Flowers and Recipes

The flowers are outstanding this year due to the rainy May and April. The mop heads are just now going droopy but the Casablanca lilies are at their best, and, they last so long as cut flowers. The knock out roses are blooming themselves silly for the second crop of the season. It's been a good growing season here, but I understand this is not the case for the farmers. Sweet corn seems to be among the missing at this time of the year when it is usually shipped in from out of state until ours gets going. Andy went to the outdoor markets yesterday and there was very little to see and he bought nothing. Sunday with the Lechlers (today) was a fish experience and I tried to replicate Buca's prosciutto chopped salad. (They use head lettuce and romaine and chop it finely and deep fry prosciutto and crumble it in the salad.) It is delicious that way, however, I have not found the key to their dressing. Nonetheless, not a leaf was left and there were only five of us here today. Matt and Jake worked all day trimming around the tennis court and the west fence.

The next door neighbors had a wedding and a reception in their yard yesterday and what a beautiful day they had. I'm just saying--when events happen on Cooke the weather cooperates. I took a big frittata over to them early yesterday morning for their over night guests' breakfast. I didn't get a picture of it, but the bride took a picture to add to her wedding album.

Note:
The wire basket from Japan is a great tool for reheating pasta before applying the sauce, for a quick blanch of peas etc. Just hook it over the rim of a tall pot of boiling water and it will serve many purposes.

I have been reading different recipes for something called chili cornbread salad and thought I might try it for Sunday dinner. A recipe for it was in the Wednesday Cook's Corner and the recipes there are usually pretty good though they do not test them.

CHILI CORN BREAD SALAD
Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Makes 12 servings
1 package (8 1/2 ounces) corn bread mix
1 can (4 ounces) chopped green chilies
1/8 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon dried oregano
1/8 teaspoon dried rubbed sage
1 cup mayonnaise (do not use Miracle Whip)
8 ounces sour cream
1 envelope ranch salad dressing mix
2 cans (15 ounces each) pinto beans, rinsed, drained
2 cans (15 1/3 ounces each) whole kernel corn, drained
3 medium tomatoes, chopped
1 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 cup chopped green onions
10 bacon strips, cooked until crisp, crumbled
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Prepare cornbread mix according to package directions. Stir in chilies, cumin, oregano and sage. Spread in 8-inch square pan.

Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool.

In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, sour cream and dressing mix.

Crumble half of cornbread into a 13-by-9-inch dish. Layer with half of beans, mayonnaise mixture, corn, tomatoes, green pepper, onions bacon and cheese. Repeat layers (dish will be very full).

Cover and refrigerate 2 hours.

Also, from the same source, and I don't know how I missed this, orange creme cake, which must be like Glenda's Hawaiian wedding cake that I rave about so often. Any way, another thing to try for Sunday to cool us off in this extreme heat.


ORANGE CRÈME CAKE
Wednesday, July 06, 2011
Each week we feature an oldie-but-goody recipe from this week 10 years ago.

Makes 24 servings

This recipe is from Quick Cooking magazine. I have made it twice, and it received rave reviews. It tastes like a Creamsicle. (This from the person who sent in the recipe. I haven't tried it yet.)

1 package (18 1/4 ounces) lemon cake mix
1 envelope unsweetened orange soft-drink mix (such as Kool-Aid)
3 eggs
1 cup water
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 packages (3 ounces each) orange gelatin
1 cup boiling water
1 cup cold water
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 package (3.4 ounces) instant vanilla pudding
1 carton (8 ounces) frozen whipped topping, thawed

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a mixing bowl, combine the cake and drink mix, eggs, water and oil. Beat for 2 minutes at medium speed. Pour into 13-by-9-inch pan.

Bake until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean, about 25 to 30 minutes. Remove cake from oven. Using a fork, poke holes in the cake. Cool on wire rack for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a bowl, dissolve 1 package gelatin in boiling water. Stir in cold water. Pour over cake. Cover and refrigerate 2hours.

In a mixing bowl, combine milk, vanilla, pudding mix and remaining gelatin. Beat on low 2 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes. Fold in whipped topping.

Frost cake. Refrigerate leftovers.