'Tis Another Season!

Sharing my cooked creations is an ongoing joy for me. Call it showing off if you will, but it does my heart good to hear the “oohs” and the “ahhs” and I betcha it is heart-warming for you too. 'Tis the season for Pot Lucks - the most wonderful way to share homemade foods without having to “slave” over the whole meal. The host has a little more work, but the rewards are great and everybody wins.

My best Pot Luck formula is this: the host provides all dishes, cutlery and beverages – usually coffee,tea. bottled waters, sodas, and ice. The host can provide the main dish as well, which ideally is an entree fresh out of the oven and can set the party theme. Ask a few close friends to prepare specific hardy dishes: chicken, beef, bean, pasta, etc - these will depend upon what else is being served. Ask the other guests to bring complimentary side dishes: veggies, potatoes, salads, fruit salads, rolls with butter, and of-coarse THE dessert (one or more depending upon your guest count).

Here are two Pot Luck winners:

CROCK POT MAC 'N CHEESE

1 lb. Elbow Macaroni
one stick butter
5 C grated Cheddar cheese
4-6 eggs, beaten
8 oz. sour cream
2 can condensed Cheddar Cheese soup
1 tsp salt
2 C milk
1 tsp dry mustard
1 tsp pepper

Boil macaroni, drain, set aside. In pan, mix butter and cheese – add some milk to keep it from thickening. Stir until cheese melts. In your crock pot, combine the cheese and butter mixture. Add the beaten eggs to a tiny bit of sour cream, mix, then add the rest of the sour cream, mix well. Add to crock pot stirring well; add the soup, salt, pepper, milk and mustard, stir well. Finally, add the drained macaroni, stir again. Cook in crock pot - high for 2 hours, stirring occasionally. The result is a creamy, smooth delish dish!



SWEDISH MEATBALLS

38 oz package frozen cooked meatballs (without a sauce!)
one onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1/ 26 oz can cream of mushroom soup
2/ 10 oz cans cream of mushroom soup
16 oz sour cream
1 can chicken or beef broth
¼ tsp pepper

Place meatballs, onion, garlic and soup into crock pot. Cook on high for one hour then on low for 3 hours. After 3 hours, add the *chicken broth, stir until smooth. Cook for another 1-2 hours then add some of the hot liquid from the pot to the sour cream, stir so that when you add the sour cream it is mixed with about ½ cup of the liquid. Add to crock pot, stir until smooth with a whisk. Cook for another 30 – 40 minutes. Add pepper to taste. *If you want to leave pot unattended, add the broth at the start then just leave pot on low for 4-6 hours. Then follow sour cream instructions above.

ENJOY!

Happy New Decade!

     Now that we are past the holidays – but maybe not “over” them - I want to share with you my favorite winter sport: eating! Sunny crisp days follow the Blue Moon, snow still on the ground and I am hungry for slow braised, crock pot, and stewed meals. Nothing is more satisfying than filling my home with the aroma of delicious winter soups and stews.
     Here is another of my mom's recipes: Scotch Broth. This is a very hardy soup with lamb (or beef), leeks and barley. It really is a complete meal and can be accompanied by crusty French Bread or homemade Cheese Twists (see recipe below). Add a side of salad and a dessert and you are good to go!
     If you do not like lamb, you can try this with beef and it will be just as delicious. The substitution for lamb neck bones can be short ribs or oxtails or even stewing beef, but best to discuss this with your butcher if you have any doubt. My best “butcher” is on Google!

SCOTCH BROTH

3 – 4 lbs lamb neck bones

3 leeks sliced thin (white part only)

2 qt chicken broth

One carrot and one celery stalk for flavor

Barley ¾ Cup

2 C diced carrots

2 C diced celery

Salt and Pepper to taste

½ C parsley

Cook lamb bones in chicken stock with leeks, carrot and celery stalks for about 1 – 1 ½ hours until meat comes off bones. Add the barley and cook for one more hour. Then add the diced carrots and celery, salt and pepper. Simmer until veggies are barely done. Taste and re-season. Remove meat and fat from the bones,return the meat to the soup and chill soup overnight. Skim fat off the top of the chilled soup then reheat and add chopped parsley before serving.

YUM!!

GARLIC CHEESE TWISTS

2 TB butter

¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 tsp. granulated garlic

1 tsp. dried parsley flakes

1 can Pillsbury Buttermilk Biscuits

Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly grease baking sheet. Microwave butter in glass measuring cup until melted; cool slightly. Stir in cheese, garlic and parsley. Set aside.

Flatten each biscuit into 5X2-inch rectangle. Spread 1 teaspoon butter mixture onto each rectangle; cut each in half lengthwise. Twist each strip 3 or 4 times. Place on prepared baking sheet. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown.

ENJOY!