O'Club Wine Tasting

Just a reminder that the O' Club will be hosting their annual Wine Tasting Event on Sat, Oct 23 from 5-9pm (1700-2100).  Tickets are on sale now at the cashiers cage and if you purchase before Oct 15 you receive another $5.00 off.

Rainbow Jell-o Jigglers

(I found this recipe online:  http://dobetter.wordpress.com/2008/03/18/rainbow-jello/)

I picked up a 6oz box of blue, yellow and red jello plus a box of knox gelatin. To get these fabulous layers, mix the blue jello with an envelope of the knox gelatin. Pour in two cups of boiling water. Dissolve the gelatin. Add 1/2 cup of ice. Stir until thick. Remove any remaining ice cubes and any bubbles that may have formed. Pour into a 9×13 inch pan. Let set in the refrigerator.

Repeat with the yellow jello and pour it over the set blue. Repeat with the red jello and pour it over the yellow. And there you have it, Rainbow Jello.

I won’t go into the whole primary and secondary color thing, but these colors, when stacked upon each other, create other colors. There is not an orange or green layer. It just looks like it when the red and yellow layers touch and then yellow and blue layers touch. Pretty cool.

Key Lime Cheesecake

Crust:  2/3 cup Sugar

           2/3 cup Butter or margarine

           3 cups Graham cracker crumbs (reserve 1/4 cup)

Filling:  1 cup fresh Lime juice

            1/4 cup Water

            2 envelopes unflavored gelatin

            1/2 cup Sugar

            5 Eggs, slightly beaten

            2 teasp. grated lime zest

            1/2 cup (1 stick) margarine

            2 pkgs (8oz. each) Cream cheese (room temp)

            1/2 cup Heavy cream (chilled)

            Whipped cream & lime slices for garnish

Prepare crust:  Stir crumbs, sugar and melted margarine in bowl.  Press over bottom of a 9" spring form pan and up sides.

Prepare filling:  Combine lime juice and water in sauce pan, sprinkle gelatin over top.  Let stand 5 mins to soften.  Stir sugar, eggs and zest into pan.  Cook, stirring over medium heat until almost boiling;  about 7 mins or until thermometer reads 160 degrees (do not let boil!).  Remove from heat; beat margarine and cream cheese in large bowl until well mixed about 1 min.  Gradually beat in lime mixture until well blended.  Refrigerate until mixture thickens enough to mound slightly when dropped from spoon, about 45 minutes. 

Beat chilled cream in small chilled bowl until stiff peaks form.  Fold into lime mixture and pour into prepared crust.  Cover and refrigerate until firm 3-4 hours. 

Run thin knife around inside edge of pan to loosen sides, remove side of spring form pan.  Garnish with whipped cream and lime slices around edge.  Use pastry tip to pipe on whipped cream, and sprinkle on extra graham cracker crumbs.  Store in refrigerator.  *yield 16 servings

Note:  Cut recipe in half and use a smaller pan for an 8 serving cheesecake

Food your kid will eat

Yum Yum Rainbow Pasta:

3 C uncooked pasta (I use half whole wheat rotini spirals and half veggie rotini spirals)
2 C veggies (examples: mixed veggie pack, broccoli, etc. Whatever you have on hand works)

Cheese Sauce:

2 tbspn butter
1/4 C flour1
1/4 C milk
pinch ground nutmeg
1 C grated cheddar cheese (packed)
1/2 C butternut squash puree

Topping:

2 tbspn fresh grated parmesan cheese
1 1/2 tbspn fresh bread crumbs

Butternut Squash Puree:

1. Cut butternut squash in half, scoop out seeds
2. Place halves face down in a pan and cover with an inch of water
3. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 40 minutes to 1 hour - be sure the "shell/skin" puckers and halves feel soft then scoop squash "meat" out of the shell
4. Place squash "meat" into your choice of appliance for pureeing and begin pureeing.
5. I freeze in 1/2 C jars and then put one in the fridge the day before I want to make this.
6. I heat it in the microwave for 20-30 seconds so it is ready to use.

Directions:

1. Preheat to 350 degrees if you want to bake
2. Boil pasta according to directions, drain, mix a tiny bit of oil in to keep from sticking, and set aside.
3. Steam veggies, when done be sure to dry out with paper towels to keep pasta from getting soggy.

Sauce:

1. Melt butter in medium saucepan, add flour to make a paste, stir over low heat for 1 minute.
2. Gradually wisk in milk, bringing slowly to a boil on medium heat, cook until thickened, stirring constantly with a wisk.
3. Remove from heat and add butternut squash, nutmeg, and cheese (stirring after each addition).

Final Directions:

1. Pour pasta back in the empty pot, mix in veggies and sauce. From here you can serve if your child is starving. But I think it is better baking.
2. Pour into greased casserole dish
3. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and bread crumbs.
4. Bake 15 minutes at 350 degrees.
5. Leftovers can be stored in the fridge or the freezer.

Laura, Guest Blogger