Red, White & Blue Icebox Cake

Here’s a dessert to make for the 4^th of July holiday.  I used my own cookie recipe but you can use graham crackers or Nilla wafers just as easily and it would save you time.  Allow 8 hours for the cookies to soften so you can cut into the cake easily.

Red, White & Blue Berry Icebox Cake

Cookies ~

White Crack Cookies ~

1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups flour
2 tsp cream of tartar
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

Cream together butter, shortening and sugars.  Add in the egg and vanilla.  Mix together dry ingredients in a small bowl and gradually add into batter.  Roll in balls and place on parchment lined baking sheets.  Bake for 10 minutes at 350°.  Let sit on the baking sheets for a couple minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.

Filling ~

8 oz mascarpone cheese, room temperature
2 cups whipping cream
2/3 cup powdered sugar
Lemon zest & juice from 1 lemon

1 ½ cups of blueberries, raspberries and slice strawberries.


In a medium bowl, combine the mascarpone and whipping cream.  Whip until it thickens.  Stir in lemon zest, lemon juice and powdered sugar. Line cookies in a layer at the bottom of a  9" springform pan.  Place 1/3 of the cream mixture evenly on top.  Place a layer of berries on top in any order.  Repeat for 2 more layers.  Cover with plastic wrap.  Refrigerate for 24 hours before serving.  Decorate the top with additional berries before serving.

Spicy Chicken Tenders

Looking for a more adult chicken tender recipe?  These chicken tenders are easy to make with just a half hour of bake time and a quick prep time.  Perfect for a quick weeknight dinner.

 

Spicy Chicken Tenders

1# chicken tenders

¾ cup Parmesan Cheese, grated

2 tbsp parsley

½ tbsp. oregano

1 tbsp paprika

1 tsp salt

½ tsp freshly ground black pepper

1 pinch cayenne

1/3 cup butter, melted

Mix the Parmesan and spices in a bowl.  Melt the butter and dip the tenders into the butter before the Parmesan mixture.  Place on a nonstick aluminum foil lined baking pan.  Bake for 30 minutes at 350°

Orange Rolls

This is a sweet way to start off a weekend or vacation day morning.  The best part is most of the work is done the night before.  What better way to have orange juice in the morning?

Orange Rolls

 

Dough –

1 pkg yeast

½ cup warm water

¼ cup sugar

Mix together and let sit for 10 minutes

 

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan heat until the butter has melted –

½ cup milk

1/3 cup butter

¼ cup sugar

 

Put In your mixer  -

4 cups flour

1 1 /2 tsp salt

1 egg

Add in the yeast and milk mixtures and turn on machine with a dough hook and allow to completely come together.  Add 1 tbsp of canola oil and make sure all sides are covered.  Cover with a damp towel overnight in the refrigerator.  Take out in the morning an hour to an hour and a half to warm up and finish rising.

 

When done, spread out into a 12 x 18 shape and top with –

3 tbsp butter, softened to spread over dough

½ cup sugar

1 tbsp orange zest

 

Roll up the 11” way.  Cut dough into 12 equal slices.  Place in a greased 9 x 13 pan and allow to rise until it reaches the top of the pan.  Bake for 25 minutes at 350°.  Allow to cool before icing.

 

Icing

3 tbsp butter, softened

3 oz cream cheese, room temperature

1 ½ cups powdered sugar

1 tbsp orange juice

Strawberry Coffee Cake

It's strawberry season and the berries are looking gorgeous this year.  I picked up a couple of boxes on sale so I've been busy using them and eating some just as they are.

Strawberry Coffee Cake

2 cups flour

1 cup sugar

1 tbsp. + 1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

2 large eggs

1/4 cup butter, melted

2 cups strawberries, sliced in half

Mix together the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl.  In a small bowl, mix together the eggs and butter and add into the dry mixture.  Stir until the dry ingredients are incorporated.  Pour into a greased 9" springform pan.  Top with sliced strawberries in a circular pattern.  

Topping

1/2 cup flour

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/4 cup cold butter, cut into small pieces

Blend together with a pastry blender or your fingers.  Sprinkle over the strawberries.  Bake for 45 minutes at 350 or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Allow to cool slightly in pan before releasing it and serving.

Chocolate Marshmallow Ice Cream

This was my favorite ice cream when I was growing up.  I thought about actually buying it by why when I have an ice cream maker sitting in the pantry collecting dust and this is actually much better.  I did cheat and not make my own marshmallow crème but bought a jar instead.

Chocolate Marshmallow Ice Cream

Combine the following in a large bowl ~

2 cups whipping cream
1/3 cup milk
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup cocoa (I used King Arthur Double Dutch Dark Cocoa)
2 tsp vanilla
1/8 tsp salt

Place in your ice cream maker and run per the manufacturer's instructions.  Right at the end, add in 7 oz marshmallow crème and allow to blend in.  Place the ice cream in an airtight container and freeze until completely hard.

Chicken Stroganoff

Creamy pasta loaded with lots of chicken and mushrooms.  Plus it only took 2 pans so clean up was easy.  

Chicken Stroganoff

1# chicken tenders, cut into bite size pieces

2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

3 tbsp. butter

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup mushrooms, cleaned and sliced

1/4 cup flour

1/2 tsp paprika

Salt & freshly ground pepper to taste

1 1/2 cups chicken stock

1/2 cup sour cream

1 tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped

2 cup dumpling noodles

Heat olive oil in a large skillet.  Add in chicken pieces and season.  Cook until a nice golden brown on both sides.  Remove from the pan and set aside.  Add in the butter and melt.  Add in garlic and mushrooms and cook for a couple minutes.  Stir in flour and allow to cook for a minute before adding in paprika and stirring in chicken stock.  Return the chicken to the pan.  Cook the pasta per the package directions while the stock is thickening.  Right before serving, stir in sour cream.  Drain pasta and add right into the pan.  Stir and top with fresh parsley.