Apricot Lemonade

So... I have a really awesome friend (she was my birth class instructor) and she has a really awesome food  blog.  I really recommend it. 

It has a simply scrumptious recipe for Apricot Lemonade.  I am drinking it right now and I just might die of happiness.  Yum.

Ingredients:

1 3/4 cups Sugar
1 cup Water
5 cups Water and Ice Cubes
1 1/2 cups Lemon Juice (~ 6-8 Lemons)
20 whole Apricots

Directions:

Boil sugar in 1 cup of water until dissolved.
Add syrup to the ice/water mixture to cool and stir to mix.
Juice lemons.
Halve and pit apricots.
Add 1/half of the syrup mixture, ½ of the lemon juice, and ½ of the apricot halves, and about 6-8 ice cubes to the blender. Blend on high until a smooth consistency. Mix the other halves of the ingredients with some more ice cubes for the second batch.
Makes two 8 cup batches; 16 cups total.

Note: Wes and I quartered the recipe and it barely all fit in our blender... but maybe we have a small one?

Strawberry Bread

This is the bread I brought to the Parley P. Jensen reunion in Chesterfield.

2 C fresh strawberries
3 1/8 C all-purpose flour
2 C white sugar
1 TB ground cinnamon
1tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/4 C vegetable oil
4 eggs, beaten
1 1/4 C chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350 F.  Butter and flour two 9x5 in loaf pans.

Slice strawberries, and place in medium-sized bowl.  Sprinkle lightly wiht sugar, and set aside while preparing bread mixture.

Combine flour, sugar, cinnamon, salt and baking soda in large bowl.  Mix well.  Blend oil and eggs  into strawberries.  Add strawberry mixture to flour mixture, blending until dry ingredients are just moistened.  Stir in pecans.  Divide batter into pans.

Bake for 45 - 50 minutes, or until tester instertedcomes out clean.  Let cool in pans on wire rack for 10 minutes.  Turn loaves out, and cool completely.

Blueberry Rolls

These are DELICOUS!  Go make them.  Now.  You won't regret it. :)

Blueberry Rolls

From the 1939 Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book
Prep: 25 minutes Bake: 20 minutes
Oven: 425 degrees F Makes: 9 servings

1 16 1/2 oz can blueberries
1 recipe Rich Shortcake (see below)
1 T butter or margarine, melted
2 T sugar
1/2 t ground cinnamon
1/4 C sugar
2 T all-purpose flour
2 t lemon juice
Vanilla ice cream (optional)

1. Drain blueberries, reserving juice; set aside.  Grease a 2-quart square baking dish; set aside.  Prepare Rich Shortcake dough.  On a lightly floured surface, roll dough into an 11x9 inch rectangle.  Brush dough with melted butter.  Combine the 2 T sugar with the cinnamon; sprinkle over dough.  Sprinkle 1 C of the drained blueberries over dough.  Roll up, starting from a short side; pinch to seal seam.  Set aside.

2. In a small saucepan combine the 1/4 C sugar and the flour.  Add remaining blueberries and reserved juice.  Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubble.  Remove tfrom heat; stir in lemon jice.  Pour blueberry mixture into prepared dish.  Cut roll into 9 equal slices.  Place slices, cut side down, on top of blueberry mixture.  Bake in a 425 oven for 20 minutes or until rolls are golden.  If desired, serve warm with vanilla ice cream.

Rich shortcake: In a medium mixing bowl combine 2 C all-purpose flour, 4 t baking powder, 1 T sugar, and 1/2 t salt.  Using a pastry blender, cut in 1/3 cup shortening until mixture resembles course crumbs.  Make a well in the center of mixture.  Add 2/3 cup milk and 1 beaten egg all at once.  Stir just until dough clings together.  On a heavily floured surface, coat the dough lightly with flour.  Knead the dough gently for 10-12 strokes.

Blake's Super Amazing Mother's Day Chicken

1 C. oil
1 (10 oz.) bottle Worcestershire Sauce
3 T Italian seasoning
3 T garlic powder
1 T salt
1 T white pepper

Combine all ingredients.  Marinate chicken breasts in it overnight, or for several hours.  Grill to perfection.  Enjoy!

Homemade Sauces and Seasonings

Italian Seasoning


3 T. basil
3 T. oregano
3 T. parsley
1 T. garlic powder
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. thyme
1 tsp. rosemary
1/4 tsp. ground pepper
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes

Mix everything together and store in a sealed container.  I love this so much more than the Italian Seasoning you buy already prepared.  Way more flavor!

Taco Seasoning


1 T. chili powder
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. onion powder
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. paprika
1 1/2 tsp. cumin
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1/2 T flour

Combine everything and store in a sealed container.  To use:  Mix 1-2 T with 1/2-1 C. water (depending on how strong a flavor you like).  This is a mild seasoning because my family cannot handle anything remotely spicy.  Feel free to liven yours up a bit, if you have that luxury!

Paula Deen's House Seasoning


1 C. salt
1/4 C. black pepper
1/4 C. garlic powder

Mix and seal.  This can be substituted for any recipe calling for seasoned salt.  My favorite ways to use it though, are when grilling chicken to go in a garden salad.  It makes it so flavorful, the chicken barely makes it to the salad before we eat it all up.  I also love putting it on potatoes.  Mashed potatoes, roasted potatoes, grilled potatoes--yummy!

Teriyaki Sauce


1/4 C. soy sauce
1 C. water
1/2 tsp. grated ginger
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
5 T brown sugar
1-2 T honey
2 T cornstarch
1/4 C. cold water

Mix everything but cornstarch and cold water in a saucepan.  Heat.  In a separate bowl, mix cornstarch and water to dissolve.  Add to sauce in pan.  Heat to desired thickness.

Chili Sauce


1 small can tomato sauce
1/4 C. brown sugar
2 T vinegar
1/4 tsp. onion
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. chili powder

Mix in small sauce pan.  Heat through.

*I'm currently in search of the perfect homemade barbecue sauce recipe.  I'll let you know when I find it!

Potato, Broccoli and Cheese soup!

Oh my, this soup has been the FAVORITE soup of all times according to the girls. My friend Andrea made it for me after surgery in Seattle and it was so good I had to have the recipe.
Last time I made it Elena gave it 100 Thumbs up!
enjoy.

INGREDIENTS
2 cups chopped onion
2 tablespoons butter
2 1/2 pounds peeled and cubed potatoes
5 cups boiling water
4 cubes chicken bouillon
3 cups fresh broccoli, cooked and drained
salt and pepper to taste
3 cups shredded Cheddar cheese (I use SHARP)
DIRECTIONS

1. In a large stock pot saute onion in butter. Add potatoes, water and bouillon cubes. Cover, bring to boil and then reduce heat to medium and cook until potatoes are tender, about 15 minute
2. Remove tough outer skin of broccoli stems and cook broccoli. Once cooked add to soup.
3. In a blender or food processor puree half of the soup and return to stock pot. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Add cheese and heat soup through until cheese is melted. Serve warm

Chocolate Dream Cookies

1 c butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2t vanilla
2 1/4 cups flour
3/4 c cocoa
1 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
1 c white chocolate chips and/or macadamia nuts, optional

In a large bowl cream together butter and sugar.  Add eggs and vanilla and mix.  In a separate bowl combine flour, coca, soda, and salt.  Add dry ingredients to butter mixture and mix until combined.  Add white chocolate chips/nuts.  Roll into 1" balls and place on ungreased cookie sheet.  Bake 350 degrees 8-9 minutes (do not overbake... They will be soft).  Let cool on cookie sheet for a few minutes before moving to a wire rack. 

For something different try a mint sandwich cookie, here is the frosting recipe...
Mint Frosting:
1/2 c butter, softened
2 T milk
1 t peppermint extract
3 drops green food coloring
3- 3 1/2 c powdered sugar

Cream butter and 1 c powdered sugar.  Add milk and extract and food coloring and whip.  Add the rest of the powdered sugar until desired consistency.