Valentines Day

Happy Valentine's Day

If you don't want to spend a lot of money decorating for Valentine's day try these easy inexpensive ideas.  One pretty table decoration that's lovely is red tulips.  Find a glass cylinder that is large, then find one that is about an inch smaller that you can place inside the larger one.  Find some red hot candies or little red heart candies and fill in the space between both cylinders with the candies.  In the larger one, add water and fill it abundantly with red tulips.  Add an array of votive candles around the table and a sprinkling of red confetti. If you can find beautiful branches of spring blooms cut them off and place in gorgeous large glass jars, vases or other attractive containers.  I especially like the seafoam green color glass containers.  Clip the branches long using sharp pruners.  Make a vertical slit or two up into the end of each stem this allows water to reach the buds. These beautiful arrangements make your house look like spring just stepped inside your home .  When I lived in WA I would catch city crews pruning cherry trees and stop and take all the flowering branches I could fit in my car.  I would bring them in the house and have gorgeous delicate pink blooms everywhere.  Cherry blossom's look like pink snow.

"My love as deep; the more I give to thee,

The more I have, both are infinite."

William Shakespeare

I hope you enjoy the recipes for an enchanting Valentines Day dinner with your loved one.

Lets start with a Champagne cocktail; use one of the three recipes listed below, pour ingredients into a champagne glass and make a toast of celebration!

3 1/2 oz. Champagne
1/2 oz. strawberry liqueur
1 oz. pineapple juice

*****

4 oz. Champagne
3/4 oz. Creme de Fraise des Bois

*****

3 oz. Champagne
1 1/2 oz. gin
1/2 oz strawberry liqueur

Pancetta with Goat Cheese and Pears 

12 thin slices pancetta

1 firm/ripe pear

4 oz. goat cheese, crumbled

freshly cracked black pepper

honey

Place pancetta slices on baking sheet lined with foil. Bake in 450 degree oven for 8 to 10 minutes or until golden.  Transfer wire rack lined with paper towels and let stand for about 10 minutes.  Core the pear and cut into thin rings, arrange on serving platter.  Top the pears with pancetta and goat cheese, sprinkle with pepper and drizzle with honey.

Springtime Garden Salad

1 small Boston lettuce, torn in to pieces

1 cup mixed organic micro greens

1/2 cup goat cheese, crumbled

2 pears, cored and chopped

1/4 cup dried cherries

1/2 cup Macadamia nuts

1 cup blackberries

Dressing

1/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice

1/4  cup honey

2 tsp. scallions, finely chopped

2 tsp. Dijon

vegetable oil

1 Tbl. poppy seeds

In a blender combine the dressing ingredients (except poppy seeds) and stream in oil until combined to your taste (I like more lemon juice vs oil)  When combined, taste and if you want it sweeter add more honey and combine again.  Stir in poppy seeds. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour until chilled.  When ready to serve, add salad ingredients in a beautiful glass bowl or platter, and drizzle over dressing; serve.

Penne Pasta with Asparagus Pesto

1 lb. of asparagus, trimmed

3 cups baby spinach leaves

2 garlic cloves

1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1 cup pine nuts

1/4 cup olive oil

juice of 1/2 lemon

salt and freshly ground black pepper

Penne pasta

In a pot of boiling salted water bring pasta to a boil to al dente.  Drain and keep warm in pot it was cooked in, drizzle with olive oil. 

Lightly toast the pine nuts in a saute pan.  Cook asparagus in boiling water for about 3 minutes, drain and refresh in cold water.  In a food processor, add the asparagus, spinach garlic, Parmesan and 3/4 cup of pine nuts.  Puree and with motor running drizzle in 1/4 of olive oil, if too thick add a little more oil.  Add the lemon juice and season with salt and pepper. 

Toss the pesto with the pasta in the pot, remove to serving platter, sprinkle with 1/4 cup of pine nuts and shave some fresh Parmesan cheese over top.  Next, sprinkle some lemon zest over top of cheese.  Serve.

Swordfish with a Refreshing Fruit Salsa

2  (6 to 8 oz) swordfish steaks

1/2 cup fresh orange juice

1 Tbl. olive oil

1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper

1 Tbl. pineapple juice

Salsa

1 large juicy sweet orange, peeled and cut into small dice

1/2 cup fresh pineapple, cut into small dice

1/2 cup fresh mango, cut into small dice

1 jalapeno, seeded and minced (add more if you like more heat)

3 Tbl. fresh orange juice
1 tsp. fresh orange zest

1/4 cup red bell pepper, cut into small dice

3 Tbl. fresh cilantro, chopped

In a bowl combine salsa ingredients, mix, cover and refrigerate.

In a glass bowl, combine orange juice, oil, cayenne and pineapple juice, whisk together.  Place swordfish in bowl and turn to coat well.  Marinate for about 30 minutes.

Heat outdoor grill and grill swordfish for about 12 minutes per side, season with salt and pepper.  To serve, place on platter and garnish with salsa.

"Love comforth like sunshine after rain."

William Shakespeare

Lemony Butter Cookies

1 cup butter, softened
2 tsp. freshly grated lemon zest
1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
2 cups all purpose flour
pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  In a bowl of electric mixer beat butter and lemon zest until light and creamy.  Gradually add the sugar, beating well.  Next combine, the flour and salt and beat until well blended.  Remove dough from mixer and shape into a disk.  On work surface lightly dust with flour and roll dough into 1/4-inch thickness.  Cut out with heart shaped cookie cutter about 2-inch.  Place on parchment or silpat baking sheet and bake for about 12-14 minutes.  Cool on baking sheet for about 5 minutes then remove to wire racks.   Decorate with royal icing.

Royal Icing
3 cups powdered sugar
2 Tbl. meringue powder
1/4 cup cold water
Food coloring paste

In a bowl of electric mixer using whisk attachment beat powdered sugar, meringue powder and cold water until glossy and stiff peaks form.  Tint icing with desired amount of food coloring paste and beat until blended.  Place a damp cloth directly on surface of icing to prevent crust from forming. 

Heavenly Strawberry Dessert

2 eggs, room temp (separate yolks and whites)
1/4 cup superfine sugar (or you can use powdered)
10.5 oz. mascarpone cheese
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream (whipped)
20 strawberries, cleaned and quartered
1/3 cup espresso
2 Tbl. rum
14 ladyfingers
Cocoa (unsweetened)
Chocolate shavings (both white and dark)

In bowl of electric mixer, beat egg yolks with sugar until yolks are pale and thick. Add mascarpone and beat until incorporated.  In a separate bowl, beat egg whites until soft peaks form.  Fold whipped cream into cheese mixture, then fold in egg whites.  Next, gently fold in strawberries. 

In a small bowl, combine rum and espresso.  Quickly dip seven of the ladyfingers into the coffee mixture then place in bottom of glass serving bowl.  Spread half of the strawberry/cheese mixture over the ladyfingers.  Dip remaining ladyfingers into coffee mixture and place over cheese/strawberry mixture.  Spread remaining cheese over this.

Refrigerate, covered with plastic wrap for at least 4 hours.  Remove from frig and sift cocoa over top, and garnish with chocolate and white shavings and extra whole strawberries.

"Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth - for your love is more delightful than wine."

Song of Solomon 1:2

Bon Appetit

"And now these three remain; faith, hope and love.  But the greatest of these is love"

1 Corinthians 13:13

Rainy Days and Rainy Nights - A rare sight in TX

Coming from one of the most beautiful states in the U.S. both my husband and I love rain. Washington State is aptly known as the "Evergreen" state due to all the rain. Rarely in Texas do we get rain, usually about 2 weeks out of the entire year. The rest of the time is Hot, Hot and Hot which doesn't make me a happy gal. Today, we are being blessed with lots of glorious rain and this morning Jerry (hubby) and I sat on the front porch drinking our coffee and relishing the gorgeous rain drops coming down from the sky. Lord, thank you for this blessing.

"Food is the most primitive form of comfort" - Sheilah Graham (1904-1988)

When it's cold and rainy there is nothing better to dine on than comfort food, so I have been thinking all morning about recipes I want to share that will comfort all of us. I know family and friends in WA are experiencing beautiful snow this morning. Currently, Dallas is also having snow flakes so I'm praying that it will make the 3-hour trek to our area and we will be blessed with snow. If not, I'm still excited about all this rain.

Brew me a cup for a winter's night.

For the wind howls loud and the furies fight;

Spice it with love and stir it with care,

And I'll toast our bright eyes,

my sweetheart fair.

Minna Thomas Antrim" - (1861-1964)

There are many comfort foods to enjoy such as; macaroni and cheese, hot chocolate with marshmallows, spaghetti, chili, biscuits and gravy, grilled cheese sandwich with tomato soup, eggs Benedict, mashed potatoes, meatloaf, pull pork sandwich - oh, I'm getting so hungry just thinking about all these rainy day, snow day foods. I hope you enjoy the recipes I've listed below.

Winter is time for comfort, for good food and warmth,

for the touch of a friendly hand

and for a talk beside the fire; it is the time for home.

"Edith Sitwell" (1887-1964)

Warm and Rich Hot Chocolate with Homemade Marshmallows

1/2 cup of delicious honey (you can use sugar too, but honey adds a nice depth of flavor)

1/4 cup plus 2 Tbl. dark cocoa (use good quality cocoa)

pinch of salt

3 cups whole milk

1 cup heavy whipping cream

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract (or almond)

orange zest (garnish if desired)

In a saucepan whisk together cocoa and honey, then blend in milk. Cook and stir over medium heat until milk comes to a boil. Reduce heat and stir in heavy cream cooking for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Ladle into mugs and top with marshmallows and some orange zest. If you don't want to add marshmallows, you can add freshly whipped cream and top with a dusting of cocoa or orange zest or be wild and use both!!

Homemade Marshmallows - (this recipe I got watching a Martha Stewart Christmas special)

vegetable oil, for brushing

4 envelopes unflavored gelatin (3 Tbl., plus 1 1/2 tsp.)

3 cups granulated sugar (enough sugar in here to send you to the moon)

1 1/4 cups light corn syrup

1/4 tsp. salt

2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted

Brush a 9x13 glass baking dish with oil. Line with parchment, allowing a 2-inch overhang on the long sides. Brush parchment with oil, set aside.

Put granulated sugar, corn syrup, salt and 3/4 cup water into a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Cook without stirring until mixture registers 238 degrees on a candy thermometer, about 9 minutes.

Meanwhile, put 3/4 cup cold water into the bowl of an electric mixer, sprinkle with gelatin. Let soften 5 minutes. Attach bowl with gelatin to mixer fitted with whisk attachment. With mixer on low speed, beat hot syrup into gelatin mixture. Gradually raise speed to high; beat until mixture is very stiff, about 12 minutes. Beat in vanilla. Pour into prepared dish and smooth with offset spatula. Set aside, uncovered, until firm about 3 hours.

Sift 1 cup powdered sugar onto work surface. Unmold marshmallow onto powdered sugar, remove parchment. Lightly brush a sharp knife with oil, then cut marshmallow into 2-inch squares. Sift remaining 1/2 cup powdered sugar into a small bowl and roll each marshmallow in the sugar to coat. These can be stored in airtight container up to 3 days.

Mouthwatering Hash Brown Casserole - (this recipe comes from friend Bettie in Georgetown and I've tweaked it a bit)

1 (32 oz.) package frozen loose pack hash browns

1 (16 oz) container sour cream

1 (10.75) can condensed cream of chicken soup

2 1/2 cups Black Forest Ham, cubed (or you can use bacon or sausage cooked)

8 oz. Velveeta cheese, cubed (I know, but go with it)

1 red bell pepper, chopped

1 cup mushrooms, sliced

6 scallions, sliced including green part

2 cups cornflake cereal, crushed

1 cup Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

Tabasco, to your taste

freshly ground black pepper

Italian parsley, chopped (after all we need some green)

In a saute pan, add a little oil and butter, heat and stir in red bell pepper, mushrooms; cook until softened. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a saute pan, add some olive oil and cook bell pepper and mushrooms. In large bowl, combine sour cream, Tabasco, black pepper and soup. Stir in frozen hash browns, ham, Velveeta, cooked red pepper, cooked mushrooms and scallions. Transfer to a large 9x13 baking pan sprayed with cooking spray.

Combine cornflakes and melted butter and sprinkle over potato mixture. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes. Sprinkle with Monterey Jack cheese and continue baking 25 more minutes until golden brown and bubbly. At this point you can also place under broiler for a few minutes, but be watchful so it doesn't burn. Remove and let rest on cooling rack for a few minutes. Sprinkle on parsley and serve with orange juice, mixed fresh fruit and scrambled eggs if desired.

Gooey Cheese Bread

1 or 2 loaves French or Italian Bread, sliced horizontally

2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (I like Tillamook)

1/2 cup fresh Parmesan, shredded

1/2 cup mayonnaise

2 heads of garlic

1/2 cup Italian parsley, chopped

4 scallions, chopped including green part

2 Tbl. fresh rosemary, chopped

2 sticks butter, softened

First heat oven to 400 degrees. Slice just the top off the garlic and place garlic in foil, drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper. Bake in oven for about 1 hour until soft and tender. Remove from oven and squeeze bulbs out into bowl, mashing well.

In large bowl, mix cheeses, herbs and scallions together; stir in mayonnaise. In another bowl blend butter and garlic mixing until smooth. Liberally spread both sides of bread with butter/garlic mixture. Add cheese mixture to bread. Place bread on baking sheet, spray some foil with with cooking spray and place over bread. Bake in oven for about 20 minutes until warmed through and cheese is melted. Next, remove foil and place bread under broiler about 3-inches away and let get lightly browned and bubbly. Slice the bread and enjoy with soups, salads or just on its own.

Greek Pastitsio (pah-SHETT-see-oh) - my friend Christie in San Diego gave me this recipe, she makes it all the time and it's so good.

1 lb. ground beef (I use ground turkey)

1 large onion, chopped

1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce

1/4 cup dry white wine

1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 small package penne pasta

3/4 cup whole milk

2 eggs, lightly beaten (will be stirred into cooked pasta)

4 Tbl. butter

2 Tbl. all purpose flour

salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 1/2 cups whole milk

2 eggs lightly beaten (for sauce)

1 cup Romano cheese, shredded

1/2 cup Feta cheese, crumbled

Italian parsley, chopped

Meat Sauce

In large saute pan, add beef or turkey and onion cooking until meat is nicely browned, drain off fat. Stir in tomato sauce, wine and cinnamon. Bring to a boil and reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Next, bring a pot of boiling salted water to a boil and add pasta, cooking al dente. Drain well and place in a large bowl; stir in 3/4 cup milk, 2 beaten eggs and 2 Tbl. of butter. Set aside.

Cream Sauce

In saucepan, melt 2 Tbl. butter and whisk in flour cooking for 1 minute. Stir in salt and pepper to taste. Gradually whisk in 1 1/2 cups milk. Cook and stir until mixture is thickened and bubbly. Gradually (temper a little of sauce into 2 beaten eggs) then stir in all of the hot mixture into eggs and set aside.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread half of the pasta into baking dish sprayed with cooking spray. Top with meat sauce, sprinkle with 1/3 of Romano cheese, top with remaining pasta mixture and sprinkle with another 1/3 of Romano cheese. Pour cream sauce over all and sprinkle with remaining Romano cheese and top with crumbled Feta. Cover with foil and bake in oven for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake for 15 more minutes. Remove from oven and let rest for 15 minutes on cooling rack. Sprinkle with parsley and serve. Serve with a lovely Greek salad, wine and pita bread which has been brushed lightly with olive oil and grilled.

Rainy Day Chicken Pot Pie

Pastry for double crust 9-inch pie

1 cup heavy whipping cream

2/3 cup good quality chicken stock (I like Kitchen Basics)

1/4 cup white wine

2 1/2 cups cooked chicken or turkey, shredded or cubed

2 large baking potatoes, cut into large cubes and cooked in boiling salted water until tender

3 carrots, peeled and cubed, cooked in boiling salted water until tender

1 small bag frozen peas

1 large onion, chopped

2 leeks, sliced (wash well and use only white to light green part)

1 cup mushrooms, sliced

zest of one lemon

1/2 cup Italian parsley, chopped

salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 tsp. dried thyme

1 tsp. ground sage

4 Tbl. butter, soft

4 Tbl. all-purpose flour

Heat oven to 435 degrees. Prepare your crust and for the top piece make lattice strips or you can use a top crust and just slice slits in a few places on crust. Cook your potatoes and carrots in boiling salted water until tender, remove and drain well. In a large saute pan, add some olive oil and a little butter, saute your onion, leeks and mushrooms, add wine and bring to a boil and reduce for 2 minutes. Remove to a bowl and in the same pan add the 4 Tbl. of butter to melt, whisk in the 4 Tbl. of flour for about 1 minute, whisk in chicken stock and heavy cream.

Next, whisk in herbs, lemon zest and season with salt and pepper, bring to boil stirring constantly until thickened about 1 or 2 minutes. Gently stir in chicken and vegetables. Pour this mixture into pastry. Cover with lattice top, crimp then cover edge with strips of foil to prevent excessive browning. Place in oven and bake for about 45 minutes, removing foil the last 15 minutes of baking. Remove from oven and let rest about 10 minutes before slicing. Serve with crisp garden salad and a nice glass of white wine. Note: Sometimes I blind bake the bottom crust, so do this step if desired.

Shrimp and Corn Chowder

1/2 lb. bacon, sliced

3 Tbl. bacon fat

2 cups onions, chopped finely

2 cups celery, chopped finely

1/2 cup red bell pepper, chopped finely

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup carrots, peeled and cut into small dice

1 bay leaf

4 cups potatoes, large to medium dice

2 cups dry white wine

4 Tbl. butter

3 Tbl. all purpose flour

2 cups shrimp stock, or seafood stock

1 cup heavy whipping cream

1 Tbl. tomato paste

1 tsp. Slap ya Mama seasoning (don't have use seasoning salt)

2 (6 1/2 oz) cans cream style corn

1 (16 1/2 oz) can whole corn (or use frozen, fresh is even better in the summer off the cob)

1 (13 oz.) can evaporated milk

2 lbs. shrimp, cleaned, tailed removed

salt and freshly ground black pepper

Tabasco, to taste

Italian parsley, chopped

In saute pan fry bacon, retain 3 Tbl. bacon fat (or clean pan and use olive oil) then place bacon on paper towels to drain. Heat pan and saute onions, garlic, celery, bell pepper and carrots, then add tomato paste and cook for 1 minute. Add bay leaf, potatoes and wine; cook for 10 minutes. Add shrimp stock, bring to a boil and add both cans of corn, bacon, evaporated milk, bay leaf and season with salt, pepper and Tabasco. In a small saute pan, add 4 Tbl. butter to melt, whisk in 3 Tbl. flour; cook for 1 minute. Remove a ladle full of the soup stock and whisk this into the roux mixture. Now pour this back into the soup stirring well so no lumps form. Simmer for about 30 minutes; add shrimp and stir in heavy cream, cook until shrimp are pinkish (do not overcook shrimp.) Taste and adjust seasonings. Either remove chowder to soup tureen or individual bowls and garnish with parsley and homemade croutons. Note: Another trick I use for thickening is to use instant potatoes. Pour some instant potatoes into chowder, stir until desired consistency.

Patty Melt - Love these sandwiches which started appearing in the 1940's in diners, went out of fashion for awhile, but are back again. Another way I love the patty melt is to make salmon patties to replace the hamburger, use dilled havarti cheese to replace the cheddar and of course you still use the caramelized onions.

2 lbs. ground beef (we use ground turkey)

oil and butter

2 Tbl. Worcestershire sauce

3 large yellow onions, halved and thinly sliced

12 sliced really good rye bread

12 slices cheddar cheese (sliced thinly and you can use more if you like lots of melted cheese)

butter, softened

Mustard (old fashioned yellow)

In a bowl add beef or turkey and season with salt, pepper and Worcestershire sauce. Divide meat into 6 meat patties, shaped to fit your bread. In a large saute pan, add some oil and butter and heat to medium heat. Add the onions, season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring until golden brown and they are emitting that wonderful, delicious onion smell. What is it with onions and bacon when they are frying that make you salivate? When onions are caramelized transfer to a plate.

I like to grill my meat patties, but you can fry them in a saute pan until nicely browned and cooked through. Top each of the 6 bread slices with some cheese, add the cooked meat patty, a pile of onions and more cheese on top of the onions. Add the top portion of bread and butter each side of bread. Place the sandwiches in a pan and nicely brown each side until golden and the cheese melts. Slice in half and serve with mustard, a dill pickle and maybe some potato salad.

Decadent Chocolate Pudding

4 cups heavy whipping cream

5 oz. bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

6 large egg yolks

1/2 cup sugar

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

pinch of salt

If you like orange in your chocolate you can also add 1 tsp. pure orange extract.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Bring heavy cream to a simmer in heavy saucepan, remove from heat. Place the chocolate in stainless bowl, add 1 cup of warm cream and let stand until chocolate is melted. Stir the chocolate until smooth, then stir in remaining cream. In a bowl, whisk together egg yolks, sugar, vanilla and salt and gradually whisk into the chocolate mixture. Pour the pudding into eight (6 oz) ramekins. Place in deep baking pan, place in oven and pour hot water to reach 1/2 way up ramekins. Be sure not to get any water into the chocolate. Cover with foil. Bake for about 45 to 50 minutes. Remove from water bath to cooling rack. Refrigerate and when ready to serve add a dollop of whipped cream and a zesting of orange zest if desired.

One of My Favorites - Devil's Food Cake

Cake

3/4 cup whole milk

2 tsp. instant coffee powder

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa (good quality)

1/2 cup sour cream (not light)

1 1/4 cup all purpose flour

1 1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

1 cup butter, softened

1 1/2 cups sugar

3 eggs, room temperature

2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

Rich Chocolate Frosting - I usually double this, because I like lots of frosting

4 (4 oz) squares unsweetened chocolate, chopped

1 2/3 cup powdered sugar

3/4 cup heavy whipping cream

2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

6 Tbl. butter, soft cut into pieces

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Using cooking spray grease 3 (8-inch) cake pans. Line the bottoms with parchment paper and spray again.

In a saucepan, heat the milk and coffee until bubbles form around edges, whisk in cocoa until smooth. Whisk in sour cream and cool.

In a small bowl, add flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt; mix together. In mixing bowl of electric mixer add butter and beat until light and fluffy, add sugar and mix well. Beat in eggs, one at a time, add vanilla and on low gradually add dry ingredients alternating with chocolate mixtue. Beat on high for 2 minutes and pour into prepared pans. Bake for 25 minutes or until pick inserted comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes, take a sharp knife and run around edges of pan then invert cakes onto wire racks. Remove parchment paper and cool cakes completely.

Frosting

Heat chocolate, powdered sugar and cream, stirring over medium heat until creamy. Remove from heat and add vanilla. Pour into a bowl and place into bigger bowl filled with ice water and stir until thick. Remove and gradually add butter, with electric mixer beat on high until fluffy and frosting holds its shape. Frost your cake. You can then shave some chocolate and garnish entire cake or just the top.

Chicken Enchiladas with Creamy Jalapeno Sauce

6 chicken breasts (bone and skin on)

olive oil

salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 large onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 Tbl. butter

1 (4 oz.) can chopped green chilies

2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

3 tsp. chili powder

Tabasco, to taste

1 (8 oz) container sour cream

12 flour tortillas or you can use corn too

Fresh cilantro, chopped

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Rub chicken with olive oil and season with salt, pepper and 2 tsp. chili powder. Place on baking sheet and bake until done about 35 to 45 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool before removing skin, bones and shredding.

In a saute pan add butter to melt and cook onions and garlic until soft. Add chicken, green chilies, 1 tsp. chili powder, Tabasco, salt, pepper and 1 cup of sour cream and mix well.

Next step; you can either microwave your tortillas for a minute to soften or you can fry briefly in oil which is the step I like. If frying in oil, add some canola oil to saute pan, heat up and briefly add tortilla, remove to paper towels to absorb oil.

Lay tortillas on work surface and add some chicken mixture to tortillas, top with cheeses. Roll up enchiladas and place seam-side down in sprayed baking pan. Pour over sauce and bake in 350 degree oven for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle with chopped cilantro.

Sauce (many of the Tex-Mex restaurants in Texas serve this delicious sauce as either a dip or over burritos and enchiladas)

1 1/3 cups mayonnaise

1/3 cup buttermilk (not light)

1/2 cup jalapenos, chopped

1/3 cup green chilies

1/3 cup cilantro leaves

1 (1 oz) packed dry ranch dressing mix

Mix ingredients together and place in blender or food processor and puree until smooth. Taste and adjust, if you want it hotter add more jalapenos.

Church Goulash (or better known as my mother-in-law Vesta's dish) I'm sure everyone has eaten a version of this comfort food and Jerry and I love it.

2 lbs. ground turkey (or you can use beef)

3 cups elbow macaroni

1 large onion, chopped

1 large red bell pepper, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes, undrained

2 cups frozen corn

1 can cream style corn

2 (8 oz) cans tomato sauce

salt and freshly ground black pepper

Tabasco, to taste (my addition, as you already know I love Tabasco)

Italian parsley, chopped

In a large Dutch oven, add a little oil and saute onion, bell pepper and garlic until softened. Remove and set aside. Add the ground turkey breaking it up and cook until nicely browned. If there is any moisture drain in colander and place back into pan with onions, bell pepper and garlic.

In a saucepan of boiling salted water, add macaroni and cook al dente. Drain and add to Dutch oven with turkey mixture. Add tomatoes, corn, tomato sauce and seasonings. Bring this to a boil until heated through. If you want more moisture, add a little more tomato sauce. Taste and adjust seasonings. My favorite time to eat this is the next morning for breakfast served cold. I also like cold chili and spaghetti for breakfast. I'm sure there are many of you who like it too!

Bon Appetit

"The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you."

Philippians 4:23

Snow, Breathing & Eating - Breckenridge Trip

My husband and I needed to get away to a white winter wonderland so we chose Breckenridge, Colorado. After suffering through another hot Texas summer, snow sounded cool, crisp and lovely. The first week in December we flew from Austin into Denver, rented our car and drove to Breck (as the locals call it), but first we made a short stop in Denver to see some friends of ours. The drive to Breckenridge was beautiful and on the way we stopped in the little Victorian town of Georgetown where we had lunch; smoked salmon benedict with crispy potatoes and Jerry had huevous rancheros. We walked around the town for a bit and took some pictures, as we live in Georgetown, TX and had to show everyone here what G town, CO looked like.


Finally, after arriving in Breckenridge and finding our lodge we realized something was very wrong! We couldn't hardly breathe due to what we later found out was "altitude sickness." For the first day of our trip we stayed in bed feeling miserable (I won't bore you with the awful details.) Next morning we awoke and felt a lot better, but still were a little lightheaded. I told Jerry, maybe breakfast will help and we got ready and found a great place called the Blue Moose Cafe which served a variety of excellent hearty breakfasts and really, really good java and orange juice. We had planned on going skiing, but found it was hard to breathe just walking around the village. Laughing, I told Jerry if we try to ski we'll die of heart attacks. Instead of skiing we just played in the snow, built a snowman, had snowball fights and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves all the while trying to breathe! The village was decorated with thousands of Christmas lights and of course a beautiful Christmas tree which added to the festive atmosphere. Breckenridge is a very quaint town in the Colorado Rockies. It is one of the oldest and largest towns in Summit County and started out as a mining town. With over 250 buildings on the National Historic Register it has history and charm.


Breckenridge has four grand mountain peaks that surround it, so downhill skiers and snowboarders have some challenging runs to try out. If you are into snowshoeing or cross-country skiing you'll love it too. Winter in Breckenridge offers many activities from dining, the arts, shopping, and plenty of snow. Since breakfast is one of our favorite meals Jerry and I were thrilled to find lots of great little places serving up delicious unique breakfasts. There are over 100 restaurants in Breck with everything from burgers, pizza, pasta, BBQ, sushi, and sandwiches. Fine dining offers elegant atmospheres with menus from wild game, fresh fish (local stream caught trout) or regional dishes prepared by local chefs. There are also local coffee houses, bakeries, ice cream and candy shops. Jerry and I were very pleased with our dining choices.


I have listed a few of our favorite restaurants we tried in Breckenridge and one in Vail where we spent an afternoon. In Vail, they require you to show how much money you have before entering Vail and the Vail committee decided Jerry and I didn't have enough money to spend the entire day there! (just kidding). Both Breckenridge and Vail offered hundreds of boutiques with ski shops (obviously) cowboy boots, jewelry (my fav), clothing and art. Our son-in-law Derek is really difficult to buy for so the great ski shops had a gold mine of gifts for him. We did the majority of our Christmas shopping in Breckenridge and had it shipped home. We decided since we couldn't ski we might as well shop.


For breakfast we enjoyed the Blue Moose Cafe and the Columbine Cafe, both casual places with very good breakfast fare serving everything from pancakes, biscuits and sausage gravy, benedict's, omelets and of course really good coffee. We also enjoyed breakfast in Frisco (about 6 miles south of Breck) at the Butterhorn Bakery and Cafe where the baked goods were amazing. They served the most buttery delicious croissants we've eaten in a long time. They had wonderful large thick chewy buttery cookies such as; molasses, chocolate chip, macadamia nut, snicker doodles and peanut butter. They also had pies, cakes, cheesecakes, danish sticky buns, fruit tarts and brownies. For lunch the Butterhorn served homemade soups, salads and a variety of tasty sandwiches.


Our favorite dinner places were the Hearthstone Restaurant located in the 125-year old historic Kaiser House. They offer everything from hand cut steaks, game and fresh seafood. Executive Chef Michael Halpin uses seasonal products such as; fish, artisan cheeses and fresh produce. When we dined at Hearthstone Jerry ordered; house smoked trout for an appetizer which was lemon pepper trout, haystack mountain herbed cherve, capers and red onion. I had a Colorado caprese salad with shady lady tomatoes, housemade fresh mozzarella, organic basil, 12-year aged balsamic vinegar with olive oil and Hawaiian sea salt. For an entree Jerry had; Ahi tuna encrusted with macadamia nuts, roasted beet lobster sauce (which was very interesting); snap peas and vanilla parsnip puree. I had Prairie raised chicken breast stuffed with mouco camembert, port wine poached figs; goat cheese barley risotto and brussels sprouts. I'm salivating just thinking about this sumptuous meal! For dessert Jerry had Huckleberry bread pudding with balsamic huckleberry sauce and creme anglaise. I dined on triple chocolate decadence which consisted of homemade chocolate spongecake, baileys chocolate ganache, dark chocolate mousse with toffee sauce. Need I say more?


Another favorite place we went to was The Blue River Bistro with contemporary Italian-American menu. This place was really good and we ate here a few times. We dined on antipasto for an appetizer consisting of; focaccia toast, fig spread, dolmas; gorgonzola stuffed pepperdews; crispy sun-dried tomato polenta, Mediterranean olives, cappicola and brie. We also had their calamari. For entrees we tried the Pork tenderloin; hoisin glazed and pan roasted with shitake mushrooms and sugar snap peas over jasmine rice and the Mahi Mahi, pan roasted topped with oven-dried tomato ragout, white bean puree and asparagus, finished with port-burgundy reduction. We ate lunch there too and had Yellowfin Tuna sandwich grilled medium rare, spring mix, tomatoes, red onions and Cajun tarter on Kaiser roll. Another good choice was the tortellini Carbonara; spinach pasta stuffed with ricotta and served with a garlic cream sauce with prosciutto and spring onions. The dessert we enjoyed a couple of times at Blue River was the classic cranberry bread pudding finished with creme anglaise.


At Relish in Breckenridge, we tried the winter Caesar; heats of romaine, currants, rosemary focaccia croutons, Parmesan, with Cabernet grapefruit dressing - this salad was amazing. Jerry tried the frissee and grilled radicchio salad with my favorite Maytag blue cheese, pears, crisp pancetta and port wine vinaigrette. For dinner entrees Jerry had the whole almond crusted rainbow trout,with crispy potato cake, haricot vert almondine and a verjus brown butter. I dined on the truffle honey glazed mahi mahi, baby spinach, with sun-dried tomato caper gremolata.


Sweet Basil, in Vail, CO was a delightful lunch outing. This creative modern restaurant offered Mediterranean, Italian, Asian influenced food. We dined on an appetizer of wild gulf shrimp spring roll with spicy mango puree, Vietnamese dipping sauce and pickled mustard seed. Our entrees were; duck confit pot pie with wild mushrooms, winter squash, celery root, rosemary and percorino crust and a delicious grilled organic chicken and spinach salad with roasted butternut squash and parsnips, ginger glazed apples, pumpkin seeds and warm mustard vinaigrette. Dessert we split was honey moscato poached pears; honey semi-freddo, pine nut brittle and percorino romano.


Another restaurant and cantina we enjoyed was Mi Casa where Mexican food is prepared with fresh ingredients and prepared as in regions of Mexico and the Southwest. We dined on avocado frito with a fresh avocado battered and fried crispy then stuffed with spicy shrimp and finished with jalapeno sour cream. Pork empanadas with homemade masa dough stuffed with slow roasted pork, fried and topped with mango red chili sauce and these were only the appetizers. I enjoyed a quesadilla with mango duck; duck braised in mango and red chilies stuffed inside a garlic herb tortilla with assorted cheeses, onion, red bell peppers, Anaheim and poblano chilies and topped with that delicious mango red chili sauce. Jerry had the mahi mahi fish tacos marinated in lemon and cilantro sauteed and folded inside grilled flour tortillas with red cabbage, pico de gallo and lime cilantro yogurt, served with black beans and Oaxacan rice. I had to indulge and have the tres leches cake; traditional Mexican white cake soaked in three milks and finished with whipped cream frosting and drizzled with caramel sauce.


One evening we went to Two Below Zero in Frisco and had an old-fashioned sleigh ride with beautiful mountain snow views traveling through the Peninsula Recreation area down scenic trails. They offered a dinner ride, but Jerry and I opted for the hot chocolate with peppermint schnapps and music ride. When we arrived at the "tent" we were greeted by our hosts and musical entertainment for the evening. The tent (looked like a tent cabin) was festooned with Christmas splendor, had a nice warm fireplace and cozy tables and chairs. Our entertainment was David Peel who apparently at one time sang with the Kingston Trio. He was very enjoyable, personable and a good singer. He sang Christmas songs and country songs for about 1 hour. Then we got back on the sleigh and wound our way back in the moonlight which was very romantic being snuggled next to my husband in a warm cozy blanket.


I have tried to create a few of the recipes we dined on in Breckenridge and I hope you enjoy them. This dining experience really got my creative ideas flowing. Oh and yes, we are in diet mode after all that good food we ate.


Spinach Tortellini with Garlic Cream Sauce


1 bag spinach tortellini (I didn't feel like making my own)
1 Tbl. olive oil
1 Tbl. butter
2 shallots, finely minced
5 garlic cloves, finely minced
6 strips thick cut bacon or prosciutto, sliced
1/4 cup white wine
6 scallions, thinly sliced including green part
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp. nutmeg freshly grated
Italian parsley, chopped


Boil the spinach tortellini in salted water until al dente, this just takes a few minutes. Drain, drizzle with a little olive oil.


In a large deep sided saute pan, add bacon or prosciutto and cook until crisp. Remove to paper towels and drain well. Wipe out pan and add add olive oil and butter. Add shallots and garlic and cook until tender, but not brown, add white wine and reduce. Add scallions and whipping cream, and reduce for a few minutes. Add spinach tortellini into pan and heat through a couple of minutes. Add bacon or prosciutto and cheese, gently mix - taste and season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Remove to platter and sprinkle on extra cheese and parsley.


Macadamia Nut Crusted Tuna with Vanilla Parsnip Puree


4 (8 oz) Ahi tuna filet's
salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbl. olive oil
1 cup Macadamia nuts, chopped


Rub fish with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Add chopped nuts to a plate and press each fillet into the nuts on each side. Add 2 Tbl. olive oil in saute pan and add fish. Sear on each side - about 15 seconds for rare, 30 seconds for medium rare. If you like your fish well done, start with a lower temperature and cook until desired doneness. Once you have turned the fish over, do not turn again.


Vanilla Parsnip Puree


2 lbs. parsnips peeled and chopped
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract (you could use vanilla bean if desired, it will give a stronger flavor)
1/2 stick butter, soft
4 Tbl. cream cheese, soft
1/2 cup whipping cream


Cook parsnips in salted water for about 25 minutes or until tender and drain well and allow to dry out. In a saute pan, add butter, cream cheese, whipping cream and vanilla until warmed through. Add parsnips to food processor and add cream mixture a little at a time, blend parsnips but don't overwork or they will become gluey textured. You want a nice puree.


Chicken Stuffed with Herb Goat Cheese with Poached Figs


4 chicken breasts (boneless, skinless) pounded to about 1/2-inch
6 oz. goat cheese
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. fresh rosemary, finely chopped
3 tsp. Italian parsley, finely chopped
2 tsp. fresh lemon zest
1 egg, beaten and mixed with 2 tsp. water
1 cup panco breadcrumbs or use all purpose flour (depending on the texture you want)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a oven proof saute pan, add a little butter and olive oil. In a bowl, mix the goat cheese with oregano, lemon zest and rosemary. Place the pounded breasts on work surface, season with salt and pepper and add equal parts of cheese mixture to each breast. Roll each breast similar to a burrito and secure with toothpick. Roll the breasts in beaten egg then into breadcrumbs. Using tongs, brown chicken on each side in saute pan, then place pan in oven for about 15 minutes.  Remove to cutting board and let rest a few minutes. You can either serve whole or slice each breast on diagonal. Place on serving platter and drizzle over the figs in port wine sauce. Garnish with rosemary sprigs and parsley.


Figs in Port Wine

1 cup ruby port
4 slices lemon
1/2 cinnamon stick
1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup honey
10 Black Mission figs, halved lengthwise


In saucepan, combine water and sugar bringing to a boil. Add port, lemon slices, cinnamon stick and vanilla bean. Cover and simmer on low for about 15 minutes. Add the figs, cover and simmer for about 15 minutes. Let cool slightly and remove lemon, cinnamon and vanilla bean.


Pork Tenderloin Glazed with Hoisin Sauce


2 lb. pork tenderloin, remove any fat
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp. Chinese 5-spice powder
2 tsp. sesame oil
4 scallions, sliced on diagonal including green part
sesame seeds, lightly toasted (garnish if desired)
Glaze
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
2 tsp. chili garlic sauce (I like Sambal Oelek)
3 garlic cloves, minced


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Rub the tenderloin evenly with sesame oil, rub on 5-spice and season with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes. In a bowl, whisk the hoisin, chili garlic sauce, & garlic together. In a large saute pan, add pork and brown on all sides. Place the browned meat on a non-stick roasting pan and baste with some of the glaze. Cook in oven for about 45 minutes, continually glazing until thermometer reaches 155 to 160 degrees. Remove from pan and cover loosely with foil and rest for 10 minutes. Transfer to cutting board and slice at an angle. Place on platter and sprinkle with sliced scallions and sesame seeds if desired. Serve with jasmine rice and snap peas.


Crisp Potato Cakes


3 cups grated raw potatoes (I like Yukon Gold)
1/2 cup all purpose flour
2 eggs
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 cup Italian parsley, chopped
1 small onion, finely minced
Tabasco, to taste
oil for frying


Grate potatoes in bowl, add enough water to cover and let stand for 10 minutes. Drain well and place potatoes on paper towels to remove excess moisture. In a bowl, beat eggs, add flour, salt, pepper, parsley, Tabasco and onion and fold in potatoes. In a very hot non-stick pan,heat 1/2-inch of oil, heat and add 1/4 cup of potato mixture. Brown on both sides for about 4 minutes, remove to paper towels, dust with salt again and serve immediately. These can be served with dollop of sour cream, chopped chives, smoked salmon, caviar, salsa, pesto, fresh dill or left just plain. No matter how you enjoy them they are delicious.


Grilled Chicken and Spinach Salad (with roasted butternut squash, feta cheese and mustard vinaigrette)


4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
6 cups baby spinach leaves
Frisee lettuce (I love adding this to any salad, it's one of my favorites so if you like it use it)
1 butternut squash
pure maple syrup
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Grape tomatoes, sliced in half or left whole
1 cup goat cheese
dried cranberries
Mustard Dressing
2 Tbl. Dijon mustard
2 Tbl. parsley, chopped
3 Tbl. balsamic vinegar
salt and freshly ground black pepper
2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp. honey
2 garlic cloves, minced


In a shaker bottle with lid or use your food processor, add dressing ingredients and shake well until incorporated. Taste and adjust flavorings.


For squash; preheat oven to 400 degrees. Slice the top and bottom off squash and either with paring knife or vegetable peeler remove skin. Cut in half down middle and remove seeds. Slice into 1-inch chunks and place on baking sheet lined with foil. Drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper and drizzle with maple syrup, tossing to combine. Roast for about 20 minutes or until tender. Remove and cool slightly.


Rub chicken breasts with some olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill or saute in pan until done about 15 minutes. Let rest for about 10 minutes and slice on diagonal.


To assemble; place spinach on a platter, add Frisee, add chicken breast slices, tomatoes, roasted squash, and cranberries. Add crumbled goat cheese and drizzle over dressing.

Haricot Vert Almondine with Brown Butter


1 lb. haricots verts
1/2 cup slivered almonds, lightly toasted
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Brown Butter
1/2 stick unsalted butter
salt
1 lemon, zested


For the beans; heat a large pot of boiling salted water. Trim and clean beans. Cook beans for about 3 to 4 minutes. Immediately drain and pat dry, place on platter and pour over browned butter. Serve immediately.  For butter; place butter in saute pan and cook until butter has browned and is nutty smelling. Skim off any foam. Remove from heat and let cool for a minute, add pinch of salt and lemon zest.


Duck Quesadilla with Mango and Red Chili Sauce


4 large flour tortillas
3 boneless duck breasts with skin
2 cups Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
4 scallions, sliced including green part
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1 mangos, seeded, peeled and sliced (drizzle with fresh lime juice to prevent browning)
For Sauce - (this sauce is from an my sister-in-law Valerie in CA, and I just added the mangos to it)
3 dried Ancho chilies
water
3 cloves garlic
2 black peppercorns, crushed
salt to taste
1 Tbl. honey
1 mango, seeded and chopped


For sauce; open up each chili and remove stem and seeds. Heat large saute pan on medium and flatten out the chilies and place in skillet to heat. Press down for a few seconds, then turn over, DO NOT BURN THEM. Add chilies to small saucepan and cover with boiling water let sit for 15 to 20 minutes until soft. Remove chilies from pan and place in blender with garlic, salt, pepper and 1 1/2 cups cold water. Puree for a couple of minutes until smooth. Add mango, honey and puree again until smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings. Pour sauce through sieve into a saute pan, add 1 Tbl. of olive oil and bring to simmer and reduce for 15 minutes. Skim off any foam. Use right away or place in glass jar and refrigerate.


For duck; preheat oven to 350 degrees. Using a paring sharp paring knife, score the duck breasts about 1/4 inch. Brush duck breasts with red chili mango glaze. Let stand for about 30 minutes. Heat some oil in pan and sear duck skin side down for about 4 minutes until crispy. Turn and sear other side for about 4 minutes. Transfer duck to oven glazing again with sauce and roast for 7 to 9 minutes or until cooked through. Remove from oven and let rest for about 10 minutes before thinly slicing.


To assemble; place tortillas on work surface, on one half side add some cheese to each tortilla. Add slices of duck and drizzle with a little of the sauce. Add scallions, cilantro and mango slices, fold tortillas in half. In a large flat bottomed pan, add some butter and place folded tortillas in pan. Lightly brown on each side and melt cheese. To serve; remove to cutting board and slice into sections, drizzle each piece with a little more sauce then serve. Serve with pureed black beans, and Mexican rice.


Finally to Desserts


Cranberry Bread Pudding with Creme Anglaise


1 loaf of challah bread
1 Tbl. orange zest
6 eggs
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries (don't have them, use dried)
3/4 cup sugar
2 1/2 cups whole milk
1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream


Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cut bread into 1-inch cubes. In a 13x9 or similar baking dish lightly grease with butter. Add half of bread to dish, sprinkle over 2/3 of cranberries and orange zest. Cover with remaining bread, and cranberries.  In a large bowl, whisk eggs, milk, heavy cream, sugar and vanilla, pour over bread/cranberry mixture, slightly pressing down and let stand for about 15 minutes. In a large roasting pan (big enough to fit bread pudding pan with extra room around sides) place bread pudding pan. Place in oven and add about 2-inches of boiling water to roasting pan, careful not to spill any in bread pudding. Bake for about 45 minutes to 1 hour, until puffed up and lightly golden brown. To check for doneness insert knife or skewer in center and if it comes out clean it's cooked. If it needs more time, loosely cover with foil and continue baking. If you find it's becoming too brown during baking, gently cover with foil. Carefully remove pudding to cooling rack.


Creme Anglaise

1 cup whole milk
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/3 cup sugar
pinch of salt
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
2 strips of orange rind
4 egg yolks


In a saucepan scald milk and cream, then add vanilla bean and orange rind. Remove from heat and let come together for about 10 minutes, then remove vanilla bean and orange rind. In a bowl, whisk the yolks, sugar and salt until light pale yellow. Temper the egg mixture into the hot milk/cream mixture and return to heat, stirring constantly until thickened (DO NOT BRING TO BOIL). Remove from heat, pour into a bowl and place bowl into a larger bowl filled with ice (ice bath) to stop cooking process.  To serve; dish up a scoop of bread pudding into pretty serving dishes and drizzle over creme anglaise. You can zest some orange zest over creme if desired. Refrigerate any leftovers.


Tres Leches Cake with Caramel Sauce


Mom's Caramel Sauce (my mom Dorothy)
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup water
1 cup heavy whipping cream
pinch of salt
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract


In a heavy saucepan add sugar and water and bring to a simmer over medium high heat. Swirl the pan until sugar is completely dissolved and liquid is clear. Do not stir, this is important. Next, bring mixture to a boil swirling pan again every few minutes until you see it start to change color.  When the liquid has become deep amber colored, remove pan from heat and pour in whipping cream. It will bubble. Place the pan back over low heat and stir (yes, now you can stir) until the caramel had melted and is light brown. Remove pan from heat and add vanilla and salt.


Tres Leches Cake - (the first time I tried this was when I moved to S. CA in the late 70's and a friend invited us to dinner and served this)


Cake
5 eggs, separated
1 cup sugar (divided into 3/4 and 1/4 cups)
1/3 cup milk
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 cup all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. cream of tarter
Milk Syrup
1 cup sweetened condensed milk
1 (12 oz.) can evaporated milk
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract


Garnishes; 2 cups whipped heavy whipping cream, the caramel sauce and fresh fruit such as; strawberries, blackberries, sliced mango's, raspberries if desired.  For cake; Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 13x9 baking pan. In a mixer bowl, beat 3/4 sugar and egg yolks until light and fluffy. Fold in milk, vanilla, flour and baking powder. In another bowl beat egg whites to soft peaks, add cream of tarter then gradually add remaining 1/4 cup sugar and continue beating until whites are glossy and firm. Gently fold the whites into the yolk mixture. Pour this batter into baking dish. Bake about 30 to 45 minutes. Remove to cooling rack. When cake is completely cooled, gently pierce cake all over top with a skewer to absorb milk syrup.  For the syrup; combine the condensed milk, evaporated milk, cream and vanilla in mixing bowl. Whisk until blended and slowly pour over the cake until all is absorbed. Refrigerate cake.  To serve; whip heavy whipping cream, adding a little powdered sugar to stiff peaks. Spread whipping cream over refrigerated cake then add drizzle of cooled caramel sauce. You can add berries if desired.




Bon Appetit

Before I was afflicted I went astray; but now I obey your word

Psalm 119:67