Tyler Florence Garlic Mashed Potatoes (served by Ruth)

Ingredients

• 4 to 6 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, peeled
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter
• 4 cloves garlic, lightly crushed
• 3 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 tablespoons chopped chives

Directions

Put the cut potatoes into a large pot, cover them with cold water, and add a large pinch of salt. Bring to a boil and simmer until the potatoes are fork tender, about 20 to 30 minutes. Drain well. Meanwhile, in a small pot heat the cream, butter, garlic, and thyme. While the potatoes are still warm, press them through a potato ricer or food mill into a bowl. Stir in the warm cream a bit at a time, straining out the solids, until the potatoes are fluffy. Season with salt and pepper and gently fold in the chives. Serve immediately.

Tyler Florence Ultimate Stew (served by RUTH)

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, for frying, plus more to drizzle
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 2 cups flour
• 2 to 3 pounds beef chuck shoulder roast, cut into 2-inch pieces
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 bottle good quality dry red wine (recommended: Burgundy)
• 8 fresh thyme sprigs
• 6 garlic cloves, smashed
• 1 orange, zest removed in 3 (1-inch) strips
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 1/2 cups beef stock
• 9 small new potatoes, scrubbed clean and cut in 1/2
• 1/2 pound carrots, peeled and sliced
• 2 cups frozen pearl onions, a large handful
• 1 pound white mushrooms, cut in 1/2
• 1/2 pound garden peas frozen or fresh
• Fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped, for garnish

Directions

Preheat a large heavy-bottomed saucepan or dutch oven over medium-high heat with the oil and butter.

While the pan is heating, arrange the flour on a large dish. Season the cubed beef with some salt and freshly ground black pepper and then toss in the flour to coat. Shake off the excess flour and add the beef chunks in a single layer to the hot pan, being careful not to over crowd the pan, you might have to work in batches. Thoroughly brown all of the cubes on all sides. Once all the meat has been browned remove it to a plate and reserve.
Add the wine to the pan and bring up to a simmer while you scrape the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon being sure to loosen up all those tasty bits. Once the wine has gotten hot add the browned meat, thyme, smashed garlic, orange zest strip, ground cloves, freshly ground black pepper and salt, to taste, bayleaves, and beef stock. Bring the mixture up to a boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook uncovered until the liquids start to thicken, about 15 to 20 minutes. Cover and cook on low heat for 2 1/2 hours.
After 2 hours add halved potatoes, sliced carrots, pearl onions and mushrooms, along with a pinch of sugar to balance out the acid from the red wine. Turn the heat up slightly and simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes more, until the vegetables and meat are tender. Add the frozen peas during the last minute of cooking. Season with salt and pepper and remove the thyme sprigs.

Serve over garlic mashed potatoes

Tammy R's POTATO AND APPLE SALAD

http://thesecretisgratitude.blogspot.com/2011/02/potato-salad-with-crab-and-apples.html

The version Tammy served at Bunko did NOT have the crab in it.  It was YUMMY.

 

Ingredients:

Five pounds of potatoes peeled or washed (if you want peel)

Approx 1 cup mayo or salad dressing (your choice)

About 3 Tablespoons of Dijon Mustard (to taste)

1 cup frozen peas rinsed (to get ice crystals off or they melt and make the salad watery)

1/2 pound package of imitation crab meat thawed and flaked. If you don't like crab, try real bacon crumbled in it for a nice variation.

4 med sized apples cored and chopped. I leave the peel on. I try to add different varieties to give texture and color.

Optional - Onions chopped small or dried if you like that.

Peel, chop and boil potatoes until a fork goes through them easily but don't over boil or you will have mashed potatoes. Soak in cold water for 2 minutes and drain.

Add other ingredients and stir.

Can be made ahead of time and is even better the second day.

Served February 23, 2012

Tammy R's Chicken, Parmesan and Vegetable Stroganoff

Link to Tammy's blog for this recipe at:
http://thesecretisgratitude.blogspot.com/2012/02/chicken-parmesan-and-veggie-stroganoff.html


Chicken, Parmesan and Vegetable StroganoffChicken breasts
sour cream or cooking cream
olive oil
crushed red pepper
minced garlic
onions
Parmesan cheese
frozen vegetables ( I like the veggie mixes and throw away the sauce packets)
noodles
dehydrated mushrooms optional. You could use fresh as well.

Depending on how much you choose to make, add the amount of ingredients according to how much you want.

Cut chicken breast into small pieces, pour a generous amount of olive oil into the bottom of a wok or large frying pan. Pour in desired amount of garlic and crushed red pepper. Cut onions into thin slices and place all the above into the pan and saute until chicken is cooked through and the onions are soft. If you want to add dehydrated mushrooms, put them in and let them soften while you cook the chicken.


Next, pour in the frozen veggies. Don't rinse or drain them as the water and frost will give you the moisture needed to soften the noodles.Once the veggies are heated and any ice is melted, I stir in the noodles. Add 1/3 as many noodles as the water amount you have in the bottom of the pan. If you want, you can add cream or water or chicken broth to add moisture if you want to have more noodles in the mix. Cover and stir often until the noodles are done.

Once noodles are soft, stir in cooking cream or sour cream. Add as much as you like until it becomes like a sauce. It tastes great just like that or, you can dump in a bag of grated Parmesan and stir.

I like my food spicy and add lots of garlic and pepper but you may want to experiment until you know the best amount for you. If I gave you amounts, it may be too spicy for your liking.

You really can't go wrong with this recipe. It would be hard to ruin it. If you don't want to add the noodles in the cooking process, you can serve it minus the noodles and serve it over cooked noodles as a sauce for the noodles. Either way, I think you will make it again. Yummmm.

Served February 23, 2012

Ruth's Tailgate Sandwiches

Directions

• Cut all rolls in half. Place roll bottoms in 9x13-inch pan.
• Place equal amounts of ham on each roll bottom. Top with Gruyere.
• On each of the roll tops, spread a generous amount of the cream cheese spread. Return the tops to the bottoms making sandwiches.
• In a separate bowl, mix together the butter, Worcestershire sauce, onion and Parmesan cheese. Pour over your sandwiches and let sit for at least 20 minutes. (You can make these ahead of time and allow to sit in fridge overnight.)
• Place sandwiches, covered in foil, in a preheated 350°F oven. Bake for 20 minutes or until warmed through. Enjoy! Yield: 12 servings.

Ingredients

• 1 pkg. (12 count) Hawaiian bread rolls
• 1 lb. shaved Black Forest ham
• 12 slices Gruyere cheese
• 1 tub (8 oz.) Philadelphia® Chive & Onion Cheese Spread
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 Tbsp. dried minced onion
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Ruth's Cranberry Dip

12 ounce fresh cranberries

2 jalepenos

2 green onions, diced

2 T. fresh cilantro

Chop above ingredients together in a food processor, then add:

1 cup sugar and whirl again.

 

Allow cranberry mixture to sugar out.

Serve over 2 blocks of cream cheese.

Serve with crackers.

Tammy F's Enchiladas

1 lb. hamburger
1 small onion, diced
flour tortillas
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can tomato soup
1 can mild enchilada sauce
cheese
lettuce

Brown hamburger and onion; drain. 
In dripper pan roll hamburger and onion mixture into flour shells. Pour cream of chicken soup (diluted with water) over shells.
Combine enchilada sauce and undiluted tomato soup.  Pour over shells.
Sprinkle with cheesed.
Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until boiling around edges.
Serve with chopped lettuce on top.