Balsamic and Strawberries with Mascarpone Cheese

Yes, I am aware of how this sounds, but it really is super!!!  Please please please try this!!!

1/3 C Balsamic Vinegar
2t plus 4T Sugar
1/2 t fresh lemon juice
1/2 C chilled mascarpone cheese
1/2 C chilled whipping cream
1/2 t vanilla
3- 1 pint strawberries hulled and halved

Combine vinegar, 2 teaspoons sugar, and lemon juice in heavy small saucepan. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Boil until syrup is reduced to scant 1/4 cup, about 3 minutes. Transfer to small bowl; cool completely. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)

Combine mascarpone, cream, vanilla, and 2 tablespoons sugar in medium bowl. Whisk until thick soft peaks form. Cover and refrigerate up to 4 hours.

Combine berries and remaining 2 tablespoons sugar in large bowl; drizzle with balsamic syrup and toss to blend. Let stand 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Divide berries and syrup among 6 bowls. Top with mascarpone mixture.

Brown Sugar Cake

Stephanie Reece

Need a quick pot-luck cake or a quick mid-week, after work cake?  This is your baby!!

1 pkg (2 layer size) yellow cake mix
1 pkg (3.4 oz) vanilla instant pudding
4 eggs
2/3 C sour cream
1/2 C oil
2/3 C water
1 C packed brown sugar
1 C chopped walnuts or pecans
2t powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350*. Beat first 6 ingredients 3 min or until well blended.  Add brown sugar, nuts. Mix well.  Pour in well greased bundt pan for 60 min or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool cake in pan for 15 min., then invert onto plate and sprinkle powdered sugar on top.  Enjoy!

Peanut Sauce

After a few years and many failed tries and trying to make this yummy dipping sauce I happened to be in the right place at the right time. We usually bought our peanut sauce from a Thai restaurant and the lady that made it (would never share the recipe) would always call Steve "Mr. Peanut Sauce" cause we were there a lot just for the sauce. I'm so happy to share it all with you.

2 Tablespoons Tamarind Liquid

4-5 Tbs. Chunky Peanut butter

1-2 Tbs. Red curry paste

6 Tbs. Sugar

4 Tbs. Fish sauce

1 1/2 cups Coconut Milk

Directions:

1- In saucepan add coconut milk & heat it up at Medium heat.

2- Stir in curry paste & break into small pieces and mix well.

3- When you see red oil simmering to the top, add peanut butter, sugar, fish sauce, and tamarind liquid.

4- Stir.

** Add water if to thick, few tsp.

Needs to be Salty sweet and Sour

We use this to dip our Sticky rice and Chicken Satay!! YUM!

Super Nachos

My two VERY dear friends, Melody and Abbey married brothers.  This is a family recipe of theirs that their moms made for them and now, these two make it too.  I think there is something sweet about your spouse cooking something for you that your mom used to make you.  It shows thoughtfulness.  On a side note: these two married big time hunting enthusiasts, so more times than not the meat in this dish is usually from a deer!!

1 box Velveeta cheese
1 lb. ground beef
1 sm can diced green chilies
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 lg can of red enchilada sauce or an envelope of red enchilada sauce and mix your own

*Brown meat and drain fat.  Combine all ingredients in a crock pot and heat through.  Turn on warm and eat with tortilla chips!!

Pretzel Salad

Stephanie Reece

Whenever I tell anyone about this dish I get very strange looks...very, very strange looks!  I used to turn my nose to it too...until I got the nerve to make it one day...and I am glad I did!!  Its really, very good.  So, just build up the nerve to try this.  You wont be sorry!!

Bottom layer:
2C crushed pretzels
3T Sugar
3/4C melted butter

Middle layer:
1C Sugar
1 sm can of crushed pineapple, drained
8 oz pkg of cream cheese, softened
1 tub of cool whip

Top layer:
2- 3oz pkg of Raspberry jello
1pkg frozen raspberries

Directions: (This is built in layers)
*Combine crushed pretzels, sugar, and melted butter in bowl.  Mix to combine.  Spread out into a 9x13 in. baking pan.  Bake at 400* for 5-7 min.  Careful not to let the pretzels/butter mixture burn! Set aside to cool.
Next, combine the sugar, crushed pineapple and cream cheese in bowl and mix with beaters until combined.  Gently fold in tub of cool whip and spread on top of cooled pretzel mixture. Cover and place in refrigerator. 
Meanwhile, combine raspberry gelatin with 2 C boiling water and stir until dissolved.  Add frozen raspberries.  Stir to combine and refrigerate for approx 20-25 min or until gelatin is partially set.  Remove from fridge and spread gelatin mixture on top of cool whip/cream cheese mixture.  Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hr or until top layer is fully set.

Chocolate Zucchini Cake

I got this from one of my Mission Companions Marnee Theurer and it is so Yummy! The kids didn't figure out it had Zucchini until after they liked it!!


Chocolate Zucchini Cake
4oz. Unsweetened Bakers Chocolate (or less)
1/2 c. oil
1/2 c. Margarine or butter
2. c Sugar
3 eggs
1tsp. vanilla
2c. flour
1/2 c. Cocoa
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1/3 c. buttermilk
3 c. zucchini

Melt oil and bakers chocolate and set aside to cool. Mix butter, eggs and vanilla stir in chocolate when cool. Mix dry ingredients and add to chocolate mixture (mix well). Then stir in buttermilk and zucchini pour in cake pan bake at 350 for 40 minutes. (You'll probably need to adjust this time and temp I had to go a lot longer to get the middle to cook I think next time I make it I'll decrease the heat and increase the cook time.)

Fudge Frosting

1 cube butter or margarine
1/3 heaping cup of cocoa
1 tsp vanilla
1/3 c. milk
3 cups + of powder sugar

Melt margarine and cocoa till smooth. Add vanilla and milk then sugar to consistency you like.

Enjoy!!

Cinnamon Rolls

1 1/2 C shortening
1 1/2 C sugar
2 t. salt
4 eggs
2 C milk
8 C flour
2 T yeast
1/2 C water



*Scald milk for 5 min. then cool.  Mix flour and yeast in large mixing bowl.  Add the rest of the ingredients, adding milk and water last. Mix until dough pulls apart from edges, adding more flour if needed.  Let rise until doubled in size, punch down and divide dough into 2 equal portions.  Roll out in rectangle shape.  Spread 1/4C soft butter on each rectangle piece of dough and sprinkle on cinnamon-sugar mixture.  Roll up and with dental floss or string cut 12 pieces of each log and lay cut side down on greased baking sheet. Let rise again, until doubled and bake at 350* for 25 minutes.  Frost with frosting after cooled.

 Notes:  After cinnamon rolls have been cut, place 8-12 in a round aluminum container and place lid on or seal with tin foil and freeze.  Then, pull out allow to thaw and rise then bake at 350* for 25 min.  You can also bake them, frost them, cool them then freeze them.  Just pull them out of the freezer and warm in a 250* oven for 15 min.