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Thanksgiving week breakdown | Washington Times Communities

Thanksgiving Week Breakdown.

Monday before Thanksgiving:

Buy all canned goods.
Polish your silver pieces.
Clean wine and water glasses.
Launder all table cloths and napkins.
Iron table cloths and napkins.
Write out place card holders.
Make snack baskets for guests who are coming from out of town and staying in hotels.
Assess your Thanksgiving cooking supplies (roasting pans, basting brush, turkey baster, serving pieces.
Buy containers that will hold your prepped food.
Buy containers for leftover’s – your guests will thank you for it.

For more info on the Thanksgiving "To Do's" for Tuesday, Wednesday and Thanksgiving Day click on the link below!

Thanksgiving week breakdown | Washington Times Communities

Happy Cooking!
Chef Mary

Cooking with Chef Mary: Kettle Corn

Sweets. treats and kettle corn

As we near Halloween, there are visions of sweets and treats looming ahead with one in particular to keep your eye out for: traditional kettle corn. At every football game, fairground and Halloween Festival there are sounds of crackle and pop, and aromas that are almost sickening sweet in the air. If you follow your ears and your nose, they will lead you straight to the kettle corn vendors.

Across the country, these craftsmen of their trade have learned the time-honored traditional secrets that have drawn crowds in from generation to generation. The kettle corn next to the lemonade stand is one of the most popular stands at any event.
A quick search on the Internet led me to Blazin J’s Kettle Corn. After a tough year like so many of us have faced, Jesse Jimenez ventured out to open his very own business with none other than his concession-stand favorite: the sweet and salty treat of the kettle corn.

To read more of this blog by Chef Mary go to:

http://communities.washingtontimes.com/neighborhood/hail-mary-food-grace/2010/oct/27/sweets-treats-and-kettle-corn/

Recipe: grilled cheese with honey

This recipe will leave you wondering whether it should be included in the appetizer, main course or dessert section of a menu. The combination of sweetness, saltiness and sourness is indescribably good. It will leave you wanting more!

Ingredients:

• 8 slices muesli bread
• 3-4 tablespoons butter unsalted
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 8 slices Baby swiss cheese
• 2 sprigs of thyme leaves
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 green tart apple

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Heat a large sauté pan with ½ the butter and ½ the olive oil, place 4-5 slices of the muesli bread into the pan. Brown both sides and place on a cookie sheet. Brown the rest of the bread slices and place them on the cookie sheet. Next layer with baby swiss, sliced apples, thyme leaves and lightly drizzle with honey.

Muffin Madness

To my campers and others,

It has been a wonderful session teaching you to cook! The recipes are on my blog. I hope you use and enjoy these recipes for the rest of your cooking career. It was so much fun and I will remember you always. If you have any questions or you want to keep in touch or you and your parents want to sign up for my Thursday newsletter, which includes:

Recipes, cooking tips, cooking classes during the year and more you can always email me at mary@hailmarysinc.com or go to my website- www.marypaynemoran.com.

Sincerely,

Chef Mary Payne Moran

Cinnamon Raisin Muffins

Serves: 8

Topping Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup sugar
• ½ cup all purpose flour
• ¼ cup softened butter
• ¼ ground cinnamon

Batter Ingredients:

• ¼ cup butter
• ¾ cup sugar
• 2 eggs and 1 egg yolk
• ½ cup milk
• 1-teaspoon vanilla
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 Raisins
• Reserve 2 tablespoons cinnamon for the very end

Directions:

Topping: Mix the dry ingredients with butter and set aside.

Muffin: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Set the blueberries aside. Cream the butter and sugar together. Add the eggs, vanilla and milk. Sift in the flour, salt, and baking powder in a separate bowl. Gradually add flour mixture into the egg and milk mixture. Add the raisins and the cinnamon (be sure not to over mix). Add the batter to sprayed muffin tins. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes.

Chocolate Chocolate Chip Muffins

Serves: 8

Topping Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup sugar
• ½ cup all purpose flour
• ¼ cup softened butter

Batter Ingredients:

• ¼ cup butter
• ¾ cup sugar
• 2 eggs and 1 egg yolk
• ½ cup milk
• 1-teaspoon vanilla
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ cup cocoa powder
• ½ cup chocolate chips

Directions:

Topping: Mix the dry ingredients with butter and set aside.

Muffin: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Set the blueberries aside. Cream the butter and sugar together. Add the eggs, vanilla and milk. Sift in the flour, salt, cocoa powder and baking powder in a separate bowl. Gradually add flour mixture into the egg and milk mixture. Add the chocolate chips. Add the batter to sprayed muffin tins. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes.

Chocolate Cupcakes

Ingredients

• • 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinamon
• • 2 teaspoons baking powder
• • 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• • 1/8 teaspoon salt
• • ½ a stick of butter, softened
• • 1 1/2 cups white sugar
• • 2 eggs
• • 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• • 1/2 cup milk
• • ½ cup buttermilk

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place paper cups inside the muffin tines. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cocoa and salt. Set aside.

2. This is a great part for your kids to do! In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until it’s mixed. Add eggs one at a time, beating well with each addition, then stir in the vanilla. Add the dry ingredients and then the milk, continue back and forth until all is combined well. Fill the muffin cups.

3. Bake for 15 to 17 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean. Serve with the cream cheese frosting!

Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients

· 16 oz whipped cream cheese

· ½ stick softened butter

· ½ cup powdered sugar

Directions

In a mixing bowl whisk all of the ingredients together and top the cupcake.

Bread Pudding

Serves: 8

Ingredients:

• 1 loaf of stale white bread, brioche or egg bread
• 4 whole eggs and 4 egg yolks
• 1 cup milk
• ¾ cup of sugar
• 1 cup of ½ and ½

Toppings:

• 1 cup Artichoke hearts and parmesan cheese
• ½ cup Caramel sauce and 2 apples
• ¾ cup Chocolate chips
• 1 cup Mini Marshmallows
• 1 cup Cheese and ½ cup tomato sauce

Directions:

In a large mixing bowl, tear the stale bread into small to medium size pieces. In a separate bowl whisk together the eggs, sugar, milk, and cream. Pour the egg mixture onto the bread and fold in with your hands. Once all the egg mixture is thoroughly combined add topping of choice and mix into the bread pudding mixture. Place the bread pudding into a greased pan of choice (smaller for a thicker denser bread pudding, larger for thin crispy bread pudding or even muffin tins for individual ones). Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes.

Blond Brownies

Ingredients:

• 1 stick butter or margarine (4 ounces), room temperature

• 1 cup brown sugar, packed

• 1 egg

• 1 cup flour

• 1/4 tsp baking powder

• 1/8 tsp baking soda

• pinch salt

• 1/2 to 1 cup chopped walnuts

• 1 cup (about 8 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips

Preparation:

Cream together the butter and brown sugar; beat in egg. Stir in flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir in nuts and chocolate chips. Spread batter in a greased and floured 7- X 11-inch pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes. These brown very quickly, so be sure to start checking at the 20 minute mark.

http://southernfood.about.com/od/browniesbars/r/bl00513d.htm

Magical Kiss Cookies

Serves: about 48 cookies

Magical Kiss Cookie

Ingredients:
o 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
o 2/3 cup sugar
o 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
o 2 cups all-purpose flour
o ¼ cup Hershey’s Cocoa
o 48 Hershey’s kisses unwrapped
o Powdered sugar


Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, in a mixer beat cream together the sugar, butter, and vanilla until it is light and airy. Next stir the flour and cocoa together. Slowly add the cocoa mixture to the butter until everything is incorporated. Mold scant tablespoons of dough around the Hershey kiss covering completely. Shape into balls. Place on an un-greased cookie sheet.
Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until set. Let cool and remove and place on a wire rack to cool completely. Dust with powdered sugar. Serve.

Celebration Cafe

To my campers and others,

It has been a wonderful session teaching you to cook! The recipes are on my blog. I hope you use and enjoy these recipes for the rest of your cooking career. It was so much fun and I will remember you always. If you have any questions or you want to keep in touch or you and your parents want to sign up for my Thursday newsletter, which includes:

Recipes, cooking tips, cooking classes during the year and more you can always email me at mary@hailmarysinc.com or go to my website- www.marypaynemoran.com.

Sincerely,

Chef Mary Payne Moran

Quesadillas

Serves: 4 people

Quesadillas

Ingredients:

• 8 flour tortillas
• 2 cups shredded Mexican cheese
• 1 red bell pepper cut into thin strips
• 1 yellow onion cut into thin strips
• ½ cup button mushrooms
• ½ cup oil
• salt and pepper

Directions:

In a large sauté pan heat it with a tablespoon of oil, and add the peppers and onion. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside. In a non-stick pan heat the tortillas on both side until they’re warm. Add cheese, red peppers, onions, and mushrooms. Fold the tortilla and continue to cook until both sides are brown.

Dessert Quesadillas

Serves: 4 people

Dessert Quesadillas

Ingredients:

• 8 flour tortillas
• 2 cups chocolate chips or 1 cup of Nutella
• 1 cup strawberries
• 1 cup diced pineapple
• 1 crunch bars
• 2 Oreo cookies

Directions:

In a non-stick pan heat the tortillas on both side until they’re warm. Add the chocolate and then add the fruit or candy bars. Fold the tortilla and continue to cook until both sides are brown. Serve with whip cream.

Chicken Enchiladas

Serves: 4-6 Time: 1 hour and 30 minutes

Enchiladas

Ingredients:

• 8-12 corn tortillas
• 1 ½ cups enchilada sauce
• 2 cups cheese
• 4 chicken breasts cooked and shredded
• ¾ cup Sour cream
• ½ cup sliced black olives
• ½ cup oil

Directions:

In a sauté pan heat a little bit of oil. Once the oil is hot heat up all of the tortillas and fill with chicken and cheese. Top with enchilada sauce, cream cheese and olives. Bake at 350-degree oven covered for 10-15 minutes. Uncover and broil for the last 2 minutes.

*Mindful eating experiment with the grapes.

Black Bean Tacos

Serves: 4-6 Time: 1 hour and 30 minutes

Black beans

Ingredients:

• 3 garlic cloves
• 1 can of rinsed black beans
• ½ cup of water
• 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
• 2 limes
• Salt and pepper

Taco Ingredients:

• 4 corn tortillas
• 1 cup shredded iceberg lettuce
• ½ cup sliced black olives

Directions:

In a sauté pan heat a little bit of oil. Once the oil is hot sauté the garlic until they are glossy and aromatic. Next add the beans and water. Simmer for 30-45 minutes. Next add the cilantro, limejuice and season with salt and pepper. Heat the corn tortillas and top with desired toppings. Serve.

Guacamole

Guacamole Ingredients:

• 3 avocados
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• 2 tbsp salsa
• 2 limes juiced
• 1 tbsp cilantro leaves roughly chopped
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

In a mixing bowl combine all of the ingredients above. Mix together and serve.

Tzatziki & Spanakopita

Serves: 4-6 Time: 15 minutes

Tzatziki

Ingredients:

• 1 peeled and deseeded cucumber grated
• 2 cups Greek Yoghurt
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1 1/2 lemons juice
• 2 tsp of Dill
• 1 pinch of salt

Directions:

Grate cucumber into a bowl. Add the yoghurt, lemon juice, and dill. Add salt and pepper to taste. Dip Pita bread.

Spanakopita

Serves: 4 Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 sheets of phylo dough
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 cup cooked or thawed frozen spinach
• 6 cloves garlic minced
• 1 1/2 lemons juiced
• ½ cup feta cheese
• 1 egg whisked
• 1 pinch of salt and pepper

Directions:

In a sauté pan heat olive oil and sauté garlic until it is aromatic and then add the spinach. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from the burner and add the feta cheese and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper if needed.

Cut the phylo dough into long strips that are 3 inches wide and the length of the phylo dough sheets. Place a drop of the spinach feta mixture to one side and fold into a triangle. When you get to the end brush the egg at the very end and seal the phylo dough. Bake at 350-degrees for 10 minutes.

Greek Pita Roll-Ups

Serves: 4 Rolls-Ups

Ingredients:

• 4 whole wheat pitas
• 4 cooked shish kabob of chicken
• 4 tablespoon of Tzatziki
• 1 cup shredded romaine lettuce
• 2 Roma Tomatoes
• Juice from 1 lemon

Directions:

Layer the pita with chicken, tzatziki, romaine lettuce, and tomatoes. Squeeze the lemon over the top of each pita for a little extra citrus kick.

Greek Salad & Saganaki

Serves: 4-6 Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

o 1 green or red bell pepper deseeded and chopped

o ¼ cup Kalamata olives

o 2 tomatoes cut into quarters

o ¼ cup feta cheese

o 1 tbsp dried oregano

o ½ lemon

o ½ cup red wine vinegar

o ¼ cup olive oil

Directions:

Chop all ingredients and place into a large bowl for your guests to serve themselves. Squeeze lemon over top and add the dried oregano. Let your guests add their own amount of vinegar and olive oil to taste.

Saganaki

Ingredients:

o 1 lb Kasseri Cheese (a very salty and aromatic cheese)

o 1 tbsp butter

o 1 lemon

o 2 tbsp brandy

o And of course a lighter!

Directions:

First, slice the whole cheese into ¼ inch thickness. Follow that by topping the whole thing with butter and broiling it on a cast iron plate. The fun part comes next at the table. Pour the brandy over the top and light with the lighter. Be careful not to burn yourself! Lastly, squeeze lemon over the top, and be careful not to let the seeds fall into the cheese.

Tortellini Trifle

Serves: 4-6 Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

o 1 lb of tortellini pasta

o ½ c pesto*

o ½ cup tomato sauce

o ½ cup lemon ricotta cheese

o 1 cup mozzarella cheese

Directions:

Boil off all of your tortellini and set it aside. Layer the pasta with the pesto, tomato sauce and ricotta cheese. Top with mozzarella and bake uncovered for 18-20 minutes at 325-degrees.

*Basil Pesto Ingredients-

2 garlic cloves minced

½ tbsp toasted pine nuts

½ c olive oil

2 tbsp Parmesan

1 lemon juiced

10 basil leaves

In a morter and pestal, blender or mortar and pestol and blend the basil and olive oil and slowly add the minced garlic, pine nuts, lemon juice and Parmesan.

Macaroni and Cheese

Serves: 4-6 Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

o 1 ½ cups macaroni noodles

o 2 cups milk

o 2 cups ½ and ½

o 2 cups shredded Monterey jack and cheddar cheese

o Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Cook off the macaroni noodles and set aside. In a large saucepot bring both the milk and ½ and ½ to a simmer. Once it’s simmering add the cheese slowly until it’s all added and blend with a hand blender as your adding the cheese. Continue to simmer and use a plastic spatula to stir and scrape the bottom of the pan to prevent the cheese sauce from burning. Season the sauce with salt. Add to your macaroni noodles and top with cracked black pepper.

Blueberry Crumble

Serves: 4-6 Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:

o 1 cup quick oats

o 1 cup of flour

o 1 ½ cup brown sugar

o 1 stick of butter softened

o 3 cups thawed and rinsed frozen blueberries

o Juice from 1 lemon

Directions:

In a large mixing bowl mix together the quick oats, flour, 1 cup of the brown sugar and butter. In a separate bowl add the lemon juice and brown sugar to the blueberries. In pie tins place the blueberries and top with crumble. Bake at 350-degrees for 18-20 minutes.

Magical Kiss Cookies

Serves: about 48 cookies

Magical Kiss Cookie

Ingredients:
o 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
o 2/3 cup sugar
o 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
o 2 cups all-purpose flour
o ¼ cup Hershey’s Cocoa
o 48 Hershey’s kisses unwrapped
o Powdered sugar


Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, in a mixer beat cream together the sugar, butter, and vanilla until it is light and airy. Next stir the flour and cocoa together. Slowly add the cocoa mixture to the butter until everything is incorporated. Mold scant tablespoons of dough around the Hershey kiss covering completely. Shape into balls. Place on an un-greased cookie sheet.
Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until set. Let cool and remove and place on a wire rack to cool completely. Dust with powdered sugar. Serve.

English Muffin Pizzettes

Serves: 4 pizzettes

English Muffin Pizzettes

Ingredients:

• 4 whole wheat English muffin (separate top from bottom)
• 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 ½ cup tomato sauce
• 1 cup mozzarella cheese (optional)
• 4 basil leaves chopped
• ¼ cup of chopped mushrooms
• ¼ cup of raw spinach
• Salt and pepper

Directions:

On a large cookie sheet spread out the separated muffins and lightly drizzle olive oil over the top. Next add tomato sauce, cheese and toppings of choice. Bake for 6 to 8 minutes on 350 degrees.