Raspberry Salad Dessert

1 box raspberry danish dessert
16 oz (2 cups-ish) frozen raspberries
16 oz container of cool whip, thawed
20 oz can crushed pineapple, drained (save juice)
1 can sweetened condensed milk

Combine pineapple juice and water to make 1 3/4 c liquid. Cook danish dessert with 1 3/4 c liquid according to package directions. Cool. Whip in condensed milk. Fold in fruit and cool whip.

Italian Pasta Bake

1 pound ground beef or turkey
1/4 cup chopped onion or 3 Tablespoons dry minced onion
4 cups tomato sauce
2 cups water
2 Tablespoons basil
1 Tablespoon oregano
1 teaspoon garlic powder or one clove fresh garlic
Sea salt to taste
10 ounces whole wheat pasta, any shape (we like bionature brand)
2 cups shredded cheese (we use white cheddar, but you can use mozzarella or any combination of your favorite cheeses)

Brown meat and onion together. Meanwhile, bring tomato sauce, water and herbs and spices to a boil. Stir in pasta and boil until tender. Do not drain. The pasta should have absorbed the liquid! Mix in cooked meat. Salt as desired. Spread mixture into a 9×13 casserole dish and top with cheese. Bake uncovered at 350° for 25 minutes or until cheese is melted and the casserole is heated through and through.

Tastes Like Gold Smoothie

1 cup of carrots
3/4 cup pineapple juice
1/2 cup orange juice
1 TBL honey
1/2 cup plain or vanilla yogurt
ice cubes

First I softened the carrots in the microwave for about 4 minutes. Then I put them in the blender first and puréed them.

Really puree the carrots for a long long time, until it is not pulpy at all. Use some of the pineapple juice to make it smooth. Then finish with the rest of the ingredients.

Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream

Sweet Cream Base 1:
2 large eggs
2 c. heavy cream
3/4 c. sugar
1 c. milk

Whisk the eggs in a mixing bowl until light and fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes. Whisk in the sugar, a little at a time, then continue whisking until completely blended, about 1 minute more. Pour in the cream and milk and whisk to blend. Makes 1 quart.

Sweet Cream Base 2:
2 c. heavy cream
2/3 c. half and half
3/4 c. sugar

Pour the cream into a mixing bowl. Whisk in the sugar, a little at a time, then continue whisking until completely blended, about 1 minute more. Pour in the half and half and whisk to blend. Makes 1 quart.

Fresh Georgia Peach
2 c. finely chopped ripe peaches, peeled
1 1/4 c. sugar
Juice fo 1/2 lemon
2 large eggs
2 c. heavy cream
1 c. milk

Combine the peaches, 1/2 c. sugar, and the lemon juice in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours, stirring the mixture every 30 minutes. Remove the peaches from the refrigerator and drain the juice into another bowl. Return the peaches to the refrigerator.

Whisk the eggs in a mixing bowl until light and fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes. Whisk in the remaining 3/4 c. sugar, a little at a time, then continue whisking until completely blended, about 1 minute more. Pour in the cream and milk and whisk to blend. Add the peach juice and blend. Transfer the mixture to an ice cream maker and freeze following manufacturer's instructions. After the ice cream stiffens, about 2 minutes before it is done, at the peaches, the continue freezing until the ice cream is ready. Makes generous 1 quart.

Strawberry
1 pint fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
1/3 c. sugar
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Sweet Cream Base
(we've also added a little lemon zest, and it was awesome)

Combine the strawberries, sugar, and lemon juice in a mixing bowl. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour. Prepare the sweet cream base. Mash the strawberries to a purée and stir into the cream base.

Transfer to ice cream maker and freeze. Makes generous 1 quart.

For chunkier ice cream, drain the juice from the strawberries and whisk it into the cream base just before transferring it to the ice cream maker. After the ice cream stiffens (about 2 minutes before it is done), add the mashed strawberries, then continue freezing until the ice cream is ready.

Churro Cupcakes with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

For the cupcakes

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 (1 stick) cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup milk

For the frosting

4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 cups confectioners’ sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a muffin pan with cupcake liners; set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, and salt; set aside.

In a large bowl, or the bowl of a standing mixer, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, until just combined then stir in the vanilla and oil. Sprinkle 1/3 of the flour mixture over the butter mixture and gently stir in until barely combined. Add half of the milk, mixing until just combined. Repeat these steps with the remaining flour mixture and milk, ending with the flour. Do not over mix.

Fill each cupcake tin with 2 tablespoons of batter, or until the cupcake tin is filled half way. Bake the cupcakes for 14 to 16 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with one or two crumbs clinging to it. Allow the cupcakes to cool completely before frosting.

Cream the butter and cream cheese together in a large bowl. Add the sugar, one cup at a time, beating well between each addition. Stir in the cinnamon until thoroughly combined. Then stir in the vanilla. Beat the mixture well, until light and fluffy.

Pipe onto cupcakes, sprinkle with a little cinnamon sugar and top with a drizzle of Dulce De Leche if desired.

Recipe From: The Novice Chef

Versatile Salsa Verde

This recipe is a basic one you can modify easily depending on how spicy you like your salsa.

12 tomatillos, husked & rinsed
4 serrano peppers or 2 jalapeno chiles or 1 can of diced green chilis (I use whatever I have on hand)
2 cloves garlic
1/4 t salt
1/2 cup finely chopped yellow onion
2 T fresh cillantro minced (I usually add more because I'm obsessed with cilantro)

Put the tomatillos and chilies in a saucepan over medium heat and add water to cover. Bring to a simmer and cooke uncovered for about 15 minutes until tomatillos are soft. (If you want your salsa verde to be less spicy you can take out some or all of the seeds from the peppers before you do this)

Drain, reserving about 1/2 cup of liquid. Add the garlic to the tomatillos & peppers and blend up, adding the liquid to create the consistency you like. Stir in the minced onions & cilantro and serve!

Old-Fashioned Chocolate Frosting

16 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped (I measured 16oz chocolate chips on a kitchen scale.)
8 Tbs (1 stick) unsalted butter
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 Tbs corn syrup
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp table salt
1 1/4 cups cold heavy cream

Melt Chocolate in heatproof bowl set over a saucepan containing 1 inch of barely simmering water, stirring occasionally until smooth. Remove from heat and set aside.

Meanwhile, heat butter in small saucepan over medium-low heat until melted. Increase heat to medium; add sugar, corn syrup, vanilla, and salt and stir with heatproof rubber spatula until sugar is dissolved, 4-5 minutes.

Add melted chocolate, butter mixture, and cream to clean bowl of stand mixer and stir to thoroughly combine.
Place mixer bowl over ice bath and stir mixture constantly with rubber spatula until frosting is thick and just beginning to harden against sides of bowl, 1-2 minutes (frosting should be 70 degrees). Place bowl on stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment and beat on medium-high speed until frosting is light and fluffy, 1-2 minutes. Stir with rubber spatula until completely smooth.

If you find after beating, your frosting is still too soft for your liking, try chilling in the fridge until it sets up a little more.

Recipe From: Cooks Illustrated Best Recipes Issue, 12/09