Recipe thread from Holly's Spring Plant Party

Not only did we have great company and wonderful plants being re-homed in a lovely setting, we also had an amazing variety of great food yesterday!

I think if the weather had been less steamy, our appetites would have made sure there were no leftovers at all. LOL

Please share your recipes for the party goodies here!

(If you weren't at the swap, feel free to share a favorite recipe here, too!)

I brought pasta with "roasty sauce," the roasted tomato sauce that Bluekat76 taught me how to make. I wrote an article about it, with the basic recipe and some additional suggestions. See: http://davesgarden.com/guides/articles/view/984/

What a success!!

I had never been to a swap and had an absolutely great time meeting the members and sampling some of the best food around.

My recipe for the green salad with maple dressing is as follows:

If possible, start with arrugula lettuce (makes such a difference) and some baby spinach, or baby spring greens and red and green lettuce.

Add:

sliced hearts of palm
cut in half baby artichoke hearts
lots of red onion
black olives
candy some pecans in a skillet by tossing them in melted sugar..add some honey also.
dried cranberries
sliced ripe pear
sliced baby bella mushrooms
lots of crumbled goat cheese
cherry tomatoes



Dressing:

Wisk together:

Balsamic vinegar
Maple extract
Mayo
Dijon mustard
Olive oil


Add:

Warmed maple syrup

I really don't know the amounts of each of the ingredients as I keep adding to taste. My large salad had approximately:

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup mayo
1/4 cup dijon mustard
1 tblsp maple extract


3/4 cup pure maple syrup

You can of course adjust any of the ingredients to taste without doing any harm.

Can't wait to get the recipes for all those wonderful appetizers, desserts, breads,and those skewered things (can't remember the name right now and I''m in a hurry to leave for my daughter's house to baby sit while she has back surgery tomorrow).



This message was edited Nov 4, 2009 7:42 AM

Here's the recipe for the Pa. Dutch Cole Slaw (hope you all enjoyed it):
1 small head of cabbage (5 cups grated) (I used a large head & food processor to grate)
1 medium size carrot, grated
2 finely grated hard boiled eggs
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup cider vinegar
1 1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup sweet cream
1/2 cup mayo or salad dressing

Mix together & refrigerate one hour before serving.

Gallon of Iced Tea
(LOL)
Buy a gallon of spring water. Pour out a few cups, heat almost to boiling and put in twelve tea bags, regular size. Steep for fve or ten mintues, actually I have read when you steep too long is when the bitterness really comes out in the tea. Well , then pour the concentrated tea back in the jug and voila! If you want sweet tea, you'll addd atleast a cup of sugar to the hot tea concentrate, maybe two, that I don't know for sure, how's this for a stupid recipe???

Roses_R_Red, the skewered things were called Spiedies. Here's where you can buy the marinade. There are other brands, but this is the original.
http://www.spiedies.com/original-endicott-style-spiedie-marinade-p-1750.html?osCsid=0e8130ee58bf58105dd6f50af44e0bd7
I used pork loin cut into cubes and marinated it for 4 days. Grill them quickly over high heat. You want them to be good and brown on the outside, but the marinade has practically already cooked them, so don't grill them to long or they'll be dry. Serve on sliced italian bread.

And thanks so much RRR for posting your salad recipe. It was great. And so was your cole slaw Buttoneer. It tasted just like my moms. And of course Gitas pickles are always a treat. I had leftover spiedies with "pasta with "roasty sauce" (thanks critter it was delicious) when I got home last night. All the food was outstanding. Wish I could've eaten more.

Gita will have to give me the recipe for her sweet pickles. My DH loved them. Thanks.

I was about to post my Pickle recipe--BUT, they are not the sweet ones! Someone else brought those....Mine were salty/dilly/vinegary.....
They were on the dining room table with all the dill on them in a rectangular TW container next to my Potato salad.

Everyone loves these--truly! And what an honor that Bec hates pickles--BUT, will eat ONLY mine.....Thank you....Thank you all for the kind words.....

So--with NO further ado--here is the simple recipe. Mind you--this does NOT require any form of sterilizing or other preserved/canned rituals.....Make it! Fridge it! Eat it!

**************************************************************************

Gita’s Refrigerator Garlic-Dill Pickles


Need: 3 wide-mouthed jars (pickle type), or Mayo. jars
One BIG bunch of fresh Dill
6-8 cloves Garlic (or to taste)—diced ot thinly sliced.
10-12 pickling cucumbers (such as Kirby). Fresh is best! Store
cucumbers are WAXED, and no way you can remove it! If you
must use store cukes, score them through the skin with a fork
and slice them thickly. They also have more seeds! But…it will
work if no others are available.

To Do: Stuff jars ¼ full of fresh dill, stems and leaves! Sprinkle a gene-
rous amount of the chopped garlic on top. Mix up a bit.

Stuff jars as full as you can with speared/sliced cucumbers, inter-
spersing them with some more Dill and a bit of garlic.

Prepare the Broth: In a 2Qt. saucepan, combine the following:
2 and a half cups water….3/4-1cup white vinegar (can be part
Apple Cider vinegar)…1 rounded, regular Tbs. KOSHER salt (DO
NOT use regular, iodized salt!!!).
1 reg.Tbs. Sugar, 1tsp mustard seed, 1tsp. Pickling
Spice….1-2 Bay leaves…6-8 pcs. Whole Allspice.

Bring broth to a boil. Lower heat and simmer all, stirring often,
For about 10-15 minutes. Keep VERY hot until ready to use!

Filling Jars: Stirring constantly, to distribute spices, ladle hot broth
evenly into jars until all contents are covered. Seal jars. Invert
each jar a couple of times to mix contents.
Let jars cool to room temperature, and then refrigerate.

Pickles are ready to eat in 2 days! They will be delicious and
crunchy! Use them up in about 2 weeks, as they will soften
with time

Enjoy! Gita

Great food everybody. Bobbie, I loved those Spiedies.

That Strawberry bread was fabulous as was that bread on the appetizer table.

Chris's soda bread was the best I've ever had.

The Strawberry pretzel salad was really neat.

Oh I wanted the recipe for the sweet pickles, Gita but thank you for your recipe.

Irish Soad Bread

4 cups AP flour

½ cup sugar

4 teaspoons baking powder

¼ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

1 pint sour cream

½ cup buttermilk

2 eggs

2 cups raisins, I mix light & dark together raisins


1.Put dry ingredients in a large bowl.
2.Add raisins and stir to coat.
3.Beat eggs.
4.Add eggs, sour cream and buttermilk.
5.Mix well.
6.Mound on cookie sheet or pizza pan.
7.Mark a cross in the dough.
8.Bake at 350 for 60 – 75 minutes.
9.Test for doneness starting at 45 minutes with a cake tester.
10.(Can halve recipe and make one smaller loaf).

I was so busy getting everyone's plants to them I didn't get to sample ALL the goodies.
Doc, your Monkey bread was really delish, and Ric, great job on the chicken! And who brought the cranberry cheese log, Yummy!

The breads were my favorite, not sure which was which though. There was a really good hummus too. This is the Strawbeerry Pretzel Jello "Salad" that Cathy made:

2 c. crushed pretzel sticks
3/4 c. melted butter
3 tbsp. sugar
8 oz. cream cheese
1 c. sugar
8 oz. Cool Whip
1 (6 oz.) pkg. strawberry banana Jello
2 c. boiling water
2 (10 oz.) pkgs. frozen strawberries, partially thawed

Mix first three ingredients and press in bottom of a 9"x13" pan. Bake at 350 degrees (metal pan) or 325 degrees (glass pan) 8 minutes. Let cool completely. Beat 1 cup sugar and cream cheese. Fold in Cool Whip. Spread over pretzels. Mix Jello and water until dissolved. Add strawberries. Stir into Jello, then set aside for 10 minutes. Pour over cheese mixture. Chill.

That food was fantastic, I am still eating left overs. Those cheeses were to die for. My parents came today for a movie and lunch. I started pulling out containers of leftovers, just bits of this and that. Love it.

Wow, Everybody, thanks so much for posting these recipes.

I used to make Hummus every week until I discovered this one. It's Hannah's brand sold at Costco. Head on over there and get some!! They also have the cranberry covered goat cheese. The seed filled cheddar was from Trader Joes as was the Roasted pepper Eggplant dip.

Thanks, everyone for making this a great day!!

I knew I recognized that pine nut cheddar! I wish Trader Joe's was closer... :-(

The strawberry stuff is so good and I first had it from my roomie from outside Pittsburgh. Waah, but I forget to have any at the swap. Tell Cathy I loved it anyway, virtually.
I went out of my usual zone to get Two Buck Chuck, only to wander the store for twenty minutes before remembering--Oh yeah we don't have wine in groceries in MD. Duh

haha- I will pass that along to Cathy. If it's the way it used to be, the state allows one location per county per business to sell wine. Somewhere in Montgomery county there is a Giant that has (had?) beer and wine. They still have some quirky laws there, here it's even funnier.

That strawberry salad was real yummy.
Guess I have to find a Trader Joe's.

Jen, There's one on 73 in Cherry Hill. Check out their website for a closer one.

SOURDOUGH MONKEY BREAD

5 Cups King Arthur's Bread Flour
1 Cup King Arthur's Whole Wheat Flour
1/2 Cup Slow Cook Oatmeal
1/2 Cup Raisins
1/2 Cup English Walnut Pieces
1 Cup Sourdough Spounge or Culture
2 tsp Dry Yeast (2 packets)
1/2 Cup King Arthur's Calcium Booster
6 tbs King Arthur's Gluten Booster
1 tbs Crisco Oil
1 tbs of white sugar
1 tbs sea salt
3 tbs of honey
Water as needed to arrive at a stiff dough.

Prep oven for rise of the dough by keeping the oven light on. After placing the dough in the oven turn it on at 400 degrees for one minute and immediately shut it off. Rise should double in an hour but must double.....take more time if needed.

THE STICKY STUFF

2 Sticks of Butter
2 Cups of Light Brown Sugar pressed in cup.
1 - 2 tbs cinnimon
1/2 tbs clove (optional)
2 tbs orange zest.

Melt down all and boil for one minute. Remove to stop boil promptly at one minute
Add a handfull or so of nuts and likewise raisins.

Oil or grease up a pan. Pour a good coating of the Sticky Stuff in the pan. Add a few nuts or raisins to inhance appearance.

NOW BACK TO THE DOUGH.................cut down strips of once risen dough and make small balls half the size you would like the second rise to produce. Lay in a layer. Keep adding balls, nuts, and raisins to the half way point of your pan. Pour Sticky Stuff lightly over all. Cover with plastic wrap and place in oven for the second raise aproximately an hour...more if needed to double. When doubled remove from oven, set oven at 350 degrees and bake thirty to thirty five minutes. Don't forget to remove the plastic coverings.

A five six and a half cup mix is going to produce three nice sized trays of Monkey Bread. My guess is two 9" X 9" squares and maybe three.

After removing from the oven depan the bread within thirty minutes or as soon as you can handle the hot pans. You may get real crazy and dress up your bake with cream cheese base icing after the bread has cooled.



This message was edited May 19, 2009 7:56 PM

My goodness, Doc. I feel some kitchen time coming on!!!!

Wow, Doc, look at all the goodies in that bread, walnuts, honey, raisins. Have to get some sourdough starter bubbling. I haven't played with a starter in years. That bread is a good one to get it going for.

Yep.........it's a healthy insanity. Go for it. When it stales a bit.....fry it in butter and try a topping of your favorite ice cream. That is a favorite in downtown State College but their sticky bun will not stand up to this one. LOL

I'm finishing a hunk of strawberry bread right now- YUMMY

Yes, who made that fabulous bread??

Thanks, Stormy, that's the one I knew of...it's near my bro's

Yum-meee....gonna make that salad for sure...and since I didn't get any of the Monkey Bread that'll be on the "to make" list as well...thanks to all!!

.This is the link to the "Strawberry" Bread recipe. Notice the great reviews the recipe received in the comment section. If the link doesn't work, let me know.

http://www.recipezaar.com/Plum-Bread-33336

Instead of layering the fruit with the batter as the recipe directs, we just mix it in. We also bake them in mini loaf pans (from Michael's or AC Moore) for 35 min.

Besides the strawberries, we have used blueberries and even drained canned peaches in the dead of winter. Ironically, we have never tried plums.

Denise

Nisi, Thank you. They were so scrumptios!! Going to make those this weekend.

Gee! I never got to taste the monkey bread, as if my waist needs it!
Gita, I made a potato salad for my daughter's birthday party Sunday, and tried to approximate your's. It got RAVES, absolutely everyone loved it. Thank You so much for the tips. It created another idea, I'll let you know how it works out. With our family, I probably make 35-40#s of potato salads a summer. If I flub-up one, no one will really notice, if the next is memorable! If this new one works, I'll Dmail it to you to try. Ric

thank you for the recipe.. Nisi!

Ric--I will write down what i do--I really do not have a recipe per say....
have to get ready and go to work now at this ungodly hour!

G.

Thanks for the strawberry bread recipe--and look what I found when I copied that inot a file of recipes I have in documents. Good for summer, no oven. From Ruby

NO BAKE CHOCOLATE OATMEAL COOKIES

Makes 24 or you can double recipe for 48


1/2 cup butter or margarine
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup milk
4 tablespoons cocoa
1/2 cup peanut butter - either creamy or chunky will work
3 1/2 cups dry quick cooking oats
2 teaspoons vanilla

1 - Add first four ingredients together in a 4 quart saucepan.

2 - Bring to a rolling boil and hold for one minute.

3 - Remove from heat.

4 - Stir in next three ingredients and drop by tablespoons on to wax paper.

5 - Let cool in refrigerator until set.

Everyone will love them!!!

Ruby

Is there going to be a fall swap? I can't believe I missed meeting you all, but also all of this great food!
Betsy

This message was edited May 28, 2009 6:28 AM

Gita's Potato salad;

As I said--I do not have a recipe for this--per say.
For the container I had at the Swap--I used about 4lbs. red skin potatoes--unpeeled.
Cook in salted water until almost tender. In a salad, you want the potatoes to be a bit firm. Cool--then cut potatoes in large, bite-sized pieces.

Boil, and coarsely chop about 6 eggs. (Boiling can be done days ahead)
Dice about 2 stalks celery and one small onion (purple onion looks nicer). Some chives, or green onion adds a bit color too. Maybe a small carrot as well....Or--maybe a couple diced radishes-- just for the color...
Dice one Granny Smith apple and one dill pickle (these are the surprise ingredients!)
About 1tsp. of Celery seed
Dried (or fresh chopped) Dill

Mix potatoes with all the above ingredients together--gently!

Dressing:
About 1 cup (or a bit more) of good, regular mayo
About 1/2 a 16oz. container of sour cream
About 1/4cup Dijon style mustard...like Gray Poupon...I use the squeeze bottle and just eyeball it. This adds color as well as flavor...
Salt and pepper to taste. I like using coarse salt and fresh-ground pepper....

Mix all the dressing ingredients together. Taste and add whatever you think it needs more of. Some people add some vinegar to the dressing for a bit of "zing"....Like, Apple Cider vinegar. All this can, also, be done a day ahead....Refrigerate everything if you do it early. I did--and then just had to mix it all together the morning of the Party.
If you want the Salad creamier--add more mayo....

For presentation purposes--decorate the top of the salad with Radish-roses...fresh mint, or other herb leaves--flowers, like nasturtiums....sprigs of fresh Dill....etc...
Makes it look SO pretty!

That's it, folks! This is a VERY good tasting potato salad--ask Ric!

Gita............that dish got high marks on my plate. Very good indeed. As an aside: your plants never knew they were moved. They must have been in good shape too.

One of the violets I returned to my home has now bloomed. Someone missed a nice one. LOL

This wasn't at the swap but I was telling some of the gals about it.
The grocery store that I shop in will get white peaches shipped in. They are usually hard and very cold, I found that they do not get ripe under those conditions, but they are great to use in this cake. So when the price is right I buy them to make this.

White Peach Pound Cake

Ingredients
1 cup butter, softened (no substitutes)
2 cups sugar
6 eggs
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sour cream
2 cups diced fresh white peaches, don't peal
confectioners' sugar
Directions
In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Beat in extracts.
Combine the flour, baking soda and salt; add to the batter alternately with sour cream.
Fold in the peaches.
Pour into a greased and floured 10-inch fluted tube pan.
Bake at 350 for 60-70 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.
Cool for 15 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack to cool completely.
Dust with confectioner's sugar if desired.

Chris, thanks so much I've been looking for a good peach recipe.

Jen, you are welcome. You could use other peaches, also frozen ones, but I think the white peaches really makes the cake.

Thanks, Lady. I need a good recipe for a cake to take to a picnic. This will just fill the bill. Can't wait until fresh peach season!

Ohhhhhh no bake cookies "YUM" (said in cookie monster's tone)