by admin | Sep 29, 2009 | Books, Cooking
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Eating In Is the New Eating Out
Potlucks make sharing good, home-cooked food with family and friends simple and easy. Start with a few (or a lot of) guests, bring delicious dishes to share, and mix with love. A proven recipe for success.
Linda Evans Shepherd and Eva Marie Everson, the popular authors of the Potluck Club books and veterans of countless potluck dinners, have gathered their favorite recipes. From salads to casseroles to slow-cooker delights, there’s something for everyone, even if you’re watching your waistline.
These great potluck ideas not only save you money, they also help you build memories to last a lifetime.
Endorsements
“Linda and Eva Marie have loaded up every woman for success in the kitchen–and better yet, success in all their relationships too. These two serve up love in the form of some great recipes and great ideas sure to nurture the soul.”–Pam Farrel, bestselling author of Men Are Like Waffles, Women Are Like Spaghetti
Available September 2009 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.
MY REVIEW:
I have enjoyed reading through The Potluck Club Cookbook. This book is filled with good looking recipes, many of them old favorites of mine – some with a little different twist that I will be sure to try. There are enough recipes here to give me some fresh ideas even through I am an experienced cook with years of potlucks behind me. I enjoyed the authors’ commentaries between sections that included potluck memories, stories about family favorite recipes, stories about Potluck Club characters, etc. I also enjoyed the section at the end where the authors shared about their experiences writing the Potluck Club books as a team. If you would like some new dishes to try next time someone says “Bring a dish”, then this cookbook is for you. The only thing I could complain about is the lack of photos. I guess I read so many cooking blogs that I am used to seeing what every recipe looks like. But don’t let that keep you from picking up a copy of The Potluck Club Cookbook.
I tried two of the recipes in this book. I baked Mom’s Cornbread Casserole (p.30) for a church potluck. I forgot to photograph it and there was nothing left to bring home. Then I made Linda’s Pecan Crusted Baked Chicken for my own family. I did learn that you need to be careful of the time when using chicken tenders. I nearly overcooked them. They were good but for my crew a little more seasoning would probably be in order.
The following recipes from the book are courtesy of the publisher:
Grandmother’s Coconut Chess Pie
2 eggs
1 Tbsp. flour (should be heaping)
1/8 tsp. salt
¼ Cup white sugar
¾ Cup white Karo syrup
1 tsp. vanilla
unbaked pie shell
¼ lb. butter
12-14 oz. coconut (can or bag)
Beat eggs well and set aside. In mixing bowl blend flour, salt, and sugar, then add eggs. Next add syrup and vanilla, beat until well mixed. Pour mixture into unbaked pie shell. Slice butter into thick slices and cover top of pie. Sprinkle coconut on top of pie and bake for about 1 hour in 300 degree oven or until firm and brown.
Serves 8
Linda: “I inherited this recipe from my Grandmother Evans. It’s one of the best pies I’ve ever tasted!” (Page 83)
Corn Pudding au Gratin
1 (15 oz) can creamed corn
2 Tbsp. flour
1 cup diced cheese
1/8 tsp. black pepper
2 Tbsp. margarine
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1 cup buttered bread crumbs
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine corn, flour, cheese and pepper; mix well. Add melted margarine and well-beaten eggs. Warm milk and add to mixture. Pour into 1 ½ quart casserole pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Cook in oven until pudding begins to set, then sprinkle buttered bread crumbs over the top and reduce heat to 325 and bake until firm. If bread crumbs are not sufficiently brown when pudding is firm, turn to broil briefly. Cooking time is about 30 – 40 minutes.
Eva: “This recipe reheats nicely.” (Page 169)
Linda’s Chicken Tortilla Casserole
2 ½ Tbsp. chopped onions
¼ cup butter
3 Tbsp. flour
1 ½ cups milk
¾ cup chicken broth
1 tsp. salt
3 Tbsp. jalapeno peppers
1 ½ cups chopped canned tomatoes (stewed)
3 cups cubed chicken, cooked
½ cup shredded cheese
12 tortillas, cut into 1-inch strips
Sauté onions in butter, then add flour and cook until mixture is bubbly. Stir in milk and broth gradually. Stir in salt, peppers, and tomatoes.
In casserole dish, layer chicken, cheese, then strips of tortillas. Pour sauce over layers then sprinkle casserole with cheese.
Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until bubbly. Serve hot.
Serves 6-8.
Linda: “You can’t go wrong with this tasty dish. It’s a potluck crowd favorite.” (Page 130)
by admin | Sep 27, 2009 | Books, Chick Lit, Cooking, Humor
MY REVIEW:
A Taste of Fame is a thoroughly enjoyable novel about the experiences of the Potluck Catering Club when they unexpectedly find themselves finalists in the playoffs for The Great Party Showdown on television. Each chapter is written from the point of view of different members of the club and details the adventures (and misadventures) of the team during their extended stay in New York City. Sometimes hilarious, sometimes dramatic, sometimes sad, A Taste of Fame is never boring. The characters are all realistic with real life difficulties that include marriage problems, financial troubles, romantic dilemmas, devious contestants, etc.
I absolutely enjoyed A Taste of Fame and was particularly thrilled to find all the recipes mentioned in the book included at the end. Does The Potluck Catering Club win the showdown? I’ll never tell but you can find out if you run out and pick up your own copy. I don’t think you will be sorry you did.
Is America ready to meet the Potluck Catering Club on reality TV?
The women of the Potluck Catering Club have a growing business. They even became the subject of a budding filmmaker’s class project. Problem is, they didn’t read the fine print when they signed off on his documentary. When he enters the club in the reality show The Great Party Showdown, the ladies of Summit View, Colorado, must head to the Big Apple for the unexpected adventure of their lives.
Between navigating New York City, dealing with cutthroat contestants, and trying to maintain their close friendship in the surreal world of reality TV, the Potluck women must keep their eyes on the prize–a cool million dollars–and work together if they’re going to make it back home in one piece.
A Taste of Fame serves up the perfect blend of humor, misadventure, and mouthwatering recipes. Fans new and old will love this exciting trip into the wild world of competitive cooking!
Authors Linda Evans Shepherd and Eva Marie Everson love dishing up the stories of the six friends featured in their latest series The Potluck Catering Club—much to the delight of readers.
“This is the way Christian fiction should be written,” one reader says. “No cardboard Christian cut-outs of sweet angelic women none of us can relate to. These women are real, just the kind of women I find in my own community.”
For more information, visit www.RevellBooks.com.
ABOUT THE AUTHORS:
Eva Marie Everson is an award-winning author, a successful speaker, and a popular radio personality. She is coauthor of The Potluck Club series and The Secret’s in the Sauce. She lives in Florida. You can learn more about Eva Marie and her books at her website.
Linda Evans Shepherd is an award-winning author, a successful speaker, and a radio personality. The president of Right to the Heart Ministries, she is also coauthor of the Potluck Club books and the Potluck Catering Club series. Learn more about Linda and her books on her
website.
by admin | Sep 15, 2009 | Cooking
My daughter lived in New Orleans for two or three years and while there learned to make authentic gumbo from a lady she knew. Since our okra crop is at its peak, I decided that now would be a good time to make some and to make it the right way. My daughter was here for awhile this morning and gave me a few tips so I know I prepared it properly. So glad I did – even my opinionated son said I did good!
The first thing to do is get your roux started. All real gumbo starts with a roux. Now you can stand at the stove and stir for a couple of hours or you can prepare it the easy way my daughter taught me. Preheat the oven to 400 °. Heat the oil in a large cast iron pan and stir in the flour slowly. Keep stirring until the flour begins to brown. Place the pan in the preheated oven and stir every fifteen minutes until roux is chocolate brown.
While the roux is in the oven, begin preparing the other ingredients. Cook the shrimp. Let cool a few minutes and peel, putting the shells back in the pot of water to make a broth. Add onions, carrots, celery,etc. to the pot and cook slowly.
Now that the roux is in the oven and the broth is simmering, you can begin to work with the other ingredients. In the same pan you will use for the gumbo, add a little oil and cook the washed and cut okra pieces until they are no longer slimy.
When okra is done, remove from pan and saute onions, peppers, celery, garlic, and parsley until transparent.
Now we are on the home stretch. Stir in the roux, okra, and tomatoes.
Strain the broth and add to the other ingredients. Add salt, black pepper, and cayenne to taste.
Simmer over low heat for fifteen to thirty minutes. Taste it to see if it needs anything else. Make adjustments and cook slowly for another thirty minutes or longer. When ready to serve, stir in the shrimp and heat for a few more minutes. Serve in a bowl over cooked rice.
This dish is a big production but it is worth it! Makes a big pot full so you can serve a lot of people or look forward to wonderful leftovers.
SHRIMP GUMBO RECIPE:
ROUX:
1 -1/2 cups peanut oil
2-1/4 cups flour
Preheat oven to 400. Heat oil in large cast iron skillet and gradually stir in flour. Stir constantly until smooth and starts to brown. Place skillet in preheated oven. Cook for 1 hour, stirring every 15-20 min. Turn down to 350 and continue stirring every 15-20 min until roux has reached desired color. ( I used canola oil and it was very dark in one hour.)
BROTH (or Stock):
Shrimp
onion
celery
carrots
Boil shrimp until done. Cool a little and peel. Place shells back in pot with the water and vegetables and simmer while preparing other ingredients.
GUMBO:
Okra cut into small pieces
1 large onion chopped
1 large bell pepper chopped (I used more)
lots of fresh garlic chopped (I used approximately 2 tablespoons minced garlic from jar)
3-4 stalks of celery chopped
chopped fresh parsley
chopped tomatoes (If you don’t have fresh, use canned)
salt
black pepper
cayenne pepper
Heat some oil in your stock pot that you will be using for the gumbo, add okra to heated oil and stir fry until it is no longer slimy, it will take a while. Chop the other vegetables while the okra is cooking, just make sure you stir the okra frequently. When the okra is done, remove it from the pan and set aside. You may need to add a little more oil or butter to the pan to saute the vegetables.
Once your vegetables become translucent, add your broth and seasonings. I add salt, black pepper and cayenne pepper, most of your flavor will come from the veggies and roux. If your roux is done, add it into the pot slowly, if you don’t think you need all the roux, I think you can store it. Add your okra back in the pot as well. Stir everything well and let simmer. After it cooks for 15 min or so, taste it and see if it needs anything and if so add it and let it simmer at least another 30 min. Serve in a bowl over steamed rice.
by admin | Jun 11, 2009 | Budget Stretchers, Cooking
One item that has always been a staple in our freezer is breaded chicken tenders. You know – you’re running short on time or forgot to plan a meal and you grab some from the freezer and throw them in the oven. And almost everyone loves chicken tenders. Well that convenience is also fairly costly. I have found a recipe for chicken tenders that probably tastes better than the frozen ones, is fairly easy to do, and best of all saves money. In this area, I can usually buy fresh chicken tenders at Sam’s Club for at little over $2.00 per pound and sometimes for as little as $1.79 per pound at the local Kroger.
This recipe is my adaptation of several I have run across online. The possibilities are endless. Instead of saltines, you could use cheese crackers, Ritz crackers, or corn flakes, etc. You can also vary the seasonings to your taste. Go wild and experiment!
Check out Amanda’s Homemade Mocha Frappacinos on her Thrifty Thursday Post.
DOUBLE DIPPED CHICKEN TENDERS
Chicken br**st tenders (You can cut whole br**sts into strips)
2 eggs
flour
salt and pepper
saltine crackers (1 tube should be enough)
vegetable oil
Mix flour with seasonings. In another dish, beat the eggs and add more seasoning. Crush the saltine crackers finely. I like to use my food processor for this. Set up an assembly line for dipping – first the flour, eggs second, and cracker crumbs last. It helps to use only part of the cracker crumbs at a time because they clump up quickly. Heat the oil to approximately 350 degrees.
Dip the chicken tenders first in the flour, then in the eggs, and finally in the cracker crumbs, making sure to cover evenly. Place in hot oil and cook on both sides until chicken is done and nicely browned. Drain on paper towels.
Note: I haven’t tried it yet, but some recipes indicate that these are also good baked in the oven.
by admin | Jan 23, 2009 | Cooking
Readers of this blog may remember the abundance of pecans we have had this winter. I cannot begin to say how many my husband has picked up so far and the ground is still covered. Two friends came over today and picked up enough to fill several boxes that pretty much filled the back seat of the car. We have so many unshelled ones in bags and boxes in our laundry room that we literally have to move and/or climb over pecans to get to the washer and dryer. And that does not include the 50 plus pounds that are shelled and bagged (and already eaten, given away or sold).
So when I need to take a dish to an event, most of the time at least one of them will include pecans. I brought out my old favorite recipe for spiced pecans for a New Year’s eve party. Just getting around to posting it but it would be equally as good for a Super Bowl party or just to nibble on. They are so good you might want to keep them for yourself and not share. The guys did away with them pretty fast on New Year’s eve.
SPICED PECANS
1 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 1/2 cups pecan halves
Combine all ingredients except vanilla and pecans in saucepan. Cook over medium heat to 230 degrees on a candy thermometer or until it spins a thread. Remove from heat; add vanilla and pecans. Stir until nuts are coated and mixture becomes creamy. Pour onto greased plate or waxed paper. With spoon or fork, separate nuts as they cool.
Note: If your pecans are frozen, let them reach room temperature before using in this recipe or it will not turn out right. I know this from experience!
by admin | Jan 5, 2009 | Cooking
Our very favorite restaurant in Memphis is Abuelos. Not only is it a classy place with a courtyard look, the domed ceiling that looks almost like a real sky, interesting statuary, etc. but most important, the food is consistently good. I love having a choice between Mexican rice and potatoes and have always wanted to be able to reproduce the recipe at home. My efforts have always been good but there was always something missing.
This weekend, I needed to provide vegetables for a get together at a friend’s home so I decided to try once again. By golly, I think I really got close this time. You will have to forgive me but I neglected to measure everything. Unless I am baking, I tend to use the measure by sight or dump an stir methods of cooking. I can tell you that I tried this twice – once with fresh potatoes and once with instant potatoes. Both times the quality was excellent.
PAPAS CON CHILE
Mashed potatoes (either fresh or instant)
8 ounces cream cheese
1/2 cup butter
1 can chopped green chile peppers
1 onion, chopped
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
2 cups grated cheese
Cook fresh potatoes until soft. Drain and mash with butter and cream cheese until combined. If using instant potatoes, mix with amount of boiling water called for on box, then beat in butter and cream cheese. If needed, add a little milk or cream until potatoes are the right consistency. Add onion, peppers, cheese, and garlic and mix well. Place in a casserole dish and bake at 400 degrees until top is golden brown – about 30 minutes.
