Macaroni Salad

 

1 16 oz. pkg. macaroni, cooked                     1 cup chopped celery

4 hard boiled eggs, chopped                         ½ cup chopped red onion

1/2 cup mayonnaise                                     ½ cup green stuffed olives                 

½ cup sour cream                                        ¼ cup chopped sweet pickle

1/2 cup Greek yogurt                                    2 carrots, grated

¼ tsp. ground mustard                                 1 red bell pepper, chopped

2 T. sweet pickle juice                                  2 T. celery seed

Dash of white vinegar                                   2 Tbs. pimientos or green olives

                                                                   Salt & pepper to taste

 

Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling water until al dente.  Drain and rinse.  Set aside.  In a large bowl, mix mayonnaise, sour cream, yogurt, dry mustard and sweet pickle juice.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  In large bowl, combine macaroni, celery, onion, olives, sweet pickles, carrots, red bell pepper, celery seeds, olives and eggs.  Stir in dressing, salt and pepper and mix well.  Chill.  Serve.

Fall is just around the corner and that means Carrot Cake to me!!!

Carrot Cake 

4 eggs                                                         2 tsp. cinnamon

½ cup vegetable oil                                      3 cups grated carrots

½ cup applesauce                                         1 cup chopped pecans

2 cups sugar                                                         

2 tsp. vanilla                                                 ½ cup butter, softened

2 cups flour                                                  8 oz. cream cheese, softened

2 tsp. baking soda                                        4 cups powdered sugar

2 tsp. baking powder                                    1 tsp. vanilla

½ tsp. salt                                                   ½ cup chopped pecans

Note:  This recipe cuts the fat by halving the 1 cup of oil with applesauce.  Preheat oven to 350°.  Grease and flour a 9 X 13” pan.  In a large bowl, beat together eggs, oil, sugar and 2 tsp. vanilla.  Mix in flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon.  Stir in carrots.  Fold in pecans.  Pour into prepared pan.  Bake in the preheated oven for 40 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.  Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely.  For frosting ~ Note ~ recipe is for a layered cake.  You can cut this recipe by ¼ and it will still make plenty.  In a medium bowl, combine butter, cream cheese, powdered sugar and 1 tsp. vanilla.  Beat until smooth and creamy.  Frost the cooled cake.  Sprinkle with pecans.

 

Y U M!

Cinnamon Rolls w/Maple Icing

An Elegant Twist to Cinnamon rolls 

1/3 cup sugar                                              ½ cup brown sugar                                     

1 cup warm water                                        2 ½ tsp. cinnamon

1 pkgs. active Dry Yeast                               3 oz. cream cheese, softened

3 ½ cups flour                                              2 Tbsp. butter, softened

2 2/3 Tbsp. oil                                              1 ½ cups powdered sugar

1 tsp. salt                                                    ¼ tsp. vanilla extract

3 Tbsp. butter                                              ¼ tsp. maple extract

1/8 tsp. salt

Put first 6 ingredients in bread machine in order recommended by manufacturer.  Press “dough” and start.  When dough is ready, roll out onto floured surface into a 16 X 21” rectangle.  Spread with 3 tablespoons of butter.  Sprinkle with 1/2 cup brown sugar and 2 ½ tsp. cinnamon.  Roll dough starting on the long side.  Slice into 12 equal slices and place in 13 X 9” pan.  Bake until brown at about 400° until lightly browned and cooked on bottom.  Let cinnamon rolls cool.  Mix cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, maple extract and salt.  Spread on rolls and enjoy!

Enjoy a cool summer salad . . .

New York Salad

Sweet, Tart, Crunchy all in one Divine Salad

Mixed greens                                                Kiwis

Mix of Blue Cheese and Feta                           Pears

Craisins                                                        Sugared Walnuts or Pecans

Grapes                                                         Purchased Raspberry Dressing

Sugared Walnuts/Pecans:

1 Egg White                                                  1 tsp. Salt

½ cup Sugar                                                 1 lb. Nuts

Preheat oven to 225°.  Oil or spray a rimmed baking sheet.  In a small bowl, whisk egg white until foamy.  Add sugar and salt, whisking until well blended.

Add nuts; stir with a fork until coated.  Pour onto prepared baking sheet.  Spread in an even layer.  Bake for 1 hour, turning and stirring with a spatula after 30 minutes.  Nuts will be slightly soft, but will firm up as they cool.  Cool completely.  Break apart any nuts that stick together.  Store in an airtight container.

My husband brought home a surprise:  Prosciutto and Italian aged Provolone! 
I made this sandwich . . .

Volpi Prosciutto, Blackberry Jam, Pear & Italian Aged Provolone Cheese Sandwich

2 slices Grainy Bread                                         thin sliced pear (or apple)
Blackberry Jam                                                 Italian Aged Provolone sliced thin

crisped Volpi Prosciutto

(cook in oven about 7 minutes to crisp)

Spray a pan with Pam (or if you dare - use butter). Spread the jam on the bottom piece of bread, then the crisped Prosciutto, sliced pear or apple, sliced cheese and top piece of bread. Grill in the pan until golden brown and cheese is melted (I cover the pan with a lid).

Pizza with Prosciutto & Caramelized Onions

1 tsp. active dry yeast                            2 purple onions, halved, sliced thin

1 ½ cups warm water                             ¼ cups brown sugar

4 cups flour                                           ½ cup Parmesan cheese, grated

1 tsp. Kosher salt                                   fresh mozzarella, sliced thin

1/3 cup olive oil, plus more for drizzling          6-10 slices Prosciutto

Add yeast to 1 ½ cups warm water and let stand for a few minutes. In large bowl, combine flour and salt. Drizzle oil over flour mixture and mix until combined. Pour water and yeast mixture over flour mixture and mix until the dough becomes sticky. Coat a large glass bowl with olive oil and form dough into a all. Toss to coat dough in olive oil, then cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and set it aside for 1 to 2 hours, or store in refrigerator 24 hours. When you are ready to make the pizza, grab half the dough and roll out the pizza dough into a large rectangle. Spread it on an oiled baking sheet or pizza pan. Drizzle a little olive oil on the dough and sprinkle some Kosher salt. Preheat oven to 500°. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet. Add onions and brown sugar and stir and cook until brown and cooked. Lay slices of mozzarella over the top of the crust. Spread caramelized onions over the mozzarella. Lay prosciutto over the onions. Bake 15-17 minutes or until crust is golden brown.

I love this picture of my grandfather "Pop" on the back cover of my cookbook "Cooking Up Memories".  He was such an inspiration in so many ways.



http://www.susanlavery.com/

This is just plain good!

Brown Sugar Meatloaf

Crowd Pleaser – Especially for Meat Lovers!

½ cup packed brown sugar                           1 ½ tsp. salt

½ cup ketchup                                             ¼ tsp. pepper

1 ½ lbs. Lean ground beef                            1 small onion, chopped

¾ cup milk                                                   ¼ tsp. ground ginger

2 eggs                                                         ¾ cup finely crushed saltine cracker

   Crumbs or bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 350°.  Lightly grease a 5 X 9” loaf pan (or equivalent).  Press the brown sugar in the bottom of the prepared loaf pan and spread the ketchup over the sugar.  In a mixing bowl, mix thoroughly all remaining ingredients and shape into a loaf.  Place on top of the ketchup.  Bake in oven for 1 hour or until juices are clear.  Note:  If you fail to read instructions first and just mix all the ingredients – that is good too!