Orange Sour Cream Cookies

These cookies are a light, soft cookie filled with orange flavor that are perfect for a Springtime treat.  

Orange Sour Cream Cookies

1/4 cup butter, softened

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1/2 cup sour cream

1/4 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 1/2 cups flour

zest from 1 orange

Orange Icing 

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

juice from 1 orange

Cream butter and sugar in a medium sized bowl.  Add in eggs and sour cream.  Add in the dry ingredients and orange zest.  Scoop out dough onto parchment lined baking pans.  Bake for 10 minutes at 350.  Let the cookies cool completely before icing.  In a small bowl, mix together the powdered sugar and orange juice.  Spread icing on top of the cookies and allow to set.

Italian Round Steak

All the Italian flavors you love that are easy to make in the crock pot.  The only additional thing you need to do is make some of your favorite pasta to serve it on.

 

Italian Round Steak

 

1.5# round steak, cut into ½” strips

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes

½ tsp Italian seasonings

½ cup onion, minced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp salt

½ tsp freshly ground black pepper

2 cups cooked pasta

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet.  Season round steak strips and place into the hot pan.  Sear on both sides before placing in the crock pot.  Add in the onions and garlic and cook an additional minute or two.  Place tomatoes and Italian seasonings in the crock pot and stir.  Add in browned meat with onions and garlic to the tomato mixture.  Stir. Cook on medium for 6 hours.  Serve over cooked pasta.  Sprinkle Parmesan on top.

Dark Chocolate Waffles

This is a delicious way to pamper yourself on a weekend morning.  Dark chocolate, strawberries and whipped cream are a wonderful combination to serve for breakfast or as a dessert.

Dark Chocolate Waffles

1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp salt
3 tbsp sugar

1/4 cup dark cocoa (I use King Arthur Flour Double-Dutch Dark Cocoa)
2 large eggs, separated
3 tbsp butter, melted and cooled
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup milk


Sift all dry ingredients and zest into a large bowl.  In a small bowl, beat egg whites until light and fluffy.  Gradually mix milk, egg yolks, butter and sour cream.  Gently fold in beaten egg whites into dry ingredients.

Bake per your waffle makers instructions.

Makes 9 waffles

Chicken Carbonara

Chicken, bacon and cheese...who could ask for more but then you add in some pasta and you have a delicious meal.  

Chicken Carbonara

1# chicken tenders

4 slices bacon, cut into 1/2" pieces, cooked and drained

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup Parmesan, grated

2 large eggs, beaten

1/2 cup cream

2 tbsp parsley

8 oz fettuccine

Cook bacon pieces and then place them on paper towels to drain off the excess grease.  Cook the chicken tenders in the same pan and add in the garlic for the last minute of cooking so it doesn't burn and get bitter.  In a small dish, combine the cream, eggs and Parmesan.  Stir until completely mixed together.  Cook your pasta and drain (reserve 1/2 cup pasta water in case you need it).  Stir cream mixture into the hot pasta and then add in the bacon.  Cook for a few minutes until the noodles are coated (do not boil or else you'll have scrambled eggs).  Season with salt and pepper to taste and add in parsley.  Serve with chicken tenders on top and sprinkle some additional Parmesan over the pasta.

Banana Bars

I had good intentions of eating bananas and in a way I did, as did others.  I prefer them slightly green and these ripened faster than anticipated and it had been a long time since I made this recipe and decided it was going to be an Easter dessert.  Naturally you need a cream cheese icing to top off these bars.

Banana Bars

1/2 cup butter, softened
1 1/4 cups sugar
2 large eggs
1 cup sour cream
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
2 cups flour

Cream together butter and sugar.  Mix in eggs, sour cream and vanilla.  Stir in the dry ingredients.  Spread out in a greased 10 x 15 pan.  Bake for 22 minutes at 350°.  Allow to cool completely before icing.

Cream Cheese Icing

1/2 cup butter, softened
8 oz cream cheese, room temperature
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup powdered sugar

Mix together until all ingredients are evenly combined.  Spread carefully over the banana bars.

Fresh Orange Cake

Lots of fresh orange flavor and an adult beverage are in this cake recipe.  You shouldn’t include the Cointreau or Grand Marnier if you will be serving this dish to children even though it’s not a lot.   

 

 

Fresh Orange Cake

 

¾ cup sugar

3 large eggs

½ cup canola oil

1 cup plain yogurt

½ tsp vanilla

½ tsp orange extract

1 ½ cups flour

½ tsp salt

2 tsp baking powder

Orange zest from 2 oranges

 

Mix together the eggs and sugar until a light yellow.  Whisk in the oil, yogurt and extracts.  Stir in the dry ingredients and zest.  Place in a greased loaf pan.  Bake for 50 minutes at 350°. 

While your cake is baking make a syrup to pour over the top. 

Syrup -

Juice from 2 oranges

½ cup sugar

Heat until sugar has melted and remove to cool slightly. 

Remove cake from the oven and allow to sit for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack.  Place the wire rack over a cookie sheet to catch the excess syrup.  Stir in 1 tbsp of Cointreau or Grand Marnier into the syrup and spoon over the cake.  

Raspberry Lemon Cream Pie

This is a nice, light Springtime dessert that is perfect for Easter Sunday dinner.  I had a box of Girl Scout Trefoils that I used to make the crust but any shortbread cookie will work.  Who can say no when a sweet Girl Scout asks if you want to buy cookies?  I took 2 boxes to work to giveaway and this was the only one that I kept at home.  

Raspberry Lemon Cream Pie

Crust -

9 oz Trefoils or any shortbread cookie
4 oz butter, melted

Crush the shortbread cookies in a food processor or in a large Ziploc bag and use a rolling pin or meat tenderizer to smash.  Press evenly into a ungreased pie pan.  Bake for 10 minutes at 350°.  Allow to cool.

Filling -

12 oz fresh raspberries
1/4 cup sugar

Mash together with a fork and allow to sit for 20 minutes.

1 cup plain yogurt
1 pkg instant lemon pudding
1 cup whipping cream
1 tbsp lemon juice

Whip together yogurt and pudding.  Add in lemon juice and whipping cream.  Beat until it thickens.  Pour filling into your pie crust.  Place in the freezer until 30 minutes before you wish to serve.  Top with a dollop of whipped cream and a fresh berry or two.

Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup

It’s still soup weather unfortunately but if the temperature outside won’t heat up the subtle heat from the chilies in this soup will warm you. 

 

Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup

3 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded

1 – 32 oz chicken broth

1 tsp chili powder

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp paprika

1 – 15 oz can diced tomatoes with green chilies

1 – 15 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained

2 ears of corn, sliced off or 1 cup frozen corn

Salt & freshly ground pepper to taste

1 cup cream

 

Place all the ingredients (except the cream) in a stock pot or dutch oven to cook until the corn is tender.  Ten minutes before you are ready to eat, stir in the cream.  Top with crisp tortilla slices, avocado, cheese, sour cream, cilantro…

To crisp tortilla slices, slice into even slices and place in a heated frying pan.  Stir often until the slices crisp up.