FUN, FRESH SALSA

Hi girls, over Labor Day weekend Terry and I got to visit friends in the hill country. While we were there we met their college friends, Peggy and Rick Wright. Peggy and Rick have just started their own gourmet salsa business, "Wrights of Texas," and their salsas have been picked up by Whole Foods and Central Market. I brought a sample of the Fresh Green Salsa to Recipe Club this week and it was a big hit. The salsa is called "Wrights of Texas Fresh Green Salsa" you can find it at Central Market in Southlake in the refrigerated section across from the cheese area by the yogurts. The ingredients are fresh, its low calorie and Peggy is still doing most of the chopping by hand. Try a jar and support a sweet couple as they grow their new business.
Jen

Chocolate Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Cupcakes: 1 box chocolate cake mix
(1) 15 oz. can packed pumpkin

Mix ingredients until thoroughly combined.
Batter will be thicker than regular cake mix.
Spoon into cupcake papers and bake as directed.

Frosting: 6 oz cream cheese
6 oz butter
3-4 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2-3 tablespoons milk

Combine ingredients, mix until smooth

Chocolate Croissant Bread Pudding

INGREDIENTS

o 2 boxes (3 oz each) cook & serve vanilla pudding and pie filling
o 1 qt (4 cups) whole milk
o 4 chocolate croissants (about 4 oz each)

PREPARATION

1. Heat oven to 350ºF. Have a 3-qt shallow baking dish ready.

2. Whisk pudding mix and milk in a large bowl for 2 minutes, or until thoroughly blended.

3. Cut croissants in 1-in. pieces. Arrange in prepared baking dish. Pour pudding mixture over croissants, pushing pieces into the liquid.

4. Bake 50 minutes, or until bubbly around edges and a knife inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool about 10 minutes before serving. If desired, dust top with confectioners’ sugar.

(See Recipe Below)

German Potato Salad

Ingredients:
8-10 Red new potatoes
Bunch of green onion
Hellman’s mayonnaise
4 Eggs
Celery Seed
Salt
Boil new potatoes until done and cool until they can be handled. Boil eggs and cool. Cut potatoes with skins on into bite sized pieces. Peel eggs and separate yolks from whites. Cut whites into small pieces. Throw away eggs or use for other purpose. Slice green onion to ends of white tips and cut into small pieces. Mix potatoes, egg whites and onion together. Mix in Hellman’s mayonnaise to taste. Do not use Miracle Whip; it will not taste the same. Salt to personal taste. Sprinkle celery seed generously over top and stir all ingredients together. Serve warm, room temperature or cold, depending on personal taste.

Butternut Squash, Sage and Chile Risotto

6 cups chicken or veg broth
1 stick unsalted butter
1 large onion chopped
1/8 tsp red pepper flakes
1 lb butternut squash, peeled, seeded and diced (2.5 cups)
2 cups arborio rice
1 T fresh chopped sage
3/4 cup grated Parmesan

Pour broth into large saucepan. Bring to a simmer (keep at gentle simmer).
Melt 4 T of butter in heave saucepan. Add onion and cook 10 minutes.
Stir occassionally, until tender. Stir in crushed red pepper and cook one minute.
Add squash and cook 5 minutes, stirring often until it softens slightly. Stir in rice.
Cook for a few minutes to toast the grains.
Begin adding the broth, one ladleful at a time, stirring gently until each one has been absorbed. Continue stirring until rice is tender and creamy but the grains are still firm.
This should take 15-20 minutes.
Remove from heat and stir in sage, remaining butter and parm.

CHICKEN POT PIE
Pillsbury Pie Crusts

1 can of mixed vegetables, no salt added, drained
2 cans of cream of potato soup
1/2 cup of heavy cream or milk
1 lb of cooked chicken breast cubed
thyme
black pepper (do spices really count? come on....)

Place bottom pie crust in pie pan
Bake at 425 F for 3 minutes

Mix veggies, soup, cream/milk, chicken breasts, seasonings
Pour mixture into pie crust
Place other pie crust on top to cover and pinch edges together
Ooops. another couple ingredients ( I just can't follow directions)
Beat one egg yolk and 2 tbsp of mild and baste top pie crust
Bake at 425 F for 25 minutes

Let sit for 20 minutes and serve

Cranberry-BBQ Chicken Breasts Mix equal parts canned whole-berry cranberry sauce and barbecue sauce. Brush on boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Broil on nonstick foil- lined baking pan, turning once, until cooked through (about 7 minutes). Serve with frozen mashed sweet potatoes.

Easy Authentic Guacamole
• 3 large ripe avocados (should give a little when squeezed)
• 2 teaspoons lime juice
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 2 plum tomatoes (~1 cup diced)
• 1 medium onion (~1 cup diced)
• 1 jalapeno

Baked Tortilla Chips
110 calories & 1.5 grams of fat per 16 pieces
Lightly spray corn tortillas on both sides with Olive Oil Pam.
Sprinkle with seasoning of choice.
(Today salt + Mrs. Dash Southwest Chipotle)
Bake at 425 for 8-10, watching carefully, until crispy and brown.
(Also good as fake sopapillas with cinnamon and sugar.)

Quesadillas de Camarones (Shrimp Quesadillas)
Flour tortillas
8-12 Large raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
8 ounces Mexican red sauce
1 large onion
1 red bell pepper
1 green bell pepper
2 cups cheese, grated (Monterey Jack is best)
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt to taste
Pour red sauce over shrimp. Set aside. Chop vegetables into large pieces. Heat skillet over high heat and add olive oil. Cook vegetables over high heat until they start to get brown/black. Remove from skillet and set aside. Return skillet to high heat, then dump in the shrimp with the sauce. Cook, stirring only occasionally, until shrimp is opaque. Add in a little water if the sauce gets dry. Remove from skillet and chop into bite-size pieces.
In a separate skillet, heat butter. Place a tortilla in the skillet, then layer on ingredients: cheese, vegetables, and shrimp. Top with a little more cheese and a second tortilla. Cook on both sides, adding butter before flipping to the other side so the tortilla isn’t overly dry. Remove from skillet and slice into wedges. Serve with rice, beans, salsa, sour cream, guacamole—whatever you’d like!

MEXICAN LAYER DIP
Layer in oven proof casserole in the following order:
1 can black beans, drained
8 oz. cream cheese, cut in thin slices
1 small red onion, finely chopped
10.5 oz raspberry salsa
8 oz Monterrey Jack cheese, grated

Bake at 325 for 20-30 minutes

	Photo: Randy Mayor; Styling: Cindy Barr

Pan-Roasted Corn and Tomato Relish


Serve this smoky relish with steak, chicken, or grilled striped bass. Refrigerate for up to three days.

This recipe goes with Grilled Chicken Breast, Grilled Flank Steak

1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup chopped shallots
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups fresh corn kernels (about 2 ears)
2 cups cherry tomatoes, quartered (about 1 pint)
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt

1. Heat oil in a large cast-iron skillet over high heat. Add shallots and garlic; sauté 1 minute. Add corn; sauté 5 minutes or until corn is lightly browned. Add tomatoes; sauté 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Place corn mixture in a medium bowl; cool to room temperature. Stir in basil, vinegar, and salt.

Yield: 10 servings (serving size: 1/4 cup)

CALORIES 47 ; FAT 1.8g (sat 0.3g,mono 1.2g,poly 0.3g); CHOLESTEROL 0.0mg; CALCIUM 8mg; CARBOHYDRATE 7.5g; SODIUM 123mg; PROTEIN 1.4g; FIBER 1.2g; IRON 0.3mg

Cooking Light, AUGUST 2009

Sometimes a spontaneous gathering
can be just as delightful as a well planned,
executed far in advance evening.
That would be the case tonight as 9 of us
gathered at a relatively new restaurant @
Harwood and Brown Trail.
We had an assortment of dinners that
received positive reviews.
(Don't miss the smokey, eggplant hummus!)

May Recipe Club
Blog "Good Things Catered" Theme

Spring Dinner Menu

Sauvignon Fruit Splash
Roasted Artichoke & Spinach Dip
Roasted Vegetable & Goat Cheese Salad
Mini Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins
Baby Arugula Salad with Lemon Dijon Dressing
Braised Chicken with Lemon & Olives
Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

Sauvignon Fruit Splash

Ingredients:
1 large bottle of a favorite, fruity Sauvignon Blanc
1 large bunch mint
1 splash (maybe 1/8 c.?) all natural grapefruit juice
1/2 c. simple syrup
1/2 c. fresh raspberries
1 bottle sparkling water

Directions:
-Rip mint leaves in half and lightly muddle into bottom of large pitcher
-Add a large handful of ice and pour in wine.
-Add splash grapefruit juice and simple syrup and stir to combine thoroughly.
-Add raspberries and refrigerate for at least an hour.
-Remove from fridge, add more ice, top with sparkling water and serve.

Roasted Artichoke and Spinach Dip

Ingredients:
2 (14 oz) cans of premium artichoke hearts
3 Tbsp olive oil
salt and ground black pepper
16 oz. baby spinach leaves
1 medium onion, minced
2 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed
1/4 c. mayonnaise
4 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
1 1/2 c. assorted cheeses, grated (I used pecorino, parmesan, asiago, mozzarella, and fontina)
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 Tbsp minced thyme leaves
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese, grated

Directions:
-Preheat the oven to 450 degrees and line baking sheet with foil.
-Toss drained artichokes with 1 Tbsp oil, ½ tsp salt and ¼ tsp ground black pepper.
-Spread out over the baking sheet and roast, stirring occasionally. Until browned at the edges, about 25 minutes.
-Let the artichoke cool and chop coarse.
-Meanwhile heat 1 Tbsp oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium high heat until just shimmering.
-Sauté spinach until wilted and drain thoroughly and transfer.
-Add the remaining 1 Tbsp oil to pan and add the onion.
-Cook for until softened, about 5 -7 mins.
-Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds..
-Transfer to bowl with spinach.
-Stir in mayo, cream cheese, cheeses, lemon juice, thyme, and cayenne until uniform.
-Add more cheese as needed! (oink! oink!)
-Gently fold in artichokes and season with salt and pepper to taste.
-Transfer mixture to large baking dish and sprinkle with parmesan.
(Here you can cover and refrigerate up to three days if needed)
-Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
-Bake dip uncovered until hot throughout and top is golden brown, about 20-25 mins.
-Let cool at least 5 mins before serving.

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

Ingredients:
1 3/4 c. plus 2 Tbsp all purpose flour
1 1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 package instant vanilla pudding mix
1 heaping c. chocolate chips
2/3 c. granulated sugar
1/2 c. shortening
2 eggs
2 Tbsp milk
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
3 large extra ripe bananas, mashed

Directions:
-Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare loaf pan.
-In medium bowl, combine all flour but 2 Tbsp, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and pudding mix.
-Whisk to combine and set aside.
-In small bowl, combine remaining flour and chocolate chips, tossing well to combine and set aside.
-In bowl of stand mixer, combine shortening and sugar.
-Beat on high until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
-Add eggs, one at a time until thoroughly combined.
-Add milk and vanilla, then banana to mixture and combine well.
-With mixer on low, add flour mixture until just combined then fold in chocolate chips.
-Spread into loaf pan, tap to remove air pockets, and place in oven to bake.
-Bake loaf in oven for 1hr or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.
-Let loaf cool in pan for 5 minutes, then turn out onto wire rack to cool completely (or serve warm! Yum!)

Roasted Vegetable and Goat Cheese Salad

Ingredients:
1 large package (10 oz.) organic greens
1 package artichoke hearts, drained/defrosted
1 large red pepper
1 large zucchini
1/2 c. kalamata olives
5 goat cheese medallions
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1/4 c., plus 1 Tbsp, extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic
1 tsp fresh chives
1 tsp fresh oregano
1 tsp fresh thyme
1 tsp fresh parsley
1 tsp salt, divided
1 tsp pepper, divided

Directions:
-Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
-Cut zucchini into 1/4 inch by 4 inch slices.
-Cut red pepper into 1/2 inch spears.
-In medium bowl, place zucchini, red pepper, artichokes, 1 Tbsp olive oil, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp ground pepper and toss lightly to combine.
-Place mixture onto lined baking sheet(s) and place in oven.
-Roast until zucchini is soft and artichokes have begun to brown around the edges, about 25 minutes.
-Meanwhile, pit kalamata olives and discard pits.
-In large serving bowl, add salad greens and scatter olives.
-Place goat cheese medallions on lined baking sheet.
-Remove vegetables from oven and using tongs, scatter on top of salad greens
-Place goat cheese in oven and bake until slightly browned and starting to bubble, about 10 minutes.
-Meanwhile, in bowl of mini processor or blender, combine vinegar, garlic, chives, oregano, chives, parsley and remaining salt and pepper.
-Turn processor on high and while running, slowly drizzle remaining olive oil into mixture to emulsify.
-Once fully combined, turn processor off, drizzle desired amount of dressing over salad greens (serving remaining on the side with the meal).
-Remove goat cheese medallions from the oven and with large spatula, place on top of salad.
-Serve immediately.