From Ballot Box to Recipe Box

AS seen on KUSA-TV 9

I did a little research and discovered some favorite recipes of the presidential and Vice-presidential candidates.
 A New Hampshire newspaper did a series of articles in late 2007 to find out where candidates stood on the issues, and also in the kitchen.
 They printed recipes such as Tancredo’s spaghetti sauce and Clinton’s oatmeal chocolate chip cookies.

Now if you are Obama supporters here is Obama's Family Recipe Chili
 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." The chili powder provides the “oomph”
 All hot chilies contain phytochemicals known collectively as capsaicinoids.
 They are being studied to alleviate chronic pain, and interestingly enough, there is research to show hot chilies may have an anti-ulcer protective effect on the stomach.

For the Democratic vice-presidential candidate, one of his favorite dishes is Joe Biden's Pot Pie,
 He notes that it is a tradition in his family that on your birthday, you could pick whatever you want to have for dinner. Pot pie is the hottest item.
 Jill Biden usually personalizes the pie crust with a name or "Happy Birthday."

As for McCain supporters: He says he is a grill-master with McCain's Baby Back Ribs
 McCain says barbecuing for guests is one of the few ways he relaxes, especially during the grueling campaign.
 His carefully honed 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.

For Sarah Palin fans it has been more of a challenge to find moose for her often cited favorite dish of Moose Stew.
 I had to search through many online and journal publications to find a Moose Stew recipe.
 I'm finding it hard to buy moose-illegal to sell in U. S. So if you want authentic moose stew you will have to find a wild game hunter who is willing to share.
 You can also use elk which is legal to buy, and which I have been told tastes like moose.
 The easiest thing to do is to use beef, which I have done in this recipe.
 And like Biden’s recipe, both contain lots of vegetables like carrots, celery, onion and green beans. As a registered dietitian have to vote for that.

Lastly, I would serve my red, white and blue jello salad to round out the menu.
 For recipes go to 9news.com for links for the recipes featured.

For the Pulled Pork with Raisin Cornbread, link to www.loveyourraisins.com
For the four presidential and vice-presidential candidate recipes link to www.maryleechin.com



Pulled Pork with Raisin Corn Bread
INGREDIENTS
Pulled Pork
• 1 boneless Boston butt or shoulder blade roast, about 4 pounds
• 1 tablespoon cumin seed
• 2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 teaspoon coriander
• 1 tablespoon cracked black pepper
• Salt, to taste
• 3 cups California raisins
• 1 cup red wine vinegar
• 3 cups red wine
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 white onions, cut in matchstick-size pieces (julienne)
Raisin Corn Bread
• 1-1/4 cups stone ground cornmeal
• 3/4 cup all purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1 cup California raisins
• 2 large eggs
• 2/3 cup milk
• 2/3 cup buttermilk
• 3 tablespoons warm, melted butter
PROCEDURE
Pulled Pork
Preheat oven to 350°F. Rub pork with spices, pepper and salt. In a roasting pan, brown meat on all sides over high heat.
Put raisins, vinegar, wine and brown sugar in a blender and blend until smooth. Use this mixture to deglaze pan used for browning meat. Add onions; cover and place in oven. Bake for 2 1/2 hours or until meat can be broken or shredded with a fork.
Moose Stew 2
- 2 1/2 lb moose meat, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 2 tb shortening
- 1/4 ts cracked black pepper
- 1/2 ts Paprika
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 ts salt
- 2 cn condensed beef broth (10-1/2 ounces each)
- 1 c dry red wine
- 1 lg onion; diced
- 3 carrots; sliced
- 6 whole white onions
- 12 sm new potatoes; peeled
- 2 tb butter
- 2 tb flour
Saute meat cubes in shortening until brown on all sides. Add pepper, paprika, bay leaf, salt, beef broth, red wine, onion, and carrots. Cover and simmer until meat is tender, about 2 hours. Add whole onions and potatoes; cover and simmer for an additional 15 minutes, or until the vegetables are barely tender. Mix butter and flour into a paste. Drop into simmering stew. Cook, stirring, until stew bubbles and thickens. Serve with rice or polenta


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 basil
1 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.
Senator Biden's Favorite Homemade Pot Pie

Pie crust (Jill Biden prefers to make the Betty Crocker homemade recipe)
Whole chicken
Celery, chopped
Onion, chopped
Poultry spices
Salt
Pepper
Potatoes, peeled and chopped
Carrots
Green beans
Flour
Cornstarch
Bake homemade crust.
Boil chicken with celery, onion, poultry spices, salt and pepper. Then add potatoes, carrots and green beans, and let cook thoroughly.
After crust is done, take everything out of water and use water to make gravy. Thicken it with flour and cornstarch.
Pick chicken from bones, and put chicken, green beans, celery, onion and potatoes into the pie shell, add gravy, put the top crust on, crimp crust and bake pie shell at 375 degrees for 35 minutes.

NOTE: Jill Biden usually personalizes the pie crust with a name or "Happy Birthday."