Menu Ideas for July 2010
A Birthday Celebration Menu
3-2-1 Lemonade- Blueberry Spinach Salad
- Ann’s Chicken Cacciatore
- Fresh Zucchini and Tomatoes
- Upside-Down Chocolate Pudding Cake
3-2-1 Lemonade
Fix-It and Enjoy-It Cookbook, p. 265
Makes 1 gallon
Prep. Time: 15 minutes
3 lemons
2 cups sugar
water and ice to make a gallon
1. Thinly slice lemons, discarding tips.
2. Place in a one-gallon pitcher and add sugar. Stir thoroughly until lemon slices are well-covered with sugar. Let stand for 10 minutes.
3. Add ice and water to make one gallon.
4. Serve immediately or within hours, putting a lemon slice in each glass if desired.
Tips:
1. If you have left-over lemonade, remove the lemons if you won’t be using it within 24 hours. The rinds can turn bitter if left in too long.
2. To get the maximum flavor from the lemons, mash the sugar and lemon slices together (Step 2) until well blended.
Blueberry Spinach Salad
Fix-It and Enjoy-It Cookbook, p. 169
Makes 6-8 servings
Prep. Time: 15-20 minutes
½ cup vegetable oil
¼ cup raspberry vinegar
2 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 tsp.-1 Tbsp. sugar, according to your taste preference
½ tsp. salt
10-oz. pkg. fresh torn spinach
4-oz. pkg. bleu cheese, crumbled
1 cup fresh blueberries
½ cup chopped pecans, tasted
1. In a jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine oil, vinegar, mustard, sugar, and salt. Shake well.
2. In a large salad bowl, toss spinach, bleu cheese, blueberries, and pecans.
3. Just before serving, add dressing and toss gently.
Ann’s Chicken Cacciatore
Fix-It and Forget-It Cookbook Revised and Updated, p. 182
Makes 6-8 servings
Prep. Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 3-9 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 4-qt.
1 large onion, thinly sliced
2½-3-lb. chicken, cut up
2 6-oz. cans tomato paste
4-oz. can sliced mushrooms, drained
1 tsp. salt
¼ cup dry white wine
¼ tsp. pepper
1-2 garlic cloves, minced
1-2 tsp. dried oregano
½ tsp. dried basil
½ tsp. celery seed optional
1 bay leaf
1. Place onion in slow cooker. Add chicken.
2. Combine remaining ingredients. Pour over chicken.
3. Cover. Cook on Low 7-9 hours, or on High 3-4 hours.
Serving suggestion:
Serve over spaghetti.
Fresh Zucchini and Tomatoes
Fix-It and Forget-It 5-Ingredient Favorites, p. 197
Makes 6-8 servings
Prep. Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 2½-3 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 3½-qt.
1½ lbs. zucchini, peeled if you wish, and cut into ¼” slices
19-oz. can stewed tomatoes, broken up and undrained
1½ cloves garlic, minced
½ tsp. salt
1½ Tbsp. butter
1. Place zucchini slices in slow cooker.
2. Add tomatoes, garlic, and salt. Mix well.
3. Dot surface with butter.
4. Cover and cook on High 2½-3 hours, or until zucchini are done to your liking.
Variation:
Sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese when serving, if you wish.
Upside-Down Chocolate Pudding Cake
Fix-It and Forget-It Big Cookbook, p. 610
Makes 8 servings
Prep. Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 2-3 hours
Ideal slow-cooker size: 3½-quart
1 cup dry all-purpose baking mix
1 cup sugar, divided
3 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder, plus 1/3 cup, divided
½ cup milk
1 tsp. vanilla
1 2/3 cups hot water
1. Spray inside of slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray.
2. In a bowl, mix together baking mix, ½ cup sugar, 3 Tbsp. cocoa powder, milk, and vanilla. Spoon batter evenly into slow cooker.
3. In a clean bowl, mix remaining ½ cup sugar, 1/3 cup cocoa powder, and hot water together. Pour over batter in slow cooker. Do not stir.
4. Cover and cook on High 2-3 hours, or until toothpick inserted in center of cake-y part comes out clean.
Note:
The batter will rise to the top and turn into cake. Underneath will be a rich chocolate pudding.