STRAWBERRY MOUSSE CAKE OR PIE

Strawberry Mousse Cake or Pie

1. Chop fresh strawberries coarsely in a food processor to make 3 cups. 

2.  Soften 2 T. gelatin (2 packages) in ¼ C. cold water for 5 minutes.  Nuke for 20 seconds and stir until dissolved.

3.  Beat 1- 8 oz.  block of cream cheese with 1 C. white sugar and the warm gelatin until smooth and creamy.

4.  Stir in the chopped berries until well blended.

5.  Whip 1 C. cream until stiff.    Beat in 1 generous T. of instant vanilla pudding mix or Ultra Gel.

6.  Fold into the strawberry mixture and blend.

7.  Pour into a 10 inch pie crust (I used this Pie Crust or pour over a yellow cake baked in a 11x15 inch pan. (see my favorite yellow cake) You can poke large holes in your cake if desired.   (This is too much for a 9x13 pan) Chill until set. 

8.  You can make a strawberry sauce to spoon over the pie or cake by crushing some strawberries, adding some sugar  and a little Ultra Gel to thicken if desired.

The Best Yellow Cake

I have tried a lot of yellow cake recipes and this pleasantly surprised me and is similar to my favorite Chocolate Cake . It is simple to stir up and very moist.  It works great with this recipe. 

1. In a largish glass bowl bring 1 C. of water to boil in the microwave

2.  Stir in 1 1/2 C. white sugar

3.  ½ C. vegetable oil (I like light olive oil)

4.  3 eggs.

5. 1 tsp. salt

6.  4 tsps. baking powder

6.  2 tsp. good vanilla

7.  Beat in 2 C. of flour and 1 scant cup whole milk. 

8.  1/4 C. corn starch  This batter will be somewhat 
thin. 

Bake 350 until the center is firm and the cake is lightly browning, don't underbake.  Bake in a 11x15 inch pan or two 10 inch round cake pans.

    

CRUSTLESS ASPARAGUS QUICHE

When spring comes my heart turns to asparagus.  We picked it on the ditch banks when I was a kid and I learned to love it, especially creamed on mashed potatoes.  But this Asparagus Quiche is a close second in my heart.  This year I found a quiche without the crust and thought I would give it a try because it is loaded with fat as it is and the crust makes it downright wicked.  I also changed the half and half to whole milk and actually didn't miss any of those fat grams.  

Crustless Asparagus Quiche

1.  Soften but don't melt 1 T. butter and rub it around the bottom and sides of a 10 inch pie pan.

2.  Spinkle with 1/2 C. of soft bread crumbs chopped in a processor.  You could probably use Panco.  Sometimes I put a layer of stiff crackers like Town House Pita for a bit more of a crust.  

3.  Grate 6 oz. Cheese.  I like Swiss in quiche but you could probably substitute others.  Sprinkle in the bottom and sides of the pan. 

4.  Add 4-5 slices of chopped bacon if desired.  Precooked works great here.

5.  Trim a bunch of asparagus (3-31/2 cups) into 2 inch pieces and steam for 1 or 2 minutes.  This is just a blanch as it will cook more in the oven.  Scatter over the cheese.

5.  Beat together 5 eggs, 1scant tsp. salt, 1/4 tsp. pepper and  2 C. Whole Mile (use half and half if desired)  Pour over the top.  Bake 350 for 30-40 minutes or until the center is set.  I usually cut a hole in a piece of foil to keep the edge from getting over brown.

 I didn't put the foil on soon enough for this and the edges got a little dark but it was still good.

The leftover pieces reheat beautifully in the microwave and taste even better the next day.

COCONUT CRUNCHY COOKIES

These are my favorite cookies.  They are reminiscent of some my mother used to make.  I like to try to remove some of the butter and add oil in a cookie recipe and this worked nicely.  My husband doesn't like coconut so I made half without it and they were good. 

Beat together until creamy:

½ C. soft butter

¼ C. oil (I use light olive oil)

1 C. White Sugar

1 C. brown sugar

2T. milk

1 tsp. vanilla

2 eggs

Add:

1 ½ C. flour

1 1/2  C. quick oatmeal

1 ½ tsp. baking soda

1 scant tsp. salt

Stir in:

1 C. shredded coconut

2 generous C. corn flakes

1. C. toasted almonds or pecans or walnuts

1 12 oz. pkg. Chocolate chips or less if desired

I like to make big cookies here so Bake 350 for 12-13 minutes.  Sometimes I like a little underbaked cookie but not these because I want the crunch.  They should be nice and brown on top. 

SANDWICH AT CAPE COD

16X20 oil on linen canvas board.  From my photo.  On Cape Cod, the city of Sandwich near the Dexter Grist Mill.

CROCK POT APPLE CRISP

1.  Peel and slice 7 medium apples

2.  Toss with:  ¼ tsp. salt, 1 T. corn starch 1 tsp. cinnamon, ¼ tsp. nutmeg and 2 T. melted butter ½ C. dried cranberries or raisins if desired.  (you can also add 1/3 C. of caramel bits, which are very good here.)

3.  Put in the bottom of a Pam sprayed crock pot.

4.  Mix together the topping:  ¼ C. melted butter, ½ C. brown sugar, ½ C. rolled oats, ¼ C. flour,  ½ tsp cinnamon, ½ C. broken pecans or walnuts (optional)

.

5.  Sprinkle over the apples and bake on low for 2+ hours.  Check to see if the apples are soft in the middle of the pot, bake longer if not. If you want the top crisper take out the pot and put it under the broiler for 3-5 minutes.   Serve with ice cream or whipped cream.