Appetizer: Shelley
1st Course: Annie
Soup: Woodie
Salad: Wizard
Entree Dances
Side 1: Danain
Side 2: Katiec
Dessert: Gardenlad

If you would rather, you can use the mixture to season chicken or even steak before grilling, but we love it best with pork.

Ebony Grilled Pork Chops
-Pork chops, about 1 inch thick. Choose whatever you like to grill, with or without a bone. We use whatever looks good.

-Mix 2 parts balsamic vinegar (don't need the good stuff for this) with 1 part dark or mushroom soy sauce. If you are sensitive to salt, use less soy sauce or sodium reduced. For 4 chops I use 3 tbsp vinegar and 1 1/2 tbsp soy sauce.

-Stir in 1 tsp garlic powder (or 1-2 cloves minced fresh but I find they burn on the grill), 1 tsp onion powder (or omit), and 1/4 tsp dried ginger powder. This is not an asian marinade, so fresh ginger is too strong here. Add a few grinds of black pepper.

-You can either pour over the chops and marinate as long as you like, but most often I just brush it on the chops a few minutes before grilling. For a marinade you could also thin it out with about 1/2 cup orange juice, wine, or water.

-Grill over medium high heat until the fat is crisped and the pork is to the temp of your liking. I like mine cooked to at least 150 degrees, and rested a bit to hit at least 155.

There is some strange alchemy that happens when the balsamic vinegar is cooked, and the chops do not taste sweet or vinegar at all.

If you don't feel like heating the grill or lighting any coals, go ahead and broil, bake/roast, or even pan fry the chops. We have eaten them every which way and they are always good.

Coconut shrimp with plum sauce

Sauce:

1 Asian pear or golden delicious apple, peeled, cored, finely chopped
1/4 c bottled plum sauce
1 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tsp packed light brown sugar
1 tsp each minced fresh ginger and red ginger ( the pink pickled stuff in jars)

1 lb med raw shrimp
1/2 tsp salt

batter:

1 c flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp curry powder
1/8 tsp cayenne powder
2/3 c water
1/3 c coconut milk

1 c (or more) unsweetened grated coconut (make sure it is unsweetened)
canola or peanut oil for frying

Combine sauce ingredients and cover and chill until ready to serve.

Peel Shrimp, leaving tails on. Butterfly and remove veins. Rinse..dry shrimp with paper towels and toss with salt. In med bowl combine dry ingredients for batter. Add wet ingredients and stir until smooth. Holding shrimp by tail, dip in batter, then press in coconut to coat all sides. Place in single layer on waxed paper lined baking sheet. (may be prepared 4 hours ahead and refridgerated). Heat oil to about 340F over med heat, ( I usually use an electric fry pan, with about an inch of oil in it). Add shrimp a few at a time and fry until golden about 2 min. Turn if cooking in a shallow ammount of oil and fry some more. Drain on paper towels and keep in 200F oven until ready to serve, while rest of shrimp are cooking.

Serve with sauce.

Note: unsweetened coconut is available at health food stores and asian stores if you can't find it in regular stores. Don't use sweetened it will burn.

Shelley

Yellow Rice

2 cups long-grain rice
3 cups water
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 1/2 teaspoons ground turmeric
3 cloves garlic; minced
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon table salt

Combine ingredients and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, reduce to low and simmer, uncovered until craterlike holes form on the surface of the rice, about 6 minutes. Cover and continue cooking undisturbed until all the water is absorbed, about 10 minutes. Remove rice from heat and let stand for 10 minutes, then fluff with a fork and serve.

*Recipe from Martin Yan

Rice cooker: combine 2 cups rice with 2 1/2 cups water and remaining ingredients. Follow directions of cooker.

Marilyn

Colonial Apple Cake

1/2 cup shortening
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 cups flour
1 tsp soda
1 tsp salt
1 cup chopped nuts
1 tsp cinnamon
6 apples, diced
1 cup raisins

Cream shortening & sugar. Add eggs. Add dry ingredients to creamed mixture, stirring well. Stir in apples.

Bake for 35-40 minutes at 350 degrees until center is done.

I decided on one..then on a thread on CF, I was just reminded of another...since both are similar....yet different, I'll post them both.

Woodie, take note....these are both variations of your 7 Layer Salad, that we love.

"The Salad"

1/3 c real mayonnaise
1/3c shredded fresh parmesan
1/3 c chopped onion
1/3 c sugar
Mix together and refrigerate for several hours

Then, put the following in a large salad bowl

1 head lettuce, torn
1 head cauliflower, chopped
1 lb bacon, cooked and crumbled

Toss with chilled dressing, top with additional parmesan if desired.
(originally posted by D Lundin from CF)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Weeping Salad

1 head lettuce
mayonnaise
1 red onion, sliced
sugar
1 can English peas, (16 oz), drained (I use frozen)
Swiss cheese
3 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

Tear some of the lettuce into small pieces and place in a large salad bowl. Spread enough mayonnaise on lettuce to cover. Slice a red onion and put a few slices on the lettuce. Sprinkle a little sugar over the onions. Put some of the peas over this and top with small slices of Swiss cheese [or grated]. Repeat layers until everything is used. Put foil or a light cover over the bowl and refrigerate for 1 1/2 to 2 hours. It must sit this long. Do not use dressing on this salad. The sugar makes the onions weep and the juice mixes with the mayonnaise to make its own dressing. Before serving, sprinkle with crumbled bacon.

Nancy

Sweet Potato Soup with Smoked Chiles

Posted by: MQmoi (My Page) on Thu, Nov 14, 02 at 22:09

People are always surprised by this thick, rich, and orange-gold soup—food writer Gael Greene has called it "pure beta carotine."If you like, you can cut the amount of cream in half, but the consistency will change. The result will be good, but will be a different dish.

2 T. unsalted butter
1 medium onion, coarsely cut
2 garlic cloves
3 med. Sweet potatoes, peeled and quartered
4 c. chicken stock
½ c. plus 2 T. honey
½ c. crème fraiche or heavy cream
2 T. pureed canned chipotles (I use 1 T.)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter and sweat the onion and garlic for 5 minutes or until translucent. Raise the heat to high, add the sweet potatoes and stock, and bring to a boil. Lower heat to medium and simmer for about 30 minutes. Remove from heat and add honey, crème, pureed chipotles, and salt and pepper to taste. Puree in a food processor and set aside.

Maybe be made up to 2 days ahead to this point and refrigerated. Reheat before serving. Note: The garnish is small, fried blue and yellow corn tortilla squares, but I never make these. I like this soup virginal. Bobbie Flay recipe.

Cottage Cheese-Dill Bread

This bread freezes well, in freezer bags. It will stay good about 1 month in freezer. Great to have on hand, for impromptu dining.

2 loaves 3 hours 30 min prep

2 (1/4 ounce) packages dry yeast
2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 cup warm water
2 cups small curd cottage cheese
2 eggs, beaten
2 tablespoons whole dried dill weed
2 tablespoons finely chopped onions
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
butter, melted

Dissolve yeast and 2 teaspoons sugar in warm water; let stand 5 minutes. Combine cottage cheese and next 6 ingredients in a large mixing bowl; stir well. Gradually stir in enough flour to make a soft dough.

Turn dough out onto a well-floured surface, and knead 8-10 minutes or until smooth and elastic (will be sticky). Place in a well-greased bowl, turning to coat . Cover and let rise in a warm place, free of drafts 1 hour or until doubled in bulk.

Punch down dough, and divide in half, shape each half into a loaf. Place in 2 well greased 8 1/2x4 1/2x3-inch loafpans. Cover and let rise in warm, draft free area, 45 minutes or until doubled.

Bake at 350F for 30-35 minutes or until loaves sound hollow when tapped. Remove loaves from pans; brush with melted butter. Cool completey on wire racks.

I do make this in my bread machine, BTW, if anyone else wants to go that route. I use the dough cycle only, I don't bake in the machine because I don't like the "steamed" crust I get.

Annie

Broccoli Stir Fry

1 tablespoon peanut oil
2 cloves garlic, minced (or more, to taste)
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
1 small onion, sliced
1 bunch broccoli, cut to bite-size(about 4 Cups)
1 red bell pepper, sliced
1 tablespoon cooking sherry
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
2 tablespoons Yoshida's Sauce (or 1 Tbsp. soy sauce and a sprinkle of sugar)
Red pepper flakes, to taste
Heat oil in a skillet or wok. Add garlic, ginger and onions and stir-fry until onions are wilted. Add remaining ingredients and stir fry 3 to 5 minutes, or until broccoli is crisp-tender.

Y'all realize, I hope, that this completes the second cycle. If anyone doesn't want to play anymore we have to know now.

Also, I started a thread inviting others to play. If you know folks who would enjoy the virtual progressive dinner (even if they're on other forums) be sure and let them know, so I can work them in.