Strawberry Sour Cream Cake

Ingredients:   For the Cake 1 2/3 cups cake flour 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 2 teaspoons ground cardamom 1/4 teaspoon salt 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened 1 cup granulated sugar 2 large eggs 2 large egg yolks 1 cup sour cream For the Filling 1 cup heavy cream 1/2 cup ricotta cheese 1/3 cup confectioners' sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 2 pints strawberries 2 to 4 tablespoons granulated sugar

Directions: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Brush a 9-inch springform pan with butter or oil. Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cardamom and salt together in a bowl and set aside. In a standing electric mixer or with a hand-held beater, cream the butter and sugar together at medium speed until light and fluffy. One at a time, add the whole eggs, then the yolks, beating thoroughly after each addition. Alternate mixing in the dry ingredients with the sour cream, a third at a time. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan. Bake for 45 minutes or until the cake is lightly browned and pulls away from the sides of the pan. It should be slightly springy to the touch. Cool on a rack for 5 minutes, remove the sides of the springform, and cool completely on the rack. While the cake is baking, make the filling: By hand or in a standing electric mixer, whip the cream and ricotta cheese to the consistency of stiffly-whipped cream. It is very important to have the filling the right consistency. Sift and fold in the confectioners' sugar and the vanilla. Chill until ready to use. Set aside 1 to 3 nice-looking strawberries for garnishing the top of the cake. Stem and slice the remaining strawberries into thirds or halves, depending on their size. Place them in a bowl, sprinkle with the granulated sugar, and set aside to macerate.  Using a serrated knife, cut the cake horizontally into 2 layers. Lay the layers, cut side up on a clean work surface. Drizzle any collected strawberry juice over both cake layers. Spread a third of the cream filling on the bottom layer, arrange strawberry slices over the cream, then cover with another third of the cream. Cover with the other layer of cake. Spread the remaining cream evenly over the top and place the garnishing strawberries in the center of the cake. Transfer the cake to a platter and chill until ready to serve.

Perfect Pot Roast

Ingredients

Salt and freshly ground black pepper
One 3 to 5-pound chuck roast
2 or 3 tablespoons olive oil
2 whole onions, peeled and halved
6 to 8 whole carrots, unpeeled, cut into 2-inch pieces
1 cup red wine, optional
3 cups beef broth
2 or 3 sprigs fresh rosemary
2 or 3 sprigs fresh thyme

Directions

Preheat the oven to 275 degrees F.

Generously salt and pepper the chuck roast.

Heat the olive oil in large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the halved onions to the pot, browning them on both sides. Remove the onions to a plate.

Throw the carrots into the same very hot pot and toss them around a bit until slightly browned, about a minute or so. Reserve the carrots with the onions.

If needed, add a bit more olive oil to the very hot pot. Place the meat in the pot and sear it for about a minute on all sides until it is nice and brown all over. Remove the roast to a plate.

With the burner still on high, use either red wine or beef broth (about 1 cup) to de-glaze the pot, scraping the bottom with a whisk. Place the roast back into the pot and add enough beef stock to cover the meat halfway.

Add in the onions and the carrots, along with the fresh herbs.

Put the lid on, then roast for 3 hours for a 3-pound roast. For a 4 to 5-pound roast, plan on 4 hours. The roast is ready when it's fall-apart tender.

Bacon Popcorn

Ingredients:

1 tsp. olive oil
1 pound thick-cut bacon
3/4 cup maple syrup
1 tsp. fresh-ground black pepper
½ tsp. salt
6 cups popcorn


Directions:

Preheat an oven to 350°. Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add bacon strips and cook until crisp, turning occasionally. Remove bacon to a paper towel-lined plate; reserve 2 tablespoons bacon drippings.

Crumble bacon. Toss bacon, drippings, maple syrup, black pepper, and salt with popcorn. Spread popcorn mixture in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheets and bake for 10 minutes, rotating trays halfway through, stirring occasionally.  Serve hot.

Sausage, Biscuit, and Egg Casserole

Ingredients: 

1 lb. ground pork sausage with sage, crumbled
1/2 cup red peppers, chopped
1/2 cup red onion, chopped
4 frozen pre-baked biscuits
10 eggs
1-1/4 cups of milk
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup frozen broccoli cuts, defrosted
1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded 
 
Directions: 

Preheat oven to 350°F. In the Everyday Pan (or another 11-inch oven-safe pan), sauté the pork sausage, peppers, and onions over medium-high heat for approximately 10 minutes, or until the sausage is fully cooked. Remove from heat.

Cut each biscuit into about 8 pieces and arrange evenly in the pan with the sausage, peppers, and onions.

In a large bowl, beat the eggs, milk, oregano, salt, and pepper until combined. Stir in the broccoli and cheese. Pour the mixture over the sausage, peppers, onions, and biscuits. Give the mixture a slight stir to disperse the ingredients, then press the biscuits down with back of your spoon to cover them in the egg mixture.

Bake for 35 - 40 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown and the center is set. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Baked Cheesy Mac

Ingredients: 

4 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces
1/2 cup sour cream
2 cups grated cheddar cheese
3   eggs, beaten
4 cups cooked elbow macaroni, drained
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Once you have the macaroni cooked and drained, place in a large bowl and while still hot and add the cheddar.  In a separate bowl, combine the remaining ingredients and add to the macaroni mixture.  Pour macaroni mixture into a casserole dish and bake for 30 to 45 minutes.  Top with additional cheese if desired.

Waffles & Chili

Ingredients:

1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cup yellow cornmeal
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 cup milk
3 tablespoon vegetable oil
2   large eggs
Spicy Chili, recipe follows
shredded cheddar, for garnish
sour cream, for garnish
chopped fresh cilantro leaves, for garnish
Spicy Chili:
1 pound lean ground chuck
1 onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon fresh ground black pepper
2 (15-ounce) cans ranch-style beans
1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
1 (15-ounce) can niblet corn, drained
1 (10-ounce) can diced tomatoes and green chiles

Directions:

Preheat waffle iron according to manufacturer’s instructions.
 
In a large bowl, combine flour, cornmeal, baking powder, sugar, and salt. Add milk, oil, and eggs; stirring until smooth. Pour batter onto hot waffle iron and bake in batches. Set aside and keep warm. 
Serve with Chili. Garnish with shredded Cheddar, sour cream and chopped fresh cilantro.

Chili: In a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat, brown ground chuck, until beef is crumbly. Stir in onion, bell pepper, garlic, chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper. Stir in beans, tomato sauce, corn, diced tomatoes, and green chiles. Reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes uncovered, stirring occasionally. 

Pizza Dip

Ingredients:

4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup mozzarella, grated
1/4 cup parmigiano reggiano (parmesan), grated
1 cup pizza sauce
1/2 cup mozzarella, grated
1/4 cup parmigiano reggiano (parmesan), grated
2 ounces pepperoni, sliced
2 tablespoons green pepper, sliced
2 tablespoons black olives, sliced

Directions:

Mix the cream cheese, sour cream mayonnaise, mozzarella and parmigiano reggiano and spread it across the bottom of a pie plate. 

Spread the pizza sauce on top and sprinkle on the cheese, pepperoni, green pepper and olives. 

Bake in a preheated 350F oven until the cheese has melted, bubbling and golden brown, about 20 minutes.