Recipe #22 May 27, 2013

Corn and Zucchini Orzo Salad

I halved this recipe and it still made an entire bowl to feed a family!

Ingredients

• 6 medium zucchini, diced

• Coarse salt and ground pepper

• 1 pound orzo

• 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

• 5 cups corn kernels (from 6 ears corn)

• 1 small red onion, chopped

• 1 jalapeno, seeded and diced

• 1 tablespoon lemon zest

• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (from 3 lemons)

• 1 cup fresh basil leaves, torn

• 4 ounces feta, crumbled (2 cups)

Directions

1. Wash and slice zucchini, then chop into small pieces. (I cut each slice into fourths or sixths.) Place zucchini in a colander and toss with salt. Place colander in sink and let sit 20 minutes. 

1. Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling salted water, cook orzo according to package instructions. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking; transfer to a large bowl.

1. Cut corn off the cob. In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium heat. Add corn and cook, stirring occasionally, until just tender, 4 minutes. 

1. Add corn to pasta (in large bowl) along with zucchini, 3 tablespoons oil, onion, jalapeno, and lemon zest and juice; season with salt and pepper. 

1. Rip basil and stir into salad. 

1. Stir in feta cheese or just top with it. 

 Refrigerate for up to 2 days.

Recipe #21 May 27, 2013

Summertime Fruit Trifles 

with Homemade Pound Cake

Pound Cake Ingredients

• 1 pound (3 1/4 cups) all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon coarse salt
• 4 sticks softened unsalted butter, 
•  plus additional 1 tbsp for pans
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 9 large, room-temperature eggs

Summertime Fruit Trifles RecipeFruit Trifle Ingredients

• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1-1/2 cups whole milk
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 teaspoon grated orange peel
• 1 can (20 ounces) crushed pineapple, undrained
• 1 package (3.4 ounces) instant vanilla pudding mix
• 1 cup whipped topping
• 2 cups sliced peeled fresh or frozen peaches, thawed
• 1 cup sliced fresh strawberries
• 1 cup fresh raspberries
• 1/2 cup fresh blueberries
• For fruit I used 2 cups frozen peaches and 2 cups frozen mixed berries
• 2 loaves pound cake, thawed and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• You can use frozen pound cakes - 10-3/4 ounces each

 

Pound Cake Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Butter two 5-by-9-inch loaf pans. Combine all-purpose flour and salt in a bowl.
2. Cream butter and sugar with a mixer on high speed until pale and fluffy, for 8 minutes. Scrape down sides of bowl. Reduce speed to medium, and add vanilla extract.
3. Lightly beat eggs, and add to mixer bowl in 4 additions, mixing thoroughly after each and scraping down sides. Reduce speed to low, and add flour mixture in 4 additions, mixing until just incorporated. Divide batter between pans. Tap on counter to distribute; smooth tops.
4. Bake until a tester inserted into center of each cake comes out clean, about 65 minutes. Let cool in pans on a wire rack for 30 minutes. Remove from pans, and let cool completely on wire rack.

Trifle Directions

• In a large saucepan, combine sugar and flour; stir in milk until smooth. Cook and stir over medium-high heat until thickened and bubbly. Reduce heat to low; cook and stir 2 minutes longer. Remove from the heat.
• Stir a small amount of hot mixture into egg; return all to pan. Bring to a gentle boil, stirring constantly; cook and stir for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat. Gently stir in the orange juice, butter and orange peel. Transfer to a small bowl; refrigerate until chilled.
• In large bowl, combine pineapple and pudding mix; fold in whipped topping. In another bowl, combine peaches and berries.
• In individual parfait glasses, layer cake cubes, pineapple mixture and berry mixture; top with custard. Refrigerate until serving.

 
Makes 12 servings

Recipe #20 May 20, 2013

Banana Caramel Cookies

Ingredients

1 Caramel Cake Mix (Duncan Hines Signature Cake) (18.25 oz.)

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup smashed banana (about 2 bananas)

1 teaspoon vanilla

3/4 cup white chocolate chips

1/2 cup caramel baking bits

(I couldn't find caramel bits and don't like white choc so I used 1 cup mini chocolate chips!!) 

Instructions

1. Beat butter, bananas, and vanilla. Add the cake mix and mix thoroughly. The batter will be very thick. Stir in the white chips and caramel bits by hand. Chill dough at least 30 minutes. This will help it from sticking to your hands.
2. Roll dough into 1 inch or 1 1/2 inch balls. Place on baking sheet that has been lined with a Silpat or parchment paper so the caramel doesn't stick. Bake at 350* for 10-12 minutes. Do not over bake. The cookies will look undone, but they will set up as they cool. Let cool on tray for a few minutes before removing to parchment paper to cool completely.Makes 30 cookies.

Recipe #19 May 18, 2013

Almond Joy Brownie Bites

Ingredients:
Brownie batter  - I buy the boxed kind but you could make homemade  
4 cups sweetened shredded coconut  
14 oz can sweetened condensed milk  
About 4 dozen almonds  
Chocolate chips, chocolate candy melts, almond bark


Directions  
1. Preheat your oven according to brownie recipe directions and generously spray two mini muffin pans with nonstick spray. Fill cups about 1/2 full with brownie batter and bake according to directions - with the mini muffins it took about 10-12 minutes. When brownies are done, place pans on a cooling rack and remove brownies once cooled completely.  

2. In a medium bowl, combine coconut and sweetened condensed milk. With clean hands, roll coconut mixture into balls and press onto tops of brownie bites. Press an almond into the top of each. Place brownies in the freezer to harden for about 15 minutes.  

3. Melt almond bark or candy melts according to directions. Remove brownies from freezer. Scopp melted chooclate over the brownie-coconut treat OR dip the tops in the chocolate. Place dipped brownies on a wax paper lined baking sheet and refrigerate until chocolate is set.

Recipe #18 May 11, 2013

Chunky Monkey Cupcakes (or Bundt cake)

Ingredients

• 1 package (18-1/4 ounces) yellow cake mix
• 1-1/4 cups water
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 2 medium bananas, mashed
• 3/4 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts, (toasted  - optional)

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, water, eggs and applesauce; beat on low speed for 30 seconds. 
    Beat on medium for 2 minutes. 

2. Stir in the bananas, chips and walnuts.

3. For cupcakes - scoop 1/4 c batter into muffin cups. Bake at 350° for 20-22 minutes
                             or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.

   For bundt cake - transfer to a 10-in. fluted tube pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at  for 40-50 

                               minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.

Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack to cool completely.