3 cups zucchini grated
3/4 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup applesauce
3 cups white sugar
4 eggs beaten
4 tsp vanilla
3 tbs orange juice (optional)
5 1/4 cups flour
2 1/4 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
3 tsp cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp salt

Directions

Preheat oven to 350.  Grate zucchini (unpeeled) and beat together with vegetable oil, applesauce, sugar and eggs. Add vanilla and orange juice. Sift together dry ingredients and blend with the wet mixture.  Pour into two greased 9×5″ loaf pans.  Bake for 45-60 minutes.

Ingredients:

2 tbs olive oil
4oz cremini or white mushrooms
1 3/4 ounce package of italian dressing mix
1 can small onions – if you can only find onions in vinegar that’s ok those will work.
1 cup red wine
1/2 cup chicken broth
4 chicken breasts

Directions

Heat the oil in a large oven-safe casserole over medium high heat.  Ad the mushrooms and saute  until brown, 3 to 5 minutes

Add the salad dressing mix and onions and toss to coat evenly.  Stir in the wine and broth and cook until blended.  Add the chickent.  Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer 15 minutes, turning pieces halfway through.

Remove the chicken and vegetables.  Increase heat to high and boil the sauce until reduced and slightly thickened.  Pour over the  chicken.

Ingredients:

3 eggs
1 cup sugar
2tsp cold water
1 1/2 cup flour
1tsp Baking powder

Cream Filling:

1 pt milk
2 tsp cornstarch
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg

Directions:

Beat eggs, sugar and water thoroughly.  Sift the flour and baking powder.  Stir in egg mixture.  Bake in 2 layers at  350 degrees.  While still warm split and fill with cream filling,.

Filling: Cook in double boiler & while hot, stir in butter size of an egg.  Add flavoring and spread between layers.  Sprinkle top of cake with powdered sugar just before serving.

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So After discussing with Nane, she told me the secret:  The Easy Way

What’s the easy way?

1pkg yellow cake mix

2 large packages of pudding (NOT the instant kind)

Make the cake according to directions using two 9″ round pans.  After cooked, while still hot slice each cake in half and let cool on a rack.

Make the pudding according to directions.  While it’s still soft, but not runny, layer the pudding in between the cake layers.

Coat entire cake with powdered sugar.  Store in the fridge until ready to serve.

Ingredients:

1pkg 3oz cream cheese
1/4 cup margarine
2 cups bisquick
1/3 cup milk
4tbs sugar
1 large can cherry pie filling

Cream Cheese Frosting:
1pk 8oz cream cheese
1/3 cup sugar
1tsp grated lemon peel
2tsp lemon juice
BEAT ALL INGREDIENTS FOR FROSTING

Directions:

Heat oven to 425.  Lightly grease cookie sheet.  Cut cream cheese and butter into baking mix.  Stir in milk.  Turn dough into well-floured board and knead lightly 8-10 times.  Roll dough into 12′x8″ rectangle.  Place on cookie sheet.  Spread cream cheese filling down center of rectangle.  make cuts, 2 1/2″ long at 1″ intervals on each side of the rectangle

Fold strips over filling; sprinkle generously with sugar.  Bake until golden 12 to 15 minutes.  Cool 10 minutes then carefully move to wire rack.  Cool completely.

Spoon pie filling down center of coffee cake. Serve with remaining pie filling.  Refrigerate any remaining coffee cake.  Makes 4-6 servings.

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1 medium firm bananas, chopped
• 1 cup fresh blueberries
• 1 cup fresh raspberries
• 1 cup sliced fresh strawberries
• 2 tablespoons and 1-1/2 teaspoons honey
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon poppy seeds

 
1 package of chix flavor Rice-a-roni
1 Tablespoon margarine or butter
21/4 cups hot water
cooking spray
1 1/2 pounds chix breasts or tenders cut into bite sized pieces
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
3/4 cup sour cream (fat free)
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 can of reduced fat cream o’ mushroom soup (undiluted)
1/4 cup crushed reduced fat multi grain crackers (about 8-10 crackers)
1 Tablespoon margarine or butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon poppy seeds

1. Cook rice according to package directions, using 1 Tablespoon butter or margarine and 2 1/4 cups hot water. Place mixture in large bowl for later when fully cooked.
2. Preheat oven to 350*.
3. Coat skillet with cooking spray; place over high heat until hot. Add chix, mushrooms, and garlic powder. saute about 4 min or until chix is done. Rome from heat, add chix mixture to sour cream, pepper, and soup, stir; add all of this to rice mixture STIR well! Place in a 2 quart casserole dish coated with cooking spray.
4. Combine crushed crackers, melted butter/margarine and poppy seeds and stir; drizzle over top of casserole.
5. Bake at 350* for 35-45 min until done and hot

Jane’s TIPS: I use extra garlic powder and add onion powder to the mixture. Also we like it extra crunchy on top so I make lots of the cracker crumbs! You can make this ahead of time and freeze it or refrigerate it, it just may need to cook longer.

1 onion chopped

3 garlic cloves crushed

1 pinch of saffron threads

1 tbsp turmeric

2 tsp ground cumin

2 tsp ground coriander

2 tsp paprika

1 tsp black pepper

1/2 tsp cayenne

2 Chicken Thighs

Juice of 1 lemon

32 oz chicken stock

1 cup dried apricots

1 can chickpeas drained

Melt oil in pan over medium heat

Add onion and garlic and cook until onions are soft

Add chicken and stock to the pan.  Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cover and cook for 30 minutes.  Add in all spices, and cook for another 10 min.  Then add in  lemon, apricots and chickpeas.  Continue cooking until chicken falls off the bone.

Serve over rice.

So I was told by someone that Fridays aren’t a good day to post, and that works out for me, cause I keep forgetting    So I’ll be posting “Minestrone Soup á la Aunt Teri” on Monday!

Here’s a picture from Mexico for today…Don’t worry it’s food related as only a guy riding a giant shrimp could be!

I haven’t posted in months, I’m sorry, I’m terrible.  However after great persuasion from my family I’ve decided that it’s only right to continue posting the recipes that I’m using.  I will update the blog tomorrow.  In addition, I’ve been asked to go back to actual photography of the finished meals.  I will do this also.

I’m also considering doing a video post where I cook the recipe I give out.  Thoughts/Interest?

~ Danielle

P.S.  Thanks to my Nane for the booklet of recipes I received as a Christmas gift, along with her blessings to put some of them here.  Cabbage rolls are coming soon

Anyone can make this, but very few people have because it looks like it would be complicated. It’s not. My mom and I started making this when I was younger, and I never stopped.

P.S. If you aren’t one of those people who insists on fruit, granola or egg white omelettes for breakfast (in other words healthy things), Pumpkin cake roll is by far the best morning after breakfast with a cup of coffee. Mmmmm. Libby’s

Pumpkin Cake Roll

The roll:
3/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup pure pumpkin filling (not pumpkin pie mix)

Filling:
1 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese, softened
1 cup powdered sugar sifted
6 tablespoons butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Extra (and things you’ll need):
1 cup walnuts, chopped
1 dish towel
1/2 cup powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease a cookie sheet and line with wax paper. Grease and flour the wax paper.

Combine four, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves and salt in small bowl. In a separate larger bowl Beat eggs and sugar until thick. Beat in pumpkin until mixed. Stir in flour mixture. Pour the batter into the wax paper on the cookie sheet. Shake or spoon to spread evenly in the pan. Sprinkle walnuts onto top of batter. Place in the oven and bake for 13-15 minutes on the center rack. Top should spring back when touched.

Lay the dish towel flat on the counter. Spread 1/2 cup powdered sugar over the towel to prevent sticking. When the cake roll is done remove it from the oven and overturn it onto the powdered towel. Walnuts should be down (this is easier with two people). Immediately and carefully remove the wax paper from the cake. Start on one side of the towel and roll the cake in the towel (should make a spiral). Place in the refrigerator for about an hour.

In small bowl, Beat cream cheese, powdered sugar, butter and vanilla together. Filling should be wet and easy to work with. Remove the roll from the fridge and unroll it so it’s open. Frost the top side of the cake (without the walnuts) evenly. Remove the towel and re-roll the cake. Slice and serve.

Follow The Recipe extra:
the nuts: almost any holiday nut will do if you don’t like walnuts. I’ve used pecans, almonds and hazelnuts.
the cake: it sounds weird, but a Tbs or so of olive oil really works well to coat the pan before the paper. The wax slips right out of the pan when it’s done. Really, If you’ve got a buddy who can help you flip the cake onto the towel that’s a good thing, it’ll prevent rips in the cake, however make sure your friend is wearing an oven mitt or using a utensil to steady it other wise there will be burns.
the filling: there’s almost always too much, and that’s ok. Don’t over fill the roll or filling will come gushing out when you try to cut it. It’s bad for you and very sweet, so you don’t need to over-do it. It will be tasted.
overall: this recipe takes a little bit of technique to pull off perfectly. I have yet to do it. Cakes will split, things will stick and get pulled off, you will forget the nuts until after the cakes are baked. It’s OK. Use the filling as glue and don’t panic if it’s not as pretty as it could be; it still tastes phenomenal!