Best Brunch--May 3, 2018

May's Recipe Club theme was "Best Brunch" and I can eat brunch food for all meals of the day! 

Karen made "Sweet Lokshen Kugel," a traditional noodle Jewish dish. This recipe has a subtle and pleasing sweet taste.

Mary brought a "Tropical Fruit Salad." Full of bright colors and flavors, this is an excellent addition to any brunch menu!

Trudy made "Peach French Toast." Lining the bottom of the pan with pears instead of peaches, this was a sweet and fruity french toast.

Margene baked "Simme-Kuckies." This is a bread recipe her grandmother used to make and her first time trying to make it! It has a nice, chewy, cinnamon taste.

Anna made "Holiday Fruit Salad" that is a favorite at many of her family gatherings! This fruit salad has pudding in it!

Marie baked "Blueberry Walnut Coffee Cake." It's her own recipe that she has been tweaking over the years. A delicious coffee cake!

Don made a quiche using a recipe from his daughter-in-law who lives in Vienna, Austria. It is full of good-for-you veggies!

 I made "Granola Cup Parfaits." Build your own with homemade granola cups, lavender lemon curd, yogurt and fresh berries!

Sue S. made "Baked Denver Omelet." Having all the traditional flavors of a Denver omelet, but a lot easier to make in a pie plate!

Bill made "Blueberry Streusel Muffins" that he has been making for years! The streusel topping makes these muffins shine!

Pat made "Mom's Breakfast Strata." This recipe can be easily made ahead of time for an easy breakfast!

Margaret brought "Ham and Cheese Quiche." This is an easy quiche recipe to follow and utilizes a premade pie crust!

Sue R. made "Award-Winning Double Chocolate Banana Muffins." This recipe won her 2nd place at the Wisconsin State Fair in 2003!

Sue R. also brought Irish soda bread!

Rose Mary made a Lemon Mist Fruit Ring (above) and "Morning Glory Muffins" (not pictured). Tasty muffins and a fruit ring go well on a brunch menu!

There were many great recipes shared and more to try next time! Getting hungry? Join us June 7 at 6:30pm at Franklin Public Library. The theme is Favorite Recipe or Cookbook--Everyone has a favorite recipe or cookbook they use over and over again.

All you have to do to join is cook a dish from the monthly theme, and bring the dish and the recipe to the meeting! It's as easy as pie! See you soon!

Granola Cup Parfaits

Ingredients:

• Granola Cups 
• Non-Fat Greek Yogurt
• Lavender Lemon Curd
• Berries of choice

Directions:

1. Start with a granola cup and fill with yogurt, lavender lemon curd, and top with fresh berries.

Submitted by Sarah Bublitz

Lavender Lemon Curd

Ingredients:

• 3 eggs
• 4 egg yolks
• 1/2 cup maple sugar
• Zest from 4 lemons
• 3/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. dried lavender (crushed between fingers)
• 8 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened and cut into cubes

Directions:

1. Place eggs, egg yolks, sugar, zest, juice, salt, and lavender into a medium saucepan and whisk over low heat until it becomes thick enough to cover the back of a spoon (about 10 minutes).
2. Remove from heat and stir in butter until smooth.
3. Allow to cool and store in fridge.

Submitted by Sarah Bublitz

Granola Cups

Ingredients:

• 3 cups rolled oats
• 1 cup sunflower seeds
• 1 cup pepitas
• 1/2 cup slivered almonds
• 1-1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. ground cardamom 
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/2 cup plus 1 tbsp. pure maple syrup
• 3/4 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325°F. Spray muffin tin with olive oil spray (spray really well!).
2. In a large bowl, combine oats, seeds, pepitas, almonds, salt, cinnamon, and cardamom.
3. Add oil, maple syrup, and vanilla and stir together.
4. Using a 1/4 cup, scoop mixture into 24 muffin cups. Spray hand with cooking spray and press mixture into bottom and up the sides of the muffin cups.
5. Bake in oven for 20-25 minutes, or until they start to brown.
6. Let cool completely before removing from muffin tins. Store in an airtight container.

Serves 24

Submitted by Sarah Bublitz

Morning Glory Muffins

Ingredients:

• Butter, for greasing the muffin cups
• 1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup cake flour
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1-3/4 tsp. cinnamon
• 3/4 tsp. cloves
• 1/4 tsp. ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp. grated nutmeg
• 2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 (8 oz.) can crushed pineapple, drained
• 2 cups finely grated carrots (from about 6)
• 1 large crisp apple, such as Fuji, Gala, or Granny Smith, peeled and grated
• 3/4 cup raisins
• 1/2 cup shredded, sweetened coconut
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped pecans or walnuts
• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup canola oil
• 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter 16 standard-size muffin cups or line them with cupcake liners.
2. Place the flours, sugar, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl and whisk well to combine. Add the pineapple, carrots, apple, raisins, and nuts and stir to combine.
3. Place the eggs, oil, and vanilla in a small bowl and whisk to combine well. Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture and stir until just combined. Spoon batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling them almost to the brim. Top with a streusel.
4. Bake the muffins until they are brown and a toothpick inserted in the center of one comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes.
5. Place the muffin pan(s) on a wire rack and let the muffins cool for 10 minutes. Remove the muffins from the pan to finish cooling. The muffins can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 2 months. Let the muffins thaw in the refrigerator overnight and return to room temperature before serving.

Serves 16

Submitted by Rose Mary Walecki, adapted from https://www.cookstr.com/Muffin-Recipes/The-Original-Morning-Glory-Muffin

Sweet Lokshen Kugel

The "Sweet Lokshen Kugel" recipe by Tori Avey can be found at Tori Avey.

Submitted by Karen Kunzler

Avey, Tori. "Sweet Lokshen Kugel." Tori Avey, https://toriavey.com/toris-kitchen/sweet-lokshen-kugel/#wprm-recipe-container-47529. Accessed 23 May 2018.

Blueberry Streusel Muffins

The "Blueberry Streusel Muffins" recipe can be found in Pure & Simple: Beta Sigma Phi edited by Mary Jane Blount.

Submitted by Bill Stoecker

“Blueberry Streusel Muffins.” Pure & Simple: Beta Sigma Phi. Nashville, TN: Favorite Recipes Press, 1994. Print.

Baked Denver Omelet

The "Baked Denver Omelet" recipe by MOMINOREGON can be found at allrecipes.

Submitted by Sue Stoecker

MOMINOREGON. "Baked Denver Omelet." allrecipes, https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/229780/baked-denver-omelet/?lnkid=arm1617. Accessed 23 May 2018.

Mom's Breakfast Strata

The "Mom's Breakfast Strata" recipe by Amy Schmelzer can be found at allrecipes.

Submitted by Pat Reilly

Schmelzer, Amy. "Mom's Breakfast Strata." allrecipes, https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/33174/moms-breakfast-strata/. Accessed 23 May 2018.

Blueberry Walnut Coffee Cake

Ingredients:

• 1-1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 3 cups flour
• 1-1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 2-1-2 cups sugar
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1-1/2 cups milk
• 3 eggs
• 1 tsp. almond extract
• 1-1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1-1/2 cup blueberries
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350℉. Spray the baking pans with Pam. 
2. Mix the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt in a bowl and set aside.
3. Beat the milk, vegetable oil, eggs, and extracts until combined. Gradually beat in the flour mixture. Fold in the blueberries and walnuts. 
4. Divide the batter into 4 or 5 mini baking pans. Bake for 40-45 minutes. Test for doneness by inserting a toothpick in the center and it comes out clean.

Submitted by Marie Weber

Simme-Kuckies

Ingredients:

• 2 cups milk
• 2 cakes yeast
• 1 tbsp. salt
• 6 tbsp. sugar
• 6 tbsp. shortening, melted
• 5-1/2 cups flour

Directions:

1. Dissolve yeast and 1 tsp. of the sugar in a 1/2 cup of the lukewarm milk.
2. Sift flour, rest of sugar, and salt; set aside. 
3. Mix the rest of the milk, the yeast mixture, and melted shortening in a bowl. Add the sifted flour, keeping out 1/2 cup to use in getting the dough out of the bowl and on the board for kneading a bit. 
4. Grease bowl, put dough in, spread a little melted shortening over top to keep from forming a crust; cover with towel and set in a warm place to rise (about 2 hours).
5. Roll out dough to fit in pie pans (about 5 depending on size). Let rise again in warm place until it fills pie pan. Punch holes in top with end of a wooden spoon. Brush milk all over top. Dot with butter over holes. Sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon on top.
6. Bake at 400℉ for 15-20 minutes.

Submitted by Margene McLoughlin (her grandmother's recipe)

Peach French Toast

The "Peach French Toast" recipe by Geraldine Casey can be found at Taste of Home.

Submitted by Trudy LaFond

*NOTE: Trudy used pears instead of peaches and sprinkled a bit of tapioca to thicken the juices.

Casey, Geraldine. "Peach French Toast." Taste of Home, https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/peach-french-toast. Accessed 23 May 2018.

Tropical Fruit Salad

The "Tropical Fruit Salad" recipe can be found in Weight Watchers Turnaround Program Cookbook: 125 Easy Recipes for Both the Flex and Core Plans.

Submitted by Mary Arndt

“Tropical Fruit Salad.” Weight Watchers Turnaround Program Cookbook: 125 Easy Recipes for Both the Flex and Core Plans. New York: Weight Watchers, 2004. 293. Print.

Ham and Cheese Quiche

Ingredients:

• 1 cup chopped ham
• 1/2 cup grated Swiss cheese
• 1/2 cup grated Cheddar cheese
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 2 tbsp. flour
• 1 unbaked pie shell

Directions:

1. Mix all ingredients and place in the unbaked pie shell. Bake at 350℉ for 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Submitted by Margaret Herrick, from the "Gilligan Family Cookbook"

Award-Winning Double Chocolate Banana Muffins

Ingredients:

• 2-3 medium ripe bananas, mashed
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1-1/2 cup flour
• 1/4 cup baking cocoa
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 tsp. baking powder
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, mix bananas and sugar; let set a few minutes to soften. Add egg and vegetable oil.
2. Stir dry ingredients together and ad banana mixture just till moistened. Stir in 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips.
3. Fill greased muffin cups 3/4 full. Bake at 350℉ for 20-25 minutes.

Makes 12 standard muffins.

Submitted by Sue Richichi. This recipe won 2nd place at the Wisconsin State Fair in 2003.

The LAST Name Meal--April 5, 2018

April's Recipe Club theme was a little more creative...The LAST Name Meal! For this theme, patrons make a dish the begins with the first letter of their last name!

Bill S. brought "Salsa," a dish he has been making for many years, ever since he got his Salsa Maker at the Wisconsin State Fair!

Sue S. brought "Spicy Island Shrimp." This recipe lists a good variety and blend of spices!

Anna cooked "Ratatouille." It's a lot of work cutting the vegetables! But it's a great dish to customize with veggies that you like! Serve it warm or at room temperature.

My last name starts with "B" so I brought "Broccoli Salad with Yogurt Dressing." I don't like mayo but I love broccoli and wanted to make a broccoli salad that uses yogurt instead! There's maple syrup in the dressing that sweetens it up, too!

Fred W. brought Rose Mary's "WALECKI Wonderful Waldorf Chix Salad." Rose Mary did most of the work, but Fred cut and washed the apples and grapes! 

Pat R. missed the pie meeting and contributed one this time! She made a "Reuben Pizza." It had the flavors of a Reuben, and she added caraway seeds!

Mary A. made "Artichoke Dip." She uses a spinach dip seasoning and garlic powder. And it's best to serve this appetizer warm!

Cherryl P. made "Cheesy Potatoes." A classic recipe also known as "Funeral Potatoes," has all the comforts we love--cheese, hash browns, and a crunchy topping!

Jan L. brought "Lemon Cream Torte." This was a recipe her mother used to make!

Trudy C. made "Amazing Corn Cake." This tasty cake uses canned cream corn, raisins, and nuts and has a creamy caramel frosting!

Don brought "Apple Sharlotka." It's a very easy cake to make, and the apples are the star in this cake!

Margene M. cooked "Meatballs and Tomato Sauce." These are her family recipes, and she even uses fresh tomatoes from her garden!

Marie baked "Walnut Coffee Cake." This is an old recipe from her mother's friend that her mom made a lot! So it must be good!

Mary W. made "Waldorf Salad," a classic recipe and she added a tablespoon of Miracle Whip, too!

Helen L. baked "Lemon Bars." This classic treat had bright, lemon flavor!

Everyone was very creative with finding recipes that fit their last name! Next month will be a lot easier. It's brunch themed!

There were many great recipes shared and more to try next time! Getting hungry? Join us May 3 at 6:30pm at Franklin Public Library. The theme is Best Brunch—Wake-up your evening with breakfast and brunch recipes.

All you have to do to join is cook a dish from the monthly theme, and bring the dish and the recipe to the meeting! It's as easy as pie! See you soon!

Spicy Island Shrimp

The "Spicy Island Shrimp" recipe by Teresa Methe can be found at Taste of Home.

Submitted by Sue Stoecker

Methe, Teresa. "Spicy Island Shrimp." Taste of Home, https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/spicy-island-shrimp. Accessed 26 April 2018.

WALECKI Wonderful Waldorf Chix Salad

Ingredients:

• 2/3 cup mayonnaise
• 2 tbsp. lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. ground pepper
• 2 tbsp. honey
• 2 cups diced, cooked chicken
• 2 red apples, cored and diced
• 2/3 cup sliced celery
• 1/2 cup caramelized pecans
• 1/2 cup sliced, seedless grapes
• 1/4 cup dried cranberries

Directions:

1. In a bowl combine the mayonnaise, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and honey to make the dressing. Set aside.
2. In a separate bowl, combine all but the apples, pecans, and 1/4 cup of dressing.
3. Stir in apples, pecans, and remaining dressing just before serving.

Submitted by Rose Mary Walecki, a recipe adapted from http://www.geniuskitchen.com/recipe/waldorf-salad-42456 

Apple Sharlotka

Ingredients:

• Butter or nonstick spray for greasing pan
• 6 large, tart apples (such as Granny Smith)
• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• Ground cinnamon, to finish
• Powdered sugar, to finish

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350℉. Line the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper. Butter the paper and the side of the pan. 
2. Peel, halve, and core the apples. Chop them into medium-sized chunks (or 1/4-inch thin slices or strips). Pile the cut apples directly in the prepared pan.
3. Meanwhile, in a large bowl using an electric mixer or whisk, beat eggs with sugar until thick and ribbons form on the surface of the beaten eggs. Beat in vanilla, then stir in flour with a spoon until combined. The batter will be very thick.
4. Pour over apples in pan and using a spoon or spatula, spread the batter and press it down into the apple pile. The top of the batter should end up level with the top of the apples. 
5. Bake in preheated oven for 55-60 minutes, or until a tester comes out free of batter. Cool in pan for 10 minutes on rack, then flip out onto another rack, peel off the parchment paper, and flip it back onto a serving platter. Dust lightly with ground cinnamon. 
6. Serve warm or cooled, dusted with powdered sugar.

Submitted by Don Anderson

Meatballs & Tomato Sauce

Meatballs

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs. ground beef
• 2 eggs
• 1 large onion, chopped fine
• 2 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. celery salt
• 1/2 tsp. garlic salt
• 1/4 tsp. black pepper
• 3 tsp. A-1 Bold Sauce
• 3 tbsp. milk
• 1 cup bread crumbs

Directions:

1. Mix all together. Shape into meatballs.

Tomato Sauce

Ingredients:

• 4 qts. tomatoes (16 cups)
• 3 tbsp. olive oil
• 4 medium onions, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, chopped
• 3 large green peppers, chopped
• 1 (24 oz.) can tomato paste
• 1/2 cup parsley, chopped
• 3 tbsp. granulated sugar
• 3 tbsp. salt--or to taste
• 4 tsp. oregano
• 2 bay leaves
• Crushed red pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Scald, peel, and chop tomatoes. Set aside.
2. In a large kettle over medium-high heat, add in olive oil and saute onion, garlic, and green peppers until tender. Add remaining ingredients and tomatoes. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, 2 hours. Discard bay leaves. Freezes well.

Submitted by Margene McLoughlin

Amazing Corn Cake

Ingredients:

Cake

• 1 (17 oz.) can cream style corn
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 2-1/4 cups flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 tbsp. baking powder
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1/2 cup chopped nuts

Caramel Frosting

• 4 tbsp. butter
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup milk
• 2-3 cups powdered sugar

Directions:

1. In a mixing bowl, combine corn and sugars. Add eggs and oil. Beat until blended.
2. Combine dry ingredients. Add to batter and mix well. Stir in raisins and nuts.
3. Pour into 9 x 13-inch pan. Bake at 350℉ for 30-35 minutes. Cool thoroughly.
4. Make the frosting. Bring butter and brown sugar to a boil over medium heat. Remove from heat. Stir in milk. Stir in powdered sugar until frosting is desired consistency. 
5. Frost the cooled cake.

Submitted by Trudy Cleaver