Several folks brought pitch-in items to our March 22nd meeting that were a hit with attendees. I overheard a lot of conversation about “how did you make…” I didn’t get recipes for everything that was homemade but following are the recipes for some of the pitch-in items. For those of you not in attendance – you missed some great food and even better camaraderie.
Margie Ledgerwood, known for her spicy cooking, did not disappoint with a Creamy Hot Sausage Dip. Though Margie used the hottest flavor available of her ingredients it would be easy to tone down for a wimp like me.
1 pound sausage, cooked, crumbled and well drained
1 can Rotel tomatoes
2 packages crème cheese
Combine ingredients. Heat and serve in a crockpot.
The leftover dip really has potential. The next morning I fixed omelets stuffed with spinach and a couple of spoons of dip!
Hot Ham and Turkey Sliders
Here are a lot of variations on the web for Ham Sliders. One pan will serve 6-12 people so it’s easy to scale this recipe up for a crowd. Here is what I did:
- Assemble sandwiches:
12 pack Hawaiian-style Dinner Rolls
1 pound ham, thinly sliced or shaved
1 pound Baby Swiss cheese, very thinly sliced
Using a sharp serrated knife, carefully slice the rolls horizontally keeping the 12 pack intact.
Place bun bottoms in a 9×13 pan, layer on the meat and cheese, top with the top layer of the buns. - Blend well together and pour over sandwiches:
1 ½ sticks butter, melted
1½ tbl Dijon mustard
1 ½ tsp Worcestershire sauce (I was a little more generous)
1 tsp onion powder - Top sandwiches with garnish like poppy seeds or sesame seeds.
- Cover and refrigerate overnight. Next time I’ll spray the foil with a vegetable oil spray to keep it from sticking to the bun tops.
- Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes.
- Cut sandwiches apart before serving from the pan.
Variation:
For those folks that prefer turkey over ham – I added a couple of squirts of fresh herbs in a tube (in the refrigerated cases of the produce department) to the butter mixture and spread just a bit on the bottom buns. Then I used deli turkey and provolone cheese. I didn’t make enough of this variation because I didn’t get to try it.
Guest Cathy Payne brought German Potato Salad which really complemented the sandwiches. Don’t tell my German mother – it was really, really good. Cathy got her recipe from http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Authentic-German-Potato-Salad/Detail.aspx?event8=1&prop24=SR_Thumb&e11=german%20potato%20salad&e8=Quick%20Search&event10=1&e7=Home%20Page&soid=sr_results_p1i1
Since the link is almost as long as the recipe, here is the recipe!
3 cups diced peeled potatoes
4 slices bacon
1 small onion, diced
1/4 cup white vinegar
2 tablespoons water
3 tablespoons white sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
- Place the potatoes into a pot, and fill with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, and cook for about 10 minutes, or until easily pierced with a fork. Drain, and set aside to cool.
- Place the bacon in a large deep skillet over medium-high heat. Fry until browned and crisp, turning as needed. Remove from the pan and set aside.
- Add onion to the bacon grease, and cook over medium heat until browned. Add the vinegar, water, sugar, salt and pepper to the pan. Bring to a boil, and then add the potatoes and parsley. Crumble in half of the bacon. Heat through, then transfer to a serving dish. Crumble the remaining bacon over the top, and serve warm.
Following is the recipe for Tricolor Pasta Salad from new member Kay Greene:
I don’t think I have ever made this recipe the exact same way twice! I never measure the ingredients – it’s just how you like it.
For the dressing, I use Good Season’s Italian dry mix made with ½ cup vegetable oil, 3 tbsp. water and ¼ cup tarragon or white wine vinegar.
- Cook tricolor rotini pasta – drain but do not rinse with cool water
- While pasta is still hot, pour on half of the oil and vinegar dressing. The pasta will soak it up. Sometimes I sprinkle a little grated parmesan cheese on top.
- Put the pasta in the refrigerator to cool.
- Before serving: Add whatever vegetables you like, I often choose the following:
Red and green onions
Black olives
Green, red or yellow peppers
Celery
Cucumber
Green beans, sugar snap peas and asparagus – I blanch these first
Cherry tomatoes
Slivers of fresh basil
You may wish to add more of the dressing too!
Mamie Williams sent with Mike a rich and super easy dessert, Black Forest Brownies. She even sent the recipe taped to the container. Great idea! I saw multiple folks making a mental note of it so here is the recipe.
1 brownie mix, 21.5 oz size
1 cup cherry pie filling
¼ cp vegetable oil
2 eggs
Combine and pour into a greased 9×13 pan
Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes
When you pull it from the oven immediately top it with 1 ¼ cp chocolate chips. Spread them on the top as they melt.
So there you have it…the menu and recipes for your next party!