Quick Black Forest Cake

I've never been a big cake fan--except when it comes to Black Forest Cake! YUM! This recipe is super easy and super delicious. It's one of the best birthday presents I've ever given myself :)

Quick Black Forest Cake

INGREDIENTS
1 (18.25 ounce) package devil's food cake mix with pudding
3 eggs
1 tablespoon almond extract
1 (21 ounce) can cherry pie filling
1/2 to 1 cup frozen cherries, chopped (add more or less depending on your preference)
1 1/2 cups mini semisweet chocolate chips
1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons milk
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Mix together: cake mix, beaten eggs, almond extract, cherry pie filling, frozen cherries, and 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips. Stir until just combined. Pour batter into a greased angel food cake pan or bundt pan.
Bake in a 350 degree F (175 degree C) oven for 45 to 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove cake from oven and let cool.

To Make Glaze: Heat 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips, butter or margarine, and milk in a saucepan over medium high heat. Once semisweet chocolate chips are melted and mixture is combined stir in confectioners' sugar.
Drizzle glaze over cooled cake. Serve cake as is or with whipped cream and a cherry.

Cheesy Artichoke Triangles

I actually don't use the refrigerated crescent rolls because I think they are gross. I just make a batch of my favorite bread dough and add some garlic powder and some dried parsley. This is so good and so worth the effort :)

2 pkg (8.5 oz each) refrigerated crescent rolls
2 tsp oregano and basil (or Italian Seasoning)
2 pkg (8 oz. each) cream cheese softened
1 can (14 oz) artichoke hearts in water, drained, chopped
1 cup (4 oz.) fresh parmesan cheese, grated
1 chopped garlic clove (I use two cloves ‘cause I love garlic!)
2 eggs
2 plum tomatoes sliced (you might need more depending on the size of your pan)
2 tbsp parsley

Unroll 1 pkg of rolls with longest sides of dough across width of pan. Repeat, filling pan. Roll dough to remove perforations. Press up sides for crust. Bake 10-12 minutes or until light golden brown. Microwave cream cheese on high 1 minute until soft. Wisk until smooth. Add ½ cup of parmesan cheese to bowl. Add eggs and 1 tsp of seasonings. Blend well. Add artichokes and garlic. Mix well. Spread artichoke mixture on rolls. Arrange sliced tomatoes on top. Sprinkle parsley on top. Sprinkle remaining parmesan cheese and seasonings on top. Bake 25-30 minutes at 325 degrees or until golden brown and set (do not over-bake! The texture turns funny.). Cool ten minutes. Cut into 12 squares. Cut squares in half diagonally.

Favorite Salmon Cakes

My kids love salmon cakes! Here's a quick and easy recipe.

Favorite Salmon Cakes

Ingredients
* 1 can salmon
* 1 to 1 1/2 cups stuffing (I use Pepperidge Farms cornbread stuffing--or whatever is on sale! Except Stovetop. Not such a fan of that one. Too salty.)
* 1 egg
* 1/2 cup milk (may need more . . .)
* 1 tsp dill
* 1 tsp parsley

Directions

1. Dump salmon into bowl and pick out bones and skin. (This step sounds icky but it's actually really easy). Mix in all other ingredients.

2. Heat skillet or griddle over medium low heat. You can fry these in olive oil or butter, but I don't like fried things so I just spray my pan with nonstick spray.

3. Form little cakes out of salmon mixture and cook like pancakes: a few minutes on one side (until they are golden brown) then flip and do a few minutes on the other! Serve with ketchup or barbecue sauce. You can even use them in place of burgers!

Golden Corn Chowder

I got this recipe from allrecipes.com but made a few modifications. It was a yummy, mellow soup. Just right for a winter evening!

INGREDIENTS

* 4 tablespoons butter
* 1/4 cup diced onion
* 1/2 cup diced celery
* 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
* 28 ounces all natural vegetable broth
* 6 ears frozen corn--cooked with the niblets cut off
* 1/2 cup chopped carrot
* 1 can evaporated milk
* 3/4 cup skim milk
* 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
* 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
* 1 pinch salt
* a few dashes of red pepper sauce (like Tabasco or Cholula)

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Cook onions, celery, and carrots in butter 3 minutes. Whisk in flour and cook 6 minutes more, until light brown. Whisk in broth and simmer 10 minutes.
2. Stir in corn,evaporated, milk, nutmeg, pepper and salt. Simmer over low heat 10 minutes more.

Overnight Refrigerator Pickles

I got this recipe from our CSA discussion board. We got seven cucumbers last week and there was no way we could eat all of them and since we also got a ton of dill over the last few weeks from them pickles seemed like a natural choice. I ended up using a mix of apple cider, white, and balsamic vinegars because I didn't have enough of any one kind. I also substituted ground mustard and ground pepper for the seeds and fresh dill for the dill seeds. They turned out a lot like bread and butter pickles if you've ever had those. They were great on a ham and cheese sandwich.

Slightly Sweet Dill Refrigerator Pickles

1 small sweet onion (such as Vidalia or Maui), thinly sliced
2 pounds medium pickling cucumbers, scrubbed, cut into 1/4-inch-thick rounds
1 large bunch dill, coarsely chopped (stems included)
1 tablespoon yellow mustard seeds
2 teaspoons whole white peppercorns
1 1/2 cups apple cider vinegar
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
3 tablespoons coarse kosher salt
2 teaspoons dill seeds

Divide sliced onion between two 1-quart wide-mouth glass jars. Pack cucumber slices horizontally in jars. Top each jar with dill.

Using mortar and pestle or resealable plastic bag and mallet, crush mustard seeds and peppercorns together. Place crushed spices in medium saucepan. Add vinegar, 1 cup water, sugar, coarse salt, and dill seeds. Bring mixture to boil over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves.

Ladle mixture evenly over cucumbers. Leave jars uncovered and chill 24 hours. Cover glass pickle jars tightly with lids. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 week ahead. Keep refrigerated.

Cilantro Pesto

Another cilantro-intense recipe. Yummy, Yummy! Sorry, we've been watching a lot of Wiggles lately. Another allrecipes. View the original here.

INGREDIENTS
1 (16 ounce) package farfalle pasta
1 bunch fresh cilantro
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 cup walnuts or pecans
salt to taste
1/2 cup olive oil

DIRECTIONS
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta, and return water to a boil. Cook pasta for 8 to 10 minutes, or until al dente; drain well.
In an electric food processor or blender, blend cilantro, garlic, vinegar, Parmesan cheese, cayenne pepper, nuts, and salt. Add 1/4 cup of the olive oil, and blend the pesto. Add more olive oil until the pesto reaches your desired consistency.
Pour pesto in a small saucepan and warm over low heat, stirring constantly, until pesto begins to simmer. Pour over cooked pasta and toss.

Cilantro Lime dressing

We got a TON of cilantro and a TON of lettuce in our CSA box this week. Salad seemed like a natural choice at that point and this dressing was delicious! I found it on allrecipes.com

INGREDIENTS
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and coarsely chopped
1 clove garlic
3/4 teaspoon minced fresh ginger root
1/4 cup lime juice
1/3 cup honey
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/4 cup packed cilantro leaves
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

DIRECTIONS
Place the jalapeno pepper, garlic clove, and ginger into a food processor or blender; pulse until the jalapeno and garlic are finely chopped. Pour in the lime juice, honey, balsamic vinegar, and salt, add the cilantro leaves; pulse a few times to blend. Turn the food processor or blender on, and slowly drizzle in the olive oil until incorporated into the dressing. Season to taste with salt before serving.

Food Storage Frosties (Also known as Magic Chocolate Milkshakes)

I know you all having been really pondering about how to turn your food storage items into frozen desserts (what, you haven't? That's what I spend all MY time trying to figure out!), so I knew you would be overjoyed when I came across this recipe on www.mormonmommywars.com. *drumroll* Here it is, the best frozen dessert you can make out of your food storage :)

Food Storage-Magic Milk Shakes
By Tracy M from Mormon Mommy Wars

Ok, here it is. If you follow these directions, I kid you not, you will end up with a chocolate milkshake so much like a Wendy’s frosty you will be amazed. I beleive the original credit for the recipe goes to the Prairie Homemaker website, but I’m not 100% on that one.

1 1/2 - 2 cups ICE water- really, really cold.
1 1/2 cups non-fat dry milk powder
2/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
2-3 cups ice cubes
2 Tbsp vegetable oil (yes, really- it’s an emulsifier)
Place ALL the ingredients in the blender, including the oil. Use less water for a thicker milkshake or more for a shake that’s easier on your blender motor. With lid on, process for two minutes. Makes about 4 shakes.

Bush's Black Bean Burgers

Cami was telling me about her black bean burgers and said she would post the recipe up here. She didn't and so I was forced to scour the internet for something else. Here's one that I tried and liked. It was a little more pancake-y than I expected but it was good. They actually tasted better the next day. We don't have a grill so I cooked them on my stove.

2 cans (15 ounces each) BUSH'S BEST Black Beans, rinsed and drained
½ cup whole wheat or all-purpose flour
¼ cup yellow cornmeal
½ cup chunky salsa
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon garlic salt
Hamburger buns

Place beans in food processor; process until fairly smooth. Add flour, cornmeal, salsa, cumin and garlic salt. Process until well combined. Spoon mixture into 6 balls on a large plate and refrigerate at least 1 hour or up to 4 hours before cooking.

Heat barbecue grill or ridged grill pan over medium heat. Coat grill or pan lightly with oil. Form each ball into a 4-inch patty about ½-inch thick. Place the patties on the grill or in pan and cook until browned and heated through, 4 to 5 minutes per side.

Serve on hamburger buns with your favorite toppings.

Koula's Best Ever Chicken Gyros

Here's another one from allrecipes. It's probably against some cosmic law to make gyros with chicken, but when it's all you got, it's all you got! These were so good, though!

INGREDIENTS
3 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cut into 1/2 inch strips
2 tablespoons ketchup
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon mustard powder
1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder, or to taste
4 pita breads, cut in half
2 cups mixed salad greens
1 cup plain yogurt

DIRECTIONS
Place the chicken strips side by side in a broiling pan. In a cup or small bowl, stir together the ketchup, olive oil, white wine vinegar, oregano, mustard powder and curry powder. Pour over the chicken. Allow the chicken to marinate while you preheat the oven's broiler.
Broil uncovered for 15 minutes with the meat about 6 inches from the heat. Just until the chicken is cooked through, but not browned. If left too long, it will turn stringy and dry.
Place hot chicken into pita pockets and spoon some of the juices from the pan over it. Top with salad greens and plain yogurt.

Black Bean Avocado Salad

I got this one from allrecipes.com. It's easy and nutritious. I think it works great as a vegetarian main dish (just add some rolls or biscuits on the side) or if you want meat, just throw in a handful of diced chicken.And, um, yes, I do like black beans this much. MMMM, fiberific!

1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (11 ounce) can Mexicorn, drained
1 1/3 cups chopped peeled avocado
1 cup chopped seeded cucumber
1 cup chopped seeded tomatoes
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions
1 small jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
1 teaspoon lime juice

DRESSING:
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper

DIRECTIONS
In a large bowl, combine the first eight ingredients. In a small bowl, whisk the dressing ingredients. Pour over salad and toss to coat

Homemade Samoas

Guess what! You can make Samoas at home; you don't have to buy them for a million dollars a cookie from those cute little girls in green hats! I got the recipe from a really great recipe site called veggienub. I haven't tried it yet, but it sounds soooo good!

Homemade Samoas

Cookies:
1 cup butter, soft
1/2 cup sugar
2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
up to 2 tbsp milk

Preheat oven to 350F. In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar. Mix in flour, baking powder and salt at a low speed, followed by the vanilla and milk, adding in the milk as needed to make the dough come together without being sticky (it’s possible you might not need to add milk at all). The dough should come together into a soft, not-too-sticky ball. Add in a bit of extra flour if your dough is very sticky.Roll the dough (working in two or three batches) out between pieces of wax paper to about 1/4-inch thickness (or slightly less) and use a 1 1/2-inch cookie cutter to make rounds. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet and use a knife, or the end of a wide straw, to cut a smaller center hole. Repeat with remaining dough. Alternatively, use scant tablespoons of dough and press into an even layer in a mini donut pan to form the rounds.Bake cookies for 10-12 minutes, until bottoms are lightly browned and cookies are set. If using a mini donut pan, bake for only about 10 minutes, until edges are light gold.Cool for a few minutes on the baking sheet then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Topping:
3 cups shredded coconut (sweetened or unsweetened)
12-oz good-quality chewy caramels
1/4 tsp salt
3 tbsp milk
8 oz. dark or semisweet chocolate (chocolate chips are ok)

Preheat oven to 300. Spread coconut evenly on a parchment-lined baking sheet (preferably one with sides) and toast 20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes, until coconut is golden. Cool on baking sheet, stirring occasionally. Set aside.
Unwrap the caramels and place in a large microwave-safe bowl with milk and salt. Cook on high for 3-4 minutes, stopping to stir a few times to help the caramel melt. When smooth, fold in toasted coconut with a spatula.Using the spatula or a small offset spatula, spread topping on cooled cookies, using about 2-3 tsp per cookie. Reheat caramel for a few seconds in the microwave if it gets too firm to work with.
While topping sets up, melt chocolate in a small bowl. Heat on high in the microwave in 45 second intervals, stirring thoroughly to prevent scorching. Dip the base of each cookie into the chocolate and place on a clean piece of parchment paper. Transfer all remaining chocolate (or melt a bit of additional chocolate, if necessary) into a piping bag or a ziplock bag with the corner snipped off and drizzle finished cookies with chocolate.Let chocolate set completely before storing in an airtight container.

Makes about 3 1/2-4 dozen cookies.