RICE PUDDING

I know that your family will enjoy rice pudding.  It’s sort of an “old school” recipe but it is worth reviving!

Now most families have favorite ingredients that they like in rice pudding (such as raisins, cinnamon, nutmeg or cloves) so feel free to add whatever you wish.   Also try both methods below and let your family do a taste test.  Have fun!

BAKED RICE PUDDING
4 slightly beaten eggs
2  and 2/3 cups whole or low fat milk
2 cups cooked rice
2/3 cup sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 teaspoon salt


Combine all ingredients and pour into Pyrex dish-which has been sprayed with PAM.
Bake at 325 degrees for 45 minutes or until set.


STOVETOP RICE PUDDING
1/2 cup sugar
2 Tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 and  1/4 cups whole or low fat milk
3 extra large eggs
2 Tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 and  1/2 cups cooked rice

Add water to the bottom of a double boiler; bring water to a boil.
Combine sugar, cornstarch and salt in the top pan of the double boiler. Add milk and eggs and whisk mixture until smooth. Add butter. Set the top pan on top of the bottom pan of boiling water. Stir constantly until mixture begins to thicken. Reduce heat and stir for about 10 minutes, making sure pudding does not stick. Add vanilla and warm cooked rice. Turn off heat and let set for 10 minutes.
NOTE: if you don't have a double boiler, just use a medium sized sauce pan of boiling water
with a stainless steel mixing bowl placed on top--- just be careful to not tip the bowl as you stir.

CROCK POT CHICKEN TORTILLA SOUP

              

Last night I made some delicious tortilla soup with chicken in my crock pot!  It was a big hit so I hope you will try it with your family.  Make it as hot as you wish and be creative with your toppings.  I used avocado, sour cream and sharp cheese.  Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 carton (about 4 cups) of chicken broth

1 large can of diced tomatoes

1 cup of water

1 can of black beans

2 cups of frozen “peaches and cream” whole kernel corn

1 onion, chopped

2  to 3 bell peppers, chopped (I used red, yellow and orange)

3 large stalks of chopped celery

2 T. olive oil

5 to 6 chicken breasts, chopped into ½ inch chunks

2 t. chili powder

1 t. cumen

2 t. black pepper

½  to ¾ cup chopped hot pickled banana peppers

½ cup hot pickled banana pepper juice

6 flour tortillas

6 corn tortillas

Olive oil

Kosher salt

Toppings:

Chopped avocado

Sour Cream

Sharp Cheese

Instructions:

*Place chicken broth, diced tomatoes, water, beans and corn in a crock pot.  Turn on to begin heating up crock  (to 4 hour setting).

*Saute onion, bell pepper and celery in olive oil until softened a bit.

*Remove vegetables and place them in the crock pot.

*Saute chicken chunks in olive oil.  Place in crock pot.

*Add seasonings, banana peppers and banana pepper juice to crock pot.

*Cover and cook for 4 hours.

*Slice flour and corn tortillas into thin strips, toss with olive oil and salt and bake at 400 degrees until crispy.

*When soup is ready, serve by placing a serving of tortilla strips in the bottom of each serving bowl.  Then spoon soup over tortilla strips and put your favorite toppings on top of the soup.

WHITE CAKE WITH BUTTERCREAM ICING

         

WEDDING CAKE

3 ½ Cups cake flour

4 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

1 cup butter, softened

2 cups sugar

1 cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

¼ teaspoon almond extract

8 extra large egg whites

Directions:

*Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

*In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.  Set aside.

*In a standing mixer, beat the butter until smooth.  Slowly add the sugar.

*Cream the butter and sugar mixture until very light.

*Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture in 3 parts alternately with the milk.

*Add the vanilla and almond flavorings.

*In a separate mixing bowl, whip the egg whites until stiff, but not dry.

*Fold the egg whites  gently into the cake batter. 

*Divide the batter evenly into the prepared pans.

*Bake about 25 minutes or until cakes are slightly golden and begin to pull away from the sides of the pans.

*Cool cakes before releasing.  Cakes may be wrapped and frozen.

BUTTERCREAM  ICING

½ cup solid vegetable shortening

½ cup (1 stick) softened butter

2 teaspoons vanilla

½ teaspoon almond extract

2 Tablespoons half and half cream

4 cups sifted confectioner’s sugar

Makes 3 cups of icing.

(Medium Consistency)

In large bowl, cream shortening and butter with electric mixer. Add vanilla. Gradually add sugar, one cup at a time, beating well on medium speed. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl often. When all sugar has been mixed in, icing will appear dry. Add milk and beat at medium speed until light and fluffy. Keep bowl covered with a damp cloth until ready to use.

For best results, keep icing bowl in refrigerator when not in use. Refrigerated in an airtight container, this icing can be stored 2 weeks. Rewhip before using.

For thin (spreading) consistency icing, add 2 tablespoons light corn syrup, water or milk.

For Pure White Icing (stiff consistency), omit butter; substitute an additional 1/2 cup shortening for butter and add 1/2 teaspoon No-Color Butter Flavor. Add up to 4 tablespoons light corn syrup, water or milk to thin for icing cakes.

CHOCOLATE BUTTERCREAM

• 1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine, softened
• 3/4 cup cocoa or three 1 oz. unsweetened chocolate squares, melted
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar (approximately 1 lb.)
• 3-4 tablespoons half and half cream

Makes: About 3 cups of icing.

BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP

     

I am currently obsessed with butternut squash!  I love it in almost every form.  It is great when peeled, cubed and roasted in the oven with a bit of extra virgin olive oil and kosher salt.  This is made even easier if you can find it –cubed, bagged and refrigerated in the produce department of your grocery store.  I have this in my local store  and it is great because I can just open up the bag of butternut squash chunks and put them directly on a baking sheet to roast in the oven.  My recipe takes this a step further by making a puree out of your squash to make soup.  I hope you will enjoy making this delicious and healthy vegetable soup for your family this week!

Ingredients:

4 cups cooked butternut squash*

*Boil butternut squash cubes in water until tender (10-12 minutes) and drain.

*OR:  Peel a butternut squash, remove the seeds and cut into large cubes.  Place the cubes on a baking sheet with sides that has been sprayed with PAM.  Spray the cubes with olive oil or sprinkle olive oil on top.  Bake at 350 until tender  (20 minutes).  Tent with foil if cubes begin to brown before they get tender.

Instructions:

*Place the cooked  squash into a heat safe blender. 

*Add a bit of liquid (water, broth, milk or cream). 

*Pulse the squash on the “puree” setting of your blender  until the squash is completely smooth and creamy.

* You may need to continue adding more liquid to the squash- a little bit at a time,  to help it puree and to reach the desired consistency.

*Empty the squash into a saucepan to heat it up.

*At this point, it is really up to you to season  your butternut squash soup according to your taste.  Following are some suggestions of additions that you can choose.

**water

**chicken or vegetable broth

**milk

**cream

**sour cream

**kosher salt

**black pepper

**tarragon, thyme or dill

**extra virgin olive oil

**balsamic vinegar

**bacon or pancetta

**butter

*After you have decided which of these additions or combinations of additions to try, you may need to add more liquid.   I usually keep it simple and add salt, milk and sour cream with a bit of dill.

*Serve your soup warm with a beautiful salad and piece of toasted bread.