Tangerine Lemon Cupcakes

1 pkg yellow cake mix
1 (3 oz) pkg instant lemon pudding mix
3/4 cup tangerine juice
1/2 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs

For Glaze:
3 Tbsp tangerine juice
1 lemon, zested and juiced
2 cups powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 325.  Line muffin tins with paper liners (about 20 muffin cups).  Mix together cake and pudding mixes in bowl.  Stir in tangerine juice, oil, and eggs until well blended.  Fill each prepared muffin cup about 2/3 full.  Bake until a toothpick inserted in center of cupcake comes out clean, about 15-18 minutes.  Let cool in pan 10 minutes.  Transfer cupcakes to a wire rack to cool completely, about 1 hour.

For Glaze:  Stir together tangerine juice, 1 Tbsp lemon juice, lemon zest, and powdered sugar in bowl until well blended.  Drizzle over cooled cupcakes.

**This can also be made in a bundt pan.  Grease and flour bundt pan prior to pouring in mix.  Bake about 35-40 minutes.  Let cool in pan 10 minutes and then transfer to wire rack to complete cooling.  Place cake on serving platter and drizzle with glaze.

I made this as cupcakes, but I think I would have preferred the bundt cake because more of the glaze would stay on the cake.

Makes 20 cupcakes

Shrimp Chowder (aka Seafood Crack)

1 1/2 pounds baby Yukon gold potatoes
1/4 cup butter
4 stalks celery, chopped
3/4 large yellow onion, finely diced
16 oz cream cheese
2 1/2 cups milk
1 1/2 pound frozen cooked medium shrimp, thawed and tails removed
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/2 tsp salt
6 slices crisply cooked bacon, crumbled
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper


Boil potatoes in salted water.  Cook until tender, about 10 minutes.  Drain and set aside.  In 5 quart pot over medium heat, melt butter.  Add celery and onion; cooking and stirring frequently until softened.  Reduce heat to medium low.  Add cream cheese and milk; cook, stirring constantly to avoid burning until cream cheese is completely smooth.  Stir in potatoes, shrimp, broth, salt, pepper and bacon.

Serves 8

Roast with Tomato Broth

4 cups beef broth

1 1/2 tsp tomato paste

1/2 large red onion, chopped
1 (2 3/4 pound) sirloin tip roast
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp dried thyme
4 slices bacon, diced
2 Tbsp flour
3 Tbsp butter

Bring beef broth to boil in saucepan.  Simmer until it is reduced by half, about 25-30 minutes.  Whisk in tomato paste.  Place meat and onion in crock pot.  Sprinkle with olive oil, salt, pepper and thyme.  Pour reduced broth over top.  Cook on low for 6-10 hours (the longer the better).  About 30 minutes to 1 hour before you are ready to eat, cook bacon in skillet.  Drain on paper towel lined plate and place bacon in crock pot.  Place 1 1/2 Tbsp butter on top of roast.  Melt last 1 1/2 Tbsp butter and mix with flour to form a smooth thick liquid.  Pour this liquid in the crock pot and lightly stir into juices.  Replace lid and continue cooking for remainder of time.  Before serving, shred meat.  It should be tender enough to even shred with a spoon!

Serves 6

Chocolate Dipped Chocolate Chip Cookies

3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
1 pkg (12 oz) semisweet chocolate chips
1 pkg (12 oz) milk chocolate chips
1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

Heat oven to 375.  Mix both sugars, butter, vanilla, and egg in large bowl.  Stir in flour, baking soda, and salt.  Stir in 1 cup walnuts and semisweet chocolate chips.  Drop dough by rounded tablespoons about 2 inches apart onto ungreased baking sheet.  Bake 8-10 minutes or until light brown with soft center.  Cool for 1 minute on baking sheet.  Transfer to wire rack and cool for 1 hour.

Melt milk chocolate chips in a wide shallow microwave safe bowl for one minute.  Stir.  Continue heating the chocolate at 10 second intervals, stirring between each one, until it is almost melted.  Remove from microwave and stir until chunks remain.

Dip cooled cookies into melted chocolate and then into chopped walnuts.  Continue cooling and allowing chocolate to harden on platter.

Icebox Cookies

2 cups butter (no substitutes)
3 cups sugar
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
Dash salt
1 egg
4-5 cups flour
coarse decorating sugar (if desired)

Beat butter with an electric mixer for 30 seconds.  Add sugar, cream of tartar, and salt; beat until combined.  Add egg; beat until well combined.  Beat in as much flour as you can, then stir in enough remaining flour to make a stiff dough.  Divide dough into thirds.  Shape into logs about 1 1/2 inches in diameter and 9 inches long; wrap and chill until firm, about 1-3 hours.  Preheat oven to 375.  Cut rolls into 1/4 inch thick slices and arrange 1 inch apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.  Sprinkle with decorating sugar, if desired.  Bake until bottoms and edges are golden brown, 8-10 minutes.

Makes about 60 cookies.

Marscapone Mashed Potatoes

5 pounds golden potatoes, boiled
1/2 cup marscapone cheese, at room temperature
1 egg yolk
3/4 cup milk
1/2 tsp salt, plus more to taste
1/4 tsp black pepper, plus more to taste
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper, or to taste
1 cup butter, at room temperature and cut into chunks

Preheat oven to 425.  Stir together marscapone and egg yolk in a small bowl until smooth.  Stir in milk and whisk until smooth.  Season with salt, black pepper, and cayenne.  Transfer potatoes to a large bowl.  Add butter.  Season with additional salt and black pepper, if desired.  Mash together with a potato masher until fluffy.  Stir in marscapone mixture.  Spread potatoes into 13x9 dish.  Bake until heated through and top is golden brown, 20-25 minutes.

Serves 10

Skillet Braised Brussel Sprouts

8 slices bacon, cut into 1/4 inch pieces
2 pounds Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup chicken stock
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp butter
1/4 tsp salt, or to taste
1/4 tsp black pepper, or to taste

Cook bacon until crisp  Transfer to a paper towel lined plate, reserving grease in skillet.  Increase heat to medium heat, add Brussels sprouts and saute until lightly browned, 2-3 minutes.  Add garlic and saute until fragrant, 1-2 minutes.  Pour stock over Brussels sprouts mixture.  Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, 4 minutes.  Remove lid and continue simmering, stirring occasionally, until liquid is evaporated and sprouts are tender, about 5 minutes.  Remove from heat.  Stir in bacon, vinegar, butter, salt and pepper until butter is melted.

Serves 8

Sausage Quiche

16 oz breakfast pork sausage, cooked, drained and crumbled
4 green onions, sliced
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
4 eggs
2 cups half and half or milk
1 cup bisquick

Preheat oven to 400.  Place cooked sausage in a lightly greased 2 quart casserole dish.  Top with onions and cheese.  Beat eggs, milk and baking mix until well blended.  Pour over cheese.  Bake 45-50 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool 5 minutes before serving.

Orange Date Bread

1 egg
2 Tbsp butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 large oranges, zested and juiced
1/3 cup boiling water
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
1 cup dates, pitted and chopped
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350.  Grease and flour a loaf pan.  Beat egg lightly, then beat in butter and sugar until smooth.  Stir in 1 Tbsp orange zest, 2/3 cup orange juice (if the oranges don't make 2/3 cup then add water to the juice to equal 2/3 cup), the boiling water, and vanilla.  Stir together flour, baking powder, soda, and salt in another bowl.  Stir in dates and walnuts.  Add flour mixture to egg mixture; stir to moisten.  Spoon into prepared loaf pan.  Bake until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean, about 1 hour.  Cool in pan 10 minutes.  Transfer bread to a wire rack to cool completely.

Makes 12 slices.

Orange Gorgonzola Salad with Citrus Vinaigrette

1/3 cup walnut halves
8 oz mixed salad greens
2 large oranges, peeled, sectioned and cut into pieces
1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion
1/4 cup crumbled Gorgonzola cheese
1/3 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
2 Tbsp sugar
2 Tbsp EVOO
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/8 tsp dried oregano

Toast walnuts in a skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes.  Toss together walnuts, salad greens, orange pieces, red onion, and cheese in a large bowl.

For dressing:  Add orange juice and remaining ingredients to bowl and whisk together until thoroughly mixed.  Drizzle dressing over greens.

Serves 4 as a side dish or 2 as a main dish