Kensington Memorial Day Parade 2011

Flamenco Dancers

Rare Hare
Art Studio

KSA Club

KSA

KSA

Local Golden
 Retriever Club

Our Neighbor
Em

Love this
 Woody

Really Old
Fire Engine

San Diego's Mayor
Jerry Sanders

Local Pre-Schoolers

Willy Wonka

Charlie's Granparents
From Willy Wonka

Start of
Parade

Model A
Club

Local Cuties

Old Fire
Engine

ggarrene's photostream on Flickr.

Every year our community puts on a Memorial Day Parade. This year's theme was our local library.  The parade is organized and put on by neighbors and businesses in our area. You never know who will show up to participate.

Memorial Day/Fourth of July Babyback Ribs

We make ribs a lot throughout the summer. I found a great deal on babyback ribs in the store today so we'll be eating like kings tomorrow. We'll be partnering these ribs with corn on the cob, Cole slaw, Watermelon and Buttermilk Brownies for dessert.

You'll find pictures of my rub and some of the steps at the bottom of my blog.

Rub(enough for 2 racks of ribs)
1/2 cup of light brown sugar packed
3 tablespoons Montreal Steak Seasoning
2 tablespoons smoked paprika
1 tablespoon ancho chili powder
1 teaspoon each of dried thyme,cumin, garlic powder, and onion powder
1/2 teaspoon of chipotle chili powder
Put all rub ingredients into a small bowl and mix well.

Preheat oven to 250
Place a rack of ribs on a long piece of heavy duty foil. Make sure it is long enough to completely wrap the ribs in. Sprinkle a 1/4 of the rub on each side of the ribs and rub in well. Wrap the ribs up in foil and place on a jelly roll pan.
Braising Liquid
1 cup good pale ale
1 cloves of garlic diced
1 tablespoon each of liquid smoke, cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, honey
Put all ingredients in a sauce pot and bring to a boil. Open one end of the rib foil packets and pour half of the liquid into the open end. Place the ribs into the oven and let them braise for 3 hours. Remove the ribs from the oven, open one end of the foil packets and pour out the liquid. Remove the ribs from their packets and place a rack in the center of a clean jelly roll pan that had been lined with foil or a silpat. Coat both sides of the rack with your favorite bbq sauce. Place under the broiler or on the bbq until the ribs are browned on the top. Cut them apart and serve.

Cook's Notes- I gave up bbqing my ribs years ago when I realized that the term bbq refers to the smoking process the ribs go through at a professional ribs joint. I was never able to completely control the heat on my grill which led me to burn the sauce that I put on my ribs. So I opted to use the oven and have never been disappointed since.

MaryLou's Italian Potato Salad

As I mentioned in an earlier post, my dad won't eat anything with mayo, so my mom was faced with the challenge of what to do for Potato Salad. This is great on a picnic. It can sit out all day and not go bad the way a traditional potato salad will. Here is her recipe.

1 pound of red potatoes cut into even pieces
6 green onions, diced
1/2 pound fresh green beans
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup olive oil
1 small clove garlic
2 teaspoons sugar

Put the cut potatoes in a 6-8 quart pot fill the rest of the pot with water. Heavily season the water with salt and bring to a boil. Boil until a fork inserted into a potato goes in easily. Meanwhile, tip and tail the green beans and cut into bite sized pieces. Place them in a deep skillet with a lid, add about 2 inches of water and sprinkle salt over the beans. Bring to a boil and cover. Let beans cook for about 5-6 minutes. Drain and set aside. Drain the potatoes and put them into a bowl. Immediately sprinkle the potatoes with extra red wine vinegar while still hot and stir to coat. Set a side. When the potatoes and beans are cool, mix them together in a large bowl and add the green onions. In a blender add the garlic, salt, pepper, mustard and vinegar. Turn the blender on low and blend until garlic is minced. With the blender running, add the oil in a slow drizzle until the dressing thickens. Pour enough dressing over the veggies in the bowl to coat. Store leftovers for another day.

Fried Chicken

The only time of the year worth making fried chicken for, to me, is summer. I don't make it very often but it has to be one of my guilty pleasures. This recipe makes a large batch so it's perfect for a picnic or if you have teenagers who fight over the leftovers.

Several pieces of bone in, skin on chicken(anywhere from 8-12 pieces) I use legs and thighs
1-2 quarts buttermilk
1-16 oz bottle of buffalo wing sauce( I use Ken's)
In a clean gallon zip lock bag put
2 cups of flour
1 tablespoon poultry seasoning
2 tablespoons smoked paprika
2 teaspoons unsalted garlic powder
1 1/2 tablespoons salt
3 teaspoons pepper
In 1 -2 gallon zip lock bags fill half way with buttermilk and wing sauce. Close bag and squish to mix. Open bag and insert several pieces of chicken. Make sure you can close the bag and all the chicken inside will be immersed in the liquid. I stand the bags in a baking dish and store in the frig. either all day or overnight. Believe it or not, the wing sauce will not make the chicken overly spicy. It adds a wonderful tang.

Place the dry ingredients in a large zip lock bag. Zip, mix and set aside. Spray a 5-6 quart pot with cooking spray and then pour about 4 inches of canola oil into the pot. Heat until the oil reaches 350 degrees. Drain the buttermilk from the chicken. Drop 5-6 pieces into the flour bag, zip closed and shake to coat with the seasoned flour. When the oil is hot, carefully put the chicken into the oil and cook for about 10-15minutes each side or until cooked through. Remove from oil and lay on a cookie sheet covered with paper towel. Place in a warm oven while you cook the next  batch.

Cook's Notes- Don't over crowd the pot with the chicken. The temp. of the oil will drop when you put the chicken in so the more you add, the longer it will take the oil to come back up to temperature.

Don't be concerned that you are adding a lot of seasoning to the flour. Remember, only a small portion of that flour mixture will actually coat the chicken so it won't be overpowering on the finished product. If you are making a lot of chicken. Fill 2 bags with the flour mixture. The above amounts will fill only one bag. Throw the any leftover buttermilk mixture and flour mixture away, do not save leftovers for another day.

Pasta with Mushroom Sauce

If you are looking to put a little less meat in your life or need a classy side dish, this one's for you!

Serves 6-8 dinner portions

3 8oz boxes of sliced mushrooms

1 large onion diced

3 garlic cloves diced

1/2 cup dry white or marsala wine

2-3 cups fat-free half and half

1/2 cup cold water 

2 heaping tablespoons corn starch

1 teaspoon thyme

1 teaspoon salt or to taste

1/2 teaspoon pepper or to taste

juice of 1/2 a lemon

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon margarine or butter

1/4 cup parsley, minced

 

1 2/2 boxes of cooked pasta

In a large heavy skillet heat oil and butter. Add the diced onion and cook over medium/high heat until onion is mostly browned. Add the mushrooms. Stir to coat the mushrooms and leave alone for about 4 minutes. Turn them again and add the garlic, thyme and pepper, let the mushrooms continue to cook for another 4 minutes without stirring. Stir the mushrooms and add the salt, wine, half and half. Add the cornstarch that you have dissolved in the 1/2 cup of cold water. Stir until the mixture comes to a boil and thickens. Finish with lemon juice and turn off the heat until ready to serve. Cook pasta in a large pot of water. Season it with enough salt to resemble the taste of sea-water. Cook according to package directions. Drain pasta, place in a large bowl. Reheat the sauce if necessary and pour over the pasta. Garnish with parsley and parmesan cheese. Serve

Whole Wheat Israeli Coucous

I am always looking for another way to add whole grain to our diets so when I saw whole wheat Israeli Couscous I grabbed it and ran.  Here's what I came up with.

1 cup whole wheat Israeli Couscous
1 1/4 cup chicken stock
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
3 large shallots, peeled and sliced
1/3 cup fresh Italian Parsley chopped
juice of 1/2 a lemon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon thyme

In a heavy sauce pot heat the oil and butter. Add the sliced shallots and cook over medium/high heat for 3-5 minutes until the shallots are browned. Add the stock and bring to a boil. Add salt, pepper and thyme and the couscous. Lower heat to simmer and cook stirring occasionally until all the liquid is absorbed about 5-8 minutes. Add the parsley and lemon juice and serve.

Glazed Chicken

This is sophisticated enough for adults but easy enough for kids to eat.

8-12 pieces of chicken(I made this with 12 chicken legs)
3/4 cup of a good orange marmalade
1/4 soy sauce
juice of 1/2 a large lemon
3 tablespoons frozen orange juice concentrate(right out of the can)

Preheat oven to 375. Line a jelly roll pan with foil and give a light coating of cooking spray. In a large zip-lock bag put the marmalade, soy sauce, lemon juice and orange juice concentrate. Close bag, squeezing out as much air as possible and squish to mix. Open bag and add your chicken. Close bag and mix the chicken until all pieces are coated with the sauce. Leave in bag for about 30 minutes. Remove chicken from bag and place on foil lined sheet. Bake in oven for about 20 minutes or until top is browned. Turn the pieces over and continue to cook another 15-20 minutes until chicken is evenly browned and juices from chicken run clear.

White Mac and Cheese, Italian Style

This is the dish my kids most often request from me. This is pure comfort food. It is made entirely of white cheeses but just as yummy as the American classic.

Serves 8 main servings or 12 side servings

1 pound cooked pasta shells
2 cups fat free half and half
2 cups l% milk
4 tablespoons butter or margarine
1/2 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 lb shredded mozzarella
4oz goat cheese
6oz shredded fontina cheese
5 slices of prosciutto ham cut into strips

Preheat oven to 375. Grease a large casserole dish with cooking spray. In a medium sized sauce pan over medium high heat, melt the butter or margarine. Add the flour and stir for 2 minutes to combine. Slowly whisk in the milks until smooth and no lumps are present. Add the salt, pepper and nutmeg.  Switch to a spoon and continue to cook and stir until mixture thickens and coats the back of the spoon. Turn the heat to low and add the mozzarella and goat cheeses. Stir until cheeses are melted and sauce is smooth. Turn off heat. Drain the pasta and return to the pasta pot. Pour in the cheese sauce and add the prosciutto. Stir to combine. Pour the pasta mixture into the casserole and top with the fontina cheese. Bake for 30 minutes or until pasta is browned on top and bubbly.

S'more Bars

These remind me of S'more's. If you have kids around these won't last very long so make another batch for the big kids too. Guaranteed to be a hit at your Memorial Day BBQ.

Makes about 40 bars

2 sticks butter, softened
4 squares semisweet chocolate melted(2 oz)
2/3 cups unsweetened cocoa powder
2 1/2 cups sugar
8 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
4 cups mini marshmallows
6 oz semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 9x13 cake pan with cooking spray. In a large bowl beat butter, melted semisweet squares, cocoa powder, sugar, eggs and vanilla until smooth. Add flour and baking powder and continue to beat until just combined. Pour into prepared pan and bake for 25-30 minutes toothpick inserted comes out with a few moist crumbs clinging to it. Sprinkle marshmallows over bars and return the pan to the oven for 3-4 minutes more to soften the marshmallows. Remove from oven, drizzles melted chocolate over marshmallows and let cool completely. Cut into bars and serve.

Buttermilk Brownies

These are super easy and are so good they ought to be illegal. This recipe will feed a crowd. The batter at this volume will fill an entire jelly roll pan. So if you don't want that many, cut the recipe in half. But I'm telling you right now that if you do cut the recipe......you'll be sorry!

2 cups sugar
3/12 cups four
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 sticks butter
1 cup water
1 cup buttermilk
2 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups walnut or pecans, chopped

Preheat oven to 350. Grease a jelly roll pan with cooking spray. In a large bowl stir together the sugar, flour, cocoa powder and baking soda. In a small sauce pan, heat the butter and water until the butter melts and the liquid just comes to a boil. Pour into the flour mixture and mix. Add the buttermilk and vanilla, mix well. Finish with the eggs. Lastly stir in the nuts if desired. Pour into the jelly roll pan and bake for 20-25 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. When completely cool frost with chocolate butter cream below.

Chocolate Butter Cream Frosting
3 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
2 sticks of softened butter
1/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla

In a large bowl with a mixer, cream together the butter and sugar. Add the cocoa powder and vanilla. With mixer running, slowly add the milk a little at a time until frosting forms. You may need more or less milk depending on the weather.

Meatballs and Marinara

My Italian heritage comes to me from my father's side of the family. My grandfather immigrated from the Calabria area of Italy in 1919. He worked in a coal mine in West Virginia for 2 years until he had saved enough money to send for my grandmother and their children. Their first view of the United States was New York Harbor and the Statue of Liberty. They set foot on American soil at Ellis Island. When I visited New York, Ellis Island was at the top of my to do list. I tried but could not imagine what my grandmother must have been thinking as she stood in that huge hall with four small children, waiting to be cleared by immigration. It truly was awe inspiring. I highly recommend seeing it for yourself if you ever get the chance. Anyway, my grandparents died when I was quite young so no one was able to teach me about my food heritage. Fortunately, a close family friend taught my mom how to cook several authentic Italian dishes and I was very observant.

Marinara Sauce

1 large sweet onion(softball sized)
4 cloves garlic
1/2 cup fresh Italian parsley leaves
Process in a food processor until well ground. Over medium/ high heat place a 6 quart or larger pot and cover the bottom with olive oil about 3-4 tablespoons. When the oil is heated add the mixture from the food processor.
Stir and let the mixture sweat for about 4-5 minutes. Then add:
12 oz tomato paste
2 28 oz cans of San Marzano tomatoes(that you have pureed in the food processor)
1/2 cup dry white wine
2-3 tablespoons sugar
3 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes if desired
Cook on simmer for 3 hours, stirring occasionally.
Just before serving stir in 6-8 fresh diced basil leaves
Serve over cooked pasta with meatballs or use in baked pasta dishes

Meatballs
1 pound ground turkey
1 pound ground veal or pork
1 1/2cups fresh bread crumbs(I use soft white bread from Farmers Bread from the Bakery at Vons)
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
4 eggs
3 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon pepper
2 cloves garlic
1/3 cup fresh parsley leaves
6 large fresh basil leaves

Preheat oven to 350, grease a baking sheet with cooking spray.
In a food processor put the several slices of bread that you have cut into chunks and grind into crumbs. Measure out 1 1/2 cups. Store the rest in a zip lock bag in the freezer for another time. Grind the garlic, parsley and basil in the food processor. In a large bowl combine the meats, bread crumbs,garlic, parsley, basil, cheese, eggs, salt, pepper with your hands until everything is just combined. Do not overmix as it tends to make the meatballs tough. Using an ice-cream scoop, scoop a ball into your hands and roll into a ball. Place on sheet until the sheet is full. Bake about 30-35 minutes. Add the cooked meatballs to the sauce after removing them from the oven.Let them simmer in the sauce the rest of its cooking time.

Cook's notes- If you haven't invested in silpats yet, I highly recommend them. They are silicone mats that professional bakers use. Nothing sticks to them and I always put one one the bottom of my baking sheets before the food goes into the oven. No more greasing pans and clean up is a snap.

Blackberry Muffins

These went to work with me this week as part of a celebration to thank all our wonderful classified staff for all  the many things they do to make our school the best there is. They are a nice change from the traditional blueberry. But if blueberries are your favorite, then by all means make the substitution.
Yields- 18 muffins

1/2 cup butter, softened
1 1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup milk
2 1/4 cups flour
16 oz fresh or frozen blackberries thawed

Grease muffin tins with cooking spray. Preheat oven to 375. In a large bowl cream  the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and eggs, one at a time. In a small bowl mix together the flour and baking powder.
Add to the creamed mixture with the sour cream and the milk. Mix  until flour is just blended in. Batter should be stiff. By hand, fold in the berries. Using an ice-cream scoop, place one scoop in each muffin cup. Bake for 30 minutes.

Thai Beef Salad

This is a nice change as far dinner salads go. You can substitute the beef for boneless, skinless chicken breast if desired. Either way it's yummy!

Serves- 6 hungry people
2 pounds skirt steak cut into thin strips
1 large cucumber peeled and diced
4 green onions sliced
1 red bell pepper diced
1 8oz bag shredded carrots
1 8oz bag bean sprouts
small handful of cilantro leaves
1 6oz bag rice noodles
2 tablespoons olive oil

Dressing/Marinade
1 cup low sodium soy sauce
1/2 cup rice wine vinegar
4 tablespoons brown sugar
3 large cloves garlic
1 teaspoon red chili flakes
1/2 teaspoon anchovy paste
juice of 4 limes
4 green onions chopped

Put all dressing ingredients in a blender and blend for several seconds. Put all the meat into a zip lock bag and marinate with half of the dressing for 30 minutes. Meanwhile. Chop and put all veggies into a large salad bowl. Toss with some of the left over dressing and set aside. Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add enough salt to make the water taste like sea water. Drop in the rice noodles and stir to separate. Turn off the heat and cover the pot. Let the noodles sit in the water for 10 minutes. Heat the oil in a large skillet and add enough meat to cover the pan. Cook the meat in batches, removing each finished batch to a bowl until all the meat is cooked.
Drain the noodles and add the veggies. Pour the remaining dressing over the noodles and toss with the veggies. Place the noodle/veggie mixture on plates. Top with the meat and serve.

Chicken Enchilada Cassarole

One of my girlfriends from college taught me to make my enchiladas flat, like a lasagna. It's a lot easier than trying to roll each one and makes serving a cinch.

Serves 6-8 hungry people

Shredded Chicken
3 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 28 oz can enchilada sauce
1 large can sliced black olives- optional
24 corn tortillas

Spray a rectangular baking dish with cooking spray. Pour 1/2 cup of enchilada sauce on the bottom of the pan. Tilt the pan to cover the bottom. Pour some of the sauce into the bottom of a pie plate, large enough to lay a tortilla flat on the bottom. Dip tortillas 1 at a time in the enchilada sauce in pie plate. Cover both sides of the tortilla in sauce and lay on the bottom of pan, overlapping tortillas as you go. My pan usually will take 6 tortillas, 2 rows of three overlapped to make one layer. Spread about a third of your shredded chicken over the tortillas. Sprinkle a thin layer of cheese over chicken. Repeat again with the dipped tortillas, chicken and cheese until you have three layers. Top with a last layer of dipped tortillas. Top with cheese and olives. Pour any remaining enchilada sauce over all. Bake in a preheated 350 oven for 40 minutes.

Shredded Chicken for Tacos or Enchiladas

This has to be the easiest, most fool proof way to make shredded chicken. It also makes use of that crock pot I know you have hidden in a cupboard somewhere collecting dust. I know because I happen to have 3 myself!

Serves 6-8

12 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 large onion diced
1 red bell pepper diced
1 large jalapeno pepper diced
3 cloves of garlic diced
1 28 oz can of enchilada sauce
2 tablespoons smoked paprika
2 teaspoons cumin
1/2 teaspoon ancho chili powder
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Spray slow cooker insert with cooking spray. Put all the veggies on the bottom of insert and lay chicken on top.
Over chicken sprinkle paprika, cumin, chili powder, salt and pepper. Pour enchilada sauce over all. Cook 6 hours on high or let it go all day on low. Remove chicken and veggies from pot. Using 2 forks, shred the meat. Place in serving bowl with the veggies and add enough cooking liquid to keep moist. Serve immediately to make soft tacos or use as a filling for chicken enchiladas.

Cook's notes- Use the same method for shredded beef. Just swap out the chicken for a beef roast or brisket.

Mom's Deviled Eggs

My mom, aunt and grandmother have always made deviled eggs this way. So naturally I had to keep the recipe pristine. My oldest, Christopher, cannot get enough of these. I have to make him his own plate to ensure we have enough for everyone else.

Makes 24 eggs

1 dozen eggs, boiled, peeled and cut in half
1 cup light mayo
2 tablespoons yellow mustard
3/4-1 cup sweet pickle relish (well drained)
salt and pepper to taste

Pour the relish into a fine meshed sieve and let drain. Using a spoon, press it against the relish to push out as much liquid as possible. I usually do this over the sink. Place in bowl with the yolks. Add the mayo, mustard, salt and pepper, Mix well, mashing up yolks. You want the filling to become as smooth as possible. Place the filling in a large zip lock bag. Pushing out as much air as possible as you seal it. Snip a small amount off of a corner. Arrange the egg whites onto a flat surface lined with paper towel. Make sure the whites have not water on them.
Squeeze the filling into each white. Line on a dry plate, refrigerate until just before serving. Or store in a container with a lid in the frig.

Cook's Notes- It's really important to drain the relish, otherwise the filling will become watery and ruin the eggs.

To make Egg Salad- Follow the recipe, except cut up the eggs(white and yolk) and place in a bowl with the rest of the ingredients. Summer on a plate!

Potato Salad

This has to be the best recipe I have ever come across. It is also the easiest. So in my book this one's a keeper!
Serves- A crowd

5-6 large potatoes peeled and cut into chunks
1 pound of bacon
1/2 of a red onion diced
4-5 hard boiled eggs
1 16 oz bottle of lite Ranch Dressing
1 1/2 cups diced celery

Cut the potatoes into equal sized chunks and place in a large pot with enough water to cover the potatoes. Bring to a boil and add enough salt to make the water taste like sea water. Boil until fork inserted into a chunk goes in easily. Remove from heat and let drain. While the potatoes are still hot, sprinkle liberally with vinegar and let cool. Cut the potatoes into bit sized pieces. Cut the bacon into chunks and place in a large skillet. Cook until crispy. Drain on a paper towel and let cool. Dice the onion and celery. Peel and dice the eggs.
To Assemble- Place all the ingredients in a large bowl. Pour the entire bottle of dressing over all. Stir to mix well. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Cook's Notes
Pouring vinegar over the hot potatoes allows you to further season them with flavor. After they cool the potatoes are less likely to absorb flavor.
To Boil the eggs- Before placing in water, poke a pin sized hole into the bottom of each egg. This will keep them from cracking during the cooking process. Place in warm water and bring to a boil. When the water boils, set a timer for 7 minutes(no more). Stick to this time and you will not have eggs with that funny green ring around the yolk. Immediately run cold water over them until you can handle them. Peel right away. This will prevent the shells from sticking to the egg. Also, the fresher the egg, the less likely they are to stick.
Onions- If onions make you cry, keep them in the frig. A cold onion won't release that annoying gas that makes your eyes tear up.

Grads, Dads, Birthdays and BBQ's

Oh those lazy days of summer. Not!!!! At least not in my house. June is usually a busy month with both my husband and youngest son celebrating birthdays just days before Father's Day. Our daughter is graduating from Coronado High School  the first  weekend of in June, too. Go Islanders!! So I have been wracking my brain for a way to roll it all into one celebration because I will have most of our family in one place at one time. So when the frantic get overloaded, they have a BBQ, at least I do anyway. We don't have the best of summer weather in June. Mostly overcast and gloomy the entire day. If we clear up at all it will be in the late afternoon so I'm keeping my fingers crossed.
Here's what I am considering for the menu
Italian Sausages in rolls with sauted onions and peppers
Potato Salad(posted in May)
Baked Beans(posted in April)
Deviled Eggs(posted in May)
Fruit Salad
Strawberry and Red Velvet Cupcakes(My Favorite Cake and Chocolate Red Velvet, posted April and May)

The More the Merrier Cookies

What started out as a very basic cookie recipe soon became the more the merrier. I started adding a little of this and a little of that. Obviously I became a bit carried away but the results were so good, I just couldn't bear to eliminate a single ingredient. I usually double the batch because these cookies don't seem to hang around for very long.

Yields about 44

1 stick softened butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup rice crispies
1/2 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup flaked coconut
1/4 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup toffee chips or 1 cup butterscotch morsels

Preheat oven to 350. In a small bowl stir together flour, baking power and soda. Set aside. In a large bowl, beat butter, sugars with a mixer until creamed. Beat in egg and vanilla until well blended. Add the flour mixture and beat until smooth dough forms. By hand, fold in the rice crispies, oats, coconut, nuts and toffee pieces. Drop by heaping teaspoons on a greased cookie sheet, 2 inches apart. Bake 9-10 minutes, or until golden. Let cookies cool for 2 minutes before removing to racks and let cool completely. Store in a tightly covered container if they last that long

Shrimp Risotto

Here is another relatively quick meal. If you can stand to stir the risotto for about 25 minutes, you can easily get this on the table in 35 minutes. I tried adding Philly Cooking Cream instead of Mascarpone Cheese. It offered a nice creamy texture with a lot less fat.

Serves 8

2 pounds shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/2 onion diced
zest and juice of 1 large lemon
1 clove garlic, diced
2 cups abborio rice
4 cups fish or chicken stock
1 1/2 cups of frozen peas
1 container Philly cooking cream(plain flavor)
1/2 cup white wine
3 tablespoons butter or margarine
salt and pepper to taste

In a saucepan bring the stock to boil and reduce to simmer. Meanwhile, in a large 3-4 quart pot melt butter or margarine. Add onion and garlic, saute over medium/high heat. Add the rice and stir to coat a few more minutes. Add the wine and cook until mostly absorbed. Start adding stock one ladle at a time stirring over medium heat until mostly absorbed. Keep adding stock one ladle at a time, stirring after each addition. With the addition of the last ladleful of stock, add the peas and continue to stir while cooking. After a few minutes, add the shrimp and continue to cook until stock is almost all absorbed. Add the lemon zest, juice and cooking cream. Keep cooking and stirring until the rice is al dente. Turn off the heat and serve. If the rice seems a bit runny, let is sit for about 5 minutes. The rice will continue to absorb more liquid.

Avocado Sauce

I once had a sauce similar to this at an upscale restaurant. It was so good, that if I could have gotten away with licking the plate, I wouldn't have given it a second thought. This sauce is great on fish or with served with tortilla chips.

Yields about 2 cups

2 avocados, pitted
1 small clove garlic
juice of 1 large lemon
1/3 cup light mayo
1/2 cup light sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Tabasco Sauce to your taste

In a blender, scoop out the flesh of the avocados, garlic, lemon juice, salt, pepper, Tabasco, mayo, sour cream.
Blend until combined and smooth. Serve or refrigerate until needed

Srawberry Cream Tart

My mom used to make a killer strawberry pie. Neither one of us could find the original recipe but we could recall the basic ingredients. I played with them this weekend in the kitchen and this reminded me of that long forgotten pie.

Serves 8

Crust
1 1/4 cups flour
1 stick butter, cut into small chunks
1/3 cup sugar
Preheat oven to 350. In a food processor, put all of the crust ingredients and process until moist crumbs form. This can take up to 1 minute. Open the lid and squeeze a small amount, if it holds together you're good to go. If it still feels dry add 1-2 teaspoons cold water, 1 teaspoon at a time and process again. Dump the crust mixture into a 9 inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Press dough into the bottom and sides of pan. If the dough sticks to your fingers, dust them with flour and continue. Place pan into oven and bake for 10-12 minutes. Set aside to cool
Strawberry Filling
4 cups sliced strawberries(reserve 2 cups for later)
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup good quality strawberry perserves
1/2 lemon, juiced
1/2 cup water
1 heaping tablespoon corn starch.
Place all ingredients into a saucepan. Cook over medium/high heat, stir to combine. Using a potato masher, mash the berries to combine with the rest of the sauce ingredients. Cook until sauce is thickened and coats the back of a spoon. Turn off heat and allow to cool.
Cream Filling
8 oz cream cheese
3/4 cups light sour cream
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 a package of unflavored gelatin
3-4 tablespoons cold water
Place the water and gelatin in a small bowl and let the gelatin bloom. Place the cream cheese and sour cream into a bowl. Combine with a mixer. Add the sugar, vanilla and bloomed gelatin. Continue to mix until combined.
To Assemble
Spread the cream mixture into the bottom of cooled crust. Pour the cooled strawberry filling over that. Top with reserved strawberry slices. Refrigerate until ready to serve about 2-3 hours.
Cook's Notes- Blooming the gelatin refers to placing the gelatin powder into cold water and letting the gelatin absorb some of the water. The gelatin will help the cream mixture to thicken slightly and will hold its shape when you go to cut the tart.

Banana Nut Bread

No one in our house will touch a banana once the green has disappeared. So that left me with the dilemma of what to do with all those over-ripe bananas. Here's the result.

Makes 1 loaf

1/2 cup butter
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup sugar
2 eggs
3 teaspoons vanilla
3-4 ripe bananas
2 tablespoons buttermilk
1 3/4 cups flour
1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup honey
3/4 cup chopped nuts

Grease a loaf pan. Preheat oven to 350.
In a large bowl with a mixer, mix together butter and sugars. Add eggs, vanilla and buttermilk, mix well. Add baking powder and soda. Alternately add banana and flour to mixture, mixing well. Fold in honey and nuts. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan. Bake 1 hour or until toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.

Chocolate Red Velvet Cake

If I'm going to put chocolate into a cake, I'd better well be able to taste it. There are no 2 measly tablespoons here my friend. This cake calls for a 1 cup of cocoa powder. If you are squeamish about using red food coloring, you can substitute 2 tablespoons beet juice or red wine vinegar instead.
Cook's Notes- I served this cake to a friend who grew up in New Orleans and she gave it 2 thumbs up!

2 sticks butter
1/2 cup water
1 cup cocoa powder
3 extra- large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 cup buttermilk
1 oz bottle of red food coloring
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup cake flour
1/2 cup corn starch
2 cups sugar
Cream Cheese Frosting
8 oz of cream cheese and mascarpone cheese softened
2 cups unsweetened heavy cream whipped
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat the oven to 325 and grease 2 9 inch round cake pans
Melt butter in a small saucepan. Remove from heat and add water and cocoa powder. Allow mixture to cool
In a standing mixer, beat eggs, add buttermilk, vanilla, baking soda and food coloring and mix well. In a separate bowl, stir together the flours, corn starch and sugar. With mixer running, alternately add the flour mixture and the melted butter mixture to the egg mixture. Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake until toothpick inserted into the center of cake comes out clean about 20-25 minutes. Cool cakes and remove from pans.
Ice with cream cheese frosting below.
Cream Cheese Frosting
In a standing mixer, whip the cheeses. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla. Whip until blended. By hand, fold the whipped cream into the cheese mixture. Frost cake. Refrigerate frosted cake.

Cole Slaw

My husband loves anything with slaw in its name. Go figure!! My dad and brother will not eat anything with a creamy dressing. So this was the end result. A bit odd but surprisingly yummy.
Serves 6

1 bag shredded cabbage
1/2 a bag of broccoli slaw
1/4 cup diced red onion
1/4 cup cider vinegar
3 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons grainy mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/3 cup olive oil

In a large serving bowl mix the veggies. In a small bowl, whisk together vinegar, honey, mustard, salt and pepper. While whisking slowly pour in the olive oil. Pour dressing over veggies in bowl. Toss to coat.

Sloppy Joe"s

I have yet to see a kid not eat one of these. This would be another good place to hide those evil veggies. If you wish to hide them, simply put the onion and bell pepper in the food processor and pulse about 10 or so times until chopped fine.

Serves 6

1 pound ground turkey
1 large onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1/4 c Worcestershire Sauce(the thick kind
1 15 oz can tomato sauce
3 tablespoons brown sugar
3 tablespoons cider vinegar
2-3 tablespoons tomato paste
salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons olive oil

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil. Add the turkey and break apart as it browns. Add the onion and bell pepper. Cook until veggies are cooked about 3-4 minutes. Add the Worcestershire Sauce, brown sugar, vinegar, tomato paste, tomato sauce, salt and pepper, stir. Cook for a few more minutes until sauce has thickened slightly.
Fill large Kaiser Rolls or Hamburger buns. To keep the filling from falling out,hallow out the center of the bottom portion of the roll.

Spaghetti Bolongese

Someone once asked me how I got my kids to eat their veggies. Other than using the "Eat it or Wear it" threat, I learned to hide them in their favorite foods. This sauce does just that. Using a food processor helps grind up the veggies small enough so that even if your picky eater should happen to discover them, they are way too small to pick out. Personally I still get a lot of mileage out of " Eat it or Wear it".
 Bon Appitito!

Serves 8 hungry people

2 pounds ground turkey
3 large carrots peeled and cut into chunks
3-4 stalks of celery, cut into chunks
2 cloves of garlic
1 large onion, peeled and cut into chunks
1 large can of tomato puree
1 can tomato paste
1/2 cup of dry white wine
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1-2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 cup of cream or fat free half and half
6-7 fresh basil leaves chopped
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
2-3 tablespoons olive oil

In a 5-6 quart sauce pot heat the olive oil and add the turkey. Break up and allow to cook. Meanwhile in a food processor put the garlic and carrots. Pulse about 10 times. Open the processor, add the onions and celery. Process until everything is well ground. Add the veggies to the pot and continue cooking. Season with the salt, pepper and fennel seed. Cook for about 4 minutes and add the wine. Continue to cook for 3 more minutes and add the tomato paste. Stir until well combined then add the puree and sugar. Taste and adjust seasoning. Add the basil and cream. Turn down to simmer for about 10 more minutes, stirring occasionally.
Serve over cooked pasta. I like to use thin multi-grain or whole wheat spaghetti.
Cook's Notes- This is the ultimate in quick go to sauces. Once I get the veggies in the pot, I start the pasta water so I can get it done about the same time. If you are in a hurry, start your pasta water with hot tap water.
It will boil faster. You can freeze the leftovers or use them to make a lasagna later in the week.

Sweet Rolls

I think I have finally found the perfect sweet roll recipe. I have tried several but this one's a keeper. I am not a bread maker. I either kneed the dough too much and the end results remind me of Ellie Mae's donuts on the Beverly Hill Billys or the middle comes out raw. Definitely not a pretty sight. This recipe begins with a starter. This starter is enough for one recipe so you don't have to keep it for ever and feed it.

Starter
1/2 cup instant mashed potatoes
1/2 cup sugar
1 pkg yeast
1 1/2 cups very warm water

 The day before you plan to bake, put all of the above in a non-metal  container. Mix with a non-metal spoon. Set aside and leave uncovered. Stirring occasionally over the next 12 hours let the mixture begin to bubble.

Next day.
In  mixer with a dough hook place the starter. With mixer running
Add in this order
1/2 cup sugar
1 pkg yeast
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups hot  tap water
6 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
Mix the dough for about 2 minutes. Place it in a large bowl that you have sprayed with nonstick spray.
Cover with a clean, damp towel and place in a heated 170 degree oven that you turned off after heating. On the last oven rack place a large baking pan with a tea kettle of boiling water poured into it. Close oven and let the dough rise in the humid oven until doubled in size.
When dough has risen to double, dump out onto a large well floured surface. I use a clean counter. Sprinkle more flour over top of dough and roll out with a floured rolling pin. While rolling, move the dough around on the floured surface, if the dough is sticking, sprinkle a spare amount of flour under the dough and continue rolling. You are looking to roll a large rectangle about 1/4 inch thick.
Filling
1 stick softened butter
1- 1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1/2 cup ground cinnamon
1/c cup raisins or chopped nuts(optional)
Reheat oven to 170 and reheat the water from the pan in the oven.
Meanwhile spread butter over dough's entire surface
Sprinkle over butter cinnamon, sugar, raisins and nuts. Starting on the long side of the rectangle, roll the dough into a tight roll. Cut with a serrated knife into 2 inch rolls. Place pieces into a well greased rectangular baking dish, snuggle them close together. Turn off the oven and pour the water bath back into the pan in the oven. Put the rolls on the top rack and let the rolls rise again until double in size. Remove from oven and, leaving the water bath in the oven,  preheat it to 350. Return the rolls to your 350 oven and bake for 25 minutes or until golden.
Cream Cheese Glaze
4 ozs softened cream cheese
1 cup powdered sugar
1 teasp vanilla
2-3 tablespoons cream
Place all of the above into a bowl. With a whisk or hand mixer, beat until soft and creamy. Mixture should pour off of a spoon. If it doesn't add another tablespoon of cream. Pour over top of roll as soon as you remove them from the oven.
They are best right out of the oven or reheat in microwave.

Cook's Notes- In order to keep your rolls from drying out, the water bath is essential. It makes for a lighter and fluffier end result.