Recipes for the APGA event at the National Arboretum

Herbed Snack Mix - Diane Schuster
6 tablespoons butter or margarine
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
3/4 teaspoons garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
3 cups Corn Chex
3 cups Wheat Chex
1 cup pecans
1 cup bite-sized pretzels
1 cup garlic-flavored bagel chips, broken
5 tablespoons fresh rosemary or 2 tablespoons dried
1/4 teaspoon red pepper sauce

1. Heat oven to 250 degrees F. Melt butter in large roasting pan. Stir in seasonings. Gradually add remaining ingredients, coating evenly.
2. Bake approximately 1 hour, stirring several times. Remove from oven and stir several times as mixture cools.

Ed Rea’s Herbal Dip

Equal parts mayonnaise, sour cream, and cream cheese. 
Mix the mayo and sour cream.  Soften the cream cheese (I zap it 15 seconds in the microwave).  Mix all together briskly.

Herbs:  Used dried oregano, thyme, marjoram, dill, basil, chervil.  Amounts may vary.  Herbs should be finely crushed or ground in mixer.  Garlic powder or salt and coarse ground pepper added.  A spritz of lemon juice and a couple drops of Tabasco can be added as desired.

Mix herbs, lemon juice and Tabasco in Mayo mixture.  Amount of herb is your choice.  Make at least 24 hours ahead.  Mellows in refrigerator.

Betty Rea’s Mango Chutney

6 ripe mangoes, peeled and sliced
1 pound dates, pitted and chopped
2 pounds packed light brown sugar
1 pound seedless raisins
1 pound crystallized ginger, finely chopped
1 pound dried apricots, cut into small pieces
¼ tsp. salt
1 quart cider vinegar

In a large pot, combine the mangoes, dates, sugar, raisins, apricots, and salt.  Stir in vinegar and bring to a boil over high heat.  Reduce heat to medium and simmer, stirring often—until thick—about 30 – 45 minutes.

Pour into hot sterilized canning jars and seal with sterilized lids.

Serve over a block of cream cheese and accompany with crackers.

ginger punch- From Susan Belsinger via Pat Johnsen- ( susan belsinger©2006)

i am attaching the ginger syrup recipe that i used as the base for the punch.  i basically used equal parts of limeade (frozen minute maid in a can mixed as directed) with pineapple juice and sparkling water (club soda or seltzer would be okay).

makes 1 gallon

so it would be:
1 quart ginger syrup
1 quart limeade
1 quart pineapple juice
1 quart sparkling water

refrigerate until well chilled; mix all ingredients together and taste.  if it seems too strong add a bit more limeade or sparkling water.  if you are serving this at a reception i'd make an ice mold to float in the punch bowl to keep it cold.  garnish with lemon or lime slices and a few lemon herbs and/or edible blooms.

note: the syrup will hold in the fridge for 5 to 7 days; so it can be made in advance.  everything else can be mixed together the day before except for the bubbly--that should be added just before serving.

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ginger syrup

Makes about 4 cups

4 cups water
7 to 8-inch piece gingerroot, peeled and cut into ‘coins’ (about 2 cups)
2 cups sugar
1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
1/2 lemon, sliced

To make this herb syrup, the gingerroot must be decocted first. Put the water in a small saucepan, place over moderate heat and bring to a boil.  Add the ginger coins and vanilla bean, reduce heat, and simmer gently for about 20 minutes.  Stir the sugar into to dissolve it, add the lemon, cover and let stand for least 30 minutes, or until room temperature.    Once cooled to room temperature, strain, and refrigerate. (If you are in a hurry, sit the hot pan of syrup in an ice bath to cool it quickly). This syrup can be made ahead and kept in the refrigerator for a week to 10 days.  Be sure to label, because all of the syrups sort of look alike.  Store for up to a year in the freezer.

Lillian's Lemon Doodles - ( A Recipe of Lorraine Kiefer)

1 cup butter (no substitutions)
1 1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
5-6 leaves of lemon balm that have been finely chopped (can put in blender with eggs to be chopped) can also  lemon verbena
Blend in:
2 3/4 cups flour
1 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp baking soda
Zest of one fresh lemon or a tablespoon of dried grated lemon peel
1 tsp vanilla

Chill batter one hour or longer. Roll small balls the size of a cherry or walnut depending on the size of cookie you like, bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit, 8-12 minutes, till golden. Batter can be kept up to a week covered in refrigerator. While still warm, frost with small dollop of lemon butter icing:
Beat one stick of room temperature butter with 1 box 4 x sugar   Add the juice of 1/2 lemon, 1 tsp. vanilla, beat well. If too stiff add a drop or two of  milk . Lemon zest optional.

Rosemary Cookies- Provided by Gloria McClure

1 cup butter
1 cup oil
1 cup sugar
1 cup confectioner’s sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cream of tartar
4 cups flour
2 Tbls chopped fresh rosemary or 2 tsp dried

          Combine all ingredients, except rosemary, in mixer bowl.  Mix thoroughly.  You may need to add a little more flour if dough appears sticky – add a tablespoon at a time.  Add rosemary and gently mix into the batter.  Form into small balls and place on an ungreased cookie sheet.  Flatten with the bottom of a glass dipped in sugar.  Bake at 375F.  Check after 6 minutes.  Turn pan and bake another 2-4 minutes until cookies are pale golden brown and firm to the touch.  Baking time depends on how large you form the cookies.  (Best of Thymes, Marge Clark, Thyme Cookbooks, 1997: ISBN 0-9640514-1-9).

Southern Cheese Straws  - Jamie Jo Washburne
2 Sticks unsalted butter at room temperature
½ lb. Sharp Cheese-yellow-shredded at room temperature
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 cups flour-do not sift
½ teaspoon salt- ( I did not use this because cheese is already salty)
Mix butter and cheese together, ½ cup at a time,
Add flour-mix –put into cookie press, you can use the star or the flat design with points.
Press on a cookie sheet-non greased-4 rows and bake till crispy at 375 degrees- approximately 12 minutes. When cool, break into 3 – 4 inch pieces. I use a spatula.

Cinnamon Bars- Ann Burke, NC Unit

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