Spring Fling Angel Food Cake

Makes 8 servings

Active Prep Time: 30 minutes

Refrigerator time: 1 hour

1 store baked angel food cake

2 lemons

1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk

2 cups powdered sugar

6 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons milk

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup chopped strawberries

2 kiwi fruits – sliced and chopped

1)  Slice angel food cake in half horizontally.

2)  In a small bowl, combine juice from lemons and condensed milk.  Pour over bottom half of cake and place top half back on.

3)  Using a mixer, combine powdered sugar, butter, milk and vanilla.  Pour over entire cake.  Cover cake with strawberries and kiwi.

4)  Let set for 1 hour in the refrigerator.

Rotisserie Pesto Pizza

Makes 4 servings Active

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Bake Time: 15 minutes

“Consider this a night off from cooking.  You can thank me later.”

1 tube refrigerated pizza crust

1 cup prepared basil pesto

2 cups rotisserie chicken – cut into bite size pieces

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

1 roma tomato sliced

1)  Preheat oven to 425.

2)  Spread dough out onto a baking sheet.

3)  Spread pesto evenly over dough.  Sprinkle chicken over pesto.  Sprinkle cheese over chicken.  Lay tomatoes over top of cheese.

4)  Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes.

Chicken Strudels

Makes 6 servings Active Prep Time: 15 minutes  Bake Time: 35 minutes

“I wish you could reach through your screen and taste these.  Better than that, you can make them yourselves.  They are absolutely amazing.

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 boneless skinless chicken breasts – cut into bite size pieces

2 cups baby spinach – loosely torn

3 cloves garlic – minced

Salt and pepper – to taste

8 ounces shredded Swiss cheese

1 box puff pastry sheets – defrosted

1)  Preheat oven to 375.  In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat.

2)  Season chicken with salt and pepper.  Saute chicken.  When chicken is cooked through, add spinach and cook about 3 – 4 minutes until wilted.  Add garlic and cook an additional 30 seconds.  Remove from heat.

3)  Unfold the pastry sheets on a lightly floured surface.  With the short side facing you, evenly spoon the chicken mixture onto the bottom halves of the pastry sheets to within 1 inch of the edges.  Sprinkle evenly with 1 cup of Swiss cheese over each.  Roll up like a jelly roll (the short width.)  Tuck the ends under to seal.

4)  Place seam side down on a large baking sheet.  Cut several slits in the top of the pastries.  Bake for 35 minutes.

Dry Rubbed Pork Chops and Broccoli and Cheese Almondine

Makes 4 servings Active Prep Time: 30 minutes  Bake Time: 30 – 45 minutes

“The rub on these pork chops is delicious and the Almondine is actually my husband’s recipe from when he was a kid.  This dinner rocks!”

4 – 6 pork chops – your choice (the thicker they are, the longer they will take to cook)

4 tablespoons brown sugar

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

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3 cups cooked rice

1 head broccoli – stems removed and tops steamed

1/4 cup butter

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup Cheddar cheese

1 cup almond slivers

1)  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2)  In a small bowl, combine brown sugar, chili powder, garlic powder and salt.

3)  Rub mixture on both sides of pork chops.

4)  Place chops flat in a baking dish and bake at 35-40 minutes or until no longer pink.

Meanwhile, chop steamed broccoli heads.  Combine rice (while still warm) with broccoli, butter, salt, cheese and almond slivers.  Heat in microwave if the rice is not still warm enough to melt the butter and cheese.

*If you have a rice cooker, steam broccoli over rice while it is cooking.*

Chive Chops and Mashed Potatoes

Makes 4 servings Start to Finish: 30 minutes

“The simplicity of this will cause you to doubt how delicious it is.  As usual, you’ll just have to trust me.”

2 tablespoons olive oil

4 – 6 boneless, thin pork chops

1 cup flour

Salt and pepper – to taste

1 8-ounce package onion and chive cream cheese

1/4 cup milk

3 green onions – thinly sliced

6 red potatoes

Garlic powder – to taste

1/4 cup milk – more if dry

4 tablespoons butter

1)  In a large skillet, heat olive oil over low to medium heat.

2)  Salt and pepper pork chops.  Dredge in flour.  Place in heated oil.  Cook on low to medium heat for 6 – 8 minutes on each side, cooking all the way through.

3)  Meanwhile, boil potatoes.

4)  Place cream cheese in a microwave safe dish and microwave for 1 minute.  Stir in 1/4 cup milk and set aside.

5)  Finish potatoes by draining and mashing potatoes.  Mix in garlic powder, 1/4 cup milk, and butter.

6)  Flip pork chops and finish cooking until no longer pink.  Serve cream cheese sauce and green onions over pork chops and potatoes.

Flank Steak and Carmelized Onion Quesadillas

Makes 4 servings Start to Finish: 30 minutes

“This recipe is so good and seemingly complicated, but actually has very few ingredients and steps.  Flank steaks & skirt steaks are interchangeable.  I just buy which ever is cheaper.”

2 lb beef flank steak (or skirt steak if cheaper)

Salt and pepper – to taste

3 tablespoons olive oil – divided

4 cloves garlic – minced

1 onion – sliced very thin

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

10 small flour tortillas

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Sour cream – for serving

Salsa – for serving

1)  Salt and pepper flank steak on both sides to taste.  Place steak, 2 T of olive oil, and garlic in a large ziploc bag.  Massage oil and garlic into meat for about 3 minutes.  Turn oven to high broil.  Place meat in a large baking dish.  Place oven rack on highest notch.  With oven door open, broil steak for 4 – 5 minutes on each side – depending on how well done you want it.  When done, set aside and turn oven to 350.

2)  While meat is broiling, heat 1 T of olive oil in a medium size skillet.  Keep fire on low to medium heat.  Once oil is heated, add onions and stir.  Cook and stir for about 2 minutes and add brown sugar.  Continue cooking and stirring until onions are clear and look carmelized, about 3 – 4 more minutes.  Remove from heat when done.

3)  Slice steak in thin strips across the grain.  Cut slices into bite size pieces in the other direction.

4)  Assemble quesadillas on a large baking sheet.  Brush olive oil onto 1 side of flour tortilla and lay oiled side on pan.  Distribute steak, onions, and cheddar evenly over 5 brushed tortillas.  Place remaining tortillas over filling and brush the side that is up lightly with olive oil.  Place in preheated oven and bake for 3 – 4 minutes on each side.  *Don’t forget to move your rack back to the middle.*

5)  Serve with salsa and sour cream.

*Kid tip – Make a couple without the onions for picky eaters.*

Meatball Sliders – As Heard On WROK

Makes 4 servings Start to Finish: 30 minutes

“I must be on a meatball kick lately.  My kids just love anything with meatballs, so I keep looking for new ways to incorporate them.  We all really loved this.  It’s fun too.”

 

1 lb ground beef

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

1/2 cup grated parmesan

1/2 cup bread crumbs

1 package dinner rolls

1 jar spaghetti sauce

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

3 tablespoons olive oil

1)  In a large bowl, combine meat, bread crumbs, parmesan and seasonings.  Make 1/2 “-1″ in diameter meatballs.

3)  Over medium heat, heat olive oil in a large skillet.  Brown meatballs on all sides.  Be sure oil is hot or meatballs will stick.

4)  In a separate skillet, bring spaghetti sauce to a low simmer.  Transfer meatballs to sauce once browned.  Continue simmering sauce until meatballs are cooked through – about 15 minutes.

5)  Open dinner rolls and place 1 meatball on bottom half of each.  Cover with sauce and mozzarella.  Broil for 2 minutes or until cheese is melted.