Fall Cooking

I want to say I have missed sharing recipes and I would love to hear from any of you on recipes. I love collecting them and sharing.

This first recipe is so good and still a good time of year to make it. I do not put the mint in mine, I use splenda instead of sugar and I also use a small zucchini or yellow squash and cut it up the same way as other vegetables, this will keep for several day in refrigerator.

Tomato Cucumber Salad

1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon white sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 large cucumbers, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1/2-inch slices
3 large tomatoes, seeded and chopped
2/3 cup chopped red onion
2 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
a finely chopped garlic bulb or a dash of garlic powder makes this even better

In a large bowl, combine vinegar, sugar, and salt. Mix in cucumbers, and marinate 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

Gently toss tomatoes, onion, and olive oil with the marinated cucumbers. Season with salt and pepper.

Zesty Zucchini Corn Cakes

1 cup grated zucchini

1/2 cup Green Giant® Valley Fresh Steamers® Niblets® frozen corn (from 12-oz bag), thawed
1/4 cup chopped onion

1 egg

1 cup Original Bisquick® mix

1 tablespoon milk

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

Vegetable oil for cooking
1/3 cup sour cream , if desired

1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered

1 In large bowl, stir together zucchini, corn, onion, egg, Bisquick mix, milk, salt and pepper.

2 Grease griddle or skillet with oil, or use nonstick griddle; heat over medium heat (350°F). For each corn cake, pour 1/4 cup batter onto hot griddle. Cook until golden brown on both sides.

3 Serve corn cakes topped with sour cream and tomatoes. Garnish with basil.

Tips

Make 'em cheesy! Add 1/4 cup shredded sharp Cheddar or Parmesan cheese to the batter. Just make sure your griddle is well greased to keep the cheese from sticking while the corn cakes cook.

These corn cakes freeze well. Cool and place in resealable freezer plastic bag; seal bag and freeze up to 1 month. Reheat in the microwave on High 1 to 2 minutes.

This recipe is made in a jellyroll pan.

Orange Texas Sheet Cake

3 1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
3 eggs, well beaten
3 tablespoons orange marmalade
2 tablespoons grated orange zest
1 (11-ounce) can mandarin orange segments, chopped
1 1/3 cups orange juice

Orange Glaze

1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 cup fresh orange juice
2 tablespoons finely grated orange zest
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons butter

Sift flour, baking powder and salt together. In a large bowl, cream butter until smooth. Gradually add sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Beat eggs; stir in marmalade, orange rind and orange segments. Beat in flour mixture alternately with orange juice, beating after each addition. Turn batter into a greased and floured 11-by-14-by-1-inch or cookie sheet pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes. Cool in pan on rack until cooled.

For the orange glaze: Combine the sugar and cornstarch in saucepan. Add lemon and orange juices slowly and stir until smooth. Add remaining ingredients and cook, stirring frequently, over low heat until thick and glossy. Cool and spread on cake.

Lemon Texas Sheet Cake

This cake is amazing when using orange extract and zest changing it to orange sheet cake.

1 cup water
1 cup butter
2 cups plus 2 tablespoons sugar
2 cups plus 2 tablespoon flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1/2 cup dairy sour cream
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon lemon extract

Frosting:

1/2 cup butter
6 tablespoons milk
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar, or a 1-pound box
1/2 teaspoon lemon extract
Grated lemon zest
1 cup toasted pecans

Measure flour, sugar and salt into a large bowl. Mix well together. In a small saucepan, bring water and butter to a boil. Remove butter/water mixture from heat and while hot, pour into the flour/sugar mixture, beating well with a wire whisk or an electric mixer. Beat in eggs, sour cream and baking soda into batter. Add lemon zest and extract. Beat well to combine. Grease or spray just the bottom of a jelly roll pan. Pour in batter. Bake in preheated 375 degree oven for about 20 minutes or until edges slightly pull away from sides and top of cake springs back when touched. Put cake on wire rack to cool.

For the frosting: boil butter and milk in saucepan. Remove from heat and add to powdered sugar in a bowl. Beat well. Add lemon extract and grated zest and pecans. Mix well. Frost the cake while it is still warm.

Pumpkin Sheet Cake

1 (15 ounce) can solid-packed pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling mix)
2 cups sugar
1 cup canola oil
4 eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt

For the frosting:

1 (3-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
5 tablespoons butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups powdered sugar
3 to 4 teaspoons milk
Toasted pecans, either halves or rough chopped

In a large bowl, beat pumpkin, sugar and oil until blended. Beat in eggs. Combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; gradually add to pumpkin mixture, beating until well blended. Pour into a greased 15-by-10-by-1-inch jelly roll pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.

For the frosting: in a small bowl, beat the cream cheese, butter and vanilla until fluffy. Gradually beat in sugar until smooth. Add milk until frosting reaches desired spreading consistency. At this point, you can either stir in pecans, or add the pecans on top after it is frosted. Frost cake. Add the pecans at this point, if desired.