What have I been up to?

I am still working hard on my cookbook. I have made a ton of recipes that have passed the taste buds of my husband and I, but there have been more recipes than I would like to admit that have bombed. This has started to make my project a little frustrating and has prolonged my publish date, so I am hoping to have my first book finished by the end of this year.

So to keep you interested I thought you all might like to see some teaser photos of the recipes that have made it into my cookbook.

Peach & Pound Cake Sandwiches & Strawberry Pretzel Salad

Three Herb Steak & Peppery Italian Beef Sandwiches

Veggie-Cheese Sandwiches & Chicken and Lemon Broccoli Alfredo

Berry Sauce

Cookbook

So, I have decided to self publish a cookbook. It is going to take a couple of months to complete and unfortunately I will not have the time to post recipes to this blog. Once my cookbook is finished I will let all of you know so you can purchase it if you'd like. Thanks for following and I hope you enjoyed the recipes that I posted.

Sweet and Fiery Polenta Fries

This was a unique alternative to ordinary french fries, and please note the title "Sweet and Fiery" because these fries have a sweetness and a kick to them. My husband and I really enjoyed these BUT we cannot eat a lot of them; so I guess it is good that this recipe only makes 2 servings worth.

Recipe:

2 teaspoons sugar
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon chili powder
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 (16 ounce) tube refrigerated cooked polenta
4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
⅓ cup canola oil
2 tablespoons finely chopped red sweet pepper
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil or fresh Italian (flat-leaf) parsley


1) In large bowl combine sugar, salt, cumin, chili powder, and cayenne pepper; set aside.

2) Cut polenta lengthwise into 12-15 thin slices; cut each slice lengthwise in 4 strips. In medium bowl toss polenta strips with flour to coat.

3) In large skillet heat oil over medium-high heat. Shake excess flour off polenta strips; add to hot oil. Cook strips, turning occasionally, for 7 to 8 minutes or until golden. Drain on paper towels. Place fries in bowl with sugar mixture; toss to coat. Sprinkle with sweet pepper and basil. Serve immediately or keep warm on a baking sheet in 325°F oven up to 20 minutes.

TIP: To reheat any leftovers, place fries in a single layer on a foil-lined baking sheet. Bake, uncovered, in 350°F oven for 8 to 10 minutes or until hot.

Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 8 minutes | Total Time: 18 minutes | Yields: 2 servings

Source: BHG

Tilapia with Grape Chutney

This meal was so light and refreshing. At first I was a little skeptical about the tropical fruit mixture on top of the fish but the flavors were awesome. Definitely something I suggest you try at least once.

Recipe:

4 (4 ounce) fresh or frozen skinless tilapia fillets
Salt and ground black pepper
2 tablespoons cooking oil
1 cup seedless green grapes, halved
½ cup tropical blend mixed dried fruit bits
⅓ cup sliced green onions
⅓ cup apricot spreadable fruit


1) Thaw fish, if frozen. Rinse fish; pat dry with paper towels. Season with salt and pepper.

2) In a 12-inch skillet heat oil over medium-high heat; add fish. Cook 3 to 4 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork, turning once.

3) Transfer fish to platter; keep warm. Add grapes, fruit bits, onions, and spreadable fruit to skillet; cook and stir for 2 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve grape mixture over fish.

Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 6 minutes | Total Time: 16 minutes | Yields: 4 servings

Source: BHG

Rosemary Ranch Chicken Kabobs

All I can say is AMAZING!!!  These kabobs are so delicious. The first time I made these I thought the marinade was a little odd but after taking my first bite I was just blown away. You should definitely give this recipe a try and see if your family will love it as much as mine does.

Recipe:

1 cup olive oil
1 cup ranch dressing
6 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons white vinegar
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons white sugar
5 skinless, boneless chicken breasts - halved, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 green bell pepper, cut into into 1-inch squares
1 red bell pepper, cut into into 1-inch squares
1 (8 ounce) package baby bella mushrooms
15-20 whole pearl onions, peeled with ends cut
1 yellow squash, sliced ½-inch thick
1 zucchini, sliced ½-inch thick

1) In a large bowl, stir together the olive oil, ranch dressing, Worcestershire sauce, rosemary, salt, lemon juice, white vinegar, pepper, and sugar. Let stand for 5 minutes.

2) Take 2 large bowls, place the chicken in one and the vegetables in the other. Pour one half of the marinade over the chicken and the other half over the vegetables and stir to coat. Cover, and refrigerate overnight.

3) Preheat the grill for medium-high heat. Thread chicken and vegetables onto skewers and discard marinade.

4) Lightly oil the grill grate. Grill skewers for 8 to 12 minutes, or until the chicken is no longer pink in the center, and the juices run clear.

Tip: If using bamboo/wood skewers soak them in water for 30 minutes before using.

Prep Time: 50 minutes | Cook Time: 12 minutes | Total Time: 1 hour | Other Time: Overnight marinade | Yields: 15 to 18 kabobs

Fruit Salsa and Cinnamon Chips

I have made this recipe for 5+ years and I am always asked for the recipe. This can be served as an appetizer, snack or dessert. It can also be customized to your liking since any kind of fruit works well with this recipe except bananas.

This recipe is VERY time consuming. The fruit salsa is easy but cutting up all of the fruit does take time BUT the cinnamon chips seem to take forever. I just want you to be forewarned since it can seem like a lot of work but this dish is worth it. One note that I think you MUST know is that you need to make sure the chips are cooked until they are crispy. If they aren't they will be very chewy and believe me that will ruin what you think of them, if they are hard and crispy they taste delicious.

Recipe:

2 kiwis, peeled and diced
2 Fuji apples - peeled, cored and diced
8 ounces raspberries
8 ounces blueberries
1 pound strawberries
2 tablespoons white sugar
1 tablespoon brown sugar
3 tablespoons fruit preserves (any flavor, but apricot is best)
10 (10-inch) flour tortillas
Butter flavored cooking spray
2 cups cinnamon sugar (2 cups sugar, 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon)


1) In a large bowl, thoroughly mix all fruit, white sugar, brown sugar, and fruit preserves. Cover, and chill in the refrigerator for at least 15 minutes.

2) Preheat oven to 350°F.

3) Coat both sides of each flour tortilla with cooking spray. Cut tortillas into wedges using a pizza cutter and toss in a zip lock bag with cinnamon sugar mixture.

4) Bake in preheated oven 10 to 12 minutes or until crispy. Repeat with any remaining tortilla wedges. Allow to cool 15 minutes. Serve with chilled fruit mixture.

Note: Can use any kind of fruit, but do not use banana's. Can use frozen fruit, if desired. Tip: Put tortillas in a muffin tin to curl chips. Instead of tossing in a zip lock bag use a medium bowl and dredge the tortillas in the cinnamon sugar.

Prep Time: 30 minutes | Cook Time: 12 minutes per batch | Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes | Other Time: cool 15 minutes | Yields: 10 servings

Grilled Tuscan Chicken Tacos

Wow, the flavors of this taco shocked me. I loved the taste of the grilled chicken strips and the artichoke hearts were not something I am used to seeing in a taco but they fit perfectly with the other seasonings. The only thing we hated about this meal was the flour tortillas. They tasted disgusting but that had nothing to do with the recipe itself just the brand of shell we chose.

This meal is also great because of the amount of time it takes to prepare. I love making meals that are true to the 30 minutes or less. This meal took no time at all which made it another keeper in my book because after working all day sometimes I just want a fast and easy meal for dinner.


Recipe

2 large skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (about 12 ounces total)
2 tablespoons olive oil
½ teaspoon lemon-pepper seasoning
1 (8 ounce) package sliced fresh button mushrooms
1 (14 ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and quartered
2 tablespoons snipped dried tomatoes (not-oil packed)
1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning, crushed
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
¼ cup dry white wine
3 to 4 tablespoons bottled Caesar salad dressing
8 (7 to 8 inch) flour tortillas
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1) Brush chicken with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil; sprinkle with lemon-pepper seasoning. For a charcoal grill, grill chicken on the rack of an uncovered grill directly over medium coals for 12 to 15 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink (170°F), turning once halfway through grilling. (For a gas grill, preheat grill. Reduce heat to medium. Place chicken on grill rack over heat. Cover; grill as above.) Cut chicken into thin strips. Cover; keep warm.

2) Meanwhile, in a large skillet heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil over medium heat. Add mushrooms, artichoke hearts, tomatoes, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper; cook about 5 minutes or until mushrooms are tender, stirring occasionally. Carefully add wine. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, for 5 to 8 minutes or until most of the liquid has evaporated.

3) Spread salad dressing over half of each tortilla. Top with chicken strips and mushroom mixture. Sprinkle with cheese. Fold other tortilla half over filling.

Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 15 minutes | Total Time: 30 minutes | Yields: 8 tacos

Source: BHG

More Failures

3 more meals that just didn't make it to my cookbook, because honestly we just didn't like them.

1st meal was a slow cooker meal Asian Chicken and Rice (sorry can't find the recipe online). It was very bland and underwhelming. Sad to admit this but I think I made this 2 or 3 weeks ago and the left-overs are still in my fridge. Gross! Now that it is on my mind, I'll throw it in the garbage now. :)

2nd dish was a dessert, Fresh Pear and Cranberry Pie. Not really sure what happened to this pie. I cooked it for an extra 15 to 20 minutes and it still looked like a sloppy liquid mess. It tasted ok, but this was more like a pear and cranberry soup than a pie. Will not try this again.

Last one was a meal I made last night, Chicken with Cherry-Ginger Chutney. The chicken tasted great and even the cherries and walnuts but the apples, heck no. 3 tablespoons of vinegar was added to the sauce which only needed to be cooked with the cherries, walnuts, and apples for 1 minute. My apples had such a STRONG vinegar taste that it almost made me sick. It seemed as if the apples soaked the sauce right up and it was just so overwhelming. If you decide to try this recipe maybe cut down the amount of vinegar you use. I will not try this again though, even though the online recipe calls for cider vinegar and my book just says vinegar. Maybe that would make a difference.

Harvest Ravioli

I was pleasantly surprised with how light and delicious this dish was. It definitely reminded me of something you would eat in the fall after a day at the pumpkin patch. The only thing that I would like to try differently with this meal is, instead of using chicken broth I would like to add vegetable broth so that this meal could be enjoyed by my vegetarian friends as well.

Recipe:

1 cup onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 (1 pound) butternut squash, halved, seeded, peeled, and cut into 1-inch cubes (about 3 cups)
1 (14.5 ounce) can chicken broth
1 tablespoon snipped fresh sage or 1 teaspoon dried sage, crushed
½ cup apple cider or apple juice
1 tablespoon cornstarch
3 medium Granny Smith apples, cored and cut into thin wedges
1 (20 to 24 ounce) package frozen cheese-filled ravioli
½ cup walnuts, toasted and chopped
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
¼ teaspoon cracked black pepper
Snipped fresh sage (optional)

1) In a very large skillet cook onion and garlic in hot oil over medium heat for 5 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Add squash, broth, and dried sage (if using). Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for 10 minutes.

2) Combine apple cider and cornstarch; add to skillet along with apple wedges and fresh sage (if using). Cook, stirring gently, until thickened and bubbly. Cook, uncovered, 2 minutes more.

3) Meanwhile, cook ravioli according to package directions. Drain. Add ravioli to hot apple mixture; toss gently to combine. To serve, top with walnuts, Parmesan cheese, pepper, and if desired, additional fresh sage.

Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 20 minutes | Total Time: 35 minutes | Yields: 6 servings

Source: BHG

Lemon Chicken with Capers

I loved how this was so simple and fast. My husband loved this recipe, but I thought it was very lemony - I guess that is why this recipe is called lemon chicken. So if you are not a huge lemon fan, I would not recommend this meal to you.

Recipe:

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (about 1-½ lb.)
1 tablespoon Dijon-style mustard
¼ cup seasoned fine dry bread crumbs
8 ounce green beans, trimmed
2 lemons, 1 sliced and 1 juiced
1 tablespoon capers

1) Place one chicken breast half between sheets of plastic wrap. Lightly pound with flat side of meat mallet to even thickness. Repeat. Brush chicken with mustard; sprinkle evenly with salt, pepper, and bread crumbs to coat.

2) Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in skillet over medium heat. Add chicken. Cook 4 minutes per side or until no pink remains (170°F). Transfer to plates. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil to skillet. Cook green beans in oil 4 minutes or until crisp-tender; add lemon slices the last minute. Transfer to plates. Add juice and capers to skillet; heat through. Drizzle on chicken.

Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 15 minutes | Total Time: 30 minutes | Yields: 4 servings

Source: BHG

Summer Strawberry Salad

This salad was right up my alley. I absolutely love fruit and the homemade dressing was sweet but not too sweet - this was very light and refreshing and would be perfect on a hot summer day. This recipe originally said to toss the salad with the dressing, but I found this to be a huge mistake. It made everything messy looking, soggy and it was just WAY too much. I revised it to drizzle the dressing over your salad when you are ready to eat, this way you aren't limiting the amount of time you have to eat this salad and it won't be a soggy mess for you and your guests.

Recipe:

8 cups chopped romaine lettuce
3 cups fresh strawberries, sliced
2 cups fresh pineapple, cubed
1 banana, sliced
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup cream of coconut
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon yellow mustard
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted (optional)

1) In a 5-quart bowl toss together romaine, strawberries, pineapple, and banana. (If desired, salad may be assembled and refrigerated, tightly covered, for up to 1 hour.)

2) For dressing, in a small bowl whisk together the water, cream of coconut, lemon juice, mustard, and ginger. Cover and refrigerate.

3) To serve, place salad mixture on plates and drizzle with desired amount of dressing. If desired, sprinkle with almonds.

Note: Make sure you mix the cream of coconut before using.

Prep Time: 20 minutes | Total Time: 20 minutes | Yields: 6 servings

Source: BHG

Slow Cooker Curried Chicken

This slow cooker meal made my house smell so GOOD and it tasted amazing. I made this for 3 people and we almost devoured the entire meal ourselves.

Recipe:

2½ pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut into 2-inch strips
2 red sweet peppers, chopped
2 yellow sweet peppers, chopped
2 small onions, sliced
2 fresh jalapeno chile peppers, seeded and finely chopped
8 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 cup golden raisins
1 cup shredded coconut
6 tablespoons curry powder
2 teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
1 cup unsweetened coconut milk
2 tablespoons cornstarch
Hot cooked rice
¾ cup coarsely chopped lightly salted cashews

1) In a 7-quart slow cooker place chicken, sweet peppers, onions, jalapenos, garlic, broth, raisins, coconut, curry powder, salt, cinnamon, and, if desired, cayenne. Cover; cook on low-heat setting for 8½ to 9 hours or on high-heat setting for 4 to 4½ hours.

2) Whisk together coconut milk and cornstarch until smooth. Stir into chicken mixture. If cooking on low-heat setting, adjust to high-heat setting. Cover; cook for 15 to 20 minutes more or until slightly thickened. Serve over rice. Sprinkle with cashews.

Note: Because hot chile peppers, such as jalapenos, contain volatile oils that can burn your skin and eyes, avoid direct contact with chiles as much as possible. If your bare hands do touch the chile peppers, wash your hands well with soap and water.

Prep Time: 30 minutes | Cook Time: 8½ hours (low) or 4 hours (high) + 15 minutes | Total Time: 9 hours (low) or 4½ hours (high) | Yields: 8 servings

Source: BHG

Salmon, Apples and Fennel

This recipe surprised me. I thought that it was going to be a very sweet dish and it honestly wasn't. The apples and fennel complimented the salmon perfectly.

Recipe:

¼ cup all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
2 eggs
1 tablespoon water
⅔ cup fine dry bread crumbs
4 (4 to 5 ounce) skinless salmon fillets, ½ to ¾ inch thick
¼ cup butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium fennel bulbs, trimmed, cored, and cut into thin wedges
4 medium cooking apples, cored and cut into thin wedges
¼ cup honey
Snipped fresh parsley

1) In a shallow dish combine flour, salt, and pepper. In another shallow dish whisk together eggs and water. In a third shallow dish place bread crumbs. Rinse salmon; pat dry. Dip salmon into flour mixture, then egg mixture, then into bread crumbs to coat; set aside.

2) In a very large skillet heat 2 tablespoons of the butter and the oil over medium heat until butter melts. Add fennel. Cook and stir for 4 minutes. Add apple wedges. Cook and stir for 3 to 4 minutes more or until apples and fennel are tender. Stir in honey. Transfer the mixture to a bowl; set aside.

3) In the same skillet heat remaining 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Add salmon. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork, turning once (if fish browns too quickly, reduce heat to medium-low). Transfer fish and apple mixture to serving plates. Garnish with parsley.

Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 18 minutes | Total Time: 30 minutes | Yields: 4 servings

Source: BHG

Coconut Lemonade

This drink definitely hits the spot on a hot summer day, heck it hit the spot on a cold day in March. It is a very sweet drink but I love sweet stuff so it was perfect for me. Keep in mind that there is fruit in this drink so it will need to be consumed rather quickly; I would give it two days max before the fruit starts to look gross.

Recipe:

6 cups water
1⅓ cup fresh squeezed lemon juice (about 8 lemons)
1 cup sugar
4 tablespoons coconut beverage flavoring syrup or cream of coconut
1 cup frozen unsweetened blueberries
1 cup frozen red raspberries
1 small fresh carambola (star fruit), thinly sliced crosswise

1) In a large bowl combine the water, lemon juice, sugar, and coconut syrup. Stir until sugar dissolves. Transfer to a serving bowl or pitcher, cover and chill for 4 to 24 hours.

2) Add blueberries, raspberries, and carambola. If desired, serve over ice in glasses.

Note: If using cream of coconut - mix well before using.

Prep Time: 10 minutes | Total Time: 4 hours 10 minutes

Source: BHG

Roasted Vegetable Lasagna

This was one of the best vegetarian lasagna dishes that I have ever had. The roasted vegetables are what make this dish amazing; I was eating them right out of the oven before I even put them in the lasagna. The only problem I had with this dish is that I decided to make my own marinara sauce instead of using store bought and it made my lasagna a little runny. My marinara sauce was really good but I didn't care for all of the juices, so either use your own recipe for marinara sauce or just buy it from the store.

Recipe:

15 dried lasagna noodles
4 cups zucchini cut into bite-sized pieces
2½ cups thinly sliced carrots
2 cups cremini or button mushrooms, sliced
1½ cups coarsely chopped red or green sweet peppers
¼ cup olive oil
1 tablespoon dried Italian seasoning, crushed
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 (12 ounce) carton cottage cheese
1 egg, beaten
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
4 cups marinara sauce
3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

1) Cook noodles according to package directions; drain. Place on waxed paper.

2) Meanwhile, preheat broiler. In a very large bowl combine zucchini, carrot, mushrooms, and sweet pepper. Drizzle vegetables with olive oil; sprinkle with Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper. Toss well to combine. Place vegetable mixture in a shallow roasting pan.

3) Broil vegetables 5 to 6 inches from the heat for 6 minutes. Stir vegetables and broil 6 to 8 minutes more or until light brown and tender. Set vegetables aside.

4) Preheat oven to 375°F. In a medium bowl combine cottage cheese, egg, and ¼ cup of the Parmesan cheese; set aside.

5) Grease a 3-quart rectangular baking dish. Place one-third of the marinara sauce in the bottom of the prepared dish. Add a layer noodles on top of sauce. Top with half of the roasted vegetables, one-third of the sauce, and one-third of the mozzarella cheese. Add another layer of noodles, all of the cottage cheese mixture, and one-third of the mozzarella cheese. Add another layer of noodles, the remaining vegetables, sauce, and mozzarella. Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese.

6) Bake, covered, for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake about 20 minutes more or until heated through. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Prep Time: 30 minutes | Cook Time: 1 hour and 5 minutes | Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes | Other Time: 10 minutes | Yields: 9 servings

Source: BHG

Spiced Fruit Tea

Awesome Summer drink!!  This fruit tea reminded me of a Bay Breeze minus the alcohol. I absolutely love fruit tea's and fruity drinks so this was right up my alley. I will definitely try this with Malibu Coconut Rum the next time I make it.

Recipe:

5 cups boiling water
5 bags orange-flavored spiced herb tea
⅓ cup sugar
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 (46 ounce) can unsweetened pineapple juice
2 cups cranberry juice
⅓ cup lime juice
Assorted fresh fruit, such as pineapple chunks, orange slices, kumquat slices, and/or lime slices (optional)
Fresh mint leaves (optional)

1) Pour the boiling water into a very large bowl. Add tea bags; let steep for 5 minutes. Remove and discard tea bags. Stir in sugar and cinnamon until sugar dissolves. Stir in pineapple juice, cranberry juice, and lime juice. Cover and chill for 4 hours or up to 3 days.

2) If desired, garnish with fresh fruit and/or mint.

Notes: Fruit ice cubes: Pour 3 cups of the tea mixture into two clean ice cube trays, adding fruit. Cover and freeze for 4 hours or until firm.

Prep Time: 15 minutes | Total Time: 4 hours 15 minutes | Other Time: Chill 4 hours | Yields: 8 to 10 servings

Source: BHG

Peanut Butter Pancakes

These pancakes were delicious - they weren't too sweet or overpowering with peanut butter flavor. Definitely a kids friendly recipe and even though the recipe didn't call for sliced bananas they tasted great on top of these pancakes.

Recipe:

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
2 eggs, lightly beaten
¾ cup creamy peanut butter
2 cups milk
⅓ cup peanuts, chopped (optional)

1) In a large bowl combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. In a medium bowl whisk together eggs and peanut butter until combined. Gradually stir in milk (mixture will be stiff at first but will thin when all the milk is added). Add peanut butter mixture to flour mixture. Stir just until combined but still slightly lumpy. Gently stir in peanuts.

2) Heat a lightly greased griddle or heavy skillet over medium heat. For each pancake pour about ¼ cup batter onto griddle. Cook until golden; turn when tops are bubbly and edges are slightly dry (1 to 2 minutes per side).

Notes: Batter will be thin but will thicken slightly after standing a few minutes. Tip: Over-mixing makes pancakes tough; stop stirring while a few lumps remain - they will disappear once the pancakes are on the heat.

Prep Time: 20 minutes | Cook Time: 2 minutes per batch | Yields: 16 pancakes

Source: BHG

Almond Pound Cake

This was such a hit at our house and trust me it did not last long. My husband loved eating this for breakfast with his coffee every morning and I just loved eating it, lol. I will make this again not only because it is good but I would also like to master drizzling the glaze on; it came out a little sloppy for my photo.

Recipe:

1 cup butter
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
6 eggs
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
2¼ cups sugar
1 teaspoon almond extract

Almond Glaze

1½ cups powdered sugar, sifted
3 ounces cream cheese, softened
½ teaspoon almond extract
1 to 2 tablespoons milk

1) Allow butter, cream cheese, and eggs to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, grease and lightly flour a 10-inch fluted tube pan; set aside. In a medium bowl combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. Preheat oven to 325°F.

2) In a large mixing bowl beat butter and cream cheese with an electric mixer on medium to high speed about 30 seconds or until softened. Gradually add sugar, 2 tablespoons at a time, beating on medium speed about 5 minutes or until very light and fluffy. Add almond extract.

3) Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating on low to medium speed for 1 minute after each addition and scraping bowl frequently. Gradually add flour mixture, beating on low speed just until combined. Spoon batter into prepared pan.

4) Bake about 1¼ hours or until a wooden toothpick inserted near center of cake comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Remove from pan. Cool thoroughly on wire rack about 2 hours. Top cake with Almond Glaze. Let stand 30 minutes to allow glaze to set.

Almond Glaze

In a small mixing bowl beat together powdered sugar, cream cheese, almond extract, and enough milk for mixture to reach glazing consistency.

Prep Time: 40 minutes | Cook Time: 1¼ hours | Total Time: 4 hours 30 minutes | Other Time: 2 hours and 30 minutes | Yields: 16 servings

Source: BHG

Failures or Just so-so Recipes

Ok, I am trying to post at least 2 recipes a day on here (not including weekends), since I am still very behind on my blog and I realized the other day that I am starting to forget the recipes that did not make it into my cookbook. Some of these recipes were either disgusting or just so-so, but feel free to make them yourself since everyone has different taste buds.

Moroccan Chicken Stew - This was a slow cooker meal that I had high hopes for since it had ingredients (apricots, raisins, cinnamon, etc) that I normally do not cook together. This recipe seemed to lack flavor for us and it just didn't jump out as one of the best meals we've ever had - so it didn't make the cut.

Chicken with Apricots - This meal was very disappointing. The chicken lacked so much flavor and the only good thing going for this were the apricots. I was very embarrassed by this meal because I made it for my husband and his friend and it was nothing to rave about. Good thing I made up for it with a really good dessert.

Mushrooms in Ginger Sauce - I served this over steamed green beans and my husband hated it. I thought that it was just so-so and definitely not good enough to make it to my cookbook. I made this with the meat loaf and yogurt dessert which you will see listed below. It was one bad night of food at our house. Yuk!

Ginger-Sesame Meat Loaf - This recipe was listed as an award winning recipe in my BHG cookbook and I can honestly say this was the WORST meal we have ever had to date. It took everything in us to swallow each bite. We had the leftovers in our fridge for about a week and dreaded the days we took it into work for lunch. I did however bring it in to work for a guy to try and he liked it, so maybe you will too - It could have just been something we didn't care for.

Peanut-Butter-Banana Trifles - Our Meat Loaf and Green Bean Mushroom night was topped off with this horrible treat. I really didn't see how anything with banana's and peanut butter could be disgusting but wow was I surprised with my first bite of this. I honestly think that we didn't care for the plain yogurt taste and I'm sure this would have been so much better if we used vanilla yogurt, but I wanted to follow the recipe as written. GROSS! My husband only ate one bite of his before throwing it away, where I managed to eat all of mine but threw the leftovers away a few days later. If I would try this recipe again I would definitely try it with vanilla yogurt.

Peruvian-Style Chicken Tacos - I thought the ingredients sounded interesting and in my BHG cookbook it was listed as an award winning recipe but given that the meat loaf (listed above) was also an award winning recipe I can't assume that means it is going to taste good to us. The flavors were different and ok but my husband thinks he didn't care for this recipe because of the ground chicken. Bottom line is even though we thought it was just so-so that isn't good enough to make it into my cookbook.

Chicken Fajita Pasta - This recipe was just ok. It tasted good and was very easy to make but it just didn't wow us. I thought it was going to be a little more spicier than it was, given that it had a chile pepper, chili powder and red pepper flakes but I hardly noticed any spiciness. It just seemed to lack the flavor I was hoping for.

Mango-Ginger Smoothie - I love mangos and thought this drink was going to be so refreshing and tasty. Wrong! Again, I think I just don't care for the taste of plain yogurt - it has a bite to it and I could taste it with every sip of this smoothie. I might try it with a flavored yogurt and see how that goes.

Beef and Cabbage Wraps - I liked this meal but my husband did not. He really isn't a fan of barbecue sauce so that is the reason it is in this list. If you like barbecue sauce I would definitely recommend you give this recipe a try.

Upside-Down Berry Cornmeal Cake - My husband really hated this cake and even though I did not share my husbands dislike for it I still didn't want to make it again for myself. It tasted more like a corn bread with some fruit in it rather than a cake. It does make a nice breakfast treat though.

Apple Pecan Salad - This salad wasn't terrible but nothing that special either. My husband hated the salad dressing, but loved eating just the apples.

Butterscotch Brownies - These brownies were AWFUL. In my BHG cookbook these were another award winning recipe so I thought I would give it a try. Who the heck is giving out these awards? These brownies never cooked all the way through and I had them in the oven for an extra 25 minutes. They are gooey and the bottom of the pan formed a weird sugary syrup - GROSS!

These last 2 recipes I cannot seem to find on the BHG website. Refreshing Green Mango Sipper - It was a very good recipe and my husband loved it but I didn't care for it as much only because I HATE pulp and this is loaded with it. If I do find the recipe on their website I will update this post. The other recipe was a slow cooker meal, Italian Round Steak Dinner; It was ok but not great. After eating it both my husband and I said even though it tasted good it isn't something we would want to make again. I will also post this recipe for you if I find it on their website.

Parsley Green Beans

This recipe is simple to make and tastes great. Again I am a big garlic fan, so if you aren't you might want to stay away from this recipe. Another great thing about this recipe is that you can prepare the beans a day ahead of time; which is always nice when you are strapped for time.

Recipe:

1½ pounds fresh green beans, washed and trimmed
1 tablespoon salt
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 teaspoons fresh garlic, finely chopped with pinch of salt
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
Fresh Italian flat-leaf parsley

1) Fill a large pot with water; bring to a rolling boil. Add beans and salt. Cook, uncovered, for 5 to 8 minutes or until tender but still vibrant green and slightly resistant to the bite. Drain beans; immediately submerge in a bowl of lightly salted ice water to stop cooking and set color. When thoroughly chilled, drain well. (Beans can be prepared to this point 1 day ahead and refrigerated).

2) In a wide skillet heat butter over medium-high heat until hot and foaming. Add beans. Cook, tossing often, until heated through. Sprinkle with garlic, chopped parsley, a generous amount of salt, and a few grinds of black pepper. Cook 1 minute longer; tossing frequently to distribute flavorings and avoid burning the garlic. If desired, sprinkle with additional parsley. Serve immediately.

Prep Time: 25 minutes | Cook Time: 10 minutes | Total Time: 35 minutes | Yields: 6 to 8 servings

Source: BHG