Rhubarb Dreamcake!

For the crust:
1/2 c. almonds
1/2 c. dates
1/4 t. salt

For the "cream" filling:
3 c. cashews, soaked for 5 hours
1 lemon, juiced
1/4 c. maple syrup
1/2 c. coconut oil
1/4 t. salt
1 t. vanilla

For the rhubarb topping:
4 c. rhubarb, chopped
1/4 c. raspberry preserves
2 lemons, juiced
4 T. honey

Pulse the crust ingredients in a food processor and press in a pie plate. Refrigerate while preparing the filling.  Cook the chopped rhubarb with raspberry preserves, lemon juice, and honey in a sauce pan until it resembles a sauce.  Chill in the refrigerator while preparing the filling.  Puree the soaked cashews, lemon juice, maple syrup, coconut oil, salt, and vanilla in a blender until smooth.  Spread onto the refrigerated pie crust and top with the rhubarb sauce.  Refrigerate or freeze before slicing.

Salmon in Hon Tsai Tai Cream Sauce!

1 lb. salmon
T. butter
2 c. fresh hon tsai tai leaves, chopped rough

1 green onion, sliced

1/2 c. heavy cream

salt and pepper

 

Preheat the broiler. When the oven is ready, start the sauce. In a large, wide skillet, melt the butter until it starts to melt.  Put the salmon on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper and place under the broiler.   Add the hon tsai tai and green onion to the butter and coat quickly. Allow them to wilt a little, and then pour in the cream. Bring to a boil and reduce just until the sauce coats the back of a spoon. Taste and adjust for salt and pepper. The salmon should now be ready. (2-3 minutes)    Plate the salmon and decorate with the sauce, being very generous.              

 

Easy Pizza Dough!

1/2 c. plain Greek yogurt
1 1/2 c. flour
1 1/2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt

Mix flour, baking powder, and salt in a separate bowl.  In an electric mixer, combine the yogurt with 1 c. of the flour mixture.  Mix with a dough hook for 5 minutes on medium-high speed.  Add additional flour mixture as needed until mixture forms a dough ball in the bowl.  Powder the counter with flour and roll out the ball of dough into your desired shape and thickness for pizza crust.  Place crust on a hot, floured pizza stone and top with tomato sauce, cheese, and veggies.  Bake at 450 degrees for 15 minutes or until crust is crisp and cheese is golden.

Nettle Soup!

4  c. nettle tops
2 T. of butter
2 sunchokes, diced
1 clove garlic, peeled and chopped
2 T. brown rice
1 liter chicken broth
salt and pepper
plain yogurt
1 small bunch chives, to finish
Pick over the nettles, wash them thoroughly and discard the tougher stalks. Melt the butter in a large pan over medium-low heat, add the sunchokes and garlic, cover and sweat gently for 20 minutes, stirring a few times, until soft but not brown. Add the rice and stock, bring to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes. Add the nettles, stirring them into the stock as they wilt, and simmer for five minutes or so, until the rice and the nettles are tender (very young nettle tops will need only two to three minutes). Season with plenty of salt and pepper. 
Purée the soup and stir in yogurt.  Top with fresh chives.

Peanut Butter Bars!

3/4 c. unsalted butter

1 1/2 c. sugar

1/2 c. milk

1 t. vanilla

1/2 c. peanut butter

3 3/4 c. oats

1 1/4 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips

 

Melt butter in a large sauce pan on medium heat, .Once the butter has melted, add the sugar, milk, vanilla, and peanut butter. Whisk until combined.  Turn the heat up and bring the mixture to a boil for 4 minutes, while continuing to whisk.  Take off the heat and add the oats. Stir until combined.  Spread the mixture in a lined 9 x 9 inch baking dish. Immediately sprinkle chocolate chips on top of the oats mixture.  Allow to completely cool before cutting into squares.

Pea Salad!

1/3 c. plain Greek yogurt
1 T. mayonnaise
salt and pepper
1 t. white vinegar
4 c. frozen peas, thawed
8 slices of bacon, cooked and chopped
1/2 red onion, diced
6 oz. cheddar cheese, diced
1 T. parsley

Mix the yogurt, mayonnaise, salt, pepper, and vinegar together to make the dressing. Stir dressing into the peas until the peas are coated. Gently stir in the bacon, onion, cheese, and parsley until all combined. Taste and adjust seasonings. Cover and refrigerate before serving.
 

Posted by Ree | The Pioneer Woman on

Banana Cheesecake!

For the crust:
1 1/2 c. vanilla wafers
1/2 c. walnuts
1/4 c. melted butter

For the filling:
2 bananas, diced
1 T. lemon juice
2 T. brown sugar
3 8oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
1 c. sugar
3 eggs
1 T. vanilla

For the garnish:
3/4 c. heavy cream
1 t. vanilla
1 T. sugar
1 banana, sliced
vanilla wafers

For the crust, pulse the vanilla wafers, walnuts, and butter in a food processor.  In a small saucepan, sauté diced bananas, lemon juice, and brown sugar for 1 minute or until sugar dissolves.  Press into a buttered and floured pie pan and bake for 10 minutes.  Meanwhile, mix cream cheese until smooth.  Add sugar, vanilla, and eggs one at a time.  Mix until smooth.  Add the sautéed bananas to the mix and stir.  Pour the mixture into the baked pie crust and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.  While it is baking, whip the cream with vanilla and sugar until thick.  Once cheesecake is baked, let it cool and refrigerate.  Top with whipped cream, sliced bananas, and vanilla wafers before serving.

Sausage and Shells with Chickpeas and Mint!

1 lb. Italian sausage
2 T. olive oil
1 red onion, sliced
1 lb. pasta shells
15 oz. chickpeas
1 c. mint leaves
2 T. lemon juice
salt and pepper
yogurt

Boil the pasta and sauté sausage in olive oil until browned.  Add sliced red onion and cook until soft.  Add cooked pasta shells and chickpeas.  Cook until hot and coated.  Stir in mint leaves and lemon juice.  Season with salt and pepper.  Top with a dollop of yogurt.