6/15/2011

!Ole! Party Salsa recipe.

Ingredients
1/2 cup Hidden Valley� Original Ranch� Salad Dressing
1/2 cup thick and chunky mild salsa
Fresh chopped tomatoes and diced green chilies (optional)
Tortilla chips

Directions
Combine Ranch, salsa, tomatoes and chilies, if desired. Chill 1 hour. Serve with tortilla chips.

Black Forest Cake II recipe.

Ingredients
1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup shortening
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
1/2 cup kirschwasser
1/2 cup butter
3 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
1 pinch salt
1 teaspoon strong brewed coffee
2 (14 ounce) cans pitted Bing cherries, drained
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon kirschwasser
1 (1 ounce) square semisweet chocolate

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line the bottoms of two 8 inch round pans with parchment paper circles. Sift together flour, cocoa, baking soda and 1 teaspoon salt. Set aside.
Cream shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Beat in flour mixture, alternating with buttermilk, until combined. Pour into 2 round 8 inch pans.
Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean. Cool completely. Remove paper from the cakes. Cut each layer in half, horizontally, making 4 layers total. Sprinkle layers with the 1/2 cup kirshwasser.
In a medium bowl, cream the butter until light and fluffy. Add confectioners sugar, pinch of salt, and coffee; beat until smooth. If the consistency is too thick, add a couple teaspoons of cherry juice or milk. Spread first layer of cake with 1/3 of the filling. Top with 1/3 of the cherries. Repeat with the remaining layers.
In a separate bowl, whip the cream to stiff peaks. Beat in 1/2 teaspoon vanilla and 1 tablespoon kirshwasser. Frost top and sides of cake. Sprinkle with chocolate curls made by using a potato peeler on semisweet baking chocolate.

Apple Mashed Potatoes recipe.

Ingredients
4 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 medium tart apples, peeled and quartered
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 bacon strips, diced
1 small onion, quartered and thinly sliced
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 teaspoon cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 dash ground nutmeg

Directions
Place the potatoes, apples and salt in a large saucepan; add enough water to cover. Bring to a boil; cover and cook for 12 minutes or until tender.
Meanwhile, in a small skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. Remove to paper towels; drain, reserving 1 teaspoon drippings. In the drippings, saute onion until tender.
Drain the potatoes and apples. Add the butter, vinegar and sugar; mash until smooth. Top with bacon, onion and nutmeg.

Brownie Mix in a Jar II recipe.

Ingredients
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 1/4 cups white sugar
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Directions
Mix together flour, baking powder, and salt in a quart jar. Layer remaining ingredients in the order listed. Press each layer firmly in place before adding the next layer. NOTE: Be sure to wipe out the inside of the jar with a dry paper towel after adding the cocoa powder, so the other layers will show through the glass.
Attach a tag with the following instructions: Brownie Mix in a Jar 1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x13inch baking pan. 2. Empty jar of brownie mix into a large mixing bowl, and stir to blend. Mix in 3/4 cup melted butter and 4 eggs. Mix thoroughly. Spread batter evenly into prepared baking pan. 3. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes in preheated oven. Cool completely in pan before cutting into 2 inch squares.

Barbecued Beef Brisket recipe.

Ingredients
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon celery seed
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 1/2 pounds fresh beef brisket*, trimmed
1/2 cup ketchup
1/2 cup chili sauce
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon liquid smoke flavoring
1/2 teaspoon ground mustard

Directions
Combine the first six ingredients; rub over brisket. Place in a slow cooker. In a bowl, combine the sauce ingredients. Pour half over the brisket; set the remaining sauce aside. Cover and cook on high for 4-5 hours or until meat is tender. Serve with the reserved sauce.

6/14/2011

Beef and Cheddar Quiche recipe.

Ingredients
3/4 pound ground beef
1 (9 inch) unbaked pastry shell
3 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup chopped onion
4 teaspoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese, divided

Directions
In a skillet, cook the beef until browned. Meanwhile, line unpricked pastry shell with a double thickness of heavy-duty foil. Bake at 450 degrees F for 5 minutes. Remove foil; bake for 5 minutes more. Set aside. Drain beef; place in a large bowl. Add the eggs, mayonnaise, milk, onion, cornstarch, salt, pepper and 1 cup cheese. Pour into crust. Bake at 350 degrees F for 35-40 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. If necessary, cover the edges of crust with foil to prevent overbrowning. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Let stand 5-10 minutes before cutting.

Apple-Feta Tossed Salad recipe.

Ingredients
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup walnut halves
1 tablespoon sugar
1/8 teaspoon pepper
5 cups torn romaine
5 cups torn red leaf lettuce
1 medium red apple, chopped
1 green apple, chopped
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
6 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons finely chopped onion
1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
1/8 teaspoon pepper

Directions
In a small skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the walnuts; sprinkle with sugar and pepper. Stir until well coated. Spread onto a baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees F for 15 minutes or until lightly browned, stirring every 5 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.
In a large bowl, combine romaine, red lettuce, apples and feta cheese; set aside. In a blender, combine the dressing ingredients; cover and process until blended. Drizzle over salad; toss to coat. Sprinkle with sugared walnuts.