Tamale Corn Cakes

I must admit, this is a copycat recipe. Its on the menu at the Cheesecake factory. Its my favorite. Its really easy to make if you prepare the sauces in advanced. I make them the day before and let the salsas marinate. This recipe is so great. Try it and you will have explosions in your mouth!
Ingredients

Salsa Verde
2 tomatillos, chopped (remove papery skin)
1 4 oz can mild green chilies
1 green onion
2tbsp fresh cilantro
1 1/4tsp granulated sugar
1/4tsp ground cumin
1/2tsp salt
pinch ground black pepper
Prepare salsa verde by combining all ingredients in a food processor on high speed. Cover and chill.

Southwestern Sauce
1/2c mayonnaise
1tsp white vinegar
1tsp water
 3/4tsp granulated sugar
1/2tsp chili powder
1/4tsp paprika
pinch cayenne pepper
pinch onion powder
dash salt
dash garlic powder
Prepare southwestern sauce by combining all ingredients  in a small bowl. Cover and chill.

Tomato Salsa
1 medium tomato
1tbsp minced Spanish onion
1tbsp fresh cilantro, minced
1/4tsp lime juice
1/2 small fresh jalapeno, minced
dash salt
dash ground black pepper
Prepare tomato salsa by combining all ingredients in a small bowl. Cover and chill.

Corn Cakes
1 1/2 cups frozen sweet corn
1/2c (1 stick) butter, softened
3tbsp granulated sugar
pinch salt
1/2c corn masa (corn flour)
2tbsp all-purpose flour

Garnish
1/4 cup sour cream
1/2 avocado, chopped
2tbsp fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped

Method
Preheat oven to 400°.

Prepare the tamale cakes by chopping 1c of the frozen corn in a food processor until it's coarsely pureed. Combine pureed corn with softened butter, sugar, and salt. Blend well with electric mixer until smooth. Add masa and flour and blend well. Mix in the remaining 1/2 cup of frozen corn kernels by hand.

Measure 1/2 cup portions of the mixture and form it into 3" wide patties with your hands.
Arrange the patties on a baking sheet and bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until the cakes are browned on the bottom.
Carefully flip all cakes with a spatula and bake for an additional 5 to 7 minutes or until other side is browned.
While the cakes are baking, spoon a portion of the salsa verde onto a warm plate or platter You'll need to use enough salsa verde to coat the entire plate. Arrange the tamale cakes side-by-side on the salsa verde. Spoon a dollop of sour cream onto each tamale cake.
Drizzle the southwestern sauce over the cakes in a crisscross patter (use a squirt bottle if you've got one). Spoon some tomato salsa over the cakes, followed by the chopped avocado.
Finish off the plate by sprinkling the coarsely chopped cilantro leaves over the top.

Surfin Rum Cupcakes

If you love rum you will love these cupcakes. I used my grandmas rum cake recipe. I wasn't sure if I could make cupcakes from it but it worked great. I wouldn't use muffin papers, just spray the pan and it should come out great. The butter cream is light and fluffy which compliments the powerful cake.

Ingredients 
1c chopped pecans
1 box yellow cake mix
1 pkg vanilla instant pudding pie filling
4 eggs
1/2c cold water
1/2c oil
1/2c 80proof Meyers Dark Rum 



Glaze
1/4lb butter
1/4c water
1c sugar
1/2c rum

Rum Butter Cream
1 1/2c butter
1tbsp vanilla
2tbsp rum
2c powdered sugar

Method
Grease and flour, (or use baking  spray with flour) muffin pan. Sprinkle nuts over bottoms. Mix all the rest of the ingredients. Pour on top of the nuts. Bake at 325° for 1 hour. 
Glaze
Melt butter in pan add sugar and water boil for 5 min stirring constantly. Remove from heat mix in rum. While the cakes are warm brush and spoon glaze evenly on tops until all is used. Use a knife to get the cupcakes out of the pan. .Let them cool completely before frosting. 
To make frosting
Cream butter and sugar, add vanilla and rum beat until creamy. Pipe onto cakes.

Pineapple Cupcakes

I made these cupcakes for my brother in laws surprise 30th. He loves pineapple and it was a Luau themed party so I made these wonderful cupcakes. The decorations are dried fresh pineapple slices. the cupcakes were beautiful and delicious. they are very light and moist. If you live fresh tropical tastes try these for a nice summer treat!

Ingredients
4 slices of pineapple in natural juice
3/4c butter
3/4c fine sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/4c self rising flour
2tbsp pineapple juice

Frosting
1 1/2c butter
12oz cream cheese
2c powdered sugar
Zest of 1 lime
Juice of 1 lime
zest of 1 lemon
Juice of 1/2 lemon

Garnish
Thinly slices fresh Pineapple baked for 30 min on each side in 225 oven. Then put in a muffin tin to form flower and bake for another 30 min or so until completely dried. Do not put on cupcakes until ready to serve.

Method
Preheat oven to 350. Line 24 cupcake cases in muffin pan. Finely chop pineapple slices. Cream butter and sugar in a bow land beat until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in the eggs. Add the flour and add pineapple and juice. Spoon the batter into the lined pan. Bake for 20 min or until risen and golden brown. transfer to a wire rack to cool.

To make the frosting beat together the butter and cream cheese until smooth. Add the zests and gradually beat in the sugar Add the lime and lemon juice until well combined. Do not over mix. Wait until the cupcakes have thoroughly cooled and then pipe on the frosting. Top with tropical pineapple flowers.

Chicken Cordon Bleu

 What a nice change from the same old chicken dishes. Chicken cordon bleu is a nice and easy dish. If you get a nice Swiss cheese and deli ham the dish will be even better. Serve it with a nice scalloped potato. Dinner plates will be clean!

Ingredients
4 boneless skinless  chicken breasts
Garlic Salt & P
8 thin slices deli ham
16 thin slices Gruyere or Swiss Cheese
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
1/4c flour
1/4c cornstarch
1c panko bread crumbs
1tsp olive oil
2 eggs
2tsp water

Method

Preheat oven to 350°. Lay the chicken between 2 pieces of plastic wrap. Use the flat side of a meat mallet, or a rolling pin to gently pound the chicken to about a 1/4-inch thickness. Lay 2 slices of cheese on each breast, followed by 2 slices of ham, and 2 more of cheese; leaving a 1/2-inch margin on all sides to help seal the roll. Tuck in the sides of the breast and roll up tight like a jellyroll. Squeeze the log gently to seal.

Season the flour with salt and pepper; spread out on waxed paper or in a flat dish. Mix the panko, flour and cornstarch with thyme, garlic salt, pepper, and oil. The oil will help the crust brown. Beat together the eggs and water, the mixture should be fluid. Lightly dust the chicken with flour, then dip in the egg mixture. Gently coat in the bread crumbs. Carefully transfer the roulades to a baking pan and bake for 20 minutes until browned and cooked through. Cut into pinwheels before serving.

Herb Roasted Pork Tenderloin

Wow, what a wonderful meal this was. I love it. This was the first time I used Herbs de Provence, I think I am a huge fan, I paired it with a nice fig jam. Try making a gravy with the juices and serve it with a mashed potato, Simply elegant. 

Ingredients
2 whole Pork Tenderloins
Salt & P, to taste
8tbsp Herbs De Provence
1 sprig of fresh rosemary.
1c fig preserves
1c Water
1tbsp Vinegar

Method
Preheat oven to 425°. Season pork tenderloins liberally with salt and pepper, rosemary then with Herbs de Provence, pressing to get the herbs to adhere to the pork.
Place the pork  in a large skillet or french oven and roast in the oven for 12 to 15 minutes (or until no longer pink). Remove from the oven and let it rest for 10 minutes.
While the pork is resting, combine preserves, water, and vinegar in a small pan and bring to a simmer.
Slice pork into thick pieces, then spoon the sauce/glaze over the slices. Serve with mashed potatoes.

Jolly Green Pasta

This pasta is a new variation on my green pasta recipe. It is a very good way to sneak veggies on your kids. Mine ate at least 3 servings of this. It was delish.

Ingredients
1c c fresh or frozen chopped spinach
1c kale
1/2 c fresh basil
3tblsp fresh Parmesan Cheese
1/4c olive oil
Hand full of Pine Nuts
2cloves garlic
Salt to taste
1 pkg bow tie pasta

Method
In a food processor Blend together all ingredients except pasta. Add enough oil to make a good pesto consistency. Cook pasta. While pasta cooks, in a saute pan heat about 2tbsp of olive oil, add pesto mixture and heat, add garlic salt to taste. Toss with pasta and add a generous amount of Fresh Parmesan cheese.

Berry Cobbler

When I moved to Seattle I discovered the most wonderful berry in the world. The Blackberry.. So sweet and a little tart, plump and juicy. I pick berries, come August every year. I have even been called a berry picker from the side of the road. The berries grow like weeds in Washington. I pick so many blackberries that I make a pie and freeze the rest for the year so I have them on hand. I love cobbler and blackberry cobbler is just divine. The last time I made it I added blueberries and it was better then I ever had...

Ingredients
4c Fruit
1c Sugar
3tbsp Flour

Crumble topping
1/2c butter softened to room temp
2tbsp butter
1c flour
1/4 c sugar
1c oatmeal
1c brown sugar

Method
Combine berries sugar and flour by thoroughly tossing together, place in a 9x13" pryex pan. Mix together crumble ingredients. Top the berry mixture evenly with the topping. Bake at 350° for 30-40 minutes until fruit is bubbly. Please serve warm with vanilla ice cream.