Bella’s Table — December 2011/January 2012

Recipes by Estella Tullgren and Linda Duren | Photographed by Deb Peterson

Thanksgiving—Christmas—New Year’s…what a grand time of year! One thing we all do, I’m sure, is pull out those favorite family recipes. One of my favorite foodie friends, Linda K. Duren, and I had the opportunity to do a little cooking together recently at the Schliemann Center for Women’s Health Education, and we thought we would share some of our holiday favorites with you.

 

 

 

 

HOT CRAB DIP
Makes 2–2.5 cups

This dip is always a crowd favorite—I think you will agree. Use a buttery club cracker for dipping.

1 stick butter
3–4 green onions, sliced thinly
2 8-ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature
1 small can crab, rinsed and well-drained

Cayenne pepper (start with 1/8 teaspoon) optional—use for your own taste preference or use a few drops of Tabasco

Melt butter and then sauté onions until tender. Add cream cheese and stir until blended with butter. Add crab. Keep in chafing dish. Serve warm.

SWEET AND SOUR MEATBALLS
From Linda Duren
Serves about 18

My family has made these meatballs for every special occasion for years! It just isn’t a good time until the meatballs hit the table! You might want to make extra sauce. It’s the best part! I hope your family enjoys this dish as much as mine always has.

1 pound ground beef
1/2 pound ground pork
1/2 teaspoon fresh ginger (can use powdered)
1 teaspoon garlic, minced
1 egg
1 tablespoon red wine….(who are we kidding? use 2 or 3)
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon sesame oil
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons flour
dash of salt
Oil for deep frying, or meatballs can be baked on a sheet pan.

Sauce:
5 tablespoons sugar
4 tablespoons vinegar
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon wine (I’m snickering at this one. You know what to do!)
1/3 cup beef broth
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch, mixed well with 1 ½ cups of cold water

Mix first 11 ingredients well and shape into tablespoon-sized meatballs. Fry meatballs over medium heat until golden brown and centers are no longer pink. Mix all sauce ingredients, except cornstarch mixture, in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Thicken with cornstarch mixture. Add meatballs when sauce has thickened.

FRENCH ONION HUMMUS
From Linda Duren
Makes about 3 cups

I love hummus. I invented this French onion hummus as an alternative to regular fattening French onion dip. It is wonderful with fresh veggie dippers. You might even try the leftovers on a sandwich.

3 cups canned chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed (reserve ½ cup of chickpea liquid)
1 small onion, pureed
1/4 cup tahini (sesame seed paste)
4 tablespoons milk
2 heaping teaspoons beef bouillon granules
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt

Warm the milk slightly and dissolve the bouillon granules in it. Place chickpeas, onion, tahini, lemon juice, salt, and milk bouillon mixture in a food processor. Puree until smooth and creamy. If hummus is too thick, add chickpea liquid until the desired consistency is reached.

GRAND MARNIER DIP
Makes about 3 cups

Whenever my third-Tuesday-of-the-month bridge group gathers, I know I will always have great-tasting food. This recipe is from my friend and fabulous cook, Terre Ware. I have been using her recipe for five years and it shows up pretty often at various events. It is especially good with kiwi, pears, apples, and strawberries—my favorites.

3 egg yolks
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup Grand Marnier
2 cups whipping cream

Combine egg yolks, sugar, and salt in a small saucepan; mix well. Cook on medium heat for 2–3 minutes until sugar is dissolved—stirring constantly.Remove from heat and stir in Grand Marnier. Let cool. Beat whipping cream until stiff; fold into Grand Marnier mixture. Cover and chill 1–2 hours. Serve with your favorite fresh fruits.

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PUMPKIN ROLL

3/4 cup cake flour
1 teaspoon ginger
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
3 eggs
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup canned pumpkin
1 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice

Preheat oven to 375. Grease and line a jelly roll pan or cookie sheet with raised edges. Grease over waxed paper. Sift together first seven ingredients in a large bowl and set aside. Beat together eggs and sugar for five minutes on high speed. FOLD in dry ingredients by hand. Combine pumpkin and lemon juice. FOLD into batter.

Pour into jellyroll pan, making sure batter is even, then sprinkle with nuts. Bake for 12 minutes. Turn out immediately on to a tea towel and carefully remove the waxed paper. Roll up with towel in the cake. Let cool 2-3 hours.

FILLING

8 ounces cream cheese
1/4 cup butter
1 cup confectioner’s sugar
1 teaspoon lemon extract

Soften cream cheese and butter in a bowl. Cream them together after soft, and add confectioner’s sugar and lemon extract. Carefully unroll cake and spread with filling. Reroll and refrigerate or freeze. Slice.

 

SOUTHWEST CHEESECAKE
Serves a Crowd!!

This is not only a great change from what most people think of when they hear the word cheesecake, but this is also very festive looking and perfect for your holiday table.

1 1/2 cups finely crushed tortilla chips
1/4 cup butter, melted
2-8 ounce cream cheese packages, softened
1-3 ounce cream cheese package, softened
2 large eggs
2 1/2 cups (10 ounce) shredded Pepper Jack cheese
1-4 ounce can chopped green chilies, drained
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1-8 ounce sour cream
1/2 cup chopped yellow pepper
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
1/2 cup chopped red pepper
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1 med-large tomato, chopped
2 tablespoons finely chopped black olives
2 bunches fresh cilantro or parsley

Combine chips and butter. Press in the bottom of a 9-inch greased springform pan. Bake at 325 for 15 minutes. Cool.

Beat cream cheese at medium speed for 3 minutes until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each. Stir in cheese, chilies and cayenne pepper. Pour into pan and bake for 30 minutes at 325. Cool 10 minutes. Gently run knife around sides and then remove rim of springform pan. Cool completely.

Place cheesecake on a bed of cilantro or parsley. Use chopped green onions, red, yellow and green peppers to form a Christmas tree shape on top of cheesecake. Use chopped black olives for the stump of tree. Then sprinkle chopped tomato around the top rim of the cheesecake. Serve with a firm tortilla chips.

 

BROCCOLI WITH GARLIC BUTTER AND CASHEWS
from Linda Duren
6 servings

This is a different twist on the same old boring broccoli. I found this recipe a few years ago and really enjoy the Asian flair. I have always wanted to add some diced chicken and turn it in to a meal. Maybe I will next time!

1 1/2 pounds fresh broccoli
1/3 cup butter
1 tablespoon brown sugar
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons white vinegar
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced finely
1/2 cup roasted salted cashews

Remove tough leaves and stems from broccoli. Cut into spears or florets. Cook in a small amount of boiling water until just tender crisp. Drain well and a place on a serving platter or dish. Set aside and keep warm.

Melt butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Add brown sugar and next 4 ingredients. Bring to a boil, then remove from heat. Stir in cashews. Pour sauce over broccoli and serve immediately.