Gourmet Food on a Budget — Ever Forward, Ever Flavorful
From apples to zucchini (because technically, zucchini IS a fruit).
I don’t usually do things that are complicated, and when I started making this bread, I thought it would be complicated, but in truth, it wasn’t. If this is your first time making bread, you might be intimidated by this, but trust me, it’s going to be okay.
I found this recipe on the back of the Zulka brown sugar bag. The cake looked great on the package, I happened to have apples in the refrigerator, and I wanted to try something new.
The instructions on how to make the cake on the bag make no sense, therefore, I changed it to the traditional method of creaming the butter and then creaming the butter and sugar together. Okay, so you don’t know what creaming is? It’s very simple. Put room temperature butter into a large bowl, and then beat it with an electric beater until it is nice and smooth. If you don’t have room temperature butter, you can cut the butter up into small pieces and then cream it. The best way to beat is with a stand mixer, but a hand mixer will do just fine. Don’t try this with a whisk, it’s too difficult.
This is a very moist cake, and may take quite a while to bake. The original instructions said 40-55 minutes, mine was in over 80 minutes, your mileage may vary.
Recipes in this PostI have been a fan of Chinese Chicken Salad since the 1980’s when I first had it. Everyone once in a while, I have all the ingredients to make it. This afternoon, Spane and I went and had a very filling lunch at Everest Burgers, so we didn’t want a heavy or big dinner. I asked him if salad would be good, and he said yes. Then I went to my pantry and saw that I had Mandarin oranges, I knew what to make.
This salad has everything but the chicken, and if you happen to have cooked chicken, you are more than welcome to add it to this salad. Make sure you have a sharp knife because you will be chopping the greens and the onion into small pieces.
You could add other fruit to this salad as well, like lychee nuts, or even cherries. I had unsweetened coconut chips which had just enough sweetness, sweetened coconut would be too powerful, so I don’t recommend it. Please choose whichever Asian salad dressing you like, we like Girard’s Asian Dressing.
Hot day? Have some fun with Virgin Mojita Popsicles, frozen lime and mint will cool you off nicely.
Ruby Red Grapefruit Squares are a twist on the classic Lemon Squares. They are sweet, juicy, and tart. If you like grapefruit, you’ll love these Grapefruit Squares. They are also easy to make.
Strawberry Tiramisu is a show-stopping dessert that’s both elegant and indulgent. It’s the perfect choice for entertaining. This layered delight combines the traditional richness of tiramisu with the fresh sweetness of strawberries, making it ideal for spring gatherings or any time you want a refreshing treat.
A few days ago, someone asked me for a different way to roast a chicken, and I have her this recipe. I haven’t made this in a long time, and it was a welcome change from the ho-hum regular roasted chicken we all know and love.
Watermelon Basil Salad
Watermelon Basil salad is great on a hot day, for a barbecue, or when you want something simple and flavorful. The flavor combination will surprise you.
Start your day with a taste of bliss by indulging in Peach Pancakes with Marsala Rose Butter Sauce. This mouthwatering breakfast treat combines the delicate sweetness of peaches, the fluffy goodness of pancakes, and the luxurious touch of Marsala rose butter sauce.
You know, sometimes you’re a day late and a dollar shy. I found silicon heart-shaped molds at a resale shop back in November and saved them to make something for Valentine’s day. Spane came home from school on Valentines Day with a box of chocolate he was selling as a school fundraiser. After dinner, we went to the market to buy milk, and sell candy to the store owner. While we were there I got a bottle of sour cherry syrup to put in my coffee. Spane did very nicely selling candy on the home to people who were getting last minute Valentine gifts.
It wasn’t until the next morning when I was sipping my sour cherry flavored coffee, which was excellent by the way, and happened to look up and see the valentine molds, that I remembered I hadn’t done anything for Valentines Day, but I could be a day late and a dollar shy if I made Sour Cherry Jellies.
If you’re trying to find sour cherry syrup, look in Mediterranean markets. Zergut makes the one I use. If you can’t find it at your local store, visit Indo-European, and order directly from them. They make all kinds of really good, minimally processed foods.
Did you know that sour cherries are really good for you? Medicinally, sour cherries may be useful in alleviating sleep problems due to its high melatonin content, a compound critical in regulating the sleep-wake cycle in humans. These jellies have intense flavor, and a low in sugar and calories, so they make a healthy treat.