macaroni salad (from ruth)

4 cups uncooked elbo macaroni
1 cup mayo
1/4 c white vinegar
2/3 c sugar
2 1/2 tbs mustard
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 small purple onion chopped
2 stalks celery chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1/4 cup carrots, chopped
2 tbs chipped pimiento peppers (no thanks)

Cook noodles. Rinse under cold water. In large bowl mix mayo, vinegar, sugar, mustard, salt and pepper. stir in onion, celery green pepper, carrot, minentos and macaroni. refrigerate 4+ hours.

Sweet & Sour Chicken (better than restaurant)

This recipe is so so good and it is way better than any take out. You have to try it! One silly thing that happened to me while making this recipe, I had huge chicken breast pieces and I did not realize until the sauce was not enough to mix with all the chicken I had. I probably doubled the chicken recipe but did not double the sauce recipe. I also sauted 1 red and 1 green pepper in the same frying pan that you browned the chicken.

INGREDIENTS:
Chicken:
3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (small)
Salt and pepper
1 cup cornstarch
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup canola oil
Sauce:
¾ cup sugar
4 tablespoons ketchup
½ cup vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon garlic salt

DIRECTIONS:
For the chicken, cut boneless chicken breasts into chunks. Season with salt and pepper. Dip chicken in cornstarch and then in egg. Fry in a little oil until brown but not cooked through. Place in a single layer in a baking dish. Mix sauce ingredients together and pour over chicken.

Bake for one hour at 325 degrees. Turn chicken every 15 minutes so it is evenly coated with the sauce. Serve over rice.
Recipe and picture by Melskitchencafe

Almond Bark Popcorn

FYI: I usually half this

Ingredients:

-1 package white almond bark

-6 packages light salt microwave popcorn

Pop popcorn, remove kernels. Place in trash bag. Melt chocolate and

pour over popcorn. Shake. Place on wax paper to harden.

Add M&Ms, pretzels, peanuts, pecans or whatever you want to the mixture (before adding the almond bark if chocolate, with melted almond bark if nuts) for added yumminess!

Eggplant Casserole

Ingredients:

-2 medium eggplants

-Italian bread crumbs

-2 to 3 eggs

-olive oil

-1 large green pepper, chopped

-1 medium onion, chopped

-1/2 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced

-2 cans (14.5 oz each) stewed tomatoes

-mozzarella cheese, sliced

Directions:

Peel eggplant. Cut eggplant into 1/4 in slices. Place in colander and sprinkle with salt. Let stand 30 minutes. Rinse under cold water and dry with paper towels. Whisk eggs in small bowl. Place bread crumbs in a separate small bowl. In large skillet, heat a few Tbs of oil. Coat slices of egg plant in egg and then bread crumbs. Cook in skillet about 2 minutes each side, or until lightly browned. Transfer to 13x9 casserole dish. Sauté green pepper, onion and mushrooms in a small amount of olive oil for 5 minutes or until pepper and onion are crisp tender. Sprinkle over egg plant. Top with tomatoes. Bake, uncovered, at 350 for 25 minutes. Place cheese slices on top. Bake another 25-30 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Lemon Cake by Ina Garten

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2 1/2 cups granulated sugar, divided
• 4 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
• 1/3 cup grated lemon zest (6 to 8 large lemons)
• 3 cups flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 3/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice, divided
• 3/4 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For the glaze:

• 2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
• 3 1/2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour 2 (8 1/2 by 4 1/4 by 2 1/2-inch) loaf pans. You may also line the bottom with parchment paper, if desired.

Cream the butter and 2 cups granulated sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. With the mixer on medium speed, add the eggs, 1 at a time, and the lemon zest.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. In another bowl, combine 1/4 cup lemon juice, the buttermilk, and vanilla. Add the flour and buttermilk mixtures alternately to the batter, beginning and ending with the flour. Divide the batter evenly between the pans, smooth the tops, and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until a cake tester comes out clean.

Combine 1/2 cup granulated sugar with 1/2 cup lemon juice in a small saucepan and cook over low heat until the sugar dissolves. When the cakes are done, allow to cool for 10 minutes. Remove the cakes from the pans and set them on a rack set over a tray or sheet pan; (possibly poke holes in the cake--added instruction), spoon the lemon syrup over them. Allow the cakes to cool completely.

For the glaze, combine the confectioners' sugar and the lemon juice in a bowl, mixing with a wire whisk until smooth. Pour over the tops of the cakes and allow the glaze to drizzle down the sides.

Chocolate Truffle Cake (recipe from Ruth)

Chocolate Truffle Cake (adapted from Gwin Grimes flourless chocolate cake)

1 pound Callebaut dark chocolate (I used the chips sold in the bulk section in Central Market, semi-sweet calets)

8 ounces unsalted butter, cubed

1/2 cup sugar

6 large eggs

1/2 tsp salt

Cut a piece of parchment paper to fit the bottom of a 9 inch springform pan. Butter the sides with softened butter. Cut a large piece of heavy duty foil or two pieces of regular foil and cover bottom and 3/4 of the way up the side of the pan with the foil.

Melt the chocolate and butter in a saucepan over low heat, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and set aside to cool slightly.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, pour in the sugar and eggs. Beat on high speed for about 5 minutes, or until the mixture is light in color and has tripled in volume.

Turn the mixer to low and pour in chocolate and butter mixture. Continue to mix on low speed until the chocolate is completely mixed in. Add the salt.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan. At this point you can either bake the cake or cover the pan with plastic wrap or foil and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight.

When you are ready to bake the cake, preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Boil about 4 cups of water in a medium saucepan. Place the cake in a large roasting pan and pour the boiling water around the cake pan until it reaches about 3/4 up the side of the pan. Bake the cake for about 35 minutes or until the cake is slightly puffed and the center is still slightly jiggly. It will continue to cook after it's removed from the oven, and will get completely firm once it is chilled.

Remove roasting pan and cake from the oven and let the cake cool for about 15 minutes in the water. Remove and let cool on the counter for another 30 minutes. Remove the ring, frost the cake with warm ganache and let it sit at room temperature for 1 hour. Serve the cake or wrap the cake and chill it for a few hours. When it's cold it will cut better. Cut it like cheesecake by running hot water over the knife, drying it quickly, cut cake, repeat with each slice.

Ganache

8 ounces Callebaut semi-sweet calets

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 T sugar

1 T light corn syrup

2 T butter

Heat cream, sugar and syrup in a small saucepan to a boil. Pour over chocolate chips. Stir the mixture and add the butter. Stir again until smooth. Cool slightly before pouring on cake.

Serve with Chantilly Cream (whipped cream).

1 cup heavy cream, whipped with 2 T confectioner's sugar

Magnificent Casseroles

8 oz lasagna noodles, boiled and drained
8 oz cream cheese
1 med or large carton cottage cheese
1/4 cup sour cream
1/3 cup green onion
1 TBS green pepper

2 lb hamburger
1-2 cans tomato sauce or spaghetti sauce

Swiss cheese

Brown hamburger. Drain. Add tomatoe sauce and onion and pepper. Layer noodles, cheese and meat. Grate Swiss cheese on top. Bake 375 for 30 minutes.

Skillet Scramble

1/2 lb hamburger
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 8 oz can tomato sauce
1 cup water
8 oz elbow macaroni (uncooked)
1/2 cup onion
1 tsp seasoning salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2-1 TBS parsley

Cook macaroni according to package directions. Drain. Brown beef in large skillet. Sauté onion. Stir in macaroni, tomato sauce, soup, water, salt and pepper. Simmer 5 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley.

Mint brownies

1 cup butter
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
2 cups flour
1/2 cup cocoa
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt

Blend butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla. Add flour, cocoa and salt. Por into 9x13 pan. Bake 350 for 30 minutes.

Some people use melted andes mints instead of the two below steps...

NEXT STEP
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
5 TBS butter, softened
1 TBS water
1/2 tsp mint extract
3-4 drops food coloring

Blend above ingredients until creamy. Spead over semi-cooked brownies and refrigerate until set.

NEXT STEP
1/2-3/4 pkg chocolate chips
6 TBS butter

Melt in sauce pan. Cool 30 minutes. Spread over mint layer and refrigerate until set.

Ribs (boil-oven)

Rack of ribs
Garlic, 1-2 cloves
1 onion
Pepper
1/2-1 cup soy sauce
BBQ sauce

Put ribs in a large pot. Cover with water. Add garlic, onion, pepper and soy sauce. Boil 45-60 minutes. Turn off heat. Cover and let marinate.

Put ribs on large baking sheet with cartilage part removed. Pour BBQ sauce all over, generously. Cover with tin foil. Bake 1-1 1/2 hours at 325, recovering with BBQ sauce half way through.