Gran'ma Wood's Date Nut Bread

1 cup cut-up dates

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 Tablespoons shortening

1 cup hot water

1 egg

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1/3 cup brown sugar, firmly packed

2 ½ cups sifted flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 cup coarsely chopped nuts

Remove pits from dates and cut across with scissors into 4 or 5 pieces;  place in bowl.  Sprinkle dates with soda and drop shortening on top;  pour hot water over all and let stand until cool.  Beat egg and gradually beat in sugars.  Sift together flour, baking powder and salt.  Add the egg mixture alternately with date mixture, beating well after each addition.  Add nuts.  Place batter in a well greased and floured loaf pan and bake in a moderate (350°) oven 1 hour.  Removed from pan and cool on rack.

Orange frosting

Ingredients:
2 sticks butter
8 ounces cream cheese
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Juice and zest of 1 orange*
10 to 12 cups powdered sugar

Directions:
Cream the butter and cream cheese until smooth. Add the vanilla, lemon zest and juice and blend until combined. Add the powdered sugar gradually until combined.

* You can substitute lemon zest for lemon frosting.

Orange Chiffon Cake

Ingredients:
2 1/4 cups cake flour
1 1/2 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
5 egg yolks
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup orange juice
1 tablespoon orange zest
1 teaspoon vanilla1 cup egg yolks
1/2 teaspoon cream of tarter

Directions:
1.Preheat oven to 325 degrees. wash cake pan with soapy water to make sure it is grease free. I also make a parchment paper liner for the cake pan for easy release. (you can make this as cup cakes or in an Angel Food Cake pan.
2. Sift flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt together into a bowl.
3. In a large bowl mixing bowl, beat egg whites and cream of tarter until very stiff, set aside.
4. mix egg yolks, cooking oil, juice, orange rind and vanilla together. Slowly add flour mixture until smooth. gently fold in egg whites 1/4 at a time. pour into pan of choice.
5. Bake until a wooden pick comes out clean.
50 minutes for a 12 inch cake pan. 60 to 70 for bunt pan.

Number Of Servings:12-15

Orange Curd

Ingredients:
6 large egg yolks
3/4 cup sugar
zest of 1 orange
2 1/2 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 plus 1 table spoon, freshly squeezed orange juice
1/8 teaspoon salt
10 1/2 tablespoons cold butter cut into pieces.

Directions:
Step 1. combine yolks, sugar, zest, ad juice in a heavy sauce pan. whisk to combine. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon or spatula (be sure to scrape sides of pan), until the mixture is thick, 8-10 minutes. Let mixture come to a rapid simmer and cook, continually scraping the sides of the pan for 2 minuets.
Step 2. Remove saucepan form heat. Ann salt and butter, one piece at the time, stirring until smother. If desired, strain through a fine sieve into a medium bowl. Cove with plastic wrap, pressing it directly onto the surface of the curd to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate until chill and very firm, at least 2 hours or up to 1 1/2 weeks.

Chocolate Dream Bars

Chocolate Dream Bars
4 squares (8 oz) unsweetened chocolate
2 Sticks (1/2 pound) Butter
4 well beaten eggs
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 ¼ cups flour
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped nuts
Place chocolate and butter in pan over medium heat. Let it
melt. Add sugar and mix well with spoon. Add eggs and stir
well. When mixture is brown again add vanilla and remove
from the heat. Combine flour and salt and add to mixture, stir
in nuts. Pour into a 9 X 13 greased (I use Pam Spray) Bake
exactly 18 minutes at 400 degrees. They will be gooey in the
middle. Let them cool and then cut.

Tuscan Garlic Chicken

Review: Since I like a little more sauce I doubled the sauce recipe.  The original recipe below probably would have been enough but I wanted to have extra.  If you double the sauce recipe I would suggest doubling everything but the spinach.  There was so delicious and close to the real thing, we will definitely make it again. 

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 Tablespoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 tsp dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 5 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 Tablespoon finely minced garlic
• 1 red bell pepper, cut into thin strips or chopped
• 1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth
• 6 ounces fresh spinach
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 2 Tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 cup lowfat milk
• 1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
• 1 pound fettucini noodles

1. Preheat oven to 350.  Combine the flour, salt, pepper, basil, and oregano.  Dip each chicken breast in the flour mixture and coat well. 2.  In a large skillet, heat 3 Tablespoons oil until hot.  Carefully place the breaded chicken in the oil until each side is golden brown.  Don't cook all the way through.

3.  On a cookie sheet, line with aluminum foil and spray with cooking spray.  Place the chicken breasts on the cookie sheet and bake for about 15 minutes until cooked through.  Set aside until ready to use.

4.  While the chicken is cooking, in a large pot cook the fettucini noodles according to package directions.  Wipe the skillet with some paper towels and add the remaining 2 T olive oil.  Cook the chopped red pepper and garlic for about 2-3 minutes.  Stir in 1 T of flour and stir constantly for one minute.

5.  Add the chicken broth and bring to a light simmer while whisking constantly until it is starting to thicken.  This takes about 3-4 minutes.

6.  In a separate small bowl, whisk together the heavy cream and cornstarch.  Add the spinach, cream, and milk to the skillet.  Bring this to a simmer and continue to cook until spinach starts to wilt.  Stir in the parmesan cheese.

7.  Add half of the sauce to the coating the cooked and drained fettucini noodles.  Top with breaded chicken and spoon more of the sauce on top.  Enjoy!
Recipe from The Recipe Critic.

Ikea Swedish Meatballs

Swedish meatballs are so good. But just good until you've had them done right. When you make these you will know you've reached the ultimate. The best are Ikea made meatballs. But really home cooked Ikea meatballs are really better. I promise. These are loved so much I made them for Christmas dinner. Really I did. I add a few spices to the recipe to make it a little special. Serve the meatballs and sauce over mashed potatoes and a side of lingonberry jam.

Ingredients
1 lb ground beef
1 lb ground pork
1 egg
1c cream
2 1/2tbsp minced onions
1/4c rusk flour or bread crumbs
2 boiled mashed potatoes
5 tbsp butter
Salt and pepper
1tsp Allspice

Cream Sauce
1c beef stock
1/2c cream
1tbsp soy sauce
1tbsp flour
salt and white pepper

Method
Heat onion in butter in pan until golden. Combine meats well by kneading. Add the rest of the ingredients and combine until well mixed. Roll into balls and fry in butter until browned. I finish the cooking process in the oven at 350°

Heat stock in pan add cream and thicken with flour rue. Whisk together add rest of ingredients. Season with salt pepper to taste and a pinch of allspice.

Toss meatballs with the sauce.