June's Theme...

Happy Mother's Day to all the moms out there!  Sorry, these were posted so late... I decided to give a little more time for everyone this month.  We had much fewer submissions this month, but the ones that are posted look really good - I can't wait to try them. Check them out below...

Remember to try out some of the recipes, post comments, ask questions and give feedback.  And most importantly, submit your recipes for next month.  The theme for June will be BBQ.  This can be any food you would prepare for a BBQ, be it an entree, salad, side dish, dessert...etc. Please send them to me before June 1. (mack10enzie@gmail.com)

Thanks and happy cooking!

Classic Banana Bread (Light)

Classic Banana Bread (Light)
Mackenzie Day - Philadelphia, PA

Recipe courtesy of Cooking Light.

Makes 1 loaf (14 servings)

Ingredients
2 C Flour
3/4 t Baking Soda
1/2 t Salt
1 C Sugar
1/4 C Butter, softened
2 Large Eggs
1 1/2 C Mashed Ripe Banana (About 3 Bananas)
1/3 C Plain Low-fat Yogurt (I use Vanilla Low-fat Yogurt)
1 t Vanilla Extract

Cooking Instructions
Preheat oven to 350.
Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife.  Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt, stirring with a whisk.
Place sugar and butter in a large bowl and beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended (about 1 minute). Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.  Add banana, yogurt and vanilla.  Beat until blended.  Add flour mixture, beat at a low speed just until moist.  Spoon batter into an 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 in loaf pan coated with cooking spray.  Bake at 350 for an hour or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool 10 minutes in pan on a wire rack; remove from pan.  Cool completely on wire rack.


Nutritional Information
Calories 187 Fat 4.3g Iron 1mg Cholesterol 40mg Calcium 20mg Carbohydrate 34.4g Sodium 198mg Protein 3.3g Fiber 1.1g

Cream Cheese French Toast

Cream Cheese French Toast
Kayley Meinzer - Lehi, UT

Ingredients
12 Slices French Bread
2 8 oz Packages Cream Cheese
1 c. Frozen Berries or Fruit
12 Eggs
2 c. Milk
1/3 c. Sugar or Syrup

Syrup
1 c. Sugar
2 Tbsp. Cornstarch
1 c. Water
1 c. Berries
1 Tbsp. Butter

Instructions
Cut bread into chunks and place in a 9x13 pan.  Mix eggs, milk and syrup and pour mixture over bread.  Cut cream cheese into chunks and place all over bread mixture.  Pour berries or fruit all over.  Cover with aluminum foil and bake @ 350 for 30 min.  Uncover and bake 30 more min.

Syrup
Mix sugar, corn starch and water.  Bring to a boil.  When thickened, add berries and butter.  Boil and until thick and bubbly.  Serve over French toast.

Cucina’s Famous Fruit Filled Scones

Cucina’s Famous Fruit Filled Scones
Katrina Sandgren - Lehi, UT

I recieved this recipe from my sister-in-law. These are the very popular scones from a local bakery. I guess she and her friends had to search high and low to get it but it was worth it. They are wonderful!!

(makes approx. 24 scones, can half recipe)

Ingredients
4 C. Flour
4 C. Cake Flour
1 C. Sugar
2 ½ TBSP Baking Powder
1 tsp Baking Soda
1 tsp salt
4 Cubes of Butter (1 lbs)

2 C. Fruit (fresh or frozen) I used the frozen mixed berries and took out the strawberries.
2 Lemons zested

½ to 1 quart of Half and Half or Buttermilk (It is difficult to know exactly how much liquid will be needed)

Instructions
Mix dry ingredients together and then cut in butter with two knives or pastry cutter until it is fine crumbles.  You can freeze the ingredients at this point if you like to use at a later time.

Next you mix the fruit and lemon zest together and add it to the dry mix (by hand with a fork).  Now you add the liquid. Start by adding ½ a quart of your milk.  Mix it together, by hand, and then determine if you need more.  Add just a little bit at a time.  You want the consistency to be similar to biscuits.  If there is too much liquid they will be flat and if there is not enough, they will be crumbly.  It won’t affect the taste, just the appearance and texture.

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.  Cover your cookie sheet in parchment paper and scoop one large ice cream scoop onto the tray.  It will fit approximately 6-8 per sheet.  They almost double in size.  Bake for 25 minutes.  If you make smaller size scones, reduce your cooking time.

Cinnamon Brown Sugar
2 TBSP Melted Butter
2 tsp cinnamon
2 TBSP Sugar
¾ C. Brown Sugar
Add milk first then add brown sugar mixture.

A Healthier Fruit Tart With Almond Pie Crust

A Healthier Fruit Tart With Almond Pie Crust
Kay Quealy - Salt Lake City, UT

Ingredients

For filling:

1 cup yogurt cream (see recipe below)

Mixed fresh fruit, for example: 1 banana, 1 cup grapes, 1 orange (sectioned), 1/2 cup blueberries 

4 Tbsps organic amber agave syrup for glazing

For crust:

1 cup, plus 2 Tbsps organic almond meal

2 sticks organic sweet butter, room temperature1/3 cup organic evaporated cane juice crystals

2 1/2 cups organic barley flour

1/2 cup organic whole-wheat flour

1 organic, free-range egg, beaten

1 tsp organic almond or vanilla extract

For yogurt cream:

1 cup low-fat (2%) Greek Style yogurt, drained

4 Tbsps organic maple syrup

Directions

These occasion-worthy tarts are a great excuse to add agave syrup to your pantry; agave syrup is an all-natural, minimally processed sweetener you can also use for pancakes, waffles, coffee and tea.

Makes two tarts.

Preheat oven to 350°F.

To make tart shells: 

1. Butter two individual tart shells.

2. Using a wooden spoon or the paddle attachment of your mixer, cream together butter and cane juice crystals until just blended. Add almond meal, flours, beaten egg and vanilla or almond extract and mix until well blended.

3. Divide dough in half. Gently press into tart shells. Bake for 25 minutes, or until shells are golden brown. Cool before filling, or freeze for future use.

To make yogurt cream: 

1. Combine yogurt and maple syrup in a small mixing bowl.

2. Refrigerate, covered, until ready to use.

To assemble tarts: 

1. Spread 1/2 cup yogurt cream in each tart crust. Arrange fruits over yogurt cream.

2. Drizzle tarts with agave syrup and chill to set.

Nutrition Information
Per serving: 256 calories; 12 g fat ( 6 g sat, 4 g mono); 32 mg cholesterol; 34 g carbohydrate; 5 g protein; 3 g fiber; 12 mg sodium; 193 mg potassium.

Crustless Spinach Quiche

Crustless Spinach Quiche
Sarah Drown & Ryan Baltz - Dallas, TX
My Grandpa Stuart’s recipe (tried & tested many times!)
 
8- Servings
 
Ingredients and measurements.
·        2 whole eggs
·        8 egg whites
·        3 Cups Cooked Spinach or 1 large frozen package (thawed)
·        2 cloves Garlic (minced)
·        1 T Pesto
·        1 tsp Herbs de Provence
·        8 ounces cubed fresh mozzarella
·        ½ C Parmesan (grated)
·        Other veggies like roasted red pepper & broccoli can also be added
 
Cooking Instructions.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Spray 8” dish with olive oil. Beat eggs together. Squeeze liquid from cooked spinach until dry. Add garlic, pesto, herbs, spinach, cheese to eggs & mix well. Pour mixture into dish & place in oven for 10 minutes.  Reduce heat to 350 degrees for remaining 30 minutes. Check with a knife inserted in the center to ensure eggs are set.
 
Serving Instructions.
This dish can be served hot or cold. For parties, cut into diamonds or squares & add a sliver of roasted red pepper to each piece (tips from my grandpa). 

Raspberry Turnovers

Raspberry Turnovers
Meghann Bezdikian - Philadelphia, PA

Ingredients 

• All-purpose flour, for dusting
• 1 (half of a 17.3-ounce package) sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed according to package instructions
• 1/4 cup seedless raspberry jam
• 3/4 cup fresh raspberries
• 2 teaspoons sugar, for sprinkling

Directions

1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.
2. On a lightly floured work surface, unfold pastry sheet and roll out. Cut into four equal squares. Place on baking sheet and refrigerate about 15 minutes.
3. In a bowl stir together jam and raspberries.
4. After chilling pastry squares, spoon jam mixture in center of each square. Using a pastry brush, dampen edges with water in a 1-inch border. Fold dough in half diagonally, over filling. Press edges to seal. Brush top of pastry with water and sprinkle with the sugar. With the tip of a paring knife, cut three small slits in the top (for steam vents).
5. Refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.while turnovers are chilling.
6. Bake until puffed and golden, about 25 minutes (some jam may bubble up through vents). Transfer baking sheet to a wire rack; cool. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Herbed Egg Strudel

Herbed Egg Strudel

Kari Baltz - Washington, DC

Recipe form Marguerite Henderson.  One of the best egg dishes I have ever had!  

Ingredients

4 T butter

10 large eggs

¼ c half and half

1 t kosher salt

½ t ground black pepper

¼ c chopped fresh chives

¼ c chopped fresh parsely

1 pkg (17.3 oz) frozen puff pastry sheets, thawed

Egg Wash

1 egg beaten with 1 T half and half

½ c shredded Parmesan cheese

Cooking Instructions

Heat the butter in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat.  Beat the eggs, half-and-half, salt, and pepper until frothy, about 1 minute.  Whisk the chives and parsley into the eggs.  Add the eggs to the heated skillet;  cook on medium-low heat for 1 minute.  With a spatula, stir the eggs until softly scrambled.  Do not overcook.  Eggs should be a little wet. 

Place the two sheets of puff pastry on 2 separate baking sheets lined with parchment paper.  With a sharp knife, cut slits on both sides of pastry, 3 inches deep and 1 ½ inches wide on a diagonal making about 6 strips.  Leave about 3 inches of the pastry in the center, uncut.  Place half the egg mixture down the center of each pastry sheet, and then alternate the cut strips of pastry over the eggs, enfolding the eggs in the pastry, keeping the pastry slightly loose on top so that the eggs have room to expand as they bake.  Brush top with egg wash, sprinkle with shredded Parmesan cheese, and bake in a preheated 425 degree oven for 20 minutes.  Cut each strudel into 3 portions to make 6 servings.

Fresh Herb Popovers

Fresh Herb Popovers
Amanda Starley - New Jersey

Makes 12 Popovers

Ingredients
4 Large eggs (room temperature)
1 1/2 cups whole milk or half and half (room temperature)
4 Tbsp butter (melted and cooled)
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1 1/3 cups Flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp cayenne
1/3 cup lightly packed chopped herbs (Chives and basil work well)
PAM spray

Cooking Instructions
Heat oven to 450 and place muffin pan on middle rung. In a blender, combine eggs, milk, melted butter, and mustard. Process until blended, about 10 seconds. Add the flour, salt and cayenne and blend until just combined, another 10 to 15 seconds. Add the herbs and pulse to blend. Once the oven is hot, working quickly, remove the pans from the oven and set them on a dish towel. Spray them down with PAM. Pour the batter evenly into the heated muffin pans (approx 1/2 - 2/3 full) and slide back into the oven (you will likely have a little left over batter). Bake without opening the door until the popover are puffed and well-browned, about 25 minutes. If you open the door before they are done, they will be pancakes instead of popovers. Once they’re out, pierce the top with a knife so they don’t deflate. Gently pop them out by rolling pan onto its side. Serve hot with lots of butter :)

Can be reheated in a 300 degree oven until warm.

Baked Artichoke Dip

Baked Artichoke Dip

Jessica Yoo - Colorado Springs, CO

I love this dip it is quick and easy...

 

Ingredients

1 (14oz) can of artichoke hearts or hearts of palm (drained and chopped) 

1 C grated Parmesan cheese 

3/4 mayo 

1 glove of garlic 

1/4 tsp. Worcestershire sauce 

1/8 tsp hot sauce 

Cooking Instructions

Combine everything stirring well. Spoon mixture into a lightly greased casserole dish  (1 quart). Bake uncovered @ 350 for approx 20 min or until bubbly. Serve with favorite toast round or crackers. 

I like to add pine nuts for a little different texture. If you add nuts do so prior to baking.

Broccoli Salad

Broccoli Salad 

Claire Evans - Dallas, TX 

Ingredients: 

2 bunches broccoli, florets only (5 to 6 cups florets)

1 medium red onion, chopped

1/2 cup CranRaisons

10 slices bacon, fried and crumbled

1/2 cup Spanish Nuts

Dressing: 

1 cup mayonnaise

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar 

2 teaspoons sugar 

Preparation: 

Separate florets from broccoli stalks and blanch so they are crunchy yet deep green in color. Don’t overcook the broccoli or it falls apart.

Combine salad ingredients; top with dressing mixture. Chill and serve. 

Breakfast Casserole

Another Breakfast Casserole Recipe

Terri Carlson - Omaha, NE

This recipe from CDKitchen for Another Breakfast Casserole serves/makes 12

 Ingredients: 
1 (16 ounce) package ground pork breakfast sausage
12 eggs
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 (10.75 ounce) can milk
1 (4.5 ounce) can sliced mushrooms, drained
1 (32 ounce) package frozen potato rounds
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

Directions:

Place sausage in a skillet over medium-high heat, and cook until evenly brown. Drain, and set aside. Preheat oven to 350degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish. In a large bowl, beat together the eggs, condensed cream of mushroom soup, and milk. Stir in the sausage and mushrooms, and pour into the prepared baking dish. Mix in the frozen potato rounds. Bake in preheated oven for 45 to 50 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese, and bake an additional 10 minutes, or until cheese is melted.

I added 1clove garlic, ¼  cup onion.  You can add anything else that you would like in there (ie green peppers, red peppers, spinach etc.). 

Sour Cream Coffee Cake

Sour Cream Coffee Cake
Amber Lynch - Park City, UT

This is a Barefoot COntessa recipe.  I havemade it several times.  Its the BEST!!!

Ingredients

• 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 3 extra-large eggs at room temperature
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cups sour cream
• 2 1/2 cups cake flour (not self-rising)
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

For the streusel:

• 1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 3/4 cup chopped walnuts, optional

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 10-inch tube pan.
Cream the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment for 4 to 5 minutes, until light. Add the eggs 1 at a time, then add the vanilla and sour cream. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture to the batter until just combined. Finish stirring with a spatula to be sure the batter is completely mixed.
For the streusel, place the brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, salt, and butter in a bowl and pinch together with your fingers until it forms a crumble. Mix in the walnuts, if desired.
Spoon half the batter into the pan and spread it out with a knife. Sprinkle with 3/4 cup streusel. Spoon the rest of the batter in the pan, spread it out, and scatter the remaining streusel on top. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean.
Let cool on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes. Carefully transfer the cake, streusel side up, onto a serving plate. Whisk the confectioners' sugar and maple syrup together, adding a few drops of water if necessary, to make the glaze runny. Drizzle as much as you like over the cake with a fork or spoon.