Individual Orange Pudding Cakes

Recipe courtesy of Sandra Lee

This is a quick, easy dessert.  The nice thing about it is that it is made with pantry staple ingredients

Ingredients:

2 eggs

1/4 cup sugar

1 orange, juiced and zested

1/4 cup flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup milk

Preheat oven toe 325 degrees.  Put a tea kettle of water on to boil.

Separate the eggs, putting the whites in a larger bowl.

Using a mixer, beat the whites until they form stiff peaks.

Zest the orange.

Squeeze the juice from the orange.

Add the sugar to the egg yolks and beat until dissolved.  The color should turn pale yellow.

Add the orange zest and juice.

Sift the flour and salt and add to the egg yolk mixture.

Add the milk and stir until combined.

Gently fold in the egg whites.

Spray ramekins with cooking spray and place in a casserole dish.  Spoon pudding  into ramekins .  Add boiling water until it reaches halfway up the ramekins.  Bake until set 20-22 minutes.

Allow to cool a bit before serving.  Voila!

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Set a tea kettle filled with water on the stove and bring to a boil.  Spray 4 ramekins with cooking spray.

Separate the eggs, putting the whites in a larger bowl.  Whip the egg whites until the hold stiff peaks.  Set aside.  to the yolks, add the sugar and beat until the sugar is dissolved and the color has turned pale yellow.  Add the orange zest and juice.  Sift the flour and salt and mix in well.  Add the milk and stir until combined.

Fold the whites into the yold mixture.  Divide the batter among the ramekins.  Place ramekins into a  baking dish and pour in hot water until it reaches halfway up the sides of the ramekins.  Bake the pudding cakes until set, 20-22 minutes.  Remove ramekins from the water bath and allow to cool a bit before serving.

Mango and Avocado Salsa

We made this easy fresh salsa the other night and served it on top of grilled chicken breasts.  It would be just as delicious on pork also!

Ingredients:

1 mango, peeled, chopped into bite-size pieces.

1 avocado, skin and pit removed. Cut into bite-size pieces

2 green onions, chopped

1 Tablespoon chopped jalapeno pepper

1 fresh lemon, juiced

Green Tabasco sauce to taste

Chop the mango and avocado.

Slice the green onions

Juice one small lemon

Place the mango, avocado, jalapeno, green onions and lemon juice in a bowl.  Add about 1 teaspoon of tabasco sauce or more according to your taste.

Add salt to taste.

Toss all together.  Serve on top of grilled chicken or pork tenderloin.

Taboule and Fresh Veggie Salad

Taboule is a Middle Eastern style wheat salad.  Mix it with your choice of fresh veggies, a little lemon and oil for a different summertime salad.

Ingredients:

1 box Taboule mix wheat salad

1 cucumber, chopped

1 yellow or red bell pepper

1/2 cup Feta cheese

1/2 cup pitted, sliced Kalamata olives

2 teaspoons fresh mint, chopped

2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1/4 cup olive oil

salt/pepper to taste

In a large bowl place, Taboule wheat, spice packet and1 cup of boiling water.  Cover and allow it to sit 30 minutes in the refrigerator.

Slice the cucumber, then cut in quarters.

Next, slice the peppers.

Assemble the rest of the ingredients: olives, crumbled feta, chopped mint

Whisk together olive oil and lemon juice.  Retrieve the Taboule from the refrigerator and toss with the veggies, mint, olives and cheese.  Add the lemon olive oil, salt and pepper. Mix well.  Cover again and chill 1 hour or overnight before serving.  We found that after this point the salad need a little more oil and a splash of rice wine vinegar to freshen it up before serving.

Turkey, Tomato and Monterey Jack Bake

This is a recipe we found in one of our favorite cookbooks, Take It Easy by the Deen Brothers.

We put our own spin on it with a couple of ingredients.

Ingredients:

2 Tablespoons olive oil

1 pound ground turkey

1 medium onion, chopped

1 can nacho cheese soup

1 cup canned diced tomatoes

1 can kernel corn

1 -4 ounce can chopped mild green chilis

1 teaspoon salt

2 cups grated Mexican cheese blend

2 cups crushed corn chips

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees

Chop the onion.

Place the oil in a large saute pan and turn the heat to medium high.  Add the onions.

Add the ground turkey and cook together about 5 minutes or until no pink remains.

Add the soup, tomatoes, corn, chilis and salt.  Bring the mixture to a boil.  Cook for 5 minutes, stirring constantly.

Crush the corn chips with a rolling pin.

Transfer the meat mixture to a casserole dish.  Sprinkle the cheese over the top.

Add the crushed corn chips over the chips.  Bake in the preheated oven 10-15 minutes.

Serve immediately.

Cookie and Pudding Parfaits

Here is a quick, easy dessert that is pretty to look at too!

Ingredients:

1 package of pistachio instant pudding

2 cups of milk

1/2 dozen sugar cookies (or any cookie of your choice)

6 fresh strawberries

whip cream for the topping

Place instant pudding and milk in a large mixing bowl.

Whisk with a wire wisk until the pudding thickens.

Crumble a cookie on the bottom of each glass.

Place 2 or 3 spoonfuls of pudding on top of the cookies.

Place sliced strawberries on top of the pudding.

Spoon another layer of pudding on top of the berries.

Place whip cream on the top and garnish with a strawberry slice.

Pastrami Reuben Sandwiches

 

Happy 29th Birthday Megan!!!

Here is an easy sandwich we made for dinner last night.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup mayonnaise

2 Tablespoons catsup

1 teaspoon pickle relish

1 teaspoon capers

1 15 ounce can saurkraut

4-6 slices bread, rye or sourdough

1/2 pound pastrami (we used turkey pastrami)

Sliced Swiss cheese

Mix together mayonnaise, catsup relish and capers.

Spread on both sides of the sandwich.

One one half of the sandwich, place 4-5 slices of pastrami.

Add slices of Swiss cheese over the pastrami.

Follow with saurkraut.

Place the sandwich tops on and brush both sides with olive oil.

Grill sandwiches until the cheese melts and bread is toasty.

Remove from the grill, slice in half and serve!

Angel Hair Pasta with Fresca Sauce

This sauce comes together in under 30 minutes.  It is a good, fast weeknight meal.

Ingredients:

2 Tablespoons olive oil

1 onion, chopped

1 cup shredded carrots

1/2 teaspoon minced garlic

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1/2 cup white wine

2- 14.5 ounce cans chopped tomatoes

3 Tablespoons capers, drained

salt

1 lb. angel hair pasta

2 lemons, cut in wedges for garnish

Chop the onion.  We bought shredded carrots to save time.

Place 2 Tablespoons of olive oil in a large saute pan.  Add the onions, carrots and garlic and cook 10 minutes.

Sprinkle in the red pepper flakes.

Add the tomatoes and wine and allow the liquid to reduce.  Just before serving, stir in the capers and salt to taste.  Keep sauce warm while pasta is cooking.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.  Add the pasta and cook according to package directions.

Toss sauce and pasta.  Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and garnish with lemon wedges.  Squeeze a little lemon juice over each serving and enjoy!

Creamy Green Chili Chicken Pizza

My mom entered the Pillsbury Bake-Off this year and was selected as a semi-finalist with this recipe.  Sadly, she didn’t make it to the finals (not enough votes).  This is a very tasty quick dinner.  Give it a try!

Ingredients:

3 Tablespoons olive oil

1 Pillsbury Pizza Crust (either traditional or artisan)

1- 8 ounce package of cream cheese

3/4 cup salsa verde

3 cups cooked grilled chicken strips

1- 8 ounce package shredded Mexican cheese blend

1 1/2 cups Pico de Gallo salsa

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Brush  1 1/2 Tablespoons of olive oil on the bottom of the pan.  Unroll the pizza dough.  Press the dough out covering all the corners.

Brush the other 1 1/2 Tablespoons of olive oil on the top of the crust.  Prebake the crust in the oven for 11-12 minutes.

Place cream cheese and salsa in a mixing bowl.  Combine with an electric mixer.

Add the chicken and mix all together well, shredding the chicken.

Spread the chicken mixture over the cooked crust.

Sprinkle the cheese over the entire pizza.  Place the pizza in the oven and bake another 12 minutes until the cheese is bubbly.

Spread the pico de gallo salsa over the top and serve.

Yum!!

Heath Bar Pecan Shortbread Cookies

This is a variation on a shortbread recipe we have done before.  It is all done in a food processor. Super easy!

Ingredients:

2 cups of flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup butter, room temperature

1 cup Heath Bar Chips

1/2 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Place flour and salt in a food processor.  Pulse briefly until mixed.

Add powdered sugar, vanilla and butter.  Pulse until dough forms.

Mix in Heath Bar Chips and pecans

Place dough in plastic wrap forming a log.  Chill in the refrigerator 1/2 hour.

Slice cookies about 1/3 inch wide and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.  Bake 12 minutes.

Cool cookies 5 minutes on the baking sheet before transferring to the cooling rack.

Enjoy!

Strawberry Shortcakes

We usually have strawberry shortcake for dessert on Easter Sunday.  Meg wanted to try making it. We did an easy version using help from Bisquick.

Ingredients:

For the shortcakes:

2 1/3 cups Bisquick

2/3 cup milk

3 Tbs. sugar

3 Tbs. butter or margarine, melted

4 cups sliced fresh strawberries

1/2 cup sugar

whip topping

Preheat oven to 425.  In a large bowl mix together ingredients for the shortcakes;

Bisquick, milk, sugar and melted butter

When a soft dough forms, place 6 large spoonfuls on an ungreased cookie sheet.  Bake 10-12 minutes until golden brown.

Slice wash, hulled strawberries into a large bowl.  Add about 1/2 cup sugar or enough to your taste preference.  Mash the berries well to make them juicy.

When the shortcakes have been removed from the oven and cooled, slice in half.  Place one half of the shortcake in a bowl, cover with berries, place shortcake top on next, cover with more berries and top with whip cream.

Happy Spring!!