The best way to start the beginning of summer is having a good ol’ fashioned Potluck. If anyone knows how to throw a potluck it is us fellow Midwesterners. We are famous for our countless side dishes, and home style cookin’.
This go round, have a Hollywood themed Potluck. Have everyone bring his or her favorite dish inspired by a favorite celebrity chef or star. You can’t go wrong with top Chef recipes, but surprisingly some actors and actresses can cook too, and have great recipes for you to try. So challenge your friends to try something new, tasty, and healthy. Here are just a few for ideas:
Eva Longoria’s Spicy Guacamole:
Ingredients:
- 8 large avocados, chopped
- 2 large tomatoes, chopped
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 3 small serrano chiles, finely chopped
- 1 bunch cilantro, finely chopped
- Juice of 3 lemons
- Salt and pepper
- Tortilla chips, for serving
Preparation:
***In a large bowl, add the avocados, tomatoes, onion, chiles, cilantro and lemon juice; season with salt and pepper. Mash together. Serve with the tortilla chips.
Teri Hatcher’s Ginger Mashed Sweet Potatoes
Ingredients:
- 4 large sweet potatoes, scrubbed well
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- Salt
- black pepper
- 3 tablespoons margarine
- 2 Tblsp ginger
- 1/2 cup chicken stock
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350ºF.
****Place the potatoes on a small baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and rub with salt and freshly ground black pepper before wrapping each potato in foil. Bake 45 minutes to an hour, until tender. When the potatoes have finished baking, remove them from the oven and allow them to cool enough so you can handle them.
When you’re able to handle the potatoes, cut them lengthwise. Scoop out the cooked insides using a spoon and roughly chop the skin of the potatoes.
In a large sauce pan over medium heat, melt 3 tablespoons of margarine and add in the fresh ginger. Cook for a couple of seconds to bring out more of the flavor before adding in the reserved potatoes. Coat them well in the butter and ginger, and season with salt and freshly ground pepper. Add in the chicken stock, then mash everything together using a potato masher.
Betty White’s Chicken Wings
Ingredients:
- 3 lbs chicken wings
- 1/2 cup margarine
- 1 cup soy sauce
- 1 cup cane sugar
- 3/4 cup water
- 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
- 3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
Preparation:
**Grease an 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 inch metal loaf pan.
Cream the sugar with the margarine. Mix in the egg whites, bananas, whole wheat flour, pecans, baking soda, and the salt. Pour into the prepared pan. Place the pan in a cold oven. Set the oven control to 300 degrees F. Bake the banana bread for 1 1/2 hours or until a wooden pick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool the bread for 5 minutes on a wire rack. Then remove from the pan and cool completely, right side up.
Jessica Alba’s Chicken Enchiladas
Ingredients:
- 4 cups chicken stock
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 5 oz each), cut into strips
- 1 jalapeño pepper
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 jar (12 oz) salsa
- 1 cup shredded lowfat cheddar
- 1/2 cup shredded lowfat Monterey Jack
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 can (2.25 oz) sliced black olives, drained
- 1 can (16 oz) traditional enchilada sauce
- 1 can (16 oz) green chile enchilada sauce
- Mexican hot sauce
- Cayenne pepper
- Vegetable-oil cooking spray
- 8 corn tortillas (6 inches across)
Preparation:
**Heat oven to 425°. In a medium pot, boil stock, chicken, jalapeño and garlic 15 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Strain chicken, run cold water over it and shred into a bowl. Mix in salsa and set aside. In a separate bowl, combine cheddar, 1/4 cup Monterey Jack, cilantro and olives; set aside. In a large pot over medium heat, combine enchilada sauces and add Mexican hot sauce and cayenne to taste. Stir until simmering. Set aside. Coat an 11″ x 13″ casserole pan with nonstick spray. Microwave tortillas 20 seconds. Place small handfuls of cheese mixture and chicken in center of each tortilla, roll up and place in pan, seam side down. Sprinkle with remaining cheese mixture. Ladle on sauce, then add remaining 1/4 cup Monterey Jack. Bake 20 minutes. Serve with remaining sauce on the side.
