<i>Originally published in the August 21, 2009, print edition.</i>
By Sarah Johnson
With a copy of “Come to the Table,” Swedesburg, Iowa, Evangelical Church’s newest cookbook, you can combat hunger right at your table while fighting hunger all over the world. All proceeds from the cookbook sales go to benefit people who are hungry, but the benefits continue as you page through and select new recipes to add to your repertoire.
Founded by Swedish immigrants 140-plus years ago, the congregants at Swedesburg Lutheran struggled, persevered and finally prospered on the Iowa prairie. Now they feel it’s time to give something back.
A sentence from the preface reminds us: “May we always see beyond this congregation, and reach out to the needs of those around us.” With their cookbooks and, notably, their annual Smorgasbord, they’re doing a fine job of raising funds. Try some of these new ideas.
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For a stunningly colorful — but easy — fresh fruit plate, try Avocado, Pink Grapefruit and Orange Salad, a luscious blend of vibrant colors with the simplest of dressings. The recipe will serve eight but you can easily cut it down to the number of diners at your table. Tap into your inner artist and make this salad your piece de resistance.
Avocado, Pink Grapefruit and Orange Salad Submitted by Margaret Bergstrom
Juice of 1 lemon 2 tablespoons fresh grapefruit juice 1/2 cup olive oil Salt and ground pepper to taste 1 avocado, peeled and sliced lengthwise 2 oranges, peeled and sliced crosswise 2 pink grapefruit, peeled and sliced crosswise 1/2 cup sliced celery (optional) 1/4 cup seasonal berries
To prepare dressing, combine lemon and grapefruit juices. Slowly whisk in olive oil; season with salt and a liberal amount of pepper. (Dressing can be prepared to this point and refrigerated overnight. Bring dressing to room temperature before continuing.)
Arrange avocado in a shallow bowl. Spoon 2 tablespoons of dressing over avocado slices. Cover tightly and refrigerate until ready to serve. To serve, arrange orange slices in a circle, overlapping slightly. Arrange grapefruit slices around the oranges, overlapping them. Place avocado slices on top of orange slices and scatter celery and berries over them. Spoon remaining dressing over salad and serve. Serves 8.
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My garden has an overabundance of green beans, so that means coming up with interesting new ways to serve them. I chose Green Beans with Dill, and it was a wise decision. The beans were crisp-tender and glazed with a tangy dill-and-vinegar-spiked sauce. The dish was simple yet had a real homemade feel to it and deserves four out of four “yums” from the Johnson crew. It’s nice to live where the green beans are actually grown, isn’t it?
Boil beans until tender. Drain and reserve 1/2 cup bean liquid. Melt butter and blend with flour, parsley, onion, dill and bean liquid. Simmer five minutes. Add beans and vinegar. Yield: 4 to 5 servings.
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Tequila-Marinated Shrimp needs to be prepared at least a few hours in advance so its flavors have a chance to mingle in the refrigerator, but then it becomes a versatile weapon in your culinary arsenal. Serve it as an appetizer or a light summer entrée on a bed of greens. Or slice it and stuff it in a burrito. Or add it to stir fries. Or … you get the picture.
Tequila-Marinated Shrimp Submitted by Lynn Graf
3 tablespoons chopped green onions 5 cloves garlic, minced 1/4 cup olive oil 2 pounds large fresh shrimp (26 to 30 per pound,) peeled and deveined, leaving tails intact 1/4 cup tequila 1/4 cup lime juice 1/8 teaspoon salt 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
In a large skillet, cook onion and garlic in olive oil over medium heat about three minutes or until tender. Add shrimp and tequila; bring to a boil. Stirring occasionally, boil gently, uncovered, for three to five minutes or until shrimp turn pink. Transfer shrimp mixture to a bowl. Add lime juice, salt and cilantro. Toss to mix. Cover and refrigerate for two to 24 hours, stirring occasionally. Drain before serving.
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Taverns are similar to other ground-beef sandwiches such as Maid Rites. They’re like sloppy joes without the barbecue flavor and, well, the slop. They’re best (in my humble opinion) decorated with pickle slices and a little mustard. That’s all they need. Yum.
Grandma Smith’s Taverns Submitted by Valerie Unkrich
2 pounds hamburger 1 cup water 1 onion, chopped 3/4 cup ketchup 1 tablespoon chili powder 2 tablespoons prepared mustard
Brown and drain hamburger. Meanwhile, in a separate saucepan, combine remaining ingredients and cook for six to eight minutes. Combine browned hamburger and sauce, and cook for 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
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For a fun (and sweeter) version of a cheese ball, do a dessert version. The Chocolate Chip Cream Cheese Ball features cream cheese blended with fresh butter, powdered sugar and mini chocolate chips and then rolled in finely chopped pecans and scooped up with graham crackers. It’s a kiddie delight in a grown-up shape.
Chocolate Chip Cream Cheese Ball Submitted by Taryn Ryan
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, soft 1/2 cup butter, soft 1/4 teaspoon vanilla 3/4 cup powdered sugar 2 tablespoons brown sugar 3/4 cup mini chocolate chips 3/4 cup finely chopped pecans Graham crackers
In a mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, butter and vanilla until fluffy. Gradually add the sugars; beat just until combined. Stir in chocolate chips. Cover and refrigerate for two hours. Shape into a ball. Refrigerate for at least one hour. Just before serving, roll cream cheese ball in pecans. Serve with graham crackers.
To order “Come to the Table,” send a check or money order for $15 plus $5 shipping and handling to: Come to the Table, Swedesburg Evangelical Lutheran Church, P.O. Box 88, Swedesburg, IA 52652.
