSA  (Tiffany Smith)

from: http://www.mountainmamacooks.com/2012/01/quick-and-easy-blender-salsa/

Prep Time: 15 minutes Total Time: 15 minutes

 

1- 14 oz. can diced tomatoes                1- 10 oz. can orginal Rotel

1/2 small onion, roughly chopped        1 clove garlic, peeled and smashed

1/2-1 jalapeno, seeded or not (depends on how spicy you like it) *

1 teaspoon honey                               1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin                 small to medium size handful of cilantro, washed

juice of 1 lime

 

Put all the ingredients in the base of a food processor or good blender and pulse to combine for 30 seconds or so until all the ingredients are finely chopped and salsa is desired consistency. Taste for seasoning and adjust to taste. Serve with chips or over tacos.

 

[* Tiffany didn’t use the jalapeno but added a teaspoon of sugar.  She says, “this super simple blender salsa is a great alternative to fresh pico when tomatoes aren’t at their best.  I use it all winter long and it’s my go to recipe for chips and salsa.”]

 

CHICKEN SALAD  (Rachelle Jones)

½ Cup Chopped Almonds

1/2 Cup Chopped Celery

1 Cup Cooked Chicken

4 Tbsp. Currants

Salt and Pepper

 

BANANA BANANA BREAD   (Linda Rensink used this recipe from All Recipes)

Makes 1 - 9x5 inch loaf

 

2 Cups all-purpose flour

 1 teaspoon baking soda

  1/4 teaspoon salt

  1/2 Cup butter

  3/4 Cup brown sugar

  2 eggs, beaten

  2 1/3 Cups mashed overripe bananas

 

* Linda added chocolate chips

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan.

In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt. In a separate bowl, cream together butter and brown sugar. Stir in eggs and mashed bananas until well blended. Stir banana mixture into flour mixture; stir just to moisten. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan.

Bake in preheated oven for 60 to 65 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of the loaf comes out clean. Let bread cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack.

 

MIMI’S CHOCOLATE COVERED BANANAS

1/3 Cup peanut butter, 1/3 Cup chocolate chips. Melt in microwave for 1 minute. Dip cut up bananas, place on wax paper, sprinkle with shredded coconut, freeze for an hour.

 

WHOLE WHEAT PUMPKIN BREAD OR MUFFINS (Deborah Royal)

1/2 c. vegetable oil                                          2 eggs

1 2/3 c. whole wheat flour                                1 1/4 c. sugar (I used organic, raw sugar)

1/2 tsp. nutmeg                                                1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. baking powder                                                1/3 c. water

1 c. canned or homemade pumpkin puree         1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

 

Combine eggs, oil, water and pumpkin puree (use straight pumkin, not a pie mix) Sift dry ingredients together and gradually beat into first mixture.

Bake in greased and floured 9x4x3 inch loaf pan for 1 hour at 350 F. Or bake in muffin pans for 25 minutes.

 

Makes about 20 muffins. Chopped walnuts may be added to the mixture. (I added raisins.)

 

STUFFED MUSHROOMS, BABY!  (As modified by Geri Chumley)

One package (or a little more) Fresh button mushrooms

1 Cup hot pork sausage, browned

½ onion, finely diced

4 tsp. minced garlic (or more to taste)

1 10 oz. container Italian Cheese and Herb Cooking Crème (found with cream cheese)

¾ Cup grated cheese

Salt & Pepper to taste

 

Wipe off the mushrooms or wash if needed and pop out stems, reserving both parts.  Chop stems and set aside.

Brown and crumble sausage.  Remove from pan and set aside to cool.

Add onions and garlic to the same skillet; Cook for 2 minutes over low heat.

Add mushroom stems; Stir and cook for 2 minutes.  Let cool slightly.

To cooled sausage, add cooking cream and cheese.  Stir in mushroom/onion/garlic mixture.

 

Refrigerate for a short time to firm up.  Scoop mixture into the cavity of each mushroom, creating a sizable mound over the top.  Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes until nice and hot.  Allow to cool before serving: the stuffed mushrooms taste better when not piping hot.

 

[Note:  Geri tried cooking them in an additional container of the cooking crème, but didn’t find that it affected the flavor in the manner she was striving for.  Just use a lightly oiled baking pan.]

 

MEXICAN RICE CAKES  (As modified by Geri Chumley)

½ Cup dry brown rice, cooked according to usual method (don’t use butter if you normally do)

½ Cup cooked white beans (from a can or cook some and use only ½ Cup)

¼ Cup marinara (or any other spaghetti sauce)

½ Cup (or more) shredded Mexican Blend cheese

¼ Onion, chopped

Seasonings:  I used salt, pepper and Mojito/Lime

¼ Cup bread crumbs (I used plain and sprinkled in garlic salt and Mojito Lime)

¼ Cup dry Parmesan cheese

 

Mash beans until smooth.  Stir in marinara sauce, ½ the cheese, the onion and seasoning.

Stir rice into bean mixture and cool to make it easier to shape.

 

Mix bread crumbs and dry Parmesan cheese (season until you like it).  Mash scoops (about 1 Tbsp.) of rice/bean mixture into the crumbs and flatten, turning so that both sides get breaded.

 

Heat on lightly oiled skilled (griddle) for just a short time.

 

[Note:  Geri wasn’t very excited about this, but it could be an useful recipe for using food storage.  It was better when topped with salsa and can be easily modified with other spices, or even different ingredients.  More onions and garlic and possibly some “zing” like red peppers or hot sauce might have been an improvement.]