CHURCH LADIES RECIPES
KOSHER ONLY
Often used in Thai and Indian cuisines, coconut milk adds a subtle, creamy sweetness to dishes like this quick and savory soup.Thai Chicken Soup
THAI CHICKEN SOUP
1 boneless chicken breast
2 cups chicken broth
1 14-oz. can coconut milk
1/2 cup lemongrass, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
1 tbsp. lime juice
Chopped cilantro to taste
Combine the chicken breast, broth, coconut milk and lemongrass in a saucepan. Bring the mixture almost to a boil, then lower the heat and let it simmer for 15 to 20 minutes until the chicken is cooked. Remove the chicken from the broth and shred the meat. Strain the broth through a sieve, then add the chicken, lime juice and cilantro to taste. Serve with white rice, if desired. Makes 1 quart.
A creamy potato soup
A creamy potato soup come all the way from the kitchen of Alana H., Meadow Lake, Saskatchewan, Canada. INGREDIENTS:
2 1/2 cups potatoes, peeled and diced
1 1/2 cups onion, chopped
1 10-oz. can cream of mushroom soup
2 1/2 cups milk
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
1/8 tsp. thyme
1/8 tsp. oregano
1/4 tsp. parsley flakes
2 tbsp. butter or margarine
1. In a large pot, cook potatoes and onions in boiling water until soft. Drain.
2. In a large mixing bowl, mash the potatoes and onions together.
3. Add remaining ingredients and stir to mix.
4. Heat until simmering, for 1 to 2 minutes. Makes 6 cups.
Maura's Meatball Soup
This meaty soup is from the kitchen of Maura Philipps, Staten Island, New York. INGREDIENTS:
1 lb ground sirloin
1 egg
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1/4 grated cheese
Butter
1 gallon chicken broth
1 10-oz. package frozen, chopped spinach
1 lb. cheese tortellini
1. In a large mixing bowl, combine ground sirloin, egg, bread crumbs, and grated cheese. Shape into meatballs.
2. In a large skillet, fry meatballs in a small amount of butter until brown.
3. In a large pot, combine chicken broth, spinach and meatballs. Cook for about 10 minutes at medium heat until soup begins to boil.
4. In a separate pot, cook tortellini for about 5 minutes until almost done. Drain and add to chicken broth pot.
5. Cook soup at medium heat for an additional 10 minutes.
6. Serve hot with grated cheese.
Quick Mexican Pizza
INGREDIENTS:
1/2 pound lean ground beef
1-1/2 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. cumin
1 cup salsa
4 flour tortillas
2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
Green pepper
Onion
Mushrooms
1. In a skillet, cook meat on medium high heat until it browns. Drain off excess liquid and stir in the chili powder and cumin.
2. Spread 1/4 cup salsa and 1/2 cup of the meat mixture on each tortilla. Top each with 1/2 cup cheese and peppers, onions or mushrooms, as desired. Bake 8 to 10 minutes at 400 degrees, until crisp and lightly browned. Makes 4 servings.
Quick Chinese Chicken
INGREDIENTS:
2 tsp. cornstarch
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts
2 tbsp. peanut oil
One 1/2 slice ginger
1 clove garlic
1 cup pea pods, fresh or frozen
1/4 pound mushrooms, sliced
One 8 oz. can bamboo shoots, drained
1/2 cup chicken broth
2 tbsp. soy sauce
1 cup peanuts or cashews
1. Stir the cornstarch into 2 tablespoons of cold water and set aside. Cut the chicken into 1 inch cubes. In a skillet, heat the oil and toss the ginger and garlic for 1 minute to flavor the oil. Add the chicken and stir fry until it is cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove chicken.
2. Add the pea pods, mushrooms and bamboo shoots and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Add the broth and soy sauce and return the chicken to the skillet. Stir the cornstarch and water again, add to the chicken mixture and cook over high heat until the sauce thickens, about 2 minutes. Add peanuts and serve over white rice. Makes 4 servings.
Easy Red Beans and Rice
This easy dish can be prepared for a quick, last minute meal. INGREDIENTS:
1 cup rice
1 lb. smoked beef sausage
One 14-1/2-ounce can stewed tomatoes
One 16-ounce can red kidney beans
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1. Cook the rice in 2 1/2 cups water. Meanwhile, heat a skillet over medium heat. Slice the sausage and cook in the pan 3 to 5 minutes, until lightly browned.
2. Add the tomatoes, the drained and rinsed beans and the cayenne pepper to the sausage. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes. When rice is almost done, drain and stir into sauce. Cook 2 to 3 minutes more, until the rice is done. Makes 4 servings.
Corkscrew and Tomato Salad
INGREDIENTS:
1 lb. corkscrew pasta
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 small garlic clove, peeled
1/2 cup walnuts
1 tsp. salt
Fresh pepper, to taste
4 medium tomatoes
1 can (16 oz.) white beans, drained and rinsed
1. Cook the pasta "al dente" in 4 quarts of boiling salted water. Drain, then cool the pasta under running water.
2. In a blender or food processor, puree the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic and walnuts until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Halve the tomatoes, remove the seeds and chop into bits. Combine with the beans and dressing in a bowl. Pat the pasta dry and add it to the other ingredients. Mix well. Marinate for 30 minutes. Serves 8.
Quick Braised Chicken
INGREDIENTS:
2 whole chicken breasts, split
Salt and pepper
1/4 cup flour
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 green or red bell pepper, chopped
1 cup tomato sauce
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 tsp. oregano
1. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and dredge with flour. In a skillet, heat the oil and saute the onion, garlic and green pepper for 5 minutes. Remove the vegetables, set aside and brown the chicken breasts in the oil remaining in the pan. Return the vegetables to the pot and pour in the tomato sauce, broth and oregano. Cover the pan and simmer until the chicken is cooked through and tender, about 20 minutes. Makes 4 servings.
Kids brush after meals
Pam my Starr's Unleavened Ultra-Chocolate Brownies
Ingredients:
4 eggs
2 cups sugar
2/3 cup oil
4 squares of unsweetened baking chocolate, melted, or four packets of
liquid "Nestle's Chocobake" (my preference)
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 1/3 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
optional: 1 cup chopped walnuts and/or 2/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Procedure:
In large mixing bowl, beat eggs on high speed with mixer until lemony yellow. Gradually add sugar and continue beating with mixer. Use big spoon to stir in oil, chocolate, and vanilla, mix well.
Stir flour and salt together in a smaller bowl. Add flour and salt to wet mixture and stir well until all the white is gone and batter is smooth. Add walnuts and/or chocolate chips if desired.
Pour thick mixture into greased 13X9X2 baking pan and spread it out evenly.
Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes. Test for doneness by inserting fork in center. If it comes out gooey with chocolate, better leave it in for a bit longer, but try not to overbake.
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No, these are not "health food brownies." :-) Nor Low Carb. Nor Low Calorie. They are unabashedly a high calorie, high fat, high carb dessert that you oughtta not indulge in very often. But for a special treat, especially for chocolate lovers, they can't be beat.
And the same recipe will work well at other feast seasons of the year. You just add 1 teaspoon of baking powder to the flour and salt mixture for a leavened version that is slightly puffier.
BREADS
WHOLE WHEAT FLATBREAD
4 C whole wheat pastry flour
1 1/2 t salt
3 T butter
2 egg yolks
2 T vegetable oil
7/8 C milk or water
Sift flour, then add salt, cut the butter into flour mixture, like making pastry. In another bowl, beat egg yolks, adding oil slowly. Pour this mixture into flour and stir with spoon or fork until it forms a ball of dough that comes away from the side of the bowl. Knead lightly on a floured board for about a minute to shape dough into soft ball.
Lightly flour the board again, pinch off about one-third cupful of dough and with the hands pat it as thin as can easily be done, then roll it thinner with rolling pin. Keep working the dough and rolling it until dough is so thin it just holds together without breaking when handled. Place rolled dough on ungreased baking sheet and mark into squares of any desired size with a knife. If it is to be used for Passover service, make only one cut across the middle to make pieces only small enough that they may be conveniently carried.
Bake in preheated oven 390-400° for 8-12 minutes until puffed, or very lightly browned.
If this bread is to be used for Passover service, use water instead of milk, and leave out the egg yolks. Increase water to one cup, mix with oil and add to butter-flour mixture. (This recipe is sufficient for about 500 people in the Passover Service).
FLAT BREAD
2 C whole wheat flour
1/2 C yellow cornmeal
1/2 t salt
4T butter
2/3 C warm water
Sift flour, cornmeal and salt together. Cut in butter and mix until crumbly. Stir in warm water and chill. Roll chilled dough into balls the size of large marbles. Roll out into paper-thin rounds, 4" in diameter. Bake on an ungreased cookie sheet at 375° for 5 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool and store in a tightly sealed container. This dough may be wrapped in waxed paper and kept in the refrigerator to be baked as needed.
UNLEAVENED BREAD (#l)
3 C flour 2 T oil or butter
3 large eggs 1/2 C water or milk
1 t salt
Combine flour and salt. Combine eggs and oil; beat, then add egg mixture to flour. Add milk, beat hard for 2-3 minutes. Pour into three 8" square greased pans. Bake at 450° for 20 minutes.
UNLEAVENED BREAD (#2)
3/4 C scalded milk 1egg
1/4 C Honey 2 1/4 C flour
1/4 C butter
1 t salt
Beat egg and first four ingredients together, while gradually adding the flour. Knead smooth. Roll to 1/4" thickness. Cut in rounds or squares. Prick with a fork. Place on baking sheet, bake at 375° degrees for 15-20 minutes.
UNLEAVENED BREAD (#3)
5 C flour 4 T sugar or honey
1/2 C cream 1 C milk
1 C oil or 1/4 t salt
1/2 C butter and 1/2 C oil
Mix dry ingredients. Melt butter and blend with oil, milk and cream. Stir liquid into dry ingredients, knead well. Roll out on floured board, cut and place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 375° until lightly browned.
ALMOND BREAD
4 eggs 3 C flour
1 C sugar 1 small bag slivered almonds
3/4 C oil or butter 1 t almond extract
Mix sugar, eggs and 1 cup flour, add oil or butter. Add remaining ingredients. Pour into 2 bread pans, bake at 350° for 30 minutes. Remove from pans; slice as needed.
CHEESE BREAD
1/2 lb longhorn cheese 3 eggs
1/2 lb jack cheese 1 1/3 C milk
1 C flour 1/2 C butter, melted
1 t salt
Grate cheeses, mix all ingredients and pour in greased pan. Bake at 350° for 45 minutes.