Beef Stolen-Off (33 page)
Authors: Liz Lipperman
Tags: #General, #Women Sleuths, #Mystery & Detective, #Fiction
Cut each of the fruits in half. Chop half of the fruit halves into small pieces and place in a medium container with a lid. Squeeze the juice of the remaining fruit halves into the container. Add the wine, Cointreau, brandy, and sugar. Gently stir the mixture, then cover the container with the lid and refrigerate overnight. Refrigerate the sodas. When ready to serve, pour the wine mixture into a punch bowl and add the orange soda and the ginger ale. Add more wine or ginger ale to your taste. I usually double this recipe for a crowd and freeze a liter of ginger ale in a Bundt cake pan or a similar round pan to be used as an ice ring in the punch bowl.
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BELLA’S BEEF STROGANOFF
Yields 4 servings
1½ pounds beef tenderloin
Salt
Pepper
Garlic powder
3 tablespoons flour, divided
3 tablespoons olive oil
1½ sticks butter, divided
1 medium onion, cut into thin strips
8 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 can (10¾ ounces) cream of mushroom soup
1 can (10¾ ounces) beef broth
1 cup sour cream
1 package (8 ounces) egg noodles
Trim all the fat from the steak, then sprinkle it with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Slice the steak into ½-inch-thick strips and toss the strips with 2 tablespoons of the flour. Heat the oil and 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet and quickly brown the beef, 2–3 minutes on each side. Remove the meat from the pan and set aside.
Heat another 4 tablespoons of butter in the pan. Add in the onions and mushrooms and sauté for 2–3 minutes until the onions are tender. Add the remaining tablespoon of flour to the vegetables as this will be the thickener for the gravy.
Return the cooked meat to the pan, then add the soup and the broth and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover, and cook on low for 28 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the sour cream and cook for 2 minutes more.
Cook the egg noodles according to package directions. Drain. Toss the noodles with the remaining butter. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Serve the meat mixture over the buttered noodles.
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LILY’S LAYERED SALAD
Yields 12 servings
1 large head lettuce, rinsed, dried, and chopped, divided
¾
small head red cabbage, chopped
2 cups grated carrots
1 box (10 ounces) frozen peas, thawed
2 cups chopped cauliflower
2 cups sliced cucumber
2 large tomatoes, diced
1 cup mayonnaise (low-fat may be used, if desired)
½ cup dry ranch dressing mix
½ package dry Good Seasons Italian dressing mix
1 pound bacon, cooked and crumbled
2 hard-boiled eggs, chopped
In a large glass bowl, layer the ingredients starting with approximately 3 inches of chopped lettuce, then the cabbage, carrots, peas, cauliflower, cucumber, tomatoes, and remaining lettuce. Whisk together the mayonnaise and the ranch dressing mix and spread on top.
Sprinkle on the dry Good Seasons mix, then the crumbled bacon pieces, and end with the chopped eggs. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. When ready to serve, mix with salad forks.
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BRENDA SUE’S CHICKEN SALAD
Yields 6 servings
4 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1½ stalks celery, chopped
¼
cup onion, chopped
1½ cups chopped walnuts
1½ cups seedless grapes, halved
cup sour cream (low-fat may be used, if desired)
1 cup mayonnaise (low-fat may be used, if desired)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
½ teaspoon poultry seasoning
1 teaspoon garlic salt
In large pan, cover the chicken breasts with water and cook over medium heat until breasts are thoroughly cooked (about 30 minutes). Remove chicken from the water and cool. In a large bowl, combine celery, onion, walnuts, and grapes. Cut up cooled chicken into bite-size pieces. Add the chicken to the celery mixture. In a medium bowl, mix the sour cream and mayonnaise. Pour over the celery mixture and combine. Mix in the salt, pepper, poultry seasoning, and garlic salt.
Chill. Serve on croissants and store leftovers in the refrigerator.
• • •
MYRTLE’S DIRT CAKE
La Suciedad Pastel
1 package (1 pound) Oreo cookies
4 tablespoons (½ stick) margarine, softened
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
3½ cups cold whole or 2 percent milk
2 small boxes (1.4 ounces each) instant vanilla pudding mix
1 container (12 ounces) nondairy whipped topping such as Cool Whip
4–6 gummy bears (optional)
Put the cookies in a food processor or blender and crush until the mixture looks like dirt. (It helps if the cookies have been frozen first.) Place one third of the cookie “dirt” into a trifle bowl or a brand-new, clean flower pot with foil covering the hole in the bottom. Set aside. Cream together the margarine, cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla. Set aside. In another bowl, combine the milk and pudding mix and stir until pudding is dissolved. Add the pudding to the cream cheese mixture and hand-stir to combine. Fold in the whipped topping. Layer half the cream cheese mixture over the cookies in the bowl or flower pot, then add another third of the crushed cookies. Next, add the remaining cream cheese mixture, followed by the remaining crushed cookies.
Cover with plastic wrap and chill for several hours.
To serve, plunge the gummy bears (if using) into the top layer, allowing them to stick out above the “dirt.” You can even decorate the dessert with a new plastic flower if you want. Serve with a brand-new plastic gardening shovel.
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SANDY’S ALMOND BALLS
Yields 4 cups
cup water
cup unsweetened cocoa powder
¾ cup sugar (sweetener may be used, if desired)
Pinch of salt
3½ cups cold 2 percent milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract
4 tablespoons Baileys Irish Cream liqueur
½ cup half-and-half
1 can whipped topping
In a medium saucepan, bring the water to a boil and add the cocoa, sugar, and salt. Stirring constantly, return this mixture to an easy boil, then simmer for another 2 minutes, making sure it doesn’t scorch. Stir in the milk and heat to almost boiling. Do not boil. Remove from heat and add the vanilla, almond extract, Baileys, and half-and-half. Pour into four cups and top with whipped topping.
