November Book Club's Cream Cheese Dip

by

Jonette Wells

This is one of those recipes without instructions that you just kind of throw together. Depending on how much you are making: 1-2 8 oz. pckgs. cream cheese; small can crushed pineapple, chopped almonds, chopped red pepper, chopped onion, 1 tsp. Worc. sauce. I mix all this together in my Cuisine Art and Walla! I decided last time, though, that I would mix everything except the rep pepper and then fold it in at the last, so the red pepper chunks aren't so blended that it turns the sauce a salmon pink color. Then everyone assume's it's a salmon dip; plus I think the white cream cheese with red pepper looks better. Anyway, please add your recipes! I just love our luncheons and the variety of food we get to sample from everyone's kitchen. And thank you Sheila for setting this up -- it's such a good idea!

Christmas Meatballs

I asked Mary for the recipe for her meatballs she served yesterday. She purchased the meatballs at Cash N Carry because she wanted smaller meatballs than Costcos. She mixed a jar of Heinz chili sauce and a can of jelled cranberry and put it over the meatballs in the crock pot! How easy is that!

Butternut Squash Ravioli

2½ lbs butternut squash, peeled and cubed

2 Tbsp olive oil

Salt & pepper

2 small shallots, chopped

¼ cup Gruyere cheese (2 oz)

1 egg, beaten

¼ tsp freshly ground nutmeg

½ tsp cinnamon

Pinch of cloves

Brown Butter Sauce

½ cup salted butter

10 large sage leaves

½ cup pecans, coarsely chopped

½ cup dried cranberries

½ lemon, juiced

Parmesan Cheese, for serving

Toss the squash in oil, salt, and pepper. Bake on a foil lined sheet at 375 for 25 min or until fork tender. Meanwhile sauté shallots and garlic in ½ Tbsp oil about 3 min. Process shallots, cheese, egg, and spices in food processor until smooth. Add squash and pulse until thickened. Taste for seasoning.

To make ravioli:

Fill 3 inch square wrappers with a spoonful of squash. After folding over, pinch the 2 corners together. This makes two 12 oz pkgs of wrappers (about 85). In a large pot of boiling water, drop about 12 ravioli at a time and cook for 3 minutes. Take them out with a slotted spoon and keep separated (they will stick to each other). These can be frozen (on waxed paper on a cookie sheet) and then cooked for 4 minutes.

To make sauce:

Melt the butter over med heat. Add the sage leaves and let cook for a minute. Add pecans and cook for a couple more min. Add cranberries last so they don’t burn. Let butter cook until it turns amber. Remove from heat and add lemon juice. Salt and pepper to taste. Pour sauce over ravioli and top with grated Parmesan cheese.

-Sheila Madsen

Pumpkin Banana Bread

Preparation: Take cream cheese out of refrigerator 2 hours prior to making recipe. Set out 4 eggs to warm to room temperature. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray 2 regular size bread loaf baking pans with vegetable oil spray.

Cream together: 2/3 cup shortening, 2-2/3 cups granulated sugar, one 8 oz package cream cheese (softened at least 2 hours at room temperature)

Add, stirring until smooth: 4 ripe bananas (peeled and smashed with a fork or in your mixer), 2 cups pumpkin (the single pie size), 4 beaten eggs

In a separate bowl stir together and then add gradually to the above mixture: 3- 1/3 cups flour, 1 ½ tsp. salt, 2 tsp baking soda, 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp cloves

Blend just until all flour mixture is incorporated.

Pour into greased pans. Bake 350 for approximately 1 hour. Test with a toothpick in center of loaves to see if done. Toothpick should come out clean.

-Jeanne

Pumpkin Pie

1 egg

½ cup sugar

1 Tbsp flour

½ tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

¼ tsp nutmeg

½ tsp ginger

¼ tsp cloves

1½ cups pumpkin

2 Tbsp molasses

1¼ cups canned milk

Beat egg and add sugar, flour, and spices. Add pumpkin, molasses, and milk. Stir well. Bake at 450 for 10 min. Reduce heat and bake at 325 for 30 min longer or until firm. Use crust protectors and take off for last 15 min to brown crust. Makes 1 pie.

Crust

¾ cup shortening

1 Tbsp milk

2 cups flour

1 tsp salt

¼ cup ice water

Cut shortening, flour, and salt. Add milk and water and gently knead into a ball. Make sure dough is not too dry. Press into 2 flattened circles, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate 30 minutes. Roll into 2 crusts.

-Sheila Madsen