Summer Squash Saute

Zucchini season!
This recipe comes from June Bon Appetit Magazine and I have already made it twice.  Always looking for new ideas for Zucchini this one is easy, quick and delicious!  I just cut the Zucchini into matchstick size pieces, it is so easy to cut it isn't worth cleaning a mandoline to me.





Summer Squash Saute

Ingredients:

2lbs zucchini cut into matchstick size pieces or julienned

1 tsp kosher salt
1/4 c sliced almonds
2 T olive oil
2 garlic cloves minced (I grate it on a micro plane)
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper (adjust if you like more or less spice)
1/4 c finely grated fresh Parmesan
black pepper to taste

Directions:

Place squash in colander, sprinkle with salt and allow to sit about 10 min to remove liquid.  Squeeze out squash with paper towel till dry.

Meanwhile toast almonds in dry frying pan tossing a few times just till browned.  Transfer to plate and set aside.

Heat oil in same skillet over medium heat add garlic & red pepper cook till fragrant about 2 min.  toss in zucchini and saute till crisp don't overcook you want them to have a bit of texture...about 5 min. (I increased the heat to get a quick sear like a stir fry dish)  Fold in Parmesan, salt & pepper to taste, add almonds and serve.

Zucchini in colander with salt to remove liquid, then
squeeze dry in paper towel.

toasted sliced almonds adds a nice crunch

Cinnabon type Cinnamon Roll Cake

Cinnabon Cinnamon Roll Cake
I wanted a quick coffee cake to make for someone so after a quick search on Pinterest decided to try this one pinned from Six Sisters' Stuff blog.  They found through a friends cookbook.  Their blog is filled with recipes & projects, check it out for lots of ideas.  I had wanted to take the cake to someone but a little communication error left me home alone with a full cake so I sent it to my husbands office and it was such a hit they have asked for the recipe.  Well I hadn't taken any photos and really wanted to make a couple changes so I made it again.  The office had a surprise again to have with their morning coffee.  My changes from their recipe were just a few, I used bread flour which gave it a firmer texture, 3 eggs, and the streusel that gets swirled in I cut the butter in half.  These changes were made because the first cake was very soggy, I had to bake it longer and while cooked very gooey.   The glaze on top I cut in half which was plenty using a 13 x 9 pan.  I don't remember having Cinnabon while shopping but it always makes the mall smell amazing.
This goes together so quick and easy---try it.

Cinnabon Cinnamon Roll Cake
(with my variations)
Ingredients:

3 c bread flour  (you can use all purpose but I preferred the bread flour for this)
1/4 tsp salt
1 c sugar
4 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 c milk
3 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
4 T melted butter

Streusel Ingredients:

1 stick softened butter
1 c brown sugar
1 T cinnamon
nuts (optional)

Glaze Ingredients:

1 c powdered sugar
2-3 T milk (to desired consistency)
1 tsp vanilla

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350° & greased 13 x 9 pan.

In a large mixing bowl mix first seven ingredients till combined well.  Slowly stir in 4 T melted butter until mixed.  Spread cake batter into prepared pan.  In small bowl with fork blend streusel ingredients, nuts are optional I spread them over the top of the cake so that half of the cake could be no nuts.  Drop spoonfuls of streusel onto cake and swirl around with knife.  Bake for 25-30 minutes or till toothpick comes out nearly clean.

In a small bowl while cake bakes whisk glaze mixture till blended, drizzle all over top of warm cake.  Great eaten hot from oven, or rewarmed.

dollop struesel

swirl

topped with nuts on half

glaze will run to edge and down sides

Snickerdoodles

The beach theme for a bridal shower  led these cookies to get almonds on them to look like sand dollars. The beach is where Stephanie loves to be and where she got engaged. Stephanie, her brothers and my kids all grew up together with a lot of great memories and beach trips over the years.  We are now enjoying the wedding festivities for each of them as they get married.  Priscilla loves to bake and is a amazing at it.  Her Snickerdoodles have been a favorite always accompanying our beach trips.  I stopped over while she was making these to get some photos to blog and have a sample or two.

bride to be

(Sand Dollar) Snickerdoodles

Cream together:    1 c softened butter

                   1 1/2 c sugar

          2 eggs

                  1 tsp vanilla

Sift together then add to creamed mixture:  2 1/2 c sifted flour

                                                                  2 tsp cream of tarter

                                                              1 tsp baking soda

                                                    1/4 tsp salt

Shape dough into  walnut size balls and roll into mixture of:

2 T sugar

2 tsp cinnamon

Place2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet.  Bake until lightly browned but still soft.   Cookies will puff up and then flatten.  Bake at 375° for 8-10 min.

Priscilla uses stone baking pans.

This batch is for a shower with a ocean theme so the almonds were
used to make them look like sand dollars.

The balls were flattened to add the almonds before baking,
not necessary if you aren't using the almonds.

Wedding party and more pictures from the day.

Creamy Balsamic Dressing

Salad dressing or marinade.

Creamy Balsamic Dressing

2 cloves garlic grated
2 T light mayo
2 T lemon juice
1 T Dijon mustard
Salt & pepper to taste
1/2 c Balsamic Vinegar
3/4 Canola or Olive Oil

Mix in dressing shaker, refrigerate till ready to use.

French Macarons

Saw this recipe on "Martha Stewart's site" and had to try them.  There is a video on the web site to help you through it. They are as pretty as they are tasty, you get that light crunch with the sweet filling.  I wanted to try them more for the challenge than anything and with this simple recipe anyone could make them.  My biggest problem was controlling the flow from the pastry bag to get the even round shapes.  I'm thinking of drawing circles on parchment to place under the actual parchment I'm using as a guide next time and cut the hole slightly smaller for better control.



French Macarons


Ingredients:

1 1/4 c almond meal
1 3/4 c confectioner's sugar
1/4 tsp salt
4 large egg whites--must be room temp
1/2 c granulated sugar
1/4 tsp almond extract
jam or ganache for filling

Directions:

Whisk together almond meal, salt & confectioner's sugar and sift into large bowl.

In another bowl beat egg whites till frothy.  Slowly add granulated sugar and almond extract as eggs are beating.  Beat until shiny peaks form about 3-5 min.

Fold egg white mixture into dry mixture with spatula until combined well.  Mixture will come together into a smooth mixture about the consistency of honey.  Transfer into pastry bag & cut off tip.

Onto parchment paper pipe mixture into half dollar sized circles and let them dry about 30 min you should be able to touch top without it being sticky or leaving a mark.  Drying time will vary on time of year, humidity, temperature etc.

Bake in preheated 350° oven for 12 min. depending on your oven original recipe said 14 min but that was to long for mine.  Carefully remove from parchment when slightly cooled then let cool completely on wire rack before filling.

filling:

this time I used a raspberry jam mixed with some white chocolate to form a ganache

Chocolate Smithwick's Cake

St Patrick's Day Celebration

For us St Patrick's Day lasts more than a day.  My husbands hometown has a strong Irish history, Girardville, PA.  They celebrate with a parade the Saturday after March 17th so this year it was a whole week later.  Why would they wait so long?  Well one of the biggest draws are the bagpipers but this is the busiest month for them so to be able to have more bands available it helps having the  celebration later.  It also gives the bands one more performance on the calendar by being later.  It has become a type of reunion gathering for friends, families, past residents, and those that just love an Irish celebration.  So this cake (original recipe was with Guinness) was the perfect choice for a dessert on parade day.  There are multiple versions on the web, pinterest, many blogs, tv chef sites, the cake is very close to the old fashioned Coca Cola Cake recipe always a favorite & a very moist cake.  This cake would be good with just a dusting of powdered sugar also adding the icing makes it rich enough you need to serve thin slices.


Chocolate Smithwick's Cake

Smithwick's pronounced "smid icks"

preheat oven to 350° prepare bundt or tube pan

2 c Smithwick Beer  (Guinness or your favorite will work along with Pepsi or Coke)
1 c cocoa powder
4 oz unsalted butter
1 1/4 c sugar
1/2 c brown sugar
1 c plain Greek yogurt (or sour cream)
2 eggs
2 c all purpose flour
1 1/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt

Directions:

In a sauce pan heat together beer, cocoa, & butter when butter is melted add sugar and stir till blended--remove from heat and allow to cool.

In a small bowl whisk together yogurt and eggs then mix together with cooled chocolate mixture.

In large bowl mix flour, soda, and salt.  Add wet to dry ingredients and whisk together until just blended it will be a little lumpy don't over mix.

Pour into prepared pan bake for 35-40 min turn half way through baking time.

Cool then turn onto plate.

Icing:

Ingredients:

2 oz chocolate
4 oz unsalted butter
1 tsp salt
1/4 c beer
2/3 c cocoa powder
2 1/2 c powdered sugar

Directions:

Melt chocolate & butter together over low heat then pour into food processor with rest of ingredients pulse till icing has a smooth texture pour over cake let drip over sides.  It is a bit thick so you may need to push it a bit to the edge.

Stir cocoa, beer and butter till butter is melted then add sugar.

Mix yogurt and eggs together then add to cooled chocolate mixture.

Gradually combine mixtures.

Mix melted chocolate mixture with beer blend well for icing.

Ice cooled cake with Smithwick's Icing.

let icing run down sides