MIKASA GIVEAWAY AND ON THE MENU MONDAY~ Week Of October 24, 2011

IT'S NOT TOO LATE TO ENTER STONEGABLE'S MIKASA GIVEAWAY! TWO FABULOUS PRIZES... SEE BOTTOM OF THIS POST FOR DETAILS!

Many of my friends are having "milestone" birthdays!  And  I have been going to numerous wonderful celebrations lately. As a matter of fact, we are not only on the birthday circuit but the wedding circiut and baby shower circuit as well. It is such a delight and honor to be part of all  these festivities.  To share in the great joy of people I love.

My dear friend Cathy recently celebrated a milestone (I'll never tell) birthday and as her gift I am holding a Birthday High Tea for her here at StoneGable. I've been cooking and cleaning and decorating and fussing for the last couple of days. I am in my element! Pure bliss!

Come back Wednesday and see the tablescape... 

Now here's what's ON THE MENU...

MONDAY

Chicken Eugene
Rice
Roasted Broccoli In Garlic Oil


Recipe: Chicken Eugene
4 Chicken breast, boneless and skinless
4 slices of good Deli Ham, sliced thick
1 can cream of mushroom soup
8 oz. sliced mushrooms
1 stick butter
1 soup can full of light cream
1/2 soup can cream sherry

Preheat oven 350 degrees.
Melt 2 TBS butter in large skillet over medium heat.  When melted add mushroom and cook for 5-8 minutes.
Add remaining butter and melt.

In large bowl add cream of mushroom soup, light cream and sherry.  Add butter-mushroom mixture. Whisk together.
In a large baking dish, lay 4 slices of ham. Top with chicken breasts. Pour yummy sauce over chicken.
Bake, uncovered for 1 hour. Serve over rice and add sauce.


TUESDAY~ AUTUMN  BIRTHDAY HIGH TEA
I am having a Autumn high tea for my dear friend Cathy's birthday. 
Savories~
Cream Of Wild Mushroom Soup
(look for this reicpe on Foodie Friday)
Phyllo Cups With Chicken Salad
Orange Poppyseed Mini Muffins With Ham And Honey Mustard Butter
Mini Quiche Lorraine 
Endive Spears With Bleu Cheese, Mandarin Oranges, Walnuts Drizzled With Honey Balsamic Reduction

Sour Cream Scones
Blueberry Scones With Lemon Glaze
Butter
Lemon Curd
Clotted Cream


Sweets~
Chocolate Mousse In Chocolate Cups
Mini Pumpkin Woopie Pies
Strawberries Stuffed With Whipped Cream
Mini Pecan Tarts
Chocolate Chip Shortbread Cookies


Teas~
Vanilla
Harvest Apple
Chai
Earl Grey


WEDNESDAY
Individual Meatloaves
Mashed Potatoes
Sauteed Green Beans in Garlic Oil


Recipe: Individual Meatloaves
2  1/2 lbs ground beef~ 80 or 85 % lean
2 TBS olive oil
2 onions, finely chopped
2 garlic clove, pressed
1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
1/4 cup beef stock
3 TBS Worcestershire sauce
1 TBS tomato paste
2/3 fresh bread crumbs
1 -2 eggs
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup catsup
2 TBS fresh parsley

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and pepper and sautee for 6-8 minutes, until onions are translucent but not browned. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute.  Remove from heat.  Add beef stock, tomato paste and Worcestershire sauce and mix. Let cool for 15 minutes.
Put all ingredients in a large bowl and gently mix. Do not smoosh it all together because it will cause your meatloaf to be tough. Gently mix together. Form into 6 individual meatloaves or make 2 larger loaf. Cover with extra catsup and if desired bacon strips.

Bake for 40-45  minutes for individual meatloaves or 1~ 1 hour 10 minutes for large loaf, until done through.
Printable Recipe


THURSDAY~ SOUP DAY
Minestrone Soup
Beer Bread


Recipe: Minestrone Soup
This is a StoneGable favorite. So hearty and full of vegetables... and meat! YUMMY!
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 ~ 1 1/2 lbs ground beef
1 large onion, chopped
3 carrots, peeled and chopped
3 celery stalks, chopped
1 small turnip, peeled and cut into small cubes (If you have never had a turnip in soup, you are missing something! Give this a try)
1 baking potato, peeled and cut into small cubes
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 lb Swiss chard, large stems and center vein removed and leaves coarsely chopped
1 28-oz can crushed tomatoes
2 15-oz cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 32-oz  box good beef stock or broth
1 can double strength beef broth (can of Campbell's)
1 oz piece Parmesan cheese rind
2/3 cup small pasta (I used macaroni because I had it on hand)
2 tsp fresh Italian parsley, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

Heat 1 TBS oil in a large skillet. Add ground beef and cook until it is no longer brown. Drain fat and set aside.

In a large pot heat remaining oil and add onions, carrots, celery and garlic. Cook until onions are soft, about 10 minutes.
Add swiss chard, turnips and potatoes and cook for 4 minutes. Add crushed tomatoes and simmer until swiss chard begins to break down, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a blender mix 1 can of drained beans with 1/2 cup of beef stock until chunky smooth. Add the bean mixture and all of the beef stock and double strength beef broth to the soup. Add rind of Parmesan cheese (this is a must, the way it flavors the soup is brilliant!). Simmer for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally until the turnips and potatoes are soft.

Add ground beef, beans, pasta and parsley and simmer until heated through. Remove Parmesan rind. Serve sprinkled with Parmesan cheese.
Printable Reicpe

Recipe: Beer Bread

This is the most requested homemade bread I make! Delicious, dense, and sooooo flavorful. The aroma alone will be worth making it. And best of all... this bread is sooo easy to make! It is great toasted the next day for breakfast, that is if you have any left!

2 1/4 cups all purpose flour

3 TBS sugar

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 TBS baking powder

dash of salt

2 TBS vegetable oil

1 bottle beer

1 TBS butter

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Combine flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Mix to distribute evenly.

Pour oil and beer over batter and mix by hand. Only mix until all the liquid has been incorporated, about 30-50 strokes.Turn out into a well greased loaf pan.
Dot top of batter with butter.

Bake for 45 minutes until risen and golden brown. Remove from oven and let sit in pan for 10 minutes. Turn out onto cutting board. We eat this bread hot out of the oven and crumbly. YUMMY!

Printable Recipe

FRIDAY

Red Chicken 

Muffin Tin Potato Au Gratin

Roasted Cauliflower

Recipe: Red Chicken

This is such an easy recipe... and everyone loves it! 
1 lg pkg chicken drumstick and thighs
1 bottle Catilina Salad Dressing
1 envelope Lipton Onion Soup Mix
1 jar appricot jelly

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Rinse and pat chicken dry with a paper towel. Put chicken in a large baking dish.
Mix dressing, onion soup and appricot jelly together in a bowl and pour over chicken.
Cook chicken for 1 hour, or until tender and juices run clear.
Printable Recipe


Recipe: Muffin Tin Potato Au Gratin Stacks
These little stacks of deliciousness are over-the-top fabulous! Look for them in a upcoming Foodie Friday.

SATURDAY

Dinner Wedge Salad

Leftover Beer Bread

Recipe: Wedge Salad

1 head iceburg lettuce
6 oz. good sharp cheddar cheese, grated
8 slices bacon
1 tomato, chopped
2 green onions, chopped
Bleu Cheese dressing- follows

Preheat over to 425. Put bacon on a sheet pan with a rim. Bake for 15-20 minutes until crispy. Put bacon on paper towel to drain and when cool, crumble.

Rinse and dry lettuce. Take out core. Cut into 4 wedges. (I cut them into 6 and save 2 wedges for taco's)
To assemble. Put wedge on plate. Top with bleu cheese dressing. Sprinkly with cheese then bacon and finally tomato and green onion. Yummy!
Printable Recipe

Recipe: Bleu Cheese Dressing
This is such a delicious dressing!!!!! Much better than bottled!
1/4 cup crumbled bleu cheese (buy good cheese)
1/2 cup mayo (real)
1/4 cup sour cream (full fat)
2 TBS cider vinegar
1/2 cup chopped green onions- you can use green tops
1 TBS parsley
1TBS dill
1/2 tsp course salt, or 1/4 tsp regular salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 drops tabasco sauce.

I mix it in the blender. But it can also be mixed by hand if you want it chunkier. Can be doubled. Keep in refrigerator. This is also a great dipping sauce.


SUNDAY
Grilled Planked Salmon
Halushki
Homemade Applesauce


Recipe: Halushki
This is a Hungarian dish from my childhood! It is WONDERFUL. If you try one thing ON THE MENU this should be it.
1 large head cabbage, thinly cut into 1/4-1/2 inch strips
1 large onion, chopped
2 TBS vegetable oil
1 large bag fine noodles, cooked and drained
2 TBS butter
salt and pepper
cottage cheese.

Heat  oil in skillet. Add thinly sliced cabbage and onion. Salt and pepper liberally.Saute until cooked through and slightly browned.
Add cooked noodles and continue to saute. You may need to add a little extra vegetable oil. Add butter and stir it through.

Plate haluski and add a generous dollop of cottage cheese. So yummy!
Printable Recipe

ON THE MENU MONDAY LINKY PARTY IS AT THE END OF THIS POST

StoneGable's 2nd Bloggiversary Mikasa  Giveaway

The kind people at Mikasa are celebrating StoneGable's 2nd Bloggiversary by giving one VERY lucky StoneGable reader... 

8 Place Settings of Italian Countryside Dinnerware

This BEAUTIFUL creamy white dinnerware is the true "workhorse" of my kitchen. I have had these dishes for years and years and I use them everyday! I love them as much now as I did the day I got them! 

*BONUS PRIZE*

AND....

AN ADDITIONAL PRIZE WAS JUST ADDED BY THE GREAT MIKASA FOLKS!

A second lucky StoneGable reader will win 

Italian Countryside 5 Piece Serving Set

This beautiful set includes: 

~an 8 1/2 inch vegetable bowl

~a covered sugar bowl

~a covered creamer

~ a 12" buffet platter

This giveaway is so exciting for me because I know the winners will be so thrilled!

To enter....

Each entry gives you one chance to win

(you know I like options)

1. Leave a comment

2. Become a StoneGable follower or let me know you follow

3. Go to MIKASA and find a pattern you like, come back and tell me about it

4. Like Mikasa on facebook by clicking HERE or let me know you have already "liked" Mikasa

*NEW BONUS WAY TO ENTER... 

5. GO TO MIKASA'S FACEBOOK PAGE HERE AND TELL THEM WHAT PATTERN YOU LIKE AND THAT STONEGABLE SENT YOU!

6. Post about StoneGable's Mikasa Giveaway on your blog 

7. Put the giveaway on the sidebar of your blog with a link back to this post~ use the image on my sidebar please!

8. Put this giveaway on your facebook wall

9. Tweet about the giveaway

Lot's of ways to enter!!!!! AND A GREAT BONUS WAY TOO!

Giveaway will end Monday October 24, 2011 at 8:00 PM

Winner will be selected by Random Number Generator and will be announced 

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Thank you for celebrating with me!

I am participating in FULL PLATE THURSDAY at Miz Helen's Counry Cottage.

Now what's on your menu...