Christie's Family Traditions Taste 'N Tell Dinner

Our Recipe Collectors' Club met at Christie's house for dinner in May.  Her theme was "Family Traditions".  We got together the Saturday of Memorial Weekend so it was a fitting theme.  She asked each of us to make a dish that represented our family heritage in some way and to come prepared with a story to share. 

Here's where our feast began.

Appetizer:  Marina's Egg Salad Sandwiches

Christie served some sparkling flavored water with cute lemon ice cubes. 

Side Dish 1:  Sarah's Fresh Apple Gourmet Salad


Sarah made another off-the-charts gourmet salad.  Very tasty and flavorful.

Side Dish 2:  Michele's Homemade Green Bean Casserole


Michele made a green bean casserole that is always a simple favorite in her family.

Main Dish:  Christie's Chicken & Noodleys


Christie's main dish was chicken and dumplings.  It's a family tradition she loves.

Chicken
1 large onion, chopped
1/4 cup butter
12 boneless skinless chicken thighs
1 can chicken broth

Mix together: 1 T paprika (Hungarian is best), 1 T garlic powder, 1 T season salt and 1 tsp pepper.

Cook onions in butter just until translucent. Pat chicken dry and rub spices evenly on all the chicken. Brown chicken in batches in the onion and butter mixture. Transfer all to a slow cooker (scrape the pan really well), pour in chicken broth and cook on low for 4 hours. Before adding the noodleys, taste the sauce to see if it needs more seasoning. 

Noodleys
4 large eggs
1/2 cup water
1 tsp salt
3 cups flour

Mix egg, water and salt. Mix in enough flour until you have a thick, sticky consistency (not wet). Let rest for 10 minutes. In boiling salted water, slowly drop teaspoon size amounts into water. They puff up! It is easiest to use two teaspoons to scoop then drop the noodleys. Do this in small batches of 6-8 noodleys at a time. When they rise to the top, strain them out and add to slow cooker. Toss with sauce and serve! 

Bread:  Alison's Yummy Lion House Rolls


Alison couldn't make it, but she dropped off some Lion House Rolls.  Yumm!!!

Dessert was fun.  We had two!  Oatmeal chocolate chip cookies by Paulette, and a fabulous strawberry dessert by Mindie.

Dessert 1:  Grandma's Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies


Yumminess!!

Ingredients:

1cup butter

1 cup sugar 

1 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

3 cups rolled oats

1 3/4 cup flour

2 t cream of tartar

1 t baking soda

1/2 t salt

Cream butter and sugars together,  add in the eggs and mix.  Add in all the dry ingredients and incorporate.  Add 1 bag chocolate chips.  Do not over mix.  Bake at 350 for 12-15 minutes.  Makes about 45 medium cookies.

Dessert 2:  Easy Summer Torte


This dessert was made with a yellow cake mix, Danish Dessert topping, strawberries, nutella, and hazlenuts.  Exquisite!!  Recipes to come.

Ingredients:
Box of Yellow or White Cake Mix and all ingredients required on the mix
Chopped nuts (I used hazelnuts but almonds would be fab too)
Danish Dessert (can be purchased prepared in the store, or in a box in the Jello aisle of most grocery stores. I think it comes in Strawberry and Raspberry flavors - choose the flavor to match the fruit the best).
Sliced Fruit - I used strawberries
Whipping cream
Directions:

Prepare the cake mix per instruction on the box. Fold in desired amount of chopped nuts. Bake until read.
Prepare the Danish Dessert if needed. Fold the sliced fruit into the Danish Dessert.
Once the cake has cooled, top the cake with the danish dessert/fruit mixture. You can also easily slice the cake to make a lovely layered torte.
Top the cake with whipping cream and extra nuts. Chocolate shavings also make for a lovely topping on the whipping cream.