I have wanted to move this blog to Word Press for a long time. Today my amazing IT guy made the change you can find my new and ever improving blog here Vanilla Carrots

This morning I met someone for the first who I had been emailing back and forth with all week. He told me that he thought it was funny that his spell checker wanted him to change my name to Vanilla Carrots. It took me back to seventh grade when my health teacher decided he would call me Vanilla. This morning I decided I wanted to call this recipe blog "Vanilla Carrots." There are just too many "Yum!"s in the blogosphere.

1 cup raw wild rice
5 1/2 cups low fat chicken stock or water
1 cup shelled pecan halves
1 cup yellow raisins
grated rind of one large orange
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
4 green onions thinly sliced
1/4 cup olive oil
1/3 cup fresh orange juice
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1. Put rice in a strainer and run under cold water; rinse thoroughly.

2. Place rice in a medium-size heavy saucepan. Add stock or water and bring to a rapid boil. Adjust heat to a gentle simmer and cook uncovered for 45 minutes. After 30 minutes check for doneness, rice should not be too soft. Place a thin towel inside a colander and turn rice into the colander and drain. Transfer drained rice to a bowl.

3. Add remaining ingredients and rice and toss gently. Adjust seasonings to taste. Let mixture stand for two hours to allow flavors to develop. Serve at room temperature.

Serves 6

Last week I made Red Velvet Cupcakes. They were some of the best cupcakes I have made. You can link to the recipe by clicking here

I have tried several lemon cupcake recipes and have never really liked any of them. After the recent success with Red Velvet Cupcakes I decided to attempt a revision of that recipe to create a perfect Lemon Cupcake. I tried it out today. They turned out really well.

Cupcakes
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup butter
2 eggs, room temperature
2 1/3 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk with 1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice stirred in
2 tablespoons fresh lemon zest

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Combine the milk and lemon juice and set aside.

Beat the butter and sugar in an electric mixer for 3 minutes on medium speed until light and fluffy.

Add the eggs one at a time and beat until each is completely mixed in.

Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt together in a bowl.

Alternate adding the dry and wet ingredients to the butter, sugar and egg mixture. Scrape down the sides of the bowl often. Scoop into a cupcake paper lined muffin pan about 1/2 to 3/4 full.

Bake for 18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool for one minute and then remove for pan and finish cooling on a cooling rack.

Filling
1 jar lemon curd

When the cupcakes have cooled completely fill a ketchup style squeeze bottle with lemon curd. Insert the tip into the center of the cupcake and squeeze slowly until the lemon curd comes just to the surface.

Frosting
1/2 cup butter
1-8 ounce package cream cheese
2-3 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon lemon juice

Combine the ingredients together and pipe on cupcakes using a pastry bag and large star tip.

I really like fish tacos and because salmon is my favorite fish to eat, these should be especially good.

Makes 8 tacos

1 1/4 pounds salmon
Course salt and freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
4 green onions thinly sliced
1 cup packed fresh cilantro
1/2 cup reduced fat sour cream
Eight whole wheat tortillas
2 cups shredded lettuce
2 medium carrots peeled into strips

Place the salmon in a microwave safe bowl and season with salt and pepper and drizzled with one tablespoon of lime juice.

Sprinkle the fish with the green onions and 1/2 cup of the cilantro.

Cover and microwave on high for 7 minute, or until the fish is cooked. Pour off any liquid and flake with a fork.

Meanwhile, combine the sour cream, remaining lime juice and cilantro in a small bowl. Season with salt and peper and set aside. Warm the tortillas and then arrange lettuce and carrots down the center of each tortilla, then top with salmon and drizzle lightly with sauce. Fold in half and serve.

Caramelized Walnuts
Dried Cranberries
Crumbled Blue Cheese
Lettuce
Spinach leaves
Sliced strawberries

Strawberry vinaigrette dressing

When I made the chocolate cream filled cupcakes in the previous post I just happened to have a jar of marshmallow fluff in my pantry. It appears that it is no longer available for purchase in Tokyo. I need some for some cupcakes I am making for a 2 year old's birthday this weekend. How did we ever live without Google?

3 large egg whites
2 cups light corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups powdered sugar
4 teaspoons vanilla extract

This will expand enough in a 4-quart mixing bowl to make you nervous so if you have a bigger bowl you should use it.

In a large mixer bowl, use a whisk attachment to combine eggwhites, corn syrup and salt. Beat for 10 minutes until thick.

Add powdered sugar at a low speed to thoroughly incorporate. Add vanilla extract and beat until well blended.

I have been experimenting with different recipes in preparation for the 200 cupcakes we will be making for Kristina and Brian's wedding favors on April 10. So this week I have been working on the chocolate ones. YUM!!!!

1 instant chocolate pudding mix (small box)
1 devil’s food cake mix
12 ounces chocolate chips
2 eggs
1 ¾ cup milk

Mix together and bake in greased and floured Bundt pan for 50 minutes @ 350 degrees.

Cool in pan 10 minutes and remove from pan. Sprinkle with powdered sugar.
This recipe also makes amazing chocolate cupcakes. Depending on how full you fill the cupcake papers they take 18-23 minutes to bake. Test by putting a toothpick in the center. If it only comes out with melted chocolate chips and no gooey batter they are done.

This recipe is courtesy of Elise at Simply Recipes
Ingredients

* 2 to 3 cups broccoli florets, cut into bite-sized pieces
* 1 pound fettuccine (use rice-pasta for gluten-free version)
* Extra virgin olive oil
* 2 cups heavy cream
* 2/3 cup white wine
* 6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
* 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* 1 pound peeled, deveined shrimp (if using frozen shrimp, defrost by running cold water over them for a few minutes)
* 2 Tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley
* Salt

Method

1 Fill a large 8-quart stock pot at least half full with water and with 1 Tbsp of salt; bring to a boil.

2 While the water is the large stockpot is heating, bring a smaller saucepan (2-3 quarts) half filled with water to a boil. Blanch the broccoli in the boiling water for 1 minute. Remove from heat. Drain and run the broccoli under cold water to stop the cooking. Set aside.

3 Cook the pasta in the large pot of boiling water according to the directions on the package (anywhere from 3 to 12 minutes, depending on the type of pasta you have) until al dente, or still slightly firm. Drain and toss with a little olive oil to keep from sticking.

4 While the pasta is cooking, combine the cream, wine, garlic, and black pepper in a large skillet and bring to a simmer over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 7 to 10 minutes until the mixture thickens.

5 Add the shrimp and cook 2 to 3 minutes, until the shrimp have turned pink on all sides. Toss in the broccoli and the parsley. Mix in the fettucini. Salt to taste.

Serves 6.

This yummy recipe is from Lindsay's Urban Mum blog.

Serves 2
Ingredients
• 50g unsalted butter, plus extra to grease
• 2 tsp cocoa powder, to dust
• 50g good quality bitter chocolate (minimum 70% cocoa solids), in pieces
• 1 free range egg
• 1 free range egg yolk
• 60g caster sugar
• 50g plain flour
• Icing sugar to dust
• Vanilla ice cream to serve
Method: How to make hot chocolate fondant
1. Preheat oven to 160˚C/Gas 2.
2. Butter two large ramekins, about 7.5cm in diameter, then dust liberally with cocoa, shaking out any excess.
3. Slowly melt the chocolate and butter in a small bowl set over a pan of hot water, then take off the heat and stir until smooth. Leave to cool for 10 minutes.
4. Using an electric whisk, whisk the whole egg, egg yolk and sugar together until pale and thick, then incorporate the chocolate mixture. Sift the flour over the mixture and gently fold in, using a large metal spoon. Divide between the ramekins and bake for 12 minutes.
5. Turn the chocolate fondants out on to warmed plates. Dust the tops with icing sugar and serve with a spoonful of vanilla ice cream.

Vanilla Buttermilk Cupcakes

4 egg whites
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup butter, softened
1 ¾ cups sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/3 cups buttermilk or sour milk* (I like these best when I use sour cream, they raise better and stay moist longer)

Let the eggs and butter stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. In a medium bowl stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large mixing bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium for 30 seconds. Add sugar and vanilla and combine. Add the egg whites one at a time and beat well after each addition. Alternate adding the buttermilk/sour cream and flour mixture to the butter mixture. Beat on low after each addition until just combined. Pour batter into paper lined cupcake pans.

Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pans for a few minutes and then remove to cooling racks

*When a recipe calls for butter milk you can use sour milk instead. For each cup of sour milk add 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar in glass measuring cup. Add enough milk to make one cup total liquid and stir. Let the mixture stand for 5 minutes before using.

This is a quick, easy, and good poor man's meal.

2 chopped up chicken breasts (little square inch or so pieces)
1 can green beans
1 can stewed tomatoes
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon basil
salt and pepper to taste

Cook any pasta you want. Put a little olive oil in a pan, and cook up chicken. Once chicken is cooked through add green beans and tomatoes, let them heat up. Add spices and let simmer. Drain Pasta, put other stuff on top. Delicious!

Recently, Rick and I were discussing how our eating patterns have changed over the years. I grew up eating more meat and potatoes and he grew up eating casseroles. I had never eaten a casserole until I met him and ate his mother's cooking. So after we married I cooked many casseroles. I thought you might enjoy having some of these recipes and it might even be more fun to cook some of them at a reunion or another time when we are together. Let me know if you decide to try out any of these nostalgic recipes.

Grandma Carruth's Chinese Hamburger

1 pound ground beef
1 chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can cream of chicken soup
3/4 can water
2 tablespoons or less soy sauce (the original recipe called for 1/4 cup and it was too salty I haven't made this for ages so it might still be really salty with 2 tablespoons)
1/2 cup raw long grain rice
1 small can of the crunchy type chow mein noodles (do they even make these anymore??)


Brown meat and vegetables in a frying pan and drain the grease. Combine everything except the chow mein noodles and put in a casserole dish and bake covered at 350 for 20 minutes. Sprinkle noodles on top and bake for an additional 10 minutes

Grandma Carruth's Rice Casserole
This was always served as a side dish to ham. The recipe originally called for 1 stick (4oz) of butter. I have reduced to 2 tablespoons and have even left out the butter entirely and it is much better. One stick just makes greasy rice, but we actually ate that way when she cooked it.

2 tablespoons butter
1 cup long grain rice
1 can French onion soup
1 soup can water
Sliced almonds

Melt butter and combine with rice, soup and water in a casserole dish. Sprinkle almonds evenly on the top and bake covered at 350 degrees for 60 minutes

Nana's Chicken Chestnut Casserole
6-8 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 cup diced celery
1 cup sliced water chestnuts
1 cup long grain rice
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon lemon juice
3/4 cup mayonnaise
2 cans Cream of Mushroom soup
1 cup soft buttered bread crumbs *(see directions below)
1 package slivered almonds (optional)

Cook rice according to directions and set aside. Boil chicken breasts with onion and a little poultry seasoning, salt and pepper until done. Cut chicken into bite size pieces and put in a 9 X 13 pan. Top with celery, water chestnuts and rice. Mix lemon juice, salt, mayonnaise and soup until well combined. Pour into pan and fold all the ingredients together. Top with bread crumbs and sprinkle with almonds. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

*Bread Crumbs
I used sliced bread or leftover buns for this. I would grate several on my grated to make soft crumbs. Then melt 2 or 3 tablespoons of butter in a non-stick frying pan and add the crumbs stirring until just browned.

Tuna Rice Casserole
This is from a Relief Society Cookbook

1/2 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped green pepper
4 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
1 1/2 cups milk

3/4 cup raw long grain rice cooked
1/4 cup chopped pimento
1 can tuna drained
1/4 teaspoon thyme
1/4 teaspoon curry powder
1/4 teaspoon marjoram



Brown the onions and green pepper in butter. Add the flour and stir until the vegetables are well coated. Slowly add the milk and stir until thickened. Stir in the remaining ingredients and bake in a casserole dish at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.