Luscious Lemon Cake

Hello all-
I know I've been bad and haven't contributed any recipes yet, so here goes. I hope you enjoy it!

1 package white cake mix
1 cup water
1/4 cup sugar
2 eggs beaten
2 tbsp. cornstarch
2 tbsp. sugar
Zest of 1 lemon
1 tbsp. butter
3 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 pint sweetened whipping cream (I just used cool whip)
1/4 cup white chocolate shavings

Grease and flour 2 9inch cake pans. Set aside. Preheat oven and make cake according to package directions on cake mix. When cake is done, put on cake racks and cool completely. While cake is cooling prepare lemon filling.

Put water, 1/4 cup sugar, and beaten eggs in a small saucepan. Mix cornstarch and 2 tbsp. sugar together in a small bowl. Slowly add to mixture in pan. Cook on medium heat, stirring constantly until thickened. When thickened add lemon zest, butter, and lemon juice. Stir until butter is melted and mixture is well mixed and smooth. Remove from heat and let cool. Cover with plastic wrap while cooling. When cake is cool, cut each layer in half to make 4 slices. Place a layer on a serving plate and spread with 1/2 of cooled lemon filling. Add second layer of cake and spread with whipped cream. Add third layer of cake and spread with the remaining half of the lemon filling. Top with fourth layer of cake. Frost sides and top of cake with whipped cream. Garnish with white chocolate shavings. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Serves 12 to 16.

Easy Crepes

I really like this recipe because it doesn't have to rest in the fridge for an hour...when I'm craving crepes, I hate waiting. :-)

Ingredients:

2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup water

1 tsp. vanilla

2 tablespoons butter, melted

2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup all-purpose flour



DIRECTIONS
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar and salt. Gradually add in the milk, vanilla and water, whisking to combine. Add the butter; beat until smooth.
Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each crepe. Tilt the pan with a circular motion so that the batter coats the surface evenly.
Cook the crepe for about 2 minutes, until the bottom is light brown. Loosen with a spatula, turn and cook the other side. Fill with filling of choice and fold into quarters. Serve hot.

Hawaiian Curry Stew

This is one of my favorite plate lunches from L&L's Hawaiian BBQ. You can also use chicken thighs. It has a little bit of a bite to it, so if you don't like things a little spicy just cut back on the amount of curry powder. Serve over hot cooked rice.

Ingredients:
2-2.5 pounds of beef stew meat
2 Potatoes, cubed
1 Onion, quartered
2 Carrots, sliced
3 stalks of Celery, chopped
4 tablespoons of Curry powder
4 Cups of Water
2 cubes of Beef bouillon
2-3 teaspoons of salt
1/4 cup of flour
1/4 cup of very cold water

Instructions: Brown meat on all sides, cover with water, add bouillon cubes, and cook covered for 1.5 hours. Add vegetables and cook until potatoes and carrots are tender. Cook curry powder in a bit of sesame or peanut oil (to get rid of the raw taste). and add it to the mixture. After the stew is cooked, mix flour and cold water well, using a wire whisk to remove all the lumps, and stir it into the stew. Cook, stirring constantly, until the stew thickens. Serve over steamed rice.

CROCKPOT HAWAIIAN CURRY STEW: Mix all ingredients except flower and water paste in a large crockpot and mix well. Cook on high 4-6 ours or on low for 8-10 hours. After stew is cooked, mix flour and water paste as directed above, mix into stew, and cook on high heat, stirring constantly, for 5 or 10 minutes, or until thickened.

Billy Joel's "Child Bride" Katie's Meatloaf Recipe -or- 'Why He Probably Didn't Get a Pre-Nup'

The important thing about this recipe is to use fresh thyme and flat-leaf parsley. It really makes a difference. I was surprised at how easy this was to make, and how delicious it is. I'm not a huge fan of meatloaf but we all love it- even Mia gobbles it down! My "editorial comments" are in blue below, just so you know it's me and not Katie speaking. :P Even when I thought I overcooked it, it stayed moist. But now I never will, thanks to LeAnne giving me a meat thermometer for Christmas! Hooray!!

Serves 6

Ingredients:

· 1 tablespoon olive oil
· 1/2 medium sweet or yellow onion , diced (about 3/4 cup)
· 1 clove garlic , minced (I use the stuff in the tube sometimes)
· 1 medium red pepper , finely diced (about 1 cup)
· 1 bay leaf
· 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
· 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
· 2 pounds lean ground beef (or chuck)
· 2 large eggs , lightly beaten
· 3/4 cup dry breadcrumbs (Progresso makes good ones and the Italian flavor works well, too)
· 1 cup ketchup (you'll use 1/2 cup in meat and 1/2 cup on top)
· 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
· 2 teaspoons kosher salt
· 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 350°. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper (or foil). Spray lightly with oil.

Heat the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Sauté the onions, garlic and bay leaf until the onions are tender, about 3 minutes. If you want a little extra flavor you may brown the onions a bit. Add the red pepper and cook until the red pepper is tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the parsley and thyme and cook for another 2 minutes. Remove pan from the heat and let the onion mixture cool. Discard the bay leaf.

In a large bowl, combine the beef, eggs, bread crumbs, 1/2 cup of ketchup, the Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper and the cooled vegetables. Use your hands to mix everything together.

Transfer the mixture to the center of the baking sheet and form into a loaf. I usually end up forming a loaf that is about 2 or 3 inches thick, 12 or so inches long and 6 or so inches wide. Coat the meat loaf with the remaining 1/2 cup ketchup. Dan doesn't really like ketchup so I don't use that much, just enough to keep it moist, and it turns out fine; so use your own judgment with this.

Bake for 1 to 1 1/2 hours (depending on the shape of your loaf), until the meat loaf is firm, or until center of loaf temperature is 160 degrees on meat thermometer (thank you LeAnne!).

Let set for about 5 minutes before slicing.

Apparently ol' Billy likes to have white-bread and mayo meatloaf sandwiches with the leftovers. We haven't tried this but it sounds pretty good.

Two for one meal - Pork Roast and Gravy, and Creamy Pork Pot Pie

O.k., these are recipes where you cook something early on in the week, then later you make something out of the left overs. Both recipes are awesome, simple and full of flavor.

Pork Roast with Mashed Potatoes and Gravy

1 boneless whole pork loin roast (3-4lbs.)
1 - 14.5 oz. can chicken broth
1 c. julienned sweet red pepper
1/2 c. chopped onion
1/4 c. cider vinegar
2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp. brown sugar2 tsp. Italian seasoning
1 tsp. salt1 tsp. pepper
2 tsp. cornstarch
2 tsp. cold water
2 c. mashed potatoes

Cut roast in half and transfer to a 5 qt. slow cooker. In a small bowl combine the broth, red pepper, onion, vinegar, Worches. sauce, brown sugar and seasonings; pour over pork. Cover and cook on low for 3-4 hours or until meat thermometer reads 160 degrees and meat is tender. Remove pork; cut some into cubes measuring 2 1/2 c. for Creamy Pork Potpie. Keep remaining pork warm. For gravy strain veggies out of cooking juices and skim fat. Pour into saucepan or cook in slow cooker on high. Combine cornstarch and water until smooth; stir into cooking juices. Brig to a boil; cook and stir until thickened. Slice remaining pork; serve with potatoes and gravy.


Creamy Pork Potpie

1/4 c. butter, cubed
1/2 c. all purpose flour
1 - 14.5 oz. chicken broth
3/4 c. milk
2 1/2 cups cubed cooked pork
2 1/2 c. frozen broccoli-cauliflower blend - I used one that also included carrots
1 1/2 c. shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 tsp. seasoned salt
dash of pepper
I also added a little sage and thyme.
1 pie crust or 1 sheet frozen puff pastry thawed
1 egg, beaten

In a large saucepan, melt butter. Stir in flour until smooth; gradually add broth and milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes until thickened. Add the pork, vegetables, cheese seasoned salt, pepper and other spices as desired; heat through.

Transfer to a greased 11x7 inch baking dish. On a lightly floured surface roll pastry into rectangle to fit over pork mixture. Place over pork mixture and brush with egg. Bake, uncovered, at 425 degrees for 18-22 minutes or until golden brown. Let stand for 5 minutes before cutting.

Sausage-Cheese Balls

These are really appetizers but I cut the recipe in half and made them for dinner! They are soooo good. Aron said they taste like a sausage McMuffin. (I foresee a new Christmas breakfast item!) We didn't even dip them in any sauce (Joshua used ketchup) and they were scrumptious! I got this recipe from the Betty Crocker website. Fast, easy and fabulous. Enjoy!

Sausage-Cheese Balls

prep time: 20 min
baking time: 25 min
Makes about 8 1/2 dozen

3 cups Original Bisquick mix
1 pound bulk pork sausage
4 cups shredded Cheddar Cheese (16 ounces if you like to buy pre-shredded)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary leaves, crushed
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley or 1/2 teaspoon parsley flakes

BBQ sauce, ketchup, or chili sauce for dipping, if desired

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease bottom and sides of jelly roll pan (baking sheet)
2. Stir together all ingredients, using hands or a spoon. Shape mixture into 1-inch balls. Place on baking sheet.
3. Bake 20-25 minutes or until browned. (They'll look toasted). Immediately remove from pan. Serve warm with sauce for dipping.

High Altitude (3500-6500 ft) Heat oven to 375 degrees F. Decrease Bisquick to 2 1/2 cups; stir in 1/2 cup Gold Medal all-purpose flour. Bake 25-30 minutes.

Do-ahead Tips
*Cover and refrigerate UNBAKED balls up to 24 hours. Bake as directed.
*Cover and freeze UNBAKED balls up to 1 month. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Place frozen balls on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 25-30 minutes or until brown.
*Bake as directed; cover and freeze up to 1 month. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Place frozen balls on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes or until heated through.
*Bake as directed; cover and freeze up to 1 month. Place 6 frozen balls on microwavable plate. Loosely cover with waxed paper. Microwave in High 45 seconds to 1 minute or until heated through

SUCCESS! It's true, you don't need to cook the sausage before using it when making this recipe. I even temped the balls when they looked toasty done. Pork temp is 170 and they were most certainly done.

Mom's Granola

Here's an oldie but a goodie with some updates of my own doing! This was originally given to our mother by Arlene Litchfield. As a help I have posted a picture of the rolled wheat I use. I have to purchase this online as Zoom cereal (also rolled wheat) is not available locally at any stores, neither is any rolled wheat. We don't have any great health food stores to buy it in bulk. Sigh. Alas, online is just fine. At least I can get it! Rolled wheat is not to be confused with wheat germ or wheat bran. NOT the same thing.

This recipe is easily halved. This is a basic recipe. Feel free to add whatever dried fruit you enjoy AFTER toasting it. Also feel free to add things like pumpkin seeds, other chopped nuts, etc BEFORE you toast it. Make it your own and enjoy!

Mom's Granola

8 cups oats

8 cups rolled wheat

1 or 2 cups coconut flakes

2 cups brown sugar

2 teaspoons salt

4 ounces raw sunflower seeds, unsalted

4 ounces slivered almonds

*1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

*3 teaspoons cinnamon

1 cup oil

1 cup water

3 teaspoons vanilla

*CinnaPatty additions, optional

Mix dry ingredients in large bowl. I have some salad "hands" I love to use for mixing this recipe. Mix oil, water and vanilla and pour over the dry ingredients. Mix well until mixture is crumbly. Toast at 225-250 degrees F for 2-3 hours on baking sheets. Stir every half hour until it's just how you like it. (some like it a bit more raw and chewy, I toast mine just until it's dry when I stir it) Don't over toast it.