Harvest Smoothie

A wonderful creation made by my mom. BEST SMOOTHIE EVER! It's fruity, delicious, smooth, and satsifying. Definetly try this one out!

Ingredients:
3 sliced peaches (NOT canned)
1 bag of unsweetened frozen strawberries
about 1 to 1 1/2 cup orange juice
about 1 to 1 1/2 cup apple juice
about 1/2 cup of sugar

*Make sure to use as much juice and sugar to your liking.

Mix up everthing in the blender. Taste as you go so you can add sugar and liquid to your liking. Once you think it's ready, pour it into your glass and prepare yourself for something great and tasty!

French Custard

This custard is good for cream puffs, eclairs...etc. Enjoy!! By the way, to my loving aunt Lina, please forgive me for posting this yummy custard on my blog. My sweet mom made me do it. So if you read this, please smile and know that I love you.

By auntie Lina

Custard Cream:
Ingredients
1 cup of heavy cream
1 bean of vanilla
6 egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
3 Tbs. cornstarch

Directions:
Mix well heavy cream, vanilla, sugar & cornstarch on medium heat. Keep the cream mixture warm and not boiling. In a separate bowl, add the egg yolks. Pour the warm cream mixture into the egg yolks, stir it well then return the cream mixture back into the pot and unto the stove. Continually stir the cream mixture until it becomes hard like custard.

Rainbow Popcorn

This is soooo yummy! We made it for a snack, and it is so flavorful!

Ingredients:
1 can Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk
1 small box cherry gelatin (or favorite flavor)
12 cups unseasoned or lightly salted popcorn

Directions:
Combine Eagle Brand and dry gelatin. Cook and stir over medium-low heat until slightly thickened, about 3 to 4 minutes. Pour Eagle Brand mixture over popcorn; mix well. Place coated popcorn onto parchment paper-lined 13 x 9-inch baking pan. Bake in preheated 300 degree F oven for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cool; break into clusters.

Chocolate Zucchini Cake

CAKE
2 ¼ cups sifted all-purpose flour
½ cup unsweetened cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 ¾ cups sugar
1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
½ cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup buttermilk
2 cups grated unpeeled zucchini (about 2 medium)
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
¾ cup chopped walnuts (optional)

If you like you could also make an icing for your cake or just serve it as is.

ICING
6 oz heavy cream
9 oz chocolate chips

DIRECTION FOR THE CAKE
Preheat oven to 325 F. Butter and flour a 9x13 inch baking pan.
Sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda & salt into a medium bowl.
Beat the sugar, butter and oil in a large bowl until well blended. Add the eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the vanilla extract.
Mix in the dry ingredients alternating with the buttermilk in 3 additions. Mix in grated zucchini.
Pour into prepared pan. Sprinkle with chocolate chips and nuts (if using).
Bake 50 minutes or until toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool cake completely in pan.

DIRECTION FOR THE ICING
Heat the heavy cream in a sauce pan over medium heat until simmering. Remove from heat and pour over the chocolate chips. Wait 3-5 minutes then stir to combine. It may take a few
minutes of stirring before the ganache together...but it will. When warm and not hot pour the ganache over cake.

Chicken Poppy Seed Salad

Submitted by Brittany on "Sisters Cafe blog"

Spinach leaves
Romaine leaves
Grilled chicken, sliced (grill with lots of lemon pepper seasoning)
Red onion, sliced thinly
Crispy bacon, crumbled
Shredded mozzarella cheese
Toasted almonds (or you can sugar the almonds. Put sliced almonds in a pan with lots of granulated sugar (about equal amounts). Cook on medium heat until sugar melts, coating the almonds as they brown.)

The best part... The Dressing:

1 1/3 cup sugar
2 tsp salt
2 tsp dry mustard
2/3 cup red wine vinegar
3 Tb Maui or Vidalia onion, chopped
2 cups canola oil
3 Tb poppy seeds

Mix the first 5 ingredients in a blender, then slowly add the oil, blending until thick. Stir in poppy seeds. Toss all ingredients together with generous amount of dressing before serving.

*This makes a lot of dressing! If you need a really big salad for a party then start with a large bunch of spinach, large head of romaine, 4 chicken breasts, 1 lb bacon, etc. I rarely make a salad that big so that is why there are no "amounts". So have fun with it - you're going to love it!

Antipasto Salad

Found on "Big Red Kitchen blog"

It is made in layers and had giardiniera mix, pepper rings, cherry tomatoes, hard-boiled egg slices, roasted beets, red onion slices, black olives, cold cut spirals and flowers, provolone cheese, tiny fresh mozzarella balls, and romaine. Serve this with balsamic vinaigrette made by using a packet of Good Seasons dressing mix, balsamic vinegar, and olive oil. It can also be served with homemade Creamy Italian Dressing.

Creamy Italian Dressing
1 Pkt Good Seasons Italian Dressing made according to package directions
3 T. mayonnaise
2 T. sugar
2 T. good extra virgin olive oil
3 T. Parmesan cheese, grated

Mix all ingredients in a blender until smooth and creamy. Serve over your favorite Salad. Makes about 1 1/2 cups.

Mom's Barbeque Brisket

My Mom found this recipe and also thought it looked yummy! I can't wait to try this one out.

Submitted by Amy ~ www.sisterscafe.blogspot.com

6 lbs. trimmed brisket

Marinade:
3 T. Liquid smoke
2 t. onion salt
3 t. garlic powder
2 t. celery salt

Sauce:
3 c. brown sugar
1 c. ketchup
1 t. (or less) celery salt
1 chopped onion
1/4 c. worcestershire sauce
1/4 c. apple cider vinegar

Trim excess fat off meat and place in pan. Rub marinade over meat. Also sprinkle pepper and Worcestershire sauce over meat. Bake at 275 degrees for 5 hours. (I just did this in a 9 x 13 pan and double covered with tin foil)

Drain off juice. Mix together sauce ingredients and pour mix over meat. Bake at 275 degrees an additional hour. Remove from oven. Slice thin strips horizontal to the grain of the meat. Serve brisket with remaining sauce.