Gooey Butters

These are so good. Make sure you have someone to share with so you don't eat the entire pan!

1 yellow cake mix (other flavors can be used)
1/2 cup butter or margarine
4 eggs
8 oz cream cheese
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 lb powdered sugar (1 box or 3 3/4 cups)
Reserve 2 to 3 tablespoons of powdered sugar

Beat cake mix, melted butter and 2 eggs (batter will be stiff). Spread in 9 x 13 pan. Beat 2 eggs, cream cheese, vanilla, and sugar until smooth. Pour over first layer. Bake at 350E for 15 minutes, sprinkle reserved powdered sugar over top, then bake 20 to 30 minutes more. Best when allowed to sit overnight.

Aebleskivers

A couple months ago I had brunch with some friends, and Jenny brought Aebleskivers and served them with homemade buttermilk syrup. What a treat!

2 cups flour
1 t salt
1 t baking soda
2 cups buttermilk
3 eggs - separated

Sift together flour, salt, & baking soda. Add buttermilk & egg yolks. Beat egg whites until light & fluffy (soft peaks). Gently fold egg whites into batter. Heat Aebleskivers pan on medium heat. Grease each cup (with oil or cooking spray). Fill each cup 2/3 full. Cook until golden brown, turn with a toothpick.

Buttermilk Syrup

I could seriously drink this syrup.

1 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 t baking soda
1 T corn syrup
1 t vanilla

Mix all ingredients except vanilla. Bring to a boil (it will be frothy) for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and add vanilla.

Basalmic-Rosemary Marinade

Jen told me about this marinade on the Williams-Sonoma website, and it's delish! My steak was amazing.

2/3 cup basalmic vinegar
1/3 cup olive oil
2 T soy sauce
4 1/2 t firmly packed brown sugar
3/4 t freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh rosemary (can use dried too, just use less!)
5 garlic cloves, chopped

In a food processor, combine the vinegar, olive oil, soy sauce, brown sugar, and pepper and pulse until blended. With the motor running, drop the rosemary & garlic through the feed tube and continue to process until fairly smooth.

Pun

I've held off on posting this recipe because I have no exact amounts, but it's so good, and it's the perfect summer food, that I decided to post it with some guesstimations... you might want to modify it to taste!

I'm guessing that most of you haven't heard of pun, but it is a type of Asian lettuce wrap. Enjoy!

Large romaine lettuce leaves
Ground turkey or pork, seasoned to taste (I use Johnnys)
Cooked rice noodles - I like the thick ones... you can find these at any Asian store (they look like thick, white spaghetti noodles)
Tomatoes, chopped
Cilantro
Lime Wedges

Sauce: (Here's where the amounts are just guesses)
Sweet Chili Sauce (I use about 1/2 - 3/4 of a 31.4 oz. bottle)
2-3 quarts water
A few tablespoons of sugar
Juice of 1-2 limes
Minced ginger, to taste
Shredded carrots - maybe 1/4 of a carrot (optional)

Slightly warm all sauce ingredients in a 4 quart pot. Build your wrap with lettuce, meat, noodles, and desired toppings. Dip wrap in sauce and enjoy! Note: This can get a little messy so have napkins on hand... I usually end up eating one lettuce wrap, and then making a kind of "pun soup" by just adding all the ingredients to my sauce bowl and eating it with a spoon :-)

Breakfast Fruit Pastry

I found a recipe posted on foodnetwork.com by Giada De Laurentis for Breakfast Pizza. I adapted it a bit and made it for a brunch this morning. I thought it was delicious!

1 sheet puff pastry
2 T butter, melted
4 T cinnamon sugar, divided
1 cup mascarpone cheese
1 T heavy cream
1 1/2 T lemon juice
1/2 - 1 t lemon zest
2 cups mixed berries

Thaw pastry sheet at room temperature 40 minutes or until easy to handle. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Transfer pastry sheet to the lined baking sheet and brush the pastry with the melted butter. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons cinnamon sugar and bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes. Cool the pastry on a wire rack.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, mix together the cheese, cream, lemon juice, and zest.

Spread the cheese mixture over the cooled* crust. Top with mixed berries (I used strawberries, blueberries, and blackberries), sprinkle with the remaining cinnamon sugar, and serve.

* Make sure the pastry is completely cooled so the cheese doesn't melt!

Spinach-Cheese Swirls

I got this recipe off the back of the Pepperidge Farm puff pastry box... these spinach-cheese swirls were a hit at a brunch I went to this morning!

1 sheet of puff pastry
1 egg
1 T water
1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 green onion, chopped
1/8 t garlic powder
1 pkg. (about 10 oz.) frozen chopped spinach, thawed & well drained*

Thaw pastry sheet at room temperature 40 minutes or until easy to handle. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly grease baking sheet or line with parchment paper.

Stir egg and water in small bowl. In medium bowl, stir Monterey Jack cheese, Parmesan cheese, green onion, and garlic powder.

Unfold pastry sheet on lightly floured surface. Brush with egg mixture. Top with cheese mixture and spinach. Starting at short side closest to you, roll up like a jelly roll. Cut into 1/2" slices and place on baking sheet. Brush with egg mixture. Bake 15 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm or at room temperature.

* Somewhere a couple years ago, I saw a cool trick for draining frozen spinach... once it is thawed, wrap the spinach in a lightweight towel and then ring out all the excess water. It works like a charm! Just make sure to use a towel you wouldn't mind turning green :-)