Lemon Bundt Cake

The hunt was on. At least for me. My parents have a dear friend who growns the largest lemons I think I’ve ever seen. And he shares them. Which is a very, very good thing.

What are we going to do with all these lemons, came the question. Make a cake, came my reply. Okay. Simple lemon cake recipe. No time for a gazillion layers and complicated frosting? No problem. Try this one.

This recipe comes from the March 2006 Good Housekeeping magazine. It was from the Gothic Café in Belfast. Seriously. That’s what it says. Can’t wait to taste it for myself. My mouth is already watering!

Lemon Bundt Cake

Cake
3 lemons
3 cups all-purpose flour
¾ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup butter (2 sticks), softened
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk

Frosting
2 cups confectioners’ sugar
½ cup butter (1 stick), softened
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour 12-cup Bundt pan.

Cake
From lemons, grate 2 tablespoons peel and squeeze 3 tablespoons juice. Mix flour, salt and baking soda.

In bowl, with mixer on low speed, blend sugar and butter. On high, beat 3 minutes. On low, beat in eggs, 1 at a time, and vanilla. Beat in flour mixture alternately with buttermilk. Fold in peel and juice. Spoon into pan.

Bake 60 to 70 minutes. Cool in pan 15 minutes, then invert onto rack.

Frosting
In bowl, with mixer on low speed, blend sugar, butter and cream cheese. Beat in juice and vanilla. On high, beat until fluffy.

Spread over cake

Makes 16 servings, at 450 calories per serving.

Enchiladas Acapulco

This recipe comes from a clipped advertisement for VELVEETA Mexican Pasteurized Process Cheese Spread. I have no idea how long ago, those probably 10 plus years. I have a habit of clipping recipes, putting them aside, and fully intending to get back to them. And then I misplace them or they get buried under still more recipes. That’s one reason I’m determined to get them uploaded so that all of us can find them when we’re looking for something special, specific, or just an old favorite.

Enchiladas Acapulco

1 lb. ground beef
1 8-oz. can tomato sauce
¾ cup chopped green pepper
1 83/4-oz. can kidney beans, drained
½ lb. VELVEETA Mexican Pasteurized Process Cheese Spread, cubed
8 6-inch tortillas
Oil
½ cup chopped tomato

Brown meat; drain. Add tomato sauce and ½ cup peppers. Cook over medium heat 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add beans and ¾ lb. process cheese spread. Continue cooking until cheese spread is melted.

Dip tortillas in hot oil; drain. Fill each tortilla with ¼ cup meat mixture; roll up. Place, seam side down, in 12-x-8-inch baking dish. Top with remaining meat mixture; cover.

Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Top with remaining process cheese spread. Continue baking uncovered 5 to 8 minutes or until cheese spread is melted. Top with remaining peppers and tomatoes.

Makes 4 servings.

Ghirardelli Signature Hot Fudge Sauce

I found this recipe on the inside over of a bar of Ghirardelli chocolate. The perfect chocolate sauce from folks who really know how to do chocolate. It would be perfect over ice cream or chocolate fudge cake.

Ghirardelli Signature Hot Fudge Sauce

1 bar (4 oz.) Ghirardelli 60% Cacao Bittersweet Chocolate Baking Bar, broken into pieces
4 tablespoons butter, cut into chunks
1 ½ cups sugar
½ cup water
¼ cup light corn syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a heavy saucepan, combine the chocolate, butter, sugar, water and light corn syrup. Stir the mixture continuously over medium heat until the completely melted and smooth. Bring to a boil, lower the heat and continue simmering for 10 minutes.

Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract.

Store covered in the refrigerator.

To reheat, place in a small microwave safe bowl. Microwave on medium 6 to 8 minutes, stirring after the first 5 minutes.

Makes 2 cups.

Oven-Baked Chicken Parmesan

This recipe comes from Ragu. It's on one of those recipe cards you get in the mail when somebody is trying to sell you something. It's another one of those labeled Easy to Bake, Easy to Make.

I was intrigued because it seems so easy and it requires things I normally have on hand. That’s a big plus in my kitchen, how about yours?

Oven-Baked Chicken Parmesan

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 1 ½ lbs.)
1 egg, slightly beaten
¾ cup Italian seasoned dry bread crumbs
1 jar (26 to 28 oz.) RAGU Old World Style Pasta Sauce
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (about 4 oz.)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Dip chicken in egg, then bread crumbs, coating well.

In 13-x-9-inch glass baking dish, arrange chicken. Bake uncovered 20 minutes.

Pour Ragu Pasta Sauce over chicken, then top with cheese. Bake an additional 10 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink.

Makes 4 servings.

Hershey's Best Loved Chocolate Cheesecake

This is another wonderful recipe from the folks over at HERSHEY. One of must have in stock at all times items is HERSHEY’S Cocoa. There are just so many things you can make it with, this cheesecake being one of them.

A wonderful tip came with this recipe: to check if the cheesecake is done, jiggle the pan gently. It it’s set except for a small area in the center, then it’s done.

Hershey’s Best Loved Chocolate Cheesecake

Quick Chocolate Crumb Crust (recipe follows)
3 packages cream cheese, softened
1 ¼ cups sugar
1 container (8 oz.) dairy sour cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
½ cup HERSHEY’S Cocoa
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 eggs
Quick Chocolate Drizzle (recipe follows)

Prepare Quick Chocolate Crumb Crust.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Beat cream cheese and sugar until blended. Add sour cream and vanilla; beat until blended. Beat in cocoa and flour. Add eggs, one at a time; beat just until blended. Pour into crust.

Bake 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 250 degrees; continue baking 40 minutes. Remove from oven to wire rack. With knife, loosen cake from sides of pan. Cool completely; remove side of pan.

Prepare Quick Chocolate Drizzle. Drizzle over top.

Refrigerate 4 to 6 hours. Store covered in refrigerator.

Makes 12 servings.

Quick Chocolate Crumb Crust
Combine 1 cup chocolate wafer crumbs and ¼ cup (½ stick) butter or margarine. Press onto bottom of 9-inch spring form pan.

Makes 1 9-inch crust.

Quick Chocolate Drizzle
Place ½ cup HERSHEY’S Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips and 2 tablespoons shortening (do NOT use butter, margarine, spread or oil) in small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at HIGH 30 seconds. If necessary, microwave at HIGH an additional 15 seconds at a time, stirring after each heating, just until chips are melted.

Hot Cheesy Spinach Dip

This recipe probably came in the mail as an enticement to make a purchase. I kept the recipe card but didn’t make the purchase. Oh well. It looks like it came from Easy to Bake, Easy to Make.

The Baker’s Corner suggests serving this dip with crackers strong enough for scooping or toasted slices of sourdough bread. The sourdough would be my favorite. It’s just perfect for a hot, creamy dip like this one.

Also, I’ll probably pass on the water chestnuts. But that’s a personal choice. I hope you enjoy it, whichever way you go.

Hot Cheesy Spinach Dip

2 tablespoons butter
¼ cup chopped onion (about ¼ medium)
2 cloves garlic, minced (1 teaspoon)
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 ¾ cups half-and-half
2 packages (9-oz each) frozen, chopped spinach, thawed, well drained
1 can (8 oz) sliced water chestnuts, drained
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1 package (1 oz) dry vegetable soup mix
¼ cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; cook and stir until onion is crisp-tender and garlic is fragrant, 2-3 minutes.

Stir in flour; cook and stir an additional minute. Add half-and-half and cook, stirring constantly, until mixture boils and thickens, about 2 minutes.

Remove saucepan from heat. Stir in chopped spinach, water chestnuts, Cheddar and vegetable soup mix. Spoon dip into a 1-quart casserole or gratin dish. Sprinkle with Parmesan.

Bake dip until it is bubbly and cheese is melted, 10 to 15 minutes.

Serve warm.

Makes 8 servings.

Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole

This recipe comes from a 2006 issue of Good Housekeeping magazine. It was apparently submitted by reader Sharon Brenneman of Lima, Ohio.

I’m sure I tore it out of the magazine and kept it because I love Chicken Cordon Bleu. Or, at least, I used to. Many, many years ago this was my favorite dish at a wonderful ocean-side restaurant in California. Alas, the restaurant closed when the owners lost their lease. It was a sad day for many of us because the restaurant was usually filled with customers.

I’m looking forward to trying this casserole. Quick and easy works for me these days. How about for you?

Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole

1 lb. baby red potatoes, cut into 1-inch chunks
1 lb. chicken-breast tenders
1 bag (12-oz.) broccoli florets
1 can (10 ¾-oz.) condensed cream of chicken soup
8 oz. cooked ham in 1 piece, cut into ½-inch chunks
1 cup shredded Swiss cheese
½ cup milk
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
1 garlic clove, finely chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Meanwhile, in microwave-safe large bowl, place potatoes and 2 tablespoons water. Cover bowl with waxed paper and microwave on HIGH 3 to 4 minutes or until potatoes are fork-tender, stirring once.

Add chicken and all remaining ingredients to potatoes and toss to mix well. Transfer mixture to a 13-x-9-inch glass or ceramic baking dish. Bake casserole, uncovered, 5o to 55 minutes or until chicken loses its pink color throughout and cheese begins to brown.

Makes 6 main-dish servings, at 375 calories each.