Garlic Knots

For bread machine

3/4 c warm water
1 tsp salt
2 cups bread flour
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp Yeast

Topping

3 tbsp butter - melted
Garlic powder - to taste

Place ingredients in bread machine according to manufacturers' directions. Program for Dough and Press start and let cycle through.

When machine is done, let dough rise again for 30 mins. Then remove dough and cut into 10 pieces. Roll each piece into a snake, form into a knot. Place on cookie sheet lined with parchemnt paper, cover and let rest for 30 mins.
Preheat oven to 350. Mix together topping mixture, brush on top. Bake for 20 mins or until nicely browned.

Lentil and Rice Salad

from Giada DeLaurentis

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus 3 tablespoons
1 carrot, peeled and finely diced
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/4 cups dried green lentils
2 1/2 cups chicken broth, plus 2 cups
1 bay leaf
1 cup long-grain white rice
1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
2 teaspoons finely grated lemon peel
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large saucepan. Add the carrot, onion, and garlic and saute until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the lentils. Add 2 1/2 cups of broth and bring to a boil over high heat. Decrease the heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer gently until the lentils are just tender, about 15 minutes. Drain well. Transfer the lentils to a large bowl.
Meanwhile, bring the remaining 2 cups broth and bay leaf to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Add the rice and return the broth to a simmer. Cover and simmer gently over low heat until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed, about 20 minutes (do not stir the rice as it cooks). Remove the saucepan from the heat. Fluff the rice with a large fork. Transfer to the bowl with the lentils. Add the olives, parsley, thyme, and lemon peel. Toss the rice mixture with the remaining 3 tablespoons oil to coat. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Serve warm or at room temperature.

barbecued pork burgers with slaw

1 (1/2-pound) piece green cabbage, cored
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon milk
1 tablespoon plus 1 1/2 teaspoons white-wine vinegar, divided
1/2 cup very finely shredded carrot (1 medium)
1 tablespoon thinly sliced fresh chives
1/2 cup bottled tomato-based barbecue sauce
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1 1/2 pounds ground pork
4 kaiser or soft rolls, split and grilled

Prepare grill for direct-heat cooking over medium-hot charcoal (medium heat for gas). Thinly slice enough cabbage with slicer to measure 2 cups. Whisk together mayonnaise, milk, and 1 1/2 teaspoons vinegar until smooth, then toss with cabbage, carrots, chives, and salt and pepper to taste. Let coleslaw stand at room temperature, uncovered, while making burgers. Stir together barbecue sauce, cayenne, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and remaining tablespoon vinegar until combined well. Mix together pork, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and 2 tablespoons barbecue sauce mixture until combined (do not overmix), then form into 4 (3/4-inch-thick) burgers (4 inches in diameter). Oil grill rack, then grill patties, covered only if using a gas grill, turning over occasionally, until just cooked through, about 6 minutes total. Brush top of each patty with 1 tablespoon barbecue sauce mixture, then turn over and grill 30 seconds. Brush top of each patty with 1 tablespoon barbecue sauce, then turn over and grill 30 seconds more. Brush cut sides of rolls with remaining 1/4 cup barbecue sauce, then sandwich patties and coleslaw between rolls.

Chipotle Meatballs

Ingredients

1 pound ground beef
1 egg
1 tablespoon uncooked long-grain white rice
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 cup finely diced onion
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 cup canned plain tomato sauce
2 canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
1 garlic clove, minced
1 bayleaf
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Preparation
1. In a medium bowl, combine beef, egg, rice, salt, andonion. Mixture will be soft. Form meat into balls. Cover and refrigerate while you prepare sauce. 2. In a blender or food processor, combine chicken broth, tomato sauce,chipotles, and garlic; blend until smooth. Pour sauce through strainer into a medium saucepan and add meatballs and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then reduceheat to a simmer. Cover pot and cook meatballs in sauce, turning occasionally,until they're cooked through, about 25 minutes. Pour over rice and sprinkle with cilantro.

Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup

1 can corn
2 cans (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes and green chiles
2 cans (14.5 oz) chicken broth
1 can (16 oz) No fat refried beans
2 cups shredded cooked chicken (or use little meatballs from chipotle meatball recipe, or leave meat out)
tortilla chips, crushed
Shredded Monterey Jack Cheese
Combine tomatoes & broth in medium pan. Stir in beans and corn. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add chicken, heat through. Serve and top with chips and cheese as desired.

Summer Fruit Cake

This cake was very easy to make and delicious. I made it with plums. But I've read variations of this where people have used apples, peaches and berries. It would be good with just about any fruit.
Summer Fruit Cake
6 tablespoons butter, room temp
1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
scant 1 cup sugar; of this, put aside 2 tblsp
1 large egg
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla extract(optional: a few drops of lemon oil)
Fruit: berries (blueberries or raspberries; if using r-berries, frozen ones work better), apricots, plums
Preheat oven to 350. Butter a 9" cake pan and coat with breadcrumbs or flour. Stir together the flour, baking powder, and salt.With a spatula, cream together the butter and all but 2 tblsp of the sugar. Add the egg, milk, and vanilla.Stir in the flour mixture and mix with a spatula until smooth. Transfer batter to the pan. Cover the surface of the batter with the fruit, pressing the fruit slightly into the batter. Sprinkle with remaining sugar.(If using plums, mix the extra sugar with about 1/2 tsp cinnamon and toss the plums in the mixture, reserving a little to sprinkle on top. Also, a bit of lemon oil tossed with the plums gives the cake a nice zesty flavor.) Bake for 10 minutes at 350, then reduce to 325 and bake for another 50-60 minutes, until golden brown and firm to the touch.Cool in the pan for 15 min., then unmold and cool completely on a rack.

Tasting Party - November 13, 2007

Runzas
1 pound ground beef
little less than 1/2 a small head of cabbage
Seasoned salt
Pepper
Worcestershire sauce
Package of 3 loaves of frozen bread dough
Filling: Cut cabbage into small pieces. Cook in water on stove for 5 or so minutes. Brown ground beef then drain off oil.Drain cabbage and add to ground beef. Add seasoned salt, Worcestershire sauce and pepper to taste. Let bread dough it rise and roll it out. Put small piles of filling on dough and cut dough around the piles. Shape into balls fully enclosing the filling.Cook at 400 for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. You can make them small or big. Serve them plain or ketchup and mustard.

Breakfast Biscuit Bites
2 cups shredded mild cheddar
1/2 lb thin ham chopped (get in deli section)
3/4 c mayo (we used Kraft light and it was fine)1/3 c bacon bits
2-3 tbsp dijon mustard
1 tube Flaky biscuits
Preheat oven to 450. Grease muffin pan. Cut biscuits into thirds and mold into muffin pans (you just squish it in to fill the hole. We used mini muffin pans and cut it into fourths. Stir together shredded cheese, ham, bacon bits, mayo and mustard. Spoon into biscuits - don't overfill or it overflows and is hard to clean off pan. Bake 9-11 minutes. Let stand 3 minutes before removing.








Artichoke Dip
2 - 14 oz cans artichoke hearts
1 - 8 oz can diced green chile
1 c mayo
1 c parmesan cheese





Mix all ingredients together. Spread in 13x9 pan. Bake 375 for 30 minutes. Great with wheat thins or tortilla chips.


















Spinach Salad
8 ox. cottage cheese (drained & rinsed)
1/2 lb bacon
1 lb mushrooms, sliced
1/2 purple onion, sliced
1 lb grated swiss cheese
2-3 bunches of spinach
1 head of lettuce (romaine)

Dressing:
1 1/2 tbsp poppy seeds
3/4 c vinegar (white or rice wine)
1 1/2 c oil (not olive oil)
1 1/2 tsp salt
3/4 c sugar
3/4 tsp dry mustard
1 1/2 tbsp dried onion

Blend all dressing ingredients in blender. Pour dressing on & toss just before serving