My Choc-Caramel Turtle Madness

Cake Batter Ingredients:

2 Cups flour
2 Cups Sugar
3/4 Cup Cocoa
2 Teaspoons Baking Soda
2 Eggs
1 Teaspoon Salt
1 Cup Buttermilk (Leban)
1 Cup Oil
1&1/2 Teaspoons Vanilla
1 Cup Boiling Water

Caramel pecan mixture:
1 bag of caramels pieces
1/2 cup evaporated milk (Carnation)
1 cup chopped pecans

Plus:

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips


Method:

- Preheat Oven at 350 degrees.
- Greese & flour a springform baking dish
- Place all the cake batter ingredients in a mixing bowl, mix on medium to high speed and make sure to scrap the bowl occasionally until all ingredients are blended and smooth.
- pour half of the batter into baking dish. Bake for 25 minutes.
- Meanwhile, prepare the caramel pecan mix by heating the caramels and evaporated milk over medium heat and stir constantly until caramels are melted, then stir in the pecans.
- Pour the caramel mixture over the cake from the oven and sprinkle with chocolate chips.
- Pour over the remaining batter and bake for another 28 minutes until the cake is fully cooked.
- Cool the cake for 30 minutes and serve with either ice cream, or more caramel & pecans topping.

Enjoy...

Sandwich speads

Chicken Chunky Spread:

Ingredients:
dark and white meat chicken, minced
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tabelspoons honey dijon mustard
1 red bell pepper, chopped
2 green onions, chopped
1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup shelled salted sunflower seeds

method:
In medium bowl, combine all ingredients and blend gently to combine. Cover tightly and refrigerate up to 3 days. Makes enough for 4-6 sandwiches


Chicken Curry Spread:

Ingredients:
dark and white meat chicken, minced
2/3 cup mayonnaise
1 can pineapple tidbits, drained (cubes)
1/4 cup mango chutney
1&1/2 teaspoons curry powder
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup chopped peanuts

Method:
Combine all ingredients in medium bowl and blend gently to combine. Cover tightly and refrigerate up to two days. Makes enough for 4-6 sandwiches


Egg Salad Spread:

Ingredients:
6 eggs
3 tabelspoons mayonnaise
2 tabelspoons Miracle Whip
1 tabelspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Method:
Boil eggs. Then peel eggs and cut in half.
Remove yolks and place in medium bowl. Mash until smooth with mayonnaise, salad dressing, salt, and pepper. Chop egg whites and add to egg yolk mixture with cheese. blend gently, cover and refrigerate tightly up to 2 days. 4-5 sandwiches


Olive Spread

Ingredients:
1 packet cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 cup chopped green olives or black or both
1/2 cup chopped pecans
2 tabelspoons olive juice
dash pepper

Method:
In a medium bowl, cream the cream cheese until smooth and softened. Add mayonnaise and stir thoroughly to combine. Add olive juice for desired spreading consistency, then fold in olives and pecans. Cover and refrigerate.


Turkey & Cucumber Spread

Ingredients:
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1 tabelspoon dried dill weed
dash pepper
1/2 cup cooked turkey, chopped
1 cup cubed dill Havarti cheese - found in Sultan Center
1 cucumber, peeled, seeded, chopped

Method:
Combine all ingredients in medium bowl and mix gently to combine. Cover tightly and refrigerate.

getting hungry..?

Banana Cream Eclairs

Prep: 40 min.
Bake: 25 min.

Serves 16

Ingredients:

1 cup water
1/2 cup butter, cubed
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup all purpose flour
4 eggs

Filling:

2&1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
3 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 to 4 medium firm bananas

Glaze:

1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons baking cocoa
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 to 2 tablespoons boiling water
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans

Method:

- In a large saucepan, bring water, butter, sugar and salt to a boil. Add flour all at once and stir until a smooth ball forms. Remove from heat; let stand for 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. continue beating until dough is smooth and shiny.

- Insert a 3/4-inch round tip into a pastry bag; add dough. Pipe 3-inches strips about 3 inches apart on a greased baking sheet. Bake at 400 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Remove to wire wrack.

- Immediately split puffs open; remove tops and set aside. Discard soft dough from inside. Cool puffs.

- In a large mixing bowl, beat cream until it beigns to thicken. Add sugar and vanilla; beat until stiff peaks form. In another bowl, mash the bananas; gently fold in whipped cream. Spoon into eclairs; replace tops.

- In a small bowl, combine the confectioners' sugar, cocoa, butter and vanilla. Add enough water to make a thin glaze. Spread over eclairs. Sprinkle with pecans. Serve immediately.

Items used in this recipe:

Baked baguettes in honey-pecan sauce

This recipe is described as " puffed Clouds of Ecstacy"



It's prepared a day ahead with baguettes saturated over night with eggs & cream, puffing up to a golden sticky ecstacy in the morning's hot oven.


Ingredients:

4 eggs, beaten
3/4 cup half&half
1/2 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 thick slices french bread
1/2 stick butter
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup chopped pecans



Combine the eggs, half&half, vanilla & 1/2 tablespoon of brown sugar in a small bowl. Pour half the mixture into a baking pan.
Place the bread into another pan and top with the other half of the mixtue. Refrigerate, covered, overnight.
the next morning, melt the butter in a baking dish and stir in the 1/4 cup of brown sugar, honey, maple syrup and pecans. Add the soaked slices of baguettes.
Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes until puffed and brown.

Serve it immediately.

Enjoy...



Tip of the day:

When measuring honey, coat the measuring cup with non-stick cooking spray or vegetable oil before adding the honey. The honey will slide right out.

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Note:

This recipe calls for 3/4 cup of half-and-half, use 1/3 cup whole milk and 1/3 cup single cream.

Honey~drenched figs

"Warm, juicy, drippy and slicky"

Ingredients:

8 figs
1/4 cup honey
2 tablespoons finely chopped pecans

Grill figs over a low heat until heated through, turning occasionally.
Warm the honey. Place figs on individual serving plates, drizzle with enough honey to lightly coat figs, and top with pecans.


A little "optional" tip: you can always add french vanilla icecream.

Enjoy....

Strawberry and Avocado salad

Ingredients:

1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup raspberry vinegar (you can use apple vinigar if not available)
1 1/2 tablespoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon hot sauce
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 head romaine, torn into bite-size pieces
1/2 cup mandarin oranges
1 cup strawberries, stemmed and quartered
1/2 cup sliced red onion
1/4 cup coarsely chopped toasted pecans
1/2 avocado, sliced

Method:

Combine the olive oil, vinegar, sugar, hot sauce, salt, pepper and cinnamon in a jar. Shake well & refrigerate for 2 hours. Combine the romaine, orange, strawberries, onion, pecans and avocado in a large bowl.
Top with half the dressing; toss well. Serve with the remaining dressing.


Tip:

De-stem strawberries with a drinking straw. Just push the straw up through the bottom of the strawberry and push through until the stem ops off.