Cream Cheese Frosting

Classic Cream Cheese Frosting

Frost your favorite cupcake or carrot cake with this

homemade classic.

Whip together with mixer until no lumps:

8 oz soft cream cheese

1/4 cup softened butter

Add:

1 t. pure vanilla

3 cups confectioners powedered sugar

1 T. milk

Greek Chicken Gyros

Traditionally made with lamb, these chicken gyros are easy and as quick as taco night!

Stir fry the following in a wok or skillet that has been heated up with 2 T. olive oil:

4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, chopped in bite size pieces

1 t. dried oregano

1 t. dried basil

1/2 t. ground sea salt

1/2 t. ground black pepper

1 T. minced garlic

Prepare the condiments:

Chopped tomatoes

Chopped lettuce

Chopped red onion

Crumbled feta cheese

Tzatziki Sauce

Hummus

This is recipe for tzatziki, but many grocers now carry ready made tzatziki sauce.

Combine:

2 cups plain, Greek yogurt

1 cucumber, thinly sliced and quartered

 1 T. lemon juice

1 T. fresh dill, chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

Use purchased naan bread, a soft flat bread, to fill your gyros.  I warm each naan bread in a dry, hot skillet on each side to make a tiny bit crisp on outside and warm and soft on the inside.  Fill bread like a taco with all the yummy condiments listed above and enjoy!

Cinnamon Muffins

Our family's favorite breakfast muffin

I've made these so many times, you would think my kids would be tired of them by now.  Not in the least!

Blend together:

2/3 cup shortening

1 cup granulated sugar

2 eggs

In separate bowl, stir together:

3 cups cake flour

3 t. baking powder

1/2 t. salt

1/2 t. nutmeg

You will also need to have 1 cup milk ready to pour into batter alternatively with the flour mixture. 

Add half of flour mixture to butter mixture and blend.  Pour half of milk and blend.  Pour remaining half of flour mixture.  Pour remaining half of milk.

Pour into greased muffin tins.  Do not use cupcake liners!

Bake muffins at 350 degrees for about 12 minutes.

Get the following ready:

1 1/4 cups melted butter, set aside

1 cup sugar mixed with 4 t. cinnamon, set aside.

Once muffins are cooled, dip and roll them in butter and then dip and roll them in cinnamon sugar mixture.

Makes about 16 muffins.

Broiled Grapefruit

One of my favorite brunch treats!  The grapfruit slices are warm and a little bit crispy on the top with the brown sugar topping.

Peel a grapefruit just like you would an orange.

Cut into thick slices and remove all seeds as you see them.

Lay grapefruits slices on a foil lined cooke sheet and sprinkle each with brown sugar.

Place under broiled that is set for 500 degrees and broil for about 3 minutes.

Chocolate Lava Cakes

We must begin this recipe with the best dark chocolate.

Melt 1 lb. of Belgium chocolate with

1 cup butter

Whisk in:

6 egg yolks

2/3 cup granualted sugar

1 t. pure vanilla

Beat the following until stiff peaks:

6 egg whites

1 T. sugar

Fold into the chocolate and stir until well distributed.

Butter and sugar 8 oven-safe ramekins that are about 6 oz in size.

Pour batter evenly among all ramekins (approx 1/2 cup of batter in each ramekin and bake at 400 degrees for 12-14 minutes.  Don't over bake!  They will be a bit jiggle in the center.  Turn out onto individual serving plates and serve immediately.

The center will be pudding like and will ooze out like lava!

Makes 8 chocolate lava cakes.

Nutella Cookies

These buttery, chewy cookies are made with the deliciousness of Nutella, oats and whole wheat flour.

1 cup softened butter

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 eggs

1 t. vanilla

1/2 cup Nutella

1 cup all purpose white flour

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

1 t. baking powder

1 t. baking soda

1/2 t. salt

1 cup oats

Blend butter with sugars until smooth.  Add eggs, vanilla and Nutella and mix until creamy.  Add all dry ingredients and drop on greased cookie sheet.  Bake for 12 minutes at 350 degrees.  These cookies can be frozen for a quick, crisp treat with tea or coffee.