Scandinavian Almond Cake

1 1/4 c sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 tsp almond extract
2/3 c milk
1 1/4 c flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 stick margarine, melted

In a bowl, combine sugar, egg, almond extract, and milk. Beat together.

Add flour and baking powder. Mix together.

Add melted margarine. Mix well.

Line pan with foil, and gently and slowly smooth foil down into all the indents. Take your time. Try not to break any holes in the foil. This step seems annoying but is 100% worth it when your cake is done cooking and it comes time to remove it from the pan without breaking it or pulling the top off!

Spray foil with nonstick spray, then pour mixture into pan and bake for 40-50 minutes @ 350 degrees.

To avoid under baking, do the toothpick test - don't just go by the color of cake.

Cool in pan for at least 40 minutes. Turn over and lightly tap cake with foil out of pan, pulling on edges of pan to loosen. Go slowly, being careful not to break the cake. Once out, slowly peel off the foil.

This is great served with jam!

Simple Lamb

2/3 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup olive oil (or canola)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (1/2 inch) piece fresh ginger root, sliced
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 (5 pound) leg of lamb, butterflied and pounded to an even thickness


In a bowl, mix the lemon juice, brown sugar, mustard, soy sauce, oil, garlic, ginger and pepper. Place the lamb in a shallow container. Pour the lemon juice mixture over the lamb. Cover, and marinate in the refrigerator overnight.

Preheat an outdoor grill for medium heat. Lightly oil the grill grate. Over indirect heat, grill the lamb 40 to 50 minutes, turning to cook all sides, to a minimum internal temperature of 145 degrees F (63 degrees C). VARIATION: Sear the meat for 6-8 min/side on a griddle over medium-high heat. Transfer to a roasting pan and bake at 400 for 15-20 minutes, or until desired doneness.

In the meantime, drain marinade, and bring to a boil in a small saucepan. Reduce heat to low, and simmer, whisking constantly, until slightly thickened.

Allow meat to rest for 5 min, slice, and cover with the thickened marinade mixture to serve.

Vinarterta

8 cups flour
2 cups butter
3 cups fine sugar
4 eggs
4 tsp cardamom
2 Tbs almond extract
1/2 tsp salt
6 Tbs cream
2 tsp baking powder

Cream the butter and add the sugar, beating well until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing until fully incorperated. Mix dry ingredients together and set aside. Add almond extract and cream, beating well. Gradually add flour mixture. When all is mixed in, form the dough into an even mass on waxed paper and spray with cooking spray. Divide into 5 even parts. Line the bottoms of 9x13" pans with waxed paper. Pat dough into pans. Bake @ 300F until cooked through, but not brown, about 15 min. Let cool 5 minutes, remove from pans. Assemble cake by layering with jam. Wrap and allow to sit for a week or more before serving.

Apple Cake

1/2 cup butter
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs (3 if batter seems too stiff)
2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp nutmeg
4-5 cups peeled and diced apples
4 Tbsp hot water
2 tsp vanilla
1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Cream butter and sugars. Beat in eggs. Mix dry ingredients separately and add to creamed mixture. Stir in remaining ingredients. Turn into a well-greased 9x13 pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

Pumpkin Pancakes

2 cups flour (AP or whole wheat)
3 tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups milk
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 egg
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons vinegar

1.In a separate bowl, mix together the milk, pumpkin, egg, oil and vinegar. Combine the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, allspice, cinnamon, ginger and salt, stir into the pumpkin mixture just enough to combine.

2.Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake. Brown on both sides and serve hot.

Jeni's Popovers

2 eggs
1 cup unsifted flour (white)
1 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon melted butter

Preheat oven to 450. In mixing bowl, beat eggs slightly. Add remaining ingredients and beat just until smooth. (Do not over beat) Fill generously greased muffin cups or popover pans half full. Bake at 450 for 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 325 and bake 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown. Prick crust with tip of knife during the last 5 minutes to allow steam to escape. Serve piping hot. 6-8 large popovers

Roast Leg of Lamb

1 leg of lamb, bone in (about 5 to 6 pounds)
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
8 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary leaves
1 tablespoon salt
2 teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper

Sauce:
1 cup chopped fresh herbs (combination of rosemary, chives, and parsley)
2 cups diced onions
2 cups chicken stock
1 cup red wine
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Using your hands, rub the lamb all over with the lemon juice. Pat the garlic and rosemary evenly all over the surface of the meat. Season the meat with the salt and pepper and place the lamb in a roasting pan. Place the lamb in the oven and roast for 30 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F and continue to cook for about 1 hour longer for medium-rare, or until a meat thermometer inserted into the center of the roast registers about 145 degrees F to 150 degrees F (be careful that the thermometer does not touch the bone.) Remove lamb from pan and allow to rest for 10 to 15 minutes before carving.

Position the roasting pan over your stove burners. Add mixed herbs and onions to pan, and stir to combine with pan drippings. Add chicken stock and wine to deglaze the pan, scraping the bottom with a wooden spoon to release any fond. Reduce over high heat until sauce consistency. Strain before serving, if desired. Slice lamb and serve with sauce drizzled over the top.


Notes: When I made this, I gave the lamb the rub-down the night before, wrapped it up and stuck it in the fridge. It also took about 1 hour and 15 min at 350. It should still be very pink in the middle. Everyone loved it and went on and on about it, so I'd call it a success.

Vanilla Bean Yogurt

4 cups skim milk
1/2 vanilla bean, split
1/4-1/3 cup honey (to taste)
1/2 cup nonfat dry milk
1 Tbs plain yogurt

Heat milk, vanilla bean and honey in a large sauce pan until bubble start to form at sides- nearly simmering. Cover, and let cool to 110 degrees F. Scrape the insides of the vanilla bean into the milk mixture and disgaurd the pod. Add the dry milk and stir throughly. Mix in the yogurt until no lumps remain. Pour into a yogurt maker and let it "cook" for 3-4 hours, or until thick. Stir and refrigerate.

Chocolate Zucchini Cake

makes a 9x13" pan

1/2 C butter
1/2 C canola oil
1 3/4 C sugar
2 eggs

2 1/2 C whole wheat flour
1/4 C cocoa powder
1 tsp soda
1 tsp salt
1/2 C buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla

2 C shredded zucchini (peel and partially seed the zucchini first)

3/4 C chocolate chips
3/4 C chopped walnuts

Cream butter, oil and sugar. Add eggs, beat well.

Add dry ingredients and buttermilk. Stir in vanilla.

Stir in zucchini *by hand*.

Pour into a 9x13" pan and top with chocolate chips and walnuts.

Bake at 325 for 1 hour.

Three-Bean Salad

1 1/2 cups frozen shelled edamame (8 ounces)
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15-ounce) can black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup chopped red onion
2 cups thinly sliced celery
2 Tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic
cayenne pepper to taste
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Cook edamame in a 1 1/2 - to 2-quart saucepan of boiling salted water, uncovered, 4 minutes. Drain in a colander, then rinse under cold water to stop cooking.

Heat oil in a small heavy skillet over moderately low heat until hot but not smoking, then cook cumin, stirring, until fragrant and a shade darker, about 30 seconds or less. Pour into a large heatproof bowl.

Add edamame and remaining ingredients to cumin oil and toss to coat. Let stand 10 minutes for flavors to blend.

Yield: Makes 6-8 (side dish) servings
Active time: 25 min
Total time: 35 min

Simple Orange Vinaigrette

1/4 cup frozen orange juice (from concentrate, undiluted)
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil

Shake it all up in a mason jar and pour. Save the rest in the fridge. Tangy and absolutely delicious. From Becca.

Greek Style Garbanzo Salad

1.5 cups cooked garbanzo beans (1 can), drained
1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion
1/2 cup chopped tomato
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
3 Tbs rice vinegar or ceider vinegar
2 Tbs lemon juice
2 tsp olive oil
2 Tbs minced garlic
2 Tbs chopped fresh parsley
Salt and Pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients. Let marinate at room temperature or several hours, then refrigerate.

5 servings
130 cal (35 cal from fat)

4g fat
1g saturated fat
0g trans fat
0mg cholesterol
65mg sodium
19g carbohydrates
4g fiber
4g sugar
5g protein

6% vit A
35% vit C
4% calcium
10% iron

Grilled Lamb Chops

1/4 cup distilled white vinegar
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 onion, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 pounds lamb chops

1.Mix together the vinegar, salt, pepper, garlic, onion, and olive oil in a large resealable bag until the salt has dissolved. Add lamb, toss until coated, and marinate in refrigerator for at least 2 hours.

2.Preheat an outdoor grill for medium-high heat.

3.Remove lamb from the marinade and leave any onions on that stick to the meat. Discard any remaining marinade. Wrap the exposed ends of the bones with aluminum foil to keep them from burning. Grill to desired doneness, about 3 minutes per side for medium. The chops may also be broiled in the oven about 5 minutes per side for medium.

Serves 6

Chocolate Chip Cookies with Sea Salt

8 ½ oz. cake flour (2 cups minus 2 Tbsp.)
8 ½ oz. bread flour (1 2/3 cups)
1 ¼ tsp. baking soda
1 ½ tsp. baking powder
1 ½ tsp. coarse salt, such as kosher
10 oz. unsalted butter, softened (2 ½ sticks; 1 ¼ cups)
10 oz. light brown sugar (1 ¼ cups)
8 oz. granulated sugar (1 cup plus 2 Tbsp.)
2 large eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 ¼ pounds bittersweet chocolate chips or chunks, preferably about 60% cacao content, such as Ghirardelli
Sea salt

Combine flours, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Whisk well; then set aside.

Using a mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream butter and sugars until very light and fluffy, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Mix in the vanilla. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. Reduce the mixer speed to low; then add dry ingredients, and mix until just combined. (Unless you have a plastic guard that sits around the rim of the bowl, this will make a big mess at first, with flour flying everywhere. I found that carefully holding a dish towel around the top of the bowl helped a lot.) Add the chocolate chips, and mix briefly to incorporate. Press plastic wrap against the dough, and refrigerate for 24 to 36 hours. The dough may be used in batches, and can be refrigerated for up to 72 hours.

When you’re ready to bake, preheat oven to 350°F. Remove the bowl of dough from the refrigerator, and allow it to soften slightly (about half an hour on the counter). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat.

Using a standard-size ice cream scoop, scoop six mounds of dough onto the baking sheet, making sure to space them evenly. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt, and bake until golden brown but still soft, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer the baking sheet to a wire rack for 10 minutes, then transfer the cookies onto the rack to cool a bit more.

Repeat with remaining dough.

Yield: About 24 (5-inch) cookies.

Note: Smaller cookies taste good, too, but are not soft like the big cookies. I made them with a medium-sized cookie scoop and baked them for 11 minutes. This yielded 167 1.5" cookies.

Biscuits

from The National Honey Board

3-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 Tablespoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter
1 cup milk
2 Tablespoons honey

Mix dry ingredients in large bowl. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse meal. In a small bowl, combine milk and 2 Tablespoons honey. Add milk mixture all at once to dry ingredients and stir 20 to 30 strokes with a fork. Form into ball on a lightly floured surface. Gently knead dough 15 times. Divide dough in half. Roll out to 3/4-inch thickness. Using a bench knife, cut each round into 4 pieces (or cut out using a 3.5" biscuit cutter) and place on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 425°F 10to 12 minutes or until tops brown. Makes 8.

These also work well for strawberry shortcake.

Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookies

makes 3 dozen

1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1.5 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
1.25 cups all purpose flour
1 standard bag of chocolate chips


Preheat oven to 375.

Cram butter and sugar until fluffy. Add egg and vanilla. Add salt and soda. Mix in flour. Stir in chocolate chips. Drop by tablespoon-fuls onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake for 8 minutes, or until just turning golden brown around the edges.

Quick and Spicy Tomato Soup

3 T olive oil
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 C (32 oz) marinara sauce
28oz chicken or vegetable broth
1 (15 oz) can cannellini or other white beans
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
2 C small pasta
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Warm olive oil over medium heat. Add carrot, onion and garlic. Cook until soft, about 2-5 min. Add marinara sauce, broth, beans, red pepper flakes, pasta, salt and pepper. Simmer for 10 min, or until pasta is tender.

West African Chicken & Peanut Soup

This recipe is a combination of contributions from several people and cultures. With so many of the ingredients strong in nature, it is a perfect soup to customize to your taste! Add or subtract at will.

1.5 cups cooked chicken, cubed (or 1 or 2 large cans—it’s super easy that way!)
1 cup sweet onion diced in ½ inch pieces
1 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh garlic
1/4 cup sesame oil
2 tsp. curry powder
1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes (more or less to taste)
4.5 cups chicken stock
1.5 cups diced canned tomato (feel free to use varieties w/ roasted garlic, caramelized onion, Cajun spice, etc.—they all work very well for this dish)
1/2 cup peanut butter (chunky or not, it’s up to you)
1 Tbsp. lemon juice (or more to taste)
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro (more or less to taste)
Freshly ground pepper and salt to taste

In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, place the sesame oil, onions and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes.

Add the curry powder and red pepper flakes, stir for about 1 minute. Then add the chicken stock and tomatoes. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to simmer for about 20 minutes.

Add the peanut butter and cilantro and whisk until smooth and heated thoroughly.

Add chicken, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Turn off heat and let rest for about five minutes, then adjust the seasonings and serve. Tastes even better the next day!

Serves 4-6

Raspberry Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

Fruit:
2 C fresh raspberries
3/4 C sugar
2 tsp lemon juice

Mash fruit in a bowl. Add lemon juice and 3/4 cup sugar. Mix thoroughly and chill for 2-3 hours.

Cream:
2 C heavy cream
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla mixed with
1 C milk
3/4 C sugar
1/2 C mini chocolate chips

Place eggs in a bowl and mix in cream, followed by milk/vanilla mixture, followed by 3/4 cup sugar. Add chilled fruit mixture and place in ice cream maker. Crank until the cream starts to thicken. Add chocolate chips and continue cranking until the ice cream is done. Makes 2-3 quarts.

Notes: I use Egg Beaters rather than raw eggs (for food safety). This recipe may need to be reduced to fit in a Cuisinart Ice Cream maker.

Whipped Cream Ice Cream

from 1950 Betty Crocker's Picture Cook Book


French Style
Scald: 1 cup whole milk.
Gradually mix in: 1/2 cup sugar, 1/8 tsp salt and 3 beaten egg yolks.
Cook over low heat, stirring, until it boils. Boil just one minute. Cool.

American Style
Scald: 1 cup whole milk
Gradually mix in: 1/2 cup sugar, 1/8 tsp salt and 1 Tbs AP flour.
Cook over low heat, stirring, until it boils. Boil just one minute. Cool.

Pour mixture into ice cream maker and start. When it starts to freeze (a little softer than soft-set) add 1 cup of whipping cream, whipped to soft peaks, and 1 Tbs vanilla. Freeze until a firm soft-serve and transfer to a freezer-proof container. Freeze 2 hours before serving.