Cooking Group 2011

After our first cooking group meeting we have come to the conclustion to continue our cooking group. We will continue to meet the 4th Thursday at 6:30. Here are the differences: I have posted the dates for every month for the rest of the year on the right of the blog posts. Take a look and see if there is a time you would like to host. The months we have people sign up, we will have a cooking group. If no one signs up, we will just not meet that month and wait until the next time. We talked about how some people like to to teach and share what they know were others would be more comfortable with a potluck. So here's the cmopromise: when you sign up to host you can do one of two options:

1. Host at your home, pick the theme and prepare/demo. your favorite meal. This can be as simple or as complex as you want. Don't feel like you have to have a bunch of recipes. It could be as simple as your families favorite meal! (attendies will pay $3 to help cover the cost of food)

2. Host at your home, you pick a theme for a potluck and everyone signs up to bring a part of the meal.

Our hope is this will make it easier to host and give us a good variety. Please e-mail me if you would like me to add you to the schedule or simply comment below. Thanks ladies, I am looking forward to a year of yummy food and time with some wonderful friends!!

Blonde

White Brownie:
2/3 Cup melted butter (I did half margarine)
2 C. Brown Sugar
2 Eggs
1 TBS. Vanilla

2 Cups Flour
1 tsp. Baking Powder
1/4 tsp. Baking Soda
1/4 tsp. Salt
1 C. White Chocolate Chips

Mix above ingredients then bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes.

Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice-cream and top chopped walnuts andsauce:

1/2 C. Maple Syrup
1/4 C. Butter
1/2 C. Brown Sugar
8 oz. Cream Cheese

Heat syrup on stove top. Melt in butter and brown sugar. Slowly melt in cream cheese.

Garlic Cheese Soup Bowl

This recipe will make 6 soup bowls:

Place into a bowl and let proff (grow and get bubbly, about 10 min.)
2 TBS Yeast (or 2 packages)
1 TBS Sugar
2 Cups Warm Water

Add and knead 8-10 minutes (I do this with the dough hook on my kitchenaid)
5 Cups Flour
1 Cup Cheese (I used mexi blend)
2 tsp. Garlic Salt
2 TBS. Johny's Garlic Seasoning

You will know the dough is the right consistency when it is slightly sticky to the touch but pulls away from the edge of the bowl. (if kneading my hand, I do this directly in the bowl to keep my counters clean)

Set aside and let rise until double in size, about 1 hour. You can spead this up and warm your oven to 170 then turn off. Place bread inside with a small pan of boiling water. Your bread will rise in about 1/2 the time. Just don't forget to turn OFF your oven :-)

Once Risen remove dough from bowl, split in half then each half into thirds to give you six bread bowls. Lightly grease cookie sheet. Shape dough into balls and place onto cookie sheet. Set aside to rise until double in size. Again you can spead up this by rising in the oven as stated above.

Once doulbed glaze with:
2 egg whites
2 TBS. water

Bake at 375 for 13-14 minutes.
Remove from oven and glaze with the egg wash one more time. Sprinkle with cheese (I used italian blend) then bake for another 13-14 minutes.

cool on wire rack. Cut off top, scoop out insides and fill with your favorite soup!

Yummy butter for bread tops:
1/2 Cup butter at room temp.
1/2 TBS. Johny's Garlic Seasoning

Basic Italian Soup

1 lb. Italian Sausage, browned (with LOTS of garlic)
5 Cups beef broth (I just do water and beef boulion)
2 potatoes, peeled and diced
3-4 carrots, peeled and diced
1 Zuchini or yellow squash, diced
1 onion, diced
1 bell pepper, diced
2 Cans italian dicd tomatoes
2 tsp. Italian seasoning (approx.)
1 TBS. Johny's Garlic seasoning (approx.)
Salt and pepper to taste

Simmer until veggies are tender.
(You can also add a can of corn and kidney beans)

Quick Cheesy Corn Chowder

This soup I (Shauna) got from my Grandma. It is quick and easy. I made a batch in 10 minutes!

2 C. Chopped Potatoes (or frozen o-brien potatoes)
10 oz. Frozen mixed veggies
1/4 C. Chopped Onion
1 1/2 C. Water
1 1/2 tsp. Chicken boullion

Simmer until veggies are tender then add:

1 Can Cream Corn
8 oz. Cheese (I used mexi blend)
1/2 C. Milk
1 TBS. Johny's Garlic Seasoning
salt and pepper to taste

*also good with chopped ham added or some bacon crumbs.

To cook or not to cook?

Here is one more try for our cooking group :-)
We will meet February 24th at 6:30 at Shauna's house for
soup and bread bowls!
We will discuss if and how we want to continue our fun little group.
Things like, how often? What day? What time? Themes, etc.
Rsvp in the comment box below or just leave your input if you are unable to attend!
Thanks ladies!!