1. Minestrone
2. Moo
Goo Gai Pan
3. Mother's Pound Cake
4. MULLING
MIX
5. Mussels in White Wine with Tomatoes
and Breadcrumbs
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1. Minestrone
1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 carrots, sliced
1 tsp basil leaves
1 tsp marjoram leaves
1 medium zucchini, chopped
1 quart chicken or vegetable broth
2 cups white beans, cooked (canned beans work well)
2 cups canned tomatoes
1/2 head cabbage, chopped
1/4 cup parsely
Pepper, to taste
Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy bottomed pot.
Add onions, celery, and garlic and sauté until the
vegetables are tender, but not yet browned.
Add basil and marjoram leaves and stir for one to two
minutes.
Add chopped zucchini and cook for another few minutes.
Pour in chicken or vegetable broth, the cooked beans and the
tomatoes.
Cover, bring to a boil, and then reduce heat to simmer.
Allow the soup to cook for about 45 minutes, stirring
occasionally.
If the soup looks thicker than desired, add some water, 1
cup at a time.
When it almost looks "like soup" add the chopped
cabbage, and the parsley and cook for about 10 minutes more.
Add some freshly ground black pepper to taste.
At this point the soup is done.
If a heartier soup is desired, a handful of small sized
pasta can be added; then the soup needs to be cooked for
about 10 minutes more.
Serve with sprinkling of Parmesan cheese over the top, if
desired.
Source: More Mail
From Mary
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2. Moo Goo Gai Pan
INGREDIENTS:
4 Medium boneless skinless chicken breasts, (Halved)
1/2 cup chicken broth
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
2 Tbsp. rice wine vinegar or dry white wine
4 tsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp sugar
1 Tbsp. cooking oil
3 cloves garlic minced
2 medium carrots, thinly sliced on the bias
8 oz. whole sliced mushrooms
halved (3 cups)
2 cups pea pods
8 oz. can water chestnuts
3 cups hot cooked rice
DIRECTIONS:
Rinse chicken and pat dry. Cut into thin bite size
strips. For sauce, in a small bowl combine chicken
broth, soy sauce, vinegar cornstarch and sugar. Set
aside.
Pour cooking oil into a wok. (Add more oil if
necessary during cooking). Preheat to medium-high
heat. Stir fry garlic in hot oil for 15 seconds.
Add carrots; stir fry for 3 minutes. Add mushrooms
and, if using, pea pods; stir fry for about 1 minute more or
until carrots and pea pods are fork tender.
Remove vegetables from wok.
Add the chicken to the wok. Stir fry for 2-3 minutes
or till no pink remains. Push the chicken form the
center of the wok. Stir sauce. Add sauce to the
center of the wok. Cook and stir until thickened.
Return the cooked vegetables to the wok. Add water
chestnuts and, if using, thawed pea pods. Stir all
ingredients together to coat with sauce. Cook and stir
about 1 minute more until heated through.
Serve immediately over cooked rice.
Serves 4
Source: Recipe Ross
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3.
Desserts:
Mother's Pound Cake
from Atlanta Cooknotes
___________________________________
INGREDIENTS FOR CAKE:
1 cup softened butter
3 cups sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons almond extract
6 eggs, at room temperature
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 pint heavy cream, at room temperature
INGREDIENTS FOR FANNY'S CHOCOLATE ICING:
2 (1-ounce) squares Baker's Unsweetened Chocolate
1/2 cup water
1 egg white
1-1/2 (16-ounce) boxes confectioners' sugar
1/3 cup milk
optional: chopped pecans, to taste
TO PREPARE:
Cream butter and add sugar, beating until light and smooth.
Add vanilla and almond extracts. Add eggs one at a
time,
beating at medium speed after each addition. Add flour
and
heavy cream alternately, mixing well. Pour batter into
a
greased and floured 10-inch tube or Bundt pan. Place
in a
cold oven and immediately turn heat to 350 degrees.
Bake
1-1/4 hours. Cool on wire rack before icing.
To prepare icing, melt chocolate and butter in top of
double boiler. Beat egg white until stiff and add to
chocolate mixture. Remove from heat and add
confectioners'
sugar. Gradually add milk while beating to a creamy
consistency. Stir in optional pecans. Frost
cooled cake.
SERVES: 16
___________________________________
Copyright 1982 The Junior League of Atlanta, Inc. All
rights reserved.
Visit The Junior League of Atlanta web site
(http://www.jlatlanta.org/cookbooks.stm) to purchase copies
of Atlanta Cooknotes and other fine cookbooks, or call
(404) 233-4767.
The Junior League of Atlanta, Inc. is an organization of
women committed to promoting voluntarism, developing the
potential of women and to improving the community through
the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers.
Its purpose is exclusively educational and charitable.
All
proceeds from League fundraising efforts, including from
the sale of Atlanta Cooknotes, are returned to the
community.
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4. MULLING MIX
Ingredients:
15 cinnamon sticks (3" long)
15 whole star anise
30 cardamom pods
15 whole cloves
Directions:
Arrange the cinnamon sticks upright around the inside walls
of the jar. Fill the center with anise, cloves, and cardamom
and seal.
Yield: 1 (1/2-pint) jar
Attach to Jar:
Mulled Cider
Ingredients:
1/2 gallon of wine or cider
Directions:
Combine wine or cider with 3 cinnamon sticks, 3 star anise,
6 cardamom pods and 3 cloves from the jar of mix in a large
saucepan. Heat until warm. Do not boil. Remove
or strain spice before serving.
Yield: 1/2 gallon (or 7 servings)
Source: LOH Recipes
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5. Mussels in White Wine with Tomatoes and
Breadcrumbs
If you have ripe tomatoes in the garden, this is
the perfect dish to serve, either as a starter or a light
main course. Toasted breadcrumbs, a traditional garnish in
Sicilian dishes, add flavor and crunch to the finished dish.
1 onion, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 pound very ripe tomatoes, peel, seeded and chopped
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 bay leaf
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/2 cup fresh breadcrumbs
1 1/2 pounds mussels
1/2 cup minced Italian parsley
1. In a deep, heavy kettle large enough to hold the mussels,
combine the onion, garlic, and 2 tablespoons of the olive
oil. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until
the onion is very soft. Add the tomatoes, wine, bay leaf,
and salt and pepper to taste; cover, and cook until slightly
thickened, about 10 minutes.
2. While the sauce is cooking, heat the remaining 2
tablespoons olive oil in a small skillet. Add the
breadcrumbs and cook, stirring, about 3 minutes, until
golden; set aside. (This step may be done 1 day ahead. Store
the breadcrumbs at room temperature.)
3. Add the mussels to the tomato sauce, stirring with a
wooden spoon to mix well. Raise the heat and cook about 10
minutes, removing the mussels to a large heated serving bowl
with tongs or slotted spoon as they open. Any mussels that
do not open after 10 minutes should be discarded.
4. When all the mussels are cooked, stir the parsley into
the sauce and pour over the mussels. Sprinkle with toasted
breadcrumbs and serve immediately.
Source:
Nancy Harmon Jenkins via MinuteMeals