Garden Pasta Salad

2 cups whole-wheat rotini ( 6 oz)
1/3 cup reduced-fat mayonnaise
1/3 cup low-fat plain yogurt
2 TBS extra-virgin olive oil
1 TBS red-whine vinegar or lemon juice
1 clove garlic, minced
1/8 tsp salt, or to taste
Freshly ground pepper to taste
1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
1 cup diced yellow or red bell pepper (1 small)
1 cup grated carrots (2-4 carrots)
1/2 cup chopped scallions (4 scallions)
1/2 cup chopped pitted Kalamata olives
1/3 cup slivered fresh basil

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook pasta, stirring occasionally, until just tender, 8 to 10 minutes, or according to package directions. Drain and refresh under cold running water.
Whisk mayonnaise, yogurt, oil, vinegar (or lemon juice), garlic, salt and pepper in a large bowl until smooth. Add the pasta and toss to coat. Add tomatoes, bell pepper, carrots, scallions, olives and basil; toss to coat well.


Homemade Potato Salad
2 lbs small Yukon Gold potatoes
kosher salt
2 large eggs
1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
1/4 cup finely chopped dill pickles with 1/4 cup juuice
1 small red onion, chopped
2 TBS capers
2 TBS chopped fresh parsley
1/2 lemon, juiced
kosher salt and freshly ground black

Put the potatoes and the eggs into a big saucepan of cold, salted water. Bring to a simmer and cook until a paring knife poked into the potatoes goes in without resistance, about 15 minutes. Remove the eggs and let cool. Drain the potatoes in a colander and let them cool.
Meanwhile, stir together the mayonnaise, mustard, pickles with juice, onion, capers, parsley and lemon juice in a bowl large enough to hold the potatoes. Peel the cooked eggs and grate them in the bowl. Stick a fork into the potatoes, one at a time, lift them out of the colander and peel with a paring knife. Break up the potatoes, put them in the bowl with the dressing and toss everything together. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Beef Enchiladas

Sauce
3 cans (8 oz each) tomato sauce
1 can (1 lb ) chili con carne without beans
1 can ( 1 lb) kidney beans, ground
3 cups tomato juice
1 tsp basil
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper

Mix all ingredients together in saucepan.
Simmer on low heat for 30 minutes.

Filling
1 lb lean ground beef
1/2 cup tomato sauce
1 tbs taco seasoning
1 tsp crushed red pepper
2 tsp oregano
Dash of Tabasco sauce
12 corn tortillas
1 cup grated Cheddar cheese
1/4 ground onions

Brown ground beef in skillet. Add tomato sauce, taco seasoning, red pepper, oregano, and Tabasco sauce. Mix thouroughly. Divide beef mixture and spoon onto each corn tortilla. Sprinkle cheese and ground onions over the beef mixture and roll up tortillas. Place seam side down in baking dish. Pour sauce over top. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Sprinkle with additional cheese just before serving. Makes 12 enchiladas.

Cheryl's Salad

8 -10 cups chopped Romaine and Red Leaf Lettuce
1 to 1 1/2 cup Feta Cheese
1 cup Craisins
1- 8 oz bag glazed or candied pecans or almonds chopped
2 Avocados cut into bit sized pieces
1/4 cup chopped red onion

DRESSING:
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup white wine vinegar or champagne vinegar
1/4 cup real maple syrup
2 TBS Gray Pupon Dijon mustard
2-4 TBS minced garlic

Mix dressing and set aside. Put salad ingredients in bowl and top with dressing. Mix, mix, mix and enjoy!

Easter Carrot Cake

I don't know why, but to me, Easter is a great time to have Carrot Cake. Lets see how this one is.

LAYERED CARROT CAKE

2 cups all purpose flour

3/4 cup granulated sugar

2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 tsp. salt

1 (8-oz) can crushed pineapple in juice, drained.

1/4 cup vegetable oil

2 large eggs

2 egg whites

1 TBS. vanilla extract

3 cups grated carrots.

( vegetable cooking spray)

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

1/2 (8 oz.) package 1/3 less fat cream cheese

2 TBS. butter, softened

1 tsp. vanilla extract

3 cups powder sugar

1 to 2 tsp, fat free milk ( optional)

1.preheat oven to 350. Combine first 5 ingredients in a large bowl; make a well in center of mixture. Whisk together pineapple and next 4 ingredients; add pineapple mixture to flour mixture, stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened. Pour batter into 2 (8in) round cake pans coated with cooking spray.

2. Bake at 350 for 22 to 25 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on a wire rack 10 minutes. Remove from pans to wire rack; cool completely about 1 hour.

PREPARING FROSTING

3. beat first 3 ingredients on medium speed with electric mixer until smooth. Gradually add powder sugar to butter mixture; beat at low speed just until blended. beat in milk for desired consistency. Place 1 cake layer on a serving plate; spread with 2/3 cup frosting, and top with remaining cake layer. Spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake.

****can add 1/2 cup chopped pecans to batter and 1/2 cup golden raisins. ***

Bananas Foster Bread Pudding

• 6 cups stale bread


• 4 medium bananas, divided


• 4 eggs 3 egg yolks


• 1 1/2 cup milk


• 1 1/2 cup heavy cream


• 1 c brown sugar, divided


• 1/4 tsp kosher salt


• 1 tsp vanilla extract


• 1 1/2 tsp rum (or rum flavoring but why would you want to use that???)


• 1 tsp cinnamon, divided


• 2 TBS butter, divided

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line rimmed baking sheet with heavy duty foil.


2. In a small mixing bowl, combine 3 sliced bananas (about 2 cups) with 1 TBS melted butter. Combine 1/4 cup brown sugar and 1/4 tsp cinnamon and then add them to the bananas and butter.


3. Gently toss to combine and spread on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes or until the bananas are fragrant and tender and the sugar is starting to bubble and caramelize. Remove from oven and reduce heat to 350 degrees.


4. While the bananas are caramelizing, use and electric hand mixer to combine the milk, whipping cream, egg yolks, eggs, vanilla, salt, remaining brown sugar, rum, and remaining cinnamon.


5. Spray a 9 x 13 dish with nonstick cooking spray and spread 1/2 of the bread cubes over the bottom of the pan. Evenly spread the caramelized bananas and brown sugar mixture and then slice one more banana over the caramelized bananas. Spread the remaining bread cubes over the bananas.


6. Whisk the egg mixture one last time and pour evenly over the bread cubes. Allow to stand for 10-15 minutes (longer if possible), poling the break down into the mixture so it can soak in the milk and eggs.


7. Bake for 40-50 minutes until puffed and golden (but not brown) and a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.


8. Serve with Creme Anglaise or buttermilk syrup and ice cream.

Buttermilk Syrup

This is to go with the Bananas Foster Bread Pudding but can used with pancakes and anything else your heart desires!

BUTTERMILK SYRUP

3/4 cup buttermilk

1 1/2 cup sugar

1 stick butter

2 TBS corn syrup

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp vanilla

Combine buttermilk, sugar, butter, corn syrup, and baking soda in a very large pot (like one you would make soup in). Bring ingredients to a boil and reduce heat to low. Cook stirring very frequently for 8-9 minutes. When it is done it will take on a luscious golden-brown color. Remove from heat and enjoy!

Marti Gras Gumbo

I have been trying to find a good gumbo recipe. Let's hope this is a keeper!

GUMBO

1/2 cup butter (8TBS), divided
1 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 cup chopped celery
1 1/2 cups white onion
4 tsp minced garlic
4 cups chicken stock
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
2 TBS Worcestershire
1/2 cup chopped flat leaf parsley
2 cups frozen sliced okra (I just may have to omit this, I don't like okra!)
6 TBS flour
Salt & Pepper to taste
1 pound smoked sausage, sliced
2 cups cooked chicken breast, diced or shredded
1/2 pound small uncooked shrimp, peeled and deveined

1. In a large pot of dutch over melt 2 TBS of butter over med heat. Once butter is melted add bell pepper, onion, and celery and cook for about 5 min or until onion is soft. Add garlic to the veggies for the last minute of cooking.
2. Add the chicken stock, cayenne pepper, Worcestershire, parsley, okra, and salt and pepper. Bring mixture to a boil and then reduce heat, cover and simmer.
3. While mixture is simmering add sliced sausage to a skilled and brown. Once browned, remove sausage from pan with a slotted spoon and add to chicken stock mixture.
4. Discard remaining sausage drippings from pan then melt 6 TBS of butter int he pan. Once melted, add 6 TBS flour and whisk until roux is incorporated. Continue cooking 6-7 minutes, stirring constantly until roux becomes a caramel color. Be careful not to burn but the darker the roux the deep the flavor.
5. Add the roux to the chicken stock mixture and bring to a boil stirring constantly. Reduce heat; add the chicken and simmer. At this point the gumbo is ready to eat but you can let it simmer 1-2 hrs to let the flavors meld even more if you wish. Add shrimp right before serving.
6. Serve with a scoop of rice or over rice.

*You can use file powder instead of okra to thicken and flavor this gumbo. Just add 2-3 TBS to the pot at the same time you add the shrimp before stirring.