California Cooking

Brigitte's Crème Brûlée French Toast

2010-08-06T10:35:00.000-07:00

I first had this recipe at a baby shower given by my friend Brigitte. Needless to say, it is fabulous. Recently, I made it for a family reunion. It was very well received. I like to make it after spaghetti night. There is always leftover bread, so it is perfect. Also, I have successfully halved the recipe using a smaller pan, and it was just as great!

Brigitte's Crème Brûlée French Toast

adapted from Gourmet July 1998

1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons corn syrup
6 1" slices of French bread
5 large eggs
1 1/2 cups half-and-half
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt

In a small heavy saucepan melt butter with brown sugar and corn syrup over moderate heat, stirring, until smooth and pour into a 13- by 9- by 2-inch baking dish. Cut six 1-inch thick slices from center portion of bread, reserving ends for another use, and trim crusts. Arrange bread slices in one layer in baking dish, squeezing them slightly to fit.

In a bowl whisk together eggs, half-and-half, vanilla, and salt until combined well and pour evenly over bread. Chill bread mixture, covered, at least 8 hours and up to 1 day.

Preheat oven to 350° F. and bring bread to room temperature.

Bake bread mixture, uncovered, in middle of oven until puffed and edges are pale golden, 35 to 40 minutes.

Serve hot French toast immediately.

A Ricotta Extravaganza

2010-07-06T21:52:00.000-07:00

I had a package of Ricotta that was just screaming at me in the fridge, so I made lasagna. It turned out fantastic. I still had some left over, so I also made a Ricotta Pound Cake. The pound cake is something else. It is really good fresh but turns amazing overnight as the crumb gets even heavier.

Lasagna

adapted from my mother, the TJ's box and probably Jamie Hixon

Ingredients:

No Cook Lasagna Noodles (I used Trader Joes, but also love Barilla)

1 package sliced mozzarella cheese

1 package sliced provolone cheese

1 c Pecorino Romano cheese (aka Locatelli)

For the red sauce:

2 T EVOO

1 med. onion, diced

1 green pepper, diced

2 cloves garlic, chop finely or press

6 links sweet italian sausage

2 cans diced tomatoes

2 cans tomato sauce or crushed tomatoes

1 T basil

2 t oregano

2 bay leaves

In a large pan, saute onion and green pepper until soft in EVOO over medium heat. Remove sausage from casings and break up. Add to onions and peppers and cook until no longer pink. Add garlic and cook until fragrant but not brown. Add diced tomatoes. Cook until juice is almost gone. Add sauce and spices.

For the bechamel:

2 T butter

1/4 c flour

2 c milk

1 c ricotta

fresh ground pepper

1/8 t nutmeg

In a sauce pan, melt butter. Constantly stirring, add flour and brown slightly. Add milk bit by bit constantly stirring to avoid lumps. Stir in ricotta. Add pepper to taste and nutmeg. Remove from heat.

Assembly: (Use either a 9x13 or two 8x8 pans)

Layer 1

-Make a small layer of red sauce on the bottom.

-Add a layer of noodles.

-Add another layer of red sauce.

-Dollop white sauce sparingly.

-Layer mozzarella.

Layer 2

-Make a layer of red sauce.

-Add a layer of noodles.

-Make a layer of red sauce.

-Sprinkle Pecorino Romano liberally.

-Dollop white sauce.

-Layer provolone.

Layer 3

-Make a layer of red sauce.

-Add a layer of noodles.

-Make a layer or red sauce.

-Top with mozzarella.

Bake at 350 F for about an hour or until cheese is bubbly, and your house smells amazing.

Ricotta Pound Cake

Ingredients:

Adapted from Dolce Italiano: Desserts from the Babbo Kitchen

3/4 cup cake flour

1 1/4 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

3/4 stick unsalted butter

3/4 cup ricotta (I used part skim but drained off any whey)

3/4 cup sugar

2 eggs

1/2 vanilla bean

1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350ºF.

Position a rack in the center.

Butter & flour a loaf pan.

In a medium bowl, sift together cake flour, baking powder, and salt and set aside.

Cream together butter, ricotta, and sugar on medium speed until smooth and light, about 2 minutes.

Beat in eggs, one at a time, scraping down sides of the bowl after each addition.

Split the vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape out seeds with blunt side of a small knife, then beat them into batter along with vanilla extract.

On low speed, beat in dry ingredients to combine them, scrape down sides of the bowl, and beat batter for 30 seconds on medium speed.

Gently drop the pan on the on the counter gently a few times to remove air bubbles.

Bake cake for 15 minutes, then turn the pan 375 degrees to ensure even browning. Lower the temperature to 325 and continue baking until the cake springs back lightly when touched, the sides have begun to pull away from the pan, and a cake tester inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean, about 25 to 35 minutes more.

Allow cake to cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then carefully invert it onto the rack to cool completely.

The crumb on the ricotta was nice and heavy, and the fresh vanilla is heavenly! Overall, I definitely say that I'm going to make both again.

Pretzel Salad

2010-04-01T16:48:00.000-07:00

Pretzel Salad

1 1/2 c. crushed pretzels

1/2 c. sugar

1 c. melted butter

1 (6 oz.) box strawberry Jello

2 c. boiling water

1 (16 oz.) frozen strawberries

1 (9 oz.) Cool Whip

1 (8 oz.) cream cheese

1 c. sugar

Crush pretzels. Mix together pretzels, 1/2 cup sugar and butter. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes in a 9 x 13 inch pan. Beat together Cool Whip, cream cheese and 1 cup sugar. Spread on cooled crust. Add boiling water into Jello. When Jello is thoroughly mixed, add strawberries. Place Jello in refrigerator until partially set. Place on top of salad. Refrigerate covered.

Mediterranean Monday: Chicken Souvlaki with Red Pepper Yogurt Sauce

2010-03-01T19:53:00.000-08:00

Picture: There's a Newf in My Soup

Chicken Souvlaki with Roasted Red Pepper Yogurt Sauce
Adapted from Bobby Flay's Souvlaki with Merguez Sausage and Piquillo Pepper Yogurt Sauce and There's a Newf in my Soup

Marinade Ingredients:
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Juice and zest of one lemon
2 garlic cloves, pushed through the garlic press
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (the recipe calls for 1/4 tsp)
2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken tenders

Wooden skewers, soaked in water for 30 minutes
Salt and freshly ground pepper
8 pocket pita breads
1 yellow onion, sliced into thick rings, and grilled
2 pieces roasted red peppers
2 lemons, cut in half and grilled briefly

Add the chicken to the marinade and toss to coat. Refrigerate the chicken in the marinade for about 15 minutes, then skewer the chicken onto the wooden skewers, and season with salt and pepper.

Preheat the grill to medium-high. Grill the onions, red peppers and lemons, and set aside. Then, grill the skewered chicken until golden brown on all sides, about 10 minutes total, and transfer to a platter. Grill the pita on both sides for about 20 seconds to warm through. Serve on pitas with yogurt sauce

Red Pepper Yogurt Sauce:

1 small container plain Fage Greek yogurt
2 strip roasted red peppers (I used Trader Joe's jarred)
2 cloves garlic, pushed through the garlic press
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Put all ingredients, except salt and pepper, in a blender and blend until smooth. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Transfer to a small serving bowl and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Picture from http://newfinmysoup.blogspot.com because this is all that was left of mine. Thanks for the recipe!

Variations on a Theme: More Peach Salad!

2010-02-01T15:38:00.001-08:00

I should know better. My main craving with Eliza was peaches. No, people, I am not prego, but I still love some peaches.

Today, I used leftover steak from dinner last night. Therefore, I didn't want cheese (well I wanted, but...) to increase the fat level to astronomically high. Here is what I did:

- Leftover Steak

- Peaches (today instead of grilling, I threw them in the microwave. They are better grilled.)

- Baby Greens

- Basil (You need the basil. It makes it soo.... good!)

- Cashews

- Light Sesame Asian Dressing (It really needed more garlic. Next time, I'll make my own.)

Enjoy!!

Grilled Peach Salad

2010-01-31T22:32:00.000-08:00

I had some peaches that I didn't know what to do with. I improvised. It was HEAVENLY. You should try it. Here is the line up:

-Mixed Baby Greens

-Grilled Chicken

-Grilled Peaches (spray them with olive oil & bit of salt & pepper)

-Basil, Roughly Chopped

-Chevre

-Pecans

-Balsalmic Vinegar

-Honey

-A touch of EVOO

-Pepper

Cook the chicken and the peach. Mix your salad. Eat it. Mmmmmm...

My husband HATES cooked fruit, but I have to do it again.

3rd Birthday Cake

2010-01-11T14:59:00.001-08:00

Wow! So this cake evoked memories of my mommom's cakes! It was AWESOME! It is till missing something, but I think that is because my mommom chain smoked Winstons, and this added a little extra "something." Since I'm not willing to do that, I'll have to stick with this. The crumb is amazing and it is SO moist.

Best Yellow Layer Cake

via Smitten Kitchen

Yield: Two 9-inch round, 2-inch tall cake layers

4 cups plus 2 tablespoons cake flour (not self-rising)

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened

2 cups sugar

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

4 large eggs, at room temperature

2 cups buttermilk, well-shaken

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour two 9-inch round cake pans (Alternately, you can use a cooking spray, either with just butter or butter and flour to speed this process up.)

Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until pale and fluffy (about 3-5 minutes), then beat in vanilla. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well and scraping down the bowl after each addition. At low speed, beat in buttermilk until just combined (mixture will look curdled). Add flour mixture in three batches, mixing until each addition is just incorporated.

Spread batter evenly in cake pan, then rap pan on counter several times to eliminate air bubbles. Bake until golden and a wooden pick inserted in center of cake comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Cool in pan on a rack 10 minutes, then run a knife around edge of pan. Invert onto rack and discard parchment, then cool completely, about 1 hour.

Vanilla Butter Cream

1 cup butter, softened(2 sticks)

6 to 8 cups confectioners’ sugar

1/2 cup milk

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Place the butter in a large mixing bowl. Add 4 cups of the sugar and then the milk and vanilla. On the medium speed of an electric mixer, beat until smooth and creamy, about 3-5 minutes. Gradually add the remaining sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating well after each addition (about 2 minutes), until the icing is thick enough to be of good spreading consistency. You may not need to add all of the sugar. If desired, add a few drops of food coloring and mix thoroughly. (Use and store the icing at room temperature because icing will set if chilled.) Icing can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Awesome Sausage Potato Soup with Autumn Salad

2009-11-04T20:25:00.000-08:00

We've been doing movie nights each week with friends. They are lots o' fun. This past time it was my turn to cook. Here is what we did:

Autumn Salad

This salad is pretty awesome. The creamy goat cheese dressing is killer!
Adapted from Gina's Weight Watchers Recipes
Salad
-Mixed Greens
-2 Apples, Sliced
-Grapes, cut in 1/2
-Craisins
-Walnuts

Dressing
Blend this together:
-A tub of goat cheese (4-6 oz)
-1.5 T honey
-2T EVOO
-2t Apple Cider Vinegar
-2T Lemon Juice
-1T Water

I also made this soup. Don't tell anyone the secret ingredients. Keep 'em in the dark. They will go crazy trying to figure it out.

Adapted from the former Cafe Johnsonia

-5-6 potatoes, cut into 1" chunks

-1 med onion, chopped

-6 c. chicken broth

-1lb. bulk pork sausage

-1 c. half & half

-1/2 stick butter

-1.5 T vanilla

-2T balsalmic vinegar

Boil potatoes & onions in chicken stock until tender. Brown the sausage in a separate pan. Add to potatoes. Add half & half and butter and cook until melted. Add vanilla and vinegar right before serving. It's good stuff.

Secret Ingredients!

2009-10-13T17:51:00.000-07:00

I have a secret, but sorry Californians if you want some, you have to hit up the internets. My secret is this:

The Spice Corner

This is a small store in the Italian Market in Philadelphia. Not only are their spices super fresh, but they have a few homemade blends that have no equal.

My favorites:

Tuscan Blend - This is NOT your normal italian spice. There are hints of anise and other unknown italian crack that will make your red sauce heavenly!

Pot Herbs - No, my friends, you do not smoke it. You put it in your roast or as I did recently, beef stew. It really makes it. I have no clue what it is that makes this so awesome.

Sazon - I've tried many a sazon, but none have magic like this. Rub it on your ribs straight. You will thank me.

Foodie Giveaway

2009-06-01T20:50:00.000-07:00

I frequent this site:

This week they are giving away a new olive oil. Check it out!

Veggggggggiiiiiiiiiiiie

2009-05-31T22:30:00.000-07:00

So, I guess I should bring out my dirty laundry. This is my place to talk about food. So here goes. In Feb, I went Vegetarian. I cheat from time to time, but in general I do not buy, cook or eat meat. I still consume dairy though. I also eat invertebrates (shrimp, crabs, etc) and fish.

It all started with a "diet book" that was really a book about animal cruelty. I love animals. Hence, I couldn't look at meat the same way. The first week was hard. The second week was easier. But then, I started to feel better... a lot better. Then I started to notice how much I was saving on groceries.

It is hard in some ways. I don't want to be judged as a vegetarian. I don't care if other people eat meat. Every once in a while, I crave meat usually bacon or lamb, but mostly it is really no big deal. Basically, I take my favorite recipes and omit the meat.

So, here's what I'm cooking this week:

Monday - Greek Salad and Corn on the Cob

Tuesday - Awesome Burritos
I saute onion. Add garlic. Add one chopped jalapeno. Add a can of diced tomatoes with green chills. Throw a potato in the microwave for 3-4 mins until almost fork tender. Give it a rough chop. Add it in. Add about 2 tsp. whole cumin seed. Remove from heat. Add a handful of chopped cilantro and squeeze a lime over it.

Serve on tortillas with cheese and sour cream.

Wednesday - TJ's Margarita Pizza and Fruit and Goat Cheese Salad

Thursday - Shrimp Risotto with broccoli

Friday- Leftovers

Brown Butter Baby!!

2009-05-16T11:35:00.000-07:00

I love all things brown butter. I still have not found anything with brown butter that I will turn my nose up at. So when I saw this: Roasted Banana Cake with Brown Butter Frosting, I was in! I did make a few small changes. Here is the recipe:

Roasted Banana Cake with Browned Butter Frosting
2 cups sliced ripe banana (about 3 medium) (I freeze mine when they start to turn. So mine were frozen)
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon butter, chilled and cut into small pieces
2 1/4 cups flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 cup buttermilk (I used a little less than 1/2 c milk w/ about 3/4 t vinegar)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons cinnamon (My addition. What is a banana cake w/o cinnamon!)
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar (I used baker's sugar. It is addictive.)
2 large eggs (Next time I think I'll add another egg white)
Baking spray with flour (I just used Pam.)

Frosting:
1/4 cup butter
2 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup cream cheese, softened (I used 3 oz)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup chopped pecans, toasted (Didn't use these. Claron hates nuts)

Preheat oven to 400°.
Combine banana, brown sugar, and 1 tablespoon butter in an 8-inch square baking dish. Bake at 400° for 35 minutes, stirring after 17 minutes. (I didn't stir. It looked alright.) Cool slightly.
Reduce the oven temperature to 375°.
Combine 2 1/4 cups flour, soda, and baking powder in a medium bowl.
Combine banana mixture, buttermilk, and 1 teaspoon vanilla in another medium bowl. (Uhhh... I just combined in the baking dish. Why dirty another bowl?)
Place 1/2 cup butter and granulated sugar in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended. Add eggs; mix well.
Add flour mixture to sugar mixture alternating with banana mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture.
Pour batter into a 13 x 9–inch baking pan coated with baking spray.
Bake at 375° for 20 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. (Mine took more like 35 mins) Cool completely in pan on a wire rack.

To prepare frosting, melt 1/4 cup butter in a small saucepan over medium heat; cook 4 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool slightly.
Combine browned butter, powdered sugar, cream cheese, and 1 teaspoon vanilla in a medium bowl; beat with a mixer until smooth.

Spread frosting over cooled cake.

Sorry. It was all eaten before I could get pictures.

Second Birthday Cake

2009-01-14T16:58:00.000-08:00

From Eliza's 2nd Birthday

Initially I wanted to make a chocolate cake, because well Eliza is my child and LOVES chocolate. My mother, however, brought up a great point that other two year olds do not eat as neatly as Eliza and a chocolate cake might pose a stain disaster for another mother. Therefore, I decided to make her a yellow cake with vanilla butter cream.

The cake turned out very moist. I would like to stress that I think it is very important that the butter and sugar are well creamed and the egg yolks are added one at a time. Also, added the flour in slowly and alternating is important. Oh, but I didn't sift. Don't tell anyone, k?

Eliza's 2nd Birthday Yellow Cake
1 cup butter, softened(2 sticks)
1 1/2 cups white sugar
8 egg yolks
3/4 cup milk
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups cake flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour 2 - 8 inch round pans. Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg yolks one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Beat in the flour mixture alternately with the milk, mixing just until incorporated. Pour batter into prepared pans.
Bake in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until tops spring back when lightly tapped. Cool 15 minutes before turning out onto cooling racks.

Vanilla Butter Cream
1 cup butter, softened(2 sticks)
6 to 8 cups confectioners’ sugar
1/2 cup milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Place the butter in a large mixing bowl. Add 4 cups of the sugar and then the milk and vanilla. On the medium speed of an electric mixer, beat until smooth and creamy, about 3-5 minutes. Gradually add the remaining sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating well after each addition (about 2 minutes), until the icing is thick enough to be of good spreading consistency. You may not need to add all of the sugar. If desired, add a few drops of food coloring and mix thoroughly. (Use and store the icing at room temperature because icing will set if chilled.) Icing can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Confessions

2008-12-08T08:25:00.001-08:00

So, I feel like I have a lot of confessions to make. First of all, I haven't been posting well because I haven't really been eating too much. Unless y'all want detailed instruction on the preparation of raw veg, lemme know.

If I were to eat though... Here's what I'd want:
Gingersnaps with Orange-Ginger Creme Filling

Nutella Macarons

Cranberry-Cherry Tart with Ginger and Orange

So, yeah, back to my confessions... I have a renewed interest in ramen noodles. I know. disgusting. but I like to drink the broth. I think I like the MSG.

Also, I would eat Doritos smeared with cream cheese. Sounds great.

Oh, and lastly, I made a hashbrown casserole for a party in 20 minutes the other day. Usually it takes an hour to bake, but no, 20 minutes from start to finish. Maybe if you are nice, I'll let you in on my secrets.

Meal Plan Monday - 11/3/08

2008-11-03T09:57:00.000-08:00

We have a lot of carry over from last week. Claron worked late and I was working on Eliza's costume. Also, we ate a lot of leftovers from the fridge. Hopefully, we'll stay on target more this week.

Mon. – Creamy Chicken Casserole with Biscuits and Garlic & Shallot Green Beans

Tues. – Obama's Chili, Cornbread and Apple Cake (recipe below)

Weds. – Eat Out

Thurs. – Honey Glazed Chicken, Beet Salad with Goat Cheese and Roasted Acorn Squash

Fri. – Leftovers

Sat. – Chicken & Sweet Potato Curry with Basmati Rice and Naan

Sun. – Homemade Pasta with Italian Sausage and Tomato Basil Sauce (with basil from my garden)

Apple Cake
6 apples
1 tablespoon cinnamon
5 tablespoons sugar
2 3/4 cups flour, sifted
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup vegetable oil
2 cups sugar
1/4 cup orange juice
2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
4 eggs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a tube pan. Peel, core and chop apples into chunks. Toss with cinnamon and sugar and set aside.
Stir together flour, baking powder and salt in a large mixing bowl. In another bowl, whisk together oil, orange juice, sugar and vanilla. Mix wet ingredients into the dry ones, then add eggs, one at a time. Scrape down the bowl to ensure all ingredients are incorporated.
Pour half of batter into prepared pan. Spread half of apples over it. Pour the remaining batter over the apples and arrange the remaining apples on top. Bake for about 1 1/2 hours, or until a tester comes out clean.

Red Lentil Burgers

2008-11-03T09:46:00.000-08:00

This weekend we went to a Halloween party. Our friend is from Lebanon and was cooking middle eastern. Claron is a huge fan of middle eastern food and he suggested I make red lentil burgers. I first saw these burgers made by a friend's Turkish mother. I found this recipe online and have tweeked it until they tasted right.

Red lentils can be hard to find. Here in Santa Barbara, I buy them at the Isla Vista Co-op. They cook more quickly than normal lentils and I think their flavor is more mild.

Kirmizi Mercimek Koftesi (Red Lentil Burgers)
1 cup red lentils
1.5 cups hot water
1 chicken bouillon cube
1/4 cup fresh, chopped parsley or 1.5 T dried parsley
3 cloves garlic, smushed into a paste
1 large onion, finely minced
1 T cumin
1 t crushed red pepper
1 egg
olive oil, for frying

Boil the lentils with the bouillon and water. When the lentils are cooked, all the water should be absorbed. If the lentils are watery, let them sit to absorb the rest of the moisture. If the lentils don't seem done, add a little more water. When the lentils are cooked and relatively cooled, add the parsley, garlic, onion, spices and egg. Shape the lentils into patties and fry in skillet with olive oil. Garnish the lentil 'kofte' like you would a burger. We like eating these on middle eastern flat bread from Trader Joe's with tzaziki or hummus and tomatoes, red onions and cucumbers.

Meal Plan Monday - Week of 10/27/08

2008-10-27T16:25:00.000-07:00

Mon. – Enchiladas Carnitas with Green Chili Sour Cream Sauce, Fresh Corn and Salad with Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette

Tues. – Sweet Tangy Plum Spiced Chicken and Steamed Broccoli

Weds. – Chicken & Sweet Potato Curry with Basmati Rice and Garlic & Shallot Green Beans

Thurs. – Buffalo Burgers, Beet Salad with Goat Cheese and Roasted Acorn Squash

Fri. – HALLOWEEN!!! Grilled Cheese with Spinach and Turkey and Cream of Tomato Soup

Sat. – Party at Johanna & Jasmine’s

Sun. – FFY

Favorite Cookbooks/ Web Sites AND Asian Noodle Salad

2008-09-13T11:22:00.000-07:00

Right now my favorite cookbook is the America's Test Kitchen The Best International Recipe. My favorite recipes are the Indian. I love the Best Recipe series as they really go in depth as to the reasoning behind the recipes. I also love how they give suggestions on what supplies/hardware are best.

I love to just read this book. I learn so much. It is very instructional. My sis-in-law, Lilly, has the original Best Recipe book. That one is also great. I've asked for a bunch of the other's on my Amazon wish list. We'll see.

My next favorite cookbook I've had for some time. I bought it on a whim at Ollie's. I think I only paid $5 or something. I never figured it would be one of my favorites, but the Ultimate Cake Mix Cookbook by Betty Crocker is perfect when you are trying to throw together a quick dessert. I've made almost all of the recipes. My favorites are: Bananas Foster Cake, Mandarin Orange Cake, Lemonade Party Cake and Peanut Butter Silk Cake.

As for web sites, by far my favorite is the Pioneer Woman. She is so witty. Her recipes are always amazing and she takes you step by step. I have created a variation on her Favorite Salad Ever. All women who try it love it. Here you go:
Asian Noodle Salad
SALAD INGREDIENTS:
1 packages linguine noodles, cooked, rinsed, and cooled
1/2 to 1 head sliced Napa cabbage
1/2 to 1 bag baby spinach
1 red bell pepper, sliced thin
2 mangoes, diced
1 small bag bean sprouts
2 sliced scallions
2 peeled, sliced cucumbers
LOTS of chopped basil—up to one bunch
1 can whole cashews, lightly toasted in skillet
DRESSING:
Juice of 1 lime
8 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons sesame oil
6 tablespoons soy sauce
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoons fresh ginger, chopped
2 cloves chopped garlic
1 hot pepper or jalapeño, chopped
More chopped basil—LOTS
Mix together salad ingredients. Whisk together dressing ingredients and pour over salad. Mix with tongs or hands and serve on platter.

Sometimes I leave out the noodles. Sometimes, I add grilled steak. I love, love, love this salad. I also serve this salad when I make yellow curry.

Here are the rest of my fav's:
All Recipes
Baking Bites
Coconut & Lime
Food Gawker
Laylita's Recipes
Manjula's Kitchen
Salt & Chocolate
The Kitchn

Recipes for you

2008-09-12T11:21:00.000-07:00

Everyone's always asking me for recipes. I figured I'd just start another blog. We'll see. Leave me a comment for any requests.
=-)
A