Blueberry Coffee Cake

The Casserole Queens Cookbook by Crystal Cook and Sandy Pollock

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup whole milk
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen and thawed blueberries

Glaze:

1 cup Confectioner's sugar
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
3 tablespoons milk


Grease a 13 x 9 -inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. Preheat the oven to 375 F.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar baking powder, lemon zest and salt. Using a pastry blender or fork, cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

Add the milk and eggs, slightly beaten, vanilla and stir well.

Pour 3/4 of the batter into the prepared pan. Top with the blueberries, then spoon the remaining batter over the blueberries. Bake for 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
Transfer to a wire rack and let cool for 30 minutes.

In a small bowl, whisk together the sugar, almond extract and milk. As more milk as needed for the icing to be thin and easy to drizzle over the cake. Cut into squares and serve.

Zucchini Cakes

Posted by Sonia Mendez Garcia
www.hispanickitchen.com

I love this recipe. I made a couple of changes like decreasing the amount of cumin and oregano because I do not like strong flavors. My hubby loves Herdez Salsa Verde so no need to make our own Tomatillo Sauce.

2 small zucchini (about 1 cup), shredded
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1/2 cup Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
1 cup corn
1/4 cup red onion, finely diced
1/4 cup orange bell pepper, finely diced
2 teaspoons cumin seeds, crushed
1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano, crushed
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
Salt and pepper
3-5 tablespoons Canola oil

Coarsely shred zucchini. Drain on several layers of paper towels, patting dry with more paper towels. In a large bowl, stir together eggs, flour, cheese, onion, pepper, cumin, oregano, salt and pepper. Add zucchini and corn.

In a large skillet, heat 3 tablespoons of the oil to medium high heat. Drop by 1/4 cup full into hot skillet and slightly flatten. Cook for about 2 minutes per side or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Keep warm in a 250 F oven. Serve with Tomatillo Salsa or Salsa Verde.


Makes 10 cakes

No Flour Monster Cookies

Courtesy of Becca Betts

Full Recipe:

12 eggs
4 cups sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla
8 teaspoons baking soda
1 lb butter
18 cups whole oats
4 cups craisins
4 cups M&M's or chocolate chips
2 cups ground flax seed
2 cups sunflower kernels

(Makes 70 large cookies)


1/4 of the Recipe:

3 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 cups peanut butter
1 stick butter
4 1/2 cups whole oats
1 cup M&M's or chocolate chips
1 cup craisins
1/2 cup ground flax seed
1/2 cup sunflower kernels

(Makes 18 large cookies)

Mix in the order given. Drop onto a greased cookie sheet with an ice cream scoop and flatten slightly with a pancake turner. Only put 6 on a half sheet cake pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 13 minutes at high altitude. Cool on cookie sheet before removing for about 10 minutes.

Wrap individually and store in an empty oatmeal container.

French Puffs

Deep on the Heart, A Collection of Recipes: Dallas Junior Forum

1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 egg
1/3 cup salad oil

1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease small muffins tins (miniature). Combine first 5 ingredients. Blend in eggs, oil and milk. Fill muffin tins and bake 10 minutes.
Remove from tins to a wire rack. While still warm, roll in melted butter, then in sugar and cinnamon mixture.

Yield: 2 dozen small puffs
                                                                                          Mrs. Robert Bostwick (Diane)

Country-Style Pork Ribs in Apricot sauce

1 1/2- 2 lbs country-style pork ribs

Sauce

2/3 cup beef broth
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon apricot preserves
1/8 teaspoon Five-Spice powder
3 tablespoons cider vinegar
1/2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon cornstarch

Place the ribs on the bottom of a slow-cooker. Mix the sauce ingredients in a small bowl and pour into the slow-cooker. Cover and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours.

Serve over hot brown rice.

Yield: 4-6 servings

Chili Seasoning Mix

Christmas Gifts of Good Taste

1/2 cup chili powder
1/4 cup dried minced onions
2 tablespoons dried minced garlic
2 tablespoons ground cumin
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons salt
1 tablespoon sweet pepper flakes
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1 tablespoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon dried cilantro
1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

In a small bowl combine all the ingredients. Stir until well blended. Store in an airtight container. Give 1/4 cup seasoning with Chili recipe.

Yield: about 1 1/4 cups seasoning mix

Chili

2 pounds ground beef
2 cans (8 ounces each) tomato sauce
1 can (16 ounces) pinto beans, undrained
1 can (14 1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
1/4 cup Chili Seasoning Mix

In a large skillet cook beef over medium heat until brown; drain meat. Stir in tomato sauce, beans, tomatoes and chili seasoning mix. Reduce heat to low. Stirring occasionally, cover and simmer 30 minutes. Serve warm.

Yield: about 7 cups chili

Mixed Berry-Banana and Citrus Smoothie

1 cup milk
1/2 cup orange juice
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 medium size bananas, very ripe cut into chunks and frozen
1/2 cup frozen blueberries
2 cups frozen strawberries, halved or raspberries
Honey to taste
1 cup ice cubes

Mix the liquid ingredients in the blender. Add honey to taste.

Stir in the frozen bananas and blend on the "ice" setting. Once it is smooth, add the remaining fruit and follow the same process.

Finally, add the ice and crush it well.

Makes 4 servings