The Woodhouse Fish Company DIY Lemonade!

      The Best Lemonade!
(this is the best lemonade I have ever had, I am picky about my lemonade, but fresh and carbonated? Refreshing!  My husband had this DIY lemonade at The Woodhouse Fish Company in San Francisco ( one of his favorite places to eat there) and asked the waiter about the recipe and the ratio of liquids.  Results?  Fabulous!  I will say I can't get enough especially when it's hot, my kids who don't like lemonade love this)

Ingredients:  Fresh squeezed lemons, 
Club Soda, Simple Syrup

To make Simply Syrup:  1 part sugar, 1 part water, heat together in pan until sugar is completely dissolved.  Cool ( we make a 2 qt pitcher full and store in fridge)

to assemble the lemonade: put ice in first, 

1 part lemon juice
2 parts simple syrup
4 parts club soda
ice  -   adjust to your liking- don't put a lot of lemon juice, it can be overpowering.  Enjoy!

Soft Gingersnap Cookies

Soft Gingersnap Cookies

(my sister gave this recipe to me and is it the best I've had so far!  They are soft with plenty of ginger, I think I will dip half in white chocolate this year for my cookie plate.  My grandson loves these better than my chocolate chip cookies!)



3/4. butter

1 c. sugar

1 egg

1/4c. dark molasses (full flavor)

2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 Tbsp. ground ginger

2 1/2 c. flour

**Preheat oven to 350F.  Beat butter and sugar together, add the rest of the ingredients and mix well.  Roll into balls and then roll into crystal sugar, makes for a great crunch! Bake for 8 to 10 min.   3 doz. cookies.   I usually double this recipe because I run out too fast!  Enjoy! 

Lovely Rum Cake

              Rum Cake
(The first time I had this cake, my roommate, Teresa Harris,  German mother made for us. It's a lovely cake with a dusting of powder sugar and a nice soft texture  I fell in love with it and just being a simple cake can go with so many things- I have added extra at the bottom if you want a glaze to it- remember the alcohol burns out when the cake is cooked.)


Cake:  1 pkg. yellow cake mix
2 (3 3/4oz) pkgs  vanilla cook and serve pudding (put in as a powder)
4 eggs
1/2 c. oil
1/2 c. Baccardi dark rum
1/2 c. water

Preheat oven to 325 F.  Grease and flour Bundt pan.  Mix all cake ingredients together.  Pour in pan.  Bake 1 hour (my pan is dark and heavy, it only took 50 min.  so watch it) use toothpick to see if its ready.  Cool,  turn cake onto rack or plate.  Sift powder sugar on top.

If you prefer the glaze:
(if you want more on top of cake)
1/2 c. butter
1/4 c. water
1/4 c. rum
1/4 c. sugar - boil 3 min. pour over hot cake.  

For more fun : 
on bottom of pan put 1/2 c. coconut, chopped walnuts and let set 1 hour before removing cake from pan. 

Mint Chocolate Cookies from Cook's Country

Mint Chocolate Cookies

(this is a Cook's Country recipe, the first time I made this, my mother in law said they used to make something like this, and this became a winner for my Christmas plate)

1 1/4 c. flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
6 Tbsp. unsalted butter
3/4 c. light brown sugar (packed)
6 oz. bittersweet chocolate chopped ( I use Ghirradelli bittersweet bars)
1 large egg
36 pieces Andes chocolate mints ( about 1/2 lb. ) unwrapped

1. Combine flour, baking soda, and salt in medium bowl.  Melt butter and brown sugar in medium saucepan over low heat.  Add chocolate, cover pan with lid, and let stand off heat until chocolate melts, about 4 min.  Stir until smooth, transfer chocolate to bowl of electric mixer, and let cool, about 10 min. ( it didn't take that long for me).

2. with electric mixer on medium speed, beat egg into cooled chocolate mixture until thoroughly combined.  Reduce speed to low and mix in flour mixture until just combined, about 1 min. This dough is sticky and refrigerating it will help to harden it ( I made the mistake of adding flour and it makes the cookies very dry)  Cover dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.  Preheat oven to 350.

3. Roll 2 tsp. dough (I usually do a little less to make this stretch farther for Christmas) into a ball and place about 2 inches apart.  Bake until cookies are set, 10 to 12 min ( mine did not take that long, start with 8 min).  Remove from oven and top each cookie with a mint and let set until it melts ( about 1 min)  then spread and transfer to rack to finish setting up.  

Enjoy!  Can be stored in airtight container up to 1 week.  I usually freeze them waiting for my Christmas plate.  

Hearty Beef Soup from theslowroasteditalian

Hearty Beef Soup

(This recipe came from theslowroastedItalian blog, we love it here at my house and it's a good comfort food for the winter or fall months.  It has lots of flavor and very hearty! )

2 lbs. beef chuck roast, (can use chuck shoulder, chuck-eye roast, or top chuck),  trimmed and cut into 1 - 1 1/2 inch cubes

1/4c. flour

1 tsp. paprika

1 tsp. ground black pepper

2 tsp. salt, divided

2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

2 Tbsp. unsalted butter

1 shallot, diced (can use onion)

3 garlic cloves, minced

32 oz. (4c. beef stock, or can use 4 tsp. beef base or bouillion and 4 c. water)

(for a thicker stew-like consistency, cut the beef stock back to 2 cups)

1 c. entwine Cabernet Sauvignon ( I use Marsala wine)

2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

1 Tbsp. dried Italian seasoning (can use 1 tsp. dried basil, 1 tsp. dried rosemary,  1/2 tsp. dried oregano and 1/2 tsp. dried thyme)

4 c. chopped red potatoes, bite size, *I use Yukon gold

3 c. chopped baby carrots, bite size pieces

fresh parsley to garnish, optional

Trim hard fat (which does not melt during the cooking process) and silver skin (white and silvery looking) from beef and cut into 1 - 1/2" cubes.  It takes about 5 min. but don't skip this step, it is worth it.

Combine flour, paprika, pepper and 1 tsp. salt in large 1 gallon bag.  Seal and shake to combine.  Add beef and shake until coated.

Warm Olive oil in large heavy bottom pan or dutch oven, over medium high heat, once you can feel warmth when holding your hand 6" from pot, add butter. Once butter is melted, carefully add beef.  Do not crowd pot.

Remove beef from flour and shake gently to remove loose flour.  Place coated beef in pan, one piece at a time, brown on all sides.  Turn pieces until all sides are browned and remove and place on upside down lid.  

Meanwhile, prepare shallot and garlic.  Shallot should be diced and garlic minced.  Set aside

Once all the beef is browned, add shallots and garlic.  Cook until translucent.  Add wine and deglaze pan by scraping up the browned bits at the bottom of the pan.  Add beef stock, worcestershire and Italian seasoning, remaining 1 tsp. salt.  Stir to combine.  Return beef to the pot.  Cover and bring to a boil.  Once boiling, reduce to a simmer.  Allow soup to simmer 40 min.

Meanwhile prepare potatoes and carrots.  Cut veggies into bite size pieces. Set aside.

Add potatoes and carrots.  Stir to coat vegetables and cover.  Simmer 40-50 min. or until vegetables are fork tender.  Taste broth.  If necessary, add addtional salt to taste.

Garnish and enjoy! 

Caramel Apple Dip

Caramel Apple Dip

(I  was looking for a good caramel apple dip for my Activity Days girls to have as part of their snack, I just found this on pinterest from the baker upstairs, it is sooo good I can't stop eating it!)

1 C. Sugar

2 Tbsp. corn syup

1/4 c. butter, cut into pieces

1/4 c. water

1/4 c. heavy cream

1 Tbsp. Sour Cream

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. vanilla 

Add sugar, corn syrup and water to a medium saucepan (do not stir at all!)

Bring to a simmer over medium heat without stirring.  Simmer until the sugar has turned a dark caramel color (recipe says it take about 10 min.  I live in Utah and it takes more like 15 min or more.  Don't let burn! )

  Remove from heat and add the butter, heavy cream, sour cream, salt and vanilla stir until smooth.  Let cool slightly before serving.  Best served warm.

The Perfect Chocolate Cake

The Perfect Chocolate Cake
(I picked this recipe up from McCall's magazine many years ago, and started making it in the early 1990's for a 4th of July party, and now I make it every year.  The cake is very moist, make the cake a day ahead to give the frosting time to sit, refrigerate the cake or the frosting gets soft- enjoy!

Cake: 

 1 c. unsweetened cocoa

2 c. boiling water
2 3/4 c. sifted flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking powder

1 c. butter-softened

 2 1/2 c. granulated sugar

 4 eggs

 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

* In medium bowl, combine unsweetened cocoa with 2 c. boiling water, mixing with wire whisk until smooth.  Cool completely.

*  Sift flour with soda, salt and baking powder. 

* Preheat oven to 350 F.  Grease well and lightly flour (3)  9 x 1 1/2 inch layer cake pans.

*In mixer bowl beat at high speed, butter with sugar, eggs and vanilla - scraping bowl occasionally until light and fluffy-about 3 min.  At low speed beat in the flour mixture (in fourths) alternately with the cocoa mixture (in thirds)
*begin and end with flour mixture.  Do not overbeat.  Divide evenly into pans, smooth top with spatula.

*  Bake for 25 to 30 min. or until surface springs back when gently pressed with fingertip.  Cool in pans 10 min.  Carefully loosen sides with spatula

*Remove from pans, cool on racks.

 
Filling: 

 1 c. heavy cream 

1/4 c. powder sugar,

1 tsp. vanilla
*Whip cream with sugar and vanilla until it holds shape and put in fridge.

Frosting:

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (6oz)

 1/2 c. light cream

 1 c. butter

 2 1/2 c. powder sugar.  

*  In medium saucepan combine chocolate, cream and butter, stir over medium heat until smooth, remove from heat, with whisk blend in 2 1/2 c. powder sugar, turn into bowl and place over ice ( I put ice in bigger bowl and set the bowl with the icing in it, this cools off the frosting and lets it set) Beat until the frosting holds it's shape, this make take a few minutes.

* to assemble cake:  on plate, place a layer top side down, spread with half the cream mixture, place 2nd layer top side down, spread with rest of cream.  Place 3rd layer, top side up.  Frost cake, sides first, covering whip cream, use rest of frosting on top swirling decoratively.  Refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving.  Serves 10 to 12 ( this is very rich and I slice mine very thin and can serve about 17 people or more)

Fried Zucchini Rounds

Fried Zucchini Rounds

(this comes from another favorite Pinterest recipe, I make this and the ranch dressing from this blog, my family loves this!)

Slice zucchini about 1/8 inch
dip each round in flour
then into whisked egg with a little water
then into a mixture of :

 1c. panko bread crumbs, 1/2c. fresh grated Parmesan Cheese, 1 tsp. garlic powder, 1/4 tsp. seasoning salt.

Fry in hot oil until golden brown, serve warm and enjoy!

A good use of all that summer zucchini!  

Pat's Strawberry salad with Strawberry Poppyseed Dressing

Pat's Strawberry Salad with Strawberry Poppyseed Dressing
(this recipe came from my mother in law's Relief Society, we love the flavors and it's a nice summer salad )


Salad:  salad greens ( I just used a bag of lettuce) , Feta cheese (to your own taste),
toasted-sugared slivered almonds, Strawberries-sliced, as much as you like

Dressing:   1 1/2 c. sugar, 2 tsp. dry mustard, 1 tsp. salt, 2/3 c. rice vinegar, 4 Tbsp. chopped red onion, 4 fresh strawberries, 1 Tbsp. water, 1 1/2 c. olive oil (my mother in law used Canola), 
4 tsp. poppy seeds - Put all ingredients into blender and blend until smooth.

Enjoy!  My family loves this!

Melissa's Ranch Dressing / Dip

                                                                                    Melissa's Ranch Dressing/ Dip 

 (this is such a good recipe for a nice homemade ranch dip!  I love it for my salads and for my veggies, without all the artificial ingredients that are so unhealthy!)

This makes a lot, I usually 1/2 the recipe

1 qt. Mayonaise (Add a little more to make this dressing a little thicker about 1/4 c to 1/2 c more)

1 qt. Buttermilk

1 Tbsp. Parsley

1/2 tsp garlic powder (I usually add 1 tsp.)

2 tsp. onion powder ( I add 1/2 tsp to this)

3/4 tsp pepper

2 1/2 tsp. salt

( this recipe calls for 2tsp. Accent, which is MSG, if you choose not to use this, just play with the garlic powder and onion powder to where you like it, this is why I add extra of each to the recipe) - whisk together and enjoy !  Melissa makes this by the gallon for her family reunions, it is that popular!