Key Lime Cake

2 limes
1 pkg white cake mix
1 small pkg instant coconut cream or vanilla pudding
1/2 c. oil
4 eggs
1 c. sour cream
approximately 1/2 c. milk

Juice and pulp the limes and then add enough milk to measure 1/2 cup. Mix all ingredients and pour into a greased bundt pan. Bake at 350 for 40-45 minutes. Let cool for 20 minutes and invert onto a serving platter. When completely cool, top with lime glaze.

Lime Glaze:
1 lime
4 Tbsp butter
3/4 tsp vanilla
1 to 1 3/4 c. powdered sugar

Melt butter in saucepan over low heat. Remove from heat and stir in juice and pulp from 1 lime. Add powdered sugar until right consistency and pour over cake.

Flour Tortillas

I needed a change in tortillas, for some reason I just can't stomach store-bought tortillas any more.  As luck would have it I've found it quite simple to make them at home.  I use a recipe from the Food Wishes blog.  You can watch a video of how to make the tortillas here.  They are surprisingly easy even without a tortilla press.  I put a little flour on the counter and roll out the dough like I would a pie crust, but as thin as possible.

Ingredients:

8 ounces all-purpose flour (about 1 3/4 cup), more as needed

3/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp baking powder

1/4 cup vegetable shortening

1/2 cup hot water (about 105 degrees F.)

 

Mix dry ingredients together, cut in shortening then add hot water.  Knead for a few minutes then cover and let rest for 20min.  Cut into eight pieces for fajita sized tortillas.  Roll out dough as thin as you can then cook in frying pan about one minute on each side.

Creamy Lime-Cilantro Ranch Dressing

(This isn't the same the recipe I used at the reunion but similar. I used tomatillos instead of green salsa.)

Recipe by Our Best Bites

1 pack (1oz) Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing Mix
ignore directions on the packet
1 C mayo
1/2 C milk
1 lime
2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1/2 C roughly chopped cilantro
1/4 C green salsa
hot sauce

Place milk, mayo, and ranch mix in a blender. Juice the lime in there too, you should get about 2T juice. Toss in the garlic, cilantro and green salsa. Blend ‘er up. Sample it and add hot sauce to taste. Make it several hours ahead of time to allow it to thicken.

Easy Tomato Sauce with Fried Egg

This is as easy as tomato sauce gets! I got the recipe from Smitten Kitchen. Serves 4.

1 28 oz can of whole peeled tomatoes
5 tablespoons butter
1 onion, peeled and cut in half
salt to taste

spaghetti
Parmesan cheese
4 eggs

Put the tomatoes, onion, and butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring it to a simmer, then lower the heat and keep it at a slow simmer for 45 minutes. Stir occasionally, crushing the tomatoes and breaking them apart with a wooden spoon. Remove from heat, discard the onion (weird, huh?), add salt to taste.

Prepare spaghetti according to package directions; fry the eggs according to preference. Serve the sauce over the noodles topped with Parmesan and a fried egg.

Bowtie Spinach Salad

Salad--Mix in a large bowl:
8 cups spinach torn
8 oz. Bag of bow bowtie pasta cooked and cooled
1 bunch green onions, chopped
¼ cup parsley chopped (can use dried)
¼ cup salted sunflower seeds
¼ cup red peppers, chopped
¼ cup yellow peppers, chopped


*Marinate chicken and dressing the day before serving.
Boil and shred 4 chicken breasts and marinate in a large storage bag with dressing. (The recipe says to boil, but I've always just cut the chicken into large pieces and sauteed it in a covered frying pan with a little olive oil.)

Dressing:
½ cup olive oil
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup vinegar
6 tablespoons sugar
½ teaspoon pepper
¼ cup sesame seeds

Directions:  Pour chicken mixture over all salad ingredients when read to serve.

My friend Tonya gave me this recipe to make for Naomi's baptism lunch.

Orange Fruit Dip

1 container vanilla yogurt (I usually use Yoplait)
1/4 c. sugar
Zest of one orange
Juice of one orange
2 c. thawed cool whip (regular sized carton)

Whip first four ingredients together until sugar is dissolved, add cool whip and refrigerate.

Roasted Tomatillo Chicken Pasta

A friend made this for us after Isla was born and I thought it was so good. It's easy to make the sauce and chicken ahead of time. (In fact, I make a large batch of the sauce and freeze it in 3/4 cup containers to make half the recipe at a time.)

4 tomatillos, quartered
6 cloves garlic, peeled
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 cups fresh baby spinach (6 oz)
1 cup fresh basil
2 tablespoons chicken broth or water
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons dried thyme
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

12 oz dry pasta (penne or bowtie)
1 large chicken breast, cooked and shredded
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1 cup mozzarella cheese

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place tomatillos, garlic cloves and oil in a baking dish; stir to coat. Roast for 30 minutes.
2. Place roasted tomatillo mixture in a blender or food processor; add spinach, basil, broth, oregano, thyme, red pepper flakes, salt, sugar, and cheese and process until blended.
3. Cook pasta according to package directions (al dente). Drain and set aside.
4. Mix pasta, tomatillo sauce, chicken and Parmesan cheese and put into a 9x13 baking dish.
5. Top with mozzarella cheese and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Recipe adapted slightly from here.