Sunday October 10th.

I have been wanting to make my chicken pot pie for the staff since last fall, but have always been perplexed by what to serve along with it! A pot pie is a complete meal! Bread, meat and veggies!! Maybe it is because I am pregnant, maybe not, but I could not resist this year! It is the middle of October people....it had to be done!! I decided to make some homemade caramel sauce to serve with apples, because this also seamed very fallish and buttermilk oatmeal muffins! I didn't make dessert because I figured there was enough "sweet" with the sides! Enjoy!!




Chicken Pot Pie

1 rotisserie chicken, with all meat removed!
1 cup sliced carrots
1 cup frozen green peas
1/2 cup sliced celery
1/3 cup butter
1/3 cup chopped onion
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon celery seed
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 3/4 cups chicken broth
2/3 cup whole milk

2 (9 inch) unbaked pie crusts......YES, even I used purchased pie crust....I normally would make my own, but I am 7 months pregnant cooking for 40 people!! : )

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a saucepan, combine carrots, peas, and celery. Add water to cover and boil for 15 minutes. Remove from heat, drain and set aside. In the saucepan over medium heat, cook onions in butter until soft and translucent. Stir in flour, salt, pepper, garlic powder and celery seed. Slowly stir in chicken broth and milk. Simmer over medium-low heat until thick. Remove from heat and set aside. Place the chicken and veggies in bottom pie crust. Pour hot liquid mixture over. Cover with top crust, seal edges, and cut away excess dough. Make several small slits in the top to allow steam to escape. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes, or until pastry is golden brown and filling is bubbly. Cool for 10 minutes before serving.




Homemade Caramel dip

1 1/2 cups white sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup butter at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions

In a large heavy saucepan, combine the white sugar, corn syrup, and salt. Bring to a boil and heat to between 234 and 240 degrees (you will need a candy or deep fat thermometer) Stir in the butter and heavy cream carefully - the mixture will bubble up. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla. Cool slightly before dipping apples or other fruit.



Buttermilk Oatmeal Muffins with Maple butter

1 cup quick-cooking oats
1 cup buttermilk
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
Directions

In a bowl, soak oats in buttermilk for 15 minutes. Stir in egg, sugar and oil. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; stir into oat mixture just until moistened. Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups three-fourths full. Bake at 400 degrees F for 16-18 minutes or until muffins test done. Cool in pan 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack.




Maple Butter

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
3 1/2 tablespoons pure maple syrup

Using electric mixer, beat butter in medium bowl until creamy. Gradually beat in maple syrup until well blended and smooth. Can be made 1 week ahead. Cover and refrigerate.

Sunday September 26th.

Michael Stevenson's request for spaghetti and Meatballs finally came to fruition this week!! I gave in.....I gave into serving "dinner" for lunch!! I have been trying hard to serve lunch, because as I have said before, that is the biggest challenge in cooking for large groups! I love a good challenge....I love searching after the perfect lunch menu! But, I will give Michael the creit he deserves....I loved this meal and I know that many of the staff members did too!! Michael, it was a great idea!!



Spaghetti and Spicy Meatballs

SPICY MEATBALLS

1 pound lean ground beef
3/4 cup seasoned breadcrumbs
1/4 cup chopped sweet onion
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 cloves garlic, chopped
3 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning

place on a broiler pan so the fat can strain. Broil 10-15 minutes. Serve with Spaghetti and marinara sauce!!



Homemade Marinara sauce

1/2 cup minced onion
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
2 (6 ounce) cans tomato paste
2 (6.5 ounce) cans canned tomato sauce
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons white sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil leaves 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 tablespoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

In a Dutch oven, cook onion, and garlic in a little olive oil over med. heat until translucent. Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce, and water. Season with sugar, basil, fennel seeds, Italian seasoning, 1 T salt, pepper, and 2 tablespoons parsley. Simmer, covered, for about 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.




Scott's favorite Ceasar Salad

1 head of Romaine
6 cloves garlic
3/4 cups Mayonnaise
1 teaspoon anchovy paste
1 Tablespoon Dijon -mustard
3 Tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese (divided)
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
Salt & pepper to taste

Mince garlic combine with the rest of the ingredients. Serve with favorite garlic croutons and extra parmesan cheese!!


MOTHER HURST’S SPECIALTY FRIED BREAD

Soften 1 package dried yeast in 1/4 cup warm water. In large bowl, put 1 3/4 cups water 1 t. salt, blend in 3 cups flour and add softened yeast. Mix well. Add 2-2 1/2 cups sifted flour…to make soft dough kneed about 10 minutes. Let dough rise for 1-2 hours punch down & kneed to original size. Roll dough to about 1/4-1/2 inch thickness and cut out small rounds. Drop rounds into hot Crisco *420 when done frying, roll into 1 cup butter 2-3 garlic cloves & pecorino cheese.

YUM YUM!!! Enjoy!!

Sunday August 15th

This Sunday I made Beer Brats with Caramelized Onions, a Sweet Corn Bake, Bacon, Lettuce, and Cherry Tomato Salad With Aioli Dressing and Chocolate Chip cookies! Apparently it was good!! : )

Beer Brats with Caramelized Onions

Caramelized Onions

1 sweet onion, sliced thin
1/4 cup of butter

Melt butter on medium heat, then add onions. Stir onions and butter until nice and soft and brown. This takes a long time....if you turn the heat up, just make sure they do not burn...butter burns easily! : )

In large sauce pan bring 1 or 2 bottles of cheap beer to a boil. Add as many bratwurst as you are making (that fit in the pan.) Boil them in the beer until they are cooked all the way through.

Cut brats into four pieces each and mix well with the caramelized onion!



Corn Bake

1 (15 ounce) can creamed corn
1 (15.25 ounce) can whole kernel corn
1 (8 ounce) container sour cream
2 eggs
1/2 cup butter
2 tablespoons white sugar
1 (8.5 ounce) package corn muffin mix

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 x 13 inch baking dish. Mix together corn, sour cream, eggs, melted butter and sugar. Mix in muffin mix. Pour into prepared baking dish. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a knife inserted midway into pan comes out clean.



Bacon, Lettuce, And Cherry Tomato Salad With Aioli Dressing

5 ounces applewood-smoked bacon (about 6 slices)
12 cups torn romaine lettuce (from 1 large head; about 13 ounces)
8 ounces cherry tomatoes, grape tomatoes, and/or pear tomatoes, halved
1 garlic clove, minced
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 1/2 tablespoons white-wine vinegar
print a shopping list for this recipe

Cook bacon in large skillet over medium heat until crisp; transfer to paper towels. Crumble bacon coarsely. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon drippings from skillet; reserve skillet.
Place lettuce and tomatoes in large serving bowl. Heat bacon drippings in skillet over medium heat. Add garlic, then mayonnaise and vinegar; whisk until blended, 30 to 40 seconds. Season dressing to taste with salt and pepper. Pour over lettuce and tomatoes and toss to coat. Sprinkle bacon over. Serve immediately.

Sunday August 8th

Today for staff lunch I made Lemon-Tarragon Chicken Salad Sandwiches (with raspberry jam), Watermelon and Cantaloupe Wedges with Lime-Mint Syrup and Sinckerdoodles. It is really hard to make something new every time, especially when you are trying to stick to true "lunch" food and not dinner/lunch substitutes....I gave up on the cookies a long time ago....I often make the ones I already know are good!! The one thing I wanted to do a second time around was chicken salad sandwiches. So this time I found a new recipe! I used a lemon-tarragon one and added a raspberry jam to it, to serve with it I wanted to do a fruit salad, but neither Scott or I are fans of traditional fruit salad....there is something about all the fruit slimming all over each other that grosses us out! So I made a lime syrup and drizzled it over wedges of summer fruit and topped with fresh mint! We decided they tasted like fruit wedge mojitos without the rum!! Next time I might just try it with rum!! We'll see! Enjoy!


Lemon-Tarragon Chicken Salad Sandwiches

1 1/4 pounds skinless boneless chicken breast halves (about 3)

3/4 cup finely chopped celery
1/2 cup plus mayonnaise
1/8 cup finely chopped red onion
2 (or more) tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
6 croissants
Raspberry Jam

Bring large saucepan of salted water to boil. Add chicken breasts; reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer until chicken is just cooked through, about 12 minutes. Transfer chicken to plate; cool. Mix celery, 1/2 cup mayonnaise, onion, tarragon, lemon juice, and lemon peel in large bowl to blend. Shred chicken with 2 forks; stir into mayonnaise mixture. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be made 4 hours ahead. Cover; chill.) I like to add garlic powder, extra tarragon, extra lemon peel, more mayo etc....until it tastes how you want it to taste! Go easy on the garlic powder though! Cut croissants in halve and spread jam on bottom of each! This brings a nice sweet balance to the tarragon and lemon!! So so so good!! Cut sandwiches in half and serve.



Watermelon and Cantaloupe Wedges with Lime-Mint Syrup

1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup fresh lime juice (from 1 1/2 limes)
2 teaspoons finely grated lime zest (from 1 1/2 limes)
1 medium ripe cantaloupe (about 3 1/2 pounds), cut into 24 thin wedges
1 (4-pound) piece watermelon, preferably seedless, cut into 24 thin wedges
2 tablespoons fresh mint, preferably spearmint, finely chopped

In small bowl, whisk together sugar and 1/4 cup hot water until sugar is dissolved. Stir in lime juice and zest. Cover and refrigerate until cool, about 1 1/2 hours. (Syrup can be made ahead and chilled, covered, up to 3 days. Make sure your fruit wedges are nice and cold too!! As close to serving time as possible, stir mint into syrup and drizzle over melon wedges. Serve chilled.



Snickerdoodles

1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup shortening
1 1/2 cups white sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons white sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cream together butter, shortening, 1 1/2 cups sugar, the eggs and the vanilla. Blend in the flour, cream of tartar, soda and salt. Shape dough by rounded spoonfuls into balls. Mix the 2 tablespoons sugar and the cinnamon. Roll balls of dough in mixture. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake 8 to 10 minutes, or until set but not too hard. Remove immediately from baking sheets.

Independence Day Lunch!!

Happy 4th Ecclesia! I hope you loved today's lunch! I couldn't resist making BBQ two weeks in a row. Well, I actually didn't think last week that I would want to make BBQ for the 4th of July....anyways, I did, here it is! Enjoy!!



1 (2 pound) pork tenderloin
1 (12 fluid ounce) can or bottle root beer
1 (18 ounce) bottle your favorite barbecue sauce (sub root-beer bbq sauce recipe below!)
8 hamburger buns, split and lightly toasted

Place the pork tenderloin in a slow cooker; pour the root beer over the meat. Cover and cook on low until well cooked and the pork shreds easily, 6 to 7 hours. Note: the actual length of time may vary according to individual slow cooker. Drain well. Stir in barbecue sauce. Serve over hamburger buns.

Root Beer BBQ Sauce

1 cup root beer
1 cup ketchup
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup orange juice
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons (packed) dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon mild-flavored (light) molasses
1 teaspoon liquid smoke*
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon peel
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder

Combine all ingredients in heavy medium saucepan. Bring to boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until reduced to 1 1/2 cups, about 20 minutes. Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper. Cool slightly. Transfer to bowl. Cover and refrigerate. (Can be made 2 weeks ahead; keep refrigerated.)


Roasted Potato Wedges with Cilantro-Lime Mayonnaise



For potatoes:
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 pounds baking potatoes (about 4 medium), each cut into 8 wedges

For cilantro-lime mayonnaise:
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro
2 teaspoons grated lime 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice


Roast potatoes: Put a 4-sided sheet pan in lower third of oven and preheat oven to 450°F. Stir cumin, oregano, and 3/4 teaspoon salt into oil in a large bowl. Add potatoes and toss. Arrange potatoes, cut sides down, in 1 layer in hot pan and roast, turning once, until golden, about 40 minutes. Meanwhile, make mayonnaise: Stir together mayonnaise, sour cream, cilantro, lime zest and juice, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a small serving bowl. Serve potatoes with mayonnaise.

THESE WERE THE BEST POTATOES I HAVE EVER MADE!!! SO SIMPLE YET SOOOOO GOOD WITH THE DIP!!

Creamy Cliantro-Lime Slaw



1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
3 tablespoons (or more) fresh lime juice
1 1/2 teaspoons finely grated lime peel
1 serrano chile, seeded, minced
2 garlic cloves, pressed
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
8 cups thinly sliced green cabbage
2 green onions, minced (about 1/8 cup)

Whisk mayonnaise, sour cream, 3 tablespoons lime juice, lime peel, chile, and garlic in large bowl. Stir in cilantro. Add cabbage and green onions; toss to incorporate evenly. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and chill 1 hour. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled. Season slaw with more lime juice, salt, and pepper, if desired, just before serving.

A tad different, but excellent!!

The Best Red Velvet Cupcakes

2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter, softened
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup milk
1 (1 ounce) bottle Red Food Color
2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract

Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting:
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter, softened
2 tablespoons sour cream
2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract (try to find clear or whitish yellow vanilla...or your frosting will be slightly brown! But still delish!!)
1 (16 ounce) box confectioners' sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Mix flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt in medium bowl. Set aside. Beat butter and sugar in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed 5 minutes or until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Mix in sour cream, milk, food color and vanilla. Gradually beat in flour mixture on low speed until just blended. Do not overbeat. Spoon batter into 30 paper-lined muffin cups, filling each cup 2/3 full. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted into cupcake comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire rack 5 minutes. Remove from pans; cool completely. Frost with Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting. Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting: Beat cream cheese, softened, butter, sour cream and Vanilla Extract in large bowl until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar until smooth.

Sunday Lunch, June 27th

I can not, can not believe that it has been over a month since I last made Sunday lunch for Ecclesia! Too long, too long indeed. Well this Sunday I wanted to make something very summery!! I decided to go with BBQ chicken...which can be made any which way you want!! I did not grill them for 40 people!! I baked mine covered for 40 mins in an oven at 350* drained the juices and added bbq sauce...then baked it a little longer! I am just going to put the recipe for the sauce on this post, because I trust you all know how to make chicken some way or another!! I also made corn cakes, and a watermelon salad!! For dessert, I made lemon bars...my favorite! Enjoy!!



Bourbon & Brown Sugar BBQ Sauce

1 cup ketchup
1/2 cup bourbon
3 tablespoons brown sugar
3 tablespoons mild (light) molasses
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
11/2 teaspoons liquid smoke
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Bring all ingredients to boil in saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat; simmer until sauce is reduced to 2 cups, stirring often, about 10 minutes. DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 weeks ahead. Cover; chill. Use at room temperature.

I would cut down the bourbon a tad...if you don't want that bourbon bite!!! I loved it!!



Corn Cakes

1 cup yellow cornmeal
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 teaspoons sugar
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled, plus additional melted butter for brushing the griddle
1 large egg
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup thawed frozen corn, chopped coarse
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1/4 cup finely chopped, rinsed, drained, and patted-dry bottled roasted red pepper
1 fresh jalapeño or serrano chili, or to taste, seeded and minced (wear rubber gloves)
1 cup coarsely grated Monterey Jack

(As you may have noticed, I did not put the red peppers or jalapeno into my corn cakes...I would also cut the onions down a bit, I thought they were very prominent in the cakes!! But you can follow the recipe however you'd like!!) Enjoy!!

In a bowl whisk together the cornmeal, the flour, the salt, the baking soda, the pepper, and the sugar. In another bowl whisk together 2 tablespoons of the butter, the egg, and the buttermilk, stir in the corn, the onion, the roasted pepper, the chili, and Monterey Jack, and stir in the cornmeal mixture, stirring until the batter is just combined. Heat a griddle over moderately high heat until it is hot, brush it lightly with the additional butter, and working in batches drop the batter by a 1/4-cup measure onto the griddle. Spread the batter slightly to form 3 1/2- to 4-inch cakes, cook the cakes for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, or until they are golden, transferring them as they are cooked to a heatproof platter, and keep them warm



Watermelon, Feta and Arugula Salad with Balsamic Glaze

1 (5-ounce) package baby arugula
8 cups 3/4-inch cubes seedless watermelon
1 (7-ounce) package feta cheese, crumbled
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar glaze

Arrange arugula over large platter. Scatter watermelon, then feta over. Drizzle with balsamic glaze and sprinkle with pepper.



Bake Sale Lemon Bars

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened

6 eggs
3 cups white sugar
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 cup lemon juice
2/3 cup confectioners' sugar for decoration

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 9x13 inch baking pan. With crisco. Combine the flour, 1 cup confectioners' sugar, and butter. Pat dough into prepared pan. Bake for 10 minutes in the preheated oven. While the crust is baking, whisk together eggs, white sugar, flour, and lemon juice until frothy. Pour this lemon mixture over the hot crust. Return to the preheated oven for an additional 20 to 25 minutes, or until light golden brown. Cool on a wire rack. Dust the top with confectioners' sugar. Cut into squares. Cool down a lot before attempting to cut!!

Enjoy!!

Michael Stevenson's Red Velvet Cupcakes!

Well, I am very sad to say that our first fun, rockin, party came way to late in the game!! We celebrated Michael's birthday with margs, beer, hooka and red velvet cupcakes last Monday....and we are moving this monday! Blast! We had all 12 seats at the table take at once, plus a full living room! It was very fun. I wish we could do it again! Here is the picture that sums up the evening!



Amazing Red Velvet Cupcakes

2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter, softened
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup milk
1 oz Red Food Color
2 t. Vanilla

Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting:
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter, softened
2 T sour cream
2 t. Vanilla (if you can find white vanilla, then the frosting won't turn slightly brown!)
2 cups confectioners' sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt in medium bowl. Set aside.
Beat butter and sugar in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed 5 minutes or until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Mix in sour cream, milk, food color and vanilla. Gradually beat in flour mixture on low speed until just blended. Do not over beat. Spoon batter into 30 paper-lined muffin cups, filling each cup 2/3 full.

Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted into cupcake comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire rack 5 minutes. Remove from pans; cool completely. Frost with Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting.

Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting: Beat cream cheese, softened, butter, sour cream and vanilla in large bowl until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar until smooth.

Enjoy!!

Sunday May, 16th

Pesto & Provolone Grilled Cheese With Olive oil! Yum! This Sunday I made grilled cheese sandwiches and a oven roasted tomato salad!

Grilled Cheese

Sourdough Bread (enough for however many sandwiches you would like to make!)
Pesto (homemade is good, but store bought is also fine!)
Cream cheese (about 2 Tablespoons per sandwich)
Provolone (1 1/2 slices per sandwich)
olive oil

Spread cream cheese on one side of bread, top with pesto and spread evenly. Top with provolone and other piece of bread. Spread olive oil on one side and place face down in pan set on med-low heat. Spread olive oil on other side of bread. Toast until browned on both sides. Yum, yum!!


Roasted Tomato and Arugula Salad

1 cup olive oil
1 large clove garlic, minced
1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
12 large plum tomatoes, halved lengthwise and seeded
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 1/2 cups (loosely packed) arugula

Preheat oven to 250°F. Line large rimmed baking sheet with foil.
In large bowl, stir together olive oil, garlic, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Dip tomato halves into oil, shake off excess, and arrange on baking sheet, cut sides down. Roast until skins are wrinkled and beginning to brown, about 2 hours. (Tomatoes can be roasted ahead and refrigerated, covered, up to 2 days. Bring to room temperature before using.)
In large bowl, whisk together remaining 1/2 cup olive oil, vinegar, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Add arugula and tomatoes and toss to coat.


Enjoy!!

Easter Sunday, Picnic in the Park!

Aside from missing our families, this Easter Sunday might have been the best I have ever experienced. Ecclesia had their service at Miller Outdoor Theater followed be a picnic in the park. We were asked to bring a lunch for ourselves and something to share! They grilled 1,200 hot dogs and 1,200 hamburgers to share with the crowd of people who joined us for the joyful celebration of the resurrection of Jesus!! It was a beautiful day! I knew that all Scott and I needed was sandwiches and a little something sweet! So I decided to make these to share!!




White-Chocolate-Dipped Strawberries with Citrus Sugar

2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon finely grated orange peel
1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon peel
6 ounces high-quality white chocolate (such as Lindt or Perugina), chopped
16 large ripe strawberries

Line baking sheet with foil. Using fingertips, mix sugar and citrus peels in small bowl until sugar is moist. Stir chocolate in small bowl set over saucepan of barely simmering water until melted and smooth. Remove from over water. Holding 1 strawberry by stem end, dip 2/3 of berry into chocolate; shake excess back into bowl. Turn berry dipped end up and sprinkle with citrus sugar. Place on prepared sheet. Repeat with remaining berries, chocolate, and sugar. Chill until chocolate sets, about 30 minutes.

Here are the sandwiches I made for us to eat! They were DELISH!!

Dijon-Cilantro Tuna Salad on Whole Grain Bread

2 scoops mayo (of your choice)
2 heaping tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon Honey
2 6-ounce cans solid albacore tuna packed in water, drained
1 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup chopped red onion
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
6 slices whole grain bread, toasted
6 slices ripe tomato
Avocado (enough for 3 sandwiches)

Mix first 3 ingredients in large bowl. Mix in tuna. Add celery, onion, and cilantro; mix well. Cover; chill at least 30 minutes. Overnight is best....lets everything meld well! Spoon 1/2 cup tuna on each of 6 bread slices. Top with tomato slices, avocado, and bread slices. Cut sandwiches in half.

MMMMM....so good!

Sunday March 21st!

A few months ago, Bon Appetit featured a ton of different gourmet hot dog recipes....I didn't really think anything of it, until I "ran out" of lunch ideas. I know there are a million different burgers/sandwiches out there to try, but for some reason I wanted to make something this week that I have never made! Adult loving hot dogs. And yes, people loved them! Someone even said it was the best hot-dog they have ever had! If that doesn't make you want to try them for yourself, the recipe will!

Here it is....

Cheddar Dogs with Cider-Braised Leeks and Apples



2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter
2 cups (generous) thinly sliced leeks (white and pale green parts only)
1 apple, peeled, cored, diced
1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds
Pinch of ground allspice
Coarse kosher salt
1 1/2 cups hard apple cider or 1 1/4 cups apple cider and 1/4 cup bourbon
6 grilled hot dog buns or brioche-style oblong rolls
Dijon mustard
6 grilled all-beef hot dogs
2 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, coarsely grated (1/2 cup packed)

Melt butter in large skillet over medium heat. Add leeks and apple. Cover; cook until tender, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Mix in caraway and allspice; season with coarse salt and pepper. Add hard cider; bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer, uncovered, until most of liquid is cooked away, about 16 minutes.
Arrange buns or rolls on plates. Spread each with mustard, then top with grilled hot dogs. Sprinkle dogs with cheese and top with leek mixture.


I served these amazing hot-dogs with a classic potato salad and Grilled Corn on the Cob with Maple-Chipotle Glaze!

Grilled Corn on the Cob with Maple-Chipotle Glaze



1/2 cup pure maple syrup
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 teaspoons minced canned chipotle chilies*
1/4 teaspoon salt

6 ears fresh corn, husked

Bring first 5 ingredients to simmer in heavy small saucepan over medium heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer until glaze is reduced to 3/4 cup, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. (Glaze can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)
Prepare barbecue (medium heat). Brush corn with some of glaze. Grill until lightly charred in spots, turning frequently, about 8 minutes. Transfer corn to platter. Brush corn with remaining glaze. Sprinkle generously with salt and serve.



3 pounds russet potatoes, peeled, cut into 1-inch pieces
4 hard-boiled eggs, peeled, yolks and whites separated
8 sweet pickles, finely chopped
1 1/2 cup chopped celery
3/4 cup chopped sweet onion
1 teaspoon dried mustard
2 tablespoons prepared mustard
2 tablespoons sweet pickle juice
1 cup light mayonnaise
1/4 cup milk

Cook potatoes in large pot of boiling water until just tender. Drain. Transfer potatoes to large bowl and cool.
Mince egg whites. Add whites, pickles, celery and onion to potatoes. Mash yolks in medium bowl. Add dry mustard, prepared mustard and pickle juice. Add mayonnaise and milk and blend until smooth. Pour dressing over potatoes and toss gently. Season with salt and pepper. add whatever floats your boat....garic powder etc!

Enjoy!!

Sunday March 7th

This Sunday I made homemade mac and cheese with buttermilk biscuits, southern green-beans and sweet tea! Yum. My first official southern meal since coming to Houston!



Baked Macaroni and Cheese

This recipe calls for Parmigiano-Reggiano (which is a more expensive cheese.) To save on this recipe I just used a parmesan. It tasted fabulous, but if you have the extra dough, I would buy the better cheese for sure!!

For the TOP
1/4 pound coarsely grated extra-sharp Cheddar (1 1/2 cups)
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

For macaroni and sauce
1 stick unsalted butter
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
5 cups whole milk
1 pound coarsely grated extra-sharp Cheddar (6 cups)
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
salt/pepper/garlic powder
1 pound elbow macaroni

Melt butter in a heavy medium saucepan over medium-low heat and stir in flour. Cook roux, stirring, 3 minutes, then whisk in milk. Bring sauce to a boil, whisking constantly, then simmer, whisking occasionally, 3 minutes. Stir in cheeses, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper until smooth. I really like to add some garlic powder for extra flavor...you can add and taste, add and taste etc. Cook macaroni in a pot of boiling salted water (2 tablespoons salt for 4 quarts water) until al dente (not to mushy.) Reserve 1 cup cooking water and drain macaroni in a colander. Stir together macaroni, reserved cooking water, and sauce in a large bowl. Transfer to shallow baking dish. Sprinkle topping evenly over macaroni and bake until golden and bubbling, 20 to 25 minutes.

Holly's Southern Green Beans

Here is a perfect example of me fixing a recipe until I LOVE it....I wasn't very impressed with the green beans I served on Sunday, but later that week we ate the leftover mac and I made more green beans! My way!

8-10 oz cooked up bacon
frozen package of Italian Green Beans (flat ones)
2-3 chicken bouillon
1 T. dehydrated onions

Dissolve bouillon in 8 oz boiling water. From there, you basically just put everything into a pot and simmer until everything is nice and soft and hot! The onions should soften and the chicken broth should be almost boiled out! Yum!

They look like a combination of these two photos!





Buttermilk Biscuits

This recipe only makes 6 biscuits

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
Rounded 1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
3/4 cup well-shaken buttermilk
1 tablespoon milk or cream for brushing biscuits (try not to let it spill over onto the pan or they will be hard to scrape off!)

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 425°F.
Sift together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda onto a sheet of wax paper, then sift again into a bowl. Blend in butter with your fingertips until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add buttermilk and stir with a fork until a dough just forms (dough will be moist). Turn dough out onto a well-floured surface and knead gently 6 times. Pat out dough on a floured surface with floured hands, reflouring surface if necessary, into an 8- by 5 1/2-inch rectangle. Trim all 4 sides with a knife, dusting knife edge with flour before each cut. Cut rectangle in half lengthwise, then into thirds crosswise to form 6 (2 1/2-inch) squares, flouring knife between cuts. Transfer biscuits with a metal spatula to an ungreased baking sheet, arranging them 2 inches apart, and brush tops with milk or cream. Bake until pale golden, 12 to 15 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool to room temperature.


Smooth Sweet Tea

1 pinch baking soda
2 cups boiling water
6 tea bags
3/4 cup white sugar
6 cups cool water

Sprinkle a pinch of baking soda into a 64-ounce, heat-proof, glass pitcher. Pour in boiling water, and add tea bags. Cover, and allow to steep for 15 minutes. Remove tea bags, and discard; stir in sugar until dissolved. Pour in cool water, then refrigerate until cold.

Sunday Lunch February 21st

Baja Chipotle Fish Tacos, Spicy Pineapple, Apricot & Jicama Salsa & Cornmeal Guava Thumbprint Cookies.

This week was full of beautiful things....trips home (twice) home to the NW and then back home to Houston! Then, the day I returned to Texas, Karen and Beck came to visit!! Wow. I am so blessed. When thinking about Sunday lunch, I knew I needed something simple. These fish Tacos are just that. So easy, because you use a store bought (inexpensive) marinade...which you also use to make the sauce! Here is the recipe....


Baja Chipotle Fish Tacos

1 1/4 cups Lawry's® Baja Chipotle Marinade With Lime Juice
1 1/2 pounds cod or other firm white fish fillets
1/2 cup sour cream (plus some milk to make it a little less thick...you want it to be a slightly saucier texture. The recipe originally calls for mayo, but I don't like using it unless I really have to.....I think thinning with milk is a better tasting option.)
12 soft taco size corn tortillas, warmed
2 cups shredded green cabbage
1/2 cup fresh cilantro
2 limes

In large baking dish or resealable plastic bag, pour 3/4 cup marinade over fish; turn to coat. Cover, or close bag, and marinate in refrigerator about 30 minutes. Remove fish from Marinade; discarding Marinade. Grill or broil fish, turning once and brushing with 1/4 cup Marinade, until fish flakes with a fork. Meanwhile, in small bowl, combine sour cream and remaining 2 to 4 tablespoons Marinade. To serve, arrange fish in tortillas, using two tortillas for each taco, top with shredded cabbage and cilantro. Drizzle with sauce and lime!


Spicy Pineapple, Apricot & Jicama Salsa



I am sorry to say that I haven't perfected this recipe....therefor I am only going to show you a photo. I got lovely reviews, but I know there is something missing. I will let you know as soon as I figure it out!!

Cornmeal Guava (or any type of jam you would like) Thumbprint Cookies

I LOVED THESE!! One of my new favorite cookies.

1 cup all purpose flour
1/3 cup cornmeal
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 egg yolk
3/4 teaspoon vanilla
Guava jelly or apricot-pineapple preserves OR any type of jelly you would like!

Preheat oven to 350°F. Combine all purpose flour, cornmeal, ground cinnamon, nutmeg and salt in medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat unsalted butter and brown sugar in large bowl until fluffy. Mix in egg yolk and vanilla extract. Mix in dry ingredients.
Form dough into 1-inch balls. Arrange on ungreased baking sheet, spacing 1 1/2 inches apart. Make depression in center of each using thumb or handle of wooden spoon. Fill depressions with jelly. Continue baking until bottoms of cookies are brown, about 10 minutes. Cool on rack. (Can be prepared 1 week ahead. Refrigerate in airtight container.)

Lovely!

Scott's LOST art opening

I was reminded this week that I have been slacking....Scott's art show was a month ago and I never added those recipes to the site!! Since everyone always needs a good app recipe I am going to post them now..you never know when you will be asked to show up with a little bite to eat at a party!!

Brown Sugar Baked Brie

1 package frozen puff pastry
scoop (or 2 or 3) of brown sugar
wedge or round of Brie Cheese

This is probably my favorite appetizer in the whole world...to eat at, serve at or bring to a party! All you do is take one sheet of puff pastry, let it thaw. Cut it in to strips and weave it into a square. I like to skim the crust off the top (only) of the brie....the only reason why is because I think the brown sugar melts better. This is the next step, coat the top of the brie in brown sugar. Flip it onto the woven pastry and tuck the edges tightly. Flip once again and bake at 400 until the pastry is nice and brown! Yum!



Bacon Wrapped Water Chestnuts (that sign should also say WATER chestnuts)



As gross as these sound, I can never keep them on the plate long enough to even snap a good photo of them. They are so good. The thing you have to keep in mind is that you DO NOT taste any mayo.....it is just there as an oil/egg-white base to hold the chili sauce and brown sugar on the bacon!! Delish!

BACON WRAPPED WATER CHESTNUTS

4 cans water chestnuts
1 lb. bacon cut into 3rds
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup tomato-based chili sauce

oven 350* soak toothpicks in water. Bake rolls for 30 minutes. Take them out, dip, bake 30 more minutes

Baby Martin Weber

I forgot to take photos of the meal I made for the Martin Webers a few weeks back....but seeing how it was a Julia Child's recipe, I knew I could find a lovely photo somewhere on line! Here it is the lovely photo that is not mine!!



I served (delivered) mine with steamed carrots, a french baguette with camembert cheese and a lovely salad with homemade french dressing. Here are the recipes for the chicken and the dressing!

cheers!

Poulet Sauté aux Herbes de Provence
by Julia Child (altered to be easier by Holly)

Chicken:
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into chicken strip size pieces
1 teaspoon dried thyme or savory
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon fennel seeds, ground in spice mill or with mortar and pestle
3 peeled garlic cloves
2/3 cup dry white wine

Sauce:
2 large egg yolks
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon dry white wine or dry white vermouth
2 to 3 tablespoons butter, cut into 1-inch cubes (optional)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil, fresh fennel fronds, or fresh parsley (optional)

For chicken:
Melt butter in large wide pot over medium-high heat. Sprinkle chicken pieces with thyme, basil, and fennel seeds, then salt and pepper. Add chicken and garlic to pot. Baste chicken with butter in pot. Cover and cook until chicken is cooked through, turning and basting occasionally, about 15 minutes. Transfer to hot platter; cover.

Mash garlic with spoon or fork in same pot. Add 2/3 cup wine to juices in pot; boil until liquid is reduced to 3/4 cup, occasionally scraping bottom of pan, about 8 minutes. Pour reduced pan juices into measuring cup and reserve for sauce.

For sauce:
Off heat, whisk egg yolks in heavy small saucepan until beginning to thicken. Whisk in lemon juice and 1 tablespoon wine. Gradually whisk reserved pan juices into eggs, 1 teaspoon at a time. Set sauce over very low heat and whisk constantly until warm and slightly thickened, 3 to 4 minutes. If desired, whisk in butter, 1 piece at a time. Remove from heat. Stir in herbs, if desired. Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper. Spoon sauce over chicken and serve.

French Vinaigrette

1/4 cup white-wine vinegar
2 tablespoons finely chopped shallot
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
3/4 cup olive oil

Whisk together vinegar, shallot, salt, mustard, and pepper until salt is dissolved. Add oil in a slow stream, whisking until emulsified.

Sunday January 24th A classic Deli Lunch

Short and simple....Scott and I were in Nashville at a wonderful little deli with some good friends of ours, the second week of January. It had been a while since I had eaten a deli sandwich and their selection of amazing sandwiches made it hard for me to pick which one I wanted. In the end, it didn't matter.....THEY WERE ALL AMAZING! Each one wrapped perfectly in deli paper. And when you peeled away the folds of paper, there was a cute little pickle wedge tucked into each sandwich.

I wanted to recreate a little deli meal of my own for this Sunday's meal. So, I looked to the the man who knows how to craft an amazing sandwich... Tom Colicchio

I made his Turkey, Avocado, Bacon, Sweet Onion Relish, & Aïoli on Ciabatta! I must say, it was an amazing sandwich. So amazing that we recreated the entire meal two nights later!



Sweet onion relish
2 small sweet onions, thinly sliced
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup red-wine vinegar
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar

For aïoli
1 egg yolk
1/2 clove garlic, minced (about 1/2 teaspoon)
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 ounce white-wine vinegar
4 ounces grape seed oil
1 ounce olive oil
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon pepperoncini or cayenne pepper

For sandwiches
1 pound turkey breast, sliced (I used peppered turkey)
4 ciabatta rolls
8 slices of bacon
1 avocado, halved, pitted, peeled, and thinly sliced

Make onion relish:
In heavy pot, combine onions and enough water to cover and bring to boil, then strain. Return onions to pot and add sugar, red wine vinegar, and balsamic vinegar. Place over moderate heat and bring to simmer. Reduce heat to low, and cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until onions are completely tender and have no bite left, about one and a half hours. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.

Make aïoli:
In food processor purée yolk, garlic, mustard, and vinegar until smooth and creamy, 1 to 2 minutes. Combine oils, then, with motor running, slowly drizzle into processor until completely emulsified, about 2 minutes. (If aïoli gets too thick, add a small amount of warm water, 1 teaspoon at a time.) Sprinkle in salt, pepper, and pepperoncini, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until ready to use.

Cook bacon:
In large, heavy skillet over moderate heat, cook bacon, turning occasionally, until crisp, then transfer with tongs to paper towel–lined plate to drain. Set aside.

Assemble sandwiches:
Slice each ciabatta in half. Spread aïoli on each of the ciabatta. Divide turkey on each of four ciabatta bottoms, then spread onion relish over meat. Lay 2 slices bacon on each of 4 ciabatta tops. Divide avocado slices between sandwiches, placing on top of bacon. Close sandwiches, slice each in half, and serve.

To accompany this amazing sandwich, I of course had to have my pickle!



Here they are in the first stage....beautiful! They were the best pickles I have ever had...probably because they were the first homemade pickles I have ever had. Yum! I will be bringing these to EVERY picnic or BBQ I go to in the future!

Slightly Sweet Dill Refrigerator Pickles

1 small sweet onion, thinly sliced
2 pounds medium pickling cucumbers, scrubbed, cut into 1/4-inch-thick rounds
(next time I am going to try cutting them into wedges)
1 large bunch dill, coarsely chopped (stems included)
1 tablespoon yellow mustard seeds
2 teaspoons whole white peppercorns
1 1/2 cups apple cider vinegar
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
3 tablespoons coarse kosher salt
2 teaspoons dill seeds

Divide sliced onion between two 1-quart wide-mouth glass jars. Pack cucumber slices horizontally in jars. Top each jar with dill.

Using mortar and pestle or resealable plastic bag and mallet, crush mustard seeds and peppercorns together. Place crushed spices in medium saucepan. Add vinegar, 1 cup water, sugar, coarse salt, and dill seeds. Bring mixture to boil over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves.

Ladle mixture evenly over cucumbers. Leave jars uncovered and chill 24 hours. Cover glass pickle jars tightly with lids. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 week ahead. Keep refrigerated.

I also served a homemade classic macaroni salad

Classic Macaroni Salad 4 cups uncooked elbow macaroni
1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup distilled white vinegar
2/3 cup white sugar
2 1/2 tablespoons prepared yellow mustard
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 medium sweet onion, finely chopped
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
1 green bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped
2 tablespoons chopped pimento peppers (sold in little jars)

chef's note: I like to (each one on its own) pulse the green pepper, onion and celery in the food processor....this is beyond faster than chopping them. If you decide to do this also, you need to pulse them separately then place each one in a paper towel and squeeze some of the liquid out. This will ensure you still have a creamy and not runny sauce. I recommend you try this...it makes it so fast!!

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the macaroni, and cook until tender, about 8 minutes. Rinse under cold water and drain. In a large bowl, mix together the mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar, mustard, salt and pepper. Stir in the onion, celery, green pepper, pimentos and macaroni. Refrigerate overnight.

Baby Wells

I just thought of something.... I am busy planning a menu for Thursday night's meal. I am bringing this meal to a family at Ecclesia that just had a little one. I was thinking to myself.....6 people eating!!! 2 adults and 4 kids (not including the newest member of the family of course!!) If that doesn't count as "feeding the masses," I don't know what does!! I am bringing 2 families in the church dinner this week! I can't wait to meet the new arrivals to the Ecclesia family!

So then I was remembering that I still had to send Jamie Well's the recipe for the soup that I made for them when Canyon was born....then it dawned on me that I was going to have to start adding these "new baby" dinners to the Ecclesia "Feeding The Masses" blog site!! So here it is the first of the bunch! Canyon Jeremiah Wells 7lb-9oz 20 1/2" Born at home at 11:03pm on December 5th 2009.

Welcome little one! The Wells family received this meal under special the special consideration that THEY WERE DEATHLY ILL with the flu the day that I signed up to bring them dinner!! The first thing that came to my mind was that they needed some homemade chicken noodle soup with homemade egg noodles.

HOME MADE CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP

4 carrots
1 small onion
4 celery stalks
2 teaspoons parsley flakes
3/4 teaspoons Marjoram flakes
1/2 teaspoon Basil flakes
1/4 teaspoons poultry seasoning
1/4 pepper
2 bay leaves
2 quarts chicken broth
kosher salt

1 rotisserie chicken



Noodles
1 egg
1/2 salt
2/3 cup flour

Mix all the noodle ingredients into a ball....set aside for 15 minutes. Put first 11 ingredients into a large pot or dutch oven. Bring to a boil, then simmer until carrots are not quite perfectly tender. Add ALL the meat from the chicken, you can manage (not eating right off the bone) into the pot. Roll dough onto a lightly floured surface. Roll as thin as you can manage, becasue they will thicken up once cooked. Using a pizza cutter slice into strips about 1/2 inch thick. Bring soup back to a boil and add the noodles. The flour on the noodles will thicken up the broth a little....mmmmm I love a rich, thick broth! If you like it a little more "soupy" feel free to add more broth! Let the noodles cook until they are nice and soft! The carrots should be perfect by now too! Enjoy, enjoy!

Sunday, January 3rd 2010

First Sunday of 2010! After much deliberation on menu choices and thinking about people's possible new years resolutions, I decided what the staff needed today was a healthy hearty winter soup! Scott wanted Italian wedding soup, but after looking at many, many recipes I knew I wasn't in the mood to make enough "hamburger" meatballs for 40 people! Plus they just sounded bland. Sweet Italian sausage was the ingredient I had in mind to work with. I started on a quest to find the sausage soup of my dreams, that was both healthy (moderately) with a rich flavor.....I came up with nothing. The recipes I found didn't seem to have enough flavor profiles. So for the first time since catering the Sunday meals, I officially created my own recipe! I'm not even sure what to call it! I think I will just call it Sweet Italian Sausage Soup with Fresh Basil & Great Northern Beans! I also made garlic & rosemary dinner rolls and my favorite chocolate chip cookies.



Sweet Italian Sausage Soup with Fresh Basil & Great Northern Beans

1 lb Sweet Italian Sausage
3 cloves of garlic, minced
2 (32 oz) boxes chicken broth
2 (14.5 oz) cans italian stewed tomatoes, crushed
1 (14.5 oz) can great northern white beans
1 bunch fresh basil
5 oz. fresh spinach
2 small zucchinis, quartered
Any Italian spices you would like to add oregano, basil, parsley, garlic, kosher salt, pepper etc. Do it up, just don't over do it!
Your favorite white cheese!

Brown sausage in large dutch oven, adding garlic half way through. Strain sausage lightly....you don't want to loose your garlic, and you want to keep some of the juices to give the broth extra flavor! To be honest, I just threw the rest of the ingredients (not the cheese) into the pot and simmered until everything was tender! If you are a more advanced chef than I am you may know at what point it is best to add the spinach etc.....but it turned out wonderful! At church, we added shredded mozzarella to the soup....this tasted great, but mostly it was cost effective! If I were you, and I was making this soup again, I would try some pecorino romano sprinkled on each bowl! Yum. Enjoy!



I can't believe I am doing this. I have made these rolls so many times over the years, for weddings, dinner parties and many holiday meals. They are by far the easiest thing I have up my sleeve. I love, love, love to bake bread, but as you may know it takes forever! So when I want to serve an amazing yeast roll, but don't have the time to make it....I go buy a bag or Rhode's Rolls from the freezer section. I get out my 9 x 13 baking dish and set it aside. I melt a stick of butter in a bowl and add fresh minced garlic, a ton of rosemary, a good amount of oregano and basil. I take each frozen roll, drench it in the melted butter (make sure it has a lot of garlic and herbs on it when you pull it out) place it in the pan, next to all its friends....then let them rise! When they are covered in a shell of butter,like they will be, they do take a bit longer than the package says....I would give them 6-7 hours just to be safe! Bake at 400 for 15 minutes and vuala!!