Orange Vanilla Frozen Custard

I've really really got to try this. We came across a dessert in Florida that I just can't forget - real orange slushie layered with orange custard. I've got to figure it out.

Here's a recipe for Orange Custard from the Food Network. I haven't tried it yet - but I will soon!

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 1/2 cups whole milk
• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2/3 cup frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
• 4 teaspoons grated orange zest
• 
  

Directions

Whisk the cornstarch and 1/2 cup milk in a small bowl until smooth. Whisk the eggs, sugar and salt in a medium saucepan; whisk in the cornstarch mixture and the remaining 1 cup milk until smooth.

Cook the mixture over low heat, stirring, until thick enough to coat a spoon, 7 to 8 minutes (do not boil). Pour through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, then set the bowl in a larger bowl of ice water. Add the cream and stir until cool. Remove from the ice bath; stir in the vanilla, orange juice concentrate and orange zest. Cover and chill until cold.

Freeze the custard in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's directions. Scrape into a pastry bag fitted with a large star tip and pipe into cups.

Fat Chocolate Chip Cookies

I prefer dryer, more cake-like chocolate chip cookies. Somehow they feel less rich - although I guess not - this recipe has a cup of butter! But the cookies are delicious as a special treat. Made them with my granddaughters yesterday (just don't burn the bottoms like I did with one sheet - oops) 

 Recipe from The Food Network

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt (1'd use 1/2 tsp)
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 1 (8-ounce) block dark chocolate, coarsely chopped

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper. Sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt into a medium bowl and set aside.

Place the butter, sugar, and brown sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer; cream together on medium speed until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Beat in the vanilla and eggs. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the creamed mixture and continue to mix until a smooth batter forms. Turn off the mixer and fold in the chocolate chunks using the spatula.

To form the cookies, scoop about 1/4 cup of cookie dough into your hands and roll it around into a ball; place them about 3-inches apart onto the prepared cookie sheets; you should get about 4 cookies on each pan. Press down the tops of the dough slightly and bake until the cookies are light brown, 12 minutes for chewy cookies, or about 15 minutes for crispy cookies.

Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat with remaining dough/cookie sheets.

Barbara's Red Cabbage - Instant Pot

We have German heritage. My mom didn't cook often - this was one of her dishes. It's originally form the Betty Crocker Cookbook - now available here.
I modified the instructions to work with Instant Pot

Ingredients

1

medium head red cabbage (1 1/2 lb), thinly sliced

4

slices bacon, diced

1

small onion, sliced

1/4

cup packed brown sugar

1/4

cup water (or chicken stock)

3

tablespoons white vinegar

1/4

teaspoon salt

1/8

teaspoon pepper

I like to add 2 sliced apples

Set Instant Pot to Saute and cook bacon. Add onion and cook for a few minutes. Add all other ingredients.

Set Manual pressure to 10 minutes

Waikiki Meatballs

An old family favorite - from Allrecipes

Waikiki Meatballs

• Prep
  20 m
• Cook
  25 m
• Ready In
  45 m

Recipe By:CMAYBELL

"Beef meatballs flavored with ground ginger, simmered in a sweet pineapple sauce."

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds ground beef
• 2/3 cup crushed saltine cracker crumbs
• 1/3 cup minced onion
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 (15 ounce) can pineapple chunks - drained, with juice reserved
• 1/3 cup white vinegar
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1/3 cup chopped green bell pepper

Directions

1. In a large bowl, combine ground beef, cracker crumbs, onion, egg, milk, ginger and salt. Shape mixture by rounded tablespoonfuls into meatballs.
2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Place meatballs in skillet and cook until evenly brown, and meat is no longer pink. Drain excess fat.
3. In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch, brown sugar, reserved pineapple juice, vinegar and soy sauce. Mix until smooth, then pour into the skillet with meatballs. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and boils, about 5 minutes. Stir in the green pepper and pineapple chunks. Heat through.

Pot Roast - Instant Pot

I like this recipe because the veggies are added at the end so they don't get mushie.

From Bread Booze Bacon

INSTANT POT OLD-FASHIONED POT ROAST

Instant Pot Old-Fashioned Pot Roast with Gravy & Vegetables is the best pot roast I've ever made. This easy, one-pot dinner is a family favorite!

 Course Main Dish

 Cuisine American

 Prep Time 35 minutes

 Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes

 Total Time 2 hours 5 minutes

 Servings 4

 Calories 939 kcal

 Author Julie

Ingredients

• 3 pound chuck roast
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 cup brown or yellow onion diced
• 14.5 ounces low-sodium beef broth
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste (If I don't want to open a can of tomato paste, I use a squirt of ketchup)
• 2 bay leaves
• 3 medium carrots peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
• 6 red potatoes cut into quarters
• 1 tablespoon fresh parsley finely chopped
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup water
• Salt and pepper

Instructions

1. Remove roast from package and pat dry with a paper towel. Season liberally with salt and pepper on all sides.
2. Turn your Instant Pot on to saute. Once hot, add the vegetable oil to the vessel. Place the roast in the hot pan and sear on each side for 5 minutes until browned. Remove the roast to a plate and set aside.
3. Add onions to the vessel. Cook for 3 minutes until softened. Stir occasionally, scraping the brown bits off the bottom of the pan. 
4. Add the beef broth, tomato paste, and bay leaves to the onions. Stir until the tomato paste is incorporated. Add the roast back to the pan. Cover and lock the lid in place. With the valve on sealing, use the manual option to set the Instant Pot to high pressure for 75 minutes.
5. Once the cooking is done. Let the pressure release naturally for 15 minutes. Then do a quick release of the remaining pressure. (I use a kitchen towel when moving the valve to prevent steam burns.) Take the roast out of the pan and place it on a plate or cutting board. Cover with foil and set aside.
6. Remove the bay leaves and add the carrots and potatoes to the vessel. Cover and lock the lid in place. With the valve on sealing, use the manual option to set the Instant Pot to high pressure for 3 minutes. After the cooking has finished, do a quick release of the pressure. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the vegetables to a bowl. Sprinkle with parsley and gently toss.
7. In a medium bowl, mix together the flour and water until smooth. Then, pour the liquid from the Instant Pot vessel through a strainer. Discard any solids. Pour the cooking liquid into a fat separator. Pour 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid into the flour mixture and the rest into the vessel. DO NOT pour the fat back in. Stir the flour mixture until it form a slurry and is well combined. Pour the slurry into the vessel. 
8. Turn the Instant Pot to saute and bring the gravy to a boil, whisking often. Cook until boiling and thickened. Turn off the pressure cooker. Transfer the gravy to a gravy boat.
9. Uncover the pot roast and cut into large serving pieces. (I discarded any big pieces of fat that were on their own.) Plate the pot roast on a serving platter. If desired, plate the carrots and potatoes around the edge of the serving platter around the pot roast, or serving the vegetables in their own serving bowl. Pour some of the gravy over the pot roast and reserve the rest for diners. Serve immediately.

Salmon 2 Ways

I made this last night - very tasty
From Natasha's Kitchen

Baked Salmon with Garlic and Dijon

1 1/2 lb salmon fillet (this was wild sockeye)
2 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
3 garlic cloves, pressed
1/2 Tbsp Dijon mustard (we used grey poupon brand)
1/2 tsp salt (we use sea salt)
1/8 tsp black pepper
2 Tbsp light olive oil (not extra virgin, use oil with a higher smoke point)
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
Lemon slices, for effect 

1. Preheat oven to 450˚F. Line rimmed baking sheet with silpat or foil. If you don’t line the dish, you will later regret it as you scrub the pan fiercely for a day and a half (speaking from experience).

2. In a small bowl, combine: 2 Tbsp parsley, 3 pressed cloves garlic, 1/2 Tbsp Dijon, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/8 tsp pepper, 2 Tbsp olive oil and 2 Tbsp lemon juice. Smell the mixture – it’s simply amazing!

I've heard this one is good - haven't tried it yet. 6 servings

from Mel's Kitchen Cafe

MAPLE PECAN CRUSTED SALMON

TOTAL TIME: 1 HOUR 10 MINS (INCLUDES MARINATING TIME)

PREP TIME: 15 MINS

COOK TIME: 25-30 MINS

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 to 2 1/2 pounds salmon fillets
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/3 cup pure maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
• 1/2 cup pecans
• Salt for sprinkling
• Fresh lemon wedges for serving

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter. Stir in the maple syrup, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, and ground mustard. Stir over medium heat until the mixture is warmed through, 3-4 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature.
2. While the marinade is cooling, pour the pecans into a dry skillet and heat over medium heat, tossing frequently, until golden and toasted. Remove from heat; let the pecans cool to room temperature and then chop finely.
3. Place the salmon fillets in a gallon-sized ziploc bag. Pour the maple marinade over the salmon, coating the salmon pieces evenly. Seal the bag and refrigerate for 30 minutes or up to 4 hours.
4. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly spray with nonstick cooking spray.
5. Place the toasted, chopped pecans on a plate or shallow pie dish. Remove the salmon from the refrigerator. Dip the top side of each salmon fillet in the pecan crumbs pressing the salmon lightly into the pecans so they adhere to the top of the salmon. Place the fillets pecan-side up on the prepared baking sheet.
6. Sprinkle the salmon with a pinch of salt.
7. Bake the salmon for 20-22 minutes until cooked through but still tender inside (not overcooked). The salmon should flake easily with a fork but still be soft and not dry.
8. Serve immediately with fresh lemon wedges.

yield: 2 dozen HEALTHY DARK CHOCOLATE ALMOND JOY BITES TOTAL TIME: 20 MINS PREP TIME: 20 MINS

I haven't tried these yet - but want to
Recipe from Mel's Kitchen Cafe

yield: 2 dozen

HEALTHY DARK CHOCOLATE ALMOND JOY BITES

TOTAL TIME: 20 MINS

 

PREP TIME: 20 MINS

INGREDIENTS:

• 6 ounces pitted Medjool or other soft dates (about 1 cup or 10-12 dates)
• 1 cup (5 ounces) unsalted, whole almonds (roasted is fine)
• 1/2 cup (1 1/2 to 2 ounces) shredded coconut, sweetened or unsweetened
• 1/2 cup (about 2 ounces) natural, unsweetened or Dutch-process cocoa powder (I use half of each)
• 1 to 2 tablespoons extra-virgin coconut oil (no need to melt)
• 1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Combine all the ingredients together in a food processor and process until the ingredients are finely chopped and the mixture is crumbly (the exact amount of mixing depends on how coarse or fine you want the mixture). The mixture should hold together when a small amount is pressed or rolled. If it’s too crumbly, add a tablespoon of water (or melted coconut oil) and process again until it comes together more easily.
2. Roll the mixture into tablespoon-size balls (I use a #60 cookie scoop for easy portions). Enjoy immediately or store covered in the refrigerator for up to a week.

NOTES:

I always use unsweetened shredded coconut in these little bites (from Trader Joe’s or this brand online). You could definitely sub sweetened, shredded coconut (obviously they will be a bit sweeter when all is said and done).

Also, you could probably use slivered or sliced almonds in place of the whole almonds – reduce the amount slightly if measuring by volume since they’ll compact in the cup more than whole almonds (weight measure would stay the same no matter the type of almonds used).