Blueberry, Hill-Country Cakes

I don't know anyone that wouldn't devour one of these.  Buttery, cakey goodness surrounded by a crunchy exterior - and who can forget about the blueberry suprise inside.  Yum in every bite.

You could easily do this in a 9X13 pan, but I like the look of the individual portions I get out of the USA Pans Mini-Cake Pan.  You will get 9 cakes out of this recipe.  Key to success here is to parchment the bottoms, then place the butter pat on top (more directions in the recipe).

8 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature - plus more for pan
1 1/2 cups sugar
Zest of 1/2 lemon
1 pint blueberries
1 1/2 cups flour
3 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups buttermilk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Place 1/2 tbsp butter into nine of the wells on the Mini-Cake pan (that you have lined with parchment) OR 4 tbsp in a 9X13 pan.  Place onto middle rack preheated oven and let butter melt - roughly 3-5 minutes.  Remove from oven and set aside.

Make the lemon sugar by zesting the lemon into sugar and let sit for five minutes, then add ONE TABLESPOON LEMON SUGAR to blueberries and using a masher - mash until half are mashed coarsely - set aside.

In a separate bowl mix 1 CUP LEMON SUGAR and 8 tablespoons butter in a mixer to cream.  Then add baking powder, salt and flour - turn mixer on low to combine, then slowly pour in buttermilk until mixture comes together.

Divide batter between the nine wells, then sprinkle blueberries evenly over each followed by the REST OF THE LEMON SUGAR sprinkled on top.  Bake for 40 minutes, rotating half way around if necessary.

Let cool for at least 20 minutes in pan so cakes can set up - serve.

Tomato Salad with Avocado Salsa

2 avocados
4 plum tomatoes
1 tbsp jalapeno – minced and seeded
1/8 cup green pepper – minced
1/8 cup fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
¼ cup olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
3 large, firm ripe large tomatoes – preferably beefsteak

Cut the avocadoes in half, remove pits and scoop out flesh from shell with spoon. Dice up the avocados.
In a bowl, combine the avocados, diced tomatoes, jalapeno, bell pepper, lemon juice, vinegar and oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate for up to two (2) hours.
Slice tomatoes and arrange on platter or plates – spoon the avocado salsa over the slices.

Maker's Mark Bourbon Sweet Potato Pie

Steakhouse Burger Meatloaf

The inspiration here is the proverbial steakhouse burger - remixed into a meatloaf.  The end result is delicious paired with garlic mash or roasted, skin-on potatoes.  Amazing the next day nestled in between two slices of bread as a meatloaf sandwich.  The made-from-scratch steak sauce bakes to a beautiful mahogany color, almost shellac.  The raisins in the steak sauce act as the sugar/sweet to balance the acidity of the vinegar and pungent mustard.

2 lb. ground beef
1 stick unsalted butter
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 onion, minced
1 tbsp. parsley
1 tbsp. thyme
2 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. soy sauce
1 tbsp. onion powder
3 eggs
2 cups bread crumbs

In a medium sauce pan over medium heat melt butter and add onion, garlic parsley and thyme.  Gently saute for five minutes.  In a separate bowl combine pepper, salt, soy sauce, onion powder, eggs and bread crumbs - stir with a form to mix well.  Add sauteed butter/onion mixture to bread crumbs and stir well to combine.  Add to ground beef and mix to incorporate - place inside a meatloaf pan, cover with plastic wrap and put into refrigerator to marinate for at least one hour, up to overnight if you desire.

Sauce
1/4 cup tomato paste
1 1/2 cup beef stock
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
2 tbsp. Balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
2/3 cup raisins

Place all of the ingredients into a saucepan and bring to low simmer over medium low heat - simmer for ten minutes with cover off, mixture will reduce greatly and raisins will plump.  Let mixture cool, then place into a food processor or blender and puree.  Spread on top of meatloaf evenly.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and place meatloaf in oven - bake for 1.5 hours, remove from oven and let rest for 20-30 minutes.  This allows the meatloaf to firm up - it will still be hot enough as it retains heat very well.  Slice and serve.

Turkey Salad

I slow roast the turkey in a countertop roaster at 200 degrees for 24 hours and it always comes out perfect for salads, soups or whatever!  I wait for the bird to cool off then I pull it apart and shred the meat with my fingers - super easy.

1 turkey breast, cooked and shredded
3 celery stalks, chopped
1 bunch green onions, sliced
1 - .5 oz. bag dried cherries
1 cup chopped pecans
2 tbsp dried basil
2 tbsp dried parsley
2 cups mayonnaise
2 cups sour cream
1/4 cup red, white wine or champagne vinegar
1/4 cup honey
1 1/2 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. salt

Batch of Spring greens mix for serving.

In a large bowl combine the turkey, green onions, cherries, and pecans - stir to mix well.

In a separate bowl, combine the mayonnaise, sour cream, basil, parsley, vinegar, honey, salt and pepper - stir well to combine and pour over the turkey.

Smore in a Jar!

Who doesn't instantly go crazy when you give them something made in an individual-portioned dish?  With all my bake sale comings and goings, marshmallow and fudgy brownie baking I had a lightbulb go off.  I love smores, but I had the version I grew up on - cardboard crackers sandwiching not quite melted chocolate and marshmallow you have tried in earnest browning to perfection!  Don't not light the campfire - but make it easier by creating this recipe for your next cookout and having a whole slew of smores done at once!

For this recipe I used a dozen 1/2 pint (8 oz) Kerr, Wide-Mouth canning jars which should run you $8 and give you little vessels to serve a multitude of things in - the possibilities are endless here people!  Obviously you can half this recipe and use the remaining homemade marshmallows, recipe here for something else.

NEXT, You will need:
2 packages (roughly 20) regular or honey graham crackers, NOT the sugared kind.
1/3 cup sugar
1 stick, unsalted butter, melted

Melt one stick unsalted butter in a medium bowl, set aside.  In a food processor fitted with the metal blade add 2 packages graham crackers.  Add 1/3 cup  sugar and process until crackers are all broken up, you may need to pulse it a few times to accomplish this.   Pour graham cracker mixture in with melted butter and stir to combine.  Add 1/4 cup mixture to the bottom of each jar, packing down with a smaller glass to make sure it is even.  Set aside.

NEXT, You will need:

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter

1 cup sugar

11 oz. bittersweet or semisweet chocolate chips

3 eggs

1 tbsp. vanilla-bean paste

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

In a saucepan, melt butter, sugar and chocolate until smooth.  While chocolate mixture is melting, place eggs and vanilla-bean paste into bowl of an electric mixer fitted with whisk attachment OR a regular bowl using a hand whisk and beat well.  Once chocolate is fully melted, then turn mixer on low and slowly pour in melted chocolate.  Turn mixer off and add flour, baking powder and salt - return mixer to low speed and mix to combine, using a spatula to scrape bowl sides and bottom to ensure ingredients are well incorporated.

Pour 1/2 cup batter between wells and bake in a 350 degree-preheated oven for 30 minutes, until toothpick inserted comes out clean.   Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.

NEXT, You will cut up marshmallows into quarters and stuff into jar making sure they are sticking out of the top, roughly ----- marshmallows per jar.  Place under a broiler until brown - serve immediately.

Toaster Pastries

I am a firm believer that the hand-made version of something far outweighs the factory-made version any day.  I recently discovered this Toaster Pastry cutter at Williams-Sonoma and figured I would give it a try.  My only issue was trying to make this a non, time-consuming process and the only way I realized this would be accomplished would be to use pre-prepared pastry crust.  Not that making pie crust is time consuming, but I believe most people consider the time of assembling these just as important as making the dough from scratch.  The beauty of using prepared dough is that it is already rolled out for you, which gets you going on your first batch, then you can (gently) form the dough scraps into a ball and re-roll them out.  I suggest using two boxes of the dough which should yield you twelve pastries.  Remember, this is about the fun of making them and giving your family and loved ones a hand-made treat from you, not trying to make it for pennies.

You will need:
2 boxes of store-bought pie pastry
Jam flavors you prefer
Egg & Milk mixture to seal and glaze
Sanding sugar if desired

Unroll the pie crust and using your rolling pin, roll out the circle a little larger until you see you can fit four cuts with the cutter out of it.  Remove excess and place on silpat-lined baking sheet.  Repeat using other round - only this time you will want to use the tines of a fork to prick holes into these for steam ventilation.

Assemble by brushing the edges of cut pieces on silpat-lined pan, then place 2 tbsp COLD jam into middle of each, spreading around to slightly smooth out.  Finally - lay the fork-tined pieces on top and using the other piece of the mold to press over on top of it to seal.  Place into freezer (preferably) or refrigerator to chill for 25 minutes.  Remove from refrigerator and brush with egg glaze and top with sanding sugar if desire - then bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes.

Use a spatula to transfer to a wire rack to cool until warm and then eat OR cool completely and then place into a toaster to warm up on low setting.

If you want to do a glaze, mix together 2 tbsp milk, 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar and 1 tsp. vanilla bean paste and spread onto COOLED pastries (not warm).  Sprinkle with sanding sugars, sliced nuts or sprinkles if desired.

OIive Oil Cake with Pine Nuts & Lemon

I want to show you various ways to use olive oil outside of for sauteeing or salad dressing. Here paired with lemon and pine nuts, it makes a satisfying loaf of quick bread for any occasion, any time of the day.

2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
pinch salt
1 cup sugar
2 eggs, lightly beaten
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
grated zest of 1 lemon
1/2 cup toasted pine nuts

unsalted butter for loaf pan or bak-klene

Preheat oven to 350°F.
In a mixing bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, and salt.

In a separe bowl mix the eggs, milk, lemon zest and olive oil, and beat well.
Prepare loaf pan by spraying with Bak-klene or butter and flouring it. Transfer the batter into the pan and smooth the surface. Sprinkle the top with pine nuts. Bake for 45 mintues, or until a thin skewer inserted in the center comes out dry. Let cool for a few minutes. Unmold and cool on a rack.

Alternatively - bake in a 9" round cake pan for 30 minutes.

Italian Chicken, Pasta & Mozzarella Salad

3 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts or breast strips
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 lb. dried pasta (shape of your choosing)
1/4 c. olive oil
2 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp pepper
10 oz. grape tomatoes, halved
12 oz. fresh mozzarella, chopped

Over medium heat in a large fry pan, pour 2 tbsp olive oil and when pan is hot, place chicken and garlic into pan and fry until chicken is thoroughly cooked through and no longer pink.  Remove from heat and set aside.

In a separate 4 qt. saucepan, fill half full with salted water.  Bring to boil and add 1 lb. dried pasta.  Return to boil and cook for six minutes.  Drain and place into a large bowl.  Pour 1/4 c. olive oil, salt, pepper and dried basel over pasta.  Stir to combine.  Add cooled chicken and garlic with remaining juice.  Set aside to cool.  Once cool, add halved grape tomatoes and chopped, fresh mozzarella.  Stir to combine, cover and let chill for at least four hours so flavors can combine.

Serve on a platter or preportion out into ten containers for future use.

Country Pork Chop Bake

How I remember the days of cream of mushroom soup and french-fried onions.  I tend to use Progesso's Creamy Mushroom soup as I believe it gives the recipes of yesterday a little elevated lux.  Sometimes I want a taste of that just to remember how easy those times seemed to be and reminisce about my Grandmother Ellen and the things she taught me.

2 tbsp. olive oil

4 thick, boneless pork chops sliced horizontally

1 yellow onion, sliced

2-3 garlic cloves, chopped

1 cup sour cream

1 18 oz. can Progresso Creamy Mushroom soup

1/3 cup flour

1 tbsp dried parsley

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

2.8 oz. can french-fried onions

In a large skillet (not non-stick) over medium heat, place onions and oil - saute for 20 minutes to slightly carmelize.  Remove onions and place into a small bowl - set aside.  Place more oil into pan if necessary and in  batches of 3 or 4, fry the pork chops to brown - roughly 1-2 minutes on each side setting browned pork chops on plate to do next batch.  When chops are all browned, place onions back into pan, mounded in center of pan then layer browned chops in circle around the edge.  Season with salt and pepper.

In a bowl combine garlic, sour cream, mushroom soup, flour, parsley, salt and pepper - pour over pork chop and onion mixture.  Place back on stove and bring to simmer so sauce can thicken.  Sprinkle with french-fried onions place in oven for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and let rest for 15 minutes - serve.

Crock Pot Chow Mein

When it's hot outside or even freezing - cooking a meal in my Grandmother's Crock Pot seems to make the day easier.  Here is her pork chow mein recipe.  Throw it in while you are making breakfast and it will be done for a lazy lunch and early dinner.  I love to pair this with lo mein noodles instead of rice as I believe it elevates the dish.

1.5-2 lbs boneless pork chops, halved and sliced diagonally on the bias
4 carrots, cut into coins
4 celery stalk, sliced
1 bunch green onions, sliced (included green parts)
1 8 oz. can sliced water chestnuts, dained
1 14.5 oz. can bean sprouts, drained
2-3 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 tsp. grated ginger
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 tbsp. sugar
1 cup chicken stock
1/3 cup soy sauce

Added at end:
1/3 cup water
1/4 cup cornstarch

Place all but water and cornstarch into crock of slow cooker , stir and cover.  Set temperature to high and cook for six hours.  Mix cornstarch and water together to form slurry, then pour into crock.  Cook until sauce becomes thickened to desired liking, roughly 15 minutes.  Serve.