Recipes

Recipes this month came from the National Federation of the Blind of Michigan.

Dill Pickle Soup

by Paulette Powell

Paulette Powell is the wife of NFB of Michigan President Michael Powell.

Ingredients:
5-1/2 cups chicken or vegetable broth (low sodium)
1-3/4 pounds russet potatoes, peeled, cut in medium cubes
2 cups shredded carrots
1 cup shredded dill pickles (Vlasic Kosher Dills work great)
1/2 cup unsalted butter (one whole stick)
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup sour cream
1/4 cup water
2 cups dill pickle juice*
1-1/2 teaspoons Old Bay seasoning
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon fresh dill weed

Method: In large pot, combine broth, potatoes, carrots and butter. Bring to boil and cook until the potatoes are tender. Add pickles and continue to boil. In medium bowl, stir together flour, sour cream and one cup of broth, use a mixer and mix until completely smooth.  Vigorously whisk sour cream mixture (one cup at a time) into soup. (This will also break up some of your potatoes which is okay. You might see some initial little balls of flour form, but between the whisking and boiling all will disappear. Don’t panic.)

Add pickle juice, Old Bay, salt (*see below) pepper and cayenne. Cook five more minutes and remove from heat. Serve immediately

*All pickle juice is not created equal. Some are saltier than others. Taste the soup after adding the pickle juice and add salt then. Enjoy.

Pulled Pork, Chicken, or Beef

by Paulette Powell

Ingredients:
1 2-pound pork loin roast (cut the string off), or
2 double boneless chicken breasts (3 pounds), or
1 2-pound beef roast, any kind
1 medium white onion chopped
2 cloves garlic chopped
1 small can of diced green chilies (how much heat is up to you)
Chef Paul Prudhomme MAGIC Barbecue Seasoning
Salt and pepper to taste
Your favorite BBQ Sauce (optional)

Method: Coat meat with barbeque seasoning and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Put meat in bottom of Crock-Pot, set on low. Cover with chopped onion, garlic and green chilies. Do not add any liquid. Cook in Crock-Pot for eight hours on low, do not peek. After eight hours, take meat out of pot, place on cookie sheet, pull meat apart with two forks, drain liquid from pot into strainer (discard liquid), return onions and chilies to pot. Mix meat and everything together with your favorite BBQ sauce. Use your favorite bread or buns, or this is also good in a soft corn tortilla. Top with your favorite coleslaw, optional. Enjoy!

Texas Caviar

by Paulette Powell

Dressing Ingredients: 
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon water
3/4 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup oil (vegetable or canola)
1 cup sugar
1 can pinto beans and/or black beans
1 can black eyed peas
1 can white corn (can use a can of mixed yellow and white corn)
1 cup celery, chopped
1 small jar pimentos (will find where condiments are)
1 cup green pepper, chopped
1 small red onion, chopped.

Method: Bring salt, pepper, water, vinegar, oil, and sugar to a boil, then let cool. Drain (I also rinse) the beans and mix with rest of solid ingredients. Pour cooled dressing over the veggies. Marinate for twenty-four hours. Put into serving bowl using a slotted spoon to drain off extra dressing. Serve with Frito Scoops. The recipe says to make it up twenty-four hours in advance. This recipe makes a lot, so be prepared for leftovers.

Quinoa Lasagna

by Sabrina Simmons

Sabrina Simmons is a mother of one and an assistive technology trainer. Currently she is serving as the Detroit Chapter president and as a member of the state board of the NFB of Michigan affiliate.

Ingredients:
2 cups water
1 cup quinoa (pronounced keen wah)
2 tablespoons canola or olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup sliced mushrooms
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups tomato sauce or prepared pasta sauce
2 cups no-salt-added, low-fat cottage cheese
1 large egg, beaten
1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated
1 tablespoon fresh basil or 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 cups sliced zucchini squash
2 cups fresh spinach with stems removed or use baby spinach
1-1/2 cups part-skim mozzarella cheese, grated

Method: Preheat oven to 350 degrees and coat a nine-by-thirteen-inch pan with nonstick cooking spray. Combine quinoa and water in a sauce pan and bring to a boil. Turn down to simmer, cover and cook for fifteen minutes or until quinoa is tender. Fluff with a fork and place quinoa in the bottom of prepared pan or dish. In a saucepan over medium heat cook onion, garlic, and mushrooms until tender. Add garlic and sauce and mix until well blended. In separate bowl, mix cottage cheese, egg, parmesan cheese, oregano and basil. Spread 1/3 of the sauce over the quinoa. Then layer with all of the zucchini. Add a layer of all the cottage cheese mixture. Add half of the remaining sauce. Add all the spinach. Finish with remaining sauce and sprinkle mozzarella cheese over the top. Note: if there is not enough sauce, omit the second layer and use it on the top layer. Bake until hot and cheese is bubbling and slightly brown around the edges, this should take thirty-five to forty-minutes. Let stand ten minutes before serving.

Sour Cream Pound Cake

by Sabrina Simmons

Ingredients:
3 cups of cake flour
3 cups of sugar
3 sticks of butter
5 large eggs
3/4 cup of sour cream
1/4 teaspoon of baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt, optional

Method: Combine sugar and butter in a bowl until mixed well. Mix in the sour cream. Add one cup of flour sifted with baking powder and salt. Add the last two cups of flour alternating with the eggs until mixed well.

Grease a ten-cup Bundt cake pan. Pour batter into pan. This is a cold oven cake, do not preheat the oven. Place pan into the cold oven, bake at 350 degrees for one hour and twenty minutes. Stick a knife in the center of the cake to make sure it is done. Let cool in pan for fifteen minutes and serve as desired.