STRAWBERRY LEMONADE

STRAWBERRY LEMONADE
http://fabulesslyfrugal.com/easy-homemade-strawberry-lemonade-recipe/

This was very tasty! I used frozen strawberries so they were really blended.  Next time would be fun to do fresh and not blend so much.  I think it would also be good with lime added.  I added 1 1/4 cup sugar.

Easy Homemade Strawberry Lemonade Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 cups of strawberries
• 1 cup lemon juice (you can do fresh squeezed or just buy the bottle at the store – shake it good first!)
• 1 cup sugar (add a little more if you want it sweeter)
• 5 cups of water (I like to add ice to make 5 cups so the lemonade is nice and cold)

Instructions

1. Blend lemon juice, sugar, only 1 cup of the water, and strawberries until desired consistency.
2. In a separate pitcher, add the remaining 4 cups of water with mixture.
3. Enjoy!

CHOCOLATE POKE CAKE

CHOCOLATE POKE CAKE
We had this for Scott's birthday 2015.  I let the pudding sit too long and was too thick to go into holes.  It was still super yummy with it at the top. I thought the frosting would be too sweet but it all went well together and wasn't too sweet.  But there was lots of sugar...think next time I might try reducing it some.  Went really well with vanilla ice cream (Fred Meyer crushed vanilla bean - yum!)

Saw this on facebook; http;//www.spendwithpennies.com/chocolate-poke-cake

Cake
1 3/4 cup flour
1 3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
2 eggs 
1 cup hot chocolate, cooled
1 T lemon juice
1 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 tsp vanilla

Chocolate Pudding Layer
2/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup cocoa
3 T cornstarch
pinch of salt
2 1/4 cup milk
1 T butter


Frosting
1/3 cup milk
1/3 cup butter, softened
1 1/4 cup sugar
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Cake
Preheat oven to 350.  Grease and flour a 9x13.  Combine milk & lemon juice and set aside.  Combine flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda & baking powder in a large bowl.  Add eggs, hot chocolate, soured milk, oil and vanilla.  Beat medium speed for 2 minutes. Pour into 9x13.  Bake 30-40 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.  Don't overcook.  Start checking at 30 minutes.  Pour warm pudding over warm cake.  Tap the pan allowing the pudding to seep into the cake.  Cover and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight. (Frost after slightly cooled - about 30 minutes)

Chocolate Pudding
In a saucepan combine sugar, cocoa powder, cornstarch and salt, mix well.  Add in cold milk, stir until combined.  Turn heat to medium high stirring constantly until mixture comes to a boil.  Allow to boil for 1 minute while stirring, remove from heat and stir in butter.  Allow to cool for 5 minutes stirring occasionally so a skin doesn't form on the top.

Poured Frosting
In a saucepan, combine milk, butter & sugar over medium high heat.  Bring to a rolling boil and allow to boil 45 seconds.  Remove from heat and add chocolate chips.  Whisk until smooth and shiny and immediately pour over the cake.  Refrigerate until set.

BJ'S DIP

BJ'S DIP
We had this at Dan & Judi's.  They had had it at BJ's  as an appetizer.  It is really good.  Make sure it is heated all the way through.  Good on hard bread, meba toast or chips.

Layer in the following order in a baking dish about the size of a bread pan:
8 oz cream cheese
1-2 cups marnaria sauce
1/2-1 cups olives, diced
2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
cooked crumbled bacon - optional

Bake at 350 until bubbly (about 20 minutes).

APPLE CIDER SYRUP

APPLE CIDER SYRUP
Don't make early - it jells ups. My favorite apple cider to use is from Herricks. They have it every Fall.  This goes perfect with the french toast strata we had for Thanksgiving at Cameron & Collins house.

1/2 c sugar
4 tsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 cup apple cider or apple juice
1 Tbsp lemon juice
2 Tbsp butter

In a small saucepan, stir together the sugar, starch and cinnamon. Then stir in the apple cider and lemon juice. Cook and stir over medium heat until thick and bubbly. Then cook and stir for 2 minutes longer. Remove saucepan from heat and stir in the butter till melted. Makes about 1 1/3 cups. Perfect for one strata.

BLUEBERRY-CINNAMON SUNDAE

BLUEBERRY-CINNAMON SUNDAE
This is from The Friend Cookbook pg 41.  It is our favorite.  Easy to make.  Good on ice cream, waffles, pancakes or french toast.  Doesn't make lots - perfect for one meal or dessert.

1 cup blueberries (frozen or fresh)
1 T sugar or more to taste
1 T water
1/4 tsp cinnamon
---
1 pint frozen yogurt or ice cream

Toss the berries with the sugar, water and cinnamon in a small saucepan.  Set the pan over medium heat and bring the liquid to a boil.  Lightly mash some of the berries with a fork and continue simmering until the juices thicken a bit, about 1 minute.  Remove the pan from the heat and let the sauce cool for a couple of minutes.  Scoop the frozen yogurt into 2 bowls.  Spoon the warm blueberry sauce over each portion and serve immediately.

BAKED HAM

BAKED HAM
I had never made it this way.  It was so yummy & sweet.  I did miss the pineapple taste (Jill's recipe in 2nd McCleve). Might try next time adding some crushed pineapple.  We had it with Pioneer Woman scalloped potatoes.  Yum!

http://fabulesslyfrugal.com/sweet-baked-ham/

Ingredients

• 5-7 pound precooked bone-in, not sliced ham
• White distilled vinegar (around 1-3 cups)
• Water
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 1/2 tablespoons ground dry mustard

Instructions

1. Place the ham in a large pot and cover with 2 parts water to 1 part vinegar until the ham is covered by an inch or two of liquid. Bring to a boil and cook, boiling vigorously, for 2-3 hours, until the meat easily falls off the bone. Liquid may splash out during cooking. Try reducing the heat, but maintain the boil in order to help limit the splashing. Be prepared that it will smell like vinegar while boiling.
2. After the allotted time, carefully remove the ham from the pot, discarding the liquid, and let it cool until it is easier to remove the meat from the bones. Shred the ham, discarding the fat and bones, and place half in a 9X9-inch baking dish.
3. In a small bowl, stir together the brown sugar and mustard. Sprinkle half of this mixture over the ham. Layer the rest of the ham on top and sprinkle with the remaining sugar/mustard mixture.
4. Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour.

Notes

Use a bone-in butt, shoulder, or shank cut of ham that is NOT pre-sliced.

MEAL WEEK OF EASTER (WHAT JESUS WOULD HAVE EATEN)

We have done this for about the past 5-6 years.  The kids really like. Jackson asked this year if we can do it every year.  He said it is one of his top 5 meals that he likes.  We normally sit on the ground.  This year I opted to sit at the table - getting too old :-)  

Here is a list of things we normally have:

meat - steak, lamb or fish
green salad - dressing: olive oil, basalmic and garlic clove
grapes
strawberries (or any other berries)
olives (Safeway has a fun olive bar)
bread (didn't like levened bread using make homemade, focaccia or pretzel rolls)
hard boiled eggs
grape juice 

For dessert something to do with honey (WinCo has honey sticks in the bulk - loved the coconut one).  

60 MINUTE SKILLET FOCACCIA BREAD

60 Minute Skillet Focaccia Bread

http://www.thirtyhandmadedays.com/2014/11/60-minute-skillet-focaccia-bread/

We all really liked this.  Was so easy to prepare and got to use my dutch oven pan which is always fun.  Had Easter week with the meal we eat like Jesus would have eaten.

Ingredients

• 3/4 C warm water
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp active dry yeast
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 C all purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
Parmesan Butter Topping
• 3 Tbsp butter, melted
• 1 Tbsp grated Parmesan
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning

Instructions

• Mix together water and sugar in a bowl, stir to dissolve sugar.
• Sprinkle yeast over top and allow to sit until foamy (about 5 minutes)
• In a mixer add 1 C flour and salt. Add oil and mix well.
• Add in remaining cup of flour until the dough easily pulls away from the side of the bowl.
• While mixing up bread preheat oven to 220 degrees and turn off the oven once the temperature is reached.
• Keep oven door closed
• Grease skillet
• Place dough on floured counter and roll out to size of pan.
• Place dough in skillet and stretch up the dough to the sides of the pan. Cover with towel and place in warm oven for 20 minutes.
• Remove skillet from oven and preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Make indentations into dough with the end of a wooden spoon.
• Mix together melted butter, cheese and seasoning in a bowl.
• Brush half of the mixture gently onto the dough.
• Place skillet in oven and bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown.
• Remove from oven and brush with remaining butter mixture.