Key Lime Mousse Pie

Ingredients

Crust:
2 cups crushed graham crackers
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted

Filling:
6 tablespoons fresh key lime juice
1 1/4 ounces (1 envelope) package unflavored gelatin
2 1/2 cups heavy cream, divided
10 (1-ounce) squares white chocolate, chopped
3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons lime zest
1 1/2 ounces white chocolate, grated or shaved into curls, for garni

Directions

Crust:

Mix together the cracker crumbs, sugar, and butter. Press the mixture into the bottom and 1-inch up the sides of a 10-inch springform pan. Set aside.

Filling:

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, add the lime juice. Whisk in the gelatin and 1/2 cup of the heavy cream and bring to a simmer. Remove the pan from the heat. Add 10 ounces of white chocolate and stir until smooth. Allow to cool.

Using an electric mixer, blend together the cream cheese, sugar and lime zest in a medium bowl, until smooth. Slowly beat in the cooled white chocolate mixture into cream cheese mixture.

Using clean, dry beaters, beat the remaining 2-cups heavy cream in a small bowl, until it forms soft peaks. Fold it into the white chocolate mixture and pour into the pie crust. Cover and freeze overnight.

Remove from freezer and let thaw for about an hour, run a sharp knife around inside of springform pan to help loosen the pie. Release springform ring from the bottom of the pan and transfer the pie to a serving plate. Grate or curl the white chocolate over the top and garnish with candied lime peel. Cut into wedges with a knife that has been dipped into hot water and serve.

Thai Lime Coconut Soup

Thai Lime Coconut Soup

Serves 2

2 stalks lemongrass

2 T olive oil

1 C chopped onion

1 T fresh ginger, minced

2 red Thai chilies or red jalapenos, sliced into ultra thin rings

1 can chicken broth (2 cups)

1 C unsweetened coconut milk (2 cups)

4 kaffir lime leaves (or zest of 1 lime)

2 T fish sauce

2 T fresh lime juice

3 T cilantro leaves, chopped

1 t sugar

2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into thin bite-sized strips or nuggets

Peel off the tough outer layers of the lemongrass and roughly mince the softer inners.

Heat oil in a large soup pot and add onion and ginger. Cook a couple minutes until the onion softens. Add chilis and lemongrass; stir a minute. Add broth and sake; simmer 5 minutes. Add cocnut milk, lime leaves (or zest) fish sauce, cilantro, lime juice and sugar; simmer 30 minutes.

Add chicken and simmer until cooked through, about 10-12 minutes.

Blue Coconut Macarons with French Buttercream

Ingredients:
3 egg whites, aged*
5 tbsp granulated sugar
2/3 cup almond flour
1 1/2 cups confectioners sugar
1/2 tsp coconut extract
1/2 tsp rum extract
8 drops of neon blue food coloring


Method:


In a food processor, process almond flour and confectioners sugar until well mixed. Sift the mixture through sieve, and divide in half.

In a medium sized mixing bowl, whip egg whites until foamy.

While beating on high, slowly add sugar. When soft peaks form, add extracts and food coloring if desired.

Beat until stiff peaks,has a glossy texture, and mixture doesn't drip from the beaters.

Into the whipped merengue, fold in the first half of the almond mixture. When just blended, add additional dry mixture, folding until mixture is blended.

Be careful not to over-mix!

Place mixture in a piping bag fitted with round tip.

On to a parchment lined baking sheet, pipe in small circles, about the size of a quarter; leaving room for the batter to spread.

Rap sheet firmly against the counter, or flat surface. This helps the macaron to get it's pied shape.

Before baking, let batter dry, uncovered for 30 minutes.

Heat oven to 300. Bake for 15-17 minutes. Cool completely.

Pipe a small amount of french buttercream on flat side of macaron, top with other half making a sandwich. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Makes about 2 1/2 dozen filled macarons.

* Aged egg whites: Covered and set at room temperature overnight.

Coconut French Buttercream Filling

Ingredients:
•3 eggs
•2/3 cup granulated sugar
•2/3 cup water
•1 tsp coconut extract
•1 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature, and stirred.


Method:


In a medium sized mixing bowl, beat eggs for about 5 minutes.

Eggs should be light and fluffy.

In a small sauce pan, heat water and sugar over medium high heat.

Cook until mixture comes to a soft ball stage. To test, spoon a small amount of mixture into a glass of cold water, if the syrup forms into a ball that can be picked up, it is ready.

While mixer is running, pour a fine, thread like stream into the egg mixture. Beat mixture until the bottom of the mixing bowl is cool to touch .

Add softened butter in 2-3 separate increments. The frosting will dramatically change texture. Do not be alarmed!!

Keep beating and it will lighten and become smooth again, about 5-7 minutes.

When adding flavoring, the butter cream will separate again.

Repeat beating process until smooth again.

Fill macarons with a small amount of buttercream. Leftovers may be refrigerated or frozen for next use; mixing well after becoming room temperature.

Makes about 2 1/2-3 cups

Alcohol free grapefruit jello shot
1 1/3 C. grapefruit soda
1 T. lime juice
2 envelopes Knox gelatin
2/3 C. grapefruit juice
1 T. sugar
Pour soda and lime juice into a small saucepan and sprinkle with the gelatin.  Allow the gelatin to soak for a minute or two.  Heat over medium heat and add sugar until gelatin is dissolved, stirring constantly, about 5 minutes.  Remove from heat.  Stir in the grapefruit juice.  Pour into a loaf pan or mold.  Put in the refrigerator to set for a few hours or over night.

Tammy's squash casserole

Tammy gave me this recipe over the phone so I hope it's correct:) I can edit it if it's not.

6 c. assorted squash, cubed
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 c. sour cream
1 c. carrots, sliced
1/4 c. onion, chopped

1/2 c. melted butter
1 c. stove top stuffing

Method:
1. Stir fry the squash, carrots and onion, then mix with cream of chicken and sour cream and place in a baking dish.
2. Mix the stuffing with the butter and sprinkle on top. Bake until hot.

Steak for stir fry

Note: When dealing with flank steak or round steak, I like to cut it thin and stir fry it. The easiest way I found to cut it thin is to freeze it slightly and then use the slicer attatchment on the food processor. In this recipe, I used the food processor to blend the marinade and then I switched to the slicer attatchment for the steak.

Blend together:

1/4 cup soy sauce
3 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger (I used fresh)
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder (I used one clove)
1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 1/2 pounds flank steak or round steak, thinly sliced

Directions

Combine the soy sauce, honey, vinegar, ginger, garlic powder, and vegetable oil.

Lay steak in a shallow glass or ceramic dish. Pour marinade over steak, then turn and coat the other side. Cover, and refrigerate 8 hours, or overnight.

Chocolate Zucchini Cake with homemade frosting

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups white sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
3 cups grated zucchini

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x13 inch baking pan.
2. In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Add the eggs and oil, mix well. Fold in the nuts and zucchini until they are evenly distributed. Pour into the prepared pan.
3. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes in the preheated oven, until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool cake completely before frosting with your favorite frosting.

Frosting

1/2 c. shortening
1/2 c. butter
1 tsp vanilla
4 c. powdered sugar
1/4 to 1/2 c. milk to consistency to spread
3/4 c. plus 2 TBLS baking cocoa

Puffed Brie

1 Brie Round, edges removed

1 pkg. Puff Pastry

1/4 c. Brown Sugar

1/4 c. Honey

Sliced Almonds

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place puff pastry in a pie dish and place the brie in the middle, Sprinkle the brown sugar and almonds on brie. Drizzle honey on top. Pull corners of puff pastry up to the center to cover the brie. Bake until the top is browned. Serve with apple and pear slices, also good with crackers.

Cheesy Zucchini Flatbread

1 10-ounce tube refrigerated pizza dough
3/4 cup garlic-and-herb cheese spread (such as Alouette), divided
3/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese, divided
3 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley, divided
1 small red onion
1 7- to 8-inch-long zucchini (yellow or green), cut crosswise into 1/8-inch-thick rounds, divided
Olive oil

Preheat oven to 400°F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper; spray with nonstick spray. Unroll dough onto parchment. Spread half of herb cheese over 1 long half of dough, leaving 1/2-inch plain border. Sprinkle with half of Parmesan and 2 tablespoons parsley. Using parchment as aid, fold plain half of dough over filled half (do not seal edges). Spread remaining herb cheese over top; sprinkle with remaining Parmesan. Remove enough outer layers of onion to yield 2-inch-diameter core; cut into 1/8-inch-thick rounds. Arrange 1 row of zucchini down 1 long side of dough. Arrange onion rounds in row alongside zucchini. Arrange 1 more row of zucchini alongside onion. Brush vegetables with oil; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake bread until puffed and deep brown at edges, about 24 minutes. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon parsley.

Asian Flank Steak

1/2 unpeeled Asian pear, halved, cored, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup water
6 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon unseasoned rice vinegar
2 large garlic cloves, peeled
2 teaspoons Asian sesame oil
2 pounds Flank Steak
3 tablespoons sesame seeds
1 teaspoon fine sea salt

Puree first 7 ingredients in blender until smooth. Pour into large bowl. Add beef; toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour.

Heat heavy small skillet over medium heat. Add sesame seeds and salt and cook until seeds are deep golden brown, stirring frequently, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Let cool in skillet. Divide sesame mixture among 6 very small bowls and place 1 bowl on each of 6 plates.
Prepare barbecue (high heat). Using tongs, remove beef, 1 slice at a time, from marinade, allowing excess to drip back into bowl; place on grill. Cook to desired doneness, about 2 minutes per side for medium-rare. Divide beef among plates alongside sesame salt.