Strawberry Angel Food Cake for a crowd ( serves 25) !

 This is the cake that makes enough for 25 people & it is GREAT for large events! Take one to a pot luck dinner or any picnic & you will have an empty pan to take home!

                                               

This is the cake recipe cut in 1/2 and as you can see it makes an impressive dessert too! JUST EYE POPPING & DELICIOUS!







2 Boxes of  Duncan Hines Angel Food cake mix
red food coloring as desired.
1 Large DEEP aluminum pan
Prepare 1 box of cake mix as directed. Pour into pan. Mix 2nd box mix but add as much of the red food coloring as you like to get as pink or red as you wish. Pour this batter over first batter & then marble the pink batter through the white batter. even the batter & bake cake according to package directions.

 GLAZE
3 quarts of strawberries
2 bags of frozen strawberries
3 cups water
1 cup sugar ( for glaze)
3 Heaping TBS cornstarch
1/3 cup cold water
1 tsp lemon juice
dash of salt
red food coloring as needed.
Clean & slice fresh berries but keep out 3 of the prettiest berries to decorate the top of the cake. Place frozen berries in large saucepan with the water & lemon juice. Bring to a simmer & add the sugar. Stir & cook until sugar is dissolved. Stir cornstarch into 1/3 cup of cold water until smooth. Stir into bubbling berry mixture. Add the dash of salt. Stir until thick & bubbling. If you need more cornstarch mixture add more but always stir it in cold water first so you do not get lumps. It depends on the berries & how juicy or not juicy they are as to if you need more thickening or not. This will get thicker as it cools but it should not be runny. Now stir in enough red food coloring so you have a nice strawberry red color. Cook until the glaze has a clear look & no longer cloudy. Remove from heat. You will now need to sieve the berries from the glaze. Place a fine colander or a sieve if you have one over a large bowl & let the glaze drip through. Discard the berries from the glaze. Now stir the fresh prepared berries into the glaze. Chill well. Once the cake is cool & glaze is chilled you may prepare the frosting. I WILL GIVE YOU A LITTLE SECRET HERE! IF YOU DO NOT HAVE TIME FOR MAKING THIS WONDERFUL GLAZE & I PREFER IT OVER ANY THING ELSE, just buy a tub of store bought strawberry glaze usually found in the chilled section of your supermarket produce section. Use it just as if you had made the glaze. The taste will not be as wonderful BUT still a superb dessert!

7 MINUTE FROSTING
2 cups granulated sugar
2/3 cup water
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
4 unbeaten egg whites
dash of salt
1 tsp real vanilla
Combine sugar, water, cream of tartar & salt in sauce pan. Bring to a boil stirring the whole time. Once boiling & sugar is dissolved, SLOWLY pour over the egg whites that are in a LARGE DEEP bowl. Beat on medium low until all the sugar syrup is poured & then beat on high until frosting is glossy & stiff peaks form, this takes about 7 minutes. Beat in vanilla.

NOW spoon berries in glaze over cake surface. Spoon frosting over berries , swirling the top for decoration. Place the 3 pretty berries in center of cake & you have a DELICIOUS REFRESHING & VERY PRETTY cake for a crowd. You may EASILY cut this recipe in 1/2 & make one angel food cake as you normally would in a tube pan. Fill center hole with the berries in glaze & top cake with frosting. Just cut all ingredients in 1/2 in each step!  

                                                                         

Crispy Dill Pickles Easy Refrigerator Style

7 Pickling Cucumbers Fresh Picked if possible
20 fresh dill sprigs ( I would use 30)
6 garlic cloves thickly sliced
1 & 1/2 Quarts water
2 cups white vinegar
1/2 cup + 2 heaping tablespoons sugar
1/3 cup coarse sea salt
2 TBS pickling spice
3 dashes of red pepper flakes ( Optional)
Slice each cucumbers into 6 spears. In a large glass bowl combine cucumber spears, garlic & dill. In a large cooking pot mix water, vinegar, sugar, salt & pickling spice. Bring to a boil stirring until sugar & salt are dissolved. Pour over your cucumber mixture. Cover or put into a large glass jar with a lid & refrigerate at least 24 hours. This is a variation of Simple & Delicious Easy Refrigerator Pickles. These pickles taste like Clausen Pickles.                                                  

3 Cheese Baked Mac & Cheese

            In this version I used traditional elbow macaroni! Both types of noodles work equally well!                                                                                 

1 Box Rotini Pasta cooked till almost done ( leave al dente so when you bake they hold up)
4 TBS butter
4 TBS flour
5 cups milk
4 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup cottage cheese small curd
8 oz. cream cheese
1 tsp salt

Dash of red pepper
Dash of nutmeg
1 cup bread crumbs
1 TBS. chopped parsley flakes
                                                                        

                                                                            

Grease large casserole dish & preheat oven to 350 degrees. In large heavy saucepan melt butter. Stir in flour whisk well. Slowly stir in milk & cook until thick & bubbly. Add cheeses & continue to stir & cook until cheeses are melted & you have a thick cheese sauce. Take of heat & stir in noodles that you cooked & drained. Add red pepper, salt if needed & nutmeg. Pour into the casserole dish. Mix bread crumbs with parsley & sprinkle them over your casserole.  Dot the top with more butter. Bake for 45 minutes or until browned & bubbly . SO DELICIOUS warm & gooey. You may add chopped up white chicken uncooked or ham or peas or shrimp or crab or ...... etc. You get the idea this has no end to it's variety.

                                                                                 

Fresh Blueberry & Flax Pancakes

1 cup flour
2 HEAPING TBS milled Flax ( may choose to use flour only, then use 1 & 1/4 cup flour)
1 TBS baking powder
1 TBS sugar
1/2 tsp. salt                   
1 tsp. cinnamon             
1 beaten egg                 
1 cup milk
2 TBS vegetable oil      
1 pint fresh blueberries
Toppings, whipped cream, fresh blueberries or pancake syrup

Stir together all dry ingredients. Mix wet ingredients together then add all at once to dry. Stir together just until combined. Heat griddle or frying pan that is sprayed with cooking spray or coated with vegetable oil. Once pan is hot add 2 heaping TBS of batter per pancake. Sprinkle top of batter with lots of fresh berries. Once pancake has puffed up & you see bubbles on the top of the pancake flip & cook until puffy & crispy brown. Plate up & top with your favorite topping ! Serves 4 people easily ! ENJOY that FRESH summer FRUIT! You may substitute blueberries with any fruit

                   As you can see my son Jay chose Syrup & berries for topping !

                                                                          

Canning

Funny how canning is such a mystery for people. Ive been canning for almost 27 years & NEVER had any trouble! It is such an easy process as long as you follow the steps! I've canned fruit, vegetables including home made sauerkraut, which is a process all by itself! But jam is the one I love to make the most. Such a great way to save the taste of summer in a jar. Jam is always welcome as a gift & a must on our holiday tables. My next venture will be home made Dill Pickles from cukes that my daughter is growing her garden. I must admit I never tried these before & yet Dill Pickles are one of our favorites and there is always a jar in my frig. So why didn't I try "doing up" as canning is referred to here in Dutch Country? I have no idea but I can't wait for those cukes to grow so I can do up a batch! Anybody have a favorite pickle recipe ? I would LOVE ONE !
                                                                              

Fresh Home Canned Blueberry Jam

3 Pints Fresh Blueberries washed & Stemmed
4 cups sugar
1 box Sure Jell Fruit Pectin
6 Pint Jars
6 Canning Lids & Rings
1 Canner with Rack & Lid
To start wash berries remove stems & crush with potato masher. I like large pieces of fruit in my jam so I leave it chunky with fruit. If you like smoother jam just crush as you wish. Place jars, lids & rings in dishwasher & run on wash so jars are clean & hot when you are ready to fill. While jars are rinsing place berries in large heavy cooking pot & stir in the box of Sure Jell. Bring to a full rolling boil, a boil that does not stir down. Dump in all the sugar & continue to stir & cook back to a full rolling boil. Scrape sides often so all sugar & Sure Jell are combined in the jam. Once back to a full rolling boil time for 1 minute but KEEP stirring jam. After 1 minute remove from heat & skim off any foam. Go ahead & taste it it IS YUMMY ! Remove jars that are hot but clean along with  lids & rings. Dry any water still in jars be careful they are hot & they need to be hot!. Fill canner half full with hot water place rack in canner to hold jars in place. Heat on high. Meanwhile go back to the jam & jars. Using a funnel ladle hot jam into hot jars filling up to 1/8 inch of the top of the jar. Wipe of rim of each jar as you fill it & wipe lid dry then place on jar. Screw on dry hot ring. Continue until all jars are filled. CAREFULLY lower each jar into canner. I have canning tongs & they are THE BEST tool for the job. Bring canner up to a full hard boil, cover canner with lid & time the boil for 10 minutes. Carefully remove each jar placing on a flat dry towel. Let sit for 24 hours. Listen for each PING as the jars seal. LOVE THAT PING !!! If any jar does not seal eat right away & it will keep in the frig. Sealed jars are shelf stable & make GREAT GIFTS ! This recipe never fails it always jells!


                                                                   

America's Test Kitchen Best Chewy Chocolate Brownies

     
1/3 cup cocoa ( I used Hersheys Dark Cacao)
1&1/2 tsp espresso powder
1/2 cup + 2TBS boiling water
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate bar chopped small
WHISK all of the above together with whisk in large mixing bowl. BEST PART about this recipe besides GREAT brownies is you do NOT use a mixer!
1/2 stick melted butter
Whisk butter into chocolate mixture until combined
1/2 cup oil + 2 TBS whisk into above
2 Lrg. eggs + 2 Lrg yolks
Whisk eggs into batter
2 tsp vanilla
Whisk into batter
2 & 1/2 cup sugar
Whisk into batter
Sift together 1&3/4 cup flour & 3/4 tsp salt
FOLD with spatula into batter fold well until all flour is combined into batter scrape sides of bowl too!
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate cut into 1/2 inch pieces. Fold chocolate into batter.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.Place oven rack in lowest setting in your oven. Take a 9x13 pan. Make a foil sling lining bottom of pan with foil then lining sides so you have foil rising up from sides so you can lift brownies from pan once baked. Spray well with baking spray. Smooth batter into pans. Bake 30 to 35 minutes testing with wooden toothpick. Batter should leave crumbs & melted chocolate on pick but batter should be done. Remove from oven & let cool on wire baking rack 1 & 1/2 hours.Remove from pan using foil sling. I then frosted brownies & cut into bars. Glass pan let cool ten minutes & then lift brownies out of pan using your foil sling . Let them finish cooling & then cut. These are super with or without frosting but I frosted them because I LOVE FROSTING! I used my chocolate frosting recipe from this Blog!

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Vidalia Onion Sandwich Topper

1 Large Vidalia Onion Sliced
1/2 stick butter
1/4 cup Balsamic Vinegar
1 TBS. Yellow Mustard
1 TBS Honey
1 TBS BBQ Sauce
1/2 tsp. Salt
1/2 tsp Ginger Powder
Place all ingredients in heavy sauce pan & cook stirring over medium high heat until onion is tender. If using with 48 hour marinated pork add the onion slices from the marinade & cook along with above ingredients. Serve hot over the pork, burgers, hotdogs or serve with any grilled meats. WONDERFUL !

                                                                               

48 hour Marinated slow grilled Pork Picnic Roast

1, 4lb Pork Picnic Roast
3/4 cup Olive Oil
1/2 cup Balsamic Vinegar 
3 TBS Honey
3 Cloves Garlic Minced
3 TBS. Yellow Mustard
1 tsp. Ginger powder
3 TBS BBQ Sauce
1 tsp Salt
1 TBS. Lemon Juice
2 TBS Parsley Flakes
2 TBS. Worcestershire Sauce
1 Vidalia Onion Sliced
Stir all above ingredients together in large container that has a lid. Place Pork Roast in container & flip to coat with marinade. Refrigerate up to 24 hours.
On gas grill turn on 1 side of grill to lowest heat. Take roast out of marinade & remove rope netting. Skewer roast so it holds together. Place on UNHEATED side of grill & brush liberally with marinade. Close grill lid & let cook one hour basting with marinade on the 1/2 hour. After first hour flip roast so bottom of roast is now the top. Repeat last hour procedure. On the 3 rd last hour turn heat on the one side up to medium heat flip roast again & baste on the 1/2 hour. Remove from grill & slice thin serving on sandwich buns topped with Vidalia Onion Sandwich Topper. See Blog for recipe


                                                                       

Red, White & Blue Cake Roll

 TOPPINGS NEEDED: Whipped Cream & Strawberry Ice Cream Topping



Blueberry Filling                   
2 pints fresh blueberries
2 cups water
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp lemon juice
dash of salt
2 TBS cornstarch stirred into 1/2 cup cold water
Place first five ingredients in heavy saucepan & bring to a boil. Stir & cook about 3 minutes. Stir in the cornstarch solution & cook until thick . Remove from heat & chill. OR use 1 can blueberry pie filling but I like using fresh blueberries in berry season!
OR just use your Home Made Blueberry Jam (recipe on this blog) as this is a typical Jelly Roll Cake!
CAKE BATTER
3 eggs
1 cup sugar
3 TBS. milk
1 & 1/4 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 & 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp almond flavoring
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Beat eggs till thick . Beat in sugar till thick & nice batter consistency. Add liquids & beat. Stir all dry ingredients together & fold into batter with a whisk. Cover your jelly roll pan or cookie sheet with edges, with parchment paper. Pour batter into pan & even out with spatula. Bake 10 to 15 minutes BUT DO NOT OVER BAKE . While cake is baking use a clean towel & cover surface with a coating of powdered sugar. As soon as cake is done dump out onto towel. CAREFULLY peel of parchment paper & then roll cake up into towel so you have a long roll. Let cool rolled up on a cake rack. Once cool unroll onto a long pan & spread with chilled blueberry filling. Roll back into the long roll & cover roll with plastic wrap to keep surface from drying out. Keep chilled until ready to serve.

TO SERVE
Cut a nice thick slice from cake roll & lay on plate cut side down so you can see the swirl of blueberries. Scoop one nice dip of vanilla ice cream just off center of cake slice. Spoon a tablespoon of Strawberry Ice Cream Topping on the ice cream . Top with whipped cream & serve ! Serves 8