Alien Smoothie - Mango Banana Spinach

Aliens are green right? Well, that is what inspired this smoothie. We'll call it {The Wanda} or maybe just {Alien Juice} - because that it what my kids called it when I was making it.

Ingredients:
1 banana
1 cup fresh spinach
1 cup frozen mango chunks
Juice from 1/2 lemon
1 cup water ( or 1 cup apple juice if you want it sweeter)
Directions:
Throw it all in your blender and hit {Puree}!

Now doesn't that color look very alienish green right?? I was very impressed that all you Book Club gals drank it! It almost looks a little too {healthy} if you know what I mean. SCARY! ;)

The book "The Host" inspired the name and little {alien} surprise at the bottom....

Cheers!

Thai Beef Salad- by Ronda M.

2  thick 8-oz sirloin steaks
1 lemongrass stalk- root trimmed, then lower 2 inches finely chopped
1/2 red onion or 2 small shallots, thinly sliced
1/2 cucumber, cut into strips
2 T chopped scallion
Juice of 2 limes
1-2 T Thai fish sauce
1 jalapeno, seeded and finely chopped (or 2-4 red chilies)
1 tsp cilantro

1. Pan-fry or grill (better) the steaks, aiming for medium-rare.  Let them rest for 10 minutes.  Meanwhile cut up veggies.

2.  After meat is done resting, slice it thinly and toss with vegetables and lime juice and fish sauce to taste.  Sprinkle with cilantro.

This is at its very best served right away, while the meat is warm, but it is fine to make ahead and refrigerate, as well.

Original recipe by Yuwadee Thomas
(I halved the onion amount in the list above, and used even less than that last night.  Also, I forgot the lemongrass last night.)



Ginger Chicken
from "The Everything Thai Cookbook"

2 T fish sauce
2 T oyster sauce
2 T soy sauce
3 T vegetable oil
1 T chopped garlic
1 whole boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 cup sliced mushrooms
3 T grated ginger
Pinch of sugar
3 T chopped onion
2-3 habanero, serrano, or bird's eye chilies, or 1 jalapeño for a mild version
3 green onions, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces

1.  In a small bowl, combine the fish, soy, and oyster sauces; set aside.
2.  Heat the oil in a large wok until very hot.  Add the garlic and chicken, and stir-fry just until the chicken begins to change color.
3.  Add the reserved sauce and cook until it begins to simmer, stirring constantly.
4.  Add the mushrooms, ginger, sugar, onion, and chilies; simmer until the chicken is cooked through, 5-8 minutes.
5.  To serve, ladle the chicken over Jasmine rice and top with green onion and cilantro.

Southwest Pasta Salad

I adapted this recipe from the one found at OurBestBites

1 1/2 lb Fusilli, Rotini or Bow Tie Pasta (We used Trader Joe's organic Fusilli)
2-3 14oz cans black beans, drained and rinsed
6 roma tomatoes, diced or about 1 1/2 C or halved cherry tomatoes ( I love Trader Joe's Sugar Plum Tomatoes)
3 large red, yellow, or orange bell pepper, diced
1/2 C sliced green onions (we didn't add these in the salad that was served at the Visiting Teaching conference)
1 1/2 C frozen fresh corn
optional: 16 oz diced cooked chicken and/or 1 C Queso Fresco or Cotija Cheese (or you could sub grated jack, cheddar or pepperjack)

Dressing:
6 Tbs fresh lime juice (about 3 juicy limes) (Lemon juice can me substituted if you really need it, but lime is best.)
1/4 C white wine or rice vinegar (I always use seasoned rice vinegar)
4-5 cloves garlic, roughly chopped (I use 5 tsp. of the jarred, minced garlic)
1 heaping Tbsp chili powder
2 heaping tsp cumin
1 heaping tsp coriander
1 heaping tsp kosher or sea salt
2 tsp sugar (add a touch more if your limes are extra sour/bitter)
3/4 C canola oil
1/2 C roughly chopped cilantro (I use 4 cubes of the frozen cilantro from Trader Joe's, but that amount is a super-duper mild, almost unnoticeable cilantro flavor - it just blends in rather than stands out.)

Boil pasta in salted water until cooked. While it’s cooking, prepare dressing.

Juice your limes.

Place the lime juice, vinegar, garlic, chili powder, cumin, coriander, salt and sugar in a blender. (Basically everything except the cilantro and oil) Process until smooth. With the motor running slowly, add the oil in a steady stream until incorporated. Add the cilantro and pulse so it gets broken up, but some pieces still remain in tact. (If you use the frozen cubes, then toss it in at the spices and vinegar stage.)

When pasta is done cooking, drain and rinse immediately with cold water to cool. Place the pasta in the large salad bowl. Add black beans, tomatoes, diced pepper, green onions, corn (no need to thaw the corn), and chicken if desired. Toss with dressing. Taste, and add additional salt and pepper to taste. My family loves to eat it warm, but you can chill it for 1 hour before serving. Right before serving, sprinkle cheese on top. Serve with extra lime wedges if desired.

Makes about 7 - 10 dinner servings or 14 - 20 side servings.

Sweet Potato Quesadillas

from "Moosewood Restaurant Cooks at Home"

1 1/2 c. finely chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
3 Tbsp. vegetable oil
4 c. grated, peeled sweet potatoes (About 3 potatoes or 1 1/2 large ones. Grating it in the food processor is the easiest, quickest way)
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. chili powder (I use 1 Tbs.)
2 tsp. ground cumin
generous pinch of cayenne (optional)
salt and ground black pepper to taste
1 c. grated sharp cheddar cheese

8 tortillas (8-10 in. size)
salsa
sour cream

Saute the onions and garlic in the vegetable oil until the onions are translucent. Add the grated sweet potatoes, oregano, chili powder, cumin, and cayenne. Cook, covered, for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent sticking. (I find it takes more like 20 minutes and I have to add a little bit of water towards the end of the cook time, because it starts to stick and the water stops that- plus the steam helps finish off the cooking.) When the sweet potato is tender, add salt and pepper to taste and remove the filling from the heat. Spread 1/8 of the filling and 2 Tb. of cheese on half of each tortilla, leaving a 1/2-in. border along the edge and cook in a heated (med. heat), lightly oiled skillet for 2-3 minutes per side - until the cheese is melted and the filling is hot.

Jenae's Black Bean Salsa

1 can corn drained and washed
1 can black beans - drained and washed
1/2 of an onion - chopped
1 green bell pepper - diced
1 clove garlic - minced
salt and pepper
Italian dressing (don't have a measurement, just to make it moist)
Ranch dressing - just a couple squirts. You want more Italian dressing than Ranch.
Optional items to add:
avocado
cilantro

Tostito lime chips go great with it!!

** This was served at our Budgeting Relief Society Activity. Lots of requests for it. Thanks Jenae!! **
** Submitted by: Jenae Rivera

Cooking for a Crowd

Hi Sisters,
We are going to use our Recipe blog as a place to post recipes "for a crowd" or recipes that easily doubled or tripled. These would be recipes for 20 or more. The sisters in our ward would use these recipes for preparing meals for InnVision, the shelter we provide meals for once a month or ward activities and other big events.
So please share your recipes {for a crowd} that you have been successful with and label how many the recipe would serve. Your talents will help us out so much!
~Sara

Ultimate Pumpkin Waffles Recipe

INGREDIENTS
makes 4 round “Belgian” style pumpkin waffles

• 1/4 cup light brown sugar
• 3 Tbsp. cornstarch
• 1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 3/4 tsp. cinnamon
• 2 tsp. ginger
• 1/4 tsp. cloves
• 1/2 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg*
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 cup canned solid-pack pumpkin
• 4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted and warm

*Grated and lightly packed into the spoon, use 1/2 tsp. Grated and loosely scooped, this is about 1 tsp. of nutmeg. If you have to use pre-grated, dried nutmeg, use 1/4 tsp.

DIRECTIONS

1. Lightly oil the waffle iron with vegetable oil, and set it to the desired temperature.

2. Combine brown sugar and cornstarch in a large bowl. Whisk together to break apart the cornstarch. Add the remaining dry ingredients, and whisk to blend.

3. Separate eggs: yolks go in a medium sized bowl and whites get set aside in a smaller bowl.

4. Add pumpkin and milk to the egg yolks. Whisk to blend and set aside.

5. Whip egg whites with a hand mixer on high until stiff peaks form – about 1 1/2 – 2 minutes. Set aside.

6. Pour melted butter into the yolk/milk/pumpkin mixture. As you pour, whisk to combine.

7. Add the pumpkin mixture to the dry ingredients, and mix them together until just combined. A little lumpiness is fine. That will smooth out when the egg whites are added.

8. Slide the whipped egg whites out of the bowl and onto the mixture you just prepared. Gently fold them in until no white bits are obvious.

9. Once the waffle iron is heated, you’re ready to pour the batter! In my Presto FlipSide waffle maker , cook time is exactly 2 minutes 30 seconds.

This recipe has been posted with permission from:

http://pumpkinwaffles.wordpress.com/ultimate-pumpkin-waffle-recipe/