Wisconsin Beer Cheese Chowder

This recipe was served at the gourmet club we belong to in Northern Wisconsin, with this year's theme "Wisconsin Supper Clubs". I was assigned to make this delicious soup, and that it was. And it might have been even better if I had remembered to add the cup of beer left on the kitchen countertop by mistake. I did add some to the remaining soup, but honestly . . . I liked it better without it. So suit yourself either way.


5 cups broccoli florets
2 cups chopped carrots
½ cup chopped onions
3 cups chicken broth
¾ cup butter
¾ cup flour
1 tsp dry mustard
2 tsp white (or black) pepper
5 cups milk
8 oz cream cheese, softened
2 pounds Velveeta cheese, cubed
1 pound cooked Polish sausage, cubed or sliced
1 cup flat beer


Combine broccoli, carrots, onions, and chicken broth in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer until tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Set aside. Do not drain.

Melt butter in a large kettle. Stir in flour, dry mustard, and pepper. Add milk all at once. Cook and stir until thick, about 10 minutes.

Place cream cheese in a mixing bowl. Stir in 1 cup of the hot milk mixture. Beat until smooth and creamy. Pour back into kettle. Add Velveeta, sausage, beer, and undrained vegetables. Heat through at low temperature.

Makes 1 gallon. Leftovers freeze nicely.

Kittencal's Famous Greek Salad

Be prepared for the best Greek salad on the planet. But plan ahead because the dressing needs at least 2 or more hours to blend the flavors, I sometimes add in 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese to the dressing for a more cheesy dressing, all amounts may be adjusted to taste ---- to marinade the salad allow to sit at room temperature before serving, see bottom of page. 

1 large romaine lettuce, chopped (or use 2 small)
2 -3 plum tomatoes, cut in wedges (use Roma tomatoes)
1 English cucumber (peeled, seeded and chopped)
1 red onion, cut in slices
1 green bell pepper (seeded and cut into rings or sliced) (optional)
1/2 lb feta cheese, crumbled (or to taste)
1 cup Kalamata olive

Place the salad ingredients in a large bowl. Pour dressing over; toss to combine.
If desired allow the salad to sit at room temperature for 20 minutes before serving, or you can refrigerate for 1 hour (tossing a few time during sitting time).

Greek Feta Salad Dressing
Plan ahead this dressing has a 24 hour chilling time to blend the flavors, don't even think about serving this right away. This must be made on a food processor for the feta to combine properly --- the success of this dressing will highly depend on the quality of olive oil, oregano and feta cheese that you use I recommend purchasing those ingredients in a Greek grocery store.

1 cup olive oil 
Juice of 1 extra large, or 2 smaller lemons
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon dried oregano (rubbed between fingers to release the flavors)
2 teaspoons dried basil (rubbed between fingers to release the flavors)
1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 garlic cloves, minced
3/4 teaspoon white salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper (can use more)
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4-1/3 cup coarsely crumbled feta cheese
Optional addition, ¼ cup Parmesan cheese

In a food processor combine the first 10 ingredients; process for about 10 seconds.
Add in the feta cheese and continue to process until the cheese has combined (this may take about 12-15 seconds). Place in a glass jar with a tight-fitting lid and refrigerate for 24 hours. Shake well before using.

Italian Wedding Soup

This is a Barefoot Contessa recipe, and I have never tried one that wasn't absolutely wonderful. Beyond a doubt, she is my favorite celebrity cook.


For the meatballs:
3/4 pound ground chicken 
1/2 pound chicken sausage, casings removed 
2/3 cup fresh white bread crumbs 
2 teaspoons minced garlic (2 cloves) 
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves 
1/4 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano 
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan, plus extra for serving 
3 tablespoons milk 
1 extra-large egg, lightly beaten 
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 

For the soup:
2 tablespoons good olive oil 
1 cup minced yellow onion 
1 cup diced carrots (3 carrots), cut into 1/4 inch pieces 
3/4 cup diced celery (2 stalks), cut into 1/4 inch pieces 
10 cups homemade chicken stock 
1/2 cup dry white wine 
1 cup small pasta such as tubetini, stars, or orzo 
1/4 cup minced fresh dill 
12 ounces baby spinach, washed and trimmed 


Preheat the oven to 350º. 

For the meatballs, place the ground chicken, sausage, bread crumbs, garlic, parsley, Pecorino, Parmesan, milk, egg, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a bowl and combine gently with a fork. With a teaspoon, drop 1 to 1 1/4-inch meatballs onto a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. (You should have about 40 meatballs. They don't have to be perfectly round.) Bake for 30 minutes, until cooked through and lightly browned. Set aside. 


In the meantime, for the soup, heat the olive oil over medium-low heat in a large heavy-bottomed soup pot. Add the onion, carrots, and celery and sauté until softened, 5 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the chicken stock and wine and bring to a boil. Add the pasta to the simmering broth and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, until the pasta is tender. Add the fresh dill and then the meatballs to the soup and simmer for 1 minute. Taste for salt and pepper. Stir in the fresh spinach and cook for 1 minute, until the spinach is just wilted. Ladle into soup bowls and sprinkle each serving with extra grated Parmesan.  

Apple Cake ~ Jan Faulkner

I haven't made this one yet, but Jan tells me it is absolutely yummy, and she's one darn good cook! It's on my hit list to make soon.

Beat at medium speed for 3 minutes

            1 C oil

            2 C sugar

            3 eggs

            1 tsp vanilla

Sift together and gradually add to egg mix beating well after each addition

            2 C sifted flour

            1 tsp salt

            1 tsp baking soda

Prepare and add to dough

3C apples pared & diced

            1 C chopped walnuts

            1 tbsp flour

Pour into grease and floured 9X13 pan.  Bake at 350 for 1 hour until done.  Cool on rack.

Combine in sauce pan and boil for 3 minutes stirring constantly

            ½ C butter

            1 C brown sugar- packed

            ¼ C milk

Immediately spread over cake

Spinach Breakfast Casserole

2 1/2 c. good quality seasoned croutons, or oven dried rustic Italian bread cubes

4 eggs

1/4 t. dry mustard

1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup

2 1/4 c. milk

1   10-12 oz. pkg. chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry

1   4 oz. can chopped mushrooms, drained

1 c. shredded cheddar cheese*

1 c. shredded Monterey Jack cheese*

Spread croutons on bottom of buttered 9 x 13 pan, keeping them a little bit away from the edges of the pan. Otherwise, when you add the egg mixture, the croutons will sneak up over the edges, and you will have to dunk them back under.

Whisk eggs in large bowl. Stir in condensed soup, mustard, and milk. Add spinach, mushrooms, and half of the combined cheeses. Pour this mixture over croutons. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Bake, uncovered, at 325º for 40 minutes, or until set and lightly brown. Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top. Turn off the oven and set the casserole back in the oven for about 15 minutes to melt the cheese.

NOTES:

*Combine the two cheeses together, reserving half.

Blackberry Pie

Blackberries grow wild up in Northern Wisconsin. So Dave does the pickin' and I do the fixin'. Fresh berries make a pie extra special. 

4 cups blackberries, washed and drained well

1¼  cup granulated sugar

8 teaspoons cornstarch

2 tablespoons quick-cooking tapioca

⅓ cup water

4 tablespoons butter

1 recipe pastry for a 9 inch double crust pie crust

Mix together berries, sugar, cornstarch, tapioca and water.

Mix and let sit while you make your pie crust.

Put berries in bottom crust and put 4 pats of butter on top.

Put on top crust and crimp edges. Make slits in crust to allow steam to escape.

Bake at 425º for 15 minutes then reduce heat to 350º and bake 45 minutes.

Mexican Rice

This is the BEST Mexican rice.  Be sure to pre-rinse the rice per directions and you will be rewarded with a very moist, extra flavorful and very fluffy delicious rice.

1 can(s) (14 -15 oz) tomatoes (diced)

1 onion (medium) (white) chopped fine

3 jalapenos- seeds removed- chopped

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 green pepper, chopped fine

2 c long grain white rice

1/3 c canola oil

2 c chicken stock or broth

Salt and pepper

1 1/2 c black beans, canned - rinsed

1/2 c cilantro, fresh- washed and minced

Pre heat oven to 350°.

Chop onion, jalapeños (can use jarred jalapeños for convenience) green pepper, garlic and cilantro.

Place rice in a fine mesh strainer and rinse under cold running water for 2 minutes....if you omit this step your rice will not be dry and fluffy...do the rinse, you will be glad you did! Tap off as much water out of the rice as you can.

Using a good size dutch oven or large oven proof pot ( if concerned about the handles of your pot melting in the oven , wrap them in heavy duty foil and you should be able to get away with it unless they are made of plastic.

Heat the canola oil in the Dutch oven over med high heat for 2 minutes. Drop a few grains of the washed rice into the heated oil...if it sizzles, its ready! If not give it another minute and try again. Fry the rice for 6-8 minutes until a light golden color.

Reduce heat to medium and add the onions and peppers. Saute for 4-5 minutes. Add garlic and saute for 2 minutes. Stir in the chicken stock, can of tomatoes, and salt and pepper.

Increase heat to medium high and bring to a boil. Cover pan and transfer to oven to bake until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender 30 -35 minutes ( stirring well after 15 min of baking) Remove from oven after 30- 35 min and stir in the black beans and cilantro.