Cooking for Seven

Last Friday we attended a tea party hosted by the S. family. Take a look at our lovely afternoon…

The Menu

Lunch

Roasted Carrot Soup

Sandwiches

Fruit Salad

Chicken Beggar’s Purses

Dessert

Chocolate Trifle

Date Triangles

Sandies

Pumpkin Kolaches

For lunch our hostesses served Roasted Carrot Soup, garnished with scallops, bacon and sour cream.

The U. family brought Cucumber sandwiches. We provided Spiral sandwiches and Turkey Cranberry sandwiches.

The K. family made Five Ingredient Salad. This is my favorite fruit salad recipe - I’ll have to give you the recipe some time…

Our hostesses also served Chicken Beggar’s Purses - chicken filling inside a won ton wrapper, fried in a thin layer of oil.

After chatting and allowing the food from lunch to “settle”, we had tea.

Along with our tea we had four desserts: (clockwise from top left) Chocolate Trifle, Date Triangles, Sandies and Pumpkin Kolaches.

Thank-you to the S. family for hosting such a delightful tea party.

Tags: Events, Salad, Sandwiches, Soup, Tea, Tea Party

A couple Saturdays back, Mom decided to serve Hungarian Meatball Stew for our Sunday dinner. Then we discovered we didn’t have near enough pasta.

Oh well.

Amanda & I whipped up a batch of fresh pasta and spent Saturday afternoon rolling and cutting fettucini. We used every drying rack we could find. When those ran out we used oven racks. After we had used every available space, I coiled the pasta. I wouldn’t recommend this. The noodles stuck together. However, when you make 3 pounds of pasta to serve 17 people, things can get a little desperate.

Here’s the recipe I use every time to make pasta. You can cut it into any shape you wish.

:: Whole Wheat Pasta ::

Adapted from Better Homes & Gardens Pasta

Ingredients:

• 2 1/3 cups traditional (12 5/8 oz) or white (11 5/8 oz) whole wheat flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/3 cup water
• 1 teaspoon olive oil

DIrections:

Hand Method

1. In a large bowl stir together 2 cups of the flour and the salt. Make a well in the center.
2. In a small mixing bowl, combine eggs, water and olive oil. Add the flour mixture and mix well.
3. Sprinkle the kneading surface with remaining 1/3 cup flour. Turn dough out onto floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 8-10 minutes. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes.
4. Divide dough into fourths. On a lightly floured surface roll each third of dough into a 1/16 inch thick square about 12×12 inches. Cut as desired. Or follow the manufacturer’s instructions for using a pasta machine to roll and cut the dough.

Mixer method

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the flour and salt. Make a well in the center.
2. In a small bowl, combine the eggs, water and olive oil. Add to the flour mixture. With the dough hook, mix until well combined.
3. With the mixer running, add the remaining flour. With the mixer on low, knead until smooth and elastic, about 8-10 minutes. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes.
4. Divide dough into fourths. On a lightly floured surface roll each third of dough into a 1/16 inch thick square about 12×12 inches. Cut as desired. Or follow the manufacturer’s instructions for using a pasta machine to roll and cut the dough.

Your can use this pasta immediately, or dry on racks for later use. It should be stored in the refrigerator or freezer, as there are raw eggs in the dough.

Makes about 1 pound of fresh pasta.

Tags: Italian, Pasta, Whole Wheat

. . .

: : Taco Seasoning : :

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon chili powder (see recipe below)
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red peppers
• 1/4 teaspoon oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl. Store in an airtight container in a cool, dark place. Shake well before using.

. . .

: : Mild Chili Powder : :

If your prefer a more spicy chili powder, simply increase the amount of cayenne pepper.

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons paprika
• 1 tablespoon cumin
• 2 tablespoons oregano
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl. Store in an airtight container in a cool, dark place. Shake well before using.

Tags: Mexican, Seasonings, Spice

These are the tortillas that changed Dad’s mind about soft-shell tortillas. They are way tastier than store-bought, especially when eaten fresh from the skillet.

: : Whole Wheat Tortillas : :

Adapted from Allrecipes

Ingredients:

• 5 cups (25 oz.) hard red or white wheat flour + extra for rolling
• 1/2 cup palm oil shortening or coconut oil
• 2 teaspoons sea salt
• 1 1/2 cups boiling water

Directions:

Tags: Ethnic, Mexican, Tortillas, Whole Wheat

It is nearly impossible for find a good (i.e. healthy) store-bought salad dressing that isn’t way overpriced. The solution: make your own! Here is my current favorite recipe.

: : Creamy Garlic Vinaigrette : :

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoons sour cream or yogurt
• 1 tablespoon white or red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1-2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed through a garlic press*
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper

*2 cloves makes this dressing quite spicy. If you prefer a milder version, use the smaller amount.

Directions:

Place all ingredients in a small jar. Screw on the lid and shake until well blended. Allow to sit 1 hour for best flavor. Refrigerate any leftovers.

Makes about 1/2 cup

Tags: Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Garlic, Salad, Yogurt