MARCH 2015 Newsletter

March 2015 Newsletter
FOOD FOR THOUGHT:
FINAL CHAPTER Knowing you and loving you has been a beautiful part of my life... Hurting you and causing you so much pain has been a heart wrenching part of my life. The path from that first moment we saw each other has been filled with mountaintops and valleys... Forgive me that I was unable to maintain balance on that mountain and lost my footing. Falling into a ravine from which there will never be a pathway out. Should I ever reach the top of the ravine, it breaks my heart knowing, Part of me will always remain in the depths of the ravine. The part that was able to love and reveal herself to another. Destined to journey on seeking that path and living....The Final Chapter of a lifetime to never be fulfilled again.... Paula 2005
RECIPES
Recipes from sites & friends that I want to try!


SKINNY AVOCADO PIZZA
PREP TIME
40 mins
COOK TIME
10 mins
TOTAL TIME
50 mins
Author: Katya @ www.littlebroken.com
Serves: 4
INGREDIENTS
Pizza Toppings
1 sheet of puff pastry (I used Pepperidge Farm Puff Pastry Sheets from 17.3 oz/1.1 lbs. pkg. which has two sheets but I only used one), thawed out overnight in refrigerator
1½ firm-ripe avocados, cubed ½ inch
2 med. tomatoes, seeded, cored and diced ½ inch
½ med. red onion, thinly sliced
1⅓ cups shredded Italian Five Cheese blend
Pizza Pesto
3 tsp. white vinegar
1 tsp. balsamic vinegar
½ tsp. lemon juice
½ tsp. honey
⅛ tsp. turmeric
¼ tsp paprika
½ cup chopped cashews
⅔ cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
2 garlic cloves
2 green onions, roughly chopped
½ Tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. ground cumin
¼ cup olive oil
Avocado Sauce
½ cup mayo
½ cup sour cream
2 Tbsp. milk
1 green onion, roughly chopped
2 garlic cloves
½ cup cilantro, roughly chopped
1 avocado
squeeze of fresh lemon juice
salt and pepper
INSTRUCTIONS
Pizza Pesto
Combine all ingredients in a food processor until throughly mixed.
Avocado Sauce
Combine all ingredients in a food processor until throughly mixed. You may need to stop the food processor and scrape the sides to blend all ingredients well.
Assembling Pizza
Preheat the oven to 400F.
Roll out puff pastry on a floured surface ¼" thick (it does not have to be perfectly round). Pierce the puff pasty with a fork to prevent bubbling and transfer to a parchment lined baking sheet or pizza stone.
Spread the pizza pesto evenly over the puff pasty and sprinkle with cheese. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes or until golden crisp around the edges.
Remove the puff pasty from the oven and place the prepared tomatoes, red onions, and avocado on top.
Drizzle with Avocado Sauce as much or as little as you like and enjoy!
NOTES
The ingredients listed are for one pizza, except for Pizza Pesto and Avocado Sauce, which yields enough for a second pizza. Double up the pizza topping ingredients to make a second pizza and use the second sheet of puff pasty.

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CREAMY NUT CAKE
From alpiner
This recipe is from a very old Presbyterian Church cook book my mil gave to me when DH & I were newly weds . The plastic binding is gone , its held together with a rubber band now , very well used .
Creamy Nut Cake
2 c. cake flour
2 tsp . baking powder
1/2 c . sugar
1 c . brown sugar firmly packed
1/2 c . shortening
1 c . milk
2 eggs
1/4 tsp . maplene
1/3 c. finely chopped nuts
Sift together first four items . Add next five items and beat 3 minutes . Then fold in finely chopped nuts . Pour into lightly greased and floured pans or line pans . Bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes . Makes 2--9" layers .
Creamy Nut Icing
1/2 c. shortening (half of it should be butter )
2-1/2 T . flour
1/4 tsp . salt
1/2 c . milk
1/2 c . firmly packed brown sugar
2 or more c . sifted powdered sugar
1 tsp . vanilla
1/2 c . nut meats
Boil first 4 ingredients one minute ( it might curdle but it won't matter ) . Stir in brown sugar and remove from heat . Sift and stir in powdered sugar and cool thoroughly over cold water . ( Add more powdered sugar if necessary ) . Add vanilla and beat 'til thick . Add nut meats . Frosts 2-layer cake generously .
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PECAN BROWNIE BRITTLE
Like Sheila G's
YIELD: 2 1/2 dozen 2" x 1 1/2" pieces
Ingredients:
2 oz. chocolate (65% cacao)
1/3 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon espresso powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
2 tablespoon cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 egg whites
1/2 cup Diamond of California Pecans
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
Directions:
Preparation: Heat oven to 325 degrees F. Line a bakesheet with parchment paper and lightly cover with non-stick spray.
Place chocolate and butter in a microwave safe bowl and heat in 30-second bursts until melted (making sure to stir in between). Once melted, stir in sugar, espresso powder and vanilla extract; set aside.
Whisk together flour, cocoa powder, salt and baking soda; set aside. Place eggs in a stand mixer bowl, fitted with the whisk attachment and beat on medium high until eggs are frothy, about 3-4 minutes (mixture should resemble well lathered shampoo). Add in chocolate mixture and beat until combined. Turn mixture to low and beat in flour mixture until just combined.
Spread batter onto parchment, using an offset spatula to spread mixture as thin as possible. Sprinkle pecans and mini chocolate chips on top. Bake at 325 degrees F for 25 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool in pan. Break up brittle with hand.
****If you want the brittle to have uniform cut pieces. remove pan at 20 minutes, using a knife score to preferred size. Return pan to oven for another 5 minutes to bake. Remove from oven and allow to cool in pan and break apart at scored marks.
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Rustic Canyon's Honeycomb Ice Cream
Honeycomb candy:
5 tablespoons sugar, preferably organic evaporated cane sugar
2 tablespoons wildflower honey, preferably organic
1 teaspoon baking soda
In a small to medium pan, combine the sugar and honey, and cook
until the sugar is melted and the mixture has turned a caramel
color.
Remove from heat and add the baking soda all at once, quickly
stirring to evenly distribute the soda. Be careful, as the soda
will cause the sugar mixture to bubble rapidly.
Pour the honeycomb into a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment
and set aside until cooled and hardened, about 30 minutes.
Break the honeycomb into big and small pieces, and store in an
airtight container until needed.
Honeycomb ice cream:
3 cups heavy whipping cream, preferably organic
1 (14-ounce) can condensed milk, preferably organic
1 tablespoon vodka
Pinch of salt
Prepared honeycomb
In a large bowl, whip the cream to soft peaks. Stir in the
condensed milk and whip again to soft peaks, then whisk in the
vodka and salt.
Gently fold in the honeycomb, careful not to overmix; you want a
swirl look to the ice cream. Transfer to a smaller container and
put in the freezer until firmed, 1 to 3 hours. This makes about
one-half gallon of ice cream.
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Southwestern Chicken Salad in Avocado Bowls
Recipe courtesy George Stella’s “Real Food Real Easy” Cookbook
Prep Time 15 mins / Serves 4
Shopping List
2 cups cooked chicken, shredded
2⁄3 cup sour cream
3 tablespoons chunky salsa
1 tablespoon fresh chopped cilantro
1 teaspoon lime juice
2 avocados
1. Fold chicken, sour cream, salsa, cilantro, and lime juice together in a large bowl, shredding chicken with a fork until your desired consistency is reached.
2. Cover and refrigerate chicken salad for 30 minutes for the ingredients and flavors to mingle, or skip to the next step to serve immediately.
3. When you are ready to serve, slice the avocados in half lengthwise and remove the pit. Use each half as a serving bowl for 1 person, stuffing chicken salad into the empty pit cavity and then mounding heaping spoonfuls over top of the entire surface of the avocado half. Serve garnished with fresh cilantro.
George’s Tips | When shopping, look for a chunky salsa without any added sugar or corn syrup in the ingredients list. I've found that Pace’s Chunky Salsa does not add sugar and they should be readily available in any grocery store.
Variation | Give the salad more texture by adding 2 tablespoons of diced green bell pepper or a few teaspoons of diced jalapeño pepper, if you like spice. You can also serve topped with shredded Cheddar jack cheese and chopped bacon for even more great flavors!