Potluck Recipes

Whenever we have a Potluck, we never know what we will be eating. Sometimes there is a run on salad or bread, but there is invariably a dish or two that really stands out. Here are some of the recent recipes that folks have requested.

Leslie's "Egg" Salad

1 lb. tofu
1/2 c. mayo
2 T prepared mustard
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp. turmeric
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
optional:
1/2 c. diced scallions
1/2 c. diced celery
1/2 c. dicd carrots
Drain tofu and mash well w/ ork, mix w/ spices & mayo. Add choppe veggies & mix.
Serves 4


Melanie's Toasted Quinoa & Eggplant
1/2 lb tofu, cubed
4 teaspoons reduced-sodium tamari or soy sauce, divided
1/3 cup rice vinegar
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
4 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons walnut or olive oil, divided
1 1/2 cups quinoa, rinsed well (see Tip) (i used a combo of red and white quinoa, but all white or all red is fine)
2 teaspoons minced garlic
3 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
1 medium eggplant, unpeeled, sliced, salted, drained, and cubed (about 2 cups)
1/2 sliced poblano pepper
1/2 cup quartered cherry tomatoes
1/2 cup toasted pecans
1 Tb. toasted sesame seeds

1. Toss tofu with 2 teaspoons tamari (or soy sauce), vinegar and sesame oil in a medium bowl. Set aside.
2. Place a large, high-sided skillet with a tight-fitting lid over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon oil and quinoa. Cook, stirring constantly, until the quinoa begins to color, 6 to 8 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute more. Add water and salt and bring to a boil. Stir once, cover and cook over medium heat until the water is absorbed, about 15 minutes. (Do not stir.) Remove from the heat and let stand, covered, for 10 minutes.
3. Whisk 3 tablespoons oil, the remaining 2 teaspoons tamari (or soy sauce), in a large bowl. Add the quinoa; toss to coat.
4. Meanwhile, remove the tofu from the marinade. Heat a large skillet over medium-high until hot enough to evaporate a drop of water upon contact. Add the remaining 2 teaspoons  oil and cook the tofu and the eggplant until golden and just firm, about 5 minutes total. Add the poblanos and cook for 2 more minutes. Gently stir the tofu/eggplant mix into the quinoa salad. Serve garnished with tomatoes, pecans and sesame seeds.

TIP:  you must wash quinoa before cooking. Rinse twice to rid it of the saponin that naturally coats the grains.


Janet's Soft Pretzel Rolls
Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups warm (110 to 115 degrees F) water
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 package active dry yeast
• 22 ounces all-purpose flour, approximately 4 1/2 cups
• 2 ounces unsalted butter, melted
• Vegetable oil, for pan
• 10 cups water
• 2/3 cup baking soda
• 1 large egg yolk beaten with 1 tablespoon water
• Pretzel salt

Directions
Combine the water, sugar and kosher salt in the bowl of a stand mixer and sprinkle the yeast on top. Allow to sit for 5 minutes or until the mixture begins to foam. Add the flour and butter and, using the dough hook attachment, mix on low speed until well combined. Change to medium speed and knead until the dough is smooth and pulls away from the side of the bowl, approximately 4 to 5 minutes. Remove the dough from the bowl, clean the bowl and then oil it well with vegetable oil. Return the dough to the bowl, cover with plastic wrap and sit in a warm place for approximately 50 to 55 minutes or until the dough has doubled in size.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Line 2 half-sheet pans with parchment paper and lightly brush with the vegetable oil. Set aside.

Bring the 10 cups of water and the baking soda to a rolling boil in an 8-quart saucepan or roasting pan.

In the meantime, turn the dough out onto a slightly oiled work surface and divide into 8 equal pieces. Form each piece of dough into a ball and press a starburst pattern into it with an apple cutter or a knife.  Place onto the parchment-lined half sheet pan.

Place the rolls into the boiling water, 1 by 1, for 30 seconds. (This is the step that will make them browner and chewier than a regular roll.) Remove them from the water using a large flat spatula. Return to the half sheet pan, brush the top of each pretzel with the beaten egg yolk and water mixture and sprinkle with the pretzel salt. Bake until dark golden brown in color, approximately 12 to 14 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack for at least 5 minutes before serving.