Kale = yum!

I love to buy a bunch of kale and then see what it turns into as the week rolls along.  Kale lasts a fairly long time in the fridge and I find that I either sauté it with bacon or add it to soups.  This time I had a couple of sweet potatoes laying around so I decided to make it a one pot dinner.  It was good but I'm modifying the recipe to include the missing pieces to make it great!

Kale and Sweet Potato Sauté 

Kale and Sweet Potato Sauté

2 medium sweet potatoes

1/2 Tbs olive oil

2 thick slices of bacon

1/2 Cup thinly sliced red onion (or sweet onion)

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 bunch fresh kale

salt & pepper to taste

avocado slices

fried eggs

Thoroughly rinse the kale and tear into shreds, discarding tough stems, rinse and set aside.  Finely dice sweet potatoes (1/4" thick) and set aside.  

Add oil and bacon to a skillet and heat over medium heat until bacon is crispy.  Remove bacon to a paper towel to drain.  Sauté onion and sweet potatoes in skillet with bacon grease for 5-8 minutes, until potatoes begin to soften.  Add 2 1/2 Tbs water and continue to cook in covered frying pan 3-4 min, until soft.  Add kale and cover pan with lid to cook for 3 min.  Stir and continue to cook until kale is wilted and tender.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  

Serve topped with crumbled bacon, avocado slices, and a fried egg, if desired.

Cold Night, Warm Beverage

My friend from India gave me the most amazing Christmas gift, an Indian spice box.  And to go along with the gift she gave me the recipe for delicious Chai.  It is the perfect drink for the winter weather advisory we are experiencing tonight.  Now let's hope the power stays on.

Indian Chai with
spice box and tea discards

Indian Chai

2 cups water

6-8 slices sliced fresh ginger

5 chopped fresh mint leaves

1 Tbs Indian tea leaves (Tetley British blend or any other Indian tea)

4-5 cardamom pods

1-2 cloves

1/2 to 1 tsp fennel seeds

1/2 Cup milk

sugar

In a saucepan, combine water, ginger, and mint leaves and cook over high heat.  Add tea leaves.  Remove seeds from cardamom pods and crush a bit.  Add cardamom seeds, fennel seeds, and cloves to the pan and heat to boiling.  Add milk and sugar and cook another minute.  Turn heat off and let steep a couple of minutes.  Enjoy!

Chai preparation

Almost done

Too Sweet to be Italian Cake

My original title was "Sweet Southern Treat" but I realized the name of this cake is Italian Cream Cake. I knew before Googling it that there was no way this was Italian. Way too sweet.  I was right, it originated in Texas. I love my Southern heritage and all our delicious sweets! 

Italian Cream Cake (from Texas)

Italian Cream Cake

1 cup chopped pecans

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup shortening

2 cups sugar

5 large eggs, separated

1 Tbs vanilla extract

2 cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 cup buttermilk

1 cup flaked coconut

Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Bake 2 cups of chopped pecans (1 cup for cake and 1 cup for icing (if desired)) on a cookie sheet 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until pecans begin to smell toasted and nutty. Do not overbake. Remove from pan and cool completely.

Grease and flour three 9" cake pans (I used 8" pans in photo above). I grease my pans then fit a round of parchment paper in the bottom and then grease again and flour.

In a large bowl, beat butter and shortening at medium speed of mixer until fluffy. Gradually add sugar, mixing well. Add egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in vanilla.

In a small bowl, combine flour and soda.  Add flour mixture alternately with buttermilk, beating at low speed to combine well after each addition. Stir in coconut.

In a separate bowl, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold egg whites into cake batter. Pour batter into prepared pans.

Bake for 25 minutes or until cake tester comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove cakes from pans and cool completely on wire racks.

Spread Nutty Cream Cheese Frosting between layers and over tops and sides of cake.

Nutty Cream Cheese Frosting

12 oz cream cheese, softened

3/4 cup butter, softened

1 Tbs vanilla

5 1/2 cups (24 oz ) powdered sugar, sifted 

1 cup chopped and toasted pecans

Beat cream cheese, butter and vanilla at medium speed of electric mixer until creamy. Add powdered sugar at low speed until blended. Beat frosting at high speed until smooth. Stir in nuts.

Pasta Side

Here's an old favorite from life on the island. My good friend gave me this recipe about 20 years ago and I still love it.  I use it as a side dish, tonight with pan-fried chicken and sauteed zucchini.  I will pair this leftover pasta with ham for a tasty lunch.

Lemon Linguine

Lemon Linguine

1 lb. linguine
1/2 cup olive oil
zest from 1 lemon
juice from 2 lemons
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
salt & fresh ground pepper
lots of parmesan cheese

Cook linguine in boiling salted water til done; drain well.  Combine next 5 ingredients in a large bowl.  Add pasta and toss well.  Sprinkle over salt and pepper.  Toss in parmesan.

Peanut Butter Cookies

These are very sweet and yummy treats.  They take a few extra ingredients but are well worth the trouble.

Peanut Butter Cookies

Peanut Butter Cookies

1 1/4 cups flour
1 Tbs wheat germ  (I used whole wheat flour)
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup crunchy peanut butter
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup shortening
2 Tbs honey
1/2 sugar
1/3 cup light brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup coarsely chopped honey-roasted peanuts

Arrange racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and heat to 350 degrees.  Line two cookies sheets with parchment paper.

In a bowl, whisk together the flour, wheat germ, soda, baking powder and salt and set aside.

Using an electric mixer, combine peanut butter, butter, shortening and honey until well blended.  On medium speed, add both sugars and mix one minute.  Add the egg and vanilla and mix for 1-2 minutes until the batter lightens in color.  Add dry ingredients and mix on low until just blended.  Fold in the chopped peanuts.  Chill for an hour or less, just until the dough is firm enough to handle.

Roll dough into 1 1/4 inch balls and place 2 inches apart on prepared cookie sheets.  Using a fork dipped in flour, slightly flatten cookies while making a crosshatch design.  Bake two pans at a time for 11-13 minutes, switching pans from top to bottom rack after about 8 minutes.  Remove from oven when cookies are lightly brown.  Let cookies stand on cookie sheet 1 minute then transfer to cooling racks.

Smooth and Creamy Chocolate

This is a chocolate icing with a good consistency that tastes yummy!

Chocolate Sour Cream Icing

Chocolate Sour Cream Icing

12 oz. milk chocolate (I used Hershey bars)
9 oz. semisweet chocolate
2 Tbs. light brown sugar
pinch of salt
1 tsp. vanilla extract
3 Tbs. light corn syrup
1 1/2 cups sour cream

Finely chop both chocolates and place in microwave-safe bowl.  Heat in microwave at 50% power, stirring every 30 seconds.  When most chocolate is melted, stir until all chocolate melts.

In a mixing bowl, combine brown sugar, salt, vanilla and corn syrup.  Stir until combined.  Add sour cream and stir 1 to 2 strokes.  Add melted chocolate.  Beat on low speed until smooth.  It thickens quickly if the sour cream was cold.  If it is too thin then let stand at room temperature to reach desired consistency.

Sunshine in a Bowl

Here's a light pasta dish with fresh spring flavors.  I paired it with salmon for a tasty meal.

Spring Vegetable Pasta

Spring Vegetable Pasta

6 oz. orecchiette pasta (or other short pasta), reserve cooking water
1 1/4 cup frozen peas
1/4 cup olive oil, divided
1 bunch asparagus
1 zucchini
1 yellow squash
1 shallot
1 garlic clove
salt and pepper
zest and juice from 1 lemon
1/2 cup parmesan cheese (freshly grated)
1/4 cup roasted cashews, chopped (or pistachios)
fresh basil, sliced for serving

Cook pasta according to package directions, adding peas during last 2 minutes of cooking.  Drain and reserve cooking water.

Meanwhile prepare vegetables.  Chop asparagus into 2 inch pieces.  Halve zucchini and squash lengthwise then cut into uniform slices.  Thinly slice shallot.  Chop the garlic. 

Heat 1 Tbs olive oil in large skillet over medium high heat.  Add asparagus, zucchini, yellow squash and shallot to hot oil and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 5 min.  Add garlic and continue to cook, stirring constantly, 30 seconds.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Add pasta, peas, 1/2 cup cooking water, 2 Tbs olive oil.  Bring to a simmer and cook about 2 minutes to develop a sauce.  Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice, zest, cheese and nuts.  Top with basil.