Brian Freeman & the KAXE Bookclub

by Heidi Holtan

I'm excited for tomorrow night - the KAXE book club is getting together at 5:30 to discuss MN author Brian Freeman's latest mystery (set in Grand Rapids) "The Burying Place".

So what's the big deal? There's a couple of big deals about this meeting.

1. Brian Freeman will be AT the book club meeting
2. We're meeting at a book club member's house - near where the action/mystery in "The Burying Place" takes place
3. It's summer in northern Minnesota! Bookclub is meeting outside overlooking Pokegama Lake!! What's not to be excited about?

So how does the KAXE book club work? Good question, and I get asked it a lot. This is the first book club I've ever been in - and we are a no-guilt, everyone-is-invited, all-fun, come-when-you-can-even-if-you-haven't-read-the-book kind of book club.

This means YOU are invited. Even if you haven't read the book. And like any good Minnesota get-together, it's a potluck, so we are asking that you bring something to share. Here's a sneak peek at the food/beverages on board for the party: buster bars, beer, sandwiches, thai fried rice, wine, brownies, potato salad and who knows what else!!!

We'll eat, hear from the author, ask questions of the author and enjoy each others company.

If you want to attend and need to find out the mystery location, call Heidi at KAXE 218-326-1234 or email heidi@kaxe.org.

KAXE bookclub recipe

KAXE's bookclub meets the 2nd Tuesday of every month - our next meeting is Tuesday March 9th and we'll be discussing "A Reliable Wife" by Robert Goolrick.

The KAXE bookclub is a guilt-free everyone-is-invited kind of club. You don't have to come every month. Heck, you don't have to read the book. (it helps, but isn't ultimately necessary).

In January one of the KAXE bookclub members brought in a birthday cake in honor of her own birthday. It was amazing! Here's the recipe:

*  Exported from  MasterCook  *

RED VELVET CAKE WITH HISTORY

Recipe By     :
Serving Size  : 12   Preparation Time :0:00
Categories    : Cakes                            Chocolate

Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
--------  ------------  --------------------------------
2 1/4   c            Cake flour
1       t            Baking soda
1       t            Salt
1/4   c            Baking cocoa
1 1/2   c            Sugar
1 1/2   c            Oil
2                    Eggs
2       ts           To 1 oz of red food color
1       t            Vanilla
1       t            White vinegar
1       c            Buttermilk
Frosting:
1       pk           8 oz cream cheese
1                    Stick butter
1       lb           Box powdered sugar
1       t            Vanilla
Milk as needed

Red velvet cake also known as the $100 dollar cake,
$200 dollar cake, or Waldorph Astoria Cake is only a
legend  as is the Nieman Marcus cookies and all are
examples of a legend that pits institutions against a
consumer who feels he/she has been unfairly
charged.The recipe is a grass roots recipe not an
institutional one.

James Beard outlines in his American Cookery that
there is really 3 varieties of red velvet cake,
recipes being different in the use of butter,
vegetable shortening ( crisco ) and oil.Most all call
for cake flour and buttermilk, baking soda and vinegar
for the leaving process.

The redness of the cake comes from red food color
despite the chemical reaction of baking soda, vinegar
, buttermilk and cocoa which cause a reddish brown
color, not red in the cake.

This cake is moist and red with a velvety texture and
the flavor nondistinctive as is most red velvet cakes.
Red Velvet cake is also cultural as recipes differ in
community cookbooks accross America even as to the
type of frosting for the cake. The moistest cake is
one made with oil and cake flour.The amount of food
color is up to you.Start with 2 teaspoons as a base.

The above recipe comes from:“ Celebrating Our Mothers'
Kitchen”, a fundraising cookbook published by The
National Council for Negro Woman.

Preparation: Grease and flour 2, 9 inch pans and line
with paper.In a large bowl combine flour, baking soda,
cocoa and salt. In another bowl with mixer at low
speed or spoon  beat sugar and oil until blended. Add
eggs, one at a time to blend well.Blend in food color,
vanilla and vinegar.Scape bowl down with spatula.
Alternately blend in  flour mixture and buttermilk,
using about 1/3 each time and scraping bowl down at
least twice. Do not beat on high or cake will be
tough.Pour into prepared pans and bake in a preheated
350 degree oven 20 to 25 minutes or tested done with
toothpick.Cool on racks 5 minutes and remove from pan
and cool completely.Frost layers when cold.Beat cream
cheese until softened and smooth. Add butter and
continue to beat till softened. Beat in sugar a little
at a time and then vanilla.If too thick blend in cold
milk a tablespoon at a time till desired consisitency.

Creamy Corn Chipotle Dip

by Heidi Holtan

The KAXE Bookclub gets together the 2nd Tuesday of every month at 5:30....sure, there's lots of chatting about books, but there's also lots of FOOD! We ask everyone to bring a snack to share.

Meetings in the next two months:

Tuesday Feb. 9th "Driftless" by David Rhodes
Tuesday March 9th "A Reliable Wife" by Robert Goolrick

Here's my contribution to last week's meeting:

Creamy Corn Chipotle Dip**

8 oz fat-free cream cheese
2 items canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, seeded
3 cup(s) frozen corn kernels, or fresh corn kernels*
2 Tbsp fresh lime juice
2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp table salt

Place all ingredients in a food processor fitted with the chopping blade; pulse a few times, scrape down the sides of the bowl, and process until smooth. To store, spoon into a medium bowl, cover, and refrigerate for up to 3 days; return to room temperature before serving. Yields about 3 tablespoons per serving.

** Here's what I ADDED to this recipe.... the chipotle was a little hot so I put in more lime juice - I also added some plain low fat yogurt and 1/2 can of creamed corn to make it a little sweeter. Also, I probably blended it too long - it was a little soupier than dippier. ENJOY!!