Zucchini Cake

 Zucchini Cake

Makes 9 x 13 pan

Ingredients:

• 2 c. All-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)

• 2 tsp. Baking Soda

• ½ tsp. Salt

• 2 tsp. Cinnamon

• ½ tsp. Ground nutmeg

• ¼ tsp. Ground cloves

• 3 large eggs

• 1 ½ c. brown sugar

• 1 c. vegetable oil (or canola)

• 2 tsp. Vanilla extract

• 2 c. grated zucchini *

• 1 c. chopped walnuts ** (optional)

Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients:

• ½ c. unsalted butter (softened)

• 8 oz. full fat, brick style cream cheese (softened)

• 1 tsp. Vanilla extract

• ¼ tsp. Salt

• 3 c. powdered sugar

Instructions

Zucchini Cake:

1. Preheat the oven to 350F degrees. Butter and flour a 9x13 in. pan (ensure that the sides are at least 2 in. tall).

2. In a large bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg & cloves.

3. In a large bowl using an electric mixer, beat the eggs until frothy.

4. Beat in the oil, brown sugar and vanilla extract.

5. Turn the mixer down to low speed and beat in the flour mixture about ½ at a time. Do not over mix.

6. Turn off the mixer, and gently fold in the grated zucchini and walnuts.

7. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 35-45 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

Cream Cheese Frosting:

1. In a large bowl, beat the butter until soft.

2. Beat in the cream cheese.

3. Add in the vanilla extract and salt. 

4. Beat in the powdered sugar, about 1 c. at a time, until the desired sweetness is reached.

5. Frost the cooled cake, and optionally sprinkle the top with chopped walnuts

Notes:

*You do not need to peel the zucchini first - just cut off the ends first. I recommend holding the zucchini perpendicular (90-degree angle) to the grater, so you don’t get long strands. Blot out extra liquid with a paper towel before using.

**Or use 1 c. chopped pecans. You can also add in ½ c. raisins if you like. 

Make Ahead Tips: Make the cake up to 1 day in advance. Store covered at room temperature, then frost the day of. Unfrosted cake can be wrapped tightly and frozen for up to 2 months. Thaw temperature for up to 8 hours, or in the fridge for up to 3 days. 

Taken from Justsotasty.com

Mississippi Pot Roast

 Mississippi Pot Roast

Makes 1 crock pot

Ingredients:

• 2.3 lbs. Pot roast

• 1 pkg. Aujus mix (sprinkle on top of roast) - can use 1c to 1 1/2c. liquid aujus, I eliminated the butter when I did this

• 1 pkg. Ranch dressing mix. or 3 Tbsp. dry Ranch dressing mix (sprinkle on top of roast)

• 1/2 c. ( 1 stick of butter- I use 1/2 stick)

• Do not add any water (it’ll create its own juice)

    * I also take out some of the juice and whisk in flour, about 1/4c. and cook until thick enough to make a gravy.  Serve with rice, or mashed potatoes.

Instructions:

1. Put roast in a crockpot, and cook on low for 4-6 hours.

2. When ready put Aujus and Ranch dressing mix on top, add butter, or aujus liquid

Taken from Erica L.

Chocolate Stuffed Crescent Rolls

                   Chocolate Stuffed Crescent Rolls
(the first time I had these, I was with my then going to be fiance,  up in Canada at his parent's home, I thought these were so decadent and when I asked my future mother in law for the recipe, she kind of grinned, and you can see why!  Also my kids love this with a scoop of vanilla ice cream)

2 cans Pillsbury Crescent rolls (8 each can)
butter
cinnamon
Imported from Europe or Canada, Mars bars, if at all possible because these are a rich chocolate with caramel, they aren't the same as our Milky Way, so I order them from Amazon or you can get them at World Market, they have a dark wrapper with red lettering, you will need 8 full size bars, or you can cut them into 3's , you will need 6 of them.  If you are lucky and you find the fun size I would use one of them for each roll

* Preheat oven to 375 F.  Grease muffin tins, enough for 16 rolls.  Open cans and spread out the crescent roll dough, spread a little butter on top of each and sprinkle cinnamon on top of that, wrap chocolate bar in roll, make sure you seal the edges, then put in muffin tins.  Bake for about 12 min. or until golden brown and roll is cooked, eat warm with vanilla ice cream and watch how you impress your guests!  

Makes 16 rolls....

Cook's Country Pasta with Pancetta and Asparagus

Cook's Country Pasta with Pancetta and Asparagus
(My husband gets a little more adventurous with recipes than I do, he did follow this one to the T- I was surprised at how much I liked it!  It is a great dish and the asparagus was cooked to perfection!)
*this serves 4 to 6
*buy a hunk of pancetta instead of sliced (you buy it at the deli counter)

4 oz. pancetta, cut into 1/2 inch. pieces
1 lb. asparagus, trimmed and cut on bias into 2 inch lengths
1/8 tsp. salt, plus more for cooking pasta
1 garlic clove, minced
1 lb. penne pasta
8 oz. (1 c.) mascarpone cheese
1 oz. pecorino romano cheese, grated (1/2 c.) plus extra for serving
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. pepper
1/3 c. chopped fresh basil
Cook pancetta in 12" nonstick skillet over medium heat until lightly browned and crispy, about 10 min.  Using slotted spoon, transfer pancetta to paper towel-lined plate, leaving fat in skillet
Heat fat over high heat until just smoking.  Add asparagus and salt and cook, without stirring, until just starting to brown, about 3 min.  Stir and continue to cook until asparagus is rowned and tender, about 2 min. longer.  Take off heat and stir in garlic
Meanwhile, bring 4 quarts water to boil in large pot.  Add pasta and 1 Tbsp. salt and cook, stirring often, until al dente.  Reserve 1 1/2 c. cooking water, then drain pasta and return it to pot over low heat.
Add mascarpone, pecorino, lemon juice, pepper, pancetta, asparagus and 1 c. reserved cooking water to pot and toss and stir vigorously to thoroughly combine, about 1 min.  Let pasta rest off heat for 3 min.  Stir in basil.  Adjust consistency with remaining reserved cooking water as needed. Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Serve, using extra Pecorino separately to add on top.

** we both said this would be even better with toasted pine nuts so next time we will add that 

White Chocolate Cupcakes

             White Chocolate Cupcakes 
              by garnishandglaze
(I wasn't too sure about these as I tried another white cake for cupcakes a few years ago for Easter, and they weren't that great, but these are the bomb!  Moist, dense cupcake and white chocolate, cream cheese frosting add the Cadbury eggs and chocolate curls on top and you have a little bit of heaven! )
This recipe makes 12 cupcakes **preheat oven to 350 F.
Cupcakes:
1 2/3 c. flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 c. butter, melted
1 c. sugar
3/4 c. buttermilk
1/4 c. sour cream
2 tsp. vanilla
2 egg whites
Line muffin tins with cupcake liners.  In mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
In another bowl, melt butter and whisk in the sugar, buttermilk, sour cream, and vanilla.  Add the liquid ingredients to the dry and mix until just combined. Set aside.
With electric mixer, beat egg whites until soft peaks form.  Fold into the batter until combined
Spoon batter into cupcake batter into pan - I use an ice cream scoop for easy handling.  Bake cupcakes for 15-18 min. until toothpick comes out clean.

Frosting:
2/3 c. white chocolate chips, melted
5 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
3 Tbsp. butter, room temperature
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 3/4 c. powder sugar
1-2 Tbsp. milk
Melt the chocolate in the microwave on low in 20 sec. increments, stirring after each.  Let the chocolate cool slightly for about 2 min. so it is not too hot that it melts the butter and cream cheese.
In a mixing bowl, beat butter and cream cheese on medium speed for 1 min.  Add the melted chocolate and vanilla and beat another minute.  Beat in the sugar a little at a time, mixing until light and fluffy.  Add milk 1 Tbsp. at a time if needed to reach desired consistency.  Place in piping bag with tip and pipe onto the cupcakes. 

Topping:
Using a vegetable peeler, shave the chocolate to create long chocolate shavings.  Sprinkle over the freshly pipped frosting and then top with Cadbury mini eggs.

** I definitely got rave reviews with this one.  The cake is dense and moist (my favorite!), the frosting makes it a double whammy in amazing flavor!  I am going to make this every Easter, but also thinking of making it for other occasions, it will give me the excuse to have them more than once a year!

Cook's Country Black and White Cookies

               Black and White Cookies

(this is a yummy and fun cookie, but lots of work for 12!  We don't make them very often, but we think the work is worth making them especially from scratch!  These are famous in New York and come from Cook's Country )

For the Cookies:  

1 3/4 c. flour
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
10 Tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
1 c. sugar
1 large egg
2 tsp. vanilla
1/3 c. sour cream

**Preheat oven to 350F.  Position racks to upper-middle and lower-middle positions.   Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper.  Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in bowl.

2.  In stand mixer beat butter and sugar on medium/high speed until pale and fluffy about 2 min., Add egg and vanilla and beat until combined.  Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with 2 additions of sour cream, scraping down bowl as needed.  Give dough final stir by hand.

3.  Using greased 1/4 c. measure, drop cookie dough 3" apart onto cookie sheets, bake until edges are lightly brown, 15 to 18 min., switching and rotating sheets halfway through baking.  Let cookies cool on sheets for 5 min., then transfer to wire rack to completely cool about an hour.

Glaze: 

5 c. powder sugar, sifted (make sure you sift the sugar)
7 Tbsp. whole milk
2 Tbsp. corn syrup
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. salt 
3 Tbsp. Dutch-processed cocoa powder, sifted

1.  Whisk sugar, 6 Tbsp. milk, corn syrup, vanilla and salt together in bowl until smooth.  Transfer 1 c. glaze to small bowl; reserve.  Whisk cocoa and remaining 1 Tbsp. milk into reserved glaze until combined.

2.  Working with 1 cookie at a time, spread 1 Tbsp. vanilla glaze over half of underside of cookie (that is what makes the tops flat) Refrigerate until glaze is set, about 15 min.  Spread 1 Tbsp. of the chocolate glaze over the other half, let set, takes about an hour
**hint:  use a butter knife or offset spatula to spread the glaze

     
                                                           

M&M cookies

     M&M Cookies from Rachel Cooks

(I love this recipe!  Rachel calls it perfect!  I have made this many times especially when I want a change from my "Mrs. Fields" recipe, it is a favorite in my family too!)
This recipe makes 2 doz., I usually triple it, but the dough will be thick!

Preheat oven to 350 F. degrees
2 c. flour
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
3/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
3/4 c. brown sugar
3/4 c. unsalted butter, softened
1/2 c. sugar
1 large egg
1 Tbsp. vanilla
1 (12 oz) pkg. mini M&M's

1. Mix together flour, cornstarch, salt and baking soda in a bowl and set aside.

2. In the mixer bowl, cream together butter and both sugars on medium speed until light and fluffy (about 2-3 min.).  With the mixer on low, add in egg and vanilla.  Return mixer to medium speed, and mix until incorporated. Scrape sides of bowl

3.  Now with mixer on low, add dry ingredients in bowl, gradually until dough forms.  Stir in M&M's by hand.  Refrigerate dough for at least 30 min.  Line baking sheets with parchment paper, and set aside.

4.  form into balls about 1 Tbsp.  Bake for 9 to 11 min. or until edges are barely golden.  Remove from oven and let cool a couple min. on sheet then put them on wire rack to finish cooling.  Store in airtight container.