Beer Baked Beans

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. dried white beans--Great Northern or your choice
• 1/2 lb. salt pork, diced into large pieces
• 1/4 cup molasses
• 2 tbsp. catsup
• 2 tbsp. prepared spicy brown mustard
• 1 tbsp. plus 1/2 tsp dry mustard
• 3 tbsp. brown sugar
• Salt to taste
• 2 medium onions, chopped
• 8 oz. beer

Directions:

1. Soak beans overnight in cold, lightly salted water. Pour the water off in the morning. Cover again with fresh water, add a little salt. 
2. Bring beans to a boil and simmer for 45 minutes. Drain and save the water. Put the beans in a bean pot.
3. Mix together the catsup, molasses, mustards, brown sugar, and a little salt to taste. Stir a little of the saved hot water into the seasonings. 
4. Add the onions, seasonings, and beer to the beans. Add the salt pork and add enough of the leftover hot water to cover the beans. Cover pot tightly.
5. Bake at 250℉ for 6-8 hours. Check the beans periodically and add extra water if the top of the beans are drying out.

Submitted by Jan Luepke

Spaghetti Salad

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. spaghetti
• 16 oz. bottle Italian dressing*
• 2-1/2 oz. can or spice bottle of salad seasoning (powdery)*
• 2 green peppers, chopped
• 2 tomatoes, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 cucumber, chopped

Directions:

1. Break up spaghetti and cook according to directions on package. Drain. Mix all ingredients together. Stir before serving.

 *NOTE: I use the Italian dressing and salad seasoning to taste instead of using the whole bottle.
 
Submitted by Margene McLoughlin

Cowboy Casserole

Ingredients:

• 1/2 lb. bacon
• 1 lb. ground beef
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 (15 oz.) cans baked beans with pork
• 1/3 cup barbeque sauce
• 1 (7.5 oz.) package refrigerated biscuit dough

Directions:

1. Cook bacon in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat until evenly browned. Drain, and cut into bite size pieces. Set aside. Add hamburger and onion to the skillet, and cook until no longer pink, and the onion is tender. Drain.
2. Stir bacon, baked beans and barbeque sauce into the ground beef, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low, and place biscuits in a single layer over the top of the mixture. Cover, and simmer for about 10 minutes, or until the biscuits are done. Place two biscuits on each plate, and spoon beans over.

Submitted by Pat Reilly from http://allrecipes.com/recipe/51051/cowboy-casserole/

Heavenly Baked Beans

Ingredients:

• 1-1/2 lbs. hamburger
• 1 lb. bacon
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 cup ketchup
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 tsp. mustard
• 1 tsp. liquid smoke
• 1 large can baked beans
• 1 (16 oz.) can kidney beans
• 1 (16 oz.) can butter beans
• 1 (16 oz.) can lima beans
• 1 (16 oz.) can black beans
• 2 tbsp. vinegar

Directions:

1. Fry hamburger, bacon, and onion together, adding a little salt and pepper. Drain. Add all remaining ingredients.
2. Bake in oven at 350℉ for 1 hour.

 Submitted by Bill Stoecker

Peanut Butter Chocolate Cupcakes

Ingredients:

Cake

• 1 package yellow cake mix
• 1 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1/4 cup oil
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup water
• 3 eggs
• 6 oz. chocolate chips
• Dash of salt

Frosting

•  1/2 cup butter
• 1 cup creamy peanut butter
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla
• 3-4 tbsp. cream or milk
• Dash of salt

Directions:

1. Beat the dry cake mix, peanut butter, and brown sugar together. Add the oil and eggs. Mix well. Add the salt and fold in the chocolate chips. Fill 24 cupcake liners with the batter.
2.  Bake at 350℉ for 12-15 minutes. Remove from baking pans and cool. 
3. While cupcakes bake, mix the frosting. Cream the butter and peanut butter together. Gradually add the powdered sugar with the vanilla and cream. Add the salt. Frost the cupcakes.

Submitted by Marie Weber

Black Bean Hummus

Ingredients:

• 2 (14.5 oz.) cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 1 (14.5 oz.) can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/4 cup tahini
• 3 tbsp. lemon juice
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1-1/2 tsp. salt--more or less depending on taste
• 2 tsp. chili powder
• 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 2-3 tbsp. water (or more as needed)

Directions:

1. In a food processor or blender, add all the ingredients except water and puree until smooth and creamy.
2. If needed, slowly add water to reach desired consistency.
3. Serve with veggies, pita bread, or chips.

Submitted by Sarah Bublitz

Picnic Time--June 1, 2017

Summer brings picnics, cookouts, tailgating and more! What better way to celebrate summer with a Picnic themed Recipe Club. Fruits, veggies, pasta salads, potato salads, beans...we ate it all! There was a good variety of summertime food to share with all!

Kathy made German Potato Salad, a recipe passed down from her mother. Sliced potatoes, BACON, and vinegar combine to make a tangy, classic favorite.

 Sue S. whipped up a classic Seven Layer Salad. Layers upon layers of healthy veggies topped with mayo and cheese! Mmmmmmm...

Anna brought Fingerling Potato Salad. The fresh tarragon gives the salad a sweet, robust taste that brightened the veggies in the salad. 

Lori made a light and refreshing Chickpea Salad. Filled with summer veggies and avocados, this salad is perfect for a picnic. 

 Crystal cooked up Pressed Picnic Sandwiches. The hearty ciabatta bread soaked up the fresh pesto that paired perfectly with the specialty Italian meats.

I made a trio of hummus--plain hummus, a sweet and spicy carrot sriracha hummus, and black bean hummus, served with crisp veggies, chips, and pita bread. Lots and lots of chickpeas were used to make these quick and easy hummus's.

Marie made dessert with her Peanut Butter Chocolate Cupcakes. Her creamy homemade peanut butter frosting and the light peanut butter chocolate chip cakes made me wish for a glass of milk! I love peanut butter!

Bill made Heavenly Baked Beans. With lots of beans and meat, this could easily be a meal (or a side dish depending on how hungry you are).  Bill also adds vinegar to cut down on the gassy side-effects of the beans.

Pat R. made Cowboy Casserole. Her basic bean recipe is full of flavor with a surprise at the bottom! Biscuits!

Margene made a Spaghetti Salad. A refreshingly light pasta salad full of summer veggies and Italian flavor, a great addition to any picnic or cookout.

Jan cooked some more beans with her Beer Baked Beans recipe. The beer adds a flavorful element to the beans.

Another delicious Recipe Club meeting, full of picnic and cookout recipes for the summer.  All of the food was tasty! 

Getting hungry? Join us July 6 at 6:30pm in Franklin Public Library's Fadrow Room. The theme is Explore Your Heritage! Bring an ethnic dish relating to your heritage. All you have to do to join is to 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!

Carrot Sriracha Hummus

Ingredients:

• 2 carrots, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 (14.5 oz.) cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 3 tbsp. lemon juice
• 1 tbsp. honey
• 1/4 cup Sriracha hot sauce--more or less depending on taste
• Salt and pepper
• 2-3 tbsp. water

Directions:

1. In a food processor or blender, add the carrots and garlic and blend until finely minced.
2. Add the remaining ingredients except for water, and blend until smooth.
3. Gradually add a tablespoon of water at a time until hummus reaches desired consistency.
4. Serve with veggies, pita bread, or chips.

Submitted by Sarah Bublitz

Hummus

Ingredients:

• 2 (14.5) oz cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 1/4 cup tahini
• 3 tbsp. lemon juice
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1-1/2 tsp. salt--more or less depending on taste
• 2 tbsp. olive oil

Directions:

1. In a food processor or blender, add all the ingredients and puree until smooth and creamy.
2. Serve with veggies, pita bread, or chips.

 Submitted by Sarah Bublitz

Pressed Picnic Sandwiches

Ingredients:

• 1 large loaf of ciabatta bread
• 3-4 tbsp. fresh pesto
• 1/4 lb. sliced sopressata
• 3-4 slices prosciutto
• 3-4 slices provolone cheese
• 3-4 slices mozzarella cheese
• 6-8 basil leaves, washed and patted dry

Directions:

1. Slice the ciabatta bread lengthwise, so there is a top and a bottom slice. Spread 3-4 tbsp. of fresh pesto over the bottom piece of bread, but don't use so much that the bread becomes soggy.
2. Top the pesto with the sopressata, then the prosciutto, then the provolone and mozzarella cheese. Top the cheese with your basil leaves, then place the top of the bread on the sandwich. Press down on the sandwiches with your hands, then very tightly wrap them in plastic wrap. Place the sandwich in the fridge and top with lots of heavy books, a weighted down pot or pan, or other heavy objects you can find. Let sit in refrigerator for up to 24 hours, but even just 3-4 hours, with plenty of weight applied, will yield well-pressed sandwiches.
3. When you are ready to eat, unwrap the sandwiches and use a very sharp knife to cut the sandwich into 9-12 small sandwiches, depending on how big you want them to be. These will keep well after being sliced in an airtight container for up to 2 days.

Submitted by Crystal Faledas from http://www.thecrepesofwrath.com/2011/03/07/pressed-picnic-sandwiches/

Chickepea Salad

Ingredients:

• 1 avocado
• 1/2 fresh lemon
• 1 (14.5 oz. can) chickpeas, drained
• 1/4 cup red onion, sliced
• 2 cups grape tomatoes, sliced
• 2 cups cucumbers, diced
• 1/2 cup fresh parsley
• 3/4 cup green bell, diced
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 tbsp. red wine vinegar
• 1/2 tsp. cumin
• salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Cut avocado into cubes and place in bowl. Squeeze the juice from 1/2 a lemon over the avocado and gently stir to combine.
2. Add chickpeas, onion, tomatoes, cucumbers, parsley, and green bell pepper and gently toss to combine. 
3. Refrigerate at least one hour before serving. 

Submitted by Lori Faledas from http://www.spendwithpennies.com/chickpea-salad/

Fingerling Potato Salad

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. fingerling potatoes, halved length-wise
• 1/2 lb. green beans, trimmed
• 1/2 cup shallot, minced
• 1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 tbsp. white wine vinegar
• 2 tbsp. tarragon leaves
• 2 tsp. Dijon mustard

Directions:

1. Boil potatoes in salted water, about 8 minutes. Add green beans and cook until potatoes are tender and beans tender-crisp, about 3 minutes. Drain, let cool.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together shallot, extra-virgin olive oil, vinegar, tarragon, and mustard. Toss with potatoes, beans, and tomatoes. Serve cool, not cold, or at room temperature.

Submitted by Anna Restivo

Seven Layer Salad

Ingredients:

• Cabbage, finely shredded
• Lettuce, torn and shredded
• 2 cups celery, finely sliced
• 1 sweet onion, finely sliced
• 2 tbsp. sugar
• 1 (10 oz. package) frozen peas, thawed and drained
• 1/2 lb. bacon, fried and crumbled
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• Cheddar cheese, shredded

Directions:

1. Layer the following in a 9x13 inch Pyrex glass dish:
• 1st layer--1/2 inch cabbage, finely shredded
• 2nd layer--1/2 inch lettuce, torn and shredded
• 3rd layer--2 cups celery, finely sliced
• 4th layer--1 sweet onion, finely sliced
• 5th layer--2 tbsp. sugar sprinkled over layers
• 6th layer--peas, thawed and drained
• 7th layer--1/2 lb. bacon, fried and crumbled
2.  Spread mayonnaise by spoon to completely cover salad.
3. Cover salad with shredded cheddar cheese.
4. Cover with foil. May a day before serving.

Submitted by Sue Stoecker

Potato Salad (German)

Ingredients:

• 3 lbs. salad potatoes
• 1 onion chopped
• 4-5 strips bacon
• 1 tbsp. cornstarch
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. pepper
• 1/2 cup vinegar
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup water

Directions:

1. Cube bacon and fry lightly. Add onions, and saute over low flame until tender and transparent. Do not allow to crisp or brown. Add vinegar to bacon onions and drippings and bring to boil. Add cornstarch mixed with water and continue cooking for 2 minutes. 
2. Turn off flame and immediately add sugar. Blend. While hot poor over seasoned pot. Toss lightly. (Adding sugar after dressing is cooked gives is a glossy appearance.)

Submitted by Kathy Neuburg