Butter Cake

Niki Sepulveda

Crust:
1 stick butter
1 pkg Butter Yellow Cake Mix
2 eggs

Mix and press in bottom of 9 x 13 pan.

Topping:  
8 oz. cream cheese
3 c. powdered sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla

Mix together and pour on top of crust.  Bake at 300 degrees for 60 minutes.

This cake needs to be served cold.  If you try and cut it while hot is gooey and hard to get out.

Almond Cake

Kathy Linebaugh Bradley

3/4 c. sugar
3/4 c. flour
1/2 c. margarine melted
1 tsp. almond extract
2 eggs
almonds

Mix on high 3 minutes.  Pour into pie pan.  Sprinkle with almonds.  Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.

This recipe is fast, easy and tastes great.
 

Basic French Macarons

NOTES

The basic meringue-style French macaron is merely the springboard for your wildest color and flavor combinations. Try adding a teaspoon of Dutch-process cocoa and red gel food coloring for a red velvet macaron, or a 1/4 teaspoon rose extract and pink gel food coloring for rose. Always add the dry flavorings to the almond meal/powdered sugar mixture and the extracts/gel color to the meringue.

INGREDIENTS

1. 2/3 cup almond meal or ground almonds
   1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
   3 large egg whites, room temperature and preferably aged up to 3 days
   5 tablespoons granulated sugar
   

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 280ºF, and position 2 racks in the lower section of the oven. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. If you have time, draw 1-inch circles on the back of each sheet, spacing the circles at least 1/2-inch apart.
2. If your almond meal is very coarse, grind it with the powdered sugar in a food processor until fine. Sift the almond meal-powdered sugar mixture twice through a mesh sieve.
3. Place egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer (or use a hand mixer), and begin to beat on medium-high. When the eggs are frothy, gradually add granulated sugar 1 tablespoon at a time until fully incorporated. Continue to beat the egg white mixture until glossy and stiff peaks form when you lift the beaters.  Be careful to not overbeat the meringue (e.g., the meringue takes on a clumpy texture).
4. Add half of the sifted almond mixture, and gently fold it into the meringue using a flexible silicone spatula. Lift from the bottom, up around the sides, and toward the middle, being careful to not overagitate the meringue and lose too much air. Once the almond mixture is predominantly incorporated, add the second half and repeat the folding motion.
5. When the almond mixture is just incorporated, you will need to transform the batter into the appropriate texture. Using the flat of the spatula, "punch" down into the center of the batter, then scrape more batter from the sides to the center, and punch again. You will need to repeat this 10-15 times (or more, depending on your arm strength and the beginning texture of your batter) until the batter slowly and continuously drips back into the bowl when you scoop it up with the spatula. Think of the consistency of molten lava. For the best results, punch the batter a few times, check the consistency, then punch a few more times, etc. Do not make the batter too runny or the macarons won't rise as they should, and you could end up with oil stains on the surface.
6. Pour batter into a pastry bag fitted with a 0.4-inch tip. In a pinch, you can also use a gallon-size Ziploc bag: just snip a teeny bit from one of the bottom corners. Twist and clip the top of the bag to avoid overflow. On your prepared baking sheets, pipe out 1-inch rounds in the circles you drew (remember to draw the circles on the back side of your parchment to avoid ink or pencil stains on your macarons!).
7. Holding the baking sheet in both hands, rap each baking sheet firmly on the counter two or three times. This smooths out the tops and helps form the "pied" or frilly foot on the bottoms of the macarons. Allow the piped macarons to dry, uncovered, for at least 15 minutes. The macarons should form a very thin, smooth crust where, if you tap it lightly with your finger, the batter will not stick to your finger. If after 15 minutes, the batter is still sticky, let it dry longer. This may take up to an hour on humid days.
8. Place both baking sheets in the oven and bake for 15-18 minutes. After the first 2 minutes, open the oven to allow any excess humidity to escape. Halfway through, swap oven racks and rotate the sheets for even baking. The macarons are done when they are baked all the way through and the shells are just hard. Take care to not underbake (insides will still be mushy) or overbake (tops will begin to brown). Remove them from the oven, and cool on baking sheet placed on a wire rack.
9. When fully cooled, assemble the macarons with your choice of filling. The assembled macarons can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week.

     Frosting:
     8 oz. fresh raspberries
     1/2 cup butter (room temperature)
     3 cups powdered sugar.
     Puree the raspberries, add butter mix well,
     Add sugar


    Adapted from: Popsugar.com

Rumbi Bowls

Jill Dorrough

*Hawaiian Coconut Rice with Red Beans (aka Rumbi Rice)

2 c. long grain white rice
2 1/2 c. water
1 (14oz) can coconut milk (about 1 1/2 c.)
1 can red beans, drained and rinsed
Combine all ingredients in a rice cooker. Gently stir it all together so the beans are all mixed. Place the lid on and start the rice cooker. Fluff rice with a fork before serving.
If you don’t have a rice cooker… Combine water, coconut milk, and sugar in a saucepan. Stir in rice and beans. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 18 to 20 minutes, until rice is tender.

**Spicy Hawaiian Teriyaki Sauce:

3/4 c. Mr. Yoshida’s teriyaki sauce (found in the grocery store by the BBQ sauces)
1 tsp. soy sauce
2 tsp. chili garlic sauce (in the Asian section of the grocery store.. we used the one in the clear plastic jar with the green lid — if you want to make it spicier.. add more of this to the sauce)
1 tsp. fresh ginger
pinch of salt
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
2 Tbsp. cold water
Combine Yoshida’s, soysauce, garlic sauce, ginger, salt, and brown sugar in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Combine cornstarch and water and SLOWLY add to sauce for thickening. You want it to be slightly thicker than the Yoshida’s sauce. Allow to simmer for about a minute. Cool to room temperature and serve with your rice bowls. (If you find that the sauce is too thick when it cools, just add a little more Yoshida’s to it)

***Vegetables

• 1 Tbsp. Olive oil
• 1 bag shredded carrots
• 3 celery stalks washed and sliced
• 1 zucchini chopped into small cubes
• 1 1/2 c. chopped broccoli florets 
• 2 c. chicken grilled and cut into small cubes (OR you can get the pre-cooked grilled chicken strips at Costco in the deli section. It comes in a 2-pack.. use one of the packages and cut up the chicken into little cubes.. just saute the chicken for a few minutes in a skillet before serving)

Instructions

• Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add carrots, celery, zucchini, and broccoli (pretty much equal parts of said vegetables.. you can add more or less veggies depending on your taste). Saute ONLY until vegetables are crisp tender. About 1-2 minutes tops.
• Serve over Rumbi rice and top with chicken. Serve with Spicy Hawaiian Teriyaki Sauce on the side (about 3 Tbsp. per bowl.. you can add more or less depending on your taste.

 For vegetarian version, omit chicken and add garbanzo beans.
You can verify the vegetables or meat according to your preferences.

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Jill Dorrough

3 cups old fashioned rolled oats
1 cup all purpose flour
2 Tbsp all purpose flour
1/2 cup toasted wheat germ
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp coarse salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter (softened)
1 cup sugar
1 cup light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Stir together oats, flour, wheat germ, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl; set aside. Put butter and sugars in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Mix in eggs and vanilla. Reduce speed to low. Add oat mixture; mix until just combined. Mix in chocolate chips.

    

   Using a 1 1/2-inch ice cream scoop, drop dough onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper, spacing 2 inches apart. Flatten slightly.

    

   Bake until golden and just set, about 14 minutes. Let cool on sheets on wire racks 5 minutes. Transfer cookies to racks using a spatula; let cool completely. 

Pumpkin Cocolate Chip Cookies

Recipe from Tara of @lovliecakes

1 cup pumpkin puree
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup oil
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
Mix all together

Add:
2 cup four
2 t. baking powder
1 t. cinnamon
1/2 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda  dissolved in 1/2 tsp milk

Mix and add:
1 cup chocolate chips

Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes
Let cool for 10 minutes

Best Ever Pumpkin Muffins

  Modified From: https://lovelylittlekitchen.com/best-ever-pumpkin-muffins/

• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 22 minutes
• Total Time: 42 minutes
• Yield: 12 1x

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Ingredients

• 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 2 eggs
• 1 15 ounce can pure pumpkin puree
• 1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.
• 1 cup white chocolate chips

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Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and place 12 paper liners into each well of your standard size muffin baking pan.
2. Measure out the flour, sugars, baking soda, salt and spices in a medium bowl and whisk together. Set aside.
3. In another bowl, whisk together the eggs, pumpkin puree, coconut oil and vanilla extract.
4. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir together. Do not over mix, just stir until everything is incorporated into the batter.  Add chocolate chips.
5. It is helpful to use a large scoop (like an ice cream scoop) to evenly distribute the batter into each well. They will be nearly full. This will help give your muffins a nice puffy dome.
6. Bake your muffins for 20-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.