As promised, here is a collection of recipes that I've used during our mission!
Departing Missionaries' Last Supper Menu
Carver's Salad
Out of This World Crescent Rolls
Teriyaki Salmon
Grilled Pork Tenderloin
Baked Potatoes
Fresh Vegetable
CARVER'S SALAD
One of the favorites that all the missionaries looked forward to every time we had a zone conference lunch or a meal at the mission home was a green salad:) I got this recipe at a ward Christmas potluck. The Carver Salad was so good that one brother walked around the cultural hall with the empty bowl asking who had brought it. I'm glad he did, because we all got the recipe and I've made it hundreds of times! I call it my "food storage" salad dressing because all the ingredients come out of my year's supply!
DRESSING:
Mix together:
3 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar (Taiwan has the best apple vinegar!)
3 Tbsp. honey
Heat until honey melts; cool. Then whisk in:
1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
6 Tbsp. (3/8 cup) salad dressing (I use Miracle Whip)
1 Tbsp. finely minced onion
1-1/2 Tbsp. fresh parsley, minced (I use 2 tsp. dried parsley flakes)
pinch of salt
Gradually whisk in:
3/4 cup oil (I use Canola)
SALAD:
1 head Romaine, cleaned and chopped
1 head red leaf lettuce, cleaned and chopped
1 pkg. baby spinach,
1 cup blanched almond slivers, toasted
1 cup dried cranberries
3-4 golden delicious apples, chopped
OUT OF THIS WORLD CRESCENT ROLLS
When I had time, I would bake fresh crescent rolls. I also used this recipe to make cinnamon rolls when I had a missionary who was lactose intolerant:) President's cousin's wife used to make these wonderful rolls and after she gave me the recipe, I realized that I had cut it out of the LA times a decade earlier but never tried baking them!
In a bread machine, add (in the order below):
1-1/4 cup water, warmed in a microwave oven for one minute
2 tsp. salt
3 eggs
4-1/2 cups flour (I prefer unbleached)
1/2 cup shortening (this I had many family members over the three years bring over to Taiwan)
1/2 cup sugar
5 tsp. instant yeast
In order to get a moist dough that otherwise would be too sticky to knead by hand, I use a bread machine to mix all my bread dough. I start the dough cycle, then carefully watch the dough for the first 15-20 minutes. I scrape the sides often and make sure the dough is sufficiently moist. If it appears dry, I add more water. If it appears too wet, I add more flour. The dough should be barely moist to the touch (stick to your finger) while during the mixing stage. After the machine is done kneading, it will produce a very elastic dough that you can handle without being too moist.
Prepare a covered plastic container by spraying the inside with non-stick cooking spray. After the dough is done with the first knead, I remove the dough and place it inside the prepared container, and then either turn over or spray the top of the dough so that it is lightly coated with oil. Cover and let rise in refrigerator overnight or for about 4-8 hours.
Divide dough into 3 parts. Roll each part into a circle. Spread with softened butter. Using a pizza cutter, cut each circle into half and each half into fifths for 10 pie shaped pieces. This seems odd but I have found that doing created triangles not to narrow as well as not too long. Roll from wide end into crescents. Place point side down on a baking sheet lined with a Silpat silicone baking sheet. Silpats do not need to be greased and your rolls will never burn! Let rise until double.
Bake 12-15 minutes in a oven preheated to 400F. Watch carefully! When golden brown, remove and baste with softened butter.
TERIYAKI SALMON
You know how frustrating it is when you find the perfect brand of whatever at Costco, and then the next time you go there they have discontinued stocking it? That is what happened to this fabulous teriyaki marinade I found at the Taichung Costco:( It was full of ginger and sesame seeds, and was also gluten free. The new brand they carried was thicker but smooth glaze. What to do? I looked at the Ginger-Garlic Paste left over from the Indian Aloo Gobi recipe that I did not enjoy. A lightbulb went on!
One Atlantic salmon fillet
Teriyaki marinade/sauce/glaze (any kind, any brand)
Ginger-Garlic Paste (the secret ingredient)
Toasted sesame seeds
Fresh cilantro, ends trimmed off, chopped
Ginger-Garlic Paste:
1/2 cup peeled garlic
1/2 cup fresh ginger, all rough outer peel and layer pared off
1/4 cup salad oil
Blend above 3 ingredients in blender until smooth. Stores in sealed glass jar for months!
Rinse salmon fillet and pat dry with paper towels. Place in baking dish (metal or glass). Spread top with Ginger-Garlic Paste. Pour Teriyaki marinade/sauce/glaze over top of salmon, and enough to cover the bottom of the baking dish. Lift salmon to allow sauce to soak into the bottom of the fillet. Cover with plastic wrap and marinate in refrigerator 1-2 hours. Tips: be generous with the marinade, as it is great over rice!
Preheat oven to 325F. Remove plastic wrap. Spoon marinade over salmon to moisten. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds. Cover with foil and bake for 40-60 minutes (depending on how thick your salmon is, until pink). Now here is the trick. I like a thicker sauce with the baked salmon. So if you used a thin marinade, you'll want to bake the salmon uncovered (remove foil) longer (maybe last 20 minutes) to thicken the marinade. If you used a thick glaze, you'll want to bake the salmon covered longer so that the glaze doesn't burn. Whatever the case, about 10 minutes before the salmon is done, remove the foil, sprinkle with chopped cilantro, and return to oven. Do not leave the cilantro on the salmon in the oven for more than 20 minutes (or it will turn an ugly brown).
Serve with Basmati or Jasmine rice:)
When I had time, I would bake fresh crescent rolls. I also used this recipe to make cinnamon rolls when I had a missionary who was lactose intolerant:) President's cousin's wife used to make these wonderful rolls and after she gave me the recipe, I realized that I had cut it out of the LA times a decade earlier but never tried baking them!
In a bread machine, add (in the order below):
1-1/4 cup water, warmed in a microwave oven for one minute
2 tsp. salt
3 eggs
4-1/2 cups flour (I prefer unbleached)
1/2 cup shortening (this I had many family members over the three years bring over to Taiwan)
1/2 cup sugar
5 tsp. instant yeast
In order to get a moist dough that otherwise would be too sticky to knead by hand, I use a bread machine to mix all my bread dough. I start the dough cycle, then carefully watch the dough for the first 15-20 minutes. I scrape the sides often and make sure the dough is sufficiently moist. If it appears dry, I add more water. If it appears too wet, I add more flour. The dough should be barely moist to the touch (stick to your finger) while during the mixing stage. After the machine is done kneading, it will produce a very elastic dough that you can handle without being too moist.
Prepare a covered plastic container by spraying the inside with non-stick cooking spray. After the dough is done with the first knead, I remove the dough and place it inside the prepared container, and then either turn over or spray the top of the dough so that it is lightly coated with oil. Cover and let rise in refrigerator overnight or for about 4-8 hours.
Divide dough into 3 parts. Roll each part into a circle. Spread with softened butter. Using a pizza cutter, cut each circle into half and each half into fifths for 10 pie shaped pieces. This seems odd but I have found that doing created triangles not to narrow as well as not too long. Roll from wide end into crescents. Place point side down on a baking sheet lined with a Silpat silicone baking sheet. Silpats do not need to be greased and your rolls will never burn! Let rise until double.
Bake 12-15 minutes in a oven preheated to 400F. Watch carefully! When golden brown, remove and baste with softened butter.
TERIYAKI SALMON
You know how frustrating it is when you find the perfect brand of whatever at Costco, and then the next time you go there they have discontinued stocking it? That is what happened to this fabulous teriyaki marinade I found at the Taichung Costco:( It was full of ginger and sesame seeds, and was also gluten free. The new brand they carried was thicker but smooth glaze. What to do? I looked at the Ginger-Garlic Paste left over from the Indian Aloo Gobi recipe that I did not enjoy. A lightbulb went on!
One Atlantic salmon fillet
Teriyaki marinade/sauce/glaze (any kind, any brand)
Ginger-Garlic Paste (the secret ingredient)
Toasted sesame seeds
Fresh cilantro, ends trimmed off, chopped
Ginger-Garlic Paste:
1/2 cup peeled garlic
1/2 cup fresh ginger, all rough outer peel and layer pared off
1/4 cup salad oil
Blend above 3 ingredients in blender until smooth. Stores in sealed glass jar for months!
Rinse salmon fillet and pat dry with paper towels. Place in baking dish (metal or glass). Spread top with Ginger-Garlic Paste. Pour Teriyaki marinade/sauce/glaze over top of salmon, and enough to cover the bottom of the baking dish. Lift salmon to allow sauce to soak into the bottom of the fillet. Cover with plastic wrap and marinate in refrigerator 1-2 hours. Tips: be generous with the marinade, as it is great over rice!
Preheat oven to 325F. Remove plastic wrap. Spoon marinade over salmon to moisten. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds. Cover with foil and bake for 40-60 minutes (depending on how thick your salmon is, until pink). Now here is the trick. I like a thicker sauce with the baked salmon. So if you used a thin marinade, you'll want to bake the salmon uncovered (remove foil) longer (maybe last 20 minutes) to thicken the marinade. If you used a thick glaze, you'll want to bake the salmon covered longer so that the glaze doesn't burn. Whatever the case, about 10 minutes before the salmon is done, remove the foil, sprinkle with chopped cilantro, and return to oven. Do not leave the cilantro on the salmon in the oven for more than 20 minutes (or it will turn an ugly brown).
Serve with Basmati or Jasmine rice:)
GRILLED PORK TENDERLOINS
In the U.S., generally speaking, beef is least expensive,
followed by chicken, and then pork. However, in Taiwan, pork is least
expensive, followed by chicken and then beef! So I decided to go with grilled
pork, and used my beef tri-tip marinade on the tenderloins. President is the
one who grills the tenderloins to perfection! But the real secret is the Grill
Mats. I ordered these amazing mats online after my mother told me she ordered
them for my brother as a gift. These mats cut down the grilling time by about
half, keeps the meat juicy as it’s almost self-basting, lets flavor and
charring come through, avoids burning even with sweet sauces, and best of all,
cleanup is a cinch and your grill stays spotless!
So here’s the marinade...
In a pan just large enough for your meat (not to small or
large), mix:
1 part robust Italian salad dressing (any brand, bottled or
from a mix)
3-4 parts soy sauce (I use Kikkoman All-purpose, not low-sodium)
Trim pork tenderloin or tri-tip. Turn meat in marinade until
thoroughly coated. Sprinkle top generously with granulated garlic. Turn
meat over. Sprinkle again. Cover with plastic wrap. Marinate for 2 hours or
more before grilling. Turn at least once. Note that the granulated garlic will
soak up much of the marinade to coat the meat, so be sure there is plenty of
liquid.
