Lemon Pound Cake with Fresh Blueberry Sauce

Blueberries and lemons go hand and hand...

I decided to take one of my "go-to" recipes to the next level this weekend. Some friends of ours finally sold their house in St. Louis and are moving south near us to live at Table Rock Lake! They were down visiting and I decided to make a pound cake, but wanted to dress it up a bit.

I had blueberries from the farm in the fridge, so thought a blueberry sauce would do just the trick.

I added lemon zest to the traditional pound cake recipe- which comes from Martha Stewart. Then I added lemon juice and zest to the blueberry sauce. The dessert was perfect topped with some vanilla bean ice cream.

You can do the same with any berries. We also like the cake with strawberries and whipped cream during strawberry season. This pound cake is a must have in your recipe box!

Classic Pound Cake
from Martha Stewart
Makes one 9-by-5-inch loaf

1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, softened, plus more for pan
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
6 large eggs
Confectioners' sugar, for dusting (optional)

1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan; set aside. Whisk flour and salt in a medium bowl; set aside.

2.Put butter, granulated sugar, and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium-low speed until pale and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until combined after each addition. Reduce speed to low; mix in flour mixture until just combined.


3.Spoon batter into prepared pan, and smooth with an offset spatula. Bake, rotating pan halfway through, until cake is golden and a cake tester inserted into center comes out clean, 50 to 55 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack 10 to 15 minutes. Turn out onto rack, and let cool completely. Before serving, dust cake with confectioners' sugar, if desired. Cake can be stored at room temperature, wrapped well in plastic, up to 3 days.

Bluberry Sauce
1 1/2 cups blueberries
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
2 lemons, zested and juiced


Cook over medium-high heat until reduced and thickened.

Roasted Leg of Lamb

I tried to have the Roasted Leg of Lamb recipe up earlier, but Blogger was having some issues. But, here it is!

It turned out beautifully...paired it with Augusta Norton. It's fairly simple, but we did have a little challenge cutting it perfectly- since it was a bone-in leg of lamb.

I bought the leg of lamb from my friend Nancy Rasmussen of Sunny Lane Farms in Lockwood. She sells at some area farmers' markets in SW Mo.

Lane’s Roasted Leg of Lamb
Marinade:
2 lemons, juiced
2 T. garlic powder
1T. onion powder
4 springs of fresh Rosemary
5 springs of Thyme
¼ c olive oil

Mix all together in bowl. Coat a 5-7 lb. leg of lamb with the mixture and place lamb in bag and place in refrigerator overnight.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place roasting tray in a roasting pan and place lamb on tray.

Roast for 30 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 degrees and cook for another 1 to 1 and half hrs. longer to medium rare. A digit thermometer will read 145 degrees. Remove lamb and let the meat rest for at least 15 minutes.

Sauce:
Place roasting pan on stove and turn heat to medium. Add to the pan:
1 c. chicken stock
1 c. dry red wine
1 tsp. Herb De Provence
3 garlic cloves, crushed
½ tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. sea salt

Deglaze the pan to release the pan drippings from the leg of lamb by cooking mixture and scraping with a wooden spoon. Cook the mixture down, while continuing to scrape drippings on the bottom of pan. Strain mixture and drizzle sliced lamb with sauce.

Missouri State Fair Will Bring Local Produce from the Farm to the Fork

The Missouri State Fair is right around the corner and I’ve been gearing up for some of the local food cooking demos that I will be conducting at the fair. Both professional and amateur chefs will putting on daily local foods cooking demonstrations centered on using local foods and simple fresh ingredients.

I wanted to make sure my recipes were simple and really made local foods the main component of the recipe. Here are the two recipes I will be performing at the fair.

Localvore’s Tomato Sandwich
By Lane McConnell, Missouri Department of Agriculture

1 large loaf ciabatta (local bread)
Herb Vinaigrette, below
2 large ripe, local heirloom tomatoes
1 large local yellow or red bell pepper, roasted, peeled and quartered
4 ounces of fresh local goat cheese
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper

Herb Vinaigrette
¼ cup local basil leaves
1 tablespoon chopped local parsley
1 small local garlic clove, minced
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
4 teaspoons aged red wine vinegar
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper

Slice the top third off the loaf of bread and set it aside. Pull out the inside (use to make bread crumbs for a later date). Paint the inside of the bread with some of the dressing, then make layers of sliced tomatoes, pepper and cheese. Bathe each layer with more dressing and season with salt and pepper.

Add the top, press down, the cut into quarters or sixths. This recipe packs well if wrapped up tightly.

Melon Salad with Thai Basil
Thai Basil
By Lane McConnell, Missouri Department of Agriculture

1 large shallot, finely diced
Seas salt and freshly ground pepper
1 cup cilantro
Juice and zest of 2 limes
1/3 cup Thai basil leaves
¼ cup mint leaves
1 jalapeno chile, finely diced
1 teaspoon minced ginger
1 small garlic clove, minced
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 ½ to 2 pounds melon (honeydew, watermelon, cantaloupe), chilled
1 bunch arugula

Put shallot in bowl with lime juice, zest and ¼ teaspoon salt. Chop the herbs and add them to bowl along with the chile, ginger, garlic and oil. Stir and taste for salt.

Halve the melon, remove the seeds and cut into wedges. Slice off the skins, then cut the melon diagonally into bite sizes pieces or into very small cubes, as you prefer.

Pour the dressing over the melon and toss well. Season with pepper. Arrange the greens on small plates and spoon the melon into the center. If the melons are extra sweet, add as extra lime wedge to each plate. Garnish with the purple tipped Thai basil leaves.

Beef Tenderloin for Christmas Dinner

Why is it during the holidays we always cook up the traditional turkey and stuffing? Why not try something new?

I don’t know about you, but after having turkey and stuffing for Thanksgiving dinners and then again at Christmas dinners – I’m turkey’ed out!

Now don’t get me wrong- I’m a huge fan of turkey and stuffing. I make chicken and stuffing throughout the year and occasionally splurge and buy a turkey, but there is nothing wrong with mixing it up a bit.

My family mixes it up during the holidays when it comes to the main course: sometimes wild turkey, venison, beef brisket or even pork loin (which I love).

A farmers’ market vendor in southwest Missouri passed along this recipe to me last year and it’s became one of my favorites. This makes a beautiful main course for entertaining special visitors and would be great for your Christmas dinner this holiday.

* Try and make this a local affair this holiday and try and buy local products.

Peppery Pinot Noir Beef Tenderloin

Makes 6 to 8 servings

3 tablespoons butter, room temperature, divided

1 tablespoon flour

1 cup finely chopped onion

1 cup finely chopped carrot

1 cup finely chopped celery

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 1/4 cups Pinot Nor wine (try and choose a Missouri wine)

1 1/4 cups chicken broth

1 1/4 cups beef broth

Salt and pepper to taste

1 (3- to 4-pound) beef tenderloin roast (try and buy from a local farmer)

2 tablespoons heavy cream

4 to 6 tablespoons coarsely ground black pepper

In a small bowl, mix together 2 tablespoons butter and flour; set aside.

In a large frying pan over low heat, melt remaining 1 tablespoon butter. Add onion, carrot, and celery; saute approximately 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Add tomato paste and stir until vegetables are coated. Add wine and boil approximately 3 minutes or until liquid is reduced by half. Add chicken and beef broths; boil approximately 5 minutes or until liquid is reduced to 1 1/4 cups. Remove from heat and strain liquid, discarding solids. Return liquid to pan; add butter/flour mixture and whisk over medium heat about 1 minute or until sauce thickens. Add heavy cream at the very end (do not overheat the cream). Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Preheat oven to 400°F. Bring roast to room temperature before cooking (usually about 20 minutes). Trim the tenderloin of fat.

Pat the beef dry with paper towels. Lightly oil outside of roast and sprinkle with pepper.
Heat a large cast-iron skillet over high heat. Without adding any cooking fat, brown the roast on all sides (approximately 10 minutes). When browned, remove from heat. Place the browned roast and cast-iron pan in the oven and bake, uncovered, until a meat thermometer registers desired temperature (see below).

Rare - 120°F Medium Rare - 125°F Medium - 130°F

Remove from oven and transfer onto a cutting board; cover with a tent of aluminum foil and let stand 15 minutes before carving (meat temperature will rise 5 to 10 degrees after it is removed from the oven).

In the cast-iron frying pan over medium heat, re-warm Pinot Noir Sauce over low heat; mix in any juices from roast.

Cut the roast into 1/2-inch slices and place them on a warm serving platter. To serve, spoon some Pinot Noir Sauce over the meat; pass remaining sauce separately. Serve immediately.

To Brine Your Turkey or Not

That is the question. Some folks say that turkeys don’t need to be brined, but in my opinion a brine can really make a tasty turkey for your holiday dinner.

Brine you may ask? Brining adds moisture and flavor to poultry and helps to keep it from drying out. A turkey can be a serious investment in time so you want to make sure it is perfect, especially if you're entertaining. Whether you grill, smoke, fry, or roast your turkey, you should use a brined bird.

A brine is simply a salt and liquid mixture that adds lots of great flavor and moisture to your bird. There are many recipes out there for the perfect brine, but all do about the same thing. But- there is one step that is a must when brining a bird- you must brine the bird for at least 24 hours. Otherwise the entire brining process just isn’t worth it.

To properly brine a turkey you need to start the night before you plan to cook. You will need at least 10 to 12 hours (plan on 1 hour per pound of turkey), a container large enough to hold your turkey and enough brine to cover it. You'll also need salt, water, sugar, seasonings, and enough room to refrigerate it. A large stainless steel stock pot or even a 5 gallon clean plastic bucket ( or my family has used a clean cooler before) would make excellent containers. Whatever container you choose, the turkey needs to have enough room to be turned so it should be big.

Now let's get to the turkey. The turkey should be cleaned out, completely thawed, and should not be a self-basting or Kosher turkey. Self-basting and Kosher turkeys have a salty stock added that will make your brined turkey too salty. A fresh turkey works best, but a completely thawed, previously frozen turkey will work just as well.

To make the brine
Mix 1 cup of table salt in 1 gallon of water. You will need more than 1 gallon of water but that’s the ratio to aim for. One way of telling if you have enough salt in your brine is that a raw egg will float in it. Make sure that the salt is completely dissolved before adding the seasonings you like, making sure not to add anything that contains salt. Brines can be spicy hot with peppers and cayenne, savory with herbs and garlic, or sweet with molasses, honey and brown sugar.

Sugar is optional to any brine, but works to counteract the flavor of the salt. While you may choose a brine without sugar, I do recommend that you add sugar (any kind of "sweet" will do) to maintain the flavor of the turkey. Add up to 1 cup of sugar per gallon of brine. Like the salt you need to make sure that the sugar is completely dissolved.

Place the turkey in a container and pour in enough brine to completely cover the turkey with an inch or two to spare. You do not want any part of the turkey above the surface of the brine. Now you put the whole thing in the refrigerator. If you are like me, making enough room in the fridge is the hardest part of this project. The turkey should sit in the brine for about 1 hour per pound of turkey. Brining too long is much worse than not brining enough so watch the time.

Don't have room in the refrigerator? Try a cooler. A cooler big enough to hold your turkey makes a good container for your turkey and brine. The cooler will help keep it cool and allow you to brine your turkey without taking up precious refrigerator space. If the weather is cool, but not freezing you can put the whole thing outside until you need the turkey.

When you are ready to start cooking your turkey, remove it from the brine and rinse it off thoroughly in the sink with cold water until all traces of salt are off the surface inside and out. Safely discard the brine and cook your turkey as normal. You will notice the second you start to carve your turkey that the brining has helped it retain moisture. The first bite will sell you on brining turkeys forever, and after you've tried this you will want to brine all your poultry- I promise!

Whether you decide to brine this Thanksgiving or Christmas or not- I wish your family happy holidays and the best to the new year!

A Twist on Lasagna

How about a new turn on your traditional lasagna? I like change, don’t you. Then you will love this Gorgonzola Lasagna recipe.

If you aren’t a fan of gorgonzola cheese though- be ware because the bases for this sauce is the cheese.

Gorgonzola Lasagna
6 lasagna noodles
Gorgonzola Sauce (see recipe below)
Zucchini squash, sliced approximately 1/3" thick for try using butternut squash instead since it’s in season right now
3/4 pound mushrooms, cut into chunks
1 large or 2 medium tomatoes, peeled, seeded and sliced approximately 1/3" thick
Fresh basil leaves, coarsely chopped or torn into strips
8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (for topping)

Preheat oven to 375°F. Cook lasagna noodles according to package directions. Drain and set each noodle flat on paper towels. Do not stack lasagna noodles (they will stick to each other and you cannot separate them).

Use a small baking dish (approximately 9" x 7" x 2 1/2"). Smear a little Gorgonzola Sauce on the bottom of the baking dish.

Layer as follows:
First Layer: lasagna noodles, zucchini or butternut squash, basil, mozzarella cheese, & Gorgonzola Sauce.

Second Layer: lasagna noodles, mushrooms, basil, mozzarella cheese, & Gorgonzola Sauce.

Third Layer: lasagna noodles, sliced tomatoes, basil, and Gorgonzola Sauce; top with parmesan cheese.

Cover dish tightly with foil, (tenting slightly to prevent foil from touching top layer). Bake in middle of oven for 40 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 10 minutes or until top is bubbling. Remove from oven and let stand for 5 minutes before cutting and serving.

Gorgonzola Sauce
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 cup half and half cream
1/4 to 1/2 cup Gorgonzola cheese
Salt and pepper to taste

In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Add flour and blend thoroughly. When perfectly smooth and free from lumps (but not in the least browned), add garlic. Gradually add half and half; reduce heat to low and cook, stirring constantly, until sauce boils. Add gorgonzola cheese (it is difficult to gauge how much to use because the cheese varies in ripeness - use just enough so you can smell the cheese) and stir until well blended. Add salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat.

Spain Here We Come

My husband and I leave tomorrow morning for a long awaited vacation in Spain. A three week vacation to be exact.

Why Spain? Well, as you've probably read on my blog before, my husband's mother was born and raised in Madrid, Spain. She moved over to the US after marrying my husband's father. They live now in Mt. Vernon, MO.

We are traveling over to Spain with my in-laws and will have the opportunity to meet my husband's family in Spain, which will also be their first time he will meet his family in Spain as well.

We are very excited and have been packing for about a week now. My lovely girlfriends are taking care of our "kids" while we are away, as well as watering my gardens and flowers. Thank goodness for great friends.

I will not be posting anything on the blog until June 13, when I return from vacation, so here's a recipe to leave you with.

Simple Marinade

1/4 cup of soy sauce

1/2 cup of water

1 tbs. brown sugar

1/2 garlic clove

1/2 tsp. of ginger

Mix ingredients. Add meat and turn occasionally for best results. Marinade 6 hours in refrigerator. Broil or grill.

Slow Food???

If you aren’t familiar with the Slow Food movement then you should be. This movement has caught on across the nation. The main point of Slow Food is educating people about their food choices. So that people know where their food comes from, how it was produced and supporting local producers.

From the organization’s website:

Living the slow life with food as the focus is as rewarding as it is easy, and it can be done daily by each one of us. Ultimately, it is about pleasure and taste, knowledge and choice. Once we begin to take an interest in the enjoyment of food, and in finding out where our food comes from, we can begin to see the effects of these choices. When we shorten the distance—both literal and figurative—that our food travels to get to us, we are participating in the Slow Food movement. Slow Food is about coming together as a food community—connecting producers and co-producers, coming together on the farm, in the market, and at the table—to create and enjoy food that is good, clean and fair.

Slow Food is also simply about taking the time to slow down and to enjoy life with family and friends. Every day can be enriched by doing something slow - making pasta from scratch one night, seductively squeezing your own orange juice from the fresh fruit, lingering over a glass of wine and a slice of cheese - even deciding to eat lunch sitting down instead of standing up. For example, here in the Slow Food USA office, we take a moment to eat lunch together every day!

If you have some time and you are interested in the organization…I highly
suggest wondering on over to the Slow
Food Blog as well.

This is a recipe I pulled off the Slow Food Kansas City website which ended
up being a great quick meal. This recipe is a spin on one of my favorite foods:
Lasagna.

Mike's Artichoke and Mushroom Lasagna

Filling
2 tablespoons butter
1 pound mushrooms,
sliced
3 garlic cloves, minced
16 oz artichoke hearts, coarsely chopped
1 cup dry vermouth

Béchamel sauce
4 1/2
tablespoons butter
4 1/2 tablespoons all purpose flour
4 1/2 cups of
whole milk
2 1/2 Parmesan Cheese
Ground nutmeg
1 9oz pkg. oven ready
lasagna noodles
1 lb whole milk mozzarella cheese

For filling:
Melt butter in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and garlic; sauté until mushrooms release juices and begin to brown, about 7 minutes. Add artichokes and vermouth. Cook until liquid is absorbed, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

For béchamel sauce:
Melt butter in heavy medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add flour; stir 1 minute. Gradually whisk in milk. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until sauce thickens and lightly coats spoon, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes. Stir in 1 1/2 cups parmesan. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and ground nutmeg.

Spread 2/3 cup béchamel sauce over bottom of 13x9x2 inch glass baking dish. Top with enough
noodles to cover bottom of dish. Spread 1/4 of artichoke mixture over. Spoon 2/3 cup béchamel sauce over. Top béchamel with1/4 mozzarella.

Sprinkle with 3 tablespoons Parmesan. Top with enough noodles to cover. Repeat layering 3 more times, finishing with layer of noodles, then remaining béchamel.

Sprinkle with remaining parmesan. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead.) Cover with foil and refrigerate.

Preheat oven to 350F .Bake Lasagna covered with foil 1 hour (or 1 hour and 15 minutes if chilled). Remove foil. Increase temperature to 450F.Bake lasagna until golden on top, about 10 minutes longer.

Makes 8 servings.

Lemon Roasted Chicken

Many of my friends say they have trouble finding new recipes for cooking chicken, but there are many various ways you can cook chicken. I like to buy chicken whole and bake it in the oven. This best way to cook any roasting chicken in the oven is to marinate the chicken in a marinade for a couple of days before you plan to cook the chicken. This not only enhances the taste, but a salt marinade will tenderize the meat.

I took a recipe from Martha Stewart for a lemon chicken and made a few changes to make this recipe a little more flavor enhanced.

This Lemon Roasted Chicken recipe makes great sandwiches the next days. You can also substitute dried herbs for fresh if fresh is not available.

Lemon Roasted Chicken
* Marinate the chicken for two days for the best flavor and texture.

1/3 cup kosher salt (this is coarse salt)
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 five-pound roasting chicken
Zest of 2 lemons
4 tablespoons lemon juice
1 small clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons dried basil
Salt and pepper
1/4 cup chopped roughly fresh flat-leaf parsley
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
8 fresh, or dried bay leaves
4 lemons, quartered lengthwise, plus 3 lemons halved (optional)

In a small bowl, combine kosher salt and lemon juice. Loosen the skin of the chicken from the flesh. Rub mixture under the skin and in the cavity of the chicken. Place chicken in a large bowl, cover and chill at least 48 hours, turning occasionally.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Rinse all of the salt off the chicken with cold water; pat dry with a paper towel. Set aside.

In a small bowl, combine lemon juice and zest, dried basil, salt and pepper to taste, parsley, garlic and softened butter. Rub two-thirds of the mixture under the chicken's skin; rub the rest on the outside. Salt the cavity of the chicken. Stuff the cavity with the bay leaves and the quartered lemons.

Place chicken in a large roasting pan, breast-side up. Tuck the tips of the wings under the bottom of the bird. Transfer pan to oven. After 40 minutes, baste. If using lemon halves, place in pan, cut side down. Cover chicken with a 14-by-18-inch piece of aluminum foil. Reduce heat to 375 degrees.

Cook, basting occasionally, until the skin is crisp and golden, 40 to 45 minutes more. The juices should run clear when the chicken is pierced; an instant-read thermometer should register 170 degrees in the deepest part of the thigh when done. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Marinades You Can Use

Marinades add flavor and moisture to meat which has had the skin removed. Try these wonderful but simple marinades with any poultry. Simple marinate at least 1 hour, then grill or broil for 5 to 7 minutes per side.

(All recipes from the St. Louis Herb Society Cookbook)

Garlic Marinade
½ c. dry white wine
¼ c. vegetable oil
1 clove of garlic
½ tsp. herbs of choice

Basic Herb and Mustard Marinade
½ c. Dijon mustard
¼ c. vegetable oil
¼ c. lemon juice
½ tsp. dried dill weed

Orange Marinade
1 c. Dijon mustard
1 c. orange marmalade
1/3 c. honey
1 T. lemon juice
1 T. curry powder

Recipes from AgriMissouri

If you are like me and like to incorporate Missouri products within your cooking you need to log on to the AgriMissouri site. The site is full of recipes, Missouri made products and the locations of restaurants using local foods across the state.

This is a recipe I tried recently and really enjoyed. (You can purchase Grandma's Cool & Zesty Dressing in many grocery stores.)

Jennifer’s “Scandalous” Baked Shrimp
4-5 pounds raw, large shrimp (16-20 count)
2 cups real butter
1 tablespoon of fresh, cracked pepper
4 large cloves of garlic, minced
1 cup freshly-squeezed lemon juice
1 14 oz bottle of Grandma’s Cool & Zesty Dressing
1-2 loaves of crusty French bread

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place shrimp in a large roasting pan. Melt butter in a saucepan. Stir in pepper, garlic, lemon juice and Grandma’s Cool & Zesty Original Dressing. Pour this mixture over the shrimp and bake, covered for 30-45 minutes.Stir every 15-20 minutes. To serve, ladle shrimp and sauce into large, individual bowls. Serve with French bread to dip into “zesty” sauce.This recipe serves approximately eight people.

To serve four, simply use half of the ingredients.

For more recipes, visit the Cool & Zesty Web site at www.cool-zesty.com.

Spaghetti with Roasted Eggplant and Cherry Tomatoes

Pasta is one of my favorite foods because it is so diverse. You can make a cream sauce or a butter and garlic sauce and toss it was some pasta and add some grilled veggies and you have a simple meal.

This is an easy meal from the Food Network’s Tyler Florence that is perfect for a weeknight menu.

Spaghetti with Roasted Eggplant and Cherry Tomatoes Recipe courtesy Tyler Florence

Tomato Sauce:

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 onion, chopped

5 garlic cloves, minced

2 cans (28-ounce) whole, peeled tomatoes, drained

Handful fresh basil leaves, torn

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 small (3/4 pound) eggplants, stemmed but not peeled

2 to 3 garlic cloves, chopped

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Extra-virgin olive oil

1 pound dried spaghetti

1 pint cherry tomatoes, stemmed

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Handful fresh basil leaves, torn

First, make the tomato sauce: Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring, for 7 to 10 minutes until the vegetables are soft but not browned. Add the tomatoes, crushing them in your hand to break them up. Add the basil and season with salt and pepper. Cook until the sauce is reduced and thickened, about 10 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Cut the eggplants crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick rounds and put them in a large bowl. Add the garlic, salt, and pepper, and drizzle generously with olive oil. Toss to coat, drizzling in more oil if you needed. Arrange the slices in a single layer on a baking sheet and roast 20 minutes until eggplants are very tender.

While the eggplants are roasting, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the pasta. About 5 minutes before the eggplants are done, drop the pasta into the boiling water and cook until al dente, 6 to 8 minutes. Drain. Bring the tomato sauce to a simmer and pour it into a large pasta bowl. Add the drained spaghetti and stir to coat with the sauce. Fold in the eggplants and the cherry tomatoes. Add the cheese and basil, and another drizzle of oil, and toss gently. Serve immediately and pass extra cheese at the table.

Lane’s Roasted Pork Loin with Asparagus in a Vinaigrette Sauce

I like to experiment in my kitchen and last week was an experiment.

I wanted to make a nice dinner…I had cut out a recipe for a pork loin and asparagus with a vinaigrette and had all the ingredients ready, but then I started looking at the recipe and it just didn’t sound like a winner to me. So, I decided to do an experiment.

I know how to make a vinaigrette, therefore I just made my own little recipe. I also seasoned the pork loin the way I like too and I came up with this recipe.

Lane’s Roasted Pork Loin with Asparagus in a Vinaigrette Sauce

3-4 lb. pork loin
Kosher salt
Pepper
Italian seasonings
Garlic powder
1 lb. asparagus

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Wash and pat dry the pork loin. Lay on plate and generously sprinkle seasonings over one side of meat and rub into the loin well. Turn loin over and sprinkle other side with seasonings and rub the seasonings into the loin. (Be sure not to be bashful with covering the loin in garlic powder and Italian seasonings)

Place loin on a roasting rack and place in over. Cook for 30 minutes per pound. The loin will be done when the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees F. Be sure to let the meat rest for at least 10 minutes before slicing so the juices can redistribute throughout.

While the meat is resting preheat oven to 400 degrees. Trim asparagus and place in shallow bowl. Place ¼ cup olive oil, sprinkle some kosher salt and crushed black pepper in bowl and toss.

Place asparagus on baking sheet that has been covered in alumni foil. Roast asparagus for about 8 minutes.

Drizzle sliced pork and asparagus with a Dijon Vinaigrette Sauce.

Dijon Vinaigrette Sauce
1/3 c red wine vinegar
2/3 c olive oil
1 clove minced garlic
1 T. minced parsley
1 T. Dijon mustard
1 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp black pepper

Mojo Beef Kabobs

I thought with this great summer weather that grilling out tonight might be a great option for tonight's dinner plans.

I've cooked this recipe many times and it always comes out just right!

If you have never been on some of the state or national livestock association's websites...now is you time to check them out.These websites, such as Missouri Beef Industry Council, National Pork Board and a number of other ag groups provide cooking tips and recipes for delicious meals that help promote their products.

I've found a lot of great recipes for beef, pork, poultry and even lamb on a variety of ag groups websites.Don't be afraid to wonder into the unknown either...if you have never been on these type of websites before now is your chance. A good list of a variety of ag groups can be found on the Brownfield website.

The following recipe and grilling tips come from the Missouri Beef Industry Council's site.

Mojo Beef Kabobs
As seen in The Healthy Beef Cookbook

1 pound boneless beef top sirloin steak, cut 1 inch thick
1 tsp coarse-grind black pepper
1 large lime, cut into 8 wedges
1 small red onion, cut into 8 thin wedges
1 container grape or cherry tomatoes (about 10 ounces)

Mojo Sauce Ingredients
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
3 tbsp finely chopped fresh oregano
3 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp minced garlic

Whisk Mojo Sauce ingredient in small bowl. Set aside.

Cut beef steak into 1-1/4 inch pieces; season with pepper.Alternately thread beef with lime and onion wedges evenly onto four 12-inch metal skewers. Thread tomatoes onto four 12-inch skewers.Place kabobs on grill over medium heat. Grill tomato kabobs, uncovered, about 2 to 4 minutes or until slightly softened, turning occasionally. Grill beef kabobs, uncovered, about 8 to 10 minutes for medium rare to medium doneness, turning occasionally.

Serve kabobs with drizzled sauce.TipIf using bamboo skewers, soak them in water for 10 minutes prior to grilling.

Buttermilk Pound Cake with Fresh Strawberries and Whipped Cream

How good does this cake sound!

This is one of my favorite desserts to make during the summer because the fresh strawberries. The berries really bring out the goodness in this cake.

I like to make this cake the night before, so it will be even more moist the next day. The buttermilk gives the cake a tangy and fun taste and texture also.

This dessert is sure to be on the table’s of many summer bbq’s this year!

Buttermilk Pound Cake with Fresh Strawberries and Whipped Cream
by Paula Deen

3 C. flour
½ tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
2 sticks butter, softened
½ C. vegetable shortening (oil)
3 C. sugar
5 eggs
1 C. buttermilk
1 T. vanilla

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour 10 inch bundt pan.

Sift flour, soda, baking soda, and salt and set aside.

Cream butter, sugar and oil with mixer till fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each egg. Add dry ingredients and buttermilk alternately to butter mixture, ending and beginning with the flour mixture. Add vanilla and mix.

Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for 1 hour and 30 minutes or until cake is done. (Cake will pull away from the sides of the pan when ready). Let cake cool for 10 minutes, then invert onto a cake plate.

Serve slices with drizzled strawberries and whipped cream.

Fresh Strawberry Topping
½ C. sugar
2 pint strawberries, sliced thin and hulled

Dissolve sugar in 1/3 C. warm water, add to strawberries in a medium bowl and toss and smash berries a little. Let stand for 1 hour. The berries will make their own juices.

Whipped Cream
1 C. whipping cream
½ C. sugar

Beat together until stiff with mixer.

Roman Style Chicken

I have been watching a lot of Everyday Italian on the Food Network lately because of Giada’s wonderful recipes and I came across this hearty dish about a month ago.

Roman Style Chicken is full of many of my favorite things…tomatoes, prosciutto, garlic, capers and lots of wonderful herbs.

Try serving this the next day over a bed of angle hair pasta. Also, this recipe calls for white wine. When cooking with wine it's a good rule of thumb to only use wine you would want to drink. If you don't like the taste of the wine, you won't like it in your cooking either.

I’ve been asked a lot of questions lately about many of my recipes that include what some call “out of the ordinary ingredients.” So, I’m going to include the description of some of the ingredients that might be called in to question.

Prosciutto: is the Italian word for ham, used in English to refer to dry-cured ham. You can find prosciutto in the deli isle in your local grocery store.

Capers: is a biennial spiny shrub that bears rounded, rather fleshy leaves and big white to pinkish-white flowers. A caper is also the pickled bud of this plant. The bush is native to the Mediterranean region, growing wild on walls or in rocky coastal areas throughout. The plant is best known for the edible bud and fruit which are usually consumed pickled.

Roman Style Chicken
By Giada De Laurentiis, Food Network

4 skinless chicken breast halves, with ribs
2 skinless chicken thighs, with bones
1/2 teaspoon salt, plus 1 teaspoon
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus 1 teaspoon
1/4 cup olive oil 1 red bell pepper, sliced
1 yellow bell pepper, sliced
3 ounces prosciutto, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1/2 cup white wine
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
1 teaspoon fresh oregano leaves
1/2 cup chicken stock
2 tablespoons capers
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves

Season the chicken with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. In a heavy, large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. When the oil is hot, cook the chicken until browned on both sides. Remove from the pan and set aside.

Keeping the same pan over medium heat, add the peppers and prosciutto and cook until the peppers have browned and the prosciutto is crisp, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, wine, and herbs. Using a wooden spoon, scrape the browned bits off the bottom of the pan. Return the chicken to the pan, add the stock, and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the chicken is cooked through, about 20 to 30 minutes.

If serving immediately, add the capers and the parsley. Stir to combine and serve. If making ahead of time, transfer the chicken and sauce to a storage container, cool, and refrigerate. The next day, reheat the chicken to a simmer over medium heat. Stir in the capers and the parsley and serve.

Something for Friday

My friend Sarah and her husband Matt will celebrate their 1 year wedding anniversary this Sunday. I want to say “Congrats” and “Best Wishes to Your Future.”

Here is some marriage advice that I have:

Top 10 Most Important Things in a Marriage
10. Patience
9. Kindness
8. Patience
7. Communication
6. Patience
5. Caring
4. Patience
3. Patience
2. Love
1. Patience

Marriage is not mind reading, so ask your spouse what he/she wants and believe what he/she says.

You are two imperfect people making an imperfect union, and that’s wonderful.

Remember to laugh together and love always. I have found that during some disagreements it’s better to just crack a joke and try to make each other laugh then to keep going at it back and forth. Jokes break-up the arguments and you both usually realize how stupid you are for arguing about nothing.

The following so called marriage sayings are SO WRONG!
Love means never having to say you’re sorry.”Oh, please! In marriage, love sometimes means having to say you’re sorry even if you don’t know what you did or you didn’t mean to do it.”

Always keep the peace.”No, no, no. If you don’t face a hot issue head-on, you’ll stockpile negative feelings. And before you know it, 20 years go by and you’re still fighting over the same thing because you never resolved it in the first place.”

Anyways back to a recipe...Sarah had a great recipe the other day for Cashew Chicken on her site that I had to share because it seems so simple, but so good.

Enjoy the beautiful weather this weekend! Spring has finally sprung!

In Sarah's words...

Here’s my strategy for preparing this meal..... I usually get the chicken into the first round of flour before heating the oil. I get the rice measured out and into the microwave, and then begin frying the first round. Once the second round of chicken is in the pan, I work on the sauce.

By the time it’s ready to be removed from the heat, the chicken is ready to be turned and almost done. If you follow these steps for preparation and do clean-up as you go along, the timing is usually about perfect! By the way, this recipe re-heats very well….and I don’t usually care for re-heated meals.

Cashew Chicken
By Debbie

Chicken2-4 chicken breasts, thawed and cut into bite sized pieces
1 cup flour
½ c milk
1 egg
Oil for frying

Coat chicken in the flour and let sit for 10 minutes. Heat oil in a large skillet (Med High to High). Mix the milk and egg together in a small bowl. Dip the pieces of chicken in the milk mixture and then back into the flour. Place chicken in one layer in the skillet and fry until browned. Remove to a plate lined with paper towels and lightly salt. Continue until all the chicken is fried.

Sauce
2 cups of water
4 chicken bouillon cubes
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp sugar
¼ tsp salt (I omit usually)
2 tbsp cornstarch mixed in 1 c of cold water

Bring the water, bouillon, soy sauce, sugar and salt to a light boil. Add cornstarch mixture and stir constantly until thickened. Remove from heat.

To serve: Serve over a bed of rice and top the chicken with the sauce, some diced green onions or chives and cashews.

Cooking Up Okra

If there is one thing a southern girl knows it’s good fried okra.

As a kid my brothers and I could be found most summers in my parent’s huge garden picking produce, mulching and helping gather peas, okra, corn and whatever else my parents needed help with.

I laugh when I look back of photos my mother shot of me in the garden. Usually I could be found barefoot, wearing this little blue summer dress my Grandmother Baldwin had given me and my mother’s straw gardening hat. I loved feeling the dirt between my toes and running through the sprinklers that were set up all throughout the garden.

I was reminder of these wonderful garden memories the other day when I was watching an episode of Paula’s Home Cooking where Paula was frying up a batch of Cajun fried okra (one of my favorite comfort foods).

Her recipe reminder me of when I was a little girl helping my mother fry up a batch of freshly picked okra for the boys in our family. My mother always used buttermilk and Cajun seasonings for her own fried okra and it was delicious every time. But, she always served fried okra with a homemade ranch dipping sauce. Paula, however, serves her okra with a Creamy Chili Sauce.

Thanks Paula for another wonderful southern fried recipe.

(Photo from Food Network)

Cajun Fried Okra
By Paula Deen

6 cups oil, for frying
1/2 cup cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons House Seasoning
1/4 teaspoon Cajun spice
2 pounds fresh okra, sliced, 1/2-inch thick
1/2 cup buttermilk Creamy Chili Sauce, recipe follows

Heat oil in a large, heavy-bottomed skillet or Dutch oven to 350 degrees F. (You may not need to use this much oil; do not fill the pan more than halfway up the sides with oil.)

In a medium bowl, combine cornmeal, flour, House Seasoning, and Cajun spice. Dip okra in buttermilk and then dredge in cornmeal-flour mixture to coat well. Carefully add okra to the hot oil and cook until golden brown. (It may be necessary to fry the okra in batches.) Remove from oil, drain on paper towels, and then serve immediately.

Creamy Chili Sauce:

1 cup mayonnaise

3 tablespoons Thai sweet chili sauce

1 tablespoon garlic chili pepper sauce

1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper

In a small bowl, combine all ingredients, stirring well. Cover and chill.

Shrimp and Lemon Spaghetti

Two of my favorite foods: Pasta and seafood.

One day while exercising I was watching the Food Network (yes I watch the Food Network while I work out…silly I know) and Rachel Ray was on. Now, I’m not a huge RR fan, but she was making lemon spaghetti….”Hum, very interesting” I thought. I just had to try it.

One thing that goes great with any type of seafood is lemon. So, I thought I would try making the dish and topping it with shrimp scampi.

My recipe is different in some ways to RR, mainly in the way it is cooked. This spaghetti is like an Alfredo sauce, infused with lemon. It’s very fresh and tasty. I started adding some bell peppers to the dish also, mainly for some more color.

This is one of my absolute favorite meals I make for my husband and I.

Shrimp Scampi & Lemon Spaghetti
by Lane

Salt
1 pound spaghetti
4 T. butter
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped or just use garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 lemons, juiced and zested or 4 T. lemon juice
3/4 cup heavy cream
1 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano
Parsley and basil flakes, ½ tsp of each

Bring your pasta to a boil and be sure to salt it. Cook according to directions.
In another pot melt butter, garlic and red pepper flakes. After the pasta has boil for about 8 minutes add a cup of the water from the pasta water to the butter mixture. Add cream and lemon juice and season with all seasonings (to suit your own taste). Remove from heat and add cheese and toss mixture with the drained pasta. Let the pasta and sauce sit, tossing occasionally.

While sauce is setting….cook your shrimp.

Shrimp Scampi

1 pound raw shrimp, shells and tails removed.
1 T. parsley
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. garlic powder
3 T. butter
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced

Heat large skillet and belt the butter. Add shrimp, peppers and season with seasonings. Cook and toss shrimp around to coat with butter. Cook until shrimp are pink. DO NOT OVERCOOK SHRIMP.

Remove and drain excess butter from shrimp.

Give pasta one more last toss and plate some and top it with some shrimp.

Serve with crusty French bread and salad. Makes great leftovers!

Let's Get Shrimpen'

I have something to share that is so yummy today it’ll make your head spin!

I’ll tell you there is some shrimp, some crab meant and some butter and cheese…but there is also wine and milk…..Mix it all together and you have one great casserole from Ms. Paula herself.

My company’s annual St. Pat’s Potluck is coming up the end of the week and this is a perfect dish to serve, being it’s Lent and all.

Try serving this with some rolls and a salad. Easy and quick meal when you are on the go, but makes the best leftovers to enjoy the next couple of days!

TIP: DO NOT OVERCOOK THE SHRIMP. Many people overcook shrimp. It is very important you do not in this recipe because the shrimp are going to cook in the oven also.

[Photo from Food Network]

Shrimp and Crab Au Gratin
From Paula Deen

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole milk
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 lemon, juiced
Salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 pound small or medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 pound claw crabmeat, picked through for shells
1 1/2 cups grated sharp Cheddar

Melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over very low heat. When the butter is completely melted, stir in the flour with a wooden spoon. Cook for about 1 minute over low heat, stirring constantly. Slowly add the milk. Using a whisk, stir briskly until you have a smooth sauce, about 2 minutes. Add the wine, lemon juice, salt, black pepper, and cayenne and whisk again. Switch to the wooden spoon and keep stirring the white sauce until it is completely smooth and thickened, about the consistency of mayonnaise. Remove from the heat.

Bring 2 cups water and 1/2 teaspoon salt to a boil in a medium saucepan and add the shrimp. When the water returns to a boil, cook the shrimp for 1 minute. Drain immediately. Roughly chop the shrimp and put in a large mixing bowl. Add the crabmeat and, with your hands, toss gently to mix.

Pour the sauce over the seafood. With a large spoon, gently combine, taking care not to break apart the crabmeat. Top with cheese.

Grease 11 by 7 casserole dish. Bake in a preheated 350 degrees F oven for about 25 to 30 minutes, until bubbly. If serving immediately, bake in a 350 degree F oven uncovered, for about 25 minutes, until bubbly.