Portobello Napoleons

Just received this from Nonnie... sounds delicious!

Portobello Napoleons

Ingredients:
2 c balsamic vinegar
6 baby portobello mushrooms, cleaned and stemmed
1 T extra-virgin olive oil
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp cracked black pepper
6 slices Mozzarella cheese 1/2" thick & round
1 Roma tomato, sliced
6 fresh basil leaves
1/4 c pine nuts

Note: Ideally your tomatoes, cheese and cooked mushrooms should be about the same diameter. This way it layers up pretty. Bottom to top: brown, cream, red, green, gold.



Directions:
Pour vinegar into a saucepan and cook over high heat until reduced by half. Set aside to cool.

Preheat a grill pan over medium-high heat.

Brush mushrooms with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill for 2-3 mins on each side, or until tender.

Remove from the grill and top each mushroom with a slice of mozzarella, a slice of tomato and a basil leaf.

Sprinkle with pine nuts and drizzle with the balsamic glaze.

No Bake Chocolate Cookies

Chocolate Cookies

1 stick oleo, 2 cups sugar, 1/2 cup milk, 1/4 cup cocoa

Place in pan, boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat.

Add 1 tsp vanilla and 1/2 cup peanut butter. Mix until peanut butter dissolves. Add 3 cups oatmeal. Spoon onto wax paper and let cool.

Keep in mind this is a method recipe. Nutella, coconut, granola, chow mein noodles, craisins, etc can all be added.

Nutella Crumb Cake

Something Sweet used this for World Nutella Day last year. I think I'm going to try it for potluck :)


Ingredients:
2¼ cups flour
2 cups brown sugar
¼-½ cup cocoa powder
1 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. baking soda
14 oz. Nutella
½ cup butter, softened
1 cup milk
3 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup chocolate chips

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350F.

Stir together flour, brown sugar, cocoa, baking powder, and baking soda in mixing bowl. Add Nutella and butter, beating until crumbly. Remove 1 cup of crumbs for topping.

Add milk, eggs, and vanilla, beating on low until combined. Continue to beat on medium speed for three minutes. Pour into an ungreased 13x9-inch baking pan. Sprinkle chocolate chips, then the crumb topping.

Bake at 350F for 40-45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Let cool before cutting. Enjoy at room temperature or cooled.

Homemade Lemon Curd

Lemon Curd (microwave easy and can be frozen)

Servings: 1 1/2 cups
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 15 min


Ingredients:
6 Tbsp. butter
3/4 c. sugar
2 tsp grated lemon rind (1 medium)
1/4 cup lemon juice (one medium)
3 eggs, beaten


Directions:
Place butter in a large glass measure or bowl. Microwave on high for 10 seconds (see note) or until butter is soft but not melted. Stir or whisk in sugar, lemon rind and juice. Add eggs and blend well. Cover with waxed paper and microwave on high for 3 minutes, stirring every minute.

Port mixture into sterilized container, cover and let cool. Curd thickens upon standing. Makes 1 1/2 cups.

For immediate use: refrigerate up to 1 week.

Longer storage: Place in freezer container, leaving 1-inch head space (I use plastic style bathroom cups so I can thaw just what I want to use and allow about 1/2 inch space). When frozen, consider a vacuum sealing method of extending life up to 3 months to ward off ice crystals.

Variations: For honey base curd, substitute 1/2 c. honey for the sugar. Cook as directed. For Lime or Orange Curd substitute appropriate fruit and juice and proceed as directed.

Note: In microwaves of less than 600 watts, increase cooking times about 15 percent.

Honey Date Muffins

Honey Date Muffins from scratch

1 1/2 cups baking mix
1 Tbs instant vanilla pudding mix
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup milk
1 egg
1/4 cup honey
3/4 cup dates, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 F.. Grease muffin pan.(12 cup size) or line with paper liners. Use cooking spray and spray liners.

Combine all dry ingredients, Add butter and mix well. MIxture should be crumbly. Add milk, egg, honey and chopped dates into mixture.Stir well. Spoon into muffin pan, 3/4 full. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm with butter or margarine. Toasted pecans or even walnuts would be a nice addition to this muffin. It takes 5 minutes to prepare. This is a 1970's recipe. Double recipe to make and bake 24 muffins.

Baked Butternut Squash

Lotsa squash sitting on my counter. Usually I just bake it and mash it w butter, salt and pepper. But this time, after using one of them to make squash fries, I'm going to try 2 different recipes:


BUTTERNUT SQUASH BAKE

2 c. cooked, mashed butternut squash
1/3 c. honey
2 eggs, beaten
1/3 c. orange juice
1/3 c. nonfat dry milk powder
1/2 c. chopped pecans
2 tbsp. melted butter

Combine all ingredients and mix well. Pour into a greased 1 1/2-quart oven- proof casserole dish. Bake at 350 degrees until set, about 1 hour to 1 1/2 hours. (Test by inserting a knife into the squash - it is set when knife comes out clean.



Or another version:

2 cups mashed butternut squash
2 cups flavored bread crumbs, gluten free
1 cup vegetable broth
1 cup chopped onions
2 egg beaters
1/4 teaspoon salt
a pinch of black pepper
a teaspoon sugar
4 tablespoons oil


Bake the squash at 350 degrees for an hour.
Remove from oven and cut squash on a large plate or serving dish.
Scoop out the pits and remove squash meat from shell
Mash the squash (or use half the squash and kept the other for a vegetable stew)
Place squash in a large bowl.
Add crumbs, soup, and onions and stir well.
Add the remaining ingredients and stir.
Grease a one quart casserole and bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.
Looks delicious. Thinking of serving it on a plate by flipping it out, turning the pan upside down on the plate.