Fig & Olive Tapenade

Fig & Olive Tapenade
 
Author: 
Recipe type: Appetizer
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Ingredients
  • 1 c. dried figs, chopped
  • ½ c. water
  • ⅔ c. Kalamata olives, chopped
  • ⅓ c. toasted walnuts, chopped
  • 8 oz. cream cheese
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp dried rosemary
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
  • salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
  1. Combine figs & water in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil & cook until tender, and liquid has reduced.
  2. Remove from heat & stir in the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, rosemary, thyme, & cayenne.
  3. Add olives & garlic, & mix well. Season with salt & pepper to taste.
  4. Cover & refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight to allow flavors to blend.
  5. Unwrap cream cheese block & place on a serving platter. Spoon tapenade over cheese, & sprinkle with walnuts. Serve with slices of French bread or crackers.

Photo Courtesy of Meal Makeover Moms on Flickr

Burnt Sugar (Caramel) Cake

Marilyn Says: You can substitute 2½ c. Softasilk cake flour for the sifted regular flour.

Burnt Sugar (Caramel) Cake
 
Author: 
Recipe type: Dessert
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Ingredients
  • 2⅓ c. sugar
  • ½ c. water, boiling
  • ½ c. shortening, softened
  • 1⅓ tsp salt
  • 3 eggs
  • 2⅓ c. sifted flour
  • 2½ tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • ½ c. cream
  • 6 tbsp butter
  • 3 c. sifted powdered sugar
Instructions
  1. Melt 1 c. sugar in heavy skillet over low heat, stirring constantly. Heat until melted to a golden brown syrup, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Add boiling water & stir over low heat until lumps are dissolved. Pour into measuring cup ¼ c. of caramel mixture & add enough cold water to make 1 c. of liquid.
  2. Cream together the softened shortening & remaining sugar until fluffy. Beat in thoroughly eggs. Sift together the flour, baking powder, & 1 tsp. salt. Stir in alternately with caramel mixture. Pour into two 9" layer pans or 13"x9" oblong pan & bake 35 minutes in preheated 350°F oven.
  3. Heat together remaining caramel mixture, cream, & butter to make the burnt sugar frosting. Beat in the powdered sugar, salt, & vanilla extract.

 

Photo Courtesy of Personal Creations on Flickr

Rocky Road Bars

Rocky Road Bars
 
Author: 
Recipe type: Dessert
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Ingredients
Bars
  • 1 c. butter or margarine
  • 1 c. water
  • 3 tbsp cocoa
  • ½ c. buttermilk or sour milk
  • 2 c. sugar
  • 2 c. flour
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • Dash of salt
Topping
  • 2-3 c. mini marshmallows
  • ¾ c. chopped walnuts
Frosting
  • ½ c. butter or margarine
  • 3 tbsp cocoa
  • 7½ tbsp milk
  • 6½ c. powdered sugar
Instructions
  1. Combine butter, water, & cocoa & bring to a boil. Mix all ingredients, except topping & frosting ingredients, well (batter will be thin).
  2. Bake at 350°F in a greased 11"x16" pan for 20 minutes. Cover with the topping ingredients.
  3. Bring to a boil the butter & milk from the frosting ingredients.
  4. Add additional frosting ingredients & beat until smooth. Frost bars.

Photo Courtesy of Cory Denton on Flickr

Barbecued Country Style Pork Ribs

Barbecued Country Style Pork Ribs
 
Author: 
Recipe type: Entree
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Ingredients
Main
  • 3 lb. country style pork ribs
  • 1 small onion, sliced
  • 1 lemon
  • garlic powder
Barbecue Sauce
  • 14 oz. ketchup
  • 5 oz. water
  • ⅓ c. Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tbsp brown sugar
  • 2-3 dashes Tabasco sauce
  • 1 tsp salt
  • Dash black pepper
Instructions
  1. Combine & bring to a boil.
  2. Place ribs on a flat pan. Sprinkle ribs with garlic powder. Arrange onion & lemon slices on top.
  3. Bake, uncovered, in oven at 450°F for 30 minutes. Drain. While ribs are baking, make the sauce.
  4. Place ribs, onions, & lemon in heavy baking dish or pan with lid. Pour hot barbecue sauce over ribs.
  5. Cover and bake in 325°F oven for 1½ hours.

Photo Courtesy of Ernesto Andrade on Flickr

Flourless Chocolate Cake

Submitted by Ruth

Ingredients

Reduced-Fat Dairy Spread, melted to grease ½ c. cocoa powder
1/3 c. hot water 2 tsp instant coffee powder
2 tsp boiling water 100g pkg almond meal
½ c. caster sugar 3 eggs, separated
Strawberries, washed & sliced

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (356°F).  Brush a round 22cm (9″) base measurement cake pan with melted dairy spread to lightly grease.  Line the base with non-stick baking paper.
  2. Combine the cocoa powder & hot water in a medium bowl.  Combine the instant coffee powder & boiling water in a cup.  Add the coffee to the cocoa mixture & stir until combined.
  3. Add almond meal, sugar, & egg yolks to cocoa mixture, & stir until well combined.
  4. Use an electric beater to whisk egg whites in a clean, dry bowl until soft peaks form.  Use a metal spoon to fold a spoonful of egg whites into cocoa mixture until combined.  Gently fold in remaining egg whites until just combined.
  5. Pour mixture into prepared pan.  Place cake pan in a roasting pan.  Pour enough boiling water into the roasting pan to reach two-thirds of the way up the side of the cake pan.
  6. Bake in preheated oven for 40 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.  Remove from the oven.  Remove cake pan from water bath & set aside for 20 minutes to cool  Turn cake onto a wire rack & remove paper.  Set aside for another 20 minutes or until cooled to room temperature.  
  7. Cut cake into wedges & carefully transfer to serving plates.  Serve with strawberries