October challenge

Hidden Valley Torta

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Submitted to Deborah Gibbs who got it from The Detroit Free Press where it was submitted by Dawn Buie

  • 1 pkg (1ounce) Hidden Valley Ranch dip
  • 2 pkg (8 ounces) reduced fat/regular cream cheese
  • 1 jar marinated artichoke hearts (6-7.5 ounces) drained & chopped
  • 1/3 Cup roasted red peppers drained & chopped
  • 3 tablespoons parsley chopped (optional)

Stir together the dressing mix & cream cheese

Stir together the artichokes & peppers & parsley

Line a 3 cup bowl with plastic wrap. Layer the cheese & the vegetable mixtures, starting & ending with the cheese ( 5 layers total)

Chill 4 hours or overnight

Invert onto a plate and remove plastic wrap.  Serve with crackers, pita chips, etc.

Ariela’s Dressing

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Submitted by Deborah Gibbs, who cut it from a newspaper and says, “It’s named after my granddaughter who likes to make it with me. I always have this on hand. “

  • ¼ Cup red wine vinegar
  • 1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon fresh ground pepper
  • ¾ Cup olive oil

Whisk together vinegar, mustard, sugar & salt in a medium bowl. Continue to whisk, & add the oil in a thin stream until blended. Add the pepper.

Simmered Tuscan Chicken

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Submitted by Deborah Gibbs who cut it out of a magazine – sponsored by Ragu

  • 1 pound boneless chicken breast – cut into cubes
  • 2 gloves garlic minced
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 4 medium potatoes cut in cubes (about 4 cups)
  • 1 medium red bell pepper diced
  • 1 jar (27.7 oz.) Ragu pasta sauce (or your favorite.
  • 1 pound fresh or frozen green beans
  • 1 tsp. dried basil

Saute chicken & garlic in olive oil until chicken is lightly browned. Add potatoes & pepper – cook about 5 more minutes, stirring occasionally. Add rest of ingredients – bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium, cover & simmer about 35 minutes until chicken is thoroughly cooked & potatoes are tender. Stir occasionally.

Apple Crisp

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Submitted by Sheila Henkle

  • 7 to 9  apples (about 4 lbs) Use a mixture of 2 or 3 different kinds of your choice.
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1 stick butter at room temperature
  • 1 cup flour
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp sugar, 1/4 tsp cinnamon & 1 tsp lemon juice to mix into apples.

Peel, core, quarter & slice apples, then mix apples with 1 tsp sugar 1/4 tsp cinnamon & 1 tsp lemon juice.  Place apples into a buttered deep dish pie pan or casserole.

Place remaining ingredients in a bowl and crumble with fingers to make topping.  Cover apples with topping.  Bake  at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

Note: You can make this up to 24 hours ahead and keep in fridge.  Then bake when convenient and serve warm.  Good with ice cream.

Cranberry Sauce – Zehnders’ Recipe

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Submitted by Sheila Henkle from www.zehnders.com

  • 1 lb whole fresh cranberries
  • 1 lb apples
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 2 oranges unpeeled

Wash & core apples – leave skin on.

Freeze cranberries

Put half of  frozen  cranberries and  half of apples (peeled & quartered) in food processor and pulse until pieces are about 1/4 inch size – then place in a bowl.  Repeat with remaining cranberries and apples. Add sugar.

Cut up oranges and chop in food processor to the same consistency as cranberry apple mixture. Add to cranberry mixture.  Stir and refrigerate at least an hour before serving.

Berry Mallow Yam Bake

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Submitted by Beth Isola

  • ½ cup flour
  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • ½ cup oatmeal (uncooked)
  • 1 tsp. cinnamon
  • 1/3 cup margarine
  • 2 cans (17 ounces each) yams, drained
  • 2 cups cranberries
  • 1 1/2 cups miniature marshmallows

Cut margarine into flour, brown sugar, oatmeal and cinnamon until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

Toss 1 cup of the mixture with the yams and cranberries. Top with remaining crumb mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes.

Sprinkle miniature marshmallows on top; Broil until slightly browned.

Serves 6

Taco Lasagna

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Submitted by Beth Isola

  • 1 package flour tortillas
  • 1 1/2 lbs. Ground Chuck
  • 1/2 onion
  • 1 Bell Pepper (your choice of color, red, green, etc.)
  • 1 package of Taco seasoning mix (reg or spicy)
  • Shredded Cheese
  • 1 large can of enchilada sauce

Brown the meat and mix in taco seasoning.  Spray a casserole dish with Pam and pour a small amount of enchilada sauce in the bottom of the dish.  Dip flour tortillas into the remaining sauce and layer in the bottom of the dish.  Add a layer of meat mixture and cheese.  Continue to layer until  all the  ingredients are gone.  If you have leftover sauce pour it in.   Bake at 350 until the top is brown and the casserole is bubbly.

Easy and simple.  You can add jalopeno peppers if you like a bit of a kick.  Also you can top the final layer with olives or tomatoes, whatever your gang likes.

Ziva’s Chicken Soup

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Submitted by Debbie Tenzer

  • 6 chicken legs or thighs
  • 2 peeled onions, whole
  • 1 peeled parsnip, whole
  • 6 celery stalks, chopped into 1-inch pieces
  • 6 carrots, peeled and chopped into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 bunch of flat-leaf parsley
  • 1 bunch of fresh dill
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 Tablespoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 chicken bouillon cube

Toss everything into a big pot. Cover with 10 quarts of cold water and heat. Bring to a boil; then simmer for an hour. Strain vegetables and chicken, and cool the broth overnight in the refrigerator. Skim off the fat. Add carrots, celery and cut-up chicken to the broth. You may add other vegetables, noodles, rice or dumplings. Heat thoroughly and adjust the seasoning.

From Do One Nice Thing: Little things You Can Do to Make the World a Lot Nicer, by Debbie Tenzer, published by Crown Publishers.

Cloggers’ Salad

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Submitted by Peggy and Mark Griffin

  • 2 packages beef or chicken Ramen Noodles
  • 1 (16 ounce) package of cole slaw vegetable mix (shredded cabbage and carrots)
  • 7 ounces slivered almonds
  • 1/2 cup sunflower seeds (without shells)
  • 1 bunch scallions, chopped
Dressing:
  • 1 cup canola oil
  • 2/3 cup cider vinegar
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 seasoning packet from the Ramen noodles

Break up noodles (do not cook).   In a large bowl, combine noodles, cole slaw vegetables, almonds, sunflower seeds and scallions. In a separate bowl, combine dressing ingredients. Pour dressing over salad just before serving. Serves 10-12

Denise’s Brisket

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Submitted by Denise Levenson

  • 1 Flat-cut Beef Brisket (2-5lbs.)
  • 1/2 to 3/4 cup of Ketchup
  • 3 heaping Tablespoons of Red Horseradish
  • 2 to 3 Tablespoon of Soy Sauce or Maggis’s
  • Granulated Garlic
  • Salt
  • Pepper
  • Onion
  • 1/3 cup water

Option 2:

Mix in a large measuring cup: Ketchup, red horse radish, soy sauce stir or mix with a fork

Prep Brisket: Season Brisket with granulated garlic, sea salt or kosher salt, pepper.

Put ketchup mixture on brisket and spread to cover whole brisket, cut up onion and spread around brisket add 1/3 cup of water

Cover with foil, place in 350° oven for 2 to 3.5 hrs… depend on size of the brisket.

Slice brisket on an angle place back in pan or serving dish (Pyrex) and pour gravy over top of meat and serve.

You can do this ahead of time and reheat when dinner is served. Cover with foil

Option 1:

Prepare Brisket as above

Cover with plastic and refrigerate for 4 hrs before cooking, I like this method better for myself.

Cook as instructed. When cook time is done slice brisket,place it in serving dish cover with the gravy. Put foil back on and leave 1 hr in oven prior to serving. This give the juice time to meld into the meat..Yummy