Menu #1

Cold Strawberry Soup
Chicken Noodle Casserole
Apple, Dried Cherry, Walnut Salad with Maple Dressing
Icebox Rolls
White Chocolate Cheesecake with White Chocolate Brandy Sauce
Champagne or White Wine

Menu #2
Cold Strawberry Soup
Chicken Pasta Salad
Icebox Rolls
White Chocolate Cheesecake with White Chocolate Brandy Sauce
Champagne or White Wine

Cold Strawberry Soup

From: Spears Victorian Sampler Tearoom
Cookbook

15 oz. frozen strawberries, thawed with juice
15 oz. sour cream
1 oz. vanilla extract
3 oz. powdered sugar (measure after sifting)
1/2 oz. grenadine syrup
2 oz. half & half

Mix strawberries and sour cream. Beat slowly
until well mixed. Add grenadine, vanilla and
sugar while mixing until smooth consistency.
Add half & half last, mixing only until well
blended. Chill and serve. Shake or stir well
before serving. Serves 6

CHICKEN PASTA SALAD

2 # penne pasta
2 Tablespoons olive oil
4 cups broccoli florets
3 (6-oz. each) skinless, boneless chicken breasts
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup toasted pine nuts
2 cups chopped tomatoes
1 cup dressing (recipe follows)
Lemon juice to taste
1 1/2 cups chopped parsley

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add salt to taste, then pasta. Cook according to package directions until pasta is tender but not mushy.

Drain pasta, then rinse with cold water to chill; allow to drain. Remove pasta to a bowl and toss with olive oil to coat evenly. Reserve pasta in refrigerator.

Cook broccoli in boiling water to cover for 2 minutes or until crisp-tender. Drain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking drain again and reserve.

Rinse chicken and pat dry. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Grill chicken over medium-hot coals or under a hot broiler. Cool completely and slice into 1/4-in. thick pieces.

Toast pine nuts at 300º for 3 to 5 minutes or until they just begin to turn golden. Be careful not to burn.

Toss together the paste, broccoli, chicken and tomatoes. Add 1 cup dressing, or enough to evenly coat ingredients, and mix well. Adjust seasonings to taste, adding a squeeze or two of lemon juice, if desired. Refrigerate for at least an hour before serving.

Garnish with toasted pine nuts and parsley. Makes 8 servings.

DRESSING:

In medium mixing bowl, combine 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 Tablespoon Dijon-style mustard and 1/4 teaspoon dry mustard. Whisking constantly, slowly add 1 3/4 cups vegetable oil, 3/4 cup red-wine vinegar and 2 Tablespoons balasmic vinegar, alternating oil and vinegars until mixed. If desired, use food processor. Add 1/4 teaspoon basil, 1/4 teaspoon oregano, and salt and pepper to taste. Whisk in 2 Tablespoons mayonnaise and 2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice. Makes 2 3/4 cups.

This is pure comfort food. Sometimes I roast a chicken just to have this the next day.

Chicken Noodle Casserole

1/2 c plus 2 T butter, divided
1/2 c all-purpose flour
3 c rich chicken stock
2 c sour cream
1/2 c white wine
dash nutmeg
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 lb egg noodles, cooked 6 to 7 minutes
4 1/2 c cooked chicken, cut into pieces
1 lb mushroom, sliced and cooked
1 c soft bread crumbs
1/2 c Parmesan cheese, freshly grated

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Clean and slice the mushrooms and sauté in a 2 tablespoons butter until soft and slightly browned, about 7
minutes.

Remove crusts from 2 or 3 slices of fresh bread and with steel blade in food processor, process bread until soft
crumbs form.

Melt 1/2 cup butter in a saucepan, over medium heat, and whisk in the flour. Cook 1 minute. Gradually add
stock, sour cream and wine. Cook until thickened, stirring constantly. Add nutmeg, salt and pepper to taste and
blend well. Arrange the noodles in an ovenproof casserole. Layer chicken, mushrooms then sauce to cover.

Melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter and mix with the bread crumbs. Top the casserole with the buttered crumbs
and sprinkle with Parmesan. Bake for 30 minutes, or until heated through and bubbly.

Serve with buttered green beans and biscuits.

ICEBOX BUTTERHORNS

1 pkg active dry yeast
2 Tablespoons warm water (110º - 115º)
2 cups warm milk (110º - 115º)
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon salt
6 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
Additional melted butter

In a large mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in water. Add milk, sugar, egg, salt and 3 cups flour; beat until smooth. Beat in butter and remaining flour (dough will be slightly sticky). DO NOT KNEAD. Place in a greased bowl. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Punch dough down and divide in half. On a floured surface, roll each half into a 12 in. circle. Cut each circle into 12 pie-shaped wedges. Beginning at the wide end, roll up each wedge. Place rolls point side down, 2 in. apart on greased baking sheets. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour. Bake at 350º for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Immediately brush tops with melted butter. Yield: 2 dozen.

APPLE, DRIED CHERRY, AND WALNUT SALAD WITH MAPLE DRESSING

Maple Dressing
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
3 tablespoons Champagne vinegar or other white wine vinegar
2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil

Salad
1 5-ounce bag mixed baby greens (about 10 cups lightly packed)
2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, cut into matchstick-size strips
1/2 cup dried tart cherries
1/2 cup chopped walnuts, toasted

For dressing:
Whisk mayonnaise, maple syrup, vinegar, and sugar in medium bowl to blend. Gradually whisk in oil until mixture thickens slightly. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (Dressing can be prepared 3 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Rewhisk before using.)

For salad:
Toss greens, apples, cherries, and 1/4 cup walnuts in large bowl to combine. Toss with enough dressing to coat. Divide salad equally among plates. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup walnuts and serve.

Makes 6 servings.
 
Bon Appétit
September 2002

R.S.V.P.
Mountain Town Station Brewing Company and Steakhouse, Mount Pleasant, MI

WHITE CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE

4 oz. white chocolate
3 8-oz. packages cream cheese
3/4 cups sugar
1/4 cup flour
3 eggs
1/2 cup heavy cream (whipping cream)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Grease 10-inch spring form pan.

Preheat oven to 300º

Place cream cheese, sugar, and flour in a mixing bowl and cream until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Scrape down bowl and add melted white chocolate. While mixer is running on very low speed, slowly add vanilla and heavy cream. Blend well.

Pour mixture onto spring form pan. Place cheesecake pan in a water bath filled with warm water. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until center of cheesecake is just firm.

Cool at room temperature for 1 hour. Refrigerate until set before removing from pan.

Makes about 10-12 servings.

Brandy Sauce for topping:

1 cup heavy cream
2 cups white chocolate, finely chopped
2 oz. brandy

Place heavy cream in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Pour over white chocolate and stir with a wooden spoon until melted. Add brandy and continue stirring until incorporated. Pour over chilled cheesecake and serve. I sometimes drizzle raspberry coulis around the plate and garnishe with fresh mint.