Four-Bean Salad

1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2/3 cup oil
2/3 cup vinegar
1 tsp Italian Seasoning
1 can garbanzo beans, drained
1 can green beans, drained
1 can yellow wax beans, drained
1 can red kidney beans, drained
1 red onion chopped
1 green pepper chopped

Combine sugar, salt, oil, vinegar and Italian Seasoning. Stir or shake until sugar is dissolved. (I boil the ingredients in a small pan on the stove until the sugar is dissolved.) Drain beans thoroughly and add onion and pepper. Pour dressing over beans and let marinate several hours it's better over night!
**E's hint---I also add black pepper to taste!

Avocado Gelato

Or maybe I should try this recipe instead! Tell me which one you think would be better in the poll to the right------------------------->

Avocado Gelato

yield: Makes about 1 quart

active time: 20 min

total time: 2 3/4 hr (includes freezing)

ingredients

· 2 cups whole milk

· 3/4 cup sugar

· 3 (4- by 1-inch) strips fresh orange zest

· 2 tablespoons cornstarch

· 2 firm-ripe California avocados (1 to 1 1/4 lb total)

· 1 (500-mg) vitamin C tablet, crushed to a powder

· Special equipment: an ice cream maker

Bring 1 3/4 cups milk, 1/2 cup sugar, zest, and a pinch of salt to a simmer in a 2-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat. Whisk together cornstarch and remaining 1/4 cup milk in a small bowl until smooth, then whisk into simmering milk. Bring to a boil, whisking constantly, and boil 1 minute. Transfer mixture to a metal bowl, then set bowl in a larger bowl of ice and cold water and cool completely, stirring frequently. Discard zest.

Quarter, pit, and peel avocados, then purée with vitamin C and remaining 1/4 cup sugar in a food processor until smooth. Add milk mixture and blend well.

Freeze avocado mixture in ice cream maker. Transfer to an airtight container and freeze until hardened, about 1 hour.

For mother’s day, Tom gave me an ice cream maker, which is something I’ve wanted for quite a while! He made me a ridiculously delicious maple bacon ice-cream which I absolutely loved!

For my maiden voyage of the ice cream maker, I think this is what I want to try!

Nutella Gelato

Recipe from Giada De Laurentiis

Ingredients

• 2 cups whole milk

• 1 cup heavy cream

• 1/2 cup sugar, plus 1/4 cup

• 4 egg yolks

• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1/2 cup Nutella

• 1/2 cup toasted hazelnuts, crushed, for garnish

Directions

In a saucepan combine the milk, cream, and 1/2 cup sugar over medium heat. Cook until the sugar dissolves, about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl whip the egg yolks with the remaining sugar using an electric mixer until the eggs have become thick and pale yellow, about 4 minutes. Pour 1/2 cup of the warm milk and cream mixture into the egg mixture and stir. Add this mixture back into the saucepan. Cook over very low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture becomes thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon, about 7 to 10 minutes.

Place a strainer over a medium bowl and pour the warm custard mixture through the strainer. Stir in the vanilla and hazelnut spread until it dissolves. Chill mixture completely before pouring into an ice cream maker and follow manufacturer's instructions to freeze. To serve, scoop gelato into serving bowls and top with hazelnuts.

Cinnamon Coffee Cake

Ingredients

1 (18.25 ounce) package yellow cake mix
1 (3.4 ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix
1 (3.4 ounce) package instant butterscotch pudding mix
4 eggs
1 cup water
1 cup vegetable oil
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 cup chopped walnuts

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x13 inch baking pan, or a 10 inch Bundt cake pan.
In a medium bowl, stir together the cake mix, vanilla pudding mix, and butterscotch pudding mix. Add the eggs, oil and water, mix until well blended. In another bowl, stir together the brown sugar, cinnamon and nuts. Pour half of the batter into the pan, spread evenly. Sprinkle with half of the nut mixture. Cover with the rest of the batter, and sprinkle with the rest of the nut mixture.
Bake for 20 minutes in the preheated oven, then turn the oven down to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C) and bake for an additional 35 to 40 minutes.

Artichoke-Olive Chicken Bake

1 1/2 cups uncooked rotini pasta
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
2 cups shredded cooked chicken
1 can (14 1/2 oz) diced tomatoes with Italian-style herbs, undrained
1 can (6 oz) sliced black olives, drained
1 tsp dried Italian seasoning
2 cups (8 oz) shredded mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 350. Spray 2-quart round casserole with nonstick cooking spray.
Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
Meanwhile, heat oil in large deep skillet over medium heat until hot. Add onion and pepper; cook and stir 1 minute. Add chicken, tomatoes, with juice, pasta, artichokes, olives and Italian seasoning; mix until combined.
Place half of chicken mixture in prepared dish; sprinkle with half of cheese. Top with remaining chicken mixture and cheese.
Bake, covered, 35 minutes or until hot and bubbly.

(*This recipe comes from my Best Loved Casseroles Book)

Orange Rolls

Rolls:

2 Tbsp yeast
1/2 c. warm water
2 c. hot water
1/3 c. powdered milk
1/3 c. sugar
1/3 c. butter
2 tsp salt
1 egg
5-6 cups bread flour

Orange Butter:

1/2 C butter, melted
zest of 2 oranges
1/4 cup sugar

Dissolve yeast in ½ c. warm water. Blend powdered milk in 2 c. hot water. Add sugar, butter, salt, egg and 2 cups of flour. Beat together. Gradually add remaining flour, one cup at a time, until dough is formed. (Keep it a very soft dough). Knead for 10 minutes. Place in greased bowl; cover and let rise until double. Punch down, divide into thirds. Roll out 1/3 of dough into a circle. Spread with soft orange butter and cut into 12 pie shaped pieces. Starting at wide end, roll up each piece into crescent. Place on greased baking sheet with point on bottom. Repeat with remainder of dough. Let rise until double. Bake at 375 about 12-15 minutes or until golden brown on top and bottom. Allow to cool about 10-15 minutes; drizzle with the icing.

Icing:
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
2 Tbsp orange juice, squeezed from zested oranges above
2 to 4 Tbsp heavy cream, or 2 Tbsp half-and-half

**E's Note: You can also use this recipe for cinnamon rolls, and you can roll these out like cinnamon rolls instead of crescents!

2011 Mother's Day Brunch Version 2.0

Ham and Egg cuppers
24 slices of ham- I did double layers so big slices cut in half

18 - 24 eggs- depending on how you like your eggs

12 cherry tomatoes- cut in half

Dash of milk

Olive oil, spray or butter

chives

salt and pepper

Spray 24 muffin tins with non-stick spray or grease it with Olive Oil or butter. Line each muffin tins with a double layer of ham. Put one half of a cherry tomato into each cup. Top with eggs and then sprinkle with chives.

You can do the eggs two ways-

1. Scramble the eggs with a little bit of milk and salt and pepper and pour a little into each muffin cup.

2. Break one whole egg into each ham lined muffin tin. Sprinkle the top with salt and pepper.

If I were to do them again: I would probable add cheese of some type and more seasoning. I've seen recipes for these that have pesto and little cubed pieces of mozzerella. Also would be delightful with parmesean cheese and Italian seasoning sprinkled on top!