RECIPE THREAD

Today I am channeling my inner Sandra Lee and taking the Semi-Homemade route!

LEMON CURD CAKE

1 box white cake mix (I love the Purely Simple cake mixes by Pillsbury)

1 stick butter (1/2 c) softened

3 eggs

1 c. sour cream

zest of one lemon

juice of one lemon (or just use 1 tsp lemon extract in place of zest and juice)

Preheat oven to 350F.  

In mixer, combine butter and cake mix on low speed until well combined.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition.  Add sour cream, lemon juice and lemon zest.  Mix on medium speed 2 minutes.  Spoon batter (it will be thick) into 2 prepared 8" round cake pans (I just spray with pam and dust with flour).

Bake approx 35 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean.  This cake will not rise very high.  It's okay.

Now for the semi homemade part:

Buy one jar of lemon curd.  

Buy vanilla frosting (or make your own if you have time)

Level the bottom layer flat using a serrated knife.  Pipe a border of white icing around the outer rim of bottom cake layer to form a "dam" for the lemon curd filling.  Spoon as much of the lemon curd filling onto the bottom layer as you desire.  

Place top layer on cake and frost with your favorite vanilla frosting.  Decorate with sparkly sugar crystals or whatever you like.  

And one more that's a standby in this house:

EASY MEATLOAF

1 to 2 pounds ground beef (you can make a small meatloaf, or a large one)

1/2 to 1 pkg Lipton Onion soup mix

1 egg

1/2 to 1 c. bread crumbs

several shots of Worchestershire sauce

3/4 c. water (or a little more--just depends on how much meat you use)

Preheat oven to 350F

In large mixing bowl combine meat, soup mix, egg, bread crumbs, worchestershire sauce and water, beating well with a large spoon until mixture forms almost a paste-like consistency.

Spray a casserole dish or metal pan with Pam.  Shape meat mixture into a loaf shape in the pan.  Glaze with ketchup.  

Bake for 45 minutes.  Allow meatloaf to sit for 5 minutes or so before serving.  

Cook's note: if you use 80/20% burger, your meatloaf will have more flavor, but also more grease.  If you use 90/10% burger, there will be very little grease, but the meatloaf will be a little more dry.  Up to you.

Cherry Swirl Brownies

1 Pkg 8 oz cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup chopped well-drained maraschino cherries

1 tsp maraschino cherry juice

2 eggs

1 box Betty Crocker Ultimate Fudge Premium brownie mix

1/3 cup vegetable oil

______

Preheat oven to 350*F (325*F for dark of non stick pans). Grease bottom of 9" square pan with cooking spray or shortening. In medium bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar, cherries, cherry juice and 1 egg with spoon; set aside. In another medium bowl, combine brownie mix, pouch of chocolate fudge, oil, 1/4 cup water, and remaining egg until well blended. Spread HALF of the batter in the bottom of the pan. Spread cream cheese mixture over batter. Carefully spoon remaining batter on top; spread gently to cover. Bake 43-47 minutes (51-55 minutes for dark pan) or until toothpick inserted 1" from side of pan comes out almost clean. Cool, about 1 1/2 hours, before cutting. Store in refrigerator. Makes 16 servings.

I found this in the Women's World magazine and just made it. I just took it out of the oven as I am typing this up. Looked good in photo...Will let you know later how it was.

 OK We all tried it and it is VERY GOOD!!!   

Spaghetti Sauce with Italian Sausage

1 large can crushed tomatoes

1 can tomato paste

1 lb. sweet Italian Sausage (you can use hot if you like that hot.)

3-4 cloves garlic crushed

1 sweet onion chopped 

1 sweet pepper chopped

1-2 T Italian Seasoning (or you could use a combination of basil and oregano)

3-4 T grated Parmesan cheese

salt pepper to taste

Sweetener to taste (I use a few Tablespoons of Splenda)  Optional

Remove sausage from casing, and brown till no longer pink.  Saute onion and pepper till tender.  Combine all ingredients in large pot, and simmer as long as possible. Do not overboil, or pot will burn.  I start it around noon, and eat at supper time.I test taste throughout the afternoon, and add things as I need to.  All spices are guesstimates based on my preference. 

I've never made it without Italian sausage.  I'd probably use more garlic, and other spices if I make it without it.  I love garlic.

Hello Ladies, 

Even though I am allergic to lemon, I am making this for the grandkids next weekend.  They loved the sugar cookies and they did travel well.  

I like your meat loaf recipe too and am making that but instead of putting it in loaf pans, I am putting it in cupcake pans so I can freeze little individual servings for our lunches. 

Now for my recipe.  I work with a lot of vegetarians and fishatarians so I am going to give my standby recipe for either fish or shrimp enchiladas or both, I sometimes combine shrimp and fish.  I make a large dish of this so I use a large bag of giant gulf shrimp and a large bag of fish...I usually use Swali fish.  

My Enchiladas that are very good. 

Ingredients:

1 bag of shrimp cooked and chopped

1 bag of swali cooked and chopped

1 small can of green chilies (mild)

1 small container of sour cream

1 cup of heavy cream

1 package of either corn or flour tortillias

1/2 stick of real butter

some cilantro

some shredded cheddar 

Cook the shrimp in a little olive oil or butter 

I cook the fish in a covered dish in the oven because I want them cooked but not crispy fried.

In the pan that I sautéed the shrimp, I put a tablespoon of butter, add the sour cream, add the heavy cream, and I also put a little picante sauce in it to give it color, and add the green chilies. On low heat, cook it until the sauce gets thicker and you can add some cheddar to it too. 

Chop the cilantro for later.

After you cut the shrimp and fish mixture (or just fish or just shrimp) add some cheddar cheese in it.  This is your stuffing for the tortillas. 

I use the very large glass casserole dish.  So, spread a little of the heavy cream mixture then using the stuffing, fill the tortillas and lay a layer on the first smear of heavy cream mixture...sprinkle that with a little cheese and pour some of the heavy cream mixture then repeat until you have filled your dish....I place the enchiladas (covered) in a preheated to 350 degree oven and cook for 15 to 20 minutes and you can tell they are ready when all of the cream mixture is thick and bubbly and then pull out, take off the cover, turn the oven off, and put a ton of cheddar cheese on the top and put back in the oven so it will get all melted and good....take out, and if you like cilantro, throw some on and serve.   Now you can cut up onions and peppers and use those in the mix but I just use a little picante and that gives it the good Mexicano flavor.  

Note: Create a work station for putting the enchiladas together. 

This is very, very, very tasty....You can substitute the fish for crab or you can make it a meat mixture instead of fish and shrimp....you can even make it all cheese.