AIFS students take part in potluck dinner

Recently Ken and Catherine Scott hosted their annual International Potluck Dinner at their farm home near Spiritwood. Catherine Scott is a local coordinator for American Institute for Foreign Study. Six of her exchange students and their families shared traditional dishes from homeland. Four countries were represented: Germany, India, China and Columbia.

The biggest challenge students and their families have preparing for this annual event is finding some of the ingredients they need in supermarkets and converting grams and milliliters into cups, teaspoons and tablespoons, Scott said. Many feel their dish does not taste exactly the same as it does in their homeland, because of the above reasons.

“I think they do very well,” Scott said.

German students sharing food were Lisa Cramer, hosted by Mike and Robin Iszler, Streeter, who is attending Streeter-Gackle High School. Marina Schroeder and Sarina Giesen attended James-town High School during the first semester. Schroeder was hosted by the Scotts and Giesen was hosted by Tom and Sue Dilocker.

Harmandeep Singh from India, hosted by Jason and Collette Mathern, Edgeley, attends Edgeley High School. He noticed how much beef Americans eat. Beef is not eaten in India. The cow gives milk, which is essential for life in India, and therefore the cow is sacred.

Chinese student Ye Mengquan, hosted by Shaun and Julene Glinz, Jamestown, attending Jamestown High School said cheese is not normally eaten by Chinese people.

Chinest student SiYuSong is being hosted by Ed and Marcie Duke, Hensler, N.D., and attends Dakota Adventist Academy.

Scott is looking for host families for the 2009-2010 school year or the first semester of it. Anyone interested may contact her at 252-5764 or the AIFS office at 1-800-322-4678.

Following are recipes the students offer from home:

Lisa Cramer, Germany

Cheese Salad

Ingredients:

1 tin of tangerines

1 tin of pineapple

1-1/3 cup cheese

1/2 cup green grapes

1/2 cup blue grapes

Dressing

8 oz. package cream cheese (e.g. Philadelphia)

3 tablespoons mayonnaise

3 tablespoons cream

3 tablespoons of the juice from the fruits in the tin

salt and pepper

Drain the tangerines and pineapple. Cut the pineapple and cheese in big cubes. Remove the stones of the grapes (if they have any). Add the grapes and the tangerines.

Stir the ingredients for the dip well until smooth and mix under the salad.

Lisa Cramer, Germany

Pizza Buns

Ingredients:

Pizza and paprika spice

Pepper

Buns or French bread

1 cup bacon

1 cup salami or sausage

1 cup paprika

1 cup sliced cheese

1 cup cream

1 cup mushrooms

Baking time: 10-15 min at 350 degrees F

Cut the bacon, salami or sausage, the paprika and the mushrooms. Mix it up with the cheese and the cream. Season with pepper, paprika and pizza spice.

Butter the buns or French bread with the paste.

Bake as told above.

Marina Schroeder,

Germany

Marble Cake

1 3/8 cup soft margarine or butter

1 1/4 cups white sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla in 1 tablespoon sugar

3 teaspoons rum (optional)

1 pinch salt

5 medium eggs

3 3/4 cups all purpose flour

4 level teaspoons baking powder

2 tablespoons milk

2 tablespoons cocoa powder

2 tablespoons sugar

1 1/2 tablespoons milk

Preheat the oven at 350 degrees. Grease and flour a mould pan.

To make the cake mixture, stir the softened fat with a hand mixer until it becomes smooth. Gradually add the sugar, vanilla sugar, run flavouring and salt and stir until mixture thickens. Add one egg at a time, beating each one for about half a minute at the highest setting. Mix together the flour and baking powder, sift and add to the fat and egg mixture in two stages, alternating with the milk, stirring briefly with a mixer set at the medium setting. Spoon two-thirds of the cake mixture into the greased and floured mould pan. Sift the cocoa powder and add to the rest of the cake mixture together with the milk and sugar. Spoon the dark-coloured cake mixture on top of the light-coloured cake mixture and drag a fork through the two layers in a spiral movement to create a marbled pattern. Put cake in oven and bake for about 60 minutes.

Leave the cake in the tin for 10 minutes after taking it out of the oven, then remove from the tin and leave on a rack to cool. Sprinkle powdered sugar over cake while still warm. Makes about 20 pieces.

Harmandeep Singh, India

Fried Cauliflower

1/4 cup vegetable oil to cover the bottom of the pan

2 medium-sized heads of cauliflower, cut into little pieces

Frozen or fresh peas as many as you want

1/2 teaspoon tumeric powder

1/2 teaspoon ginger powder

1 teaspoon red pepper

3 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder

Put all of the above in pan and simmer about 10 minutes or until cauliflower and peas are soft, stirring 4 to 6 times. Serve warm. Serves 6-8 people.

Ye Mengquan, China

Chicken Wings

4 pounds chicken wings

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup sesame oil

1/4 cup honey

Mix soy sauce, sesame oil and honey. Pour over chicken wings and marinate at least one hour. Overnight is better. Remove chicken wings from marinated sauce and place in a baking dish. Put in a 400 degree oven for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and baste again with marinating sauce. Return to oven and bake 30 minutes more at 325 degrees. Serves 8-10 people.

SiYu Song, China

Chinese Dumplings

2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons boiling water

8 ounce ground meat (your choice)

1 green onion finely chopped

1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch

1 1/2 teaspoons dry sherry

1 1/2 teaspoons soy sauce

1/2 teaspoon ginger

1/2 teaspoon dark sesame oil

1/4 teaspoon sugar

Mix flour and water, mix well, knead 5 minutes, let rest 30 minutes.

Filling: Ground meat, cornstarch, sherry, soy sauce, ginger, sesame oil and sugar, mix well.

Roll dough out and cut 3-inch circles.

Place 1 teaspoon of filling in the center of the dough circle (pinch dough together around filling). Can be baked or boiled in water. Boiled tastes better.

Boil until dough circle floats.

Serves 6-8 people. Serve with soy sauce vinegar and chili oil mixed. Dumplings are dipped into the vinegar and oil mixture.

Sarina Giesen, Germany

Fruit Salad

1 21-ounce can of cherry pie filling

1 15-ounce can of pineapple tidbits (drained)

Half of 10-ounce bag of miniature marshmallows

1 8-ounce container Cool Whip

Mix all of the above together and cool one hour before serving. Serves 6-8 people.

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