Cranberry Sauce

Relief Society Christmas Dinner 12/7/12

1 cup sugar

1 cup orange juice

1 (12 oz.) package fresh cranberries

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, dissolve the sugar in the orange juice.  Stir in cranberries and cook until they start to pop (about 10 minutes).  Remove from heat and transfer into a bowl.  Cranberry sauce will thicken as it cools.

Wild Rice Stuffing

Relief Society Christmas Dinner 12/7/12

1 lb. wild rice (cook using directions)

In separate sauce pan brown:

1 lb. Jimmy Dean's original sausage

Then add and saute until soft:

1/3 cup onion chopped

1/3 cup celery chopped

Then saute for a few minutes:

1/2 cup apple diced

1/2 cup cranberries

Finally add:

1 can cream of mushroom soup

2 TBS. Gresham & Myers Poultry Seasoning

Add all ingredients to wild rice.  Stir together. Serve warm.

Chicken Monterey

Relief Society Christmas party 12/7/12
Marilyn Arrington

1/2 lb. Monterey Jack cheese (cut into finger size pieces)
4 chicken breasts cut in half
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
1/2 cup fine bread crumbs
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. thyme
1/2 tsp. onion salt
1/2 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. marjoram

Bone and skin chicken, put the pieces one at a time into a plastic bag and pound to about 1/4 inch thickness.

Mix bread crumbs, parmesan cheese and spices.  Dip chicken in butter, roll around a piece of Monterey Jack cheese and cover with bread crumbs.  Place in pan with seam side down.  Bake uncovered at 400 degrees for 20 minutes.

Wheat Bread

Relief Society Saturday Activity 11/3/12
Jeanine Shelley

2/3 cup honey
2/3 cup oil
2 TBS. salt
5 cups warm water
1/2 cup water and 2 TBS. yeast
8 cups wheat flour
6 cups white flour

Mix and knead in bread mixer for 10 minutes.  Put in 4 loaf pans and let rise until doubled. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.

Chocolate Berry Pavlova

Relief Society Saturday Activity 11/3/12

6 egg whites
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 TBS. Belgian cocoa powder
1 TBS. good balsamic vinegar
4 Ghirardelli squares or 50 grams good quality chocolate chopped into fine pieces
Fresh berries
Whipping cream, whipped and sweetened with 3 TBS. sugar and 2 TBS. cocoa powder
Chocolate sauce

Preheat oven to 250 degrees.

Place egg whites in a bowl of a mixer and whisk until soft peaks form.

Using a TBS at a time, add sugar into egg white mixture and continue beating until the egg whites become stiff and glossy.  Be careful not to over beat as it can start to separate.  The mixture is ready once it forms stiff, glossy peaks and you can hold the bowl upside down without any of it falling out.

Sift in the cocoa powder, add the vinegar and chopped up chocolate, using a large spoon slowly and carefully fold these into the egg white and sugar mixture until fully combined.

Line 2 large, flat oven trays with baking parchment.

Place a 9" or 10" dinner plate on the middle of each tray and draw firmly around the edge with a pencil or pen to form a circle.  This will act as a guide and ensure both pavlovas are the same size.  Flip the paper over so the ink/pencil lead is touching the tray as opposed to the pavlova side, you'll still be able to see the line through the paper.

Load up each circle with the mixture, smoothing it out to the edge of the line you have just drawn, try to divide the mix equally so both have same volume of mix.  I normally smooth out the mixture, but a Pavlova is not supposed to look perfect so feel free to form a few points and peaks if you want, when cooked they'll crisp up and add a bit more interest visually.

Place in oven and immediately reduce heat to 225 degrees.  Cook for 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes.  Do not open the oven door while the pavlova is cooking.

You'll know when the pavlova is cooked when it looks crisp at the edges which will have started to crack slightly.  The top will be dry but if you press on the underside it'll give a little as the center should still be a little squishy/soft.  Place the pavlova back in the oven and leave the door slightly ajar, leave the pavlova to cool completely inside.

when it is cool, I place one disc on a serving platter or cake stand and spool a big wallop of cream on top, scatter a good handful of fresh berries onto the cream and then place the second meringue disc on top.  Again pile on a good amount of cream and the remainder of the raspberries.  Drizzle with chocolate sauce and serve.

Beef Stroganoff

Relief Society Saturday Activity 11/3/12

1 1/2 lbs. ground beef
1/4 cup butter or margarine
2 TBS. minced onions
1 1/2 tsp. minced garlic
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
2 TBS. flour
1 1/2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms (can substitute with canned mushrooms)
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 small sour cream

Brown beef with onion, garlic, salt and pepper.  Then add mushrooms, soup, flour and sour cream.  Pour all into crockpot and cook on low for a few hours.  Then turn to warm if you have that option.  Served over boiled and drained egg noodles or baked potatoes.

Crockpot Cheesecake

Relief Society Saturday Activity 11/3/12

3 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese, room temperature
3 eggs
3/4 cup sugar
6 graham crackers (full pieces), pulverized into crumbs
3 TBS. of stick butter, melted

Place cream cheese in large bowl and add sugar.  Mix until sugar and cream cheese are well blended.  Add the eggs one at a time.  After adding an egg, blend, then add the other etc.  

In a separate bowl, add graham cracker crumbs and melted butter.  Mix well as this will form the crust.  

Choose a pan or small crock type cooking pan that will fit in the bottom of your crockpot with room left on the sides.  You want to be able to pull the pan out without too much difficulty.  
Add the graham cracker crumbs mixture to the bottom of the pan.  With a spool, pat the graham crackers out until you have a smooth layer.  Add the cream cheese mixture to the top of the graham crackers.  

Add 2 to 3 cups water to the bottom of the crockpot and place the lid on the top.

Cook on high for 2-21/2 hours or until the center does not have a watery consistency when you stick a knife into it.  The cheesecake will begin to crack on the sides.  Let cook for 30 minutes to 1 hour.  Remove and let set in fridge for at least 1 hour.

Cheryl's Heaven Cake

Relief Society Saturday Activity 11/3/12

1 package chocolate cake mix

8 oz. sour cream

1 cup chocolate chips

1 cup water

4 eggs

3/4 cup vegetable oil

1 package small chocolate instant pudding

Lightly grease slow cooker.  Combine ingredients in a bowl and dump into crockpot.  Cover with lid and cook on low 6-8 hours or high 3-4 hours.  May want to watch just depending on your cooker.  

Rocky Road Cake

Relief Society Saturday Activity 11/3/12

1 (18 1/4 oz.) packages German chocolate cake mix
1 (4 oz.) packages instant chocolate pudding mix
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup sour cream
1/3 cup butter, melted
1 tsp. vanilla 
3 1/4 cups milk, divided
1 (3 1/2 oz.) packages chocolate cook and serve pudding mix
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 1/2 cups miniature marshmallows
1 cup semisweet chocolate morsel

Beat cake mix, next 5 ingredients and 1 1/4 cup milk at medium speed with an electric mixer 2 minutes, stopping to scrape down sides as needed.  Pour batter into a lightly greased 4 qt. slow cooker.

Cook remaining 2 cups milk in a heavy non aluminum saucepan over medium heat, stirring often, 3 to 5 minutes or just until bubbles appear (do no boil); remove from heat.

Sprinkle cook and serve pudding mix over batter.  Slowly pour hot milk over pudding.  Cover and cook on LOW 3 1/2 hours.

Meanwhile, heat pecans in a small nonstick skillet over medium-low heat, stirring often, 3 to 5 minutes or until lightly toasted and fragrant.

Turn off slow cooker.  Sprinkle cake with pecans, marshmallows, and chocolate morsels.  Let stand 15 minutes or until marshmallows are slightly melted.

Spoon into dessert dishes, and serve with ice cream, if desired.

Crock Pot Macaroni and Cheese

Relief Society Saturday Activity 11/3/12

2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni
4 TBS. butter
2 1/2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
1 (10 3/4 oz.) can condensed cheddar cheese soup
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup whole milk
1/2 tsp. dry mustard
1/2 tsp. black pepper

Directions:

Boil the macaroni in water for 6 minutes.  Drain.  
In a medium saucepan, mix butter and cheese.  Stir until the cheese melts.  
In a slow cooker, combine cheese mixture and add sour cream, soup, salt, milk, mustard and pepper.  Add the drained macaroni and stir again.
Cook on low for 2 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.

Slow Cooked Lasagna

Relief Society Saturday Activity 11/3/12

1 lb. ground beef, browned
24 oz. cottage cheese
8-10 lasagna noodles, uncooked
4-5 cups spaghetti sauce
1 egg
2-3 cups mozzarella cheese

Combine ground beef and spaghetti sauce, then egg and cottage cheese.  Layer half ground beef mixture, dry noodles, cottage cheese mixture and mozzarella cheese in slow cooked.  Repeat layers.  Cover and cook on high for 3 hours or 6-8 hours on low. 

Black Bean Soup

Relief Society Saturday Activity 11/3/12

1 lb. black beans
3 cups water
1/4 lb. bacon (fried, crisp and crumbled)
2 medium onion, chopped
1 tsp. garlic salt
1/4 tsp. coarsely ground pepper

Completely soften beans (dry), or use 1 can cooked black beans.  Combine all ingredients in crockpot; stir well.  Cover and cook on high 4-6 hours.  Add corn or rice if desired.  

8 servings (about 3 qts.)

Favorite Chili

Relief Society Saturday Activity 11/3/12

1 (16 oz.) can red kidney beans, drained
1 (16 oz.) can white beans, drained
2 (14.5 oz.) can diced tomatoes
2 lbs. lean ground beef, browned and drained
1 green pepper, coarsely chopped
1 med. onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed or 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. cumin
3 TBS. chili powder

Put all ingredients in crockpot in order listed.  Stir once.  Cover and cook on low 10-12 hours or high for 5-8 hours.

Tomato-Basil Parmesan Soup

Relief Society Saturday Activity 11/3/12

2 (14 oz.) cans diced tomatoes, with juice
1 cup finely diced celery
1 cup finely diced carrots
4 cups chicken broth
1 cup finely diced onions
1/2 bay leaf
1 tsp. dried oregano or 1 TBS. fresh oregano
1 TBS. dried basil or 1/4 cup fresh basil
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup flour
1 cup parmesan cheese
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
2 cups half and half, warmed

In a large slow cooker, combine tomatoes, celery, carrots, chicken broth, onions, bay leaf, oregano and basil.  Cover and cook for 5-7 hours, until flavors are blended and vegetables are soft.  

About an hour before serving prepare a roux; Melt butter over low heat in a skillet and add flour; constantly stir with a whisk for 5-7 mins.  Slowly stir in 1 cup hot soup from the slow cooker.  Add another 3 cups soup and stir until smooth.

Add all back into the slow cooker.  Stir and add parmesan cheese, warmed half and half, salt and pepper.  Cover and cook on low for another hour until ready to serve.

Baby Back Ribs

Relief Society Saturday Activity 11/3/12
Wendy Liljenquist

4lbs. pork back ribs
Peel off membrane on the back side of the ribs (the bone side).  I've found this is sometimes easier to start at the smaller end of the ribs, and pull from there.

Dry Rub:

3/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 TBS. paprika
1 TBs. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. red cayenne pepper

Rub the "dry rub" mixture onto both sides of the ribs.

Put the ribs "meat" side DOWN on tow laters of heavy duty foil.  Put two more layers of foil on the top of the ribs.  Roll the sides of the foil up to the ribs to make a "pouch".

Bake at 300 degrees for 3 hours.

Open pouch.  Cut the ribs into 2-3 rib sections.  Brush on Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ Sauce or other sauce of your choice.  Broil or BBQ for an additional couple of minutes.

Enjoy