Not Always from Scratch {Luscious Lemon Bars}

In our family, most all desserts are home-made. Almost exclusively, when I look back on photos from when I was a kid that have us gathered around a cake, blowing out candles or such, it is my mother's amazing cinnamon-chocolate cake taking center stage. Chocolate chip cookies? Home-baked. Sugar-cookies? No refrigerated dough for us - home-baked. Grandma Mary's Pecan Tarts and other treats...all. home-made. In addition to a penchant for making things our own selves, we also have quite a quirky humor. So, the running joke goes, "Did you make this yourself?" "Why, yes, I made it from scratch. I scratched the whole time I made it."  ba-dum-bump. 

During the 70's, my mother tried her hand at "pride-food", thinking a box mix cake, or what have you, would be a lifesaver and what she found out is that she might just be the only person on the planet that can't bake things from a mix. The cakes would always turn out wonky - flat in some places, raised in others...just off. So, she gave up on that and went back to baking from scratch. 

That being said, our family does have a few great, standard dessert offerings that use a box mix cake as the beginnings of something else entirely. These lemon bars are just one such item.  When I realized, Thursday afternoon, that I'd signed up to bring a sweet treat to my son's school for Teacher Appreciation Week, *and* I had just returned from the store, I crossed my fingers and hoped that my well-stocked pantry and fridge didn't fail me. Lemon cake mix? Check. Eggs? Check. Cream Cheese? welllll, not a block of standard cream cheese, but I did have an 8 oz. tub of whipped cream cheese. It would have to do. I also was lacking a bit of the confectioners' sugar that the recipe called for, but by subbing in some granulated sugar, we were in business. 

Luscious Lemon Bars

(adapted from Barbara Dill)

• 1 box lemon cake mix
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 C butter (softened)
• 1 8 oz tub whipped cream cheese
• 1 box (16 oz.) powdered sugar (note: I'm not even sure they sell it in boxes anymore; I had about 12 oz (weighed) of powdered sugar and made up the balance with white granulated sugar)

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. In a large bowl, mix cake mix, 1 egg and softened butter. I used a pastry blender (see here) until pea sized crumbs form. Press mixture into the bottom of a 9X13 cake pan.
3. In a large bowl (you can use the same one as for the crust), mix together the cream cheese, sugar(s) and 2 slightly beaten eggs. Mix until well blended and then pour over the pressed cake mixture.
4. Bake at 350 F for 15 minutes; lower heat to 300 and bake for an additional 30 minutes.
5. Remove from oven and allow to cool on a rack. Once completely cool, cut into squares and serve. Store in fridge.

This is a super easy dessert to make. The fact that it is a bar dessert makes it uber easy to transport for potlucks and the like. I've not tried other cake mix flavors, but I'm pretty sure there are some good alternate choices with Strawberry and Pineapple immediately coming to mind. (Of course, we'll have to come up with some good alliterative names to go along with them.)  If you don't tell anyone that you used a box mix, I won't either! 

Happy Cooking!

sld

Cinco de Mayo {Shrimp and Chorizo Tacos}

I was thankful when a recipe for Seafood and Chorizo tacos popped into my inbox today from Food and Wine Magazine. The original called for shrimp and squid, but I made some adjustments to the recipe.  It seemed simple and a good choice for our modest Cinco de Mayo celebration dinner.

Shrimp and Chorizo Tacos (adapted from Food & Wine)

• 1 lb raw shrimp, peeled, deveined and chopped
• 6 oz fresh chorizo
• 1 small sweet onion, chopped
• 2 Tbsp of Mexican beer (like Corona)
• 2 Tbsp fresh squeezed lime juice
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• fresh corn tortillas
• avocado, sour cream and cilantro for serving

1. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add fresh chorizo and smash with the back of a spoon to separate the meat. Once meat is browned and cooked (about 4 minutes) Add onion. Cook until onion is soft and translucent (about 8 minutes.)
2. Add chopped shrimp and beer and cook until done (about 3 minutes). Add fresh lime juice and cook for about 1 minute more
3. Place filling in warm fresh corn tortillas and top with garnishes listed above and enjoy (with the rest of that beer!)

Quick, easy and delish!

Happy Cooking!

sld

Best Laid Plans {Pork Fried Rice & Sauteed Napa Cabbage}

Yesterday, the kids both had Saturday activities in the morning and then we went, as a family, and did some Christmas shopping. I had been up ridiculously late the night before and was sort of a zombie by the time 4 pm rolled around. I told El Syd that I was going to "rest my eyes" but for him to wake me up at 5 pm so I could get started on dinner - Pork Ribs: Oven Roasted and then topped with delicious sweet & sour Sauerkraut. This is one of those dishes that reminds me of my childhood that I love to make when it is cold outside. It is delicious. However, after a quick phone call to Mama to review the procedure, I was reminded that this would take longer than one hour and would probably be best if I postponed until the next day. 

Well, shoot! What would we have for dinner then? A quick review of the fridge contents suggested that Pork Fried Rice would be an ideal, quick throw together. Add a side of sauteed Napa Cabbage and the dinner would be complete.

Here's what I did:

Pork Fried Rice (adapted (from all places) Martha Stewart)

• 2 Tbsp oil (your choice)
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 Tbsp plus a smidge soy sauce
• 2 cloves garlic, minced (or thru the press, as I prefer)
• 1/4 Tsp ground ginger
• 1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced
• 1/2 lb ground pork (could also use chicken or small peeled and deveined shrimp)
• 1/2 C shredded (or matchstick) carrot
• 1/2 C frozen(gasp!) peas
• 2 C steamed white rice (great way to use leftovers from chinese take-out or if you don't have any on hand this would be about 3/4 C uncooked rice steamed for this purpose)
• 2 Tbsp rice vinegar

1. Beat 2 eggs with the smidge of soy sauce. In a non-stick skillet, heat 1 Tbsp oil over high. Add eggs and swirl to coat bottom of the pan. Cook until almost set, then fold into thirds. Transfer cooked egg to a cutting board and cut into 1/2 inch pieces or so. Keep for adding back into dish in a bit.
2. In a wok (or large skillet), add 1 Tbsp of oil and swirl to coat. Add garlic, ginger and green onions and cook stirring constantly about 30 seconds. (At this point, it will be extremely fabulous smelling and your family will begin to ask "what's for dinner?")
3. Add pork and cook, breaking up with a wooden spoon, until just cooked through (about 3 minutes). Add carrots, peas and rice and stir to combine. Add cooked egg back in and sprinkle mixture with soy sauce and vinegar. 
4. Cook, stirring constantly, until the rice is coated about one minute. Let cook (w/o stirring) until warm about 1 minute. Serve and enjoy.

Quick Sauteed Napa Cabbage

• 6-8 leaves from a large Napa Cabbage, cut crossways in 2 in sections
• 1 Tbsp oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 Tbsp soy sauce
• 1 Tbsp rice vinegar
• 1/4 Cup of water

1. Heat oil in large skillet (with lid). Add cabbage and stir around a bit until it begins to wilt and sizzle. 
2. Add garlic, soy, vinegar and water. Cover reduce heat to low and steam until cabbage leaves are soft and tender.
3. Serve and enjoy along side the fried rice or any other Asian inspired dish.

This was a super quick and satisfying meal. The whole thing took about 45 minutes but had I been more organized, it would have only been 30. (I cooked the rice and cabbage one at a time; had I had them both on at the same time, I'd have shaved some time there.)  This is a delicious way to use up that left over steamed rice and can be faster than takeout.

Happy Cooking!

sld