Quick Apricot Bars

I may have mentioned once or twice that apricot is one of my favorite flavors.  This is a quick recipe that I am going to adapt by swapping pecans for walnuts because I love the way pecans taste with apricots.  Maybe I'll share them...maybe not. ;-P

3/4 C. butter
1 C. packed brown sugar
1 3/4 C. all purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 C. old fashioned or quick cooking oats
1 8oz. jar apricot jam
1 C. chopped pecans (or walnuts)

Heat oven to 400 degrees.  Spray 13X9 inch pan with nonstick cooking spray.

In a medium bowl, beat butter and brown sugar at medium speed until well blended.  Combine flour, salt and baking soda; add to butter mixture.  Add oats; blend well.  Press one half of crust mixture into pan.  Press down firmly.  Stir jam and nuts together.  Spread jam mixture evenly over crust.  Press remaining one half crust mixture evenly over filling.

Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown.  Col in pan on wire rack.  Cut into 2 X 1 inch bars and store in an air tight container.

Rhubarb Dump Cake

I am posting this recipe for my aunts.  I also have to share something I learned in the magazine I found this recipe in.  While it used in fruit recipes, rhubarb is technically a vegetable.  Who knew?

1lb. fresh rhubarb, chopped (about 4 C.)
1/2 C. sugar
1 3oz. pkg. strawberry jello
1 pkg. white cake mix
1 C. water
1/3 C. butter melted butter
3/4 C. thawed Cool Whip


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

Place rhubarb in a 13 X 9 inch baking dish; sprinkle with sugar and dry gelatin mix.

Beat cake mix, water and butter with whisk until well blended.  Pour over rhubarb; spread to completely cover rhubarb.

Bake 45 minutes or until golden brown.  Serve warm topped with Cool Whip.  For a little twist, top each serving with a dash of ground cinnamon or ginger.

Hard Boiled Eggs

As my family's deviled egg guru, I am always looking for the best way to make easy peel hard boiled eggs.  For years I have been using cold water, add the eggs and bring to a boil, boil for 10 minutes, let the eggs sit in the cold water for 10 minutes and then run cold water over the eggs.  They peel great but the yolks have a green edge.  I am going to try this technique and hopefully the yolks will stay yellow.

Place eggs in a saucepan.  Fill with water covering eggs but at least 1 inch of water. 

Bring water to a boil; cover.  Remove pan from heat; let stand 15 minutes.  Transfer eggs to a bowl of ice water to cool.

Farmer's Market Squash Saute'

We are at t-minus 2 months until the farmer's market opens and I'll be honest, it's mostly plants and strawberries for the first couple of weeks but eventually, there will be squash.  Squash is one of those things I had to turn 30 to decide that I like.  Asparagus is another one of those things but that is another post.

2 zucchini, sliced
2 yellow squash, sliced
1 tbsp. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 C. shredded mozzarella cheese
2 tbsp. chopped fresh basil
2 tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese

Cook vegetables in hot oil in a large skillet in medium heat 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Stir in garlic; cook 3 minutes or until vegetables are crisp tender. 

Remove from heat; stir in cheeses and basil.

Easy Greek Tomato and Cucumber Salad

Can you tell I am pining for summer?  I can get the veggie ingredients for this salad at the farmer's market and could whip this up in the blink of an eye.  I love the way that the flavors of  feta cheese and red onions mix together.

2 tomatoes, coarsely chopped
1 large cucumber, chopped
1/2 C. coarsely chopped green pepper
1/2 C. crumbled feta cheese
1/4 C. Greek dressing
1/2 tsp. lemon zest

Combine all ingredients but the the dressing and then gently toss with the dressing.

Peanut Butter Pound Cake

I found this recipe in the Penzey's catalog that came recently.  It was used as a groom's cake.  I think it would make an excellent birthday cake, or any occasion cake. 

Cake:
1 C. butter softened
1 C. creamy peanut butter
3 C. sugar
5 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
3 C. cake flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 C. milk

Icing:
12oz. premium semi sweet chocolate chips
3/4 C. heavy cream

Do not preheat oven.  The Penzey's test kitchen tried making the cake with a preheated 325 degree oven and with a cold oven and both cakes were good but the cake baked in a cold oven was easier to frost.  Lightly grease and flour a 10 inch tube pan and set aside.  In a large bowl, cream together the butter and peanut butter.  Add the sugar and beat until light in color.  Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.  The mixture should be light and fluffy.  Add the vanilla.

In a smaller bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt.  Gradually add to the butter mixture, alternating with the milk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture.  Mix the batter until smooth and creamy.  Pour into cake pan.  Place in the cold oven.  Set the oven temperature to 325 degrees and bake until a tester inserted into the cake comes out clean; about 1 hour and 35 minutes.  Please note that all ovens are different, so check the cake's progress after 1 hour 10 minutes.  Let the cake cool in the pan for 30 minutes before turning out on a rack to cool completely before icing.

For the icing; place the chocolate chips in a small mixing bowl.  Heat the cream in a heavy bottomed saucepan until boiling.  Pour over the chocolate and stir until creamy and smooth.  Let cool for 2-3 minutes.  Brush any loose crumbs from the cake.  Place the cooling rack on a clean baking sheet to catch the drips.  Pour the icing evenly over the cake, allowing it to cascade and cover the cake.  Move the cake rack to another clean baking sheet.  Scrape the drips from the first baking sheet, reheat and pour over the cake.

Biscuits and Gravy

Sometimes when I think about my favorite foods...I think that I should have been born South of the Mason-Dixon line.  I like a lot of different rich Southern foods.  I LOVE biscuits and gravy.  I'll be honest and tell you they give me terrible heartburn but every bite is worth it.  I can't say this is WW friendly and Lord knows I am not going to try and adapt it.  Sometimes you need to go big or go home and you don't want to scrimp on your biscuits and gravy.

1 tube large refrigerated  flaky biscuits (if you don't have time to whip up baking powder biscuits from scratch)
1lb. bulk pork sausage
1 C. chopped sweet onion
2 tbsp butter
1 envelop country gravy mix
1 tbsp all purpose flour
Dash each of garlic powder, Italian seasoning, onion powder and pepper
1 1/2 C. 2% milk
1 C. reduced sodium chicken broth

Bake biscuits according to package instructions.

Meanwhile in a large skillet, cook sausage and onion over medium heat until sausage is no longer pink; drain.  Add butter, cook until melted.  Stir in the gravy mix, flour and seasonings until blended.  Gradually add milk and broth.  Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 1 minute or until thickened.  Serve with biscuits.