November - recipes

Please see the recipes from our November 2011 Garden Club meeting.

Cheese Ball
8 oz sharp cheddar cheese-grated
2 cups chopped green onions (used two bunches)
2 cups chopped pecans
4 heaping TBS. mayonnaise
1 jar Tabasco Pepper Jelly-refrigerated
Mix first four ingredients together and mold into two separate cheese balls. Cover with plastic wrap & refrigerate. (Can be done the day before) Just before serving top with a jar of pepper jelly. It is always a hit.

Fall Salad-serves 6-8
8 cups torn salad greens (I like to include arugula with the greens)
1 cup thin sliced red apple (used Fuji)
1 cup celery, diagonally sliced thin
½ cup chopped red onion
¼ cup blue cheese crumbled
1 cup toasted pecans-chopped

Dressing:
2/3 cup veggie oil
½ cup vinegar-apple cider or combo w/ rice & raspberry but definitely use fruit vinegar
1 tsp. sugar
1 tbs. ground mustard
Salt & Pepper to taste


Chicken Salad w apples & cranberries-serves 4-6
3 cups diced cooked chicken
¼ cup dried cranberries
½ cup diced celery
2-3 TBS finely chopped red onion
½ cup diced apple
¼ cup chopped walnuts or pecans
4-6 TBS mayo
2 TSP lemon juice
1/8 Tsp curry powder (to taste-but probably needs more)
Salt & Pepper to taste
Combine 1st 6 ingredients then mix remainder and add to chicken. Seasonings will need to be adjusted depending on the chicken used. It is always tasty using a roasted chicken.
Serve on bed of lettuce or as a sandwich.

SWEET POTATO SALAD with WARM BACON VINAIGRETTE

INGREDIENTS:

4 medium sweet potatoes, roasted until tender but not mushy
(Roast in oven at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes)

4 slices bacon

2 Tbs. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 medium Red Onion, finely chopped (minced)

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated

Salt and ground black pepper

1 ½ Tbs. Dijon mustard

2 Tbs. Red Wine Vinegar

4 cups (loosely packed) baby spinach

Yields: 6 servings
PREPARATION:
Roast sweet potatoes ahead of time and let cool. Peel and cut lengthwise in half, then slice into ½ inch half moons. Reheat in oven a few minutes while making dressing.

In a large skillet, over medium-high heat, cook bacon until crisp. Remove from pan.Add Olive Oil to bacon drippings. (I took out some drippings and replaced the same amount with olive oil. Just left some for flavor). Hear and add onions, some salt and lots of black pepper. Saute for a few minutes, then add garlic and continue to sauté until onions are tender and caramelized.
Remove pan from heat, add mustard and vinegar, whisking vigorously to incorporate the dressing. Pour over warm sweet potatoes and add the fresh spinach, tossing to coat the potatoes and lightly wilt the spinach. Crumble the bacon over everything. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Rachel Ray recipe: changed by Margarita Harvey

Enjoy!
Jolanta