Whoopie Pies

Ingredients:

1 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup cocoa, sifted
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup buttermilk

Filling
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 cup confectioners' sugar, sifted
1 1/2 cups prepared marshmallow creme
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

With an electric mixer, beat the sugar, egg, butter, and vanilla until light and creamy. In another bowl, mix the cocoa, baking soda, salt, and flour; then blend with buttermilk into the creamed mixture.

Drop batter by the heaping tablespoon onto greased baking sheets and bake 7 to 9 minutes. Remove from the baking sheets and cool on wire racks. Makes 30 mini-cakes.

To make the filling, mix together all ingredients well.

To assemble, sandwich a heaping tablespoon of cream between two cakes, dividing cream evenly between the 15 whoopie pies.

Angry Bird Mini Pizza

Ingredients:

1 ball pizza dough (enough for 1 large pizza) – split into two balls
1 cup white cheese
2-3 Tbsp olive oil

Toppings/Faces:

pepperoni
black olives, sliced (eye center)
mozzarella (eye whites)
orange bell pepper triangle (beak)
red pepper flakes (optional)

Directions:

Make according to dough direction or your favorite pizza recipe.

Tex-Mex Taco Salad

Ingredients:

1/2 cup prepared salsa
2 tablespoons reduced-fat sour cream
1/2 teaspoon canola oil
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
8 ounces lean ground beef or turkey
1 large plum tomato, diced
1/2 cup canned kidney beans, rinsed (see Tips for Two)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/8 teaspoon salt, or to taste
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
4 cups shredded romaine lettuce
1/4 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Directions:

Combine salsa and sour cream in a large bowl.

Heat oil in a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring often, until softened, 1 to 2 minutes. Add beef (or turkey) and cook, stirring often, until cooked through, 3 to 5 minutes. Add tomato, beans, cumin, chili powder and salt; cook, stirring, until the tomato begins to break down, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat, stir in cilantro and 2 tablespoons of the salsa mixture.

Add lettuce to the remaining salsa mixture and toss to coat. Divide the lettuce between 2 plates, top with the cooked meat and sprinkle with cheese.

Buttermilk Pie

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 tablespoon flour
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
4 large eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1 stick butter, melted
1 unbaked 10-inch basic pie crust shell

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a large mixing bowl, combine the sugar, flour, and lemon zest. Whisk in the eggs, 1at a time. Stir in the buttermilk and melted butter. Pour the buttermilk mixture into the pie shell and bake until the top is lightly browned and the center sets, about 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool to room temperature. Slice the pie into individual servings. Garnish with the whipped cream and mint.

French Toast Casserole

Ingredients:

1 loaf (10 ounces) french bread, cut into 1-inch cubes (10 cups)

8 eggs

3 cups milk

4 teaspoons sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3/4 teaspoon salt, optional

For the Topping

2 tablespoons butter or margarine, cubed

3 tablespoons sugar

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon -- maple syrup, optional

Directions:

Place bread cubes in a greased 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking dish. In a mixing bowl, beat eggs, milk, sugar, vanilla and salt if desired. Pour over bread. Cover and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight.

Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Dot with butter. Combine sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle over the top.

Cover and bake at 350 degrees F for 45-50 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Let stand for 5 minutes. Serve with syrup if desired.

Bacon Cheese Deviled Eggs

Ingredients:

12 hard-cooked eggs, peeled
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon honey mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
4 strips bacon, cooked, crumbled
2 tablespoons shredded sharp Cheddar
Parsley, for garnish, optional

Directions:

Halve eggs lengthwise. Spoon yolks into a bowl. Reserve whites.

Mash yolks with fork. Add mayonnaise, honey-mustard, salt and pepper. Fold in bacon and cheese.

Fill each half egg white with yolk mixture. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Crab Cakes Benedict

Ingredients:

3 saltine crackers

3 (1-ounce) slices French bread, torn

1 pound fresh lump crabmeat, drained

1 cup mayonnaise

1 egg white

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper

1/4 teaspoon seafood seasoning

1/4 cup peanut oil

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 avocados, peeled and sliced

6 large eggs, poached

Hollandaise Sauce

Cracked black pepper

Garnish: diced red bell pepper

Directions:

Place crackers in a blender or food processor; process until finely ground. Place bread in blender or food processor; process until finely ground.

Combine crabmeat, mayonnaise, cracker crumbs, breadcrumbs, egg white, and next 4 ingredients in a large bowl. Cover and chill 8 hours.

Shape crab mixture into 6 (4-inch) patties. Cook crab cakes, in batches, in hot oil and melted butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat 4 minutes on each side or until golden.

Place avocado slices and poached eggs on crab cakes, and top with Caribbean Hollandaise Sauce and pepper. Garnish, if desired.

Tuna Steak Salad with Avocado

Ingredients:

2 pounds very fresh tuna steak, cut 1-inch thick

4 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for brushing

2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus extra for sprinkling

1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black, plus extra for sprinkling

2 limes, zest grated

1 teaspoon wasabi powder

6 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice (3 limes)

2 teaspoons soy sauce

10 dashes hot sauce (recommended: Tabasco)

1 to 2 ripe Hass avocados, medium diced

1/4 cup minced scallions, white and green parts (2 scallions)

1/4 cup red onion, small diced

Directions:

Brush the tuna steaks with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place the tuna steaks in a very hot saute pan and cook for only 1 minute on each side. Set aside on a platter.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the olive oil, salt, pepper, lime zest, wasabi, lime juice, soy sauce and hot sauce. Add the avocados to the vinaigrette.

Cut the tuna in chunks and place it in a large bowl. Add the scallions and red onion and mix well. Pour the vinaigrette mixture over the tuna and carefully mix.

Deep-Fried Cadbury Creme Eggs

Ingredients:

Cadbury Creme Eggs
1 cup flour
1 cup milk
1 egg
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
Oil for deep frying

Directions:

Chill eggs in fridge. Whisk together next 6 ingredients to create a creamy batter. Heat oil to around 350-375 degrees. Coat eggs in batter. Carefully lower eggs into batter and fry for 3-4 minutes until golden brown.

Crunchy Coconut Shrimp with Maui Mustard Sauce

Ingredients: 

18 unpeeled, large fresh shrimp

1 cup coconut milk

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup soy sauce

1 (7-ounce) package sweetened flaked coconut

1/2 cup fine, dry breadcrumbs

Peanut oil

Salt

Maui Mustard Sauce

Maui Mustard Sauce Ingredients and Preparation

1/3 cup pineapple preserves

1/3 cup apricot preserves

1/4 cup stone-ground mustard

Stir together all ingredients in a small bowl. Cover and chill.

Directions:

Peel shrimp, leaving tails on. Butterfly shrimp by making a deep slit down the back of each from the large end to the tail, cutting to, but not through, inside curve of shrimp.

Stir together coconut milk, cilantro, and lime juice in a large bowl. Add shrimp, tossing gently to coat. Cover and chill 30 minutes. Drain shrimp from mixture (do not pat dry).

Whisk together flour and soy sauce in a small bowl. Combine coconut and breadcrumbs in a shallow dish. Dip shrimp into soy sauce batter; dredge in coconut mixture, pressing onto shrimp. Place shrimp on baking sheet; freeze 20 minutes.

Pour oil to depth of 2 inches into a Dutch oven, and heat to 350°. Cook shrimp, in batches, 2 to 3 minutes or until golden. Drain on paper towels, and sprinkle lightly with salt. Serve immediately with Maui Mustard Sauce.

Boston Lettuce Wedges with Vinaigrette and Stilton

Ingredients:

2 large heads Boston lettuce

1 tablespoon finely chopped shallot

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 cup walnut oil

1 cup walnut pieces, toasted

1/4 pound Stilton, crumbled or shaved

Directions:

Quarter lettuce heads lengthwise, keeping stem ends attached. Carefully wash in cold water, then dry in a salad spinner.

Whisk together vinegar, shallot, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper, then add oils in a slow stream, whisking until combined.

Spoon vinaigrette over lettuce wedges, then scatter with nuts and cheese.

Slow Cooker Cheese-Stuffed Rolls

Ingredients:

8 French rolls
1 pound sharp cheddar cheese, grate
1 cup stuffed olives, sliced
1/2 pound bacon, cooked and crumbled
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Directions:

Split rolls almost through. Mix remaining ingredients and spoon filling into rolls.

Wrap securely in foil and heat in covered slow cooker for 2 to 3 hours at low.

Key Lime Mousse Pie

Ingredients:

Crust

2 cups crushed graham crackers

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted

Filling

6 tablespoons fresh key lime juice

1 (1/4 ounces) packet unflavored gelatin

2 1/2 cups heavy cream, divided

10 (1-ounce) squares white chocolate, chopped

3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened

1 cup sugar

1 1/2 tablespoons lime zest

1 1/2 ounces white chocolate, grated or shaved into curls, for garnish

Candied Lime Peels

4 limes, peels removed and sliced into strips

2 cups sugar, plus more for rolling

2 cups water

Directions:

Crust

Mix together the cracker crumbs, sugar, and butter. Press the mixture into the bottom and 1-inch up the sides of a 10-inch springform pan. Set aside.

Filling

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, add the lime juice. Whisk in the gelatin and 1/2 cup of the heavy cream and bring to a simmer. Remove the pan from the heat. Add 10 ounces of white chocolate and stir until smooth. Allow to cool.

Using an electric mixer, blend together the cream cheese, sugar and lime zest in a medium bowl, until smooth. Slowly beat in the cooled white chocolate mixture into cream cheese mixture.

Using clean, dry beaters, beat the remaining 2-cups heavy cream in a small bowl, until it forms soft peaks. Fold it into the white chocolate mixture and pour into the pie crust. Cover and freeze overnight.

Remove from freezer and run a sharp knife around inside of springform pan to help loosen the pie. Release springform ring from the bottom of the pan and transfer the pie to a serving plate. Grate or curl the white chocolate over the top and garnish with candied lime peel. Cut into wedges with a knife that has been dipped into hot water and serve.

Candied Lime Peels

Bring a medium-sized saucepan of water to a boil over medium heat. Add the peels in and blanch them for a few minutes. Set aside.

Put the peels in another medium saucepan and cover with equal parts of sugar and water. Simmer, covered, over low heat for 1 hour. Remove the peels and drain until almost dry. Roll into sugar and set aside.

Chicken and Bacon Potato Salad

Ingredients:

4½ lbs. potatoes (new red)

3 cooked and seasoned chicken breasts or any leftover chicken, diced

2 large stalks of celery, diced small

6 hard boiled eggs , diced

2½ c. mayo , more if needed

½ tsp. celery salt

1 tsp. kosher salt

1 tsp. black pepper

1 tsp. dill weed

1 tsp. parsley for topping

2 tsp. (heaping) Grey Poupon Mustard (Harvest Coarse Ground)

½ lb. bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled

1 c. shredded Monterey Jack and cheddar mix

1 large tomato, diced small

½ c. cashews, toasted and chopped

½ c. diced seedless grapes

Directions:

Boil potatoes until tender. Let cool about 20 minutes. Dice the potatoes and place in a big bowl.

Cook’s Note: Mix salad while the potatoes are slightly warm so the ingredients will marry well. Add to the potatoes chicken, celery, eggs, mayo, celery salt, kosher salt, pepper, dill weed, Grey Poupon, mustard, bacon, cheese, tomato, walnuts, and grapes. Mix well. Top with fresh parsley and chill at least 4 to 6 hours; overnight is so much better.

Jalapeno Popper Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Ingredients:

2 jalapeno peppers, cut in half lengthwise and seeded

2 slices sour dough bread

1 tablespoon butter, room temperature

1 tablespoon cream cheese, room temperature

1/4 cup jack and cheddar cheese, shredded

1 tablespoon tortilla chips, crumbled

Directions:

Place the peppers on a baking sheet with the cut side facing down.

Place the baking sheet on the top shelf in the oven and broil until the outer layer of the skin has blackened, about 8-14 minutes.

Place the peppers in a zip-lock bag or other sealable container, seal and let them cool until you can handle them, about 20 minutes.

Remove the skins from the peppers. The skins should easily "pinch" off.

Assemble sandwich and grill until golden brown and the cheese has melted, about 2-3 minutes per side.

Red Velvet Sheet Cake

Ingredients:

1 cup Shortening

1-¾ cup Sugar

2-½ cups Cake Flour

1-¼ teaspoon Salt

2 whole Eggs

1 cup Buttermilk

1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

1 teaspoon Baking Soda

1-½ teaspoon Vinegar

1-½ ounce, fluid Red Food Coloring

1-½ teaspoon Cocoa Powder

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Thoroughly spray a large (18 x 12) sheet cake pan (or you can use a slightly smaller jelly roll pan) with nonstick baking spray. Be sure to get in all the corners of the pan.

Sift together cake flour and salt. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, stir together buttermilk, eggs, vanilla, and baking soda. Add vinegar and stir. Set aside.

In a separate small bowl, mix together cocoa and red food coloring. Set aside.

Cream together shortening and sugar until fluffy. Alternate adding the flour mixture and the buttermilk/egg mixture until all combined. Pour the red mixture in and beat until combined.

Pour batter into prepared sheet cake pan. Use a large offset spatula or knife to even out the surface. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove pan from oven and allow cake to cool in the pan for 20 minutes. Place a large cutting board on top of the cake pan, then invert the cake, allowing it to turn out onto the cutting board. Allow cake to cool completely before icing.

Frosting

5 Tablespoons Flour

1 cup Milk

1 teaspoon Vanilla

1 cup Butter

1 cup Granulated Sugar (not Powdered Sugar!)

Directions:

Bake your favorite chocolate cake and let it cool.

In a small saucepan, whisk flour into milk and heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens. You want it to be very thick, thicker than cake mix, more like a brownie mix is. Remove from heat and let it cool to room temperature. (If I’m in a hurry, I place the saucepan over ice in the sink for about 10 minutes or so until the mixture cools.) It must be completely cool before you use it in the next step. Stir in vanilla.

While the mixture is cooling, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. You don’t want any sugar graininess left. Then add the completely cooled milk/flour/vanilla mixture and beat the living daylights out of it. If it looks separated, you haven’t beaten it enough! Beat it until it all combines and resembles whipped cream.

Spread it on a cooled chocolate cake.