Strawberry Slush Punch

STRAWBERRY SLUSH PUNCH
Lisa Johnson

3 c. water
2 c. sugar
1 3 oz. pkg. strawberry jello
2 c. boiling water
1 46 oz. can pineapple juice
1/2 c. lemon juice
1 T. almond extract
1 2 liter Sprite

Combine 3 c. water and sugar. Heat till dissolved. Dissolve jello in 2 c. boiling water. Combine jello and sugar mixture. Add pineapple juice, lemon juice and almond extract in plastic container. Mix. Freeze it overnight, or for 24 hours. One hour before serving, remove from freezer to make slush. Add Sprite just before serving.

Wassel

WASSEL:

One gallon Apple Cider

One 6 oz can Orange Juice Concentrate

One 3 oz can Lemonade Concentrate

One cup brown sugar

1/4 tsp All Spice

1/4 tsp Clove

1/4 tsp Cinnamon

Put in a big pot and heat on stove top.

Crock Pot works too.

Float cinnamon sticks for a fun festive touch.

Pumpkin Crumble

1 (18.25-ounce) white cake mix
3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature, divided
1 (16-ounce) can pumpkin (about 1 3/4 cups pumpkin puree)
2 eggs
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup roughly chopped pecans

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Ignore directions on cake mix box.  Place cake mix in a medium sized bowl and add 1/2 cup butter.  Use hands to combine mixture until it looks like dry crumbs.

2.  Place half of mixture (about 1 3/4 cups) in an 8x8 inch pan and press into a flat, even layer.  Reserve remaining crumbs for later.

3.  Combine pumpkin, eggs, sweetened condensed milk, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger and salt in a separate bowl.  Whisk until well combined.  Pour pumpkin mixture over crumb layer in pan.  Add pecans to reserved crumb mixture and then sprinkle on top.  Melt remaining 4 tablespoons of butter and drizzle over crumb topping.

4.  Bake 35-45 minutes or until top is golden brown and a knife or skewer inserted in center comes out clean.

If you are serving a big crowd double the recipe and serve in a 9x13 inch pan.

(From Savoring the Seasons with Our Best Bites)

Gnocchi With Squash and Kale

 

Gnocchi with Squash and Kale  (from Dana)

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/2 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon roughly chopped fresh sage
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• Kosher salt
• 1 1/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth or water
• 1 bunch kale, stemmed and roughly chopped (about 8 cups)
• 1 17.5-ounce package potato gnocchi
• 3/4 cup grated parmesan or pecorino romano cheese

Directions

Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large ovenproof skillet over medium heat. Add the squash and cook, stirring, until slightly soft and golden, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic, sage, red pepper flakes and 1 teaspoon salt; cook until the garlic is soft, about 2 more minutes.

Preheat the broiler. Add the chicken broth to the skillet. When it starts to simmer, stir in the kale and cook until it wilts slightly, about 2 minutes. Add the gnocchi, stirring to coat. Cover and cook until the gnocchi are just tender, about 5 minutes. Uncover and stir in 1/4 cup parmesan and the remaining 1 tablespoon butter. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup parmesan; transfer to the broiler and cook until golden and bubbly, about 3 minutes

Oven Roasted Tomatoes

Oven-Roasted Tomatoes

A bunch of tomatoes, any variety (I usually use Roma)
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Kosher Salt
Fresh Cracked Pepper
a bunch of garlic cloves


Preheat oven to 325.

Cut your tomatoes. If you’re using small romas, just cut them in half. Anything larger, quarter them. Put tomatoes in a large bowl. Drizzle with olive oil (enough to coat everything) and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Lightly toss together, coating everything.

Arrange tomatoes in a single layer, skins down, on a cookie sheet lined with foil or parchment paper. Mince garlic and sprinkle over tomatoes being careful to let most of it drop directly on the tomatoes. Give it one more generous drizzle of olive oil. 

Place in oven and cook for about 3 hours or so (the larger the tomatoes the longer they will take--if you cut them smaller they will cook faster).  They are done when they start to get black around the edges and are dried up, but are still soft.  In a pinch I have upped the oven temp to 425 and cooked them in an hour as well.

So good for snacking---I always eat a ton right out of the oven.  I will use them as a substitute for anything that calls for sun-dried tomatoes or puree them in a tomato sauce, throw them in some pasta, you get the idea.  They are SO good and smell heavenly!

Quick Apple Dumplings

6-8 apples
1 (8 count) refrigerated crescent roll dough
1/8 teas ground cinnamon
1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 cup orange juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
1. Preheat ovn to 350.  Grease baking dish. 
Combine butter, orange juice, sugar in a medium saucepan.  Bring to boil.  Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.
Chop 6-8 apples, spread in 9x13" pan.  Sprinkle with 2 Tbs flour and pour on orange syrup.  Sprinkle with pecans. Cover with layer of crescent roll dough.  Sprinkle wiith cinnamon.  Bake 35 mins or until crust is golgen and apples are tender when pierced with a fork.

Napa Cabbage Chicken Salad

Napa Cabbage Chicken Salad
(From Dana)

Dressing:
1/2 c vegetable oil
1/4 c red wine vinegar
1 packet ramen seasoning
1/2 tsp salt (to taste)
1/2 c sugar

1 head Napa cabbage
3 green onions, chopped
2 chicken breasts (broiled or grilled), cubed or shredded

Saute:
1/4 c sesame seeds
1/2 c sliced almonds
1 pkg uncooked  and broken ramen noodles, oriental of chicken flavor
1/4 c butter

Saute sesame seeds, almonds, broken up ramen noodles and butter on med heat until lightly brown.  Do not burn (approximately 5 minutes).

Toss with cabbage, lettuce, onions and chicken in a large bowl.
Pour dressing, to taste, over salad adn lightly toss just before serving.

Velvety Cheesecake

Velvety Cheesecake
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
3/4 cup plus 3 T. sugar, divided
3 T. butter, melted
3 8-oz pkgs. cream cheese, softened
2 T. all-purpose flour
2 t. vanilla extract
3 eggs
1 cup sour cream
Toppings: chocolate shell sauce sprinkled with chopped turtle candies.

Combine crumbs, 3 tablespoons sugar and butter.  Press into the bottom of a 9"springform pan.  Bake at 325 for 10 minutes; cool.

Beat cream cheese, remaining 3/4 cup sugar, flour and vanilla at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating just until yolk disappears.  Stir in sour cream.  Pour batter into cooled crust.  Bake at 325 for 45 minutes or until edges are set and center in almost set.  Turn off oven.  Immediately run a knife around edge of pan, releasing sides.  Close oven door and let cheesecake stand in oven 45 min.

Remove from oven; cool completely in pan on a wire rack.  Cover and chill 8 hours.

Remove sides of pan; top with toppings

Girls Night Out/Shelf Reliance Party

For all of you looking for a way to get out of the house this weekend (since our youth are occupied with youth conference) come on down to my house from 7-9 pm Friday night. I will have a Shelf Reliance representative here to do some demonstrations, taste testing, and Q & A on food storage for anyone who's interested. If you're not interested in that then just stop by and enjoy some yummy food and good company! If you're like me, I need just a little sanity break every once in a while! I live in the Montecito Estates down by the water towers off of Unser. Call me if you need directions.
Lisa B 898-0838

Raspberry filled Vanilla Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Time: 60 minutes
Yield: 30 cupcakes
Recipe idea from Jamie Cooks It Up! Cake recipe from Cindi Schut

RASPBERRY FILLING: 
2 heaping C (one 12 ounce package) frozen raspberries
1 1/2 T cornstarch
2 T lemon juice
1/2 C sugar
1 T butter
1 t almond extract
dash salt

CUPCAKE: 
1 box Duncan Hines White Cake Mix
1/3 C flour
1 (3.4 ounce) box instant vanilla pudding
4 eggs
1/3 C sour cream
1 1/2 C water
1/3 C oil
1 t almond extract
  
FROSTING:
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/2 C butter, softened
3 T shortening (I use butter flavored Crisco) 
5 1/2 C powdered sugar
4 T whipping cream   
1 t vanilla
dash salt

RASPBERRY FILLING
1. Place 2 heaping cups frozen raspberries, 1 1/2 T cornstarch, 2 T lemon juice and 1/2 C sugar into a medium sized sauce pan. Stir it around with a whisk to combine.
2. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium high heat, stirring constantly. The raspberries will break down very quickly. Continue to stir while the mixture boils for about 2 minutes. 
or until the filling becomes glossy and thick...like this.
3. Remove the pan from the heat, add 1 tablespoon butter, 1 teaspoon almond extract and a dash of salt. The filling is a bit sour if eaten plain. However, remember that we are going to pipe it into a sweet cupcake and top it with an even sweeter frosting. The sweet and tart will work nicely together.
4. Set the filling aside to cool.CUPCAKES
1. Into your stand mixer add 1 box white cake mix, 1/3 C flour and 1 small box of vanilla pudding. Toss it around with a fork to combine.
2. Add 4 eggs, 1/3 C sour cream, 1 1/2 C water, 1/3 C oil and 1 t almond extract to the dry ingredients. Mix on low for about 1 minute. Then scrape the sides of you mixer with a rubber spatula and beat on medium speed until the batter is smooth and a bit thick. 2-3 minutes should do the trick.
3. Line your muffin tins with cupcake liners and spoon the batter into them. Now...a word to the wise here. I always tend to fill them too full. Don't make my same mistake, ok? Fill the liners just a bit over half way full. This will give you a nice round domed cupcake. If you fill them too full like I always seem to do, you will have cupcakes with more of a mushroom shape.
4. Bake the cupcakes at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
5. Remove the pans from you oven and allow the cupcakes to rest in the pans for about 5 minutes. Then transfer them to a wire rack and let them cool completely. 
6. When your cupcakes (and filling) have cooled completely, place a large cake decorating tip into a pastry bag. Carefully fill the bag with the raspberry filling. This can get a little bit messy. Be sure that when you are filling the bag you turn the tip end up a bit so the filling doesn't run out.
7. Pipe the filling into each cupcake.

FROSTING
1. Place 1 package softened cream cheese,  1/2 C softened butter and 3 tablespoons shortning into your stand mixer. Beat on medium speed until well combined and smooth.
2. Add 5 1/2 C powdered sugar, 4 tablespoons whipping cream, 1 teaspoon vanilla and a dash of salt. Mix until well combined. If the mixture is too thick, add a bit more whipping cream. If it gets too runny, add a bit more powdered sugar.
3. Fill another pastry bag with the frosting and pipe it onto each cupcake.
Might be fun to add a few sprinkle hearts or something...since Valentines Day is just around the corner. :)
Enjoy!

7 Layer Greek Dip

7-Layer Greek Dip
Adapted by Our Best Bites from the Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook
1 8-oz. package cream cheese, softened (I used low-fat)
1 tsp. dill weed or Greek seasoning (salt free–go for a mix that just has herbs)
3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
2 tsp. lemon juice
1 1/2 c. hummus
1 c. seeded, diced cucumbers
1 c. seeded, diced tomatoes
1/2 c. chopped Kalamata olives
1/3 c. chopped green onions (about 3 green onions completely chopped)
1/2 c. crumbled Feta cheese
1/8-1/4 c. minced fresh parsley
With an electric mixer, combine the cream cheese, seasoning, garlic, and lemon juice until light and fluffy. Spread in the bottom of a pie plate or a small, shallow baking dish. Then spread a layer of hummus. In order, create layers by sprinkling the cucumbers, tomatoes, olives, onions, Feta cheese, and parsley. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 2 hours. Serve with pita chips, fresh vegetables, and/or flatbread