April Recipe Swap - Salad

Layered Vegetable Salad Recipe

Layer the following in a trifle or glass bowl:

Romaine Lettuce

Garbanzo Beans (drained and rinsed)

Cherry Tomatoes (sliced in half)

Broccli Florets

Chopped Red Sweet Pepper

Diced Cooked Ham (for fast recipes you can get it canned)

Spoon Dressing on Top:

1 cup Mayo

2 TB milk

Pepper

Whatever spices you feel like, I used Dill & Italian Seasonings and a dash of Chipotle...my favorite

Chill at least a few hrs.

Before serving sprinkle generous helpings of shredded smoked chedder (or reg. if you have it) on top.

March Recipe Swap - Jell-O

Apple Cinnamon Salad

1 cup water

1/4 cup Red Hots

3 oz. package Lemon Jello

2 cups applesauce

8 ounces cream cheese

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup chopped celery

Heater water and Red Hots until boiling; simmer until candies melt.  Add jello, stirring until dissolved.  Add applesauce and mix thoroughly.  Add some lemon juice if the applesauce is too sweet.  Poor half of the mixture into a mold/pan/bowl.  Chill until almost firm.  Beat cream cheese and mayonnaise until smooth.  Mix in celery.  Spoon over applesauce layer.  Poor remaining jello mixture over the top and chill until firm.

Orange Jello

Dissolve 1/2 cup sugar, a small can crushed pineapple and a small box of orange jello in saucepan.  Remove from heat and cool (I add a drained can of mandarin oranges). Blend 8 ounces softened cream cheese and a junior bottle of apricot baby food.  Combine the two mixtures.  Fold in a small container of Cool Whip.

February Recipe Swap- Texas Style Recipes

Guacamole

Saralynn Jensen

2 avocados
1 tsp lime juice (or to taste)
1 tsp salt (to taste)
1/2 cup fresh tomato, diced

Mush up the avocados with a fork. Add lime juice, salt and tomatoes and stir well.

Texas Sheet Cake

Ellen Patton

Pan size is important–I used a jelly roll pan.

Bring to a boil:

2 sticks butter
4 T cocoa
1 cup water

Pour over:
2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1 t soda
pinch of salt

Add:
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 eggs
1 t vanilla

Mix well together. Bake 20 minutes at 350 degrees. Cool.

FROSTING

Bring to a rapid boil: (note--it might separate and look scary!)

1 stick butter
4 T cocoa
6 T buttermilk

Then add:
1 box powdered sugar (probably 3-4 cups)
1 t vanilla
Pour over cooled cake. Sprinkle top with nuts if desired.

Pico de Gallo and Guacamole

Sherie Christensen

Taken from ThePioneerWoman.com

Five plum (Roma) tomatoes (firm, not soft)
1/2 large or 1 small onion
3 jalapeno peppers
cilantro
lime juice
salt

Begin by cutting the ends off the jalapenos and chopping them into a small dice.
Throw ‘em in a bowl, seeds and all
Now begin dicing the tomatoes.
Then throw ‘em into the bowl with the jalapenos
Now it’s time to dice the onions.
Stir together with a knife
Now chop up a nice-sized bunch of cilantro. Don’t be stingy here! You can cut off the long stems before you start, but there’s no need to peel the leaves from the stems
Chop until it’s relatively fine, but not minced.
Throw it into the bowl with the other yummy ingredients
Then squeeze half of a small lime into the bowl
Add salt to taste
Stir together

Chicken Fajitas

Shaunna Baird

Taken from myrecipes.com

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Yield: Makes 4 servings

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 onion, sliced
2 red, yellow, or orange bell peppers, or a combination, cored and sliced
Salt, to taste
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/4 teaspoons ground cumin, or to taste
1 teaspoon ground chili powder, or to taste
6 tablespoons fresh lime juice, divided
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro, divided
1 (3- to 4-pound) roasted whole chicken, chopped
8 (8-inch) flour tortillas

1. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat; add onion, bell pepper, and salt, and cook 3 minutes. Add garlic, cumin, and chili powder, and cook 1 minute or until vegetables are crisp-tender. Remove from heat, and stir in 2 tablespoons lime juice and 2 tablespoons cilantro.

2. Heat tortillas according to package directions.

3. Whisk together remaining 1 tablespoon oil, 4 tablespoons lime juice, and 2 tablespoons cilantro in a small bowl; season with salt. Drizzle dressing over chicken; toss to coat. Arrange chicken, vegetables, and warm tortillas on platter. Serve with toppings.

Serve with Cilantro-Lime Rice (below)

Cilantro-Lime Rice
Shaunna Baird
Taken from Martha Stewart

* 1 cup long-grain white rice
* Coarse salt
* 1/2 cup fresh cilantro
* 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
* 1 tablespoon olive oil
* 1 garlic clove

In a medium saucepan, bring 1 1/2 cups water to a boil. Add rice and 1/4 teaspoon salt; cover, and reduce to a simmer. Cook until water is absorbed and rice is just tender, 16 to 18 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a blender, combine cilantro, lime juice, oil, garlic, and 2 tablespoons water; blend until smooth. Stir into cooked rice, and fluff with a fork

January Recipe Swap- Soups

Festive Black Bean Chili
submitted by Ellen P.
(I can't remember where I got the recipe from--apologies to whoever this recipe belongs to)

2 cups chopped onions

2 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
1/2 cup water
1 T ground cumin
1 T ground coriander
1 cup prepared Mexican-style red salsa
2 red and/or green bell peppers, chopped
3 cups black beans (two 15-ounce cans, drained and rinsed)
3 cups canned whole tomatoes, with juice (28-ounce can)
2 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels (11-ounce package)
salt to taste
Tabasco or other hot pepper sauce to taste
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro, or to taste (optional)

In a covered soup pot, cook the onions and garlic in the water on high heat, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes. Add the cumin and coriander and stir on high heat for a minute. Stir in the salsa and bell peppers, lower the heat, cover, and simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the black beans and tomatoes; simmer for 10 minutes. Add the corn and continue to cook for 10 minutes. Add salt and Tabasco to taste. Stir in the cilantro, if desired.

Serves 4 to 6
Total time: 35 minutes

Carrot Ginger Soup

submitted by Margaret M.
3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 1/2 pounds carrots, peeled and chopped coarse (about 5 cups)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 onion, minced
Salt and ground black pepper
2 T grated fresh ginger
¾ C whole milk
¼ C orange juice
1 T minced fresh chives

1. Heat broth mixture: Bring broth and carrots to boil, covered, in large saucepan and set aside.
2. Sauté onion: Meanwhile, melt butter in large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and ½ tsp. salt and cook until softened, 3-5 minutes.
3. Sauté ginger and add broth mixture: Stir in ginger and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in broth mixture. Bring to simmer and cook until carrots are tender, 10-13 minutes.
4. Puree soup, finish, and season: Puree soup in batches in blender until smooth. Return pureed soup to pot and stir in milk and orange juice. Return to brief simmer, then removed from heat. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with chives before serving.
serves 6

Awesome Potato & Sausage Soup
submitted by Laura P-N.

6-8 Yukon gold potatoes (or 4 large baking potatoes), peeled and diced into 1-inch pieces
4 cups chicken stock
2 lbs. sausage, out of the casing (use mild sausage if you want a mild soup)
1½ cup diced onion
1¾ cup finely diced celery
1 stick butter
1 quart heavy whipping cream
3 or 4 T balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon vanilla
4 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
Salt and pepper, to taste

In a large stock pot, add potatoes and chicken stock. Bring to a simmer and cook until potatoes are fork tender, about 20 minutes. In a sauté pan over medium heat, add sausage and chopped onion and celery and sauté until completely cooked. Drain sausage mixture. Add to stockpot with butter. Add cream and extra broth, if needed. Cook for about 15 minutes on medium-low. Add vinegar, vanilla, and parsley at end of cooking. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

French Onion Soup

submitted by Shaunna B.

3 Tbs olive oil

2 large Red Onions, sliced

2 Large Yellow Onions, sliced

4 Leeks, thinly sliced

1/4 tsp sugar

7 cups beef or chicken broth

2 crushed cloves of garlic

1 bay leaf

1/4 tsp dry thyme

salt/pepper to taste

shredded gruyere cheese and french bread, sliced

Sauté onions in olive oil for 15 minutes on medium heat. Sprinkle sugar on them, cook for additional 30-40 minutes, stirring frequently.

Add beef/chicken broth, garlic, bay leaf, and thyme, salt/pepper. simmer for 30 minutes

Ladle soup into oven safe bowls, toast bread, put bread in bowls on top of soup and cover with cheese. Broil to melt cheese, serve.

Anything Goes Soup

Saralynn Jensen

1/2 cup wild rice blend
2+ Tbsp dry onions
2+ Tbsp dry carrot dices
2 -3 beef bouillon cubes
3 1/2 cups water
1/2 lb ground beef (can substitute a couple cups of pinto, kidney beans, etc.)
1/4 cup alphabet noodles
2 cups corn, frozen or canned
2 cups green beans, frozen or canned
8 oz tomato sauce (can use whatever tomato-based sauce you have in your fridge)
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp marjoram
1/4 tsp black pepper

Combine rice, onion, carrot, bouillon and water. Simmer for 30 to 45
minutes until rice is tender. Add all other ingredients except spices
and bring to simmer. Add spice and turn off heat.
This is a great soup to use up leftovers - throw in whatever you think
will taste good with Italian type flavors.

Easiest and Best Black Bean Soup  (Submitted by Elyse S.)

2 cans black beans (15 ounces), drained and rinsed

1 ½ cups chicken broth

1 cup chunky salsa

1 teaspoon cumin

Cheddar cheese (optional)

Sour cream (optional)

Green onions (optional)

In a food processor or blender, combine beans, broth, salsa, and cumin. Blend until fairly smooth. Pour into medium saucepan and heat thoroughly. Serve with sour cream, cheese, and green onions, if desired.

Refried Beans

1 onion
3 c (dry) pinto beans
1/2 jalapeno
2 T garlic
5 t salt (bouillon)
1 3/4 t pepper
1/8 t cumin
9 c water

Cook for 8 hrs. in crockpot. Leave one cup of liquid and throw rest out. Put in food processor/blender and blend. You can use this for bean burritos. I would guess it makes about 4 cups of beans.

Smothered Burrito Sauce

1 c. water
3/4 c. salsa
1/4 c. tomato paste
1/4 c. corn meal
1/4 t. garlic powder
1 c. tomato sauce

Put beans in shells. Fold into burritos. Put sauce on top and sprinkle with cheese. Bake @ 350 degrees for 10 min. If you don't have time to make the sauce you can buy the red or green enchilada sauce. 

November Recipe Swap - Biscotti

Biscotti


Beat together:
4 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 cup oil (optional)
Then add:
1 tsp almond, lemon OR anise extract (your choice)
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder

When mixed, slowly add in:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Grease and flour a 10 1/2" x 16" cookie sheet with sides (sometimes called a jelly roll pan). Pour in batter. Bake at 375 F for 15 to 17 minutes. Cut into 3 sections lengthwise then cut diagonally.

For softer cookie: Frost and sprinkle with non-pareils. Cut when cool.

Frosting: 1/2 box confectioners sugar and a little milk with 1 tsp almond or anise extract to the consistency of soft peanut butter

For crunchy cookie: After the cookies are cut, spread on cookie sheets and bake 15 to 20 minutes at (250 F to 275 F), turning halfway through. Good for dunking.

October Recipe Swap - Pumpkin

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread (Alecia Williams)

Blend:

4 eggs

3 cups sugar

2 cups pumpkin

1 cup oil

2/3 cup water

Sift together and then add to mixture:

3½ cups flour

1 T baking soda

1 1/4 t. Salt

1 t cinnamon

Stir in:

½ bag semi-sweet chocolate chips

½ bag mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

Bake at 325 degrees (this recipe makes 7 small loaf pans) for 45-50 minutes.

Pumpkin Squares (Gloria Daniels)

4 eggs

1 2/3 cup sugar

1 cup oil

2 cups pumpkin

2 cups flour

2 t baking powder

2 t cinnamon

1 t salt

1 t baking soda

Beat eggs, sugar and oil.  Add pumpkin.  Sift dry ingredients together and add to mixture.  Pour into greased jelly roll pan.  Bake 25-30 minutes at 350 degrees.

Frosting

3 ounces cream cheese

1/3 cup butter

1 T milk

1 t vanilla

2 cups powdered sugar

Beat cream cheese, butter, milk and vanilla until creamy.   Add sugar and frost.

Tea Party

Shortbread

2 cups flour

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup (2 sticks) butter,no substitutes

Combine flour, sugar and salt in a bowl.  Cut in cold butter with fork until dough sticks together (takes a few minutes).  Press into springform, tart, or shortbread pan.  Prick with fork and cut with knife into wedges.  Bake at 350 F until just browned at the edges - do not let middle brown.  Let cool in the pan.