More Asian Recipes!

I've included the edited version of the Massaman curry in the post, which is a lot closer to the way I actually made it.  I had combined a couple of recipes to get what I wanted and then kept tweaking it as I made it to get it to taste how I wanted it to taste. I think this is a reasonable facsimile of what I did.  

Just so you know, Lindsey's recipe wasn't late at all. In fact, the reason I missed it was because it was so incredibly early! Go Lindsey!

Wontons
Lindsey Dewey

1 package (Azumaya) square wonton wraps
1 chicken breast, cooked & chopped
1 ½ TB soy sauce
½ small onion, chopped fine
1 large carrot, grated
1 small zucchini, grated
1 small potato, grated
4-5 mushrooms, chopped fine
1 egg, beaten

Chop all vegetables finely and add cooked, chopped chicken. Sauté in oil and a little garlic. Take out of pan when vegetables are crisp-tender and place in bowl. Add beaten egg and soy sauce. Put about 1 teaspoon mixture in each wonton skin and fold according to package directions. Fry in oil until golden. Drain on paper towels. Serve with Sweet & Sour Sauce.

Sweet & Sour Sauce

1/3 cup chicken broth
1/3 cup red wine or cider vinegar
½ cup packed brown sugar
1 ½ TB cornstarch
dash of garlic powder
1 TB soy sauce
dash of powdered ginger

Combine all ingredients together in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat until thickened and bubbly. Serve.

Chicken and Broccoli Stir Fry

Genn Rawlings

Serves 4

 3/4 cup brown rice

 3 tablespoons honey
 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
 2 tablespoons soy sauce
 1 garlic clove, finely chopped or crushed with a garlic press

 2 large egg whites
 1/4 cup cornstarch

 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cut into 2-inch chunks (about 10 chicken tenders)
 Coarse salt and ground pepper
 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, such as safflower
 4 scallions, thinly sliced
 1 1/2 pounds broccoli, cut into large florets, stems peeled and thinly sliced

 Place a steamer basket in a large saucepan, and fill with 1 inch water; set aside for broccoli. Cook rice according to package instructions.

 Meanwhile, make sauce: In a small bowl, combine honey, sesame seeds, soy sauce, and garlic; set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together egg whites and cornstarch. Add chicken; season with salt and pepper, and toss to coat. I DOUBLE THE SAUCE--IT'S A LITTLE DRY IF YOU DON'T

 In a large nonstick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high. Add half the chicken; cook, turning occasionally, until golden and opaque throughout, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a plate; repeat with remaining tablespoon oil and chicken. Return all the chicken to skillet; add reserved sauce and scallions, and toss to coat.

 Meanwhile, place saucepan with steamer basket over high heat; bring water to a boil. Add broccoli, and cook until crisp-tender, 4 to 6 minutes. Serve sesame chicken with broccoli and rice. You can serve the broccoli on the side, or mix it with the chicken and sauce and then pour over rice.


Massaman Curry
Sarah d’Evegnee

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 1/2 tablespoons minced lemon grass (You can find this in a tube at Albertson's in the produce section)
1 teaspoon ground ginger
2 teaspoons red curry paste or more if you like it
spicier (I used 3 or 4)
16 ounces chicken broth
2 teaspoons fish sauce
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 Tablespoon white sugar

2-3 Tablespoons brown sugar (depending on how sweet you like it)

2 teaspoons red chili paste (I used 3 or 4)

2 teaspoons cumin or coriander (whichever one you have)
1 (13.5 ounce) can reduced-fat coconut milk
1-2 chicken breasts, cut in thin slices
horizontally and then cut into 2 inch pieces
OR ½ cup peeled and deveined medium
shrimp OR thinly sliced flank steak
1-2 potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
with crinkle cutter.
1-2 carrots, peeled and cut into slices with
crinkle cutter.
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
½ cup unsalted cashews
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
2 green onions, thinly sliced

Bring a pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add potatoes and carrots. Boil until almost cooked through—about 7-9 minutes.
Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add chicken or beef and cook for 5-6 minutes. Stir in garlic, lemon grass, cumin, chili paste, and ginger; cook and stir until aromatic, 30 to 60 seconds. Add the curry paste, and cook 30 seconds more. Pour in about 1/2 cup of the chicken broth, and stir until the curry paste has dissolved, then pour in the remaining chicken stock along with the soy sauce and sugars. Add potatoes and carrots. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low, partially cover, and simmer 20 minutes.
Stir in coconut milk, lime juice, cilantro, cashews and shrimp (if that was your meat choice). Increase heat to medium-high, and simmer until the shrimp turn pink and are no longer translucent, about 5 minutes.
Garnish with green onion and crushed cashews (optional) Serve over jasmin rice.

The next recipe party will be Thursday, October 16th at Mindy Sutherland's house. The theme is "Spud Celebration" in honor of Potato Harvest.

Asian Recipes (September 2008)

Mongolian Beef
Debbie Richards

2 tsp. vegetable oil
1/2 tsp. ginger, minced
1 TBSP. garlic chopped
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup water
3/4 cup Dark brown sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
1 lb. flank steak
1/4 cup corn starch
2 large green onions

Put the oil in a skillet over med heat. Add ginger and garlic to the pan. Quickly add the soy sauce and water. Dissolve the brown sugar in the sauce, then raise the heat to about medium high and boil the sauce for 2-3 minutes or until the sauce thickens. Remove it from the heat.

Slice the flank steak against the grain into thin strips. If you tilt your knife at a 45 degree angle, the strips are wider. Dip the steak into the cornstarch to apply a very thin dusting to both sides. Place the steak on a cookie sheet. Let the beef sit for about 10 minutes.

Heat 1 cup of oil over medium heat until it's hot but not smoking. Add the beef to the oil and saute for just two minutes, or just until the beef starts to darken on the edges. Use a slotted spoon to take the meat out and put it on paper towels. Pour the oil out of the skillet.

Put the pan back over the heat, dump the meat back in. Add the sauce, cook for one minute, then add all the green onions. Cook for one more minute then remove the beef and onions with slotted spoon and put in a serving dish. Leave excess sauce behind.





Slow Cooker Char Siu Pork Roast (Chinese BBQ)
Jenny Nyholm

1/4 cup soy sauce
¼ cup hoisin sacue
3 TB ketchup
3 TB honey
2 tsp. minced garlic
2 tsp. grated peeled fresh ginger
1 tsp. dark sesame oil
½ tsp. five-spice powder
2 lbs. boneless Boston butt pork roast, trimmed
½ cup chicken broth

Combine first 8 ingredients in a small bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Place in a freezer bag, add pork to bag, and seal. Marinate in refrigerator at least 2 hours, turning occasionally.

Place pork and marinade in slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours.

Remove pork from slow cooker using slotted spoon; place on a cutting board and cover with aluminum foil to keep warm.

Add broth to sauce in slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 30 min. or until sauce thickens. Shred pork with 2 forks; serve with sauce over rice.

Katsudon (Japanese pork chops)
Maria Thomas

1TBSP sugar
1TBSP soysauce
1 C boiling water
sliced onion
porkchops
eggs
flour
crackers
oil

Cut small pieces of pork chop. cover with flour, egg, crushed crackers and deep fry.

Mix together sugar, soy, onion and boiling water. Add pork and cook until juice is absorbed. Pour beaten eggs over the top and cook until eggs are done.

Nasi Lemak
Maija-Liisa Adams

300g long grain rice
2 shallots
2 slices ginger
1/8 tsp fenugreek seeds (halba)
1 tsp salt
375-400 ml coconut milk (from 1/2 a grated coconut)
2 pandan leaves, knotted

Wash rice until clean then drain. Put rice, shallots, ginger, fenugreek and salt in a rice cooker. Pour coconut milk over the rice. (The level of the coconut milk should be 2cm above the level of the rice.) Cook rice until dry then use a wooden ladle to loosen the grains.
Sprinkle the rest of the coconut milk over the rice. Give it a stir with a pair of chopsticks to distribute the milk evenly. Stand for 10 to 15 minutes to allow the rice to absorb the coconut milk. Keep rice warm before serving with other condiments.

Sambal Ikan Bilis: OPTIONAL...He suggests "serve the rice with just the Rendang below", but I'll include it, in case you want to try it.

1 bombay onion
1/2 cup dried ikan bilis (anchovies)
1 clove garlic
2 tbsps tamarind juice
4 shallots
8 dried chillies
Prawn paste (belacan) (Optional)
Salt and sugar to taste

Method
Fry the ikan bilis until crisp and put aside. Grind the prawn paste together with shallots, garlic, deseeded dried chilies. Slice the bombay onion into rings. Heat 2 table spoons oil in a pan and fry the ground ingredients until fragrant.

Add in the onion rings. Add tamarind juice, salt, sugar. Cook, stirring occasionally until the gravy thickens. Add in the ikan bilis and mix well. Serve with steaming hot Nasi Lemak.

Beef Rendang (Beef Chunks cooked in coconut milk)

Ingredients:
600g beef topside, cubed

Grind together:
4 tbsp chilli boh
7 shallots
5 cloves garlic
4cm piece ginger
2 onions
4 stalks lemon grass, finely sliced
3cm piece galangal (blue ginger)
1 tbsp cumin powder
1 tbsp fennel powder
1 litre thick coconut milk (extract from four grated coconuts)
1 litre water
1/2 cup kerisik (pounded dry-fried grated coconut)
1 tbsp finely-shredded daun limau purut (lime leaves)

Seasoning:
1 tsp salt or to taste
1 tsp brown sugar or to taste

Method
Combine beef, coconut milk, water and ground ingredients in a deep saucepan. Simmer over low heat for one and a half to two hours until beef turns tender. Add kerisik and continue to cook until the gravy turns thick and dry. Add seasoning and daun limau purut. Cook until beef is almost dry.

Massaman Curry
Sarah d’Evegnee

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 1/2 tablespoons minced lemon grass
1 teaspoon ground ginger
2 teaspoons red curry paste or more if you like it
spicier
16 ounces chicken broth
2 teaspoons fish sauce
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 Tablespoon white sugar

2 Tablespoons brown sugar

2 teaspoons read chili paste

2 teaspoons cumin or coriander (whichever one you have)
1 (13.5 ounce) can reduced-fat coconut milk
1-2 chicken breasts, cut in thin slices
horizontally and then cut into 2 inch pieces
OR ½ cup peeled and deveined medium
shrimp OR thinly sliced flank steak
1-2 potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
with crinkle cutter.
1-2 carrots, peeled and cut into slices with
crinkle cutter.
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
½ cup unsalted cashews
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
2 green onions, thinly sliced

Bring a pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add potatoes and carrots. Boil until almost cooked through—about 10 minutes.
Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add chicken or beef and cook for 5-6 minutes. Stir in garlic, lemon grass, cumin, chili paste, and ginger; cook and stir until aromatic, 30 to 60 seconds. Add the curry paste, and cook 30 seconds more. Pour in about 1/2 cup of the chicken broth, and stir until the curry paste has dissolved, then pour in the remaining chicken stock along with the soy sauce and sugars. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low, partially cover, and simmer 20 minutes.
Stir in coconut milk, lime juice, cilantro, cashews and shrimp (if that was your meat choice). Increase heat to medium-high, and simmer until the shrimp turn pink and are no longer translucent, about 5 minutes.
Garnish with green onion and crushed cashews (optional) Serve over jasmin rice.

Japanese Curry
Christine Gilbert

This is a recipe that Clark learned to make as missionary in Japan. It is a staple in our home. Our kids love it (especially when it is sweet) and it fills all of us up on a cold winters night. The best part is, it is SO easy to make and will be ready even before the rice is finished steaming!

1 chicken breast, ½ lb stew meat or pork: cut into cubes
1 potato: cut into cubes (I don’t peel it but you can)
1 carrot (or a bunch of baby carrots): cut into cubes
1 onion cut into cubes
1 apple cut into cubes
1 S & B pack of curry chopped-up (bought in Asian section of supermarket)
Honey
Brown sugar
Salt & Pepper

In a saucepan, sauté the onion in a little oil. When soft, add the meat and sauté until browned (sprinkle with salt and pepper). When meat is browned, add potatoes and carrots. Add four cups of water, making sure that everything’s covered. Bring to boil then simmer until meat is tender. Skim off any foam that might gather on top of the boiling mixture. Add apples and pack of curry. Stir until the curry has melted and blended well. Continue simmering until thick. Sweeten it up with honey or brown sugar if you want. Serve with rice.

Yaki Udon
Stephanie Fay

Heat :
4 oz veg. oil in wok or skillet

Brown 1 lb chicken breast
1 cup onion

Add
1 cup carrots
1 cup green pepper
1 cup zucchini
1 cup yellow squash
Mushrooms

Cook about 10 min.

Add
1 lb (package) Udon Noodles (back corner of Albertsons by vegetables)

Pour soy sauce over top
add about 3-4 tbls of sugar to taste

Serve immediately
Can try using broccoli or other vegetables

Oyako Donburi (sweet chicken and rice)
Kelly Eyring
Oyako means parent and child which refers to the use of both chicken and egg to make this delicious rice dish. This isn't beautiful, but it is really tasty
Serves about 8

2 chicken breasts
2 medium onions sliced
6 eggs
4 cups cooked sticky rice

1 1/2 cup soy sauce
1 1/2 cup sugar
3 cups water

Put all the seasonings into a 9x13 pan mix well
put in the sliced onions. Cut the chicken into bite sized pieces and add to the pan. Bake at 350 for about 20-30 min or until the chicken is cooked
mix eggs and pour over the mixture in the pan and put back in the oven until the eggs are done
Serve in deeper bowls over rice
If you have nori (sea weed or tasty "laver") cut into small pieces and put on the oyako donburi


Thai Chicken Bowls Mindy Sutherland
8 chicken breasts, cubed 2 cloves crushed garlic ½ cup chopped onion
2 stalks sliced celery
2 t grated ginger root
1 t five spice powder
½ t salt
1 T lemon juice
1 t hot sauce
28 oz chicken broth
1 head cauliflower
Flour or cornstarch
6 T sliced carrots
6 T chopped cilantro

Place chicken in slow cooker. Top with first 6 ingredients listed after chicken. Combine hot sauce and broth and put in cooker. Cook for 5-6 hours on low. Shred cauliflower in processor and microwave for 6 minutes. Thicken sauce with small amount of flour and cornstarch.

Chicken Pad Tai 

Rachel Helfrich

8 oz rice noodles ¼ cup finely chopped peanuts ½ tsp grated lime peel 3 Tbs fish sauce 2 Tbs fresh lime juice 2 Tbs packed brown sugar 4 ½ tsp rice vinegar 1 tsp (or to taste)chili paste 3 Tbs cooking oil 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into bite-sized strips 1 Tbs finely chopped garlic 1 egg, lightly beaten 1 cup fresh sprouts 1/3 cup sliced green onion 2 Tbs snipped fresh cilantro
Place noodles in a large bowl. Add enough hot tap water to cover: let stand for 10 to 15 minutes or until pliable but not soft. Drain well.
Meanwhile, for peanut topping, combine peanuts and lime peel; set aside. In a small bowl combine fish sauce, lime juice, brown sugar, rice vinegar, and chile paste; stir until smooth. Set aside
In a 12-inch skillet heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium high heat. Add chicken and garlic: cook and stir for 6 minutes until chicken is tender and no pink remains. Transfer to a bowl.
Add egg to the hot skillet and cook for 30 seconds. Turn egg with spatula and cook for 30 to 60 seconds more, just until set. Remove and chop egg: set aside.
In the same skillet heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil over high heat for 30 seconds. Add drained noodles and sprouts: stir fry for 2 minutes. Add fish sauce mixture and chicken; cook 1to 2 minutes more until heated through. Divide noodle mixture among four plates. Sprinkle each serving with egg and peanut topping. Garnish with green onion and cilantro. Makes 4 servings.

Pork-Peanut Stir Fry
Caryn Esplin

Cut up 4 pork loin chops (boneless) into strips (2 in x 1/2 in.) and stir fry until done.
Dice/slice and stir-fry your favorite veggies over high heat:1 c. onions, 2 c. mushrooms, 1 c. peppers, 1 c. zucchini, 1 c. carrots, etc. (even peas)
Combine and season with salt, pepper, and Tony Cachera’s seasoning (or any garlicy-onion season-all)
Heat and stir theses ingredients to make a sauce:
1/2 c. pineapple-apricot jam (or peach jam)
1/2 c. peanut butter
1 T. lemon juice or vinegar
1/2 c. honey mustard BBQ sauce
1/2 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can pineapple tidbits with enough of the liquid to make a pourable sauce
Optional: 1/2 c. vinagrette dressing

Pour the sauce over the meat/veggies. Stir it in slightly. Top with mandarin oranges, and peanuts, and voila’!
Serve with warm brown rice

Fortune Cookies
Jann Johnson

2 large egg whites
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
8 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons granulated sugar
3 teaspoons water

Preparation:
1. Write fortunes on pieces of paper that are 3 1/2 inches long and 1/2 inch wide. Preheat oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease 2 9-X-13 inch baking sheets.

2. In a medium bowl, lightly beat the egg white, vanilla extract, almond extract and vegetable oil until frothy, but not stiff.

3. Sift the flour, cornstarch, salt and sugar into a separate bowl. Stir the water into the flour mixture.

4. Add the flour into the egg white mixture and stir until you have a smooth batter. The batter should not be runny, but should drop easily off a wooden spoon.
Note: if you want to dye the fortune cookies, add the food coloring at this point, stirring it into the batter. For example, I used 1/2 teaspoon green food coloring to make green fortune cookies.

5. Place level tablespoons of batter onto the cookie sheet, spacing them at least 3 inches apart. Gently tilt the baking sheet back and forth and from side to side so that each tablespoon of batter forms into a circle 4 inches in diameter.

6. Bake until the outer 1/2-inch of each cookie turns golden brown and they are easy to remove from the baking sheet with a spatula (14 - 15 minutes).

7. Working quickly, remove the cookie with a spatula and flip it over in your hand. Place a fortune in the middle of a cookie. To form the fortune cookie shape, fold the cookie in half, then gently pull the edges downward over the rim of a glass, wooden spoon or the edge of a muffin tin. Place the finished cookie in the cup of the muffin tin so that it keeps its shape. Continue with the rest of the cookies.

1. Make Up the Fortunes Ahead of Time
This will give you more time to compose the messages. The strips of paper used should be 3 to 3 1/2 inches long and no more than 1/2-inch wide.
2. Use Cold Baking Sheets
Fortune cookies tend to turn out best when you start with a cold (and greased) baking sheet. Since most recipes make more cookies than can be placed on one 9 X 13-inch baking sheet (the cookies spread out during baking), it’s best to use two baking sheets. That way, you don’t need to wait for the sheet to cool down before baking the next batch of cookies.
3. Cookie Size: Larger is Better
Many fortune cookie recipes call for making a 3-inch cookie. A cookie this size is more difficult to work with and fold than a slightly larger (3 1/2 - 4-inch) cookie. Another plus is that the larger cookie fits snugly into the cup of a muffin tin. This saves you from having to hold the cookie for several seconds after folding, to make sure it keeps its shape. My own preference is to use one level tablespoon of batter to make a 4-inch cookie.
4. Tilt the Baking Sheet to Spread the Batter
The key to making fortune cookies is a batter that is evenly spread out on the baking sheet. This can be difficult to accomplish with a wooden spoon, since the batter tends to stick to the spoon. Carefully tilting the baking sheet in all directions gives better results.
5. Start By Making Only One or Two Cookies
The instant the cookies are removed from the oven, the race begins: you have twenty seconds at most to add the fortunes, fold the cookies in half and then shape them into the standard fortune cookie shape. It’s best to start with one or two cookies – that way, you’re not feeling pressured.
6. How to Tell When the Cookies are Done
The cookies are done when approximately 1/2 inch of the outside is golden and they are easy to lift with a spatula. The middle part of the cookie remains quite light in color.
7. Wear Close Fitting Cotton Gloves
You need to work with the cookies when they first come out of the oven and are still very hot - wearing cotton gloves makes this easier.
8. Be Prepared to Work Quickly
As noted above, you only have up to twenty seconds to work with the baked cookies before they cool down and stiffen too much to be workable.
9. How to Fold and Shape the Cookies
Remove the cookie from the baking sheet with a spatula and flip it over in your hand. Lay the fortune in the middle of the cookie, and hold it there while folding the cookie in half.

Still holding the the folded cookie in both hands, between your thumb and index fingers, pull the ends down over the rim of a glass or a muffin tin, or the handle of a wooden spoon, until the ends meet. The opened side of the fortune cookie should be facing upward, towards you.

Soup Recipes (from the Oct 2007 party)

White Bean Chicken Chili
(Lindsey Dewey)

1 TB olive oil
1 cup water
1 cup chopped onion
1can (14 oz.) artichoke hearts
2 tsp. chopped garlic
1can diced tomatoes
1 ¾ lb. chicken (cut into pieces)
1can diced green chilies
1 envelope taco seasoning
1can white beans, drained & rinsed

Garnish with fresh cilantro, sour cream, tortilla chips and guacamole
Sauté onion, garlic, and chicken in olive oil and taco seasoning. Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Turn down heat and simmer for up to half an hour. Garnish and serve.

Chicken Tortilla Soup.
(Stacy Roach)

1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
2 medium green peppers, chopped
1 medium red pepper, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
4 carrots, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
3 to 4 chicken breast, cut into thin strips
1 (10 oz.) can Ro-tel tomatoes
1 1/2 tsp. cumin (ground)
1 can whole kernel corn (or frozen corn 1/2 the bag)
1/4 c. chopped fresh cilantro
6 c. chicken broth
Juice of 1 lime
Shredded Monetary Jack cheese
Tortilla chips

Heat oil. Add chicken and saute. Add peppers, carrots, onion, and garlic. Cook and stir until onion is soft and chicken is cooked through. Add tomatoes. Reduce heat to medium and cook 5 minutes. Stir occasionally. Add cumin, corn, broth, and cilantro. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered about 10 minutes. Squeeze in lime juice. Turn off heat. Place broken chips and cheese in bottom of bowl. Ladle in hot soup and serve.

Finnish Rhubarb Soup – Rapaperikisseli
(Maija-Liisa Adams)

Description:
In Finland and other Scandinavian countries, fruit soup is a part of summer and another way to use the fresh fruit of the season. At a Midsummer's Party 2 types of Fruit Soup -- rhubarb and apricot were served. Once in Lappland, a friend served me prune kisseli. I've always made the rhubarb version which has been a family favorite as long as I can remember. I have yet to make the apricot version, but it should be about as simple as substituting which fruit you use in the recipe below. I'll also share the low carb twist we made in substituting from the orginial recipe.

Directions:
Boil 7 cups water,
add 4 cups chopped rhubarb,
add 2 cups Albertson's strawberry jam, (You may add real strawberries instead, but will have to drastically increase the sugar.)
and 1 cup sugar until the rhubarb starts to fall apart.
It's such a soft shade of pink, so if you want it to look darker, add a few drops of red food coloring.

Taste it and add more sugar, if you want it sweeter. Remove from heat and add (2T potato or corn starch stirred into cold water) stirring continually. After it thickens, put it back on heat until it bubbles, then remove completely.

It's a wonderful last course, serving as a delicate and refreshing palate cleanser after a rich dinner...right before you retire to the parlor and bring on buttery pastries and herbal tea. Usually we serve Pulla with it. Serve cold in 6 inch flat soup plates to heighten the effect of the puffs of whipped cream or if you serve it hot try a scoop of vanilla ice cream instead. You may also serve it instead with cream, half & half or milk.

Low Carb Alterations:
Now for the low carb adjustments. Instead of using potato starch only, use part Xanthum Gum. I'll experiment next time to see if it can be used exclusively. Instead of sugar, I used Splenda. Instead of strawberry jam, I used fresh strawberries and drastically increased the cups of Splenda. Someday I'll try agave or estevia as the sweetener instead.

You may also find this recipe at http://maijaliisa.blogspot.com/2007/07/ever-tasted-cold-fruit-soup-kisseli-is.html.


Asian Chicken Soup
(Karen McMaster)

2 cups shredded tofu

2/3 cup shredded chicken

1 tsp. water
Use water, soy sauce and cornstarch to marinate meat with
1 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp cornstarch
6 c. chicken stock or broth

1 1/2 tsp salt

Mix 
4 TBSP Cornstarch with
5 TBSP water and set aside.
2 eggs


3 TBSP soy Sauce

3 TBSP vinegar
3 TBSP shredded green onion

1/2 can bamboo shoots

5-6 mushrooms thinly sliced

Optional: chopped coridander and ginger root (1/2 TBSP Ea.)

1 tsp red pepper
1 tsp sesame oil



Boil chicken stock and salt, add in marinated meat and stir to separate. Add tofu and bring to a boil. Add the cornstarch/ water mixture, stir. When boiling, slowly add eggs in a thin stream; stir lightly. and then add final ingredients, stir.
 Cook Japanese Calrose rice, then you can put some rice in the bottom of your bowl and soup on top, or serve with rice to the side.



Cheese Broccoli Soup
(Shannon Packer)

4 cups cubed potatoes

1 onion, chopped

2 cups sliced carrots

2 cups chopped celery
 3 cups cut-up broccoli


Boil all veggies but broccoli in 2 cups of water for 10 minutes. Add
broccoli and boil for 10 more minutes. Do not drain.

Sauce:
1/2 cup margarine
1 tablespoon flour
2 cups milk
1 pound Velveeta cheese, cubed (I used cheddar)
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon pepper
3 chicken flavored bouillon cubes (or 3 teaspoons bouillon granules)

In saucepan, melt margarine. Stir in flour. Add milk and cook, stirring
constantly, until thick. Add cheese and other ingredients. Mix until
smooth. Add to undrained veggies and heat together but do not boil.



Spicy Pumpkin Soup with Mexican Cream and Toasted Pepitas
(Christine Gilbert)

1/2 Cup whipping cream
1/2 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon fresh lime juice

6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) butter)
6 cups finely chopped onions
3 15 oz. Cans solid pack pumpkin
2 cups whole milk
1 1/4 teaspoons dried crushed red pepper
9 cups canned chicken broth

3/4 cup shelled pumpkin seeds (pepitas) toasted

Whisk first 3 ingredients in small bowl. Cover; chill 2 hours (Mexican cream can be made 1 week ahead. Keep chilled)

Melt butter in heavy large pot over medium heat. Add onions and sauté until translucent, about 10 minutes. Mix pumpkin, milk and crushed red pepper. Working in batches, puree mixture in processor. Return to pot. Add broth; simmer 10 minutes to blend flavors, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be made one day ahead. Cool. Cover and chill. Bring to simmer before continuing.)

Ladle soup into bowls. Drizzle with cream. Sprinkle with seeds.


Cheesy Chicken Chowder
(Shelly Rigby)

3 c. chicken broth
1/4 c. butter

2 c. diced, peeled potatoes
1/3 c. flour
1 c. diced carrots
2 c. milk
1 c. diced celery (optional)
2 c. grated cheddar
 cheese
1 1/2 tsp. salt
2 c. diced, cooked 
chicken
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 can cream of chicken soup


In large saucepan, bring chicken broth to boil. Reduce
 heat and add potatoes, carrots, celery, salt, pepper 
and butter. Cover and simmer until vegetables are
 tender. Melt butter in another pan; add flour and mix 
well. Gradually stir in milk and cook until thickened 
over low heat. Stir in cheese and cook until melted .
Add to broth along with chicken soup.

Chicken and Leek Soup
(Kelly Eyring)

1 pkg Knorr Leek Soup Mix
6 cups water
6 cubes chicken bullion
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1 cup wide egg noodles, I add a few handfuls more
1 cup heavy cream
2 cups chicken, cooked and diced

Mix together with a wire whisk the soup mix, water, bullion cubes, and garlic powder. Heat to boiling and add noodles. Reduce to simmer until noodles are just done. Add cooked chicken and heavy cream. I like to serve this with a salad and corn bread. It is easy and fast.

Broccoli Soup
(Debbie Richards)

2 C. water
1 C. shredded carrots
½ C. chopped celery
2 C. broccoli (just in regular size pieces)
1/8 C. chopped onion
1 tsp. salt
8 oz. pkg. cream cheese
2 C. milk
3 Tbsp. butter
3 Tbsp. flour

Combine all but cream cheese, milk, butter, and flour in a pan. Boil for 15-20 minutes. Then add cream cheese (cut it into chunks so it melts faster) and stir until melted and mixed in. Stir in the milk.

In another small pan melt butter and mix with flour. Add to soup mixture. Bring to a boil again to thicken.

Split Pea Soup
(Rachel Helfrich)

3 teaspoons olive oil

6 ounces ham -- diced

3 whole carrots -- sliced

1 ½ whole onion -- chopped

1 large sweet potato -- peeled and cubed

1 1/2 tablespoons garlic -- minced

3 cups chicken broth

1 1/2 cups split peas (a combination of yellow and green looks
pretty)



Heat oil over meduim-high heat. Add ham, carrots, onions, sweet potato and
garlic; cook, stirring, until softened, about 4 minutes

Add broth and split peas and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and
simmer, partially covered, until vegetables are tender and peas have broken
down, about 45 minutes. Season with pepper

RECIPES FROM THE PARTY IN AUGUST

Sesame Noodles with Chicken
Christine Gilbert

Kosher salt

1 lb. dried whole-grain spaghetti

6 Tbs. Asian sesame oil

4 medium cloves garlic, peeled

2/3 cup creamy peanut butter

½ cup less-sodium ginger-flavored soy sauce
(or use regular soy-sauce and add 1 Tbs. minced fresh ginger)

6 Tbs. rice vinegar

¼ cup light or dark brown sugar

6-8 frozen chicken tenders

2 tsp. peanut oil

Freshly ground black pepper

6 scallions, thinly sliced on the diagonal

Any thinly sliced vegetable can be added:
 grated carrots (raw), sugar-snap peas (steamed for two minutes in skillet after cooking chicken), 

red bell pepper (stir-fry in skillet after cooking chicken)
, peanuts and chopped cilantro for garnish



Cook, drain and rinse pasta. Transfer the pasta to a large bowl, and toss with 1 Tbs. of the sesame oil. In a food processor, pulse the garlic until roughly chopped. [Add the fresh ginger with the garlic if it is not in the soy sauce.] Add the remaining 5 Tbs. sesame oil, and the peanut butter, soy sauce, vinegar, brown sugar, and 1 ½ tsp. salt. Process until smooth, stopping as necessary to scrape down the bowl, about 30 seconds. Set aside.

 Place frozen chicken in a frying pan and cover with ½ cup Yoshida’s sauce (or terryiaki sauce) and ¼ cup water. Let the chicken simmer until cooked through – season with fresh pepper. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and slice crosswise into ½-inch pieces. Add the chicken to the spaghetti along with half of the scallions and any other vegetables you want to include.

Pour about 1-1/4 cups of the dressing over the pasta and toss to coat. Add more dressing to taste—you may not need to use it all. Transfer to a serving platter, sprinkle with the remaining scallions, cilantro, and peanuts and serve.

Manti BBQ Turkey
Karen McMaster

Marinade:
1 part Wesson oil (or olive)
2 part 7 - up (best if it is in the can)
1 part soy sauce
1/2 tsp horseradish
1/4 tsp garlic powder
Marinade in the fridge for 18-24 hours
Stir occasionally, BBQ on low- turning frequently. Baste turkey each time you turn it.

Sweet Chicken Bacon Wraps
Sarah d’Evegnee

1 1/4 pounds boneless, skinless, chicken breasts (about 4 breasts)
1 (1-pound) package sliced bacon
2/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons chili powder
Cut chicken breasts into 1-inch cubes. Cut each bacon slice into thirds. Wrap each chicken cube with bacon and secure with a wooden pick. Stir together brown sugar and chili powder. Dredge wrapped chicken in mixture. Coat a rack and broiler pan with nonstick cooking spray. Place chicken wrap on rack in broiler pan. Bake 350 for 30 to 35 minutes or until bacon is crisp.

Strawberry Spinach Salad
Karen McMaster

Dressing:
1 lemon
2 TBSP white wine vinegar
1/3 cup sugar
1 TBSP Olive Oil
1 Tsp poppy seeds
1/2 tsp lemon zest
2 TSP lemon juice


Salad:
1/4 cup sliced and toasted almonds
8 OZ. strawberries, hulled and quartered
1/2 medium cucumber, sliced and cut in half
slices of either red or green onion ( the red is more colorful)
1 pkg (6 oz.) baby spinach

Mix salad ingredients, pour dressing over salad, top with sliced almonds and serve.

Yummy Baked "Bean-Thing"
Konda Fullmer

1 lb. extra lean hamburger
1 lb. honey cured bacon
1/2 link polska Keilbasa (opt.)
1 large onion
3 cans pork and beans
1 can each of butter beans, kidney beans,lima beans
1 c. brown sugar
1 c. catsup
2 T. vinegar
1 t. Liquid Smoke

Dice onion and brown with hamburger, bacon and Keilbasa. Add all other ingredients and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

Cheesy Artichoke Dip
Caryn Esplin

2 c. light mayo
2 c. light sour cream
8 oz. light cream cheese
1 c. parmesan
2 g. grated Jack cheese (or cheddar)
1 box frozen chopped spinach
1 or 2 cans artichoke hearts
1 sm bunch green onions, diced
1 lg tomato, diced

Stir the mayo, sour cream and cheeses until well mixed. Defrost spinach in microwave. Squeeze and separate the leaves into small pieces. Add to the mixture. Drain and quarter the artichoke hearts, then carefully in. Spoon mixture into two large pie plates. (stone or glass) Bake at 350 for 25 minutes or until browned. Remove from oven and sprinkle the diced onions and tomatoes on the top.
Serve with tortilla chips, veggies, or crackers.

Creamy Tortilla Pie
Mindy Sutherland

1 pd ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
1 can green chilis (4 oz) with liquid
2 (8oz) cans tomato sauce
1 package taco seasoning
4 tortillas
¾ cup milk
1 can cream of chicken soup
2 cups grated cheddar cheese

Brown ground beef with onions and drain. Add green chilis and tomato sauce and simmer for 5 minutes. Put one tortilla in the bottom of two greased pie plates, pressing down and cutting to fit, if necessary. Combine milk and soup, stirring well. Pour over beef mixture. Sprinkle one cup of cheese over each pie and place one tortilla on top of each one. Cover with foil and bake for 15 minutes at 350. (This freezes well, so you can freeze one pie and save.)

Strawberry Spinach Salad
Janeese Summers

1 pd spinach
1 quart strawberries
¾ cups chopped almonds
1/3 cup sugar

Dressing :
¼ cup sugar, ½ t salt, ¼ cup cider vinegar
1/3 cup strawberry jam, 2 t poppy seeds
½ cup oil
Heat almonds and sugar over medium heat until sugar is melted and almonds are covered in sugar and browned. Let cool and place over spinach and strawberries. Combine ingredients for dressing except oil and blend well, then add oil.

Craisins Salad
Maija-Liisa Adams

One head each of : Red leaf lettuce, green leaf lettuce and iceburg lettuce
8 oz. pkg shredded mozzarella
8 oz pkg shredded parmesean
1 lb bacon, cooked and crumbled
8 oz craisins (dried cranberries)
1 c. sliced toasted almonds

Toss together.

Dressing:
1/2 c. red wine vinegar, 1 c. sugar, 1/2 onion chopped, 1 1/2 tsp salt, 2 tsp mustard, 1 c. vegetable oil. Mix everything in a blender except for oil. Add oil, blend again.