Strawberry Pound Cake

From: Taste of Home

Ingredients:
1 package (16 oz) frozen sweetened sliced strawberries, thawed
1 cup butter-flavored shortening
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2/3 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp almond or strawberry extract
STRAWBERRY SAUCE:
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup sliced fresh strawberries
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp almond or strawberry extract

Drain strawberries, reserving 1/2 cup juice. Chop the strawberries; set juice and berries aside. In a mixing bowl, cream shortening and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Combine the dry ingredients; add to creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk. Stir in the pecans, chopped strawberries and extracts.

Pour into a greased and floured 10-in fluted tube pan. Bake at 325 for 1-1/4 hours or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes; remove from pan to a wire rack.

In a small saucepan, combine the sugar and reserved strawberry juice. Add the sliced strawberries. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 1 minute. Remove from the heat; stir in extracts. Brush some of the sauce over the warm cake. Serve cake with remaining sauce.

What I did differently from the recipe:
I used fresh strawberries instead of frozen. Therefore, I didn't have "juice" from them, so I used 1/2 cup of water when it called for the juice. I also didn't have enough shortening to complete the job so I used 1/2 cup shortening and 1/2 cup butter. I left out the pecans.

What I'll do differently next time:
Substitute anything I'm out of!!

Verdict:
Thumbs UP! This was soooo good. After eating this for dessert I munched on it for breakfast and snacks warmed in the microwave and then topped it with whipped cream. Yum! I will definitely make this again!!

Printable version:

Ingredients:
1 package (16 oz) frozen sweetened sliced strawberries, thawed
1 cup butter-flavored shortening
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2/3 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp almond or strawberry extract
STRAWBERRY SAUCE:
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup sliced fresh strawberries
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp almond or strawberry extract

Drain strawberries, reserving 1/2 cup juice. Chop the strawberries; set juice and berries aside. In a mixing bowl, cream shortening and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Combine the dry ingredients; add to creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk. Stir in the pecans, chopped strawberries and extracts.

Pour into a greased and floured 10-in fluted tube pan. Bake at 325 for 1-1/4 hours or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes; remove from pan to a wire rack.

In a small saucepan, combine the sugar and reserved strawberry juice. Add the sliced strawberries. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 1 minute. Remove from the heat; stir in extracts. Brush some of the sauce over the warm cake. Serve cake with remaining sauce.

Smoky Corn Chowder

From: Real Simple

Ingredients:
8 oz sliced bacon, cut into pieces
1 large sweet onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
2 10-oz packages frozen corn
3 cups chicken broth
1 cup half-and-half
salt and pepper

Cook the bacon in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat until crisp, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Spoon off and discard all but 2 Tbsp of the drippings and return the pot to medium heat. Cook the onion, stirring occasionally, until soft, 5-7 minutes. Add the garlic, paprika, and red pepper and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Stir in the corn, broth and half-and-half and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Transfer half the soup to a blender and puree until smooth. Return to the pot, add salt and pepper, and stir to combine. Divide the soup into bowls and top with bacon and scallions if you have them.

What I did differently from the recipe:
I used turkey bacon, for one thing, so I didn't have the drippings that the recipe called for from that bacon. Fortunately, I always save my drippings so I used my reserve from the pantry to add some grease to the recipe! Instead of red pepper flakes I used ground cayenne pepper so I didn't use nearly as much as the recipe called for. I didn't have any frozen corn and didn't have time to go to the store, so I used two 15-oz cans of corn. I only used 2 cups of chicken broth. And I didn't have half-and-half on hand so instead I used two 5-oz cans of evaporated milk.

What I'll do differently next time:
Whatever is necessary! I had to tweak this a lot simply because I didn't have time to go to the store, but it didn't change the taste!

Verdict:
Thumbs up! I love this recipe. It was so sweet and we couldn't figure out what that sweetness was from, but it was just delicious. Instead of putting the bacon on top I had just mixed it all in after I blended the soup. This soup didn't last long, that's for sure!

Printable version:

Ingredients:
8 oz sliced bacon, cut into pieces
1 large sweet onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
2 10-oz packages frozen corn
3 cups chicken broth
1 cup half-and-half
salt and pepper

Cook the bacon in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat until crisp, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Spoon off and discard all but 2 Tbsp of the drippings and return the pot to medium heat. Cook the onion, stirring occasionally, until soft, 5-7 minutes. Add the garlic, paprika, and red pepper and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Stir in the corn, broth and half-and-half and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Transfer half the soup to a blender and puree until smooth. Return to the pot, add salt and pepper, and stir to combine. Divide the soup into bowls and top with bacon and scallions if you have them.

Garlic Spaghetti

From: Taste of Home: Quick Cooking

Ingredients:
1 package (16 oz) spaghetti
10 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup olive or vegetable oil
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
2 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Cook spaghetti according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a skillet over low heat, cook garlic in oil until lightly browned. Remove from the heat; stir in parsley, oregano, salt and pepper. Drain spaghetti; place in a large bowl. Add garlic mixture and Parmesan cheese; toss to coat.

What I did differently from the recipe:
I only used about 6-8 oz of spaghetti. I used probably about 3 or 4 garlic cloves, 1/8 cup of parsley, and 1/4 cup of Parmesan (I added more Parmesan at the end). In other words, I pretty much cut the recipe in half.

What I'll do differently next time:
Same.

Verdict:
Thumbs up. But it was just good - it wasn't stand-out fabulous or anything. It was definitely easy, fast, and good though. Great quickie recipe!

Sweet and Sour Chicken

From: Somewhere on the Internet

Ingredients:
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp minced garlic
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
1 1/2 lbs chicken breast, chopped
3/4 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped bell pepper
1 cup canned pineapple
1/2 cup canned pineapple juice
1/3 cup soy sauce
1 1/2 Tbsp cornstarch
2 tsp brown sugar
1/4 cup chopped cashews (optional)

Heat oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic, ginger, red pepper, and chicken to pan; saute 5 minutes or until chicken is done. Remove from pan; set aside.

Add onion, celery, and bell pepper to pan; saute 4 minutes or until crisp-tender. While this sautes, combine pineapple juice, soy sauce, cornstarch and brown sugar in a bowl, stirring with a whisk until smooth. Add pineapple chunks to veggie mixture; cook 30 seconds.

Return chicken mixture to pan. Stir in juice mixture; bring to a boil. Cook 1 minute. Sprinkle with cashews. Serve over rice.

What I did differently from the recipe:
Nothing.

What I'll do differently next time:
I think the next time I will leave out the bell pepper. Both Stephen and I love bell pepper but it just didn't fit this recipe for some reason.

Verdict:
Thumbs up!! This was incredibly delicious and super easy to make. Funny, but Stephen said he would prefer it without the chunks of pineapple in it, and that's funny because he loves pineapple. I, on the other hand, loved the pineapple. He said the next time he'll just pick it out and eat it separately like he did this time.

Printable version:

Ingredients:
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp minced garlic
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
1 1/2 lbs chicken breast, chopped
3/4 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped bell pepper
1 cup canned pineapple
1/2 cup canned pineapple juice
1/3 cup soy sauce
1 1/2 Tbsp cornstarch
2 tsp brown sugar
1/4 cup chopped cashews (optional)

Heat oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic, ginger, red pepper, and chicken to pan; saute 5 minutes or until chicken is done. Remove from pan; set aside.

Add onion, celery, and bell pepper to pan; saute 4 minutes or until crisp-tender. While this sautes, combine pineapple juice, soy sauce, cornstarch and brown sugar in a bowl, stirring with a whisk until smooth. Add pineapple chunks to veggie mixture; cook 30 seconds.

Return chicken mixture to pan. Stir in juice mixture; bring to a boil. Cook 1 minute. Sprinkle with cashews. Serve over rice.

Minestrone with Turkey

From: Taste of Home

Ingredients:
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium carrot, sliced
1 celery rib, sliced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 Tbsp olive oil
4 cups chicken broth or turkey stock
1 can diced tomatoes, undrained
2/3 cup frozen peas, corn and cut green beans, thawed
1/2 cup uncooked elbow macaroni
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp dried basil
1/4 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp pepper
1 bay leaf
1 cup cubed cooked turkey
1 small zucchini, halved lengthwise and cut into slices
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

In a Dutch oven, saute the onion, carrot, celery and garlic in oil until tender. Add the broth, vegetables, macaroni and seasonings.

Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, simmer, uncovered for 5 minutes. Add turkey and zucchini; cook until zucchini is tender-crisp. Discard bay leaf. Serve with Parmesan cheese.

What I did differently from the recipe:
I used two carrots instead of one, 2 cups of chicken broth and 1 cup water instead of 4 cups of chicken broth, and ham instead of turkey because we had ham in the fridge already.

What I'll do differently next time:
Nothing. If I have turkey I'll use it but the ham worked too!

Verdict:
Thumbs up! This was such an easy recipe and really good with Parmesan cheese added on top. I don't have a final picture but trust me, it was delicious!

Printable version:

Ingredients:
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium carrot, sliced
1 celery rib, sliced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 Tbsp olive oil
4 cups chicken broth or turkey stock
1 can diced tomatoes, undrained
2/3 cup frozen peas, corn and cut green beans, thawed
1/2 cup uncooked elbow macaroni
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp dried basil
1/4 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp pepper
1 bay leaf
1 cup cubed cooked turkey
1 small zucchini, halved lengthwise and cut into slices
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

In a Dutch oven, saute the onion, carrot, celery and garlic in oil until tender. Add the broth, vegetables, macaroni and seasonings.

Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, simmer, uncovered for 5 minutes. Add turkey and zucchini; cook until zucchini is tender-crisp. Discard bay leaf. Serve with Parmesan cheese.

Cheesy Baked Pasta with Spinach and Artichokes

From: Real Simple

Ingredients:
8 oz mezzi rigatoni
1 14-oz can artichoke hearts, rinsed and quartered
1 9-oz package frozen creamed spinach, thawed
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 cups grated mozzarella cheese
pepper

Cook the pasta according to the package directions, drain, and return it to the pot. Heat broiler.

Add the artichoke hearts, spinach, Parmesan, half the mozzarella and 1/4 tsp pepper to the pasta and toss to combine.

Transfer the mixture to a shallow 2-quart (or 8-inch square) broilerproof baking dish and sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella. Broil until the cheese is browned in spots, 2 to 3 minutes.

What I did differently from the recipe:
Instead of using creamed spinach I just used chopped spinach. Other than that, I didn't change anything.

What I'll do differently next time:
Nothing.

Verdict:
Neutral. I actually love spinach and artichoke in dips, but I kind of thought the artichoke flavor was a bit too much in this recipe. To be honest, I would have been happy if it was just pasta, cheese and spinach! It definitely didn't taste bad, it just wasn't really my cup of tea.

$$:
This was a very inexpensive meal! The artichoke hearts were the most expensive - around $4, but it still came out to less than $1 per serving.

Printable version:

Ingredients:
8 oz mezzi rigatoni
1 14-oz can artichoke hearts, rinsed and quartered
1 9-oz package frozen creamed spinach, thawed
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 cups grated mozzarella cheese
pepper

Cook the pasta according to the package directions, drain, and return it to the pot. Heat broiler.

Add the artichoke hearts, spinach, Parmesan, half the mozzarella and 1/4 tsp pepper to the pasta and toss to combine.

Transfer the mixture to a shallow 2-quart (or 8-inch square) broilerproof baking dish and sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella. Broil until the cheese is browned in spots, 2 to 3 minutes.

Moist Chocolate Cake

From: Taste of Home

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups cake flour (or 1 Tbsp cornstarch + 1/2 cup flour times three)
1 cup sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 squares unsweetened chocolate
2 Tbsp butter (no substitutes)
1 cup buttermilk (or 2 Tbsp lemon juice + milk to fill up 1 cup)
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
FROSTING:
1/2 cup sugar
4 1/2 tsp cornstarch
1/8 tsp salt
1 square unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped (I didn't see those words when I made this recipe - "coarsely chopped". It made no difference)
1/2 cup hot coffee or water
4 1/2 tsp butter
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

In a bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt; set aside. In a microwave-safe bowl, combine the chocolate and butter. Cover and microwave on high for 1 minute. Stir; cook 30 seconds longer or until melted. In a small mixing bowl, combine the buttermilk, oil and egg. Add to dry ingredients; beat just until combined.

Add the chocolate mixture and vanilla. Pour into a greased 8-inch square baking dish.

Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool completely on a wire rack. For frosting, in a saucepan, combine the sugar, cornstarch, salt and chocolate; stir in the coffee (or water) until blended. Bring to a boil over medium heat; cook and stir until mixture is thickened. Remove from the heat; stir in the butter and vanilla. Spread warm frosting over cake.

What I did differently from the recipe:
Nothing. Oh, unless you count the fact that I misread the ingredients and put 4 1/2 TABLESPOONS of butter in the frosting instead of 4 1/2 TEASPOONS. Don't worry, it didn't change the flavor one bit. I just laughed so hard when I realized I did that.

What I'll do differently next time:
Put the correct amount of ingredients in the recipe.

Verdict:
Thumbs up! When Stephen tasted this he said, "This is so moist!" I then pointed out the recipe name to him. It was definitely easy and good. He was very impressed that the cake and frosting were both homemade but if I can do it, anyone can do it. This is great to make anytime you just need some cake to snack on! And who doesn't need that?

$$:
The only thing I had to buy for this recipe was the unsweetened chocolate, only because I only had a couple of ounces left from a previous box. I would have had to buy some more soon anyway. So this recipe cost me less than $3.

Printable version:

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups cake flour (or 1 Tbsp cornstarch + 1/2 cup flour times three)
1 cup sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 squares unsweetened chocolate
2 Tbsp butter (no substitutes)
1 cup buttermilk (or 2 Tbsp lemon juice + milk to fill up 1 cup)
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
FROSTING:
1/2 cup sugar
4 1/2 tsp cornstarch
1/8 tsp salt
1 square unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped (I didn't see those words when I made this recipe - "coarsely chopped". It made no difference)
1/2 cup hot coffee or water
4 1/2 tsp butter
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

In a bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt; set aside. In a microwave-safe bowl, combine the chocolate and butter. Cover and microwave on high for 1 minute. Stir; cook 30 seconds longer or until melted. In a small mixing bowl, combine the buttermilk, oil and egg. Add to dry ingredients; beat just until combined. Add the chocolate mixture and vanilla. Pour into a greased 8-inch square baking dish. Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool completely on a wire rack. For frosting, in a saucepan, combine the sugar, cornstarch, salt and chocolate; stir in the coffee (or water) until blended. Bring to a boil over medium heat; cook and stir until mixture is thickened. Remove from the heat; stir in the butter and vanilla. Spread warm frosting over cake.