July 14, 2019

We met at Mary's as part of our staycation with Janet weekend!  We partied like it's 1999! There were dinners and brunches, swimming and cupcakes and of course, sad roommate.  RIP sad roommate relationship with woman you barely communicated with.  

For cooking group, I began our meal with two different peach crostinis.  I have two peach trees in my yard and there was a booming crop!  The first was honey ricotta peach crostini with pancetta and the second was fig and goat cheese bruschetta.  For the ricotta one, I simplified the recipe by using peach balsamic vinegar that I purchased at a local olive bar.  I also simplified the fig layer by using fig jam that I bought from Imperfect Produce.  At only $2.99 a jar, that's less than the ingredients I would need to make it!  And I'm saving the earth one piece of ugly produce at a time.

During our this' and thats on Saturday night Mary made us her famous deviled eggs!  The components are:

Egg yolks

Mayonnaise

Mustard

salt and pepper

Minced onion

Dill relish

Mix all together, getting the proper spreadable consistency, and fill egg whites.  

Tonya brought a wonderful, Italian pasta salad that she threw together with the below ingredients.

Cheese tortellini, cooked and drained

Chopped sopressata, or other Italian deli meat

Chopped bell peppers, whatever colors strike your fancy

Jar of marinated artichoke hearts 

Kalamata olives

Grape or cherry tomatoes, halved

Feta cheese

Basil, chopped or chiffonade or whatever

Italian dressing 

Throw it all together and give it some time in the fridge to chill and get happy before serving.

For our dinner we had a spinach salad with black berries, feta cheese and slivered almonds.

The main dish was eggplant casserole.  We used 1 pound ground beef and 1 pound spicy Italian sausage.  

The side as prepared by Angelica was savory green beans. This is a classic side dish that paired well with the eggplant.

Our dessert was a simple pineapple angel food cake with fresh whipped cream and berries.  

March 31, 2019

Our March gathering was at Tonya's.  Tonya treated us with a Butterfingers blind taste test (Joe broke the tie and the OLD recipe won.  Obviously, he does not have evolved tastes like Butterfingers told me when I erroneously thought at first that the old was better than the new recipe.  I have since drank the koolaid and agree with the new owners of Butterfingers.  I am quite passionate about this subject if you have not figured it out yet.) 

We also were treated with a rendezvous with the chickens.  There are two new ones that are being integrated with the two, old broads.

Now, the food. 

Angelica started us off with an appetizer of Mediterranean Cucumber Cups.  These cute, finger foods were healthy as well flavorful.  It is kind of like a tapenade served on top of cucumber chips.

Our cocktail was stirred by Mary and this Sparkling Orange and St. Germain was so refreshing.  St. Germain is an elder flower liquor and is a very unique flavor.  Also, we do not know why the labels on this champagne are upside down.

Some St. Germain Essential Facts:

Don’t hold on to your St-Germain forever. Since it’s made without preservatives, a bottle should be finished within six months.

Looking for an easy and tasty cocktail? Next time you pour yourself a glass of dry white wine or Champagne, add a shot of St-Germain.

HOW YOU SHOULD DRINK ST-GERMAIN:

On the rocks

With sparkling water

With champagne

With white wine

The Greek Salad that was prepared by Michelle had the traditional flavors and was simplified with a bottled dressing.  I am on a huge salad kick lately and after chopping all the vegetables it is nice to not have to whisk and emulsify a dressing.  I also think feta cheese can make any salad more delicious by adding some saltiness and creaminess without over powering the other salad components.

For the side Tonya whipped up the most delicious rice I think I have ever had!  This saffron rice was moist and a perfect accompaniment to the stew.  There are also onions which add flavor on top of the saffron which I did not really notice.  It does make for a nice color.

The main dish picked by Tonya was to celebrate Spring. We had lamb in Middle Eastern Lamb Stew.  This was cooked in an Instapot which in a short time makes tender meat. I am debating purchasing an Instapot but I think the main advantage of it is quick cooking time and that is not my problem as I do most of my cooking on the weekends when I have plenty of time.

The stew gets its Middle Eastern flavors from these spices: cumin, coriander, turmeric and cinnamon. Cinnamon is always an interesting addition to a savory dish and a little goes a long way.  There are chickpeas in the stew which add texture, protein and fiber.

I picked this dessert because it has berries and fresh whipped cream on top of a meringue.  All of it is light yet decadent.  OH. And chocolate ganache. Ganache is a sauce made with chocolate and cream. This pavlova does have alot of sugar but it is not heavy or fatty.  The base is crisp on the outside and chewy on the inside kind of like a marshmellow. All the components can be made a day or so ahead of time and then put together immediately before serving.

Our intense, blind, Butterfingers Taste Test

Biscuit likes to remind us of his presence while we cook. He is allowed out when we are done eating.  

February 24, 2019

We met at Mary's house for a Mardi Gras theme!
Laissez Les Bons Temps Rouler!

Our appetizer was courtesy of Angelica.  These crab cakes with aioli were a delicious starter.  Pan frying crisps the outside without making the little cakes greasy.

Michelle brought her "A" (alcoholic) game with these Mardi Gras Carnival Queen cocktails.  Good grief!  These went down very smooth.  Too smooth! There is a drop of lemon juice so it would be a lie to say these are all alcohol.

The salad recipe I picked also has Mardi Gras in the name. The colors of purple (cabbage), green (parsley) and gold (oranges) represent justice, faith and power, respectively. Emeril Lagasse concocted this salad and the most complicated component is the poppy seed dressing.  Also, toasting the pecans is a must because it really changes the flavor.  You can either do this in the oven or in a dry skillet over medium heat until fragrant.

Our guest chef, Carol, prepared a beautiful, savory crawfish pie.  Using an egg wash on a store bought pie crust is an easy way to make it look not only homemade but also elegant.  This pie was one of my favorite things we have ever had at cooking group.  The filling comes together quickly and simply and when sandwiched between two pie crusts is a culinary masterpiece.  

Mary picked Shrimp and Grits Dressing as our main dish.  I admit, I did not know what this was going to turn out to be!  I know what cornbread dressing is as it is a staple at my Thanksgiving table.  In this recipe the grits are the "corn bread" and binder for all the other deliciousness.  It is important that you use old fashioned or regular grits and not quick or instant.  Walmart is a good place to find these.  I loved this rich, shrimp dish. 

Our Mardi Gras feast was concluded with Tonya's King Cake. She used the cinnamon roll recipe on the box of Pillsbury Hot Roll Mix. After you roll it into a log, you connect the ends to make a ring. For the filling, she used 8 ounces of cream cheese and mixed it with 1 teaspoon vanilla and powdered sugar to taste, about 1/2 a cup. She also put in blueberries, and you can use whatever fruit or addition that you want. For the icing she mixed 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons soft butter, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and enough milk to get the right consistency like the icing that comes in a tube of cinnamon rolls.  Then of course on top were sprinkles in the traditional Mardi Gras colors of purple, green and gold. 

January 26, 2019

We had our first cooking group gathering in the country!  All members were present except for Angelica.  

We sat around the fire, walked the dogs, PRUNED GRAPE VINES, SHOT GUNS and drank wine out of Pringles tins.  The small ones.  We aren't crazy.  

We also circulated a memo to wear black and I did not receive said memo.

For our appetizer, Tonya created an empanada recipe using Elk!  ELK! These were so delicious and with the egg wash, the oven baked pastries were crispy without the mess of frying.

Ingredients:

1 lb. ground elk

1 lb. fresh ground pork chorizo (from HEB)

1 small yellow onion, diced

1 green bell pepper, diced

1 orange bell pepper, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

Goya Adobo Seasoning

Goya empanada disks, defrosted (Found in the freezer section. There are some that say "para horno" - for the oven, and some that don't say anything that are probably supposed to be fried. We baked a couple of the ones for frying, and I fried some at home the next day. I like the ones for oven baking best.)

1 egg, beaten

Brown ground meats in large skillet. Discard oil, keeping just a tablespoon to saute the vegetables. Mix sauteed vegetables with browned meat, add seasoning to taste. Let cool. 

Place about 3 tablespoons of filling in the center of each empanada pastry disk. Fold in half to close, and either fold over and pinch edges closed, or press with fork tines to seal. Brush tops with beaten egg. Bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes, until browned.

The dipping sauce (not shown) was a mixture of sour cream, Herdez guacamole salsa, and salt.

Our main dish was Shepherd's Pie.  Since there were men folk crashing our shin dig, I thought meat and potatoes was the way to go.  Shepherd's Pie is simply meat mixed with vegetables and covered with mashed potatoes.  We prepared it in cast iron because I have a plethora of it and thought it would be something new to try.  This recipe was flavorful and simplified with frozen vegetables that stayed firm during all the cooking.  I worried they would be mushy but this was not the case!  This is a hearty dish and it re-heats well too.

Michelle picked this spinach salad.  It was the most interesting salad I have ever prepared.  The dressing was like a roux gravy!  It was SO GOOD!  BACON!  How can you not love a salad with bacon and mushrooms?!  

To finish our meal, Mary created a new recipe for Black Forest Gooey Butter Cake.  The chocolate bottom and butter cake top enveloped the cherry filling.  This was a very rich and satisfying dessert!  I almost think it could have used more cherry to really bring out the Black Forestness.

September 9, 2018

We met at Michelle's place on a dark, rainy night.

While sipping wine, we enjoyed Angelica's  Italian Salad .  I had not had a salad with salami before and I would think it could be heavy or greasy and instead it was PERFECT!  Thin slices of the salty sausage were perfectly complimented by the mild Romaine lettuce.  

Zucchini lasagna was our main dish.  The preparation of the zucchini is a two step process and essential in "drying" it out to make for a noodle substitute.  You need a mandolin and grill pan to follow this recipe.  I will make this again as I liked the taste of all the components (meat sauce and cheese layer) and I will try drying the zucchini in a low heat oven rather than grilling it. This will be a less hands-on method.

As I have been traveling a lot I made something simple yet essential (in my opinion) with lasagna, Garlic Bread .  I frequently make this bread and I love the herbs.  Usually I use dried Italian seasoning and this recipe calls for fresh parsley.  I do not think the parsley adds much flavor though it gives a nice pop of green color.  If using unsalted butter add a bit of salt and if using Parmesan, it is quite salty so do not over salt.  Remember, you can always add salt but you cannot take it back.  

Mary has been craving sweet potatoes so she prepared her special recipe as another side dish.

Mary's Sweet Potato Special:

Prepare sweet potatoes by rubbing skin with a bit of vegetable oil then wrap single potato in foil.  Bake potato until fully cooked.

Once baked, remove foil from potatoes then cube potatoes to a chunky size.

Sprinkle a generous amount of cinnamon to potatoes.  Slice some cold butter and place on top of potatoes.

Add brown sugar on top and place potatoes back in the oven to melt the butter and the brown sugar.

Panna cotta by Tonya was the creamy, sweet ending to our evening.  I love Panna Cotta.  It is tangy and smooth and I could eat it by the trough full.  Sweetened strawberries were layered on top and Tonya served it in the cutest little Mason jars. 

August 26, 2018

We met at Angelica's house and she picked a Hatch green chile pepper theme! 

Mary started us off with refreshing mules.  Not everyone is capable of preparing a mule.  I recently encountered a bartender at a United Club that had no idea.  Apparently the trick in their recipe is bitters and he did not know the correct amount.  Also... is it a mule if not served in a copper mug?  Hmm.  

Mary's Mule:

 

Fresh mint

Fresh lime slices/wedges

Ginger Beer  (Diet Ginger Ale is a huge calorie saver but keeps the ginger flavor!)

Vodka

 

Break up a few mint leaves in a mule mug, squeeze in fresh lime juice, add 1 shot (or more!) of vodka to mule mug then top off with the ginger beer.  Add plenty of ice as it is best enjoyed very cold.

Avocado Salsa by Michelle was our appetizer.  I love a salsa that includes corn.  It adds a nice crunch and sweetness.  She served it with fancy blue tortilla chips.  Probably from Sprouts.

Our side dishes were rice and charro beans by Tonya.  The beans had a great flavor and reminded me of those stewed for hours and served at Mexican restaurants.  I always order charro beans over refried. 

Chicken with hatch chile chimichurri was our main dish and a group effort to prepare!  Fortunately the chiles were already charred and we only had to roast the tomatillos.  Once the chimichurri sauce is complete the rest of the dish is simply grilling the chicken.

I was emailed an apple crisp recipe by one of my favorite food bloggers, I Am Baker, and it was her recipe for Apple crisp that I used.  I had originally thought of making a New Mexico apple pie that included pepper jam but then I thought what if the jam ruins hours worth of effort of making a homemade pie crust and peeling and coring a dozen apples.  No thank you.  That is not a risk I am willing to take as food is not a game, and dessert is especially NO JOKE.  This recipe is special in that it has a layer of crisp on both the top and bottom.  YUM.

May 20, 2018

We met at my house and all were here except for Michelle.  Summer is proving a difficult time to get together for us busy ladies!

We began our gathering with raspberry lemonade margaritas. Yum!  These are a pitcher cocktail recipe which is my favorite kind to make.  I like to prepare a big batch and be done with it.  These were tangy and not overly sweet.

Mary made a delicious onion jam which she used on a crostini as our appetizer.  She baked french bread that was lightly coated with butter until crisp.  After cooled she spread it with goat cheese, a basil leaf and the onion jam.  This was so delicious and elegant!  The jam is sweet and the mild goat cheese and fresh basil leaf really blend together nicely. 

Tonya made a jicama salad that featured pepitas, or pumpkin seeds, and Mexican cheese.  You can use any type of greens from butter lettuce to spinach as the toppings and dressing are the highlight of the salad.

The main dish was southwestern egg rolls with homemade salsa.  I have never made egg rolls before and the thought of making them seemed to be quite intimidating.  This recipe comes with a video that demonstrates how to roll up the egg rolls and it is actually very simple.  You also bake the rolls which is so much easier than frying. Not to mention less mess and healthier. 

The salsa is out of this world good and could not be easier since it comes together in the food processor.  Each bite of egg roll was dipped in the salsa and the salsa cools down the hot egg rolls.  These were so tasty that I look forward to making other flavors.

Our dessert was prepared by Angelica and she used won ton wrappers which are very similar to egg roll wrappers.  She also baked these instead of frying.  The crispy wrapper is filled with cream cheese and covered with a fresh strawberry sauce.  The sauce has just a little amount of sugar which allows the natural sweetness of the berries to shine through.

We had a special treat - a second dessert!  Tonya brought us these delicious cupcakes from a bakery near her home after Mary requested her to bring a dozen to share.  It was an imitation of the cake from the Royal Wedding and featured lemon and elder flowers with delicious frosting.