Black Pepper Beef

** Recipe from Blog Chef **

Marinade-
* 2 Tbl. soy sauce
* 1/2 Tbl. rice wine
* 1/2 tsp. sesame oil
* 2 garlic cloves (minced)
Black Pepper Sauce-
* 1 Tbl. oyster sauce
* 1 Tbl. water
* 1/2 Tbl. soy sauce
* 1/2 Tbl. rice wine
* 1 Tbl. sugar
* 1/2 tsp. sesame oil
* 1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper (or to taste)
Other-
* 1/2 lb. flank steak (sliced into thin strips)
* 1 c. broccoli florets
* 2 Tbl. vegetable oil

In a medium bowl or sealable bag, combine marinade ingredients.  Add steak, toss with the marinade & cover and refrigerate 1 hr.  In a med. bowl, mix together Black Pepper Sauce ingredients; set aside.  Heat 1 Tbl. of oil in a wok or large skillet to high heat. Remove beef from the marinade with a slotted spoon and add to the wok. Stir fry for about 3 min. or until the steak is fully cooked. Remove from the pan and set aside.  Add another Tbl. of oil to the wok or skillet. Add broccoli florets and stir fry until they have reached your desired tenderness. Return the beef to the wok. Add the sauce to the skillet and cook until heated through.
Yield: (2 Servings)

Turtle Crispy Treats

 

** Recipe from Kraft **

* 3 Tbl. butter or margarine

* 1 sq.  unsweetened chocolate

* 1 pkg. (10 oz.)  marshmallows

* 6 c.  cocoa sweetened rice cereal

* 1-1/2 c. caramel bits, divided

* 1 Tbl.  water

* 1/2 c. chopped pecans, toasted  

MICROWAVE butter & chocolate square in large microwaveable bowl on HIGH 45 sec. or until melted. Add marshmallows; toss to coat. Microwave 1-1/2 min. or until marshmallows are completely melted and mixture is well blended, stirring after 45 sec.  ADD cereal & 1 c. caramel bits; mix well. Press onto bottom of 13x9" pan sprayed with cooking spray.  MICROWAVE water & remaining caramel bits in small microwaveable bowl 45 sec.; stir until bits are completely melted. Drizzle over cereal mixture. Sprinkle with nuts; press lightly into cereal mixture to secure. Cool completely before cutting into squares.

Strawberry Dream Cake

** Recipe from A Feast For The Eyes **

Cake:
* 10 oz.  frozen whole strawberries (2 c.)
*  3/4 c. whole milk , room temp.
*  6 lg. egg whites , room temp.
*  2 tsp. vanilla extract
* 2 1/4 c. cake flour
* 1 3/4 c. sugar
* 4 tsp. baking powder
* 1 tsp. salt
* 12 Tbl. unsalted butter, cut into 12 pcs. & softened
Frosting:
* 10 Tbl. unsalted butter, softened
* 2 1/4 c. powdered sugar
* 12 oz. cream cheese, cut into 12 pcs. & softened
* pinch of salt
* 8 oz. fresh strawberries, hulled & thinly sliced

For the cake: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350. Grease two 9" rd. cake pans, line bottoms with parchment, grease parchment, & flour.  Transfer strawberries to bowl, cover, and microwave until strawberries are soft and have released their juice, about 5 min.  Place in fine-mesh strainer set over small saucepan. Firmly press fruit dry (juice should measure at least ¾ c.); reserve strawberry solids.  Bring juice to boil over med-high heat & cook, stirring occasionally, until syrupy and reduced to ¼ c., 6 -8 min. Whisk milk into juice until combined.
Whisk strawberry milk, egg whites, and vanilla in bowl. Using stand mixer fitted with paddle, mix flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt on low speed until combined.  Add butter, 1 piece at a time, & mix until only pea-size pieces remain, about 1 min. Add half of milk mixture, increase speed to med-high, & beat until light and fluffy, about 1 min.  Reduce speed to med-low, add remaining milk mixture, and beat until incorporated, about 30 sec. Give batter final stir by hand.  Scrape equal amounts of batter into prepared pans and bake until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 20-25 min, rotating pans halfway through baking.  Cool cakes in pans on wire rack for 10 min. Remove cakes from pans, discarding parchment, & cool completely, about 2 hrs. (Cooled cakes can be wrapped with plastic wrap and stored at room temperature for up to 2 days.)
For the frosting:
Using stand mixer fitted with paddle, mix butter and sugar on low speed until combined, about 30 seconds.  Increase speed to medium-high and beat until pale and fluffy, about 2 min. Add cream cheese, one piece at a time, and beat until incorporated, about 1 min.  Add reserved strawberry solids & salt and mix until combined, about 30 sec. Refrigerate until ready to use, up to 2 days.  Pat strawberries dry with paper towels. When cakes are cooled, spread ¾ c. frosting over 1 cake round.  Press 1 c. strawberries in even layer over frosting and cover with additional ¾ c. frosting. Top with second cake round and spread remaining frosting evenly over top and sides of cake. Garnish with remaining strawberries. Serve.
(Cake can be refrigerated for 2 days. Bring to room temperature before serving.)

Fruit Salsa & Cinnamon Sugar Tortilla Chips

** Recipe from From Glitter to Gumdrops **

Salsa:

* 1 carton of strawberries (pulsed to chunky in a blender)
* 3 kiwis peeled & diced
* 1 pint blueberries (quartered)
* 2 apples (peeled and diced) 

Mix and chill until serving (overnight in the fridge is best).
 

Cinnamon/Sugar Tortilla Chips:  

* 10 flour tortillas  

* spray butter (or melted butter)

* cinnamon sugar (premixed or make your own)

Heat oven to 400.  Cut tortillas into triangles & spray/brush with butter.  Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar mix.  Bake on a cooking stone for about 7 minutes (you might lower the time/temperature if you are using a metal cooking tray).  Store in an airtight container or baggie if you are not serving right away so they stay crisp.  

** NOTE:  I tried the chips & I used the tortillas that you cook yourself (Costco).  I first precooked the tortillas, followed the directions above, (except I baked them @ 350 for about 5-7 min), turned them over, buttered and sugared the other side & baked them for another 5-7 min!!  They were quite tasty!!  :)

Prailine Topped Blondies

** Recipe from Read It & Eat **

• Blondies:
• * nonstick cooking spray
• * 1 c. flour, spooned and leveled
• * 1 tsp. baking powder
• * 1 tsp. kosher salt
• * 8 Tbl. (1 stick) unsalted butter
• * 1 c. packed light brown sugar
• * 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• * 2 large eggs
• 
  
• Topping:
• * 3 Tbl. packed light brown sugar
• * 2 Tb. unsalted butter
• * 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• * 1 c. powdered sugar
• * 1/2 c. chopped pecans

Heat the oven to 350. Spray an 8" square pan with cooking spray. Line pan with 2 crisscrossed pieces of parchment paper, leaving an overhang on all sides; spray the parchment with the cooking spray.  Make the blondie: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.  In a medium saucepan, melt butter over med-low heat. Remove from heat & mix in brown sugar and vanilla. One at a time, mix in the eggs. Mix in flour mixture until just combined (do NOT overmix).  Spread batter into the prepared pan & bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs clinging to it, 25-28 min. Cool completely in the pan.
Make the praline topping: In a small saucepan, heat brown sugar & butter over med. heat, stirring occasionally, until bubbling, about 2 min. Remove from heat & whisk in vanilla, 1 Tbl. water, & powdered sugar until smooth. Spread over cooled blondies & sprinkle with pecans. Let topping set, 10-15 min.  Holding both sides of the paper overhang, lift blondies out of pan, transfer to a cutting board, and cut into 16 squares.  Store the in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.

Brownie Chunk & Chocolate Chip Cookies

** Recipe from Picky Palate **

* 1 c. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened 
* 3/4 c. granulated sugar
* 3/4 c. packed light brown sugar
* 2 lg. eggs
* 1 Tbl. vanilla
* 3 c. all-purpose flour
* 1 tsp. baking soda
* 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
* 1 c. chocolate chips
* 2 c. cubed prepared brownies

Preheat oven to 350 & line a large baking sheet with parchment or silpat liner.  Place butter & sugars into the bowl of a stand or electric mixer, beating until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla, beating until well combined.  Place flour, baking soda, and salt into a large bowl, mixing to combine. Slowly add dry ingredients to wet ingredients along with chocolate chips and brownie chunks until just combined.  Using a medium cookie scoop, scoop dough onto prepared baking sheet about 1-inch apart. Bake for 9 to 11 minutes until cooked through. Let cool for 5 minutes before transferring to cooling rack.

Mexican Chocolate Cake

** Recipe from Better at Home**

Cake

* 1 box devil's food cake mix

* 1 tsp. ground cinnamon

* Water, vegetable oil and eggs called for on cake mix box

Caramelized-Sugar Frosting

* 3/4 c. sugar
* 1/3 c. butter
* 5 - 6 Tbl. milk
* 3 c. powdered sugar

Heat oven to 350 (325 for dark or nonstick pan). Grease bottom only of 13x9" pan with shortening or cooking spray.  Make cake mix as directed on box & add cinnamon. Bake as directed for 13x9" pan. Cool completely, about 1 hr.  In 2-qt. heavy saucepan, heat granulated sugar over med-high heat 3-4 min, stirring constantly with wooden spoon and watching carefully, until sugar begins to melt. As sugar begins to melt, stir with wooden spoon until sugar is melted and golden brown. (Sugar becomes very hot and could melt a plastic spoon.) Remove from heat; carefully stir in butter and 1 Tbl. of milk. Return to med-low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is smooth. Cool 5 min. Add powdered sugar to caramel mixture; beat with electric mixer on low, until well combined. Add 4 Tbl. milk, mixing until frosting is glossy & spreadable. If necessary, add up to 1 Tbl. more milk, 1 tsp. at a time. Spread frosting over cake. Store loosely covered at room temp.