Dishes included mimosas, a sausage and veggie strata, sausage-mushroom mini-quiches, peach compote and homemade yogurt, German pancakes, a ham and veggie pastry roll-up, spinach, strawberry, and asparagus salad with walnuts, and cinnamon rolls. Coffee and Tea were served with the cinnamon rolls.
At the end of the evening I offered butternut squash, Meyer lemons, and muffins to take home.
The next Dinner will be in May, hosted by Katharina.
I (Lauren) made the the mini-quiches and a sausage strata.
Sunday Sausage Strata
http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/sunday_sausage_strata.html
From EatingWell: Spring 2004, The Essential EatingWell Cookbook (2004)
The "strata" in this classic casserole are layers of bread, cheese and sausage baked in an egg-rich pudding.
12 servings | Active Time: 30 minutes | Total Time: 3 1/4 hours (including 2 hours standing time)
Ingredients
- 1/2 pound turkey breakfast sausage, (four 2-ounce links), casing removed
- 2 medium onions, chopped (2 cups)
- 1 medium red bell pepper, seeded and diced (1 1/2 cups)
- 12 large eggs
- 4 cups 1% milk
- 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- Freshly ground pepper, to taste
- 6 cups cubed, whole-wheat country bread, (about 7 slices, crusts removed)
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 1/2 cups grated Swiss cheese, (4 ounces)
Preparation
- Coat a 9-by-13-inch baking dish (or similar shallow 3-quart baking dish) with cooking spray.
- Cook sausage in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, crumbling with a wooden spoon, until lightly browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels to drain. Add onions and bell pepper to the pan and cook, stirring often, until softened, 3 to 4 minutes.
- Whisk eggs, milk, salt and pepper in a large bowl until blended.
- Spread bread in the prepared baking dish. Scatter the sausage and the onion mixture evenly over the bread. Brush with mustard. Sprinkle with cheese. Pour in the egg mixture. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Bake the strata, uncovered, until puffed, lightly browned and set in the center, 55 to 65 minutes. Let cool for about 5 minutes before serving hot.
http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/mini_mushroom_sausage_quiches.html
From EatingWell: April/May 2005
These crustless mini quiches are like portable omelets. Turkey sausage and sauteed mushrooms keep them light and savory. Small and satisfying, they're also a good finger food for your next cocktail party.
1 dozen mini quiches | Active Time: 30 minutes | Total Time: 1 hour
Ingredients
- 8 ounces turkey breakfast sausage, removed from casing and crumbled into small pieces
- 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
- 1/4 cup sliced scallions
- 1/4 cup shredded Swiss cheese
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- 5 eggs
- 3 egg whites
- 1 cup 1% milk
Preparation
- Position rack in center of oven; preheat to 325°F. Coat a nonstick muffin tin generously with cooking spray (see Tip).
- Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add sausage and cook until golden brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a bowl to cool. Add oil to the pan. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring often, until golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer mushrooms to the bowl with the sausage. Let cool for 5 minutes. Stir in scallions, cheese and pepper.
- Whisk eggs, egg whites and milk in a medium bowl. Divide the egg mixture evenly among the prepared muffin cups. Sprinkle a heaping tablespoon of the sausage mixture into each cup.
- Bake until the tops are just beginning to brown, 25 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Place a rack on top of the pan, flip it over and turn the quiches out onto the rack. Turn upright and let cool completely.
Meyer lemon muffins (with recipe modifications that I made)
http://www.latimes.com/features/food/la-fo-lemon-muffins-s,0,5640971.story
Total time: 40 minutes Servings: Makes 18 muffins
Note: Ceylon cinnamon (also called "true" cinnamon) has citrus overtones and a delicate, complex flavor. It's available in specialty stores. You may substitute one-eighth teaspoon ground cinnamon.
2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup sugar substitute like C& H Stevia blend or Splenda
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 Meyer lemons
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup butter, melted
1. Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Combine the flour, sugar substitute, baking soda and salt in a large mixing bowl. Set aside.
2. Cut lemons into 1-inch pieces. Put them in a blender and pulse until the lemon is finely chopped. In a small bowl, lightly beat the eggs. Add the milk, butter and chopped lemon. Stir.
3. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the lemon mixture. Stir just until all ingredients are moistened.
4. Spoon the batter into well-buttered cups of muffin pans, filling each half full.
5. Bake about 20 minutes, until golden brown. Run a small spatula or knife around each of the muffins to loosen, remove from the pan and cool on a wire rack. Serve warm
I also provided Prosecco for the Mimosas. Katharina provided fresh Orange Juice from her tree.
Spinach, Asparagus, and Strawberry Salad
This unusual combination came about as Trisha Kruse was searching for a way to use two of spring's freshest ingredients. To toast walnuts, place in a baking pan and bake in a 350° oven until golden, about 10 minutes.
Yield: Makes 6 to 8 servings
Ingredients:
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound asparagus, rinsed, ends trimmed, and cut into 1-inch pieces
About 1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons raspberry or balsamic vinegar
8 ounces spinach leaves, rinsed
8 ounces strawberries, rinsed, hulled, and sliced
1/2 cup chopped toasted walnuts (see note above)
Pepper
Preparation:
1. Pour 1 tablespoon olive oil into a 12- by 15-inch baking pan; add asparagus, sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt, and mix to coat. Spread in a single layer and bake in a 400° oven, stirring often, until tender when pierced, 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool, about 15 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, mix vinegar and remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Add spinach, strawberries, toasted walnuts, and cooled asparagus; mix to coat. Add more salt and pepper to taste.
from Sunset, March 2004
Audra made a.......
Jalapeño, Sausage, Jack, and Egg Breakfast Braid
From Cooking Light/My Recipes
http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/jalapeo-sausage-jack-egg-breakfast-braid-10000001949708/
This is a great recipe to make for company as you can put different ingredients inside to meet different tastes. I did not follow the recipe exactly and I completely forgot the jalapenos. See my modifications below.
Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 1 slice)
- 1 (13.8-ounce) can refrigerated pizza crust dough
- Cooking spray
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/4 cup chopped onion
- 4 ounces chicken sausage with jalapeño peppers, chopped (I used 1 package of turkey bacon, heated up and chopped into bite-size pieces)
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten (I used 4 eggs)
- 1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese
- 1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/4 cup chopped seeded jalapeño peppers (forgot these - another idea is to put Sirracha into the filling)
- 1 large egg white, lightly beaten
- I added about 1 1/2 cups of spinach leaves on the top of the filling
- You could also add mushrooms, bell peppers, etc.
- Preheat oven to 425°.
- Unroll dough onto a baking sheet coated with cooking spray; pat into a 15 x 10–inch rectangle.
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and sausage; cook 9 minutes or until lightly browned. Stir in eggs; cook 1 1/2 minutes or until set. Remove from heat.
- Sprinkle Monterey Jack lengthwise down center of dough, leaving about a 2 1/2-inch border on each side. Spoon egg mixture evenly over cheese. Sprinkle cheddar over egg mixture; top with jalapeño peppers.
- Make 2-inch-long diagonal cuts about 1 inch apart on both sides
of dough to within 1/2 inch of filling using a sharp knife or kitchen
shears. Arrange strips over filling, alternating strips diagonally over
filling. Press ends under to seal. Brush with egg white. Bake at 425°
for 15 minutes or until golden brown. Let stand 5 minutes. Cut crosswise
into slices.
Homemade Vanilla Bean Yogurt (adapted from a couple of different recipes)
1/2 gallon milk (The better the milk the better the yogurt. I used Strauss organic.)6 - 8 oz of plain yogurt (all natural, non-flavored and unsweetened. I like Trader Joe's Greek, Fage Greek or Strauss plain yogurt. Make sure it's a yogurt you like the flavor of as it will determine the flavor of your finished yogurt)
1/4 cup honey (omit if making plain yogurt)
seeds from 1 vanilla bean (omit if making plain yogurt)
1 Tbsp. vanilla extract (omit if making plain yogurt)
1. Pour all of the milk into a large, very clean pot. Bring your milk just up to a simmer (a skin should form), but do not boil. Stir occasionally. Don't leave the pot while you do this, milk has a tendency to boil over easily. If you're using a thermometer, the milk will be about 180F. Take the pan off the heat and set it aside to cool.
2. Allow the milk to cool for about 10 minutes. If you're using a thermometer, the milk mixture should be at about 125F. It's too hot to add the yogurt yet, but if you're going to make the vanilla bean flavored yogurt, add the honey, vanilla bean seeds and the extract at this point. Stir to combine.
3. Allow the milk to continue to cool down to the point where you can stick your finger in for a 10-count before it begins to burn you. Depending on the temperature of the honey, it may already be at this temperature after adding the flavorings. If you're using a thermometer, this will be about 115F.
4. Once the milk has cooled to the right temperature, dump the yogurt in and whisk gently but thoroughly to incorporate it. Note that if you add the yogurt when the milk is too hot that it will kill the good cultures, so don't be impatient! Be careful not to scrape the bottom of the pot as there will probably be milk solids stuck there that and you don't want them scraped into your mixture by the spoon or whisk.
5. Pour the mixture into large lidded glass bowls/containers or in mason jars. Cover and wrap well in in 5 or 6 kitchen dish-towels or bath towels on your counter. Leave it out on the counter overnight or for 10-12 hours. If you're doing this in the middle of winter and the house is very cold, you may want to keep the yogurt wrapped up and in the oven with the light on instead of out on the counter. Once it's all wrapped up, don't peek and don't move it around!
6. After 10-12 hours, check to see that the yogurt has set up. If it looks like yogurt, congratulations! If you want it to be thicker, pour your yogurt into a sieve that has been lined with two layers of cheesecloth or a large coffee filter, and set over a bowl. Allow to drain for several hours in the refrigerator until it is as firm and creamy as you desire. Turn the yogurt back out into the bowl and seal with a lid to store in the refrigerator. Alternately, lay paper towels over the surface of the yogurt to absorb the liquid, and change them out frequently until the yogurt firms up the way you want it.
Be sure to save 1 cup of plain yogurt as the starter for your next batch.
Peach Compote (adapted from So Easy by Ellie Krieger)
Serves 4 (I doubled this recipe for the dinner)4 cups unsweetened frozen sliced peaches, thawed
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. salt
Place all the ingredients into a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the mixture has thickened slightly, about 5-10 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Katharina made German pancakes and a strawberry jam.
Cranberry Orange Cinnamon Rolls
For the rolls:
2 packages of yeast, dissolved in 1 cup lukewarm water
6 tablespoons shortening
1 cup granulated sugar
7 cups all purpose flour (you might need a little extra if the dough is still sticky)
2 cups hot water
2 large eggs, beaten
1 tablespoon salt
1/2 stick unsalted butter, softened
1 cup light brown sugar
1 1/2 cups dried cranberries
1 tablespoons ground cinnamon
Zest of 2 large oranges
3/4 cup granulated sugar
For the orange sugar topping:
Zest of 1 large orange
1/2 cup granulated sugar
For the frosting:
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
2 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons milk
1 1/2 tablespoons orange zest
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
1. Add yeast to 1 cup of lukewarm water. Stir with a spoon and set aside for about five minutes.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, add shortening, sugar, and salt to hot water and beat for 30 seconds. Let cool to lukewarm temperature. Stir in 2 cups of flour and mix until smooth. Add yeast mixture and mix until well combined. Mix in the beaten eggs.
3. Gradually stir in the remaining flour and mix with the dough hook for about 2 minutes. Remove dough from the bowl and place on a lightly floured counter. Knead by hand, add a little flour if the dough is still sticky. Knead until dough feels satiny and smooth.
4. Put the dough in a greased bowl and cover with a towel. Let rise for 30 minutes or until dough doubles in size.
5. Remove dough from bowl and place on a lightly floured counter. Divide dough in half. With a rolling pin, roll one half of the dough into a rectangular shape. Spread dough evenly with 4 tablespoons of softened butter. Sprinkle dough with 1/2 cup brown sugar, 3/4 cup dried cranberries, and 1/2 tablespoon cinnamon. Rub orange zest and granulated sugar together in small bowl. Sprinkle half of the mixture over the dough.
6. Gently roll up dough into one long roll. Cut rolls, using a piece of dental floss or thread, about two inches thick. Rub the zest of one orange and half cup of sugar together in a small bowl. Dip and twist the rolls into the orange sugar mixture. Place rolls in greased 9X13 baking pans.Now follow the exact same steps with the other half of the dough.
7. Place rolls in a warm spot and cover with a towel. Let rolls rise until double in bulk, about an hour. Bake rolls at 425 degrees F for 10 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350 degrees F and bake for 5-7 more minutes or until golden brown. Remove pans from oven and let cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes.
8. To make the frosting-in a medium bowl combine, butter, powdered sugar, milk, orange zest, and orange juice. Whisk until smooth. Frost the cranberry orange rolls generously with frosting. Serve warm.
*Note-these rolls are best eaten warm. To reheat-microwave each roll for about 15 seconds.
Source: http://www.twopeasandtheirpod.com/cranberry-orange-cinnamon-rolls/
For the Dough:
1 – 1/4 oz (just over 2 teaspoons) package active dry yeast
1/2 teaspoon, plus 1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup milk, at room temperature
2 Tablespoons light brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, sifted, plus more for kneading
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cardamom
pinch of ground cloves
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for the pan
For the Filling:
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup finely chopped candied ginger
1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
2 Tablespoons maple syrup
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
For the Icing:
1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
3 tablespoons heavy cream
a dash of cinnamon, cardamom, and cloves
In the bowl of a stand mixer combine yeast, 1/2 teaspoon sugar and 1/4 cup water heated to 115 degrees F. Stir to combine and let sit until frothy and foamy, about 10 minutes.
Add remaining sugar, milk, brown sugar, vanilla, egg, and egg yolk. Beat with a wire whisk until well combined. Fit the bowl onto the mixer, fitting with the dough hook attachment. Add the flour, spices, and salt and mix on medium speed until the dough just begins to come together. Turn the machine on medium-high and knead the dough for 4 minutes. The dough will be very moist.
With the mixer on medium speed, add the butter about 1 tablespoon at a time and continue to knead for about 6 minutes. The dough will the wet and sticky. Place the dough on a well floured work surface, and knead about 1/3 cup all-purpose flour into the dough. Don’t worry, the dough still might be a little sticky. It’s ok. Just set the dough to rest in a large greased bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and a kitchen towel and allow to rise in a warm place for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until doubled in size.
While the dough rises, make the filling. Combine the sugar, brown sugar, candied ginger, spices, and salt in a large bowl. Stir to combine. Stir in the maple syrup. The filling will be slightly moist and crunchy. Set aside.
When the dough has doubled in size, dump it from the bowl onto a heavily floured work surface. Gently knead the dough adding more flour as needed. I think I added about 3 Tablespoons of flour. Work the dough for about 1 or 2 minutes. Once it’s no longer very sticky, place a kitchen towel over the dough and let rest for 5 minutes before you roll it out.
Using a floured rolling pin, roll the dough into a 10 x 10-inch square.
Brush the top of the dough with half of the melted butter. We’ll use the rest of the butter after the rolls are baked. Pour all of the filling onto the dough. Spread evenly, leaving a 1-inch boarder at one of the short edges of the dough so the roll can be properly sealed. Lightly press the filling into the dough.
Using your hands, lift up the bottom edge of the dough and roll it forward into a tight cylinder. Place dough cylinder seam side down on a cutting board. Using a sharp, thin knife, trim off the uneven edges. Cut cylinder into 8 equal slices. Nestle the slices, cut side up and evenly spaced in a butter 9 x 13-inch metal baking dish. Cover pan with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm place to let rise for 1 hour. You may also cover the rolls with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. Heat the oven to 375 degrees F. Uncover the rolls. If you refrigerated the rolls, let them sit at room temperature for 15 minutes before baking. Drizzle with remaining butter and bake until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 30 minutes.
Make the icing: While the rolls are baking, whisk together the sugar, spices and cream in a small bowl until smooth. Transfer the pan of cinnamon rolls to a cooling rack. Let cool for 5 minutes. Dip the tines of a fork into the icing and drizzle over the rolls. Serve immediately.
Source: http://joythebaker.com/2012/10/chai-spiced-cinnamon-rolls-with-cupcakes-and-cashmere/
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