Steelers' Sweet and Sour Meatballs

Sunday afternoon the Pittsburgh Steelers take on the Green Bay Packers. For Steeler fans, these easy-to-make-ahead meatballs with chipped spinach and golden raisins are a metaphor for the dominance of their team over the Green and Gold. For the rest of us here at Potluck Paradise headquarters, they are just a great meatball that keeps in the fridge for a few days and freezes nicely for a month or more in the sauce. Baking the meatballs in the oven eliminates the need to fry them on top of the stove. A method we love here at PP headquarters for efficiency and neatness!

Steelers’ Sweet and Sour Meatballs

For the Meatballs:
1 9-ounce package frozen GREEN spinach, thawed
1/2 cup GOLDEN raisins
1/2 cup dry unseasoned bread crumbs
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
1/8 teaspoon cloves
1/2 cup orange juice
2 whole eggs, or 3 egg whites
2 1/4 pounds 90% lean ground beef

For the Sauce:
1 14-16 ounce can whole berry cranberry sauce
1 1/2 cups white wine or apple juice
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons white vinegar
3 tablespoons corn starch
1/2 cup cold water

To Serve:
1 jar cooked red cabbage
Leaves of Romaine lettuce

Preheat oven to 400 degreed F. Thaw the spinach and wring out until very dry. Put spinach and raisins in food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Or chop with a knife. Put the breadcrumbs in a large mixing bowl and stir in the seasonings. Stir in the orange juice and let stand a couple of minutes until the juice is completely absorbed. Stir in the spinach raisin mixture and the eggs. Then add the ground beef. Line a large baking sheet with heavy-duty aluminum foil. Spray with cooking spray. Form beef mixture into balls, about the size of a large walnut. Place on sheet and spray tops of meatballs with cooking spray before putting into the oven. Bake until internal temperature of the meatballs reaches 160 degrees F. and the tops are browned.

While meatballs are baking, make the sauce. Put cranberry sauce, wine or juice, brown sugar and vinegar into a large pot. Cook over medium heat, stirring from time to time, until cranberry sauce is melted. While this is cooking, combine the cold water and corn starch into a smooth mixture. Gradually stir it into the sauce. Continue stirring until the sauce thickens and turns transparent.

When meatballs are fully cooked, gently place them in the sauce and stir to cover them. Allow to cool and then refrigerate before serving.

To serve. Heat the red cabbage and meatballs. Wash the Romaine lettuce leaves and dry. Place a dollop of cabbage on leaf and then one or two meatballs. Fold up leaf to eat and enjoy!

Copyright 2011 Rae Katherien Eighmey All rights reserved

Green Bay Sacked Potatoes

Cheer on the Green Bay Packers in the Big Game with these easy to make stuffed potatoes. Good hot, warm or room temperature, this healthful and filling dish couldn't be easier to make. Tomorrow's dish as our National Potluck Month continues -- Steelers' Sweet and Sour Meatballs

Green Bay Sacked Potatoes

Ingredients::
"B" size red potatoes
Fully cooked "brown and serve" sausages -- one for each whole potato
Cheddar cheese, finely grated -- 2 teaspoons for each whole potato

Method:
Scrub and then gently boil the potatoes until tender. Cool and slice in half. With a small spoon, scoop out a hollow bowl in the middle of the potato, reserving the scooped out potato bits. Cook the sausage according to package directions then dice.

Combine the cooked potato, diced sausage and grated cheese. Put back into the potato shell. Warm under the broiler or in the microwave until the cheese melts. Serve hot or at room temperature. You can make these ahead and store in the refrigerator until game time!

Potluck with the Champions

Super Bowl contenders Green Bay Packers and Pittsburgh Steelers fought their way through teams with some tasty cuisine to get to the Big Game. One Potluck Paradise theme for a Super Sunday buffet features classic dishes from those cities.

The Pittsburgh side could feature Baltimore crab cakes and New York Reuben sandwiches or soft pretzels with mustard. On the Green Bay side of the table how about Chicago-style hot dogs -- beef dogs served on steamed poppy seed buns with yellow mustard, green relish, chopped onion, a couple of tomato slices, pickle spears and a dash of celery salt. There is only one way to pay homage to the Philadelphia Eagles -- a hearty cheesesteak!

Here at Potluck Paradise headquarters we've had a hard time choosing a dish to celebrate Atlanta's team, there are so many possibilities among great urban Southern dishes. Then we came up with Peachy Atlanta Falcon . . errr Chicken .. and Peach-Pecan Chutney.

Easy to make, good served hot or at room temperature, this dish will bring folks around to the Green Bay side even if they are rooting for Pittsburgh. The only hard part is allowing time for the chicken to marinate in the yogurt for at least 8 hours in the refrigerator. But it is a treat that is well worth the wait.

Peachy Atlanta Chicken with Peach-Pecan Chutney Sauce

2 pounds skinless chicken pieces -- You can use tenders, breasts either whole or cut into pieces, or thighs With or without bones.
1 8-ounce container peach yogurt
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon powdered garlic

For the Sauce
1 14- to 16-ounce can peach halves or slices packed in juice
2 tablespoons Balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons white vinegar
1/4 cup peach juice drained from the can
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
1/4 cup finely diced green pepper
1/4 cup finely diced onion
1/2 cup golden raisins
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/4 cup chopped pecans

The day before you are going to cook the chicken -- wash the chicken pieces, pat them dry and place them in a gallon-size zippered plastic bag. Mix the seasonings into the yogurt. With a spoon, spread the yogurt on the chicken, trying to cover all sides. Shut bag and gently smush to spread yogurt over chicken even more. Refrigerator for at least 8 hours, turning and smushing the bag a couple of times. When ready to cook: Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking pan with heavy-duty foil and place the chicken on it in a single layer. Bake until cooked through and lightly golden on top. Thickly cut tenders take about 20 minutes. Full breasts on the bone will take much longer.

To make the Sauce:
Drain the juice from the peaches and set the fruit aside. Combine all ingredients except the pecans in a medium saucepan. Bring to a simmer and then cook for 10 minutes, stirring from time to time. Watch that the sauce does not scorch. After 10 minutes, remove it from the heat. While the sauce is cooking, finely dice the peaches and add them to the cooked sauce. The heat remaining is enough to cook the peaches into the sauce. When ready to serve alongside the chicken, sprinkle with pecans.

Super Deviled Eggs

Take Deviled Eggs to any potluck or Game Day party and just stand back. It's magic! They practically disappea before your eyes.

Our Potluck Paradise version updates the classic recipe with a bit of hidden, heart-healthy, finely grated carrot. The result: sunny yellow filling with half the cholesterol of a traditional version. All the flavor and a bit of added texture for interest. Best make extra for the family, because we guarantee you won't have any leftover to tote home.

Super Deviled Eggs
Quantity for 4 eggs ( 8 halves) Can easily be doubled or tripled.
4 hard-cooked eggs, peeled and sliced in half
1 large carrot
2 tablespoons mayonnaise (more or less to taste)
1 teaspoon mustard (more or less to taste)
1/8 teaspoon dill weed
a couple grinds fresh black pepper

Peel and grate the carrot on the finest side of a box grater. The strands should look like thread. Put the carrot into a double layer of paper toweling. Wring out to remove excess moisture. You will have about 1/3 cup of dry carrot strands. Remove the yolks from the egg whites and DISCARD half of them. Put the remaining yolks in a shallow bowl and mash with a fork. Add the mayonnaise, mustard, and seasonings. Stir in the carrot strands and spoon into the egg whites. Cover lightly and keep refrigerated until serving.

Potluck Paradise Method for Cooking Eggs to Hard Boil.
Always use the oldest eggs in your refrigerator. If I know I'm going to want to make hard-boiled eggs, I will often buy the eggs a couple of weeks in advance. As eggs age in the refrigerator, the air pocket extends and expands between the white and the shell. The larger this air layer is, the easier they are to peel after cooking.

Fill a saucepan with warm water. Put the eggs in so that they are in a single layer and covered with the water. Bring the water to a boil over medium heat. Once the water is at a full boil. Turn off the heat, cover pot and let stand for 10 to 15 minutes, Longer time for larger eggs. Drain off water. Fill pot with cold water, gently crack the eggs all around the shell and put into the cold water for a couple of minutes. The pull an egg out and start removing the shell at the bigger end. If the shell is still sticking, hold the egg under a slow stream of water from the faucet and let the running water get between the shell membrane and the white.

Countdown to the Big Game

Here at Potluck Paradise headquarters we've declared February to be National Potluck Month. What better way to start the event with a countdown of recipes and ideas for the Super Day.

We're starting off with a healthy take on chips and dips. Non-fat cream cheese forms the base and we're slicing carrots into a chip. Holds more dip that a carrot stick and healthier than a salty corn or potato chips.

We'll have more recipes this coming week so you can prepare for your game-day Potluck.

To make Carrot Chips.
Pick a fat carrot. Peel with a vegetable peeler and then peel a thick slice off one side to provide a flat edge to make the chips. Carefully slice a long diagonal along the length of the carrot. Then cut slices about 1/8 of an inch thick into chips.

Cranberry Cream Cheese Dip with Carrot "Chips"
1 8-ounce container fat-free Philadelphia cream cheese
2 ounces dried cranberries
2 ounces chopped pecans
2 tablespoons minced green pepper
1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons cranberry sauce, jelly or whole berry


Copyright 2011 Rae Katherine Eighmey All rights reserved

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.