Fresh Strawberry Yogurt Cake, by Steph

This recipe is knock your socks off delicious!

I will give the original recipe and my gluten free conversion. So good!

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (I added more for high altitude)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
Zest of 1 lemon
1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter, at room temperature
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon almond extract (I used vanilla instead, but it would be good!)
8 ounces plain or vanilla Greek yogurt
12 ounces fresh strawberries, diced (I used more, it was yummy!)


GLAZE
1 1/4 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons lemon juice


*I thought it didn't taste very good so I doubled and added butter as follows:
2 cups powdered sugar
2 Tbls fresh lemon juice
3 Tbls butter melted
Then I added more water in tiny additions until it was the right consistency.



Gluten Free Instructions:
2 C. gluten free flour mix (any brand is fine)
3/4 C. potato starch flour (there is extra for high altitude, you can use normal amount 1/2 C)
2 1/2 tsp xanthum gum
coat strawberries in 1/4 C potato starch flour

Directions:


Heat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour a 10-inch Bundt pan and set it aside.
In a bowl, stir together flour, baking soda and salt. Mix in the lemon zest and set aside.
With an electric mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in lemon juice and almond extract. Alternate beating in the flour mixture and the yogurt, mixing just until incorporated. Gently stir strawberries into the batter.
Pour the batter into the Bundt pan. Bake for 70-75 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
Allow to cool 25 minutes in the pan, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely. Once cooled, whisk together the powdered sugar and lemon juice in a small bowl. Drizzle glaze over top of the cake, letting it drip down the sides.


Served with extra diced strawberries on top and vanilla ice cream, so good!!!

Lazy Bolognese-Style Lasagna

This is my version of a Rachael Ray recipe.
I think it is better then her version,
I've made both. :)


Ingredients:

Salt and pepper

1 pound wavy lasagna noodles, broken into irregular pieces

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)

1 1/2 pounds hot Italian sausage

1 onion, finely chopped

2-3 large cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 small carrot, grated  or grated

1 sprig rosemary, finely chopped

A sprinkle of ground cloves

1/4 cup tomato paste

6-8 crimini mushrooms chopped

2 1/2 cups beef stock

3 tablespoons butter

2 rounded tablespoons flour

2 cups whole milk

1 1/2 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Freshly grated nutmeg, to taste

Directions:

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt and oil, add the pasta and cook to al dente.

In a Dutch oven (or pot), heat the EVOO, two turns of the pan, over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and brown well. Add the onion, garlic, carrot, rosemary, cloves, mushrooms and lots of salt and pepper and cook until tender, 7-8 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste for 1 minute, then stir in the beef stock a few minutes longer.

Pre-heat the broiler and position a rack in the center of the oven.

In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour, then the milk, and let thicken enough to coat a spoon; season with salt, pepper and nutmeg.

Toss the pasta with the meat sauce and arrange in a casserole dish. Pour the bechamel sauce over the top in an even layer. Top with a layer of Parmigiano Reggiano and broil in the oven to lightly brown the top.

Sounds kinda weird with the bolognese sauce, but it is SO good!

Mango Avocado Salsa, by Steph Warner

Ingredients:

2 large avocados, peeled and cubed

2 mangos, peeled and cubed

3-4 green onions, chopped

1 fresno chili pepper, diced tiny

1/2 red bell pepper, cubed

1/4 bush of fresh cilantro chopped *or as much/little as you prefer

1/2 tsp garlic salt

1/2 Tbl lime or lemon juice *I prefer lime

salt and pepper to taste

Mix all together and let chill for 30 minutes to combine flavors before serving

Mexican Pasta Salad, by Janel Warner

Ingredients

• 2 poblano peppers
• 2 red bell peppers
1 can corn
• 4 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 3 tablespoon extravirgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 4 cups hot cooked penne (about 8 ounces uncooked pasta)
• 2 cups halved grape tomatoes
• 1 cup finely chopped onion
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 chopped peeled avocado
• 3/4 cup (3 ounces) queso fresco

***to make it a one dish meal I add 2 cups cooked chicken

Preparation

• Preheat broiler.
• Cut poblano and bell peppers in half lengthwise; discard seeds and membranes. Place pepper halves, skin sides up, on a foil-lined baking sheet; flatten with hand. Add corn to baking sheet. Broil 18 minutes or until peppers are blackened and corn is lightly browned, turning corn occasionally. Place peppers in a zip-top plastic bag; seal. Let stand 10 minutes. Peel and coarsely chop. Cut kernels from ears of corn.
• Combine juice, oil, salt, black pepper, cumin, and garlic in a large bowl; stir. Add peppers, corn, pasta, and remaining ingredients except cheese; toss. Top with cheese.

This recipe has been a favorite of mine for 4 years. I hope you enjoy it, too.

Easy Spaghetti Squash, by Steph

The easiest way I've found to cook spaghetti squash is:
1. Cut in half length wise
2. Oil the inside only well with canola/olive/grapeseed oil
2. Salt/Pepper
3. Cover cookie sheet with foil
4. Place squash face down
Bake at 450 degrees F for 45-60 minutes

Paula Deen Three Chocolate Chip Cookies, by Steph

Ingredients

1 teaspoon salt       *I use fine popcorn salt
2 teaspoons baking soda     *I used 2 1/2 tsp
3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour   *I added 2 Tbls for high altitute
1 teaspoon vanilla extract       *I used 1 1/2 tsp
3   large eggs
1 3/4 cups firmly packed brown sugar
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
1   (12-ounce) package semisweet chocolate morsels
1 cup milk chocolate morsels
3   (1-ounce) squares bittersweet chocolate, chopped

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly grease baking sheets.

With an electric mixer, beat butter and shortening at medium speed until creamy; gradually add sugars, beating until fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla, beating well.

In a small bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt; gradually add to butter mixture, beating until blended. Stir in chocolate morsels and almond brickle chips. Drop cookies by 1/4 cupfuls about 3-inches apart onto prepared baking sheets. Bake for 11 to 12 minutes, or until lightly browned. Let cool for 2 minutes on baking sheets. Remove to wire racks to cool.

*I always add extra vanilla and baking soda to my cookies because I like how the vanilla tastes and I find that the extra baking soda makes them fluffier. I also use popcorn salt because the finer salt distributes more even throughout the dough to each cookie. I also only cooked mine for 9 minutes and they came out perfectly, but each oven is different!

Welcome Family!

I decided to start a family recipe blog. I know that so many of you have your favorite meals you cook weekly/bi weekly or monthly. I would love to know what they are! If you have a new cookie recipe or found a great way to cook roast on the internet somewhere. I am always looking for new meals to make. I love all the food we have at family get togethers so I created a place we can share them all. Please feel free to post any recipe or cooking/baking tip. Just make sure you label it! The labeler is located in the bottom right corner of where you post your comment above the orange publish post button.
If you have any questions or want to be added as an author to the blog just email me: stephwarner09@gmail.com