Kabob Cookout Weekend!

I have finished my first week of cooking new meals! Albeit, with a slight adjustment: I swapped Friday for Saturday (hubby was gone & we had a guest over Saturday night). Wanting to impress, and also wanting something good, filling, and healthy....we decided on veggie and meat Kabobs. Steak kabobs at that!

Let me tell you, they were a lot of work, but very very worth it. We also decided on an appetizer and a dessert. For the app I made "Cali"-schetta, which is basically bruschetta but with avocado, cheese, and other stuff added in. For dessert I decided to make some lemon bunt cake. My hubby loves things with lemon. I think its the tart/sweet combo.

Everything turned out wonderful. We grilled the kabobs, veggies, pineapple, and meat outside. I made the appetizer, baked the cake, and made a batch of cornbread ( I was craving some...with honey...yum). Hubby helped with the prep work, cutting the veggies, mixing the cake, and stuff like that. When the guests arrived, drinks were passed out and the appetizers were eaten! Then, not to long after, dinner was served!

~"Cali"-schetta~

1/2-1/3 baguette, cut into 1/2 in. slices on the diagonal

3 tbsp. olive oil

1 lg. garlic clove, peeled, plus 1 clove, peeled and finely chopped

2 med. ripe tomatoes, seeded and chopped

2 avocados, pitted, peeled and chopped

1/2 onion, finely chopped

1/4 c. grated parmesan cheese

2 tbsp. chopped cilantro*

2 tbsp. lime juice

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

Heat oven to 350 F. Lightly brush both sides of the bread slices with olive oil. Toast on a baking sheet for about 4 min. per side. Remove from oven and rub one side with the whole garlic clove. Let cool. In a med. bowl mix together chopped garlic, tomato, avocado, onion, cheese, cilantro, lime juice, salt, and pepper. Cover and refrigerate for 30 min. Top each bread slice with a spoonful of tomato/avocado mixture and serve.

*I left the cilantro as an optional garnish, I am not a fan of it, at all...

~Steak & Veggie Kabobs~

Steak, cut into 1 1/2 in. cubes

Marinade (10-30 min. stuff)*

Red, yellow and green peppers

Red onion

Cherry tomatoes

Zucchini

Squash

Button mushrooms

Pineapple

Kabob Skewers

Preheat grill. Marinade the steak in refrigerator. Soak skewers in water. Cut all the veggies into uniform pieces, about 1 1/2 in. each. (with the exception of the tomatoes). Peel and core the pineapple and cut into 1 1/2 in. cubes. Thread the veggies onto skewers, alternate veggies for looks. Thread the pineapple onto skewers. Thread the meat onto skewers. Grill the veggies and meat directly over the flame on med. heat. Place the pineapple above to warm with veggies and meat are cooking. Cook until meat is at your preferred doneness (We went for med. so it was about 10 or so min. each side) and veggies are charred and soft. Remove from grill. Place pineapple directly on grill and char, about 2 min. each side. Remove. Serve family style.

* I used a Teriyaki-style marinade

Ingredients before cooking

Nice char grilled meat, veggies, and pineapple!

~Lemon Cake~

2 sticks unsalted butter, room temp.

2 1/2 c. sugar

4 XL or lg. eggs, room temp

1/3 c. grated lemon zest (6-8 lg. lemons)

3 c. AP flour

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

3/4 c. + 3 1/2 tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice

3/4 c. buttermilk, room temp*

1 tsp. vanilla

2 c. powdered sugar

Heat oven to 350 F. Grease and flour a bunt pan. Cream butter and 2 c. sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment for about 5 min. or until light and fluffy. Mixing at med. speed, add eggs, one at a time, and lemon zest. 

Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a bowl. In another bowl combine 1/4 c. lemon juice, buttermilk and vanilla. Add flour and buttermilk mixtures alternately to butter and sugar mixture, beginning and ending with flour. Pour batter into pan, smooth the top, and bake for 45 min. to 1 hr. until a cake tester comes out clean. Remove and let cool

Combine 1/2 c. sugar with 1/2 c. lemon juice in a small saucepan, and cook over low heat until sugar dissolves.** Pour over slightly cooled cake. Let cool completely. For glaze, combine powdered sugar and remaining 3 1/2 tbsp. lemon juice in a bowl. Mix with a whisk until smooth. Pour over top of cake, letting glaze drizzle down sides. Cut and serve.

*I accidently bought half & half instead on buttermilk. I used it, and it worked just fine.
**I missed this step. I added all the sugar and the full 3/4 c. lemon juice in the batter. Again, it worked just fine.

This meal was wonderful! It was also very fun, I love to entertain! (and a little bit of showing off my cooking ability...  :-) all in good fun) Everything tasted oh so yummy! All the "Cali"-schetta went, but we did cut up a few two many veggies, but, as you will see soon, they will not go to waste!

Oh, how I love desserts. This lemon cake satisfied a craving that I have been having for some time now. I get that typical craving for a baked good every now and again, but I cannot justify baking a whole batch of cookies for just 2 people. Enter entertaining: I can make a dessert! Aha! Wonderful.

Well, I hope that this inspires you to try these recipes. And soon too! Grilling season is almost over! (depending on where you live of course) Use those summer veggies, fruit and meat! Try something new, even if you don't stick to the recipe, it can be done and taste good!

Great way to spend the evening!

ENJOY!

Awesome Baked FAMILY Food

I am follower of the mantra that "Family recipes are the best!" and I do think that this is sooo true....especially when it comes to baked goods! My grandmother's carrot cake is the bomb-diggity! So moist and tender and carroty haha! Here is her recipe that I enjoy to bake whenever I am in the mood for something sudo-healthy. (aka it has carrots in it)

~Myrna's Carrot Cake~

1 1/2 c. salad oil

2 c. sugar

4 eggs

2 c. flour

2 tsp. cinnamon

2 tsp. baking soda

2 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. salt

3 c. shredded carrots

1 c. raisins

Combine all ingredients and mix together well. Bake in a 10 x 15 in. pan at 350 for 45 min. or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting.

Okay, so I must admit that there are some sweet items that I am not a huge fan of, and one of them is overly sweet and cream-cheesy cream cheese frosting. It just makes my teeth hurt, but sometimes it can be very good...it totally depends on the recipe. It is not my favorite frosting, but it is the best one to used with carrot cake. And...I happened to be privileged enough to hear a family recipe. It came from my cousins wife and it is as simple as can be - just beat the ingredients together and voilà, its done! Here she be...

~M's Cream Cheese Frosting~

1 blk. (8 oz.) cream cheese

1 tub (8 oz.) cool whip

1 c. powdered sugar

Beat together with a mixer on high until light and fluffy. Spread on cooled carrot cake. Cool in refrigerator to help frosting to set. Cut and enjoy!

This cream cheese frosting is sooo light and wonderful! It is my new fave! I have also made it with low fat or fat free cream cheese and cool whip and they are both delicious! ENJOY!!

Also...I have the recipe for BLACK BOTTOM CUPCAKES!!!

~Black Bottom Cupcakes~

Cream Cheese Mixture:

1 oz. pkg. cream cheese

1/3 c. sugar

1 egg

1/8 tsp. salt

1 c. semi sweet chocolate chips

1 c. peanut butter or butterscotch chips

Cake Mixture:

1 1/2 c. flour

1 c. sugar

1/4 c. baking cocoa

1 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

1 c. water

1/3 c. vegetable oil

1 tbsp. white vinegar

1 tsp. vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a muffin tin with paper liners. In a large bowl beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add in the sugar, egg, and salt. Beat together well. Stir in the semi sweet chips and the peanut butter or butterscotch chips. Set aside. In another large bowl combine the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, and salt, mix well. Add in the water, oil, vinegar, and vanilla. Beat together well. Fill the muffin tins half way full with the chocolate cake mixture. Top off the muffin tins with a heaping tbsp. of the cream cheese mixture. Bake in oven for 25-30 min. Check on the edges to see if toothpick comes out clean. Remove from oven and let cool for 5 min. in the pan. Remove and cool completely on a rack. ENJOY!

Bake a Cake and Share it Too!!

Yo Yo! I BAKED a cake last weekend!

The hubbs and I were going over to a friends house and we wanted to contribute to the occasion by bring dessert! So...what to we decide to bring? A Strawberry Almond Torte! The recipe was originally a cherry-almond torte, but with neither of us being huge cherry pie filling fans...we opted to change it to Strawberry! It was wonderful! Very light, yet filling, moist and tasty! I highly recommend it!

~Strawberry-Almond Torte~
(Adapted from Pillsbury.com)

1 box (1 lb.) yellow cake mix w/ pudding

1 1/4 c. water

1/3 c. vegetable oil

3 tsp. almond extract

3 eggs

1 can (21 oz.) strawberry pie filling

1 tbsp. cornstarch

2 c. whipping cream

1 tub (8 oz.) whipped cream cheese spread, softened

1/2 c. sliced almonds, toasted (+ more for garnish)

Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease the bottoms of two 9-in. round cake pans. In a large bowl, beat cake mixture, water, vegetable oil, almond extract, and eggs with an electric mixer on low speed until just combined. Then beat on medium speed for 2 min. Pour batter evenly into pans and spread level. Bake for 25 to 30 min. or until toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 min. then remove from pans and cool on rack for at least 30 min.

Meanwhile, in a 2 qt. sauce pan, mix the pie filling and cornstarch. Cook over medium heat about 7 min. stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil. Remove from heat to cool.

In a medium bowl, beat whipping cream on high speed until soft peaks form. Beat in cream cheese spread until fluffy. Reserve 2/3 c. whipped topping for garnish. Stir almonds into the remaining cream mixture.

To assemble cake: With a serrated knife, cut each cake layer in half horizontally. Place 1 half layer cake on a serving plate; spread with 1 c. almond cream. Top with second layer; spread with 1 c. pie filling mixture. Top with the third half layer of cake; spread with 1 c. almond cream. Place remaining layer on top.

Frost the side of the torte with remaining almond cream mixture. Spoon remaining strawberry mixture on top of torte, spreading almost to the edge. Spoon the reserved, almond-free, topping mixture into a pastry bag with a star tip, or a Ziploc bag with the corner snipped off. Pipe cream around the top edge of the torte to join and cover the cream topping with the strawberry filling. Sprinkle the top rim of torte with extra toasted almonds. Refrigerate for 2 hrs. before serving. Store in refrigerator.

This cake had WONDERFUL almond flavor. The cake itself was very moist and light. Similar to a strawberry shortcake, but with almond flavoring. When I made this, there was very little whipped topping to work with so I altered the current recipe by increasing the topping mixture. I also used a block cream cheese that I whipped prior to mixing into the whipping cream. You can use whipped spread too. The topping was not overall to sweet and the cream cheese is NOT overly powerful...you will like this even if you don't like cream cheese frostings (I find some carrot cake cream cheese frostings to be overly sweet and cream-cheesey, is one was not like that at all!) You can also adapt this to use any flavor of canned pie filling you wish! You can also experiment with the extract/nut combo...like hazelnuts and blueberry, maybe.

Interior shot of the layers (sry about the light!)

I hope that you all try and enjoy this recipe!

Toodles!!