Tres Leches Cake

 This isn't original but I like to keep recipes here for safekeeping. I found this was most delicious by the third day but second day would be fine too. It wasn't clear from the recipe whether to add the whipped topping right before serving or not, so the first day I didn't and it was fine. But the next day it had the whipped cream on top and it was AMAZING so I'm guessing this should be the way to do it. Bottom line: add whipped cream before refrigerating and waiting the day or so for it to be ready. Berries can be added later.

Also not 100% sure on the cinnamon if you have berries. One or the other might be good. Not sure I loved both.

Cake:

•  1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
•  5 large eggs , separated
•  1 cup granulated sugar , divided
•  1/3 cup whole milk
•  1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Milk Mixture:

•  12 ounce can evaporated milk
•  14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk
•  1/4 cup half and half

Whipped Topping:

• 1/2-3/4 pint heavy whipping cream
•  3 Tablespoons powdered sugar
•  1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ground cinnamon , for topping
•  
• Strawberries (or other berries!)
•  

• Instructions

   

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  • In a medium bowl combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Separate the eggs into two other mixing bowls.
  • Add ¾ cup sugar to the bowl with the egg yolks and mix on high speed until yolks are pale yellow. Add ⅓ cup milk and vanilla and stir to combine. Pour the egg yolk mixture over the flour mixture and stir gently just until combined (don't over-mix).
  • Use electric beaters to beat the egg whites on high speed. As the begin to whip into stiff peaks, gradually mix in the remaining ¼ cup of sugar. Fold the stiffly beaten egg whites into the batter gently, scraping the bottom and sides of the bowl, until combined.
  • Pour batter into un-greased pan and smooth it into an even layer. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow cake to cool completely.
  • Combine the evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, and whole milk in a small bowl. Once the cake has cooled use a fork to poke holes all over the top of the cake. 
  • Slowly pour the milk mixture over the the top of the cake, making sure to pour near the edges and all around. Refrigerate the cake for at least 1 hour or overnight, to allow it to soak up the milk.
  • In the meantime, whip the heavy cream, sugar and vanilla until stiff peaks. Smooth over the top of the cake. Sprinkle cinnamon on top. Serve with fresh sliced strawberries, if desired. Enjoy!

  
  

   
  

Mushroom Black Bean Quesadillas

4 large tortillas 

1 can black beans 

1 pack cremini mushrooms, sliced into 1/4 inch slices 

1 large onion 

4 oz. grated cheddar cheese 

Butter 

 Optional dipping sauce: sour cream mixed with paprika 

 1. Half, peel, and thinly slice onions. Cook over medium-high heat in a pan heated with butter. 

 2. When onions are translucent, add sliced mushrooms and cook until soft. 

 3. Add black beans to mushrooms and onions and cook until heated through. 

 4. Fill tortilla with black bean mixture and cheese. Fold in half and cook in a pan filled with butter until lightly browned, turning once. 

 5. Service with dipping sauce (optional).

Spicy Hoisin Beef Tacos

10 oz. ground beef 

2 T. Hoisin sauce 

4 oz. shredded red cabbage 

2 T. mayonaise 

1/2 oz. chopped peanuts 

beef stock (or water) 

1 persian cucumber 

2 scallions 

1 tsp. sriracha Sesame dressing (sesame oil, carrier oil like olive oil or canola, soy sauce, vinegar, salt and pepper) 

6 flour tortillas 

 1. Trim and thinly slice scallions, separating whites from greens. Trim and halve cucumber lengthwise; thinly slice crosswise into half-moons. 

 2. Melt 1 TBSP butter (2 TBSP for 4 servings) in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add scallion whites and beef; cook, breaking up meat into pieces, until browned and cooked through, 3-4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. TIP: If there’s excess grease in your pan, carefully pour it out. 

 3. Stir in stock concentrate, hoisin, and ¼ cup water (1/3 cup for 4). Cook, stirring, until sauce has thickened, 1-2 minutes more. 

 4. In a medium bowl, combine cabbage, cucumber, and half the scallion greens with sesame dressing. Set aside. 

 5. In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise with Sriracha to taste 6. Heat tortillas fill with beef filling, sesame slaw, and as much Sriracha mayo as you like. Garnish with peanuts and remaining scallion greens and serve.

Pasta with Mushrooms, spinach, and ricotta

7 oz. fresh pasta 

1-2 shallots 

2 cloves garlic 

2 sprigs fresh rosemary 

1 pack cremini mushrooms 

1 lemon 

1 bag fresh baby spinach 

1/4 cup ricotta 

1/4 cup white wine (can use water)

1 T. butter 

 1. Cook the pasta in salted water until just tender, 3-5 minutes. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of the pasta water. Toss pasta with olive oil to avoid sticking. While pasta is cooking 

 2. Peel and thinly slice the shallots and mince the garlic. Strip the rosemary leaves and coarsely chop. 

 3. Cut mushrooms into 1/4 inch thick slices. 

 4. Zest the lemon. 

 5. In a large frying pan over medium heat, warm butter until hot but not smoking. Add shallots, garlic, rosemary and mushrooms, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are starting to soften (3-4 minutes). Add white wine and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are tender and liquid has mostly evaporated (another 3-4 minutes). 

 6. Stir in the spinach, pasta, and 1/4 reserved pasta water, increasing the heat to medium high and cooking until sauce has thickened and spinach is just wilted (about 2 minutes). Add more pasta water if dry. 

 7. Remove from heat, stir in lemon zest, season to taste with salt and pepper, and top with fresh ricotta cheese.

Kung Pao style chicken stir fry

2 chicken breasts, thinly sliced 

1 T. cornstarch 

1 T. red wine or sherry vinegar 

2 red or orange bell peppers, sliced 

2 baby bok choy, chopped into 1 inch pieces 

1 head brocolli, chopped steamed 

1 zucchini, chopped into half moon slices 

3 scallions, chopped 

1 knob ginger, finely chopped 

2 garlic cloves, minced 

1 T. brown sugar 

3 T. soy sauce or coconut aminos 

1 T. sesame oil 

Salt and pepper 

Cashews (optional) 

 1. Prepare sauce by combining brown sugar, soy sauce, and sesame oil in a small bowl. Can adjust amount of soy sauce to taste. 

 2. Toss chicken with salt and pepper, then coat with cornstarch and vinegar. Cook over medium-high heat in a large pot until chicken is mostly cooked through. Remove from pan and set aside. 

 3. Cook ginger and scallions in same pot until fragrent, then add the garlic and cook for another minute or so. 

 4. Add the peppers, bok choy, broccoli and zucchini and cook (covered) until softened. Add the chicken and sauce and add soy sauce as needed. 

 5. When everything is blended and soft, serve over rice.

White bean tostadas with blackberry salsa

This sounds super weird but it's fantastic, I promise! 

1 pint blackberries 

1 lime 

1 jalepeno (optional) 

1 tsp. maple syrup 

1 can white beans 

Oil for cooking 

1 ripe avocado, sliced 

8 corn tortillas 

 1. Cut blackberries in half 

2. Zest and juice the lime 

3. If using jalepeno, remove stem, ribs, and seeds and finely chop. 

4. Stir together blackberries, lime zest and juice, maple syrup, and up to half the jalepeno. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Let stand, stirring occasionally, while you cook the rest of the meal. 

5. Rinse the white beans 

6. In a medium sauce pot, warm a tablespoon of oil until hot but not smoking. Add the beans and season generously with salt and pepper. Mash the beans until softened and heated through, 3-4 minutes. 

7. In a large frying pan, warm 2-3 tablespoons of oil and cook tortillas in batches, turning once, until crisp (2-4 minutes per side). Transfer cooked tortillas on paper-towel-lined plate. 

8. To serve, spread mashed beans over tortillas and top with blackberry salsa and avocados. Add more jalepeno if desired.

Sugar Snap Pea and Blueberry Salad

1 pint of blueberries 

1 lb. sugar snap peas 

1 lemon 

2-3 green onions 

2-3 celery ribs 

olive oil 

salt and pepper 

 1. Cut blueberries in half and thinly slice snap peas on the diagonal 

2. Chop celery on the diagonal and thinly slice green onions 

3. Zest the lemon 

4. Toss blueberries, peas, celery, green onions, and lemon zest together. 

5. Add a squeeze of lemon, olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste. Mix together and serve.