Strawberry Pie

A simple classic!

Yummy!

Scrumptious Strawberry Pie!

2 (8 inch) pie shells, baked

2 1/2 quarts fresh strawberries

1 cup white sugar

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 cup boiling water

1 (3 ounce) package strawberry flavored gelatin

Directions

In a saucepan, mix together the sugar and corn starch; make sure to blend corn starch in completely. Add boiling water, and cook over medium heat until mixture thickens. Remove from heat. Add gelatin mix, and stir until smooth. Let mixture cool to room temperature.

Place strawberries in baked pie shells; position berries with points facing up. Pour cooled gel mixture over strawberries.

Refrigerate until set. Serve with whipped cream, if desired.

Thank you to Victoria Romney for this recipe!

Peanut Butter-Toffee Cheesecake Brownies

Add pizazz to a brownie mix! This is a crowd-pleaser for any occasion!



Peanut Butter-Toffee Cheesecake Brownies

INGREDIENTS
1 box Fudge Brownie Mix
1/2 cup Crisco® Pure Vegetable Oil
1/4 cup water
2 EGGLAND’S BEST eggs
1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
1 can (14 oz) Eagle Brand® Sweetened Condensed Milk
1/2 cup Jif® Creamy Peanut Butter
1 bag (8 oz) Heath® milk chocolate toffee bits
1 cup Hershey's® milk chocolate baking chips
3 tablespoons whipping cream
DIRECTIONS
1. Heat oven to 350°F. Lightly spray 13x9-inch pan with Crisco® Original No-Stick Cooking Spray.
2. In medium bowl, stir brownie mix, oil, water and eggs 50 strokes with spoon. Spread batter in pan; set aside.
3. In large bowl, beat cream cheese with electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy. Add milk and peanut butter; beat until smooth. Stir in 1 cup of the toffee bits. Spoon mixture over batter; spread evenly.
4. Bake 30 to 40 minutes or until cheesecake layer is set and edges are light golden brown. Cool on cooling rack 30 minutes. Refrigerate 40 minutes.
5. In small microwavable bowl, microwave chocolate chips and cream uncovered on High 40 to 60 seconds or until chips are melted; stir until smooth. Spread over cheesecake layer. Sprinkle with remaining toffee bits. Cool completely, about 1 hour. For brownies, cut into 6 rows by 6 rows. Store covered in refrigerator.

Rice-Krispie Fruit Loop Bars

Start with one full bag of marshmallows, I used mini but you can also use the large. Now here come’s the secret. Add

1 cube of butter instead of the 1/4 cup the recipe suggests. Trust me.

Melt in microwave on high for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes.

Mix marshmallows and butter until butter melts and mixture is smooth. (If the butter doesn’t melt, microwave for an extra 15 seconds or so.)

Just pour the rice krispies into the bowl without messing with measuring cups. I used an 18 oz. box and had just over 6 cups leftover (sorry I didn’t measure, I just kept pouring until it looked right) You don’t want to add too much rice krispies or they won’t be as soft and gooey as they should be. Add 2 cups of Fruit Loops, and stir!

Mix away. What we’re trying to avoid here is big gloppy amounts of white marshmallow.

Once the marshmallow-butter mixture is evenly mixed in, pour into a pan and allow to set. Enjoy.

Recipe by Renee Johnson

Pacific Beach BBQ: Tri-Tip at it's best...

Our favorite sailing friends, the Hezseltines rented a cottage in Pacific Beach a while back. I just found these pictures, and thought I'd share our favorite red meat recipe:

Tri-Tip Magnificent

Ingredients:

Tri-tip

Vinegar

Olive oil

Grill Mates Montreal Steak seasoning

Directions:

Pick out a nice piece of Tri-tip, and trim the fat if necessary. Hold the meat over the sink while covering with vinegar. Let the excess run off, and do the same thing with the olive oil. Sprinkle the steak seasoning over the meat, and place in a large zip-lock bag. I like to add additional olive oil and seasoning to the bag before I zip it up. Let marinate for 24 hours, and then grill on low heat. Slice up fresh vegetables to grill, and presto.... the results are amazing!

Thank you to Becki Cutler for sharing this fabulous recipe!

Orange Rolls

Judy's orange roll recipe

(I always double)

1T yeast to 1/4 c. warm water - a little warmer than room temp w/1-2 t sugar in the water

1c. scalded milk or 1 cup powdered milk (1 cup warm water to 2/3 c. powder - follow package instructions)

let yeast rise to top of cup

1/2 c oil

1 tsp salt

1/3 cup sugar

mix above 3 ingredients and cool

When cool add 2 c. flour and beat well

Add 2 eggs and yeast mix when cool

Add 1T grated orange peel

1/4 cup strong concentrated orange juice -  mix with the grated orange peel

Add 3-3 1/2 c. flour

Knead or mix on Bosch 8-10 minutes on high until smooth and elastic

Transfer dough to oil lined bowl and coat dough in oil.  Cover with a towel and let raise 1 1/2 hours

Divide dough into halves and roll into a circle 1/2 inch thick

Form into loose crescent rolls.
Put 2 doz rolls onto a large cookie sheet

Raise for 30 minutes

Bake 12 min at 400

Frost with icing right out of oven

ICING

1 tsp grated orange peel

2T orange juice concentrate

1 c. powdered sugar

LOW FAT CHIMICHANGAS

Filo dough
4 chicken breasts shredded
1 large onion finely chopped
2 cloves minced garlic
1 tsp crushed oregano
1/3 cup canned chopped green chilis
1 tsp ground cumin
1/3 cup light sour cream
1/3 cup bottled taco sauce

Preheat oven to 350.  Spray a large non-stick fry pan with cooking spray.  Cook onion and garlic over medium heat until they are softened.  Add 1T of water if they start to stick and stir often.  Remove from heat and stir in remaining ingredients and adjust seasonings to taste.

WORK QUICKLY

For each Chimichanga, lay 2 stacked sheets of Filo on a clean flat surface with the long side at the edge or the work table nearest you.  Spray with cooking spray.  Fold left to right like a book.  Give filo a 1/4 turn to that the long side is nearest you once a gain.  Place 1/3 cup filling 2 inches from the edge nearest you and spread into a small rectangle about 5x2.  Fold both sides of the filo toward the center then carefully roll up to enclose the filing.  Place on a baking sheet.  Spray chimichangas with cooking spray.  Bake for 18-20 minutes or until golden brown.

Serve on a bed of shredded lettuce topped with sour cream, diced tomatoes, sliced green onions and salsa.

Contributed by Michelle Olsen

Cheesecake Factory Luau Salad recipe

This is one of my ABSOLUTE FAVORITE salads ever. Kind of fancy, but I love it!

Mixed greens

4 Grilled chicken breasts, sliced into thin strips

1 Red bell pepper, sliced into thin strips

1Yellow bell peppers, sliced into thin strips

Fresh green beans, blanched, cut into 3-inch pieces

Cucumber slices

1/4 Red onion, cut into small pieces

1 Fresh mango, cut into small pieces

8 (6-inch) egg roll wrappers, fried crisp

4 ounces sweet and sour sauce

4 ounces macadamia nuts, toasted and chopped

1 tablespoon sesame seeds, toasted

4 ounces carrots, peeled, sliced into 1-inch thin strips

1 ounce green onions, sliced into 1-inch thin strips

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Dressing

1 cup balsamic vinaigrette

1/4 cup seasoned rice vinegar

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon sesame oil

Place the lettuce mix, chicken, bell peppers, green beans, cucumber slices, carrot slices, green onions, red onion, and mango, into a large mixing bowl. Season the ingredients with salt and pepper.

Whisk together the balsamic vinaigrette (your favorite choice), seasoned rice vinegar, granulated sugar, and sesame oil. Drizzle the dressing into the bowl with the salad ingredients, and gently toss together.

Brush a little sweet and sour sauce onto each crispy egg roll wrapper. Build the salad in each serving bowl with alternating layers of salad mixture, a crispy glazed egg roll wrapper, more salad mixture, another crispy glazed egg roll wrapper and then the remaining salad mixture.

  

Sprinkle the macadamia nuts and sesame seeds all over each salad.

...Polka Dot Baby Shower...

...Sugar & Spice & Everything Nice...

Our dear friend, Jessica is having her first girl (she has 2 boys already) any day now. We had a grand time showering her with gifts this week. Here are some of the pictures:

The magnificent 'candy bar'...

The hostess asked a few ladies to bring a dozen cookies each. The polka-dot display amidst the cookies was visually entertaining in and of itself!

The amazing Jaimie Butner was the woman power behind all the pink and polka-dots! I can't think of a better way to celebrate the arrival of a new baby girl!

Alyssa and Brooke (they were Jessica's specially invited guests) said to their Mom 'this is just like the 'Sweet Shop'! Can we really take a bag of goodies home? Is this what you always do at baby showers?' LOVE IT!

They had no idea I was taking these pictures... it was so much fun to watch them! Giggle, giggle.

Joselyn and her chocolate-and-vanilla-and-pink milk in old fashioned glass bottles was entertaining to us all!

Joselyn decorated beautiful edible treats... real eye candy!

I admit it. My goodie bag-to-go contained the swirled lollipops! My girls loved them, and I love bringing treats home.




Oh la la!

Jaimie~ where did you find the perfect marshmallows?

Hash Browns

S'mores

S'mores are one of my kids favorite desserts!

My kids are pyromaniacs. So are my brothers (as you can see here), and when we get together as a family, the camp fire burns. This simple recipe is a family tradition at gatherings.

S'mores

You will need a flaming campfire, graham crackers, marshmallows, and chocolate (Hershey's chocolate bars work the best).

1. Roast your marshmallow ~ my kids say it has to catch on fire, then you blow it out.

2. Squeeze in between graham crackers and chocolate.

3. Enjoy!

Chocolate Soufflé Layer Cake with Mascarpone Cream and Raspberries ...

...Dessert oh Divine...


For the chocolate glaze:
1/4 cup heavy or whipping cream
1/4 cup light corn syrup
4 oz. semisweet chocolate, chopped
1 Tbs. unsalted butter
1 Tbs. whiskey or liqueur (optional)
For the cake:
1 oz. (2 Tbs.) unsalted butter
8 oz. good-quality bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
1/4 cup strong coffee or whiskey, or a mix
7 large eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 tsp. table salt
Confectioners’ sugar for dusting
For the mascarpone-cream filling:
1 cup mascarpone cheese
1-1/4 cups heavy or whipping cream
3 Tbs. granulated sugar
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
For the final assembly:
1-1/2 cups fresh raspberries
Confectioner's sugar for dusting
Make the glaze:
In a small saucepan, mix the cream with the corn syrup. Stir over medium heat until the syrup dissolves, and then bring the mixture to a full boil. Remove from the heat, and add the chocolate all at once. Let stand for 2 minutes and then whisk until smooth. Whisk in the butter and then the whiskey or liqueur, if using. Keep at room temperature if using the same day; otherwise, cover and refrigerate.

Make the cake:
Heat the oven (not a convection oven) to 375°F. Grease a jellyroll pan or half sheet pan (about 11x16 inches) and line the bottom and long sides with parchment. Grease the parchment or spray it with baking spray.

In a small heavy-based saucepan (or a double boiler), melt the butter, chocolate, and coffee or whiskey over very low heat, stirring with a whisk occasionally. Take care not to let the chocolate scorch and heat only until the chocolate has melted. Remove from the heat, whisk until the mixture is smooth and glossy, and set aside to cool slightly while you beat the eggs.

Separate the egg yolks and whites into two large clean mixing bowls. Using an electric mixer (either a hand or a stand mixer) on medium high, beat the egg whites first until soft peaks form. Add about 2 Tbs. of the sugar and beat on high speed for about 30 seconds. Set aside.

Without cleaning the beaters or whip, beat the egg yolks on medium high, with the salt and the remaining sugar, until the mixture becomes light and thick and forms a ribbon trail when the beaters are lifted, about 3 minutes with a hand mixer, slightly less with a stand mixer. Turn the mixer to low speed, add the chocolate, and mix until completely blended, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed.

With a clean whisk, vigorously beat the whites until a definite peak forms, about another 30 seconds.

Transfer about one-third of the whites into the bowl with the chocolate and fold them in with a rubber spatula. The whites should be smooth and blend into the chocolate thoroughly. Now scrape all of the chocolate mixture at once into the bowl with the remaining whites. Fold together lightly to blend, but don’t overwork—try to preserve as much volume as possible. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with the spatula. Give the pan a gentle rap on the table to release any large air bubbles.

Put the pan in the middle of the heated oven and bake for 15 minutes. Turn the oven down to 325°F and let the cake cook another 5 minutes. The cake should look puffed, and a toothpick should come out clean.

Transfer the pan to a cooling rack. Moisten a clean, flat-weave (not terry-cloth) dishtowel and wring it out completely so it’s just barely damp. Cover the cake with the towel; the cake will sink slightly as it cools. Once the cake has cooled, slide the pan into the fridge until chilled, about 1 to 2 hours. This will help the trimming and assembly process.

Make the filling:
In a medium bowl, beat the mascarpone, cream, sugar, and vanilla with an electric mixer on low speed until blended. Increase the speed to medium high and beat until the cream is thick and firm peaks form (don't overbeat or the mixture will curdle). Keep refrigerated until ready to assemble.

Assemble the cake:
Lift the towel off the cake. Carefully loosen the parchment from the pan and run a knife along the edges to free the cake from the parchment. Dust the top of the cake generously with confectioners’ sugar. Lay a large piece of parchment, a large cutting board, or a dry dishcloth perfectly flat over the cake, pulling taut on both ends, and with a deep breath, invert the cake onto a work surface, long side facing you. Gently peel away the parchment.

With a large, sharp knife, carefully trim about 1/4 inch off the edges to get an even rectangle. Use a slow sawing motion to avoid tearing the cake; a light coating of confectioners’ sugar on the knife will prevent sticking. Cut the rectangle crosswise into four even panels, each about 4x10 inches. Slide a long spatula or a long, wide knife, like a bread knife, under the first panel and carefully transfer it to a flat serving platter.

Tuck strips of parchment, plastic wrap, or foil under the edges of the cake layer and over the plate to keep the plate clean during assembly. Spread one-third of the filling evenly over the cake layer. Sprinkle one-third of the raspberries over the cream and press them in gently. Top with a second cake panel and another third of the cream and berries. Top with a third cake panel and the remaining cream and berries. Arrange the final cake layer on top and press gently.

Dust the top of the cake generously with more confectioners’ sugar. Drizzle the chocolate glaze over the top of the cake. Carefully slide the parchment strips away from the plate. Refrigerate the cake until about 15 minutes before serving.

Make Ahead Tips:

The glaze can be made up to four days ahead and refrigerated. Let it come to room temperature before using. The cake can be made up to one day ahead. Refrigerate it with a sheet of plastic stretched taut across the top of the pan so it doesn't touch the cake surface. The filling can be made up to an hour before assembly. The whole cake can be assembled the morning of the day you want to serve it, but don't decorate the top with confectioners' sugar and glaze until two hours before serving. Keep the fully decorated cake in the fridge, uncovered, until about fifteen minutes before serving.

This is the famous dessert that may just turn up at your 40th birthday party! I've been at more than one 'over-the-hill' celebration where this was served. Cindy is the only one brave enough to make it, so make sure she gets an invite!

This is Cindy Pollard's Specialty! This is a recipe she found in the magazine for people who love to cook - 'Fine Cooking'.

Huevos Rancheros

A healthy way to start the day!

Huevos Rancheros

1-2 tomatoes

1 small onion

1/4 cup chopped cilantro leaves

1 jalapeno chile, halved and seeded

8 eggs, beaten

1 can black beans (I use 15 ounces)

8 small corn tortillas

1/2 cup shredded cheese (I use Monterrey Jack)

1/4 cup light sour cream

1. Using a food processor, pulse together the tomatoes, onion, cilantro and jalapeno until chunky.

2. Coat a large skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium-high heat. Add the eggs, season with salt and pepper and scramble for 3-4 minutes.

3. Transfer eggs to another dish, and wipe out the skillet. Add the beans and 2 tsp water. Cook over medium heat until warm. Transfer to another bowl. Wipe out the skillet, add the salsa, season with salt and cook for 5 minutes.

4. Top each tortilla with beans, eggs, salsa, cheese, sour cream, cilantro, and we always add avocado as well.

Rockin Peanut Butter Cookies

Rockin Peanut Butter Cookies

1/2 C margarine or shortening

1/2 C peanut butter

1/2 C Sugar

1/2 C Brown Sugar

1 egg

3/4 tsp baking soda

1 1/4 C flour

1 bag mini recesses peanut butter cups

SPRAY PAN - really well - Mix all together roll into balls about a tablespoon

size. Put into mini muffin pan.

350 for 7-10 minutes

take out of oven - immediately press peanut butter cups into the center of the cookies. Let cool completely then take out of pan.

** for the shower I put whipping cream and shaved chocolate on them... they didn't look very good, because the whipping cream, fell.....*** I normally don't put anything on top of them. Really easy and YUMMY!

Thank you to Amy Kirby for this delicious dessert!

Stuffed Bleu Cheese Potatoes

 

If you read Bleu Cheese and immediately run for the hills STOP and keep reading.  I know bleu cheese may sound kind of scary but these were SO good.  Almost everyone had seconds even the kids.  You can't taste the bleu cheese it just gives it a little bit of a kick.  I didn't tell anyone what the secret ingredient was until they had all eaten (and had seconds)  then when I told everyone they were shocked.  No one could tell.  They are that good!

8 medium baking potatoes
 1 Cup sour cream
  2 oz (1/2 cup) crumbled bleu cheese
1/2 Cup milk or buttermilk
  8 Tbs real butter, cut into chunks
 1 1/2 tsp salt
Dash pepper
 1 t garlic powder
  16 pieces bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled
Grated cheddar cheese

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Wash and dry potatoes. Rub them lightly with a bit of shortening or vegetable oil (helps crisp the skin) and place directly on oven rack, or a cookie sheet. Bake for one hour or until potatoes are done.

2. Remove potatoes and let cool just a bit. Cut an opening on the top and hollow out each potato, OR cut each potato in half (as shown in photos) to make 8 servings. You may want to hold them with a potholder as they will still be hot!

3. Scoop out the insides and place in a bowl. Mash, and add butter, sour cream, bleu cheese, milk, salt, pepper, and garlic. Beat with a hand mixer until fluffy. Carefully spoon mixture back into potato shells. Place in a baking dish.

Return to hot oven and bake for 12-15 minutes.

4. Remove and sprinkle bacon and cheddar cheese over each potato

bake an additional 3-5 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly