Thursday's the PotLuck Club- Romantic Dinners

We all love the romantic dinners. It February and all those commericals and adds are promoting the romantic dinners. With the economy it is getting harder to go out to enjoy that expensive treat. Why not have one at home.

let's start with a nice appetizer. Some thing light and easy.

Steamed Artichokes with herb garlic butter.
Paired with a glass of white wine or white grape nonalcoholic wine. One can even make a spritzer .
Next on to the dinner. A special salad.
Grab a bag of spring mix and add Raspberries and almonds. Make a raspberry Vinaigrette.
On to the main dish. Roasted Maple Salmon.
For dessert a piece of Cheese cake topped with cherries and drizzled with chocolate sauce.

My recipe for you ;
Roasted Maple Salmon

3 tablespoon Maple syrup
2 tablespoon Low sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger( or you can use 1 teaspoon ground ginger)
1/2 teaspoon Cornstarch
1 tablespoon water
about four pieces of Salmon( 6 0z each)
green onion thinly sliced.

• Preheat oven to 475F
• Add first five ingredients in small mixing bowl and whisk together.
• In a small shallow casserole dish, place salmon skin side down
• Pour glaze over Salmon
• Roast for 15 minutes. At the 7 minute point baste salmon with glaze.
• remove from oven , place on serving dish and sprinkle with sliced green onion

Each serving has about 340 Calories, 32 grams protein, 12 carbohydrates, 18 gram total fat( 4 grams of that are saturated) and 89 mg cholestestrol. The sodium is down if you use low sodium soy sauce, If not it would be 580mg.

This is a great fast recipe. can be prepared early and then placed in the oven during the appetizer. It is our favorite meal here.


Now it's your turn link up your recipes for that Romantic Dinner.

Thursday's the PotLuck Club- Cincinnati Chili

We are back......Yes after a break over the holidays, it is time again for the Thursday's the PotLuck Club. If you are new to this club, this is how it works. On Thursday you post a dish that you love to make for the family gatherings. It can be just for the Sunday crew or a pot luck function.
We like the easy ones the best. Crock pots are great, even the night before-day of ovens ones are great. I have been thinking about some that are freeze and cook later ones. Anything that is easy to do and a time saver are truly the desired ones. In these days of multitasking, we all need to be able to do things fast and still impress our family and friends. Now once you have posted your recipe on your site, Link the recipe Html address to the link below. You can use a photo of the recipe or your widget. The great thing about this is there will be a category just for the Thursday PotLuck dishes. Once you have posted the recipe link, add my Thursday PotLuck Club icon to your sidebar. If you click and copy the HTML it will be link back to my Kitchen blog. It must link back to this sight. Now let's began this year 2011 with some winter recipes.

Today's recipe from me ti share will be a chili type spaghetti sauce. It love Coney dogs. I long for that taste again. Most of the time the chili is referred as Cincinnati Chili. Now the difference is chocolate is used in the recipe and there is another secret. I lived in Cincinnati Ohio as a small child. I remember the chili, we use to have it on Spaghetti. So here is a my version of the official recipe.

Cincinnati Chili a la Auntie E

First set of ingredients :

• 1 pound lean ground beef ( I like to use 90% and above).
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 Tablespoon mild chili powder
• 1 teaspoon each of; cumin,ground allspice, ground *Saigon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic,
• 1 1/2 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
• 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire
• 1 Tablespoon cider vinegar
• 1 cup water

You will also need:
2 to 4 Tablespoon of tomato paste

Now this is the secret. Do not brown the beef!
If you can regrind the beef to be very fine. This process with make the beef tender and cook even. you can do this in the processor or a fine grinder attachment for your mixer.
This is how to make it;

Combine the first set of ingredients in to a 3 quart stock pot. Bring to a boil and turn down heat to still have a soft boil. Cover and Continue cooking for about 30 minutes, stirring often, add more water if needed. { You can cook longer for a more intense flavor, however after 30 minutes reduce the heat to a simmer. I would not go longer than two hours, and be sure to add water as need so not to burn the meat.}

Now remove the top add two Tablespoon of tomato paste. stir well til tickened. Continue adding tomato past 1 Tablespoon at a time until the thickness you like.

copyright 2011 by "Auntie E's CookBook/M Dubros"

Serve this over thin Spaghetti, top it with Shredded cheddar cheese and diced onions.
* Saigon cinnamon can be found at Williams Somona.It really does make a difference in the taste

Thursday's the Potluck Club.-Sugar cookies

These are the best I've had in a long time. Very easy to make.


Sugar Cookies-
(can be rolled out or pressed into a shaped cookie pan).

You will need:

1 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups fine Raw sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 + 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
2 +3/4 cups Flour
1 teaspoon salt.

Preheat oven 350 degrees Fahrenheit

In large mixer bowl, cream together butter and sugar
Add egg and extracts, mix well
combine flour and salt and add to creamed mixture
continue mixing until forms a ball.

remove from Bowl,

• First option; Press into lightly buttered form pan.
• Or your second option; place in plastic wrap and Put in refrigerator for about 30 minutes. Take out and roll out to 1/2 in thickness, using cookie cutters cut into patterns. place on Silicone mats or parchment papered line cookie sheets.

Now my hint on rolling--- I use nonstick aluminum foil on the bottom and a plastic wrap on the top.

Critter demonstrating for you.

Bake at 350 degrees F. In form pan for 8-10 minutes. If you roll them 7-8minutes or until brown around edges.

Cool completely on Wired rack. Then use cookie icing and decorate as you wish.

Thursday's the Potluck Club.-Side Dishes.

It is that time for Holiday Flare. We have four weeks until Thanksgiving, five weeks til Hanukkah, eight weeks before Christmas and nine weeks to New Years. Now where has the time gone? Before you know it we will be in full swing of the holiday seasons.
This year each week will be a theme week. Thursday's the PotLuck Club will be Thursday's Holiday Flare for the next nine weeks. I will start the week with a Thanksgiving side dish. Have one? Link it up below. For this one I will use a thumbnail link. You can post a photo with the recipe's name. For the whole holiday Season I will put a Recipe Holiday Flare link in the side bar. That way every one will be able to get to all the recipe Links in one click (I will start that next week). You can view it as a holiday resource page leading you to all the holiday flare recipes from around the world. I am so looking forward to trying some new dishes this holiday season.
So let's start sharing those recipes and have a marvelous a Holiday Feast!

Almond Orange Chicken

This dish is one I designed from a Chinese restaurant we eat at recently. I really loved the flavors together. Trying to make it a healthier version, I created this one. Hope you enjoy.

Almond Orange Chicken

4 large boneless chicken breast. cut into 1/2 pieces.
2 Tablespoon Olive oil
1/8 teaspoon Cinnamon

4 teaspoon Cornstarch
1 Tablespoon Dark Brown sugar
1/8 teaspoon ground Ginger
1/8 Teaspoon Ground Korintje Cinnamon
1 cup Blood Orange Juice- without pulp.
1 Tablespoon Lemon juice
1(110z) can Mandarin oranges, drained.
1/8 cup unsalted and skinless Peanuts
1/8 cup slivered Almonds

Step 1. Place cut up chicken breast in a large ziplock bag. Mix the oil and 1/8 teaspoon of cinnamon together. Pour into chicken bag and mix well. Set aside in refrigerator to marinate. (This step can be done in the morning before your day begins.)

Step 2. When ready to cook;
in a Large skillet, over medium heat, add chicken and cook, do not brown so adjust the heat as needed. Cook until no longer pink . turning the chicken over once. This well take about 10 minutes on Medium heat (5 minutes on each side). Remove chicken from pan and set aside in warm place( cover with Foil to keep warm.)

Step 3. This is the sauce.
Mix the cornstarch with the Blood Orange juice, stir well.
In that same skillet on medium high heat, combine Brown sugar, Cinnamon, Ginger, Lemon juice and Prepared Orange juice. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil for 1 minute.

Add the Prepared cooked chicken, drained mandarin oranges, and nuts, mix lightly and turn heat down to low continue to warm until heated through.

We serve this with converted rice. Try using Chopsticks, it makes it a family fun time. The best thing about using chopsticks is you eat less and feel fuller by eating slower.
Now join in this Thursday's the PotLuck Club. Just link up your favorite dish below.

Nutritional Info for "Almond Orange Chicken"

* Servings Per Recipe: 8
* Amount Per Serving (1/2)cup
* Calories: 197.0

* Total Fat: 8.5 g
* Cholesterol: 44.9 mg
* Sodium: 33.7 mg
* Total Carbs: 12.9 g
* Dietary Fiber: 0.9 g
* Protein: 18.1 g
Copyright 2010,"Auntie E CookBook/M Dubros"

Thursday's the Potluck Club.-Apfelstrudel

Continuing with the German food Month, I thought is is time for a Sweet. A Bavarian Treat called Apflestrudel. While living in the southern region of German I was given this Recipe.
We visited Bavaria Several times during our time in Germany. The region is so beautiful, nestled in the blackforest area, one can see the Swiss Alps as well as

Lake Königssee.

We loved to sit in the small town of St. Bartholomä.

One can only get to it by boat.

the town is located at the foot of the Swiss mountains.
I loved to eat their smoked fish and this apple strudel.

For this recipe the measurements and directions are very important:

APFLESTRUDEL

For the Pastry:
3 level cups Sifted Flour
2 level Tablespoon sugar
1/8 teaspoon of salt
2 eggs
3 Tablespoons ice water
1/8 pound butter

For Filling:
3 lbs juicy apples
1 cup sugar
1 cup raisins
1/2 level teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon Rum

For Decoration:
1 egg yolk
2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 cup Silvered Almonds.

• Sift the flour once, then lift carefully in to a Measuring cup with a spoon. Heap Slightly, do not pack down or tap cup, and level cup off with a knife.
• Add the sugar and salt and mix together.
• Add the eggs and mix together with wooden spoon.
  
• Add ice water one tablespoon at a time and knead together. Kneading dough about 5 to 10 minutes.
  
• The dough well be very stuff. Form into a ball and set aside, cover with towel for 30 minutes.
• Peel and core the apples. cut into very thin Lengthwise slices, about 1/16 inch thick

Step 1.
Take half the dough and roll out on a lightly floured pastry board, as thin as possible into a rectangle .
Make a fist of both hands,Pick up sheet of dough and drape dough over your hands. Pull your hands to the outside (this stretches the dough). Be careful not to tear. Continue this until the sheet is very thin, always work from the middle towards the edges. it should measure 18" by 14" (it sounds harder than it is).
Lay the sheet of dough on a well floured pastry cloth.
Melt butter and paint the sheet of dough with 1/2 the butter.

Step 2.
Take half the apple slices, mix with 1/2 cup Sugar, 1/2 cup raisins, 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, and 1/2 teaspoon rum.( note this is half the ingredients above, you will be using the other half in the second Strudel*).
Spread immediately on the dough. Roll together lightly to form a long roll. Tuck in the ends and press together to seal.

*Repeat the two steps above for the second Strudel.

Butter a oven tray that is a least 18" long by 12' wide with raised sides.
Preheat oven 475F.
Beat egg yolk and paint the strudels with it. sprinkle each one with, 1 teaspoon sugar and 1/4 cup slivered almonds.

these cooking instructions are very important!
45 minute total cooking time and keep the oven door closed during the cooking process time.
Bake 10 minutes at 475F, then turn down the oven to 400F, and bake 20 minutes, turn oven down to 300F and bake 15 minutes

Remove from oven. Remove strudels from pan and set on a large serving tray. Pour the juices from the baking pan over the strudel and set aside to cool.
You can serve them Hot or Cold.

Now these calories are worth the taste. Therefore I will not list them. Just enjoy this treat from Bavaria.

Now link up your Thursday recipes here.

Thursday's the Potluck Club.-Waldorf Salad

My daughter asked me to make a Waldorf salad after are meeting with the Nutritionist. I haven't really thought of this salad in a long time. They are somewhat of a vintage dish.
Created by Oscar Tschirky of Switzerland, also known as "Oscar of the Waldorf". He worked for the Waldorf Hotel in New York City in the Late 1800's as maître d'hôtel. Developing many dishes this was one of his famous ones. Take note here he was not a chef. How ever he love to have picnics on his farm in New Paltz. Invited many chefs, family and friends to them. Later the farm became a retirement home for Chefs! It was not originally made with Nuts. They were added years later. Therefore mine does not have nuts. Although I did add that flavor to it.


Healthy Maple Waldorf Salad- Makes 8-1/2 cup servings

4 Small sweet apples( about 2 cups when diced)
1 Medium banana ( about 1cup when diced)
3 oz Sun-Maid Raisins
1 cup diced Celery
1/4 cup Maple Syrup
1/4 cup Jif Omega-3 Creamy Peanut Butter.
1/2 cup Kraft Olive Oil Mayonnaise

Combine diced Apples, Banana, Raisin and Celery in a 2 quart serving bowl.
Mix Syrup, Peanut Butter and Mayonnaise together . Stir until smooth texture if achieved.
Fold into Fruit Mixture Gently.
Cover and Put in Refrigerator for about 30 minutes before serving.
Mix gently before serving.

*Hints*You can add a little lemon to prevent apples from browning.
To plump raisin a little place in a glass bowl and Microwave for 20 seconds.

Copyright 2010 by "AuntieE's CookBook/MDubros"

Nutritional Info

* Servings Per Recipe: 8
* Amount Per Serving
* Calories: 233.5

* Total Fat: 12.3 g
* Cholesterol: 10.0 mg
* Sodium: 245.4 mg
* Total Carbs: 30.8 g
* Dietary Fiber: 2.4 g
* Protein: 2.5 g

Thursday's the Potluck Club.-Ritzzy Chicken

Here we are again it's Thursday. My daughter has been making a dish that we really love. I think it would be a great Nugget choice for the kids at a Potluck. So I will modify the recipe for a potluck dish.

Ritzzy Chicken Nuggets

We will need:

Skinless Boneless chicken Breast (about 6 pounds).
Ritz Crackers
garlic salt
Olive oil butter

• Cut the chicken Breast them into 2"x 2" pieces or the nugget size of your choosing.
• finely Crush up ,in processor, two cellophane packages of Ritz crackers.
• Add about 1 teaspoon of garlic salt to Crushed crackers.
• Now rinse chicken in cold water, roll in to cracker mixture, place on Parchment paper lined cooking sheet. Dab a little olive oil butter on top of each nugget( about 1/4 teaspoon per nugget).
• Bake in a 350 degree Fahrenheit oven for about 20-25 minutes.

a serving is 4 pieces.

Nutritional Info

* Servings Per Recipe: 12
* Amount Per Serving
* Calories: 251.5

* Total Fat: 9.1 g
* Cholesterol: 71.0 mg
* Sodium: 271.8 mg
* Total Carbs: 13.3 g
* Dietary Fiber: 0.0 g
* Protein: 28.6 g


If you wish to join in with this Potluck meme, Here are the rules. Post a potluck recipe on your site on Thursday. Come here and link it to my Link list. You can grab my potluck club icon-below.

<br/><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://auntieecookbook.blogspot.com/"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 82px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir8cxpWmu13lkst8gdogIRr1MNB9AyaPJfkcC5ZSQzREnnbUptldNnjULh00hd3c3M6scdN9t1oPqEOZuABkqTvDbkR62uBfPvBTtwiO_mhIiWQ-LWPa4utfjhFTbJ-pOAx0bns4sxmihi/s200/Thursday+Potluck+Icon.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5512303487039143938" border="0" /></a><br/><br /><br /><br />
For Thursday's PotLuck Club Links:

Thursday's the Potluck Club.-My Lemon Chicken

While in Niagara Falls, Canada we ate at a Chinese restaurant. My daughter had Lemon Chicken, it was really good. So for dinner Tuesday evening I made my version. It was really good. This should serve 8 people.


Auntie E's Easy Lemon Chicken

4 large Boneless chicken breast
2 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 teaspoon Pepper
1/4 teaspoon Chinese 5 spice powder
1 medium lemon-thinly sliced
1 (10 oz) jar of Lemon Curd.

Cut chicken into strips diagonally, dust with pepper and Chinese 5 spice
Put oil in a large pan heat on medium heat heat. heat until oil is hot.
Add chicken strips, cook for 3 to 4 minutes on one side then turn over.
Thinly slice lemon and place on top of chicken. continue to cook 3 minutes more.
Add Jar of Lemon curd and stir into chicken. Cook for about 5 minutes. Until chicken is tender.

We serve with steamed Jasmine rice. and broccoli and cauliflower.

Copyright2010"Auntie E's CookBook/M Dubros"

Nutritional Info

* Servings Per Recipe: 8
* Amount Per Serving
* Calories: 275.0

* Total Fat: 6.8 g
* Cholesterol: 96.6 mg
* Sodium: 95.9 mg
* Total Carbs: 22.1 g
* Dietary Fiber: 0.7 g
* Protein: 27.4 g

Thursday's the Potluck Club.-Thai Bake and Dessert

Oh those Potluck Summer Days are coming. You know the kind... Cookout and get-togethers ..the ones you need to bring a dish to share. I thought this would be a great time to share all your Potluck dishes. One place to put the link to your recipes. So the icon is on the top side bar, it is like a cookbook just for Potluck recipes. Wouldn't it be good to choose one from another country or a different one? Just to throw your friends off because they know you always bring the same thing! Surprise them this year.

Now the way this works is you Link up your recipe in the thumbnail link. For the photo you can use your signature widget, a photo of the dish or of yourself that's it.
I hope you will join in this Summer Fun. I will only be running this until the end of June. So only five more weeks left. Then at the Fourth of July party, Park concert picnics,Family reunions, Pool Parties and all the rest of the Seasons food and friends get-togethers you will be ready for that different dish.

Since my arm has been in a cast...my daughter has been doing the cooking. the other day she made Banana cream dessert. She wanted me to show you..

Banana Cream Dessert
you will need: 2 to 3 large bananas, one package 3oz instant Banana Cream Pudding Mix, Coolwhip 8oz package and Vanilla Wafers about one half a box.

Make the pudding according to package- We use skim milk ,a healthier choice. set aside
In at Pie dish or 2 Quart round dish layer as follows;
(I prefer the 2qart round dish)

1. Line the bottom of the dish with some wafers, just to cover.
2. Slice one banana and place on top of Wafers
3. Put some pudding on top, just to cover bananas
4. Add Coolwhip to cover pudding.

Repeat layer according to size of dish. For the pie plate repeat one more time for the 2quart repeat two more times.

Top with a couple of sliced bananas and a couple of wafers.
refrigerate til serving and refrigerate any left overs. If there is any!

Now for the Thai Chicken and Rice Bake:

• In a 9x13 inch pan place 2 cups of Jasmine Rice
• add one can of chicken broth (low sodium) and enough water to make 20 oz of liquid. Stir well.
• On top of the rice mixture add boneless Chicken Breast, here you can use as many as your like. If they are large ones cut in half and lay on rice. As you see in the photo we used 3 for there was only 3 of us. However for a potluck you would want to add 6 and cut them in half making 12 pieces.
• Lightly sprinkle the tops of the chicken pieces with Lemon pepper and Thai seasoning (we use McCormick)
• cover pan with Aluminum foil
• Cook in a 350 degree Fahrenheit oven for 45-50 minutes. At the 35 minutes mark uncover to allow for browning.

Thursday's the Potluck Club.

Here we are getting ready to shop for the weekend. Any PotLuck dishes you recommend? Link them to the PotLuck Club thumbnail Linky. You can link the dish photo, your blog widget or your photo of choice.
This is the third week of this club. I created it to have a PotLuck section that will be a great resource for the coming months. Think about it, School socials, Church get togethers, Family Picnics, Office parties and any more times you need that one dish to wow them. I will link the Thursday's the PotLuck Club recipes on the side bar. This will make it easier to just try out the dishes linked. Come on Cooks and Moms share your recipes. Who knows someone famous could try it and have you on their Cooking show.....Listening Martha, Paula and Rachael.

Crock-pots are ideal for those days when work and school functions are too close together. I love this dish...when you need to bring the meat... it is a hit.

SouthSeas Pork Tenderloin.

In a 6 quart crock-pot put as listed.

1-1/2cups of Frozen sliced Mangoes
1-1/2 cups Pineapple chunks (if using can drained)
1/4 cup of Pomegranate juice
3 Tablespoon Grape jelly

stir well in bottom of pot.

mix; 1-1/2 teaspoons Kosher salt,3/4 teaspoon Thai Seasoning and 3/4 teaspoon ground white pepper with 1 Tablespoon of Olive oil

rub spice mixture on 3 pounds of Pork Tenderloins

Place tenderloins on top of fruit mixture.

Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours.

When done; remove tenderloins and with a potato-masher ,mash the Fruit mixture on bottom. Add 4 sheets of Oetker Gelatine and stir until dissolved. Let set about 4 minutes . ladle into sauce dish.

Slice the tenderloins ..
serve with the fruit sauce and Jasmine rice.

Copyright 2010 "Auntie E CookBook/MDubros"

Thursday's the Potluck Club.

Just link up your favorite pot Luck dish using the thumb nail linky. You can use the photo of the dish or your widget. That's it. We all can visit and try a new one over the weekend. Then report back to tell how you liked it. I hope you will join in on this "Thursday's The PotLuck Club".
It is something new I am excited about. Now that summer is here, who wants to stay in the kitchen? Potluck are about to start with Summer coming. Trying new dishes now to Wow the folks when those pot lucks come. They can be crock pots, oven or overnight ones. Just one dish meals to make it easy. Pull out those favorites and Link them up to share.
We have a few from last week try them out. Link up yours this week, after a few weeks of linking up ( When I know folks are interested) I well put a Link to all on the side bar or top bar, to make it easier to view the recipes.

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1. Chicken Enchiladas 2. TomatoOlive Frittata

Thursday's the Potluck Club.

Every Thursday I will be posting a Potluck dish. It will be an easy and healthy dish. Won't you join me? Just link your recipe to the thumbnail link. You can link the picture of your dish or your widget. I think this will be fun, finding new dishes for our busy weekends is a great thing..yes? Beside, all those pot lucks for the summers will be easier now. I will, after a few times, create a Thursday Potluck link on the side bar, making it easier to find those recipes across the Web.

Today my Thursday's PotLuck Club recipe is " Crock-Pot Italian Bison" It is a easy one.

The Rub
2 Tablespoon olive oil
1 Tablespoon fresh rosemary
1/4 tsp dried Thyme
1/8 tsp oregano
2 Tablespoon Dried Tomatoes, chopped
Mix all this together, set aside.

1/2-2 pounds Bison Chuck roast.
1/2 cup Merlot wine.

• Pat Rosemary rub over roast
• Put roast in Crock-Pot and pour wine over it,

Set Crock-Pot on Low cook for 4-6 hours.

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1. For Brunch Potlucks 2. Italian Casserole 3. Greek Chicken Pasta