Cliantro Lime Rice

Ingredients:
2 cups basmati rice, rinsed until water is clear
4 cups  water
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons salt
1 bay leaf
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 teaspoons lime zest
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice ( a hint when using a fresh lime for juice you put it in the microwave for 30 secs and cut it in half it will be really juicy.)

First, you rinse the rice and then you add 4 cups of water, oil, salt, and bay leaf. Bring it to a boil over high heat and then reduce the heat and let it cook for 15 to 18 min. Then you remove it from the heat and fluff it with a fork then add the cilantro, lime zest, and lime juice. Enjoy! This recipe is in Paula Deens magazine July/August 2018 page 42.

Orange almond sheet cake

Ingredients:
1 cup unsalted butter, cubed and divided
2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup water
1/2 cup vegetable oil or canola oil
1/2 cup whole buttermilk
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1  tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon orange zest, divided
1/2 teaspoon orange extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract, divided
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1/3 cup whole milk
1 (16-ounce) bag confectioner's sugar
1/3 cup sliced toasted almonds

First, you preheat the oven to 400 degrees and spray 15x10 rimmed baking sheet with baking spray with flour.
 Then melt half a cup butter on high heat until just melted about a minute, then beat graduated sugar, 1 cup water, oil, buttermilk, eggs, 1 tablespoon zest, orange extract, and 1/4 teaspoon almond extract with mixer on medium speed until well combined.
Whisk together flour, baking soda, and 1/4 teaspoon salt then add to the sugar mixture Palma beat until well combined stopping to scrape sides of Bowl. Spread the batter into the prepared pan. Baked for 20 minutes until wooden pick comes out clean when inserted in the middle. Then cool for 20 minutes and while cooling microwave 1/2 cup of butter and milk until butter is just melted about 1 minute. Mixed together confectioner's sugar and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt add to the milk mixture. And also add the fourth teaspoon almond extract, beat until combined. Then spread the frosting on the slightly warm cake, and sprinkle with almonds. Enjoy! This recipe is found in Paula Deen's magazine July/August 2018 page 78.

Apple cinnamon bread

Ingredients:
3 eggs
1 cup canola oil
2 cups sugar
2 cups unsweetened applesauce
3 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp of cinnamon

 Preheat the oven to 350 then you mix together the first four ingredients and then mix the rest. Then when well blended you pour in 3 medium bread pans that are already greased and bake for 45-50 min and then let cool. Enjoy! I halved the recipe but you can do three loaves or one it up to you. This recipe is found in Paula Deen's magazine  Jan/Feb 2018 page 6. 

Triple Chocolate Brownies

Ingredients:
2 (4 ounce) bars bittersweet chocolate, chopped
3/4 butter
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon of baking powder
1/4 teaspoon  salt
2 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup of white chocolate chips


You first preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a 9-inch square pan with foil, letting excess extend over the sides of the pan. spray with baking spray with flour. Then you melt the chocolate and butter in a large microwave bowl on high for 30-second intervals stirring between each until melted and smooth. Add sugar to the chocolate mixture and beat with a mixer on medium speed until combined. Then add the eggs beating until combined.
In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Then gradually add the flour mixture to the chocolate mixture and beat until well combined. beat in the 2 tablespoons of water and the vanilla.Then stir in the semi-sweet chocolate chips and the white chocolate chips. Then spread the batter into prepared pan and back for 20 to 25 min let cool in pan for 10 min. using the excess handles to remove from pan on a wire rack and let cool completely before cutting it into 3-inch squares and store in an upright container for up to 3 days. This recipe was entered in a competition at a chili-cookoff and won second prize. This recipe is found in Paula Deen's magazine March/April 2018 page 77.

Pumpkin pecan cake roll

Ingredients: 3 large eggs,1 cup granulated sugar, 2/3 cup can pumpkin, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, ¾ cup all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, ¾ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon soda, and confectioners’ sugar

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and spray a 15x10 inch rimmed baking sheet with baking spray with flour. Then line the baking sheet with wax paper and spray the paper.  For the cake part you beat eggs, and granulated sugar in a large bowl on medium speed until thick and pale, about 3 mins, beat the pumpkin until well combined.

In a medium bowl whisk together flour, pie spice, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Then you stir the flour mixture into the pumpkin mixture just until combined. You bake the cake until the cake springs back when touched in the center for 10 to 12 min (do not overbake).

You sift the confectioners’ sugar on a towel then when the cake is done you immediately turn out the cake onto prepared towel and gently peel the paper off. Then sift confectioners’ sugar onto the cake and starting with the short side roll up the cake into a log with the towel. Let it cool completely then gently unrolled the cake and spread with cream cheese filling. This is found in Paula Deen’s magazine Sept/Oct 2017 page 42.

The cream cheese filling

Ingredients: 1 ½ (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened, ¼ cup unsalted butter, softened, 2 ½ cups confectioners’ sugar, 1/3 cup heavy whipping cream, 1 cup chopped pecans (optional).

In a large bowl beat the cream cheese and butter with a mixer at medium speed until smooth and creamy. Gradually add the confectioners’ sugar, beating until smooth, then gradually add cream, beating until fluffy. Fold in the pecans

Cheesy Squash and Zucchini Casserole

Ingredients:

6 cups of chicken broth

5 cups (1/4-inch-thick) sliced yellow squash (about 1 ½ pounds)

5 cups (1/4-inch-thick) sliced zucchini (about 1 ½ pounds)

1 ½ cups chopped yellow onion

2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese, divided

1 small red bell pepper, seeded and diced

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1(10.5- ounce) can cream of mushroom soup

½ cup sour cream (or yogurt)

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

2 teaspoons kosher salt

½ teaspoon ground black pepper

1 ½ cups crushed buttery round crackers

You preheat the oven to 350 degrees and spray a 2-quart baking dish with cooking spray. Then in a large pot bring chicken broth, squash, zucchini, and onion to a boil over medium high heat, then reduce the heat and simmer until squash is tender about 7 min. Drain well.

In a large bowl stir together 1 ½ cups cheese, bell pepper, egg, soup, sour cream (or yogurt), melted butter, salt, and pepper. Then stir in the vegetables gently until well combined. Put half of the squash mixture into the prepared pan and sprinkle with half of the crushed crackers, then top with the remaining squash mixture and the rest of the crushed crackers and remaining ½ cup of cheese. Baked until hot and bubbly and cheese is melted about 25 min, then let stand for about 1o min before serving. This recipe is found in Paula Deen’s Magazine July/ August 2017 page 44. 

BLT Macaroni Salad

Ingredients:
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup of sour cream
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1 teaspoon of lemon zest
2 tablespoons of fresh  lemon juice
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon minced fresh garlic
1/2 teaspoon of ground black pepper
1(16-ounce) package of elbow macaroni, cooked according to the package directions
1 ( 16-ounce) package thick cut bacon, chopped and cooked
3 cups chopped tomatoes
1 (6- ounce) bag fresh baby spinach

You first whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, basil, lemon zest and juice, salt, garlic, and pepper until smooth. Then you stir in the pasta, bacon, and tomatoes and refrigerate for at least an hour or overnight. You then stir in the spinach just before serving. It is found in Paula deen's magazine July, Agust 2017 page 32.