Deanna Buxton is taking readers back into the kitchen by offering up a fresh serving of her popular cookbook series.
Buxton's newest book, "Worldwide Ward Cookbook: Secret Recipes!" shares secret recipes collected from all over the world. The new book in the series follows the original "Worldwide Ward Cookbook" in addition to two branches off the original: "Mom's Best Recipes" and a Christmas version of the book.
For the latest version of the book, members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from around the globe contributed recipes they deemed secret for various reasons.
Some recipes are "secret" because they include an unexpected ingredient, cooking process or because they have a special significance to a family.
Some recipes, however, have been carefully guarded, being viewed with great discretion — until now.
Ryan Murphy, from Knoxville, Tenn., contributed his mother-in-law's lemon bar trifle recipe she vigilantly kept from prying eyes.
"My mother-in-law doesn't ever give the recipe out," he wrote in the cookbook. "But lucky for you guys, she did give it to my wife!"
From Murphy's perspective, the secret is just too good to keep.
The cookbook contains more than 280 recipes coming from all 50 states and 32 countries. An index in the book allows readers to search for recipes by state or country they originated from. Readers can also search by recipe title.
Although this is Buxton's fourth book, she has never submitted a single recipe of her own in the series.
"I think it's because this was about everyone else, it wasn't about me," Buxton said.
Buxton said letting each person have a voice is important. She tests many recipes before completing her cookbooks, but if she does not like a recipe, she will still include it in her book.
"It's not a food editor's opinion of a good recipe that matters," she said. "It's each individual."
Buxton pays special attention to make sure no identical recipes make it into her cookbooks, so each book is unique.
Surprisingly, it was not too difficult for Buxton to find recipes, even though she had already found about 1,090 for earlier books in the series.
"None of them was as difficult as the first (cookbook), because I was starting from scratch," she said.
Buxton takes a domino approach to gathering recipes and will ask each recipe contributor for another contact from whom she can obtain recipes. Then she will ask that person for another contact, and so on down the line. Now she has collected contacts in many states and countries as starting points for gathering recipes.
However, it still takes Buxton about a year to get all the recipes she needs for a book.
Other secret recipes in the cookbook include tactics for sneaking vegetables into meals for picky eaters. One is Green Bread, which is garlic bread laced with spinach. Another is Broccoli Cornbread — which is pretty self-explanatory.
Still, some recipes come in more bizarre forms than concealed vegetables.
One recipe is for Root Beer Pot Roast, contributed by Britt Beakley from Madison, Wis.
"The root beer seems unusual, but actually adds a sweet buttery flavor to the roast," Barkley wrote. "Believe me, this will melt in your mouth. Don't knock it until you try it, because this makes the perfect roast."
Buxton said she wants to create another basic "Worldwide Ward Cookbook," and a cookbook for men's favorite recipes. Recipes for the cookbook series can be submitted now at worldwidewardcookbook.blogspot.com
"The Worldwide Ward Cookbook: Secret Recipes" is available locally at Deseret Book, Seagull Book and Costco stores.
Kung Pao Chicken
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 teaspoons light sesame oil or vegetable oil
3 tablespoons green onions, chopped with tops
2 garlic cloves, minced
¼-1½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (to your own taste)
½ teaspoon powdered ginger (can use fresh-grated if preferred)
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons sugar
1/3 cup dry roasted peanuts
4 cups cooked rice, hot
Combine chicken and cornstarch in small bowl. Toss to coat chicken. Heat oil in large nonstick skillet or wok over medium heat. Add chicken. Stir fry 5-7 minutes or until no longer pink in center. Remove from heat.
Add onions, garlic, red pepper flakes and ginger to skillet. Stir fry 15 seconds. Remove from heat. In a small bowl, combine vinegar, soy sauce and sugar and stir well. Add to skillet. Return chicken to skillet. Stir until chicken is well coated. Stir in peanuts. Heat thoroughly, stirring occasionally. Serve over hot rice. Makes 10 servings.
— Esther Lee, Bedok, Singapore
Southwest Egg Rolls and Cool Avocado Dip
Egg rolls:
2½ cups chicken, cooked and shredded
1½ cups Mexican cheese blend, shredded
2/3 cup frozen corn, thawed
2/3 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained
5 green onions, chopped
¼ cup fresh cilantro, minced
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon lime peel, grated
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
20 egg roll wrappers
Oil for deep-fat frying
Avocado dip:
1 cup ranch salad dressing
1 medium ripe avocado, peeled and mashed
1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, minced
1 teaspoon lime peel, grated
For the egg rolls: In a large bowl, combine the first 10 ingredients. Place ¼ cup chicken mixture in the center of one egg roll wrapper. (Keep remaining wrappers covered with a damp paper towel until ready to use). Fold bottom corner over filling. Fold sides toward center over filling. Moisten remaining corner with water; roll up tightly to seal. Repeat.
In an electric skillet or deep-fat fryer, heat oil to 375 degrees. Fry egg rolls, a few at a time, for two minutes on each side or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels.
Meanwhile, combine dressing, avocado, minced cilantro and lime peel. Serve with egg rolls. Makes 20 egg rolls.
— Johana Keough,Charles Town, W.Va.
Cheese Tortellini Pesto Pasta
8 ounces Rotini pasta, cooked al dente, drained
1 20-ounce package cheese-filled tortellini, cooked al dente, drained (fresh or frozen)
1 14-ounce can artichoke hearts, drained, quartered
1 10-ounce package grape tomatoes, halved lengthwise
1 6-ounce can medium black olives, drained, sliced in half lengthwise
1 green bell pepper, diced
1/3 cup olive oil (more if needed)
¼ cup Parmesan cheese, grated (the kind in the can)
1 8-ounce jar basil pesto
½ teaspoon salt (more if needed)
2 teaspoons garlic, minced
12 ounces mozzarella cheese, cubed
Cook pastas in boiling water; drain and set aside to cool a bit.
In a large bowl, combine all remaining ingredients, folding gently until well mixed. Gently fold in pastas. Adjust seasoning to taste.
This can be served immediately or refrigerated. If you make this a day ahead of time, you'll need to add a bit more olive oil, salt and Parmesan cheese before serving. This salad is best when served at room temperature or even slightly warm. Makes 12 servings.
— Katya Yakushev, St. Petersburg, Russia
e-mail: kmorrill@desnews.com