Banana Breeze Pie

Banana cream pie that's a breeze to make.

• 1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
• 1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
• 1/3 cup lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 bananas, sliced and dipped in additional lemon juice
• 1 graham cracker pie crust
• banana slices for garnish
• whipped cream
• caramel sauce

In mixer bowl beat cream cheese until light and fluffy.
Add sweetened condensed milk.
Add lemon juice and vanilla.
Stir until thickened.
Line pie crust with banana slices.
Top with cream cheese filling.
Refrigerate 2 to 3 hours or until firm.
Slice into 8 servings.
Garnish each slice with additional banana slices dipped in lemon juice, whipped cream and caramel sauce.



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Frozen Margaritas

A tart frozen drink to help cool down on a hot summer day.       

• 2 1/2 cups ice cubes
• 1/3 cup tequila
• 1/3 cup fresh lime juice 
• 1/4 cup simple syrup
• 1/3 cup salt
• 1 lime, cut into wedges

Blend ice, tequila, lime juice and simple syrup in blender until smooth.
Pour salt in saucer.
Rub rim of glasses with lime wedge.
Dip glass rims in salt.
Pour margaritas into glasses.
Garnish with lime wedges.

Zucchini Noodles with Lime Tomato Salsa

 

Summer's bounty with a new twist.

• 2 medium zucchinis
• 1 large tomato, chopped
• 3 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
• 1 teaspoon jalapeno pepper, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons green onions, finely sliced
• 1 teaspoon lime juice
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Use a spiral vegetable slicer to make zucchini noodles.  Set aside.
Mix remaining ingredients together in a bowl.
Season to taste with additional jalapeno, lime juice, and salt.
Toss with zucchini noodles.
Serve immediately.

I received a Very Healthy Spiral Vegetable Slicer for free to review from VarietyLand.  This easy to use kitchen gadget will add a healthy twist to your meals.  I have only used it to make the zucchini noodles, but I can't wait to try sweet potatoes next. I was delighted at how easy and effortless it was to create the long noodles.  Perfect for all the fresh summer vegetables.  The Very Healthy Spiral Vegetable Slicer is made of high-quality durable plastic with stainless steel blades that are built to last.  Clean-up was a breeze, just rinse under running water.  I didn't even need to use the brush that was included with it.  So if you want to try a spiral vegetable slicer, I would highly recommend Very Healthy Spiral Vegetable Slicer by VarietyLand available from Amazon.

Pecan Pie Cookies

Rich flavors of pecan pie in a cookie.

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 large eggs, separated
• 1/2 cup dark corn syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• pinch of salt
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 3 tablespoons dark corn syrup
• 3/4 cup finely chopped pecans
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Mix 1 cup butter and sugar at medium speed with a mixer until light and fluffy.
Add egg yolks, 1/2 cup corn syrup, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla and pinch of salt, mixing well.
Gradually add flour into batter; don't over-mix.
Cover and chill 1 hour.
Melt 1/4 cup butter in a saucepan over medium heat; stir in powdered sugar and 3 tablespoons corn syrup.
Cook, stirring, until mixture boils.
Remove from heat.
Mix in pecans and 1/4 teaspoon vanilla.
Chill 30 minutes.
Shape mixture into 1/4-inch balls; set aside.
Roll cookie dough into 1-inch balls.
Place cookies 2 inches apart on  parchment-lined cookie sheets.
Beat egg whites until foamy; brush on cookies.
Bake in preheated 375-degree oven for 6 minutes.
Remove from oven, and place pecan balls in center of each cookie.
Bake 8 minutes or until lightly browned.
Cool 5 minutes on cookie sheets.
Cool completely on wire racks.

Yield: 4 1/2 dozen.

Tip:
Freeze up to 1 month, if desired.

Printable Recipe

Cinnamon Streusel Coffee Cake

A tender and moist cake, with a middle layer of cinnamon filling and a crumbly streusel topping.

Streusel Topping:

• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Filling:

• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon

Cake:

• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3 large eggs
• 3/4 cup sour cream
• 1 1/4 cups milk
• 3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

Stir together streusel topping ingredients.  Set aside.
Stir together filling ingredients. Set aside.
In a large bowl, beat together the butter, salt, sugars, baking powder and vanilla until well combined and smooth.
Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
In a separate bowl, mix together the sour cream and milk.
Add the flour to the butter mixture alternating with the milk mixture, beating gently to combine.
Begin and end with flour.
Spread half the batter into a prepared 9"X13" baking pan.
Sprinkle the filling evenly over top of the batter.
Drop remaining batter by spoonfuls over top of filling.
Gently pull knife through batter to swirl throughout pan.
Sprinkle the streusel topping over the batter in the pan.
Bake for 50 minutes in a preheated 350-degree oven or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
Cool for 20-minutes.
Serve from pan.


Tips:

Bake in two  9" round cake pans.  Freeze one for later.
You can prepare this coffeecake the night before, then bake in the morning. Cover the unbaked cake with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight. Next morning, bake the cake as directed.
 

Swiss Steak

Slow-cook a relatively tough round steak to produce a fork-tender Swiss Steak in a rich gravy.

• 1 pound beef bottom round, tenderized by butcher
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 large onion, thinly sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 1/2 cups beef broth

Season the steak on both sides with the salt and pepper.
Dredge the pieces of meat on both sides in the flour.
Add vegetable oil to cover the bottom of a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Add the steaks to the pan.
Cook until golden brown on both sides.
Remove the steaks to a plate and repeat until all of the steaks have been browned.  Set aside.
Add the onions and garlic to pan and saute for 1 to 2 minutes.
Add the tomato paste and stir.
Add the tomatoes, paprika, oregano, Worcestershire sauce and beef broth and stir to combine.
Return the meat to the pot, covering it in the liquid.
Bring to a boil.
Cover the skillet.
Reduce heat to a simmer.
Cook for 1 1/2  hours or until the meat is fork-tender.

Printable Recipe

Grilled Onion Cheeseburgers and Alpha Grillers Grill Brush

Summer grilling starts with a clean grill.

• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/2 hamburger bun, made into soft bread crumbs
• 4 ounces melted butter
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 medium onion, sliced
• 4 American cheese slices
• 4 hamburger buns
• tomato slices
• lettuce
• dilled pickle slices
• mayonnaise

Mix ground beef with egg, bread crumbs, butter, salt and pepper.
Divide and shape into 4 patties.
Place meat patties and onion slices on pre-heated grill.
Close grill lid.
Cook onion slices 3 minutes, turn and cook for 2 minutes.
Remove onion slices from grill and place in bowl and cover with plastic wrap.
Cook meat patties for 5 minutes with grill lid closed.
Turn meat patties over and cook 3 minutes.
Remove from grill.
Top with onion and cheese.
Return to grill and finish cooking until desired doneness.
Toast buns.
Serve with desired toppings.

Nothing is worse than a dirty grill that has to be cleaned before you can make your favorite burgers. Today, I received the Alpha Grillers grill brush to use and review.  It is made with tough stainless steel bristles and a comfortable plastic two-handed grip.  The 18" long shaft is perfect. It allows good control and pressure, but also keeps your arms far enough away from the heat.  The best feature is the innovative 3-sided design that lets you get deep between the grates and into those tricky corners.  For best results you should clean your grill while it is still hot.  Just have a bowl of soapy water and your Alpha Grillers brush by your grill and clean-up is a breeze.  No more brunt on food the next time you are ready to grill.  I highly recommend you try the Alpha Grillers grill brush if you are in the market for a new grill brush.  It is safe to use on all grill surfaces, even porcelain grill grates.  You can purchase your Alpha Grillers grill brush from Amazon at this link Alpha Grillers grill brush and Free E-recipe Book.   I found their video How to Clean Your Grill very helpful. No more dirty grills for me.