Aunt Julie's *Recipe Week*, Day #6: A Bipartisan Party, FX4 Style!

Obama and McCain took a few minutes off the Campaign Trail last week to contribute to Aunt Julie's *Recipe Week." OK, no, they really didn't, but we like to see our candidates smiling, and we do have a couple of politician-inspired recipes today for ya!

No, we didn't get these from the Elephant's and/or Donkey's mouth. We got them from ABC. Good Morning America, specifically. These Dishes sound Delish; plus, we'd like something Different for Candid Carrie's Friday Foto Finish Fiesta!

Here you have it, folks. President-Elect Obama apparently is famous for his chili, among other things. Senator John McCain is not only a Maverick, but a Rip-Roarin' Ribs-Roaster!

According to ABC, Obama has been using this chili recipe since college and says he would bring it to any potluck party. He says he "can't reveal all the secrets, but if you make it right, it's just got the right amount of bite, the right amount of oomph in it, and it will clear your sinuses."

McCain, meanwhile, says barbecuing for guests is one of the few ways he relaxes, especially during the grueling campaign. He carefully honed his recipe on the gas grill: baby back ribs, using a dry rub that's a third garlic powder, a third salt and a third pepper. The trick to not letting the ribs dry out? Keep putting lemon juice on them.

Obama Family Chili Recipe
1 large onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
Several cloves of garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound ground turkey or beef
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
¼ teaspoon ground oregano
¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
¼ teaspoon ground basil1 tablespoon chili powder
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
Several tomatoes, depending on size, chopped
1 can red kidney beans

Saute onions, green pepper and garlic in olive oil until soft. Add ground meat and brown.
Combine spices together into a mixture, then add to ground meat. Add red wine vinegar. Add tomatoes and let simmer, until tomatoes cook down. Add kidney beans and cook for a few more minutes. Serve over white or brown rice. Garnish with grated cheddar cheese, onions and sour cream.

McCain's Ribs
Dry Rub:1/3 part Garlic Powder
1/3 part Salt
1/3 part Pepper
3 lemons

Turn the grill down to low temperature. Mix together garlic powder, salt and pepper. Then cover both sides of the ribs with that. Grill ribs, bone side down, for 90 percent of the time. It will take about an hour to an hour and a half. Squeeze the lemon on it frequently, because that makes it taste a lot better. Serve with your favorite BBQ sauce.

These Politicos obviously don't compromise on Good Taste. Wonder what the President-Elect will serve at his first State Dinner?

Aunt Julie's *Recipe Week*, Day #5: We're in "Soup Mode," for Sure!

Yes, it's true, Dear Readers. I get hungry for a Hearty Bowl of Soup as soon as that First Snowflake Falls. Yesterday, we treated you to Aunt Julie's Wild Rice Soup; today, you're in for another treat from Julie Eliz's Recipe Box. Of course, you must serve Aunt Julie's Broccoli Soup with some more of those crusty and delish Fresh Sheboygan Hard Rolls!

Aunt Julie's Broccoli Soup
1 ½ cup chicken broth
½ cup chopped onion
2 cups broccoli
Combine ingredients, boil, then simmer 10 minutes, 'til broccoli is tender

In the meantime:

Melt 2 tbsp butter.
Add 2 tbsp flour, stir.

Add ¼ tsp. each, salt and pepper
Slowly add 1 cup milk.
Warm, and stir.

Add the butter/flour mixture to chicken broth/onion/broccoli, and stir 'til thick. You can double or triple this recipe for a crowd! And, don't forget the Sheboygan Hard Rolls!

~Tomorrow, in the Best Bipartisan Tradition for Candid Carrie's Fx4: John McCain's Ribs & Obama Family Chili!~

Aunt Julie's *Recipe Week*: Day #4: Something Wild is Going On!

OK, I definitely think I saw a snowflake or two today! Is it time to break out the soup pot yet? Veggie Mom's just gonna make an Executive Decision here. With nighttime temps in the 20s, we say it's Soup Weather, whether the calendar says so or not!

Aunt Julie tells me not to let you in on the Big Secret of this Little Recipe...that it's sooooooooo easy! But you'll figure that out when you make it yourself. So, for Day #4 of Aunt Julie's *Recipe Week*, we present:

Aunt Julie's Wild Rice Soup
½ cup wild rice. Rinse, and cook 35 minutes in 2 cups of water. Drain.
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of potato soup
2 cans of milk
1 cup grated cheddar cheese

Warm everything together. Top with fresh bacon bits. This Superb Soup will keep warm very nicely in a crockpot. Serve your soup with some nice Fresh Sheboygan Hard Rolls. Can't get to Northeastern Wisconsin? They deliver!

~Tomorrow (as long as we're in "Soup Mode"): Aunt Julie's Broccoli Soup!~

Aunt Julie's *Recipe Week*, Day #3: Support Our Troops!

We've all been thinking of Aunt Julie's folks, Ernie and Vera, today. They both Served Their Country with distinction in the Navy during World War II. Ernie, in fact, was in the first landing on Omaha Beach in Normandy; Vera was a Navy Nurse with her sister, Jean.

Since today is a Time of Remembrance, we'd like to honor our Veterans by sharing these wonderful family photos that depict the service of Ernie and Vera. Today is also Grandma Vera's Birthday. So we'll raise a glass--and a Cranberry Muffin, perhaps--to Family and to Grandma Vera's second sense when it came to yummy treats!

During Aunt Julie's First *Recipe Week* way back in September, we featured Grandma Vera's Cutout Cookies. Today, we'd like to pass along Vera's recipe for Cranberry Muffins, a Pop'rs Family Breakfast Favorite!

Grandma Vera's Cranberry Muffins
1 ½ tbsp. butter
½ cup sugar
½ cup milk
1 cup flour
1 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp salt
1 cup sliced cranberries
Bake 25 minutes @ 350 degrees.
Makes about nine muffins, so make sure to double or even triple the recipe!

~Tomorrow: Julie Eliz's Wild Rice Soup!~

Aunt Julie's *Recipe Week*, Day #2: Keeping Warm on Winter Nights

Things are starting to get a tad bit chilly out in Northeastern Wisconsin. Reports of snow, unfortunately, are not exaggerated! Although we haven't yet hunkered down for the three or four feet they suffered recently in the Dakotas, we know we'll be in for a long, long winter!

As Moker is fond of saying, Wisconsin features "Nine months of winter and three months of tough sledding!"

To help The Pop'rs Family make it through to spring, Aunt Julie likes to make a pot of Stroganoff. This recipe, in fact, is College Boy's Favorite!

Aunt Julie's Beef Stroganoff
1.5 lbs. sirloin, cut into thin strips
Roll in flour, with salt & pepper added. Brown in oil in large skillet.
Add:
1 can beef broth
3 Tbsp ketchup
1 Tbsp yellow mustard
1 Tbsp Worcestershire
Heat to bubbling, stirring. Reduce heat, and simmer 20-30 min.

Stir in 1 cup sour cream, and warm through. Don’t boil again.
Serve over wide noodles. Can also add a small can of mushrooms.
We always double this, it is so good!

~Tomorrow: We celebrate Veterans Day with a recipe from Grandma Vera!~

Aunt Julie Hosts *Recipe Week*-Part Deux

We had such a Fun and Successful *Recipe Week* in September, that Aunt Julie has decided to do it again! Every day, between now and next Sunday, we'll be sharing Yummy Recipes with all of our Bloggy Friends, as part of Aunt Julie's *Recipe Week*--Part Deux.

At the end of the week--next Sunday, to be precise--we have a little ol' surprise in store for ya! We'll be asking readers to submit Yummy Dishes of their own to share, as the lead-up to our Next Pop'rs Giveaway!

Today's recipe is an Old Wisconsin Favorite, which we start thinking about just as the leaves begin to turn. Hot Beefs go really well with Cold Beer, and put us in mind of a Packer Party. The above pic, BTW, captures Uncle Lynn and his Mom, Pearl, right in the midst of tailgating at Historic Lambeau Field.

So, think about us Packer Fans as you're pulling out your crock pot, browning the meat, and setting the whole thing on "low" so it can simmer throughout the day. Go, Pack!

Aunt Julie's Hot Beefs
1 chuck roast (three to four pounds)
Small amount of olive oil
Salt & Pepper, to taste
1 envelope Lipton's Beefy Onion Soup Mix
1 beer, can of beef broth or water (your choice)
Whole wheat hamburger buns, toasted

Brown the roast on top of the stove in a little olive oil on both sides. Sprinkle the roast with salt & pepper as you're browning it. Transfer the browned roast to a crock pot. Add the envelope of Lipton Soup Mix, and about an inch of water, canned beef broth, or beer. The Pop'rs Family prefers the "beer option." Let the roast cook on "low" all day. At dinnertime, the meat will shred very easily with a fork. Stir it all up, and serve with a little juice on toasted buns. Aunt Julie likes sliced pickles on hers, and maybe a little ketchup. Moker and Veggie Mom love sliced raw onions and ketchup. Maybe even a little Texas Pete instead of ketchup!

Lay's Kettle Cooked Jalapeño Chips are a lovely accompaniment to this delightful repast. And have another bottle of beer, while you're at it!

~Tomorrow: Aunt Julie's Beef Stoganoff!~

We are Family!

AJ, who claims to be A Little Bit Nutty, bestowed this Exotic Piece o' Brazilian Bling upon Veggie Mom's Head the other day.

The Portuguese translation links to the English word "proximity." In other words, "Este Blog investe e acredita na...Proximidade," means, roughly, "This blog invests and believes, in proximity." We blog to become closer...and, in turn, blogger helps us realize that closeness to others is always within our reach.

I agree with this Sweet Sentiment. Blogging does make us closer, don'tcha think?

As a winner and a spreader of the love within Our Big Bloggy Family, Veggie is required to pass this prize along to eight Bloggy Friends. And, friends, please don't forget to link to the Bearer of Good Tidings (in this case, Veggie Mom), before you Pass the Torch along to eight bloggers of your choosing. And so on, and so forth.

My Bloggy Family has grown so much over the months of Connecting in Cyberspace. Please congratulate these Bloggers for Bringing Us All a Little Bit Closer when you seen them on the Information Super Highway:

• Susie's Homemade.
• My Dogumentary.
• Not So SAHM.
• Life Goes On...
• Living and Loving Every Minute of It!
• Now Entering Momville.
• Rich in Love.
• Stitchinbythelake.

Enjoy, Ladies! And Thanks for bringing us all closer together!

Recipe Alert! We are hosting another *Aunt Julie's Recipe Week* starting tomorrow! If you remember our September Event, this will be another fanTAbulous time! Stay tuned all week...We guarantee a good time for all!