Annie's Cooking Club

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Everyday Entrees – Beef
Everyday Entrees – Breakfast
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Special Meals (for special occasions)
Up and Coming (items I haven’t tried, but want to)
Veggie (vegetarian cuisine)
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1 1/2 Tbl. Garlic Salt

3/8 Cup Pure Honey

1 Tsp. Basil

2-4 Pork Chops

Mix the honey with two tablespoons of warm water to thin it a bit.  Add in the garlic salt and basil, and mix well.  Marinate the pork chops in the mixture overnight.

Grill the pork chops for about 20 minutes, flipping 3 times.  Each time you flip, baste the chops in the remaining honey/garlic mix.

Tradition reigns in Lynchburg, Virginia. This formal–but not fussy–supper club calls itself  The Lucullan Society.

The what? Now, no true Gone With the Wind buff would have to ask, but let author Margaret Mitchell explain. In a passage about a meager supper amid Civil War poverty, she mentions Lucullus, a Roman general known for his lavish banquets. After a dessert of sweet potato pie, Rhett Butler presents coveted bonbons and cigars.  Mitchell writes “Everyone agreed it was indeed a Lucullan banquet.”

In Virginia, The Lucullan Society begins a meal with this appetizer.

Goat Cheese with Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Rosemary

6 sun-dried tomato halves

3 cloves garlic, pressed

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon chopped fresh or dried rosemary

1 French baguette

Olive  oil

1 (10 ounce) package goat cheese

Garnish: fresh rosemary sprigs

Cover tomatoes with boiling water; let stand 5 minutes.  Drain and chop. Combine tomatoes and next 3 ingredients; cover and chill up to 4 hours.

Slice baguette thinly; brush rounds with additional olive oil. Place on a baking sheet, and bake at 350 degrees for 8 minutes or until lightly toasted.  Just before serving, place goat cheese on a plate, and top with marinated tomatoes.  Serve with baguette rounds, and garnish, if desired with rosemary sprigs.  Yield: 8 appetizer servings.

Note: Tomatoes should not be marinated more than 4 hours.

Taken from Southern Living 1993 Annual Recipes, page 175

YOU MUST HAVE AN ICE CREAM MAKER FOR THIS   

3 egg yolks

2 cups heavy cream

1 cup whole milk

¾ cup sugar

1 ½ tsp. Vanilla extract

            Pinch of salt

4 tsp. Matcha (a Japanese green tea powder-find at an Asian market OR read comment below.)

Whisk yolks in a large bowl.

Heat cream, milk, and sugar in saucepan over medium-low until steaming, stirring occasionally, about 4 minutes.  Whisk in the matcha. 

Temper about ½ cup mixture into yolks, then whisk yolks into remaining cream mixture.

Cook custard over medium-low, stirring occasionally until thickened, about 3 minutes; add vanilla and salt.  Return to a bowl and cool until almost room temp, use an ice bath to cool faster. 

After cool, cover with plastic wrap, and chill custard over-night or for at least 4 hours. 

Churn in an ice cream maker according to instructions. 

Appetizer:                                 Balsamic Nectarine Wraps
Starter course:                           Spring Greens, fresh mozzarella, roma tomato salad with herb vinaigrette
Entrée:                                      Saltimbocca Chicken Breasts with Sage Sauce
Side:                                        Creamy Spinach Pasta
Dessert:                                    Tiramisu

Appetizer/starter course:             None, 2 sides instead
Entrée:                                      Fried Chicken legs-just like Granny Vern’s
Side:                                         Polenta with Gorgonzola,
2nd Side:                                   During warm seasons add Cucumbers in Dill Sour Cream
                                                During cool seasons add Creamed Spinach
Dessert:                                    Linda’s Chocolate Chip Pie or Granny Smith Apple Pie

Appetizer/starter course:            Spinach-Artichoke Dip
Entrée:                                     Pork Tenderloin
Side:                                        Tortellini and Butternut Squash with Prosciutto
Dessert:                                    Summer Blackberry Cobbler with Coconut-pecan topping

Appetizer/starter course:            Fish Tempura and Mary Rose Sauce
Entrée:                                     Ahi Poke
Side:                                        Sesame Rice Cakes
Dessert:                                    Green Tea Ice Cream

Appetizer/starter course:            Cauliflower and Cumin Soup with Seared Scallops
Entrée:                                     Pork Wellington
Side:                                        Green Beans with Horseradish Cream
Dessert:                                    Red-Wine Poached Pears with Vanilla Cream

Appetizer/starter course:            This is a heavy dish so no starter or appetizer
Entrée:                                     Chicken, Bacon and Cheese Quiche
Side:                                        Your Favorite Salad
Dessert:                                    Jello/Cool-Whip Dessert with Candied Orange Peel

Appetizer/Starter course:            None
Entrée:                                     Pork Tenderloin
Side:                                        Roasted Asparagus
Dessert:                                   Chocolate Bread Pudding

1 lbs.   frozen spinach (thawed) or canned

1          stick unsalted butter

1          cups onion, diced

½         cup flour

2          cups whole milk

1          can whole artichoke hearts, drained and cubed

1 ½      cups Parmesan, shedded

1          tbs. Fresh lemon juice

            Salt and Pepper to tast

            Toasted pita bread, bagel chips or tortilla chips

Preheat oven to 400°, coat a 2-qt baking dish with nonstick spray.

Remove all excess water from spinach.

Melt butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat.  Add onion and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes.

Whisk in flour and cook 2 minutes, then gradually whisk in milk.  Bring to a boil and simmer until thickened, 3 minutes.

Off heat, stir in spinach, artichokes, 1 cup parmesan, lemon juice, salt, and cayenne.  Spoon into prepared dish, top with remaining parmesan, and bake until cheese is melted and golden, 20-25 minutes.  Serve with the pita chips, bagel chips or tortilla chips.

Makes 4

Time 1 ¾ hours (includes 1 ½ hours of simmering)

1 bottle of red wine

½ cup sugar

½ cup orange juice

1 cinnamon stick

1 tsp. Whole cloves

4 pears, Bartlett or Anjou, peeled

¼ cup vanilla yogurt

¼ cup sour cream

1 Tbsp. brown sugar

¼ cup sliced almonds, toasted

Heat wine, sugar, orange juice, cinnomon, and cloves in a sauce pan over medium until sugar has dissolved, 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally. 

Add pears and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until pears are tender (1 ½ hours), turning occasionally.  Keep warm until ready to serve.

Whisk yogurt, sour cream, and brown sugar together in a small bowl.

Serve each pear with vanilla cream and almonds.

As a dessert for a nice meal, cut the pears in half after poaching (leaving the stem in, and cutting on either side of the stem) and use a melon baller to remove area containing seeds.  Then “stick” back together in bowl. 

1 cup (packed) fresh basil leaves (from 1 large bunch)

½  cup olive oil

2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice

1 tsp. Sherry wine vinegar

1 tsp. Dijon mustard

Blend all ingredients in blender until basil is very finely chopped and vinaigrette is thick; season to taste with salt and pepper.

Can be made 6 hours ahead. Cover and chill.

Serves 4

4 shallots, white parts chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced and crushed

2 tsp. Ground cumin

2 heads of cauliflower, stalks removed and head cut into florets

Olive oil

2 cups chicken stock

½ cup heavy cream

8 medium scallops

2 Tbs. Of butter

salt and pepper

Steam shallots, garlic, cumin, and cauliflower in olive oil for about 7 minutes or until garlic and shallots are soft.  Add the stock and bring to a boil.  Cook until the cauliflower is just tender.

Puree the soup until all is smooth.  Add the cream and blend until thoroughly mixed.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Sear scallops in butter, season and add to center of soup.