July Recipes

July Recipes

Chocolate Dipped Strawberries

Rinsed and dried strawberries (about 1 pint)

1 C. semi sweet chocolate chips melted in microwave 30-90 seconds stir once or twice until all chips are dissolved

Holding strawberries by stem, dip each in chocolate, leaving a little space uncovered near the stem.  Place dipped berries on wax paper covered baking sheet.  Chill about 15 minutes before serving.  These are best tasting served fresh.

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Strawberry Scones

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

2 C. flour

2 t. baking powder

1/2 t. salt

3 T. sugar

6 T.cold butter

2/3 C. cream, 1/2/ and 1/2, or milk

1 C. fresh, washed, diced strawberries

(**1 egg and 1 T. water blended with fork to brush on top of prepared scones before baking)

In corporate all ingredients, except strawberries in medium size mixing bowl.  (I used a pastry blender (or two forks)) and incorporated together until mixture looked coarse.  Then add cream and blend until incorporated fully.  Knead a few times on floured board until mix is no longer sticky.  roll into a 9x9 square and cut into eight equal triangle shaped pieces. Brush with egg wash mixture.  Bake 400 degrees 18-20 minutes until golden and set in centers.

(I changed the recipe out and made two other types of scones as well.  Substitute chopped pecans and 1 t. maple extract for strawberries.  Substitute 1/2 cup chopped dark raisins and 1 t. rum extract for strawberries.)

Serve with Clotted Cream and Lemon Curd.

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Turkey Salad  Croissants

10 mini croissants, cut in half, but not all the way through

6 cups shredded, and cut into small pieces oven roasted turkey breast meat

2-3 stalks celery diced fine

2 green onions diced fine

1/2-3/4 cup dried cranberries

1/2 cup diced bread and butter pickles (or sweet pickle)

1 c. mayonnaise

1/4 c. sour cream

2-3 T. lemon juice

salt and pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients together in medium bowl (except for prepared croissants)  Spread mixture into prepared croissants.  You may add lettuce to sandwich as well if desired. 

This recipe may be suited to your personal taste adding more or less of any ingredient.  Chicken would work just as well as turkey!  This would also taste great with some kind of chopped nut or water chesnuts added as well.  Grapes may be substituted for dried cranberries.  I found the important part is the mayonnaise, lemon juice and sour cream mixture...it really makes the turkey salad hold together well.

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Peanut Butter Snowballs

2 c. creamy peanut butter

2 T. butter, softend

2 C. powdered sugar

2 C. crispy rice cereal

16 oz. pkg white (or semi sweet) chocolate

Blend peanut butter, butter and powdered sugar together.  Add cereal; mix well until all ingredients are incorporated well.  Shape into balls by full teaspoonfuls.  Set on wax paper covered sheet.  Freeze.  Meanwhile melt white chocolate on medium low heat in microwave safe bowl.  Stir well to melt melt fully.  Dip balls into chocolate.  Return to was paper covered sheet.  Chill until set.

Makes 4-5 dozen

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Almond Truffle Brownies

1 pkg. fudge brownie mix (13x9 pan size)

1/2 c. water

1/2 c. vegetable oil

1 egg

3/4 cup chopped almonds

1 t. almond extract

Filling

1 c (6 oz) semisweet chocolate chips

1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened

1/4 c powdered sugar

2 T. milk

1/2 t. almond extract

Topping

1/2 c. semi sweet chocolate chips

1/4 c. heavy cream

1/2 c. sliced, toasted almonds

In large bowl, combine the first six ingredients.  Pour into greased 13x9x2 pan.  Bake 350 degrees 23-25 minutes until just tests done.  Do not overbake!  Let cool on wire rack.

In microwave safe bowl, melt chocolate chips about 30-90 seconds; stir until smooth.  In separate medium size bowl, beat cream cheese and powdered sugar with electric mixer until smooth and fluffy.  Add milk, extract and melted chips stir well to incorporate.  Spread over brownies.  Refrigerate 1 hour until firm.

For topping, in small saucepan, melt chips and cream over low heat, stirring occasionally.  Spread over filling.  Sprinkle with almonds.  Refrigerate 1 hour before serving.

Yield: 1 1/2 dozen

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Lemon Blossoms

18 1/2 oz. yellow cake mix

3 1/ 1/2 oz. instant lemon pudding mix

4 large eggs

3/4 c. vegetable oil

GLAZE

4 c. powdered sugar

1/3 c. FRESH lemon juice

Zest from 1 lemon

3 T. vegetable oil

3 T. water

Oven to 350 degrees.

Grease miniature muffin tins.

Combine cake mix, pudding mix, eggs, oil and blend with electric mixer until combined.  Mix will be thick.  Pour small amount of batter into each hole.  (No more than 1/2 full)  Bake 12 minutes.  Turn out to tea towel.

To make glaze sift powdered sugar into medium size bowl, add lemon zest, lemon juice, oil and 3 T. water.  mix until smooth.

Using fork or fingers, dip each lemon blossom in glaze until completely coated.  Remove to wire rack to set up.  May double dip for thicker coating.  Frost WHILE WARM!

Store in cool place, covered well.  These are great cold or just warm and freshly coated!

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Olive and Pepper Pinwheels

1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, softened

1/3 c. each green,red, orange peppers diced fine

1  (2 1/2 oz.) can chopped olives

2 T. prepared RANCH dressing

(six) 6 inch flour tortillas

In small mixing bowl, beat softened cream cheese and ranch dressing with electric mixer until smooth; stir in peppers and olives.  Spread mix over all 6 tortillas.  Roll up jelly roll style; wrap tightly.  Chill 2 hours.  Just before serving, cut into 1 inch pieces.  Makes 3 dozen.

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Friendship Tea Mix

1 jar (21.1 oz) orange breakfast drink (think TANG)

1 c. sugar

1/2 c. sweetened lemonade soft drink mix

1/2 c. sweetened instant tea

1 (3 oz.) pkg. apricot JELLO

2 1/2 t. ground cinnamon

Yield 50 batches.  Makes 5 cups total dried mix. 1 cup prepared mix plus 4 quarts water makes 1 pitcher full.  For individual cups... 4 1/2 teaspoons prepared mix with 8 oz. water (hot or cold) makes one mug full.

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Crab Quiche

2 green onions sliced thin

4 large eggs

3/4 c. heavy cream

3/4 c. milk

salt and pepper to taste

1 t. lemon zest

dash nutmeg

1 T. dried parsley

1/4 c. crumbled, cooked bacon

1/2-1 cup Crab pieces  ( I have used real or imitation crab, with great results either way!)

1/2 cup shredded cheese (pepper jack, jack ,mozzarella, parmesan, swiss or cheddar cheese)

1 prepared pie crust for single crust pie

In medium bowl, beat eggs, cream, milk, green onion, salt, pepper, lemon zest and nutmeg with electric mixer on medium high speed until well combined.  Stir in cheese, crab and bacon.

Place pie crust in pie pan, flute edges of crust.   Cover edges of crust with aluminum foil strips to prevent burning.  Prick bottom of crust with fork.  Bake at 450 degrees for 5 minutes.  Remove foil edging. Reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake 5-7 minutes more until crust is a light golden color and not burned. Pour in egg filling mix into hot crust.  May cover edges again with foil to prevent over browning if desired.  Bake 325 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until quiche tests done.