Potato Salad and other good things

When I think of summer foods, I think of potato salad. Then I think of hamburgers, hotdogs and apple pie, but potato salad is always first. What is it about that salad that just exudes summer, barbecues and picnics? It probably all boils (ha, no pun intended) down to the fact that it's just so darn good.

This potato salad definitely came with some inspiration. A while back Kim at The UnGourmet (a killer site that you must absolutely visit), posted her potato salad, and hallelujah she puts bacon in it! Now, perhaps I have actually been living under a rock for several years, but this was the first time I had ever seen bacon in a potato salad, and I found it to be genius! So, here is my version of potato salad with bacon, tweaked to accommodate the ingredients I already had. The entire batch was gone by the end of the day, pretty good review I'd say!

Potato Salad-ala Teresa'a cupboard!

Ingredients

8-10 red potatoes, boiled and cubed (don't peel, the skin is so tender after boiling, you won't need to)
4-6 boiled eggs, boiled, peeled and cubed
2-3 dill pickled cubed
1/2 can olives chopped
3-4 stalks celery, chopped
4 slices thick bacon cooked, dried and chopped
1 1/2 cups mayo
1/4 cup mustard
1-2 teaspoons horseradish
1-2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1-2 teaspoons seasoned salt
1-2 teaspoons black pepper

Directions

Combine potatoes, eggs, pickles, olives and bacon. In a seperate bowl combine dressing ingredients, be sure to adjust according to taste and how much dressing you want. Combine dressing and salad, and top with a sprinkling of seasoned salt.

Enjoy with a cold drink and something hot off the grill!

I also have to share a long overdue award I received from Jenn at Bread + Butter. Isn't Jenn cool? I'm always amazed at the foods she posts everyday, they're so mouthwatering! Thanks Jenn!


This award is to be passed to ten other bloggers. I'm going to pass this on to the following:

1. Emaline at The Open Pantry
2. The gals at Three on Food
3. Michele at My Italian Grandmother
4. Barbara at Barbara Bakes
5. Katherine at Smoky Mountain Cafe
6. Elizabeth at Elizabeth's Edible Experience
7. Kristen at Watcha-Eatin?
8. Reeni at Cinnamon Spice and Everything Nice
9. Kim at The Ungourmet
10. Elyse at Elyse's Confectionery Creations

All of these bloggers are fantastic and deserving of a lot of attention. Of course, I could say that for all of you, I love my food bloggy friends!

Strawberry Chocolate Cakeballs

If I ever want to lose weight, it's very important that I never make these again...yeah right!

Have you ever visited Bakerella's blog? If you are even remotely interested in baking, it's very important that you check out her site, her amazing pictures and recipes will have you drooling for days. She also makes the CUTEST cake pops that you have ever seen. And with her step by step directions, they seem so simple! I have no doubt that I'll be trying several variations of these magnificent little treats, but for my first time, I started very simply.

These were inspired by Melissa's strawberry cakeballs at Schweet 'N Savory, definitely check her blog out too, this girl's got such a headstart being such an accomplished cook at such a young age! I loved her idea of the strawberry cake wrapped inside a chocolate shell.

These were so simple and a lot of fun to make. It was nice having something to keep my hands busy while watching Arrested Development! I tried to drizzle them with white chocolate, but it just did not work out for me this time, better luck next time. They were also SO tasty, very creamy and almost reminded me of a truffle rather then cake. I can't WAIT to make these again.

Strawberry Chocolate Cakeballs

Ingredients

1 box strawberry cake mix
1 tub strawberry frosting
1-2 bags chocolate chips (I tried both milk chocolate and semisweet, I definitely preferred milk chocolate)

Directions

Prepare cake according to directions. Combine cake with frosting and mix in a bowl until completely combined (I actually felt that it was easier doing with while the cake was still slightly warm to help soften the frosting a bit). Once cake and frosting are mixed into a slurry, shape into balls, or whatever shapes you want. Chill for a few hours in the fridge or freezer (I blasted mine in the freezer for an hour). Melt chocolate chips. Dip each cake ball into the melted chocolate and coat completely. Lay on wax paper to cool and dry. Devour!

To get much better instructions and "how-to" pictures, check out Bakerella, she's the pro at these!

Roast Beef Panini with Caramelized Onions and Butter Cheese

My first panini post, it's about time! My sweet, amazing mom got me a panini press for Christmas after knowing that I was drooling over one for sometime. In all honesty I haven't used it near as much as I should just because I'm still getting acquainted with some good recipes, but it does make a killer grilled cheese for my kids!

This sandwich is very quick and easy and PACKED with flavor. I loved the sweetness of the caramelized onion, with the full flavored cheese and rich roast beef. The cheese that I got was found at Kettle Kitchen Village in Intercourse, PA (that's right Donna, Intercourse, PA, I thought you'd enjoy that!).

Kettle Kitchen is full of food prepared by the Amish community, and oh my gosh do those people know how to cook. The funnest was the cheeses and meats. I picked up some butter cheese at the strong recommendation of my cousin-in-law. It's very delicious and it kind of a cross between provolone and a very sharp cheddar. It's a strongly flavored cheese that is incredibly creamy and melts like a dream. Since I know butter cheese isn't very available though, you could sub with just about any cheese you'd like, Swiss, provolone, fontina, their all fantastic. In fact, the first time I made this, I used Gorgonzola, which was just as tasty.

I got my caramelized onion recipe from my Aunt's blog Sugarbliss...Cookies etc. It's a very easy and delicious way to caramelize your onions, and you can use them in so many ways.

Ingredients (per sandwich)

1 ciabatta roll, or kaiser roll
5-6 slices roast beef
3-4 slices favorite cheese, or 1/8 cup Gorgonzola
1/4 cup caramelized onion

Directions

Assemble sandwich, I like to put the cheese as the middle layer to adhere it all together. Place on heated panini grill and grill until bread is browned and cheese is melted.

Homemade Applesauce

Are any of you insomniac bloggers? Do you blog late at night when your body and brain won't let you sleep? I only ask because that is what I'm doing right now. Fortunately it's not something that happens too often, but every couple of nights or so the sandman forgets to stop at my place...so I blog. Thank goodness for the miracles of technology to keep us entertained late at night!

My mom often had homemade applesauce for us while growing up as a kid. Mmm, there was nothing better then getting a ladle of that stuff, still steaming, right after being prepared. It just has so much more texture, depth and flavor then any of the jarred stuff that's available at the grocery store. I am also a huge fan of applesauce because it's one of the few forms of fruit that my son will actually eat!


Any chance those necklaces are made with real fruit juice?

For some reason, I always had it in my head that applesauce was way too intimidating to make, and required fancy kitchen equipment and techniques that I didn't have. But, as it turns out, making homemade applesauce is just about as hard as making a pot of mashed potatoes. And just like making mashed potatoes, there really isn't much measuring to do, so trust your gut, and your tongue!

Homemade Applesauce

Ingredients

10-20 Golden Delicious apples (just depending on how much you want), peeled, cored and cubed
brown sugar
granulated sugar
cinnamon

Directions

Put apples in a large pan and add about an inch of water, boil down for several minutes. Apples will release their own juices. Apples will be ready to mash when they are practically falling apart on their own. Mash to desired consistency. Add cinnamon, and sugars to taste, but add sparingly because applesauce will sweeten as it cools.

Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

Okay, there is a small (big) chance that I posted these cookies just to show off my Mother's Day gift, which is the silpat! Oh, how I have lived without one of these my whole life is beyond me. Have you ever baked with one of these? They stick to nothing, they are amazing. I'll never bake without one again.

Okay, sales pitch aside, the cookies were really good too. They weren't FULL of oats, they just had enough to give it a bit of texture of flavor. So if you want a great chocolate chip cookie with a bit of earthiness, here you go, they're delish. The reason they are pictured on wax paper is because my mom told me that if you let them cool on wax paper, they end up softer. To be honest, I didn't notice much of a difference, but then again, my family doesn't have the patience to let anything cool before we shove it in our mouths. So there's a little experiment for you, let me know if you notice a difference!

Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies
Found in Debbie Fields Great American Desserts

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup quick oats
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
16 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1 tablespoon creme de cacao (optional)
16 ounces chocolate chips (I used semi sweet)

Directions

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, oats, baking soda and salt.

2. Put the sugars in a large bowl and beat using an electric mixer on medium speed for 2 or 3 minutes until fluffy. Beat in the butter, several pieces at a time, until combined.

3. In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs, vanilla, and creme de cacao, if using.

4. Beat the egg mixture into the butter mixture until smooth using the mixer at low speed. Scrape down the bowl, with a rubber spatula. Beat in the dry ingredients until just combined-a light dusting of flour should be visible in the dough. Add the chocolate chunks and mix until evenly distributed. Scrape down the bowl again. Refrigerate the dough for about 1 hour, or until firm.

Lion House Orange Rolls

A while back I found this gem on Katy's blog Food for a Hungry Soul. Have you visited her yet? If not, you really must, she's always got such gorgeous pictures and recipes on her blog. So while I was wondering what I should make for Mother's Day brunch (that's right, I make my own brunch, I wouldn't appreciate being forced out of the kitchen on my own day!) these orange rolls came to mind. You can find the link to the recipe here.

Not only were these completely delicious, but they were so much fun to make. This was my first time doing any kind of pastry like this, and I thoroughly enjoyed myself. Since I did get a little confused at how we were supposed to cut them, I figured I'd take pictures of how I did it...after Glenn explained it to me. I loved rolling these up, it was like play dough for grown ups!



Definitely give yourself enough time if you plan to make these, as you do have to wait for the dough to rise etc. But I promise they will be worth every second! Thanks again Katy!

And hey, have a wonderful Memorial Day weekend! I wish sunshine, good company and great food your way!

Thai Chicken Wraps

*Hey all! I just wanted to let you know, my computer is giving me total attitude and has made it very difficult to go food blog surfing. I'm telling you this because I haven't been able to leave comments the way I like to. Computer and I need to duke it out some more and hopefully I'll be back soon!

Not too long ago I ordered a wrap really similar to this at T.G.I. Fridays. They have a $5 deal going on for the rest of this month, so if you're looking for a cheap date, or lunch, it's not too bad.

Anyway, the entire time I was eating it I kept thinking to myself how easily I could make something like this at home with ingredients I already had in my fridge. So a few days later, I whipped one up. It was light, healthy and absolutely scrumptious.

Thai Chicken Wraps

Ingredients

Spinach or flour tortillas
Diced or shredded chicken
chopped lettuce
chopped tomato
chopped green onion
sliced red pepper
cooked soba or spaghetti noodles (I put a little less than 1/4 cup on each wrap)
chopped peanuts
chopped cilantro
hoisin sauce
peanut sauce
sweet chili sauce

Directions

Mix sauces to taste, there is no wrong way to put the sauce together, it all tastes delicious! Lay out tortilla, assemble all ingredients pouring sauce on first and last, and maybe leaving a little left to dip! Wrap tightly, cut in half if desired and enjoy!

A different way to enjoy your waffles...

...or French toast, or pancakes...

Tell me something, has anyone else noticed their stomachs becoming more sensitive as you've gotten older? I know that's a weird question, but as the years have been ticking by, I just can't handle being able to binge and gorge like I used to. I remember in HS, being able to down loads of candy, cookies and all sorts of sugary laden sodas without thinking twice, but now? Forget about it. One cookie too many and I've got a gut ache from hell. It's really not a bad thing, it's like my own little biological alarm system to keep me from completely overdoing it, I just wonder if anyone else has the same problem. Of course, it doesn't always stop me from shoving sugar in my face, I just deal with being uncomfortable, and it's usually worth it.

So, in honor of my inability to pound the sugar, I thought I'd share with you a delicious, but lower sugar option for your breakfast carbcakes. I LOVE pancakes, waffles etc, and I especially love them when they are smothered in melty butter and drowning in REAL maple syrup that has been warmed. Oh my gosh, I need a moment...

BUT, early in the morning, eating like that would most likely ruin my day given my tender precious belly, so I've started eating waffles the way my mom does, and it's really not that bad. A few teaspoons of sour cream and your favorite jam, jelly or marmalade. It might sound weird, but it's actually quite fantastic. The sour cream gives a tangy kick which goes great with the sweetness of your jam. And of course, trying to cut calories as much as possible, I use a fat free sour cream and a sugar free jam, which in my mind is much better then sugar free syrup. Give it a try and tell me what you think!

And if you really can't handle using sour cream, a flavored, plain or vanilla yogurt would also be delicious.

Peanut Buster Bars

If you haven't figured it out by now, I'll go ahead and admit it, Glenn is quite the star in our kitchen. What makes him so popular is that while I prepare most of our healthy meals, he gets to make the fun things that I have no business eating! Here is a picture of him...hot stuff no?

And of course I kind of have to hate him because he has the metabolism to sustain a healthy pan of brownies three times a week without gaining a pound, what is up with that!

But on this particular dish, I have the split the credit between Glenn and his mom. After Glenn moved out of his parent's house, his mom handed him a binder full of all of her tried and true recipes that has been a lot of fun to explore. When I first saw this recipe, I have to admit to feeling a bit underwhelmed. It just didn't look that exciting to me, especially since I'm not much of an ice cream lover to begin with. BUT, now that it's a regular in our house, I'll tell you that it definitely falls in my top ten of favorite desserts. The best part of these ice cream bars is the chocolate topping, I've honestly never had anything so delicious, I would pour this on my cereal if I could get away with it!. A lot of times Glenn will even make extra to pour on top!

These bars take a few steps and a little bit of time, but the good news is you can make it days in advance. And I promise it's worth every second!


Peanut Buster Bars

Ingredients

1 16 oz package Oreo cookies
1/2 cup margarine
1 gallon Vanilla ice cream
1 1/2 cup salted peanuts
chocolate sauce (recipe below)

Directions

Crush cookies fine (we use our food processor). Mix well with melted margarine. Put in 2 pans- 1 (9x13) and 1 (8x8). We actually do this because it saves for a long time, and trust me, it will get eaten. If you don't have the freezer space, just halve it and put it all into 1 9x13. Refrigerate one hour. Slice ice cream in 3/4 inch slices. Lay over the crust. Pack seams together. Sprinkle nuts over and put into freezer. Prepare chocolate sauce and, when cool, pour over ice cream.

CHOCOLATE SAUCE

2 cups sugar
2/3 cup chocolate chips
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cup evaporated milk
1/2 cup margarine

Combine sugar, margarine, milk and chocolate chips in saucepan. Boil 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; add vanilla. Cool completely. Pour over ice cream and freeze again. Serve right from the freezer (it may not hurt to let it sit for five minutes in room temp before serving though, just to let soften a bit).

Glenn's Ultimate Hot Dogs

I'm afraid this post just had to be done. When Glenn (my hubs) gets an idea about something he wants to make, he will not drop it until he gets it. I found these chicken andouille sausages at Costco, and I snatched them up because they were only two points each! Glenn was also SO excited, because it meant he would finally get the ultimate hotdogs that he'd been dreaming about nonstop for the last two weeks.

These are incredibly simple. You split your dog down the center, stuff with grated cheese of your choice, wrap tightly in bacon and secure with toothpicks. Grill, turning so that the bacon gets evenly cooked, don't be alarmed if some of the cheese drips out. Place in your bun, top with mustard, onions, relish, whatever sounds good to you. Be sure to have your defibrillator paddles close just to be safe!

You'll notice that mine was missing the bacon and cheese, not because I didn't want one, but because I probably would have ended up so sick if I ate one in it's entirety. I did try one though, and it was good. My advice would be to start with just a plain hotdog, and not a sausage or brat. The cheese and bacon already add so much flavor that the sausage made the whole thing a bit overwhelming. Definitely not the healthiest dish, but hey, it's summertime, you gotta let loose every once and a while!

Baked Sausage and Tortellini

Well I just said goodbye to my family and I'm a bit sad, so I thought saying hello to my food friends might cheer me up! A huge Internet hug to all of you for such sweet well wishes with my family, we had such a wonderful time and ate SO much incredible food, which I will share with you in the near future. I'm going to do my very best in the next few days to catch up with your blogs, because I know I don't want to miss anything!

This baked tortellini was another invention of necessity after realizing that my grocery supply was down. However, I did have my bottomless bag of tortellini from Costco and a Hillshire Farms sausage (just for you Donna!). This dish was absolutely delicious and disappeared fast, I was actually sad to discover that my husband had gotten to the leftovers before I had. Initially I didn't plan to bake it because we were starving and didn't want to wait. But I'm really glad I did, it gave the tortellini time to soak up that much more flavor and you got a nice melty bubbly layer of cheese on top. I can't wait to make this dish again, it's so easy, and fantastic with some crusty bread and a green salad.

Please keep in mind that all measurements are complete guesstimates as I don't measure when I cook, so trust yourself and do what tastes good!

Baked Sausage and Tortellini

Ingredients

1-2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 kielbasa sausage, cubed into 1 inch cubes (I used a turkey kielbasa)
3 cups cooked cheese tortellini
1 jar favorite pasta marinara or spaghetti sauce
Italian seasonings
fennel seeds
garlic salt
1-2 cups mozzarella
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan

Directions

Heat olive oil in large skillet. Saute onions and garlic until soft. Add sausage and cook for 1-2 minutes until sausage is browned. Add sauce, pasta and seasonings to desired taste. Mix until combined and cooked through.

Spoon into a sprayed 8x8 baking pan. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese and then layer mozzarella evenly on top of pasta. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and beginning to brown.

Peanut Butter Bars, and I'm off!

We absolutely love living in Philadelphia. We've lived here almost a year now and plan to be here for at least three more while my husband goes to dental school. It's so gorgeous here, there's a ton to do, but the one thing that makes it hard is being away from my family. I LOVE my family so much, and I honestly can't get enough of them, so you can imagine how excited I've been knowing that tomorrow I get to see these people!

My mom and dad, aren't they cute!

Me and my little sister, this was taken over Christmas.

It's not my whole family, I still have three younger brothers, a sister-in-law and a nephew, that I would love to see, but I'm so excited to spend time with my sister and parents.

So, the reason I'm telling you this is because I probably won't be around for at least a week. I considered maybe still trying to sneak a blog in here and there, but I just think I'd kick myself if I didn't soak up every moment I could with my family. And hopefully while I'm away, my mom and I will be cooking up some yummy stuff to share when I get back.

So, I thought I'd leave with this little treasure. I LOVE baked goods with peanut butter, it's such a great flavor, and these were no exception. What really tips these bars over the top is the peanut butter drizzle, which adds the perfect amount of sweetness and flavor, and makes these bars taste amazing.

Peanut Butter Bars
Found in Taste of Home Baking Book

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup quick cooking oats
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
ICING:
1/2 cup confectioners sugar
2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
2 tablespoons milk

Directions

1. In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter, sugars and peanut butter until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. Combine the flour, oats, baking soda, and salt; stir into creamed mixture. Spread into a greased 13x9 inch baking pan. Sprinkle with chocolate chips.

2. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Combine icing ingredients; drizzle over top. Cool completely, cut into bars.

Have a great week and I'll see you soon!!

Pumped up Rice and Beans

I tease my parents a lot for getting into funny "food ruts" where they find something they really like and then eat it over and over until they are completely sick of it, and can eat it no longer. One of their big kicks for a while was rice and beans, rice and beans? BORING! But after spending a lunch with them featuring rice and beans, I quickly realized how wrong my assumptions are. There is so much you can do with a simple bowl of rice and beans, without spending a lot of money, or compromising your jeans size! So, here is the way I like mine (not all ingredients will be featured in above picture as I did not have them all on hand!)

Stuff to Pile in your Bowl

white or brown rice
black bean soup, or any canned beans flavored to your liking (they're fine just plain too)
favorite cheese shredded
chopped tomato
chopped avacado
chopped green onion
chopped cilantro
favorite salsa
sour cream
whole grain tortilla chips either for dipping, or crumbling

Of course the possibilities are endless, this is just a start. If I had some shredded pork or chicken, I may have thrown that in there too! Hope you enjoy!

Black Bean Soup with Chicken Quesadillas

It seems like just in the last few years I have discovered and fallen in love with beans. I keep my pantry stocked with all sorts of beans, and I cook with them constantly. They are so healthy, filling, flavorful and inexpensive. They are also great because there are never ending ways to make them. I fell in love with this soup instantly. It was actually the first time I had ever cooked with a dried bean before, usually I just used the canned ones. I really can't tell you if there is a difference, but it is nice to know that you are using beans that haven't already been pumped full of sodium. If anyone does try this soup with canned beans though, let me know how it worked out. I also used this soup to make an incredible rice and beans dish which I will add shortly.

The chicken quesadillas were a last minute decision to go with the soup. I wish I could give you a mind blowing recipe for them, but in all honesty they are pretty much chicken, cheese and tortilla. HOWEVER, I added a freshly bought salsa verde, and chopped cilantro in mine, and it was heaven. I know that there are all sorts of delicious, and much fresher salsa verdes out there, but Pace has a new one that is really really good. I eat it with my chips now instead of red salsa.


Okay, enough talking, more cooking!

Black Bean Soup
Found in Cooking Light March 2009

Ingredients

1 pound dried black beans
4 cups chicken broth
2 cups chopped onion
1 cup water
1 tablespoon ground cumin
3 bay leaves
1 serrano chile, finely chopped (jalapeno worked just fine)
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
3 tablespoons reduced fat sour cream
Cilantro sprigs (optional)

Directions

1. Sort and wash beans; place in a large bowl. Cover with water to 2 inches above beans; cover and let stand for 8 hours, drain.

2. Combine beans, broth, and next 5 ingredients (through chile) in a slow cooker. Cover and cook on LOW 10 hours. Discard bay leaves. Stir in juice and salt. Serve with sour cream and cilantro if desired.

Serves 6: 1 serving 1-1/2 cups soup and 1-1/2 teaspoon sour cream

Per serving: 288 cal, 2.3g fat, 18.5g fiber, 2.9mg chol, 4.6mg iron, 581mg sodium

Points per Serving: 5

Lemon Bread Pudding

Ah, another lemony recipe for you! To be honest, I never saw myself voluntarily making bread pudding, it was just never a recipe that appealed to me. However, these last few years I've been finding it to be such a hearty and delicious dessert, and a very resourceful way of using up stale bread! This recipe came to be after realizing that a bag of beautiful kaiser rolls I had in my pantry were starting to stale. And nothing is more of an abomination to me then wasted food, it makes me a very sad panda.

This recipe is delicious, very easy to make, and can very easily serve a big crowd. And if you make it with skim milk, it's really not very calorie laden at all. I also love the brightness of the lemon sauce, it makes it a very unique dessert. Next time you have bread that's getting a bit crusty, try this out, it calls for all the things you will most likely already have in your fridge and pantry!

Lemon Bread Pudding
Found in Taste of Home Baking Book

Ingredients

3 slices day old bread, cubed
3/4 cups raisins
2 cups milk
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
LEMON SAUCE:
3/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 cup water
3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
1 tablespoon butter

Directions

1. Toss bread and raisins in an ungreased 1-1/2 qt. baking dish. Ina small saucepan, combine the milk, sugar, butter, and salt; cook and stir until butter is melted. Remove from the heat. Whisk eggs and vanilla in a small bowl. Stir a small amount of the hot milk mixture into the egg mixture; return all to the pan, stirring constantly. Pour over bread and raisins.

2. Place dish in a larger baking pan. Fill larger pan with hot water to a depth of 1 inch. Bake, uncovered, at 350 for 50-60 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean.

3. For sauce, combine the sugar and cornstarch in a saucepan. Stir in water until smooth. Bring to a boil over medium heat; cook and stir for 1-2 minutes, or until thickened. Remove from the heat. Stir in lemon juice, peel and butter until butter melt. Serve over warm or cold pudding. Refrigerate leftovers.

White Chocolate Fruit Tart

I while ago I was at my grocery store's bakery and looking at all the gorgeous tarts, cannolis, and different pastries that have been made to look so pretty. What a job! I have absolutely no training in how to make those kinds of things, but how fun to go to work creating such beautiful food works of art. Maybe someday...

I actually made this a little over a year a go, shortly before I started food blogging, but right around the time I started becoming completely obsessed with food. I had so much fun making this, and it was SO delicious. This did take a while to make, especially considering the three steps that you have to go through to make it, but it's well worth it. Plus, I think it's fun to plan out a more elaborate dish, just for the sake of pulling it off!

If you do want to to save a little time, have your fruit cut up, and your tart crust made the day before. Then you only have to worry about making your white chocolate layer and assembling the tart.

White Chocolate Fruit Tart
Found in Taste of Home Baking Book

Ingredients

3/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup confectioners sugar
1 1/2 cup all purpose flour
FILLING:
1 package (10-12 oz) vanilla or white chips, melted and cooled
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
1 package (8 oz) cream cheese softened
1 can (20 oz) pineapple chunks
1 pint fresh strawberries, sliced
1 can (11 oz) mandarin oranges, drained
2 kiwifruit, peeled and sliced
GLAZE:
3 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice

Directions

1. In a small mixing bowl, cream butter and confectioners sugar until light and fluffy. Gradually add flour; mix well. Press into an ungreased 11-in tart pan, with removable bottom (mine doesn't have a removable bottom, and it was fine). Place pan on baking sheet. Bake at 300 for 25-30 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on wire rack.

2. For filling, beat melted chips and cream in a small mixing bowl. Add the cream cheese; beat until smooth. Spread over crust. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Drain the pineapple, reserving 1/2 cup juice; set juice aside. Arrange pineapple, strawberries, oranges and kiwi over filling.

3. For glaze, combine sugar and cornstarch in a small saucepan. Stir in lemon juice and reserved pineapple juice until smooth. bring to a boil over medium heat; cook and stir for 2 minutes, or until thickened. Cool; brush over fruit. Refrigerate for 1 hour before serving. Refrigerate leftovers.

Asian-Marinated Flank Steak

We love steak in this house, and I especially love to pump them full of flavor with a good marinade. I found this recipe in Cooking Light, of course, and the whole family really loved it. The only regret I have is not saving part of the marinade as a dipping sauce, the hubby got to them too fast and I didn't get a chance! So, make sure you save part of the marinade as a dip, and then let me know how it was! AND, if you want a great fried rice recipe to go with it, check out this recipe at Tummy Yummies, it's a winner everytime!

Asian-Marinated Flank Steak
Found in Cooking Light March 2009

Ingredients

3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce
2 teaspoons grated peeled fresh ginger
1 teaspoon dark sesame oil
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper
2 garlic cloves minced
1 (1 pound) flank steak, trimmed

Directions

1. Combine first 9 ingredients in a small bowl. Reserve 1/4 cup hoisin mixture; spoon remaining mixture into a large zip-top plastic bag. Add steak to bag; seal and marinate in refrigerator 24 hours, turning bag occasionally. Remove steak from bag, discard marinade.

2. Prepare grill or grill pan to medium high heat.

3. Place steak on grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill four minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. Let stand 5 minutes. Cut steak diagonally across the grain into thin slices. Serve with reserved 1/4 cup sauce.

Serves 4: 1 serving is three ounces steak with 1 tablespoon sauce

Per serving: 194 calories, 7.1g fat, 24.5g prot, 6.4g carb, 0.5g fiber, 37mg chol, 1.7mg iron

Points per Serving: 4