Tuna Macaroni Salad

This is an easy summer salad.  It is my brother's favorite.  I have not made it for about 8 years, so I am going to make it with his daughter for Father's Day this week end.

Ingredients:
1 - 7oz box small ring macaroni
1 can or pouch tuna
8oz frozen peas
1/2 large onion, chopped
8oz shredded cheddar cheese
1 1/4 cup mayo
1 TBLS Mustard
1 tsp vinegar (optional)
1 tsp hot sauce (optional)
Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions:
Cook macaroni according to package, let cool.  Mix all ingredients together and refrigerate for a couple of hours (or overnight).

Strawberry Basil Lemonade

A great refreshing drink for summer.  Can also be served with Gin or Vodka added for an Adult refreshment.

Ingredients:
1 Cup Water
1 Cup Sugar
20 Strawberries (hulled)
20 Basil Leaves
1 Cup Fresh Lemon Juice (can used bottled Lemon Juice)
Water

Directions:
Boil 1 cup water and 1 cup sugar until sugar is dissolved to make simple syrup.  In a food processor, chop Strawberries and Basil until it is like a paste.  In a 64 ounce pitcher, add simple syrup, strawberry basil paste, lemon juice and fill the pitcher up with water.  Mix very well.  Serve in glasses with ice.

Cheesy Chicken Tortilla Soup

This is a great comfort soup.  Easy to make.  Can be doubled for a large crowd.

Mix:

2 Cans Fiesta Nacho Soup

3 Can Milk (from smaller can)

1 Large Can Cream of Chicken Soup

Simmer Above Ingredients

Add:

2 Can Chunky Chicken (or shredded Chicken Breasts)

1 Can Enchilada Sauce 

1 Small Can Chopped Green Chilis

Optional:  Can add corn, chopped peppers or any veggies you desire.

Add to above and simmer until hot.

Sprinkle with fine shredded cheese and tortilla chips

Irish Cream Liqueur

This is a simple recipe from my friend, Morey, to make homemade Irish Cream.  I made 3 batches today for right around $30.00, that is almost cheaper than one bottle of Baileys.

Ingredients:
11/2 Cups Blended Whiskey
1 can Sweetened Condensed Milk (not evaporated milk)
4 TBLS Chocolate Syrup
4 TBLS Water
1/2 tsp Vanilla
1 Pint Whipping Cream

Directions:
Blend first 5 ingredients in blender until well blended.  Add Whipping Cream and blend on medium-high for no more than 60 seconds.  It will get too thick it you blend it longer.

Pour in the decorative bottles.

Keeps for a couple months.  No need to refrigerate.

Jams for Sale

I went a little overboard yesterday.  Homemade Jams for sale, if you don't use the recipes below to make them on your own.
$5.00 for a 1/2 pint jar.  Local Delivery.
Varieties:  

• Rhubarb Ginger
• Rhubarb Lime Ginger
• Rhubarb
• Strawberry Rhubarb
• Strawberry

Strawberry Lemon Limeade

INGREDIENTS

·         1 cup sugar (can reduce to 3/4 cup)

·         1 cup water (for the simple syrup)

·         4 Lemons

·         3 Limes

·         ½ Cup Strawberries, Chopped

·         3 to 4 cups cold water (to dilute)

Instructions

Make simple syrup by heating the sugar and water in a small saucepan until the sugar is dissolved completely.

While the sugar is dissolving, use a juicer to extract the juice from lemons and limes. 

Add the lemon juice, lime juice, strawberries and the sugar water to a pitcher. Add 3 to 4 cups of cold water, more or less to the desired strength. Refrigerate 30 to 40 minutes. If the lemonade is a little sweet for your taste, add a little more straight lemon juice to it.

Serve with ice, sliced lemons.

Yield: Serves 6.

Rhubarb Jam

Ingredients:

5 cups prepared chopped rhubarb

5 cups sugar

½ tsp. butter or margarine

2 pouches Liquid Pectin (1box)

 4 drops red food coloring

Cooking Instructions:

Cook rhubarb over low heat until tenders.  Add sugar; stir. Add butter to reduce foaming. Bring to full rolling boil (a boil that doesn't stop bubbling when stirred) on high heat, stirring constantly. Stir in pectin. Return to full rolling boil and boil exactly 1 min., stirring constantly. Remove from heat and skim any foam. Stir in food coloring.  Place in sterilized jars with new lids.  Process 10 minutes in hot water bath.

Yields 8 cups

Strawberry Rhubarb Jam

Ingredients:

4 c. strawberries
2 c. chopped rhubarb
1/4 c. lemon juice
1 pkg. powdered pectin
5 1/2 c. sugar

Cooking Instructions:

Crush strawberries in pot. Add rhubarb, lemon juice and pectin. Bring to a boil. Add sugar all at once. Boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat and skim any foam. Pack into jars leaving 1/4 inch space at the top. Place in sterilized jars with new lids.  Process 10 minutes in hot water bath.

 Yields about 8 cups.

Rhubarb Lime Ginger Jam

Ingredients:
4 cups rhubarb

1 Lime, juiced

Zest of 1 Lime
2 Tablespoons minced fresh ginger
4 drops red food color
1 package powdered pectin
5 cups sugar
Cooking Instructions:
Chop rhubarb into 1/2 inch chunks. Place in large stock pot and cook over low until rhubarb is soft. Add ginger, lime zest, lime juice and pectin; cook over high heat, stirring constantly until mixture reaches a full rolling boil (cannot be stirred down). Add sugar all at once, and bring back to a full rolling boil. Cook, stirring constantly, for 2 full minutes. Remove from heat and add food color. Place in sterilized jars with new lids.  Process 10 minutes in hot water bath.

Yields about 6 ½ Cups

Rhubarb Ginger Jam

Ingredients:
4 cups rhubarb
2 Tablespoons minced fresh ginger
4 drops red food color
1 package powdered pectin
5 cups sugar
Cooking Instructions:
Chop rhubarb into 1/2 inch chunks. Place in large stock pot and cook over low until rhubarb is soft. Add ginger and pectin; cook over high heat, stirring constantly until mixture reaches a full rolling boil (cannot be stirred down). Add sugar all at once, and bring back to a full rolling boil. Cook, stirring constantly, for 2 full minutes. Remove from heat and add food color. Place in sterilized jars with new lids.  Process 10 minutes in hot water bath.

Yields about 6 ½ Cups

Rosette's

A Norwegian Christmas Tradition.  The light flaky cookie melts in your mouth.  Makes about 16 cookies.

Ingredients:
2 eggs, slightly beaten
2 TBLS sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup milk 2%
1 cup flour
1 TBLS Almond Extract (can use lemon or vanilla extract in place of almond)

Directions:
Add sugar to eggs mix well, then add milk and mix again.  Mix flour and salt.  Stir into egg mixture and beat until smooth.  Add flavoring stir again.  Set aside.

Fry as directed below, dip in sugar and store in cover airtight container.  Can be frozen.

Pre-Frying Directions:

• Set up everything that is needed to fry.
• Use a fry daddy to fry.  Use shortening according to manufacturers instructions.
• Have a bowl that is big enough for the finished rosettes fill with granulated sugar.  Should have flat bottom.
• Have a bowl that is big enough to fit rosette iron 3/4 high and fill with part of the batter.  Should have flat bottom.
• Have cooling rack ready.

Frying directions:

• Put iron in oil.  Leave for about 5 minutes to heat up.  
• Lift iron and shake off excess oil.
• Dip in batter about 3/4 from top.  Lift iron; let excess batter drip off.  Do not shake.
• Put bake in oil.  When bubbling stops and rosettes are brown, they are done.  About a minute or two.
• Lift out of oil and let excess oil drip off.
• Drop into sugar and release the mold using a fork to help off.  They are delicate, so you have to be careful.
• Once iron is off, stir around sugar.  Remove from sugar and place sugar side up on cooling rack.
• Dip iron back in oil for about 2 minutes and repeat until the batter is gone.  You will need to add batter as it gets too low.

Mint Brownie Bites

A great minty brownie.  Fun around the Holidays or anytime of year.

Ingredients

For the brownies:

·         6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces

·         1/2 cup all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled

·         2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch process)

·         1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

·         4 ounces semisweet chocolate chips, coarsely chopped

·         1 cup granulated sugar

·         1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

·         2 large eggs

For the ganache:

·         ½ cup heavy cream

·         8 ounces semisweet chocolate chips, coarsely chopped

·         1/4 teaspoon pure peppermint extract

·         Andes Mints (cut in half or chopped coarsely)

Directions

1.     Make the brownies: Heat oven to 350° F.  Generously spray cooking spray on a 24-cup mini muffin pan (or 2 12-cup). In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa, and salt; set aside.

2.     In a medium saucepan, melt the butter and chocolate over low heat.  Remove the pan from heat and mix in the sugar and vanilla.   Add the eggs and mix until combined. Stir in the flour mixture until just combined (do not overmix).

3.     Spoon the batter into the muffin cups, filling them no more than two-thirds full. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of a brownie comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Set the pans on wire racks to cool for 5 minutes, press down on center of the brownie to make an indentation.  Gently twist the brownies to ensure that they will not stick.  Let cook another 5-10 minutes in pan; then transfer the brownies to the racks and let cool completely. 

4.     Make the ganache: Place the cream and chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave on high, stirring occasionally, until melted, 1 to 2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds. Stir to completely combine. Stir in the peppermint extract. Let cool 10 minutes.

5.     Assemble the brownie bites: Spread the ganache over the cooled brownies and sprinkle with the chopped Andes mints (or if cut in ½ put ½ in each bite).  Place them on a baking sheet and refrigerate until the ganache is firm, at least 1 hour and up to 8 hours.

6.     Storage suggestion: Store in frig; let warm up about 30 minutes prior to serve.  Can be frozen.