Polenta Gratin with Mushroom Bolognese

Serves 4
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 onion, peeled and chopped
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
1 rib celery, peeled and chopped
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 clove garlic, peeled and very finely chopped
1/2 to 3/4 pound mixed wild mushrooms, cleaned, trimmed, and chopped
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
1 tomato, seeded and diced
1 cup store-bought low-sodium chicken stock
1 cup polenta
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 to 4 tablespoons freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
Directions
In a large skillet, heat vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Add onion, carrot, and celery; season with salt and pepper; cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes.
Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add mushrooms and thyme leaves; cook, stirring frequently, until mushrooms are almost tender, about 3 minutes. Add tomato and cook, about 2 minutes more.
Add stock to skillet, 2 tablespoons at a time, bringing liquid to a simmer before each addition. Simmer until thickened, about 30 minutes. Remove from heat and set mushroom bolognese aside to cool.
In a medium bowl, mix polenta with 2 tablespoons water to moisten. Bring 4 cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Add a pinch of salt to boiling water and slowly stir in polenta. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, and immediately reduce to a simmer. Cook polenta, stirring occasionally, until no longer grainy, about 30 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in olive oil and season with salt.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spoon half of the polenta into a medium baking dish and cover with reserved mushroom bolognese. Top with remaining polenta and sprinkle with Parmigiano Reggiano.
Transfer baking dish to oven and bake until top is golden, about 40 minutes. Serve immediately.

Recipe found here

Country Gourmet Curry Rice Chicken Salad

Via the West from the San Jose Mercury news

Yummy salad!!!

Dressing:
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 tsp brown sugar
1 tsp sea salt
2 tsp minced garlic
1 TBSP curry powder
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
3/4 tsp turmeric
1/2 cup olive oil


Rice:
1 cup brown rice
1 3/4 cup chicken stock
(I use the Trader Joe's brown rice from the freezer section and just cook in microwave)

Salad:
1 pound boneless chicken cut into bite size pieces
1 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 TBSP vegetable oil
1/4 cup celery, diced
1/2 cup carrots, graded
1/3 cup apple, diced
1/3 cup red onion, diced
1/4 cup parsley, minced
1/4 cup red bell pepper, diced
2/3 cup toasted walnuts
3/4 cup seedless red grapes

Mix dressing in a canning jar and shake with the lid on.

cook the brown rice

Toss the raw chicken in the curry powder & salt and cook in the vegetable oil over medium heat.

Mix the remaining ingredients with rice and cooked chicken. Toss in the dressing and refrigerate.

Serves 4-6 people

Spring Fling Cake - Market Denver, CO

ok, I finally got around to making this cake...took over an hour & 45 mins to cook and it was still undercooked.  Maybe put the shrededded zucchini in cheesecloth and wring the extra water out.  That might help.  Frosting was good!

Spring Fling Cake

Serves 12 to 14

2 1/2 cups shredded zucchini

5 eggs

1 1/4 cups sugar

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 cup sour cream

1/2 tablespoon plus 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (for frosting)

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Pinch of salt

For frosting:

3/4 cup cream cheese

1/4 cup butter

2 cups powdered sugar

1/2 cup heavy cream

Fruit for cake:1 pint strawberries, cleaned, stemmed and sliced4 kiwi fruit, peeled and sliced2 mangoes, peeled and sliced1 pint blueberriesApricot glaze, or apricot jelly thinned out with a bit of warm water, optional

* Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 10-inch cake.

* To prepare the cake: Shred the zucchini in a food processor. In a large mixing bowl combine shredded zucchini, eggs, sugar, oil, sour cream and 1/2 tablespoon vanilla.

* When thoroughly mixed, combine all dry ingredients and add to bowl; mix well. Batter should be fairly wet and easy to pour.

* Pour in the batter and bake for 50 to 70 minutes, testing with a toothpick in center.

* Cool finished cake on a rack for 10 minutes, then remove it from the pan and allow it to cool completely. (You can make the cake a day ahead and refrigerate.)

* To prepare frosting, whip room temperature cream cheese and butter until smooth. Gradually add the powdered sugar, mixing until well combined.

* In a separate bowl, whip the cream until stiff, and then fold it and the 1/2 teaspoon vanilla into the frosting. Do not overmix.

* To assemble cake: Cut the cooled cake in half lengthwise, making two layers. (The Market cuts the cake into three layers, which you may do if desired.)

* Spread an even layer of frosting over the first layer, and then add a layer of the various fruit pieces (repeat if three layers).

* Put on the top layer of cake and evenly frost. The sides of the cake are not frosted; use extra to fill in, as needed.

* Arrange the fruit in circles all over the top of cake, slightly overlapping fruit pieces.

* To finish: Spread the apricot glaze over fruit on top of the cake with a pastry brush.

Cake can be found at The Market in Denver, CO

Blessing Snack Mix

Blessing Mix

2 C. Bugle Brand Corn Snacks (shaped as a cornucopia, a horn of plenty)
2C. Mini Pretzels (represents hands folded in thanks and prayer)
1 C. Candy Corn (During the first winter, when food was scarce, the Pilgrims were each allotted only 5 kernels of corn per day.
2 C. White Mini- Marshmallows (There was snow and the pilgrims were cold)
2 C. Fall Color M&M's (Representing the colors of fall)
1 C Candy Pumpkins, like Brachs mallow (representing a bounteous harvest)
1 C. Raisins or other dried fruit (In celebration of the fruits of the harvest)
1 C. Peanuts, sunflower seeds, or other nuts (seeds represent a bounteous harvest for the next season if planted and tended well)
This is also a great gift. I mix it together and place some snack mix in a clear bag with a card attached giving the above recipe and explanation of each ingredient. It always gets rave reviews. If you make this as a group, plan to have the recipe printed, you will get several requests.

Hello...Buller...Buller..

Anyone else like to share something to this blog? Anyone else we should invite??

Simple Spinach Quiche

SIMPLY SPINACH QUICHE
10 oz. pkg. Frozen Spinach (let thaw in fridge for a day)
5 Eggs, beaten well
8 oz. carton small curd Cottage Cheese
2 cups grated combination Cheddar and Monterey Jack Cheeses
1/8 cup dried or chopped Onion
1/8 tsp. Salt
1/8 tsp. freshly ground Black Pepper
9 inch deep dish unbaked pie shell (in the frozen foods aisle)

Preheat oven to 375°. Drain thawed spinach in colander, pressing with paper towels to remove all liquid. In large bowl of mixer, combine eggs, cottage cheese, spinach, 2 cups grated cheese, onion, salt, and pepper. Beat to blend and pour into unbaked pie shell. (At this point, quiche can be refrigerated overnight.) Bake 50-60 minutes. Let sit 5-10 minutes before cutting. Cut into wedges and serve warm.Yield: 6-8 servings.

Asian Salad Dressing

asian salad dressing
3 cups mayonnaise
1/2 cup soy sauce
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp pepper
1 1/2 Tab sesame seeds
1 Tab sesame oil-Blend all ingredients in a blender (or bowl) until combined. Dress with a cabbage salad of julienned carrots, sliced cucumbers and chopped tomatoes. Makes a lot! -about 4 cups.

Recipe found here