Cupcake Exchange

Photos from one of our first gatherings a cupcake exchange.  Cupcakes made by Lisa, Emmy, Brenda, Nicky and Tamra.

Fwd: Roast beast sandwich

Ali made this fantastic sandwich at the My Favorite Cookbook Tasting Night held at Tamra's House in November.  This is fantastic and I love the way Ali wrote out the recipe. 
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Steak N Everythings Dinner for 5-ish From Tamra's Kitchen "It's not just good, it's TAM good"   1 loaf French Bread 4 T butter (give or take preference wise) Garlic Salt  (to taste) 1 cup Shredded Parmigiano Reggiano cheese Pinch of dried parsley or other herbs you may like   1 pound sliced roast beef (I get mine from the deli counter or at Costco in a package) 2 cups sliced mushrooms ½ sliced yellow onion 1 sliced pepper-yellow, green, red, or a mixture of all of them Fresh ground pepper to taste 2 T olive oil or butter for pan   1 sandwich tomato of choice 3-6 slices of provolone cheese   This is Tamra's recipe which means it is never made the same way twice! Tamra will cook according to what has available in her kitchen at THAT MOMENT. If she doesn't have garlic salt, she'll use regular. Sometimes she uses parsley, other times not. Obviously you can't go wrong here.   This is easy. The roast beef, mushrooms, onion, and sliced peppers go into a pan with a little olive oil or butter. Tamra says to add ground pepper until you can SEE the pepper, but we like it a little spicy. Cook this like a stir-fry, when your vegetables are soft and juicy you're getting there.   Meanwhile, slice French bread like a hot-dog bun or completely into 2 flat pieces. Butter both sides. Sprinkle a little (or a lot) garlic salt on both sides. Add parigiano reggiano cheese to both sides and then sprinkle with some parsley. Pop this in your oven BROILER for 2 min or so (give or take). Watch it because it melts fast.   Assemble sandwich. Meat and vegetables mix goes on the French bread to make a sandwich. If you need to, DRAIN the extra juices out of the pan before dumping on the sandwich to avoid soggy French bread. Slices of provolone cheese, however, will help create a moisture barrier if you want extra-added-LICIOUSNESS to your sandwich. Also, we like to add tomatoes to ours.   Call me for questions! I've never written recipe instructions in my life so this all new to me.

My Favorite Christmas Treat Tasting Night

We spent a fun night at Brenda's house this month.  Brenda put together a fantastic hot chocolate bar complete with marshmallows, peppermint bark and toffee.  She served hot chocolate from beautiful alfi thermal carafes.  

I loved this tower she created with her Apilco mugs. 

Her house was decorated so cute for Christmas.  This woman really knows how to work with greenery.......I am so inspired!  

This is a cozy little nook in her house. 

Brenda also shared with us an amazing online organizing tool called evernote.  She uses this to organize recipes, to do lists and misc online finds.  I am 100% hooked. 

Becky shared this recipe for a baked brie that sounds amazing......Brenda promptly put this in evernote and then emailed it to us. 

Thanks Brenda for a fun night!

From Evernote:

Brie Appetizer

Brie at Costco

Puff Pastry at pepperidge farms (freezer)

craisins

brown sugar

cut brie in half and open up and put brown sugar and craisins on thick (layer). Put other brie top on. Puff pastry thawed out. Roll out one sheet. Put brie on and fold dough up around so it covers the cheese. (In case whole things). Turn upside down (put on greased cookie sheet ) Put an egg wash on it. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes until golden brown. Eat with crackers. Becky 

Photos from our Soup and Comfort Food night

Taco Soup and Pumpkin Lentil Soup by Nicky and Lindsey 

Fantastic Cheese Bread by Tamra 

1 1/2 cup Mayo

1 cup parmesan cheese

1/2 Bunch Green Onions

Garlic salt to taste

Put on a sliced baguette and at 400 degrees until golden brown-about 5 to 7 minutes 

These might be the best pumpkin cookies ever. Recipe from Emmy below.

Pumpkin Curry Soup

This recipe came from my friend Jody Kyburz - IT'S FOR SURE A FALL FAVORITE!! I used Costco canned chicken in this and brown rice. I added quite a bit of nutmeg, I don't think you can ever use to much! I also cut way down on the half and half - I probably only put in 3/4 c.
=) ENJOY!

2 cups canned pumpkin

4 Tablespoons butter

½ cup chopped onion

2 cloves pressed garlic

4 cups water

6 chicken bouillon cubes

2 cups half and half

1 bay leaf

1 ½ teaspoons curry

1 pinch nutmeg

¼ teaspoon pepper

1 ½ teaspoons salt

2 cups cooked rice

It sounds a little unusual, but it’s tasty! Melt butter, saute' onion and garlic. Add everything but the half and half and rice. Reduce heat and simmer 3o minutes. Add rice and half and half at the end.

Curried Cider-Pork Stew

Prep: 35 minutes
Cook: 1 hour

Ingredients

• 2 lb. boneless pork shoulder
• 4 medium red and/or green crisp-tart cooking apples
• 1 Tbsp. cooking oil
• 1 large onion, cut into thin wedges
• 2 tsp. curry powder
• 1 14-oz. can chicken broth
• 2/3 cup apple cider or apple juice
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
• 12 oz. baby carrots with tops, trimmed, or packaged peeled baby carrots
• 2 stalks celery, sliced
• 1 1-1/2-lb. butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cubed (2 cups)
• Sour cream, shredded orange peel, snipped fresh oregano and/or freshly ground pepper (optional)

Directions

1. Trim fat from pork; cut pork in 1-inch cubes. Peel, core, and chop two apples; set aside. In a 4-quart Dutch oven brown pork, half at a time, in hot oil; return all pork to pan. Add chopped apples, onion, and curry powder; cook and stir 2 minutes. Add broth, cider, salt, and pepper. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

2. Add carrots and celery to pork mixture; return to boiling. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cut remaining apples into 1/4-inch-thick wedges. Add apples and squash to pan. Cover; cook 10 to 12 minutes or until pork and vegetables are tender. Serve with sour cream, orange peel, oregano and pepper. Makes 6 servings.

I just used Costco's yummy canned chicken instead of pork - great option when you're in a hurry! ENJOY!

Cranberry/Almond Salad

2-3 Heads Romaine
1/2 Red Onion sliced thin
1/2 cup cranberries
1 cup carmelized slivered almonds. To carmelize almonds; put almonds in a saucepan over medium heat. Add about 6 T sugar, and stir constantly until well coated. Add a tsp of water to help sugar adhere.


Dressing:
1/2 cup Canola Oil ( I use a little bit less)
5 T Red Wine Vinegar (or Cider Vinegar)
6 T Sugar
2 T. Chopped fresh Parsley

Whisk together. I will sometimes add more or less of everything. I just tasted it as I go. :)

Pumkin Cookies with Brown Butter Icing

2 3/4 cups All purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/4 tsp coarse salt
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 1/4 tsp ground ginger
3/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
3/4 c (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter,
room temperature
2 1/4 cups packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups canned solid pack pumpkin
3/4 c evaporated milk
1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 375. Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg in a bowl. Put butter and brown sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Mix in eggs. Reduce speed to low. Add pumpkin, evaporated milk and vanilla; mix until well blended. Transfer batter to a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2 inch plain tip (such as Ateco #806) Pipe 1 1/2 inch rounds onto parchment paper-lined baking sheets, spacing 1 inch apart. Bake cookies, rotating halfway through, until tops spring back about 12 minutes. Cool on sheets on wire racks 5 minutes. Transfer cookies to wire racks; let cool completely.

Brown Butter Icing

4 cups confectioners sugar
10 T unsalted butter
1/4 c plus 1 T evaporated milk
2 tsp vanilla exctract

Place sugar in bowl. Melt butter in saucepan over medium heat. Cook, swirling pan occasionally, until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Immediatelty add butter to sugar. Add evaporated milk and vanilla until smooth.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread

This makes 2 large loaves

3 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
4 large eggs
16 oz. & a little more pumpkin
3 1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
2/3 cups warm water
chocolate chips

Beat sugar, oil, eggs, pumpkin in a large bowl. Mix in flour, spices, and water. Stir in the amount of chocolate chips you desire!

Pour into bread pans that have been coated with a nonstick spray. Bake at 350 degree for 1 hour.

Soup and Comfort Food Tasting

Autumn Harvest Pumpkin Lentil

3 (14.5) cans chicken broth

2 carrots peeled and sliced

1 cup 100% 

1/3 cup Red Wine

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

3/4 teaspoon Salt

2 cups Water

One Bag lentil and spice mix from Cooke Tavern Soup

Cooking Directions

Step One: Rinse lentils and then combine lentils, spice packet, carrots, chicken broth and water.  Bring to a full boil and then simmer for 1 hour.

Step Two: Add 100% pumpkin, wine, olive oil and salt. Simmer for 1/2 hour. 

Soup and Comfort Food Tasting

When: Tuesday October 5th 6:00 pm

Where: Lindsey Birell's House 

Farmers Market Inspired Tastings

The farmers market inspired tasting was held at Brenda's house.  Aven taught us about the health benefits of Quinoa.

Quinoa Salad - Aven

1 cup dry quinoa 

1 cup dried cranberries

1 cup frozen green beans, defrosted

1/4 cup pecans, chopped

1/4 cup green onions sliced

1/4 balsamic vinegar

4 cloves minced garlic 

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

Cook quinoa in 2 cups water in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat.

Reduce to a simmer, cover and continue cooking until all water is absorbed.

In a medium bowl, combine cooked quinoa, cranberries, beans, pecans, and onions until well mixed. In a small bowl wisk the balsamic vinegar, olive oil, and garlic until well blended.  Pour over the quinoa mixture.  Toss until well blended.  Season with salt and pepper.  Chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes before serving. 

Avocado and Quinoa Salad

Ingredients:

2 avocados cut into pieces

1 cup red quinoa

1 medium tomato, cut into pieces

1/2 cup diced red onion

2 fresh basil leaves crushed

Dressing Ingredients:

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

1 garlic clove minced

juice of 2 limes

sea salt and pepper taste

Directions:

In a small saucepan bring 2 cups of water to a boil and add rinsed quinoa.  Cover and simmer 15 to 20 minutes or until water is absorbed. Cool and set aside. Mix the dressing ingredients together in a small bowl.  Mix all the other ingredients together in a large mixing bowl and then add cooled quinoa. Toss with dressing. Chill and serve.

Chickpea Salad (Brenda) 

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Chickpea Salad with Cumin Vinaigrette

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

Juice of 1 lemon (about 4 tablespoons)

2 garlic cloves, minced

½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

2 teaspoons capers, drained

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon paprika

¼ cup olive oil

1 (15½-ounce) can chickpeas, drained, or 1 cup dried beans, cooked, rinsed, and drained

1 tomato, chopped

1 roasted red bell pepper from a jar, drained and chopped (about ½ cup)

2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Sea salt, to taste

Freshly ground pepper, to taste

3 ounces feta, cut into ¼-inch cubes (about ¾ cup)

 

Gnocchi and Italian Inspired Tastings

For our first tasting night we learned to make gnocchi, homemade mozzarella and french bread-

Gnocchi (Aunt Glenda)

2 1/2 cups Flour

1 Egg

4 - 5 boiled and smashed potatoes 

Put flour on a cutting board.  Create a small hole in the center of the flour.  Add potatoes and egg then knead. 

Romaine Hearts Dressing Recipe (Emmy)

Dressing

1/4 c. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

3T. fresh lemon juice

1 tsp finely grated lemon zest

1 tsp dried oregano

1/4 tsp salt

1/8 tsp pepper

Whisk together in a small bowl.  This is also for 8 small hearts of romaine.

Side note:  I made this today to see where I adjusted it.  I used a little less Olive Oil, more lemon zest and more salt and peper to taste.  I guess you can all adjust it as you like to taste :)

 

Fresh Mozzarella (Becky N)

1/2 pound fresh mozzarella curd
2 cups buttermilk
3 cups water
3 tablespoons kosher salt

1.  Slice the curd into thin, even slivers, and place in a large mixing bowl.  Pour the buttermilk into a separate container, and set aside until needed for cooling and storing the finished cheese.

2.  Place the water in a small sauce pan over high heat.  Bring the water to the boil; add the salt, and bring back to the boil.

3.  Gently pour enough boiling water over the curd to cover; let stand for 30 to 60 seconds.  Use 2 wooden spoons to gently gather the curd together in the center of the bowl.  Use the spoons to scoop the mass out of the water and hold it above the bowl, allowing the weight of the cheese to cause it to stretch back down to the water.  Repeat lifting the cheese and letting it stretch until it looks smooth and shiny; it will look a bit like a shiny, white rope.

4.  To Shape the Cheese:  Lift the cheese out of the water, and roll it into a tight ball.  Pinch the bottom of the ball to seal the seam.  The surface of the ball should be smooth and shiny.  Work Quickly, and take care not to overwork the cheese at this piont, or it will be tough.

5.  Place the ball, smooth-side up into a deep dish bowl and pour good olive oil over the top.  I like to eat it warm...or you can place it into the buttermilk , making sure it is completely submerged, letting it cool and storing until later.

6.  Before serving, remove the cheese from the buttermilk, and drain it briefly on paper towels.

Tips and Techniques
Mozzarella curd is perishable and should be kept refrigerated at 34 to 40 degree F.  It normally has a self life of two to three weeks in its original sealed packaging.  Once opened, it should be used within one week.  The curd may be frozen, tightly wrapped, for up to 2 months.  Thaw it slowly (overnight in the refrigerator) before using.  Fresh mozzarella curd  is available at Tony Caputos 3rd S and 3rd W in SLC, they only sell it in 5 lbs or more increments.