The Great FJ Recipe Thread

[Curious]

Please add your recipes here as well so we don't lose them when the troll threads go the way of the dinosaur

 

 

If a mod happens along can you please sticky this sucker again for us? Thanks!

[Alecto]

Stickied for you!

[loveandwar]

This is my absolute favorite cookie recipe. My mom made them all the time when I was a kid. I made them for a few of my friends last week, and the entire batch was gone in 15 minutes. I'm not kidding!!

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Original-N ... etail.aspx

(I used Ghiradelli chocolate chips instead of Nestle. Sshh. ;) )

[apple1]

I made this over the weekend-- It is an old (handed down) recipe and it is wonderful.

Chocolate Cream Pie

3/4 cup sugar

3 tbsp. cornstarch

1/4 cup cocoa

1/4 tsp. salt

2 cups milk

3 slightly beaten egg yolks (at room temperature)

2 tbsp. Butter

1 tsp. vanilla

1 9-inch pie shell

In saucepan, combine sugar, cornstarch, cocoa, and salt. Gradually stir in milk. Cook and stir over medium heat until bubbly. Cook and stir 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir some of the hot mixture into egg yolks; immediately return to hot mixture. Cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Add butter and vanilla. Pour into cooled baked pastry shell. Spread meringue on top and bake at 350F for 12 – 15 minutes.

Meringue:

3 egg whites

1/2 tsp. vanilla

1/4 tsp. cream of tartar

6 tbsp. Sugar

Beat egg whites, vanilla and cream of tartar till soft peaks form. Gradually add sugar and beat until stiff and sugar is dissolved.

[bea]

Best Oatmeal-Raisin cookies EVER:

The key is refrigerating the dough. Not for ten minutes - for about an hour before you make them. It is absolutely key. I've made these cookies four times in the last two weeks and they are SO GOOD.

http://smittenkitchen.com/2009/02/thick ... n-cookies/

[haveapicniclife]

This is easy and so good. I make it with whole wheat noodles and throw stir-fried veggies in. It's absolutely delicious as-is though!

Thai Peanut Noodles

http://www.ourbestbites.com/2008/09/tha ... t-noodles/

1/2 c. chicken broth

3 Tbsp. creamy peanut butter

1-2 tsp. Sriracha chili sauce (give or take to your taste)

1 1/2 Tbsp. honey

3 Tbsp. soy sauce

1 1/2 Tbsp. fresh minced ginger

2-3 cloves garlic, pressed or minced

8 oz. Udon or linguine noodles

Chopped green onions

Chopped cilantro

2 limes, cut into quarters

Chopped peanuts

Cook noodles in salted water. In the meantime, combine chicken broth, peanut butter, chili sauce, honey, soy sauce, ginger, and garlic in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Whisk until smooth and remove from heat. Toss cooked noodles with sauce and divide among 4 bowls. Sprinkle with green onions, cilantro, chopped peanuts, and garnish each serving with 2 lime quarters. Before eating, squeeze lime juice over noodles and stir to combine.

[Annette]

haveapicniclife, do you think the Thai noodles would work with sunflower butter and seeds? My husband is allergic to all varieties of nuts, sadly, but I would love to try this at home!

[haveapicniclife]

haveapicniclife, do you think the Thai noodles would work with sunflower butter and seeds? My husband is allergic to all varieties of nuts, sadly, but I would love to try this at home!

You could try it with sunflower butter and skip the peanut topping altogether. I haven't eaten sunflower butter, does it have a similar creamy nutty flavor? It would probably work.

[Alecto]

We have a ton of green beans in the garden this year, so I wanted to share my favorite recipe. This is not a low fat recipe, but it is low carb and gluten free!

The Best Green Beans in The World

(Please keep in mind I don't know how to cook in small batches, but this keeps well refridgerated)

3 pounds of fresh green beans, washed and snapped

1 large Vidalia onion, chopped

1 tbs garlic, minced

1/2 cup of bacon, cubed (I used ends and pieces)

1 banana pepper, chopped (optional)

4 cups of chicken broth (heated)

In a large, heavy pot, cook the bacon until the fat renders out and the bacon is crispy.

Remove the bacon, set aside.

In the bacon fat, cook the onions and banana pepper until the onions are browned and soft.

Add back the bacon and add the garlic, cooking for 2-3 minutes until the garlic is fragrant

Add 1 cup of the chicken broth, and stir, scraping the brown bits off the bottom of the pan for flavor

Add the green beans, then then rest of the chicken broth

Cover, and cook on medium high until the broth is boiling, then turn down and cook on medium heat for 45 minutes to an hour, or until the beans are tender.

Salt and pepper to taste.

[Curious]

treemom

Overnight french toast: https://mail.google.com/m...iew=bsp&ver=ohhl4rw8mbn4

Marshmallow fondant: http://www.wilton.com/rec...lled-Marshmallow-Fondant

Crab Cake sliders (the aoili needs more seasoning...def taste it before serving): http://www.thedenverchann...ood/22489882/detail.html

My favorite roast chicken recipe: http://www.jamieoliver.co...th-lemon-and-rosemary-ro

Nefertiti

I'm not sure why exactly, but this recipe, despite being so simple, is extremely delicious. I found it on the back of the Bisquick box years ago, forgot about it for the years I was a vegetarian, and rediscovered it last month.

http://www.food.com/recip...ick-salsa-chicken-137810

oscar

Here's a really good recipe for lemon bread - its assembly is a little fussy, but it is so pretty and delicious and fun to eat. Subbing the lemon filling for cinnamon sugar in your favorite cinnamon roll recipe is also very good.

http://www.angerburger.co...apart-coffeecake-recipe/

atheistjd

So, this one isn't mine, but it is a HUGE favorite around my house (aka me, the hubby, and a whole bunch of starving young bachelors)... It is SUPER easy, and approaching Duggar-healthy, but if you need a treat to go with that Ben & Jerry's Half-Baked on a cold night, or just need a chocolate fix - this is the recipe for you

http://www.bakerella.com/thaaank-you-betty/

zcccrv

I made this yesterday and it was amazing:

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/ ... lad-107067

It says it's a side dish but we ate it as a meal.

And for the gluten free crowd here is a staple cake at our house. It's a favorite with some of my non GF friends as well:

http://glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.com/2 ... -cake.html

Propagatrix

Two Laurie Colwin adaptations (if you haven't read her HOME COOKING and MORE HOME COOKING, track them down immediately).

Kitchen Parade's adaptation of her Black Bean Soup recipe: http://www.kitchenparade....ack-bean-soup-recipe.php

I like to make and freeze large batches of this.

Creamed Spinach with Jalapenos: http://texasonthehalfshel...ach-with-jalapeno-peppe/

I have been in love with this recipe for nearly 20 years and could probably prepare it in my sleep. The extra pickled jalapenos can easily be left out -- I usually do -- and the spice will come from the pepper Jack.

These are direct links to Keeperrox posts in the thread which are not transferring over neatly with links, but I didn't want to lose all the great recipes she listed for us: http://freejinger.yuku.com/sreply/14819 ... ipe-Thread and http://freejinger.yuku.com/sreply/17597 ... ipe-Thread

[Curious]

Annette

This is one of my favorite I-don't-feel-like-fussing-with-dinner recipes after a busy day. If we are extra hungry, I will slice up sauteed or grilled chicken breast and add it to the dish. Veggies or salad on the side, of course. Simple but elegant and yummy.

Rosemary Pasta in Roasted Garlic Sauce

* 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided

* 1/2 cup finely chopped onion

* 6 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped

* 1 cup chicken stock

* 2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary

* 1 (16 ounce) package spaghetti

* 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

* kosher salt and cracked black pepper to taste

Directions

1. Melt 4 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over low heat. Add the onions; cook and stir until they turn a deep brown, about 10 minutes. Stir in the garlic, and cook for 2 minutes, until fragrant. Mix in the chicken stock and rosemary, and increase the heat to medium-high. Cook until reduced by 1/3, about 8 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the spaghetti pasta (broken in half for easier mixing later), and cook until tender, about 8 minutes. Drain, then add noodles to the sauce in the skillet. Stir in the remaining butter and Parmesan cheese. Season with salt and pepper.

3. Serve in a large bowl family style, or place about 1 cup of pasta in a large mug or small bowl. Insert a dinner fork in the center of the pasta and twirl the fork around, holding the mug steady. The pasta will wind up tighter and tighter as you turn. Remove the fork and immediately turn the pasta out onto a dinner plate or shallow bowl. Garnish with extra cheese and rosemary sprigs.

Peach

This is my all time favorite breakfast recipe, and I don't hand it out very readily! I make this pretty much every time we have overnight guests or whenever I'm asked to bring a breakfast/brunch item anywhere. It also works well as a not-super-sweet dessert, so I make it a lot in the fall and winter to follow a big pot of stew or soup. I love that I can whip it up the night before and then bake it the next morning, which is perfect for holidays, but it can also be baked immediately after mixing. It's such a versatile recipe (you can change the type of nuts, add chocolate chips or other flavored chips, toss in fresh or dried fruit, etc.) and so, so easy, not to mention delicious. I've tried several different coffee cake recipes, and this one remains my favorite.

Overnight Coffee Cake

Cake

• 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) butter

• 1 cup granulated sugar

• 1/2 cup brown sugar, light or dark, firmly packed

• 1 teaspoon baking powder

• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

• 3/4 teaspoon salt

• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 1 teaspoon vanilla

• 2 large eggs

• 2 cups all-purpose flour

• 1 cup sour cream or yogurt (low-fat is fine)

Streusel Topping

• 1/2 cup brown sugar, light or dark, firmly packed

• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions:

1) To make the cake: In a large mixing bowl, beat together the butter, sugars, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and vanilla, mixing until smooth.

2) Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the flour alternately with the sour cream or yogurt, stirring to combine.

3) Spoon the batter into a lightly greased 9 x 13-inch pan.

4) To make the topping: Combine the brown sugar, nuts, and cinnamon stirring to combine.

5) Sprinkle the topping over the batter in the pan.

6) Cover the pan with plastic wrap, and refrigerate it overnight. (Or bake right away)

7) Next morning, take the cake out of the refrigerator, and preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake the cake uncovered for 40 to 45 minutes (mine is usually done after 35 minutes, so keep an eye on it), until it's golden brown on top. Remove it from the oven, and cool briefly before serving.

Austin

Brie in Puff Pastry

One sheet of Pepperidge Farm Puff Pastry (you can find this near frozen pie crusts and pastry shells at the supermarket)

1 wheel of baby brie cheese

2 Tablespoons of butter (must be the real deal)

1/4 cup of brown sugar

1/2 cup of chopped pecans

With small, sharp knife, peel/scrape rind off of wheel of cheese. Roll out puffed pastry sheet with a rolling pin and a sprinkle of flour. Place brie wheel in center of puffed pastry sheet. Add butter, brown sugar, and pecans to top of brie. Fold the four corners of the pastry sheet towards the middle and seals edges together with wet fingertips. Flip with sturdy spatula into pie plate or baking sheet. Bake at 425 degrees for 25 minutes, or until pastry is puffed and light brown. Serve immediately with plain water crackers, slices of tart apple, or slices of mini-cocktail bread (white).

[Kelya]

Okay, this is sort of lame but its quick and got RAVE reviews yesterday at dinner.

mix yogurt, pineapple, bananas, and cranberries together with some low fat vanilla yogurt. Add a few pinches of sugar (or your sweet chemical of choice) and smush all together! it almost tastes like raita...i'm sort of hesitant to post it on this thread coz its not even really "cooking" but it tastes pretty good and everyone at my house loves it and its easy.

[Bozoette]

@Bea: I absolutely love Smitten Kitchen! I've made those oatmeal cookies and you are right; they are the best.

That said, here's the world's easiest dessert, perfect for summer:

Icebox Cake

Buy a box of Nabisco Famous Chocolate Wafers (If you can't find them in the cookie aisle, look in the ice cream aisle, where they stock the sauces and syrups.)

Buy a pint of whipping cream.

Whip the cream until stiff. (The cream, not you.)

Arrange seven of the cookies on a plate -- one in the middle, six surrounding it.

Slap a layer of whipped cream on it.

Put another layer of cookies on that.

Slap another layer of whipped cream on that.

Continue until you have two cookies left; end with a layer of whipped cream.

Eat the leftover cookes, or smush 'em up and sprinkle 'em on top. You can also grate some chocolate on top, or put some strawberries on top, or both.

Refrigerate for a couple of hours.

Slice and eat.

(Hat tip to http://www.smittenkitchen.com for the plate idea!)

[ElijahsMama807]

Ahhh..recipes! I'm always looking for new stuff to try out so this is awesome :)

I'm hoping to try some of these this summer..my son and I have been into popsicles lately and some of these look yummy, especialy the kind with all the fruit in them.

http://www.kitchendaily.com/2011/06/14/20-pops-and-ice-cream-sandwiches/?icid=maing-grid7%7Cmain5%7Cdl3%7Csec1_lnk1%7C70896#photo-6

Every once in a while we do these for breakfast..they're more of a cake-type donut but they are delicious :)

http://www.food.com/recipe/basic-doughnut-holes-150591

Eventually I'll post some actual recipes and not links.

[mstee]

Easy dessert. You're basically just throwing in a bunch of things together then baking it. And it tastes really great.

Chocolate Bundt Cake

The recipe for the cake is:

1 package of choc. cake mix

1 package of instant choc. pudding

4 eggs, slightly beaten

2 cups of sour cream

3/4 cup of oil

1/2 cup of kahlua (we use apple juice instead)

6 oz choc. chips

Mix all but chips in large bowl. Fold in chips, mixing by hand. Pour batter into a greased and floured bundt pan. Bake it at 350* for 45 min to an hour.

The recipe for the glaze topping is:

4 oz semisweet choc. chips

3 TB butter

1 1/2 c of sifted powdered sugar

3 TB water

In heavy-based saucepan or in top of a double boiler, melt chocolate with butter. Whisk in sugar, a little at a time. Whisk in about 3 tablespoons of water to thin sauce to glaze consistently. Use immediately or keep warm until ready to use.

[anniebgood]

Baked Crab Rangoons

1 can (6 oz.) white crabmeat, drained, flaked

4 oz. (1/2 of 8-oz. pkg.) PHILADELPHIA Neufchatel Cheese, softened (I use the philly cheese with herbs)

2 green onions, thinly sliced

1/4 cup KRAFT Light Mayo Reduced Fat Mayonnaise ( I use miracle whip)

12 won ton wrappers

Make It!

HEAT oven to 350°F.

MIX first 4 ingredients.

PLACE 1 won ton wrapper in each of 12 muffin cups sprayed with cooking spray, extending edges of wrappers over sides of cups. Fill with crab mixture.

BAKE 18 to 20 min. or until edges of cups are golden brown and filling is heated through.

I love these and got tired of paying Panda Express for what I could make myself. You can also make them without the seafood. Chicken would be nice too.

Cream Cheese Bacon Crescents

1 tub (8 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Chive & Onion Cream Cheese Spread

3 slices OSCAR MAYER Bacon, cooked, crumbled

2 cans (8 oz. each) refrigerated crescent dinner rolls

PREHEAT oven to 375°F. Mix cream cheese spread and bacon in small bowl until well blended.

SEPARATE each can of dough into 8 triangles each. Cut each triangle in half lengthwise. Spread each dough triangle with 1 generous tsp. cream cheese mixture. Roll up, starting at shortest side of triangle and rolling to opposite point. Place, point sides down, on ungreased baking sheet.

BAKE 12 to 15 min. or until golden brown. Serve warm.

:character-count: :character-count: Coca-Cola Balls

Makes 2 dozen balls

3 1/2 cups vanilla wafer crumbs

1 3/4 cups powdered sugar

1 cup chopped pecans

3/4 cup cola soft drink

2 tblsps butter or margarine, melted

Stir together first 5 ingredients; shape mixture into 1-inch balls. Cover and chill at least 30 minutes.

If you wanna frost them up a lil, try this one:

Cola Icing:

3/4 cup powdered sugar

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened

1/3 cup cola soft drink

Dip balls in icing; chill until ready to serve.

[keeperrox]

[anniebgood]

Asparagus Salad

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

1-pound fresh asparagus

2 medium tomatoes, chopped

6 green onions, thinly sliced

1 (4-oz) can sliced water chestnuts, drained

3 sliced hard-boiled eggs (optional)

1/2 cup plain yogurt (or sour cream, whichever you prefer)

2 Tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

2 teaspoons prepared Dijon mustard

1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)

Romaine lettuce leaves

Steam asparagus to tender-crisp.

Remove, set aside to cool.

In a small bowl, whisk together yogurt (or sour cream,

if you prefer), Parmesan cheese, Dijon mustard and salt.

In another bowl, combine cooled asparagus, tomatoes,

green onions, water chestnuts and eggs.

Line serving dish (individual plates or a bowl) with

Romaine lettuce leaves.

Pour dressing over vegetables, and toss lightly. Place

over lettuce leaves. Garnish with a sprig of parsley, if

desired. Serve. Makes 4-servings.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Black Bean Salad

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

1 (15-oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained

2 (15-oz) cans whole kernel corn, drained

8 green onions, chopped

2 jalapenËœo peppers, seeded and diced

1 green bell pepper, chopped

1 avocado - peeled, pitted and diced

1 (4-oz) jar pimentos

3 tomatoes, seeded and chopped

1 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1 lime, juiced

1/2 (8-oz) bottle Italian-style salad dressing

1/2 teaspoon garlic salt

In a large bowl, combine the black beans, corn, green

onions, jalapeno peppers, bell pepper, avocado,

pimentos, tomatoes, cilantro, lime juice, and Italian

dressing. Season with garlic salt. Toss, and chill

until serving.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Waldorf Salad Recipe

Ingredients

* 1/2 cup chopped, slightly toasted walnuts

* 1/2 cup celery, thinly sliced

* 1/2 cup red seedless grapes, sliced (or a 1/4 cup of raisins)

* 1 sweet apple, cored and chopped

* 3 Tbsp mayonnaise

* 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

* Salt

* Pepper

* Lettuce

Method

In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise (or yogurt) and the lemon juice. Add 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 1/4 teaspoon of fresh ground pepper. Mix in the apple, celery, grapes, and walnuts. Serve on a bed of fresh lettuce.

Serves 2.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Balsamic Vinegar Caramelized Onions

2 yellow onions, julienned

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/4-cup good quality balsamic vinegar

2 T brown sugar

1 T fresh thyme, minced

Extra virgin olive oil

Heat a sauté pan large enough to hold all of the onions with a bit of olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and sauté until they just begin to color, tossing frequently. Add the balsamic vinegar and brown sugar and stir or toss to combine. Cover, reduce the heat, and let cook for about 30-35 minutes, or until the onions have cooked down and caramelized deeply. Add the thyme and toss to combine. Serve.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

ROAST PORK TENDERLOIN WITH CARAMELIZED ONIONS

Serves 4

Rub two skinny pork tenderloins with oil and dry mustard, then brown them on top of the stove and finish them quickly in a hot oven. Pork is safe—and quite good—cooked until it is pink, not grayish white like everyone did years ago. You can rub the meat and let it sit overnight, if you like, but you can also put the dish together at the last minutes.

• 3 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 tablespoon dry mustard

• 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt, or to taste

• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste

• 2 pork tenderloins (1-1/2 pounds total)

• 3 red onions, halved and thinly sliced

• 1/8 teaspoon sugar

• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage

1. Set the oven at 450 degrees.

2. In a small bowl, combine 1 tablespoon of the oil and the mustard, salt, and pepper. Rub over the pork so it is well coated.

3. In a large skillet with an oven-proof handle (cast-iron works well), heat 1 tablespoon of the remaining oil and cook the onions with a pinch of salt and pepper over medium heat, stirring often, for 5 minutes. Add the sugar and sage, turn the heat to medium-high, and continue to cook, stirring often, for 20 minutes, or until the onions begin to caramelize.

4. Remove the onions from the pan and set them aside. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the skillet and set the pan over medium-high heat. Brown the pork tenderloins, turning them often, for 3 minutes.

5. Place the skillet in the oven and roast the pork for 10 minutes, or until a meat thermometer inserted in the center registers 150 degrees. The meat will be pink. If you prefer meat that is not pink in the center, cook the pork to 160 degrees, about 5 minutes more.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Picarones.

INGREDIENTS:

* 1/2 cup pumpkin cooked and strained

* 1/4-cup water in which the pumpkin was cooked

* 1-tablespoon yeast

* 1-teaspoon cornstarch

* 3 cups flour

* 1-cup milk

* Frying Oil

PREPARATION:

In a beater mix the pumpkin puree gradually adding the milk. Then add the flour and cornstarch beating constantly. Add the yeast, which has previously been dissolved in the hot pumpkin water with the sugar.

Mix to a smooth paste and place in a bowl. Heat the oven to 300 F. and place the bowl inside the oven for a minute. Turn the oven off and leave the dough inside the oven for 45 minutes giving time to rise. In a large skillet or deep frying pan add plenty of oil to heat.

Dip your fingers into the mixture, grab some, and drop it into the hot oil trying to shape them as a doughnut. Fry until golden and well puffed up. Serve with syrup made of sugar loaf, orange peels and cinnamon sticks.

[Brainsample]

Graham Cracker Pie

(Leah “Gram†Gorke)

Crust

17 Graham Crackers (3/4 cup finely crumbed)

Remove ½ cup to sprinkle on top.

½ cup butter melted

1/3 cup sugar

Mix all but ½ cup of graham cracker crumbs, melted butter and sugar until blended together well.

Pat into pie tin.

Filling

4 Egg Yolks

2 Tbls. Four

Salt

½ tsp. Vanilla

¾ cup sugar

2 cups milk

Combine ingredients and beat well in a double boiler for about 5 minutes or until thick.

Pour into prepared Pie Crust.

Top with basic meringue (find recipe)

Bake for 25 minutes in preheated 350* oven.

[Brainsample]

From the GFCS email list,

clicks.aweber.com/y/ct/?l=A1tmg&m=K30nGZXEYll8pV&b=fvJiV2LROjYTlTaim3ARvQ

3440 Loch Haven Dr, Birmingham, Alabama 35216 USA

Cranberry Orange Scones with Orange Icing:

(yield: 16 scones)

4 c. (18 oz.) Mary's Gluten Free AP Flour Mix (regular or soy-free)

2/3 c. sugar

2 Tbsp. baking powder

2 tsp. xanthan gum

1 tsp. salt

12 Tbsp. butter (6 oz)

2 large eggs, beaten (4 oz)

1 c. milk

1 c. dried, sweetened cranberries

Directions: Mix all of the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Cut the butter into the dry ingredients until the larges crumbs are the size of peas. Add the egg and milk to the dry ingredients and mix until everything is thoroughly combined. Fold the cranberries into the dough and knead a few times so they are evenly distributed throughout the dough.

Separate the dough in half. Pat out each half into a circle that is about an inch thick. Cut each circle into 8 wedges. Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 20 minutes.

Orange Icing

6 oz. whipped cream cheese

zest of 1 large orange

2 oz. confectioner's sugar

1 Tbsp (0.5 oz) orange juice

In a small mixing bowl combine the cream cheese, orange zest and confectioner's sugar. Stir together until the sugar is incorporated into the cream cheese. Add up to 1 Tbsp of orange juice if you want the icing to be thinner. Spread the icing over the scones once the scones are out of the oven.

If you have some orange extract (I didn't) I think that a few drops of it in the icing (any maybe in the scone dough too) would be a great addition.

[Brainsample]

I substitute twice the amount of flax meal for the xanthan gum because of intolerance due to migraines.

[teddybear]

Some great recipes here! I love to cook and have my own cooking blog.

http://inthekitchenwithdon.blogspot.com

Here is an all time favorite of mine and one you don't see that much anymore.

Pineapple Upsidedown Cake

In a 10 inch cast iron skillet, melt 1/3 cup butter. Remove from the heat and scatter 1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar evenly over the melted butter, then evenly cover the brown sugar with drained pineapple rings or bits. Set aside. Now to make the cake batter.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees

Mix together:

1 1/2 cups flour

1 cup white sugar

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

Beat in 1/2 cup softened butter

2/3 cup milk

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Beat until smooth, then pour on top of the pineapple, brown sugar and butter. Bake 40-50 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. When you take it out of the oven, run a knife around the edge of the pan, cover the top of the pan with your serving plate and carefully turn the pan upside down. Allow the pan to remain in place for a few minutes, then gently remove. If any bits of pineapple remain in the pan, take a spoon and gently replace on the cake. Allow to cool before cutting. Enjoy!

Variations: some people like to decorate the top of the cake with maraschino cherries and chopped pecans, just place them on top of the brown sugar and butter mixture when you add the pineapple bits.

[keeperrox]

[teddybear]

Italian Meatballs

1 ½ cups panko bread crumbs (or regular coarse bread crumbs)

1 cup buttermilk

2 eggs

1 pound ground chuck

1 pound Italian sausage, hot or sweet, your preference

1 cup grated parmesan cheese

4 tbsp. chopped parsley

4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 tsp. unflavored gelatin

Preheat oven to 450 degrees and spray a rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray. Set aside. Mix the panko bread crumbs with the buttermilk and set aside for about 10 minutes to soak, then mash to a smooth paste with a fork. Add the remaining ingredients and mix well with your hands (or Kitchenaid Mixer using dough hook). Form into 2 inch balls (about the size of a golf ball) and place on the greased baking sheet. Roast uncovered for about 30 minutes, until nicely browned. Simmer very gently in your favorite marinara sauce about 30 minutes, then eat with pasta or on a meatball sandwich.

Marinara Sauce

4 tbsp. olive oil

1 medium onion, peeled and finely chopped

4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 cup wine (optional)

2 28-oz. cans of crushed tomatoes

1 14.5-oz can of diced tomatoes

1 6-oz. can of tomato paste

1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper (optional)

1 tsp. Italian herbs

1 tsp. dried basil (optional)

Heat the olive oil in a large dutch oven and then add the onion. Fry gently until the onion begins to brown a bit. Add the garlic and fry a minute or two until very fragrant. Add the wine and simmer until it is nearly all evaporated, then add the remaining ingredients. Simmer about 30 minutes or until it reaches the thickness you like. If you are going to simmer the Italian meatballs in the sauce, you may need to add a bit of water or tomato juice, as they will absorb some of the liquid.

This will make enough meatballs and sauce for 6-8 people.

[keeperrox]