Hor'dourve Platter

This little palter is a sinch to put together, and will have all your friends impressed!

Supplies:

-2 China dinner plates

-1 Candle stick holder

- Gorilla Glue

- Damp Cloth

Instructions:

Step 1:

Dappen the bottom of your candle stick. Apply a thin layer of gorilla glue around the edge of the candle stick. You want to be careful when working with gorilla glue. Working with gloves is a good idea because this glue can stain your skin. You might also want to ware and apron too, this glue will ruin your clothes if it comes into contact with them.

Step 2:

Take plate number 1, and have it turned right side up. Place the glued side of your candle stick in the center of your plate.

Step 3:

Dappen the top of the candle stick, and then apply a thin layer of gorilla glue to the top

of your candle stick. Take plate number 2, and place the bottom of the plate onto the top of the candle stick. Make sure everything is centered. 

Step 4:

Once everything is centered, and placed together, place something that will act as a weight to hold everything together while it dries. I like to used a heavy book. Allow glue to dry 1-2 hours before using. 

Mexican Shredded Beef (Courtesy: the Editors of Publications International, Ltd.)

COOK TIME 8 to 10 hours PREP TIME 12 minutes

YIELD Makes 5 cups filling

INGREDIENTS

1	boneless beef chuck shoulder roast (about 3 pounds)
1	tablespoon ground cumin
1	tablespoon ground coriander
1	tablespoon chili powder
1	teaspoon salt
1/2	teaspoon ground red pepper
1	cup salsa or picante sauce
2	tablespoons water
1	tablespoon cornstarch
Taco shells, flour or corn tortillas

PREPARATION:

SLOW COOKER DIRECTIONS

1. Cut roast in half. Combine cumin, coriander, chili powder, salt and red pepper in small bowl. Rub over roast. Place 1/4 cup salsa in slow cooker; top with one piece roast. Layer 1/4 cup salsa, remaining beef and 1/2 cup salsa in slow cooker. Cover; cook on LOW 8 to 10 hours.
2. Remove roast from cooking liquid; cool slightly. Trim and discard excess fat from beef. Shred meat with two forks.
3. Let cooking liquid stand 5 minutes to allow fat to rise. Skim off fat. Blend water and cornstarch until smooth. Whisk into liquid in slow cooker. Cook, uncovered, 15 minutes on HIGH until thickened. Return beef to slow cooker. Cover; cook 15 minutes or until hot. Adjust seasonings. Serve in taco shells. Leftover beef may be refrigerated up to 3 days or frozen up to 3 months.

Italian Chicken Salad in Lettuce Cups (Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis)

Prep Time:

40 min

Serves:

12 servings

Ingredients

• 10 cups coarsely shredded cooked chicken (from about 3 purchased roasted whole chickens)
• 2 cups roasted red and yellow bell peppers, drained, patted dry, and coarsely chopped
• 1 1/4 cups paper-thin slices red onion
• 3/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
• 3/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted
• 1/2 cup drained capers
• 1 1/2 cups (about) Red Wine Vinaigrette, recipe follows
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 24 butter lettuce leaves (from about 3 large heads)
• 1 (4-ounce) piece Parmesan, shaved with vegetable peeler

Directions

Toss the chicken, bell peppers, onion, parsley, almonds, and capers in a large bowl with enough vinaigrette to moisten. Season the chicken salad with salt and pepper, to taste.

Arrange 1 large lettuce cup and 1 small lettuce cup on each plate, overlapping slightly. Spoon the chicken salad into the lettuce cups. Drizzle more vinaigrette over the salads. Sprinkle with the Parmesan and serve.

Do-Ahead Tip: The chicken salad can be prepared 4 hours ahead and refrigerated. Just before serving, spoon the salad into the lettuce cups.

Red Wine Vinaigrette:

1/2 cup red wine vinegar

1/4 cup lemon juice

2 teaspoons honey

2 teaspoons salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 cup olive oil

Combine the vinegar, lemon juice, honey, salt, and pepper in a blender. With the machine running, gradually add the oil and blend until emulsified.

Yield: 1 3/4 cups

Cake Stand

This is a sweet little cake stand that you can put together in minutes!

Supplies:

• 1 Dinner plate
• 1 dessert bowl (use a bowl that will be able to hold some weight).
• Gorilla Glue
• 1 Damp cloth

Instructions:

Step 1:

Dampen the bottom of your dessert bowl with your damp cloth. Apply a thin layer of gorilla glue to the bottom of damped dessert bowl. You might want to wear gloves when working with gorilla glue. If it gets onto your hands it can stain the skin. This glue can ruin your clothes too, so be very careful when working with gorilla glue.

Step 2:

Turn your dinner plate upside down. Take the glued dessert bowl and place the glued side onto the dinner plate. Make sure the the bowl is centered to the dinner plate, so you don’t have a tipping accidents.

Step 3:

Once you have all you pieces put together, and centered, find something that will act as a weight on your platter while the glue dries. I used some books to hold my pieces together. Let dry for 1-2 hours before using. 

Step 4:

Enjoy your new plate! 

To busy to post.

Sorry for not having posted any blogs lately. It's been a crazy month. I'll just post for you all next year! 

Quinoa Casserole: From the kitchen of Sarah Marchlewski

Ingredients

1 cup uncooked quinoa

2 cups water

1 zucchini, cubed

2 cups chopped mushrooms

3 cups cubbed chicken

1 ½ cups Gluten free cream of mushroom soup (recipe fallows)

10 oz cheese

Gluten Free Cream of Mushroom Soup (makes 3 cups)

3 cups finely chopped mushrooms

1 tbsp. Butter

2 tsp. Salt

2 tsp. Worstershire sauce

¼ tsp. Dried Italian seasoning

¼ cup water

7 tsp rice flower

2 cups half and half

Heat butter on medium heat in a sauce pan. Add the mushrooms, and saute until cooked through. . I like to add garlic to the mushroom saute. Add salt,pepper and Italian seasoning. Cook and stir one minute more. Add half-and-half. Allow mixture to just come to a boil. Stir rice flour and water in a small bowl. Add to sauce pan. Add worstershire,stir. Cook until thickened. Makes about 3 cups of soup. The consistency is kind of glutinous but this works and tastes very well for all those recipes that call for cream of mushroom soup.

This can also be frozen to keep on hand.

Pre- heat oven to 350 degrees. Cook quinoa in 2 cups of water for 25 minutes or until water is absorbed. Meanwhile saute mushrooms and onions in a little bit of butter about 5 minutes. Mix ALL the ingredients together then transfer into a casserole dish.

Place into the pre- heated oven for 40-45 minutes. Let rest for 5 minutes then serve.

Great Depression Cooking - The Poorman's Meal