ITALIAN SAUSAGE

Oh my goodness, this sausage tastes SO good and goes together in a flash. The recipe says you can use it right away, but I let mine sit in the fridge for a few hours to blend the flavors, then fried it all up and froze it in small packages so it will be instantly ready for pizzas (or a million other things). This is going to be a regular at our house from now on!!

ITALIAN SAUSAGE
2 pounds of ground pork
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon dry parsley
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
½ teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
¾ teaspoon fennel seeds
½ teaspoon paprika (not the hot kind)
½ teaspoon dry minced onion flakes
1½ teaspoon salt

Mix the spices together before you add to the meat.  A note about the fennel, onion flakes, red pepper flakes and Italian seasoning: I measured the ingredients first, THEN I ground them with my mortar and pestle so that they would distribute evenly throughout the sausage. Knead the spices into the meat with your hands and chill completely.

 

After the sausage has "mellowed" in the fridge for a few hours, or overnight, either fry (for about 10 minutes for until browned and crumbly), or package and freeze.

This was SO good, I'll NEVER buy pre-made Italian sausage again!! It is also delicious in a meat sauce

NOTE: I make my own Italian seasoning with equal parts of: dried basil, dried marjoram, dried oregano, dried thyme, dried rosemary and dried sage (measure the rosemary...THEN crush it a little before you add it to the blend.

CHEWY SUGAR COOKIES

It is lunch box time again!! Can it be time for kids to go back to school already? These quick and easy sugar cookies are sweet, buttery and chewy. Frosting them definitely is not necessary, but Hubby loves them that way, so...

1 cup butter (room temperature)
1¼ cups granulated sugar
3 egg YOLKS
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2½ cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon cream of tartar
extra sugar to roll cookies in before baking

Cream 1 cup of butter with 1¼ cups of granulated sugar; add the egg yolks and vanilla and beat until smooth.
Add the flour, baking soda and cream of tartar, beat until smooth.

Form dough into balls (about the size of a small walnut) and roll in granulated sugar. Place on parchment lined cookie sheet (or sheet sprayed with cooking spray). DO NOT FLATTEN.

Bake at 350F for 10-11 minutes, or until tops are cracked and just starting to turn golden. Carefully remove to cooling rack.   Makes 3 dozen.

NOTE:  Due to egg yolk size differences (and therefore amount of liquid differences), if your cookie dough seems a little dry, mix in a tablespoon of water.

EASY BANANA CUPCAKES

This quick recipe makes 24 moist and fluffy cupcakes; as a matter of fact, they are even more moist the second day!! Great banana flavor and super easy to make.

¾ cup butter (room temperature)
1½ cups granulated sugar
3 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon rum extract (optional)
¾ cup buttermilk
1 cup OVER-RIPE mashed bananas (about 2 large or 3 small)
2½ cups all purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder

With an electric mixer beat the butter, sugar and extracts until its light and fluffy (2 to 3 minutes). Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each egg, scraping the sides down once in a while.

In a different bowl, mix the flour, salt, baking soda and baking powder.  Add these dry ingredients to the butter mixture (in thirds) and in between each flour addition, add a little of the buttermilk (starting and ending with dry ingredients).

Fill cupcake paper lined cupcakes pans about 2/3 full and bake in preheated 350F oven for 18-22 minutes (my oven took 20 minutes exactly).  Cool on rack and frost.  Store covered.

NOTE: Make sure you use very ripe bananas (the more brown speckles the better). There's tons of flavor in those brown bananas.

NOTE: If you don't have buttermilk, put 2 teaspoons white vinegar in a cup and then add enough regular milk to measure 3/4 cup. Let it sit for 10  minutes...works the same as buttermilk.

"Peanutella" Chocolate Peanut Butter Spread

I found this fabulous recipe over at Smitten Kitchen, and it was so much fun to make and even more fun to eat. If you like Nutella, you will LOVE peanutella, just think of the possibilities!!

Lets see, let me count the ways to enjoy peanutella: on waffles, on pound cake, on warm scones, in a sandwich, with s'mores, on waffles, as a fruit dip and...oh yes...right out of the jar!!!

2 cups shelled, skinned raw peanuts (see note)
½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder (best quality you can find)
1¼ cups powdered sugar
¼ teaspoon salt (plus a pinch?)
2 to 3 tablespoons peanut oil

Spread the nuts on a cookie sheet and roast in a 400F oven for 10 minutes, stirring half way through for even roasting.  NOTE: I couldn't find raw peanuts, so I used dry roasted UNSALTED peanuts and roasted them for only 5 minutes in the oven (to bring out more flavor).

Put the nuts in a food processor and process for five minutes. At first they will get mushy or pasty, but keep processing and the nuts will start to liquefy. Scrape down the sides of the food processor every once in a while.

Once the nuts begin to liquefy, add the cocoa powder, powdered sugar, salt and 2 tablespoons of peanut oil. Process for another minute or so. If the mixture seems too thick (it will thicken more in the fridge) add the other tablespoon of peanut oil. Taste the mixture, add another pinch of salt if you think it needs it.

That's it!! Store in the fridge (tightly covered) for up to a week.  This mixture might seem a bit thin at first, but it will thicken as it "sets" in the fridge.

CRISP BACON and GUACAMOLE SANDWICH

I first posted this idea a couple of years ago and then promptly forgot about it. However, summer is often too busy (or hot) to cook, so recently I dug into my files for a good sandwich idea and re-discovered this treat.

You will not find this delight on any health food menu and you won't find it on your weight watchers plan, but man oh man, is it tasty. Crisp fried bacon, on top of a thick layer of guacamole and topped with lettuce and tomatoes. You just have to say yes to a good sandwich some times!

The guacamole for these sandwiches is excellent:
3 avocados
juice of 1 lime
1 teaspoon salt
½ cup sweet (or red) onion diced small
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
2 Roma tomatoes diced small
1 teaspoon minced garlic
pinch of ground cayenne pepper (optional)

Mash the avocado with the lime and salt and then stir in the rest of the ingredients. You can use this right away, but the flavors blend better if it sits in the fridge for an hour or so.

Spread a nice thick layer of guacamole on your toasted bread, then top with crisp bacon, tomato slices and favorite lettuce.  Eat your sandwich in the shade with a tall glass of sweet ice tea !!

BLUEBERRY UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE

This cake brings rave reviews and is a nice change from the predictable pineapple upside-down cake. The cake is sweet, very light and tender and the berries keep it deliciously moist. We ate it warm, with ice cream after dinner tonight and our neighbor took home several pieces (guarding the dish on his lap as he left on his tractor...ha ha ha).

Preheat your oven to 350F and spray a round 9" x 2" cake pan with vegetable spray. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper and then spray it again.

BOILED SYRUP TOPPING
1 cup white sugar
¼ teaspoon lemon juice
¼ cup cold water
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3 cups blueberries (thaw and drain if frozen)

Arrange the blueberries in the bottom of the parchment lined cake pan, set aside. In a heavy bottomed 2 quart sauce pan, stir the sugar, lemon juice and cold water together. Bring to a boil over medium high heat (occasionally brush the walls of the pan with a wet pastry brush to wash down any sugar crystals). Boil on medium heat, stirring once in a while, until it starts to turn amber. Watch carefully, because once it starts to turn color, because it will darken quickly. Pour evenly over the blueberries and set aside.

CAKE
1½ cups all purpose flour
1¾ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ cup whole milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
½ cup butter (room temperature)
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 large eggs
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In a small bowl, mix flour, baking powder, ginger and cinnamon together, set aside. In another small bowl, mix milk and vanilla extract, set aside.
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With electric mixer, beat the room temperature butter for one minute, or until it is light and fluffy; add brown sugar and beat on high for 3 minutes. Reduce speed and add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each. Make sure you scrape down the sides of the bowl once in a while.
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Now you need to mix in the milk mixture and the flour mixture, but make sure you alternate (dry...milk...dry...milk etc.). Scrape down the bowl and give it one final mix but don't mix too long. Pour the batter over the blueberries.

Bake at 350F for 35 to 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean (it takes 45 minutes in my oven). Remove from oven and let the cake cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Run a thin knife around the edge to loosen, then invert on a serving plate and peel off the parchment paper. Cool, this is excellent with ice cream.

NOTE: Do not make this in a springform pan because the sauce might leak out.

NOTE: The berries appear quite wet when you first invert the cake, but as it cools off, the sauce thickens considerably.

BARBECUE SAUCE

We love this barbecue sauce; I can't remember exactly where I found it, but it is a keeper. I usually double this recipe then store it in mason jars in the fridge. It lasts for weeks. It is a thinner sauce than some of the ultra-thick commercial sauces, but we like that. It is light, smokey, sweet and delicious. It is awesome for pulled pork too.

2 cups ketchup
1 cup water
½ cup apple cider vinegar
5 tablespoons white sugar
5 tablespoons brown sugar (I use dark brown sugar)
1½ teaspoons black pepper
1½ teaspoons dry mustard powder
1½ teaspoons dry onion powder (not onion salt)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon liquid smoke

Mix well and simmer (uncovered) for 1½ hours, cool before using. This sauce smells a little vinegar-y while cooking, but the final product is on the sweet side. I like making it a day ahead and storing it in the fridge to let the flavors blend, but that isn't totally necessary.

NOTE: If you like "heat" in your barbecue sauce, just add a little red pepper flakes to the recipe.

NOTE: I often cook this in the crockpot, on high for about 3 hours with the lid propped open a little, with a spoon.

This recipe makes 3 cups of sauce.