Recipe Club and Potluck: January 2025

Our friends from Recipe Club and Potluck have some wonderful recipes to share with you to kick off the new year! Dive into a delicious variety of new dishes to try, from tomato fattoush to no-bake chow mein cookies. 

If you like what you see and are interested in joining the Recipe Club and Potluck crew, we invite you to join us! Recipe Club and Potluck meets on the second Friday of the month at 1:00 pm in the Library. Get the details on the next Recipe Club program, and sign up to attend, on the online calendar. 

Happy cooking! 

Biscuit Loaf with Honey Butter

Ingredients

• Baking spray or butter, for greasing
• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1⁄3 cup whole milk or heavy cream, cold
• 12 ounces club soda or sparkling mineral water, cold
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, divided
  
  To make the Honey Butter: 
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• ¼ teaspoon fine or flaky salt
• ¼ cup honey

Directions 

1. Make the Biscuit Loaf: Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease an 8½-by-4½-inch loaf pan with baking spray or butter and set aside.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Pour in the milk, then slowly pour in the club soda while stirring with a silicone spatula. (It will foam.) Continue stirring until the foaming subsides and the dough is just combined with no dry streaks of flour remaining. Transfer the dough to the prepared pan.

3. Drizzle 2 tablespoons of the melted butter over the top of the dough. Place the loaf pan on a rimmed baking sheet or a sheet of foil to catch any potential drips.

4. Bake until the top of the bread is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 50 to 60 minutes. Immediately remove the bread from the pan and place it on a cooling rack.

5. Brush the loaf all over with the remaining 1 tablespoon of melted butter and cool. The bread can be wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and stored at room temperature for up to four days, or sliced, wrapped and frozen in a freezer-safe container for up to two months.

6. Make the Honey Butter: In a medium bowl, beat together the butter and salt with a hand mixer on high speed until fluffy and easily spreadable, about 1 minute. (You could do this by hand if the butter is soft enough.) Stir in the honey with a spatula, just enough to swirl it in.

7. Serve the bread sliced and slathered with honey butter. (The honey butter can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for one day or in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.)

This recipe is from Preppy Kitchen Super Easy by John Kanell, and shared by PureWow. Place the book on hold here! 

Heirloom Tomato Fattoush

Ingredients 

• ¼ cup red or white wine vinegar
• 1 Tbsp. pomegranate molasses or honey
• 1 tsp. ground sumac, za’atar or fresh grated lemon zest
• ¾ tsp. kosher salt
• ½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 medium heirloom tomatoes, cored, seeded and chopped
• 1 large English cucumber, chopped
• 6 small radishes, thinly sliced
• 1 cup loosely packed fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped, plus more for serving
• ½ cup loosely packed mint leaves, roughly chopped, plus more for serving
• 2 scallions, sliced
• About ½ cup feta cheese, crumbled, plus more for serving
• ¼ cup thinly sliced red onion (from 1 small onion)
• 1 (7-oz.) romaine lettuce heart, roughly chopped
• 3 cups salted pita chips, broken into large pieces (from 1 [16-oz.] bag)

Directions 

1. Whisk together vinegar, molasses, sumac, salt and pepper in a large bowl until molasses is fully dissolved, about 30 seconds. Slowly stream in olive oil, whisking constantly, until dressing emulsifies; set aside until ready to serve.

2. Add tomatoes, cucumbers, radishes, parsley, mint, scallions, feta and red onion to the vinegar mixture, tossing until vegetables are evenly coated.

3. Gently toss romaine and pita chips into tomato mixture. Sprinkle with additional herbs and feta, and serve immediately.

This recipe is from Preppy Kitchen Super Easy by John Kanell. Place a hold on the book here! 

Cheese Scones 

Ingredients 

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Generous dash of ground red pepper
• 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• 3 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese 
• 1/3 cup unsalted butter, chilled 
• 1/3 cup milk 
• 2 large eggs 
• 1 egg yolk mixed with 1 teaspoon water for glaze - optional 

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly butter a 10-inch diameter circle in the center of a baking sheet. 
2. In a large bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, salt, and red pepper. Stir in the cheeses. Cut the butter into 1/2 inch cubes and distribute them over the flour mixture. With a pastry blender or two knives used scissor fashion, cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. In a small bowl, stir together the milk and 2 eggs. Add the milk mixture to the flour mixture and stir until combined. 
3. Spread the dough into an 8-inch diameter circle in the center of the prepared baking sheet. With a serrated knife, cut into 8 wedges. Bake for 15-17 minutes, or until the top is lightly browned and a cake tester or toothpick inserted into the center of a scone comes out clean. 
4. Remove the baking sheet to a wire rack and cool for five minutes. Using a spatula, transfer the scones to the wire rack to cool. Recut into wedges, if necessary. Serve warm, or cool completely and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Let the scones reach room temperature before serving. 

Get the full recipe and details from the book Simply Scones. 

Pineapple Salsa Dip 

Ingredients 

• 8 ounces of cream cheese 
• 6 tablespoons of pineapple salsa (I used Aldi's Casa Mamita) 
• Dash of cumin and chili powder 
• Salt and pepper 

Directions 

1. Mix all ingredients together and chill before serving.

Tomato Soup 

Ingredients 

• 1 medium onion, chopped 
• 2 tablespoons butter 
• 2 cans diced tomatoes, undrained 
• 2 cans tomato soup, undiluted
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 1 teaspoon sugar 
• 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder 
• 1 teaspoon basil 
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika 
• 1 8-ounce package of cream cheese 

Directions

1. Sauté onion in butter. Stir in tomatoes, soup, sugar, seasonings, and milk. 
2. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and cover; Simmer for ten minutes. 
3. Stir in cream cheese until melted. 

No-Bake Chow Mein Cookies

Ingredients 

• About 2 cups of butterscotch chips 
• About 2 cups of chocolate chips 
• About 6 cups of chow mein noodles 
• 1 cup of salted peanuts

Directions 

1. Line a baking sheet with wax paper or parchment paper.
2. Place both the butterscotch chips and the chocolate chips in a large microwave-safe bowl. Melt the chips together in the microwave, stirring chips every 30-45 seconds, until smooth.
3. Remove from microwave and begin folding in the chow mein noodles a little at a time until they are completely coated with the melted chip mixture. Fold in peanuts until they are completely coated.
4. Drop chow mein mixture by the spoonful onto prepared baking sheet. Place baking sheet in the refrigerator until Chow Mein Cookies have completely set.
5. Once Chow Mein Cookies have set, store covered at room temperature.

Get the full recipe and extra tips from Home Cooking Memories!