Christmas Book Club

December 20th book club was hosted by Lisa Wood.  It was a wonderful relaxing evening with delicious food.  It was perfect.  As we left Lisa's house it was even snowing. 

We discussed the book 'The Best Christmas Pageant Ever'.  I loved this book.  It helped me think about the real Christmas and what it might have been like.  The book helped me look at Christmas day from a different perspective.  It may have been magical, but Mary and Joseph might have been struggling just like we do everyday.  Through a child's eye, I gained a greater respect for the journey they were on. 


Here is Lisa Wood's soup recipe:

Chicken Gnocchi Soup

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)
• 4 ribs celery from the heart, chopped
• 2 onions, chopped
• 4 carrots, shredded (1-1/2 cups)
• 1 fresh bay leaf
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 6 cups chicken broth
• 1 pound ground chicken
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs (a couple of generous handfuls)
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (a couple of generous handfuls)
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• Dash freshly grated nutmeg
• One 1-pound package gnocchi
• 1 cup frozen peas
• Flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped (a couple of generous handfuls)
• Crusty bread, for dunking

Directions:

1.      In a soup pot, heat the EVOO, 2 turns of the pan, over medium-high heat. add the celery, onions, carrots and bay leaf, season with salt and pepper and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in the broth, cover the pot and bring to a boil.

2.      Meanwhile, in a bowl, season the chicken with salt and pepper. Stir in the egg, bread crumbs, cheese, garlic and nutmeg. Roll the mixture into walnut-sized meatballs. Heat tablespoon of olive oil and brown meatball. Then add meatballs to stoup.

3.      Simmer for about 10 minutes while you wash up. Add the gnocchi to the stoup and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the peas and parsley and cook for 2 minutes. Remove the stoup from the heat, discard the bay leaf and let cool for 5 minutes. Serve with the bread.

Wishing you all a Merry Christmas!

Recipe from March

Red Velvet Cake

Batter

1 cup butter, softened

1 ½ cups granulated sugar

¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tsp each baking soda, salt and vanilla extract

2 large eggs

1 cup buttermilk

2 Tbsp (1 oz liquid red food color

2 tsp white vinegar

2 ½ cups cake flour (not self-rising)

Frosting

3 bricks (8 oz each) cream cheese, softened

¾ cup butter, softened

2 ¼ cups confectioners’ sugar

1 ½ tsp vanilla extract

1.       Heat oven to 350 degrees F.  Coat two 9 x 2 in. or 8 x 2 in. cake pans with baking spray (nonstick spray with flour).

2.       Batter: In a large bowl with mixer on medium-high speed, beat butter, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt and vanilla 2 minutes until creamy.  Beat in eggs, 1 at a time, until blended.  Stir buttermilk, food color and vinegar in a 2-cup measure until well blended.  With mixer on low speed, beat in flour in 3 additions, alternating with buttermilk mixture in 2 additions, beating just until combined.  Spread 3 cups batter in each prepared pan. 

3.       Bake 31 to 33 minutes for 9-in. layers, 41 to 43 minutes for 8-in. layers, until cakes pull away from sides of pans and a pick inserted in center of cakes comes out clean.  Cool in pans on a wire rack 5 minutes before removing from pans onto rack to cool completely. 

4.       Frosting:  Beat cream cheese and butter in a medium bowl with mixer on medium speed until smooth and creamy.  On low speed, add confectioners’ sugar and vanilla.  Increase speed to high, beat until smooth and fluffy. 

5.       To assemble cake:  Place 1 layer on serving plate; spread with 2 cups frosting.  Top with remaining layer frost sides, then top with remaining frosting.  Refrigerate until serving. 

STILL ALICE

Really enjoyed last night's discussion.  The subject of Alzheimer's Disease is always a hard topic to discuss.  It seems we all have a slight fear it might happen to us or someone we love.  I hope that we all have the strength to rally around people with Mental Illness instead of turning our backs on them. 

Though I'm still sticking with the title of 'she who refuses to read the books', I sure appreciate all the work you ladies do to ensure I'm able to enjoy at least one meal a month that isn't fast food.

October Book Club

This month Ladies of Lit book club will be discussing 'Still Alice' by Lisa Genova.  The book is about a Harvard Psychology Professor that is diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer's Disease.  It should be an interesting discussion. 

Rocky Road Fudge Bars

Ingredients

Base
1/2 cup butter
1 cup flour
3/4 cup chopped nuts
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 oz. unsweetened chocolate
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking power
2 eggs

Filling
8 oz. cream cheese, softened (reserve 2 oz. for frosting)
2 tablespoon flour
1 egg
1/4 chopped chopped nuts
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Frosting

2 cups mini marshamallows

1/4 cup milk

3 cups powdered sugar

1/4 cup butter

1 oz. unsweetened chocolate

1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions

Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease and flour 13x9 pan.  In large saucepan, over low heat, melt butter and chocolate.  Lightly spoon flour into measuring cup; level off.  Add remaining base ingredients; mix well.  Spread in prepared pan.

In a small bowl, combine all filling ingredients except nuts.  Beat 1 minute at medium speed until smooth and fluffy; stir in nuts.  Spread over chocolate mixture; sprinkle evenly with chocolate chips.  Bake at 350 degrees for 25 - 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Immediately sprinkle marshmallows over top.  Return to oven; bake 2 mintes longer.

In large saucepan,over how heat, melt 1/4 cup butter, 1 oz. chocolate, reserved 2 oz. cream cheese and milk.  Remove from heat; stir in remaining frosting ingredients until smooth.  Immediately pour frosting over marshmallows and lightly swirl with knife to marble.  chill until firm; cut into bars.  Yield: 36 bars.

Ladies of Lit Book Club