Almond Sheet Cake with Butter Frosting

• Almond Sheet cake with Butter Frosting

So much like Yum Yum Brownies - just not Chocolate :)

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• FOR THE CAKE:
• 2 cups All-purpose Flour
• 2 cups Sugar
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
• 1 cup Butter
• 1 cup Water
• ½ cups Sour Cream
• 2  Eggs, Lightly Beaten
• 1 teaspoon Almond Extract
• Sliced Almonds For Sprinkling On Top
• FOR THE FROSTING:
• ½ cups Butter
• ¼ cups Milk
• ½ teaspoons Almond Extract
• 3 cups Powdered Sugar

Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease and flour a 15 x 11 jelly roll pan. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together dry ingredients (flour through baking powder) and set aside.

In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine butter and water. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Then add it into the flour mixture and stir to combine.

Stir in sour cream, beaten eggs and almond extract. Pour into prepared pan and bake 22-25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Spread warm (not hot) cake with butter frosting (recipe below). Sprinkle with sliced almonds. Cut into squares and serve.

For the frosting:

In a medium saucepan, combine butter and milk. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; whisk in almond extract, and gradually whisk in powdered sugar until smooth. Frost almond cake.

*Notes: I don’t make the frosting until I’m ready to frost the cake (it will start to harden if it sits). I also sprinkle the almonds on top while the frosting is still warm so they’ll stay in place.

Pizza Dough

Recipe courtesy Bobby Flay

Prep Time:

20 min

Inactive Prep Time:

1 hr 10 min

Cook Time:

--

Level:

Easy

Serves:

2 (14-inch) pizza crusts

Ingredients

• 3 1/2 to 4 cups bread flour, plus more for rolling (Chef's Note: Using bread flour will give you a much crisper crust. If you can't find bread flour, you can substitute it with all-purpose flour which will give you a chewier crust.)
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 envelope instant dry yeast
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 1/2 cups water, 110 degrees F
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus 2 teaspoons

Directions

Combine the bread flour, sugar, yeast and kosher salt in the bowl of a stand mixer and combine. While the mixer is running, add the water and 2 tablespoons of the oil and beat until the dough forms into a ball. If the dough is sticky, add additional flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the dough comes together in a solid ball. If the dough is too dry, add additional water, 1 tablespoon at a time. Scrape the dough onto a lightly floured surface and gently knead into a smooth, firm ball.

Grease a large bowl with the remaining 2 teaspoons olive oil, add the dough, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and put it in a warm area to let it double in size, about 1 hour. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and divide it into 2 equal pieces. Cover each with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap and let them rest for 10 minutes.

Brown Sugar Balsamic Glazed Pork Roast

Brown Sugar Balsamic Glazed Pork Roast

 Crock pot friendly & tastes very gourmet!"


Ingredients:

• 1 (2 pound) boneless pork loin or roast
• 1 teaspoon ground sage
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 1/2 cup water

Glaze

• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce

Directions:

1. Combine sage, salt, pepper and garlic. Rub over roast. Place in slow cooker with 1/2 cup water. Cook on low for 6-8 hours.
2. About 1 hour before roast is done, combine ingredients for glaze in small sauce pan. Heat and stir until mixture thickens. and slightly reduced.  Brush roast with glaze 2 or 3 times during the last hour of cooking. Serve with remaining glaze on the side

Spinach Pie - Spinakaopitakia

Spinakopitakia - can also be made without spinach (just cheese)

1 lb white cheese ( combo of feta, ricotta - I usually use cottage cheese because I don't usually have ricotta on hand)

2 - large eggs

1/4 cup finely minced onion

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 tsp pepper

12 oz bag of frozen chopped spinach - squeezed to get all the water out.

melted butter (or if you can find spray olive oil you can use that instead)

filo pastry

Preheat oven to 350 

1.  Mix cheeses, eggs, onion, salt, pepper, nutmeg and spinach together.  set aside as you prepare the filo pastry.  

2.  lightly grease baking sheet

3.  Remove Filo from package and without unrolling, cut a 3 inch piece off the end of the roll.  Wrap remainder of Filo in a damp towel or plastic wrap to keep moist.

4.  Unroll, separate and lay 3 inch strips side by side on a clean surface

5. Brush strips with melted butter using a wide pastry brush. (or if you can find spray olive oil - that would work too)

6.  Place about 1 Tablespoon of cheese/spinach mixture at one end of the strip of Filo.  Fold right hand corner over to meet left edge - like you would fold an American Flag.  Continue folding the entire strip - should form a neat triangular envelope.  Place on lightly greased baking sheet.

7.  Continue with the rest of the Filo and filling.

8..  Line up triangles on lightly greased baking sheet

9.  Bake at 350 until golden brown - about 10-12 minutes.  After 6 minutes turn each one over to achieve even browning.

You can also make in a cake pan - place a sheet of Filo that has been brushed with butter in baking dish.  Repeat 8-10 times.  Spoon in spinach/cheese mixture.  Repeat with Filo - 8-10 sheets.  Cut into squares before baking. Bake for about 20-25 minutes.

These may be baked until light brown and froze. then re-heated just before serving OR they may be frozen raw.  Remove from freezer and let thaw for 15 minutes withe the oven is preheating.  Bake as indicated above.

Tzatziki

Tzatziki

2 cups Greek yogurt

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil - (extra virgin)

1 Teaspoon fresh lemon juice or red wine vinegar (I prefer lemon juice)

2-3 crushed garlic cloves - I like to use the microplane - just be sure to finely crush or mince

1/2 english cucumber grated, no need to peel

1/4 teaspoon salt

Squeeze water out of cucumber - 

Place all ingredients in bowl and mix.  Chill 2-3  hours if possible.

Optional - some like to add dill or mint - 1 1/2 teaspoon

Baklava Bites

Baklava Bites

 2 Packages mini filo cups - 

1 cup honey

1/4 cup Water

1 cup shelled pistachios

3 Tablespoons sugar 

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1 Tablespoon melted butter

optional - add lemon zest to nuts 

used other nuts or combo of nuts - pistachios, walnuts, almonds

Heat oven to 350ºF. Place fillo shells on rimmed baking sheet. Stir honey and lemon juice in small cup until blended; set aside.

Pulse pistachios, sugar, cinnamon and cloves in food processor just until chopped. Add melted butter; pulse just to distribute.

Spoon a rounded teaspoonful into each shell. Bake 8 to 10 minutes until lightly browned.

 While the cups are baking, make the honey syrup. Bring the honey and water to a boil in a small saucepan. Reduce heat and simmer for 5-10 minutes or until the mixture has reduced and thickened.

Spoon about 1 tsp honey mixture over hot filling. Cool on baking sheet on wire rack.  Add a second teaspoon of honey mixture to each cup if they look dry or if you want it very syrupy  

White Pizza Dip

White Pizza Dip

serves about 6-8

1 pint grape tomatoes, tomatoes cut in half

1 teaspoon olive oil

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 1/2 (12 ounces) blocks cream cheese, softened

8 ounces mozzarella cheese, freshly grated

8 ounces provolone cheese, freshly grated

1/4 cup finely grated parmesan cheese + more for garnish

4 garlic cloves, minced or pressed

1/4 cup freshly chopped basil leaves

2 tablespoons freshly chopped thyme leaves

1/2 tablespoon freshly chopped oregano leaves

crackers, bread or chips for serving

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil then place tomatoes on top. Sprinkle with olive oil and salt, then roast for 20-25 minutes, until bursting. Set aside.

While tomatoes are roasting, mix softened cream cheese with about 7 ounces each of provolone and mozzarella, then and parmesan. Stir in fresh herbs, garlic and roasted tomatoes, mixing well to combine. Transfer mixture to an oven-safe baking dish (mine was 6 x 4 round). Sprinkle with remaining provolone and mozzarella. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until top is golden and bubbly. Serve immediately with crackers, chip or toasted bread.