August 8th is National Zucchini Day AND National Frozen Custard Day

Homemade Frozen Custard
(www.allrecipes.com)

Ingredients

• 4 cups milk
• 4 eggs
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 1/3 cup cornstarch
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
• 2 tablespoons vanilla extract

Directions

1. In a large heavy saucepan, bring milk to a boil. Meanwhile, combine the sugar, cornstarch, salt and eggs. Gradually add a small amount of hot milk; return all to the saucepan. Cook and stir until mixture reached at least 160 degrees F and coat the back of a metal spoon. Gradually stir in condensed milk and vanilla. Chill for 3-4 hours.
2. Fill cylinder of ice cream freezer two thirds full; freeze according to manufacturer's directions. Refrigerate remaining mixture until ready to freeze.               

July 14th is National Macaroni Day!

Baked Macaroni and Cheese
(Recipe courtesy Alton Brown)
Ingredients

• 1/2 pound elbow macaroni
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 1 tablespoon powdered mustard
• 3 cups milk
• 1/2 cup yellow onion, finely diced
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1 large egg
• 12 ounces sharp cheddar, shredded
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• Fresh black pepper

Topping:

• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 cup panko bread crumbs

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large pot of boiling, salted water cook the pasta to al dente.
While the pasta is cooking, in a separate pot, melt the butter. Whisk in the flour and mustard and keep it moving for about five minutes. Make sure it's free of lumps. Stir in the milk, onion, bay leaf, and paprika. Simmer for ten minutes and remove the bay leaf.
Temper in the egg. Stir in 3/4 of the cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Fold the macaroni into the mix and pour into a 2-quart casserole dish. Top with remaining cheese.
Melt the butter in a saute pan and toss the bread crumbs to coat. Top the macaroni with the bread crumbs. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and rest for five minutes before serving.
Remember to save leftovers for fried Macaroni and Cheese.

July 13th is National French Fries Day AND National Franks & Beans Day

 

Beans-n-Franks
(www.allrecipes.com)

Prep Time: 10 MinCook Time: 40 MinReady In: 50 Min

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons margarine
• 3 tablespoons chopped onion
• 1 (16 ounce) can baked beans with pork
• 1 (16 ounce) package frankfurters, sliced
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon prepared mustard
• 1 teaspoon celery salt

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Saute onions in butter until tender. Stir in the baked beans and sliced frankfurters. Season with brown sugar, mustard and celery salt. Transfer to a 2 quart casserole dish.
3. Bake for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally.

July 12th is National Pecan Pie Day!

PECAN PIE RECIPE (www.allrecipes.com and Elaine Helms)

Prep Time: 15 MinCook Time: 40 MinReady In: 1 Hr 5 Min

Ingredients

• 1 cup light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup butter
• 2 eggs
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup chopped pecans

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. In a large bowl, beat eggs until foamy, and stir in melted butter. Stir in the brown sugar, white sugar and the flour; mix well. Last add the milk, vanilla and nuts.
3. Pour into an unbaked 9-in pie shell. Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes at 400 degrees, then reduce temperature to 350 degrees and bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until done.

July 6th is National Fried Chicken Day!

Fried Chicken Recipe (courtesy Alton Brown)

Total Time: 40 min.
Prep: 20 min.
Cook: 20 min.
Yield:3 to 4 servings .

INGREDIENTS
1 broiler/fryer chicken, cut into 8 pieces
2 cups low fat buttermilk
2 tablespoons kosher salt
2 tablespoons Hungarian paprika
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Flour, for dredging
Vegetable shortening, for frying

DIRECTIONS
Place chicken pieces into a plastic container and cover with buttermilk. Cover and refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours.

Melt enough shortening (over low heat) to come just 1/8-inch up the side of a 12-inch cast iron skillet or heavy fry pan. Once shortening liquefies raise heat to 325 degrees F. Do not allow oil to go over 325 degrees F.

Drain chicken in a colander. Combine salt, paprika, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper. Liberally season chicken with this mixture. Dredge chicken in flour and shake off excess.

Place chicken skin side down into the pan. Put thighs in the center, and breast and legs around the edge of the pan. The oil should come half way up the pan. Cook chicken until golden brown on each side, approximately 10 to 12 minutes per side. More importantly, the internal temperature should be right around 180 degrees. (Be careful to monitor shortening temperature every few minutes.)

Drain chicken on a rack over a sheet pan. Don't drain by setting chicken directly on paper towels or brown paper bags. If you need to hold the chicken before serving, cover loosely with foil but avoid holding in a warm oven, especially if it's a gas oven.

June 21st is National Peachs and Cream Day!

PEACHES AND CREAM CUPCAKE RECIPE
(courtesy of www.cupcakeproject.com)

 Yield: 12 cupcakes


INGREDIENTS:
•1 1/4 C flour
•1/2 t baking powder
•1/4 t baking soda
•1/4 t salt
•2 large eggs
•1 C sugar
•1/2 C unsalted butter, room temperature
•1 1/2 t vanilla extract
•1/2 C sour cream
•2 C peaches and cream blended into a mush (see this peaches and cream recipe) or 1 C peach jam (try to find high quality jam with lots of real peach pieces or, if the season is right, make your own peach jam)

DIRECTIONS:

1.Mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium-sized bowl and set aside.

2.In a large bowl, with an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the eggs and sugar for about 2 minutes, or until light and creamy.

3.Add the butter and vanilla and beat on low speed for about 1 minute, or until well blended.

4.Beat in the dry ingredients on low speed until blended.

5.Add the sour cream and beat until smooth and well blended.

6.Mix in peaches and cream or peach jam.

7.Divide batter evenly among 12 cupcake liners.

8.Bake at 350 F for about 23 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean and the tops are firm.

Vanilla Peach Buttercream Frosting
•3 C confectioners' sugar (add more until it reaches your preferred consistency)
•1 C unsalted butter, room temperature
•2 t vanilla bean paste
•4 T peach jam (try to find high quality jam with lots of real peach pieces or, if the season is right, make your own peach jam)

1.Mix together sugar and butter until they are blended and creamy.

2.Add vanilla bean paste and continue to beat for another minute.

3.Mix in peach jam until just combined.

June 1st is National Hazelnut Cake Day!

Triple Hazelnut Cake
with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

(www.foodnetwork.com)

Total Time: 4 hr 10 min.

Prep: 1 hr 15 min.

Inactive: 2 hr 10 min.
Cook: 45 min.

Yield:8 generous servings .

INGREDIENTS

Triple Hazelnut Cake:
Shortening, for greasing pans
2 tablespoons cake flour, plus 3 1/3 cups, divided
4 large eggs, at room temperature, lightly beaten
1/3 cup hazelnut-flavored liqueur (recommended: Frangelico)
1 teaspoon hazelnut extract
1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt
1 cup peeled, toasted and finely chopped or ground hazelnuts
3 sticks (24 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup sour cream, at room temperature

Hazelnut Filling:
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 cup peeled, toasted and finely chopped hazelnuts
1/4 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt
1 tablespoon hazelnut-flavored liqueur (recommended: Frangelico)
1 teaspoon hazelnut extract
2 tablespoons finely chopped bittersweet chocolate or chocolate disks

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting:

8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped or chocolate disks

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup egg whites, at room temperature (from 7 to 8 large eggs)

4 sticks (32 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 teaspoon hazelnut extract

Garnishes:

2 cups peeled, toasted and finely chopped hazelnuts

8 whole peeled, toasted hazelnuts

8 milk chocolate curls

DIRECTIONS
To make the cake, grease 2 (9 by 2-inch) round cake pans with shortening and line bottoms with parchment rounds. Grease parchment and dust each pan with 1 tablespoon flour, shaking out excess. Set pans aside.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a medium bowl whisk together the eggs, liqueur, and hazelnut extract until blended and set aside.

In a large bowl of an electric stand mixer, gently combine on low speed 3 1/3 cups flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and hazelnuts until blended. Add the butter and sour cream and beat on low speed until dry ingredients are moistened.

Increase speed to medium and beat for 2 1/2 minutes, scraping the sides of the bowl occasionally. In 3 separate additions, add the egg mixture to the batter, beating for 30 seconds after each addition. Divide batter evenly into the prepared pans and bake on the center rack for 40 to 45 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into the center of each cake comes out clean. Cool cakes in pans for 10 minutes. Remove from pans, discard parchment and cool cakes completely on wire racks, 1 to 2 hours.

To make the hazelnut filling, in a medium saucepan melt the butter over medium heat.

Sprinkle with flour and whisk until smooth. Reduce heat to medium-low, add the sugar and cream and cook, whisking constantly, for 7 to 10 minutes or until mixture is thickened. Stir in the hazelnuts, salt, liqueur, hazelnut extract, and chocolate and cook just until chocolate melts. Set aside in a bowl and cool completely.

To make the chocolate buttercream frosting, melt chocolate in the top of a double boiler over medium heat until smooth. Set aside, off the heat, and cool completely. In a large bowl whisk together the sugar and egg whites until blended. Place the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water and whisk until mixture reaches 140 degrees F.

Remove mixture to a large bowl of a stand mixture with a whisk attachment and beat on low speed for 1 minute to cool slightly. Increase speed to high and beat for 4 minutes or until mixture is cool to the touch and doubled in volume. Reduce speed to low and add the softened butter 1 tablespoon at a time, beating well after each addition, until all of the butter has been added. Continue to beat until mixture looks smooth. Fold in the melted chocolate and the hazelnut extract and beat until fluffy.

To assemble the cake, split each cake layer horizontally in half to make 4 separate layers. Spread equal amounts of the hazelnut filling between each layer and frost top and sides of cake with the buttercream. To garnish, press chopped hazelnuts onto the sides of the cake. Using a pastry bag fitted with a star tip, pipe rosettes around the top rim using remaining frosting. Place whole hazelnuts and chocolate curls on the top of the cake.

Tip: To make this cake an easier undertaking, take the time to search out hazelnuts that have already been peeled. If peeled nuts are unavailable, working in batches, boil nuts in 2 cups water along with 2 tablespoons baking soda for 1 to 2 minutes.

Run nuts under water and slip off skins. Dry the nuts well and toast on a baking sheet in a 350 degree F oven for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cool and finely chop and proceed with recipe. If you purchase the nuts already peeled, toast in a 350 degree F oven for only 15 minutes.