Starting Now, February is National Potluck Month!

Here at Potluck Paradise headquarters, we've decided to declare February "National Potluck Month."

If ever a month defined potluck, February is it. Days are quiet. Company is gone. Holidays are over, spring is coming, but not soon enough. The weather is capricious. Up here in Minnesota fresh snow is much less delightful now than it was the first week of December -- and, from what we've seen on the new. the same is true for 48 other states.

February is a time to make the most of what you have. To share good times with friends, family, and co-workers. To find your own bit of Paradise in a fun-filled Potluck, if only for an hour or two.

We'll be celebrating four potlucks this month. Watch for posts with recipes and ideas. But here's a hint of the themes: We'll start with thoughts on The Big Game played on February 7 -- the super Sunday. The middle of the month is Valentine's Day and we'll party while keeping our hearts healthy. Lincoln and Washington's Birthdays give a chance to look at some traditional recipes and finally, we'll round out the month with a Resolution Celebration.

Potluck Pizza
You can make this easy, delicious pizza almost faster than the delivery can arrive. It makes a great platform for using up the last bits of meats and vegetables, too.

DOUGH:
1 package dry yeast
2 tablespoons lukewarm water
1 cup boiling water
2 tablespoons shortening
1½ teaspoons salt
3 cups all purpose flour (or bread flour for a chewier crust)

Sprinkle yeast on top of the 2 tablespoons warm water; let stand until dissolved and it starts to foam. Pour 1 cup boiling water over shortening and salt in a large bowl. Cool to lukewarm and stir in yeast. Add half of the flour and beat until smooth. Add the remaining flour and knead into a smooth dough. Divide dough in half for two11-inch thin-crust pizzas, or just form into one 13-inch thick-crust pizza. Flatten dough into round(s) and place on greased cookie sheets. Make edges thicker to keep toppings from escaping during baking. Let rise in warm place as you prepare toppings.

TOMATO TOPPING:
3 tablespoons olive oil
½ cup Parmesan cheese
¾ pound sliced mozzarella cheese
2 cups ripe tomatoes, diced, or 1 (14- to 16-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
1 minced clove garlic
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
½ teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon dried thyme

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Brush dough with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, then arrange half the mozzarella on top. Combine tomatoes with garlic, salt and pepper; sprinkle on top followed by remaining cheese. Sprinkle with dried herbs and drizzle with remaining 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Bake until crust is golden brown, 20 to 30 minutes. Note: Other ingredients can added to taste. Tomato sauce can be put on as the first layer.

Start the Year with a Refrigerator Remnant Potluck!

Company's gone and so are most of the special holiday meals and decadent treats. Time for Potluck Paradise to follow the original meaning and "make potuck" from what's at hand. I found myself considering the last half cup of turkey and it's mate, a half cup of mashed potatoes, with New Year's Resolution Resolve.

This year I will make the most of what I have, following the old adage "Waste Not, Want Not."

I was already feeling virtuous having made two liters of "free turkey soup" while cleaning the turkey roaster. So I poked around in the fridge and found the makings for Mock Shepherd's Pie. Some mushrooms that were past salad perfection sauteed in a bit of butter made the rich-flavored base. I thickened some of the afore mentioned free soup with a bit of cornstarch, ready to bind the turkey, mushrooms, some green pepper and frozen mixed vegetables. In a perfect world, I would have at least a cup of mashed potatoes left so I could mound them on top of the baking dish. No such luck. So I stretched those, too, by adding a lightly beaten egg and a couple of tablespoons of flour. Then I fried them up as potato pancakes.

When I was growing up, refrigerators had a freezer compartment designed to hold just two metal ice cube trays and a maybe, if it didn't need defrosting, box of frozen peas. So my mother was a master of making something tasty out of the "dribs and drabs" from meals past. By Wednesday the last of the Sunday roast was pushed through the meat grinder, tenderizing the gristly bits. She'd mix the meat with a bit of the leftover gravy and spread it between two slices of soft, white bread, then pour the rest of the gravy on top. Yum! hot roast beef sandwiches and you didn't need a knife to cut them. Ham went into scalloped potatoes. Pot roast leavings went into the soup pot. I still use those basics with a twist or two. I tuck salmon into the scalloped potatoes and sometimes make stir-fry from the pot roast.

Using up holiday condiments can be a bit trickier. Cranberry sauce can be melted, combined with a bit of peanut butter and used as a dipping sauce for turkey or chicken. Pickles and olives keep practically forever, and are key ingredients in turning small bits of meat, cheese, or vegetables into appetizer spreads. Perfect for Bowl Game snacks.

Refrigerator Remnant Potluck does well with dessert, too. The last slice of delicious fruitcake (Oh yes! I make a fabulous fruitcake!) can be nicely shared when folded into slightly softened vanilla ice cream. The last of the fudge can be melted down in a bit of milk to make a chocolate sauce for dipping nuts or fruits. Plain oatmeal or sugar cookies can be crumbled and used as a delicious topping for a fruit cobbler made from the centerpiece apples.

The trick is to pretend the kitchen is a cooking show studio. Chopped or Iron Chef come to mind. I open my refrigerator and before me are the secret ingredients. Ready to be embraced with imagination. That's where I'm starting this new year.

Free, Roaster-Cleaning Turkey Soup

Cook the turkey in a heavy roaster, not a throw-away aluminum pan.

Immediately after enjoying the holiday meal, cut all the meat from the carcass. Cut the carcass into pieces. Cover with water and return to the oven at 325 degrees F. If some stuffing is stuck on the bottom, no problem. It will cook off the pan and flavor the soup. I put a piece of cheesecloth on top of the turkey while it is roasting to hold the basting liquids against the skin. I gently pull it off during the last half hour cooking time. I set this aside and then toss it into the soup mix, too. The lovely brown color and rich meaty flavor comes off the cloth and into the soup. Cover the roaster with the lid, or heavy-duty foil. Let cook for one to two hours. Cool slightly, then remove bones, strain liquid, and chill. Once cold, lift off the layer of fat on top.

The roaster will be much easier to clean now that the soup has boiled off a good bit of the stuck on the bottom bits. Use soup within three days or freeze.

Life to the Party -- 10 Tips for Successful Potlucks

Among all the kinds of holiday entertaining, Potlucks are our favorites. They can vary in style from fancy where the best family silver and cloth napkins grace sit-down dining to a casual neighborhood get-together as a way to share the wealth of too many leftovers.

Swapping extra lefse for spare latka, both with related traditional toppings, would be a delicious cultural exchange. Yum! makes me wonder what an all-potato potluck could be made of . . . okay THAT will be a topic for another post, you bet 'cha.

For these weeks of holiday hoopla, we're listing some of our favorite tips for successful potlucks along with wishes for a happy holiday season with lots of leftover joy for the New Year. There are also several proven Potluck Paradise favorites at Rae's Kitchen website. Click on link at upper right of this page to go directly.

1. Balance is good, Health is even better. The host or organizer should not be afraid to ask for volunteers to bring specific kinds of dishes, or even assign them. Ask people to bring recipes or have notecards at the ready so ingredients can be listed and put next to the dish. That way people who must avoid nuts, gluten, chocolate, or other common foods can be informed and know what is safe for them to enjoy.

2. Not everyone has to cook. Someone could bring the beverages, bread, or even the disposable plates, utensils, and napkins.

3. Proper temperature is key. Have room in refrigerator or coolers ready to keep things chilled. Have oven ready to reheat and don’t keep foods out at room temperature for more than an hour.

4. Easy table organization. Have spots figured out for main course, sides, and desserts so it is easy for guests to know where to put their contributions when they walk in the door with casserole or desert tray in hand.

5. Serve yourself. Host should have plenty of serving dishes, hot pads, and serving utensils on hand for those who forgot to bring their own. Have powerstrips at the ready to plug in crockpots.

6. RSVP puzzles? These busy days when traffic is hectic, weather can be uncertain and, dare we say, illness an uninvited complication; it is a good idea to assure the meat of the meal will be there. Have either the host or or a totally reliable guest responsible for the main course.

7. Don’t skimp on plates. Sturdy plates prevent spills. Splurge on more expensive, but spill-resistant thick paper or plastic plates. Consider straw paper plate holders or, for a green potluck, use china.

8. Spice of life. Host or organizer should be sure there are condiments – salt, pepper, butter, catsup, etc.

9. Turning up the heat. If a dish will need reheating make sure a moderate oven temperature will do the job. With most dishes happily heating at 350^o F., a dish needing 425 ^o F. would be an imposition. Have a meat thermometer at the ready to test internal temperature of any food to be served hot.

10. Loving Potluck leftovers. Have supply of plastic ware—maybe those old yogurt or margarine tubs “saved” in your cupboard. Guests can split up any leftovers and continue the potluck fun for their next meal at home.

And finally. . .

Cleanliness is next to . . . Clearly mark garbage bags and recycling bins so guests know where to toss what.

Happy Holidays from the pages of Potluck Paradise and the bottom of our hearts!

Thanksgiving Relish

I've been reflecting over more than forty years of cooking Thanksgiving turkeys and even further back when I helped my Mother. My brother was both fascinated and shuddering as she drew the innards from the turkey back in the days before even "minimally processed" birds arrive with the useful parts wrapped and tucked neatly back.

Some holidays are more memorable than others. Dinners delayed until the weekend when blizzards closed the highway. The "fresh" turkey I shopped for at three grocery stores, freezing in the garage where I'd put it for safe-keeping. The year our addition contractor knocked out 20 feet of the back wall of the house, totally gutting the kitchen, two days before Thanksgiving and then disappeared until the Monday after. You would be amazed what you can do with a hot plate and a smoker in a mild Alabama autumn.

Through all the adventures some culinary and holiday truths emerge.

It's hard to totally mess up a turkey -- gravy can always come to the rescue.

If you blend flour with cold water or broth and use that to thicken gravy, you won't have lumps.

Youngsters can always help "make Thanksgiving" by coloring paper napkin rings, writing place cards, spreading cream cheese in celery sticks, setting the table, or helping arrange the buffet line.

An abundance of fresh vegetables, simply prepared, make a more refreshing meal and more room for leftovers.

Precious little is better than a turkey sandwich with potluck relishes pulled from the fridge after the pots are washed, the plates are put in the dishwasher or back in the cupboard, Turkey carcass soup is simmering, and your team has won the big game.

And, above all, what we have most to be thankful for is around our tables, even if we are in different time zones.

Blessings of the season to all.

This quickly and easily made cucumber and onion relish is the perfect accompaniment. It keeps for days in the refrigerator - perfect to go on top of a sandwich made from the turkey leftovers.

Quick Cucumber Pickle

(serves 7 to 8)

1 large cucumber (or use 2 cucumbers and leave out onions)

2 medium onions

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup vinegar

1/2 teaspoon salt

Select a cucumber that has not been coated with wax and scrub it well. Slice cucumber and onion as thinly as possible and put into a heatproof bowl. Combine the sugar and vinegar in a small saucepan. Stir to dissolve sugar as you bring it to a boil over medium heat. Pour the boiling mixture over the cucumber and onions. Add salt if desired. Let stand until room temperature, stirring from time to time. Cover and put in refrigerator. Keeps for several days.

Snow Storm Soup and Biscuits

It's snowing in Minnesota. The weather prediction yesterday afternoon was for an inch or so, by evening the weather folks had us at 3 to 6 inches. And that's what we've got. It started at midnight. By three this morning the grass was white. At 10:30 we had at least five inches on the grass and sidewalks. Heavy wet stuff, weighing down trees and shrubs. Knew I should have picked some sage yesterday.

Time to see what "potluck" would bring forth for lunch. Just the right ingredients for something I'll call -- Snow Storm Soup -- I pulled six carrots and three apples from the fridge. Peeled, chopped and cooked in a couple of cups of water until tender. Added a can of diced tomatoes and the last of a jar of salsa. Seasoned with some ginger and cayenne. Swirled it smooth with the immersion blender. While that was cooking I made some old fashioned sour milk biscuits from an 1840s recipe. I divided the dough in half. Sharp cheddar cheese in one part and rolled out the rest to make cinnamon rolls. No need to hit the bakery for tomorrow's breakfast.

If we are lucky Mother Nature will melt the sidewalks on this first of the season snow. If not, we have a tasty treat to reward our own shoveling efforts. Happy winter!

1840s Sour Milk Biscuits

2 teaspoons vinegar

2/3 cup milk

2 cups flour

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon butter

1/4 cup boiling water

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Combine vinegar with milk, stir and set aside to sour, about 5 minutes. Mix the flour salt and baking soda in a medium bowl. Add butter to boiling water to melt and then stir into the flour mixture. Then add the sour milk. Stir with a fork and then knead briefly. You may need to add a bit more milk or flour to make a dough that is firm enough to work and not sticky. Break off pieces about an inch in diameter. Place on lightly greased baking sheets and bake until browned, about 10 to 15 minutes. Makes about 2 dozen biscuits

For Cheese Biscuits - stir in 1/4 to 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese with the flour.

For Cinnamon Roll Biscuits - lightly flour working surface, pat dough out in a rectangle until it is about 1/2 inch thick. Spread with soft butter and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Roll up along the long side. Slice about an inch thick and bake. NOTE: if you pat dough out on floured waxed paper it may be easier to roll up.

Amazing Apple Preserves

Well, one thing Potluck Paradise has taught us . . . Everything old is new again. Nothing proves this more than the Apple Preserve we developed for our book talk at the La Crescent Public Library. During our early summer tour through southwest Minnesota strawberry country, we demonstrated making 2 Ingredient, 2 Hour Strawberry Preserves. Now that we were heading into harvest and apple country, we wondered what would happen if we tried the same simple technique on apples.

Fabulous preserves!

Unexpectedly, but logically, the same preserving-sugar magic interaction that keeps strawberries whole, works with apple shreds. The resulting lusciousness is unlike anything we've ever had and is a new favorite. The McIntosh apples -- usually a variety that cooks into soft sauce, delicious spicy apple butter, or strains into clear jelly -- holds up perfectly. Pure sweet apple flavor, great on toast, yummy on ice cream or pound cake and wonderful on a ham sandwich.

It couldn't be easier.

Amazing Apple Preserves

2 cups grated McIntosh apples

(grated on the large side of a box grater)

2 cups sugar

Mix apples and sugar and let stand for 2 hours or longer. Stir from time to time until sugar is dissolved. Put apples into a large saucepan, at least 3 quarts. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Lower heat and cook for 10 minutes, stirring from time to time. Store in refrigerator. Makes about 2 pints.

NOTE: other varieties of apples may work just fine, but I have only tested this with the McIntosh.

Two Ingredient Strawberry Preserves

You can't go wrong with these easy-to-make fresh strawberry preserves. Two ingredients. . .two hours waiting time. . . then cook . . . dissolving remaining sugar for about 10 minutes and then slow-boiling down into preserves for another 10. If preserves don't quite thicken . . . you have ice cream sauce. Too thick . . . and you can thin with a bit of water, wine, brandy, or juice.

Perfect for making the most of "U-picked" summer bounty, just as good for turning less-than-perfect fruit (strawberries, peaches, plums, or other juicy soft fruits) into a delicious spread. Simple to make a pint or two as a surprise holiday gift in the dead of winter from store-bought berries.

Two Ingredient Strawberry Preserves

2 cups strawberries, washed, stems removed and cut into quarters (unless very small)

2 cups sugar

Sprinkle the sugar over the berries and let stand for 2 to 3 hours at room temperature (or up to 8 in the refrigerator). Stir from time to time as the strawberries yield juice. When ready to cook, put the mixture in a large pot and slowly bring to a boil, stirring as sugar dissolves. This should take about 10 minutes. Reduce heat, but keep mixture at a slow boil, and cook for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and skim off any white foam. Pour preserves into sterilized jars and process according to USDA guidelines. Or keep preserves in the refrigerator for up to a month

IMPORTANT NOTE: select a pot that allows mixture to boil up four or five times the original volume as it cooks.

Copyright 2010 Rae Katherine Eighmey. All rights reserved.