April Gourmet Club

Hosted by Ariane and Andrea

Theme: Spring Fling

Appetizers

Mini Cheese Balls

Cucumber Sandwiches

Lime Spirits

Soup

Cream of Asparagus

Salad

Leslie's Salad

Lemon Sorbet

Main Course

Feta and Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breasts with Coconut Lime Sauce

Balsamic Roasted Asparagus

Dinner Roll

Dessert

Chocolate Dipped Macaroons

Lemon Meringue Puffed Tart

Strawberry Danish

The Invitation

Soup

Cream of Asparagus Soup
1 lb Fresh Asparagus Spears
1 Med. Onion, diced
1 Tablespoon Butter
3 Cups Chicken Broth
1 Med Potato, peeled and diced
1 Stalk Celery, chopped
1 Teaspoon Dried thyme
Salt and freshly ground White Pepper, to taste
1 Cup Cream

*Rinse and dry asparagus spears.
*Break and discard tough lower parts; cut remaining sections into ¾ inch pieces.
*Into a large pot, over medium heat, sauté onion dices into melted butter for 3 to 5 minutes, until translucent.
*Pour in chicken broth; add asparagus stem pieces, potato dices, chopped celery, thyme, salt and pepper.
*Cover; bring to a boil.
*Lower heat to low and simmer for 12 to 15 minutes, until vegetables are soft.
*Remove from heat; leave to cool.
*Pour half of mixture into a blender.
*Cover and puree at high speed for 20 to 30 seconds, until really smooth.
*Press through a fine sieve, back into large pot.
*Repeat with remaining mixture.
*Stir in cream
* Reheat until hot, or refrigerate until really cold before serving.
*This soup can easily be doubled.

Salad

Leslie's Salad
2 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
1 Teaspoon Garlic Salt
½ Tablespoon Pepper
¾ Cup Oil
Roman Lettuce
Mushrooms
Parmesan Cheese
Bacon

*Mix lemon juice, garlic salt, pepper, and oil.
*Clean and cut lettuce and mushrooms and put in a large mixing bowl. Add cheese and bacon then top with dressing.

Main Course

Spinach Feta Chicken
4 to 6 Chicken Breasts
1 Package of Frozen Spinach
½ Pound Crumbled Feta Cheese
½ Cup Mayonnaise
2 Cloves Garlic, Minced
Greek Seasoning
12 Strips Bacon
Salt & Pepper to Taste

*Cut horizontal pocket in each chicken breast.
*Mix feta, mayo, and garlic together until it blends into a paste.
*Stuff mixture into pocket.
*Place each breast into baking dish with pocket facing upward.
*Cut each strip of bacon in half.
*Lay 2 strips of bacon over tops of chicken. If you wrap the chicken with the bacon the bacon remains soggy on the bottom.
*Season the chicken with the salt, pepper, and greek seasoning.
*Bake for 1 hour for 325 degrees.
*After 1 hour turn the oven to broil and broil for about 5 minutes or until the bacon becomes crisp.

Balsamic Roasted Asparagus
1 Bunch Asparagus, Cleaned and Tough Ends Cut Off
2 Tablespoons Melted Butter
2 Teaspoon Soy Sauce
1 Teaspoon Balsamic Vinegar
Salt & Pepper toTaste

*Coat asparagus with cooking spray and lay on cooking sheet, then sprinkle with salt and pepper.
*Bake for 12 minutes at 400 degrees.
*Mix melted butter, soy sauce, and balsamic vinegar.
*Pour over roasted asparagus.

Dinner Rolls
1 Cup Shortening
1 Cup Sugar
6 Med Eggs
2 Tablespoons Yeast
2 Cups Warm Water
2 Teaspoon Salt
9 Cups Flour

*Cream sugar and shortening.
*Add eggs and salt, then blend.
*While mixing, add water then yeast.
*Continue mixing and add flour 3 cups at a time until right consistency.
*Knead for at least 5 minutes.
*Let rise (about an hour) then punch down. Let rise a second time (about ½ hour) and punch down again.
*Grease counter and divide dough into 3 even balls.
*Roll out like a pizza ¼ inch thick and spread a little melted butter over dough.
*Cut into Pizza triangles.
*Roll each triangle piece, wide end to point like a crescent.
*Place on greased cookie sheet.
*Let rise until very light.
*Bake at 350 degrees until golden (approximately 15 minutes)

Dessert

Lemon Meringue Puff Pastry Tarts
1 10-Ounce Box Frozen Puff Pastry Shells
½ Cup Plus 6 Tablespoons Sugar, Divided
3 Tablespoons Cornstarch, Divided
Pinch of Salt
3 Large Eggs, Separated
1 ½ Teaspoons Lemon Zest and ¼ Cup Lemon Juice from 2 Lemons
1 Tablespoon Butter
½ Teaspoon Vanilla Extract

*Bake shells per package instructions
*Cool then scoop out undercooked insides; discard insides and tops.
*Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position.
*Heat oven to 325 degrees.
*Wisk together ½ Cup sugar, 2 Tablespoon cornstarch and salt in a medium, non-reactive saucepan.
*Add egg yolks.
*Whisk in ¾ Cup water gradually.
*Over medium heat bring to a simmer, whisking occasionally, then for frequently as mixture thickens, 4 to 5 minutes.
*Whisk in lemon zest, then juice, then butter. Whisking constantly, simmer for 1 minute.
*Remove from heat; place plastic wrap on surface of lemon filling to prevent a skin from forming.
*Slowly heat 1/3 cup water and remaining 1 Tablespoon of cornstarch in a small saucepan, whisking occasionally, then frequently as mixture thickens and turns translucent.
*Remove from heat.
*In a bowl, using an electric mixer immediately beat egg whites and vanilla until frothy.
*Beat in remaining 6 Tablespoons sugar, one at a time, until soft peaks form.
*Dollop the warm cornstarch mixture into the egg-white mixture; keep beating until stiff peaks form.
*Spoon a portion of lemon filling into each pre-baked pastry shell. Then use a spoon or a pastry bag fitted with a tip to top each tart with a generous cap of meringue. (You will have extra meringue.)
*Bake until meringue is golden brown, about 15 minutes. Transfer to wire racks; cool to room temperature.

March Gourmet Club

Hosted by Amanda and Brenda
Theme: Chinese New Year Under the Stars
Appetizer
Vietnamese Spring Rolls
Dessert
Banana and Mango Spring Rolls with Coconut-Chocolate Ganache

Appetizers

Vietnamese Spring Rolls (Goi Cuon)

Spring roll wrappers (Banh Trang or other brand)
Options for filling spring rolls:
· Grilled pork* (recipe below)
· Rice vermicelli (cooked according to pkg directions)
· Shredded or ground meat (see below for pork recipe)
· Julienned carrots
· Julienned cucumbers
· Bean Sprouts
· Basil (sliced thin)
· Mint leaves (sliced thin)
· Minced cilantro
· Small pieces of dark, leafy lettuce
· Roughly chopped salted peanuts

Soak spring roll wrappers in a large bowl in ice water (a few at a time) for 30-45 seconds to make pliable. Carefully peel out one at a time and gently dry on kitchen towel. Stuff with ingredients. (Don’t add to much. Start with lettuce, then meat, then veggies/herbs.) Roll up like a burrito (the tighter the better). Serve with Hoisin Peanut Dipping Sauce.

Hoisin Peanut Dipping Sauce
1 cup (8 oz) hoisin sauce (if sauce is thick, add about ¼ cup warm water to reach desired consistency)
¼ cup smooth peanut butter
1 T. rice vinegar
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 minced thai chili (or chili sauce such as Sriracha brand)

Combine in food processor and serve with spring rolls

Grilled Pork
1 lb pork chops, loin, butt or shoulder (sliced thin)
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 shallots, minced
1 T. fish sauce
1 t. sugar
2 t. freshly ground pepper
¼ c peanut or vegetable oil

In plastic bag, combine all ingredients for the grilled pork. Let marinade for about 20 minutes. Grill both sides of pork for about 2-3 minutes or until desired texture.

Desserts

Banana and Mango Spring Rolls with Coconut-Chocolate Ganache
Ingredients:
Ganache
1 (14-ounce) can unsweetened coconut milk
1/3 cup palm sugar or 1/3 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
8 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
Spring rolls
8 (8-inch) square frozen spring roll pastry wrappers, thawed
4 small ripe Chinese bananas (dwarf bananas), peeled, halved lengthwise, or 2 regular bananas, peeled, halved lengthwise, then halved crosswise
2 Champagne mangoes (small orange kidney-shaped mangoes) or 1 regular mango, peeled, pitted, cut lengthwise into 3-inch-long, 1/2-inch-wide strips
1 egg, beaten to blend
Vegetable oil (preferably grapeseed oil; for frying)
Fresh mint sprigs for garnish.

Preparation:
For ganache:Combine coconut milk, palm sugar, and ginger in heavy medium saucepan. Bring mixture to simmer over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat. Add chocolate and whisk until mixture is melted and smooth. DO AHEAD Ganache can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Before serving, stir over low heat just until pourable.
For spring rolls:Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Place 1 spring roll wrapper on work surface in diamond shape (1 pointed end toward you and 1 pointed end in opposite direction). Place 1 banana piece across center of wrapper, then 2 mango strips. Fold bottom pointed corner of spring roll wrapper up over fruit, then fold in sides over fruit. Brush unfolded part of spring roll wrapper with beaten egg. Roll up wrapper, enclosing fruit completely. Place on prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining spring roll wrappers, banana halves, mango strips, and beaten egg. DO AHEAD Spring rolls can be made 4 hours ahead. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.
Pour enough vegetable oil into heavy deep skillet to reach depth of 1 1/2 inches; heat oil to between 360°F and 375°F. Working in 2 batches, add spring rolls to hot oil and cook until golden and crisp, turning often, about 3 minutes per batch. Using slotted spoon, transfer spring rolls to paper towels to drain.
Place 1 spring roll on each of 8 plates. Garnish with mint sprigs. Drizzle with coconut-chocolate ganache.