recipes of the day 05/02/04.....make-ahead & easy potluck....

Roasted Turkey Calzones
Source: Better Homes and Gardens

Ingredients

• 1 12 ounce oven-roasted turkey breast, chopped (about 2-1/4 cups)
• 2 cups chopped fresh spinach
• 1/2 of an 8-ounce package shredded 4-cheese pizza cheese
• 1 8-ounce can pizza sauce
• 2 10-ounce packages refrigerated pizza dough
• Milk
• Grated Parmesan or Romano cheese (optional)

Directions

1. In a large mixing bowl combine turkey, spinach, the shredded pizza cheese, and 1/2 cup of the pizza sauce. On a lightly floured surface, roll one package of pizza dough out to a 12x10-inch rectangle. Cut into three 10x4-inch rectangles.
2. Place about 1/2 cup of the turkey mixture onto half of each rectangle to within about 1 inch of edge. Moisten edges of dough with water and fold over, forming a square. Pinch or press with a fork to seal edges. Prick tops of calzones with a fork; brush with milk and place on a greased baking sheet.
3. Repeat with remaining dough and turkey mixture. If desired, sprinkle top of each calzone with about 1/2 teaspoon grated Parmesan or Romano cheese. Bake calzones in a 375 degree F. oven about 18 minutes or until golden brown. Serve with remaining pizza sauce. Makes 6 calzones.
Make-Ahead Tip: Prepare and bake calzones as above. Cool, wrap, label, and chill overnight or freeze up to 1 month. To serve, thaw frozen calzones in refrigerator overnight. Unwrap and place on baking sheet. Bake, uncovered, in a 350¿ oven for 15 to 18 minutes or until heated through.

 

SEVEN-LAYER SALAD
SERVES ABOUT 10

This is traditionally a salad for company-gatherings. However, it keeps very well leftover in the refrigerator for several days so it can be made for an everyday dinner.

INGREDIENTS

1 medium head romaine lettuce, shredded
1 cup coarsely chopped celery
1/2 cup coarsely chopped green pepper
1/2 cup coarsely chopped red pepper
1 cup coarsely chopped onion
1 10-ounce package frozen peas, thawed
4 hard-cooked eggs, sliced
1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
1-1/2 tablespoons sugar
1-3/4 cups medium sharp cheese, grated
8 strips bacon, cooked, drained and crumbled
Place lettuce in bottom of large bowl or 13x9x2 pan, preferrably clear. In layers, add celery, peppers, onion, peas and eggs. Mix together mayonnaise, sour cream and sugar. Spread on top. Top with cheese and bacon. Refrigerate overnight.

Note: This salad is normally made with iceberg lettuce. I prefer to use romaine since it has much more nutritional value. It keeps just as well as the iceberg.

 

ITALIAN POTATO SALAD
SERVES 4-6

This is good, healthy and very easy to make. It is best to prepared several hours ahead so the flavors have time to soak into the potatoes. The ingredients listed are approximate because it depends on the absorbency of the potatoes. I would start with the lesser amount, taste after it sets for awhile and add more as needed.

INGREDIENTS

2 pounds white potatoes, scrubbed (about 6 medium)
1 large onion, quartered and sliced
Salt and pepper to taste
1 to 2 tablespoons dried oregano leaves (use fresh if available)
3 to 4 tablespoons red wine vinegar
3 to 4 tablespoons olive oil
Cook potatoes in lightly salted water until just tender when stabbed with a fork, about 20 minutes depending on size. Drain immediately and allow to cool slightly. Peel if desired and cut into 1/4-inch slices. Place in shallow serving dish in layers, adding onion slices, seasoning, vinegar and oil to each layer. Cover and let stand at room temperature for several hours, tasting after about 1 hour for additional seasoning. Stir gently so as not to break the slices.

Easy Variation: Cut potatoes into cubes before cooking. Drain when tender and place in large bowl. Mix in onion, seasonings, vinegar and oil. Let stand, as above, but stir occasionally to ensure that all is well-combined.

Notes: It is important with this salad, as with most potato salads, that the potatoes not be overcooked or they will mash when stirred. On the other hand, I accidentally undercooked the potatoes one time and that was a disaster. Salad is very good leftover and can be refrigerated for several days. Bring to room temperature before serving.

 

MACARONI AND PARMESAN SALAD
SERVES 6

I'm not sure where this came from, but it is probably our most requested recipe. It has been passed on to so many people that putting it on the web seems redundant.

INGREDIENTS

8 ounces macaroni or shells, cooked al dente
3/4 cup chopped celery
1/3 cup chopped onion
1/3 cup chopped dill pickles
1 cup chopped tomatoes
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon prepared mustard
Salt and pepper to taste
3/4 cup mayonnaise
Combine all ingredients, preferably while pasta is still warm, except the mayonnaise; toss lightly. Add the mayonnaise and mix well. Refrigerate for several hours or overnight. Before serving, bring to room temperature and add additional mayonnaise or cheese if desired.

Notes: If refrigerating overnight, reserve tomatoes until the next day. Since the dill pickles have salt, taste carefully before salting the salad. I like to add a little of the pickle juice and, when it's in season, some fresh dill. This recipe can be doubled. As a matter of fact, a friend of mine made nearly 8 times the amount for a Church supper.

 

FOUR-BEAN SALAD
SERVES 6-8

I guess everyone has a recipe for bean salad. Try this one. It is exceptional.

INGREDIENTS

BEANS

1 16-ounce can green beans
1 16-ounce can yellow beans
1 16-ounce can red kidney beans
1 16-ounce can garbanzo beans (chick peas)
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
DRESSING

3/4 cup sugar
2/3 cup cider vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/3 cup vegetable oil
Drain beans; mix together with vegetables. Thoroughly blend together the dressing ingredients. Pour dressing over beans and toss. Refrigerate overnight. (Can be prepared 2-3 days ahead.)

 

BROCCOLI ONION DELUXE
(Submitted by Theresa)

SERVES 6

Theresa writes: "I'm having this dish for Christmas. I love this one."

snort's note: if you want to use regular cheeses go for it....

INGREDIENTS

1 pound fresh broccoli {can use frozen}
2 cups frozen small whole onions, or 3 medium fresh onions, quartered
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1/4 cup teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 cup milk
13 ounces low-fat package cream cheese
1/2 cup low-fat shredded cheese
1 cup soft bread crumbs

Slit fresh broccoli spears lengthwise; cut into 1 inch pieces. Cook in boiling salted water until tender. {Or cook frozen broccoli according to package directions.} Drain. Cook frozen or fresh onions in boiling salted water until tender; drain. In saucepan melt 2 tablespoons butter or margarine; blend in the flour, salt, and pepper. Add milk; cook and stir until mixture is thickened and bubbly. Reduce heat; blend in cream cheese until smooth. Place broccoli and onions in a 1-quart casserole. Pour sauce over broccoli and onions. Mix lightly. Top with shredded cheese. Pour the remaining 2 tablespoons melted butter or margarine over the soft bread crumbs on top of casserole. Bake casserole in 350° F oven about 40 to 45 minutes or until heated through

 

SCALLOPED TOMATO AND POTATO CASSEROLE
SERVES 6

This is a great recipe for the family or on a hot buffet. And, unlike many recipes with potatoes, it is also very good leftover.

INGREDIENTS

2 large cloves garlic, halved
3 medium potatoes (1 pound), sliced 1/4-inch thick
3 medium tomatoes (1-1/2 pounds), sliced 1/4 to 1/2-inch thick
3 red onions (1 pound), sliced very thin
1/4 teaspoon dried tarragon
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
1-1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 teaspoons salt, or to taste
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
Preheat oven to 400° F. Grease a 12x8-inch or similar size casserole and rub all over with the cut garlic. Reserve the garlic and mince for later use.

In a small bowl, combine tarragon, basil, parsley and minced garlic; mix well. In prepared casserole, layer potatoes, a sprinkling of the herb mixture, salt, pepper and a little nutmeg, then onion, then tomatoes. Sprinkle each layer of tomatoes with a little salt. Repeat layering, ending with tomatoes. Dot with butter. Bake, tightly covered, for 1 to 1-1/2 hours, or until potatoes are just tender. (Time will vary with type and thickness of potatoes.) Remove cover, sprinkle with the grated cheese and bake, uncovered, until cheese is melted.

 

BAKED ZITI
(Submitted by Sue Cabral)

SERVES 15 to 20 ON A BUFFET

Sue writes: "I always look forward to potluck dinners. I guess this would be considered a main dish, one of my favorites. It makes enough to feed about 15-20 people on a buffet line. This dish stays fairly warm for a long period of time because of it's size. "

INGREDIENTS

1 pound hamburger
1 pound ground pork or sausage
2 onions, roughly chopped (I like using the sweet ones.)
2 bell peppers, roughly chopped (Use any color you like.)
2 cans (28 ounces each) of chopped tomatoes or tomato puree (Depending on whether you like chunks of tomato or not.)
8 cloves or to taste of crushed garlic
Basil, oregano, parsley (I recommend fresh) or dried to taste
Salt and pepper to taste
Red wine
2 boxes (16 ounces each) of Ziti, with or without ridges, your preference
Olive oil
3 cups of shredded cheese, either Mozzarella or a combination of Italian cheeses
Preheat over to 350° F. In a large bowl combine the first 8 ingredients until just mixed. Transfer to a large skillet and cook until meat is cooked well through. Add red wine if mixture seems a little dry or even just to flavor.

While this is cooking, cook the two boxes of Ziti according to directions on the package and drain; do not rinse. In a large bowl (big enough to accommodate the macaroni as well as the sauce you're making) toss macaroni with about 2 tablespoons of olive oil. When sauce is done add to bowl with macaroni and toss to coat evenly. Place in pan (see note) and sprinkle on all the cheese. Bake, covered with foil, for 1/2 hour if warm, an hour if previously prepared and refrigerated. Uncover and bake for an additional 15 minutes.

Note: I use one of those disposable aluminum turkey pans for this. They're cheap and you don't have to worry about retrieving a dish from a host's house (or washing it) later on.

 

OVEN-BRAISED BEEF BRISKET
SERVES 8-10

This is a recipe my mother used for years for large gatherings. It is wonderful as is, and just as terrific for sandwiches. The secret is to follow the roasting directions completely...in other words, don't peak. Use a larger brisket for larger crowds and roast at the same temperature for about an extra 30 minutes.

INGREDIENTS

About a 5 pound beef brisket, well-trimmed of visible fat
1 package dehydrated onion soup mix
Pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 325° F. Place brisket in roasting pan. Sprinkle with onion soup mix and pepper. Cover very tightly with foil. Roast for 3 hours without removing the foil. Do not peek! The point is not to allow any steam to escape and the meat will make it's own juices without adding liquids. After 3 hours, remove cover. It will be done and pull-apart tender. (I remember making the mistake of checking the roast after 2 hours. Even though I replaced the foil tightly, the liquids dried out and it just was not the same.) Serve with the pan juices.

Notes: This is very good leftover and reheated, especially as sandwiches.

Variations: Whole onions, carrots, mushrooms and/or potatoes can be added to the roast. Of course, this can be made with your own seasonings, instead of the onion soup mix, and braised in the same manner.

 

BAKED CHICKEN WITH RED WINE AND PECANS
SERVES 4-6

This is very good. See variations below.

INGREDIENTS

1 chicken (3 to 4 pounds), cut into serving pieces
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon rubbed sage
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary, crumbled
Garlic powder or fresh minced, to taste
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 red wine
1 tablespoon olive oil (enough to drizzle over chicken)
1 cup coarsely chopped pecans
Preheat oven to 375° F. Arrange chicken pieces in 13 x 9 x 2 baking dish. Sprinkle with seasonings. Pour wine over all. Drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with chopped pecans. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil; continue to bake until chicken is thoroughly cooked, approximately 30 minutes. If browner chicken is desired, place under broiler for a few minutes, being careful not to burn pecans.

Variations: Add dijon-style mustard and/or Worcestershire sauce to wine before pouring over chicken pieces.