Dinner Club: Theme - Fall Foods

Dinner club is back in session on our cozy little street.  I missed it.  There is just something wonderful about the people living on our street, more than anywhere else I've ever lived. We all spend time with each other eating, drinking and looking out for one another.  It's great.

I was a little hesitant about dinner club in October because it's such a busy month for everyone.  Soccer is in full swing and I think most of us on this street have kids who play, volleyball is going on as well.  Not to mention trying to get ready for Halloween and school in general.  Busy busy busy, I'm sure you all can relate even if you don't have kids.

I decided to take a chance and host the first dinner club since back in the spring.  Luckily the attendance, food and company were awesome!  We had a new member join use last night, hi Alison!  Glad you could make it!

I made two recipes for this dinner club feast.  The main dish was Texas Chili that was made in the slow cooker.

Texas Chili

The second recipe I made was dessert, Chocolate Lasagna in fact. I've had this dessert many many times but I've never actually made it.  It's so easy and so delicious that I can see why it's such a favorite. 

Chocolate Lasagna

Jambalaya is a great fall weather food.  Alison brought this delicious dish and everyone loved it.

Jambalaya

Ingredients and Directions

2 liquid to 1 rice ratio
Roux - 1 can tomato paste and oil 
add trinity and garlic
add sausage and chunky chicken
cool down a bit
add 1 can/box chicken stock/broth, 1 can hot water, 1-2 cans tomatoes whole/sauce, 1 can rotel
season with tony's
bring to boil
add uncle bens rice
bring to boil, cover and simmer until rices is done and no liquid remains (30-40 min) depending on how much is made

trinity-onion, bell pepper, celery

Everyone loved this cornbread casserole made by Lisa W. So full of flavor, I loved the texture and it appears to be easy to throw together for those busy weeknights. 

Cornbread Casserole

Recipe by Home Sweet Ruby

Ingredients

• 1 can whole kernel corn, drained
• 1 can cream style corn
• 1 packages Jiffy corn muffin mix
• 1 pint sour cream
• 2 sticks butter, melted
• 1/2 to 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Cooking Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350º
2. Add all the ingredients (except the cheese) together in a medium bowl and stir.
3. Pour into a greased 9x13 for thinner, 8x8 or 9x9 for thicker pan.
4. Bake for 45 - 50 minutes.
5. Add cheese to the top and bake for another 5 minutes.
6. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

This little gem was made by Wendy. The original name for this recipe was "No-Bake Mini Pumpkin Cheesecakes" but we all thought that they were much more like a mousse than a cheesecake.  We loved the light an fluffy texture and the wonderful pumpkin cheesecake flavor.  Easy to make since there isn't any baking involved.  Great for the holiday's because your oven is probably already overloaded.  We all enjoyed this one tremendously. 

Pumpkin Mousse Cups

Recipe from A Family Feast 

Ingredients

• 1 sleeve graham crackers
• 1/2 stick (4 Tbsp) butter, melted
• 2 Tbsp granulated sugar
• 2 Tbsp brown sugar
• 1 - 8oz package cream cheese
• 1 - 15oz can pumpkin puree
• 3 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1 - 1oz package sugar free cheesecake flavored instant pudding
• 1 - 14oz can sweetened condensed milk
• 1-12oz container frozen whipped topping + extra for garnish

Cooking Directions

1. Add the graham crackers to a food processor and process until they are fine crumbles. Add the melted butter and both sugars and process again until combined and it looks like wet sand.
2. Press the graham cracker mixture into the bottom of several 9 ounce plastic cups. Refrigerate while you make the mousse. 
3. In the bowl of your stand mixer with the paddle attachment and beat the cream cheese until smooth. 
4. Add the pumpkin, pumpkin pie spice and pudding until well mixed. 
5. Switch to a whisk attachment and add in the whipped topping, slowly, until combined. 
6. Refrigerate for one hour. 
7. Use a pastry bag or a zip lock bag with a tip cut off to add the filling into the cups on top of the graham cracker crust. 
8. Refrigerate until ready to serve, top with more whipped topping and other garnishes if desired. 

Thank you Emily for bringing this one. I think I speak for everyone when I say that we all loved this soup.  Most of us love sweet potatoes anyway so this soup was a favorite.  Sweet potatoes are so good for you anyway so to find a new use for them is awesome. Full of creamy flavor with little bites from the cashews.  So good!

Cream of Sweet Potato Soup

Recipe from Food.com

Ingredients

• 4 lbs sweet potatoes
• 8 cups vegetable stock
• 1/3 cup flour
• 1/2 cup tomato sauce
• 2 Tbsp half and half
• 1 dash thyme
• salt and pepper to taste
• chopped cashews for garnish

Cooking Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375º
2. Bake the sweet potatoes until tender, about 45 minutes. 
3. Peel off the skins and mash them.  You don't need to get them completely smooth, some chunks are OK. 
4. Add the mashed potatoes into a large stock pot and add the remaining ingredients except for the cashews. Bring to a boil and then simmer for 1 hour. 
5. Add cashews when ready to serve. 

I believe we will resume our dinner clubs after the holiday's.  I can't wait!

Dinner Club: Theme - Kosher/Israeli

Our lovely and talented host this month was Lisette.  She is the one who chose Kosher/Israeli as the theme, a theme I was not familiar with.  I'm overjoyed with the theme because not only was it something new for us all to try but it tasted amazing.  This is definitely one of my new favorite types of food.  There wasn't one single thing that I tried that I didn't like.  

Thank you Lisette for hosting!  She made two delicious dishes, one was the kebabs you see above. So good. She made both beef and lamb varieties and they were so tasty.  Ton's of flavor, tender and dipped in the cucumber sauce she made was the perfect compliment.  Great job!

Kofta Kebabs

Recipe from AllRecipes

Ingredients

• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1 pound ground lamb (or beef)
• 3 Tbsp onion, grated
• 3 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 Tbsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground allspice
• 1/4 tsp ground cayenne
• 1/4 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
• 28 bamboo skewers, soaked in water for 30 minutes.

Cooking Directions

1. Mash the garlic into a paste using a mortar and pestle or the side of a chefs knife.
2. Mix the garlic in with the ground lamb and add the the spices. 
3. Form the mixture into 28 balls.  Slide each ball onto a skewer and flatten into a 2" oval. 
4. Place all the skewers into a baking dish and refrigerate for 30 minutes or up to 12 hours. 
5. Heat a grill (indoor or outdoor) to medium heat and lightly oil the grates. 
6. Cook the skewers until they reach the desired doneness.  About 6 minutes per side for medium. 

Lisette also made this yummy Israeli Salad.  Very refreshing.  The dressing was very light and not over powering and the veggies were crisp and cold.  The couscous added another texture.  Loved this side dish. 
Israeli Salad

Recipe modified slightly from "The Shiksa in the Kitchen"

Ingredients

• 1 pound cucumbers, diced
• 1 pound fresh tomato, seeded and diced
• 1/3 cup onion, minced (optional)
• 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
• 3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 3 Tbsp lemon juice
• salt to taste
• 1/2 cup Israeli Couscous, cooked

Cooking Directions

1. Place all the vegetables, couscous and the parsley in a large bowl.
2. Use a whisk to mix the olive oil and lemon juice and pour it over the top of the salad, mix well.
3. Season with salt and serve at room temperature or chill and serve cold.

Lynn T. brought these amazing Knishes.  I'd never had a Knish before and my first experience with them was true love.  You dip them in some deli mustard first and it was A-MAZING. This was dish number 1 that Lynn brought.  

In case you're wondering, a Knish is a dough filled with a potato onion mixture in this case.  You can either fry them or bake them and I can't wait to make them for my family to try. 
Potato Knish

Recipe from Kosher Culinary Arts

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1 to 1 1/2 tsp turmeric (optional)
• 2 whole eggs
• 1/2 cup cold tap water
• 2 Tbsp oil
• 1 1/2 pound Idaho or Russet potato, boiled and mashed
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 whole egg
• 2 Tbsp water
• 1 Tbsp white vinegar

Cooking Directions

To make the potato filling: boil the peeled potatoes until they are tender.  Remove from the heat and mash them up.  Incorporate the sautéed onion, salt and pepper.  The mixture will be thick but if you feel they are too thick you can add a spoonful or two of water. You will need about 3 cups of mashed potatoes. Let cool.

To make the dough: 

1. Combine flour, salt and turmeric in a bowl.
2. In a separate bowl beat eggs with the water, oil and vinegar. 
3. Make a well in the middle of the flour and pour the egg mixture in it.  Work together until a nice soft dough forms. 
4. Knead for one minute. 
5. Wrap the dough in some floured plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour. 
6. Cut the dough in half and work with one half while the other half stays in the refrigerator. 
7. Roll the dough out thin on a lightly floured surface. Stretch the dough in your hands being careful to avoid making holes.  It should be nice and elastic. 
8. Cut the dough into 8 even sized squares. 
9. Fill each dough square with an even amount of the potato filling and seal the edges.

To Bake: 

Preheat the oven to 350-375º. Place the oven rack in the top portion of your oven. Brush the filled knish's with egg wash (1 beaten egg and 2 Tbsp water). Bake 15-20 minutes or until golden. 

To Fry:

Heat 1/4 to 1/3" oil in a skillet.  When the oil is hot (test my placing the handle of a wooden spoon in the oil, if it bubbles around the wooden handle, then it's ready).  You might need to adjust the temperature so that the oil doesn't get too hot. Place the knish's in the oil two at a time. They take about 1 minute on each side, until golden brown. Place on a paper towel to drain the excess oil.

Wendy S. brought this cold salad, it was apples and cinnamon goodness along with a bunch of other flavors.  You don't see many recipes were you grate an apple but we all really liked the texture and flavors.  Thanks Wendy!
Charoset

Recipe from Wolfgang Puck

Ingredients

• 6 cups Granny Smith apples, cored and grated
• 2 lemons, juiced
• 1 cup walnuts, roughly chopped
• 1 cup golden raisins
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 cup kosher for Passover sweet red wine

Cooking Directions

1. Combine all of the ingredients in a large bowl, mix well and serve.

Lynn's second dish was this amazing dessert.  Just look at it, almost too good to eat. Almost. Flavored with orange this was a delicous cake.  The texture was moist with a hint of the olive oil used.  It was another first for me and I loved it! 
Orange Olive Oil Cake

Recipe from Food Network by Melissa d'Arabian

Ingredients

• Butter, for greasing the pan
• 1 1/4 cups + more for the pans all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 whole eggs
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 orange, zested and juiced (3 Tbsp juice, 1 Tbsp zest)
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• confectioners' sugar for dusting

Cooking Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350º
2. Grease and flour a 9-inch round cake pan.
3. Use the bowl of a stand mixer (or a hand mixer) and add the sugar and eggs. Mix until light and smooth. Add the orange juice and zest and mix well.
4. Sift the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl.
5. Add the flour mixture little by little to the wet ingredients in the mixer bowl. Mix on low, just until incorporated.
6. Pour the dough into the prepared pan and bake for 25 to 30 minutes.
7. Let the cake cool for 15 minutes, dust with confectioners' sugar and serve.

Everyone loved this meatball that was brought by Amber.  Amber is actually a new member to dinner club so we loved having an opportunity to catch up with her and found out what an amazing cook she is.  My husband will love this meatball and I plan to make it for him soon.

The Pomegranate glaze was sweet and tangy at the same time.  Perfect!  Thanks Amber and see you at the next event!

Spinach Beef Meatballs with Pomegranate Glaze

Recipe from Kosher in the Kitch

Ingredients

• 1 sweet onion, diced
• 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup frozen spinach
• 1 pound ground beef
• 2 whole eggs
• 1/2 cup bread crumbs
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp montreal steak seasoning

Directions

1. Sautee the onion and garlic in olive oil. When soft and cooked through, add the spinach and cook until warmed through. 
2. In a large mixing bowl add the ground beef and the garlic and onion, mix. 
3. Add the eggs, bread crumbs and seasonings and mix well. 
4. Preheat the oven to 400º
5. Shape the meat mixture into 1" balls and place on a greased cookie sheet. 
6. Bake for 20 minutes or until slightly golden. 
7. Serve with rice, or quinoa and the Pomegranate glaze below. 

Pomegranate Glaze

Ingredients

• 1 cup Pomegranate juice
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1 tsp cornstarch
• 1 tsp water

Cooking Directions

1. Bring the ingredients to a boil in a small saucepan, then simmer until the glaze has thickened.

It was a night of many first for everyone, but I was particularly intrigued by this cake that Emily brought.  I asked her what was in it and she strolled through several items you would not normally have just sitting around your kitchen so I couldn't wait to sample it.

The thing I liked most about this cake was how the syrup used on top just sort of made a candy like, chewy bite.  The flavor was so amazing, I really don't know how to describe it.  It's something you really have to experience.  I truly loved this one, thanks Emily!

Basbousa

Recipe from Cousins Cooking it Up

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups coarse semolina
• 1 cup desiccated coconut
• 1 cup castor sugar
• 1/2 cup self-rising flour
• 200 grams (7/8 cup) thick yogurt
• 200 grams (7/8 cup) unsalted butter, melted
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 25-30 blanched almonds
• milk if needed

Syrup

• 330 grams (1 1/2 cups) sugar
• 250 ml water
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp rosewater

Cooking Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350º
2. Mix the first seven ingredients in a mixing bowl. Mixture should be quite stiff but you can add a little milk if needed.
3. Spread mixture into a buttered 30x25x5 inch baking tray.
4. Cut into diamond shapes, pressing hard.
5. Place an almond in the center of each diamond shape.
6. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until golden brown.
7. While the cake is baking, make the syrup:  Place the sugar and water in a saucepan and bring to a boil, stir until the sugar has dissolved. 
8. Simmer for 5 minutes without stirring. 
9. Stir in the lemon juice and rosewater and remove from the heat, let cool. 
10. Pour the syrup over the cake while the cake is still hot.  Let cool before serving. 

Melissa Y. brought this yummy appetizer.  No recipe needed here.  It's just a plain bagel smeared with cream cheese and topped with salmon. I believe that smoked salmon was used in this case, found in the meat department of the grocery store. I am quite a fan of salmon so this was right up my ally. It had me craving bagels and lox for days after….

This recipe was my contribution to the night.  I had never heard of these before but I found a recipe on Pinterest on a board labeled Israeli food.  I was thrilled with how they turned out.  It's a pretty basic recipe of making a dough in the food processor.  Keeping it cold and then rolling it out and filling it with a luscious cheese and egg mixture.

The finished Borreka was delicious.  The crust was buttery and soft, the filling was cheesy and flavorful.  I will make them again for sure, great to bring to a party or just to have at home.  

Cheese Borrekas

Recipe from May I Have That Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 16 Tbsp (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cold, diced
• pinch of salt
• 1 whole egg
• 2 Tbsp ice cold water
• 5 ounces cheddar, shredded
• 6 ounces Feta, crumbled
• 2 whole eggs, beaten separately
• 1/8 tsp salt
• sesame seeds

Cooking Directions

1. Combine the flour, butter and salt in your food processor and pulse until the mixture looks like wet sand.
2. In a small bowl, lightly beat the egg and cold water.  Pour into the flour mixture. Pulse until a dough forms. 
3. Lightly flatten the dough, wrap in in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. 
4. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 350º.
5. Prepare the filling: In a large bowl, combine the cheddar, feta, 1 beaten egg and salt. Stir to combine. 
6. When the dough has cooled, roll it out on a lightly floured surface to about 1/8 inch. 
7. Use a glass or cookie cutter to cut 3 1/2 inch circles. 
8. Use about a 1-2 tsp of filling per dough round.  Fold over the dough and make a half moon shape.  Crimp the eyes using your fingers or a fork. (A fork works best).
9. Brush the tops of the Borrekas with the beaten egg and sprinkle sesame seeds on top.  
10. Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown. 

I'd also like to thank Lisa F for coming and bringing Challah bread.  I'd never had Challah bread before either but it's sweet and dense and delicious.  Someone mentioned that it makes great french toast and I cannot wait to try that!  

On another note, we had an assortment of wines available at dinner that night.  Lynn told us that her family mixes half sweet red wine with half cream soda so we all tried it.  It was amazing!  Really, who'd have ever thought those two things would be good together? Just goes to show you that you can learn so much from other nationalities (or just from your neighbors)!  I can't wait to see what the next dinner club brings us! Thanks for participating everyone!

Dinner Club: Theme - Healthy Foods

Dinner club took a slight hiatus this last year but we're back on track for 2014.  I hosted January's dinner club and I chose "healthy" just because it was January and everyone I know is on a diet.  I wanted to see what other people were making for their own families so I could promptly steal their recipes. :) Not steal so much as just kindly borrow.

Turns out my neighbors make some killer healthy food.  Not everyone submitted recipes to me but I'm still going to show pictures and describe them the best I can.

Thank you everyone for coming to dinner at my house!  I can't wait till the next one!

I cannot believe that I didn't remove the cap to the fruit dip BEFORE taking a picture.  UGH!  I promise to make this again myself very soon and replace this horrible picture.  I'm so sorry because this dip was the my biggest weakness of the night.  I LOVED it!

This dip was brought my Melissa Y.  She brought one other item too but hasn't given me the recipe for it just yet.  I will post it as soon as I get it.

Chocolate Fruit Dip
Recipe from EmilyBites via Taste Of Home Cooking School Cookbook

Ingredients

• 8 ounces 1/3 less fat cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup cocoa powder
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 cups light whipped topping

Cooking Directions

1. In a bowl or a stand mixer beat the cream cheese, sugar and cocoa powder together until creamy.
2. Add the vanilla extract and whipped topping and beat together again until thoroughly mixed and smooth.
3. Serve with any fruit, graham crackers, marshmallows or anything that might be delicious covered in chocolate.

I had posted about these meatballs already but here they are again.  They were nice to have at dinner club not only because of their yummy flavor but also because they were in the slow cooker and they didn't require my constant attention.

Slow Cooker Buffalo Turkey Meatballs
Recipe from here

Meatballs

• 1 pound lean ground turkey
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup onion, chopped
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1/2 tsp oregano
• 1 whole egg, beaten
• 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs

Sauce

• 1/3 cup butter, melted
• 1/2 cup wing sauce (I used Franks)

Cooking Directions

1. Mix all of the meatball ingredients together in a medium bowl making sure the ingredients are well dispersed.
2. I used a small cookie scoop to get even sized meatballs. Roll them in your hands to make them a nice round shape. 
3. Place the meatballs in your slow cooker and pour the sauce over the top.
4. Set the slow cooker on low and cook for about 3-4 hours.

This dessert is one I made based on the fact that it didn't use sugar, which I gave up in January….well tried to give up.  I did sample some of the cake below.  I had to, as a blogger it was only right.

The filling in these little babies does taste like cheesecake and with no sugar you don't have to feel guilty about two or three or four.  Just sayin.

Cheesecake Stuffed Strawberries
Recipe from French Press

Ingredients

• 1 pound hulled strawberries
• 8 ounces 1/3 less fat cream cheese, room temperature
• 1/2 cup fat free or low fat Greek yogurt
• 2 Tbsp honey
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
•  graham cracker crumbs

Cooking Directions

1. Combine the cream cheese, yogurt, honey and vanilla in a bowl and use a hand mixer or a stand mixer to cream the ingredients together until smooth.
2. Use either a small spoon to scoop the cream into the hulled strawberries or use a frosting bag and tip for a more decorative design.
3. Top each cream filled strawberry with the graham cracker crumbs.

Brought by Lynn T this was our one "not so healthy" OK not healthy at all but totally delicious and very much appreciated cake.  Very chocolaty and moist, great option if you need a dessert and don't have time to use traditional methods!

Crock Pot Chocolate Cake
Recipe from Cooks.com

Ingredients

• 1 box chocolate cake mix
• 8 ounces sour cream
• 1 package instant chocolate pudding
• 4 whole eggs
• 3/4 cup oil
• 1 cup water

Cooking Directions

1. Mix all the ingredients together and pour into a 5 quart slow cooker sprayed with cooking spray, or you can use a metal coffee can or a crock pot cake bake pan.
2. cover
3. Cook 3-4 hours on high or 6-8 on low

Another great recipe brought from Lynn T was this Couscous and Lentil recipe.  I really liked it and I think everyone else did too.  I'm a huge fan of Feta cheese and it was the perfect cheese here.  Healthy really does taste good!

Mediterranean Couscous and Lentil Salad
Recipe from MyRecipes

Ingredients

• 1 cup dried lentils
• 1 can (14 oz) low sodium chicken broth
• 1 1/2 cups uncooked couscous
• 1 cup red diced bell pepper
• 1 cup fresh mint
• 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
• 1/2 cup green onions, chopped
• 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1 1/2 tsp garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 cup (4 ounces) crumbled feta cheese

Cooking Directions

1. Place lentils in a large saucepan and cover with water so it's 2 inches above the lentils.  Bring to a boil, cover and then turn to simmer and let cook for 25-30 minutes. Drain well and cool.
2. Bring the broth to a boil in a medium sauce pan, add the couscous.  Remove from the heat, cover and let stand for 5 minutes.  Fluff with a fork. 
3. Combine the lentils, couscous, bell pepper, mint, parsley and onions. Stir together in a large bowl. 
4. In a small bowl combine the lemon juice, oil, Dijon, garlic and black pepper.  Whisk to combine and then pour over the lentil mixture.  Add the crumbled feta and gently mix. 

The pictures below are for the other items that were brought but that I didn't receive recipes for. 

Beautiful spinach salad with cucumbers, beets, and avocado's brought by Emily L.  Thanks Emily!

I'm not sure of the exact name for these but they were little pizza's in won ton wrappers brought by Melissa Y.  She brought some marinara to dip them in and they were so so good.  Thanks Melissa!

Spaghetti with tomatoes, Kalamata olives and plenty of Feta cheese brought by Shannon B.  I love these flavors together.  Yummy, thanks Shannon!

Lisa F brought some yummy sushi and California rolls.  Delicious!  Thanks Lisa!

Dinner Club: Theme - Soup

Thank you Shannon for hosting February's Dinner Club!  I loved the theme this month because I'm a huge soup lover and I like to see what other people have in their arsenal of recipes.  Shannon is always a great host because she makes everyone feel very comfortable and her house is warm and inviting. And last but not least, she's an incredible cook!

Shannon made a wonderful black and white soup.  Half of it was black bean soup and the other was cheese soup and you pour them into the bowl at the same time which makes this nifty black and white look.  

Cheddar Cheese Soup

Epicurious

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp butter
• 1/2 large red bell pepper, cut into matchstick sized pieces
• 1/2 large yellow bell pepper, cut into matchstick sized pieces
• 1/2 large green bell pepper, cut into matchstick sized pieces
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups chicken stock or low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 cup whipping cream
• 8 ounces sharp white cheddar cheese, grated

Cooking Directions

1. In a large pot over medium heat add the butter and then the peppers, onion, and garlic. Sauté for about 6 minutes until the vegetables are tender.
2. Add the flour and stir for two minutes.
3. Whisk in the stock, then the milk and cream and cook at a simmer for three minutes.
4. Stir in the cheese 1/2 cup at a time and whisk until smooth.
5. Salt and pepper to taste.




Black Bean Soup



Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups dried black beans
• 4 1/2 cups water
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 large carrot, chopped
• 3 slices bacon, chopped
• 5 large fresh thyme sprigs
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 1/4 tsp ground cumin
• 2 cups chicken stock or low sodium chicken broth
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped


Cooking Directions


1. Place the beans in a large pot and cover with cold water by 3 inches. Soak overnight.
2. Drain the beans and transfer to a large heavy pot.
3. Add 4 1/2 cups of water and the next 7 ingredients.
4. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer until the beans are tender (about 1 hour and 10 minutes).
5. Working in batches blend the black bean soup with the 2 cups of chicken stock.
6. Return the soup to the pot and add the chopped cilantro.
7. Add more stock if needed to thin it out.
8. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

To serve, pour 1/2 cup of each the cheddar soup and the black bean soup together at the same time. Top with sour cream if desired. 

TiNeill wins the cook of the night award for bringing FOUR items!  This girl loves to cook and it's so obvious because her dishes are incredible.  I'm a dessert hound as you may have guessed and I fell in love with these brownies.  Mixing an Oreo with a brownie, good heavens!

Cookies 'n Cream Fudge Brownies

Ingredients

• 1 box fudge brownie mix
• 2/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup coarsely chopped chocolate sandwich cookies
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 2 to 4 tsp milk

Directions

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease bottom only of 13x9-inch pan with shortening or cooking spray. In large bowl, stir brownie mix, oil, water and eggs until well blended. Spread in pan. Sprinkle cookies over batter.
2. Bake 24 to 26 minutes or until toothpick inserted 2 inches from side of pan comes out almost clean. Cool completely, about 1 hour 30 minutes.
3. In small bowl, stir together powdered sugar and milk until smooth and thin enough to drizzle. Drizzle over brownies. For brownies, cut into 5 rows by 4 rows. Store covered at room temperature.

Makes 20 brownies

Everyone loved these breadsticks, very soft and light in texture and the seasoning on top really added a nice saltiness and spice. 

Bread Sticks

Ingredients

• 1 package yeast
• 2 Tbsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3 cups all-purpose flour plus more for rolling
• 1/2 stick butter
• McCormick Salad Supreme seasoning

Cooking Directions

1. Dissolve the yeast into 1 1/2 cups of warm water.
2. Add the sugar and salt and stir until it dissolves.
3. Add the flour and stir in with a fork until the dough isn't sticky anymore and you can roll it into a ball. Add more flour if needed.
4. Put the dough into a greased bowl and cover with cheesecloth (or plastic wrap) in a warm spot. Watch for it to begin to rise, about 15-20 minutes.
5. Sprinkle some flour on a clean surface and roll and shape into an oval, use a pizza cutter to cut breadsticks.
6. Melt the butter in a dish and dip the breadsticks into the butter and then place them on a cookie sheet.
7. Sprinkle with McCormick Salad Supreme seasoning.
8. Let the breadsticks rise in a warm place for another 10-15 minutes or until they are fluffy.
9. Cook at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. The breadsticks will probably not look golden and you might not think they are done. When they are fluffy and dry they are done.

The name of this recipe says it all.  Creamy deliciousness is how I would describe it. 

Creamy Slow-Cooker Tortellini Soup

Ingredients

• 6 cups favorite homemade meaty spaghetti sauce (recipe to follow) or 24 oz jarred sauce with 1/2 lb hamburger and 1/2 lb ground sausage
• 4.5 oz fresh spinach leaves
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 8 oz cream cheese
• 8 oz sliced mushrooms
• 16 oz frozen cheese tortellini

Cooking Directions

1. Combine spaghetti sauce (and meat if adding it in separately), spinach, cream cheese, chicken broth, and mushrooms in a slow-cooker. Cook on low for 6 hours, on high for 2-3.
2. 20 minutes before serving, turn heat to high if it isn't already an stir in frozen tortellini. Cover and cook for 15 minutes or until tender and hot.
3. Serve topped with Parmesan cheese.



Sort of Homemade Spaghetti Sauce



Ingredients

• 1/2 lb ground beef (browned) do not drain
• 1/2 lb ground sausage (browned) do not drain
• 6 oz tomato paste
• 15 oz tomato sauce
• 1 small tomato puree
• 1 package Mild McCormick Spaghetti Sauce Seasoning
• salt, pepper, minced garlic, oregano, basil - to taste

Cooking Directions


1. Simmer all ingredients together for 1 hour with lid on lowest heat, stir occasionally

Lisa F. brought this yummy salad which was perfect with the soup. TiNeill brought the salad dressing.

Poppyseed Salad Dressing

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 1/3 cup white vinegar
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 2 Tbsp yellow mustard
• 1 Tbsp poppy seeds
• 1/4 cup chopped red onion

Cooking Directions

1. Blend all the ingredients in a blender and refrigerate.

Lynn brought this fantastic hot artichoke dip.  Everyone dove in and came up smiling.  Seriously good dip that I cannot wait to add to my party recipes!

Three Cheese Hot Artichoke Dip

Paula Deen

Ingredients

• 1 (8 ounce) cream cheese, softened
• 2 cups mayonnaise
• 1 (14 ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
• 2 green onions, sliced thin
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan
• 1 cup shredded mozerella
• dash hot sauce
• dash Worcestershire
• salt and pepper to taste

Cooking Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. In the bowl of your stand mixer, beat the cream cheese.
3. Add the mayonnaise and beat until smooth.
4. Add the remaining ingredients and mix to combine.
5. Transfer to a pie plate or shallow oven proof dish and bake for 30-40 minutes. The top will be golden brown and bubbly.

Lynn also made an incredible Lemon Pound Cake (which I failed to take a picture of).  Just trust me, it was goooooood.

Starbucks' Lemon Pound Cake w/Icing

The Recipe Circus

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 Tbsp butter, softened
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp lemon extract
• 1/3 cup lemon juice
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil

Cooking Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a large bowl.
3. In the bowl of your stand mixer, add the eggs, sugar, butter, vanilla, lemon extract and lemon juice.
4. Add the flour mixture to the wet mixture. Mix until smooth.
5. Add the oil and mix well.
6. Pour the mixture into a well greased 9x5 inch loaf pan.
7. Bake for 45 minutes or until a toothpick stuck into the center coms out clean.
8. Let cool in the pan.

Lemon Icing

• 1 Cup plus 1 Tbsp powdered sugar
• 2 Tbsp whole milk
• 1/2 tsp lemon extract

1. Mix all the ingredients together until smooth. 
2. Remove the cooled cake from the loaf pan and frost with the icing.  Wait for the icing to set before slicing. 

Melissa Y. brought a cheese and cracker plate with two flavors of preserves.  We sandwiched the cheese in-between two crackers slathered in preserves, talk about good!  Glad she taught me this little trick so I can use it in the future.

On this try was Sharp Cheddar, Brie, Goat Cheese, Muenster and an Artisan marinara and pepperoni cheese (delish).
Strawberry and Raspberry Preserves.
Assorted Crackers.

My contribution for the evenings soup dishes was this Butternut Squash and Apple Soup.  I have the full post here.

As always, I'm super excited for the next gathering.  I think every time we get together we learn more about one another. Great excuse for us to EAT!

Cuisinart Cook Central Multi-Cooker, 7-Quart - 7 quart (Google Affiliate Ad)