2018 Couch Potato Ball Recipes

This year’s first ever, Couch Potato Ball was so much fun. We are completely in awe of how our Gianna Homes family and friends came together, completely online, to raise necessary funds for our amazing residents. We are so honored to continue serving the memory-impaired community through these generous donations. Thank you so much for being a part of this wonderful event. We loved putting on a show on Facebook live from our very own kitchens and would love to share the recipes from this year’s event with you.

Seedling Package- As many of you know, our Plymouth location was possible through the generosity of the Bob and Gladys Kauffman family and it’s named in honor of their mother, Gladys, who we were honored to care for. Here’s a family favorite!

Potato Soup

• 1 Package of Baby Reds or Yukon gold potatoes
• “Better than Bouillon” Chicken Bouillon
• 2 Tbsp Argo Starch
• 1 Pint Half and Half
• Onions
• Carrots
• Celery

1. Cut potatoes in squares, medium size. Have a large pot of water ready for the potatoes, onions, carrots and celery, chicken bouillon “Better than Bouillon”. As it simmers, until potatoes are soft add Argo starch. Put it in cold water & stir
2. Then pour into soup “Half and Half” a pint or so… Your kids will love it. We do!

-Mom & Dad

Spud Package- This package included this delicious recipe from the kitchen of past resident: Marian G.

Delicious Ham and Potato Soup

Ingredients:

• 3 ½ cups peeled and diced potatoes
• ⅓ cup diced celery
• ⅓ cup finely chopped onion
• ¾ cup diced cooked ham
• 2 tablespoons chicken bouillon granules
• ½ teaspoons ground white or black pepper, or to taste
• 5 tablespoons butter

Directions:

1. Combine the potatoes, celery, onion, ham, and water in a stockpot. Bring to a boil, then cook over medium heat until potatoes are tender, about 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in the chicken bouillon, salt, and pepper.
2. In a separate saucepan, melt butter over medium-low heat. Whisk in flour with a fork, and cook, stirring constantly until thick, about 1 minute. Slowly stir in milk as not to allow lumps to form until all the milk has been added. Continue stirring over medium-low heat until thick, 4 to 5 minutes
3. Stir the milk mixture into the stockpot and cook soup until heated through. Serve immediately.

V.I.P. Very Important Potato Package- including the Gianna Homes Couch Potato Ball Autumnal Feast curated by local, private chef, Tom Reschenberg

  Field Greens Salad with Goat Cheese, Toasted Walnuts & Crasins

Ingredients:

• 8 cups mixed greens
• ½ cup sweetened dried cranberries
• ½ cup toasted walnut halves
• Balsamic Vinaigrette (Recipe included)
• 1 (5 ounce) package of goat cheese, crumbled

Directions:

Combine greens, cranberries, and walnuts in a large bowl. Just before serving, toss ⅔ cup Balsamic Vinaigrette and top with goat cheese

Balsamic Vinaigrette

Ingredients:

• ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
• 2 teaspoons dark brown sugar, optional
• 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
• ½ tablespoon salt
• ½ tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
• ¾ cup olive oil

Directions:

Beat the vinegar in a bowl with the optional sugar, garlic, salt, and pepper until sugar and salt dissolves. Then, beat in the oil by droplets, whisking constantly (Or place all the ingredients in a screw-top jar and shake to combine). Taste and adjust the seasonings.

Butternut Squash Risotto

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 ½ pounds of butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1/2 in chunks
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 1 cup Arborio rice
• ½ cup dry white wine
• 2 cans (14 ½ ounces each) reduced-sodium chicken broth, mixed with ½ cup water and heated
• ⅓ cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish

(Chef Suggestion: Rather than adding the squash at the end we cooked it with the Arborio rice; the squash softens during cooking and makes the dish sweeter)

Directions:

1. In a medium heavy-bottom saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add squash; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring often, until edges soften, 6 to 8 minutes.
2. Add rice, stir to coat. Add wine; cook until almost all liquid has evaporated, 1 to 2 minutes.
3. Reduce heat to medium-low; add 1.2 cup hot broth mixture. Cook, stirring, until almost all liquid is absorbed, Add remaining broth mixture, ½ cup at a time, stirring until liquid is absorbed before adding more, 35 to 40 minutes total.
4. Stir in Parmesan and 1 ½ teaspoons salt, Serve immediately, garnished with more Parmesan.

Seared Salmon

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• Freshly ground pepper
• 4 (6 ounce) Salmon fillets, 1-¼ in thick (I have my fishmonger remove the skin, but it’s fine to leave it on if you like)

Directions:

Season the salmon with the salt and a few grinds of pepper. Heat the oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until hot and shimmering. Cook the salmon, without moving, skin side up until golden and crisp, about 4 minutes. Carefully flip the fillets and reduce the heat to medium. Continue cooking until done to your liking, 4 to 5 minutes more. Transfer to a platter and serve.

Sauteed Bacon and Spinach

Ingredients:

• 2 slices of bacon
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 small clove of garlic minced
• ½ small sweet onion, chopped
• 2 (6 ounce) bags baby spinach leaves coarse salt and ground pepper to taste

Directions:

In a skillet over medium heat, fry the bacon evenly brown and crisp. Drain, crumble and set aside. Melt the butter and heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Mix int he crumbled bacon, garlic, and onion. Cook and stir 2 minutes, then mix the spinach until evenly coated with the butter and oil. Cover skillet, reduce heat to low, and cook 5 minutes, stirring often, or until spinach is tender, Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Apple Dumplings

Ingredients:

• 1 sheet frozen puff pastry
• 4 medium cooking apples (Golden Delicious or Jonathan)
• 4 tablespoons brown sugar or 4 tablespoons Splenda brown sugar blend
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1 teaspoon water
• 1 teaspoon sugar or 1 teaspoon Splenda sugar substitute
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice, for apples in case they start to turn brown

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400ºF. Thaw and unfold puff pastry. On a lightly floured surface, roll the pastry into a 16” square. Cut with a  knife into 4 equal pieces. Peel and core apples. Trim the bottoms so the apples sit flat. Place 1 apple in the center of each square. Use ¼ teaspoon of lemon juice if apples start to turn brown. Mix together the brown sugar or brown sugar Splenda, butter or margarine, and cinnamon. Spoon into apples. Beat the egg and water together in a small bowl. Moisten the edge of the pastry with the mixture. Bring the pastry up around the apple, pleating the pastry as needed to form a seal. Place the dumplings in an ungreased 9×13 inch baking dish. Brush them with the remaining mixture, sprinkle with granulated sugar or Splenda. Bake for 35 minutes until golden brown.

Vanilla Whipped Cream

Ingredients

• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 2 tablespoons sugar, honey, or maple syrup
• ½ teaspoon vanilla or other flavorings or liquors

Directions:

1. Place a mixer bowl and whisk in freezer for at least 20 minutes to chill.
2. Pour heavy whipping cream, sugar, and vanilla into the cold bowl and whisk on high speed until medium to stiff peaks form, about 1 minute.
3. Do not overbeat.