Blackberry Cake

Wow, it seems like forever since I last posted a recipe. But thankfully life is starting to feel somewhat normal again. This cake reminds me of my cherry snack cake in that it has a sweet vanilla base with fruit nestled inside. There is no frosting just a dusting of powdered sugar before serving, which makes it perfect for transporting to an outdoor event or to a friend. I like to serve mine with either whipped cream or vanilla ice-cream. Tonight it's ice-cream!

Serves 8

1 1/2 cup flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 stick(8tbsp) softened butter
1 extra large egg
2/3 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup buttermilk
2 pints fresh blackberries

Preheat oven to 400. Spray a tart pan with baking spray. Place the flour, baking soda and powder in a small bowl and stir to combine. Set aside. Using an electric mixer, beat butter until fluffy. Add the sugar and beat until combined. Follow with the egg and vanilla. Add the flour alternately with the buttermilk. Mix until just combined. Pour into the prepared tart pan and spread out until evenly distributed. Place as many blackberries on top as you can fit. Gently press them into the batter. Bake for 30-35 minutes. Cool and serve.

I Lost My Dad Today

My Dad passed away today after a month-long illness. He was my inspiration for exploring my Italian roots through food. He was a huge fan of my cooking and I could always count on him to give me a thumbs up when the food was put on the dinner table.


In Memory

We little knew that morning
God was going to call your name.
In life we loved you dearly.
In death we do the same.

It broke our hearts to lose you.
You did not go alone
For part of us went with you
The day God called you home.

You left us beautiful memories.
Your love is still our guide.
And although we cannot see you,
You are always by our side.

Our family chain is broken
And nothing seems the same.
But as God calls us one by one
The chain will link again.

God looked around His garden
And He found an empty place
He then looked down upon this earth
And saw your tired face.

He put his arms around you
And lifted you to rest:
God's garden must be beautiful
He always takes the best.

He saw the road was getting rough
And the hills were hard to climb
So He closed your weary eyelids
And whispered "Peace be thine."

It broke our hearts to lose you
But you didn't go alone
For part of us went with you
The day God called you home.

New Orleans Mac and Cheese

I'm always looking for a new way to do Mac and Cheese. I found a similar recipe for a skillet version but wanted to bump up the veggies and lower the fat. What came out of my oven was a rich cheesy mac and cheese with crisp veggies with an undertone of spice. I've been told that I'm making this again soon.

Serves 6-8
14oz chicken andouille sausage, sliced
28 oz can fire roasted diced tomatoes
2 1/2 cups chicken stock
2/3 cup SOS Mix
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup diced celery
16oz cooked elbow macaroni
2 cups shredded light cheddar cheese
1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
1 tsp dried thyme
Tabasco sauce
salt and pepper to taste
olive oil
cooking spray

SOS Mix
1 cup powdered milk
1 cup cornstarch
2 tbsp dehydrated onion flakes
Place all in a jar or zip lock bag, shake to combine
For every 1 1/4 cup liquid, whisk in 1/3 cup SOS mix, place over heat and season with salt and pepper. Cook over medium/high heat, stirring until thickened. Use in place of canned soup.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray an oblong baking dish with the cooking spray and set aside. In a large skillet, heat 1 tbsp oil. Add the onion, celery, garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until veggies begin to soften. Add the sausage, tomatoes and thyme. Cook until liquid from tomatoes has reduced. Set aside. In a small saucepan, whisk together the chicken stock and SOS Mix. Season with salt, pepper and tabasco. When the sauce has thickened, turn off the heat and add 1 1/2 cups of cheddar and all of the parmesan. Whisk until the cheese has melted. Mix together the sauce, cooked macaroni and veggies. Pour the mixture into the baking dish. Sprinkle remaining cheese over top and bake for 30 minutes or until the cheese has begun to brown and the dish is bubbly.

Patriotic Fruit Pizzas

I made these for the 4th but you could make these any time of the year with whatever fruit you have on hand. These would be lovely on a dessert buffet table, served at a shower or a ladies luncheon.
The combination of the cookie, cream cheese filling and fresh fruit is satisfying without being too sweet.

Makes 12 4 1/2 inch tart shells or 24 large round cookies

Cookie Dough
2 sticks butter softened
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 egg
2tsp vanilla
3 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cream of tartar

Cream together the butter and sugar. Add the egg and vanilla. Add in the flour, baking soda and cream of tartar until the dough just comes together. Do not over mix or the dough will become tough.Place the dough into the frig for 30 minutes if making tart shells or wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for an hour if making rolled cookies. Preheat the oven to 350. Spray the tart pans with baking spray. Using an ice-cream scoop, scoop out the dough and press it into the bottom and sides of the tart pans. Bake for 12-15 minutes. Remove the tart shells from the oven and using the bottom of a heavy drinking glass, press down the bottom of each tart shell to make a recess to hold the fruit and filling. Let cool completely and carefully remove the shells from the pans. Set aside until ready to fill.

Cream Cheese Filling

2 bricks of cream cheese, softened
juice of 1 large lemon
zest of 1 orange
4 tbsp of powdered sugar
3-4 tbsp of heavy cream

Place all of the filling ingredients into a large bowl and mix with an electric mixer. If the filling seems too stiff, add another tablespoon of heavy cream. Divide the filling evenly among the tart shells. Spread to fill the bottom of the shell.

Fruit Topping
Strawberries, cut into slices
Blueberries
Raspberries
1/3 cup Apricot Jam or Apple Jelly
Juice of 1/2 a lemon

Arrange the fruit as desired on the top of each filled tart shell. Place the jam or jelly and the lemon juice into a microwave safe bowl. Whisk together and heat in the microwave until the jam has melted. Brush the melted jam over the top of the fruit to make it shine. Serve

Marinated Skirt Steak

It's the first day of summer and I decided to celebrate by breaking out the grill. With meat getting more expensive, skirt steak is still fairly reasonable. It can be tough so I marinated it for several hours before placing it on the grill. I kept the marinade simple and it was a good choice. The marinade enhanced the meat's flavor while making it very tender. Success!

Serves 4
1 1/2 -2 pounds of skirt steak
1 1/2 cup pineapple juice
1/2 cup ponzu sauce
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 large cloves garlic, minced
2 green onions, sliced
pepper

Place the meat into a large zip lock bag. Mix the remaining ingredients together and pour over meat. Seal the bag and refrigerate for 2 or more hours. Remove the meat from the marinade. Lightly sprinkle with salt and pepper if desired and place on an oiled grill. Grill for 3-5 minutes on each side. Allow the meat the rest off the grill for 10 minutes. Cut across the grain and serve.

Grilled Asparagus Salad

My new recipes usually are born from necessity. Today I had several bundles of asparagus that I needed to use. I usually toss them with olive oil, salt and pepper and roast them off in the oven. But today I was grilling so I prepped them like usual and then grilled them. I prepped a simple dressing while they cooked and boy where they yummy. Here's how I made these little lovelies.

Serves 4
2 bundles of asparagus
2 slices of red onion
1/4 cup sherry vinegar
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil plus 1 tbsp for grilling
2 tsp sugar
3 tbsp creamy dill mustard
salt and pepper

Trim the ends off of the asparagus and toss in a bowl with 1 tbsp of oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place on the grill. Meanwhile, cut 2 slices off of a large red onion and cut them into quarters. In the bottom of a large bowl,whisk together the vinegar, mustard, olive oil, salt, pepper and sugar. Place the onion into the dressing and let it sit while the asparagus cooks. The dressing will help cut the sharpness of the onion. Remove the asparagus from the grill and immediately place in the dressing. Toss to coat and set aside for 15 minutes before serving.

Queso Blanco Dip

This dip is commonly found at Mexican Restaurants, or so I am told. I have only had it once at a Mexican place in Coronado. As my children will tell you, I obviously don't get out much. The dip was delicious. When I saw a recipe for it, I knew I wanted to serve it on Memorial Day. But, as is often the case, I never like just one recipe and will usually combine ingredients from 2-3 different recipes to make my own. So here is my version.

1 1/2 cups of white cheddar cheese, shredded
1 cup of white cheese curds or white american cheese
1/3 cup pico de gallo(diced tomoto, jalapeno, cilantro and onion)
1 brick light cream cheese
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup tomatillo salsa
1 tbsp olive oil
tobasco sauce
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp cornstarch dissolved in 2 tbsp cold water

In a medium sauce pan, heat the oil. Add the pico de gallo. Cook over medium/high heat for 3 minutes or until the veggies begin to soften. Add the tomatillo salsa and the milk. When it begins to simmer, add the cheeses. Lower the heat to medium and stir continually until melted. Add the salt and tobasco if desired. If the mixture appears too runny, add the cornstarch and water mixture. Allow the thicken. Serve warm with chips.