Strawberry Ice Cream Topped with Balsamic Vinegar Strawberries

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Strawberry Ice Cream Topped with Balsamic Vinegar Strawberries

1 quart strawberries, washed, stemmed, halved
1/4 cup sugar
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup strawberry ice cream
Directions
Place strawberries in a bowl. Sprinkle with sugar, vinegar and pepper. Toss until well combined. Let stand 1 hour or all day.

Divide the ice cream into 4 serving dishes. Top with 1/4 of the strawberries and the juice. Serve immediately.
* I served in martini glasses with Asian Pocky chocolate/almond sticks and strawberry creme cookies; you can add anything like that to doll it up!

Monkey Bread

Sorry for all the food posts recently, but this is the best place for me to keep recipes all in one spot, it seems -- electronically anyway! So, enjoy!

Fast & Easy Monkey Bread

1/2 c sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
2 can(s) pillsbury refrigerated, buttermilk biscuits
1/2 c walnuts
1/2 c raisins
3/4 c melted butter
1/2 c brown sugar

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease 12-cup fluted tube pan with shortening or cooking spray. In large -storage plastic food bag, mix granulated sugar and cinnamon.

2. Separate dough into 16 biscuits; cut each into (4) quarters. Shake in large ziplock bag to coat. Arrange in pan, adding walnuts and raisins among the biscuit pieces.(by layers)

3. In small bowl, mix brown sugar and butter; pour over biscuit pieces.

4. Bake 28 to 32 minutes or until golden brown and no longer doughy in center. Cool in pan 
10 minutes. Turn upside down onto serving plate; pull apart to serve. Serve warm.


Compliments of Frank-Lani Cruz (http://671recipes.com)

Complete, Cost-effective Meal -- and Nutrition -- All in One Bowl

I got this idea from Chipotle's Burrito Bowl and make it at home often! I cram in all the nutrition I can and it's yummy -- veggies (tomatoes, onions, hot peppers, lettuce, corn), garlic, rice, ground flaxseed, olive oil, hot peppers/salsa for metabolism, beans for fiber, cheese and Greek yogurt for dairy and protein, tomato sauce for lycopene! >


Burrito Bowl
Black or pinto beans
Corn
(* In a saucepan, I drain and mix a can of corn with an undrained can of black beans, so I have enough left to use for several servings) 
Rice (I make 2-4 servings for the same reason as above)
Optional: Some kind of Morning Star meal-starter protein substitute for me, or shredded chicken, turkey, pork, beef (I cook this in a skillet with onions, garlic, olive oil, cayenne/paprika, and a little tomato sauce)
A little shredded cheese -- such as cheddar, gouda, fontina, Jarlsberg, Monterey Jack
Romaine lettuce
Chopped tomatoes
Greek yogurt (or sour cream) [I use Greek 2% yogurt and for what we can get in the US, it MUST be Fage (Fa-yay) brand for me. The others are nowhere near the real deal like in Greece!]
Salsa
Layer and eat, that's all there is to it! 
* Obviously when using for leftovers, in a bowl in a microwave heat your beans, corn, rice and protein/meat, then layer everything else on top after heating.


Vegetarian Chili Beans (* you can eat alone or use in your Burrito Bowl instead of black or pinto beans)
In olive oil, sauté minced/chopped garlic and onions -- and diced hot peppers if you like.
Optional: Some kind of Morning Star meal-starter protein substitute for me, or shredded chicken, turkey, pork, beef
Add a few tablespoons of ground flaxseed for a good hit of fiber and Omega 3>you can find at Earth Fare; I use Spectrum brand in a yellowish package. 
Add a few kinds of beans; I usually choose two types>butter beans, black beans, garbanzo beans, red kidney beans, pinto beans, navy beans...butter beans are spectacular for a nice texture and taste...
A hand full of chopped walnuts or pecans
1/2 can of tomato sauce
Simmer for about 20 minutes. Ready! Then same drill as above...
Chili beans and rice in bottom of bowl
Corn if you like
Next so it melts: a little shredded or slices of cheese -- such as cheddar, gouda, fontina, Jarlsberg, Monterey Jack...
Romaine lettuce
Chopped tomatoes
Fage brand Greek 2% yogurt (or sour cream)
Salsa
* Obviously when using for leftovers, in a bowl in a microwave heat your chili beans, corn, rice and protein/meat, then layer everything else on top after heating in the order above!

Red Velvet Cheesecake

(From Rose and Vince Camacho's kitchen)


1 1/2 cups chocolate graham cracker crumbs

1/4 cup melted butter

1 tablespoon sugar

3 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar


4 large eggs, beaten

3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa

1 cup sour cream

1/2 cup whole buttermilk

2 teaspoons vanilla extract


1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar

2 (1 oz.) bottles red food coloring

1 (3 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup butter, softened

2 cups powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Stir together graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, and 1 tablespoon granulated sugar. Press into bottom of 9-inch spring form pan. Beat 3 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese and 1 1/2 cups sugar at medium-low speed with an electric mixer, 1 minute. Add eggs and next 6 ingredients, mixing on low speed just until fully combined. Pour batter into prepared crust. 

Bake 325 degrees for 10 minutes; reduce heat to 300 degrees and bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until center is firm. Run knife along outer edge of cheesecake. Turn off oven. Let cheesecake stand in oven 30 minutes. Remove cheesecake from oven; cool in pan on a wire rack for 30 minutes. Cover and chill 8 hours.

Beat 1 (3 oz.) package cream cheese and 1/4 cup butter at medium speed with an

electric mixer until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar and vanilla, beating

until smooth. Spread evenly over top of cheesecake. Remove sides of springform pan. Garnish if desired.

Pastel Cream Wafers

Phenomenal cookies! They take a little time to make, but it's well worth it!
Makes 5 dozen
Ingredients
1 cup butter
1/3 cup heavy cream
2 cups all-purpose flour
Pinch of salt
1/3 cup granulated sugar for decoration
1/4 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup sifted confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Food coloring (optional)
Directions
1. Mix flour, salt, and 1 cup of butter or margarine thoroughly. Stir in whipping cream and mix well. Chill 1 hour.
2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
3. Roll dough 1/8 inch thick on lightly floured board. Cut into 1 1/2 inch rounds. Transfer to waxed paper heavily sprinkled with sugar, turning to coat both sides. Place on un-greased baking sheet. Prick in 4 places with fork. Bake 7 to 9 minutes or until slightly puffed. Put two cooled cookies together with filling.
4. To Make Filling: Blend 1/4 cup soft butter, 3/4 cup sifted confectioners' sugar, and 1 tsp. vanilla. If desired, tint with food coloring.

Make Salads in Advance -- Pretty, Too!

The most important part of the layering is making sure the dressing and the spinach (or whatever 'leaf' you choose) don't touch. As long as they stay separate, these salads can be made up to 4 days in advance and will stay fresh in the fridge with a lid on. This is one trick to eating salad every day for lunch at work. You can make a few jars on Sunday night and just grab one to bring to work daily. When you're ready to eat, just shake it up.

Easy, Droolisimo Appetizer for Holidays & Beyond

Tasty and easy appetizer -- serve with crackers!

Crab Mousse

1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 8-ounce package cream cheese (whipped cream cheese works great, too)
1 envelope unflavored gelatin
8 ounces lump crabmeat
1 cup finely chopped celery
1/4 cup chopped green onion
1 tablespoon lemon juice
* I add in some cayenne pepper

Directions
Pam or Canola spray a serving dish. Heat the soup then add and dissolve gelatin in a saucepan, heating until hot and bubbly. Stir well to make sure the gelatin is completely dissolved and there are no lumps. Place and mix right in serving dish, adding the cream cheese first so it melts, crabmeat, celery, green onions, lemon juice and cayenne, if so desired. Stir gently but thoroughly.

Smooth the top with a spatula or knife. I sprinkle on more green onions and some cayenne for color! Cover with plastic wrap. Transfer to the refrigerator and chill until firm, about 3 to 6 hours.

When ready to serve, remove the plastic wrap and loosen the edges of the mousse by running a knife around the sides.
Serve with crackers.