John’s Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies

Shared by:  Laura Parker
Washington, DC Office

• 1 ½ cup unsalted margarine
• 1 ¾ cup light brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 ½ Tablespoon honey
• 2 teaspoon vanilla
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 cups flour
• 1 box (18 oz) old fashioned oats
• 12 oz fresh cranberries, coarsely chopped
• ½ cup golden raisins
• Finely chopped zest of 1 orange

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Cream margarine and sugar.
3. Add eggs, honey, vanilla, salt and beat until smooth and creamy.
4. Work in flour and oats (hands) until combined.
5. Add cranberries, raisins, zest and mix.
6. Make cookies
7. Cook 15 – 20 minutes.

 

Mango Guacamole

• 3 Ripe Avocados
• 1 Mango, Peeled and Diced
• 1/2 Large Red Onion, Diced
• 2 Plum Tomatoes, Seeded and Diced
• 1 Jalapeno, Seeded and Finely Chopped
• 1 Clove Garlic, Finely Chopped
• 2 Teaspoons Fresh Cilantro, Chopped
• 1 Lime
• Salt to Taste

Peel and pit the avocados into a large bowl. Squeeze the juice of the lime over the avocados. Using a fork or potato masher, mash the avocados and lime juice. Gently stir in the diced mango, red onion, tomatoes, jalapeno, garlic, and cilantro. Add salt to taste. Scoop guacamole into a serving bowl, garnish with a sprig of cilantro, and serve with tortilla chips.

 

Oriental Chicken Salad

Shared By:  Diane Dowling
Senior Vice President & CFO
Washington, DC Office

• 2 tbsp butter
• 1  1/2 cups slivered almonds
• 16-oz pkg coleslaw mix
• 1/2 c scallions, chopped
• 1 pkg ramen-type noodles, uncooked, broken up, reserving flavor packet for dressing
• 1 c cooked chicken, diced (I bought the precooked strips and cut them up)
• 3 tbsp vinegar
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1/2 c vegetable oil
• 1/2 tsp oriental (dark) sesame oil (it’s a bit pricey, but it adds significantly to the flavor)
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 11-oz can mandarin oranges, drained

1.  In a small skillet, melt the butter over low heat. Add the almonds and cook, shaking the pan, until the almonds are browned, about 3-5 minutes.
2. In a large bowl, toss together the almonds, coleslaw mix, scallions, ramen noodles, and chicken until combined.
3. In a small bowl, combine the vinegar, sugar, vegetable oil, sesame oil, salt, pepper, and the contents of the flavor packet, and mix well.  Pour the dressing over the coleslaw mixture and toss to combine.  Serve the salad garnished with the mandarin oranges.

 

Mocha Ice Cream Cake

Shared by:  Kathleen Held
Director of Marketing & Business Development
Washington, DC Office

• 12 ounces Pepperidege Farm Milano Cookies (about a bag and a half) broken into pieces
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1 ½ quarts coffee ice cream, slightly softened
• ½ cup chopped chocolate-covered coffee beans
• 1 1/2 cups chilled whipping cream
• ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ cup confectioner’s sugar
• ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 4 ounces semisweet chocolate squares
• 1 tablespoon Kahlua (optional)
• Chocolate-covered coffee beans

Blend cookies in processor until finely ground. Add melted butter; process until crumbs are moistened. Press 1/2 crumb mixture onto bottom of 10″-diameter springform pan with 2-3/4-inch-high sides. Freeze until firm, about 10 minutes.

Place ice cream in large bowl. Finely chop coffee beans. Add to bowl with ice cream; stir until well blended. Transfer ice cream mixture to crust-lined pan. Smooth top. Freeze for 15 minutes. Sprinkle remaining crumb mixture over ice cream and press gently.  Freeze for two hours.

Combine 1 cup whipping cream and vanilla in another large bowl. Sift powdered sugar and cocoa over. Using electric mixer, beat until peaks form. Spread mixture over top of cake and smooth. Freeze until cream is set, at least 1 hour.

Chop chocolate squares and place in bowl.  Heat ½ cup milk thoroughly until almost boiling (do not let boil!).  Pour over chopped chocolate and whisk until chocolate is melted. Stir in Kahlua.  Let sit 15 minutes until cool and slightly thick.  Pour over top of cake and smooth. Decorate with chocolate-covered coffee beans. Freeze overnight.

To serve, Run knife between pan sides and cake to loosen. Remove pan sides. Using small metal spatula or knife, smooth cake sides. Let cake stand at cool room temperature 15 minutes before serving.

Serves 12

 

Red, White, and Blue Potato Salad

Shared by:  Ron Kooser, FFCSI
Chief Executive Officer
Cleveland Office

Makes about 8 cups

• 1 cup chopped green onions, divided
• 1 cup sour cream
• ½ cup mayonnaise
• ¼ cup white wine vinegar
• 4 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 pound unpeeled small or baby red-skinned potatoes
• 1 pound small purple or blue potatoes, peeled
• 1 pound unpeeled small white creamer or White Rose potatoes
• 2 cups cooked fresh peas, or one 10-ounce package frozen, thawed
• ½ cups crumbled blue cheese (about 6 ounces)
• Paprika

 Directions

Whisk ½ cup green onions and next 7 ingredients in medium bowl. Cover and chill dressing. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled.

Place all potatoes in large saucepan. Add enough water to cover by 1 inch. Sprinkle with salt. Bring to boil, reduce heat to medium, and boil until tender, 10-15 minutes (time will vary depending on size of potatoes).  Drain and cool to room temperature.

Cut potatoes into 1/2 –inch-thick slices and place in large bowl. Add dressing, peas, and blue cheese; toss gently. Cover and chill at least 2 hours and up to 1 day.

Sprinkle potato salad with paprika and remaining ½ cup green onions.

NOTE:  Note the water turns blue as you’re cooking the blue potatoes, don’t worry – it won’t discolor the white and red potatoes.

 

Fresh Corn Salad

Shared by:  Stuart Davis, Green Associate
Associate
Chicago Office

Serves 4 to 6

July and August are the peak months for this salad, but it can be made through September. For a particularly beautiful salad, you can use a mix of yellow and white corn.

• 5 ears corn, shucked
• ½ cup small-diced red onion (1 small onion)
• 3 tablespoons cider vinegar
• 3 tablespoons good olive oil
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• ½ cup chiffonade* of fresh basil leaves

In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the corn for 3 minutes until the starchiness is just gone. Drain and immerse it in ice water to stop the cooking and to set the color. When the corn is cool, cut the kernels off the cob, cutting close to the cob.

Toss the kernels in a large bowl with the red onions, vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper. Just before serving, toss in the fresh basil. Taste for seasonings and serve cold or at room temperature.

Hints & Tips

1. Do not substitute frozen corn; it doesn’t have the texture or flavor you want in a fresh salad.
2. How to make basil chiffonade? Tightly roll up the basil leaves starting at the pointed end. Thinly slice the leaves lengthwise. Toss leaves.

 

Mango Guacamole

• 3 Ripe Avocados
• 1 Mango, Peeled and Diced
• 1/2 Large Red Onion, Diced
• 2 Plum Tomatoes, Seeded and Diced
• 1 Jalapeno, Seeded and Finely Chopped
• 1 Clove Garlic, Finely Chopped
• 2 Teaspoons Fresh Cilantro, Chopped
• 1 Lime
• Salt to Taste
• Tortilla Chips

Peel and pit the avocados into a large bowl. Squeeze the juice of the lime over the avocados. Using a fork or potato masher, mash the avocados and lime juice. Gently stir in the diced mango, red onion, tomatoes, jalapeno, garlic, and cilantro. Add salt to taste. Scoop guacamole into a serving bowl, garnish with a sprig of cilantro, and serve with tortilla chips.

 

Chocolate Chip Pound Cake

Shared by:  Kathleen Held
Director of Marketing & Business Development
Washington, DC Office

• 1-package yellow cake mix
• 1- 3.9 ounce package instant chocolate pudding
• 1/2-cup sugar
• 3/4-cup oil
• 3/4-cup water
• 4-eggs
• 1-small package mini chocolate chips
• 8-ounces sour cream
• 1-teaspoon vanilla

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Grease and flour bundt pan.
3. Combine all ingredients in order, mix thoroughly and pour into the bundt pan.
4. Bake for approximately 45 minutes or until cake tester comes out clean.

 

Easter Glazed Ham

Shared by:  Ted Farrand, FMP – President & COO
Washington, DC Office

• ½ Smoked Ham
• ¼ cup Whole dried cloves

 For the Glaze:

• ½ cup   Maple Syrup
• ¼ cup   Brown Sugar
• ½ cup   Apple Cider or Apple Juice
• 2 tbls.   Dijon Mustard

1. Score the ham in diagonal pattern, aprox. ½ inch deep
2. Push whole cloves into the diamonds
3. Mix ingredients for the glaze
4. Bake the oven for 1 hour at 350 degrees F, covered tightly in foil,
5. With a small amount of water in bottom of pan
6. Uncover, brush glaze over top and sides of ham,
7. Return to oven for 20 minutes or until glaze is bubbly

 

Colcannon

Shared By:  Ted Farrand, FMP – Vice President
Washington, DC Office

• 3 lbs  Potatoes, scrubbed
• 2 sticks (16 oz.)   Butter, unsalted
• 1 ¼ cups  Hot Milk
• To taste  Black Pepper, freshly ground
• 1 head Cabbage, green, cored and finely shredded
• 1 lb piece Ham or bacon,
• 2 each Green Onions, finely chopped
•  ¼ cup Parsley, chopped, for garnish

DIRECTIONS:

1. Put ham or bacon in large saucepan and cover with water.  Bring to a boil and simmer for 30 to 45 minutes, or until tender.  Drain.  Remove any excess fat and chop into small pieces.  Keep warm or reheat when doing final assembly.
2. Steam the potatoes in their skins for 30 minutes.  Peel them using a sharp knife and fork.  Mash thoroughly to remove all lumps.  Add 1 stick (8 oz.) of butter in pieces, and gradually add hot milk, stirring continuously.  Season with black pepper.
3. Boil the cabbage in unsalted water until it turns a darker color.  Add 2 tablespoons butter to tenderize it.  Cover with lid for 2 minutes.  Drain throughout before returning it to the pan.  Chop into small pieces.
4.  Combine cabbage, green onions, ham or bacon pieces and mashed potatoes, stirring gently.
5.  Serve in individual soup plates with a tablespoon of butter placed on an indentation on the top.  Sprinkle with parsley.