August 2006—Angela & Elizabeth

Russian Refresher Mix—Mormon Style

Dates Stuffed with Goat Cheese
Avocado Egg Rolls

Asian Spinach Salad

Golden Chicken and Almond Beggars Purse with General Tsao Stir Fry Sauce

Individual Chocolate Soufflés with Vanilla Sauce


Russian Refresher Mix
(Mormon Style)
Kimberly Dana—Anthem Ward Las Vegas

2 cups orange drink mix
6-8 ounce powdered lemonade mix
1 1/3 cups Sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves

Combine all ingredients in a medium bow. Mix well. Put in a 1 quart airtight container. Label. Store in a cool, dry place. Use within 6 months. Makes about 3 1/2 cups refresher mix.

Use the scooper from the orange or lemonade mix and measure 4-5 scoops per 4 cups of water. You can play with the amount depending on how strong you want it. Can be served warm or blend with ice if desired.


Dates Stuffed with Goat Cheese

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons fine dried bread crumbs
24 large Medjool dates or 30 Noor dates (smaller)
1/4 pound soft fresh goat cheese

Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly oil a baking dish just large enough to hold the dates in a single layer.

In a small frying pan over medium heat, warm the olive oil. Add the breadcrumbs and cook, stirring constantly, until the breadcrumbs are evenly golden brown, about 1 1/2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat, transfer the breadcrumbs to a plate, and let cool.

With a small knife, make a small lengthwise incision in each date. Carefully remove pits. Stuff 1 tsp. of the goat cheese into the cavity left by each pit. Arrange the dates, with goat cheese side facing upward, in the prepared dish. Sprinkle the bread crumbs evenly over the top. (The dates can be prepared up to this point up to 24 hours in advance. Store, tightly covered, in the refrigerator.)

Bake the dates until warmed through, 10-12 minutes. Transfer to a serving platter and serve warm.


Avocado Eggrolls
Found on recipezaar.com

Dipping Sauce
3-4 teaspoons white vinegar
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon tamarind pulp
1/2 cup honey
1 pinch powdered saffron
1/2 cup chopped cashews
2/3 cup fresh cilantro
2 garlic cloves
2 green onions
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 cup olive oil

Egg Rolls
1 large avocado, peeled, pitted, & diced
2 tablespoons sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, chopped
1 tablespoon minced red onions
1/2 teaspoon fresh cilantro, chopped
1 pinch salt
3 egg roll wraps
1 egg, beaten

1. Stir together vinegars, tamarind, honey, and saffron in a microwave safe bowl, and microwave for 1 minute.
2. Stir until tamarind is dissolved.
3. In a blender, puree tamarind mixture, cashews, 2/3 cup cilantro, garlic, onions, sugar, pepper, and cumin.
4. Pour mixture into a bowl and stir in oil.
5. Refrigerate until ready to use.
6. Gently stir together avocado, tomatoes, onion, 1/2 teaspoon cilantro, and salt.
7. Distribute filling evenly onto center of each egg roll wrapper.
8. Position a wrapper so that a corner is pointing toward you; fold the bottom corner up, 1/4 of the way over the filling.
9. Brush remaining corners and edges of the wrapper with egg, roll up from side to side, fold top corner over all and press to seal.
10. Repeat with remaining wrappers.
11. Continue by deep-frying the egg rolls in 375 degree oil for 3-4 minutes, until golden brown.
12. Drain on brown paper bags.
13. Slice egg rolls diagonally across middle and serve with prepared dipping sauce!
14. ENJOY!


Asian Spinach Salad

Dressing
6 tablespoon olive oil
3 tablespoon sugar
3 tablespoon unseasoned rice vinegar
3 tablespoon soy sauce

Salad Topping(See Step 2.)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 tablespoon sesame oil (eyeballing it is OK.)

1 – 3-oz. package Asian noodle soup mix (such as Top Ramen), noodles broken t cup slivered almonds
2 tablespoon sesame seeds
1 – l0-ounce bag ready-to-use spinach leaves
1 bunch green onions, chopped

1. Whisk 6 tablespoons oil, sugar, vinegar, and soy sauce in a small bowl to blend. Season with salt and pepper .

2. Heat 1 tablespoon. olive oil and 1/2 tablespoon. sesame oil in medium skillet over medium heat. Add noodles from soup mix, add almonds, and sesame seeds. Stir until noodles, nuts and seeds are toasted and golden, about 8 minutes. Pour contents of skillet into large bowl and allow to cool 10 minutes. IF THESE ITEMS ARE NOT COOLED, IT WILL WILT THE SPINACH.

3. Once Cooled - add the spinach and green onions to the toppings. Toss with enough dressing to coat. Serve immediately, passing remaining dressing separately.


Golden Chicken and Almond Beggars Purse with General Tsao Stir Fry Sauce

Recipe from Good Things Utah Cookbook and tweaked by Angela and Liz

Crepe Batter
3 eggs
3/4 cup flour
3 tablespoons melted butter
2 1/2 cups milk
Pinch salt

Combine the eggs, flour, melted butter, milk and salt and mix well. A blender works nicely. Allow the batter to sit for one hour. Place a nonstick pan on low heat. Melt a small amount of butter in pan. Place 2 ounces of crepe batter in pan and roll around coating entire bottom of pan. Place back on flame and cook until the edges of the crepe start to curl. Turn crepe over using rubber spatula. Cook for 5 seconds more and remove. Layer each crepe between parchment paper.

Note: The crepes can be frozen for up to 2 months. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and then in foil. When ready to use, thaw overnight in the refrigerator.

Golden Chicken and Almond Filling
5 ounces poached chicken breast, diced
2 1/2 tablespoons golden raisins
1 1/2 tablespoons sliced almonds, toasted
2 tablespoons scallions, chopped
6 water chestnuts chopped
2 tablespoons plain yogurt
Salt and pepper to taste

Place all ingredients in bowl and mix together.

General Tsau Dipping Sauceis found at Trader Joe's

Assembly of Beggar's Purse:
Place about 2 ounces of the chicken filling in the middle of each crepe. Fold corners together and tie with a chive to resemble a small purse. Place purses on oiled baking sheet. Heat in 350 degree oven for 5-7 minutes, or until warm. Place approximately 3-4 tablespoons of warm General Tsau sauce on a plate and place a Beggar's Purse on top.

Note: To make chives more pliable, place in boiling water for 10 seconds, then in ice water. Drain and pat dry.


Individual Chocolate Soufflés
The Blackmarket Bakery

7 oz dark chocolate
3 large egg yolks, room temperature
1 Tbsp Kahlua (optional)
4 egg whites, room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar (3 1/2 oz)
Powdered sugar
1/2 cup whipping cream, lightly whipped with 2 Tbsp powdered sugar.

Need: Stand mixer with whisk, 5 ramekins, pastry brush, saucepan, whisk.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Prepare the ramekins. Brushing the inside with soft butter then coat the inside with granulated sugar. Place ramekins on a sheet pan and set aside.

Put the chocolate in a medium mixing bowl and melt it over a gently simmering hot water bath. When it begins to melt, remove the bowl from the heat and whisk until smooth. Let cool to room temperature. Whisk in the egg yolks and Kahlua (or vanilla bean paste)

Wisk the egg whites in a stand mixer with a whisk until they form soft peaks. Gradually add the sugar while beating and whip until you see firm moist peaks. Do not over beat or the egg whites will get chunky and be difficult to fold into the base.

Using a rubber spatula, gently fold 1/3 of the whites into the chocolate mixture, without over mixing. Fold in another 1/3 gingerly. Fold the chocolate mixture back into the remaining whites, this time folding until no streaks of white are visible.

Divide the batter evenly among the soufflé dishes, filling to within 1/2 inch of the top. Sift a thin layer of powdered sugar evenly over each soufflé.

Bake the soufflés for about 15 minutes, or until the have risen 1 inch over the rim of the dishes and have stopped rising. They should be firm on the outside but still loose on the inside.

Carefully remove them from the oven, sift on more powdered sugar and serve on individual dessert plates. Serve with whipped cream for the guest to pour into the middle of their soufflés.

Vanilla Sauce
1 cup milk
1 cup cream
2 ounces sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
6 egg yolks
2 ounces sugar

1. Heat cream, milk, and 2 ounces of sugar until it boils, add vanilla.
2. Combine egg yolks, the rest of the sugar, then temper with part of the boiling milk, stirring constantly.
3. Pour mixture into the remaining milk and return to heat.
4. Stirring constantly, cook slowly until it is thick enough to stick to a spoon.
5. Remove immediately from the stove and strain through chinois, directly into an ice water bath.