INTO THE MOUTH OF THE BEAST!

Izzy you are braver than I am.

COUSIN JJ’S DISAPPEARING CHICKEN DIP, SPREAD, BALL OR LOG

COUSIN JJ’S DISAPPEARING CHICKEN DIP, SPREAD, BALL OR LOG
Memorial Day is coming the end of the week. It is time to find something different to serve at your summer parties. Cousin JJ’s called her recipe Fabulous Chicken Dip but when I served it, it disappeared so I changed the name. It will add a little spice and flavor to any party. If serving outside and it is hot, place the cheese ball or log on a plate and place the plate on a shallow pan filled with ice. This keeps mixture chilled and safe. I took this to Daughter’s May party celebrating birthdays, Mother’s Day and their new cottage; family was hesitant at first to try it but everyone decided they like it.

DELICIOUS!

2 (8oz) pkg. cream cheese
1 T bottled steak sauce, I used A-1
Lawry’s seasoning salt, I used ½ teaspoonful
1/2 t to 1 t curry powder, I used ½ teaspoonful of Penzey’s Spice Sweet Curry
1 ½ c cooked chicken, minced, I chopped
½ c celery, minced
¼ c onion, minced
¼ c parsley, chopped
¼ c toasted almonds, chopped, family didn’t want almonds

Ingredients.

Beat together the cream cheese, steak sauce, seasoning salt, and curry. Blend in chicken, celery, onion and two tablespoons of parsley. Refrigerate until easy to handle; I like to chill it overnight. Shape into a 9-inch log or a ball. (I made two cheese balls out of the mixture as I thought one would be too big.) Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for 4 hours or overnight. Toss together the remaining parsley and almonds. Coat log with parsley/almond mixture and serve with crackers.  NOTE:  When I make this next time I will add some minced red bell pepper or pimento to the chicken mixture.

Mix cream cheese with A-1 and curry powder.

Chopped chicken, celery, onion and parsley.

Add chicken to cream cheese mixture.

Add celery, onion and parsley to chicken mixture and mix well.  Chill.

Chop additional parsley when ready to serve dip.  Roll ball or log in chopped parsely.  To keep herbs Farmer's Market fresh put into glass of water and place the glass in the refrigerator.

THE BUZZ RECIPE—PRECIOUS JUDY’S LEMON OR LIME CHEESECAKE BARS

At every potluck or other similar gathering there is always one recipe that creates a buzz. Did you have one of these, you have to try this, does anyone know who brought this one, I hope I can get the recipe for this one.  Judy’s lemon/lime bars has been the recipe that has created the buzz now at two meetings! These are truly delightful; a must try recipe for anyone who likes citrus flavors.

PRECIOUS JUDY'S LEMON OR LIME CHEESECAKE BARS
Judy brought the lemon version of these bars to the first Cross Connected Women gathering. They were a mega-hit and deserved a repeat appearance for the second gathering in May. This time we had the Lime Cheesecake Bars. These are very rich so cut into small portions. NOTE: I noticed Judy had trouble getting her bars out of the pan so I heavily sprayed my pan with cooking spray. I still had trouble getting the bars out as the crust sticks. Next time I make the bars I am going to line the pan with a big piece of aluminum foil that covers the bottom of the pan and extends up the sides. Spray the foil with cooking spray and make the bars. When bars are cool, I will lift them right out of the pan and cut them on the foil.

Box of Krusteay-brand Lemon Bars OR Lime Bars
1 pouch of crust, it is in the box
1 (8oz) pkg. cream cheese
½ c sugar
1 egg
½ t vanilla
1 pouch lemon/lime pudding, it is in the box
½ c water
3 eggs
1 lemon or lime
 

Krusteay-brand Lemon Bars OR Lime Bars

Press full pouch of crust firmly into bottom of light greased or sprayed 8x8x2-inch baking pan. Bake 8 minutes in a preheated 350° oven. Crust will be pale. Place cream cheese and sugar in medium bowl. Using an electric mixer, mix on low speed until smooth. Add 1 egg and vanilla. Continue to mix on low speed until smooth. Pour cream cheese mixture evenly over hot curst. In another bowl, stir lemon filling mix, water and 3 eggs together using a whisk until eggs are well incorporated. Mix juice from the lemon in mixture. Pour lemon filling over cream cheese layer. Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until center does not jiggle when shaken. Cool completely and cut into squares. Store covered in refrigerator. NOTE: To cut cheesecake, put a knife in hot water. Wipe dry and cut. This works well for these bars too.

Pat crust mix from package into well-greased 8x8-inch pan.

Beat together cream cheese and sugar until smooth.

Add vanilla and egg.  Beat well.

Juice lemon or lime.

In another bowl, combine lemon/lime filling from package with water.

Add three eggs to filling mixture and lemon/lime juice.  Beat well with whisk to combine.

Remove crust from oven after baking 8 minutes.

Immediately pour cream cheese mixture evenly over hot crust.

Pour lemon/lime mixture over cheesecake layer.  Bake 35 to 40 minutes until center does not jiggle when shaken.

Remove move from oven and cool completely.

Dip knife in hot water and wipe dry before making cuts in the bars.

I AM SO EXCITED!! NEW GENEALOGY SITE FOR SEARCHING IN THE NETHERLANDS

Last night at a meeting of Cross Connected Women, I met a lovely person who has done research on her husband's and mother's genealogy in the Netherlands going back to the 1400-1500's.  She gave me another web site to use Geneanet.org.  I have been successful with Genlias.nl/ (listed on Dutch Link page) and can't wait to do research on this new site.  Stay tuned for more information.

CORNED BEEF #2

UNITED AIRLINES CORNED BEEF CROISSANTS
Corned beef sandwiches are usually made with rye bread so having it on a croissant is a different eating experience. A long time ago when the airlines were judged by the food they served, I worked for a company that made airline meals and produced a sandwich similar to this one for United. The horseradish butter compliments the corned beef and the melted cheese compliments the crusty croissant. So yummy. NOTE: Processed Swiss cheese works best in this sandwich as it melts well, but real Swiss cheese can be used.

Good quality, cooked corned beef, thinly sliced, home-cooked or from deli
Slices of Swiss cheese
Croissants
Horseradish butter, recipe follows

Ingredients.

Split croissants and spread insides with horseradish butter. Put corned beef and cheese on the bottom of the croissant. Place top of croissant on cheese. Put sandwiches on a cookie sheet and cover with aluminum foil or wrap each sandwich individually in foil. Bake in a 350 oven until cheese melts, about 15 minutes.

Split crossiant.

Trim off fat cap.

Thinly slice corned beef.

Spread crossiant with Horseradish Butter.

Put corned beef on crossiant.

Top with cheese.

Wrap sandwich in aluminum foil.

Bake at 350° for 15 to 20 minutes or until cheese melts.

HORSERADISH BUTTER
This is excellent on toasted sandwiches.

1/4 c butter, softened
1 T horseradish, more or less depending on your taste

Mix together and use as a spread for sandwiches. Store covered in the refrigerator.

Mix horseradish and butter together.

I'M ON A MUFFIN KICK--MI COTTAGE COOK'S RED RASPBERRY MUFFINS AND HELPFUL HINTS FOR MAKING MUFFINS

I love muffins when the weather starts to get warm and summer looks to be on its way. As cold as it has been this May in Michigan, we are wondering if we are going to have summer, but in warm or cold weather, muffins hit the spot.  Muffins are terrific way to dress up a salad lunch or dinner. They are great to grab for a quick breakfast on your way out to the Farmer’s Market or an early morning grandchild’s soccer or baseball game. A few on a plate and given to a friend makes that person feel very special. They also freeze well for unexpected company or events.

COTTAGE COOK’S RED RASPBERRY MUFFINS
I took a favorite muffin recipe and tinkered with it to make these red raspberry muffins. My Cross Connected women’s group declared them a success. Almond and allspice accentuate the rich flavor of the red raspberries and take the muffins to new heights.

Ingredients.

1/2 c butter or vegetable oil or (half butter or oil and half applesauce)
1 c sugar
2 eggs
2 c flour
2 t baking powder
¼ t allspice
1/2 t salt
1 t almond extract
1/2 c milk
2 c red raspberries, fresh or frozen
½ c sliced almonds, optional but good
2 t sugar for muffin tops

Soften butter, if using. Using an electric mixer, cream butter or oil together with the one cup of sugar. Add eggs, one at a time; beat well until blended. With a rubber spatula, fold in dry ingredients, milk, almond extract, red raspberries and almonds. Grease 12 muffin tins or use cupcake liners, I spray the inside of the paper liners. (I usually end up with 14 muffins as my old muffin tins are small.) Using an ice cream scoop, fill muffin tins to the top with batter. Sprinkle the tops of the muffins with the two teaspoons sugar. Bake in preheated 375°F oven for 25 to 30 minutes.

                 Spray inside of liners with cooking spray for easy removal.

                                       Mix dry ingredients together.

Cream butter/oil with sugar.

Beat in eggs, one at a time.

Fold in dry ingredients.

Gently fold in milk, extract and raspberries .

Scoop or spoon into sprayed muffin papers.

Top with sugar.

                                       Baked and ready to go to church.


HELPFUL HINTS FOR MAKING MUFFINS
-Always measure ingredients carefully.

-To make good muffins, the mixing of the dry and liquid ingredients must be kept to the absolute minimum. Stir just to moisten, the batter will be lumpy. Lumps in the batter are no problem with muffins.

-Shiny aluminum pans are best. With dark colored pans, reduce oven temperature by 25 degrees.

-Always preheat oven when baking muffins.

-Fill muffin cups with a large spoon, ice cream scoop or pour batter from a pitcher. Fill any empty cups half full with water to insure even baking.

-Muffins are done when they are golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. To prevent soggy muffins, remove from pan immediately unless recipe directions say otherwise.

-More fragile muffins should cool for a couple of minutes in the pan and then be removed from the pan to prevent soggy bottoms.

CORNED BEEF #1

CORNED BEEF , CARROTS, POTATOES AND CABBAGE
I had a corned beef in the refrigerator that I had gotten on sale. I needed to use or freeze it. I am cleaning out my freezer not adding to it!!!  I think of a “boiled” dinner as a winter dish. However I enjoyed it immensely on a spring evening. It is a good meal for a day devoted to yard work or laundry or all the other endless chores around the house as it just sits on the stove and simmers. Corned beef got its name from the coarse salt that is used in its production. Stay tuned for an out of this world corned beef croissant later this week.

1 corned beef brisket
Carrots
Cabbage
Potatoes

Ingredients.

Put corned beef and the liquid that is in the package in a large pan. Open spice packet and add to the pan. Add water to cover the meat. Bring to a boil, cover, and turn the heat down so the corned beef simmers but doesn’t boil again. The package said the meat should simmer for 50 minutes per pound which for my piece was two and half hours. An hour and a half before cooking is complete, add the carrots.  A half hour later add sliced cabbage and chunked potatoes.  When meat is fork tender remove to cooking board.  Allow to rest for 10 minutes and then slice thinly across the grain of the meat. 

Corned beef in pan with package liquid and water.

An hour and half before completion of cooking time, add carrots.  I usually like my vegetables crisp, tender but with corned beef I like them well cooked.

Remove the core of the cabbage and slice.

An hour before corned beef is done, add the cabbage and potatoes.

When corned beef is fork tender, remove vegeables to a platter.

Allow the meat to rest for 10 minutes and then thinly slice across the grain.

I like to take my plate and mash the vegetables together like a Dutch Stamppot.