17th of March 2013 Soups & Salad

Emeril's (well...Bonnie's) Tortilla Soup

Emeril's Quick Tortilla Soup - Emeril Lagasse

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup chopped onions
2 teaspoons chopped garlic
1 poblano pepper, seeded and chopped, or 1 pasilla or green bell pepper
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1 tablespoon tomato paste
6 cups chicken stock or canned, low-sodium chicken broth
1 pound cooked chicken, shredded
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
6 stale corn tortillas, cut into 1/4-inch-thick strips
2 cups vegetable oil, for frying
1 teaspoon Essence, recipe follows
1 avocado, peeled, seeded, and chopped, optional garnish
Chipotle Crema, optional garnish, recipe below

Directions

In a Dutch oven or large heavy pot, heat the oil on medium-high heat. Add the onions, garlic, peppers, salt, cumin, and coriander for 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the chicken stock and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 20 minutes. Add the chicken and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the cilantro and lime juice, and stir well. Remove from the heat and cover to keep warm.

Heat the oil in a heavy pot or electric fryer to 350 degrees F. Add the tortilla strips in batches and fry until golden and crisp, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Season with the Essence.

Ladle the soup into bowls. (Yield 4-6 servings).  Garnish each serving with the fried tortilla strips, avocado and Chipotle Crema, as desired.

Emeril's ESSENCE Creole Seasoning (also referred to as Bayou Blast):

2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried thyme

Combine all ingredients thoroughly.

Yield: 2/3 cup

Recipe from "New New Orleans Cooking", by Emeril Lagasse and Jessie Tirsch. Published by William and Morrow, 1993.

Chipotle Crema:

1/2 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon chopped chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
1/8 teaspoon salt

In the bowl of a food processor or blender, combine all the ingredients. Process on high speed until smooth. Serve with the soup.

Yield: 1/2 cup

Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/emeril-lagasse/emerils-quick-tortilla-soup-recipe/index.html

17^th March Salad – Lori Brooks

1 pkg of mixed salad greens,

caramelized walnuts (heat a handful of white sugar in the pan heat until the sugar turns to liquid (a caramel color) then add walnuts and coat. Cool on a pan then break apart.

Sesame Dressing:

1 minced clove of garlic

small amount of course salt

freshly ground pepper

1/3 cup. rice vinegar

1 Tbsp mirin

 1 Tbsp soy sauce,

2 tsp honey

juice of 1/2 lemon

Mix in a jar and shake.

Sprinkle sesame seeds over greens after pouring dressing on, then goat cheese, strawberries, blackberries, and raspberries.

Cheeseburger Soup:   Bonnie Bridge

1 1/2  cups water
2 cups potatoes, peeled & cubed
2 small carrots, grated
1 small onion, chopped
1/4  cup green pepper, seeded & chopped
1 jalepeno pepper, seeded & chopped
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. beef boulion
1/2 tsp. salt

*********
1 lb.  lean ground beef, cooked & drained
2 1/2 cups milk   (divided)
3 Tbsp. flour
1 cup Velveeta cheese  (diced)
1/2  pkg. bacon, cooked & crumbled

Directions:

Combine 1st   9 ingredients in pan.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat, cover & simmer 15-20 minutes 'til potatoes are tender.  Stir in ground beef and 2 cups milk. Heat.  Combine flour & remaining milk 'til smooth.  Gradually stir into soup.  Cook & stir 'til thick.  Add cheese.  Stir to melt.  Serve with crumbled bacon on top.

2012 RS Christmas dinner recipes

Crockpot Stuffing - Louise Jensen
1 cup margarine melted
2 cups onions chopped
2 cups celery chopped
1/2 tsp. sage
1 tsp. poultry seasoning
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. thyme
2 eggs
1 cup chicken broth
8 cups bread cubes (croutons)
Combine all the ingredients in a bowl prior to putting into the crockpot.  After combining all the ingredients put into a sprayed crockpot (use Pam).  Cook on medium for approximately 6 hours - stir occasionally to prevent sticking.

Orange Cranberry Sauce - Bonnie Bridge
4 cups fresh cranberries
2 cups white sugar
1/2 cup water
juice and rind of 2 large oranges
Remove any discolored or shriveled cranberries.  Grate rind off oranges and juice them.  Combine all ingredients in a saucepan.  Cook uncovered for 10 minutes or until cranberry skins pop.
Stir once or twice.  Cool, cover and refrigerate.

Gingerale Carrots - Lori Brooks
Thinly slice desired amount of carrots and put in roaster with gingerale used as the cooking liquid.  Boil until the majority of the gingerale has evaporated and carrots are soft - this will create a caramelized effect.  Coat with butter and sprinkle with chilli powder to taste.

Soup recipes from RS Christmas party

Here are the yummy soup recipes from the Relief Society Christmas party.  Thanks to Sis. Walton we can enjoy them again, and again, and again!

 

Emergency Preparedness- Powerless Cooking!

With all of the weather related disasters we've been witnessing around the world many have felt a renewed determination to get their food storage in order and to be more prepared.     I recently came across an amazing website titled Food Storage Made Easy.    They had a recent post dedicated entirely to Powerless Cooking and offered several helpful tutorials, three of which I have included for you here.   They are very short clips, but each one offers a useful technique for cooking with zero to very minimal amounts of power.   Enjoy!!!

Cardboard Box Oven:   This idea was new to me, but it appears to be a cinch to make and would certainly come in handy in a pinch.  





Wonder Box:  If you were unable to attend Sister Kay Ridley's AMAZING wonder box demonstration last month-this clip can show you a bit about them.    (Then be sure to talk to Kay-she's got wonderful ideas and recipes!!!)





Sun Oven:  This seems to be the most durable and efficient cooking source for long periods of time using nothing but SOLAR energy.   Very cool!

Applebees Oriental Chicken Salad - Served at the March 17th Party

Our Wonderful Relief Society Presidency served this delicious salad at the recent March 17th party.

Of course, we have to give a huge thank you to Sister Bridge.   She searched the world wide web high and low for this copy cat recipe and we are soo glad that she did! 

 Scrumptious!    That's the only way to describe it! 

(and yes- this recipe really is worth of all those exclamation marks:)  

Chicken:

* Salad

* 1 egg

* 1/2 cup milk

* 1/2 cup flour

* 1/2 cup corn flake crumbs

* 1 tsp salt

* 1/4 tsp pepper

* 1 boneless chicken breast half

* oil for frying

Cut each chicken breast into 5 strips. In one bowl, beat egg with milk. In another bowl combine flour with corn flake crumbs, salt and pepper. Preheat oil over medium heat. Dip individual chicken pieces in egg mixture and then roll in the flour. Fry chicken until brown, drain and set aside.

Dressing: (makes 1/2 cup)

* 3 tbsp honey

* 1 1/2 tbsp rice wine vinegar

* 1/4 cup mayonnaise

* 1tsp grey poupon Dijon mustard

* 1/8 teaspoon sesame oil

Prepare dressing ingredients by mixing in a bowl. Refrigerate until serving.

Salad:

*3 cups of chopped romaine lettuce

* 1 cup of red cabbage

*1 cup of Napa cabbage

*1/2 cup carrot julienned or shredded

*1 green onion chopped

*1 tbsp sliced almonds

*mandarin oranges

*1/3 cup chow mein noodles (deep fry these and they are EXTRA yummy)

Prepare salad by tossing the chopped romaine with the chopped red cabbage, napa cabage, and carrots. Sprinkle sliced green onion and mandarin orange pieces on top of the lettuce. Sprinkle almonds over and then the chow mein noodles. Cut the chicken into smaller chunks and arrange on top of salad. Serve dressing on the side.

Enjoy!!!

Sister Ridleys yummy Banana Cake AND Feather Buns

Remember that wonderful evening at Sister Ridley's when we all enjoyed Soup, Salad and THIS yummy cake?   I finally got my hands on the recipe for you, AND as an added bonus- Sister Ridley also passed on the instructions for the fabulous buns that were served that night as well.   ENJOY!

Susan's Banana Sheet Cake

This recipe was once posted in Louise Jensen's recipe section of the Temple City Star.

1/2 cup butter

1 1/2 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla 

1 cup sour cream

3 bananas mashed (or the equivalent of 1 cup)

2 cups flour

1/4 tsp salt 

1 tsp baking soda

Cream butter, eggs and sugar.   Add the vanilla and then combine the dry ingredients.   Then add the sour cream and bananas.   Bake on a sprayed cookie sheet (make sure that the sheet has sides.)

Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes.      Cool before Icing.

Icing for the sheet cake

6 oz softened cream cheese

1/2 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup butter

3 cups icing sugar

Beat well and spread over cooled cake.    (Note:  Sister Ridley even used less then 6 oz of cream cheese and it was fabulous.)

Feather Buns

4 eggs beaten 

2 tsp salt

1 1/2 cups white sugar

1/2 cup oil

4 cups warm water

Mix this together and set aside.

In a seperate bowl- mix 1 tbsp traditional yeast in 1 cup of luke warm water and 1 tsp sugar.   Let this rise for 10 minutes.   

After 10 minutes combine it all and then slowly incorporate 12 cups of flour.   (small amounts at a time)

Let this rise and then punch down. 

Form into buns and let rise for 5 more hours.   

Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes.

Best ever Sloppy Joes

We wanted to share a recipe with you that we got from one of Fifth Ward's many wonderful cooks - Sister Schaufert.    This recipe was specifically requested and comes very highly recommended.   In fact, rumor has it, that even our very own BISHOP has dubbed this  the best chili burger recipe EVER!

 So what are you waiting for?   Try it out with your family this week and then be sure to let Sister Schaufert know how AWESOME it is!

Sister Schaufert's BEST EVER Sloppy Joes

1 1lb ground beef

1 onion chopped fine

1/2 cup green pepper chopped fine (feel free to add more if you'd like)

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp mustard

1/2 cup chopped celery

3 tsp Brown Sugar

1 tbsp vinegar

1 tsp chili powder 

1 cup Chili sauce

1 tsp Worcestershire Sauce

salt and pepper to taste (she uses 1 tsp salt; 1/2 tsp pepper)

Note:  You could also add 1 can of tomato soup if you wanted to

Brown the hamburger and saute the onion and celery.  Add the remaining ingredients and lightly simmer for 35 minutes.   

Serve with your favorite buns!  

(Thank you Sister Schaufert for so kindly sharing this recipe with us all)

ENJOY!!!

      

Soup, Salad and Scriptures- Recipes!

In case you were not able to make it to the most recent Relief Society activity we wanted to share with you a little bit of what we all enjoyed.   Of course this cake, (made by Sister Ridley) was absolutely FABULOUS, and it's slightly tragic that I don't yet have the recipe to share with you.    Really.  You need this cake in your life.

We're working on that.   

In the meantime-enjoy the four equally awesome Soup Recipes.   Thanks to all of the Sisters who brought soup that night!

Soup # 1:  Home made Chicken Noodle Soup 

Brought by Sister Bonnie Bridge

Cover 1 chicken with water and season with carrots, celery, onion, garlic, salt and pepper.

Cook until done.   Remove chicken from the broth.   Refrigerate the broth, perhaps even overnight if you have time.  (This will make it easy for you to skim off the fat that settles at the top.)   Cut the chicken into bite size pieces and put in fridge.

Once you have skimmed the fat off and discarded it- you can then heat your home made broth until simmering, and add the chicken pieces as well.  

To make the noodles:   Beat 2 eggs in a mixer really well.   Add about 1 cup of flour.   Then flour your counter and roll the dough out as thin as possible, adding flour under and on top.    Cut into noodles.

Once cut into strips- drop the noodles into the simmering broth.  Feel free to adjust the seasoning as desired, including chicken soup base if you'd like.  

(Tip:  In a pinch you could use Chicken Broth and a roasted Chicken from the store)

Soup #2:  Corn Chowder

Brought by Sister Wolff

1 lrg onion chopped

2 cans niblet corn

2 cans mushroom soup

3 cans diced raw potato

3 cups milk and cream

1 cup chopped ham

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

Combine and heat through until nice and warm!

Soup #3:  Taco Soup  Brought by Sister Mandi Spencer

(taken from Dorothy Secretan's much loved cookbook)

1 lb ground beef

1 cup chopped onion

16 oz can tomatoes with liquid

16 oz can kidney beans with liquid

16 oz can niblets with liquid

8 oz can tomato sauce

1 pkg taco seasoning 

grated cheese

sour cream 

tortillas

Brown beef and onions and then add the next five ingredients.   Simmer.   Top with cheese, sour cream and tortillas.

Soup #4:  Cheddar & Broccoli Soup

Brought by Sister Hardy

1 can chicken broth

1 small onion diced

1/3 cup flour

1/4 cup butter

pepper (to taste)

2 cups of milk

1 1/2 cup shredded cheddar

1/2 cup shredded swiss

2-3 cups of steamed broccoli

Simmer chicken broth and onion for 15-20 minutes (until onions are clear).   In a separate pot-melt the butter and then add the flour.  Cook together for a minute and add milk and pepper.   Whisk this well!   Stir and heat on medium heat until the white sauce begins to thicken.   Add the chicken broth and onions and stir until well blended.    

Mix in the two cheeses and allow to melt.   Add the steamed broccoli and serve immediately!

Really- do serve this immediately.   The longer it cooks on the stove- the higher the risk of the milk being scorched etc.   Try serving it in a bread bowl, because EVERYTHING tastes better in a bread bowl!

The Recipes from the Scrumptious Relief Society Christmas Dinner!

If you were able to enjoy the fabulous Christmas dinner put on by the Relief Society last week, you are probably still dreaming about all that yummy food, and wishing that you had a few of those recipes right about now.    (I know I am)   Thankfully Sister Lori Brooks has shared them with us! 

Now you can make each and every dish for your family and friends.  They'd no doubt be impressed!

Thanks Sister Brooks! 

************

Caramelized Pecan Salad

The salad was romaine lettuce, strawberries, fresh pineapple, pomegranate, and caramelized pecans. To make the caramelized pecans you just place a handful of sugar in your pan and turn it on high. As soon as it liquefies place pecans in the pan and stir until they are covered in the liquefied sugar. Use a fork to pull them apart so they don't clump too much. The dressing for the salad is just olive oil and white wine vinegar. Toss to the consistency of taste. The fruit should be more enhanced in flavor after putting the dressing on.

Pesto Chicken

The pesto is made by filling your blender with spinach and 1-2 cloves of garlic, 1 tsp of salt & pepper. Add a handful of pine nuts (approximately 1 cup) and then add olive oil until it begins to liquefy. Then add balsamic vinegar - this is a personal taste - but this gives the pesto a significant flavor. Marinate the chicken in this approximately 1 hour before baking in the oven for approximately 1 hour at 375 degrees.
 
 

Carrot and Asparagus

The vegetables (asparagus and carrot) were boiled and then tossed with olive oil and freshly grated ginger.  One could also parboil the carrots & asparagus and place on a grill for marks, it is equally impressive.
 
 

Bulgar

(served under the chicken)

The bulgur is made with 1/2 tsp salt to 1 cup of bulgar and 3 cups of chicken stock with 2 pieces of crystallized ginger cut up and added. Boil the chicken stock add the salt and ginger and then stir in the bulgur and boil for a few minutes and then turn down to low and simmer with the lid on for approximately 3-5 minutes- then shut the stove off and let it sit for approximately 30 minutes before serving.

Pumpkin Recipes!

Sister Deb Fletcher sent along this great link for these ADORABLE Pots of Pumpkin Cream Pie!  

Wouldn't they make great gifts!

And a HUGE thanks to Sister Hegedus for forwarding on these three pumpkin recipes. If you are planning on celebrating American Thanksgiving, or if you just happen to really like Pumpkin - then these recipes are exactly what you need!

Pumpkin Bread

This is a great pumpkin bread recipe! It has an attractive orange color, it’s moist, and it’s packed with nutrition and flavor. We usually make it with white bread flour but you can substitute whole wheat flour. (If you use all whole wheat, add several tablespoons of wheat gluten.) The recipe calls for raisins but walnuts make it a great pumpkin bread also.
This bread is not sweet like a dessert bread. You can add more sugar if you like. If you choose, add one cup of chopped walnuts. Incidentally, try this bread toasted with red current jelly. It is terrific!

Ingredients
5 1/2 to 6 1/2 cups white bread flour (you can substitute up to 3 cups whole wheat flour)
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 seven-gram packet of instant yeast
1 1/3 cup warm water, 110 degrees
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 cup puréed pumpkin or canned pumpkin
1/2 tablespoon salt
6 tablespoons melted butter
1 1/2 cups raisins, golden raisins, or currents

Directions
1. Place half the bread flour, sugar, and yeast in the bowl of your stand-type mixer. Add the warm water and beat with a dough hook until it is partially mixes. (The purpose of this mix is to hydrate the yeast.)

2. Add the rest of the flour, the spices, the pumpkin, the salt, and the butter. Knead with the dough hook at medium speed for four minutes. When the dough comes together, add the raisins and continue beating for the remainder of the four minutes or until the gluten is developed. You will likely need to adjust the moisture level either by adding flour or water. Place the dough in a greased bowl, turn once, and cover. Set the bowl in a warm place and allow it to double in size.

3. Grease two 9 x 5-inch loaf pans. Form two loaves, cover them, and let them rise until doubled and puffy.

4. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until done. The internal temperature should be at 190 to 200 degrees. Remove the loaves from the pans and let the bread cool on a wire rack.
Baker’s Note: The pumpkin in this bread makes it very moist. Pumpkin has a very mild flavor and acts as background for the spices and this has a mild bread combination of spices. Add more spices if you like.

Pumpkin Cheesecake Recipe with a Chocolate Swirl

You can pair chocolate with pumpkin for a really nifty-looking, scrumptious dessert. This makes a great holiday or seasonal dessert but since canned pumpkin is available anytime, you can indulge year around.
This is an easy cheesecake to make. The chocolate requires an extra step but otherwise, this is as easy as most other cheesecakes.



Ingredients
2/3 cups graham cracker crumbs
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
6 tablespoons butter, melted
3 8-ounce packages cream cheese
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup granulated sugar
1 16-ounce can pumpkin (about 1 3/4 cups)
4 large eggs
1/2 cup whipping cream
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 pinch nutmeg
1 cup pure dark (semisweet) chocolate chips


Directions
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
1. For the crust, combine graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and butter. Press onto bottom of a ten-inch springform pan.

2. For the cheesecake, in the bowl of your stand-type mixer, beat the cream cheese, salt, and granulated sugar together. Beat in the pumpkin, eggs, cream, cornstarch, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

3. Heat the chocolate chips until melted, either in the microwave or on the stovetop. Add one cup of the pumpkin batter and stir it into the melted chocolate.

4. Pour the pumpkin batter into the prepared crust. Spoon the chocolate batter on top. Use a straightedge spatula and vertically cut through the batters to create a chocolate swirl in the cheesecake.

5. Bake for 60 minutes or until the cheesecake tests done. Cool completely and then chill in the refrigerator before serving.



Pumpkin Fritter Recipe

This isn’t a baking recipe—fritters are deep fried—but this is such a beloved recipe that we had to include it. And it’s easy.
We’ve been making these pumpkin fritters for a long time. They are wonderful for supper on a chilly fall evening served alongside a soup or a salad. We serve them hot, drizzled with maple. The corn in these fritters complements the pumpkin well.
You deep fry these pumpkin fritters just as you would French fries. The fritter batter mixes together quickly so this is a quick dish to put together for those evenings when you just don’t have a lot of time  It’s also very economical.

Ingredients
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup milk
2 large eggs
3 cups grated, raw pumpkin
1 cup frozen or drained canned corn kernels
Directions
1. Mix the flour, salt, baking powder, and nutmeg together in a large bowl. Add the milk and eggs and stir until mixed. Add the pumpkin and corn kernels.
2. In a deep fryer or heavy pan, heat enough vegetable oil for deep frying. The oil should be very hot, 375 degrees.
3. Drop three or four large spoonfuls of batter into the hot oil. Let them cook for three or four minutes, turning once, or until they just start to brown. Remove them to dry on paper towels. Serve immediately drizzled with maple syrup.